I Became a Swordsmanship Genius in the Game

Chapter 80. The Attack

Five days had passed since leaving the city of Bellatus.

Most of the land in the Demon World was not just desolate, but a dead land of nothingness.

The dry, red soil was not suitable for life.

The mana of the Demon World was hostile to living beings, so land with dense mana was ideal for fighting but not suitable for life to grow.

What was needed to traverse such a land in the Demon World was a ‘mount’.

Among them, the Ghost Horse was a popular mount thanks to its glowing blue eyes and mystical, fog-like body.

The fact that it was an undead and didn't tire was a given, and the fact that it wasn't affected by any terrain because it didn't actually step on the ground was also a great advantage.

Another of the Ghost Horse's greatest strengths was its lack of fear.

To be unperturbed in a blood-splattered battlefield was the best condition from the perspective of the one wielding the sword.

Swish—!

With my legs fixed on the Ghost Horse's back, I swung Cheonbyeondo.

⌜Volones Swordsmanship (4-Star)—9%⌟

The remnant of mana left in the sword's path like an afterglow was a characteristic of the Volones Swordsmanship, but it was also because the concentration of mana in the atmosphere was high.

I irritably flicked the mucus off the sword.

“So sticky.”

Gurgle—

The body of the monster, ‘Fluffy’, whose core had been pierced by my sword, melted away.

Its sticky, white body was piled up in layers like whipped cream.

‘Fluffy’ was a single organism in which microorganisms were clumped together, and it was a colony-type monster that moved in groups.

Its weak point was the core that moved quickly within its body.

If only the core could be neutralized, it could be killed easily.

I gave up on trying to flick off the stubborn mucus and imbued Cheonbyeondo with an attribute.

⌜Abyssal Ether⌟

Fwoosh—!

The sword, burning with black flames, completely wiped away the mucus.

Perhaps because my physical abilities had improved so much, I now felt almost no pain from the flames.

I looked around with a satisfied expression.

The countless splatters of mucus around were the only evidence that a pack of Fluffies had been here.

With the one I had just killed being the last, there were no Fluffies left nearby.

At this point, I wasn't even out of breath against such opponents.

‘Of course, if I had hunted with Abyssal Ether from the start, it would have been over in an instant.’

There was a use for the Fluffy's mucus.

If not, I would have burned them all from the beginning.

I turned my head to find my companions.

“Are you doing alright?”

Van and Lucas were a short distance away from me.

Fluffies were covering Van's body, who was armed with armor and a shield.

At a glance, it looked like a crisis.

However, the situation was quickly resolved with Lucas’s magic that followed.

⌜Thorn of Pain⌟

Crack—!

Bloody thorns pierced through the Fluffy's body.

From within, Van, covered in sticky mucus, emerged.

“Be more careful—!”

“Don't be a baby. I aimed precisely.”

“Then did a Fluffy chew through my left shoulder armor?”

“……”

As Van pointed to the hole in his shoulder armor, Lucas quietly turned his head away.

Van wiped the mucus off his shield and grumbled.

“Insignificant things like these keep attacking us day after day.”

“You talk as if you did something. I was the one who dealt with them.”

“You unlucky mosquito, have you forgotten that I protected you?”

“Nonsense. Even without a beast like you, such creatures cannot even get near me.”

Their insults towards each other were sharper than before.

It seemed their bond had deepened through the attacks they faced several times a day.

The biggest reason why the outside of the city was dangerous in the Demon World was the attacks of these wild monsters.

It had only been five days since they left the city, but this was already the eighth attack.

This was also the reason why the fatigued Van and Lucas had become more on edge. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by novel·fire.net

I approached them in their frosty atmosphere.

“It's getting late. Let's rest here for today.”

Lucas, who had been frowning at my words, spoke.

“…Here? The corpses of these things smell terrible.”

“That's why we should camp here. At least, there won't be any attacks at night.”

“How?”

Instead of answering, I scraped up the mucus left behind by the dead Fluffy.

The smell from the mucus had the effect of repelling wild monsters.

‘There's a more certain way.’

I sprinkled a pale yellow powder on top of the white mucus.

The powder's name was ‘Pearl Mist’.

When the two were combined, a repellent that exuded a smell that monsters extremely loathed was created.

This should keep monsters away for about a day.

“It smells burnt. What about you two?”

“…I feel like I'm going to throw up.”

“It’s better than before.”

This was the different reactions of Van and Lucas to a substance that had the effect of repelling wild monsters.

‘Is a High Orc closer to a wild monster?’

Apparently, so.

But the sense of smell was a sense that one adapted to quickly.

There was no reason why Van, who wasn't a real wild monster, wouldn't be able to endure it.

—Gag!

Van eventually brought his hand to his mouth and backed away.

…Well, he would get used to it soon.

I did my best to look away from Van and took out the map.

Lucas approached me.

“How much longer do we have to go?”

“We’re almost there.”

“That's the third time you've said that.”

“This time it's for real. See for yourself.”

“It looks like the destination is right ahead, can't we just go?”

“I told you it's getting late. The gorge is dangerous.”

I shook my head.

The Kerno Gorge was not a place to be trifled with at night.

It was wiser to spend a day here than to go and set up a new camp.

While Hyunwoo and Lucas were bickering over the map, Van, who seemed to have adapted to the smell, caught his breath and approached them.

He seemed to adapt quickly, perhaps because he was a High Orc.

“Phew… Anyway, we're staying here for a day.”

“Yeah. Let's tidy up and get ready for camping. I'll go sprinkle some more around.”

“Alright.”

While Hyunwoo went around sprinkling ‘Pearl Mist’, Van moved to prepare for camping.

As Van moved, Lucas sighed and began to follow him.

They seemed to get along well, even though they didn't seem to match.

* * *

Night fell.

In the dark space, only the crackling sound of a campfire could be heard intermittently.

Crack— pop—

Making a campfire at night in the Demon World was a suicidal act.

It was an act like a spell to call attackers.

However, the night continued in silence without any monster attacks.

Van, who was poking the embers with a stick he had picked up from somewhere, spoke.

“It seems to be really effective. Not a single wild monster in sight.”

“I told you. We'll be safe today.”

Van nodded, expressing his agreement with Hyunwoo's words.

He wouldn't have made a campfire at night if he didn't trust Hyunwoo in the first place.

Though unexpressed, both Van and Lucas trusted Hyunwoo.

“It's been a while since I've set foot on the soil of the Demon World, but it's not that great.”

“…I agree.”

“It might have been more comfortable to stay in the Arena.”

Lucas quietly nodded and answered Van's comment.

Rarely, their opinions coincided.

Their complaints were understandable.

I ran my hand through the dry soil and spoke.

“The land of the Demon World is a dead land. It's not a place where living things can survive.”

“The one who created such a world must be insane.”

“……”

At Lucas’s scathing criticism, I could only shut my mouth.

After all, ‘the one who created such a world’ was referring to me.

Van stared intently at Lucas.

“Do you believe in things like gods? You’re surprisingly sentimental.”

“A lower species like you will never know. The power of a god.”

“What do you know about our race…”

“What?”

“…Never mind. So you're saying there's a god?”

“……”

Both of them were about to talk about their respective ‘Stigmas’ and ‘High Orcs’ before clamping their mouths shut.

Since each of them was hiding their own secrets, the conversation went in circles.

Van, unable to bear the awkward atmosphere, stood up first.

“I'll take the first watch tonight. You guys go to sleep first.”

“It's still too early to sleep.”

“Shut up. I'm starting the time from now.”

Lucas stopped Van, who was getting up to move.

“Wait.”

Seeing Lucas's serious expression, I sensed that something had happened.

“I smell a foul stench. A familiar… smell of beasts. Some dog-like bastards have come.”

Clang—

As Hyunwoo picked up Cheonbyeondo and stood up, Van also looked around.

There were no monsters here that would ignore the smell of the repellent and attack.

An expected enemy that would attack with a clear purpose.

An opponent immediately came to mind.

“Modric. Is it him?”

“Hyunwoo, didn't you say you took care of it?”

“…Looks like something went wrong.”

That Jude bastard.

He said he would take care of it himself, but his work was so shoddy.

Yellow, slit pupils appeared one by one in the darkness.

Dozens of werewolves.

Although there were many, it wasn't enough to make Hyunwoo nervous.

“It's been a while since I've seen a werewolf.”

They were bigger than the gray werewolf he had faced in the Bronze rank, but they were still just werewolves.

They were no match for the current Hyunwoo.

The problem was the being with the dark blue mane among them.

A Lycanthrope was mixed in.

“Don't tell me… Modric came himself?”

I looked at Lucas with a tense expression.

Seeing him shake his head, it seemed that fortunately, it wasn't Modric.

But still, a Lycanthrope.

Its appearance was similar to a werewolf, but its intimidating presence was different.

Having assessed the enemy's strength, I immediately gave orders.

“Van, tie that one's feet. You should be able to hold on if you use your shield.”

Van, instead of answering, held out his huge shield and stepped forward.

“And Lucas, you draw the werewolves' attention as much as possible.”

“…Alright.”

Lucas, who had been wearing an angry expression at the appearance of the Lycanthrope, regained his composure at Hyunwoo's command.

Woof—!

With the sound of the werewolves barking, the battlefield quickly turned into a melee.

Van, who was the first to rush out, charged at the Lycanthrope.

“Come at me!”

The Lycanthrope, who had been looking at the charging Van with a dumbfounded expression, swung its claws.

Scratch—!

The shield made of solid iron didn't split at once, but Van behind it wasn't unharmed.

“Keuk…”

Van, who had been sent flying by the Lycanthrope's blow, struggled to get up again.

The difference in their strength was simply that overwhelming.

There were a few more clashes, but the difference in level was insurmountable.

The Lycanthrope, ‘Glitter’, who was confronting Van, was so relaxed that he looked around.

The vampire was putting up a good fight against the werewolves, but he could finish them off quickly if he joined in.

He tilted his head.

“To send me personally to deal with such vermin. After being demoted to a baron, has he lost his eye for things?”

As if to finish things off, Glitter extended its claws.

The moment he was about to swing his claws at the stumbling Orc.

Flinch—

His fur stood on end.

A human, holding the hilt of his sword and bending at the waist, appeared in front of him as he hastily turned around.

A thrilling sensation that sent shivers down his spine rang an alarm bell for Glitter.

He instinctively swung his claws at the human.

Swish—!

At the same time, his vision flashed.

A drawing technique that unfolded at a speed far beyond his perception.

⌜Volones Swordsmanship (4-Star)—9%⌟

Swish—

At the pain he felt in his waist, Glitter's gaze instinctively turned to the human's fingertips.

But the human was just holding the sword hilt in the same initial posture.

Then what kind of attack had he been hit by….

With his last scattered thoughts, his consciousness also faded away.

Thud—!

The upper body of the Lycanthrope, which had been split in two, fell forward.

A complete and instant death, without even a moment to use its specialty, ‘regeneration’.

At the absurd death that had happened in an instant, the battlefield fell silent.