Chapter 100 : Chapter 100
Chapter 100. Prove It.
Che-che-che-che-chaeng—!
A duel of pure swordsmanship unfolded.
The human’s swordsmanship was diverse.
Slashing.
Deflecting.
Thrusting.
Swinging.
Even striking down.
The more Argas crossed swords with the human, the deeper his curiosity about him became.
He had lived for hundreds of years pursuing only swordsmanship.
With just a few exchanges of swords, Argas was able to grasp the human’s swordsmanship.
Common Swordsmanship of the Northern Mercenaries.
Kilij Basic Swordsmanship.
Skirma Swordsmanship.
Sabla Swordsmanship.
Po Dienda Swordsmanship.
From the swordsmanship of the human world to that of the Frogman and even the vampires.
The human had learned an incomprehensibly diverse range of swordsmanship.
What was even more surprising was that he executed all those diverse swordsmanship styles ‘perfectly’.
Each and every one of the human’s swordsmanship styles drew a perfect sword path.
It even felt as if he were fighting with several people in turn.
How was this possible?
As the human unfolded a new swordsmanship, his face lit up with anticipation.
What kind of swordsmanship would it be this time.
In that moment.
Shwish—
“……!”
For the first time, Argas’s eyes widened.
He didn’t know how long it had been since he had shown such a big change in expression.
That’s how much the swordsmanship the human had just unfolded was enough to surprise him.
Phantom swords like snakes surging from all directions!
Watching the human who thrust his sword and then retreated, letting it hang, Argas let out a hollow laugh.
“That swordsmanship just now.
What was it?”
Hoo-ook—
The human who had been catching his breath after a series of sword swings glared sharply at Argas.
“What swordsmanship?”
“The swordsmanship you used.
How did you do it?”
“Ah.
This?”
The human swung his sword in the air.
Shishishit—
‘Herba Swordsmanship.’
It wasn’t Argas’s delusion.
The swordsmanship the human was using was not a similar style or a mere imitation, but it was definitely his own.
“You taught me.”
“I… taught you?”
Hyunwoo grinned.
There had been several dangerous moments leading up to this situation.
The most dangerous moment was when he charged at him with a swordsmanship that didn’t use mana, but thankfully it worked as his full-powered draw slash had passed the man’s standards.
‘I’ve at least succeeded in copying his basic swordsmanship.’
It was a stroke of luck that the conditions for ‘Master of Copy’ had been eased after mastering a 4-Star swordsmanship.
Because the basic swordsmanship Argas used, ‘Herba Swordsmanship’, was a 2-Star swordsmanship.
⌜Herba Swordsmanship (2-Star)―A phantom sword created by the Sword Fiend, Argas himself.
‘Reality’ and ‘illusion’ are mixed in its snake-like movements.
Proficiency: 100%(M)
Trait: None⌟
His swordsmanship proficiency was, of course, Master (M).
For the first time, Hyunwoo could see a proficiency that had reached Master other than his own.
Now that he had learned his swordsmanship, all he had to do was show him what he wanted most.
‘Swordsmanship Genius.’
Merely being a genius was not enough.
To bring about the magic of whim in the heavy-atmosphered Argas, he had to set the standards to the highest.
A genius among geniuses.
He had to be so good that the man’s eyes would pop out in surprise.
And in both expression and attitude, he had to be confident in every aspect.
Because a weak appearance was what Argas despised the most.
“You used that swordsmanship so much.
So I tried to copy it.”
“You just tried to copy it.
Is that it.”
“Well……”
Hyunwoo, who had trailed off, swung his sword in the air again.
⌜Herba Swordsmanship (2-Star)―5%⌟
Shishishit—!
Argas’s eyes twitched at the sight.
The swordsmanship had definitely improved.
In that short time, the human’s swordsmanship had gotten slightly better.
“It doesn’t seem like much, I think.”
“It doesn’t seem like much, you say……”
Argas, who trailed off, bowed his head.
A moment later, his body trembled finely.
It seemed he could no longer hold back his laughter.
The human’s spirit, swordsmanship, and talent.
All of it stimulated him to the point of making his entire body tingle.
“He might be a fellow with a value beyond mere amusement.”
The corners of Argas’s mouth stretched wide.
Not just a simple delicacy, but the best food he might taste only once in his lifetime was laid before him.
“Prove it.
Your talent.”
His eyes glinted with a madness for the ‘sword’.
Hyunwoo looked at Argas’s madness-stained eyes and recalled the ‘scenario quest’ that had appeared as soon as he met him.
⌜Scenario Quest has occurred!
You have encountered the ‘Calamity that will bring chaos to the Demon World’, ‘Argas’.
Survive him and achieve victory.
Time limit: Unknown.⌟
The way to stop the calamity called ‘Argas’ was to achieve ‘victory’ over him.
But it was impossible to win against him, one of the strongest in the Demon World.
Therefore, Hyunwoo acted with the goal of surviving him for now.
‘The fortunate thing is that my specialty is swordsmanship.’
He had at least met the minimum condition for surviving Argas.
Because if he didn’t use ‘swordsmanship’, he would have died without a doubt the moment he encountered him.
At least, through swordsmanship, he could attract his interest.
Of course, attracting his interest and surviving him were two different problems.
Glance—
When he looked beyond him, thankfully, Gracia was in the process of moving all the troops, including the fallen trio, back.
‘That’s a relief.’
He thought he was lucky that everyone was still alive after crossing swords with Argas.
Although they were retreating, the man’s gaze was solely focused on him.
The situation was flowing as he wanted.
‘Sword’ and ‘swordsmanship’.
The moment his lifelong interests and he coincided.
Kadeudeuk—!
A murderous sound came from the sword Argas held.
‘Madness’ undulated in the gaze that looked at him.
The interest and anticipation seen in that madness, and.
‘Pleasure.’
Proving his talent and making him look forward to the next time was the only way to survive him.
Swish—
He had already thought of a way.
‘I’ll have to trust the effect of Swordsmanship Genius.’
Hyunwoo took the stance of the ‘Herba Swordsmanship’.
A middle stance where he stood straight and pointed the tip of his sword between the opponent’s throat and the middle of their forehead.
At first glance, it was reminiscent of the correct stance in kendo, but the movement of the sword tip was different.
Shishit—
A movement like the tongue of a wicked snake.
The tip of the sword, which trembled through his wrist, split, making the sword appear as two.
A swordsmanship that mixed illusion and reality.
A phantom sword.
⌜Herba Swordsmanship (2-Star)―6%⌟
Argas, who had been looking at the tip of the sword Hyunwoo was aiming, swung his sword.
Shishishishishit—!
The Herba Swordsmanship, a mix of illusion and reality, unfolded from his sword.
An incredible skill, hard to believe for a swordsmanship unfolded without mana!
Argas’s sword, which had charged in an instant, covered Hyunwoo.
Like a snake swallowing its prey in one gulp.
Sword blades like sharp awls surged towards his entire body.
With Hyunwoo’s still lacking ‘Herba Swordsmanship’, he could not block all of its paths.
Kwadeudeuk—!
"Keuuuuuk……!"
Still, by wrapping his body in mana and twisting his body with all his might, he was able to minimize the damage.
He was able to avoid a fatal wound because the knowledge of the Herba Swordsmanship was ingrained in his mind; if not, his throat would have been pierced by the previous attack.
Hoo—
His insides felt churned, and his stomach boiled.
He could probably block his sword more easily if he used another swordsmanship.
But.
Hyunwoo foolishly took the stance of the ‘Herba Swordsmanship’ again.
Thump—
Hyunwoo, the developer, knew Argas’s personality well.
In this situation, if he carelessly mixed in other swordsmanship, he was the type to get furiously angry.
Him getting ‘furiously’ angry meant not only his own death but the death of everyone here.
Because he was a man who did not compromise when it came to ‘swordsmanship’.
Shishit—!
Seeing Hyunwoo take the stance of the ‘Herba Swordsmanship’ again, Argas curled the corners of his lips up.
“The closer you get to death, the more the sword will give you an answer.”
Depending on how you heard it, it sounded similar to a teaching.
It seemed he was pleased with Hyunwoo’s attitude of facing the test with his life on the line.
But, pleased was pleased, and he didn’t seem to have any intention of going easy.
Reality and illusion.
There was no need to distinguish between the two in the pouring sword strikes.
Shishishishishishit—!!
Because countless swords poured out in succession, making a distinction meaningless.
‘This… crazy bastard!’
Seogeok—!
Seogeok—!
Seogeok—!
Argas’s sword strikes, which had lightly shattered Hyunwoo’s phantom sword, surged towards his entire body.
Hyunwoo’s entire body was covered in sword wounds.
Ulkuk—!
Chunks of his internal organs flowed out of his throat along with blood.
Gulp—
Hyunwoo swallowed back the blood that was sloshing in his mouth and glared at him.
Looking at the amount of blood flowing from his body, he thought he wouldn’t be able to last much longer.
But as much as the blood flowed, the movements of the Herba Swordsmanship became a little clearer in Hyunwoo's eyes, and its trajectory was accurately imprinted.
Because as much as the man was insanely strong, his swordsmanship proficiency was also rising like crazy.
⌜Herba Swordsmanship (2-Star)―25%⌟
“Cough!”
Hyunwoo, who had coughed up blood, staggered and took the stance of the ‘Herba Swordsmanship’.
He would endure.
As long as he had Swordsmanship Genius, this was a fight he could win by enduring.
Shishishit—!
As his proficiency exceeded 25%, the tip of Hyunwoo's sword split into three.
“Oho!
Good!”
As Hyunwoo's swordsmanship quickly rose to the next level, a big change began to appear on Argas’s face.
A glimpse of anticipation.
As if getting excited, Argas swung his sword vigorously.
Shishishishishishit—!!!
Countless phantom swords appearing.
Somehow, it felt as if the man was also increasing the power of his swordsmanship as Hyunwoo showed his talent.
No, it was probably not a feeling but a reality.
‘Damn bastard……!’
His sword was getting sharper and faster.
Seogeok—!
Time passed.
Even the flow of time was forgotten in the fierce battle.
The short time when sword and sword clashed felt like an eternity.
The mana that had been strengthening and protecting his body had long since run out.
Chwaak—!
Every time Argas’s sword was swung, a wound was engraved on his body, and blood spurted like a fountain.
A sword wound that had grazed above his right eyelid kept making one eye close.
The blood that flowed under his limping leg was sticky, and it seemed a tendon somewhere in his arm had been cut, as the hand holding the sword trembled uncontrollably.
But.
Hyunwoo raised his sword again.
“……”
Argas’s expression had become subtle at some point.
A slightly flushed face.
An unreadable expression that seemed both surprised and excited about something.
‘The fourth one.
No, was it from the fifth one.’
The more the number of phantom swords Hyunwoo swung increased, the wider Argas’s smile became.
To Hyunwoo, it was no different from the devil’s smile.
He didn't think he could hold on any longer.
He had lost so much blood that his head was spinning.
But he could continue to swing his sword.
⌜Pain Tolerance⌟
The stinging pain seeped into his body like fertilizer for his swordsmanship proficiency.
A sword wound that had dug between his ribs seemed to have pierced his lungs, and he was suffocating.
If he couldn’t breathe, he just had to stop.
⌜Oxygen Tank⌟
A trait he was using for the first time in a while.
The sensation of oxygen circulating through his body felt cool.
Even when his entire body was cut, riddled with holes, and he couldn't breathe.
He could swing his sword.
Literally a situation where he could swing his sword until he died.
He even felt as if his breath would stop if he stopped right now.
But.
‘If I stop… I’ll really die.’
He had no intention of dying in a place like this.
So, he continues to swing his sword.
Shishishishit—!
The sticky blood flowing from his forehead drenched his pupils, and his eyes began to close.
He swung his sword even as Argas’s expression blurred in his closing vision.
He swung, and swung again.
Around the time he couldn't tell if he was swinging the sword or if the sword was swinging him.
Hoo-ook—
“……”
Suddenly, as if his thoughts had accelerated, everything slowed down.
In the slowed-down world, the fishy smell of blood in his breath felt thick.
The maximization of senses.
His blurry vision gradually became clear.
When Argas’s expression and even the movement of the sword in his hand were all clearly imprinted.
Fwoong—
With a small sound in his head, time stopped.
In an instant, the surrounding environment changed.
A phenomenon that was now all too familiar to Hyunwoo.
The ‘Master Event’ unfolded before his eyes.