10 – Not Monopoly – 3
***
Instinctively, I could tell that the enemy in front of us was a formidable opponent.
No wonder, as my entire body was covered in goosebumps.
‘Can I do this?’
It has only been a few months since he properly learned swordsmanship.
However, the question of whether he could defeat such a powerful monster alone was only natural.
Nevertheless, Sowol did not retreat.
Instead, he walked forward.
‘Unwavering.’
He recalled what he had learned from Yihyun. There is no fear. There is no terror.
Not even a triumphant spirit that says, “I can do it.”
Erasing everything, Sowol was feeling the emotion of nothingness.
– Aaaaaah!!
A dreadful scream echoed.
But it did not stop Sowol’s steps.
Was it what bothered him?
With a vacant gaze, a flash of red light flickered in Sowol’s eyes as the lace quickly swooped in to take his life.
– Aaaaaaargh!!
Along with the horrific scream, a white aura shot out.
Sowol avoided it by taking a step to the side and swung his throat sword.
However, the sword only cut through empty air in vain.
“Suck!”
But he does not despair.
Even disappointment is a luxury.
He must have nothing. He must possess nothing.
How was it the last time Yihyun surpassed the skeleton troops?
He was as free as his sword, not bound by anything.
To have nothing allows one to achieve anything.
He wants that sword. He wants to become that sword.
In the emotion of nothingness, a small desire blossomed in Sowol’s mind as he lowered his head.
‘This too is just a distraction.’
Only one thing.
He engraved only Yihyun’s teaching of ‘nothingness.’
– Aaaaaaargh!!
Avoiding his own attacks, as if irritated by So Wol, Lace shot out white energy several times like an arrow. However, not a single attack reached So Wol.
With just light movements, So Wol was able to evade them.
“Slower than Master’s attacks.”
An attack filled with the enemy’s presence.
If he couldn’t dodge such attacks, all the training he had done so far would have been nothing more than a waste of time.
He couldn’t afford such a clumsy mistake.
Continuing to dodge attacks, So Wol tightly gripped the sword.
What he desired was that sword dance.
Swinging it, imagining a sword that resembled the pure white moonlight.
– Uuuung…!!
It was a moment.
It lasted only a moment, but what clung to So Wol’s throat-sword was undoubtedly a faint white energy.
Among those present, no one didn’t know what it was.
“…Good heavens.”
As if witnessing something absurd, Anne’s lips parted.
Yes, if what she saw was correct, then that was…
“…Sword Qi?”
The Sword Qi, something even experienced swordsmen couldn’t create without talent, So Wol, who hadn’t properly learned for a few months, had produced it. Anne was at a loss for words.
– Aaaaaah!!
Hanging on the sword as if it would go out any moment, but Lace knew the Sword Qi was dangerous.
Perhaps because of this, Lace’s movements became more hesitant.
And.
That became Lace’s downfall.
“Haap!!”
With a low shout, So Wol moved.
Swiftly approaching Lace with body movements like the wind, So Wol blinked his eyes and swung the sword.
And that sword.
It was undoubtedly similar to the sword of Yi Hyun, if only a little.
“Huuu…”
Sowol turned her head abruptly, watching the lace that was properly hit by the sword crumbling away.
Anne, sitting on the floor and staring blankly at this side, and Ihyeon, standing with arms crossed, seemingly indifferent.
Although Anne’s gaze showed a hint of pride, Sowol felt a sense of shame from Ihyeon’s expression.
“What have I done…?”
What she had just done was merely an imitation.
It was nothing more than trying to imitate a small part of what Ihyeon had shown in his swordsmanship last time.
How absurd must it have been from Ihyeon’s perspective, who knew the complete form?
He might think that she was trying to fly before she even learned how to walk.
“I’m embarrassed.”
She had never felt this way in her entire life.
She was the daughter of the Eastern Upperclass, a prodigious genius.
Not only did she belong to a prestigious family, but she was also so beautiful that she could not be surpassed by anyone. This had always filled her actions with pride.
That’s why she couldn’t help but feel even more ashamed.
To think that what she, who was at least accomplished, had done was merely a clumsy imitation.
Clutching her fist tightly, Sowol met Ihyeon’s gaze and bit her lip.
“I will definitely show you my swordsmanship next time.”
***
What is she doing right now?
Sword? Even if her talent is amazing, it’s only been a few months since she properly learned how to use a sword?
Of course, I awakened her magical power, but I didn’t know she could already manifest it.
Did I really give wings to a tiger?
No, that’s not all. The sword she used to defeat the lace at the end, though it was clumsy, was clearly Moonlight Sword.
“…Now I understand why Master chose Sowol as his disciple.”
Anne’s voice, who was sitting hesitantly, snapped me out of my thoughts.
Although I was inwardly flustered, I maintained an expressionless face and nodded at her words.
From Noble mtl dot com
At that moment, Sowol, who had brought down the lace, began to approach me.
What should I say?
Should I praise her for doing well? Or…
“…It has been handled.”
“How clumsy.”
“…Yes.”
So Wol’s shoulders twitched. Her gaze carried a sense of concern.
Even though I hadn’t taught her, if what she unfolded was the Moonlight Sword, now was the time to correct what she unfolded clumsily.
After all, just like a magpie tearing its leg while chasing a pheasant, there are plenty of examiners whose lives are ruined by imitating advanced swordsmanship without proper learning.
In that regard, it wasn’t entirely wrong to correct So Wol, who had haphazardly used the Moonlight Sword.
“Don’t do it again next time.”
“…Understood.”
So Wol, who became sullen, slumped her shoulders.
Well, scolding her is enough.
“But you did well.”
I took out a praise sticker and placed it on her forehead.
Was my praise unexpected? So Wol widened her eyes and looked at me.
“Creating the sword and imitating the Moonlight Sword. It might not have been something you could handle at your current level, but you managed it somehow.”
“Well, that…”
“Blaming a disciple for going the wrong way is a natural thing, just as celebrating their growth is something a master should naturally do.”
I patted So Wol’s head.
She, who had been obediently receiving my pat, now slightly smiled as if the sullenness had been released.
“Did you imitate the Moonlight Sword based on what you saw back then?”
“Yes.”
“From now on, I’ll teach you properly, so make sure to perform it that way.”
“Understood.”
So Wol was pleased.
And so was I.
Because it meant I could raise So Wol quickly.
“By the way… the appearance of a Lich and a Ghoul means there must be a cultist nearby.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Ann, who stood up from her seat, asked. Now, there was no animosity and jealousy in her gaze towards So Wol.
It’s probably because of the skill So Wol showed earlier.
It’s not a bad thing.
“Quite literally. Races or ghouls are not the kind of monsters that should appear in a place like this.”
“Nevertheless, the fact that they appeared here… does it mean that someone unleashed them and controlled them in this place?”
“Yes. And those who possess such technology are few, apart from the cultists.”
One of the things discovered during the mid-story event of the main plot, the religious war, is that among the artifacts they possess, there is one that can seal and control ghost-type monsters.
Using that, the cultists used to summon and control ghost-type monsters for battles.
“The range of control isn’t that wide. So…”
I drew my sword and threw it with force.
“Arrrggh!!”
A scream echoed from the darkness. I ran towards it with So-wol and Ann, and could see a man screaming with a knife stuck in his thigh.
“If we catch this guy, we might learn a lot about the cult spreading in our territory.”
There was a shattered crystal ball on the ground. That was the artifact that controlled the race.
Recalling what I had seen in the game, I grabbed the struggling man by the collar.
“First, tell me about your backers and the main base.”
The interrogation didn’t take long. With a few broken bones, he spilled the information easily.
After obtaining the information, along with the soldiers Ann had brought, we headed to a small warehouse on the outskirts of the territory mentioned by the man.
Recalling the story that this guy had been using the warehouse, which was not usually used, as an altar, when we opened the door, it became apparent.
“This is…”
I nodded at Ann’s muffled whisper. This was the place.
“Master, there are people collapsed over there.”
Were they the missing people? Tied with ropes, they stared blankly into the void.
“Why is this happening?”
“They seem to have drained life force to maintain the race. And it looks like they planned to turn them into zombies upon death.”
After checking the documents nearby, I nodded to Ann.
“Start investigating the surroundings! There might be others, so investigate thoroughly!”
“Yes!”
While the soldiers were busy, I searched the desk. As expected, there it was.
Reaching out towards the seal in the corner of the desk.
[Cult’s Secret Seal]
[Seal to access the cult’s secret base]
“What is that?”
Sowol approached me and asked. What is this?
“Something to help you grow and exchange.”