novelOn a Different Level (2)
| ← Ch.097 | Ch.099 → |
Translation: Yoni
Editor: Lesurous
There was no trace of a woman with wings but instead, there was a black shadow of a person.
As if it was a shadow, only the outline was visible.
As a silhouette of a man holding a sword was looking towards Muyoung, he couldn't help but ask.
However, the man did not reply.
Instead, he held his greatsword.
With one hand, he easily swung the greatsword and suddenly started to attack.
Clang! Clang!
Rumble!
Whenever the man leaped, the ground shook.
Everything around was dark but Muyoung could feel it.
Muyoung also took out Anguish.
However, it was beyond his capability to block the man's attack with one hand.
"Are you thinking that you aren't able to block my attack because you have one hand?"
As if the black shadow could read Muyoung's mind, he spoke.
The voice had a lot of noise clustered but still, it wasn't to the point he couldn't understand.
Swaaack!
Then, the man sliced off his own left arm.
As if he was willing to face him with the same condition.
And then, when the battle continued, Muyoung couldn't help but feel a shudder.
'It's sophisticated. '
It was a continuation of sophisticated attacks without a single error.
The man loosened his strength and was facing Muyoung purely by his swordsmanship.
But, Muyoung was still unable to strike the man.
It was due to the difference of their basic skills.
'There is a difference in skill itself?'
Hah!
It was funny.
Even if he worked as an assassin for over 40 years, Muyoung's knowledge in basic swordsmanship was extraordinary.
By watching, he acquainted numerous swordsmanship of strong men and made them his own.
The skills Muyoung had come to perfect after improving them himself.
But... the man in front of him was on another level.
It made it seem like his swordsmanship was poor. The man's blow had all kinds of exquisite principles.
He just knew that there were.
It was a phenomenon that occurred after he was awakened by purity.
But there was no way of knowing what that exquisite principle were.
"You don't even fully understand what you have."
The man's greatsword pierced through Muyoung's side.
Like a slow motion, it was a move that was absolutely leisurely.
He couldn't believe it. With his eyes wide open, Muyoung looked at his side that was pierced.
'When?'
It was clearly slow. So slow that he could yawn.
But, suddenly it pierced through his body.
Was this really something that was possible?
It was a sword that was endlessly fast and continued slowly.
He thought he was obviously going to block the man's attack, but couldn't.
He turned his head and looked at the black shadow.
With an expression as if he was about to laugh, the black shadow spoke.
"Even a slow sword could have few thousands of different alternations. You could also perform this swordsmanship."
Muyoung knitted his brows.
That slow sword. No matter how many times he looked at it, he couldn't understand it. But, the man said he was able to perform the same.
However, Muyoung never pursued slow movements.
Only fast!
He just mastered how to be elaborate and fast.
Since there was nothing else needed besides fast in an assassination.
Cough!
Muyoung coughed up blood.
"Because you believe you are perfect, your abilities are stagnant. Your physical might be stronger but your foundation is terrible."
No one was able to say that Muyoung's skills were terrible.
If anything, wasn't Muyoung's pure skills better than everyone else?
That's why he believed that he just needed to regain his previous fighting power.
He believed that the only way he could get stronger was to quickly raise his stats.
"Who... are you?"
Muyoung asked again.
However, the answer he heard was different from what he expected.
"Try to figure it out with a sword."
Afterwards, the man raised his greatsword.
And the sword flew towards him.
It was totally relaxed but Muyoung wasn't able to do a thing.
In all his life, he had never seen a sword like this.
Wung Chunglin was known as a killing machine and even the numerous martial masters who learned martial arts for generations were no better than the man in front of him.
It was like the difference between a child and an adult.
He was on a different level.
It felt like the sky fell down.
"You are dead."
The man spoke as Muyoung's neck was sliced off.
With that as an end, Muyoung's consciousness became muddy.
"Haah!"
Muyoung quickly lifted his upper body.
Lavishing inner castle.
Muyoung was completely wet on top of a bed.
'I clearly remember using the Little Wish. '
However, he wasn't able to pray for a wish.
He was trying to strengthen his physical for a moment in order to swallow the dragon's heart. But, because of the sudden appearance of a black shadow, it didn't happen.
'Who was he?'
The answer he could hear until the end.
He said to identify him with only a sword.
However, Muyoung was unable to identify him.
It was because there was a clear difference in their skills.
Clench!
Muyoung clenched his teeth tight.
If the difference was simply their fighting power, he wouldn't feel this much sense of futility.
However, the man fought Muyoung with the same stats.
Strength, stamina, agility, etc... they were all the same.
As Muyoung faced him, he was able to understand.
Would there be a greater humiliation than this?
He was confident in his basic skills, but it was demolished without mercy.
As if he was mocked, it just swept him and passed by.
'Conceit. Did I conceit?'
However, it wasn't rage that felt after the end of humiliation and futility, it was self-reflection.
The man also said this.
That he was stagnant because he believed he was perfect himself.
His words might not be wrong.
Didn't he continuously plan to develop himself with external help?
It was enough to call it conceit.
Swoosh.
Muyoung held Anguish.
And slowly swirled it.
'A slow sword. In it, it has a few thousands of different alternations. '
He never thought a sword that he had never heard of or seen before could exist.
It was a fresh shock and he wanted to approach it.
That wasn't the end.
Whenever Muyoung fell asleep, the fight with 'him' continued.
Only after a few days had passed did Bartas come to see him.
However, Bartas could only tilt his head after looking at Muyoung's face.
"Is your body okay? For some reason, you don't look so good."
Although there were no visible injuries, his dark circles were quite deep.
"You're later than I thought."
"I'm sorry. I'm late because I had something to think about. And... thank you. Thanks to you, we were able to win the castle war."
It seemed like there was a bit of goodwill towards Muyoung.
First, his gaze and his way of speaking had changed.
He was able to feel a sense of genuineness from the way Bartas showed his gratefulness.
"Speaking of which, do you want anything? If it's something I can do, I am willing to do it. Although the breastplate is already made, but that isn't enough. Not enough."
God Hand Bartas. The equipment he created were worth a thousand gold.
He had a lot of pride on the work he created.
That was why he didn't make equipment for the most request.
However, he said that it wasn't enough.
Muyoung started to talk after he thought for a moment.
"Can I borrow 500 dwarves?"
"Dwarves?"
"I'm a lord who rules over a territory. I live with few thousands of dokkaebis and thousands of different species. However, their foundation is lacking. I need the work of dwarves."
He really wanted them to move their base but Rome wasn't built in a day.
Bartas was the lord of an alliance. Just as there can't be two kings in one mountain, it was best to lend the dwarves for now.
"If it is for that reason, there is no reason for me to decline. I will lend you 1, 000."
Bartas quietly murmured to himself that it was a good thing that they got rid of the Dark Dragon Barca before the Devil's Long Night started.
During that time, most monsters refrained their activities, but individuals like dragons were still active.
"Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me. Rather, didn't think you were a lord. That was why it didn't seem out of the ordinary for you to manage dwarves."
"It's nothing."
"For you, it might be nothing but for me, for us, it's a great thing. If we didn't stand up then, we would still not be free from being fugitives."
Bartas shook his head.
And cleared his throat as he held out something to Muyoung.
"Ahem, please accept this."
It was a ring with a unique seal.
A dragon was drawn in but it was so detailed that it looked alive and as if it was about it move.
"This is?"
"It's a seal that you are a friend of the dwarves. Since I have guaranteed it, no dwarf will be able to disregard you."
It seemed like he was late because he was busy making this.
Muyoung grinned and accepted the ring.
~ Achievement Effect 'Dwarf's Sworn Friend (A)' has been added. ~
Not just a friend but a sworn friend.
It meant that Muyoung's worth rose quite a lot during this time.
"Then, are you going to leave right away?"
"No, there is an item I need to find first."
"An item you need to find?"
"I will be back within 90 days. It would be nice if you could supply your strength then."
"I understand. And don't forget. We dwarves are your friend."
Muyoung nodded his head.
A journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step.
If he was to enhance his relationship with the dwarves, it would become a great help in the future.
'Things ended faster than I thought. '
There was over 150 days before the Devil's Long Night started.
He couldn't just waste the time he has left.
Finally, if it's to the north side, there was something he needed to find.
'Oris's Throne. '
Lunatic Sovereign's ring, Hamel's Rune Ring, and Oris's Throne Ring.
There were all items that were needed in order to free 'Diabolos'.
And among them, Oris's Throne Ring was at the north side.
For him to return, it would take time, so it would be right for him to find it while he was here.
'It is also a suitable place to raise basic skills. '
Muyoung clenched his fist.
He felt he first needed to raise his basic skills before eating the dragon's heart.
"Ahh, and take this."
"...arm?"
"I made something to replace your left arm. Ehem, there was something useful in the storage room."
The item Bartas took out was a left arm.
To be exact, it replaced from his elbow of the arm but it was very exquisite.
No, in some ways, it seemed better than the real arm.
There was a clear difference in the role of tendons and bones. As he touched it for a moment, he could also feel the pulse that moved.
The completely fierce magical powers felt like it touched his skin.
It didn't make sense that something like this would roll around in the storage.
It definitely was something Bartas used all his strength to make.
Bartas probably felt bad about the left arm that flew away when he was fighting the Dark Dragon Barca.
'Dwarves are deeply affectionate once you befriend them. '
Dwarves were famous for repaying their debts to their enemies, and their friends.
It was hard to befriend them at first but once you befriended them, they were famous for helping you most of the time.
It seemed like Bartas's heart was opened out to him.
He was shy to say that he created it so he sort of made it up.
"I can feel a strength out of the ordinary."
"I have added the tendons of a Phoenix and Wyvern King's heart. To know how well it fits your body, you need to wear it. But, the biggest output can even destroy a small mountain."
Muyoung was able to feel the pride in his voice.
It seemed like he created the breastplate with the heart of the Phoenix and used the tendons left to make the left arm.
On top of that, a Wyvern King's heart.
He could only be surprised about this part.
It was an extremely rare mutant type monster that could also be called the emperor of the sky.
Although it wasn't as good as a dragon, it didn't change the fact that it was a monster out of the monsters.
It was huge and also was able to release the breath.
When he categorized it in a rank, it was more than enough to be in the top rank.
It would have been hard to even find it but Bartas generously used this precious material.
On top of that, since Bartas's skills were added, there was nothing more to say.
It probably wasn't a lie that it could even destroy a mountain.
Then, Bartas gave Muyoung a look.
As if he was encouraging Muyoung to try it on.
'To wear it for a while, it's perfect. '
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