Ch.83Chapter 83 – Operation (5)

The group quickly moved away from the landing site to avoid the monsters attracted by the airplane noise. Before continuing their journey in earnest, they were taking a short break to recover their magical power.

Magic-type hunters were meditating in lotus positions while close-range dealers stood guard, watching in all directions. Unlike the magic users who had expended their powers freely on the plane, the close-combat hunters had plenty of mana left and didn’t need to recover.

Meanwhile, Kwak Tae-woo, who wasn’t assigned to guard duty due to his temporary mercenary status, was intensely practicing with his sword in a secluded corner away from others’ eyes.

“Huff, huff, this isn’t right… His sword was a bit more…”

Tae-woo recalled what he had witnessed on the airplane. The swordsmanship of the Sword Ghost that he had observed through the ceiling using a clairvoyance artifact.

It was just a single swing, but to Tae-woo, it represented a level of swordsmanship that seemed impossibly distant.

The Ghost’s sword was more aggressive than Tae-woo’s yet smoother; it started slowly but arrived quickly; it was unpredictable yet serene.

After attempting to imitate that incomprehensible swing, Tae-woo soon collapsed, panting heavily.

“Damn… This isn’t it. How did he do it?”

Even to Tae-woo’s eyes, his own swordsmanship was woefully incomplete. Yet with his limited talent, he couldn’t grasp how to correct it…

Tae-woo briefly paused his contemplation on form and instead focused on channeling magical power into his sword. He struggled to delicately manipulate the surging energy to cover the blade. However, due to the uneven distribution of magical power, the unstable sword aura rippled like disturbed water before flickering out.

“Damn… Still far from mastering sword aura.”

Even in his first life, Tae-woo had never perfected the Aura Blade. Whenever his sword aura became unstable, he had resorted to the temporary measure of simply pouring in more magical power to forcibly maintain it, but he never achieved the clean, stable sword aura like the Sword Ghost’s.

Now, with a lower level than in his previous life, he lacked even the magical power to attempt using sword aura. If only he could use sword aura, he felt he could transcend his current level and reach the ranks of S-class… He had hoped to gain some insight after witnessing the Sword Ghost’s technique, but it seemed beyond his talent.

Just then, the Sword Ghost, who had been wandering around, heard the familiar sound of a blade cutting through air and discovered him.

“Hmm? Aren’t you the young man who came with that Shin Jae-hyuk fellow? I heard the sound of a sword and thought a fight had broken out… How disappointing. Kekeke.”

“Ah, you’re the Sword Ghost…”

“Ho! You speak Japanese well.”

“Yes…”

It was thanks to the translation artifact, but Tae-woo didn’t bother to clarify. The Sword Ghost seemed quite pleased to find a Korean who could communicate with him.

“I was getting tired of speaking through interpreters. It’s so much better to talk directly! So, what were you doing here, young man?”

Anyone could tell from Tae-woo’s sweat-soaked appearance and the sword lying on the ground that he had been training, but Takahashi pretended not to know, wanting to start a conversation.

“…I was practicing swordsmanship.”

“Training in such a short break? Kekeke, you’re quite a diligent young man. I wish our guild members would learn from this. These days, they’re all drunk on their own power, relying only on skills while neglecting physical training… Tsk.”

Ignoring the old man’s typical complaints, Tae-woo stood up and picked up his sword again. He didn’t have time to humor an old man’s grumbling. To catch up to S-class beings, he couldn’t waste a single moment.

‘Hoho, that is…’

Watching Tae-woo stoically swing his sword, the Sword Ghost could tell what he was trying to imitate. After all, it was his own swordsmanship.

However, despite his desperate attempts, the results weren’t promising. The Sword Ghost, secretly pleased to find a junior so serious about swordsmanship, decided to offer advice to Tae-woo, who was struggling without understanding the problem.

He casually remarked:

“Hmm… Your killing intent is thick.”

Tae-woo flinched. It was something he had heard often in his previous life.

In his first life, Tae-woo had slaughtered demons across countless battlefields alongside Cha Eun-kyung. When wielding a sword with the mindset of killing the enemy before being killed, it was inevitable that his blade would be stained with murderous intent.

A few former comrades had advised Tae-woo to reduce his killing intent, but he had dismissed it. However, hearing the same advice from a master swordsman carried different weight. With a sinking feeling, Tae-woo cautiously asked:

“…Is that wrong?”

Contrary to his usually blunt demeanor, this worried question made the Sword Ghost cackle in response:

“Of course not! It’s actually good. If the purpose of wielding a sword is to kill your opponent, what could a blade without killing intent possibly cut?”

Tae-woo’s eyes widened in surprise. Good? In his previous life, all his comrades who were rated S-class or high A-class had advised him to reduce his killing intent, yet this original S-class Sword Ghost was saying the exact opposite.

“The essence of swordsmanship is honed for cutting. There’s nothing wrong with the mindset of killing your opponent before they kill you.”

“Then why can’t my sword become like yours?”

The Sword Ghost quietly smiled.

“Because your killing intent is insufficient.”

“Insufficient…?”

Tae-woo had never heard such a thing before. And he himself had never felt that his sword lacked killing intent. That’s why he listened attentively to the Sword Ghost’s advice.

“Remember this, young man.

One who hates hesitates less in striking than one who sympathizes.

A sword filled with killing intent is faster and more cunning than one without.

Indeed, the greatest swordsman is the greatest killer.”

It was an unfamiliar interpretation that Tae-woo had never heard before, but there was a strange logic to it that entranced him.

“Then how can I increase my killing intent? What mindset should I have when wielding a sword?”

“Do not take the mindset of killing lightly.

One who wishes to cut must always remember that they too can be cut.

Don’t swing with the mindset of cutting the opponent before being cut, but with the determination to kill your opponent even if you are cut.

Fill your killing intent with hatred, and stake everything on that hatred.”

The previously light atmosphere had completely vanished as the Sword Ghost added this very solemn advice. But as soon as his serious counsel ended, the Sword Ghost returned to his casual demeanor, grinning as if his previous gravity had been a lie.

“Kekeke, understand? Now I should head back. It’s good that you’re dedicated to training, but we can’t risk compromising the mission. It seems the squad leader is about to end the break and move out.”

As the Sword Ghost was about to saunter away after saying his piece, Tae-woo impulsively called out:

“W-wait!”

“Hmm? Is there something else you want to ask?”

There was still something lingering in Tae-woo’s mind, distracting him. He recalled the test from a few hours ago—the test where Shin Jae-hyuk was rated 150, and the Skyscraper, which had been a nightmare for Tae-woo, was rated a mere 2.

“What… what number am I?”

“Ah, that test…? Hmm…”

For a moment, the magical energy around them fluctuated. When the disturbed mana settled, the Sword Ghost spoke in a flat tone:

“You’re a 1. But that’s not bad.”

“…! …”

“You have an interesting quality. Whether it will bloom or not, even I don’t know… Work hard.”

With those final words, the Sword Ghost left without looking back. Tae-woo stared blankly at his retreating figure, unable to say anything. Disappointment? Helplessness? Or expectation? Even Tae-woo himself couldn’t define the emotion welling up in his heart.

***

“Jiwoo, cast the life detection spell.”

“Yes, sir.”

The group reached a fork in the mountain path. At the squad leader’s command, one of the members concentrated.

“I don’t sense anything on the left, but there are three or four small life forms on the right. Probably wild animals.”

“Good. We’ll go right.”

It was a decision based on the reverse logic that undead, being dead entities, wouldn’t be detected by life-sensing magic. Undead harbored extreme hatred for the living, so the presence of living creatures meant the absence of undead that would attack them.

Thanks to the detection-type hunter’s efforts, the soldiers were able to find safe routes and were finally approaching the checkpoint.

“Good, just three hundred meters to the checkpoint.”

“Phew, fortunately we’ve made it this far without encountering any monsters.”

Shin Jae-hyuk was also relieved that no problems had occurred.

‘It’s fortunate nothing troublesome happened. The checkpoint means we’re about to reach the nuclear storage facility, right? We’ve achieved half our objective. Now we just need to close the gate…’

The situation wasn’t bad. Although the combat personnel had consumed more magical power than expected, they had recovered sufficiently during the earlier rest. This was enough force to tackle an S-class gate. Jae-hyuk felt hopeful about the smoothly progressing situation.

“Still nothing unusual detect— Huh? What’s that?”

Suddenly, the soldier who was scanning ahead exclaimed in surprise. The squad leader reflexively asked:

“What? What is it?”

“I’m detecting something… it seems like a child? Running toward us.”

A child out of nowhere? The squad leader couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

“A survivor?”

“I’m not sure… It’ll be visible to the naked eye soon… What should we do?”

“…Wait for now. We’ll hold until we confirm its identity.”

With guns aimed forward, they watched intently, and sure enough, as the detection-type hunter had said, a ragged-looking child came running frantically. Through what could barely be called clothes, her emaciated back and stomach were clearly visible. But forgetting her hunger, the girl kept running desperately, occasionally glancing back.

“Halt! Stop right there! We’ll fire if you move any further!”

Unable to determine the stranger’s identity or purpose, the squad leader issued a stern warning. The child was startled by the loud voice and discovered soldiers aiming at her. Faced with the intimidating soldiers, she couldn’t move forward or retreat, and just stamped her feet anxiously in place.

Feeling sympathy, one soldier whispered to the squad leader:

“She just looks like a survivor kid. Do we really need to be this cautious…?”

“We can’t be sure. …You there! Identify yourself!”

“Eek! D-don’t shoot! Not corpse! Human, human!”

Well, at least she can communicate, so she’s not a monster. The squad leader lowered his guard slightly. After lowering his gun, he asked the child:

“Who are you? Why are you here?”

“B-Bukcheon Junior High School, first year, class three, L-Li Young-ae! Please don’t shoot…!”

“Damn, a local survivor… Everyone, lower your weapons! You, come here.”

In normal circumstances, they would have protected a survivor without hesitation, but during a mission, she was just a burden. Hiding his troubled feelings, the squad leader asked:

“Alright, Li Young-ae. How did you find us? What were you doing?”

“Ah, this is no time to be standing around…! We must flee…!”

The girl’s face turned pale as if she suddenly remembered something terrifying.

“What are you talking about? Explain in detail.”

Pressed by the squad leader, Li Young-ae answered nervously while constantly glancing back:

“I-I’m a survivor who luckily escaped the undead soldiers’ attack. I’ve been living in the mountains where there are fewer monsters, and I snuck into the city for food… But today, the undead knights’ movements were strange, and they spotted me. It’s dangerous to stay here! The soldier uncles must escape too…!”

The child spoke rapidly, clearly terrified. One soldier scoffed confidently at her words:

“Haha! Child, we’re all A-class hunters here, and we even have an S-class hunter. A single undead is nothing to us. Don’t worry.”

But the child’s expression didn’t brighten.

“It’s not just one… There was a large force, at least fifty, moving this way…!”

“Fifty? That’s quite a number…”

The squad leader’s face grew serious in response. It was neither a small nor a large number. Fifty skeletons or zombies would pose no problem, but if they were high-level undead… Hiding his anxiety, he asked again:

“What did these monsters look like?”

“They were all knights in black armor… And a knight riding a ghost horse was leading them!”

“Shit, Death Knights?!”

The squad leader exclaimed in shock as he identified the undead. The ultimate evolution of undead who had mastered the sword technique. Each one was said to possess power comparable to a B-class boss.

“We need to prepare countermeasures immediately…!”

“N-no… It’s already too late…”

The child, who had been carefully watching the hillside she had fled from, muttered in despair. And from far away, a rhythmic vibration began to be heard. Yes, like an army on the march.