Chapter 187 – You Haven’t Changed

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Loud voices flew back and forth.

“What in the world was the point of that decision?!”

“Did you not all witness it? Antonium had reached its limit! We were moments away from it falling, and you order a retreat?!”

“Lord Shegwin, you must take responsibility for this decision.”

Shegwin remained silent under the pouring gazes.

He had no time to spare for the lords’ clamoring.

In his mind.

The lingering image of the silver-haired man, Ho-yeol, would not leave him.

‘There was nothing I could gauge.’

The Sociality of Space-Time.

Because of the rules, all he could do was infer information from an opponent’s outward appearance.

So what was Ho-yeol’s outward appearance like?

Not to mention a proper weapon, not even proper equipment.

And even his attire was a form he had never laid eyes on in his life.

‘The highest possibility would be that he is a mage.’

Magic power is no less than a mage’s weapon.

It is possible to amplify the power of magic with magic tools, but such magic tools are not commonplace.

Even those were almost monopolized by the Mage Tower.

‘But that physique….’

It was too well-trained to be a mage’s physique.

Shegwin himself was a man of martial arts, so he could recognize it.

From the broad shoulders all the way down to the forearms.

The developed muscles were clearly evidence of having gripped and swung a weapon.

‘…what if he is a magic swordsman?’

There was no reason to be surprised at a magic swordsman.

From magic swordsmen to magic spearmen.

Since ancient times, those who wielded both magic and martial arts together had existed.

What made Shegwin flinch was that this person had reached the realm of ‘Transcendent’ by taking an unorthodox path rather than the orthodox one.

‘The realm is something you cannot reach even if you dig into a single thing.’

Normally, if you try to grasp everything, you end up losing everything.

The fact that there was no magic swordsman or magic spearman widely known across the Arcana continent alone made that undeniable. That is precisely why he could not believe it.

If he had not encountered Ho-yeol in the social gathering.

He had settled his thoughts there when a voice was heard.

“Are you listening, Lord Shegwin?!”

Who dares shout at whom?

Shegwin momentarily could not restrain his killing intent.

At once, the noisy gathering fell quiet.

“…Gghk!!”

Among the feudal lords, those who had never once held a sword. Because of that, those with bodies that had not been tempered had their mouths foaming and collapsed unconscious.

The reactions of the remaining ones were not much different.

“…Lord Shegwin. What, what is this?”

Those who barely maintained their composure could do nothing more than that.

Shegwin silently fidgeted with the Swift Sword, Atlas.

Hummm

Then the vibration resonating through the hall.

The faces of those who had been sweating cold drained white.

Now they were unable to even utter a proper word.

“Ugh…ugh.”

This was the presence of a Transcendent, himself.

This was the normal reaction.

Soon, looking at the devastated gathering, Shegwin came to his senses.

‘Tsk….’

What have I done?

“Huff, huff.”

Among the many feudal lords.

Only Grand Duke Ymir maintained his composure.

Shegwin spoke to him.

“Ymir, do not hold this against me.”

“What…?”

“You will all come to understand one day.”

You see as much as you know.

There was no point in explaining Ho-yeol’s martial force; they would not understand and would only insist stubbornly. Shegwin kept his words sparse.

No need to stay in this gathering when everyone had fainted.

Shegwin rose from his seat.

“Let us consider this Antonium expedition as if it never happened.”

“……!”

Grand Duke Ymir’s eyes flew wide open.

He shouted at Shegwin’s back.

“Master Shegwin!”

“?”

“Who authorized you to say it never happened?!”

Much had been sacrificed for the Antonium expedition.

And now, to say it never happened?

Ymir rose on trembling legs.

“Shegwin, I trusted only your words and turned my back even on the people of my territory. Saying I had no choice but to sacrifice the small for the greater good, I kept telling myself that over and over as I endured all the way to this point!”

“And so?”

“And so, you ask?! Have I not asked you? Just what is the reason! We needed so little, didn’t we? If you had stepped forward, no, if you had just not retreated, Antonium would have long since…!”

If you had stepped forward.

As those words said, if I had stepped forward.

What would have changed.

Shegwin asked himself.

No, nothing would change.

Shegwin, himself, knew it most of all.

The moment he had faced Ho-yeol in person.

-“Why is it that from you there is the stench of a wretched demon?”

Thump, thump, thump.

Like Ymir’s heart at this very moment.

His own heart was pounding furiously.

For it was the first emotion Shegwin, born with the talent of a Sword Saint, had ever felt in his life. Fear.

The corners of Shegwin’s mouth twisted.

“Ymir. I would appreciate it if you would shut up.”

“To say shut up, watch your lang…!”

Slip

Before the words even finished, the Swift Sword was drawn.

Trickle

A hairline was drawn across Ymir’s neck.

“Aaaaaagh!!”

Ymir frantically clutched his own neck.

Am, am I still alive?

My neck was cut, yet how?

Swish

Shegwin wiped the blood from his sword and said.

“I will let this slide with a single wound in consideration of my misjudgment.”

“……!”

Only then did Ymir realize how shallow the wound on his neck was.

At most it would sting.

And precisely for that reason, he could only be more horrified.

“Wh, what kind of ability is that, yet how could you…!”

Ymir sobbed.

He pressed his bloodied hands together and bowed his head deeply.

A desperate voice flowed from his lips.

“……Master Shegwin. No, Sword Saint! Please reconsider. I cannot return to my territory like this. As it is, I have no face to show the people trampled by demons!”

It was an emotional appeal.

But Shegwin’s expression showed no change.

No, his face only grew colder and harder.

“How laughable, Ymir.”

“How can you say such a thing?!”

“Cut the filthy pretense.”

Clamp!

“Ugh.”

Shegwin grabbed Ymir by the hair and lifted him.

“From the moment you turned away, you are no different from a demon. You know, don’t you? How the people you call so precious died.”

“…Master Shegwin, what are you saying?”

“You are my accomplice.”

Indeed.

-“What did you barter that youth for?”

The lives of others.

The lives of the people.

Were bartered for my life.

-“Sword Saint. No, swordsman more wretched than a demon.”

How right those words are.

Having been born human yet committing such an atrocity, I cannot refute being called more wretched than a demon.

But do not be mistaken.

Shegwin’s pupils darkened.

“Hypocrite Ymir, you are no different from me.”

Thwack!

Shegwin flung Ymir away.

Then looked out at the silent hall.

They would have long since come to their senses given the ruckus.

Yet those cowering like mice, he declared to them.

“I have had a change of heart.”

“……?”

“It would be better not to leave any loose ends.”

“……!!!”

There was no time to react.

The Swift Sword ran rampant.

A beat late, fountains of blood surged.

Clank

After sheathing his sword, Shegwin looked upon the carnage.

He should have been horrified at his own brutality.

Yet why.

Not even a grain of remorse could be felt.

Not only that.

“!”

Vitality was surging through his body.

As if the blood and fear filling the room had become the legendary elixirs from stories of old.

Shegwin drew a deep breath.

As expected, the smell of blood was not foul.

Like well-ripened wine, it smelled fragrant.

Shegwin opened his mouth.

“Thinking on it again, your words are right.”

I am a demon.

Perhaps I have become something more wretched than that.

But I will not regret it.

If it means becoming stronger.

I do not mind becoming something more wretched than this.

I have not chosen the wrong path.

But Shegwin’s ecstasy did not last long.

He soon realized his own situation.

‘To think I felt fear even after undergoing such a transformation.’

Simply from making eye contact with that man.

It truly is a gap in caliber I cannot even begin to fathom.

Grind, Shegwin gritted his teeth.

“I will become stronger. Even if it is to cut you down, that man.”

*

Ugh, I am unimaginably feeble.

Unimaginably contemptible, Ho-yeol.

How can you expect to bring Shegwin down with this?!

─Temper your weakened body. (Repeating) ▲

●45KM Running (Success)

●3,700 Push-ups (In Progress)

●2,200 Pull-ups (Success)

●1,400 Burpee Tests (Success)

Yusra Kingdom office.

Thud

I stepped down from the gleaming golden pull-up bar.

Damn, my forearms have no feeling.

With no time to make excuses, however, I summoned magic power.

“This is causing quite a severe disruption to the aesthetics of the room.”

Soon, 『Reversal Magic』 activated.

The pull-up bar returned to its original form of a golden decorative piece.

Even if gold nuggets are common in the Yusra Kingdom.

Pull-ups on a pure gold bar.

‘I truly couldn’t even dare try something like that.’

Granfel, gold or not, what kind of nerve do you have?

The saving grace was at least.

That [First World Tree’s Blessing] was in effect.

The numb forearms quickly regained their vitality.

“As expected, this feels light.”

Not realizing you would have been bedridden with a cold long ago if not for the life recovery effect, you’re talking big, Granfel. Even though I unlocked the Circle’s shackles, my daily routine did not change much.

Suffering through the class quest like this.

Watering the elixir field.

Handling Yusra Kingdom duties.

Finally attending the Holy War conference.

‘I basically just lost the Mage Tower duties.’

On top of that, as if Granfel’s dignity would tolerate goofing off. He would surely diligently return to the Mage Tower soon enough to reclaim the Chief Mage duties he had handed off to Marcelo.

In that sense, the few remaining days were infinitely precious to me!

That is why I quickly sent a letter to Explorer Alliance Master Fabian requesting the loan of the [Hellfire Torch], and the Explorer Alliance readily accepted, so now the [Hellfire Torch] was in my Inventory.

[Hellfire Torch]

[Grade: Unique]

[Restriction: None]

[Effect: Identical to the effect of hellfire.]

[Description: A torch blazing with hellfire. It is said to be a treasure of the Explorer Alliance left behind long ago by an explorer named Lorentzk who pursued romance.]

Fabian said this when handing over the torch.

-“It is a joy to know that the Alliance’s magic tool may be of help to the Commander-in-Chief.”

That blasted title of Commander-in-Chief is really…

Anyway, it is I who am more joyful and grateful here, when all is said and done.

Honestly, think about it if the [Hellfire Torch] had not existed.

The moment the gates of hell closed, my contact with Akshan would have been all but severed. Because I knew neither how to open the gates of hell nor their location.

The class unique skill I had barely acquired.

[Legacy of Akshan] would have become useless.

I read the description of the torch and murmured.

“Lorentzk, your dignity has been passed down as this torch.”

…just say you’re grateful and that would be enough.

Why does every conclusion always come back to dignity, Granfel.

Anyway, I did not delay.

I took the torch out of my Inventory right away.

And then I activated [Legacy of Akshan].

“Answer me, Akshan.”

There was no need to speak aloud when using a skill or magic, yet…

Let me just think of it as the minimum courtesy toward the seniors.

[Your relationship with Akshan and your influence are applied to the effect.]

[An Akshan Demon Hunter answers your call.]

Whoosh!

A message surfacing.

And at the same time, the hellfire torch blazing fiercely.

Still, this was Akshan, as expected.

‘The relationship and influence would have risen compared to back then.’

When before the Superior Demon King Gamigin, the Demon Hunters would tumble out one after another regardless of relationships.

But now it was a single person.

Well, one is better than none.

Remembering all those prickly personalities.

Even this is something to be grateful for.

By the way…

A black outfit clinging to the body.

A deeply pulled-down hood.

And weapons hanging all over the body on top of that.

Right, I was drawn in and had been won over by that appearance!

But seeing it now as an adult, there is no outfit that looks more inefficient than that one.

No, granted that I myself live and die by formalities, this is excessive in a different way. Wouldn’t they end up stabbing themselves with their own weapons while moving?!

But that was always my inner thoughts.

And right now, there was nothing to gain from irritating the Akshan senior.

Because I was in a position where I must learn and discover.

The source of that vast vessel!

I could stake my certainty.

Even if there are countless classes in Arcana, a class that can instantly kill a level 900 Named monster with a basic attack? One could say no class other than the Demon Hunter exists.

At first I thought it was simply because their stats were naturally high.

But no matter how I thought about it, did that make sense.

Why, even right now the physical training class quest targets were rising exponentially. Taking into account my meager stats…

[Stats]

Strength: 112 / Agility: 124 / Magic Power: 512 / Luck: 12 / Aesthetics: Mid

Even now it is plain to see how challenging the target is. To kill a level 900 Named monster with a basic attack, Strength and Agility would need to be at least around 900.

Converting that into training volume…

There is absolutely no way that is an achievable target.

An entire day?

Even if you dedicated an entire week wholly to physical training quests.

It would be hard to achieve even a single target.

That is why I intended to ask the people themselves.

What on earth is the secret behind those stats, that enormous vessel!

“……”

But from the very start it does not look like it will be easy…

Slip

The Demon Hunter who had looked around the office had a clearly disappointed expression.

I could guess, being a Demon Hunter myself.

That person was certainly disappointed because there were no demons.

‘You really haven’t changed one bit, Akshan.’

No fraternizing between Demon Hunters.

As expected, are they trying to maintain discipline even after falling into hell.

“Regrettably, there are no demons here.”

Even with my words.

“……”

No answer, not even a sign of listening.

No, not only that, what is he suddenly doing?

Out of nowhere prostrating himself on the floor.

Wait, he is doing push-ups?!

“I see, so there is no need for conversation.”

Doing physical training in someone else’s office.

Do not accept such rudeness, Granfel.

This is not what I wanted…!

But regardless of my protests.

“Phew”

I ended up performing the physical training quest together with the Demon Hunter I had painstakingly summoned. Even as my body cried out, an anxiety could not be shaken.

‘By any chance, truly, no way, really?’

Just endlessly training to raise stats is the answer?!

What kind of trash class is this!!

I wanted to scream in grievance, yet.

Granfel’s competitive spirit had been set ablaze.

I performed push-ups without pause.

[You have met the conditions.]

[Rewards are distributed.]

I had long since achieved the target, yet.

I could not stop.

Why?

Senior…

No, not even a senior.

Because that rude Demon Hunter did not stop.

Forcing out words with great effort.

“…something of worth is finally being accomplished.”

Stop talking big when you can barely even speak, Granfel.

It was a moment of relying on sheer willpower and grit to bend my arms.

Suddenly, my vision began to spin

After overworking my body like that.

I, finally collapsing.

Good, at least I can rest after collapsing, I thought hopefully.

But no.

What surfaced was a message.

[For training that transcends your limits, additional rewards are distributed.]

Wait…?

Found it.

The Demon Hunter, the secret behind those transcendent stats!