Chapter 194 – Can You Keep Up (2)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Because the Arcana Continent was teeming with demons.

It wouldn’t be strange for demons to be in the Zero Mountain Range either.

But do you guys have more guts than Grandfell?

‘Aren’t you scared?’

Even if we exclude the sleeping dragon.

Aren’t you scared of the monsters in the Zero Mountain Range?

Why, like now, the mobs in the low-level area at the bottom.

Dash

They ran away as soon as they felt my presence.

It is common knowledge that stronger monsters appear the higher you go. Putting everything else aside, the fact that they live here without being intimidated by the dragon means they are monsters to be reckoned with.

Anyway.

“Even beasts are this wise.”

Don’t be arrogant in the low-level area, Grandfell.

Do you want to pose in front of a common rabbit?

But I shamelessly continued.

“You are acting up without knowing your place, demon.”

[Natural Enemy Relationship].

The smell of a demon wafting on the wind.

Is it because my level went up?

Or is it because I received special training from the Akshan Demon Hunter of Hell?

My senses didn’t dull even in the vast Zero Mountain Range.

‘At this rate, in the Arcana Continent overflowing with demons….’

Wouldn’t it be almost a constant state of [Natural Enemy Relationship] activation?

Whether I should be glad about that.

Or whether I should feel sorry.

I feel complicated.

However.

“Don’t even think about running away.”

For now, focusing on the demon in front of me is the best option.

Now that [Natural Enemy Relationship] has been activated.

No matter how much this is the Zero Mountain Range, there is no need to cower.

Even if it is a state reached by skipping the intermediate process, there is a degree. A transcendent level, Circle, and even if not to that extent, I awakened sword aura.

‘Even if it is a bottomless state, it increases several times.’

Of course, that doesn’t mean I will ignore the intermediate process.

‘If I perfectly awaken it, it might become tens of times stronger.’

Well, even if the order gets reversed a bit.

Ultimately, won’t it be solved when I completely acquire it?

In that sense, I don’t know who it is, but they are quick-witted.

Did they notice my existence?

Because they were quickly widening the distance from me.

But unfortunately.

“Is this hide-and-seek?”

A cold voice popping out.

“I am not free enough to play along with your games.”

Since it was Grandfell, who has no mercy to demons.

I immediately raised my magic power.

Run as much as you want.

It is even better if you lose your strength while running.

I just have to manifest a portal.

Besides.

Click

No matter what, I want to avoid mountain climbing in dress shoes….

*

Shegwin climbed the mountain with empty eyes.

His throat was parched.

Even though he quenched his thirst at a spring just a few minutes ago.

His thirst only got worse.

He could realize it again.

That he was no longer human.

“….”

Clang

When Shegwin sheathed his sword, the mountain range was covered in blood.

A named monster of the high-altitude mountain range, the Seven-tailed Fox, died.

Shegwin recalled his aged body from the past.

‘It is an incomparable strength.’

Back then.

Shegwin climbed the Zero Mountain Range and encountered a five-tailed fox.

Befitting the title of Sword Saint. Even back then, Shegwin overwhelmed the Five-tailed Fox, but couldn’t bring the battle to a conclusion.

‘My body has definitely become stronger.’

But now, he killed a seven-tailed fox, which was stronger than that.

The body that became stronger than its prime slaughtered the Seven-tailed Fox before it could even use an incantation.

‘But why.’

Shegwin looked at his sword, Atlas.

Sword aura was not emitted.

He could not feel resonance with the sword.

Grind

Shegwin ground his teeth nervously.

“….Do even you not recognize me?”

Foolish thing.

“If only you were fine, I wouldn’t have sought out this wretched mountain range.”

The reason Shegwin sought the Zero Mountain Range was simple.

Sword aura deepens at the crossroads of life and death.

It was to awaken sword aura once again.

‘It is because I became too strong.’

It is a body that regained its youth through corruption.

In most battles, I won’t even be able to stand at the crossroads of life and death.

“But there is nothing to worry about.”

The master of the Zero Mountain Range.

Because a dragon would be able to push me to the crossroads of life and death.

Atlas, if that is what you want, I will do so.

Shegwin smirked.

“Since you won’t just stand by and watch your master die.”

He continued to climb the mountain range.

He saw the peak where the magic circle had been engraved.

In the past and now, the Mage Tower was a truly annoying existence.

So that no one can approach the dragon.

To think they manifested a magic circle.

‘If it were the past, I would have had a hard time.’

And to protect that magic circle.

Even the countless trap magic manifested.

Shegwin suffered considerable injuries from a trap magic after messing with the sealing magic circle.

If it weren’t for his body, which was closer to a demon than a human, it would have been an injury to the point of never walking again.

“….?”

But that hardship became pointless.

Shegwin witnessed it.

The peak engraved with the magic circle he clearly would have destroyed.

As if nothing had happened.

Standing tall.

Am I dreaming right now?

Or am I still lost in unconsciousness after fainting?

His head throbbed as if he had been struck in the back of the head.

“….It seems my skull was properly shaken.”

It was reasonable to misunderstand like that.

Because he could no longer see the demonic eye in the night sky.

That wasn’t all.

The scenery looking down from the Zero Mountain Range also changed.

“….Damn it.”

That undulating thing is definitely the sea.

Where did the Arcana Continent go?

Even looking around, all he could see was the blue sea everywhere.

The Zero Mountain Range fell into the sea overnight?

Rather than that possibility.

It would be more likely that his senses were broken.

Crack!

When Shegwin nervously struck a tree, the pillar snapped and fell. Shegwin persuaded himself. Let’s think about it, from where things started to go wrong.

“….”

When things started to get twisted.

The Sociality of Space-Time.

It was from the point he encountered the silver-haired man there.

Yes, the cause of everything was that guy.

‘If it wasn’t for him, by now I.’

Would have conquered Antonium and obtained the Milky Way Whetstone.

Even the matter of killing the lords with my own hands.

Even the matter of realizing demonic power because of that.

Wouldn’t have happened.

It was when he was grinding his teeth like that.

“?”

Thump

Heart.

Thump, thump, thump

Began to beat wildly.

“….!”

Even in front of the great yokai of the Zero Mountain Range, the Seven-tailed Fox.

Even with a dragon’s nest in front.

His heart, which had been beating normally, began to beat as if it would burst.

If he didn’t have the experience, he would have misunderstood.

Like not seeing the demonic eye that should be seen.

And the sense of seeing the sea that shouldn’t be seen.

Saying that there is just a problem with his heart too.

But Shegwin also knew the cause of his heartbeat.

‘….It’s him!’

It’s the silver-haired man again.

The moment he recalled.

The voice ringing in his head.

-“You had better appreciate the procedure of the Sociality.”

-“I am desperately enduring right now.”

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

Gulp

His throat burned even more.

Shegwin swallowed dry saliva and started running.

‘I must run away.’

Sword Saint.

To think that I, the continent’s only Grand Sword Master, would run away.

It was a situation he couldn’t accept himself, but there was no other way.

He was the one who had obtained the qualifications of a transcendent by unanimous vote after dropping a High-Ranking Demon King into Hell. Even if he could emit sword aura, he couldn’t be confident of victory.

Now that Atlas is not responding….

‘I have no chance of winning.’

The only relief was that his physical abilities were intact.

Is it because he crossed the mountain range without resting?

Or is it thanks to the distance widening with that guy?

His heartbeat gradually regained stability.

It was when Shegwin stopped walking.

Gooooo

In front of Shegwin’s eyes.

A cluster of magic light drawn in the air.

It’s a portal.

A shadow appeared in the backlight of magic.

The shadow gradually drew nearer.

….Thump, thump, thump!

His heart broke down again.

.

.

.

Why on earth are you coming out of there.

“Shegwin.”

The reason and goal for me to become stronger was right in front of me.

It’s probably not your fault, but why did you do that….?

Because he was running away so desperately, I couldn’t even imagine it.

‘Like a rabbit running away.’

I thought it was an imp or a low-ranking demon at best!

Why, demons get smarter as they get stronger.

Do they sense danger and run away?

No, it means they don’t create situations to be in danger in the first place.

‘Just looking at the Arcana Continent right now shows that.’

Now that the High-Ranking Demon King, Gamigin, fell into Hell.

The Arcana Continent couldn’t be more peaceful than this.

We only occasionally saw insignificant low-ranking demons who couldn’t grasp the situation.

Demon Kings or demons with true names equivalent to them were laying low so much that they didn’t show a single hair even if you looked around with [Demonic Eye’s Telescope].

‘So why are you coming out of here.’

Not that I am worried about you.

How dangerous is the Zero Mountain Range.

There is a dragon living at the very top, a dragon!

I wanted to burst into anger at the unimaginable encounter.

‘Wait.’

Soon, the puzzle was put together in my head.

I opened my mouth.

“So it was you. The one who destroyed the Mage Tower’s magic circle.”

I wondered what kind of bold guy destroyed the Mage Tower’s magic circle.

If it was Shegwin, I could understand.

It seems I hit the mark?

Step

Shegwin stepped back and opened his mouth.

“So it was you. The one who restored the magic circle.”

Naturally, I didn’t reply.

To Grandfell, Shegwin was a demon, no, an existence worse than a demon. Saying even one word to him was only possible because he exercised considerable patience.

Suddenly.

“….Kuhuhuhu.”

Shegwin laughed as if sobbing.

What’s wrong with him again.

Suddenly being creepy.

While I flinched, Shegwin continued speaking.

“Things have really gotten tangled up damnably.”

….Excuse me, who’s the one talking.

I wanted to retort, but Shegwin didn’t seem to have the leisure to listen to my words. Because Shegwin immediately raised his sword. But something feels empty.

Isn’t the sword aura invisible….?

“Look, Atlas. Your master is in danger of dying.”

Atlas, is that the sword’s name.

Anyway, danger of dying?

That’s what I want to say too?

‘Honestly, I’m scared.’

The state where [Natural Enemy Relationship] is activated.

That’s not all.

The stronger the demon is.

Considering that Grandfell’s lofty pride is as high as it gets….

Shegwin was definitely a burdensome opponent.

Even if they say he can’t emit sword aura.

It’s not like his fast swordsmanship disappeared somewhere.

“Atlas, if you really don’t intend to kill me.”

“….”

“It would be better to quietly bend your stubbornness.”

Pat!

As expected, ominous premonitions are never wrong.

Why is he so fast.

He is more agile than any monster I’ve seen so far.

‘Even his combat sense.’

It was Shegwin, who had fallen into a demon.

His outer appearance was a young man, but in his human days, he was a Sword Saint whose prime had long passed. He would have that much experience. As expected, it seems he also has plenty of experience fighting mages.

Shegwin hid his body in the terrain and features.

‘Is this a transcendent’s ability.’

It’s a speed I absolutely can’t capture with my eyes.

Anew, if Shegwin wasn’t a demon.

I feel like I would have really been crushed in the first encounter.

But now that he has fallen into a demon.

“You are there.”

Because he couldn’t avoid the radius of [Natural Enemy Relationship].

It means you smell like a foul demon, Shegwin.

I repeated to myself.

‘I’m not looking with my eyes.’

….I’m chasing with smell.

The most important thing is not to show it.

If it’s Shegwin.

The moment he notices I lost his movements.

He will rush in to cut my breath with his sword.

Unfortunately, I have no confidence in blocking that single strike.

But I have a thick skin.

“It is the law that you cannot hide even if you hide.”

Yes, a constant posture.

I guarantee it.

You won’t see even the slightest agitation or opening from me.

Thump, thump, thump

A moment of silence.

Thanks to that, Shegwin’s rough heartbeat was transmitted even to me.

That was definitely the heartbeat of a terrified demon.

‘I don’t know why he’s been so scared since earlier though.’

Good.

I needed to use that misunderstanding.

Because only then will I not sink into heavy pride.

‘Making misunderstandings and overestimations into reality?’

It’s something I’m confident in as much as not showing emotions.

Just like I’ve done so far.

I have the confidence to pull it off shamelessly.

Therefore, I raised my arm with moderation.

“It seems that heart is some kind of instrument.”

What I am pulling out of my bosom is the spoils of the Demon King, Amdusias.

“If so.”

[Baton of the Unicorn Stained with Evil].

No, now it is [Baton of Rhythm].

I raised the Demon King’s spoils and continued speaking.

“A duet with screams added wouldn’t be bad either.”

….A duet with what added?

No, never mind, given the situation.

Right now, I have no leisure to tackle whatever you babble, Grandfell.

But one thing is certain.

That there is a reason why I took out the baton.

It’s a bit unfair for you to be the only fast one, Shegwin?

Swoosh

As I raised the baton.

Float

Countless spheres of light rising from all over the Zero Mountain Range.

Yes, they were the Lights I had manifested.

Swoosh

Float

As the baton moves.

The pure masses of magic power move along.

Then soon.

“?!”

They accelerate at a speed even Shegwin cannot avoid.

“Vivace.” – Splendidly and rapidly

As I conduct.