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SSS-Class Suicide Hunter (Web Novel) - Chapter 281: Final Vote (2)
Chapter 281: Final Vote (2)
This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml
Translator/Editor: Ryuu
Plum blossoms fell.
They were flowers, not cold snowflakes.
“Alright.”
I spoke and raised my sword.
“Let’s test it.”
I charged.
Swinging.
My sword collided with Viper’s blade.
Clang...!
The sound of metal rang out.
Clang…!
The sound of metal rang out.
Clang…!
Viper’s shoulder flinched, then suddenly, with a pop, his coiled muscles unfurled, splitting the sword path.
It's like an illusion of several sword paths striking simultaneously.
‘No, it's not a sword path, but a choice.’
Drawing out Aura to create multiple afterimages of the sword, asking me which one I will respond to.
Depending on which one I choose, the change in the sword path will be completely different.
And none of those changes will be favorable to me.
‘Unrivaled Martial Artist.’
That was probably the skill Viper gained when he first entered the tower.
That ability to read predicted paths, which I briefly encountered in my master’s world.
“Then…”
I lifted my sword.
“There's no need to choose!”
It wasn’t just one sword.
The sword strike Viper swung from the upper left was countered by [The Pity Sword].
“One!"
The strike aiming for my waist was blocked by [The Prayer Sword].
“Two!"
The strike targeClang my wrist was stopped by [The Sacrifice Sword].
“Three!”
The attack diving for my neck was deflected by [The Salvation Sword].
Thus, I blocked all of Viper’s attacks. After tying up the opponent's hands, I dove into Viper's embrace.
“Haat!"
I swung the [The Idol Sword] in my hand.
"Eut–"
Viper stepped back.
He’s probably trying to create distance and regroup.
Sorry, but I won’t give you that leisure. I charged ahead.
Swerving.
"-----Huh!"
And at that moment, I saw a smile flicker across Viper’s lips.
“Hryaaaah!”
Clang! The metallic sound rang out.
The [The Idol Sword] I swung was blocked by something.
It wasn't Viper’s sword.
Viper's wrist---the glove wrapped in Aura stopped it.
Not only that, he turned his hand around, gripping the blade.
And pulled.
“Liǎofàn,”
Viper’s single eye, whoosh, came closer.
“Aren’t you a swordsman,”
“I’ll tell you two things,”
Our voices intersected, and at the next moment, they were drowned out by a loud explosion.
Boom……!
The sonic boom that occurred as Viper's other fist brushed past my ear swallowed up all other sounds.
-This is also one of the fine arts of swordsmanship,
Thus, Viper’s words were conveyed only by the movement of his lips.
-I mainly use the sword, just because it suits me and looks cool.
In the moment his fist brushed past, Viper was already moving into the next attack.
Pulling the gripped sword, he aimed his bent knee at my abdomen. If I let go of the sword and step back, he'll swing it around and hit my shoulder in a cross-cut. Then should I brace my legs and stand firm? No. Then he would straighten his bent knee and strike at my solar plexus.
-Right, I see.
I see it.
I feel it.
-I also handled many weapons simultaneously when controlling the Seven Ghost Heroes.
-Yes.
Viper's intentions. My predictions of his responses. The next actions based on those predictions. The pure purpose underpinning all of it.
-From a scythe to a fist, there’s no weapon I can't handle!
We are now 'conversing.'
-Yes.
Swimming in the flow of time created by Aura, I glanced at the number of cards Viper could play.
I tried counting but soon gave up.
-That's a lot.
Dozens.
Even counting the traps waiting to be triggered, there are hundreds.
In a fleeting moment, from my left, right, behind, all around, and beyond, I felt Viper’s intentions and murderous intent.
-Wow.
It’s a literal human wave tactic.
Seven Ghost Heroes, Twelve Winged Generals, Seventy-two Demon Kings, One Hundred and Eight Arhats… Whatever it is, it’s different from the harmony I once spread by controlling numerous bodies with a single will.
Spreading numerous wills with one body.
That’s why the one in front of me is yet not Liǎofàn.
-That is really a lot!
The blacksmith-like fist aiming at me, the farmer's sickle-like hand blade, the gardener's scissor-like, the fisherman's net-like countless attacks unfold towards me.
-Right, give it your all.
I will also do my utmost to defeat you.
No, to defeat you all.
‘Let’s go, Hwiya.’
As I leaped into the pulling blade, I also swung my fist. Was that the right answer? Strength drained from Viper’s sword-holding hand.
‘Resonate with my heart.’
The moment my fist cuts through the air, I wish.
‘The Torn Goddess's Salvation.’
Among the four swords floating in the air, [The Salvation Sword] vibrated intensely.
[Activating skill.]
A secret technique once possessed by Constellation Killer.
To forget memories, drawing power equivalent to the weight of the forgotten memories.
The more the past is discarded, the more the current me dies. Since I promised Raviel not to recklessly throw away my life, I try not to use [The Torn Goddess's Salvation] unless it's a moment when I must exert all my strength.
Like right now.
‘The Salvation Sword.’
I swung the sword.
Demonic Heavenly God Art.
The First Form.
Sword of Starving Death.
The Salvation Sword wildly leaped in the air. “Kuh!” The blacksmith-like fist coming from my right repelled far away. One, two, three, four lives joined, but they could not withstand [The Salvation Sword].
I too was fiercely consuming Aura.
But.
‘I discard the memories of the four attacks I just repelled.’
Suddenly, my vision cleared.
My heart beated. The depleted Aura was replenished. My steps lightened, and my gestures quickened.
Glancing to the right, although surrounded on all sides, that area alone is clearly empty. Looking closer, four lives are groaning and rolling on the ground.
Although I can't remember how it happened, why it happened, and what it meant was clear.
‘Okay.’
My right side was open.
‘The Sacrifice Sword.’
Then the next thing to do was clear.
Demonic Heavenly God Art.
The Second Form.
Sword of Parched Death.
From my left, [The Sacrifice Sword] striked. Groans and screams rang out. The attack approaching from the left was blocked.
‘I discard the memory of the attack I just blocked.’
My left side was open.
‘The Prayer Sword.’
Look.
Celestial Martial Guild Master.
I am giving it my all right now.
Demonic Heavenly God Art.
The Third Form.
Sword of Submerged Death.
You are not an insignificant existence to me.
How could I wield the sword of Demonic Heaven against someone who means nothing to me? How could I forget memories, moment to moment? How could I scrape my soul, collect each piece of flesh torn from wounds, and form it into a stroke of the sword?
‘The Pity Sword.’
You said you would stop me.
You said you would take me as your karma.
Demonic Heavenly God Art.
The Fourth Form.
Sword of Frostbitten Death.
I am fully handling such a you.
To be all-out means my life is laid upon my sword.
I wonder what excuse I will give to Raviel. I can’t say I didn’t break our promise since I didn't die. How can I show Raviel such shamelessness, stubbornly sticking to the literal meaning of words?
Right?
Demonic Heavenly God Art.
The Fifth Form.
Sword of Noxious Death.
I am conscious of the Guardian Spirit’s gaze. This gentleman. He has become much more serious since I developed Demonic Formations Art. He spends more time watching me than talking to me. He’s started to see me as a more equal warrior, which pleases me but also keeps me anxious. What does the Guardian Spirit think of the swordsmanship I display?
Right?
Demonic Heavenly God Art.
The Sixth Form.
Sword of Plague Death.
I think of my master. I recall the decisive battle my master had with the Head of the Martial Alliance. At that time, my master fought even to the point of breaking her life force, and wherever she stepped, plum blossoms bloomed and flowed. The world devoured my master's life force and blood, blooming a few petals.
Demonic Heavenly God Art.
The Seventh Form.
Sword of Contusing Death.
That level is needed to convince the opponent.
Only at that level can I cut you down.
Can I even reach that level with a tip of my finger or a single finger,
Demonic Heavenly God Art.
The Eighth Form.
Sword of Scorching Death.
I am worried.
Because you make me worry about my love, my friendship, my admiration.
You cannot be a mere existence to me.
Right.
‘The left is clear.’
Gone.
‘The right is clear.’
Nothing to hinder.
‘The rear is empty too.’
No one to grab my nape.
'Then.'
The only place left is the front.
My path ahead.
Left, right, rear, all sides cleared, only the path to Viper’s body remains open.
‘I’ll go ahead.’
I step forward.
‘Piercing through the entire life you have lived.’
One step.
I recalled the swords sent to block the incoming lives. The Salvation, The Sacrifice, The Prayer, The Pity, four swords quickly gathered, circling close to me.
‘I will cut your heart.’
Three steps.
The four swords scattered like iron dust. The Aura used to maintain the Flying Ki Sword Technique was withdrawn. Instantly, my vision brightened and blood boiled in my body.
Towards me, an accountant’s pen, a vegetable vendor’s basket, a drunkard’s bottle, countless everyday objects from countless people flew, but…
‘Good.’
I stomped the ground with a determination to face all of it.
"Celestial Martial Guild Master!”
My voice burst out.
The long night subsided, the shadows cast by the forest turned pale, and as the leaves trembled coolly in the dawn light, my lion’s roar resounded through the jungle.
“Viper!”
Suddenly.
Something seemed to flow where I stepped.
“Liǎofàn!”
Three steps.
My feeling that something flowed was not an illusion.
With each step, a few petals flow from the ground I stepped on.
It was just a brief flutter at the bottom of my vision, not like the master and the Head with plum blossoms blooming with each step, not with flowers spreading where the sword passes, not turning the surroundings into a garden, but merely a few white petals briefly passing between Viper and me.
Demonic Heavenly God Art.
The Ninth Form.
Sword of Self Death.
Four steps.
My sword cut through a petal.
"------"
The sound of inhaling.
A panting breath was at the tip of my sword.
-.......
The petal, cut by the blade, silently split in two. A white line divided left and right, slowly opening my view. On one side, Liǎofàn with his black eye patch appeared, on the other, Liǎofàn’s left eye.
The blade, stopped beside Liǎofàn’s neck.
No.
It had to stop.
"......."
My heart.
At my solar plexus, Liǎofàn’s fist rested.
-.......
-.......
Because of it being a bit late to stop, the place where my blade halted was shallowly cut, a tiny bead of blood trickled down the blade.
Because of it being a bit late to stop, the place where Liǎofàn’s fist halted was slightly sunken, blood trickled down his chin from a cut lip.
"......."
I couldn’t swing my sword any more. The next moment my heart would burst.
He couldn’t thrust his fist any more. The next moment his neck would fly off.
Knowing this, we naturally stopped.
“Ah...."
“How, how could this..."
“Incredible.”
The forest swayed.
Again, not only hunters were spectators in this forest. The tribes following the hunters thronged, especially our King of Death Family’s retainers were attentively watching the martial field from the shaded forest.
A forest of people.
With such a scale, it's not just people in the forest; the forest is made of people.
Receiving everyone's gaze, I first casually said.
“I even defeated the Sword Saint.”
A corner of the forest twitched. Probably the Sword Saint.
Viper casually replied.
“I beat that old man too. A long time ago. In the past.”
Sure enough, the Sword Saint twitched again.
I laughed.
“You said you lost an eye.”
“That doesn't mean I lost.”
“What? So the Sword Saint is just a measuring stick for combat power? A complete cliché.”
“He's an old man.”
“Isn’t there some kind of rejuvenation chance like in stories?”
“Ah. Suddenly becoming a silver-haired young boy, right? Though it's a cliché, it's possible.”
“No, I was thinking more of a young man or uncle. A young boy? What are you talking about... It's kind of upsetting me..."
“I'm sure it's not as upsetting as me!?”
The last shout was from the Sword Saint.
I laughed. Liǎofàn also laughed. Blood flowed with that laughter. Droplets of blood fell to the ground with a plunk.
"Ugh...."
And then, both of us collapsed simultaneously.
