Chapter 51: The Mountain Grows Steeper
“Lord Halsenberg. May I temporarily borrow your wife?”
A bombshell statement worthy of a golden retriever wannabe.
But my tone was dead serious.
“What do you mean by that?”
Lord Halsenberg’s calm demeanor immediately shifted as soon as the mention of his wife came up.
A freezing glare was cast upon me, and the pressure was palpable. I unconsciously swallowed hard, feeling the sweat trickle down my back.
Maintaining as much composure as I could muster, I pressed on.
“Exactly that. I’ve some business to attend to with Lady Halsenberg’s corpse for a moment.”
“What exactly are you plotting?”
“If my suspicions are correct… the life-force vessel of Eldritch may reside there.”
“…”
Lord Halsenberg narrowed his eyes, glaring at me with an oppressive intensity.
Oh no. I feel like peeing. That’s some bladder-weakening eye contact. It feels like confronting an escaped predator at the zoo.
“Hmm.”
But the pressure didn’t last too long.
Lord Halsenberg shook his head with a sigh.
“Master Jung Yong. You’ve always been quite the enigma.”
“… Is that so?”
“To trick the skeptical Leira and yet manage to make her trust you. Coming boldly to me asking for tasks. A hero from another realm, and still the incredible growth rate you’ve shown. Declaring without hesitation that you would kill Eldritch—an entity we couldn’t defeat even at the cost of countless lives.”
On reflection, the things Lord Halsenberg was saying made me seem quite perplexing even to myself.
Amid a carefree grin, I suddenly shivered.
“Yes. Though not much time has passed… you remain an enigmatic person, Master Jung Yong.”
With that, Lord Halsenberg rose from his seat. Lady Halsenberg, standing beside him, let out a frightened whimper as she sensed the stifling malevolence radiating from her husband.
‘This is serious… truly!’
And I, being the one directly receiving this malice, felt as if my breath was about to leave me at any moment.
Clank. Lord Halsenberg began to move slowly.
“I didn’t question you when you claimed to have a way to defeat Eldritch. Nor did I question the absurd orders to withdraw yesterday. Do you know why?”
“… Well, how should I know the profound intentions of someone like Lord Halsenberg?”
“To cling onto the faint hope of shouldering this cursed land a little while longer. For myself. And for my departed partner, Isabel.”
“…”
Lord Halsenberg picked up the sword leaning against his chair.
Zing. The longsword, illuminated by moonlight, emitted a chilling white light as it was pointed directly at me.
“It seems you have no intention of explaining your reasons this time either. Am I wrong?”
“No, you’re absolutely correct.”
“In that case, I can’t step aside. I cannot allow harm to come to her based solely on an unclear intuition.”
“Lord Halsenberg. This isn’t harm. It’s merely a decaying undead.”
At my words, Lord Halsenberg’s eyes widened in fury.
The menace emanating from him pressed down on me like a palpable weight. Even the Demon King standing nearby seemed uneasy, his legs trembling from that intense energy.
But I remained unaffected, smirking mockingly as I provoked Lord Halsenberg.
“Didn’t you say it yourself earlier? That this decaying undead still boasts a stunning beauty?”
“… You need to learn when to hold your tongue, young man.”
“Why worry so much about a decaying corpse? I’ll have it perfectly restored by tomorrow, so could you just lend it to me for now?”
In an instant, Lord Halsenberg disappeared from my sight.
Instinctively, I drew my sword and swung it violently.
“Hiss!”
Zing! A chilling metallic sound erupted at close range.
The hand gripping my sword felt as if it might tear apart, and at the same time, my body was sent rolling across the floor.
“Ugh!”
I quickly adjusted my landing, leaped back to my feet, reset my stance, and kept my focus on the front.
Before I knew it, Lord Halsenberg, who had reappeared where I had been standing, was now advancing towards me with a menacing aura.
‘That’s right. Come at me like that!!’
I pulled out the Ether vials I had prepared and consumed one of each type.
My body shimmered with a kaleidoscope of colors as the ethereal energy expanded my senses. My heightened awareness only made the intensity of the situation even more bone-chilling.
Overwhelming.
Not just a wall—no, a veritable mountain separates Lord Halsenberg and I.
This isn’t a gap that can be bridged with mere ingenuity and clever tricks.
“Now that I think about it, there hasn’t been much time for us to have a sparring session. Guin and I have exchanged much in that regard.”
“…”
“I didn’t expect our first genuine match would take place in this manner, Master Jung Yong.”
With a sorrowful tone, Lord Halsenberg spoke. At the same instant, his form vanished once more.
A movement akin to a ghost’s. Acting purely on instinct and heightened senses, I swung my sword wildly.
“Aaaah!”
Yet the overwhelming difference in strength and speed allowed cuts to accumulate on my body.
A slash across my side.
A slash across my waist.
Simultaneous slashes to my thigh and shoulder.
“What the hell!”
From every direction, Lord Halsenberg’s figure would appear and disappear. Before I knew it, my body was covered in more cuts.
The number of times I managed to glimpse his true form during the engagement was a mere three.
Even then, I couldn’t block him properly, my stance collapsing as he pulled my wrist with a strength threatening to snap it.
“Seven Sword Pierce!!”
In desperation, I called out the skill.
Seven swords materialized and disrupted the afterimages of Lord Halsenberg, but all of them missed. Not even one blade could reach him.
As I bit my lip, Lord Halsenberg suddenly appeared a distance away, raising his sword high to the sky.
‘Oh no…!’
Crackle! An immense surge of mana began to gather around his sword. I realized the danger looming and my heart began to race.
This is dangerous. The genuine version of the skill I had borrowed is headed my way!
“Hundred Sword….”
“Landmine Formation!!”
Before his incantation could finish, I swiftly plunged my sword into the floor.
Boom! The thunderous sound shattered the ground beneath us in the audience hall. Lord Halsenberg lost his balance, and the gathered mana dissipated into thin air.
I let out a breath of relief at that moment, thinking I had bought some time.
By the time I regained my senses, however, Lord Halsenberg had already disappeared.
“Impressive. That’s right. You’re adept at utilizing whatever you have in every situation.”
The voice came from behind.
As I turned to swing my sword in reflex, it was already too late.
Lord Halsenberg struck the floor with his sword. The blade harbored a dangerous amount of mana, threatening imminent explosion.
“Great Explosion.”
Kaaaa-buuum!
A level of vibration far beyond my landmine formation erupted in all directions.
Shockwaves swept through the hall, and the scattered undead lying on the ground disintegrated instantly.
“Kyaaaaah!”
Bang! Thrown back by the shockwave, my body smashed into the wall of the audience hall.
The pain of fractured ribs coursed through me. I was left gasping for air.
“… It’s come to this…!”
Struggling, I managed to bring an Ether vial to my lips.
Inhaling one vial of Water Ether while consuming all remaining Fire, Wind, and Earth Ethers in one go.
Six Ethers surged through my veins all at once.
“Grrrrrr!!”
Hissssh!
Steam of various colors erupted from my body. My senses expanded to a point beyond endurance.
The icy wind blowing through the broken window. The overwhelming mana and pressure from Lord Halsenberg. Even the Demon King who stood there dumbly observing the situation—all were instantly imprinted in my mind.
“… What have you done? Your spirit has completely transformed.”
Lord Halsenberg tilted his head in bewilderment as he looked at me.
You should be amazed. The fully doped version of myself is undoubtedly different from before.
‘Time limit: a mere 5 minutes. Swift resolution!’
Time is running out. In an instant, I dashed at the standing Lord Halsenberg.
“Hmm!”
Chiiing! Lord Halsenberg barely managed to parry my attack.
His reflexes are still incredible, but this level of engagement—enough to make it a fair fight!
“Yaaaaaaaa!”
I relentlessly barraged him with relentless attacks.
Lord Halsenberg shifted into a purely defensive stance, efficiently blocking my assaults with methodical precision. Though he was being pushed back, he never showed a significant opening.
‘Not yet. Not yet…!’
It was evident that cuts were accumulating on Lord Halsenberg’s side.
But unlike his calm exterior, I was growing visibly anxious.
A fatal blow must be struck within five minutes! Clenching my teeth, I swung my sword with the ferocity of a storm.
And then, at a certain point.
“Your speed has greatly increased, but so has the monotony of your attacks. That’s unlike the clever fighter you are.”
“… What?”
Chiiing!
Out of the blue, Lord Halsenberg counterattacked.
As I panicked and attempted to block, his sword slipped in like a snake, striking my wrist instead.
I lost my sword.
‘Damn, now I’ve created the opening…’
Behind me, weaponless, Lord Halsenberg stood ready with his sword raised in that icy, resolute stance.
