Chapter 202
The silence among the Balrogs didn’t last long.
KRAAAAAAAH!
A roar like that of a beast erupted, shaking the entire arena.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
For the Balrogs, a warrior race, combat was the meaning of life.
The situation itself, a human suddenly appearing and defeating one of their kind to challenge their champion, was nothing short of the greatest entertainment for them.
Zeke was dumbfounded watching the Balrogs getting excited over his victory.
‘What’s with these guys?’
Where the disintegrated Balrog had been, there lay a mana stone.
It was larger than the mana stone he had obtained earlier.
At that moment, a message appeared before Zeke’s eyes.
[You can recover your spent power by absorbing the Balrog’s mana stone.]
[Mana stones obtained from defeating stronger Balrogs grant more experience points.]
‘So absorbing mana stones gives experience points?’
Unlike Orcs or Elves, it seemed that with Balrogs, you had to directly absorb the mana stone to gain experience.
Zeke put the larger mana stone in his inventory and took out the smaller one he got earlier.
‘Absorb.’
When he expressed his intent to absorb the mana stone, the light from the stone in his hand seeped into the pattern on his chest.
[You gain 100 experience points from absorbing the Balrog’s mana stone.]
[Your depleted health and mana have been recovered.]
‘100 points?’
Even though he absorbed a mana stone from a relatively weak Balrog, the experience points given were quite high.
Moreover, his health was restored, making it possible to take on consecutive challengers.
Zeke shouted toward the Balrogs.
“I came to challenge the champion! Let the champion come forth!”
At Zeke’s provocation, the watching Balrogs began to stir.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Among them, one large Balrog walked toward the arena.
[The Butcher!]
[The Butcher has appeared!]
If he had such a title among the Balrogs, he must be quite strong.
The massive Balrog leaped and entered the arena without hesitation.
KRAAAAAAAH!
True to his Balrog nature, he spread his wings wide and let out an enormous roar.
He was even bigger than the previous Balrog, appearing to be at least 4 meters tall.
[Pathetic human. I will kill you, chew you up, and swallow you!]
Then the Butcher drew out the massive sword he had been carrying on his back.
It seemed to be a weapon made from the bones of magical beasts.
Zeke considered drawing out Bahamut but decided to first face him with the Infinite Chain Technique.
KUGUNGGUNG!
The Butcher charged at Zeke wielding the massive bone sword.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
The bone sword, filled with magical energy, swept across the arena floor as it flew toward Zeke.
KWAKWAKWAKWANG!
The bone sword with its tremendous weight devastated the spot where Zeke had been.
Zeke used the Shadowless Step technique to dodge the bone sword and dove into the Butcher’s blind spot.
WHOOSH!
Simultaneously, Zeke unleashed a palm strike toward the Balrog.
KWANG!
Though Zeke’s strike landed perfectly, the Butcher didn’t even flinch.
The Butcher looked at Zeke while furrowing his brow.
[So you’ve learned some third-rate martial arts, human! You dare toy with me?!]
Again the Butcher swung his bone sword like a windmill, bringing it down toward Zeke.
KWANG! KWANG! KWANG! KWANG!
Unlike Arataso’s spear technique, it was just brute force swordsmanship, but the speed and weight were so great that even dodging was difficult.
Zeke steadied his breathing and used Shadowless Step to dodge the bone sword while looking for an opening.
The Butcher charged forward again, raising his bone sword high.
[Human! Die!]
Zeke rushed forward instead, aiming for an opening in the Butcher’s large movements.
PABABABABAD!
Rather than one big attack, he precisely delivered multiple small strikes.
Zeke’s Strikes persistently targeted the Butcher’s left knee.
The Butcher sneered as he swung his bone sword.
[Such petty tricks don’t even tickle!]
WHOOOOSH!
Zeke barely dodged the bone sword.
Zeke crouched again and attacked the Butcher’s left knee.
KWANG!
As Zeke grew more accustomed to the fight, his movements began to incorporate the intricate techniques of the Sun’s Golden Swordsmanship.
‘This is?’
The Sun Swordsmanship absorbed after devouring Death Knight Luis Marchisio, Agamemnon’s Golden Swordsmanship, and Lord Fab’s Infinite Chain technique all shared the same roots.
So while performing the Infinite Chain technique, it seemed the movements of the Sun’s Golden Swordsmanship came naturally.
WHEEEEEK!
Zeke’s movements became increasingly fluid as he circled quickly around the Butcher while attacking.
The Butcher couldn’t keep up with Zeke’s swift movements and brought down his bone sword in the wrong places.
KWAKWAKWANG!
The larger his movements, the more openings there were for Zeke to attack.
Zeke mixed Strong Wave Resonance into the Infinite Chain technique movements to perform the Sun’s Golden Swordsmanship.
SHEEEEEK!
Zeke’s energized hand blade sharply sliced the Butcher’s left knee.
CHWAAAAK!
The Butcher, who had shown no reaction to Zeke’s attacks until now, responded for the first time.
[KUGH!]
THUMP!
The Butcher’s left knee hit the ground.
Zeke didn’t stop there.
PABABABAD!
The essence of the Wind Storm technique lay in maintaining ‘distance.’
The key was maintaining a distance where the opponent’s attacks couldn’t reach while keeping them within range of your own attacks, drawing them into that zone.
Advancing like a gust of wind when attacking, and retreating like a gust when dodging to create distance from the opponent.
That was the true nature of the Wind Storm technique.
‘I have too many techniques, so I haven’t properly grasped the true meaning of each one.’
Zeke finally understood what it meant in the Infinite Chain technique when they said the hand becomes the sword, and furthermore, the body itself can become a weapon.
To become a Red Knight, one must reach the state of unity between sword and self.
Although Zeke, who had broken through the Red Knight barrier, had felt through long experience what this unity meant, he had never seriously contemplated it.
Having so many talents and techniques, he never had the leisure to focus intensively on mastering just one.
Only when his abilities were sealed by the restrictions of the Inverted Tower did he finally realize the true source of his power.
WOOOONG!
Waves of energy emanated from Zeke’s entire body.
Sharp energy surged from both his hands.
Zeke rushed toward the Butcher at high speed.
CHWAAAAK!
Agamemnon’s Golden Swordsmanship unfolded from Zeke’s hands.
And as he turned sideways, the Paladin’s Sun Swordsmanship manifested.
As he turned again, the Northern Ranger’s fighting technique emerged from his feet.
All these movements happened in an instant.
PABABABAD!
[KUHEK!]
The Butcher couldn’t regain his senses from Zeke’s continuous attacks.
He gripped his bone sword and swung it wide.
[KRAAAAK!]
Through the field of energy waves around his body, Zeke could vividly sense everything.
The Butcher’s bone sword appeared to move so slowly it seemed time had stopped.
Zeke narrowly moved to dodge the Butcher’s bone sword.
Then he stretched out his fist and struck the flat of the bone sword.
KWADDEDEUK!
Though it seemed like a light tap, the solid bone sword shattered into pieces. The Butcher roared at the sight of his broken bone sword.
[KRAAAAAAAK!]
Enormous magical energy erupted from his body.
Like the bone sword had regrown, a massive sword of condensed magical energy flew toward Zeke with enough force to bisect him.
Even this sword appeared frozen to Zeke’s eyes.
He summoned the power of Soul Force.
Soul Force
Will of the Strong
Zeke concentrated the Will of the Strong in his right arm.
He also focused the waves of Strong Wave Resonance.
Simultaneously, he unleashed the Infinite Chain technique toward the Butcher.
Agamemnon’s Golden Swordsmanship
Counter Technique
Dignity of the Golden Sword
Zeke’s hand blade became a sword and deflected the Butcher’s sword.
Then as the Infinite Chain technique activated, Zeke’s attack immediately followed through.
Paladin Sun Swordsmanship
Secret Technique
Convection Sword
Zeke’s hand blades on both sides curved like wings and struck the Butcher’s body.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
Powerful waves lashed the Butcher’s body and penetrated inside, making his magical energy vibrate.
[KRRRRK!]
As the magical energy enveloping the Butcher’s body dispersed, he staggered backward.
Zeke jumped into the air and swung his hand blade toward the Butcher’s horns.
Dragon Slaying Technique
Wind Storm Technique
Wind Slash
Zeke’s hand blade cleanly cut off the Butcher’s horns.
[KRAAAAAAAK!]
The Butcher, his horns severed, let out a scream and turned to ash, scattering away.
Zeke, who had jumped up, landed back in the arena in a stable stance.
Simultaneously, a message appeared before Zeke’s eyes.
[You have learned the Special Skill Infinite Chain technique (S-Rank).]
[Special Skill ‘Sun’s Golden Swordsmanship (A-Rank)’ has been absorbed into this skill.]
There was a change in the previously stagnant Special Skills category.
‘Finally, the Infinite Chain technique has been registered as a special skill.’
Having grasped the essence of the Infinite Chain technique, it seemed the Sun’s Golden Swordsmanship skill, which shared the same roots, was absorbed into it.
Zeke realized again that his mastery had been incomplete until now.
‘I guess I relied too much on skills because of their high effectiveness. Even after leaving the tower, I should be wary of becoming complacent with skills.’
Zeke thought the key to advancing from Red Knight to Black Knight lay here.
The realm beyond the unity of sword and self.
He renewed his determination to reach that realm.
When the Butcher fell to Zeke’s hands, the atmosphere among the Balrogs changed considerably from before.
[The Butcher, by a human’s hands?]
[To defeat the Butcher. Remarkable.]
The Butcher must have been quite a powerful warrior among the Balrogs.
That’s when it happened.
KUGUGUGUGU!
Suddenly, the arena where Zeke stood began splitting in half.
Then, a new arena floor rose from below.
‘What’s this?’
Unlike the previous ordinary dirt floor, this was different.
Sharp beast bones were densely embedded around the arena, and sharp blades were packed into the arena walls.
The Balrogs began getting excited again.
[It’s the Champion!]
[The Tyrant! The Tyrant has appeared!]
Shortly after, a high platform rose on one side of the arena.
KUGUGUGUGU!
There was a massive throne, and someone was sitting on it.
The apex of the arena, with horns longer and larger than any other Balrog.
The Champion had revealed himself.
KUGUNG!
The Champion slowly rose from his throne.
The Champion, wearing black armor covering his entire body and holding a red sword emanating an ominous aura.
He looked down at Zeke from atop his throne.
‘So that’s the Champion. His build is smaller than I expected.’
Unlike the Butcher, he might be a Balrog who uses agile attacks as his main weapon.
That’s when it happened.
[Human. You said you would challenge me.]
The Champion’s eyes emitted a red glow as he looked at Zeke.
And at that moment, the Champion’s body began to swell.
‘Huh?’
KWADDEUDDEUDGEUK!
The Champion’s body swelled and transformed into a completely different form in an instant.
Zeke was shocked at the Champion’s transformed appearance.
“That’s… a dragon?”
The transformed Champion had become a massive magical beast resembling a dragon.
When the Champion revealed his true form, the Balrogs became excited.
[Tyrant! Tyrant! Tyrant!]
[Kill him! Kill him! Kill the human!]
Zeke understood why the Balrogs called the Champion the Tyrant.
“At that level, can he even be considered a Balrog anymore?”
WUDDEUDDEUK!
The fully transformed Tyrant bared his sharp teeth and claws at Zeke and shouted.
[I accept your challenge! In exchange for your life!]
The Tyrant flew into the air and opened his mouth toward him.
WOOOONG!
Massive magical energy gathered in the Tyrant’s mouth.
Then the Tyrant unleashed a compressed magic cannon toward Zeke.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWANG!
The powerful magic cannon completely swept away where Zeke had been standing.
‘KUGH!’
Zeke quickly dodged the Tyrant’s magic cannon using Shadowless Step.
He caught his breath while looking at the Balrog that had transformed into a dragon.
‘A dragon. Come to think of it, this might be better.’
Zeke composed himself and took out Bahamut from his inventory.
WOOOONG!
A pleasant sword cry emanated from Bahamut, which he hadn’t held in a while.
He raised his sword and summoned his aura.
PACHIT!
The amount of mana needed to use his aura had noticeably decreased from before.
‘I had a lot of power leaking unnecessarily until now.’
Zeke finally understood Rex Tourn’s advice.
Being too focused on one thing without margin left no room to empty oneself, and being unable to empty meant being unable to refill.
Zeke held his sword and relaxed his entire body.
He had gained true understanding of the Release of Power that he learned from Kaisir.
Zeke opened his eyes in an instant and swung his sword toward the Tyrant floating in the air.
PACHIT!
The lightly swung sword strike grazed the Tyrant’s wings.
[Insolent human…]
The enraged Tyrant’s body was enveloped in magical energy.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
He circled in the air before charging straight at Zeke.
It was like a black spear piercing the earth.
Zeke maintained his composure and gripped his sword,taking stance.
He stepped forward and swung his sword toward the Tyrant.
True Dragon Sword Technique
Second Form
Giant Dragon Slash
The secret technique of the True Dragon Sword was unleashed toward the Tyrant.
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