I Became a Gallery Newbie Beloved by Transcendents
Chapter 26
My head was spinning frantically.
Two 2nd-tier and one 3rd-tier rushed at me simultaneously.
Three weapons surged toward me at once.
[Skill ‘Trajectory Analysis’ level has increased. Lv.2]
The axe trajectory on the far left was excessively sloppy.
After slightly twisting my shoulder to avoid it, I swung Karnavalt upward vertically.
The axe fell to the ground and the severed arm of the 2nd-tier shot up into the air.
“Die…!”
The 3rd-tier with a diagonal scar on his face rushed at me.
A pale blue sword aura faintly wrapped around the blade.
However, I felt no fear.
Because I had already killed the Kobold King who used a higher-grade sword aura than that.
Both the sword aura and swordsmanship were clumsy.
Dragon Slaying Sword Defense Technique Form 1: Libra.
I blocked the vertically descending sword and thrust the bloody dagger in my left hand into the 3rd-tier’s neck.
The movement of the 2nd-tier rushing from the side suddenly stopped.
That’s because I had sliced through his waist with the great sword.
The 2nd-tier collapsed.
“Your movement, speed, and situational judgment. Everything is remarkable.”
It wasn’t difficult to identify the owner of the voice.
Because Baron, the remaining 2nd-tier, was merely standing awkwardly, and there was only one person staring at me with a composed face.
3rd-tier combat member, Maien.
“What’s your reason for interfering with the company’s business?”
This impressively handsome man with short white hair neatly brushed back continued to deliver lines.
A red current flowed through the spear blades Maien held in both hands.
I suppose it could be called an aura, essentially synonymous with sword energy.
“Cut off one of my limbs and then ask. That would make me answer obediently, wouldn’t it?”
Maien raised the corner of his mouth at my provocation.
“That’s a very good idea.”
Maien and Baron, who was standing awkwardly beside him, rushed at me simultaneously.
“UGH, UWAAAAAH!”
I don’t know why Baron is charging while almost crying.
My top priority is to find Mike’s companions.
And before that, there was something I needed to confirm.
“It wasn’t this one-eyed monster that tied you up here, right? Where are they?”
At my words, Mike dug through the bushes behind the tree with both hands.
“Here…”
Two men were lying collapsed. With their hearts precisely pierced.
My gaze shifted to the one-eyed monster also lying face down on the ground.
“This creature killed the humans, right?”
“Yes.”
This is manageable.
Those killed by the one-eyed creature probably weren’t leaders.
Thanks to them, I became confident that even if they were leader-class, they wouldn’t be impossible for me to handle by my standards.
“Mike, is there any way to know the location of your companions?”
Mike’s yellow cat ears drooped again.
“I’m sorry… There’s a distinctive damp scent that flows through the monster forest, so I can’t fully smell unless I get within a certain radius.”
“So you can notice when we get closer. That’s fine then.”
My eyes turned to the two men.
What both men had in common on their tops was a red emblem. Though small, it was noticeable despite its size.
It was an emblem with a very crude vertical red sword-shaped logo.
Probably worn to clearly identify friend from foe.
Without hesitation, I tore off the emblem and attached it to my shoulder.
This way, the armed personnel sent by the slave traders would mistake me for one of their comrades.
If they were an extremely harmonious group where everyone remembered each other’s faces perfectly, then my luck would be terrible.
The preparations were complete.
“Don’t leave my side.”
“Yes.”
Mike nodded.
How many minutes had we walked?
GRIP-
Finally, Mike signaled me.
By pulling on my sleeve at my wrist.
“The distance.”
As I bent down to match his height, Mike pointed forward with her right hand and whispered in my ear.
“It’s beyond that hill.”
My sleeve trembled.
It meant Mike’s hand was shaking.
“I smell my kin… and the smell of their blood together.”
Without answering, I just patted his shoulder.
I gripped a black javelin, a dark short spear, in my right hand.
I moved slowly while properly concealing myself in the bushes.
[Skill ‘Cover’ level has increased. Lv.4]
I saw them.
Through the bushes, cat-people of the Cat tribe with necks and ankles bound by chains.
The number of Cat tribe members visible to the naked eye was five.
One of them was collapsed with their body pressed flat against the ground.
‘They are indeed bleeding.’
Judging from the twitching state, it seemed the person was still breathing.
I took out a low-grade potion and placed it in Mike’s right hand.
“When I roughly get the situation under control, treat your injured kin.”
Mike nodded vigorously while preciously holding the low-grade potion with both hands.
“I’m going to act a bit, so don’t panic and just stand still.”
With the black javelin in my right hand, I grabbed Mike’s arm with my left.
Then I walked out, parting the bushes.
Total of seven NPCs.
[NPC – Slave Company 2nd-tier Combat Member Baron]
[NPC – Slave Company 1st-tier Combat Member Hans]
Three 2nd-tiers in total.
Two 1st-tiers.
[NPC – Slave Company 3rd-tier Combat Member Maien]
Two 3rd-tiers.
Baron, a man with a rugged face, approached me.
Baron’s gaze was directed at the emblem on my right shoulder.
“Hey, good work. But I told you not to wander around alone.”
Most of the others’ gazes were directed at Mike, whom I had brought.
One combat member who was snickering while looking at Mike glanced at me and tilted his head.
“Was there someone like him?”
“Probably a hired mercenary. There are a few of them.”
I took a deep breath while listening to their voices.
The most efficient approach would be to disable one of the two 3rd-tiers with a javelin and then engage in combat.
But that was impossible because the 2nd-tiers were blocking the way.
“What’s this? I just caught one trying to escape. Why are you asking if there was someone like me?”
Words more brazen than I had intended flowed out.
Marco, the 2nd-tier combat member who had asked if there was someone like me, scratched the back of his head.
“S-sorry. My memory hasn’t been good lately.”
No need to apologize.
[Magic Body Enhancement Lv.4 – Activating skill.]
THWACK!
Marco’s body, with his head shattered by the black javelin I threw, tumbled to the ground.
I drew Karnavalt, the great sword that increases critical hit probability when facing multiple enemies.
[Concentration Enhancement Lv.4 – Activating skill.]
I slashed.
Horizontally.
The crescent moon I drew attacked the necks of the two 1st-tiers.
Remaining enemies, five.
SLASH!
Instantly lowering my body, I cut Baron’s ankle with Karnavalt.
Baron’s body fell backward.
“KYAAAAAAAA! UWAAAAA!”
And now it seems he’s really started crying.
Maien extended his spear with his aura raised.
I faced pressure from his consecutive thrusts.
Slightly superior to the one-eyed monster I had just killed.
CLANG CLANG CLANG!
But it wasn’t something I couldn’t block.
HALT.
And when the final spear thrust came, I didn’t avoid it but grabbed the spear shaft with my bare hand.
Maien’s face had turned pale.
I had the advantage in strength.
WHOOSH!
I pulled the spear shaft toward me.
Maien’s body lurched forward.
Should’ve let go of the spear right away.
I quickly extended my left hand holding the bloody dagger.
STAB!
One knife wound to the shoulder.
STAB! STAAAB!
And twice to the neck.
Maien staggered backward, spewing blood from his neck. Then he fell face-first brutally to the ground.
[Level has increased!]
[Lv.19 → Lv.20]
[‘Strength’ stat increases by 5.]
[‘Agility’ stat increases by 7.]
[‘Vitality’ stat increases by 6.]
[‘Mana’ stat increases by 5.]
Level 20 achieved.
I wanted to open the Transcender Gallery right away to ask about sword aura, but there was an important matter left.
“Hey.”
Now only one remained.
The one I deliberately kept alive to get information.
“Where are the remaining company personnel?”
I grabbed Baron by the hair and lifted him up from the ground where he had been clutching his face.
Baron’s face was stained with fear.
“If you don’t open your mouth, it’ll be your left ankle next.”
***
Kingdom of Diet.
Royal Magic Tower, top floor.
“Lady Ophelia.”
The platinum-haired girl looked at the brown-haired man who was bowing his head toward her.
“Yes, Belzef.”
“It’s time for lunch. Would you be fine with your usual steak and salad?”
“Yes.”
“Ah, there’s been a request from Lemaine Academy wishing to invite you…”
“Not going.”
“Yes, understood.”
Ophelia, dressed in a navy blue dress, was deeply focused on something.
“I wonder if this will work out.”
Numerous papers were scattered across the white desk.
There were so many papers that even Ophelia, the person responsible for this mess, might wonder if she knew their order.
On top of the papers that were somewhat neatly gathered, these words were written.
<MAKE THE CLIMBER USE MAGIC.
ANYWAY, ONLY I, OPHELIA, CAN BECOME A MAGIC TEACHER IN THIS SITUATION.
I, GENIUS, POSSIBLE.>
Ophelia imagined Han Yuseong and Anonymous* writing praise about her while using magic they learned from her.
“HEEHEEHEE, HAHAHA.”
And she grinned broadly.
“Ah, was that too frivolous?”
Ophelia pulled both her cheeks and picked up her fountain pen again.
“HMMPH! I must focus.”
When Han Yuseong reaches level 20 and his mana circuit activation becomes possible, the Climber will naturally open the “Aura Circuit” to use sword energy (劍氣).
It’s only natural to follow the close combat path where he has already proven his talent.
Even Ophelia, who was obsessed with magic, agreed this made sense.
Players who choose to be mages must open the “Magic Circuit.”
Since the starting points of each circuit are at opposite ends, it’s impossible to open both paths.
That’s why beings like “Magic Swordsmen” don’t exist in this world.
Still, Ophelia had no intention of giving up on making the Climber use magic.
She thought if something doesn’t exist, you just have to create it.
Magic that could be used with just the “Aura Circuit.”
An ordinary mage would say it’s impossible, but Ophelia was no ordinary mage.
She was creating buff-type spells or magic that would help in close combat.
‘Hopefully nothing will happen? The Climber is strong by third floor standards…’
TAP TAP!
Ophelia took out her Transcender Gallery terminal and checked the new posts.
Title: Come on, everyone, let’s pray for the Climber’s safe return.
Author: ㅇㅇ
– Hurry back and write something. I’m bored.
Anyway, I’m seriously praying. I mean it. Wishing for your safe return!
ă„´ Kid, if you’re bored, go farm or something.
ă„´ What farming?
ă„´ Disrespecting farmers, huh? Do you know how many lizardmen I’ve killed with a sickle? Anyway, I’m praying too. Wishing for your safe return!
ă„´ Ice Queen) FREEZE! Safe return! Wishing!
ă„´ Sewer Sword Sage) Wishing for your safe return.
ă„´ Long time no see. What have you been up to?
ă„´ Sewer Sword Sage) Secluded training.
ă„´ LOLOLOLOL That was short for seclusion
ă„´ Sewer Sword Sage) My choice.
ă„´ Heavenly Demon) Wishing for your safe return.
She typed on the keyboard floating in the air to leave a comment.
CLICK CLICK CLICK.
Enter.
ă„´ Archmage) Why pray? The Climber isn’t weak enough to die on the third floor.
Ophelia awkwardly put her hands together.
“Wishing for your safe return…!”
After making her wish, she looked at the post again.
Someone had replied to her comment.
ㄴ As expected from the biggest killjoy on the climbing gallery at that time, the Undefeated Bloody Magic Girl Ophelia ㅇㅇ
“ARRRRGHHH!”
Ophelia clutched her head at the remnants of the distant past!
