SWNOVELXO Chapter 76
Chapter 76. World Tree Shimdrasil (3)
TL: xLordFifth
ED/PR: The reader
Click.
Creak.
Arms and alchemy tools constantly in motion.
-“Oppa, I’m finished with the elixir. It’s ready for aging now. How about the treatment sample?”
“Almost done.”
And that was the extent of their conversation.
‘It’s true, looking at this, he really does seem like an alchemist.’
Go Malsuk watched the eyeballs within the flasks and Shimun’s work with intrigued eyes. It was reminiscent of an automated modern factory.
The sight of Shimun working alongside dozens of arms was a stark contrast to the one she was used to seeing in the arena.
‘They say men look their best when deeply engrossed in something… Grandma wasn’t wrong.’
This wasn’t a comment made with any ulterior motive.
Creak.
From the ingredients to the tools. Everything needed would move on its own to Shimun’s side as required, assisting and organizing.
The efficiency of the movements and Shimun, who controlled it all from the center, was remarkable, regardless of one’s field of work.
But then.
‘How does he also have such monstrous strength?’
According to the perverted old man, the Heavenly Demon Divine Art was supposed to be transmitted to only one person. How did Kim Shimun, an alchemist, learn it?
The questions didn’t stop there.
‘He seemed quite intelligent too.’
Thinking back to their first meeting in the Evergreen Forest Dungeon. Shimun’s knowledge of the arena, judgment of the situation, and strategy seemed quite exceptional.
‘What exactly does this guy do?’
While her curiosity about Kim Shimun grew, ‘Well, I’ll know once I spend more time with him.’
Go Malsuk sorted her thoughts lightly and continued watching Shimun work.
After a while, “Okay, this sample is the last one.”
-Mmm~ Good job. I’ll take care of the rest, so take a break.
Shimun stretched and stood up. He passed a flask with blue liquid to an eyeball and approached.
Then, “It seems you’ve truly received a full transmission from the Heavenly Demon.”
He clicked his tongue as he shook his head looking at her ragged clothes.
Then, swoosh.
“What, what?”
The ragged clothes were enveloped in white light and instantly returned to a neat condition. Surprised, Go Malsuk looked at Shimun with sparkling eyes.
“Hey, you’d make a killing in the clothing business, hm? Just copying clothes like that.”
“That’s a very you-like idea. But it’s not copying. I drew from the remaining fabric of your clothes. Alchemy isn’t about creating something from nothing.”
“Oh? Really? The cloth is thinner? Alchemy really is like a cheat skill.”
Go Malsuk inspected her clothes with amazement.
Then, “Right. Now’s not the time.”
She shook her head vigorously and returned to her previous thought.
“Hey, Kim Shimun. Let’s have a match.”
Shimun stared straight at Go Malsuk who asked for a duel.
“Why. Did you get a quest from the Heavenly Demon to fight me?”
“How did you know that!”
He had precisely guessed Go Malsuk’s situation. Smiling, Shimun nodded at the flustered Go Malsuk.
“Alright. Let’s have a match.”
“Really? No take-backs!”
“Sure. But let’s not use this training ground. Let’s go to the public one below.”
“Okay! Get ready quickly!”
Unfortunately, Go Malsuk, who was excited about Shimun’s acceptance, “I’ve never gained 35 stats at once before, so I really needed the practice.”
Failed to hear the most crucial part of his statement.
* * *
Ranker’s Palace.
The hottest and still growing hub in Korea for the two rankers. Kim Shihyuk and Lee Yujeong resided in a place designed for high-level players. As such, the internal facilities were naturally oriented towards players. Among these, the training facility was especially well-crafted.
“Wow… it’s freaking huge.”
It was as vast as a stadium, which made sense because:
“Why is it so big if it’s not an arena?”
“It has to be this size to prevent any damage to the surroundings.”
After all, the residents were all highly successful players. Being successful implied they were among the strongest of players. Naturally, a vast area was a basic requirement, along with high-level defensive magic and all sorts of defense systems meticulously in place.
Kim Shimun shrugged casually.
“Any guild of size would have a training ground like this.”
“But still…”
How many guilds actually had a training ground of this magnitude? Musing internally, Go Malsuk chuckled and followed Kim Shimun into the sparring area.
“Let’s see. I think you just need to press a button.”
Kim Shimun examined a device placed to one side. After a moment, beep.
-The defense system is activating.
With the sound of machinery, multiple layers of shields overlapped around the sparring area, and the ground became more solid with a protective frequency spread across it.
“Ready? Let’s start then.”
“Yeah. Bite down hard.”
As Kim Shimun took his position, “I’m going all out with a real punch!”
Go Malsuk’s eyes turned bloodshot, and she immediately kicked off the ground.
Kim Shimun’s eyes widened slightly.
‘She’s faster than last time?’
Having encountered the Heavenly Demon, the full bloom of her SSS-Rank trait, constellation Murderous Aura, was expected, in addition to an overall increase in combat capability from Heavenly Demon Divine Arts. It was indeed a significant speed.
‘But predictable.’
Kim Shimun’s head tilted slightly, and Go Malsuk’s fist, aiming for where he had been, missed.
‘Quite… Eh?’
The moment he was about to be impressed, Kim Shimun’s gaze sharpened as if he had anticipated the punch to miss.
Swoosh.
Go Malsuk’s body naturally rotated as if she had missed intentionally.
‘A feint?’
A feint is a move that looks like an attack but is intended to deceive, without any real intent to strike. It was a technique said to be properly utilized starting from the Platinum rank. Yet, Go Malsuk, after encountering the Heavenly Demon, was already using feints in real combat.
‘A Silver, and already using feints. As expected of Malsuk. A genius equal to Kim Shihyuk.’
It’s no wonder she was called one of the world’s three madwomen and a high-ranker. Admiring internally, Kim Shimun moved forward, or rather, moved in the same direction as Go Malsuk was rotating.
“What?!”
Go Malsuk, turning to back-kick in what seemed like a real attempt, was shocked not to find Kim Shimun in her intended target area.
Then, “A feint, huh? I was a bit surprised, Malsuk.”
From behind, Kim Shimun’s voice followed by, crack.
Go Malsuk was sent flying with a strike to her back but deftly landed after performing an aerial flip, calmly creating distance between herself and Kim Shimun.
Seeing this, Kim Shimun was once again impressed.
“You even managed to deflect it?”
She swiftly maneuvered the hit to minimize damage using ‘deflecting’, a high-level technique involving moving the hit area to lessen impact. This technique was commonly employed by those in the Platinum combat tier and above.
‘And she deflected it, despite the surprise attack from behind?’Detecting a surprise attack from behind and deflecting it isn’t as easy as it sounds. Of course, “Ugh! What do you mean deflect? I couldn’t deflect it completely!”
It hasn’t been long since he mastered the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. Despite her Silver rank, he couldn’t perform a perfect deflection due to her stats. Kim Shimun quickly assessed the current state of Go Malsuk.
‘Her specs can’t keep up with her talent.’
Although it’s said that a true craftsman never blames his tools, this saying doesn’t entirely apply to players. So far, she had maintained a Silver rank solely through her SSS-Rank trait, heavenslaying Star, without relying on any mystical elixirs or equipment.
But behind this lay not just the Heavenslaying Star but also her innate talent. Now that she had met the Heavenly Demon, ‘If his growth keeps up, even Diamond rank seems attainable.’
Go Malsuk was advancing at a speed beyond an airplane, rather at the level of a jet. The only issue was that this speed was so fast that she felt almost disembodied.
“Haap!”
Kim Shimun quickly regained his composure and watched as Go Malsuk dived in again.
‘Close combat again?’
They hadn’t set any specific rules for the duel, so it seemed Go Malsuk was desperately pushing forward, giving no room for alchemy.
‘Not that I planned to use alchemy, anyway.’
The reason the Heavenly Demon wanted to go up against her was clear, wasn’t it? To see how well Go Malsuk had learned the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. As a successor of the same Heavenly Demon Divine Art, it was his role to verify this.
‘I guess I’ll have to face her with the basics then.’
The moment Kim Shimun leisurely began to gather his demonic ki, Pshht! An unusual ringing noise came from Go Malsuk’s fist. And the moment she unfolded her fist, “This!”
Spotting the demonic ki condensed in her hand, Kim Shimun swiftly twisted his body.
Swooosh!
A dark flash whizzed past his ear in an instant. Kim Shimun looked with wide eyes at where the flash had passed.
“Wave Annihilation Cannon?”
The Wave Annihilation Cannon, one of the intermediate techniques of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art located in its destructive tactics, essentially required reaching the 2-star level for its use. This meant, ‘She’s already reached 2-star in the Heavenly Demon Divine Art?’
Just by meeting the Heavenly Demon once and receiving the transmission of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art? With no time to be astounded by this ridiculous phenomenon, Go Malsuk, having closed the distance, immediately launched a fist enveloped in surging demonic ki.
“Where do you think you’re looking? It’s not over yet!”
It was the Supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike. To that, ‘Seems I can’t take it lightly.’
Kim Shimun, retracting his earlier relaxed mindset, instantly launched his own fist. At the center of his chest. The Philosopher’s Stone, acting as his energy core, emitted demonic ki at its maximum, wrapping around Kim Shimun’s fist.
The distinction of upper-tier players: The manifested qi turned into a fist of energy.
Bang!
The collision of the two fists produced a powerful shockwave. Was it because they practiced the same martial art? Or was it the demonic ki?
Screeech!
Go Malsuk’s Supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike and Kim Shimun’s energy fist pressed against each other, their struggle continuing.
“Eek!”
Go Malsuk gritted her teeth, adding more demonic ki. However, despite her outward appearance, ‘What a monster!’
She was filled with horrified astonishment on the inside.
‘How can he immediately use energy fists while launching his punch!’
The Heavenly Demon Divine Art is fundamentally aggressive, promising immense power, but lacking the proper preparatory steps could lead to backfire.
From the beginning, it was not a martial art that readily accepted the concept of ‘forcing it to be used regardless of possible backlash’.
Yet, this monster before her eyes did it spectacularly. Go Malsuk, whose eyes had turned to the distinctive blood-red of Heavenslaying Star, glared at the monster who created this miracle. But that was all.
Tsk-tsk.
“Argh…!”
Her fist, carrying the weight of Supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike, was gradually being pushed back by Kim Shimun’s fist, which was wrapped in martial energy. Instinctively, Go Malsuk realized, ‘This can’t go on.’
She knew that the moment her Supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike was pushed back would be the moment of her defeat. So, she thought, ‘I’ll strike first!’
With her teeth gritted, Go Malsuk took another step forward. At the same time, she let her fist, loaded with Supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike, slide to the side.
“Hmm?”
Perhaps Kim Shimun had not expected her to give up the test of strength and instead burrow in? Or was he disappointed by a misjudgment?
Kim Shimun’s eyes grew calmer as he swiftly raised his knee. If this went on, his knee would crash into Go Malsuk’s abdomen and she would undoubtedly be knocked down by the following flurry of blows.
However, Go Malsuk raised her knee in response. As soon as she forcefully pushed off the ground with her legs.
“Eh?”
Kim Shimun, who had been raising his knee, staggered. It wasn’t just a simple disarray.
Boom!
It was as if a heavy object had fallen onto his back. Kim Shimun’s entire body was pressed down by an invisible force.
“Could it be… Heavenly Demon’s Supreme Step?!”
Shock flooded Kim Shimun’s eyes. Before him, “I’ve won, bastard!”
Go Malsuk’s fist, brimming with demonic ki, flew at him. But then.
Creak.
A sound of something splitting was heard around Kim Shimun. It was no imagination.
Crack-crack!
The invisible force that had been pressing Kim Shimun down, the restraining force of the Heavenly Demon’s Supreme Step, was fracturing.
Following that, plop. Go Malsuk’s fist, flying towards Kim Shimun, was easily caught.
“Yah!”
Rushing, Go Malsuk threw her left fist, but that too was effortlessly grabbed. Not just caught, but “Gah, ack! What kind of strength is this for a mage!”
It was like an adult arm wrestling a child. Go Malsuk’s fists were gradually being pressed down. She easily discerned the reason.
‘Insane! What kind of demonic ki does this alchemist have, to be this enormous!’
It was an overwhelming amount of demonic ki. The powerful demonic ki, even Heavenslaying Star’s renowned efficiency couldn’t compete and was pressing down her fists, even pushing back the unique restraining force of the Heavenly Demon’s Supreme Step.
“Go Malsuk.”
Kim Shimun, whose arms pressed down like a thousand-pound boulder, opened his mouth.
“I wanted to fight purely with basics, but…”
His eyes, now swirling with demonic ki, gazed down at Go Malsuk. He had the appearance of a demon commonly seen in movies.
“I never imagined you could be this strong.”
Go Malsuk felt this dangerous figure stir something deeply within her. Then, clang! The moment the restraining force of the Heavenly Demon’s Supreme Step was completely shattered.
“I have to admit. Go Malsuk, you really are…”
Whoooosh!
As if to engulf her entirely, this captivating demon marked the end.
“The best.”
With that, Go Malsuk’s consciousness faded.