SWNOVELXO chapter 212
212 – Towards the Top (7)
“It is often said that life is a choice between birth and death.”
Laurent straightened his dagger, not hiding his grin as if he was finding it so amusing.
“We are making choices even at this very moment.”
Choice. Yes, making a choice.
Right now, at this very moment, I am making a choice in the present progressive tense.
“Should I also try a fun choice?”
Laurent smiled broadly.
And after holding the dagger that was neatly sharpened,
He immediately plunged the blade into his own clavicle.
“Exactly like this.”
Phew.
The expected blade dug deep into his neck.
Despite the feeling of the blade cutting through his gentle flesh, Laurent only smirked.
Then Laurent pulled out his dagger.
Push-shu-shu! The blood gushed out.
Blood filled with yang energy floated into the air and then fell down. The amount of bleeding was considerable, perhaps because it had touched an artery.
If left alone, he could die from hemorrhagic shock.
“you?”
“Kooluk… … The future is bound to branch out into many paths depending on the choices you make.”
At Laurent’s shocking behavior, Kang Hwa-ryeon frowned slightly and absentmindedly let out a laugh, but the crazy woman only showed a giggling expression as she vomited up a handful of blood.
“Just like the roots of a tree… … depending on your choices, a new world is created.”
Laurent continued his story in a somewhat calm voice, as if the endless gushing blood was nothing special.
The sight was so abnormal that it even aroused an inexplicable fear.
“If there is a future where I… … kukukukuk, die by self-harm like this… … .”
And then Laurent finished saying those words with an incomprehensible smile, and then all of a sudden, didn’t he transform into a clean-cut man without a single scratch?
“… … Couldn’t there be a clean future without self-harm like this?”
“… … .’
Laurent’s strange abilities.
She observed and projected herself onto me, who had made different choices. She was in another world, unscathed and unharmed.
As a result, Laurent’s present self, who should have died from excessive bleeding, disappeared and a new self was overlaid.
“I can see, you know. A future world divided into many paths depending on my choices.”
Laurent can see into the short future.
At best, it only lasts a few seconds.
In any case, it was possible to see countless futures that branched out depending on one’s choices and observe that many parallel worlds.
So how many would that number be?
Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? Tens of thousands? Hundreds of millions?
I don’t know. There are so many that I can’t know.
So, the world is endless, with infinite possibilities. The more choices you make, the more the future and the world will branch out.
“What the heck is that… … .”
Jeong Se-yeon couldn’t help but look embarrassed.
It was a feat bordering on foul play to endlessly observe and project future branches, as utilizing Laurent’s abilities in battle would lead to absurd results.
Of course, we can’t take that woman’s words at face value.
I find it suspicious that I can explain my abilities so plainly.
Perhaps Kang Hwa-ryeon has already figured out the secrets of the ability to some extent, so he may be planning to mix truth and lies to create confusion.
But what if everything Laurent said was really true?
Can’t win.
There’s no way we can win.
That would be the case, because if Laurent wanted to, he could kill Jeong Se-yeon right now…
“Oh, what? You really didn’t think you could win now?”
“!”
Jeong Se-yeon couldn’t continue thinking.
This is because Laurent ran towards Kang Hwa-ryeon and Jeong Se-yeon while holding the dagger tightly.
“Where!”
At Laurent’s sudden action, Kang Hwa-ryeon swung his fist, but Laurent observed himself not being hit by Kang Hwa-ryeon’s attack and immediately projected it.
Then, Laurent’s body, which had been smashed to pieces by Kang Hwa-ryeon, disappeared like a mirage, and only the result of avoiding Kang Hwa-ryeon’s attack remained in this place.
“Jeong Se-yeon!”
“Ugh!”
Laurent swings his sword at Jeong Se-yeon, who is behind Kang Hwa-ryeon.
Jeong Se-yeon immediately launched a lightning strike and attacked Laurent.
But it was useless against Laurent’s ability.
To Laurent, who was projecting himself into a future world where everything was fine even if he died, Jeong Se-yeon’s counterattack felt like nothing more than a child’s prank.
“To this extent… … !”
“Oh~.”
Jeong Se-yeon swung her spear and blocked Laurent’s attack.
He was not only skilled but also had a knack for spearmanship.
A first-class hunter should have the ability, skills, tools, and experience.
Because everything was first-class.
Jeong Se-yeon’s spearmanship was exceptional because he had learned spearmanship from his father since he was young.
Even if you divide the number of moves by a hundred against someone as skilled as Laurent, he would only allow one or two attacks. But in other words, it could also be said that he would allow one or two attacks out of a hundred.
“Your spear technique is also quite impressive. I admit it, I admit it. I think the probability of being able to penetrate from the front is around 8%?”
8%.
8/100.
I can only describe it as a very low probability.
It was a probability so low that it would never have been possible to break through under normal circumstances.
“But you know.”
Laurent activated the Paralle Mirror.
Her gaze revealed a world and future branching out into many directions.
Laurent could clearly see through the hundreds of branches of the world.
The sight of Jeong Se-yeon allowing Laurent’s attack.
“If I use my abilities to attack~.”
“Ah, ugh!”
A sharp blade passes through Jeong Se-yeon’s left arm.
Just a moment ago, I had blocked Laurent’s attack, but Laurent observed me successfully attacking Jeong Se-yeon and projected it onto this reality.
“It can be applied in this way too~?”
Although it wasn’t cut deeply, Jeong Se-yeon felt a chill down her spine.
I never thought it would work, but I never thought it would work in this way.
It’s not just a projection of myself from a parallel universe.
I transformed my past self through my future self.
That means it’s a kind of revision of the past.
Bringing the results of a future that has already branched off into the present… … .
If that was the case, then I had to be prepared to die just by allowing access.
If Laurent sees and projects a future where he kills Jeong Se-yeon, he will be helpless.
“Surprised, surprised? If it were original, it wouldn’t have been applied in this way. Isn’t this all the so-called development and change of abilities? Well, it wasn’t easy to develop abilities in this way. Interfering with other people’s cause and effect is tiring in many ways… … Huh?”
Immediately, Kang Hwa-ryeon’s fist struck Laurent.
Laurent was silenced with a single blow, but Laurent did not die.
Because her powers did not allow death, Laurent was virtually invincible just by projecting himself into a future world where he would not be killed by Kang Hwa-ryeon.
“Oh. Seriously. Could you please stop hitting me while I’m talking?”
Laurent quickly distanced himself and smiled bitterly.
“Hey, Mr. Jeong Se-yeon. Come to your senses. Don’t fall for that guy’s bluff.”
“Are you bluffing?”
Jeong Se-yeon frowned at Kang Hwa-ryeon’s rebuke.
“That’s too much. It’s not even a bluff~.”
“Noisy. Jeong Se-yeon. Don’t you think something is strange? Why doesn’t that guy kill you?”
“yes?”
Well, Laurent seems like a very self-centered and hedonistic person.
“I think it’s because it’s no fun if you just kill them.”
“Well, there is something like that, I guess.”
Kang Hwa-ryeon nodded.
“But it’s not that that guy didn’t kill you, it’s that he couldn’t kill you.”
Couldn’t kill?
“Think about it carefully. That guy’s abilities have a clear drawback.”
At first glance, it seemed like a foul-mouthed ability, but it had clear flaws and weaknesses.
“Hey, you.”
“why?”
“Why did you hardly ever participate in the tower raid?”
“Well, that’s because I needed someone to watch over the house.”
“What are you talking about? That’s not it.”
Kang Hwa-ryeon smiled and Laurent also smiled brightly.
“Your abilities… won’t be of much help in the giant monster battle, right?”
“Haha. What do you think?”
“Don’t be a brat. Your abilities may be fine in a one-on-one fight, but they’re useless in a fight against a monster.”
“Oh, it’s not that useless. Our Hwa-ryeon speaks so rudely.”
Laurent pretended to cry with a hurt expression, but her soft voice spoke for her.
“Your abilities… … your attack power and defense power are lacking.”
“Attack power and defense power?”
“Yeah. That guy’s abilities are really great at survival and evasion, but what else? What else does he have?”
“ah.”
Come to think of it, Laurent’s abilities were more of an auxiliary ability.
It allows you to exploit your opponent’s weaknesses and escape their ultimate attacks, but it doesn’t really help your attack or defense.
“The top monsters all have ridiculous endurance. There are many that don’t die right away even if their hearts burst and instead regenerate.”
What’s needed to kill top-level monsters isn’t dexterity, but overwhelming firepower.
“That guy’s abilities aren’t enough to hunt top-tier monsters. He doesn’t have enough strength to kill a monster stronger than an alloy.”
“Yeah, that’s right. Definitely.”
“If you were a human, you could kill him by using a reasonably good Noble Phantasm to attack his vital points, but he’s not a monster.”
Even if you supplement the lack of attack power with a Noble Phantasm, the limitations are clear.
“Just look at me right now. Why don’t you attack me directly? You just poke at everyone else so easily.”
“Ahaha. Well?”
“Well, what the hell is that? It’s not because it’s of any use to me.”
It’s no use?
Oh, right. Kang Hwa-ryeon is a person with the ability to strengthen the body.
He has the strongest body in South Korea.
The durability of the reinforced dragon is beyond imagination. It is stronger than the highest level monster.
Unless it’s a really serious attack, it probably won’t be able to do much damage.
“Ah, that’s right. It’s no use attacking Hwaryeon.”
Laurent twirled the dagger with a bitter smile.
“He’s so strong that it’s almost ridiculous, and even if you swing a sword at him with this Noble Phantasm, it won’t cause fatal damage… … Also, his reflexes are so good that there’s almost no chance of him being attacked. That’s why people like Hwa-ryeon are a bit annoying to me. People like Jeong Se-yeon are complete food.”
“… … .”
Although Jeong Se-yeon was strangely moved, she held back for the time being.
“Of course, if you aim for a vital spot like the eyes or neck, it’s not like you can’t knock them down… … .”
“Is it difficult to observe such a future world?”
Kang Hwa-ryeon clenched his fists.
“Because there is a limit to the world you can see at one time.”
“Huh?”
Even if there are countless worlds out there, what good is it if we cannot observe them?
“If you could observe thousands of branch points at once, wouldn’t it have been better to just cut off Jeong Se-yeon’s arm?”
“Well, that’s true.”
The number of worlds Laurent can see at once is at most a few hundred.
Of course, this alone was enormous, but this route did not allow for easy observation of their injuries.
They were not easy opponents to easily allow attacks. Naturally, the stronger the opponent, the less injuries there were. And within the range Laurent could observe, there were almost none.
“It’s definitely a bothersome ability, but there is a way to use it.”
“yes?”
“yes.”
Jeong Se-yeon nodded.
“Now that I look at it, that bracelet, ring, clothes… … they’re all top-tier defensive weapons?”
The clothes and accessories Laurent is currently wearing are treasures with excellent defensive capabilities.
Why did Laurent, who has excellent survival skills, put so much effort into defense?
The reason is simple.
To make up for the weaknesses.
“With your abilities… … you’re vulnerable to wide-range attacks, right?”
For Laurent, who lacks defensive capabilities, wide-range abilities are somewhat annoying.
That would be the case, since it would be difficult to observe a world where one could survive if an area-of-effect attack were to occur that was too large to avoid.
An attack that couldn’t be avoided was the most frustrating situation for Laurent.
“That’s right, you. That’s why you wore your defensive Noble Phantasm like that. If you can’t observe the world that you can evade… … you won’t be safe either.”
“… … .”
The biggest weakness of Laurent’s abilities.
What if I get hit by an attack and can’t observe my normal world self?
Well, the answer is obvious.
“That’s right, that’s right. If I can’t observe myself as I am… … I won’t be safe either.”
“It’s not like it’s not safe, right? It’s just going to die.”
“Ah~ Hwaryeon-ssi, you too. You’re too direct~.”
Laurent giggled happily.
Even though both the strengths and weaknesses of my abilities have been exposed.
As if he wanted it.
“Now that you know the weakness of my powers, can you defeat me?”
“If you keep attacking, it should work out somehow. There are many people with wide-ranging abilities here. Thanks to that, you can create countless scenarios. All you have to do is keep attacking them so much that you can’t observe the worlds you can avoid.”
Easier said than done.
But Laurent also has many capable people under his command.
It would be quite a headache if they started helping Laurent.
“You’re too easy on yourself. You’re too confident. If you didn’t know your abilities, even the most capable people wouldn’t be able to match you, but if you tell me everything so kindly, I can’t lose. You might be able to defeat someone stronger than you, but you can also be defeated by someone weaker.”
“But I guess there’s nothing I can do about it. Well, if you don’t tell me like this, I won’t be able to enjoy it.”
“Ha. You crazy b*tch.”
“Don’t be like that. There’s something Edeline said, so if it weren’t for this situation, I wouldn’t be able to do it properly… … Ah, I shouldn’t say that, but mistake, mistake.”
“what?”
I think I just said something I shouldn’t have heard.
“Well, should we start over again? I feel like we’ve been away for too long.”
“What are you planning? Even if you have a really retarded personality, you’re still like that. You’re showing off all your abilities… … You’re fighting carelessly… … .”
“Hey. Ms. Hwaryeon, you really are. You say such strange things.”
Laurent laughed, his dagger drawn.
“Let’s focus on the fight now, focus. It would be frustrating if we get hit while thinking about something else, right?”
“you.”
“Okay, now that you know all about my abilities, I’ll go and check it out. If you have any questions, just ask after you knock me down. I’ll tell you everything.”
“Whew. It’s simple and nice.”
Kang Hwa-ryeon stretched out her body with a thud.
“To begin with, talking isn’t really my style.”
Let’s have a little luck.
“A b*tch like you has always been a threat. And Ms. Jeong Se-yeon.”
“yes.”
“I’m going to get serious from now on, so don’t worry about me and just launch a lot of wide-area attacks.”
“… … I’ll get involved, right?”
“It’s okay. If it’s a wide-area attack that spreads its power widely, I can withstand it quite well.”
“Is that so?”
Certainly, in order to properly damage a body-strengthening ability user like Kang Hwa-ryeon, you would need to use a powerful attack that focuses the power in one spot, not a wide-area attack.
“What is it, Hwaryeon? Even so, if the damage accumulates, it will be dangerous.”
“I’ll tease you before that, so it doesn’t matter, right?”
“Oh~. Then, I wonder which one will be better, my Noble Phantasm’s defense or Hwaryeon’s durability?”
“This is ridiculous.”
Kang Hwa-ryeon took off her outer clothes and immediately took a stance.
“Ms. Jeong Se-yeon. I will be your shield, so don’t worry about me and just think about tackling that guy. I will make sure that guy never gets close to you.”
“It’s fun. It’s fun. Then, shall we do it properly?”
Laurent snapped his fingers.
Then the believers who had been watching from behind began to move.
“Hwaryeon. Leave the priests to us and focus on that woman.”
“Clan Leader, Sister! We’ll cover for the Jjabaris, so please leave it to us!”
They nodded at Isul and Ha Eun Byeol’s words.
“Okay, David. Let’s have a one-on-one duel.”
“Wow~ It’s 1 vs. 2, but isn’t it too showy?”
“Be quiet!”
And so the battle between the Seongcheon Church and the Heuksanhoe and Sephiroth began again.
***
“Teacher, teacher. Over there.”
“Ah. You’re here already.”
How much time has passed?
Han Seo-jun and his group reached the second checkpoint.
Right in front of the door.
“Will there be someone guarding the second passage like Laurent?”
“Probably so.”
There is a high probability that it will.
And that person wouldn’t be an easy opponent like Laurent.
In Laurent’s case, he was a character with clear weaknesses and shortcomings. His survivability was unparalleled, but his attack power was truly lacking.
But the person guarding this front will definitely be a strong person with no weaknesses.
The rest of the closest associates, excluding Laurent.
They were strong people who lacked nothing.
Regardless of whether it was a battle between people or monsters, they were monsters that reigned as the top-tier abilities and were looked up to even in the world.
“Ah. It’s that person after all.”
As I opened the door leading to the passage, dozens of people came into view, and among them, there was one person who particularly stood out.
“Is this Camelot Britannia?”
Edelin’s left arm.
This is the Grand Master of the Knights of Camelot Britannia.
The man who is called the two-horse carriage of the Sungcheon Church along with Charlotte, ranked 3rd in the world, was waiting for us at the next checkpoint.