Chapter 95

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Strangely enough... no matter how brutal a 'raid' might be, with people dying, to those outside its realm, it could only be seen as a 'sport' and a 'show.'

And among these, the most exciting event was undoubtedly the player-versus-player (PvP) battles.

"Hey! Turn on the TV right now!"

"Huh?"

"Come on, hurry! Iwao and Okita Kaito are going to fight!"

"What? Is that for real? Damn! This is going to be awesome!"

At the same time, betting sites opened, and gamblers gathered.

Surprisingly, Okita Kaito was the top favorite at (-280), meaning you had to bet 280 dollars to win 100 dollars, indicating that the odds were heavily in favor of Iwao's defeat.

This was because, previously, top-ranked players from around the world had dismissed the rumors about the 'Sword Saint Beater,' claiming it was nothing but a myth.

The consensus was that no matter how skilled Iwao might be, it was impossible for a 'Controller' to physically beat a 'Warrior' in a one-on-one fight, given the system's design.

And now, the moment of truth was about to arrive.

***

Okita Kaito closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

'Four minutes and fifty-one seconds left...'

The Shadow Baron must be trying to buy time until his 'Shadow Link' cooldown of five minutes was over. Although his skill had been completely blocked by an unknown item thrown by Iwao, he wouldn't be caught off guard again.

"Sword Saint, five minutes! Just hold on!"

"Hey! You're not zoning out again, are you?"

Yes, Okita Kaito was planning to go one step further.

'...I'll kill him within that time.'

He vividly remembered their last fight.

'Frankly, I was complacent then.'

Subspace Sword Technique

No one had ever blocked that ultimate strike.

Even the previous Sword Saint, who was considered the pinnacle of swordsmanship, couldn't calculate that strike and was defeated! So, he had the confidence that he could decapitate anyone with a single blow, but that was... complacency.

'Now, from the start, I'll use my full power.'

He held a katana in his right hand and a dagger in his left.

"Ah, my punches must have hurt, huh? You're preparing for them, I see?"

Iwao seemed to have noticed Okita Kaito's strategy and said as much.

Yes, that was true.

When Iwao caught him with an 'uppercut,' he couldn't use his long sword. The dagger was a precaution for such moments.

'No matter how close he gets, as long as I can use my sword, I'll win.'

Okita Kaito pushed off the ground without a word.

Swish— He moved cautiously, accurately, and swiftly, his feet and sword darting forward.

Iwao stepped back and moved his left hand slightly.

All sorts of weapons poured out from the AD-1 floating in the sky.

Boom—!

At that moment, shadow claws extending from beneath the Shadow Baron flew toward the weapons, and one AD-1 shattered and fell.

Seo Eun-ha and Kim Se-hee ran toward the area.

"Iwao, we'll take care of that guy, focus!"

Seo Eun-ha cast Holy Light, and Kim Se-hee shot Wind Blades. The attacks from the nearby AMT snipers followed.

Thus, a one-on-one battle environment was created.

Swish— Swish— Swish— Swish— Swish—!

Dozens of swords and spears flew toward Okita Kaito's back and sides. However, this was a predictable attack pattern.

"—It's useless!"

Whoosh—!

Okita Kaito swung his sword horizontally, and a powerful sword wind erupted, scattering the weapons.

A few projectiles managed to slip through the wind barrier, but he detected them and calculated their speed.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

His sword moved fluidly, deflecting, breaking, and shattering the incoming weapons as he pressed deeper toward Iwao.

'I can kill him.'

No matter how powerful the firepower,

The one pulling the trigger is just a soft mass of flesh.

In other words—

One cut, and it's over!

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Swords and spears rained down from Iwao's fingertips, but they couldn't stop Okita Kaito's advance. He cut through and deflected everything, gradually closing the distance.

Finally, just two steps away,

He reached a range where he could strike with his sword,

Clang— Clang—!

The first exchange was made. Okita Kaito swung his sword repeatedly without using Subspace. The scene of Iwao dodging and countering was nothing short of breathtaking.

'Yes, I admit you're not just anyone!'

Okita Kaito had to admit it. Iwao's understanding and sense of swordsmanship were far from ordinary.

In fact, they were at the highest level.

Even without specializing in melee weapons, to have this level of perception... Honestly, he couldn't understand how it was possible.

'...But, no matter what, I can't let him win!'

However, Okita Kaito was the best of the best. He firmly believed that the blade that would be stained with blood at the end of this fight would be his.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

In the midst of the intense exchange, he opened and closed the 'Subspace,' and his sword appeared inside Iwao's guard. He had waited for an opening while engaging in a frantic exchange!

'—It's over!'

At that moment, a metallic protrusion emerged from Iwao's shoulder.

It transformed into a long blade and knocked Okita Kaito's sword away.

'What?'

Then, blades sprouted from various parts of Iwao's body and shot out.

Swish— Swish— Swish— Swish—

'What the hell! How are blades shooting out of his body?'

An attack combining solidification and metal deformation, this was unexpected.

Okita Kaito took a step back to avoid the blades.

In response, Iwao advanced, swinging his sword.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

It was as if the tide had turned.

"Iwao, didn't you rush in too quickly this time?"

And he was right. By now...

Rumble—

His surroundings were surrounded by various metal fragments.

Whirr—

These fragments intertwined to form spears.

It felt like being surrounded by a spear regiment.

On the other hand, it was like standing in the center of an antlion's pit.

"Damn, when did this happen..."

"When you face me, thinking it's a one-on-one fight is a mistake."

Hundreds, thousands of weapons moved as if they were alive. Though he was one person, his power was on the scale of an army.

Okita Kaito lowered his stance, preparing for their charge.

However, instead of a blade charge, a mocking remark flew at him.

"Okita Kaito, you... can't beat me from the start."

Iwao spoke gently, as if teaching a child.

"You probably think you lost last time because you were complacent, right?"

His words, as if reading his mind, left him flustered.

"Shut up, I'll tear you apart soon..."

Iwao smiled, and Okita Kaito's eyebrows twitched.

"Think about it, I had to protect the Holy Maiden back then, so I couldn't fight the way I wanted. But now..."

Iwao slowly raised his left hand, which held a sword.

Now, he could fight his way.

Then, more metal fragments—thousands of pieces created from numerous battles—gathered behind Iwao.

Rumble— Rumble— Rumble— Rumble— Rumble—!

They coiled into a spiral, forming a massive vortex. Its shape constantly changed, resembling both a wave of darkness and a cloud of volcanic ash.

Rumble— Rumble— Rumble— Rumble— Rumble—!

It was like an 'Aura.' A cluster of awe-inspiring light swirling behind a transcendent being—yet as its volume and area increased, it resembled the smoky haze of hell brought by a demon.

Clank— Clank— Clank— Clank— Clank—!

The sound of the densely gathered metal fragments colliding was deafening. No matter how brave one might be, advancing toward that was like walking into a grinder...

"Can you... pierce through this and aim for my heart?"

Iwao had faced countless assassination attempts in his past life.

Thus, he needed Seo Eun-ha as a shield.

But she wasn't always by his side.

'So, I came up with this method.'

To prevent the opponent from getting close, he surrounded himself with a steel storm.

Some called it 'Iron Swarm.'

Iwao advanced, leading the Iron Swarm.

Clank— Clank— Clank— Clank— Clank—!

With each step, the asphalt around him was torn apart.

"Damn, do you think such a cheap trick will work—!"

Whoosh— Rumble—!

Okita Kaito sent a powerful sword wind, peeling off part of Iwao's Iron Swarm. But it was only for a moment; the steel aura, which had momentarily wavered, quickly restored itself.

'...What is this, why is it so heavy?'

Okita Kaito felt that each small metal fragment flying around Iwao was heavy. It was as if someone was tightly gripping them in the air.

The reality was, it was an incredible level of metal control.

'Iwao... he's much stronger than the last time we met.'

Okita Kaito lost his direction and hesitated.

It meant... he was in a desperate situation.

Clank— Clank— Clank— Clank— Clank—!

'Can I really face this with just a sword?'

It was like entering a sea of hundreds of blades.

'Damn... how...'

Okita Kaito slowly realized. Iwao had grown at an unbelievable speed and had become a solid block of steel that his sword couldn't break...

And at the moment his will was broken, everything was decided.

Iwao charged, and Okita Kaito took a step back.

Iwao's Iron Swarm coalesced, forming swords and spears that shot out. Okita Kaito swung his sword to deflect them to survive.

Clang! Clang! Crack! Clang! Crack!

But that was all he could do. Even the metal fragments he shattered with his sword reformed and shot back as swords and spears.

'No, does he have enough mana to keep this up?'

Okita Kaito screamed inwardly.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

No matter how he thought about it, such an attack should have drained his mana.

'It's a cheat... this is a cheat!'

And the Iron Swarm expanded like a nightmare.

Its shadow loomed over Okita Kaito's head.

"—Damn, this is a cheat!"

Just before the Iron Swarm engulfed Okita Kaito—

"Sword Saint, catch your breath and look for an opening!"

A voice called out from somewhere. Iwao turned his head to see an old man rising from the rubble of a collapsed motel.

Iwao recognized his face.

'This old man is Shinshoku, a Japanese black magician.'

He was a powerful player who maintained the 13th rank in Japan until he was expelled from the player community for being revealed as a 'demon worshipper.'

A purple light burst from his wooden staff, dyeing the area,

and a bizarre, tentacle-like beam shot out.

Zzz— Zzz— Zzz— Zzz— Zzz—!

'Damn, it's him!'

It was a high-level black magic. Not a skill he possessed, but a borrowed magic that used the power of a demon, a powerful ultimate move that ignored most defenses except for holy power.

Zzz— Zzz— Zzz— Zzz— Zzz—!

Iwao amplified his mana shield to the maximum with his solidification.

He also brought Mogulay to use as a shield.

But it was far from enough to block it.

'Damn, I have to use up the Iron Swarm!'

If he did, he would lose Okita Kaito again.

Boom—!

At that moment, something blocked the 'Abyssal Whip,' causing an explosion. In the purple light, a faint white light emerged.

Rumble—

A gray-armored paladin, Seo Eun-ha, stood with her shield.

Her gray armor was bubbling and melting.

"Ugh! Iwao, quickly—"

Yes, Seo Eun-ha was still the best tank.

"Yes! Just hold on a bit longer!"

Iwao refocused on Okita Kaito.

He was still trapped in Iwao's 'Iron Swarm.'

Boom—!

Inside, he shot out sword energy, trying to break free, but it was futile.

'This is even difficult for me to handle.'

No matter how much he broke, it would only become smaller pieces.

In other words, its scale would never decrease.

Iwao sent a Pale Note inside. Okita Kaito, whose concentration was already scattered, allowed the attack.

"—Ugh!"

The Pale Note embedded itself in his thigh.

Then, Iwao personally leaped in.

This was a perfect ambush, taking advantage of a perfect opening,

Swish—!

Finally, Iwao's sword severed his left arm.

"Kyaah—!"

Okita Kaito's katana fell to the ground. Then, the Iron Swarm enveloped and entangled his body.

It was as if he was gripped by the hand of a steel giant.

"Lie, this is impossible! It's all a cheat!"

He screamed and struggled, but he couldn't tear through the tightly woven steel prison. Soon, Iwao's fist flew toward his face.

Smack—

Iwao's solidified fist was like a sledgehammer. For Okita Kaito, it was a nightmare he never wanted to relive. His teeth fell out one by one.

Smack—

Just two hits... Okita Kaito's eyes rolled back, and his body slumped.

"..."

Thus, the miserable defeat of the Sword Saint, Okita Kaito, was complete.

And the moment the nickname 'Sword Saint Beater' was proven.

—Congratulations! You have achieved a special achievement.

A message appeared, but there was no time to check it.

Iwao raised both hands.

Boom— Boom— Boom— Boom— Boom—!

The Iron Swarm moved, flying toward the remaining two.

"Damn—!"

The Shadow Baron and Shinshoku fiercely resisted.

The Shadow Baron opened a 'Shadow Trap' to block all the metal with dozens of shadows. But when 'Holy Source' darts pierced around him, the Shadow Trap evaporated.

"Damn, Iwao, what the hell are you—!"

He screamed in powerlessness.

'Indeed, this is the perfect counter to him.'

The Shadow Baron's skills mostly involved spatial magic using the shadow world. If the Holy Source was used effectively, he had no options.

Soon, the Shadow Baron was grabbed by Seo Eun-ha and slammed onto the asphalt, and Shinshoku and his disciple raised their hands in surrender.

Thus, the three worst Red Players were captured on this land.

Iwao caught his breath and thought to himself.

'Good... the bounty will be substantial.'

***

"Ha ha... from start to finish, it's like a script... This is, literally, a perfect hero story, isn't it?"

Director Woo Seong-moon had been closely watching all the events in Seoul that day. Now, he smiled contentedly.

"Iwao, indeed Iwao..."

Iwao was the only name he had been interested in recently.

It was hard to understand how such a top-tier talent could remain hidden until now, but what mattered was that he was now on the same side as the Republic of Korea.

"He displays such rapid insight as if he already knows everything, it's almost mystical. I've met countless players, but this is the first time I've seen such a case... He always surprises me."

However, the advisors sitting at the long table in front of him felt differently. They couldn't hide their stiff expressions.

"..."

Frankly, Iwao's performance was indeed extraordinary. It was fortunate that such a figure, instead of joining a large private guild for personal gain, maintained a friendly relationship with the government.

However, that was precisely what worried them.

"Sir... to be honest, I'm a bit worried."

It was Team Leader Lee Gyo-jin who spoke.

"Sir... Iwao is growing too fast. The way he kept Laufey quiet for so long and his somewhat unpredictable behavior before... I'm worried that he might grow too much and jump the fence, causing trouble. He's still young, so he might develop misguided ambitions, right?"

Similarly, Team Leader Lee Gyo-jin and the other advisors expressed similar concerns. They were vaguely worried that Iwao's strength might break the sturdy leash that held this country together.

"Sir, how has this country maintained stability?"

When the public authority of various countries failed to control the player forces, leading to chaos, it was due to the efforts and dedication of Woo Seong-moon and a few government officials that a robust 'fence' was established and maintained.

At that point, Woo Seong-moon nodded.

"Yes, the stability of this country... If he hadn't been here,