Chapter 114

[Translator –  Daniel Shin]

[Proofreader –  ilafy]

Chapter 114

[- Moonview Mountain -]

Sumire raised her head and read the holographic letters that had appeared before her. A clear moon shone in the night sky and a field of flowers extended into the distance.

‘I’ll give it my best…’

YuSung wanted to win, and that depended on the result of her fight. Her victory could decide YuSung’s happiness; that’s why Sumire couldn’t relax.

Swoosh!

“The darkness… shall envelop the sun!”

Pang!

The ring on Sumire’s hand began shining with a purple light and disappeared right as the sky was covered with black clouds.

The mana that spread around Sumire took the form of skeletons.

Sumire wasn’t the worst student in the F class anymore. The synergy between Laplace’s fragments and the artifact was incredible, and her strength was on another level.

“Victory… for the master! Destroy… the enemy!”

The death knight appeared in its heavy armor.

“Familiar Spirit Lilith… I came here to protect the master.”

Lilith smiled seductively.

“Please, do your best in the battle…” Sumire commanded with a serious expression.

As soon as she gave the order, the death knight started to shout.

“Destroy the master’s enemy!”

The skeletons all raised their weapons.

Crack! Crack!

The undead army began to advance. Isshin frowned and raised his sword.

“Such a large number? Hanajima… you didn’t forget my Trait, right?”

Tsk.

As soon as Isshin got into position to perform a sword dance, red energy began rising from his sword.

Slash!

Isshin’s sword drew a half-moon, and beautiful crimson energy followed its trajectory.

Slash!!

The skeletons turned to dust and scattered away. Their bodies turned into mana, and Isshin absorbed them like he was a black hole, and his sword energy turned even redder.

That was Isshin’s S-rank Trait—Ghostly Energy.

The effect was simple: The more enemies it cut, the stronger he became as he absorbed their strength.

There was no better effect for a swordsman specialized in close-quarters fighting.

If he was stronger than his enemies, the number didn’t matter. No, he could use them as a resource to get stronger.

Slash!!

The more undead he cut down, the more intense his sword energy became.

“Fufu… How dare you!”

His body stiffened at Lilith’s voice. It was her effect, [Petrifying Gaze].

Before the effect spread through his body, Isshin stabbed his thigh without hesitation.

Paf!

Part of his barrier broke, and blood sprayed through the air.

[22% of the barrier has been destroyed.]

[Remaining barrier: 78%]

The hologram sent a warning, but Isshin didn’t stop.

That was the difference information made.

Isshin knew that Sumire had turned Lilith into her familiar spirit and he knew of Lilith’s skill, [Petrifying Gaze].

“Ugh! You!”

As Lilith moved back in surprise, the death knight rushed toward Isshin.

BOOM! Clang!

Isshin’s swords broke the death knight’s armor apart.

Pang!

As Isshin’s sword kept absorbing power, it went from red to white, signifying the energy had wreaked its limit.

Slide.

Isshin sheathed his sword and began to murmur.

“White Ghost Nocturnal Travel…”

Slash!!

WHOOM-!

As Isshin unsheathed his sword and used his technique, the ghostly energy he’d gathered launched forward as a wave. Everything stopped for a second.

The undead horde surging forward was entirely cut in half.

A crack appeared in the death knight’s armor, and Lilith’s barrier broke.

Though she was a rank 5 boss, Lilith was weak in terms of fighting.

On the other hand, Isshin was the strongest student in Japan when it came to fighting multiple enemies.

Swoosh!

The undead were turned to mana and absorbed by Isshin. 

It was a continuous cycle.

“Everyone, fight until the end! For the master! Des… troy the enemy!” the death knight shouted, but it seemed like Isshin had the advantage.

The strength of Laplace Sumire had shown thus far was only a portion of it.

– It seems like you need my strength.

Laplace, a rank 7 boss known as a ‘disaster’, the plague witch, murmured sweetly in Sumire’s head.

– You cute child… It seems like you really just crave moments with that person.

Sumire replied with determination in her eyes.

“Please… Give me your strength!”

– Fufu, okay. I’ll lend it to you. Laplace replied with a laugh.

– We’re not too different… I really like you. If there’s something you want, feel free to ask me.

Fwoosh!

The world had stopped.

Sumire’s eyes were covered by a black cloud, and her vision went dark. As the clouds moved, Moonview Mountain turned into Laplace’s Castle.

– There are many things I want to talk about with you…

Laplace, who was sitting on the throne, looked down at Sumire while making a seductive, witch-like smile.

– Fufu, I’ll be satisfied with giving you this gift today.

Sumire nodded, a serious expression on her face. Laplace motioned with her finger as if she were telling her to get closer.

– Come, sit here. 

Laplace indicated a place next to her throne.

“This…”

As Sumire slowly walked toward the throne, Laplace made her sit on it.

– It’s my throne, and this is my accessory.

Tap. Slide.

Laplace put the flower accessory on Sumire’s head.

– As expected, it suits you.

Laplace smiled at her.

She murmured in her ears as a farewell.

– Okay, then… my child. Show your strength to the entire world.

Sumire’s expression began to change. Her eyes relaxed, and she was making a bright smile.

https://discord.gg/MaRegMFhRb

Boom! Slash!

Isshin kept cutting at the undead.

Slish!

A bit more…

Crack!

A little bit more…

Boom!

The opponent’s mana was limited, and his strength, thanks to the ghostly energy, was limitless. Isshin thought he just had to cut the enemies before him until she ran out. 

He believed he could win like that.

WHOOM.

The clear moon in the sky was soon covered by a black fog.

An unpleasant energy swept away the surroundings, and Isshin felt a strange tingling sensation.

Isshin looked at the dark sky as he stabbed a ghoul—the black clouds were starting to move away, and then, a red moon became visible.

The black clouds sat over Moonview Mountain and emitted ominous energy. 

Swoosh-

The clouds at the top of the mountain began to move away, revealing an unknown throne and a smiling Sumire sitting atop it. 

Slash!

The ghouls, the skeletons, the death knight, Lilith—all of the undead knelt before the queen. Sumire smiled, relaxed upon her throne as she looked down on them.

“Hanajima, you…”

Isshin was surprised.

Sumire spoke in a sultry voice, unlike her usual self.

“Cry…”

The undead began to shout at the queen’s voice. The skeletons were given weapons, the ghouls’ fingernails turned red, and sword ki started to emanate from the death knight’s swords. Not only that but a whip that looked like an artifact appeared in Lilith’s hands.

It was the strength of a rank 7 boss—the strength of the plague witch, Laplace.

“Mr. Kirishima… For my important person… I cannot lose. No matter what. Even if I have to use all of my strength, I’ll win.”

As Sumire mentioned someone important to her, Isshin’s eyebrows started to wiggle.

“Then should we start the 2nd round?”

Sumire gave a relaxed smile.

Isshin hesitated.

“Hanajima-!!”

Isshin rushed toward Sumire.

Tap-!

Wounds appeared on the ghouls’ claws, and he stepped on the skeletons’ heads.

“I…!”

His barrier was broken by Lilith’s whip, but he didn’t stop. Isshin deflected the death knight’s greatsword.

BOOM!

He cut through the army of the undead.

“I believed that you’d return-!”

Isshin’s entire body was covered with ghostly energy, and his eyes were shining with a red light as if he were a demon.

Tap!

His fortified body moved at a speed beyond a human’s.

His sword was aimed at Sumire, who was sitting on the throne.

Sumire didn’t reply to Isshin—she just looked at him with a blank expression.

Her eyes were similar to when she was looking at her beloved violet flowers.

“Ugh…”

Isshin’s red eyes shook as he looked at Sumire.

“As expected, Mr. Kishima, you’re weak to affection…” she murmured as she made a smile he had never seen before.

Sumire extended her hand.

Paf-!

At the same time, Isshin’s chest was pierced with black energy.

[The barrier has been broken.]

[Remaining barrier: 0%]

Isshin fell after being hit by Sumire’s attack. Isshin’s defeat was decided in an instant.

“I lost…”

Sumire didn’t need to rely on Isshin anymore. She didn’t need his help. She only looked at Shin YuSung.

“Hanajima… What was I to you?”

Sumire fell into thought at Isshin’s bittersweet smile and then replied, “A companion, probably…?”

She wasn’t the Sumire he knew.

“But… Mr. Kisihima, you didn’t come,” she said in a dark voice.

“When I was alone and struggling… You didn’t stand beside me and give me courage.”

Sumire’s way of speaking was too foreign to Isshin. His heart rapidly began beating as an unknown emotion surged within him. 

Sumire’s mouth started to move again.

“Still, I’m thankful to Mr. Kirishima… Thanks to you, I was able to meet my YuSung.”

She looked too beautiful as she blushed at her own words.

That expression hurt Isshin more than anything else.

Swoosh.

Isshin’s body began turning into holographic fragments and started to disappear.

‘If… if I… had gone to see you, Hanajima…’

Isshin began thinking about those moments he had missed as he looked at Sumire.

‘Would things have been different….?’

Isshin made a bittersweet smile.

‘As expected, Hanajima, I…’

The world was crumbling and changing in front of him, and Isshin slowly closed his eyes.

https://discord.gg/MaRegMFhR