WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈
Chapter 354: The White Terminus (5)
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6.
The “mad warrior,” defeated by the Sword Emperor long ago, suffered another humiliation by losing to me today. At least they knew how to accept humiliation as humiliation and defeat as defeat.
I demanded the rights of the victor. After hearing my demands, the Mad Warrior raised an eyebrow.
Mad Warrior「You want me to assume whatever position you desire?」
"Yes, that's correct."
Incidentally, the “mad warrior's” real name was Gwangmu, which literally meant “Mad Warrior.”
They used to have a different name. However, when they met the Sword Emperor in the past and heard, "Hey, your original nickname was Mad Warrior before you died," they reclaimed the title they had during their lifetime. It was a peculiar fate in many ways.
"I'm still unfamiliar with the principles of this world. Honestly, the martial arts I've practiced until now are almost useless here because this world is too different from the one I lived in."
Mad Warrior「So you defeated me with martial arts that have almost become useless.」
"Yes, that's right."
Mad Warrior「...Don't people usually deny it or at least pretend to deny it in such situations?」
The Mad Warrior made a face of disbelief. Hmm, I've become accustomed to this Heaven, so I can quickly interpret the expressions of others.
But more than reading expressions, I sought a much more challenging realm.
"My world is different from here. Not only does it have front and back, but it also has right and left. Even if you swing a sword from top to bottom, the upper right is different from the upper left."
Mad Warrior「I've heard such talk from the Sword Emperor as well. From my perspective, it's utter nonsense... No, if that's how it is for you, then so be it.」
"Well. I intend to comply with a fair duel, as you wish."
The Mad Warrior blinked.
Mad Warrior「Really?」
"Yes. But that's after I become familiar with the laws of this world."
This was exactly what I demanded from the Mad Warrior as the victor's right.
"I need to know how the upper left of my world is expressed here, and how a waist cut from my world appears here. Please demonstrate every movement I can make, as a resident of this world."
Mad Warrior「I don't understand what you're saying. I'm a born warrior. Speak plainly.」
"Please step forward."
The Mad Warrior moved as I instructed.
I observed closely and with all my concentration how 'martial arts movements' were represented on a 2-dimensional plane.
"Good. Now, please take the upper position."
Mad Warrior「...I'll comply with your request since I lost, but is there any point to this?」
"The decision of its meaning is also the right of the victor, isn't it? Please do it."
Mad Warrior「Hmph...」
Although the Mad Warrior was skeptical, they assumed every posture I asked for.
Their postures were clean. Although they had lost to the Sword Emperor and me, the mad warrior could still call themselves the strongest in the Heaven of Truth. Compared with me, they possessed overwhelmingly less Aura. Put another way, that made them a martial artist who relied correspondingly less on Aura.
To firmly understand [2D martial arts movements], there couldn't be a better specimen than this. I kept making demands.
"Next, please take the lower position."
"What does my current posture look like to you? What movements should you make to counter my posture?"
“I'm not asking you to show me secret techniques. Just the fundamentals. It will be enough if you move using the basic motions every swordsman learns.”
Initially, the Mad Warrior complied with my requests with a disgruntled face, but as time passed, they began to understand the intent behind my demands.
Mad Warrior「...I see.」
The mad warrior gave a bitter smile. It was the first smile they had shown me.
Mad Warrior「You're translating my postures into your own terms, I see.」
"That’s right."
Mad Warrior「By now, you must be busy dissecting and transforming my postures into something of your own in your mind.」
Although a beat late, the Mad Warrior had read my intentions.
Ultimately, the reason I couldn't display precise swordsmanship in this 2D world was that I wasn't familiar with how my postures were represented here and what movements of the Mad Warrior corresponded to in my terms.
Thus, I requested the Mad Warrior to perform basic movements, while I rearranged every gesture, foot movement, and action according to the martial arts of my world.
Mad Warrior「How long do you think it will take for you to become accustomed to 'our world'?」
"I'm not sure."
At the moment, I was reproducing various movements in my mind.
Imagination is like a muscle. It can be trained, and with training, it becomes clearer. Aura is the muscle of the mind. As I became proficient with Aura, my mental images became more precise, and now I could run various simulations in my mind.
"About half a day? I should be fairly accustomed by then."
Mad Warrior「After you've become accustomed, do you intend to challenge me to a duel again?」
"Yes, since you desire a fair and square duel."
Mad Warrior「...So, I'm currently making my enemy stronger in real-time, am I not?」
The Mad Warrior sighed heavily.
Mad Warrior「But that is precisely the battle I desired, so I cannot refuse. Perhaps, I will lose to you in the second duel as well. Knowing I will lose, yet unable to stop myself. Caught between a rock and a hard place, over and over again.」
With those words, the Mad Warrior ceased their lament. Silently moving their feet and swinging their sword, they simply repeated postures to help me become accustomed to fighting in 2D.
Half a day passed.
.,,.. ⊂;⌒;⌒;,つ
,,:;:'':::'::::,,
,,'.'.........,,
,,:::::''::::::::: ::::'':::,,,
,,..... ........... ...,,,
___________________________
I sat cross-legged, immersing myself in my thoughts for hours.
As the saying goes, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," I had to become familiar with this world first if I wanted to defeat the strongest of the Heavenly World purely with the fighting methods of this place.
'The stick is not a stick, but a sword.'
Swoosh, swoosh. In my mind, the I-shaped stick swung by the opponent was perceived as a sharply honed sword. I struggled to perceive it as such.
'Not just swords, but everything must be seen this way.'
一 is not a line but the ground.
▲ is not a triangle but a mountain.
⊂;^;^;,つ is not a jest of dots and curves but a cloud.
This was the true appearance of this world, the form I had to genuinely accept.
"......."
I blinked.
As the sun set and the white sky gradually turned black, when I no longer considered the black sunset any less red than the red sunset, I unknowingly murmured softly.
"However, if that's the case, shouldn't my voice also not be heard like everyone else's?"
It was at that moment.
[You have shown respect for the laws of the Heaven of Truth!]
[The Constellation The Faceless Conductor permits you to stay in the Heaven of Truth.]
[A minor penalty has been applied.]
I blinked again.
Me「What's changed?」
As soon as I spoke, I realized what had changed.
Me「My voice isn't audible.」
What I thought appeared as a dotted speech bubble, and what I spoke out loud appeared as a solid speech bubble. Neither was a monologue.
Is this the [Penalty]?
But at least for me now, it didn't feel like a penalty.
Me「Hmm.」
I slowly unraveled my cross-legged posture and stood up.
Me「You've waited long.」
Mad Warrior「......」
The Mad Warrior, who was repeating basic movements, paused. Their pupils were pitch black. Their eyes, resembling black wells, looked at me.
Mad Warrior「Have you really become accustomed to it? ...Already?」
Me「The Sword Emperor would have adapted in an instant. It took me half a day just to acclimate, so it hardly deserves an “already.”」
It was a strange sensation. Or should I say, a normal sensation?
In the Heaven of Music, I couldn't hear sounds either. But here, sound itself was absent. The senses needed to live in this world were much fewer and much fainter than in the original world.
Me「It's comfortable.」
Mad Warrior「...Ha.」
The Mad Warrior adjusted their posture. It wasn't a posture to show me as an example. It was a posture of aiming their sword tip at me, wanting to fight me once again.
Mad Warrior「I suppose so. That must be why people like you lived while I died.」
After muttering something which wasn't directed to anyone in particular, the Mad Warrior spoke.
Mad Warrior「I've already lost once. However, my spirit hasn't fully acknowledged the defeat. Shamelessly, I want to request a rematch. Will you accept?」
Me「I'm embarrassed for making you wait so long.」
Unlike the first fight, both the Mad Warrior and I observed formalities this time.
Me「I am the Vice-lord of the Demonic Cult, the King of Death.」
Mad Warrior「King of Death, why do you indulge in my whims?」
Me「I consider the Sword Emperor my master.」
The Guardian Spirit, who had been silently listening to our conversation, widened his eyes. This was the Heaven of Truth. Neither lies nor false flattery worked here. He was startled because I had called the Sword Emperor “my master” without the slightest hesitation.
But it was too early to be surprised. I spoke freely.
Me「My master is shameless and foolish, lacking the foresight to consider consequences, hastily making promises and oaths, leading many into despair. How is this any different from an animal that relies only on its strength? As a disciple, it's embarrassingly unbearable for me.」
Idiot「Hey!?」
Me「But no matter how stupid and petty he is, he taught me the sword. Even if the shit he's stirred spreads over three thousand li[1], as an undutiful disciple, I have no choice but to shovel and spread the stench bit by bit. You are also a victim of the shit spread by my master.」
Idiot「Hey! ...Hey!? Why does everything you're saying sound shockingly true from my perspective!?」
Shut up.
Me「Therefore, I have a duty to restore the honor of my sect and settle the dishonor of my master. Even though you are a criminal who blocked the trade routes between the east and west, causing inconvenience and harm to many, if we think about it, my master is the one who committed a great crime. I will convert you and set things right.」
Mad Warrior「Ha, ha!」
The Mad Warrior burst into laughter.
Mad Warrior「It's astonishing that all those words came from sincerity. But can you really convert me? No, it's impossible. Come!」
And so, I went.
Mad Warrior「...!」
In one strike, the sword held by Mad Warrior shattered. It wasn't the result of launching Aura from a distance. My Holy Sword had struck down their sword from above.
It happened in an instant.
Mad Warrior「Ha,」
Although hundreds of swords had been destroyed in the sword graveyard, hundreds more remained. Mad Warrior quickly picked up another sword stuck in the ground.
Mad Warrior「In the end,」
I extended my right foot, no, my front foot, and struck the warrior's hand. Thud! They staggered before they could even raise their sword.
Mad Warrior「Is it my fate to lose no matter how I fight!」
Using the momentum from striking with my front leg, I kicked the Mad Warrior's body with my back leg. The Mad Warrior tried their best to block my attack with their arms. I put my whole body into the kick, losing my balance, and the Mad Warrior's stance was already broken, but I had a sword in my hand.
Me「Yes.」
Schk.
During the time the Mad Warrior had to grab and pull out the sword handle, all I had to do was lift and aim my Holy Sword. The Holy Sword was pointed right under the Mad Warrior's chin.
Mad Warrior「.......」
Me「If you're not satisfied, I'm willing to fight again as many times as you like.」
Mad Warrior「...No. I've lost.」
The Mad Warrior smiled weakly.
Mad Warrior「I lost to the Sword Emperor, and now to his disciple. It's a dismal outcome after such a long wait, but still, it's a result. ...Thank you.」
Me「Not at all.」
Now, the 'mad warrior' blocking the passage between the east and west in this world will disappear.
I did not know whether they would go somewhere else and devote themselves to training again, or travel from one village they had inconvenienced to the next, but I had no intention of cutting the throat of this witness who remembered the Sword Emperor.
Me「Among the locals from the 70th to the 80th floor, you're probably the only one who remembers my master. I have something to ask you.」
Mad Warrior「Ask anything you wish.」
Me「Between the Sword Emperor and me, who is stronger?」
The Mad Warrior closed their eyes. After a long while, they opened their mouth.
Mad Warrior「The Sword Emperor is half a move stronger than you.」
Half a step, huh.
The Sword Heart must lie within that half-move gap.
[The person selected as your judge has given you a passing mark!]
Perhaps, the Apothecary was waiting for me to conclude any matter. As soon as the Mad Warrior openly declared their surrender, messages were etched into the black sky as if waiting for this moment.
[You have received the recognition of the judge.]
[You can declare Stage Clear at any time.]
I turned my back on the Mad Warrior.
[1]: Li, also known as the Chinese mile, is a traditional Chinese unit of distance. The li has varied considerably over time but was usually about one third of an English mile and now has a standardized length of a half-kilometer. This is then divided into 1,500 chi or "Chinese feet".
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