WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Oblivious
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Weakest Knight Became a Swordmaster, But Only in Dungeons ◈
Chapter 33: Break (3)
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White Wing Knight Order Campbell Branch, Situation Control Room.
Working with the Magic Tower, the Imperial Five Wings had installed magitech devices capable of detecting the distinctive mana of Gates and pinpointing their locations within a designated range.
Using one of those devices, the White Wing Knights on duty discovered that a Gate Break had occurred near Tilloden Rocky Mountain.
The magic concealing the Gate’s mana had been broken by the Gate Break.
They could not close their mouths.
“This mana... what in the world is it?”
A White Wing Knight spoke in a trembling voice.
Beside them, Cain, the Campbell Branch Commander with a deep scar near his eye, narrowed his eyes.
On the mana map displaying Gate reactions, only the area around Tilloden Rocky Mountain was marked with an especially deep blue mana.
It was the color of an aura wielder’s mana.
This device could not detect mana other than a Gate’s unless it was exceptionally powerful.
But if it was being displayed this intensely...
“At minimum, Swordmaster realm..”
They could not determine the exact circumstances, but one thing was obvious.
This was a serious situation.
The branch commander shouted.
“Inform headquarters and request cooperation from the Red Wing Knight Order’s Torgon Branch. Prepare for immediate deployment. Understood!?”
“Yes!”
* * *
Meanwhile, on the trade route.
‘It’s him.’
The Red Wing Knight Order’s carriage had stopped. Wind carrying the downpour slipped through its wide-open door.
Elise Lorendia stared toward Tilloden Rocky Mountain without caring that her magenta hair and clothes were getting soaked.
It was too far away to see clearly, but there was no mistaking that a massive magical beast was releasing fierce ice mana.
A thick snow mist had already covered Tilloden Rocky Mountain.
Elise recalled the sight she had seen earlier.
Blue flames devouring a mass of ice mana.
Wasn’t that the power of the ogre she had seen in the Dungeon where she had once been kidnapped?
Elise could easily guess who had taken that power, and who was releasing such enormous mana in the distance.
“Seniors, I’m sorry...! I think I need to go over there!”
“What!? Don’t give me that shit!”
As Elise tried to jump from the carriage, a female Red Wing Knight cursed and roughly stopped her.
The knight shouted.
“Elise Lorendia! I don’t know what exactly is happening right now, but one thing is clear! There’s not only a dangerous magical beast over there, but also someone we couldn’t guarantee victory against even if the entire Red Wing Knight Order attacked together!”
“What if that person is on our side?”
“Don’t say something so carefree! With that much mana, they’re far beyond even a Special-rank Sword Expert! If whoever is causing that chaos over there is a Swordmaster-level powerhouse...!”
The Red Wing Knight let out a hoarse voice, her face filled with fear.
“You can’t just approach them without thinking...!”
A Swordmaster.
A martial artist who had surpassed their limits and reached the ultimate realm.
To the Red Wing Knight, a Swordmaster was an existence beyond the understanding of ordinary people.
Monsters that could wipe out even a great city or a nation as casually as stepping on an insect, depending on their mood.
Of course, some Swordmasters pursued noble honor and protected their nations.
But recklessly involving oneself in the battlefield of a Swordmaster-level powerhouse whose identity was completely unknown was obviously an act so reckless that one life would never be enough.
“I’m sure it’s the person who helped me...!”
Elise tried to persuade the knight, then closed her mouth.
Was there really any guarantee that the Swordmaster was on her side? She could not be certain.
The idea that the Swordmaster had protected her was only an interpretation based on the outcome.
“Whew.”
After deciding that Elise understood, the Red Wing Knight sighed and lowered her voice.
“If you insist on going there, wait until after we join up with the knight order. Understood, Elise Lorendia?”
“Yes... I understand.”
Elise swallowed a sigh as she answered, then looked toward Tilloden Rocky Mountain.
* * *
Tilloden Rocky Mountain cliffside.
[Growwwl!!]
A massive wave of pale ice mana swept through with sleet.
Ice-White Tiger Belork, a magical beast with cold air pouring from its enormous fangs, felt fear toward the man before it and increased its mana output.
Within the thick snow mist, Ron Hazely’s eyes shone with eerie blue light.
[Roarrrr!!]
As the Ice-White Tiger roared, white tiger monsters with ice covering parts of their bodies charged Ron all at once.
It was the Ice-White Tiger’s will.
They would surely die if they disobeyed their boss’s command. The monsters had no choice but to ignore the warnings of their survival instincts.
Click.
Shing.
Ron sheathed Flame Demon Sword Hwama and drew Ravenous Wolf Sword Kalzak. Its silver blade revealed its sharp edge.
‘No one should be able to see me from here... Should I practice a little?’
Crackle.
Crack!
Blue aura rose from the Ravenous Wolf Sword’s blade, sending rough plasma scattering through the air.
Seriously.
Ron could not help laughing.
He had greatly lowered his power to the level of his usual aura, but there was still so much mana output left over that he almost felt doubtful.
Ron took a light breath. Gripping the Ravenous Wolf Sword tightly with both hands, he lowered his upper body and bent his knees slightly.
Then he launched himself.
Flash!
The instant Ron’s body disappeared.
Boom!
A sonic boom erupted a moment later.
Boom!
Slashslashslashslash!!
A blade carrying lightning swept freely through the monster horde.
Explosions rang out every instant. It was the sound of Ron’s aura exploding and accelerating him.
The blue trail kept bending unpredictably, carving geometric streaks of light through the air. A new explosion sounded every time it changed direction.
Ron Hazely’s unique magic swordsmanship.
The sword of rampaging thunder, Raging Thunder Sword.
Having finally reached the end of the monster horde, Ron lightly touched down and flicked his sword.
Thud!
Splatter!
The severed bodies of dozens of monsters that had somehow been hanging in the air spilled onto the ground.
Purple blood soon dyed the earth.
It had all happened in just a few seconds.
[Roarrrrr!!]
As the monsters were wiped out, the Ice-White Tiger roared again and released ice mana.
Clatter.
The pouring rain and ice mana formed huge ice spikes in the sky. It was the Ice-White Tiger’s magic.
Whoooosh!!!
The mass of ice spikes fell, tearing through the air. The ice had been hardened by its high mana density. The ground would not endure it.
The target was the entire area, including Ron.
‘With that size and speed, I can’t completely stop them with Blue Flame.’
Before the Blue Flame could fully devour them, the ice spikes would strike and destroy the rocky mountain.
Violet would be in danger.
More importantly, if the terrain collapsed and he was forced out of the dungeonized area, he could not guarantee his own survival.
His Swordmaster state would only remain active within the dungeonized area.
‘Then...’
The ice spikes rapidly drew close. Ron extended the Ravenous Wolf Sword to his side.
“Kalzak.”
His mana-filled voice rang out majestically.
Thump.
The Ravenous Wolf Sword pulsed.
Whooo.
Following Ron’s will, its blade began to create silver-gray blade winds.
The winds swiftly gained momentum.
Whoooooosh!!
They swept through like a typhoon.
It was Iron Claw Wind, the wind magic of the Iron Wolf trait.
Sensing danger, the Ice-White Tiger packed its front paw full of freezing mana and slammed it into the ground.
Clatterrrrrr!!!
Ice mana exploded, spreading a cold storm in a fan shape.
The trees, grass, and freshly slain monster corpses that had somehow remained green even within the dungeonized area all froze solid.
The cold storm that froze everything it touched rushed toward Ron.
At the same time, huge ice spikes poured down above his head.
Ron calmly swung the Ravenous Wolf Sword wrapped in Iron Claw Wind.
Whoooooosh!!
Kagagagagak!!
Iron Claw Wind surged along the path of his sword, pushing back the ice storm.
Then it rapidly grew in size, transforming into a silver-gray tornado carrying a snowstorm.
The tornado shot into the sky in an instant and shattered every ice spike. Sparkling ice fragments scattered in all directions.
Then the dark clouds covering the sky were caught in the massive Iron Claw Wind and began to swirl.
Rumble!!
Lightning flashed violently.
It was a truly overwhelming sight.
The pressure of immense mana weighed heavily even on those far away.
“That is...”
“It’s like we’re watching a natural disaster...”
The special unit from the White Wing Knight Order’s Campbell Branch, currently on its way to the scene, could not close their mouths as they watched.
Among them, Simon Hasfield, a knight with navy-blue hair, stared in shock with his eyes wide.
“What... what kind of monster...”
Near the trade route, a Red Wing Knight watching the situation looked toward the sky with fearful eyes and spoke in a trembling voice.
Elise’s group was similarly overwhelmed by the sight.
“Mr. Hazely...”
Violet was no exception.
Ron had used aura sense to determine Violet’s location, then adjusted his magic so she would not be harmed.
The fierce wind whipped Violet’s deep purple hair and clothes.
‘The ability to become a Swordmaster only inside Dungeons...’
Violet had felt it when Ron fought the Demon King Army, but she still could not even estimate just how strong he was in his Swordmaster state.
Boom!!
At the rocky mountain cliffside, the Ice-White Tiger stepped back and prepared to unleash another full-force ice storm.
Ron kicked off the ground and swung his sword.
Slash!!
Shnk!
A silver-gray slash fired from the path of his blade bisected the Ice-White Tiger’s neck.
Without losing momentum, the slash soared into the sky with Iron Claw Wind trailing behind it like a long tail.
Whoooosh!!
Fwoooosh!!
The gray, closed sky split apart, and the fierce wind pressure swept away the dark clouds in an instant.
Brilliant sunlight poured through the opening, brightly illuminating the rocky mountain.
The deafening sounds of rain and snowstorm stopped as if by magic.
The only one standing unharmed atop the cliff in the sunlight was Ron.
* * *
Shing.
Click.
After sweeping away the powerful magical beast and monster horde, I sheathed Ravenous Wolf Sword Kalzak.
‘I split the sky.’
I looked at the sunlight and marveled at my own power again.
This Swordmaster state was fucking insane.
‘By the way, isn’t Elise coming?’
No one was heading this way from the Red Wing Knight Order’s carriage on the trade route.
Thanks to aura sense in my Swordmaster state, I could easily tell. Its range was ridiculously broad.
I had hunted quickly because I expected Elise to charge in here no matter what, but...
‘Works for me.’
There had to be a reason. Maybe a Red Wing Knight stopped her.
If I were a Red Wing Knight, I would not have just let Elise go either.
[You have cleared the Dungeon Boss.]
[The Dungeon and Gate will both disappear.]
Whooo...!
The broken Gate began swirling and gathering into a single point. It was in the process of disappearing.
‘Will it take about ten minutes?’
Then.
“Urrrgh...”
My Swordmaster state ended, and overwhelming exhaustion crashed into me. A zombie noise escaped on its own.
I almost collapsed.
I really could not get used to this...
‘Wait.’
I defeated Demonkin Ulz and the Ice-White Tiger.
Would that achievement appear?
Ding!
‘Oh, there it is.’
[You have achieved the accomplishment “Unbloomed Crimson Lotus”!]
[Requirement: Subjugate “Demonkin Ulz” and “Ice-White Tiger Belork” without any allied casualties.]
[Reward: You have gained mana experience points.]
[Your stats have increased.]
[Mana Grade: “D+” → “C-”]
I had accidentally achieved a demanding accomplishment that could only be completed if there were no allied casualties.
The “crimson lotus” in the achievement’s name referred to people being torn apart and split open as they died.
Demonkin Ulz enjoyed that kind of horrific slaughter.
In other words, the fact that no crimson lotus had bloomed meant everyone was safe.
‘I don’t know whether Elise’s achievement system is active too...’
To achieve this accomplishment, one needed a specialized build, excellent control, and a strategy outside the standard approach.
Like the achievement I earned by eliminating the slimes in advance last time, this was not an accomplishment Elise could have achieved through the story.
‘Well, that’s a good thing.’
Anyway,
‘My mana has finally reached C-!’
Ah, at last, I had reached the basic level for a Griffin Knight School cadet, at least when it came to mana.
By now, every cadet besides me whose Mana Grade was below C- had either dropped out or been expelled.
It was a deeply moving moment.
‘Thank you for the experience, Brother Ulz...!’
I should have put more effort into cutting him down in a flashier, more painful way.
I really regretted defeating him so effortlessly.
Wouldn’t Demonkin Ulz be sad in the afterlife right now, knowing how empty his final moments had been?
...Enough pointless thoughts.
“Violet.”
─ Yees?
I took out a small communication device and spoke. Violet’s ticklish voice came through.
It was a magic tool Violet had prepared so we could communicate during the operation.
“The situation’s over. Can you come here right away? As quickly as possible.”
─ Ah, yes! I’ll come right up...!
I tucked the communication device back inside my clothes.
Violet soon arrived, gripping her staff.
“Mr. Hazely!”
“You’re here, Violet. Let’s take these guys with us as new friends. If we can.”
“Yees...?”
Swoosh.
The magical beasts and monsters I had defeated were slowly turning to ash and flowing beyond the disappearing Gate.
I recalled the setting from Elwi.
Dungeon monsters that crossed over during a Gate Break would have their corpses return to their original world if they died before their Dungeon could merge into this world.
Still, they disappeared far more slowly than Demonkin.
Anyway, they might become new undead servant friends before they vanished.
Even if it did not work, it was worth trying.
“Them...? They clearly look like a high-ranking magical beast and powerful monsters...!”
“It’s a good idea, right?”
“...Let’s do it right away!”
Violet answered with shining eyes.
It seemed making the high-ranking magical beast Poisonous Monster Bird Popus into an undead servant had given her confidence.
“Answer my call.”
Swoooosh!
Violet welcomed the new undead servants, then immediately recalled all of them into her Circle.
‘It works.’
I had suspected it when she turned magical beasts from the Demon King Army into undead servants.
Dungeon monsters could become undead servants too.
The scene was cleaned up in no time.
No cleaning company needed.
“Good. Now let’s get out of here.”
“Mr. Hazely, but are you okay? When your Swordmaster state ends, your body is like it was last time...”
“I can still run a little. I’ve trained up enough basic stamina.”
“Wait a moment. I have a few children who listen to me pretty well, so... I think I can give you a ride!”
“Huh? Ohh.”
Violet summoned a wolf undead servant.
As expected, it was a skeletal servant covered in pink mana.
She took a thick blanket from a small dimensional bag and placed it over the servant’s back. She secured it with Telekinesis.
Violet climbed on top.
“Mr. Hazely, behind me...”
‘Wow. I didn’t think of that.’
I swallowed my exclamation.
‘Damn. I really fucking cherish you, Violet...!’
My soul friend. We’re together for life.
I climbed up behind Violet and pressed close to her back.
She flinched.
“Mr. Hazely, y-you’re a little too close...!?”
“It can’t be helped. The undead servant is this size. But where should I hold on?”
“Yees...? Ah, well... my shoulders... maybe...”
For some reason, Violet’s ears had turned red.
Of course they had.
A man and woman were pressed together. She had to be embarrassed too.
I should pretend not to notice.
‘Hm?’
Maybe it was because it had rained.
Along with the pleasant smell of soil, an alluring scent wafted from Violet’s nape.
“...”
I was a man too, so it seemed I could not help becoming aware of Violet as a woman.
This was making me unnecessarily self-conscious.
Still, we needed to escape quickly.
I decided not to pay attention to Violet’s scent right now.
“Let’s go, Violet.”
“Yees...!”
The wolf undead servant began running.
If traces such as our hair, the servant’s footprints, or residual mana remained, Violet used detection magic to find them all and erase them with magic.
That was how we left the scene.
‘Be grateful, Elise.’
Your big brother saved you again.
...You need to stay safe for me to survive too.
Please always be okay.
* * *
[You have fulfilled Special Condition 1.]
[Special Condition 1: The tragic fate must be changed a certain number of times or more by another person.]
[Reward: The effect of “Scenario Note” will be strengthened.]
[The contents recorded in “Scenario Note” will become slightly more specific.]
[“Scenario Note” has been updated.]
[Would you like to view it?]
[Oh, Elise. Elise Lorendia.]
[Originally, the Demonkin and magical beast were supposed to tear your friend and two knights to pieces before your eyes, filling you with despair. Then you would have met the same end as them.]
[But that Demonkin and magical beast have both had their heads cut off! What a relief. Once again, someone outside fate has protected you. For you, Elise!]
[You must be happy to have been saved! Another page of bad endings has disappeared. Congratulations, Elise!]
Footnotes:
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