WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Oblivious
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Weakest Knight Became a Swordmaster, But Only in Dungeons ◈
Chapter 52: Founding Anniversary Festival (3)
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Underground sewer retention basin.
Violet Blackgarden warily watched the unknown Demonkin who was showing her respect.
“You were after me?”
[Yes.]
“Then why did you... do this to the people here?”
[You seem quite attached to your own kind, so I thought it would be best to take as many of them hostage as possible. This place also seemed suitable for creating a Gate.]
It was an answer Violet could not understand.
[There will be no vessel more suitable than you for the next Demon King. Please forgive the discourtesy of my request. I desire only one thing from you. Will you become our king?]
Violet only glared at the Demonkin without answering.
[...As expected, you will not answer.]
The Demonkin rose from their seat and let out a quiet sigh.
[I knew you had already resisted. For some reason, two pathetic fools failed to recruit you, did they not?]
Whoooosh.
A pale chill flowed from the Demonkin.
Violet felt a cold sensation run down her spine.
[So, forgive my discourtesy. I think I will use somewhat forceful methods. Even if you were to lose all four limbs right now... wouldn’t that be a minor problem? With your magic, you should be able to replace them somehow.]
“...”
[I’ll stop wasting time.]
The air grew heavy.
‘Forget the magical beasts. There are... two dangerous enemies.’
She felt killing intent from the dark ceiling. Blue eyes came into Violet’s view.
The mana flowing from the enemy above was heavy as well. It had merely been concealed by the Demonkin’s demonic energy.
Violet gripped the hilt of the cursed sword Dansel hanging at her waist and spoke a Word Command.
“Dansel...!”
Thump.
The cursed sword Dansel pulsed.
Just as she tried to draw it...
Tap.
“!”
In the blink of an eye, the Demonkin had approached Violet and placed a hand on Dansel’s crossguard.
Preventing her from drawing the sword.
[I just sensed it. This weapon seems dangerous even to me. Please do not draw it.]
“A-Attack!!”
Flash!
Violet fell back and shouted an order.
[Grrr!!]
The tiger magical beast undead servant that had guarded Violet’s back rushed forward.
Then, something shot down from the dark ceiling.
Crush!!
Boom!!
An unknown figure smashed through the tiger magical beast undead servant’s body and landed on the ground. At the same time...
Craaaackle!!
Cold air flooded the area.
“Urgh! Kyah!”
Violet raised both arms to shield her head. A fierce shockwave sent her flying.
Having strengthened her body with aura, Violet was not seriously injured. She barely landed on the ice.
As soon as she looked ahead, Violet’s eyes widened.
A monstrous figure nearly three meters tall stood there, stepping on the shattered tiger magical beast undead servant.
It was a white, long-limbed yeti magical beast. It bared sharp teeth and blue eyes, while dense frost mana flowed from its hands.
Violet could guess that the magical beast before her was the Dungeon boss.
“Urgh...!”
To face a magical beast that powerful, she would need to summon at least a high-ranking magical beast undead servant.
But she was not yet capable of handling or controlling an undead servant of that level.
So she reached for the hilt of the cursed sword Dansel again, but...
“Huh...?”
The sword was gone.
[Are you looking for this?]
The Demonkin held out the cursed sword Dansel with an expressionless face.
Had it been taken from her already? Violet glared at the Demonkin with trembling eyes as cold sweat ran down her face.
* * *
Crackle!
Slice!
A blue lightning sword strike cut through a yeti magical beast’s neck.
“Damn it!”
On the streets of Oldern, I ran through the chaotic crowds, cutting down the yeti magical beasts blocking my path.
The careless magical beasts were easy to cut down, but I couldn’t defeat those that came at me in earnest with a single strike.
Clang!
They reflexively blocked with iron-like claws.
Fortunately...
Pierce!
Slash!
Stab!
The raining Fish Swords precisely took down the yeti magical beasts, buying me time.
‘Justice rains from above, you monster bastards!’
This was Lara Twisloff’s aura magic. If Elise hadn’t existed, Lara would have undoubtedly claimed first place.
This kind of chaos was the perfect stage for Lara.
Booom!!
“What was that!?”
A deafening explosion suddenly rang out overhead.
I kept running as I looked up.
The balloon-like Demonkin floated in the air.
Golus, the Gloomcloud Demon, one of the fallen Demon King Army’s leaders, constantly spewed demonic energy gas.
Then one of the mouths haphazardly attached to its body let out a grotesque scream.
[Kyahhhhh!!]
Fwoosh!
Booom!!
Flames caught on the demonic energy gas, causing a powerful explosion.
Purple flames surged toward Lara, leaving her nowhere to escape.
Lara gathered the Fish Swords circling around her into one. The combined aura took the shape of a greatsword.
Just as she tried to defend with the giant Fish Sword’s blade...
Wooooosh!!
A crimson storm of petals swept in and wrapped around the demonic flames.
The blazing heat that had engulfed Lara scattered away helplessly.
Before Lara, a woman with wings of red mana spread behind her back was flying with her back turned toward Lara. Lara’s eyes widened.
A half-crown of red mana floated beside her head.
It was Elise Lorendia.
‘Fairy Transformation, First Form.’
It was the beginning of the power Elise had kept hidden.
She had probably been unable to fully control it during the first semester.
But by the second semester, she had grown enough to use it at that level.
Fwoooosh!
The fairy’s red wings spewed flames. Using that force, Elise flew swiftly toward Golus like a hawk.
Her sword, red flowers blooming on its crossguard, traced ever-changing paths toward Golus.
At the same time, a storm of petal aura swept through the air.
Slice, slice, slice!!
Wooooosh!!
Terrifying cutting sounds and roars rang out in succession as Golus’s flesh was shredded without pause.
[Aaaaaagh!!!]
[It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!!]
[Kyahhh!!!]
The many mouths attached to Golus’s body screamed in different voices.
Ugh, disgusting. It looked like something I would’ve seen in creature videos from my previous life.
Booom!!
Fwoosh!!
Golus continuously expelled demonic energy gas and spewed fire magic.
Riding her Fish Swords through the air, Lara skillfully avoided the flames.
Fsssssh!!
Blue aura gathered and gathered around Lara, stretching out to form a Fish Sword as large as a building.
Then, the moment Lara pointed at Golus with the index and middle fingers of her right hand...
Whoooooosh!!!
The enormous Fish Sword tore through the air with a fierce shriek.
Crunch!!
The blade drove forcefully into Golus’s body, scattering blue blood.
[Aaaaaagh!!]
Golus’s scream rang out.
Craaaash!!
A storm of red petals and blue sword light tangled together, filling the sky.
‘What a spectacle...’
It was such a terrifying battle that I felt like a pathetic ant.
Dense demonic energy gas leaked from every wound on Golus’s body.
The more injured it became, the more gas it would surround itself with, becoming increasingly like a bomb.
‘Though that won’t be a problem for Elise in Fairy Transformation, First Form.’
I’m counting on you here, Elise...! You’re our hope!
Of course, I had no time to leisurely watch their overwhelming battle.
I kept moving without stopping for even a moment.
Then...
[Woof!]
“!”
A familiar sound came from an empty alley.
I quickly stopped and turned toward it. A wolf magical beast undead servant wrapped in pink mana stood there.
It was the one that had carried me at Tilloden Rocky Mountain and brought Elise to me during Search Tactics Training.
“You...? Woof-Woof!”
[Woof!]
Had Violet arranged for this undead servant to come?
It always went “woof,” so I had casually decided to call it Woof-Woof.
I quickly entered the alley where Woof-Woof stood.
“Will you take me to Violet?”
[Woof!]
Woof-Woof nodded.
‘Good job!’
Still, it would be troublesome if someone saw me riding Woof-Woof into the underground sewer.
‘But I have this.’
I quickly took out a high-grade artifact.
Whoooosh.
Mana spread out and turned into an ash-gray cloak.
It was Kelius’s Cloak.
After climbing onto Woof-Woof’s back and putting on Kelius’s Cloak, I used its function according to the instinctive sense engraved within me.
Shhh.
My body turned transparent.
It was a stealth effect.
“Let’s go, Woof-Woof!”
[Woof!]
Woof-Woof ran swiftly.
We arrived at a collapsed patch of ground. It was one of the paths leading into the underground sewer.
Woof-Woof jumped down without hesitation.
‘This should be enough, right? Physical Enhancement.’
Just before Woof-Woof hit the ground, I strengthened my body with aura again.
Shhh.
The cloak’s stealth effect faded.
That was what happened whenever I used even the tiniest amount of mana. I wouldn’t be able to use its stealth function again for a while.
Thud!
Woof-Woof landed in the underground sewer, and the impact traveled through me. But it did little to my aura-strengthened body.
That was how we safely reached the underground sewer.
The layout was a straight line. A drainage channel carrying water ran below.
Luminescent stone lamps hanging on the walls dimly lit the sewer, while the stale stench of sewage filled the air.
“Is this way closer?”
[Woof!]
Whoooosh.
Craaaackle!
Crash!
Cold wind blew from one direction, and distant explosions echoed from afar.
‘It’s that way.’
To be safe, I got off Woof-Woof’s back and ran alongside it.
“!”
At that moment, a chilling sensation ran down my spine. My aura sense had detected something dangerous.
From the direction where the cold wind blew came an obvious presence.
Something shot out of the darkness at high speed.
Flash!!
Iron claws rushed toward me. A leopard magical beast carrying frost entered my sight.
Its height would probably reach my chest. It was a threatening size.
Then, the strike of the Demonkin Nadia that I had replayed in my mind until now flashed through my head.
‘It’s fast, but... not as fast as that Demonkin bastard.’
Crackle!!
Lightning aura wrapped around my blade. I stepped forward and exploded my aura.
Booom!!
A booming noise echoed through the underground sewer as my blade accelerated toward the leopard magical beast.
Raging Thunder Sword.
Crackle!!
Slice!!
A blue trail cleaved through the leopard magical beast and scattered lightning through the air.
Thud!
The bisected leopard magical beast’s corpse passed by me and fell to the ground.
“Phew...!”
Pain came from Raging Thunder Sword’s recoil, but it was much more bearable than before.
That meant I had become that much stronger.
Then...
“Graaah!”
“Eek!”
“Kyaaaah!”
Perhaps sensing the threat, white yeti magical beasts began to swarm in.
They must have come out through the Gate Break.
“You fucking...”
What a goddamn mess.
I quickly readjusted my stance. The hand gripping my sword trembled.
“Hey, Woof-Woof. I need to save your master somehow.”
After taking a deep breath, I continued.
“But honestly, I don’t think I can break through that on my own. So help me out.”
[Grrr, woof!]
Woof-Woof jumped up and down, nodding fiercely.
Good.
I steeled myself and shouted.
“Let’s fucking die today, you monster bastards!”
Together with Woof-Woof, I charged into the magical beasts.
* * *
Shing!
Craaaackle!!
When the Demonkin drew the white sword, a wave of cold carrying demonic energy explosively spread outward.
“Kyah!!”
The rushing cold shattered the undead servants and seeped deep into Violet’s bones.
Violet was sent flying helplessly before crashing onto the ice.
“Urgh...”
Violet groaned and pushed herself up with a hand against the cold ice.
Her body was freezing. Her legs would not move as she wished.
The Demonkin walked across the ice with the ominous white sword in hand. Behind them, the Dungeon boss waited, drooling.
[First, your right arm. If you resist, I will take your right arm first. Please forgive my rudeness.]
“You’re so annoying...”
Violet spoke with anger in her voice.
“What are you people? What are Dungeons...? Why are you after me again...?”
[You will learn everything if you become our king.]
“You can just tell me...! If there’s a problem, we could cooperate with people, and...!”
[Why should we?]
The Demonkin frowned.
Violet’s face showed confusion at that firm answer.
[Other than you, humans are nothing but obstacles. They are no different from trash that must be removed.]
“Why... go that far...?”
[My answer remains the same. You will learn if you become our king.]
The Demonkin swung the white sword wrapped in cold again.
Whoosh!
Craaaackle!!
Cold carrying a slash swept in like a tsunami once more.
It was an instant. Its target was precisely Violet’s right arm.
Violet opened her eyes wide and quickly drew up mana to summon an undead servant.
...That was when it happened.
Rumbleee!
[!!]
Terrifying mana descended over heaven and earth.
The Demonkin, the Dungeon boss, and Violet all widened their eyes.
On the surface, Golus, Elise and Lara fighting him, those fighting the magical beasts, the evacuating citizens, and even the magical beasts...
Everyone felt an immense amount of mana, enough to set their survival instincts ringing.
Tap.
In the blink of an eye, a light-brown-haired man stood in front of Violet.
He swung a black sword wrapped in blue flames.
Fwoooosh!!!
Blue flames rose fiercely, beginning to devour the wave of cold.
Booom!!
Explosions erupted in succession.
Pale steam spread through the area.
Trait: Blue-Flame Demon. While using Flame Demon Sword Hwama, it allowed its wielder to use flames that devoured mana.
The merciless flames devoured the cold and surged fiercely toward the Demonkin.
[Mana devouring...!?]
Before the Demonkin could grasp the situation, they quickly brought down their sword carrying demonic energy and split the ice.
Shraaaak!!
Rumbleee!!
A wall of cold rose along the slash. At the same time, the exploding shockwave broke the momentum of the blue flames head-on.
Fwoosh!!
After devouring even the wall of cold, the blue flames slowly died away.
[What is this...?]
Amid the heat warming their skin, drifting sparks, and thick steam...
The Demonkin muttered in disbelief.
Before Violet, a man covered in blood stood there boldly, holding a black sword.
Fwoosh.
Blue flames rippled along the black blade.
The blue fire swayed in the frosty wind flowing from the collapsed Gate.
“M-Mr. Hazely...?”
Violet’s voice trembled.
The man who had suddenly appeared before her was Ron Hazely.
He stared at the Demonkin with blue eyes filled with resolute killing intent.
The moment he reached the dungeonized retention basin, he had used his unique ability to become a Swordmaster.
“Ah...”
His hair was matted with blood. Wounds covered his body.
To Violet, there was not a single uninjured part of Ron’s body.
If he had not entered his Swordmaster state, he looked as though he would have collapsed at any moment.
“Violet... You’re okay, right?”
At that worried question, Violet felt her chest tighten.
The person who should have been asked that was not her, but him.
Still, Violet gave him the answer he wanted to hear, trying to reassure him.
“Yes, I’m okay...”
“Good, I’m not too late... Hah...”
Ron sighed in relief. Then he stepped toward the Demonkin.
[...?]
The Demonkin’s face, which had remained expressionless until moments ago, was filled with bewilderment.
Just what was the man before them?
Even amid their confusion, the Demonkin took up a sword stance.
“Oh, that sword of yours looks nice.”
Ron let out an admiring remark, then smiled mockingly.
“...It’ll be ownerless soon.”
[...]
Pressure bore down.
A chilling fear ran down the Demonkin’s spine.
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