<943 – Rolling Oknodie (3)>
Michael is an NPC who grows stronger at an equal rate to players who never seem to lose their form in any round.
– I’m looking forward to 10 years from now. You pass.
– The decision of that day was correct. To grow into one of the teen swordsmen in just five years. Now, I’ll mold you into art at your peak ability. Now die.
– The decision of that day was correct. To rise to the rank of Sword Saint in just three years. Come out of the Academy during the break. I’ll kill you before the sword rusts in the trivial reputation of the mortal world.
Once you’re passed, Michael appears like a grim reaper coming to collect the lives you’ve entrusted to him, wielding a knife first!
He shows an especially stronger side when the student comes to harvest his life, growing more powerful.
– Strength-All-in. Indeed, an astonishing regeneration rate that heals even after being sliced 13 times per second. But can this [Gale Compression] withstand it?
– Strength-All-in. Indeed, an astonishing regeneration rate that heals even after being sliced 35 times per second. But can this [Tidal Wave Rise] withstand it?
– Strength-All-in. Indeed, an astonishing regeneration rate that heals even after being sliced 100 times per second. But can this [Soul Disruption] withstand it?
As the player grows stronger, Michael exhibits ever more potent swordsmanship and techniques.
The secret lies within one of Michael’s growth formulas: the [Investment] function.
━━━
[Investment Function]
Basic: The greater the achievements within the deadline, the more the [Function Amplification] effect is granted. Conversely, failing the investment leads to [Function Reduction].
━━━
By assuring growth linked specifically to swordsmanship, it’s no surprise the speed of growth is insane.
Michael naturally has an absolute [Hierarchical Relationship] where he’s never weaker than the player in any round.
“Oknodie. You decide. The main building considers mad Michael one of the few mercenaries who will protect you from the insane Buzhaar. However, if the price is that miserable, then feel free to decline.”
“Hmmm. I put my brain to work this time. If I play it right, I might not die!”
A wider smile appeared on Michael’s lips. Professor Bronze stepped back with a look that said he couldn’t intervene.
“Congratulations, Sing. You can now pass the seat of the Fedoswordsman to Michael. To genuinely challenge a kid like this, you’re out of your mind!”
“Talent sees no age, occupation, or status. I’ll slice you fairly, without any discrimination. Draw your weapon, harvest!”
But I’m also not one to be outdone in character anywhere!
Believing in his absolute superiority, Michael’s arrogance pressed down like a switch on my inner Messy Kid.
“So, are you going to start now? You’re not gonna attack while I’m drawing, right?”
“Draw whatever you want.”
This is why I love being a Magic Swordsman.
For a swordsman, drawing a weapon is as simple as pulling a sword out of its sheath, but for a magician, the number of possible weapons is vast.
Battle preparation level 1.
First, I roll out the deactivated Guard Golem and Battle Golem.
I also install the Grand Magic Cannon that I meticulously had disassembled into parts and set up the high-grade magic stones that I had turned off to save energy, and voilà – it’s all active!
“Are we ready?”
“Nope?”
Battle preparation level 2.
No matter how much power you pour in, I dumped a ton of energy balls like a ball pit full of toys.
What’s inside includes high-energy aggregates like the Rainbow Ball and Dark Ball, as well as Status Ball for inflicting status ailments!
“Are we done now?”
“Nope?”
Battle preparation level 3.
I took out the auto-generation crane piece by piece and combined them, waiting as the formation automatically starts drawing!
Setting up the formation tailored to Michael with the design program embedded, I flipped the switch.
“Is it finished yet?”
“Nope?”
Battle preparation level 4.
I placed super rare dishes neatly on the altar, also put up a stake, and set three portraits and three mirrors on top!
After meticulously executing the rites, Professors Mahabharata, Sadako, and Papa of the Foundation appeared in the mirrors.
[Another day goes by without a proper one.]
[From now on, the rites are separate.]
[Haha. This Papa doesn’t mind being called together or separately. I’m just glad to see you prepare this little entertainment to distract me from my boredom in the Netherworld.]
Completion of the background needed to intervene if things go wrong!
“…Is that it?”
“Nope?”
As I was about to enter battle preparation level 5, Michael flicked his fingers to start a flame.
“There’s no end like this. Begin once that twig is completely covered.”
“That’s so unfair! I don’t want to do this!”
“Don’t do it. I won’t help you either.”
Professor Bronze cast a piercing gaze.
“This is a position hard to come by. Quitting is fine, but are you sure you won’t regret it?”
“Fine. I’ll do it.”
I thought I’d prepared enough by now.
Calmly waiting for the twigs to burn, a fun thought suddenly occurred to me.
If I think of something, I should try it!
Staring hard at the twigs, I focused my eyes with intensity until fsssh black water poured from the air and extinguished the fire.
Zzzt!
“…”
“…”
The duel begins only after the twigs are fully burned.
Since they haven’t burned, can we really say it’s starting?
As I got excited pulling out the next preparation items, even Michael looked deflated.
“Are you like a little kid?”
“Yup, a little kid!”
Realizing he was about to fight so seriously against a kid of this level made him lose steam.
I hoped he would lose all his previous intent, but this man’s madness couldn’t be quelled by mere reality checks.
“I can’t help it. I’ll show no mercy.”
“Really?”
“I’ll let you stay alive but no more than a half-death.”
“…”
“I’ll leave one limb unharmed. This is a huge concession I’m willing to make.”
Seeing my big concession, Michael glaring at me as if he would exact a price to this was filled with madness.
Judging that he would still play mercenary even after turning Professor Buzhaar into an enemy, he seemed to be completely off his rocker.
Whoosh!
“Ah?!”
“Now the play ends here. Resist with all your might, before I get angry and chop your neck off.”
The mad noble Michael lowered his stance and charged.
His previous foolish antics completely vanished as even Professor Bronze and the retired professor from the Senate jumped back in surprise.
Because a sword form of [Specialized Area] flew in faster than Michael himself charging forward.
[Michael - Specialized Area]
[Soul-killing Pre-Yawn]
High-level mana control can manifest all sorts of monstrous forces with mana, but refined swordsmanship can cut through all that chaos and revert them to null.
The arms of three Guard Golems enduring Michael’s Specialized Area – Soul-killing Pre-Yawn, were sliced away in an instant, and the weapons of two Battle Golems broke apart.
[Soul-killing Pre-Yawn]
[Soul-killing Pre-Yawn]
[Soul-killing Pre-Yawn]
That fierce cutting wind did not strike just once but dozens of times in rapid succession.
The terrain was devastated as if it had been pummeled by aerial bombardments, and energy spheres exploded without having the opportunity to absorb the force flying in.
More than half of the meticulously drawn preparations were swept away before they could even operate.
“Now it’s my turn!”
However, I’ve already learned of Michael’s strength from experience.
As the formation lay breached, the summoning magic circle for the inverse properties ignited!
The target to summon: the Spirits of Metal dwelling in the steel realm.
‘Please stop Michael’s sword!’
As the Spirits of Metal sensed the coordinates of the warehouse of metals and immense offerings attached to the summoning magic circle, they unleashed their power in a frenzy.
[Curse that increases the perceived weight of metal by a thousand times]
[Curse that makes metal stick to the ground]
[Curse that alters the properties of metal]
Various curses from the fairies attempted to twist and ruin Michael’s path of the sword, but surprisingly, none had the power to shake Michael.
[Double Area]
When facing the God of Death, one had to be ready to face instant death, so the Double Area does not allow any outside interference to disrupt its rock-solid territory.
[Instant Acceleration]
[Supersonic Speed]
[Concentration]
[Superconcentration]
In a realm where acceleration of thoughts extends to keep pace with Michael’s fierce blade!
I crossed through a split second of low speed, quickly deploying the Doppelganger Technique as Michael’s blade shook.
The disturbance caused new formations of sword intent to flicker at breakneck speed.
With a hammer, one of the Whip Oknodie’s hammer rods pierced straight through the heart.
The trajectory of a metal attack, aided by the Spirits of Metal wielded by the Scepter Oknodie, aimed to decapitate Michael but got twisted under the blade’s might.
Ten or more razor discs bounced off, causing a catastrophic group death of the Swordsman Oknodie’s doppelgangers in a single instant.
‘Foolish doppelgangers. Unlike you forged from a strong technique like the Whip Technique, I’m of a different class!’
The Whip Oknody, who easily spun the whip with confidence, was taken aback by the disaster unfolding behind.
Some of the fragments flying in all directions were coming toward him too.
Hastily swinging the whip to block fragments from the spinning edge, the Whip Oknody’s eyes widened as he saw a sword intent returning from behind!
Boom!
The whip Oknody’s form vanished as fragments with no head exploded into dust.
As the Oknodys of Multicolor Magic Tower clutched their joint magic circles, they seamlessly blocked countless colored shards and the incoming sword intent.
Having matched the force to only step back twice, they felt a sense of accomplishment until Michael’s true blade struck their joint magic circle.
Bang!!!
Like being slammed against the jet engine, all magic, magic formations, and Oknodys were swept away and faced off against the Oknodie holding the sword.
The mark of the cut that dug deeply into the left eye, and across the nose of the Swordman Oknodie, swung his blade with a low stance like a master crossing lines.
[Leoné Vision Swordsmanship]
Bang!!!
Michael’s blade showed no signs of slowing as it sent the cutting edge, the blade, and the Swordsman Oknodie soaring into the sky.
The doppelganger spun through the air and dazzlingly shone alongside the metal shards that had once been swords.
[Soul Erosion Vision Swordsmanship]
[Yuda Style Northern Break Sword]
[Schumacher Triple Sword License]
Swordsmen Oknodies of various differing sizes and shapes with diverse types of uniforms were jettisoned like a storm.
The one who first did not get shoved back from that was the Illusion Oknodie using the Oknodie’s signature [Acceleration Afterimage Sword].
Bang!!!
Running ahead, then rewinding like pulling back the stance to launch striking blows at entirely different timings, embodying the techniques of both swordplay and blunt swords!
In the confusion of precious moments and scattered weights, Michael’s blade did not simply break his opponent but remapped the earth beneath, violently shaking the combat barrier erected by the retired professor.
As the flying sand spread like a volcanic eruption across the sky, a merciless wave of sword intent surged through the blinding dust.
“Huh…”
With nowhere to dodge from the sword wind binding him, as the Illusion Oknodie was cut down in an instant, from the shadow below the feet came the well-practiced stealth of [Ninja Oknodie], [Assassin Maid Oknodie], and [Teddy Bear Oknodie] rushing towards Michael’s feet.
“Eek!”
The Teddy Bear Oknodie stumbled, tripping over a stone, finding itself riddled with holes from the swordwind that had become a signaldog for Michael’s blade.
The Ninja Oknodie and Assassin Maid Oknodie, with sacrifice in mind, approached Michael without turning back.
The Ninja Oknodie, under the shadow, hastily stuck a sticker for the [Dark Mirror] coordinates derived from the hero’s [Holy Mirror] onto the ground and rolled backward.
Bang!!
The Assassin Maid Oknodie, trusting in her stealth to hide in the shadows, instantly disintegrated into fragments leaving only a puddle of red blood.
The shadow they reached was just beneath Michael, who air-jumped beforehand, and now, Michael prevailed with a single strike against the Assassin Maid Oknodie dug in under him.
[Bind]
[Constrain]
[Attention]
[Freeze]
[Arrest]
Status ailments, which would not allow any movement, burst forth from the stickers.
As Michael halted his steps to slash into thin air, the shadowy assassinations left an explosion of sparks behind him.
Shish!
The monstrous force of Michael yielded against the stickers, tearing them apart, while it also sent the Shaman Oknodie, with a dinosaur skull, and the Blacksmith Oknodie, who was enhancing the totem, burst into oblivion cascades.
However, all the sacrifices of these doppelgangers did not end up in vain.
[Named Doppelganger Oknodie]
[Round 801, the one granted the Magic-All-in build]
[Grand Magic Oknodie]
With a hat larger than Senior Alice’s Dark Assessment Talent Hat, the Grand Magic Oknodie descended from high above, even higher than Michael’s leap, crashing down meteors.
[Meteor]
Michael’s sword strikes devastated the earth threefold with a cataclysmic area attack!
[Oh, it’s my victory.]
[No! Grand Magic Oknodie!]
Startled by the urgent sound from the main body, the Grand Magic Oknodie scrambled, lifting its hat to peek around but, in an instant, a sword from Michael flew through and exploded against its head.
The essence of the strike cleaved through the rift of space effectively using [Space Evasion] from Sing’s origin area, and the returned Michael, with a flawless trick, made the joint efforts from the Oknodie even look pale in contrast.
“Having many chances to hit is good enough, yet here we are. Step out. Otherwise… I might just ‘not see you’ and inadvertently kill you.”
With Michael’s chilling warning, the Oknodie seriously contemplated the option of opening a Dimensional Gate to escape.
