novelEAAM Chapter 701
Chapter 701
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Chapter 701: Basement Floor (6)
“…What? One hundred twelve?”
One Hundred Twelve Sword Mountain.
For Yeongwoo, it was a line that couldn’t help but make his heart race.
Aside from the Chairman, this was the first time since coming out into the universe that he had encountered someone above One Hundred Sword Mountain.
“As expected of the Twelve Swords Society…!”
When the excited Yeongwoo shouted this, Sevio Fonta misunderstood him and viciously grinned as he straightened his stance.
-Now do you understand? Just who you are facing!
In response, Yeongwoo blocked the blades pouring down over his head with Aratubank and charged straight ahead.
“Hand over your weapons!”
At this point, Sevio practically looked to Yeongwoo like nothing more than 112 weapons, and soon Sevio shoved his sword back to his waist and took a sword-drawing stance.
Clack!
-Eight Sword Style True Meaning, Shattering Strike!
It was also at that moment that crimson light burst forth from beneath the cloth covering Sevio’s eyes.
“This bastard.”
The opponent had finally unleashed his prestige.
In response, Yeongwoo dyed his pupils gold and shouted back.
“I am one who once competed against planets themselves! Did you really think your prestige could contend with this body!”
Since he already knew Sevio’s strike had begun, Yeongwoo quickly raised Bastard and defended.
Immediately afterward, Sevio’s blade slammed against Bastard’s surface and unleashed a violent shockwave.
Tuuuuuuuung!
The prestiges of both sides had collided.
-…Kuhk!
As the prestiges scraped against one another, Sevio groaned first and staggered backward.
Which made sense, considering Yeongwoo’s prestige level had reached a staggering 58.
After his battle against Planetary Fleet Lord Pemong, followed by his encounter with the Transcendent, his prestige had advanced tremendously, so Yeongwoo’s current weight class far exceeded his actual fame.
“What, is my prestige spicier than you expected?”
-Just what in the world is this? You are….
Sevio, who had been about to say, Aren’t you the head of the Nameless Clan, shut his mouth.
Come to think of it, before being the head of the Nameless Clan, the opponent was first a Planetary Fleet Lord.
“You should consider it an honor to have crossed swords with me. You probably even gained a bit from the prestige clash too, didn’t you?”
-…….
Sevio could not immediately refute Yeongwoo’s words.
At that, Yeongwoo’s eyes widened fiercely.
“Then pay the prestige fee before you leave! Hand over your catalogs……!”
As Yeongwoo charged with blazing eyes, Sevio unconsciously made a frightened expression and summoned back the longsword he had been controlling with sword force.
-D-death!
However, there was no way he could launch a proper attack while unable to maintain his composure, and the longsword flying in from the rear flank was effortlessly deflected by Yeongwoo’s Bastard.
Paaaeaeang!
“If you have no other tricks, then I suppose it’s my turn now.”
With those words, Yeongwoo cut off Sevio’s escape route.
“Come forth, One Hundred Eighty Sword Mountain……!”
-One hundred eighty……?
The moment Sevio’s mouth fell open, space split apart and blades of every rank poured out, and in the instant Sevio maneuvered sideways to evade—
Pbaaaaaak!
Yeongwoo’s middle kick smashed into Sevio’s back.
-Kheuk! What the hell is with this bastard!
In this duel, Sevio had effectively been struck more by the opponent’s forehead and kicks than by the sword itself.
Eventually, Sevio became so flustered that he resorted to running on all fours, prompting Yeongwoo to reactivate Lightning Step and stick close behind him.
Kwa-jit!
“So are the rest of the Twelve Swords Society around this level too? If that’s the case, reaching One Thousand Sword Mountain will be easy as pie.”
-WHAT?
Perhaps Yeongwoo’s provocation had worked quite well, because Sevio, who had been fleeing like a beast, suddenly swung his sword backward.
Hwaeaeaeak!
However, Yeongwoo, who had anticipated this long ago, blocked it immediately with his guard, and then three lightning-fast exchanges followed in succession.
Kwikigik!
In practice, Sevio was at a much greater disadvantage since he could not guard against Bastard, but because Sevio’s swordsmanship itself was exceptional, the exchanges could still take shape.
Of course, every time Yeongwoo used an unconventional attack, Sevio’s balance crumbled!
Pbaaaaaak!
As Yeongwoo swung his sword while simultaneously firing off a low kick, Sevio’s thigh shook violently without fail.
“You’re weaker against martial arts than I expected.”
Then, as Yeongwoo feinted a headbutt and threw a left hook, Sevio’s head snapped hard to the side.
-You brainless bastard, it’s not that I’m weak against martial arts, it’s simply that you’re strong!
“So you’ve finally opened your eyes to the truth.”
Judging that meaningful conversation had finally become possible, Yeongwoo slowly lowered the fist he had been threateningly raising.
At that, Sevio, who had instinctively been about to dash away again, glanced behind him before stopping in place.
-What exactly are you trying to do?
“What do you mean? I already told you earlier. Hand over all the weapons you’ve gathered so far.”
-…My weapons?
“That’s right. All 112 of them. In return, I’ll spare your life. It’s honestly extremely rare for me to show mercy twice.”
In truth, this decision was also meant to strip Sevio’s catalog clean to the very bottom.
To strengthen a weapon catalog, three weapon catalogs had to gather in one place.
So if he spared Sevio and allowed him to come back someday with his comrades seeking revenge, wouldn’t that naturally gather three catalogs together in one location?
-And if I refuse?
“Then you die here. You know it now too, don’t you? If I go all out, I really can kill you.”
-But your objective is ultimately to gather weapons to put into your catalog, isn’t it? If you kill me, you won’t be able to achieve that goal.
When Sevio brazenly said this, Yeongwoo lightly pricked the opponent’s neck with Bastard.
Pit.
-……!
“There are eleven others in the Twelve Swords Society besides you anyway, aren’t there? I can just kill you and steal swords from them. You’re not that important.”
As Yeongwoo spoke and tried pushing the tip of Bastard in a little deeper, Sevio finally raised the white flag.
-F-fine. Better to hand over the swords than die.
“Never forget what happened today, and make sure to come back for revenge.”
-……?
“Now then, open your catalog.”
As Yeongwoo withdrew the blade from Sevio’s neck, blood dripped from the tip.
-You truly don’t consider future consequences at all, do you?
“If you worry about every little thing like that, you can’t survive as a Planetary Fleet Lord.”
Around the time Yeongwoo said this, a cluster of light began flickering above Sevio Fonta’s head.
The bastard had really opened his weapon catalog.
Then, when Yeongwoo touched the cluster of light, system messages appeared before both Yeongwoo and Sevio.
Paaat!
「Adjacent catalog detected.」
And just like last time, three types of special options appeared.
Catalog Trade, Transfer, and Enhancement.
“The only way to grow strong quickly in this universe seems to be continuously meeting strong bastards.”
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
As Yeongwoo muttered while examining the options, Sevio wrinkled his nose.
-With that level of skill, if you keep acting reckless, you’ll lose your life someday.
“Why? Are you the weakest among the Twelve Swords Society?”
-The universe is vast. Within the Twelve Swords Society are masters whose toes I cannot even dream of reaching.
“Don’t worry. I wasn’t even trying my hardest against you either, and I know better than anyone how vast the universe is.”
Soon, Yeongwoo selected ‘Catalog Transfer,’ and a prompt asking for approval appeared before Sevio.
“Don’t start having second thoughts now and approve it already.”
Since the tip of Bastard once again threatened to stab near his neck, Sevio shook his head as though he had no choice.
-You’re completely insane.
It was at that moment that a new notification appeared in Yeongwoo’s vision.
「Catalog Transfer has been approved.」
Then the collection status of the weapon catalog immediately began swelling.
「The collection rate of your weapon catalog increases by 112.」
“Kraaaaaah!”
Excited by the absurd number, Yeongwoo clenched his fist tightly and let out a roar, causing Sevio to flatten his ears and step backward.
-Y-you… what exactly is wrong with you?
“This is the villain life I’ve always dreamed of. A villain who swindles other villains!”
-…….
Meanwhile, Yeongwoo’s weapon catalog status, which had increased at super speed, had reached a staggering 292, and accordingly, the damage increase effect had also reached 292%.
[Collection Effect : 10]
|Damage increases by 1% per registered weapon
The tingling sensation at his fingertips was certainly no illusion.
Having gained more than a 100% damage increase all at once, even his body itself was reacting.
‘Then just how strong would someone with a thousand, ten thousand… no, a hundred thousand weapons be?’
Perhaps simply going around declaring oneself the master of One Hundred Thousand Sword Mountain would be enough to prevent countless challenges.
Anyone with even a decent level would know the effects of a weapon catalog.
‘By the way, the collection rate exceeded 200, but there’s no new effect. Don’t tell me sword force was the final effect.’
[Weapon Catalog]
〔292〕
Current weapon collection status: 292.
Even after the catalog transfer had completely finished, no additional messages appeared, so Yeongwoo turned his gaze back toward Sevio.
“Hey.”
-What.
“If you fill the catalog up to 300, do you gain a new ability?”
-How would I know that?
“No, I mean, you’re still a member of the Twelve Swords Society, aren’t you? Is it really okay for a guy who supposedly makes a living with swords not to know that?”
Unable to obtain an answer in the end, Yeongwoo scratched his chin.
In truth, he could simply ask the Chairman and learn easily, but he couldn’t very well summon the Chairman just to ask about catalog effects.
‘Not that he’s the kind of person you can summon just because you want to. Come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since I last saw the Chairman in person.’
After briefly looking toward the direction of space where the Chairman was probably located, Yeongwoo withdrew Bastard, which had been pointed at his opponent.
“Anyway, as promised, you’re free. Since you don’t even have a single sword left now, you can’t interfere anymore anyway.”
When Yeongwoo actually opened the path for him, Sevio asked as though he couldn’t understand.
-Why exactly did you come here?
“There are some things I need to buy, and some problems I need to resolve too.”
-Problems you need to resolve?
Sevio slightly tilted his head and looked toward another presence in the distance.
Although he couldn’t sense that Salzeo was crouching over there, he did realize there was one more person in this place.
-Is that problem important enough to stir up the Basement Floor itself?
“So far, the Basement Floor doesn’t seem all that special to me. For the Basement Floor to really be that scary, you’d have to be not just the weakest in the Twelve Swords Society, but the weakest in the Basement Floor too.”
After all, this was Yeongwoo, who had already visited Pahalufe.
Compared to that place overflowing with Grade-3 villains, the Basement Floor was laughable.
“You not leaving? If you’ve gotten attached to me already, then at least guide me around.”
When Yeongwoo pointed toward the pitch-black forest visible far away, Sevio twitched his beard and stepped backward.
Cheok.
-The Pit is still watching you!
As he showed signs of leaping beyond the void, Yeongwoo suddenly remembered something and grabbed Sevio’s hind leg.
Kwaak!
“Oh, wait a second!”
-W-what now?
Sevio struggled while failing to hide his panic, and Yeongwoo once again pointed Bastard before the man’s face.
“Come to think of it, if I keep you around, doesn’t that itself count as securing one catalog?”
-…What?
“Someday I’ll either meet the Twelve Swords Society again, or you guys will come looking for me, right? Then three catalogs will naturally gather in one place.”
In other words, he intended not to let Sevio go and instead keep him as a hostage.
-But that’s different from the promise you made earlier.
“Ahh, that promise has been improved. If you really want to go home, call your other comrades over. Once the catalog enhancement is finished, I’ll let you go.”
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]