SMSK 28

Chapter 28. Subjugating the Earth Dragon (5)

Pause—

I stared blankly at the system windows that suddenly popped up in front of me.

Even I, who had played the game nearly 200 times, had never seen these kinds of messages before.

‘What the hell is going on…?’

A hidden message? A twist in causality?

After playing Roel for 12 years, I had never once seen messages like these appearing one after another.

…But what truly caught me off guard wasn’t the system.

【Lv. 100】

Swordmaster of the Mad Dragon.

A lunatic who roams the continent challenging strong opponents to duels.

A monster who acknowledges those he likes, and gives death to those he doesn’t.

‘…Why the hell is he here?’

His appearance at this point in time made no sense.

The Mad Dragon’s Swordmaster is a named character who only appears midway through the game.

Even then, you had to reach a certain level of fame to even encounter him.

‘But now…’

He’s just suddenly appearing this early?

And not just anywhere, but deep inside the Labyrinth Village?

‘…Something’s wrong.’

Everything about this is abnormal.

The game’s order, progression—everything had become twisted.

As if causality itself had been reversed.

‘Ah.’

At that moment, my gaze returned to the system messages.

Ding—!

[Causality is being distorted.]

‘Wait, could that message have meant this?’

The butterfly effect.

Just as a flutter of wings can create a massive storm.

It seems my actions have completely overturned the original plotline.

“This bastard, why won’t he answer? Are you mute or something?”

That was when—

The Swordmaster of the Mad Dragon growled with irritation.

…Damn it. I stayed silent too long.

“I’ll ask you again. Are you the newly chosen seeker?”

“That is…”

Tsk.

Just as I was about to answer, he clicked his tongue with visible displeasure and looked me over with vertically slit pupils.

Then he let out a mocking laugh.

“Shit, guess you’re not the one.”

BOOOOM!

Suddenly, a deafening explosion rang out and everything went dark.

A sudden gust of wind and clouds of dust obscured my vision.

‘Urgh!’

Zzzt—!

A stinging sensation wrapped around my palms.

…Only then did I realize my stance had changed.

Arms stretched forward, legs braced behind to support the weight.

It was the Ultimate Auto-Parry skill activating on its own.

[Skill Effect]

Automatically blocks fatal attacks, regardless of perception stats.

Ssssshh—

As the dust settled, I could finally make out the situation.

…My Featherblade was blocking the Mad Dragon’s fist.

And his trembling fist was pressed against the flat of my sword.

‘Holy crap.’

Yes.

I had just blocked the Mad Dragon’s punch.

The same one that even Adelia, at level 80, couldn’t react to.

“…?”

The Swordmaster’s eyes suddenly gleamed with curiosity.

“Hah, would you look at that?”

Smirk—

The smile that crept across his face grew ever more twisted.

Just moments ago, his eyes were filled with boredom—now they were drenched in madness.

I put on a calm face, but inwardly I was losing it.

‘He’s nuts.’

He seriously tried to kill me.

He could have kept talking, but he went straight for the punch.

Exactly like in the game.

There really was a reason they called him Roel’s most battle-crazed character.

“I don’t get it. I didn’t sense any energy from you… how did you block my attack?”

Whether or not he believed it, the Swordmaster murmured to himself.

Then he growled again, eyes burning with aggression.

“Answer me if you don’t want to die. How did you do that just now?”

Think. THINK.

I widened my eyes and ran my mind at full speed.

I had blocked the first strike using Ultimate Auto-Parry, but that was all.

The skill had a 24-hour cooldown. If he attacked again, I’d be helpless.

[MP: 1/1]

I glanced at my MP.

That last point of mana I’d saved for a desperate moment.

Just 0.01 seconds of reaction time—but it was the only weapon I had against this level 100 monster.

‘…But I can’t recklessly use Soul of the Swordmaster.’

The Mad Dragon’s Swordmaster…

He later becomes a crucial ally to the player.

If I killed him now, it could cause major problems down the line.

‘The Twelve Swordmasters all side with humanity.’

They’re seekers who follow the will of the ancient god, Elder.

They might seem insane, but on a grand scale, they act for the greater good of the world.

If I killed him here, it would throw my entire plan into chaos.

‘But…’

My life was on the line, and I didn’t have the luxury to worry about the future.

‘…Survival comes first.’

If I died here, none of it would matter.

After thinking it through, I coldly shot back at him.

“No wonder—you’re a lizard’s descendant with no manners.”

“…What?”

“How long are you going to keep acting like such a brute, Mad Dragon?”

Pause—

The Swordmaster’s expression changed in an instant.

His vertically slit pupils narrowed dangerously like a beast before a hunt.

“…Lizard, you say?”

Hiss—

A hot breath escaped his mouth.

The interest in his eyes turned instantly into murderous rage.

No surprise there. “Lizard” was the most insulting term you could say to a dragonkin.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen someone crazy enough to say that word in front of a dragonkin… you got a death wish or something?”

RUMBLE—!

The entire temple shook.

His murderous aura closed in on me like a tightening vise.

“Dragonkin, huh.”

But I didn’t back down. Instead, I got bolder.

“Funny how they count even half-breeds as dragonkin these days.”

The Mad Dragon let out a stunned laugh.

“You’ve lost your mind. A worthless insect like you dares…”

“I warned you.”

Step—

I took a step forward and whispered softly.

Compared to his thunderous roar, it was barely a murmur—but it echoed across the entire depths of the temple.

“One act of rudeness is enough.”

I tightened my grip.

The tip of my Featherblade pointed straight at his throat.

Vmmm, Vmmm—!

The blade vibrated with its master’s intent.

The fierce hum of my sword felt like it might kill him at any moment.

“You asked how I blocked your attack, didn’t you?”

I took a stance.

Shifting my weight, looking ready to strike.

I mimicked the attack posture I saw from Adelia last time.

…Though really, this was all bravado.

A level 1 putting on a show in front of a level 100.

I was like an ant bluffing in front of an elephant.

‘But…’

I knew.

I knew the Swordmaster wouldn’t attack.

He was wary of me. From the moment my skill blocked his punch, right up until now.

His trembling fist after the strike proved it.

That’s why I could push even harder.

“If you’re so curious… try being rude again.”

There was genuine conviction in my voice.

Maybe this wasn’t just bravado.

As I said, the Mad Dragon’s Swordmaster becomes a great help to the player.

His presence alone could be the difference between life and death.

“But.”

That’s all in the future.

If he truly threatened my life now…

“Then the price of that curiosity… will be your death.”

…I would not hesitate to use Soul of the Swordmaster and finish him off.

‘What… is this?’

The Mad Dragon couldn’t make sense of the situation.

Wandering the continent, fighting the strong—

That was his identity and purpose in life.

…So when he received the “Revelation,” he dropped everything and rushed to the Labyrinth Village.

—A new seeker steps into this world… and heads toward the depths of the Labyrinth Village.

A new seeker.

That meant someone had newly ascended to the rank of Swordmaster.

He wanted to test them immediately.

That’s why he came here in a single stride.

But now, standing in front of this man, everything was unclear.

‘He feels completely ordinary.’

A weakling. A mere human.

Someone he could kill at any moment.

And yet—

That man had blocked his attack perfectly.

Not only that, he now threatened to kill him with conviction in his voice.

Look at him.

Still speaking with confidence, saying—

Go ahead, attack.

But the cost will be your life.

“Khaha! Interesting!”

No doubt about it.

This man wasn’t just all talk.

Like the tip of an iceberg, he was hiding something beneath the surface.

The only way to know… was to fight him.

“My life? I’ll give it a hundred times over!”

“…”

“As long as you make this fight interesting!”

RUMBLE—!

His blood boiled.

His fighting spirit surged at the thought of such an unfamiliar opponent.

He was about to charge in recklessly—

But that was when the man said something unexpected.

“If it’s excitement you want, then… too bad.”

Freeze—

The Mad Dragon stopped in his tracks.

He frowned slightly and asked,

“…What does that mean?”

His excitement fizzled.

He was ready to strike at the first sign of a weak excuse.

But the man’s response was surprisingly rational.

“I welcome a duel. But…”

Swoosh—

He trailed off, pointing somewhere.

At the Mad Dragon’s empty fists.

He had rushed here the moment he received the Revelation, without even grabbing his weapon.

“You’re unarmed. And I’m currently not in peak condition.”

“…”

“With neither of us at our best, can it really be an exciting duel?”

The Mad Dragon’s expression subtly changed.

He picked up on a hint from what the man said earlier.

‘Not in peak condition?’

A possibility flashed through his mind.

Suddenly, everything clicked into place.

‘…Is that why I couldn’t sense anything from him?’

Dozens of theories ran through his mind.

Maybe the man was under a temporary seal.

Or recovering from another intense battle.

The man continued.

“If we’re going to stake our lives on this, it should be when we’re both at full strength.”

“Hmmm.”

The Mad Dragon fell into thought.

This opponent had casually blocked his strike, and now admitted he wasn’t even at his best.

So what would he be like at full power?

‘He has a point.’

His excitement cooled a bit.

It wasn’t disappointment, but a return to rationality.

For a true duel, both parties should give it their all.

That was the principle every seeker of the sword should follow.

This man understood that.

He was a true swordsman.

“Alright.”

Nod—

The Mad Dragon finally nodded in agreement.

Then, looking at the man, he made a promise.

“We’ll postpone the duel, as you said. I left my sword behind anyway.”

“…”

“So then… when will your body be recovered?”

As the Mad Dragon took a step back, I let out a deep sigh of relief in my heart.

‘Haa… what a simple guy.’

…At least, for now, the crisis had passed.