The Swordmaster Wants To Live Peacefully [EN]: Chapter 145

Swordmaster Wants to Live Peacefully – Episode 145

Swordmaster Wants to Live Peacefully 145

Thetiss (5)

As they climbed the rocky mountain, strange structures came into view.

While there weren’t many signs of civilization at the base, as they ascended, evidence of human habitation became increasingly apparent.

Caves dotted the mountainside, each containing various remnants of the past.

Walls were covered in inscriptions of unknown characters, alongside traces of rituals seemingly dedicated to the worship of something.

“It’s eerie…”

Everyone agreed with Jeanne’s assessment.

Inside a dark, unlit cave, skeletons lay scattered about.

They appeared so ancient that they seemed ready to crumble into dust at the slightest touch.

When Jeanne illuminated the interior with magic, the cave was filled with even more unsettling signs.

The analysis fell to Hetris.

She meticulously examined the interior and began to piece together the story.

“It’s the same as the others. It seems they died while praying to something.”

The skeletons were all oriented towards one corner.

Deep within the cave, a shape resembling a bird was etched onto the wall.

Before it stood a small altar, and the skeletons they had found so far appeared to have died while praying in its direction.

“The consistency in their manner of death suggests a ruler who held sway here for a long time. If their obsession was so profound that they died in prayer, wouldn’t we expect to see visible signs of the ruler’s miracles?”

“Hmm.”

Yuseongwu considered her words.

Where did the faith of the dead go? Yuseongwu was beginning to grasp its nature.

A presence grew stronger with their ascent.

Perhaps they wouldn’t encounter it even upon reaching the summit…

But the being that ruled this rocky mountain was undeniably real.

“I wonder what awaits us on the other side.”

Yuseongwu stepped out of the cave and gazed upwards once more.

The summit remained far off, still obscured by clouds, making it impossible to see the end.

Moreover, the air grew thinner with each step, making it difficult even for divers [people with enhanced physical abilities] to function effectively.

Yuseongwu was unaffected, but considering the others’ condition, a swift assault seemed out of the question.

“Those bastards, slacking off…”

Yuseongwu muttered under his breath, observing the divers taking a break.

It was naive of him to think they could conquer this in just a few hours.

Typically, capturing 2nd or 1st class dungeons took over a week.

In the long run, they might be stuck inside the Abyss for more than a month.

“Do you think everyone is like you, Oppa [term of endearment used by a younger sister to an older brother]?! You’re pushing too hard, way too hard.”

The others secretly felt grateful for Yoo Jiwoo’s presence.

Without her, they wouldn’t dare voice their concerns to Yuseongwu and would have to suffer in silence.

She was saying everything they wanted to say for them.

No matter how much they complained, she wouldn’t kill them or kick them out.

That’s what a younger sister is for.

Without Yoo Jiwoo, they might have already died of frustration. She was like a refreshing sip of cider after eating a mouthful of sweet potato [a metaphor for relief after enduring something frustrating].

“The route we took is more challenging than the others, but it’s faster. The guilds that chose different paths are probably still wandering around near the entrance.”

Yuewol responded to Yoo Jiwoo’s complaint.

The underlying message was: they were moving too fast, and they needed to slow down.

It hadn’t even been a full day yet.

However, they had already faced four attacks from strange birds, and the constant battles were taking a toll on their minds and bodies.

“Easy for you to say. I’ve fought for over three days straight without a ten-minute break. You need that kind of stamina.”

“…That’s not a person, that’s a monster. A monster.”

Choi Ayeon, who had been silently following orders until now, finally voiced her complaint.

And when they saw Yuseongwu clench his fist, everyone fell silent.

“Finally, the sun is setting.”

Yuseongwu, who had been watching the sky, announced.

More than half a day had passed since they began climbing the rocky mountain, and the sky was finally turning red.

Except for himself, the climb seemed too difficult for the others, so they would have to camp here for the night.

“Let’s rest here tonight. We’ll resume in the morning.”

At his words, the others quickly began preparing for camp.

The skeletons in the cave were pushed aside, and camping equipment was retrieved from their subspace bags [magical storage spaces].

While the others busied themselves with preparations, Yuseongwu stood guard outside the cave.

Someone was still watching them.

Since he was the only one capable of detecting and blocking attacks from beyond their sensory range, he remained vigilant.

Then, he felt a sudden presence above and looked up.

Focusing his aura in his eyes, he saw something falling.

The moment he recognized it, Yuseongwu drew his sword and swung it with all his might.

Kaaaaang-!!

A deafening metallic clang echoed as the giant spear Yuseongwu deflected tumbled down the cliff.

His vigilance had paid off.

As soon as the sun set and night fell, a sniper attack had come from an unknown location.

The massive spear hurtling towards them was identical to the one before.

He gritted his teeth as he deflected the spear once more.

‘Where did it come from?’

Even with his heightened senses, he couldn’t pinpoint the origin of the attack.

That meant the attacker was launching these brutal javelins from beyond his detection range.

The large spear, even at a glance, was twice Yuseongwu’s size and too thick to hold in one hand.

‘They’re not aiming with their eyes.’

Securing a clear line of sight was nearly impossible in this terrain, so Yuseongwu was certain that wasn’t the case. He ordered the two mages to cast spells to conceal their presence.

After confirming that they had cast the spells, Yuseongwu took a deep breath and suppressed his own presence.

The flying javelin stopped. Yuseongwu licked his lips, feeling the lingering sensation in his hand.

“Tsk, this is going to be a headache.”

Since the javelin attacks began as soon as night fell, they would likely continue every night.

Unless he eliminated the spear thrower.

He clicked his tongue and returned to the cave to explain the situation.

An unknown assailant was launching massive spears from an undetectable location.

“…So you want us to create a barrier to hide our presence.”

“Yeah. It’s best not to venture outside the barrier at night. Unless you want to be impaled by a spear that appears out of nowhere.”

The others shuddered at the thought.

If Yuseongwu hadn’t been there, they would have been camping defenselessly, and one or two of them would have surely been killed by a spear.

“They’re probably sensing our presence. Since they’re throwing javelins from beyond visual range, they must be detecting magic power or life force and targeting us.”

Life force, which all humans possess, or magic power.

Divers have strong life force and magic power, so the attacker was likely using some method to detect it and launch the javelins.

“But is that even possible? To accurately throw a javelin from that far away and hit the target…”

“That part concerns me too, but there’s no need to overthink it. There’s probably some kind of magic enhancing the spear’s trajectory.”

When he struck the spear with his sword, he felt a surge of potent magic.

The massive spear itself was clearly a powerful artifact, which was why Yuseongwu could only deflect it.

“…It seems the only solution is to keep climbing.”

Regardless, they had to continue their ascent.

The only path forward was upwards.

* * *

While the others slept inside, Yuseongwu sat alone at the cave entrance, his sword resting in his arms.

It was a habit, and he wanted to ensure they could sleep soundly.

If the fighting continued, sleep would become a precious commodity.

He intended to guard the cave entrance until dawn, so he spoke with his eyes closed.

“Go to sleep.”

Despite his words, Yoo Jiwoo trudged over and sat down beside him.

She hugged her knees and muttered.

“Now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever talked to you alone like this before.”

“What nonsense are you spouting? I told you to go to sleep.”

“No, just…”

Yoo Jiwoo hesitated, then smacked her lips a few times and said.

“Oppa, I feel like I’m always complaining, so I wanted to apologize for that.”

“It’s been a daily occurrence since we were kids, so I haven’t given it much thought…”

“I think I’ve been complaining even more since you came back. No, maybe I just wanted to be spoiled.”

Yoo Jiwoo lost her parents at a young age, and then she lost Yuseongwu, her only family, when she was in high school.

With no adults around to guide her, she matured alone in isolation.

Perhaps the emotions she had suppressed since childhood were released after Yuseongwu’s return, leading her to complain for no apparent reason.

Yoo Jiwoo realized this and chose this quiet moment to express her feelings.

“…”

“Oppa, I’m truly, deeply grateful that you came back. I mean it. I’m genuinely happy just knowing you’re back…”

“I was overjoyed to see you again too. It’s something I’ve longed for all along.”

Yuseongwu reciprocated Yoo Jiwoo’s sincerity.

He felt it was time to shed the old, pent-up emotions that had lingered for so long.

“To be honest, I couldn’t believe it at first. You came back after 10 years? My brother is a returner [someone who has traveled to another world and returned]? It seemed absurd.”

It was difficult to accept.

She wondered if a stranger was impersonating her brother, seeking her out because of her success.

Pretending to have amnesia as a returner, simply wanting to live a life of luxury.

She had considered it dozens of times while driving to the center.

She couldn’t believe that her brother, whom she believed to be dead, had suddenly reappeared.

However, the Yuseongwu she met at the center hadn’t lost his memory and possessed a level of power far exceeding other returners.

And then he told her.

He had endured decades to reach her.

The moment she heard those words, Yoo Jiwoo nearly burst into tears.

If he had spent decades in that other world, he would have undoubtedly grown attached to it.

Yet, he chose to leave it all behind and return for her sake.

“I thought I had forgotten you, but the fact that you hadn’t forgotten me was so… so, I’m sorry.”