Chapter 41: Buffalo Dungeon (5)

The cord wrapped around Murasame unraveled bit by bit, revealing its razor-sharp blade.

SpeedWeapon, his face taut with concentration, held his flute tightly against his lips.

I nodded in his direction and stepped forward, my eyes fixed on Murasame as it was nearly freed from its sheath.

‘It’s the first time in real combat.’

Though the weapon itself was imposing, the real challenge lay in facing the enemy without the Blessing of the Sword God to mitigate the pain.

The only edge I had was that, despite being Grade E, Murasame was leagues ahead of the knives from Daiso and that I had SpeedWeapon’s support.

Even so, I knew the pain would be excruciating, so much so that a faint tremor ran through me at the thought of the agony awaiting me.

I raised my gaze to meet the beast’s—half-man, half-bull. It watched me with a warrior’s dignity, as if it had been awaiting this moment.

That demeanor softened the frown I hadn’t realized I was wearing.

Now that I thought about it, when we were dragged into this hidden dungeon amidst the chaos, that being hardly reacted.

The Minotaur had opened its eyes only when I unsheathed Murasame to attempt cutting through the door. I vividly recalled its ears twitching at the metallic sound of the blade.

It had many opportunities to strike by surprise, yet it instead illuminated the room and waited for me to be ready.

‘…’

Here we were, deep within a hidden dungeon, surrounded by the Minotaur and the two twin demons. I wondered how long these beings had been waiting there.

Its gaze remained fixed on me entirely, while the twins kept their distance, as if refusing to interfere in the duel about to begin.

Despite being beasts, there was something solemn about their stance—it almost felt ceremonial.

For a moment, I couldn’t see them as mere monsters, and a faint smile crept onto my face.

To them, we were just a trial. In the original story, this confrontation served as a crucible for the protagonist, Leon. But now, gripping Murasame tightly, it was I who would face this trial.

I recalled the mental duel I’d had days ago with that swordmaster—the intensity of clashing blades and the sparks that flew.

For a swordsman, those sparks were enough to ignite something deep within.

Just imagining the act of wielding a sword made my chest feel warm, like metal heating to a red-hot glow.

‘I’m going to end up growing fond of these monsters.’

I let out a sarcastic laugh, shaking my head and focusing my gaze on my opponent.

The Minotaur, enemy of humanity, somehow awakened within me a strange desire to face it with all my might.

“Moooooo!”

The Minotaur raised its chin and unleashed a deafening roar, answering my determination.

Hot vapor billowed from its nostrils as the twins brandished their spears. Their movements were slow, but each step left a depression in the ground.

―Shing.

“If you’ve waited this long, I’ll give you a fight worth the wait.”

The tip of Murasame gleamed under the torchlight, scattering sparks of brilliance. I closed my eyes briefly, stabilizing my breathing.

[The Blessing of the Sword God manifests.]

A serene, clear feminine voice echoed in my ears as I opened my eyes slowly.

++++++++++++++++++++++

《May the blessing of the gods be with you.》

++++++++++++++++++++++

Immediately, Speedweapon’s melody pierced my ears like a needle, preparing me for battle.

***

Kang Geom-Ma’s face contorted in pain. A sharp, piercing sensation, as though something was stabbing through his chest, made him taste blood in his throat, but he forced himself to swallow it down.

He wanted to scream from the agony, but all he did was press his lips together and hold his stance.

Even the slightest mistake could mean the difference between life and death.

Kang Geom-Ma opened his eyes wide, forcing himself to focus.

“…Haah.”

A white puff of breath escaped between his clenched teeth.

The Minotaur before him snorted, exhaling forcefully through its flared nostrils.

The hot breath from both man and beast filled the chamber, heavy with a mixture of reason and restrained ferocity. A tense calm seemed to settle over them.

Priririririk!

The sound of Speedweapon’s flute rang out, signaling the beginning of the duel. Despite the support from the Blessing of the Sword God, which dulled the pain, Kang Geom-Ma still felt a tearing sensation deep within, like something shredding him from the inside.

Yet, he raised his head and let out a crooked smile. Ironically, the excruciating pain reminded him that he was alive.

“Muuuuuuuu!”

With a deafening battle cry, the King of Bulls slammed the butt of its axe against the ground and charged toward Kang Geom-Ma.

It was a beast’s instinctive move, and the torches along the walls flickered with every thunderous step.

Whoosh!

Kang Geom-Ma advanced as well, his arms loose and relaxed.

Though his speed wasn’t at its peak, his movements were fluid, almost effortless. Without relying on the Blessing’s numbing effects, his combat instincts sharpened, his perception heightened. He gripped Murasame’s hilt tightly, his smile growing wider.

Krrrack!

Cow King’s axe came crashing down with an earsplitting impact. Kang Geom-Ma twisted his torso slightly, dodging the strike.

A few strands of his dark hair were severed by the gust of wind from the axe and fluttered to the ground.

Using the momentum of his turn, he swung his arm in a wide arc, aiming the blade at the beast’s arm. The arc traced a deadly, elegant curve.

Crack!

Cow King quickly shifted, lifting the haft of its axe to block the blow, then retaliated with a ferocious counterattack.

The roaring axe grazed close as the beast’s eyes tracked the human moving like a fleeting shadow.

A brutal metallic clang echoed through the chamber. Kang Geom-Ma’s sword and the beast’s weapon collided at odd angles, and his silhouette darted and twisted like a dancer. Every time the Minotaur turned its head to locate him, it only caught glimpses of his fleeting figure.

Bang!

The beast’s arms trembled under the force of Geom-Ma’s blade.

It seemed impossible that someone so small compared to the Minotaur’s massive frame could exert such power. The veins bulging on the beast’s arms throbbed as though they might burst.

“Muu!”

The Cow King snorted sharply and shoved Kang Geom-Ma back with a swing of its axe.

The sword flew from the clash, spinning through the air as Kang Geom-Ma performed an acrobatic retreat that appeared almost like a dance to the beast’s bewildered eyes.

Cow King extended its axe, exploiting its superior reach.

A glint of intelligence shone in its eyes, blending a predator’s bloodlust with calculated skill.

Its axe slammed the ground with tremendous force, sending up clouds of dust and making the earth quake with each strike.

Boom!

The Minotaur scanned the dust with quick, alert eyes.

“Muuu?”

And then it saw him—Kang Geom-Ma stood atop the haft of its axe, like a coiled serpent, watching calmly.

The beast’s round eyes widened, as large as saucers.

“God…”

Saki Ryozo, who had been watching the fight in fragments, murmured in awe.

But her reverie was cut short as one of the twin generals hurled its weapon toward her in a sweeping arc.

With fluid grace, Saki evaded the attack, drew her bowstring taut, and loosed an arrow into the creature’s blind spot.

Fwoosh, fiuu!

Her shots, calculated with precision, struck the creature’s weak points, taking into account wind flow, air resistance, and light refraction.

Despite its formidable nature, the enemy could not withstand Saki’s unparalleled archery and her high-tier Grade S bow, Jeokgong Baeksi. Soon, the creature was bristling with arrows, its body a veritable pincushion.

“Huff, that one’s done.”

Taking a moment to wipe the sweat from her brow, Saki turned her attention back to Kang Geom-Ma. Her pupils dilated in surprise.

Kang Geom-Ma was moving slower than she had expected. Instead of relying on sheer speed, he was engaging the Minotaur with steady, deliberate strength.

Her sharp eyes discerned the surgical precision in his movements. Every strike was a calculated effort to disrupt the beast’s balance, forcing it to stagger and falter.

“…The Sword Master, Siegfried.”

Saki Ryozo whispered the name under her breath, recalling rumors that Kang Geom-Ma had recently trained under the legendary Sword Master.

As clarity dawned in her thoughts, her expression shifted to one of understanding.

“Could it be…?”

Kang Geom-Ma took a step forward, gripping Murasame’s hilt tightly.

Cow King’s eyes gleamed with an unusual respect, as if acknowledging him as an equal.

Then, the bull opened its mouth, baring its rows of herbivorous teeth.

The reflection of Kang Geom-Ma in its eyes was an image of raw fury—a phantom wielding a sword.

For a moment, the beast froze, its primal instincts overwhelmed by fear.

Desperate, the Cow King swung its massive fist. Though its claws weren’t sharp, the sheer force behind the strike would pulverize anything in its path.

-Swish.

Kang Geom-Ma raised Murasame to meet the blow and held his ground. The blade effortlessly sliced through the Minotaur’s flesh, carving a deep wound down to its shoulder.

As the sword withdrew, the Minotaur’s arm split open like a flower in bloom.

“Muuuoooo!”

With a harrowing scream, the beast opened its maw in a cry of sheer terror, the primal emotion permeating its entire being.

Kang Geom-Ma quickly surveyed the battlefield to check on his companions.

Speedweapon continued to play his supporting rhythm but was drenched in sweat.

His complexion had turned pale, and his lips were tinged with blue from exertion.

Nearby, Chloe withdrew her katana from the neck of one of the generals. Blood gushed out in a crimson fountain, pooling beneath her.

“…Kang Geom-Ma.”

Chloe gazed at him, her eyes heavy with concern. A solitary tear slipped down her cheek as she witnessed the toll the battle was taking on him.

Saki Ryozo, observing the scene, felt something stir within her.

Kang Geom-Ma turned and flashed a faint smile at his companions, sending an unexpected flutter through Saki’s chest.

The Minotaur raised its axe once more, fury blazing in its eyes. It seemed to be mustering all its strength for one final, desperate strike.

“Muuuuuuu!”

As the beast roared and prepared to charge, the atmosphere grew heavier. A venomous energy surged, crackling through the chamber.

“Kang Geom-Ma, finish it!”

The words escaped Saki’s lips unbidden, her usual aloofness replaced by an impassioned urgency.

Kang Geom-Ma closed his eyes briefly, then opened them slowly. The flames illuminating the chamber dimmed as he exhaled a warm breath.

“Ha.”

The shift in atmosphere was palpable, nearly causing SpeedWeapon to falter in his rhythm.

Kang Geom-Ma, no longer hunched or cautious, stood tall and resolute, gripping Murasame with unwavering confidence.

A cold wind extinguished the torches along the walls, shrouding the chamber in darkness.

“It’s different from before.”

Unlike his usual preparatory stance, which suppressed the upper body, the sword’s hilt was now firmly curved, held with his back straight.

The fire on the walls, which had burned vigorously, was soon extinguished by the cold wind sweeping through the chamber.

Despite the darkness, Kang Geom-Ma remained calm, steadying his breathing.

Then, a brilliant blue flame rose, illuminating the bewildered eyes.

Whoosh!

A surreal energy radiated across the shadowy expanse.

Next, a surreal energy overflowed against the backdrop of a darkened field of vision.