Chapter 59
You’ve Got Some Skill (1)
1.
Kurogane Tatsuya stood still, his sharp eyes fixed on his opponent.
He had known from the beginning that his turn would come.
Japan’s perfect victory?
A golden generation’s proof?
That’s what the media had been loudly proclaiming ahead of this exhibition match, but not once—not even for a moment—had he imagined victory.
“There was never any chance of winning to begin with.”
Because of the man standing right before him.
Meteor Yu.
How could anyone not know that name?
There was no one in the world that fit the word supernova better than him.
Ever since Kurogane first stumbled upon one of Yu’s videos, he had watched every one he could find.
The way he cleared dungeons with absurd, impossible methods, the way he liberated that infamous Theater of Dimensions, even the overwhelming presence he displayed on the third floor…
He had rewatched them again and again.
Fabrication?
There wasn’t a trace of it.
Everything was pure strength—Meteor Yu’s raw, unadulterated power—and Tatsuya had never doubted that.
“…Huuu.”
The man before him was undoubtedly a monster.
Thanks to his master, Tatsuya had met several 7th-floor players—vanguards of the world’s strongest.
They were all formidable, their every movement honed to a razor’s edge.
So why…
Why did this man terrify him more than all of them combined?
[Unique Trait <Mirror-Calm Mind> has activated.]
He forced the fear down and steadied himself once more.
Mirror-Calm Mind—a trait that allows a swordsman to remain perfectly composed in any circumstance.
Drawing his katana, Kurogane Tatsuya gripped the hilt with both hands and aimed the tip straight at Meteor Yu.
“…Master.”
A swordsman proves himself through his sword—that was what his master had always said.
As Tatsuya looked at Yu, every worldly distraction melted away.
The shouts of the Japanese crowd, the constant pressure from his guild—none of it existed anymore.
Only silence.
Only this duel.
Then Yu spoke, waving his hand casually.
“Go ahead. You can take the first move.”
Though the words were in Korean, Tatsuya understood enough.
He was being offered the initiative.
In a fight, taking the first move was like having the first hand in Go—it gave you control of the flow, the chance to shape the outcome.
Except here, losing meant death.
That kind of courtesy… only someone of absolute confidence would show.
Still, it didn’t feel insulting.
Yu hadn’t even gone all out yet.
He had toyed with his opponents so far, casually claiming four straight victories.
If he’d wanted, he could have ended this one too with a single strike.
“Thank you.”
“No problem.”
Tatsuya bowed politely and began channeling mana into his blade.
A cool clarity washed over him.
No need to overthink.
He only needed to give everything he had—to show his sword.
KAAANG—!
The katana sang, a clean and pure tone.
“Everything I have… into this one strike.”
Just one blow.
A single, perfect strike.
He didn’t want to win.
He wanted to show—to show the sword he had been seeking all this time.
Somewhere along the way, his growth had stopped.
He’d climbed levels, ascended the tower mechanically—but his sword had ceased to evolve.
And that stagnation had become unbearable.
Even his master, the Sword God himself, couldn’t quench that thirst.
But this man…
For some reason, he felt that this man might.
Wuuuuuung—!
He recalled all the moments he had seen Meteor Yu fight—those unpredictable, exhilarating battles, that sheer freedom.
That’s what drew him in.
And so, he wanted to give his very best strike—a swordsman’s highest praise to a worthy opponent.
“Fuuuh.”
He inhaled deeply.
Excitement surged through his veins.
Breath.
Angle.
Distance.
Mana.
All perfectly aligned.
KWAAA—!
Time seemed to stop.
All distractions vanished.
In this vast arena, there was only him—and his sword.
At that fleeting moment of perfect alignment—
“Ikkken.” (One strike.)
Kurogane Tatsuya swung his sword.
A single, flawless slash—clean, without waste.
Shhk—!
A diagonal arc of deep blue light tore through space itself.
“…Ah.”
Undoubtedly, it was a strike without regret.
Absolutely perfect.
2.
Whether on Earth or in Avalon, humanity sometimes encounters beings known as geniuses.
The people I’d met in Avalon were exactly that—monsters who had long transcended human limits.
When you spend time among such people, you can’t help but feel a twinge of inferiority.
Unlike them, my strength had come through the system’s assistance.
They’d reached their heights through sheer will and talent alone.
Why am I bringing this up?
Because that same feeling—standing before a true genius—I’m feeling it again right now.
-????????
-Huh?
-?????????
-Wait, what???
-?????
“…Ha.”
I chuckled in disbelief as I looked down at my chest.
The white T-shirt I’d been wearing was torn—and crimson was spreading across the fabric.
He’d cut me.
My perfectly clean shirt had been split, and my skin along with it.
The wound wasn’t deep—just a light graze from his sword energy.
But what was shocking was the how.
I’d already cast a barrier before he struck.
And yet, somehow, he still hit me.
To be honest, it’s embarrassing to admit, but when I sensed him about to swing, I reflexively deployed a mana barrier.
Realistically, there’s no way that attack should’ve penetrated it—our mana difference was far too great.
And indeed, the barrier hadn’t broken.
His blade simply… passed through it.
Right through, and into me.
I didn’t need long to figure it out.
Spatial distortion.
Just for an instant—but it was unmistakable.
His mana warped the space around my barrier, letting his attack slip through.
If the slash had carried just a bit more power—say, the force of a Demon Lord—it might’ve pierced my heart outright.
“Unbelievable.”
That wasn’t a skill or a trick.
Controlling a detached slash like that requires absurd concentration.
You can’t just cast it like a spell.
Even if he had a space-related trait, it’s still insane mana control.
Definitely beyond the realm of ordinary skills.
“Yeah… he’s a genius, alright.”
-Mephishell) Kurogane Tatsuya is a genius.
-Man, when the blood showed up I thought Yu got seriously hurt!
-First time I’ve ever seen him bleed.
-Wait, what just happened?
-???
-I think something just flashed past him??
Conclusion:
Kurogane Tatsuya is a genuine genius.
Among all the talents I’ve seen since returning to Earth, he’s the top of the list.
“But still—” I smirked. “—I’m fine, right?”
Sure, it startled me, but I was still standing.
The cut on my chest would heal in ten minutes.
Still, it’d been a while since I’d actually felt threatened.
Even China’s 5th- and 6th-floor players hadn’t managed to touch me.
And now this guy, here, almost nicked my heart?
Sure, I’d given him every advantage, but still—damn.
『Master! Should I finish him off this time?』
My companion, Peanut, had hopped onto my head again, voice sharp with concern.
I just smiled and shook my head.
“Nah. Looks like it’s already over.”
That had been his all-in strike—no doubt about it.
He was no traitor like that clown Bokusei Jun.
This was real talent.
Genius backed by effort.
Of course, pouring all that mana into one attack had left him drained.
-Why’s he frozen like that?
-Did Yu use some kind of mental attack?
-Stealth strike?
-Nah, looks like his legs just gave out.
-Dude, I almost screamed when I saw Yu’s shirt go red.
-I left for the bathroom for one minute—what happened??
Kurogane Tatsuya stood trembling, his katana stabbed into the ground for support.
His face had gone pale as paper.
He’d used up everything.
I slowly walked toward him.
「Mr. Chun, what just happened? I didn’t see a thing!」
「Simple. Tatsuya’s slash reached Meteor Yu and cut him, but didn’t deal major damage. The technique was top-tier though. Even I couldn’t see it properly.」
「You didn’t see it either?!」
「Nope. He’s really something. If Yu hadn’t been who he is, even a 6th-floor player would’ve been seriously injured.」
「But Yu’s only a 3rd-floor player… right?」
「Does he look like a 3rd-floor player to you? The man tanked an attack that could’ve killed a 6th-floor ogre. He’s not human—he’s a beast. No, a monster.」
Their voices came clearly through my earpiece.
…Beast? Monster?
What happened to my human rights?
I’m filing a complaint after this broadcast.
For now, I had to end this match cleanly.
I’d thought this whole thing would just be a fun bit of content—but after that last attack, my mindset changed.
“…Mr. Yu.”
Tatsuya’s voice was trembling, barely audible.
Even so, he remained upright, leaning on his sword.
What should I say to him?
He’d come here thinking it was just a publicity stunt—but he’d fought with everything he had.
I grinned.
“Not bad.”
Then I gave him a thumbs-up.
A genius who also gives his all—
With effort like that, who knows how far he’ll go next time?
“Mm.”
That was the most fun I’d had all day.
A 3rd-floor player from Earth showing that kind of performance—he deserved something in return.
[Unique Trait <Skill Archive – Mad Tower Lord Velua>]
[<Skill: Mana Sword>]
A brilliant white blade of light formed in my hand.
“Watch carefully. I haven’t unlocked my skill set yet, so it’s not perfect—but a genius like you should grasp the idea.”
The swordsmanship of Hero Kallas had been similar to his—a blade that bends space itself.
By focusing immense mana into a single point, you distort the surrounding dimension.
I couldn’t reproduce the real thing yet, but I could mimic it.
I pointed the glowing blade toward a tree in the far distance, gripping the handle lightly while pouring every ounce of focus into it.
[Unique Trait <Skill Archive – Mad Tower Lord Velua>]
[<Skill: Reverse Flow>]
[Unique Trait <Skill Archive – Battle God Zerah>]
[<Skill: Divine Punishment>]
[…Skill Fusion in Progress…]
Mana spun wildly, compressing tighter and tighter into one single point.
KAAANG—!
The mana sword let out a strange, resonant hum.
“Even in your last moment—stay relaxed.”
Focus only on the concept of cutting.
No need to use brute strength—just slice through the air.
[Fusion Successful]
[<Skill Archive – Meteor Yu Origin>]
[Skill: Heaven-Reversal (逆天)]
And then—
KRRRRK—!
With the sound of reality itself twisting, the mana blade surged forward.
A beam of pure white light flickered once, then vanished from sight.
Moments later—
KWAANG! KWAANG!
A thunderous crash.
The massive tree in the distance exploded into fragments.
-Whoa.
-Whoa.
-What the hell!?
-Whaaaaaaaaat!?
-That’s… that’s crazy.
-WAH!
While the audience lost their minds, I scratched my head awkwardly and looked at Tatsuya.
“Something like that. I’m not a sword specialist, so this is just a rough imitation. My friend’s version was way flashier.”
Back in the Demon Realm, his sword could shatter fortress gates in one blow.
“…Ah!”
Tatsuya’s eyes widened—as if even my crude imitation had given him some sort of revelation.
Then, with trembling arms, he dropped to his knees—
Thud!
—and slammed his forehead into the ground.
“Sensei! Hontōni, hontōni arigatō gozaimashitaaaa!”
He said arigato, so I’m guessing it meant “thank you.”
I patted his shoulder gently.
“Keep it up. You’ve got talent.”
“Aaaah!”
“Thanks for the match. That was fun. Let’s meet again in the raid.”
With that, I turned and started walking back toward the Korean side.
Oh, right.
Since Korea won… I have to do that.
Good thing I brought this along.
Fwuoosh—!
I pulled out a flag—the Korean taegeukgi—and waved it proudly.
Always wanted to try this kind of victory ceremony.
What’s patriotism, if not this?
-Kyaaaaaaa!!!
-Bartender, shut it down! We’re celebrating tonight!
-He actually won?? HE WON?? HE WON??
-That final swing was so damn sexy.
-Meeeeteeeor Yooouuuu!!!
-Meteo-Sunshin! Meteo-Sunshin! Meteo-Sunshin!
-Let’s gooooo!!!
-CHEERS!
Loss, loss, loss, loss, win, win, win, win, win.
“That’s more like it.”
[You are now representing the players of <Nationality: Republic of Korea>!]
[Unique Trait <Attention-Seeker> – Phase 3 Unlocked!]
Final Result: Korea wins.
I grinned and waved at the hovering drone camera.
