Chapter 34 - Substitute Spell Spirit (1/2)
Translator: Atlas StudiosEditor: Atlas Studios
“Why won’t you kill yourself?”
Valkas said this not because victory was within his reach. On the contrary, it was his signal for admitting defeat.
One could commit suicide in the deathmatch arena.
Once they committed suicide, the deathmatch would end, and the chip restriction would activate again. Valkas would not be able to attack a corpse.
As long as Ash had a whole corpse, the medics would be able to communicate with the Illusory Realm through their spell spirits and pull his soul back into his body from the fog in the Illusory Realm.
The moment Ash avoided his first Mountain Shattering miracle, he had already lost. The subsequent attacks were just struggles in the hope of lucking out. Even if he could win this deathmatch, he would not be able to complete his mission and completely eliminate Ash Heath.
Compared to failing the mission, the scene before him was what made Valkas feel worse.
There was nothing more unbearable than watching the rise of a genius. If there was, it would be being the stepping stone for said genius.
Even though Valkas was already a middle-aged elf over a hundred years old, he was still aggrieved by what was happening. ‘Are you kidding me? There are so many unlucky people in this world. Why do I have to be the one?’
To be honest, Valkas was already a bit on the verge of a breakdown. That was why he gave the answer for speed pass directly, hoping that Ash would quickly end this nightmare.
“Why would I kill myself? I haven’t lost yet.”
“You think you have a chance to defeat me?” Valkas was so angered that he laughed instead. “Oh yes. Centuries and millennia later, the bards will recite your glorious deeds on the streets. ‘Ash Heath, who has never learned swordplay, fought against an ignorant elven swordsman in a battle and miraculously defeated the latter. This was the beginning of his glorious and undefeated life.’
“Ah, benevolent Mr. Ash, the lowly Valkas begs you to mention my name in your future autobiography, so that I can be a disgrace for all eternity, all right? Hmm?”
“So, Valkas, when are you going to publish your book?”
With great difficulty, Ash raised his left hand to wipe away the blood trickling down his forehead so that it wouldn’t stick to his eyelashes and affect his vision. He was still smiling.
“I must beat you for a reason.”
“What reason?”
“I want to ask you if Silin Dore sent you to kill me. Is there a conspiracy behind my imprisonment?”
Valkas flicked the blade gently, flicking away the bloodstained debris on it.
“What does this have to do with you beating me?”
“If I didn’t win, would you answer?”
“Maybe, maybe not. Besides, even if I answer, can you tell if it’s the truth?”
“I just asked someone else the same question.” Ash let out a deep breath. “He asked me to unravel a doubt. I said, ‘If I lie, can you tell?’ He said he could really tell.”
“So you can do it too?”
“No, I can’t. But I thought that the answer I get after beating you up would be closer to the truth than the answer I get by just asking you, right?”
“I haven’t heard such a straightforward reason in a long time since I left the foster home.”
Valkas grinned. He had maintained an elegant posture since entering the room and in the battle. Now, for the first time, his expression was sinister. “But if you don’t kill yourself, you really may die.”
“Let’s see if your sword is faster or mine.”
“Kill you before you commit suicide? Interesting, I accept this challenge.”
“Ah, that’s not what I meant…”
Ash tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, his muscles taut.
“After all, I have no intention of retiring here. If I can’t even get past you as a stepping stone, who am I to leave this prison?”
“What arrogance!”
The ground, which had already been broken to pieces, cracked again. Gray dust formed a sinister silhouette for the invisible sword aura, like a giant sword stabbing at Ash from the ground!
Ash did not even blink. He tried his best to avoid the sword aura and the shattered flying rocks, delaying the battle so that his body could absorb as much swordplay experience as possible!
Sword Maiden’s swordplay experience was truly impressive. At the very beginning, Ash had not even been able to see Valkas’ sword clearly. Now, he was able to predict Valkas’ sword path from looking at his shoulder. He might not really know how to use a sword, but at the very least, he had become proficient in dodging swords.
He wasn’t just courting death. He truly had the confidence to defeat Valkas.
With the augmentation of Sword Maiden’s swordplay experience, the Mountain Shattering miracle was no longer an indecipherable mystery. On the contrary, with Valkas unable to use his full strength, Mountain Shattering revealed a flaw that could be exploited!
Just like the last major problem of a college entrance examination in mathematics, Ash suddenly discovered a magical auxiliary line. He felt that he had a chance to conquer this challenging problem!
If he was granted a little more time, he felt that he could even find the flaw in the attack range of Mountain Shattering, and counterattack Valkas!