Episode 199
Zeke was taken aback by the dark elf’s reaction.
“Two thousand years have passed, and they don’t know? Does time flow differently here?”
He turned to the dark elf warrior again.
“I entered this ‘Inverted Tower’ to undergo Tyr’s trial. Why are you here?”
The dark elf warrior stepped forward, raising his twisted sword once more.
“So, you’re one of Tyr’s lackeys! Persistent and relentless! I’ll sever your head and send it to Tyr’s camp!”
Though the system translated their language, communication was still a struggle.
“These guys are as aggressive as orcs,” Zeke thought.
The dark elves circled him, brandishing their twisted swords, and then charged all at once.
Swoosh!
The serpentine blades came at him from all directions. Zeke deflected them with his shield and lunged at the nearest foe.
Crash!
One dark elf was sent flying into a wall by the force of Zeke’s shield. Without pausing, Zeke pivoted and swung his sword at the others.
Crash!
The power in Zeke’s sword sent the dark elves’ weapons flying. He extended the length of his sword, Bahamut.
Slash!
Caught off guard by the sudden extension, a dark elf was impaled through the heart.
Zeke calmly disrupted their formation, taking them down one by one.
“They’re as skilled in teamwork as the green warriors who summoned Arataso,” he mused.
The green warriors moved as one, reading each other’s thoughts. The dark elves, however, relied on well-drilled formations to pressure Zeke.
He remained composed, deflecting their attacks and waiting for an opening.
Clang!
Despite their relentless assault, they couldn’t penetrate Zeke’s solid defense. One of the dark elf warriors signaled.
A piercing whistle echoed, and something flew through the air.
“Is that… a wyvern?”
It looked like a wyvern, though smaller than usual. A dark elf rode atop it, hurling a spear at Zeke.
Whoosh!
Zeke raised his shield and dashed aside, narrowly avoiding the falling spear.
Boom!
The spear struck his shield, triggering a massive explosion.
“Ugh!”
The unexpected blast sent Zeke rolling across the ground.
[Shield durability has dropped below 60%.]
A single spear had reduced its durability by over 30%.
“Damn it!”
Repairing the shield would take time, but there was no chance to do so amidst the fierce battle.
Another spear descended from above.
Boom!
The precise strikes were more effective than random magic attacks.
Boom!
The repeated impacts finally shattered Zeke’s shield.
He retrieved an old scabbard, transforming it into a makeshift shield, and drank a potion from his inventory.
It was a healing potion, a stamina potion, and a ‘Sky Potion’ to boost agility.
“Alright!”
Zeke steadied his breath, watching the next spear fall, and readied his sword.
Whoosh!
He leaped into the air, meeting the descending spear.
“Haah!”
Riding the wind with his gale technique, Zeke deflected the spear, sending it back toward the wyvern.
Boom!
The wyvern veered sharply to avoid the returning spear.
In that moment, something flew past the wyvern.
Slice—
Zeke’s crescent-shaped sword strike tore through the wyvern’s wing.
Screech!
The wyvern shrieked, losing balance and plummeting to the ground.
Crash!
Both the wyvern and the dark elf rider crashed down.
“Ugh!”
The dark elf, pinned beneath the wyvern, dragged his broken leg as he crawled out.
But someone was already standing before him.
“You… human!”
Zeke gazed coldly at the crawling dark elf.
The dark elf drew a dagger, aiming for Zeke’s ankle.
Thud!
Zeke easily dodged and stabbed the dark elf in the back.
The dark elf and the wyvern both disintegrated into ash.
Zeke picked up the spear left behind.
It looked ordinary, but he was curious about the mechanism behind its explosive power.
He stored the spear in his inventory and hid among the nearby debris, observing the other dark elves’ movements.
But there was no sign of them.
“Did they flee?”
Zeke left the ruined cityscape, heading for another hiding spot he had scouted earlier.
The spear’s explosion had left him with wounds all over.
He applied a potion to his injuries and drank the rest to replenish his strength.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had scars like these.”
In his past life, such occurrences were routine.
He could heal, but without a healing factor, he was often covered in scars until he found time to heal.
Reflecting on the past, Zeke chewed on some jerky to regain energy when a message window suddenly appeared before him.
[The God of War is impressed by your exploits.]
[Free the souls of the remaining dark elf warriors for additional rewards.]
[Remaining dark elf warriors: 13]
“What now?”
Zeke frowned at the message. It felt like the Inverted Tower was urging him to perform even more feats.
“Like with the orcs, this place is clearly designed to train someone. But who would create such a place for training?”
The purpose seemed clear, yet the scale of the labyrinth and the realism of the creatures felt excessive for mere training.
Zeke stopped pondering and, noting the number of remaining dark elf warriors, gripped his sword and stood up.
“Maybe completing this quest will reveal the true nature of this place.”
He took up his shield and moved stealthily, searching for the remaining dark elf warriors.
Then, from afar, he heard a sound.
“What is that?”
A mournful melody echoed through the empty city.
Zeke enhanced his vision to locate the source.
Someone stood atop a building, playing a flute-like instrument. The sorrowful tune emanated from it.
“Why expose their position so openly? Is it a trap?”
Puzzled, Zeke cautiously approached the figure, sword in hand.
But strangely, he felt his strength ebbing away.
His body relaxed, and he began to follow the mournful sound with a dazed expression.
A strange energy from the flute drew Zeke in.
His eyes lost focus as he trudged toward the source of the music.
He stopped in front of the building, as if commanded by the melody.
Dark elves emerged from hiding.
One of them lunged at Zeke with a sword.
Clang!
But the musician, now beside Zeke, blocked the attack.
The thwarted dark elf warrior threw off his mask and shouted.
“Captain! We must kill this human immediately!”
The unmasked dark elf had one eye and a face marred with burns and scars.
The captain addressed the one-eyed warrior.
“If he’s truly from Tyr’s camp, we need to interrogate him for information.”
The one-eyed warrior, seething with hatred for humans, glared at the dazed Zeke but eventually stepped back at the captain’s command. The captain also removed his mask, revealing a face as beautiful as an elf’s, but with dark brown skin.
The captain questioned Zeke.
“Are you really sent by Tyr?”
Zeke, still unfocused, shook his head.
The captain asked again.
“Tell us the current situation outside.”
Zeke remained silent. The captain approached and repeated the question.
“I command you to reveal the state of the battlefield.”
Suddenly, Zeke’s hand shot out, gripping the dark elf captain’s throat.
In an instant, he held a dagger to her neck, taking her hostage.
The other dark elves aimed their arrows at Zeke.
The one-eyed warrior shouted at Zeke.
“How is this cursed human still in his right mind?”
Having previously faced mental attacks from dark elves, Zeke had prepared by taking a potion effective against curses.
Without answering, Zeke tightened his grip on the captain’s throat and spoke.
“Hey, dark elf. Do you really think it’s still the Age of the Hero King?”
At the mention of the Hero King, the Dark Elf leader slowly began to speak.
“What do you mean by the era of the Hero King?”
“Hero King Kaishir,” Zeke replied.
The Dark Elf leader responded with disbelief. “Kaishir? That cursed war machine, a Hero King? What nonsense is this?”
Zeke was just as confused. “Master Kaishir, a war machine?”
The Kaishir he knew was eccentric and difficult, but never cruel enough to be called a war machine. From what Zeke had heard, Kaishir had always tried to avoid using force, only resorting to it when absolutely necessary.
Zeke addressed the Dark Elves. “It’s been two thousand years since the time of Hero King Kaishir and the valiant knight Tyr.”
His words startled not only the leader but also the other warriors. Only the one-eyed Dark Elf glared at Zeke with seething hatred.
“Fools! Wake up! This deceitful human is trying to corrupt our minds with his silver tongue!”
The hatred for humans seemed to run deep in his bones.
Then, suddenly—
A sharp whistle from the leader paralyzed Zeke momentarily.
“Is the potion’s effect already wearing off?”
In that instant, the Dark Elf leader spun around and struck Zeke’s temple with his elbow.
Crack!
Zeke barely managed to regain his senses and block the attack. As the leader stepped aside, the one-eyed warrior shouted.
“Fire!”
Dozens of arrows flew toward Zeke.
Whoosh!
Zeke ducked and rolled on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust that obscured the view.
The Dark Elves continued to rain arrows into the dust cloud, unable to see Zeke.
“Cease fire!” the one-eyed warrior commanded, gesturing for one of the warriors to approach with a twisted blade to confirm Zeke’s death.
At that moment—
“Gah!”
A hand encased in sturdy armor grabbed the warrior’s throat.
Zeke had quickly activated Hersion, deflecting all the arrows.
Even with his throat seized, the Dark Elf warrior swung his sword at Zeke.
Clang!
The twisted blade couldn’t penetrate Hersion and was deflected.
Zeke tightened his grip on the warrior’s neck.
Crunch!
The Dark Elf’s neck snapped, and he fell lifeless, turning to ash.
Zeke’s eyes gleamed from beneath his helmet.
“Twelve left.”
He had limited time to use Hersion.
Grabbing Bahamut, Zeke charged toward the leader.
Clang!
The one-eyed warrior intercepted Zeke’s sword before it could reach the leader.
“Human! I’ll flay your skin and use it as a banner!”
Zeke swung his sword at the one-eyed warrior.
Crash!
With his stamina and mana depleting rapidly, Zeke refrained from using the aura blade, relying instead on his swordsmanship to face the Dark Elves.
He executed the Dragon Slayer Sword Technique.
Boom!
The one-eyed warrior staggered back, her face turning pale.
She trembled as she spoke. “The Sword Saint…!”
Remarkably, she recognized the swordsmanship of Shaton Draker.
She shouted at Zeke, “What is your connection to the Sword Saint?”
Zeke didn’t answer, instead charging at her with the Dragon Slayer Technique.
Dragon Slayer Sword Technique
Chapter 6, Verse 1
Dragon Heart Slash
With the power of the dragon imbued in Bahamut, Zeke lunged fiercely at the one-eyed warrior’s heart.