Chapter 16 An S-rank Adventurer and Combination Skill

We leave the gate and walk along the road. Walking is okay, but it would be better if we had a carriage. We’ll find one when we reach the next town.

After walking for thirty minutes, the map gives us a warning: “Someone is approaching”.  After checking, I discover that it is someone who is riding on a horse. Since this person is a stranger, it might have nothing to do with us.

[A person riding a horse is approaching. Let’s move out of the way since it could be dangerous.]



I confirm that the horse is coming from behind. Map only told me it was a person on horseback, but there is an unexpected person on that horse. As he comes closer, he slows down and stops before dismounting and bowing politely.

[Sorry for interrupting your travel. Could you give me a moment?]

> It was Sebastian, the butler, who appeared before them.

Uh… Why is the butler of that curling hair woman coming after us on horseback? I mean, he is a person whom I only became acquainted with recently.

A: Map will display only real names and status. False names and given names won’t be listed.

I see… I heard his name from that curling hair woman. I didn’t check his status, but his name wasn’t showing up on the map… That means “Sebastian” is a false name. I want you to return my impression. (Ed: I’m not sure what this sentence means. If he’s referring/talking to Sakura, then shouldn’t this be in telepathy?)

I check Sebastian’s status. His real name is Saladin as it was showing on the map earlier.

Saladin

LV 89

Skills

Martial Arts:

Magic:

General Skills:

Body:

His real name is Saladin, after all. No, that isn’t a question. Why is he this strong? His level is high, and he has a lot of skills that I haven’t seen before, too. Above all, his skill levels are very high. No mater how I think about it, this isn’t common, even for butler. Even Maria, who has cheat skill, doesn’t have as many skill as he does. This man is more than that. It seems he is either quite talented, or he trains himself everyday. He is just strong.

>

Can I win the fight against this old man? Hmm… I think I can. My total status is considerably overpowered.

It is not wise to fight against this old man in our current state. Let’s just talk with him for the time being.

[Understood. What kind of business do you have that requires you to ride a horse after us?]

Sebastian answers without any change in his expression.

[That’s right. Ojou-sama wants to meet you again.]

Does that curling hair woman want to meet with me? I don’t understand what he means. There probably isn’t a reason for me to meet her, except, perhaps, negotiation. It is still unpleasant — even if it was a reason. Let’s decline quickly.

[What if it takes more than ten minutes? Didn’t you say you wanted me to return to town? And as I said, I’m in hurry.]

His expression doesn’t change after heard my harsh words, at all. I thought with his status, he was going to make a scene of bloodshed. His willpower is solid, too, because he doesn’t flinch after hearing my words.

[Come to think of it, we were indebted to you at the time of repurchase. Ojou-sama can make a business once again after receiving that dagger.]

Sebastian suddenly changes the topic. It was about the business… I’m certain that the curling hair woman also talked about it. But why are you bringing it up now?

[Isn’t it good? Why did you tell me about that?]

Sebastian has been talking with smile on his face the whole time.

[Ah, please don’t misunderstand. I didn’t plan to expose the fact that you have the stolen items. The n.o.ble society is a den of thieves, after all. Information seemed to leak from somewhere else when it was stolen.]

What on earth does Sebastian want after changing the topic like that? Does he mean to tell me that the current situation of that curling hair woman is bad in order to make me feel sympathetic and want to return to town? No, I won’t feel any sympathy towards them…

[And that is the reason. Ojou-sama became angry or sad…and her emotion became unstable. And then she gave me the order “To kill the adventurer who brought a dagger.”]

This is totally different! Sebastian is an a.s.sa.s.sin who had been sent to kill us!! Well, it is as I expected. Because I put on the air, you thought it was different, didn’t you?

[In short, she needed to vent her anger. Because I can’t do anything with the n.o.ble from another party, “Black Wolf”, who took the family heirloom, was destroyed. Look, aren’t you the only party left for her to vent her anger? I don’t want to do this, but I can’t refuse Ojou-sama’s pleading while she was crying.]

That is a foolish reason. Did you just make this strong man my enemy for that foolish reason? I don’t need to be polite anymore. Etiquette is unnecessary for an a.s.sa.s.sin.

[I can’t kill you inside this town. I promised to give money to some kind gatekeeper to tell me when you left the town.]

That hooky gatekeeper. Did he go to do something like this? I think I need to retaliate for this.

[And if this conversation is to end in ten minutes, doesn’t that curling hair woman want to see me?]

Sebastian raises his voice as if he was amazed by my words.

[No, not at all. If I become serious, the fight will end in five minutes. Oh, and Ojou-sama only wants to see your head.]

You could say that… Isn’t it crazy for an a.s.sa.s.sin to take only… a head? Beside, I don’t want to die yet. I guess I can’t be satisfied with a cold joke sometimes.

[How long did your last job take after you became a butler?]  

After Sebastian heard my question, he replies with a mild tone.

[Originally, I was something like an a.s.sa.s.sin. I was an adventurer with a second name: “G.o.d of Death”. I repeatedly made surprise attacks from the dark. Well, that was when I was young.]

What the h.e.l.l? An adventurer became a butler? I’m curious, but I probably won’t be able to find out more about it now.

[As I said earlier, I don’t plan to take much time. I can’t take my eyes off the emotionally unstable Ojou-sama for long. I will finish this as quickly as possible.]

[No thanks. Just return to her. I guess there is no point in negotiating, after all.] 

I draw my weapon and take a stance, as did my friends, too.

[Yeah, I’m a former S-rank adventurer. I won’t fail my duty.]

An S-rank adventurer? He is one of the top-cla.s.s people in this world. I understand. I can imagine something like that from this man’s status. I could say no one is better than me if I can defeat this guy. All right, I will turn this S-rank adventurer into my food.

At this point, we have no choice but to fight. Our future depends on this.

[By the way, do you plan to kill just me? Or does that include my friend, too?]

[That doesn’t matter. Hmmm… What is about a one-on-one fight with me? You can’t attack my friend, and I won’t let them help me, either. In addition, I promise I won’t let my friend take revenge on you in case I lose.]

Sebastian was silent for a while before he starts speaking.

[As for that, neither you or I will have any advantage. Since the promise itself has no meaning if you are dead, why don’t you fight five-on-one against me?] 

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[Are you so confident that you’re willing to fight with S-rank adventurer? You aren’t an adventurer, so who are you?]

[Yeah, that is good. So everyone, please step back.]

My friends take up a position that is about 50m away. Support magic will be difficult to use from that distance.


Can cover a long distance with one step. Movement distance is up to user. Maximum distance is increased when level up. Start with 5m at LV1 and 1m for each level after that.

Since Sebastian has LV7, he can move about 11m. Since he’ll need to use several times to reach my friends, it is enough to give status to them.

[Then, should I take my weapon out, too?]

Sebastian picks a sword from s.p.a.ce. Is that because of and ? Both are skills that I want. Please let me take them.

[A good sword. It hasn’t been chipped once during my old days.]

He seems really confident. Let’s check the status.

Soul Blade – Incompleted

Cla.s.sification : Sword

Rarity : Legendary

Remark : Soul effect, increases all status, and can cut magic.

The NAME. It was incomplete. Is this what j.a.panese person made? Let’s check the detail.

Soul Blade – Incompleted

Detail : The sword from the best master blacksmith of human race. It has the highest power for all human race, but it is still incomplete.

It has a surprisingly interesting back story. Let’s take this sword after defeating Sebastian. However, Legendary cla.s.s… I guess it is appropriate equipment for an S-rank adventurer, but this early? It has been a few days since we started traveling. It should be way after this in the case of a game.

I also take a stance. It is just the Goblin King’s sword. My equipment is far worse than his, but I don’t mind.

We face each other, and then Sebastian makes a move.

[Then, here goes!]

Sebastian, no Saladin, suddenly makes a move and approaches me with a horizontal slash. I’m sure I would be dead if it hit me, but it isn’t like I can’t evade it. I step back and parry it off. And Saladin also steps back immediately.

[With that kind of skill, it is not enough to hit me.]

I already know it in advance.

[It seems that when you said you are going to defeat me wasn’t just a bluff.]
[Of course. Is your ability only that? Did you become an S-rank by just surprise attacks?]

He doesn’t stop smiling even after my attempt at provocation. Uh, it is impossible to make that old man angry at me, even after provoking him several times.

[Fufufu, not just this. I still have my skill, even after I retired.]

Saladin swings his hand. I think it was a throwing knife. It is just amd again.

[Whatever you say. You human jack-in-the-box.]

Huh? What did I just say?

[It is an interesting comparison. But my attack doesn’t end with just surprise.

Of course, it was what I expected. I approach him while he still cuts that magic…

[Are you going to overlook me? I don’t mind, either.]

That’s a lie. I can’t let all of those delicious skills just slip away. I will kill you and take them all.

[That is impossible. After all, I made a promise to Ojou-sama.]

I don’t know what kind of drama you have with that curling hair woman. I don’t care.  However, I won’t let you get away after becoming hostile to me. Even moreso with that worthless reason.

[Too bad.]

Saladin blinks closer. I don’t slash at him, but I throw a spear instead. Saladin’s slash is too fast. I barely have enough time to dodge it. Saladin dodges, too, but it still leaves a mark on his butler clothes. I invoke “Ice Barrage” immediately.

[Ugh!]

Saladin didn’t expect me to use magic in such close quarters. An Ice Arrow grazes his left arm. I was able to damage him, even if it was just a little. This is the first blood in this fight.

My attack grazes him several times, but I also have more light cuts, too. My graze attack doesn’t deal much damage to Saladin, but his blink attack doesn’t either. Our situation is just sealing each other’s moves, and it continues like this for a while.

I step back and start chanting. It is . It is a powerful range attack, but it has a long chanting time. Saladin thought he couldn’t dodge the magic at close range, so he blinks closer to stop my chant.

Saladin is flinching from additional counter attack. This time, I gave him a deep wound to his arm.

[Ga! It is still not enough…]

It can’t be helped. Saladin blinks away, but I also blink to follow him. This surprises Saladin, too.

[Ugh.]

My next attack lands on his leg. It is obviously deeper than the last one. Blood is flowing from the wound, and that greatly reduces his mobility.

[Nope, I just learn from seeing you use it.]

However, I only get 1 level from him, but that’s enough to surprise him and deal some damage.

However, his status rose considerably, so it seems as though I can’t win in this state. That can’t be helped, so let’s increase my status, too.

So my current status is now equal to Saladin’s after his recent strengthening.

[Your strengthening has ended. Now, it’s my turn.]

I get closer and strike at Saladin with improved status. He becomes surprised because he can’t dodge after he was strengthened.

After our status were improved, the fight is still the same. Saladin blinks closer and strikes while I just dodge and counter him with sword and magic. I keep taking his skill whenever he comes closer. He becomes slightly weaker. Is this the end? Is this the best you have? Is this all you have?

Saladin’s aura becomes completely black. His status is a lot higher than before. Did he use and simultaneously? A synergy effect?

[AND USING BOTH OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME CAN TURN MAN INTO “BEAST”.]

Saladin’s eloquence becomes worse. This is probably because using and simultaneously is difficult, and the load on the body become bigger.

I also take all ability from everyone and charge at Saladin. His attack is a lot faster, but I can see it all. Since my status is 50% more than Saladin’s. I just dodge his attack and bisect him with my status.

[NO…WAY…]

Thus, the first fight with an S-rank adventurer is finished, and my fighting power has taken a great leap.

I’m completely tired, and I couldn’t do anything at all. Let’s return to the town and settle this, once for all.


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