Solo Swordmaster

Chapter 2: Beware the Raging Bull

Yoo Na-kyung was taken aback at the sudden question.

"…Did I ever die?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Then why would you ask that?!"

"I don't… know?"

Limon tilted his head.

Yoo Na-kyung was undeniably human. She was not some zombie, and he'd never heard anything about her dying before, either.

Of course she was alive right now.

And yet, Limon couldn't sit well with this apparent truth.

Like he'd seen her die with his own two eyes before.

'Why did I ask that?'

Watching Limon, Yoo Na-kyung didn't hide the suspicion on her face.

"Boss… are you senile by any chance?"

Flick—

"Eek! I told you to stop hitting there! This definitely counts as workplace violence!"

"Would you like to see what violence actually is?"

"…No."

Yoo Na-kyung hurriedly shook her head at Limon, who had his fists clenched. She knew from experience that her wild boss wouldn't just stop at a forehead flick if he actually used violence.

Silencing Na-kyung, Limon shelved his thoughts.

"So which rat bastard is it this time?"

"Eh? How'd you know there was a new report?"

"If you woke me up for anything that wasn't an emergency, I'll blast your forehead open."

"Don't you think you're being too harsh on your only team member?!"

Despite complaining, Yoo Na-kyung pulled out the report and quickly read aloud its main points.

"9:12pm: Violations against the Player Special Administrative Act verified at coordinates BVI-52.15.

9:15pm: Culprit escapes the police.

9:17pm: Culprit was identified…"

"That's easy."

"They're asking for us to catch some madman who's gone wild after drinking."

"…What the hell, I'm being dispatched to go after one fucking drunkard?"

Limon furrowed his brows. In the past, he was called the nation's hero and the 'Guardian of Humanity', only involved in the nation's most pressing affairs.

Yet here he was now — a minor position with only one subordinate, getting assigned tasks like this.

He couldn't help but feel how different times had become.

Limon didn't hide his frustration, but Yoo Na-kyung didn't worry too much about it.

"Even if you don't go, no one can really say anything. You're off duty today."

She only nodded nonchalantly, and casually asked Limon.

"So… you're not gonna go?"

"……"

Limon scowled at his stubborn teammate's face.

She was right.

He was off duty today. Even if there was a report, he wasn't obligated to move.

And it didn't matter if he wasn't off-duty, either.

Given his past contributions, even if he has been reduced to a mere team leader, no one would blame him for slacking a little.

Despite that, Limon still reached his hand out with a sigh.

"Enough nonsense. Bring me my coat."

"Yessir! Here it is!"

Yoo Na-kyung smiled, as if she expected his response, and handed him his coat.

Limon glanced at her cheeky expression as he put his coat on.

Picking up his sword, he asked,

"So, whose head do I have to shove up their ass?"

***

The Golden Age, when life flourished.

Primitive humans, no different from beasts, achieved civilization by communicating with elementals. Through these elementals' power and wisdom, elementalists and sorcerers looked after the world.

The Silver Age, when Incarnations descended.

They bore knowledge of the Gods, teaching the people to create a prosperous agricultural society. And using the magic received from these gods, priests and witches ruled the world.

The Bronze Age, when the seven dragons appeared.

Previously in a deep slumber to escape ancient calamity, they finally awoke. They taught their followers Psionics, and while they devoured the Incarnations, their followers conquered the world.

The Heroes' Age, when the humans killed the dragons.

After the first Swordmaster, the Sword Emperor, slayed the seven dragons, the title became a symbol of absolute power, and no one dared to oppose it.

But nothing lasts forever…

The Iron Age, when Constellations arose.

And times change.

After the appearance of the dungeon and Constellations, the legend of the Swordmaster fell into obscurity, replaced by the mystical players.

Through contracts with Constellations, they acquired power known as 'skills' and took their place as the dominant faction in society.

With a wave of their hands, they could build a skyscraper,

A machine transcending time,

Or easily cure a previously incurable illness.

With these skills that made the impossible possible, the world developed dramatically.

And so, players became idolized.

Swordmasters were only a few inherently talented people who devoted their entire lives to honing that talent.

On the other hand, players could acquire definite power with little effort. It was almost too good to be true.

High-level players, in particular, could attain tremendous wealth and power with their unique skills.

Nevertheless, Sheriff Hwang did not believe that the rise of players were all sunshines and rainbows.

Vrooom—

How so?

"<Seo Yongchan, stop immediately! You are in violation of traffic laws!>"

If there were no such thing as players, he wouldn't need to be on a frantic chase in the middle of the city.

"Suck an egg! How dare a damn pig living off my taxes tell me what I can or cannot do?"

"<Why you…! I'm trying to be civil! Stop right now, or I'll crash you!>"

"Hahaha! Go ahead and try!"

Gallop Gallop Gallop—

"Aaaargh! That damn son of a bitch!"

A young man was racing the roads like a horse out of its reigns.

Sheriff Hwang grinded his teeth as he chased Seo Yongchan in his police car.

When you're a cop, it was more likely people would speed up when ordered to stop.

But Seo Yongchan's reckless driving wasn't what grinded Sheriff Hwang's gears.

A body of brass the size of a truck, two horns as sharp as a spear, and sulfur smoking from its nostrils.

"If you're drunk, go to bed! Who the fuck rides around recklessly on a familiar?!"

Sheriff Hwang cursed watching Seo Yongchan running around on his monstrous brass bull.

'Damn these player bastards!'

If it were a sports car, he wouldn't have hesitated to crash head-on into him. But he couldn't, not with that brass bull.

Even the familiars of low-level 20 players could make a truck fly with one crash.

Seo Yongchan was a high-level player in the 80s. What hope does a police car have, when even a missile might not stop his familiar?

That was why Sheriff Hwang disliked players.

If their level were even a little high, they'd completely disregard the authority of law enforcement, and police arms were no match for them.

"Hey, where's PAB?"

"They said they're on their way!"

"Goddamnit, it's been ages since we radioed them, and they're still on their way?!"

Sheriff Hwang was anxious.

The only way they could catch Seo Yongchan was with the help of PAB agents. That was exactly what the PAB organization was created for.

But how much destruction would be done before they arrived?

"Ahahaha! I'm freeee!"

"Th-that little……!"

Perhaps it had gotten bored of just running.

Even though it wasn't a car, the brass bull tried to drift, squashing many parked cars with its posterior.

Sheriff Hwang was appalled, seeing Seo Yongchan scream in delight with both arms out.

Just how many cars got destroyed?

Though, that didn't matter anymore.

Seo Yongchan had changed his course.

***

***

"Stop, you fuck! There's no traffic control over there!"

Everyone had already evacuated to leave a road big enough for the bull. That was also why there was yet to be any casualties.

However, that left the other smaller roads open.

What would happen if that thing got onto one of those?

The number of deaths would be unimaginable.

"Shriek!"

"Wh-what is that thing?!"

"Holy fuck!"

The ominous prediction had turned real.

The brass bull running wild had run onto a road with people.

Thankfully, the bull ran with such an odd roar that many of the pedestrians crossing the street quickly ran away in fear and shock.

But not everyone was so fortunate.

"Eek!"

"Huaagh!"

"N-noo!"

Maybe her ankles got sprained when she was getting pushed around by those trying to escape.

Sheriff Hwang's eyes widened as he saw a woman fall in the middle of the road, struggling to get up. Beside her, was a small girl in tears holding her hand.

He grabbed the loudspeaker, howling at the top of his lungs.

"<Seo Yongchan, you fucking dipshit! Can't you see the people in front of you?! Stop!>"

"Huh?"

"<Stop immediately!>"

His intoxication must've blinded him. He appeared flustered, as if he'd just discovered the mother and daughter on the crosswalk.

But that was all it was.

Seo Yongchan couldn't stop the brass bull, nor could he cancel its summon.

The bull was too fast, and with the alcohol slowing down his thoughts, stopping the bull wasn't even an idea that appeared in his mind.

'They're done for!'

The brass bull was running like crazy.

The woman wrapped the girl in her arms and covered her with her body.

But it was useless.

Even a brush against that massive beast would turn a human body into paste in an instant.

As Sheriff Hwang grimaced picturing the horrible sight he was about to witness,

Bamf—!

'…Huh?'

The cavalry had finally arrived.

Sheriff Hwang couldn't believe his eyes.

Only the woman and her daughter were there a moment ago. And yet, in the blink of an eye, another man and woman had appeared there as well.

But he only had a moment of shock.

When he saw their white coats with their gaudy design, his expression brightened without even realizing it.

There was only one group of people who still wore something so outdated.

'PAB! They're finally here!'

If it were the PAB, of course they could pop out of thin air.

The Player Administration Bureau.

An organization specifically created for the regulation of high-level players. The agents were mostly high-level players themselves.

Dimensional players, especially, could save the mother and daughter with 「Teleportation」 even if they couldn't stop the brass bull.

An immediate disaster had been avoided.

…But instead of running away with the mother and daughter, the PAB agents merely stood in place.

Sheriff Hwang's moment of relief was quickly thrown back.

'Huh? Why aren't they moving?'

Sling—

But that too, only lasted for a moment.

The man in the white cloak took a step forward with his sword drawn. Realizing what the man was planning, Sheriff Hwang was appalled.

"Holy shit! You're gonna stop that thing head first?!"

'That guy's desperate to die.'

He may have only been in the level 80s, but Seo Yongchan was still in the top 0.01% of players in the entire world. On top of that, his brass bull was built specifically for combat.

And yet, there the man stood, trying to stop that monster's attack alone with just a flimsy sword.

Pure fucking insanity.

The only ones capable of such a thing were the Ten Great Monarchs, or the Grand Dukes comparable to them.

But once the man started moving,

Sheriff Hwang's foul mouth dropped open.

One step as he cut off its thick neck.

One step as he cut its four legs, the bull still moving after death.

One step as he turned around to kick its side.

In just three steps, the man had butchered the brass bull and shoved its remains to the side of the road.

He sheathed his sword…

Only to complain to the woman behind him.

"Oi, you told me there was only a drunkard. The hell's this cow head?"

"Seems like a snack to go along with him and his alcohol."

"There's people who eat even brass bulls with a drink?"

"Maybe it's registered if they're a player who consumes metal to use their skill."

"……Fucks sake. Ain't a single normal player out here."

"But I'm a player too?"

"Did I stutter?"

"Just what is your opinion of me, boss?!"

He'd just destroyed a metal bull the size of a house.

Sheriff Hwang was bedazzled out of his mind, staring at the man casually talking as if he'd just stomped an ant.

By his side, stood Officer Kim. His dumbfounded voice snapped Sheriff Hwang out of his trance.

"Sheriff Hwang… what did we just witness?"

"A familiar above level 80 was just decimated by a single person in less than a second."

"Is that even possible?"

"…Maybe if they were a Monarch."

"But I've never heard of such a Monarch."

"Yeah." Sheriff Hwang blankly agreed.

Among the countless players in the world, there were only ten who could be called a Monarch. They were those who dealt with a Monarch-rank Constellation and were able to reach the ultimate realm of level 100.

But to his knowledge, there wasn't a single white-haired man among the 100 Grand Dukes, much less the ten Monarchs.

'Wait, white hair?'

Sheriff Hwang's eyes widened, taking a good look at the man.

Indeed, there was one person who came to mind.

Finding a small scar by the white-haired man's eyes, he unknowingly mumbled a name.

"Asphelder?"

"Asphelder? You mean The Limon Asphelder?"

"Yes… I'm certain of it."'

Sheriff Hwang said definitively.

He was barely mentioned nowadays, but he was once the most infamous person in the world.

He was a hero, even dubbed the 'Guardian of Humanity', before the world entered the Iron Age and players appeared.

"He's mankind's last Swordmaster."

——

——