Episode 59.
A sudden advancement in stage.
It was exactly what I had wished for.
“I would gladly do so.”
To be able to skip the troublesome process of the 2nd line—what a fortunate turn of events.
「It has been a while.」
Li Xin, radiating an atmosphere as steadfast as Mount Tai.
「To see one who has climbed from the very bottom to this place.」
Li Xin was not the scion of a famous martial family.
Truly a self-made figure who started from the bottom, from a mere soldier, and rose to the position of Grand General.
「But that ends here.」
Swoosh!
He swings the sword in his hand once.
What was astonishing was that the blade of the sword he wielded was invisible.
Above the pitch-black scabbard, nothing could be seen.
‘Chengying (承影).’
It was Chengying, a Treasure bestowed upon Li Xin by Qin Shi Huang.
‘Li Xin alone is a formidable foe, but with Chengying, his combat strength rises even higher.’
He was already a general counted among the finest in Qin; now a Treasure was added to that.
Moreover, Chengying is a tangible yet intangible sword whose length cannot be gauged—an opponent that is difficult in every respect.
That was why.
Flash!
I activated the ability gem of that strangely-banded sword.
『Activated Abilities: Berserker, Guardian, Sword of Swiftness』
I changed my build slightly.
It is a single opponent rather than a multitude, but.
‘I’ll end this in one breath.’
To draw a reaction from Qin Shi Huang, I had to subdue Grand General Li Xin—whom he trusted—in an instant.
So I took a slight gamble.
Sssssss—
The energy erupting from the black gem embedded in the sword—obsidian—began to envelop my body.
My hair stood on end, and the world turned crimson before my blood-dyed eyes.
『Berserk』
The ability of Mordred, one of the Knights of the Round Table and a Berserker.
Enhancing physical abilities for a brief moment to unleash tremendous explosive power; in some ways, it is similar to the power of Noon, but clear differences exist.
Drip, drop—
Blood flowing from the corners of my eyes fell to the floor.
It was not for show—it was real blood.
Berserk is a double-edged ability that manifests by offering my blood as a sacrifice.
The bleeding is considerable; I cannot endure it for long.
「What a sinister aura!」
Li Xin, sensing the ominous energy.
Pow!
He charged.
The sword Chengying in his hand still hid its blade.
But there was no need to worry.
Like a wild beast, I charged fiercely at him.
And his hand flashed.
A sword strike thrust out, precisely tracking my movement path.
Clang!
「Hmm?!」
But Chengying never touched my body.
Guardian.
Because Sir Percival’s ability, manifested through the ability gem, had deployed a protective barrier around my body.
Previously, I had manifested that ability through my sword to stop Meng Wu’s destruction; now I manifested it for its original purpose and received protection.
Li Xin’s attacks are so powerful that it will not last long, but at least for now, I am free.
“Kraaah!”
A roar like that of a beast.
Together with a fighting shout influenced by Berserk.
Flash!
I unleashed the Sword of Swiftness.
My physical abilities had explosively enhanced through Berserk, and with swiftness added on top, a trajectory like a single bolt of lightning was completed.
Boom!
With an explosion that erupted once.
Screech—
Li Xin’s body was flung backward as if bouncing.
The valiant general said to have no equal in one-on-one combat was pushed back pathetically.
But I could not be satisfied.
I stomped on the ground and rushed in again, swinging my sword with full power.
Boom, crash!
Explosions with every collision.
I did not employ a single technique.
I simply poured out attacks using my enhanced abilities.
Chengying?
An invisible sword?
It is but an instant anyway.
Moreover, due to my one-sided offensive, he could not find an opening to attack me.
I drove him back with the intention of ending the battle like this.
“Hraaaah!”
But he—Grand General Li Xin—is a veteran of a hundred battles.
A heroic general who had led countless battlefields and duels to victory.
Without regard for the immediate disadvantage, he accepted the contest of strength.
Of course, if I kept overwhelming him like this, victory would be mine.
But I could not do that.
“Kuh!”
I pushed him away with force.
He, pushed back far away, caught his breath.
‘Time is not on my side.’
Due to Berserk’s penalty, my stamina is continuously dropping even now.
I cannot maintain this state for long, so I have to finish the fight before I collapse from exhaustion.
I took out the thing I had kept in my bosom to make a decisive move.
『+99(★★) Anabolic Steroid
Category: Consumable (Drug)
Durability: None
Unique Effect: Momentarily increases physical abilities by a small amount
Unique Side Effect: After 24 hours, side effects such as decreased stamina, nerve damage, hair loss, skin necrosis, etc. have a normal chance of manifesting
Reinforcement Effect (9/99): Slightly increases physical ability enhancement rate
Reinforcement Effect (15/99): Slightly increases physical ability enhancement rate
Reinforcement Effect (20/99): Slightly decreases penalty
……
Reinforcement Effect (99/99): Moderately decreases penalty
Max Reinforcement Effect: Moderately increases physical ability enhancement rate, moderately decreases penalty
Transcendence Effect (★): Has a low chance of completely ignoring the penalty
Transcendence Effect (★★): Has a low chance of greatly increasing physical ability enhancement
Description: Anabolic-androgenic steroid.
A type of steroid that acts extensively and directly throughout the body, overall increasing the frequency of gene expression related to protein synthesis.
—As it is inevitably accompanied by side effects, unless for the purpose of treating illness or improving the body, overdose is prohibited—』
Sshhhk!
Without hesitation, I plunged the syringe into my stomach.
Those who know nothing about steroids looked at this with bewildered gazes, wondering what I was doing, but they would find out by experiencing it firsthand.
Whoosh—
The moment I injected, my muscles swelled.
It was not just any steroid; it was a 2-star transcendence-reinforced one, so the effects manifested immediately.
Drip.
The fresh blood flowing from my eyes touched the ground in an instant.
Boom!
I stomped the ground.
The floor, the marble, felt like it was shattering from that tremendous force.
It was different.
And no wonder—two full-body enhancements, Berserk, and on top of that, anabolic steroids injected.
At this point, even I thought I was nothing short of a monster.
No matter how naturally gifted Li Xin was, no matter how many battles he had led to victory, enduring the current me would be difficult.
Boom!
And that was soon proven.
“Kuhk!”
A single blow.
With just one attack, his palm split and blood poured out.
It did not end there.
Bang, bang, crash crash crash!
Bombardment.
I pummeled him with all my might.
The Grand General who had seemed able to withstand any attack just moments ago.
「Kuh, kugh!」
With every continued attack, he let out rough breaths and was pushed back.
Attacks containing full power, drawing the minimum movement path—truly optimal attacks.
「You bastard—」
He swung his sword like a cornered beast to reverse the situation, but.
Kaaang!
Sir Percival’s ability protected me.
Against an attack solely one-dimensional, ignoring defense.
Crack!
The wrist of the hand wielding Chengying bent backward.
A spectacle born from his will to never let go of the sword even if it meant breaking his wrist.
But with this, the match was over.
I severed his right arm, which could no longer lift.
Puhwaaak!
As a fountain of spurting blood obscured my vision.
Swish!
I slashed his throat.
「….」
Like Meng Wu had done, he grabbed his head, which was trying to separate from his body, with one hand.
「Splendid!」
A humiliating defeat.
But Li Xin, a true man, accepted that defeat gracefully.
「To be able to fight a general such as yourself….」
Li Xin, about to deliver his final words.
But those words never reached their end.
「Useless wretch!」
Qin Shi Huang.
Crimson energy manifesting from his hand pierced Li Xin’s body in the form of a spear.
「….」
His body, which had been gazing at me with eyes full of futility.
Crumble—
Scattered into dust.
The general who met a dishonorable death at the hands of his liege disappeared just like that.
And.
Clap, clap, clap—
Showing no concern for the death of the general he had cherished.
「Congratulations.」
No, he was rather pleased.
‘Because a new piece has appeared.’
A stronger, younger chess piece.
To him, generals were not comrades to shoulder the nation together, but merely chess pieces to be used and discarded at any time.
And the change that occurred with Li Xin’s death.
Srrrr—
The generals guarding the 1st line—Bai Qi, Wang Qi, Zhang He, and other important generals composing Qin—vanished like a mirage.
It was a familiar phenomenon.
Starting from the 5th line, each time the general of that line was defeated, those guarding that position all disappeared.
All generals from the 5th line to the 1st line disappeared.
Remaining in the hall were only Changping Jun, myself, and Qin Shi Huang seated on the throne.
「To the outsider Sin Yunchan, ten paces are permitted, and the Treasure Chengying is bestowed.」
Thud.
It was not an attendant who moved this time, but Changping Jun, who had been guarding his position throughout.
「My congratulations.」
That which showed only a black scabbard was Chengying, which Li Xin had used moments ago.
『Chengying (承影)
Category: Sword
Grade: Lowest-grade Treasure
Durability: 250/250
Unique Effect: Creates an invisible blade only visible to the user
Description: In the distant past, at the moment the sky shifted from azure to black and white, a pair of hands slowly rose. Where the two hands joined, there was a scabbard. Only the scabbard was visible, not the blade. However, upon the northern wall, a faint sword shadow (劍影) could be seen. The sword shadow appeared in an instant and vanished as it grew brighter.
—When the sun sets and the sky grows dusky, day and night gradually cross, and the ethereal sword shadow appears once more—』
From the very bottom to finally here, to the place where a Treasure is obtained as a reward.
But this is not the end.
「Sin Yunchan.」
Qin Shi Huang, rising from the throne.
Srrr.
The mist that had been covering his face vanished.
The true form of Qin Shi Huang was finally revealed.
‘Damn, this man shines. He literally glows.’
He was a devastatingly handsome man.
Before my eyes stood the most handsome Asian I had ever seen.
Truth be told, it was a bit different from the history we know.
‘A man with a high nose, long slit eyes, a chest like a hawk’s, a voice like a jackal’s, one who knows not how to bestow grace.’
It was a passage recorded in Sima Qian’s Records of the Grand Historian.
Of course, Sima Qian himself might have depicted him as such because he held an unfavorable view of Qin Shi Huang.
But there is a limit to everything.
To disparage the looks of such a handsome man?
He had no right to be called a historian.
And Sima Qian was considered one of the more fair historians who recorded only facts.
Which meant.
‘That his appearance changed later.’
And that was indeed the case.
Qin Shi Huang’s appearance, and everything else, had changed after his meeting with ‘him.’
「I love talent. And Sin Yunchan, you are one of the few talents who meet my discerning eye.」
Honeyed words, unbefitting a tyrant.
「Thus, I make a proposal.」
He extended the hand hidden within his Dragon Robe.
Swwwoosh!
The red energy gathered in that hand formed a single pill.
「This is the Elixir of Immortality that shall grant you eternal life. How about it? Will you not conquer the world alongside me?」
Immortality.
It was a magical word that no human could help but dream of.
Indeed, the Elixir of Immortality that Qin Shi Huang offered—or more precisely, the Pill of Immortality (不老丹)—grants eternal life.
However.
‘Along with a terrible curse that prevents one from parting from Qin Shi Huang.’
That was why I should naturally refuse the offer.
But if I refused?
‘The King of Greed won’t stay idle.’
The moment I refused that offer, I would face Qin Shi Huang’s wrath and a trial.
The rage of an emperor who had unified Zhonghua and grasped both immortality and sinister power could hardly be light.
In effect, a situation with no room for choice.
Flash!
Chengying in my hand shone.
I was using the interval to enhance it.
Dragging out a bit of time like that.
“….”
I received the Pill of Immortality that Qin Shi Huang offered.
「Take it quickly.」
An urging voice filled with anticipation.
However.
Tap.
Dropping it to the floor.
Stomp!
I crushed it underfoot.