Chapter 228: Your cheat is good, it belongs to me now!
Within the Adventurers' Guild, conflicts between individuals were commonplace.
Therefore, when the renowned Magic Sword user was grabbed by the scruff of his neck and thrown out like trash, everyone merely looked out the window with interest, fully prepared to enjoy the show.
The teammates of both parties automatically divided into two distinct camps by the door.
One side was extremely nervous, while the other remained composed.
Mitsurugi Kyouya had no idea Arthur would suddenly act, his body couldn't react in time, and he rolled miserably around the street corner.
"Despicable scoundrel! As a fellow Sword Master, you actually ambushed me!"
Arthur slowly walked out the door, durandal unsheathed, and he waved at the furious Mitsurugi Kyouya.
"You think your actions are noble, trying to poach someone in front of their captain?"
Mitsurugi Kyouya's eyes sharpened, and he drew the famous magic sword gram from his waist, his voice stern.
"Aqua is the noblest existence! She should be in the most excellent team! Don't meddle in others' affairs!"
He raised the magic sword above his head, and the blade tore through the air, cutting out a crescent-shaped sword qi visible to the naked eye!
"Noble?"
Arthur horizontally blocked with his sword, deftly deflecting the fierce sword qi towards the sky.
The unstoppable slash actually tore a long, narrow crack in the clouds.
"If I'm not mistaken, you and Aqua have only met once. Everything you're saying is just your own fantasy."
Mitsurugi Kyouya was speechless for a moment, only able to pour all his magic into activating Gram.
The sword hummed, and a layer of tangible twilight aura instantly enveloped it.
Screaming sword qi shot out from within the sword in all directions, shattering the street tiles, and dust flew everywhere.
Seeing this, Arthur shook his head, looking rather bored.
"It's indeed a good weapon, but unfortunately, the user is not very good, completely wasting the sword's power."
Before he finished speaking, crimson curse power flowed like water over durandal, tracing a fleeting arc in mid-air!
His high level granted Mitsurugi Kyouya extraordinary dynamic vision; he barely caught Arthur's lightning-fast strike and blocked with all his might!
Clang!
A crisp sound, like a shattered jade plate.
The Steel Gale was already pressing against the Magic Sword user's neck.
The victor was decided in one strike.
Gram, enveloped in a rich glow, instantly dimmed, and clanged to the ground.
Mitsurugi Kyouya clenched his teeth, not crying out, but his arms trembled uncontrollably.
Arthur unhurriedly picked up the magic sword from the ground and tried to pour curse power into it, but found the weapon to be like stagnant water, completely unresponsive.
Seeing this, Aqua, the cheat wholesaler, raised her right hand and loudly reminded him.
"Mr. Arthur, the magic sword gram is that narcissist's exclusive weapon; in someone else's hands, it's just scrap metal!"
Mitsurugi Kyouya's two companions immediately echoed, scolding Arthur sharply.
"Exactly! A magic sword chooses its master! Only Hibikiya can use it!"
"That's right! That sword has already recognized Hibikiya, it will never protect you!"
Listening to the two girls' confident remarks, Arthur, who had only intended to give Mitsurugi Kyouya a small lesson, instantly changed his mind.
A faint, pale glow ignited in his palm, forcefully pouring into the unyielding magic sword gram with an undeniable presence!
This movement was extremely subtle, no one present noticed, except for—
The goddess Aqua, who was watching the show from the sidelines.
She suddenly widened her eyes, her face filled with an unprecedented shock and disbelief.
In an instant, the magic sword gram erupted with an unprecedented brilliant light, the twilight flames dancing on the sword's body, sacred and awe-inspiring!
Mitsurugi Kyouya's legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees, clutching his chest, his handsome face twisted, filled with the sorrow of betrayal, his lips trembling wildly.
"No... impossible! My... my Gram... it..."
Arthur casually swung the broad-bladed Gram, feeling the protective power emanating from the sword, a playful smirk on his lips.
"Though not very useful, as a trophy, I'll take it."
As soon as he said this, Mitsurugi Kyouya suddenly looked up, gripping Arthur's clothes tightly, his eyes almost spitting fire.
"Bastard! It's not enough that you stole Aqua! Now you're even stealing the magic sword I rely on for survival! You're too despicable!"
"Rely on for survival?"
Arthur indifferently shook off his hand, put Gram into his storage bag, and his sharp gaze pierced into the depths of the other's soul.
"Without it, you are nothing. Therefore, you don't deserve to have it. Understand, so-called Sword Master?"
"Kazuma, Aqua, Yunyun, let's go, don't waste time."
"Yes!" x 3
"He didn't even mention my name!"
Mitsurugi Kyouya stared blankly at Arthur and his group's retreating backs, the anger in his eyes slowly extinguishing.
Supported by his two companions, he disappeared at the end of the street.
...
After finishing the entanglement with Mitsurugi Kyouya's team, Arthur and his group quickly moved to the north side of the Axel plains.
There is a large lake here, an important water source for the residents of Axel.
Unfortunately, now—
In the murky mud, grey and red savage short-snouted alligators narrowed their beastly eyes, drifting with the current, enjoying the afternoon.
Kazuma, standing on high ground, activated the 'Clairvoyance' skill he had recently learned, counting the number of monsters, his tongue tied.
"Ten, twenty... this number is too exaggerated! Big brother, this quest is much more troublesome than I imagined!"
Arthur looked calm: "Making a fuss, you should have some awareness by now."
Kazuma turned his head in confusion: "What awareness?"
Arthur folded his arms: "Isn't that just how a 'beginner's village' is?"
"Hiss—!"
Kazuma gasped, memories he couldn't bear to recall flooding his mind.
The beginner monsters harming the farm were giant frogs taller than buildings, swallowing children whole.
The so-called zombie creators were top-tier liches performing Turn Undead.
Investigating the forest environment, they first encountered swarms of One-Hit Kill Rabbits, and later even encountered high-ranking demons!
Ah—so tired, I want to retire.
Unbeknownst to him, Kazuma squatted on the ground, hugging his knees, his whole body turning gray and white.
In the past, Aqua would never miss an opportunity to mock Kazuma.
But now, she was both suspiciously and brazenly peeking at Arthur.
Only Yunyun, with her most serious personality, raised her hand to offer her opinion.
"Both the quest request and Princess Luna emphasized that as long as the lake is purified, the savage short-snouted alligators will leave on their own."
"No need for such trouble!"
Darkness, who had shamelessly followed along, pressed her rapidly heaving chest, panting as she said.
"I can use the 'Decoy' skill to attract monsters! Please use me as a sacrifice to buy time for Aqua's purification!"
Before she finished speaking, the D-M Knight, who had reached her limit, dashed down the riverbank in a flash, heading straight for the center of the alligator group with an inexplicable groan!
"Eh!?" Good-natured Yunyun was astonished, "What do we do, Arthur? Miss Darkness, she..."
Arthur patted Yunyun's shoulder and earnestly advised her.
"Yunyun, you also need to be prepared."
"Prepared? Do you mean the beginner's village?" Yunyun tilted her head in confusion.
Arthur kicked the feigning-death Kazuma awake, then pulled the timid Aqua over, and rushed down the riverbank without looking back.
"No, I mean, our team, that's just how it is!"