Return Of The Strongest Player
chapter-213

The dungeon he was in…

It was the resting place of the Blade Sovereign, one of the legendary figures instilled within the records of history.

'But he's dead… Wait, it was the same with the Baron Of Death… There was a presence within his legacy ground, too… But how? Are they his underlings? His followers? But it's been centuries… How are they alive?'

Several questions lingered in Arthur's mind, eating away at his sanity at a gradual pace. He didn't think he needed any preparations, which was true, considering the previous inheritor of the Blade Sovereign's legacy merely entered the grave as a form of escape from his pursuers.

The inheritor also stated–after inheriting the legacy–that no form of precautions were necessary, as the trial was based solely on one's true power. It adapted.

'That means there is some sort of spirit here,' Arthur muttered internally. 'However, whether it is of the Blade Sovereign himself or some other entity, such as his loyal follower, is seemingly for me to figure out.'

Arthur suddenly recalled something that sent shivers down his spine.

The Titans? The supposed predecessors of the Olympian Divine Rankers? They were killed by the assault of the Starbreakers.

Arthur strengthened his grip on the falchion, which seemed to tremble due to the sheer power hidden within Arthur's grip strength. He continued forward, and a pathway suddenly materialized, splitting the metal wall.

Arthur glanced both ways before slowly treading along the predetermined path, maintaining [Mana Sense], which didn't seem to help in any way. However, prevention or precaution was always better than cure.

After a few minutes of exploring the abyss, Arthur came across another space with a fifty-meter radius.

However, unlike the previous space, this one was not empty.

Before he could realize it, several candlelights ignited, spilling voracious flames that didn't seem to harm the crimson-eyed man but rather seemed to strain his eyes. Arthur–startled–immediately attempted to summon his mana.

But he couldn't.

The Unification between his body and mind halted, and the two aspects of his existence reverted to their original state. His mana was like a solidified block within his body, unable to be moved.

Sword Spirit was incapable of being summoned, while his Blessing seemed to have vanished. Arthur wondered if he'd simply run out of Sun Energy, but that didn't seem to be the case, as he basked under the Sun before entering the legacy ground.

Arthur was free of all the benefits of a player or a warrior.

He was merely human, with not an inkling of mana or any supernatural power. All he remembered were the faint traces of swordsmanship he'd obtained. The fragments of those memories seemed to condense.

Devoid of all unnecessary thoughts, Arthur felt the word "swordsmanship" rise in his mind.

The voracious flames seemed to be desperate to consume Arthur's soul, but his body was like an impenetrable barrier. The crimson-eyed man was lost in a trance, repeating the word "Sword" over and over in his mind.

The flames touched his body but were extinguished before any harm could be done.

Finally, once Arthur's fused eyelids opened, a trace of immense wisdom seemed distinguishable within his crimson pupils. His gaze seemed more powerful as if an unshakeable intent was fused with it.

Arthur–without thinking–swung Skofnung.

Clang! Boom!

A floating sword that suddenly materialized was split in half. Skofnung suffered a dent, but Arthur was uncaring. Suddenly, another floating materialized but was slashed into bits just as fast as its predecessor.

He felt a metallic taste on his tongue but ignored it.

With simple, precise, destructive movements and slashes, Arthur obliterated the approaching, floating swords, forming a barrage of impenetrable sword habits in the process. His gaze flashed with intensity, revealing the profundity of the knowledge seeping into his mind.

Flames continued to explode in Arthur's surroundings, producing deafening sounds. Arthur's gaze hardened as he felt his senses dwindling in sensitivity.

'What's happening…'

After a few minutes of swinging, Arthur felt his sense of taste and smell weaken. Sensing an ominous premonition, the crimson-eyed man only unleashed more destructive attacks, trying to end the conflict before something worse occurred.

But he was unsuccessful.

In a few minutes, not only was his stamina running low, but his senses of smell and taste had faded completely. His tongue felt numb, while his nose only allowed the nearby, odorless air to enter.

'That's not how the sense of smell works…'

Arthur was confused by the occurrences. He continued to fight, dodging several swords each second. His movements were rapid and grew from somewhat clumsy to fluent in merely an hour of fighting.

'A fight on which your life depends is seriously the best form of growth,' Arthur muttered internally. He was thankful for the opportunity to grow, but as things were, he would eventually suffer a very painful death.

It'd be similar to his first death; from the impalement of his body using weapons.

Arthur clenched his teeth, shattering nearby swords to bits while avoiding injuries. However, no matter how much he tried, emerging unscathed from such an intense battle without the assistance of [Mana Sense] was impossible.

It wasn't long before several cuts appeared on his body. The flames that seemed to be obstructed by his skin began affecting his flowing blood.

His Bones of Death soon caught on fire. Intense pain coursed across Arthur's body, and what happened next only worsened his situation. His sense of hearing… it began to fade. The sounds of the clanging metal faded.

Reinforced by solely the senses of touch and sight, Arthur was in a tough predicament. He could only rely on his sight–which was further obstructed by the blinding light produced by flames–and his touch.

'The situation can't get any worse, can it?'

Oh, how wrong the crimson-eyed man was. Before he could realize it, his sense of sight began fading, with dark spots assaulting his vision.

Before long, he was left in a world devoid of light, with only his sense of touch keeping him going.

'I'm dead.'

Those were Arthur's last words before a sword stabbed his neck.