Survival Story of a Sword King in a Fantasy World

Know thy enemy and know thy self. (4)

Unlike the six Templar Lords, Kibie, and Leon Hart, Ryu Han-bin had never seen the Transcendental in person.

Nevertheless, he already knew how she looked and how she presented herself.

It was thanks to Artis’s magic presenting Leon Hart’s memory to show her appearance in a picture-like form.

Han-bin crept up, staring at the Nymph beauty in the carriage.

“Then I’ll be back. I can’t check the level of the opponent at this distance.”

At that moment, Han-bin’s group was more than 30 meters away from Hollien’s procession.

The navigation function of the Guideline depended on the size of the target.

It could check the level of a super-sized animal like a dragon from 100 meters away, but he had to be at least within 20 meters to check humans’ level.

That was why Han-bin and his party had to escape from the crowd and hide in the back alley.

If there were other Aliens under Hollien, they would be able to check Han-bin’s group levels.

If the identity of Kibie, whose level was unknown, were revealed, everything would be over.

The situation was similar for the other party.

There was only one Level-112 Spiritist in Latna.

No matter how much he disguised himself, they would immediately find out that it was Leon Hart by checking his level.

Level 92 Mages and level 94 Magic Swordsmen were also rare. They would raise suspicions swiftly as well.

On the other hand, Ryu Han-bin had no problems.

His level was six at most.

If he were buried in the crowd, they wouldn’t be able to find him out at all.

“Well, I don’t think she would be here with Aliens, but…”

Mumbling, Han-bin put a big robe on his armor.

He prepared it just in case anything happened.

He was just a level 6 swordsman, so it would be awkward if he presented himself as an escort.

“It’s best to be careful.”

Although he had changed quite a bit due to the multitude of things he had experienced, he was always extremely cautious.

Didn’t he move carefully when he first fell into Latna?

After all that preparation, Han-bin stepped out of the back alley and penetrated the crowd.

* * *

Ryu Han-bin was right.

Han-bin and his party were not aware of it, but at that moment, Hollien could see through the opponent’s level just like Earthlings.

It was thanks to the power called [Near-Completion Omphalos’s Blessing], which they called the ‘Guideline made in Latna’ as a joke among the Top Three.

As she waved at the crowd, she relaxed to check on them.

[Race: Human. Lv. 1]

[Race: Human. Lv. 2]

Most of them were just ordinary people.

Sometimes trained people could be seen, but they didn’t have the level she was looking for.

[Race: Human. Fighter lv.42]

[Race: Human. Mage lv. 49]

They were Hunters staying in the trading city of Luge.

Hollien looked back at the brown-haired maid sitting next to her.

She was looking over the window opposite the carriage on the other side of the street.

“What about there?”

She was a member of Great Earth disguised as a maid. The Level 73 Spiritist Leslie shook her head.

“I don’t see any suspicious being, your Majesty.”

“Really?”

With a slightly disappointed look, Hollien frowned.

‘They pulled me out of here, and I thought there would be some movement. Well, maybe they’ve already come at me?’

But she kept looking as a precaution.

She had nothing else to do anyway.

However, Hollien got tired of it quickly.

Everywhere she looked, their levels were the same.

Level 1, Level 1, Level 1…

Level 2, Level 2, Level 2…

Looking at it, she felt like there were only levels 1 and 2 in the world.

Hollien clicked her tongue.

“Damn, this is why all the Aliens can go wild without needing to know their target.”

As soon as she looked at people, she could know their levels.

But most people were at that level when she went around the world.

It was always a reminder of how ‘small’ the absolute majority of humans were.

So how could she feel like they were the same with her?

Well, some of them had mastered basic martial arts, but…

[Race: Human. Swordsman lv.4]

[Race: Human. Fighter Lv. 5]

But it was still insignificant.

There was no such difference in the crowd.

So, she looked at the level of one of them and just passed by.

[Race: Human. Swordsman Lv. 6]

* * *

Hiding in the crowd, Ryu Han-bin kept waiting for Hollien’s approach.

He didn’t worry that his opponent might recognize him.

At that moment, he just looked like a level 6 swordsman covered with a shabby robe.

It was obvious that he was an ordinary civilian.

Nobody could even tell whether he was big or small because he was bent down.

‘No one on Latna with any Guideline can ever identify me like this.’

Hence, Han-bin once thought about trying to assassinate Hollien by himself.

Hollien wouldn’t care if a level 6 individual got close to her. He could assassinate her by himself!

If he succeeded, wouldn’t he be able to destroy the enemy without difficulties?

Ryu Han-bin had been enjoying the fun of the recent ambush.

So he discussed it with Leon Hart…

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

He was laughed at.

“I guess you’re mistaken, but you Aliens are the only ones who can see the other person’s level at a glance. We can’t know the level at all.”

It could only be checked with a measuring stone, and it was possible only with their consent.

In other words, by Latna’s standards, an assassin in plain disguise was attempting a secret attack.

Of course, everyone would be prepared for it accordingly.

“It would be advantageous to sneak into the royal family since I can deceive the measuring stone.”

The royal servants were selected by checking their level with the measuring stone. If Ryu Han-bin, measured at level 6, disguised himself as a servant, he could easily infiltrate households.

Still, the possibility of successfully executing the assassination was slim.

“If you are a servant or a maid who serves the Queen of a country, of course, they would thoroughly examine your status. It’s possible to infiltrate the outskirts of the royal palace, but it’s ridiculous to get close to the upper levels.”

Han-bin couldn’t get over it, and he asked again.

“Wouldn’t I be lucky to have an opportunity to work in the royal family?”

Leon Hart shook his head firmly.

“You can’t expect that. Luck doesn’t come in the way you expect it to.”

That was what life was like.

How many times had he been really lucky in anticipation of luck?

“If you fail, we’ll lose our strongest source of strength due to something that’s isn’t likely to happen anyway.”

“Is that so…”

In the end, Ryu Han-bin was convinced and gave up.

He had to be satisfied with only checking the exact level of the Transcendental.

While bowing his head, he waited patiently.

Soon, Hollien’s carriage reached the front.

It was less than 20 meters away.

Hollien saw Han-bin’s level, and Han-bin also checked Hollien’s level.

Of course, Hollien didn’t feel anything wrong and moved on.

And…

‘Uh, it’s different from what I’ve heard of.’

Ryu Han-bin broke out into a cold sweat.

Leon Hart estimated the level of the Transcendental to be in the early to mid 130s.

The figures were inferred by other Spiritists within the top five in the continent, including himself.

But the Guideline confirmed that it was far from the truth.

[Race: Nymph. Spiritualist Lv. 155]

‘Does this make sense? Why is her level so overwhelmingly high?’

* * *

It had been three days since the Fairy Queen arrived in the trading city of Luge.

Hundreds of soldiers camped on the vast grassland, Turricon Plains, south of the city.

The numbers included the regular army of the Fairy Kingdom led by Hollien, the troops of Luge, and Hunters.

Originally, the Hunters didn’t cut in on the wrong side of the night.

The number of spells appearing on the side of the night amounted to hundreds.

Unlike in dungeons, the military also engaged in combat, which wasn’t something the Hunters were used to.

But at that moment, quite a few Hunters voluntarily got involved.

The Transcendental was behind them, after all!

“The night’s monsters also have Spirit Stones, right?”

“Let’s make a big deal out of this!”

Since the strongest Spiritist in their realm was backing them up, they could expect better profits than usual.

Hunters gathered at the barracks glistened with greed.

The knights who saw the scene clicked their tongues.

“Hmm.”

“Vulgar Hunters.”

Despite their power, they didn’t care about righteously saving the people but only focused on money.

It was a mean sight.

Nevertheless, they moved on without saying much.

They must’ve been a special power, anyway.

Soon enough, the sun inevitably went down.

Darkness fell over the meadow, deepening the night.

The stars and the moon started to sparkle.

However, the night’s monsters did not appear.

Only the calm darkness laid over the grassland.

Amid the sound of grasshoppers, one of the Hunters murmured.

“When are the monsters going to show up?”

They had already camped there for three days and had been waiting.

Even if they found out where the night’s big changes were going to occur, they didn’t know when it would happen.

They always had to wait for it to actually start.

Stretching, the Hunters began to grumble.

“Oh, my back is burning.”

“That’s what tent life is like.”

“Of course, our tent…”

A Hunter smirked while looking at the center of the camp.

“I don’t think we can compare it to that one.”

There was a large tent that wasn’t comparable to the other barracks.

It was the residence of the Fairy Queen, Hollien.

As the Queen of the country, she was living in the field without any shortage.

In addition to various household harnesses, silk beds and fluffy fur-skin carpets were provided.

More than ten maids were serving her.

“They even set up a golden tub for her.”

“Wow, the ones with high positions are different.”

The Hunters put their tongues out.

However, there were no complaints about Hollien’s luxury life.

If the Queen of a country simply had that luxury on the battlefield, it wouldn’t be pleasant.

However, Hollien was the strongest Spiritist on Latna.

“She’s one of the most powerful beings. She deserves that much.”

“I wonder how high is the level of the Transcendental is?”

“I don’t know. It hasn’t been known since she reached level 110.”

For those who used battle as their business, it was Latna’s long-standing etiquette to inform others of their level when they’re introducing themselves.

‘I have no hostility toward you. I will honestly reveal my true skills with the evidence.’

The origin of the handshake was ‘My hands are empty. I’m currently unarmed.’

Of course, those who wanted to cheat would cheat again.

However, it was different in the case of the Top Three.

-I’m the king of a kingdom. I’m a level-30 Swordsman!

-I’m the Queen of a kingdom. I’m a level-40 Mage!

Wasn’t that weird?

It was ridiculous for a king or a queen of a country to announce his or her level first.

The Top Three also spoke of their levels when they were young and still Hunters, but they stopped mention it after reaching the top.

In the Sword King’s case, no one knew his real level because he refused to use the measuring stone at all.

Therefore, it had been a long-standing topic for Hunters to discuss at what level the four strongest people would be and who was the strongest among the three except the Sword King.

“Isn’t the Thunder King the strongest?”

“No, the Archmage is stronger…”

“Because she’s a Spiritist, she hasn’t shown off. But if we look at the level itself, the Transcendental would be the strongest.”

They spent their time debating.

At that moment, the night sky roared.

Boom!

Something seemed to break violently.

Simultaneously, the sky became distorted, and countless hazes bloomed and spread across the darkness.

The knights rushed out and shouted.

“It’s here!”

“It’s coming!”

“Everyone, prepare for battle!”