Chapter 56: The Close-Combat Mage

“What?! You… can’t read?” the elven lady exclaimed in surprise.

“Mm.” Luo Yong nodded a bit awkwardly.

Though it didn’t affect his ability to learn magic… It was strange—anything on those scrolls, as long as he touched them, he instantly understood their meaning, yet when it came to the language itself, it was a different story. He’d never deliberately studied it before. Besides, in this otherworld, culture wasn’t everything; if your combat power was high enough, that was all that mattered.

“Well, when we have time, I’ll teach you. It’s… still important to recognize some characters…” The elven lady’s expression turned peculiar. She couldn’t help but grumble inwardly—bringing a human back was already enough to raise eyebrows among her kin, who knew what sort of gossip would start. And now, that human was illiterate… She could hardly imagine how things would unfold once she brought him back!

Ahem.

“As long as you’re willing to teach, I’ll do my best to learn,” Luo Yong said, thick-skinned. In truth, if he set his mind to it, he could master a language very quickly; the written characters would be no trouble at all. In fact, given the traditions of Blue Star, he might even take a proficiency test and get a certificate.

So, for Luo Yong, this was no problem at all!

“Let me read you the contents here, then,” the elven lady said, taking the small book and flipping to the first page. She began to read aloud, explaining as she went.

“Upon the earth, the horns of the savage beast race; in the deep sea swims the crimson whale; on the gray grasslands, the relentless rampage of Catherine…”

She read on, her tone giving Luo Yong the impression she was chanting a spell, though it didn’t quite sound like one. It felt more like a prophecy—mysterious, almost cult-like in its cadence.

If the person destined to share his life ended up some kind of zealot, Luo Yong definitely couldn’t accept it! As he was thinking this, the elven lady abruptly stopped reading, her ears twitching. Then she pulled up her hood, concealing her beautiful face.

“Someone’s coming!”

“Huh?” Luo Yong was puzzled. Was she trying to hide her existence, or just her face? The thought that her almost divine beauty was reserved for his eyes alone filled Luo Yong with a secret delight.

What? Flaunt her so others could envy, covet, or grow resentful? No, not at all. They weren’t worthy.

Soon, hurried footsteps approached, and in moments a figure appeared before Luo Yong.

“It’s you!”

“Ha! Heaven hasn’t forsaken me! I’ve finally found you, Luo!” Ivan pointed at Luo Yong, a crazed smile on his face, eyes burning with anger and hatred.

“Do you need something?” Luo Yong asked calmly.

“What do you think?!”

Ivan yanked up his shirt, revealing a body covered in wounds and bruises—clearly injuries from Holy Light spells.

“These wounds, this humiliation, are all thanks to you!”

“Hey now, that’s not fair,” Luo Yong replied, waving his hand dismissively. “It was the Hero Association who hurt you—that woman wielding Holy Light. She’s probably looking for you too. If you’re free, you should go chat with her about the meaning of life.”

The elven lady couldn’t hold back a laugh.

“I’ll deal with you first, then find her and tear her apart!” Ivan shouted, striding toward Luo Yong, his iron sword still stained with fresh blood.

“I sense the breath of dying lives…” The elven lady stepped forward, pointing at Ivan. “You just killed someone?!”

“Are you his friend? And a woman too—Luo, you play around, don’t you! Since fate has brought us together, why not play a little game… called murder and plunder… plunder… what, exactly?”

Ivan paused, even his steps faltering as he seemed to ponder for a moment.

“Murder and treasure,” Luo Yong said emotionlessly, thinking to himself, Damn it, that’s almost too on the nose. The elven lady beside him—her human name was Yan Baor, which, coincidentally…

No, that kind of thing would never happen. Not to mention Luo Yong, even Yan Baor wouldn’t allow it.

By now, she had already drawn her rapier. The moonlight glimmered along the blade, ready to flash at any moment.

“Wait!” Luo Yong reached out to stop her.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, puzzled.

“From the first time we met, I told you—I’m actually a magic swordsman.”

“Huh?”

“It’s time you saw my swordsmanship.”

The elven lady hesitated. “But your opponent is an eleventh-level hero. He’s probably hiding his true power—maybe even level twelve. And your level…”

“In the past while, I found some secret medicines. My physical strength is now at the level of an eighth-level hero, and my energy is around seventh-level. I should be able to fight!” Luo Yong whispered in her ear, noticing the rapid flush that crept up her face.

So easy to make her blush…

“Bah! Magic swordsman, my ass!” Ivan spat on the ground angrily. “You shameless liar! You not only tricked me, you made me go to the Hero Association and report you. Then you tricked them too, and now I’m hunted and in this state! If I don’t kill you today, I’m not worthy to be called Ivan!”

“That’s why I say, with a brain like yours, you should eat more pig’s head to help it along,” Luo Yong replied with the warm, earnest gaze one might use with a slow child. “Read more books when you have time, less fighting and killing. Do more things that benefit the nation and the people…”

A flash of confusion crossed Ivan’s face. For some reason, though he didn’t understand what Luo Yong was saying, a strange fury burned in his chest, as if a fire was scorching his very soul.

“Enough nonsense! Luo the Liar, this time next year will be the anniversary of your death!” Ivan roared, swinging his sword straight at Luo Yong.

“Look out!” the elven lady cried, about to intervene.

But at that very moment, two distinct auras erupted from Luo Yong, confusing the elven lady and making her hesitate, unable to react in time.

Facing Ivan’s brute-force, clumsy strike, Luo Yong’s figure blurred, sidestepping with ease and leaving only a few afterimages where he’d stood.

“Wind Step?!” the elven lady gasped in a low voice.

“A combat technique?!” Ivan squinted, looking at Luo Yong with a new glint in his eyes.

Before, he’d thought his opponent was only a level five hero, not even level eight—an easy kill. A level twelve against a level five; no need for fancy techniques.

But now? Luo Yong hadn’t just dodged his sure-hit attack; he’d used a combat technique that only heroes who’d explored secret realms could have learned.

“Ah, right—you have an intermediate secret realm. I almost forgot.” Ivan licked his lips. “Lots of things can drop on death; I bet the secret realm can too. The odds aren’t great—but I can try!”

“In your dreams,” Luo Yong snorted. “You won’t even touch the hem of my robe.”

Clearly, Ivan had misunderstood—he thought Luo Yong’s ‘Wind Step’ was a rare combat technique acquired from a secret realm, when in fact it was a basic skill of the Windblade Swordsman class, unlocked with a simple upgrade. Luo Yong had no intention of explaining. With a beautiful elven lady by his side, there were better things to do than waste time on a side character like Ivan.

“Stop bragging. Even if a level five like you’s picked up a few tricks, you’re no match for an eleventh-level hero!” As he spoke, a strange glint flashed in Ivan’s eyes. He thought to himself that with his +1 rune stone, he was actually level twelve!

Such was the difference in perception: Luo Yong regarded his own level as only five, with all enhancements as temporary, while Ivan considered his boosted level his true strength, even if it was all due to runes.

“Do you believe in Light? Miracles really do happen in this world,” Luo Yong said coolly.

“Light…” the elven lady repeated softly, falling silent as if lost in thought.

“Enough! Necromancer of the dark, I don’t know how you deceived those fools at the Hero Association, but everything ends for you today. This is your death day!”

Ivan charged again, sword raised, glancing at the elven lady standing nearby as if she seemed familiar, but he couldn’t quite place her. No matter—so long as she didn’t intervene.

Swish!

In that instant, multiple magical forces burst from Luo Yong—wind magic, gravity, and Wind Step, all at once. He narrowly dodged Ivan’s attack.

At the same time, he flicked a Wind Blade at his foe.

Whoosh! Crack!

In the vast space with only three people, the sound of the Wind Blade was amplified, the usually soft wind now howling like a banshee.

Ivan, having missed, spun swiftly. Before the Wind Blade could hit, a blue shield of light appeared before him.

“Sometimes, I believe in Light too—like right now.” Ivan grinned triumphantly as the Wind Blade bounced off his shield, only a sliver of magic absorbed and merged into its surface.

“Sword and shield? Melee mage? Paladin?” Luo Yong asked, genuinely curious.