ATAPOW Chapter 239
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Chapter 239: The Missing Person
The Holy Sword, Heaven’s Abundance, slammed against the black longsword, igniting a fierce shower of sparks.
“I stepped out for a bathroom break and this is what I return to… Can anyone fill me in here?”
The figure who had just arrived donned a cross-shaped molybdenum helmet and a set of threadbare brigandine armor, the latter of which offered scant protection to his body. A pair of thick leather boots completed his outfit.
This contrasted sharply with the ‘Radiant Knight King’, who was clad in superior armor from head-to-toe.
“Is that you, cockroach?…” His familiar and extremely reassuring voice washed away any doubts of his identity from Lin’s mind.
“Who else?”
“So, who’s that knight?”
“How am I supposed to know?”
Ji Bai spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, rendering Lin speechless.
“That won’t matter for long.” The sound of metal grinding filled the air, and Ji Bai’s eyes narrowed. The icy glaze coming out from his helmet was enough to send chills down anyone’s spine.
“I’ll tear that helmet off and see the face of the coward who has to steal another’s identity to survive.”
“Take Ke’er and leave now.” His voice was calm, yet left no room for debate. “This issue is mine to resolve.”
“Alright… Just be careful.” Lin murmured, unease evident in her tone. Without further hesitation, she unfolded her demon wings and began retreating with Ke’er in her embrace.
“A vampire…” The middle-aged man called Enzo had a meaningful look on his face.
“Cling! Clank!!…” The two longswords parted, only to clash anew — heralding the start of hostilities.
There was no doubt in his mind about the authenticity of his opponent’s weapon. This was the very blade he had once carried: The Holy Sword, Heaven’s Abundance.
Its title of ‘holy sword’ naturally elevated it far beyond the common, mass-produced weapons found in the marketplace. The requirements it placed upon its wielder were enough to make even the bravest hesitate.
The sheer skill required to wield such a remarkable piece of dwarven craftsmanship only made Ji Bai question his opponent even more.
Ji Bai’s curiosity intensified. What would he find beneath that helmet? Would their appearance merely serve to satisfy his curiosity, or could it be… something more? A delightful surprise, perhaps?
[Watcher’s Fury]
Gripping his sword like a warhammer, he brought it down in an overhead strike, cleaving through the air with unstoppable momentum. But at the very last moment, he shifted its trajectory, speedily drawing back and executing a horizontal chop – A change meant to catch his opponent off-guard.
“Clank!”
The blow seemed impossible to avoid, yet it was flawlessly intercepted by the [Radiant Knight].
‘Not bad. Looks like they know their way around a fight.’
Though his first attack may have been thwarted, Ji Bai continued his relentless onslaught, flawlessly executing each move with deliberate grace. It was almost as if he had expected the interception all along.
A myriad of sword techniques erupted in a spectacular display, weaving variations that bewildered all onlookers. Strikes rapidly descended like torrential rain, dissolving into phantom images that overwhelmed the senses.
Sparks flew with every clash of metal. As if his opponent had foreseen his moves, his relentless onslaught found only the shiny surface of their sword. The sound of Ji Bai’s strikes incessantly filled the air, yet he found himself completely incapable of penetrating their defenses.
Despite being forced into a passive situation, the ‘Radiant Knight’ showed no sign of being at a disadvantage.
The duel, a blur to the naked eye, was like a clash of celestial beings.
The knights on the sidelines, together with the crowd of bewildered civilians, could only gaze in astonishment while sporting faces of utter confusion.
However, the relentless execution of sword techniques was exacting a heavy toll on him.
His rapid succession of attacks began to dwindle and slow down significantly over time. His energy rapidly diminished, leaving him in a critical state and compelling him to decrease the frequency of his attacks.
From the sidelines, Enzo watched in silent scrutiny, his gaze fixated on the cross-shaped helmet.
As the bearer of the cross-shaped helmet showed further signs of exhaustion, the gaze of the ‘Radiant Knight’ sharpened. They had finally noticed a subtle flaw the moment Ji Bai drew back his sword.
“Clank!” The ‘Radiant Knight’ utilized [Heaven’s Abundance] to skillfully alter [Tranquility]’s trajectory. Harnessing the full force of their indomitable weapon, they pressed their advantage, seeking to capitalize on the opening and swiftly overpower their opponent with righteous might.
A direct hit from that move would most likely split him in half, right through the center.
As the original owner of [Heaven’s Abundance], Ji Bai knew its terrifying power better than anyone.
His opponent displayed exceptional swordsmanship; They had gathered their power, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to land a lethal blow. This approach was completely unlike the restless mindset of an average swordsman.
They were a tough nut to crack, indeed. However…
“Clank!…”
They had still fallen for his bait.
[Demon Slayer — Gradual Rapture]
With [Heaven’s Abundance] plunged deep into the heart of the opposition, the ‘Radiant Knight’ believed that victory was imminent. However, this confidence was shattered when [Tranquility] swiftly retreated into defense, diffusing the energy of their strike and forcefully diverting its trajectory away from its master.
Ji Bai had purposely revealed a cleverly-concealed weakness in the aims of luring his adversary into action.
From their brief clashes, he had already discerned that his opponent had achieved an exceptionally high level of proficiency in the way of the sword.
Since his own attacks lacked any noticeable impact, Ji Bai lured his opponent into taking the offensive instead. Realizing that mere feints would not deceive such a skilled adversary, he decided to expose a flaw that only someone with an extremely high level of technical prowess could detect.
True to his expectations, his opponent exposed a vulnerability, which he capitalized on by quickly mounting a counterattack.
However, Ji Bai harbored no illusion that his ‘broken sword’ was capable of inflicting any harm on his opponent. That had never been his intention from the start.
Instead, he had a far more intriguing idea in mind. The immobilizing effect caused by [Gradual Rapture] was just the tool to achieve it.
In a flash, Ji Bai retracted his sword with one hand and simultaneously reached for the ‘Radiant Knight’s’ helmet with the other.
‘Let’s find out who you truly are underneath that helmet.’
But a split second later, a sense of unease washed over him. Heeding the ominous premonition his intuition gave him, Ji Bai pulled his hand back and gave up on unmasking them.
“Swoosh!” Seemingly as a warning to him, a sharp arrow sliced through the space between the two combatants, leaving a fierce gust of wind in its wake.
Ji Bai silently stared at his gloved hand, which had been marked by a graze.
Realizing that the perfect opportunity had slipped through his fingers, he turned towards where the arrow had been shot from. There, a middle-aged man stood, his face filled with solemness. In his hands was a longbow, whose string was still trembling from the shot.
‘Enzo… You’re not fooled by this imposter’s disguise, are you??’
“Are you all just going to stand there and do nothing? Go and support our lord.”
With a command and gesture from Enzo, the Radiant Knights instantly sprang into action. With pikes or bastard swords in their hands, they formed a dense ring around the silent Ji Bai.
Realizing that the odds were against him, he decided that it was a bad idea to stay around any longer.
His gaze flickered between Enzo and the ‘Radiant Knight’. Determined not to let his emotions control him and inadvertently alert the enemy, he decided to withdraw.
“Identify yourself, heretic! Why do you protect those demons lurking in Border Town? Are you one of them, or…” Enzo moved towards him, bow in hand. “…a traitor who has shamelessly forsaken his kind?”
Ji Bai gave no reply. With a swing of his longsword, he deflected the spears of the surrounding knights. Then, in one fluid motion, he used the counterweight on his hilt as a bludgeon, ferociously incapacitating the warriors blocking his escape before striding off without hesitation.
“It’s unwise to chase after a cornered foe.” Enzo blandly waved his hand, stopping the knights who were planning to give pursuit.
“As Border Town is still rebuilding in the wake of the disaster, it’s inevitable that a few demons will try to take advantage of our current state. However, I want to assure everyone that the Chivalric Group of Radiant Knights is not going to sit idly by and do nothing.” Enzo addressed the citizens, his voice loud and clear.
“Though a few bad apples may have tarnished our name, the Radiant Knights will never abandon their people to hardship! Rest assured, we will petition for reinforcements to safeguard Border Town and ensure the safety and prosperity of all who reside here.”
As a wave of applause filled the air, Enzo walked up to the ‘Radiant Knight’ and spoke in a solemn tone.
“Milord, now that you’ve returned, please accompany us back to headquarters. There are many matters in the Chivalric Group that require your personal attention.”
The ‘Radiant Knight’ nodded silently.
一一一一一一
‘My identity credentials had already been revoked by the Human Alliance a year ago. So, who is that imposter, and why is he pretending to be the Radiant Knight?’
‘What drives them to deceive everyone like this?’
Ji Bai was sitting at a table upon his return to the magical dimension. With his head propped against his elbow, he found himself caught up in thoughts that were hard to break away from.
While he might have lost his qualification as the Radiant Knight, the fact that a suspicious person of unknown origins was masquerading as him made it tough for him to remain still.
Beneath the surface, he sensed a large, hidden conspiracy brewing in the Chivalric Order.
He feared that by the time Enzo detected the abnormality in the imposter, it would already be too late.
Since they had the audacity to impersonate him, their belief in the disguise must be absolute. After all, his usually reserved nature, coupled with the fact that his true appearance remained a mystery to all, made him the perfect target for impersonation.
He surmised that only those who knew him intimately would be able to see through this perfect disguise.
After some thoughts, Ji Bai came to a swift and decisive decision.
He felt the need to visit the headquarters and carry out an in-depth investigation.
He was determined to find out what the impostor aimed to achieve by assuming his identity.
If they acted in the name of justice, it would not be unthinkable for them to take on the mantle of the Radiant Knight from now on.
However, if their actions were driven by greed – for fame, power, or even worse, putting lives at risk for political gain – then…
“Thud, thud, thud.” A series of light door-knocks snapped Ji Bai out of his train of thoughts.
“Teacher Lin Tuo has sent me to let you know that the class has been gathered for a mission.” Upon opening the door, Ji Bai was greeted by Lin’s poker face which was veiled in reluctance.
“I have some matters I need to address and may need to take a few days off.”
“Oh.” Having relayed the message, Lin saw no reason to overstep her duties and persuade Ji Bai into complying with Lin Tuo’s orders. She offered a cursory response before turning to depart.
“In that case, I’ll let the instructor know of your choice to abstain from the operation involving the Chivalric Group of Radiant Knights then.”
“…What did you say?”
一一一一一一
“Yo, you’re back, kid.” Greeted Lin Tuo, after he shot a quick glance at the person with the cross-shaped helmet behind Lin.
In the classroom, Pianzi was seated cross-legged, chanting his sutras, while Huo Lei was perched atop a wooden table. The Tomato class was complete… Save for one absent member.
“Yo, Ji Bai, my dear old chum. How have the last few days been treating you?’”
“It was alright.” Ji Bai responded to Huo Lei’s greetings with a nod.
He had made a bee-line towards Lin Tuo the instant he stepped through the door.
“Speak, what are the details of this mission?”
“Sigh, your eagerness is commendable. But shouldn’t we come up with a plan first?” Lin Tuo put on a feigned air of solemnity as he patted Ji Bai’s shoulder.
“Oh.” Ji Bai locked his gaze on Lin Tuo and refused to look elsewhere.
“Cough, cough. Okay, looks like we’ve got everyone from Tomato Class here… apart from the student who withdrew from school, that is.” Lin Tuo cast his gaze across the seated students after a couple of dry coughs.
“Come to think of it, why did little sister Sha leave so abruptly? She didn’t even say goodbye to us… Ji Bai, did she mention anything to you on the way out?” Huo Lei scratched the back of his head in sheer confusion.
“…” Ji Bai descended into silence.
Lin had subtly turned her head to the side as well.
An air of desolation filled the classroom in that instant.
“Cough, cough! Okay, okay, let’s set that topic aside for now. We have more urgent issues to discuss.” Lin Tuo cleared his throat and attempted to brighten the mood.