Chapter 436

Here’s the English translation of the provided novel excerpt, adhering to the given glossary and maintaining the original tone and style:

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436 Gathering of the Strong #5

“I am the guardian of the Cadia Mountains, the boar hunter, the swift-footed Atalante—! Hassan, I challenge you to a duel for calling me a coward—!”

Swoosh—

Atalante, who had just challenged me, drew a short dagger from her waist. She lowered her stance and glared at me with the sharp eyes of a feline predator, as if she were about to pounce and sink her blade into my neck at any moment.

It was clear—she was fully intent on killing me.

Srrrk—

In response, I gripped my twin swords and steadied myself, ready to counter at any moment.

“Challenging a god—do you even understand what that means?”

It had been a while since I last wielded my blades, and the unfamiliarity sent a rush of excitement through me, my bl**d heating up. After the fierce battle with Achilles, I hadn’t expected to face another strong opponent so soon.

How often had I fought back-to-back like this in a single day? Normally, I’d complain, but with the expedition to the Underworld looming, this was good practice. Who knew how many powerful enemies we’d face there?

Of course, that was assuming I could subdue this woman without injury. If I got seriously wounded or died here, everything would be over.

Zzzt, zzzt—

We stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills.

Maybe it was because I’d already fought Achilles, or perhaps Atalante simply wasn’t as strong as him, but I could handle this pressure.

“…”

“…”

Seconds passed as we stared each other down.

In hindsight, it was a short time. But when lives were on the line, those seconds stretched longer and denser than minutes spent resting in the shade.

What’s this? Why isn’t she moving? Nobody’s even twitching an eyebrow.

Idiot, this is how fights between masters go. It looks like nothing’s happening, but the moment you blink—BAM!—it’s over. Pay attention.

Right, this is a battle between a young god and a Gold Tier adventurer. You can’t even pay to see something like this. d*mn, living in Sodomora is a blessing.

The onlookers hushed, overwhelmed by the tension. The usual chatter died down, replaced by nervous gulps and blinking.

Silence upon silence.

Suddenly, I recalled my fight with Achilles earlier, and a spark of curiosity flared.

Achilles had said I lacked experience against strong opponents—that I’d be vulnerable to unexpected variables.

Atalante was clearly a warrior in her own right.

So, like Achilles, would she also take damage from phantom attacks?

Given her sharp instincts, would she misinterpret my aura, my presence, even the twitch of my muscles—and see illusions?

It was a plausible idea.

So, to test it, I tightened my grip on my sword and twitched my muscles as if I were about to lunge and slash at her chest.

”Guh—?!”

Atalante flinched hard, flipping backward in a panic.

It worked.

A wound identical to the one I’d imagined appeared on her chest, bleeding crimson.

Huh? What? What just happened?

She’s bleeding?

The crowd erupted in shock, baffled by the sudden turn of events. They were ordinary people, unable to sense the overwhelming aura I’d unleashed.

Then, Paulos, who had been lying on the ground, spoke up.

“Fools, that’s Hassan-nim’s ultimate Three-Sword Style secret technique—Hell Phantom Blade! It’s the pinnacle of our swordsmanship! He’s demonstrating it for you all right now. Pay attention and learn—!”

Hell Phantom Blade?

I’ve never heard of that.

Neither have I.

But was there a better term for it? I decided to adopt the name Paulos had given it.

Be honored.

Swoosh, srrrk—

I continued unleashing phantom slashes, aiming for Atalante’s arms and legs. Each time, she barely dodged with a roll, but thin red cuts were already forming on her limbs.

Splaaash—

“Grrk—! This is absurd—!”

She was furious at being forced into a one-sided fight. I understood—I’d felt the same against Achilles earlier.

When you’re on the receiving end like this, the bl**d rushes to your head, and you just want to charge in recklessly.

“Enough games—come at me for real—!”

See? Just like that.

Looking back, I realized how amateurish I must’ve seemed against Achilles. He could’ve killed me countless times.

Swoosh—

Atalante crouched low, like a lioness stalking through grass.

Grooowl—

“You won’t even be able to touch a single hair on my head from now on. You’ll taste the divine blessing Lady Diana bestowed upon me!”

Throb, throb—

The muscles in her thighs and calves visibly bulged.

A warning tingle ran down my neck—if I let her power up, things would get ugly.

So, before she could finish, I stomped the ground and slammed the pommel of my sword into the back of her neck with all my might.

Srrrruk—!

My Agility was 15—more than enough to outpace any human.

And in any battle, whether between Pokémon or gods and heroes, speed decided who struck first.

”Gueeehk—!”

Atalante crumpled to the ground like a flattened frog, a massive crater forming beneath her from the impact.

”Ugh… h-how…?”

Yet, even after that brutal hit, she clung to consciousness. Most would’ve died instantly.

As expected of someone worthy of a golden necklace.

If I’d let her finish that weird crouching stance, the outcome might’ve been different.

Something about a blessing from Diana…

She would’ve been trouble.

”Haa…”

I reined in my boiling bloodlust.

After the fight with Achilles, I hadn’t sealed my pressure points to get used to my transcendent stats. Now, the raging heat in my veins cooled slightly.

Nothing beats real combat for adaptation.

“Alright, Atalante. You’ve lost. Your life is now mine to spare or take.”

I gently pressed my foot on her back to pin her down.

She gritted her teeth in frustration, but with her neck injured and my foot on her, resistance was futile.

Then, the murmurs around us grew louder.

”W-wait, that stance—can it be? The Unwritten Precept?”

”Hassan-nim’s first Unwritten Precept—‘Love Thy Neighbor’!”

”That’s definitely it! Hassan-nim’s about to impart his ‘love’ onto that insolent outsider!”

What the hell are they talking about?

I was more confused by the crowd’s reaction than the fight itself. They seemed to expect something from me, but I had no idea what.

Impart love?

Had Paranoi spread some weird rumors about me after her nonsensical sermons?

d*mn, that’s probably it.

Then, Atalante trembled beneath my foot.

”L-love?! D-don’t you dare—! I’ve sworn my purity to Lady Diana! Even if you won, I won’t let you defile me—!”

She thrashed wildly, trying to break free.

”Hahh… hahh…”

Her frantic movements made her short dolphin-like shorts ride up, revealing glimpses of her smooth thighs and hips.

A faint apple-like scent drifted from her body, and before I knew it, my lower half reacted.

The crowd erupted.

”Hey, look—! Hassan-nim’s ‘third sword’ is making its presence known!”

”So that’s why two swords make a Three-Sword Style—the third is the ‘central sword’!”

I’m going to lose my mind.

I quickly hunched slightly and stepped back, but Atalante shrieked as if she’d been struck.

What the hell is happening?

”Nghaaa—! S-stop—! Don’t move your hips—! S-something that huge—!”

She must’ve hallucinated a phantom thrust from my hip movement.

”Ahh, aahh—!”

Her trembling, shuddering form left no other explanation.

Then, something brushed past my head.

If I twirl my finger, would Hippolyte also collapse like this?

Was her delusional disorder also a form of phantom swordsmanship?

Hah, warrior women…

—

The Next Day

”Hassaaan—!”

Elpride stormed into the shrine first thing in the morning, shoving a newspaper in my face.

”Have you lost your mind, you b*stard—?!”

”What’s this about? Why the sudden anger?”

”Read this—!”

Rustle—

The newspaper she handed me was filled with tiny, ant-like text. What could’ve made her so furious?

”One moment, they were frozen—the next, wounds appeared on Atalante’s body! It was a battle on a transcendent level!” — Witness H.

”The fight ended in an instant. No, can it even be called a fight? It was a one-sided divine punishment.” — Witness C.

”After the duel? That’s when we saw the true terror of Hassan-nim’s Three-Sword Style. It was… a public spectacle. Three-Sword Style is fearsome.” — Witness P.

”Hassan-nim utterly humiliated Atalante, the champion of Diana, the goddess of purity. She might even be pregnant now. Is this a declaration of war against the prickly goddess?” — Witness G.

”That was Hassan-nim’s ultimate Demigod reproduction technique—‘Air Rowing’…! He is a god who governs life and d*ath…! Just his gaze can make women conceive…! Ah, and please list me as ‘just a bystander’…!” — Just a Bystander.

I frowned at the sensationalized articles.

Every newspaper was scrambling to cover the “battle between god and man,” each trying to outdo the other in absurdity.

What the hell is ‘Air Rowing’?

‘Just a bystander’?

Now I understood why Elpride was so angry. Even without reading further, she looked ready to breathe fire.

”Y-you assaulted a woman in broad daylight—?! Are you insane?!”

”No, that’s a misunderstanding.”

I had to explain myself carefully.

”Hassan—! What the hell is this about ‘Air Rowing’—?!”

Then Luna arrived, waving another newspaper—

*”Hass

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