The Incredible Power of the Fist King Style
Flap-! Flap-!
I stared at the man’s fluttering clothes.
That was a phenomenon that occurred when a First-rate martial artist surged their internal energy. In other words, the man in the lead was a First-rate master.
“What? Scared?”
“Is this your first time seeing a First-rate master? You idiots.”
First-rate masters were not easy to come by. A person with a certain level of talent had to train for decades to reach that level.
If a Second-rate martial artist was an amateur, a First-rate was a professional.
I habitually looked at my smartphone.
I could see the chat scrolling by at lightning speed.
Everyone was in a panic. Most were worried about me, urging me to run away quickly.
But that was only because they didn't properly understand First-rate martial artists. The men had already closed the distance to within 20 meters. There was no way I could outrun a First-rate martial artist in this state.
Naturally, my companions behind me were also voicing their fear.
“Jae, Jaeho!”
“Jae, Jaeho-nim!”
“We, we have to run!”
The only one standing still was the Hunter. Of course, he seemed tense, too. His eyes were shaking quite a bit.
“You idiots, how do you plan to run from me?”
“Stay still, if you don't want to die.”
The men spoke with threatening voices, closing in on us. Now, there was only 10 meters left.
‘Tsk.’
I clenched my fists with a rather tense face.
I didn't even know my own exact level of skill.
But when I raised my internal energy, the air around me didn't flutter like that. It meant I hadn't reached the First-rate level yet. I was probably around Second-rate.
‘I can’t run.’
If I left my companions behind and ran alone, I might have been able to escape somehow. I could use them as bait and run away by myself.
But that would be an act of throwing away all my reputation. Besides, it was absolutely not something I could do to the guests who had trusted me enough to accompany me.
‘Sigh, what do I do?’
It was just as I was deep in thought.
Suddenly, a loud voice came from behind. It was Haedal.
“Jae, Jaeho-niiim! Please run!”
I thought it was the sound of Haedal running away first. Knowing the Haedal I usually knew, that was entirely possible.
But Haedal didn't do that.
Instead, he approached my side. No, he took a step further and moved completely in front of me. He blocked my path. He had a quite determined look on his face.
Then, Haedal spread both his hands wide to the left and right.
Snap.
“I, I will hold them off! Please, run quickly!”
I looked at him with a slightly surprised face.
I never thought Haedal would go this far.
‘He’s not running away?’
Just not running away would have been an achievement. That was how I usually thought of Haedal. But he chose to protect me.
‘Was the “I’ll be loyal for life” thing for real?’
I was quite moved.
Right now, Haedal’s legs were trembling.
No, not just his legs, his whole body was shaking. With both hands spread wide, he was trembling all over—anyone could see he was terrified.
Yet, even in that terrified state, he chose to sacrifice himself to block the enemy.
Watching Haedal, I made my decision.
‘Alright, let’s fight.’
Even the cowardly Haedal was showing this kind of resolve. I couldn't just stand still.
“Jae, Jaeho-nim! Please run! We don't have time!”
Leaving the shouting Haedal behind, I stepped forward.
Then, I looked at the enemy and let out a light sigh.
‘Whew, they won’t kill me or anything, right?’
Sua was still filming this. No matter how much of a thug the opponent was, they wouldn't go as far as murder. Thinking that made my heart feel a little lighter.
I moved my left leg diagonally.
I had to step in before my companions got caught up in this. Besides, the principle of “the first strike is the best” held true in the martial arts world as well.
‘Kwonwang-bo (Fist King Step).’
I recalled the footwork of the Kwonwang-gwon (Fist King Style) I had learned most recently. It was a mysterious footwork that possessed extreme speed.
I had learned the Cheolgeuk-geombeop (Iron Pole Sword Technique) and Cheolbyeok-bo (Iron Wall Step) from Dokgo Hwayeon before. But that was only for two weeks.
It was different from the Kwonwang-gwon I had honed for months.
Of course, I couldn't show off the Kwonwang-gwon carelessly. It was an peerless martial art. Someone might get greedy. But I had no choice. I decided to think about the aftermath later. Protecting my life and my companions right now was more important.
Pat-!!
I activated the Kwonwang-bo to its maximum and instantly lunged forward. Naturally, I used my internal energy to the fullest as well.
I had to do my best. The opponent was First-rate. I couldn't afford to be careless.
By the way, this was my first time using the Kwonwang-gwon at such a peak level. In an instant, the objects around me shifted. It was truly an incredible speed.
Moving quickly, I looked at the man in the front.
The man seemed quite flustered by my sudden movement. I could see his eyes widen slightly.
“Damn it! What is this?”
But is a First-rate master a First-rate master for a reason?
Even in that state, he swung the sword he was holding in a wide arc.
Swoosh-!!
A terrifying sound rang out in an instant. And that sound was heading toward me.
I looked at the incoming sword. If I were cut by that blade, it wouldn't end with a light injury. My life was in danger.
Was it because I trusted in the peerless martial art?
Or was it because I trusted in my own talent?
Strangely, I wasn't afraid.
And looking straight at the incoming sword, I moved my body as far to the side as possible.
Swoosh-!
In an instant, I saw the sword graze my upper body by a hair’s breadth. Amazingly, I had seen the man's attack and dodged it. I had dodged the attack of a First-rate martial artist.
“......!!”
“......!!”
Even after dodging it, I felt somewhat flustered. It was because dodging the opponent's attack wasn't as difficult as I had thought.
The man seemed flustered as well. It was because I had dodged his attack so easily.
Strangely, both the person who attacked and the person who dodged were flustered.
But it was I who regained my senses first.
I immediately dove into the opponent's flank.
“Da, damn it!”
I heard the surprised opponent’s curse. However, in close-quarters combat at such a distance, a fist technique was bound to be more advantageous.
I immediately moved to the opponent's flank.
Snap-!
I stomped on the ground and rotated my body.
‘They said the lower body and waist are the most important for the Kwonwang-gwon.’
To be precise, the power of stomping on the ground and the rotation of the waist were crucial. And I executed it exactly as I had been taught.
Soon, a fist containing the power of my lower body and the rotation of my waist flew into the opponent's flank.
The opponent confirmed it as well.
“......!!”
I could see his eyes widen.
But it was already too late to dodge. The distance was too close.
Soon, my fist was planted accurately into his flank.
Thwack-!!
“Ugh!”
A loud sound rang out in an instant.
It was a sound loud enough to spread far into the surroundings.
‘It’s not over yet.’
I had clearly confirmed that my fist was planted properly into his flank. But I couldn't be satisfied yet.
The opponent was First-rate. I couldn't let my guard down; I had to take him down thoroughly.
Snap-!!
I stomped on the ground again. As I did, I rotated my waist. This time, the target was the opponent's abdomen.
Whoosh-!!
Soon, my fist flew toward the opponent once again.
And this time, the opponent couldn't dodge my attack either.
Thwack-!!
A loud sound rang out once again in an instant.
I could feel the proper impact in my right hand. The attack had landed more definitively than the first one.
Soon, the opponent's waist buckled significantly.
As he did, I could see his body collapsing.
Normally, I could have ended it here. But the opponent was a First-rate master. I didn't know what other tricks he might have up his sleeve.
I planted my fist accurately into the chin of the collapsing opponent.
Thwack-!!
In an instant, I saw a few of the opponent's teeth scatter into the air. At the same time, his eyes went blank. He seemed to have fainted.
‘Whew, success.’
After taking down the enemy, I let out a deep sigh. Incredibly, I had taken down a First-rate master.
I was surprised myself.
I never imagined I would be able to take down a First-rate master with Second-rate skills.
By the way, I couldn't just leave the rest of the thugs alone. They had pulled out their weapons first. It could essentially be considered self-defense.
‘Fortunately, in this world, self-defense is recognized just by them pulling out weapons, right?’
I smiled broadly and activated the Kwonwang-bo again.
Pat-!!
In an instant, my body shot forward as if it had vanished.
The remaining four people saw that and looked greatly flustered. It seemed the First-rate master I had taken down was their leader.
“Ki, ki, kill him!”
Should I say they still had guts?
They didn't run away. It seemed they still intended to rely on their numbers and attack.
‘Then, you’re going to get hit.’
I had a confident look on my face.
Until now, I hadn't known my exact level of skill.
But now, I finally knew. I couldn't help but be overflowing with confidence.
Thwack-!
Thwack-!
Thwack-!!
“Ugh!”
“Sa, save me!”
“Aaaah!”
Haedal couldn't believe the phenomenon unfolding before his eyes.
He was still spreading his arms wide to the left and right. And he was still trembling just the same.
But his facial expression had changed a lot.
Before he knew it, his face had changed from fear to ecstasy.