Chapter 53: 9th Floor. White Sword Sect (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 53: 9th Floor. White Sword Sect (3)
The Near-Omnipotent Key.
It was a tool capable of unlocking almost any seal.
When the System described it that way, it meant that unless a lock was truly divine or extraordinary, there was nothing it couldn't open. Even a door that required one to perceive and master the complex trajectory of a sword was no exception.
Rumble!
The heavy doors swung open. Inside, Baekhwa waited, his face alight with excitement.
[Finally! You have arrived! You are the first to ever make it this far!]
He was wrong.
Jun-hyeok wasn't the first. The Number One in Murim must have already achieved a Perfect Clear here in the past. Baekhwa had already seen his wish fulfilled once before.
The spirit was simply bound to this floor, destined to never realize that truth for all eternity. Unaware of the reality, Baekhwa spread his arms wide with a beaming smile.
[Now, only the final test remains!]
The Test of the Ten Gates. Jun-hyeok already knew exactly what it entailed.
Whirrr!
The formation activated with an eerie hum. Power surged into Baekhwa’s translucent soul, seizing the spirit and forcing it into a physical manifestation.
"…Phew!"
The sound of a sharp intake of breath echoed through the chamber. Having gained a physical body, Baekhwa’s feet pressed firmly against the earth.
"It’s my first time activating it, but it works better than I expected! My body and internal energy are pathetic compared to when I was alive, but this isn't bad at all!"
Baekhwa reached out. A sword lying in the distance flew through the air, landing securely in his grip.
"The content of the final test is simple!" Baekhwa shouted, his voice ringing with the weight of a living man. "Face me! Do so, and you shall obtain everything the White Sword Sect has to offer!"
The final test of the 9th floor: to face Baekhwa, who had been granted a temporary physical form through the power of the formation.
Baekhwa spoke up to clarify the rules. "Ah! Of course, I am not telling you to defeat me. That would be impossible in the first place. Your task is simply to earn my recognition."
"Recognition, is it?"
"Indeed. Show me your full strength. Show me your talent and your resolve! If you do, I shall acknowledge you and pass our legacy down to you!"
The Number One in Murim had passed by that standard. He had displayed his heaven-defying talent, earned Baekhwa’s recognition, and received the White Sword Sect’s ultimate techniques.
Unfortunately, that path was impossible for Kang Jun-hyeok. His talent for martial arts was not particularly remarkable.
Therefore...
Kang Jun-hyeok let a thin smile play on his lips. "That sounds a bit too boring."
"Hmm?"
"Ending it with just your recognition... it’s a bit lackluster, don't you think? Why don't we add one more condition?"
"What condition?"
"Defeating you."
Jun-hyeok spoke calmly. Baekhwa faltered, looking stunned for a moment.
"I am sorry, but that is impossible." Baekhwa shook his head, speaking with absolute certainty—much like a flightless bird claiming it was impossible for a human to leap over the moon.
"You never know until you try."
"…How arrogant. But fine! A martial artist should possess such confidence! I accept!" Baekhwa grinned and raised his sword. "Then let us begin! Show me your talent!"
* * *
The cave was spacious—roughly the size of a basketball court. There was plenty of room to maneuver. Kang Jun-hyeok pulled a greatsword from his Omni-Weapon Control. Baekhwa flinched.
"…What was that? It looked as if that greatsword appeared out of thin air."
"You saw wrong."
"Is that so? Hmm. My senses might be dull since I’ve only just materialized. I suppose that’s possible," Baekhwa muttered, looking puzzled. "Well then, here I come."
Baekhwa smiled and took a single step forward.
In that instant, his body blurred. He reached Jun-hyeok at a speed that left flickering afterimages in his wake. A sharp sword strike hissed toward Jun-hyeok’s neck.
Clang!
The greatsword swept up, barely managing to block Baekhwa’s blade. Baekhwa let out a cry of genuine admiration.
"Good reflexes!"
Jun-hyeok stepped into the guard and counterattacked. Baekhwa’s sword moved fluidly, shifting like flowing water.
Screeeech!
The greatsword wobbled as its momentum was parried away. The force wasn't just neutralized; it was redirected, causing Jun-hyeok’s body to lurch forward. He threw himself into a roll across the ground to dodge a follow-up strike aimed at his back.
"The Lazy Donkey Roll! Some call it shameful, but those are the words of fools! It is a very effective move!"
Jun-hyeok gripped his greatsword and lunged again. His Greatsword Technique was currently D-Rank—a level that a talented individual would typically need years of dedicated effort to reach. He was already a step higher than when he had faced Alessandro.
Yet, he couldn't reach Baekhwa. The master's sword moved as if it were bouncing off the air itself.
Despite the lightness of the movements, the raw power behind the greatsword was perfectly neutralized. No—it went beyond that. A repulsion force surged back at Jun-hyeok. Even though he held the advantage in physical strength, he was being utterly overwhelmed by pure technique.
Thud!
Jun-hyeok’s body was pushed back. The Master of All Weapons muttered quietly in his mind.
[I see some unrefined areas, but he is truly worthy of being called a Sect Leader.]
Baekhwa was the Sect Leader of the White Sword Sect. He was a man who had led an entire organization and was ranked among the Ten Great Masters of the Murim. In terms of swordsmanship alone, he made Alessandro—who had previously dominated Jun-hyeok—look like a child swinging a stick.
Though he currently possessed an unstable body and had lost the vast majority of his internal energy, he still held the upper hand. That was the terrifying power of martial arts. Through normal means, Jun-hyeok would likely never reach that level even if he trained for a lifetime.
Baekhwa frowned, sensing something was off. "Hmm, wait...?"
"Do you find it disappointing?"
"No. No! You passed the trials brilliantly to get here! Why would I be disappointed?" Baekhwa denied it quickly, but doubt lingered in his eyes.
It was only natural. He had assumed Jun-hyeok passed the previous gates through extraordinary martial talent. But what Jun-hyeok was showing now was merely decent physical ability and a mediocre level of swordsmanship. While D-Rank Greatsword Technique was impressive for a commoner, it was nowhere near enough to satisfy the standards of a Great Master.
After a moment of thought, Baekhwa came to a conclusion. "…It seems you find this duel too tedious to show your true talent! I suppose I must get serious as well!"
With those words, his internal energy erupted. A white aura billowed out, coating his blade in a shimmering light. Around Baekhwa, white swords began to manifest out of thin air. There were a hundred of them in total.
Baekhwa roared, "This is the first secret technique of the White Sword Sect! Hundred Swords Obscuring the Sky! Since you passed the test, you should be able to understand the principles behind this!"
Baekhwa charged. The hundred swords rained down on Jun-hyeok all at once, tracing intricate, overlapping trajectories.
Jun-hyeok stared blankly at the paths of the swords.
I still don't get it.
Contrary to Baekhwa’s expectations, Jun-hyeok couldn't understand the technique at all. His talent for martial arts simply wasn't that great. He might be a prodigy by a commoner's standards, but he was no martial genius. Returning to the past hadn't suddenly granted him innate enlightenment.
Therefore, he would fight with what he did best—his own unique abilities.
In the hand not holding the greatsword, Jun-hyeok summoned a staff. Normally, the System only allowed one weapon to be equipped at a time, but his passive skill, Omni-Weapon Control, ignored that restriction.
"[Fireball.]"
An explosion erupted.
* * *
BOOM!
Flames surged, scorching the air in the cavern. The hundred swords flying toward him were incinerated or scattered by the blast.
"What?!"
The charging Baekhwa hurriedly swung his sword, parrying and redirecting the sudden heat. Not a single spark touched his body, but his eyes were wide with shock.
Just now, flames had erupted directly from Jun-hyeok’s hand. Based on Baekhwa’s common sense, he knew exactly what that had to be.
"The True Fire of Samadhi!"
It was an ultimate technique that only those recognized as masters could use. Those who reached the Peak Realm could manifest it, but even then, it was usually just a small spark. To control it with such volume, one had to be at least a Transcendent. But even Transcendents couldn't produce a flame as massive as the one Jun-hyeok had just unleashed.
Tap.
Jun-hyeok emerged through the fading flames. Baekhwa was deeply flustered, but he reacted instinctively. Dozens of swords manifested simultaneously, attempting to impale Jun-hyeok from all sides.
Jun-hyeok kicked off the ground, launched himself into the air, and then kicked the empty air once more.
"[Air Jump.]"
"…Void Walking!" Baekhwa gasped.
It was another ultimate technique that only Transcendents were thought to master. Having leaped into the air and positioned himself above Baekhwa’s head, Jun-hyeok swung his greatsword downward with everything he had.
"[Sword Ki and Sword Wind.]"
A powerful blast of pressurized energy struck down with heavy force. Baekhwa hurriedly raised his sword to intercept.
KABOOM!
An explosion rang out, kicking up a thick cloud of dust. Jun-hyeok landed lightly. As the dust slowly settled, Baekhwa’s figure was revealed.
"You blocked that too?"
"That which is merely heavy and strong is easily broken by an attack that follows the grain. That was Piercing Needle Breaks the Stone, one of the forms of the White Sword Technique."
Jun-hyeok clicked his tongue. Despite it being a near-perfect surprise attack, Baekhwa wasn't seriously injured. His shoulder was grazed, but that was it. Jun-hyeok took his stance again.
However, instead of counterattacking, Baekhwa stood still. The confusion in his eyes slowly faded into a cold, calm stillness.
"…What are you?"
Jun-hyeok possessed no internal energy. Baekhwa had been flustered at first, but once he calmed his heart, he realized the truth. The fire Jun-hyeok had produced wasn't the True Fire of Samadhi created by internal energy. It was something else—something alien.
The same went for the Void Walking and the Sword Ki. Yet, the results were undeniably similar to the legendary techniques he knew.
"Sorcery? No. No... sorcery alone couldn't achieve this. Just what... are you?"
It was a natural reaction. Players were existences that defied conventional Murim logic. Baekhwa would never be able to understand Jun-hyeok.
But one thing was certain. "You didn't pass my test through talent or swordsmanship."
"I won't deny it."
"The reason you made defeating me a condition was because you knew you could never earn my recognition in the first place."
Baekhwa realized he had been deceived. Jun-hyeok gave a thin, sharp smile.
"A man’s word is worth a thousand pieces of gold. Surely the great 8th Sect Leader of the White Sword Sect wouldn't go back on his word now?"
"…Hmph."
As Jun-hyeok said, he couldn't change the conditions now. After a moment of deliberation, Baekhwa made his decision.
"Though you deceived me, I gave my word. The condition stands. If you defeat me, I shall give you everything the White Sword Sect possesses. However, if that is the case... I shall no longer view you as one who has passed the test."
A sudden, violent surge of killing intent erupted.
"I shall view you as a grave robber who dares to covet the legacy of the White Sword Sect, and I will kill you."
His cold voice echoed. It was a different kind of bloodlust than before—a truly dense, suffocating intent. The air became like needles, constricting Jun-hyeok’s skin. A pressure so intense it made it hard to breathe bore down on him.
In the face of that crushing pressure, Jun-hyeok laughed joyfully. "Fine by me."
Jun-hyeok pulled out another sword in his other hand. With a greatsword in one hand and a longsword in the other, he braced his entire body.
VROOOOM!
There was no more need for testing the waters. He unleashed the full power he had been holding back. The earth trembled as if it were undulating. His body blurred into a streak of light as he charged toward Baekhwa.