The Reason for the Fight (5)
Sin Mo's eyes widened in shock.
Incredible!
He could hardly believe the scene unfolding before him. He wanted to pinch his thigh to make sure it was real.
That kind of presence...?!
Yeon Hojeong's three attacks. Each one carried an invisible, overwhelming presence.
It was presence in the truest sense. Not the killing intent bent on slaying foes, nor the battle fervor igniting combat spirit.
Rather, it was like the vast army aura one might feel from tens of thousands of cavalry charging across a wasteland.
Every strike from Yeon Hojeong brimmed with an dominating existence. Even identical attacks would feel worlds apart in weight.
"What? Isn't he supposed to be a genius?"
"Why's he flailing around like that?"
"He seemed so full of himself earlier, but Chuseong's nothing special, huh?"
A few later-generation disciples muttered among themselves.
Of course they'd think that.
To their eyes, Chuseong's reactions must have looked ridiculous. Dodging what could be easily evaded, or clumsily fleeing what he could block.
But Sin Mo understood.
He's been overwhelmed.
Feeling that level of presence—especially up close—would choke the breath with terror. No proper response, no display of true skill.
What if it had been me in Chuseong's place...?
Then it happened.
"Whoa, that's amazing!"
Sin Mo turned his head. Yeon Jipyeong stared at Yeon Hojeong, utterly entranced.
"How can he emit that kind of energy?!"
Sin Mo's eyes lit up. Yang Heum tilted his head.
"Energy? What do you mean?"
"Huh?! You, you didn't feel it?"
"...Pardon?"
"The energy Big Brother just unleashed! Well, I'm not sure if it's exactly qi, but... you seriously didn't sense it?"
Yang Heum looked utterly baffled. The entire Chaeng-eungdae squad wore the same confused expressions.
Sin Mo was stunned.
"You mean you actually felt it?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah! Of course! How could anyone miss something that massive... ridiculously huge...?"
They shouldn't have felt it. Sin Mo was as shocked by Yeon Jipyeong as by Yeon Hojeong himself.
He sensed that? With Young Master Jipyeong's current cultivation?
Yeon Jipyeong's talent was said to be unparalleled in Yeon family history. Still, he was just a fifteen-year-old boy. Not even blooming yet, barely tasting true martial arts.
For such a youth to detect the eldest young master's presence from that distance?
Good lord...
How terrifyingly sharp must his senses be at birth? To pierce through an army aura that even experts like me can barely grasp?
Sin Mo glanced back and forth between Yeon Jipyeong and Yeon Hojeong.
Both brothers are monsters.
Yeon Hojeong. A warrior who emitted a presence that terrified even sword pinnacle expert Gwangpung Sword Sin Mo.
Yeon Jipyeong. A fifteen-year-old genius who casually sensed a presence most pinnacle masters couldn't.
Sin Mo let out an involuntary dry chuckle.
"...The Yeon family's future is truly bright."
"Pardon?"
"Ah, nothing."
Shaking off his thoughts, Sin Mo turned back to the training ground. The fight was heating up.
* * *
Clang!
The spear and sword clashed, erupting in a harsh metallic screech.
Damn it!
His sword-wielding arm went numb. Normally, he'd chain into a follow-up, but that split-second gap prevented it.
And Yeon Hojeong didn't miss it.
Whooom!
Ching!
Chuseong blocked sixteen spear strikes with frenzied, erratic swordplay. Same as before.
The weight surging through the blade shook from elbow to shoulder.
What kind of power is this?!
Claaang!
The downward sword stroke bounced off. He'd deflected along the spear shaft with wrist strength, yet the spear's rebound was ferocious enough to fling his sword back.
This wasn't about inner energy volume or quality. Innate monstrous strength, no doubt.
Impossible to believe it came from that slender frame.
Yeon Hojeong's assault continued.
Papapang!
Spear thrusts pierced the air viciously, like venomous serpents. No room for evasion or counter—no mercy.
Chuseong unleashed sword forms on instinct.
Clang! Ting! Kaang!
Spear tip, shaft, and blade entangled, unleashing chilling screeches.
The sounds screamed it: one hit meant death.
The clashes declared: this spar was no friendly bout.
The training ground's atmosphere turned murderous in an instant.
Pabababak! Cclang!
Feet stomped earth, weapons whirled—no gaps exposed. The later-generation disciples, once skeptical of Chuseong's skill, now paled in horror.
This is too brutal!
Someone's gonna get seriously hurt!
Hurt? They'll die at this rate!
Yet no one intervened. They couldn't.
The clanging spear and sword dominated the outer courtyard. An unbreakable one-on-one duel.
Like ancient generals from the Three Kingdoms era locked in single combat, the air reeked of savage battle.
Kwak!
The spear tip embedded in the ground. Aimed to sever the foe's ankle.
Had Chuseong not dodged, victory in three exchanges.
Damn!
Chuseong evaded left. Finally, killing intent flickered in his eyes.
This brat—thinks he can toy with me!
Yeon Hojeong's eyes flashed. He'd sensed the brief killing intent from Chuseong.
Hummm.
Bi-ra Jin-gyeol surged. Azure light gleamed in his eyes; veins bulged on the hand gripping the spear.
As Chuseong kicked off to close in—
Paaang!
Yeon Hojeong seized initiative: one step forward thrust, two spear strikes.
Fluid as flowing water, merciless as the spear's killing intent.
Irregular rhythm—no block, no dodge.
One way to survive this ruthless spear art.
"Urk!"
Tadak!
Chuseong rolled across the ground—the infamous "lazy donkey roll."
Yeon Hojeong's eyes flashed.
Kwaduk! Kwaduk!
Merciless. He pursued the rolling Chuseong, stabbing relentlessly; each impact shook the ground.
Relentless and deadly. Like a predator hunting prey.
Chuseong's head spun. Humiliated by that disgraceful roll—and no chance to rise.
Rage boiled to his crown.
"Raaagh! You little bastard!"
Kwaang!
Chuseong lunged beast-like, form abandoned in fury.
Bwak!
Unexpected? The spear tip tore his shoulder. Not fatal.
You punk! My turn!
Chuseong's face flushed crimson with shame and wrath.
Die!
Flash!
His sword thrust for Yeon Hojeong's throat.
"Gasp! Big Brother?!"
"D-dangerous!"
A desperate moment.
Kwaaaang!
A thunderous boom hurled Chuseong to the arena's center. Blood spurted from his mouth.
Internal injuries from the massive rebound.
What, what was that?!
Not even Chuseong, the victim, saw the technique. Scrambling up, his eyes finally caught Yeon Hojeong.
Hummmm!
It was otherworldly. Illusion or real qi forming shape? Indistinguishable.
Not just Chuseong. Everyone saw it.
Two translucent hexagonal patterns slowly swirling around Yeon Hojeong's body.
A massive turtle shell covering his torso.
Coiled atop both shoulders: serpentine, draconic forms writhing.
Mystical. Grotesque in form, yet no one found it strange or bizarre.
"Hoo."
With Yeon Hojeong's breath, the Black Tortoise stirred.
Chuseong's face twisted.
"What sorcery is that?!"
Paaak!
Eyes rolled back, Chuseong thrust. Verdant glow blazed on his sword.
His lifelong perfected absolute art: Chasing Life Three Swords.
Never once had he failed to claim a life after unleashing it.
Yeon Hojeong's eyes gleamed coldly.
Thud!
One step forward—slower, heavier than before. Yet softer, more natural.
...?!
Chuseong's eyes bulged. The lightning sword seemed to slow.
No— it had slowed. Even the heart-aimed strike veered off course.
What the hell!!
Whoooosh!
Chiiiing!
A flesh-slicing north wind howled from all sides.
Dark northern gale, welcoming the water god Black Tortoise Qi.
That illusory wind infused Yeon Hojeong's spear, engraving the Four Gods Martial Arts' absolute defense technique.
Black Tortoise footwork: Strange Pillar Unmoving.
Following: steel rain secret art, North Heaven Twelve Walls.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"Urk!"
Chuseong felt wrist-snapping shock. Chasing Life Three Swords—linked strikes targeting three vital points—all repelled.
Whooo!
White smoke rose from the spear tip slicing heavy, dark winds.
Chiiiik!
Smoke whipped by Black Tortoise Qi.
North Heaven Twelve Walls' linked triple strike: Triple Turtle Wall.
Equal power barehanded or armed—peerless supremacy.
Not just North Heaven Twelve Walls. All Four Gods arts were thus.
Four Gods Martial Arts: undefeated, eternal supreme art. Weapon-agnostic.
Moreover, Black Tortoise arts were defensive pinnacle—but like all, wielded offensively by the user.
Whung.
Yeon Hojeong's footwork was unique. Small, slow motions.
Yet suddenly, nose-to-nose with Chuseong.
Strange Pillar Unmoving.
"You bastard!!"
Paang!
Chuseong clung stubbornly, flailing his sword to shred the foe.
Tak!
Left hand—never before on the spear—gripped the base.
Then the assault began.
Kwaduduk!
"Kraaak!"
Chuseong's wrist snapped. No one saw how.
Spear shaft? Flat blade strike? Invisible.
Not the end. Yeon Hojeong's true attack now unfolded.
Hwaaak!
The six-cheok spear, ocean-deep weight on its tip, sprouted beast fangs.
The art that hounded Chuseong pre-Black Tortoise: Beast Spear Art.
Yeon Hojeong swung savage Beast Spear infused with Black Tortoise Qi.
The blade held much—but no mercy.
The terrifying iron spear ravaged Chuseong's body.
Pabababak!
"Kraaaak!"