Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: I Want the Young Lady to Become a Swordmaster Known Throughout the World
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He probably thought I was just taunting him and kept his eyes only on me, but I wasn't just staring at that old fiend.
There were plenty of other fiends here besides that geezer.
While fending off his attacks….
“Gahk—!”
On the other hand, I took out the other small-fry fiends.
But….
‘Who the hell is who anymore?’
The others had such faint demonic energy in their bodies that it was hard to pinpoint them.
That was why I deliberately provoked Wi Yong-myeong.
“Young Lady Yu. See, this is the trick to catching an opponent’s punch as it comes flying in and deflecting it to the side. Guys who use fists love dying like this.”
“Uwaaaaaah—!! Mocking me again—! Again—!!”
Good.
Demonic Blossom.
It didn’t just strip the caster of their reason and amplify their demonic energy—it had another effect.
Namely, influencing the weak demonic energy around them.
“Urk….”
“Eut….”
Sure enough, the moment Wi Yong-myeong activated Demonic Blossom, the other fiends nearby started trembling and groaning.
And at that moment….
“Okay.”
I could identify the remaining fiends.
Now I could cut them down freely.
Of course….
“Kraaaah—! I’ll kill you—!”
…I just had to deal with the monster in front of me.
His fist blazed black as he lowered his stance.
I’d seen it before. Earlier, during the day, the stance Yoo Soh-myung used in our bandit stronghold.
Willow Flower Orthodox Fist, was it?
Ah, though I guess it needs a name change now. Not Willow Flower Orthodox Fist, but Demonic Flower Orthodox Fist.
With the Shanxi Liu Clan’s speed combined with demonic energy’s destructive power, how strong could it be?
Sensing its power, Yoo Soh-myung shouted in alarm at me.
“D-Danger!”
I flashed her a smile and thrust my saber forward.
Shing—.
Shwooooo—!
He charged. At an insanely fast speed.
And to counter him, what I chose was….
‘Thousand Power Saber Technique.’
The Thousand Power Saber Technique.
The first martial art my bandit father taught me when I was eight.
Of course, it was a pretty pathetic technique. One you could use without building up internal energy.
Still….
“More than enough to cook one dumb bull.”
Like how I’d blocked his sword until now, I turned my saber to the side.
The catching technique.
Just as I’d told Yoo Soh-myung earlier, nothing was more effective against blunt, brutish attacks like fists.
If I had to compare it to something modern….
Like catching a pitcher’s fastball in a glove.
No matter how fast the pitch, if you know exactly where it’s coming….
If your lower body can support it….
Kiiing—!
No matter how fast the ball, you can catch it with one worn-out glove.
Just like how I could block this guy’s Demonic Flower Orthodox Fist with one worn-out saber.
“Kruk—!”
The downside of short-range attacks like fists is that once deflected even slightly, the opportunity shifts to the opponent.
Even if it’s just a tiny opening…, I had no intention of missing it.
“Thousand Power Saber Technique, Tiger Neck Slash.”
The Thousand Power Saber Technique’s only stance was this one. A simplistic move that just swung hard sideways, but….
It was enough to sever his neck.
“Uwaaaaaah—!! N-No—!!”
Wi Yong-myeong screamed, sensing death, but it was already too late.
Kwang—!
And so my saber flew toward his black, sturdy neck and cleaved….
Clang—!
…cleaved right through, or so it should have, huh?
I stared blankly at the hilt-only saber left in my hand. Then at Wi Yong-myeong’s sturdy neck that had shattered my blade.
“Ah, right….”
A body under Demonic Blossom was reinforced by demonic energy, making it harder. Impossible to cut with my toothless old saber.
I’d forgotten, since it’d been so long dealing with Demonic Cult bastards.
“Hey…, this is a problem.”
Right in front of me stood Wi Yong-myeong, still not grasping what had happened.
I smiled at him and politely said,
“Would you maybe consider a draw?”
“…….”
Kwaaang—!!!!
“Urk, puke—!”
Wi Yong-myeong answered my question with his fist instead.
I flew back several paces, crashing into a distant wall.
Fuck, that hurts like hell.
It’d been ages since I’d taken a hit like this—my head was spinning.
Metallic taste in my mouth, so probably bleeding a bit….
“Hey, you—!”
Someone called out to me as they approached.
Snapping to, I saw it was Yoo Soh-myung.
Worried about me, she shook my shoulder with an expression I’d never seen before.
“You okay? Are you okay?”
“One kiss from Young Lady Yu and I could get up….”
“You crazy bastard—!!”
Yoo Soh-myung’s cursing had improved. Mild as “crazy bastard” still was, I felt pleased as I stood.
“Stings inside and hurts a bit…, but I can bear it. That guy took a hit too, so a little more and I can win.”
I pointed at Wi Yong-myeong ahead. He was indeed a bit off, body swaying slightly.
“But my saber broke.”
I held out the hilt-only saber, and Yoo Soh-myung panicked before….
“Th-Then….”
She handed me her sword.
I couldn’t help flinching. A warrior’s first lesson is to treasure their beloved weapon like life itself.
“C-Could you use my sword too? If you can….”
“…….”
“…kill him with this.”
Yoo Soh-myung’s pupils trembled violently.
In that moment, there was no righteous successor of the orthodox sects eager to fight the enemy. Just the fragile girl Yoo Soh-myung, wanting me to quickly take down Wi Yong-myeong.
‘She must’ve been shocked badly earlier.’
Some people are like that sometimes.
Their first real battle, the terror of death, realizing their own weakness. Warriors who can’t pick up a sword again due to such compounded reasons.
Yoo Soh-myung looked exactly like one of them.
Fleeing in fear was common in the jianghu. I’d been there myself.
But I couldn’t help being deeply flustered by her terrified state. Because….
‘Yoo Soh-myung is a major character in the novel.’
Yoo Soh-myung was one of the novel’s heroines and the protagonist’s companion. Still early before the story starts, so she’s showing inexperience, but later she becomes a sharp swordmaster with her talent.
And most importantly, her exploits in the war between the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the Murim Alliance a few years from now.
Without Yoo Soh-myung…, the story wouldn’t follow its original path, and then we couldn’t guarantee the Murim Alliance’s victory.
‘Can’t have that.’
I have zero intention of seeing a Demonic Path Dominion in my lifetime.
So….
“Sorry, Young Lady.”
“Huh…? What do you….”
“I can’t take your sword.”
I refused her sword.
At my rejection, she widened her eyes and asked again.
“D-Do you hate my sword? Then someone else’s sword….”
She stammered incoherently, looking like she wanted to flee right then.
Of course, I had no intention of letting her.
I grabbed her shoulders, turned her toward Wi Yong-myeong, and whispered,
“Young Lady Yu, take him down. That guy.”
“…What?”
The moment she heard, the trembling in her body stopped.
And then….
Tremble.
It returned even stronger.
Looking up at me with tear-filled eyes, she pleaded.
“What’s that all of a sudden…. You were fighting so well until now. Why….”
“…….”
“Because of money shortage? I’ll pay protection money. Yes, whatever you want, whatever you say, I’ll give it all. But why….”
“I want you to overcome the wall you’re facing now.”
“…What?”
As I continued, she looked at me with a dazed expression, flustered.
“If things end like this today, it’ll be hard for you to pick up a sword again. I don’t want that.”
“…….”
“I want Young Lady Yu to become a swordmaster whose name echoes beyond Shanxi, throughout the world.”
She stared at me blankly before asking a belated question.
“You…, who are you really? Have we met before?”
“What? Puhaha—!”
Woman’s intuition? Her piercing question made me burst into cheerful laughter.
I answered her inwardly.
Never met you, but I saw you in the novel.
Saw how brave and righteous you are there.
Saw how outstanding and beautiful your sword is.
Saw the moment you overcome your wall.
Saw how your noble choice leads you to a tragic end.
A few years later in the war, Yoo Soh-myung overcomes her wall, gains enlightenment, and shines greatly. And yet…, she meets her death.
“As if we’d have met. Golden flower of the Shanxi Liu Clan, Young Lady Yu Soh-myung.”
“…….”
“Beat him and I’ll tell you everything. Go on.”
I pushed her back and whispered in her ear.
“The Willow Flower Sword Technique isn’t just about speed. If you’re not sure, look around and recall what I said earlier. The path will appear.”
“How do you know our clan’s secret art….”
“That too, once you win and come back.”
At my rare serious expression, Yoo Soh-myung nodded as if understanding, gripped her sword, and stepped forward.
Her shoulders trembled finely.
Scary, of course. Pure odds-wise, beating Wi Yong-myeong in full Demonic Blossom was less likely.
Even so….
‘I gave her hints.’
As a bystander in this world and reader of the novel, I’d given plenty of hints about the enlightenment Yoo Soh-myung would gain later.
Whether she catches on….
From here, it’s all up to her.