Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Elder Selection Test (2)
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Do Gwang and Jo Gwang-uk.
Their duel was a true clash of titans.
Though it was a spar, they exchanged techniques so deadly that lives hung in the balance, and the tide of battle shifted back and forth.
No one in the grand plaza could predict the winner.
As the number of wounds on their bodies grew, Do Gwang and Jo Gwang-uk exchanged glances and paused their exchange.
“Hey, Jo Gwang-uk, this isn’t training. No need to drag this out, right?”
“What, you think you’ll lose if we do?”
“Lose? Me? To you?”
“What are you talking about? Your big bro here has a better win rate recently.”
“Ha! If we’re counting by numbers, I’m the one on top!”
As expected of true rivals, when they weren't trading blows, they were trading barbs.
Then, knowing they had already spent a lot of time, Do Gwang made the proposal he’d intended from the start.
“Ahem, anyway, let’s not drag this out any longer. Let's settle this in one blow, man to man.”
Jo Gwang-uk, who was also growing tired of the prolonged fight, had no reason to refuse.
He grinned, knocked his gauntleted fists together, and said.
“Works for me, Do Gwang.”
“Yeah, that’s more like it.”
Satisfied, Do Gwang raised the tip of his greatsword, which he had lowered.
*Shhhrrrng.*
As Do Gwang’s fierce eyes reflected on the blade's surface, the sword let out a low hum.
He had now reached a state of perfect communion with his sword.
But the aura emanating from his entire body was completely different from before.
It was as if he had just drawn a hidden card he had been saving for this very moment.
‘After learning the art Master Maeng Ak taught me, I was able to elevate my state. That means he must have reached a similar level. Now, you sly bear cub. Stop hiding and show me your hand!’
Good rivals don't need words; by clashing, they can understand each other's hearts with just a look.
At the change in Do Gwang's eyes, Jo Gwang-uk, as if he had read his mind, adjusted his gauntlets and took his stance.
He, too, was now emitting an aura vastly different from before.
*Ruuuumble.*
As the two faced each other and raised their internal energy, the sand-like material on the ground began to float into the air.
An undeniable presence formed around the two warriors on the training grounds, and not just the audience, but even Maeng Ak himself, could not look away.
“Interesting, very interesting. I really do have a knack for raising the next generation.”
“Seeing those two, I can’t help but agree with your words, Heavenly Demon.”
The Great Guardian, who was also the proctor, had approached at some point and voiced his agreement with Maeng Ak.
At the same time, he lamented his position, which would force him to stop the two who were clearly about to unleash their ultimate techniques on each other.
“As a martial artist, I’d like to watch until the end, but as a proctor, I must intervene soon.”
“Great Guardian, you don't have to. If it gets truly dangerous, I will step in.”
“…By your command!”
The Great Guardian saw a confidence bordering on madness in Maeng Ak's expression as he was dissuaded.
It was a look that said if anyone dared to interfere with their duel right now, he would personally step in and kill them.
‘His movement techniques are as outstanding as his overwhelming martial power…’
All the Great Guardian could do was trust the Heavenly Demon, Maeng Ak.
With his superior movement techniques and situational judgment, he was sure Maeng Ak would at least prevent the worst-case scenario of his disciples killing each other.
He simply stood beside Maeng Ak, at ease, and turned his gaze back to the training grounds.
*Kwaang!*
Just then, having completed their preparations, Do Gwang and Jo Gwang-uk stomped the ground hard and charged at each other.
Do Gwang unleashed a single strike imbued with the unique principles of his swordsmanship, while Jo Gwang-uk drew upon the orthodox fist of a man clearly etched in his mind and threw a punch.
The two ultimate techniques clashed in mid-air.
A deafening roar erupted from the center of the training grounds.
*Kwagagagagang!*
The two fools had abandoned all defense, pouring every ounce of their strength into their attacks.
The power of their ultimate techniques was so immense that they tore through each other's protective energy and drove toward their opponent's flesh.
As Do Gwang’s greatsword cut into Jo Gwang-uk’s left shoulder, Jo Gwang-uk’s right fist slammed into Do Gwang’s lower abdomen.
Of course, only a few supreme masters, including Maeng Ak, could witness this scene in such detail.
Most of the audience, who had not even surpassed the wall of the peak realm, only saw it as the two men instantly switching places.
But the supreme masters who could see everything in detail intuited that neither would emerge a victor.
It was incomprehensible how they could abandon all defense and attack like that.
Unless, of course, their opponent was their parents' murderer and they were aiming for mutual destruction.
Thus, they were certain both would suffer fatal injuries and either be left with severe aftereffects or lose their lives.
The main reason for this certainty was that, according to the test rules, the Great Guardian should have intervened before they even clashed, but he hadn't.
However, the result was completely different from what everyone had predicted.
As the thick dust cloud that had spread with the roar settled, the sight that came into view was not Do Gwang and Jo Gwang-uk lying mangled on the ground, but something else entirely.
“……?!”
Everyone in the grand plaza was shocked by the sight.
But there was something they didn't know.
The combatants themselves, Do Gwang and Jo Gwang-uk, had been shocked even earlier. And far more so.
It was just before the dust cloud cleared, a moment when they needed only a minuscule amount of additional force to inflict fatal wounds on each other.
The men known as Do Gwang and Jo Gwang-uk, true to their rugged natures, refused to compromise and tried to land a fatal blow.
“Die!”
“Don’t you dare!”
Even as they coughed up blood, they didn’t let up. Instead, they squeezed out every last bit of their remaining strength.
Driven by the sole obsession of defeating their rival.
It was then that a presence, whose arrival they couldn't even fathom, appeared and blocked both their attacks.
“My… My Lord?”
It was Maeng Ak.
After casually absorbing the force of their two ultimate techniques, Maeng Ak spoke.
“I have seen a good display. However, you two need to cool your heads. Go to sleep for a bit.”
*Thwack!*
He lightly chopped the backs of the two men's necks with the edge of his hand, knocking them unconscious, then created a gust of wind with his palm to clear the dust cloud.
The astonished faces of the cult members came into his view.
Everyone was shocked, except for the Great Guardian, who had been informed beforehand.
Even the main-round contestants for the Great Elder selection test were left speechless.
After all, though they were considered Rising Stars, Do Gwang and Jo Gwang-uk were cadets who had passed through the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon's high competition rate and cleared the fourth test.
Their level alone was at the transcendent peak, a stage that even most active martial artists could not ignore, so it was a stretch to even call them cadets.
Yet, he had nonchalantly blocked the life-or-death ultimate techniques unleashed by two such warriors.
And he had done so at the most critical, hair-raising moment.
This was a feat of divine skill that even the supreme masters present wouldn't dare to attempt.
‘The Heavenly Demon…’
Thanks to this, he had once again left a deep impression on the minds of many.
An impression of the weight the name Heavenly Demon carried, and the extent of the power held by the man who bore it, Maeng Ak.
Bathing in their gazes of reverence, Maeng Ak slung the unconscious Do Gwang and Jo Gwang-uk over his shoulders and descended from the training grounds.
He handed the two over to the waiting medical staff and called for the Great Guardian.
“Their match will be decided later. For now, proceed with the remaining tests swiftly.”
“By your command!”
The Great Guardian went straight to the training grounds, relayed the Heavenly Demon's will, and called the next contestant.
Next up was Chang On, who had drawn number 2.
“As before, nominate your opponent.”
“I…”
Chang On hesitated, scanning the faces of the other contestants, including So-so and Ha Gyeong.
His hesitation made So-so and Ha Gyeong anxious.
The duel between the two fools that had just concluded was the kind that would make any martial artist's heart pound, and they feared Chang On might do something equally foolish and choose one of his comrades.
It wasn't just So-so and Ha Gyeong who were anxious; the other contestants were as well.
Among them were seniors and juniors who had witnessed the tests at the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon, as well as peers who had taken the tests with him.
In other words, they all knew that Chang On was no easy opponent.
*Gulp.*
Just as the contestants, excluding Chang On, swallowed nervously.
*Thrust.*
Chang On extended a finger and pointed at someone.
“I would like you to be my opponent.”
It was a rather provocative gesture for Chang On.
Perhaps it was a form of psychological warfare now that a duel was imminent.
However, the nominated opponent received the provocation with a relaxed expression.
He had been nervous before being chosen, so he, too, was now starting his own psychological game.
His name was Deok-pal.
Despite his rustic name, he was the son of a fairly wealthy family within the cult.
Unlike his siblings, he had shown more talent in martial arts than business and was known to have become a warrior.
He primarily used fist and foot techniques, making him an advantageous opponent for Chang On, who used a spear.
Contrary to So-so and Ha Gyeong's worries, he had made a very smart choice.
Of course, that didn't mean he was an easy opponent.
His opponent was considered a Rising Star but was from a generation that had not participated in the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon.
In other words, he had more experience.
And judging by the aura he projected, he was by no means inferior to Chang On.
If anything, being slightly older, he had a deeper well of internal energy.
Well, given that he had advanced to the main round of a test to select a young elder of the cult, looking for an easy opponent here was a fool's errand.
Chang On knew this well, which was why he had chosen Deok-pal, who had at least some clear, albeit minor, disadvantages against him.
Before their psychological warfare could continue, the test proceeded at a rapid pace.
It seemed the organizers were rushing things due to the many remaining tests.
Perhaps by proceeding immediately, they were preventing any underhanded tricks between opponents.
After all, the significance of this test lay in its fairness.
As if to prove this, Chang On and Deok-pal were immediately brought up to the training grounds.
Just like the previous test, the Great Guardian's instructions were given.
“The time limit is one hour. Fight with the intent to kill your opponent first. I will intervene just before death to stop the match.”
“By your command!”
Similarly, as soon as the Great Guardian vanished, the test began.
The first to move was Chang On.
He had to capitalize on his range advantage, so he immediately created distance.
But what was this?
Deok-pal, who should have been closing the distance immediately, did the exact same thing as Chang On and backed away.
‘What! What is this…’
Chang On couldn't believe his eyes, but he calmly tried to deduce the reason.
Thanks to that, a hypothesis came to mind.
‘Could it be… if his attacks can't reach, he'll make it so my attacks can't reach either?’
Chang On’s hypothesis was correct.
Deok-pal, now at a distance, repeatedly folded and unfolded one palm, taunting him as if to say, ‘Come and get me.’
“Junior! What are you so afraid of, facing an unarmed man like me with such a massive weapon!”
“Grk.”
As he was taunted verbally, Chang On felt himself starting to get drawn into his opponent's pace.
The biggest reason was the jeers pouring from the audience and the voices agreeing with Deok-pal.
Of course, Chang On had been through too much to be swayed so easily.
Suddenly, the day he had spent with Maeng Ak flashed through his mind.