Chapter 85 The Swordsman's Guild
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: The Swordsman’s Guild
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Late afternoon.
He arrived at the Swordsman’s Guild after running through the hot summer streets.
He had originally planned to visit in two days, but given the circumstances, he had no choice.
A bald, muscular giant sat at the guild's reception desk.
Kila.
The second-in-command of the Swordsman’s Guild.
Jeong Yoo-shin approached the desk.
"Vice-Guildmaster, you're working hard."
"Hmm? Skar, weren't you supposed to come in two days?"
"I thought it would be better to get beaten sooner rather than later."
At Jeong Yoo-shin's reply, Kila chuckled.
"What trouble have you caused this time?"
"I did cause some trouble."
He had buried all those assassins in the southern forest.
Had Ashur not heard about it yet?
Perhaps the clown disguise had been effective.
Kila shook his head and spoke.
"Unfortunately, the Guildmaster went to the central district. I heard he has something to discuss with the Labyrinth City Council."
The Labyrinth City Council.
Ingrid Redtail.
Luke Wiseman.
The two of them briefly flashed through his mind, then vanished.
Jeong Yoo-shin scratched his head.
"Then should I come back later?"
"Since you're already here, how about a spar? Ashur might return while we're at it."
"Alright."
Jeong Yoo-shin readily agreed to Kila's suggestion.
He had been through several battles recently. This was a good opportunity to assess his progress.
Kila was the second strongest person in the Swordsman’s Guild.
In short, the second-in-command of a group that only ate, shit, and trained.
He didn't think he could win.
However…
He couldn't suppress his growing competitive spirit.
Kila, as if reading Jeong Yoo-shin's expression, smiled.
"Skar, are you itching for a fight? Do you want to clash swords with me and see who's stronger?"
Jeong Yoo-shin's expression hardened.
"Vice-Guildmaster, your words sound sexually suggestive. Please refrain from saying that again."
"...I don't know what you mean, but I apologize."
Kila apologized as he stood up.
Jeong Yoo-shin followed Kila to the training grounds.
Despite the hot summer sun, people with their upper bodies exposed were sweating and swinging various weapons.
The guild members, seeing Kila and Jeong Yoo-shin, gathered around.
"Vice-Guildmaster, are you sparring with a newbie today?"
A muscular elf asked, representing the group.
The guild members, without a word, had grasped the situation. They had sharp eyes.
"That's right. Watch if you want."
As soon as Kila finished speaking, the people plopped down on the dirt floor.
They were tough, unfazed by the scorching sun.
A circle quickly formed. The young guild member who had visited the inn before brought two training swords.
Blunt longswords made of iron.
'It's been a while since I've used a longsword.'
He had been using his one-handed arming sword lately.
Jeong Yoo-shin gripped the sword with both hands and swung it a few times.
A puzzled look appeared on Kila's face.
"What? Something wrong with it?"
"Nothing much. I've been using an arming sword lately. This is nice and heavy. I see why people use longswords."
"Is that so? Let's take it slow."
Kila slung the sword over his shoulder and continued.
"By the way, Skar, I heard you run laps around your inn’s courtyard every day?"
"That's right."
"Did you run today?"
"Yes."
"Then just do some light warm-ups."
"Alright."
Kila watched Jeong Yoo-shin warm up, his iron sword still slung over his shoulder.
The young, half-blood barbarian.
The only man who could get a rise out of their lazy Guildmaster.
Even considering the debt of gratitude for saving Del, Ashur Startree's youngest sister, it was excessive for a Sword Master to personally instruct him like this.
He figured there must be something special about this man.
Was it talent?
Or fighting spirit?
He would have to test him.
Jeong Yoo-shin, finished with his warm-ups, looked at Kila.
A smile appeared on Kila's lips.
He might be stuck behind a desk due to his guild duties, but he was still a swordsman at heart.
"I'm coming."
"Come on."
Kila gripped his sword.
Thump!
The ground caved in slightly.
The muscular giant lunged forward.
From a mid-stance straight into a high-stance overhead strike.
Whoosh!!!
Kila's strike came down as if to cleave his head in two.
Jeong Yoo-shin's eyes gleamed as he stepped forward.
He raised his longsword while tilting it slightly.
A deflection.
Would it work?
Clang!!!
Sparks flew as the swords clashed.
It didn't work.
He gritted his teeth.
His hands tingled from the light impact.
It was a completely different level of force compared to that mediocre dark elf with the rapier.
As expected of the Swordsman's Guild's Vice-Guildmaster. He possessed undeniable strength.
Clang!!!
Clang!!!
The sound of clashing swords echoed sharply through the training grounds.
The people in the training grounds started sharing their opinions as they watched Jeong Yoo-shin and Kila.
"Whoa, look at the newbie. He's deflecting the attacks?"
"How bold. Even if he's a half-blood, he's still a barbarian."
"Look at the newbie's form. His parries and thrusts are a work of art."
"Vice-Guildmaster, put some more strength into it."
The onlookers, arms crossed, chimed in.
Clang!!!
Kila, deflecting Jeong Yoo-shin's attack, thought.
'Innate combat sense. His stance is orthodox, but there are glimpses of improvisation. He's already forging his own path. Is he compensating for his lack of experience with instinct? He's a beast.'
Kila, having quickly assessed Jeong Yoo-shin’s skill, extended his sword.
This type was weak to feints.
After being fooled by a few feints, they would start to distrust their own senses.
Kila's sword trajectory changed instantly.
From an overhead strike to a thrust.
Jeong Yoo-shin raised his sword to block, then hesitated.
Kila's sword was thrusting towards his chest.
He thought he could do it.
He made a split-second decision.
One.
Two.
Three.
Whoosh!!!
He twisted his body, dodging the attack by a hair's breadth.
"Whoa. That's crazy. Even if this is a spar, he's that fearless?"
Someone muttered in disbelief.
He immediately stepped forward and thrust his sword. Aiming for the throat. The weak point thrust he had honed in life-or-death battles.
Kila's body instantly twisted to the side, dodging Jeong Yoo-shin's sword.
Wham!!!
"Ugh!"
Kila lightly struck Jeong Yoo-shin's neck with the pommel of his sword.
Jeong Yoo-shin, hit squarely in the neck, lost all strength in his body and knelt on one knee.
Kila slung his sword over his shoulder and spoke.
"Skar, this isn't a life-or-death battle. Take it easy."
"...I apologize."
"It's fine."
Kila revised his assessment of Jeong Yoo-shin.
'His killing intent is strong. Ashur will have to guide him well.'
The people started talking again.
"Where did the Guildmaster go?"
"Who knows? He's probably sprawled out somewhere, sleeping. He might even be lying on the guild roof right now."
Just as Jeong Yoo-shin was about to speak, Ashur suddenly appeared from a corner of the training grounds.
"Enjoying the show? Only those who want to get beaten stay."
The people grumbled and dispersed.
Jeong Yoo-shin stood up and bowed his head to Kila.
"Vice-Guildmaster, I learned a lot today. Thank you."
"Keep training."
Kila smiled and patted Jeong Yoo-shin's shoulder.
There were some things that bothered him, but Jeong Yoo-shin was polite and talented. He was growing on him.
"Kila, you're walking right into the bear's den."
Ashur said, scoffing.
"What do you mean?"
Kila asked.
"If you lose to this guy, you'll be eaten. Even if he's a half-blood, he's still a barbarian."
Kila's eyes widened, and his head whipped around.
"I-Is that true?"
"No, it's not."
Jeong Yoo-shin said while glaring at Ashur.
"Don't spread rumors like that. Where do you even come up with these tall tales?"
"It's true. What was it again? The loser becomes the female? The one who shows their back becomes the female? I don't remember exactly, but I've heard something similar."
"I'm telling you it's not true. It's about time you believed me, isn't it?"
Jeong Yoo-shin protested.
Ignoring him, Ashur pointed at Jeong Yoo-shin and looked at Kila.
"Kila, you have to be careful with this guy. He acts harmless and innocent, but if you let your guard down, he'll stab you in the dick."
"...Guildmaster, I don't think Skar is that kind of person."
"Hesitation is defeat. Just like your hairline. What's the point of regretting it? The damage is already done."
Kila's expression turned serious.
"Ashur, please stop it."
"Alright. Enough with the jokes. Vice-Guildmaster, return to your duties."
"It's not really my duty, but I'll be going. Skar, good work."
"You too, Vice-Guildmaster."
Kila returned to the guild building.
Ashur crossed his arms and observed Jeong Yoo-shin.
"You kept flinching during the spar. What's wrong?"
Had he been hiding somewhere while watching the spar?
As expected, it was difficult to deceive the eyes of a Sword Master.
"I kept thinking of improvisational moves and had trouble controlling myself."
Eye-gouging, spitting, kicking, throwing dirt, and many more.
He had struggled to suppress the urge to use those dirty fighting techniques from the back alleys.
"Tsk. I can imagine what kind of improvisational moves you're talking about."
Feeling guilty, he quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, I have a concern."
"It's about the arm that moves unconsciously due to the imprint suppression's side effect, right?"
As expected of the stalker elf.
"It's a bit late to ask now, but are you keeping secrets from me?"
"No."
Ashur declared firmly.
Jeong Yoo-shin's face contorted.
'Shit.'
No.
This was strange. Ashur wasn't angry, even though he had fought so messily with the assassins in the forest.
Did he not know about the incident outside Labyrinth City?
Or perhaps Aldein had taken care of it.
Regardless of the reason, it meant there were holes in Ashur's information network.
'That's a relief.'
He regained his composure and returned to the main topic.
"I have a question about that."
"What is it?"
"How can I suppress the imprint supppression's side effect?"
Ashur pondered for a moment, then spoke.
"Training. If your mind is distracted, your swordsmanship will also be distracted. I told you this before, right? You can overcome your unconsciously moving hand in the same way."
"Constant training?"
"That's right. You should be swinging your sword even in your dreams. Perfect timing."
'Ugh.'
He swallowed a sigh.
He could see a long road of hardship ahead of him.
Mion's classes in the morning and afternoon.
And grueling training late into the night.
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded.
"I'll give it a try."
Ashur smiled faintly.
A tenacious student.
"Why not start now? Words won't feed you, so take it easy with the studying."
"That's not true."
Jeong Yoo-shin replied seriously. Information was essential for survival in the labyrinth. He couldn't ignore the library, which was full of valuable information.
'I want to lick it clean like a dog, and you're interrupting me.'
Did Lu Bu die for nothing?
Strategy was essential for survival.
"Ugh. Fine."
"Thank you."
"..."
Ashur looked up and watched as Jeong Yoo-shin's hand crept towards his stomach.
"You crazy bastard? This won't do. Let's start by putting some sandbags on your arms. Heavy ones."
"Huh?"
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at his hand, then nodded.
"I was just reaching out to shake your hand."
"Cut the crap and grab your sword with those sandbags on. You have nothing else to do today. Time to train."
"Yes."
Jeong Yoo-shin picked up his sword and took a stance. Ashur looked at Jeong Yoo-shin's stance and smiled with satisfaction.
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Under the moonlight.
Clatter!
The inn door opened, and Jeong Yoo-shin entered. His entire body was covered in dust and sweat, as if he had been rolling around on the dirt floor.
"Skar!"
Tarman, who was watching the inn, approached him.
"What? What is it?"
"N-Nothing. I was just waiting here because you were late."
"I was at the Swordsman's Guild. I'll be coming back around this time from now on, so you can clean up and leave early."
"Yes, I understand."
He sent Tarman off and went upstairs.
He took off his clothes, wiped his body with a wet towel, changed, and then lifted the blanket.
"Squeak?"
Lin was lying sprawled out in the middle of the bed.
"I told you it's dangerous to lie down like that on the bed."
He carefully moved Lin to the side and laid down.
Lin wriggled her way up to his chest.
"Want a massage?"
"Squeak!"
"Sorry. I'm too tired. I'll do it later."
"Squeak, squeak!"
Jeong Yoo-shin patted the protesting Lin and closed his eyes.
'What could possibly happen if I skip one day?'
He was exhausted from rolling around relentlessly in the training grounds.
Jeong Yoo-shin, using Lin's plaintive squeaks as a lullaby, surrendered to the darkness.
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T/N - What a gay chapter. From the “clash of swords” joke, to the barbarian adage of “every hole is a goal” and “the loser is the female”, up to the MC’s hand sneaking up on Ashur’s stomach. It’s all so gay.
Also, lmao at the hairline joke. Poor Kila.