Chapter 578: Formless Sword
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 578: Formless Sword
Drip. Drip.
Blood began to seep from the gash on his shoulder, trickling down his arm before splashing onto the ground.
'When did he...?'
Sun-woo stared at Lee Jae-won with a grim expression.
He hadn't felt a thing.
He didn't know when, or how, his shoulder had been sliced open.
Sun-woo’s face remained deeply troubled as he watched Lee Jae-won.
"Why are you looking at me with that expression?"
Seeing this, Lee Jae-won spoke with an amused look on his face.
"Are you scared?"
A faint smirk played on the corners of his mouth.
"......How did you do it?" Sun-woo asked, his confusion evident.
"That is for you to figure out on your own," Lee Jae-won replied with a playful smile.
Swish.
He lightly waved his hand again.
Slash!
"Aaaagh!"
Immediately, blood sprayed from Sun-woo's other shoulder.
He had been cut again, just like that.
'Damn it... how... how is this happening...'
Sun-woo couldn't understand it.
How could a casual wave of a hand slice through a shoulder?
It wasn't a Sword Wind that sent blades of air flying.
It wasn't a Sword Bullet that fired concentrated Astral Qi.
It was just a light gesture that resulted in a cut.
It was as if all things in existence were reacting to his will.
'Wait... will?!'
A flash of realization struck Sun-woo.
'Heart Sword!'
He finally understood. The identity of this nonsensical attack was the Heart Sword.
The sword of the mind had sliced through both of his shoulders.
'That piece of shit.'
Sun-woo cursed inwardly. He could feel that the man was genuinely trying to kill him.
He had known it since the moment Lee Jae-won struck down with a sword imbued with monstrous strength—the man was intent on his death.
Of course, Sun-woo didn't find Lee Jae-won's feelings entirely incomprehensible.
A mere brat of a Rising Star had made him look pathetic in front of the world.
He had been slammed into the ground and smashed into a wall, ending up covered in dust.
As the World's Greatest Martial Artist and the respected Leader of the Cheonmu Alliance, his pride and self-esteem had plummeted to rock bottom.
How could murderous intent not surge within him?
But even so, using the Heart Sword was crossing the line.
This wasn't a plan to kill him under the guise of an accident; it was a blatant manifestation of his will to kill as he pleased.
How could Sun-woo not curse?
'Let's surrender.'
Sun-woo made a quick decision. He would yield right now.
He had already gained everything he could from this.
He had confirmed the gap between himself and Lee Jae-won, and he had even managed to land a solid blow.
Furthermore, he had showcased martial arts impressive enough to engrave the name 'Jang Sun-woo' into the minds of the public.
He had reaped all the benefits possible.
Since he hadn't mastered the Heart Sword himself, opposing Lee Jae-won at this point was tantamount to throwing his life away.
Resisting further would be a blunder.
It was a much better choice to ensure his safety through a quick surrender.
"I surrender."
Sun-woo slowly raised his hand and spoke.
"You're... surrendering...?"
Lee Jae-won repeated the words with a stoic face.
"You slam this Alliance Leader into the ground, smash me into a wall, and now you say you'll surrender...?"
Lee Jae-won's eyes flashed coldly as he spoke.
"I felt an insurmountable gap from that last attack. I didn't even realize how my shoulders were cut. How can I continue a martial duel in such a state?"
Sun-woo explained his reasoning logically.
It wasn't a lie.
As long as he lacked the Heart Sword, he couldn't surpass Lee Jae-won, and he still didn't understand how his shoulders had been sliced.
Continuing the duel under these circumstances would be idiocy.
"You're being humble. Surely someone like you can fight a bit more?"
"I appreciate the high praise, but I am sufficiently satisfied with this."
Sun-woo shook his head as he spoke.
"............."
Lee Jae-won stared at Sun-woo with smoldering eyes.
'That fucking bastard!'
Lee Jae-won cursed inwardly. His rage toward Sun-woo was skyrocketing.
He had pulled out the Heart Sword and put on a grand show to make up for his previous humiliations.
And yet, the boy was surrendering just because his shoulders were nicked a few times as a warning?
After making him look like a total fool, he wanted to quit now?
What kind of bullshit was this?
It was infuriating. Beyond infuriating.
This bastard, who had used him as a stepping stone to gain fame and was now trying to slip away, was absolutely loathsome.
'Fuck you! You think I'll let you surrender?'
Lee Jae-won glared at Sun-woo with eyes full of murderous intent.
He would never let him surrender.
"Regrettably, I am not satisfied."
Lee Jae-won spoke with a look of feigned disappointment.
"I have yet to draw out your full power. My competitive spirit has been piqued."
Lee Jae-won's eyes glittered.
"Everything I've shown so far is my full power," Sun-woo replied calmly.
"Excessive humility becomes a poison."
Lee Jae-won looked at Sun-woo with a cold gaze.
"Now, your words sound like a mockery."
"......I'm not sure what you mean by that..." Sun-woo trailed off, feigning ignorance.
"You haven't shown me your true strength yet, have you? So why are you trying to deceive this Alliance Leader with lies?"
Lee Jae-won's eyes burned with anger as he continued.
"This is baffling. Alliance Leader, how can you know of a strength that even I am unaware of? I did my best, but I could not defeat you. Furthermore, I couldn't even sense my shoulders being cut. How can you say I am hiding my power?"
Sun-woo protested, his tone laced with feigned grievance.
'He's being so fucking unreasonable. That piece of shit.'
Sun-woo vented his annoyance internally. He was irritated by Lee Jae-won's blatant attempt to find any excuse to keep going.
Sun-woo knew from the start.
The man was using petty excuses to reject the surrender.
What he wanted was revenge.
Revenge for the damage done to his pride as the World's Greatest Martial Artist, the Leader of the Cheonmu Alliance, and a hero of the Murim.
"Hmph, we'll see for ourselves whether it's a lie or not."
Lee Jae-won waved his hand toward Sun-woo.
'Shit.'
Sun-woo quickly rolled to the side.
This time, he wasn't cut. It seemed he had successfully evaded the attack.
"Good instincts."
A deep smile spread across Lee Jae-won's face as he watched.
He raised his other hand and swung it.
Sun-woo gathered internal energy at his Yongcheon Point.
Then, he detonated it all at once.
Boom!
Using the explosive force, Sun-woo kicked off the ground and began to accelerate his body.
He needed to move faster.
He figured that even if the sword was invisible, it wouldn't be able to hit him if he moved fast enough.
"You're quite fast."
Lee Jae-won smiled as if he were enjoying himself.
He raised his opposite hand and gave it a light flick.
Slash!
"Aaaaargh!"
Blood erupted from the chest of the rapidly moving Sun-woo.
'Both hands?!'
Sun-woo was struck by panic. He hadn't expected the man to be able to use the invisible sword with both hands.
Thud.
".....I... I surrender."
Sun-woo, his chest shallowly sliced, knelt on the ground and spoke again. He was yielding.
"No, I cannot accept that... You still haven't revealed your true power!"
Lee Jae-won roared in anger and waved his hand.
Slash!
"Ugh!"
Blood sprayed from Sun-woo's right forearm.
He had been cut again.
"Hurry! Hurry! Show me your true skill!"
Lee Jae-won began to urge him, his eyes filled with madness. He demanded that Sun-woo show his real strength.
'This son of a bitch...'
Meeting those crazed eyes, Sun-woo realized the truth.
Lee Jae-won intended to kill him.
He was using the excuse of wanting to see his "true skill" as a pretext.
He would kill him.
And then he would make an excuse.
He would say he thought Sun-woo's skill was enough to withstand the attacks.
He would apologize.
He would say he had overestimated Jang Sun-woo.
That it was a mistake.
Slash!
"Guh!"
His left forearm was sliced, and blood sprayed.
Slash!
"Aaaagh!"
This time, it was his right thigh.
Slash!
"Ugh!"
Next was his left thigh.
Lee Jae-won's Formless Sword began to rain down relentlessly.
It struck every part of Sun-woo's body.
After some time had passed...
Sun-woo's entire body was covered in crimson blood.
"Ha... ha... ha... ha..."
Sun-woo panted heavily. He had lost so much blood that his head was spinning and his breathing was labored.
"What is the matter? Heavenly Dragon.... Why... why will you not show this Alliance Leader your true strength? How tragic."
Lee Jae-won spoke with a look of pity.
Of course, it was a mockery.
He knew.
He knew that Sun-woo couldn't even react to the Formless Sword.
That was why he was enjoying this. He was enjoying the execution of this arrogant brat who couldn't even resist.
'Hahahaha, you bastard! It hurts like hell, doesn't it?'
Lee Jae-won laughed repeatedly in his head. He felt he was getting a satisfying revenge on Jang Sun-woo.
'This is what happens when you mess with me. You get it now? You little shit?'
A faint smile touched Lee Jae-won's lips. Every time he looked at the blood-soaked Sun-woo, he couldn't help but laugh.
The boy was a total joke.
"Alliance Leader! That is enough!"
At that moment, Heo Sam-gwan rushed forward from the back.
He was worried by Sun-woo's precarious state.
"Do not come any closer!"
Lee Jae-won's roar brought him to a halt.
"We are in the middle of a sacred martial duel. How dare you interfere!"
"This is not a duel! This is one-sided violence! You must stop at once!"
Heo Sam-gwan shouted back, refusing to back down.
This wasn't a duel. It was one-sided brutality.
How could such a thing be allowed? Especially by the man representing the Cheonmu Alliance, where all the chivalrous heroes of the world gathered.
"Watch your tongue! One-sided violence?! I am merely engaged in a battle between martial artists! Do not disparage a sacred duel in such a manner!"
Lee Jae-won snapped back, his voice raised in anger. Because the words hit too close to home, he reacted with even greater fury.
"Young Master Jang clearly surrendered. Is it not the Alliance Leader who refused to accept it and turned him into a bloody mess? How can you call this a sacred duel?"
Heo Sam-gwan glared at Lee Jae-won with sharp eyes.
This was no sacred duel. It was nothing more than an execution carried out by the Alliance Leader's stubbornness.
"Did I not tell you? Jang Sun-woo has not given his all! How can I end a duel with an opponent who refuses to show his full power!"
Lee Jae-won countered with his bullshit logic. It was a pathetic excuse that didn't even qualify as an argument.
"Is that not merely your own opinion! Does Young Master Jang not know his own limits best? Even if he isn't at full power, the Alliance Leader has no justification for leaving him in this state!"
"He mocked this Alliance Leader! Furthermore, he mocked the countless martial artists here in the Cheonmu Alliance!"
"Have I not told you repeatedly? The Alliance Leader is not the Cheonmu Alliance itself! How can you equate your own honor with the honor of the Alliance!"
Heo Sam-gwan roared.
"What!"
Lee Jae-won was incensed.
He felt a surge of murderous intent toward the insolent Heo Sam-gwan.
The Cheonmu Alliance was him. He was the Cheonmu Alliance.
How could he so directly deny the very essence of the Alliance?
'This... this... this fucking bastard!'
Lee Jae-won thought to himself. If he had killed Heo Sam-gwan along with Gu Ja-yeop, he wouldn't have to deal with this bullshit.
"Stop this instant!"
Heo Sam-gwan's face was flushed red as he shouted. He feared that if this continued any longer, Sun-woo's life would be in danger.
"I refuse!"
But Lee Jae-won rejected Heo Sam-gwan's demand.
Things had already gone to shit. Swallowing his pride now wouldn't help him one bit.
'Even if it's the end of me, I'm finishing off Jang Sun-woo before I'm done.'
Lee Jae-won lightly waved his hand.
Rumble!
A massive sword gouge was carved into the ground right in front of Heo Sam-gwan's feet.
"If you cross that line, I will cut you down as well."
"Alliance Leader!"
"And not just you! Anyone who interferes in this sacred duel, regardless of the reason, will be cut down!"
Lee Jae-won declared with a roar.
He was aware.
He knew that public opinion of him would turn to garbage and his image would be ruined.
But he felt he had to endure it.
Sun-woo, who had managed to land a blow on him, was just that threatening.
'I am the protagonist!'
Lee Jae-won turned away from Heo Sam-gwan.
His gaze fell upon Sun-woo, who was standing there, covered in blood.
'When did this bastard get back up?'
Watching him, Lee Jae-won slowly raised his hand.
He intended to finish the job right then and there.