No Need to Worry Even Without a Sword (5)
Hwa Hyo-seon stepped outside and let out a deep sigh. 'Wait, thinking about it, that was kinda weird. Why would I get worked up over a guy who's not even a fist's distance away from me?'
After getting scolded, the more she reflected, the more unjust it felt. On top of that, Yoo Hwa-yeon had been the one to pick the fight first. It made her even more resentful.
'Yeah. I can't just mope around after getting chewed out by some mere strategist.' Hwa Hyo-seon steeled her gaze and strode back toward the convenience store. But then, 'Agh, no.'
She turned on her heel and leaped back up onto the rock where she'd been sitting.
'He looked really pissed...' Hwa Hyo-seon pondered deeply for a moment, then shook her head vigorously and sprawled out flat on the broad rock surface.
'I'm Hwa Hyo-seon, leader of the Green Forest Seven Villages.'
The epitome of ruthless bandits. To them, human lives were worth no more than a fly's, and they wouldn't hesitate to kill for money and loot. That was the kind of bandit her father had taught her to be.
'Daughter! If your heart softens, you're dead meat! Bandits always gotta have blood on their hands!'
Hwa Hyo-seon propped her head with her interlocked fingers and gazed leisurely at the drifting clouds. He hadn't been a good father. He was always drunk, and whenever he came back from outside, his whole body reeked of blood. One time, he'd even brought back something dripping blood, claiming it was some martial artist's head. Not a fond memory.
'Honestly, not sure if Dad was even right.'
Her earliest memory was of burly men even bigger than her laughing uproariously as they guzzled booze. Standing there like a limp sack of barley, she'd been led by the hand to meet a bearded slob who was apparently her father.
'From today, you're my daughter!'
Looking back now, that meant she wasn't his real daughter. Makes sense. If she were, would he have handed over the Seven Villages full of murderers and run? He'd have advised her to steer clear of this world and flee far away. She didn't resent him anymore. She'd trained hard to inherit the villages, reaching first-rate realm at a younger age than most. Now she was a bandit eyeing peak mastery.
High martial prowess meant an easier life. Indeed, after becoming leader, Hwa Hyo-seon hadn't killed a single soul. She simply wasn't cut out for it. Of course, the fact that human traffic to the Ghost Soul Great Forest dried up shortly after she took over helped too.
A bandit not cut out for killing? Memories flooded back of her bawling her eyes out when her father once ordered her to kill someone, only to get beaten black and blue. Even for survival, she couldn't bring herself to do it.
'What good is a bandit with a soft heart like that!!'
Not wanting to kill—and not wanting to get beaten to death—she threw herself even harder into training. Blisters formed on her palms, burst and bled, then hardened into calluses. Her knuckles were now so gnarled and bony they looked grotesque for a woman's hands.
As her skills improved daily, her father—who'd once pushed her to kill and beaten her relentlessly—finally began to acknowledge her. Being strong was good. Hwa Hyo-seon had experienced its conveniences since childhood.
But then, 'I'm even stronger, so why does the strategist...?'
He clearly knew nothing of martial arts, so why couldn't she do anything to him? He wasn't barking orders to kill or beating her senseless; just a single slap, and he'd tear up on his own.
'...'
Deep down, Hwa Hyo-seon knew. She wasn't so foolish as to miss why she, leader of the mighty Green Forest Seven Villages, was acting so subservient.
In short, love. Surrounded by stinking, boozed-up louts, the sight of a real man had stirred her heart.
But was that really all? Hwa Hyo-seon's mind was a mess. When her head got this tangled, the best cure was to move her body. She grabbed her iron mace leaning against the rock and plunged deeper into the forest.
Shiiik— Hwiik— Seogeok— Leaves rained down in neatly sliced forms as the woman landed gracefully on the forest floor. Her black hair settled softly on her back a beat later.
Yoo Hwa-yeon. Every day, she spent one hour cultivating her arts in this forest clearing. All to drive out the vile bandit horde occupying the convenience store and protect the grand master and inn.
The serene clearing, where no one seemed likely to appear, suddenly picked up an alien presence.
Shiiik— Yoo Hwa-yeon's sword sliced through the air. Her fluid Yusu Sinsword undulated like a serpent's body, ruthlessly impaling a shadowy figure lurking in the gloom.
Kwaak!
Shed aimed to maim at least an arm, but the sound wasn't flesh parting.
"Can't I just watch?"
"I'd have to trust those worthless bandit scum first."
"Fair enough. Your skills do give off a presence I can't ignore."
"What's wrong with my skills?!"
Yoo Hwa-yeon and Hwa Hyo-seon locked eyes. Sparks seemed to fly between them. But Hwa Hyo-seon backed down first.
"Forget it. Not in the mood to fight you right now."
"What?"
"Sis has some heavy worries. The kind your scrawny ass couldn't even dream of."
"......."
Despite claiming no interest in fighting, Hwa Hyo-seon couldn't resist provoking her. Yoo Hwa-yeon's face flushed red. This bitch. Fine, you'll regret it today.
"If you don't wanna fight, we can spar instead, right?"
"Huh?"
"Lots of worries, huh? Weren't you wandering around to work up a sweat? I'll be your opponent."
Yoo Hwa-yeon's eyes blazed. Every night, she sparred with Gwak Sang-hyeon. On rare daytime breaks, she'd swing her sword. She'd definitely grown since before.
Hwa Hyo-seon burst out laughing at Yoo Hwa-yeon's confident expression.
"Kyahaha! Spar? We're not equals—this'd be a lesson!"
"Whether it's a lesson or a spar, we'll see once we start."
"Fine. My body's been itching anyway. Good thing we're here—no worries about wrecking the inn."
"For a bandit, acting all nice. Do it like usual. I'll handle any inn damage."
"Dunno. With that skill you showed earlier, even a newbie swordsman could trash you."
"Lucky for you your eyes can't see."
The two women took positions opposite each other across the wide clearing. Yoo Hwa-yeon drew her sword; Hwa Hyo-seon planted her iron mace in the ground.
Tension thickened in the forest air. Without a word, they both kicked off simultaneously.
Kang—!!
Sharp steel clashed against blunt iron, sparks flying. Yoo Hwa-yeon's graceful movements flowed without pause.
Leaping into the air like a tiger pouncing, Yoo Hwa-yeon slashed downward.
Kwaaang!!
Hwa Hyo-seon blocked with her mace, but the reverberating shockwave got through. Checking her numb arm, she flashed a meaningful grin.
'She's grinning?'
It was her full-powered strike, vastly improved from her shaky old form with boosted destructive force. And she's grinning? That casual?
Yoo Hwa-yeon bit her lower lip. No stopping. She pressed the assault.
Countless sword afterimages rained down on Hwa Hyo-seon like a torrent from all sides—fierce, dizzying chaos. Yet each strike landed heavy.
Hwa Hyo-seon, who'd been passively blocking, suddenly swung her mace. Just once. A wide horizontal sweep.
Pakang!
Yoo Hwa-yeon's Waterflow Dragon Slash shattered. Her sword flung high, she soared back several paces.
'She broke the form?'
An unprecedented monstrous force. Hwa Hyo-seon stretched her unscratched body, resting the mace on her shoulder. Then she dropped into a bizarre stance and exploded forward.
An afterimage lingered where she'd stood, then vanished.
'!!!'
She'd been far off, yet suddenly appeared before her eyes. Yoo Hwa-yeon startled.
A peculiar Green Forest lightness skill, leaving no trace like a shadow.
To move that fast wielding such a massive mace—Yoo Hwa-yeon was stunned. The sudden Hwa Hyo-seon swung wide.
The hefty mace plummeted from above.
Yoo Hwa-yeon angled her sword to deflect the path, but couldn't counter the infused power.
"Kuhk!"
Gut-wrenching pain flipped her insides as she staggered back. No internal injury thanks to controlled force, but her strength drained.
"One more!"
Hwa Hyo-seon looked like she was enjoying the spar itself, her face beaming.
Yoo Hwa-yeon raised her sword again. No dodging—she'd meet it head-on. Their weapons clashed.
Kkagang—!!
A brilliant spark flashed. Both saw it: at the clash point, a strange old man crouched.
"Uwaaak!!"
"Kyaaak!!"
So abrupt, both leaped back in shock. Midway through sparring, this old man appears. Worry he might be hurt mixed with bafflement at his noiseless arrival.
"Sssip, huu— thanks for the light. Heh heh."
Light...? He'd lit his pipe with their weapon sparks? Their jaws dropped. Unimaginable.
"Y-You were at the inn that time..."
Yoo Hwa-yeon tried to acknowledge him, but he cut in.
"Aigoo, some weirdos showed up at the inn. Needed another pack of Inner Supreme."
Crouched, puffing away without a glance, he rambled. Snapping to, Yoo Hwa-yeon and Hwa Hyo-seon reacted.
"Weirdos?"
"Carrying swords..."
Yoo Hwa-yeon launched into the air without hearing him out. Hwa Hyo-seon watched, then muttered, "My crew's there, it'll be fiii— argh!" and followed suit.
Alone in the empty clearing, the old man smoked his last Inner Supreme.
"That store owner's got no worries even without a sword."