Chapter 9: The Duel (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 9: The Duel (3)
Gong!
As the gong signaled the start of the duel, Smiling Face Sword slowly drew his blade.
Alright, come at me.
The plan was simple: once Smiling Face Sword attacked, I’d "accidentally" drop my sword, claim my body hadn't fully recovered yet, and take the loss by forfeiture. I stood there, waiting for him to make his move, having set the stage perfectly.
I had put my faith in the man’s conscience. Surely, if he were human, he’d feel some gratitude toward me for giving him that elixir to heal his wounds.
But that was my own delusion.
Smiling Face Sword took immense pride in his craft; to him, gratitude and a duel were two entirely separate matters.
I had a bad feeling about this, but you really are an ungrateful bastard.
Instead of swinging his sword, he began to circle me with rapid footwork.
What is this? This is nothing like when he fought Poison Wolf Ibu.
Back then, I could at least track his movements. Now, his footwork was so fast I couldn't even tell which direction he’d strike from. If he lunged now, I wouldn't even have the luxury of trying to dodge.
If I started panicking here, everything would go down the drain. I forced myself to stay patient, standing rooted to the spot like a statue. It was the only posture that didn't scream "total amateur."
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Smiling Face Sword continued to orbit me, yet he refused to strike.
"Oh! Smiling Face Sword is circling Young Hero Eo, looking for an opening, but it seems Young Hero Eo isn't showing a single one."
"From where I’m sitting, it looks like Young Hero Eo has given up on the duel entirely."
"Tsk, man, do you think a master is the same as a scrub? Do you think Smiling Face Sword is circling him like a restless puppy for no reason? It might look like an opening, but the moment he tries to strike, he realizes he can't. Masters can feel these things—whether it's a genuine gap or a trap."
"Is that so? As expected of a master."
This was driving me crazy. People were spouting nonsense all over the place.
Then, Smiling Face Sword’s movements grew even faster. The pressure was so intense that I found myself being backed into a corner without even realizing it.
That’s when I saw it.
It was the exact same gaze as the bastard who had thrown the hidden weapon at Mok Seon-hwa. Among the crowd of experts who had come down from the Red Rooms to watch our duel, I caught a glimpse of him.
A chilling sensation, like a snake slithering right in front of my nose. There was something there that made me far more nervous than the man dancing around me.
In that fleeting moment, I caught the face of an older man.
Huh? Our eyes met, and he vanished instantly.
If he thought Mok Seon-hwa’s assassination failed because of me, he’d certainly hold a grudge. As I turned my head to find him, Smiling Face Sword widened the distance between us. He seemed to flinch, startled by the massive opening I had just inadvertently created.
Hehe, this is the benefit of people having preconceived notions about you being a master.
But my joy was short-lived.
Swish!
After circling me endlessly, Smiling Face Sword finally swung. I remained motionless until the very last second.
Slice!
The collar of my robe near my shoulder was sheared off.
This guy isn't playing around.
The realization that I was standing on a dueling stage with a live blade flashing before me sent shivers down my spine.
I must be possessed by a ghost. Why else would I walk into this death trap on my own two feet?
"Oho, not bad. Smiling Face Sword is quite famous among the wanderers, and it seems he really knows how to handle a blade."
"Indeed. Smiling Face Sword calculated even the space where the Silent Star Throwing Sword would move before he swung. Judging by the flow of the sword, Smiling Face Sword has the upper hand."
"No, you're wrong. Silent Star Throwing Sword already read that calculation and chose not to move at all to evade the blade. That’s easier said than done. Usually, when you see a sword, you instinctively dodge or raise your own to block. The fact that he didn't means he’s trained through countless life-and-death situations. I’d say Silent Star Throwing Sword is the one in control."
The experts who had come down from the Red Rooms were busy interpreting the duel in their own way.
"I agree with you. To calculate the path of the sword without even looking means he’s relying on hearing and pure intuition. The rumors of Silent Star Throwing Sword being a master aren't just talk."
"To be honest, even for us, Smiling Face Sword’s movements are quite troublesome. His footwork alone is a masterpiece."
I was pushed into another corner, so I couldn't hear the experts anymore. Once I reached the corner where the amateurs were gathered, I heard more talk about Smiling Face Sword.
After his first strike failed, Smiling Face Sword became even more cautious, circling me and waiting for the perfect moment.
"Do you know the meaning behind his title, 'Smiling Face Sword'?"
"I haven't thought about it. What is it?"
"Man, how do you expect to make a living by the blade without knowing that? The 'So' in his name refers to a white light."
"Ah! So he was named that because he’s as fast as light!"
"Exactly. The real duel starts now. We’re about to find out which is faster: Smiling Face Sword’s light-speed quick sword, or Young Hero Eo’s Draw Sword Instant Kill."
"He’ll use that dizzying footwork to drain his opponent's spirit, then finish it with a quick sword strike like a bolt of lightning. That’s his specialty."
My throat went as dry as a withered leaf at those words. Even if I had dodged one strike by sheer luck, I had zero confidence in blocking the next.
Wait.
The gaze that had been watching me reappeared to my right. The man was raising his right hand. It was the posture one took when preparing to throw a hidden weapon. Since the area was filled with amateurs, not a single soul noticed what the assassin was up to.
Dammit! Is he trying to kill me? Ugh, trying to keep track of two people at once is going to be the death of me!
My head felt like it was spinning as I tried to monitor both the assassin and Smiling Face Sword. The moment the man’s hand dropped, I lunged to the left. It was a simple thought: if he throws with his right hand, the projectile will come from the right.
Sssst!
Fortunately, that simple thought hit the mark. I heard the whistle of a hidden weapon grazing my right ear.
Crack!
At the same time, the wooden floor of the stage where I had just been standing split open. Smiling Face Sword had swung his blade down at the exact moment I dodged the hidden weapon.
I had survived, but a curse escaped my lips.
What the hell? You ungrateful prick. You’re actually trying to kill me!
Seeing his strike miss again, Smiling Face Sword took a large step back to reset the distance.
"Oh! Did you see that? Smiling Face Sword’s blade really did look like a flash of white light. And Young Hero Eo dodged such a quick sword strike with ease. This is truly nail-biting!"
"This is more nerve-wracking than a duel where they’re actually clashing blades."
The assassin had vanished again, hiding somewhere in the crowd.
I need to drop my sword and forfeit the next time he attacks before something truly terrible happens.
I might look pathetic for thinking about forfeiting without even putting up a proper fight, but honestly, imagine being in a spot where you don't know when a blade might pierce your gut. You’d be shitting yourself too.
Still, even if I was going to lose by forfeiture, I decided I should at least make the draw look as cool as possible so no one would call me a hack. My drawing technique was a work of art, so I figured I’d use that to save some face.
I gripped the hilt.
Simultaneously, Smiling Face Sword charged at me, his footwork a blur. I couldn't tell which direction the attack was coming from.
Flutter! Flutter!
Hearing the sound of his robes snapping in the wind, I drew my sword with a "whatever happens, happens" mindset. I was terrified that if I waited too long, he’d hit me first, so I figured now was my only chance.
Shring!
My sword left the scabbard with a crisp metallic ring. Even to my own eyes, the draw was a masterpiece. That sound was proof of a perfectly clean execution.
As I was inwardly gloating, the surroundings suddenly went silent, as if we were in a vacuum. I could have counted the number of times a fly flapped its wings on the stage.
Then, after a long pause, a roar erupted.
"Whoa! As expected of Young Hero Eo!"
"A master really is different!"
"That was a truly fantastic Draw Sword Instant Kill!"
Only then did I snap out of it and look at the tip of my blade.
Holy crap!
The tip of my sword was resting precisely against Smiling Face Sword’s Adam's apple.
Ugh. You poor, unlucky bastard.
I was talking about Smiling Face Sword, of course. Of all the places to be, why did you have to be right there when I drew? I just wanted to take my two silver taels and leave, but what’s going to happen to you now?
I was actually starting to feel worried for him. If he asked for an unofficial rematch later, it would be a nightmare. I had tried to lose, but for an unlucky man, even falling backward results in a broken nose—or in his case, running straight into a blind draw.
Seeing the dark expression on my face, Smiling Face Sword was the one to step back and speak.
"How did you know which direction I was moving? I pride myself on my footwork being an advanced technique that even masters cannot easily decipher."
I replied, feeling utterly dejected.
"No matter how much you move, isn't the final destination always the same?"
It was the simple truth. I had been chased into a corner; the only direction he could possibly attack me from was the front. And my draw only goes in one direction: straight ahead.
The timing of my draw and the timing of his lunging attack just happened to coincide perfectly. He just had the rotten luck of running into it.
Smiling Face Sword offered me a fist-and-palm salute.
"Thank you. I finally realize how arrogant I have been. Looking at you, Young Hero Eo, I realize I was merely a frog in a well."
I didn't care what he realized. I just wanted to get out of there. Everyone was looking at me with eyes that screamed they wanted to cross blades, and it was giving me the creeps.
As Smiling Face Sword laughed and descended from the stage, the announcer suddenly hopped up.
"Young Hero Eo, who achieved a brilliant victory against Smiling Face Sword today, is scheduled to face Poison Wolf Ibu tomorrow! Furthermore, there will be a special duel afterward!"
I could hear the crowd gulp in anticipation.
"In a few days, there will be a special duel with Fairy Doyeon, the Ice Jade Ice Sword, a master from the Emei Sect! We hope many of you will attend!"
This is just great. Am I some kind of circus monkey?
They were clearly using me to draw attention and recruit more warriors. My mood soured at the blatant exploitation. As I was about to step off the stage, the announcer caught me.
"Let’s hear a word from Young Hero Eo, who won his first duel so spectacularly!"
This wasn't part of the plan, but since the crowd was hyped up by my performance, the announcer had taken the liberty of giving me the floor. It was an obvious ploy to heat up the atmosphere of the tournament.
I hated playing along, but it wasn't right to refuse the stage once it was set. It felt like Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress was determined to squeeze every last drop out of me.
Fine, I’ll give you what you want just this once. With that thought, I offered a salute to the crowd in all four directions.
Suddenly, a warrior shouted from below the stage.
"Young Hero Eo! Please tell us the secret of how an amateur can become a master!"
The crowd roared in agreement.
You idiots.
If I knew that, I’d be a master already. Why would I be going through all this trouble?
My cheeks twitched with suppressed anger. But my mouth, as usual, began to babble like a neighborhood gossip.
I really need to sew this mouth shut.
There were exactly two things in this world I couldn't control.
My farts and my tongue.