Chapter 159: Hwangbo Hye-ji (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 159: Hwangbo Hye-ji (2)
The duel between Hwangbo Hye-ji and Namgung Su-ah began with the latter making the first move.
"Hup...!"
Crackle! A faint current of electricity lingered on the ground where Namgung Su-ah launched herself forward.
As a martial artist standing at the threshold of the Super Peak Realm, every single one of her movements was now imbued with at least a trace of Mental Imagery.
Namgung Su-ah lunged forward like a bolt of lightning. Hwangbo Hye-ji caught her breath, feeling as though a literal thunderbolt was crashing down upon her.
"Ugh...!"
Hwangbo Hye-ji hurriedly arched her back. Whoosh! The greatsword grazed the very tip of her nose.
I can’t let this happen...
She consciously shoved all other thoughts to the back of her mind.
In this moment, she would even forget her mother’s words. She would simply move forward—heavy and immovable, like Mount Tai.
Thud!
She took a massive step forward. Riding that momentum, she snapped her arched waist back like a coiled spring. In the same breath, she burrowed into Namgung Su-ah’s guard and pulled back her fist.
Her muscles coiled tight. Her body was slender, but the power dwelling within it was anything but.
Hwangbo Hye-ji held her breath and threw a punch with all her might.
BOOM—!!
Her fist slammed into the flat of the greatsword. Vrrr— The massive blade vibrated violently.
However, Namgung Su-ah was a master of redirecting force. Her greatsword traced a light circle, shedding the impact before instantly using that hijacked momentum to swing in a wide, sweeping arc.
Zap!
Blue lightning flashed. Hwangbo Hye-ji hurriedly raised both arms in a desperate guard.
Slash! Droplets of blood scattered along the greatsword's violent trajectory.
She had protected her arms with internal energy, so the wounds weren't deep, but suffering a one-sided loss was the real issue.
She had already lost the tactical exchange.
"Whew..."
Hwangbo Hye-ji quickly retreated and steadied her breathing.
If I can just win this time...
Would Mother praise her?
She quickly shook off the stray thought. It wasn't something to dwell on in the middle of a life-or-death duel.
But that single thought triggered a chain reaction of others.
Young Hero Namgung said he was rooting for me, didn't he...?
Rooting for her. Telling her to find her strength in the duel. In the end, didn't that mean he wanted her to win?
No.
He had said there was no need to obsess over victory or defeat. Just to do her absolute best....
Then what? What if she did her best and still lost? What meaning would there be in that defeat?
Of course, against an opponent like this, winning was impossible unless she gave it her all. She had to do her best. But still...
An unknown emotion made her chest feel tight and stifled.
Hwangbo Hye-ji bit her lip hard and looked up at Namgung Su-ah. The other woman was patiently waiting for her. Was that kindness also part of the Namgung Clan’s traditions? Just like Young Hero Namgung...
"Are you alright?"
"...Pardon?"
"This might sound out of the blue, but... it’s not good to overthink things."
"Right..."
"Following your heart. Living like that once in a while seems like a good way to go."
Though I’m not very good at practicing it myself, Namgung Su-ah added with a giggle. She looked radiant. Hwangbo Hye-ji stared at her blankly for a moment before—
Slap!
She struck her own cheek.
"Oh my..."
"Thank you. I’ll get serious now."
"Hehe, it’ll be embarrassing if I lose after saying all that."
Namgung Su-ah smiled brightly and dragged her greatsword across the ground.
"Huuu...!"
Hwangbo Hye-ji exhaled deeply and detonated all her available internal energy at once.
Thunderbolt Fist of Mount Tai. The secret martial art of the Hwangbo Clan. A fierce, overbearing force gathered in Hwangbo Hye-ji’s fist.
She stared at the brown Fist Qi coating her hand.
A steadfast rock. Channeling the essence of Mount Tai, which weathered all storms, she moved forward.
Thud!
Her footsteps were heavy, yet her advancing form was as swift as a bird.
Reacting instantly, Namgung Su-ah pivoted on her lead foot. Her greatsword traced a massive arc, soaring toward the sky.
"Hup—!"
Hwangbo Hye-ji twisted her body to dodge. The greatsword grazed her shoulder by a hair’s breadth.
Crackle— Residual electricity sparked in the air. Hwangbo Hye-ji’s eyes gleamed fiercely as she stomped her foot, as if trying to drive it straight into the earth.
BOOOM—!!
The martial arts arena shook, and Namgung Su-ah’s posture faltered slightly.
Like a deeply rooted ancient tree, Hwangbo Hye-ji’s entire body twisted, using her planted foot as an axis.
Heavy. And solid.
Her body, twisted to its absolute limit, uncoiled all at once. Her feet were the roots. Her waist transferred the power. And her fist detonated it.
KABOOOOM—!!!
Hwangbo Hye-ji’s fist struck the air. The resulting shockwave sounded like a literal clap of thunder.
But Namgung Su-ah had already fluttered into the air, light as a butterfly clinging to a massive blade.
"Ah...!"
Seeing that sight unfold right before her eyes, Hwangbo Hye-ji couldn't help but marvel.
That massive upward swing of the greatsword had been a setup. Namgung Su-ah floated into the air as if pulled by the sword’s momentum.
Rumble!
Her body was instantly enveloped in crackling lightning.
Hwangbo Hye-ji saw it clearly.
As if time itself had slowed down, every single detail was etched into her retinas. Namgung Su-ah’s next move, the echoing thunder, the gouged marks of their duel carved into the arena, and the blistering heat of the cheering crowd.
She saw her mother’s eyes watching her.
What emotion was dwelling in those eyes?
Affection? Perhaps. No, definitely. Her mother loved her. She knew that much at least.
Disapproval. Certainly. Anyone could see she was being thoroughly pushed back by Namgung Su-ah. There was no way her mother was satisfied with this display.
And what else?
Anxiety. Envy. Jealousy. And a burning passion for martial arts. What was her mother truly looking at right now?
Mother. Yes. The desire to fulfill her mother’s longings, her own shoulders slumped under the crushing weight of expectations, and the pure, unadulterated joy of exchanging blows in a duel.
A chaotic jumble of inner thoughts surged through her mind, and then, time began to flow once more.
The greatsword approached. Yet, it still felt agonizingly slow.
Hwangbo Hye-ji’s eyes searched the crowd for someone.
Namgung Myeong. He was shouting at the top of his lungs.
Though his voice was completely drowned out by the distorted flow of time, the roaring crowd, and the erupting thunder, Hwangbo Hye-ji knew it was a cheer directed solely at her.
I don’t care anymore. Whatever happens, happens.
Hwangbo Hye-ji let go of everything. She emptied her mind and fully embraced the time that began to rush forward again.
Rumble!
The greatsword closed in. Hwangbo Hye-ji did not dodge.
Crunch!
The sudden taste of iron and blood filled her mouth. Namgung Su-ah’s eyes widened in shock.
Hwangbo Hye-ji, who had literally stopped the greatsword by biting down on the blade, glared fiercely. Blood poured from her mouth. Her teeth felt loose. Yet, her torn lips curled into a savage grin.
Hwangbo Hye-ji laughed like a madwoman as she threw punch after punch.
Bang! Boom!
The thunderous sounds echoing through the arena violently overlapped.
Namgung Su-ah’s greatsword and Hwangbo Hye-ji’s fists violently traded blows, each setting off its own unique brand of thunder.
The crowd cheered wildly at the heated exchange. Every time Hwangbo Hye-ji’s blood splattered across the stage, a deafening roar erupted from the stands.
Namgung Myeong watched the duel with sweaty palms.
I think she’s pushing herself too hard...
Giving it your all was one thing; fighting purely out of spite was another.
If she was satisfied with the outcome in the end, it would be fine. But if she wasn't, this would only end up breaking her.
BOOM!
After dozens of brutal exchanges, Hwangbo Hye-ji felt a sudden intuition.
This is the last one.
Whether she won or lost. No, she would almost certainly lose. But this one punch would be her absolute last.
The greatsword lunged toward her shoulder. She didn't evade. She let it hit.
Stab! The long blade pierced clean through her shoulder.
She felt no pain. Forcing the arm on her impaled side to move, she grabbed the greatsword with a vice-like grip, and—
Thud!
Stomping her foot, she threw a single, devastating punch.
"...Ah."
Namgung Su-ah’s form gracefully glided away.
The greatsword had pierced Hye-ji's left shoulder, but Namgung Su-ah simply pushed the hilt away with her palm, abandoning the weapon to burrow deep into Hwangbo Hye-ji’s exposed left side.
With the greatsword wedged in her flesh, Hye-ji couldn't even turn her body to react. She threw a desperate punch, but there was no way it would ever land.
KABOOOOM—!!!
Her fist struck empty air.
Namgung Su-ah spoke softly, her palm resting gently against Hwangbo Hye-ji’s abdomen.
"Good work."
Zap!
Lightning erupted, and Hwangbo Hye-ji’s vision was entirely dyed blue.
When she finally regained her senses, she found herself being supported in Namgung Su-ah’s arms.
— The winner...! Namgung Su-ah of the Namgung Clan...!
I lost.
Hwangbo Hye-ji let out a long sigh.
"...I have learned much."
* * *
As soon as the duel concluded, Hwangbo Hye-ji received immediate treatment from the rushing physicians.
Her wounds were slathered with crushed herbs and Golden Wound Medicine, then tightly wrapped in bandages. Blood quickly seeped into the snow-white cloth, staining it a deep crimson.
Hwangbo Hye-ji limped away from the arena.
Still, if I managed to push her this far...
It was a fairly impressive showing. Anyone could see she had fought tooth and nail. It was just that even after giving her absolute all, she still couldn't reach Namgung Su-ah.
A tiny bud of confidence peeked out from her slightly lightened heart.
Her loose teeth and torn lips throbbed with pain, but she swallowed her blood-tinged saliva and sought out her mother.
"Mother."
Hwangbo Hye-ji offered an awkward smile as she stood before her.
"I’m sorry."
Even as she apologized, she harbored a secret, desperate hope.
You did well. You did your best.
—Or perhaps, Are you alright? How are your injuries? Does it hurt a lot?
Because her mother loved her.
Whether it was praise or concern, if she could just hear one short word of comfort, she felt like all this physical pain would instantly wash away.
"I am greatly disappointed."
"...Pardon?"
"What was that duel? Acting so unsightly, and you didn't even win. You fought like a common street thug and gained absolutely nothing."
Hwangbo Hye-ji’s mouth clamped shut.
"That’s enough, go and rest. I will find someone to oversee your training the moment your injuries heal."
* * *
"Brother, please help me just this once."
At Namgung Myeong’s earnest request, Seo-jun nodded readily.
Seo-jun had also overheard the harsh conversation between Hwangbo Hye-ji and her mother. He had a pretty good idea of what kind of favor Namgung Myeong was about to ask.
"Should I just blast the Hwangbo Clan’s villa with a Primordial Unity Sun-Moon Art?"
Something like that wouldn't be too difficult for him.
"A-Ah, no... It’s not that, but—could you come with me to the Hwangbo Clan’s villa? I don’t think I can just leave things like this."
"Of course. Just trust your brother."
Seo-jun knew how to treat men and women with perfect equality.