Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Show Your Body (1)
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'Why did it turn out like this...?'
I was facing off against Kyung Hyun-dong in the training ground attached to the Cult Leader's hall. He was glaring at me with eyes full of venom.
"Uh, so, Division Leader? Don't you want to withdraw even now?"
"You thought you'd get away unscathed after humiliating me like that! If you truly seek forgiveness for your crimes, kneel and kowtow! I'll forgive you in exchange for one arm!"
No, how is that forgiveness?
Unlike his Zhang Fei-like appearance from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, he didn't seem the least bit intimidating. He just looked that pathetic.
Just one day after receiving Kyung Hyun-dong's rude visit while I was alone with the Young Cult Leader, I'd been handed an unexpected challenge letter.
Since I hadn't revealed my name, the sender hadn't been able to write the recipient's either.
<If you hadn't received it, that would be one thing, but since you have, don't refuse. It'll be good training, won't it?>
I'd wanted to refuse, but when my master saw it, he hinted strongly that I should accept it as an extension of my training.
Easy for him to say when it's not his fight.
"This spar will be overseen by me, the Young Cult Leader. The conditions for victory are surrender or when I judge you unable to continue. Any objections?"
"None from me!"
"...No objections here."
"The loser will abide by the winner's demands. No problem with that either?"
"Yes."
A few people, excluding the combatants, were watching from a distance.
My master was there, of course, along with the Cult Leader.
They seemed to be talking, and seeing the Cult Leader smirking, it looked like they were having quite the entertaining chat.
"Then, begin."
The moment Young Ho-kyeong declared the start, I kicked off the ground and closed in on him.
He had no weapon in hand, yet for someone using fist techniques, his sleeves were quite loose. Probably a hidden weapon art or some ranged attack equivalent.
Sure enough, a crescent-shaped hidden weapon flew from his sleeve in a curving trajectory.
I dodged it easily and tried to close the distance further, but Kyung Hyun-dong's lips curled into a sleazy grin.
'What is it?'
I got my answer right away. The sound of air tearing from behind, accompanied by a chilling murderous intent.
I immediately ducked my upper body, and the crescent weapon barely missed as it spun back to Kyung Hyun-dong's hand.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance, but I pressed forward from my low stance.
'If it were any other time, that would've been one hit...'
On my master's orders, unless it was a life-or-death situation, I had to maintain the Turtle Breathing Great Law during the spar.
It felt like running a marathon with my nose plugged.
With internal energy flow restricted, I could barely muster half my usual strength.
"Insolent cur!"
Whether he knew it or not, Kyung Hyun-dong lowered his stance and tried to stomp me down with a kick technique.
It was sharp enough, but rushed, so it lacked weight.
I grabbed his pant leg and flipped it upward, sending him tumbling backward. But dozens of thin needles shot from his right hand, forcing me to unleash palm force and retreat.
In that gap, Kyung Hyun-dong got up and hurled three throwing knives.
I watched the wildly skimming blades intently, only to realize my hand had moved on its own to snatch them all.
'Again.'
Sometimes my body executed moves even I couldn't comprehend.
When I asked my master about it, he said to just let it be until I figured it out myself—it was for my own good.
I threw two back at Kyung Hyun-dong and gripped the third reverse in my left hand as I charged.
"Wh-what...!"
Terror was slowly creeping onto his face. Kyung Hyun-dong's skills were first-rate upper level, just shy of peak.
Not exceptionally talented, but he never imagined he'd be pushed back this hard by a young expert my age.
Truth be told, if I hadn't learned the basics of countering hidden weapons from Tang Hye-won, I would've struggled quite a bit.
"Just who the hell are you?!"
"You sent the challenge without knowing?"
At my words, he ground his teeth, at a loss. Then suddenly, he flung a bladed disc from his sleeve.
"Tch."
But having nearly been backstabbed once already, I wasn't about to take it lying down.
Anticipating a sneak attack even mid-conversation, I flicked my finger with Finger Wind to knock it away.
Peng!
"Urk!"
Some kind of smoke bomb—it burst white smoke upon impact.
Kyung Hyun-dong must've planned to blind me and turn me into a pincushion, but he hadn't accounted for getting caught in it himself.
I kicked his leg as he flailed to escape the smoke, toppling him, then aimed a finger laced with force at the back of his neck.
He froze mid-scramble, feeling the finger force on his nape.
"That's enough!"
Young Ho-kyeong's judgment came right on time. Kyung Hyun-dong slammed the ground in frustration, but the match was decided.
"That enough for you?"
Her words carried a light rebuke toward Kyung Hyun-dong. Like asking what right he had to challenge after starting it all.
"Yes..."
"Then, as agreed, apologize to this young hero and swear never to bring it up again. Understood?"
"...Yes."
No serious injuries, yet he sat there slumped, unable to rise.
Mental blow must've been severe.
"Young hero, you alright?"
Even for a hated foe, leaving him like that felt wrong, so I offered a hand. He stared blankly at it.
"Come on, up you get. Nothing seriously hurt, right?"
He just kept staring at my hand without answering.
Eventually, he stood on his own without taking it.
His eyes still glazed—doubtful he'd apologize properly like this.
"You should rest first. Head back and recover for today."
"..."
Honestly, absurd seeing the instigator end up like this after losing, but what could I do?
Suddenly understood why some folks wheel out wheelchairs at the prosecutor's office.
Hard to press someone with a deathly pale face.
"Well, I'll be going then..."
I turned and headed toward my master. Unsure if he'd be satisfied, but a win was a win—no complaints likely.
"Raaargh!"
Kyung Hyun-dong's roar made me whip around.
"Crazy bastard...!"
He was charging me, throwing knife in hand.
Young Ho-kyeong had declared Kang Yun's victory, but a nagging unease lingered.
She'd succeeded in staging the 'Young Cult Leader seeking a trusted subordinate amid unruly underlings' just as desired.
But Kyung Hyun-dong escalating to a full spar and showing open hostility was unforeseen.
While Demonic Cultists often used spars to settle disputes, Kyung Hyun-dong was an exception.
He relied solely on his father's prestige; his own martial talent was utterly mediocre.
'Someone else must've egged him on... Not First Elder or Third Elder... Second Elder, or Fourth?'
Of the nine elders, only those four would act so boldly alone.
First was out obviously, and Third—Kyung Hyun-dong's father—was excluded too.
"Raaargh!"
Lost in thought, she'd missed the training ground when Kyung Hyun-dong's roar pierced her ears.
Snapping her head around, she saw him stabbing a throwing knife at Kang Yun's back!
'No!'
She launched herself without hesitation.
No matter the expert, a surprise attack without circulating internal energy meant severe injury or death.
Especially right after a burst of qi in sparring—reactions would be slowed.
"Crazy bastard...!"
Kang Yun cursed and tried to evade, but the suddenness hampered his energy flow too.
Slipping between them like a ghost, Young Ho-kyeong hurriedly channeled energy into her hand and swung a palm thrust from the Heavenly Demon Sword Art.
"Gah!"
Kyung Hyun-dong, versed in hidden weapons, had his knife pitifully deflected by her handblade and shattered. The overflowing energy made him groan and stagger back.
Uncontrolled from the sudden intervention, his internals were probably shaken. At least he wasn't dead.
Confirming that, she turned away from him instantly.
"Young hero Kang, are you oka—"
Mid-sentence, a hot sensation grazed her back, making her gasp in shock.
"Y-Young Cult Leader!"
"...You alright?"
From Kang Yun's look, he'd tried to deflect the attack with a kick technique urgently, but couldn't stop upon seeing her intervene.
The wave of kick qi had scorched across her back.
Seemed unharmed, but suddenly Kang Yun crouched on the ground, panicking her again.
"Wh-what's wrong?"
Had he been hit by another hidden weapon she'd missed?
He'd handled them masterfully during the spar.
After it ended? Pondering, she realized she needed him to show his body to check.
"Young hero Kang, show me your body! What's going on?!"
"Y-Young Cult Leader, th-that's..."
"No helping it—lie down first. Hurry!"
"N-no...!"
Forcing the resisting Kang Yun down, she inspected every inch but found no wounds.
Instead, she discovered one impressively prominent body part.
"Agh... I told you... no...!"
A manhood thick as an arm was bulging, straining against his pants like it might burst through, asserting its presence.
Only then did Young Ho-kyeong glance down and realize her own clothes were torn here and there, partially exposing her breasts and buttocks.