Monopolizing Fortunes (207)
Monopolizing Fortunes (207)
"In this world, the only thing like the Makya Sword is the Makya Blade...... wait, what? You want me to give you the Makya Blade?"
"That's only fair, isn't it?"
"No! Not the Makya Blade either! That one's really mine!"
"Wow! Look at this thief! He won't return the Makya Sword and he won't give up the Makya Blade either! I never thought you were like this, old man, but you've really got no shame."
Ha Su-ran said.
"Your weapon is a sword anyway, Alliance Leader. Wouldn't it be better for Young Master Do to use a treasure like the Makya Blade rather than let it rot inside a vault?"
"Giving it to that brat would be like putting a pearl necklace on a pig! Is the Makya Blade worthy of his pathetic martial arts?"
"What's wrong with my martial arts?"
"Ha! Are you trying to tell me, to my face, that your martial arts are great?"
To Hwangmi Dal, Do Tong-dal's martial arts could only look laughable. Of course, that was because he didn't know Do Tong-dal's current level, and Do Tong-dal had no intention of showing off his martial arts.
"This old man, really! You're being insulting! Fine! Let's have a duel with the Makya Blade on the line!"
"Young Master Do!"
Ha Su-ran was startled, while Hwangmi Dal was delighted.
"You really mean that? A man can't go back on his word!"
"That's your specialty, old man."
Right now, nothing Do Tong-dal said could put Hwangmi Dal in a bad mood. If he could get his hands on the Makya Blade and the Makya Sword, he would burst out laughing even if Do Tong-dal called him a son of a bitch.
"Let's go to the back courtyard! I'll finish this in a few moves!"
Do Tong-dal followed Hwangmi Dal's quick steps and said.
"It'd be a shame if it ended that quickly."
"Are you asking me to go easy on you? Should I give you ten moves?"
"Even if you gave me a hundred moves, not just ten, do you think I could beat you, old man?"
"Heh heh heh...... you know your place."
Hwangmi Dal stepped into the back courtyard and stopped abruptly. In his joy at the thought of getting the Makya Sword and the Makya Blade, he had forgotten what kind of man Do Tong-dal was.
Do Tong-dal was by no means an easy opponent. There was no way he would hand over the Makya Sword to Hwangmi Dal through such an obvious contest.
"What are you scheming?"
"Why? Don't you want to duel?"
"Of course I do! But there's some trick to this!"
Do Tong-dal silently took his place on one side of the back courtyard. Since Do Tong-dal had taken his position, Hwangmi Dal faced him from five jang away.
"There's no trick. Honestly, the very idea of you and me dueling is a scam. Isn't it? You're one of the Ten Greatest Masters Under Heaven, and I'm just a thug."
"You're the one who suggested the duel!"
"So how about we change the terms of the duel a little?"
"I knew it! No deal!"
"Really? If you win, you get both the Makya Blade and the Makya Sword. Even if you lose, you lose the Makya Blade, but the Makya Sword becomes yours. This is a bet where you can't lose anything, and you're saying no? Then I'll just take the Makya Sword and leave."
Of course, if he used force, he could take both regardless of any bet. He really wanted to do that. But the moment Hwangmi Dal used force, Ha Su-ran would follow Do Tong-dal and leave the Northern Unorthodox Alliance.
Hwangmi Dal glared at Do Tong-dal, whose expression was utterly composed. There was definitely some scheme. If it came from that brat's head, there was no way it would be ordinary.
'Even if a tiger bites me, I just have to beat it to death!'
He had the power to smash through every hardship, adversity, and difficulty. No matter what trick Do Tong-dal pulled, he could simply crush it with overwhelming force.
Giving up out of fear of a trick would be a disgrace for the leader of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance.
"Fine! Should I tie both hands behind my back and fight you?"
"Would you really do that?"
"Say something that makes sense!"
"In this duel, the loser wins."
"Huh? What kind of confusing nonsense is that?"
"The defeated side gets the Makya Blade."
"That's completely one-sided in your favor!"
Do Tong-dal tilted his head.
"Isn't it true that the stronger martial artist can control a fight? The masters I know can decide victory and defeat however they please."
"W-well...... of course that's true! But if the loser wins, the fight will never end! If I don't attack, I can't lose!"
"I'm going to attack, though."
"Huh?"
"I'm going to come at you like my life depends on it."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Hwangmi Dal narrowed his eyes and asked again if he really meant it, and Do Tong-dal answered that of course he did.
"The match is decided when someone loses their weapon or a blade reaches their neck."
"So you're really going to attack like your life depends on it?"
"Of course."
"And even if no one gets hurt, we'll follow the standard rules of a duel."
"You sure talk a lot. Should we just fight with our mouths?"
"No, I mean, heh heh heh...... I just wondered if there was such a thing as having it this easy. Ahem! No taking back your words later."
"Do you think I'm you, old man?"
"Whatever you say, I'll forgive you for now. Heh heh heh......."
If Do Tong-dal attacked, all he had to do was pretend to drop his sword. It was no trouble at all. The only thing bothering him was that strange smile on Do Tong-dal's face.
"This duel will be witnessed by Strategist Ha here and those five warriors over there."
The warriors who had been standing guard were watching, wondering what was going on.
"Fine. Let's get this over with."
"Heh heh! Today I get a victory over Alliance Leader Hwangmi of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance, one of the Ten Greatest Masters Under Heaven. Heh heh heh......."
"Hey, it's not a real victory. I'm just letting you win because the Makya Blade is on the line."
"The defeated always have excuses. The result is what speaks."
Do Tong-dal drew his blade, and Hwangmi Dal took hold of his sword. The five warriors who had been glancing over approached with intrigued faces.
"Wait. I need to explain this duel to those guys......."
"Don't look away! The duel has already begun!"
Do Tong-dal's attack really came. The blade falling toward Hwangmi Dal's head carried considerable force.
If he took this attack and simply dropped his sword, Hwangmi Dal could have both the Makya Blade and the Makya Sword.
It wasn't even a real loss. He was just letting him win.
Clang!
Blade and sword collided. Hwangmi Dal tried to let go of his sword. But as if his hand and the sword had become stuck together, he couldn't release it.
He had to drop the sword, had to pretend to lose, but he couldn't do it. Whatever the reason, it meant losing to Do Tong-dal, and that was an indelible disgrace.
Blade and sword clashed again, but Hwangmi Dal couldn't drop his sword the second time either. Hwangmi Dal had not lost a single match since he was twenty.
Whether a duel or a fight, his defeat was unthinkable. Do Tong-dal was truly giving it his all.
'Is beating me more important to this brat than the Makya Blade?'
He thought that might really be the case. Otherwise, there was no way he would come at him with such desperate resolve.
'Wait! If he beats me, doesn't he get something bigger than the Makya Blade?'
The only thing bigger than the Makya Blade was his life, but that only applied to Hwangmi Dal. Do Tong-dal didn't seem to value either the Makya Blade or the Makya Sword that much.
'And he'll go around bragging that he's better than me!'
The rumor would certainly spread through the martial world. That Do Tong-dal had defeated the leader of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance in a duel.
The thought that 'Su-ran will keep the secret' flew far away. If Do Tong-dal asked, she would spread the rumor as fast as the Beggars' Sect.
His undefeated reputation, built up over all these years, would come crashing to the ground. And all because he lost to a mere thug.
'Did you hear the news? The leader of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance lost a fight.' 'I heard. They say he lost to a mere thug?' 'The Northern Unorthodox Alliance leader is finished. All that talk about him being strong was a lie, wasn't it? Maybe I should try fighting him too.' 'Right. If he lost to a thug, we could definitely beat him.'
He felt like he was hearing things. For him to lose to Do Tong-dal, of all people! It couldn't happen, and it must not happen!
Unknowingly, strength flowed into his sword. Then Do Tong-dal's fierce attacking blade was pushed back.
"Does it make any sense for me to lose to the likes of you! I am Hwangmi Dal, leader of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance!"
Clang—!
The blade flew far away, and the tip of the sword stopped right in front of Do Tong-dal's neck.
"Oh? I lost my blade, and your sword has reached my neck. Haah—! It's my defeat."
"Of course I won!"
He realized the reality from Do Tong-dal's grinning face.
"The Makya Blade is mine."
Hwangmi Dal was belatedly hurled back into reality. Of course he would win a duel against Do Tong-dal. There was no joy of victory to savor.
In a matter that brought no joy, he had to shoulder the sorrow of his world crumbling.
"Ah...... no, this isn't right. Of course I won!"
It was an empty cry. Do Tong-dal pushed aside the sword placed in front of his neck.
"I gave you plenty of chances to lose as promised. Promises exist to be kept."
That was true. If Hwangmi Dal had just closed his eyes and dropped his sword once, the Makya Blade and the Makya Sword would have been his.
But he hadn't been able to do it. At first because of suspicion, and later because of pride.
"You...... you...... you knew it would turn out like this, didn't you?"
"Nah, I thought I would win. The honor of beating one of the Ten Greatest Masters Under Heaven was worth more than the Makya Blade, but I didn't get the honor I wanted. Sadly. So I'll just have to be satisfied with the Makya Blade."
He wanted to shout, 'This is invalid!' But this time, it was a promise made by his own mouth, not Ha Su-ran's.
'Should I just kill this bastard?'
For the Makya Blade, he could commit murder and destroy a family, but his opponent was Do Tong-dal. No matter how he racked his brain, he couldn't see a way out of this damn reality.
Ha Su-ran quietly approached and patted Hwangmi Dal on the back. Her touch had never been this comforting before.
"Think of it as the Makya Blade turning into the Makya Sword. It's a good thing, since you can use it, Alliance Leader."
"But...... but I had both of them in my hands?"
"Think of it as holding honor in one hand instead of the Makya Blade. Who else but you could give up the Makya Blade?"
Hwangmi Dal glared at Do Tong-dal.
"Why are you suddenly craving the Makya Blade? You've been acting like a man with no worldly desires!"
"Just a common whim of a thug. Anyway, I'll use it gratefully."
"You're not going to ask for the Makya Sword later, are you?"
"Oh my, why would I do that?"
"I should never have met that brat. There's no ill-fated connection worse than this! I get stuck with a nuisance, and now I lose the Makya Blade......."
"That nuisance you got stuck with would be me, right?"
At the sudden voice, Hwangmi Dal spun around in surprise. He saw Ju Seo-in approaching, having appeared at some point.
"Wh...... when did you come out of closed-door training?"
"About three days ago, but it's hard to see your face, Alliance Leader."
Hwangmi Dal had, of course, heard the news. But thanks to avoiding her with all his might, he had managed not to meet her.
"I see. Ha ha ha!"
Ju Seo-in's interest in Hwangmi Dal quickly cooled.
"Hello, my husband."
"If it weren't for that last title, I'd be very well. Have you been well?"
"Well, so-so."
She showed no gladness at seeing Do Tong-dal, and she looked like someone who would soon die of boredom.
"Is something the matter?"
"I wish something would happen. How can there be nothing going on at all? Isn't the Northern Unorthodox Alliance supposed to be the biggest unorthodox sect in the martial world? So why aren't the orthodox sects attacking?"
"What good would it do you to go to war?"
"Why else would you learn martial arts if you're not going to fight? There's no point in mastering it if you never use it."
Hwangmi Dal said.
"Martial arts are not for fighting others, but for cultivating oneself......."
"Don't give me that crap. You don't believe that either, Alliance Leader."
"Well...... I don't believe it, but it makes me look good......."
Hwangmi Dal, who had been mumbling, looked away at a distant mountain in embarrassment.
"Do you want to fight?"
"Of course."
"If you're good enough, I'll let you fight."
The moment those words ended, Ju Seo-in drew her sword.
"If you're confident, test me yourself."
A startled Ha Su-ran hastily stepped forward.
"Rather than Young Master Do, I should......."
Do Tong-dal raised his arm to stop Ha Su-ran from approaching.
"Then I'll see if you're qualified to go to the battlefield."
Do Tong-dal picked up the blade that had fallen to the ground and took his stance. Since he had already decided to duel, it was impossible to change his mind.
"Be careful. Her Highness's martial arts are not at the level you knew."
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