Chapter 33: Sword Discussion (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 33: Sword Discussion (2)
“……!”
Jang Cheong-gi’s eyes flashed.
It was a stroke of genius—a bit of improvisation that perfectly exploited the typical psychology of the Unorthodox Faction.
Furthermore, it wasn't a direct command to use a specific martial art, nor was it a blatant intervention in the duel. By simply suggesting a change in how the sword was held, the Young Master could escape his predicament while preserving his pride.
“Urgh!”
Gang Bi was reaching his limit. His internal energy circulation had stagnated, and his breath came in ragged gasps; he had barely enough strength left to hold his ground.
He regretted his impulsive actions, but it was too late. This was the price of his own arrogance. Even if he died here, he had no one to blame but himself.
Instinctively, Gang Bi glanced back. A plea for help rose to the tip of his tongue.
However, he suppressed it with superhuman endurance.
This wasn't just about personal honor. Because this fight was being waged under the name of his sect, he would rather trade his life for a draw than surrender. This was a pivotal battle that would determine whether he brought glory or shame to his sect's name.
Just as Gang Bi’s consciousness began to fade—
—Young Master, reverse your grip on the hilt and strike.
Hearing the Sound Transmission from an unknown source, Gang Bi questioned himself.
The hilt? Why? Is he telling me to use a Reverse-hand Sword?
But he had no time to ponder the reason.
Sensing his chance, Go Gu-heon’s sword swept toward Gang Bi’s chest in a bizarre arc. Gang Bi’s breathing and internal energy were nearly severed, leaving him unable to even steady his own body.
In that split second, betting on a one-in-a-million chance, Gang Bi blindly reversed his grip on the hilt and threw a punch toward his opponent.
“Wh-what?!”
Go Gu-heon, who had been about to deliver the finishing blow, flinched.
It wasn't because the attack was particularly threatening; he was more than prepared for a simple punch. The problem was the opponent's sword. Because the blade was now concealed behind Gang Bi's forearm, Go Gu-heon hesitated, fearing that his opponent was unleashing some hidden secret technique.
Gang Bi did not miss that moment.
Swish!
While Go Gu-heon was momentarily stunned, Gang Bi moved laterally and escaped the encirclement.
“Haa… haa…”
He exhaled heavily, struggling for air.
His face was deathly pale from the exertion, and his hands trembled violently. His internal energy, which had been stalled by the opponent’s Rebound Force, finally began to circulate again, and his vitality slowly returned to normal.
I don’t know who it was, but I have a benefactor.
Now that he had cooled his head and recalled the situation, he realized that such improvisation was beyond his own capabilities or those of his guards.
“You barely escaped, but don’t get cocky!”
Go Gu-heon swung his sword fiercely and charged again. But unlike before, Gang Bi no longer rushed in blindly.
He knew his opponent was formidable. Having suffered for swinging his sword thoughtlessly, he now met the attack with his concentration heightened to the limit.
Clang! Clang!
Go Gu-heon grew flustered as Gang Bi maintained his composure and parried the strikes with ease.
Unlike before, Gang Bi’s movements were extremely cautious, and he maintained the distance between them effortlessly. He then took a stance, letting his sword hang low as he prepared to meet the next attack.
Because Gang Bi kept the gap consistent, it felt as though he were much further away than he actually was. This made Go Gu-heon even more frustrated.
After a few more exchanges, Gang Bi launched a surprise attack, and suddenly, it was Go Gu-heon who felt the pressure of a crisis.
“Is it those men?”
A horse-faced man and a gaunt man approached Jang Cheong-gi and spoke in low voices.
“Did you notice?”
“Yes. I saw your eyes fixed on them for a while now, Captain.”
Jang Cheong-gi nodded with a satisfied expression.
It had been a great help. If the fight continued like this, the result would be vastly different from what he had expected. After all, the Young Master was not inferior in terms of raw martial prowess.
Just then, more words drifted from where the two young men were sitting.
“How do you think it will go from here?”
“There’s no need to worry anymore.”
“But wasn't he just driven into a corner?”
“He was pushed back, but that was only because he was overly excited. If he composes himself and calmly executes his own forms, it will be a good match.”
“Which forms would be best?”
“To counter an erratic and pragmatic sword style, wouldn't a flashy style be better than one that is straight and honest?”
Jang Cheong-gi, listening silently, nodded to himself.
A flashy sword style, indeed.
*
What kind of complicated sword forms are these?
Go Gu-heon’s face twisted in frustration.
Once Gang Bi regained his composure, his offensive changed completely. His sword forms were incredibly sharp, powerful, and fast.
Go Gu-heon tried to close the distance somehow, but Gang Bi, having learned his lesson, maintained a gap of at least one step. Consequently, Go Gu-heon was forced to fight within Gang Bi’s preferred range.
“Illusion Nine Severing Heaven Flying Sword!”
Swish! Swish!
As the sword flew in from all directions, Go Gu-heon retreated two steps, struggling to block the strikes.
“Phantom Shadow Middle Swing Sword!”
The sword, which had dropped low, underwent a mysterious transformation at mid-level and lunged forward. Unable to properly read the trajectory, Go Gu-heon retreated several more steps before barely managing to defend himself.
Screech!
In the meantime, a thrusting sword grazed the side of his head. A clump of his hair was ruthlessly sliced off, fluttering to the floor.
Go Gu-heon touched the spot where his hair had been cut and glanced behind him. A wall was already at his back.
Just moments ago, he had been the one pressing his opponent into a corner, but now he was the one trapped.
Gang Bi was exhilarated.
Someone had advised him to use flashy sword techniques, and by following that advice, he had made his opponent struggle to the point of being unable to respond. As his confidence grew, his forms became more precise, and he could see his opponent’s movements much more clearly.
“Let’s end this.”
Gang Bi intended to use a lethal finishing move: the Ink Star Phantom Sword. He gathered his internal energy to its peak and unleashed it toward the pale Go Gu-heon.
“Hah!”
Just as his sword was about to strike—
Clap.
As Go Gu-heon stared blankly at the incoming blade, someone clapped their hands and spoke.
“Two steps to the left.”
In that instant, Go Gu-heon moved exactly as instructed. Having been at a loss for what to do, he instinctively followed the advice.
Whoosh!
The sword narrowly missed him, slicing through the air. Part of the wall behind him was carved away, and a cold draft blew through the gap.
Who was that?
As soon as he narrowly escaped, Go Gu-heon looked for the person who had helped him.
A woman?
A beautiful young woman was smiling brightly at him.
Go Gu-heon’s heart skipped a beat. To think such a beauty existed in this area… and what was such a woman doing in a place like this?
Seeing the dazed Go Gu-heon, the woman suddenly furrowed her brows.
“One step to the right, then Body-Turning Rising Kick.”
The moment she spoke, Go Gu-heon reacted instantly, evading Gang Bi’s sword. Gang Bi’s blade whistled past his body.
Go Gu-heon felt a chill run down his spine.
“Immediately follow with Autumn Leaf Sweeping, then Advancing Step Thrusting Sword.”
Autumn Leaf Sweeping was a movement like sweeping away fallen leaves in autumn. The Advancing Step Thrusting Sword involved stepping forward and delivering a series of thrusts. She was telling him to link these two movements.
Go Gu-heon didn't hesitate for a second.
By merely calling out the names of a few forms, she had allowed him to escape a crisis and even evade the opponent’s continuous sword chain. He trusted the woman and moved exactly as she said.
As Go Gu-heon executed the Autumn Leaf Sweeping, Gang Bi’s center of gravity shifted to one side. He had been using a short-stepping thrusting form, but his opponent had countered brilliantly by sweeping the thrusting blade aside.
Gang Bi recovered his sword with a stomping motion and corrected his posture.
At that moment, the Advancing Step Thrusting Sword came flying in. Gang Bi, who had been focused on his lower body, was horrified by the fierce attack aimed at his torso.
“Lower-Level Sword Retreat.”
This time, a voice from a different direction spoke. Gang Bi followed the form, crouching down and using his sword to push his body back. Using that rebound force, he spun his body and managed to return to his original position.
At his action, the woman turned her gaze forward and scoffed.
“How utterly ignorant. If you lower your posture in that situation, you risk losing your head. Helping someone without even knowing that is nothing but overconfidence.”
The man who had saved Gang Bi twice, Seok Myeong, replied calmly.
“I don’t see it that way. Based on what I’ve seen of his skills, that young man is at a higher level than that brute. Since his level is higher, I assumed he would naturally overcome that much risk on his own.”
“……”
“In fact, if we’re being technical, you were the one in danger just now. There is a world of difference between performing a form like Autumn Leaf Sweeping because it was called out versus performing it because you know it. What would you have done if the opponent had bloomed a sword-flower like the Eight-Direction Wind and Rain in that interval?”
The woman’s eyebrows twitched momentarily at those words, but she quickly regained her composure.
“Then I would have told him to block the opponent’s sword with Dual Sword Operation and target the opponent’s Gate of Life Acupoint with an Advancing Step Embracing Sword.”
Seok Myeong immediately countered.
“Then I would have had him target below the chest rather than the throat with the first move, then use a False-Step Bridge Sword to deceive the eyes. For the second move, I’d have him use the Separating Step Covering Hilt to block the attack while simultaneously ending the match with a Three-Bounce Style Thrusting Sword as the third move.”
“Hmph! There wouldn't be enough time for that. While you’re trying to distract him with a False-Step Bridge Sword, the Advancing Step Embracing Sword would take the boy’s head off faster than you think.”
“You’ve misunderstood, young lady. I said I would have him target below the chest with the first move. Since Dual Sword Operation is a form meant to protect the head and chest, it would take more time to block an attack below the chest. Visualize the situation in your head. Consider the difference between blocking directly versus having to move from top to bottom to block.”
In that moment, the beautiful woman’s face flushed red.
She was certain she was right, but she found herself unable to come up with a rebuttal. It irritated her that someone dressed like a commoner had come out of nowhere to argue with her point by point. It also bothered her that he didn't even look at her while speaking.
“It’s laughable to see you trying to help just because you’re from the same Orthodox Faction. Looking at you from behind, you look like a beggar; I can tell what you look like without even seeing your face.”
“I haven't seen you either, young lady, but I think I know what you look like. With a mouth that foul and an inability to acknowledge others, you must be more unsightly than the stray dogs and horses passing by.”
“What? Are you finished?!”
Unable to contain her rage, the beautiful woman stood up. A sword was already in her hand.
“Brother Seok Myeong, it’s dangerous!”
Clang!
Sensing the danger, Hyeok-jin shouted and drew his sword in an instant. He leveled his blade toward the woman as she prepared to leap forward.
However, her sword never reached them.
Someone had stepped in to stop her.
“Jin-ah, that’s enough.”
It was a refined, heavy voice.
At those words, everyone in the inn turned their gaze toward the entrance. Someone had opened the door and stepped inside, making their presence known with a single sentence.