Chapter 135
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: What the Hell Are You Doing!
"I'm going all out from the start."
Baek Ri-pyeong said this as he pointed his sword at Yeon Ha-min.
Yeon Ha-min nodded lightly.
They had already sparred dozens of times.
But clashing at full power was a first.
And he had declared he would go all out right from the beginning.
Strength naturally flowed into the hand gripping her sword hilt.
Because the sword strike that had defeated Namgung Ji-hu in the quarterfinals was still vivid in her mind.
Yeon Ha-min had also beaten Namgung Ji-yu in the quarterfinals.
But objectively speaking, Baek Ri-pyeong was stronger than her.
Still, I'm going to win.
Yeon Ha-min gritted her teeth.
And she stepped forward first.
She had never faced Baek Ri-pyeong's Heavenly Star Sword Method before. He had always used only the Three Talents Sword Method.
This time, he would surely unleash the Heavenly Star Sword Method.
She had to attack first.
Yeon Ha-min swung her sword down.
Clang!
Baek Ri-pyeong met it with his own blade, and a clear sword cry rang out.
Immediately after, Baek Ri-pyeong shook his sword toward Yeon Ha-min.
True to his word, it was the Heavenly Star Sword Method at full power.
Yeon Ha-min deflected all the countless stars bearing down on her. With the Three Talents Sword Method.
Recalling the movements Dan Mok Un-roe had shown.
I just need to move faster.
Three strikes in the time it takes for one.
That would increase the variations as well.
Yeon Ha-min had realized this while watching Dan Mok Un-roe face off against Beom Il-so.
And she had immediately applied it to her own sparring.
Clang!
Clang-clang-clang!
Clang-clang!
The clashing of swords echoed loudly.
Baek Ri-pyeong gradually pressed Yeon Ha-min.
Even as she swung at full power, she was being pushed back bit by bit.
How the hell did Un-roe do this?
It had looked doable when she watched.
But trying it herself proved otherwise.
How had he shaken his sword so fast?
Yeon Ha-min moved to her limit, but she was missing more and more stars.
Baek Ri-pyeong was also giving it everything he had.
Just like when he faced Namgung Ji-hu.
No—even that one glimpse of something he had caught back then was now infused into his sword.
So, he was probably a bit stronger now than he had been during the quarterfinals.
Yet Yeon Ha-min was holding her own against it.
Is it thanks to Un-roe's spar?
Even he had been amazed at the time.
He hadn't imagined anyone could counter Beom Il-so's myriad variations of the Thousand Revolutions Ten Directions Sword Method like that.
But I saw that spar too.
The Three Talents Sword Method and the Heavenly Star Sword Method were different.
The Heavenly Star Sword Method wasn't as straightforward as the Three Talents; it had far more variations.
He wasn't sure if the method used against the Three Talents would work here.
But I'll try it anyway.
It was one of the lessons from training in the Fierce Dragon Corps under Ha Mu-baek.
Just do it.
If it doesn't work, figure it out then.
Don't give up before even trying, assuming the outcome.
Not just him—the other four had learned it too.
So wasn't Yeon Ha-min blocking his sword right now by applying what she'd seen in that recent spar?
If so, then he could do it too.
Baek Ri-pyeong's sword grew even faster.
The number of stars in the night sky began to multiply rapidly.
"Ho? He's speeding up the deployment of his sword technique even more? The speed of a sword method is meticulously calculated with its variations in mind."
Gong Son Mu-oe spoke with keen interest as he watched Baek Ri-pyeong's movements.
"Grandfather, isn't Yeon Ha-min using the same method?"
Gong Son Bi-yeon asked, tilting her head.
"It's different from a simple variation sword method like the Three Talents. The Zhongnan Sect's Heavenly Star Sword Method has complex changes. It's not just about moving fast. You have to handle all those variations while speeding up. Calculating everything and accelerating like that isn't ordinary."
Gong Son Mu-oe's lengthy explanation.
It was unlike him, more focused on medicine than martial arts.
His gaze turned to Ha Mu-baek.
"Isn't that right?"
Ha Mu-baek nodded at the question.
"You're correct. It's far more difficult. Yet they're pulling it off. They must have gained something from the spar with Namgung Ji-hu."
"It must have been an amazing match."
Gong Son Bi-yeon said, her eyes sparkling.
"This one is amazing too."
Ha Mu-baek replied curtly.
His eyes remained fixed on the arena.
"Wow. I can't see a thing..."
"I have no idea what's going on."
Gong So-yu and Dan Mok Un-hye, who had been munching on rice balls while sitting, spoke up.
Ha Mu-baek smiled faintly at their words.
"You don't need to see everything. Right now, Baek Ri-pyeong has a slight edge."
He gave a brief explanation.
"Hey, Instructor Jang. Is that even possible?"
One of the instructors watching the spar asked the one beside him.
The reason was simple.
That instructor was from the Zhongnan Sect.
Instructor Jang shook his head at the question.
"I've never seen anything like it back at the sect. Deploying at speeds beyond the established variations... and without disrupting the flow."
Instructor Jang muttered in disbelief.
Had anyone in the Zhongnan Sect even thought to attempt such a thing?
They were probably too focused on refining the variations to consider speed.
Even the sect leader and elders were like that.
Ah, but Pavilion Lord Baek might have been different.
Instructor Jang recalled the previous sect leader, the Silver River Sword Hero Baek Ri-dan, who had passed in the last war.
He had always emphasized fundamentals. And innovation.
Contradictory traits that Instructor Jang had struggled to grasp.
Yet here it was unfolding before his eyes.
Without fidelity to the basics, could such a bold approach even be possible?
Instructor Jang was gaining new insight from a cadet's spar.
Come to think of it, that kid... blood will tell, huh?
Baek Ri-pyeong, showing this astonishing display on the arena, was the sole blood kin of the former sect leader Baek Ri-dan.
The sect leader might have made a grave mistake...
Instructor Jang knew the story of how Baek Ri-pyeong ended up in the Fierce Dragon Corps.
He had even received a direct message from the sect.
No assistance of any kind.
But what kind of place was this Fierce Dragon Corps Seventh Squad?
For all the cadets to undergo such a complete transformation.
Even he hadn't imagined the Summer Combat Festival semifinals would be a Fierce Dragon Corps sweep.
W-what is this!
Yeon Ha-min screamed inwardly.
She knew Baek Ri-pyeong was exceptional.
But this was...
This is too much!
It was downright unfair.
She had sped up her sword method, and now he was matching it.
The Three Talents Sword Method and Heavenly Star Sword Method were different.
Moreover, Baek Ri-pyeong had hardly practiced or used the Heavenly Star Sword Method.
Yet here he was.
She moved her sword with true desperation.
The maximum speed she could muster. A stinging pain shot through her dantian.
She was scraping every last bit of her meager inner energy.
That was barely enough to maintain this pace.
But her opponent had accelerated his sword method too.
And on top of that...
Something was changing in Baek Ri-pyeong's movements.
It works. Then...
One more thing occurred to Baek Ri-pyeong.
Something he hadn't considered.
He had focused only on the variations of the Heavenly Star Sword Method.
Because of the growth he felt from training the Three Talents Sword Method.
But now his thinking had shifted slightly.
If the Fierce Dragon Corps training hadn't just strengthened his Heavenly Star Sword Method but had grown him as a whole?
Then he could try other things too.
Baek Ri-pyeong's footwork changed.
Tae-eul Step.
The Zhongnan Sect's footwork, perfectly suited to the Heavenly Star Sword Method.
As Baek Ri-pyeong wove the Tae-eul Step into the Heavenly Star Sword Method's variations, they became even more chaotic.
The stars increased in number.
And the attacks squeezed in from all directions with growing complexity.
The strength in Yeon Ha-min's sword hand faltered slightly as she gritted her teeth and swung.
She had resolved to go all out and win, but as Baek Ri-pyeong's assault intensified, her resolve wavered just a bit.
Was this her limit?
No—this was already impressive.
Such thoughts crept up in the corner of her mind.
Her sword slowed accordingly.
Baek Ri-pyeong didn't miss the opening.
He moved even faster.
Yeon Ha-min was completely surrounded by the stars created by the Heavenly Star Sword Method.
"Oh dear..."
Gong Son Mu-oe let out a sigh of pity.
"Her spirit broke first."
Ha Mu-baek wore a regretful expression too.
It wasn't about who they favored, since they had both taught her.
They simply hoped her spirit wouldn't break even in defeat. That regret.
"Sister Ha-min..."
Dan Mok Un-hye watched with pitiful eyes. She had stopped munching her rice ball.
Dan Mok Un-hye still couldn't follow the fast, complex exchanges.
But she could see the countless stars like the night sky surrounding and tormenting Yeon Ha-min.
"Sister, hang in there!! Don't give up!!"
Dan Mok Un-hye shouted loudly without realizing it.
The cry of the cute girl holding rice balls in both hands.
In this place crowded with people, it was too small to reach the arena.
Far more heard nothing than heard it.
But it reached Yeon Ha-min's ears.
Her gaze flicked that way briefly.
She saw Dan Mok Un-hye and Ha Mu-baek.
She noticed the other strangers too.
But in her eyes, only Dan Mok Un-hye and Ha Mu-baek registered.
I can't give up.
Yeon Ha-min steeled her resolve again.
The trigger was something trivial.
Dan Mok Un-hye's small but full-hearted shout.
Strength returned to her sword hand.
She moved faster.
Her eyes came alive.
"Her broken spirit has revived."
As Gong Son Mu-oe assessed.
Her heart stood firm with fighting spirit once more.
She absolutely could not lose.
She would pour everything into it.
Amid the dizzying variations, Yeon Ha-min clung desperately, extinguishing the stars one by one.
Baek Ri-pyeong's assault continued unabated.
The Heavenly Star Sword Method unfolded faster and more precisely. With the Tae-eul Step's positioning added, it was disorienting.
Yet Yeon Ha-min's eyes blazed as she swung to the end.
Then, at one moment...
Huh?
Suddenly, she spotted a sword thrusting from behind, and judging she couldn't block it, Yeon Ha-min threw herself aside.
Both Baek Ri-pyeong and Yeon Ha-min were startled by her action.
Because Yeon Ha-min had leaped right into Baek Ri-pyeong's sword path.
In a very dangerous direction at that.
If Baek Ri-pyeong continued his swing, he might pierce her heart.
"Ack!"
A startled cry burst from Yeon Ha-min's lips. She hurriedly swung to block.
Baek Ri-pyeong gritted his teeth and altered his trajectory.
Claaang!
With a deafening sword cry, Yeon Ha-min rolled on the ground and rose.
"Hah... hah."
She gasped raggedly.
That had been truly dangerous.
She had nearly died.
If Baek Ri-pyeong hadn't shifted his sword, she really might have.
"What the hell are you doing!!"
Baek Ri-pyeong shouted angrily.
His anger stemmed purely from worry for Yeon Ha-min.
He had nearly killed a comrade in sparring with his own hand.
"S-sorry..."
Yeon Ha-min apologized with a flustered face.
Even she couldn't make sense of the situation.
She had leaped to dodge a sword from behind, only to land in Baek Ri-pyeong's path.
It wasn't part of the Heavenly Star Sword Method's variations.
If it had been his intent, he wouldn't have panicked and forced a change in trajectory.
"What was that? Grandfather, it looked like she jumped right onto his sword."
Gong Son Bi-yeon asked, tilting her head.
"Well... I have no idea either."
Gong Son Mu-oe glanced at Ha Mu-baek as he spoke in bewilderment.
Ha Mu-baek's face was deeply furrowed.
No way?
Having read every exchange in that clash, Ha Mu-baek frowned at the thought in his mind.
He hadn't expected Yeon Ha-min to have such talent hidden within.
"Do you know what happened?"
Gong Son Mu-oe asked slyly.
"Maybe just coincidence."
Ha Mu-baek replied to Gong Son Mu-oe—and to himself.