Invincible with Twin Swords

Chapter 11 : How Strong Are You?

The conversation with the Blood Dragon Sect leader, Ma Yeonggeol, ended well. It was settled by announcing that the stronghold leader of the Nine Dragons Stronghold had decided to abandon his nickname. I had to save the pride of our Blood Dragon Sect leader. I plan to be in his debt a lot in the future. The remaining members of the Nine Dragons Stronghold, with the help of the considerate Blood Dragon Sect leader, returned to their respective hometowns with sufficient silver. In truth, what choice did the Blood Dragon Sect leader have? He was just imagining his head being split open like a watermelon by that huge axe. He just followed what I said without a word of complaint.

We stayed at the Blood Dragon Sect for a while, receiving good treatment. Even now, we are drinking several bottles of the finest Shaoxing wine we have stacked up. Deoksam looked somewhat relieved. A new start is like that. Life in the Nine Dragons Stronghold was not what he wanted. Now, he is finally walking a path he has chosen for himself. That decision will be a great help to me.

"I actually knew well that the will telling me not to go down the mountain until I found the third virtue was my master's nonsense."

After a drink, Deoksam brought up a deep story from his heart. "My master is not a person who would give such a noble homework. He probably gave me my name carelessly too. What great meaning could there be in the name Deoksam?"

"Then why did you never leave the mountain? But you really never came down?"

"I came down a few times. I was curious about how other people lived. There was nothing special."

He says that people's lives are all the same. As long as a crazy bastard like the Heavenly Demon doesn't fall from the sky.

"I just needed a reason to stay on the mountain. After my master died, I didn't know what I should do. So I used my master's will as an excuse and didn't leave the mountain."

A big decision requires its own kind of sorting things out.

"Still, meeting you and coming down the mountain for a pretty plausible reason feels quite good. To think that I would come down the mountain to save the world. Haha."

"You'll feel even better after you kill the Heavenly Demon! Haha."

"By the way, there's one thing I need to confirm." Deoksam's gaze changed. "How strong are you?"

What was bound to come has come.

It's chilly because it's night. Let's finish this quickly and go inside for another glass of Shaoxing wine.

Right now, I am facing Deoksam in the training ground of the Blood Dragon Sect. It wasn't as much as the momentum he had during his Azure Blade Unit days when he was called the Mad Wind Blood Axe, but his unrefined, rough wildness overwhelmed that time.

"Hey, Sect Leader! If you have a good saber, lend me one."

The Blood Dragon Sect leader, who had been hiding behind a pillar and watching, revealed himself as if he knew. "Ah, I was taking a walk because I couldn't sleep... What are you doing? Hurry up and bring a saber!"

Elder No popped out from the next pillar, quickly ran somewhere, and after a moment, came back with a decent-looking saber. These guys are hiding and watching from many places.

The weight is good and the balance is well-matched, so it's usable. To receive Deoksam's ignorant axe, a saber is more suitable than a sword. I wanted to clash with Deoksam head-on. This is not to test my skills. It is a serious greeting with my precious companion whom I have met after a long time.

"Let's begin."

The opponent is Mad Wind Blood Axe, Han Deoksam. It is Han Deoksam who, surpassing numerous masters of the Azure Blade Unit, took charge of the first team and went around smashing the heads of the Demonic Cult bastards.

Deoksam raised his momentum. A haze-like energy boiled up over Deoksam's huge body, holding a large axe in one hand. He intends to come out strong from the beginning. My heart began to beat fast. Have I ever been this excited since I regressed? In this moment, it felt like I had returned to my ronin days when I was called the One-Armed Tyrant Saber.

- Thump!

The ground shook with a single step, and Deoksam rushed forward first. The axe, with a faint red energy, fell with a tremendous momentum. I jumped into that ruthless momentum.

"Th-that...!"

The Blood Dragon Sect leader, who was still watching from behind the pillar, shouted. As if my head was already about to be split open.

I pulled back the saber I was gripping and pushed all the energy from my dantian into the saber. And I struck down accurately towards Deoksam's huge axe.

"C-crazy? You're going to counter that?"

The Blood Dragon Sect leader squeezed his eyes shut. A picture of my head being split in half was probably flashing in his mind.

- KABOOM!

Finally, my saber and Deoksam's axe collided. It was a single collision. A huge explosion that could shake the entire Blood Dragon Sect, and dust rose thickly in the training ground.

I staggered and took two steps back. What kind of damn power is this, then and now... This is why you shouldn't clash with Deoksam head-on. But today, I wanted to fight properly.

I looked at Deoksam through the gradually settling dust. Deoksam was pushed back about one zhang and was kneeling on one knee. He was looking straight at me with an expression of disbelief. But the corner of his mouth was slightly raised.

As if he had received a shock, he shook his head a couple of times and then rushed forward again. Yes. That's our Deoksam.

- Thump!

It was too big of an explosion to be the sound of an axe and a saber clashing. They clashed briefly and then clashed again.

- KABOOM!

What is this power... This time, I let it flow to the side and struck down towards Deoksam's chest. Deoksam's axe rotated halfway and blocked the saber. And then he immediately struck out horizontally again.

Tsk. The saber held with both hands could not overcome that power and was pushed back. A huge impact was transmitted to my two hands. Without a moment to come to my senses, he rotated his axe and swung it towards my chest.

This bastard! He's coming at me with the intention to kill.

My body moved before I could think.

- Clang!

I struck down the swinging axe and then crashed into the chest of Deoksam, whose posture was scattered, with my shoulder with all my might. Taking advantage of the gap where Deoksam took a step back, I closed the distance instead. I strongly struck the side of the rotating axe that was blocking with my saber. And I took another step into the center of the suffocating space where qi and qi were clashing and raging like a storm.

- Thump!

The axe and the saber, which had hurriedly changed direction, clashed. The saber, full of internal energy, pushed the axe. Deoksam's huge axe could not overcome the power of my saber and was pushed back. And slowly, my saber touched Deoksam's Adam's apple.

Feeling the cold touch of the saber on his neck, Deoksam threw his axe to the ground.

- Thud!

The huge axe fell to the ground, making a loud noise.

"I understand! I can trust you!"

"Hoo..."

I also let out a heavy breath and put down my saber. The hand gripping the saber was still trembling. And my heart, which had been beating nonstop and pushing qi throughout my body, was still pounding, unable to calm down.

I fought properly for the first time after regressing. Deoksam is a great master. Though he doesn't know it himself. He probably won't be pushed back in terms of strength anywhere in the Central Plains. I beat that Deoksam with strength. I have grown.

Oh my. I'm going to be sick for a few days again.

"Hey, Sect Leader! If you're done watching, call a doctor. My wrist is throbbing and my whole body is aching."

Ah, I think I pulled my back too.

"How was it, was it usable?"

"Honestly, it was amazing. I didn't know you could receive my axe head-on."

I didn't know I could receive it either, Deoksam.

"By the way..."

What now? You scare me when you say that.

"Why have you been speaking informally since the day we first met?"

This guy has been holding a grudge about me speaking informally. I need to explain the reason why I should speak informally step by step.

"Think about it carefully. Suppose you are suddenly in a life-threatening situation."

He has an expression as if he's wondering what I'm talking about all of a sudden while talking about speaking informally.

"In such an urgent situation, would it be okay if I said, 'Great Hero Mad Wind Blood Axe, Han Deoksam! Your life is in imminent danger, so you must escape from that danger as soon as possible.'? Your neck would probably have been cut off by the time I said 'Your life is...'"

"No, what kind of example is that, using someone's neck...?"

"I have to just say 'Deoksam! Dodge!' to save you. You just owed me your life once."

After staring with his mouth open for a long time as if he was dumbfounded, Deoksam said.

"Okay. I get it."

That's right. My brilliant eloquence shines again today. Huh? B-but wasn't his speech too short just now?

In the end, after an all-night discussion, we agreed to at least attach the title 'hyungnim'. Of course, I am the hyungnim. The issue of titles between men is always complicated.

After the unexpected late-night duel, the Blood Dragon Sect leader watched our expressions. Although he had an expression as if he had many questions, the sect leader did not ask me anything. The rumor had spread in the Blood Dragon Sect, and everyone looked at us with eyes of awe. It is difficult to see a real master in a rural unorthodox sect like this.

"Can't we not meet that grand leader or whatever? We're busy."

I asked, stuffing boiled pork into my mouth. We are now at the inn I had visited before. There were many things I wanted to show Deoksam, for whom Dubang Mountain was the whole world. First, a local's favorite restaurant!

"The Nine Dragons Stronghold was small, but I was not. I was being noticed as a talent who would lead the greenwood. The grand leader came to Dubang Mountain himself and urged me to come to the main mountain and take a position."

Even if I were the grand leader of the Eighteen Strongholds of the Greenwood, I would have made three trips to recruit Deoksam. The ability to collect tolls with just his physique and impression without fighting is not something anyone can have. Deoksam was born with all the talents needed for a mountain bandit.

"Do I just have to go and say I'm leaving?"

I wonder if I really have to go, but if it makes Deoksam feel at ease, I guess I should send him for a while. I have some things to do here too.

"You'll probably have to cross swords once."

"Ahem. It's a really tough job. You can't even quit as you please. So who are you fighting?"

"Well. Hahahaha!"

Deoksam's bright laughter somehow made me shudder. Why was that? At this time, I did not know the meaning of that laughter.

Deoksam said he had sent a message to the main mountain through a subordinate of the Nine Dragons Stronghold. He said he would go to meet him when the grand leader's answer came. I should rest until then.

Ah, right! I had an errand from the Saber Emperor. I have to get the gift first. On my way, I should take Deoksam with me and gift him a good axe. After receiving Deoksam's axe with my whole body last night, I knew. The current axe does not suit Deoksam. Of course, he doesn't seem to know it himself. The axe Deoksam used during his Azure Blade Unit days was twice as heavy as that one.

The Ironware Guild was easy to find after asking for directions a few times. The scale, surrounded by a wide wall, was incomparable to an ordinary estate. Well, there's no way the Saber Emperor would do business with a neighborhood blacksmith.

Two guards with quite a sharp momentum were guarding the main gate. They had a stern expression towards me, but when they saw Deoksam behind me, they suddenly became polite.

"Please send a message inside. I have come at the request of the Saber Emperor."

One of the guards immediately went inside, and the remaining one was watching me and Deoksam without taking his eyes off us. Perhaps because it's a place that handles swords and sabers, the framework is well-established. The guards of the Medicine King Hall should come here and learn a thing or two.

"You may go inside."

The Ironware Guild was much wider than it looked from the outside. Several buildings were lined up, and the sound of iron being struck was heard from here and there. Deoksam was looking around continuously, as if he found such a place amazing.

The place we were guided to was a small annex at the very back, and the guild master of the Ironware Guild came out himself. His first impression was that of a scholar who seemed to have spent his whole life reading, but every place visible outside his clothes was covered in burn marks from sparks.

Am I not receiving something more amazing than I thought?

The Ironware Guild master, as if he had come in the middle of work, was now taking off his large, completely faded leather gloves, wearing an apron full of holes. Trust is just pouring in. A place where the owner makes things himself is a trustworthy place.

"No? What on earth is this?"

The Ironware Guild master didn't even look at me and showed interest in the axe Deoksam was carrying. "What kind of ignorant person uses such an ignorant-looking axe?"

Don't say that in front of the person himself!

"Is the weight appropriate? Isn't it too big? The balance? No, can you even swing this in the first place?"

"The weight is not appropriate. The size is not too big. The balance is appropriate. I can swing it."

Deoksam! Just because there are four questions doesn't mean you have to answer four times. And hey! Ironware Guild master! I came on an errand from the Saber Emperor, are you going to do something else?

"Ah, I'm sorry. I saw a huge heavy weapon after a long time and my curiosity got the better of me... By the way, you said it was a request from the Saber Emperor?"

"He told me to come and get the item he had left."

I took out the Saber Emperor's letter from my bosom and handed it to the guild master. When he broke the seal, a single piece of paper with nothing written on it came out from the envelope. The Ironware Guild master looked at the white paper carefully and said.

"It has been confirmed."

Huh? What's confirmed? There was nothing written on the paper. Was my impression that trustworthy?

"Looking at the cross-section, it is indeed a paper cut by the Saber Emperor's Dark Red Flame Saber."

Oh, was this also possible? The world of experts is amazing. He must have seen my slightly surprised expression.

"Because I made it, the Dark Red Flame Saber... I can't appraise weapons made by others."

This person was an amazing person. Anyway, perhaps because he is a person who buys and sells things, he is polite even to me, who looks much younger. There are old men who speak informally from the first meeting.

"Did he not say which of the items he had left? If I can choose, I would like to see and choose myself."

"Haha. If there's something usable, you can choose one. Since you're someone sent by the Saber Emperor. But the item he left is only one."

He was giving me the only thing he had left?

"He probably sent you, the Great Hero, because he thought he had found the owner. In fact, I was surprised. I didn't think there would be a person who would suit it."

How amazing of an item is it? You're making me look forward to it.

(End of Chapter)