Invincible with Twin Swords

Chapter 44

"Is it my turn next?"

Parip hyungnim said, drawing his Wind Chime Sword.

At that moment, a judge approached us.

"At the request of the Changtian Sword Unit, the next duel will be resumed tomorrow."

It's a good choice.

I don't know if it's the alliance's choice or Naeng Muyeom's choice.

"Alright! Well, it's not like anything will change tomorrow."

We moved to our quarters.

Na Yeryeong and Dam Sook were cooped up in the next room, chatting for two hours already.

It must be about the first duel.

The first duel is a precious memory for a martial artist.

If it's a case like Na Yeryeong, who held a sword for the first time at a relatively late age, the meaning will be even greater.

I was putting my ear to the door, wondering if they were badmouthing me, when the door burst open.

"What are you doing? Were you perhaps eavesdropping?"

Na Yeryeong asked with her eyes wide.

"Ah, no, I was thinking of having a talk with Miss Dam, who is about to have a duel. Ahem."

"Yes, yes. I'm sure you were. There's no way the great sect leader of the Flying Heaven Sect would eavesdrop on women's conversations."

It seems this woman in front of me hasn't gotten over her first duel yet.

Or the sarcastic acting has awakened the true nature that was sleeping inside her.

Na Yeryeong looked into the room and said.

"Miss Dam, let's talk in detail tomorrow!"

What? Let's talk in detail tomorrow?

I couldn't believe my ears.

What was the chat that the two of them had for over two hours until now?

What kind of conversation did they have that they couldn't even bring up the detailed story?

Is there still a detailed story that they haven't finished talking about even though they chat like that every day?

The three of us men had times when the only conversation we had all day was 'Let's eat!'.

I really can't understand the world of women.

The first day of the martial arts gathering was passing.

And late at night, Gwak Yohong came to visit.

"What brings you here so late at night?"

I asked, pouring him a cup of tea.

"The performance of the Flying Heaven Sect was amazing. I thought they looked extraordinary, but I didn't know it would be this much."

"What is seen is not always the truth, is it?"

Gwak Yohong would have understood.

"Still, you have to see something to know, don't you?"

"The problem is that there are those who only try to see what they want to see."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm trying to see what is hidden."

Gwak Yohong is a person who believes that principles are the most important.

That's why he is in charge of the Martial Alliance's Righteous Law Hall.

"Will you help me?

"I will handle it according to the principles. It is a principle that those who have sinned are punished."

It's enough if it's handled according to the principles.

It's what I want.

Gwak Yohong said that the sinner, not Jong Ilmyeong, should be punished.

"Win the martial arts gathering and get the right to investigate. After that, I will make sure that there are at least no one who interferes."

"That's enough!"

* * *

The next morning, I sat facing Dam Sook.

"How is your condition?"

"I'm always good."

"It's not a duel you have to win!"

Our goal is not to win all the matches of the martial arts gathering.

It is to meet Jong Ilmyeong, who is imprisoned in the thunder prison.

Even if Dam Sook loses, it's enough if one of me and Parip hyungnim wins.

"Don't get hurt! That's the most important thing!"

"The most important thing is to come down from the duel stage without any regrets."

Her two eyes sparkled.

I decided not to worry about her anymore.

Because she will do her part well enough.

In the morning, Gwak Yohong secretly sent the list of participants through a person.

He certainly wants us to win.

Huh? But isn't leaking the list of participants like this breaking the principles?

This man is more flexible than I thought.

I looked at the list.

I don't know if it was the alliance's decision or Naeng Muyeom's request, but there were new names on the list of participants.

They are people who have suddenly moved their affiliation to the Changtian Sword Unit to participate in the martial arts gathering.

Isn't the great Martial Alliance a bit cowardly?

"The third participant is So Jungbu! He was originally a member of the Black Bird Unit, but he was assigned to the Changtian Sword Unit this morning."

The Black Bird Unit is the place in charge of the alliance's unofficial assassination missions.

So Jungbu is from the Diancang Sect.

He had transformed the representative swordsmanship of Diancang, the Sun-Shooting Swordsmanship, and developed it into his own unique swordsmanship, but he was criticized for being too cruel.

"Assassination? He's a person like me."

Parip hyungnim said, as if interested.

In fact, the fact that the Martial Alliance has an assassination organization is almost unknown.

"The Sun-Shooting Swordsmanship is an incredibly fast sword. It is probably the most practical swordsmanship among the righteous faction's martial arts."

"But he has honed such a swordsmanship even more practically? For assassination!"

I nodded and looked at Parip hyungnim's expression.

"It will be fun!"

Probably neither of them will have a duel to win.

Because they have only trained in the art of killing.

I checked the name of the fourth participant again.

"Ah! This is crazy. Isn't this too much?"

I crumpled the paper in annoyance.

"Why? Is the alliance leader coming out?"

Deoksam asked.

Is this guy just throwing things out because his turn is over?

"I'd rather forfeit if the alliance leader came out. The opponent is Tang Yunpyeong."

"Tang Yunpyeong? The Sichuan Tang family?"

It is the Martial Alliance where all the righteous factions are gathered.

Of course, someone from the Sichuan Tang family can come out.

I have no complaints whether a monk from Shaolin comes out and unleashes the Hundred-Step Divine Fist or a swordsman from Huashan comes out and makes plum blossoms bloom.

But Tang Yunpyeong was a person who shouldn't come out.

"Tang Yunpyeong is someone even the commander, Naeng Muyeom, has to use polite language to. He's older and has a higher seniority. Such a person has been assigned as a sword unit member of the Changtian Sword Unit?"

"Huh! Was the Martial Alliance just this kind of place? To win against a rural sect. Tsk tsk."

I said to Dam Sook.

"Tang Yunpyeong is a master of hidden weapon techniques! To be precise, it's the flying dagger art."

When most of the Tang family focused on poison arts, only he clung to one hidden weapon.

Since it is difficult to reach the pinnacle with just hidden weapon techniques, it is extremely rare even in the Tang family for someone to cling to hidden weapon techniques so extremely.

It is too much for Dam Sook to face a master of hidden weapon techniques yet.

An experienced person has to step up to face him.

Hmm. What should I do?

At that moment, Dam Sook said.

"Which martial artist would choose their opponent? There is no martial artist who chooses and fights."

I couldn't say anything.

Because her words are not wrong.

* * *

More martial artists than yesterday had gathered around the duel stage.

If the atmosphere yesterday was to enjoy the first martial arts gathering in a long time, now everyone had a serious expression.

"We will proceed with the martial arts gathering. According to the agreement, we will proceed with all five duels regardless of the outcome."

- Waaah!

Cheers were heard from around the duel stage.

They must be happy that they can watch three more duels.

"The participants, please come up to the duel stage."

A small man with a dark complexion was coming up to the duel stage, his long two arms dangling.

"Who is that? Was there such a sword unit member in the Changtian Sword Unit?"

"I've never seen him before. Is he really a member of the Martial Alliance?"

Even the martial artists of the Martial Alliance do not know him.

I shouted loudly to the judge.

"Is the person coming up to the duel stage now really a member of the Changtian Sword Unit?"

"Ah! He is said to have moved his affiliation as of today."

"No, if I had known this would happen, I would have brought the Sword Emperor or the Saber Emperor to the Flying Heaven Sect!"

Laughter burst out from around the duel stage.

Naeng Muyeom's face turned red with shame, and all the Changtian Sword Unit members were bowing their heads.

He had made the sword unit members ashamed for the sake of victory.

After the martial arts gathering is over, he will lose his position regardless of the outcome.

Because the sword unit members who had believed in and followed him will turn their backs.

If the commander who leads a sword unit loses the trust of the sword unit members, that's the end of it.

"Are you ready?"

Parip hyungnim's expression looked comfortable.

For him, who had lived a life of going back and forth between life and death, a duel like this cannot give him tension.

He nodded lightly without answering and went up to the duel stage.

So Jungbu was already on the duel stage.

The martial artists of the Black Bird Unit just follow orders.

Whether that order is reconnaissance, espionage, or assassination. And even a sudden duel like today.

So Jungbu of Diancang, who has been in charge of the alliance's secret assassination missions as a member of the Martial Alliance's Black Bird Unit!

The Blood Eagle Man, Wang Parip, who had never allowed a single failure as one of the top ten assassins of the Central Plains!

They were staring at each other from both ends of the duel stage.

* * *

"Does it make sense to even move your affiliation? No, do you have to win this much?"

Gwak Yohong, who was sitting at the head seat, was angry.

"The commander, Naeng Muyeom, strongly requested it."

"Ahem! The great Martial Alliance, using such a vile method... Aren't you ashamed?"

All the leaders of the alliance were gathered at the head seat now, but no one answered his question.

"I heard that the Flying Heaven Sect made an unreasonable request. Are you planning to reinvestigate that case?"

Cheon Mubaek, from the next seat, asked quietly.

He is the leader of the Law Enforcement Unit under the Righteous Law Hall, and he is a close friend of Jong Ilmyeong, who is imprisoned in the thunder prison.

It was also he who had calmed the anger of the Danmok family, who had lost their daughter, and had settled the matter with him being imprisoned in the thunder prison.

"What do you think? Isn't he your close friend?"

"It was a regrettable incident. It was also an unbelievable thing."

Cheon Mubaek closed his eyes for a moment, as if recalling the past.

It was also he who had discovered the gruesome scene that day, and it was also he who had subdued Jong Ilmyeong, who had lost his reason to the demonic art.

"If we bring this case up again, the Danmok family will not stand still."

All the circumstances at the scene pointed to him as a crazy murderer.

Nevertheless, Gwak Yohong could not erase his uneasiness.

As if reading his expression, Cheon Mubaek said.

"I will reinvestigate it. Should we leave the alliance's case to an outsider?"

In fact, Cheon Mubaek was meeting Jong Ilmyeong in the thunder prison every day, trying to revive his memory.

He had also searched the gruesome, blood-stained scene several times again.

But despite these efforts, no new truth had emerged.

"A promise is a promise. If they win, we will have to let them meet him."

"It will probably be difficult for them to win."

The eyes of the two people with different thoughts turned to the duel stage.

The duel stage was already filled with killing intent.

* * *

"I am Wang Parip of the Flying Heaven Sect!"

"I am So Jungbu!"

So Jungbu spoke first.

"You are a person like me."

"I don't know what you mean."

Parip hyungnim answered with a look of incomprehension at So Jungbu's question.

"I mean you also smell of blood. I'm not blaming you, so don't misunderstand. Isn't it natural for a martial artist to enjoy killing? Haha!"

So Jungbu was a person who enjoyed killing in his missions.

If he had been born in the unorthodox faction, he would have committed hundreds of murders.

Perhaps it was a relief for him that he was in charge of assassination missions in the Black Bird Unit.

Because it was the only place where official killing was permitted.

"I... I do not enjoy killing."

It was not of his own will that Parip hyungnim was raised as an assassin.

And the reason he made a name for himself as one of the top ten assassins of the Central Plains was because of his sister's death.

Those who had lost their lives to his sword were people who deserved it.

"You don't have to deny it. It's not shameful to follow your instincts. Haha!"

Parip hyungnim was about to answer something but stopped.

What would he gain by discussing the justification of killing in this place now?

"The conversation has been too long!"

Parip hyungnim drew his Wind Chime Sword.

So Jungbu also drew his sword with a sly smile on his lips.

Both of them were pointing their sword tips downwards without a starting stance.

They are two people whose movements, which have no unnecessary frills, have become a daily routine.

The opponent, So Jungbu, had too much killing intent.

It is a sight that cannot be seen in a duel.

His purpose is not to win.

As always, he will be thinking of taking the opponent's life.

So Jungbu moved first.

- Swish!

He approached in an instant without the sound of stepping on the ground and then retreated to his original position.

Before I knew it, a hole had been pierced in the martial arts uniform on Parip hyungnim's armpit side.

A fast sword without a sound had thrust at his heart.

If he had blinked even once, that sword would have been stuck in his heart.

A martial artist of the Martial Alliance had unfolded a killing move in the first attack of a duel.

Parip hyungnim, who was standing in the same posture as before, opened his mouth.

"I have understood your intention well!"

A subtle excitement was gathered in So Jungbu's face.

- Swish! Swish!

His sword was not for the victory of the duel.

It was an attack solely to kill the opponent.

Parip hyungnim was avoiding the sword that was thrusting at his vital points with only the minimum of movements.

- Clang!

For the first time, the sound of metal clashing rang out.

So Jungbu, who had stepped back, had a strange light in his two eyes.

"Amazing skill. I didn't know you could block this attack."

The sword, which had been repeating only thrusts for dozens of exchanges, had changed its trajectory at the end.

The thrust that was aiming for a point had drawn a line at the end.

Such a subtle change cannot be predicted.

And such an irregular movement cannot be blocked even if you predict it.

"This doesn't seem to be the swordsmanship of Diancang."

"I have modified it. In fact, I was impressed! No one has ever blocked it so cleanly. They all died with a surprised expression. Hehe. You will soon have the same expression."

Parip hyungnim is from an assassin background.

But he abhors meaningless killing.

The one who should have been born in the righteous faction was raised as an assassin, and the one who was born as a murderer had inherited the martial arts of a prestigious righteous sect and had become a member of the Martial Alliance and was facing him.

Parip hyungnim said with a nonchalant expression.

"Can I tell you a story from my childhood?"

So Jungbu nodded without saying anything.

"When I was young, a large wolf lived in the back mountain. It was a mad wolf. It would kill animals for fun, drunk on the smell of blood, even if it wasn't going to eat them. Just like you now."

"Haha! A wolf drunk on blood! Well, you could think of it that way. So?"

"Do you know what happened to that wolf in the end?"

So Jungbu's expression stiffened.

"It rushed at a tiger. And it was torn to pieces and died!"

(End of Chapter)