novelraw Chapter 46 : Chapter 46
Chapter 46 : Chapter 46
Chapter 46: Yes. Now, come at me.
The affairs of the world do not necessarily need to follow reason.
Sometimes in life, luck is more important.
In my experience, such luck comes more often and in much greater measure when one's outstanding intuition is exercised, rather than when following reason and logic.
Especially in a martial artist's martial arts, such intuition was more important than in any other field.
I wanted to pass on the intuition of my life to the disciples I had just met.
Of course, this disposition was also included in the scope of my Martial Soul.
“Maximizing power. What is frightening about those who wield a heavy sword is that they accurately understand what power is. They are those who know how to protect their power in any situation.”
Namgung Jun, who was raising his internal energy with a sharp gaze, tilted his head with a puzzled look.
The way he stood his sword diagonally and pointed the blade forward was the starting stance of the Six Thunders Flying Sword, which preempts the opponent's six directions.
The Heavenly Thunder Sword Art of the Namgung Clan is treated as a subordinate sword art to their pride, the Azure Sky Boundless Sword.
But I knew.
If that Heavenly Thunder Sword Art reached its peak and could reproduce the Heavenly Thunder Star River Sword, its power would be no less than that of the Emperor Sword Form.
The reason for the low evaluation wasn’t that its power was weak, but because few could embody the difficult thunder ki within their sword.
“The meaning of knowing how to protect power is that one does not stop the action of power in any situation. Even in the midst of a chaotic battle, they exhibit excellent balance to generate the necessary inertia and maintain the density of their initial moves through thorough distribution of internal energy. It sounds easy, but it is by no means an easy task.”
I raised my sword and aimed at Namgung Jun.
“Then what do you think is the most important thing that those who wield a heavy sword train.”
The disciples who met my gaze finally had clear eyes.
They had just realized that my words until now were a lesson for them.
“If the focus is on protecting power… then does it mean a stable stance?”
At Moyong Baek's answer, a chuckle escaped.
It was an answer befitting a fellow who had wrestled with long scrolls his whole life.
“A correct stance is important for any martial artist. It's not wrong, but it's not the answer I want.”
Cho Ryeo-un, who was cautiously looking around, opened his mouth.
“……Could it be a constant sword speed?”
I was startled.
No, to be honest, I was astonished.
Most martial artists would answer that sword speed is an attribute that is more suited for fast swords or illusionary swords.
But a fellow who was understanding and accepting the subtlety of the heavy sword for the first time answered with speed right away.
And his words were not all.
‘Constant’ sword speed.
It was truly the answer of a swordsman, one who understood the essence of the heavy sword.
“Have you learned the sword before?”
At my question, Cho Ryeo-un shook his head lightly.
“No, you've already said it all, Master. Maintaining the density of the initial moves through precise distribution of internal energy and generating the necessary inertia. It sounded like you were explaining about speed.”
Cho Ryeo-un had accurately pinpointed the core from that short explanation.
Necessary inertia.
Density of the initial moves.
With just these two phrases, he had deduced sword speed like a ghost.
But I tried my best to hide my surprise and answered calmly.
“People think of the hegemonic force of a heavy sword as strong physical strength or the destructive power of a technique. But that is completely wrong.”
Namgung Jun could no longer hold back and charged in.
“You son of a bitch—!”
Clang!
I clashed with his sword with the force of the Flying Wheel Body Turn.
Even though I had deflected it, a tingling thunder ki seeped into my hand.
Oh, if it's this much energy, it seems the Namgung Clan has put in a lot of effort.
Did he eat some legendary thunder essence or something?
“The way to break the opponent's sword speed is simple.”
I followed his sword path with the technique of the One Flower Wing Stir.
“Read the opponent's trajectory.”
And the following One Slash Road.
“Strike vertically and break it.”
Claaaaang!
Namgung Jun was staring at his torn palm with eyes shaking like a storm.
Dropping one's sword is unacceptable for a swordsman of the Namgung Clan.
As I brushed away Namgung Jun's sword with just the first exchange, Moyong Baek looked utterly astonished.
“H- how is that possible?”
I retrieved my sword and glared at him.
“If you deflect, you're just putting out the immediate fire, and if you clash head-on, you have to be prepared for damage on your side as well. However, a vertical force can break the sword speed at once and effectively.”
“To break the sword speed with a vertical force is the same as saying you have already seen through the opponent's trajectory! How can you do that without having seen it in advance…!”
Ah, I had forgotten for a moment.
The unimaginable gap in experience between them and me.
But even in moments like this, it's not like there's nothing to teach.
“Orthodox sect members who lack experience, eight or nine times out of ten, shout out their techniques as they charge in. A slightly more cunning one would at best show what technique they will use with their starting stance before engaging in battle.”
“……Yes?”
A snicker.
“Didn't you see that bastard standing there for a long time with an arrogant expression? He was kindly showing his starting stance to execute the Six Thunders Flying Sword, and you still couldn't read the trajectory he was about to take? That would make you an idiot.”
“No, why would they do that……?”
Of course, the reason is very simple.
“Because he's an orthodox sect bastard. He learned to fight like that from birth.”
Moyong Baek could not hide his bewildered expression.
As a fellow who had learned strategy, he knew very well how foolish it was to reveal one's hand first.
“For orthodox sect members, a martial arts tournament is more of a ritual where the act of competing itself is more meaningful than a fight to the finish. It's like a glorious duel between martial artists to gauge my and the opponent's level.”
“What kind of…….”
“Shouting the sword move towards the opponent is a kind of etiquette. It means, 'I'm going to attack like this, so let's see you match it.'”
Cho Ryeo-un asked.
“Then the fight wouldn't end easily, would it?”
“After exchanging a few blows like that, the one who feels the difference in skill politely clasps their hands and withdraws. They appropriately save the opponent's face and their own face at the same time. Furthermore.”
I glared at Namgung Jun, who was clutching his hand.
“If you don't announce your technique, it could be mistaken for a killing move and escalate into a dispute between sects.”
I too was very flustered by this culture of the orthodox bastards at first.
Some masked guy kindly charged at me shouting, "Plum Blossoms Fluttering!"
Like some idiot, the bewilderment I felt when the Plum Blossoms Fluttering technique actually flowed from his sword…….
“That's also why an orthodox sect bastard on his first real battle in Jianghu dies so easily.”
To me, this was a natural observation, but it seemed it wasn't the same for the Namgung bastards.
Namgung Jun had forgotten to pick up his sword and was frozen in a daze.
This is the scary thing about a fixed mindset.
It was his first time experiencing someone pointing out their own culture from the perspective of the Black Way and unorthodox factions.
Namgung Jun gritted his teeth and picked up his sword again.
He could have lost his mind in humiliation, but his eyes had already turned sharp.
However.
The eldest son of the Namgung Clan was blocking that Namgung Jun.
“……Brother?”
“I know, you are representing our family right now. But I cannot let my younger brother get hurt in front of my eyes.”
I quickly became interested.
“Was there some killing intent mixed in my defensive technique?”
“There is no heart in the representative's sword.”
He probably wasn't saying my sword was heartless.
Could it be that he recognized the Sword Without Self? That young brat?
Sword Without Self.
A state where a martial artist does not mix their heart in their attacks and defenses.
The explanation is simple like this, but this Sword Without Self is the most important topic that a martial artist trying to break through the Transformation Realm feels.
But now this young eldest son was understanding my Martial Soul, something that only Namgung Sejin or the Blood Demon could barely recognize.
What is this? This guy?
“Brother! This is my fight!”
At his younger brother's urgent cry, an even more resolute determination appeared in Namgung Hyeok's eyes.
“Do you still not understand. The representative's One Slash Road was a sword art of Striking the Cow Across the Mountain. In that momentary downward strike, he scattered your sword ki and even severed your sword formula. If the representative's sword flux had been three parts deeper, you wouldn't have just dropped your sword, your hand would have been cut off.”
A bewildered Namgung Jun.
“……Sword flux?”
I was genuinely surprised.
He even recognized the momentarily forged sword flux, that fleeting flash of light?
“Namgung has raised a monster.”
It was the first time such praise had come from my mouth, and to a prodigy of the orthodox faction at that.
“The real monster is right in front of my eyes.”
“Haha!”
To be so pleased with a junior's talent, I must have gotten quite old…… Damn it, I've become younger.
With a strange sense of emotion, I looked the eldest son of the Namgung Clan up and down.
“The azure dragon ki is quite hot. But it's not a rampaging energy either. Latent Talent Emergence? Or the state of the Ultimate Flowing Sword?”
Even more surprise appeared on Namgung Hyeok's face.
“You are the first person I have met who knows so much about our family's sword studies.”
I snorted and raised my sword.
“If a bastard who doesn't even know the sword of Namgung, which is said to be the best under heaven, is holding a sword, then he's not qualified.”
“You praise me too much.”
I looked at him even more strangely.
How on earth could such a tremendous martial talent come from a guy like Namgung Sejin?
It's not an area that can simply be called talent.
Words that can only be uttered by someone who has forged and forged their martial arts to the point of barely touching that distant clue.
I couldn't understand how such insight was possible at that young age, no matter how much I pondered how harsh his isolated training must have been.
On the other hand, I was quite worried about him.
“Your spiritual studies are far ahead of your realm. Hey, you can worry about that after you've gotten a little older. You're quite dangerous right now.”
For a moment, a look of surprise flashed across Namgung Hyeok's face.
“I never thought I would hear the words my father always says like a habit here. I'm quite proud of my extraordinary cultivation, but this is really giving me the creeps. I have never seen a prodigy like the representative even at the Nine Dragons Grand Banquet.”
Heat was gradually appearing in his calm eyes.
This guy? Could it be?
“I know it is not proper etiquette during a martial arts tournament, but I can no longer bear it. I would like to cross swords with the representative.”
I just doubted my ears.
He wants to change opponents in the middle of a martial arts tournament?
The eldest son of the great Namgung Clan, who claims to be a prestigious family?
“Can you really handle it?”
If this gets out, the Namgung Clan could be in a very difficult position.
But surprisingly, Namgung Hyeok's eyes were shining with firm resolve.
“Hmm, yes. So that's your resolve.”
No, if a young orthodox bastard is willingly jumping into a fire with firewood on his back, this great master of the Black Way has to fan the flames, doesn't he?
Since I'm a specialist in turning a person to the dark Black Way.
Rustle.
I sharply cut in half a plum blossom leaf that was flying in from somewhere and fluttering.
“The Sword Sect of the martial world has always been Mount Hua. Isn't that right?”
For a moment, I faced Namgung Hyeok's sharply changed pressure with my whole body.
I revealed all my teeth and smiled.
“Yes. Now, come at me.”