novelraw Chapter 143 : Chapter 143
Chapter 143 : Chapter 143
Chapter 143 - Tail Parry
“Damn it!”
Chu Eul spat out a curse and jumped back.
He thought he had cleanly slit Hyeokri Hong's throat, but an unexpected variable had blocked him.
‘Who's that bastard now?’
The girl's palm force was so domineering that he had paid relatively little attention to the man.
But looking closely, the same crest was embroidered on the man's chest.
Gulp.
Chu Eul swallowed his saliva without realizing it.
One of them was beating down the Hojubang while displaying inhuman martial arts, and the other was continuously emitting a formidable palm force unbecoming of her age.
In that case.
What would the skill of the man standing before him be?
The man who had blocked the sword issued an order to Hyeokri Hong.
“I will take care of this one, so you continue to peel off the leeches as before.”
“Sure!”
Hyeokri Hong snorted and nodded her head.
Perhaps because he had protected her earlier, a light of deep trust shone in her eyes.
‘Doesn’t that little brat get tired?’
As Hyeokri Hong once again gathered her internal energy, Chu Eul clicked his tongue inwardly.
Dozens had fallen to her palm attacks.
That meant her internal energy consumption was also severe, but for some reason, the small girl showed no signs of fatigue.
There are many swordsmen in Jianghu called prodigies.
But prodigies related to internal energy are rarely seen.
Because internal energy is a very honest domain where shortcuts are impossible.
Chu Eul suddenly felt a strong urge to find out about Hyeokri Hong's upbringing.
But to find that out, the opponent standing before him was too distracting.
“Who are you people! Who are you to dare interfere with the Hojubang's business!”
“…”
Absolute Protector did not particularly answer.
Perhaps thinking he was being ignored, a vein popped on Chu Eul's temple.
But that was a misunderstanding.
Absolute Protector was a man who didn't move his body unless absolutely necessary, and didn't open his mouth unless he had something he had to say.
And one more thing.
It was a characteristic of the Diancang Sect swordsmen that once they drew their swords, they mixed swords instead of words.
“Fine. I’ll make you open your mouth, even by force.”
Chu Eul glared at Absolute Protector with bloodshot eyes.
At first glance, he seemed quite agitated, but unlike his brother, Chu Eul had a cool-headed nature.
His gaze went to Absolute Protector's tall stature, long limbs, and his sword.
Not only was the blade long, but the handle he was holding was also about a hand's breadth longer than usual.
‘Overall, he's lanky.’
The man seemed to be a swordsman specialized in range.
Even if they thrust their swords out in the same way, his would extend much longer than others, so as a swordsman, there could be no better physical condition.
But Chu Eul thought it was rather a good thing.
If this were flat ground, he would have struggled with the opponent's range, but wasn't this on a ship?
There were many messy structures for swinging a long sword, and the space was narrow.
When his thoughts reached that point, Chu Eul regretted his earlier action.
He had created distance in his surprise when his attack was blocked, but now he saw that this was a type he should fight at close range.
“Tah-hat!”
Having finished his assessment, Chu Eul dashed across the deck as if it were his own yard.
He was confident he could move better than anyone else on a ship, if not elsewhere.
Indeed, hadn't he broken through Hyeokri Hong's Wing Waving Palm, which was difficult to deal with even on solid ground?
Chu Eul rushed to Absolute Protector's chest in one breath.
During that time, Absolute Protector stood still as if frozen, and Chu Eul was able to approach more easily than expected.
Shaaak!
Chu Eul's sword fiercely cut through the air.
In a place like this, a short dagger that could cut quickly was more advantageous than a cumbersome long sword.
Like the Short Moon Saber he was holding in his hand.
‘Got him.’
Chu Eul thought his attack had succeeded this time.
And for a good reason, the tip of Absolute Protector's sword was still pointing at the ground.
Was it because his rush was faster than expected?
Or was it difficult to swing the sword in a narrow space?
It didn't matter what it was.
What was important was the fact that the crescent-shaped Short Moon Saber he had swung would soon pierce Absolute Protector's heart.
Kaang!
“?!”
But.
Chu Eul's attack, which he had been sure would succeed, was blocked once again.
‘No way!’
He couldn't say it out loud, but Chu Eul cried out in his heart.
This is impossible.
The opponent hadn't even raised the blade; the sword tip was still pointing downwards.
What on earth had blocked his attack?
Chu Eul's gaze turned to the tip of his Short Moon Saber's blade.
“!”
Soon, Chu Eul's face contorted as if he had seen a ghost.
‘The handle?’
The tip of Absolute Protector's sword was still pointing in the opposite direction.
But the handle of the sword that Absolute Protector was holding was precisely in contact with the tip of Chu Eul's sword.
Height.
Arms and legs.
And the blade.
Everything about Absolute Protector was lanky, but there was no need for the handle to be long as well.
The reason his handle was unusually long was not to enhance his strengths, but to offset his weaknesses.
Tail Parry.
Among the basic sword techniques of the Diancang Sect, the Eagle Talon Twelve Swords, it was the only technique that not everyone had to learn.
As its name, which means to defend by extending the tail, suggests, Tail Parry was a technique that used the handle to nullify the opponent's attack.
Tail Parry boasts excellent efficiency as it can neutralize an opponent's attack with minimal movement.
But to use this technique, one must overcome a rather tricky mountain.
Cool-headedness.
And composure.
In the case of an ordinary swordsman, if they were to stab each other with swords, they would stab, not think of blocking with the handle.
Compared to the long blade, the handle was closer to the body, making it even more dangerous, and above all, one had to perfectly read the opponent's sword path to use the technique properly.
In short, it was a high-risk, high-reward technique.
“Eek…!!”
Chu Eul's hand trembled so much it was visible from a distance.
Since the attack was blocked, he tried to push the blade's tip in with sheer force.
But unfortunately, his blade was not advancing; it was being pushed back.
This was not a simple contest of physical strength.
As their weapons met, a battle of internal energy was taking place.
In other words.
It meant that he was being pushed back in internal energy by a man who was at least twenty years younger than him.
‘This one and that one…’
A deep wrinkle formed on Chu Eul's forehead.
What on earth did these bastards eat to all have such excellent internal energy?
Chu Eul had no way of knowing.
That the pill the opponent in front of him regularly consumed was the spirit medicine of Hyeokri Chong, which all martial artists would go crazy for.
Guuk.
Unlike Chu Eul's trembling hand, there was no agitation in Absolute Protector's body.
A terrifyingly cold composure.
It was not for nothing that Biyoung had actively recommended Tail Parry to Absolute Protector.
Although his sword line was wide and vast, to receive a flying sword with the end of the handle required an inhuman calmness.
Composure that doesn't get agitated in any situation.
And the insight to see through the opponent's moves.
Tail Parry was in many ways a perfect match for Absolute Protector.
Pssst….
A bluish aura formed on Absolute Protector's blade.
Seeing this, Chu Eul's eyelids trembled.
Sword Aura.
A single, clear line of Sword Aura bloomed on Absolute Protector's sword.
“…!”
Chu Eul was suddenly terrified.
Although their blades hadn't clashed, the meaning shown by that Sword Aura was clear.
It was like a notice that he would now use his full power.
‘I’m going to die…!’
The shadow of the death realm fell across Chu Eul's face.
If he were to be pushed back by force and Absolute Protector's Sword Aura was swung, his body would be cut in two without a doubt.
Chu Eul quickly retrieved his Short Moon Saber and jumped back.
And belatedly, he realized his mistake.
‘Oops!’
Creating distance against a swordsman with a long range.
It was a situation where he had brought disaster upon himself.
‘Damn it, if it's come to this…!’
Chu Eul decided to change his strategy.
It was a bit unseemly, but it was better to jump into the lake himself and prepare for a naval attack.
The man in front of him was a step above him in both swordsmanship and internal energy.
But in the water, he was confident he wouldn't lose to anyone.
It was only a fleeting moment when Chu Eul organized his thoughts.
But for the swordsmen of the Diancang Sect, that 'fleeting moment' was an invaluable time.
For example,
Kwakwakwakwa!
“?!”
It was enough time to close a distance of more than three zhang in an instant.
‘No…!’
A look of astonishment appeared in Chu Eul's eyes.
He had approached so quickly that for a moment, it felt as if Absolute Protector's body had grown larger.
Had he ever witnessed a swordsman who was as fast as, no, faster than himself on the same ship?
Chu Eul extended his Half-Moon Saber forward with all his might.
Kwajik!
There was no ear-piercing impact sound like before.
There was only the sound of something overwhelmingly strong smashing the other side.
The clear blue Sword Aura shattered the Half-Moon Saber into pieces, and with that momentum, it flew towards its next target.
The charging sword technique of the Eagle Talon Twelve Swords that Absolute Protector had executed.
The final destination of the Sky-Mirror Shattering Strike was Chu Eul's heart.
Puuk!
The name was given because it was said to break the clear sky with a sword.
Sky-Mirror Shattering Strike.
At this moment, Chu Eul's heart was shattered to pieces like the broken sky.
“Keo… heok!”
For one of the Yewi Twin Tyrants, who had reigned as the hegemon of Elm Leaf Lake for decades, it was too futile an end.
A single sword strike from the Diancang Sect.
Who would have known that his chest would be pierced by a basic sword technique of the Eagle Talon Twelve Swords, not even the Sun-Shooting Sword Art?
“…………”
But there was something even more futile than Chu Eul's death, and that was the attitude of Absolute Protector who had faced him.
It was his first victory since entering the Diancang Sect.
Even if he didn't jump up and down like other young disciples, his earlobes could have at least turned red.
Absolute Protector turned his back with an emotionless face, as if nothing had happened.
Then, without delay, he threw himself towards the black-clothed warriors who were approaching Hyeokri Hong.
Chwaaaak!
The clear and tranquil appearance of Elm Leaf Lake was no more.
Before a single slaughterer running on the surface of the lake, the Hojubang's black-clothed warriors fell like autumn leaves.
“Wow…”
“How can he, unless he’s a ghost…”
“He’s insane.”
Even the experienced first-class escorts couldn't close their gaping mouths and were just admiring the marvelous sight.
His movements and swordsmanship were close to divine.
Sometimes he would sprint across the water's surface and wipe out the black-clothed warriors below, and sometimes he would board the enemy's ship and cut down dozens in a single blow.
It was ironic that they had prepared their swords with determination, but the escorts on Sedong's ship hadn't had a chance to swing their swords even once.
“Eu-laaaaaaaah!”
But there was someone who tightened the momentarily loosened reins of tension, and that was Chu Gap, who had witnessed his brother's death.
Chu Gap, who had been faltering at Biyoung's momentum, ran around the ship like a madman and finally boarded Sedong's ship.
“I’ll kill you all!”
An already fiery-tempered man had now witnessed his brother's death.
He let out a roar as if his throat would break and then stomped one foot.
-Thud!
“?!”
“Oof…!”
At first, they thought he was taking his anger out on the floor, unable to control it.
But with that simple foot movement, the ship's floor caved in, and the ship tilted to one side.
The escorts, who were already having trouble moving on the ship, all lost their balance and their stances crumbled.
Chwaaaak!
Taking advantage of that gap, Chu Gap's Half-Moon Saber slashed through the escorts' necks, chests, and thighs.
“Keuk!”
When it was difficult to even stand on two feet, there was no way they could block the opponent's attack.
Several first-class escorts fell to the floor in an instant, splattering blood.
‘This one is indiscriminate, whether on water or below.’
Sedong swallowed hard as he watched Chu Gap's martial prowess.
Although they were called the Yewi ‘Twin Tyrants’, there was a considerable difference in their martial strength.
The calm-natured Chu Eul was mainly in charge of strategy, while Chu Gap handled all sorts of chaotic battles that occurred on Elm Leaf Lake.
Chwaaaak!
Just like right now.
“Uaaak!”
In an instant, all the escorts on Sedong's ship were incapacitated.
Because the blade of the Half-Moon Saber was short, not many had died, but they were no longer in a state to hold a sword.
“All of you…”
But it was only a matter of order; Chu Gap had no intention of leaving any of them alive.
“I will chop you into pieces and feed you to the fish.”
The tip of Chu Gap's sword pointed precisely at one person.
A young master with an air of nobility.
It was Sedong.
The faces of the merchants standing nearby turned pale, and Sedong also bit his lip and drew the sword at his waist.
Just then,
“That would be a problem.”
From the direction of the battlefield that Chu Gap had swept through, a familiar voice was heard.
It was a voice with a strange power that made one's chest tighten the more one heard it.
“He's a friend who has a lot of things to do in the future.”
Ppudeudeuk.
As Chu Gap ground his teeth and turned his head, two scenes entered his vision.
A handsome man standing at the end of the ship, smiling as dazzlingly as the sun.
And the other was all the ships of the Hojubang, completely and utterly wrecked.
**NOTE - ‘Short Moon Saber’ ‘Half-Moon Saber’ [BOTH ARE SAME!!]
When Chu Eul thinks about his weapon's advantage over Absolute Protector's longsword in the cramped space of the ship, the author calls it a Short Moon Saber to highlight its practical size.
At other times, it's called a Half-Moon Saber to describe its appearance.
The author uses these terms interchangeably as a stylistic choice to add descriptive richness to the narrative.**