novelraw Chapter 158
Chapter 158
Chapter 158 - I'm Here to Beat You to Death
“Huh……?”
A thunderous cheer struck his eardrums.
Only then did Yongjin’s runaway mind return.
When was the last time he had dropped his sword?
Dropping the sword held in one’s hand was tantamount to a swordsman’s greatest shame.
The very sword that had driven his older brothers into a corner, the sword that had earned him praise with every swing, was now lying on the training ground floor.
“W-wait!”
Yongjin didn't understand how he had dropped his sword, or why blood was flowing from his cheek.
For this promising swordsman, who had always been the object of jealousy and envy within the sect, the recent development was that shocking.
“Wait! Again……!”
“Will you not stop!”
Yongjin, who was about to pick up his sword in a flurry, was startled and stopped in his tracks.
The voice filled with anger belonged to the elder of the True Dragon Sect, Yubeop.
“E-elder.”
“The sparring match is already over. Don’t show such a disgraceful sight and get down!”
“…………!”
Yongjin’s pupils swayed from side to side like a pendulum.
The swordsman was too young to handle the unprecedented sense of defeat and shame.
Pitiably, Yongjin’s eyes, as he lowered his head and descended from the training ground, were filled with tears.
And Biyoung looked at Eung Gajin and smiled the smile of a demon.
‘You understand my meaning now, don’t you?’
Don't allow a single sword strike.
But it won't be that difficult.
Eung Gajin, who had exchanged a single blow, seemed to have understood his meaning.
It wasn't Shaolin or Mount Hua; there was no way a mere third-generation disciple of the True Dragon Sect could stand up to Eung Gajin.
Even if not as much as Biyoung, he was also a genius among geniuses who was opening the door of the Sun-Shooting Sword Art in his mid-to-late twenties.
He had only seen this level of talent a few times even during his days as the World’s Fastest Sword.
‘But… why is he looking at me like that?’
He should be thanking me for raising him this much, so what's with that complicated expression?
But Eung Gajin also had his reasons.
‘That's what's normal.’
After exchanging swords with Yongjin, he was even more certain of it.
It was normal for a child to get teary-eyed when they lose after acting up without knowing their place.
But why.
Why was only that guy not normal?
He was once again struck by how amazing Biyoung’s skills were, and a question arose about the inexplicable situation.
However,
“Senior Brother! That was completely clean.”
“You shouldn’t show off so much. Even though you’re actually cool.”
“You did well.”
At the welcome of the younger generation disciples who had gathered around, Eung Gajin relaxed his expression and smiled brightly.
Yes.
Who cares.
Isn't a dragon that flies in the sky an inexplicable existence?
For now, he just had to enjoy the first victory against the Nine Sects One Union.
“Huuu……”
On the other hand, if there was light in a match, there was also darkness.
The True Dragon Sect swordsmen, who had been optimistic about victory, instantly had the atmosphere of a funeral.
Especially the mood of Yubeop, who was sitting in the seat of honor, was indescribably unpleasant and uncomfortable.
He offered his congratulations with a reluctant face.
“Congratulations on your victory, Sect Leader.”
“Hoholhol. Isn’t this just the first sparring match?”
Normally, he might have thought it was a humble reply.
But now that he had conversed with Jeokseo to some extent, it sounded like he was saying it was just the ‘first victory,’ not the ‘first sparring match.’
“Ahem. This sparring match is entirely my mistake. I should have sent him out appropriately considering his age……”
Yubeop deliberately took responsibility for the outcome of the sparring match.
Sending out the youngest, Yongjin, against the older Eung Gajin was a kind of provocation.
If they lost to a child who was at least five years younger, the Diancang Sect’s face would have been in tatters.
But since the result turned out like this, he wanted to at least package the defeat in this way.
“Kekeke. Is that so?”
“?”
At the mocking laughter, Yubeop’s head snapped around.
In his line of sight was the sight of Biyoung laughing, showing his teeth.
“He looked like a child who needed to control his heart before his sword……”
“That is a matter for our sect to handle. More importantly, why is Young Hero Biyoung in this seat?”
He had thought it was a seat next to Sect Leader Jeokseo, but now that he looked, he was stuck between the Sect Leader and Biyoung.
“Why? The Sect Leader said I could sit here. Is there a problem?”
“There is no… problem, but…”
If the Sect Leader had given permission, it was not his place to interfere wherever he sat.
But.
The feeling.
My feeling was the problem.
He was already an annoying brat whom he wanted to punch.
Did he have to keep watching him laugh triumphantly in his victory?
“Elder. Is that friend the weakest among the One Heart, One Path?”
“Not necessarily. He’s just young and excited, so he couldn’t display his full skills……”
“Even so, does it make sense to be blocked by the tip of the opponent’s sword? And to even drop his sword.”
“!”
Yubeop tried not to show his expression.
But he couldn't help but grind his teeth in silence.
‘He saw it.’
It was a scene he had tried to keep quiet in case others saw it.
Eung Gajin had blocked Yongjin’s technique not with the flat or back of his sword, but with the tip of his own sword.
That was a response that couldn't be done unless there were several levels of skill difference.
Just like when Biyoung had sparred with Eung Gajin in the Simao region where the Diancang Sect had been in seclusion.
‘He did a rather arrogant thing.’
Biyoung looked at Eung Gajin, who was grinning in the distance.
Was the sparring match just now meant to be shown to me?
It was a clean and precise movement that made him think so.
“Hah! Isn’t it different from what we expected right from the start?”
“Indeed. And the content was quite one-sided.”
“Was there any content to speak of? He was just blocked in one go and dropped his sword.”
“Family Head. It seems the martial artists of the Diancang Sect are stronger than we thought.”
“Ahem. It seems so…”
Yi Gwon-su cleared his throat and stared at the younger generation disciples of the Diancang Sect.
Among them was his own son, Sedong.
If.
Just if, the Diancang Sect were to defeat the True Dragon Sect, what would happen?
First of all, he had brought a lot of people as Elder Yubeop had told him to, so he had done his part.
Regardless of who won the sparring match, there would be no problem with their relationship with the True Dragon Sect.
The real problem was that Sedong would remain tied to the Diancang Sect.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
The position of a Family Head, and Yi Gwon-su’s way of acting, was to consider all possible scenarios.
It was a future he truly did not want, but the Family Head of the Yi Family Clan began to calculate the victory of the Diancang Sect on his abacus.
***
“Next, Sajin, you go out.”
“Yes!”
A skinny swordsman bowed his head and started walking.
His atmosphere was one hundred and eighty degrees different from Yongjin, who had been doing somersaults earlier.
Although he had witnessed the disaster just before, the man’s character was also thoughtful and calm.
He was a swordsman with a triangular chin and particularly drooping eyes, and his appearance was such that one might think he would look similar to Jeokseo when he grew old.
‘To think Yongjin was defeated in a single blow…….’
Although he was young, he was also a chosen top disciple of the One Heart, One Path.
That meant he was a swordsman who ranked at least within the top eight among the numerous third-generation disciples.
Even considering the age difference, it was an unexpected result.
So Sajin made a promise to himself.
Never to be careless, and not to lose his composure.
“Is it you?”
However, there was something that shook Sajin’s firm heart.
It was the fiendish face of the swordsman he was about to face.
“Ptooey. Why no answer? Are you a mute?”
“You… lawless…”
A deep wrinkle formed on Sajin’s brow.
But contrary to his expression, his voice was trembling slightly.
A disciple of the One Heart, One Path being frightened by his opponent’s appearance?
Everyone in the True Dragon Sect would snort and say it was absurd.
Martial artists were people who lived on the sword in their hand and the confidence in themselves.
No matter how dirty one’s impression was, it was hard to instill fear.
“So you can talk. I’m Uma of the Diancang Sect. I’m here to beat you to death.”
But Uma had accomplished that impossible feat nonchalantly.
Fiercely raised slit eyes and protruding cheekbones.
Even the swaggering movements as he spat!
‘Is that a martial artist or a ruffian?’
He was a person who made one truly doubt if he was from the same sect as Eung Gajin, who had appeared just before.
Uma performed a salute with a menacing sword path that resembled his own face.
But Sajin couldn't give any reply.
“Sajin!”
Perhaps frustrated by his floundering appearance, Yubeop’s voice was heard from far away.
Only then did Sajin grip the sword in his hand tightly and open his mouth.
“Sajin, a third-generation disciple of the True Dragon Sect, requests a match.”
“Alright!”
As soon as the salute was over, Uma closed the distance like a flash.
“!”
Sajin was greatly alarmed and thrust his sword forward.
Kaang!
“Ugh……!”
For Sajin, it was a stroke of luck, if you could call it that, that he had witnessed the previous sparring match.
Because seeing Yongjin drop his sword had made him resolute again.
He had told himself that he must never show such a sight.
Kaang!
Kang!
“Keuk!”
However, on the other hand, it was also an unfortunate thing.
Because he didn’t drop his sword, he had to continuously withstand Uma’s attacks that came rushing in like a tidal wave.
Drip.
In no time, a stream of dark red blood flowed from between Sajin’s lips.
‘Blood……! Already?’
Yubeop, who was watching from a distance, felt his heart sink.
Unless one was injured, there was only one reason to see blood.
Exhaustion of internal energy.
At a glance, it seemed like he was blocking well, but Sajin was currently in a life-or-death crisis.
If his internal energy was exhausted just by blocking the sword a few times, let alone attacking, it was as clear as day what would happen after his internal energy was depleted.
“Hahahahaha!”
With a sound that was ambiguous between a shout and a laugh, Uma swung his sword without a break.
Unlike Sajin, who was continuously shedding blackish blood, Uma pushed Sajin with the same momentum as at the beginning.
No.
Due to Uma’s characteristic of not easily being extinguished once he caught fire, his attacks gradually became fiercer and more ferocious.
And.
Although there was no need to go that far.
His already fierce face also gradually turned into that of a demon.
‘I can’t be defeated like this……!’
Every time he blocked a sword, a shock that felt like fainting was transmitted.
But the disciples of the One Heart, One Path polished their pride along with their swordsmanship.
The thought that he couldn't lose by just defending powerlessly occupied his mind.
Cheok!
At the sword strike that came pouring in as always, Sajin gritted his teeth.
Then, he lowered the sword that had been extended straight horizontally to a diagonal.
He intended to deflect Uma’s sword strike to one side and then counterattack.
“……!”
Seeing that the position of the blade had changed, Uma’s eyes flashed.
Then, he gave a sly smile.
Kwang!
A sword strike even more powerful than before was transmitted to Sajin’s wrist.
Sajin bit his lip until it bled and received that sword strike.
He could also barely calm the internal energy that was churning inside his body.
‘I did it……!’
Just for one moment.
The reason he had endured while being pushed back countless times was for this one moment.
After confirming that Uma’s sword was tilted to one side, Sajin finally swung his sword.
Crack.
But unfortunately, the sword did not move.
Only his wrist, which had been pitifully holding on all this time, dangled limply.
“Ugh…… ugh-aack!”
Just as Sajin, whose wrist was broken, was about to cry out from the terrible pain.
Uma kicked Sajin’s face with an indifferent expression.
Pong!
The body of the unconscious Sajin cut through the air in vain, and the disciples of the True Dragon Sect hurriedly moved to catch him.
“H-how can this be…….!”
“First Yongjin, and now Sajin……!”
The True Dragon Sect disciples felt as if they were dreaming.
Because among the five One Heart, One Path disciples gathered here, Sajin was by no means below average.
Looking at the dumbfounded third-generation disciples, Uma shouted triumphantly.
“Next!”
“……There is no next, you idiot. It’s only one match.”
Uma bared his teeth at Eung Gajin, who replied indifferently.
“I know. I just wanted to try it once.”
“Hmph.”
Eung Gajin chuckled and looked in the same direction as Uma.
There, the swordsman whom Uma had wanted to imitate was smiling like a picture.