novelraw Chapter 42 : Chapter 42
Chapter 42 : Chapter 42
Chapter 42 - Engrave it on your body
“Th-th-that……!!”
“Th-th-th-th-th-that!!”
The eyes of the Diancang Sect members were filled with astonishment.
As if on cue, they were all pointing their fingers in one direction.
At the end of their fingertips was the handsome young boy with a demonic smile, Biyoung.
“Hm?”
Biyoung noticed that the people's reactions were slightly different from before.
Whereas before they were flustered and surprised by his unexpected skill, now there was a considerable amount of anger(?) mixed in.
“What's with everyone?”
At that, as if they had been waiting, angry shouts erupted from all over.
“What do you mean, 'what's with everyone,' you bastard! Where is there a man who would strike a woman on the crown of her head so brutally!”
“Such a cruel bastard!”
“A child like a single flower!!!”
However, Biyoung raised his voice as if he couldn't understand their reaction.
“In a duel, what does being a man or woman matter? If you've pointed a sword at each other, you should beat each other to death!”
“Th-th-th-th-that!”
“An unforgivable bastard!”
“He's a demon! It's Satan!”
Biyoung couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.
They were soft.
Too damn soft.
Was it because they had spent too long in hiding?
They had no idea how many notoriously skilled female masters there were in Jianghu, and how meaningless the distinction between men and women was when pointing a sword at someone.
Moreover, judging by their gazes, Jeong-i's position in the Diancang Sect seemed to be more than just a skilled next-generation disciple.
‘Well, it's not surprising. She was the one who took charge of arranging the secret meetings and made the largest financial contribution.’
According to his grandfather, Jeong-i was the one who had contributed the most, both materially and spiritually, to the reconstruction of the Diancang Sect.
Even though it was a duel, seeing her get hit squarely on the head and faint probably made their hearts sink.
“Don't worry too much. I deliberately hit her in a place that won't leave a scar.”
“You hit her on the crown of her head to avoid leaving a scar??”
The Diancang Sect members' mouths fell open in disbelief.
“This is the cleanest way to send someone off without any aftereffects. I’m even supporting her like this so her face doesn't get hurt.”
Supporting her?
By casually placing the top of his foot on her back, causing her neck to bend back like that?
Biyoung, not liking the people's gazes, let out a threat.
“Aish. If you don't take her away quickly, I'll send her flying over there and make it a three-layer stack.”
“We're going now, you bastard!”
"Over there," as Biyoung had said, pointed to the already two-layered bodies of Uma and Danseol.
Two elders from the Diancang Sect rushed over, supported Jeong-i’s body, and left.
Biyoung snorted and looked around at the crowd, saying.
“If you keep coddling her like that, ‘Swordsman Jeong-i’ will never be able to develop further. A gisaeng, perhaps.”
“………….”
Struck by the truth, the people of the Diancang Sect could only look away at nothing in particular.
“Alright, next!”
“I’m already out here.”
“Oh? Already?”
When Biyoung asked with a surprised look, the man's cheeks turned red.
He felt that he had been blatantly ignored.
“Didn't you just say 'next' a moment ago?”
“Ah. Did I?”
It seemed he had forgotten he had called for the last opponent while arguing about Jeong-i.
One of the five next-generation disciples of the Diancang Sect.
And the rising star who served as the spiritual pillar for the people of the Diancang Sect.
Eung Gajin drew his sword with a rough motion.
“Your skills are quite impressive. I am not as soft as the others, so you need not worry.”
He had seen that Biyoung's skills were outstanding.
However, he judged that what was seen was not everything.
No matter how skilled they were, young kids had their limits.
Solbo, who had run away, as well as Jeong-i and Danseol, lacked experience fighting others compared to their training.
But Eung Gajin was different.
Like Uma, he had accumulated plenty of combat experience, had seen blood at times, and had no hesitation in using his sword.
Eung Gajin was working as a first-class escort at the largest escort agency here in Simao.
His martial arts skills were top-notch and he was excellent at his job, making him a favorite at the agency.
His pay was also quite high, so he lacked for nothing in his life.
Unlike most of the Diancang Sect members who were dressed shabbily, Eung Gajin's attire looked quite luxurious.
“Hooooooooo. Is that so?”
“……?!”
And that, got on Biyoung's nerves.
“So, you’re saying you’re not soft like the other four, so I can go all out?”
“That's right.”
“So. You’re saying I can really fight with all my might?”
“D-didn't I say so!”
Eung Gajin swallowed hard without realizing it.
‘The atmosphere has changed……!’
He knew Biyoung was no pushover, but he had thought the others had been defeated partly because of their soft nature.
But facing him directly like this, a feeling that it wasn't so seeped into his bones.
Moreover, unlike with the other four, Biyoung found this person named Eung Gajin quite disagreeable.
He didn't like his flashy appearance, and above all, hadn't he incited them to postpone the restoration of the Diancang Sect?
Unlike the previous duels, Biyoung fully revealed his fighting spirit, and because of that, Eung Gajin felt his spirit was about to break even before they started.
‘What are you doing. Move!’
“Tahat!”
Eung Gajin kicked off the ground and leaped forward with a sharp kiai.
“Hoh?”
Biyoung showed a faint smile as if impressed.
‘So even a rotten fish is still a fish, is that it?’
Unlike Danseol and Jeong-i, despite the pressure from his fighting spirit, there was no wavering in his stance.
And that was even after he had projected a stronger aura than he had against the previous two.
An ordinary swordsman would have had difficulty even taking a step.
Seeing that he had overcome this level of pressure, it seemed he wasn't just a man of empty words.
The problem was, Biyoung had already made up his mind.
He would very kindly make this opponent before him aware of his own shortcomings.
Kang!
A sound so loud it made one's ears ache rang out.
Kkang! Kkaang!
Unlike with Jeong-i before, every sword move Eung Gajin unleashed aimed for Biyoung's vitals.
“That……!”
“He's vicious……”
The faces of the watching Diancang Sect members turned pale at the attacks that were close to killing moves.
However, a deep smile bloomed on the face of Biyoung, who was receiving the attacks.
This was more fun to deal with than the soft-hearted Jeong-i.
Hwiriririk!
Swish!
Eung Gajin's sword stabbed at various parts of Biyoung's body, and Biyoung either dodged by a hair's breadth or parried with his scabbard.
The flow of the sword was so deadly that they couldn't help but frown, but the sword moves Eung Gajin unfolded were so fierce that exclamations of admiration naturally burst forth.
“Heo! Amazing.”
“Gajin's swordsmanship seems to have improved by another level.”
“Of course it has. He's been swinging his sword day and night until his hands blistered.”
At a glance, it felt as if Eung Gajin was fiercely pressuring Biyoung.
In reality, Biyoung was parrying Eung Gajin's attacks by a narrow margin without even having drawn his sword.
Had his stamina been depleted by the successive duels?
People tilted their heads at the unexpected development, but in fact, this could be seen as a normal result.
Eung Gajin was one of the top three swordsmen here, and he was also the most experienced.
In fact, it wouldn't be strange if Biyoung was struck by the sword in the next few seconds.
Kkang!
“Yiik……!”
However.
For some reason, as time passed, Eung Gajin's expression grew more and more contorted.
On the other hand, Biyoung still maintained the smile on his lips.
‘Damn it……!’
A single sheet of paper.
By a margin of exactly one sheet of paper, Biyoung was nullifying all of Eung Gajin's attacks.
He wasn't allowing the attacks, nor was he blocking them with ease.
A minuscule gap, for which the word "instant" was perfectly suited.
But no matter how hard he tried, that single sheet of paper would not shrink.
At first, when he launched the offensive, it was fine.
He would thrust at one point, and if it was blocked, he would use the rebound to slash down again.
When the opponent dodged to the side, he would slash horizontally again, like a viper biting at the flank.
It was a masterful use of swordsmanship, belying his age, that even offset the common weaknesses of the quick sword.
However,
Whiririk!
This time, too, a single sheet of paper.
Where Biyoung had turned and dodged, only the empty flow of the sword followed.
Grit!
The sound of Eung Gajin grinding his teeth could be heard even from afar.
The more he attacked, a question he didn't want to admit to arose in Eung Gajin's mind.
Dodging an attack narrowly once or twice is luck.
But.
What if you dodge every attack by a single sheet of paper's breadth?
Could that truly be described as being lucky?
If not, then…….
‘He's deliberately moving just enough to barely dodge……!’
To put it more miserably.
Unlike him, who was fighting with all his might, the opponent was enjoying a thrilling tightrope walk.
“Uwaaaaaaaah!!”
The moment his thoughts reached that point, Eung Gajin let out a roar and leaped in diagonally.
He had brought out the Slanted Wing Flank Strike, the most difficult technique to learn in the Eagle Talon Twelve Swords.
“Oh!”
It was a technique worthy of drawing an exclamation from Jeokseo, who rarely opened his mouth.
Like an eagle flying diagonally and striking an enemy with its wing, it was the ultimate technique of the Eagle Talon Twelve Swords that scattered the sword from an unexpected blind spot!
Thinking that this time he would surely be able to land a blow on Biyoung, Eung Gajin's pupils were filled with strength.
Kang!
“…………!”
However.
It didn't take long for his determined eyes to turn to despair.
This time, he neither dodged nor blocked the sword.
The tip of the sword that Eung Gajin had thrust forward.
At the very end of that blade, so sharply honed that a mere touch would cut, Biyoung's sword was met.
It would be difficult to meet a thrown fist with another fist, yet Biyoung had blocked the tip of Eung Gajin's sword with the tip of his own.
“How can that be……!!!”
“Impossible……!!”
“What kind of ghostly trick is that?”
To block the tip of an incoming blade with the tip of one's own sword.
It was a response impossible unless the opponent's sword was as clear as the palm of one's own hand.
Furthermore, it was.
Proof that the difference in skill between them was as wide as the heavens and the earth.
“You said it earlier, right?”
Gently pressing down on the trembling blade, Biyoung asked Eung Gajin.
“That it was okay to beat you up as much as I wanted.”
Even as his body trembled in shock, Eung Gajin had such a question.
“I never said that…….”
Thwack!
Thunder and lightning flashed before Eung Gajin's eyes.
In Jeong-i's case, the impact was enough to make her faint instantly, but unfortunately for him, Biyoung had no intention of finishing Eung Gajin off(?) in a single blow.
“Keok!”
Eung Gajin staggered back a couple of steps in dizzying pain.
Biyoung, with a demonic smile, allowed him no more space.
“You have talent, but you lack fundamentals. Fundamentals.”
“…………?”
“I’m going to teach you those fundamentals one by one from now on, so engrave it on your body.”
“!”
Thwack!!!
Thwack!!!!!
Thwack!!!!!!!!
No matter if he was swinging it with the scabbard on.
Was this really the sound of a sword and a body meeting?
Biyoung was beating Eung Gajin like a dog on a hot day, using the techniques of the Eagle Talon Twelve Swords from one to ten.
“Aaargh!!!”
“Swordsmanship without fundamentals is just an empty shell! Truly a pity!!”
The onlookers were left speechless by the terrifying duel…… no, the beating.
Above all.
Is that a pitying expression?
That?
“Tahahahahaha!”
Now, with a sound that was unclear whether it was a kiai or laughter, Biyoung's scabbard pummeled every corner of Eung Gajin's body.
“I said engrave it clearly on your body!! The essence of our sect's martial arts!!”
Being beaten like that, do you think he could engrave it?
Just as that question arose in everyone's mind,
Thwack!!!!
“Gurgle……”
With a sound of his breath catching, Eung Gajin's eyes rolled back.
Biyoung kicked Eung Gajin's body, sending him flying towards Uma, and then shouted gallantly.
“Alright, next!!”
The sight of the boy with dazzling looks seeking a dueling partner was truly picturesque.
Jeokseo watched his form and gave a most benevolent smile.
Next, my ass.
There's no one left. They've all been beaten.
You damn bastard.