novelraw Chapter 107 : Feeling the Waves (14)
Chapter 107 : Feeling the Waves (14)
The first ancestor of the Sword Pavilion is almost unknown to anyone.
There are many rumors, but no one has the means to prove them.
One thing is certain: there is only one person in the martial world who knows the first ancestor of the Sword Pavilion for sure. That one person is the master of the Sword Pavilion, who has continued the history of the Sword Pavilion, that is, the Sword Empresses of each generation.
Well, that's not to say that the content passed down about the first ancestor was anything special.
The current Sword Empress, Ju Hae-ryeong, also did not think that what the previous Sword Empress had told her was the truth at all.
It must have been exaggerated and embellished as it was passed down to later generations.
However, the fact that this sect called the Sword Pavilion had shared its history with Hainan was a clear truth.
To put it bluntly, their relationship could be described as a symbiotic one where they both benefited each other.
The Sword Pavilion received various support from Hainan, and the Sword Pavilion protected Hainan from pirates.
This incident was also a tradition, a promise, and a custom that had been passed down from the past.
On days when a typhoon comes, all the government troops withdraw.
During that time, Hainan becomes completely defenseless against pirates.
At that time, the Sword Pavilion, as a community of fate living on the island of Hainan, had protected Hainan from pirates on behalf of the government.
However, this time, something was strange.
Pirates are largely divided into three groups.
The Westerners of the Western Regions.
The samurai of Dongyeong.
And a group made up of criminals exiled from the Central Plains.
The second case above was very rare, and most could be said to be the third case.
As expected, the pirates that appeared this time were of the third type.
And it was common for such people to run away just by hearing the reputation of the Sword Empress.
It should have been...
The pirates this time did not run away even after seeing the Sword Empress. On the contrary, they showed hostility and killing intent. Moreover, they had enough power to lightly annihilate a small and medium-sized sect.
Occasionally, big shots who had fled from the Central Plains would mix with the pirates and invade Hainan.
But in front of the Sword Empress, who had reached the Profound Realm, even if they had made a name for themselves in the Central Plains, they were just pirates.
-Are you the Sword Empress? It's quite surprising that a noble person like you is doing such a trivial job yourself. Thanks to that, the work has become simple.
A man with a mask slowly revealed himself from the ship.
The moment she first saw him, a sense of unease sent a warning.
The hair on her whole body stood on end.
She instinctively realized that the moment that man set foot on the land of Hainan, Hainan would face an unprecedented crisis.
After reaching the Profound Realm, the feeling of fear that she had not felt for a long time surged up.
Swish.
The Sword Empress ran without a moment's hesitation.
The goal was to never let that man into the land of Hainan.
Even as the distance narrowed, the man's leisurely demeanor did not disappear.
As the distance got closer, the presence the man possessed was clearly felt. And she could understand why she had felt such a strong sense of unease.
It was like facing a beast, not a person.
Her judgment was by no means wrong.
-If you come from that side, I'd be grateful.
Swoosh.
The man drew his sword.
Crash!
The air vibrated.
The waves were pushed back.
The man raised his sword and blocked the Sword Empress's sword.
Crack.
The ship the man had been on split.
But there was not a single scratch on the man's body.
After that, their swords clashed so fast that it was hard to follow with the eyes.
The sound of stepping on the broken pieces of the ship was heard continuously.
The crashing waves were cut.
Countless sparks were created and disappeared in the air.
Slice!
Just then, someone's blood fell into the sea. The blood soon disappeared in the coming waves.
The man looked at the red blood on his sword and was disappointed.
-As expected, I can't kill you easily.
The Sword Empress of that day was seriously injured and returned to the Sword Pavilion and lost consciousness.
And now, the Sword Empress had something she had to confirm about what had happened that day. For that, she had come up to the tournament stage.
The Sword Empress fixed her gaze on the seat of honor prepared in the spectator seats.
There sat the master of the Hainan Sect, the vice master, the young master, and the elder, who were the center of this incident.
The Sword Empress looked not at the master, the vice master, or the elder, but at the young man.
The source of the unease she had been feeling since she set foot here.
The man maintained a smile on his lips even after receiving the Sword Empress's cold gaze. Just then, the elder sitting next to him stood up. He had an expression that clearly showed he was displeased. But he did not express it outwardly.
The elder bowed to those sitting next to him and shouted loudly to the surroundings.
"May I face the Sword Empress?"
Although the Hall Master of the Hainan Sect had just lost his life, the elder did not feel any camaraderie.
He only felt a single-minded determination to face the Sword Empress.
This was a rather strange sight when viewed within the unique concept of the Orthodox Faction, but it was also a situation that could be fully understood when considering that the current situation was a duel challenge between sects.
The Sword Empress had also taken the opponent's life first before.
And the spectators who were watching this also showed some displeasure, but there was no one here who was expressing dissatisfaction with the duel.
One thing was certain: someone had already lost their life, and the way to appease this was also someone's life.
Because this was the martial world where the logic of the law of the jungle prevailed.
The master of the Hainan Sect, Nam Ji-myeong, expressed his affirmation by giving a short nod at the elder, Lee Yul-dok's, statement.
Just then.
"I have a proposal."
The calm voice from the Sword Empress gently filled the tournament ground.
Anyone could see that the Sword Empress had a problem with her body, but the voice that had just been heard was more than enough to focus the attention of the people in here.
The people in the spectator seats and the four people sitting in the seats of honor all looked at the tournament stage, at the Sword Empress.
The Sword Empress continued.
"Do we really have to fight one by one?"
The time given to the Sword Empress was not much, as it appeared on the outside.
With the blow just now, the internal injuries had spread even further.
Even now, the smell of blood was coming up through her throat every time she breathed.
It seemed that her eyes would close if her concentration was disrupted even a little.
If the Sword Empress had not been in the Profound Realm, which could be called the realm of entering the divine, it could be said that it was a miracle that she was even standing.
The master of the Hainan Sect, Nam Ji-myeong, responded to the Sword Empress's question.
"You look like you'll collapse if I just touch you, so if you're trying to bluff, stop. We also don't want to be rumored to have won against the Sword Empress in a petty way. Moreover, we are confident that we can win in a fair and square match without having to do so."
"Did you say fair and square? Pfft!"
The Sword Empress laughed at the opponent, which was unlike her. The spectators who saw this booed or sneered at the Sword Empress.
The Sword Empress ignored these reactions and looked only at the seats of honor, opening her mouth again.
"To be fair in a fight to the death... since when did the martial world become a children's playground? Isn't that right?"
"..."
The master of the Hainan Sect, Nam Ji-myeong, did not answer this time. However, the fiery gaze he sent towards the Sword Empress could be said to be a substitute for an answer. At this, the Sword Empress, Ma Hae-ryeong, released her momentum.
An energy that instantly took control of the space.
It did not consider the people here at all.
The ordinary people were crushed by the energy and fainted, and those who had learned martial arts suffered internal injuries.
The person on the tournament stage now was not the Sword Empress, the master of the famous Sword Pavilion in the martial world.
She was just one of the many martial artists who killed each other.
A quiet silence flows.
A bird flying in the sky suddenly drops to the ground.
Ants crawling on the ground in a line all turn over, revealing their bellies.
All the living creatures here hold their breath like that.
The Sword Empress looks down on them arrogantly.
As if I were the king of this place.
Alone.
Nobly.
The king opened her mouth softly.
"Weren't you going to kill me? Let's all come down and fight. Why? Are you scared?"
The person standing here now was not just a mere human. She was a transcendent being who had reached the Profound Realm, the highest realm a person could reach.
The guardian deity who had protected Hainan since ancient times, and the master of the Sword Pavilion, the Sword Empress, who was called an absolute being in the martial world.
The pupils of the master, Nam Ji-myeong, tremble very slightly. And in a moment that was as short as a blink of an eye, he glanced at the young master, Nam Ji-hyeok.
And the Sword Empress accurately captured that.
A confident look appeared in the Sword Empress's pupils that only she could know. The one who opened his mouth was the youngest of those sitting in the seats of honor, the young master, Nam Ji-hyeok.
"I never knew that a noble person like you would act so recklessly. And who here can break the Sword Empress's will? Alright. I will accept the Sword Empress's proposal. We also do not wish to drag this out."
"I understand, so hurry up and come down. Or shall I go up?"
"You seem to be in more of a hurry than I thought. As if you have to do so."
As soon as those words ended, the four people sitting in the seats of honor stand up. And they, this time too, looked at the young master's side for a moment.
The master, Nam Ji-myeong, shouted loudly to those gathered here.
"The Sword Empress has proposed to change the format of the duel challenge, and we have accepted. However, no matter how much it is a duel challenge, this is a fair match. Therefore, considering that the Sword Empress is alone, we will send out only three people from our side. What are the opinions of those present here?"
This was a tone that seemed to be asking for understanding, but it was a kind of notification.
Among the attendees, those with some power all nodded their heads without exception.
"Yes. The majority of those present here have agreed. We, the Hainan Sect, will accept the Sword Empress's proposal."
As soon as those words ended, three people came down to the tournament stage.
They were the master, Nam Ji-myeong, the vice master, Yuk Nam-gi, and the elder, Lee Yul-dok.
The young master, Nam Ji-hyeok, was still keeping his seat. The Sword Empress looked at that with some displeasure, but her initial goal had been achieved.
She had reduced the four duels to two.
The master, Nam Ji-myeong, opened his mouth softly.
"Then, shall we begin?"
The Sword Empress answered.
"Come."
***
Crash!
Crash!
Crash!
At the continuous loud noises, Murong Seryeong opened her eyes. And at the sight she saw, she immediately got up.
"Ugh!"
In that process, immense pain washed over her. She had definitely suffered internal injuries in the duel just now. But that was not important right now.
Three absolute masters standing on the tournament stage.
On the other side of them, the Sword Empress, alone.
Why is the Sword Empress fighting those three at once?
The question was soon answered.
She had been defeated.
And now, the Sword Empress had come up to the tournament stage in her place.
It didn't make sense for the Sword Empress to be awake and moving in the first place.
On the other hand, the momentum emanating from the three was so terrifying that just looking at it made her whole body feel crushed.
Swish!
The three of them leaped at once. A terrifying sword aura was rising from their swords.
In contrast, no momentum was emanating from the Sword Empress. Her gaunt body and pale face made the Sword Empress look even weaker. Also, there was no energy gathered on the sword the Sword Empress had raised.
Murong Seryeong, seeing that, couldn't help but shout.
"Dan...ger...!"
Before she could finish her words, the Sword Empress lightly took a step forward and cut with her sword. Slice! A clean line was created in the air.
The momentum that the three, who were clearly intangible, had been emanating was cut.
Furthermore, the sword aura was cut.
That was not all. Everything that came into contact with the line the Sword Empress had created was cut.
Thud.
"Ugh!"
With a shallow scream, an arm that had lost its owner fell onto the tournament stage.
The Sword Empress, as at the beginning, gently held her sword and was slowly raising it again.
A feeling of fear flashed through the eyes of the three for a moment.
Among them, the elder, Lee Yul-dok, who had suddenly become one-armed, released a momentum twice as strong as before and rushed forward in a state of excitement.
Lee Yul-dok's pupils were vertically slit, reminiscent of a reptile.
"Aaaargh! I'll kill you!"
Thwack!
The moment Lee Yul-dok kicked off the ground for the third time, he shot out with a speed that was incomparable to before. Swoosh! Lee Yul-dok lowered his body as if it would touch the ground. Then his speed became even faster.
The Sword Empress was just raising her sword as at the beginning and was slowly exhaling.
Murong Seryeong could instinctively tell that the three opponents of the Sword Empress were martial artists who had reached the Profound Realm. And due to an enlightenment she had not yet perceived, which had changed something in her after the duel, she could vaguely predict the opponent's movements.
'Thwack! Front, thwack! Side, thwack! Rear, thwack! Front again, it's coming!'
Slice!
The Sword Empress's sword cut the front.
At that moment, Murong Seryeong's eyes widened.
The Sword Empress's sword strike was so beautiful and perfect that it made her admire it even though she was watching.
It was the ideal she had dreamed of for a long time.
Yes, normally, the opponent should have been cut in half by that blow.
But the opponent's movement at the last moment was so strange and marvelous that it made her wonder if he was even human.
"I'm sure of it."
The Sword Empress opened her mouth for the first time after the duel, with a tone of conviction.
The pupils of the opponent facing the Sword Empress were all vertically slit.
At the sight just now, Murong Seryeong recalled a conversation she had had with the Sword Empress a while ago.
'The movement just now was definitely... beyond the permissible range of the body's joints!'
-Seryeong, this is a story I should tell you when you reach it in the distant future, but the situation is what it is, so I think I have to tell you now. After all, for you, the distant future might be just around the corner.
-What is it?
-Before that, do you know that a special mark appears in the pupils when you reach the Profound Realm?
-Yes.
-As expected, you're smart. Then do you know this too? That there are realms even in the Profound Realm.
-Realms? I've never heard of it.
-It's understandable that you haven't heard of it before. How many masters who have entered the Profound Realm are there in the martial world, and would you have had a chance to meet such people in person even once?
-Yes, yes. That's... right?
-You talk as if you've met one or two in person.
-Because I've met the Sword Empress.
-That's right. The fact that you met me can be said to be a fateful encounter for you, Seryeong.
-The Sword Empress seems to have a little more self-love than other people.
-Why? Is that not allowed?
-No! It's cool!
-Yes. Become a person who knows how to love yourself.
-Yes! I will keep that in mind.
-Coming back to it, just like third-rate, second-rate, first-rate, Peak, Transcendent Peak, Transformation Realm, and Profound Realm. There are countless realms even within the Profound Realm.
-That many? Aren't they usually divided into early, middle, and late stages?
-If it's a general realm up to the Transformation Realm, I would express it that way. But the Profound Realm is a little different. It can be said to be a completely different realm from before. To put it simply, from the Profound Realm, the impossible is made possible.
-The impossible is made possible?
-Yes. It makes the intangible tangible, and the unrealizable realizable. But that doesn't mean it's omnipotent.
-Because of the fundamental limits of a human?
-Hoo! As expected, you're smart. Yes, that's why a mark appears in the pupils as a proof. This is a proof of transcending the limits of a human, and at the same time, a shackle that has not yet overcome the limits of a human.
-I still don't quite understand.
-You will also have a day when you can gradually understand. So don't worry.
-Yes. Then what on earth is the realm?
-I also don't know exactly how many realms the Profound Realm is divided into. What I know is only a very small part. Perhaps he, who is called the strongest in the present, might know.
-Are you talking about the Heavenly Demon?
-Yes. The Soul-Stealing Heavenly Demon, Hyeok Sa-wol. He was the man who was most suited to the word 'strongest' among the martial artists I have ever met.
-That's right.
-Hmm? You talk as if you've met the Heavenly Demon in person.
-I-I heard so. The Heavenly Demon is famous.
-That's true. Anyway, coming back to it, what I'm going to tell you now are two of the three things.
-What are they?
-Do you remember what I said before?
-Yes! You told me to manifest my will.
-That's right. Not just imbuing will, but materializing will. To forcibly materialize something that has no substance like this. This is called the Profound Will. And...
"To borrow the characteristics of something that has substance. That is, the ability to implement. This is called the Profound Manifestation. And the Profound Will can be gauged by the characters engraved in the pupils, and the Profound Manifestation can be gauged by the sophistication of the implemented form that appears in the pupils."
In Murong Seryeong's view, the pupils of the three were like those of a reptile.
(End of Chapter)