novelraw Chapter 25 : Preliminary Round (4)
Chapter 25 : Preliminary Round (4)
My heart pounded as I prepared to participate in a large competition like the preliminary rounds.
It wasn't because I was nervous; it was an increase in my heart rate caused by the accumulated fatigue from working all night.
Did I sleep for about three days in these two weeks?
I was really on the verge of death right now. At this point, it seemed certain that the Heavenly Demon Cult had decided to just drop me.
As I fought to keep my drooping eyelids open with all my might and looked around, I could see participants from the Little Demon Academy here and there.
The person over there who is repeatedly sitting down and standing up for no reason is the Mad Demon. Does he have energy to spare? The person quietly holding a sword and closing his eyes in a corner is the Sword Demoness. If he oversleeps, he won't be able to participate. The Demonic Brain didn't participate, so he won't be here. The person who is already talking friendly with people he's never seen before is Gwang Se-hyeon. That's also a talent if you think about it.
Besides them, I could find about ten more people.
In front, it seemed like everyone was reluctant to participate, but behind the scenes, so many had participated.
I was greatly disappointed in the future of the Heavenly Demon Cult, who were already showing a different face in front and behind. This is why everyone praises the Heavenly Demon Cult in front, but still curses it as the Demonic Cult behind their backs.
Reputation is something that is created from these small, trivial parts.
For reference, since I had recanted on the first day, when the twelve-hour recantation rule was applied, I was already judged to be a clean person with the same face in front and behind.
And here and there, I could see crazy bastards who had thrown away the privilege of going directly to the main tournament, which others couldn't have even if they wanted to, and were stubbornly trying to climb up from the preliminary rounds.
From my perspective, it was an incomprehensible act.
If it were me, I would have just stretched my legs and slept all day to rest.
There was also the Shaolin monk I had seen earlier.
He seemed to be the only participant from the Orthodox Faction invited to this Divine Demon Tournament.
I knew that the Heavenly Demon Cult had invited only one person from the Orthodox Faction to this Divine Demon Tournament.
The former abbot of the Shaolin Temple, the Divine Monk.
But the Divine Monk didn't come alone. Those of a lower rank also came. The Divine Monk wasn't of a rank to do things alone.
Before my regression, I didn't pay much attention, so I didn't know, but looking at it now, it seemed that the groundwork for the plan to invite all the key figures of the Orthodox Faction in ten years was laid from here.
It was probably something that came from the strategist's head.
The Heavenly Demon never tests the waters like this. He either invites everyone or just wipes them all out.
And normally, the preliminary rounds would have been held in everyone's indifference, but this time, due to the aforementioned mentally strange bastards, it was receiving quite a lot of attention.
The high-ranking officials visible here and there were proof of that.
There were people from the Heavenly Demon Cult, people from the Sura Cult, people from the Blood Cult, and people from the Five Heretical Factions. What was surprising was that there was also a man who seemed to be from the Orthodox Faction, quite young but exuding a solid prayer.
He seemed to be a person of a rather high position in the middle ranks of the Orthodox Faction.
Seeing that he was carrying a sword, he seemed to be from either Wudang or Namgung.
Every time I see people who go out of their way to suffer, as a person on my second life, I just can't understand it.
Why live so hard when you're going to die anyway?
Life is too short to just enjoy it.
This is why a person has to die once to really come to their senses.
So, if it weren't for the current situation, the number of people who would advance from the preliminary rounds to the main tournament was traditionally fixed at 48. Because the 16 confirmed participants for the main tournament were fixed.
And so, the remaining 48 of the final 64 main tournament participants were to be selected through the preliminary rounds...
This time, due to a large number of dropouts among the confirmed participants for the main tournament, the number of participants advancing from the preliminary rounds to the main tournament had increased significantly.
A total of 60 people.
A situation where the number of successful candidates had increased by 12 from the original 48.
Perhaps because of that, the atmosphere of the preliminary rounds was also very heated.
Everyone had a look in their eyes as if they were imagining themselves advancing to the main tournament and leading the demonic path in the future.
"Everyone, please be quiet!"
A voice that suddenly filled the training ground.
The voice was not very loud, but it hit the ears hard. It meant at least a grand commander level.
It seemed that the Heavenly Demon Cult had also paid some attention to controlling this number of people.
I focused on the voice of the person who might become my superior.
"The preliminary rounds will be held from now on. However, only 60 of the people here can advance to the main tournament. And the number of participants in the preliminary rounds is over 3,000."
No wonder there were so many. Even if the Divine Demon Tournament is a land of opportunity, it seems that even the riffraff have all participated.
"From now on, we will divide into 60 groups. Only the final survivor from each group will have the honor of advancing to the main tournament!"
"Wow!"
The moment the words ended, cheers erupted. This time, the grand commander remained still. At the sight of the generous superior, I felt a sense of reverence. A jade-colored grand commander! I wanted to shout, but I held it in. The kids, as if they had noticed, became quiet again.
"Then, we will divide the groups!"
People who seemed to be from the lower ranks came out and called out each name and group.
'60 groups.'
The matchups between the existing strong players would probably have been scattered. The means for that is these 60 groups.
As expected, all the key figures, including the Sword Demoness, the Mad Demon, Gwang Se-hyeon, and me, were assigned to different groups.
'I'm also separated from Yang So-pyeong of the Sura Cult.'
However, an unexpected person was included in my group.
'That person... was he called the Blood Twin Axes, Pi-ram?'
I remember him as a representative figure of the Green Forest.
Something that wouldn't have happened normally.
Was it a mistake? I could think that, but the tournament bracket is managed directly by the military affairs department.
The Heavenly Demon Brain, Noe In-mu, makes a mistake? As someone who had experienced him directly, it was an act I couldn't even imagine.
So, the current situation was by no means a mistake.
Someone influential enough to affect the military affairs department had breathed on the tournament bracket.
And that someone wants me to be eliminated in the preliminary rounds.
I scanned the people from the Heavenly Demon Cult sitting in the seats of honor at the training ground.
There must be someone among them who wants me to be eliminated.
This situation is getting interesting again. I feel like my blood is boiling with the hostility I'm receiving after a long time.
Well, it's probably the higher-ups of those bastards from the Seven Harmonies Association or the Seven Demons Association.
Either all seven elders, excluding the Spear Demon, the Sword Demon, and the strategist, or some of them, or one of them, or someone else.
With the information I have now, the range of possibilities is too wide.
In a situation like this, the best method is to create a variable. Then that someone will show a reaction.
But the top priority of this Divine Demon Tournament is my hyung-nim's victory. Nothing should happen before that. It would be a big problem if the Divine Demon Tournament were to be canceled.
'Jae-ha, you've finally become a saint, knowing how to endure!'
But if there are guys who are trying to ruin this Divine Demon Tournament, I could swear on everything I have.
That if they try to sprinkle blood on my flower garden, I will sprinkle their blood and slaughter as fertilizer.
For now, it didn't seem like they were going to do anything. What was certain was that they wanted me to be eliminated in the preliminary rounds.
And as a means for that, the Blood Twin Axes, Pi-ram of the Green Forest, was chosen.
I'm a person who dislikes sprinkling ashes on other people's lives if I can help it.
To be honest, this wasn't my fault, but the fault of that person named Pi-ram. If he hadn't been so stubborn, he would have advanced to the main tournament without any trouble.
So who told you to kick away the privilege?
A person has to know their place and act up. Because those who can't are prone to being used.
Besides, the high-ranking person above whom I don't know seemed to want to know the results quickly.
"60th group preliminary round, 1st match, Yoo Jae-ha versus Pi-ram!"
Seeing that they had placed it in the very first match.
"I am the Blood Twin Axes, Pi-ram."
The huge twin axes of red color on Pi-ram's back, who had come up to the tournament stage, were enough to make the viewers feel fear.
If the person standing in front of me now wasn't me, that is.
"I am Yoo Jae-ha."
"Informal speech?"
"You spoke informally too."
"I see."
I liked that he was straightforward, like a man of the Green Forest.
"For reference, I'm sorry. I will crush you and climb up. And I will prove it."
Everyone has their own circumstances.
Among the people here, there is no one whose faction has not fallen, and there are probably hundreds who are participating for revenge for similar reasons.
Because that's what the wounds of war are like.
"I participated in this tournament to spread the greatness of the Green Forest."
The fact that a mere bandit talks a lot is a branch of history that a long tradition has repeatedly proven.
Usually, in novels, mere bandits would run their mouths like that, get knocked out in one blow, and then not appear again. That was the tradition and custom.
"Does the Green Forest fight with their mouths?"
"You're quite sharp. Is everyone in the Heavenly Demon Cult like that?"
"I wouldn't know. I haven't met everyone in the Heavenly Demon Cult."
"I see. Then I don't think I need to be polite to you either."
When were you ever polite? So when are you coming in? I'm about to yawn. I'm starting to reach my limit in holding back my sleep.
I have to have at least five more duels like this, so this is a big problem. If I happen to fall asleep and miss my turn, it will be a withdrawal loss.
At least, since it's the first turn, there was the advantage of being able to take a short nap.
"Then, I'm coming."
Pi-ram took out the two huge twin axes on his shoulders and clashed them against each other. They looked heavy at a glance, so the fact that he was holding one in each hand was amazing.
There is a light and suitable weapon for killing people called a sword, so I couldn't understand why he would use such an inefficient weapon.
Thud!
When Pi-ram kicked off the ground, the stone plate on the tournament stage shook once. Despite his huge build, his movements were quite agile. Pi-ram, who had reached me in an instant, swung one of his twin axes at me.
'Just how much strength do you need to be able to do that?'
The power of his muscles was one thing, but judging from his exposed forearms, his elasticity was no joke. When I put some distance between us and dodged, he immediately swung the twin axe in his other hand at me.
And yet, his body's balance was still maintained. His waist, which resembled a log, was very stable. It was partly innate, but I couldn't even imagine how much effort he had put in to perform this single movement.
He probably swung his twin axes every day. When I dodged the second axe, Pi-ram stomped his foot and leaped.
He used the centrifugal force of the twin axes to throw them back behind his head. And he bent his waist like a shrimp and brought the twin axes down on me.
The air split as the twin axes rushed towards me.
Even without directly experiencing those twin axes, I could indirectly tell that if I tried to block them with a sword, my body would be cut in half along with the sword and I would die.
Again, there are many weapons in the martial world. Among them, there are quite a few light and lethal weapons.
A weapon is something that shows its effect when it reaches the opponent.
A sword stabs, a saber cuts.
A whip lashes, a hidden weapon is thrown.
In the end, if it doesn't reach, it doesn't matter whether the power within it is strong or not.
The skill to handle such large twin axes freely. If it were a slightly lighter weapon like an iron mace instead of twin axes, the efficiency would have been at least twice as good compared to his current skill in handling the twin axes.
Crash!
Though its destructive power was worth acknowledging.
The twin axes came down on the tournament stage. The stone plate that was hit shattered.
Its destructive power was worth acknowledging.
After that, I just kept dodging Pi-ram's attacks.
"You rat, can you only dodge?"
Actually, I want to win in one blow too, but there are too many eyes watching.
"Then I have no choice. Let's see if you can dodge this too."
Suddenly, Pi-ram's prayer changed. A heavy weight settled on the tournament stage.
Oh-ho! I was genuinely impressed.
Pi-ram knew very well what the weakness of the twin axes was.
This changes things.
Because it means he has a way to make those twin axes with such enormous destructive power reach me.
And I knew a martial art similar to this.
The weight pressing down on me gradually increased.
My body became heavier and heavier, as if water was being absorbed into a sponge. It was hard to move.
On the other hand, Pi-ram was moving freely in this.
"It's a technique called Green Water. It's a technique that restricts the opponent's movements."
Green hand.
I opened my eyes slightly. I put qi into my pupils. Then, a different scene from before came into my eyes.
As befitting the name Green Water, the qi that had risen from the ground was binding my body. It was as if the vines of a jungle were tying me up.
Pi-ram stuck one of his twin axes into the tournament stage and held the other with both hands, raising it above his head.
"If you admit defeat now, I will stop. But if not, you may die."
I tried to move, but the vines of qi stubbornly held me back. When I cut one, the vine next to it tied me up.
"I have definitely given you a chance to live. Do not resent me."
Pi-ram threw the axe with both hands at me. The axe, thrown with all his might, spun fiercely and flew straight at me.
I brought the vines of qi that were tying up my body to the axe Pi-ram had thrown.
Slice, slice, slice, slice, slice!
The vines of qi were cut, and I immediately kicked off from my spot.
"As expected, you're more than ordinary. Most would have given up their lives at the first move, but sometimes, outstanding people like you react like this."
A voice heard right next to me.
When I turned my head, Pi-ram's remaining axe had already reached right in front of me.
"Have you ever been stabbed in the back by an axe you trusted?"
"Don't be arrogant! Heavenly Demon Cult! I still have more moves!"
The vines of qi that I thought I had just untangled were tying me up again. Moreover, their number was even greater than before.
"It's the end."
A move prepared by thinking about the opponent's next, and the next after that.
He had already surpassed the level of a rising star. This was a move that could only be achieved through several life-or-death experiences.
But damn it, the world is wide. Before I met my junior sister, I also thought I was damn strong, powerful, and that the world was rolling in the palm of my hand.
But when I actually found out, my world was just a well.
The technique now was similar to what I knew.
In fact, there was a similar technique in the martial world. Even the Namgung family had a more advanced technique called the Emperor Sword Form, which subdued the opponent's body.
And the Heavenly Demon Cult also had one. It was a technique called the Heavenly Demon's Reigning Steps. Of course, I knew how to use it, and I also knew all of its principles.
Therefore, I also knew the countermeasure for the Heavenly Demon's Reigning Steps.
The principle of the Heavenly Demon's Reigning Steps could be simply said to be based on the Reversal of Heaven.
In that Reversal of Heaven, there were largely two forces.
The yang energy, the force that tries to rise from the bottom to the top as its position is reversed.
On the contrary, the yin energy, the force that comes down from the top to the bottom.
What I had used in the tournament with Soma before was a martial art that used yang energy.
On the other hand, the Heavenly Demon's Reigning Steps was a martial art that used yin energy.
The force that presses down from top to bottom.
Because it goes against the laws that exist in the world, the magnitude of that force was immense.
Of course, what I was going to use now was not the Heavenly Demon's Reigning Steps. Because if I used it, it would be a very big problem.
What I was going to use was its countermeasure.
Again, the Heavenly Demon's Reigning Steps is a martial art that uses the yin energy of the Reversal of Heaven. Its countermeasure was surprisingly simple. You just had to offset it with a comparable force.
That is, you just had to imbue your body with the yang energy of the Reversal of Heaven.
The force that tries to rise from the bottom to the top.
The force that breaks through everything that presses down.
The Reversal of Heaven Power!
Crack, crack.
Every time I moved my body, the vines of qi that were tying me up broke. Pi-ram's eyes widened when he saw that.
He must be surprised. I also foamed at the mouth when my junior sister broke through my Heavenly Demon's Reigning Steps on the spot and approached me.
Still, you're better than me. You didn't foam at the mouth.
I lightly dodged the axe that was being swung and punched Pi-ram in the abdomen.
Thwack!
Pi-ram collapsed on the tournament stage and vomited stomach acid.
Still, I foamed at the mouth, so you should vomit something too.
I gently pressed down on Pi-ram's head and looked at the judge, and the judge declared my victory.
I turned my head towards the seat of honor and could see a man with a frown on his face.
'It's you?'
(End of Chapter)