The World's Greatest Troublemaker

Chapter 123

It's a given, but as the matches continued, only the strong remained. And they also prepared thoroughly for their opponents. Mok Wigun asked.

"When you're having a duel, what kind of opponent do you think is the most difficult?"

"A boring opponent?"

Gwak Wol answered without thinking. Deungroe and Won Gagyeol thought about it, but they couldn't answer clearly.

"Everyone has different opinions, but I think this way. An unknown opponent."

What kind of martial arts they use, what their strengths and weaknesses are. An opponent with no such information. When you face such a person for the first time, it's quite tiring.

"Ah. I guess so."

The disciples also seemed to feel that it was plausible. But the more experience they gained, the more they would realize that this was true.

"You guys are like that. Because you won against the strong in the beginning, you received a lot of attention."

But nothing is known. So from the next match, people who were paying close attention appeared. They were the opponents they would face on the match-up table.

"You should consider that your strengths and weaknesses have been grasped that much. So you have to think of a countermeasure for that, right?"

Mok Wigun said, looking at the match-up table made in the training ground.

"Gagyeol's opponent tomorrow is not easy. Deungroe and Wol's opponents the day after tomorrow are tricky."

So they decided to practice with Won Gagyeol first.

"Gagyeol's strength is that his defense is solid."

Won Gagyeol was a timid and introverted child. And he was a person who thought pessimistically rather than optimistically in any situation. That personality was reflected in his martial arts.

Won Gagyeol worries about everything even when he's having a duel. What if this kind of attack comes from here? If I'm suddenly attacked like this, I'm in danger. As he thought like this, he became good at defense. And he was also able to receive Gwak Wol's attacks well.

"But you can't win without attacking. By now, the opponent must have figured out what the only useful attack is."

Won Gagyeol's attack was simple. He would receive the opponent's attack, see an opportunity, push them, and then counterattack. He might have been able to win once or twice, but from now on, it would be difficult.

"So that won't work anymore. There has to be another way."

"Then should I learn a new attack technique?"

Won Gagyeol asked. Mok Wigun shook his head.

"No. We're going to strengthen the defense technique."

"Huh? But you said I have to attack to win..."

Won Gagyeol asked as if he didn't understand.

"Offense and defense are not clearly divided. Offense is defense, and defense is offense."

Won Gagyeol still lacked confidence and conviction in himself. In such a situation, if he were to learn a new attack technique, he would only feel burdened and wouldn't be able to learn it well. So he would strengthen his strengths and make him win.

And there's no need to explain such things. It's best to experience it directly.

"Alright. I'll try to attack, so you try to defend."

Mok Wigun performed an attack with his wooden sword. Won Gagyeol skillfully defended against the wooden sword that was stabbing straight at him.

'He certainly has a talent for defense.'

The tip of Mok Wigun's sword and the part slightly above Won Gagyeol's handle were touching. This makes defense quite comfortable. Because even if you use the same strength, the defending side moves as they want. Being able to lead the situation according to your own intentions is a huge advantage.

The disappointing thing was the subsequent response. Mok Wigun stopped after attacking a few more times.

"Try to attack exactly as I did."

"Exactly?"

"You don't have to do it exactly, so just do as you think."

Won Gagyeol's attack was bland. It lacked sharpness and was not threatening. But that's not important.

"Alright. From here."

The tip of Won Gagyeol's sword was touching the part slightly above Mok Wigun's handle. From there, Mok Wigun slightly lifted the opponent's sword and moved forward.

"Huh?"

Won Gagyeol was flustered and tried to defend, but he realized it wasn't easy. He had to use his own sword, but he couldn't do anything because it was pressed down by Mok Wigun's sword. Won Gagyeol threw his sword back, kicked, and then retreated.

"Oh. A good technique."

Mok Wigun admired. When he saw Won Gagyeol defending, there was a strange aspect. It seemed impossible to block, but he had found a way. But Won Gagyeol was even more surprised.

"You can do it like this too."

"You know what it means that defense is offense, right?"

"Yes. I thought of the two as separate, but that wasn't the case."

Won Gagyeol also seemed to have realized something.

"And the attacks are also diverse from here, you can also strike with the back of the sword after going in."

Mok Wigun showed a demonstration himself. All the way to going in and striking the chest with the back of the sword. And then he showed another technique in the same situation.

"It's also possible to push and cut. And when the sword is distracted like this, there's also attacking the lower body."

Mok Wigun used a foot technique, and Won Gagyeol fell to the ground in an instant. It seemed like nothing, but it was amazing.

"The important thing is the opponent's movement. You just have to use the method that suits how the opponent reacts."

"Wow. This would be quite tricky to block."

A good technique is not something that is incredibly complicated. Something that is simple and easy but difficult to block is good.

"If you just know a few of these, the probability of winning in a duel will increase significantly."

Won Gagyeol clenched his fists. He thought he could do it if it was like this. A natural attack that follows from defense. He thought it was a method that suited him well.

But the gazes of Deungroe and Gwak Wol, who were watching the training of Mok Wigun and Won Gagyeol, were also unusual. The two were thinking of ways to use that technique in their own ways. Seeing that, Mok Wigun smiled with satisfaction.

"Alright. Then let's practice one by one."

Mok Wigun made them practice the techniques he had just taught them. While facing Won Gagyeol, if there was a mistake, he pointed it out right away.

"The left leg should come forward here. That way, it's comfortable to continue to the next movement, and the transition can also be made quickly. Try again."

"The opportunity is when the opponent counterattacks. Don't retreat, stick to them. Try again."

"You can't attack the entire range. So if you just know the time and place, you can dodge it anytime. Try again."

Gwak Wol and Deungroe had already brought their own weapons and were dueling with each other on the side. They nodded and were amazed as they practiced the technique that Mok Wigun had taught them.

And so, when Won Gagyeol's training was somewhat done, he called Gwak Wol this time.

"Your match the day after tomorrow is also not easy. Because she's a kid that the Huashan Sect has high expectations for."

If she wins the day after tomorrow, she has to have a match with one of the two people that the Huashan Sect has the highest expectations for. He was a person who was aiming for the top ranks in the main tournament.

"It's going to be fun."

"Just don't be careless. Then whether you win or lose, it will be a great help to you."

Gwak Wol is a child who is now in the middle of developing. She was still a little lacking against a strong person who was aiming for the top ranks in the main tournament. But it's not like there's no possibility at all. Mok Wigun was thinking of developing that possibility as much as possible.

"Alright. Here I go."

Mok Wigun's sword cut through the dark night air. Gwak Wol's sword danced to match it. Since it was getting close to autumn and they were in the mountains, it was quite chilly at night. But the training ground was heated up with the passion of the four people.

"That's not it. You have to relax your strength and turn your wrist there. Try again."

"Yes. Master."

The voices of Mok Wigun and Gwak Wol spread through the night sky.

* * *

"Phew... Phew..."

Won Gagyeol gathered his breath while taking a deep breath. The opponent was really strong.

"Hey! Get a grip."

So Jeonghak shouted. He could see So Jeonghak's figure among the spectators. That wasn't all. He could see the faces of the fifty or so colleagues he had spent time with at the Zhongnan Sect.

'Of all days, today.'

Since there was something to do, he had left late and arrived today. Everyone cheered for the Zhongnan Sect's good results. And the first match they were watching was Won Gagyeol's. But to be pushed back like this.

"Hut!"

The opponent attacked without a sound. Damn bastard. He's old and a senior, but he's not going easy on me. Won Gagyeol thought that as he quickly retreated and dodged. But he knew well how absurd that thought was. Where is there going easy in a duel?

'It's difficult like this.'

His stamina was gradually decreasing. Nevertheless, the reason the opponent was attacking cautiously was because of a few counterattacks. After defending, the opponent was startled by the counterattack that followed.

'I should have finished it then. I almost finished it.'

But the opponent was also not ordinary. He had failed to finish him because he had defended by performing a life-saving technique. Won Gagyeol was very disappointed at that time. He should have gone for it. Now, since the opponent was being careful and pressing, he couldn't even get a chance to do that.

"How annoying."

The opponent also seemed to be annoyed by Won Gagyeol's defense. It was understandable since he kept enduring even though he seemed about to collapse.

"Ugh!"

The opponent let out a strange cry and rushed in. A barrage of attacks.

Tadadak!

He barely blocked it. It would be correct to say that he was barely blocking it. At that, the spectators all shouted. It was because it seemed he would be hit by a sword and collapse at any moment.

"Won Gagyeol! Dodge!"

"Block it!"

He could hear his colleagues shouting. But Won Gagyeol felt his hand holding the sword getting heavier. The end was approaching.

"Phew... Phew..."

His breathing became rougher. But the opponent's breathing was also disordered. So a lull continued for a while.

The opponent also seemed to be resting and raising his stamina. If he continued, his stamina consumption would be too great even if he won, so he was planning to settle the match in one go.

"Here I go!"

The opponent held his sword straight and then spun his body and swung at Won Gagyeol's left side.

Thwack!

He blocked the opponent's sword with the part slightly above the handle. And he was about to push, but the opponent retrieved his sword. It seemed he had prepared for the technique he had been hit by once before.

Then he stepped on his footwork and quickly approached from the right and extended his sword. If he stayed as he was, his right chest would be stabbed. Since it was a wooden sword, it was just a stab, but if it were a real sword, it was an attack that could pierce his chest.

'The left leg should come forward here.'

Suddenly, the words he had heard countless times yesterday came to mind. And naturally, his left leg came forward, and he moved his sword to block the attack. It wasn't that he had thought and done it. It was as if his body had moved on its own.

'The transition to the next movement is fast!'

At the same time as he blocked, Won Gagyeol pushed the opponent's sword. Perhaps because the tip of the opponent's sword was close to the handle, the opponent's sword was pushed back without much force. At the same time, his body moved forward and spun around.

This too was not something he had thought and moved. It was as if his body had moved as if it had been choreographed in advance. And the sword swung at the opponent's neck.

(End of Chapter)