novelraw Chapter 81 : Chapter 81
Chapter 81 : Chapter 81
Chapter 81 Life-and-Death Tournament (4)
Upon reaching the inner court where the Life-and-Death Tournament was being held, Jaun opened his eyes wide.
As it was said to be one of the most important events in the Sado Alliance, the effort put into it was evident everywhere.
In the very center, five platforms were neatly paved with blue steel stones.
Tables arranged around them were piled high with alcohol and meat, and the VIP seats, set separately in a high position, were luxuriously decorated with silk.
Dozens of warriors guarded the perimeter of each platform with a grim momentum, and every single one of them was a person who could easily be called a master.
“Even though this is an event held only within the Sado Alliance without outside guests, do they prepare this much?”
When Jaun asked with a surprised expression, Ice Rakshasa nodded her head.
“In the Sado Alliance, which worships strength, this is the place where one can best confirm each other's might. There is no way they would neglect the preparations for such an event.”
Looking around, Ice Rakshasa nudged Jaun and pointed to a corner with her hand.
“That is where the participants wait. There is a training hall inside, so go and warm up your body while preparing in advance. I will take Young Hero Ban and go up to the VIP seats. I don't feel like it, but I intend to ask the Alliance Leader one more time to take a good look at Young Hero Jaun.”
Jaun looked at Ice Rakshasa with a warm gaze.
“I am always grateful for many things. I will finish this well without giving you cause for concern, so watch comfortably.”
After staring into Jaun's eyes, which were brimming with confidence, for a moment, Ice Rakshasa poked Jaun in the side.
“Just try losing. I will tease you for a long time.”
Ice Rakshasa turned toward the VIP seats, taking Ban Cheol-hwi with her.
Jaun, watching Ice Rakshasa and Ban Cheol-hwi walk away, took a deep breath and turned his body to head toward the participant waiting room.
FLAP
As Jaun entered the tent, a stinging energy began to pour toward him.
Since the chairs inside were facing the entrance of the tent, Jaun could not help but receive the gazes of numerous warriors at once.
“Ho. Is it that guy?”
“Probably? Among those under twenty, the only warrior participating in the Life-and-Death Tournament is that guy who supposedly came from the Five Evils and the Murim Alliance.”
Feeling burdened by the pouring stares, Jaun quickly walked to a chair in a corner and sat down.
The surroundings buzzed for a while, and Jaun quietly closed his eyes and waited for time to pass.
The preliminaries would be divided by time over three days, but since there were so many people participating in this Life-and-Death Tournament, dozens were waiting in this area alone.
In the end, all the warriors gathered in the waiting room were enemies.
Unlike the curious gazes of the people who had gathered at the inn, the gazes of the warriors sitting in the waiting room were heavy and sharp enough.
‘Tsk. If I had known it was this kind of structure, I should have come much later.’
While shifting his body with his eyes closed in discomfort, Jaun finally felt someone approaching him and let out a sigh.
“Hey.”
In front of Jaun, who had opened his eyes, stood a giant with a long scar on his face, standing with his arms crossed.
“Are you that brat who supposedly came from the Murim Alliance?”
Jaun quietly nodded his head at the giant's question.
“With what intention did you participate in the Life-and-Death Tournament?”
“Because of unavoidable circumstances.”
The giant frowned at Jaun's answer.
“I have set up an energy barrier around us, so you can speak comfortably. Did the Alliance Leader really tell you to participate?”
“……Yes.”
The giant stared down at Jaun for a while and then burst into a smirk.
“Anyway, the Alliance Leader really has a bad taste sometimes.”
The giant sat down heavily on the empty chair next to Jaun.
“Did she say she was bored again?”
At the giant's words, Jaun slightly turned his head to look at him.
‘He is a considerable master.’
He was a warrior who had suppressed his energy so well that his level was only properly felt once he approached closely.
Jaun nodded toward the giant.
“Right. Well, that person might do that. But it seems this prank has crossed the line a bit.”
The giant, who was scanning Jaun up and down thoroughly, scratched his head.
“Tsk. To think she made someone like you participate in this. I don't know if all the Sado Alliance kids will have their spirits crushed.”
‘?!’
Even though it was not a master who surpassed him, it was his first time meeting a warrior who could even vaguely sense his level.
Jaun looked up at the giant with curious eyes.
“I can't even properly grasp your level either. Really. I can't understand what the Alliance Leader is thinking sometimes.”
The giant, muttering like that and cracking his neck, stared blankly at Jaun and then reached out his hand.
“I am called Hwan Chu-hyul of the Sado Alliance. I am the person in charge of this Life-and-Death Tournament and was the martial arts instructor for the Five Evils.”
“I am Han Jaun of the Murim Alliance.”
Hwan Chu-hyul, after gripping Jaun's hand firmly once, leaned his back against the chair.
“Among those participating in this Life-and-Death Tournament, there are a few dangerous ones. Of course, someone of your level won't suffer a great defeat, but then again, who knows. This Murim is a place where one can lose their life to a stray blade if they let their guard down.”
Pretending to yawn loudly while glancing around once, Hwan Chu-hyul leaned toward Jaun.
“I will let you know in advance when the time comes, so if you end up fighting them, do not be careless when you face them in the tournament.”
Jaun looked at Hwan Chu-hyul, who was whispering quietly to him, as if it were strange.
Recognizing the meaning in Jaun's gaze, Hwan Chu-hyul scratched his head.
“Ahem. It's nothing special. Since I taught those Five Evils children, I have grown quite attached to them. I am making a request that is not quite a request, asking you to send them back with their limbs intact if you happen to meet them.”
Hwan Chu-hyul grinned and whispered toward Jaun again.
“In return, I will give you all the information I have on your opponents. Since you came from the Murim Alliance, you probably don't know much about your opponents. You get information from me, and I get a guarantee for the safety of the Five Evils. How about it? Isn't this a profitable deal for you?”
Jaun, who smiled toward Hwan Chu-hyul, shook his head from side to side.
“I will refuse.”
At Jaun's answer, Hwan Chu-hyul's expression instantly stiffened.
“……You refuse?”
A thick energy spread around Hwan Chu-hyul's body.
Unconcerned by it, Jaun turned his head to look at Hwan Chu-hyul.
“I have no intention of harming the Five Evils. You do not need to worry about that point. It is just that I do not intend to receive information about the warriors you said you would tell me.”
“……Why? If the Alliance Leader made you participate in the Life-and-Death Tournament, she must have told you to prove something. Wouldn't it be easier to get what you want if you knew the information about your opponents?”
“The warriors of the Sado Alliance do not know information about me either. Therefore, I want to fight them on equal footing. Although I came to participate at the instruction of the Sado Alliance Leader, I also think this is a good opportunity for me to confirm my own skills.”
At Jaun's words, Hwan Chu-hyul looked at Jaun with eyes that seemed unable to understand.
After staring at Jaun for a long time, Hwan Chu-hyul shook his head and smacked his lips.
“……Anyway, you orthodox faction guys. Geez. I made the request for nothing. I've only lost face.”
Hwan Chu-hyul, scratching his head, let out a cough and stood up from his seat.
“Anyway, if that is your heart, I won't stop you. Instead, it would be good to do your best in every match. The Life-and-Death Tournament of the Sado Alliance is a competition with a completely different nature than the sparring tournaments of the Murim Alliance.”
After hesitating for a moment while looking at Jaun, Hwan Chu-hyul turned around and walked out of the tent with long strides.
****
“Han Jaun.”
“Yes.”
“So Yu-ram.”
“I am here.”
The tedious waiting time passed, and finally, the names of Jaun and his opponent were called.
Following behind the lanky middle-aged man who had come forward, Jaun stepped out of the tent.
So Yu-ram, who glanced back at Jaun once, leaped onto the platform in front of them first, and Jaun also slowly stepped on the stairs and climbed onto the platform.
Having climbed onto the platform, Jaun scanned So Yu-ram's entire body once.
Compared to other warriors of the Sado Alliance, he had a relatively slender physique, but the muscles of his right arm and right leg, which were abnormally developed, stood out.
‘His title was Illusionary Maze Principle Sword, right?’
Toward Jaun, who was carefully examining him, So Yu-ram opened his mouth.
“Brat. These days, Ak-yang is noisy with stories about you.”
So Yu-ram, who pulled out a thin sword from his waist, grinned and licked his sword once.
“But what to do. After today passes, your name will never be heard again. Even if you are a child whom the Alliance Leader made participate, I have absolutely no intention of yielding this match.”
So Yu-ram shook his thin sword from side to side once.
“I am sorry, but this will be the first and last time for you in this Life-and-Death Tournament. So, it would be good to do your best from the beginning.”
Looking at So Yu-ram, who continued his talk with a confident attitude, Jaun let out a chuckle.
It was not a mistake to dream.
However, it was just pitiful to see him acting relaxed without even possessing the ability to properly grasp his opponent's skill.
Jaun turned his head to the side.
He could feel the gaze of the Sado Alliance Leader looking down at the tournament ground from the high platform.
It was clearly a gaze directed toward the place where he was standing, not at other tournament grounds.
Usually, it was said that on the day the Life-and-Death Tournament begins, the Alliance Leader only shows her face for a moment and then watches the tournament after the outlines have been narrowed down to some extent.
Therefore, the reason she did not leave her seat today, unlike usual, was clearly to watch Jaun's match.
‘Hmm. Since there is something I promised, I should show her something for now.’
Jaun pulled out his Dark Steel Sword.
‘Let's first check the opponent's level.’
Jaun's Dark Steel Sword was slowly positioned in front of the center of his body.
“Are you ready?”
When the supervisor, after confirming that Jaun had taken his stance, asked, Jaun nodded his head.
The supervisor slowly raised the flag high into the sky.
“Prepare!”
The supervisor, looking back at the two people once more, vigorously lowered the flag he was holding.
“Start!”
As soon as the supervisor's shout was heard, So Yu-ram shot forward like a flash of lightning.
‘The speed is…… mediocre.’
So Yu-ram, who was running, quickly drew the sword from his waist. Subsequently, So Yu-ram, who pulled up his energy, began to swing his sword brilliantly into the air.
‘As expected, it is an illusionary sword.’
The martial art So Yu-ram used was a type of illusionary sword that deceived the opponent's eyes to create an opening.
Jaun, who stared blankly at So Yu-ram's sword that filled his vision, took a step back and swung his sword broadly.
CLANG
So Yu-ram's attack was bounced away by the sword Jaun swung, but So Yu-ram did not panic and thrust his sword toward Jaun once more.
SWISH
A sound like wind scattering came from the sword.
As if the end of a bamboo were splitting apart, So Yu-ram's sword divided into numerous branches and thrust toward Jaun.
‘It is flashy, but……. The direction of the variations is exactly the same. At this rate, it is to the point where it's hard to even get hit by it.’
Jaun twisted his body and slightly avoided the tip of So Yu-ram's sword, which approached while dazzling his eyes.
So Yu-ram did not give up and turned his body again, thrusting his sword toward Jaun with all his might.
A sword momentum not much different from a moment ago.
Jaun avoided the tip of So Yu-ram's sword once again with just a single step.
‘If it's this level, it will be hard to show anything today. In that case, there's no need to play along with this tedious exploratory battle.’
Jaun quickly thrust his sword toward the tip of So Yu-ram's swaying sword.
PING
The tip of Jaun's sword accurately struck the tip of So Yu-ram's sword, creating a flash of sparks.
Looking at Jaun, who received his sword with the very tip of his own, So Yu-ram's expression stiffened.
If he was able to aim for the tip of the sword, it meant that all of his sword forms were being read.
So Yu-ram, who gritted his teeth, lowered his stance and swung his sword toward Jaun's thigh once more.
‘It's a sword that evokes no inspiration. Let's end this now.’
At the very moment Jaun raised his sword to block So Yu-ram's sword, which was repeating tediously, a spark burst from So Yu-ram's eyes.
BOOM!
So Yu-ram lifted his right foot and stamped it onto the ground.
Simultaneously, So Yu-ram's body accelerated at an explosive speed and shot toward Jaun.
‘Hmm. Was the abnormally developed muscle of the right leg for this purpose?’
It was a flash-like rush that shook the distance perception of an opponent who had become accustomed to a repeating sword momentum.
The sword of So Yu-ram, who shot in front of Jaun in an instant, poured toward Jaun like a net.
It was a sharp sword momentum distinctly different from what he had shown so far.
CLANG!
This time, Jaun also slightly brushed off So Yu-ram's sword with a serious expression.
Without caring that his sword was bounced away, So Yu-ram maintained his charging speed and spun his body broadly once.
So Yu-ram's leg drew a large circle and flew toward Jaun's knee.
‘This time it's…… a leg technique?’
There was no time to pull back the sword and receive it.
Jaun lifted his right leg to block So Yu-ram's leg.
The moment their legs touched, Jaun felt something strange and hastily pulled up his energy to protect his leg.
CRACK
A ghastly sound rang out from both of their legs simultaneously.
It was a blow that would have strained the bone if he had not protected it properly.
‘This is?’
It was clearly not the feeling of flesh meeting flesh.
Jaun pulled up his visual power and examined the front of So Yu-ram's fluttering pants.
An unnatural, flat curve caught his eye.
‘It's an iron greave.’
This was the gap So Yu-ram had aimed for, and it was a decisive blow.
‘There is certainly a difference.’
To warriors who had reached high realms, these petty tricks were of no use.
However, in battles between warriors of ordinary levels, a single moment's gap often determined victory or defeat.
In the method of creating such gaps, the Murim Alliance and the Sado Alliance were showing significantly different appearances.
The use of tools like iron greaves was an action that warriors of the orthodox faction would consider shameful.
But this was the Sado Alliance.
Here, this kind of method seemed to be not shameful at all.
‘They said they don't choose any means and methods.’
It was a way he had never thought of.
To Jaun, who had taken his first steps in the Jianghu in the Murim Alliance, this kind of battle felt quite fresh.
The anticipation that he might see something here that he had not seen in the Murim Alliance caused a smile to spread across Jaun's face.
So Yu-ram, who had slightly shaken Jaun's balance through the greaves, finally shot his sword with all his soul.
And he tried to fill the sword momentum with variations with all his soul, but an excessive variation only created an opening.
At that sight, Jaun wore a bitter smile and pulled up his Demonic Energy.