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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Abbot Gak-won, what are your thoughts on this duel?”
Namgung San, who had come to watch the duel, cautiously asked Abbot Gak-won.
“It should be interesting.”
“I can’t believe he’s barely in his twenties with a face like that…but aren’t martial artists of that age all relatively similar in skill? I’ve heard he’s a peak expert, but to receive such endorsements…”
“Hmm. Do you truly believe that?”
“Excuse me?”
“You should travel more. Staying cooped up at home is dulling your senses.”
“Haha, perhaps you’re right.”
‘Hmm.’
Namgung San’s gaze shifted to William. Even from a distance, his large build was evident. And that unusual sword.
‘I heard he uses a sword similar to the Wudang style.’
His curious gaze swept over William.
He wasn’t the only one.
Everyone in the arena was focused on William.
…A swordsman from the West.
What kind of skills would he display?
‘It depends on how much the Alliance Leader holds back…I hope it’s a good match.’
Abbot Gak-won, who rarely appeared in public, had come to watch this duel. That alone made it noteworthy.
‘So many eyes on me.’
William adjusted his grip on his sword and slowly assumed a stance.
Ox Guard.
His favored stance in longsword combat, a defensive posture that allowed for flexibility against various attacks.
In contrast, the Alliance Leader stood casually, his sword held loosely in his hand.
“I’ll yield three moves.”
“Three moves…very well.”
William didn’t object.
The Alliance Leader was a seasoned master, while he was a newcomer to the transcendent expert realm. It was only natural for the Alliance Leader to offer a handicap.
Especially since William was still perceived as a peak expert.
‘Three moves are just a prelude.’
Neither of them expected the duel to end within three moves.
Considering the circumstances and the effort required to arrange this duel, it had to last at least half an hour to maintain their reputations.
Therefore, the three moves were an opportunity for the Alliance Leader to assess William’s strength.
‘Will he block, or will he evade?’
William’s blue eyes focused on the Alliance Leader’s sword.
‘The first two moves are setup. It’s not wise to go all out from the start.’
William’s mind raced, as sharp as it had been on the battlefield.
Relying solely on skill wasn’t enough to defeat a clearly superior opponent.
He thought quickly, his mind racing.
William extended his right leg forward.
“I’m coming.”
“Come.”
William stomped his foot, and his body shot forward with explosive speed, his massive frame moving with surprising agility.
The Alliance Leader raised his sword in a casual, almost leisurely manner.
And a blue sheath enveloped the blade.
An Aura Blade sheath.
‘A downward strike?’
William raised his sword above his head.
A classic overhead strike. A straightforward attack. The Alliance Leader’s sword flickered.
At the last moment, William’s sword veered off course, narrowly avoiding the Alliance Leader’s blade.
‘A feint?’
The Alliance Leader’s eyes calmly followed the longsword. It moved in a clockwise arc, aiming for his chest from below.
‘Testing the waters?’
The Alliance Leader’s sword moved to intercept William’s attack. With a clear ring, their swords clashed in mid-air.
“Your sword is sharp.”
“A sword is meant to be sharp.”
William’s sword slid along the Alliance Leader’s blade, their crossguards colliding. Longsword combat often utilized the large crossguard for defense and offense.
The Alliance Leader, seeing William’s sword pressing inwards, threw a punch with his free hand.
A simple yet effective move.
Any martial artist would evade it.
But William didn’t.
He leaned into the punch.
‘He’s going to take it head-on?’
The fundamental principle of martial arts was to evade and strike.
The Alliance Leader’s eyes widened in surprise at William’s reckless move.
‘A bluff?’
His fist continued forward.
And connected with William’s shoulder.
But it felt like hitting solid rock. The Alliance Leader retracted his fist and unleashed a palm strike, pushing William back.
Even William couldn’t ignore the force of a transcendent expert’s palm strike. He stumbled back five steps to absorb the impact.
“Hmm. You’re quite interesting. What was that? It’s not the Diamond Body…hardening your internal energy to block an attack. A fascinating technique.”
‘Western martial arts…intriguing.’
The Alliance Leader smiled, anticipating an exciting duel. It was rare for him to engage in such exchanges since becoming the Alliance Leader.
His duty was to maintain peace in the Martial World.
“On the battlefield, cavalry are prime targets. But those on the front lines can’t afford to evade or even think about evading. Therefore, we learn to survive.”
“A soldier…”
‘That explains the strong scent of blood.’
Those who had walked the battlefield inevitably carried a heavy scent of blood.
They had killed countless people to survive.
But it was rare for someone who had killed so many to maintain their sanity. The Alliance Leader looked at William again.
‘But his killing intent is well-controlled. Those who have shed much blood often struggle with that.’
“Well, the first move was a draw. Now for the second.”
William shifted his stance to the Pflug, a posture specialized for thrusting.
‘A thrust? Or a feint?’
He couldn’t be certain until the attack came.
William had won the tournament with his fluid and unpredictable swordsmanship.
‘Haha, this is exciting.’
What kind of attack would he use?
How would he surprise him?
His eyes, filled with anticipation, followed William’s movements.
William charged again, like a lion pouncing on its prey.
Simple and direct footwork.
And simple and direct movements.
While lacking finesse, it was precisely this lack of refinement that made him unpredictable.
‘I didn’t see this in the tournament. Is it a bluff? Or…’
William stopped a step away. Quite close for a thrust.
The Alliance Leader’s eyes followed William’s sword. It remained motionless.
‘Not the sword…?’
Just as he thought that, the sword shot forward like an arrow.
A straight thrust.
A simple, direct attack.
The Alliance Leader deflected the sword with his own. William’s sword was pushed aside, his stance broken.
Or rather, it should have been broken.
‘A feint, as expected. There was no power behind it.’
A straightforward attack was easily countered. As soon as his sword was deflected, William pulled it back and swung upwards in a reverse grip.
The Alliance Leader’s sword moved to block, their Aura Blades clashing in mid-air. Using the Alliance Leader’s sword as a pivot, William’s sword spun, aiming for his body.
‘Using the opponent’s sword as a pivot…interesting.’
The blade flashed towards his neck. But the Alliance Leader wasn’t so easily defeated.
He flicked William’s sword away with a precise strike, sending him stumbling back three steps.
“As expected of the Alliance Leader. Impressive.”
“You’re quite skilled yourself.”
‘He deflected my sword with a finger flick.’
As someone skilled in both barehanded combat and swordsmanship, landing a significant blow on the Alliance Leader wasn’t easy.
‘Now for the third move.’
His last chance for an unopposed attack.
‘I don’t know if it will work, but I have to try something unexpected.’
The final move.
Two steps and two strikes to set the stage, then a decisive blow.
‘It’s been a while.’
Zornhut.
He brought his sword behind his back, positioning it horizontally behind his neck, and bent his back leg.
A posture that utilized the rotational force of his waist for a powerful swing.
A stance that allowed even a peasant to slay a knight.
“This is your last move.”
“I’m coming.”
“Come.”
William’s feet left the ground again.
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