—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The final move.
William adopted a new stance he hadn’t used before.
Zornhut.
A stance for a powerful strike.
‘Many openings. But…those openings are likely traps.’
The Alliance Leader recalled William’s internal energy armor, which had easily withstood his punch.
‘An inexperienced opponent would be distracted by that armor.’
Murim martial arts didn’t emphasize Protective Aura.
It wasn’t particularly durable. Even Protective Aura couldn’t withstand repeated attacks from Aura Blade, so Murim martial artists typically used it as a last resort.
‘If he can withstand my punch, ordinary attacks won’t even scratch him.’
Five steps.
‘What will he do this time?’
The Alliance Leader’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.
Four steps.
‘A battle of strength wouldn’t be entirely disadvantageous.’
He had exchanged a few blows with William.
And he was certain.
Considering William’s age and exceptional strength, which far surpassed that of ordinary martial artists,
‘But strength alone isn’t enough.’
Beyond a certain level, battles weren’t decided by brute force.
It was about skill and control.
Who was the better swordsman?
Who possessed greater internal energy?
Three steps.
The Alliance Leader, who had been standing motionless like a statue, moved to intercept William’s attack.
Simultaneously, William swung his sword, drawing a wide arc.
A powerful strike, unlike the typically fluid and defensive movements of longsword combat. The Alliance Leader, instead of pressing his attack, positioned his sword in the path of the longsword.
‘I’m curious to see what you’ll do.’
The Alliance Leader had the advantage, whether he chose to deflect or block.
However, judging by William’s previous moves, he didn’t expect a simple, straightforward attack.
The sword, swung like an executioner’s axe, connected with the Alliance Leader’s blade.
Not clashed, but connected.
‘The preparation, the swing…all a feint.’
The Alliance Leader’s gaze shifted to William.
William met his gaze and grinned.
The Alliance Leader responded with a predatory smile of his own.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had such an enjoyable duel.”
“Likewise.”
The first rule of swordsmanship.
Avoid crossing blades.
Swords were more fragile than they appeared.
And a skilled swordsman could exploit a crossed blade.
William’s longsword, using the Alliance Leader’s sword as a pivot, spun, and his body followed, rotating around the Alliance Leader.
Their positions reversed in an instant.
The Alliance Leader calmly used the Meteor Steps to evade the crossguard aimed for his throat. He admired William’s technique, using his sword as a lever.
“You’re not afraid to grapple with a longer sword.”
“While a longer sword offers an advantage in range, Western swordsmen prefer close combat.”
“Why is that?”
“Swords are sharp, and human skin is fragile. Even a master martial artist can be killed by a single cut.”
Even in a world with advanced medical techniques, a sword wound was a serious injury.
The human body was surprisingly fragile.
“Using the length of the blade to control the opponent’s sword and subdue them. A different approach from the Wudang style.”
“If the Wudang sword emphasizes gentle control, my sword uses gentleness to kill.”
“A killing sword, opposing the typical gentle sword. I don’t mean that as an insult. It’s simply an observation.”
“Swords born on the battlefield are all like that.”
A brief exchange.
A momentary pause.
William gripped the tip of his longsword and held the base of the blade with his other hand.
Mordhau.
“A peculiar grip.”
“Doesn’t the Murim have similar techniques?”
“While not unheard of, it’s uncommon. Grabbing the blade of an aura-infused sword is risky. It could injure the user. It’s not a technique used in conventional swordsmanship.”
Despite its seemingly crude nature, gripping an aura-infused blade required precise control.
The Alliance Leader chuckled, amused by the unusual sight of William holding the blade of his own sword and aiming the hilt at him.
“That would be your fourth move.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m not finished yet.”
William released his sword.
Or rather, he launched it.
At the Alliance Leader’s feet.
The Alliance Leader chuckled at the absurd attack and used his footwork to evade.
All he had to do was dodge, and his opponent would lose his weapon.
‘Like a cannonball.’
Instead of a cannonball, it was a sword, but the principle was the same.
The Alliance Leader glanced at the sword embedded hilt-first in the ground at his feet and looked back at William.
“You had two swords.”
“Indeed.”
A shorter sword, unlike his longsword. William closed the distance with blinding speed, like a kingfisher diving for its prey.
A direct charge.
Numerous openings.
A cloud of dust and a loud crash.
Debris from the shattered arena momentarily obscured their vision.
‘A completely different sword. A weapon specialized for thrusting.’
The Alliance Leader, drawing upon decades of experience, identified William’s new weapon.
However, he couldn’t determine its true nature until he experienced it firsthand. He couldn’t afford to be careless.
“This is getting interesting.”
He deflected William’s shorter sword with his own. William’s arm was pushed aside, and the Alliance Leader’s sword aimed for his throat.
William’s response was simple.
He blocked with the back of his aura-reinforced hand.
The Alliance Leader’s eyebrows rose at the unusual defense.
“Using the back of your hand like a shield.”
“It’s part of a…technique I use with a shield.”
“An uncommon sight in the Central Plains.”
Their swords clashed and were deflected.
Dozens of afterimages flickered across the arena as their swords moved in a flurry of motion.
The audience watched, captivated by the evenly matched duel.
“You’ve mastered two different sword styles?”
“One must learn everything to survive.”
Longsword combat emphasized precise distance control, fluid deflections, and shifting stances using the crossguard to control the opponent.
Roman gladiatorial combat focused on overwhelming power and unpredictable techniques.
The Alliance Leader was intrigued by William’s ability to seamlessly switch between two vastly different styles.
‘He wields two opposing martial arts with equal mastery. Whoever taught him did an excellent job.’
William’s sword, like a wild beast, attacked relentlessly. The Alliance Leader, standing firm like an ancient tree, deflected every strike.
As if such attacks couldn’t move him.
“Your thrusts are powerful.”
“This swordsmanship once conquered half the continent.”
A swordsmanship passed down from the Roman legions. Originally used with a shield, but a civilian couldn’t carry a shield everywhere.
Roman gladiatorial combat adapted.
Using the back of the hand as a shield.
This was the origin of the Arts that would eventually become Aura Armor.
William pulled back his sword, creating a momentary opening in the Alliance Leader’s defense. He seized the opportunity and swung his left hand.
He pushed aside the Alliance Leader’s sword with the back of his hand. The Alliance Leader’s sword was momentarily locked, and William’s blade aimed for his collarbone.
“This is truly enjoyable. I could duel with you all day.”
“I’m willing to oblige.”
“Unfortunately, being the Alliance Leader requires me to work tirelessly. I should retire soon.”
Their swords clashed against their hands.
A strange standoff.
Standing less than a step apart, they both grinned.
“But before that…I have a duty as Alliance Leader. Why did you challenge me to a duel?”
“…There’s a spy within the Martial Alliance.”
“Hmm?”
“And that spy is…Grand Commander Seo Mun-gang.”
“What? Commander Seo? How?”
The Alliance Leader’s eyes widened in surprise.
He hadn’t expected that name.
“The best way for a spy to remain hidden is to control the flow of information.”
William’s bombshell made the Alliance Leader’s expression turn serious.
‘Is he telling the truth? If so…’
He recalled Commander Seo’s unusual behavior before the duel.
‘I should investigate.’
“Do you have proof?”
“I have a letter I obtained from a Demonic Cult branch. It appears to be information he was planning to send to the Demonic Cult via carrier pigeon…”
William opened his hand, revealing a hidden note.
“This is the letter.”
“Young people these days have…interesting ways of reporting information.”
“Commander Seo is a powerful figure in the Martial Alliance. This was the safest way to deliver this information.”
“If you’re telling the truth…you’ve done a great service.”
The Alliance Leader took the folded note with two fingers and flicked it into his sleeve. A technique only a martial artist could perform.
He felt the note settle against his skin and spoke.
“Let’s return to the duel. It’s time for you to reveal your…true strength.”
“As expected, you noticed.”
“If you weren’t a transcendent expert, you wouldn’t be able to match my strength.”
The gap between a peak expert and a transcendent expert was vast.
Unless the transcendent expert held back, a fair fight was impossible.
The Alliance Leader had gradually increased the amount of internal energy in his attacks, but William had matched him every time.
Even with amounts a peak expert couldn’t handle.
“A transcendent expert at your age…it’s a shame you’re not part of the Martial Alliance. I would have created a new unit just for you.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I prefer freedom.”
“Come find me anytime. I’ll have a position ready for you.”
“I’ll consider it.”
A transcendent expert at such a young age. He was a valuable asset.
If it weren’t for the rigid structure of the Martial Alliance, he would have visited William three times, like the emperor of Shu Han did with Zhuge Liang.
“Shall we continue in earnest? We have nothing more to hide.”
“Let’s.”
William stomped his right foot hard. The longsword embedded in the ground bounced up from the impact, and William, after pushing the Alliance Leader’s sword away with the back of his hand, caught his longsword.
“That last move was quite entertaining.”
“It’s about to get more entertaining.”
They stood facing each other, about ten steps apart.
“It’s been a while since I’ve used this in a duel.”
As the Alliance Leader spoke, an immense amount of internal energy, far beyond ordinary Aura Blade, enveloped his sword.
“It’s my first time as well.”
William responded, unleashing the symbol of a transcendent expert.
“A-Aura Blade…!”
A gasp from the audience echoed through the arena.
Aura Blade was a legendary technique, a dream for countless martial artists.
For a young swordsman to wield such power was shocking.
“Your name will be known throughout the Central Plains after today’s duel.”
“It seems to have spread quite a bit already.”
“Your title might change. The gossipmongers will have a field day.”
‘Is that a good thing or a bad thing?’
Two stars facing each other.
Every move from now on was a gamble.
The true duel had begun.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Peak