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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“…Still no progress, huh.”
Frustrated, he gulped down the cool water he had prepared.
The awful taste jolted him awake.
The water here was truly terrible.
Anyway, to become a Master, he needed either a profound enlightenment or an equivalent experience, but such an opportunity hadn’t come his way yet.
He had somewhat grasped the contents of the Shadowless Divine Thief’s secret manual, but it still required significant modifications to the formulas before he could properly utilize it. Still, the various tips written in the manual were quite helpful.
How to maintain his center of gravity, how to run to minimize stamina consumption, how to move silently…
But it was still difficult to put those tips into practice.
He needed another opportunity.
He wasn’t sure if this martial arts tournament would provide that opportunity… but it would be nice if he could at least find a clue.
He wasn’t quite at the peak of the Expert realm, but he was close. With just a little push, he could become a Master.
“…Let’s go eat.”
Would he find any answers by staying cooped up in the training room? He would think about the main tournament while eating.
…Even if his opponent was weaker than him, he couldn’t let his guard down.
On the battlefield, even a grain of arrogance could cost him his life. He had to approach the tournament with the same mindset.
William took a deep breath to calm his restless mind and left the training room.
“Mister, good luck!”
“Benefactor, I wish you a good match.”
Being cheered on by the protagonist felt strange.
Usually, it should be the other way around. Being the one receiving encouragement made him feel like he was the protagonist.
“Should I say something like ‘I’ll be back with his head before this tea gets cold’?”
“Should I bring you a halberd and stick a beard on you?”
“No, I was just kidding.”
“You seem to be quite knowledgeable, Benefactor. To know so much about Guan Yu despite coming from the West…”
To be honest, it felt a bit dishonest to be praised for his knowledge when he had learned about it in his previous life.
But he couldn’t reveal the truth, so he just accepted the compliments about his vast knowledge.
“There are times when you need some culture, so I studied a bit.”
“Culture… but where did you learn all that, Mister?”
“Some Eastern books found their way to the West, so I read them.”
He lied without batting an eye, then sheathed his sword, which he had been polishing. It was almost time for his match.
“It’s been a while since I’ve fought against someone who uses a spear.”
For a knight who used a sword, a skilled spear user was a troublesome opponent. Overcoming the difference in reach was extremely difficult unless there was a significant skill gap.
“Does anyone know anything about the Yang Clan?”
“I don’t!”
“The Yang Clan’s spear technique is known as the Pear Blossom Spear Technique. I heard they’re skilled in using various variations and thrusts that utilize their long reach.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Benefactor. This is nothing compared to the favor you’ve done for me…”
“You don’t have to be so formal.”
…But why was he here? Participants in the main tournament had to wait, but it felt strange to have him constantly by his side when he usually kept to himself in the early chapters of the original story.
Well, it didn’t matter.
He should focus on preparing to enter the arena—
“Yang Seoyu! Wi Lieom! Please enter the arena!”
“It’s starting.”
“Good luck!”
“I look forward to a good match.”
It was finally beginning. William walked towards the arena.
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“Now! We will begin the match between the martial artist from the West, Wi Lieom, and the successor of the Yang Clan, Yang Seoyu!”
‘It’s long.’
Nearly seven cheok long.
Spears were already among the longest weapons, but Yang Seoyu’s spear seemed even longer, making William think this might be a difficult fight.
Spears were known as the “King of All Weapons.”
They had the longest reach of any weapon besides bows and crossbows, and their power was exceptional. Most swordsmen found spears to be troublesome opponents.
Defending and evading attacks from a distance beyond the reach of one’s sword consumed a significant amount of stamina.
William, having used a lance himself, understood this better than anyone.
‘I need to buy some time with feints and find an opening.’
Pushing forward with brute force was an option, considering the difference in their realms, but William decided to take his time and analyze his opponent.
He wanted to see the Central Plains spear techniques, and revealing his full strength in this match, with two more matches to go, wasn’t a wise choice.
So William drew his sword, took an Ox Guard stance, and observed Yang Seoyu.
As he drew his sword, Yang Seoyu stepped forward with his left foot, aimed his spear, and spoke with fire in his eyes,
“You shameless bastard…”
‘What the hell is he talking about?’
William frowned at the unexpected insult.
He couldn’t fathom why Yang Seoyu would say such a thing.
Shameless bastard? Why?
He had to ask.
“Why am I a shameless bastard?”
“To be flirting with a beautiful young lady when you should be focusing on the match…”
‘…Is he really that upset? He seems like a decent young master. Why not just date her?’
William found Yang Seoyu’s jealousy amusing and chuckled.
“To be spouting such nonsense in the arena… Stop acting pathetic and focus on the match.”
“Damn it… you’ll regret this!”
‘Regret what?’
Before he could even scoff, William’s attention was drawn to Yang Seoyu’s charging spear.
The variations of all martial arts originated from the tip of the weapon.
If it was a flashy attack like the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, the spear tip would spin wildly. If it was a swift attack like a beam of light, it would leave afterimages. If it was a powerful thrust, it would be slow but straight.
William dodged each of the spear thrusts that came at him like afterimages, as if creating clones of himself.
The relentless barrage of attacks missed him, piercing the air again and again.
The spectators gasped at his agile movements, which were unexpected for his large build.
“Impressive.”
“I thought he was a brute who relied on his strength, but I was wrong.”
“It looks like the Westerner will win this match.”
“Don’t be so sure. It’s a fight between a sword and a spear. Do you think it’s easy for a sword to gain the upper hand? Just look at him, he can’t even get close. That’s why you’re only second-rate.”
“Shut up, you first-rate…”
‘It’s a fast barrage, but it’s not perfect. His trajectory adjustments are off.’
One of the most important things in combat was adaptability. Sometimes, one had to be able to deal with unexpected variables.
To William, Yang Seoyu’s spear technique, while well-trained, was too reliant on orthodox movements.
‘He’s not a spear user with much real combat experience.’
The spear techniques of the Mamluks, who had been through hellish battles, were unpredictable, exploiting the smallest openings and sometimes using unexpected movements to catch their opponents off guard.
Compared to the Mamluks, Yang Seoyu’s spear technique was still amateurish and couldn’t reach William.
‘At this rate, I’ll be the one who gets exhausted first! I have to…’
His barrage accelerated.
It was a strenuous movement that made his arms ache, but it didn’t matter as long as he could catch his opponent.
William observed Yang Seoyu’s spear as it picked up speed and, for the first time, used his sword to deflect it.
The spearhead, sliding along the blade of his sword, was redirected outwards.
Due to his relentless barrage, Yang Seoyu couldn’t react to the sudden deflection and his body tilted to the side.
‘Now!’
William finally closed the distance, charging into Yang Seoyu’s space.
Yang Seoyu, his posture broken, hurriedly retracted his spear and spun around.
‘He’s not completely incompetent.’
William saw the spear shaft swinging towards him and accelerated further, crashing into Yang Seoyu.
“Argh!”
“Nice try, but swinging the spear shaft is meaningless once you’ve given me the distance. You should have either bought time with a back step or shortened your grip and thrust.”
‘Or infused your spear shaft with internal energy and pushed me aside.’
But Yang Seoyu couldn’t hear William’s sharp advice as he rolled on the ground.
‘He seems to be deeply offended…!’
Yang Seoyu felt blood trickling from his nose and wiped his philtrum with his sleeve.
His face and sleeve were covered in blood, but he hadn’t lost his fighting spirit. He adjusted his grip on his spear, his gaze serious.
‘I can’t lose here!’
He had come here with the support of his family. Even if he lost, he couldn’t show a pathetic display.
“…I’m coming.”
“Bring it on.”
Yang Seoyu’s spear once again surged towards William.
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