“Are you the applicants for this request?”

Namgung Bihwa stared this way and then slightly narrowed her brow.

It seemed she wasn’t very pleased with us.

‘I guess it can’t be helped.’

My reputation as a scoundrel wasn’t good, and Baek Hasin was a martial artist who used demonic arts. And most of all, weren’t we newcomers who had just entered the intermediate student level?

We would have to move together for several days, so she could feel reluctant.

But that was that, and now was the time to cooperate.

“We’re all at the peak level, so we shouldn’t be bad in terms of strength.”

At the very natural point, Namgung Bihwa finally shut her mouth and fell into thought. Because even among the intermediate students, martial artists of our level were rare.

And even more so if they were applicants who would do a high-grade request together.

“I understand. Let’s do it together.”

With that, she held out a hand.

Public is public, and private is private. She couldn’t catch the Blood Fiend alone either.

As I took her hand in agreement, I felt a tremendous grip from her thin and neat fingers.

‘This person…!’

I reflexively raised my internal energy to strengthen my muscles and assisted it with my mana. As if that wasn’t enough, I used the Blood River Art to strengthen my hand as if I had trained my external skills and then withstood the external pressure.

Creak-

Nevertheless, an unusual sound began to come from around my joints and bones. Because the basic difference in strength was large. In the end, I had no choice but to open my mouth.

“Your greeting is excessive.”

If she went any further, I would have no choice but to strike out. Of course, I would be subdued right away, but it was better than having my hand crushed.

Perhaps reading that intention, Namgung Bihwa withdrew her hand at the last moment.

“It seems you’ve made some progress since the friendly exchange match. At that time, there was nothing much to see other than your fire art.”

Namgung Bihwa replied with a shameless face.

“I’m not the only one who has changed. Senior, no, classmate, you seem to have become more ferocious than before.”

At this side’s rebuking words, she made a subtle expression.

“I’m sorry if it was sudden. But I had to check. Because you can’t die during a mission.”

Of course, from her point of view, we would seem like it was our first real battle. She had no choice but to be concerned in many ways. If a student who had just skipped a grade were to take on a high grade request of the highest difficulty, everyone would be like that.

‘If it were me, I would have tested them at least once.’

But even so, the fault of picking a fight first does not disappear.

“Wouldn’t that be the same for both of us?”

“That’s true. So?”

Namgung Bihwa, with her arms crossed, looked this way subtly. A rather provocative tone. Come to think of it, I had a suspicion that the other side might have been inducing this from the beginning.

‘Did she aim for this from the start?’

In a state of facing each other for a moment, I took a step closer to her and said.

“Let’s see your skills. Let’s fight.”

At that, Namgung Bihwa’s pupils shone with a faint light.

“Alright.”

***

“Let’s fight 2-on-1.”

“What?”

At my shameless proposal, Namgung Bihwa’s brow narrowed.

Originally, it was a story that the master’s side would propose first, so she had no choice but to be dumbfounded that the other side had said it first.

And most of all, facing two peak-level masters at the same time was an impossible thing unless there was a considerable difference in skill.

“Since we were all tested, shouldn’t ‘we’ be the ones to test?”

“What do you mean by that?”

At my words, Baek Hasin first objected, but I first calmed him down and continued.

“You were knocked out in one blow anyway. And my hand is in this state after just one handshake, so this is right.”

I deliberately dangled my one hand, which was still numb, and said.

“We’re this weak, so we have to attack with at least two. I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s burdensome now, when you were testing us as you pleased, right?”

“…It doesn’t matter.”

Namgung Bihwa turned around and then walked ahead.

Baek Hasin, who was next to me, tried to object, but when we walked ahead first, he eventually let out a sigh and followed.

When we arrived at a deserted training ground, we faced each other and drew our swords.

“Are you okay without a referee or someone to stop you?”

“I’ll control it, so it doesn’t matter.”

Namgung Bihwa’s confident remark.

In fact, a duel between peak-level martial artists seemed dangerous, but it was surprisingly safe.

Since they could each fully control their bodies and could also use protective qi, if it were a duel between opponents who had some leeway, there were few accidents.

I stood in the number one formation that I had talked about with Baek Hasin earlier. A form where Baek Hasin was in the front line and I was in the rear line, in a single file.

It was a formation where she couldn’t get to me without breaking through Baek Hasin.

If it were another martial artist, they would have attacked from the left and right of the front line and aimed for the blind spot, but in my case, where my strength was in long-range attacks rather than close-range, this was a much better arrangement.

A three-dimensional arrangement that was possible because I was a mage whose main strength was a long-range projectile.

Although it was just the two of us, this was the first time I was using magic as a group-unit strategy.

Of course, I never thought the opponent would be Namgung Bihwa.

‘It’s better this way.’

In any case, I had to try to match our moves before going into a real battle, and in preparation for the future ranking battle, I also had to see Namgung Bihwa’s true skills.

‘During the friendly exchange match, I didn’t show my true skills because of the difference in level, but now it’s different.’

If it were the two of us, I was confident that we could not only push Namgung Bihwa but even win.

In the heightened atmosphere, we and Namgung Bihwa faced each other.

Baek Hasin’s sword was surrounded by demonic qi along with a thick qi wave, and a blue lightning was imbued in Namgung Bihwa’s sword.

And at the moment when that energy was at its peak.

Clang-!

The figures of the two people blurred, and in the air, the two swords clashed with each other.

The first move was evenly matched. The fast sword of the Namgung family was faster, but the hegemonic energy of the demonic art that Baek Hasin was emitting ate it up in reverse, so he was not pushed back despite the difference in level.

As if surprised by the power of that demonic art, Namgung Bihwa slanted to the side and at the same time rotated her sword to aim for Baek Hasin’s shoulder in a roundabout way.

Fwoosh-!

But the fireball that had flown in in an instant did not allow that. While the tip of her sword was momentarily shaken by the flying flame, the form of Baek Hasin’s Heavenly Demon Sword Art unfolded.

The demonic qi raged roughly and rushed in, crushing the opponent’s sword and striking down.

“Keuk!”

At that power, Namgung Bihwa was pushed back for the first time. Because it was a demonic art that was famous for being ferocious, a frontal confrontation was not easy despite her high realm.

A fight between masters is usually a matter of a single point. But since magic came in, aiming for that single point, it was difficult to respond.

Namgung Bihwa, who was also conscious of this, looked around more cautiously than before and then rushed in, cladding her blade in lightning.

She had jumped in, using Baek Hasin as a shield in reverse.

Then, the fast sword strike that was unique to the Namgung family followed. But the overwhelming dominance of the demonic art that Baek Hasin was operating blocked it.

Although it was a heavy blow for a fast sword, he was not pushed back greatly.

If the Emperor Sword Form had reached a certain realm, she might have been able to break through with a heaviness and dominance that was close to a heavy sword, but it was an impossible thing for her now.

I condensed a flame bullet and shot it at Namgung Bihwa’s blind spot.

Kwaang!

Flames burst out, and what was revealed in the midst of it was the figure of Namgung Bihwa, who had blocked it with her protective qi.

‘Did she take it on purpose?’

It seemed she wasn’t without shock, as she was gritting her teeth, but it seemed she had endured it. Her sword, which had taken a stance like that, flashed in an instant.

Clang!

Then, along with a shockwave that sparked with lightning, Baek Hasin was pushed back. And she rushed into this side, digging into that gap.

‘Damn it!’

I took a stance, looking at the approaching Namgung Bihwa.

She was hiding her strength.

Before this side could even respond, the distance had narrowed, and Namgung Bihwa’s sword rushed at me.

Clang-!

A heavy sword strike. It was all I could do to block one blow.

‘I wasn’t at my full strength from the start either, but what a tremendous speed.’

I threw two flame bullets that I had created in the air towards Namgung Bihwa’s side, using the inertia of being pushed back.

Kwaang!

But she, who was chasing me, cutting through the flames.

The tip of her sword bent with a crackling lightning. The mysterious sword path that was unique to a high-level martial art moved slowly in a moment.

I knew instinctively.

‘I can’t block it with the Six Harmonies Sword.’

To be precise, it was only with the sword path that I could implement at my realm.

At that, I recalled the high-level martial art that was most similar to the Six Harmonies Sword.

The Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword.

It was Baek Cheong’s sword.

‘At this moment, I will surpass my limits.’

In the meantime, I had completely learned the Six Harmonies Cultivation Method and the Six Harmonies Sword.

At the end of the previous duel with Baek Cheong, I had a hunch that it was slowly ripening.

Then it was now time to learn the next stage, the Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword.

I recall the memory of seeing various martial arts books in the intermediate library. Among them, the information about the Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword comes to mind clearly.

I already know the forms and the oral secrets.

It was also clear how the sword I was holding now would unfold.

Because I had faced Baek Cheong directly, who used the Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword, which was stronger than any other up-and-coming martial artist of his age.

The form, the style, and the manifestation were all ready.

Now, all that was left was to perform what had come to mind.

At the same time as my consciousness, the blood in my entire body pulsed. In a moment, my dantian churned, and my internal energy spewed out.

The talent of [Peerless Body] reached its limit and surpassed it.

Swish-swish-swish-swish-

As if a wind were blowing, the airflow that was touching the tip of my sword flowed. The pure sword qi that had formed on the blade scattered like plum blossoms.

But the result that the slow-looking sword produced was neither as light as a petal nor as slow as a falling flower.

Because in the midst of the elegant flow, the sword had eventually arrived at the place it had to go.

Like a spring that had come before I knew it.

Kiiing-!

The blade, which was tinged with a red sword qi, pushed back the blue sword qi of the Namgung family.

Looking at the difference in realm, it was an impossible confrontation.

If he hadn’t grown a layer, if he hadn’t instinctively responded with the same high-level martial art at the perfect moment, it would have been an impossible result.

Namgung Bihwa, who was widening her eyes beyond the sharp sword qi.

I looked at her and gritted my teeth, and then I twisted the corner of my mouth.

‘Did you think it would be easy if you got close?’

Namgung Bihwa’s expression, which crumpled at this side’s malicious reaction.

The pressure beyond the hilt of the sword she was holding grew stronger.

Perhaps because of the difference in realm, even though it was a stalemate, I was gradually being pushed back.

But it didn’t matter.

“You’re late, you punk.”

Because I just had to endure one blow. Then Baek Hasin would come.

A blackish sword qi rushed in as if a shadow had been drawn.

Clang-

Namgung Bihwa hurriedly moved her sword back and blocked it. Although she staggered at first, she soon found her breath and pushed Baek Hasin back again.

Baek Hasin was pushed back by the fast and strong offensive. The difference in realm was clear. In one or two exchanges, he would be on the defensive. But that was enough. Because I had been able to complete my magic in the meantime.

Crackle-

A short spear, which was a combination of flame and lightning, was held in my palm. The spear of flame lightning.

‘Now I’ll really face you.’

I’ve seen Namgung Bihwa’s true skills. The probing is over.

I shot the spear of flame lightning, taking advantage of the gap where her movement had become larger in the process of pushing Baek Hasin.

The spear of flame lightning, which flew, becoming a single ray of light in an instant.

The moment the condensed magic rushed to her immediate vicinity, Baek Hasin struck a sword imbued with demonic qi at Namgung Bihwa’s front.

A perfect checkmate.

In an instant, Namgung Bihwa’s pupils, which had witnessed the firelight, trembled faintly.

Kwaaaang!

Flames engulfed the training ground.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep