Chapter 101 – Bimu (2)

There was something Seo Ji-han had particularly emphasized ahead of this Bimu.

‘A swordsman, you see, must have good eyes.’

In truth, Choi Ho-joong was confident when it came to his eyes.

His vision was 2.0 in both eyes, after all.

But it was obvious what would happen if he let such a joke slip out.

He had no choice but to just shut up.

‘Now, open your eyes wide and distinguish it. What is the real attack hidden among the feints.’

And then, Seo Ji-han’s dazzling sword dance began.

Everything in the world of swords he created felt real.

Every straight and curved line oppressed the space like a savage beast, and the killing intent contained within it approached like a threat that would swallow him whole.

And the item that amplified this sensory illusion, Stupeo, made my whole body flinch instinctively.

Consumed by the emotion of fear, Choi Ho-joong couldn’t react properly.

‘I told you to open your eyes wide!’

Seo Ji-han’s harsh rebuke.

But no matter how wide he opened his eyes, he couldn’t distinguish the real from the fake.

Everything unfolding before his eyes seemed real.

Before he knew it, the tip of Seo Ji-han’s sword was touching the front of his throat.

And then, a low voice followed.

‘Failure!’

After that, Seo Ji-han’s word, ‘Failure,’ continued countless times.

To the point where he couldn’t even guess how many times it had been.

***

Choi Ho-joong let out a deep breath.

The Bimu had just been declared to have begun.

Looking at Seo Ji-han’s indifferent gaze from below the stage, Choi Ho-joong felt strangely at ease.

And then, he could sense that his condition today was quite good.

‘Without that monstrous Stupeo.’

It felt like he had taken off sandbags that had been attached to his entire body.

“Well then, shall we begin?”

Jo Cheol-seung’s unpleasant smile.

Not to be outdone, Choi Ho-joong raised his blade and glared at Jo Cheol-seung.

“Hoh! I really like that look in your eyes!”

Jo Cheol-seung approached Choi Ho-joong step by step.

As his steps quickened, the flow of mana began to amplify.

The sword in his hand twirled around.

The cold smile on his lips disappeared, and his sword technique began.

Claaang!

As the two swords clashed, sparks flew.

Choi Ho-joong took a step back.

To this, Jo Cheol-seung unfolded a dazzling display of swordsmanship, trying to seize the early momentum.

Fwaaat!

Fwaaaat!

Straight lines and curves, curves and straight lines aimed for every corner of Choi Ho-joong’s body.

The people watching this incredible speed let out gasps of admiration.

Jo Cheol-seung was leading the early atmosphere of the Bimu just as he intended.

He was certain.

Choi Ho-joong, busy defending, would soon collapse.

A mixture of feints and real attacks.

This was the fundamental philosophy that formed the basis of the Jungwon Sword Style.

Dazzling feints and the deadly poison hidden within them.

And the moment the real attack was unleashed, it was more ferocious than any other sword style in the world.

Jo Cheol-seung was confident that he would never fail.

‘The Haewon Sword Family?’

There was no reason to be intimidated by the name.

Choi Ho-joong, a mere vassal, would not have been taught a single grain of the Haewon Sword Style’s essence.

But he was different.

Although he was not of the direct bloodline of the Jungwon Sword Family, his supreme talent was acknowledged, and he was taught most of it, except for the secret techniques.

Claaang!

Claaang!

As the swords continued to clash, Jo Cheol-seung kept pushing forward.

And now was the time to unleash the real attack hidden within the feints.

The coiled viper shot out fiercely.

Whoooosh!

Jo Cheol-seung was determined to see blood today.

He planned to make the guy spill blood from his body to release the humiliation he received from Seo Ji-han today.

Jo Cheol-seung pushed mana into the tip of his sword.

The target was Choi Ho-joong’s thigh.

His plan was to first inconvenience one of the guy’s legs, then break him down miserably.

Claaaaaang!

But the reality he faced was completely unexpected.

Along with a dull metallic sound, a numbing shock rushed through his hand.

The place where the tip of his sword had touched was Choi Ho-joong’s sword.

From the force of the rebound, Jo Cheol-seung was pushed back without realizing it.

‘What?’

For a moment, his thoughts stopped.

Something that couldn’t happen, no, something that shouldn’t have happened, had occurred.

Choi Ho-joong was just as surprised.

Jo Cheol-seung’s sword strike transmitted through the Reapersword was amazing, but what was more amazing was the fact that he had perfectly defended against Jo Cheol-seung’s swordsmanship.

‘I saw it!’

He could see Jo Cheol-seung’s swordsmanship.

The fierce attack Jo Cheol-seung had unfolded at the last moment. It was not the fake that had been deceiving him, but the real one.

In that moment, goosebumps crawled all over his skin.

He had simply followed Seo Ji-han’s teachings.

To not be deceived by Jo Cheol-seung’s dazzling swordsmanship, and to find the real one hidden within that dazzle.

He didn’t know how Seo Ji-han had known all of this in advance and prepared him for it.

But there was one thing he knew for sure.

That his young master had once again created an unbelievable miracle.

Choi Ho-joong could see Jo Cheol-seung’s eyes momentarily waver.

“Quite impressive! Choi Ho-joong.”

And the man’s bewilderment, which he was trying to hide with a relaxed tone.

“It’s because I have pretty good eyes.”

“What?”

“Should I say I can see everything?”

“You arrogant bastard! Just because you blocked it once by chance.”

As soon as Jo Cheol-seung finished speaking, he once again fiercely unfolded his swordsmanship.

The Jungwon Sword Style.

Without Seo Ji-han’s teachings, Choi Ho-joong would surely have collapsed without even being able to follow those movements.

But now, he could see.

His senses had become much sharper through training with Stupeo, and above all, he was thoroughly prepared for this situation.

‘As long as it’s not at the young master’s level.’

He was confident he could predict and respond to whatever Jo Cheol-seung threw at him.

Claaang!

Choi Ho-joong once again blocked Jo Cheol-seung’s sword.

In that moment, Jo Cheol-seung’s face hardened.

Once could be a coincidence, but there was no way twice could be a coincidence.

“Arrogant bastard!”

Jo Cheol-seung’s movements began to get frantic.

The atmosphere had reversed in an instant.

Jo Cheol-seung’s sword no longer held its previous leisureliness.

On the other hand, Choi Ho-joong’s senses reacted even more sharply.

‘A swordsman, you see. Must have good eyes.’

He could see it.

What was real and what was fake.

And also, how to break through the dazzling techniques of the Jungwon Sword Style and land a successful attack.

Claaaaaang!

Another clash.

But Choi Ho-joong didn’t stop there.

Whoooosh!

The Reapersword shot forward.

At that moment, the four small stars embedded in the sword hilt began to glow red.

The light reflected by the sun showed off an even more brilliant form.

***

Kim Jeong-rak’s face had turned pale.

He probably couldn’t have even imagined this situation.

Jo Cheol-seung had already been completely pushed back in terms of momentum.

Gash!

As per his declaration to see blood, this Bimu truly ended up shedding blood.

Jo Cheol-seung, who had been pushing in recklessly, allowed an unexpected blow, and Choi Ho-joong slashed his shoulder.

“It seems to be over, Family Head Kim Jeong-rak.”

At my words, Kim Jeong-rak bit his lip.

He would know better than anyone that a comeback was impossible.

“Choi Ho-joong, did you say that warrior is truly a member of Young Master Seo’s Sword Unit?”

“Yes.”

“Haa.”

“Your sigh is deep.”

“I heard that Young Master Seo’s Sword Unit is newly formed, so how can there be such a warrior?”

“Because it’s the Haewon Sword Family.”

I answered curtly.

Kim Jeong-rak couldn’t continue his words.

He must have been filled with a sense of shame as he mulled over my words.

It meant that a prestigious sword family was fundamentally different from the Jungwon Sword Family.

“I think it would be best to throw in the towel at this point. As you know, Family Head, the injuries Commander Jo Cheol-seung has sustained are not just external.”

At that moment, Kim Jeong-rak flinched.

The reason Jo Cheol-seung’s movements had suddenly slowed was due to the internal injuries sustained during the clash.

“…So Young Master Seo knew.”

He seemed more surprised by the fact that I knew.

Claaaaaang!

And at that moment, Jo Cheol-seung barely parried Choi Ho-joong’s sword, his arm trembling.

It wouldn’t have been strange at all if he had vomited blood right then and there.

“I enjoyed watching the Jungwon Sword Style. It was like a magnificent flower. The bee hidden within it was also charming.”

I smiled at Kim Jeong-rak and continued.

“But, I think the sting the bee carried was a little weak. Well, if it were the Family Head, you would be carrying something much more ferocious.”

“Y-Young Master Seo!”

I openly critiqued the essence of the Jungwon Sword Style without holding back.

Of course, it was a much-refined expression.

The Jungwon Sword Style felt more like a snake than a bee.

“Unfortunately, it seems it will be difficult for Commander Jo Cheol-seung to challenge me. By the way, Family Head, if you don’t stop the Bimu here, I think Commander Jo will get hurt badly.”

It was a precarious situation for anyone to see.

Kim Jeong-rak trembled, his fists clenched, and barely managed to utter a word.

“…We lost.”

He admitted defeat before seeing an even uglier sight.

With the Family Head’s declaration of defeat, the Bimu finally came to an end.

“Winning or losing isn’t important. The purpose of Bimu is to strengthen friendship with each other through such an exchange.”

I showed the leisure of a victor, and Kim Jeong-rak tried his best to feign composure.

“By the way, Young Master Seo Ji-han. I’ve been curious for a while now, but you aren’t wearing the Stupeo you borrowed.”

Even changing the subject like this.

“Ah, I wasn’t sure if it was effective.”

“Haha! Not sure if it was effective?”

He had a look of disbelief.

Stupeo was an item that guaranteed certain results.

Of course, the problem was that the process was painfully agonizing.

“If Young Master Seo doesn’t need it, how about returning it a little early?”

“I will keep it until the promised date.”

The remaining period was 8 days.

It was also the day I would be leaving for the Abyss with Kim Jeong-rak.

***

Taeseong Sword Family.

A memorial ceremony was currently underway in the main building.

The head of the family, Heo Gyeong-cheol, along with the direct bloodline of the main family and some members of the branch family, were gathered, and their gazes were directed at a faded portrait.

The young man in the photo was smiling.

Heo Gyeong-woo.

The irreplaceable elder brother of the current Family Head, Heo Gyeong-cheol, and once the greatest genius in the history of the Taeseong Sword Family, who had garnered all their expectations. Unfortunately, he had left for the Abyss 40 years ago and never returned, and it had been a long time since he was processed as killed in action.

The memorial ceremony concluded with Heo Jeong-ah offering the last glass of liquor.

“Jeong-ah has grown up so much I can barely recognize her, Family Head.”

“That’s only on the outside, she’s still lacking in many ways.”

“You are too modest. I have been hearing good things about Jeong-ah’s reputation from afar. They say she is so outstanding that she has no rival in her age group.”

“I wonder.”

Heo Gyeong-cheol shook his head.

He was a man of sensitive character.

A recent event had once again caused ripples in his mind.

“My father has been in a low-pressure mood lately. There was something I disappointed him with recently.”

“Jeong-ah!”

“Even if you don’t say it, you were very disappointed in me. The Map of Bastian quest. Because I lost to Seo Ji-han there.”

At the mention of Seo Ji-han’s name, Heo Gyeong-cheol’s expression hardened even more.

The Taeseong Sword Family and the Haewon Sword Family. The two families still maintained an uncomfortable relationship due to their past ill-fated connection.

“I’m sorry, Father. I really didn’t want to lose either.”

“That’s enough. Stop there.”

“Yes. Understood.”

At Heo Gyeong-cheol’s gesture, Heo Jeong-ah instinctively shrank back.

“And do not mention any names related to the Haewon Sword Family again.”

“…Yes.”

She answered, but a corner of her heart felt uneasy.

She had recently started interacting with Seo Ji-han again.

She was even scheduled to go to the Abyss with him again in a few days.

‘But where on earth are we going.’

Seo Ji-han hadn’t told her anything about it, so Heo Jeong-ah just felt a bit frustrated.

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