90 - Betting, Competition (5) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

At the moment Mok Riwon took a breath, "Are you not getting up!!!" Byeok Woo Rim shouted. Following that, the eight martial artists who had fallen just before started groaning as they began to rise. Mok Riwon looked at Byeok Woo Rim with a dazed expression. 'Is it necessary to push them this far?' Of course, it was an important friendly martial arts competition. It was understandable to be extra determined since a masterful elixir was at stake. But, wasn't the outcome already decided? They had secured 5 wins in the Yongbong faction. Winning this match would only serve as a small consolation, not a true victory. Thus, Mok Riwon spoke, "You may remain lying down. Even if the ten of you come at me all at once, I can still put at least eight of you down immediately." It might sound arrogant, but Mok Riwon was confident. The myriad techniques born from their swords' movement. For Mok Riwon, the objective of those movements and the numerous potential outcomes they could produce were no longer an issue, thanks to what he had learned in the previous battle against Okangak. Byeok Woo Rim was at the pinnacle of his power. His internal strength was comparable to Mok Riwon's, but just that was not enough to prevent them from being defeated. "There's no need to harm yourselves to such an extent. I will win in the end, anyway." Byeok Woo Rim's sclera filled with bloodshot veins at the words that were spoken as Mok Riwon readjusted his sword. "You are arrogant." "It's simply the truth." Mok Riwon raised his sword. "If you can't believe it, then testing it is also a good strategy." Suddenly, the eight martial artists rose again. Byeok Woo Rim ground his teeth and shouted, "Attack!" This time, including Byeok Woo Rim and Gyeon Dong themselves, it was an offensive by 10 people. Byeok Woo Rim was the central axis. As he started running directly towards Mok Riwon, the martial artists followed his movements. They surrounded all eight directions around Mok Riwon, strengthening both the front and the back in a comprehensive attack formation. Realizing their strategy just by their positions, Mok Riwon took a breath. 'It's good timing to test something I've been considering.' Mok Riwon spun around, swinging his sword as if dancing. Swooosh— Byeok Woo Rim's sword was the first to clash with Mok Riwon's. Mok Riwon's sword, moving smoothly, didn't push Byeok Woo Rim's sword away but rode along it, starting to bend in another direction. What followed was a bizarre scene. "What...!" Kang Chan jumped up from his seat to observe the unfolding scene. "An illusion? No, a flow?" The distinction was ambiguous. Although the concepts of illusionary swords and flowing swords were close, they were not this indistinguishable. As Mok Riwon's sword moved along Byeok Woo Rim's sword's path and twisted it, Byeok Woo Rim's sword bent at an unintended angle and crossed with Gyeon Dong's sword. Clang— The sound of blades clashing echoed. It wasn't over yet. The remaining eight swords aiming at Mok Riwon started to lose their trajectory as they bumped into the two crossed swords. The martial artists struggled to regain their paths but to no avail. Clang—Clang— As the swords tried to find their original trajectories, Mok Riwon twisted and twisted them again, intertwining them, resulting in an unusual shape. The sight that emerged as the swords tangled together was pitiful, like insects struggling in a spider’s web. This was the second form of Mok Riwon's Manryeon's Sword Technique, Spider Silk Swapping Sword. Like weaving a spider’s web, Mok Riwon intertwined the enemies’ swords, disrupting their flow and then changing his offensive approach. Thud—thwack— Starting to strike the ground with his sword, he gradually accelerated until his movements became so fast they blurred. Clang— For every ten strikes, there was one noise. The attacks, precisely targeting the center of gravity of the swords, repelled them with a speed akin to lightning. Soul-Seizing Delight. The first technique of Manryeon's Sword manifested, and the martial artists saw their swords flying into the air. Only Byeok Woo Rim and Gyeon Dong were left holding their swords. Mok Riwon seized the moment of their hesitation to continue his rapid attacks, first taking down the eight martial artists. "Argh!" "Gah!" They were hit on their joints with the flat of the blade, incapacitated. They wouldn't be able to rise in this match anymore. "AAAAHHH!" Byeok Woo Rim screamed as he rushed forward. His stance was thrusting, and his momentum was particularly sharp. 'The solar plexus.' Realizing where he was aiming, Mok Riwon's eyes lit up. The speed of his sword hadn't decreased. He just had to beat Byeok Woo Rim so he couldn't stand again. That thought had just crossed his mind when he swung his sword. "AAAH!" Gyeon Dong swung his sword mightily. '…This one first.' Mok Riwon twisted his body halfway around, striking at Gyeon Dong, who was attacking from behind. Papapak! After hitting the right knee, left elbow, then the right shoulder, and forehead with the flat of his sword, Gyeon Dong let out a 'gurk' and collapsed. Mok Riwon checked this before focusing on Byeok Woo Rim. * Gyeon Dong, with half-closed eyes, was lying down, watching the fight between Mok Riwon and Byeok Woo Rim. His head was ringing from the blow he had just received. "Graaah..." Involuntarily, he thought to himself as he watched the scene unfold before his eyes. 'Talent...' This is the duel of those with talent. The superhuman duel of swinging the sword tens of times in a moment, continuously calculating the defense and thrust. A realm of martial arts unreachable by ordinary people no matter how desperately they struggle. Feeling something rising with a surge of emotion at that thought, Gyeon Dong grew bitter. 'Useless thing.' What is this, really? What is talent that it can so divide people? What is it that decides one's value solely on its basis? 'I too...!' He wished to have talent. He wanted to reach a higher realm. Only then could he... 'To my grandfather...!' ...be acknowledged. * Dull Sword Gyeon Dong. Despite serving as a leader in the Martial Alliance, his moniker was that of a dull sword. It was inevitable. He wasn't someone who climbed to his position through swordsmanship. His ascension to the leader position was solely due to being the grandson of the inner chief. Most people would have been drained by such disdain and given up the position of leader. An ordinary martial artist, who values pride more than life itself, would have done so. However, Gyeon Dong did not. He was never a martial artist to begin with. By nature, he was more suited to the literati than the martial world. Why then, had he become a martial artist and taken the position of leader in the alliance? To tell that story requires going back a bit further into the past. Young Gyeon Dong was poor. His father was a poor literati with the surname Gyeon and his mother was a merchant who sold various items in the market. There were regular occurrences of missing meals. Yet, Gyeon Dong was happy at that time. "Dong, you will surely become a great scholar." There were loving parents who embraced him, and there was always laughter in the alleys of the market. His life changed when his inherently frail father fell ill and his mother's business failed to the point of no return. They needed money for the father's medicine. But, there was no one in the family who could do so. The father's illness grew worse daily, and the mother's face grew increasingly gaunt. About 3 years into these tough times, the mother spoke, "Dong, would you accompany me to visit your grandfather?" Gyeon Dong was shocked. He had never before heard that he had a grandfather. That day, Gyeon Dong learned he was the descendant of a prestigious family, and also the day he lost his parents. "You are my grandson?" Sea Wave Sword Kyeon Gweol, the chief of the Martial Alliance's inner council. Gyeon Dong feared the venerable old man who looked down upon him, a name he had only heard in whispers. "Father, please save my husband..." "You dare call me father?" "...Please." "There is one condition." "What condition?" "That child must really be my blood. Leave him here. Since that runaway disappointed me, I will raise this child as a martial artist of the Alliance." "That's... impossible!" His mother shouted at Kyeon Gweol, who desired Gyeon Dong. Although young, Gyeon Dong understood the situation was dire and knew his stepping forward could potentially resolve it. "Mother, I will do it." Thus, he abandoned his family to save them. "Dong..." "Father needs the medicine, does he not! I will do it!" Gyeon Dong was a coward. But, he was a boy who knew love. Therefore, he chose to sacrifice himself. Becoming someone else, he began to grow as Kyeon Gweol's grandson to earn money for his father's medicine. Exactly 3 years. That was how long it took Gyeon Dong to regret his decision. Ultimately, his father's illness did not improve. His father passed away, and his mother also died from the shock. He had no time to grieve. Kyeon Gweol allowed him only a month to return home for mourning; afterward, he began to demand even more from Gyeon Dong’s training. To put it bluntly, Gyeon Dong failed. 'Useless.' He had no talent for martial arts. It was pitiful. Kyeon Gweol said it was because he came from a lowly mother, but Gyeon Dong knew. The problem was his lack of courage and ambition. The problem was his lack of the guts to stand up, sword in hand, and confront others. Despite the scornful looks and words from those around him, he could bear it. What he couldn't bear was something else. "I've lost out on this one." Contempt from his grandfather. Now utterly alone, Gyeon Dong found it too painful to be turned away by the only family he had left. Gyeon Dong loved being loved. He cherished his family and their smiles. Thus, he couldn’t bear seeing them drift away. Gyeon Dong wanted to win back Kyeon Gweol's heart. To hide his lacking martial talent, he turned to politics. To remain in the Martial Alliance and to be acknowledged. He theorized that then, his grandfather might look his way again. Such was his calculation. He decided to become ruthless. To be shameless and irrational. If that could bring achievements, if that could keep him by his grandfather's side, then so be it. But even that had an end. Clang— It was all over. He was now completely out of his grandfather's favor, and there was no way back. If he died here on the street, there wouldn't be a single person to acknowledge him. In that moment, "Kugh...!" Gyeon Dong felt a strange emotion overwhelming him. His insides seemed to ignite, and his eyes grew hot with tears. It was resentment. Thump! Gyeon Dong staggered to his feet. The throbbing pain in his joints made standing an agony, but lying down felt even worse. "AAAAAGH!!!" Tears streaming down his face, Gyeon Dong let out an ugly cry and charged towards Mok Riwon. 'Talent!' It was all because of that damned talent. The transcendent realm that remained unreachable no matter the effort and support was all due to talent. Not being able to protect his parents, not gaining his grandfather's acknowledgment, and collapsing like this—his entire life was marred by his lack of talent. His shoulders and elbows were wrecked, and his swordsmanship was a mess. Moreover, his scream had already alerted Mok Riwon to his approach. Crack! "Gah!" This time, his waist was struck. Mok Riwon, having quickly downed Gyeon Dong, turned to face Byeok Woo Rim again. Gyeon Dong let out his frustration, feeling his tears, snot, and spit all running down his face. Then, he stood up again. "G-g-aaaagh!" His voice broke as he ran. This time, a flicker of interest appeared in Mok Riwon's eyes. However, the sword remained cold. Crack! His thigh took a direct hit from the flat of the sword. Gyeon Dong fell again but also rose once more. The surge of resentment was too great. As everything was nearing its end, the fact that he couldn't land even a single blow due to his lack of talent felt unbearably unfair. 'Just one blow...!' With all he had, couldn't he land at least one blow? Such an action wouldn't put a dent in Mok Riwon's abilities, would it? Why was even that not permitted? Staggering towards Mok Riwon, Gyeon Dong didn't even have the strength to scream anymore, just gasping for breath as he moved forward. Crack! He was struck in the calf and fell. And then, "Krh..." He rose once more.