The Sword Emperor's Way of Establishing the Namgung Clan

Chapter 50 - To Forge (2)

The martial artists of the Ink Wheel Hall, only after a delay, looked at each other and opened their mouths.

“He handled our joint attack this easily?”

“Is he not a monster? Could it be that he has cultivated a Demonic Art…”

“Can you even say such things after seeing that bastard’s bearing? You idiot.”

The eyes of the martial artists of the Ink Wheel Hall gleamed. Even though their joint attack had failed, their gazes were not broken. On the contrary, their fighting spirit and stubborn pride were boiling over.

“That’s not the problem, you morons. Didn’t you see that bastard’s final sword strike?”

“Its nature was clearly different. As if he had learned it by watching our joint attack.”

“That bastard is a supernatural horror.”

The members of the Ink Wheel Hall muttered amongst themselves and stared directly at Namgung Jun. As they did, they moved their feet little by little and took their respective positions.

That was not all.

The martial artists of the Ink Wheel Hall who had not stepped forward for the joint attack were also feeling an interest and were in the middle of rising from their seats.

“If we leave him be like this, the Hall’s dignity won’t be preserved.”

“Since when did we care about dignity? Aren’t you just resentful?”

The members of the Ink Wheel Hall, who had been spitting out blood-mixed saliva, straightened their bent backs. They were on the verge of rushing at Namgung Jun once again.

Step.

At that moment, a footstep heard from behind suppressed the charge of the Ink Wheel Hall martial artists. It was together with the sound of a tongue clicking, as if in disapproval.

“You pathetic things. At this rate, will you be able to tear the Demonic Beings of the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult to death?”

The Ink Wheel Hall Master, the Sword Demon, had revealed himself.

The sight of him walking over with a swagger, his sword slung diagonally over his right shoulder, was truly arrogant.

But it was difficult to find an opening in that lax posture. If an enemy were before him, he would surely be able to cut them down with perfect naturalness.

The Sword Demon, who had dismissed his subordinates who had been standing in an awkward posture with a gesture of his chin, looked Namgung Jun up and down. His persistent and bleak gaze wavered for an instant.

“You’ve changed quite a bit, brat.”

“Is that so?”

“Did you come to cross swords?”

“Yes, for it is a promise.”

The corners of the Sword Demon’s eyes narrowed fiercely.

The arrogant promise that he would become his sword companion.

Even thinking of it now, it was a very audacious declaration, but at the same time, it sparked his interest. For a boy who had only just learned martial arts had accomplished saying something that no one in the Azure Sky Society had been able to spit out.

The entire body of the Sword Demon, who had recalled his first meeting with Namgung Jun, began to leak a reddish-brown Demonic Energy. As the Sword Demon’s aura radiated out explosively in all directions, the atmosphere seemed to grow a tier heavier.

Crackle!

The blue lightning energy that flowed down from Namgung Jun’s shoulders unraveled the rushing pressure. Thanks to that, Namgung Jun was able to face the Sword Demon with his back held straight.

“This time, it seems I’ll be able to stir up some excitement.”

The Sword Demon looked at the masters of the Ink Wheel Hall around them and shook his head.

“I was getting tired of those worthless chaffs.”

“I have gained a great inspiration.”

“From those things?”

“I will show you directly.”

The Sword Demon laughed brightly at the sight of Namgung Jun calmly bringing his hand to his hilt.

“You bastard. You must have heard the news of the competition and come to hone your Sword Skill.”

“That is correct.”

“You arrogant bastard. You intend to use me as a touchstone?”

Looking at Namgung Jun, who did not deny it, the Sword Demon extended his right foot forward. As he did, he naturally lowered the sword that had been slung over his shoulder.

“Here I come.”

SCREEE!

The sound of the Sword Demon drawing his sword was exceptionally low and gloomy. The unpleasant cry of the sword clawed at Namgung Jun’s ears.

The mere act of drawing the sword felt like a single form designed to shake the opponent’s state of mind. The Sword Demon, who had at some point tossed aside his scabbard and was only gripping his sword.

K-KRAAACK!

As the Sword Demon’s sword pulsed up and down, it relentlessly gnawed at the floor of the training ground. A sight like a mudslide rushing in due to the reddish-brown Demonic Energy unfolded before his eyes.

Namgung Jun, who had taken in the sword path with his eyes, realized.

‘Is he unfolding his signature ultimate skill?’

Unlike in their first duel, the Sword Demon was unleashing an advanced sword style. His face looked truly excited.

The Archdemon's Sword.

The peculiar sword strikes, which overflowed with an absurd trajectory, struck up to the tips of Namgung Jun’s feet.

Crackle!

Namgung Jun, responding with his Thirteen Sword-Thunders of the Lightning Flash.

The spreading sword strikes, which erupted with a sharp sound of thunder, branched off into countless streaks like a bolt of lightning and let off cerulean sparks.

Unlike the last time, the much more cleanly refined forms crossed the training ground. The pulsing of the atmosphere showed that the depth of the forms had completely changed.

‘He has erased the complicated Form. It has become more concise and intense. Did he refine it through real combat?’

The eyelids of the Sword Demon, who had experienced the newly created Thirteen Sword-Thunders of the Lightning Flash, twitched.

The Sword Demon, who had confirmed Namgung Jun’s capability, extended his steps once again and thrust his sword in succession as if to apply pressure.

Without exception, they were fatal strikes that aimed for Namgung Jun’s vital points. However, Namgung Jun showed no signs of cowering.

K-JJEONG! PA-PA-PANG!

He parried the sword that was trying to slice horizontally across his abdomen and used his Heavenly Thunder Palm Style in succession to protect his shoulder and elbow.

Even after that, a sword strike driving toward his collarbone remained, but Namgung Jun’s steps were already extending with a light and free air.

Namgung Jun, who had dodged even the final sword strike by retreating with his Infinite Steps Footwork, immediately went on the offensive. As if to say it was his turn.

K-ka-ka-kang!

As the two blades, imbued with Demonic Qi and Lightning Qi, let off a continuous stream of sparks, a gust of wind arose around the training ground.

The Sword Demon once again took a step forward and applied pressure, and Namgung Jun, who had raised his sword sharply, twisted his body to the left and continued his offensive.

Though their swords extended fiercely toward both sides, they never touched the bodies of the two swordsmen. Because of this, only thick sword marks were left on the innocent floor.

“He’s crossing hands with the Hall Master like that?”

“Even if the Hall Master is controlling his power!”

The members of the Ink Wheel Hall, who were watching the savage duel, could not contain their astonishment.

Though their pride had been wounded for not being able to defeat the newcomer with a joint attack, they realized this was not the time for such feelings.

The newcomer Cloud was definitely a monster.

GONG!

Namgung Jun, who had raised the body of his sword and received the horizontally whirling slashing strike, naturally retreated backward.

‘He has drained the power from his body. He intentionally widened the distance.’

The Sword Demon did not give Namgung Jun an opening, even as he was preparing something. Who in the Martial World would give their enemy time?

“You must have seen enough of my Thirteen Sword-Thunders of the Lightning Flash.”

Along with a smile, Namgung Jun’s grip and posture changed.

The body of Namgung Jun, which had always maintained its sturdiness by lowering its center of gravity, was bizarrely leaning forward.

At that sight, the members of the Ink Wheel Hall noticed and shouted.

“Is that the sword strike he showed at the very end before!”

“Is he displaying a sword style he has only just now learned?”

Leaving the cries of astonishment from the Ink Wheel Hall members behind him, the Sword Demon closed the combat distance in an instant.

A sword strike, wriggling bewitchingly as it charged, was shot toward the point between the Sword Demon’s eyebrows.

‘This bastard?’

It was completely different from the sword form he had seen until now. As he twisted his head and evaded it, the sword, as if it were alive, bent sharply and followed him.

A sword strike, at some point surging toward his temple.

The Sword Demon, whose smile had deepened, lightly swung his hand and deflected it, but this was only the beginning.

As the two swordsmen took a step each at the same time, the combat distance was drastically narrowed. In that closed distance, fierce sword strikes were exchanged without number.

“Amusing!”

The persistent and viscous sword strikes writhed and coiled, drawing a chaotic form.

The Sword Demon, who was receiving Namgung Jun’s sticky and persistent sword, burst out laughing as if he were having fun.

Ch-ch-ch-chang!

Thirty-four exchanges passed in an instant.

Namgung Jun’s martial arts uniform was split in various places, and fine lines of blood shot up. But the Sword Demon paid it no mind.

On the contrary, as if he were excited, his sword became even more violent. Nineteen streaks of sword strikes, rushing in. However, there was no hesitation in the steps of Namgung Jun as he charged into them.

“Shouldn’t we stop this? It seems the Hall Master has lost his mind.”

“He’s so high on excitement, has the Demonic Energy invaded the Hall Master’s head?”

At the savage clash of the two swordsmen, the members of the Ink Wheel Hall who were watching were, on the contrary, to the point of flinching.

“Not yet. More! More! More!”

The Sword Demon, who was letting out a mad laugh, looked genuinely happy. At some point, even killing intent began to flow out from the Sword Demon’s sword.

The forms of the Archdemon's Sword, now containing killing intent, came at him twice as powerfully. As if everything up until now had been nothing more than a game.

‘This kind of killing intent. It has been a long time.’

It was more blatant and thicker than any killing intent he had experienced in his present life.

Just by being exposed to the killing intent, his skin tingled and it felt as if his sword wounds were splitting open even wider.

‘Originally, I had only intended to hone my sword skill…’

Namgung Jun firmed his grip on his sword with a thoroughly solemn face.

‘I will be able to raise my battlefield senses.’

A precarious feeling, as if performing acrobatics on the line of death. The senses of his entire body, which were being forcibly sharpened by the crisis of life and death.

Namgung Jun, who felt a sense of elation as his body boiled up, powerfully extended his foot.

“Here I go again.”

The Sword Demon’s kiai, mixed with internal energy, rang out.

“Come on!”

KWAAAAANG!

As the swords of the two swordsmen clashed, a fierce shockwave erupted. At this, the masters of the Ink Wheel Hall who were watching from the surroundings each had to draw upon their internal energy.

Swish-swish-swish!

Namgung Jun’s sword split into countless streaks and created sword-shadows. The dozens of streaks of sword-shadows endlessly bent and coiled, storming in like a tempest.

The Sword Demon, while parrying all the sword strikes that were pouring down like a torrential rain, struck back with an even more bewitching form.

It took but a moment for the reddish-brown sword strikes to swallow up the cerulean sword strikes.

Swish!

Along with a bleak sound of tearing air, blood shot up from Namgung Jun’s forearm. This was only the beginning.

Spurt!

Namgung Jun’s blue martial arts uniform was gradually dyed red. Though the depth of the wounds was still shallow, there was no telling when he might receive a serious injury.

But the clash of the two swords became even more viscous and chaotic.

Not only the Sword Demon, but Namgung Jun as well, did not back down.

In the middle of that, the Sword Demon’s Demonic Energy gradually thickened. It seemed that while he had been controlling his power until now, the very desire to do so had disappeared.

Because a case like this was extremely rare, a look of bewilderment spread in the eyes of the Ink Wheel Hall masters as well.

‘At this rate, a real disaster will happen!’

Sa Dan-hae, who had been watching blankly, shouted.

“Stop the Hall Master!”

The masters of the Ink Wheel Hall, with Sa Dan-hae at the lead, pierced through the space between the two swordsmen.

Dozens of weapons struck at the Sword Demon from all sides. Even though it was a move made against their own Hall Master, there was no hesitation in their strikes.

The sword strikes of the Sword Demon, which had been heading for Namgung Jun, sharply turned and extended toward the masters of the Ink Wheel Hall.

K-ka-ka-ka-kang!

Though it was a sudden joint attack, the Sword Demon did not receive a single injury. The only thing was that he had been stopped in his place.

In the interval while he was stopped, the Sword Demon, who had calmed his killing intent, did not give a single glance to the subordinates who had blocked his path.

He was only glaring at Namgung Jun, who was still holding a certain posture far behind him.

Breaking the momentary silence, the Sword Demon suddenly burst into a fierce laugh.

“You arrogant bastard. You were preparing a new ultimate skill in the middle of all that.”

Only then did Namgung Jun calm his internal energy and withdraw his sword.

“There will be an opportunity to show it to you next time.”

“Did you create another new sword style?”

“Not yet. I have merely gained an inspiration.”

The Sword Demon threw his sword down on the floor and turned his back.

“When you come again, come after you have properly refined it into a completely new sword style.”

Namgung Jun answered with a fist-and-palm salute.

Sa Dan-hae, who was dumbfounded at his appearance, which was as composed as it was at the beginning, asked.

“You. Do you know that you were about to die just now?”

“I would not have died.”

“What? The Hall Master was serious at that time.”

“I was the same.”

Sa Dan-hae was at a loss for words.

He could not get a sense of how much he should believe the words of Namgung Jun, who was saying he had intended to receive the Sword Demon’s sword head-on.

But suddenly, Sa Dan-hae thought.

The new ultimate skill that the Sword Demon had mentioned.

Namgung Jun had actually been preparing something.

What on earth could it have been, that he could have been on the verge of facing the Sword Demon’s sword and yet could still so loftily gather up his own sword?

“You have a great conviction in your innate talent with the blade.”

Sa Dan-hae stared blankly at the back of Namgung Jun as he left the Ink Wheel Hall.

Sa Dan-hae had realized.

That the various prodigies and geniuses he had seen until now were nothing.

That the one who was born with a talent that could truly be called genius was that boy, who was growing distant before his eyes.