Chapter 1011
Namgung Dan collapsed to the ground. Pure white steam rose from his head.
Yoon Jong slowly opened his eyes which he had tightly shut and looked over the fallen Namgung Dan.
“…He’s dead.”
“Yeah, looks dead.”
Jo-Gol folded his arms and shook his head loudly. He added that it had been a long time since he heard such a satisfying hitting sound.
However, the surprise they felt was nothing compared to the sword warriors of Namgung Family who were watching from behind. The sword warriors of Namgung Family all had expressions that made their eyes bulged out. No one was able to speak a proper sentence while staring blankly at the fallen Namgung Dan.
“Hyu- Hyung-nim….”
“In one blow….”
They couldn’t close their mouths.
What on earth happened?
Looking back and forth between the fallen Namgung Dan and the smiling Tang Soso with her sword casually slung over her shoulder, they could not comprehend the situation.
“Kuh… ugh…”
“Hyu- Hyung-nim!”
“Dan!”
At that time, Namgung Dan, who had lost consciousness for a moment, began to squirm. He was holding his head and groaning in pain, then picked up the fallen wooden sword and got up.
“Ugh…”
Half-standing, he held his head again, trembling.
‘It hurts.’
‘It must hurt.’
‘I just want to die.’
Five Swords closed their eyes tightly and shook their head as if they couldn’t bear to watch anymore. Only those who’ve experienced the pain can understand.
“Cough! C- Cough!”
Tang Soso smiled brightly as he looked at Namgung Dan, who had staggered to his feet.
“What? Want more?”
“That….”
Namgung Dan, with eyes half out of focus, managed to speak.
“I, I was careless….”
“Aah, careless, is it?”
Tang Soso nodded as if she understood.
“Right. Well, since you were careless, let’s not count that one. That’s fair, right?”
Normally, saying one was “careless” is no excuse for a sword warrior. Rather, it is nothing more than insulting oneself. For those who stake everything on their sword, being “careless” is an unacceptable act.
However, Tang Soso generously accepted Namgung Dan’s excuse. From Namgung Dan’s point of view, he was extremely grateful.
So, at a glance, her response might seem generously kind and understanding.
But Five Swords’s reaction was completely different.
“…She’s really out to get him today.”
“She’s seriously pissed?”
“Should we prepare a coffin in advance?”
“…Right.”
But unfortunately, the sound of Five Swords muttering could not be heard by Nangung Dan’s ears.
“Kuh.”
Namgung Dan pressed hard against his head.
His vision was dizzy, his mind foggy. Even at this moment, he was still experiencing indescribable pain. But he had to gather his wits.
‘If, if only I could utilize my skills….’
Thinking Tang Soso would employ swift and light swordsmanship had been his mistake.
Who would have imagined that such a ridiculously heavy sword could be wielded by such a small stature? His wrist was still throbbing from blocking her sword.
“Cough!”
Namgung Dan raised his sword again and aimed it at Tang Soso. He knew very well that what he was doing now was ugly, but at this moment, dignity was the least of his concerns.
If he retreats like this, the only result will be that Namgung’s sword is shattered without even being able to counterattack Mount Hua’s sword. and that too against Tang Soso who had only recently joined Mount Hua.
It was an incomparable humiliation to Namgung Dan.
“Hmm.”
Tang Soso, seeing Namgung Dan aiming his sword at her, twirled her own sword around.
“How much longer should I wait?”
“…Yes?”
“Your recovery, I mean. You’ll say later that you couldn’t display your true skill because you were out of it.”
“….”
Namgung Dan bit his lip so hard it almost turned white for a moment.
The fact that he couldn’t refute those words gave him even greater humiliation. After all, it was Namgung Dan who was forcibly dragging out an already-concluded match.
“I’m… ready!”
“Is that so?”
Tang Soso approached him with a grin. At that moment, sparks flew from Namgung Dan’s eyes.
‘This…!’
Even if you ignore people, there’s a limit to it! To approach him without any caution!
“Taaaaaap!”
Namgung Dan shouted as he swung his sword down. The Twelve Form of Iron Sword (?????(鐵劍十二式)), Namgung Family’s signature swordsmanship, was unfolded without any waste.
Kung!
The moment the swords met in the air, he twisted his wrist and swung his sword like a storm. It was a fierce sword energy that seemed to sweep away Tang Soso’s entire body.
‘I just need to display my skill!’
He was not the type of person who would be defeated by Tang Soso, who had not mastered the sword for years. Isn’t every second, every moment of his sword strikes containing his blood and sweat? No matter how talented Tang Soso is, she cannot match the time he devoted to this sword! No, she shouldn’t be!
Certainly.
That should be the case, but….
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
She blocked it. All of it.
Each of his fierce sword strikes was completely blocked by Tang Soso’s sword.
‘H- How?’
Namgung Dan began to panic little by little.
Had his sword weakened from the blow to his head?
No.
A sword is something engraved into one’s body. His sword accurately drew the path he wanted. However, no matter how much he swung his sword, it could not reach Tang Soso’s body.
Throb! Throb!
Instead, each time the swords collided, his wrist ached as if it was about to break.
Every time there is a collision, his wrist is unable to withstand the shock transmitted through the sword body.
‘This can’t be happening!’
Namgung Dan screamed and swung his sword with all his might. A ferocious storm-like sword was unleashed towards Tang Soso.
“Hyu- Hyung-nim!”
“No, Hyung-nim!”
Namgung Family’s sword warriors who were watching screamed involuntarily. This is because they noticed that Namgung Dan’s sword was no longer suitable for sparring.
If things continue that way, Tang Soso’s body will be torn to pieces by the fierce storm of sword energy!
However, contrary to what it seemed on the outside, it was Namgung Dan that was being cornered.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
Even as swords clashed one after another, Tang Soso’s gaze grew colder. There was no wavering in her gaze that was watching Namgung Dan.
At that moment, her faint voice could be heard clearly in Namgoong Dan’s ears.
“You done?”
“Ugh!”
It was precisely at that moment.
Kuung!
The moment their swords touched, Tang Soso lightly twisted her wrist, flicking Namgung Dan’s sword upwards. Naturally, Namgung Dan’s upper body was left wide open.
“Head!”
Tang Soso’s sword fell like a beam of light towards the top of his head. Namgung Dan desperately pulled his sword to block above his head. And this time, he gathered all his internal energy, determined not to be pressed down by Tang Soso’s sword.
‘I, I’ve blocked it…’
However, at the very moment when he braced the impact of the swords striking each other, Tang Soso’s sword spun around. And it just passed by Namgung Dan’s sword entirely.
‘Huh?’
At that instant, Namgung Dan saw clearly. The sword passed by his head and plunge precisely into his right ankle.
Ttaaaaaak!
With a crisp sound, Namgung Dan’s mouth opened wide as if about to torn apart in unspeakable pain.
Pain that could not be described in words spread from his ankle throughout his body.
“Kuh…. Keueu!”
At that moment, Namgung Dan, filled with malice, swung his sword in a fit of rage.
Ttaaaaaak!
However, before he could finish swinging his sword, Tang Soso’s sword struck his knee again.
“Ugh… Aaaaah!”
Namgung Dan swung his sword with all his might. However, at that very moment, Tang Soso did not dodge the sword flying towards him, but instead struck the flying sword head-on.
Kwaaaaang!
Namgung Dan’s waist twisted as if it would break. His sword was completely pushed back behind him. The hand holding his sword was torn and red blood was dripping from it.
‘This, this can’t be…’
At that moment, Tang Soso’s angry voice pierced his ears.
“Swordmaster bastard just swings his sword in a fit?”
Tang Soso raised her sword so that it was clearly visible to his eyes. Namgung Dan, in panic, held his wooden sword with both hands above his head to protect himself.
Tang Soso’s sword descended fiercely.
“In that sword!”
Kuuuung!
“The power!”
Kuuuung!
“If you want to load it!”
Kuuuuuung!
“Lower your posture first, you punk! Posture!”
Kuuuuuuuuuuuuung!
Namgung Dan lowered his posture as Tang Soso demanded. Well, that is if the almost twisted back can be described as ‘lowering one’s posture.’
“Face? A brat whose head hasn’t even dried yet talking about face?”
“Keu, keuukk.”
Namgung Dan, who was half out of his mind, instinctively straightened himself up. No, he tried to.
“Lower your posture, you punk!”
Kwaaaaaaang!
Namgung Dan’s wooden sword struck his face. Two streams of blood spurted from the nose, comically decorating the air.
“Why can’t you understand what I’m saying? Right. If you can’t understand with your ears, you’ll understand with your body!”
Observing the scene, Five Swords turned their head away, foreseeing the disaster about to happen. They couldn’t bear to watch.
“Lower your knees!”
Tang Soso’s sword struck Namgung Dan’s knee mercilessly.
“Straighten your back!”
Namgung Dan’s waist, which was leaning helplessly to the side, was struck and forced to straighten.
“Shoulders! Relax your shoulders!”
After being swiftly hit on both shoulders, Namgung Dan’s body adopted an impeccably correct posture.
Baek Cheon looked at the distant sky in silence and sighed softly.
Why does violence get passed down for generation?
Why….
“Use your head when swinging your sword! You bastard!”
Tang Soso’s sword flew like a beam of light toward the center of Namgung Dan’s head.
Looking at the sword falling towards his head, Namgung Dan smiled brightly without even realizing it.
‘This… This must be a dream.’
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!
A sound too harrowing to believe it came from a human head resonated five times in a row.
Namgung Dan finally collapsed to the ground like a heap of rotting straw.
Everyone in the manor all looked at him mesmerized as he twitched his limbs like a stoned frog.
“What? You just passed out with this? Hey. You’re not getting up?”
At that time, Yoon Jong quietly turned his head and asked Baek Cheon.
“Sasuk.”
“Hm?”
“Why did Soso become like that?”
“Yoon Jong-ah.”
“Yes?”
“…A person inevitably grows up according to what they see and learn. The ones above are like that, so what can the ones below do?”
“….”
“Just live your life thankful that you are Chung Myung’s Sahyung.”
Though it was a profound statement, something seemed to bother Yoon Jong.
“Sasuk.”
“Why again?”
“…Then what will happen to the next disciples that will come to Mount Hua in the future?”
“….”
Baek Cheon, unable to answer that question, looked away sorrowfully. At the end of his gaze, Chung Myung was giggling merrily.
“…Oh, Yuanshi Tianzun.”
Please watch over Mount Hua.
“Next! Next punk! No one? Hey, Dowi, come here!”
In the silent manor, only the sound of Tang Soso running wild and Chung Myung’s laughter spread widely.