Part 2, Episode 136.
Cut.
The basics that form the foundation of the sword, along with thrusting.
It is simple enough that even if you are not a swordsman, you have likely tried cutting it at least once, but the deeper you delve, the more you struggle with its profundity.
The higher you reach in your level, the more you realize that the basics are the most important, and that your own basics are not yet perfect.
Slashing and thrusting. Only after mastering these two techniques will one be able to reach a higher level.
The sword of the Seven Rivers and the greatest sword on the continent.
Even the Sword Emperor, Garfield Drew, said so.
Even though it was just a game, there was no room for doubt given that it was the word of a prosecutor who had dominated an era.
And now.
“ah…….”
Sirgan also agreed with that differing opinion.
Sssss-
The moment when even the breath became refined, as if exhaled along with the sword.
Her figure, which had been scattering like a mirage, became infinitely clear.
Her movements came vividly to me, just like a candle burning its last moments before going out.
However, he realized a little late that even that was what she had intended.
Rustle-
Even though he was already being beheaded, Sirgan still couldn’t take his eyes off it, lost in thought.
‘beautiful…….’
Perfect slash.
It was the realization that something could be this beautiful.
Beyond the view where time seemed to flow slowly as if stopped, dark red blood rose in droplets into the air and adorned the sky like blooming flowers.
Cut in two.
Then, the moment her clear voice was heard indifferently.
Whoosh!
The moment I realized I had been cut half a beat too late, my vision turned gray.
I haven’t seen her sheath her sword yet, though.
In the end, he died without seeing anything blooming along the trajectory of the sword.
[Player ‘Sirgan’ has been defeated.]
[The target’s Karma Index is overwhelmingly high. Judging as a villain, no preemptive strike penalty is applied.]
Sreung-
Upon checking the message, the Sword Saint slowly straightened his lowered stance and sheathed his sword.
[Casted Signature Trait ‘Sword of Non-action’.]
[The sword without action]
– Grade: Signature Trait
– Description: A realm that can only be reached by those who have devoted their entire lives to the sword.
Wield your sword in accordance with the flow of nature, without any sense of unfamiliarity.
When the mind and body become perfectly one, and the sword is the body and the body is the sword, only then will one be able to reach the realm of non-action.
-Effect: Infuses the energy of Non-action into swordsmanship that meets the conditions, attaining a higher level of realm and applying additional effects.
[Currently, there are 2 swordsmanship techniques to which Muwigeom can be applied.]
What she just used was not just a signature trait.
Her signature trait is a conditional ability.
It was because it could only be activated when the signature swordsmanship was activated.
The final sword strike activated by applying the Wuwei Sword was… … .
[Activating ‘Body-Sword Unity’.]
[Become one with the sword and unleash ultimate swordsmanship.]
[The power of your temporarily held swordsmanship is unleashed at its maximum.]
[‘Severing in two with a single stroke’ demonstrates power that transcends limits.]
[It is swordsmanship of a sufficient level.]
[The effect of the signature trait ‘Wuwei Sword’ is applied upon meeting the conditions.]
[‘The Unity of Body and Sword’ reaches a higher level.]
[The additional effect ‘Flash Shadow Slash’ is applied to sword strikes delivered in the ‘Body-Sword Unity’ state.]
[When delivering a swift sword strike, an afterimage remains, slicing through everything it touches. At this time, it can even cut through targets that defy the laws of physics.]
Body and Sword United
The swordsmanship that was the first to successfully apply the Wuwei Sword.
Perhaps because of the nature of the Unity of God and Sword, which involves sharing the greatest communion with the sword when activating swordsmanship, it could be applied faster than expected.
This could be considered good news for her.
Shin-Geom-Hap-Il is not so much a single swordsmanship, but rather a technique that becomes one with the sword to enhance the power of other swordsmanships.
After all, it was a buff-type swordsmanship that could be applied to virtually all swordsmanships.
Naturally, the synergy with the Wuwei Sword was tremendous, and the sword strike unleashed just moments ago boasted tremendous power, but… … .
“Tsk.”
Actually, she was clicking her tongue in disapproval.
“Is this the limit in actual combat? I still lack training.”
This was because if even the first level of sword-divine unity attained was not perfect, the level of perfection would inevitably be even lower when activating the second sword technique capable of applying the Wuwei Sword.
Considering how close I was to perfection in training, training and actual combat are indeed different.
However, that didn’t mean I immediately thought about getting thrown back into the waterfall.
Just as one must jump into a hot pit of fire to temper.
This was because, from now on, it was an area that could only be perfected through actual combat, not training.
“still…….”
Clearing her distracting thoughts, she smiled faintly as she watched the traces of Sirgan turning into dust and disappearing.
It wasn’t too bad.
Although the opponent did not live up to expectations, he was a true swordsman whom I had met for the first time in a long while among the users.
It was when I was enjoying that slight lingering feeling.
“Anyway, you little brat, acting all high and mighty.”
Geomseong clicked his tongue in annoyance, his lingering impression shattered by the vulgar tone that did not match the beautiful voice.
“……Is it over for you too?”
“I should have grabbed it sooner. But more importantly… looks like that last thing you showed is your signature trait? It’s pretty cool. When am I going to get to use it? I’m itching to try it out.”
Sword Saint chuckled at the sight of the Empress, who was burning with a competitive spirit even in the midst of this, wondering if she was really the same person who had been fighting just moments ago.
Normally, I would have dismissed it as nonsense, but…
If you want, it is possible even now.
“Oh, what a surprise you’re not holding back? You’re always the type to refuse.”
“……Recall the situations where you challenged someone to a duel so far, Kuku. Whether they were truly suitable circumstances for a duel.”
“hmm.”
It was when he had requested a sparring match…
I think the most recent time I took it out was at a pub.
If we go back a little bit to the past… … like when I broke through the waterfall and stormed in while that guy was training, or when I got carried away and challenged him to a duel while we were teaching a large guild a lesson together.
And maybe when he was meeting the Sword Emperor and at the Tower of Calamity?
I don’t think there was a problem.
“……Phew. Right, I suppose it was wrong of me to expect to understand you.”
Ah, so that’s why they say they’re fighting.
I clearly remember agreeing just a moment ago.
“Then right now…….”
Interrupting the Empress, who was cracking her fists as if she were about to pounce at any moment, the Sword Saint firmly drew a line.
However, after leaving this place.
“What? Why?”
“Look over there. Can’t you see your comrades fighting?”
When I looked where she had gestured, I saw two comrades in the midst of a fierce battle.
Ast and Kaiser.
The two were engaged in a fierce battle against the villains assigned to them.
Bang! Bang!
Whenever Ast swings his heavy mace, air bursts and the sound of exploding shells rings out, and whenever Karmail swings his claw, a long scar is etched into Ast’s body.
Whoosh!
The man called the Red Devil.
As Asion spreads his dark red wings and soars into the air, Dohyeon clings to his back and relentlessly chases after him.
Eventually, they tumbled to the ground, tangled together and rolling, and the ground was covered in flames.
Battles that were not just fierce, but glorious.
“Oh, those guys are pretty good at fighting?”
“……Hmm, was it Asion? That man, in particular, is quite skilled. His stats and equipment look formidable as well…… It seems the current Kaiser wouldn’t stand a chance at a test of strength.”
“Karma? Karamail? That guy moves well, too. Clora, who shoots sword energy… It seems she’s specialized in mid-range rather than just speed. She’s the complete opposite of the old man.”
In short, it is a situation where a battle at a disadvantage has been ongoing since birth.
Normally, the first thought would be to go help their colleagues, but the two women stopped in their tracks as if by prior agreement.
This place would be nice.
“I was lucky to find broken terrain here.”
“Wouldn’t this older sister have calculated even this situation?”
Nonsense.
“Uh-oh, Kaiser is falling behind. If you don’t come up quickly, the battle is over, okay?”
“……I’m going up now.”
They even went so far as to find the best vantage point to see the battle without getting hurt, and the two of them were fully immersed in watching the spectacle.
“Who do you think will finish first?”
“Well. If it were before, I’d bet on Kaiser… but right now, we’re both losing, so it’s not easy.”
“Then you’re going for the side where both the old man and Kaiser get beaten?”
Hmm.
The Sword Saint gazed calmly at the scene where a fierce battle was raging.
No matter who you bring along, it is a disadvantageous situation, so much so that I would bet my wrist that my colleagues are being pushed back.
I’ll bet on the underdog.
To this, Geomseong chuckled and replied.
Upon hearing that answer, the Empress also stretched the corners of her mouth and laughed heartily.
“This is a disaster. I’m on the same side, you know.”
“Tsk. I guess I can’t make a bet.”
“Huh? You look a bit disappointed. It seems like you’ve gotten a taste for betting, too?”
“……Ahem. It’s a misunderstanding.”
It was an unavoidable choice.
As women who have been with their colleagues for longer than anyone else, they had seen those two overcome such adversity far too often.
But that was the moment.
BANG!
“Ugh…….”
They turned their heads at the loud roar and let out a gasp.
“Huh? That’s unexpected…….”
“……It’s a familiar scene to see the two of them switched, but it’s surprising.”
“This… maybe it’s worth a bet?”
One person from each battle camp was kneeling on one knee… … .
The composition was very different from what they had expected.
“Ugh, these little gnats are all the same. I thought I was going to die of annoyance.”
“Cough…….”
First of all, the advantage for Dohyeon and his group was that Ast had gained the upper hand.
A speed-specialized martial artist class that swings claws from mid-range to relentlessly unleash powerful claw-shaped sword energy.
[The power and speed of mid-range attacks increase by 2.5 times due to the effect of the Transcendence Unique Ability ‘Dankongseom’.]
[The range of mid-range attacks increases by 2 times due to the effect of the Transcendence Trait ‘Thousand-Mile Slash’.]
Dan Gong Seom, a unique transcendent ability possessed only by Karma, and Cheonri Cham, a transcendent trait specialized for mid-range.
With this combination, Karmail could be described as a martial artist with an unrivaled and most distinctive style.
Astgunman is the only one who has a disadvantageous matchup even against typical speed-specialized martial artists who engage in close combat.
The opponent is a martial artist who fights at mid-range, not even at close range?
Everyone expected that even with Smash, they would struggle a bit, but it was Karmail who defied expectations and came to his knees.
“Ugh, how….”
“How did I anticipate the attack route? You punk, I’ve fought that bitch PiXchu over a thousand times. Every single speed-type guy thinks of tormenting me the moment they see me, so do you think I wouldn’t have a way to deal with it? It’s so obvious now.”
Ast recalled the things he had heard from someone, grumbling as if he were fed up.
I’ve learned a new technique. Let’s do a little experiment before I go.
Sandbag, come here.
This time, it’s a mid-range technique. It seems like it will pair quite well with Thunder Dragon Descent.
You were a good punching bag again today. Your reactions seem a bit quicker now. I’ll bring something new next time, so look forward to it.
Even the talentless Astra was bound to have his body instinctively come up with a way to cope if he was beaten in various ways by an opponent with a disadvantage day after day.
Meanwhile, while Ast is gaining the upper hand… … .
Hwaruk-
Thump, thump.
On the ground, seething with fierce flames as if swallowed by a fire.
“Kaiser, is this all there is?”
“…….”
Kaiser was kneeling on one knee in front of Asion, who was standing high and looking down.
