“From now on, the duel will begin.”
At Jong Ri Hyeok’s shout, Gu Wang Soo and Baek Woo Jin drew their swords as they faced each other.
Gu Wang Soo held his sword in front of him, so he could be ready to attack or defend at any moment, while Baek Woo Jin let his sword hang loosely and just waited for the duel to start.
“Remember, no killing is allowed. If anything dangerous happens, I will stop the duel immediately, so be mindful of that.”
With these final words, Jong Ri Hyeok slowly stepped back.
“Now, begin!”
As soon as the words were out, Gu Wang Soo’s foot slammed into the ground with big force.
I will torment him thoroughly!
The outcome was already decided in his mind. All that was left was to thoroughly crush Baek Woo Jin to satisfy Namgong Soo.
“Haah!”
With a short shout, Gu Wang Soo’s sword came down over Baek Woo Jin’s head.
The Gu clan martial arts technique followed the principle of continuous connection.
Each move flowed seamlessly into the next, which would trap the opponent in a barrage of sword strikes and gradually dominate the space.
“Now, roll around disgracefully again!”
Gu Wang Soo recalled the duel he had with Baek Woo Jin two months ago.
The image of him rushing to dodge his continuous attacks, losing his sword, and rolling on the ground was still vividly etched in his mind.
At that time, even the female students who used to praise him, calling him handsome and cool, burst into laughter while the male students cheered his name loudly. That made him feel a sense of satisfaction.
It was one of the few exhilarating moments Gu Wang Soo had experienced at this Jeongmu Academy.
As he had expected, Baek Woo Jin was busy dodging without even managing to swing his sword once.
“Haha!”
He was excited.
He was certain that soon enough Baek Woo Jin would be rolling on the ground and get covered in dirt, just like before.
That anticipation translated into his movements, and he applied more force than necessary.
Naturally, gaps appeared between his moves and he pushed forward without even knowing this only to feel a cold sensation on his neck that instantly cooled the heat on his face.
“……!”
It was Baek Woo Jin’s sword.
The Drunken Immortal Sword Technique and the Drunken Immortal Steps created by the Sword Immortal reflected the unique actions and thoughts of the Drunken Immortal.
Just like most people who are drunk, emotions and instincts took precedence over rational logic, and what was strongly asserted a moment ago could be easily overturned.
Boasting of being the strongest in the world but shrinking back in front of a true master as if it had never happened.
Unpredictable and eccentric. At the same time, pathetic.
When it became a martial art, it was constantly changing and the path of the sword was unpredictable. Just as the step forward was taken, it would be reversed as if it had never happened, making it impossible to predict where the opponent would move.
The pinnacle of illusion and flexibility.
The Drunken Immortal himself said as if boasting, that the Sword Immortal created these two martial arts for him.
Baek Woo Jin observed the sword strike coming at him.
Too honest.
In contrast, Gu Wang Soo’s sword was honest.
In his effort to make the most of the mysteries of connection, his sword path became too straightforward.
This won’t be difficult.
In food, a predictable taste is the most scary, yet in the world, a predictable sword is the most laughable.
From that moment on, Baek Woo Jin started to dance.
He took a step forward as if he were about to fall, then suddenly stepped back as if he might trip. He staggered and swayed from side to side, then leaned his weight in the opposite direction where the sword attack was heading.
It was truly like watching a drunkard move his uncontrollable body to the rhythm.
Drunken Immortal Steps.
“Pahahaha! Look at that sight.”
“There’s no drunkard like him.”
“He’ll fall down on his own soon enough!”
Laughter erupted among the students watching, and Gu Wang Soo gained confidence.
He was certain his opponent would soon be unable to dodge any more attacks and would be knocked down.
Early intoxication inevitably breeds impatience. Thinking about what will happen and what he will gain after victory, the mind races ahead and the body is pushed to catch up.
This disparity was clearly reflected in his swordsmanship.
Although it was honest, the once-tight-knit connections of sword strikes became disjointed due to this gap.
And Baek Woo Jin did not miss this opportunity.
Drunken Immortal Sword Technique.
The most free-spirited, spineless, and unpredictable swordsmanship in the world unfolded at the tip of his sword.
The trajectory began from a place beyond his opponent’s perception, left a wobbly line like a baby’s first drawing, and touched Gu Wang Soo’s neck.
“What, what is this….”
Gu Wang Soo who realized it too late could only look at Baek Woo Jin and the sword that touched his neck with a stunned expression on his face. He was unable to utter another word.
A massive shock struck, and silence fell over the hall.
The students who had been laughing and chattering at Baek Woo Jin’s appearance were frozen in place with their mouths agape.
Contrary to their expressions, Baek Woo Jin smiled more brightly than ever and lightly patted Gu Wang Soo’s shoulder with his remaining hand.
“I really love this moment.”
He extended the hand that was patting the shoulder, wrapped it around Gu Wang Soo’s neck in a friendly manner, and slowly looked around at the stunned students.
“Look at that. They’re all frozen like frogs in front of a snake.”
There were people everywhere who doubted and distrusted the person who suddenly appeared from nowhere and stood out.
And each time, Baek Woo Jin proved himself by holding a sword to his opponent’s throat. He enjoyed being alone in this quiet time that followed him like a thread followed the needle.
His crescent-shaped smile, which made him look like a kind person, turned toward Gu Wang Soo.
Gu Wang Soo shuddered when their eyes met. The seemingly kind smile was filled with an inexplicable malice.
“Be careful from now on, Gwang Soo.”
“My, my name is Gu Wang….”
“Oh, just be careful. Gwang Soo.”
Didn’t you get it?
His smiling eyes seemed to growl.
Gu Wang Soo quietly lowered his eyes.
Jong Ri Hyeok shouted with a stern face.
“This duel’s winner is Baek Woo Jin.”
A major upset.
Could any word better describe the current situation?
Baek Woo Jin who was considered the weakest, against Gu Wang Soo who was ranked in the upper middle range.
It was an obvious fight for anyone watching.
Regardless of the outcome, people were watching with great interest as they wondered how long Baek Woo Jin would last and how he would eventually fall. However, Baek Woo Jin actually seized victory with a single counterattack.
“Hey…, what just happened?”
“I, I don’t know.”
From an outsider’s perspective, the duel was pure bewilderment.
The clumsy swordsmanship which they had been mocking inwardly reached Gu Wang Soo’s neck as if it naturally belonged there.
“Why didn’t he block it?”
“Did he get carried away and miss it?”
“No matter what, still….”
The students who had been chattering excitedly came to a conclusion.
Gu Wang Soo was an idiot.
He let his guard down, and Baek Woo Jin’s lucky swing hit his neck.
Baek Woo Jin had his arm around Gu Wang Soo’s shoulder in front of their eyes. And even though Gu Wang Soo lowered his head in inexplicable fear, they believed it to be true.
“Idiots.”
Namgong Soo who had been watching them quietly muttered.
Suspicion clouded the students’ eyes. Despite seeing the situation before them, they tried to find another reason for the change in the outcome while clinging to the mistaken prejudice that Baek Woo Jin was, or had to be, weak.
It’s true that Gu Wang Soo let his guard down.
The tight-knit connections of sword strikes had momentarily become disorganized.
It was clear that Gu Wang Soo thought he had the upper hand and let his guard down.
But to say that all the reasons for his defeat were just because of carelessness? Impossible.
Baek Woo Jin shouldn’t have found that gap.
The gap was so small and narrow that someone with Baek Woo Jin’s second-rank insight could never have found it.
The fact that he struck precisely without the opponent even realizing it meant—
It wasn’t a lie.
The claim that his skills had improved was true.
And very rapidly at that.
At a glance, he seemed to have surpassed the early first-rank level.
What on earth happened in that one month since he went missing that made him change so much?
Could a brush with death really change a person so much?
As these thoughts spiraled endlessly in his mind, Namgong Soo suddenly sensed someone close by and quickly looked up.
There was Baek Woo Jin walking towards him with a smiling face as he waved his hand.
Having finished settling his score with Gu Wang Soo, Baek Woo Jin walked straight toward Namgong Soo who was staring intently at him.
Namgong Soo, the leader of those who had bullied Baek Woo Jin and the true instigator behind it all.
A scoundrel trying to steal a woman who was already engaged.
A scion of the Namgong clan.
Baek Woo Jin suddenly became curious.
“Hello, Gong Soo-ah?”
How would he react to this?
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