Swinging the Chamam Sword, I pressed Ho Gyeong hard.
That guy twisted his waist and bent his arms to deflect my sword from close range, intending to step forward and swing his dao horizontally to break the connection of my attack.
Thus, he released the strength from his extended attack, leaving an opening.
Kaaang!
Ho Gyeong rushed in a flash, swinging his dao, but his swing failed to achieve its original goal and collided directly with my outstretched sword strike as I spun my body.
My sword movement wasn’t just a simple display of skill. In the past, it took conscious effort to display the intricate techniques of pleasure and strength, but now they were flowing out as naturally as breathing.
If before I could understand and use the basic techniques of swordplay, now I could say that I had fused those basic techniques into who I am.
So to Ho Gyeong, every strike of mine must feel like a profound sword technique.
Zjeeerng!!!
“Uuuut!!”
His stance crumbled significantly. The dao-holding arm couldn’t withstand my sword’s power and was completely thrown outward, lifting his upper body entirely.
I also executed quite a large motion, so the recoil hit me hard, but the training within the Array Formation allowed me to manage that pressure and keep moving.
Thanks to the vigorous swing, rather than redirecting the Chamam Sword that had passed behind me, I changed my grip. Instead of bringing the blade back forward, I pressed the handle closer to my nose and used it like a sword body to stab forward.
The opponent’s upper body was completely exposed, so I had no worries about a counterattack, but the issue was the distance.
A proper distance where dao and sword can swing with power means being a few steps away from the opponent.
Originally, I should be satisfied with continuing my offensive.
Although the opponent’s upper body was completely open and their stance was disrupted, I was also pushing through the powerful motion, meaning my center of gravity was tangled.
I could recover and attack faster than Ho Gyeong, but a decisive blow was impossible.
So, I gathered my qi into my legs.
U-reung!
A thunderous roar echoed in my mind as my legs thundered against the ground.
With my body’s center tangled, if I couldn’t close the distance, I would solve the problem with a qi-fueled footwork.
Despite my unsuitable posture and center of gravity, the power of the Gyeongun heart law allowed me to close the distance in one move.
The impossible movement that deviated from common sense.
Such behavior could be called a peak battle that signifies the entry into the realm of transcendence.
What kind of power does the peak wield?
The faint existence of qi, which one can only grasp through feeling, is compressed to the point where it can be seen with the naked eye, called powerful qi.
In other words, this level of peak can also be said to be a stage where one can control the density of qi according to their will.
By regulating the density of qi, the possible actions become limitless, transcending physical bounds by using the free power of qi.
Ho Gyeong was also pulling the dao urgently, but I was faster.
Puhak!
“Kurgh!!”
He soared across the stage, rolling on the ground before getting back up. I thought this attack would finish it, but it seemed Ho Gyeong wasn’t a novice, as he managed to defend himself by crumpling his left arm.
Waaaaah!!
Cheers erupted. Anyone could tell it was a solid hit, boosting the crowd’s spirit.
“Grruh!”
Ho Gyeong’s face, as he got back up, was distorted in pain. He had indeed come back from the brink.
Then the situation became unfavorable.
With his left arm now useless, and already losing out in the exchange of techniques, he had no choice but to gamble everything on an attack utilizing powerful qi.
U-reung!
As Ho Gyeong’s qi grew clearer, I too began to draw out the power of the Gyeongun heart law. The Crowds too had quieted, expecting the match to conclude with one strike.
Rumbling!!
And at that moment, I realized my inner self was calm.
The crossroads of life and death.
This moment was indeed the crossroads of life and death.
Thinking that no member of the Evil Faction would strike while on the stage was naively optimistic, and Ho Gyeong’s eyes and spirit were overflowing with killing intent, confirming my thoughts.
Responding to such murderous energy was instinctive.
My heart pounded violently, my breath became ragged without my noticing, and my palms became clammy.
But.
Mentally, I remained calm.
Suddenly, the words of the Unknown Elder came to mind.
They had said my mental training was poor, urging me to strengthen my mental resilience.
And it was just as they said.
Until now, I had thought the sense of crisis from entering a life-or-death situation awakened me.
But no, the answer had always been within me, and I was merely flapping around like a sparrow startled by gunfire, trying to find the answer.
The newly fortified mind did not waver under the pressure of killing intent; it stood firm.
With a mind standing tall, gazing at my opponent, the answer became clear.
Very clear.
As a clear answer existed, I naturally realized what my course of action must be.
The moment Ho Gyeong’s all-or-nothing attack came into view, I thought.
Not yet.
Rumbling!!
In this slowed-down time, I calmed the raging lightning and kept my gaze fixed on the opponent.
Ho Gyeong’s dao, which had soared high into the sky, came crashing down fiercely. In this distorted world, I could clearly see a thrill rising in Ho Gyeong’s eyes.
Seeing that, I internally chanted.
Now.
Kwaaa-rr-rr-rrng!!
I released the reins of the calming lightning.
Zzziiing!!
The instant the powerful qi of thunder lightning formed. The aura of destructive thunder roiled along the Chamam Sword, and Ho Gyeong’s eyes widened considerably.
Well.
This situation must feel like a bolt from the blue for him.
Generally, powerful qi becomes stronger the more it is condensed, favoring the wielder who can push their qi into a weapon for a longer time.
However, what I used was thunder energy.
It was a martial art that manifested a single bolt of lightning descending onto the ground due to a single spark.
Ho Gyeong likely had no idea about the amount of power amassed in my body, which was like a cloud.
Though it existed for just a moment, that instant held a more robust powerful qi than anything else, collided against Ho Gyeong’s dao.
Kwaaaaang!!!
With a thunderous explosion, the forces of two powerful energies collided.
The shapeless shockwave swept through the area, shattering the stone slabs, cracking them, and spewing dust everywhere.
Murmurs! Murmurs!
I could feel the crowd’s astonishment at witnessing the clash of powerful qi for the first time. Their surprise quickly turned into a roaring cheer.
“Uuuh!!”
Ho Gyeong fell forward, coughing blood.
Waaaaaaaah!!!
As the crowd cheered, the dust settled, and only then did Ho Gyeong’s figure come into full view for the onlookers.
His dao split in two.
And Ho Gyeong, unable to rise as he bled profusely.
“The winner! Winner of the Sacheon Outcast tournament, number twenty-eight Ho!”
The referee dashed up to declare my victory.
Waaaaaah!!!
The crowd erupted with cheers, their voices hoarse with excitement.
* *
“You’re really amazing!! It’s like the thunder god descended!”
Jeong Sam poured alcohol into my cup, sputtering as he spoke.
“Wow!! The moment you drew that huge sword, I felt a shiver run through my entire body!”
Yeo Jin-sang was next to me, rubbing his palms together with admiration.
I puffed out my chest and said in a low voice, “If you get caught by me, Ho is just a second-rate thought.”
In an instant, both Jeong Sam and Yeo Jin-sang let their expressions slip.
I glared at them, their faces clearly saying ‘What the hell?’
“Hey, why do you look like that?”
“What expression? I’ve been trembling with excitement at your stories since before…”
“Really amazing! Just amazing!”
True to their nature as seasoned members of the Sacheon Outcasts, the two quickly recovered their expressions and attempted to navigate through the awkwardness.
The reason these two were suddenly here joking around with me was simple.
“What’s your secret?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m dying to know. I’ve heard many rumors, but in less than a year, going from peak to peak status? I’ve never heard of such a thing! There must be some secret, right?”
They were curious about my rapid growth.
Other outcasts also loitered around, eagerly listening.
With a wide smile, I said,
“I won’t tell.”
“Darn it…”
“Just kidding.”
“Yeah, you were just a bug down here! Oh no, looks like a little worm!”
“Hey! Where else would a peak expert like you shove in a bug! Get it cleaned up!”
“Is there any way to explain how I reached the peak in just a few words! Now, let’s head to the training hall!”
“Wooooo!!”
“Thank you! Thank you!”
“I knew you would succeed! From that moment in the Outcast Inn, your energy was just something else!”
I called out to the outcasts who were behind the two, acting all upbeat.
“What’s up, everyone! I’m not a petty person! Anyone among you curious about my secret should all come out!”
“Wooooo!”
“Thank you!”
In an instant, the outcasts rushed out toward the training hall. As I watched them, Tang So-yeol giggled and spoke.
“What’s this, are you planning to teach them?”
Yeo Jin-sang asked Tang So-yeol.
“Miss Tang, what do you mean by that? Do you know something?”
“Ah… that guy always had a training method he was pushing. I think he’ll probably teach you all that.”
Tang So-yeol spoke, looking grumpy as she took a puff of her pipe, pulling the smoke deeply into her lungs.
“That’s right! There are many secrets to reaching the peak, but this training method is absolutely vital! I’ll teach it now, so remember it well.”
Their eyes were shining with anticipation as they moved in perfect unison upon my command to step away.
The expectant gaze, bolstered by Tang So-yeol’s words.
Heukmyo and Miss Yeo Il-ye seemed to have already guessed what I was about to teach, wearing smirks.
“This training method is called Blood Spraying Calisthenics!”
“Oooooo!”
Cheers erupted as the Sacheon Outcasts expressed their excitement. I beamed at them, truly looking forward to it.
Oh, what a moment when this anticipation turns into despair and pain.
“AAAAAAHH!!”
“Ughhh!”
That day, the Outcast Inn was filled with the cries of numerous outcasts.
