That's Not How You Use Martial Arts

Chapter 29
The Wanderer’s League (3)

『 Translator – Divinity 』

‘This is insane…!’

Cheon-gyeong couldn’t hide his shock as he saw Ja-seong standing calmly amidst his subordinates, who were groaning on the ground.

Sixty-three.

A total of sixty-three.

That monstrous guy hadn’t even shed a drop of blood while facing that many wanderers alone.

No, was it just that he hadn’t shed any blood? Ja-seong had literally toyed with those sixty-three wanderers.

He had moved with inhuman agility, unilaterally sweeping away his subordinates.

Moreover, judging from how those who had fallen were writhing and groaning on the ground, it seemed like he hadn’t killed a single one, just like yesterday.

It was truly an unbelievable sight.

Gwak Jang-hyeon, the leader of the first division, gulped and whispered to Cheon-gyeong,

“What do we do? There’s no way we can win against a monster like that, even if the three of us attack together.”

Although he was furious that his division leader was already scared before even fighting, Cheon-gyeong agreed with him.

He had thought they had barely won against the third division, but he had completely misjudged Ja-seong’s strength.

‘That bastard Chun-i…! He should have explained properly!’

It seemed that Cheon-gyeong himself hadn’t been listening properly either, but such trivial matters had long since vanished from his mind.

His mind was filled only with the dilemma of what to do in this situation.

‘What do I do? What should I do?’

Should he just run away?

If he did, that monster probably wouldn’t chase after them.

He would probably let the fallen subordinates go as well.

They would end up failing the request, but it would be the best outcome in this situation.

However,

Crack!

“…Damn it.”

He couldn’t do that. No, he didn’t want to do that.

Even though wanderers were looked down upon, he was still a martial artist in name.

A martial artist had his pride; how could he run away without even fighting?

Especially the leader, abandoning his subordinates.

“Huu… You guys fall back.”

“Leader?”

Cheon-gyeong, his mind made up, stepped forward alone.

The two division leaders, unable to stop him, hesitated behind him.

“…Oh?”

Ja-seong’s eyes gleamed as he saw Cheon-gyeong approaching him alone.

He also stepped forward, past the fallen wanderers, and soon the two martial artists stood facing each other.

“…Ha, looking at you up close, you really are just a kid. Hey, how old are you?”

Cheon-gyeong’s tone had subtly changed.

It was different from earlier, when he seemed to be trying to maintain his dignity as the leader of a group.

Ja-seong chuckled at his almost thuggish way of speaking and answered honestly,

“Exactly twenty this year.”

“…Damn, you’re just a kid. Our entire Wanderer’s League got destroyed by a kid?”

Cheon-gyeong’s gaze suddenly shifted behind Ja-seong.

Quite some time had passed since Ja-seong stepped forward, but those who should have appeared were nowhere to be seen.

“…Did you already take care of the third division as well?”

“If you’re talking about those guys who were imitating bandits yesterday, then yes. Don’t worry, I didn’t kill them.”

Cheon-gyeong’s expression turned complex at Ja-seong’s answer.

His face was a mixture of embarrassment at having his scheme exposed and dejection at being completely defeated.

But those emotions didn’t last long.

What he had to do now wasn’t to be embarrassed or dejected.

Shing!

Cheon-gyeong drew his sword and took a stance.

“I am Wi Cheon-gyeong, leader of the Wanderer’s League.”

“Gun Ja-seong. No affiliation.”

“No affiliation? Where did you learn martial arts?”

“There’s a place called Cheonpung Martial Arts School.”

“This…!”

Not from a major sect, but a disciple of some unknown martial arts school?

‘Just how much is he going to crush my pride…!’

Suppressing his boiling anger, Cheon-gyeong continued,

“Let’s have a one-on-one duel. If I lose, I’ll stop hindering the procession and retreat quietly.”

“Now? After being completely defeated…”

At Ja-seong’s cold words, Cheon-gyeong’s simmering anger finally exploded.

“Say that after you defeat me!”

Cheon-gyeong felt the internal energy circulating through his body invigorate him and charged towards Ja-seong.

***

I smiled faintly as I watched Wi Cheon-gyeong, who had drawn his sword and was charging towards me.

How should I put it? He was quite shameless, but somehow, I didn’t dislike him.

I liked that he had stepped forward to fight me one-on-one despite being in a hopeless situation.

Perhaps his competitive spirit as a martial artist had been ignited?

It would have been better if he had come out before all his subordinates were defeated, though.

“Haaaat!”

Wi Cheon-gyeong’s sword flew towards the top of my head.

I dodged the attack with a slight sidestep and swung my sword towards his neck.

Seeing my sword, Wi Cheon-gyeong quickly bent his knees and pulled his head back, narrowly dodging my attack.

Then, still kneeling, he twisted his body and swung his sword towards the back of my knees.

“Oh?”

Impressed by his unorthodox and unpredictable movements, I leaped into the air and performed a backflip to avoid his sword.

“Tsk…!”

Wi Cheon-gyeong clicked his tongue in disappointment as he quickly got back on his feet.

It seemed like it had been his special move.

“Are you human or ghost? What are you?”

“I’m human. I’m just using my internal energy properly.”

“Using your internal energy… properly?”

Wi Cheon-gyeong looked confused, as if he couldn’t understand what I meant.

Well, seeing was believing.

I’d let him see it with his own eyes.

This time, I made the first move.

I kicked off the ground and closed the distance in an instant. Seeing me approach so quickly, Wi Cheon-gyeong’s eyes widened in surprise, and I swung my sword at his side.

Clang!

“Kugh…!”

Wi Cheon-gyeong raised his sword to block my attack.

However, he couldn’t withstand my attack because he had less internal energy than me.

Then, he twisted his sword, laying it on top of mine, and lunged towards me as if sliding along it.

“Ha!”

I twisted my waist, dodging the sword aimed at my side, and couldn’t help but admire his skill.

Wi Cheon-gyeong’s movements were both practical and unpredictable.

He must have experienced far more actual combat than me.

Thanks to that, I was enjoying the fight quite a bit.

If I attacked like this, how would he defend?

How would he block that?

Wow, he countered like that?

Then try blocking this too.

Dozens of exchanges ensued, and Wi Cheon-gyeong continued to amaze me.

Especially when he let go of the sword in his right hand and then caught it with his left hand as it fell, swinging it in an attack that almost left a serious wound on me.

To be able to push me this far with just his techniques, despite not being able to use his internal energy properly…

A thrill I hadn’t felt even in the previous battles against dozens of opponents ran down my spine.

“…Damn it! Aren’t you going to fight seriously?!”

It seemed that my attitude displeased Wi Cheon-gyeong.

He suddenly contorted his face and became enraged.

Confused, I asked,

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? You ask what’s wrong? Is it fun toying with someone while grinning like that?!”

“I wasn’t exactly toying with you… Are you not having fun?”

At my question, Wi Cheon-gyeong looked at me with an incredulous expression.

Indeed, there was no joy of a good fight in his eyes. Only humiliation and anger.

I finally realized that Wi Cheon-gyeong hadn’t stepped forward out of a martial artist’s competitive spirit.

He had simply stepped forward for the sake of appearances, as the leader of the Wanderer’s League.

Realizing that, my excitement quickly fizzled out.

“…Alright. I apologize. I’ll face you properly.”

“Huh?”

I took a stance, the stance for the second move of the Three Talents Sword Technique, Horizontal Sweep of a Thousand Armies, and gathered my focus.

“H-hold on…!”

I had used Mountain Suppresses the Summit, imbued with the essence of heavy swordsmanship, to crush the bandit leader wannabe earlier.

This time was different.

Keeping my center of gravity within my body, I channeled the power from my waist, through my shoulders, elbows, and wrists, into a single move.

My target was Wi Cheon-gyeong’s neck.

I swung my sword with all my might, following the fastest, straightest path from my sword to his neck.

This was the essence of swift swordsmanship.

Wi Cheon-gyeong couldn’t even perceive the incoming sword.

He could only gasp as he saw the blade reach his neck in the blink of an eye.

“…I admit defeat.”

Wi Cheon-gyeong looked back and forth between the sword at his neck and my face, then closed his eyes tightly and released his grip on his sword.

“As promised, take your men and disappear.”

“…I will.”

I removed my sword from Wi Cheon-gyeong’s neck and quietly sheathed it.

Turning towards the procession, I saw the wanderers I had fought earlier getting up, clutching their wounds.

As I approached, they flinched and parted to the sides, creating a path.

What, was this the martial arts version of Moses’ miracle?

I chuckled inwardly and walked through them.

Passing by the eyes filled with fear, unable to look at me directly, I was then met with eyes filled with awe.

“Thank you for your effort, Young Master Gun. Are you hurt anywhere…?”

“I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”

“Ah, yes.”

I passed by Leader Mak and the escorts, who were being unusually polite, and finally returned to our carriage.

“Good work.”

Hwa-ryeon greeted me with a single phrase, and Miss Seol was inside the carriage, her eyes wide.

Remembering Miss Seol’s circumstances, which she had been hiding so desperately, a sense of amusement seeped into my slightly gloomy heart.

“Now, would you mind explaining your situation, Miss Runaway?”

At my words, Miss Seol’s face instantly flushed red.