Absolute Sword Sense - Chapter 37

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Chapter 37: Squad Leader (3)

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Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

In an instant, the two had passed the twelfth technique and clashed through sixteen.

Perhaps forgetting this was only a spar, high-rank warrior Go JinChang's attacks against training cadet Jo SeongWon grew fiercer.

Then Tyrannical Blood Brigade Leader Gu SangWoong shouted.

“Enough!”

Go JinChang stopped with a frown at his command.

Had the match not been stopped, it might have gotten out of hand.

Normally, Go JinChang would have composed themself and offered the cadet a fist-and-palm salute out of courtesy. Instead, they merely glared at Jo SeongWon with an irritated expression.

Step!

In contrast, training cadet Jo SeongWon offered a proper fist-and-palm salute.

The cadets erupted in cheers.

“Waaaaah!”

“That was amazing!”

Though it had been brief, a training cadet had held their own against an Advanced martial artist.

That was more than enough to excite the cadets.

Beside me, Evil Heaven muttered.

“Heh heh, you brought in a promising one. That Martial Arts appears to be from the Hao clan.”

After saying that, Evil Heaven's Adam's apple trembled.

He seemed to be sending sound telepathy to someone.

That person was likely...

‘The Tyrannical Blood Brigade Leader.’

The Tyrannical Blood Brigade Leader was also looking toward Evil Heaven.

As the person responsible for the cadets, he knew all their personal details, so Evil Heaven appeared to be asking him.

When the sound telepathy ended, Evil Heaven nodded.

“As expected.”

He looked pleased that his guess had been correct.

Jo SeongWon had used the Hao clan's Martial Arts?

- Didn't they say that one's a Spy from the Beggars' Sect?

‘Right.’

They were definitely from the Beggars' Sect.

A kill order had been issued against them throughout the Blood Cult, so everyone knew their information.

That was why I remembered them as well.

- Wouldn't they have hidden their Martial Arts? If they're from the Beggars' Sect as you say, they wouldn't reveal it so openly.

The Southern Heavenly Steel Sword had a point.

They would never display the Beggars' Sect's Martial Arts before everyone.

If they wanted to hide their identity thoroughly, using another martial clan's Martial Arts was the right choice.

‘The Hao clan, of all things.’

It was interesting that they had chosen the Hao clan as their disguise.

The Beggars' Sect and the Hao clan had long been counted among the top three information networks in the Central Plains' martial world.

In a way, they could be considered rivals.

‘Still...’

- What is it?

‘If they had to pretend, the Hao clan was the right choice. The Hao clan belongs to the force of evil and the dark path.’

The Beggars' Sect was a faction made up of beggars.

Ever since its founding ancestor, the Beggars' Sect had revered saving the nation and the orthodox path.

The Hao clan, on the other hand, consisted of people from the underworld, including courtesans, taverns, gambling dens, and street gangs. They were a typical force of evil and dark-path group.

From the Blood Cult's perspective, they could not help being more favorable toward the Hao clan.

“Heh heh, I rather want that one.”

Huh?

What was this old man talking about?

Was he saying he wanted that Spy from the Beggars' Sect because they were talented?

Just as I was wondering about that...

“Who will take the high-rank warrior position test next?”

Tyrannical Blood Brigade Leader Gu SangWoong spoke while looking between our side and where Blood-Hand Witch Han BaekHa stood.

The cadets' attention was also divided between the two sides.

It was now the turn of us, the disciples of the Venerable Ones and Seven Blood Stars.

“Master, I'll go first...”

“No.”

Evil Heaven stopped Song JwaBaek, who had stepped forward first.

Then he called out to Blood-Hand Witch Han BaekHa.

“Heh heh, let your disciple go first.”

I had thought he would send one of us out first to blunt their edge, but this old man was more calculating than he looked.

He seemed to have chosen practicality.

By having Dam YeHwa take the high-rank warrior position test first, he likely intended to gauge the level of an Advanced martial artist fighting at full strength.

If Dam YeHwa had reached the Advanced realm, we would be able to see a high-rank warrior, an Advanced martial artist, fight properly unlike before.

Yet an unexpected answer came from Blood-Hand Witch Han BaekHa.

“No. This time, I will yield the turn to the Venerable One's disciple.”

“What?”

One of Evil Heaven's eyebrows rose.

Even though Evil Heaven was her senior, I had not expected her to refuse so directly.

Was she refusing to reveal her disciple's full strength first?

Perhaps she had me in mind, and like Evil Heaven, wanted Dam YeHwa to assess the full strength of an Advanced martial artist.

Of course, Evil Heaven would not take this well.

“Hmph! If I say I will yield the turn, you should accept it. Why are you making such a fuss... What?”

Evil Heaven suddenly closed his mouth.

He stared at Han BaekHa without saying a word. This time, the two seemed to be speaking through sound telepathy.

What were they talking about?

Then Evil Heaven's face twisted into a fierce frown.

He looked at me and said,

“You made a wager with that Blood-Hand Witch?”

“Ah...”

I had not expected her to bring this up here.

Since both her own honor and her disciple's honor were on the line, I thought she would keep our wager between ourselves. Yet she seemed to have told Evil Heaven.

- Clever. Is she doing that to gain an advantage in the wager?

‘That isn't all.’

She had moved first to gain an advantage in the wager.

But she also wanted to give him the impression that her group and I were in contact.

As expected, that woman was no ordinary person.

The Blood-Hand Witch looked at me with a faint smile in her eyes.

That expressionless woman was deliberately pretending to be friendly.

- She's acting. Acting.

The SoDam Sword clicked its tongue.

But there was one thing she did not know.

Evil Heaven looked annoyed as he spoke to me.

“Hmph. Don't tell me the wager is for you to persuade me on her behalf?”

I had already told Evil Heaven.

I had told him that Blood-Hand Witch Han BaekHa wanted to persuade him through me.

Han BaekHa must not have been able to hear from over there, because she was still smiling with her eyes.

- You're one step ahead of her. Hehe.

The SoDam Sword giggled.

Well, there was no reason I could not tell my master about something like this, regardless of the wager.

If I somehow lost, I would have to act as she wished. I needed a contingency plan as well.

So I had simply told Evil Heaven.

I had deliberately hidden the wager, but now, even if I learned her skill, I would have no choice but to tell Evil Heaven.

That was a little regrettable.

“Actually...”

I quietly confessed everything to Evil Heaven.

“Tsk tsk. Whenever you see an opportunity, you just cannot bear to let something slip away without gaining it.”

Unexpectedly, Evil Heaven did not become too angry.

Just as I had become accustomed to his eccentric temperament, he seemed to have figured me out as well.

Feeling awkward, I scratched my head.

“If you keep playing those little tricks, I will break both your legs and make sure you cannot walk.”

There it was.

As expected, he would not let it pass so easily.

Then Evil Heaven's expression changed. He grinned and said,

“Heh heh, so you made such an interesting wager. We must make that wench who only wears dark clothes hand over her skill nicely.”

Shove!

“Huh?”

With those words, Evil Heaven pushed me in the back.

Before I knew it, I had stepped out in front of the platform.

Evil Heaven folded his arms and spoke to me.

“Show them.”

Those words carried many meanings.

He had told Song JwaBaek not to step forward, yet he was practically pushing me out first. Song JwaBaek looked at me unhappily.

I did not want to go first either.

“Phew.”

It seemed I had no choice but to go first.

It would have been better for Song JwaBaek or Song WooHyun to step up and draw the attention, but it could not be helped.

Step!

I offered a fist-and-palm salute to Tyrannical Blood Brigade Leader Gu SangWoong on the platform.

Gu SangWoong returned it with a slight nod out of courtesy for a Venerable One's disciple, then gestured toward the high-rank warriors standing before the platform.

A man with a scar near his eye stepped forward from among them.

“Since a candidate has come forward, we shall begin the high-rank warrior position test...”

At that moment, I offered another fist-and-palm salute and called out.

“I wish to take the Squad Leader position test!”

‘!!!’

Tyrannical Blood Brigade Leader Gu SangWoong's expression hardened.

The Squad Leaders standing behind him reacted the same way.

Murmurs arose from the cadets behind me.

“What does that mean?”

“A Squad Leader?”

Their reactions were only natural.

I had come forward to take the high-rank warrior position test, only to request the position of Squad Leader.

I glanced to the side.

Blood-Hand Witch Han BaekHa, who had been faintly smiling with her eyes until moments ago, furrowed her brow.

Dam YeHwa also frowned, seemingly having not expected this at all.

“Heh heh heh.”

Evil Heaven's distinctive laughter rang out as everyone focused on me.

He seemed satisfied.

This was why I had wanted to leave it to Song JwaBaek, who liked drawing attention, but I had ended up saying it myself.

Tyrannical Blood Brigade Leader Gu SangWoong looked toward Evil Heaven with a hardened expression before turning his gaze back to me.

“Do you know what that means?”

Of course I knew.

I had heard about it from Blood Wolf Squad Leader Noh Sung-Gu before.

There were three ways to become a Squad Leader.

First, one could steadily accumulate achievements and complete their term as a high-rank warrior, then receive promotion to Deputy Squad Leader and then Squad Leader.

The second method was to render a great service worthy of promotion.

And the third and final method...

“I know. I must defeat two high-rank warriors in a real-blade match within one hundred techniques.”

Murmur, murmur!

The cadets stirred at my words.

It was a difficulty that could not even be compared to the high-rank warrior position test.

However, this third method was reasonable.

Even among Advanced martial artists, not everyone possessed the same martial prowess.

To be acknowledged as worthy of a Squad Leader's rank, one had to possess enough martial prowess to face the combined attack of Advanced martial artists.

Tyrannical Blood Brigade Leader Gu SangWoong's eyes bored into me.

[It seems the Venerable One has trained his disciples well.]

His sound telepathy reached my ears.

It sounded like praise, but his tone was plainly mocking.

Still, I could understand how he felt.

No matter how great a Venerable One was, I had trained for only a year and was already aiming for a Squad Leader's position. It must have seemed absurd to him.

Moreover, unlike the twins, it had become known that my dantian had healed only six months ago.

- Their expressions are no joke.

As the SoDam Sword said, the high-rank warriors did not look pleased either.

They had probably heard that I had only formally learned Martial Arts for six months.

Crack!

As they loosened their bodies, every one of them overflowed with fighting spirit.

They themselves seemed to consider a Squad Leader's position beyond their reach, and appeared to think a newcomer who had just learned Martial Arts was acting arrogantly under the prestige of his master.

“Are you truly all right with this?”

Gu SangWoong asked Evil Heaven.

“Heh heh, I sent him out because he possesses sufficient talent.”

“...Understood.”

At Evil Heaven's confident voice, Gu SangWoong answered with cold eyes.

Then he turned his gaze to me.

“Surely you do not intend to use that sword...?”

I understood why he was asking.

Evil Heaven was widely renowned for fighting barehanded, and since I carried a sword, he was likely asking just in case.

“I do.”

Gu SangWoong frowned.

Then he looked down at the high-rank warriors below the platform.

Several of the sixteen high-rank warriors looked at me as though I were unbelievable.

Gu SangWoong called two of them.

“DaeJeong. HoYun.”

“Yes!”

Both carried sword sheaths on their backs.

In other words, they were master swordsmen.

He seemed to have deliberately chosen only swordsmen.

- It looks like he wants to humiliate you, disciple of a Venerable One or not.

Gu SangWoong's intent was clear to me as well.

At Gu SangWoong's command, the two high-rank warriors who had stepped forward shifted their gazes between my face and the Southern Heavenly Steel Sword on my back.

“The two of you will conduct the test.”

“Yes!”

After offering fist-and-palm salutes, they spread out to face me for the match.

Then, by coincidence, both sent sound telepathy at nearly the same time.

[If you stepped forward because of the Venerable One's command, there is no need to force yourself to seek a Squad Leader's position. You will have many chances yet.]

[Since a Venerable One's disciple wields a sword, I humbly ask for instruction.]

Their sound telepathy and expressions were completely different.

Their eyes looked ready to devour me, burning with fighting spirit.

They looked as though they would rush at me the instant the signal was given.

I offered them a fist-and-palm salute and spoke politely.

“I look forward to learning from you.”

Though I had been courteous, their hands moved toward their sword hilts with displeased looks.

They must have wanted to begin quickly.

Slide!

I too gripped the hilt of the Southern Heavenly Steel Sword.

The crowd fell silent.

The cadets could not take their eyes off me and the two high-rank warriors before the platform.

Then Tyrannical Blood Brigade Leader Gu SangWoong shouted.

“Begin!”

Tap!

The moment the words left his mouth, the two high-rank warriors' feet left the ground, and their figures shot toward me in an instant.

Were they skilled in combined attacks?

Shing!

As they lunged forward and drew their swords, they swung at my head from the upper right and at my left leg, apparently intending to end the match in a single exchange.

Tap-tap-tap-tap!

I used a step to retreat.

Worthy of Advanced martial artists, the two also used steps to close the distance.

Shing!

I drew the Southern Heavenly Steel Sword and thrust it toward the high-rank warrior named DaeJeong.

DaeJeong blocked it with their blade.

Clang!

Whoosh!

In that instant, the high-rank warrior named HoYun thrust a sword toward my right chest.

I used a step to move aside and widen the distance, then deflected HoYun's thrust at an angle.

Clang!

Then I kicked toward HoYun's abdomen.

“Huh!”

HoYun hurriedly used a step to avoid it.

To prevent me from following, DaeJeong appeared to my left and thrust a sword toward my shoulder.

Clang!

I spun quickly and knocked it upward.

DaeJeong's eyes narrowed.

They seemed surprised that I had not panicked at the combined attack and had responded skillfully.

Naturally.

For nearly four months, I had sparred more than a hundred times with Evil Heaven and the twins in preparation for the Squad Leader position test.

Those spars had been nearly identical to real combat. How could I fail to respond to this much?

DaeJeong and HoYun exchanged glances.

They seemed to have decided to change tactics.

Tap!

DaeJeong rushed at me.

They used not a simple movement, but a proper sword technique.

Like a rampaging tiger, a fierce sword force flew indiscriminately toward my vital acupoints.

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

There was a way to meet a powerful force with equal force, but...

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

I responded with a gentle sword technique.

Flowing Loach Form Sword.

Through smooth changes in sword forms like a loach, I sought openings in DaeJeong's fierce sword force.

DaeJeong's eyes widened.

They had not expected my sword to pierce through their sword force.

Sorry, but the sword style you learned and mine are on entirely different levels.

Thud! Thud!

My sword broke through their sword force and struck their shoulder and chest twice.

The thrusts had been light, but DaeJeong panicked, changed techniques, and retreated with a step.

Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap!

To deal with them first, I pursued while using sword techniques.

At that moment, the corner of DaeJeong's mouth lifted slightly.

“You are still a greenhorn.”

It was then.

I lowered my body as much as possible.

Whoosh!

In that instant, a sword thrust in from behind, passing over my head without any detectable presence.

“What?”

Without even looking back, I drew the SoDam Sword and thrust the Short Sword behind me.

Thud!

“Urgh!”

A short cry rang out.

I did not stop there. I held the Southern Heavenly Steel Sword at an angle and twisted my body.

In that instant, my body spun rapidly, and my sword technique rose like a whirlwind, slashing in all directions, front and back, left and right.

It was the fourth technique of the Stellar Star Sword Art, Returning Dragon Ascending Sword.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

“Th-this...!”

DaeJeong, who stood before me, could not withstand the force of the sword technique. Their sword flew from their hand, and they were flung backward.

As I spun and soared nearly four jang into the air, I gripped my sword with both hands.

Then I brought it down with tremendous force.

It was the fifth technique of the Stellar Star Sword Art, Meteor-Falling Sword.

“Damn it!”

Startled by the sword technique crashing down with terrifying force, HoYun tried to block it with a sword technique. But their sword was soon cut cleanly in half.

Clang!

“Urgh!”

HoYun was crushed by the sword force and fell to the ground.

If I continued from there, I could split them in two. But this was not a fight to kill.

I stopped my sword before their nose.

“Gasp...”

HoYun's face turned pale at the blade of the Southern Heavenly Steel Sword, which had stopped right before them.

I leisurely withdrew the Southern Heavenly Steel Sword.

Then I said,

“Staunch the bleeding. I'll pull out the Short Sword.”

The SoDam Sword was embedded in HoYun's thigh.

Having forgotten even the pain, HoYun muttered as if unable to understand.