Chapter 82 – Martial Arts

“I said I would learn a thing or two from you before the fight. I take that back,” Namgung Hyeok said, pointing his sword at me with a cold voice. “There’s nothing for me to learn from you.”

What? Compared to Changgungmuae swordsmanship, my Samjae swordsmanship is like a child’s play.

But still…

“Aren’t you being too harsh?”

“Too harsh? No, not at all,” Namgung Hyeok said firmly, charging towards me. It was the first time he took the initiative since the fight began.

I reflexively unfolded Taesanapjeong to block his upward slash.

It’s a well-known fact that downward slashes have more power than upward slashes. And with my superior physical abilities, it was easy to block and even topple his stance if I wanted to…

But my thoughts were cut off as our swords clashed.

Clang!

“What?”

As our swords collided, Namgung Hyeok’s sword and the sword energy on it rotated like a dragon, bouncing my arm back.

I barely managed to block his attack with a posture that didn’t put much force into it.

But I couldn’t relax. His sword was now falling diagonally.

I tried to dodge backward, but his sword bent sharply and accelerated even faster.

If I don’t do something, I’ll get hit…!

I desperately pushed my sword with a posture that didn’t put much force into it.

Clang!

Of course, my sword was the one that bounced back again. And then came Namgung Hyeok’s attack.

The middle sword with power that exceeded my own.

The changing sword that twisted sharply just before hitting.

The flowing sword that flowed out to counterattack.

The fast sword that was difficult to follow with the eyes.

And the hegemonic sword that relentlessly pressured me with all kinds of swordsmanship.

All kinds of swordsmanship with various tricks relentlessly attacked me.

If a few moments ago, Namgung Hyeok was like a clear sky that contained everything, now he felt like a storm and lightning that raged on.

All I could do was endure against the natural disaster.

I gritted my teeth and forced myself into an unstable posture, focusing only on blocking his sword.

Amidst the metallic sound and the rough explosion of sword energy, Namgung Hyeok’s voice rang out clearly.

“You’re undoubtedly strong enough to make it this far. You know how to fight… but that’s not martial arts.”

“What?”

Namgung Hyeok’s face twisted with disappointment through the fragments of his sword energy that were falling apart.

“There’s no technique in your sword.”

Well, that’s probably because the swordsmanship I learned is Samjae swordsmanship. How much technique could there be in vertical slashes, horizontal slashes, and thrusts?

But Namgung Hyeok immediately denied my thoughts as if he saw through them.

“It’s not that simple. Haven’t you felt it while fighting me?”

“What?”

Clang!

Namgung Hyeok easily pushed away my sword energy that was inflated with excessive force to offset his attack and spoke.

“I’m not using any special techniques either.”

“….”

Come to think of it, Namgung Hyeok’s sword had never moved according to a set technique.

A sword that swung according to the situation, without drawing complex sword strokes.

Surprisingly, it matched exactly with the way I fought.

What did I learn from Hong Yeon-hwa?

It wasn’t some great swordsmanship. I just learned how to hit and block attacks.

But even if we swung our swords in the same way, there was an undeniable gap between Namgung Hyeok and me.

It wasn’t just talent. It was something more fundamental… Ah.

“…Sky.”

That’s right. Namgung Hyeok’s sword was drawing the sky. He wanted to reproduce the nature of the sky, which was infinitely high and ever-changing, with his sword.

On the other hand, my sword was just swinging to cut down the opponent in front of me.

“Now do you understand? There’s nothing in your sword.”

I couldn’t say anything.

“You just swing your overflowing power and inner strength, and you’ve never displayed any martial arts.”

Something sticky was blocking my throat from deep inside my body.

“That’s why I said there’s nothing for me to learn from you.”

What exactly is martial arts?

“Showing off your strength ends here.”

That long-standing question was suffocating me.

***

Martial Arts.

Literally translated, it means the study of martial arts. So, is it the effort to become strong, or the strength gained through effort? That’s roughly what it means, right?

However, in this world, martial arts refer to one of the abilities that transcend reality using inner strength.

Like displaying unbelievable strength, bouncing off a sword with bare hands, or cutting down a thousand-year-old tree with a thin sword.

Just thinking about it is cool, isn’t it?

That’s why, when I was reborn in this world and not much time had passed, I remember being excited to try to reproduce what I had seen in novels with my sword.

I had half given up on myself when I heard that I had no talent, but that was before I met Hong Yeon-hwa.

Now, I have reached the pinnacle of surpassing human limits to some extent.

In other words, I have stepped into the ranks of undeniable masters.

However, even though I love martial arts, I still can’t understand the principles behind it, which are separate from what I can actually use.

Look at my body blocking Namgung Hyeok’s fierce attacks even at this moment. Is this really the strength that can be produced by human muscles and bone density?

The sword energy is the same. It can cut through anything, even if it’s not a single molecule cutter… or at least a vibrating cutter.

And then there’s the Cheon-gun-chu. It actually makes the body heavier, but where did the law of conservation of mass go?

In fact, the most surprising thing is that I control my inner strength with my will. That means that even if I just think about it, something that is impossible happens in reality.

It’s not like the universe helps you if you wish for it… What is that?

Of course, I know it’s not that simple in reality. There are constraints and conditions that are difficult to meet.

However, it’s important to note that I have always had doubts about the principles of martial arts, even though I am familiar with it, admire it, and can use it.

People in this world accept the existence of Ki too naturally, but I couldn’t because of my memories from my past life.

It’s the same for martial arts.

In the end, isn’t a sword just a tool for cutting down enemies? Martial arts are just an efficient way to do that.

But that’s not the case in martial arts.

In all martial arts, regardless of Jung, Sa, or Ma, there exists a fundamental concept called Sim-sang.

Even if there is a difference between profound and shallow, there is no martial art without Sim-sang.

…And just as I didn’t understand the existence of Ki, I couldn’t understand the idea of putting something in a sword.

Perhaps Namgung Hyeok saw through my state of mind.

Clang!

Even though I was lost in thought, I reflexively blocked Namgung Hyeok’s attack.

Even if there is nothing in my sword, it doesn’t mean that everything I have trained so far has been for nothing.

But that’s also a limit. I still have some stamina and inner strength left, but I can feel my sword crumbling little by little every time it clashes with Namgung Hyeok’s.

Soon, there will be a moment when I can’t solve everything with just strength, and Namgung Hyeok won’t miss that opportunity.

Actually, it’s okay to lose like this.

He’ll probably be satisfied with this. The purpose of this martial arts competition was not to cause unnecessary trouble between Hong Yeon-hwa and Peng Soso because of me.

At this point, anyone can see that I did my best and showed decent skills.

I’ve already achieved my goal, so it’s okay to keep fighting until I fall.

As I thought this, I loosened my grip on the sword.

Suddenly, I saw Hong Yeon-hwa, who was looking at me with both hands tightly clenched and staring in my direction from afar.

The moment I met her pink eyes that never missed a single moment of looking only at me.

Kwaaak.

Without realizing it, my hand holding the sword tightened again.

It’s impossible for me to beat Namgung Hyeok right now. So it’s better to admit defeat cleanly instead of struggling in vain.

That’s a result that’s more in line with the original purpose.

However, even so… I didn’t want to lose in front of Hong Yeon-hwa.

What was the reason I devoted myself to training every day and even became a loser?

It was to become someone who could match Hong Yeon-hwa.

I still remember the giant demon that blocked the sun. I remember the thrill of carving my own trace in the sky.

Someday, I have to stand next to her… I can’t show a pathetic side against Namgung Hyeok.

But the fact that there is no way to do it right now is also true. Then what should I do? I already know the answer.

Muryeong Shingong (武靈神功).

If martial arts is ultimately about making your own Sim-sang a reality, then Muryeong Shingong, which turns your mind into power, is the closest thing to the essence of martial arts.

Did my master create this martial art knowing that I had this problem?

I don’t know. I don’t know, but what I have to do now is clear.

“Haahhh!!”

“Kuk….”

I screamed with the force of vomiting out a lump that was blocking my throat and released most of my remaining inner strength throughout my body.

It was a mimicry of the magical storm that happened before Hong Yeon-hwa used Cheonma Jaerim.

Namgung Hyeok stumbled back a few steps from the small whirlpool that occurred around me.

Although he regained his posture, he couldn’t maintain his sword energy to the point where he couldn’t keep it up.

But it doesn’t matter.

Muryeong Shingong is a martial art that pulls up Ki and body to match the advanced Sim-sang. Even if I can’t fully recover, I can swing it a few times.

That’s enough.

“Hoo….”

I breathed lightly and focused my mind. Until now, I had raised my determination by thinking of Hong Yeon-hwa’s existence, but that method won’t work anymore.

I used Hong Yeon-hwa as a medium because I could feel her presence vividly, as if she were right next to me even with my eyes closed.

…But it’s not just Hong Yeon-hwa that is engraved in my Sim-sang.

The sword that I have never let go of since my childhood, which was taken away by my master until now.

As I became aware of it, something vague began to take shape in an instant.

A handle that is slightly rough but firm enough to grip, a sharp but solid blade, and a sword spirit that is cold but sparks with hot embers when it clashes with a weapon.

Something that resembles the wooden sword I used in my childhood, or the cheap iron sword I used for practice, or something that resembles the famous sword I inherited from my master.

But the moment I realize that it is enough to call it a sword, memories of swinging the sword until now pass through my mind.

I can no longer hear the cheers of the audience, Namgung Hyeok’s criticism, or my weak voice inside.

A world full of stillness. In that silence, my body moved as if possessed by something.

My legs spread shoulder-width apart, my waist stood up straight to hold my center. Then I slowly lifted my sword above my head, aiming for the center of my body.

The posture that I am most familiar with and most confident in.

If I can’t put Sim-sang into the sword, why not put the sword into Sim-sang?

Muryeong Shingong responded faithfully to my unreasonable demand.

The sword energy revived as my inner strength surged into the darkened sword.

The sword energy, which was like a mosquito, became even stronger and rose like smoke, eventually starting to burn brightly.

A white flame resembling starlight.

As if darkness was illuminated by the bright light, the surrounding scenery gradually came into view.

Hasn’t it been that long since the last time? Or was it waiting for me?

Unlike a little while ago, Namgung Hyeok, who seemed quite excited, rushed at me fiercely and swung his sword.

I also took a step forward towards the distant sword that still reminded me of the sky.

Taesananjeong (太山壓頂).

The sword strike, which was swung with the determination to crush even a giant mountain, was slammed down like a meteor.

Clang!

A loud noise that echoed throughout the martial arts arena. And then a small cracking sound followed.

Once again, Namgung Hyeok’s sword, which was trying to receive my attack smoothly, broke into pieces the moment it touched my sword.

Namgung Hyeok’s sky was too small to contain my sword now.

As I looked at Namgung Hyeok, who was staring at the shattered sword pieces with a mixture of disappointment and admiration, the feeling of victory slowly began to sink in my numb head.

…Did I win?

As I saw Hong Yeon-hwa jumping up and down in the distance, and my heart swaying freely because of her, I became convinced.

I won, didn’t I?