Absolute Sword Sense Chapter 20

Chapter 20 – Showdown (2)

“Phew.”

The air is cold to breathe.

Clench!

When I reach the top of the mountain peak and step on the snow-covered ground, it reaches up to my ankles.

A battle on snowy peaks under the sky. It sounds glamorous in words, but I can't feel it.

There is Hae Ack-chun with his giant arms crossed together. Standing beside him are the twins. The atmosphere feels heavy.

Like me, they are committed too.

-Don't this seem a bit similar?

As Short Sword says, in just 3 months, Song Jwbaek and Song Woo-hyun have grown considerably. As a result, they can even be arrogant, unlike before.

Compared to Hae Ack-chun, they are still small, but they are bigger than me. The twins are now easy to tell apart.

-He looks fine today….

The person Short Sword refers to is the younger twin, Song Woo-hyun. The way his smooth head reflects the sunlight is dazzling.

It's shocking how his hair loss led to such a dazzling bald head. But thanks to that, he gives off a stronger impression.

Clench!

I step into the snow and walk to them.

“Kulkul, are you ready to lose?”

As soon as he sees me, he asks me this. But I'm not going to fall for this shallow provocation.

“Shouldn't we fight to know?”

I harbor no thoughts of falling for their cheap words. Then Song Jwbaek says.

“Why don't you just surrender now and call me master?”

“You seem confident?”

“Of course. Because you and I are different.”

Being confident means being sure of victory. Right? At that time, Hae Ack-chun hits Song Jwbaek on the back of his head.

Pak!

“Huh! Who gave you the right to talk about surrender? This fight will have to go till the end.”

Song Jwbaek frowns.

Well, we don't know the real purpose of this confrontation, so this is to be expected. For Hae Ack-chun, this confrontation is like a way to avenge the humiliation of his past.

He wants his next-generation disciple to defeat the might of his enemy…

-He is trying to win mentally.

Look at his witty conclusion. Well, in the end, it is true.

Whatever the past was, he wants to surpass his opponent, the South Heavenly Swordsman, who outmatched him.

-No, stay quiet, Short Sword. If the fighting spirit dies, he cannot fight.

-Shh.

At South Heavenly Iron Sword's words, Short Sword grumbles. But she knows the importance of the confrontation, so she stops.

“Who will I fight again?”

I know that I have to compete with one of the twins first. But fortunately, I don't have to take on both of them at the same time.

Song Jwbaek steps up.

“It is me.”

I thought so. Song Woo-hyun, the younger twin, doesn't fit the concept of the fight as he is still a bit immature.

Of course, a typical opponent will be intimidated by his current appearance.

“Elder. Will you keep your promise?”

“Kulkul, that happens only when you win.”

I never thought that I would lose.

As he continues to show a confident expression, I slowly become nervous.

'Because he isn't the kind of person to brag.'

I have to be careful. Song Jwbaek and I look at each other as the other two move back.

Then Hae Ack-chun shouts.

“Start!”

Song Jwbaek takes a stance. As he approaches me with extended arms, I can see the iron wrist guards on him.

It seems like they aren't there just for protection. He then looks at me and says.

“You use a sword, so I cannot come bare-handed, right?”

“You are right. I am holding a rusty iron sword. Yours looks pretty good.”

-Rusty sword…

-Quiet. You're hindering him.

Iron Sword tried to speak back until the short sword made him go silent. I then smile at Song Jwbaek.

“This is nothing. Elder said he used them when he was young.”

“Young?”

So these aren't normal things.

Where is the fairness if you are going to provide things? The only thing that the old man taught me was throwing books at me and telling me to learn from them.

Well, what did I expect from a man who stole the technique of others?

Chuk!

Regardless, I pull out the South Heavenly Iron Sword and take my stance. The opponent is ready too.

I hear that his martial art is called the Black Iron Fist and is known to enhance the fist's power and develop strength in the body.

Of course, this is what Hae Ack-chun considers fairness.

'If that is the case, I can also consider it.'

Actually, I can just dismantle the technique. Song Jwbaek and I look at each other. No change in the stance, both of us are ready to act.

It is then.

“I come first!”

Phat!

The snow moves as Song Jwbaek runs like a wild horse.

The force at which he is coming isn't normal. If he rushes in like that, I need to ensure the distance.

Swosh!

I skilfully thrust my sword towards his forehead. At that moment, Song Jwbaek crosses his hands and blocks the sword with his iron wrist guard.

Chang!

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“Huh!”

As the tip of the sword trembles, my body gets pushed back.

Tatak!

The guy, surprised by my attack, doesn't give me another chance and begins to attack.

“Haaa!”

I swing my sword to defend myself and not stab him this time, and each time I block, I get pushed away.

'It makes his fist like iron.'

This is not a normal wrist guard, and his strength is different from what I saw 3 months ago. If he has become this strong, I can be suspicious of him.

“Did you take any pills?”

“What!”

Song Jwbaek denies it, though his eyes tremble a little. The kind of guy who cannot lie.

Chachacha!

He attacks more fiercely than before.

-Wonhwi! Keep your distance. At this level, he is close to being a first-rate warrior in terms of internal qi.

Iron Sword, who is feeling this, tells me.

'First-rate?

How good was the pill for him to be considered a first-rate warrior? It has to have given him around 20 years' worth of internal qi.

'Tch. I need to move.'

Phat!

I follow Iron Sword's advice and widen the distance. The more distance I make, the more I try not to fall behind and track his movements.

'Kuak!'

His footwork is superior to mine, and it is difficult to catch up. Each time I try to follow him, I almost fall down. It looks like Hae Ack-chun had properly taught the twins.

'Ah!'

At that moment, his fist is coming to pierce me in the chest, making me lean back. I then make some space to widen the distance again.

“Ha!”

Surprisingly, Song Jwbaek didn't predict this. This isn't something I learned but rather an improvisation in crisis.

“You are flexible!”

I am slightly surprised when he praises me.

And now the fist comes right for the face.

Chang!

I block it again with Iron Sword, but my body is being pushed back.

“I won't miss this!”

Song Jwbaek tries to close the distance again.

'I am annoyed.'

Iron sword mumbles.

-This is the basic tactic one uses when going against a sword with fists. Of course, there is more of an effect he has since he knows most of your sword technique.

This makes me realize just how much Hae Ack-chun has studied the stolen technique. It would be no exaggeration that these fist techniques are born from the bitter memories of the old man.

So he must have read the book and polished his technique over the years.

“Kilkil.”

It seems like pushing me is fun. At least his smiling lips tell me that.

“How long will you dodge and defend? Why don't you try some techniques?”

He is provoking me.

Maybe he knows how to counter my movement. If not, he wouldn't say this.

“Okay?”

My hands are ready to unfold the sword technique, and he smiles.

“Wait!”

He comes in like a bullet, and it feels like dozens of fists are coming to me.

Chahcahchang!

I quickly block the guy's fist with the side of my iron sword. My form then begins to get pushed back again.

“Be ready to call me master!”

He is shouting in joy already.

“Wake up from the dream.”

“What?”

When my body is pushed back, I bend backward and jump ahead.

“Ugh!”

It is the Hidden Clam Sword. A counterattack technique for explosive attacks.

When the swordsman, who is supposed to be almost dead, rushes for him, Song Jwbaek takes a defensive stance.

Chachachang!

“Kuak! W-what is this?”

He is visibly shocked. Well, this is expected.

This is different from what the technique Hae Ack-chun must have taught him. And this isn't the Xing Ming sword technique, either.

“Hik!”

The opponent blocks my offensive and tries to use a technique. He rotates like a top and tries to push me back with his stronger hand.

But I expected this.

'If you come at me with force.'

I utilize the third technique I learned, leaving myself to the flow and moving like a loach and swinging my sword.

“Kuak!”

Song Jwbaek is startled by my curving attack as my iron sword approaches him gently rather than speedily to pierce through his chest unerringly. In his panic, he makes space between us.

“Damn it!”

Tatatak!

I try to widen the distance again instead of chasing him.

“Are you going to keep running away?”

But despite my provocation, he doesn't stop. His eyes are looking elsewhere. It is the direction where Hae Ack-chun is standing.

'Oh my,'

Hae Ack-chun doesn't look normal. His expression clearly shows that he is shocked at how I managed to cover the shortcomings in the technique he showed me.

How would he look if I turned the tables then?

Chapter end