The Afterglow Of Hatred (3)

The next day.

Until yesterday when the crowd had been lively and noisy, it was quiet today.

There was little murmuring, yet the expectation in their eyes was immense. A single touch would set off thunderous cheers.

The referee who stepped onto the arena read the room well.

There was no need to stall. He would have liked to bask in those expectant gazes, but he knew the crowd wasn’t here for him.

Esteemed figures were watching from above as well. The referee decided not to overreach and to do his duty.

“We will now begin the semifinal of the Radiant Sword Festival.”

“Waaah!”

The pent-up roar exploded.

It flared like fire. Some were martial artists and some were civilians, yet their unified shout looked like one mass.

People were so packed that some watched from rooftops. Such was the anticipation for this duel.

The referee looked left and right and spoke.

“Black bracket and white bracket, step forward.”

From the black bracket came Seol So-ha, and from the white bracket came Ha Jun. The blazing cheers subsided at once.

Both belonged to the Sichuan Eight Martial Houses. One was the Cheongyang Association’s Second Young Master, famed as strongest of the Eight. The other was the White Sword Seol Clan’s eldest daughter who had stormed through this tournament.

Beyond their arts, they were striking to behold. The crowd marveled at the picture they made.

The referee recited the rules as evenly as he could.

“If one yields or the host judges further contest meaningless, the duel ends. If either party suffers a grave injury or falls off the arena, that is also a loss. Do both sides understand the rules?”

Both answered yes.

“Both to your places.”

Their steps to the edge of the arena didn’t waver at all.

Walking with a blank face, Seol So-ha glanced at the small path leading to the arena.

Her solid comrades were there. Han Cheol-sang nodded. Im Yeo-wol mouthed a silent be strong. Do Il-gang awkwardly pumped a fist.

And Jin-hyeon smiled and drew a hand blade across his neck in a cut gesture.

Seol So-ha barely held back a burst of laughter.

‘I’m not alone.’

A renewed steadiness rose within her.

It was funny, yet reassuring. The tension she had from her resolve to smash the foe eased naturally.

‘It’s fine. I can win.’

And then.

‘And if I don’t, what of it?’

She would strive to win, yet if her skill didn’t reach, so be it.

For now she need only focus on the match. The crowd’s eyes and mouths and the foe’s taunts or strength meant nothing.

Whatever the result and whatever people say, I am myself.

Seol So-ha cupped fist to palm with her sword in hand, then slowly turned.

At the far end stood a petty man. He wore an easy smile, yet his eyes brimmed with scorn and smugness.

‘Nothing special.’

If he meant to provoke, she would ignore it. If he truly looked down on her, all the better.

‘I will show the martial skill I have built.’

The referee called out.

“Begin.”

Sreung.

Drawing her sword lightly, Seol So-ha walked toward Ha Jun with steady steps.

Jin-hyeon’s eyes gleamed.

‘Good.’

He had thought she might rush in roused by her foe’s aura, yet even her gait and breathing were steady.

It was Ha Jun who was startled by her stroll as if on a walk.

No careful guard set and no excited charge. It was a demeanor impossible if she were tense. Trying to provoke her only angered him, and he clenched his fist.

‘Damn wench. I will show you who owns this place.’

Teoeong!

Kicking off the ground, Ha Jun rushed in and threw a straight punch.

It was an honest punch for her face, yet the speed was tremendous, savage intent to take her head in one blow.

At that vicious opening blow the crowd gasped.

Hook!

Seol So-ha slipped naturally to his side. It was Tianshan’s basic footwork, the Half Moon Step.

Ha Jun’s eyes deepened.

Pabak!

As she evaded, he had already retracted his fist and turned his body.

The first strike looked wild, yet he left himself room to change stance at any moment. His skill wasn’t ordinary.

Papapang!

He twisted, shook the air with a guarding palm, then immediately chained punches for her shoulder and collarbone.

The flow from fist to palm and palm to fist was smooth and fast. It wasn’t the motion but the change in mnemonic patterns. Without free control of Qi, such attacks were hard to execute.

Seol So-ha drifted back.

His guarding palm and attacking punches both missed. She had never intended to clash.

A hint of mockery passed Ha Jun’s face.

“Running like a rat.”

A mutter the crowd could not hear.

Seol So-ha heard it, yet her face didn’t change.

“Keep running then.”

Pababak!

Ha Jun zigzagged, thrusting his palms left and right.

The attacks were swift. They lacked some power, but they closed off her paths as he advanced like a predator.

Evading with upper body movement alone, Seol So-ha’s eyes lit.

Hwoooong!

His right palm pressed in heavily.

A bluish light seemed to ripple and fade. He had driven his energy to the limit for a moment. It was the Cheongyang Association’s Jade Wave Divine Palm.

Wooong!

Her Ten Thousand Year Only White Qi surged, making her body feather light.

Kwang!

The air heaved and the force of the Jade Wave Divine Palm collapsed. She was already at the edge of the white bracket’s side of the stage. She evaded once again. The speed and subtlety were remarkable.

Ha Jun was taken aback.

‘What footwork is this?’

A chill brushed his cheek, cold rising from where she had been.

Watching from afar, Seol So-ha slowly turned her wrist and the loosely lowered blade turned with it.

It was leisure bordering on idleness. Ha Jun’s eyes reddened.

‘That crazy bitch.’

Her constant evasion and her demeanor.

Her face was unchanged and her gaze sunk deep without emotion, yet it was blatant mockery.

He decided to stop testing. He would not kill her, but he would surely break something.

Kwang!

He surged forward with advancing steps, far faster than before.

This time Seol So-ha couldn’t easily evade. His true speed dazzled.

However.

‘I see it.’

Paang!

As he charged, she also ran in. Yet she didn’t clash. Feinting an attack, she leapt and took to the air.

Thinking she would strike head on, Ha Jun threw the Jade Wave Divine Fist, then recoiled in surprise.

At that moment, her sword moved midair.

Chiiik!

A white flash burst and spat dozens of sword shadows. It was one of the five forms from the first half of the Moonlit Snow Shadow Sword. Falling-Snow Shaded Brook.

Each scattered shadow fell like a blizzard, silent and dense, all for Ha Jun’s body.

It was on another level from when she used it against the Black Cat Twin Swords. The form wasn’t stronger, but then it had burst out unconsciously, whereas now she had created the opening by intent.

The same art yields different results by when and how it is used.

‘Tch.’

He had no time to marvel. He scattered Jade Wave fists and palms to meet the falling snow.

Peopeopeopung!

The Cheongyang Association’s fist and palm arts were certainly formidable.

Yet the Snow Shadow Sword was greater. In pure level of art, the Jade Wave Divine Fist couldn’t compare.

Seogeok!

Her blade pierced through and carved wounds on both his shoulders.

Paak!

Ha Jun withdrew quickly, rattled by wounds he had not expected.

Light flared in Seol So-ha’s eyes.

‘Here.’

A life and death battle had begun to draw out her unblossomed talent. In the surge of sensation her eye opened to the flow.

Flash!

Landing, she sprinted with Moon-Shadow Divine Steps and unleashed Snow Shadow Sword’s Snow Bow, Freezing Wind, and White Silence in succession.

At the instant of an opening she drove to the limit. Having tasted the cruel world of contests, she moved naturally.

Ha Jun’s face went pale.

Peopeopeopeopung!

He flung fists and palms in haste, but the wounds on both his shoulders were not shallow and his power kept dropping.

Pushuk!

Her blade finally sliced his hands and blood welled. Not deep, yet enough to give fear of severed hands.

Instinct screamed to get out of the blade’s reach and he moved by reflex.

And that, decided his defeat.

Hwoong.

Her blade traced a half moon, slow yet fast, and cut his thigh as he slipped to the side.

Again it wasn’t deep. Yet at that cut the pain and crisis shook his qi and tangled his steps.

Stammering, he was driven to the edge and fell from the arena unable to balance.

Koong!

The heavy thud stopped every mouth.

Standing alone on the stage, Seol So-ha flicked blood from her blade and sheathed it with grace.

Stunned by the sudden end, the referee hurried up and shouted.

“Black bracket wins!”

“…Waaah!”

The silent crowd erupted as one.

Seol So-ha was impressive, yet few believed she could beat the Cheongyang Association’s Second Young Master. She had done so with ease.

It wasn’t a roaring back and forth, but it displayed the Sichuan Eight Martial Houses’ secret arts well. More than the arts, her calm handling stood out, and the crowd could not be disappointed.

Thus, at the age of twenty, Seol So-ha advanced to the Radiant Sword Festival final.

And someone refused to accept it.

“Impossible.”

Staggering back onto the arena, Ha Jun shouted, face crimson.

“Losing because I fell. I’m still fine.”

The referee spoke calmly.

“Rules are rules. You acknowledged them. Leave the arena.”

“Silence. What unfair match is this? This result is invalid. Invalid.”

The crowd that had been cheering was aghast at his disgrace.

Ha Jun saw red.

“Seol So-ha. Stand there again. To dodge like a rat and win so cravenly, have some shame. Let us fight fair again.”

Seol So-ha didn’t even look at him and walked off the arena.

“Seol So-ha!”

Then angry voices rose from the stands.

“Ha Jun, get down!”

“What a disgrace. Know some shame.”

“Boo.”

Killing intent flashed in Ha Jun’s eyes.

“Shut up!!”

He poured internal energy into his shout at the crowd, a picture of vicious rage.

“How dare you speak such nonsense to me…”

His furious voice lost power bit by bit.

His pride had been raw of late, yet reacting at the crowd was a clear mistake.

Silence fell over the arena. He swallowed without thinking.

“That… that is not… not what I meant.”

Then Mun Jung rose from his seat above.

“Ha Jun, Second Young Master of the Cheongyang Association.”

“Huh? Ah, yes!”

“You are defeated. Step down.”

Crowd aside, he could not defy the Branch Chief of Sichuan. The highest power in the province had spoken.

At last Ha Jun bit his lip and left the arena.

It was a miserable defeat, and a clever victory.