The Swordmaster Wants To Live Peacefully [EN]: Chapter 26

Swordmaster Wants to Live in Peace – Episode 26

Swordmaster Wants to Live in Peace Episode 26

The Dragon Born in the Night (3)

Nox, not Baek Woo-hyun, nor the referee, watched the duel with unparalleled clarity.

Nox’s all-seeing eyes precisely tracked the movements of both combatants.

Though lacking swordsmanship knowledge, she meticulously recorded and analyzed each movement.

Baek Oh-yeon attacked relentlessly, yet his efforts proved futile.

Yoo Seong-woo skillfully baited Baek Oh-yeon, offering openings that seemed tantalizingly close.

Just a hair’s breadth away, a tantalizing near miss.

He fostered a burning desire within Baek Oh-yeon’s heart, a hunger for victory.

Then, at the crucial moment.

As intense energy coalesced within Baek Oh-yeon’s wooden sword, a surge of power.

Yoo Seong-woo acted.

He surged forward, executing a swift horizontal strike.

His wooden sword, devoid of energy, struck the center of Baek Oh-yeon’s energized weapon, shattering it.

The three-pronged slash [OUI, a technique from Bonkuk Sword Technique] dissipated instantly.

Yoo Seong-woo’s wooden sword also splintered from the impact.

Having neutralized Baek Oh-yeon’s momentum, Yoo Seong-woo glanced at the broken hilt and declared.

“It’s a draw. Both our wooden swords are broken.”

“…….”

Baek Oh-yeon stared, speechless, alternating his gaze between his shattered sword and Yoo Seong-woo.

Baek Woo-hyun, momentarily stunned, quickly regained composure and declared a draw.

Baek Woo-hyun was quick to react.

He promptly forced Baek Oh-yeon to kneel, scolding him.

“Instructor Baek Oh-yeon, who authorized the use of OUI in a duel? The OUI of the Bonkuk Sword Technique is a finishing move. A technique designed to kill, yet you employed it in a friendly match.”

“But… he kept pushing me.”

“Excuses! Bonkuk Sword demands unity of mind, skill, and body. How can you call yourself a swordsman of the Bonkuk Sword Association if you can’t control your anger! And you’re an instructor!”

Baek Woo-hyun reprimanded Baek Oh-yeon sternly.

Even he felt Yoo Seong-woo had pushed things a bit far…

This decisive action stemmed from Baek Oh-yeon’s arrogance.

A little humility would have prevented this escalation.

But Baek Oh-yeon’s uncontrolled anger led him to use OUI, leaving him no room for excuses.

“I sincerely apologize, Seong-woo. Our Instructor Baek Oh-yeon overstepped his bounds.”

Baek Woo-hyun bowed to Yoo Seong-woo, offering a sincere apology.

Yoo Seong-woo nodded, accepting the apology, though it wasn’t truly his place to receive it. He then crouched before the kneeling Baek Oh-yeon.

“Not bad. But strive for improvement.”

Yoo Seong-woo adopted a condescending tone.

Standing up, Yoo Seong-woo addressed Baek Woo-hyun.

“Could you perhaps demonstrate the original, unrevised forms of the Bonkuk Sword Technique?”

“Ah, yes. I don’t teach them to the trainees, but I have learned them.”

“Then, show me.”

Without protest, Baek Woo-hyun retrieved a wooden sword from the dojo and began demonstrating the basic stances and various forms of the Bonkuk Sword Technique.

The Bonkuk Sword Technique comprises 33 forms.

Among them, 12 are striking methods and 9 are thrusting methods.

The Bonkuk Sword Association meticulously restored and reinterpreted these forms to align with modern swordsmanship.

This resulted in a reduction to 21 forms, deemed more practical and efficient.

However, Yoo Seong-woo found Baek Oh-yeon’s Bonkuk Sword clumsy.

Rigid movements restricted the swordsman’s path, a potentially fatal flaw.

Baek Woo-hyun diligently presented the Bonkuk Sword Technique from beginning to end, relying on his memory.

Yoo Seong-woo scrutinized the unfolding technique, comparing it to the revised version Baek Oh-yeon had displayed.

“This concludes the demonstration.”

Baek Woo-hyun sheathed his sword, concluding with the ‘Rhinoceros Fighting Stance’.

Yoo Seong-woo, having absorbed the essence of the Bonkuk Sword, accepted the wooden sword from Baek Woo-hyun.

“Who spearheaded the revision of the Bonkuk Sword Technique?”

“It’s Yoon Cheong-un, the current head of the Bonkuk Sword Association.”

“Yoon Cheong-un, huh.”

“Have you heard of him?”

“Why would I have heard of him? Regardless, his revisions are… peculiar.”

“…Peculiar?”

Yoo Seong-woo gripped the wooden sword tightly, then relaxed his hold.

He assumed the ‘Holding Sword Against the Enemy’ stance, which Baek Woo-hyun had initially shown, and spoke.

“Baek Woo-hyun.”

“Yes.”

“In your opinion, what distinguishes the original Bonkuk Sword Technique from the revised version?”

“Well, I understand that the revised Bonkuk Sword Technique, taught to current trainees, has undergone practical reinterpretation and revision. To eliminate the enemy.”

“In essence, what’s the key difference?”

“It prioritizes attack over defense. The stance is lower, strategically targeting the opponent’s vital points.”

“Precisely. The Bonkuk Sword Technique has become more potent, but also more vulnerable.”

With these words, Yoo Seong-woo began to swing his sword deliberately.

He executed a horizontal slash from the ‘Holding Sword Against the Enemy’ stance, recovered, and thrust again.

The fluid, elegant movements differed significantly from Baek Oh-yeon’s and Baek Woo-hyun’s renditions.

“The strength of the Bonkuk Sword lies not solely in attack. It’s a swordsmanship that balances offense and defense. Abandoning defense disrupts that balance.”

The sword flowed like water.

Its silent passage through the air revealed a chilling level of mastery.

Yoo Seong-woo flawlessly executed all 33 forms of the Bonkuk Sword Technique that Baek Woo-hyun had demonstrated, then returned to the initial stance, ‘Holding Sword Against the Enemy’.

Baek Woo-hyun and Baek Oh-yeon watched in disbelief.

Was their Bonkuk Sword Technique truly the same?

Was the display before them the authentic Bonkuk Sword?

Yoo Seong-woo’s demonstration profoundly impacted the two swordsmen.

“Furthermore, the restoration is incomplete. The Bonkuk Sword Association believes their restoration is perfect, but they are mistaken.”

“…Mistaken? The Bonkuk Sword Association?”

“Indeed. The Bonkuk Sword Association misunderstands the creator’s intent. It’s merely a beautiful facade.”

Yoo Seong-woo resumed his demonstration.

The Bonkuk Sword differed from their understanding.

Previously disjointed movements flowed seamlessly, while seemingly forced connections were severed.

Each swing carved a distinct path through the air.

The wooden sword filled the space.

Yoo Seong-woo’s sword path was mesmerizing, captivating the two young swordsmen.

The Bonkuk Sword, revitalized by Yoo Seong-woo’s experience and knowledge of various swordsmanships, was a spectacle.

The undeniable truth conveyed by the sword shook the very foundation of their understanding of the Bonkuk Sword.

After the final thrust, he returned to the ‘Holding Sword Against the Enemy’ stance, retracting his wooden sword.

“The Bonkuk Sword, as interpreted by the Bonkuk Sword Association, is designed for combat against ‘humans’. However, I believe it’s not. It’s designed to face larger, more unconventional adversaries.”

“…What do you mean?”

“The essence of the Bonkuk Sword is to confront monsters, not humans. Such as the creatures emerging from the Abyss.”

Baek Woo-hyun and Baek Oh-yeon listened intently, their expressions serious.

If true, the restoration of the Bonkuk Sword was fundamentally flawed.

It would invalidate the current Bonkuk Sword Association.

Yoo Seong-woo tossed the sword back to Baek Woo-hyun, rotated his shoulders, and said.

“Bonkuk Sword is a fine sword. But you’ll stagnate if you continue this way. Seek further improvement.”

Having witnessed and wielded the original Bonkuk Sword, Yoo Seong-woo understood the incongruity he felt.

The Bonkuk Sword is inherently freer.

Monsters are unpredictable and unconventional.

Assuming it was created to combat such creatures unlocks a freer, more potent swordsmanship.

Yoo Seong-woo emphasized this to Baek Woo-hyun.

Baek Oh-yeon might not fully grasp it, but Baek Woo-hyun, an S-class diver who has faced numerous enemies, would recognize the truth in his words.

“I’ve concluded my business. Nox, let’s go home.”

“Already? I want to play more.”

“How long do you intend to play?”

“Forever?”

Yoo Seong-woo was reminded of the dragon’s inherent laziness.

Perhaps that’s why they are a race without development.

As Yoo Seong-woo departed the dojo, Baek Woo-hyun bowed deeply.

“Thank you for your guidance. I will engrave it in my memory.”

“No need to engrave it. Just buy me a meal later.”

“I’ll treat you to a full course.”

After securing a full course meal, Yoo Seong-woo vanished.

Baek Woo-hyun remained in the dojo, staring at the wooden sword Yoo Seong-woo had wielded.

‘…The Bonkuk Sword was designed to fight monsters.’

He had never considered it.

Didn’t monsters only appear in the Abyss?

He only knew the Bonkuk Sword as a technique to prevent foreign invasions.

His teacher, Seong Un-ryong, had said so.

He struggled to believe the Bonkuk Sword was primarily for fighting monsters.

Anyone else making such a claim would have been dismissed.

But it was Yoo Seong-woo who said it.

A swordsman whose divine skill was unmatched.

As demonstrated in the duel with Baek Oh-yeon.

Had Baek Woo-hyun been in his place, he wouldn’t have perfectly grasped the energy of Baek Oh-yeon’s OUI, and the dojo would have suffered damage.

Baek Woo-hyun gripped the wooden sword and addressed Baek Oh-yeon, who was attempting to rise.

“Oh-yeon.”

“Yes, Chief Instructor.”

“Keep today’s events confidential. From the elders and the president.”

“Understood, Chief Instructor.”

“As punishment, practice each form a thousand times in the 4th floor dojo before returning to the 5th floor.”

“…Understood.”

* * *

“Did you have fun today?”

“I witnessed many amazing things.”

Shortly after Yoo Seong-woo brought Nox home, Yoo Ji-woo arrived.

Yoo Ji-woo scooped up Nox, who toddled towards her, treating her like a younger sister.

Nox snuggled against Yoo Ji-woo, embracing her tightly.

Yoo Seong-woo watched the scene with a hint of displeasure before turning his attention to the television.

The evening news was playing.

Several reports covered recent Abyss-related incidents and other global events.

-Today, Yoo-wol, the chief priest of the Towol tribe [Rabbit Moon Tribe] , who gained autonomy in Northern Ireland, UK, held a press conference and announced his intention to visit Korea.