Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 200

200. All of You, I Mean

Bayan Tu, the Overlord, spoke to Unhyun with intense eyes.

“I am Bayan Tu, the Overlord. Are you the successor of the Sword Saint, the one who seeks to claim the name of the Blue Wolf?”

The phrase ‘seeks to claim’ clearly showed his position.

However, the Overlord’s true intention wasn’t immediately clear.

“He’s asking if you’re the Blue Wolf,” the Zodiac Lord said, providing a concise translation.

Jegeol Giho asked, puzzled, “It sounded like he asked a lot more than that, but that’s it?”

The Zodiac Lord ignored Jegeol Giho’s comment, and Unhyun nodded.

“Yes, I am… ahem… the Blue Wolf.”

Calling himself the Blue Wolf was more awkward than he’d anticipated.

But having accepted the title, he had no intention of shirking its responsibilities, even if he now knew it was far too grand for him.

The Zodiac Lord turned to the Overlord. “This is the Blue Wolf.”

The Zodiac Lord spoke with a confident, almost arrogant, tone. “She says that according to the laws of the Northern Sea, you must show him due respect.”

The Overlord Bayan Tu’s expression hardened. The same was true for his warriors Kutula, Essen, and Kabul.

Especially Kabul, who understood the Southern language, thought, ‘The Zodiac Lord is embellishing things.’

‘…But she’s not entirely wrong, either.’ Kabul conceded internally. Words were added, but the underlying meaning remained the same.

Unhyun’s declaration that he was the Blue Wolf directly contradicted the Overlord’s implied challenge and essentially demanded the respect due to the Blue Wolf.

“Why is the translation so long again? It was just a simple answer,” Jegeol Giho muttered, still distrustful of the Zodiac Lord.

The Zodiac Lord frowned. “Oh, you’re really noisy. Muttering from behind all the time… If you’ve entrusted the translation to me, just trust me.”

Jegeol Giho shut his mouth, unable to argue. Her point about trusting her since he’d entrusted the task to her was reasonable, and there was no one else to translate anyway.

“I will gladly show respect,” Bayan Tu, the Overlord, said, glaring at Unhyun, “if you are truly the Blue Wolf, that is.”

The Zodiac Lord sighed and said to Unhyun, “He wants to fight. Oh, and he says he’s Bayan Tu, the Overlord.”

Unhyun smiled wryly and slowly surveyed Bayan Tu, his three warriors, and the fifty-odd cavalrymen. Each of them, fully armed, radiated an extraordinary aura.

‘So it comes to this.’ He’d guessed it from the moment he saw them. Bingje had warned him that someone would challenge him.

He hadn’t expected the Overlord himself, radiating killing intent, to arrive with fifty-odd cavalrymen.

‘But…’ Unhyun looked at them with a calm gaze. Strangely, he wasn’t afraid, not even nervous.

It couldn’t be helped. Compared to the vision the Eternal Ice Crystal had shown him, this was nothing.

“If you truly wish it, then so be it,” Unhyun replied.

The Zodiac Lord raised her eyes and looked down at the Overlord with an arrogant gaze. She raised her hand and lightly flicked her fingers. “If you want a piece, come at me.”

The Overlord’s expression hardened. To a Northern Sea warrior and elder of a faction, the Zodiac Lord’s words and expressions were a clear insult.

But the Zodiac Lord didn’t care. “Why? Are you upset? Although the Blue Wolf respects you, I cannot. How dare you…”

Gnashing her teeth, the Zodiac Lord continued, “Are you baring your teeth at the Blue Wolf?”

The Overlord gritted his teeth. None of the Zodiac Lord’s words were technically wrong. The laws of the Northern Sea commanded that the utmost respect be shown to the Blue Wolf, and the Overlord and his cavalry were no exception, if Unhyun was truly the Blue Wolf.

While the Overlord suppressed his anger, Jegeol Giho slyly said to Unhyun, “Secretary Un, the situation is not good, so wouldn’t it be better to get out of here first? I happen to have…”

“It’s alright,” Unhyun cut him off. “I have to convince them at least once anyway.”

Unhyun said with a smile, his expression showing no tension. “And also, there’s something I want to try.”

“Yes?” Jegeol Giho looked puzzled, and Dokgo Rang said quietly, “Sir Un, I will take care of them…”

“It’s alright, Dokgo Je,” Unhyun stopped him as well. “Don’t worry. And actually…” As if telling a secret, Unhyun leaned towards Dokgo Rang and whispered, “I’ve been itching to draw my sword, too.”

Unhyun’s eyes sparkled as he spoke, like a child who had received a gift.

“…If that is your will, sir,” Dokgo Rang said with a faint smile, bowing his head. “I will gladly follow.”

Dokgo Rang took a step back, withdrawing the hand that had been holding the sword hilt, and even the tension in his posture completely disappeared. He was now a perfect spectator.

Jegeol Giho was dumbfounded. ‘No, what are they believing in in this situation?’ He knew that Unhyun was amazing, but even Dokgo Rang shouldn’t be so nonchalant. Except for that Zodiac Lord, whose head seemed to be full of flowers, the only people he could trust were himself and Dokgo Rang.

“To your courage,” Jegeol Giho’s thoughts were interrupted by a heavy voice. Bayan Tu, the Overlord, said, looking straight at Unhyun, “I pay my respects… Successor of the Sword Saint.”

No further words were needed. Jegeol Giho realized that he could no longer avoid the fight. The Zodiac Lord simply snorted lightly and didn’t bother to translate.

*Swoosh.*

The Overlord mounted his horse and raised one hand towards the cavalry.

*Clatter, clatter.*

The fifty-odd cavalrymen, including the three warriors and the Twelve Sky Knights, moved in unison and retreated.

Meanwhile, Unhyun untied his wooden sword and handed it to Dokgo Rang. “Please take care of this for a moment.”

“Yes,” Dokgo Rang respectfully received Unhyun’s wooden sword as if it were a precious blade. “Come back safely.”

Unhyun smiled, took the Northern Sea Sword, Myeong, in his hand, and walked forward.

*Thud, thud.*

After walking a certain distance, Unhyun stopped and turned around. The fifty-odd fully armed cavalrymen were standing in a group facing him.

The Overlord spoke from horseback. “If the Southern Sea has the Twelve Stars, then I, the Overlord, have the Twelve Sky Knights.”

His voice, amplified by internal energy, was clearly heard by everyone. “They are warriors capable of shouldering the future of the Northern Sea, so these Twelve Sky Knights will test you first.”

The Zodiac Lord was about to translate when the Overlord’s voice continued. “Third Squad!”

*Clatter.*

At those words, four cavalrymen stepped forward simultaneously.

“Crazy!” Jegeol Giho shouted reflexively. “A four-man assault? And on horseback? What kind of nonsense is this!”

It was absurd that there were four of them, and on horseback at that. Considering the destructive power of cavalry, which could shatter even decent armor, Jegeol Giho’s anger was understandable.

However, the Overlord’s eyes were cold. “If you dare to call yourself the Blue Wolf, this much is only natural.”

There was no translation, but Jegeol Giho roughly understood the meaning and became even more furious. “No, aren’t you ashamed as martial artists? How can you do such a…”

*Swish.*

Unhyun raised one hand, stopping Jegeol Giho’s words. Looking at the Overlord, Unhyun said, “You can all come at once.”

It wasn’t that they could intuitively understand those words. The Overlord looked at the Zodiac Lord.

Only then did the Zodiac Lord come to her senses and open her mouth hesitantly. “A-all at once…”

The Zodiac Lord said, unable to hide her surprise. “He says come at him all at once.”

The Overlord’s eyebrows twitched. “Arrogant. To withstand all Twelve Sky Knights…”

“Ah, I’m just saying this in case you don’t know,” Unhyun interrupted.

Looking at the Zodiac Lord, Unhyun clarified, “What I said means literally all of you. So, all of you, I mean.”

This time, even the Zodiac Lord couldn’t hide her surprise. With her mouth wide open, she looked at Unhyun.

“The… the entire cavalry?”

“Yes,” Unhyun nodded and said to the Zodiac Lord, who was still speechless, “Please convey it.”

Hesitating, the Zodiac Lord turned her head and looked at the Overlord. “…Ahem.”

The Zodiac Lord took a deep breath and braced herself. She said with a somewhat confident expression, “To think you would test me with mere Twelve Sky Knights is utterly laughable.”

Glaring at the Overlord, the Zodiac Lord declared, “If you truly wish to compete with me, then all of you, at once, come at me.”

The Overlord gritted his teeth, never having received such an insult. Even the legendary First Blue Wolf wouldn’t have been so arrogant.

“Overlord,” the warrior Kabul said quietly, “He has brought it upon himself. Order the charge now.”

For Kabul, it was an opportunity. If they trampled the successor of the Sword Saint like this, that would be the most certain outcome.

However, the Overlord did not accept Kabul’s suggestion. “Twelve Sky Knights!”

*Clatter.*

Another eight fully armed cavalrymen stepped forward.

“You have all heard his words just now. Therefore…” Bayan Tu, the Overlord, commanded with a voice full of heat, “Let the Twelve Sky Knights test the successor of the Sword Saint!”

*Thud.*

Instead of answering, the Twelve Sky Knights simultaneously struck the ground with their spear shafts. The spear shafts, filled with internal energy, shook the ground, and the twelve spear blades trembled, emitting a low wail.

However, Unhyun did not waver in the slightest. Rather, he sighed as if disappointed. ‘Only twelve… Then that won’t work.’

Reproducing the scene that the Eternal Ice Crystal had shown him against them would not be appropriate. But that didn’t mean there was nothing to try.

‘If so…’ Unhyun slowly gripped the hilt of Myeong, recalling another scene in his mind.

*Swish.*

With a quiet sound, the blade of Myeong revealed itself. Looking at the blade sparkling under the Northern Sea sunlight, Unhyun smiled. There was no fear, not even as much as surprised himself.

*Swish.*

Unhyun slowly regulated his breathing and took a stance. No, there was nothing that could be called a stance. He simply stood comfortably, held the sword with both hands, and extended it slightly forward; that was all.

*Purr.*

Feeling his horse getting excited, the warrior Kabul reflexively stroked its neck, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the successor of the Sword Saint.

‘That arrogant Southerner is digging his own grave.’ Kabul’s thoughts were a direct representation of the feelings of everyone in the cavalry right now. To face twelve warriors on horseback with a single sword was nothing short of a death wish.

‘It’s a pity that we can’t crush him in one go, but the result is the same anyway.’ The power of a group is more than just the simple sum of individuals. Moreover, if they are the elite of the elite, the Twelve Sky Knights who have already trained in the martial arts of the Superior Man [a highly skilled warrior], there is no need to even mention it.

*Whoosh.*

Listening to the low sound echoing from the spear blades of the Twelve Sky Knights, Kabul wore a bitter smile. ‘You will die here. Definitely.’ Kabul had no doubt about the outcome that would follow.

“Go.”

*Clatter.*

With the quiet voice of the Overlord, the Twelve Sky Knights on warhorses slowly began to move.