Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 114

114. The Uninvited Guest

It was the Martial Alliance’s early dawn.

As always, Yunhyun arrived at the empty training ground and scanned his surroundings, checking for any unexpected presence.

Although he had been frequenting this place daily for the past few months, Yunhyun meticulously examined every corner, just as he had done on his first visit.

‘Hmph, no one’s here.’

Confirming that he was alone, Yunhyun inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

It had only been a few days since unexpected guests had suddenly started appearing in this secluded spot.

Yunhyun was anxious that the situation might continue.

He was afraid of losing even this small sanctuary that he had barely managed to secure.

Fortunately, it seemed that wouldn’t happen, much to Yunhyun’s relief.

“Hoo-ooh.”

After checking his surroundings, Yunhyun slowly composed himself.

It wasn’t even a full breath before a familiar wooden sword appeared in Yunhyun’s mind.

Swish.

Yunhyun slowly reached out his hand and grasped the invisible sword.

Whoosh.

A gentle tension spread throughout his body.

A sense of floating, as if entrusting himself to a majestic, flowing river, enveloped Yunhyun.

Yunhyun imbued his spirit into that immense current. And at the same time, Yunhyun’s hand slowly began to move.

The sword dance of the swordless sword began again today.

How much time had passed?

It was during one moment of intense training that Yunhyun suddenly sensed an unusual presence.

A subtle yet sharp energy that seemed to stimulate his skin.

This energy was fundamentally different from when Mook Hyul-yeop had visited before, and Yunhyun immediately stopped his training.

Thud.

The sword that had been flowing like water came to a halt, and Yunhyun’s feet, which had been dancing above the clouds, stopped.

“Why have you stopped?”

A deep and gentle voice resonated in Yunhyun’s ears.

Yunhyun turned his head.

And he discovered the figure of an unfamiliar person.

‘Huh?’

He was a dignified man with a refined appearance, dressed in extravagant clothing.

With his black hair neatly combed back with oil, his silk robes embroidered with elaborate patterns, and his hands clasped behind his back as he stood leisurely, he looked like royalty or a high-ranking official out for a stroll.

“Come now, continue what you were doing.”

He wore a benevolent smile, but Yunhyun was on edge.

The man was definitely not what he seemed.

Although he appeared to be middle-aged, there was a hint of the passage of time about him, and Yunhyun could clearly tell that his smile was not one of goodwill.

‘Besides.’

He had memorized the names of countless people in the Martial Alliance, but there was definitely no one like this.

Most surprising of all was that his aura was in no way inferior to that of the Sword Saint or the Divine Monk.

Even now, that sharp energy was making Yunhyun’s skin tingle.

“Why? Don’t you want to?”

He said, staring directly at Yunhyun.

“It’s not that,” Yunhyun said, bowing politely.

He couldn’t afford to be rude, not knowing the other person’s true intentions or identity.

“It’s just that my skills are meager, and I fear it would be disrespectful to you.”

“Hahaha.”

He let out a hearty laugh.

“Do you know me?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Then why do you call me ‘Great Man’?”

His eyes were gleaming as he asked.

It was a look that was both pleased and suspicious of Yunhyun’s true intentions.

Amidst that sharp energy, Yunhyun answered calmly.

“I could tell from your extraordinary aura.”

“Hahaha.”

He laughed loudly.

“An extraordinary aura, you say. So, you’re saying you assessed me.”

Yunhyun frowned slightly.

It was a petty accusation and a blatant distortion of his words.

But the result was more than just a petty accusation.

Whoosh.

A tremendous force crashed down on Yunhyun.

‘Ugh.’

Yunhyun gritted his teeth without realizing it.

He growled at Yunhyun.

“How dare you assess me; do you not fear death?”

It was a childish provocation, but it no longer mattered.

The force bearing down on Yunhyun made it pointless to argue about right and wrong.

But not for Yunhyun.

“As all things awaken with the coming of spring, all beings recognize the signs of heaven. Yet heaven never resents it.”

Yunhyun said, looking directly at him.

“If that is the natural order, then why are you angry?”

Whoosh.

The energy that had been piercing his skin vanished as if it were a lie.

Yunhyun stared straight at him.

And after a moment, a soft chuckle escaped his lips.

“Heh, heh heh.”

It was a blatant laugh, completely different from before.

But Yunhyun could instinctively sense that this was his true nature.

“You have a silver tongue. And quite a bit of nerve.”

He looked at Yunhyun with gleaming eyes.

The sight was so eerie that Yunhyun knew it was best to leave this place as soon as possible.

‘But.’

Yunhyun already knew that wouldn’t be easy.

Because the man had no intention of letting Yunhyun go.

“Young man.”

As expected, he spoke to Yunhyun.

“Why don’t you come with this old man?”

It was practically an order.

Yunhyun answered politely.

“I have duties to fulfill and cannot leave this place.”

“Hmph.”

He scoffed.

“If I were to take you, who would dare say a word? You have nothing to fear.”

That was an irrelevant answer.

“Trust is a promise made to oneself before anyone else.”

Yunhyun pointed that out.

“Even if no one says anything, I cannot do that.”

The man’s brow furrowed at those words.

The dignified demeanor was already gone, and he openly expressed his displeasure.

“You would defy me because of some paltry sense of duty?”

He had already closed his ears.

Perhaps he had been that way from the start.

No matter what Yunhyun said, he would not change his decision.

“No matter what you say.”

Yunhyun said, looking directly at him.

“I will not leave my post.”

Anger began to rise in his eyes.

At the same time, it became a tangible force, swirling around him like a storm.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwak.

“How dare you.”

He said, grinding his teeth.

“Ignore the words of I, Yeom Jung-bu?”

Yunhyun’s clothes fluttered, and dust swirled in all directions.

Yeom Jung-bu, who had identified himself, was genuinely furious with Yunhyun.

“If that’s what you think.”

Yunhyun said to Yeom Jung-bu.

“Then I suppose that’s what it is.”

Those words seemed as if they would instantly ignite Yeom Jung-bu’s rage.

But the result was surprising.

Whoosh.

The force that had been raging like a storm vanished as if it were a lie.

Yeom Jung-bu, who had seemed ready to explode with anger, narrowed his eyes and looked at Yunhyun.

As if searching for Yunhyun’s hidden intentions.

“…Who are you?”

Yeom Jung-bu asked.

“What do you believe in that makes you so arrogant? Perhaps…”

Yunhyun inwardly admired him as he frowned.

‘Could it be that even that anger wasn’t genuine?’

He was truly an unfathomable person.

At the same time, he was someone Yunhyun definitely didn’t want to get close to.

But Yunhyun couldn’t help but be surprised by Yeom Jung-bu’s next words.

“…Are you Yunhyun?”

Yunhyun was startled.

And Yeom Jung-bu wore a bitter smile.

“So, it’s you. You’re Yunhyun. The Sword Saint’s successor, Yunhyun!”

Yeom Jung-bu said triumphantly.

As if exposing Yunhyun’s hidden weakness.

“That’s not true.”

Yunhyun said sternly.

“I am not the Sword Saint’s successor.”

“Hmph.”

But Yeom Jung-bu no longer wanted to listen to Yunhyun’s words.

“There’s no need for further wordplay.”

Yeom Jung-bu said with a cold look.

“Come with me, or…”

Yunhyun flinched for a moment.

Because he felt an incredibly sharp and eerie energy from Yeom Jung-bu, who had his hands clasped behind his back.

But there was no time to think.

“Die here.”

Shriek.

With Yeom Jung-bu’s voice, a sharp energy poured out from behind him.

Like two venomous fangs, it relentlessly lunged towards Yunhyun.

‘Ugh.’

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through Yunhyun’s mind.

But Yunhyun decided to trust.

The other energy that was now lunging towards him.

Kwa-gwa-gwak.

Between Yunhyun and Yeom Jung-bu, a storm-like force swept in.

Kwaaaaa.

Like a massive wave, it swept between Yunhyun and Yeom Jung-bu.

Even Yeom Jung-bu’s energy could not resist that power.

Yeom Jung-bu’s attack, which had been like two sharp venomous fangs, was swept away and disappeared by the force that had surged in like a massive wave.

Para-ra-rak.

Hair was disheveled and dust swirled.

Clothes fluttered as if caught in a storm, but Yunhyun did not budge.

“Hundred Step Divine Fist!”

Yeom Jung-bu’s cry was heard.

Yunhyun slowly turned his head.

“Heh heh heh.”

With an unconcerned laugh, the force that had been sweeping through the area subsided.

Yunhyun smiled wryly.

“I was wondering who was making so much noise behind my house from early in the morning…”

The Divine Monk Bool-yeong, wearing worn-out monk’s robes, said with an unconcerned expression.

“It was you, Yeom-ga [a respectful, but slightly archaic, term for someone with the surname Yeom].”

“Hmph.”

Yeom Jung-bu scoffed.

But Yunhyun could tell that he was tense.

“I knew you’d show up.”

Chwa-rak.

At the same time as Yeom Jung-bu unfolded his hands from behind his back, a crimson whip revealed itself.

The sight of the red whip writhing as if it were alive evoked a primal sense of disgust and fear in those who saw it.

“You used Twin Venomous Fangs [a martial arts technique] on an innocent person, and suddenly you’re pulling out the Serpent Whip? Did you eat something wrong?”

‘Twin Venomous Fangs?’

Yunhyun realized that the Twin Venomous Fangs were the two energies that had been lunging towards him.

The Serpent Whip, meaning snake whip, was probably the name referring to that red whip.

“The one who ate something wrong must be you, Bool-yeong.”

Yeom Jung-bu said, grinding his teeth.

“Me?”

The Divine Monk shrugged.

“Really? I don’t think there’s anything I could have eaten wrong?”

“Yes, there is.”

Yeom Jung-bu said with a fierce look.

“I’ll help you remember now.”

At those words, Yeom Jung-bu’s empty hand moved slightly.

And Yunhyun felt an enormous energy gathering at his fingertips.

It was incomparable to the previous energy that had been flying towards Yunhyun himself.

Thududung.

With a sound like plucking a bowstring, two streams of energy erupted from Yeom Jung-bu’s hand.

The Twin Venomous Fangs, which had been fired at Yunhyun just now, but with an even more powerful force.

“Tsk tsk, your hasty nature…”

Whoong.

The Divine Monk’s body retreated as if sliding backward.

Then, the two energies that had been lunging towards the Divine Monk strangely changed direction and split into two each.

“Why hasn’t it changed yet?”

Pi-pi-pi-ping.

Four small sounds of tearing air were mixed in with the Divine Monk’s leisurely voice.

The four energies that had been rushing towards the Divine Monk vanished as if a candle had been extinguished.

Whoosh.

“And your Diamond Finger [a martial arts technique], as well.”

Yeom Jung-bu’s admiring voice was coming from above.

From Yeom Jung-bu’s hand, which had already risen into the air, the red whip writhed strangely.

“It hasn’t improved at all!”

Shri-rik.

Yeom Jung-bu’s red whip swam through the air and lunged towards the Divine Monk.

Like a living thing, Yeom Jung-bu’s red snake wriggled strangely, drawing an irregular trajectory and aiming for the Divine Monk’s neck.

‘Ah!’

Yunhyun’s eyes widened in surprise.

Because it seemed as if that red snake would bite the Divine Monk’s neck at any moment.

But the Divine Monk was not at all flustered.

Swish.

As if taking a stroll, the Divine Monk leisurely took a step.

And everything changed.