Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 82

082. Duel at West Lake

The Young Palace Lord did not wait for Unhyun’s reply.

Swish.

As she stepped back, Bingseol slowly came forward.

Shuffle, shuffle.

Stopping her steps, Bingseol gripped her sword with both hands and bowed her head to Unhyun.

Even Unhyun, who didn’t know the etiquette of the Northern Sea, could tell it was a very respectful greeting.

“I greet the Master of Nakil.”

Bingseol’s voice, which Unhyun heard for the first time, echoed softly.

The awkwardness in her voice wasn’t just because she wasn’t familiar with the local language.

No, it almost felt like Bingseol herself was uncomfortable with her own voice.

“The moment I face you with a sword…”

Bingseol slowly raised her eyes and continued.

“…I have been looking forward to it for a very long time.”

Bingseol’s eyes still revealed no emotion.

But Unhyun knew that her words were true, without a hint of falsehood.

Though he still couldn’t agree that he was the one she was looking forward to.

“But I…”

“You’d better accept Bingseol’s challenge.”

The Young Palace Lord’s voice stopped Unhyun as he was about to shake his head.

“If you care about the lives of the younger generation.”

At those chilling words, Unhyun looked at the Young Palace Lord.

What flickered in her beautiful eyes was a subtle anger.

“Is this still not enough to move you?”

Swish.

The wind of West Lake fluttered the hem of the Young Palace Lord’s clothes.

In her shining eyes, Unhyun saw a determination to never back down.

The Young Palace Lord would surely do as she said.

Whether it was Bingseol’s duel related to Nakil, or the lives of the participants of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.

“Hoo.”

Unhyun sighed softly.

“It’s clear there’s some misunderstanding, but it’s definitely not something that can be resolved with words.”

The Young Palace Lord smiled lightly and bowed her head.

“I’m glad you understand, even now.”

Thud.

Unhyun threw the luggage he was holding a little further away.

And he picked up the wooden sword wrapped in cloth.

Rustle.

The cloth was removed, and the wooden sword was revealed.

The Young Palace Lord frowned.

“…Has Nakil changed so much while I wasn’t looking?”

It was a clear expression of dissatisfaction.

But Unhyun didn’t care.

“Didn’t I say? I returned it. If it’s a duel, this sword is enough…”

It was at that moment.

Whoosh.

A tremendous force poured out towards Unhyun.

It was the same kind of energy he had felt from the Sword Saint in the Murim Alliance [Martial Arts Alliance] before.

Buzz.

A sword immediately came to Unhyun’s mind.

And Unhyun saw it.

Flap.

Bingseol’s collar was fluttering.

It wasn’t because of the wind.

It was the force that Bingseol herself was emitting that was fluttering her clothes.

“It seems Bingseol is angry.”

The Young Palace Lord said with a smile. But Unhyun couldn’t take his eyes off Bingseol.

“She has no choice. Bingseol is the hidden card that the Northern Sea has raised. No matter how much you are the Master of Nakil, you shouldn’t ignore her.”

Unhyun could understand why Bingseol was emitting such energy.

Bingseol was already holding a real sword, but Unhyun took out a wooden sword and said it was enough.

‘Indeed.’

Looking at Bingseol, who was emitting a sharp energy towards him, over the wooden sword, Unhyun thought.

‘I wasn’t wrong.’

The energy was more than enough to call her the hidden card that the Northern Sea had raised.

How could he have simply overlooked someone with such eyes and energy, even if she was hiding it herself?

But now was not the time to be pleased that his insight was correct.

Rustle.

“As a courtesy to the Master of Nakil.”

With an unfamiliar voice, Bingseol slowly raised her sword.

Feeling her energy, which felt like ice-cold anger, Unhyun also took a stance with a tense expression.

“I will start first.”

The moment Bingseol’s words ended, her figure disappeared.

Whoosh.

‘What!’

Unhyun was surprised to have missed her figure.

But he didn’t panic. He didn’t even look around.

Because the killing intent that was still pricking Unhyun’s skin was clearly telling him of her presence.

Without delay, Unhyun raised his wooden sword. At the same time, an unfamiliar energy covered Unhyun’s wooden sword.

Buzz.

And a powerful explosion followed.

Clang.

With a loud impact, a storm-like wind swept around.

The Young Palace Lord frowned and raised her hand to cover her face.

Flap.

Her hair and clothes fluttered in the storm-like energy, but she didn’t close her eyes or turn her face away.

As the Young Palace Lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace, she had to watch the clash between the two in person.

Flick, tap.

Bingseol flew back and landed lightly in her place.

Rustle.

Slowly rising, Bingseol stretched out her sword.

Her sword was still shining coolly under the moonlight.

And a look of bewilderment was spreading across Unhyun’s face as he looked at the sword.

‘How can this be…’

Bingseol’s sword strike just now was clearly aimed at Unhyun’s life.

This is not a duel that Unhyun knows.

This situation was closer to a life-and-death struggle, or a deadly fight.

Moreover, Unhyun had clearly missed Bingseol’s movement a moment ago.

No matter how sudden it was, it couldn’t be a fatal mistake.

‘This is…’

Unfamiliar and unexpected events were shaking Unhyun’s mind.

“Indeed.”

The Young Palace Lord’s clear voice echoed. Unhyun turned his head with the wooden sword in his hand.

“A skill worthy of the name of Nakil. To block Bingseol’s sword with a wooden sword—it’s unimaginable.”

The Young Palace Lord said with a thin smile towards Unhyun.

Her smile meant that she had finally unmasked Unhyun.

And at the same time, it meant that she was confident in Bingseol’s victory.

Because she could clearly see that Unhyun’s eyes were shaking now.

“But how long will such luck last?”

The Young Palace Lord said.

That was to add to Unhyun’s agitation and at the same time, to confirm the victory or defeat of this match that was beginning to tilt.

“Bingseol is one of the Northern Sea Twelve Secrets, and among them, her sword is honed to face the Sword Saint.”

A sword to face the Sword Saint.

The meaning of those words was great. It meant that Bingseol’s level was comparable to the Sword Saint.

Most martial artists would have no choice but to have their will broken by those words.

Especially after seeing Bingseol’s skills in front of their eyes.

But Unhyun was different.

‘Huh?’

Unhyun was already well aware of how great Bingseol’s level was.

But among the Young Palace Lord’s words a moment ago, one word brushed past something in Unhyun’s heart.

‘Bingseol…’

It might have been a sudden thought. But Unhyun couldn’t just let it pass.

‘A sword to face the Sword Saint?’

Bingseol’s evaluation is entirely the view of the Young Palace Lord, or the Northern Sea.

Whether she is good enough to face the Sword Saint is something no one knows until they actually compete.

So even if the Young Palace Lord is so confident, no one other than the Sword Saint can say anything.

But, Unhyun couldn’t just let that pass.

“That is…”

“You deceived me.”

The Young Palace Lord’s sharp voice echoed in Unhyun’s ear.

The Young Palace Lord’s red lips declared.

“As a price, I will take your life.”

Faint.

With the sound coming from the Young Palace Lord’s mouth, she ordered.

“Bingseol.”

Thud.

Before the Young Palace Lord’s words could finish, Bingseol kicked off the ground and leaped towards Unhyun.

And her sword, filled with a terrifying energy, struck towards Unhyun.

Clang.

A fierce explosion erupted again between the two, but Bingseol’s sword did not stop.

Whoosh.

Bingseol’s sword drew a strange curve and headed towards Unhyun again.

Unhyun’s wooden sword also drew a circle and went against Bingseol’s sword.

Claaang.

The impact of the clash between the sword and the wooden sword shook the surroundings.

Instead of resisting the force, Bingseol rode the momentum and soared backward.

Whirlick, tap.

Bingseol, who had flown into the air, returned to her original position.

As if the two clashes just now were a lie, Bingseol stood facing Unhyun in her original stance.

But this time, the person whose eyes were shaking was Bingseol.

“Hoo.”

Unhyun slowly took a breath.

There was no more agitation in Unhyun’s eyes as he raised his head.

“I don’t know where to start solving this problem, but I can clearly say two things.”

Unhyun said in a calm voice.

“I have never deceived the Young Palace Lord, nor you.”

Buzz.

An unfamiliar energy was swirling around Unhyun’s wooden sword.

Unhyun had never doubted whether his wooden sword could face Bingseol’s sword.

No, he had never even thought about it.

It may have been because he thought it was just a duel, but it may have been because Unhyun himself already knew.

As long as there is a sword in his heart, and as long as he has the inner strength that his sworn brother Ilchunghyun passed on to him, there is no need to worry about such things.

“And you.”

Swish.

Unhyun said, raising the wooden sword with an unfamiliar energy swirling around it, and pointing it straight at Bingseol.

“You are not yet comparable to the Sword Saint.”

Whoosh.

A strong energy covered Bingseol.

Bingseol’s eyes were shaking at Unhyun’s unprecedented energy.

On the other hand, Unhyun’s eyes were deeply and calmly sunken.

It clearly showed Unhyun’s unwavering will.

‘Not yet.’

Looking at Bingseol with calm eyes, Unhyun thought.

‘Not yet.’

Bingseol’s level and sword are great.

But is she really comparable to the Sword Saint?

Is it enough to be called a sword to face the Sword Saint, as the Young Palace Lord said?

Unhyun’s answer to that was ‘no’.

Bingseol’s energy is great, but it cannot be compared to the Sword Saint.

It was a kind of instinctive conviction before discussing the superiority of swordsmanship or the height of internal strength.

Because the sword in Unhyun’s heart, the sword that had risen without him knowing at the Sword Saint’s energy, did not react to Bingseol.

That very fact freed Unhyun from confusion and bewilderment.

Swish.

Bingseol slowly took a stance.

The person who felt Unhyun’s change most clearly was Bingseol.

Her sword, shining in the moonlight, was still pointing at Unhyun, but she could no longer move lightly.

The same was true of the changed Young Palace Lord.

She didn’t believe Unhyun’s words, but she knew that refuting those words now would only hinder Bingseol.

The Young Palace Lord gritted her teeth and watched the two people facing each other.

Swish.

The night wind of West Lake swept past the three people.

The blue moonlight shone from the tip of the sword, and those facing each other stood motionless in silence.

But the unfamiliar energy lingering in each other’s swords was telling that this place was now a place where a life-and-death duel was taking place.

Crunch.

At that moment, as if provoking, Bingseol took a step forward.