Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 308

310

“Yaaah!”

Riza advanced, her determination blazing. Each sword strike was a testament to her power and fierce adaptability. Beomseok leaned back, narrowly dodging a sweeping blow, searching for an opening.

‘Oho. This is getting dangerous. One wrong move and I’m done for. How did she develop such skill at her age?’

Her swordsmanship was truly exceptional. Even exhausted, she unleashed powerful attacks, surpassing others her age, like Gelsomina. Fortunately, her physical strength and stamina lagged behind; otherwise, he’d be in serious trouble.

‘Well, she’s lived with her father in these mountains her whole life, so it’s understandable.’

Riza had apparently spent her life here with the late Dante. With no time for hobbies or games, her focus on swordsmanship must have been intense.

Beomseok smiled, pleased by his unexpected discovery. Even now, Riza was a skilled fighter, potentially on par with World League contenders.

If he could recruit her, she’d be a valuable asset to the team.

However, after a few exchanges, he noticed a pattern. Her attacks, while sharp, were predictable, concentrated on specific areas.

‘As I thought, it’s practical swordsmanship. Full of techniques, but ultimately targeting vital points. That makes it easier to anticipate. The attack patterns are too obvious.’

Beomseok pushed off the ground, charging Riza, aiming for close combat. To disarm a weapon-wielder, he needed to close the distance. Fortunately, he could roughly predict her sword’s trajectory, making the approach less daunting.

“Riza, I’m attacking this time!”

Before he could close in, a fierce strike aimed for his head. Beomseok abruptly changed direction, seized her sword-wielding hands, and executed an overhand throw, slamming her to the ground.

Caught off guard, Riza tumbled, barely regaining her footing.

‘This guy’s martial arts are no joke either.’

‘Oho. She’s as agile as a flying squirrel.’

A strange light flickered in their eyes. This exchange revealed that neither was an easy opponent. Her fearlessness in the face of potentially lethal strikes and her quick recovery from the throw marked her as an exceptional swordsman.

Beomseok circled Riza, muttering self-deprecatingly.

“Looks like I underestimated you. This is no joke.”

Riza bent the spare katana at her left hip almost vertically and said,

“I feel the same way. I never imagined someone could touch me with martial arts. But this is the end. The moment you get close, you’ll be defeated.”

“Hehe. Is that so? I don’t think so.”

Twisting her upper body to conceal the spare sword, Riza slightly pulled the handle out by about an inch.

“Then come and try.”

“Hehe. I have to shut that cocky mouth of yours, so of course, I will. Now, look forward to it.”

Beomseok lightly bounced, his footwork reminiscent of a boxer. He circled Riza with dazzling movements, gauging the timing for an attack.

Observing him carefully, she raised her sword into an upper stance [a sword fighting posture where the sword is held high above the head]. This stance leaves the body exposed, making defense difficult, but allows for a faster attack since there’s no need to draw the sword back. However, Riza’s intention wasn’t a direct attack.

‘The moment he comes close, I’ll slash his waist!’

Sensing her confidence, Beomseok hesitated, delaying his approach. Riza maintained a reverse diagonal stance, making it awkward to strike down with the sword. Her right arm obscured his view, a stance generally avoided in duels.

‘She’s trying to attack with a stance even beginners avoid? If it’s not provocation, she’s planning something.’

Beomseok circled, trying to decipher her strategy. She stubbornly maintained the awkward diagonal stance, unwilling to expose her other side.

He decided to force the issue. When the reason was unknown, it was better to avoid danger by hitting and running, and then grasp the situation. Beomseok advanced in a zigzag pattern, rapidly closing the distance.

“Iyah!”

Riza slashed down in a reverse diagonal. The awkward stance made it easy to avoid, but Beomseok pressed forward. The timing was ridiculously early. The strike wouldn’t even graze him.

‘What! She’s launching such an absurd attack… Is she a pushover!’

However, Beomseok had to bend backward in horror. This attack wasn’t meant to slash, but to throw. He stared as the sword flew backward, grazing his chest.

But that wasn’t all. Using the throwing motion as a recoil, Riza grabbed the spare sword, preparing a quick draw.

“Damn it! It’s a quick draw technique!”

With a chilling sound, Beomseok quickly lifted his body and made a sharp turn to avoid the strike aimed at his waist. He felt the blade narrowly pass his face, turning pale. Had he not been prepared to hit and run, the match would have ended there.

Riza’s quick draw was incredibly fast and dangerous.

However, he hadn’t completely escaped. Seizing the opportunity, she scattered the tip of her sword towards Beomseok, who had lost his posture.

Swoosh. Swoosh. Thud.

Pushed back by the momentum, he jumped back to create distance. Since this charge was intended to be a hit and run, there was no problem in retreating.

Beomseok, letting out a sigh of relief, glared at Riza. He admired her cheeky trick. Anyone facing this technique unprepared would suffer a fatal blow.

“Phew~ I didn’t know you had such a trick up your sleeve. I almost fell on my face.”

Riza gritted her teeth, frustrated that her ultimate move had failed.

“H-How did you avoid it?”

He knew assassination techniques. Among them was a quick draw to eliminate unsuspecting targets. The moment Beomseok saw her touch the spare sword, he anticipated the quick draw and dodged.

“Quick draw is a basic assassination technique. Of course, I’d know.”

“But I thoroughly hid my quick draw.”

“Is that what you call hiding? It’s like announcing your trick. Tell me honestly. Did you learn that from your master?”

Riza nodded. Her ultimate move was a modification of the quick draw her father taught her.

“Yes, yes. That’s right. I have a separate technique I learned from my father.”

“What’s the original technique?”

“It’s just slightly pulling out the spare sword.”

“Then you should have done that!”

Beomseok, with a blank look, walked up to her and flicked her forehead. He grasped the trick due to Riza’s strange behavior.

“Don’t say such nonsense! What kind of hiding is that! It’s openly announcing your trick! Who wouldn’t find that stance strange! It’s better to slightly pull out the spare sword. The opponent might think the scabbard is loose, or even if they notice, they won’t know when the quick draw will come, making them hesitant!”

“I-Is that so?”

“Of course! It’s much better than that awkward stance! The technique you developed will only succeed once. It might work in a life-and-death battle, but never in a sword fight. Even a stupid gladiator won’t be fooled again. Professional gladiator teams have analysts who study opponents’ videos, so your technique will spread as soon as you use it! It’s over once you use it!”

Riza was restless. She needed to become a professional gladiator to pay off her father’s debt, but her trusted ultimate move was useless in gladiator matches.

“Then what should I do?”

“What do you mean what should you do! Show me the original technique your master taught you. That’s the only way I’ll know!”

She ran, picked up the fallen sword, and returned.

“Okay. I’ll show you.”

“Okay. Start quickly!”

Riza put the spare sword back and pulled it out an inch. She raised the sword she was holding to the upper stance.

“Okay. Then let’s go now.”

“Stop talking nonsense and come quickly!”

She immediately swung her sword. It was faster and sharper than before. Still, Beomseok easily avoided it.

He wouldn’t be hit by that throwing technique. But the quick draw was chilling. It was hard to avoid in a posture where balance was broken.

He barely grabbed Riza’s wrist and threw her over.

Rolling on the floor, kicking up dust, she glared at Beomseok with distrustful eyes.

“Look. You’re dodging it much better than before.”

“Of course! I knew a quick draw was coming! Do you think I’m stupid!”

Indeed, Beomseok wouldn’t be hit if he knew what was coming. Riza nodded.

“T-That’s right. But how was it?”

“It’s much better. The sword throw was powerful, and the second attack was sharp because it was drawn from a balanced stance.”

“Then should I do as my father taught me?”

Beomseok pondered and shook his head. Even in this posture, it was difficult to use in gladiator matches. The upper stance would telegraph the quick draw.

“No. You need to supplement it a little more.”

“How?”

“Use it in the middle of a fierce battle. Then it doesn’t matter if the data is known. It’s more efficient because the opponent always has to worry about your spare sword.”

“Is that possible?”

“Of course. The upper stance is for a faster movement, omitting the arm bend. But to attack, you have to bend your arm first. Do you know what I mean?”

Riza, understanding, brightened. If there was an arm bend, a throwing attack was possible, followed by a natural quick draw. She couldn’t use it skillfully yet, but with practice, she could use it during battle.

“Okay. I got it. Then let’s duel again. We have to decide on the senior sister and senior brother quickly.”

Beomseok frowned and pulled her ear. Her ambition to become his senior sister was absurd.

“What! Senior sister! Do you want to die? You have to become a disciple, not a senior sister! There will be hell training from today! Be prepared!”

“B-But, we decided to decide by duel!”

“Duel? Do you think you can beat me with those skills! You should be grateful I’m treating you like a junior sister!”

Riza lowered her head. She wasn’t confident in beating Beomseok. He easily won and blocked her ultimate move, so other tricks wouldn’t work.

In the end, she was dragged to the training room.

Squeak. Thud. Squeak. Thud.

Looking at Beomseok putting barbells on the weightlifting bar, Riza looked terrified. The alloyed rod screamed under the weight of nearly 1 ton.

“S-Surely, I don’t have to lift that, do I?”

“Of course.”

“But weren’t you going to teach me swordsmanship?”

Beomseok, finished, looked at her.

“I want to supplement your swordsmanship. But all swordsmanship starts with physical ability. Stop talking nonsense and lie down on the bench.”

“But I’ve done enough physical training.”

Beomseok snorted. He knew her stats and that she was lacking.

“You’re trying to trick your senior brother! Do you think I’ll be fooled! Stop talking nonsense and do as I say!”

Riza, tearful, lay down and grabbed the rod. She had to obey her senior brother.

“How many times do I have to do it?”

“Do it a thousand times.”

She widened her eyes.

“A thousand times!”

“Why? Do you not like it?”

Riza shook her head, afraid to disobey.

============================ Author’s Notes ============================

I was laughing so hard today after seeing ‘Who’s on First’ on Naver [a popular South Korean online platform]. It’s an old-fashioned comedy skit, but it’s no joke. Hahaha.

Then have a good day today. I’ll see you again tomorrow.