Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 330

332

*Thwack.*

Eirene, clutching her aching right arm, retreated. Seeing this, Illyis quickly rose and attacked Beomseok. If Eirene fell, Illyis wouldn’t be able to face him alone.

“Yaah!”

Beomseok slightly stepped back to evade the fiercely descending sword strike, then leaped forward, powerfully extending his sword.

Illyis barely parried and stepped back, desperately blocking the continuous onslaught, gradually adopting a defensive posture. The sword strikes weren’t overwhelmingly powerful, but their extreme variations made it difficult for her.

‘Just what kind of swordsmanship is that!’

The swordplay Beomseok unleashed followed unpredictable trajectories. With typical swordsmanship, you could roughly predict the attack direction by observing the height difference between the shoulders and the body’s posture, but his swordsmanship was entirely different.

If she anticipated a short attack and blocked shallowly, it would penetrate deeper than expected. A sword strike that seemed to rise would abruptly change direction, targeting her lower body. She initially considered it a simple, unconventional feint, but the high level of execution suggested otherwise.

At that moment, Eirene stepped between Beomseok and Illyis. She couldn’t wield a weapon with her right arm after the strike, but she still held her shield in her left hand. She had been easily caught off guard by the sudden attack, but now that she knew it was a type of unconventional attack, she believed she could handle it.

“Beomseok! It won’t be easy from now on!”

Beomseok, who had retreated to catch his breath, crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing their combined formation. Eirene stood in front with her shield, and Illyis was poised to swing her longsword as she approached from behind. He knew that if he charged in, the first attack would be blocked by the shield, and Illyis’s sword would follow.

However, the advantage of Central Plains swordsmanship was that it didn’t rely solely on the sword.

“Heh heh. What’s not easy? Here I come.”

Lowering his upper body and using quick footwork, Beomseok instantly closed the distance. He kicked Eirene’s shield while leaping diagonally, swinging his sword in a left-right trajectory.

Illyis’s face contorted in shock. She had believed Eirene would block, waiting for him to approach head-on, and swung her sword down fiercely, only for him to evade sideways as if he had been waiting for it, launching a fatal attack instead.

She hurriedly bent her upper body to barely avoid the attack, but after landing, she exposed her back to Beomseok’s thrown *Jinamgeumchim* [a type of acupuncture needle used as a projectile], and slowly knelt to the ground.

“Illyis, Unni!” [Unni is a Korean term for older sister, used by females.]

Eirene shouted at her, but there was no response. Illyis was already incapacitated, making conversation impossible.

Beomseok approached her with a faint smile.

“What are you doing? We have to continue. The match isn’t over yet.”

At his words, Eirene raised her shield and stepped back. Now that things had turned out this way, she intended to buy time. A Markman’s primary mission was to prevent the opposing team’s free role from targeting their backline. If she could accomplish this mission, she would be recognized by Beomseok.

“Come on!”

He stealthily drew the katana he had placed on his left hip by a finger’s width, preparing the Guirimun Drawing Sword stance. Eirene was a gladiator Beomseok was watching with interest; there was no need to prolong the duel and inflate her value.

“Good. Then block this.”

Beomseok, who had been circling to the side to find an opportunity, suddenly dashed forward, throwing the straight sword in his hand towards her face. Eirene raised her shield high, deflecting the incoming sword. She wouldn’t be caught off guard by such a weak throwing attack.

However, this was a fatal mistake. There was no way Eirene could easily overcome the Drawing Sword Technique that Beomseok had barely blocked. Moreover, she had raised her shield high to defend her face, obscuring her vision, so she couldn’t possibly react to the instantaneous Drawing Sword.

In the end, Eirene, deeply cut in the waist, collapsed to the ground without even knowing how she had been struck.

‘Now, shall we see how the main camp is doing?’

Beomseok, who was going to pick up the straight sword that had fallen to the ground, turned his gaze to the battlefield between the main camps. As expected, the Dragon Knights were being pushed back by the Gods Knights’ main force, falling into disarray.

The formation was torn apart by Oscar and Sheila wielding their greatswords, and mid-tier players, including Seiya, broke through the gaps, engaging in a chaotic battle, taking down opposing gladiators one by one.

Beomseok smacked his lips and stood idly by, watching. He believed they could secure victory even without his help. He had fulfilled his mission by defeating the team’s aces, Eirene and Illyis.

Soon after, the Dragon Knights’ leader, Mercy, was struck by Helse and Iphis’s combined attack, and the first round went to the Gods Knights.

– Amazing! Gods Knights! They easily took the first round, pouring one-sided attacks on the weak Dragon Knights.

– It’s an obvious result. It’s very difficult for the Dragon Knights to overcome such a difference in power. Especially with Gladiator Oh Beomseok in the mix.

The announcer continued to broadcast with an excited voice.

– Ah, by the way. What was that swordsmanship that Gladiator Oh Beomseok just used? It seems to be quite an unconventional swordsmanship, but I’m not sure.

– Yes. It seems to be a Chinese swordsmanship that disappeared in the past. It’s a swordsmanship that is ever-changing and skillful, but it’s difficult to learn, and the results aren’t very good compared to the effort, so it has disappeared in recent times when gladiator matches have become popular.

– Oh, really? Why?

– As you can see, Chinese swordsmanship tends to focus on change and appearance. It has the advantage of confusing the opponent’s eyes and launching unexpected attacks, but the flashy movements consume a lot of stamina and the space utilization is too large.

Also, once the data is read in a formalized form, it has the adverse effect of being easily countered by the opponent.

– Oh, really? That’s quite a few disadvantages.

– Yes. That’s why it’s not used in modern gladiator matches. If the moves are thoroughly analyzed by the game analysts, it becomes useless.

– But why did Gladiator Oh Beomseok bring out such swordsmanship today?

The commentator tilted his head.

– Well, I think he was aiming for an unexpected result? Since it’s the first time he’s showing off the swordsmanship, the opponent will be confused.

– Ah, is that so? But there’s something I don’t understand. Why did Gladiator Oh Beomseok show off that swordsmanship today? It would have been more effective if he had used it for the first time against a strong opponent. Frankly, isn’t Gladiator Oh Beomseok capable of dealing with the combined attacks of Gladiators Illyis and Eirene with ordinary swordsmanship?

– Hmm. That was probably just a fan service. Since he’s showing it to the fans with a light heart, it’s natural to show it to the somewhat weaker Dragon Knights, isn’t it? And today is the opening game. Since we’re starting a new season, we need an event like that.

– Ah. That’s right. Today was the opening game. Hahaha. I understand now.

Beomseok, who was walking towards the dugout, glanced at the commentary booth after hearing the commentators’ conversation and smirked. Frankly, what they said wasn’t wrong.

The *Samjae Sword Technique* (三災劍法) [Three Disasters Sword Technique] he was using today was an actual martial art, so it could be called Chinese martial arts, and it was difficult to exert the desired power in actual combat or gladiator matches because it was too bound by form.

However, as with most swordsmanship in martial arts novels, the Central Plains swordsmanship we commonly know was a fictional martial art created by martial arts writers. So, if you attach any sword form, it becomes the ultimate martial art, a secret manual. But the story was different in games where real-life situations occurred. Since you can’t fight with words, you had to develop a martial art that could win in battle with the prey.

In response, the game company created a new martial art that combined actual combat and appearance through the advice of numerous martial artists and combat experts and attached it to the game system, and Beomseok learned such Central Plains martial arts. Of course, he couldn’t unleash powerful attacks due to fraudulent functions such as mastery and inner strength, but there was nothing like it for scoring points.

‘Heh heh heh. It’s good that you say that. Because I can take the minds of those who believe those words and rush in.’

Beomseok, who returned to the dugout with a snicker, praised the gladiator who participated in the first round.

“Okay. Everyone did well. It’s just the first round victory in the first game, but I feel like we’ve buttoned the first button properly, and I feel refreshed. We have to continue to win like this in the future.”

“Yes!”

Beomseok, who heard everyone’s answer, sat down and closed his eyes. Since there was no reason for him to go out in the second round, he was going to take a nap.

In the opening game of the 55/56 Hairen Central League between Gods Knights and Dragon Knights, Gods Knights won by winning three consecutive games. The Dragon Knights gladiators also did their best in the game, but they couldn’t beat the Gods Knights, which included Beomseok.

Woo-oong. Woo-oong.

In the sunny summer weather, the Gods Knights team members were focusing on training at the outdoor training camp, forgetting the excitement of their first victory. Beomseok, who had been instructing his gladiators in swordsmanship for a while, asked for everyone’s understanding when a truck pulled into the parking lot and went out to meet it.

He could have sent a security guard for a regular delivery, but the item arriving today was a precious item that Beomseok had been waiting for months, so he had no choice but to go and receive it himself.

“Beomseok. Hello.”

The person who came out of the truck was unexpectedly Rebecca. It was strange that she, the leader of Chaplin Whisper and director of Chaplin Sports, had come here to deliver the goods, but Beomseok greeted her happily.

“Oh. Who is this? What brings you here when you’re so busy?”

Rebecca ordered the employees who came down with her to bring the goods from the cargo hold and approached him.

“It’s a customer service. Gods Knights are valuable customers of our Chaplin Sports.”

Well, they could be called valuable customers. Only seven Central League teams use Chaplin Sports products, which is only 4th in the industry. Among them, Gods Knights proudly occupies a spot, and now they have the potential to advance to the World League.

For her, it was natural to want to maintain a good relationship with Gods Knights for the company’s recognition.

“Heh heh heh. Don’t you have any free gifts for such good customers?”

“Free gifts? If there’s anything you want, please tell me. I’ll prepare it with all my heart.”

Beomseok pointed at her with his finger.

“How about a night with you?”

Rebecca’s knee struck his waist in an instant.

“Heh heh heh. Customer. Although it’s a dead letter, sexual harassment is subject to legal punishment.”

Beomseok barely raised his upper body and said.

“Ugh. Violence is the same.”

“This is self-defense.”

“Tsk. Where is this self-defense?”

Rebecca gestured to the employees to put the long box they brought on the floor and said to Beomseok.

“Ho ho ho. Customer. Then would you like to check the item you ordered? You should check if it fits your hand.”

“Tch. I will.”

He quickly opened the box and checked the contents. Inside were a bunch of black pole-like spears about 2.8m long. Beomseok, who was looking at them with a pleased expression, took one out and held it in his hand.

‘The feel is very good.’

He soon put a spin on the tip of the spear and spun it around, then thrust it out powerfully. And after bouncing it powerfully on the floor to the extent that dust rose, he had a satisfied smile on his lips. The elasticity was moderate and it was easy to handle.

“Hahaha. It’s really well made, I love it.”

“Of course. It’s the best spear with Chaplin Sports’ technology.”

Beomseok stroked his new favorite weapon and said.

“Really? But what about the durability?”

“It’s the best. It’s made by adding reinforced fiber to special carbon, so it won’t be damaged in any case.”

“Good. You worked hard.”

Rebecca approached him and quietly asked a question.

“But who is going to use this spear?”

“Hmm. Me.”

Her eyes widened. It was incomprehensible that Beomseok, a swordsman, would use a spear.

“Aren’t you a swordsman, Beomseok?”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

“But why suddenly a spear? Is there a shortage of spear users in the team?”

“That’s not it. Originally, I handle spears as well as swords.”

“But you’ve never used a spear before.”

Beomseok spun the black spear around and said.

“Ah. That’s because it’s a scam if I use a spear.”

“Why is it a scam if Beomseok uses a spear?”

“It’s not that I’m a scam, it’s that this spear itself is a scam.”

“What, what does that mean?”

Beomseok raised the black spear and turned his gaze to her.

“Because the strongest weapon in the gladiator world is the spear.”

Rebecca shook her head with an absurd expression. Currently, spear users are highly recognized in the gladiator world for their strategic advantages, but they are not considered the best. The sword, which performs powerful close combat and allows for various attacks, is recognized as the best weapon.

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

I will upload the 5-year growth chart today. Please refer to it.

Then everyone have a nice day. I’ll see you again tomorrow.