Chapter 88 : The Genius of the Century
Clang—
A strong metallic sound rang out sharply.
As Namgung Il and Namgung Cheon's swords met, the sound that had been continuously echoing inside temporarily stopped.
'This brat... is no joke.'
He could tell for sure just by crossing swords a few times.
Namgung Hae and Namgung Ji, whom he had faced before. To the point where it was hard to believe they were the same brothers, Namgung Cheon was definitely on a different level from those two brats.
'It wasn't for nothing that he was called the genius of the century.'
If he had this much skill, it seemed he would have almost no rivals among his peers.
Was there a reason for that arrogance?
As if he had grasped Namgung Cheon's skills to some extent, Namgung Il began to move his sword again.
Swish—
Namgung Il swung his sword a few more times to the front.
But Namgung Cheon, who blocked all the attacks so easily.
At that moment, Namgung Il lowered his stance slightly and then sharply lowered the sword that was heading for the upper body.
Swoosh—
The sword that was heading downwards turned in the opposite direction and soared upwards sharply.
The form that had decided the match in the spar with Namgung Hae in the past.
The previous sword strikes were just a bait to focus Namgung Cheon's attention on the upper body, and the real move that Namgung Il had prepared was this.
"...!"
But Namgung Cheon was also simply blocking Namgung Il's prepared finishing blow with his sword.
As if he had already predicted that Namgung Il would bring out that form.
Namgung Il even felt that Namgung Cheon's defense was one step faster than his own attack.
'He blocked this too?'
Although he had expected it to be blocked, he had not expected it to be blocked so easily.
Moreover, Namgung Cheon probably didn't know that he had learned the Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style.
The skill that Namgung Cheon knew of him was probably still at the level where he couldn't get out of the Lesser Heaven Training Ground.
"..."
Then does that mean he saw all of his movements?
Since he probably didn't know his skills, he could only think that Namgung Cheon had reacted immediately after seeing his movements.
"You've certainly improved a lot while I haven't seen you."
"...?"
"But in the end, you can't beat me."
When Namgung Cheon suddenly said that, Namgung Il's brow twitched slightly.
Namgung Il sheathed his sword for now and stepped back.
"Aren't you being too confident?"
"..."
"Why do you think I can't beat you, brother?"
"The reason is simple. Because you are using the sword style of the Namgung Clan."
A tone that felt arrogant. But as if it were very natural, Namgung Cheon said calmly.
"The sword style you are using is all a path I have walked in the past."
"..."
"It's a path I've already walked several years ago. So your movements are as clear as if they were on the palm of my hand."
Although the tone was quite arrogant, Namgung Il had no choice but to acknowledge those words.
The movement that had blocked his Azure Sky One Flash just now was the proof.
Since he had not swung it moderately but had seriously unfolded the form, the fact that it was easily blocked meant that Namgung Cheon's proficiency in the sword style was higher than his.
'At least when it comes to the Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style, that brat is superior to me.'
Namgung Il's Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style was by no means at a low level.
Although he had come a long way in a short time, so he had not had the leisure to build up his proficiency step by step, still, hadn't he shown a proficiency that had surprised Namgung Cheong?
The reason why that was possible was because of the sample he had obtained from the spar with Namgung Jeongung in the past and his experience as the Beggar King.
But for the sword style he had acquired through those two things not to work on Namgung Cheon...
'...He might be a genius who surpasses Namgung Jeongung.'
Of course, it was a thought with some exaggeration.
But in another sense, couldn't it be the right answer?
The fact that his sword style, which he had trained with Namgung Jeongung's sword style as a sample, did not work could be thought of as because Namgung Cheon's sword style was superior to Namgung Jeongung's sword style.
Of course, the reason would also be that he had not yet raised his sword style to a level equal to the Namgung Jeongung in his memory, but it certainly seemed that he could never beat Namgung Cheon in this state.
"I understand."
"..."
"Then I'll go on a path that you haven't walked until now, brother."
A path he hadn't walked?
Namgung Cheon naturally couldn't understand those words.
As long as Namgung Il used the sword style of the Namgung Clan, Namgung Cheon was sure that Namgung Il would never unfold a sword style that he did not know.
Crackle—
It was then.
The energy that was faintly flowing from Namgung Il's body.
At the same time, the Thunder Roar Sword turned red, and an electric light was occurring around it.
"...!"
Seeing that, Namgung Cheon's two eyes, which had been consistent in their expression until now, widened slightly.
The path that Namgung Cheon had not walked until now.
The Thirteen Lightning Sword Thunders was a sword style of the Namgung Clan, but it was a sword style that Namgung Cheon had never seen before.
'It can't be helped.'
Namgung Il had consumed a considerable amount of internal energy while running away from the pursuers until now.
So if possible, he had been planning to just end it without unfolding the Thirteen Lightning Sword Thunders... but to beat Namgung Cheon, it seemed he couldn't fight while saving his internal energy.
'There's only one chance.'
The Thirteen Lightning Sword Thunders was a martial art that consumed a considerable amount of internal energy.
That was why with the remaining internal energy now, the first and last move would be just one.
Since the situation was like that, Namgung Il had no choice but to think about his move carefully.
Swoosh—
As if he had made a decision, Namgung Il put his left hand in his clothes.
And a dagger that appeared. It was the one that had flown as a trap when he had gone to see Cheon Hong-ryeon before.
Namgung Il had been carrying the dagger he had caught with his hand at that time for some reason.
Crackle—
Namgung Il infused his energy into the dagger held in his left hand.
And so, an electric light began to occur around the dagger as well, just like the sword, and Namgung Il immediately threw the dagger at Namgung Cheon.
Swish—
The dagger flew towards Namgung Cheon quite sharply.
But for Namgung Il, who didn't even properly handle hidden weapons, to throw a dagger so openly from the front, how great could its power be?
At least to Namgung Cheon, it was an attack that felt like nothing more than a prank.
"..."
Namgung Cheon returned to his original expression and swung his sword.
And so, the dagger that was so helplessly deflected and flew away.
As if he had no interest in the dagger that had already flown into the air, Namgung Cheon fixed his gaze and continued to watch Namgung Il.
'This... is surely the Thirteen Lightning Sword Thunders.'
Namgung Cheon roughly knew what the advanced sword style that Namgung Il had learned was.
Because Namgung Cheon had also entered the Emperor's Secret Archives in the past.
At that time, while choosing a secret manual, he had roughly looked through all the martial arts there.
'...I don't know what happened.'
The last time he had seen him, Namgung Il was still at a level where he couldn't get out of the Lesser Heaven Training Ground.
For such a brat to have unfolded the Azure Sky One Flash of the Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style was quite a surprising thing, but beyond that, the fact that he had learned one of the advanced sword styles of the Namgung Clan was difficult for Namgung Cheon to accept easily.
Moreover, it wasn't just any other sword style, but the Thirteen Lightning Sword Thunders... Namgung Cheon remembered that it was a quite difficult sword style.
"..."
Although he didn't know what had happened, Namgung Cheon could now be sure that the Namgung Il in front of him was different from the brat he had known in the past.
He was just a little surprised by that. Nothing more, nothing less.
"Come."
Namgung Cheon muttered to Namgung Il in a low voice.
Even though it was a path he had not walked, no sign of agitation was felt on Namgung Cheon's face.
A gaze that still believed in his own victory without a doubt.
Namgung Cheon was still maintaining the attitude of a noble emperor.
"...!"
A momentary look of bewilderment appeared on such a Namgung Cheon's face.
Namgung Il's figure, which had suddenly disappeared from in front of his eyes.
Although he had not been distracted for a moment, Namgung Cheon had lost sight of Namgung Il's figure in front of his eyes.
Crackle—
Just then, a strong energy was felt from above.
When he belatedly raised his head, he could see the figure of Namgung Il, who was raising his sword high right above his head.
'That's...'
Even in that urgent situation, Namgung Cheon could see the dagger held in Namgung Il's left hand.
That was surely what he had just deflected with his sword.
Looking closely, it seemed that the position where Namgung Il was now floating was also consistent with the direction in which the dagger had been deflected.
"..."
Was there some kind of connection between the fact that he had lost sight of Namgung Il's movement and that dagger?
Since Namgung Il was holding the dagger that had felt like just a prank, Namgung Cheon couldn't help but have such a thought.
Crackle—
Even at that moment, the energy dwelling in the Thunder Roar Sword was becoming explosively strong.
As if to pour everything into this one blow.
A red thunderbolt was now raging fiercely above Namgung Cheon's head.
'Don't die!'
Namgung Il shouted inwardly at Namgung Cheon, who was right below.
No matter how much of an impolite brat he was, it would be troublesome if he died.
But since he was not an opponent whose strength could be moderately controlled, Namgung Il swung his sword as if to let things take their course.
Boom—!
At that moment, a red thunderbolt struck Namgung Cheon's head.
At the same time, a thunderous roar and an electric light that dyed the surroundings bright red.
Not only the place where the red thunderbolt had fallen, but small electric shocks also spread in all directions, completely devastating the surroundings.
Fwoosh—
Due to that aftermath, flames were soaring from the place where the electric shock had struck.
Namgung Il, who was staggering out from inside, which was completely filled with black smoke.
"Ugh—"
As soon as he came out, Namgung Il sat down on the floor.
With that one move, his dantian was now almost completely empty.
As a symptom of that, Namgung Il was already feeling nauseous.
'I think I'm going to die...'
Sitting on the floor, Namgung Il looked at the building.
The Thunder Chasing Instant Step followed by the Lightning Strike Breaking Sword.
Although he had surely aimed for Namgung Cheon, it seemed he had unintentionally made a whole building unusable.
'...Was it a little too much?'
Although he had not originally intended to do this much, it seemed that the power of the form had become quite strong without his knowledge.
If he left it like that, wouldn't the fire spread even more and eventually burn down the entire student council hall?
Namgung Il thought for a moment whether he should inform the surroundings of this fact, but soon shook his head.
'Well, people will gather on their own.'
If black smoke soared up, people would react on their own.
Moreover, hadn't there been a considerable amount of noise around due to the Lightning Strike Breaking Sword earlier?
Since he was a fugitive, Namgung Il was just going to leave without caring.
Whoosh—
It was then.
A strong gust of wind that suddenly blew from inside the building.
It was a gust of wind with a power so strong that it made not only the smoke but also the remaining embers in the building disappear.
"...!"
As such a gust of wind suddenly blew, Namgung Il protected his face with both hands.
And a moment later, the wind that had become quiet as if it were a lie.
Namgung Il lowered the hands that had been covering his face and looked forward.
"...Hah."
At that moment, a hollow laugh escaped from Namgung Il's mouth as if he were dumbfounded.
A person who was walking out from inside the ruined building.
With a slightly burnt robe draped over his shoulders, Namgung Cheon was now walking from there.
(End of Chapter)