Chapter 160 : The Beginning of the Counterattack. -01
Chapter 160: The Beginning of the Counterattack. -01
“Let me ask you one last time. Will you truly have no regrets?”
“I believe that if one is a man, he should not speak twice with the same mouth.”
“This is something you brought upon yourself.”
Paaaat!
No sooner had the words ended than violet light surged from Ilwoo’s entire body.
It was the Purple Haze Divine Art, said to be the supreme ultimate art of the Mount Hua Sect and one that only the Sect Leader could master, raised to its peak.
At the same time, merciless invisible Sword Force poured toward Ban Hojin.
He had unleashed the Twenty-Four Forms Plum Blossom Sword Technique with invisible Force Energy.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
Invisible plum blossoms shifted unpredictably as they burrowed toward Ban Hojin without rest.
Yet not a single one struck his body.
The Protective Energy enveloping Ban Hojin—who stood with his arms crossed—firmly withstood Ilwoo’s invisible Sword Force.
Wuuung—!
And Ban Hojin did not merely endure passively.
As if he had seen enough, he began to draw up his True Energy in earnest.
At once, a powerful current of energy arose centered around him, pushing back Ilwoo’s invisible Sword Force.
He had simply repelled invisible Force Energy with pure energy waves alone.
“Hmph!”
At the sight, Ilwoo wrinkled his nose.
It was to draw up his True Energy even further.
Kiiing! Kiiiiing!
Soon, a full-fledged battle of domains began in midair.
The violet currents flowing from Ilwoo’s body and the golden radiance bursting from Ban Hojin’s form collided violently in the air.
Not only that, but the invisible Sword Forces of the two men ceaselessly sought each other.
Kwang! Kwaang! Kwa-gwang!
Though the fierce exchange—seizing and being seized—was evenly matched, their expressions were markedly different.
As time passed, Ilwoo’s face twisted more and more, whereas Ban Hojin maintained a calm expression with his arms still folded.
‘As expected, only this much.’
Though he was controlling the invisible Sword Forces, Ban Hojin remained composed.
Ilwoo must have believed this duel would be unconditionally advantageous to him, but that was a mistake.
In terms of Inner Energy, Ilwoo was certainly ahead—but the gap was not that large.
Having returned to the past, Ban Hojin had devoted himself to Inner Energy cultivation as well, and after consuming spiritual elixirs, he had nearly recovered to the level of his previous life.
Moreover, in a contest of Sword Momentum, while the accumulated amount of power was important, what mattered even more was how delicately and precisely one could control and handle True Energy.
Just as brute strength alone did not guarantee victory, the efficiency with which one utilized one’s power created vast differences in might.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
Ban Hojin was demonstrating that very fact.
Though his raw power might be lacking, in terms of control, he was overwhelmingly superior.
Furthermore, the Purple Haze Divine Art and the Twenty-Four Forms Plum Blossom Sword Technique were undoubtedly formidable martial arts, but the Supreme Great Ability and the Three Dharma Swords that Ban Hojin had mastered were no less impressive.
In that case, what remained was how deeply one had mastered and understood one’s martial art.
“Eek!”
The result of that was now manifesting.
Ilwoo had surely trained his martial arts to the utmost—but Ban Hojin was one who had died and returned to life.
Moreover, before his death, he had already been a martial artist who surpassed Ilwoo.
Though Ilwoo was an absolute master who had completed his own Twenty-Four Forms Plum Blossom Sword Technique, Ban Hojin too had once ruled the world.
Puh-puh-puh-pung!
As if proving that fact, Ilwoo’s expression grew increasingly anxious with time.
Ban Hojin’s invisible Force Energy was gradually eating away at his domain.
Even as he watched it happen, Ilwoo could hardly believe it.
That a mere twenty-one-year-old youth could display such sword mastery was beyond belief.
“Keuk!”
Yet believe it he must.
Despite giving his all, the wounds upon his body were increasing.
In contrast, the area around Ban Hojin remained tranquil.
While invisible Sword Force raged like a storm around Ilwoo, Ban Hojin appeared as though he were leisurely observing a stroll.
“Aaaaagh!”
Under Ban Hojin’s gaze—as though looking down upon an inferior—Ilwoo finally lost his reason.
Yesterday he had lost his left arm, and that very night there had been an assassination attempt.
And now he was being toyed with by Ban Hojin, who was far younger than himself—Ilwoo’s eyes turned bloodshot.
However, a swordsman who lost his composure might grow momentarily stronger, but his blade would never be sharp.
Beeeong!
In a prolonged battle it might have been different, but in a short clash there was no overwhelming disadvantage in Inner Energy for Ban Hojin, so he deflected Ilwoo’s relentless wave offensive entirely.
While Ilwoo concentrated on explosive bursts of strength, Ban Hojin countered solely with technique and finesse.
To make Ilwoo useful in the war to come, he had to render him utterly speechless—thus Ban Hojin displayed an overwhelming difference in skill.
Pusssss……
Not only the invisible Sword Force but even the violet aura emanating from Ilwoo’s entire body rapidly dispersed.
In its place, the golden radiance pouring from Ban Hojin’s body expanded its dominance further and further.
Step. Step.
Ban Hojin did not stop there.
He slowly approached Ilwoo.
And the closer he drew, the more intense the golden radiance of the Supreme Great Ability became, and the pressure bearing down upon Ilwoo increased accordingly.
“Grrrk!”
Yet even so, Ilwoo did not give up.
In a match, no one knew the outcome until it was decided.
Since outcomes could reverse at the final moment, Ilwoo swiftly regained his focus and prepared his final move.
He secretly reserved a decisive blow, waiting for the moment Ban Hojin let his guard down.
‘Now!’
When Ban Hojin reached right before him with an unbearably arrogant expression, Ilwoo’s eyes flashed.
At that very instant, a streak of Sword Force shot up from beneath Ban Hojin’s feet.
The invisible Sword Force he had hidden underground surged toward Ban Hojin’s groin.
Chwaaaak!
As a result, Ban Hojin split apart.
He was cleanly divided in two.
Yet Ilwoo’s expression darkened.
The Ban Hojin who had been cut in half dispersed like mist.
Wuuung—!
Meanwhile, the invisible Sword Forces under Ban Hojin’s control had all halted before Ilwoo’s death acupoints.
Moreover, Ban Hojin himself had already arrived right before Ilwoo’s face.
“It seems the match has been decided. Shall we continue? If you wish, I will gladly oblige you further.”
Ban Hojin spoke as though telling him to do as he pleased.
As if he would accept it even if Ilwoo refused to submit.
Yet although it could have sounded like mockery at first glance, Ilwoo showed no particular reaction.
He merely stood still like a stone statue.
“……I lost.”
“Hmm?”
Ban Hojin was slightly surprised at Ilwoo’s calm admission of defeat.
He had naturally expected him to explode in fury and refuse to accept the result, but the response was entirely different from what he had anticipated.
At the sight of him acknowledging defeat so readily—almost anticlimactically—Ban Hojin found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
“You have won, so do as you wish.”
“Truly?”
“Though I may be arrogant, I have never lived by speaking twice with one mouth.”
The eyes that had burned with anger and resentment were now thick with emptiness.
It was a flawless defeat with nothing to contest, and so Ilwoo had nothing to say.
Moreover, knowing that this match had been favorable to him, Ilwoo closed his eyes.
As though declaring that whatever decision was made, he would follow it.
“That is unexpected. I thought it would take quite some time.”
“I do not cling stubbornly to what cannot be done.”
“Good. Now we can finally have a proper meeting.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“We must find one together. A war is not fought alone, is it?”
“…….”
At the subtly barbed remark, Ilwoo shut his mouth.
If it came out like that, he had nothing to say in return.
At the same time, a strange sense of relief stirred in his chest.
The fact that a master of Ban Hojin’s caliber stood with them eased his mind.
“Let us return first. They will be waiting.”
“They are probably waiting for me to return in a miserable state.”
“So you are aware of that?”
“Hmph.”
Though he had accepted defeat, Ilwoo’s temperament had not disappeared.
It had merely subsided for the moment.
As if to prove it, Ilwoo snorted and retraced his steps with a pale complexion.
“Hmm? What is this? Why do you look so fine?”
When they returned to the tent, there were more unfamiliar faces than before.
While Ban Hojin had gone out with Ilwoo, others had come to the tent.
Most of them subtly avoided Ilwoo’s gaze, but there was one who did not.
It was Peng Mancheol.
“Is it strange that I look fine?”
“Of course it is. I know both of your tempers well. Normally, one of you should have beaten the other like a dog….”
Peng Mancheol trailed off as he looked at Ilwoo.
The one he meant was, of course, Ilwoo.
Even with his body intact, victory was not guaranteed—and now he had even lost his left arm.
Ilwoo was not the type to lower his pride either, so Peng Mancheol had expected him to be thoroughly beaten. Yet aside from his martial robes being in tatters, there were no clear signs that he had been struck.
“I suppose you were hoping I would be beaten.”
“Not quite that far. I was merely predicting the outcome. The atmosphere between you two was anything but ordinary. And neither of you is exactly gentle in temperament.”
At Peng Mancheol’s words, those nearby nodded in agreement.
Both had fierce tempers, so no one had expected it to end amicably.
“Fortunately, it was resolved well.”
“So it seems. Well, as long as it is settled properly, that is good for us.”
“Indeed.”
Sama Uiseong chimed in.
At the same time, he looked at Ban Hojin with admiration.
He had perceived why Ban Hojin had not inflicted serious injuries.
As Peng Mancheol had said, with Ban Hojin’s skill, he truly could have beaten Ilwoo severely—yet he had not.
It was to minimize their burden during wartime.
Though he had lost his left arm, the Blade King was still an important force. Thus Ban Hojin had refrained from injuring him as much as possible.
Gulp.
On the other hand, the leaders who had fervently supported Ilwoo until yesterday struggled to adapt to the atmosphere in the tent.
The mood—treating Ban Hojin’s victory as only natural—felt strange to them.
Yet they could not deny it.
If Ilwoo had won, Ban Hojin would never have been able to attend the meeting so unscathed.
“How far has the meeting progressed?”
“For now, we were explaining the future response while excluding the Mount Hua Sect.”
“Add the Mount Hua Sect as well.”
Having been told by Ilwoo to do as he wished, Ban Hojin spoke without hesitation.
Yet everyone instinctively glanced at Ilwoo.
Unaware of what had transpired, they naturally sought his reaction.
Despite their concern, however, Ilwoo said nothing.
“Understood.”
Sama Uiseong and his group were different.
They believed there was a valid reason for Ban Hojin to say such a thing.
Though unaware of the full circumstances, Sama Uiseong grasped the situation through intuition and briefly explained once more what had been discussed thus far.
Others had heard it—but Ilwoo had not.
Sluuurp.
Recognizing the consideration, Ilwoo quietly sipped his tea and listened attentively.
Half of him was curious to hear just how impressive the prepared countermeasures were.
Yet unexpectedly, what Sama Uiseong had prepared was solid.
Though Ilwoo did not like the method, it was undeniably efficient.
‘It is usable.’
As he listened to the smoothly unfolding explanation, Ilwoo nodded.
Without even realizing that he had become absorbed in Sama Uiseong’s words.
Dududududu!
By afternoon, the Ironblood Fortress began to move once more.
Just like yesterday, they advanced with horses, shaking the very earth.
But the response of the Orthodox Martial World was entirely different from the day before.
Unlike yesterday, when they had rushed forward the moment they saw the enemy advance, today they crouched low and constructed their Battle Formation.
“Kuahahaha! Cowardly bastards!”
“They finally know their place!”
“That dawn ambush must have stung quite a bit!”