Chapter 55: Test (4)
Hayeon mustered her energy and cornered Jinwoo. Her eyes glistened sharply. It was a speed that a non-talent civilian would be unable to handle. Trivial things like proving he was bluffing had long been forgotten. She moved as if she was in a formal sparring match, no, a true contest of swords.
Rather than Hayeon’s movements, the members of the Choi Clan Sword Sect were shaken and charmed by Jinwoo’s movement. And also, they felt the same amount of despair as Hayeon.
As Hayeon’s wooden sword gleamed, her figure disappeared and she reappeared an instant later at Jinwoo’s side where she thrust her sword at him. It was a move that the essence of the Choi Clan Sword Sect had been poured into. With only the limits of the fundamental sword techniques, it was going to be difficult to deal with.
‘Ah!’
Hayeon realized that she had made a blunder.
Under the pressure of the things she had to accomplish and the despair that had gripped her entire body, she had forgotten that it was not a real fight. But it was too late to bring back her sword. The wooden sword would not pose any threat to his life, but it would cause considerable harm to him.
Thwung!
At that moment, Jinwoo’s sword bent like a snake and blocked Hayeon’s sword. Had it been an illusion? Hayeon felt like she had seen a golden light at that moment. Jinwoo’s sword exploded with a popping sound and fell to the floor. Her blade was fine, but in the end, it was she who stumbled backward as if she had experienced an impact. She had felt no physical shock, but the impact on her mind was great.
Jinwoo’s hand, which still gripped the wooden, was torn and bleeding. He stared at it for a moment before turning to Hayeon
“I’ve lost. As expected you’re truly amazing.”
Jinwoo’s smile was pure. He was not mocking her.
She felt his words clearly. He held sincere admiration for her swordsmanship. But it was too pure. It was as pure as if the spar had been of no value to him, and he had held no determination.
“Master! The bleeding…!”
“Hm? Ah, it got scraped a bit,” Jinwoo smiled sheepishly.
Together with his bodyguards, Jinwoo exited the training hall. She saw a medical team that had been on standby rushing in.
Thump!
Hayeon’s body twisted. The mental shock she received was severe. She was barely able to hold on and prevent herself from collapsing after the swordmaster caught her from the side.
As expected, the swordmaster too had an extreme look. His usual appearance that was comparable to that of a daoist had disappeared, and only a mental blow and despondency was left. He felt as if something was shattering to pieces inside of him. The comprehension had been perfect. Jinwoo had not mastered the fundamental sword techniques in a single hour, he had interpreted on his own and created a new form.
Lee Jinwoo was like a tsunami and facing that tsunami with a sword had been his granddaughter.
‘My disciple… how foolish of me. Heh… my swordsmanship and everything else must have seemed trivial to him.’
Only
The stubbornness and obsession that had gripped him for half a century waned. He asked himself for what reason he had picked up a sword and gathered students. But he could not see it. It may have been an inferiority complex born from the fact that he could not see the pinnacle of swordsmanship. Yes, it had all been nothing more but self-satisfaction. Nothing more than an escape. It was only that.
“I was arrogant and I was ignorant, granddaughter.”
“…..”
Lowering her head, Hayeon bit her lips.
“That strike of yours just now was wonderful. If you had paid a little more attention to the distribution of your energy, then it would have gone through perfectly,” the swordmaster smiled lightly.
“Grandfather…” she croaked. “For what reason did I…”
The swordmaster patted the back of Choi Hayeon, who was on the verge of tears. “Let’s find out together,” he added.
Hayeon finally burst into tears. To her, the swordmaster was only able to give a quiet hug.