Sword Whisperer - Chapter 9

Chapter 9.  Career Options (4)

His throat felt tightening every time he took a breath.

It was his first time, facing a real battle.  It wasn’t like the past adversaries, in the likes of the small time village thieves or punks.  It was the terrible rebels.  If their profession was to fight in wars, they could be as strong opponents as the members of the security unit.

It was possible to lose.

It was possible to get killed.

So, was that why the fear?

‘……No.’

All the past training was just to be ready for this moment.  Right.  Losing was possible.  Getting killed was a possibility, too.  That was the life of a swordsman.

When the sword was first held, wasn’t that kind of outcome expected.

“Hugh…..Hugh….”

Dolby’s breathing became rough.  Fully dilated pupils sparkled even in the darkness.  The horse hoop sounds were now able to be heard over the air.  They were close to getting caught by the traps, just about now… It was then.

The sounds of the horse hoops stopped.

“…..Sloppy trap.  Yooryung.  Is this your work?”

“Ah…. You know that so quickly.  Why you of all of you?  Isher Sonard?”

“Sorry, but you cannot go back.  Cannot allow you to leave with the knowledge of the base location.”

“You talk too much.  You, the traitor of the kingdom and the family.”

Yooryung rose up from the bushes with the roaring voice.  The concern was what if there were six of them, but fortunately, there were only five.  Yooryung spoke quietly with his fist clinched tightly.

“That talkative traitor bastard is mine.  Kintnell.  Take care of that bastard with the armor suit.  Looking at his equipment, he must be at least a knight.  And the rest…. Just distribute evenly.”

“Yes.  Dolby and Van, match their number.  Gord and I will take care of one each.”

Aidan ordered.  Van rose up without any complaints.  He used to beat Gord in sparring, but that had only been in practice fights.  As he lacked the real battle experience, it would be better to work in concert with Dolby, this time around.

And it was then.  Sonard spoke with his teeth gritting.

“Everyone, move back!”

It was when he was somewhat confused as he didn’t know what was going on.  Van saw Yooryung, hugging a large tree which was too big for the lengths of his arms.

In fact, he saw him uproot it from the ground.

‘What the heck…..Where did that power….!’

“Take this, you bastards!   Kahahahaha!”

Cho swung the tree as is as if it was a twig.  The surrounding trees cracked and bent and boulders were pushed out their places and rolled around.  However, he couldn’t remain looking dumbfounded.

Aidan yelled.

“Now.  Everyone attack!”

No long talk was necessary.  Van ran in concert with Dolby.  Two of them appeared to be knights for sure, and the other three……

‘They couldn’t be knights, would they.’

The man that Dolby and Van went after didn’t look that much older than them.  He was holding a long sword.  Perhaps, that was why they made him their target.  It was because in a forest full of trees and grass, it would be difficult to use a long sword.

“What’s this.  My opponents are babies?  Still, two sounds too much.”

The opponent complained.  Van spoke as he smiled delightfully.

“Sorry.  But since we are just babies as you said, can you just take it easy.”

“Hm….By taking it easy, you mean spare your lives?”

“Well, who knows who will be begging for mercy.”

“…..This is why country kids.”

The man sighed.  And it was at that moment.  Van urgently turned his head, as he felt cotton like hair straighten up.  And it was right after that moment.  Where Van’s head was a moment ago, there he saw the long sword piercing through it.

“Uh?  You dodged?”

“……”

Van could not reply.  It was such an unexpected speed.  In his recollection, even Jansen and Lucas couldn’t pierce the sword that quickly.  At that level, he must be close to captain Aidan’s…..

“Dolby.  Get it together.  We’ll attack together.”

“…..Got it.”

Dolby’s eyes also changed after seeing the last piercing maneuver.  It was because he had a thought that this place could as well be his grave.

Van gripped on Lucas’ small sword.  Even at this moment, the memory of Lucas, and his instincts were being absorbed.

What would Lucas do in such a time.  Would he have attacked first.  Or observe one more turn of his opponent’s attack.

Control the breathing.  He was used to looking in to darkness.  Van saw sweat forming on the man’s face.  Did he also overextend himself with the last attack?  Or did he deplete his stamina since he just came a long way.

What was important was the fact that he was not fully himself.

Chang!  Van’s sword clashed with the edge of the man’s sword.  As if Dolby’s sword has been waiting, it went after the man’s abdomen, but he has already moved a step backward.

It was truly a continuation attacks without any break.  As they have been resting for a little longer, they could be more physical, so they thought to fight a battle of attrition, perhaps.

Van only focused on the movements of their swords.  He didn’t even pay any attention to the booming sounds, coming from where Yooryung was at.

He was now standing at the edge of a cliff from which he could easily fall with a simple misstep.  Truly, he couldn’t be the leader of the posse, yet his skill was such that he could easily outmaneuver both Dolby and Van, combined.

‘Truly, the world is a big place.’

Van grinned even as he was swinging his sword.

[You are in close combat with someone whose skill was higher than yours.]

[The analysis speed of the sword’s path is adjusting to the lowest level.]

Each time the swords collided, he was absorbing the paths of the opponent’s sword little bit at a time.   He wasn’t good enough to imitate his opponent’s sword skill, but he recognized when and how he was going to try to slice or pierce.

The opponent must have felt that, too.  Moving back quickly, he pointed his sword as he controlled his breathing.

“…..You, are you reading the path of my sword?”

“You, what was that earlier piecing attack?”

“You do not even know ‘internal energy’.  How could I be losing to such low lives….Damn it.”

He started the fight, looking rather comfortable, but now he was looking quite serious.  Van tightly held Lucas’ sword.  Each time the sword clashed, he went beyond understanding the opponent’s sword skill…. And was building his own experience.

When a blundering moment was detected, when he dodged when the obvious piercing attack was launched, and when he felt danger as he slipped because of the clashing sword.  At each and every moment, he was growing stronger, little by little.

Van observed the surroundings.  Yooryung was a man who did not seem to know the word ‘defeat’, and Kintnell was like that, too.  The problems were Aidan and Gord…..

‘Is Gord being pushed back a little.’

As Aidan was someone whose objective was to become a knight, he wouldn’t be easily defeated.  Only that Gord was problematic.  It was because even though he had a lot of experience, his sword skill was not such an outstanding one.

The opponent spoke.

“Let’s finish it quickly.  You, and I, must all want to help own friends, it seems.”

“….. Then would you kindly be killed by my sword?  I’ll be gentle.”

“You make me laugh.”

He laughed out loud.  And quickly he spoke without any expression as if to say that he never laughed.

“I’m Number Five.  What is your name?”

“Van.”

“….I’m Dolby.”

“…. Not such great names.”

“Likewise.”

“This is your last chance.  Run away.  Then I’ll not chase you.  Our target is not you, low lives.  It is the head of that heir of the Cho family.”

“No way.  On his head is where our future is.”

“The kingdom is rotten.”

Number Five spoke with coldness.

“Our revolution will cut away the decayed parts of the world.  When the time changes, you will realize how foolish you were for trying to stop us.”

“Can I send you a postcard after we come to that understanding later?”

“…. You’re stubborn.”

Number Five held the sword, fixing his posture.  The rustling sword god of the one handed half sword in nature swayed towards them like curtains.

“You’ll regret it.  The choice you’ve just made.”

Talking was over with that.  Only a few leaves quietly fell between them, and when the fifth leaf was about to fall to the ground, Number Five moved.  It was the same earlier piercing attack.  If there was a difference, perhaps, it would not end with a single rep.

The first piercing.

Van tilted the short sword and blocked it.

The second piercing.

Number Five’s long sword grazed by the right forearm of Dolby.

The third piercing.

There appeared traces of blood on Van’s face.

The fourth piercing.

Van moved back quickly as the sword was launched towards his chest.

And the fifth piercing.

Dolby’s abdomen was punctured.

§

“Hugh….Hugh….”

Everyone breathed hard.  The fifth piercing marked the end of piercing attack.  Van breathed so hard that his cheeks puffed up and down.  However, it was Number Five who was breathing with the most difficulty.

“Hugh….. You, Hugh, dodged that, too…..”

“…..”

Instead of responding, Van went over and stood before Dolby.  It was a deep wound.  It could be critical unless it was treated quickly.

It felt like the blood was drying up instantly.  Alright.  A swordsman could die at any time.  And as he could die, Dolby, too, could die likewise.

“Dolby.  Take it easy for a moment.  I’ll finish it soon.”

“….. You’ll finish soon?  Finish soon?”

“I’ll finish.  Wait.  Apply pressure to stop the bleeding.”

Van held the short sword tightly.  As if doing so summoned the memory of Lucas to come and help him.

Number Five looked more tired than before, but there was more confidence in his eyes.  It was because facing one was different than facing two at the same time.

He asked.

“Do you want to continue fighting?  It’s only you, now, not two of you?”

“…..  Do you wish me to run?”

“That won’t be bad.  It is always best to avoid a combat if at all possible.  Especially, a fight that leaves nothing behind, like this one.”

“Sorry to disappoint you.  But, can’t do that.”

“Why?  Because of the future you just mentioned earlier?  Hey.  There is only future if you live.  It means nothing should you die.”

“No.  It’s not because of such things.”

Van poised himself.  It was a familiar posture from Number Five’s perspective.  Piercing form.

“…..How could I say that I’m a man if I was to desert a friend with a punctured abdomen?”

“You, you want to go against my piercing attack?  With a short sword?”

“Why.  Scared?”

“…. I thought you were an interesting person, but I guess you were just a fool.  Alright.  As you wish.”

Number Five, too, postured himself.  He was exhausted because he consumed so much energy, but he could no doubt perform it one more time, if that was…..

Van thought.

‘The 1 star’s standard was to know how to swing a sword.’

Slicing.  Piercing.  Blocking.  Smashing.  Pushing away, etc.

Then what would be the 2 star’s standard.

After the end of the first true combat, Van appeared to have learned what that standard was, somewhat.

“Ha!”

Number Five’s piercing attack launched at Van.  He should be truly exhausted, but the speed was still extraordinary.  Van smiled as he looked at that piercing maneuver.

A battle between piercing and piercing attacks.

That was probably what Number Five’s thought was.

However, Van did not use his short sword to launch a piercing attack.  Instead, he took one step forward.  Although he felt a sharp brain twisting like pain as Number Five’s sword grazed by the side of his waist, should he lose this chance, he felt it would cost him more than the pain that he has just endured.

Below the eye level to which his two hands were raised, he saw despair, overwhelmingly spreading, on the face of Number Five.

The 2 star’s standard was other than knowing how to use all the sword skills and the situation.

[You have reached the 2 star level sword skill.]

[You have reached the level equal to ‘the swordsman with overflowing talent’.   Memory synchronization rate is increasing!]

Down swing.

The sword skill which was used to defeat Dolby at one time was now being executed in order to protect him.