Chapter 94

“Gah!”

Raiden clutched his face and stumbled back. His tied-up hair came loose, fluttering like a madman's.

“Ugh….”

A groan escaped him from the excruciating pain.

He still had no idea what had happened. How the guy had managed to put a sword to his neck, why his face hurt—none of it made any sense.

“What did you do to me!”

Raiden gritted his teeth and lifted his head. Laon stood in place, still looking at him.

“It’s simple. I dodged your sword and hit your face.”

He answered as calmly as if he were eating a meal.

“H-How did you do that….”

“Once, just now.”

Laon raised his index finger, answering a question that had nothing to do with the one asked.

“What?”

“I said you’d die eight times today. This was for lying about not sending the letter.”

“You, you little—”

Raiden’s eyes widened in fury. He wanted to tear Laon limb from limb right then and there.

“Eight times? Shut up! You’ll regret not finishing the duel just now!”

Raiden roared and swung his flexible sword.

Kwaaah!

The flexible sword, imbued with aura, swept through the air like a typhoon. It was the Radiant Blade’s Glowing Gale.

Kuugugugugug!

The flexible sword writhed like a kraken’s tentacles, but Laon dodged the cascading sword energy by continuously stepping in the Flowing Steps.

‘Where is he!’

Raiden clenched his fists and swung his flexible sword. The sword energy rippled like waves, blocking Laon’s path.

‘I can’t aim to finish him in one go.’

He still didn’t understand exactly what had happened. He couldn’t let his guard down. He needed to pressure the guy like a bug in a room.

Using not just his wrist but his elbow and shoulder, he utilized the full length of the flexible sword.

Laon would see a wall of flexible sword and sword energy in front of him.

“I’ll give you a taste of this!”

Raiden used the Radiant Blade’s tenth form, the Crimson Wall. A wall of intertwined flexible swords, like rose vines, surged towards Laon.

“Hmm….”

Laon, who had been dodging the flexible sword with the Flowing Steps, turned his body and retreated.

“I’ve got you!”

The faster Raiden retreated, the faster the Crimson Wall accelerated. Now, the guy was like a rat in a trap.

Kwaaah!

Laon, who had been retreating, suddenly spun in mid-air and kicked the ground.

‘What is this guy doing!’

Charging straight into the wall of sword energy made him look like a madman.

“Huh!”

Raiden gasped. The moment the Crimson Wall had pushed through, the guy vanished like a candle being blown out.

“Damn!”

He turned his head urgently, thinking Laon would appear from the right as before and pulled his flexible sword.

‘He’s not there?’

But there was nothing on the right.

“Left.”

The words reached his ears just as a terrible pain found his left cheek.

“Gah!”

Raiden screamed, rolling on the ground from the impact to his left cheekbone.

“Ugh….”

The pain didn’t subside. His cheekbone was definitely crushed.

“Aaaah!”

Raiden roared. He injected aura into his flexible sword, planted it in the ground, and stood up.

“What did you just do…? You were right in front of me!”

“This is for spitting on the flowers my mother raised.”

“You madman!”

His jaw trembled. Laon’s eyes didn’t waver at all. It seemed the guy was determined to repay the eight debts he had mentioned.

“Do you think this is over!”

Raiden stepped back and drew aura from his dantian. This wasn’t a game anymore. He decided to kill the guy right here and now, regardless of the duel.

Goooh!

He sent the drawn aura through his entire mana circuit and raised his flexible sword. The aura, streaming out, made his clothes flutter even without wind.

“I’ll flay you to the bone!”

Raiden thrust his rigid flexible sword. It was a lightning-fast speed, reaching Laon’s forehead in the blink of an eye.

Whoosh.

Just as Laon was about to strike his sword to defend, Raiden vibrated his entire right arm.

Kwaaaaah!

The intense vibration traveled through the flexible sword, bending the straight blade like a coiled snake.

Like a kraken with eight tentacles crushing the sea, the Radiant Blade’s Explosive Blade technique tore through the enemy’s body.

Amidst the sharpness that could split the air, Laon didn’t retreat. His eyes gleamed as he lowered his stance.

‘That guy again!’

Raiden gritted his teeth. The guy had shown the same look before disappearing and reappearing on the right and left. He couldn’t afford to miss this time.

“Graaaah!”

Using the aura he had drawn to its full extent, he thrust the Explosive Blade. A condensed mass of sword energy, like a bloated balloon, surged towards Laon.

‘I can’t let my guard down.’

He couldn’t be fooled three times like a fool. He sharpened his senses to the extreme, ready for Laon to break through the wall of flexible swords.

Kwakwakwakwak!

The powerful sword energy of the Explosive Blade carved the ground like paper. But there was no sensation of cutting flesh. The guy had disappeared again.

“Where are you!”

Raiden spread his senses and blocked the surroundings with his drawn flexible sword, ready to defend from the left, right, or behind.

“Front.”

But Laon’s voice came from the front, not the left, right, or behind. He tried to prepare, but the guy’s movement was faster.

Pwaaah!

Laon’s fist, which had shot up like a flash of light, shattered Raiden’s jaw.

“Gah!”

Raiden screamed, clutching his jaw. It hurt more than when he had been slapped or when his cheekbone was crushed.

“Ugh….”

His jawbone was shattered, and his skin was torn, blood streaming down to the floor.

“The third is for stepping on the flowers my mother raised.”

Laon approached Raiden and shook his sword.

“I’ve grasped all your sword techniques. There’s no need to dodge anymore.”

“Bullshit….”

Raiden sprang up, spewing white mist from his mouth. The rage to kill the guy exploded in his mind, but he suppressed it by biting his cheek.

‘It’s a provocation. A provocation.’

His fingers trembled. If he got hit again, he might pass out. If he lost here, he would lose everything. He couldn’t afford to lose.

“Huuuuh!”

He vibrated his entire dantian, spreading aura throughout his body. He couldn’t hold out long, but at this moment, he was stronger than ever.

Kwaaaaah!

Despite the raging aura, he calmed his mind and calmly unfolded the Radiant Blade. The sword energy was faster, sharper, and more splendid than before, sweeping through the space.

‘He can’t dodge this.’

The most accurate sword energy he had ever used was aimed at Laon.

Laon stepped into the wave of sword energy with the Flowing Steps.

The current Radiant Blade was on a different level from what Laon had faced. The guy would pay the price for his arrogance.

‘Die.’

Just as he was about to stab Laon’s heart with the curved tip of the flexible sword, Laon’s sword rose diagonally.

Kyaah!

A shock that made his arm wobble came from the collision with Laon’s sword.

“What, what is this!”

He had clearly deflected Laon’s sword and aimed for the guy’s heart, but his technique was cut off midway.

“Gah!”

Raiden pressed the Radiant Blade’s fourth form, trying to pressure Laon.

But.

Kyaah!

When Laon struck his sword, the flexible sword recoiled like a broken rubber band.

“Hyaah!”

He roared and shot out the Radiant Blade again. But every time Laon swung his sword, the technique broke into pieces, unable to continue.

“No, no way….”

The stability of his mind, which he had barely maintained, was breaking. The guy seemed to have completely grasped his Radiant Blade, dismantling his techniques.

“I told you. I know all your sword techniques.”

Laon pushed away the flexible sword and charged forward.

“Get, get lost!”

Raiden thrust his left fist, but Laon easily dodged and struck with his sword.

Pwaaah!

Raiden, hit on the forehead by the sword’s edge, flew back like a kicked ball.

“Gah!”

In severe pain, Raiden writhed on the ground, clutching his forehead.

“No, this can’t be!

He felt like he was about to faint from the intense pain but bit his lip and stood up. Now was not the time to lie down.

“No way!”

It was impossible to grasp the Radiant Blade in such a short time. No, it should have been impossible.

“The fourth is for hitting Helen.”

Laon slowly approached, ignoring Raiden.

‘This can’t be happening!’

Raiden gripped the hilt of his flexible sword so hard it might break and raised it.

“Hyaah!”

He unfolded the Radiant Blade’s techniques faster and sharper.

Sssss!

The flexible sword, imbued with intense will, created a brilliant trajectory, charging at Laon. The speed, sharpness, and power were all on a different level from before.

“……”

Whether he knew it or not, Laon’s steps remained the same. He walked into the storm of flexible swords as if on a leisurely stroll.

Kyaah!

Laon drew his sword. The light, casual swing made the flexible sword wobble significantly.

All the changes and flows he had created vanished in an instant.

“Gah!”

Raiden didn’t give up. He swung the wobbly flexible sword and unfolded the Radiant Blade’s technique again.

Kwaaaaah!

The sword energy attached to the flexible sword rained down like a storm.

Laon continued the Flexible Sword Technique, drawing his sword towards the rain of sword energy.

Zing!

It was an indescribably light upward strike, but the Radiant Blade’s technique was cut off, and the flexible sword recoiled violently.

“What, what is this! What is it!”

Raiden trembled, stepping back. The technique being cut off with just one swing was unbelievable, even though he had experienced it.

“It’s wrong. This can’t be!”

Holding his trembling right hand with his left, he struck down. The Radiant Blade’s second technique, Bursting Fang, unfolded.

Kyaah!

The sharp and fierce sword strike, like a beast’s fang, aimed for Laon’s heart and neck.

Laon stopped. There was no sign of panic. He simply lowered his raised sword.

Woooh!

The sword strike, drawn without hesitation like a picture, melted the Bursting Fang.

The sword energy dissipated, and the technique was suppressed. All with just one swing.

“Ah….”

Raiden gasped. Seeing the Bursting Fang erased and Laon approaching, his heart tightened.

The Flexible Sword Technique and the Flowing Steps.

Any swordsman on the continent would know these techniques, yet he couldn’t break through the guy.

He knew the techniques, but he couldn’t see a way to block them.

“Huh, huh!”

His breathing quickened. Every time Laon’s sword moved, it felt like his head was being grabbed by a predator’s mouth, sending shivers down his spine.

“Don’t come! Don’t come!”

He tried the flexible sword again, but it was deflected by Laon’s sword and stuck in the ground.

Pwaaah!

Erasing all the sword energy, Laon approached and struck his sword across Raiden’s cheek.

“Slap!”

The pain was even stronger this time, causing his limbs to convulse.

“Guh!”

Raiden let out a strange, inhuman sound, clutching his swollen cheek.

“Get up.”

The flames of anger in Laon’s eyes hadn’t died down.

“It’s only the fifth time.”

* * *

The duel went exactly as Laon intended from start to finish.

Raiden, provoked, used the Radiant Blade, which he hadn’t fully mastered, while Laon used the Flexible Sword Technique, which he could perform with his eyes closed.

If a swordsman with an incomplete but excellent sword technique fought a swordsman who had perfectly mastered a common technique, who would win?

Most would think the swordsman with the excellent technique.

But that’s not the case.

A swordsman with an incomplete advanced technique might be strong and flashy, but they can’t use the appropriate technique for the situation.

On the other hand, a swordsman who has perfectly mastered a basic technique can use the most suitable technique for the moment, even if it’s simple.

At first, it might seem like the swordsman with the strong technique has the upper hand, but over time, the difference will widen, and the swordsman who has perfectly mastered the basic technique will gain the upper hand.

Moreover, the most important thing is not the technique itself, but who uses it.

Laon, who used the basic technique, had learned the Ring of Fire and received information from Judio. It was only natural that he would beat Raiden one-sidedly.

Laon looked at Raiden, who was getting up, bleeding.

“No, not yet. It’s not over. I, I can’t lose….”

His eyes were filled with intense killing intent, a malevolent will to kill no matter what.

“Graaaah!”

Raiden’s aura surged explosively. His surroundings turned green, and the ground trembled.

“Huh.”

Feeling the deadly killing intent and sword energy that could tear his skin, Laon calmed his mind and raised his sword.

Middle stance. The most basic posture, with the sword in front of his abdomen. His sword didn’t waver in the face of the enemy’s intense momentum.

“Die!”

Raiden poured the explosive energy into his flexible sword and struck down. A single blade transformed into dozens in an instant, aiming for Laon’s vital points.

The Radiant Blade’s final technique, Great Storm, which Raiden had been saving.

In the barrage of sword energy, where even a single hit would be fatal, Laon raised his sword.

Unlike the lightning-fast flexible sword, his movement was tediously slow. But neither his sword nor his eyes wavered.

Whoosh!

The moment the sword energy, which could tear everything apart, reached him, Laon struck his sword.

It wasn’t slow, fast, or flashy.

It only contained the essence of swordsmanship.

The Flexible Sword Technique. Just as its name suggests, it was a seamless flow of techniques, without a single misstep.

The Great Storm, which seemed about to engulf Laon, split apart in the face of the massive flow of the Flexible Sword Technique.

“Aaah….”

In the splitting wave of sword energy, Raiden’s bloodshot eyes were visible. His face was filled with shock and horror.

“Is this all you’ve got?”

“I, I….”

“It’s too early to give up.”

Laon shook his sword and approached Raiden.

“You have three more to go.”