Chapter 326

Chapter 326

Swords, spears, sabers, fists and kicks, and palm techniques or energy manipulation, etc.

Usually, people’s martial arts in the world pursue their extreme by mastering one weapon. Once someone picks up a sword, unless there’s a significant reason, they pursue the ultimate meaning of the sword to the end, and this doesn’t change much for other weapons either. Fundamentally, martial arts aren’t simple enough to reach the ultimate meaning while dividing your attention.

Except for cases like someone learning swordsmanship picking up fist and palm techniques as a side skill in case they don’t have their sword, there are almost no cases of learning multiple types of martial arts at once. It’s natural since learning multiple martial arts at once means high difficulty. And.

In that sense, Sado Alliance Leader’s martial arts were extremely heterogeneous and strange.

Because Sado Alliance Leader’s martial arts don’t designate a specific weapon.

Kaaaaaang—!!!!

Because they utilize every weapon that can be used in that situation.

Kagagagak—!!!

The sound of metal grinding.

At the sight of the sword body pressing in while spewing fierce sparks along Uicheongeom, I stepped back one pace while executing Jingak. Sado Alliance Leader inducing ultra-close combat by exploiting the short length of the sword body.

‘I need to increase the distance a bit more.’

Originally, reach is something that shouldn’t be too far, but also shouldn’t be too close.

Kaaaang—!!!

“You’re going to come at it like that?”

“……!”

As I deflected the sword and stepped back one pace to draw the opponent into my reach, Sado Alliance Leader chuckled and grasped his fingers in the air. And at that moment, the appearance of a massive halberd caught in his hand.

“You know what this is, right?”

“……A divine weapon, Muhyeongbyeongjang.”

“You seem to know it well.”

Though it hasn’t been commonly seen until now, Uicheonjang isn’t the only divine weapon in this world.

Objects with strange abilities have existed in every century, every era, and even in this Central Plains, over a hundred divine weapons are circulating.

Of course, truly useful ones among them are extremely rare. Most stop at being ‘moderately useful,’ like getting warmer the more you shake it, or endlessly producing water. However.

That ‘Muhyeongbyeongjang’ that entered Sado Alliance Leader’s hands—that one at least is different.

That’s literally a weapon that has no form.

“Uicheon. Do you know what’s cheapest among the martial arts manuals in the marketplace?”

“…….”

“Mental cultivation methods. It’s strange.”

Sado Alliance Leader, who showed a small laugh, continued speaking.

“Usually, mental cultivation methods are valued more than swordsmanship or footwork techniques. But the cheapest thing among martial arts manuals in the marketplace is mental cultivation methods. Do you know why?”

“Why?”

“Because you can’t use them right away. It’s hard to see effects too.”

I wanted to become a warrior but didn’t have money to buy martial arts manuals.

“Weapon techniques that require weapons naturally cost quite a bit, and even fist and kick techniques had their practicality, so they were pricey. In the end, all I could buy was a basic mental cultivation method that was only pure and didn’t gather damn internal energy. That kind of shabby mental cultivation method that people who saw no effects tore to shreds and threw in back alleys.”

It wasn’t even the widespread Samjae Mental Cultivation Method. Sado Alliance Leader started his warrior life by learning a two-character martial arts manual that just had ‘Mental Cultivation Method’ written on it without even a proper name.

Then was it smooth sailing after that?

“As if that could be.”

Martial arts aren’t something you can do with just internal energy.

Sado Alliance Leader, who chuckled, continued speaking.

“I learned weapon techniques by stealing the movements of third-rate warriors.”

No matter how third-rate, they’re still warriors. If you get caught stealing martial arts, you get beaten to death.

That’s why the Sado Alliance Leader could only steal and learn the movements of various warriors bit by bit with sidelong glances. Swordsmanship from those holding swords, spear techniques from those holding spears, saber techniques from those holding sabers.

“I wasn’t in a position to be picky about weapons either. Swords and sabers were expensive, and just possessing a spear could get you arrested for treason.”

I had to make it so I could use everything that came to hand. Should I say I was fortunate?

Sado Alliance Leader had talent for martial arts.

Tremendous talent, literally.

“Once my head got bigger to some extent, I thought it was a waste to focus on just one when I could use several. I decided not to abandon anything.”

Immeasurable because it’s countless; nameless because neither form nor name were determined. Thus Muryangmumyeonggong.

Even without Muhyeongbyeongjang, Sado Alliance Leader’s martial arts would have taken the same form as now. The characteristic of that martial art was being able to use anything that came to hand as a weapon.

However, in that case, Sado Alliance Leader’s martial arts would have been a bit less powerful than now.

“My martial arts are no different from a compilation of everything I’ve lived through. Teaching this is no different from teaching my life.”

“…….”

“I feel Uicheon is also somewhat similar in method—shall we compare?”

Shall we compare.

I gave a bitter smile at Sado Alliance Leader’s broadly grinning appearance. It was a story that didn’t need asking.

“I will receive your teaching.”

“You’ll surpass me and engrave that experience?”

A good aspiration.

Muttering quietly, Sado Alliance Leader, who let out a chuckle, gripped the halberd. And.

“There are things to learn even from defeat. So.”

The moment Sado Alliance Leader muttered quietly.

“Learn much.”

Muryangmumyeonggong

A jet-black line.

Danjeok

Bisected the air.

——!

An attack that came faster and stronger than sight.

‘This is……!’

I reflexively raised my sword straight at that utterly simple attack, then tilted it at an angle. Even though it hadn’t properly arrived yet, I could feel the tremendous force contained in the halberd.

Force against force won’t work. The moment it collides, deflect it.

Judging so, I stepped forward first before the force reached its peak and met the attack with my sword to offset the force. But at that moment, Sado Alliance Leader’s weapon changed.

Baryong

Chwareureureuk!

‘Crazy……!’

It coils.

The moment I felt Sado Alliance Leader’s weapon, which instantly changed from a halberd to a meteor hammer, coiling around my sword, I reflexively exploded with rotational force to create a gap in the chains wrapped around the sword blade and pulled out the sword. Sado Alliance Leader whistled at the response made in an instant.

“Your response is fast even though it’s your first time experiencing this. Then, how about this?”

Bunyeong

The meteor hammer splits into twin swords, then becomes dozens of shadows embroidering the air. From top to bottom, left to right.

Kagagagagagagang—!!!

While maintaining my center against attacks coming in by dividing directions into dozens, I deflect and dodge Sado Alliance Leader’s attacks with minimal movements. However, Sado Alliance Leader continues extending sword strikes without caring.

Sparks fly.

Dozens of consecutive strikes are exchanged in the time it takes to blink once. Though dazzling, Sado Alliance Leader can’t apply complete pressure due to the characteristic restriction of twin sword techniques’ sword paths.

A gap opens.

Confirming that a small gap opened near the chest from the reflexively deflected sword blade, I thrust my sword in at lightning speed. Even that Muhyeongbyeongjang isn’t omnipotent. As long as it can’t transform into armor, there won’t be a path to block this attack.

I’ve won.

The moment I judged so, I saw Sado Alliance Leader’s lips rising upward.

Gwisang

The instant I stepped with Jingak to stop, the air was split in a cross shape.

“Too bad.”

“Just now……”

“Muhyeongbyeongjang is a divine weapon that can become any weapon.”

Sado Alliance Leader, who spun the twin swords round and round, burst into a chuckle and continued speaking.

“Of course, it can’t become armor or a shield. It can become ‘weapons,’ not things that ‘can also be used’ as weapons. But conversely, that means it can become anything as long as it’s a weapon.”

Why is twin swordsmanship, which uses two swords, more niche and less powerful than single swordsmanship compared to single swords?

It’s because the swords interfere with each other’s sword paths. When swords increase to two, the sword paths should double, but far from doubling the sword paths, it actually has the weakness of becoming vulnerable to attacks on the body’s centerline due to restrictions, which is why twin sword techniques are difficult to use. However,

“What if the restriction of sword paths disappears?”

What if you can freely extend and shorten the length of sword bodies? What if it’s established that two swords’ sword paths don’t affect each other’s sword paths at all?

At that moment.

Twin swordsmanship becomes more troublesome than anything else in the world.

“All of my martial arts are things like this.”

Martial arts for handling all weapons, including Muhyeongbyeongjang, most efficiently.

“Fist and kick techniques developed to project power even at long distances are Baekboshinkwon. If not that, conventionally one would use footwork techniques to close in. But that’s inefficient.”

No matter how much you try to compensate for weaknesses, in the end, fists and kicks are most powerful when close. Then what’s most powerful when far?

“When far, use a spear; when close, use fists and kicks. If the distance feels ambiguously moderate, use a sword; if farther, a whip; if far away over there, use a bow.”

Martial arts that can’t be established without Muhyeongbyeongjang?

Not even that. Simply because Muhyeongbyeongjang exists, he uses it in the most efficient way, but even without such a divine weapon, Sado Alliance Leader’s combat power wouldn’t weaken much. If push comes to shove and there are no weapons, Sado Alliance Leader’s method is to tear up the training ground floor and use it as a hidden weapon.

“I am the totality of weapon techniques.”

Using all weapons, he has all weapons’ advantages and offsets all weapons’ disadvantages. If Geomseon is one who has mastered all martial arts that can be shown with a sword.

Sado Alliance Leader is just.

“Truly immeasurable.”

One who cannot be measured.

It wouldn’t be wrong to see him as one who contains the essence of all martial arts in that single body.

“I think I’ve shown you all of how my martial arts work.”

Slowly.

Sado Alliance Leader, who combined the twin swords into one to transform them into a long iron spear, aimed the spear at me with a smiling face. The spear tip shining coolly as it received sunlight.

“Now isn’t it time for Uicheon to show me your martial arts as well?”

“……My martial arts.”

“You’re not going to say something like you lack confidence because it’s not completed yet, are you?”

“That’s not it.”

“Then?”

“I was simply calculating whether it would work or not.”

Handling all weapons means being proficient in all weapons.

With sword, spear, or fists and kicks, I haven’t yet surpassed Sado Alliance Leader’s realm. If I’d reached Geomseon’s level, I could cut down Sado Alliance Leader with a sword, and if I’d reached Taeag’s level, I could break Sado Alliance Leader’s shoulder with my fist, but I don’t possess martial arts at that level.

Then what? Is it possible with energy techniques?

‘It doesn’t seem like Sado Alliance Leader would have low mastery in energy techniques.’

Using all weapons that can be used means considering all means.

Internal energy is also one type of that. Though he hasn’t shown energy techniques, I can’t judge that his mastery of energy techniques would be low. Thinking there would be about one exception is a foolish thought.

Then what should I do?

“I have an answer.”

“Oh, what did you come up with?”

“I will win.”

“Hm?”

“Because my martial arts will handle something you haven’t handled either.”

“That’s quite an interesting story.”

As I spread both feet and faced forward while gripping Uicheongeom, Sado Alliance Leader grinned. The question that followed.

“What will you handle?”

“Isn’t it simple?”

Sado Alliance Leader handles all weapons.

Though Muhyeongbyeongjang can’t transform into shields or armor, Sado Alliance Leader himself would likely be proficient in shield techniques or armored body techniques. Sado Alliance Leader’s martial arts are proficient in everything that can be used as a weapon.

Then there’s only one thing I can do. Something that absolutely cannot be used as a weapon, yet if it could be used as a weapon, it would inevitably be tremendously powerful.

The world.

“Cheonui.”

My martial arts.

Will dominate the laws.