Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Otherworld Cheat Harem.

Episode 58: Martial Exchange (4).

Clang!

The swords of the two people clashed in the air. They were training swords with blunt edges, but made of the same steel as real swords.

As swords with the same weight and material as real ones collided, sparks flew in all directions.

And each time the sparks flew, they moved faster. Even faster. The swords flew towards each other’s vital points.

‘Fast.’

After exchanging five sword strikes in an instant, Dojin briefly stepped back and glanced at his hand. Due to the repeated strong clashes, his hand was trembling.

Tightly gripping the handle to stop his trembling, Dojin looked at Sayeong. Just his luck—those long, narrow eyes were staring right at him.

‘Dirty swordsmanship.’

If one were to describe Sayeong’s swordsmanship in a word, it could be expressed as such. Dirty swordsmanship. In the world of skill, being described as dirty was no different from high praise.

It meant that it was so difficult to counter that no other word could describe it.

Based on the bizarre flexibility and strength of the snake beastman, Sayeong’s sword flew in a trajectory impossible for humans, like a snake sword.

In terms of deceiving the viewer’s eyes, it seemed like an illusion sword, and in terms of its overwhelming speed, it could be called a quick sword.

What was certain was that it was superhuman swordsmanship, different from any swordsmanship on Earth.

‘Interesting.’

Yes, this was what he wanted.

He wished for a fantasy that surpassed imagination in this way.

Seeing Dojin’s trembling hand, Sayeong let out a slight laugh.

“Is it hard?”

“Not really.”

With a flick, he lowered his sword and aimed it at Sayeong. Their strength was equal. However, in terms of flexibility and speed, he lagged behind.

Indeed, as Hoyeon mentioned, the martial arts created for the strong to massacre the weak were based on overwhelming physical prowess.

‘Doesn’t that bastard ever get tired?’

He exhaled heavily and looked at Sayeong. Maybe because he was a beastman, his breathing was irregular, making it impossible to read his rhythm.

‘Shall I test him a bit?’

The sword, lowered with its tip pointed at the opponent, thrust forward. Dojin thought Sayeong would either parry this sword or ride it through directly.

He knew more than dozens of ways to respond to such a counterattack.

However, Sayeong’s sword flew in a semicircle. It flew faster than Dojin’s sword and struck his wrist.

Dojin stepped back slightly, letting out a chuckle.

‘Reacting late and thrusting first? Damn…’

His wrist, struck by the sword, began to throb with a dull ache. When he tried to rotate it, it wouldn’t move as smoothly as he wanted.

As he looked at his left hand, which felt paralyzed, Dojin gazed at Sayeong. He was looking at him with a sly smile.

His already slanted eyes narrowed even further. His unpleasant face became even more detestable.

“Your hand isn’t moving well, is it?”

Sayeong spoke while twirling his sword. Dojin tried to ignore him but pretended to listen to buy time for his wrist to recover.

“Of course, it wouldn’t. It’s my specialty.”

The swordsmanship of the Snake Tribe was notorious, cunning, and known for hiding sharp daggers. Sayeong was especially skilled in the style known as the Poison Sword.

A technique that temporarily paralyzes a local area by piercing the opponent’s nerves. It was called the Poison Sword because opponents cut by the sword would slowly become paralyzed and die as if poisoned.

Of course, he didn’t babble on about it, but Dojin could easily figure out what Sayeong had done.

“Truly a dirty swordsmanship.”

“The ones who fall to my sword always say that. And they collapse at my feet.”

“That’s because your sword is truly dirty.”

“Ha, isn’t winning the most important thing in swordsmanship? Ridiculing pathetically because you’re going to lose.”

“No.”

He lightly placed his barely holding left hand on the sword hilt and gripped it strongly with his right hand.

Then he assumed the same stance as before.

Sayeong tilted his head and looked at him.

“What are you doing?”

“Come at me. I’ll show you what truly beautiful swordsmanship is.”

“Ha… this is ridiculous.”

Seeing Dojin’s stance, Sayeong took a different stance from before. He drew the sword like a bow and aimed the sword tip at Dojin.

It was a stance that clearly indicated he intended to thrust.

“Hoo…”

Seeing this, Dojin exhaled lightly and tensed all the muscles in his body. And in the next moment, he unleashed them in an explosion.

“Haah!”

At the same time, Sayeong’s sword thrust toward Dojin. Indeed, it was extremely fast. Dojin couldn’t catch up with that speed.

‘There’s no need to catch up.’

Since when did humans build strength when facing opponents stronger than themselves? They made ways to subdue with weaker strength by maximizing the use of their existing power.

Similarly, even if the opponent was faster than himself, there was no need to match that speed.

‘I can’t follow it with my eyes.’

The speed couldn’t be matched. Even if the sword was thrust first, Sayeong’s sword would arrive first. A head-on confrontation was a sure loss.

However, Sayeong also couldn’t perfectly control that speed. If that were possible, there would be no need to clash swords in the first place. He could just deflect Dojin’s sword unilaterally and land his own.

But Sayeong couldn’t do that. It was proof that even he couldn’t fully control the speed of his sword.

‘I can see the sword coming and thrust faster than that… but changing in the middle is impossible.’

What was needed was prediction. Predict the sword’s path. Read the opponent’s psychology and rhythm.

Even if it was an unusual swordsmanship with unreadable trajectories, there was always a determined path.

‘Where do you intend to aim?’

Read Sayeong’s thoughts. Analyze his psychology. Predict the sword’s path from his character, habits, breathing, and behavior patterns.

If it’s a sword wielded by someone dirty, tenacious, and vicious, it’s obvious.

‘He’ll aim for the spot he hit before…!’

What looked like a stab was a feint. His swordsmanship was characterized by swerving here and there. In that case, the spot where that sword would fly was his wrist.

He thrust his sword. Simultaneously, he twisted his wrist so that the guard protected his left hand.

As he expected, Sayeong’s sword, flying in, drew a semicircle and bent. The tip of Sayeong’s sword struck the guard and bounced off.

“Damn!”

Startled, Sayeong tried to retract his sword, but it was already too late. No matter how fast he was, he wasn’t quick enough to pull back his sword and block the incoming attack.

Thud!

Dojin’s sword struck his solar plexus. Haaaa, Sayeong, who hadn’t exhaled even once, let out a deep breath.

This single strike wasn’t enough to subdue the opponent. Sayeong, quickly regaining his breath, swung his sword and forced Dojin to retreat.

“You bastard!”

His breathing was rough. Having been hit, he seemed excited, exerting excessive strength in his shoulders and hands.

‘I can see it all.’

The reason it was difficult to evade his swordsmanship was not only its speed but also because the rhythm was unreadable.

He neither breathed nor showed any movement of his muscles. It was like a snake suddenly appearing in the forest.

However, now, the excited Sayeong was exhaling heavily and swinging his sword unnecessarily hard.

In a situation where his unique rhythm had already been read, even his breathing and movements were apparent at a glance.

Swish!

“What?! Why isn’t it hitting?!”

It was as if Sayeong’s sword was avoiding Dojin; every sword strike he wielded completely missed.

Dojin, who was watching his sword closely, deflected Sayeong’s sword once more and assumed a stance with both hands.

“This is how you use a sword.”

At the same time, Dojin’s sword shot out fiercely. Seeing this, Sayeong swung his sword to pass by Dojin’s sword and aimed at him, but…

Clang!

The moment his sword passed Dojin’s, Dojin’s sword, whose trajectory changed in an instant, deflected Sayeong’s sword and targeted his nape.

“Gah!”

Hit in the throat by the sword, Sayeong retreated, clutching his neck. Dojin followed through and swung his sword.

If it seemed to go up, it went down; if it entered from the front, it went up; a sword heading to the left swung from the right.

It was a sword identical to Sayeong’s swordsmanship, whose trajectory couldn’t be grasped.

“Th-that’s!”

As Sayeong retreated, blocking the sword, he shouted. Dojin was using the swordsmanship of the Snake Tribe.

How could such a human use that? How on earth!

However, Dojin spoke nonchalantly.

“You were using it so poorly, I borrowed it for a bit.”

“B-borrowed? Ugh! What nonsense is that…?!”

“Nonsense, really? Should you be making such discriminatory remarks?”

“What gibberish!!!”

Clang, Sayeong mustered all his strength to deflect Dojin’s sword. At that moment, a significant opening appeared in Dojin’s defense. Sayeong didn’t miss it.

A full-force thrust was launched. This time, he didn’t use any sword technique. It was a genuine, speed-focused thrust.

Seeing that, Dojin burst into laughter.

“Fool.”

Dojin quickly adjusted his stance from above his head. The fastest and strongest strike in kendo.

High stance.

Head strike.

In an instant, lightning struck down.

Dojin had proven firsthand that a curved motion could be faster than a straight thrust.

Thud!

A loud sound echoed from Sayeong’s head, and simultaneously, he fell to the ground. Dojin halted any follow-up attacks and quietly looked down at him.

“Stop.”

Hoyeon, who had been watching the spar, commanded. Contrary to her words that they wouldn’t stop even if their limbs broke, both of their bodies were intact.

…Although Sayeong’s head was cracked and bleeding.

“Move him to the infirmary room.”

Upon Hoyeon’s order, two observing disciples rushed over, carried Sayeong on their backs, and disappeared. Hoyeon gestured to Dojin, indicating a job well done.

“Next is… Namwoong, is it you?”

“Hoyeon, are you going to step in personally?”

“No. I’m just the headmaster, after all. But… Can my disciple step in?”

Hoyeon pointed at Eunha as she spoke. Eunha looked around, bewildered.

Everyone was looking at her.

“I-I will do my best…”

She shouted in a voice that seemed to swallow her words and slowly stepped forward. Namwoong also stepped forward, indicating he would go easy.

Hoyeon, standing next to the two, asked if they were ready, and after confirming they were, she raised her hand high and shouted.

“Then, begin!”

The spar between Eunha and Namwoong ended with Namwoong’s victory. It wasn’t that Eunha lacked skill, but Namwoong was as skilled as Hoyeon, so it was inevitable.

“Your punch is heavy, Miss. If you keep training, you’ll surely become an excellent martial artist.”

“…Th-thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Namwoong said this and looked at Hoyeon with a tender gaze. After finishing the martial arts exchange and instructing on cleaning up, Hoyeon met Namwoong’s eyes and approached us.

“Are you all planning to stay the night?”

“Pardon? Well… I’m not sure if it’s necessary to stay.”

“Stay the night. These folks will leave soon, so today might be the only time to talk.”

Hoyeon said this to me and Eunha. Although the mansion was right there, sleeping at the dojo seemed unnecessary, but as she said, today might be the only chance to converse with the beastmen.

I was curious about the martial arts Namwoong used, and I thought I might be able to share any insights gained with Eunha, so I nodded.

Eunha, who hesitated for a while, quickly nodded and expressed her willingness to stay the night once I accepted.

“I’ll prepare the rooms for you to sleep in, so feel free to chat in the meantime.”

Hoyeon said that, then took the disciples and hurriedly left the dojo. In this small dojo, only I, Eunha, Namwoong, and Hoyang remained.

An awkward atmosphere lingered, and as I pondered what to say, Hoyang spoke to me first.

“Hey, um… Are you married by any chance?”

“What? No, why?”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

Hoyang said this as she began to lick her lips. Her behavior was quite unsettling.