Bloodshed (2)

A bright red sword energy wrapped around Jung Jiwoo’s sword. It was such a deep red that it seemed unusual even among the red energies Lee Dojin had seen so far.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

Jung Jiwoo said.

“Bullshit.”

Cha Dahye clicked her tongue and wrapped navy blue energy around her spear.

The red sword path and the navy blue spear path extended simultaneously. Cha Dahye could instantly tell what type of swordsman Jung Jiwoo was.

‘He’s not the type that prioritizes swift swordsmanship.’

Jung Jiwoo’s sword took the form commonly called a ‘greatsword’. However, its width and length were thinner and shorter than a typical greatsword.

It looked like a sword designed to capture both destructive power and speed.

His swordsmanship would likely be similar to the shape of this sword.

Originally, a swordsman’s sword tends to represent their swordsmanship.

There was also a variant who only used wooden swords right next to them, but that was because Lee Dojin was an eccentric.

Jung Jiwoo’s sword fell vertically, emitting ferocious sword energy.

The navy blue spear strike distorted one side of the red moon.

Jjeong──!

Red waves spread through the air. Navy blue energy scattered.

“…!”

A numbing pain spread throughout Cha Dahye’s body, starting from her right arm. Jung Jiwoo’s strength overwhelmed Cha Dahye’s expectations.

The corners of Jung Jiwoo’s mouth lifted. It was an innocent smile like that of a child who had developed a taste for tormenting insects.

“I’ll show you something beautiful.”

Jung Jiwoo, who had lightly thrown his body backward, suddenly pulled out a dagger from his waist.

And then-

Puhwook!

Cha Dahye’s brow furrowed deeply.

‘What is this crazy bastard doing?’

It was self-harm. And quite intense self-harm at that.

Blood gushed out.

The judge, seeing this scene, only hardened his face but did not intervene.

The blood that should have fallen to the floor did not descend. Suddenly, it rose upward following Jung Jiwoo’s hand gesture. That rising red blood wrapped around Jung Jiwoo’s red sword energy.

Attribute type – Blood Technique (혈술)

Jung Jiwoo was born with an attribute type and could also handle sword energy. He was literally an exceptional case outside the norm.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

The blood strangely embroidered the air. Blades of blood aimed at Cha Dahye’s head.

As the red blood imbued in Jung Jiwoo’s sword fell vertically, the blades simultaneously rushed at Cha Dahye.

Cha Dahye moved her hands while keeping her feet fixed.

Jjeojeojeojeojeong!

She calmly tore apart all the blades. The red blades scattered hazily in the air.

Cha Dahye wasn’t flustered. The path of training she had walked was too arduous to be flustered by such an unexpected situation.

Cha Dahye’s eyes emitted a cold light.

She couldn’t have a master at the level of the Ten Venerables. Such individuals mostly accepted disciples not based on wealth, but only if the person met their standards.

Instead, Cha Dahye had numerous masters who were constantly rising and falling as candidates for the Ten Venerables, backed by the capital of the major corporation <Taebaek>.

Although this candidacy wasn’t officially determined by places like the Awakened Association, but closer to rumors circulating among people in the hunter world.

But no one could deny the fact that those who rose to candidacy were strong.

Mugukbo.

Cha Dahye’s body advanced to the front in one breath.

As diverse as Cha Dahye’s masters were, the types of martial arts Cha Dahye possessed were equally varied.

This time, Cha Dahye chose a tyrannical martial art. It was a rational choice in a way, chosen to kill the opponent Jung Jiwoo as quickly as possible in response to the appearance of the unidentified blood technique.

Muguk Strong Spear.

The name of this formidable technique didn’t seem so extravagant.

Three ferocious pillars shooting forward.

Jung Jiwoo shot his body straight ahead without avoiding this storm.

“Kuhahahahahahat!”

A maniacal laugh echoed in the arena. Jung Jiwoo rushed at Cha Dahye like a beast.

A hole was pierced in Jung Jiwoo’s left shoulder. But that hole soon restored to its original flesh. Due to the blood twisting like heat haze.

It didn’t heal completely. He used his ability to recover only the fatal wound and make blades of red blood rise from the scar on his shoulder.

Shrick!

Every time Jung Jiwoo’s body was wounded by Cha Dahye’s spear blade, the blood blades increased one by one.

It was enough to instill fear in Cha Dahye. As much as her attacks reached Jung Jiwoo, that many red blades rose from his body.

Over a dozen streams of blood rushed towards Cha Dahye. A chilling sensation wrapped around her entire body.

Kwaduduk!

The blood stream wrapped around Cha Dahye’s right foot.

Puhk!

A red blade drove straight into her thigh. Cha Dahye barely suppressed the scream about to burst out and swung her spear widely.

The blood streams were cut off by the navy blue spear path.

Cha Dahye’s mind heated up.

She hadn’t lived so weakly as to succumb to this level of fear.

She couldn’t lose in the first round of the martial arts competition.

She had to prove it. The efforts she had desperately struggled for until now.

“Hap!”

Cha Dahye struck her spear upwards vertically with a shout. A navy blue energy wave soared upward. Cha Dahye, who had knocked Jung Jiwoo far away with this strong attack for restraint, gripped her spear again and rose once more.

Jjeoeoeoeng!

The two martial artists clashed again.

Lee Dojin slightly narrowed his brow.

‘She’ll lose.’

Cha Dahye would lose.

Lee Dojin was certain of this. And the veteran hunters sitting in the audience were thinking the same as Lee Dojin.

There wasn’t a huge gap. However, it didn’t seem like she could close that slight difference in level.

To the 1st and 2nd year students watching, it looked like the two had somewhat equal skills, but the veterans could see it.

They could see the composure flowing through Jung Jiwoo’s body.

In the end, battle depends on calmness.

‘He knows how to use fear too.’

Lee Dojin evaluated Jung Jiwoo’s blood technique.

Blood extending through wounds as a medium, using it to implement visual fear. That was a technique worth noting.

And the situation flowed as Lee Dojin had expected. Jung Jiwoo began to completely dominate.

Jung Jiwoo’s sword cut through numerous places on Cha Dahye’s arms, legs, abdomen, neck, and so on.

Seururueuruk!

And the blood flowing from her wounds condensed in Jung Jiwoo’s right hand.

“Kuaaaaaak!”

Cha Dahye let out a scream. That scream wasn’t one tinged with pain. It was a scream that exploded from the emotion of anger.

Blood vessels stood out on her snow-white neck.

Jung Jiwoo didn’t inflict fatal wounds on Cha Dahye. Grazing wounds, shallow penetrating wounds.

There were no wounds that could be called fatal.

So the judges could only watch the situation with hardened faces, unable to make a decision.

A sadistic smile bloomed on Jung Jiwoo’s face.

“I’m telling you, it’s always beautiful. The moment of tormenting an insect.”

Blood streams rose to the heavens from the shallow wounds all over Cha Dahye’s body. The blood that had taken the form of needles rained down towards Cha Dahye’s body like a downpour.

“You son of a bitch─!”

Cha Dahye’s body, with her mind eroded by anger, shot forward once again.

It was nothing to avoid a big attack from the movements of a novice stained with terrible fear and anger.

Jung Jiwoo judged that he had now shown everything he needed to show. So he moved.

So Jung Jiwoo’s sword drove into Cha Dahye’s abdomen.

Sheogeogeok!

A fatal wound.

This time, a real scream echoed.

“Student Jung Jiwoo, victory! Enter!”

The judge’s decision was made. Medical staff and instructors rushed towards the two.

Jung Jiwoo, shaking off the blood on his sword, faced Lee Dojin who was staring at him from the front row of the audience.

The corners of Jung Jiwoo’s mouth split wide. It was a smile full of joy. Lee Dojin stared at him with an expressionless face.

Jung Jiwoo slowly walked towards Lee Dojin.

“I hope we meet in the next match right away. I’ve been holding back for a while.”

When Lee Dojin didn’t say anything, Jung Jiwoo spoke once more.

“Why, was my fight too dirty and filthy?”

Lee Dojin shook his head.

“No, Cha Dahye tried too hard to follow the rules of this martial arts competition.”

Lee Dojin’s following words dug into Jung Jiwoo’s ears.

“If she had swung her spear with the intent to kill, you wouldn’t have been able to play those pathetic blood tricks.”

If Cha Dahye had recognized that her level was low.

And if she had extended her spear with the determination to kill Jung Jiwoo from the beginning, Jung Jiwoo wouldn’t have been able to act leisurely against Cha Dahye.

Jung Jiwoo opened his eyes wide. Then he smiled sadistically again.

“Then, will the first-year representative rush at me with the intent to kill when we meet? Ooh… this, just thinking about it makes my heart race?”

“I don’t need to do that.”

Lee Dojin said firmly.

“You’ll fall if I just tap you lightly.”

Jung Jiwoo’s smile stopped abruptly. His face became expressionless. Coldness flowed through the air. But only Jung Jiwoo was paying attention to that chill. Lee Dojin stood up from his seat without much thought.

And he stared at Cha Dahye being carried away on a stretcher. Her face was overshadowed by despair rather than pain.

Cha Dahye had done her best.

She just couldn’t seize victory despite doing her best. A thing too common in this world.

Struggling with frustration and sinking into depression, or using this martial arts match as a stepping stone to climb higher. That was all there was to it.

Lee Dojin felt his Iroaz Watch vibrate.

-Afternoon martial arts opponent, Class 2 Jung Jiwoo.

-Location, Arena A.

Somehow, he had thought he would end up fighting this guy.

He just hadn’t expected it to be a few hours later.

Lee Dojin brushed past Jung Jiwoo, who was grinning.