Chapter 136: EPISODE 126 – ENGAGEMENT CEREMONY (3)

The chapter is finally here. And I’m finally free now, so chapters will be released in its usual release schedule starting on Monday.

Terms used in this chapter:

Dynamic vision – the ability of the eye to visually discern the fine details of a moving object.

Equal breathing – a breathing technique where inhalation and exhalation have the same/equal duration. It is a yoga technique that helps in lowering stress and calming the mind and body.

Beyond the skies – an expression that means something is so high or great that it is higher than the sky.

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EPISODE 126 – ENGAGEMENT CEREMONY (3)

Sword and fist.

Jude could fight using both, but the truth was, he was not properly trained in either.

‘Because I was born with Gueumjulmaek.’

‘Jude Bayer’ never properly learned any martial arts until he was 17.

Training with a body that couldn’t even exercise every day was like a death wish.

But after he got the Sun’s Necklace, the symptoms of his Gueumjulmaek weakened and he became able to fight quite well.

He also passed the Bayer family’s test and didn’t have much difficulty in using techniques and skills when he fought against monsters.

And the reason was simple.

‘I learned some techniques in my previous life.’

Kang Jin-ho lived in the modern times, so what was called ‘swordsmanship’ there was the knife fighting he learned a little. But it was a different situation for ‘fist technique’ – or more precisely, ‘bare-handed combat.’

Because Kang Jin-ho had the experience of learning various martial arts that were utilized in kickboxing.

‘Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll be fighting that way.’

The martial arts that one could learn in Pleiades enabled humans to move in superhuman ways, and it was also possible to materialize a destructive force that could not be created with ordinary martial arts.

The opponents were also monsters or demonic humans, and not the same human beings, so he had no choice but to fight in a different way from modern martial arts.

‘But even if that is so.’

‘Kang Jin-ho’ was a man who was good at bare-handed combat, so ‘Jude’ naturally continued to fight with his bare fists rather than using a sword.

He used a sword from time to time, but he mainly used his fists.

‘So I’ll be using my fists.’

It was possible for him to fight with a sword too.

Jude and Lucas had an enormous difference in physical abilities, so it was possible for him to win with just a sword.

But he didn’t want to do that.

‘He can tell.’

Lucas was a genius of the sword.

He had been training with swords for a long time, so he developed eyes that could tell his opponent’s strength.

‘Lucas knows it too.’

The fact that he was no match for Jude.

But nevertheless, he challenged Jude.

Even though he knew that he would lose, even if he knew that he would get beaten.

‘So I’ll do it seriously.’

I’ll sincerely respond to your sincerity.

He obviously didn’t mean that he would use his full strength to defeat Lucas, but he at least wouldn’t fight Lucas carelessly.

“Haa!”

Lucas’ yell cut off his thoughts.

No, Jude’s focus was already on Lucas in the first place.

Lucas’ movement.

The trajectory drawn by his sword.

Jude naturally calculated it.

He read Lucas’ next move and intention based on the information he obtained by using not only the visual information but also his five senses.

And he responded to it.

His body had become so powerful that it couldn’t even compare to the days when he was Kang Jin-ho.

His muscular strength, agility, endurance, and so on were already on the level of a superhuman, and his reflexes and dynamic vision were also incomparable.

Add to that was his Cheonmujiche.

His heavenly talent for martial arts made it possible for him to analyze his opponent by just looking at his opponent’s sword.

Lucas swung his sword.

Jude avoided the sword with minimal movement. By doing so, he penetrated into that gap and threw a punch.

Kla-clang!

Lucas’ sword blocked Jude’s fist.

To be exact, he hastily pulled his sword halfway to forcefully block Jude’s fist which was close to hitting him.

Either way, he managed to defend himself.

Lucas took a step back and Jude chased him.

Klang! Klang! Klang!

Sharp sounds burst as the sword and fist collided.

Lucas with his sword had a far better advantage in terms of reach, but its complete advantage didn’t work on Jude.

Jude’s arms that were covered with the black dragon’s energy continuously blocked Lucas’ sword, and Lucas got cold sweats from Jude’s kick attack which he rarely experienced fighting against.

‘He’s barely holding his ground.’

Cordelia thought as her eyes narrowed.

If Jude increased his speed a bit more, Lucas would lose a bit of his concentration and…

‘It would end at once.’

Jude knew it, and Lucas knew it.

And Count Hræsvelgr knew it too.

‘Unbelievable.’

Count Hræsvelgr was a warrior too.

He was a competitive man, so he was quite interested in Count Bayer, who was considered as one of his best rivals by people everywhere.

Therefore, he was familiar with Jude.

Not so long ago, Jude was a child who couldn’t even go outside as he pleased because of his Gueumjulmaek.

But the current Jude was beating Lucas, who the famed sword genius himself, Count Hræsvelgr, admitted as having more talent than himself in his youth.

It was like a fight between an adult and a child.

Perhaps the difference was even more than that.

‘How odd.’

Is it possible to have such an explosive growth in just a few months?

Did Count Bayer deceive everyone by saying that his son had an illness?

‘No, that’s not important.’

The important thing was the fact that Jude’s skills were real and different from what was known in the past.

‘I want to see it.’

Jude’s real skills.

The greatest power he could exhibit.

Clang!

Lucas’ stance collapsed along with the loud sound.

The sword that could not withstand the onslaught of Jude rolled on the floor, and Jude’s fist stopped right in front of Lucas’ chest.

Lucas exhaled a rough breath.

But he looked at Jude and held his breath. He declared it after he clenched his teeth for some time as he suppressed his emotions.

“I lost.”

“It was a good match.”

When Jude withdrew his fist, Lucas sank on the floor.

At the moment he declared his defeat, the tension on his legs – no, his whole body loosened.

‘I lost.’

He knew that he was going to lose, but he had lost for real now.

And he confirmed it.

The absolute gap between them.

‘At least one or two months.’

The time when Lucas himself did not see Jude.

In that time, Jude achieved a seriously tremendous growth.

“Haha…hahaha…”

Is this what frustration is?

Is this what despair is like?

He was born as a genius, so he had never felt something like this before.

He was shattered by the overwhelming gap that he couldn’t even feel like he would ever catch up to Jude.

“Lucas, get up.”

Lucas’ body involuntarily stiffened upon hearing the voice behind him.

He forced himself to stand up.

“Good job. You’ve improved.”

Lucas was stunned at the words of Count Hræsvelgr.

But Count Hræsvelgr was telling the truth. Lucas had naturally become more skilled than what he had previously seen.

“I’ll talk more about it later. Take a break for now.”

“Yes, father.”

Lucas obediently responded this time before he headed to the side. Only then did he saw the restless Cordelia standing alone that he realized that Jude and Count Hræsvelgr were left in the training area and facing each other.

‘Father?’

Lucas turned around and upon seeing Count Hræsvelgr’s eyes, he realized it.

His father had a serious look.

“Can we have a match, if it’s all right with you?”

Count Hræsvelgr said, and Jude bitterly smiled.

He had expected this to happen, and now that it became real, he couldn’t help but feel pressured.

‘Still, this is also an opportunity.’

Count Hræsvelgr was a considerably strong man even in the entire Pleaides.

After all, he was one of the best in the Sälen Kingdom, and one of the continent’s strongest.

‘The so-called swordmaster.’

A swordsman, a great swordmaster.

How many times would I have a chance to fight against the sword of a swordsman at his level?

‘Of course, there will be many opportunities when I arrive home.’

After calming himself a bit with his idle thoughts, Jude did some equal breathing before he nodded his head.

He turned to Cordelia at that moment.

‘I’ll do it.’

‘Are you sure?’

Their conversation with their eyes was almost like telepathy.

Jude clenched his fist, and Cordelia repeatedly stamped her feet before deeply sighing. She likewise clenched her fists and looked at Jude.

‘Hit him once if you’re going to do it! Okay?’

‘If it’s possible.’

‘No, it’s not if it’s possible. You must seriously do it!’

‘Okay.’

Cordelia widely smiled after being satisfied with Jude’s answer, and Jude was pleased too.

He faced Count Hræsvelgr again and said.

“It would be an honor.”

“Let’s begin then.”

Count Hræsvelgr held up a wooden sword, and Jude took a long breath before getting into position.

‘It’s quite the opposite now.’

The opposite of his spar with Lucas.

No, perhaps it was more than that.

Jude ended his smile and erased his useless thoughts. He focused on Count Hræsvelgr and then charged at some point.

Bang!

A sudden noise.

And countless sounds resounded one after another.

Jude poured a barrage of fierce attacks, and Count Hræsvelgr stopped all his attacks.

He ignored, blocked, or sometimes avoided it.

‘He used his battle aura.’

Count Hræsvelgr used his battle aura for Jude.

So that Jude could seriously give it his all.

Booooooom!

The energy of the four black dragons jumped from Jude’s hands.

The surface of Count Hræsvelgr’s sword was filled with a faint glow, and a pure white aura soon appeared on his blade.

Lucas even forgot to breathe as he watched the fight of the two.

Count Hræsvelgr stopped defending from Jude’s attacks.

As soon as Jude’s energy reached its peak, Count Hræsvelgr began his attack at that moment.

A straight downward cut.

It was a simple attack but was hard to block or avoid.

Jude saw the downward cut rushing before him.

He couldn’t even think on what he should do, so he just moved frantically. He evaded the sword attack by gaining distance as far as possible.

He couldn’t do anything else except to step backwards.

But it was just the beginning.

Count Hræsvelgr took a step forward.

Jude had tried his best to evade but he didn’t manage to get far away yet, so Count Hræsvelgr’s one step immediately closed the distance between them.

And his sword struck again.

It was an ordinary horizontal slash this time.

No, it was by no means ordinary.

Jude realized it at some point.

‘Sage King’s Cross Sword.’

Count Hræsvelgr was now using the Sage King’s Cross Sword.

An invisible flow of Qi energy was incorporated into the Sage King’s Cross Sword with his every move.

‘As expected of a great swordmaster.’

It continued. Each of his small movements embodied the Sage King’s Cross Sword.

A smile spread over Jude’s face.

He had no choice but to do that.

Several more sword attacks assailed Jude.

Each time he evaded, blocked, and ignored the attacks, Jude’s movement increasingly became more unstable.

Cordelia was feeling amazed and distressed at the same time.

She was happy that she witnessed Count Hræsvelgr’s swordsmanship that was close to a superhuman skill, but it was very distressful for her to see Jude being driven into a corner.

Moreover, Cordelia could see it.

The next attack would be the last.

Jude would be completely defeated by the Sage King’s Cross Sword with the next attack.

‘I hate it.’

She knew it was unreasonable, but she still hated it.

She did not want to see it.

Because he was Jude.

Because he was Outboxer009.

Because he was the guy who always wanted to be number one.

Cordelia grit her teeth. With clenched fists, she wished and wished again.

She stubbornly wished and prayed for Jude.

And at some point.

When Count Hræsvelgr finally raised his sword for the last attack.

“Eh?”

Cordelia unknowingly uttered.

Because she saw it.

Because her talent for skipping the process and grasping the results had informed her.

Something unusual.

Something that broke the natural flow.

The corners of Cordelia’s mouth were raised.

She saw the eyes of Jude, and brightly smiled again. She calmed her pounding heart and cried out in her mind.

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‘Jude!’

Bang!

Jude stepped on the ground.

He observed Count Hræsvelgr’s sword.

It was still incomparable.

An insurmountable wall.

But something changed. No, Jude himself made it happen.

‘Sage King’s Cross Sword.’

He caught a glimpse of it from Lucas. He felt it through Count Hræsvelgr.

And he could tell.

It was the same as the martial arts of the Guardians of the Holy Cross.

That it was a martial art that once walked along the same path as the other.

But that was not the important thing.

Jude could feel it.

He sensed the Sage King’s Cross Sword itself.

Cheonmujiche.

The incarnation of martial arts from the heavens.

Something added to that.

Nine heavens and nine worlds.

The power of the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors that could flow into all things, as it encompassed the entire heavens and earth.

He was not conscious of it.

His body had naturally moved at some point.

He wondered if this was the world Cordelia usually saw.

No, he was wrong.

Because Jude was still making calculations at that moment.

Count Hræsvelgr’s sword was perfect. So he tweaked it. He twisted the path of the sword.

All he needed then was power.

The strong energy that rose was something that Jude himself had yet to use, and it caused Count Hræsvelgr to be confused.

Bang!

Cordelia witnessed it.

Jude kicked the ground strongly. He shifted his center of gravity at once, clenched his fist, and reproduced what he saw and felt into a mnemonic chant of Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors.

Sage King’s Cross Sword.

Sage King’s Cross Strike.

The dragon’s energy gathered in Jude’s fist.

Count Hræsvelgr was flustered at that moment.

Because he understood at the very moment he saw it.

And Jude’s attack burst.

It crushed Count Hræsvelgr’s attack!

Shwaaa-!

The cross of the Sage King, which was the symbol of the Sage King’s Cross Sword, was drawn in the air.

Count Hræsvelgr was pushed back, and his attack became useless.

But it was just a moment.

Count Hræsvelgr swung his sword again. It broke and destroyed Jude’s cross at once, and by the time Jude raised his head, his sword had already touched Jude’s neck.

The conclusion.

The match was decided.

Jude was defeated.

But Cordelia jumped from her spot and liked it, while Lucas couldn’t close his open mouth.

Count Hræsvelgr also let out a short and rough breath.

“I lost.”

Jude said, and Count Hræsvelgr withdrew his sword.

And he swallowed the words that seemed to come out of his mouth.

‘How.’

He already knew the answer.

Jude didn’t steal the secret of the Sage King’s Cross Sword, nor did Count Bayer study the Sage King’s Cross Sword for a long time.

‘Cheonmu…jiche.’

The incarnation of martial arts from the heavens.

No, it wasn’t just that. There was more to Jude than that.

‘He’s a monster.’

Laughter flowed out unknowingly.

They said that laughter comes out when one faces an absurd situation, and that seemed to be true.

‘No, no. It’s not just that.’

His heart was pounding.

He was excited to see on how much this guy in front of him would grow, and how he would compete with himself in the future.

“It was fun. You can go back now and rest. If you need it, I’ll send someone to assist you.”

“It’s alright. Instead…I’ll take a rest at the training area before heading back.”

“Let’s do that then.”

Count Hræsvelgr returned the wooden sword instead of saying anything more and headed to Lucas who was still blankly staring.

He lightly patted his shoulder to bring Lucas to his senses before they went out of the training area together.

“Haa.”

Jude exhaled and fell to the floor.

“Haaaa.”

He lied down on his back and stretched out his whole body.

‘Is this the power of one of the ten swordmasters?’

Neither Landius nor Kamael had ever shown a real sword in front of Jude.

The same was true for Count Bayer.

But Count Hræsvelgr showed him the real sword just now.

‘It’s really like the sky.’

There was a reason why they use the phrase, ‘beyond the skies.’

But he continued to smile for some reason.

I’ll be able to reach it someday. I’ll rise to a higher level.

‘It’s been a long time.’

In the past, Kang Jin-ho devoted himself into training for some time because he just liked the fact that he would get stronger.

“What, what is it? Why are you snickering? Have you gone mad?”

“Why are you snickering too then?”

“Hehehe.”

Cordelia approached Jude and sat by his side before she giggled again.

“Is my Jude stronger now?”

“I have to be strong, so that I can protect my princess.”

“Oh my, I’m so proud of you. As a prize, I’ll help you up. You’ll catch a cold if you sleep in this place.”

Cordelia shamelessly spoke like Jude before she helped him up and supported him.

“Ugh, the smell of sweat.”

“Ahem, ahem, I’m sorry.”

“No, that…it’s okay.”

It was not as bad as she thought.

Cordelia walked as she supported Jude who had unexpectedly grown 10 cm taller than her, and Jude leaned on her as he was out of it for a while.

After all, he was tired.

And that was why Jude didn’t notice it. Cordelia was staring at the side of his face.

‘He’s…handsome?’

No, he was rather cool?

She could see him covered in sweat, and she roughly breathed too.

‘Wh-what’s going on?’

I’m strangely looking at him again and again.

I keep thinking that he’s cool.

My heart keeps pounding.

“Corde…lia?”

“Huh? Ye-yes. Let’s hurry.”

Cordelia smiled and increased her pace as she diligently moved forward, while Jude tilted his head once but didn’t question her anymore. He leaned against Cordelia as they walked together.

***

Two days later.

With Count Chase in the lead, Jude’s party left Thunderdoom Fortress.

Count Hræsvelgr and Lucas came out to see them off, and Jude was able to face Count Hræsvelgr after two days had passed from that day.

“I hope that it would help in your path.”

He was referring to the Sage King’s Cross Sword that Jude had partly learned.

Jude responded with a smile, and Lucas stood in front of him.

“Mr. Jude.”

“Yes, Lord Lucas.”

“I’ve began to learn the Sage King’s Cross Sword from my father since yesterday.”

He was already learning about it, but the idea was different this time.

It was beyond the idea of simply learning the family’s martial arts, as he had begun his training to become the martial art’s official successor.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you. And this is presumptuous of me…but I’ll definitely catch up.”

Lucas’ face was burning red.

Because of his shame.

He knew better than anyone else the difference in skill between Jude and himself.

Jude looked into Lucas’ eyes. And then he smiled.

“I’ll look forward to it. I also want to have a good rival.”

His words were cringey, and it might had sound sarcastic in some way, but Jude didn’t think so.

Jude’s words were sincere, and he had nothing more to say than this to boost Lucas’ spirit.

“I’ll work harder.”

“Then, I’ll look forward to it again.”

Jude and Lucas shook hands, and their farewell ended as Count Hræsvelgr happily watched the two.

And after their party had traveled quite far…

Adelia sat under the tree during their break, and she stared at Cordelia with eyes full of annoyance.

“What is it? What do you want?”

“Unnie, aren’t you overreacting?”

“Because you’re interfering with my time with Lord Gaël. It’s difficult for us to have some time alone.”

“You’re always together! How is that difficult!”

“What about you? Don’t you know that feeling of wanting to see each other even if you can see each other? I’ve heard that you asked everyone to let the two of you have some time alone even though you’re always together with Jude.”

“N-no. T-that is…”

“What do you mean ‘no’? You’re quite a cheeky little girl.”

At Adelia’s rebuke, Cordelia was speechless and thumped on her chest.

No, you’re the one who’s flirtatious.

Unnie, you’re the one who’s really flirtatious! You were kissing in front of everyone!

(T/N: The Korean word ‘bal-lang-kkajida’ (발랑까지다) can both mean ‘flirtatious’ and ‘cheeky.’ Adelia and Cordelia used the word in a way that both meanings can be applied.)

“I’m an adult.”

You’re still a minor, Cordelia.

Adelia counterattacked, and Cordelia was left speechless again at her attack that was a fact.

“By the way, what were you going to say?”

“I-I, I have a question.”

“What is it? Are you asking on what it feels like when you kiss?”

“N-no, it’s not?! I’m not curious about that at all, okay?!”

“R-really?”

“I-I might be a little curious… A-anyway! What I’m curious about is something else!”

Adelia smiled as she saw the blushing Cordelia who objected.

Because it seemed like Cordelia hadn’t kissed yet based on her reaction.

‘Because you’re still a child.’

Your relationship is still wholesome.

‘I’m an adult.’

Adelia was pleased again before she shrugged once and asked.

“Okay, what are you curious about then?”

“That is…”

“That?”

“W-when did unnie know?”

“About what?”

“That brother-in-law Gaël likes you.”

Adelia’s face turned red at Cordelia’s question.

“W-why are you asking?”

“N-no…I just want to know a bit…”

The sisters resembled each other as they blushed and fidgeted, and Adelia eventually opened her mouth.

“Ahem, ahem, you see.”

“Yes, yes.”

“That…at some point…I noticed it. When we looked into each other’s eyes. Ah…I love this person. And…this person loves me too.”

“What? Did you just feel it at some point?”

“Yes, at some moment. I can only express it like that.”

“Eueue…I can’t use that as reference. If I do it that way…”

I mean, there was no such moment when we looked at each other. But that doesn’t mean that Jude doesn’t like me, right?

“Is it because of Jude?”

“Eh? Uh…yes.”

“How odd. You two are head over heels in love with each other.”

“I-it’s not like that…”

“Come up with an excuse that makes sense. Anyway…perhaps it’s because you’ve been together for so long?”

“Huh?”

“No, I mean…it’s become too natural. For the two of you.”

“I-is that so?”

“Maybe?”

Adelia shrugged and stood up as she brushed off the dirt.

“Now then, I’m going to Lord Gaël. Stay strong too.”

Adelia giggled with a blushing face as she quickly walked in her happiness to see Gaël, and Cordelia blinked her eyes.

‘How can a person change that much?’

Only

Cordelia herself seemed to be somehow a bit embarrassed by her sister’s actions these days.

‘Anyway, she looked into his eyes and felt it, right?’

Okay, the eyes.

I’ll look into his eyes.

I’m confident if it’s that.

Cordelia clenched her fists and stood up from her seat.

And five days later.

The party led by Count Chase finally reached Langesthei.

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