Chapter 67: This tag is yours (5)
“Thank you for your advice. I will give up if I really think it is too much. I just hope that you will give me a chance.”
‘Ah…’
Impeng became frustrated by Yeowun’s polite request. He hoped Yeowun would choose his actions carefully after his punishment, but it didn’t seem like Yeowun had changed. Simong shook his head.
“Give up during the fight? Hmph. I doubt that will be easy.”
Hou Jinchang wasn’t the type to go easy after the duel started. Simong then walked in and Impeng said worriedly, “I guess you leave me with no choice. Try to protect yourself from any injuries at least. Or else you really will lose all your options.”
“Yes, sir.”
Hou Jinchang made all the cadets who challenged him to stay in the medical room or meditate for an entire day to recover. Soon, Hou Jinchang came out of the entrance. The appearance of the senior instructor who was at the top of the power rank in the academy made all the cadets stop in their tracks.
‘Wow. Someone’s challenging him!’
‘Instructor Hou? What fool had decided to challenge him?’
‘Wait… that’s 7th cadet.’
‘Was he released today?’
‘Wow, is this real? Is he really challenging Instructor Hou?’
Soon, over thirty cadets had gathered around them. It was natural for the cadets who wanted to see someone issue a challenge for the only remaining yellow tag, not to mention that it was a fight from the famous 7th cadet himself.
‘7th cadet!’
Hou Jinchang looked at Chun Yeowun with antic.i.p.ation. After the duel six days ago, he had been wanting to fight Chun Yeowun ever since then, and now he was here.
“7th cadet, Chun Yeowun, reporting.”
“Long time no see. You’ve done great work enduring your prison time.”
Yeowun bowed and Hou Jinchang responded. He heard from Simong that Yeowun wanted to challenge him. Chun Yeowun was the only cadet who had countered an instructor completely. Hou Jinchang looked at him with excitement. Yeowun stated, “I look forward to learning from this duel, sir.”
All the cadets all gasped in astonishment.
“Ohhh!”
“It’s a challenge!”
As many cadets gathered to look, Yeowun was satisfied for fulfilling his first plan. This was why he chose the front of the main building as the dueling location. His punishment had given many cadets a bad impression of him. He was also stripped of his leader status, which made it even worse.
‘I need to turn it upside down.’
As someone who was also in the compet.i.tion to become the heir to the throne, he needed trust and support from as many cadets as possible. However, that was currently out of his control. He could have attacked other members, but that wasn’t going to win him any support from the other cadets. In the Demonic Cult, there was only one way to gain support.
‘Now, I have to prove my power.’
The stage was ready. It was morning, so cadets who were on their way to the training building were gathering up. Hou Jinchang asked, “Will you use the wooden sword? Or your bare hands?”
“I will do it with bare handed.”
It was the right choice. Using the wooden sword did not help the cadets. They would have a better chance at countering the swordless instructors using Seven Demon Sword without their swords as well. In the worst-case scenario, that would allow the cadets to fight with their fists. But of course, the instructors were better at fistfights.
Hou Jinchang then readied himself while putting down a wide stomp. It was just a preparation stance, but the weight of the atmosphere changed. Even the cadets who were watching them became tense.
‘How can he defeat that monster?’
‘No… even if it is 7th cadet, this won’t work.’
‘Even the 5th cadet gave up!’
Cadets all saw Chun Yeowun defeat Instructor Sang Munyo. But even then they didn’t think Yeowun had a chance at defeating Hou Jinchang. He was just too strong.
“Come. I will let you take the lead.”
Hou Jinchang, who knew Yeowun had just entered the master level, allowed Yeowun to attack first. Yeowun had no reason to decline the offer.
“Thank you, sir. Then…!”
Yeowun flashed forward like a bolt of lightning, quickly getting into range.
‘He’s quick.’
Hou Jinchang was astonished by the faster speed than what he had expected. However, Hou Jinchang was an experienced warrior. He quickly pulled up a sword defense with his two fingers to unleash the defense formation of Seven Demon Sword, or the fifth sword.
‘So, what will it be? I know all of your blade skills.’
At that moment, Hou Jinchang’s eyes shook. He thought Yeowun was going to unleash his blade skill, but Yeowun instead used two of his fingers to counter the Seven Demon Sword with his movements.
‘Oh?’
Hou Jinchang had seen Yeowun counter Sang Munyo’s Seven Demon Sword already, so he had prepared the following movements to respond to Yeowun’s counterattack. However, he didn’t expect Yeowun to use a sword skill. This wasn’t just a quick change.
‘What is this sword movement?’
The sword movement’s level was too sophisticated. It seemed like he was going to be in danger too early if things progressed at this rate.
‘If you can use such sword skill… then you deserve a more powerful foe!’
The glare in Hou Jinchang’s eyes changed. The advantage of the Seven Demon Sword created by the Sword Demon was that an unlimited number of formations could be created by mixing all existing formations and movements. If all this was unleashed by grandmaster level warrior Hou Jinchang, it would become a powerful sword formation. Hou Jinchang changed the first sword formation and made various changes to it. All the cadets watching were astonished.
They too had learned the sword skill, so they knew about the power of the Seven Demon Sword. But they were astonished to see the difference in levels, especially with the skills that Hou Jinchang was using.
‘No way. That’s impossible to defend against.’
Everyone thought the same thing, but something unexpected happened in the next moment. Yeowun’s body made a complicated change that left a trace while moving quickly, and his sword created twenty-our clear white lines at once, attacking Hou Jinchang.
‘W-what is this sword formation?!’
Hou Jinchang’s Seven Demon Sword was countered. Yeowun’s sword formation wasn’t something that one could defend against. White lines targeted the blood points from all sides, and Yeowun shot past him. And the powerful energy stored within the sword formation threw Hou Jinchang up into the sky.
“Ugh!’
Hou Jinchang dropped and fell onto one knee. All the cadets couldn’t believe their eyes. The Sword Force of the Demon Sky which had been sleeping within the blue pearl pedestal for hundreds of years had finally been revealed by Chun Yeowun, the descendant of Founding Father Chun Ma.