Chapter 165: First Sword (4) (1/2)

I’m sorry, everyone! I didn’t realize that I made a mistake in copy-pasting, and didn’t copy the first page of the chapter! So I’ll be reposting this one, and deleting the chapter with the mistake. I renamed it 165v2 because it didn’t get picked up by NU’s bot.

Some interesting trivia: Alexei is a Russian name. And that is true for this series too. Anymore would be spoilers, but just know he’s a very important guy in Kang Jin-ho’s life.

‘Always remember the victory conditions.’

Alexei always said that.

Killing didn’t always work.

Depending on the battlefield, the conditions for winning could vary.

‘Formulate a strategy to meet the conditions of victory.’

Depending on the victory conditions, the way you fight could vary.

Alexei was an objectively good teacher, and Jude respected him as a teacher whether in his past or present life.

Because of this, he didn’t become someone who was all talk and no action, or did things randomly without any plan.

Until the day he was lucky enough to safely retire, and even when he got addicted to games and became an unemployed person who generously spent his money and enjoyed a life of pleasure, Jude never forgot the victory conditions.

He formulated strategies depending on the situation.

Bang!

The air fluctuated in the aftermath of the fifth door’s opening.

A golden whirlwind rose amidst the roar, and Jude became a black gale as he rushed towards First Sword.

‘Make him move six times.’

The victory conditions.

Therefore, he formulated his strategy and tactics based on that.

‘Observe.’

He was fortunate enough that he got the last number.

And because of that, Jude was able to observe it twenty times.

‘The pattern is always the same.’

First Sword would guide them up to the third time, turn the attack into nothing on the fourth time, and make them surrender on the fifth time.

Therefore, Jude’s initial plan was to receive guidance until the third time.

But the situation changed the moment First Sword positioned himself in the Light Swordsmanship style.

So Jude took out Plan B which he had prepared just in case.

‘I’ll do everything fast like a raging storm.’

Due to First Sword’s nature, it was unlikely that he would attack from the beginning just because he changed his swordsmanship style.

After all, he would still treat Jude as a prospect.

So Jude would push him.

He would make First Sword defend for several times.

And to add another to it.

‘Something unexpected.’

Because First Sword would think that Jude was a swordsman.

As an opportunity for their own personal growth, all the 20 prospects who stood in front of First Sword had used proper swordsmanship in their match against him.

A sharp, refined, and beautiful dance of their swords.

So Jude would approach it in a completely different way.

A blunt, unrefined, and rough dance – like that of a raging storm!

‘Black Dragon Cross Strike!’

At the same time he rushed forward, he thrust his fists forward and shot the energy of the black dragon from both his fists.

A long-range strike.

And a non-linear attack at the same time.

‘Here!’

“Hopf Link!”

He shouted at the same time as he thought. He drew his fists and manipulated the two separate energies of the black dragon. The two energies of the black dragon flew into a circle as it intersected with each other, causing a loud roar as it powerfully exploded.

Hopf link – in mathematical knot theory, it’s two circles that are linked to each other but do not intersect. I will not go into more detail since it’s complicated, but for this chapter, it’s just Jude firing two energies of the black dragon from both his fists. But in this case, the two energies that flew in a circle crossed each other, causing an explosion. Jude, why are you calling this a Hopf link if the two intersect!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of explosions was heard. As the black dragon’s energies violently twisted, it dug up the floor and shook the air.

But that was all.

In the midst of those explosions, the sword of First Sword shone and at that moment, a line split the explosions into two.

Shiiiing-!

A sword of light.

His dazzlingly fast sword split the explosion. It stopped the roars of the explosion, and even the aftermath of the shock was split, preventing it from reaching First Sword.

And First Sword raised his head.

But most of the prospects didn’t see it. They were caught off-guard by the powerful explosion and the splendor of First Sword’s attack that turned the explosion into nothing. So only two people, Cordelia and Lucas, saw the same thing as First Sword.

‘Head.’

Midair.

It was a new option Jude could choose since he became a superhuman, which was something he would’ve never imagined in his previous life.

Jude was seen in First Sword’s eyes.

The explosion caused by the Black Dragon Cross Strike was both an attack and a foundation for his next move.

Jude made the black explosion create the effect of a smoke bomb detonating, and kept everyone’s eyes on the ground with its loud roars and aftershocks. And at the same time, he soared up the ground.

‘Like a magician.’

Just like what Alexei taught.

‘Black Dragon Cross Strike!’

From the sky to the ground.

Jude kicked down from the air as he aimed at First Sword’s head. And at that moment, the energy of a giant black dragon vertically headed towards the ground.

Rooooarrr!

The roar was like a dragon’s roar. A smile spread on First Sword’s face, and he swung his sword again. The light’s trajectory split the energy of the black dragon again.

Bang! Bang!

Having been split into two, the energy of the black dragon broke the ground. At the time fragments of the stone stage flew into the air, Jude had already landed on the ground. He lowered his posture as if he was almost sticking to the ground, and then leapt forward as he aimed for First Sword’s back. First Sword turned around and looked at Jude. It was just a moment, but Jude was able to read First Sword’s thoughts through his eyes.

‘It would be impossible for you.’

From the Black Dragon Cross Strike that encircled each other to the Black Dragon Cross Strike from above.

He had continuously used powerful techniques in such a short time.

First Sword did not know much about the techniques used by Jude, but even then, he knew about ‘that’ since he had reached a certain level.

That there should be a delay now.

That there should be a cooldown between using two techniques.

First Sword’s thoughts were not wrong.

He thought of Jude as a swordsman who was two levels above Lucas, and even if he was a swordsman two levels above Lucas, it would be impossible for Jude to immediately use a third technique.

But Jude could do it.

He made possible something that First Sword thought was impossible.

‘Middle dantian!’

He had used up all the energy in his lower dantian. But the energy in his middle dantian remained.

So Jude skillfully used the energy in his middle dantian for his next attack.

Bang!

He stomped on the ground with his left foot. He kept his lower body down as he struck the air with a clenched fist.

And what he shot at that time.

It was the energy of the sun.

The black and unmatched energy of the sun!

“Roar! Explode!”

The energy roared and exploded.

The energy of the black sun exploded, and darkness engulfed everything. It was only for a short moment, but it had blinded everyone.

The explosion.

The roar.

Shiiing!

But the light strongly struck again.

Once again, the light split the explosion, the roar, and the shockwaves.

And First Sword felt it.

He momentarily lost his sight, but he perceived it with his superhuman senses.

The place where Jude was located.

Jude’s breath.

The fourth move Jude wanted to do.

A smile spread on First Sword’s face again.

Because he sensed it.

Jude was putting his hand on his sword.

He was finally going to use his sword.

“Haha!”

First Sword opened his eyes and refreshingly laughed.

He fully enjoyed the beating of his heart as he saw Jude. Cordelia forcibly opened her eyes, but her sight was still blurry. And Lucas also tried to see Jude and First Sword.

Sir Cornwell belatedly opened his eyes and was also excited.

‘Sword!’

Jude would finally use the sword.

Jude, who was so strong without a sword, would finally use a sword!

A moment.

A short time.

But First Sword shouted fast in his thoughts.

He looked at Jude as he cried out in his mind.

‘Show me.’

Your skills.

Your sword!

Shiiiing!

Jude drew the Eastern Warrior’s Sword.

And at that moment, First Sword was confused. He had been surprised when Jude had opened the fifth door and charged, but he was now more surprised at the situation.

Clang!

The Eastern Warrior’s Sword fell to the ground with a clear sound.

Cordelia smiled while Lucas widely opened his eyes.

Jude didn’t use his sword.

He had drawn the Eastern Warrior’s Sword and threw it towards First Sword. By doing so, he succeeded for a moment in stealing the attention of not only First Sword, but also everyone who were watching.

‘Something unexpected.’

He heightened their tension.

He made them look forward to it.

And then he threw all their expectations into the gutter.

‘As light as the wind.’

Without any sound, without any forewarning.

At the time when the Oriental Warrior’s Sword was tossed away by First Sword’s defensive instinct, thereby making him move for a fourth time.

Jude became the wind.

He even used the roaring sounds that he caused whenever he charged.

He tried to distract First Sword a little by continuing to show the same pattern but performing different actions.

Shwaaaa-!

Jude got behind First Sword.

If he attacked from behind again instead of penetrating through the front, he could make First Sword move for the fifth time.

And if that happened, First Sword had to move for a sixth time.

In other words, it would be Jude’s victory then.

But in that instant.

When he tried to release the energy of the black dragon again!

“I won’t let you.”

He heard First Sword’s voice.

In reality, it was such a short moment that he didn’t even hear First Sword say those four words, so it was impossible for him to have heard First Sword’s voice in that short moment.

But Jude had heard it.

He felt that he had heard it.

And he wasn’t wrong. First Sword turned around. His sword moved faster than Jude.

It was an attacking move.

It was not a defensive move, but was First Sword’s attack to end the match with this move!

“Sorry.”

This will hurt a lot.