Return to the World Without Chaos -72-
072.
Pahat-
“Phew, what’s up? Why call me?”
Beyond entered the room and spoke.
Just a while ago, he was in a scrimmage with another team and came straight here.
Anatol kept calling him saying there was something he must see, so Beyond accepted the invitation.
“Tworke Rivals? What’s this… Oh, the competition Idohyuk is in?”
“Yeah.”
“Why call me if there’s nothing to see. Idohyuk will probably win anyway, right? Or did your rookies also participate?”
Calling urgently and showing Tworke Rivals, of all things.
Beyond clicked his tongue.
He also knew about this tournament.
He was aware that Lee Dohyuk was participating.
And in fact, that was why he dedicated all his waking hours to training.
After all, Lee Dohyuk would win, and then there was a possibility of meeting as opponents at EVO, right?
He wasn’t sure if he could repay in kind what he had received from Beyond back then, but still, he wanted to at least land a proper blow.
“I saw last time that Iron Fist was no joke in combat.”
He secretly sniped as a character others didn’t know was his.
As soon as the match ended, Lee Dohyuk recognized him.
He was so sure it was Beyond, insisting not to lie even if he denied it.
I thought I had hidden it well, but I don’t know how it was possible.
Even though Beyond had faced Lee Dohyuk, it wasn’t in Iron Fist, but in Ultimate Fighter.
“Just because you’ve faced me a few times doesn’t mean you’ve figured out my fighting style.”
No matter how much of a monster Lee Dohyuk was, that seemed impossible…
“..Right? It… must be, right?”
I don’t know.
Thinking back, if “that” was Lee Dohyuk, it seemed possible.
Clang-
At that moment, Anatol manipulated something to display a screen prominently.
Then he pointed somewhere as if telling Beyond to look.
“Why. Was there something unusual? It couldn’t have been Dohyuk. Storm Night, Rocky, Jao Lung… The opponents are nothing special.”
“Look at the other side.”
“The other… Oh. What? Geumhee is back. This one is something. Should have switched events long ago. Even beat Shinjiro. Oh. Then in the finals… Huh?”
As Anatol spoke, Beyond’s eyes flicked as he scanned the left side of the match table.
Geumhee defeated Shinjiro, and that Geumhee was beaten by someone named Rin, who then made it to the semi-finals.
“A monster emerged at the tournament.”
It was a very natural statement.
Right away, wasn’t it Lee Dohyuk who left the tournament?
But he wasn’t called out to make such a natural statement.
“Surely…”
As far as Beyond knew, the only one Anatol used to call a monster was Kwanba.
Beyond fully agreed with that statement.
Beyond had faced Kwanba a few times.
But recently, there was someone else Anatol called a monster.
That was Lee Dohyuk.
“According to Anatol, Dohyuk is definitely above Kwanba, but…”
As far as Beyond was concerned, he still didn’t quite understand.
It was too early to give a definitive answer.
Of course, Beyond had been “Beyonded” by Lee Dohyuk.
Every time they met, he was utterly defeated.
However, not considering himself automatically superior to Quab, it was because Quab was no pushover either, as Anatol put it. A true monster in his own right, possessing insane skills, Quab was.
Moreover, with time passing, his insane talent was improving even more than before.
“If Do-hyuk had started Iron Fist at the same time as Quab, the story might have been different.”
But that’s just an “if.”
At this point, until the two face off, one cannot be certain of the outcome.
Well, Anatol must have his own reasons for being so confident.
Anyway.
“A monster?”
It wasn’t directed at Do-hyuk.
Nor was Quab here to participate in the streamer competition happening far away in China, Japan, and Korea.
So, who was Anatol referring to?
Chae, Chae-cheng—!
The final match of the Twerk Rivals, where the winner would be decided with 3 sets and 2 wins.
How long had it been since the first match began?
Beyond could now understand who Anatol was talking about and why he chose the word “monster.”
Chae-ang!
A clash of swords.
Anatol and Beyond, who once heard the best talent in Yopa together.
But…
“…”
Damn.
Beyond, who swallowed that curse, muttered quietly, “Talented people… are damn good.”
Anatol nodded in agreement.
**
Chae-ang!
Do-hyuk easily deflected his opponent’s sword strikes.
First strike, second strike, and the next ones.
Cheng! Chae-cheng!
‘…What?’
Do-hyuk could immediately grasp his opponent’s intentions after a few strikes.
A kind of reconnaissance.
Right now, Lin was examining Do-hyuk’s sword.
Shwoosh!
Zzheung!
No, that wasn’t it.
A sword strike unleashed in an instant, pretending to engage in reconnaissance.
Of course, even that was within Do-hyuk’s expectations, as sparks flew, indicating a successful parry.
Lyn’s image of biting her lip and then letting go.
Snick-
Seeing that, Ido Hyuk smiled faintly.
It seems she’s still the same as before.
It’s like Lyn’s habit of showing up when something bothers her.
Phook-!
This time, Ido Hyuk’s sword jabbed first.
Then, in a moment, Ido Hyuk’s sword soared upwards as Lyn’s blade easily blocked it.
“Definitely···”
A swordsmanship similar to the one he encountered with Kenshin before.
One, definitely different.
Perhaps that Kenshin who lost to the Sword Maiden, Lyn’s sister.
The difference between Lyn and her sister, then and now, was quite significant.
Evil-!
If it was the level of Kenshin he saw back then, it would have been an unstoppable sword strike.
However, it didn’t work on Lyn.
But Ido Hyuk’s attack didn’t end there.
After pretending to swing his sword again, he put the sword down in the air and touched the ground.
Then, straightening his bent body, he executed the Seungryong stance.
While not activating a technique, it was treated as a basic attack but was threatening enough.
“Oh, Ido Hyuk’s counterattack! But it doesn’t connect!”
Tzuki’s shout upon seeing it.
As he said, it didn’t connect.
“It was Kuzo’s technique, right? I thought I misread the character for a moment.”
“Yes. It’s one of Ido Hyuk’s characteristics. That player can embody any character with any move! Very! Amazing!······.”
-hahahaha, lol.
-The fourth disciple respects the master.
-For real, honey dripping from the eyes.
Pabak!
Using the sword soldiers to block Ido Hyuk’s leg, followed by extending her arm to fend off Lyn’s attack.
It was a good defense.
But Lyn’s face didn’t look very pleased.
Rather, she seemed more discontent than when she bit her lip earlier.
There was a crease between her eyebrows.
Taat!
Jumping back to create distance, Lyn, maintaining her graceful posture, spoke up.
“..With just a sword.. we engage.”
It wasn’t pleasing to Il Do-hyeok that it shifted from swordsmanship to boxing.
“Hmm?”
At Rin’s reaction, Il Do-hyeok’s eyes flickered.
-Oh
-Oh, is it arrogance?
-No, it’s intrigue.
-Rin’s eyes, a beauty mark, right?
-hahahaha, quite charming~
The audience in Il Do-hyeok’s room reacted to that.
Of course, all their guesses were wrong.
‘Let’s fight with just a sword…’
Surely, in the past, there were other close combat techniques besides swordplay that were on par.
But at this moment, he didn’t seem to have such thoughts.
Or maybe there was a reason for that.
“Well, if that’s what you want, I can’t refuse.”
“..Your sword.”
Rin gazed at Il Do-hyeok intently.
“What about it?”
A vague question.
But Il Do-hyeok, who could easily guess the meaning, was there.
How did you master Chiba’s swordsmanship, even up to the vision?
And furthermore…
-Swish!
It must have been a question about why Rin’s style of swordsmanship was so similar to his, not just a simple family technique.
[Hmm, what is it?]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
[Lynn]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □
This time, Lynn couldn’t block or evade.
When Lynn’s forehead creased once more.
“I won’t reveal that.”
Swish!
Il Do-hyeok’s attack intensified even further.
**
The sword is thrust.
Left. No, it wasn’t.
Right.
Crash!
The lingering sensation in her hand is quite heavy.
But next.
As Lynn takes a step forward, the sword slices through.
This time, no sensation at all.
Likely the same for the opponent.
Just a mere illusion.
Snick-
The opponent’s face comes into view.
Lynn’s lips curl into a smile.
The opponent who occasionally smiles like this in battles.
Was it Lee Dohyuk?
Swish!
[Hm, interesting.]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
[Lynn]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □ □ □
Once again, struck.
Is this the third time?
Hence, the opponent’s smile doesn’t sit well with her.
It’s not that she dislikes the opponent.
Rather, on the contrary…
Thud!
At that moment, the opponent’s sword strikes again.
Lynn tilts her blade sideways to defend.
Clang!
After parrying, she changes the angle and strikes back.
As Lee Dohyuk distances himself while dodging.
Then, he dashes back in.
Lynn’s pupils move swiftly.
Clang, clong! Clong clong!
The continuous exchange of sword strikes.
‘It’s strange.’
Lynn knows her talent well.
Because everyone in the family, those who faced her in sword fights, unanimously agreed.
A genius that both amazes and terrifies.
Since she gained some strength, she never lost a sword fight within the family.
Of course, in a straightforward strength-to-strength battle, she might not beat her older brother or other adult men in duels, but in terms of swordsmanship alone, there was no one who could defeat her.
Hence, in a full dive.
She thought there was no one who could surpass her in swordsmanship in a place where there was no difference in strength between men and women.
There were a few close calls, but that was all because she hadn’t fully adapted to the game of Iron Fist yet.
However…
Swish!
[Hmm, is that so?]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □
[Lynn]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □ □ □ □
Another missed parry.
But this time, she countered.
“Hmm?”
And with that sound, Lee Dohyuk’s lips pursed once more.
From Noble mtl dot com
This time, though, Lynn’s forehead was grazed due to her inability to fully dodge.
‘Why does he keep…’
“Hmph, muttering…”
Blame!
Lynn moved forward, uttering those words.
But her sentence was left unfinished.
Clash!
The clash of swords…
“Ugh!”
A moment of staggering trajectory.
Her opponent’s strike rode up her blade.
Can she evade it?
Her mind quickly made the call.
She couldn’t.
[Hmm, is that so?]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □
[Lynn]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □ □ □ □ □
Once more.
A one-sided damage exchange.
This was why she had felt something was off since earlier.
She believed in herself.
When it came to swords, there was no one who could match her skill.
This wasn’t arrogance.
But then, who exactly was this opponent before her?
[Oh, Lynn once again allowing attacks!]
[Player Lee Dohyuk’s sword is exceptionally sharp. Despite seeming to parry, he keeps landing successful strikes!]
Lynn knew she was advancing in this match.
That’s what being a genius is all about.
Fighting, a being capable of growth during battles.
Overwhelming talent.
That’s why Lynn was continuously getting stronger than her previous self.
However…
Zzweong!
Shortly after the battle began, Lynn realized something.
Surprisingly, her opponent’s swordsmanship was superior to hers.
She couldn’t understand why Chiba Ga’s Vision Swordsmanship… could be executed better than hers. But the point that she couldn’t comprehend right now wasn’t that.
At the beginning of the match, the difference between her and Lee Dohyuk was merely one step.
However, that one step had caught up with her formidable sword talent long ago.
Yet, why couldn’t she catch up?
Not only couldn’t she catch up, but why did that one step remain the same?
“…”
The moment she thought she caught up, she quickly fell behind.
Not just falling behind, but getting further away.
Swish!
[Hm, interesting.]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □ □
[Lynn]
■ ■ ■ ■ □ □ □ □ □ □
Both had their HP equally reduced by one block.
Only now did she think she caught up.
“..Hm?”
A slight sound escaped her lips.
That was what annoyed Lynn so much.
Anyway-
[The situation continues to worsen for player Lynn. There’s not much HP left now!]
Ching, chacheng!
Zzweong!
A relentless exchange of sword strikes and counterattacks.
How long had it been going on?
[Hm, interesting.]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □ □ □ □
[Lynn]
□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
As the last remaining HP was depleted.
[YOU LOSE]
That notification declared Lynn’s defeat.
Lynn, defeated in the first round!
“Ugh.”
Without the overpowering difference in gender, just the first defeat faced by sword against sword.
This feeling was new.
Lyn chewed on her lower lip lightly.
-Oh
-Wow, Lyn, you’re really good at this.
-You’ve got quite the talent, huh?
-For sure, hahahaha.
-Wow, hahahaha, it was almost like facing a Fongtol in awakening mode.
Of course, there were viewers of Lee Dohyuk who praised Lyn even in her defeat.
But that was nothing Lyn was concerned about.
“···”
Lyn stared piercingly at Lee Dohyuk.
She may have lost in the first round, but she wasn’t completely defeated yet.
If she redeems herself in the second round and wins in the third round···
‘Plus, just now···’
Something had crossed Lyn’s mind.
Something like an epiphany.
If it was her sword now··· she could go further.
Perhaps even against her opponent···
“Hmm.”
Lee Dohyuk, after meeting Lyn’s intense gaze for a few seconds, subtly averted his eyes.
‘She truly is Lyn.’
Lee Dohyuk’s own level of education, as he had thought.
Lyn, who had already achieved up to the 5th level of what he had considered as 64 levels.
Truly a violent sword prodigy!
‘In this case, did she keep her promise or not?’
He had asked her to show her best, so did she not keep it?
But well, she hadn’t shown nothing at all.
Lee Dohyuk decided to interpret his promise with Lyn in his own way.
‘It doesn’t have to be just at the first meeting.’
It would be a bit of a waste to show everything from the start.
In that case···
“Well, players. Shall we now begin the second round?”
Just then.
A staff member approached them and delivered a message.
Thus, the second round began.
“···Huh?”
Lyn’s eyes shook intensely.
“Ah, this heavy and chilling sensation.”
Ido Hyuk raised his weapon and spoke.
– LOL
– No, seriously LOL
– Just showed Masamune’s Mirror Match, so epic LOL
– Trevor does have his moments LOL
– Ah LOL, if it’s unfair, win the first round
What Ido Hyuk pulled out was Trevor.
A character known for once beating the head of the former President of the Trant Association to a pulp.
“Uh, uh?”
In a situation that seemed incomprehensible, with Lynn making some strange gestures.
[FIGHT!!!]
The match began.
─Kkaang!!
[Hm, interesting]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □ □ □ □ □
[Lynn]
□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
Indeed, Padda’s touch was the best.
[Hm, interesting], Ido Hyuk.
Easily won the second round too!
Ido Hyuk emerged as the champion of the tournament.