Chapter 183: Think You Can Win?


    TL: FoodieMonster007


    To be honest, there was little Seonwoo Jin stood to gain from challenging Hyonwon Kang to a duel, and most of the desmanship Research Society (BRS) executives shared that sentiment. Seonwoo Jin was still the overwhelming favorite in the election, so even if he won the duel, it wouldn''t benefit him much.


    <em>However, if the opposite happened…</em>


    The executives shuddered at the thought, but hesitated to speak out.


    Seonwoo Jin''s eyes gleamed with a crazed intensity as he dered, "At the end of the day, the essence of a martial artist is martial arts. If I disy overwhelming martial prowess against Hyonwon Kang, his cheap tricks won''t work anymore."


    <em>But what if you lose?</em> The executives desperately wanted to challenge his confidence. If Seonwoo Jin lost, Hyonwon Kang would immediately gain equal or even greater prestige than Seonwoo Jin.


    After all, the students of Azure Dragon Academy were martial artists at heart. They couldn''t help but admire and be attracted to someone stronger.


    <em>We gain nothing if he wins, but if he loses, it could cost him the election!</em>


    You ought to read this at northdetldo.Even so, the BRS executives kept their worries to themselves. Merely suggesting the possibility of defeat would wound Seonwoo Jin''s pride. Besides, he was already furious about the posters that had been put up today.


    In the end, they each nodded in agreement.


    "That sounds like a good idea."


    "We''ve held back until now because it wasn''t worth the effort."


    "President, please crush that guy in front of everyone."


    Why aren′t you reading this at northdetldo?


    Normally, Seonwoo Jin wouldn''t have chosen a risky move like a public duel, even if he was confident of winning. After all, in a duel, one could lose to a hidden trump card prepared by one''s opponent. Unfortunately, the current Seonwoo Jin wasn''t in a state to make calm judgments.


    <em>Hyonwon Kang! I''ll crush you thoroughly in front of everyone.</em>


    He couldn''t forget how Hyonwon Kang had humiliated him during the campaign, the damaging content of the posters, or the looming threats from Baek Suryong. Anger and fear simmered inside him, building up to an unbearable degree.


    <em>Should I sever one of his arms during the duel? Would that cause too much trouble? Maybe I can make it look like an ident…</em>


    At the very least, Seonwoo Jin had no intention of letting Hyonwon Kang leave the duel stage unscathed.


    His eyes filled with killing intent, Seonwoo Jin asked, "Any objections? Feel free to speak your mind."


    Read this at northdetldo, or else.


    Naturally, no one dared object. None of the executives truly believed that Seonwoo Jin would lose, anyway.


    <em>I feel oddly uneasy, but unless something goes horribly wrong, the result is obvious.</em>


    <em>It would be another matter if the opponent was Peng Sahyuk, but there''s no way Hyonwon Kang can beat Seonwoo Jin.</em>


    <em>Even if that delinquent got strongertely, there''s no way he can defeat the President.</em>


    There was no doubt that Seonwoo Jin was one of the top ten prodigies of the Azure Dragon Academy, and even the egotistical Peng Sahyuk acknowledged his de techniques. No matter how much Hyonwon Kang trained recently, it wouldn''t be enough.


    No matter how they looked at it, they couldn''t find any reason why Seonwoo Jin would lose this duel. Rather, they were more worried that Hyonwon Kang would refuse it. That delinquent was hardly the type to back down from a fight, but hadn''t he recently sustained serious internal injuries and wasn''t fully recovered yet?


    A sinister smile spread across Seonwoo Jin''s lips. "Do not worry. I''ll see to it that Hyonwon Kang won''t be able to avoid it."


    That night, Seonwoo Jin ordered all the nderous posters around the Azure Dragon Academy to be taken down and reced them with a formal duel challenge addressed to Hyonwon Kang.


    I am Seonwoo Jin, the President of the desmanship Research Society.


    Recently, tensions between myself and student Hyonwon Kang have intensified ahead of the Club Union President election, causing unease among the student body. For that, I apologize. The posters that contained unverified rumors were taken downst night, and I swear on my honor that none of them are true for either party.


    From this moment forward, I vow to engage in fairpetition.


    To this end, I formally challenge Candidate Hyonwon Kang to a friendly duel at the date specified below. As orthodox martial artists, I believe that facing each other inbat is a far better way to uphold our convictions than ndering each other behind the scenes.


    I await your response, Candidate Hyonwon Kang.


    You ought to read this at northdetldo.


    —Seonwoo Jin


    A duel challenge had been posted at the main gate of the Azure Dragon Academy, drawing the attention of students on their way to ss and instructors arriving for work.


    "Looks like Seonwoo Jin is preparing for a showdown. Well, after being falsely used, it''s no wonder…"


    "You know the Club Union started it first, right? Even though Hyonwon Kang''s known as a delinquent, he''s nowhere near as much of a scumbag as the posters made him out to be."


    "Whoever wins this duel bes the President, right?"


    "Then why have an election? Those guys are just mad at each other and want to settle things with their fists."


    "The result will influence the election though…"


    "Hyonwon Kang won''t turn this down, will he?"


    "Since when has that guy ever backed down from a fight?"


    "By the way, who do you think will win?"


    "Well…"


    "Hyonwon Kang?"


    "Seonwoo Jin?"


    Why aren′t you reading this at northdetldo?


    The academy was abuzz with talk of the uing duel. A sh between two studentspeting for the position of Club Union President was already enough to get people talking, but the fact that both wielded daos only heightened the excitement. With Peng Sahyuk having departed for the Heavenly Martial Academy, some even spected that the victor of this duel would im the title of the top desman at the Azure Dragon Academy.


    "Woah, this atmosphere is no joke."


    Arriving at school early in the morning, the White Dragon Manor students marveled at the heightened atmosphere of the academy. They, too, had seen the duel challenge posted at the main gate.


    However, among them, Hyonwon Kang was conspicuously absent.


    "This is the prime spot today, so let''s set up shop here," Geo Sangwoong suggested, rubbing his palms like a greedy merchant as chose a spot near the biggest poster, unpacked arge bundle he had carried on his back, and pulled out a long folding table.


    "Yaaawn… Do we have to start so early? I didn''t get enough sleep…" Ya Suhyeokined, yawning widely as he ced arge bundle no smaller than Geo Sangwoong''s on the table and unwrapped it to reveal arge wooden box.


    Opening the box, Yeo Min casually asked Wiji Cheon, "By the way, have Senior Wonkang''s internal injuries fully healed yet?"


    Inside the box, hundreds of rice ballsy neatly arranged, emitting a savory yet slightly pungent herbal scent.


    "I think he''s much better now," Wiji Cheon replied, helping Yeo Min to take out the rice balls and arrange them neatly on the table.


    As the aroma from the unusually fragrant rice balls filled the air, curious students began to gather nearby.


    "That damned Seonwoo Jin really couldn''t have picked a better date," Geo Sangwoong muttered sarcastically, clicking his tongue as he nced at the challenge date.


    The date that Seonwoo Jin proposed for the friendly duel was the day before the Club Union President election.


    northdetldo wees you.


    "Looks like he wants to humiliate our favorite delinquent, but let''s see who gets embarrassed in the end, huh?" Geo Sangwoong grinned.


    Then, with a flourish, the heir to one of the Ten Great Companies began to show off his skills.


    "Step right up, folks! Medicinal rice balls made with miracle herbs from deep in the mountains, courtesy of the Medicinal Cooking Research Society! ALL FREE-OF-CHARGE! But only for the first 100! Only 100 people will get these miracle herbs for free! Firste, first served! Get your rice balls now!"


    As the words "free" and "firste, first served" echoed through the crowd, students flocked to the stall. Handing out the rice balls, the White Dragon Manor students didn''t miss the chance to promote their cause.


    "Enjoy your miracle herbs!"


    "Support the Medicinal Cooking Research Society!"


    "Don''t forget to vote for Hyonwon Kang!"


    In truth, this wasn''t something that Hyonwon Kang had asked for, nor was it something that Baek Suryong had instructed them to do. The four students had volunteered to support Hyonwon Kang''s campaign while he was training and willingly prepared the rice balls in the wee hours of the morning, in stark contrast to the BRS executives who couldn''t even speak their minds because they had to watch Seonwoo Jin''s mood.


    Before they knew it, the White Dragon Manor students had handed out all the rice balls, and they sent the students off with a promise to return.


    Why aren′t you reading this at northdetldo?


    "We''ll be back tomorrow! Please cast your vote for our reformed delinquent!"


    At their cheerful farewell, smiles spread on the faces of the students who had popped a rice ball into their mouths.


    …As for why Hyonwon Kang was missing, it was because he was currently undergoing special training with Baek Suryong.


    In the training grounds of the White Dragon Manor, Baek Suryong and Hyonwon Kang stood facing each other, doing warm-up exercises.


    "Did you see the duel challenge?" Baek Suryong asked.


    Hyonwon Kang nodded. "Yeah. That asshole sure wrote a long message just to say he''s itching for a fight."


    "Will you ept?"


    Hyonwon Kang''s eyes gleamed with a fierce determination. "Of course. I''ve been wanting to test myself against him for a while anyway. I''ve heard he''s the strongest desman in the Azure Dragon Academy after Peng Sahyuk."


    Baek Suryong finished his warm-ups and folded his arms smugly. "Think you can win?"


    Y aren′t you reading this at northdetldo?


    Hyonwon Kang lifted his de and flicked the side with his finger.


    TING!


    As the clear sound echoed, he grinned. "More or less."


    "From what I saw yesterday, Seonwoo Jin is no pushover. It won''t be easy to take him down," Baek Suryong remarked in a sardonic tone that made one wonder if he was worried about his student or subtly riling him up.


    "……" Once, such words would have incited Hyonwon Kang, but no longer. Although his eyes still burned like moltenva, they carried a new lucidity andposure.


    Baek Suryong continued, "I heard his martial arts rank among the top ten in your grade. When ites to the de, they say he''s currently the best in the Azure Dragon Academy…"


    Grinning roguishly, Hyonwon Kang raised his de and pointed it at Baek Suryong. "Soon, he won''t be the best anymore," he said, releasing an overwhelming wild aura.


    WHOOSH!


    His true nature hadn''t vanished—it had merely been restrained and held in check. Now that it was unleashed, merely standing across from him felt like having one''s entire body torn to shreds.


    <em>This kid…</em> Though he did not show it, Baek Suryong was impressed. It had been a while since he hadst felt the aura of the Asura Blood Heaven de, the supreme martial art left behind by the Crazy Demon. Hyonwon Kang''s progress had exceeded his expectations.


    "While I was stuck recovering, I thought long and hard about what wielding the de means to me," Hyonwon Kang said, a refined madness flickering in his eyes.


    "You''vee a long way, punk," Baek Suryong praised.


    <em>Although he''s still far from matching Master Crazy Demon, who perfected his de technique through a hundred life-and-death battles, he seems to have properly inherited the will that Master left behind.</em>


    This is a free trantion. You should not be seeing ads.


    Smirking, he reached out toward the weapon rack, and a de hanging there flew into his hand. He had prepared a customized lesson for his student, who had an important dueling up.


    "I''ll sharpen the de that dulled while you rested. Let''s start with quick-draw techniques," he said.


    Hyonwon Kang nodded determinedly. "Got it! Please guide me!"


    Baek Suryong lunged forward like a lightning bolt and swung his de with blinding speed.


    CLANG!


    Hyonwon Kang barely blocked the first strike, but the second attack followed immediately.


    CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!


    Gritting his teeth, Hyonwon Kang blocked and deflected Baek Suryong''s attacksing from all directions. His martial arts uniform was soon torn and cuts appeared on his skin, but he pushed through the pain and concentrated fully on swinging his de.


    <em>I can see it. It''s bing clearer.</em>


    At first, even following Baek Suryong''s de with his eyes had been difficult, but gradually, he got used to the rapid tempo and started trusting his instincts, sharpening his reflexes.


    Three days passed like that.


    Baek Suryong skillfully polished Hyonwon Kang''s desmanship, restoring the edge that had grown dull during his hiatus.


    SWOOSH!


    northdetldo wees you.


    Finally, Hyonwon Kang spotted an opening in Baek Suryong''s defenses. In an instant, he swiftly closed in on Baek Suryong, thinking, <em>CUT HIM!</em>


    RIIIP!


    A sliver of blue fabric fluttered to the ground, norger than a fingernail, but to Hyonwon Kang, it meant the world. This was undoubtedly the best sh he had ever delivered.


    "I… I really cut him…" Hyonwon Kang panted, staring down at his de, hands trembling with a newfound sense of aplishment.


    "Well done," Baek Suryongmended, smiling faintly as he patted Hyonwon Kang''s shoulder.


    Fortunately, his dumb student hadn''t noticed that he had deliberately let himself get cut.


    Time flew by, and the day of the duel finally arrived.<hr>


    <strong>Trantor''s Note:</strong> I''m going on a hiking trip tomorrow, so there will be fewer releases this weekend, maybe 4-5 chapters.