6.

The ‘Mad Warrior’ who was defeated by the Sword Emperor a long time ago suffered humiliation by being defeated by me today. However, at least the warrior knew how to accept humiliation as humiliation and defeat as defeat.

I demanded my rights as the victor. After hearing my request, the warrior raised his eyebrows.

Mad Warrior 「You want me to position myself as you wish?」

“Yes. That is correct.”

Ah, by the way, the real name of the ‘Mad Warrior’ was Mad Warrior (狂武). He was literally a mad warrior.

It is said that he originally had a different name. However, when he met the Sword Emperor in the past and heard the remark, “Hey, before you die, your nickname was originally Mad Warrior,” he reclaimed the name he had in life. It was a peculiar fate in many ways.

“I am still ignorant of the principles of this world. Honestly, the martial arts I have practiced so far are almost useless because they are too different from the world I lived in.”

Mad Warrior 「So you thrashed me with martial arts that have almost become useless.」

“Yes. That is correct.”

Mad Warrior 「…Usually, at times like this, wouldn’t one deny it or at least pretend to deny it?」

The warrior had an incredulous expression. Hmm, now I’m also become familiar with this World, so I can quickly interpret the meaning behind the expressions of others.

But I wanted to reach a much more difficult realm than just reading expressions.

“My world is different from here. Not only does it have a front and a back, but it also has a right and a left. Even if you slash down from the top to the bottom, the upper left is different from the upper right.”

Mad Warrior 「I have heard that from the Sword Emperor as well. From my perspective, it’s utterly nonsensical…. No, if that’s how you say it is, then it must be.」

“Well. I intend to accept a fair duel as you wish.”

The warrior blinked.

Mad Warrior 「Really?」

“Yes. But that will be after I become familiar with the laws of this world.”

This was exactly what I demanded as the victor’s right from the Mad Warrior.

“I need to know how the upper left of my world is represented in this world. I also need to know how a waist cut from my world appears in this world. Show me all the movements I can make, as a resident of this world, you should demonstrate.”

Mad Warrior 「I don’t understand what you mean. I am born a warrior. Speak plainly.」

“Step forward.”

The Mad Warrior took the position as I instructed.

I observed carefully and with all my nerves how ‘martial arts movements’ are expressed on a 2D plane.

“Good. Now, please take the upper position.”

Mad Warrior 「……I lost, so I will follow your request. But does this act have any meaning?」

“Deciding its meaning is also the right of the victor, isn’t it? Please do it.”

Mad Warrior 「Hmph….」

Despite his skepticism, the warrior took all the stances I requested.

The stances were neat. Although he was defeated by both the Sword Emperor and me, at least in this World, the Mad Warrior could claim to be the strongest. Compared to me, the amount of aura he had was overwhelmingly less, but conversely, it meant he was a martial artist who relied less on aura.

To clearly understand the [Martial Arts Movements of 2D], there could be no better example. I kept making requests.

“Next, please take the lower position.”

“How does the stance I am currently in appear to you? What movements must you make to counter my stance?”

“I am not asking you to show a secret technique. Just the basic movements. If you are a swordsman, moving with the basic slashing movements everyone knows is enough.”

At first, the warrior complied with my orders with a disgruntled face, but as time passed, he began to grasp the true intention behind my requests.

Mad Warrior 「……Indeed.」

The Mad Warrior smirked. It was the first smile he had shown in front of me.

Mad Warrior 「You are now translating my stance into your own terms.」

“Yes.”

Mad Warrior 「By now, in your head, you must be busily dissecting my stances, modifying them into something of your own.」

The warrior, although a beat late, had read my intentions.

In the end, the reason I couldn’t showcase precise swordsmanship in this 2D world was because I was not familiar with how my stance is expressed here or what actions the warrior’s stance corresponds to in my terms.

Therefore, I ordered the warrior to perform basic movements while I rearranged every gesture and step according to the martial arts of my world.

Mad Warrior 「How long do you think it will take before you become familiar with ‘our world’?」

“I’m not sure.”

Currently, I was reproducing all sorts of movements in my mind.

Imagination is like a muscle. It can be trained, and with training, it becomes clearer. And aura is the muscle of the mind. The more I mastered aura, the more refined my mental imagery became, and now I can run various simulations in my mind.

“About half a day? I should be fairly familiar by then.”

Mad Warrior 「After you become familiar, do you plan to challenge me to a duel again?」

“Yes, since what you want is a so-called fair fight.”

Mad Warrior 「……So. Right now, I am essentially making my enemy stronger in real-time.」

The warrior sighed heavily.

Mad Warrior 「But that is precisely the confrontation I have been seeking, so I cannot refuse it. Perhaps, I will lose to you in the second duel as well. Knowing that I will lose, I still cannot stop myself. It’s a dilemma upon a dilemma, facing dilemma after dilemma.」

With those words, the warrior stopped lamenting. Silently moving his feet and swinging his sword, he just repeated the stance to help me become accustomed to fighting in 2D.

Half a day passed.

.,,.. ⊂;^;^;,つ ...''...'.... ,,'.'.........,, ....''....... ...''... ,,..... ........... ...,,, ___________________________

I sat cross-legged for hours, deeply immersed in my mental imagery.

Just as the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do,” if I wanted to defeat the strongest in this 2D World purely by the fighting methods of this place, I had to first become familiar with this world.

“A stick is not a stick but a sword.”

Swoosh, swoosh. In my mind, I perceived the I-shaped stick swung by the opponent as a sharply discarded blade. I tried hard to perceive it that way.

“It’s not just the sword; everything must be seen that way.”

一 is not a line but the earth.

▲ is not a triangle but a mountain.

⊂;^;^;,つ is not teasing of dots and curves but a cloud.

This was the true appearance of this world, the appearance I had to truly accept.

“…….”

I blinked my eyes.

As the sun slowly set and the white sky gradually turned black, to the point where the black sunset was considered no less red than the red sunset, I unwittingly murmured softly.

“However, then shouldn’t my voice also not be heard, just like everyone else?”

That moment came.

[You have shown respect for the laws of the True Heaven World!]

[The Constellation ‘The Faceless Conductor’ permits you to remain in the True Heaven World.]

[A minor penalty is imposed.]

I blinked my eyes once more.

Me 「What has changed?」

As soon as I said it, I realized what had changed.

Me 「My voice cannot be heard.」

My thoughts were indicated with dotted speech bubbles, and the words I spoke aloud appeared in solid speech bubbles. Neither was a monologue.

Is this the [penalty]?

But at least for now, it didn’t feel like a penalty to me.

Me 「Hmm.」

I slowly unraveled my cross-legged position and stood up.

Me 「You’ve waited a long time.」

Mad Warrior 「…….」

The warrior, who had been repeating the basic movements, paused. His eyes were jet-black. Eyes that resembled a black well looked at me.

Mad Warrior 「Have you really become familiar with it? ……Already?」

Me 「If it were the Sword Emperor, he would have adapted in an instant. It took me half a day to get used to it, so I don’t deserve to be told it’s already.」

It was a strange sensation. Or should I say, a normal sensation?

Even in Musical Heaven, sound was not heard. But here, sound itself was absent. The senses needed to live in this world were much fewer and far fainter than those in my original world.

Me 「It’s comfortable.」

Mad Warrior 「……Ha.」

The warrior adjusted his stance. It wasn’t a stance to show me as an example. It was a stance aiming his sword tip at me, a stance wanting to fight me once again.

Mad Warrior 「Well. That’s why you lot live, and I am dead.」

After muttering to himself, unclear to whom, the warrior spoke.

Mad Warrior 「I am already defeated. But my spirit deep inside does not fully acknowledge the defeat I suffered at your hands. Shamelessly, I want to request a rematch. Will you accept?」

Me 「I am merely ashamed for making you wait so long.」

Unlike the first fight, both the warrior and I took on a formal posture.

Me 「I am called the Death King, the Young master of the Demonic Cult.」

Mad Warrior 「Death King, why do you indulge in my childishness?」

Me 「I serve the Sword Emperor as my master.」

Bae Hu-ryeong, who had been silently listening to our conversation, widened his eyes in surprise. This is the True Heaven. Lies and false flattery do not work here. He was surprised because I called him “Master” without any hesitation.

But it’s too early to be surprised. I spoke my mind freely.

Me 「My master is shameless and foolish, lacking the skill to consider the consequences, recklessly making promises and oaths, leading many into despair. How is he any different from a beast that relies only on its strength? For a disciple like me, it’s utterly embarrassing.」

Idiot 「Hey!?」

Me 「But no matter how stupid and petty he is, he is the master who taught me the sword. Even if the mess he made spreads over three thousand li, as a unfilial disciple, I have no choice but to shovel the dung bit by bit. You too are a victim of the human excrement my master left behind.」

Idiot 「Hey! ……Hey!? The fact that everything you’re saying is true is shocking from my perspective!?」

Quiet.

Me 「Thus, I have a duty to restore the honor of our sect and tie up the disgrace of my master. Even though you are a criminal who has caused harm and inconvenience to many by blocking the trade between east and west, if you think about it, my master is the one who has committed a greater sin. I will reform you and set things right.」

Mad Warrior 「Ha ha!」

The warrior burst into hearty laughter.

Mad Warrior 「It’s astonishing that all those words came from sincerity. But can you really reform me? No, it will be impossible. Come on!」

So, I went.

Mad Warrior 「……!」

In a single strike, the sword Mad Warrior was holding shattered. It wasn’t the result of a distant aura attack. My holy sword had chopped down his sword from above.

It was a momentary action.

Mad Warrior 「Ha,」

Though hundreds of swords had been destroyed in the tomb of swords, hundreds more remained. Mad Warrior hurriedly picked up another sword stuck in the ground.

Mad Warrior 「In the end,」

I extended my right foot, no, my front foot, and struck the warrior’s hand. Thwack! Before the warrior could fully lift his sword, his body staggered.

Mad Warrior 「Was I fated to lose no matter how I fought!」

With my front foot, I pressed down on the opponent’s hand, and with the momentum, I kicked the warrior’s body with my back foot. The warrior tried to block my attack with his arms as best as he could. Because I put my whole body into the kick, my stance was compromised, and the opponent’s stance was already broken. But I had a sword in my hand.

Me 「Yes.」

Swoosh.

While the opponent needed time to grab and pull out the sword handle, all I had to do was raise and aim my holy sword. The holy sword was pointed right under the warrior’s chin.

Mad Warrior 「…….」

Me 「If you do not accept defeat, I am willing to fight again as much as necessary.」

Mad Warrior 「…No. I have lost.」

The Mad Warrior smiled weakly.

Mad Warrior 「Defeated by the Sword Emperor, and now by his disciple as well. It’s a dismal outcome after waiting for so long, but still, the result is the result. ……Thank you.」

Me 「No.」

Now, the ‘madman’ blocking the passage between east and west in this world will disappear.

Whether he will go somewhere to devote himself to training again, or if he will travel to each village he has troubled over time, I had no intention of cutting down this witness who remembers the Sword Emperor.

Me 「You are probably the only local who remembers my master from the 70th to the 80th floor. I have something I want to ask you.」

Mad Warrior 「Ask me anything.」

Me 「Between the Sword Emperor and me, who is stronger?」

The warrior closed his eyes. And after a long while, he opened his mouth.

Mad Warrior 「The Sword Emperor is half a step stronger than you.」

Half a step.

That half step is where the Heart Sword lies.

[The one chosen as your judge grants you a pass!]

Probably, Alchemist had been waiting for me to conclude any event. As soon as the Mad Warrior clearly declared his surrender, a message was engraved in the black sky as if waiting just for this moment.

[You have received the acknowledgment of the judge.]

[You can declare a stage clear at any time.]

I turned my back towards the warrior.

*****