Chapter 48: The Plum Blossom’s Triumph: A Blade’s Elegance in Adversity

The semifinals.

Hae Eung Eung stood on the arena stage, unfazed by the jeers of the yokai crowd from all directions or the palpable killing intent emanating from the opposing team.

Even as the arena was steeped in the aura of death, she remained unshaken.

‘It feels like the whole world is bearing down to kill one person. So, they already know I’m human.’

Considering the commotion she had caused with her exploits, it was only natural.

The prince worried that the Silent Swordsman might feel overwhelmed by the pressure, but he soon realized his concerns were unfounded.

‘Mother’s courage is truly unparalleled.’

Having once faced the collective bloodlust of the entire martial world as a public enemy, she wasn’t one to falter under this level of pressure.

Her calm presence was like a serene lake, undisturbed even as she ventured into its depths.

Her killing intent did not recklessly radiate outward but remained poised, reserved for when it would be most needed.

[Story mode activated.]

As the calm gaze of the Silent Swordsman locked onto her opponent, the system screen appeared.

[The semifinals will follow the winner-stays-on rule!]

[In one-on-one matches, the victorious player will continue to face the next opponent until all members of the opposing team are defeated.]

[The team that eliminates all their opponents first wins!]

[Will the first victor be the bastard prince, inheritor of the yokai king’s bloodline?]

[Or will it be the son of General Viktro, one of the two most powerful figures in the royal court?]

The Silent Swordsman’s first opponent in this winner-stays-on semifinal was, coincidentally, the son of the yokai general Viktro,

who had suffered significant losses during their earlier journey to the arena.

[Just because your father is the yokai king doesn’t make you superior.]

[I’ll crush you and your worthless companions.]

Despite the arrogant proclamation of Viktro’s son, the prince recalled his mother’s unwavering composure and found his center once more.

[Maganome, you are the wisest among us. Do you have a strategy for this format?]

[There are two options: send the strongest player first to attempt a clean sweep or save the strongest for last as insurance.]

[The former strategy prevents the enemy from analyzing the team’s skills, keeping an element of surprise for the finals.]

[The latter strategy conserves the strongest player’s stamina and allows weaker teammates to potentially exhaust stronger opponents.]

[Understood. Mother, what will you do?]

With the prince’s question, a choice window appeared.

[Interaction Options]

1. Send the strongest player first.
2. Save the strongest for last.
3. Enter midway, as you’re not the ace.

Each choice had its pros and cons—concealing the team’s abilities or conserving personal strength.

For a moment, her eyes lingered on the Boogeyman. Despite being a formidable warrior, he disliked taking center stage.

Since he wouldn’t step forward, Hae Eung Eung concluded that she was, without question, the team’s ace.

“Rest a bit, you lunatic!!”
“222, save yourself for last!”
“Going first after 62 hours of streaming is insane!”
“You’ll die at this rate!”
“The streamer who holds their health hostage to entertain viewers, LOL.”
“But Silent Swordsman is OP, right?”
“You can’t think of her in normal human terms.”
“Even non-humans can’t survive 62 hours of nonstop work!”
“Coding slaves endure 160 hours a week!”
“That’s not a human, that’s a s*ave.”
“LOL, agreed.”
“Coding slaves aren’t human; they have no rights.”
“Why are you all roasting her?”
“Because… it’s funny.”

The audience bombarded Hae Eung Eung with baseless malice and snide comments.

“Here comes the wave of unjust hate, LOL.”

Despite their concerns for her health, urging her to participate last, Hae Eung Eung, as always, simply chose what she wanted.

[1. Send the strongest player first.]

‘I may have gone through prolonged battles to get here, but my stamina hasn’t taken much of a hit.’

The secret lay in her blessings.

[Blessing: Full Drive]
You do not require food, sleep, or excretion to maintain normal biological functions.

Even without food, her body could absorb energy from the air itself, providing her with what she needed to sustain her activity.

This allowed her to endure extended battles purely through natural recovery.

However, restrictions came with her gifts.

[Curse: Poor Lung Capacity]
Your forced vital capacity (FVC) does not exceed 3.5 liters, akin to someone with pulmonary disease.

[Curse: Slow Heart Rate]
Your heart beats more slowly than average, negatively impacting blood circulation and explosive physical performance.

These restrictions limited her maximum physical power at any given moment.

But even if she could only use 70% of her strength, Hae Eung Eung had mastered an internal energy technique capable of amplifying that 70% over fivefold.

The real concern wasn’t her strength but the toll on her internal energy reserves.

‘Two more matches—this semifinal and the finals. Will my internal energy last until victory?’

Her preferred technique was the Twelve Plum Blossom Sword from the Mount Hua Sect.

While it was an incomplete form of the sect’s renowned Thirty-Six Plum Blossom Sword, it was sufficient to sow death and destruction.

The technique’s limited range and reduced power made it less versatile, but it also consumed less internal energy.

With her skill, Hae Eung Eung could compensate for its deficiencies and maximize its efficiency in group battles.

‘But in duels demanding sheer destructive force, like this one, it falls short.’

Her upcoming opponents were extraordinary even among yokai and half-yokai—a fact underscored by her first match against a notorious combatant.

“Human woman, I’ve heard the rumors about your antics on the streets. But this is as far as your insolence goes. You’ll understand once you see this.”

The yokai resembled a monkey, triggering a memory of a warning Hae Eung Eung had heard from Maganome about a dangerous simian yokai.

‘Could he be a descendant of Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven?’

He brandished an expanding staff, used his hair to create clones, and displayed exceptional combat prowess.

“I am of the Gaguk lineage! Descendants of monkey yokai who abduct human women, impregnate them, and return them after childbirth!”

So, he wasn’t a descendant of the infamous Sun Wukong.

“Wait, what? A monkey?”
“This is going in a weird direction.”
“That’s… a crime, you psycho!”
“Why is everything so horny, LOL?”
“The heir of the Water Demon Captain finally shows up!”
“Patience pays off!”
“Classic RPG trope: lose the fight, and it cuts to a… scene.”
“But this isn’t an RPG, though.”
“Why are they pairing the Silent Swordsman with a monkey yokai?”
“Also, why reveal his bloodline and skills?”
“Who knows, LOL.”

“Match, begin!”

With the announcer’s declaration, Hae Eung Eung shifted into battle mode.

[Player Mode Activated.]

The Gaguk yokai ogled her from head to toe with greedy eyes, his lascivious intent unmistakable.

Though she wore a heavy, blood-stained warrior’s robe, a cloak, and even a straw hat pulled low, there was no hiding the faint scent that escaped through the blood.

Nor could the tight fabric, damp with blood, conceal the natural feminine curves of her form.

Despite her male disguise, the yokai’s inherited Female Detection skill had confirmed her identity.

From the moment he recognized Hae Eung Eung as a woman, the vile yokai resolved to wield the infamous powers of his lineage—powers notorious for abduction and violence.

“Woo-hoo! Such energy! Her chest may be small, but what a stunning beauty worthy of embracing!”

The Gaguk yokai roared as his muscles swelled to twice their normal size, veins bulging grotesquely.

His newfound power surged to inhuman levels, directly tied to the beauty of the woman he faced.

“This is a disaster! The Gaguk lineage’s infamous abduction and assault tendencies are now combined with a new inheritance—strength proportionate to a woman’s beauty!”

“Oh, Mother is strong…”

“But she’s also breathtakingly beautiful. The more stunning she is, the more monstrous the yokai’s power will become!”

Maganome’s grim explanation drained the color from the prince’s face.

“The yokai general deliberately brought this beast to humiliate my mother!”

The prince’s team specialized in exploiting opponents’ weaknesses through inherited abilities, but this match posed an insurmountable mismatch.

Hae Eung Eung’s extraordinary beauty was being turned against her, fueling the yokai to extremes.

“Mother, withdraw from the match!”

The prince pleaded desperately. There was still time to concede and await another opportunity.

But if she persisted, there was a horrifying risk of falling victim to the monstrous yokai, whose grotesquely inflated weaponry rivaled his swollen limbs.

Despite her son’s earnest cries, the Silent Swordsman remained composed, raising her blade into a fighting stance.

“Ahahaha! Yes, that’s the spirit! A woman with guts. I like it. I’ll ravage you for a thousand days and nights until you can’t even stand!”

The yokai’s excitement peaked, his explosive energy kicking up a cloud of dust as he launched himself at her with immense force.

His massive arms and grotesque weapon swung simultaneously, aiming to overpower her completely.

‘A sturdy, resilient body. Likely on par with, if not superior to, that of an earth elemental guardian.’

Hae Eung Eung swiftly assessed her opponent. His strength was undeniable.

But how well could he wield it?

“Woohoo!!”

The yokai lunged, his eyes rolling back as he attempted to ensnare her in a crushing embrace.

Faced with the reckless charge, Hae Eung Eung’s mind flashed back to a fateful encounter—a man who had once taught her Mount Hua’s martial arts in secret.

“What a cruel twist of fate, to be forced into submission to the emperor’s whims. A tragic destiny indeed.”

“The Mount Hua Sect’s strength cannot shield you, Lady Eung Eung.

A single imperial decree could threaten the very survival of the Nine Great Clans, and the elders would oppose involving themselves in such matters.”

“Yet, as a warrior of Mount Hua, I cannot turn away from a woman seeking aid. Allow me to teach you some of our sect’s martial arts.”

He had helped her master the elegance of the Plum Blossom Sword Style, elevating its techniques to an art form.

Through mesmerizing displays of swordplay and dance, he had concealed her training from the emperor’s spies and the elite guards.

“The plum blossom symbolizes integrity and perseverance.

Despite its vibrant colors and fragrant allure, its essence lies in its ability to bloom first, triumphing over the harsh winter.”

“Mount Hua’s martial arts share this essence.

Harness the interplay of truth and illusion, the subtleties of hidden strength within apparent beauty, and you’ll overcome even the gravest adversities.”

The limitations of the Twelve Plum Blossom Sword were evident in the current situation.

And yet, his words resurfaced now, at this critical moment.

‘Perhaps I can finally accept the heart behind his teachings without resentment.’

In the martial world, she had once harbored bitterness toward Mount Hua’s leader for submitting to imperial authority and refusing to help her.

But here, far from those conflicts, she could wield the wisdom she had been given without the weight of old grudges.

Now that her revenge was complete, Hae Eung Eung found herself free from the chains of old grudges.

She could fully embrace the wisdom that had been shared with her without the bitterness of the past clouding her judgment.

Taking a firm stance, she assumed the Twelve Plum Blossom Sword’s opening posture.

At first glance, her movements seemed exaggerated and clumsy, a defense riddled with flaws.

The yokai, consumed by carnal desires and blinded by the apparent vulnerability, lunged toward her recklessly.

‘The flower that blooms in adversity is the epitome of grace and elegance.’

Just as he was about to ensnare her, Hae Eung Eung shifted ever so slightly—one step, one angle, slipping seamlessly through the gap between calculated beauty and intentional imperfection.

“Lady Eung Eung, I hope you won’t hold too much resentment toward the plum blossoms of Mount Hua.”

The moment she had once deemed unreachable—the eighth form of the Twelve Plum Blossom Sword—was now fully realized.

Her blade found its mark, striking three critical acupoints on the yokai’s body with pinpoint precision.

As her strikes landed, the overwhelming energy coursing through the yokai’s massive frame faltered.

The monstrous qi that should have surged unhindered was thrown into chaos.

Blocked and redirected, it spiraled out of control.

In an instant, the yokai’s body betrayed him. His internal energy surged into forbidden pathways, rupturing blood vessels and tearing through vital nerves.

Qi flooded organs ill-equipped to handle it, and his grotesquely inflated upper body swelled like an overfilled balloon before bursting with a deafening pop.

Shhht!

The Silent Swordsman calmly adjusted her wide-brimmed straw hat with a cloak-covered arm, shielding herself from the rain of blood and viscera.

Behind her, the yokai’s upper torso lay obliterated, its remains eerily resembling the delicate bloom of a plum blossom upon the arena floor.

“2.”
*

“Hah, what a close call. I concede defeat,” muttered one opponent.

“There’s no way I’m fighting a monster like that.”

“I forfeit,” another said flatly.

“Count me out.”

“This match is meaningless. I acknowledge my loss.”

One by one, the opposing team’s fighters declared their surrender.

None dared to challenge the swordswoman who had effortlessly dismantled their strongest warrior with a single, decisive strike.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Unbelievable!” the announcer bellowed.”

“Against all odds, the human female fighter of the illegitimate prince’s team has secured a stunning victory, forcing the entire opposing team to concede with just one strike!”

The crowd of yokai roared in approval, their cheers echoing through the coliseum.

Explosive messages flooded the live broadcast chat, expressing awe and disbelief at the remarkable display.

With this victory, Hae Eung Eung and her team advanced to the tournament finals.