53

Chapter 53: The Formation of Ten Masters

The first sword master reached Subin.

Its blade came directly toward his chest.

Subin raised Simple Edge.

Clang!

The collision echoed across the white battlefield.

The Sword Master immediately followed with another strike.

Subin redirected it.

A third attack came from a different angle.

Subin stepped aside.

The Sword Master didn't pursue recklessly. Instead, it shifted its position and waited.

Subin's eyes narrowed.

This was different from the previous sword master.

The opponent wasn't trying to overwhelm him.

It was trying to determine how he would respond.

Then an arrow flew from behind.

Subin tilted his head.

The arrow passed beside him.

At the same moment, a spear thrust toward his abdomen.

Subin stepped backward.

The spear stopped just outside sword range.

A chain suddenly swept toward his ankle.

Subin jumped.

The hammer master struck the ground.

The entire battlefield shook.

Subin landed and immediately used Fang Step.

He moved several meters away.

The ten masters had begun their formation.

The Sword Master remained at the center.

The Shield Master stood slightly ahead.

The Spear Master positioned itself behind the shield.

The Halberd Master covered the right side.

The Dual-Blade Master covered the left.

The Chain Master stayed behind the formation.

The Hammer Master controlled the ground.

The Bow Master occupied a distant elevated position.

The Weaponless Master stood at the very back.

It hadn't moved.

Subin's expression became serious.

The first attack had been a test.

Now the actual battle was beginning.

The bow fired.

Subin moved.

The spear advanced.

He redirected it.

The shield charged.

He stepped aside.

The dual blades attacked from his blind side.

Subin blocked one blade and avoided the other.

The chain came from behind.

Predator's Sense warned him.

He ducked.

The halberd swept across his position.

Subin jumped.

The hammer struck.

The shockwave forced him backward.

The Sword Master attacked.

Subin met it.

Their swords collided.

The opponent's swordsmanship was excellent, but Subin wasn't concerned about winning the exchange.

He was watching the formation.

The Sword Master was not actually trying to defeat him.

It was pushing him toward the left.

Subin moved right.

The halberd immediately intercepted him.

He changed direction.

The spear blocked his path.

Subin stepped backward.

The chain moved.

He jumped.

The bow fired.

Subin cut the arrow.

Then he understood.

"They're controlling where I can stand."

The realization was immediate.

The ten masters weren't fighting as ten individuals.

They were dividing the battlefield into zones.

Every weapon controlled one zone.

The sword controlled close range.

The spear controlled the space immediately beyond it.

The halberd controlled the side angles.

The shield controlled the front.

The chain controlled escape routes.

The hammer controlled the ground.

The bow controlled distance.

The dual blades controlled blind spots.

And the weaponless master watched everything.

Subin's eyes sharpened.

"The formation itself is the weapon."

He stepped forward.

The shield master charged.

Subin didn't avoid it.

He attacked the shield directly.

Clang!

The impact pushed both of them apart.

The spear immediately thrust toward Subin.

Subin moved sideways.

The halberd attacked.

He ducked.

The chain wrapped around the shield.

The bow fired.

Subin cut the arrow.

The Sword Master entered.

Their blades collided.

Subin stepped backward.

The formation closed around him.

For a moment, he was surrounded.

Then the hammer struck.

Subin jumped.

The spear thrust upward.

He twisted.

The halberd swept across.

He landed on the shield.

The dual blades attacked.

Subin blocked.

Another arrow came.

He cut it.

The chain wrapped around his sword arm.

Subin pulled.

The chain tightened.

The Sword Master attacked.

Subin used Sword Intent.

The chain suddenly loosened.

He pulled his arm free.

Then he saw it.

A tiny gap.

The shield had moved half a step too far forward.

The spear had shifted to cover Subin.

The halberd had moved to protect the spear.

The entire formation had rotated.

Subin's eyes brightened.

He didn't attack the shield.

He attacked the space between the shield and spear.

Simple Edge moved.

The spear master blocked.

Subin continued forward.

The shield master turned.

The halberd came toward his back.

Subin used Fang Step.

He disappeared from between them.

The halberd missed.

The spear master turned.

Subin struck.

The blade stopped against its chest.

[Direct defeat condition satisfied.]

[Weapon Master 41/100 defeated.]

The spear master dissolved.

The formation changed instantly.

The halberd moved into the spear's position.

The shield moved backward.

The Sword Master stepped forward.

The chain shifted toward the center.

Subin's eyes narrowed.

"They replaced the function."

The system confirmed it.

[Formation adaptation detected.]

Subin smiled.

"Good."

The remaining nine masters attacked.

This time Subin didn't try to break through immediately.

He observed.

The halberd had become the primary mid-range controller.

The shield was now protecting the Sword Master.

The chain was restricting Subin's movement.

The bow continued forcing him away from the open field.

The hammer destroyed sections of the battlefield whenever Subin attempted to establish stable footing.

The formation was weaker without the spear.

But it had adapted.

Subin moved toward the bow.

The chain attacked.

He stepped aside.

The halberd swept toward him.

He jumped.

The hammer struck.

The ground exploded beneath his feet.

Subin used Fang Step.

He landed on a raised stone.

The bow fired.

Subin cut the arrow.

The Sword Master appeared.

Their blades collided.

Subin stepped backward.

The shield master charged.

He moved around it.

The dual blades followed.

Subin blocked.

The chain attacked.

He cut through its path.

The chain reformed.

Subin didn't care.

He moved toward the bow again.

The formation shifted.

The bow moved.

Subin stopped.

He had learned something.

The masters would always protect the most important function.

So he needed to create a false threat.

He turned toward the hammer master.

The hammer immediately prepared to attack.

Subin advanced.

The Sword Master followed.

The shield moved.

The halberd shifted.

The dual blades closed in.

Subin suddenly turned.

Fang Step.

He moved toward the chain master.

The chain attacked.

Subin stepped inside its range.

Simple Edge moved.

[Weapon Master 42/100 defeated.]

The chain master disappeared.

The formation weakened again.

But this time the response was immediate.

The dual-blade master moved backward.

The bow descended from the mountain.

The shield moved toward the center.

The hammer master stepped forward.

The Sword Master remained in place.

Subin watched.

They were adapting faster.

The Weaponless Master was still standing at the rear.

Still watching.

Subin looked toward it.

"So you're the one coordinating them."

The Weaponless Master didn't respond.

But the other masters moved.

Subin's expression became thoughtful.

Perhaps it wasn't commanding them.

Perhaps it was simply observing.

The system had called it a master.

Not a commander.

That distinction mattered.

Subin turned his attention back to the formation.

He attacked the hammer master.

The weapon came down.

Subin stepped aside.

The ground shattered.

He moved forward.

The hammer swung horizontally.

Subin ducked.

The Sword Master attacked.

Subin blocked.

The shield charged.

Subin stepped backward.

The bow fired.

Subin moved.

The dual blades followed.

Subin's sword began moving faster.

He didn't activate any new technique.

He simply allowed his existing principles to connect.

Foundation.

Flow.

Control.

Intent.

Edge.

Continuity.

Adaptation.

The seven principles operated together.

Subin suddenly changed direction.

The Sword Master followed.

Subin changed again.

The Sword Master followed.

He continued.

The opponent was trying to read his rhythm.

So Subin removed the rhythm.

His movements became irregular.

Not random.

Natural.

The Sword Master attacked.

Subin moved.

The dual blades attacked.

He moved.

The shield blocked.

He redirected.

The hammer struck.

He used the shockwave to accelerate.

His body moved through the formation.

Simple Edge flashed.

The hammer master disappeared.

[Weapon Master 43/100 defeated.]

Subin didn't stop.

He continued toward the shield.

The shield master raised its defense.

Subin attacked.

The shield blocked.

He attacked again.

The shield remained steady.

Subin changed direction.

The Sword Master attacked from behind.

Subin turned.

Their swords collided.

The shield master charged again.

Subin moved sideways.

The dual blades attacked.

He redirected both.

The bow fired.

Subin cut the arrow.

The formation had become chaotic.

But the chaos was controlled.

Subin realized the masters were now fighting closer together because they had fewer members.

They had reduced their coverage to strengthen their remaining positions.

That made sense.

But it also created another weakness.

Their overlapping zones had become crowded.

Subin stepped into that space.

The shield couldn't move freely.

The Sword Master couldn't use its preferred range.

The dual blades couldn't circle.

The halberd couldn't swing properly.

Subin moved.

One cut.

The dual-blade master disappeared.

[Weapon Master 44/100 defeated.]

The halberd master attacked immediately.

Subin stepped inside.

Simple Edge struck.

[Weapon Master 45/100 defeated.]

The shield master charged.

Subin redirected its momentum.

It stumbled.

He touched its chest.

[Weapon Master 46/100 defeated.]

Only four remained.

Sword.

Bow.

Weaponless.

And one final master that had remained almost completely hidden.

The figure stepped forward.

Subin finally saw the weapon.

A pair of short spears.

Level 59.

The dual-spear master had been waiting.

Subin smiled.

"Four."

The dual-spear master attacked.

One spear came high.

The other low.

Subin stepped between them.

The Sword Master attacked simultaneously.

Subin blocked.

The bow fired.

He moved.

The dual-spear master followed.

Subin was surrounded again.

But this time, he understood the formation.

He wasn't fighting four masters.

He was fighting four combat principles.

Sword.

Distance.

Pressure.

Observation.

Subin's eyes became calm.

His sword moved.

The dual-spear master thrust.

Subin redirected one spear.

The second came.

He stepped inside.

Simple Edge struck.

[Weapon Master 47/100 defeated.]

The Sword Master attacked.

Subin met it directly.

The two blades collided.

The Sword Master changed rhythm.

Subin adapted.

It attacked again.

Subin moved.

The Sword Master attempted a counter.

Subin saw it before the movement began.

He stepped forward.

Simple Edge stopped at its throat.

[Weapon Master 48/100 defeated.]

The bow master immediately fired.

Subin ran toward it.

Arrow.

Cut.

Arrow.

Dodge.

Arrow.

Cut.

The archer retreated.

Subin continued.

The distance disappeared.

Simple Edge touched its chest.

[Weapon Master 49/100 defeated.]

The battlefield became completely silent.

Only one master remained.

The Weaponless Master.

It slowly stepped forward.

Subin raised Simple Edge.

The system appeared.

[Weapon Master 50/100.]

[Level: 60.]

[Rank: A-.]

[Classification: Weaponless Grandmaster.]

Subin's expression changed slightly.

Grandmaster.

Again.

But this one had watched the entire battle.

It had seen every decision Subin made.

Every technique.

Every adaptation.

Every weakness.

The Weaponless Grandmaster raised its hands.

No weapon appeared.

Subin took a breath.

The Grandmaster moved.

Subin raised Simple Edge.

Their paths collided.

Clang!

The first exchange began.

And Subin immediately realized that this opponent was far more dangerous than the previous Weaponless Master.

It wasn't merely fighting without a weapon.

It had understood the entire formation.

It understood Subin.

The Grandmaster attacked.

Subin blocked.

Another strike.

He moved.

A third.

He redirected.

The Grandmaster suddenly changed direction.

Subin followed.

The battle accelerated.

Subin's Sword Comprehension activated.

[Analysis: 17%.]

The Grandmaster struck.

Subin countered.

[28%.]

Another exchange.

[39%.]

Subin's sword became faster.

The Grandmaster's body became more efficient.

Neither gave ground.

Then the system appeared again.

[Weapon Battlefield Progress: 49/100.]

Subin glanced at the notification.

The previous count had been forty-nine.

The Weaponless Grandmaster was the fiftieth.

But the system hadn't marked it defeated yet.

Subin smiled.

"So this is the halfway point."

The Grandmaster attacked.

Subin raised Simple Edge.

The two moved simultaneously.

The true battle of the Hundred Weapon Trial had finally begun.