“Why apologize for saying we should stay in line?”
Song Jwa-baek muttered this, but his expression didn’t look that good.
Actually, I thought I’d just leave them there, but looking at their faces go pale, I felt bad and asked the warriors for a favor.
The man looked flustered and said I didn’t have permission for it. However, he still allowed them through the procedure before letting them through.
-You should have left them to stand in line.
I thought so too.
As soon as we had passed the gate, the idiot had burst out laughing. I knew for sure that half the people there must have insulted him in their heads.
There wasn’t much difference between Song Jwa-baek and Pang Woo-jin.
“Wow!”
As we passed through the castle walls, Sima Young exclaimed loudly at seeing the large square that appeared in front of us.
This was the place that was the Murim Alliance’s pride, the Blue Sky Field.
It was named after the spirit of the Forces of Justice, which strived toward purity. The tall buildings surrounding it were also spectacular.
“So huge.”
The Murim Alliance definitely paid a lot of attention to making the place seem majestic, starting from the shape of the land to the buildings around it.
We were about to follow the guide when someone approached us.
‘Uh?’
Pang Woo-jin? Despite his family not wanting him to, he still came over to us and struck up a conversation.
“Hubei Pang Family’s Pang Woo-jin.”
What was he up to?
Still, he greeted us first. I returned his bow and responded.
“Ikyang So’s So Wonhui.”
After hearing my response, he looked at both Sima Young and me before swiping his hair back in an attempt to look good.
“I heard you are the successor to guardian Ho Jong-dae. Let us have a good match.”
Such lies.
The people of his own family were covering their faces to pretend to avoid our gazes.
I think I understood why he had no one around him.
I’d seen quite a few people pretending to be this cool in the past, right?
-He resembles Jwa-baek a lot.
Just as Short Sword said.
When I thought he resembled someone I’d seen before, I also meant Song Jwa-baek.
I wondered who would even react to such an action, but people still showed interest in our interaction.
‘Ha.’
In some ways, he definitely had talent.
Before my regression, he was a man who didn’t shy from using me to give himself a higher level of fame.
Song Jwa-baek then stepped forward.
“I am Song Jwa-baek from the Song family. I wish you well.”
It was like looking at someone in front of a mirror.
Song Jwa-baek was pretending to be some kind of deadly handsome man. These people would never get tired of receiving so much attention.
However, Pang Woo-jin nodded with disinterest at Song Jwa-baek’s greetings and left without even responding.
This made Song Jwa-baek’s expression look positively distorted.
“… fucking rude.”
He grumbled in embarrassment and lowered his hands.
Why did you have to intervene?
I knew that living like that didn’t leave a good aftertaste.
“So cheap, just as I thought.”
Sima Young mumbled, expressing her dislike of Pang Woo-jing.
Inside this castle of the Murim Alliance, many warriors had been gathered for the tournament. Among them were many who had unique personalities.
If it didn’t end in an argument, it would inevitably devolve into a tiresome one-on-one fight.
“This way.”
The warrior who watched the exchange simply guided us to one of the wagons waiting in line. The Murim Alliance’s domain was a bit too spacious after all.
Once we got onto the wagon, we were moved to the castle’s east side. Over one hundred guest houses could be seen there.
This was where we would separate.
We were let through right away. However, Song Jwa-baek and Song Woo-hyun’s dorm was a guest house made for warriors, so they left first.
On the other hand, we were guided to a place closer to a mansion located a bit further inside the complex.
Was this perhaps a bit of special preference?
Compared to the standard dorms, where hundreds of people were crammed into one large room, this building had spacious individual rooms.
There was even a garden in the front. Fortunately, Song Jwa-baek had been left behind first; otherwise, he would have complained too much.
“This is nice.”
Sima Young couldn’t hide her satisfaction. Who would not like such special treatment?
As we unpacked, the warriors told us.
“I wonder if the two of you can spare us some time.”
Of course, I knew this would come. A superior must have put him up to this.
“May I ask who?”
“The First Military Commander asked me to bring you.”
The First Commander?
Cho Sung-won and I were surprised at those words. Sima Young, who knew nothing, looked at us with a puzzled expression.
The person who called for us was one of the three commanders of the Murim Alliance’s so-called Military Commanders, Zhuge Won-myung.
After the Alliance leader, he was the next real power.
The thought of seeing such a person up close, something I didn’t even dream of in my past life, made me nervous.
The site of the Military Commander’s hall was located near the main building of the Murim Alliance.
His building was at the center.
The building on the left belonged to Baek Wei-hyang, the third commander.
The desire to see Baek Wei-hyang bubbled inside me like a volcano, but I didn’t have time for that. Coincidentally, it was said that the three military divisions were currently absent due to a mission that was handed to them.
-Wonhui.
As I entered, Iron Sword called out to me.
‘What is it?’
-There is a strong weapon inside.
‘Strong weapon?’
I am not able to hear the voices of anything other than swords. However, if Iron Sword said it, it had to mean something.
‘What is it?’
-Where did I feel it?
He felt it?
Couldn’t it be Zhuge Won-myung’s weapon? He was quite skilled, after all.
-It seems like it is a blade.
I became puzzled at Short Sword’s words. Zhuge Won-myung had a reputation for being skilled in using Battle Fans.
This meant that there was another guest inside. I wonder who it was?
“Follow me.”
Sima Young and I followed the warrior inside the building. Zhuge Won-myung’s office was located on the top floor of this three-story building.
As we stood waiting, Iron Sword said.
-Ah…! I think I know!
‘You think you know?’
-Right, it’s the North Heavenly Blade
The North Heavenly Blade?
Wait, I felt like I’d heard about it before.
In the meantime, the door to the office opened. At the top-most seat sat a middle-aged man in his mid-to-late fifties wearing a white robe.
‘Zhuge Won-myung!’
He was Zhuge Won-myung.
And there were two other people in the office.
On his right side was a man wearing brown robes sitting on a sack beside the chair. However, there was something unusual about him. The man’s right sleeve looked loose, meaning he was missing that arm.
‘… there is no right arm!’
Only then did I realize his identity.
-Who is it?
‘The North Brave Blade Star’
The North Brave Blade Star, Kwak Hyung-jik.
At one time, there was a saying that the South Heavenly Swordsman looked after the Southwest, and the North Brave Blade Star looked after the Northeast.
However, unlike the South Heavenly Swordsman, who had gone missing, the North Brave Blade Star had lost his arm in a fight and retired from the front lines.
If the weapon he was using was the North Heavenly Blade, then he had to be none other than Kwak Hyung-jik.
But why was he here?
-What? He wasn’t here in the past?
No.
Before my return, this man had no ties with the Murim Alliance.
Even his successor, whose name I remembered, had made a name for himself independent of the Murim Alliance.
A blue-eyed young man then turned towards me. The man had small eyes, as if he was closing them, and seemed to be Jang Myung, disciple to Kwak Hyung-jik.
“Come in.”
We bowed respectfully as we made our greeting.
“Third son of the Ikyang So family, So Wonhui, greets the First Military Commander.”
“Ma Young greets the First Military Commander.”
Sima Young followed my lead and greeted him as well. Zhuge Won-myung then regarded the two of us.
And then said
“Disciple So, I apologize but can you show me the sword on your back?”
Show the sword? For some reason, it felt like he was asking me to prove my identity.
Without hesitation, I drew the sword.
Srng!
While holding the hilt, I politely offered it to the two of them. Zhuge Won-myung then very lightly gestured toward Kwak Hyung-jik, who said.
“Disciple So. Bring the sword here.”
Contrary to his name, his way of speaking was blunt. It was as if he had already decided that all of this was false.
I then bowed to him and said.
“My greetings might be late, but it is an honor to greet the great warrior Kwak Hyung-jik in person.”
His eyes shone after hearing my greeting.
Perhaps he thought that I wouldn’t recognize him. Kwak Hyung-jik then looked at the sword he had received. We had only recently managed to get the rust off Iron Sword, so he looked brand new.
“As I thought.”
He nodded and returned the sword to me as he was done with his check. But then.
“Jang Myung.”
At his words, the younger man stood up.
He then took the North Heavenly Blade that Kwak Hyung-jik had placed next to the chair.
Zhuge Won-myung then said to me, who was a bit puzzled.
“Do not be offended. Besides you, there have been other people who claimed to be that great man’s disciple.”
Come to think of it, many of the people I had met as a disciple of the South Heavenly Sword had said the same thing. All of them had considered me a fake initially.
“As you can see, this man had competed against Ho Jong-dae for years, so he would be able to judge you.”
Hmm…
But was this necessary to prove myself? Wasn’t showing the sword enough?
From the looks of things, I would need to compete against Jang Myung. Zhuge Won-myung then smiled as he said.
“A confirmation as a swordsman to another. Will you please accept it?”
“Uh?”
“You can both stand there.”
Zhuge Won-myung pointed to a spot a bit further away from where he sat.
This room was spacious enough to swing the sword, but I still couldn’t understand what he was trying to make me do.
Zhuge Won-myung motioned for something, prompting the escort warrior behind him to come forward.
It was a wooden box containing Go pieces.
Kwak Hyung-jik held a handful of black and white pieces before placing them on the table as he said.
“First, Jang Myung will show you. Cut one hundred pieces. Disciple So should step aside.”
Cut one hundred? As I backed away, the man flicked a Go piece from the table at high speed with just his finger.
The Go pieces flew towards Jang Myung.
Srng!
Jang Myung had pulled out his sword and cut down the flying piece.
How fast must Kwak Hyung-jik’s fingers be moving, and how quickly could Jang Myung see to cut them down? They seemed to be quite accustomed to it.
The cut pieces fell to the ground. And he wanted me to split exactly a hundred of them in half?
Despite his movement with the blade, not one piece had been cut an extra time.
After hitting thirty pieces, Kwang Hyung-jik stopped.
“Did you see that? Can you do it with the Xing Ming Sword technique?’
“…”
Now I understood.
This was the reason why they wanted me to do this. He wanted to compare me with his own disciple to show that he had achieved something.
A test to prove that I, as the disciple of the South Heavenly Swordsman, still aimed for the top and would protect my teacher’s honor.
“Please show us.”
Jang Myung politely bowed, but his eyes were gleaming in joy.
-Can you do it?
‘Well.’
Frankly speaking, I’ve never done something like this before.
Cutting down Go pieces was not something people did for training. The man’s way of handling the blade was also truly shocking.
As I hesitated, Kwak Hyung-jik said.
“If it is really hard, just show the sword technique.”
“…”
-Now he is taunting you.
Kwak Hyung-jik was deliberately provoking me.
He knew that the South Heavenly Swordsman’s honor would be tarnished right here if I could not show at least this much.
‘…I feel like I need to show off a little.’
I stood still and drew a small circle on the ground.
Kwak Hyung-jin asked.
“Why did you draw a circle?”
“I will do it without coming out from this.”
At those words, both the teacher and disciple frowned.
This was my counter to their taunts.
Kwak Hyung-jik frowned but then smiled as he grabbed more Go pieces.
“Let’s see if you can get it done. Black ones.”
Bang!
As soon as he said this, he randomly threw the Go pieces.
The Go pieces that flew toward me reminded me of the Finger Snap Shorts. At that moment, I stood still and drew my sword.
Srng!
The moment I pulled my sword to the center, I felt my eyesight becoming enhanced as the pieces seemed to fly toward me slowly.
A mixture of white and black pieces flew toward me as I moved my sword to the fore.
I used the Loach Shaped Sword technique, which resembled a soft willow branch in its remarkable changes in trajectory, which was the most suited for cutting down these little things.
The black pieces fell to the ground as the air filled with the sound of me cutting them in half.
Kwak Hyung-jik’s hand stopped, and Jang Myung looked at the soles of my feet.
It was to make sure that I wasn’t coming out of the circle.
Chak!
They didn’t realize this wasn’t difficult for me because the pieces appeared to move slowly in my eyes.
As I hit around thirty pieces.
Kwak Hyung-jik stopped, and the floor was covered with the split halves of the black Go pieces. Naturally, my feet have yet to move out of the circle.
“Teacher, I will do it again.”
When I succeeded in doing this, Jang Myung expressed his desire for another chance.
At this, the teacher shook his head with a frown. As his student moved to ask for a reason, Kwak Hyung-jin pointed his finger at the floor.
“Do you not realize?”
“Uh?”
I held out my left hand to Jang Myung, who didn’t realize it yet. After seeing what was in it, his eyes became wide.
‘…!!’
In my left hand were fifteen white Go pieces. Not a single one of them had fallen to the ground.
