Return of the Mount Hua Sect (HTL 1634+)

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Eyes filled with shock pierced him like daggers. Feeling the intensity of those gazes, Namgung Dowi took a deep breath.

"Young Master! What are you—!"

A desperate voice called out to him from afar. The words they wanted to say were obvious, and Namgung Dowi agreed—they weren't wrong.

'I don't know.'

He truly didn't know. Was stepping forward the right decision? Or would it have been wiser to quietly await orders? Even as hesitation still lingered, there was only one reason why he chose to unsheathe his sword and step forward.

— Those who can't make their own decisions will never accomplish anything.

'Dojang.'

Those words were no longer etched in his mind but engraved deep within his heart.

Namgung Dowi was no longer just a follower—he was a leader. And a leader must make decisions on their own.

If he were to give another reason for his resolve…

"You wretched evil sects."

Namgung Dowi slowly raised his sword. Then, with all his might, he roared.

"How dare you tread upon this land!"

It was a somewhat awkward thing coming out of his mouth. Even knowing this, Namgung Dowi felt a strange sense of familiarity.

His father, Namgung Hwang, would undoubtedly have said the same. Without hesitating or debating finer details, he would have stood firmly to block the path of those who dared to harm the innocent under the name of righteousness.

It wasn't about mimicking everything his father stood for. But without even the courage to emulate that fiery spirit, how could Namgung Dowi carry the weight of the Namgung name in his heart?

The sword Namgung Dowi raised shimmered with a bright, white light. The energy radiating from it swelled to an overwhelming size, becoming as large as a house.

"Uh…. Uh, Huh?"

It was an overwhelming sight.

The Emperor's Sword, manifesting in its grandeur, was a force that drew all eyes.

"Come at me! I am Namgung Dowi! I will cut you all down!"

Namgung Dowi swung his sword downward with all his might.

BOOOOOOM!

The word 'powerful' was not enough to describe it.

It was inner strength gathered from the essence of prestigious family. Along with that, he had mastered swordsmanship that could fully utilize that strength, accompanied by the practitioner's relentless effort.

But this strike carried something even greater, something that surpassed all of that—a soul-stirring energy that left every observer breathless. 

"Ah…"

He gave no thought to what came next. It was a single, all-out strike.

Perhaps, the most fitting word to describe such a move was 'reckless'.

The war had only just begun. Exhausting his energy reserves at the outset of a battle that could stretch indefinitely was far from a great strategy.

But perhaps it was precisely this recklessness that stirred the hearts of those who witnessed it.

"Namgung…"

"It's the Young Master! Namgung Dowi of the Namgung Family!"

Cheers erupted, voices hoarse from shouting, as those who saw his entrance roared in unison.

Stronger warriors? Surely, they existed.

More renowned figures? Their numbers were uncountable.

But at this moment, no one could say for certain if any of them could ignite the same fiery passion that Namgung Dowi had.

This fervor wasn't born of sheer martial arts skills.

After all, wasn't it etched deeply into everyone's minds? What path Namgung Dowi had walked.

From the Plum Blossom Island to every frontline battle against the Evil Tyrant Alliance, he had stood firm. His family had been brought to the brink of ruin by the enemy's hands, yet he never let his spirit waver, making him a prodigy of this era.

It was because it was Namgung Dowi's sword, and because it was Namgung Dowi's voice, that it could stir the hearts of those who witnessed it.

"Don't back down!"

The name of Namgung was not always right behind him, yet Namgung Dowi didn't mind in the slightest. It wasn't that he stood upright because Namgung was there.

It was because he was there that Namgung could stand firm.

Namgung Dowi raised his sword once more.

"We are standing here to protect this land."

He was Namgung, but at times, he was also Heavenly Comrade Alliance, and sometimes, he was Mount Hua. And just as he had stood with them, anyone standing behind his sword could become Namgung.

"Don't let a single one of them set foot on this land!"

Without looking back, Namgung Dowi charged forward. His upright and resolute energy made even the Evil Tyrant Alliance soldiers flinch momentarily.

"This brat…!"

To falter before someone so young was infuriating, yet they couldn't summon the courage to lash out in full force. And to make matters worse, Heavenly Comrade Alliance warriors surged forward, following Namgung Dowi's lead with a ferocious momentum.

'Those, those bastards!'

It was as if the entire atmosphere of the battlefield had shifted. The rising fervor seemed to twist and crush everything in its path.

"Crush them! Don't let them run wild!"

"Uaaaargh!"

But the Evil Tyrant Alliance soldiers had no room to retreat. Their only option was to clash head-on with all their might.

Another current of the battle was shifting right here and now.

❀ ❀ ❀

"Wha- What's happening?"

Distracted by the thunderous cheers echoing nearby, someone's focus wavered. 

Clang!

At that moment, the sword that was blocking the Evil Tyrant Alliance's blade sprang up, leaving a long scar across his face.

"Aagh!"

"Stop gawking, you idiot!"

"Huh, huh!"

He knew something significant was happening nearby, but there was no time to confirm it.

'Whatever it is, just…'

CRAAASH!

"…..Urgh!"

The force of the sword that was pressed down made his wrist feel as if it would shatter. He even found himselves regretting his choice of a lighter weapon like a sword.

'If, If there's an opening…'

If they didn't seize the moment when the enemy withdrew their weapon, his sword would undoubtedly break under the pressure.

But their opponent seemed to anticipate this, refusing to pull back and instead pressing down with even more force.

"Guh!"

His back twisted, and his knees almost gave out.

But they clenched their teeth, knowing that to fall now would mean being split in half.

'I, I can't hold on any longer…'

Muscles screamed, bones groaned, and despair swept over them as they realized their limit was near.

'Someone… someone, please help…'

Screeeech!

A sharp metallic sound echoed as the sword finally shattered. The one who foresaw his impending death squeezed his eyes shut.

"..."

Yet, no pain followed. Could it be that he had already died?

Summoning the courage to peek, he saw someone standing in front of him, holding a sword that had intercepted the descending blade.

"Wha…?"

The weapon this person wielded wasn't particularly special—just a simple longsword, seemingly no different from the one the doomed fighter had used.

But it had stopped the strike he couldn't endure.

"Grrrrgh…" 

The soldier of the Evil Tyrant Alliance wielding the blade strained, veins bulging across their body, yet the sword didn't budge, as if rooted like a mountain.

"Are you alright?"

"….. Yeah?"

The stunned individual reflexively responded with a foolishly blank question.

Undeterred, the swordsman calmly replied.

"You seem shaken. My apologies."

"Ah…."

The swordsman gently placed a hand on his shoulder and nudged him aside.

'Wi, with one hand?'

Despite holding off the attack, they effortlessly moved the other aside as though it required no effort at all—like playing with a child's toy.

"Now then."

Boom!

The swordsman lightly flicked their sword. The opposing blade was repelled, sending its wielder stumbling backward, completely off balance.

Everyone watching froze in disbelief.

Such a spectacle could only be possible for someone who had ascended to an exceptionally high realm of skill.

"Who... who are you?"

"I'm no one famous. But if you're so eager to know, I'll tell you."

The swordsman stepped forward, planting both feet firmly on the ground like roots burrowing deep into the earth.

Then, they raised their sword to a basic middle guard stance—a foundational posture for all swordsmen.

Despite its simplicity, the mere act of assuming this position made everyone feel suffocated.

The man, clad in a white martial robe embroidered with blue patterns, spoke in a solemn voice.

"I am Lee Songbaek of Zhongnan. From this moment onward, I will face you."

The soldiers of the Evil Tyrant Alliance could not hide their unease.

'Lee Seong… baek?'

It wasn't a name they'd heard before. That only made the situation more bewildering—how could someone this skilled remain unknown?

"Sa, sahyung! What are you doing?"

Oddly enough, it was the disciples of Zhongnan, standing in the rear, who reacted to the name.

"What am I doing? Isn't it obvious? I'm blocking them."

"…What?"

"Whether it's the vanguard or the rear, it's the same. Block them, as instructed."

"What kind of reasoning is that…!"

The disciples gaped in disbelief at his nonchalant response.

He had blatantly ignored the strict command to stay in formation and now stood at the front with a flimsy excuse.

"You bastard!"

Before they could stop him, the soldiers of the Evil Tyrant Alliance charged toward Lee Songbaek with ferocious intent. Countless blades swung at him from all directions, creating the image of a beast made of steel claws.

"Do- dodge!"

The onlookers screamed in alarm, but Lee Songbaek remained calm, lifting his sword slowly, entirely unfazed.

'Thirty-six directions.'

The world he see consists of thirty-six directions.

The world is made up of thirty-six directions. That means if he can occupy all thirty-six directions at the same time... Then…

'Nothing in the world is frightening.'

Screeeech!

Lee Songbaek's sword danced through the air. It was neither overly fast nor ostentatious, but heavy with precision. With perfect accuracy, he intercepted every blade flying toward him without the slightest hesitation.

Clang!

The clash of steel erupted into a symphony of sharp metallic sounds, culminating in a deafening roar. 

"Ugh!"

"Arghhh!"

Each warrior whose blade was blocked reeled backward as though thrown from a cliff. 

"Th-this…"

Everyone stared wide-eyed at Lee Songbaek, who remained in his simple middle guard stance, utterly unshaken.

'Our path was here from the very beginning.'

And the person who showed him this was standing right there.

If they hadn't met, what kind of person would Lee Songbaek have become? He didn't even want to imagine.

Those in the Evil Tyrant Alliance swallowed nervously as Lee Songbaek's gaze landed on them.

Then, attempting to steel themselves, they shouted.

"You nameless nobody!"

"Hmm… You're not wrong."

Lee Songbaek nodded as if conceding their point. Compared to well-known figures like Jin Geumryong, Namgung Dowi, or Five Swords, he truly was a nameless warrior.

"But I suppose it's time to change that."

"What did you say?"

"Allow me to make myself known today."

Still holding his stance, Lee Songbaek declared.

"Remember this name. Lee Songbaek of Zhongnan. It will be the last name you remember."

Unlike the flower of Mount Hua, Zhongnan's tree stood tall, firmly rooted.

And in this moment, the seed sown by Cheong Myeong had bloomed into a magnificent sight for all to see.