The Sword Emperor's Way of Establishing the Namgung Clan

Chapter 54 - The Competition (2)

Thump!

Wi Hyeon-su’s knee gave way, striking the floor of the dueling stage. An appearance of being unable to handle it as his strength gave out after trying to forcibly endure.

Wi Hyeon-su, who had collapsed onto one knee, could not hide his rough breathing.

‘An incredible sword power.’

His insides were thoroughly shaken, likely because they had clashed head-on with power against power.

‘Not only was I pushed back in strength, but by some kind of artistry, the power I had poured out was returned to me in reverse.’

At the same time, a martial art flashed through Wi Hyeon-su’s mind.

The Layered Cloud Form.

One of the sword styles that the Heavenly Sword Hall Master had mastered as her main skill.

According to rumor, it was a martial study that could ably be compared to the Tai Chi Sword of the Wudang Sect.

Namgung Jun, being the disciple of the Heavenly Sword Hall Master, would have naturally learned it.

‘To think he could unleash multiple martial principles in a single sword strike. And so skillfully at that.’

Wi Hyeon-su tried his best to swallow the internal bruising that was rising up from his chest.

Though his internal injuries were considerable, they were not to the extent that a duel was impossible. If he set his mind to it, he could continue the duel just as he was.

But Wi Hyeon-su did not do so.

The single move that Namgung Jun had shown.

The depth of the enlightenment contained in that single sword strike was difficult to even fathom. Because he had felt the disparity with his own body, he acknowledged his defeat.

“Azure Star Sword. I think I now know why you are called the Number One Rising Star of the Azure Sky.”

There was not a single Cloud who had not heard Wi Hyeon-su’s quiet words.

‘Wi Hyeon-su acknowledged Namgung Jun?’

‘To think that man with the sky-high pride would acknowledge a junior so far beneath him.’

‘What on earth did he experience in that clash just now?’

Even while everyone was wrapped in questions, Wi Hyeon-su paid them no mind and continued to speak.

“Can you grant me a rematch later? A one-exchange duel, like today’s.”

“You are welcome at any time.”

Thump!

Wi Hyeon-su, who had planted his great saber in the floor, politely performed a fist-and-palm salute with both hands.

“I have lost.”

“It was a good duel.”

Namgung Jun also stood facing him and returned the courtesy.

His appearance, without a single shred of disarray even after receiving Wi Hyeon-su’s powerful strike, was impressive.

In this place, how many rising stars were there who could do the same thing as Namgung Jun?

It was truly the aspect of a strong one.

Namgung Jun came down from the dueling stage side-by-side with Wi Hyeon-su.

Only then was the silence of the spectator seats broken, and the Clouds each opened their mouths.

“So it really ends like this.”

“He is a person who rarely knows how to give up, so this is unexpected.”

“More than that, is Namgung Jun alright? There is not a shred of disarray in his bearing. It’s a situation where he should have at least a slight internal injury.”

Even as the Clouds who were up for the next duel were climbing onto the dueling stage, the spectator seats were very clamorous.

It was because Wi Hyeon-su declaring his defeat after only a single exchange of blows came as that much of a shock.

For he was one of the influential figures who was a likely candidate to be sent to the Mount Song meeting.

Though Namgung Jun had recently been making a name for himself as the Azure Star Sword, the majority had predicted Wi Hyeon-su’s victory.

Furthermore, no one had expected that the match would be decided so easily, and not even in a close fight.

Among the rising stars, Wi Hyeon-su possessed a Saber Power that was counted among the best.

For that reason, even the other Three-Cloud members did not try to face Wi Hyeon-su’s great saber head-on.

But the accomplishment in the Heavy Sword that Namgung Jun had shown was truly overwhelming.

“Those Heavenly Sword Hall bastards. So this is why they confidently bet their monthly stipends on the Azure Star Sword’s victory.”

“So there was a reason.”

“Damn it. I didn’t know I’d lose the very first bet like this!”

The other Clouds turned their eyes in the direction where the seniors of the Heavenly Sword Hall, including Gong Jun-am, were sitting.

“As expected of Young Hero Namgung. What a gratifying duel!”

Heo Il, who was making a triumphant expression, raised his voice, and Gong Jun-am silently nodded his head. As if he had just seen a satisfying Heavy Sword.

The other members of the Heavenly Sword Hall also each burst out laughing. It seemed they were excited at the news that they had won the bet.

“I have to win, too! Everyone, just watch!”

In the middle of that, Man Ye-won clenched her two hands and shouted, but no one in the Heavenly Sword Hall gave her any attention.

Everyone’s interest was focused on Namgung Jun.

……

The competition proceeded quickly.

The duels progressed rapidly under Jegal Muran’s lead, and at some point, Heo Il’s turn had come.

Heo Il glanced at his scar-filled right hand and then brought the gourd bottle to his mouth.

As he drank a few mouthfuls of alcohol, his minutely trembling right hand was calmed.

“Is it finally my turn.”

Heo Il stroked the hilt of his new sword. Ordinarily, he would have been in the middle of adapting to it for a long while, but there was no need for that.

‘It wraps around my fingertips perfectly.’

Was it thanks to the enlightenment he had gained from the duel the night before?

When he had woken up from a short, sweet sleep and touched the sword, it had stuck fast to his hand as if he had used it for a long time.

As if the process of adaptation had been skipped in a single breath.

An air of confidence was suffused in the expression of Heo Il as he naturally gripped the hilt.

The gaze of Heo Il, who had risen to his feet, was directed toward a corner of the Grand Training Ground.

The competition participants who had finished their duels were gathered together and practicing Qi circulation and breath regulation, and Man Ye-won was also mixed in among them.

Though Man Ye-won had also achieved a victory in her duel, it was a hard-fought victory that she had barely managed to win. Because of that, it seemed the internal injuries she had gained from the duel were also considerable.

‘No matter how considerable her talent is, it is not an easy task. Since her opponents are the rising stars belonging to the Ten Halls.’

There were no individuals of ordinary talent in the Ten Halls. Furthermore, because their experience was also outstanding from various missions, it was only natural that she would have a hard time.

Rather, the fact that she had managed to achieve a victory, however difficult, was all the more surprising.

But Heo Il did not intend to be satisfied with a simple victory. It was because he had a deep connection with his opponent in this duel.

For that reason, he had naturally drunk a few more mouthfuls of alcohol than usual. It was because his heart was complicated in many ways.

‘This is an occasion where I must prove myself to several people.’

Heo Il's gaze grew slightly grave as he thought of his opponent. A color, as if anguish had spread like ink, was in it.

Despite this, his voice was still full of confidence.

“Young Hero Namgung. I will show you what I can truly do.”

“I will look forward to it.”

Heo Il descended from the spectator seats with a cheerful gait. On the dueling stage, Heo Il’s opponent was already waiting.

The smile of Heo Il, who saw his opponent, deepened. It was not a welcoming smile.

It was only that he was smiling more brightly to hide his emotions.

“It has been a long time.”

Heo Il evened out his breath for a moment and then continued his words.

“Senior Brother Hong Jun.”

“It has been a long time.”

Except for his two eyes, Hong Jun’s entire body was wrapped in black clothes. Even the scabbards fastened at both sides of his waist were painted jet-black.

The unmistakable appearance of an assassin. It was also the common attire of the Nether Fathom Hall.

The dark gaze that was faintly revealed from between his mask slowly scanned Heo Il.

“You have achieved a fair bit, but it is within the range of my expectations.”

“Is that so?”

A slight wrinkle formed on the mask that was covering Hong Jun’s face.

“The Nether Fathom Hall suits you better than the Heavenly Sword Hall. This is even more so if one thinks of our unique martial art.”

“Stop. To me, it is not a unique martial art, but merely a miscellaneous skill.”

“And you can say such a thing, when your epithet is The Seeker Sword?”

Heo Il’s smile became dry in an instant.

“You have become quite talkative in the time I have not seen you, Senior Brother.”

“I suppose it is because I am seeing my junior brother after a long time.”

And so, the conversation between the senior and junior brothers was cut short.

Ting!

The metallic sound of the iron fan, ringing out very clearly, hurried the beginning of the duel.

“Come.”

Instead of continuing the conversation, Heo Il slowly drew his sword.

Hong Jun stared intently at Heo Il’s scar-covered right hand and placed his hands on both sides of his waist. The bodies of the twin swords that were slowly revealed were entirely jet-black.

They were the typical weapons of an assassin.

KREANG!

The senior and junior brothers, who had been glaring at each other, closed the distance in an instant and clashed. A total of three swords drew savage sword paths and collided.

Ch-ch-ch-chaeng!

As both men wielded a Swift Sword style, the three swords flickered whitely and tore the atmosphere apart countless times.

Sparks flew fiercely, but they never reached the senior and junior brothers. For they had immediately performed a stealthy step and widened the distance.

The footwork of the two men was exactly the same.

Namgung Jun, who was watching the duel, asked.

“Senior Heo Il had a senior brother?”

“Hmm. Heo Il is a case where he and his senior brother entered the Azure Sky Society together.”

Gong Jun-am closed his mouth for a moment, then continued to speak.

“Few people in the Azure Sky Society would know. If not for today’s duel, most would not have known. It would be best for you to hear the detailed story from him directly.”

Namgung Jun quietly nodded his head and watched Heo Il’s hard struggle.

For the first five exchanges, it had seemed as if they were somewhat of an equal match, but gradually, the initiative of the duel was passed to Hong Jun.

‘Hong Jun’s unique martial art and the assassination arts of the Nether Fathom Hall have quite a good compatibility.’

Seeing this, he had wondered if Hong Jun and Heo Il came from a background of assassins, but after watching a few more exchanges, it did not seem so. The unique martial art they sometimes showed was similar to an assassination art, but its nature was clearly different.

‘What could it be? A Lightness Skill that is extremely fast yet gives off no presence, and considering their various hand techniques, could they be thieves?’

At that moment, Hong Jun’s twin swords roughly pushed Heo Il back. They were aimed at all his vital points.

Hong Jun’s body movements were clearly a level above Heo Il’s. Because of this, the dazzling and savage forms unique to the twin swords displayed even more power.

Every time the twin swords held in Hong Jun’s two hands let off a fierce light, Heo Il was hard-pressed to retreat.

“Look, junior brother. You are not bringing out the strengths of your original martial art at all.”

Hong Jun parried the sword that was thrusting for his shoulder and then swung his right leg like a whip to strike Heo Il’s abdomen.

THWACK!

“What would the Heo Il of the Nether Fathom Hall have been like?”

As Heo Il, whose eyebrows had twitched, was pushed back, Hong Jun immediately bent his legs and leaped.

CHAAENG!

The twin swords, which had been raised sharply like the fangs of a beast, plunged down fiercely.

Heo Il, who had laid his sword flat and barely managed to block it, pulled his left foot back and threw a dagger he had taken from within his robes.

It was the art of hidden weapons, one of Heo Il’s specialties.

However, between Hong Jun’s fingers, three large needles were already held.

Even though his hands were not free due to his use of the twin swords, the way he held the large needles was perfectly natural.

The level of his art of hidden weapons, which had melted into his body, was considerably high.

“You regarded it as a miscellaneous skill, yet now that you’re driven into a corner, you use it.”

“Is that so? It was to show you my mindset.”

“Mindset?”

“If I had walked the same path as you, Senior Brother, this is all I would have amounted to.”

Chang!

As the dagger and the large needle collided in mid-air and were embedded in the ground, the feet of Hong Jun and Heo Il became entangled.

Hong Jun crossed his twin swords diagonally just as they were and blocked the sword strike of Heo Il that was pouring down from above.

As their blades scraped against each other, the bodies of their swords each let out a scream. In the middle of that, the gazes of the senior and junior brother clashed hotly in mid-air.

“Senior Brother. Now I will show you the Heo Il of the Heavenly Sword Hall.”

“It seems you’ve learned some strange bravado in the Heavenly Sword Hall.”

“It will be very different. For it is an accomplishment I could not have achieved if not for the Heavenly Sword Hall.”

Heo Il relaxed the strength in his two arms and lightly retreated. As he did, he tried to seize the distance he wanted, but there was no way Hong Jun would stand still.

He immediately performed his footwork to close the combat distance and tried to adjust to the optimal distance for his twin swords.

Heo Il, who had raised the corners of his mouth, kicked off the ground in the same way.

‘He’s approaching instead?’

Hong Jun was puzzled. Considering the length of the sword that Heo Il was holding, he should have retreated three more steps from this distance.

‘Did his heart get stirred up by just those words?’

Hong Jun swung his twin swords diagonally to both sides with even colder eyes.

Perhaps because they were senior and junior brothers who both knew each other’s footwork, the strategic battle to seize the position was fierce.

And so, the moment he took the fifth step.

Hong Jun’s eyes narrowed.

‘Hmm?’

The steps of Heo Il as he was coordinating the distance were peculiar. Though he was taking a minute distance as if walking a tightrope, the sequence of his footwork was different from before.

Along with the change in his footwork, his sword strikes became sharper.

In the moment of change as the combat distance widened and narrowed, a swift thrust connected the space between Hong Jun and Heo Il.

K-ge-ge-gong!

‘His movements suddenly changed like this?’

Hong Jun’s eyelids rose slightly as he barely managed to receive the five thrusts.

As if he had been hiding his skill until now, the harmony of his combat distance and sword strikes showed a new coordination.

Thump!

A powerful stomp that Heo Il took to his left.

This was also the position where Hong Jun would have had to extend his right foot half a breath later.

The moment Hong Jun hesitated, Heo Il’s sword spewed forth a whitish streak of light.

KREEEAANG!

The thrust, which had shot up diagonally from the side, deflected Hong Jun’s twin swords in succession.

The state of the duel had been turned around in merely five exchanges.

Heo Il let his sword hang down as he looked at Hong Jun, who was looking at him with slightly surprised eyes.

“The Heo Il of the Heavenly Sword Hall will become stronger. Just like now.”

The situation, overturned in a single breath.

Heo Il had melted the teaching from Namgung Jun and the enlightenment he had gained from the duel the night before into a single step and a single sword strike.

Though the catalyst had been Namgung Jun, if the depth of the sword he had polished for so long in the Heavenly Sword Hall had been shallow, he would not have been able to obtain the enlightenment of last night.

Heo Il had proven it.

What kind of martial artist the Heo Il of the Heavenly Sword Hall was.

“Unlike you, Senior Brother, I will not rely on the unique martial art that we learned from that person. I will live by the sword of the Heavenly Sword Hall, by my own sword.”

Hong Jun stared intently at Heo Il and then asked.

“In the end, are you saying you will walk your own Path of Martial Arts? That is the more difficult task. The means are not important for revenge.”

“Of course, I do not think that your path is wrong, Senior Brother. It is merely that we are different.”

Hong Jun looked at his own twin swords, which were sprawled on the floor, and then gave a sharp nod.

“Yes. Though our paths are different, our destination will be the same.”

“That is so. Do we not have the same goal?”

Hong Jun turned his head slightly as he picked up his twin swords.

It was the place where the members of the Heavenly Sword Hall, including Namgung Jun, were gathered.

“What I said before was not with the intention of disparaging the Heavenly Sword Hall. If it was perhaps offensive, I apologize.”

Though Hong Jun’s declaration was directed at Heo Il, it was also directed at the members of the Heavenly Sword Hall who were observing the duel.

Heo Il, who had noticed this, smiled brightly.

It was the first smile that contained his true feelings.

“I know that was not your meaning.”

Hong Jun, who had been looking at that smile, let out a bitter smile and turned his back.

The duel of the senior and junior brothers, who were awkward with each other, was concluded.