Not the Nose Bridge, But the Crossguard (2)
The sect leader looked at me with an expression that clearly asked why I was here. Naturally, the other disciples turned their heads as well, staring at me with curious eyes. The pressure from all those gazes was impossible to ignore.
Of course, it wasn’t strange that they were looking at me like this.
After all, I had inserted myself into another sect’s affairs.
If it were me, and some outsider was boldly standing among my own disciples during a gathering, I’d probably be staring at them with the exact same ‘who the hell is this guy?’ look.
“I’ve come to lend a hand as well.”
“This is something the Hainan Sword Sect must handle ourselves. We cannot trouble a guest, so please return.”
No way.
I still needed to loot those Japanese pirates and forge my swords.
Since I had an absolute reason not to back down, I spoke again.
“I have also received grace from the Hainan Sword Sect. I will add my strength to this effort.”
“I said no.”
The sect leader firmly rejected my request with a resolute voice.
Apparently displeased with that refusal, two familiar voices rang out from either side of me.
“That’s right, Sect Leader! William Daehyeop is an outstanding swordsman. He will surely be of help…”
“Yeah!”
“You two, be quiet…”
The sect leader looked back and forth between Mu-gwang and Hye-ryeong, who had stepped forward to defend me, his face clearly pained. Then he let out a deep sigh.
“The Hainan Sword Sect does not mobilize guests for matters like this. This is an ironclad rule upheld not only by us but by all righteous warriors of the Central Plains. Please understand.”
In short, it was about the sect’s reputation.
If they had to drag in outsiders, it might paint the Hainan Sword Sect as too weak to handle its own problems. From the start, sending a guest into battle alongside them would make the sect look bad in many ways.
Having once been part of an elite knight order myself, I understood exactly what the sect leader was trying to say.
But sitting idle in this situation was simply not an option.
If I wanted to gather the funds to forge my swords, I had to participate in the fight against the Japanese pirates. It would also be good to earn some favor with the Hainan Sword Sect’s greatest blacksmith, Elder Baek-cheol, while I was at it.
Still, it didn’t seem like any half-hearted excuse would get me included.
I needed a decent pretext…
Ah.
“Sect Leader, didn’t the Japanese pirates sail to Hainan Island to attack? And from the west, correct?”
“That is so.”
“It is a well-known fact that they hail from Dongyeong. However, the fact that they came from the west suggests they either took a deliberate detour or were returning from plundering Daewol when they struck Hainan Island. Wouldn’t that be a reasonable assumption?”
“Hmm…”
It seemed he wanted me to continue. I pressed on, trying to persuade the sect leader, whose reaction was now less curt than before.
“In that case, one of my comrades who was aboard my ship might still be with them.”
“The chances are low. I doubt they would have spared a… colored-eye person.”
The sect leader once again responded negatively to my persuasion.
It wasn’t strange. To be honest, the odds really were slim.
In fact, they were practically zero.
The only reason I had drifted all the way to Hainan Island and been rescued was largely because I was a knight capable of using aura.
But the reason I offered this opinion was to create a justification that would allow me to join the Hainan Sword Sect’s pirate extermination without becoming a burden.
“Still, it’s not entirely impossible, is it? I can at least protect myself. I will simply accompany the warriors of the Hainan Sword Sect.”
“…Very well.”
Got him.
With a fairly decent justification, the sect leader reluctantly allowed me to tag along, as if he had no choice.
Of course, since it was an excuse I had improvised on the spot, there were plenty of holes to poke if someone really wanted to. Or he could have simply said he would look for my comrade instead and refused me outright.
But it seemed he had seen the determination in my eyes—the resolve that I would go no matter what—and changed his mind.
“However, make sure you keep that promise.”
“Thank you.”
At least I had received permission. That was something.
I added one more request.
“Would it be possible to receive a suitable weapon? I believe I will need one for self-defense…”
“Understood. Go to the armory and choose an appropriate weapon.”
“Thank you.”
With that, half of the immediate problems were solved.
Even if there were many Japanese pirates, they probably wouldn’t number in the thousands. Since the Hainan Sword Sect was mobilizing several hundred warriors, the chance of a truly dangerous battle was low.
No matter how strong the pirates were, they would likely be at most second-class.
So I could just stay near Hye-ryeong, swing my sword a few times, and make a good impression on the blacksmith Baek-cheol.
The only variable was if there happened to be a true expert among the pirates… but would someone of that caliber really bother with mere pillaging? In both East and West, a skilled master would have countless offers to join powerful factions.
“Elder Baek-hyeon will guide you to the armory.”
“Yes, understood.”
It seemed he had assigned someone I was already acquainted with. I gave Mu-gwang’s master a slight nod of greeting, then quietly stepped back.
My objective had already been achieved.
“We will consider this discussion concluded… Disciples of Hainan, have you heard the news that those despicable Japanese pirates have invaded our island?”
“Yes!”
The warriors’ thunderous voices slammed into my ears without mercy. Watching from behind, memories of my knight days suddenly surfaced.
“Rookie! Get your head in the game! You wanna die?!”
“No, sir!”
“Stay sharp and don’t drop your weapon! The moment you do, not only you but your comrades will die too!”
…How long ago was that?
I twisted my lips into a wry smile, remembering the fledgling I had once been.
“I’ll take this sword.”
“It’s an old blade. The quality isn’t particularly good either… Are you sure this one will be alright?”
“Yes. This will be enough.”
As Elder Baek-hyeon had said, the sword I picked up was covered in a thick layer of dust, as if it had been abandoned in the armory for a long time. I swung it through the air a few times to shake off the dust and inspected its condition.
The balance was slightly off.
It looked like it had a flaw from the moment it was made. I’m surprised they didn’t melt it down and instead stored it like this.
Its only advantages were the long grip and long blade… But its shape and form were completely different from the swords used by the Hainan Sword Sect. Why would they have made something like this?
An experiment?
Or… did the Hainan Sword Sect once have a sword style that used blades like this?
No. There was no point thinking about it. I already had a mountain of things to deal with. I shouldn’t add unnecessary worries.
“Then let us depart soon. The disciples are waiting.”
We left the armory and headed to where the prepared disciples stood in formation.
The warriors gathered in the training ground stared at me with curious eyes when I appeared carrying a sword that looked about half again as long as the ones they used.
“Do all colored-eye people have such large builds?”
“That sword is definitely big, but it looks the same as ours…”
“His height alone looks like it exceeds six cheok. Of course it would. Even the biggest warriors here would look small next to that colored-eye person.”
I can hear you, you dwarves.
“Mister! Did you get a sword?”
“I received one I can use for now.”
“This sword is about the same length as mine, isn’t it?”
Hye-ryeong playfully stood right beside me, pressing her limbs close. I held the sword vertically to compare our heights.
Hmm, there’s about a span’s difference.
When I had glanced at it earlier, it looked shorter than the sword I used to have, but seeing it like this, the difference wasn’t that big.
If I made a new one about half a span longer than this sword, it should be perfect. Considering the average length of a longsword, it would still be on the long side, but for my physique, that length felt just right.
“William Daehyeop. You’ve obtained a sword.”
“A sword for self-defense is necessary.”
“Ahem. Enough chatter. It is time for us to set out.”
At the sect leader’s words, we fell silent and fixed our attention on him.
The sect leader looked over the neatly lined-up disciples of the Hainan Sword Sect with a serious expression, then shouted.
“Disciples of the Hainan Sword Sect! Those despicable Japanese pirates have once again invaded our homeland! The time has come to teach those wretches exactly whose island this is and who protects it! Everyone, draw your swords!”
“Waaaaaaaah!”
“Ha-jin!”
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
“You will lead the vanguard and depart immediately! Reach the village as quickly as possible, assess the situation, and if the Japanese pirates are there, exterminate them at once. Understood?”
“Yes!”
The warriors at the very front kicked off the training ground and vanished in an instant.
Light and agile movements.
So that’s the lightness skill of the martial world.
It was the first time I had seen it properly, and it left quite an impression. In the West, wearing armor and riding horses was the norm, so lightness techniques hadn’t developed much.
There were footwork and lightness skills that combined man and horse, but…
“The rear guard will now depart carrying these bundles.”
The sect leader pointed at the bundles stacked in front of the training ground. When I sniffed, a faintly bitter scent reached me. Wall Grain Pills? So that’s why they were being sent later—they were preparing supplies.
It seemed the sect leader of the Hainan Sword Sect understood well what was important in war.
“Have you all taken them?”
“Yes!”
“Then we depart! Do not fall behind!”
Starting with the sect leader, the rear guard shouldered the bundles and began moving toward the main gate of the Hainan Sword Sect. Hye-ryeong and Mu-gwang moved along with them.
I quietly watched from behind for a moment, then began following after them at a steady pace.