Chapter 17: Unit Leader (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 17: Unit Leader (3)
Clash-clash-clash-clash!
In an instant, the two had moved past the 12th form and clashed through the 16th.
Perhaps having forgotten this was a spar, Advanced Warrior Go Jin-chang’s techniques toward the training disciple, Jo Seong-won, grew increasingly violent.
It was then that Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung shouted.
“Stop!”
At his command, Go Jin-chang halted, a scowl etched on his face.
If the duel hadn't been stopped there, things might have spiraled out of control.
Normally, he should have composed his emotions and offered a fist-and-palm salute as a courtesy to the disciple, but Go Jin-chang merely glared at him with an irritated expression.
Snap!
In contrast, the training disciple Jo Seong-won offered a respectful fist-and-palm salute.
As he did, the other training disciples erupted in cheers.
“Wooooooo!!!”
“That was amazing!”
A mere training disciple had held his own against a first-rate master, even if only for a short time.
It was more than enough to drive the disciples into a frenzy.
Beside me, Hae Ak-cheon muttered.
“Keke, you brought a decent fellow. His martial arts seem to originate from the Haomen Sect.”
As he finished speaking, Hae Ak-cheon’s Adam’s apple quivered slightly.
He seemed to be sending a sound transmission to someone.
The recipient was likely—
‘The Bloody Unit Leader.’
The Bloody Unit Leader’s gaze was also fixed on Hae Ak-cheon.
As the one in charge of the disciples, he likely knew everyone’s personal details and was answering a query.
Once the transmission ended, Hae Ak-cheon nodded.
“I was right.”
He looked satisfied, as if his prediction had been confirmed.
Jo Seong-won used Haomen martial arts?
‘I did.’
The guy was definitely from the Beggar's Sect.
A kill order had been issued for him throughout the entire Blood Cult, so his information had been made public to everyone.
That was why I remembered him.
The Namcheon Iron Sword had a point.
There was no way he would perform Beggar's Sect techniques in front of everyone.
To thoroughly hide his identity, using the martial arts of another sect was the correct move.
‘The Haomen Sect, of all things.’
It was interesting that he chose the Haomen Sect as his cover.
The Beggar's Sect and the Haomen Sect had long been considered the top three organizations in the Central Plains for their information-gathering capabilities.
In a way, they were rivals.
‘I suppose.’
‘If you’re going to lie, the Haomen Sect makes the most sense. They belong to the Evil Faction and the Black Path.’
The Beggar's Sect was a guild made of beggars.
Since the time of its founding ancestor, the Beggar's Sect had been a group that revered the nation and the Orthodox path.
On the other hand, the Haomen Sect—composed of members from the underworld like courtesans, gamblers, thugs, and tavern keepers—was a typical gathering of the Evil Faction and the Black Path.
From the Blood Cult’s perspective, they were bound to be more favorable toward the Haomen Sect.
“Keke, he’s quite tempting.”
Huh?
What is this old man talking about?
Is he saying he wants that Beggar's Sect spy as a talent?
I was wondering about that when—
“Who is next to take the Advanced Warrior position exam?”
Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung spoke, looking back and forth between our side and where the Blood Hand Witch, Han Baek-ha, stood.
The training disciples’ gazes were also split between the two groups.
Now it was the turn of the disciples of the Four Venerables and the Seven Blood Stars.
“Master, I’ll go first—”
“No.”
Hae Ak-cheon stopped Song Jwa-baek as he tried to step forward.
Then, he shouted toward the Blood Hand Witch.
“Keke, I shall yield the first turn to your disciple.”
I thought he was going to send one of us out first to break their momentum, but this old man is sharper than he looks.
He had chosen the practical route.
By letting Dam Ye-hwa take the exam first, he intended to gauge the level of an Advanced Warrior when they fought with their full strength.
Certainly, if Dam Ye-hwa had reached the first-rate realm, we would be able to see an Advanced Warrior—a first-rate master—fighting seriously, unlike the previous bouts.
However, an unexpected answer came from Han Baek-ha’s lips.
“No. This time, I shall yield to the disciple of the Venerable One.”
“What?”
One of Hae Ak-cheon’s eyebrows shot up.
Even though Hae Ak-cheon was her senior, he hadn't expected her to refuse like that.
Was she trying to avoid revealing her disciple's full strength first?
She likely had me in mind and, similar to Hae Ak-cheon, wanted Dam Ye-hwa to observe the full power of a first-rate master first.
Of course, there was no way Hae Ak-cheon would take this gracefully.
“Hmph! If I say I’m yielding, you should just accept it instead of arguing—wait, what?”
Hae Ak-cheon, who had been speaking, suddenly fell silent.
He stared at Han Baek-ha without saying a word; it seemed the two were now conversing via sound transmission.
What on earth were they saying?
Then, Hae Ak-cheon’s face twisted into a fierce scowl.
He looked at me and said, “Did you make a bet with the Blood Hand Witch?”
Ah...
I didn't expect her to bring that up here.
Since her disciple’s and her own honor were at stake, I thought she would keep our bet quiet, but it seemed she had told Hae Ak-cheon.
‘That’s not all.’
She made the first move to gain an advantage, yes.
But it was also to plant the perception that she and I were in contact.
That woman really is something else.
The Blood Hand Witch was looking at me with a faint, playful smile.
A woman who usually wore a poker face was intentionally acting friendly.
The Lesser Conversation Sword clicked its tongue.
However, there was one thing she didn't know.
Hae Ak-cheon spoke to me with an annoyed expression.
“Hmph. Was the bet to have you persuade me on her behalf?”
I had already told Hae Ak-cheon.
I told him that Han Baek-ha wanted to use me to persuade him.
Since she couldn't hear us from over there, Han Baek-ha was still wearing that playful smile.
The Lesser Conversation Sword snickered.
Well, regardless of the bet, there was no reason I couldn't tell my master about this.
If I happened to lose, I would have to move according to her wishes, so I needed a backup plan.
That’s why I just told Hae Ak-cheon.
I had intentionally hidden the bet itself, but now that it was out, even if I learned her techniques, I would have no choice but to tell Hae Ak-cheon.
That was a bit of a shame.
“Actually...”
I quietly confessed the truth to Hae Ak-cheon.
“Tsk, tsk. You really are obsessed with gaining something whenever an opportunity arises.”
Surprisingly, Hae Ak-cheon didn't get very angry.
Just as I had grown used to his eccentric personality, he seemed to have figured me out as well.
Feeling awkward, I scratched my head.
“If you try to pull any more tricks, I’ll break both your legs so you can’t walk.”
There it is.
I knew he wouldn't let it slide completely.
But then Hae Ak-cheon’s expression changed, and he grinned.
“Keke, so you made such an interesting bet. I’ll have to make sure that girl who only wears black spits out her secrets properly.”
Shove!
“Whoa!”
With those words, Hae Ak-cheon pushed my back.
I stumbled forward to the front of the platform.
Hae Ak-cheon crossed his arms and said to me, “Show them.”
Those words carried a lot of weight.
He had told the twins not to step forward, but now he was pushing me out first. Song Jwa-baek was watching with a dissatisfied face.
I didn't want to go first either.
“Whew.”
It looked like I had no choice.
It would have been better if the Song twins had gone out and taken the spotlight, but it couldn't be helped.
Step!
I offered a fist-and-palm salute toward Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung on the platform.
Gu Sang-ung also gave a slight nod out of respect for a disciple of a Venerable, then gestured toward the Advanced Warriors standing before the platform.
A man with a scar near his eye stepped forward from among them.
“Since a volunteer has come forward, we shall begin the Advanced Warrior position exam—”
At that moment, I offered another fist-and-palm salute and shouted.
“I wish to take the exam for the position of Unit Leader!”
‘!!!’
Gu Sang-ung’s expression froze.
The same went for the Unit Leaders standing behind him.
A murmur rose from the disciples behind me.
“What did he just say?”
“Unit Leader?”
The reaction was natural.
I had come out for the Advanced Warrior exam but requested the Unit Leader position instead.
I glanced to the side.
The faint smile that had been on Han Baek-ha’s face just moments ago was gone, replaced by a furrowed brow.
Dam Ye-hwa also looked stunned, her face clouded with confusion.
“Kekekeke.”
Amidst the collective shock, Hae Ak-cheon’s distinctive laughter rang out.
He seemed satisfied.
This was exactly why I wanted to let Song Jwa-baek, who loved the spotlight, do this, but the words had already left my mouth.
Gu Sang-ung stared at Hae Ak-cheon with a hardened face before turning his gaze back to me.
“Do you understand the meaning of what you are asking?”
How could I not?
I had heard it before from Blood Wolf Great Leader No Seong-gu.
There were three ways to become a Unit Leader.
First, by consistently building achievements and completing one's term as an Advanced Warrior, one would be promoted to Deputy Unit Leader and then Unit Leader.
Second, by performing a great feat worthy of a rank promotion.
And finally, the third way.
“I am aware. I must defeat two Advanced Warriors in a real sword duel within 100 forms.”
Buzz, buzz!
The disciples stirred at my words.
The difficulty was incomparable to the Advanced Warrior exam.
However, this third method was legitimate.
Even among first-rate masters, not everyone possessed the same martial prowess.
To be recognized as a Unit Leader, one had to possess enough skill to at least handle a combined attack from first-rate masters.
Gu Sang-ung’s eyes pierced through me.
[The Venerable One must have taught his disciples well.]
His voice reached my ears via sound transmission.
It sounded like praise, but there was a clear note of sarcasm in his tone.
Well, I could understand his feelings.
No matter how great a Venerable was, it would seem absurd for someone who had only been learning for a year to aim for a Unit Leader position.
Furthermore, unlike the twins, it was known that my dantian had only been healed six months ago.
As the Lesser Conversation Sword said, the expressions of the Advanced Warriors were also grim.
They had likely heard that I had only been formally practicing martial arts for six months.
Crack!
As they warmed up, every single one of them was overflowing with killing intent.
They themselves still considered the position of Unit Leader a distant dream, so they likely found it arrogant for a novice who had just started learning martial arts to act so bold, relying on his master’s prestige.
“Are you truly certain about this?”
Gu Sang-ung asked Hae Ak-cheon.
“Keke, I sent him out because he is sufficiently qualified.”
“......Understood.”
Gu Sang-ung replied with a cold gaze to Hae Ak-cheon’s confident voice.
Then, he turned to me and asked, “Are you... going to use that sword?”
I think I knew why he was asking.
Hae Ak-cheon was famous for fighting empty-handed, so seeing me with a sword, he was checking just in case.
“Yes.”
Gu Sang-ung frowned.
Then, he looked down at the Advanced Warriors below the platform.
Among the sixteen Advanced Warriors, several were looking at me with disbelief.
Gu Sang-ung called out two of them.
“Dae-jeong, Ho-yun.”
“Loyalty!”
Both men had scabbards on their backs.
In other words, they were swordsmen.
It seemed he had intentionally chosen only swordsmen.
Gu Sang-ung’s intention seemed clear to me as well.
At Gu Sang-ung’s command, the two Advanced Warriors stepped forward, their gazes alternating between my face and the Namcheon Iron Sword on my back.
“The two of you shall conduct the exam.”
“Loyalty!”
Taking their positions, they widened their stance against me to prepare for the duel.
Coincidentally, both of them sent me sound transmissions almost simultaneously.
[If you only came out because of the Venerable’s orders, there is no need to greedily seek the Unit Leader position. You still have many opportunities.]
[Since the Venerable’s disciple handles a sword, I shall humbly request a lesson.]
The transmissions they sent and the expressions they wore were starkly different.
Their eyes glared as if they wanted to devour me, burning with fighting spirit.
They looked ready to pounce the moment the signal was given.
I offered them a fist-and-palm salute and spoke politely.
“I look forward to the match.”
Despite my politeness, their hands moved toward their sword hilts with looks of pure annoyance.
They seemed very eager to start.
Slide!
I also gripped the hilt of the Namcheon Iron Sword.
The audience fell silent.
The disciples’ eyes were glued to me and the two Advanced Warriors in front of the platform.
Then, Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung shouted.
“Begin!”
Dash!
The moment the words left his mouth, the two Advanced Warriors’ feet left the ground, and their figures lunged toward me in an instant.
Were they experienced in combined attacks?
Clang!
Drawing their swords mid-lunge, the two swung toward my upper right head and my left leg, seemingly intent on ending the duel in a single stroke.
Step-step-step!
I retreated, utilizing my footwork.
As expected of first-rate masters, the two also used their footwork to close the distance.
Clang!
I drew the Namcheon Iron Sword and thrust it toward the Advanced Warrior named Dae-jeong.
Dae-jeong blocked it with the flat of his blade.
Clash!
Whoosh!
In that split second, the Advanced Warrior named Ho-yun thrust his sword toward my right chest.
I used my footwork to sidestep and create distance, then parried Ho-yun’s thrust at an angle.
Clang!
I then threw a kick toward Ho-yun’s abdomen.
“Hah!”
Ho-yun hurriedly used his footwork to dodge.
To prevent me from following up, Dae-jeong appeared on my left and thrust his sword toward my shoulder.
Clash!
I spun rapidly and parried it upward.
Dae-jeong’s eyes narrowed.
He seemed surprised that I wasn't flustered by their combined attack and was responding skillfully.
Of course I was.
For nearly four months, I had done over a hundred mock spars with Hae Ak-cheon and the twins specifically for the Unit Leader exam.
We had sparred in conditions that were almost identical to real combat; how could I not handle this?
Dae-jeong and Ho-yun exchanged glances.
It seemed they had decided to change their tactics.
Dash!
Dae-jeong rushed toward me.
He wasn't just using simple forms anymore; he was unleashing proper sword techniques.
A violent sword intent, like a rampaging tiger, flew indiscriminately toward my vital points.
Swish-swish-swish-swish!
There was a way to meet strong momentum with equal strength, but—
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
I responded with a fluid sword technique.
The Illuminating Shadow Sword.
Through the fluid changes of the sword forms, as slippery as a loach, I looked for an opening in Dae-jeong’s violent sword intent.
Dae-jeong’s eyes widened.
He hadn't expected my sword to penetrate his momentum.
I’m sorry, but the sword technique you’ve learned and mine are on different levels.
Thud! Thud!
My sword, having pierced through his momentum, struck his shoulder and chest twice.
Though they were only light stabs, he panicked, changed his sword form, and retreated with his footwork.
Patter-patter-patter!
I followed him, unleashing a sword technique to finish him first.
At that moment, the corners of Dae-jeong’s mouth curled up slightly.
“Still a greenhorn.”
Right then.
I ducked as low as possible.
Whoosh!
In that instant, a sword thrust aimed at my head came from behind without a sound.
“What?!”
Before I knew it, I had drawn the Lesser Conversation Sword and thrust the dagger backward without even looking.
Stab!
“Argh!”
A single scream rang out.
I didn't stop there; I gripped the Namcheon Iron Sword at an angle and twisted my body.
In that moment, my body spun rapidly, and the sword technique rose upward like a whirlwind, slashing in all directions—front, back, left, and right.
It was the 4th form of the Life Bright Sword Technique: Rising Dragon Return Sword.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
“T-This!”
Dae-jeong, who was in front of me, couldn't withstand the momentum of the technique and was blown backward, even losing his grip on his sword.
Having soared nearly four zhang into the air while spinning, I gripped my sword with both hands at the peak.
Then, I struck down with intense force.
It was the 5th form of the Life Bright Sword Technique: Meteor Falling Sword.
“Damn it!”
Startled by the sword technique descending with incredible momentum, Ho-yun tried to block it by unleashing his own technique, but his sword was instantly snapped in half.
Snap!
“Gah!”
Ho-yun was overwhelmed by the sword intent and collapsed onto the ground.
If I had continued the strike, I could have cleaved him in two, but this wasn't a duel to the death.
I stopped my sword right in front of his nose.
“Huff... huff...”
Ho-yun’s face turned pale as he stared at the blade of the Namcheon Iron Sword stopped right before him.
I calmly withdrew the Namcheon Iron Sword.
Then, I said to him, “You should stop the bleeding. And pull out the dagger.”
The Lesser Conversation Sword was lodged in Ho-yun’s thigh.
Having forgotten even the pain, he muttered as if he couldn't understand at all.
“H-How... without even looking back...”
He seemed to want to know if I had sensed him.
I looked at his broken sword.
No matter how much one hid their presence to strike from behind, the voice of the sword could be heard clearly.
“Woooooooaaaaaaaah!!!”
At that moment, a thunderous roar of cheers erupted from the disciples.