Chapter 17: Unit Leader (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 17: Unit Leader (4)
"Waaaaaaaah!"
The training disciples erupted into a frenzy, cheering at the top of their lungs.
They were absolutely wild for So Woon-hwi.
"Did you see that? He stopped his sword right at the tip of the nose!"
"That’s insane!"
"He actually won! Didn't they say he had to win within a hundred forms?"
"It didn't even look like it lasted a few forms!"
To the disciples, the Blood Cult’s advanced warriors were figures of terror and absolute power. Yet, the divine prowess So Woon-hwi displayed against two of them was nothing short of overwhelming. His brilliant sword forms and martial might were more than enough to captivate the young crowd.
'Ha...'
Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung was at a loss for words. His predictions had been completely off the mark.
Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon was famous as a fist expert. Therefore, when So Woon-hwi claimed he would use a sword, Gu Sang-ung had inwardly dismissed it as mere bravado. He had been certain that even if the boy used his fists, six months of training wouldn't be enough to handle a combined attack from two first-rate masters. The reality was staggering.
"Hasn't it only been six months since his dantian was restored?"
"I can hardly believe it."
"It’s one of two things. Either he was a once-in-a-generation prodigy before his dantian was damaged, or the Venerable has created a truly magnificent sword technique."
"I didn't know the Venerable was so skilled with the sword. Ha!"
"A man of his stature is bound to be proficient in other arts as well."
The other Unit Leaders were also full of admiration. They were focusing more on the sword technique itself than on So Woon-hwi’s raw martial prowess. That was how shocking the forms he displayed had been.
"Master..."
Dam Ye-hwa couldn't take her eyes off her master’s face. Since being taken in as a disciple, this was the first time she had seen the woman show such intense emotion.
'That man, So Woon-hwi, really...'
She hadn't expected him to put her in such a difficult position. She and Han Baek-ha had also set their goals higher than the requirement. Their aim was not just to endure twelve forms from an advanced warrior, but to defeat one convincingly.
But So Woon-hwi had gone far beyond that. He hadn't even let the fight pass ten forms against a combined attack.
'...Sigh.'
A sigh escaped her lips involuntarily. No matter how much she had mastered the Blood Jade Hand—the signature martial art of the Blood Hand Witch—she still lacked the confidence to face two first-rate masters at once. Why did that man have to make things so difficult for her?
The furrow in Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha’s brow showed no sign of smoothing out.
'Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon created such a profound sword technique?'
Han Baek-ha’s mind was a mess. Setting the bet aside, So Woon-hwi’s sword technique was no ordinary martial art. Every form was filled with the mysteries of the highest level. It was fundamentally different from Hae Ak-cheon’s martial arts, which focused on maximizing external and internal strength.
'...No. That’s impossible.'
She was certain. This was not a martial art created by Hae Ak-cheon; it was a technique crafted by a swordsman of the Grandmaster rank.
She glared at Hae Ak-cheon as if to pierce him with her gaze. Hae Ak-cheon, however, wasn't looking at her. He was watching So Woon-hwi with a strange smile on his face.
"Heh heh."
'To think he would remind me of that bastard, the Namcheon Sword Guest.'
Watching So Woon-hwi’s divine display, he recalled his duel with the Namcheon Sword Guest—a battle that would never happen again.
*
—Wow. You're a Unit Leader now. Look at you, moving up in the world.
The Lesser Conversation Sword, who had returned late after Ho-yun’s leg was treated, made a huge fuss.
Just as it said, I was able to receive the official announcement from Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung that I had passed the exam for the position of Unit Leader in front of everyone. Since I had ended the fight much faster than the allotted hundred forms, no one could object.
The two advanced warriors I had fought also conceded gracefully. They had been burning with a fighting spirit as if facing a mortal enemy earlier, but now they acknowledged me as a fellow swordsman.
[You are more than qualified to be a Unit Leader.]
[I acknowledge it as well. It feels as though I've met a very promising swordsman.]
Their attitude had turned favorable. Swordsmen speak through their blades, and martial artists build bonds through martial arts. I finally understood the meaning of those words. Regardless of being Orthodox or Evil, they were martial artists at heart.
—I was worried when you told us not to help, but you're doing quite well now.
—Still, you need more training in sensing an opponent's Qi. If you couldn't hear the voice of the sword, you would have been caught from behind.
The Namcheon Iron Sword gave a cold analysis. It was right. If I didn't have the advantage of hearing the sword's voice, it was undeniable that I would have been in danger.
—Geez, you're so strict. He limited his strength and did this well; you should give him some praise. Don't you think?
—Umm. That is...
'No. Namcheon is right. I didn't achieve my original goal.'
I had defeated two first-rate masters without using my full power. However, I hadn't met the goal I set for myself. My intention was to win using only the internal energy of my lower dantian and sword techniques, but I ended up listening to the sword's voice and even used dagger arts.
To climb higher, I needed to be strict with myself. Right?
—Kid. You've started acting like a real martial artist lately.
—It is a good phenomenon.
I had thought a lot over the past six months. Vaguely aiming for power and authority was an abstract goal. Simply becoming strong had no meaning. If I was going to have ambitions as a martial artist, I should at least dream of becoming one of the Central Plains Eight Great Masters.
Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon was merely a passing point.
—You've still got a long way to go.
True. It was still a distant dream. But in just one year, hadn't I become a Unit Leader—something I couldn't even dream of before my regression? If I kept moving forward, who knew what was possible?
—Hehe, anyway, since you won the bet, you can learn something from that black witch.
As the Lesser Conversation Sword said, I had won the bet.
Immediately after my duel ended, Dam Ye-hwa stepped up. Because of the bet and the unspoken pride between the masters, she had no choice but to apply for the Unit Leader position as well.
Unfortunately, the result was failure. Dam Ye-hwa fought hard, but she was defeated by the combined attack of the advanced warriors after about fifty forms.
I couldn't forget the expression on Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha’s face then. It wasn't just a furrowed brow anymore.
—She looks so dejected.
As it said, Dam Ye-hwa was hanging her head like a criminal. Seeing her like that...
—What, do you feel sorry for her?
Why would I feel sorry? It’s just a bit unfortunate. That’s all. It’s not like the Blood Hand Witch would beat her to death just for losing a bet.
...Actually, if it were Hae Ak-cheon, he definitely would.
—Still, achieving that much in six months is impressive.
The Namcheon Iron Sword praised Dam Ye-hwa. Indeed, her martial progress was so excellent it was hard to believe she had only been learning for six months. Fortunately, she met the condition of enduring twelve forms against an advanced warrior, so she was officially recognized as an advanced warrior.
'The problem is... that guy.'
"Tsk tsk."
I heard Hae Ak-cheon clicking his tongue. His expression wasn't great. I understood why he was reacting this way.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Song Jwa-baek’s duel had already passed sixty forms. He had gone out confidently, saying he would finish faster than me, but his ambition wasn't being realized.
"Stupid brat."
Hae Ak-cheon was intensely focused on him. In a way, Song Jwa-baek was his true successor. He must have hoped for a result similar to mine at the very least, but instead, the boy was looking more and more precarious.
—He seems to have bad luck.
I agreed with the Namcheon Iron Sword. After my duel, the advanced warriors had become cautious. Especially since they knew he was also Hae Ak-cheon’s disciple, they were being extra careful, keeping him in check while they fought. Because of that, the duel was dragging on.
"Dammit!"
Song Jwa-baek’s rough voice reached all the way here. Due to the pressure of needing to finish quickly, he wasn't able to show his true skill. If he passed a hundred forms, the Unit Leader position would slip away.
—Then he'll be killed by that crazy old man.
Probably. I’d grown somewhat fond of him over time, so I hoped he’d pass, but I was uneasy. It looked like he was going to exceed the form limit.
It was then.
Grab!
Song Jwa-baek grabbed the belt of an advanced warrior who was trying to widen the distance. The advanced warrior, a fist expert, rained punches down on Song Jwa-baek’s face, but he endured it through sheer grit and showed surprising wit.
Whoosh!
Holding onto the belt, he swung the advanced warrior and threw him. Right at the other advanced warrior who was rushing toward him.
The two collided in an unexpected turn of events and went rolling across the ground.
—He’s certainly putting that bulk to use.
His internal energy was one thing, but Hae Ak-cheon had trained his external strength to an incredible degree. In terms of pure physical power, even I would find him hard to handle. The fallen advanced warriors tried to scramble up quickly, but it was too late.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Song Jwa-baek’s rapid-fire punches descended upon them like a storm. He must have been furious from being double-teamed, because he showed them no mercy.
"Stop! Stop!"
Eventually, the two advanced warriors surrendered.
Thump!
Song Jwa-baek thrust his fist into the air like a returning hero. However, not a single person cheered.
Drip!
One of his eyes was swollen shut and blood was streaming from both nostrils; he didn't exactly look like a triumphant victor. He only realized it when he licked the blood touching his upper lip.
"Shit, a nosebleed."
"Tsk tsk."
Watching Song Jwa-baek, Hae Ak-cheon clicked his tongue in disapproval.
"Pathetic brat. You're a disgrace."
Despite the scolding, the boy seemed satisfied with getting the Unit Leader position, as he grinned happily. Well, as long as he was satisfied, that was fine.
[If those bastards hadn't kept running away and rotating out, I would have finished way faster than you...]
I just wished he would stop trying to explain himself to me via Sound Transmission.
Finally, it was Song Woo-hyeon’s turn. Hae Ak-cheon spoke to him irritably.
"Hmph! If you do as poorly as your damn brother, expect to go hungry for days."
Song Woo-hyeon grimaced. Since he was bald and had lost most of his eyebrows, his scowl looked truly menacing. Nodding his head, Song Woo-hyeon strode toward the front of the platform.
"Do Gyeong! ...Kang Chae-ji."
Perhaps feeling a sense of crisis now that two people had already secured Unit Leader positions, Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung changed his tactics. Instead of pairing swordsmen with swordsmen and fist experts with fist experts, he called out one swordsman and one fist expert.
—From what I see, he wanted to use two weapon users, but he's using one fist expert to avoid offending the crazy old man.
I thought so too. It seemed he didn't want all three of us to take Unit Leader positions. Hae Ak-cheon scowled at the blatant move but then snorted. He seemed to trust the boy.
"Begin!"
With Gu Sang-ung’s shout, the duel began. As soon as it started, the fist expert named Kang Chae-ji moved behind Song Woo-hyeon. The swordsman, Do Gyeong, stood directly in front. It looked like they were using a tactic where Do Gyeong would lead the attack with his sword while Kang Chae-ji looked for an opening.
Swish! Swish!
Do Gyeong swung his sword in wide arcs as if to intimidate him. It was at that moment.
Dash!
Song Woo-hyeon suddenly charged at Do Gyeong. Startled, Do Gyeong thrust his sword toward Song Woo-hyeon’s chest to keep him at bay. But Song Woo-hyeon didn't dodge.
"What are you doing!"
Song Jwa-baek shouted in shock.
Stab!
The sword pierced the upper part of Song Woo-hyeon’s chest. However, it didn't go deep. Whether it was because Do Gyeong had pulled back since the boy didn't dodge, or because Song Woo-hyeon’s muscles were so thick, it was hard to tell.
Grab!
In that instant, Song Woo-hyeon grabbed both of Do Gyeong’s arms.
"You bastard!"
The moment Do Gyeong tried to pull his sword out to escape—
CRACK!
Song Woo-hyeon delivered a massive headbutt.
'!?'
The completely unexpected attack left even Kang Chae-ji, the fist expert behind him, stunned. Song Woo-hyeon let go of the man's arms.
"Eek!"
Kang Chae-ji’s face turned pale. Advanced warrior Do Gyeong’s forehead was caved in, looking blunt and hollow. Blood poured down, covering his face.
Thud!
With his eyes rolled back, Do Gyeong collapsed face-first onto the ground. I was speechless at the absurd situation, and I could hear the Lesser Conversation Sword clicking its tongue in my head.
—...We definitely shouldn't let that kid go hungry.
*
Song Woo-hyeon passed the Unit Leader exam. He passed with a single headbutt. Terrified by the headbutt, the advanced warrior named Kang Chae-ji surrendered without even trying to fight. Martial pride be damned, he was clearly terrified of Song Woo-hyeon.
—I wouldn't do it either.
With a forehead caved in like that, who would want to continue the duel? Everyone looked at the boy with fear in their eyes. The boy himself just stood there with a blank expression, blinking his eyes.
"Hahahahahaha!"
The only one satisfied with this result was Hae Ak-cheon. And so, the position exam concluded in a rather unsettling atmosphere.
As soon as the exam ended, the Unit Leaders of various factions who had been watching from the back flocked toward us.
"Venerable, congratulations."
"You have trained your disciples magnificently."
Seeing this, one could truly feel the power that came with the status of one of the Four Venerables. Whether it was out of genuine respect or just social nicety, everyone was busy trying to get on Hae Ak-cheon’s good side. If he had this much influence without even having his own faction, what would happen if he actually built one?
"......Congratulations, Venerable."
Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha also led her group over to offer greetings. She had regained her composure and returned to her usual expression. At her greeting, Hae Ak-cheon looked at her with a triumphant face and smiled.
"Heh heh heh. You've raised your disciple well too."
He was truly a crazy old man. He knew her disciple, Dam Ye-hwa, had failed the Unit Leader position, yet he openly rubbed it in. However, she didn't show even a flicker of emotion. Instead, she changed the subject.
"I didn't know that the Venerable, a master of the fist, was also so well-versed in the sword."
At those words, one of Hae Ak-cheon’s eyebrows twitched. He had realized the intent behind her words.
'I don't think this is your sword technique.'
Her eyes seemed to be saying exactly that. While no one else questioned the sword technique, she seemed certain that its origin was not Hae Ak-cheon. Was she trying to get back at him for losing the bet and for his irritating comments? Even so, there was nothing she could do if Hae Ak-cheon played dumb.
Then, Hae Ak-cheon spoke.
"The world-renowned Blood Hand Witch has poor eyes."
"What?"
"To think you wouldn't even recognize the sword technique of the Namcheon Sword Guest."
'!!!'
At that unexpected bombshell, not only Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha but also the surrounding Unit Leaders were so shocked they couldn't even close their mouths.