It Finally Begins
It hadn't been long since that incident ended. 'The martial tournament has finally begun.' A massive crowd had gathered at the enormous training ground prepared specifically for the event. It seemed the elders' council had put considerable effort into it, perhaps because there hadn't been any notable events since the tournament against the Jongnam Sect.
The roar of the crowd echoed from all directions. "Waaaaah—"
I casually turned my gaze toward the elevated seats. Most of them were occupied by elders, with Hyeonmu Jin-in, the sect leader, seated at the highest position.
'Senior brother is here too.' In the distance, I could see Mu Yeong waving at me. He had naturally claimed the seat right beside the Myeongryong Sword. I gave a slight nod in response to his greeting.
'Under normal circumstances, I would have been up there with them instead of down here... but since I'm just a participant this time, it can't be helped.'
A hot wind swept across the arena. It was the height of summer. As if to prove it, the disciples sparring at the center of the training ground were pouring with sweat.
Watching them, I turned my attention to the match unfolding in the distance.
Boom—!
'Seol Ayeon is... naturally dominating her opponent with ease.' I nodded slowly. In truth, aside from Seol Ayeon, there weren't any particularly outstanding talents among the third-generation disciples. If I had to pick one who stood out among the rest, it would be Yi Taeryang... but even he was no match for her.
'Seol Ayeon has already reached a level where she competes for the top spot among the second-generation disciples... pairing her against one of the third-generation disciples for a spar would be completely inappropriate.'
At any rate, there was no need to worry about Seol Ayeon's side. Knowing this, I could lean half my body into the shade and comfortably observe the matches.
It was then that a small commotion arose not too far away.
"......?"
'What is it?'
Whispers were spreading through the crowd watching the tournament. I felt a slight sense of unease. But when I noticed the presence of two men stepping onto the now-empty arena floor, I understood the situation and let out a bitter smile.
With a stiff expression, Kang Pyeong appeared, while Yi Taeryang strode confidently toward the center of the training ground with a self-assured look.
'It's been a while since I've seen Kang Pyeong... I think this is the first time since we met at the medical hall last time.'
I watched the two men with interest. Kang Pyeong was the one who had kept me company and handled cleaning duties while I was bedridden in the medical hall after my unofficial spar with Mu Yeong under Hyeonmu Jin-in's tacit approval. Because of that, my feelings toward him were quite favorable.
'But hasn't Kang Pyeong only recently joined Mount Hua? Is he already appearing in the tournament?'
With my arms crossed, I tilted my head as I watched Yi Taeryang and Kang Pyeong exchange respectful greetings. But after thinking about it for a moment, I could roughly guess the reason.
"I see..."
The words slipped out like a sigh. The spectators around me glanced over, but I paid them no mind and continued my thoughts.
'What Mu Yeong had boasted to me last time wasn't an exaggeration after all.'
I nodded slowly. No matter how much lower Kang Pyeong's rank was compared to the third-generation disciples as a regular disciple, if his aptitude and talent were unparalleled, there was no reason for him not to participate. The fact that he was facing Yi Taeryang—one of the stronger ones among the third-generation disciples—surprised me even more.
'Hm, no matter how I look at it, there's virtually no chance Kang Pyeong can defeat Yi Taeryang... but it seems someone among the leadership is confident that Kang Pyeong will surpass him in the near future.'
In a way, it was similar to pairing Seol Ayeon against one of the third-generation disciples. The gap between the current Kang Pyeong and Yi Taeryang was that vast. Yet it was a gap that could be reversed before long.
'Of course, for now, Yi Taeryang is still ahead...'
It was then. After they finished their formal greetings, one of the second-generation disciples overseeing the matches finally declared:
"Let the spar begin!"
The Myeongryong Sword looked down at the arena with an anxious heart. The match between Yi Taeryang and Kang Pyeong had just begun. The preliminary exchanges were still underway, and as he watched, the Myeongryong Sword swallowed a groan.
"Hmm..."
"What are you so worried about?" Mu Yeong, sitting right beside him, spoke in a reassuring tone. "Kang Pyeong will do well."
"...But I can't help but worry."
"If he doesn't hold back, he'll essentially face expulsion from the sect as punishment... No matter how unpleasant that opponent's character may be, I don't think there's much need for concern."
"That may be true."
The Myeongryong Sword let out a short sigh at Mu Yeong's words. Since Kang Pyeong was a disciple he had personally chosen to teach, his worry came naturally. Just like with Eun Haseong, Kang Pyeong was unofficially his disciple as well. In that sense, he couldn't help but feel concerned.
However, when Mu Yeong spoke to him in that calming manner, he felt his anxiety ease slightly.
It was then.
"Hehe, so both of you were here."
"......!"
A middle-aged man with a rather plump build spoke to the Myeongryong Sword in a familiar tone. Sensing the unfamiliar presence, both Mu Yeong and the Myeongryong Sword turned their heads at the same time. Upon confirming the man's identity, the Myeongryong Sword slightly furrowed his brow.
"...Sigh."
Beside him, Mu Yeong let out a sigh quiet enough that the other party wouldn't hear. But they couldn't keep ignoring him forever. Soon, the Myeongryong Sword regained his composure, forced a smile, and greeted the man.
"Welcome, Hall Master Jaeso."
"Hehehe! It's been quite a while, Elder Myeongryong Sword. You haven't shown yourself at the elders' council much lately, so I haven't had the chance to see you."
"......"
The Myeongryong Sword remained silent for a moment. To be honest, Hall Master Jaeso was the kind of person even the benevolent Myeongryong Sword found difficult to deal with. In a way, Yi Taeryang's arrogant and petty nature seemed to be inherited directly from his father, Hall Master Jaeso.
'The typical bully—weak to the strong, strong to the weak.'
In short, he was the type of person one preferred to avoid.
As the Myeongryong Sword and Mu Yeong continued their silence, Hall Master Jaeso seemed to sense the awkwardness. He cleared his throat a few times before speaking again.
"Ahem. Anyway, the two of them are fighting better than I expected."
"...Ah."
Only then did the Myeongryong Sword look back at the arena where the match was still in progress. The preliminary stage of reading each other's moves had ended, and Yi Taeryang and Kang Pyeong were finally crossing swords and exchanging techniques.
At first, it seemed like a close contest, but as expected, there was an overwhelming gap between them. Watching Kang Pyeong gradually being pushed back into a corner, the Myeongryong Sword swallowed another groan.
"Ugh...!"
"His name is Kang Pyeong, correct? I heard he's the disciple you recently accepted, Elder."
"...I haven't officially acknowledged it, but I cannot deny those words."
"I see. In that sense, this match leaves me with some regret."
"...What do you mean?"
When the Myeongryong Sword asked, Hall Master Jaeso formed a slight smile and said,
"If only that Kang Pyeong child had trained for a few more years, he could have shown a much more splendid match... It's a bit of a shame."
"......!"
The Myeongryong Sword frowned slightly at those words. Though somewhat wrapped in polite language, to him it sounded like this:
[He's still several years too early to face my son. It's quite displeasing that a regular disciple who joined not long ago is sparring against Yi Taeryang, who stands at the top among the third-generation disciples.]
"......"
The Myeongryong Sword let out a long internal sigh. Even Mu Yeong beside him seemed dumbfounded, letting out a chuckle.
In the midst of this, the match finally reached its conclusion. A loud voice rang out across the training ground.
The winner of this match is... Yi Taeryang!
"...Thank you for the match."
Kang Pyeong was nearly exhausted, while Yi Taeryang still looked completely composed, a broad smile on his face. Watching this scene, Hall Master Jaeso burst into hearty laughter as if he had expected it all along.
"Hahaha! As expected, the gap between the third-generation disciples and the new regular disciples of this generation is quite significant."
"......"
Ignoring how the Myeongryong Sword's expression was darkening, Hall Master Jaeso continued to speak in a way that rubbed salt in the wound. Beside him, Mu Yeong clicked his tongue and shook his head.
It was then. As if displeased by the commotion right below, Hyeonmu Jin-in's voice resonated softly.
"Be quiet."
"......!"
Only then did Hall Master Jaeso widen his eyes and turn his gaze toward the highest seat among the elevated positions. Hyeonmu Jin-in, seated there, offered a faint smile and spoke.
"The matches will continue immediately, so please show some restraint."
"......"
"After all, the next match is the one everyone has been looking forward to the most in this event, isn't it?"
"...The sect leader speaks truly."
When Hall Master Jaeso replied, Hyeonmu Jin-in nodded once as if he had expected it and murmured quietly.
"It finally begins."
Only then did all the elders seated in the elevated area turn their eyes toward the training ground.
Step. Step.
At that moment, a man slowly walked toward the center of the arena.
"......"
The previously noisy crowd had fallen completely silent.