The Third Plaque Master
Dokgo Jin slowly lowered Extinction.
A pity.
It had been far too long since he last crossed blades with a true master. Yet, beneath the lingering regret, relief quietly settled in his chest.
Had I pushed the fight to its conclusion, victory would have been mine, but…
Against an opponent of that caliber, concealing his full strength would have been impossible. Even the martial prowess he had displayed so far ran the perilous risk of drawing the wary eyes of the Northern Heaven Alliance’s leadership.
That would only invite trouble.
Just as Dokgo Jin turned toward the stone steps, Paeng Jin-ak called out after him.
“Ah, hold on a moment.”
“……?”
Reaching into his robes, the old warrior fished out a heavy piece of metal and tossed it toward Dokgo Jin with an indifferent flick of his wrist.
Whoosh!
Dokgo Jin snatched the flying object out of midair and turned his hand over to inspect his palm.
Resting in his grip was a black iron plaque roughly the size of a grown man’s hand. Etched across its weathered, rugged surface were a soaring dragon and a roaring tiger, embossed in exquisite, lifelike detail. The metal was frigid and dense beneath his fingertips, exuding an unmistakable weight that marked it as anything but ordinary.
“What is this?”
“The Dragon Tiger Plaque,” Paeng Jin-ak replied half-heartedly, flopping back down onto the wooden bench.
“It’s the token proving you cleared the Third Gate without losing your skin. Take it with you.”
“……Is that all?”
“What else did you expect? You passed, so I handed you the token.”
Dokgo Jin’s brow furrowed.
Merely a token?
The craftsmanship was far too extraordinary for a simple pass voucher. Besides, if that was its sole purpose, Paeng Jin-ak could have simply reported the result to his superiors instead of handing over such a lavish keepsake.
“…….”
Suspicion lingered in his mind, but since the old eccentric clearly had no intention of elaborating, pressing the matter seemed pointless.
“Understood.”
With a curt nod of farewell, Dokgo Jin turned and climbed the stairs out of the subterranean chamber.
“…….”
Only after his footsteps faded did Paeng Jin-ak push himself upright, scratching his scruffy chin with a bemused grunt.
“Well, look at that. I thought for sure he’d pry and ask a dozen questions. The brat just walked right out.”
Naturally, the Dragon Tiger Plaque was no ordinary bauble. Intrigued by the quiet, taciturn youth, Paeng Jin-ak had deliberately withheld the explanation in hopes of coaxing more words out of him.
“……Well, someone out there will recognize it soon enough.”
He rubbed his bristly beard, his gaze turning distant.
To possess such martial arts at his age… It feels almost like looking at the Alliance Leader in his youth.
Of course, the old master had never once believed he would lose.
With young monsters like him snapping at our heels, I can’t afford to get lazy with my blade, can I?
Springing from the platform, Paeng Jin-ak gripped the massive hilt of his Horse-Chopping Saber once more. In truth, the Third Gate’s stone chamber doubled as his private training hall.
Boom!
Before long, a training regimen even more brutal and ferocious than usual began to shake the cavern walls.
Creeeak!
The rusted hinges groaned in protest as the massive iron gates of the Dragon Tiger Pavilion swung open.
Son Dang, the Seventh Instructor of the Martial Training Hall, had been pacing restlessly outside the threshold. Swallowing hard, he peered intently into the shadowy corridor.
Step, step.
Out from the pitch-black darkness emerged a familiar silhouette. His robes were frayed in places and coated in dust, but Dokgo Jin stepped into the open air utterly hale and whole.
“D-Dokgo Jin!”
Son Dang dashed forward without a second thought. Overwhelmed by sheer curiosity about how the trial had unfolded, he had found himself unable to stay away and had returned to wait by the entrance.
“How did it go?”
Dokgo Jin caught the naked eagerness on the instructor’s face and smiled inwardly.
A remarkably curious man.
Son Dang leaned in, asking tentatively, “You managed to pass the First and Second Gates, yes?”
“I did.”
Son Dang nodded vigorously, as if that much had been a foregone conclusion.
“I knew it! Outstanding! I had full faith you were more than capable of handling those two, hahaha!”
“Aren’t you going to ask about the Third Gate?”
“Huh? Wait… don’t tell me you actually stepped into the Third Gate? You challenged the Master of the Dragon Tiger Pavilion… the General Instructor himself?”
“I did.”
“……!”
Son Dang’s eyes widened until they threatened to tear at the corners.
“Impossible! I never anticipated this……”
His eyes darted frantically over Dokgo Jin’s frame.
He faced that terrifying old monster and came out looking this pristine? Did he yield right at the start?
His opponent had been none other than the notoriously eccentric and formidable Paeng Jin-ak. Simply walking out of that chamber alive was an astonishing feat in its own right; throwing in the towel early would bring no shame upon him.
“Listen, there’s no need to feel disheartened. Simply standing face-to-face with the General Instructor is already an enormous achievement—”
Dokgo Jin cut him off coolly.
“I have no idea what you are rambling about.”
“What?”
“I cleared the Third Gate as well.”
Son Dang’s jaw dropped so wide it seemed ready to unhinge.
“A-Are you serious? You obtained his acknowledgment? From the General Instructor himself?!”
“Indeed. He proved to be quite a formidable opponent.”
“…….”
Son Dang choked on his own breath, struck entirely dumb.
Is this man insane?! ‘Quite formidable’? The General Instructor isn’t someone you describe as merely formidable!
Staring blankly at Dokgo Jin’s nonchalant expression, Son Dang suddenly recalled something and blurted out in a rush, “Then… did the General Instructor happen to bestow anything upon you?”
Dokgo Jin was pleased by the question.
Just what I wanted to know. Perfect.
Reaching into his inner pocket, he drew out the hefty piece of metal and held it before Son Dang’s eyes.
“Are you referring to this?”
Bathed in the crimson glow of the setting sun, the dark iron plaque shimmered with a deep, oily luster. The intricately carved dragon and tiger seemed poised to leap from the cold surface, brimming with life.
The moment Son Dang’s gaze landed upon it, the pupils of his eyes quivered violently.
“Ah…!”
A stifled gasp escaped his lips as he gulped dryly.
“The Dragon Tiger Plaque…… You actually managed to earn this?!”
“The pavilion master claimed it was nothing more than a token proving I passed the Third Gate. Is that true?”
“Hahaha! What absolute nonsense! That eccentric old senior must have found it too tiresome to explain!”
Gazing at the plaque with reverent eyes, Son Dang lowered his voice to a hushed, solemn murmur.
“The Dragon Tiger Plaque is never handed out merely for clearing the Third Gate. It is only granted when the Master of the Dragon Tiger Pavilion sincerely acknowledges the challenger’s martial dao from the depths of his heart. It represents the pinnacle of honor within the entire Martial Training Hall.”
“…….”
“Consequently, the bearer of this token is revered as the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master. He commands the respect of every single martial artist across the alliance. Even the Banner Leaders of the Five Banners would never dare treat you with disrespect.”
Son Dang lifted his gaze slowly, looking at Dokgo Jin with eyes thoroughly transformed by awe.
“Since the founding of our alliance, only two individuals have ever earned the title of Dragon Tiger Plaque Master—the two direct disciples of the Alliance Leader. You, my friend, are the third.”
The Dragon Tiger Pavilion was not reserved solely for exceptional newcomers. Any warrior within the alliance who honed their skills in the Martial Training Hall and earned sufficient merit could petition to challenge the gates.
A keepsake like this couldn't possibly carry nothing more than empty prestige.
Unable to contain his practical curiosity, Dokgo Jin asked, “So what is its actual use? Surely there is more to it.”
Son Dang blinked, inwardly exasperated.
What is its use? Who asks that upon receiving the greatest honor in the hall…
Yet, a moment later, understanding softened his expression.
Well, he has not yet formally integrated into the alliance. It makes sense that empty prestige means little to him.
Composing himself, Son Dang patiently detailed the tangible privileges granted to a plaque master.
“A Dragon Tiger Plaque Master holds the right to choose superior private quarters, and you are entirely exempt from all routine patrol, guard, and mundane duties.”
Having proven extraordinary potential, the alliance preferred such talents to devote their waking hours entirely to martial refinement.
“However, those privileges are mere trivialities. The true reward lies in the authority to enter the Zimi Vault.”
The Zimi Vault.
It was the grand treasury where the Northern Heaven Alliance stored the countless rare treasures, lost martial manuals, and divine elixirs gathered throughout its reign as one of the Four Hegemons of the Central Plains.
“Upon relinquishing the Dragon Tiger Plaque, you may select and take out any single treasure of your choosing from the vault. For any martial artist walking this path, that is an opportunity more precious than life itself.”
A spark of sharp interest flickered in Dokgo Jin’s eyes.
The Zimi Vault… Far more worthwhile than I expected.
He slid the plaque back into the fold of his robes.
“Thank you for the explanation. Am I to head back to the main compound of the Martial Training Hall now?”
“That is the standard procedure, but—”
“I have already memorized the path while coming here, so there is no need to guide me.”
Assuming the instructor had merely been waiting to escort him back, Dokgo Jin offered a brief nod.
“Until then.”
With measured strides, he walked past and continued down the mountain path.
Son Dang remained rooted to the spot, staring blankly at the youth’s receding back.
To think someone actually claimed the Dragon Tiger Plaque today…
A subtle, anticipatory smile touched his lips.
It seems the entire alliance is about to be shaken to its core.
“Someone cleared the Third Gate of the Dragon Tiger Pavilion?!”
“Who in the world is it?”
“A new recruit brought in by the Leader of the Iron Soul Unit?”
“His name is Dokgo Jin, isn't it?”
Like wildfire running across dry brush, the tidings swept through every corner of the Northern Heaven Alliance, reaching the ears of the Five Banners' leadership in a matter of hours. It was only natural that every faction turned its gaze toward this unprecedented figure.
Countless warriors buzzed with breathless excitement over the newly minted gate-breaker.
“It’s not just a matter of passing!”
“I heard the pavilion master personally bestowed the Dragon Tiger Plaque upon him!”
“What?!”
“The Dragon Tiger Plaque?!”
“Just what kind of monster did the Iron Soul Unit Leader drag back this time?”
A title granted to only two men in the entire recorded history of the pavilion—the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master. Because the previous two plaques had long since been surrendered to claim treasures from the Zimi Vault, Dokgo Jin was currently the sole living bearer of an active plaque across the entire alliance.
The birth of a third plaque master struck the alliance martial artists like a bolt out of the blue.
“Yeom Baek truly struck gold this time!”
“The Iron Soul Unit must be singing praises.”
“Think so? Even for someone like the Mountain Smashing Spear, keeping hold of a Dragon Tiger Plaque Master won’t be easy.”
“True enough. There’s no way the other four banners will sit on their hands and watch.”
“Now this will be a show. Can the Mountain Smashing Spear truly protect his prize?”
Naturally, the rumors saturating the alliance did not fail to reach the barracks of the Iron Soul Unit itself.
Bang!
The heavy iron doors flew open with such violent force they seemed ready to tear off their hinges.
Storming into the unit leader’s private training hall was Vice-Commander Yoo Seol-ah. Her usually calm, sharp countenance was thoroughly flushed with agitation.
“Leader!”
Yet the atmosphere inside the chamber remained quiet, heavy, and serene.
Standing in the center of the hall, clutching a colossal iron spear, was Yeom Baek. He cast a brief sideways glance at her before returning his gaze steadily to the empty space ahead.
“What is all this fuss about?”
“This is hardly the time to be calmly training! Haven't you heard the news yet?”
Yoo Seol-ah struck her own chest in sheer frustration, her voice rising sharply.
“That newbie—no, Dokgo Jin! Word has it he emerged from the Dragon Tiger Pavilion as the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master!”
“…….”
Without a flicker of surprise, Yeom Baek steadily lowered the spear. As the heavy iron butt struck the flagstones, a dull, resonant tremor shook the chamber floor.
Thud.
The weapon weighed a staggering hundred catties, and he had held it suspended in the air with unwavering focus for a full two hours.
“I know.”
“You know?! You know, and yet you're just standing here like a stone statue?”
Astounded by his apathy, Yoo Seol-ah marched closer, throwing her hands in the air.
“Even that stubborn, impossible pavilion master acknowledged him! To be completely honest, even I was shocked out of my mind! I never dreamed in my wildest thoughts that he would become the plaque master!”
She bit her lip, pressing urgently, “The entire alliance is in an absolute uproar right now! There are already whispers that the leaders of the other four banners are preparing to step in personally! If this continues, the genius our Iron Soul Unit scouted first will be stolen right from under our noses!”
By alliance convention, whoever discovered and brought a talent into the fold retained first priority for recruitment.
However, when the recruit in question was a Dragon Tiger Plaque Master and the supreme leaders of the Five Banners personally stepped forward with offers, the conventional rules dissolved into thin air. Ultimately, the choice would rest entirely in Dokgo Jin’s own hands.
Yet, of all the combat divisions under the Five Banners, the Iron Soul Unit was notorious for shouldering the most brutal, lethal, and unglamorous missions on the front lines. Nor was their compensation notably superior to balance the scales.
If competing banners matched their terms or offered even marginally better incentives, the chances of losing him were overwhelmingly high.
Yoo Seol-ah’s panic was entirely justified.
Yet Yeom Baek merely picked up a towel, wiping the sheen of sweat from his brow as he replied evenly, “Then we make sure he isn’t stolen.”
“And just how do you propose we do that?! The other banners will throw mountains of gold and celestial treasures at his feet!”
“Our Iron Soul Unit has me, doesn't it? And we have you.”
Yoo Seol-ah looked at him with an utterly baffled expression.
“What?! All right, fine—everyone calls you the strongest unit leader among the Five Banners, but what good am I supposed to be in this negotiation?”
“You are the greatest beauty among all the vice-commanders in the Five Banners.”
“Excuse me?!”
It was not an exaggeration. Out of all the vice-commanders serving across the Five Banners, Yoo Seol-ah was the sole woman among them.
“Is this really the time for jokes?! We should be wracking our brains trying to figure out how to lock Dokgo Jin down, and you’re wasting breath on nonsense!”
“You saw the look in his eyes, didn’t you?”
A faint, knowing smile curled at the corners of Yeom Baek’s mouth.
“From the very first moment I laid eyes on him, I knew he was no ordinary stray. Though I admit, becoming the plaque master exceeded even my expectations.”
Gripping the shaft of his spear once more, Yeom Baek spoke with quiet conviction.
“In the end, it all comes down to Dokgo Jin’s own will. If he is the genuine article, he will walk into the tiger’s den with his own two feet. If he lacks the stomach for it, he will scurry off to some comfortable corner. Weak-willed cowards have no place in our Iron Soul Unit anyway, so wouldn’t that be for the best?”
“Leader!”
“Enough noise. Stop disrupting my training and get out.”
Hoisting the hundred-catty spear back into the air with one arm, Yeom Baek exhaled a long, heavy breath.
Watching him stand there unyielding, Yoo Seol-ah clicked her tongue in sheer exasperation.
Look at him playing the unshakeable warrior. Does he really not care if we lose the plaque master to someone else?
Sweeping a stray strand of hair behind her ear with an irritated flick of her wrist, she huffed.
“Hah, unbelievable… You might have some secret reserve of confidence, Leader, but I am far too anxious to sit still. If you won't move, I will.”
“Do as you please.”
“Don't come crying later! I’m going to drag that man here by the scruff of his neck if I have to!”
Yoo Seol-ah spun on her heel and stormed out of the hall.
Slam!
The deafening bang of the iron door echoed through the stone room. Only after the sound faded into complete silence did Yeom Baek abruptly drop his spear, nearly slamming it into the floor.
“…….”
His towering, mountain-like shoulders instantly slumped in utter exhaustion. Glancing nervously at the closed door, he rubbed the back of his neck and muttered under his breath, “What took her so long to stop babbling and leave?…… A few more seconds and I would have sprinted out the door myself!”
Biting his lip with desperate anxiety, he hoisted the spear again, his palms thoroughly drenched in cold sweat.