Crushing the Sixth Yeonmu
Kim Jun realized why the Yeon Ga people had been standing by the entrance to the inner path.
A show of force.
He nearly burst out laughing at the thought that all those people had gathered just because of him.
A moment later, Kim Jun suppressed his laughter and delivered his prepared response.
“I just happened to acquire this sword by chance. I'm a member of the Uramata Guild now, and I will be in the future too.”
“Hoho, cutting it off at the root, eh? Team Leader Choi, you've trained him well. Looks like he's been thoroughly prepared.”
Yeon Un-jae dismissed Kim Jun's resolve as mere indoctrination.
There was no room for Kim Jun to interject and say otherwise. The seasoned family head ignored him completely and continued his conversation with Choi Min-su.
The two quickly found common ground.
Without even asking Kim Jun, Choi Min-su immediately agreed to Yeon Un-jae's demand that Kim Jun attend Yeonmu Academy until he mastered the Yeon Ga Shipil Geom, Yeonhwan Kwon, and Yeonhwan Gak after passing his awakening test.
“In return, I have a condition of my own.”
“Speak it.”
“Send Yeon Jong-ho to my team. You've surely heard the rumors from Cheonhondan about him. He lacks real combat experience and skill, yet he gets preferential treatment just for being the young master of Yeon Ga. This is a chance for me to take responsibility and transform him into a proper Raider. It would show that Yeon Ga and the rising forces are united—a win-win, I think.”
“...Intriguing.”
Yeon Un-jae's forehead creased, deepening the wrinkles.
It was an unexpected blow. Instead of handing over Kim Jun, they were taking his grandson and young master, Yeon Jong-ho, as a hostage.
The problem was, there was no justification for refusal.
“Just as you guarantee this one's safety, I will guarantee the young master's.”
Choi Min-su drove the nail in.
Yeon Un-jae stroked his mustache, wondering how many foxes lurked inside that bear-like body. This time, he'd fallen right into Choi Min-su's scheme.
So, it was time to concede and prepare for the next round.
“Very well. Shall we move somewhere more comfortable to discuss the details?”
“Of course.”
As Yeon Un-jae and Choi Min-su stood, Kim Jun rose as well. The incense flames flickered, casting long shadows that rippled across the distant walls.
The two men left Kim Jun behind and exited, but a familiar voice whispered into his ear.
—From now on, Yeon Ga will test you. Give it your all.
It was Choi Min-su's voice.
At first, Kim Jun was startled not by the content, but by the fact that only he could hear it. It was jeon-eum sul—voice transmission technique!
A martial art that infused voice into qi so only a specific person could hear it, a skill usable only by a rare few upper-level Raiders.
His excitement quickly subsided.
Kim Jun settled comfortably onto the cushion and prepared for the test.
* * *
“Lose today, and you'll be out of the Yeonmu Chil-su too.”
Yeon Min-gyun said.
Yeon Yuk-su, kneeling on the cushion, nodded slowly. His previous failure had hurt deeply. If he'd perfectly subdued Choi Muhyun, he wouldn't be facing this now.
Yeon Chil-su with the injured ligaments was excluded.
A new Yeon Chil-su would be appointed within a fortnight.
“Who's my opponent?”
Yeon Yuk-su asked.
“...Kim Jun.”
Yeon Min-gyun sighed as he spoke the name.
The Yeonmu Chil-su were the seven top experts selected from Yeon Ga's Raiders for their outstanding skills and achievements. Ordering one of them, like Yeon Yuk-su, to fight a mere carrier—Yeon Min-gyun felt pathetic relaying the family head's command.
The order was clear.
“That Kim Jun?”
“Yes. Crush him, but don't kill him.”
“Understood.”
Yeon Yuk-su spun his twin short swords in opposite directions. The whirring grew louder.
* * *
“Hoho, what an amusing fellow.”
Yeon Un-jae remarked.
Amusing? A sanitized expression.
Yeon Un-jae felt two emotions clashing within him.
When he'd asked to see the results of his current training and practice, Kim Jun had demonstrated it on the spot.
And the result was... that.
What the hell is that? Is he mocking me? Or... is there something I don't know?
On the large screen, Kim Jun looked like a glowing frog.
Having set his suit jacket aside on the cushion and moved to a corner, he seemed to be attempting jumps in place—but he flopped backward, tumbled forward, spun several times in the air only to slam his occiput into the floor with a groan.
Choi Min-su was dumbfounded.
“Is that the martial art you taught him?”
Yeon Un-jae teased.
“Your eyes are sharp as ever. It's called 'Watan'. The training method is bizarre, but once mastered, it's quite useful. He's just starting out.”
“...I see.”
Yeon Un-jae eyed Choi Min-su suspiciously, but the man's confident demeanor made it hard to tell if he was joking.
Another screen lit up with a man appearing. A smile tugged at Yeon Un-jae's lips.
“Here he comes. The sixth of the Yeonmu Chil-su.”
“Yi Gil-won.”
Choi Min-su recalled the face of a Raider he'd once taken note of. Full of spirit and talent, yet somehow repressed.
“No, Yeon Yuk-su now. Once they become Yeonmu Chil-su, their old names vanish.”
“Ah, right—When in Rome. I forgot.”
Choi Min-su smiled slyly.
Yeon Un-jae disliked that cheerful expression.
* * *
A section of the wall opposite the entrance protruded and slid open. A secret passage.
At the same time, lights flickered on from the ceiling of the grand training hall. Dozens of small LED lights bathed the room, causing Kim Jun to halt in stunned awe. He didn't even notice Yeon Yuk-su entering.
Yeon Yuk-su, stepping into the training hall, frowned.
Fighting a carrier was humiliating enough, but exchanging blows with such an idiot?
“I am Yeon Yuk-su.”
Kim Jun whipped his head toward him.
“Kim Jun.”
“Let's begin.”
Yeon Yuk-su immediately raised his twin short swords, unleashing Yeon Ga Twin Swordsmanship.
Kim Jun dodged backward, but the swift, sharp strikes sliced his tie clean off. The one his mom had bought him.
Yeon Yuk-su unleashed aggressive attacks for a quick finish.
Kim Jun was busy evading. His shirt tore at the shoulders and chest, exposing skin. He missed timings here and there, suffering shallow cuts.
Blood trickled from the wounds, staining his shirt red.
Still, he avoided any major injuries.
Crossing the vast space while dodging, with Yeon Yuk-su pursuing relentlessly, swinging his twin swords—the distance between them hovered around a meter.
Neither closing nor widening, they circled like a pairs figure skating routine.
This guy's really a carrier?
As time passed, Yeon Yuk-su grew increasingly flustered.
Even more astonishing: Kim Jun was getting better at dodging. Sometimes, he'd slip out of attack range before a form could fully unfold, forcing hasty switches.
Damn! So nimble.
Ten minutes flew by. What a spectacle. Yeon Min-gyun's expression from the corner window wasn't good.
Only Shattering Flying Swords left.
To think he'd resort to it again after just a few days.
His expensive twin short swords would be a waste, but failing to dispatch this carrier quickly would cost him something far more valuable—his status.
Yeon Yuk-su swung his swords in an X, stepping back for the first time to create distance. He lowered his arms, gathering inner energy.
Meanwhile, Kim Jun caught his breath and conserved stamina.
Finally, the infused swords flew toward Kim Jun.
What the—?
Kim Jun focused on the sudden change. As he leaped to dodge—
Boom!
Mid-flight, the two swords collided with a roar. Shards accelerated several times faster, raining toward Kim Jun.
Startled, Kim Jun had no time to think. He launched into the air, curling into a ball. Arms shielded his face; knees drawn up to elbows blocked the rest.
Thwip-thwip-thwip.
Sword fragments embedded heavily in his arms and legs.
Kim Jun collapsed onto the floor, motionless.
Glistening metal shards studded the floor and walls too.
Yeon Yuk-su thrust his clenched fist upward. Realizing belatedly it was just a carrier, he awkwardly hid his glee.
Confident of the kill, he approached slowly.
As he reached for the carotid—Kim Jun yanked his arm, rose, and circled behind.
Tripping Yeon Yuk-su, Kim Jun stomped his right elbow, snapping it. Yeon Yuk-su screamed as his left arm twisted next.
Kim Jun coldly and swiftly immobilized both arms.
As he went for the legs, a deep-hidden speaker crackled.
—That's enough.
Yeon Un-jae.
Kim Jun stepped back and perched on the wooden table. Only then did he gasp for air.
“...How are you unscathed?”
Yeon Yuk-su asked.
Kim Jun didn't even glance at him. The answer came from the speaker.
—Chung Yu-ryeong.
Yeon Yuk-su finally spotted the chung yu-ryeong on Kim Jun's limbs.
Chung yu-ryeong were compact, elastic weighted tools like sandbags, popular among Raiders for training. Their heft provided decent defense too, favored by tankers.
But their high price made them rare.
“H-how does a carrier have chung yu-ryeong...?”
“Borrowed it.”
“...How much?”
“Thirty.”
Yeon Yuk-su closed his eyes.
Fighting a guy wearing 30kg chung yu-ryeong and losing. Without them, he wouldn't have even unleashed Shattering Flying Swords before defeat.
Hohohoho.
The family head's laughter boomed from the speaker.
Yeon Yuk-su knew what it meant. That laugh came when he was pleased—with people or things. And it wasn't for him now.
It was for that carrier.
—Remove him.
Yeon Un-jae's tone shifted.
The secret door opened. Two men rushed out, grabbed the fallen Yeon Yuk-su's legs like luggage, and dragged him away.
—Next! What a delightful day. Never imagined a Yeonmu Chil-su losing completely to a mere carrier.
Yeon Un-jae shouted like an excited spectator, his voice filling the hall.
* * *
“...That guy's really strong.”
Yeon Yuk-su muttered from the stretcher.
“The Yeonmu Chil-su are stronger.”
Yeon O-su was firm. Meaning: you're no longer one of them.
Ignoring the bowed Yeon Yuk-su, Yeon O-su advanced with wooden sword in hand.
* * *
Yeonmu Chil-su. Kim Jun recalled belatedly.
They were the seven top experts of exceptional skill even among Yeonmu Academy. And the man he'd just barely defeated was the sixth.
He didn't show it, but he felt good.
Better than when he'd beaten Do Jin-yong of Cheonroehoe in the dungeon.
With Do Jin-yong, observations had been key to victory. But this was a head-on clash. He'd beaten the sixth Yeonmu Chil-su squarely.
Kim Jun quickly calmed his excitement.
He'd won, but luck had played a part.
He'd been more likely to lose. A technique destroying swords mid-collision! Without the guild master's loaned chung yu-ryeong, the outcome would have been reversed.
Kim Jun immediately removed the chung yu-ryeong.
The zipper made it easy; setting it down thudded heavily.
Dozens of fragments studded its surface.
Blood dripped from his earlobe—one shard had grazed and torn it.
He tore the cushion corner, pulled out cotton, pressed it to his ear. Bleeding slowed.
Kim Jun eyed the Cheonroegeom on the table.
Wrapped in cloth.
The duel with Yeon Yuk-su had been too sudden for him to grab it. To face the next, Yeon O-su, he'd need to give his all—including the Cheonroegeom.
He unwrapped it.
Gripped the hilt.
The comfortable hilt felt heavy as he lifted it.
This sword had incinerated charging absorption trees in the dungeon. Deflected powerful arrows on bizarre paths, saving him and Choi Muhyun. Allowed survival to the end.
He recalled the glowing trail in the air.
The Cheonroegeom had moved like a living thing along it, blocking the arrows.
Remembering that moment.
It was undoubtedly the sword's power. Not his own. But the sword was his too. He just needed to assimilate that power.
Moments later, Yeon O-su entered through the door.
He tossed a water bottle.
“Drink. We start in five minutes.”
Thirsty, Kim Jun silently gulped it down.