Provocation from the Seniors
A week had passed. Nam Gyuil and his teammates threw themselves into training as usual. He honed the Yang's Heart Method. Hwang Ilsu practiced the Yeonhwang Sword, refining its forms. This sword art from the Moyong sect was characterized by its heavy, crushing strikes. It was a highly unusual technique from the Moyong family, who typically pursued swift swordplay. The heir of the Moyong sect had developed it after gaining enlightenment during a duel with the Hwangbo clan. The attacks were both fast and devastating. However, because the style focused so extremely on speed and destructive power, it required exploiting the opponent's openings to land proper strikes. In simple terms, it left the user vulnerable to counters. For that reason, it incorporated principles of swift swordplay into defense, featuring many forms that blocked with minimal movement. It suited Hwang Ilsu's style perfectly.
Lee Chanu worked on his footwork. Tap, tap, tap. He practiced the Nangong sect's Heavenly Palace Step.
"This is insanely tough."
Sweat pouring down his face, Lee Chanu moved his feet desperately. The Nangong sect, famed for swift swordsmanship, placed exceptional emphasis on footwork compared to other schools. Only after perfecting the footwork could one wield their sword arts effectively. The Heavenly Palace Step was the sect's most basic footwork technique, and mastering it perfectly would catapult Lee Chanu's skills to new heights.
"Hm."
Han Kangsu stood still, wooden sword at rest, lost in deep thought.
"Hoo—"
Exhaling deeply, he swung the wooden sword. Its trajectory was utterly unique—graceful and fluid. Like a dance, it lacked any sharpness, making it profoundly mysterious. The sight was noble. Beautiful. It even evoked a sense of purity. The form Han Kangsu was practicing was the Wudang sect's secret art, the Taeguk Sword. An exceedingly profound swordsmanship, specialized in turning the enemy's attacks against them. Han Kangsu was honing it. The principles were so difficult they bordered on the incomprehensible; not just anyone could learn it. Talent was essential.
"Tch, that's not it. Not quite."
Han Kangsu swung the wooden sword, hesitated mid-motion, and clicked his tongue. Even with his exceptional talent, fully grasping the Taeguk Sword's subtleties and expressing them through the blade was no easy feat.
I only understand a tiny fraction so far.
This was the first time Han Kangsu had hit a wall during training. He felt lost. He'd always overcome everything with raw talent, but now it wasn't working.
I need to work harder.
To fully unlock his innate potential, there was no substitute for effort. Han Kangsu calmed his mind. Once more, the wooden sword traced a graceful arc with elegant motion.
If his swordsmanship exuded nobility...
"Tahap!!"
Hong Shinu, shouting with each thrust and repeating the motion endlessly, was the polar opposite. She trained with demonic fury. No grace, no purity, no flashy footwork, no heavy strikes. No defining traits at all. She just thrust desperately, howling like a beast. Was it sheer tenacity? Or stubborn persistence? It was unremarkable training, but her eyes burned with a ghostly madness, as if possessed. She even cut back on sleep to drill thrusts. The sight was eerie.
Everyone was deep in focus when an unexpected guest arrived.
"Is anyone home—!!"
"Tsk tsk. This is why the young ones are useless. Seniors show up, and they don't even come running. No manners at all."
Voices echoed from the first floor. Lee Chanu halted his footwork mid-training. The others did the same. A sudden visitor had thrown them off.
"We're from Unha Guild!"
"Get out here and greet us already!"
Their booming voices filled the building. It was pure thuggery, devoid of any courtesy. Unsure what to do, Lee Chanu turned to Hwang Ilsu.
"Did we have anyone scheduled to visit today?"
"No. No notice or official letter from Unha Guild... I have no idea why they'd show up out of the blue."
As everyone pondered their next move...
"Hoo."
Nam Gyuil exhaled and opened his eyes. Finishing the Yang's Heart Method, he rose from his cross-legged position, his gaze sharper and clearer. Fidgeting anxiously, Lee Chanu asked him,
"Hyung, what do we do? They seem like they're here to cause trouble."
Lee Chanu's voice trembled. A major guild throwing its weight around had him shrinking in fear.
Nam Gyuil rolled his shoulders and stood tall.
"If some punk comes to our house picking a fight, you think the owner just sits there? We face them head-on, or they'll walk all over us."
Nam Gyuil led his team downstairs. The Unha Guild members pointed and tsked at them.
There were five of them.
"What, you finally show? Even for a fresh guild, isn't this too lax?"
"Where's your admin staff? Not even a peep? This is how you treat guests?!"
Ignoring their questions, Nam Gyuil countered.
"What brings you here?"
"What brings us? When you meet your seniors, shouldn't you greet them first?"
"Haha, that's a bit much for a joke."
"What?!"
The Unha Guild members glared, their aura turning menacing. Nam Gyuil just sneered back, unfazed.
"If you're guests, you introduce yourselves and greet the host first. How would I know who you are to welcome you properly?"
He didn't back down an inch. The Unha Guild members raised their voices.
"You deaf or something?! We said Unha Guild! Bow your head and greet us—now!!"
"So, what are your names and ranks? Unha Guild isn't just one guy."
"This little shit?!"
One of them clenched his fist. The tension spiked to a breaking point. Nam Gyuil warned them.
"Swing at me here, and things get messy. You okay with headlines saying Unha Guild assaulted a new guild?"
"What?!"
"I'd take a hit, sure. But Unha Guild would be all over the scandals. Your stock would crash like Kangcheol's, of course."
"You think Unha Guild can't handle a little news!!"
The man bellowed, refusing to yield. Fury boiling over, he even grabbed Nam Gyuil's collar and growled. Nam Gyuil, hands behind his back, shot back coolly.
"I've got solid backing too."
"Quit your bullshit."
As the man yelled louder, Han Kangsu stepped forward.
"You know my dad's the Kangcheol Guild master, right? Want to make this big?"
"Tch."
The Unha Guild member clicked his tongue. Clashing hard with a major guild master's son would drag them into a war they couldn't handle alone. It'd be burning down the house to catch a rat. Then, a man in his mid-40s, another Unha Guild member, stepped in to defuse things. He ordered the collar-grabber.
"Let go."
"B-but..."
"You wouldn't disobey an executive, would you?"
"Sorry."
The man released Nam Gyuil. The executive who gave the order bowed politely.
"I'm Yang Yongjun, Unha Guild executive."
As he bowed, the other Unha Guild members followed suit. Finally showing some manners. Nam Gyuil returned the bow.
"Nam Gyuil, Public Guild master. What can we do for you?"
"Per Hunter Association tradition, we're here to impart wisdom to our juniors."
Nam Gyuil's eye twitched at that.
"Wisdom?"
"Yes."
"And how exactly?"
"Through sparring."
Nam Gyuil forced a smile at the barbed politeness. He saw through their game.
They'll crush us in spars to break our spirit and make us obey.
Pathetic. Nam Gyuil sized up the five Unha Guild members. The executive seemed able to use sword aura, but the rest probably couldn't.
Physically, no one else looks threatening besides the exec.
Managable. Then Yang Yongjun made an intriguing proposal.
"Plain spars would be boring, no? Let's add a wager."
"A wager?"
"Yes. If we win, join Unha Guild. Far more glorious than running this little outfit."
The offer grated on Nam Gyuil. He hated their condescending gaze, and their casual intent to trample the weak. He said nothing. To wound his pride further, Yang Yongjun dangled an absurd prize.
"If you win, this is yours."
Yang Yongjun drew a sharp dagger from his belt. Its blade bore the characters for "Sichuan" in Hanja. He explained.
"Dagger from a new monster last week in a gate. Auction it off, and it'll fetch a fortune."
Nam Gyuil's eyes widened at the sight. He bit his lower lip to suppress a grin. Yang Yongjun had likely offered it to humiliate him further, assuming it was worthless. But this was a weapon from the Sichuan Tangmen, infamous assassin clan even in the wuxia world. A throwing dagger. Plain-looking, but with a unique power.
Use Sichuan Tangmen arts, and it multiplies.
A divine relic. Infuse it with Tangmen inner energy, and one dagger becomes many—scaling with the user's power. Incredible, but useless without Tangmen arts.
Only I can recognize its value.
He'd skimmed it in the Akashic Records while studying martial arts. No better prize. Win, and massive gains. Oblivious, Yang Yongjun thought they risked nothing even in defeat—despite losing the most if they lost the spars. Nam Gyuil found Unha Guild laughable.
They underestimate our rookies. After a week of elixirs and arts training, that'll bite them.
He accepted.
"Fine. Good terms. To the sparring grounds, then."
Nam Gyuil led them there.
The sparring format was simple. Best of five, first to three wins. Yang Yongjun smirked at Public Guild.
Nam Gyuil's a sword aura user—tricky. But the rest? No threat.
His guildmates were all Hunter Agency veterans who'd survived intact, with solid experience. Rookies like Public Guild had no chance. Yang Yongjun felt at ease. For the first bout, he sent in a two-year veteran named Park Gi-hyeon. Gripping his wooden sword, Park Gi-hyeon mounted the stage and haughtily overlooked Public Guild. Nam Gyuil looked to his team.
"Who wants to go?"
Han Kangsu raised his hand.
"I'll take it."
He stepped up. Park Gi-hyeon found Han Kangsu unnerving. His father was Han Ducheol, after all. And Han Kangsu was already hailed as a genius. He couldn't drop his guard. To seize initiative, he barked,
"No greeting for your senior?"
Hearing that, Han Kangsu exhaled long. Rudeness deserved rudeness to vent properly. For once, he raised his voice.
"I don't listen to weaklings beneath me—!!"