The Events of the Sixth Day at Noon

Seo-ah stared at the familiar faces of the men surrounding her. Every single one of them had previously challenged her to a duel, only to be rejected. In particular, the man standing in the center, gazing at her with an air of triumph, was someone she remembered well. It was Jin Mu-ung, a disciple of the senior elder of the Fast Sword Sect. She remembered his face because he was the very first person to approach her, introducing himself with such arrogance before demanding a duel.

Seo-ah stiffened, her expression hardening as she asked, "What is the meaning of this?"

Jin Mu-ung stepped forward and sneered. "That maid there. She didn't respond to our calls. When we questioned her about such rudeness, she suddenly started pointing fingers at us, claiming she was serving a disciple of the Sword Saint. So, we had no choice but to hold her master, Lady Seo-ah, accountable for the insult we received."

It was all pure, unadulterated nonsense. Just then, the terrified voice of So-so, who was being held by the men, reached her ears. "Seo... Seo-ah... I... I didn't do that..."

"Can't you keep your mouth shut?!"

"Eek!"

One of the three men, including Jin Mu-ung, yanked So-so’s hair back and clamped a hand over her mouth to stop her from speaking. Seo-ah’s expression turned icy.

"I asked what the meaning of this was. I didn't ask for some absurd, made-up excuse. You don't actually think you'll get away with doing something like this, do you?"

Jin Mu-ung chuckled. "Are you going to report us to the Sword Saint? Go ahead and try. If you can... Ah! You can't, can you? If you could, you would have done it long ago."

Until now, Seo-ah had simply ignored the insults born from the jealousy and inferiority complexes of people who knew nothing. As Jin Mu-ung said, it wasn't impossible for her to tell No-ya about what had been happening. It didn't matter; her reputation would vanish by tomorrow anyway. Everyone would soon realize her true worth. She had taken measures to avoid wasting unnecessary mental energy, but she hadn't expected it to backfire like this.

"So. What is it you want?"

"The same as last time. A duel with me. I cannot allow a lowly wretch like you to be placed on the same level as our Young Sect Leader."

— *Shing.*

Seo-ah drew her sword from her waist without hesitation. Even if she told them she would report everything to No-ya, they would only scoff and refuse to believe her. Furthermore, she couldn't say such things for fear that provoking them might lead to So-so getting hurt. Jin Mu-ung likewise drew his sword from its scabbard and charged at her without another word.

Jin Mu-ung never for a moment thought he might lose. If she had truly been confident in her skills, she would have had no reason to avoid his previous challenges. 'The lowly wench. Being such a nuisance.' If she had just dueled him the first time he asked, he could have spread rumors to save himself the trouble of dealing with low-class martial artists who lacked both fame and talent. If she had fought them then, he wouldn't have had to go through the trouble of kidnapping her maid.

Jin Mu-ung recalled his conversation with his master, the senior elder. "Master. The Sword Saint's disciple is not dueling anyone. I've tried insulting her... I've tried coaxing her with kind words... I fear the plan has failed."

His master had said he received a secret order from the Fast Sword Sect Leader: to ensure the duel with the Young Sect Leader was canceled without offending the Sword Saint. The senior elder's strategy was simple: force the Sword Saint's disciple into duels with low-class martial artists of the sect until the duel with the Young Sect Leader, and defeat her. If she lost to even the lowest-ranked martial artists of the Sword Family, they could create public opinion that she was unfit to duel the Young Sect Leader of the Fast Sword Sect, thereby forcing the cancellation.

What if the Sword Saint's disciple won? That possibility wasn't even considered. Even the low-class martial artists of the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Sword Family were all at least Second-Class, having received professional training. There was no ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠way the Sword Saint's disciple, who was expected to have learned martial arts for less than a year, could win.

Jin Mu-ung swallowed his disappointment. 'A pity. Is this the end...' He had tried various methods to provoke Seo-ah into a duel, but she had refused every single one. If he provoked her any further, he might touch the Sword Saint's reverse scale. So, even if he failed his secret mission, he should start backing away... but the senior elder had thought differently.

"I heard there is a maid that lowly creature cherishes. Threaten her to draw out a duel."

"Pardon? Even so, that is..." Jin Mu-ung had stammered in confusion. It wasn't that he felt sorry for the maid, or that he thought it wasn't something an honorable martial artist would do. What wouldn't he do to become stronger? What wouldn't he do to climb higher? But even Jin Mu-ung knew where the line was. He knew that crossing this line would be dangerous. He knew that if he crossed it, he might incur the Sword Saint's wrath.

The senior elder had said calmly, "She is a girl who hasn't even counterattacked or said a word to her master despite receiving all sorts of insults. If the Sword Saint truly cherished her... she would have said something, and he would have let a few words slip to us. But he has said nothing. He has been swinging his sword in his quarters just like always. So it will be fine. Besides, we won't be able to report anything to him anyway, as we're too busy watching the Sword Saint's mood."

Jin Mu-ung decided his master was right and agreed to do it. The only thing he was worried about was the possibility of the girl losing her temper and reporting them to the Sword Saint, but as his master said, if she couldn't report them, there was nothing to fear.

Jin Mu-ung lunged at Seo-ah without any signal, foolishly thinking three seconds would be enough. The sword technique he unleashed was the Fourteen Demonic Swords of the Flying Island. It was a technique of extreme speed consisting of fourteen forms. Unless one was a formidable expert, anyone encountering this sword for the first time would be pierced through, dying without even realizing what had cut them.

'Don't worry. I won't kill you.' She was, after all, the Sword Saint's disciple. He couldn't avoid the Sword Saint's wrath the moment he took Seo-ah's life. Even if it were a "legitimate" accident that could occur in a "fair" duel. Jin Mu-ung's sword aimed for Seo-ah's side. Soon, the sound of flesh being shredded would ring out, followed by the maid's scream. The Sword Saint's disciple would fall to the ground, and that would be it. He would have completed the job perfectly, earning his master's recognition and catching the eye of the Fast Sword Sect Leader. Higher. To even higher places.

However, contrary to Jin Mu-ung's expectations, Seo-ah easily dodged the sword. Seo-ah mocked him. "You lunged with such confidence, I thought you had something up your sleeve. But there's nothing special about you, is there?"

"Shut up." Jin Mu-ung's face turned beet red as his confident strike missed so pathetically. Was it true that even a rotten Sword Saint's disciple was still a disciple? Jin Mu-ung swung his sword repeatedly. Seo-ah followed his fast sword with her eyes, showing only the minimum amount of movement. For forms she could dodge, she moved her feet to avoid wasting unnecessary energy. For forms she couldn't dodge, she deflected the sword with the minimum amount of force and movement.

The girl from the past—who was desperate and knew only how to use horizontal and vertical slashes without any distribution of power—no longer existed. Only a true Martial Artist remained. Seo-ah didn't launch any special counterattacks; she simply kept watching Jin Mu-ung's sword. She was observing the Fast Sword Sect's technique, which No-ya did not teach.

'It's even less special than I thought.'

It was a sword focused solely on speed to end the opponent's life. But a fast sword was only meaningful if the opponent couldn't react. To Seo-ah, who knew every form and could follow them with her eyes, it was all meaningless.

"You aren't even good practice."

The flow of the battle changed. Seo-ah, who had only been deflecting or dodging until now, launched her first attack. Seo-ah and Jin Mu-ung's swords clashed. Jin Mu-ung's pupils trembled. Seo-ah's heavy sword easily shattered Jin Mu-ung's defense. It felt as if a booming *thud* was echoing through his own body.

'How! How is this possible!'

Jin Mu-ung easily recognized the identity of the sword technique Seo-ah was using. The technique that was making him look so miserable was not some high-level art. It was the Seven Demonic Swords, which anyone in the Sword Family learned. The Sword Saint's disciple was crushing him with the basic sword technique of the Sword Family.

'This... it's like... I'm facing an expert above my own rank!'

What happened? Why had she been avoiding duels until now? Had she lied about how long she had been learning martial arts? Why? Why? Why? Why? An impossible thing had happened. Jin Mu-ung's head was filled with nothing but questions.

Seo-ah watched Jin Mu-ung, whose eyes were shaking, and thought, 'It's over.'

Seo-ah felt the perfect composure draining away from Jin Mu-ung. It meant his true colors were showing. Jin Mu-ung's sword was nowhere near reaching her; he was desperate just to block her strikes. Seo-ah put strength into her grip. Her sword was infused with intent, the skill of a First-Class expert.

'Break.'

Seo-ah slashed down. Jin Mu-ung tried with all his might to block her sword, but it was in vain. Under Seo-ah's Tyrant Sword, infused with the skill of a First-Class expert, Jin Mu-ung rolled on the floor, dropping his sword from his grip. Jin Mu-ung, sprawled on the ground, looked at Seo-ah with an expression of disbelief. Seo-ah sheathed her sword at her waist and said, "Do you acknowledge your defeat?"

The outcome was decided.

The two men who had been holding So-so were staring at Jin Mu-ung with expressions of shock. But Jin Mu-ung, who had lost his soul, gave no answer. The two men released So-so. It was clearly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Jin Mu-ung's defeat. The reason they had been able to badmouth Seo-ah behind her back and threaten the maid she cherished was because Seo-ah had been weak. But she was strong. Strong enough to be called the Sword Saint's disciple.

'He said it was fine because she was a cripple... but she was an unbelievable expert...'

'Damn it... I'm marked, aren't I? I'm definitely marked... If only I hadn't been lured by the promise that I could become a high-ranking swordsman of the Fast Sword Sect...'

So-so, freed from the men's hands, headed straight for Seo-ah. Just then, Jin Mu-ung, who had been slumped in the back, subdued So-so as she approached Seo-ah and held a dagger to her throat. Seo-ah was startled by Jin Mu-ung's actions and drew her sword from her waist. Jin Mu-ung shouted, "St... stop! If you come any closer... I'll... I'll slit her throat."

Seo-ah's footsteps stopped, and Jin Mu-ung shouted with bloodshot eyes, "At... attack! Attack together and bring that wench to her knees!"

"Jin Mu-ung! What kind of nonsense are you talking about now!"

"We just need to subdue her! My master will handle the rest! Our reputation? There's no one here but us. Who would believe her words!"

This, too, was pure nonsense. Yes, before, it might have sounded plausible. When the belief was firmly planted that the Sword Saint's disciple was truly weak and had not yet received the Sword Saint's trust. But now, it was different. Could the Sword Saint really neglect such a talent? From that moment on, the truth didn't matter. A single false word from Seo-ah would mean all of their heads would fly at the Sword Saint's command. The two martial artists seemed to have the same thought; they looked at each other and took a step back.

Jin Mu-ung shouted again, "What are you doing now! I told you to attack!"

"Jin Mu-ung. Maintain your dignity as a martial artist."

"You... you worm-like bastards!"

Jin Mu-ung's gaze shifted to Seo-ah. "Jin Seo-ah! Do you want to save this maid? If so, forfeit the duel. If not..."

Jin Mu-ung gritted his teeth and pressed the dagger slightly into So-so's neck. Blood trickled down So-so's neck. So-so, pinned to the ground by Jin Mu-ung, let out a terrified, sobbing sound. Seo-ah gritted her teeth. 'How dare you... I showed mercy, and you do this?'

Seo-ah had held back in this duel. It was because Jin Mu-ung was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the disciple of the Fast Sword Sect's senior elder. She had calculated that if she crippled him or destroyed his dantian like she did at the inn, she would end up making an enemy of the entire Fast Sword Sect. Above all... she had been confident that she could subdue Jin Mu-ung safely. But she hadn't expected that confidence to backfire like this.

Jin Mu-ung shouted with bloodshot eyes, "Jin Seo-ah! What are you going to do?!"

"I get it. I'll stop the duel. So, let So-so go."

"Forfeiting the duel comes first... Go back to your quarters and tell the Sword Saint that you can't make it to tomorrow's duel."

Seo-ah nodded. She thought calming Jin Mu-ung down was the priority. 'But... if I do that, will So-so survive?'

Could she really just turn away like this? Seo-ah doubted whether she could really entrust So-so's life to that madman. And so, she picked up a throwing dagger from her robes.

'Can I do it?'

Could she pierce Jin Mu-ung's head? It was a dagger she had thrown many times. She had deflected the sword of Jin Geuk, who had reached the level of a First-Class expert for a moment after taking the Demonic Explosion Pill, killed a Second-Class martial artist of Jin Mu-ung's level with this dagger, and even wounded a mysterious martial artist who had reached the peak of First-Class. It was enough to kill Jin Mu-ung, who was half-insane, instantly.

Seo-ah pretended to step back and threw the dagger at Jin Mu-ung's head.

— *Thud!*

With a heavy sound, the dagger pierced through the center of Jin Mu-ung's forehead. Jin Mu-ung's body collapsed. Red blood flowed out from beneath him? It wasn't Jin Mu-ung's blood. Huh? So-so's body was limp on the floor. Seo-ah approached So-so in a panic. So-so's neck, seen up close, had been pierced. Even before Seo-ah threw the dagger. From the moment Seo-ah pretended to forfeit the duel and return to her quarters, Jin Mu-ung, who had been wary of Seo-ah, had pushed the dagger into So-so's neck.

Why? Why? She clearly hadn't said she would forfeit the duel as he asked. But she soon realized that there was no special reason for killing So-so. He was just angry. She was just a tool whose purpose had already been fulfilled.

Seo-ah hugged So-so's limp body, her hands trembling. The warm blood flowing from So-so's neck stained Seo-ah's hands. It was what would happen at noon on the sixth day.

Seo-ah opened her eyes. It was the morning of the sixth day. Seo-ah woke up from a terrible nightmare. A nightmare? A nightmare? No. This wasn't a nightmare. For the first time, Seo-ah harbored the intent to kill someone, drew her sword, and headed somewhere. Her eyes were unfocused. Only the thought that she had to kill filled her mind.