Sparring Friend
The Sword Family's First Prodigy. If someone were to ask who the greatest talent within the Sun Moon Demonic Cult’s Eight Families—specifically the Sword Family—was, no one would be able to answer easily. The reason was simple: the rising stars of this generation were all exceptionally gifted, displaying skills so evenly matched that it was difficult to distinguish one from the others. Of course, there might have been a marginal difference in ability, but that slight gap was hardly enough to crown anyone the absolute best.
Even so, humans have a subconscious tendency to rank and categorize. If one were to ask the senior figures of the Sword Family, "What is your personal opinion?" the answer would be equally meaningless. The elders would naturally name the prodigy from their own sect as the best. This was partly because the Sword Family functioned somewhat like a coalition, a gathering of various sword schools. Then, if one were to ask, "Who is second, then?"—only then would one hear the true consensus regarding the Sword Family's greatest prodigy.
— "Wouldn't it be the Young Sect Master of the Swift Sword Sect, who reached the First-Class realm at the age of fifteen?"
— "The Young Sect Master of the Phantom Demonic Sword Sect is strong, yes. But isn't he a bit older? Therefore, this elder chooses Jin A-rin."
— "I don't particularly like the absurd rumor that she mastered all the lower-tier sword techniques of the Swift Sword Sect by the age of ten... but one must acknowledge what is due. It is the Young Sect Master of the Swift Sword Sect."
Indeed. The Young Sect Master of the Swift Sword Sect. Jin A-rin. She was the rising star of the Sword Family who deserved to be called its greatest prodigy. Though no one said it aloud, everyone acknowledged that if the position of Family Head were to become vacant for some reason in the future, she would be the one to take it. No one said it aloud, but everyone thought she would become the disciple of the Sword Holy Sovereign. And though no one said it aloud, if the Sword Family were to produce the next Sword Saint, she was the one they would name.
From the moment she was born, Jin A-rin had grown up under the weight of countless expectations. And so, slowly... ever so slowly... she was being crushed by them.
Jin A-rin was dreaming. Usually, it would be normal not to realize one is dreaming, but Jin A-rin was different. 'Is it this again...' She had faced this same scene in her dreams countless times.
As on any other day, her younger self in the dream was swinging her sword from early in the morning. An elder, tasked with watching her practice, did not take his eyes off her for even a single moment.
"Good work."
Jin A-rin lowered her sword and looked at the elder.
"Excellent as always. Seeing the Young Sect Master improve day by day, I can only say that the future of the main family, beyond our own sect, is bright. We shall end here for today."
Jin A-rin looked into the eyes of the elder who spoke. It was the same look as always. Expectation. A faint trace of jealousy and envy. And yet, a look of pride... it was a heavy, burdensome gaze that everyone directed at her.
'Until when... can I live up to those expectations?'
If the day comes when I can no longer fulfill that gaze, how will they treat me? Her younger self felt not joy at the elder's praise, but an unshakable anxiety. She recalled the cold eyes of the elders, her father, and the warriors of the Swift Sword Sect. It was just like that day in the past, when she had let her sword slip from her grip during a duel.
— "To let your sword slip from your hand during a duel!"
— "It is a disgrace to a swordsman!"
— "Do you intend to lose your life in a life-or-death battle because you let your sword slip from your grip?"
A chill ran down her spine. At a young age, Jin A-rin realized that such goodwill was not infinite and that it required a price. She also realized that what they were looking at was not 'herself,' but the brilliant talent she possessed. Because of this, Jin A-rin could never be happy with that half-hearted affection. She had already felt, if only slightly, the end that awaited when that half-hearted affection cooled.
Jin A-rin bowed her head to the elder and said, "Thank you for your guidance today. Good work."
"Ho ho. Not at all. You had a harder time, Young Sect Master. What have I done?"
The elder turned away with a smile, feigning humility. He would never know where Jin A-rin went afterward. He wouldn't even be interested. Waiting until he disappeared, just in case he looked back, Jin A-rin headed to the mountain behind the sect and began swinging her sword alone. To ensure they would not be disappointed. To live up to their expectations. Even if it was half-hearted affection, the young Jin A-rin wanted that affection to never cease. It was a scene from her dream, just like always.
The perspective shifted. The version of herself swinging a sword behind the mountain was no longer alone. Beside her, an old man was also swinging a sword; it was the Sword Holy Sovereign. Whenever Jin A-rin was with him, her heart felt at ease. Unlike the others, the Sword Holy Sovereign was not looking at her talent. To put it another way, it meant he had no expectations of her.
However, the Sword Holy Sovereign simply treated Jin A-rin with the appropriately kind gaze one might give a distant relative. This was the first time she had experienced such a thing. Thus, Jin A-rin's internal intimacy toward the Sword Holy Sovereign grew boundlessly. He was the only person she could face without feeling burdened.
Then, one day. The Sword Holy Sovereign asked me, "By any chance, what do you think when you see my sword?"
"Hmm... It's simple? That's what I think. I think, 'I didn't know one could swing a sword so cleanly.' That's what I think."
"That's right... It is simple. I see."
It was literally simple. Because the sword the Sword Holy Sovereign swung was a clean vertical and horizontal slash that could hardly be called a sword technique. The Sword Holy Sovereign looked at me as he always did and spoke. There was no disappointment in his eyes. Nor was there any expectation. It was just a kind gaze, the way one treats a distant relative.
That was how the Sword Holy Sovereign and Jin A-rin parted ways. Because the night was beginning to deepen. And the next day. The Sword Holy Sovereign did not come. Nor the day after. Even after a week passed. Even after a month passed... The Sword Holy Sovereign no longer bothered to visit the mountain behind the sect to see me.
The perspective shifted again. It was only after a month had passed that Jin A-rin went to find the Sword Holy Sovereign. She worried she might be looked down upon. Up until now, his coming to find her and teach her swordsmanship must have been out of his goodwill. Would it be rude to suddenly go and ask why he didn't come to see her anymore, or why he wasn't teaching her swordsmanship? Such thoughts filled Jin A-rin's head. Her younger self was a fragile child who was overly conscious of others' gazes.
The reason Jin A-rin decided to visit the Sword Holy Sovereign was that she had heard the news that he was leaving the family soon. 'If I don't do it today, I won't be able to hear the reason for a long time.'
That was how she went to see the Sword Holy Sovereign. He had already finished his preparations to head to the Forest of Ten Thousand Swords.
"Why... why don't you come to see me behind the mountain anymore?"
Jin A-rin looked at the Sword Holy Sovereign with a pitiful gaze. And then, she fell into deep despair. The Sword Holy Sovereign was looking at her just as he did on any other day, with a look of trouble on his face.
"Hmm... that is..."
"I... I will work harder. I will try harder so that I can become your disciple, so please..."
Couldn't you stay by my side a little longer? Jin A-rin barely swallowed the words. She didn't want to look like a child throwing a tantrum.
"Hmm... so you knew all along."
Jin A-rin nodded at the Sword Holy Sovereign's words. How could she not know? The fact that the reason the Sword Holy Sovereign had been visiting her all this time was to find a disciple. She had ears. She had eyes. Though young, she was in the position of the Young Sect Master of the Swift Sword Sect. The Sword Holy Sovereign pondered for a moment before opening his mouth.
"I am sorry. It is not to say that you are not outstanding. It is just..."
"Just...?"
"It seems it would be... a bit difficult to pass on my sword to you. I am sorry."
The Sword Holy Sovereign turned his back on her. She just needed someone who would look at her correctly. And that person who understood her was about to leave her. Since he had no personal feelings toward her, wasn't she just a child of a distant relative?
'Ah. Because I am... not special...'
She had clung to the Sword Holy Sovereign because she didn't want to be special, but he left her side because she wasn't special. Standing there blankly as if she had lost her soul, watching the spot where the Sword Holy Sovereign had departed for a long time, Jin A-rin... once she was left alone with no one around, she sat down on the spot and began to sob. The reason she couldn't cry immediately was... because she was conscious of the gazes of the people around her. In the past, she would have first thought about the cold gazes of those around her for failing to become the Sword Holy Sovereign's disciple... but this time, it was different.
'I will... become someone special to the Sword Holy Sovereign.'
Jin A-rin realized. It wasn't that she didn't want to be someone's special person. She just realized that she didn't want tens of thousands of people to consider her special, but rather that she wanted the person she considered special to consider her that way. Thus, the girl made a vow. That one day, she would be recognized by the Sword Holy Sovereign. That she would become his disciple and become his special person.
Having seen the end of the dream, just like any other day, Jin A-rin woke up.
As Jin A-rin sat up, a clamorous sound reached her ears.
"Young Sect Master! Are you alright?!"
Most of them were senior figures of the Swift Sword Sect, but contrary to her expectations, their gazes were not that cold. Although she had lost the duel, Jin Seo-ah was simply phenomenally strong; Jin A-rin was by no means weak. Moreover, since she had lost the duel, it was good that she didn't have to worry about the potential wrath of the Sword Holy Sovereign. Of course, that was of no concern to the current Jin A-rin.
"Is the Sword Holy Sovereign's disciple... doing alright?"
"Y... yes? I believe so..."
"I see. I must go see her at once."
"You should take some rest..."
Jin A-rin did not care about the words of the elders trying to stop her and immediately sprang up from her seat. The elders, too, did not bother to stop Jin A-rin. 'I can no longer be the Sword Holy Sovereign's special person.' It seemed he had already found his own special person. But... that was fine. Another person had appeared who she wanted to be special to. Someone who didn't care about her background. Or her talent. Someone who, rather, exceeded her expectations. A possessor of outstanding talent that made her own talent pale in comparison.
'And that gaze!'
She had engaged in duels with countless people until now, but that chilling gaze that pierced through her, trying to figure out how to dismantle her sword technique. For the first time, someone had appeared before Jin A-rin whom she wanted to be friends with. Someone who would look at her without prejudice. Someone who would not be overwhelmed by her talent. Someone who would not be jealous of her background. A friend of equal standing!
Jin A-rin immediately ran toward Seo-ah's quarters.
— Bang!
Jin A-rin immediately threw open the door to Seo-ah's quarters and shouted, "Will you be my sparring friend?!"
"Hiccup!"
Startled by Jin A-rin's sudden assault, So-so dropped the bowl of porridge she had been feeding to Seo-ah.
— Clatter.
Leaving the broken bowl behind, as So-so and Seo-ah looked at Jin A-rin with eyes that seemed to ask if she had gone mad... Jin A-rin broke into a cold sweat, bowed her waist, and said in a low voice, "Ah... that... that is... ahem. I apologize."
Her apology was swift.