Chapter 75
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Decision (2)
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Cheon Muryang’s eyes gleamed.
Facing him again, Namgung Seo-hui appeared unshakably firm.
‘She must have made her decision.’
Her eyes spoke volumes about what that decision was.
“You’ve returned, Seo-hui.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
The Sword King was the highest elder of the Namgung Family.
However, sword in hand, Namgung Seo-hui showed no sign of deference, instead pointing her blade at Namgung San.
“What are you doing?”
“I have decided my path.”
“Your path… And what might that be?”
“Family Head.”
“…”
“I will become the Family Head of the Namgung Family.”
*Thump!*
The air grew heavy and sank.
Her calm eyes were fixed solely on Namgung San.
“You will become the Family Head?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think that’s possible?”
“It’s not impossible. At the very least, my brother is not qualified to be the Family Head.”
As she calmly discussed Namgung Sang-hyeok’s qualifications, Namgung San momentarily saw the aura of the Sword Queen in her.
“So, you will become the head?”
“Yes.”
“As a woman, you intend to become the Family Head? Who in the martial world would accept that?”
Namgung San denied it.
A woman could never become the head of the Namgung Family.
There was no such tradition in their long history.
“Acceptance?”
But Namgung Seo-hui shook her head.
Who was supposed to convince whom?
“Why must they be convinced?”
“…”
“Is this not a matter for our family?”
Since when did the Namgung Family care about the opinions of others?
It wasn’t right.
“Even those within the family will surely oppose it.”
“I’m sure they will.”
“…”
“However, I intend to prove myself to them with my sword.”
The Namgung was a family of the sword.
To become its head, one must possess a sword worthy of the title.
“The sword… Do you possess such a sword?”
*Fwoosh!*
Instead of answering.
Namgung Seo-hui raised her sword.
A sharp aura swirled around her entire body.
‘Has she achieved Sword-Body Unity?’
Watching her form, which resembled a single, drawn sword, Cheon Muryang marveled inwardly.
“Yes. I will show you.”
“…”
Namgung San’s expression remained stern as he looked at the sword, yet it seemed as if he was smiling somewhere deep inside.
Like a grandfather watching his granddaughter’s charming antics.
“Then, come.”
“I have already struck.”
“…!”
The Emperor Sword Form.
Over it, another Emperor Sword Form was layered.
A rain of sword upon sword fell, clashing against each other.
*Clang, claaang!*
The sharp sounds of impact.
However, Namgung Seo-hui paid them no mind, slowly closing the distance.
As formidable as her sword was, how could it compare to the Sword King’s?
*Pshat!*
The overlapping Emperor Sword Forms gradually began to merge into one.
A single sword grazed the hem of her clothes.
Blood flowed, but it did not stop Namgung Seo-hui’s advance.
Her will was transmitted to Namgung San.
“Do you truly…”
“…”
“Intend to split the family in two?”
“No.”
Namgung Seo-hui shook her head.
What she intended was not to split the family.
“It is the opposite.”
A unified family.
A single Namgung Family.
This was for that purpose.
“I intend to create a unified family.”
A strange light flickered in Cheon Muryang’s eyes.
Namgung Seo-hui’s resolve was the same as his own.
‘No wonder she seemed so similar to me.’
Cheon Muryang stared at the Sword King.
He was curious to see how he would react.
“…”
The Sword King was silent.
Eventually, he too spoke.
“A unified family, you say.”
He had seen the will contained within her sword.
Even if her neck were severed, that will would remain steadfast.
In other words, the Sword King realized he could not stop her resolve.
“Can you truly do it?”
“Yes.”
“Heh heh heh.”
The Sword King laughed.
His next question was not for Namgung Seo-hui, but for Cheon Muryang.
“What are your thoughts?”
“Is my opinion important?”
“It could serve as a reference, couldn’t it?”
“Hmm…”
After a moment of thought, Cheon Muryang nodded and continued.
“I was the same.”
“…”
“I sought to unite the divided Cheon Family.”
Back then, who would have thought Cheon Muryang could do it?
Everyone must have thought it impossible.
But Cheon Muryang had done it.
“It is certainly a difficult path.”
“…”
“But I succeeded.”
*Fwoooong!*
The Heavenly Light Sword cried out.
It was a feat accomplished with but a single sword.
“Of course, Lady Seo-hui is not me. So, she might succeed, or she might fail.”
“…”
“The choice is yours, Elder.”
Who to believe?
Namgung Seo-hui or Namgung Sang-hyeok.
It was a choice between two.
“I suppose so.”
And the Sword King had long since realized what the answer was.
Perhaps he had just been waiting for the moment to choose that answer.
‘Seo-hui, if it’s you… you can understand my sword.’
The only reason he hadn’t chosen rashly was because of the trials and tribulations she would face.
‘But it seems that worry was also my own meddling.’
As a fellow swordsman, the Namgung Seo-hui before him would never yield to such mere hardships.
“Heh heh heh.”
With a strange laugh.
*Paaat!*
Namgung San withdrew the Emperor Sword Form.
The invisible swords concealed their presence.
“Magnificent.”
The Sword King had finally decided who would inherit his sword.
*Vwoom!*
The Emperor Sword.
The sword that only the Sword King could wield, Namgung San gave it to Namgung Seo-hui.
“Take it. It is your sword now.”
“Grandfather…”
Namgung Seo-hui accepted the Emperor Sword.
The moment she first grasped the hilt, a mysterious sensation spread from her fingertips throughout her body.
“Ah…”
She felt a sense of unity incomparable to any other sword.
A confidence that she could cut down anything welled up inside her.
“It seems the Emperor Sword, too, has acknowledged you as its new master.”
The Sword King, who had wielded the Emperor Sword his entire life, felt no regret.
He had lost the need for it quite some time ago.
“However, remember one thing.”
“I await your teachings.”
“You must always be the master of the sword. Be careful that the sword does not wield you.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“This advice applies to you as well, child of the Cheon Family.”
The Emperor Sword.
And the Heavenly Light.
Both were famed swords.
They were also demonic swords that could devour their masters.
If one forgot their mastery over the sword, they would become a demon intoxicated by it—a stance every swordsman must always be wary of.
“I will keep it in mind.”
“Good. How wonderful. They say the rear waves of the Yangtze push the front waves; I have already become a front wave.”
There was a time when he too was a rear wave, pushing the front. The memory was fresh for Namgung San.
“But if you give me this sword, Grandfather, you will…”
Namgung Seo-hui suddenly worried.
No other sword could replace the Emperor Sword; the void left for Namgung San would surely be vast.
“Heh heh heh. How endearing. One moment you point your sword at me, and the next you worry?”
Namgung San understood her heart.
So, he smiled and broke off a nearby tree branch.
“This branch is enough for me.”
“…”
At those words, Cheon Muryang was filled with admiration.
It was proof that Namgung San had already reached the realm beyond the sword, the state of No Sword.
‘So this is the Sword King…’
Once again feeling the loftiness of the King’s station, Cheon Muryang calmed the Heavenly Light, which was crying out in all directions.
*Fwoooong!*
The Heavenly Light was angry.
It seemed to be because of Namgung San’s act of abandoning the Emperor Sword.
‘Don’t worry. I would never abandon you.’
As the cries subsided as if by magic.
Cheon Muryang muttered softly, as if warning the Heavenly Light.
‘Not yet, anyway.’
The Heavenly Light began to cry out in all directions once more.
“Hmm?”
It was then.
“You damned old man!”
*Crack!*
The surrounding trees collapsed with a roar.
A massive cleave flew through the air.
“Who do you think you’re touching!”
It was the Wandering King, a man who had been granted the title of King alongside the Sword King.
His enormous blade carved a relentless arc as it flew toward the Sword King.
“Indeed… a fine blade.”
Namgung San, genuinely impressed, swung the branch in his hand.
“How dare you!”
To the Wandering King, it felt like a provocation, and his muscles swelled in an instant.
*Kwwaaaaang!*
The blade, flying with enough force to shatter a mere branch in a single blow, to utterly pulverize it, came to a halt.
“…!”
The blade stopped.
To be precise, it was blocked by that thin tree branch.
*Creek, creeak!*
The Wandering King pushed with even greater force, but he felt the unyielding hardness of steel.
“However, you still focus only on power. If you do not learn softness.”
“…!”
The Wandering King’s blade seemed to crumble away.
Simultaneously, the Sword King’s branch advanced, targeting an opening in the Wandering King’s defense.
“You will one day face ruin.”
The branch stopped.
Exactly in front of the Wandering King’s heart.
“You would do well to remember that.”
*Grit!*
The Wandering King ground his teeth.
“I know that much.”
The lesson of softness.
It was a concept he had been contemplating ever since he faced the Yama Demonic Lord.
“But what was so urgent that you came rushing over in such a hurry?”
“I came because I thought you might kill that brat.”
“Heh heh heh. You seem to cherish him.”
“Cherish him? I keep him around because he’s amusing.”
“Catch your breath.”
“…Damn it.”
His gasping breath was something he couldn’t lie about.
At that, Cheon Muryang approached the Wandering King with a grin.
“Were you in that much of a hurry?”
“I told you I wasn’t.”
“Come on, I can see you’re out of breath.”
“Ahem.”
The Wandering King discreetly tried to compose his breathing.
It seemed he had rushed over after sensing the Sword King’s energy wave.
“But I felt a killing intent as if you were about to kill someone. How is the atmosphere so heartwarming?”
“Because the misunderstanding was cleared up.”
“…”
The Wandering King looked crestfallen.
“If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have come! Why didn’t you say so sooner!”
“What do you mean? We were talking.”
“Ugh.”
“Greetings, Wandering King.”
Namgung Seo-hui approached and bowed her head.
“Right.”
The Wandering King smiled at Namgung Seo-hui.
“Have you made up your mind?”
“Yes. I have.”
“I hope your decision is the right one.”
“I will show you that it is.”
The Sword King, listening to their conversation, nodded.
He could roughly guess what had transpired.
“It seems we are in your debt.”
“Well, it turned out that way.”
“So, what will you do now?”
Namgung Seo-hui smiled.
It was a smile befitting a troublemaker, one that somehow resembled Cheon Muryang’s.
“The Dragon and Phoenix Assembly is happening right now, isn’t it?”
“…?”
“Wouldn’t it be the perfect place to announce my intentions?”
“What?”
“So there’s something I need you to do, Grandfather.”
“And what is that?”
“The task you were going to do today.”
“…”
“My brother asked you, didn’t he?”
“He did.”
“Just tell him it has been done.”
“…”
“I will take care of the rest.”
“Very well. I will do as you say.”
The Sword King smiled and patted Namgung Seo-hui’s shoulder.
“Go, walk that path.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“Child of the Cheon Family.”
“Yes, Elder.”
“I owe you yet another debt.”
“I will be sure to collect on this one.”
“Of course. I will do whatever you ask.”
Cheon Muryang smiled.
“You’ll have to remember those words.”
The Sword King, Namgung San.
For some reason, he felt a shiver run down his spine.