Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: I Spent the Night with the Murim Alliance Leader's Youngest Daughter
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I didn't even know where to start pointing out the problems.
Namgoong Hyeok was going to train me personally?
On the surface, it sounded plausible enough.
Namgoong Hyeok, called the World's Strongest.
People would line up to offer their entire fortunes for a chance to learn from him.
But.
Look at those gleaming eyes.
Who would think that man was the pillar of the Orthodox Factions?
They were brimming with impure intentions.
'Did getting outmaneuvered by Master hit him that hard?'
The image of Namgoong Hyeok, looking utterly dejected as if scorched white, still lingered in my mind. Namgoong Hyeok had danced to Master's tune exactly as led. It must have been an unforgettable humiliation for him.
A man for whom everything in the world always went his way.
The very fact of being played by someone else's intentions must have been infuriating.
Unwilling to admit it, he hadn't confronted Master directly.
'But what about me?'
The malice felt even sharper because he'd scraped together a pretext for it.
I was the sacrificial lamb to project his grudge onto Master.
I was doomed to take the revenge on his behalf.
"Father-in-law. First, I'm grateful that you think so highly of me. However..."
"However?"
"It feels like such a waste for someone as important as you to spend your precious time just on me. You're the pillar of the Orthodox Factions. Wouldn't it be better to focus on more valuable and pressing matters?"
"Haha, I didn't realize you cared so much about the murim world. But don't worry. Even I can't spend my rest days as I please."
The way he called me "you" grated on me too.
He'd always addressed me casually as "you" before.
There was no way he'd suddenly decided to acknowledge me as his son-in-law and show respect.
It was just a ploy to make me let my guard down!
"Rest is part of the job too. You're always burdened with duties. Isn't preserving your strength by resting fully also a duty as the Murim Alliance Leader?"
"Hahaha! Already looking out for your father-in-law? Don't worry about it! Just thinking about training you makes energy surge through my whole body!"
In the end, it came to this.
I'd tried to wriggle out like a loach.
But it was meaningless struggling against someone who'd already made up his mind.
"This is an opportunity others couldn't buy for a thousand gold. Who knows? You might leap to a higher realm this time."
"...If that's possible, nothing could be better."
I give up.
Fine, whatever. I'll just play the role of a training dummy.
He's a busy guy anyway.
After I get beaten a few times, he'll probably call it quits.
But.
"You. You've rarely faced opponents on your level, have you?"
"How did you know?"
"It's obvious. You've only ever faced your master. After venturing into the world, there probably hasn't been anyone worthy to be your rival."
"You're too kind."
"No, it's an accurate assessment. If you'd gone around seeking worthy opponents for sparring matches, you'd already be wanted by now. On charges like insulting the heads of the Nine Great Sects, that sort of thing. Fortunately, I haven't heard any such news yet."
Namgoong Hyeok.
I'd forgotten amid his constant bragging.
But when it came to martial arts, there was no escaping this man's insight.
I'd only crossed swords with him for the briefest moment.
And yet, he'd seen right through me with that alone.
"Be grateful. That there's an expert here who can match your level."
"You don't mean...?"
"Exactly. Your field of vision. The time you perceive. The amount of internal energy you can unleash. I'll lower myself to match all of that equally. You understand what this spar means, right?"
What Namgoong Hyeok proposed was groundbreaking in several ways.
This wasn't about going easy on me.
He would lower his realm to match mine exactly.
A supreme expert like Namgoong Hyeok could certainly do that.
A form of self-hypnosis.
Controlling himself to the extreme to fight at my level.
It was worlds apart from receiving guidance from an overwhelming powerhouse or randomly beating down weaklings.
Clashing with a true equal was the shortcut to realm advancement.
That was why such opportunities were so precious—you couldn't easily find a proper rival.
'Why go to such lengths?'
I was curious about Namgoong Hyeok's intentions.
Even if possible, was there reason enough to bother?
Lowering one's realm required far more focus than it seemed. Unlike slacking off, it imposed restrictions on one's own perception itself.
He was bound to feel frustrated when things didn't go as planned.
"Are you sure you'll be okay with that?"
"With what? Worried I might lose to you?"
"......"
"Haha! I've felt it before, but your spirit is truly admirable!"
I'd prodded lightly to test him, but Namgoong Hyeok didn't flinch.
I'd expected as much.
No adult would be fazed if the neighborhood kid challenged them to arm wrestling just because he was good at it.
"If you win, I'll hand over my position as Alliance Leader!"
"Don't forget that promise."
Fine.
Since it's come to this.
No reason to hold back.
I'll go all out!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'What a bold one.'
I'd sensed it from the first time I saw him.
A reckless fool.
Who else could harbor a competitive spirit right in front of me?
He wasn't some mindless beast that charged without thought.
A burning desire to fight on even when sensing defeat.
Namgoong Hyeok wanted to meet that spirit head-on.
"Come at me first."
"I won't hold back!"
Yi Se-woong aimed for the upper body first.
Starting light with sword energy.
He whipped the rising sword energy away like a lash.
Chaeng!
Their swords met.
Yi Se-woong realized Namgoong Hyeok had taken the exact same stance as him.
The follow-up strikes came with slightly higher density.
Slicing at the midsection, then back to upper.
Chaechaeng!
Mirror-image swordsmanship, perfectly symmetrical.
Namgoong Hyeok grinned at Yi Se-woong.
"You don't have to mimic my swordsmanship too."
"That's how you truly feel the difference!"
Identical stances.
Sword mist met with sword mist, sword energy with sword energy.
And finally.
"Already bringing out sword force?"
"I prefer quick decisive battles."
Of course.
He's probably used to ending things swiftly.
'He was somewhat aware of it himself.'
He must have sensed it intuitively to some degree.
Well, I can tell him after it's over.
For now, just enjoy the spar.
"Haaaat!"
Yi Se-woong shouted his ki battle cry and charged.
Their sword forces clashed in one exchange.
He deflected the strike aiming for his shoulder.
Then the second.
Yi Se-woong's sword sliced across the chest placket. But at the same time, a thin cut appeared on both his forearms.
If it had gone just a bit deeper, the sword force would have sliced his bones like paper. Before he could even admire Namgoong Hyeok's precision, Yi Se-woong had to retreat from the low strike.
Before he could regain his balance, Namgoong Hyeok surged forward, aiming for the neck.
Yi Se-woong's defeat.
"You plan to just sit there?"
"Of course not. This is just the beginning."
Yes, that's the spirit.
To call this Namgoong Hyeok your father-in-law, you need that much grit.
Yi Se-woong resolute, drawing up his sword force again to meet him.
Namgoong Hyeok's lips curved into a graceful arc as he watched.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Namgoong Hyeok kept accepting my challenges as if welcoming as many as I wanted. The second spar, reviewing the first while charging in.
Lost in ten seconds.
Next, held out for fifteen seconds, but that's when the balance broke.
Ten seconds.
Five seconds.
Three seconds.
Eventually, defeated in a single second.
A utter defeat.
The perceived time was the same length, but the depth of utilization differed. It was only natural.
The level of sword intent was different.
I knew I'd lose, but the conclusion was more hollow than expected.
My body was covered in scratches.
A total mess.
"Ha, your stubbornness is impressive."
"......"
"That courage to charge on pretending not to know until the end—I'll acknowledge that much."
Despite his scolding tone, Namgoong Hyeok smiled broadly.
It had been a one-sided thrashing, but I'd gained something from it.
How to approach when outputs were equal. What to prioritize in the same timeframe, and so on.
But more urgently than anything, I'd felt it keenly.
The 'problem' Namgoong Hyeok mentioned.
The reason I'd fallen into a disadvantage faster with each repeated spar.
Insufficient internal energy.
'It sounded like wordplay at first glance.'
Among the conditions Namgoong Hyeok had set for me, the one thing he hadn't mentioned was the total amount of my internal energy.
He'd limit the internal energy unleashed at once...
In other words, he'd match my output, but he had foreshadowed he wouldn't match my total reserves.
'It wasn't just him being petty.'
Namgoong Hyeok had wanted me to realize that myself.
"Your achievements are astonishing even to me. With excellent talent meeting the greatest master, it's only natural. It's like seeing my younger self."
"Then I would have won."
"Why sulk? You circled around it, but you know it too. To fully unleash your potential, you lack internal energy."
It was exactly as he said.
The reason I preferred quick battles.
More precisely, the reason I had no choice but to.
"Of course, I understand your master's intentions fully. He saw even basic spirit elixirs as impurities, right? A thorny path for purity alone... Accumulating that much is impressive in itself."
"It was a bit tough because of that."
"But things are different now. A handful of mud can't cloud a river. It's time to let you know it's okay to take some shortcuts."
Damn.
It was ridiculous, but infuriating.
Even knowing it was impossible, losing felt shitty.
On a grumpy whim, the words slipped out sullenly.
"I've been realizing that myself lately. You could have just told me verbally. Did you need to beat it into me to feel satisfied?"
"Memories etched into the body are the ones you never forget, aren't they?"
"Yes. I won't forget this."
"Ahem, ahem."
It was enough to rile anyone up.
Yet Namgoong Hyeok didn't call me out on my tone.
His gaze drifted afar, focused on something else.
Muttering to himself.
Reciting something like a mantra, he reached into his bosom and spoke.
"Though it was to teach you, I admit my hand was a bit too heavy."
"?"
"So, take this."
What Namgoong Hyeok pulled from his bosom was a small wooden box.
Click.
He opened the wooden box, revealing a single pill inside.
"What's that?"
"A Restoration Pill."
Restoration Pill.
The supreme treasure of the murim world, personally crafted at Shaolin Temple.
Just consuming it could increase one's internal energy by over a decade. The amazing part was the complete lack of side effects.
An item money couldn't buy.
"It'll suit your pure internal energy perfectly. Consider it payment for your medical bills. Take it."
"To make change, I'd have to sell my own body."
"Then call it sparring fee."
Sparring fee, my ass.
I'd already incurred a debt just from exchanging a few moves with him.
"Anyway, take it! Thinking of Yeonhui nagging me if she sees you hurt makes my teeth chatter! Consider it hush money!"
Hush money this time?
Only then did I realize Namgoong Hyeok's true reason for suggesting the spar.
The excuse didn't matter.
He just needed a pretext to hand me the elixir.
'Does he have a disease where he dies if he's honest?'
Namgoong Hyeok shook the wooden box, urging me to take it quickly.
He turned his head away, avoiding my gaze.
His slightly flushed face, hiding embarrassment, left a bizarre impression.
'A middle-aged man acting shy.'
It was a bit pitiful.
A ridiculous absurdity made me chuckle involuntarily.