Sparring Rivals
After finishing their meal, the three of them sat comfortably around a table at the café.
“You drink coffee too?” Kim Mugong asked, eyeing Cheon Hayeon with a curious look as she sipped through a straw.
Cheon Hayeon wore a satisfied expression while enjoying her sweet caramel macchiato.
“You ask the strangest questions. Do you take me for some kind of primitive?”
“...No, I just figured you’d only drink some fancy old-fashioned tea.”
“That would never happen.”
Kim Mugong scratched the back of his neck as he watched Cheon Hayeon let out a light laugh. Han Yeoreum felt strangely conflicted watching the two of them chat so easily.
Isn’t he adapting way too fast?
She already knew his personality was like that, but even so, his speed of adjustment felt abnormal. He almost looked excited.
What was I even expecting, anyway...
Han Yeoreum let out a quiet sigh in her heart. In this false world, the two of them were the only real ones. Of course, nothing like some romance novel scenario had happened. Kim Mugong treated her and Cheon Hayeon exactly the same. She understood why. Even knowing they had entered a game, this place was brutally realistic. She simply couldn’t bring herself to think the laughing, chattering people around them were fake. Maybe expecting anything different had been the mistake all along.
Staring at Cheon Hayeon’s gentle smile, Han Yeoreum’s eyes narrowed.
She’s a girl, after all.
She looked like a neutral pretty boy, but Han Yeoreum knew the truth from Kim Mugong.
“Have you had something to say to me for a while now?” Cheon Hayeon suddenly tilted her head and asked.
“No. You two just look close.”
“Hmm, it simply turned out that way.”
“Really? Must be nice having so many admirers, Kim Mugong.”
“Jealous?”
Kim Mugong grinned in that annoying way of his. Watching him smirk like that, Han Yeoreum barely suppressed the urge to smack him over the head with her staff technique.
“Shut it. Clean up. We’ve got class.”
Han Yeoreum stood up with the empty drink tray.
“Yeah, yeah. Cute.”
His light tap on her shoulder wasn’t unpleasant. For a moment she almost smiled, but she forced a blank expression instead and returned the tray. Somehow, it felt unfair.
What’s she sulking about now? Han Yeoreum had been repeatedly sticking out and sucking in her lower lip for a while.
“Aigoo.”
Kim Mugong ruffled her hair as they walked toward the practical combat training grounds.
“You shouldn’t mess with a girl’s hair so casually.”
“Oh? Then I’ll just never touch it again for the rest of eternity.”
“...I don’t want that.”
Han Yeoreum muttered in a voice that sounded like she was crawling on the ground.
“What? I couldn’t hear you, you’re too quiet.”
“Do... whatever you want.”
Han Yeoreum grumbled, brows furrowed. She was being pointlessly stubborn again.
“Fine.”
“Your relationship is truly fascinating.”
“You said it.”
I agreed. Cheon Hayeon followed leisurely behind us.
The training location was the same auditorium where the entrance ceremony had been held. After the ceremony, a massive sparring stage had been installed for classes. The moment we stepped inside, a loud clamor hit our ears.
“Namgung Cheol! Today I’ll finally settle things with you!”
A man in red robes with his hair tied up high pointed his blade at another student. The practical combat class hadn’t even started yet, but tensions were already running high.
“Shut up, Paeng Hoyeong. I’ll deal with you later whenever you want, so put the blade away. Aren’t you ashamed in front of your friends?”
The cool-looking man in blue robes spoke while wiping his sword with a cloth, not even glancing at the one holding the blade.
“Why are those two like that?”
Han Yeoreum looked back and forth between them, a question mark practically floating above her head.
“You don’t know who they are?”
“They feel weirdly familiar.”
I’d been fuzzy on it at first too, but the names Namgung Cheol and Paeng Hoyeong jogged my memory. So their rivalry had already started back in the academy days.
I quietly led Han Yeoreum toward a corner on the second floor of the auditorium. Someone might find it strange if they overheard.
“W-what? Suddenly?”
“Those two are exactly who I thought. Sword Sovereign and Blade King.”
“Laon Guild’s Sword Sovereign and Jaehoson Guild’s Blade King?”
Han Yeoreum’s eyes widened as she asked. The nicknames must have clicked for her. The two were heirs to rival guilds—Laon and Jaehoson. They were also the successors to the legacies of the Namgung Clan and the Paeng Clan of Hebei, both of which had suffered near-extinction after Anhui and Hebei were destroyed.
“Yeah. Looks like they’ve been at each other’s throats since way back.”
“Now that you mention it, they do look kind of similar.”
Han Yeoreum nodded. Her gaze drifted down to the students gathered in the auditorium.
...These guys are no joke.
Every single student here was a monster. I wasn’t even sure if Han Yeoreum and I could properly spar against them.
“If Sword Dragon, Young Heavenly Demon, and Sword Flower fought each other, who do you think would win?”
Han Yeoreum, who had been observing just like me, asked.
“Long term, I’d bet on the Young Heavenly Demon.”
“You just like the Young Heavenly Demon too much, don’t you?”
Han Yeoreum pouted.
“No. I judged it objectively.”
Well, technically I’d seen the future too. If the incomplete Heavenly Demon Divine Art got completed, I was half worried and half excited about what kind of monster Cheon Hayeon would become. Even in the future she’d been close to an untouchable ruler, so nothing should go wrong. But I’d already thrown a major wrench in the next Blood Sect Leader’s growth, and there were countless variables ahead. Nothing was certain anymore.
“Then I’ll go with Sword Dragon.”
Her feelings were obvious. The moment I picked the female Cheon Hayeon, she’d chosen Sword Dragon out of spite. I couldn’t help but laugh at the transparent move.
“Cute.”
“W-what?”
Caught off guard by my sudden attack, Han Yeoreum stammered, lips twitching in panic.
“By the way, that’s the Iron-Blooded Empress, right?”
I changed the subject. This level of teasing was just right. In the direction I pointed, a red-haired girl with a large bust was reading a book in the corner.
“A book and the Iron-Blooded Empress? That doesn’t match at all.”
“Exactly.”
The future Iron-Blooded Empress, tucked away in a corner where no one would notice her, wearing round glasses and reading a book.
“The real Iron-Blooded Empress, Lee Jia... right? Maybe she has a twin or something?”
Han Yeoreum tilted her head. I was experiencing the same cognitive dissonance. That timid-looking girl was supposed to become the Iron-Blooded Empress who enjoyed smashing villains’ heads in with a smile? It was hard to believe. No wonder her previous title before Iron-Blooded Empress had been Blazing Fire. Her background story had never been properly revealed, so all we could do was speculate. The only known fact was that she came from the mysterious one-person sect, the Honwon Sect.
“We’ll find out eventually. Let’s head down.”
“Yeah.”
The murmuring had grown louder. The professor in charge must have entered the auditorium.
The practical combat professor was a middle-aged man with a refined air. His black robes were embroidered with intricate gold patterns that naturally drew the eye. Elder Jang Baek Sword Sovereign Go Seungbin. Vice principal of the academy and elder of the Jang Baek Sword Sect. Since practical combat class was dangerous and often involved blood and screams, he had taken charge personally.
“Everyone’s gathered. I’m the Jang Baek Sword Sovereign, in charge of practical combat. Before we begin, there’s something I must tell you all. This class is not real combat. Its purpose is to test each other’s martial arts and abilities, not to defeat your opponent.”
The Jang Baek Sword Sovereign swept his gaze over us.
“As martial artists, it’s fine to show competitive spirit. However, emitting excessive killing intent is forbidden. Don’t become too obsessed with winning. If anyone ends up seriously injuring someone else, I’ll have no choice but to punish them.”
He then explained the rules of sparring. They were mostly common sense. Sparring wasn’t a life-or-death duel, after all. Dangerous techniques like sword qi were also banned. Not many students at this age could use sword qi anyway.
“How do we pick opponents?”
“Like this.”
The Jang Baek Sword Sovereign pulled out a small pointer and pressed it. A large display at the front of the auditorium showed empty slots like a tournament bracket.
“It’s random, so don’t complain. It’ll change often anyway.”
Funny how modern this part was. I’d thought it would be drawing lots, but they just ran a simple program.
“Oh, Kim Mugong. Fighting...!”
Han Yeoreum poked my side with her elbow while giggling at the screen. When I looked, my opponent had already been decided.
...Damn it. Right off the bat, the chuuni sword emperor.
“Mine’s Hwangbo Ryun? Who’s that?”
Han Yeoreum tilted her head.
“From the Hwangbo Clan. Hwangbo Ryun... who was that again...”
The name rang a bell, but not clearly. I couldn’t quite place it. They probably weren’t that famous.
“So there are things even you don’t know?”
“Shut up. I’m thinking.”
“Telling me to shut up is too much.”
“Quiet. I remember now.”
“...Huh?”
Han Yeoreum’s eyes widened.
“Iron Strike Twin Bears. Those twins over there.”
“...Oh, right. There were guys like that too. How do you even remember something like that? Impressive.”
“Finally recognizing my greatness? Praise me more.”
“No.”
At my sarcastic remark, Han Yeoreum turned her head away sharply. Though they weren’t on the level of ultra-famous names like Cheon Hayeon, the Iron Strike Twin Bears were still notable in their own right. The twins’ combined fist technique was said to be unparalleled under heaven. I’d never seen it myself.
“If it’s Hwangbo Ryun, that’s the older brother, Daeung.”
“Am I going to die? Look at that size.”
True to their nickname, the two had massive, boulder-like builds. Their shoulders were so square that their uniforms looked ready to burst.
“...It’ll be fine. It’s just sparring. Anyway, my match is first.”
Honestly, I was more of a problem than they were. I’d mocked him as the chuuni sword emperor, but Kim Yong’s skill as the Sword Dragon was undeniably excellent.
“Yeah. Your luck sucks. Just don’t die.”
“What if I win?”
“If you win, let’s do that thing to celebrate.”
“Do what.”
“You know, that.”
Han Yeoreum fidgeted with her fingertips. Her clumsy acting was completely obvious.
“Yeah, not happening.”
“Tch.”
As expected, she’d just been messing around. Who was she trying to fool?
“You be careful too.”
“Yup. Don’t go anywhere during the fight—stay right by my side.”
“Of course. Where would I go without you?”
“Then I’m fine.”
Whatever her reasoning was, Han Yeoreum smiled in satisfaction.