A Crane Among Chickens
In truth, the reason Im Bukjin chose names like the Doran Sword or the Jeong-i Sword wasn't out of malice or a twisted sense of humor. It was a way to remind himself that he was a man from Earth, a way to ensure he never lost the will to return home. Back on Earth, his family and friends were still waiting for him. He couldn't help but worry about how his parents were frantically searching for him in his absence.
How much must they be worrying? How much despair are they feeling? That's why... I have to go back. No matter what.
Bukjin spoke politely to Beom Jo-ang. "Grandmaster Beom, I have a request. I would like to name this sword the Jeong-i Sword."
Initially, when Beom Jo-ang heard the name 'Jeong-i,' he had mistaken it for the word 'Justice.' However, after hearing three bizarre sword names in a row, he found himself becoming genuinely intrigued by the boy standing before him. In fact, he felt a great deal of goodwill toward Bukjin. Ever since Bukjin had helped him complete the Sword-Subduing Command technique for the Sword of Virtue, Beom Jo-ang's own cultivation had reached a new level.
To Beom Jo-ang, it was no exaggeration to say that among the countless young genius swordsmen gathered here tonight, Bukjin was his favorite. Thus, despite being momentarily flustered by the strange name, he carved the characters for Jeong-i onto the blade as requested.
Gripping the newly christened Jeong-i Sword, Bukjin gave it a comfortable experimental swing. Light erupted from the blade as the sword awakened. Once again, it was a 100% compatibility rate. This time, however, Beom Jo-ang remained silent. He was being considerate, wanting to prevent unnecessary trouble by drawing too much attention and expectation toward the boy.
"Haha! This is great! Excellent! I'm truly satisfied," Bukjin said with a boisterous laugh.
Watching Bukjin unable to contain his excitement, the onlookers cautiously speculated that he must have achieved a 100% compatibility rate yet again, even though Beom Jo-ang hadn't said a word. Meanwhile, the characters for 'Jeong' and 'i' were causing a stir. 'Jeong' was a common surname, and 'i' was often used in the term 'i-in' to refer to a beautiful woman—specifically, the woman one held in their heart.
Don't tell me he named the sword after a woman he's in love with named Jeong?
Tsk! Typical behavior for a degenerate!
To be thinking about women at such a solemn and sacred event meant to declare a swordsman's will!
That shameless bastard!
The misunderstood crowd hurled silent curses at Bukjin, their minds racing with various assumptions. Unbothered, Bukjin returned to his seat carrying a silver greatsword in his right hand, a silver arming sword in his left, and a silver dagger strapped to his waist.
"Hmm. I was a bit too impulsive just now. I shouldn't have picked such an emotional name... Now I might not want to sell this sword later," Bukjin muttered to himself, feeling a twinge of regret as he sat down.
Just then, Baek Geum-un looked at him with a strange glint in her eyes and asked in a low voice, "Senior, just how beautiful is this 'Jeong-i' woman?"
Pffft! Bukjin nearly choked on his tea.
"Ahem! B-Beautiful? Of course she is! Extremely beautiful! There isn't a more perfect woman in this world than her," Bukjin replied, his expression shifting to one of dead seriousness.
"Hmph!" Baek Geum-un tilted her chin up. "You absolute playboy!"
At that moment, Yeo Nak-yeon stepped forward to address the crowd.
"Everyone, the first round of the competition—the Selection of the Sword—has concluded. Now, Grandmaster Beom Jo-ang will come forward to announce the final results."
Yeo Nak-yeon escorted the young master blacksmith to the center of the stage. Every eye in the room was fixed on him. Beom Jo-ang spoke with a faint smile.
The winner of the first round is Im Bukjin!
Although everyone had anticipated this outcome based on the preceding events, hearing the official proclamation from Beom Jo-ang's own lips brought a wave of inevitable disappointment. Thus, Bukjin firmly established himself as Public Enemy Number One in the hearts of everyone present.
The Pin-geom event, designed to evaluate the talents of young swordsmen, consisted of three main segments. Having won the first round, Bukjin now held a significant lead in the total score. The arrogant young geniuses, who had been soundly defeated by a boy notorious for being a degenerate, felt their pride deeply wounded. They were consumed by an unbearable sense of humiliation.
"We will now proceed to the second round," Yeo Nak-yeon announced loudly. "The second round is a test of Martial Comprehension."
The rules were simple. A senior swordsman known as Elder Hae had prepared twenty copies of a sword manual he had personally authored, titled the Jesujeon Sword Technique. Just like before, the manuals would be placed on a square table. Each participant would take one copy and study it for the duration of a single incense stick. Once the time was up, they would duel using only the Jesujeon Sword Technique. The final victor of the duels would be declared the winner of the round.
A moment later, an old man with pale green hair approached, leaning on a staff. He placed the twenty manuals on the table, then turned to the crowd with a smile.
"Children, you are the young people judged to have the greatest talent in Pungeo Province. Your futures are filled with starlight. Now, let us begin. I look forward to seeing how the 2-star sword technique I created will unfold in your hands!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the incense was lit.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The boys and girls moved like lightning. To save every possible second, they dashed forward, grabbed a manual, and rushed back to begin their intense study. Jo Pacheon, however, merely smirked. He walked forward with leisurely steps, picked up a manual, and began to read it slowly.
"Hmm, good. Such composure. He truly possesses the aura of a great swordsman," Elder Hae remarked admiringly as he watched Jo Pacheon.
Baek Geum-un quickly grabbed a copy and began to read. The manual contained illustrations of sword stances accompanied by written explanations. At first glance, it seemed like a very detailed and kind guide. However, upon closer inspection, the text was cryptic, the drawings were abstract, and the instructions for circulating Hyeongi were frustratingly ambiguous. Fully mastering this technique in the short time it took for an incense stick to burn was as difficult as plucking a star from the sky.
Baek Geum-un habitually turned her head to ask Bukjin a question, only to find him sitting in his seat with an air of total relaxation, as if he didn't have a care in the world.
"You're just sitting there when you should be learning the technique!" Baek Geum-un hissed in annoyance. "This isn't the time to act cool! This technique is incredibly difficult! Hurry up and go get a manual!"
Cho Heun and Jeong Sam-seok also had their eyes on Bukjin. Cho Heun was hoping Bukjin would use any means necessary to win this round as well; if he did, his chances of becoming the overall champion would be nearly guaranteed. Meanwhile, Jeong Sam-seok knew that Bukjin usually needed to sleep to practice his martial arts. He looked worried, wondering if Bukjin could even fall asleep in such a tense and noisy environment.
Elder Hae looked at Bukjin and smiled. "It seems you are quite confident?"
Only then did Bukjin stand up, as if he had finally set the right mood, and walked toward the table. He picked up a manual, flipped through the pages at a blurring speed, and scanned the entire thing in an instant. He then set the manual back down, returned to his seat, and spoke.
"I'm done."
Elder Hae asked, bewildered, "Done? What do you mean by that?"
Dongbang Jeon let out a mocking laugh. "He probably knows his own limits and realizes he has to give up, but his pride won't let him. He's just trying to draw attention to himself as a way of quitting, isn't he?"
The red-haired Hyeol-yeom added his own two cents. "Haha, it seems the degenerate knows his place after all. The previous round had too many uncertainties; you could say luck played a huge part. Some people might have just stumbled into a good result, but this round is different. This is a test of comprehension, which depends entirely on one's own ability. It's not shameful for a talentless hack to give up."
"Abandoning the task just because you've encountered a difficulty... that's hardly the proper attitude for a swordsman," Im Hae-dang added without even looking up from his manual.
Jo Pacheon closed his manual and spoke. "Everyone, please focus on your reading. Let's not waste precious time on a pathetic clown like Im Bukjin."
The others nodded in agreement and refocused their attention on the manuals in their hands. At that, Bukjin ran a hand through his hair and looked up at the moon with a melancholic expression, sighing dramatically.
"Ah! A tree that grows too tall in the forest is destined to sway in lonely isolation when the wind blows. I, Im Bukjin... am I not truly a crane among chickens? Being too outstanding is a curse! I suppose it's impossible for the minds of ordinary mediocrities like you to understand my absolute genius."
The crowd was left speechless by his sheer audacity. Baek Geum-un looked like she was about to gag. Elder Hae, looking slightly offended, spoke to Bukjin.
"Child, you should refrain from such jokes. Even when a task seems hopeless, one must learn to face it with all their might. This old man did not create this sword technique easily. Try to show some reverence for your seniors."
"Haha, Senior, you've misunderstood. It's not that I lack reverence. It's just that I've already uploaded all the contents of the manual into my brain using my Quantum Speed Reading Method. I've already mastered your sword technique to a 3-star level. I will be the winner of this round as well," Bukjin declared confidently.
Ugh! What is he even saying?! Baek Geum-un felt physically ill at Bukjin's words. How can someone's skin be that thick?!