You Can't Even Take a Single Blow
"Then who on earth is this boyfriend of yours?" Im O asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
It was Jin Ranyeo, standing nearby and listening to their exchange, who provided the answer. "Im Bukjin."
"Im Bukjin? Which family's genius is that? I've never heard of him..." Im O trailed off, lost in thought. The name 'Im Bukjin' didn't belong to any of the geniuses he knew. Yet, it felt strangely familiar. As he ruminated on the name, a look of sheer panic suddenly washed over his face. "Wait... you don't mean that Im Bukjin from the Jeon-cheon-hu family, do you?"
Jin Ranyeo nodded solemnly. "Now you understand why Jin-ah was locked up here."
Im O turned his gaze toward Im Jin. She stood her ground, looking remarkably defiant. "That's right. He is my boyfriend. Do you have something to say about it, Brother?"
Im O was speechless. After a long silence, he slowly raised a thumb toward her. "Jin-ah... your eye for men... even I have to admit it's impressive. Did you choose that scoundrel because you knew you were a little monster yourself and didn't want to ruin anyone else's life? A match made in hell to keep the peace for everyone else? Ah! I get it! You decided to act as a sacrificial lightning rod for the sake of all the innocent young girls out there!"
Im Jin pouted at his words. "Brother, please don't talk about the man I love like that."
"..."
Im O suddenly felt a profound sense of loss, as if something precious had been stolen from him. He even felt a sudden, violent urge to cut down the good-for-nothing who had snatched away his sister's heart. "Actually, I saw that scoun—I mean, Im Bukjin, from a distance once. His face is certainly handsome, perhaps even surpassing the Five Peerless Young Lords. But he lacks the refined temperament of a true genius... Jin-ah, what exactly do you see in a guy like that?"
Im Jin snorted dismissively. "Hmph! This is exactly why you don't have a girlfriend, Brother. Since when does loving someone require a reason?"
Her words felt like a sharp dagger plunging straight into Im O's heart. "Brother, stop talking nonsense and get me out of here!" Im Jin urged, banging on the door. "Tonight is the Night of the Sword Covenant, an event that only happens once every three years. It's happening right now in the backyard of the academy. I want to go see it! Im Bukjin is there! Besides, how can it be a gathering of geniuses if the most famous girl swordsman in Unmong City is missing?"
Im O nodded, finding some logic in her argument. "I suppose that's true." He turned to Jin Ranyeo. "Auntie, leave this to me. Please let Jin-ah out. I'll keep a close eye on her. If she does anything strange, I'll report it to Mother myself."
Jin Ranyeo hesitated for a moment before finally giving in. Though Im O acted a bit foolishly when dealing with his sister, it was only because he was in front of family. To the rest of the world, Im O was a cold-blooded, elite soldier of exceptional skill. Only his family ever saw this side of him.
"Thank you, Brother!" As soon as the seal was released, Im Jin dashed out and threw her arms around Im O. "Now, let's go! Let's see how things are going."
Im O smiled as he looked at her. "Change your clothes and put on a disguise first. If Mother or Father catch you in the backyard, they'll lock you up again. If that happens, there's nothing I can do to help you."
Im Jin stuck her tongue out playfully. "I guess you're right."
A short while later, Im Jin had disguised herself as a handsome young boy in male attire. Im O also donned a simple disguise to avoid drawing attention to his identity. Once ready, the two headed toward the backyard.
They hid themselves in a secluded spot to observe the scene. "There are so many people here," Im O remarked, scanning the crowd. He immediately recognized Jo Pacheon, Dongbang Jeon, and Hyeol Yeom. As a genius commander of the Yongyang Unit—the North Sea Empire's premier elite force responsible for the northern front—Im O had a deep understanding of the geniuses in Pungeo Province. His intelligence network was comparable even to the Black Dragon Bureau, the spy organization of the Aurora Empire.
"Where is this Im Bukjin?" Im O asked, looking around.
"Right there," Im Jin said, spotting him instantly and pointing.
When Im O followed her finger... he saw Bukjin slumped over a table, looking like a drunkard who had passed out. Im O looked back at his sister. Her eyes were sparkling like stars. Seeing this, Im O felt his heart sink.
...She wasn't joking. She's actually fallen for that guy?
At that moment, a voice rang out.
Elder Hae's shout signaled the end. The incense stick had burned down completely. The boys and girls closed their copies of the Jesujeon Sword Technique and returned them to the tables. Baek Geum-un, having returned her manual, hurried back to her seat. With a pout, she grabbed a wine bottle and poured the contents over the head of the still-sleeping Bukjin.
Bukjin finally woke up, looking groggy. "...Is it raining?"
"Raining? Hardly!" Baek Geum-un snapped, her expression icy. "Time is up! It's your turn to do the handstand, Senior!"
Bukjin stood up and let out a long, lazy stretch. "Time's up already? Ah, I was having such a good dream..."
As the participants moved toward the center, Im O found himself marveling at Bukjin despite himself. Wait... that guy, Im Bukjin...? What happened to him? His aura is completely different.
A year ago, when Im O first saw him, Bukjin was nothing more than an arrogant, reckless scoundrel. There hadn't been a trace of martial arts training in his body, and he had seemed mentally unstable. But the Bukjin standing before him now was composed. His vital energy was overflowing, and there was a sharp, extraordinary pressure emanating from him. It was the kind of atmosphere only a true genius could project. And more importantly, his features were undeniably striking.
I can see why even our haughty Jin-ah would be swayed. But can a person's aura change this much in just one year? Did he truly grow through hardship?
Im O wondered if Bukjin's latent talent had finally surfaced after his family's fall. He found the transformation intriguing and decided to observe more closely.
"Now! Everyone, come forward and draw lots to determine the dueling order," Elder Hae announced, holding out a small box. Inside were twenty lots, each marked with a number. The participants stepped forward to draw. Bukjin drew number 4.
Since there were twenty participants, they would duel in pairs. The winners would advance, and the losers would be eliminated. This dueling phase was considered the highlight of the Night of the Sword Covenant.
According to the draw, the first duel was between a chubby boy known as Pa Dae-chwi and a genius from Taekseong named Ryu Yeon-wi.
"Student Ryu, please go easy on me," Pa Dae-chwi said, stuffing a piece of jerky into his mouth before drawing his sword, known as the Gluttonous Sword. The weapon's name seemed to suit its master perfectly. Pa Dae-chwi's entire martial philosophy could be summed up in one word: Eat.
The Gluttonous Sword was uniquely shaped. The blade was as thin as a finger but at least five feet long. It was a soft sword, flexible enough to resemble a whip. Upon closer inspection, the blade was covered in small, thorn-like protrusions, reminiscent of a serpent's scales. Pythons were known for their gluttony, capable of swallowing prey many times their size. It was fitting that his sword bore such a name.
"I look forward to it," Ryu Yeon-wi replied. He held a thin sword with a black blade and a golden edge. It looked like a golden star shining in a dark night sky. Its name was Moonstar.
The two exchanged bows and attacked simultaneously. Both utilized the Jesujeon Sword Technique. The same technique was being expressed through two different people, each reflecting their own unique insights. Both were among the top five young swordsmen in their respective regions. Despite their different personalities, they had both gained significant understanding of the twenty-one forms of the Jesujeon Sword Technique during the study period.
However, the match was decided quickly. When Pa Dae-chwi unleashed the form Water Submerging the Eight Desolations, his Gluttonous Sword snaked around Ryu Yeon-wi's neck. Pa Dae-chwi was declared the winner.
"Hehe, thank you for yielding, Student Ryu," Pa Dae-chwi said, immediately popping a piece of dried fruit into his mouth as he sheathed his sword. The crowd was left speechless by his constant snacking.
...That guy literally never stops eating for a single second.
The next match was between No Pung and Gyeong Rim, a duel between a boy and a girl. The female swordsman, Gyeong Rim, emerged victorious. Two more duels followed, with Song Gyeol-il and Myeong Nak-cheon claiming victory.
Then came the fifth match. It was finally Baek Geum-un's turn. By a stroke of ill luck, her opponent was Jo Pacheon. The result was exactly as expected: a landslide victory for Jo Pacheon. With a single form, Rainwater of the Heavenly Mountain, he sent Baek Geum-un flying.
Baek Geum-un coughed up blood as she landed. Her sword was knocked from her hand, flying through the air before embedding itself in a stone pillar right next to Bukjin.
"You can't even take a single blow," Jo Pacheon remarked with a faint, condescending smile. He turned and walked back to his seat.
The spectators gasped in shock. To anyone watching, the gap between the two was astronomical. The other participants looked on with expressions of futility and fear. Even the senior swordsmen in attendance could not hide their amazement.