Chapter 437
Chapter 437
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 437
Chapter Title: What Remains? (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I jumped down from the roof of the corridor and asked Gongson Mugyeol.
"You came to fetch me because of Senior Jang... Does that mean he showed an attitude like he's done his business and is leaving?"
"Exactly. Sigh. He has a temperament like an unpredictable exploding bean. But isn't a master of that caliber a major asset anyway?"
"Not just as a single person's combat power, but he symbolizes a lot in many ways."
"That's right. For starters, he's the guy who stormed out of the academy."
"He's also a wilderland martial artist. Depending on how you tie things up, it could be the trigger for other eccentrics to knock on the doors of the Murim Alliance or the Righteous Martial Academy."
"Indeed. Everyone in the administrative office thought the same. So we tried to pin him down to either the Alliance or the academy... but persuasion failed for now. His stubbornness is like tempered steel wire."
"Who was there?"
"Me, the Eastern Region Assembly Leader, the Academy Chief. Oh, and Pavilion Lord Myeong Tae-seong, who helped investigate the Langya Sword. That's who was there."
We exchanged a few words like that and left the rear garden corridor, heading back into the main building.
Gongson Mugyeol headed toward the banquet hall instead of the stairs, so I asked again.
"Alliance Leader? Isn't the administrative office upstairs?"
"Ah, I was thinking of bringing the Medicine King along too."
I briefly recalled O Gyun-cheon's temperament.
And immediately opened my mouth.
"...Let's just go by ourselves."
"Hm? Wouldn't he be helpful?"
"He might be, or he might not. The Medicine King advised Senior Jang for five years to come out into the world in his own way, but Senior Jang stuck to his guns, didn't he?"
At my words, Gongson Mugyeol stroked his chin and nodded.
"That's true."
I continued.
"The Medicine King is also the type who speaks harshly despite his true intentions. In the current situation, it could backfire. And if we all swarm him, it might just poke at Senior Jang's rebellious spirit."
"Hm."
"Wouldn't it be better to keep the Medicine King as our last bastion?"
"Last bastion... True, if talks fall through and the Langya Sword goes back to wandering, it'd be better to leave at least one hill to lean on rather than using up all our cards today."
"Shall we head upstairs then?"
"Heh, kid. Reliable, that's the word. Come to think of it, the Invincible Sword title that the Sword Emperor newly gave you fits perfectly."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Gongson Mugyeol and I moved to the floor where the administrative office was located.
Clack-
As I opened the meeting room door and entered, Zhuge Chak, Gyeong Hye, and Myeong Tae-seong greeted us with nods.
At the same time, Jang Cheol-han raised his hand and spoke.
"You're here! Invincible Sword!"
"Yes, Senior."
"The seniors here said that even if I leave, I should clear up any grudges with the main player in this incident. Thinking about it, that makes sense, so I figured I'd do it. That... Sorry about that. I'm the type who fixates on one thing and doesn't look around much at the surroundings."
"Some people are like that."
"Right. Ahem. Well, in the end, you guys won. With a fancy new title, and everyone praising you as the new Heavenly Ten Swords? Cut me some slack on this one."
"Yes, of course. I can fully understand."
I first took an attitude agreeing with Jang Cheol-han.
Then, Jang Cheol-han shifted his gaze to the other elders as if that settled it.
"That good enough? Does that wrap up my business?"
The elders receiving his gaze wrinkled their eyes and noses toward me, expressing disbelief at how easily I accepted.
"Ahem."
"Mm."
I paid more attention to Jang Cheol-han's expression than theirs.
Jang Cheol-han didn't look refreshed at all.
On the contrary, he seemed a bit miffed.
To avoid ruining things with my own assumptions, I sent a mental question to my master.
'Doesn't he look like something's missing?'
- Does he? He looks a bit deflated in a subtle way?
'Right? It can't be resentment toward the elders here.'
Judging from Jang Cheol-han's temperament, which truly befitted the term "eccentric," that was unlikely.
'And he's not close enough to feel miffed at me...'
Then it was likely doubt about the path he had walked.
So, I deliberately prodded at that point.
"But if you leave like this, what remains for Senior in life?"
At my words, Jang Cheol-han looked startled for a moment before composing himself and responding sternly.
"What do you know about me to say that?"
"Nothing at all. I've just heard your name. And that you stormed out of the academy. I had no idea you'd come looking for me like this."
"And yet you say that?"
"I can see what's in front of me. During the tournament, fighting alongside you, I realized how sincere you are about the sword. And I can tell the current situation feels disconcerting to you."
"...What do you know."
"When we subdued you, you said it yourself. 'At this rate, I really have to lick the soles of your feet.' And that was directed at me, right?"
"Th-that was just because the Medicine King's habitual phrase popped into my head at the moment..."
"The very fact that that phrase came to mind means it pierced right through your heart."
"......"
"It's a bit embarrassing to say it myself, but down in the first-floor banquet hall, they're chanting my name and 'Invincible Sword.' Well, Invincible Sword isn't really claiming I'm the world's greatest swordsman, so that's fine. But Heavenly Ten Swords feels too much."
Having blocked Jang Cheol-han's words, I continued the conversation.
"Truth be told, the fights at the Heavenly Martial Tournament weren't just you and me measuring our skills head-on, right?"
"......"
"But if Senior Jang returns to the wilds like this, in a few months, people will accept me as one of the Heavenly Ten Swords."
To sum up my words: 'If it bothers you, stay and prove it.'
No matter how stubborn he was, he couldn't fail to grasp my meaning.
And sure enough, Jang Cheol-han fell into thought.
Confirming his furrowed brow, I began talking about the root of his insistence on wandering.
"And the academy has changed a lot. Luckily, Pavilion Lord Myeong Tae-seong is here."
"...Huh? Me?"
"Yes. When I was about to take the entrance exam, you tried to stop me, didn't you?"
At my words, Myeong Tae-seong glanced at Gyeong Hye and cautiously replied.
"That was back when the strike teams were short on manpower..."
"It's fine. Binni knows the situation too."
"Ahem. The Invincible Sword is right. Factions are sharply divided inside, and unless you're a proper later-generation disciple from a prestigious sect, it's disadvantageous, so countless people break their swords. I told you not to bother with the exam and just head to the Murim Alliance. Senior, you've seen the participants from the Righteous Martial Academy team. It's completely different from before."
Bolstered by that, I got to the main point.
"The current Righteous Martial Academy is just the right place for Senior to leave something behind."
Then, Jang Cheol-han parted his tightly pressed lips.
"...Leave something behind?"
"If I may presume, I think you've been honing your sword all this time to etch your choice of leaving the academy and the name of the Southern Wild Sword Sect into the world. Actually, I'm the same."
"You're the same? But aren't you the heir of the Pearl Eon Family?"
"As a swordsman. The blood in my veins comes from the Pearl Eon Family, but my title is Invincible Sword."
After lightly answering Jang Cheol-han's retort,
I began speaking of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect.
"Eastern Region Assembly Leader, Academy Chief, Alliance Leader. You three must have some idea about my sect. My sword originates from someone named Wi Cheol-jin."
"...Sword Demon Wi Cheol-jin?"
"Yes. He's my master, you could say. Looking at his life and the current reality, I came to think that the saying 'people die but leave their names' is wrong."
"......"
"Think about it. Didn't that name become an edict posthumously conferred by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult? A name left alone gets forgotten, distorted, worn away. So, you have to leave people behind with it. People to carry on the will and sword you've honed your whole life."
As I finished speaking, a strange silence flowed through the room.
After a moment, Gyeong Hye broke the silence.
"What do you think? If the Langya Sword wants it, Binni will handle the procedures somehow. Even as a dropout, considering your fame in the jianghu and your actions in the escort, no one will oppose giving you a professor position."
"......"
"Isn't it good? Staying at the academy, you'll eventually find a suitable successor... And you can spar with Young Master Eon whenever?"
When her words ended,
Jang Cheol-han's gaze turned to me.
"Let's make it clear! Once a month!"
And that was it.
The stories I threw out were bait he couldn't spit out once swallowed.
"I'm busy."
"Th-then once a quarter?"
"Once every half-year. And not guaranteed—more like 'maybe we'll spar'."
"What? That feels like I'm getting the short end."
"You're the one who was just about to leave—where's the loss? The loss is the academy's specialty products piling up unsold because you barged in during the tournament. Should we tally that up too?"
"Khm. Ahem."
At my words, Jang Cheol-han coughed awkwardly,
and Zhuge Chak stroked his beard with a smile all over his face.
"Kehahaha. Yes, that's Eon Yong-un."
Toward that Zhuge Chak, I cautiously spoke up.
"Ah. And I have something else to say separately. Jongnam left, but since we have martial artists gathered like this?"
"And?"
"The Heavenly Martial Tournament proved there's a difference between cultivating mind and body versus fighting enemies, right? People with better lightness skills fell off cliffs. And in unfamiliar terrain, they couldn't perform to their true ability?"
"So, what exactly are you proposing?"
"How about this."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ My proposal before the Eastern Region Assembly Leader, the Righteous Martial Academy Chief, and the Murim Alliance Leader was accepted.
So, the day after the victory banquet ended.
"Brother Eon. Everyone's here, not a single one missing."
The Plum Blossom Sword Sage of Mount Hua, the Cloud Dragon Sword Sage of Kunlun, along with Shaolin disciples and other Heavenly Martial Tournament participants gathered in the Righteous Martial Academy's grand training ground instead of returning to their sects.
I gazed at the variously clad martial uniforms and pulled the red hat in my hand down over my head.
Plop-
Then, the Plum Blossom Sword Sages' heads turned toward Chang Ryang.
Having heard rumors about the red hat, they all wore expressions wondering why they were here.
However, Chang Ryang squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away.
"...Gr-grand martial uncle!"
At that moment, a Mount Hua disciple voiced betrayal in a crawling tone.
In that gap, Jang Cheol-han, who was mixed in, spoke up openly.
"I-I accepted the professor position... Why am I here?"
As the crowd began murmuring, I stomped my foot with a thud! and bellowed.
"From now on, in this training ground, there are no factions or affiliations! Only instructors, trainees, and the spirit of the Righteous Martial Academy—whether you reborn or not!"
"......"
"'Why' doesn't exist either, of course!"
Then, the Shaolin disciples who had experienced me responded crisply.
"Yes!"
The other trainees followed suit, watching carefully.
"...Yes!"
"All responses except repeating orders unified as 'Yes'! Respond again!"
"Yes!"
"Individually, each trainee is master-level without issue. But like this, you'll just be easy prey for the Demonic Cult. You must have felt that fully in the Heavenly Martial Tournament. You'll train by day, attend classes on Demonic Cult at night, and through that period, the owls and bald eagles will be reborn. Understood?!"
"Yes!"
"If understood, run to Wudang Mountain's Sword Washing Pool—execute!"
"Ex-executeee!"