Chapter 554: Rebellion (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 554: Rebellion (2)
The feeling of being a hero lasted for exactly one week.
Though we'd stumbled into an insane raid team and become international heroes, they all knew the truth.
The only ones who had truly pulled their weight were me, Ju-yeon, and, at a stretch, Seo-yeon.
They must have felt it keenly.
That even among A-rankers, there's a world of difference depending on how well you can use your abilities.
And that compared to the veterans we fought alongside, they were still incomplete.
Perhaps that was why.
The Twilight Guild's group chat started blowing up.
[Shin Yu-jeong: So when are we starting our training?]
[Shin Yu-jeong: Answer]
[Shin Yu-jeong: Answer]
“……”
What's this?
Did we need to reach a consensus to start training?
[Me: You've been training ever since you got back to Korea;;]
[Shin Yu-jeong: No, I mean when are we starting group training again?]
Ah.
So that's what she meant.
"Hmm... Group training, huh."
We call it group training, but it's basically a group lesson.
They want me to watch them train, praise what's good, and point out what's not.
[Son Seo-yeon: I need to start preparing for my promotion match soon, too...]
Seo-yeon's message popped up, and I slapped my forehead.
"Ah... right."
She has to take her promotion match soon.
I wonder who her opponent will be this time.
It can't be me or Ju-yeon, since we're in the same guild.
That leaves three people.
Son Si-woo, Han Ju-hee, and Namgung Hyeok.
"I bet it'll be Namgung Hyeok."
The probability seemed highest for him.
Among the three, that guy has the least seniority, so he'll probably be forced to take it on.
"Sigh... He's not exactly a good opponent for her."
I'm a little worried.
Namgung Hyeok is a really good guy, but he's the type who doesn't know how to hold back.
If she goes in lightly, she might fail. She'll need to prepare.
"...Alright. If the kids want to train, I should let them."
I don't know how long I'll have to spoon-feed them, but it's better than them getting arrogant and neglecting their training, right?
Reassuring myself with that thought, I sent a message.
[Me: Then let's start group training again tomorrow afternoon yeah]
[Shin Yu-jeong: ok]
[Elena: Nice]
[Son Seo-yeon: (An emoticon of a round face winking)]
[Han Ju-yeon: Got it~]
[Jin Ha-rin: See you tomorrow.]
[Yoon Si-hoo: Understood!]
The replies came in as if they'd been waiting, and the number next to the messages quickly ticked down.
But only for a moment.
A '1' remained next to every message, refusing to disappear.
It meant one person in the group chat hadn't read the messages.
That '1' wasn't just for today's conversation.
It had been a week since we returned to Korea. And for that entire time, a '1' had remained next to every conversation we'd had.
The person who hadn't read them was Im Na-eun.
"...It's not like she's busy."
Is she avoiding the chat because she feels bad about not being able to go to Romania with us?
"Hmm... If that's the case, she really doesn't have to."
To be honest, I was a little disappointed at first that she wasn't coming, but not anymore.
On the contrary, I think Na-eun made a wise choice.
That's how horrific the things that happened there were.
So she doesn't need to feel some misplaced guilt...
"This won't do."
I sent her a quick message in a private chat.
[Me: You up?]
"Hmm..."
After sending it, I realized it sounded like a drunk text to an ex you're not over.
* * *
Even though group training was scheduled for the afternoon, no one actually showed up in the afternoon.
The guild members came to the training grounds early in the morning for their individual workouts.
Some did weight training, some meditated, and others sparred.
After everyone finished their morning routines, the afternoon group training began.
"Elena, keep your arms tighter."
I taught Elena how to hold her shield more firmly.
"If you attack like that, you're just asking for a counterattack. Like this."
Thwack!
"Ack!"
For Yu-jeong, I showed her how to decisively strike an enemy's exposed weakness.
"Ju-yeon... thank you just for being here."
"Hoho."
To the world's most precious S-rank buffer, I simply offered my gratitude.
She has no idea what a huge strength it is just to have her in our guild.
With Seo-yeon, I sparred quite seriously.
"Hah!"
With a sharp cry, the tip of her sword split into dozens of trajectories as it thrust toward me.
I picked out the real one among them and blocked its path early.
"Tch...!"
She clicked her tongue and retreated.
I immediately followed, closing the distance and drawing dozens of sword paths in an instant.
Swish-swish-swish!
"Ah...!?"
Seo-yeon was flustered.
And she had every right to be.
The sword paths I just showed her weren't mine, but a style frequently used by Namgung Hyeok.
Of course, it was just a superficial imitation of the form, but the effect was excellent.
"Ugh...!"
Caught off guard by the unfamiliar sword paths, she scrambled to defend, forced to retreat.
I understood.
Namgung Hyeok's swordsmanship has that effect on people the first time they see it—it makes them wonder how such a style could even exist.
Clang-clang-clang!
Dozens of blows were exchanged in an instant.
Namgung Hyeok's sword style actually originates from the Namgung Clan, a renowned martial arts family in China.
The same Namgung Clan from the wuxia novels?
That's the one.
Of course, I don't know if the Murim actually existed, or if today's Namgung Clan is a true successor to the one from back then.
But one thing is certain.
Their sword art is so exquisitely refined that it's incredibly difficult to counter.
Clang!
"Ah...!"
Unable to withstand the storm-like assault, Seo-yeon lost her grip on her sword.
I lightly pressed my sword to her neck and spoke.
"Remember this well. This is the sword style Hunter Namgung Hyeok often uses."
What was its name again?
"The Boundless Azure Sky Sword Style... I've seen it in videos a few times, but facing it myself is completely different."
Right, that was it.
The Boundless Azure Sky Sword Style (蒼穹無涯劍法).
A sword style said to be like the endless blue sky.
What I just showed you was only a part of it.
The first six forms, which relentlessly overwhelm the opponent.
Namgung Hyeok used to call this entire sequence the 'Storm Form'.
"Haa... This isn't easy."
Seo-yeon let out a small sigh.
It seemed the pressure of facing an established S-rank Hunter was getting to her.
"Of course it's not easy. Look who you're up against."
It's only natural that it's difficult.
Seo-yeon is a rookie who just reached S-rank, while Namgung Hyeok became an S-rank over a decade ago.
He seems worried about his own slowing growth lately, but in all his years, he has never once stopped moving forward.
That man truly lives by the sword and dies by the sword.
He lives for martial arts, and he will die for them.
“……”
For a guy like that, he sure does get played by the women who approach him and causes trouble sometimes.
In any case, his devotion to the martial path is genuine.
"Instead of thinking about winning, focus on showing him one more thing you can do."
"One more thing..."
As if she'd had an epiphany, Seo-yeon's expression relaxed, and she nodded.
She picked up her dropped sword and made a request.
"Sorry, but... could we spar just one more time?"
A fire flickered in the eyes looking at me.
Looks like she's properly fired up.
I have no choice.
"If it's just one more time..."
I'll have to do it.
Clang-clang-clang!
"Hey... just one more time..."
“……”
Clang—!
"Really, the last one!"
"...No."
Clang!
"The last of the last!"
"You little..."
One more time, my ass.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I'm exhausted.
It was less a matter of physical stamina and more a matter of mental energy.
Of course it was.
How could it be easy, watching this kid and that kid, pointing out all their flaws?
On top of that, I'd sparred dozens of times. It would be weirder if I wasn't tired.
Well... it's not a bad feeling, though.
In fact, you could even say it was fun.
"It brings back old memories. It's nice."
I remember when I first started a guild with like-minded people.
It was shabby beyond comparison to now.
The hideout was small, we didn't even have a training ground, and the number of members... was it about the same as now?
Thinking back to those days, I can't help but smile.
"Those were the most enjoyable times."
That's how happy I was.
A girlfriend who was always by my side, and comrades who bickered but knew each other better than anyone.
We were infinitely weaker than we are now, but we had big dreams.
We dreamed of rising through the ranks to lead the best party and guild in South Korea.
We poured our sweat into a dream with a near-zero chance of coming true.
And we even succeeded in making that dream a reality.
Perhaps because the memories of that time remain so happy.
I just feel proud of these kids, who work up a sweat on their own without me having to say a word.
It makes me think they would have succeeded no matter what, even if they hadn't met me.
"...When I think about it that way, maybe I'm the lucky one."
It's that enjoyable.
To repaint the happiest moments of my life in a form even better than before.
And that's also why it bothers me more.
"...She still hasn't replied."
Im Na-eun, who I just can't seem to reach.
What on earth is keeping her from checking her messages?
Did something happen to her?
Feeling a little frustrated, I tried calling her.
[The person you are trying to reach is unavailable...]
She didn't pick up.
I had no choice but to leave a message.
[Me: Why are you so hard to reach? Is something wrong?]
[Me: Contact me as soon as you see this.]
[Me: That's an order.]
I was about to put my phone away after sending a few messages, even resorting to giving an order, when...
Bzzzt-
It vibrated.
The screen lit up automatically, showing a notification for a new message.
My hopes soared.
"Oh, finally?"
I checked it, thinking she'd finally gotten over her guilt and replied, but the message contained something completely unexpected.
[Im Na-eun: Sorry... I don't think I can be active anymore. It was fun while it lasted.]
“……?”
It seems something has happened.