Sword Saint - Heavenly Flow Swordsmanship

Geom-seong. The guild master of Hwanghon Guild, and when it came to pure martial prowess, one of the top five strongest in Korea. An absolute powerhouse with records of breaking through countless gates single-handedly, the hunter who earned the greatest merit in the war against the villain who burned Chuncheon. He was also one of the few who had stood with me to uproot the corrupt practices of the old guilds.

Over seventy years old, yet still an active S-rank hunter sweeping away monsters and villains. And now, such a man was pouring tea in front of me.

"This is safflower tea. Made from drying safflower that only blooms in A-rank dungeons. They say it's effective for fatigue recovery and slowing aging."

"Thank you."

I accepted the teacup he offered. A heavy silence followed.

"Someone sold my number. To loan sharks, no less."

He slurped his tea.

"Unavoidable circumstances."

"Planning to return to the hunter world? Stirring up trouble now, and Daesung will come after you. You know how vicious those bastards are."

He was one of the few who knew, along with Senior Bong-sik, that I was Shadow Mask.

"No plans to return. I won't touch hunter work again. After what they did to me? Too filthy even if I tried."

"Is that so? Then why sell my number? And why beat those loan shark thugs?"

"You saw?"

"The moment they called, I sent guild members. By the time they arrived, you'd already cleaned up. Told them to ship the thugs to the hospital. Silenced them easily enough."

"Sorry for the hassle."

"Not even worth mentioning. But seriously—how'd you end up tangled with that girl?"

The "girl" had to be Yoo Ara. For Hwanghon Guild, digging up that much info from loan sharks would've been child's play.

"Just happened to catch her in a bind, so I'm helping out."

"I see."

"Yes."

"Be careful. Several guilds have their eyes on her."

"Wouldn't doubt it. She proved herself in the second exam."

"Turning a repeat student into a star overnight... What a shame to lose such talent."

"No idea what you're talking about."

"Hahaha! Sorry, old man's slipping."

Slurp. The safflower tea was bitter. Good medicine tastes bad, they say. The unpleasant aftertaste made me grimace.

"So, what'd you call me for? Not just to chat."

"I've got a favor to ask."

"Payment for the trouble?"

"Exactly."

"Speak. But I can't drop everything."

"I know. Those bastards are practically obsessed with you."

Geom-seong chuckled darkly and pulled an item from under the table.

"What's this?"

"My request."

"Delivery job?"

"Heard you're an appraiser now. The best in Korea, even."

"Word travels fast."

"Small world, friend."

Inside the open box lay a jade fan, neatly folded.

"A fan..."

"Right. Verify if it's authentic."

Geom-seong's face hardened coldly. Mine did too. I knew full well what a jade fan meant to him.

I'd heard Geom-seong, over seventy this year, had a granddaughter. In this cursed world of gates and monsters, even an awakener like him had lost family. His son and daughter-in-law gone, only his granddaughter survived. Wielding a jade fan for wind magic, earning her the moniker "Pacho-seon." She was his steadfast partner.

Four years ago, the S-rank hunter vanished inside a dungeon. No word since. Rumors swirled she'd died, but Geom-seong believed she'd return.

She never did. But now, her item surfaced alone.

Only one implication: Pacho-seon, its owner, had perished in that dungeon.

"Who brought it?"

"Daesung. The message with it was rich—stay out of their raid dungeons from now on. Oppose them, and you'll end up the same."

"You let him walk?"

"Hah, think so? Left the messenger half-dead."

Should've finished him.

Geom-seong ground his teeth, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠murmuring low.

"I need to know if this is my granddaughter's. Thought you could tell."

"And if it's real?"

"War with Daesung."

"...Understood."

I took the jade fan. Its hefty weight settled in my palm. I unfolded it, refolded, inspected every inch.

Silence weighed heavy, his gaze burning into me.

After fiddling long enough, I eyed the status window before me.

A fake. This Jade Fan wasn't Pacho-seon's.

"Forgery."

"Fake?"

"Yes."

"Hoo... If you say so, it is."

Geom-seong sighed in relief.

"Damn bastards. Think I can't tell?"

"Not sure. They might not have known either."

"Hm, possible."

"But if Daesung forged this, it might ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hold clues to the real one."

"They'd brag if they had the real deal. That's their style."

"Fair point."

A brief silence. The deep quiet of a grandfather fretting over his granddaughter.

"So, this tells us nothing about her survival?"

"Correct."

"Tch..."

"For now, play along if their demands aren't too outrageous. No need to show your hand."

"Want to raze them now, but it'd cost all my guild members their lives. Better pretend compliance, check if they have the real one."

Geom-seong sighed heavily, then met my eyes.

"Thanks. Won't be dragged blindly now."

"No big deal. We help each other."

But.

"If you're truly grateful, grant me one favor."

"Name it. Anything."

"A vanguard manual. Your personal swordsmanship manual for vanguards."

Geom-seong's swordsmanship manual for vanguards. Perfect for Lee Hye-ri, who tanked without a shield. No one matched his melee prowess. The essence of his know-how and training.

That's why I'd leaked his number. All calculated.

Arrogant thugs call, he'd know it was me, summon me naturally. One of four with his number.

Didn't expect the granddaughter's fan appraisal.

Lucky punch. Got the manual rights sooner than planned.

Even if not now, I'd make him hand it over later.

"Heh, my manual?"

"Yes."

"Steep price for an appraisal."

"Told you her survival odds. Same difference."

"Not confirmed."

"Without me, you'd assume her dead by now."

"Can't argue..."

"Give it, and future Jade Fan appraisals are free."

"...One more. If clues to her survival surface, promise to raid a dungeon with me."

"Serious? Daesung won't sit idle."

"If they bitch, I'll handle them."

"...Deal."

Geom-seong's manual was worth that much. Best textbook for my tutoring.

"Wait here. Fetching it myself."

"Got it."

True to word, he handed over his swordsmanship manual.

"Only five copies exist. Third duplicate to you."

"Honor."

"Use well. No misuse."

"Don't worry. Better than anyone."

"Need help, call."

I bowed to Geom-seong and rose. Business done. Time for mine.

"Then, farewell."

Originally planned to seek Geom-seong once her stamina built up.

Turned curse to blessing.

Got the manual faster than expected.

Heard Geom-seong taught swordsmanship pre-gates, a swordsman's body awakened, pulling off absurd feats.

His insights and know-how inked into this: Cheonryu Swordsmanship.

Treasure acquired.

His obsession with his sole remaining kin handed me the chance.

I opened the book quietly.

A fitting preface for wave-like swordsmanship.

I read the manual steadily. Mostly basics: how to fight, effective dodges and counters.

Why he gave it so readily? Without grasping the essence, just a basic manual.

But enough for me. Didn't need Hye-ri ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to master depths.

Ideal for evasion tank snatching aggro via strikes and dodges. Her DPS leanings would gain insights from its doctrine.

Tanking wasn't mindless DPS pulling threat.

To teach her properly...

I must master it first. One more study load.

Damn.

Bzzz! Another text, ignored. Probably Hye-ri's success report. Check during sessions.

Cheonryu Swordsmanship took priority.

"Wow, seriously..."

Lee Hye-ri gnashed her teeth. This pricey tutor ignored her texts.

"Wanna spar, huh?"

Her dormant competitive fire roared.

"Just watch. I'll nail it and shove that smug nose in!"

She clenched her fist tight.