Chapter 35
Chapter 35
Translator: Penny
Chapter 35
Into the Summer (2)
Gal Saryang stared blankly through the small window of his room at the sun-drenched, empty training ground.
He sat in a cramped, five-square-meter room, its walls lined with bookshelves overflowing with books. This was the office of an ordinary strategist, a far cry from the spacious quarters he had once occupied as Chief Strategist.
The Pavilion of Righteous Intent housed eight ordinary strategists besides the Chief Strategist, and Gal Saryang had been demoted to one of them. Yet he accepted his fate without complaint.
At that moment, someone opened the door without a sound.
"What are you staring at?"
Gal Saryang sprang to his feet.
"You've arrived?"
The newcomer was Sama Cheon, the newly appointed Chief Strategist.
Sama Cheon strode over and peered through the small window Gal Saryang had been gazing through. The empty training ground shimmered with oppressive heat.
"It's getting hot now."
"Yes, it seems this summer will be exceptionally hot."
"Isn't life truly unpredictable? Back then, I waited three shichen in the waiting room just to see you. Do you remember how long we actually met for after all that waiting?"
Gal Saryang remained silent.
"Exactly half a ke. After making me wait three whole shichen, you granted me only half a ke of your time."
Though Gal Saryang said nothing, he vividly remembered that day.
Sama Cheon had visited him on behalf of the Heavenly Blade Gate, seeking his approval for their monopoly over a lucrative venture.
Sama Cheon subtly hinted at offering a bribe—an enormous sum that could have purchased several grand estates. How dare he attempt such a ploy, knowing full well that Gal Saryang never accepted bribes? He must have believed that the sheer magnitude of the sum would tempt him. What audacity!
I remembered how I had quickly stepped down due to my illness.
"I apologize for what happened back then. I was too busy and made a mistake."
Sama Cheon grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth.
"I understand. Now that I've sat in your seat, I see how much work there is."
"I'm deeply impressed by your magnanimity, Chief Strategist."
"Do you realize that if I had refused your request to stay at the Pavilion of Righteous Intent, you would have been expelled?"
"Of course. I'm deeply grateful for that."
"Why do you want to stay? Are you planning to stay and take revenge on me, the new Chief Strategist?"
Sama Cheon's shrewd gaze pierced through me like a sharp blade.
Gal Saryang's face betrayed his confusion.
"How could I possibly do that? I... I..."
Overwhelmed by emotion, Gal Saryang couldn't finish his sentence.
Soon, he spoke in a voice thick with emotion.
"I've lived my entire life within the Martial Arts Alliance. I've never considered a life outside of this. I'm grateful to be able to serve the Pavilion of Righteous Intent, even in this way."
Sama Cheon's eyes narrowed, and the corners of his lips curled upward into a smile.
"I understand. If I were you, I'd feel the same. I look forward to working with you."
"The honor is mine. I pledge my unwavering loyalty."
"Hahaha! Excellent, truly excellent."
Sama Cheon left the room.
The flush on Gal Saryang's face faded, replaced by a cold sneer.
What a joke.
He was sick of the Martial Arts Alliance. He longed to escape this cramped place immediately, to live his life like Baek Pyo.
Yet one crucial reason kept him rooted here.
"The Alliance Leader must have been assassinated."
It was impossible for the Heads of the Radiant Moon Corps and the Iron Cavalry Corps, two of the Three Core Corps, to betray the Alliance overnight. Whoever had won them over must have spent years cultivating their loyalty.
The same must be true for the Alliance Leader's assassination.
They likely used methods even the Divine Physician couldn't detect. Or perhaps even the Divine Physician of the Martial Arts Alliance was in league with them.
He would uncover the truth. Who killed the Alliance Leader?
And then he would exact his revenge.
He could never forgive those who had destroyed in a single day what he had dedicated his entire life to building. He would never forgive those who had murdered the Alliance Leader, who had devoted his life to the Martial Arts World.
He knew Sama Cheon didn't trust him. He was likely seen as a thorn in his side. Eliminating the former Alliance Leader's Chief Strategist would certainly ease his mind.
But for now, they would still consider him useful. His connections and information were vast and invaluable. Moreover, all the leaders of the organizations that had opposed Ma Bonggi had been replaced—their wings and limbs severed. They wouldn't perceive him as much of a threat.
They'd likely think they could stick a straw into him and suck out every last drop of marrow.
Very well, I'll let them drain me for now.
Just as they had taken their time, so would he. He would uncover the true culprit and cultivate the strength to defeat them, no matter how long it took.
Until then, he would endure.
He glanced around his office one last time.
"...This isn't so bad."
After returning from his mission, Gwangdu had changed.
He had suddenly become much more conscious of his appearance.
"Do you think this outfit suits me?"
"Didn't you choose that martial attire yourself?"
"I should have bought one in the Young Master's colors back then."
"You little rascal! You didn't buy it out of respect for me, did you?"
"It was a mistake!"
The reason for his transformation soon became clear.
During the Beast Squad's earlier raid, Gwangdu had killed four enemies. In the process, he had saved a Sword Guard member—one of the two women who had recently joined the ranks.
Her name was Do Sun, and she was twenty-one years old, petite, and charming.
The trouble began when she gave him a small dagger and a whetstone for sharpening swords as a token of her gratitude. These were common gifts exchanged among martial artists.
"This isn't an ordinary gift."
"Maybe she gave it to you so you'd kill yourself?"
"No jokes, please. I'm being serious."
Gwangdu was indeed more serious than ever.
"What kind of gift should I give her?"
"Why? It was a gift to thank you for saving her life."
"Since I received it, I should reciprocate."
"Or are you just looking for an excuse to talk to her?"
Gwangdu flinched.
"No! This is a matter of etiquette! A matter of principle!"
"Heh heh heh."
"I'm telling you, that's not it!"
As if! Your face is as red as a persimmon right now.
Well, he's twenty-five. How could his heart not flutter? Good luck, kid.
Thanks to her, Gwangdu had successfully overcome any potential aftereffects of his first kill.
The next day, Gwanhwi and seven or eight Sword Guard members came to find me.
"We want to learn the Dagger Technique," they said.
They seemed to have been impressed by the Dagger Technique I had demonstrated while fighting the Beast Squad.
The Sword Guard members who wanted to learn had gathered and come to me. Gwanhwi was likely the one who had initiated the group lesson.
"I'm not an expert in the Dagger Technique, but I can teach you the basics," I said.
All martial arts are interconnected. Having mastered swordsmanship, I found it easy to learn other martial arts. Though not as proficient as with swords, I had a deep understanding of most martial arts, including the Dagger Technique, Blade Arts, Fist Arts, and Spear Arts. Therefore, calling my knowledge "basic" was an understatement.
I instructed the Sword Guard members to bring training daggers and targets from the warehouse.
After setting up the targets at one end of the training ground, I stood before them.
"In the Martial Arts World, there are masters who specialize in Dagger Technique. They are truly terrifying. Imagine a master who can accurately strike a tiny pellet from a hundred paces away. What if they threw three or four daggers simultaneously? What if they targeted multiple vital points at once? What if they anticipated my every move and threw their daggers accordingly?"
The mere thought sent shivers down their spines, and they shook their heads in fear.
"Of course, reaching that level requires years of relentless training. Dagger Technique also has its weaknesses. It's utterly ineffective in close combat. And if an opponent unleashes Sword Aura, you're completely helpless."
"Naturally, there are masters who can generate Aura Force with their daggers. I've even faced such opponents myself."
"One example is Gwanghu, the Ten-Dagger Phantom, one of the Four Great Protectors of the Blood Heaven Divine Cult."
As an enemy, he was as formidable as they came. With a single throw, ten daggers would fly. By the end, it was hard to fathom where he was pulling all those daggers from. Moreover, he was a master capable of imbuing his daggers with Aura Force.
Indeed, the battle against him remains one of the most unforgettable bloodbaths in my memory. When I finally killed him, two daggers were still lodged in my body.
But achieving such mastery in Dagger Technique was exceedingly difficult. It seemed easy to learn at first, but the more one progressed, the more challenging it became.
"For you, it's enough to be able to overcome danger in emergencies," I said.
"That's right. That's all we want," Gwanhwi replied loudly, and everyone nodded in agreement.
He taught them the basics of the Dagger Technique: how to grip the dagger, control their breathing, and execute the throw.
"Now, throw it."
The Sword Guard members lined up and hurled their daggers at the target. Most missed, but Gwanhwi managed to hit the edge of the target.
"Focus your minds. Concentration is the lifeblood of the Dagger Technique."
"Yes, sir!"
The Sword Guard members threw their daggers again.
With each repeated throw, the number of hits on the target steadily increased.
Mastering the dagger was a significant advantage for any martial artist.
"If you can hit the target three consecutive times from thirty paces away, I'll teach you the next stage: injecting Internal Force into your throws."
"Thank you, Captain!"
"No need for thanks. I admire those who strive for improvement. Come to me anytime you want to learn something new."
"Yes, sir!"
With a resounding shout, the Sword Guard members began their training. I stayed for another half-shichen, correcting their stances and offering guidance.
Doesn't teaching others bother you?
Not at all.
Perhaps it was because I'd never done it before, but I was actually discovering a knack for teaching.
And it was benefiting my own martial arts as well. It was like a master who had reached the pinnacle starting all over again from scratch, forcing me to re-examine everything. For example:
"This is how it's done."
After confidently teaching a technique, I would often find myself pondering it deeply that night.
Is that really how it works?
Doubts about aspects I'd never questioned before would suddenly surface.
I couldn't know how this change would affect me. But because my intentions in teaching them were good, I trusted that the results would be positive as well.
Gwangdu hadn't shown himself by afternoon, so I went to his room to find him.
He was sitting at his desk, writing something intently.
"You can write?"
"Seriously? Are you underestimating me that much?"
"It's because you're so impressive."
Most servants in our household, and indeed in most households, were illiterate.
"Do you think I'd be serving you, Young Master, if I weren't capable?"
"You've been clever since you were a child, haven't you?"
"Of course. I was always the smartest."
I wondered if his talent for martial arts might stem from this very intelligence.
"But what are you writing so diligently?"
"A letter to Miss Do."
"Miss Do? You don't mean Do Sun, do you?"
"Do Sun? Don't call someone else's woman by her given name so casually, Captain."
"Someone else's woman? Could that 'someone else' be you?"
"It all depends on this letter. Whether I become that 'someone else' or remain just another stranger. Ah, I've bought the gift, but I don't know what to write in the letter!"
Gwangdu clutched his head in frustration.
"You're giving her a letter too?"
"When I stand before Miss Do, words just won't come out. This is my way of expressing my gratitude."
"What gift did you buy?"
"This."
Gwangdu's gift was a tassel to attach to the hilt of a sword.
"I noticed Miss Do's sword didn't have one before. I bought a short one, so it wouldn't interfere with her grip. What do you think?"
"It's cute."
"Really?"
I nodded in agreement. The more skilled a swordsman becomes, the less likely they are to adorn their blade with such decorations. Even if it doesn't hinder their grip, it offers no practical advantage in combat.
Gwangdu was fortunate that his sideburns were short enough not to interfere with his sword grip. He wasn't yet skilled enough for them to feel unnatural during combat, so they could be dismissed as mere affectation.
"Now all I need to do is write the letter. Any advice for me?"
"It's all pointless."
"Such helpful words! Stop bothering me and go away!"
Before leaving the room, I offered one last remark:
"The lifeblood of a love letter..."
I pretended not to notice Gwangdu's ears perking up.
"...is sincerity. Convey your feelings exactly as they are."
His ears flushed crimson.
I chuckled softly and left the room, curious to see how Gwangdu's midsummer romance would unfold.
Wait a minute... could this be his first love?