Chapter 23: The Fist King Creates an Opportunity
The Fist King Creates an Opportunity
Episode 23: The Fist King Creates an Opportunity
After seeing off the young masters of the Guyang Clan and returning to his quarters, Dan Woo-sung ran into his youngest brother, Lee Ja-eon, who had been busy with errands after recognizing the martial world's messenger, Jeon Seo-gu.
The youngest halted abruptly and asked,
"Brother, is the martial duel over?"
"Yeah, it's done."
"Already?"
Ja-eon blinked as if he had missed a good show, then cautiously inquired,
"I heard three people came... How many times did you lose?"
"Why do you assume I lost?"
"Ah, well, I figured they'd probably fight in turns. If I'd been there, I would've split them up and taken them on one by one."
Ever since getting beaten, Ja-eon had been extremely careful with his words. Dan Woo-sung sighed inwardly.
'If that had been the case, I'd have lost in one round.'
He answered flatly,
"I won all of them."
Ja-eon's eyes widened.
"Is it strange that I won?"
At his brother's question, Ja-eon shook his head.
"N-No, of course not. You must've had a hard time."
As he watched Ja-eon trudge away, Dan Woo-sung couldn't help but feel his back looked oddly lonely. He swallowed a curse.
'Ah, this damn pathetic bastard.'
It was only natural to be happy for his brother's victory, but Ja-eon had projected his own situation onto it and ended up disappointed instead.
Dan Woo-sung resolved to quickly put into motion the plan he had previously devised—a seemingly coincidental yet inevitable opportunity. To do so, he needed the help of his idle friends.
Until evening, he met with Lee Hwa-eon to discuss something, prepared a few items, and then set out to meet his friends.
"What's this about? Doesn't seem like he just called us out for drinks."
Despite their words, Sa Ma-geuk and Joo Ja-ryang seemed in high spirits at the rare chance to share a drink with their friend.
The three settled into a private room and began their scheming. Dan Woo-sung placed three promissory notes in front of Sa Ma-geuk and Joo Ja-ryang and said,
"Advance payment."
"Whoa!"
"Oh! What's this sudden windfall?"
In truth, it was money he had taken from the leader of the Sosun Sect. Since his money belt had been stuffed full, he felt like he was handing out pocket money to his friends. Unlike Goo Woong, these two weren't exactly well-off, so they examined the notes with stunned expressions.
"Damn, if this is the advance, does that mean you want us to kill someone? Killing's a bit much, but I'll gladly beat the hell out of them. Who is it? Just say the word."
Sa Ma-geuk was joking. Joo Ja-ryang chuckled and retorted,
"Pfft, if there's someone to kill, you'd do it yourself now. Why ask us? Alright, let's hear it. What's the job? I've got nothing going on, so I'll help no matter what."
Dan Woo-sung looked at them and said,
"I'm planning to create an opportunity for the youngest to step into the martial world. Listen first, then ask whatever you want."
When the two nodded, he continued.
"The youngest is a martial world fanatic."
"We know."
"Still? That guy really can't get his head straight. He should just join a sect. But he wouldn't want that, would he? A martial world wannabe stuck in his room."
Dan Woo-sung smirked.
"I talked a bit with the second brother. The youngest seems to believe there was something in Mount Jiuhua, near the annex where I was recovering. You two just need to set up an opportunity there."
"Set up? An opportunity?"
"Ja-ryang, I'm counting on your scheming mind. Mount Jiuhua is the perfect location—rugged terrain with plenty of caves and hollows. I've marked a rough map of the area around the annex where I used to take walks."
Sa Ma-geuk asked,
"I get Ja-ryang's role, but what about me?"
Dan Woo-sung looked at him and said,
"You'll be our youngest's master."
Sa Ma-geuk's expression went blank, as if struck by shock.
"I'm the master? How unexpected. To think I'd take on a disciple already... What an unpleasant disciple, though. I already feel like expelling him."
"How many times have you seen the youngest?"
Sa Ma-geuk scratched his head.
"Once or twice in years. Now that I think about it, it's been a while."
Dan Woo-sung pointed at his face.
"A little disguise, and he won't recognize you. You could even use a face mask—you can manage that, right?"
Sa Ma-geuk nodded.
"Got it. But if I'm the master, what do I do? Can't you just teach him yourself?"
Dan Woo-sung countered,
"Me? The youngest doesn't respect me. Would you respect me just because I came back stronger all of a sudden?"
"Well, no. You two fought a lot."
Dan Woo-sung nodded.
"Actually, I hit him as soon as I got back."
"Good. Ja-eon needs a beating."
"I believe the most important thing between master and disciple is respect. Even if the disciple surpasses the master later, that respect should remain. In that sense, me teaching him would be inefficient, incompatible—just bad all around. I have emotions too, you know. I'd start wondering if I'm teaching him or just itching to beat him up. The youngest has a knack for provoking people."
Sa Ma-geuk nodded emphatically.
"Right, right. The bond between master and disciple should be built on respect. But will the youngest respect me?"
Dan Woo-sung poured them drinks and grinned.
"Of course. A master met through a fortuitous encounter? He'll respect you without question."
Sa Ma-geuk and Joo Ja-ryang burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Ah, now I see where this is going. The plan's coming together."
After letting them drink, Dan Woo-sung continued.
"There are a few things missing. First, we need a martial arts manual—I'll handle that."
His friends waited. Though the request seemed playful at first glance, his tone remained serious throughout. They could tell this wasn't just a joke.
Dan Woo-sung said to Sa Ma-geuk,
"Once I get the manual, you can learn it first and then pass it on. Your skills are far beyond the youngest's anyway. Even if you're learning the same techniques, you'll have plenty to teach. If you fought him now, how many moves would it take to defeat him?"
Sa Ma-geuk tilted his head.
"Hmm. Ja-eon never had a proper master, right?"
"Nope."
"I could probably beat him with one hand. That guy's all flash, no substance."
Sa Ma-geuk was a man preparing for the martial alliance entrance exams, while Ja-eon was just a man who dreamed of the martial world. The gap between them was undeniable.
Dan Woo-sung nodded.
"That's enough. But I have one request."
"What?"
"Be ruthless. He can't rely solely on the manual, so treat it like real combat training—beat him with wooden swords until he improves. The martial world is all about real fights."
Sa Ma-geuk grinned.
"Pain is the fastest teacher. The body learns the sword that way. Don't worry. I've been holding back the urge to smack him for years. I'll beat the lessons into him—with a master's love, of course."
"Good. Thanks."
Dan Woo-sung handed over a large key and a letter.
"This is the key to the annex. The letter's for the caretaker. Use the annex as your base to set things up. I'll send the manual there once I get it. If you need anything else, I'll arrange it. The rest is up to you two. Think of it as saving one man—take care of it."
Joo Ja-ryang held the promissory notes in both hands and said,
"Honestly, this is way too much for the job. Let's leave money talk at this. We'd have helped even without pay. You're being too generous. Ma-geuk, agree?"
Sa Ma-geuk nodded.
"Absolutely. Does Ja-eon use a sword?"
"The guy who sings 'the sword is the king of all weapons'? Yeah."
Sa Ma-geuk stroked his chin.
"Perfect. I'll take this chance to train seriously at Mount Jiuhua too. It's a good place for that, right?"
"Couldn't ask for better."
Dan Woo-sung smiled faintly.
While he wanted his youngest brother to train, he also secretly hoped Sa Ma-geuk would take his own training seriously. In a way, this plan was also Dan Woo-sung's way of supporting his friends—financially and otherwise.
He wanted to see if Ja-ryang truly had the makings of a strategist, and under the pretext of helping Ja-eon, he hoped Sa Ma-geuk would face his own destiny.
Besides, if left alone, the youngest might run off to the martial world and clash with someone like Guyang Hoo. Keeping the family in order was just as important.
Who knew?
If Lee Ja-eon's fate changed because of this, that alone would be a good thing.
After scheming late into the night, Dan Woo-sung finally returned home.
Now, it was his turn to prepare.
After briefly meeting the Double Report Brothers, Dan Woo-sung returned to his room and sat at his desk.
He had no intention of buying a martial arts manual.
For his friend...
And for his brother, he would create a sword technique himself and personally write the manual.
Of course, in his past life, he had never crafted a sword style. A fist practitioner had no reason to.
But he knew more about real sword combat than anyone—having faced countless swordsmen. In that sense, the sword technique created by the Fist King would be unlike anything commonly found in the martial world.
To put it simply, it would be a sword style designed to break sword styles. He planned to draft it quickly and review it later. But when he actually tried to write, the biggest problem was the name.
That required some thought.
Dan Woo-sung crossed his arms and pondered. His own temperament, Sa Ma-geuk's personality, his brother's nature... He even considered the sword's intent. He had no intention of making a stale manual focused on forms. The Fist King's martial philosophy had always been about defeating the deliberate with the formless.
He didn't expect either of them to grasp the pinnacle immediately. A formless sword defeating one with forms was a dreamlike concept.
Dan Woo-sung only intended to open the path.
After much deliberation, he finally wrote the name at the top. Since he was creating an opportunity, he might as well make it legendary. Inspired by a fabled sword technique originally named with the character for nine, he replaced it with one meaning to seek the ultimate.
And so, the sword technique was named:
Dokgo Nine Swords (獨孤究劍).
A sword style that pursues the pinnacle of the blade in solitude.
Compared to the legendary Dokgo Nine Swords (獨孤九劍), the meaning held its own.