Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Prodigy Who Rolled In (1)
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The main residence where the head of the Cho Clan stayed felt less like a castle and more like a massive house.
In truth, it wasn't as tall as a castle. Countless houses were connected one after another, and at the very center... the one with the tallest roof among them was the main residence.
"Dolbi, you shaking?"
"...Who wouldn't? I'd be trembling just to meet our lord, but the head of the Cho Clan..."
"Cut it out, man. We're not going to get punished—we're here for a reward. What's there to shake about?"
Of course, the fact that Ban's own palms were slick with sweat was his little secret.
Ban gazed at Urong's back as he walked ahead. His words still rang vividly in his ears.
— Let's go to the academy.
— The Cho Clan will be your sponsor.
'Academy, huh.'
Ban fell into thought. What would it be like to enter the capital's academy? Pretty girls straight out of paintings, hearty friends to share beers with. Swapping sword strikes with them...
"You're here. Don't make eye contact with him until he calls for you all."
"...Understood."
"Father. It's Urong."
No reply came. The others exchanged wary glances, wondering if he wasn't inside, but Urong kept his head bowed steadfastly toward the door. Only after a moment did a response come.
"Come in."
The door opened. And the moment they stepped inside, Ban couldn't help but be shocked in three ways.
First. There was no furniture.
If one had to nitpick, there were a few cushions, but compared to the vast space rivaling a castle hall, it was pathetically sparse.
Second. Countless weapons were mounted on display racks.
Even a rough estimate put them well over a hundred. The walls weren't walls at all—they were weapon racks. And not a single servant or maid was without a sword at their waist.
And finally, the third.
The clan head wasn't in human form.
'...Insane.'
Ban swallowed hard without realizing it. He'd thought Urong had a sturdy build, but the clan head was on another level entirely. His bare torso rippled with massive muscles like mountains in motion, and white steam rose from them.
It was a relief he couldn't meet the man's eyes. If he had locked gazes with that intensity, he might not have been able to breathe. It was like encountering a bear in the mountains—a primal instinct screaming in terror.
"You lot? The ones who helped my son?"
"...Aidan, captain of the Shionel Village guard. It's an honor to meet the esteemed head of the Cho Clan."
"Skip the formalities. Thanks to you, I got one over on those filthy rebels. No need to carve a tombstone for my boy either. You've heard the story, so now it's my turn to listen. So, what boon do you ask of me? You first, Captain."
Even as he spoke, the clan head lifted a massive iron lump like a dumbbell. Aidan glanced around cautiously before opening his mouth.
"My wish isn't easy to voice in front of everyone. If possible, might I write it down...?"
"Hmm. Quite the secretive fellow. You there—bring this man brush and paper."
Aidan, no stranger to wielding a brush despite not doing so often, wrote with surprising skill. Soon, a maid delivered the paper to the clan head, who curled his lips and burst into roaring laughter.
"Hahaha! Well now. One problem begets another, they say. And here we are."
"Will you... grant my wish?"
"I am Cho Muryeong, head of the Cho Clan. I always keep my promises. No need to worry further."
What on earth had passed between them? As Ban and the others blinked in confusion, the clan head's gaze shifted to them. Suppressing a grin, he asked,
"Well? What's your wish?"
"I'd be content with good land and some wealth."
"Hmm. Not a tough ask."
That was God's wish. With one eye ruined, he'd grown weary of the sword life. And Dolbi...
"I... want to become a farmer and live peacefully."
"That's easy enough too."
Boredom began creeping onto Muryeong's face. From their perspective, it might seem like asking too much, but to him, these were just stale, unexciting requests.
How different would the last one's be? It was just as Muryeong turned to Ban with that thought.
Ban spoke.
"I want to become the world's strongest swordsman."
It was exactly what he'd once told Urong. Normally, he'd follow up by asking for sponsorship.
But the moment he laid eyes on Muryeong, Ban's mind changed. That savage strength that made even his instincts tremble. Seeing how the man oppressed everyone just by breathing... he couldn't hold back the words.
"To that end, I seek the teachings of the Cho Clan."
§
After hearing Ban's words, Muryeong laughed as if he'd heard the funniest joke imaginable. Even back in their room, Dolbi couldn't shake his stunned expression.
"What the hell were you thinking, wishing for that?"
"...He looked like the strongest guy in the world. I wanted to learn from him."
"You're... something else."
Dolbi shook his head. He'd once strived to surpass Ban, but now it felt natural that he couldn't.
'...I want to put down the sword for good.'
His gut, pierced by Obun's blade, still throbbed. Recalling that moment, gasping on the brink of death... he could never say he wanted to be a swordsman again.
Yet Ban, who'd been on the same battlefield, still dreamed of the sword. The world's strongest, no less.
Ban placed a hand on Dolbi's shoulder.
"Make a nice farm. Later... when you're famous, I'll visit. Yuri will have had the kid by then."
"...Yeah. Probably. You do it too. Become that... world's strongest swordsman."
Even talking about someone else's dream made his hands and feet tingle with embarrassment. Ban chuckled at Dolbi's awkwardness.
"I will. Somehow."
Gintnel arrived the next day. Before dawn even broke, he yanked off Ban's blanket and loomed over his dazed face.
"You sought the Cho Clan's teachings, did you?"
"Uh? Yeah."
"Get up. The Cho Clan's mornings come earlier than you think."
After barely washing up, Ban reached the training ground, where others were already seated in strange postures. He asked,
"...Why's everyone sitting like that?"
"It's the lotus position. Sit like that and meditate. Recall your sword path, the blades of foes you've faced or might face. Sometimes gaze into the stubbornness and ego hiding in your heart. Think of it as emptying the mind."
"Ah, got it..."
The routine was simple. Meditate, train the body. Add basic fist techniques and sword practice, and it was the daily grind of an ordinary Cho Clan swordsman.
"Cho Clan swordsmanship will feel very different from what you've used. Laying the foundations might take months. Don't rush—take it step by step."
"Yes, sir."
But Ban had no intention of doing so. The sword he'd been issued held memories waiting to be devoured.
[You have gripped the longsword used by 'Cho Clan's Young Swordsman'.]
Material: Steel
Grade: Standard
Owner: Cho Jiyeon (1-Star)
Memory Preservation Rate: Low
Note: A longsword forged by the Cho Clan's blacksmith. Specialized for slashes over thrusts.
[Your current swordsmanship level is 2-Star. Memory synchronization is maximized.]
With his swordsmanship at 2-Star, absorbing a 1-Star memory was child's play. When he'd first swung Jensen's sword, he'd gained five experiences per swing at best... Now, he could embody fifty—no, more—in a single swing.
It took exactly one week to crack Gintnel's stoic face.
"...A true genius."
Watching Ban from afar, he muttered in a trembling voice.
Ban had seemed like a greedy stray dog at best. "World's strongest swordsman" was just flashy ambition, not something he'd actually achieve.
But now, he couldn't dismiss it as mere greed.
In just one week.
Ban's sword traced the Cho Clan's path perfectly.