Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Opening of the Sparring Tournament
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I gazed at the two men seated across from me, with the sparring platform at the center.
“Looks like only those two from Tyrant Heaven Fortress are competing.”
“They’re looking down on us. They think we’re already exhausted prey and are taking it easy.”
For a great clan that had dominated Anhui Province for ages, that attitude felt like an insult.
Sure enough, Namgung Hyun scowled the moment he heard my words.
“.......”
On the other hand, the Namgung Patriarch—perhaps due to his years of experience as family head—didn’t show any outward reaction.
But even if he wasn’t showing it, he must have felt uncomfortable all the same.
“Those bastards will live to regret that leisure.”
“Mm.”
The Namgung Patriarch nodded silently at my bold declaration.
And after a while, the final guest of this tournament finally made an appearance.
“That’s the Prefectural Magistrate of Yeoju Department.”
On the platform prepared near the sparring arena.
Seats for the officials of Yeoju Department and Hefei County had been arranged there.
And at its center.
Someone approached without hesitation and sat in the most ornate and grand chair.
His demeanor left no doubt that it was his rightful place.
I looked at the middle-aged man who had taken his seat.
With an inscrutable stern expression, he exuded a dignified air.
Right beside him clung the Hefei County Magistrate, rubbing his palms together ingratiatingly, but the man didn’t spare him a single glance.
That man—the Prefectural Magistrate.
The de facto ruler granted direct authority over Yeoju Department by the Emperor of the Great Ming Empire.
The greatest variable in our plan.
I tilted my head slightly toward the Namgung Patriarch and asked.
“Is the Prefectural Magistrate really uninvolved in this?”
My plan was to win the sparring tournament, prove that the Namgung Clan still had the right to maintain public order in Anhui, and expose Tyrant Heaven Fortress’s plot in front of everyone.
By revealing the scheme before a crowd of witnesses, even the Prefectural Magistrate wouldn’t be able to ignore it.
But there was one small source of unease.
If the Prefectural Magistrate was truly ruthless, he might find a way to bury it no matter what.
For example, executing a few dissenting commoners as an example to silence them by force.
I doubted things would spiral that far out of control, but “never say never” exists for a reason.
It was a slim chance, but the potential consequences were too catastrophic to ignore.
That was why, over the past seven days and nights, I had seriously considered sneaking into Yeoju’s Security Bureau to investigate the Prefectural Magistrate.
The one who stopped me was the Namgung Patriarch himself.
“The Prefectural Magistrate isn’t the type to do that. Tyrant Heaven Fortress is a martial sect, no matter its origins. He’s not one to condone collusion between officials and the jianghu.”
“Are you certain? One misstep, and everything could go up in smoke.”
“I stake my brother’s honor on it.”
I shrugged with a small sigh at the Namgung Patriarch’s firm words.
If he was that confident, there was no point arguing further. I just hoped his confidence was justified.
“Everyone, pay attention—!”
While we spoke, all the seats on the platform filled up.
Then, the Hefei County Magistrate, who had claimed the spot closest to the Prefectural Magistrate, stood and stepped forward.
“People of Hefei! Today, we gather to determine whether the Namgung Clan or Tyrant Heaven Fortress is fit to maintain order in Hefei and Anhui!”
Whether due to his hefty build giving him a booming voice, his shout echoed across the entire venue.
Using that volume, the County Magistrate briefly explained the rules of the sparring tournament.
The sparring tournament follows a best-of-three-wins format.
The side that wins three bouts first claims victory.
A fighter who falls incapacitated, surrenders, or is knocked out of the arena loses.
“Then, let the sparring tournament begin!”
-Waaah-!
Cheers erupted from all directions.
Startled by the roar from the packed stands, Namgung Hyun took a small deep breath.
“Nervous?”
“...Yes. My opponent will probably be the Great Power Tyrant.”
Our first fighter was Namgung Hyun.
I could have gone out first, but he insisted on leading since this concerned the Namgung Clan’s fate—he couldn’t leave it entirely to an outsider.
Tyrant Heaven Fortress would likely send their relatively weaker fighter first: Vice Leader of the Heavenly Light Squad, Tak Cheol-woo.
“Tak Cheol-woo is no opponent for even a late-stage disciple. He’s a master proven by countless battles. Ten out of ten, he’ll expect your defeat.”
Namgung Hyun spoke plainly of reality.
Beneath his voice lay a resignation that defeat was inevitable.
Getting crushed in momentum from the very first bout could turn a winnable fight into a loss.
To bolster his spirit, I painted an ideal picture.
“Then if you defeat the Great Power Tyrant, your fame will spread across the Central Plains, right?”
“...Pardon?”
“Think about it. If you overturn a certain loss and win, everyone will go wild. Who wouldn’t cheer for the young master who turns the impossible into possible?”
Namgung Hyun’s face went blank for a moment as he absorbed my words.
Then, slowly, a fierce heat began to rise in his eyes.
A flame called ‘ambition.’
Seeing his expression change in a way that pleased me, I grinned.
Yes, that’s the spirit of a martial artist.
Those who train endlessly to grow strong, fight driven by competitive fire, win, and crave to elevate their name.
“Go give them a shock. Let them know something’s wrong with their rotten plan.”
“...Yes!”
Namgung Hyun replied with far more vigor than before, then suddenly burst out laughing.
“At times like this, you feel like an older brother despite being younger, Young Master Goon.”
“...Ahaha.”
I laughed awkwardly at that.
Technically, counting my past life, it wasn’t wrong—but saying so would get me labeled insane.
“The first contestant, step onto the platform!”
Right on cue, the referee’s call rang out.
Namgung Hyun, face set, stepped forward.
“Here we go. I’ll head out first.”
“Go fight with pride as the young master of the great Namgung Clan.”
“Yes.”
Leaving the Namgung Patriarch’s encouragement behind, Namgung Hyun ascended the platform.
As expected, Great Power Tyrant Tak Cheol-woo followed, and the two faced off at the center.
True to his moniker, Tak Cheol-woo had climbed up with a massive cleaver as big as his own body slung over his shoulder. He looked down at Namgung Hyun—who only came up to his shoulders—and gave a wry smile.
It was clear at a glance he didn’t see Namgung Hyun as a real opponent.
“This looks like it’ll hand a humiliating defeat to the Namgung Clan’s young master.”
“.......”
Tak Cheol-woo clicked his tongue briefly at Namgung Hyun’s silent upward gaze and continued.
“I won’t mince words. Surrender. You know yourself it’s impossible to beat me, right?”
“...Who knows? We can’t declare a winner until we fight.”
Tak Cheol-woo raised one eyebrow at Namgung Hyun’s retort, chuckled, and shook his head.
“If you’d rather drink the penalty cup instead of the offered one... fine. Have it your way.”
With that, the two warriors retreated to their positions.
The referee, confirming their glaring standoff, shouted loudly.
“Then, begin!”
The first bout had started.
*
With the referee’s cry, Namgung Hyun and Cheol-woo charged at each other simultaneously.
“Haaap!”
-Bwoong!
Cheol-woo swung his massive cleaver with a fierce kiai.
The air-ripping sound was no joke.
‘I can’t block it. I have to dodge.’
Seeing the cleaver aimed at his head, Namgung Hyun immediately stepped into footwork to evade.
-Kwaaang!
The cleaver slammed into the platform.
A massive boom kicked up a dust cloud that obscured vision.
Immediately after, another whoosh of air.
The cleaver sliced horizontally through the dust.
“...!”
Namgung Hyun’s eyes widened in shock.
He hadn’t expected a weapon of that mass to swing back so quickly.
As expected of the Great Power Tyrant—his monstrous strength lived up to the name.
Admiration for his foe was fleeting; Namgung Hyun quickly assessed the situation.
Cheol-woo’s cleaver was already upon him.
Too late to dodge.
The only option was to block with all his might.
Namgung Hyun activated the Heavenly Thunder Divine Body Art.
Blue lightning raced across his skin.
The target: his right side, where the cleaver approached.
The moment the blue lightning enveloped his flank, Cheol-woo’s cleaver crashed into it.
-Kwaaang!
“Urk...!”
Amid the explosive roar, Namgung Hyun’s form was flung back.
If he did nothing, he’d fall off the platform for a ring-out loss.
Gritting his teeth, Namgung Hyun thrust his sword into the platform floor.
-Kagagak!
After skidding a zhang across the surface, the sword finally halted his slide.
Namgung Hyun stopped right at the platform’s edge, inches from disqualification.
“Hoo....”
Letting out a small sigh of relief, Namgung Hyun walked back to center while checking his side.
Fortunately, the Heavenly Thunder Divine Body Art had done its job—only his uniform was torn; his body was intact.
‘No, not quite intact.’
He grimaced as pain throbbed in his side belatedly.
To think it had pierced the Heavenly Thunder Divine Body Art’s defense.
He truly felt now that his opponent was a cut above him.