Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Chounyeop of Soonchang
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-Waaah-!
I watched with a satisfied smile as everyone turned to Namgung Hyun and cheered.
What can I say? Seeing him take down Tak Cheol-u with the Changgung Selfless Swordsmanship I'd taught him filled me with pride as its inheritor.
But that sense of pride didn't last long.
-Thud!
The foot stepping onto the arena platform created a massive echo.
As the sound spread in all directions, the crowd's cheers vanished like a lie.
Everyone shifted their gaze from Tak Cheol-u to the new man ascending the stage.
Soonchang Chounyeop.
One of Tyrant Heaven Fortress's Four Great Guardians and its top expert.
The overwhelming pressure he exuded made Tak Cheol-u seem incomparable.
It was a fierce aura I'd never felt before.
Goheung's judgment that he'd be stronger than Shin Je-gon didn't seem off the mark.
Nodding inwardly, I turned my eyes back to Namgung Hyun, still standing on the arena.
His internal energy must have been heavily depleted from the fight with Tak Cheol-u, yet he showed no intention of forfeiting and stepping down.
As I watched Namgung Hyun, Chounyeop began to say something.
Curious about their exchange, I channeled my internal energy to my ears to enhance my hearing.
"...You plan to face me when you're not at full strength?"
"I won't dodge the fight by making excuses about not being at full strength. Besides, I can't pass up the chance to receive moves from Elder Hero Cho."
I couldn't help letting out a groan of admiration at Namgung Hyun's bold response.
He always came across as a polite scholar type, but right now, he was every bit the confident warrior.
Chounyeop seemed to like that side of him too, as the corner of his mouth twitched upward faintly.
"You've got some spirit. Under different circumstances, I could've taken my time instructing you. It's a shame I have to treat you as an enemy instead of a junior."
After saying this with a wry smile, Chounyeop's face hardened coldly.
At the same time, his aura intensified even further.
The energy radiating outward swept through like a storm.
"Sorry, but I can't hold back. My real opponent is waiting for me."
Chounyeop's gaze as he said this was fixed squarely on the Namgung patriarch.
The look in his eyes made the patriarch's expression boil over.
He looked ready to leap onto the stage any second, so I reminded him once more of our goal.
"Don't forget our objective."
"...I know."
The Namgung patriarch nodded at my words, though his face was still tinged with regret.
Father and son even shared that unexpectedly fierce competitive streak.
I chuckled inwardly and turned back to the arena.
Namgung Hyun and Chounyeop had already taken their positions, glaring at each other.
"Begin!"
The judge, glancing between the two, announced the start of the match loudly.
At that instant, Namgung Hyun shot toward Chounyeop like an arrow.
Changgung First Flash.
The fastest technique of the Changgung Selfless Swordsmanship carried Namgung Hyun right up to Chounyeop in a blink, swinging his sword.
-Clang!
...!
But it was blocked.
Unlike Tak Cheol-u, who had been helplessly struck, Chounyeop sensed the attack and parried the Changgung First Flash.
"Impressive speed, for sure. But too linear. An attack where I can see exactly what you're aiming for can't touch me."
Chounyeop immediately flicked Namgung Hyun's sword away.
His spear spun in a graceful arc before his collapsing stance, thrusting straight for his chest.
-Bam!
"Urk-!"
Namgung Hyun barely pulled his deflected sword back to his chest to block the spearhead.
But with his stance broken, he couldn't disperse the force behind the spear and was sent flying backward helplessly.
"Urgh...!"
Namgung Hyun tumbled across the arena floor and tried to scramble up and reset his stance.
But Chounyeop was faster, charging in and swinging his spear.
-Thwack!
"Gah-!"
Struck in the abdomen by the spear shaft, Namgung Hyun flew through the air and landed outside the arena.
It was an undeniable ring-out defeat.
"The second match goes to Tyrant Heaven Fortress!"
-Waaah-!
Cheers erupted again at the judge's swift ruling.
Namgung Hyun rose with a groan, staring blankly at his position outside the arena before offering Chounyeop a respectful cupped-fist salute.
"Valuable instruction. My thanks."
"Hm."
Chounyeop nodded and returned the salute.
The crowd's cheers swelled even louder at the sight of them accepting the outcome cleanly and showing mutual respect.
Amid the cheers, Namgung Hyun made his way back.
"What a shame."
"Ahaha... No regrets, though. I did everything I could."
I greeted the returning Namgung Hyun with a smile.
The Namgung patriarch approached, patting his shoulder.
"Defeating the Great Power Tyrant is achievement enough. As the young lord of the Namgung Clan, you fought without a shred of shame."
Pride filled the patriarch's eyes as he looked at his son.
I watched the scene warmly when the judge's voice rang out.
"Namgung Clan's second fighter, step forward!"
"Whoa, finally my turn."
A pleasant thrill coursed through me as I headed for the arena, but the patriarch's worried voice called out.
"Young Hero Goon, are you sure about this? Your opponent is one of Tyrant Heaven Fortress Lord's Four Great Guardians—one of the fortress's peerless masters. Even if you took down the Heavenly Light Leader..."
The patriarch didn't know that one of those Four Great Guardians had already met his end at my hands.
So it was only natural for him to worry like this.
I gave a light smile and shrugged.
"Don't worry too much. Just watch my fight."
With that confident declaration, I turned and headed to the arena.
*
Ho Jeong, still seated in the stands, regretted how quickly Namgung Hyun had been rung out.
'I wanted to see more of those movements.'
He felt like a few more glimpses might have revealed something, making the regret even deeper.
He even found himself resenting Chounyeop for finishing Namgung Hyun so fast.
'Couldn't you have gone easy?'
Of course, that resentment didn't last.
The Namgung Clan had only sent out their first fighter so far.
Two more were still to come.
'Their second will be the patriarch, right?'
If it was the patriarch, he'd be far stronger than the young lord—that much was obvious.
Before long, Ho Jeong found himself anticipating the next match.
Around then, Chilji suddenly reappeared after vanishing.
Ho Jeong, spotting Chilji's return immediately, asked.
"Where'd you go?"
"Oh my, it's rude to ask a lady that."
Chilji's cheeky response.
Ho Jeong figured she'd just been to the restroom or something and thought nothing of it.
Then the judge's shout pierced his ears, drawing his full attention back to the arena.
"Namgung Clan's second fighter, step forward!"
The audience was convinced the next fighter would be Namgung Seon-u, the patriarch himself.
But the one who climbed onto the arena moments later was completely unexpected.
-Huh? What's this?
-The patriarch's not coming out, and they send some young punk...?
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Ho Jeong was just as shocked.
"...Wandering Hero buddy?"
Why him of all people? Wasn't it the patriarch's turn now?
As Ho Jeong tilted his head, Chilji's tsk came to his ear.
"The patriarch's playing it safe. Trying to wear down Elder Hero Cho even a little."
He wasn't the only one who thought so—jeers soon erupted from the stands.
-Boo!
-Patriarch Namgung, step up! Have you no shame? What kind of stunt is this!
The jeers spread like wildfire, filling the entire venue.
But Namgung Seon-u didn't so much as twitch amid the boos.
'His son faced the match head-on and pulled off a miracle, yet he disappoints.'
Ho Jeong's opinion of Namgung Seon-u plummeted.
Regardless of his thoughts, the judge silenced the crowd, and the third match began without a fighter substitution.
*
"...What kind of joke is this?"
The moment I stepped onto the arena as the Namgung Clan's second fighter, Chounyeop's voice dripped with blatant displeasure.
"A joke? Don't say such harsh things to someone here to fight."
"...Hah. You're telling me they sent you against me? Seriously?"
Disappointment and contempt seeped into Chounyeop's tone now, beyond mere annoyance.
He must have taken the patriarch sending me out first as some cheap trick.
-Boo!
-Patriarch Namgung, step up! Have you no shame? What kind of stunt is this!
The other spectators seemed to think the same, unleashing a torrent of jeers.
Yeah, jeer all you want. It won't change anything.
"Quiet down, everyone!"
The judge finally intervened to hush the prolonged boos.
He looked straight at me and asked outright.
"Are you truly the fighter for the third match, young hero?"
"Yes, I am. So let's get on with it."
Hearing this, Chounyeop immediately urged me to forfeit.
"You can't be my opponent. Forfeit quietly—it's best for both of us."
"...Sigh."
His words reminded me of someone, and I let out a sigh.
There was a guy who said something similar before.
How'd that turn out?
Oh, right—one slash and he was gone.
Same Four Great Guardian, same way of thinking?
I shook my head and offered Chounyeop some advice.
"Don't waste your thoughts. Give it everything you've got. Unless you want to be humiliated."
My sincere advice only earned me a look of utter disbelief.
Before long, faint anger flickered in his eyes.
"Arrogant brat. You'll only learn after a thorough beating."
We'll see.
Who ends up getting the beating?
I smiled inwardly,
"Begin!"
-Boom!
and stomped forward the instant the judge shouted.