Daily Instructor (2)
The walls on either side of the training ground rose higher, and at the top—worthy of being called a summit—a gateway appeared.
Everyone craned their necks to look up. The tension was even greater than in the previous drill. This vertical challenge was far more difficult than the horizontal one.
Before, they had solid ground beneath their feet, but now they had to deal with hidden weapons while suspended in midair.
Stepping points were scattered across both walls, requiring alternates between left and right to climb upward. Of course, someone with exceptional lightness skill might soar straight up in one go, but that was far too risky. They could end up facing dozens of projectiles at once from that height.
"You're not going to demonstrate this one too, are you?"
Baek So-cheon nodded at Hwang Il-bi's question.
"No inner power this time."
"Even the first one was reckless."
"It's different from before. How do you dodge hidden weapons without inner power while floating in the air? And what if you fall from that height?"
"I'd die, obviously."
"If you're going to die, do it somewhere else. Why in front of me?"
"Worried it'd hurt your feelings?"
"Would that make you happy?"
Hwang Il-bi bit back his true thoughts, lest his words plant a dangerous seed.
'If you get hurt here, Chung Yang will throw a celebration party. That's why you shouldn't do it!'
Baek So-cheon instructed the gatekeeper to set the difficulty to extreme, as before. Naturally, extreme mode meant wider gaps to cross and more menacing projectiles than advanced level.
Baek So-cheon addressed the group.
"As you all know, I'm not so young and foolish as to stake my life on showing off. I'm old enough to know when to play it safe. But I'm doing this anyway for the same reason as the last drill. Watch closely and remember it for the day your life hangs in the balance. If even one of you survives because of this demonstration someday, it'll be worth the risk. So pay attention. Got it?"
"Yes!"
With their resounding reply fueling him, Baek So-cheon leaped upward.
The first jump succeeded effortlessly. It was a height no ordinary person without inner power could reach, yet he cleared it lightly, his movements catlike in their grace.
No projectiles yet.
Baek So-cheon launched himself toward a protruding step on the opposite wall.
Whoosh! Whish!
Two hidden weapons flew from above, one left, one right.
Clang!
He deflected the left one while spinning in midair.
Using the momentum from batting away the second, he glided lightly across.
Cheers erupted from below.
Baek So-cheon's body had transcended its limits multiple times. Combined with the lightness technique from Heavenly Thunder Nine Fists, his movements drew involuntary gasps of admiration.
His footwork was nimble, his judgment precise. He demonstrated exactly how to distribute and apply strength in midair to stay aloft as long as possible and direct oneself precisely where needed.
Everyone witnessed the raw power of human muscle and speed without inner energy.
There were a few hair-raising moments.
But each time, he turned peril into opportunity. The biggest gasp came when, in a crisis, he twisted his body, stepped on an incoming projectile like a stepping stone over a stream, and soared to the other side.
Thus, Baek So-cheon safely reached the summit. It was a familiar drill from frequent practice, and his honed physique plus the Heavenly Thunder Nine Fists lightness skill overcame the lack of inner power.
Seeing him stand tall up there, everyone erupted in cheers and applause.
Overwhelmed by old memories, Hwang Il-bi blurted out.
"The Captain never once stood behind us!"
The Iron Sword Unit warriors who had shared those days nodded.
He always showed them his back. Even breaking through ambushes, he flew up first like this. From above, he'd looked down, encouraging them. They recalled him gesturing for them to hurry up while watching over them.
That was why, despite taking on the most dangerous missions under Captain Baek So-cheon, their casualty rate had been the lowest.
'Captain! Please come back to us like before!'
He wished it from the bottom of his heart.
Many others felt the same, beyond Hwang Il-bi. Not just as warriors, but as people.
Humans don't wish only for heroes to fall. They hope for new ones to rise and for departed ones to return. To them, Baek So-cheon was that hero.
Baek So-cheon descended nimbly, alternating steps left and right.
"Alright, now let's get to the real training."
"Yes."
The Iron Sword Unit warriors set the difficulty to advanced and began the second drill.
Baek So-cheon gave detailed guidance on evasion and counters. True to his initial words, he fulfilled the instructor role perfectly. That was what moved the Iron Sword Unit warriors most.
Dangerous moments arose several times, but the training ended with one twisted ankle and two bruises.
Baek So-cheon stood before them again.
"Thanks for finishing safely."
"Thank you for the guidance!"
The Iron Sword Unit warriors bellowed their gratitude. Their eyes were utterly different from when Baek So-cheon had first arrived.
"Sweating with you all after so long felt good. To be honest, this helped me more than you."
Through the drill, Baek So-cheon had clearly gauged his body's limits.
It was right then.
"Instructor, I'd like to spar with you."
The challenger was Cheon-su, one of the six unit leaders.
All eyes focused on him. A spar in this great atmosphere?
Aside from the oblivious few, most realized: Chung Yang had ordered it. Everyone knew he saw Baek So-cheon as an archenemy.
Cheon-su wouldn't challenge him thinking he could win. Baek So-cheon had already outshone them in the prior drills. This was an order he had to obey.
Baek So-cheon accepted readily.
"Sure. Shall we exchange a move or two?"
"Thank you."
"Do it properly. Hold back out of worry for me, and it'll end in one."
"Yes. Understood."
Under everyone's gaze, the spar began.
Cheon-su thrust his sword. He went all out, but aimed for the shoulder—a non-lethal spot even if it went wrong. Instead, Baek So-cheon charged forward without dodging.
'Huh!'
For an instant, Cheon-su thought he'd stabbed Baek So-cheon's shoulder.
The next moment, his wrist went numb, his body flew through the air, the scenery spun wildly—and he hit the ground.
Feeling the cold earth against his back, Cheon-su looked up.
Baek So-cheon gazed down.
"I said it'd end in one if you worried about me."
He'd given his all, and Baek So-cheon knew it. With colleagues and subordinates watching, he'd preserved his face.
Baek So-cheon extended a hand. Cheon-su saw no superiority or malice in his eyes. He grasped it without hesitation.
"Thank you for going easy."
The technique Baek So-cheon used was Heavenly Thunder Nine Fists.
Specifically, Flower Message Wind, one of the seven forms of the First Fist: Wind Flowing Mountain.
Unleashed from the hands of the man once called the world's greatest fist master, it floored an Iron Sword Unit leader in a single move.
"Unit Leader Cheon-su, your right side dips when you thrust."
Baek So-cheon pointed out the flaw, sealing his utter defeat.
Baek So-cheon addressed the group.
"You know the situation brewing isn't good."
Iron Sword Unit warriors were among the first to hear top intel, excluding leadership.
"It's more urgent than you think."
"War's breaking out?"
They all knew: In war, they'd be thrown into the deadliest ops.
Baek So-cheon nodded.
"Yes."
"When?"
"Latest, within a year. Soonest, this winter or next spring."
No one in the Alliance, not even unit leaders or Hyun-cheon Pavilion, gave such answers.
"Three years ago, the Black Heaven Alliance Lord who shattered my dantian has fully recovered. A man I couldn't beat at my peak is now your enemy."
No one dared breathe loudly.
"Tomorrow, Hyun-cheon-dae will post a recruitment notice. No time to train newbies, so we need elites like you. Iron Sword Unit's dangerous, but Hyun-cheon-dae's worse. Anyone who wants to fight alongside me, come find me."
Right then.
"What the hell is this?!"
Chung Yang stormed in from behind, bellowing.
"I sent you as instructor, and you're recruiting from Iron Sword Unit? Are you insane?"
Baek So-cheon responded honestly, as always.
"Sorry. My situation's urgent."
He could have humiliated Chung Yang endlessly.
Assigning such perilous instruction to a man without inner power showed ill intent from the start. He could verbally dismantle him here.
But he didn't.
Humiliating the leader before his men would only breed division.
Honestly, he now regretted thrashing him back then. It felt right in the moment, but looking back, unnecessary. People's hearts change daily; next year, he might think, 'Good thing I did.'
"Sorry."
With Baek So-cheon's polite approach, Chung Yang couldn't press further.
He'd watched from afar the whole time. He couldn't hear the talks, but the growing cheers toward Baek So-cheon told him his plan had failed.
His last hope was Unit Leader Cheon-su, known as the strongest in real combat besides Hwang Il-bi. Stubborn, he'd never defy an order.
But he never expected him floored in one move. If not for seeing Baek So-cheon ace the mechanisms earlier, he'd suspect a setup.
"As you know, Unit Leader Chung, things with Black Heaven Alliance are dire. We should join forces."
"Sorry, but I have no intention of teaming with Hyun-cheon-dae."
"Understood. I'll take my leave."
As Baek So-cheon turned to go, Iron Sword Unit roared in unison.
"Thank you!"
"I should be thanking you. I learned and felt a lot today. Feels great. Use my example as a cautionary tale—don't get hurt!"
With that, Baek So-cheon left.
Chung Yang glared at his men, warning with his eyes: Go to him, and face consequences.
No need for warnings; leaving Iron Sword Unit's elite perks for elsewhere was never easy.
After dismissing the warriors, Hwang Il-bi approached Chung Yang to soothe him.
"Cool off. He's not someone you take down easily, right?"
Chung Yang shot back abruptly.
"You going?"
Hwang Il-bi thought inwardly: Chung Yang really cares about his people. When Baek So-cheon invited to Hyun-cheon-dae earlier, he'd wanted to bolt.
But Baek So-cheon's words lingered: If something happens, you'll have to lead Iron Sword Unit.
"Captain Baek seems different now, doesn't he? Not the type to apologize so meekly."
"Changing the subject? I asked if you're going."
"Worried I'll leave?"
"You want to go!"
"No, not at all. I'm staying."
"Really?"
"Absolutely. Who'll protect the Captain if I go?"
Only then did Chung Yang's expression soften.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
Hwang Il-bi followed. Chung Yang's worry was natural.
Hwang Il-bi already sensed it: Today's training would send several to Hyun-cheon-dae. If Baek So-cheon had beaten Cheon-su badly or shamed Chung Yang, fewer might go.
Intended or not, his rational, upright display today ignited everyone—including Hwang Il-bi.
'Ah, screw being Iron Sword leader—can't I go too?'
He couldn't follow to Mun-seong, but this time, he desperately wanted to.