007. Sama Damcheon
007. Sama Damcheon
Sama Ryang's thought process was different from that of an ordinary person. However, this time, it seemed that very thought process had become poison, as her confusion only deepened.
She simply couldn't grasp the intent behind the question of whether she needed a son.
If he had instead said he wanted to become an adopted son-in-law and become the young master of the Sama Clan, she could have at least understood. After all, even Geum Wi-un had entered as an adopted son-in-law due to lacking martial prowess and hadn't become the clan head. In the martial world, adopted sons-in-law were quite common.
It wasn't that clans without sons were rare, but it wasn't unheard of to only have daughters. Sometimes, sons were incompetent, so capable outsiders were brought into the clan through daughters.
Moreover, becoming the clan head as an adopted son-in-law was the highest position an outsider could achieve, wasn't it?
'But a son? An adopted son? What benefit does that bring?'
No matter how you looked at it, becoming the clan head as an adopted son was a distant prospect.
In small, unrelated martial schools or escort agencies without tangled interests, an adopted son could become the successor. But for a sect or clan with any degree of reputation, succession was strictly through direct lineage, or at the very least, passed to a collateral branch sharing the same blood.
For a complete outsider like Dam Cheon, no matter how overflowing his talent, becoming the master of a martial clan like the Sama Clan was impossible, wasn't it?
No matter how much she pondered, she couldn't reach a conclusion. Judging it futile, Sama Ryang decided to just ask him directly.
"May I ask the reason for saying that?"
"You can think of it as combined with aftercare."
"Aftercare?"
"Yes. You know I'm the type who leads a convenient life and enjoys women immensely, like a playboy, right? But if you ask if I'm a man without a sense of responsibility, that's not the case either."
Dam Cheon fluttered the secret manual in his hand like a fan as he spoke.
"Even though our directions are completely different, I acknowledge the level of its contents. Since you seem like the person who would pay the highest price, I'll sell it to you, but I don't know what kind of person you are, do I?"
A being who can discern someone's character just from a brief glance isn't human.
Frankly speaking, what a headache it would be if I chose someone for their talent only to find out later they were a lunatic who would cause a great massacre.
No matter what kind of shit others stir up, it's none of my business, but if it's shit I stirred up myself, cleaning it up is the human thing to do.
Dam Cheon had learned that sense of responsibility from the benefactor and comrades he met in The Tower.
'If that bastard's legacy falls into the hands of a trash human, I'd have no face to look upon him after death.'
So, he planned to keep watch from close by. As a bonus, by becoming an adopted son, he could live like a playboy amidst the abundant resources of the Sama Clan.
"I don't even want something like the young master position. I just want to actively utilize the conveniences of the Sama Clan while simultaneously monitoring from close by to ensure you don't fall into Qi Deviation due to this secret manual, grow through it, and commit a massacre. At the same time, if I'm monitoring you closely from nearby, outsiders won't mistakenly think we're having an affair or something."
"Hmm. If that's the case, wouldn't taking on a bodyguard role be better?"
"I don't want to work. I really don't want to work much."
"......."
Her gaze was blatant. She was openly looking at him with the clear sentiment of 'What kind of bastard is this?' How could he not notice?
However, Dam Cheon felt justified, thinking of it as a rightful rest period for himself after nearly ten years of hard labor.
For Sama Ryang, who lived with the life goal of becoming a master through the clan's martial arts, elevating the Sama Clan's reputation, and inflating the clan's influence through fame, this attitude was completely incomprehensible.
"Haven't you considered that getting entangled in succession issues might just lead to troublesome problems?"
"If that troublesome problem tries to resort to martial force, that shouldn't be an issue. Even if they cause financial annoyance, by that time, I would have roughly reached the point of making a judgment about you, Clan Head-nim. I could just be disowned and go become a guest of another clan."
"Young Hero... I feel like I'm looking at a thunderbolt bomb that could go off at any moment."
In Sama Ryang's eyes, Dam Cheon was the type of person to give that impression. Despite possessing immense power that no one could ignore, he lacked dignity and had a temperament akin to a ruffian.
Did he think becoming an adopted son for surveillance was something that could be glossed over?
Even if his argument just now could be considered sophistry and somewhat plausible, people around would think this:
That the Sama Clan was selling out the clan to elevate its fame.
The clan head and his wife were approaching their mid-forties without any children. From an outsider's perspective, they would inevitably think exactly that.
'Is he saying this knowing that?'
"I'm not coveting the young master position. Please give the clan head position to your own child."
'He doesn't know.'
He wants to become an adopted son, yet he's full of ignorance. She thought perhaps he was acting hastily after finding someone who would pay the highest price, but the Dam Cheon reflected in her eyes was brimming with leisure.
As if being rejected would pose no problem for him whatsoever.
"Don't think about it too complicatedly. It'll be easier if you think of it as a transaction."
"A transaction, you say?"
"Yes. While I am an adopted son, there will be additional benefits as well."
The phrase 'while I am' an adopted son was clear proof of his attitude, truly treating the position of the clan head's adopted son as a commodity in a transaction.
"Additional benefits, such as?"
"I am still twenty-five years old. I can participate in the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly."
The Dragon-Phoenix Assembly was a non-lethal martial arts competition for young martial artists aged fifteen to twenty-nine.
As it was officially operated by the Martial Alliance, victory there brought great honor to one's affiliated organization.
"Certainly, someone like you could win there. You could enjoy momentary fame. However, I want the Sama Clan to gain fame through our clan's martial arts, not just one outstanding martial artist."
"What's so difficult about that? If you wish, I will win using the Sama Clan's basic martial arts."
"...Are you mocking me, the current clan head, right now?"
The Sama Clan's basic martial arts are on the good side. It's a sword technique containing martial studies that, while extremely simple, drives the opponent into a corner through prolonged combat, making it more effective the longer the fight lasts.
But they are good as basic martial arts. Against an opponent who has learned martial arts containing even a slightly higher level of advancement, they would be meaningless.
Because you'd be defeated and eliminated midway before the non-lethal duel could even become prolonged.
"I saw those training in the practice yard. The basic martial arts adopt a style that grows stronger the longer it goes on."
"Yes. Most of our Sama Clan's martial arts, except for the single-inheritance martial arts learned by the clan head, specialize in chaotic battles."
"But then, isn't that closer to military tactics than martial arts?"
Sama Ryang's eyelid twitched as he hit the nail on the head.
"Martial arts that grow stronger the longer they go on, prepared for chaotic battles. These cultivate the strength of a group, but they don't contribute much to the elevation of an individual's martial prowess. Looking at it, I can see there were many with insufficient bone and muscle foundation, so they had no choice but to create such martial arts."
"As you said, Young Hero, the Sama Clan's basic martial arts are the best for prolonged combat. But you plan to decide the match in the early stages with that? Really?"
"Who said anything about deciding it in the early stages?"
"Huh?"
Dam Cheon thumped his own chest powerfully with his fist. A thump thump sound echoed loudly.
Sama Ryang was looking at him, wondering if this guy was suddenly threatening self-harm, when he spoke as if frustrated.
"I have the Indestructible Vajra Body, don't I?"
"Ah? ...Ah! I see."
Seeing her finally understanding, Dam Cheon nodded.
"Right. I, with the Indestructible Vajra Body, can be said to have a physique extremely specialized for prolonged battles. I will fight faithfully using only the basic martial arts and reveal only the strengths of the Sama Clan prominently at the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly."
"That's only half the story. I want our clan's martial arts to spread the clan's fame, but you stepping forward and just putting on a shell like that won't create substance."
Sama Ryang's words meant that even if Dam Cheon won and brought great benefit to the Sama Clan, the actual skill level of the affiliated martial artists would remain the same, so it wouldn't be a substantial great benefit.
If their fame rose, they would have to properly manage the area so that evil factions couldn't roam nearby, but the Sama Clan's martial artists individually lacked even the skill to do that.
"I said aftercare. I've already received permission from your husband, Clan Head-nim. While I stay here, I will train the external skills of the martial artists here. To that extent, they should be able to grow to a level where they can individually defeat mediocre evil faction members."
"You'd go that far?"
"Although I'm an adopted son, I'm becoming your son, Clan Head-nim. Even though becoming an adopted son is temporary for my purpose, I haven't abandoned my sense of responsibility. I'll do the minimum tasks expected of an adopted son. Of course, I won't do overtime."
"Hah."
Sama Ryang snorted. From the expression 'overtime,' she could feel that Dam Cheon treated the status of 'adopted son' like a job.
Who would have thought that the position of the Sama Clan head's son, a prominent clan in the world even if not one of the Five Great Clans, would be treated as merely a job?
But amusingly, to her ears, this didn't sound like a wholly bad proposal.
The fact itself that a master of this level of skill would be placed within the Sama Clan under the name of an adopted son would lead to great benefit for the clan.
Add to that, if as Dam Cheon stated, he taught external skills to the clan's warriors and even won the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly using basic martial arts, how much would the clan grow?
Plus, the secret manual of the martial artist who walked one step ahead of her.
Although sophistry, as he said, each point contained only elements that could become reality.
"Alright. No, it's good."
Sama Ryang's speech shifted from polite to informal.
It was no different from meaning she would accept Dam Cheon as her adopted son, that she would accept this transaction.
She extended her hand to the man who had become her son and spoke.
"Take care of me from now on, Sama Damcheon."
"Yes, Mother."
"......."