Chapter 109: Guiding the New Recruit (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 109: Guiding the New Recruit (4)
A loud clash of metal echoed from afar, punctuated by the occasional heavy boom.
It seemed his prickly senior had finally started a ruckus at the village's main gate.
Sensing presences throughout the village begin to move in a hurry, Yu Geun-su quickened his breathing and his footsteps.
He wants me to rescue the captives? And Senior Namgung just vanished…
Namgung Jun had suddenly thrust such an important role onto him, a mere recruit. Though he had voiced his doubts, he had no choice but to obey after meeting those sharp, blade-like eyes.
Someone like me…
Anxious thoughts about his chances of success were instantly wiped from his mind.
Before he knew it, a thatched cottage guarded by two bandits came into view. Even a brief glance was enough to tell him that they were not opponents he could easily defeat with his current skills.
The bandits spotted him and raised their axes. Their mouths fell open as if shouting something, but he couldn't hear them clearly.
Yu Geun-su didn't care.
Clearing his mind of all distractions, he focused entirely on cutting them down.
Two axes lunged at him from both sides with ferocious momentum, but Yu Geun-su did not back down.
He couldn't let the bandits threaten the hostages inside.
He couldn't become a burden to his seniors, who were doing their part elsewhere.
"Haaah!"
With a spirited shout, Yu Geun-su slashed forward to meet their attack. The grueling training he had endured before his first mission paid off.
Having barely subdued the bandits, he flung open the warehouse door.
"Ah!"
Namgung Jun's prediction had been spot on.
Inside the warehouse were about fifteen women and four young children. Every single one of them stared back, their eyes trembling with sheer terror.
Gasp!
Yu Geun-su's lower lip trembled slightly.
Facing those fragile, desperate gazes fixed entirely on him, he found himself speechless, even though he wasn't the one who had threatened them. He had merely defeated two guards and unlocked a door, yet he instinctively felt that their lives now rested entirely on his shoulders.
Vowing to protect someone in theory was vastly different from the reality of facing those you had to protect. For a moment, Yu Geun-su felt as if a massive boulder had settled onto his shoulders.
"Wait, the guards at the warehouse are down!"
"Was that commotion at the entrance a distraction?!"
The shouting behind him snapped Yu Geun-su back to reality. He didn't even need to turn around to know other bandits were closing in. There were quite a few of them, including several who looked like leaders. It was clear they valued the warehouse far more than the village entrance.
At a glance, the odds were hopeless. He couldn't block them alone.
Even so, the thought of fleeing never crossed his mind. The terrified eyes of the hostages were burned into his memory.
Yu Geun-su exhaled his held breath and spoke in a firm, resolute voice.
"I will protect you."
Whoosh!
A hand axe, thrown by a middle-aged man who seemed to be the leader, flew straight for the space between Yu Geun-su's brows. Yu Geun-su couldn't react properly; he could barely raise his sword in defense.
Even as he sensed his impending death, he did not budge.
It was the moment his desire to protect transformed into the courage to stand his ground.
Clang!
"See? You did it beautifully."
"Senior Namgung?"
Namgung Jun had appeared before him in the blink of an eye, deflecting the axe. Holding his sword low, he stepped toward the bandits.
"You are a man capable of protecting others."
Stepping forward, Namgung Jun took in the sight of the seven bandits.
As expected, their martial arts levels aren't low.
While they weren't the elite of a great sect, they were stronger than typical martial artists of the Demonic and Heretical Paths. The middle-aged leader also seemed to have reached the Peak Realm.
Without hesitation, Namgung Jun lunged.
Boom!
Using the dazzling sword forms of the Sookwoo Sword Technique, he forced the bandits to scatter before immediately launching a fierce assault on the leader.
"You bastard! Underestimating me?!"
The middle-aged man repeatedly parried Namgung Jun's sword, but his expression gradually stiffened.
"Help me, quick!"
At the leader's command, the other bandits joined the fray, but it changed nothing.
Even surrounded by seven bandits, Namgung Jun thrust his sword freely as if dancing, driving his opponents back. Every time the Eternal Righteous Sword swung, his sword momentum shifted rapidly, leaving Yu Geun-su, watching from the warehouse, completely dazed.
So Senior Namgung was this strong.
Having overheard rumors in the Heavenly Sword Hall, he knew Namgung Jun was an incredible talent. But seeing him fight in person was so astonishing he couldn't find the words to express his admiration. He didn't dare dream of stepping in to help.
Is having the talent to master so many different sword techniques what it takes to become strong?
Compared to Namgung Jun's swordplay, his own was incredibly simple.
Slash!
A flash of steel, and the leader's right arm—the same arm that had parried over ten of Namgung Jun's strikes—flew into the air. The other bandits were cut down one by one in the aftermath.
Having cleared out the bandits in an instant, Namgung Jun glanced toward the village entrance before walking over to Yu Geun-su.
"Man Ye-won failed to draw their attention properly. I'll have to scold her later."
"Shouldn't we go help her?"
"Judging by her Qi Waves, she'll wrap things up soon. She's not someone who would lose to opponents of that caliber anyway. She is a proud member of the Heavenly Sword Hall, after all."
Namgung Jun patted Yu Geun-su lightly on the shoulder.
"And the same goes for you, recruit."
"All I did was defeat two bandits, though."
Namgung Jun pointed to where Yu Geun-su stood.
"Did you not stand your ground and defend this spot to the very end? You have taken your first step as a Cloud of the Azure Heaven Association. That is enough."
Yu Geun-su stared blankly down at his feet. Only after a long moment did his stiff expression soften.
"I'm glad I could be of help."
From a distance, the sound of sluggish footsteps approached.
"What are you two looking so heartwarming for? Leaving me to do all the work without any help, how cruel."
Man Ye-won trudged over, looking like a complete mess. She scanned her surroundings, then looked down at the unconscious, armless middle-aged bandit.
"You left that one alive?"
"We'll escort him back to the main castle. His martial prowess is too high for a mere wandering bandit in the Jianghu. We need to extract more information from him."
Yu Geun-su asked, "Is the mission over now?"
"Yes. There's still some cleaning up to do, but the mission is practically complete."
As Namgung Jun nodded, Yu Geun-su let out a deep sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness."
"About what?"
"Completing my first mission safely. I was worried I might mess up and get kicked out..."
Namgung Jun and Man Ye-won chuckled as they looked at the recruit.
"Let's head back."
Namgung Jun's group immediately gathered the hostages and returned to the main castle.
* * *
After finishing their report at the Ink Fragrance Department, Namgung Jun paused on his way back to the dormitory. The recruit, Yu Geun-su, who had been following behind, had suddenly stopped.
"Senior Namgung. There's something I'm curious about."
"What is it?"
"To become strong like you, do I have to learn multiple sword techniques? I noticed the other seniors in the Heavenly Sword Hall also use various sword styles."
Namgung Jun immediately understood the core of the question. Yu Geun-su must have fallen into deep thought after watching him fight. Since he was already slower than others at mastering even a single sword technique, it was only natural for him to feel anxious.
"This is my Martial Path. Every martial artist walks a different path. There is no need for you to follow mine."
"Then what sword technique would suit me? You mentioned my sword momentum is upright and solid, so perhaps a Heavy Sword would be best...?"
"It's dangerous to make such a simple judgment. That is an answer you must find for yourself. To do that, you must continue to devote yourself to the sword."
Walking ahead, Namgung Jun stated firmly, "One thing is certain, recruit: mastering many martial arts or even peerless arts does not guarantee you will become strong."
"Yes, Senior Namgung."
"Do not be overly bound by martial arts. If you yourself become a strong martial artist, the distinction between third-rate techniques and peerless arts will blur."
Yu Geun-su let out a low hum of contemplation.
"Is it really alright for me to just keep doing what I've been doing?"
"Of course."
Yu Geun-su's face brightened considerably.
Seeing his expression, Namgung Jun raised a hand.
"Wait here for a moment."
After stepping into the dormitory and coming back out, Namgung Jun held a small wooden box. He handed it straight to Yu Geun-su.
"What is this?"
"A spirit elixir I received as a mission reward."
At the mention of a spirit elixir, Yu Geun-su's eyes widened.
"I received it quite a while ago, but I never had the chance to take it. I had better opportunities, and absorbing the energy of the severed meridian made my progress with internal energy rapid. Taking it now won't have much effect on me."
"But it's still a spirit elixir. I can't just accept this."
Yu Geun-su shook his head and tried to return it, but Namgung Jun pushed the wooden box back.
"Yu Geun-su. Did you say you learned the Great Derivation Mental Method after joining the Heavenly Sword Hall?"
"Yes. Since the mental method I practiced before was so meager, the Hall Master recommended it to me."
"What is your level of achievement?"
"I have barely managed to reach the second stage."
Yu Geun-su lowered his gaze slightly in embarrassment.
"Take this and raise your achievement. This basic spirit elixir will be of great help to you right now. It is only right that you take it, not me."
"How could you give me something like this..."
"If the comrade I trust with my back becomes stronger, it ultimately benefits me."
As if refusing to hear any more arguments, Namgung Jun turned and walked away. Even after he disappeared, Yu Geun-su stood there for a long time.
To think the day would come when I would consume a spirit elixir.
Since he began practicing martial arts, he had heard of spirit elixirs countless times, but he had never even seen one, let alone consumed one. He couldn't believe it was resting in his hands.
"How can I ever repay this?"
At Yu Geun-su's murmur, a sharp, coy voice suddenly chimed in from behind.
"By getting stronger, of course."
"Senior Man."
It appeared Man Ye-won had just finished locking up the captured bandit in the Ink Fragrance Department's dungeon.
"He must really like you, Uncle Geun-su. Since you've got the chance, you'd better make some good progress."
"I've never received this kind of help before, so it feels a bit unfamiliar."
"I was like that at first, too. I thought they were looking out for me because I'm the granddaughter of the Head of the Elders' Council, but I realized later they were just helping me because I'm a comrade in the Heavenly Sword Hall. Though, of course, I didn't get a spirit elixir like you did, Uncle Geun-su."
Man Ye-won glanced at the dormitory Namgung Jun had entered, then went on her way. Only after his other senior vanished from sight did Yu Geun-su finally move. His steps were a bit lighter than before.
Yu Geun-su of the Heavenly Sword Hall…
Receiving the spirit elixir wasn't what mattered. Perhaps because he had successfully completed his first mission, the feeling of being recognized as a member of the Heavenly Sword Hall warmed his chest.
* * *
The day after receiving the spirit elixir, Yu Geun-su brought news that his achievement in the Great Derivation Mental Method had risen to the third stage. To others, it was a minor, expected achievement, but Yu Geun-su was exceptionally joyful.
Is it because it's his first time taking a spirit elixir?
Chuckling, Namgung Jun turned his head toward the entrance of the Heavenly Sword Hall pavilion. A scholar from the Ink Fragrance Department was walking in.
Scanning the swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall, the scholar spotted Namgung Jun and walked straight toward him.
"Young Hero Namgung."
As the scholar offered a polite greeting, Namgung Jun clasped his hands respectfully in return.
"What brings you here?"
"A mission has been issued to the Heavenly Sword Hall. Could you deliver this to the Hall Master?"
"Of course."
Taking the letter from the scholar, Namgung Jun asked, "Where is this mission taking us?"
"Hubei Province. The situation in Hubei Province is turning critical."
Namgung Jun looked down at the letter.