Chapter 12: First Mission (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 12: First Mission (1)
Ever since the placement test, nearly every senior figure knew the name Namgung Jun. The only exceptions were the Sword Lord, who was away on a mission, and a few absent hall masters.
The boy with the Nine Yin Severed Meridian, targeted by the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult.
A sword talent so overwhelming it defied his age.
The disciple of the Heavenly Sword Hall Master.
The swordsman who had caught the eye of the Sword Demon.
These were all descriptions of Namgung Jun.
No one questioned why the name of a mere First Cloud was being discussed in the grand conference room. It had been a long time since a rookie had drawn this much attention.
Naturally, all eyes fell on the middle-aged man who had spoken first.
“A boy born with the Nine Yin Severed Meridian. It's an unprecedentedly rare constitution, one the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult has been greedily eyeing.”
The middle-aged man spoke, his sharply slanted eyes firm. He was plump, looking more like a wealthy merchant than a martial artist, yet a stubborn obstinacy radiated from his very presence.
At his thick waist, a heavy hand axe—ill-suited to his appearance—gleamed menacingly.
The Fierce Axe of the Azure Heaven Association.
He was the Hall Master of the Crushing Hall, the martial division that served as the vanguard, crushing all enemies of the Azure Heaven Association.
The Crushing Hall Master continued.
“The entire reason we dispatched the Heavenly Sword Hall Master was to ensure the boy's safety and keep him out of the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult's clutches. And now you want to send him into the Jianghu? How do you think the Demonic Cult will react when they find out?”
Several senior figures nodded in agreement.
“The Sun-Moon Demonic Cult will certainly not sit idly by.”
“Moreover, the situation is even more serious now that he has learned the Heavenly Sword Hall Master's Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula.”
Hearing the Crushing Hall Master's opinion, Yun Gyeong-jong turned his gaze toward Lee Se-ha.
“Heavenly Sword Hall Master, what are your thoughts regarding Namgung Jun's future?”
“I believe Namgung Jun should proudly roam the Jianghu as a Cloud of the Azure Heaven Association.”
“Heavenly Sword Hall Master!”
The Crushing Hall Master raised his voice, but Lee Se-ha paid him no mind and continued.
“I don't see Namgung Jun as some object to be protected.”
Yun Gyeong-jong asked with an intrigued look.
“Then?”
“He is a child who will one day become this association's divine sword. We must give him the chance to display his natural talent.”
Lee Se-ha stared directly at the Crushing Hall Master.
“I took Namgung Jun as my disciple to protect his chivalry, not just to keep him away from the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult.”
“What do you mean by that?”
At the Crushing Hall Master's question, Lee Se-ha slowly recounted her first meeting with Namgung Jun.
The senior figures listened, and a long silence followed.
“‘Those who don't take responsibility for their own martial arts aren't qualified to hold a sword’... He said that at his age?”
The Crushing Hall Master could only mutter to himself. Seeing the senior figures silently mulling over Namgung Jun's words, Lee Se-ha added:
“He is the sprout of a new hero. We shouldn't hide him in the shadows, but place him in the sunlight where he belongs.”
The Sword Demon, Master of the Mokryun Hall, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke.
“You bastards are only obsessed with what might happen if that brat falls into the hands of the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult.”
Since the Sword Demon rarely spoke during meetings, everyone’s attention focused on him.
“Think of the alternative. He has the Nine Yin Severed Meridian and a sword talent that defies all common sense. Is there anyone else here with that kind of potential? Not in this room, there isn't.”
No one refuted the Sword Demon's cynical tone. It was because they all inwardly agreed.
“You're always whining about being short-handed, yet you won't even consider forging the sharpest sword that's just landed in your lap. Pathetic.”
The Azure Heaven Association had many enemies in the Jianghu.
The Sun-Moon Demonic Cult, the unorthodox sects, and even some righteous sects that had strayed from the proper path.
Meanwhile, the number of true heroes who walked the path of chivalry was small. When one factored in martial prowess and talent, the situation became even bleaker.
The Sword Demon was pointing out this exact problem.
One’s own chivalry, and a talent seen once in a thousand years.
He was saying they were fumbling, despite having the ultimate talent—one who possessed both qualities—right under their noses.
“Which is more likely? The Sun-Moon Demonic Cult kidnapping the brat again, or the brat becoming so strong they wouldn't even dare to dream of it?”
The Sword Demon looked at the Crushing Hall Master, the corners of his mouth curling upward.
“I'm betting on the latter.”
Lee Se-ha emphasized Namgung Jun's chivalry, while the Sword Demon emphasized his martial arts. Both arguments were valid.
Kang Mong also cautiously added:
“He has an astonishing talent for creating martial arts. If our junior gains experience and grows, who knows what other incredible techniques he might create? If that happens, our association's overall strength will be bolstered as well.”
In an instant, the momentum swung heavily in favor of Namgung Jun making his debut in the Jianghu.
“……”
The Crushing Hall Master fell silent. It wasn't because he was overwhelmed by the arguments from Lee Se-ha and the Sword Demon, but because he was re-evaluating Namgung Jun.
Until now, he had seen him as nothing more than the boy with the Nine Yin Severed Meridian. He had focused only on the dark side of that unique constitution—the one coveted by the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult—and not on Namgung Jun's brilliant talent.
‘Responsibility, huh?’
But now, he had no choice but to reconsider. If what Lee Se-ha said was true, then Namgung Jun was a rare talent indeed, even within the Azure Heaven Association.
Watching this, Yun Gyeong-jong toyed with his beard.
‘It all comes down to how they view Namgung Jun.’
A promising star who would one day become a giant tree of the Azure Heaven Association.
Or a potential liability who must be completely isolated from the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult.
The Sun-Moon Demonic Cult, the state of the Jianghu, Namgung Jun's chivalry, his talent, the future of the Azure Heaven Association… He had to weigh many factors.
Setting down his teacup, Yun Gyeong-jong struck a balance.
“However, the arguments of the opposition also have merit.”
After pondering for a moment, Yun Gyeong-jong spoke.
“For now, let us permit his debut in the Jianghu, but we will exclude him from any missions related to the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult. We can reassess his future path after observing his performance.”
With Yun Gyeong-jong smoothly mediating, those who had opposed the debut had no choice but to nod in agreement.
‘So the Ink Lord attended today's meeting for this very reason.’
‘Are the rumors true? Has he really taken such an interest in Namgung Jun?’
‘His expectations must be incredibly high.’
Seeing the Ink Lord speak up for the first time, and specifically about Namgung Jun, convinced the other pavilion and hall masters who had been watching silently. The rumors were true.
It was unprecedented for the Ink Lord to show interest in a mere First Cloud. Thus, even those who had previously paid him no mind now engraved the name Namgung Jun into their memories.
* * *
A martial duel was in full swing at the Heavenly Sword Hall.
A considerable crowd had gathered around the dueling stage, their gazes all fixed on one spot.
Duels were a daily occurrence in the Heavenly Sword Hall, but this one was different. Every eye was glued to the stage, for the one fighting was the youngest disciple.
And an exceptionally brilliant one at that.
Swish!
Though he felt every eye on him, Namgung Jun's sword extended calmly, drawing a fluid line through the air.
The sword thrust toward his opponent's upper body, then split into countless paths, creating a web of faint sword shadows. Faced with a variation that instantly filled his vision, the Heavenly Sword Hall swordsman had no choice but to retreat.
“Ugh.”
But Namgung Jun didn't yield the distance. Executing Infinite Steps, he swept to the side in a fluid arc.
He cut off his opponent's path, then slashed his sword downward. The heavy strike rushed toward the swordsman's left calf.
A seamless transition from the Illusion Sword to the Heavy Sword.
Namgung Jun flowed freely through the forms of the Great Derivation Sword Technique, relentlessly driving his opponent into a corner.
The Heavenly Sword Hall swordsman tilted his blade to block the horizontal strike, breaking into a cold sweat as he was forced to retreat again. Even though he responded with the same Great Derivation Sword Technique, the difference in their mastery was astronomical.
‘He's a monster. How can his forms be so precise?’
Each time his blade sliced through the air, a heavy, cleaving sound followed. It was clear a significant amount of Sword Force was infused into every strike.
Looking at Namgung Jun's slight frame, which had yet to fully mature, it was obvious this power didn't come from physical strength, but from the sheer perfection of his forms.
Clang!
As he deflected a thrust with a half-circle block, the Heavenly Sword Hall swordsman's eyes narrowed. His wrist throbbed so intensely he almost dropped his sword.
In that brief opening, Namgung Jun leaned in, his sword strikes whipping up a fierce storm.
‘Seven Feelings of Passing Clouds!’
Recognizing the form, the Heavenly Sword Hall swordsman immediately executed its counter. No matter how brilliant Namgung Jun was, he shouldn't be able to do anything against a perfect counter.
Whoosh!
But as the swordsman angled his blade to break the form's flow, his eyes widened in shock.
The Seven Feelings of Passing Clouds that Namgung Jun executed was subtly different. Before he knew it, his own counter was blocked mid-execution.
Did he know the counter? Impossible. We only taught him the basic forms of the Great Derivation Sword Technique; we haven't even started on the counters yet.
‘Did he figure it out on his own?’
The Heavenly Sword Hall swordsman could only watch as his counter was elegantly dismantled by Namgung Jun's own strikes.
Having broken the form, Namgung Jun swept his sword sideways.
Clang!
With a sharp metallic ring, his opponent's sword fell to the ground. The Heavenly Sword Hall swordsman didn't even bother to pick up his sword, staring blankly at Namgung Jun instead.
“Junior. How did you do that just now?”
“Well, a counter isn't invincible. I just altered the sword path midway through.”
“Meaning you created a new variation on the spot.”
The Heavenly Sword Hall swordsman was left speechless. He was once again reminded of Namgung Jun's overwhelming talent.
The other Clouds watching the duel felt the same.
“You can't just establish a new form by changing the sword path, can you?”
“No, the fact that he created a variation that beats the established counter is what's unbelievable.”
“This is getting scary. We'll have to stay on our toes.”
Namgung Jun had only been learning the Great Derivation Sword Technique for three days, yet his mastery already surpassed that of most swordsmen in the Heavenly Sword Hall.
It was an absurd pace.
Anyone looking at him would have assumed he had been in the Heavenly Sword Hall for at least a year.
Gong Jun-am, who was watching the duel, muttered in a low voice.
“Excellent.”
Watching Namgung Jun wield the Great Derivation Sword Technique, everyone had to admit it: a monstrous new junior had joined their ranks.
“Looks like our junior could go on a mission right now.”
“Hmm. I wonder how he'd fare in a real battle. Can he display that same skill when his life is on the line?”
“With talent like that, there's no way the dust of the Jianghu will obscure him.”
Listening to the chatter of the Heavenly Sword Hall swordsmen, Lee Se-ha's smile deepened.
‘Of course Jun can do it.’
Lee Se-ha mentally reviewed the missions currently assigned to the Heavenly Sword Hall.
After pondering for a moment, Lee Se-ha made a decision.
“Heo Il.”
“Yes, Hall Master.”
At Lee Se-ha's call, a man with narrow eyes walked over leisurely. He had a slender build, and his footsteps were exceptionally light.
As his sleeves fluttered with each step, the dozens of scars concentrated on his right hand stood out.
Heo Il seemed conscious of them, adjusting his loose sleeves to cover the back of his hand.
“Would you like to accompany Jun on a mission?”
“A mission with Young Hero Namgung? Sounds entertaining.”
“Teach him well.”
Heo Il chuckled as he watched Namgung Jun politely bow and sheathe his sword.
Having only recently returned from a mission, Heo Il hadn't interacted much with Namgung Jun. He was already interested in the exceptionally talented junior, so he readily accepted the opportunity.
“Very well. We shall depart immediately.”
And just like that, Namgung Jun's first mission was decided.