Chapter 17: First Mission (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 17: First Mission (6)
The Bright Order Rank stared intently at the blade Namgung Jun had pointed in his direction. Just having the sword aimed at him created an unnerving pressure.
No Qi Wave was infused into the blade, yet the air itself seemed to part before it—a bizarre sensation. The sharpness emanating from the sword of a boy who wasn't even twenty was far too intense.
‘To feel this way from a mere brat?’
The Bright Order Rank tried to shake off the nagging sense of unease. He stepped on a small pebble, crushing it under his foot. As the sensation of the crumbling stone traveled up his sole, he managed to regard Namgung Jun with a calmer gaze.
With that, his senses gave him a clearer picture.
An ordinary, unremarkable aura.
A frail, unrefined body.
A single cloud embroidered on his sleeve.
The inexplicable pressure he had felt moments ago must have been an illusion. Or perhaps the greenhorn before him possessed an extraordinary talent for bluffing.
"You stalled for time just to wait for a mere First Cloud brat?"
The Bright Order Rank’s composure returned as he spoke. He would not give Heo Il and Namgung Jun any more time to converse. Seeing how confidently the boy had revealed himself, there was no telling what tricks the two might pull if they joined forces.
The Bright Order Rank immediately spun and lunged at Namgung Jun.
He closed the distance in a blur, so fast that even Heo Il lost track of him for a split second, his warning coming a beat too late.
"Young Master Namgung!"
As Heo Il's urgent cry rang out, Namgung Jun's blade moved—straight, yet free.
In an instant, a blue Sword Light rose like a pillar before him.
Crash!
A foot wreathed in Demonic Qi shot toward the space between Namgung Jun's brows. Though he raised his sword to block, Namgung Jun was still forced backward.
"I am fine. Senior Heo, please protect the children."
Even in the midst of the clash, Namgung Jun’s voice was calm. He had deliberately given ground, relaxing his body to absorb the impact.
He pivoted smoothly on his left foot. Naturally drawing his sword back, he lowered his wrist and thrust the blade diagonally.
Clang!
The sword’s tip and the sole of the man’s foot collided, erupting in a sharp, metallic screech. The sound was a testament to the dense leg Qi protecting the Bright Order Rank's feet.
Despite this, Namgung Jun did not withdraw his sword. Instead, the veins on his right hand bulged as he tightened his grip on the hilt. Slapping the pommel with his left palm, he deflected the Bright Order Rank's foot and immediately executed an Earth-Trembling Stomp.
Thud!
As he stomped, channeling the strength of his entire body, Namgung Jun's Sword Momentum grew progressively faster. The Bright Order Rank spun in midair, quickly recovering his posture before whipping his left foot out like a lash.
Sword techniques and leg techniques clashed repeatedly, kicking up a light haze of dust. The Bright Order Rank's eyes narrowed as he felt the force of the recoil surge through him.
Crash! Bam!
His left foot, which had just kicked the sword, trembled visibly. Despite it being a powerful strike, Namgung Jun's blade had barely been pushed back.
"Ha?"
As a bewildered sound escaped the Bright Order Rank’s lips, a dull ache spreading through his ankle, Namgung Jun stomped the ground once more, kicking up another cloud of dust.
His body rose slightly, spun, and unleashed a barrage of Sword Strikes. The blade, fully laden with Sword Force, rushed forward in a torrent of horizontal and vertical slashes.
The air shrieked under the consecutive strikes, which perfectly embodied the principles of the Heavy Sword. It was simply baffling where such Sword Force was coming from.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Faced with the storm-like onslaught, the Bright Order Rank refused to back down, clashing head-on. His nimble footwork created a flurry of afterimages, his kicks hammering down on the flat of the blade.
"You arrogant brat! So you did have something to rely on!"
Having exchanged several blows, the Bright Order Rank seemed to have adapted to Namgung Jun's sword. He immediately began to apply pressure, countering the Great Derivation Sword Technique.
Namgung Jun extended his right foot and took a long, deep breath.
For an ordinary martial artist, overcoming a gap in realms during a life-or-death battle was nearly impossible. Although one's realm wasn't the absolute deciding factor, it still represented a clear disparity.
‘If we’re talking strictly about realms, I’m at a disadvantage.’
While the realms from Third-Rate to First-Rate involved training forms and stances to circulate internal energy, the Peak Stage was a realm where form and energy completely harmonized. The complete integration of internal energy into one's techniques meant that it could be manifested outside the body, not just within.
Thus, the symbols of the Peak Realm were Sword Qi, projected from a weapon, or Palm Force, discharged from the hands.
Thud!
The Bright Order Rank before him held the upper hand in both strength and power simply by wrapping leg Qi around his feet. Namgung Jun, on the other hand, was barely holding him off with nothing but a single sword.
"What can a bastard like you possibly do in this situation!" the Bright Order Rank roared, savoring his growing advantage as Namgung Jun offered no significant resistance.
Despite this, Namgung Jun's face remained serene.
‘Sword Qi and Palm Force are, in the end, merely a part of martial arts.’
The sword techniques he had accumulated in his past life were not so shallow as to be pushed back by something like this.
Thud!
Namgung Jun executed another Earth-Trembling Stomp and raised his sword to an Upper Stance.
"Since I have a sword in my hand…"
The trajectories of the Bright Order Rank's kicks—aimed at his flank, heart, and both thighs—were perfectly reflected in his pupils.
"...I can do anything."
His eyes deep and focused, Namgung Jun muttered the words to himself, as if reciting the core principles of a martial art. In truth, this was one of the core concepts of the sword he pursued.
He did not think of what would come next. He poured all his remaining strength into this single instant, solely to realize—even if only faintly—the Sword Path he envisioned in his mind.
Whoosh!
A heavy, air-splitting sound erupted as a brilliant blue light tore through the atmosphere. With a single horizontal strike, he completely crushed all four of the incoming leg techniques.
The now-deeper blue light traced a sublime arc. The sublime skill woven into his swordsmanship completely dismantled the Bright Order Rank's attack.
"What?!"
Faced with the blue glow in Namgung Jun's eyes, a cry of bewilderment escaped the Bright Order Rank's lips.
‘What on earth just happened?’
He couldn't comprehend the situation. Just as the Azure Heaven Association brat's sword seemed to blur, his own right foot was deflected, and an immense recoil slammed into his body.
Forcing down the blood welling up in his chest, the Bright Order Rank took a step back for the first time.
"How?!"
Leaping into the air, the Bright Order Rank kicked repeatedly, the dark-red Demonic Qi wrapped around his feet still surging violently.
In response, Namgung Jun thrust his sword forward.
If they clashed head-on like this, Namgung Jun's sword, which lacked Sword Qi, would naturally be pushed back or even shatter. Yet, there was no hesitation in his movements. His eyes, gleaming with blue light, were steadfast.
Just before they collided, Namgung Jun's wrist twisted to the left. His subtly angled blade pressed down on the side of the Bright Order Rank's instep. As Namgung Jun thrust his hand forward, the sword swept upward, parrying the kick to the side.
The Bright Order Rank's eyes widened at the hazy display of sublime swordplay. In that brief moment, Namgung Jun's sword entered the optimal range and tore through the air.
As ten Sword Strikes bent simultaneously in different directions, the Bright Order Rank's reaction faltered.
Thirteen Lightning Flash Sword Thunders.
Tenth Form: Ten Bends.
The straight beam of Sword Light blurred, then curved, instantly splitting into ten distinct strands that tore through the air.
"Aaargh!"
Spewing blood from all over his body, the Bright Order Rank collapsed to his knees. His right foot, struck by four of the strikes, was nearly in tatters.
"How can this be!"
"The Bright Order Rank...?"
The Demonic Practitioners who had been ganging up on Heo Il turned their heads in sheer shock.
Slash!
Heo Il, seizing the opening to decapitate two Demonic Practitioners, wore a similar expression of disbelief.
‘He defeated a Peak expert all by himself!’
No matter how outstanding Namgung Jun's talent was, Heo Il hadn't believed the boy could defeat the Bright Order Rank alone. That was why he had intended to slaughter the other Demonic Practitioners as quickly as possible to provide support.
He had never imagined the Bright Order Rank would be slain so quickly. He had not expected in the slightest that a First Cloud on his very first mission could achieve such a feat.
It was an achievement far beyond any expectation.
"Senior Heo, I will help you."
Namgung Jun's voice was clear, as if he still had strength to spare even after facing the Bright Order Rank alone. Indeed, his steps were swift and light as he executed the Infinite Steps.
"Gah!"
"So effortlessly..."
With Namgung Jun joining the fray, the remaining Demonic Practitioners quickly crumbled.
"Senior Heo, are you alright?" Namgung Jun asked, examining Heo Il's body.
There were more than five visible wounds on him, yet Heo Il managed a smile.
"Since we saved the children, it doesn't hurt at all."
"I see."
Namgung Jun also smiled and turned his head. Confirming that the children huddled together were all safe, he nodded.
‘It feels like looking at those rascals.’
Namgung Jun's eyes grew slightly misty. Seeing the children gathered together brought back memories of his disciples from his past life. As Nam Young-shin, he had often taken in children he met during his travels and accepted them as disciples. Seeing a child who had entered the Namcheon Palace on his back grow into a proper swordsman and set out on his own path had made him feel as if he owned the entire world.
"Sigh."
Namgung Jun felt those days cast a dark shadow, like a storm cloud, deep within his chest. The shadow made his longing, guilt, and affection for his disciples stand out even more vividly.
However, the blue lightning that filled his mindscape refused to let the dark clouds gather completely.
When he raised his head to look at the children again, Namgung Jun's eyes were exceptionally clear and bright. Just as his disciples had moved forward trusting him in his past life, this time, it was his turn to advance, using their shadows as his guide.
‘My disciples, watch over me. I will strive even harder in this life.’
Namgung Jun offered a gentle smile to reassure the children, then added, "Our first mission has been a success."
*
The two men returned all the kidnapped children to their homes.
"Oh, heavens... I thought my boy was already dead..."
"Thank you so much, great heroes."
Namgung Jun and Heo Il bowed in response to the commoners' gratitude. Though many offered rewards, the two simply utilized their Lightness Skill and quickly vanished.
"This won't be the end of it, will it?"
"Of course not. We’ve only stopped a single kidnapping. Since it's clear the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult has infiltrated Anhui Province, we must root them out entirely."
Heo Il looked at Namgung Jun with proud eyes.
"You have done a truly great deed, Young Master. Normally, the mission would have ended at the Bae Gong Gang."
Even if they had learned of the kidnapping, resolving it to this extent would have been impossible. After all, the Azure Heaven Association's reinforcements had only arrived after everything was over.
Namgung Jun glanced at the blood-stained bandages visible through Heo Il's torn martial uniform.
"I must redouble my training once we return."
Understanding his meaning, Heo Il let out a dry laugh. "I wasn't injured because of you, Young Master."
"Even so, I have realized my own shortcomings. It is only right that I make up for them."
Heo Il shook his head. "You are quite stubborn yourself, Young Master Namgung. I don't know why there are so many people like this in the Azure Heaven Association."
Heo Il smiled and walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Namgung Jun.
‘I heard the executives have been debating heavily over Young Master Namgung's future.’
A male born with the Nine Yin Severed Meridian. Though it was unclear what the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult intended to do with him, it was undoubtedly nothing good. Thus, the arguments of the Azure Heaven Association executives who opposed Namgung Jun's entry into the Jianghu were understandable.
‘But... he is far too precious for that.’
Heo Il glanced sideways at Namgung Jun's profile. His care for the common people, his unyielding chivalry, his astonishing swordplay that seemed to transcend distance—for so many reasons, Namgung Jun's talent was far too brilliant to be kept confined to the Azure Heaven Association headquarters.
Though it had only been a single mission, Heo Il was certain that Namgung Jun would one day play a massive role in the Azure Heaven Association. As someone who had carried out this mission right by his side, he found the emergence of a brilliant rising star like Namgung Jun to be nothing short of delightful.
‘I'll have to put extra effort into writing this report.’
Since it was Namgung Jun's first mission, this report would undoubtedly carry immense weight. Even before they arrived back at the headquarters, Heo Il began refining the sentences of the report in his mind.
*
Namgung Jun and Heo Il returned safely to the Azure Heaven Association headquarters.
Heo Il turned to submit his report to the Ink Fragrance Department, while Namgung Jun was on his way back to the Heavenly Sword Hall alone.
"Namgung Jun. Stop."
A voice, heavy with profound internal energy, echoed from behind, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.