Chapter 33: Promotion Exam (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 33: Promotion Exam (1)
"Senior Heo! It's heading your way!"
At Namgung Jun's shout, Heo Il's hearty laugh echoed from beyond the distant bushes.
"Leave the rear to me."
A sharp whistle cut through the air, followed by a heavy thud. When Namgung Jun caught up, he found a massive wild boar collapsed on the ground in front of Heo Il.
A throwing dagger was buried deep in the exact center of its head. It seemed Heo Il had pierced the beast's thick hide and skull with a single throw.
That’s a difficult feat with such a small, thin dagger. His skill with throwing weapons is formidable.
Examining the boar's condition, Namgung Jun bowed his head.
"You did all the work, Senior Heo. I just got in the way."
"Haha, it's fine. If you were good at hunting on top of everything else, I'd have nothing left to teach you, which would be a real shame. You're already far too outstanding, Young Hero Namgung."
Namgung Jun and Heo Il dragged the boar back to the campsite, where the swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall were busy setting up camp.
"Oh! A wild boar!"
"As expected of Heo Il. He never disappoints when it comes to this stuff."
Seeing the boar, the swordsmen grew excited and worked even faster, eager to prepare dinner.
Rolling up his sleeves and pulling out a dagger, Heo Il gestured to Namgung Jun.
"Young Hero Namgung, come over here. I'll show you how to butcher a beast. Ah, and I should also teach you how to make jerky."
Muttering excitedly to himself, Heo Il began skinning the boar with practiced ease. Namgung Jun watched intently from his side, prompting the other onlooking swordsmen from the Heavenly Sword Hall to chuckle.
"So there is something our youngest isn't good at."
"Now he finally looks like a proper junior. Whenever he holds a sword, even the veterans have to back down."
Hearing their banter, Namgung Jun smiled.
My perspective was so narrow back then.
In his past life, he had dedicated his entire existence to the sword and to chivalry. He had seen only those two things and had only ever wanted to see them.
The trivial matters he had once deemed unimportant felt different now.
Even if they were minor and mundane, that didn't matter. If he had broadened his horizons by experiencing and learning about the diverse wonders of the world, would his past life have turned out differently?
Namgung Jun felt a profound gratitude for his current life, which allowed him to experience such things. A precious warmth tingled at his fingertips.
That's why I can't afford to fail.
Before he knew it, Heo Il had finished butchering the entire boar and nodded to himself in satisfaction.
"You have many talents in various fields, Senior Heo."
"I've just lived a chaotic life. The skills I picked up are no different." Heo Il let out a bitter smile as he wiped his blood-soaked dagger.
"Is that so? I think otherwise."
"How so?"
"If you can ever channel the experiences of your turbulent life into your sword, Senior Heo, it will lead you to a new Achievement."
Heo Il set down the dagger and looked at the sword hanging from his waist.
"Hearing you say that, Young Hero Namgung, makes me think it might actually be possible. After all, you seem to possess a talent for the sword that surpasses even our Hall Master's."
"Heo Il, what did you just say?" Lee Se-ha chimed in, but Heo Il casually ignored her as if he hadn't heard, continuing his conversation.
"Young Hero Namgung, if the opportunity arises, I'll tell you some stories from my past. Though they might not be very interesting."
"I'll look forward to it." Namgung Jun smiled and nodded.
Heo Il seemed to have quite a history. Though curious, Namgung Jun decided to save it for another day.
Crackle!
Every time fat dripped from the boar meat, the campfire danced erratically, hissing as if in irritation.
Just as Namgung Jun had grown somewhat adept at roasting the meat under Heo Il's guidance, a large shadow loomed over him.
"Namgung Jun."
"Senior Gong."
Gong Jun-am set a piece of golden-brown roasted meat in front of Namgung Jun.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, I didn't lose my arm. I owe you one."
Recalling what had happened at the Karmic Reversal Cult Headquarters, Namgung Jun shook his head.
"You risked your life by trusting me, Senior Gong. It was only natural that I succeeded."
"Even so, it's a fact that I owe you a debt of grace. I will repay it."
As blunt as ever, Gong Jun-am walked away after saying his piece. Namgung Jun chuckled softly, looking down at the meat he had left behind.
The perfectly cooked meat was still warm. Reaching out to take a bite, a faint smile played on his lips.
"It's delicious."
"So, you've gotten quite close with everyone now, haven't you? I'm getting a little jealous."
Before he knew it, Lee Se-ha had taken the seat beside him, tilting her head.
"Master."
"Heo Il aside, Jun-am isn't the type to get close with his comrades. It seems he's taken quite a liking to you, Jun."
"I'm glad to hear that."
Lee Se-ha fed a piece of meat directly into Namgung Jun's mouth, her eyes softening.
"Blood is still seeping through your bandages. Even though you said you were fine, your injuries were clearly severe."
"I'm truly fine."
"I can't tell you not to push yourself, but please, spare a thought for your master's feelings."
Namgung Jun nodded, then looked Lee Se-ha over. "Are you unhurt, Master?"
"Of course. Who do you think I am?" Seemingly pleased by her disciple's concern, Lee Se-ha grinned and spread her arms wide. "The Moon-Defying Blade Demon was no match for me. Besides, a certain outstanding fellow had already dealt him a blow beforehand. By the way..."
Trailing off, Lee Se-ha subtly closed the distance between them.
"The Moon-Defying Blade Demon's left shoulder. How did you manage that?"
"Ah. Are you referring to the technique of converting a sword strike's Qi Wave into the Internal Heavy Hand Technique?"
Just as Lee Se-ha's eyes sparkled with anticipation, a rustle of movement came from all around. The campfire flickered as sudden gusts of wind blew in from every direction.
"And you were keeping such an interesting story to yourself?"
"That's too cruel, Hall Master."
"What on earth did the youngest just say?"
Before long, all the swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall had gathered around Namgung Jun. Every single one of them was focused on his face—or more precisely, his mouth.
Lee Se-ha shook her head at the sight. "I was trying to have a quiet chat with my disciple for once. You all have absolutely no tact."
But the swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall were not so easily discouraged.
"Forget that! Let's hear the rest of the story."
"I have a feeling this will give us a new topic for contemplation."
"To be honest, I've been curious for a while. How did our youngest stand against a supreme expert? That's not a gap in martial power you can bridge just by having outstanding talent."
Seeing the expectant gazes of his seniors, Namgung Jun smiled and nodded.
"Then I suppose I should start with how I consumed the Solar Fire Internal Core without any Qi Circulation."
At that striking opening, the members of the Heavenly Sword Hall were instantly captivated.
While continuing to roast the meat, the youngest disciple calmly told his story, and his seniors listened with rapt attention, their wine and meat completely forgotten.
For a long time, the campfire illuminating the Heavenly Sword Hall showed no signs of dying out.
*
The Martial Conquest Hall.
One of the martial forces belonging to the Three Powerhouses of the Sword Fragrance Department.
Regarded as virtually the strongest of the Three Powerhouses, it was an object of envy for all martial artists in the Azure Heaven Association. Most of the top-ranking recruits who joined the association chose the Martial Conquest Hall.
In fact, it was the place that had produced the most Heaven-Reliant Sword Lords, so the prestige of the Martial Conquest Hall was exceptionally high, even among the Ten Halls.
Yet even the martial artists of the Martial Conquest Hall could not help but be astonished by the rumors that had recently reached them.
"I heard the Heavenly Sword Hall completed their mission flawlessly. It was quite a major task."
"Was his name Namgung Jun? I hear that recruit from the Heavenly Sword Hall made a name for himself again."
"I heard the rumors too, but they're hard to believe. Not only did he break through to the Peak Realm in actual combat, but he also survived trading blows with a supreme expert who has achieved Three Flowers Gather at the Crown."
Various opinions were voiced, but the consensus was that the rumors were likely true. The path Namgung Jun had walked since joining the Azure Heaven Association was entirely different from that of any ordinary recruit, so they couldn't help but harbor high expectations.
Whoosh!
Wiping sweat from his brow with a cloth, Baekri Cheong trained alone in a corner of the Martial Conquest Hall's grounds, his thoughts on Namgung Jun.
If Brother Namgung hadn't chosen the Heavenly Sword Hall, I wouldn't have ended up in the Martial Conquest Hall.
His original goal had been to win the martial arts tournament and enter the Martial Conquest Hall. It was a goal he absolutely had to achieve. Yet, instead of winning, he had entered simply through good fortune. The fact left him feeling self-reproachful, but also grateful to Namgung Jun.
As expected, Brother Namgung is quickly distinguishing himself.
Baekri Cheong smiled as he recalled Namgung Jun's shocking sword strike, but his expression soon hardened. While his affection for Namgung Jun was deep, his competitive spirit and desire to surpass him burned just as fiercely.
A worthy rival truly stirred up a wide range of emotions. Baekri Cheong felt deeply grateful to have met a rival like Namgung Jun.
First, I must get promoted.
Like Namgung Jun, Baekri Cheong was still a First Cloud. In terms of martial power, he could have challenged the promotion exam immediately, but he lacked sufficient achievements.
"Baekri Cheong. A mission has been assigned."
"Yes. I will prepare at once."
"If you successfully complete this mission, you'll be able to take the promotion exam right away."
"Yes, sir."
Sheathing his sword with an elegant flourish, Baekri Cheong looked up at the sky. For some reason, whenever he looked at the clear blue sky, he was reminded of Namgung Jun. Because of this, he would often look up at the sky even during intense training to steady his mind and body.
It was as if Namgung Jun were standing right before his eyes.
I will definitely catch up to you.
Taking in the cloudless blue sky, Baekri Cheong walked off to follow his seniors.
And so, for the sake of his promotion, Baekri Cheong also set out into the Jianghu.
It was three days after Baekri Cheong's departure that Namgung Jun returned to the main headquarters of the Azure Heaven Association.
*
The members of the Heavenly Sword Hall smiled faintly as they looked at their hall's pavilion. This place was no different from home, and they already felt at ease.
"We're finally back."
"Damn it. I feel like I won't even get to rest before being sent on the next mission."
"You'd better make sure your internal injuries are fully healed before you go."
As they arrived at the Heavenly Sword Hall pavilion, a curious gleam entered Namgung Jun's eyes. A figure not usually seen there was standing tall. Judging by his appearance, he seemed to be a scholar from the Ink Fragrance Department. The other seniors, however, simply headed to their quarters as if this were a common sight.
The scholar approached immediately, as if he had been waiting for Namgung Jun.
"Young Hero Namgung. I have come from the Ink Fragrance Department."
"Yes. What is the matter?"
"I have come in person because there is something I must urgently verify." Bowing politely, the scholar continued, "According to the brief report from the Heavenly Sword Hall Master, you have reached the Peak Realm, Young Hero Namgung. Is this correct?"
"That is correct."
"I apologize if this causes any offense. Breaking through to a higher realm during actual combat is an extremely rare occurrence, so the Ink Lord requested that we double-check."
Namgung Jun nodded in understanding.
"You also played a major role in this mission and accumulated significant achievements. You have been granted the qualification to challenge the promotion exam. What would you like to do?"
The promotion exam.
The moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived. Namgung Jun had no reason to delay; in fact, the sooner, the better.
"Very well. I will apply for the promotion exam."
"Understood."
The scholar handed him a neatly folded piece of paper.
"The promotion exam for Second Cloud has just begun."
"Right now?"
"Yes, Young Hero Namgung."
Namgung Jun stared at the scholar with a dumbfounded look.