Letter from the North Sea Ice Palace (3)
Jin-ho hyung slammed his spear shaft into the ground and said,
"Then pick up your sword."
"I was planning to anyway."
I stood before Jin-ho hyung and drew my blade.
The Silver Mist Sword's blade gleamed with a chilling white light.
I assumed my stance, and a tense standoff stretched between us. Then, without a word, we charged at each other simultaneously.
"Haat!"
"Hap!"
Sword against spear.
Due to the difference in weapon length, the spear held the advantage at a distance.
But once you closed inside the spear's reach, it became hard for the wielder to respond effectively—that was its weakness.
Spear users were well aware of this flaw.
That's why they often trained in kicking techniques as a supplement.
To push back an encroaching foe, create distance, and resume spear work.
That was the standard approach for spear masters.
But I didn't close in at all. No need to take the risk.
Clang-!
Kang-!
Jin-ho hyung's Azure Dragon Dance clashed with my Silver Mist Sword, ringing out sharply.
As I traded blows while keeping my distance without diving deep, Jin-ho hyung seemed to sense his victory and asked,
"Is that all you've got?"
No way.
As Palgap had said, I never bet on a fight I couldn't win.
That had just been a warm-up.
I'd come straight here after circulating my qi, and those exchanges had loosened me up nicely.
"You're holding back too, aren't you, hyung?"
"Of course!"
"Good."
Slash-!
I flashed him a grin and surged forward.
"Kuh!"
His spear shaft blocked my Silver Mist Sword.
Kang-!
He'd held back some, but Elder Yeom's skills... weren't to be trifled with.
Blocking my sword with the shaft instead of the tip, no less.
I humored him lightly for about an incense stick's time.
Jin-ho hyung gave it his all, but I just played along casually.
This wasn't deception, though.
I had my reasons.
Jin-ho hyung had talent and skill beyond his years, but he had one chronic flaw.
Strategy—or lack thereof.
He didn't fight with his head. Was it his hot-blooded nature?
He never adjusted his power output to the situation or lured foes into favorable positions.
Just pour everything out from the start and crush them.
It worked fine against average opponents, winning through sheer power gap.
But the world was full of cowards who loved cheap tricks—waiting for fatigue, setting traps.
In those cases, he'd be defenseless.
In my past life, he'd realized it too late and tried to change, but never fully succeeded.
That had been his downfall.
Now that he was growing stronger faster than before, switching to a tactical style would slash his risks.
He lacked real combat experience against masters, so his habits weren't set in stone—perfect time to adjust.
And I was strong enough now to impart that lesson.
"Hah... haah..."
About fifteen minutes in, exhaustion was plain on his face.
He was even panting.
If I were the enemy, I'd say now was the moment to strike for the throat.
"Hoo... haah, what the hell are you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why... why aren't you tired?"
"Obviously because I moved efficiently and rationed my inner energy. Pouring out full power blindly like you? You'd tire fast, obviously."
I sheathed my Silver Mist Sword as I spoke.
Jin-ho hyung tilted his head.
"Quitting already?"
"As if."
Kang-!
I swung the sheathed sword at him.
"Urk!"
He blocked on instinct but stumbled back several steps.
Frustrated expression.
But I didn't stop, swinging the sheath relentlessly.
Kang-!
Kang-!
Klang!
He couldn't counter properly, barely defending as he was pushed back again and again.
Still not enough.
Whoosh-! Thwack!
I smacked his chest with the sheathed blade.
"Guh!"
He toppled over.
Not expecting me to go this far, he yelled,
"Hey! This is just light sparring! That's too much! I'm your hyung!"
"So?"
I replied indifferently.
"You went all out against me, didn't you? So of course I'd give it my all too."
I swung the sheath again.
Thwack! Thud!
"Ugh! Urgh! Aaaack!"
His cries echoed through the forest. But I'd sealed the area with a barrier, so no sound leaked out.
"Hyung, if this were a real sword, you'd be dead ten times over by now."
Thud-!
"Kuhk!"
"Eleven."
"You hate me or something?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I like you, that's why I'm going easy with the sheath."
Thud!
"Don't hit me while talking!"
Finally, he raised both hands.
"I surrender! I surrender! You win!"
"Not yet, hyung."
"Huh?"
"Real fights between warriors don't end till one dies, right?"
"Huh?"
I drew the Silver Mist Sword again and fixed him with a glare.
The blade radiated intense cold.
Facing my killing intent, he said in a trembling voice,
"H-Hey, Seo-ho? You're joking, right?"
"Block. Or die for real."
Shing-!
I raised the sword, aiming at him.
Slash-!
I warned him, then charged.
But exhausted and drained, he couldn't respond properly.
"......"
Before my blade touched his throat, I withdrew my energy.
"Uh......"
Thud.
Realizing he'd survived, he collapsed on the spot.
Shing.
I sheathed my sword and asked,
"How'd it feel to die?"
"......Fucking awful."
Yeah, it would.
Losing your life to someone else was never pleasant.
"So you admit I won?"
"Hoo, I already said I surrendered."
"Alright, let's review the fight."
"Huh?"
"What? Hyung? That face? You never review fights after battling someone?"
"Win and it's good; lose and fight again next time. Isn't that fine?"
Aigoo, you hothead.
If you weren't family, I'd smack you.
...Come to think of it, I just did.
"Hyung, remember my condition earlier? You promised one favor."
"Yeah."
"From today, review every fight and submit a report to me. Let's start with today's."
I continued,
"What was your fatal mistake?"
"Well......"
He hemmed and hawed, so I sighed.
"I told you—going all-out from the start tires you fast."
"But first strike wins."
I explained calmly to his protest.
"Hyung, imagine your Silver Wind Squadron's six divisions and your family behind you. To protect them, you must fell the enemy ahead. If it's just that one foe, sure, go aggressive. Or in a pure one-on-one, first strike might work. But hyung."
I leveled the sheath at his throat.
"The world is unfair. What if hidden enemies lurk? Drained of energy, could you handle them? If you die, those you swore to protect die too."
"......"
"You said dying felt awful. How about watching those you guard die? Or failing them and dying yourself?"
I paused, then added,
"Could you sum that up as just 'awful'?"
No.
I knew from my past life.
It went beyond awful—endless despair, regret, self-loathing, sorrow, rage, all tangled in a nightmare.
Jin-ho hyung must have felt it too.
Him begging to spare only me while captured meant he'd already lost his men.
"Can't even imagine it."
"Me neither."
I hated that future. That's why I gritted my teeth to change it.
"So what should I do?"
"Fight smart, of course. Sometimes like a snake, sometimes a hyena. Old tigers survive by cunning."
"Easy to say."
To his outburst, I said,
"I know it's not. And you learn best through the body, hyung."
I grinned.
"That's why tomorrow we'll do something fun."
"W-What?"
Sensing it instinctively, he shivered.
"Tomorrow, my guards and I versus you and the six divisions. I'll target you first. Fail to block, and your men get it rough."
"Damn it!"
He bit his lip.
Guilt over his men suffering because of him—he'd feel it hard.
Cruel method, I knew.
But if it fixed his fighting style, I'd take it.
Even if he resented me.
Seeing him alive made me happy enough.
"But you're way stronger. How could I win?"
"I'll account for that. Graze my clothes, you win."
"What if I refuse?"
Couldn't force it as a bet. If he refused, it was over.
But he couldn't.
"I'll tell your father-in-law in the North Sea: Sorry, but my hyung can't protect your daughter properly. Could you train him..."
"Argh! Fine! I'll do it!"
Should've said that sooner, show-off.
"Oh, and hyung."
"What?"
"Battle review report. Don't forget."
.
.
.
Back at camp, Palgap asked me,
"Why's Young Master Jin-ho covered in dirt?"
"We sparred a bit."
"Ah......"
Palgap nodded, and I cocked my head.
"Thought you'd nag."
"Nag about what?"
"Something like 'how dare you disrespect your hyung.'"
"I know how courteous you are, young master. There must be a reason."
Felt grateful, somehow.
"Eat up."
"Yeah."
After breakfast, we set off for the North Sea again.
***
Clop clop, clop clop.
Rumble, rumble.
Hoofbeats and wagon wheels echoed down the forest path.
Riding alongside, Eun Jin-ho rubbed his neck.
'Hoo......'
In that spar with Eun Seo-ho, he'd truly thought he was done for. The killing intent was real.
And the real sword had touched his throat.
No wound, but his legs gave out anyway.
Impressive he hadn't pissed himself.
'That bastard... how strong is he really?'
He grumbled inwardly.
Eun Seo-ho was stronger than imagined.
Advice from such a brother had to be spot-on. And he was smart anyway.
Fight smart, not brute force.
'Seo-ho's never wrong... but it's not that simple......'
Then his deputy captain, riding beside him, asked,
"Why the long face?"
"Huh?"
"Heard you sparred with the third sub-captain this morning. Did you lose?"
"No... Seo-ho said something weird."
"What?"
"Told me to change my fighting style. Use my head, don't go aggressive right away."
"Sound advice."
"Huh?"
"Honestly, you've scraped by so far, but it was close."
"You thought so too?"
"Yes. I debated saying it, but didn't want to overstep. Change now while you can."
"Hoo, I see. But deputy."
"Yes."
"Seo-ho wants daily spars starting tomorrow."
"Impressive man. Daily spars! He must care for you to step up like that."
The deputy smiled.
"Don't worry. We'll cover your duties."
"......You're missing the point."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"He said the six divisions join too."
"What?"
"If I lose to him, he beats the squad."
"......Captain. Should we run?"
"Too late."