Manhak Seogo (3)
“Hey!”
At my call, the guy quickly assumed a proper stance and replied.
“Yes, sir!”
The old saying wasn't entirely wrong. You have to beat people to make them listen.
“For now, stay put until I give you orders. Got it?”
Namgung Je-cheon was more stubborn than I'd thought. Even after getting beaten, he refused to bend his will right up to the end. In the end, I had no choice but to find a compromise with him.
“Heh heh, I'll make every preparation.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
And even while taking the hits, the guy stubbornly rattled on about what was to come. The problem was how convincingly it all sounded.
—Now that the youngest young master has returned, tomorrow will mark the start of a whole new era, different from before. People will flock to line up under him first thing. Those watching for cues will surround the young master, and the opposing factions will scramble to fill every gap. Then one day, when he snaps out of it and looks around, everything—from what he sees, hears, and eats, to where he goes and what he does—will flow without regard for his own will.
'Yeah. Just like that.'
“Sisters~ They've got some Cheongcheongdan in the elixir storage. Want me to snag one for you?”
“Oh! Isn't that dangerous?”
“Heh heh, it's fine. Who's gonna stop me if I wanna take one!”
'Looking exactly like the textbook corrupt official.'
Still, he was one of the people who moved the world. And this was his prediction. It was likely things would unfold just as he said starting tomorrow.
—At first, the thrill of a new world and the crowds will make it feel like you're the center of the universe. But without power, you'll just get dragged along. Those swarming around you don't care what you want. They're there to use you for their own greed.
He lifted his bruised, swollen eyes and said,
—China has seen countless kings. To others, they seemed to sit above all, doing as they pleased. But did they all become kings by their own will? Did their ends all come with dignity and beauty? I don't know the true meaning behind the youngest young master's talk of leaving the Namgung Clan. I'm not him. But this much I do know: everyone has their own world, and they want to protect it. For some, that world is vast; for others, small. Big or small, protecting your world requires power.
The situation had changed. If I kept pretending to be powerless, whining that I didn't want to learn martial arts, some faction would surely exploit it.
I'd lived a life of being tossed around countless times in the past. I knew full well how the powerless get screwed—and how pathetic their ends are.
'Gut ripped open, chased out of the clan, killed by bandits.'
I knew it all too well. That's why, after regressing, I'd done everything to avoid such situations. But now I knew I couldn't escape it.
If that moment came again like before regression, would I revert to that old me?
'No.'
Just as pre-regression and now were different, so had I changed. If I hadn't, I never would've beaten Third Brother Namgung So in the year-end evaluation. Sure, there was that martial arts restriction...
—Cultivate power. Only then can you achieve what you truly desire. I'll be that power for you. I'm pretty useful, you know.
My ultimate reason for wanting to flee the Namgung Clan was simple: I didn't want to lose my dantian at 20 and plummet into ruin.
Heading to Manhak Seogo was declaring my will to the clan. And that choice would ultimately lead to the young clan head competition.
Second Brother Namgung Jung and Third Brother Namgung So had sparred with First Brother Namgung Dae for the young clan head title and ended it without issue. Their skills were enough to withstand his prowess. Even in defeat, they had their own goals and pursued them, convincing the clan.
For now, I had to start with the young clan head competition. Nail that, and the rest would sort itself out somehow. Then I could do whatever I really wanted—farming, business, running away, anything!
The minimum realm to reach that... probably Chojeoljeong.
Could I...
'Reach it?'
—If not, starting tomorrow, you'll be at others' mercy. You must show them first—those watching you, those trying to latch on, those hostile to you. I'll buy time. The maximum I can buy is the two years while Third Young Master is in secluded training. In that time, build a foundation so you're not swayed. To counterattack, you need a base to stand on.
I'd just wanted to bail from the Namgung Clan carefree. Couldn't even blame the tangled mess now.
Should've just gritted my teeth and stuck out an arm back then.
“Hey!”
“Yes?”
“You eaten?”
“No.”
“Then let's eat first.”
“Where?”
“Where else? Gotta strike first, right? Start now. That means heading to Manhak Seogo immediately.”
Knowing the future was a huge help in times like this.
Manhak Seogo held one particular martial art. First Brother was a monster from the start, but after entering and exiting that library, he became a monster on another level entirely.
“Let's give it a shot. Hold out properly for two years, got it?”
“Kekeke. You know who I am?”
“Sucker?”
“Moron?”
“Idiot?”
“Lunatic.”
“Argh! Sisters! And Youngest Young Master! Even if I look like this, outside I'm—”
“What outside?”
“Guess no dinner for you now.”
“Was gonna specially make seafood today since I skipped last time.”
“Not even a ho~t one.”
“Haha! Sucker it is.”
Tsk tsk. The guy... already tamed by the maid sisters.
Why seafood, though? I wanted meat. Still, Granny Head Maid would get me, right? First time home in a month.
Our eyes met, and Head Maid Granny smiled warmly.
“Fresh seafood came in this morning, just in time.”
“……”
The saying was true—no one you can trust in this world. Learned that the hard way today.
* * *
After dinner, Namgung Je-cheon and I headed straight for Manhak Seogo.
“The plan?”
I asked, and he answered immediately.
“Heh heh, first off, the sisters and Head Maid needn't worry while Youngest Young Master is away for three days.”
'Hmm...'
That laugh was grating on me for some reason.
“No more 'heh heh' in front of me.”
“But that's my identity.”
“Wanna push it back an hour? I can take you back to the hall and reteach courtesy from scratch.”
“Haha! Fine, I'll drop the laugh. Anyway, to cut to the chase: for the time being, First Young Master Namgung Dae and Second Young Master Namgung Jung's factions won't move.”
Their forces were evenly matched. More precisely, First Brother had a slight edge, but it was like comparing acorns.
The key now was Third Brother's faction...
“I'm saying this clearly: I have zero interest in absorbing Third Brother's forces.”
“Nor do I in others'. For the next two years, I'll redirect Third Young Master Namgung So's forces outward. Perfect timing—the imperial court sent a support request. We were going to decline, but with their focal point gone, they'll love heading to the impregnable palace where no martial force can touch them.”
“That'll naturally pit First and Second Brothers against each other. Their forces equal, neither can act rashly. And above all, they never wanted to anyway.”
Others might find it odd, but we brothers had no thirst for power. Especially our brothers—maybe Father's blood ran thicker—cared little beyond their own strength. Just look at Third Brother entering secluded training without a second thought after losing to me.
“Youngest Young Master's choice to head to Manhak Seogo today isn't bad. Quite good, in fact. It'll catch the enemies off guard.”
I didn't see my brothers as enemies, but I nodded anyway.
“The problem is after Youngest Young Master emerges. Three days from now, if you gain nothing from Manhak Seogo—or even if you do, but it's mediocre—your decision will...”
I hardened my expression and cut in.
“Make me look like a fool. Flaunting pointlessly, only to reveal nothing to all watching.”
“Precisely. In a favorable situation, opportunity is the wedge that secures it. In an unfavorable one, it's a double-edged sword.”
Mid-conversation, we arrived at Manhak Seogo. Namgung Je-cheon suddenly blocked my path.
“So lastly, I'll ask Youngest Young Master: if you charge in blindly, I'll stop you. Better not to go at all.”
'Look at this guy? He can pull that glare too.'
This must be Namgung Je-cheon's true face—the gaze of one who leads the world.
“If you're not confident, back out now. Say the word, and I'll prepare countermeasures. As I said, I'm quite capable.”
From the moment I entered the Namgung Clan, I hadn't started anything with full confidence. I did what I had to. Still did. Don't, and you get played. That's the Namgung Clan.
“You sure about yourself? If you pick the wrong side and it's a rotten rope, I ain't taking responsibility.”
“Heh heh!”
Told you no laughing.
“You still don't know me well.”
Tons of elixirs flowed through the Namgung Clan daily. Among them, rare ones appeared once a month or year. Daehwandan was the pinnacle, entering every 20 years.
Known total in Shaolin: just 5. Namgung Clan held 1.
Even a vice strategist couldn't touch such a supreme elixir lightly. So he borrowed a name.
Three held authority over Daehwandan in Namgung Clan: Clan Head Namgung Hancheol, Strategist Namgung Ilro, Great Elder.
Two approvals needed for release. Namgung Je-cheon got it from Namgung Hancheol and Namgung Ilro.
The borrowed name? Namgung Daeso.
“I've never once bet myself on a fight I could lose.”
“You'll lose this one.”
“Will I?”
Youngest Young Master still didn't realize. He'd already won once, whatever the kind of victory.
“No one knows the future.”
That's what made it fun. Reality wasn't clear-cut. And Namgung Je-cheon excelled at sketching futures from the unclear.
“I'm a strategist. My role is handling what comes later—in the best way.”
“Yeah, do you. I'll do me. No whining later; I won't listen.”
“No worries. More importantly, do you really have some secret plan? Better if I prepare the countermeasures...”
“I do, man!”
No confidence, but I always thought ahead before acting. It just kept going sideways.
Yeah, I had one. Just didn't know if it'd work for me.
The martial art I needed from Manhak Seogo. One of the three supreme arts of old Wudang, alongside Taeguk Hyegeom and Myeongjang.
I didn't know why First Brother skyrocketed after learning it. Sharp ones noticed his change, dug it up from Manhak Seogo, and trained in it. They saw gains, but nothing like First Brother's leap.
Things escalated; First Brother officially revealed it to the clan. It moved from Manhak Seogo to Baekhak Seogo, ending the fuss. Even there, no standout changes in learners.
'No time anyway, no other way.'
Nine years to young clan head competition. To survive, I had to master that art no matter what.
“I'm going. See you in three days.”
Guards blocked me, but showing the letter parted them.
Thud.
Manhak Seogo's doors closed.
Namgung Je-cheon eyed the shut doors meaningfully.
“I held back earlier, not wanting to burden Youngest Young Master fresh off his resolve. But from now, it'll be faction warfare—powers clashing. By now, they've likely moved. Youngest Young Master will need followers too.”
* * *
……As Namgung Je-cheon predicted, under the full moon's night.
Those tailing Namgung Daeso and Namgung Je-cheon in secret, or watching Manhak Seogo for changes, all raced to report to their masters as fast as possible.
The true day of the world's top clan, Namgung Sega, had begun.
“Shall I get moving too~ Heh heh~”