Chapter 40: A Rising Star with Obvious Limitations
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 40: A Rising Star with Obvious Limitations
After the Tag-Removal Duel concluded.
Ki Mu-hyeok and Song Jun-ho exchanged a few private words while waiting for the other examinees' duels to finish.
“You still haven't chosen a sect? Why not?”
“I have a personal goal. I'm planning to think about joining a sect after that.”
“Someone like you could get an incredibly good offer... Should I introduce you to the Taiji Sword Sect later?”
“I'd appreciate that, but I'm fine for now.”
Ki Mu-hyeok had no desire whatsoever to join one of the Eight Great Sects.
But, believing it best to keep things amicable, he didn't flat-out refuse Song Jun-ho's genuinely kind offer, instead accepting it with a smile.
“Alright. Then let's exchange contact info!”
Ki Mu-hyeok found Song Jun-ho's warm demeanor quite surprising, as it was different from what he'd expected.
‘If his sect had just educated him properly, he wouldn't have been so decent.’
If he'd had a younger brother, would he have felt like this?
His bright, clear eyes, youthful appearance, and thick eyebrows reminded him of a country dog.
It was almost exactly the image he'd imagined when he pestered his parents for a sibling as a child.
‘It's a shame his limbs are a bit short for a martial artist, though...’
But as Ki Mu-hyeok thought this, Song Jun-ho was also thinking how pitiful Ki Mu-hyeok was.
‘This guy seems to have a problem with his Dantian...’
To Song Jun-ho, Ki Mu-hyeok appeared to have a naturally small Dantian, barely able to draw upon his meager Internal Energy.
‘Poor guy.’
‘Pitiful fellow.’
It was a strange situation where they both pitied each other, but fortunately, their conversation continued without either of them realizing it.
Song Jun-ho suddenly lowered his voice slightly and asked,
“So... do you take anything special?”
“Take? You mean like Spiritual Medicine?”
Song Jun-ho glanced around, then whispered, barely moving his lips.
This was actually the part he was most curious about regarding Ki Mu-hyeok.
“I mean your height. Do you take any special supplements? Or go to the hospital?”
“...I don't do anything? My height is just genetic.”
At the resolute answer, which sounded as if there were no other possibilities, Song Jun-ho's expression became deeply wounded.
“You jerk... Constitution is genetic too!”
He then confidently craned his neck as high as it would go, but unfortunately, the top of his head only reached Ki Mu-hyeok's chin.
“Well, of course it is, right?”
Song Jun-ho had expected Ki Mu-hyeok to be just as shocked as he was, but in reality, it was a provocation that had no effect whatsoever on Ki Mu-hyeok, who possessed a Grade 2 Constitution.
“This isn't how it's supposed to go...”
As Song Jun-ho's fists trembled with a rising sense of defeat and Ki Mu-hyeok tilted his head in confusion, all the duels concluded.
Black-White 13 spread his arms in an exaggerated gesture, drawing everyone's attention.
[The winners and losers have all been decided! Winners, please follow me, and losers, please follow the Black-White agent over there.]
For some unknown reason, Black-White 13 seemed to be in a very good mood, and when his eyes met Ki Mu-hyeok's, he winked.
‘He's strangely annoying.’
Though he didn't show it, every time Ki Mu-hyeok felt Black-White 13's gaze, he felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
However, since the other party was an examiner for the License Exam, he simply remained quiet.
Just then, Song Jun-ho reached out and lightly tapped Ki Mu-hyeok's shoulder.
“I'm off. Ki Mu-hyeok! See you again soon!”
“Yeah. See you later.”
With that, Song Jun-ho joined the loser's group and departed, while Ki Mu-hyeok joined the winner's group.
[Alright, then, shall we winners head towards our Three Consecutive Wins?]
Following the cheerful Black-White 13, the examinees soon began to push through the thick fog that had once again settled.
Ki Mu-hyeok gazed into the distance beyond the fog, thinking to himself.
‘I wasn't found out, was I?’
“...He's a Rising Star with obvious limitations.”
The first to break the heavy silence in the hall was the Golden Glory Sect Leader.
He took his eyes off the monitor he'd been staring at moments before, shrugging his shoulders as if seeking agreement from the other Sect Leaders.
“Isn't that right? A Grade 4 Constitution. Just now, he clearly sustained internal injuries from overexerting his Internal Energy. He may have luckily defeated the Taiji Sword Sect's Rising Star, but...”
The monitor, which the Eight Great Sect Leaders had been watching intently, showed Ki Mu-hyeok's back.
“His Musculature alone shows top-tier talent, but if his Constitution can't support it, it's ultimately meaningless.”
The Sun Moon Sect Leader also nodded, adding a comment.
He glanced at the Taiji Sword Sect Leader, then continued.
“If that boy and Song Jun-ho were to face off again in half a year, the results would be completely opposite.”
“Half a year? Nonsense! Three months would be plenty!”
The Golden Glory Sect Leader chimed in, raising his voice.
It was to save face for the Taiji Sword Sect Leader, who had just watched his disciple lose, but it was also true that he genuinely believed it.
“...A defeat is still a defeat, regardless. Jun-ho must have learned something from this experience.”
The Taiji Sword Sect Leader, who had been silent, stroked his beard and spoke.
His stomach churned from watching his personally trained disciple lose in front of the other Sect Leaders, but he forced himself to appear calm as he continued.
“Jun-ho's Eight Trigrams Palm is still very unrefined. He's only had it for two months, and it's not even his primary martial art, so he lacked proper time to master it.”
“Only two months? Then isn't his talent truly immense!”
“I'm envious. You went all the way to his home to bring him in... If I hadn't been overseas at the time, I would have been tempted myself.”
“Haha. Not at all. Don't both of you already have plenty of outstanding direct disciples under you?”
As the three Sect Leaders flattered each other, Yeo Pil-geuk, the Martial Alliance Leader, who had been quietly observing them, clicked his tongue.
“Tsk. Anyone would think the Taiji Sword Sect's Rising Star had won.”
“...”
At his words, the three Sect Leaders turned to Yeo Pil-geuk with icy stares.
The emotions in their eyes were uniformly unpleasant; if he hadn't been the Martial Alliance Leader, it wouldn't have been strange for harsh words to have erupted.
“...Alliance Leader.”
The Taiji Sword Sect Leader, forcing a smile, continued.
“As a junior, may I respectfully offer a word?”
“Speak freely. When have you ever found me difficult?”
“Haha...”
The Alliance Leader also didn't back down in their battle of wills.
For a long time, he had lived quietly, holding his breath, wary of the Eight Great Sects.
But from the moment he decided he would no longer be a mere figurehead Alliance Leader, Yeo Pil-geuk's words and actions became unrestrained.
“Anyone listening might think we've been treating the Alliance Leader poorly?”
“How disheartening. We haven't forgotten respect and reverence for decades...”
The two Sect Leaders from the Sun Moon Sect and Golden Glory Sect stood side-by-side to the left and right of the Taiji Sword Sect Leader, and spoke.
It was as if they were asserting that they were of one mind and one purpose.
Supported by the two Sect Leaders, the Taiji Sword Sect Leader continued, a deep smile on his lips.
“When leading a large organization, misunderstandings and complaints are bound to arise. But surely the elders of the Martial shouldn't squabble like children, should they?”
“Are you treating me like a child and trying to appease me?”
“...Of course not. It was merely a metaphor.”
The Taiji Sword Sect Leader saw Yeo Pil-geuk's fist slowly clench and offered an awkward smile.
Yeo Pil-geuk, the Fist King.
Though he was currently the leader of a declining Korean Martial Alliance, he, as an individual, was an Absolute Master capable of making the Eight Great Sects nervous on his own.
Furthermore, there were still many Martial Artists within the Alliance who respected him.
It was also the biggest reason why the Korean Martial Alliance barely managed to maintain its prestige despite the Eight Great Sects' constant checks.
‘It's all my fault.’
Looking back, if he had intervened forcefully twenty years ago when Sword Demon Choi Geon was falsely accused during the Cult subjugation operation, things wouldn't have come to this.
Ultimately, after Choi Geon took all the blame and left the Korean Martial Alliance, the Eight Great Sects faced no further obstacles within the Alliance, and their influence grew steadily stronger.
He had thought about turning back time thousands of times, but even for the Martial Alliance Leader of the world, it was an impossible feat.
“...What is it you wish to say?”
As the Alliance Leader's voice softened somewhat, the three Sect Leaders inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Since the exam has already begun, we will no longer dispute this matter.”
“However, we ask that you prepare thoroughly for any unforeseen accidents.”
“If any of the Rising Stars are seriously injured or, heaven forbid, die, even the Alliance Leader would... find it difficult to avoid responsibility.”
The Sect Leaders spoke one after another, as if they had rehearsed it, and the Alliance Leader nodded compliantly.
“There's no need to worry. Do you think I would have started this without such resolve? I've put sufficient safety measures in place, and I have no intention of shirking responsibility, so the Sect Leaders need not fret.”
Perhaps thinking they had received their confirmation, the three Sect Leaders looked at each other and nodded.
“Then we shall take our leave. We kindly ask for your continued good management until the end of the exam.”
“I won't see you out far.”
The Taiji Sword Sect Leader, about to exit the door, subtly turned back to the Alliance Leader and said,
“Alliance Leader. I have one request: do not act rashly.”
“...What did you say?”
“We wish to serve the Alliance Leader ‘as you are now’ for a long time. This is our sincere wish.”
Leaving behind their loaded words, the Eight Great Sect Leaders exited the door, and the Alliance Leader glared at the spot where they had left for a while before sighing.
“I'd rather we just openly fought it out.”
Yeo Pil-geuk muttered in a self-deprecating voice.
How much longer, he wondered, could he truly maintain his position as Alliance Leader?
If he had his way, he would retire immediately and return to being a free man.
But within the Korean Martial Alliance, there were still heroes who were not swayed by the Eight Great Sects.
‘If even I were to leave, who would become their fence, their protector?’
For the sake of the members who trusted him, Yeo Pil-geuk had no intention of leaving the Korean Martial Alliance on his own.
Even if it meant a pathetic retreat in the face of the Eight Great Sects' checks and pressure.
“...I suppose I'll have to endure somehow.”
He gave a bitter laugh, then turned his head to examine the monitors displaying various parts of the examination hall.
His gaze was drawn, without him realizing it, to one of them.
There, Ki Mu-hyeok was preparing for his third test.
“That boy is a Rising Star with obvious limitations?”
Yeo Pil-geuk recalled the Golden Glory Sect Leader's words and let out a hollow laugh.
“Do they have eyes but fail to see, or do they see and choose to ignore?”
For the first time, a smile bloomed on Yeo Pil-geuk's usually serious face.
“He defeated a Grade 1 Constitution with a Grade 4 Constitution's Internal Energy, and they treat it as if it's not even worth paying attention to...”
If anything, shouldn't they be paying more attention?
It means that the boy, Ki Mu-hyeok, has already surpassed his own limits.
“I, for one, doubt whether you truly have a Grade 4 Constitution.”
Yeo Pil-geuk narrowed his eyes, gazing at Ki Mu-hyeok, and muttered.
He had noticed a somewhat unnatural situation immediately after Ki Mu-hyeok and Song Jun-ho's palms clashed.
Even watching through a monitor, it was impossible to deceive an Absolute Master like him.
However, since Ki Mu-hyeok hadn't cheated, the Alliance Leader had no intention of revisiting that point.
“Concealing one's true level and winning is also a form of skill.”
The Alliance Leader's gaze, as he watched Ki Mu-hyeok, held more than simple favor; it wasn't merely because the boy was an outstanding Rising Star.
‘He truly resembles the Sword Demon.’
He had been half in doubt when he heard No Gu-cheon's words, but having seen it himself, he could be certain.
Ki Mu-hyeok resembled Choi Geon not only in his Swordsmanship but also in his disposition and attitude as a Martial Artist.
If that boy truly were the Sword Demon's successor... he would be incredibly pleased.
For he owed that friend an old debt of gratitude.
“I don't know how far you'll rise... but I will cheer you on.”
The Martial Alliance Leader gazed with a pleased expression at the young man who resembled his old friend for a long time.