A festival that happened only once in a while was bound to feel more special than one that happened every year.
When that time came, countless visitors gathered, and rumors began circulating throughout the entire country.
Right now, the Namgung Clan was exactly like that.
The Young Clan Head Competition.
A place to determine the master of Namgung who would lead the next generation.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Namgung’s future would be decided through this competition.
Why?
Because the fortune of the clan was decided by the clan head’s ability.
What direction would the clan take?
It was influence born from the fact that each person pursued something different.
“Clan Head, the preparations are complete.”
“I will come out soon.”
Namgung Mu had risen at the crack of dawn, bathed and purified himself, and dressed in his formal robes.
Soyeon was the same.
A beauty worthy of the name Poison Phoenix.
And once she was dressed in the most splendid attire, her presence shone all the more brightly.
When the two finished preparing, they headed toward the place where everyone was waiting.
A plaza where countless people stood in formation.
Those gathered in the widest plaza within the Namgung Clan could be seen.
The participants stood in front, the spectators behind.
The sponsors sat in the seats prepared for them, waiting for the two.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—!
The sound of drums rang out loudly.
As befitting an important event, the most splendid performers in Hefei decorated the venue.
[The Clan Head of the Great Namgung Clan enters—!]
When someone shouted thunderously with internal energy filling their voice, the drums stopped.
At the same time, Namgung Mu and Soyeon appeared.
Their figures carried the momentum of mature azure dragons.
Everyone was naturally overwhelmed.
[Greetings.]
RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE—!
It was not an echo, but a voice like rolling thunder.
How deep did one’s internal energy have to be to produce such a sound so casually?
The people felt pressure, yet were amazed.
Namgung Mu, who had drawn everyone’s attention with a single word, opened his mouth.
A spirit worthy of the current greatest under heaven.
The brief speech of the man called the Martial God began.
“I consider it an honor to personally witness the struggles and blossoming talent of the rising talents who will lead the next generation of our Great Namgung Clan.”
The future lies in your hands.
Display your overwhelming talent.
Namgung Mu looked over the faces of the participants and continued speaking.
“Over a long period of time, we will evaluate your abilities and determine the qualities needed to lead this clan. Even if you fail to become Young Clan Head, there is no need to give up. In the Namgung Clan, strength is the same as status.”
“......”
“Show your abilities fiercely. The law of the Namgung Clan is only one thing: the strong rise to the top.”
That was right.
The unchanging principle of the Namgung Clan.
The strong rose to the top.
It was a law so cruel and cold that anyone hearing it might think it was a doctrine of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
However, because that law existed, the Namgung of today could exist.
Only pure, powerful martial force would become the pillar supporting Namgung.
Namgung Mu looked at several people who possessed powerful auras.
His sons.
From the eldest to the youngest, they had all inherited outstanding talent.
‘And the children of various masters.......’
It seemed the children of each elder had also participated in this competition after harsh training.
The elders’ influence was nothing to scoff at, so their children must have sharpened their blades as well.
The disciples and children of each hall master and unit leader had also participated.
Masters who had solidified their positions through ability and taken important posts within Namgung.
How systematic an education must those born and taught under them have received?
They must have devoted their utmost effort to reach higher places.
For Namgung Mu’s children to continue this generation, they would need overwhelming martial force and magnanimity.
There was no need to worry much about the others, but one person was different.
‘My son, what density of time have you spent?’
An expressionless face.
A height that had grown sharply.
And...... true energy that had grown dense enough to make one open one’s eyes in astonishment.
His son, Namgung Yeon, with deep, gloomy eyes.
He had been someone to whom no one gave any attention, yet now he had appeared as the one who stood out most.
Over the past three months, what in the world had happened?
That would be known once they saw.
My son, did you keep your promise?
‘It could not have been easy to seize what you wanted from me.’
So show me.
Show me how strong your will is.
Prove once more the desperation that allowed you to cure your severed meridians and rise again.
Swallowing those thoughts, Namgung Mu declared.
[From this moment, we will select the group leaders.]
***
The Young Clan Head Competition was broadly divided into five stages.
The first was group leader selection.
The second was two years of training.
The third was the group test.
The fourth, and most important, was the Tournament of Champions.
The last was an interview with the elders and the clan head.
The reason for selecting group leaders was simple.
The Namgung Clan was woven together from many different organizations.
An organization had a head , and the role of a head was to command its members.
Then what of the Young Clan Head?
“Those who received the same token, split up and gather together!”
At the chief instructor’s words, people moved in a swarm.
Namgung Yeon was in the Third Group.
So this kind of thing changed with every iteration.
Looking at those gathered, the faces were full of rather familiar people.
The position of Young Clan Head was one that had to command those who bore the name Namgung.
And was that all?
It also had to manage all those living under Namgung’s name.
So it was only natural to cultivate ability as a leader.
In the martial force Namgung spoke of, such abilities were included as well.
“Has everyone gathered?”
“Yes!”
“One group has twelve people, and there are twelve groups of twelve.”
Twelve groups divided according to the order of the twelve earthly branches.
One day, they would compete with the honor of their groups on the line.
For that reason, the existence of a group leader to command each group was all the more important.
Namgung Yeon slowly looked around.
‘There is nothing special.’
For some reason, the Third Group to which he belonged did not seem to have a single outstanding person.
Himself, a direct descendant of the Namgung clan head.
[Namgung Geonho], known as the weakest among the Fifth Elder’s sons.
[Namgung Seun], the eldest son of the Weapon Hall Master.
Aside from them, there were those cherished by collateral branches, or those who had entered merely for the sake of participating.
To others, they looked like a disorderly rabble.
And if there was an even greater problem, it would be the bastards who had a bad influence on those around them.
Two of Namgung Jin’s cronies were here, and he saw the biggest problem: a pawn of a [demonic cultivator].
Sigh.
He was in the same group as these things?
‘Perhaps this is better.’
It would become an opportunity to crush those who looked down on him.
The gazes stabbing into him were rather sharp.
Or some looked at him as if he were utterly laughable.
While they engaged in a tense battle of nerves with one another, the instructor opened his mouth.
“Those who wish to become group leader, step forward now.”
At that, a total of four people stepped forward.
Namgung Geonho.
Two of Namgung Jin’s cronies.
And finally, Namgung Yeon.
At Namgung Yeon’s appearance, everyone began murmuring.
Most of those murmurs were mockery and contempt.
He could clearly see them speaking loudly enough for him to hear.
“Namgung Yeon? Is that not the fourth young master?”
“Huh, was he not said to be sickly?”
“That is right. But how is he standing so confidently?”
Most of them were people who remembered the past, and who knew Namgung Yeon’s childhood.
Their words were mixed with concern, but he knew the meaning contained within them.
If not at a place like this, when would they be able to openly spit out insulting words?
“My, he does not even know his place......”
“Now, now, watch your words. Even so, is he not the clan head’s direct descendant?”
“This is the Young Clan Head Competition, is it not? No matter how much he may be the clan head’s direct descendant, he should know his place.”
“Then what becomes of all the effort the others have made until now? Everyone must have come here after bone-shaving effort.”
They were right.
Everyone must have clenched their teeth and endured to reach this place.
For the ideals, goals, and dreams each of them held, they must have thrown themselves into this dangerous fight.
However, they were people who knew one thing and not the other.
Why did they think he had not worked hard?
Why did they speak of his station and judge his ability as they pleased?
Simply because the time he seemed to have spent learning martial arts was short?
‘When I’ve poured in far more time than everyone here put together.’
It was laughable.
Hearing those words, Namgung Yeon gave a faint laugh.
Seeing that, the others stirred once more.
The instructor also seemed rather surprised, but rules were rules.
If there was someone who applied, it was custom and regulation to accept them.
He wondered if it might be dangerous, but what could he do?
The boy himself had stepped forward and said he would do it.
‘Namgung is a place where one must take responsibility for one’s own words and actions.’
According to the clan’s law, even if an unexpected accident occurred, they must not stop.
Inflexible?
That was precisely why Namgung had become the strongest murim clan.
“Ha ha, this actually worked out well.”
“Exactly. Last time, he looked down on Brother Jin like that.......”
Namgung Jin’s cronies looked at each other and snickered.
It was probably because they would be able to legally beat down the arrogant young master.
“If there are no more participants, we will proceed with the martial contest as is.”
“Yes.”
“There are four of you, so you can pair off and compete two at a time.”
The instructor assigned the matches at random.
He did not consider who was skilled and who was not.
Fairness?
There was nothing like that.
He simply picked them as they came.
Namgung Yeon’s first opponent was one of Namgung Jin’s cronies.
Namgung Jinjin.
He was the eldest son of the captain of the [White Dragon Unit], one of the Namgung Clan’s warrior units.
“This worked out perfectly, you arrogant young master.”
“......”
“You two, onto the martial stage!”
Namgung Yeon and Namgung Jinjin.
The two of them took the wooden swords they had been given and climbed onto the martial stage.
Before that, Namgung Yeon rolled up his sleeves.
“Mm?”
CLANK!
The Dragon-Suppressing Shackles constricting his wrists and ankles fell with a dull sound.
A sense of liberation, as though he might fly away, took over his entire body.
“......”
Those who saw it gaped.
Was there still anyone who practiced such a brutally ignorant training method?
Who in the world......?
“No, was he not said to be suffering from severed meridians?”
“That was what I knew as well.......”
“But then why—”
If he were an ordinary person, his flesh would already have rotted away.
The fallen lumps of iron were rusted here and there.
That meant he had wrapped internal energy around those areas and protected them......
‘What in the world? What is going on?’
That was the shared thought of those watching Namgung Yeon.
Some hardened their expressions and looked at him seriously.
Others sensed the change in Namgung Yeon with expressions of interest.
A sense of crisis.
Interest.
Various emotions were directed at Namgung Yeon, who had stepped onto the martial stage.
‘Tsk, I do not like this.’
On the other hand, Namgung Jinjin was deeply displeased that the attention that should have poured onto him was gathered on Namgung Yeon.
Then there was only one answer.
He would break that bastard’s will and trample him so thoroughly that he would never even think of holding a sword again.
That alone would be the way to capture everyone’s attention in this Young Clan Head Competition.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
“......”
At the instructor’s words, the two completed their preparations.
Namgung Yeon turned his head for a moment and looked at his father.
It was a tradition of the Young Clan Head Competition for the clan head to watch until the Group Leader Selection Trial.
‘I will show you.’
Namgung Yeon smiled faintly, then looked at his opponent.
Sorry, but you will be the first sacrifice.
Namgung Jinjin.
You may be delinquent now, but later, you will possess fairly useful martial force.
‘All of them will swear loyalty beneath my feet.’
PHEEEEEEEP—!
A whistle pierced the ears.
At last, the Young Clan Head Competition had begun.