****
“Begin!”
Simultaneously with Cheon Seon-hak’s shout, the wooden sword held by Cheon Muryang soared into the sky.
It was a posture optimized for the cutting motion that Cheon Muryang always swung in the corner of the training hall.
‘Look at this bastard?’
However, Lee Seok-gi let his guard down.
Cheon Muryang, who clearly saw this, ridiculed Lee Seok-gi who was dreaming in vain.
“Retard (Byeong-sin).”
“Hm?”
The cut he had been swinging for nearly a month.
All trainees, including Lee Seok-gi, would have watched what level it was.
‘So he must have been letting his guard down.’
Because outwardly, it would look like nothing but a slow and simple cut.
Peok!
A dull sound rang out.
The downward strike that rushed in like lightning struck Lee Seok-gi’s crown as it was.
“Keo-eok!”
Lee Seok-gi’s vision blurred.
In the blurring vision, Cheon Muryang’s face with the corners of his mouth raised was seen.
‘This…… X-bal (F*ck).’
Tuk.
Lee Seok-gi fainted just like that.
That was the end.
Surprisingly, the victory and defeat of the duel ended with just a single exchange.
“If I had my way, I would have preferred a real sword instead of a wooden sword, but today I will finish it at this level for you.”
Cheon Muryang, who quietly recited to the fallen Lee Seok-gi, inhaled the surrounding air that had somehow turned silent.
“Hoo-woo…….”
Cheon Seon-hak came up.
It must be to declare the victory.
However, Cheon Muryang’s thought was different.
“The complaints about me, I know them all.”
“……!”
Cheon Seon-hak flinched.
Not caring about this, Cheon Muryang continued his words.
“The mistakes I made and committed in the past probably cannot be covered by anything. I admit it all. Clearly, I am a mangnani and trash.”
Everyone was silent.
Even the sound of breathing was not heard.
“I cannot remember each and every one. I do not remember the faces of those against whom I committed mistakes.”
Because that was not Mumyeong.
It was an act committed by Cheon Muryang.
However, Mumyeong decided to shoulder the price of those sins on behalf of Cheon Muryang.
‘Because I am Cheon Muryang.’
Cheon Muryang faced the faces of those gathered here one by one.
Among them, gazes full of contempt still existed, and suspicious looks trying to grasp hidden intentions also existed.
“However, I apologize for all the eccentricities and evil deeds I committed in this place today.”
Cheon Muryang slowly lowered his head.
Like that, a brief moment passed.
When he raised his head again.
He could feel a part of the changed gazes directed at him.
“Even so, if your anger is not resolved, come to the training hall anytime.”
“…….”
“Because I will be here.”
With those words as the end, Cheon Muryang walked across the training hall.
Wolyeong followed behind him.
“…….”
Cheon Seon-hak also looked at such a back view of Cheon Muryang and was lost in thought somewhere.
“Did he really change?”
It was something he could not be sure of yet.
However, in Cheon Seon-hak’s two eyes looking at Cheon Muryang, unlike before, only gazes of contempt and scorn were not felt.
“Eueueu…….”
Something squirmed on the floor.
It was a groan spat out by Lee Seok-gi who seemed to be slowly regaining consciousness.
Cheon Seon-hak clicked his tongue seeing this.
“Tsk. Clear him away.”
The gazes of contempt and scorn were rather directed at Lee Seok-gi.
The venue of opportunity had rather become a venue of abyss.
“I am going back.”
Cheon Seon-hak left.
The Cheonryong Sword Unit Leader and Cheonbong Sword Unit Leader followed behind him.
“What? It's over already?”
Lee Seok-gi screamed as if he could not believe this fact.
“I lost in one hit? It makes no sense!”
However, that scream was buried.
<><><>
Cheon Muryang did not particularly want to rest.
Although it was called a duel, swinging the sword just once was all of it.
However, since he exited like that.
Wasn't it strange to go to the training hall again?
“I have no choice but to just do breathing exercises today.”
“You should have days like this too.”
“Is that so? Come to think of it, I asked you to watch the duel yesterday and tell me the impression, but there was nothing to watch and do.”
Rather, he was embarrassed.
Because a single cut was all he showed.
However, Wolyeong’s reaction was quite different.
“It was that sword you showed then, right?”
“Yeah. Correct.”
“Although it is my thought, even if that opponent did not let his guard down, he wouldn't have been able to block it.”
“Do you think so?”
“Yes!”
Cheon Muryang laughed.
It was then.
A presence was felt outside Cheon Muryang’s room.
“I will enter.”
It was Cheon Seon-hak.
Cheon Muryang faced Cheon Seon-hak who entered without waiting for an answer.
“Ah. I will prepare…… not alcohol, but tea for you.”
Wolyeong stepped aside.
“She is a child with quick wits.”
“She is undeserved to be my exclusive maid.”
“That sword you showed.”
“…….”
“What did you intend to cut?”
“The sky. I intended to cut the sky.”
Cheon Seon-hak’s eyes trembled minutely.
Cutting the sky, Dan-cheon (Severing the Sky).
That was Cheon Seon-hak’s goal and the path of the sword he pursued even now.
“The sky, you say…….”
How funny was this?
Cheon Seon-hak never dreamed that the one who would understand his path would be Cheon Muryang, whom he despised so much and had given up on long ago.
“They say life is Sae-ong-ji-ma (Irony of fate). It is exactly that case.”
Along with a hollow laugh, Cheon Seon-hak gazed at Cheon Muryang with serious eyes.
“The words you said at the training hall.”
“Yes.”
“Can you take responsibility?”
“If I had no intention to do so, I wouldn't have even brought up such words.”
“Right. You must do so.”
“Is that all?”
“You won this bet.”
“……!”
“State what you want. I will grant it.”
“Can I enter the Cheonryong Library…….”
Cheon Seon-hak refused flatly.
“That is not my authority.”
“Mm…….”
“If it is within my authority, I will grant anything.”
Cheon Muryang contemplated.
He thought about what was most necessary for him right now.
‘Actually, there is no training better than real combat, though…….’
Something flashed in Cheon Muryang’s mind.
Ssi-ik.
He smiled and said.
“Please assign one person a day to be able to duel with me.”
“Would that be enough?”
“Yes. It is sufficient.”
“……You will become stronger every day.”
“It is what I hoped for.”
Cheon Seon-hak stood up from his seat without saying anything.
“I will be going.”
“Yes. Take care, Uncle.”
“…….”
Although he seemed to have something to say, Cheon Seon-hak went outside without saying it in the end.
“What is it?”
Cheon Muryang just shrugged his shoulders.
Since it seemed there would be time left until Wolyeong, who left tactfully after Cheon Seon-hak left, returned, he immersed himself in breathing exercises.
“What is the use of playing? I should do it diligently.”
Cheon Muryang’s consciousness fell into a deep place.
<><><>
Since that day.
Cheon Muryang’s daily routine changed.
Running in the training hall and swinging the sword were the same, but he had to duel regularly with trainees who received Cheon Seon-hak’s hint.
“Why am I doing this?”
On the first day, Cha Myeong-hak, who was designated as the duel opponent, cursed Lee Seok-gi.
“Anyway, I recognized it from the time he was making a fuss acting like a lunatic saying he is the head. A bastard who isn't even up to par.”
Cha Myeong-hak was a person who held a grudge against Cheon Muryang.
“No, rather it turned out well. Because I will crush him legally.”
Around the time he first joined as a trainee.
Cha Myeong-hak saw the spectacle of the Eldest Gongja drinking alcohol and causing a disturbance.
That was the first encounter with Cheon Muryang.
“Mangnani bastard.”
Swinging a knife randomly while drunk was exactly a mangnani.
While trying to stop this, Cha Myeong-hak was left with an indelible scar on his face.
“Pretending it is a mistake, I will leave at least one scar on your body too.”
How could I forget that ill-fated relationship?
Cha Myeong-hak harbored malice.
Cha Myeong-hak, who arrived at the training hall like that, looked for Cheon Muryang.
Although he lost weight, Cheon Muryang swinging the sword with a still fat body was seen.
“…….”
Cha Myeong-hak, standing in the center of the training hall, thought Cheon Muryang would stop.
Because he must have clearly felt his presence.
“…….”
However, no matter how much he waited, Cheon Muryang did not stop.
Cha Myeong-hak thought it was an insult.
Ppa-jik!
His brow furrowed.
At that moment, a faint scent of tea wafted from somewhere.
Hwaek!
As he turned his head.
A sibi pouring tea with a calm expression was seen.
“Ah…….”
It was Wolyeong.
Wolyeong approached Cha Myeong-hak holding the cup with poured tea.
“Please wait while drinking this at least. Because it will take a little time, since he just started.”
“Wh, what?”
“Once he starts training, he doesn't look at the surroundings at all.”
“…….”
“I prepared refreshments here too!”
Cha Myeong-hak was strangely led by Wolyeong and ate refreshments unexpectedly.
“Does he train like this every day?”
“Yes. Sometimes I worry if he might collapse.”
“…….”
However, even while saying that, Wolyeong gazed at Cheon Muryang with somewhat proud eyes.
“Are you the exclusive sibi serving the Eldest Gongja?”
“Yes.”
“You must have suffered bullying a lot, so why do you cheer for the Elder Gongja?”
“Clearly, the Gongja-nim of the past made many mistakes. However, Gongja-nim has changed. He is swinging the sword to correct the mistakes of the past.”
“…….”
Cha Myeong-hak chewed over those words of Wolyeong.
“Correcting mistakes, he says…….”
He looked at Cheon Muryang with new eyes.
Looking again, the body he thought was still a pig also looked somewhat sturdy somewhere.
‘I acknowledge the effort.’
Because that effort was not a lie.
Didn't he see it himself too?
Geul-jeok.
Cha Myeong-hak’s brow stung vaguely.
It felt like something was scratching his nerves.
It seemed his body was tense for no reason.
He just thought it was due to tension.
Therefore, thinking it was not a big deal, he looked at Cheon Muryang.
Hoo-woong!
The sword cutting the empty air.
‘Come to think of it…….’
The speed of the sword was extremely constant.
Cha Myeong-hak observed Cheon Muryang’s posture again.
O-ssak!
The hair on his arms stood on end.
A shudder flowed.
‘There is not an inch of error.’
It wasn't just the speed that was constant.
Trajectory, the position where the sword soared, the stopping position, the position of the stepping foot, the distribution of power, even the position of the handle grasping the sword.
‘Everything is the same.’
How can that be possible?
No matter how precisely trained an elite was, it couldn't be perfectly the same to this extent.
‘H, how can such…… such a sword from the mangnani Eldest Gongja?’
The prejudice surrounding Cha Myeong-hak was cut.
Then, he could realize where Cheon Muryang’s sword was heading.
‘D, don't tell me…….’
Cha Myeong-hak touched his brow again.
Hoo-ung!
It stung.
It was a sensation as if a sharp sword was placed in front of his brow.
‘F, from the beginning…… Was he swinging the sword at me?’
Even at this moment.
Cheon Muryang’s wooden sword was in the middle of falling toward Cha Myeong-hak.
“Th, this…….”
What should I call this?
Cha Myeong-hak could not continue his words.
From the time he stepped up on the training hall, the duel with Cheon Muryang had already begun.
Cha Myeong-hak’s head dropped.
It was then.
“Ah, I ended up concentrating without myself knowing.”
The voice of Cheon Muryang who stopped training was heard.
“You came to have a bout with me, right? Nice to meet you, Cha Myeong-hak.”
“……!”
Cha Myeong-hak’s eyes opened wide.
How did he know his name?
“H, how do you know my name?”
“Ah-ah, aren't you going to become an official martial artist of our family someday? I am trying to memorize names if possible.”
Mumyeong received teachings from Cheon Seon-hak and had friendships with martial artists belonging to the Cheonryong Sword Unit and Cheonbong Sword Unit.
Knowing Neung Ryeo-un’s name was also thanks to this.
Cha Myeong-hak was also a person who would become a member of the Cheonryong Sword Unit in the future.
“…….”
“Now, then shall we start?”
“I lost.”
“Hm? What?”
Cheon Muryang doubted his ears.
He came to fight now, but where is the rule of admitting defeat when the duel hasn't even started?
“I admit my defeat, Gongja-nim.”
I wondered if he was teasing.
However, Cha Myeong-hak bowing his head with a serious expression looked sincere.
Hil-kkeum.
Cheon Muryang, who had no way of knowing the reason, glanced sideways at Wolyeong.
[I. Don't. Know. Well. Either.]
Wolyeong answered with the shape of her mouth.
Wolyeong also did not know the reason why Cha Myeong-hak was doing this.
‘I only offered tea because he was harboring too much malice……. Did I do something useless?’
She just doubted herself.
“Ah, that, but, still we have to duel…….”
“I will prepare properly and challenge Gongja-nim.”
Cha Myeong-hak bowed his head to show courtesy and then left the training hall.
“Tsk……. What on earth happened.”
Wolyeong, who had a tearful face, approached.
“By any chance, was the tea I brewed not tasty so…….”
“Hey, could that be possible?”
Cheon Muryang, instead of the duel.
Ate up the refreshments of Wolyeong, who had a tearful face, wildly.
“Stop eating!”
“You said to eat!”
“It is because I worry you might gain weight again!”