Seo-yun let out a short breath as she looked at Yohan, who was scratching his head.
"What did you just say?"
"I said I can handle someone like you without a sword."
She had continued learning the Hangeom Family's swordsmanship.
Because of that, she thought there was no way she would lose to a branch-line person who had not even learned the first thing about swordsmanship.
Her head filled with thoughts of teaching Yohan, who was merely bluffing, a proper lesson.
"Just you wait. I'll make you regret this while begging on your knees."
"I wonder who'll be the one waiting and watching."
Seo-yun gripped the wooden sword tightly, steadied her breathing, then raised the blade toward Yohan.
When the air around her changed, Yohan lowered the hand he had been scratching with and looked at her, lifting only his eyes.
She had a great spirit that did not match her small frame.
Even after sensing that spirit from her, Yohan did not take a stance.
"Full of openings. As expected, it was a bluff."
"If I look that easy, come at me."
To gauge her skill, Yohan did not strike first.
Understanding the opponent and then acting was both an iron rule and a habit of the Shadow Unit.
"You...."
Reacting to his provocation, Seo-yun charged at Yohan with the tip of her sword pointed toward the floor.
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
Then she swung the wooden sword at him in succession.
'It won't reach!'
As Seo-yun watched Yohan dodge by a hair's breadth, she thought something was strange.
'I definitely calculated the distance when I swung. Was my grip on the handle different?'
Feeling something unfamiliar, unlike usual, Seo-yun adjusted her grip on the sword and tried to make it reach Yohan.
'This isn't it. Why is this happening?'
No matter how she adjusted her grip, the blade did not reach, and Seo-yun briefly took one step back.
"What did you do to the sword?"
"I didn't do anything."
It was certainly the sparring arena where she had continued sparring with Byeong-yun.
The wooden sword was the same, and nothing had changed.
But Seo-yun could only think that something about the sword had changed.
Against any opponent, even when facing Byeong-yun, she had always fought while exchanging blows. This was the first time she had encountered something like this.
'Don't tell me he can see everything? There's no way.'
Seo-yun adjusted her grip on the sword again.
'I just have to do it like usual. This must be because I'm angry.'
Unlike the composed Yohan, Seo-yun was slowly beginning to sweat.
After letting out one deep breath, she raised the sword again so that its tip pointed toward Yohan.
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
She steadied her mind again and swung the sword, but it still did not reach Yohan.
'A downward slash, then she turns and cuts the leg.'
To Yohan, her sword was nothing more than a novice's blade among the countless swords he had seen.
'She did learn the Hangeom Family's forms in her own way. But she's too bound by the forms.'
At first, Yohan had dodged while watching the tip of her sword, but now he could predict where the sword would come from.
The shape of her knee bending forward, the angle of the arm holding the sword. Those things became pieces of information and allowed him to break her down.
'As expected, is it because this is ten years ago? Her swordsmanship is C-grade, no, D-grade.'
Now able to evade Seo-yun with ease whether she thrust or slashed, Yohan slipped in toward her.
Thinking this was her chance, Seo-yun immediately raised her sword and swung it downward.
At that, Yohan twisted his body and avoided her sword.
CLACK—!
The sound of the wooden sword striking the floor of the sparring arena rang out.
Seo-yun hurriedly turned the blade to slash upward, but the sword would not budge.
Yohan's foot was planted on top of the wooden sword.
"It's over, isn't it?"
"What's over?!"
She strained to lift the sword, but it remained fixed to the floor and did not move.
"Tsk. I said it's over."
CRACK.
When Yohan put strength into his foot, the wooden sword she was holding broke.
Seo-yun, who had been continuously pulling upward with force, swung the broken sword through the air and fell over.
'I lost?'
Seo-yun, who had tasted the bitterness of a humiliating defeat, trembled.
Because Seo-yun had only ever lost to her older brother Byeong-yun until now, the fact that she had lost to him lodged in her heart like a dagger.
'To a mere branch line?'
Yohan looked at Seo-yun, who sat collapsed, and said one thing.
"Magic suits you better than the sword."
More than the bitterness of defeat, Seo-yun was shocked even harder by the words that the sword did not suit her, and she glared at Yohan as if she would kill him.
Seo-yun silently rose from her seat and dropped the wooden sword she was holding.
As she ground her teeth, cold air began to gather around her.
'That epithet, Ice Witch, really didn't come from nowhere.'
Byeong-yun stepped into the sparring arena and stopped her.
"You must not bring that out now."
When Seo-yun looked at him, she finally seemed able to suppress her anger, and the cold air that had formed around her faded.
Then Byeong-yun looked at Yohan and asked.
"Where did you learn that?"
"Learn what?"
"Martial arts. It was not the Baekgwon Family's martial arts, nor was it any other martial art."
"If you want to know, spar with me like she did. Then you'll find out."
At Yohan's words, Seo-yun flared up.
Byeong-yun stopped her.
"No. I will not. I acknowledge our defeat."
"Oppa!"
"You stay quiet for a bit."
Then Byeong-yun looked at Yohan and spoke.
"We will no longer interfere with you. Whether you are here or whatever else you do."
"You're coming out surprisingly obedient."
"That is what the defeated should say."
"As expected, stubborn bastard."
Byeong-yun took the grumbling Seo-yun and walked past Yohan.
"Hey, what Academy is that little kid trying to enter?"
"Why are you trying to know that?"
"As someone from the same Family, I'm curious where she's trying to enter, aren't I?"
"The Swordsmanship Academy."
"Really?"
"Where are you thinking of applying? Is it swordsmanship, according to the Family's will?"
"No, I'm going to enter Pluton."
Byeong-yun nodded, then murmured quietly.
"It must be nice that branch lines are free."
Yohan immediately understood the meaning.
Due to the weapon-oriented nature of the Hangeom Family's traits, the Hangeom Family's scions had to train in swordsmanship.
Because of that, to inherit the Hangeom Family's swordsmanship, they could only enter the Swordsmanship Academy.
That was what had held Seo-yun back.
Seo-yun in his previous life would gain the epithet Ice Witch, but she had always remained behind Byeong-yun, who was the Sword God.
The reason was the sword.
Since she did not abandon the sword the Hangeom Family obsessed over and kept holding it, training in swordsmanship that did not suit her aptitude, it was only natural.
'What if the Ice Witch, who is skilled in magic, specializes in magic at Pluton?'
In Yohan's mind, an image formed of Seo-yun, having learned magic, surpassing the Sword God and the Hangeom Family from within his Shadow Unit.
'The Awakening Ceremony will be important.'
***
Time passed, and the moment of the Awakening Ceremony arrived.
All the direct-line members gathered in the assembly hall of the main house.
With Hangeom Do-cheol at the center, people stood lined up on both sides.
They were all scions of the Hangeom Family.
From Do-cheol's first child to his third, and even their wives, everyone had gathered.
"Good."
Do-cheol's weighty voice rang through the assembly hall.
"Who will challenge the Awakening Ceremony this time?"
When Do-cheol asked, the eldest son beside him, Hangeom Gyeom-ha, spoke.
"My daughter Seo-yun, and a branch-line child named Yohan, will undergo it."
At the name Yohan, Do-cheol furrowed his brow.
"Why has that child come?"
"According to Jennifer, he said himself that he became Awakened and came to be tested."
"That child became Awakened?"
"Yes, sir."
Thinking there was no way, Do-cheol placed a hand over his mouth.
He was a child they had confirmed was not Awakened from birth and worked on for the sake of the Wish Vessel.
When such a child suddenly appeared as an Awakened, Do-cheol was flustered.
"Is the child here?"
"Yes, sir. They say he has been here since a week ago."
"Send him in."
At one word from Do-cheol, the great doors of the main house opened.
Yohan and Seo-yun stood before the doors.
'All the great ones have gathered.'
Unlike Seo-yun, who entered while intimidated by the pressure around her, Yohan walked in calmly.
When Yohan saw Do-cheol's face, he steadied himself inside to suppress his anger toward him.
"Are these the children participating in this Awakening Ceremony?"
"Yes. Th-That is correct."
Seo-yun stammered and knelt on one knee.
By contrast, Yohan remained standing.
At that, those around them began murmuring as they looked at Yohan.
"As expected of a branch-line child. He does not know etiquette."
"He should be grateful merely to have entered the direct line's Awakening Ceremony. How dare he!"
Yohan picked at his ear while listening to their words.
"Quiet."
At one word from Do-cheol, the surroundings fell silent.
"Proceed."
At Do-cheol's word, Gyeom-ha, the eldest son and Seo-yun's father, spoke.
"Seo-yun, forward."
Seo-yun rose and stepped forward.
"Draw your Ego Weapon."
"Yes, sir."
To ease her nervousness, she placed a hand over her chest.
"Answer my call, Ego Weapon."
At that, an ice sword with a snowflake-shaped guard made of ice was grasped in her hand.
"She is indeed Awakened."
At Do-cheol's words, Seo-yun knelt again.
"Thank you, sir."
"In accordance with the Hangeom Family's custom, I shall bestow a name upon your sword. Your sword's name is ‘Skadi.’ It means ‘Goddess of Winter.’"
When Do-cheol bestowed the name, an ice storm raged from Seo-yun's sword, Skadi.
Though she was within the fiercely falling ice storm, Seo-yun only felt warmth.
"Skadi. It is a beautiful name. Thank you, sir."
Seo-yun looked at her sword, Skadi, and brought it to her chest.
"Skadi. I will become a sword for the Hangeom Family."
Do-cheol nodded at her words.
"Next, Yohan."
Hearing Do-cheol's voice, Yohan stepped forward.
"Summon your Ego Weapon."
"Come out."
Yohan extended his hand and focused his mana.
At that, his shadow climbed up his body, stretched out through his fingertips, and stopped before him.
Then it took the shape of a sword.
A blade and hilt as dark as the abyss formed.
"An Acquired Awakened...."
At Do-cheol's words, the other direct-line members could not hide their shock either.
"An Acquired Awakened means... the kind that only appeared in the First Generation...."
"Could that child really be...?"
"The Family Head said it, so it must be true."
The people could not close their mouths at the sight unfolding before their eyes.
"Yes. I do not know how this came to be, but you are certainly Awakened."
"Well, yes."
"I shall bestow a name upon your sword as well."
"I refuse."
At the unprecedented action, the other direct-line members began raising their voices.
"You ignorant branch line!"
"What do you take the Family's custom for?!"
Through those people, the sound of Do-cheol laughing heartily could be heard.
The ignorant ones were them.
By nature, an Ego Weapon was a kind of living being that stayed with its user for life.
They did not know how important it was to bestow a name upon such a being.
If Seo-yun had found and called her Ego Weapon's name herself, she might even have been able to aim for the seat of Family Head.
Knowing that, Do-cheol had created this custom to suppress the power of Ego Weapons.
"I will name my own sword. It is a sword that will stay with me for life, so I should be the one to name it."
"Ha ha! Then try naming it."
Yohan closed his eyes and attempted to commune with the sword.
At that, a name flashed through his mind.
"‘Yeongcheol.’ It means ‘Shadow Iron.’"
Yohan's sword began to surge, then started wrapping the area in black shadow.
The lamps that had illuminated the surroundings were swallowed, and a unique domain where nothing could be seen or touched was created.
Do-cheol's Gravity Blade reacted to Yohan's sword and trembled.
"This is the power of a branch line?"
"Impossible...."
When everything except people turned black, the people began murmuring once again.
At that, Do-cheol calmly spoke.
"Good. Your sword's name is Yeongcheol."
"Yes. Yeongcheol. I will use it for the Hangeom Family."
Of course, for the purpose of taking your head, old man.