Song Yiyeon scratched his head.
"Haah... I don't know if we made the right choice."
The cold expression on the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander's face as he departed was still vivid in his mind.
Among all the unit commanders of the Martial Alliance, that man had the brightest prospects. Barring some unforeseen disaster, he was virtually guaranteed to become a hall master and eventually rise to one of the highest positions in the Alliance.
And now, of all people, Song Yiyeon had managed to make a terrible first impression on him.
Cheon Woojin merely shrugged.
"Young Hero Song, why did you choose the Black Tortoise Unit?"
"That's exactly what I'm wondering!"
The Heavenly Tiger Unit was the Alliance's most prestigious elite fighting force, offering its members a clear path to advancement.
The Black Tortoise Unit, on the other hand, was a relatively low-ranking force whose commander had spent decades without earning a promotion.
Rationally speaking, there was no question which unit he should have chosen.
But...
Song Yiyeon gave Cheon Woojin a peculiar look.
For some reason, he had a feeling that the Black Tortoise Unit would be different this year.
Of course, he had absolutely no evidence to support that feeling.
Cheon Woojin was unquestionably the most outstanding martial artist of their generation. Even measured against the entire history of the Martial Alliance, he ranked among its greatest young talents.
But the Martial Alliance was hardly some little neighborhood shop.
The possibility that a single rising talent could overturn its established hierarchy was practically nonexistent.
"Phew..."
Song Yiyeon let out a long sigh.
His mind understood all of that perfectly.
Yet his instincts were telling him something entirely different.
Despite belonging to the prestigious Anhui Song family, he was often looked down upon in the martial world because of his family's merchant origins.
But there was one thing he had inherited from that background: the keen instincts of a merchant.
And those instincts were warning him, with extraordinary insistence, that he must never allow himself to be separated from Cheon Woojin.
Standing at the crossroads between reason and intuition, Song Yiyeon had agonized over his decision until the very last moment.
In the end, he had chosen to trust his instincts.
Though I seem to have earned the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander's dislike in the process...
Well, that was a problem for another day.
If there was one thing Song Yiyeon had always been confident in, it was his ability to win people over.
While he was busy turning these thoughts over in his head—
Thud!
A man appeared in the doorway through which the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander had so coldly departed.
He had a thick, bushy beard and the rough appearance of a mountain bandit.
A broad smile covered his face.
The moment Song Yiyeon saw him, a faint pang of regret washed over him.
"You little brats..."
Cheol Jiak, Commander of the Black Tortoise Unit, slowly approached.
His heavy footsteps were strangely quiet, like those of a bear stalking its prey.
Song Yiyeon instinctively took a step backward.
Whoosh!
Cheol Jiak suddenly lunged toward him.
He had even begun using his movement techniques in earnest.
"Ugh!"
Before Song Yiyeon could react, he found himself trapped in Cheol Jiak's enormous embrace.
He let out a strangled cry.
He even circulated his internal energy in an attempt to escape, but the man's forearm, thicker than Song Yiyeon's head, held him as firmly as an iron chain.
Song Yiyeon's eyes darted sideways.
Cheon Woojin was already standing three steps away.
Even if Cheol Jiak had not been using his full strength, the fact that a young martial artist could react so effortlessly to a unit commander's movement technique was astonishing.
The world really is unfair.
The thought flashed through Song Yiyeon's mind.
But he had a rather more pressing concern.
"Y-Young Hero! Save me...!"
He was gradually suffocating.
And worse still, Cheol Jiak's thick beard was unbearably prickly against his face.
Completely oblivious to his suffering, Cheol Jiak burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahahaha! You should have seen the White Dragon Unit Commander's face!"
Earlier, the White Dragon Unit Commander had subtly belittled the Black Tortoise Unit in front of the other commanders.
His manner of speaking was particularly irritating.
By including his own White Dragon Unit in his disparaging remarks, he made it difficult for anyone to openly accuse him of looking down on the Black Tortoise Unit.
But then came the news.
Two of the five highest-ranked successful applicants had chosen the Black Tortoise Unit.
And one of them was none other than Cheon Woojin, the highest-scoring applicant of all.
The White Dragon Unit Commander's face had turned bright red.
After that, he had simply sat there drinking.
With his thick left arm still locked around Song Yiyeon's neck, Cheol Jiak extended his right arm toward Cheon Woojin.
"You adorable little brats! You come here too!"
"..."
Cheon Woojin silently shook his head.
Cheol Jiak's eyes gleamed.
"Oh? Are you refusing your commander's very first order?"
"..."
Cheon Woojin was dumbfounded.
He had never been particularly good at concealing his emotions, and the expression on his face made his feelings perfectly clear.
Seeing this, Cheol Jiak quietly released Song Yiyeon.
He had already selected his next target.
Boom!
Cheol Jiak shot toward Cheon Woojin.
But his outstretched hand closed on empty air.
His eyes widened.
"Oh? You dodged that?"
Woojin had done more than simply react.
He had avoided the grab without the slightest difficulty.
And he had moved only half a step to the side.
Evading an attack with the smallest possible movement meant that he had grasped its trajectory perfectly.
Cheol Jiak continued chuckling mischievously, but inwardly, his astonishment was growing.
Cheon Woojin gave him a slight, respectful bow.
"I am Cheon Woojin, newly assigned to the Black Tortoise Unit. I look forward to serving under you."
"Yes, yes! I look forward to having you too...!"
Cheol Jiak's figure abruptly vanished, as though he had sunk straight into the floor.
Song Yiyeon's eyes flew wide.
A blurred afterimage of Cheol Jiak was racing toward Woojin at terrifying speed.
A peculiar smile played across the commander's face.
No matter how exceptional he is, he's still just a rising talent.
Admittedly, Cheon Woojin's accomplishments were astonishing.
He had passed the selection examinations with scores almost unprecedented in the Martial Alliance's history.
And during those examinations, he had even killed the Asura Demon Lord, a disciple of the Dark Heavenly Son.
However, it was already an established fact that the Asura Demon Lord had suffered from Severed Pulse Syndrome and could not properly circulate his internal energy.
Cheol Jiak confidently reached toward Woojin, who appeared not to have reacted at all.
All he wanted was to give this lovable, taciturn youngster—who had chosen his Black Tortoise Unit—a great big hug.
"W-What?"
Once again, Cheol Jiak's hand, as broad as a pot lid, swept through empty air.
He blinked in disbelief.
Somehow, Cheon Woojin had retreated two steps.
I didn't even see him move?
A Martial Alliance unit commander had failed to follow the movements of a mere rising talent.
Even if that young man was hailed as the greatest talent of his generation, and even if the commander in question had spent years unable to advance through the ranks, it was still an astonishing occurrence.
Cheol Jiak stood there, his lips moving soundlessly.
Then Woojin spoke.
"My master taught me to always be cautious about physical contact between martial artists."
"..."
Cheol Jiak stared at him blankly.
It was, in fact, perfectly sound advice.
Touching another martial artist's body without permission was considered a serious breach of martial etiquette.
After all, although uncommon, there were martial artists who practiced bizarre internal-energy techniques or specialized in the use of poison.
Watching the exchange, Song Yiyeon thumped his chest in exasperation.
"Oh, honestly! Young Hero, must you be so inflexible? He's our commander now!"
Cheon Woojin scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed.
But rather than taking offense, Cheol Jiak broke into an even broader smile.
"Yes! That's exactly it!"
"...?"
Song Yiyeon and Cheon Woojin tilted their heads simultaneously.
Cheol Jiak paid no attention to their confusion.
Still wearing that delighted grin, he continued.
"Our Black Tortoise Unit has never had anyone this sharp! A fellow with an edge like a drawn blade. Just like the youngsters in the Heavenly Tiger Unit!"
The Heavenly Tiger Unit consisted entirely of the Martial Alliance's elite.
Its members consequently tended to be sharp, proud, and rather difficult to approach.
The Black Tortoise Unit, by contrast, had always been known for one particular quality.
They're all such nice kids.
That was what people invariably said about its members.
Cheol Jiak was still laughing heartily when—
"What are you three doing here?"
A sharp woman's voice came from the side.
Cheon Woojin, Song Yiyeon, and Cheol Jiak all turned their heads at once.
A woman with an icy countenance stood glaring at them, her clear eyes filled with displeasure.
"Oh, Deputy Commander. Aren't you still suspended?"
Zhuge Lin had received a three-month suspension for acting without authorization during the selection examinations.
She answered without the slightest concern.
"I'm the eldest daughter of the Zhuge family. Even if we're not on particularly good terms."
"What a rotten world."
Cheol Jiak clicked his tongue.
He had started out as a disciple of an insignificant rural martial school and worked his way up to become a unit commander of the Martial Alliance.
Seeing someone casually rely on the privileges of a prestigious family was enough to leave a bitter taste in his mouth.
Zhuge Lin paid him no attention.
She walked past Cheol Jiak and approached Cheon Woojin and Song Yiyeon.
Her gaze was every bit as cold as it had been when they first met aboard the boat.
Song Yiyeon tilted his head.
"What's wrong, Deputy Commander?"
Zhuge Lin narrowed her eyes.
"Didn't either of you hear? All the successful applicants were supposed to assemble at the grand training ground. Everyone else gathered ages ago. The only ones who haven't shown up are our two esteemed new recruits from the Black Tortoise Unit."
"Huh? Nobody told me anything about that."
Song Yiyeon put on his most aggrieved expression.
Beside him, Cheon Woojin nodded in agreement.
Zhuge Lin's eyes flickered as she considered their answers.
Then she let out a deep sigh.
"It seems the White Dragon Unit Commander deliberately left you out. That petty bastard..."
"What do you mean?"
"There's an orientation for the successful applicants. They'll be introduced to the Martial Alliance's facilities and briefed on various matters. The Righteous Will Unit Commander was originally responsible, but after what happened to him, the White Dragon Unit Commander took over."
"What? Hahahaha!"
Cheol Jiak suddenly burst into uproarious laughter.
Zhuge Lin stared at him incredulously.
"Is this really something to laugh about? The White Dragon Unit Commander deliberately excluded our new recruits."
"I know! I've got enough brains to understand that much!"
Cheol Jiak was still grinning.
"Just imagine how badly his pride must have been wounded for him to resort to something so petty! Well, I'd probably have been upset too. I'll invite that White Dragon Unit Commander aside and give him a little pat. Deputy Commander, you take these two and get going."
"...Yes, Commander."
Cheol Jiak laughed heartily as he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fist.
No matter how many years he had been friends with the White Dragon Unit Commander, he had no intention of overlooking a prank played on his own new recruits.
Zhuge Lin watched his retreating figure for a moment before shaking her head.
Just then, Song Yiyeon spoke.
"By the way, Deputy Commander."
"What?"
Despite her curt reply, Song Yiyeon continued with a bright smile on his handsome face.
"What exactly are your duties? Are you personally responsible for guiding the successful applicants now?"
"...The commander said he'd lift my suspension if I handled this. And since you two are officially my juniors now, I'll be speaking more casually to you from now on. Understood?"
"Of course, Deputy Commander. Hehe."
Song Yiyeon gave a friendly chuckle.
Cheon Woojin simply nodded.
Zhuge Lin studied the two of them for a moment before suddenly asking a question of her own.
"But why the Black Tortoise Unit? I can understand this one choosing us, but honestly, it's a bit of a waste for that one to join."
"Deputy Commander, what do you mean by 'this one' and 'that one'? I'm not 'this one,' am I?"
Zhuge Lin completely ignored Song Yiyeon's protest.
"With your abilities, Junior Cheon, you could certainly distinguish yourself even in the Heavenly Tiger Unit. Unless something extraordinary happened, you'd be practically guaranteed a smooth career in the Martial Alliance."
Song Yiyeon pouted and turned toward Cheon Woojin.
Truthfully, he was rather curious about the answer himself.
Under their combined gazes, Woojin considered the question for a moment.
Then he replied matter-of-factly.
"Because I'm curious."
"About what?"
"What kind of place the Black Tortoise Unit is."
"Really? That's your only reason?"
Cheon Woojin nodded.
A touched expression appeared on Zhuge Lin's face.
In other words, didn't that mean something about the Black Tortoise Unit itself had drawn him to it?
Of course, Cheon Woojin's actual intentions were somewhat different.
He had come to the Martial Alliance to discover what kind of place it truly was.
More precisely, he wanted to understand the people who belonged to it.
That was why he had followed the final wishes of White Master and Black Master, whose opinions of the Martial Alliance had differed so dramatically.
And to Cheon Woojin, the Black Tortoise Unit seemed to be the most genuinely human place in the entire Alliance.
Admittedly, he still knew very little about the organization.
But judging by its commander and deputy commander alone, that was the impression he had formed.
******
By the time Zhuge Lin arrived at the grand training ground with the two young men, the forty-eight successful applicants who had been waiting there were thoroughly fed up.
They turned irritated expressions toward the newcomers.
Zhuge Lin noticed their displeasure and immediately offered an explanation.
"Everyone, thank you for waiting. The delay wasn't these two's fault. There was a problem with how the instructions were delivered."
Naturally, that explanation did little to appease people who had already spent so long waiting.
Their dissatisfaction was obvious.
Nevertheless, none of them dared openly challenge a deputy commander.
Zhuge Lin was perceptive enough to recognize their feelings.
She simply wasn't the sort of warmhearted person who would go out of her way to soothe every young martial artist's wounded pride.
It was then.
"Are you already defending them because they're members of your own unit?"
Every head turned toward the voice.
A man stood among the assembled applicants.
He was somewhat taller than those around him, with broad shoulders and a powerful build that immediately marked him as a martial artist.
Straight eyebrows and a sharply defined jaw gave him a stern, imposing appearance.
Even at a glance, it was clear that he was no ordinary individual.
The moment Zhuge Lin recognized him, irritation spread across her face.
"Do you have a problem? Actually, forget that. What exactly do you intend to do about it if you do?"
Zhuge Lin was hardly the gentlest woman in the Martial Alliance.
But even she was not normally quite so confrontational.
Unfortunately, the instant she saw that infuriating face, her temper had flared.
The Nangong family.
Like the Zhuge family, it was one of the Five Great Families.
And the man standing before her was the Nangong family's eldest son, a rising talent who had already earned the nickname Sword Dragon.
Nangong Jin.
As the eldest son and daughter of two of the Five Great Families, Nangong Jin and Zhuge Lin had encountered each other frequently since childhood.
True to the reputation of the Nangong bloodline, he was extraordinarily arrogant.
What made him even more irritating was that he possessed the martial skill to justify that arrogance.
"You're awfully touchy."
Nangong Jin gave a mocking smile.
Zhuge Lin struggled to suppress the anger boiling inside her.
Although they were the same age, Nangong Jin had only recently taken his first steps into the martial world.
By that time, Zhuge Lin had already become a deputy commander of the Martial Alliance.
But that was simply how the Nangong family operated.
Their obsession with perfection was legendary.
They would not permit a young martial artist of their bloodline to venture into the world until that individual had been trained and polished to the point where, by the family's own exacting standards, not a single flaw remained.
Apparently, personality isn't included in those standards.
Zhuge Lin shook her head.
In any case, the Nangong family was full of insufferable people.
Getting involved with them was exhausting.
For that reason, she decided to ignore him and leave.
But Nangong Jin was not finished.
"What complaint could I possibly have against the Deputy Commander? No, the people who wasted everyone else's valuable time should apologize to us personally."
His gaze shifted toward the two newest members of the Black Tortoise Unit.
In particular, his eyes burned fiercely as they settled on Cheon Woojin.
It was the look of a man confronting someone he regarded as his lifelong rival.
Cheon Woojin met his gaze.
Then he smiled faintly.
The sight made Nangong Jin's eyebrows draw together sharply, forming an inverted V.
"What's so funny?"