Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Dragon-Tiger Tablet Holder Dokgo Jin.

His name was once again heating up the Northern Heaven Alliance’s training grounds and dining halls.

“Have you heard? The rumor that Dokgo Jin had a private audience with Grand Elder Yong of the Council of Elders.”

“What? A private audience with the Grand Elder?”

“Even if he is the holder of the Dragon-Tiger Tablet, in the end, he is still only a single member of the Iron Soul Unit. Is that not excessively extraordinary treatment?”

The martial artists gathered in small groups and murmured among themselves.

The fact that Dokgo Jin had rescued Grand Elder Yong’s granddaughter, Yong Chae-rin, was confidential, so to the ordinary unit members who did not know the circumstances, Dokgo Jin’s actions could only seem strange.

“He is no ordinary man, that much is true. From the moment he entered the Alliance, he was a talent coveted by several Northern Heaven Flags. On top of that, I hear the Vermilion Bird Flag side has recently shown great interest in him as well.”

“Huh, even the Vermilion Bird Flag? He really must be something special.”

“At this rate, will he not be recruited into a higher division instead of the Iron Soul Unit?”

“Come on, do you not know that once someone belongs to a unit, they cannot be taken away carelessly?”

“Well, who knows? If the Flag Masters come to an agreement…….”

The reactions of the Northern Heaven Alliance’s martial artists went beyond simple curiosity. They held a mixture of envy and awe.

In truth, the title of ‘Dragon-Tiger Tablet Holder’ was closer to symbolic honor. However, a private audience with Grand Elder Yong, one of the Alliance’s real powers, was an entirely different matter.

That was because it was concrete proof that Dokgo Jin had begun to step into the center of power, beyond simply being a promising newcomer.

And that fact drew the attention of another person.

***

The Iron Soul Unit dining hall was as noisy as ever.

It was dinnertime, with the rough air filled with mingled smells of sweat and food, the scrape of tableware, and crude jokes flying back and forth.

Dokgo Jin was eating alone again today in a corner seat.

Originally, meals in the Iron Soul Unit were usually eaten with one’s squad members. However, because of the recent mission, that had become difficult.

Five people were receiving treatment in the infirmary, and the rest were also in poor condition, so they were staying shut inside their rooms.

Thanks to that, Dokgo Jin had to eat alone, but since he could eat quietly, he was actually satisfied.

Then, someone sat down across from Dokgo Jin like a shadow settling into place.

“Pardon me.”

It was a gentle voice, yet it carried a strange power.

When Dokgo Jin raised his head, a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties had naturally taken a seat across from him.

“…….”

Dokgo Jin stopped eating and observed the other party.

He wore blue silk clothes that carried an air of nobility, sharply different from the unit members who reeked of sweat and grease.

He had skin as fair as white jade, a high, straight nose, and a relaxed smile on his lips, but only his eyes were still, like a deep lake.

Dokgo Jin’s eyes narrowed.

‘Who is he?’

His refined presence was anything but ordinary.

‘At the very least, he is Captain-level. No, is he a master beyond that?’

Even within the Northern Heaven Alliance, where masters were said to be as numerous as clouds, there were very few people of that age who possessed such martial power.

The man paid no mind to Dokgo Jin’s searching gaze. He picked up the kettle on the table and poured water into Dokgo Jin’s empty cup.

“I apologize for interrupting your meal. I was so curious that I simply could not endure it.”

Pour.

The sound of the falling water seemed unusually heavy and dull.

This was not simply the act of pouring water. The stream falling from the kettle’s spout carried inner arts as heavy as a boulder.

If an ordinary martial artist held the cup, his wrist would have bent the moment he touched it, or the cup would have burst apart, unable to withstand the water pressure.

From this single move alone, one could guess just how exceptional a master the man was.

“A cup of water during a meal is quite helpful for digestion. Will you drink it?”

“…….”

Instead of answering, Dokgo Jin naturally reached out and took the cup.

Tap.

The moment the cup and his hand touched, a faint vibration arose.

The cup trembled lightly, as if resisting, but that was all.

The rippling surface of the water became as still as a mirror, and it froze in place without spilling a single drop.

Then, when Dokgo Jin brought the cup to his lips, the man’s domineering energy contained within the water disappeared as if snow had melted.

“Oh.”

The man’s eyes narrowed. He let out a short sound of admiration and nodded.

“Indeed. The rumors were not exaggerated.”

“…….”

“I apologize for testing you so suddenly. The things a young friend like you accomplished were not easy to believe, so without realizing it, I…… ha ha ha!”

The man’s clear laughter had a strange charm that made even the listener feel good.

By this point, Dokgo Jin could also guess the man’s identity to some extent. However, he pretended not to know and asked indifferently,

“Who are you?”

“My introduction was late. I am Sagong Un, Hall Master of Cloud Sea Hall.”

Within the Northern Heaven Alliance, there were the ‘Three Hidden Halls,’ which held an extremely unique position.

They possessed such high authority that even the Flag Masters of the Five Flags of Northern Heaven respected the Hall Masters of the Three Hidden Halls and addressed them politely, yet in truth, each had only around twenty subordinates and almost no real power in the Northern Heaven Alliance.

Even so, everyone wished to belong to the Three Hidden Halls. That was only natural, because the three Hall Masters of the Three Hidden Halls were disciples of the Northern Heaven Alliance Leader.

Cloud Sea Hall Master Sagong Un was the Alliance Leader’s third disciple.

Dokgo Jin tried to rise from his seat and perform a clasped-hands greeting.

“I greet the Hall Master.”

Startled, Sagong Un waved his hands and stopped Dokgo Jin.

“My goodness! What need is there for etiquette during a meal? Sit down. I said sit.”

“Then.”

Dokgo Jin sat down again.

“Ahem.”

Sagong Un cleared his throat and glanced around.

A few unit members inside the dining hall glanced this way after hearing the words ‘Hall Master,’ but no one stopped eating or ran over to make themselves known.

Sagong Un smiled faintly.

“As expected, the Iron Soul Unit is different. In the entire main Alliance, the Iron Soul Unit is probably the only place that would react like this even after learning my identity.”

As he said, in another unit, everyone would have stopped what they were doing, run over, and tried to leave an impression.

But the Iron Soul Unit was different.

They acknowledged only their direct superiors, or the ‘strength’ they could entrust their backs to on the battlefield.

Even if a Hall Master was a candidate to become the next Alliance Leader, he was not the captain responsible for their lives, so they saw no reason to abandon their meal and run over to flatter him.

‘This is why I like the Iron Soul Unit.’

Grinning broadly, Sagong Un turned his gaze back to Dokgo Jin and shook his head.

That was because Dokgo Jin had resumed eating with him sitting right there.

‘……Huh. This friend really is an Iron Soul Unit member.’

Even though Dokgo Jin must have felt his gaze, he calmly continued eating.

“…….”

For whatever reason, Sagong Un also silently propped up his chin and watched Dokgo Jin with interest.

Once Dokgo Jin finished his meal, Sagong Un opened his mouth.

“Ha ha ha, you have impressive nerve. Were you not curious why I came to see you?”

“If you had something to say, you would have said it long ago. Since you had no particular words, I simply continued what I was doing.”

“You are right. Originally, I meant to come when your meal was about over, but when I saw you, I found it hard to wait.”

“…….”

“Now that your meal is finished, would you step outside and take a walk with me?”

Dokgo Jin followed Sagong Un out of Iron Heart Hall.

As soon as Sagong Un came outside, two figures followed like ghosts.

‘Are they guards from Cloud Sea Hall?’

Their bearing and movements were no less than the White Fang Corps. No, he should consider them even greater.

Sagong Un said with an awkward expression,

“I wanted to take a walk with just the two of us…… I apologize. No matter how much I tell them, they follow me around. I ask for your understanding.”

“It is fine.”

The area around Iron Heart Hall was a rocky zone, and training grounds were scattered everywhere, so there was not exactly any path suitable for a walk.

Thanks to that, Sagong Un and Dokgo Jin had no choice but to walk along the edges of the training grounds as their path.

“As expected, the White Tiger Camp is desolate. For a walk, the Blue Dragon Camp has the finest elegance. If you ever wish to transfer units, tell me. I have at least that much influence.”

“I am satisfied with the Iron Soul Unit.”

“Ha ha, of course you are. That is why you rejected all those good conditions and came here. But experiencing it in reality is different, is it not? Have you never once regretted choosing the Iron Soul Unit?”

“Never.”

At Dokgo Jin’s firm answer, Sagong Un slowly nodded.

“I see. I understand your will.”

“…….”

“Can you guess why I came to see you personally?”

That was not very difficult to guess.

“I think you are trying to draw me under your command.”

Sagong Un scratched the back of his head with an awkward expression.

“Was it that obvious?”

“It is not easy to think of another reason.”

“You are right. I wanted you so much that I came to see you in person.”

Sagong Un stopped walking and turned to Dokgo Jin.

“But do not misunderstand. Even if you agree, it is not as if you can enter my command immediately.”

As mentioned earlier, the Hall Masters of the Three Hidden Halls had no authority. They could not even choose their own subordinates.

All sixty martial artists belonging to the Three Hidden Halls were randomly assigned by the Council of Elders, and except for two or three of their closest aides, even those people were replaced after a certain period.

“I know that. And yet you came to see me…… because this is an investment in the future?”

At Dokgo Jin’s words, Sagong Un gave a faint smile.

“That is right.”

Of the Northern Heaven Alliance’s leadership, eighty percent supported one of the three Hall Masters, and the one with the lowest support rate was the Cloud Sea Hall Master.

“Since those who support me are rather lacking, I am trying to recruit a promising talent early like this.”

The first disciple, the ‘Limitless Hall Master,’ was a genius among geniuses whom the Northern Heaven Alliance Leader, whose standards were extremely high, had fallen for at first sight and taken as a disciple.

The second disciple, the ‘Great Harmony Hall Master,’ was the Northern Heaven Alliance Leader’s blood relative, so nothing more needed to be said. Blood ran thick, and he possessed martial arts that could be compared to the Limitless Hall Master’s.

And then there was the final disciple, the Cloud Sea Hall Master.

He was evaluated as having inferior talent compared to the first and second disciples.

In such circumstances, the Cloud Sea Hall Master’s faction was still considerable compared to his presence.

That was thanks to Sagong Un’s background as the grandson of Sagong Cheok, the greatest scholar of the age, and the maternal grandson of the Master of the Myriad Power Merchant Guild, the richest man under heaven, as well as Sagong Un’s personal reputation.

However, in the Northern Heaven Alliance, which pursued the path of supremacy, martial arts were far too important. Therefore, the general opinion was that the next Alliance Leader would be either the Limitless Hall Master or the Great Harmony Hall Master.

However.

Unexpectedly, Sagong Un had confidence in himself.

“Support me, Dragon-Tiger Tablet Holder. Then later, when I become the Alliance Leader, you will sit in an important post as one of my closest aides.”

Dokgo Jin asked,

“Are you confident that you can surpass the Limitless Hall Master and the Great Harmony Hall Master?”

“Of course.”

“I heard there is a great difference between your martial might and theirs, Cloud Sea Hall Master.”

It was a remark that pointed out his weakness, but Sagong Un replied calmly.

“I acknowledge that. Even if I work hard for my entire life, I probably will not catch up to my two senior brothers’ martial arts.”

“……?”

“Did you perhaps ask whether I was confident I could win against those monsters? Of course not.”

Sagong Un grinned broadly.

“But I will become the Alliance Leader.”