Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The Azure Dragon Pavilion's training grounds.

The squad leaders of the three groups charged at Namgung Geom.

The swords of three squad leaders came pouring in from three directions.

Following Namgung Cheol-ung's lightning-fast strike, Namgung Chang's endlessly shifting sword wind and Namgung Cheon-sang's overwhelming sword force seized the space around them.

Each of the three attacks was formidable in its own right.

They had even blocked the spaces Namgung Geom could use to dodge in advance.

But in Namgung Geom's eyes, there were still plenty of openings.

Namgung Geom slipped his body into a gap they had failed to cover.

His body glided through and slipped free of their combined assault.

The three immediately pursued and attacked again.

Namgung Geom evaded their attack once more with his footwork and offered a remark.

"Even the most powerful attack is useless if it can't land."

The three squad leaders gave their all to land a strike on Namgung Geom.

Their swords grew more powerful and more precise by the moment.

Yet they still could not so much as nick the hem of Namgung Geom's robe.

Namgung Geom found the openings as if by instinct.

And glided into them.

In that instant, Namgung Cheol-ung's eyes flashed.

He had deliberately left an opening to lure Namgung Geom into it.

And the moment Namgung Geom moved toward the gap, he struck without mercy.

His greatsword split the air like a thunderbolt and drove toward Namgung Geom's waist.

Namgung Geom extended his sword lightly, and the space froze solid, pinning Namgung Cheol-ung's greatsword down.

CRASH—!

Namgung Cheol-ung's greatsword was driven into the ground.

"Ngh."

Namgung Cheol-ung groaned.

The force was one thing, but the cold flowing through the greatsword made it feel as though his entire arm was freezing.

He hastily drew up his inner arts and pushed the cold away.

At that moment, a razor-sharp sword wind shot toward Namgung Geom from the front.

A sword wind spiraling like a whirlwind pierced through the space and drove into Namgung Geom.

That was not all.

Behind Namgung Geom, Namgung Cheon-sang's overwhelming sword force unfurled.

Namgung Cheon-sang's single stroke, laden with the presence of the azure sky, carried a force that bore down on the very space around it.

The combined assault of the two was exquisite, cutting off every avenue of escape for Namgung Geom.

'Not bad.'

Namgung Geom smiled inwardly at the three's combined assault.

While he dealt with Namgung Cheol-ung's sword, Namgung Chang and Namgung Cheon-sang would seize the surrounding space and box him in.

Simple, but remarkably effective.

With no space to dodge, he had no choice but to block both attacks.

Fending off simultaneous attacks from the front and rear was no easy task.

Yet Namgung Geom's expression remained utterly relaxed.

His sword swept toward the rear.

CRACK—!

The extreme cold that erupted from his blade seized the space behind him and repelled Namgung Cheon-sang's sword force.

Unable to withstand the freezing sword pressure from Namgung Geom's blade, Namgung Cheon-sang was driven back.

At the same time, Namgung Geom's sword wheeled forward and unleashed a glacial sword wind.

CRACK—!

CRASH—!

Namgung Chang's sword wind froze on contact with the glacial sword wind and shattered apart.

"Ngh."

The impact forced a groan from Namgung Chang as he was pushed back.

"Everyone, attack at once!"

Namgung Chang gritted his teeth and shouted.

Namgung Cheon-sang and Namgung Cheol-ung immediately rushed Namgung Geom.

Namgung Chang steadied himself and thrust his sword at Namgung Geom as well.

The combined attacks of all three crashed toward Namgung Geom.

Namgung Geom could easily have dodged.

But instead of dodging, he moved his sword.

Space rippled in the wake of his blade, and the surrounding air froze solid.

Then a sword wind carrying biting cold swept in every direction.

CRASH—!

The glacial sword wind from Namgung Geom's blade shattered the three attacks as if they were nothing.

The ensuing shockwave sent the three squad leaders flying back with groans.

Namgung Geom's assault did not end there.

A volley of lightning-fast strikes poured from his sword, attacking all three simultaneously.

CRASH—!

The three squad leaders scrambled to block the lightning strikes.

"Ngh."

The cold carried within each strike invaded their insides.

The three squad leaders swallowed their groans and fell back.

Their faces were pale with dismay.

Over the past five years, they had worked relentlessly to catch up to Namgung Geom.

As a result, they had grown incomparably stronger than five years ago.

All three had, in fact, reached the first-rate level.

A remarkable achievement, considering they had just turned twenty.

But compared to Namgung Geom's achievements, it was like blood drawn from a sparrow's foot.

As they had just witnessed, even their combined assault as first-rate masters had been overwhelmed one-sidedly.

And Namgung Geom had not even been fighting at full strength.

One could only imagine the gap between them.

They felt Namgung Geom's strength anew.

"What is this? Instead of closing the gap, it just keeps widening."

Namgung Cheol-ung sheathed his greatsword and sighed.

Over the past five years, his frame had grown even more massive.

Drape him in a bearskin and one would believe he was an actual bear.

"To lead a bunch of proud bastards, I've got to show at least this much skill."

Namgung Geom said with a smirk.

He, too, had changed beyond recognition.

A towering frame standing six feet, built solid with muscle.

The frail figure of his earlier days was nowhere to be found.

His once soft, boyish face had transformed into the rugged countenance of a man.

"That's right. If we're going to trust and follow you, you need at least that level of skill."

Namgung Cheon-sang nodded.

The beautiful youth he had once been still wore a face as fair as a woman's.

"If it weren't for that damn ice arts of yours, the result would've been different."

Namgung Chang said, as if aggrieved.

He, too, had matured into a full-grown man over the past five years.

"You wouldn't blame an opponent's martial arts in an actual fight, would you?"

At Namgung Geom's words, Namgung Chang jutted out his lower lip.

He did not like it, but he could not deny Namgung Geom's point.

Namgung Geom smirked at the sight.

Compared to how Namgung Chang had butted heads with him at every turn in the beginning, this was downright endearing.

"I have something important to tell all of you today."

Namgung Geom straightened his expression and spoke.

"What is it that you're setting such a serious mood for?"

Namgung Cheol-ung asked.

"It concerns your future assignments."

"Our future assignments?"

"You all know that the Azure Dragon Pavilion's training ends in one month?"

"Of course we do."

"Normally, after the completion ceremony, you would join one of the Three Great Sword Corps."

"The way you're putting it, it sounds like you have something else in mind."

At Namgung Cheon-sang's words, Namgung Geom nodded.

"Separate from the Three Great Sword Corps, I intend to create an independent unit and make you its members."

Namgung Geom spoke while looking at the three squad leaders and the fellow cadets gathered behind them.

"Create a separate unit?"

Namgung Chang's eyes went wide at the unexpected proposal.

The others were equally surprised.

"That's right. We'll start at the company level, but I plan to grow it into a full corps by expanding our numbers."

"Did you get permission from above before saying this?"

Namgung Chang asked.

Creating a new unit was not something Namgung Geom could do simply because he wanted to.

It required approval from the leadership.

"Not yet. Getting your opinions first is the priority."

He could, in truth, proceed without his peers' consent.

If orders came from above, they would have to follow whether they liked it or not.

But Namgung Geom wanted his peers to follow him not out of obligation, but out of genuine conviction.

"I'm in. Without question."

Namgung Cheol-ung answered without a moment's hesitation.

He had already been following Namgung Geom in his heart.

It had weighed on him that joining the Three Great Sword Corps would mean parting from Namgung Geom. If he could stay at Namgung Geom's side, he would follow him anywhere.

"If the leadership approves, I'll join as well."

Namgung Cheon-sang's answer was, in effect, a yes.

"I'm in too."

Following Namgung Seol, the other cadets also agreed to join Namgung Geom's cause.

Namgung Geom smiled.

Giving up the Three Great Sword Corps to stand with Namgung Geom was not an easy decision.

His fellow cadets from the Azure Dragon Pavilion were no longer naive children.

They knew full well that Namgung Geom had his sights set on the Young Lord's seat, and understood what it meant to stand with him.

Joining Namgung Geom's unit meant pledging support for him as Young Lord and tying their fate to his.

Namgung Geom was moved that his peers had chosen him.

Over the past five years, he had given his peers his all.

Now it felt as though those efforts were bearing fruit.

But there was still one person who had not decided.

Namgung Chang.

Namgung Geom's gaze turned to him.

He could read the conflict in Namgung Chang's eyes.

'So the past five years weren't for nothing after all.'

Namgung Chang was the second uncle's son.

From his perspective, choosing Namgung Geom—who might one day compete with his father for the Young Lord's seat—was tantamount to betraying his father.

Five years ago, he would have refused without a second thought.

The mere fact that he was agonizing over it was remarkable in itself.

It meant that Namgung Geom had grown that large in his heart.

"Whatever decision you make, I'll respect it. So decide with a clear mind."

Namgung Chang looked at Namgung Geom.

Setting everything else aside, Namgung Geom's mastery and martial prowess were extraordinary.

At the mere age of twenty, he had already reached the mid-pinnacle level.

What was truly astonishing was that he had only begun formally cultivating martial arts five years ago.

To reach the pinnacle level in just five years was something virtually unheard of in the history of the murim.

At his current rate of growth, reaching the absolute realm before the age of thirty was not out of the question.

The conviction that Namgung Geom should become Young Lord for the sake of the Namgung Family's future grew ever firmer.

If not for his own father, he too would have followed Namgung Geom without hesitation.

But choosing Namgung Geom over his own father was not a simple decision.

"I'd like some time to think."

"Take your time. It can't happen until the leadership gives the green light anyway."

Namgung Geom did not press for an answer.

Having secured the agreement of all his peers except Namgung Chang, Namgung Geom headed straight for the Family Head's hall.

"Welcome."

Namgung Pae greeted Namgung Geom warmly.

Namgung Pae had aged further, but still looked as vigorous as ever.

"I've come today because I have a request for the Family Head."

"Let us hear it."

Namgung Pae asked lightly.

But his expression changed when he heard Namgung Geom's request.

"I wish to create a new unit, with my fellow cadets from the Azure Dragon Pavilion as its members."