Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Namgung Geom did not hide the fact that his mastery had risen.

The stronger he became, the more confidence it would give his fellow cadets.

Namgung Chang stared at him in disbelief.

Mastery was not something one could raise at will.

"Did you take some kind of elixir?"

"An elixir? I wish. I'd love to have tried one."

"Then how can you raise your mastery so easily?"

Namgung Chang asked, unable to make sense of it.

"Would it help if I said it was a reward from curing the Nine Yang Severed Meridians?"

"Then is your absurd rate of growth for the same reason?"

Namgung Geom answered with a shrug instead of words.

Namgung Chang furrowed his brow, then brought up what Namgung Geom had mentioned earlier.

"You said something about leading a new sword company. What did you mean? Did the leadership approve it?"

"That's something best heard together with the others."

Namgung Geom gathered all of his peers and laid out the conditions for the sword company's creation.

"We're going to spar against the Three Great Sword Corps?"

Namgung Cheol-ung asked in surprise.

"What, no confidence?"

"Of course I'm confident. But they are the Three Great Sword Corps, after all. Can't help but worry."

"Don't worry. Your skill is on par with the Three Great Sword Corps' squad leaders."

"Do we know which sword company we'll be sparring against?"

Namgung Cheon-sang asked.

There were differences in ability even among the Three Great Sword Corps.

And within a single corps, there were gaps between sword companies as well.

Facing a relatively weaker company would be advantageous.

"We'll be sparring against the Third Sword Company of the Celestial Wind Sword Corps."

Namgung Cheon-sang's expression brightened.

The Celestial Wind Sword Corps was considered the weakest of the Three Great Sword Corps.

And the Third Sword Company, excluding the Fourth Sword Company which was essentially a reserve unit, was the weakest in the Celestial Wind Sword Corps.

Their chances of winning were far higher than against any other company.

That said, underestimating the Celestial Wind Sword Corps' Third Sword Company would be a mistake.

They might fall short compared to other corps or companies, but they were still elite members of the Namgung Family.

They were not an opponent to be taken lightly.

"So who's going to fight in the sparring match?"

Namgung Chang asked.

"Myself, the three squad leaders, and Namgung Seol."

Apart from the three squad leaders, Namgung Seol was the most skilled among the cadets.

"I'm not sure I'll be much help."

Namgung Seol said, sounding uncertain.

She had recently reached the first-rate level.

But she was still at its threshold, and taking on the Third Sword Company's squad leaders would be a stretch.

"Don't feel pressured. Just show what you've got."

There was no need to win every match.

Three victories out of five would suffice.

"Assuming you win yours, that means at least two of us have to win no matter what."

At Namgung Cheol-ung's words, Namgung Geom smiled.

"Wouldn't it be better if all four of you won?"

"That'd be great, but things don't always go the way you want."

Namgung Cheol-ung spoke as if a clean sweep by all four was unlikely.

"That's why I'm planning intensive training leading up to the match."

"Intensive training?"

"Until the sparring match, I'll spar against you using the Celestial Wind Sword Art."

The Celestial Wind Sword Corps' primary martial art was the Celestial Wind Sword Art.

Namgung Geom intended to familiarize them with the Celestial Wind Sword Art through sparring, and beyond that, teach them how to counter it.

Above all, Namgung Geom's mastery was above that of the Third Sword Company's squad leaders.

His understanding of the Celestial Wind Sword Art was also deeper.

After sparring against Namgung Geom's Celestial Wind Sword Art, facing the Third Sword Company's squad leaders would feel far more manageable.

The three squad leaders and Namgung Seol immediately grasped Namgung Geom's intent.

The sparring match against the Celestial Wind Sword Corps' Third Sword Company was in two weeks.

From that day, Namgung Geom began intensive training with his four peers.

And two weeks passed.

***

The Celestial Wind Sword Corps' training grounds.

Preparations were underway for the sparring match between the Azure Dragon Pavilion graduates and the Third Sword Company, to determine whether the graduates qualified to form a sword company.

Seated at the Celestial Wind Sword Corps' training grounds were the Hall Masters of the Three Halls, as well as the Corps Masters and Captains of the Three Great Sword Corps.

The Corps Masters and Captains found it laughable that Azure Dragon Pavilion cadets dared challenge them.

They were certain the Celestial Wind Sword Corps' Third Sword Company would prevail.

They were aware that this cohort of Azure Dragon Pavilion cadets boasted many exceptional talents.

But the cadets were still young.

They had spent little time studying martial arts and had no real combat experience.

By contrast, the Captains and squad leaders of the Three Great Sword Corps had trained for at least ten years more and had far greater combat experience.

A few years down the line, perhaps—but right now, the Azure Dragon Pavilion cadets defeating the Three Great Sword Corps was impossible.

The Hall Masters of the Three Halls shared the same view.

There was a reason they had accepted Namgung Geom's conditions.

The first bout unfolded as they had expected.

Namgung Seol of the Azure Dragon Pavilion fought valiantly but was defeated by the Third Sword Company's Fourth Squad Leader.

Namgung Seol returned with a frustrated expression.

"I'm sorry. So much for all that intensive training."

"No. You did well."

Namgung Geom gave her shoulder a reassuring pat.

The Third Sword Company's Fourth Squad Leader was at the lower first-rate level.

For Namgung Seol, who had just entered the first-rate level, he was a difficult opponent to overcome.

Even so, she had displayed her full ability and fought for more than a hundred exchanges.

That alone was impressive.

Then the second bout began.

The second match pitted Namgung Cheon-sang against Namgung Sang-hyeok, the Third Sword Company's Third Squad Leader.

Namgung Sang-hyeok pressed Namgung Cheon-sang from the outset.

The cascade of sword wind from Namgung Sang-hyeok's blade was relentless.

Evading the unceasing barrage of sword wind seemed no easy task.

But Namgung Cheon-sang's eyes saw the gaps.

Compared to Namgung Geom's sword wind, Namgung Sang-hyeok's was riddled with openings.

Namgung Cheon-sang exploited those openings.

The overwhelming sword force from his blade drove into the gaps in the sword wind.

His sword force severed the cascade of sword wind.

Namgung Sang-hyeok, startled, launched another cascade.

But once again, Namgung Cheon-sang drove into the gaps and broke the chain.

Namgung Sang-hyeok's attacks were disrupted before they could even fully form.

And Namgung Cheon-sang's sword gradually seized control of the space, pressing Namgung Sang-hyeok back.

Namgung Sang-hyeok was busy being pushed by Namgung Cheon-sang's sword force.

Namgung Cheon-sang's Azure Sky Sword Art had reached a considerable level.

The Azure Sky Sword Art was a sword art where intent mattered more than the shape of the forms.

That was precisely why it was harder to learn than other sword arts.

But once one grasped sword intent, it could unleash power far exceeding that of other arts.

In terms of pure mastery alone, Namgung Sang-hyeok outranked Namgung Cheon-sang.

But Namgung Cheon-sang leveraged the inherent power of his sword art to push him back.

The intensive training with Namgung Geom had played no small part.

Through that training, he had gained the ability to see through the forms of the Celestial Wind Sword Art.

Once Namgung Cheon-sang seized the momentum, he did not let up.

In the end, Namgung Sang-hyeok found himself trapped by Namgung Cheon-sang's sword force and conceded defeat.

Everyone was stunned by Namgung Cheon-sang's victory.

The Corps Masters and Captains of the Three Great Sword Corps stiffened at the unexpected loss.

But this bout was merely an upset.

They remained confident the Third Sword Company would prevail overall.

And then came the third bout.

Namgung Cheol-ung's opponent was Namgung Seok-hyeon, the Third Sword Company's Second Squad Leader.

Namgung Cheol-ung charged in aggressively from the start.

His greatsword, loaded with prodigious strength, tore through the air and drove at Namgung Seok-hyeon.

The lightning speed and thunderous destructive power of Namgung Cheol-ung's strikes were not something even a pinnacle-level master could take lightly.

Sensing the force behind Namgung Cheol-ung's blade, Namgung Seok-hyeon avoided a head-on clash.

He mixed the Limitless Steps with the Celestial Wind Movement Art to evade Namgung Cheol-ung's attacks.

Namgung Cheol-ung's attacks were blindingly fast for someone wielding a greatsword.

But his movements were too large.

Namgung Seok-hyeon anticipated Namgung Cheol-ung's movements and dodged preemptively.

No matter how powerful an attack, if it could not hit its target, it was useless.

Moreover, Namgung Cheol-ung's sword art was powerful but exhausting; the stronger the strikes, the faster he tired.

Namgung Cheol-ung grew impatient, and the more impatient he became, the larger his movements grew.

Namgung Seok-hyeon, who had been patiently evading, saw his chance.

Wider movements meant wider openings, and Namgung Seok-hyeon did not miss them.

His sword drove into Namgung Cheol-ung's opening and unleashed a barrage of sword wind.

Namgung Cheol-ung yanked his greatsword back to mount a hasty defense.

CRASH—!

He barely fended off the sword wind, but Namgung Seok-hyeon had already circled to his flank and launched another.

BOOM—!

Caught in the sword wind, Namgung Cheol-ung was pushed sliding backward.

Namgung Seok-hyeon pressed the advantage, firing sword wind after sword wind.

Namgung Cheol-ung fended them off desperately.

But he could not fully block the cascade, and a clean strike landed on his chest.

His massive frame was sent tumbling across the ground by the sword wind.

Fortunately, Namgung Seok-hyeon had pulled his blade at the last moment, sparing him serious injury.

But there was no preventing the defeat.

Namgung Cheol-ung returned with his head hung low.

"Sorry."

Namgung Geom shook his head.

"It's fine. We just need to win the remaining two bouts."

The wins and losses had already been decided.

Blaming Namgung Cheol-ung would not change the result.

Above all, Namgung Cheol-ung had given his best.

One could not fault him for losing because his skill fell short.

"Can Namgung Chang really win?"

He was not worried about Namgung Geom's match.

But Namgung Chang was a concern.

Namgung Chang's opponent was the First Squad Leader.

Stronger than the Second Squad Leader that Namgung Cheol-ung had faced.

Namgung Cheol-ung was not confident Namgung Chang could beat the First Squad Leader.

"We'll have to trust the results of the training."

Namgung Geom said with an easy expression.

And then came the fourth bout.

Namgung Chang stepped onto the sparring stage.

He looked toward his father, Namgung Byeok, seated in the observation area.

The day before, Namgung Byeok had called Namgung Chang aside.

And told him that the creation of a new sword company must not be allowed.

He had not said so outright, but the implication was clear: do not win the sparring match.

For the sake of his father, he should prevent Namgung Geom from gaining a sword company.

But as a martial artist, Namgung Chang had always wanted to hold his head high.

Losing because his skill was lacking was something he could accept.

But losing deliberately for some ulterior purpose was an abandonment of a martial artist's pride.

No matter that it was for his own father.

Namgung Chang wore a resolute expression.

'I'm not fighting for anyone else. I'm fighting for myself.'