The Heaven-Slaying Sword

The inauguration ceremony ended with an unexpected encounter.

Two days later, a serious atmosphere hung over the first training ground of the Dragon Phoenix Squad.

“Let me introduce myself again. I’m Kang So-so, and I will be in charge of your training from today.”

Yeom So-so greeted them with a gentle smile. Mok Riwon responded with his charming smile.

He was recalling the events from two days ago.

—For now, you don’t need to tell Baekwoon. It’s better that way. He needs to be able to look at you without prejudice to make a proper judgment when your identity is revealed.

Yeom So-so’s words had become a guidepost for the lost Mok Riwon. As such, his gaze towards her was filled with inevitable gratitude.

Tang Hwa-seo tilted her head but soon dismissed the attitude as nothing unusual.

After all, wasn’t being a master of the previous generation who stood at the forefront of the Bloodied History enough of an achievement to warrant respect in Mok Riwon’s eyes?

“Now then, as you’ve heard, I’ll be teaching you the basics of covert operations. Would each of you like to share what you think is most important in such operations?”

Tang Hwa-seo was the first to speak in response to Yeom So-so’s question. Her tone was logical.

“Creating a false identity, appearance, and backstory for why we’ve come to the area of operation.”

“Excellent. What about the others?”

“I think it’s important to befriend the locals in the area of operation.”

It was Zhuge San who spoke. His face bore his characteristic weasel-like smile.

“Rumors circulating among the locals can be quite good sources of information.”

The martial world called him Strange Dragon.

As someone who often moved in disguise, Zhuge San was pinpointing a key aspect of covert operations.

Yeom So-so smiled with satisfaction.

“Indeed, you’re quite sharp. As expected of that Zhuge fellow’s son.”

“You flatter me.”

“Well then, who would like to speak next?”

Suddenly, everything fell silent.

It was a silence that arose as the remaining four members looked at each other hesitantly.

Yeom So-so made a confused expression, and a sigh escaped from Tang Hwa-seo’s lips.

In the midst of this, Namgung Jincheon spoke up confidently, shoulders squared.

“Eliminating all witnesses.”

“Don’t you think making sure there are no witnesses is what covert operations are about?”

“...”

He sank immediately.

Yeom So-so laughed heartily.

“You’re the spitting image of your grandfather.”

Is that an insult or a compliment?

Namgung Jincheon fell into deep contemplation about this.

Meanwhile, Il-woon spoke up.

“Umm, I think it’s best to hide one’s martial prowess. Lure the enemy in by making them lower their guard, then capture and interrogate them...”

“The method itself is plausible. But are you really a monk?”

“...”

Il-woon sank.

At this, Hyeun giggled, and Yeom So-so looked at her.

Hyeun shrugged and said.

“Why not seduce them? Men always become chatterboxes in bed, don’t they?”

Many words came to Yeom So-so’s mind, but she couldn’t utter any of them.

What she chose was to look away.

“…Well then, what does our Ink Dragon think?”

A warmth that wasn’t there before appeared on her face.

Filled with confidence by this, Mok Riwon confidently exclaimed.

“We should wear bamboo hats and cloaks! Black is even better! Oh! And when smiling, we should only lift the corners of our mouths! That way we look more imposing!”

Of course, his words were far from the norm. Mok Riwon gave an answer thoroughly based on Tales of the Martial Heroes.

Tang Hwa-seo covered her bright red face with her hands.

“…I’m sorry.”

She wasn’t sure what she was apologizing for, but Tang Hwa-seo was sorry nonetheless. And embarrassed.

Yeom So-so smiled gently.

“Everyone, get down and give me push-ups.”

Yeom So-so thought.

The mission assignment will come within a month at the latest.

There’s nothing better than a rod to educate them quickly.

Yeom So-so’s training had brutal aspects.

Tang Hwa-seo and Zhuge San, who already had some basics, were exempted, but the remaining four members had to receive their education in life-threatening situations.

It was mostly role-playing.

Yeom So-so pretended to be an old village woman and conversed with the members, shooting blunt daggers at them when they acted inappropriately for the situation.

These weren’t just daggers meant to scare them.

Mok Riwon and Namgung Jincheon, who gave the most wrong answers, were covered in bruises and swollen all over.

Yeom So-so marveled.

“...It might just be better if you two kept your mouths shut.”

Even though their intellect seemed so outstanding, how could their actions be so equally stupid?

No, to say they were equal would be inaccurate.

Mok Riwon always failed in conversation. He would excitedly blurt out his entire purpose.

Namgung Jincheon failed in situations where he needed to humor others. He didn’t know how to bow down.

“I can understand Ink Dragon, but why are you like this, Sword Dragon? Surely you received etiquette education from a young age?”

“The heir of Namgung does not bow to anyone.”

“Right, I forgot. That thundering idiot Namgung Hyuk couldn’t have possibly given proper education.”

“Are you insulting the Patriarch?”

“I’m insulting you, you fool.”

Namgung Jincheon’s eyes widened.

“Why are you glaring like that? What? Do you want to battle to the death?”

Namgung Jincheon lowered his gaze.

I can’t win yet.

Namgung Jincheon knew that one day he would become stronger than this old woman, but he also knew that fighting now would result in certain defeat. He was putting into practice the lesson he learned in the finals of the Dragon Phoenix Tournament.

Never be arrogant, always aim for greater heights.

Namgung Jincheon harbored a desire to pay back this humiliation someday.

He wasn’t one to go easy on someone just because they were elderly.

Yeom So-so let out a deep sigh.

Her attention turned towards Tang Hwa-seo.

Tang Hwa-seo was once again apologizing with her face covered.

“…I’m sorry.”

Of course, even she didn’t know what she was sorry for.

* * *

Three days had passed since the training began. While the members had mostly been moving within the Dragon Phoenix Squad, the time was approaching for them to work as part of the Martial Alliance.

It wasn’t a mission assignment. It was something set much earlier.

“In two days, we have a sparring session with the White Sword Unit.”

It was a friendly competition.

But it wasn’t just a simple match. The friendly sparring was an invisible competition that determined the hierarchy between each squad and unit.

Given the many privileges the Dragon Phoenix Squad enjoyed, if they couldn’t prove their abilities there, their position within the Alliance would become ambiguous. Tang Hwa-seo emphasized this point.

“The number of martial artists coming from the White Sword Unit is six, same as us. Yes, six out of a hundred. This means their elite will be coming.”

The members also had serious expressions.

But at this moment, even Tang Hwa-seo didn’t worry too much.

In terms of martial arts, they’re outstanding.

They would surely achieve excellent results in the matches.

“How will the match-ups be decided?”

Mok Riwon asked.

Tang Hwa-seo shook her head and answered.

“We don’t have that information. In friendly sparring, even the match-up process is part of the competition, so this is also something we need to consider.”

She added one more thing.

“Ah, but the format of the matches has already been decided.”

“Oh! What is it?”

“Consecutive victories.”

At those words, the members’ bodies stirred.

Consecutive victories meant that the winner of a match would continue to the next match. In other words, it was a format that emphasized the importance of the order even more.

As people who had always lived as the main characters, they all had a desire to receive a good position in the match order.

“May I go first?”

Il-woon raised his hand. Going first meant being the first person to step onto the sparring ground.

He wanted to enter the match first and secure as many victories as possible.

But was he the only one with such thoughts?

“Me too! I want to go first too!”

“I should go first.”

“Wouldn’t I be better as the first? I’ll play the role of falling quickly and making the opponents let their guard down!”

Zhuge San had no intention of showing good results in the sparring.

“Hm? Sister, strategically speaking, wouldn’t it be good to use me as a sacrificial pawn and take out one of their cards?”

“…Are you proud of avoiding martial arts matches as a martial artist?”

“The strong hide thirty percent of their strength!”

“Do you even have strength to hide?”

“Nope!”

Zhuge San gave a thumbs up. Tang Hwa-seo let out a deep sigh.

But it wasn’t entirely a headache-inducing expression.

In fact, if you looked at it objectively, Zhuge San’s plan was quite a good strategy.

After all, isn’t it smarter to sacrifice a pawn early on to gain strategic insight, rather than mid-game when your opponent’s hand is already revealed?

It was a tempting idea.

“…Well, I think it’s good to put Zhuge San first. Any objections?”

There were no objections.

Their goal was to secure victories.

As such, having Zhuge San use a strategy to gauge the first opponent was actually a good thing, and consequently, the competition for the next turn became even more intense.

“If I go out, everyone else can rest! I’ll win them all!”

“Benefactor Mok, it’s not good to underestimate your opponents.”

“Th-That’s not what I meant…!”

“No, it is. Both of you, please stay put. I said I’ll go first, didn’t I?”

The atmosphere instantly turned into a marketplace.

Tang Hwa-seo felt a sharp pain in the back of her head as she watched Mok Riwon and Hyeun raising their voices and throwing tantrums, and Il-woon stubbornly presenting his argument as if not to lose out.

Meanwhile, Zhuge San asked Namgung Jincheon who was beside him.

“Aren’t you interested in the order, Brother Namgung?”

“I am last.”

“Hm?

“The strong do not rush out carelessly.”

Namgung Jincheon was watching the three people quarreling with an indifferent expression.

At this, Zhuge San couldn’t help but think.

By that logic, shouldn’t Brother Mok be last?

Of course, he didn’t voice this thought.

As the quarrel intensified and emotions were about to be hurt, Tang Hwa-seo, angry to the tips of her hair, shouted.

“Enough! Enouuugh! We’ll decide the order by drawing lots!”

It was a refreshingly clear resolution of the situation.

Faced with her angry demeanor, the members quietly acquiesced without any objection.

In the subsequent drawing of lots, Mok Riwon’s turn was second to last.

He was a man who was particularly unlucky with drawing lots.

* * *

In the afternoon of the same day.

Mok Riwon was walking through the Alliance with Tang Hwa-seo, his lips pouting.

“…The drawing must have been rigged. It must have been.”

“Are you still saying that?”

“It’s true! How could I, who drew last, get the worst position?! Young Lady, you’re too much. How could you pretend to be uninterested and then draw the second position in one go!”

Tang Hwa-seo giggled.

The reason why even his indignant complaints seemed somehow lovely was unclear.

“Even if you say that, I won’t change it.”

“Hmph...”

Mok Riwon’s shoulders drooped.

Her smile deepened upon seeing that.

“But it will probably reach Young Hero Mok’s turn. I plan to secure just one victory and step down, and their leader is likely to be the commander, Golden Sword, so Monk Il-woon and White Phoenix will probably step down in the middle as well.”

“Is the Golden Sword participating?”

“Yes, the participation of squad captains and unit commanders is mandatory in friendly sparring. I heard such a culture has been established.”

“Ooh…!”

Isn’t he ever exhausted going from being sad one second to happy the next?

Tang Hwa-seo couldn’t stop smiling at Mok Riwon’s constant emotional transitions.

As they continued walking like this...

“…Ah, Captain.”

Someone was walking from the opposite end of the corridor with a sturdy appearance and steadfast wrinkles. At his waist was a scabbard that shone golden. He was none other than the commander of the White Sword Unit, Golden Sword Gwon Pyowol.

“So we meet here.”

He smiled gently.

***

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