The wooden sword, glowing with bright blue qi, sliced fiercely through the air.
"Sword!"
Kuak!
"Swing it like that!"
Pak!
"And you get hit!"
Pakk!
"Head, you brat! Your head! Your head is empty!"
Pooh!
White steam rose from the heads of the Namgung family swordsmen as they collapsed limply.
"Tsk."
Chung Myung's face suddenly twisted as he looked at the twitching, trembling men.
"You brats are all swordsmen, yet all you do is show off! Where did you even learn to swing your wrist and fall down like that? You'll get stabbed for sure!"
Jo Gul, watching the scene with admiration, whispered softly to Baek Cheon.
"What does that mean, sasuk?"
Baek Cheon shrugged and explained in detail.
"How can those who can't even properly stabilize their own swords try to use flashy transformations? They need to relearn the basics…"
Jo Gul nodded, impressed by the interpreter's skill.
"In my day, uh? Brats! Before swinging swords! Uh? You brat! Eh! Anyway, these days!"
Jo Gul asked again.
"And what is that?"
Baek Cheon smiled and answered.
"In my time, we stayed true to the basics rather than flashy transformations and techniques, but I worry that current martial arts sword techniques focus too much on appearances…"
"…"
Chung Myung threw the wooden sword he was holding onto the floor.
"You people, start telling me you're going to die tomorrow for real. What kind of people are you? The more I dig in, the more idiotic it gets! The higher-ups are doing well, but the lower ones are in such bad shape! Come on! I'll beat you from head to toe!"
"… That?"
"Ahem. That's a bit too long."
Baek Cheon coughed softly and spoke.
"I originally respected the Namgung family's ancestors and revered their technique, but, unfortunately, the young swordsmen haven't properly inherited their teachings. Though not related by blood, as someone who walks the path of swordsmanship alongside you, I will help you build the basics…"
"… Sasuk."
"Uh?"
Jo Gul opened his mouth with a somewhat nervous expression.
"… At this point, isn't this more like your dream than an interpretation?"
"That's exactly what I meant…"
"…"
Jo Gul, who had been looking at Chung Myung and Baek Cheon alternately with distrustful eyes, shrugged and said,
"… When I just listen to what the sasuk says, it sounds like he's giving some great education, but why does it seem like he's just beating them up because he doesn't like them?"
"Why?"
"Uh?"
"Because it's true."
"…"
Baek Cheon and Jo Gul sighed simultaneously and looked ahead. Chung Myung, standing alone among the scattered Namgung family swordsmen, screamed at the top of his lungs as if something was bothering him.
"… My stomach hurts just by watching that."
"I had a nightmare last night."
"I thought it would feel good to see others suffer."
"… My teeth are chattering."
The sight was definitely not good for their mental health. Every time the Namgung family swordsmen were struck by that fearsome wooden sword, they felt a strange tingling sensation in the center of their heads.
"Umm, Sasuk."
"Uh?"
Yoon Jong scratched his cheek as if he had something to say.
"I'm a bit worried… will the Namgung family be able to accept this situation?"
"What do you mean?"
"No… we didn't have much and knew we couldn't become strong without this method, so we followed him without complaints, but those people have pride."
"Pride?"
Baek Cheon's face changed slightly. Then Yoon Jong closed his mouth with a look that said, 'Ah, shit.' Jo Gul didn't miss the chance to tease.
"Sahyung, are you badmouthing your sasuk right now?"
"B-be quiet now, brat!"
"Pride, eh…"
Baek Cheon looked toward the distant mountains.
"Right… There was a time when I argued about that."
Yoon Jong quietly patted Baek Cheon on the shoulder.
"Don't cry, sasuk."
"… I'm not crying."
Baek Cheon wiped his eyes slightly, then straightened his expression and continued.
"At first, they might resist. Those who believed they were superior will feel despair when that belief is shattered."
"Is this from your own experience?"
"A story from my own experience?"
"Ugh, it's so vivid."
"… Just shut up."
When Baek Cheon's forehead turned red, all Five Swords turned their heads and whistled.
He glared at them with a face ready to kill, then let out a deep sigh.
"But… they will eventually accept it."
"… They will realize it's right."
"No."
"Uh? Then…?"
"It's worse if they don't accept it."
"…"
Everyone stared at Baek Cheon with blank eyes, but he shrugged as if stating the obvious.
"Either you accept it or you die. If it's one of the two, you have to accept it. What else can you do?"
Yoon Jong thought with a pleased smile,
'This guy is the weirdest of all.'
And the other Five Swords probably felt the same.
The Namgung family swordsmen who returned to their residence collapsed face down.
"Ugh…"
They were confident they'd fall asleep the moment their heads hit the ground. However, as soon as their bodies touched down, excruciating pain surged through them.
"Arm… ah… my arm…"
"Ugh… M-my back… my back feels like it's going to break…"
"Euhhhh…"
"Yah, don't puke here!"
Nothing else changed.
Namgung Dan, sprawled like a starfish, raised his head with difficulty.
"Eukk."
It felt as if his body had been torn to pieces.
"This is insane…"
"How on earth am I supposed to do this?"
"My body will wither before I even get stronger."
Disgruntled voices drifted around. It wasn't that their emotions weren't strong enough to be loud; they spoke quietly because they lacked the energy to be angry.
"What kind of training is this? It's plain bullying!"
"Right."
"Why do we have to suffer like this?"
Yet even half-dead, they couldn't let go of their anger, and the voices grew louder.
"What difference does this make? The Namgung family has its own way!"
"If the former lord saw this, would he really tolerate it?"
"They're treating us like slaves. No one in the murim world treats disciples of other sects like this!"
At that moment, a low voice spoke.
"Everyone, calm down."
All eyes turned to the speaker: Namgung Do-Wei, struggling to rise at the entrance. Those who saw him forced themselves up and bit their lips.
"Young lord."
"I know it's hard. But this is something we have to overcome."
Everyone's faces twisted into fierce expressions.
"… Actually, I don't know how this training will help."
"No, training can help. But isn't that man's attitude too arrogant?"
"Even the lord never treated us like that."
"Everyone, please…"
"Young lord."
Namgung Dan stared at Namgung Do-Wei with discontent.
"Can't the young lord speak for the family?"
"… Me?"
"Yes. I can endure the hardships of training. What I really can't handle is the humiliation."
Namgung Do-Wei stared at him without answering.
"You said we're not to be treated as students by them, and they aren't our teachers. You said we're simply learning from Mount Hua what we lack. But, young lord…"
Namgung Dan pressed on, showing no sign of backing down.
"No teacher would treat their disciples like this."
Namgung Do-Wei's face hardened. Namgung Dan, caught up in his flow, didn't notice.
"This isn't just our problem. If rumors spread that the Namgung family was treated like this by Mount Hua, our reputation would be ruined. In times like these, the young lord should step up."
"Right!"
"If Mount Hua didn't look down on us, Namgung, this wouldn't happen!"
"If the lord were here, would they be so presumptuous and…"
"Enough! Enough now!"
At that moment, a short but loud roar escaped Namgung Do-Wei's mouth.
"No, young lord!"
"… Y-young lord?"
Bewildered, the swordsmen stared blankly at Namgung Do-Wei. Those about to vent complaints fell silent at his icy expression.
Namgung Do-Wei, after staring at everyone for a long moment, finally spoke.
"Face?"
"…"
"Humiliation?"
He laughed as if dumbfounded.
"I see. I was the only one who didn't realize."
His voice dripped with sarcastic ridicule.
"I was the only one who didn't know that Namgung still had pride and felt humiliated, that we had a position worth considering our reputation. Everyone knew it but me."
"… Young lord."
"I…"
Namgung Do-Wei looked around and said,
"I thought we had left those things behind at Plum Blossom Island."
"…"
The Namgung swordsmen bowed their heads.
Whether right or wrong, who would dare meet Namgung Do-Wei's gaze now?
"But… I guess not. I was the only one who left them behind. I was the only one who vowed to revive Namgung so those who died wouldn't regret their deaths, even if it meant eating mud."
"Young lord, that…"
"Please protect it then."
Before Namgung Dan could speak, Namgung Do-Wei cut him off with a cold voice like a knife.
"Your pride, your face. If those who died at Plum Blossom Island truly protected them with their lives, shouldn't you protect them too?"
Namgung Do-Wei turned and left without waiting for an answer.
"…"
A brief silence fell. The others stared blankly at the door he had kicked open, shocked.
"… This is why… why did you have to say that…"
"So you're saying this is because of me?"
A shout, but only for a moment. Then everyone fell into deep silence.
Meanwhile, Namgung Do-Wei, now outside, stared into the distant sky.
In the dark sky, stars seemed ready to pour down like rain. Normally, he would have admired the view, but he felt no beauty.
'It's difficult.'
It wasn't easy. There's a long way to go and much to do, but everyone seemed confused.
He thought if he put his heart into it, they would accept it… But was that wish in vain?
"Father…"
Just as he was about to take a deep breath, thinking of Namgung Hwang,
"Hmm?"
Namgung Do-Wei felt something flying behind him and turned. He quickly reached out and caught something heading toward his face.
"… An alcohol bottle?"
In his hand was a white bottle of alcohol. Namgung Do-Wei looked blankly at it and then raised his head.
On the eaves of a pavilion stood a now familiar figure.
"T-taoist?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"What are you doing here?"
Chung Myung shrugged.
"Forget that. How about it?"
He gently shook the bottle of alcohol toward the bewildered Namgung Do-Wei.
"A glass?"
"…"
Namgung Do-Wei slowly nodded.