Namgung Dan stared blankly at Tang Soso as she approached him with light steps.
'What is going on right now?'
So… Tang Soso was the one who would fight him first?
With that sword in her hand?
Namgung Dan looked back with a bewildered expression. The reactions of the other Namgung family swordsmen weren't much different from his.
'Am I not imagining this?'
The absurdity was so extreme that he began to wonder if he was misunderstanding the situation.
Namgung Dan opened his mouth while looking at Chung Myung.
"…Excuse me, Taoist."
"Eh?"
Hearing the calm voice in response, something surged inside his chest, but Namgung Dan suppressed his boiling emotions.
"Are you asking me to fight Tang Soso nuna now?"
"What's the big deal? This is just a spar. A simple spar."
Chung Myung snickered. Namgung Dan bit his lip.
The reason he was reacting like this was simple: his opponent was none other than Tang Soso.
'Are they ignoring me now?'
Tang Soso was born into the Sichuan Tang family. The Namgung family and Sichuan Tang had long been in contact, competing for leadership among the same Five Great Families. In other words, they'd known each other since childhood.
Naturally, Namgung Dan knew quite well how Tang Soso had lived.
The Sichuan Tang family did not teach any of their secret techniques to women. That's why Tang Soso hadn't been properly taught martial arts until she entered Mount Hua.
Of course, she must have learned basic internal qi training and simple martial arts, but for Namgung Dan, who had endured the Namgung family's intense training since childhood, it was embarrassing to even call her a warrior.
'But then… with someone like that…'
Even if Tang Soso had entered Mount Hua and earnestly learned the sword, how many years could she have practiced seriously?
The Namgung family doesn't even give a real sword to someone who has only learned the basics. Considering the period of sword training, Tang Soso would barely be out of the beginner stage. So how could Chung Myung pit someone like her against Namgung Dan?
It made no sense.
"Taoist, think about it again. This is…"
"Ah, you talk too much."
Chung Myung said, poking his ear.
"Don't think of it as something so great. If you have something to say, just win first and then speak of it, isn't that right?"
Namgung Dan's face hardened. He glared at Chung Myung with mixed emotions before speaking coldly.
"…Don't regret this."
"Uh. Yes. Yes."
When Namgung Dan answered dryly, he looked at Tang Soso. She kept smiling brightly as if something fun was about to happen.
As if this situation wasn't burdensome to her at all.
"Phew."
Namgung Dan sighed at her calm expression and was about to step forward.
"Hyung!"
Voices from behind stopped him, grabbing his ankles.
"Hyung, this is…"
"I'd rather go out. It isn't right for hyung to do this."
"No matter what you say…"
"Enough."
Namgung Dan cut them off firmly.
"Sometimes, one action is better than a hundred words. I will handle this, so just watch."
"…But…"
"Didn't I tell you it's okay?"
The Namgung family's swordsmen nodded, though they couldn't completely hide the discontent on their faces.
They knew who Tang Soso was, so they couldn't help but feel that having Namgung Dan and Tang Soso fight to decide the winner was an act of ignoring the Namgung family.
Namgung Dan felt suffocated.
Why wouldn't he be angry? However, if he vented his discontent, Namgung Do-Wei's position would become even more difficult in the future. So for now, he had no choice but to prove his strength with his sword.
Namgung Dan stepped forward and faced Tang Soso, stretching his body. Then, looking into her eyes, he spoke.
"It's been a while, noona."
"Right, it has been a while, Dan."
They had already seen each other a few times since arriving here, but never had a chance to greet one another like this. Namgung Dan, greeting her for the first time, sighed and said.
"Nuna must have been through tough times."
"Tough? Once I start talking about it, I could go on for ten days without a break."
"…That must be true."
The practical uniform, the simple hair, and even the face without any makeup—it was so different from the Tang Soso he remembered.
He glanced at the sword tied to her waist. With her changed appearance and the sword in her hand, Tang Soso looked unfamiliar to him.
"Nuna."
"What?"
"Noona, can you please say something?"
"Uh?"
Namgung Dan shook his head.
"Please don't misunderstand my intention, noona. I am absolutely not looking down on you."
Namgung Dan wasn't an idiot.
They had already been physically crushed by Tang Soso. Just looking at that, he couldn't help but know how much hardship she had endured since stepping into Mount Hua.
Far from ignoring her, he felt admiration and even respect for her.
'Besides…'
Namgung Dan's gaze shifted to Tang Soso's hand.
The countless small scars carved into her hand were not wounds made by the assassination weapons of the Tang family, but clearly sword wounds. Has Namgung Dan ever trained so hard that his hand looked like that?
"Anyone who isn't an idiot would know that you've been working hard. But… isn't swordsmanship something that takes time to build a name?"
"…"
"Maybe in the future, but not now. For your own honor, this ridiculous spar…"
"Honor?"
"Yes."
Namgung Dan didn't harbor bad feelings toward Tang Soso. There was no reason to. That's why he didn't want to defeat her in front of everyone.
This was a spar with a predetermined outcome. How could a proud Namgung family swordsman win and be happy in such a duel?
"Many people are watching, aren't they?"
"Hmm."
Tang Soso nodded as if he had a point.
"Of course…"
Namgung Dan stopped talking and glanced behind her.
"It won't be easy to persuade that person, but if you say so…"
"You know."
At that moment, Tang Soso's voice suddenly cut off his words, and Namgung Dan looked ahead at her.
Tang Soso's eyes were wide open, but looked dim.
"I think you were smarter in the past."
"Uh?"
"It seems like your body isn't at its best right now."
"…What…"
She asked with a blank expression.
"You still have the word 'honor' coming out of your mouth?"
"…N-noona."
Namgung Dan couldn't close his mouth, flustered. The honor he was talking about wasn't that of the Namgung family, but for Tang Soso. But in this situation…
"I'll tell you something as an elder sister."
"Uh?"
"The honor of a swordsman isn't in their words…"
Tak.
Tang Soso lightly tapped the sword at her waist.
"It's called standing up with a sword."
Namgung Dan's face hardened. Tang Soso looked at him with a bright smile.
"Don't you think so?"
"…"
Swish.
Namgung Dan drew his sword without another word.
"…If you say that, I'll learn from you."
"No, wait."
"Sorry?"
Tang Soso lightly waved her hand.
"Let's use wooden swords instead of real ones."
"…."
"I was going to use a real sword if possible, but it looks like I should use a wooden sword."
Namgung Dan was dumbfounded. If she was afraid of sparring with a real sword, what was she even thinking when she said those boastful things?
"What's your opinion?"
"…I'm fine with it."
"Okay. Sahyung! Just throw us two wooden swords."
But then, even more absurd things began.
Yoon Jong, who was staring at Tang Soso, said with a face indifferent to the world.
"Um… Soso."
He even broke out in a cold sweat as he tried to dissuade her.
"A wooden sword might be…"
"What?"
"Ah, no… what I mean is, I wonder if it's really necessary to use a wooden sword. I think it'll be fine to just use real swords…"
"Right, give it to me now."
"…"
Yoon Jong looked at Tang Soso and Namgung Dan alternately, fidgeting. Then, as if having a hard time deciding, he turned his head sharply toward Baek Cheon.
Baek Cheon nodded.
"Give it."
"S-sasuk."
"It's alright, just give it."
"…"
As Baek Cheon spoke resolutely, Yoon Jong had no choice but to sigh deeply and pick up the two wooden swords lying nearby, throwing them at Tang Soso.
"…Take it easy now, Soso."
"Yes, yes."
Tang Soso caught the wooden swords Yoon Jong threw with both hands, then threw one at Namgung Dan.
Tak.
Namgung Dan, who had received the wooden sword absentmindedly, looked at Tang Soso with a trembling face. What on earth was she trying to do?
"…Can we start now?"
Namgung Dan tightly gripped the wooden sword in his hand and took a stance.
"I will learn well."
Originally, there should have been a procedure to reveal their identities and affiliations, but he didn't go through with it. He didn't want to acknowledge this ridiculous spar as an actual one.
'Let's finish this quickly.'
It was obvious what Tang Soso could do.
As expected, she would attack from any distance using the Tang family's nimble new techniques. After all, the Tang family's martial arts are similar to Mount Hua's sword techniques.
As long as he wasn't dazzled by the flashy swordsmanship, Namgung Dan would no longer be in danger.
Of course, Tang Soso could drag the fight into close quarters using her flashy swordsmanship and pressure him with superior physical strength.
'But that's only if you can withstand my sword!'
He didn't hold any grudge against Tang Soso, but he was carrying the pride of the Namgung family on his shoulders. To change the atmosphere where the Namgung family was being ignored, an overwhelming victory was needed.
Clench.
Namgung Dan gripped the sword tightly and pushed his foot into the ground.
'I will finish you off in one swing!'
He glared at Tang Soso with all his might. The muscles throughout his body, which had been drawing up his qi, were taut.
'Let's start!'
His feet kicked the floor.
"AH…EK!"
But the loud roar bursting from Namgung Dan's stomach suddenly got stuck in his throat. The moment he hit the floor, Tang Soso literally 'appeared' right in front of him.
'W-what is this!?'
Tang Soso's sword fell fiercely toward his head. Namgung Dan was startled and quickly raised his sword.
Thud!
Two wooden swords clashed hard right above his head.
'T-that was close…'
Namgung Dan gritted his teeth. He knew his opponent's technique was excellent, but he had almost been hit.
'But this is the end of surprises.'
If the surprise attack didn't work, all that was left was skill. And Tang Soso made a mistake. If he closed the distance like this, there was no room for her to show off her splendid sword skills.
'I will finish it in one go!'
Namgung Dan pushed away the sword pressing down and swung his sword. No, he tried to swing it.
Clench!
'Uh?'
At that moment, Namgung Dan's gaze went upward.
Tang Soso's sword, which should have clearly fallen off, was still pressing down on his sword.
'How…'
He drew up his qi and deflected Tang Soso's sword once again.
Crack!
But at that moment, his wrist twisted. Tang Soso's sword was crushing both his wrist and sword.
"Euk…"
His arms began to tremble.
'W-what is this?'
Cold sweat dripped down Namgung Dan's spine.
It felt like a giant rock was resting on his sword. No matter how much he cursed, he was crushed and couldn't shake it off.
Namgung Dan looked at Tang Soso with wide eyes in confusion.
Tang Soso, still smiling brightly, smiled even more.
"First."
"…"
"Let's hit you."
"Uh…?"
At that moment, an incredible force crushed Namgung Dan's sword.
As if time had slowed down, Namgung Dan saw everything clearly. His wrist snapped, and the wooden sword he was holding fell violently toward his forehead.
Uh? This could not be…
Uh?
Thuddddd!
The huge impact created by the human head and the strong wooden sword spread painfully throughout the entire manor.