Thud.
Namgung Dan collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud, pure white steam rising from his head.
Yoon Jong slowly opened his tightly shut eyes and examined the fallen Namgung Dan.
"… He's dead."
"Right. He seems to be dead."
Jo Gul nodded, crossing his arms. He added that it had been a long time since he'd heard such a satisfying sound of impact.
However, their surprise paled in comparison to the Namgung family watching from behind. Every swordsman in the Namgung family looked as if their eyes might pop out. None could form a proper sentence as they stared blankly at the fallen Namgung Dan.
"H-hyung…"
"In one hit…"
Their mouths wouldn't close.
What had just happened?
Even after glancing back and forth between the fallen Namgung Dan and the smiling Tang Soso, sword resting on her shoulder, they couldn't make sense of the situation.
"Ku… euhh…"
"H-hyung!"
"Dan!"
At that moment, Namgung Dan, who had briefly lost consciousness, began to stir. Groaning in pain while clutching his head, he picked up the fallen wooden sword and tried to rise.
"Euk…"
He half-raised himself, then grabbed his head again, trembling.
'It hurts.'
'It must hurt a lot.'
'He must want to die.'
The Five Swords closed their eyes tightly, shaking their heads as if unable to bear watching. Such pain could only be understood by those who had experienced it.
"Cough! C-cough!"
Tang Soso smiled brightly as she watched Namgung Dan stagger to his feet.
"What? Want more?"
"That…"
Namgung Dan spoke with half-closed eyes.
"I was c-careless…"
"C-careless?"
Tang Soso nodded as if she understood.
"Right, well, let's invalidate it since you let your guard down. That's understandable, right?"
Normally, telling a swordsman they let their guard down was never an excuse. It was essentially cutting oneself down, especially for those who had staked everything on a single sword technique.
But Tang Soso generously accepted Namgung Dan's excuse. From his perspective, it was an act he couldn't have been more grateful for.
At first glance, it might sound like a kind and generous gesture.
But the Five Swords' reaction was completely different.
"…He really got caught today."
"She looks so pissed."
"Should I prepare a coffin in advance?"
"…Yes, do that."
Unfortunately, the Five Swords' muttering reached Namgung Dan's ears.
"Kuak."
He pressed his head hard.
His eyes were dizzy, his mind blank. Even now, he felt an indescribable pain in his head. Yet, he had to pull himself together.
'If only I could show my skills…'
It was a mistake to think Tang Soso's sword technique would be swift and light.
Who would have imagined such an absurdly heavy sword would be wielded by that small body? His wrist, which had blocked the sword, was still throbbing.
"Cough!"
Namgung Dan raised his sword again, aiming at Tang Soso. He knew what he was doing looked ugly, but his reputation wasn't the priority now.
If he backed down, Namgung's sword would be destroyed without even countering the sword of Mount Hua. And that was against Tang Soso, who had only recently entered Mount Hua.
That was an incomparable humiliation for Namgung Dan.
"Hmm."
Tang Soso looked at Namgung Dan, who was aiming his sword, and spun her sword around.
"How much longer should I wait?"
"…Uh?"
"Recover now, or you'll say later that you were absent-minded and couldn't show your skills."
"…"
Namgung Dan bit his lips so hard his face paled.
The fact that he couldn't refute those words was even more humiliating. The one forcing this over-the-top spar was none other than Namgung Dan himself.
"I am… ready!"
"Really?"
Tang Soso smiled brightly and approached. Sparks flew into Namgung Dan's eyes.
'This is…!'
Even if she ignored him, it would be fine! But how dare she approach without caution!
"Ahh!"
Namgung Dan swung his sword down with a shout. The Namgung family's unique sword technique, the Iron Sword 12 Forms, unfolded flawlessly without unnecessary details.
Thud!
The moment their swords clashed in the air, he twisted his wrist and swung like a storm. It was fierce swordsmanship, seeming to sweep away Tang Soso's body.
'I just need to show my skills!'
He wasn't one to be defeated by Tang Soso, who had trained in swordsmanship for just a few years. His blood and sweat had poured into every second of learning this swordsmanship! No matter how talented Tang Soso was, she couldn't keep up with the time he devoted. No, she shouldn't!
Surely,
Surely it should be…
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
It was stopped. All of it.
Every fierce sword stroke he swung was blocked by Tang Soso's sword.
'H-how?'
Namgung Dan began to panic.
Had his sword become weaker because of the blow to his head?
No.
Sword movements were engraved in the body. His sword followed the exact path he intended. Yet, no matter how much he swung, it never touched Tang Soso's body.
Sting! Throb!
In fact, every time their swords clashed, his wrists felt like they would break.
His wrists couldn't withstand the shock transmitted through the swords.
'T-this can't be happening!'
Namgung Dan roared and swung his sword with all his might. The sword rained down like a mad storm toward Tang Soso.
"H-hyung!"
"No, Hyung!"
The Namgung family swordsmen watched and screamed without realizing it. They realized Namgung Dan's sword was no longer suitable for sparring.
If they just left him be, Tang Soso's body would be torn apart by the fierce storm of sword qi!
However, contrary to appearances, it was Namgung Dan who was being driven back.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
Even as their swords clashed repeatedly, Tang Soso's eyes grew colder. Not an ounce of emotion wavered as she watched Namgung Dan.
At that moment, her small voice was clearly heard in Namgung Dan's ear.
"Are you done now?"
"Euk!"
It was at that moment.
Thud!
As their swords met, Tang Soso lightly twisted her wrist, deflecting Namgung Dan's sword upward. Naturally, his upper body opened wide.
"The head!"
Tang Soso's sword fell with lightning speed toward his crown. Namgung Dan desperately pulled his sword up to block above his head, this time drawing internal qi to avoid being crushed.
'I-I can block…'
But just as he braced for impact, Tang Soso's sword spun around and passed by his sword.
'What?'
Namgung Dan saw clearly: the sword that passed his head came down and slammed into his right ankle.
Swish!
With an amazing sound, Namgung Dan's mouth gaped open as if to scream.
An indescribable pain spread through his ankle and body.
"E-euk…"
Filled with anger, Namgung Dan swung his sword wildly.
Taaat!
But before he could finish, Tang Soso's sword struck his knee.
"Euh… Ahhhh!"
Namgung Dan swung with all his might. Yet, Tang Soso didn't dodge the incoming sword but struck it head-on.
Kwaaang!
Namgung Dan's waist twisted as if about to break. His sword was thrown behind his back, his grip torn, dripping red blood.
'T-this can't be happening…'
At that moment, Tang Soso's angry voice pierced his ear.
"That little bastard called a swordsman is swinging his sword just because he's pissed?"
Tang Soso raised her sword clearly. Terrified, Namgung Dan raised his wooden sword with both hands, covering his head.
Tang Soso's sword slashed down fiercely.
"The sword!"
Thuddd!
"To have strength!"
Thudddd!
"You should hold it!"
Thudddd!
"Get down, you little brat! Get down!"
Thudddd!
Namgung Dan got down as Tang Soso demanded. Well, if you could call 'getting down' when your back is bent backward.
"Honor? What's with the little brat whose brain isn't even fully developed?"
"E-Euk."
Namgung Dan, half out of his mind, instinctively tried to straighten up.
"Stay down, you little brat!"
Kwaaang!
Namgung Dan's wooden sword stuck into his own face. Two streams of blood splashed from his nose, flying comically through the air.
"Yah, you really don't understand what I'm saying? Right. If you can't understand with your ears, you'll understand with your body!"
The Five Swords watching turned their heads away, anticipating the tragedy to come. They couldn't bear to watch.
"Lower your knees!"
Tang Soso's sword struck Namgung Dan's knee mercilessly.
"Straighten your back now!"
She struck his leaning back, forcing him to straighten up.
"Your shoulders! Relax your shoulders!"
Struck quickly on both shoulders, Namgung Dan's body assumed the most correct posture.
Baek Cheon looked up at the distant sky in silence and sighed.
Why was violence passed down?
Why…
"Use your sword while thinking! You brat!"
Tang Soso's sword flew like a ray of light toward the center of Namgung Dan's head.
As he watched the sword fall toward him, Namgung Dan couldn't help but laugh brightly.
'This has… to be a dream.'
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
A sound he didn't want to believe rang out five times in a row from a human's head.
Thud.
Namgung Dan finally collapsed on the floor like a rotten bundle of straw.
Everyone on the ground looked at him as if he were possessed, shaking his limbs like a frog hit by a stone.
"What? You're going to fall down with just this? Yah. Get up and do it right now!"
At that moment, Yoon Jong quietly turned his head and asked Baek Cheon.
"Sasuk."
"Uh?"
"Why did Soso end up like that?"
"Yoon Jong."
"Uh?"
"…People can only grow as they see and learn. If the disciple above them is like that, what can the lower ones do?"
"…"
"Just live grateful that you are Chung Myung's sahyung."
Those were truly meaningful words, but Yoon Jong still seemed troubled.
"Sasuk."
"What now?"
"…Then what will happen to the Myung disciples who will enter Mount Hua in the future?"
"…"
Baek Cheon, unable to answer, turned his sad gaze away. Chung Myung, at the end of the group, laughed happily.
"…One at a time, saint."
Looking down on Mount Hua.
"Next! Next bastard, come! Won't you come? Yah, Do-Wei, come out and see!"
In the quiet garden, only the sounds of Tang Soso running wild and Chung Myung's laughter echoed far and wide.