Will You Accept It?

Seeing Namgung Hyeok’s reaction, Namgung Su-hwa carefully opened her mouth.

“By any chance, do you mean the Buddhist Nun, So-yeong, of the Emei Sect?”

But just as when Song Hak’s name had come up, Namgung Hyeok let out a mocking laugh.

It carried the certainty that that could not be the case.

“Oh, right, there is that Sister too. But no. I mean Sister Yeon-gyeong of the Putuo Sect.”

“Putuo Sect. Ah, the Sword Queen!”

As expected, the title Sword Queen was better known than the name Putuo Sect.

Gyo-ha nodded.

“She is the next Sword Queen.”

The current Sword Queen was still alive.

“Come to think of it, I heard she was attacked by Wild Gale Blade and the Tall-and-Short Twin Guests. So Taoist Gyo was there with her at the time.”

Namgung Su-hwa spoke as if impressed.

Her information was quick, as befitted one of the Five Great Clans. But upon learning Yeon-gyeong’s identity, Namgung Hyeok clicked his tongue.

“She only killed a few heretical outlaws.”

Seeing that attitude, Gyo-ha could understand Namgung Su-hwa’s worries.

“You, if you go up against Wild Gale Blade, you will die.”

His tone had grown harsher than before.

They were not opponents you could dismiss as ‘just that much.’

Gyo-ha could be sure of that.

“Gyo-ha.”

Startled, Ah-ryeong called out to Gyo-ha, but he only cast his gaze over calmly.

And at his changed tone, Namgung Hyeok’s face twisted.

“…Your words go too far.”

“It is the truth.”

“And you, can you win then?”

At Namgung Hyeok’s question, Gyo-ha thought for a moment.

In the past it would have been difficult. But for the Gyo-ha of now…

Gyo-ha nodded.

At that, Namgung Hyeok let out a laugh of disbelief.

“Are you even at a level where you can judge that?”

“If you are curious, check for yourself.”

Gyo-ha jerked his chin at the sword hanging from Namgung Hyeok’s waist.

“For your information, I am not good at controlling my strength.”

At Gyo-ha’s provocation, Namgung Hyeok bit down hard on his lip.

But soon he shook his head with a forced, dignified expression.

“I will let it pass for my sister’s sake. Please rest well and then go back.”

A composed attitude.

Normally, Gyo-ha would have let it go at that.

But their opponent was looking down not only on Gyo-ha, but on Yeon-gyeong as well.

He was effectively dismissing the disciple of the Putuo Sect who had fought Gwangpung Il-do.

“So you are backing down?”

Namgung Hyeok’s steps stopped.

He slowly turned around.

“Come out. I will guide you to the training ground.”

He had taken the bait of Gyo-ha’s provocation.

---

As they walked toward the training ground, the martial artists of the Namgung Clan, their curiosity piqued, began to follow one by one.

By the time the group arrived at the training ground, quite a number of people were there.

Looking at one of the spectating martial artists, Namgung Hyeok spoke politely.

“My apologies, but may I borrow that sword?”

“Yes.”

Even though he had a sword at his own waist, he deliberately borrowed one.

The sword the man handed him was a dull iron sword.

A practice sword.

“You are a guest, so I will yield the first move.”

Namgung Hyeok gazed calmly at Gyo-ha.

At a glance he seemed courteous, but he was in fact looking down on him.

He looked used to doing this, as if it were not his first time.

Gyo-ha shrugged his shoulders and took a stance.

If he used Radiant Burst Strike, the match could end right there.

But even Gyo-ha did not feel like doing that.

Gyo-ha launched his body forward.

Koong!

The ground boomed as Gyo-ha’s figure arrived before Namgung Hyeok in an instant.

Namgung Hyeok showed a somewhat startled look in his eyes.

However, he reacted at once, as if he had expected it.

He dodged Gyo-ha’s fist and swung the iron sword.

But Gyo-ha’s figure was already gone.

A cold sensation brushed his side.

Before he knew it, Gyo-ha’s foot was aimed at Namgung Hyeok’s flank.

Namgung Hyeok hurriedly changed the direction of his sword.

‘Not bad.’

A strange light rose in Namgung Hyeok’s eyes.

But it was not to the point he could not block it.

Thus Namgung Hyeok’s sword and Gyo-ha’s foot collided.

And then.

Kwaang!

Namgung Hyeok’s body was driven backward.

He barely righted himself before he could fall.

‘He didn’t even put internal energy into it.’

He could not believe it produced this level of impact.

His hands were still trembling.

“Are you going to keep using that sword?”

At Gyo-ha’s question, Namgung Hyeok looked at his sword.

On the surface, the sword appeared fine.

But it couldn’t fool Namgung Hyeok’s senses.

When he swung it, the blade split in two.

At that sight, the watching martial artists let out exclamations.

It had not been able to withstand the impact.

Even if it was for training, it was an iron sword forged by artisans under contract with the Namgung Clan.

Its durability was by no means low.

The martial artists of the Namgung Clan knew that better than anyone.

“…I have been discourteous.”

Namgung Hyeok set down the broken sword.

Then he drew the sword from his own waist.

Seureureung.

The blade slid out smoothly. From the gleam of the blade, you could tell how well it had been maintained.

Namgung Hyeok might be arrogant, but he was not lazy.

‘If he were, he would never have reached this level.’

Gyo-ha did not deny his talent.

However, he did not believe everything could be solved with talent alone.

Now that he had drawn his own sword, Namgung Hyeok’s presence changed.

It wasn’t only his aura that changed.

A yellow heat haze rose from the sword.

Sword qi.

Unlike Daoist sword qi, it was tinged with thunder.

Feeling that sharp, bristling aura, the corner of Gyo-ha’s mouth lifted.

Now it finally felt worth fighting.

This time, Namgung Hyeok moved first.

The sword thrust in toward Gyo-ha.

It was the Boundless Firmament Sword Art that only direct descendants of the Namgung Clan could learn.

It was an advanced martial art that one could only learn after mastering the Great Swallowing Sword Art.

Considering Namgung Hyeok’s age, it was astonishing.

Blood spurted from Gyo-ha’s shoulder.

Even though he had avoided the blade, he was still wounded. It was not enough to simply watch out for the edge.

The second strike came flying in right after.

Gyo-ha didn’t dodge but rushed in instead.

Then he reached his hand toward the oncoming blade.

Chaeng!

The sword was knocked backward.

However, Gyo-ha’s hand was not unscathed either.

A red line was drawn across the back of his hand.

At that sight, Namgung Hyeok’s pupils trembled.

It was because he knew what Gyo-ha had just done.

‘He flicked the blade aside?’

A single misstep and his fingers could have been cut off.

“You, your training is lacking.”

He had manifested sword qi at the mere age of fifteen.

It was not something you said to someone like that.

And that was not what Gyo-ha had meant either.

“You are too light.”

Physical conditioning.

His technique was near polished, yet his body couldn’t fully support it.

It was sharp, but not heavy.

Namgung Hyeok’s face distorted.

He already felt self-conscious about his small body.

Compared to other children he was average, but compared to the direct and branch lines of the Namgung Clan, his frame was small.

On top of that, the Namgung Clan’s swords were heavy swords.

It was only natural that it put him at a disadvantage.

“Then try taking this as well!”

His sword path changed.

The sword came in with the momentum to cut Gyo-ha in half.

But.

Koong!

It was blocked by Gyo-ha’s heel and knee. From the impact, blood spurted from his elbow and knee.

Yet the sword, caught between the two points, wouldn’t move.

And just like that sword, there was no wavering in Gyo-ha’s eyes.

At the unbelievable scene, Namgung Hyeok’s eyes shook.

“Here I come.”

Gyo-ha twisted his body.

Because of that, Namgung Hyeok lost his balance.

He hurriedly tried to correct his stance.

‘His stance is unstable too, so I can…’

Koong!

At the impact in his chest, Namgung Hyeok sucked in a breath.

It was not a fist or a foot.

It wasn’t even a knee.

It was a shoulder that slammed into Namgung Hyeok’s body.

It felt like being kicked by a foot.

The elbow came flying in right after.

This time it was aimed at his temple.

He twisted his head to evade, only for a knife-hand strike to come down on his shoulder.

From the shock, he nearly dropped the sword in his hand.

Descending Goose Fist, revised.

Attacks fired off without a break.

Since it was close-quarters, he could not even read the paths of the fist attacks.

‘These are not even proper fist attacks.’

He was not even extending his fists properly.

It made him wonder if this could even be called a martial art.

Yet the form was too structured to be called the brawling of street thugs.

The constant impacts were making his mind go hazy.

He couldn’t stay like this.

Namgung Hyeok moved at once.

He let go of the sword he was holding.

For a swordsman, abandoning his sword was no different from disgrace.

But this was no time to think about that.

In that brief instant, Namgung Hyeok chose the best option.

The Namgung Clan was a sword clan.

But that didn’t mean they had only sword arts.

They had at least some methods for fighting even without a sword.

Thunder qi surged in both of Namgung Hyeok’s hands.

Heavenly Thunder Triple Palm.

Pajijijik.

The two palms drove in, aiming for Gyo-ha’s chest and belly.

Gyo-ha also thrust out his palms.

Red Blossom Palm.

Kwagagagang!

Blue qi and yellow qi tangled together.

With an explosion, Gyo-ha and Namgung Hyeok were both flung away.

Gyo-ha’s hands were charred pitch-black.

But Namgung Hyeok was not unscathed either.

Both his sleeves were torn, and blood was flowing down through the gaps.

The wounds looked as if a beast had clawed him.

“Hyeok!”

“Young Master!”

Namgung Su-hwa and the startled martial artists tried to rush over, but Namgung Hyeok raised a hand to stop them.

Then he spoke toward Gyo-ha.

“One technique.”

At the sudden words, the martial artists of the Namgung Clan turned to look at Namgung Hyeok.

But Namgung Hyeok was looking only at Gyo-ha.

“There is one technique I have not used yet. Will you accept it?”

He was not saying that simply because he had not used one technique.

Gyo-ha understood what Namgung Hyeok meant.

A single sword strike at full strength.

He wanted to unleash it.

Gyo-ha looked over his own body.

His hands were burned black, and the rest of his body was a mess from the aftermath of the fight.

The wounds that had finally been healing had split open again.

However.

“Fine. I said it earlier too, I’m bad at controlling my strength.”

Namgung Hyeok nodded.

“I am the same.”

“Let us stop here. Taoist, you should stop as well.”

Namgung Su-hwa called out in a stern voice. Gyo-ha glanced over at her.

For a friendly match, it had gone too far. If it went past this, it would not end with minor injuries.

But Namgung Hyeok calmly shook his head.

He did not seem to intend to back down.

Just as Namgung Su-hwa frowned and was about to speak again, her expression changed.

Without a word, Namgung Su-hwa stepped back.

The martial artists who had been about to step forward also realized what was happening and stayed where they were.

Namgung Hyeok took his stance.

Namgung Hyeok raised his sword upward.

Along with it, thunder qi surged up.

The thunder qi was gradually taking on a distinct form.

Pajijijik.

A look of admiration appeared on the faces of the watching martial artists.

It was because they knew what stance Namgung Hyeok was taking.

Boundless Firmament Sword Art.

Its final technique.

Firmament Calamity Thunder.

It looked imperfect, but it was unmistakably Firmament Calamity Thunder.

Even among the direct line, how many had reached that point?

Much less when you considered Namgung Hyeok’s age, it was unbelievable.

Along with their surprise, pride seeped out in their expressions.

But even more surprising was Gyo-ha’s reaction.

Watching the thunder grow more and more intense, Gyo-ha calmly took his stance.

It was a stance he had already taken hundreds, thousands of times.

By now, it was as natural as breathing.

His hand was drawn back.

Along with it, his momentum rose.

The aura coming from Gyo-ha was in no way less than Namgung Hyeok’s.

‘If anything…’

As the martial artists felt that, Namgung Hyeok moved.

The falling lightning came crashing down toward Gyo-ha.

Kugugugugung.

Only then did Gyo-ha step forward.

Radiant Burst Strike.

A technique that had now reached completion.

Blue profound qi pierced through the falling lightning.

Kwagagagagagang!

With an explosion, a thick cloud of dust rose up.

Everyone held their breath and watched the sight.

Soon the dust slowly settled and what was inside began to come into view.

The first thing they saw was a huge shadow.

The shadow was Gyo-ha.

Gyo-ha was charred pitch-black.

Yet he was still standing in place.

He had blocked the falling lightning.

Conversely, there was no sign of Namgung Hyeok.

Soon Gyo-ha opened his mouth.

“Cow… ard…”

Leaving only those words behind, Gyo-ha collapsed to the ground.