Chapter 52

Twenty-four participants entered the duel tournament.

The Zhuge Family, the Hwangbo Family, and the Solitary Cloud Manor each sent eight fighters.

The Solitary Cloud Manor’s contingent consisted of two Silver Members and six Bronze Members, including Mujin.

From the Zhuge Family came Zhuge Kwan and Zhuge Jo-yeon, accompanied by six of Kwan’s personal retainers.

The Hwangbo Family sent Hwangbo Ryeong, Hwangbo Seong, and six other warriors.

The duels were scheduled as one-on-one matches spread over four days.

Though billed as a friendly tournament, the Solitary Cloud Manor prepared grand banquets every night for the winners.

“Participants in the first duel, come forward!”

The Silver Member in charge of the duels called out.

A Bronze Member from the Solitary Cloud Manor sprang to his feet. Dark bruises mottled his nose, philtrum, and brow.

He was the same Bronze Member Yeon Mujin had knocked out earlier with a strike to the knee.

“An oddly featured fellow.”

“Is that a birthmark?”

People from the Zhuge Family murmured as they eyed the Bronze Member.

“Who is the Hwangbo Family’s first contestant?”

“It’s me.”

A bear-like giant among the Hwangbo warriors rose to his feet.

It was Hwangbo Ryeong, the young family lord of the Hwangbo Family.

“I have no patience for waiting my turn in silence,” Hwangbo Ryeong said, glancing toward the Zhuge Family.

When he climbed the platform, he loomed like a full-grown, two-legged grizzly.

The Bronze Member facing the young family lord swallowed nervously.

“Prepare for the duel!”

Just as the announcer began, Hwangbo Ryeong frowned and cut him off.

“Hey, wait.”

“…?”

“What’s that in your hand?”

The Bronze Member wore dull-edged gauntlets used by the Lonely Claw Troops for non-lethal duels. A vein bulged on Hwangbo Ryeong’s forehead.

“Are you joking with me? Put on a real sword.”

The Bronze Member looked to the announcer in confusion. The announcer hurried over and said to Hwangbo Ryeong, “Because this is a friendly duel, the Solitary Cloud Manor’s warriors are ordered to wear blunted weapons…”

“Silence! Do you dare bring a child’s toy against me? None of the Hwangbo warriors will be undone by your toys—bring real blades!” Hwangbo Ryeong barked.

“Put on the bronze gauntlets.”

“Yes.”

The Bronze Member complied, stepped onto the arena, and Hwangbo Ryeong nodded.

They faced each other and exchanged a brief courtesy.

Before the duel began, Hwangbo Ryeong shot a quick glance at Zhuge Kwan.

“Begin the duel!”

At the announcer’s command, the Bronze Member moved first. Members were taught in the Lonely Claw Troops to act first.

Then Hwangbo Ryeong shouted, “You mackerel! Look at me properly!” and took a wide step, drawing his sword.

A thunderous roar burst from his blade—the Hwangbo Family’s secret Thunder Tremor Sword Technique unfolding.

The overwhelming sound staggered the Bronze Member.

He was supposed to step into the pike’s effective range faster than anyone else, but he lacked the courage to walk into that storm. The Bronze Member felt as if a massive thundercloud were glaring down at him.

“What are you trembling for?!”

Breaking through the thundercloud, a bear charged straight at him.

“Aaaah!”

The Bronze Member involuntarily took two steps back. A member who stepped back in fear had nearly already lost the match.

Hwangbo Ryeong’s blade descended like lightning. The Bronze Member slammed his gauntlets up to block, but size and momentum overwhelmed him. The sword shattered the gauntlets and stopped an inch above his head.

Saved by luck alone, the Bronze Member went limp and collapsed to his knees—an overwhelming difference in skill.

“The victor is Hwangbo Ryeong of the Hwangbo Family!”

A thunderous cheer erupted from the Hwangbo side.

“Magnificent, young Family Lord!”

“What a thrill!”

“You are the pride of Hwangbo!”

Hwangbo Ryeong laughed heartily and offered a hand to the fallen Bronze Member.

“You did well.”

He then smiled toward the Zhuge Family, sheathed his sword, and left the arena.

Zhuge Kwan frowned—an unmistakable provocation.

Hwangbo Ryeong’s boldness heated the atmosphere of the arena. The only ones out of step were the Zhuge Family.

“Hwangbo Ryeong’s martial prowess has improved a lot since before.”

“I’ve heard that the Thunder Tremor Sword Technique grows louder as one nears mastery. At his level, he seems at least at the Eight-Star rank of that technique.”

“This is something to report to the Family Lord.”

Zhuge Kwan’s retainers assessed Hwangbo Ryeong’s level calmly but with displeasure.

“No wonder he’s called Hwangbo’s rising star.”

Hwangbo Ryeong was the fastest-advancing successor among the Hwangbo Family’s heirs—a genuine prodigy.

By contrast, Zhuge Kwan’s reputation in the murim world was relatively inferior. That was the root of his complex.

“Next duel contestants, come forward!”

It was the Zhuge Family’s turn.

“Who volunteers to go first?”

“I will.”

One of Zhuge Kwan’s personal protectors finished preparing.

“No, I’ll go.”

Zhuge Kwan rose, stopping him.

“The young Family Lord goes first?”

Zhuge Kwan nodded.

Outwardly cold and calculating, his pride burned fiercely.

He would not calmly endure Hwangbo Ryeong’s provocation.

“Hmph. The quiet mackerel seems to have some pride after all.”

Zhuge Kwan’s opponent was another Bronze Member, this one with a large bruise on his right cheek.

“…?”

Hwangbo Ryeong scratched his head. “The first one and now this one—why do they all have bruises on their faces?”

“Perhaps Solitary Cloud Manor’s training is harsh.”

“Still, what is that? It’s unsightly.”

The Bronze Member who stepped up wore blunted duel gauntlets.

Zhuge Kwan tapped the gauntlet and said, “Wear a real sword.”

When the Bronze Member looked to the announcer, the announcer nodded. The Bronze Member received a real weapon, and the two sides exchanged a brief courtesy.

“Begin the duel!”

Once again, the Bronze Member moved first.

Unlike Hwangbo Ryeong, Zhuge Kwan remained perfectly still as the Bronze Member closed to near range. A murmur rippled through the Hwangbo ranks.

“What is he doing?”

Hwangbo Ryeong scratched his chin and watched Zhuge Kwan quietly.

They were now within arm’s reach—well within spear range.

The Bronze Member thrust his pike without hesitation. Just as it was about to touch Zhuge Kwan, Zhuge Kwan’s form vanished like smoke.

It was the Zhuge Family’s secret footwork, the Heavenly Mechanism’s Bewildering Step.

The Bronze Member, having cut through air, looked around in confusion—left, right, behind. Assuming Zhuge Kwan was behind him, he reflexively spun his pike.

But Zhuge Kwan was not there.

“Tsk.”

Hwangbo Ryeong clicked his tongue. “That dumbass. Below.”

He was right. Zhuge Kwan leapt up from below and drove his spear point into the Bronze Member.

Panicked, the Bronze Member tried to retreat using footwork, but his legs would not obey. Zhuge Kwan’s iron thread had already struck his vital point, binding his feet.

Like a scarecrow with its strings cut, the Bronze Member became helpless.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Zhuge Kwan’s spear tapped at the pressure points.

There were no loud impacts, no surging force—Zhuge Kwan touched each meridian with the calm efficiency of a clerk processing overdue paperwork.

Thud!

The Bronze Member knelt stiffly without any exertion.

Zhuge Kwan stood before him, spear displayed, fanning himself lightly.

“The victor is Zhuge Kwan!”

Thunderous cheers rose from the Zhuge side.

Zhuge Kwan, backed by his retainers’ applause, fanned himself and glared at Hwangbo Ryeong.

Hwangbo Ryeong knew that behind the fan Zhuge Kwan’s mouth was probably curled into a displeasing smile.

“…pathetic mackerel.”

Zhuge Kwan muttered under the fan where no one could hear.

“A boar who knows only brute strength.”

After that, the Bronze Members continued to lose in succession.

The Solitary Cloud Manor had placed all their Bronze Members at the start—sacrificial pawns to liven the tournament.

When a Hwangbo warrior won, loud cheers erupted from the Hwangbo side. When a Zhuge warrior won, thunderous applause answered from the Zhuge side. The two clans seemed to compete in fervor.

“They call themselves the world’s best Bukgung Family, but they’re nothing special.”

“Isn’t there not a single one who lasted more than ten seconds?”

“Is Solitary Cloud Manor really this weak?”

Remarks like these were common.

Zhuge Kwan said, “No. The duels so far have been nothing more than Solitary Cloud Manor’s hospitality. Do you remember what color robes the Solitary Cloud Manor’s warriors wore and what gauntlets they had on?”

“Uh… They wore brass-colored uniforms with matching bronze gauntlets.”

“Those are the weakest among Solitary Cloud Manor’s members. The Manor’s warriors are ranked by color: the best are the Gold Members, then the Silver Members, and lastly the Bronze Members. The real ones haven’t even come out. I wonder if they even plan to.”

Zhuge Kwan frowned as he glanced toward the Solitary Cloud Manor’s lord and Chief Un watching the duels.

“They plan to provoke the pride of the two families to gauge our strength while hiding their own. Like an old jackal.”

Hwangbo Ryeong had the same thought.

“The probing is about to end. Is this the sixth match?”

“Yes, sir.”

In the sixth duel, the contestant was again a Bronze Member in bronze robes.

People murmured as the Solitary Cloud Manor’s entrant stepped onto the arena.

“This one has no bruise?”

“He looks clean-cut.”

“Still, he’ll be finished in a few moves—he’s only a Bronze Member.”

But something was strange about this one.

“Uh… Is he really a Bronze Member too?”

“…What is that guy?”

Unlike the others, this contestant wore no gauntlets. He didn’t even have a weapon—except for the strange thing held in his hand.

The Bronze Member who stepped onto the arena boldly called to the crowd.

“Who is my opponent?”

His opponent was Zhuge Jo-yeon of the Zhuge Family.

Zhuge Jo-yeon hesitantly stepped onto the stage and asked, “Where is your weapon?”

The man shrugged and offered up what he held.

“Right here.”

“Are you joking right now?”

Zhuge Jo-yeon stared, stunned.

What the man held was neither sword nor gauntlets. It was just a broom—the kind a servant would use.

“You intend to fight me with that?”

He nodded repeatedly.

“…Are you insulting me?”

The man shook his head several times.

Zhuge Kwan looked to the announcer. The announcer sighed and nodded. It wasn’t a joke—he really intended to face them with that broom.

“How rude.”

“I hear that sort of thing a lot.”

“Do you want to die?”

The man, serious, spoke to Zhuge Jo-yeon.

“Hey, you.”

“What is it?”

“Haven’t you heard that in the murim world you should beware of three things? The three are women, children, and old people. If you let your guard down before a fight, what then?”

For some reason, it was a surprisingly forceful warning. Thinking it over, something felt off.

Zhuge Jo-yeon said, “You’re not a woman, child, or old person, are you?”

“So what? I was simply telling you to be careful of them.”

‘What kind of bastard is this?’

Zhuge Jo-yeon was dumbfounded.

“Only warn me if you have the skill to face my broom.”

He was even spouting nonsense at someone of the Zhuge family. No matter how patient, Zhuge Jo-yeon could not tolerate such insolence. He drew his treasured short swords and said, “My name is Zhuge Jo-yeon of the Zhuge Family. What is your name?”

The man with the broom grinned, took his stance, and said, “My name is Mujin.”