42 — Let’s See You Prove It. (2)

“Hmm. Indeed.”

The veteran elders watching the scene wore intrigued expressions.

‘They’re definitely different.’

They hadn’t yet seen anything conclusive. Still, they couldn’t shake the impression that Mount Hua’s disciples were of a different caliber from the prodigies they’d encountered before.

People are perfected through learning. They did not deny that. But those who dedicate their lives to study also accepted another truth.

‘Each person is born with a differently sized vessel.’

And as far as they knew, Jwa Go-Hak truly meant “great vessel.” Not the proverb of “great things take time,” but the idea of someone born great from the start.

Even the most celebrated talents were humbled in Jwa Go-Hak’s presence and struggled for words. Yet those disciples showed no hesitation before him. If anything, they goaded him.

“Fascinating. Is it that their martial training made them great, or that the great have gathered in that sect?”

“Both might be true… but doesn’t it feel different?”

“Different?”

The shorter of the two elders spoke cautiously.

“To me, Jwa Go-Hak doesn’t seem to impress them much.”

“Is that possible? Jwa Go-Hak?”

Jwa Go-Hak was too accomplished to be called a crouching dragon, yet not lacking enough to be a solitary crane — a prodigy of rare caliber. Could someone like that fail to seem impressive?

“If they see someone greater every day, maybe.”

“Hmm.”

The tall elder, Sang Seo, watched one of Mount Hua’s disciples with interest. For some reason, he fixed on the quiet Chung Myung, who had been silent until now.

“They grew up watching dragons…”

“Let’s watch a little longer.”

Meanwhile, preparations for the first test—or rather, a contest disguised as a test—proceeded smoothly.

The target that had been placed a hundred paces away was moved twice as far, out to two hundred paces.

“…What is that?”

“Can you even see anything?”

“I think there’s a target out there.”

It was half an exaggerated complaint. Warriors who trained their eyes could not fail to make out a large target two hundred paces away.

But hitting that target with arrows from this distance was another matter.

“The rules are simple. Each will shoot ten arrows; the one who hits the target more times wins.”

“Hmm.”

“Then, the ready one may begin.”

Song Hyun turned and glanced at Tang Soso before speaking.

“Will you be alright, lady?”

“What do you mean?”

“If you’re just going to be humiliated, it might be better to forfeit now. The sage said admitting one’s shortcomings is a kind of courage.”

“Didn’t that sage also teach that archery is not about the bow’s kick but about shooting with your hand?”

“You…!”

Song Hyun’s face flushed crimson for a moment.

“Don’t regret it!”

With a lightning motion, Song Hyun nocked an arrow and drew. Before one arrow could reach the target, another streaked into the sky, and before that one struck, yet another flew.

In an instant, a dozen arrows sliced through the air in succession.

Thwang! Tutututwang!

All ten arrows pierced the center of the target without exception.

It was archery so extraordinary it bordered on the miraculous.

“Wooooaaah!”

“It’s amazing every time you see it!”

The student observers erupted in cheers, certain of his victory.

“Well?”

Song Hyun looked at Tang Soso with a triumphant—no, with the face of someone barely restraining his glee.

But Tang Soso showed no reaction at all to the display.

“That’s what I told you.”

“…About what?”

“That it’s not such a remarkable skill.”

Tang Soso took an arrow from her quiver, nocked it, and without hesitation drew the string and loosed it.

Tututututwang!

Song Hyun’s eyes widened. Tang Soso shot at least twice as fast as he had. Her movements were so quick they hardly resembled an archer’s.

But the result was shocking.

Kwakak! Kwakak! Kwakagak!

Every single one of her ten arrows struck the target. Compared to Song Hyun’s result, the accuracy seemed only slightly less impressive, but…

‘Considering the speed, it’s by no means inferior to mine.’

No—rather, it raised a question. If Song Hyun had drawn at that speed, could he possibly match that accuracy?

Avoiding a predictable response, Song Hyun opened his mouth.

“How can you draw so quickly… drawing the string usually takes considerable strength.”

Tang Soso scoffed.

“That’s the kind of thing a bookish person would say. What do you take warriors for?”

“….”

“For a warrior it’s natural. All the more in your sect, where someone keeps crowing that ‘skill comes from spirit, and spirit comes from stamina.’”

When Tang Soso looked back, Chung Myung raised his chin with a ‘what did I do?’ expression, and Tang Soso let out a small laugh.

From Song Hyun’s perspective, Tang Soso’s composure was infuriating. He shook his head and spoke with a hardened expression.

“I acknowledge your skill. But a result must decide this. This method won’t produce a clear winner.”

“Is that so? From where I stand, the match seems already decided.”

Song Hyun’s face twisted. Before he could retort, Tang Soso continued.

“Well, if you think that, it can’t be helped. We’re the ones administering the test. So? Do you have another way in mind?”

She gave the impression she didn’t care which method was chosen.

Song Hyun glared and bit his lip.

‘This won’t do.’

He had already reached parity with Tang Soso. Sharp-eyed observers might even judge him slightly behind. What would change if he only narrowly won the next round?

Song Hyun glanced at the students watching him. They were his fellow disciples and friends, but also future rivals—lifelong ones.

If he showed weakness now, it wouldn’t be a mere humiliation.

‘I can’t allow that.’

Resolved, Song Hyun fixed Tang Soso with a fierce, steely stare.

“The sage taught that through archery one cultivates heart and art. We’ve tested art enough—how about testing the heart this time?”

“By ‘heart’?”

“More precisely, courage. What do you say? Do you, my lady, have the heart to measure courage against me?”

“What’s the method?”

“Simple. From fifty paces, we turn each other into targets and shoot at one another.”

“What?”

Mount Hua’s disciples gasped in horror. But Tang Soso herself silently waited for Song Hyun’s next words.

“And the one who dodges first loses.”

“So the later dodger is the braver one?”

“Exactly. It requires boldness.”

“It seems less a test of courage and more of stupidity, to be honest.”

Tang Soso sighed.

“Since we’ve agreed to stoop to foolishness, no need to refuse. Fine. Let’s do it.”

“I expected Sajo to accept, of course.”

Song Hyun inwardly rejoiced.

He’d never thought he’d be outmatched in archery, but honestly, this woman was no easy opponent.

With this method, Song Hyun was certain of victory. Everyone who had faced him this way before had conceded crushing defeat.

Moreover, he was a scholar who had honed both mind and body; he believed his composure and boldness surpassed anyone’s.

“Then let’s begin.”

“Yes.”

The two stood apart, facing each other.

“By the way, blocking is foul. Only dodging is permitted.”

“Yes, yes. I know.”

“You don’t seem to understand.”

“Huh?”

Swoooosh!

At that moment, an arrow whizzed past Tang Soso’s cheek.

“Don’t take this lightly. One mistake and you’ll die.”

Tang Soso glared at Song Hyun wordlessly.

“That bastard!”

As Jo Gul leapt up in a fury, Yoon Jong and Baek Cheon grabbed his shoulders tightly.

“Let go! That bastard put inner power into his arrow just now?!”

“I know.”

“Then why are you holding him back? Kill him!”

“Do you think Soso can’t do that?”

“…What?”

Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong shrugged simultaneously.

“If Soso put her mind to it, taking that guy out would be nothing. She could smash his head into the ground this instant.”

“Or she could turn him into a hedgehog.”

Jo Gul stared blankly, then nodded.

“I guess so.”

“Right. Leave her be. If she’s staying silent like that, she must have a plan.”

Jo Gul turned back to look at Tang Soso.

Sure enough, Tang Soso stared at Song Hyun with a blank face, not a single brow moving.

That face looked as if…

‘It’s oddly like Sago—creepy…?’

But this was something Song Hyun, unfamiliar with Tang Soso and Yu Yiseol, could not have noticed.

“How about it—will you give up even now?”

Song Hyun asked with a smug smile.

He’d used this tactic many times: in a contest of boldness, instilling a subtle fear in the opponent first worked to great advantage.

Even if Tang Soso threatened him now, having anticipated it would blunt its effect.

“You’re talking too much.”

Tang Soso gave a brief nod without changing her expression.

“Begin. No stalling.”

“If you insist.”

Facing Tang Soso at fifty paces, Song Hyun nocked an arrow. Jwa Go-Hak stepped to the center and raised a hand slightly.

“I’ll give the signal. Both of you, prepare.”

At Jwa Go-Hak’s words, Tang Soso also drew an arrow and nocked it.

“Huh.”

Song Hyun drew to full draw and took aim at Tang Soso. Beyond the creaking bow, he saw her holding the bow in an unfamiliar stance, aiming at him.

‘No matter how confidently she acts…’

Outwardly she seemed unfazed, but inwardly she must be unsure.

Of course Song Hyun didn’t intend to use inner power in this match. But given what he’d shown earlier, Tang Soso couldn’t help but be wary.

Conversely, Tang Soso absolutely could not put inner power into her arrows here. This place was practically hostile to it; if she inadvertently used inner power, the contest could escalate into a fight and be voided.

One who must be conscious of it, and one who needn’t be.

‘He can’t beat me even if he tries.’

Displaying surging confidence, Song Hyun tightened his grip and drew the string more firmly.

And then.

“Now!”

Jwa Go-Hak’s hand came down once from above. At the signal, Song Hyun and Tang Soso released their strings simultaneously.

Fiiiiiiiing!

Like salmon fighting an upstream current, the two supple arrows cleaved the air and passed each other in mid-flight. Arrows filled with fierce intent sped sharply toward their respective marks.

Song Hyun held his breath.

No matter how often he saw it, the sight never grew familiar: an arrow flying at him like the grim reaper, and beyond it the silhouette of his opponent. But the figure vanished quickly, and the image of an arrow racing toward his head began to fill his vision.

‘More…’

An arrow loosed cannot be stopped — unlike a sword bout, an attack cannot be halted midway. Life or death rests solely on oneself.

‘Not yet, not yet…’

Clenching his teeth, Song Hyun watched the oncoming arrow. Already within half a pace, it writhed like a demon’s tongue, aiming to pierce his brow.

‘Not yet…’

His heart pounded, muscles tensed. Instinct screamed to turn his head.

‘Just a little more…’

Enduring to the limit, Song Hyun finally jerked his head away violently from the arrow that nearly grazed his brow.

‘I did it!’

Perfect. He had never held out this long before. Yet he’d never lost in these contests. Victory should be his.

But his triumph lasted only a heartbeat. The instant he turned his head, Song Hyun saw something.

‘What?’

Tang Soso.

She stood perfectly still, not an inch misaligned, even with an arrow nearly touching her brow.

‘That— that madwoman!’

It was impossible to dodge. No matter how skilled, avoiding an arrow that close was unrealistic.

Yet Tang Soso showed no sign of flinching, as if armored in iron, as if prepared to embrace death.

It was the moment Song Hyun, seeing her unmoving gaze and sensing a horrible outcome, was about to squeeze his eyes shut.

Kaaang!

A blade flashed like lightning and struck the arrow lodged at Tang Soso’s brow, knocking it away at once.

Drip.

The parry had been slightly late; a thin stream of blood ran down Tang Soso’s brow.

“Why didn’t you dodge?”

“They said if you dodge, you lose.”

“You’d die.”

“I thought Sago would block it.”

Yu Yiseol, briefly showing emotion, glanced at Tang Soso and then shook her head. Tang Soso, as if nothing had happened, licked the blood from her lip and grinned.

“Well? I think I won.”

“….”

Song Hyun’s legs went weak and he slowly slid down to the ground.

Staring blankly at Tang Soso and the blood on her face with an expression of complete incomprehension, Song Hyun finally bowed his head.

“I lost.”

It was a defeat without room for excuse.