The Youngest Participant (3)

“What on earth just happened?”

“How did that gawky-looking kid win?”

“Did he use some kind of foul play?”

The spectators reacted with bewilderment rather than cheers.

It seemed everyone was shocked that the retired officer of the Heavenly Martial Army had lost so abruptly despite high expectations.

Dong-gu himself looked dazed, as if he couldn’t believe he had won.

“Th-thank you……”

He gave an awkward bow and quickly stepped down from the arena.

His simple, honest face showed no hint of a warrior’s spirit; he looked more like a hardworking country farmer.

Perhaps because of that, he was one of the least popular contestants.

Watching, Yu Jinsan clicked his tongue in pity.

“Tsk tsk. He’s so dull, how could he survive in this ruthless murim world?”

There was no help but to worry about Dong-gu’s future.

His temperament simply didn’t fit the martial world, no matter how you looked at it.

A short while later, Dong-gu returned to the stands and bowed his head.

“Thank you for your support, elder.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Our Seol did all the work.”

“But how did you get that bump on your forehead? Didn’t you say you’re Diamond Inviolable?”

For some reason, Yu Jinsan’s forehead bulged as if stung by a bee.

He waved his left hand as if to dismiss the concern.

“It’s the fate of one who rashly accepted a wager, nothing to worry about. Anyway, good work.”

Dong-gu tilted his head in confusion, bowed again, then looked back at Yu Seol.

“Thank you, Seol. I won because of you.”

“I thought you’d win, mister. Hehe.”

“Can I count on you next time too?”

“Okay. Just trust me.”

Seeing Yu Seol nod confidently, Dong-gu kept ruffling his own head as if reassured.

At that moment Yu Jinsan murmured with an intrigued expression.

“Now it’s that guy’s turn. Let’s see how great he really is.”

A Blue Dragon troops member disguised as Participant No. 36 was walking toward the arena.

His constant grin, as if he were a kindly man, made Yu Jinsan uneasy; he sensed the dark intent hidden behind the smile.

At that moment, the referee in the center of the arena began his announcement.

“This participant is a master from distant Zhejiang Province and the inheritor of the five-hundred-year Dragon Slaying Spear Technique!”

Dragon Slaying Spear Technique, even battle-hardened Yu Jinsan had never heard of it; it sounded like a fanciful self-introduction.

There were no jeers from the crowd, but no cheers either.

But when his opponent appeared, the crowd erupted louder than ever.

“Ladies and gentlemen! This beautiful female chivalrous warrior from the Baekri Family will face him!”

Yu Jinsan also knew well of the Baekri Family; among neutral forces they were quite formidable.

Her hawk-like brows, distinct features, and jade-white skin drew every eye.

“Woooo!!”

The Baekri Family’s female warrior clasped her hands toward the crowd in thanks.

“I am Baekri Sohye. Please support me, everyone.”

Another roar of cheers spread through the arena.

She bore everyone’s expectations, but Yu Jinsan and Yu Seol both wore worried expressions.

“I don’t feel like it, but Grandpa, I’ll choose that unlucky fellow.”

The spot on his forehead stung from the flick his granddaughter had given before; her chopstick-thin fingers had pierced the Vajra Indestructible and dealt a shock.

With the outcome seemingly certain, he could not pass up the chance for revenge.

Though the upcoming skilled warrior seemed strong, there was no way she could take down a Blue Dragon member like that.

He knew that better than anyone, having faced it himself.

But this time Yu Seol refused to yield, speaking firmly.

“Me too.”

“Oh? Think again, child. We can’t both pick the villain, can we?”

He tried coaxing gently, but she showed no sign of relenting.

Yu Seol shook her head to refuse, then glanced to the right and subtly asked.

“Dong-gu, who do you think will win? Hurry and pick one.”

“Hm. Then I’ll choose that female warrior. But what kind of wager are we making?”

Yu Jinsan and Yu Seol did not answer; they only wore an enigmatic expression.

And at that moment, the drum sounded on cue.

Thud-! Thud-! Thud-! Thud-!

“Looks like it’s about to start, Grandpa.”

“Yes, if possible, I’d like Dong-gu to beat us in the wager.”

For some reason, the grandparent and grandchild loosened the knuckle of a finger.

Dong-gu, feeling a pang of unease, tilted his head.

Just as he was about to ask, the bell rang and the match began.

Ting-!

Before the bell’s echo had faded, the thirty-sixth participant launched a surprise spear thrust.

A lightning-fast, precise movement.

It was surely a reflex honed by countless hours of training.

It was a strike that no upcoming warrior could hope to evade.

Whoosh-!

The tip of the wooden spear shot like a ray of light and pierced Baekri Sohye’s abdomen.

Gasping, she had no choice but to bend her upper body.

“Ugh……”

The spear fell again from above and struck the back of her neck.

Bang-!

Caught off guard, she collapsed with a thud.

She trembled in both hands trying to rise, but the next attack had already come.

The spear’s tip plunged vertically toward her back.

Crack-!

Her face hit the ground; she looked utterly disgraceful.

What use was pain in the face of such humiliation?

In the stands, members of her Baekri family who had come to cheer her on watched.

She couldn’t bring herself to lift her tear-streaked face.

Everything had happened in the blink of an eye.

Silence swept the stands; everyone gaped as if they’d witnessed a shocking scene.

Some rubbed their eyes as if they couldn’t believe what they’d seen.

At that moment, Yu Jinsan, arms folded, frowned and muttered.

“A junior from the murim world came out to gain experience, couldn’t they have cut her some slack……”

The rule was simply to touch the opponent’s body with the wooden spear three times.

There was no need to humiliate her so cruelly, especially not with a smiling face.

To stomp on a growing sapling like that?

Yu Seol’s smile had vanished too, her mood clearly upset.

“……No. Grandpa will show him a lesson.”

His granddaughter might be able to beat anyone senseless, but Yu Jinsan’s opponent was not so easily handled.

The earlier movements were ones even he would struggle to imitate.

He was at least at the superlative level, perhaps even reached Supreme warrior.

If he kept winning in the tournament he’d eventually meet him in a major match. He needed to figure out how to win before that. Since they were in different brackets, he still had time.

Then the thirty-sixth participant slowly began to turn his head.

For a moment, Yu Jinsan and his eyes met.

“That guy?”

It was fleeting, but the grin on the man’s face seemed to curl even higher.

It was a smile that simply made him feel sick to see.

“Soon it will be your turn, elder. Prepare yourselves.”

Yu Jinsan nodded once toward Dong-gu.

“Right. It’s about time to move. Before that, I should relieve this unpleasant feeling.”

“Huh? Relieve it?”

Yu Seol’s palm was already slowly moving toward Dong-gu’s forehead.

“Go on, mister. Let’s hit you.”

How many decades had it been since he’d stood in a place like this?

Yu Jinsan’s heart pounded; he couldn’t contain his excitement.

His blood boiled hot through his body.

‘I thought I’d never get another chance.’

It was a lifelong dream he’d secretly harbored since the first time he held a spear long ago.

Winning this tournament would be the ultimate honor for a spearman.

Though he’d been pushed into entering by his granddaughter, his joy was indescribable.

The only regret was that he couldn’t enter under the Yu family name.

But what did it matter?

It was a rare chance to prove himself as a warrior.

If his identity were revealed later, his family’s honor would naturally follow.

At the starting bell, the two widened the distance and took their stances.

Yu Jinsan’s opponent was a master who ran a fairly large martial arts place.

He could have ended it in an instant if he wished, but he wanted to savor the situation a bit.

“Little one, hang in there!”

“You can win!”

“Don’t get hurt!!”

Perhaps because he was the youngest participant, Yu Jinsan’s popularity was immense even without much introduction.

But their shouts didn’t reach Yu Jinsan’s ears.

At this moment every nerve of his was focused solely on the match.

“I can’t believe it. At such a young age, your stance is so stable.”

“Do not be careless. What you see is not everything.”

The middle-aged man smiled at the tone, which was beyond maturity and hinted at experience.

“Heh heh. Seems like a child with a story behind him. Well then, shall we begin?”

Yu Jinsan gave a slight nod.

And at that moment, the two forms charged toward each other.

Clack-! Clack-clack-!! Clack-clack-clack-!!

The sound of wooden spears interlocking was surprisingly brisk.

They seemed to be dancing rather than fighting.

It was possible because Yu Jinsan had relaxed and matched his opponent’s rhythm.

The duel continued through half a round; the tension had long since dissipated.

Despite the size difference being twice as much, the match looked evenly matched.

Maybe that’s why the spectators gradually began to watch them with ease.

“That kid’s pretty good!?”

“Oh! He’s holding his own?”

“Amazing! From now on I’ll only cheer for that kid!”

Clack-! Clack-clack-!! Clack-clack-clack-!!

The continuing clash sounded like sticks being struck to a rhythm.

The middle-aged man attacking Yu Jinsan shouted with a laugh.

“I don’t know what’s going on here, but this is exhilarating!”

Of course, no matter what techniques he used, Yu Jinsan responded in kind and played along.

A bright smile bloomed on Yu Jinsan’s face.

It was an atmosphere completely at odds with a formal match.

And about fifty seats away in a corner of the stands.

Two people were quietly cheering them on from a distance.

“The elder is really holding back, right?”

Yu Seol turned her head and looked at Dong-gu’s face for a moment.

Then she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

It was because of the two protruding bumps on his forehead; they looked like the stumps of severed beast horns.

“Pfft. I don’t know. Want to play one more round? I’ll pick Grandpa.”

Dong-gu scratched his head and shook his head.

“Don’t tempt me. I won’t do it again.”

What could she do when he refused? Yu Seol clicked her tongue in disappointment.

“Hng.”

“But Seol, doesn’t Grandpa seem to be enjoying this moment? As if he wants to hold onto it.”

No matter how you looked at it, there was no reason to prolong it this long unless he was savoring it.

Yu Seol nodded repeatedly in agreement.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen Grandpa smile like that.”

It was certainly different from the fond smiles he’d given her.

A child’s carefree laughter; such a pure smile now graced Grandpa’s face.

“Exactly. I’m envious of that opponent. I don’t know how long I can hold out, but if someone is going to beat me, I hope it’s the elder.”

“But won’t that be impossible?”

“Why?”

“You’re in a different bracket, aren’t you?”

To meet Yu Jinsan, he’d have to first win his own bracket.

But in Dong-gu’s bracket, that man was present.