The Beggar Young Master of the Namgung Clan

Swish— Swish—.

Namgung Il stood in place and lightly swung his sword.

'It certainly feels different.'

He had faced real swords many times before, but this was the first time he had actually held one himself.

A weightiness that was different from the wooden swords he had been swinging until now.

Only now was he holding something that could truly be called a sword.

"...Tch."

Opposite Namgung Il, Namgung Hae stood with a sword in his hand.

How dare he hold a real sword without knowing his place.

Although he didn't like Namgung Il's arrogance, a meaningful smile soon appeared on Namgung Hae's lips.

'This is actually good.'

The difference between a real sword and a wooden sword was immeasurably significant.

The most obvious difference was, of course, the weight.

It had taken him quite a long time to get used to this real sword himself.

'Do you think a brat who has only swung a wooden sword until now can handle that weight?'

When simply holding it, the difference in weight might not be felt much.

But the moment he started to perform a sword style in earnest, Namgung Il would realize.

That the sword styles he had performed until now were all at the level of child's play.

Namgung Hae could already picture the scene of Namgung Il collapsing on his own, unable to even properly perform a sword style.

Swish— Swish—.

Namgung Il kept moving his sword, as if trying to get used to the real sword somehow.

Like a fish out of water desperately trying to get back into the water, his movements looked like a useless struggle.

Namgung Hae erased the smile from his lips and said.

"How long are you going to keep doing that?"

"...I'm ready now."

When Namgung Hae shouted, Namgung Il held his sword in a middle stance again.

'Ready, my ass.'

It was absolutely impossible for Namgung Il to get used to a real sword in that short amount of time.

What would unfold from now on was not a spar, but a one-sided slaughter.

If he hadn't been stubborn and had held a wooden sword, it might have looked like a proper spar... but it was too late to turn back now.

Thud—

The two were now pointing their swords at each other.

Seo Shinwon looked at them slowly from side to side.

Soon, as if both were ready, Seo Shinwon opened his mouth.

"May we begin?"

Nod—

At Seo Shinwon's question, the two nodded their heads without a word.

At that moment, his right hand slowly rose.

At this moment, everyone held their breath and looked at Seo Shinwon's right hand.

Thud—

Seo Shinwon quickly lowered the right hand he had raised.

The spar began with that signal.

The one who moved first was Namgung Hae.

'First, I'll make it so you can't even stand properly!'

There was no need to use a sword style on a brat like that.

He could be subdued with just a basic sword strike.

Namgung Hae rushed forward in a straight line and swung the sword he had raised above his head down hard.

Clang—!

A sharp metallic sound echoed all around.

The power of the sword strike could be told just from the sound.

Although the sword path was simple, Namgung Hae had just swung his sword at Namgung Il with all his might.

"...!"

But why was this brat blocking his sword strike so calmly?

Far from his legs trembling, Namgung Il was now standing with a very stable stance, his sword clashing with his.

'Could it be... this isn't his first time holding a real sword?'

Looking at Namgung Il, Namgung Hae had no choice but to think so.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to block his sword strike so calmly like that.

His stance was one thing, but Namgung Hae was convinced of it, seeing that calm expression.

"..."

When he had switched from a wooden sword to a real sword, the hardest thing for Namgung Hae was by no means the weight.

The weight was a problem that could be handled if one had trained properly.

But the fear of a real sword was a problem that would inevitably take time to overcome, no matter how much effort one put in.

'That is by no means the gaze of someone facing a real sword for the first time.'

He, who was currently clashing swords, knew that fact better than anyone else.

A gaze that had no trace of fear.

On the contrary, it was a gaze that was quite accustomed to the sword.

'Damn it!'

Namgung Hae cursed inwardly and swung his sword again.

A flurry of consecutive strikes danced in the air in an instant.

Namgung Il blocked all of Namgung Hae's sword strikes as if it were natural.

"Kuh..."

With just a few sword strikes, Namgung Hae could tell for sure.

That he couldn't defeat Namgung Il with ordinary sword strikes.

In the end, Namgung Hae threw away his pride and began to attack, mixing in sword styles in earnest.

Swish—

Namgung Hae's movements changed from before.

He no longer swung his sword recklessly like before, but created distance and attacked from various directions.

As if trying to build his own territory, the direction of his sword strikes became more diverse as time passed.

'This is...'

Namgung Il naturally noticed that there was a change in Namgung Hae's sword forms.

What should he call this... At a glance, it looked like he was performing the Azure Sky Sword Style or the Great Expansion Sword Style, but on closer inspection, it was not.

It would be more accurate to say that it was a movement that seemed to have mixed the two sword styles together.

It would be right to think of it as a completely new sword style, not just a simple mix.

'Yes, is this the Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style?'

As the name suggests, the Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style was a sword style that appropriately harmonized the Azure Sky Sword Style and the Great Expansion Sword Style.

However, if one thought that it was a sword style that simply mixed the forms of the two sword styles just because the name was so, that would be a big mistake.

Those two sword styles could be said to be merely the foundation for the Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style.

From here on, it was the realm of what could be called the advanced sword style of the Namgung Clan.

"Yeoksan, isn't martial arts amazing?"

"What is?"

"Just by changing one form, a martial art becomes something completely different. I find that very interesting."

"...Interesting, my ass. That's why martial arts are difficult."

"Do you think so? I really like that ever-changing aspect of martial arts."

"Stop trying to buy time with idle talk and place your stone. Checkmate."

"...Was I caught?"

At that time, he had no idea what was so interesting about that, but now he thought he knew.

Because just by harmonizing the two sword styles, a completely new form of sword style was created.

Perhaps he could understand that part a little better now that he was also in the position of learning the sword style of the Namgung Clan.

Swish—

Just then, Namgung Hae's sword grazed his sleeve.

At that moment, his right sleeve was torn in a straight line.

Red blood was dripping from Namgung Il's right arm.

Grin—

Seeing that, Namgung Hae smiled.

As expected, when he started to perform his sword style in earnest, Namgung Il couldn't even properly counterattack from that spot.

Everyone watching this spar would be able to see that he was superior.

"You seem to be losing your mind in my Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style."

"..."

"If you admit defeat now, I will show you mercy. But you'll have to shout loudly that you surrender so that everyone can hear."

Namgung Hae said in an arrogant voice.

This should have proven that there was a clear difference in level between him and Namgung Il.

This much should be enough to satisfy his mother.

'Any more, and I might really cut that brat down.'

Although Namgung Hae had just spoken as if he were being generous, in fact, Namgung Hae himself wanted to end this spar quickly.

At this moment, holding a sword, his body was extremely tired due to the tension that was several times greater than usual.

If he could just cut down his opponent, he wouldn't be this tired, but because he had to subdue his opponent without cutting him, it required more concentration.

'This much should make that brat give up.'

At his level, he could never defeat his Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style.

In the first place, since he hadn't learned the Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style yet, it would be difficult for him to even barely block it.

It could be said that it was amazing enough that he had held on until now.

However.

"Is that the Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style?"

"...?"

"That's a very funny joke, older brother."

Namgung Il said with a smile.

At that moment, Namgung Hae's expression contorted.

Even at a glance, it seemed that Namgung Il was ignoring his Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style, so Namgung Hae couldn't help but be furious.

"What... did you just say?"

"Your skills are still far from it, older brother."

"What?"

"In my eyes, it just looks like you're clumsily imitating it."

"...!"

"I think I'm used to the real sword to some extent now, so from now on, you'd better keep your wits about you."

Snap—

Namgung Hae's reason snapped.

Fwoosh—

At that moment, Namgung Hae kicked off the ground and rushed at Namgung Il.

If he was going to talk like that, he would have to show him his Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style properly.

Namgung Hae swung his sword, thinking that it didn't matter if he cut the brat down now.

Swish—

Namgung Hae's sword strike began to waver and then disappeared.

Hidden Scenery Under the Clouds.

Like the sun hidden behind the clouds, Namgung Hae's sword strike was also aiming for Namgung Il's heart from an unseen place.

'Arrogant brat!'

This sword form was what Namgung Hae was most confident in.

To think that he would have to show this sword form against Namgung Il.

Those who don't know their place and run their mouths deserve to die. Even if it wasn't him, that arrogant brat would not have survived in the martial world in the future because of that mouth of his.

However.

Flash—

With a flash of light, the sword that was heading for Namgung Il's chest soared high into the air.

The sword, which had risen several feet high, slowly fell down.

A moment later, the sound of the sword rolling on the ground was heard from behind Namgung Hae.

Clang—

Namgung Hae could clearly hear that sound.

But his mouth was agape, as if he couldn't believe this situation.

He couldn't believe that his sword had left his hand and was rolling on the ground, nor could he believe that Namgung Il was now pointing his sword at his neck.

But what he couldn't believe more than those two things was...

"...Azure Sky's Flash?"

Namgung Hae muttered with a dazed look.

Why had Namgung Il blown his sword away with a form of the Azure Sky Great Expansion Sword Style?

Namgung Hae couldn't understand that fact more than anything else right now.

"Shall we continue?"

Just then, Namgung Il asked Namgung Hae.

His sword was currently out of his hand and on the ground behind him. On top of that, his opponent's sword was pointing at the tip of his chin... Anyone could see that it was his complete defeat.

Thud—

Namgung Hae knelt down.

Namgung Il watched him in silence.

Although it was a situation where the winner was clear to anyone, as the mediator of this spar, Seo Shinwon needed to declare the result for sure.

"The winner, Namgung Il!"

Seo Shinwon's voice was heard shouting in the silence.

And a moment later.

The cheers of the people who had been holding their breath until now filled the surrounding area.