Chapter 51 : The Future of the Beggars' Sect
Hoo—
With a deep breath, Jong Seo-eon stopped walking.
Namgung Il's figure was now right in front of him.
Although it wasn't the first time he had been this close, this moment felt very different from usual.
'D-don't tell me I'm going to have a spar with the captain...'
Even when Namgung Il's turn had been switched with Gwangcheon's, Jong Seo-eon had been relieved inwardly.
If it had been as originally planned, he and Namgung Il would have inevitably had to spar, but if the order was changed, it would be realistically impossible for him and Namgung Il to clash.
But for it to end up like this... every time his turn approached, Jong Seo-eon just wanted to run away from this place.
Gulp—
To be honest, Jong Seo-eon did not want to fight with Namgung Il.
When he was a comrade, there was no ally as reliable as Namgung Il, but on the contrary, if he became an enemy, there would be no enemy as scary as him.
Nevertheless, there was only one reason why Jong Seo-eon had come up to the sparring stage now.
'I'm sorry, Captain!'
He had to get a good score here and definitely enter the Flying Dragon Academy.
After apologizing to Namgung Il several times in his heart, Jong Seo-eon slightly raised one hand.
'...That's how it should be to be fun.'
Seeing Jong Seo-eon revealing his hostility towards him, Namgung Il quietly smiled.
He had thought that he might not be able to fight him sincerely because of his soft heart, but it seemed that was a useless worry.
Swoosh—
No matter how close they were, if it was a matter related to martial arts, it was a martial artist to become serious.
As if to show respect for Jong Seo-eon's attitude, Namgung Il aimed the wooden sword he was holding forward.
"...!"
At that moment, the hall became slightly noisy.
For that Namgung Il to draw his wooden sword and aim it at his opponent before the spar even started.
Since it was the first time in over two hundred spars, the supervisors, including the examinees, couldn't help but be a little surprised at that sight.
"Number ten thousand drew his wooden sword for the first time before the spar even started."
"Does that mean the opponent is that strong?"
"Please... please defeat that monster this time!"
When Namgung Il showed such a sight for the first time, people's attention naturally had to be focused on Jong Seo-eon.
An opponent who had made Namgung Il draw his wooden sword before the spar even started.
With just that one fact, numerous people were now holding expectations for Jong Seo-eon.
'Wh-what on earth is this?'
As people's expectations were focused on him, Jong Seo-eon could instinctively perceive that fact.
If Gwangcheon was a huge attention seeker, Jong Seo-eon's tendency was the opposite.
But what would happen if the expectations of numerous people were focused on such a person?
Jong Seo-eon's stomach immediately felt nauseous, and his expression turned bad.
"Jong Seo-eon."
"...!"
"Focus on me."
Just then, Namgung Il said from the front.
At that moment, strangely, the nausea disappeared in an instant.
Jong Seo-eon looked at Namgung Il with a blank face and then answered in a powerful voice.
"Yes!"
"..."
He couldn't ruin his first spar with his grand-disciple because of nervousness.
Seeing that, it seemed that his nervousness had disappeared to some extent.
Namgung Il erased the smile on his lips and aimed his wooden sword again.
"Begin."
As if they were both ready, Cha Yul-ryeong announced the start of the spar.
Phat—
Surprisingly, the one who moved first was Jong Seo-eon.
His two hands, which were aimed precisely at Namgung Il's solar plexus with a rush.
Since it was a quite surprising movement even compared to Namgung Il's movements that had been shown so far, people couldn't help but be quite surprised at Jong Seo-eon's first move.
Pang—!
A heavy sound echoed in the hall.
Jong Seo-eon's two eyes, which flinched slightly upon discovering what was touching his two hands.
It was an attack that could be called a decisive blow... but Namgung Il was lightly blocking the attack with his wooden sword, as if he had already expected it.
'As expected, this isn't enough.'
He had hoped he would at least flinch.
No, this must be Namgung Il.
Jong Seo-eon immediately lowered his posture and this time aimed for Namgung Il's legs.
Leap—
But even that, Namgung Il lightly avoided by jumping in place.
Could it be that he had already predicted this too?
The first move was one thing, but when Namgung Il lightly brushed off even the second move, Jong Seo-eon couldn't help but be flustered.
'A lower body attack following the Twin Dragons Emerge from the Sea. Well, this can be said to be a standard move.'
Although Jong Seo-eon couldn't understand it, it was very natural for Namgung Il to see through Jong Seo-eon's moves.
Because the martial art that Jong Seo-eon was now displaying was, after all, passed down through Namgung Il.
To exaggerate, Jong Seo-eon was now in a state of being no different from being on Namgung Il's palm.
Swish— Swish—.
Without even knowing that, Jong Seo-eon was clenching his teeth and diligently swinging his palm strikes.
'How can this be?'
He already knew that Namgung Il was stronger than him.
But to think there was such a difference... Jong Seo-eon still couldn't believe the fact that his Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms had not even grazed Namgung Il's clothes.
'It feels like I'm sparring with my master.'
Jong Seo-eon could not understand why he was feeling that way.
No, to be precise, he knew the reason.
This was... yes... it was a movement as if Namgung Il knew all of his martial arts.
'The captain knows all of my martial arts?'
It was a story that really didn't make sense.
The Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms is one of the ultimate skills of the Beggars' Sect, a martial art that is passed down only to the leader and the Hougai.
Of course, it would be normal for a person from the Namgung Clan not to know it.
Not only was this the first time he was displaying the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms in front of Namgung Il, but the martial art called the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms was by no means simple enough to be grasped just by seeing it a few times.
'The martial arts of the Beggars' Sect... no matter how much it's the captain, it can't be blocked so futilely like this!'
It didn't matter if he lost. But he couldn't stand the martial arts of the Beggars' Sect being blocked so futilely like this.
Jong Seo-eon began to pour attacks on Namgung Il with a rougher momentum.
"..."
Seeing that, Namgung Il was smiling a pleased smile inwardly.
To think that he could display the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms so skillfully at this age.
To be honest, it was because it was him that he was avoiding it so perfectly, but if he had sparred with the other examinees, a situation like this would never have come out.
'The future of the Beggars' Sect is bright.'
It seemed he had seen enough of Jong Seo-eon's Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms.
Although the connection of the forms was a little too honest, which was a flaw if it was a flaw, that would gradually improve as he gained experience.
Namgung Il now wanted to check Jong Seo-eon's other martial arts.
Swish—
But contrary to Namgung Il's wish, Jong Seo-eon was only displaying the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms from the beginning.
"...?"
At this point, Namgung Il could also tell that something was strange.
Jong Seo-eon surely knew that the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms no longer worked on him.
But he couldn't understand why he wasn't taking out the Beggar's Staff on his back.
'Somehow... it seems he has no intention of taking out the Beggar's Staff.'
At least, that's how Namgung Il felt.
Although the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms could also be said to be an ultimate skill of the Beggars' Sect, wasn't the martial art that symbolized the leader, after all, the Beggar's Staff Style?
The reason he had wanted to have this spar in the first place was also because he wanted to see Jong Seo-eon's Beggar's Staff Style himself... in the end, as if he had decided something, Namgung Il said to Jong Seo-eon in a cold voice.
"Are you looking down on me?"
"...?"
"You know well that such a shabby palm strike doesn't work on me, right?"
At that moment, Jong Seo-eon's expression hardened rapidly.
"That statement... take it back. Even if it's you, Captain, I can't stand you insulting the martial arts of the Beggars' Sect."
"Then try to beat me."
"..."
"I'll tell you one thing before that. If you keep attacking with that palm strike, you will never be able to beat me."
When Namgung Il provoked him, Jong Seo-eon, as if he had decided something, slightly retreated.
Soon, his right hand slowly went towards the Beggar's Staff.
Namgung Il grinned inwardly as he saw that.
'I'll apologize later.'
Since the achievement of the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms was that much, the achievement of the Beggar's Staff Style would also be quite considerable.
Namgung Il tensed up slightly and aimed his wooden sword at Jong Seo-eon.
Phat—
'Oh— is he going to attack with the Head-Hitting Staff Strike first?'
Just by looking at the preliminary movement, Namgung Il was immediately able to know what kind of form Jong Seo-eon was trying to display.
Namgung Il, who raised his wooden sword above his head as if to meet him in advance.
The Beggar's Staff that Jong Seo-eon swung fell precisely on top of Namgung Il's head.
Click—
'...Hmm?'
Something was strange.
This... is this Jong Seo-eon's Beggar's Staff Style?
No, since he had only seen one form, it was too early to judge, so Namgung Il decided to take Jong Seo-eon's attack a little more.
"Uh..."
Until Jong Seo-eon took out the Beggar's Staff, a sense of pure expectation was on Namgung Il's face.
However.
Every time Jong Seo-eon swung the Beggar's Staff, Namgung Il's two eyes began to tremble violently, as if an earthquake had occurred.
'Wh-what on earth is this?'
The martial art that Jong Seo-eon was now displaying was surely the Beggar's Staff Style that he had wanted to see so much.
But what should he call this... Jong Seo-eon's Beggar's Staff Style was the Beggar's Staff Style, but it was not the Beggar's Staff Style.
'He has achieved that much in the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, so why is the Beggar's Staff Style like this?'
To be honest, Namgung Il was flustered.
The Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms were so fierce, so why was the Beggar's Staff Style so lukewarm?
It seemed that this Beggar's Staff Style would not work on him, of course, or on the other examinees here.
"..."
A Beggar's Staff Style that was just barely following the form.
Although the shell seemed plausible, if one were to peel it, no substance was visible at all.
Of course, the other examinees might not have noticed that, but Namgung Il, who was directly facing him, could surely know that.
'Was it because of this?'
Namgung Il was only now able to understand the reason why Jong Seo-eon had not taken out the Beggar's Staff so much.
Perhaps he was feeling it most keenly himself now.
If Namgung Il hadn't made that provocation, Jong Seo-eon probably would not have taken out the Beggar's Staff.
Swish—
Jong Seo-eon was sweating and diligently swinging the Beggar's Staff.
Of course, the attacks did not reach Namgung Il at all.
In the end, Namgung Il coldly swung his wooden sword.
Clang-clang-clang—
At Namgung Il's single sword strike, Jong Seo-eon's Beggar's Staff was too easily sent to the floor.
Namgung Il's wooden sword, which was now aimed at Jong Seo-eon's neck.
Since it was a clear situation to anyone, Cha Yul-ryeong announced the result a moment later.
"The winner, examinee number ten thousand."
When the result was announced, a sigh flowed from the surroundings.
They had hoped that the spar would be long this time... as expected, the spar ended with Namgung Il's victory this time as well.
"..."
But even though he had won the spar, Namgung Il's face looked somewhat dark.
Just by looking at his expression, it would be safe to say that the one who had lost the spar was Namgung Il.
'The future of the Beggars' Sect... is dark.'
It seemed he would have to go and see that brat, Gae Du-sik, soon.
(End of Chapter)