The Beggar Young Master of the Namgung Clan

Man Cheok-su was smiling greedily, surrounded by gold and silver treasures.

'Hehe... finally, the day has come.'

Man Cheok-su had been counting down the days until today.

Today was exactly the fifth day since he had visited the Beggars' Sect.

The moment the bet with Namgung Il would be decided was also today.

'In just a little while, the bet will be my victory.'

In about one more hour, it would be past midnight and become tomorrow.

And yet, Namgung Il's figure was still nowhere to be seen.

Seeing that there was still no news even after this much time had passed, it seemed that Namgung Il had failed to obtain one hundred thousand gold.

'It was a bet that didn't make sense from the beginning.'

That was why Man Cheok-su had agreed to this bet.

Because he had thought that he would almost certainly win.

The result seemed to be his victory, and now he was only thinking in his heart about what to demand from Namgung Il as the price of the bet.

'He surely said he would grant anything.'

Namgung Il had said so boldly.

Didn't that mean that he could also hand over the martial arts of the Namgung Clan to him?

Man Cheok-su had, of course, been thinking in that direction from the time Namgung Il had first said so.

'It's like catching a phoenix instead of a pheasant.'

Although the Gaejeongmun, where Man Cheok-su was the leader, had the form of a sect, in fact, there were many parts that were lacking to be called so.

For a sect to be maintained and become powerful, shouldn't there be a foundation for it?

That foundation generally referred to martial arts, and although there was a martial art called a unique art in Gaejeongmun, its power could be said to be at a truly insignificant level.

"..."

Man Cheok-su also knew that very well.

That Gaejeongmun was now no different from a sandcastle, and if it continued like this, his sect would eventually be devoured by the winds and waves of the martial world like many other sects.

But creating a martial art required more talent and effort than one might think.

Moreover, creating a martial art called a secret art was impossible unless one was a genius. It was impossible with Man Cheok-su's talent.

'I will surely raise Gaejeongmun into a famous sect.'

The method that Man Cheok-su had chosen for that was to steal martial arts from other places.

If he couldn't create it himself, he could just bring the martial arts of other sects here.

Fortunately, although Man Cheok-su had no talent for martial arts, he had a talent for handling money.

Based on that talent, Man Cheok-su had stolen martial arts from other sects one by one and had grown Gaejeongmun until now, and especially, the Beggars' Sect was a honey pot that Man Cheok-su had been carefully nurturing for a long time.

But to think that he would get something sweeter before he even opened that honey pot.

If he could get his hands on the martial arts of the Namgung Clan along with the Beggars' Sect, Gaejeongmun would be able to grow much more than now.

"Hehe—the future of Gaejeongmun is bright."

They say that a person who is meant to succeed will succeed no matter what.

Man Cheok-su felt as if Namgung Il, who had suddenly appeared in front of him, was a gift sent from heaven.

"Is there only one more quarter of an hour left?"

It was then.

The outside, which had suddenly become noisy.

The noise was gradually getting closer to the room where Man Cheok-su was.

'What is it?'

Don't tell me someone has attacked in the middle of the night?

The outside was so noisy that he had such a thought.

Swoosh—

Man Cheok-su was now standing in place with a hardened look.

Even at this moment, the sound of screams or something breaking was getting closer and closer to him.

A moment later, the outside became quiet, as if the previous commotion had been a lie.

"...?"

Did they defeat the attacker?

Man Cheok-su thought so and stared at the door with a tense face.

Thud—!

At that moment, the door of the room was thrown wide open.

"...!"

Discovering the person standing between the open doors, Man Cheok-su could not hide his surprised expression.

"Y-you are...!"

"How have you been?"

The person asking Man Cheok-su was none other than Namgung Il.

Don't tell me the identity of the attacker is Namgung Il?

Since that fact was not yet certain, Man Cheok-su cautiously opened his mouth.

"Outside... what on earth happened?"

"Ah, it's nothing."

"...?"

"Your brats blocked my way when I was coming here."

They blocked his way?

Does that mean there was a fight between Namgung Il and the members of Gaejeongmun?

Although he couldn't understand the reason why the members had done such a thing, what he couldn't understand more than anything else was that Namgung Il was standing there now, unharmed.

"What happened to our members?"

"Ah, don't worry."

"..."

"Their lives are not in danger. But they probably won't be able to come to their senses until tomorrow morning."

That meant that Namgung Il had defeated all the members.

'They were all defeated by one person?'

There would have been at least more than a hundred members inside.

But to be defeated by just one person?

Moreover, since Namgung Il was unharmed without a single scratch, Man Cheok-su's shock was even greater.

"..."

As expected of the Namgung Clan.

Although it was a hard-to-believe thing, if one thought about which family's blood Namgung Il inherited, one could accept it to some extent.

'I want it even more.'

The martial arts of the Namgung Clan that even a hundred members of Gaejeongmun could not defeat even if they all rushed at him.

The emotion of desire was revealed in Man Cheok-su's two eyes.

"In the end, you couldn't get the money."

Man Cheok-su said with a meaningful smile on his lips.

If he had brought the one hundred thousand gold as promised, the members would not have blocked Namgung Il's way.

Man Cheok-su thought that Namgung Il had caused a scene like this because he couldn't get the money.

"I'm disappointed. No matter how much it seems you'll lose the bet, to use force like that."

"What are you talking about?"

"...?"

"You think I'm going to lose? The promised time hasn't passed yet."

Namgung Il said and walked towards Man Cheok-su.

At the same time, his right hand, which was put into his clothes.

And so, Namgung Il took something out and placed it on the table.

"It's one hundred thousand gold."

"...!"

"Check it."

There was nothing to check.

Because even before Namgung Il had said so, Man Cheok-su had been looking at the bank notes on the table.

Ten bank notes that could be exchanged for ten thousand gold. Since he had handled numerous bank notes before, Man Cheok-su could immediately tell that they were not forgeries.

'D-don't tell me...! Did he really get one hundred thousand gold!'

And that in just five days?

Man Cheok-su was so shocked that he was at a loss for words for a moment.

"You've checked it, right?"

"..."

"It's an unmistakable one hundred thousand gold. And the time hasn't passed midnight yet."

Namgung Il said and pulled back a nearby chair and sat on it.

One leg that went up naturally.

In that state, Namgung Il looked at Man Cheok-su and said.

"I won."

"..."

"Well, do you have anything to refute?"

There was no way there would be such a thing when he had brought one hundred thousand gold right in front of him.

Just then, as if he had barely come to his senses, Man Cheok-su shouted at Namgung Il.

"Th-then why did you cause such a commotion outside?"

"..."

"If you had gotten all the money, our members would have had no reason to block you?"

"That's what I'm saying. I just came in to pay back the money, but why were they so desperately blocking me?"

"Wait... don't tell me you didn't reveal who you were?"

When Man Cheok-su asked, Namgung Il clapped his hands as if he had just realized it.

"Ah, come to think of it, I didn't tell them who I was."

"...!"

"Sorry. I forgot."

Man Cheok-su, of course, did not believe those words.

Who on earth would enter a sect without even revealing their name?

Man Cheok-su thought that Namgung Il had acted like that intentionally.

Grind—

Of course, it was an angry thing from the point of view of a leader.

But the opponent was a master that even a hundred members could not defeat even if they rushed at him.

Since it was already obvious what the result would be even if he rushed at him, Man Cheok-su could not do anything.

"...It was a mistake, so it can't be helped."

"..."

"I've confirmed all the money, so please leave now."

"Leave?"

Namgung Il said and changed his posture and sat down.

"Since I won the bet, I have to receive the price now."

"...?"

Man Cheok-su belatedly remembered that.

Come to think of it, what had he promised to do for Namgung Il if he lost?

Since he had only been sure of his own victory, Man Cheok-su could not remember that for a moment.

Whack—!

At that moment, Man Cheok-su's vision turned white.

At the same time, a crisp hitting sound echoed inside.

When he came to his senses a moment later, Man Cheok-su realized that he was lying on the floor.

'Wh-what was that?'

For a moment, his vision had gone blank, and he seemed to have lost consciousness for a moment.

Man Cheok-su staggered to his feet, and at that moment, he discovered something that had fallen right below him.

'That's...'

Man Cheok-su picked up what had fallen on the floor with his hand.

"...!"

What had fallen on the floor was a tooth stained with blood.

Why was there a tooth in a place like that...?

When he had such a question for a moment, Man Cheok-su felt a tremendous pain in his left cheek.

"Aaaargh—!"

Man Cheok-su cried out in a voice full of pain.

His left cheek, which had turned from bright red to blue.

Man Cheok-su's mouth was already full of blood.

"You're making a big fuss. For just getting hit on the cheek once."

"...!"

When Namgung Il said that, Man Cheok-su finally realized what he had been hit by.

'...I just got hit on the cheek once?'

Usually, it wouldn't be like this with just that.

His mind had gone blank, his mouth was full of blood, and he could no longer feel any sensation in his left cheek.

As Man Cheok-su was looking at him with a fearful gaze, Namgung Il calmly raised his right hand.

"Then shall we continue?"

"...!"

When Namgung Il said that, Man Cheok-su was startled and fell back.

"What's wrong? Hurry up and take it."

"...!"

"There are still nine more left."

He remembered now.

As a condition of the bet, Namgung Il had demanded ten slaps on the cheek.

At that time, he had thought it was nothing and had agreed, but now Man Cheok-su's thoughts were completely different from then.

'I-I'm going to die!'

Just one hit had made his mind go blank.

Man Cheok-su was sure that he would surely die if he were to be hit nine more times like that.

"P-please spare me!"

"Anyone who sees this will misunderstand. When did I say I would kill you? I'm just going to slap your cheek."

"I was wrong! If you just spare my life, I'll do anything!"

"..."

Namgung Il walked closer to Man Cheok-su without a word.

"Is your life so precious?"

"I-isn't that natural?"

"Then why did you do it?"

"...Pardon?"

"Your life is precious, so why did you steal the martial arts, which can be said to be the life of a sect?"

A faint anger was felt in Namgung Il's voice.

What Man Cheok-su had done so far was an act that had gone far beyond the line.

Also, thinking that he would do that to the Beggars' Sect, Namgung Il became even more angry.

"Did you try to steal the martial arts of the Beggars' Sect in that way?"

"Th-that's..."

"It wouldn't be just the Beggars' Sect. If you had won the bet, you would have tried to steal the martial arts of the Namgung Clan as well."

Man Cheok-su could not say anything.

Although it seemed he could save his life if he lied and said no now, for some reason, the words did not come out of his mouth when he was looking at Namgung Il's eyes.

"I was wrong!"

"..."

"Please just spare my life! Then I will repent for my past mistakes and live my life in reflection!"

"It's already too late."

Namgung Il said and raised his left hand.

Thud—

Man Cheok-su fell back.

Foaming at the mouth, the focus in his two eyes disappeared.

Before he was even slapped, Man Cheok-su could not overcome his extreme fear and finally lost consciousness.

"..."

A brat not even worth hitting.

Looking at Man Cheok-su lying on the floor in a '大' shape, Namgung Il lowered his left hand.

(End of Chapter)