Swordsmanship... or Not

“Swordsmanship... skipping swordsmanship, huh…” Namgung Hyeok sighed heavily.

“Your reason?”

“Well, I haven’t been learning martial arts for long, so I’m not great at swordsmanship.”

An Absolute Master, saying what now?

Namgung Hyeok held back the countless retorts swelling inside him, managing to maintain a calm façade.

“Alright. Just how long have you been learning martial arts to make such an outrageous—no, bold statement?”

“About two years?”

“…You’ve held a sword for only two years?”

“No, I started martial arts two years ago.”

Namgung Hyeok tapped his ear as if he’d misheard.

“Twenty years?”

“Two.”

He glanced toward Namgung Jin-cheon, who nodded.

Two years. So it really was two years...

Was that even possible?

Could the world have changed so much that common sense no longer applied?

But if all the talk of creating new techniques and genius alchemy were to be believed, maybe it was somehow possible.

“Is that so…”

Namgung Hyeok’s eyes gleamed with resolution.

If what Seo-jun said was true, then it was all the more clear.

This kid was someone the Namgung Clan had to secure no matter what.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Namgung Clan to rise as the greatest clan.

“Well then, I’ll take that time frame into consideration when judging your abilities.”

“No need, let’s just go straight to martial arts,” Seo-jun suggested casually.

“…Very well.”

Namgung Hyeok let out a deep sigh.

Seo-jun eyed him with a bright gaze.

“It’d be best if there was an opponent for the martial arts test, right?”

“…Indeed.”

“Since you’re judging my qualifications, wouldn’t it make sense to spar directly with you, Elder?”

Namgung Hyeok’s ki level felt close to a transcendent, a borderline state, somewhere between peak and transcendent—right on the edge.

It wasn’t uncommon for one’s level to be so finely nuanced, especially in the martial arts world. If things were defined too strictly, the classifications would fragment infinitely, with subtler divisions.

Take Pae Jin-gwang as a prime example. If the power of Pa-ryeok-gwae-shin-mu were to be translated into typical classifications, his level would align similarly—though Namgung Hyeok might slightly exceed him.

But who’d win in a fight? No one could be certain.

“Sparring with this elder?” Namgung Hyeok raised an eyebrow.

“Yes. Besides, the clan head is present.”

“…In that case, no one would risk real harm.”

From a certain perspective, this was a rare opportunity.

Having Namgung Jin-cheon nearby to intervene during a near-death sparring match? It was more valuable than any elixir.

Even in a life-and-death fight, Jin-cheon’s timely intervention would prevent serious injuries.

‘Another debt to Father-in-law, huh…’

Seo-jun grinned in quiet admiration.

“So, it’s settled then?”

“Indeed, but the outcome of the duel will not determine the final decision. Naturally, if you win, your qualifications will be proven beyond doubt. However, if you lose, your skill and display of martial arts will still be considered.”

“Hmm.”

Seo-jun pondered, then nodded.

‘In any case, I just have to win.’

Lost but fought well? He wouldn’t allow it.

This time, he’d win and give that old man a solid smack on the crown of his head.

 

The duel proceeded in the grand arena.

Everyone present was either a member of the Namgung Clan or had close ties to it, so there was no concern about the duel being observed. Witnessing a duel between masters was beneficial for them, so they retreated to a safe distance but didn’t leave the arena.

Standing across from Seo-jun, Namgung Hyeok reiterated the duel’s rules.

“Though the clan head is here, we’ll avoid using killing techniques just in case.”

That was all. It was as close to a life-and-death duel as one could get. Namgung Hyeok drew his sword, pointing it at Seo-jun.

“I’ll give you three moves.”

Namgung Hyeok’s promise not to counter for three moves meant Seo-jun could gather his strength without interruption. And if Seo-jun spent that time, he could probably “decorate” Namgung Hyeok’s head with a lovely star shape.

But that would be no fun.

Tap-tap-tap.

Seo-jun snapped his fingers three times.

The projectiles shot from his fingers were effortlessly blocked by Namgung Hyeok’s sword.

“Done? That’s three moves.”

“…Bold. Let’s see if your skills are as good as your spirit.”

Namgung Hyeok approached slowly. Seo-jun smirked, gesturing with his finger from low to high.

“Just so you know, if you get beaten up, don’t blame me.”

The ground surged.

Earthen pillars shot up from the floor of the grand arena like trees sprouting from the earth.

Namgung Hyeok immediately leapt to dodge, eyebrows raised.

“Enchantments? You’ve got quite a repertoire.”

Creating martial techniques, mastering alchemy, and now this?

“But you’ll never master any of them that way.”

Namgung Hyeok used the pillar’s side as a springboard, charging forward. His sword flared with a blue aura as he swung down, displaying the Sword of the Vast Skies technique.

Seo-jun recognized it and chuckled.

“I’d say I’ve mastered quite a few.”

He thumbed the hilt of the sword at his waist, pushing the blade up with a slight nudge.

As his sword emerged, a faint imperial aura appeared behind him—a fusion of the Sovereign Sword Form and Spirit Manifestation Art.

This was, after all, a test for the Sovereign Sword Form, so why not put it on full display?

 

The crushing pressure forced Namgung Hyeok down to the ground.

Seo-jun steadied himself against the pillar, channeling the power of Pa-ryeok-gwae-shin-mu throughout his body.

One step forward.

Thud!

Seo-jun shot through the cloudy dust, and Namgung Hyeok met him with a sweeping slash.

 

The clash of swords dispersed the dust instantly.

Namgung Hyeok, who had been thrown back, relaxed his tingling hand and squinted.

‘What monstrous strength…’

Facing him head-on, he had been overpowered. Absurd. Their levels of inner energy and skill were worlds apart.

But he’d been through enough shocks to recover quickly. Namgung Hyeok channeled his inner energy through his sword, surrounding it with the power of the sky.

As Seo-jun drew near, Namgung Hyeok muttered, “Foolish…”

The blue sky seemed to rise from the ground. Seo-jun twisted his stance, mixing in the spirit of White Lotus with his current footwork.

Swish!

Seo-jun’s form rose into the sky.

He landed on another stone pillar, watching Namgung Hyeok.

“Haven’t had many real battles recently, have you? A bit rusty.”

“Indeed. I haven’t crossed swords with an equal in some time. Be careful, then.”

With a brilliant flash, Namgung Hyeok’s sword was enveloped in energy, coloring the air around it with the sky.

Seo-jun’s eyes gleamed.

It was a domain—albeit a restricted one, limited to the space around his sword, rather than a full domain of a transcendent level.

But it wasn’t something to ignore. Within that space, Namgung Hyeok had an overwhelming advantage.

“The longer we fight, the sharper this elder’s blade becomes.”

Whoosh! Namgung Hyeok charged.

Rather than meeting him head-on, Seo-jun dashed nimbly between the stone pillars.

Namgung Hyeok wordlessly tightened his grip on his sword, twisting his body before swinging wide.

Vast Skies Unleashed.

 

A wave of azure cleaved through the stone pillars like an endless tide, scattering them into chunks. Perched atop one such piece, Seo-jun snapped his fingers.

“Think you can keep up? It’ll be hard with dull skills.”

The falling fragments suddenly surged with explosive energy.

Namgung Hyeok’s eyes widened.

“When did you…!”

Memories flashed through his mind.

Seo-jun’s casual hand on a pillar, his quick movements between them.

His actions had seemed natural at the time, but they weren’t just that.

‘A deeper plan…!’

 

The latent energy of Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Art erupted from the pillars, unleashing explosive blasts.

Debris scattered, seemingly at random, but then shifted into a structured formation—the simplified Five Elements Formation.

Having pre-planned this, Seo-jun calmly formed a seal with his hands.

Five Elements, Fire, Eruption.

With the synchronized explosion, a single fiery eruption shot skyward.

 

Watching from the ground, Seo-jun mused.

‘Did I go overboard with the enchantments?’

Had he shown more of his sorcery than his martial skills?

“Hm.” Seo-jun nodded, gripping his sword with both hands. If that level didn’t faze the old man, it was time to show more martial prowess.

Sure enough.

With a thunderous burst, Namgung Hyeok re-emerged from the dissipating explosion. His clothes were singed, and his skin bore a few scratches, but he was largely unscathed.

“…This reminds me of the tactics used by the Qi Sword Clan.”

“What’d you say?”

Frowning, Seo-jun invoked the Sovereign Sword Form.

Thud! The immense pressure sent Namgung Hyeok crashing to the ground.

Namgung Hyeok narrowed his eyes.

“Then I’ll get serious as well.”

Namgung Hyeok raised his sword, and the surrounding space turned sky blue.

No, it seemed more like an ocean, expanding endlessly, engulfing the area.

Namgung Hyeok’s domain extended just about a foot from his sword, but his intent spread far beyond it, maintaining its form.

Seo-jun’s expression turned grave at the sheer might before him.

Regardless of how much Namgung Hyeok’s combat skills might have dulled, his raw power was unaffected by practice. This strike needed neither finesse nor practical skill—it was a straightforward but overpowering blow.

Blocking would be tough; his options were to defend or evade.

‘Dodging might be impossible…’

Seo-jun took a deep breath, infusing his sword with a red and blue aura, balancing yin and yang to form a taijitu.

As this balanced energy coursed along his blade, it transformed into Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Aura.

From his fight experiment, “Is your fist stronger or my sword stronger?” he’d learned one lesson.

Used recklessly, Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Aura could even underperform compared to typical energy techniques.

But when executed correctly, it could accomplish feats beyond ordinary techniques.

“Whew…”

It was his first time actually trying it, but he figured it should work.

Drawing his sword back with a grin, Seo-jun thought, ‘If it doesn’t, Father-in-law will save me.’

Behind him, the spectral figure of the Emperor mirrored his stance, Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Aura suffusing his blade.

The falling ocean.

It was overwhelming. Against the oncoming tide, man seemed as insignificant as dust.

Seo-jun raised his blade against the massive onslaught.

A man with a mere blade against the tidal wave, swallowed whole.

Taiji: harmony and expansion.

In the turbulent flow of the ocean, Seo-jun’s sword swung.