It was a bit strange.

Although he had been learning sword techniques for a long time and pursuing his own path, Un Geom had never had a proper fight until now.

This would be the first in his life.

What could one say about how he felt in the situation…

‘I am a bit excited.’

If it were a spar to prove skills, one might be nervous. But now, this wasn’t a time for him to prove his skills.

Just…

Un Geom stood on the stage and looked at his opponent.

“Un Geom, a first-class disciple of Mount Hua.”

“…”

Mu Gak, who was across from him, stared at Un Geom.

“First-class disciple…”

Mu Gak mumbled, shocked.

“I didn’t know that a first disciple of Mount Hua would join this fight.”

Un Geom scratched his cheek with a bit of a flustered look.

“I might be one who enjoys happy occasions by relying on the reputation of the younger disciples, but you don’t have to worry too much about my ability to swing the sword.”

A calm tone that made Mu Gak nod.

One empty sleeve meant a lot. He probably first learned it with the right hand and then changed to the left.

A name he had never heard of. A disciple of the first class in Mount Hua. There was nothing about this man that made him feel nice.

But…

‘He isn’t an easy one to tackle.’

The force and momentum this man was displaying were strange.

As quiet as mountains at dawn.

This person, who felt like his name, Geom (silence), in human form.

Mu Gak sighed softly.

‘No, it is the same no matter who the opponent is.’

They could not afford to lose anymore. Wudang was on the edge now.

“I am Mu Gak, a first-class disciple of Wudang.”

“I am Un Geom, a first-class disciple of Mount Hua.”

The two people drew their swords and took their stances.

Kuak.

Baek Cheon looked at his hands. Sweat was welling up on his palms, which had turned completely white due to the blood draining from his clenching them tightly.

‘Un Geom’s duty.’

When he looked around, he saw the other disciples staring nervously at the stage.

“Maybe I should have gone…”

Baek Sang mumbled in an emotional tone.

It seemed like he couldn’t forgive himself for showing hesitation, which made Un Geom step forward. Baek Cheon firmly said,

“It isn’t your fault.”

“But…!”

“Even if you didn’t hesitate, Sasuk would have stepped ahead even then. Don’t think about unneeded things.”

“…Yes, Sahyung.”

Baek Cheon clenched his fist again.

Nervous, no. This was worry.

But none of the disciples of Mount Hua were worried about him being defeated. Even if he were to lose without even being able to swing the sword, none of them would ever say anything to Un Geom.

It wouldn’t be possible; if anyone wanted to speak, Baek Cheon would never let it happen.

But what they were worried about wasn’t the defeat, but the pain Un Geom would end up with, having to do this and come out with a loss.

Un Geom lived his life diligently without resting for a day. What did it mean to him to lose his pride and honor here?

“Sasuk….”

In the end, a voice like a groan came out.

It still remained in his memory; this image of Un Geom spread at the enemy’s spear.

The empty sleeve of Un Geom resulted from their weakness. It symbolized the efforts of their senior Sasuks, who risked it all to protect them.

This was why it felt painful for him to watch.

To Baek Cheon and the other disciples of Mount Hua, Un Geom was a tall mountain. Even though they had become strong, no one thought they could ever surpass Un Geom.

That was why that empty sleeve was painful to them.

“If only he didn’t lose that arm….”

Someone’s small mumble pierced painfully into the ears of the other Mount Hua disciples.

And at that moment, Chung Myung, who had been sitting quietly, turned around and looked,

“These young brats…”

“…”

“You sahyungs do not have to worry that much. Do not speak nonsense, and just watch!”

Without waiting for an answer, he turned and looked at Un Geom.

It was just an ordinary spar, neither big nor small. But for some reason, Chung Myung sighed while looking at Un Geom’s back.

‘Still so awkward.’

Un Geom thought as he tightly gripped the sword with his left hand.

There was a time when the sword felt like an extension of his body, to the point where he and the sword seemed as one.

But his right hand, which had naturally held a sword, was no longer there. Holding the sword with his left hand, which he wasn’t accustomed to, still caused him discomfort.

Perhaps this sense of discomfort would not vanish for the rest of his life, maybe even until he died.

The moment he regarded the sword as an extension of his body might never be felt again.

“Phew.”

He took a short breath, held the sword firmly, and spoke.

“Come.”

Mu Gak nodded.

Tat!

His body hit the ground and quickly flew towards Un Geom.

Kaang!

Sword and sword collided in the air. The shock from the clash made Un Geom stumble back.

Paat!

Having disrupted Un Geom’s form by pressing down, Mu Gak quickly pulled back his sword and hurled it again. In an instant, sword qi divided into numerous branches and pierced Un Geom from all around.

Kang! Kang!

Un Geom, who struck away the flying sword qi, stepped back. The first thing to do was to avoid them.

Stepping back wasn’t a bad idea when the opponent gained force and momentum.

But Mu Gak also had no intention of letting Un Geom go.

He rushed forward faster than the retreating Un Geom, moving swiftly like a wild animal stalking its prey.

Swish!

The sound of the sword tip tearing through the air rang sharply. A sharp feature of the sword, which went well with Wudang’s nature, was aimed at the center of Un Geom’s body.

“Hah!”

Un Geom took a short breath at the aggressive movement and struck the flying sword.

Bang!

The moment the sword bounced up with a brief explosion, Mu Gak had to push himself back.

Then, it fell faster than it had risen and struck towards the head of Un Geom.

Chaaang!

Un Geom quickly raised his plum blossom sword and blocked Mu Gak’s descending sword.

Sword clashed against sword, pushing each other away.

Un Geom’s left arm, holding the plum sword, trembled. The opponent was holding the sword with both hands and pushing hard. So, dealing with it with just one arm wasn’t easy.

He clenched his teeth.

Kukuk.

The swords continued to rub together, creating an eerie sound. But then,

Ahhh!

Sword qi, moving like water, rose from the clashing swords. Un Geom’s eyes widened.

“Ahhh!”

With all his energy, Mu Gak was trying to push Un Geom with all his strength. Unable to withstand the force, Un Geom’s body was thrown and rolled on the ground.

“Senior sasuk!”

“Damn it! Sasuk!”

The disciples of Mount Hua involuntarily explained, which could be heard up to the stage. Un Geom, who had rolled on the ground a couple of times, quickly got up and took his stance.

“Hmmm.”

Mu Gak, who had the advantage in this fight, stopped instead of attacking Un Geom one after another.

And then he looked at Un Geom with sadness in his eyes.

“I guess…”

He hesitated for a moment and said,

“You don’t seem to be familiar with that left-hand sword.”

Un Geom smiled bitterly.

“That is right.”

“Such an unfortunate thing.”

As he shook his head, Mu Gak’s face was full of regret and sadness.

“If you hadn’t lost the superior hand, it would have been a good spar. It is truly unfortunate.”

“Maybe so.”

This was no provocation.

It was truly pure regret as a warrior. But that was why it broke the hearts of people even more. Sometimes, words of comfort hurt more than words with ill intent.

But Un Geom was calm and didn’t seem concerned.

“But I am not the type of person to regret what I have lost. If all I have is my left hand, then I do my best with it.”

“…That is a good thought.”

Un Geom and Mu Gak took their stance.

Un Geom smiled wryly without realizing it as he watched Mu Gak try to pressure him.

‘The number of lies, I say, is increasing.’

He didn’t regret it?

As if.

The regret still lingered in his mind. No, it was more intense now.

Even in his dreams, he still swung the sword with the familiar hand. When he suddenly woke from sleep, he sometimes reached out with the right hand, out of habit.

An unknown warrior.

A life that turned unfamiliar.

People didn’t despair over things that never existed. It’s when one loses what they have, and when they realize that what was lost cannot be regained, their heart falls into despair.

Un Geom’s eyes glanced at the disciples of Mount Hua.

Their concerned gazes and restless hands.

‘Do not look at me with such eyes.’

Among them, the one who was the most nervous with the most emotional face was Un Am. Un Am, who was always as calm as a Taoist, was now biting down on his lip with an expression Un Geom had never seen before.

‘Sahyung.’

Right. It happened.

A time when they couldn’t let go of their dreams.

When they were tired from the training that lasted until dawn and leaning against the wall, Un Am would sometimes come to have deep talks with them.

He had promised that one day, Un Am would be the sect leader of Mount Hua and he would be the best sword of Mount Hua, and regain the fame which the sect had lost.

Right. That was what he had promised.

It was a promise that was lost.

- Un Geom. I don’t plan on getting into the position of sect leader.

‘Sahyung…’

Right. That light vanished now.

Un Am gave up the position of sect leader for the sake of future generations, and he might never be able to be the best sword of Mount Hua again.

The predecessors who endured the long darkness and the future generations who built a shining legacy.

The Un disciples connected all those dots.

“I am coming!”

Mu Gak’s bright blue sword qi erupted, covering the stage.

It was truly a vast force.

His eyes dazzled as he saw the vivid qi of Mu Gak and the sword which shone.

Unlike him, who stopped shining.

‘Did I want it?’

Un Geom’s sword began to shine brightly with red qi.

He knew it, too. That time could not be turned back.

Even his most brilliant days. His youthful look, when he was confident in himself.

The pure hope that if he worked hard, it would come true at some point.

The person whose light faded didn’t return.

But…

‘My sword is still here.’

Even if he had to swing it with unfamiliar hands.

Even if he could never reach what he was aiming for.

The plum blossom sword he wielded his whole life was still in his hand.

“Ahhhh!”

Un Geom let out a suppressed shout and rushed towards the sword qi, which surged like an angry wave.

‘What did this mean?’

Was being weak a reason not to try harder?

Could this lingering feeling of clutching and squeezing the ankles be a reason not to take a step?

‘Watch, sahyung!’

It didn’t mean it was gone just because it could no longer be seen. Even withered branches bloomed.

The sword qi rising from the tip of Un Geom bloomed red, reflecting his anger toward the world.

He was right there.

This was…

Right here.