Chapter 8
Placement Examination (2)
The format for evaluating the new Un had finally been decided.
This time, the examination would take the form of a martial arts tournament.
Ordinarily, the Society would hold several different tests and evaluate candidates based on their combined scores.
However, this generation contained an unusually large number of newcomers.
As a result, a tournament had been organized instead.
The purpose was not only to assess the abilities of the new Un but also to raise the morale of the Society members remaining at headquarters.
Large-scale events like this were rare within the Blue Sky Society.
A grand tournament stage had been constructed in the Central Training Grounds of the Society.
“So it's finally about to begin.”
“Looks like there are still some seats open over here.”
The spectator stands surrounding the arena were packed with members of the Blue Sky Society.
Everyone had come to personally observe the abilities and potential of the new recruits.
“I heard this generation is quite large for the first time in a while.”
“Well, they wouldn't hold an entire tournament otherwise. I'm curious how many promising youngsters there are.”
“Still, the number of new recruits keeps decreasing year after year. It's worrying.”
The Blue Sky Society was an organization dedicated to both opposing the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult and upholding justice.
Naturally, their recruitment standards were stricter than those of ordinary sects.
Furthermore, as the influence of the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult continued to grow, fewer and fewer martial artists sought to join the Society.
As a result, every newcomer had become precious.
“Was it Dan Sohye? I heard she's quite skilled with the sword. If properly trained, she has the potential to become a Hall Master someday.”
“Even so, she's probably still inferior to Baekri Cheong. He was already famous throughout Shanxi before joining the Society.”
“Haha. There really are quite a few desirable talents this generation.”
The Society members continued discussing the promising newcomers they knew.
Yet one name was never mentioned.
Namgung Jun.
Partly because Mokju Yun Gyeongjong had kept the events of the entrance examination and Gwonamu-go secret.
Partly because Namgung Jun himself had made no effort to stand out during his stay at the First Cloud Dormitory.
Yet none of that concerned him.
He simply stepped onto the arena in silence for his first match.
***
“So Dan Sohye is appearing in the very first match? Nice.”
“Hm. Her opponent is someone I've never seen before. He looks rather frail.”
“Judging by their auras, Dan Sohye should win without much difficulty.”
Namgung Jun's first opponent was one of the newcomers most frequently mentioned among the spectators.
Dan Sohye, was it?
She wore her hair cut short and appeared to be around twenty years old.
Her eagerness for battle was obvious.
Her hand had already begun fidgeting with her sword hilt.
Meanwhile, Namgung Jun stood casually with his arms hanging at his sides.
Apparently annoyed by his relaxed demeanor, Dan Sohye issued a warning.
“Don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're young.”
“Young?”
Namgung Jun repeated the word before suddenly remembering his current age.
This body was only seventeen years old.
“Hmm.”
After a brief murmur, he slowly placed a hand on his sword hilt.
At first glance, it looked careless.
Almost defenseless.
The sight thoroughly irritated Dan Sohye.
Her eyes sharpened.
“You need to be taught a lesson.”
Enraged, she drew her sword and charged.
Namgung Jun's eyes flashed sharply, capturing every detail of her swift movement.
At that instant—
His sword shot skyward.
The motion was flawless.
To Dan Sohye, it looked as though the act of drawing the sword had been completely omitted.
She had not underestimated him.
On the contrary.
Her wounded pride had made her focus even harder than usual.
Yet she still failed to properly follow the movement.
“Huh?”
The moment confusion appeared on her face—
A vertical sword strike descended with a heavy roar through the air.
KWAAANG!
A sharp metallic explosion rang out.
Dan Sohye's sword snapped in half and flew into the sky.
The sword force carried within Namgung Jun's strike was far heavier than she had anticipated.
The impact had torn the weapon straight from her grasp.
Having shattered her sword in a single strike, Namgung Jun had already begun sheathing his blade.
The movement was so natural that silence briefly fell over the spectator stands.
Dan Sohye herself stood frozen.
She could only stare blankly at the broken remains of her sword flying through the air.
“...”
Losing her sword was shocking enough.
But the fact that it had been broken by a single strike was almost impossible to believe.
***
“What just happened? Dan Sohye lost that easily?”
“A victory in a single move?”
The spectators shifted excitedly in their seats.
That was not a sword strike one would expect from a newcomer wearing only a single cloud.
Even the Hall Masters seated at the highest section of the stands were surprised.
“Hm? That strike just now... was anything but ordinary.”
“Does anyone know who that boy is?”
“With such a frail body, he can wield a heavy-sword strike of that caliber? His internal energy doesn't seem particularly deep either.”
While the Hall Masters exchanged puzzled looks, Lee Seha secretly clenched her fist in celebration.
The Sword Demon also smirked.
His lips moved silently.
Brat. You've refined it even further since then.
Reading the Sword Demon’s lips, Namgung Jun gave the faintest nod.
And thus, amid the commotion he had caused, the first match of the tournament came to an end.
Although Namgung Jun had defeated his opponent in a single move, attention soon shifted elsewhere.
A broad-shouldered man stepped onto the arena.
Instantly, everyone's focus moved toward him.
“So he finally appears.”
“That's the one everyone's been talking about?”
“The eldest son of the former greatest family in Shanxi.”
From a corner of the arena, Namgung Jun also looked toward the man.
Baekri Cheong, was it?
The Greatest Family of Shanxi.
Another name for the Baekri Family.
Even during the era when the South Heavenly Palace stood at its peak, the Baekri Family had dominated Shanxi Province.
Back then, their history had already stretched beyond three centuries.
It was strange to think that a family even older than the South Heavenly Palace had been annihilated only a year ago.
WOOOSH!
A powerful aura erupted from the arena.
The instant the referee announced the start of the match, Baekri Cheong shot forward.
His movement was so swift it seemed as though he had wings.
Closing the distance in an instant, his sword swept viciously across.
“Huh?”
His opponent barely had time to react before finding a blade resting at his throat.
“Winner! Baekri Cheong!”
The match was over in an instant.
Victory in a single strike.
Just like Namgung Jun, he had defeated his opponent with a lone attack.
As the referee declared the result, Baekri Cheong smoothly withdrew the sword from his opponent's throat.
Then his gaze briefly shifted toward the outer edge of the arena.
Namgung Jun did not miss it.
Interesting.
There was no doubt.
The glance had lasted only a moment, but it had unquestionably been directed at him.
The intent behind it was too strong to mistake.
Was that meant for me?
He sensed the ambition and desperation unique to youth.
Baekri Cheong clearly hungered for victory in the tournament.
“Unfortunately, I can't hand over the championship.”
With a faint smile, Namgung Jun headed toward the arena.
It was already his turn.
***
His next opponent was a large, powerfully built man.
The difference in physique was obvious at a glance.
The man's muscles bulged so much they looked ready to burst through his clothing.
Meanwhile, Namgung Jun's exposed forearms were so thin that the outlines of his bones were visible.
The contrast was striking.
“So that's the boy who defeated Dan Sohye with a single strike?”
“They say he uses an exceptionally powerful heavy sword style.”
“Still, I think he'll have a harder time this time.”
The man clearly knew about Namgung Jun's swordsmanship.
Carefully, he lifted the massive greatsword strapped to his back.
“Begin!”
The match started.
This time, the man wielding the greatsword seized the initiative.
I'll make sure he never gets the chance to use that heavy sword that beat Dan Sohye.
He swung the enormous blade freely with one hand.
A tremendous sword wind surged forward, whipping Namgung Jun's clothing violently.
He's making excellent use of his natural strength.
The man's level was quite respectable.
He knew how to use his innate gifts efficiently.
Combined with such a massive weapon, the resulting power was formidable.
But it's still crude.
To Namgung Jun, the flaws in the man's sword path were perfectly clear.
His left hand moved to the hilt.
Gripping the sword with both hands, Namgung Jun stepped forward steadily.
The aura of Infinite Step exploded diagonally from both sides, wrapping around his ankles.
The rotational force generated through his ankles, waist, and shoulders was compressed entirely into his blade.
Now.
His sword descended diagonally from the upper left.
The strike collided directly with the greatsword.
But Namgung Jun did more than simply cut through the opponent's sword path.
He borrowed the force contained within the greatsword itself.
A portion of the incoming power became his own.
KRAAAANG!
A deafening metallic explosion echoed throughout the arena.
Both men were forced backward.
Each retreated exactly three steps.
Yet their expressions could not have been more different.
Namgung Jun remained calm.
His opponent looked horrified.
Crack.
A fracture appeared along the greatsword.
The crack rapidly spread.
Then—
Snap.
The blade broke cleanly in half.
Namgung Jun had destroyed his opponent's weapon with a single strike.
Not an ordinary sword, either.
A massive greatsword, twice as thick and heavy as most weapons.
Accomplishing such a feat was extraordinarily difficult.
Yet Namgung Jun's own sword remained flawless.
Not even a chip marred its edge.
Another victory in a single strike.
Silence swept across the arena.
Only the Hall Masters found words to speak.
“The power transmission through his entire body... and that astonishingly refined sword control. The principle of using four ounces to move a thousand pounds permeates every movement. A terrifying heavy sword.”
“And that's supposedly a First Cloud swordsman?”
“So the real monster was someone else entirely.”
One by one, the tournament favorites were falling before an unknown youth named Namgung Jun.
Naturally, every Hall Master had begun paying attention.
Among the constant stream of praise, only Lee Seha pretended to remain composed.
This is getting difficult.
It's becoming harder and harder not to smile.
The proud master was beginning to lose control of her expression.
“Ahem.”
Though nobody was even looking at her, Lee Seha awkwardly cleared her throat and focused on maintaining a dignified appearance.
***
The Final Day of the Tournament
The championship match had been decided.
“I expected Baekri Cheong to reach the finals.”
“Namgung Jun? I've never heard that name before. Does anyone know his background?”
The curiosity of the spectators was split evenly.
On one side:
Baekri Cheong.
The heir of the once-glorious Greatest Family of Shanxi.
On the other:
Namgung Jun.
A complete unknown who had revealed neither his origins, family, nor martial heritage.
And who had ended every single match in one strike.
Every Hall Master currently present at headquarters had gathered to watch the final.
Aside from the Sword Lord, leader of the Sword Fragrance Division, the Hall Masters represented the highest-ranking figures within the Society.
Earning their attention was one of the primary goals of every newcomer participating in the tournament.
Such was the significance of the championship match.
Perhaps because it was the final, even the referee had changed.
Rather than an ordinary official, one of the Hall Masters personally presided.
The middle-aged man wore a sleeveless martial robe, his massive arm muscles bulging visibly.
“I am Dan Jungse, Hall Master of the Iron Tower Hall.”
His powerful voice echoed across the arena.
“Conduct yourselves in a duel free of shame.”
Both Namgung Jun and Baekri Cheong nodded.
Before anyone noticed, Dan Jungse had already retreated ten paces.
Then his voice struck like a lightning-fast punch.
“Begin.”
And thus—
The championship match commenced.