Chapter 11: Qualities of a Martial God (4)
Today, the infantry training grounds were thick with heat and excitement.
The recruits of the sword infantry corps had gathered in groups of about a hundred, each forming large circles. It was the day to select the group leaders for the twenty-five groups.
The leader of each group would be determined solely through sparring, with the strongest claiming the title. The rules were simple: the first to touch the opponent’s body with the wooden training sword would be declared the victor. Cheers and shouts erupted from every corner of the grounds, echoing through the air.
Surprisingly, the speed of progress in sparring was the fastest in Group 16. This was because the skills of So-mu, Il-gwang, and Cheong-hae were far superior to the rest.
The recruits who faced them lost their will to fight right from the start. Most collapsed after a single clash. Before long, only three men remained.
Standing face-to-face in the center of the training ground, Il-gwang and Cheong-hae gripped their weapons and glared at each other. The winner of this match would face So-mu.
“Cheer up, Brother Il-gwang!”
“Cheong-hae! You must win!”
Usually, one would cheer for the person who had defeated them. However, hearing those cheers pricked Il-gwang’s pride. He had expected everyone to cheer for him.
Scowling fiercely, Il-gwang glared back at the recruits.
“Those of you who just cheered for Cheong-hae are dead meat later! I’ve marked your faces!”
Despite his threats, the soldiers didn’t stop. They knew that despite his rough way of speaking, he had never actually harmed any of them.
“Cheong-hae, you can do it!”
“Cheer up, Cheong-hae!”
Just as Il-gwang was about to shout at them again, Cheong-hae initiated his attack.
“You shouldn’t let your guard down!”
As Cheong-hae’s sword thrust toward Il-gwang’s chest, Il-gwang instinctively threw his upper body backward in surprise. He watched Cheong-hae’s sword pass directly over his chest.
Swoosh!
“You rascal!”
Quickly flipping his body around, Il-gwang lowered his stance and swept his sword at Cheong-hae’s legs. However, as if expecting this reaction, Cheong-hae kicked off the ground. Leaping into the air, he unleashed three rapid thrusts in midair, his movements sharp and swift.
Everyone thought Il-gwang would fail to block this strike. Yet, his raw combat instincts reflexively kicked in to defend. His body reacted faster than his thoughts. This was the very talent So-mu valued most in him.
Clang! Clang-clang!
Barely parrying the blows, Il-gwang was forced to retreat. Cheong-hae’s relentless onslaught did not stop there.
The crowd marveled at Cheong-hae’s skill as he unleashed three or four strikes in a single breath. Yet, Il-gwang’s movements were even more astonishing. Seeing his massive frame move with the agility of a flying squirrel was a wonder to behold. With all the acupuncture points across his body opened, Il-gwang’s movements were swifter than those of average martial artists.
Clang! Clang-clang-clang!
As the wooden training swords clashed continuously, Il-gwang finally found his opening.
Unleashing a counterattack, his sword aimed at Cheong-hae’s left shoulder and chest simultaneously.
Calmly twisting his body to evade, Cheong-hae’s brow furrowed. Mid-swing, Il-gwang’s sword suddenly shifted direction, changing its trajectory toward the right side. For the first time, a look of admiration appeared on So-mu’s face.
‘Oh? An anomalous strike. Not bad.’
Cheong-hae had never imagined Il-gwang could pull off such an erratic feint. He couldn’t find an angle to parry the strike. Left with no other choice, Cheong-hae threw himself to the ground and rolled away ungracefully.
A triumphant look flashed across Il-gwang’s face. He wasn’t about to miss this chance.
‘Don’t blame me for this, kid!’
Dashing forward, Il-gwang thrust his sword repeatedly toward the rolling Cheong-hae.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
While Il-gwang’s sword jabbed at the dirt like a man playing whack-a-mole, Cheong-hae had no choice but to keep rolling through the gaps. It was the “Lazy Donkey Roll,” a defensive maneuver considered highly humiliating among martial artists. Having to perform it repeatedly filled Cheong-hae with bitter chagrin.
After rolling a considerable distance, Cheong-hae finally regained his stance and unleashed his trump card. His sword whipped horizontally in a fast sweep, aiming to slice Il-gwang’s waist. As expected, Il-gwang poured all his strength into striking down Cheong-hae’s sword.
At that moment, a faint, barely perceptible smile played on So-mu’s lips.
‘He fell for the feint.’
Clang!
The moment their swords clashed, Cheong-hae used the recoil to swiftly spin in the opposite direction. His eyes locked onto Il-gwang’s completely exposed flank. Il-gwang had no way left to defend himself. Cheong-hae’s training sword struck Il-gwang’s side with a dull thud.
Whack!
“Ugh!”
Because they were using blunt training swords, there was no serious injury, but the pain in his flank was unavoidable. Il-gwang clutched his side with his left hand and threw down his training sword in frustration.
“Tch, you sly bastard. There won’t be a next time.”
This was the first time Il-gwang had ever encountered a combination of feints and real strikes. With this experience, he would never fall for the same trick again. As Il-gwang grumbled and stepped back, conceding defeat, the recruits gathered to comfort him.
“You were amazing, Brother Il-gwang!”
“That was so close! You almost had him!”
Il-gwang glared at them, his anger still smoldering.
“Too late. You’re all dead meat.”
The bright sun reflected off Il-gwang’s bald head. Seeing him with slumped shoulders, the recruits had to bite their lips to hold back their laughter, knowing they might get beaten up if they actually burst out laughing.
Returning to his spot, Il-gwang tapped So-mu on the shoulder.
“I only have you to rely on, So-mu. If even you lose, these kids will look down on us forever.”
Of the recruits in Group 16, So-mu and Il-gwang were the only ones over the age of thirty.
Having grown up in the harsh ecosystem of the back alleys, Il-gwang could never tolerate being looked down upon. Since he had lost, So-mu absolutely had to win.
Understanding his feelings completely, So-mu suppressed a chuckle and said quietly, “Leave it to me.”
As So-mu stepped forward to face Cheong-hae, the recruits erupted into cheers. Their voices were louder than they had been all day.
“Brother So-mu has finally stepped up!”
“Woahhhhh!”
“Brother, you must win!”
Strangely, not a single recruit cheered for Cheong-hae.
It wasn’t because they disliked him. Rather, So-mu was the one who had guided their training with his natural talent, acting as a teacher in their hearts. Deep down, they all wanted So-mu to be their leader.
Moreover, no one doubted So-mu’s victory. They had watched him swing his sword on the training grounds, and his movements and swordplay had grown faster and sharper day by day.
None of the recruits realized that this was So-mu’s intentional plan to gradually reveal his martial prowess. Unsure of what dangers the future held, he was laying the groundwork step-by-step.
So-mu silently picked up the training sword Il-gwang had discarded on the ground. Having already assumed the starting stance of the Heavenly Martial Sword Technique, Cheong-hae stared at him intently. So-mu, however, merely held his sword with a relaxed grip, letting the tip point toward the ground.
‘It’s best to establish the hierarchy clearly.’
So-mu’s calm eyes fixed on Cheong-hae.
“Come.”
Cheong-hae felt So-mu wasn’t ready since he hadn’t assumed a stance, but he couldn’t wait forever.
“Here I come.”
Drawing his sword back over his right shoulder, Cheong-hae launched his attack.
Dashing forward, Cheong-hae thrust his sword toward So-mu’s brow. The tip of the sword surged forward as if it possessed a life of its own, cutting through the air. It was the second form of the Heavenly Martial Sword Technique: A Flash Without a Trace.
Cheong-hae was using his full strength from the very beginning. His stamina was depleted from his match with Il-gwang, so he wanted to end this quickly.
The recruits marveled at Cheong-hae’s flawless execution, while simultaneously looking at So-mu with concern. So-mu hadn’t attempted to parry or dodge. He merely tilted his head slightly to the right.
Swoosh!
The tip of Cheong-hae’s sword missed So-mu’s face by a hair’s breadth, carrying a cool gust of wind past him.
Before the recruits could even sigh in relief, Cheong-hae quickly pulled his sword back to follow up with another strike. But So-mu was no longer in front of him.
He hadn’t used any profound martial arts. He had simply taken a single step. Yet, that single step allowed him to completely occupy Cheong-hae’s blind spot.
‘This is impossible…’
Cheong-hae felt an illusion as if the entire space around him was dominated by So-mu. It was an incomprehensible sensation.
With a twist of his wrist, So-mu turned his sword, letting the flat of the wooden blade catch the sunlight. He then lightly tapped Cheong-hae’s exposed side.
Thud!
A dull impact traveled through Cheong-hae’s body, but he didn’t even groan. The mental shock was far greater than the physical pain.
No matter how naturally talented So-mu was, Cheong-hae had never expected to be defeated so helplessly. Amidst the cheers of the recruits, Cheong-hae asked in a dazed, self-deprecating voice, “How did you do that?”
“Do what?”
Cheong-hae didn’t know how to phrase it. So-mu hadn’t executed any grand sword technique or flashy footwork. He had simply dodged and struck. Because it was so simple, Cheong-hae couldn’t wrap his head around it.
“Why did I lose?”
“Because I’m stronger.”
“No, I mean, how…”
“How do I explain that I’m stronger than you?”
“Sigh…”
So-mu looked at the dejected Cheong-hae. If he left him like this, the youth might fall into a slump. Yet, he couldn’t just explain the truth. Wearing a nonchalant expression, So-mu looked up at the sky and murmured.
“Whenever your mind is troubled, there’s nothing better than listening to poetry. A poem just came to mind. Would you like to hear it?”
Cheong-hae nodded silently. The last time So-mu had recited poetry, Cheong-hae had unexpectedly gained enlightenment from it. Listening to So-mu’s verses strangely cleared his mind.
“Where is my space?
How far does my space extend, and where does yours begin?
If I take your space, where is left for you to stand?
If all this is my space, where is there that I cannot go?”
So-mu glanced sideways, observing Cheong-hae. The young man looked incredibly serious, lost in deep thought.
‘He’s a smart kid, so he’ll understand soon. If you cannot protect your own space, the battle is already lost.’
With that, the sparring for Group 16 concluded.
Leaving the motionless Cheong-hae behind, the recruits scattered to watch the matches of the other groups. However, none of the other matches possessed the same level of tension as Group 16.
Two hours later, all the sparring came to an end. A red sash, a symbol of honor, was draped over the shoulders of the twenty-five newly selected group leaders.