<One Sword (1)>

Alberu Crossman gently touched the bamboo hat he was wearing.

He had long since changed into a Lan Kingdom-style outfit.

His sleeves were long and baggy and his top was as long as a robe.

“His guard changed?”

He could hear people whispering, but Alberu just silently stood behind the Heavenly Demon without being affected.

– Hey crown prince, hey crown prince. Doesn’t our human look so cheeky?

“Pfft.”

He quickly held back the laugh that snuck out, but…

“Young master-nim, would you please try this drink? I prepared it for you to relax before your first match in the preliminaries.”

Cale was doing his duty as an attendant extremely thoroughly.

– Hey crown prince, I bet that the drink is bitter!

“…It’s bitter.”

The Heavenly Demon scowled and as Raon’s bright voice filled his mind again…

“Pfft.”

Alberu had to hold back another laughter.

“…….”

“…….”

The Heavenly Demon and Cale looked at Alberu.

The two of their eyes that Alberu could see beyond the bamboo hat seemed as if they were unhappy, but Alberu was calm.

“Your guard has changed.”

A woman approached them at that moment.

The Snow Flower Sect.

It was Hyun Seong, the representative of the sect among the five major forces with only women.

The younger sister of the sect leader greeted Kim Hae-Yi pretty warmly.

“Are you fighting today?”

“I am.”

With around 300 preliminary participants…

Their numbers were randomly chosen again and there were going to be matches throughout the week in three different locations.

“…….”

Kim Hae-Yi nodded his head without saying much and Hyun Seong smiled as if she had nothing else to say and disappeared.

Of course, she left one last comment as she walked away.

“I heard assassins attacked you.”

“…….”

The Heavenly Demon looked at her and Hyun Seong continued to speak with a smile on her face.

“I heard that some of the participants have disappeared. I’m curious to know the reason behind it.”

She then walked over to the corner of the waiting room for the participants and sat in a lotus position to meditate.

But the impact of her words were quite large.

The people participating in the matches today at this Third Tournament Stage could not hide their shock.

“Disappeared? Who?”

Some were hearing for the first time that people had disappeared.

“Mm.”

Others had heard about it but were surprised to hear someone discuss it so openly like this.

“…….”

There were people who silently looked around as well.

– Cale.

Alberu used magic to deliver a message into Cale’s mind.

– Did you say it was a total of 10 people?

This morning…

The Dark Pulse’s alliance leader, Pao Seo Tae, had given them a piece of information.

It was on a piece of paper delivered by Cheon Ryeo, the Assistant Leader of the Shadow Murderers who had tried to kill the Heavenly Demon.

<People have disappeared this morning.>

<It wasn’t us.>

<Currently investigating as we believe another faction is responsible.>

Cale explained to Cheon Ryeo, who had been shaking in fear as she waited.

‘Please let us know if you find any more information.’

“…Yes sir.’

Cheon Ryeo barely managed to answer before disappearing.

Cale recalled that memory from this morning as Alberu continued to talk to him.

– It looks like the Wanderers have messed with another faction other than the Dark Pulse. I don’t know how the rumors will spread.

‘Indeed.’

However-

– But this could also have nothing to do with the wanderers.

Cale didn’t continue to think about it.

Alberu was saying exactly what he was thinking.

‘My goodness.

It is so nice having someone who sees eye to eye with you.’

“Quiet!”

One of the tournament administrators walked in.

“The preliminaries will start in 10 minutes, so please be ready!”

The rowdy room quieted down.

“In addition, anybody who is not a competitor needs to leave now!”

Cale and Alberu left.

“…….”

The Heavenly Demon crossed his arms and leisurely leaned against the wall.

“I’ll be cheering for you, young master-nim!”

Of course, Cale didn’t forget to cheekily cheer him on.

“Pfft.”

The Heavenly Demon gave Cale an extremely crooked and arrogant smile before closing his eyes.

* * *

Cale moved to the stands with Alberu.

“Over here!”

Rosalyn had come in advance to save them seats.

For reference, she was not alone.

– Human, you’re here?

“Meeeeeow!”

“Meeow!”

Two kittens and an invisible young Dragon.

An egg tightly wrapped inside a small basket.

The area around Rosalyn was quite rowdy.

“It’s so energetic even though it is only the preliminaries!”

Rosalyn sounded a bit excited.

Cale took the basket from her and sat down.

“It really doesn’t feel like the preliminaries.”

Cale was slightly amazed as well.

“Skewers for sale! Please raise your hand and I’ll come to you!”

“Refreshing barley tea! Get your barley tea here!”

“Sunbrellas, hats, we have it all! We sell it all!”

There were many merchants around the stands.

“Who do you think will win today?”

“This is the list of today’s participants? Wow, the Royal Palace has prepared something like this for us? They know what’s up!”

“I’m going to choose this person. Do you want to make a bet?”

“What do we do? Hyun Seong-nim is going to appear today! I got here early this morning so that I can see Hyun Seong-nim!”

People packed the stands and the people who did not manage to find seats were standing in the back of the stands or crouching on the roads to watch.

The Third Tournament Stage was full of people.

Based on what they could hear, there were lots of people waiting outside as well.

Simply to watch the matches…

Or to make bets…

Or to see who would become the next ruler of the kingdom.

The capital of the Lan Kingdom was rowdy for all of these reasons.

“Young master Cale.”

Rosalyn nudged him.

She was looking at the other side of the stage.

“How persistent.”

He heard Alberu’s voice next to him.

On the other side of the stage…

“…….”

The Sword Ghost was quietly sitting there with his arms crossed.

“Holy shit. It’s the Sword Ghost!”

“Why is the Sword Ghost here? Isn’t his match in three days?”

“He obviously came to watch the other competitors. But isn’t the heir of the Sky Sword on the First Tournament Stage today?”

Sky Sword.

The place full of people who only trained in the sword.

Of course, people made fun of it for being a collection of sword-crazed bastards.

However, everybody accepted that they were strong, so they naturally believed that the Sword Ghost would be interested in the match for the heir to the Sky Sword, Seo Rak.

“Huut!”

However, the whispers soon stopped.

“Why-”

“Hooo, those people-”

A group entered into the stands.

There were five people.

“The Ten Heavenly Tigers!”

The Cooperative Alliance.

The group with the most people among the five major forces.

Within this alliance that was said to follow virtue and justice, there were a few factions that only served the alliance leader.

Among those factions, the Ten Heavenly Tigers were the ten tigers that only moved for the alliance leader’s orders.

Most of them were well-known, but it could not be helped.

“Tiger-”

There were blue tigers embedded into their clothes and on their backs.

“…Wow, five of them at once-”

For not one or two but five of the tigers to appear in this place!

“…Is something about to happen here?”

“Give me the list of participants! I need to take another look!”

People started to get busy.

“…….”

“…….”

But the five tigers, three men and two women, calmly sat down and looked down at the stage.

“…….”

The Sword Ghost looked at them for a moment before looking back at the stage.

“…….”

Of course, his gaze stopped on Cale’s group for a few seconds as well.

At that moment…

Booooom-!

A loud thud from a drum echoed on the stage.

Everybody closed their mouths.

The first day of the preliminaries.

The matches on the Third Tournament Stage began.

* * *

“Hoooo!”

“Everybody is so skilled!”

“He’s not from the Lan Kingdom. He is someone from the Eastern Empire. Well, it doesn’t matter as long as they are skilled!”

“This is fun. That person lost but I see a great future for him.”

The tense mood from earlier became heated as the matches progressed.

“The third match!”

Boom!

The Snow Flower Sect’s Hyun Seong slowly walked out to the beat of the drum.

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—”

“Hyun Seong! Hyun Seong!”

People all around were cheering for her.

“Mm.”

The Ten Heavenly Tigers. One of them sent a transmission to another.

– Boss. You said Hyun Seong is digging into it, right?

– Yes.

The leader of the Ten Heavenly Tigers…

The Blue Tiger, Chang Poe, was keeping his eyes on Hyun Seong.

– Boss. But it’s not like Hyun Seong can figure out what we have done.

– We cleaned up perfectly.

– Even if Hyun Seong and the Snow Flower Sect manage to find clues, it will lead them to the Dark Pulse.

He did not answer his subordinate.

“…….”

He just raised his hand and all of the Ten Heavenly Tigers focused on the matches.

“Let’s have a great match.”

“Yes, please.”

Hyun Seong gave a short greeting to the young martial artist and the match started.

Her opponent was not a famous martial artist, but his form was upright and his force was clean.

Hyun Seong pulled out a spear at that moment.

Chhhhhhhhhh-

The long spear appeared.

“Woooooooooooooooo–”

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

The cheering intensified as one of the experts known throughout the continent appeared on the Third Tournament Stage for the first time.

Boom!

The match started.

Baaaaang! Bang!

Hyun Seong calmly blocked her opponent’s attacks.

“Hyun Seong-nim is so considerate.”

Chang Poe nodded his head at the comment his subordinate said out loud.

Bang- baaaaang!

Hyun Seong was giving her opponent enough time to show his abilities.

An unknown martial artist.

She knew that a stage like this was extremely important for an unknown martial artist like this person.

She was giving up her time to let this youngster have his moment to shine.

‘Or maybe she is teaching him something.’

Hyun Seong was the type of person who would do that.

‘Her ambitions are big but her kindness is just as big.’

The sect leader of the Snow Flower Sect and Hyun Seong were both like that.

The Blue Tiger’s face slowly turned colder.

‘That is why she is doing something so useless.’

Currently, the Ten Heavenly Tigers were divided into groups of 2, 3, and 5 to visit the tournament stages.

– I think Hyun Seong is uselessly kind.

The Blue Tiger did not respond to another of his subordinate’s sound transmission.

– Shouldn’t she be happy if we are so kind that we got rid of her competitors?

10 of the preliminary competitors had disappeared.

It was done by the Cooperative Alliance, specifically, the Ten Heavenly Tigers.

– Well, even if they find any evidence, we won’t be harmed by it.

– Ah, that sounds fun.

His subordinate was happy.

– It’d be very fun if the Dark Pulse and the Snow Flower Sect fought each other.

– The reputation of the Dark Pulse will hit rock bottom. “Hoo hoo.”

The moment he heard his subordinate laugh…

Clang!

The young martial artist’s sword fell to the ground.

“I admit defeat.”

He gave up.

However, his face looked bright.

“It was an honor.”

‘I hope it remains a good memory.”

Hyun Seong lightly shook the martial artist’s hand.

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-

As expected of Hyun Seong-nim!”

People all around were cheering for her.

Clap, clap, clap.

The young martial artist, who had accepted his opponent’s goodwill and managed to show off his skills, also clapped for her.

This young man’s future should be bright from here on.

“How beautiful.”

As Alberu mentioned, it was nice to watch.

Clap, clap, clap.

Rosalyn was clapping as she answered.

“It was decent.”

Cale sat up straight after hearing the two of them chat.

“The fourth match!”

The last of today’s matches at the Third Tournament Stage.

Cale jumped up from his seat.

He was still holding the basket as he shouted.

“Wooooooooooow! Let’s go young master-nim, win!”

Cale didn’t care about how Rosalyn and Alberu were looking at him as he cheered for Kim Hae-Yi as he walked on stage.

“…….”

Shh.

Kim Hae-Yi took a look around the arena before chuckling at Cale and walking onto the stage.

“Hooooo. You have no weapon. Do you enjoy fighting with your hands?”

“Ah, ah ah! I remember this person! Apparently he was the person who qualified in the shortest period of time?”

“Really? Kim Hae-Yi? I have never heard his name before.”

There weren’t many cheers for the Heavenly Demon.

There wasn’t much known about him at all.

People just became curious after hearing some mention that he was the person to qualify in the shortest period of time.

– Let’s go.

The Blue Tiger, who got up as if there wasn’t anything left to watch, flinched.

The moment Kim Hae-Yi’s opponent stepped on the stage…

“Wooooooooooo!”

“Dao of Zen Temple, DZT!”

Cheers for the person in his thirties wearing a profound and mysterious white robe poured out.

The Dao of Zen Temple.

It was one of the five major forces, a place focused on cultivating the dao and training. They were famous for their ivory-colored profound and mysterious robe.

“…….”

This person was a first generation disciple of the Dao of Zen Temple, and although he was far below the level of the youngest Elder who was participating as well…

He was still strong.

The Five major forces had allowed others aside from a representative of each faction to participate as well.

– Boss! Let’s go after we watch this guy from the Dao of Zen Temple!

The Blue Tiger contemplated what his subordinate asked for and then sat back down.

“…This shouldn’t take long.”

Against a first generation disciple of the Dao of Zen Temple, the opponent should lose quickly.

“Mm.”

But when he looked at Kim Hae-Yi, the person’s opponent…

– Boss, how many exchanges do you think? I think the guy from the Dao of Zen Temple should win in about three exchanges!

– The Dao of Zen Temple is not someone an unknown martial artist can handle.

He ignored his subordinate and focused on Kim Hae-Yi.

“Boss?”

As his subordinate, who had been quiet this whole time, felt a sense of déjà vu and looked at the Blue Tiger…

“…….”

He raised his hand.

Sound transmissions or talking… He was telling them not to talk to him in any way.

‘What is this?’

He was feeling an unexplainable feeling while looking at the calmly standing Kim Hae-Yi.

Something was weird.

He then recalled something.

“Kim Hae-Yi- is it that guy?”

His subordinate sent a sound transmission.

– Yes, boss. It is the guy the Dark Pulse failed to assassinate.

Boom!

The match started at that moment.

Kim Hae-Yi and his opponent were standing far from each other.

“…….”

“…….”

The two of them greeted each other with a slight flick of their heads.

They were not people who would warmly treat their opponents.

They only showed the minimal amount of respect as necessary.

And the expected level of respect in this tournament-

‘The match itself. That is it.’

Tap.

The man from the Dao of Zen Temple lightly kicked off the ground.

‘For Hyun Seong to appear here!’

Everybody’s attention had been on Hyun Seong.

Even that unknown martial artist who had fought against her.

‘I can’t have them take all the attention.’

Since he was out here with the name of the Dao of Zen Temple behind him…

He could not be pushed back by the Snow Flower Sect.

Although such personal greed might not be proper for someone pursuing the dao…

‘I can make such calculations and have such greed because I am human!’

He wasn’t doing anything underhanded. He was just earning their interest in the right way.

That was not a bad thing.

And the best way to receive interest right now-

‘One attack.’

It was to eliminate the opponent with one attack.

The last match on the first day on the Third Tournament Stage…

There was nothing better to beautifully decorate this match.

As his two hands made an odd shape…

Oooooo-

He gathered his ki.

His specialty was palm arts.

It was the same as his opponent, Kim Hae-Yi.

“I’m sorry. Noble warrior.”

He apologized to Kim Hae-Yi, who would be eliminated right away despite qualifying in the shortest time.

Then he put some strength into his legs.

Boom!

As his foot stomped into the ground and stopped…

“Wind Dragon Palm!”

Someone shouted.

Baaaaaang-

A gust of wind shot out of his hand and charged toward Kim Hae-Yi.

The gust of wind that resembled a Dragon looked elegant but extremely cold.

“Hoooo!”

“As I expected!”

As the spectators’ butts and shoulders jumped with joy at a highly-skilled martial art performed by an expert…

Baaaaaang!

There was a loud explosion.

Thud.

“!”

All five of the Ten Heavenly Tigers jumped up.

“…….”

Squeeze.

The Sword Ghost clenched his scabbard even harder.

“…As I expected.”

Hyun Seong, who had stayed without leaving, turned around and left.

Shaaaaaaaaaaa-

A gentle breeze brushed past the stage.

“Huff. Huff.”

Plop.

The Dao of Zen Temple disciple plopped down on the ground while breathing heavily.

He lowered his head.

“…….”

A Dragon.

There was a shape of a Dragon on the ground.

He was certain it was the Wind Dragon Palm he had launched.

This was a rough Dragon that freely flowed with the wind.

The shape on the ground of the stage resembled that Dragon quite a bit.

“…….”

And that Dragon-

Was sliced vertically.

His hands, no, his whole body started to shake.

The line that cut through the Dragon stopped right in front of where he was plopped down on the ground.

“…….”

He lifted his head up.

He could see Kim Hae-Yi, who was standing in the same spot from earlier while looking at him.

“Ah-”

He looked the same as earlier.

But the man clearly saw it.

He saw the single motion the Heavenly Demon made to brutally slice his Dragon, his palm art in half.

His movement resembled a sword.

And the black eyes looking at him from beyond the ripped Dragon…

Although they looked as if they held nothing inside them…

His existence itself seemed to show everything.

“I, I admit defeat-”

The man lowered his head.

And the Heavenly Demon quietly looked down at him.

For him, this was the obvious conclusion.

—

Translator’s Comments

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