novelraw Chapter 163 : Chapter 163
Chapter 163 : Chapter 163
Chapter 163 - Breaking Dojos (1)
Having a singing battle with Rosie was a bit bewildering, but I won without difficulty, and thanks to that, I easily obtained useful information.
That a dragon's blood was needed for the quick completion of the map.
If I had gone on without knowing, I probably would have struggled to see the completed map until I died.
After all, the time Rosie estimated was about 200 years.
‘A dragon's blood…’
Since a hatchling is also a dragon, Rosie's blood naturally came to mind, but it wasn't a meaningful thing for now.
It was something to consider at the stage where the map was somewhat complete, and in fact, restoring my past power was more urgent than completing the map.
If I couldn't acquire enough power to at least contend with the Red Dragon, the map would be a useless object even if it were completed right now.
“Unit Leader Ji-han. But why are you looking at me like that?”
“It's nothing. Anyway, Rosie, it seems you got into another big fight recently.”
“Ah, that?”
Rosie didn't deny it.
According to the rumors, the warriors of the Dongmyeong Guild, as many as twelve of them, were taken down in one place.
It was such an absurd story that it was only being accepted as an urban legend.
“What was the problem this time?”
It was probably something trivial.
But Rosie's expression was serious as if it were a big deal.
“I was playing the claw machine in front of the arcade, and those guys were being so loud behind me, you know?”
“So?”
“I was about to get it, but I missed. My concentration was scattered because of them!”
She didn't think about her own lack of skill, and her excuse was good.
“So you smashed them just because they were being loud?”
“Unit Leader Ji-han, I'm not that much of a wreck!”
“Then?”
“When I missed the doll and got angry, those guys laughed their heads off and mocked me.”
“So you hit them because they laughed at you?”
“That's not it either. At first, I just glared at them. But then one of them suddenly approached me. With a very menacing expression!”
“So?”
“That man’s glare was so scary that I grabbed and twisted his wrist without realizing it.”
And so it had begun.
Scared, she said. She should at least wet her lips before saying something like that.
“But Unit Leader Ji-han, I didn't kill anyone!”
Rosie was very proud of herself for this part.
And she promised me.
That she would become a good Rosie who controls her strength well in the future.
“Good job.”
I could only let out a hollow laugh.
***
Yoon Joo-hee, who had returned from vacation, reported her return.
With her was Lee Ji-gwang, who was also her senior brother.
She said the skeletal remains recovered from Nekarion's Castle were laid to rest in a tree burial.
Something she had wished for her entire life had finally come true.
The two of them bowed their heads to me.
“Thank you once again, Unit Leader.”
“Unit Leader Seo Ji-han. Thank you, sincerely.”
Yoon Joo-hee's eyes were welling up with tears again.
“Joo-hee, you can stop thanking me now. At this rate, you'll reach a hundred times.”
“A hundred times is not enough. It was something I thought I could only challenge after several more decades.”
“Then let's just fill up the hundred and really stop.”
“……I understand, Unit Leader.”
Friend! Doesn't this sound like you're forcing her to thank you a hundred times!
Surely Yoon Joo-hee wouldn't have taken it that way.
Anyway, I didn't go to Nekarion's Castle for Yoon Joo-hee or the Jeongjin Sword Family.
I had my own important purpose.
I confirmed that my family and faction were still thriving, and thanks to that, I could rest easy while on Earth, so I had returned with a great achievement as well.
“By the way, Mr. Lee Ji-gwang, is that residence manageable? The old man who lives there alone can be quite eccentric.”
Old man Heo Gyeong-woo probably wouldn't have left Lee Ji-gwang alone for a moment.
Having lived with cobwebs in his mouth for decades and living almost like a man of nature even after coming out into the world, he would automatically become a chatterbox whenever he found someone to talk to.
In fact, I sent Lee Ji-gwang there out of sympathy for the old man.
“Eccentric? What an absurd thing to say!”
“It seems he's manageable to be with.”
Then that was a relief.
I was slightly worried that I might be sacrificing Lee Ji-gwang for the old man's sake.
“By the way, that elder. What on earth is his identity?”
“Why do you ask.”
“Something doesn't make sense. That person is…”
Just looking at his expression, I could tell what he was thinking.
It was a natural question.
“Don't try to know too much.”
“It's just amazing that such a master exists in the world! Although my knowledge is limited, I was proud to have achieved a certain level while being trapped there for nine years. I thought that if I returned to Earth, there wouldn't be many opponents for me even if I searched the whole world.”
Since Lee Ji-gwang's level was that of a Sword Expert, it wasn't an entirely wrong statement.
“But you're saying that prediction was shattered by the first person you met on Earth.”
“That elder is simply not on that level…”
The feelings Lee Ji-gwang was experiencing were natural.
Because Heo Gyeong-woo was the only existing Sword Master.
Among Earthlings, of course.
“Don't try to know too much about the old man's identity, and just learn a lot. It will be of great help in restoring the lost Jeongjin Sword Style.”
“Thank you, Unit Leader Seo Ji-han.”
Lee Ji-gwang bowed his head to me once again.
At this rate, this person might also fill up a hundred thanks.
“By the way, the elder said something surprising.”
“What was it?”
“He said it would be difficult to completely restore the Jeongjin Sword Style with his own abilities alone. He said that to do this work perfectly, Unit Leader Seo Ji-han's swordsmanship philosophy was needed.”
“Well, I can't restore it to be exactly the same as the old Jeongjin Sword Style either. A re-creation without a sense of disharmony is another story.”
“Isn't that even more surprising? Just what kind of ability do you possess, Unit Leader Seo Ji-han…”
Lee Ji-gwang's face was slightly flushed.
“So you're asking for my help?”
“I'm asking for your favor, Unit Leader Seo Ji-han.”
Lee Ji-gwang was finally saying that he would reveal everything he knew about the Jeongjin Sword Style to me.
It was an interesting matter for me.
Learning a new sword style was always a great pleasure.
“But there's a condition.”
“Are you really going to grant my request?”
“I haven't even told you the condition yet.”
“If it's about restoring the Jeongjin Sword Style, I will follow any condition.”
My condition was that if the Jeongjin Sword Family succeeded in rebuilding, they would have to become an unconditional supporter of the Haewon Sword Family in the future.
I was thinking of including detailed contents in a document.
“Will that be alright?”
“I will follow unconditionally. And thank you again.”
At this rate, he really seemed poised to fill up the hundred.
***
It had been a while since I checked Choi Ho-joong's swordsmanship.
While I was away from the Sword Family for a long time, Ho-joong's skills had improved considerably.
He seemed to be aware of that himself.
After displaying all his forms in front of me, Choi Ho-joong was waiting for my evaluation, trying hard to hide a pleased smile.
‘Carrot and stick.’
I was also slightly contemplating what to give.
There are those who do well when you praise them, saying "good job, good job."
And there are types who, once their spirit is broken, harbor a fierce determination out of spite.
In fact, Choi Ho-joong belonged to both, but I thought the latter was more important now.
Because this guy was currently in an overly intoxicated state.
“You still have a long way to go.”
At my short evaluation, he looked stunned, his expression blank.
“……Which part, sir?”
“Everything.”
“Do you mean everything?”
“Yeah.”
It wasn't that I was deliberately finding fault.
It's just that in my eyes, everything really seemed lacking.
“The Bimu is in a week, right?”
“That is correct.”
“First, you need to have a reality check about yourself.”
I took out Bastian.
“Don't tell me it's a spar with the Unit Leader?”
The guy seemed secretly pleased.
Having received a negative review from me, his fighting spirit must have been ignited.
And a spar would be the perfect opportunity to properly show that spirit.
“It's not fair to just have a spar. Naturally, I should have a handicap.”
“I don't mind if you just go ahead.”
Seeing this guy spout nonsense, it seems giving him the stick instead of the carrot was the right choice.
“I'll face you only from this spot.”
I planned to only pivot on one foot for directional changes.
“What? Even if you are the Unit Leader, that's…”
“Enough, just come at me. I'm going to see how much your eye for finding openings has improved.”
***
Choi Ho-joong raised his sword with a dissatisfied expression.
His mind was filled with only one thought.
‘I must be acknowledged by the Unit Leader!’
Of course, he was aware that Seo Ji-han was strong.
And that he had a genius-level talent.
But his own recent achievements were astonishing even to himself.
And his thought was that his own rate of development had to be faster than the Unit Leader's.
After all, in swordsmanship, the higher the achievement, the harder it becomes to shed a layer.
Moreover, having used Stupeo exclusively recently, his mana sense had grown by leaps and bounds, so he thought that as long as Seo Ji-han remained in one place, he would surely find an opening.
‘No matter how great the Unit Leader is, if I lose in a match like this, it's only me who will be disgraced.’
Choi Ho-joong took a step forward, one by one.
As he encroached on the space, Seo Ji-han, whose options were diminishing, would inevitably be at a disadvantage.
He even predicted that at some point, an opening would be uncontrollably exposed.
And when there is such a firm belief, the best swordsmanship is displayed. By then, Choi Ho-joong's confidence was full.
That is, until he entered Seo Ji-han's range.
‘Huh?’
For a moment, Choi Ho-joong felt a chilling sensation and cold sweat broke out.
With his recently and surprisingly sharpened mana sense, he should have found an opening in Seo Ji-han, but instead, he felt the opposite.
It was something that didn't make sense.
To feel such pressure from Seo Ji-han, who had spatial constraints, he even wondered if it was an illusion created by his usual image. But.
Whoosh!
It was not an illusion.
Seo Ji-han's sword had grazed past his neck.
If it had been a real battle, his head would have been lopped off.
Choi Ho-joong barely managed to stop his legs from giving out and took a step back.
As long as he kept his distance, he wouldn't be hit.
“You still have a long way to go.”
Seo Ji-han's low voice.
Having been defeated so spectacularly, he couldn't even protest.
At this rate, he would have to admit to his negative evaluation.
Choi Ho-joong shook his head from side to side.
He wanted to earn Seo Ji-han's acknowledgment, no matter what.
“I'll go in properly this time!”
“Ho-joong.”
“Yes, Unit Leader.”
“If you keep this up, you might have to forfeit the Bimu.”
“……What?”
“And it's not like there's no one to take over as Chamryongdan's number 2 if you fail the dojo breaking. Shin Ah-yeon would be perfectly fine, wouldn't she?”
For a moment, Choi Ho-joong's mind snapped to attention.
And Seo Ji-han's sly smile.
‘The stick is perfect for him.’
The two once again raised their swords towards each other.