Chapter 13: The Six Swords of Namjin (1)

The Six Swords of Namjin.

The world had given them the name Asura.

It was a name that revealed both their merciless gift of death to enemies and that they were the six limbs of Namjin.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve all gathered.”

Namjin, seated at the head of the table, looked around at everyone as he spoke.

“It’s been seven years, my lord.”

Mumyeong, the only one sitting beside Namjin, summarized the long passage of time.

“Yes, it’s good. A return after seven years. I trust you finished all your tasks well?”

The two who had been away from the Sanctuary for so long. Namjin asked, turning his gaze to the Fourth Sword Nachal and the Fifth Sword Dongo.

“We completed everything without a single mistake.”

“It took a bit longer than expected, but yes, it’s all done.”

Namjin nodded, satisfied.

“The job ended without error, but Dungeons are still increasing at a rapid pace. That’s an undeniable fact.”

The era of uneasy peace that had lasted since the desperate struggle of the First Generation Hunters against Monsters was coming to an end.

Namjin had anticipated this, which was why he went into seclusion.

While everyone else was busy expanding their power, he alone prepared for the crisis to come.

That steadfastness was the greatest reason why the Sword Spirit could dwell within him.

In Taehoo’s previous life, for some reason, that steadfastness had been broken.

But that was a matter of a future he did not know.

“We need more successors. The young ones these days are too soft-hearted.”

That was why Namjin put the clan children through such unreasonable tests.

It was a feeling only those who had experienced the First Generation could truly understand.

“Still, things should be fine for a while.”

That was exactly why Nachal and Dongo had been sent out.

“Yes, it should be…”

Otherwise, the time to descend the mountain would come upon them too soon.

Swallowing those words, Namjin changed the tone of the conversation.

“So. Did you bring the child I asked you to?”

His voice rose half a tone, as if to say this was his real purpose all along.

The other Asura, except Nachal and Dongo who had been away from the Sanctuary, chuckled as they watched this side of Namjin.

Anyone could see that Namjin was utterly enchanted by his grandchild right now.

“Yes. Of course, we brought him. Come in.”

Without much hesitation, Nachal called someone from outside the door.

Soon, the door to the conference room where everyone was gathered opened.

A boy, looking just a year or two older than Taehoo, entered.

The boy, with his long hair tied in a ponytail, stood there, stiff and nervous.

“So, you’re Nachal’s disciple!”

Namjin ignored the boy’s awkwardness and asked,

“Yes. I am Nachal’s disciple, Muncheol. Greetings, Grand Patriarch.”

Muncheol, his shoulders briefly trembling, introduced himself as if reciting from a textbook. It seemed Nachal had drilled the proper etiquette into him.

Namjin quickly assessed Muncheol.

‘To be at this level at fifteen… No wonder Nachal is so proud of him.’

He’d been curious about the boy whom the exacting Nachal praised so highly.

Moreover—

‘He’s the perfect match to put next to Taehoo!’

Namjin was thoroughly pleased with Muncheol, who stood before him, stiffly bowing his head.

‘Heh heh. The existence of a rival is like a wick in a candle—it’ll make Taehoo burn even brighter.’

With a satisfied smile spreading across his face, Namjin spoke.

“Yes, his vessel is complete. Dongo.”

Namjin called his Fifth Sword.

“Yes, my lord.”

“You must be exhausted from just returning, but I’d like you to take care of this one and my grandchild.”

With Namjin speaking so directly, both Nachal and Dongo immediately understood their lord’s intention.

‘So that’s why the others were smirking earlier?’

Dongo was sure of it inwardly.

“Seems the young master has caught your eye, my lord?”

Nachal voiced the thought aloud.

“My eye, huh… Ha!”

Namjin let out a hearty laugh.

“Yes, he’s definitely caught my eye. I’ve even decided to pass on my sword to him.”

At those words, Nachal and Dongo’s faces lit up in shock as if scorched by fire.

“Your sword, my lord?”

Dongo asked, flustered.

“That’s right. I already want to teach him the sword. But it’s still too soon. That’s why I needed some fuel to stoke his fire.”

Nachal spoke up, a hint of a pout in his voice.

“Is the young master really that talented?”

Nachal wasn’t completely unfamiliar with Taehoo, so it was a natural question.

Besides, he had faith in his own disciple.

“The young master mastered Heavenly Lake training in just two and a half years.”

Chiu answered in Nachal’s place, and Nachal’s expression stiffened.

Though to the Asura at their current level, Heavenly Lake was nothing, remembering the training of their youth made his face harden.

“I did think Muncheol needed a rival as well…”

But he couldn’t say aloud that there was no one else his age to fill that role.

“It’s good that our intentions align!”

Namjin, delighted, jumped in and spoke directly to Muncheol.

“Any method is fine! Go ahead and try to defeat my grandchild!”

“De-defeat him…?”

Muncheol’s face clouded as if faced with a difficult problem.

“Anything you like! Results of training, sure… or yes, even the Assassin techniques you learned from Nachal!”

“My lord, that’s—!”

Nachal started to protest, but Namjin immediately stopped him.

He knew that having Muncheol use Nachal’s Assassin techniques could put Taehoo in serious danger.

“Is that really all right?”

Muncheol was timid, but he wasn’t the type to refuse an opportunity to go wild if given the chance.

“Ha! Of course! I swear on my name!”

Their faces sparkled with excitement, like children about to play a fun prank.

‘Hah… does he really not care if the young master dies…?’

Nachal thought at Namjin’s words.

‘An assassin of the family. Could you endure someone who will become the Shadow Successor?’

Namjin, lost in anticipation, hadn’t even considered that Taehoo might die.

Sanctuary.

While Taehoo stayed here, his rival was decided.

The night when the Six Swords gathered for the first time in seven years quickly passed.

Taehoo stepped outside, feeling the chill of the dawn air.

His lips were still slick with grease from the pork Namjin had left behind.

‘From today, a new trial…’

With his lips still greasy, Taehoo continued his dry thoughts.

‘The vessel is made. Now it’s time to learn the movements to match…’

That’s what was written on the Note left with the meal.

Leaving a Note was probably Namjin’s way of not wanting to wake his grandson who had just finished training.

Taehoo walked slowly through the Sanctuary, recalling its contents.

To be precise, learning his grandfather’s swordsmanship would come after finishing the next round of training—that was the implication.

[He’s probably planning to teach you what’s called the Step Technique.]

Ba’al answered Taehoo’s pondering.

[The training is absurd, but the system is well established…]

He sounded as if he was observing a bunch of oddballs.

‘Systematic, huh… Well, it’s necessary, I suppose. It’s a shame I have to wait to learn Grandfather’s swordsmanship, though.’

He only thought to pass through quickly if needed.

Finishing his thoughts, Taehoo took a deep breath of the morning air.

Dawn was the only time he could really feel the air that was usually lacking.

That was why he enjoyed these walks.

Suddenly, he came to his senses and let out a low exclamation.

“Sheesh… Does my body remember on its own?”

Before he knew it, his body had brought him in front of the Heavenly Lake.

After two and a half years of coming here countless times, it was no wonder his body remembered.

Taehoo silently gazed at the surface of the lake.

“The water level really has dropped.”

It was proof of just how powerful his Single Stroke Severance had been.

What would the inside of the Heavenly Lake, now with its water level lowered, be like?

Such curiosity took root in Taehoo’s mind.

‘Should I go in and see for myself?’

If he was really curious, he could just go in and check.

Of course, it’d be troublesome if all the creatures swarmed him like yesterday.

[Those were pretty intelligent ones. They launched a full assault and it didn’t work, so they should be quieter now.]

Ba’al added, saying that after nearly killing the aquatic dragon, who would dare bother you?

He wasn’t wrong.

‘So should I really go in and check?’

As Taehoo was making up his mind,

“Y-you there!”

Suddenly, a young voice called from behind him.

‘Who’s that?’

Curiosity flared up in Taehoo’s mind for a moment.

‘Wait a second…’

It didn’t take long to realize that there shouldn’t be anyone here capable of speaking with such a young voice except himself.

Taehoo reflexively whipped his head around.

Shiiik!

At the same moment, the sound of a blade slicing through the air reached his ear.

Kang!

Taehoo parried it with the Fallen Flower Sword that had somehow found its way into his hand.

‘A dagger?’

What he deflected was a dagger.

Clearly, an Assassin.

“Who are you?”

Taehoo asked in a low, cold voice.

There stood Muncheol, hiding his expression.

‘A kid?’

The one who had thrown the dagger with such a young voice was indeed a child.

Muncheol, too, was out for a walk to get a feel for the Sanctuary after hearing a rough explanation of the training.

He was destined to succeed Nachal as the clan’s Assassin and Shadow.

Caution was, of course, one of the essential virtues.

He had carefully scouted out the Sanctuary and soon reached the front of the Heavenly Lake.

‘Is this where the young master trains?’

He was staring at the lake out of curiosity when he sensed someone’s presence and hid. Suppressing his own presence, he closely observed the approaching figure.

‘The young master?’

If it was a boy who looked to be around his age in this place, it could only be him.

Muncheol gazed at Taehoo with calm eyes.

‘Is he strong? Strong enough to be my rival? Really?’

A competitive urge rose in Muncheol’s heart toward Taehoo.

‘Master said there’s no one my age who can match me…

But he clearly called someone younger than me my rival.

‘There’s no way Master would lie to me!’

To Muncheol, Nachal was a savior—an absolute figure.

He had lost his parents to terrorists, and before he could be killed by Monsters, Nachal had saved him.

So naturally, he trusted Nachal’s words more than Namjin’s.

His faith that his master would never lie, and the rash judgment of a fifteen-year-old, combined.

“Y-you there!”

By the time he came to his senses, he’d already thrown the dagger with a clumsy shout.

Kang!

The thrown dagger bounced off harmlessly.

‘I received the Fallen Flower Sword at fourteen, but he already has one?’

And he admired Taehoo’s concise movements.

He had only thrown the dagger to inflict a light wound, but Taehoo had deflected it perfectly.

Even though it was a surprise attack.

‘Did Master really lie to me?’

With that brief doubt,

“Who are you?”

Taehoo’s icy voice struck Muncheol’s ears.

“Since you had Grandfather’s permission, you must have had a reason to set foot here…”

In that fleeting moment, Muncheol coolly assessed the situation.

“Whatever the reason, how dare you point a blade at a member of the family’s bloodline?”

His words were as cold as a drawn blade.

‘…!’

Only then did Muncheol realize he had lost his composure, but it was already too late.

Before he knew it, Taehoo’s sword was rushing toward him.

“You’ll have to pay the price.”

He would hear the reason only after exacting payment.