Chapter 902: Welcome back, Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword. (Part 2)

What is the most important thing when welcoming guests?

The answer may vary from person to person. Some may say it's the heart, while others may mention courtesy. Some might even say a comfortable bed. But it seemed that the thoughts of those who had made a habit of living on this rugged mountain were somewhat different from ordinary people.

"Eat up!"

"Meat! Meat!"

"Haha. It's not rabbit meat! It's pork! Pork!"

"Hahaha! Have another drink!"

Taoists wearing robes were half-drunk, smearing sauce on meat, and eagerly enjoying their food and drinks. Fortunately, since they were on a high mountain, there were no eyes to observe this horrendous situation.

The disciples of Mount Hua, who had lost their sense of decorum, seemed determined to let loose all the stress of the past three years in this moment. They forcefully drank and tore into the meat as if they were going to release all the pent-up tension in an instant.

As soon as the pre-ordered food arrived, it was devoured, so disciples had to take turns leaping down the mountain to bring more food again and again.

In the midst of the boisterous drinking scene, Tang Gunak, facing Chung Myung in the center, quietly raised his glass. In response, Chung Myung also smiled and raised his wine glass.

Having confirmed Chung Myung's growth to the brim and having experienced his unparalleled skills in real combat, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that his month-long journey from the Yangtze River to Mount Hua has already been paid back.

"How do you feel?"

"What do you mean?"

"Have you confirmed that I haven't been idling for the past three years?"

"…Hmm."

Tang Gunak frowned as if he were contemplating. It was as if he was pondering what to say.

"Indeed."

"Yes."

"I've encountered many swordsmen, but I've never seen a sword like that before."

"Hmm."

"I now fully understand how Mount Hua's sword could dominate the world in the past."

"Hmmmmm."

"Even if you were to search the world right now, there wouldn't be many who could be your match with a sword."

"Hmm!"

"You must have worked hard. No matter how talented one is, it would have been impossible without the sweat and effort. You deserve the praise."

Tang Gunak's statement, which praised him so highly, made Chung Myung's chin rise even higher.

"...Heaven must be in sight at this rate."

"He's already looking at it, sasuk."

"Idiot."

Baek Cheon and Jo Gol stuck out their tongues, and Yoo Iseol grumbled, but Chung Myung's chin, which had already risen proudly, showed no sign of coming down.

"And...,"

Tang Gunak's sharp gaze turned towards the Five Swords that surrounded Chung Myung.

"...It seems you're not the only one who has grown stronger, Chung Myung."

A satisfied smile played on Tang Gunak's lips.

"We're even now."

Chung Myung, who had lowered his chin imperceptibly, said while looking at Tang Gunak.

"For others, maybe, but it doesn't seem like something our Lord would say."

"Me? Why?"

"Because of that."

As Chung Myung's words came out, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Tang Gunak. They were all curious about what "that" was.

"The one our Lord created, right?"

"How did you know?"

"Well, the reason is simple. Um, it's completely different from what we've seen before..."

Chung Myung, seeing Tang Gunak's slightly suspicious look, chuckled and continued.

"...because it's a bit amateurish."

"Hmm!"

Tang Gunak cleared his throat loudly and gulped down his drink in one go as if he was feeling upset. No, actually, rather than feeling upset, he seemed embarrassed.

"Amateurish?"

"Is that so?"

Baek Cheon widened his eyes and looked at Chung Myung. Even Yoo Iseol, who rarely showed emotions over minor matters, stared at Chung Myung with a look that seemed to say, "Has this guy gone crazy?"

It was inevitable.

What Tang Gunak had shown them in the end was, in their eyes, extraordinary. However, he said it was amateurish.

But instead of showing signs of being upset, Tang Gunak kept coughing as if he were a person who was constantly annoyed.

"Is it too obvious?"

"A bit...?"

"Mmm."

Tang Gunak, who they couldn't see well, kept coughing like someone who was constantly irritated.

Chung Myung asked, as if throwing it out casually, "Is it incomplete?"

"That's right."

"I knew it."

Tang Gunak let out a deep sigh. To put it bluntly, the move was not yet usable in actual combat.

"Why do you call it incomplete? Its power was truly extraordinary."

Baek Cheon couldn't contain his curiosity and joined in on the conversation.

Tang Gunak calmly replied, "Power is not everything."

"...What?"

"That technique consumes too much internal energy. After using it once, you become so exhausted that it's difficult to continue fighting."

"But there's a saying, 'one-hit kill,' right? If you can definitely bring down your opponent with a single strike..."

"But I couldn't bring him down."

"Uh, I mean... that..."

Baek Cheon stumbled, unable to continue. Right, he couldn't bring him down. But that's...

'No, what should I even say to this?'

Isn't it that the guy who blocked it was weird, not that the technique was flawed? If it were a bit more precise, couldn't he have probably taken that guy's head?

Neither of those answers were good answers.

"It's not refined enough to be a one-hit kill, yet it still consumes a substantial amount of internal energy. So something like this..."

"...Is an empty cart making a ton of noise?"

"...."

Chung Myung's words made Tang Gunak's eyebrows twitch.

"Huh? Isn't that it? Or is it a bright, overripe persimmon?"

Crash!

The glass in Tang Gunak's hand shattered instantly.

"Hmm... It seems that the material of Mount Hua's glass isn't of good quality. I'll have to tell the Tang family to send a new one."

'Even if it were made of iron, it probably would have broken....'

But no one pointed out this fact. Because it is worthwile to take whatever the Tang Family gives you, even if it is poison.

Tang Gunak, who had been trembling with anger, let out a deep sigh.

"It's incomplete. I don't know when it will be complete."

"Ah, so you used this dangerous, incomplete technique in martial arts?"

Twitch.

Tang Gunak's eyebrows twitched once again.

"...It's incomplete, so I used it in this duel. If it were complete, would I even use it on you? I'm not about to kill a friend I've worked so hard to obtain."

"Even if it were complete, I don't think I'd die..."

"I can guarantee you'd be on the verge of death."

"Even if you guaranteed it, my neck wouldn't be cut."

"..."

"..."

Tang Gunak and Chung Myung glared at each other as if they were about to kill each other. Those who had grown tired of their confrontation turned to look at Tang Soso. It was a silent plea to find a way to resolve the situation somehow. She let out a deep sigh.

"Stop it already! You're not kids!"

"Hmm."

"Tsk."

Only then did Tang Gunak and Chung Myung turn their heads away from each other and gulp down their drinks.

At that moment, Im Sobyeong, who had been silently watching, cleared his throat.

"Anyways, those guys with swords..."

This place, where the representatives of the Tang family and the disciples of Mount Hua were being criticized by bandits, was Mount Hua.

"Surely,"

Tang Gunak spoke as if to change the mood.

"It's not yet a technique suitable for duels or real combat. I was too greedy. Even if I give up some power, I'm considering making it more refined."

"Is that really necessary?"

"Hmm?"

Chung Myung shrugged.

"Isn't the excessive internal energy consumption not because the power is excessive, but rather because the method of injecting internal energy is too aggressive?"

"Method?"

"Yes. You know, the blade is pulled into rotation."

"That's right."

"So, instead of condensing and bursting it, you should first circulate the energy inside. Most of energy waste occurs when the stagnant energy is released all at once."

"Hmm?"

Tang Gunak's eyes sparkled. It was an expression as if he had grasped a clue.

"...Alignment of the weapon's direction and the energy's direction... It's basic. The most basic of the basics. But..."

"Yes."

Chung Myung nodded as if he knew what Tang Gunak was going to say next.

"It's so basic that people tend to forget it when aiming for higher levels."

"...I see. I made such an obvious mistake."

Of course, it's not as simple as Chung Myung put it. Making energy rotate within a fixed aura is a much more difficult method than they made it seem. But if he mastered it, it would undoubtedly reduce the consumption of internal energy significantly.

'Maybe the power would increase even more.'

If it's done like that, the Twelve Blades will no longer be the Twelve Blades.

'Thirteen Blades... No. Let's just call it Twelve Blades.'

What a lousy name...

"I see. Yeah, that might work."

Tanggunak nodded as if to say he understood while muttering to himself, and Cheongmyeong quietly began singing again.

"Incompleteness is not the only issue, right?"

Tang Gunak asked, pretending not to know, and Chung Myung grinned.

"Originally, it should be able to simultaneously summon even the blades that have fallen to the ground, right?"

"...Were you perhaps a member of the Tang family in your past life?"

I wasn't a member of the Tang family in my past life, but I was something similar. If I had joined the Tang family, I would have been amazing. Yeah, I shouldn't think about it.

"That's right. That's what makes it complete. But... it's impossible to achieve with my current skill."

"If you can reduce the consumption of your internal energy, it'll definitely be possible."

"...Is that so?"

"Of course."

A vision formed in Chung Myung's mind. A single blade soaring with incredible power, and numerous other weapons surrounding it, along with eleven other blades. It would undoubtedly become a fantastic and formidable martial art.

"But... why did you suddenly create a new martial art?"

"Hmm."

Tang Gunak chuckled in response to Chung Myung's question.

"Of course, I haven't completely mastered what I have, so creating a new martial art is a bit excessive."

Chung Myung remained silent, not saying a word.

There were two reasons for this. 

The first reason was that what Tang Gunak said made sense. Even Tang Bo, who was stronger than the current Tang Gunak, didn't create a new martial art for the Twelve Daggers. So, it did seem overly ambitious for Tang Gunak to create a new martial art.

However, the second reason for not speaking was quite the opposite. It was because there was undoubtedly an aspect of this new martial art, created by Tang Gunak, that surpassed the existing martial arts of the Twelve Daggers that he knew.

"But if I had to answer why I made this new martial art, there could only be one answer."

"What is it?"

"Because it was necessary."

Tang Gunak shrugged his shoulders as he spoke.

"Admittedly, the martial arts and memory techniques of the Tang Clan are excellent. However... they are undoubtedly lacking when it comes to facing 'absolute' experts. Especially considering the limited number of martial arts that can be used due to the nature of the Twelve Daggers. As you throw, you will have fewer chances to use the martial arts."

"That's true."

"Wouldn't it be great if you could just retrieve the daggers? However, when facing absolute experts, there won't be many opportunities to do that."

Chung Myung nodded slowly. This was undoubtedly something that even Tang Bo had contemplated. He might have thought about attaching a sturdy silver string to the end of his daggers. Of course, he had abandoned that idea because it would cause problems for the trajectory of the knives.

"I was contemplating and practicing when I suddenly saw the daggers scattered on the ground. Why should I only use the blades that are in my hands? The scattered weapons in the sky are also my weapons, and the knives held in my hand are not the only ones I have."

"Ah..."

Tang Gunak cleared his throat as if he were embarrassed.

"Well, it started with such a thought... but it's not working well yet. I'm embarrassed to show my shortcomings."

"No, it was great."

"..."

"Really."

Upon hearing that, Tang Gunak's mouth twitched with a small smile.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Chung Myung refilled Tang Gunak's glass. In return, Tang Gunak took the bottle and refilled Chung Myung's glass.

"Drink up."

"Yes."

Chung Myung emptied the glass, feeling content.

"Moving forward..."

Over the past three years, Mount Hua has indeed acquired many things. However, it wasn't just Mount Hua that was moving forward.

His descendants had created a martial art that not even Tang Bo had been able to make in the past. It was still incomplete, but someday, this martial art would be perfected, just like Twelve Daggers.

If Tang Gunak can't do it, someone will follow his will, and then someone else will continue, slowly perfecting it. That's how martial arts evolve.

'Isn't that how it is?'

Chung Myung lightly asked a person who came to mind and looked at Tang Gunak with a smile. Then, as if he suddenly remembered something, his eyes widened slightly.

"Ah, by the way, there's something I'm curious about."

"Hmm? What is it?"

Chung Myung playfully asked with a giggle.

"Since you're worried about running out of daggers, why do you only use twelve knives? Is there a reason for that?"

"Uh..."

"Just because it's the Twelve Daggers doesn't mean you have to limit yourself to using only twelve blades. Since you have them all over your body, you don't have to worry about losing daggers even if you have around twenty of them, do you?"

"..."

"Just because the ultimate goal is to wield all twelve at once doesn't mean you have to carry only twelve with you. Having spares wouldn't hurt, right?"

"..."

Chung Myung's playful demeanor slowly gave way to concern. 

"..."

Likewise, as he watched Chung Myung, he couldn't find any more reason to laugh.

"...Hello? You there?"

Hello? Seriously... 

Did you not think about this at all? For real?

- Well, I never really thought about it...

It seemed like... it wasn't just a matter of willpower continuing...