Chapter 47 : Friendly Spar (1)

Chapter 47: Friendly Spar (1)

On the day of the Dark Flower Unit’s friendly spar.

Time had flown quickly, and already the ten days of training both sides had agreed upon had passed.

After a long spell of misfortunes that had cast a gloom over the Sichuan Tang Clan, the residence was once again filled with laughter.

“Ha! It’s been a long time since I’ve had such a treat for my eyes!”

“I couldn’t even sleep last night because I was so excited.”

“My friends in Chengdu kept saying how much they wished they could come and watch. They were so envious.”

“Hey, uncles! Instead of just chatting, hurry and help carry these dishes.”

“Haha, alright, brat.”

The atmosphere was as lively as if a banquet was being held.

All of the Tang Clan’s household members were gathered in a circle around the Grand Martial Training Hall, where the spar would take place.

Since yesterday, the servant girls had already prepared a mountain of festive dishes, all of which were laid out in abundance.

Although this spar had originally begun due to the dissatisfaction of the Dark Flower Unit warriors toward the Young Master, Sewoon himself had stepped forward, insisting it should become a day that the entire clan could enjoy.

In the days of the clan’s prosperity, internal martial contests such as this had been held from time to time, but since its decline, such opportunities had vanished entirely. Naturally, every clan member, young and old, welcomed this with delight.

“But doesn’t it already seem obvious who’s going to win?”

“Why? The Young Master might show us another miracle.”

“Nonsense! The Young Master’s side only has recruits who joined less than half a year ago. How could they possibly win?”

“Well, maybe that instructor named Yeo Seon, the one the Young Master brought, is some kind of great master.”

“Eh, even so, the difference in numbers is too much. Ten days is far too short.”

“Hmm. Still, I’ll place my faith in the Young Master.”

“Then what does that make me, you stubborn fellow?”

Just as with the annual Murim Alliance’s World Martial Arts Tournament, the biggest entertainment for spectators was always predicting the victor.

The gathered clan members, without exception, busied themselves guessing who would triumph between Sewoon’s team and Tang Bi’s team.

The majority predicted an overwhelming victory for the Dark Flower Unit, led by Tang Bi.

Of course, if Sewoon himself were to step into the arena, the predictions would have been the exact opposite.

But doubts lingered over the newly appointed instructor Yeo Seon, who had only entered the clan ten days ago, and over how much three new recruits could have grown in such a short time. This naturally skewed opinions toward one side.

Just then—

Ssshhk.

At last, Tang Muyeol, Clan Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan, appeared, and the noisy crowd immediately quieted.

The Young Master, Tang Sewoon, and the Dark Flower Unit Leader, Tang Bi, also appeared together.

“The Clan Head has arrived! Everyone, show your respects!”

At the loud announcement of Son Geon, Hall Leader of Inner and Outer Affairs, everyone bowed respectfully in unison.

Tang Muyeol looked over them all with a kindly smile and spoke.

“It has truly been a long time since the entire clan gathered like this for a banquet.”

Though his words were not especially remarkable, the eyes of the older clan members quickly welled up.

The memory of the hardships endured during the clan’s decline—so severe they could not even hold internal contests or feasts—suddenly resurfaced.

Tang Muyeol paused briefly, then, as if to comfort them, continued with warmth in his gaze.

“Though many troubles have befallen our clan, let today be one day where we forget them all, and simply laugh and enjoy ourselves.”

“Yes!!”

After the clan members shouted their lively response, Tang Muyeol moved to his seat.

Son Geon then stepped up onto the Grand Martial Training Hall.

“Now, I shall announce the rules of the friendly spar!”

Everyone fell silent and perked their ears.

The rules could be summarized in one phrase: first and foremost, safety.

Unlike typical duels, this spar did not allow sharpened weapons.

Every warrior had exchanged their usual weapons for training versions with dulled edges.

“Furthermore, if any participant aims for a death acupoint, the match will be stopped immediately, and that participant will be disqualified.”

These strict rules were all set by Tang Muyeol himself.

Unlike duels against other sects or clans, today’s spar was between family and comrades.

If serious injuries were to occur, it could irreparably damage the unit’s harmony.

Aside from this, the rules were no different from standard dueling contests: if one could no longer continue or was forced out of bounds, the match ended in the opponent’s victory.

“Now, let the vanguards of each side step onto the stage!”

“Waaah!”

As Son Geon called for the first duelists—

“Well thought, Young Master.”

Tang Bi, standing beside Sewoon, leaned in and whispered.

When Sewoon turned slightly, Tang Bi looked at him with a gaze full of approval.

He spoke with genuine admiration.

“Indeed. There is nothing better than pretending to lose and yielding in order to soothe the grievances of one’s subordinates.”

“To already know at such a young age that losing is, in truth, winning—this fills me with boundless joy.”

“From appointing that man Yeo Seon as Captain of the Guards and Instructor, to deliberately stirring dissatisfaction among the ranks—it must all have been part of your plan—”

“Uncle.”

At that moment, Sewoon cut him off with a firm tone.

Tang Bi blinked in surprise.

“…What?”

“What on earth have you been talking about?”

“…What?”

“Losing? What nonsense is that?”

Sewoon looked at his uncle with an expression that said he was speaking gibberish.

“My only thought is to beat them down.”

‘…What on earth is going on?’

Beom Pyeong, the first duelist from the Dark Flower Unit, looked across at the bewildering scene.

For standing on the opposite side of the arena were not one, but two duelists.

“You can do it, Daewoong warrior! Just remember what I told you!”

“…Yes.”

“Aigoo! Don’t be so nervous. Come on, you got this! Let’s go, let’s go!”

“…Let’s go.”

Yeo Seon was enthusiastically cheering on Daewoong, who was visibly stiff with nerves.

The moment Daewoong’s name was called, Yeo Seon had hurriedly followed him up, fussing over him and massaging his massive shoulders with frantic energy.

Seeing this comical spectacle, Beom Pyeong couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.

“…Instructor. Please step down. The spar must begin.”

“Ah! I-I’m sorry!”

Unable to bear it any longer, Son Geon spoke up, startling Yeo Seon, who hurriedly scurried down from the stage.

Haha.

The clan members watching could not hold back their laughter and burst out laughing.

Beom Pyeong, who had been losing focus without realizing it, quickly shook himself back together.

‘Hoo, don’t mind it. The Young Master must have his reasons.’

He pressed down his displeasure toward Yeo Seon.

Instead, he repeated in his mind the promise all the Dark Flower Unit warriors had made during those ten days of bloody training.

‘Let’s show an overwhelming performance here so that the Young Master will look upon us again.’

They might feel resentful that their lord did not understand their loyalty, but not one of them entertained even the slightest thought of trying to defeat him.

Looking back now, all of the harsh words Daewoong had spoken on the first day were correct.

The loss of their lord’s trust was only because they themselves had been lacking.

In such circumstances, the only way to regain that trust was to prove their strength.

“Now, weapons will be handed to both sides.”

At that moment, Son Geon’s voice rang out, and two servants stepped forward, each bringing the respective warrior’s prepared training weapon.

Srrng!

A sword was placed in Beom Pyeong’s hand.

Among the Dark Flower Unit, which mainly specialized in hidden weapons, he was one of the few orthodox swordsmen.

‘This is more like a club than a sword.’

Looking at the dulled blade with not a hint of sharpness, Beom Pyeong felt an odd sense of unfamiliarity.

Rustle.

‘Hm?’

Suddenly, noise stirred behind him.

Following their gazes, Beom Pyeong turned and his eyes widened like lanterns.

Daewoong was holding a horn bow along with a bundle of arrows, each arrowhead blunted and rounded with bandages.

“…A bow?”

“Wasn’t that kid Daewoong’s main weapon a whip?”

“Ha! The Young Master has caught them off guard.”

“Hmm, but can ten days of learning archery really allow him to defeat a senior warrior?”

“Exactly. If you ask me, the Young Master just made a mistake.”

While the clan members argued back and forth—

Beom Pyeong was thrown into confusion.

For ten days, he had focused solely on countering whip techniques.

Now all of that effort was wasted.

Just then—

“Now! Let the spar begin!!”

With Son Geon’s loud declaration, the friendly spar commenced.

Fwip!

Both men immediately leapt back, creating distance.

In an instant, they stood at opposite ends of the Grand Martial Training Hall.

Beom Pyeong gripped his sword tightly, taking his opening stance.

Daewoong, meanwhile, nocked an arrow and drew the bowstring taut.

It was a situation balanced on the edge of a blade.

Amid the heavy tension, Beom Pyeong quickly calculated.

Since his opponent’s weapon and techniques had changed, he needed new countermeasures.

His cold gaze locked onto the arrows.

‘From their shape, it looks like the sharp heads were replaced with something like iron pellets, then wrapped in bandages.’

Having calmly assessed the situation, his tension began to fade.

Of course, he himself was restricted by the absence of a sharpened sword, but—

‘It will be far worse for him.’

Whether it was Yeo Seon’s or Sewoon’s idea, Beom Pyeong judged that giving Daewoong a bow was a blunder.

With the arrows dulled like that, the bow was at a huge disadvantage compared to a sword.

Such blunt arrowheads would be drastically slower, and since their balance was different from normal arrows, accuracy would be nearly impossible.

Moreover, the fatal weakness of archery in duels was exposed.

The bow’s greatest advantage was its overwhelming range compared to other weapons.

But in such a confined space, that strength was useless.

‘If I can close the distance, the archer is finished.’

That was the glaring weakness: once engaged in close combat, the archer had no means of defense.

There was no way an archer could overcome a swordsman in close quarters.

Sure, the opponent might fire off a shot during the approach—

‘But if the blade can’t cut, I can simply deflect it.’

A dull conclusion was already in sight.

Looking at his junior, who was about to face the worst outcome, Beom Pyeong muttered.

“I hold no personal grudge, so don’t take this wrongly.”

“Three times… strike… right… downward…”

But the opponent only mumbled incomprehensible words.

‘This brat—!’

Veins bulged across Beom Pyeong’s forehead in the shape of a cross, convinced he was being ignored.

Though he had just said he bore no personal grudge—

‘I still don’t like him.’

He decided to teach this arrogant junior a hard lesson.

Fwip!

With all his strength, Beom Pyeong charged in full speed.

Among all the Dark Flower Unit warriors, his movement arts were especially superior.

He had already closed more than half the distance.

And then—

Daewoong stared at the opponent rushing at him like lightning.

‘Warrior No. 3, Beom Pyeong. First strike: a downward slash from the upper right.’

He endlessly repeated the countermeasures that Head Instructor Yeo Seon had drilled into him.

His eyes, once timid, now burned with the gaze of a tiger.

Crack!

He gripped the bowstring tightly, twisting it like a whirlwind.

Creak!

The horn bow bent to its utmost limit—

Kwaaaang!

With a thunderous roar like a lightning strike, the sound of thunder exploded.