The Sword King’s gaze was gentle.
The trainees liked their first impression of this new instructor.
Was it because of the ease in his expression? Or was it because of his shabby martial robes, his iron sword, and the hair tied back behind him? There was something free-spirited about him.
How to put it? He looked like the sort of man who would roam the Central Plains with a single sword at his waist, savoring his freedom.
And that was why Geom Mugeuk grew even more tense.
Because he knew very well what level that sense of freedom and ease came from.
Geom Mugeuk took one step forward, moving in front of Ian and Seojin.
He positioned the two women behind him, to his left and right.
If he had been alone, he would not have been this tense. But this place was full of trainees, and more than anyone, Ian and Seojin were here.
Was there any guarantee that the Sword King would not attack him here and now?
Considering everything that had happened with the force behind the scenes until now, nothing that occurred here would be strange in the slightest.
Ian’s gaze turned to Geom Mugeuk’s back. Ever since the temporary instructor had appeared, he had not taken his eyes off him.
She had watched the Young Cult Leader since childhood. Now, she felt as if she could tell his mood just from the way he stood. And right now, she sensed that Geom Mugeuk was somehow tense.
‘He’s truly someone who couldn’t be further from tension.’
Naturally, Ian’s gaze turned toward the newly arrived instructor.
She only felt that he was clearly different from the instructors in the martial academy, who all gave off similar impressions. She could not sense any particularly special aura from him.
If Geom Mugeuk was truly tense because of that instructor, then it meant he was an expert far above her own level.
‘Surely not? Could he be an expert from the White Snake Corps?’
Since she had never imagined that the hidden force Geom Mugeuk had been dealing with until now would appear here, she wondered if the opponent might be from the White Snake Corps.
“Now, you introduce yourself first.”
The trainee closest to the Sword King stated his name first. The Sword King asked the trainees all sorts of questions. How old are you? Why did you enter the martial academy? What will you do after you graduate? Do you have a girlfriend?
If one only looked at him like this, he was unmistakably an instructor of the martial academy. The sort of person who took great interest in other people’s business and meddled in everything.
Then it became Geom Mugeuk’s turn.
“I’m Geom Yeon.”
There was no theatrics in today’s name introduction.
Seeing that, Ian was certain her feeling had been correct. If it had been the usual Young Cult Leader, he would certainly have said that it was not the Yeon of bonds, but the Yeon of acting.
This was the decisive reason Geom Mugeuk was tense.
‘He came here knowing me.’
How could it be coincidence that he and one of the Twelve Zodiac Kings had met? And not just any of the Twelve Zodiac Kings, but the First King.
The problem was that the Sword King had come forward openly. If he had known Geom Mugeuk was here, he could have moved in secret. Just as most of the Twelve Zodiac Kings had done until now.
But the Sword King had stepped proudly before him.
Because he thought Geom Mugeuk wouldn’t recognize him?
Impossible. No matter how much he hid his aura, how could one fail to recognize that presence? This was the Sword King’s confidence. A declaration that they should clash properly.
The Sword King, who had been staring at Geom Mugeuk, called out in delight.
“Hey! So it’s you!”
To Geom Mugeuk, those words sounded as if he were saying this:
So I’ve finally met the bastard who’s been giving our organization so much trouble until now!
Of course, the Sword King gave a different reason.
“The rumors are already everywhere in the martial academy. They say there’s a new recruit who goes around with two beautiful women. You enviable bastard!”
He truly looked envious. At that, the trainees watching from all around burst into laughter. It was their first time seeing an instructor openly envy someone over the beauty of female trainees. They had already begun lowering their guard toward this temporary instructor.
Geom Mugeuk tapped his own chest twice and said boastfully,
“That’s right. I’m that handsome new recruit.”
“Let me have a closer look, then. Let’s see just how handsome you are.”
The Sword King walked toward Geom Mugeuk.
At that moment, the Heavenly Demon Body-Protecting Art sensed Geom Mugeuk’s tension and activated on its own.
Even as he approached, step by step, the Sword King revealed no aura whatsoever.
Coming toward him with a broad smile, he truly looked like an instructor who enjoyed joking around with his disciples.
The Sword King came right up in front of Geom Mugeuk’s nose.
They were now at a distance where, if either drew his sword, he could cut the other’s throat.
Geom Mugeuk’s heart pounded.
His opponent was the Sword King.
The Sword King took one more step closer even from there.
Then he slowly raised his hand and extended it toward Geom Mugeuk.
At that sight, Ian’s heart, standing behind him, pounded as if it would burst even more than Geom Mugeuk’s.
If the two of them began fighting fiercely, what should she do? Should she help the Young Cult Leader? Or should she trust the Young Cult Leader, take care of Seojin, and retreat?
The hand extended toward Geom Mugeuk reached its destination.
Tap.
The Sword King placed his hand on Geom Mugeuk’s shoulder.
“You’re handsome.”
Until then, Geom Mugeuk had stood still in place. Rather than an intense fight, doing nothing and watching him place his hand on his shoulder was even more difficult. Since he had no idea when or how the attack might come, the strain on his mind had reached its limit.
Geom Mugeuk smiled and said,
“You’re more impressive, Instructor.”
“I am?”
“Usually, people burn with jealousy. But you’re telling me I’m handsome.”
At that, the Sword King came even closer to Geom Mugeuk. Geom Mugeuk silently stared as the man’s two eyes drew nearer. This time was the same. Enduring this without revealing the slightest aura was even harder.
The Sword King whispered by Geom Mugeuk’s ear.
“To be honest, I’m jealous. I’m a man too.”
Then he looked at Geom Mugeuk and grinned.
The Sword King was different from what he had imagined. Far too different.
‘So the Sword King was this kind of person.’
He surely knew as well. That Geom Mugeuk did not see him as an ordinary instructor. That was why this behavior of his was all the more remarkable.
Even then, the Sword King’s hand remained on Geom Mugeuk’s shoulder. The moment even the faintest trace of true qi was felt at his fingertips, a mad battle would erupt.
The Sword King’s gaze turned toward Ian, who stood behind Geom Mugeuk.
When their eyes met, Ian bowed her head in greeting and stated her name.
“I’m Ian.”
The Sword King removed his hand from Geom Mugeuk’s shoulder and this time took one step toward Ian.
Geom Mugeuk turned along with him.
‘If you cut Ian down, you die too.’
But he would not take such a risk with Geom Mugeuk behind him. He, too, must know what level the Young Cult Leader’s abilities were at.
As expected, the Sword King did not attack her. On the contrary, he looked at her and exclaimed in admiration.
“Remarkable!”
It seemed as if he were admiring her appearance, but Geom Mugeuk knew.
‘He saw through Ian’s achievement.’
In other words, he had instantly seen through Ian’s martial realm, after she had achieved great completion in the Flying Heaven Sword Art.
Even though she had shown no sign of tension at all and had thoroughly concealed her aura, she could not deceive his eyes.
The Sword King stared intently at Ian, then this time looked at Seojin.
“I’m Seojin.”
There was no lust or desire in the Sword King’s gaze as he looked at the two women.
That was what made it even more of a problem. The Sword King returned to his original place and called them out.
“Ian, Seojin. Come forward!”
This was a clear provocation aimed at Geom Mugeuk.
After all, it was perfectly natural for an instructor to tell trainees to come forward.
Now, what will you do?
Ian, who had taken one step forward, looked at Geom Mugeuk.
From the way Geom Mugeuk looked at the instructor, Ian could now tell for certain.
‘That man is an expert who can make the Young Cult Leader this tense!’
She sensed that Geom Mugeuk was worried. Worried that they might be put in danger.
Seojin, on the other hand, did not know how serious the situation was, so she looked at Ian with a gaze that said they should go forward together.
At that moment, one of Ian’s nine tails unfurled.
She grabbed Geom Mugeuk’s wrist.
When Geom Mugeuk looked at her in surprise, Ian pulled him along and went forward.
“Let’s go together.”
Seojin followed behind them. She, too, had instinctively sensed that something unusual was happening.
The Sword King watched this with a strange smile.
“I believe I told only the two of you to come out?”
Ian said to him,
“There’s a reason I brought this friend with us.”
Ian looked at Geom Mugeuk and said,
“This friend promised to be the sword and shield at our side for the rest of his life.”
Originally, he had said he would become a sword and shield for her, but now she said “our.” Right now, they were in a situation where Seojin had to be protected as well.
The trainees, hearing those words for the first time, grew noisy. Most of them frowned rather than laughed, and they jeered rather than applauded.
“If you’re a martial artist, you should carry a sword and shield wherever you go.”
Even as she spoke, Ian’s heart was pounding wildly.
She had thought of it on the spot, so she had no idea whether this method would work or not. Even so, it was the method she had chosen because she wanted to help Geom Mugeuk somehow.
The Sword King walked up to Ian.
“What will you do if that shield gets smashed apart?”
A brief silence passed. Soon, Ian smiled brightly and answered,
“That is why we are always recruiting shields.”
The Sword King stared blankly for a moment, then burst into loud laughter.
“Good, that’s amusing. Is there an age limit on that shield, by any chance?”
Since the joke carried the meaning of whether he himself could join, the trainees burst into laughter.
“All three of you may go back.”
Perhaps accepting her wit, the Sword King allowed them to return.
They were about to go back to their original positions when the Sword King called Geom Mugeuk.
“You said your name was Geom Yeon, right?”
“Yes.”
“There are two women, but only one shield. What will you do if both of them are attacked at the same time?”
He asked it like a joke, but it was a meaningful question. If these two women were attacked at the same time, which one would you protect?
It was truly a difficult question. If not for these two women, Geom Mugeuk could not have been standing here. If Ian had not blocked for him with the Whole-Body Petrification Art, he would already be dead, and if Seojin had not told him about the Great Regression Art, he would not have returned.
Geom Mugeuk smiled and turned around.
“I probably won’t need to save either of them.”
“Why not?”
“What kind of fool in this world would stab such beautiful women to death? Would you stab them, Instructor?”
At the unexpected answer, the Sword King laughed aloud once again.
“I wouldn’t have been able to stab them. Instead, I would have stabbed you three times.”
“Why three times?”
“I’d have to stab you for the women’s share too.”
This time, Geom Mugeuk laughed and looked at Ian.
“Fellow entrant, you heard him, right? Your shield is a shield exposed to this kind of danger.”
Ian smiled and answered,
“I’ll find a way to block one of them. So just get stabbed twice.”
Then Seojin, on the other side, said,
“I’ll work hard too, so you only have to block one.”
Geom Mugeuk looked back at the Sword King.
“That’s what they say.”
The two men looked at each other. The Sword King’s face was full of ease, and Geom Mugeuk wore a relaxed smile.
The other trainees continued introducing themselves. As if to show that he had not given only Geom Mugeuk and the two women special treatment, the Sword King asked the trainees all sorts of questions again. What is your family situation like? If you earn money, what will you spend it on?
In the meantime, training time ended. As soon as the bell signaling the end of training rang out, the Sword King left without even looking back.
“See you tomorrow!”
The sight of him hurrying away made him look like a slacking instructor who had managed to coast through another day.
Only after he had gone far away did Geom Mugeuk finally let out a light sigh. Though he truly had not used even a strand of inner force, he had fought a fierce battle with him. And it had been more exhausting than any other fight.
Ian cautiously asked Geom Mugeuk,
“Did I mess things up, by any chance?”
“No. You did well.”
Only then did Ian let out a sigh of relief.
“You told me before, didn’t you? That if I wanted to describe my strength, I should ask how many moves it would take me to kill the master of this Yellow Dragon Hall! But just now, my heart almost burst because of a mere instructor!”
At her joke, Geom Mugeuk also answered with a joke.
“I didn’t know the level of martial academies these days was this high.”
Of course, Ian knew. That the instructor from a moment ago was an expert from the hidden force Geom Mugeuk had been dealing with until now. An expert from the White Snake Corps would not have been able to make Geom Mugeuk this tense.
“When your skills reach about your level, enemies like that start appearing in front of you.”
“Then what should I do?”
Geom Mugeuk gave her the answer.
“You have to achieve great completion of the Twelfth Star.”
Ian nodded and resolved that she would absolutely achieve great completion of the Twelfth Star.
“You mustn’t say this when the time comes! ‘Sorry, now you have to face an even stronger enemy!’”
Geom Mugeuk smiled with an expression that said he might very well do just that.
Seojin, standing beside the two of them, also felt a desire to become stronger.
“I’ll work hard too.”
“Yes. Now we don’t need a baby ghost, but a real ghost.”
The Sword King’s question about whom he would save had instead become a powerful motivation for Ian and Seojin to grow stronger. They were both the type who would rather protect someone than live a life where someone else protected them.
Ian looked in the direction the Sword King had gone and said,
“Dangerous lessons will begin tomorrow.”
Geom Mugeuk answered with a meaningful smile.
“The more dangerous it is, the more there will be to learn.”