Chapter 315. Why Are There So Many Kings?
Im Sobaek climbed onto the sparring platform and looked around. I expected him to say something, but Alliance Leader Im said nothing at all. He merely looked once over those who had gathered, then went to the seat of honor and sat down.
When the Alliance Leader said nothing, silence settled on all sides.
There are times when it is pleasant for things to be quiet despite so many people gathered together. This was one of those times.
Unexpectedly, Gongson Wol rose and walked toward the sparring platform, saying,
“……Honored seniors. Thank you for coming to congratulate Alliance Leader Im Sobaek on his renewed mandate.”
“Strategist Gongson, shut your mouth. Who said we came to congratulate him?”
Gongson Wol looked at the middle-aged man.
“Then, Family Head Jegal, what brings you here?”
“I……”
“Yes, please speak. This junior will listen attentively.”
Suddenly, Family Head Jegal’s eyes widened slightly as he looked around at the situation. If he said here and now that he opposed the renewed mandate, it would be a situation where he could immediately clash with Im Sobaek.
Gongson Wol pressed him for an answer.
“Senior?”
When Family Head Jegal could say nothing, Gongson Wol looked around.
“Are there any among you who are dissatisfied with the renewed mandate? The Alliance Leader has said he will engage in one or two bouts. However, they will be bouts using the wooden swords prepared by the Murim Alliance.”
“Strategist Gongson.”
Gongson Wol looked at the Namgung Sword Emperor.
“Yes, Senior.”
The Namgung Sword Emperor said,
“What do you intend to do if the Alliance Leader loses in a bout?”
“He said he would step down, but I will ask him again. Alliance Leader?”
Im Sobaek answered,
“I should step down. If Senior Divine Beggar came, kicked over the armchair, and told me to hand over the Alliance Leader’s seat, I intend to rise from it on the spot without the slightest regret.”
Im Sobaek looked around once, then continued.
“……But not for you lot.”
Gongson Wol gave the Alliance Leader a light cupped-fist salute, then looked over the masters of the righteous path.
“That is his position.”
At that moment, I watched the Namgung Sword Emperor and the Seomun Martial Emperor exchange glances. The instant their eyes met, the Seomun Martial Emperor spoke.
“I will challenge him first. Since I do not use weapons, I have no need for a wooden sword.”
This quickly?
It seemed some of the clans had coordinated their words to a certain extent before coming. If things went like this, it would be very simple: the Seomun Martial Emperor would fight, and after that would come the Namgung Sword Emperor.
Suddenly, I wondered if this was already the point where I had to step in. I glanced at the Lord Sword King, but that bastard said nothing either. In any case, the clan heads did not seem to like Im Sobaek.
Because of business?
Or because he had blocked the formation of the clan alliance?
I had never looked deeply into it, so I could not grasp the psychology behind what was going on.
Im Sobaek asked the Seomun Martial Emperor,
“Are you serious?”
The Seomun Martial Emperor let out a sigh.
“Alliance Leader Im, I am not your subordinate, so what manner of speech is that? It feels like only yesterday that you came to our clan and politely requested a bout. Does being Alliance Leader make you see every person of the Jianghu as beneath you?”
Im Sobaek laughed.
“When was that?”
Perhaps because this was the opening skirmish, no one seemed inclined to stop this fight. It was far from what I had imagined. As I saw it, Im Sobaek was now forcibly suppressing his temper. If Im Sobaek beat up men like the Martial Emperor, Sword Emperor, Sword King, and Saber King and sent them all home, then this Imperial Sparring Tournament would be a complete failure.
There are times when winning is not everything. This was one of those times.
“Hoo.”
With no other choice, I raised my hand.
Gongson Wol noticed me and asked in an even tone,
“Sect Leader of Haomun, do you have something to say?”
I nodded, then said,
“How many chances are there to challenge the Alliance Leader?”
Gongson Wol played along with me.
“He did not specify, but if someone were to challenge him after he had grown tired from facing the sovereigns one after another, the meaning of the bout would be diminished. There should be some sort of limit.”
“Surely not just anyone can challenge him? A person cannot become Alliance Leader through martial arts alone.”
“That is correct.”
The Namgung Sword Emperor cut into the conversation.
“Sect Leader of Haomun, what is it you wish to say?”
“Let us limit it to two bouts.”
The Seomun Martial Emperor intervened.
“By whose authority?”
“One opponent will be someone designated by Alliance Leader Im. The other will be someone who proves his skill through a bout here. If he defeats those two in succession, I think the clan heads should have no complaints. What does everyone think?”
The Seomun Martial Emperor scoffed at my proposal.
“What more do we need to prove? What an absurd proposal. Listen here, young junior, this is not a place for you to step forward and argue this and that. That is enough of your presumptuous talk.”
The Lecher, who had been nodding beside me, replied to the Seomun Martial Emperor’s words.
“That is correct.”
Thinking this had worked out well, I latched onto the tail end of the Seomun Martial Emperor’s words. I have always been a person skilled at saying the thing that infuriates the other party most.
“It is true that the Alliance Leader must continue to prove himself.”
The Lecher nodded and added a response.
“That is also true.”
I rose from my seat, then looked around at the gathered sovereigns and said,
“……However, those who recklessly go around attaching ‘king’ or ‘emperor’ to their titles should prove themselves a little today as well, shouldn’t they?”
“You bastard!”
“What kind of way is that to speak?”
Shouts overlapped from here and there. There were outright curses mixed into the muttering, and the moment I heard the insults, I felt delighted.
I chuckled to myself, then climbed onto the sparring platform and looked at Gongson Wol. Gongson Wol cleared his throat, but he did not tell me to get down.
I looked around and said,
“Why are there so many kings in the Jianghu?”
“…….”
Had I spoken too recklessly?
The surroundings fell silent.
I think it is at times like this that I feel life is worthwhile. The life of an attention-seeker shines in moments like these.
I first gave Im Sobaek a cupped-fist salute.
“Our senior Alliance Leader is a man I respect in the Jianghu. We fought together at Namak, and when he heard I was fighting at Dongho, he formed a special operations unit and came running in a single stride. Thanks to that, we were able to beat to death that insolent, perverted public enemy of Murim called the First Sword of Dongho. Where were those who call themselves kings, and what were they doing? Ah, of course, you must have been busy training, so you had absolutely no reason to interfere in the affairs of Dongho. Before that, I also beat to death Mureungja, Bigaek, and Dokhaengja, who were listed as public enemies of Murim. What were our seniors known as kings doing? You say you came to oppose the Alliance Leader’s renewed mandate? I understand. But if you have any shame, let us first sort out these titles of king that have sprung up everywhere before you challenge him. This is not a gauntlet match, so what kind of dogshit is this?”
I suddenly met Im Sobaek’s eyes, and he was struggling to hold back his laughter.
At that moment, Seomun Muje rose with his face flushed as though a signal flare had gone off in it, and said to me,
“Fine. The matter of fairness is worth pointing out. It seems the Alliance Leader planted reinforcements everywhere today. In that case, those who wish to challenge the Alliance Leader may first cross blades with the juniors and then make their challenge. Would that not suffice? I shall do so myself at once. After I accept the Hao Sect Leader’s challenge, if fortune favors me and I win, I will challenge Alliance Leader Im again then. Hao Sect Leader, surely you won’t avoid it?”
I looked at Seomun Muje.
This bastard was looking down on me quite a bit.
To be honest, if he was the Martial Emperor of the Seomun Clan, he had the right.
He did not look like a man weaker than me in particular. In any case, he looked stronger than even the Blade King or the Sword King.
I stared at Seomun Muje for a moment before saying,
“……But who are you, Clan Head? Since this is our first meeting.”
Seomun Muje’s expression turned stern.
“Sect Leader, do mind yourself.”
“Shall I? Then let’s do this.”
I looked around and said,
“All you emperors and kings who lose today, remove the emperor or king from your sobriquets. If you can’t, cut off your balls instead.”
“……!”
Ah, damn it…….
My mouth had slipped.
After spouting a line that had gone far beyond the bounds, I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment. In a place where all the experts of the murim had gathered, why the hell did I have to say balls? Balls…….
From somewhere came the Sword Demon’s deep sigh.
“Haa…….”
Only then did I also remember that Gongsun Wol, the greatest beauty of the Martial Alliance, and the beauties among the One Phoenix and Two Immortals were present here, and a deep sigh escaped me as well.
‘Damn it, seriously…….’
Feeling my face burn, I barely opened my eyes. I hoped it was a dream, but Gongsun Wol, perhaps having not heard properly at all, was merely tilting her head.
“…….”
If she hadn’t heard, all the better.
In any case, I needed to freshen the mood.
I looked at Seomun Muje.
“At any rate…… if you lose to a martial artist close to nameless, can you lay down that absurdly arrogant title of emperor?”
Seomun Muje nodded.
“Since I took on this sobriquet, I have never been defeated. I fully understand the arrogance you point out, but that is a matter for when I lose.”
I cupped my fist to Seomun Muje.
“Very well. As Senior Muje’s opponent, an acquaintance of mine, White-Robed Sir (白衣先生), will step forward. For reference, among my acquaintances there is also Master Yukhap, and Master Moyong, and in any case, there are quite a few ‘sirs.’”
I fixed my gaze precisely on the White-Robed Scholar, who looked as though half his soul had fled, and said,
“Sir, what are you doing? Why aren’t you coming up? Where are you looking? Look at me. The chance to face the Martial Emperor of Seomun does not come easily. Even in defeat, there is something to learn—that is the way of orthodox martial duels. I said hurry up and come up.”
People were already murmuring as they looked at the White-Robed Scholar, who was seated beside an expert belonging to the Five Tigers. His clothes, of all days, were not white, but because the folding fan he stubbornly held was entirely white, everyone was staring at his face long enough to memorize it.
I glared at the White-Robed Scholar and cursed him with my eyes.
‘Has this bastard lost his mind…… Do I have to expose his identity nice and clean before he comes to his senses?’
No matter how outstanding the White-Robed Scholar was, there was no chance he could escape a combined attack from the emperors and kings, including Im Sobaek. He was arrogant even on ordinary days, so it seemed he had boldly come to the Martial Alliance to watch, but if I left this bastard alone, then I was not I Jaha.
The White-Robed Scholar muttered,
“No, what is this…….”
I said to the White-Robed Scholar,
“Are you not coming up quickly? Comrade White-Robed, do you truly…….”
As soon as the White-Robed Scholar grasped the situation, he sprang to his feet. This man knew my reckless nature better than anyone.
Feeling like a clown, I shouted in an exaggerated voice,
“Everyone, give him a round of applause! Here is the nameless small fry, White-Robed Sir, challenging Muje!”
When I started clapping fiercely first, people here and there, apparently eager to see a duel no matter what, began slapping their hands together noisily. Such is crowd psychology. Even Im Sobaek and the Sword Demon, who were watching, were applauding.
At that moment, the Sword Demon chimed in with the most serious tone in the world.
“Well now, this is quite an interesting match.”
Beside him, the Lust Demon and the Ghost Demon nodded and replied,
“Indeed it is.”
“It will be a remarkable bout.”
I deliberately hurried off the martial stage as if fleeing, clapping again as I went. The White-Robed Scholar, who had climbed onto the stage first in an awkward posture, was surrounded by experts of the orthodox faction and receiving applause and cheers.
Watching the White-Robed Scholar like that, I felt a slight chill.
What sort of atmosphere was that, exactly?
He looked like a child experiencing being surrounded by a crowd for the very first time. It was like watching a villain who had spent his whole life staring only at books and scheming wicked plots being forcibly exposed to the light of the orthodox path.
After the applause and cheers continued for a while and then silence fell…….
The White-Robed Scholar looked around once.
Now Gongsun Wol had also withdrawn, leaving the White-Robed Scholar alone to occupy the broad martial stage.
Suddenly, the White-Robed Scholar looked at Seomun Muje and said,
“……What are you doing, not coming up?”
A smile came to me of its own accord.
That was the White-Robed Scholar.
Even I found it hard to predict who would win, but the White-Robed Scholar was not the sort of man to fear Muje in the first place.
Seomun Muje said,
“Are you qualified to face me? I have not even heard of the sobriquet White-Robed Sir.”
The White-Robed Scholar leisurely waved his fan and replied,
“Would we not know after crossing hands?”
Had they now come to understand, to some degree, how things were unfolding? All of a sudden, the members of the Martial Alliance united and sent up cheers and applause. I looked around at the Alliance members waiting nearby, nodding and urging them on with hand signals as if telling them to cheer even louder.
Suddenly, all of the Four Great Villains looked at me.
The only ones who knew anything at all about the White-Robed Scholar’s true identity were the Four Great Villains. The Sword Demon, smiling, said to me,
“It is no joke; this is an interesting match. You arranged it well.”
The Lust Demon muttered,
“I hope the loser cuts off his balls.”
The Ghost Demon clicked his tongue.
“Stop it. You too…… tsk.”
“Fine.”
With my arms crossed, I watched the martial stage. It was good that I had dragged the White-Robed Scholar into the light, but because of my slip of the tongue, I had left a large blemish.
The Sword Demon looked at me and said,
“For a moment, I wish we were not companions.”
I looked at the Sword Demon.
“Eldest Brother, why are you like this?”
The Sword Demon averted his gaze and looked at the martial stage.
In any case, because of the unavoidable mood, Seomun Muje had no choice but to step onto the dueling platform and ask the White-Robed Scholar.
“Your weapon?”
The White-Robed Scholar fluttered his folding fan as he answered.
“Let us do it like this.”
To be honest, I did not care who won. After all, neither the Four Great Villains nor Im Sobaek would suffer any harm.
The White-Robed Scholar kept fluttering his fan, unlike some nameless martial artist, and Seomun Muje had been studying him ever since he stepped onto the dueling platform before finally stroking his chin once.
In any case, he was a man called the Martial Emperor.
It seemed he had already realized that the White-Robed Scholar was an expert.