Ch.39Chapter 39 – Dragon and Phoenix Tournament (2)

What is the true meaning of martial arts?

While Go Tae-ho, the leader of the Martial Alliance, claimed it was the power to protect the weak, the answer varied among martial artists. Some masters spoke of individual strength, while those from unorthodox sects described it as the minimum power needed to avoid being exploited by the strong.

‘What is my fist aimed at right now?’

Standing alone in the arena filled with spectators, Kim Hyul was lost in deep thought. Was this truly martial arts—responding to the cheers and jubilation of the crowd?

His contemplation was partly due to the black-haired girl, Bi-wol, whose presence was palpable even from a distance.

She was someone Bing-seol-hwa had ordered him to kill. Though belonging to an unorthodox sect, Bi-wol was a disciple of a school with a good reputation among villagers. Kim Hyul clenched his fist tightly.

‘Is killing a girl like her truly the martial way I’ve been seeking?’

There’s a certain look in the eyes of those who have taken a life.

When Kim Hyul was young and his village was attacked by bandits, he had beaten a bandit to death with his bare hands.

The resolve needed to kill someone begging for mercy, the sensation of taking a life for the first time—once experienced, there was no going back.

Looking at Bi-wol from afar, Kim Hyul could tell she had never bloodied her hands.

‘I’d like to ignore that Bing-seol-hwa woman’s orders.’

Something felt suspicious. The white-haired, blue-eyed man and woman representing the North Sea Ice Palace looked so similar they could be mistaken for siblings.

‘I’ve heard much about the Ice Dragon’s reputation, so I can’t take a life without confirming with my own eyes.’

Even during the battle between orthodox and unorthodox sects, he was a martial artist who protected the young and weak, a monster who raised ice walls to minimize civilian casualties.

Unless one was a mountain bandit or someone ignorant of worldly affairs, everyone knew of Bing-yeon’s reputation. Kim Hyul himself had heard stories about him in the martial world.

Though classified as unorthodox for taking in wanderers, the sick, and homeless children to form a labor community…

‘They say the “unorthodox” in unorthodox sect means freedom rather than deceit—I’m starting to believe it.’

From what others said, he was a strange man whose ideals aligned with orthodox sects. One of his sect’s rules was to never take a life without reason.

Typically, unorthodox sects would capture random travelers for life-absorption techniques or absorbing yang to supplement yin.

The Blood Sect even ground people up to make internal elixirs, making Bing-yeon quite unusual among them.

“I’d like to meet and talk with him, but that might be impossible after this match.”

Kim Hyul clicked his tongue regretfully as his opponent approached. He recalled what his master, the Undefeated God of Fists who had saved him and his family from bandits, once told him.

“My most famous disciple, you ask?”

The legendary master who could split mountains and part seas with a single punch had once boasted about another disciple.

“There was a man with such tremendous yin energy that the North Sea Ice Palace would pay a fortune for him. He came to me with nothing, perhaps after losing some power struggle.”

When Kim Hyul looked at him with envious eyes, his master snorted and continued.

“Now he’s apparently earned the title ‘Ice Dragon,’ which is ridiculous. True martial arts should be steadfast rather than flashy.”

Yes, his name was…

‘Bing-yeon. As someone who shares the same master, I’d like to test his strength.’

Bing-yeon, the leader of the Ice Dragon Fate Sect.

***

I was watching Kim Hyul’s match from a distance.

In the waiting area for tournament participants, I looked around several times but couldn’t spot Seol-hwa anywhere.

“Do you know my benefactor?”

Just then, a blue-haired man approached me. He had distinctive long scars above both eyelids.

“…Sieg-hardt.”

According to the original story, he was the protagonist chosen as the next generation hero after Verdandi fell into corruption through excessive killing.

A boy who lost his eyesight but possessed innate talent with the sword and an indomitable will to grow stronger.

“Ho ho, I’m surprised you know my name without any introduction!”

He offered me a handshake with a hearty laugh. Despite his young age, he spoke like an old man—a character trait I had created to distinguish him from other supporting characters.

“I approached you because I sensed a similar energy. It seems you’re also connected to my benefactor.”

A man who lost his sight but gained much in return. I had created him while wondering how nice it would be if there were compensation for the gloomy life in reality.

“Do you know Bing-seol-hwa?”

I asked Sieg-hardt about something that had been bothering me. I needed to understand how she could manipulate the original protagonists to her will.

With Bi-wol becoming my disciple, there would be no attack on Kim Hyul’s village. The same applied to Verdandi, and there was no reason for Kang Si-woo to kill Azazel anymore.

How could she gather these original protagonists with such different personalities in one place?

“Know her? We all owe her our lives and are participating in this tournament because of her grace!”

Sieg-hardt laughed heartily.

“She saved a boy from bandit attacks, rescued a boy fallen into injustice, and took in a boy destined to kill the demon king.”

“That means…”

“Simply put, she saved each of us when we were about to die.”

This meant events had followed the original story closely. She had twisted the original protagonists’ motivations, which were connected to the final bosses, and now held all the reins herself.

“But why are you telling me this?”

I wondered. If Bing-seol-hwa had truly ordered them to kill the final bosses, why reveal this to me? It could be simple provocation or a declaration of war.

However…

“I also find it suspicious how perfectly she rescued us from our misfortunes.”

His words revealed unexpected doubt.

“As if she could see the future?”

“Exactly.”

I cast bait to create ripples in his doubt, and Sieg-hardt took it.

This told me a lot. Bing-seol-hwa had intimidated the original protagonists into killing my disciples without proper justification.

“Well, she’s my life’s benefactor, but she’s also holding my family hostage, so I have no choice but to obey.”

“So, do you intend to kill my disciples?”

Our conversation was drowned out by the crowd’s noise.

The saying about hiding a tree in a forest and a person in a crowd wasn’t without reason.

“One thing I’ve learned since losing my sight is to notice the hidden intentions when looking at people.”

As he spoke, Sieg-hardt grasped at the air. A transparent sword materialized in his hand.

A master who could turn anything he touched into his sword—that was the protagonist from “I Need To Kill The Hero.”

“Actually, after meeting the master in person, I’m conflicted because he doesn’t seem like such a bad person.”

Rotating his wrist to check the weight of his sword, Sieg-hardt made it disappear before continuing.

“If I fail to kill your disciples, my family dies.”

“Before that, have you considered safely bringing your family to our side?”

“Impossible. I don’t even know where they’re hidden. I’m grateful she saved my family, but communication was cut off afterward.”

I suggested a simple solution, but Sieg-hardt shook his head vigorously with a gloomy expression.

They were probably in the clutches of the Outer God, Shub-Niggurath.

If she could possess me and Seol-hwa in this world, it wasn’t far-fetched that she could take the original protagonists’ families hostage.

“What if we join forces against her?”

Surprisingly, Sieg-hardt was cautious.

“That’s why I came to meet you first.”

Despite being threatened to kill my disciples with his family’s lives at stake, he had attempted to contact me first to understand the true intentions.

“…You’re saying we’re not strong enough yet.”

“If you can defeat me and others in this tournament, I think there’s still hope.”

With those words, Sieg-hardt rose from his seat.

The original protagonists were like sons to me.

‘Originally, what drove the protagonists was revenge after the final bosses killed their families.’

Seeing that they weren’t blindly following the orders of Seol-hwa possessed by the Outer God, perhaps her remaining personality was struggling to spare them from a tragic past.

Now their families weren’t dead with blame placed on my disciples—they were merely hostages.

“Well, I wish you strength.”

“I hope we don’t meet in the main tournament.”

“Ho ho, that’s unlikely.”

Clenching his fist and waving it at me, Sieg-hardt tapped his cane on the ground as he walked toward the arena.

***

Bi-wol was watching the ongoing match, reading her opponent’s movements with her eyes. A simple martial art that didn’t rely on flashy techniques.

“I am a monk from Shaolin Temple. Please, let us have a good match—”

BOOM!

With a single punch, the Shaolin participant was knocked down. As Master Bing-yeon had said, it was a fist as hard and sharp as diamond.

“Is this the Diamond Fist? I was worried about the Diamond Invincibility technique, but it seems still immature.”

If Kim Hyul had truly mastered Diamond Invincibility, even Bing-yeon would know it couldn’t be penetrated by a third-rate martial art like the Three Talents Swordsmanship.

‘Why did Master teach me the sword?’

Bi-wol fell into contemplation as she watched her likely future opponent.

The venue had renowned healers, including a divine doctor famous for reattaching severed limbs and a healer summoned with great difficulty from the West.

“No, there must be a deeper meaning.”

She didn’t mind getting hurt or dying.

“My understanding of martial arts is the power to protect Master, and chivalry is my admiration for him.”

Gently patting her cheek, Bi-wol walked onto the stage to prepare for her next match.