Ch.76Myriad Sword Emperor

The attack missed. It was an expected outcome. I had only received shallow knowledge through memories. My body hadn’t adapted yet. It’s nonsensical to skillfully execute martial arts worthy of being called divine techniques in such a short time.

Nevertheless, it achieved the desired effect. Silence fell over the hall. Everyone was looking up at Se-eorin with astonished gazes. The girl used that time to catch her breath. The unfamiliar transition of energy circulation had strained her body.

A stabbing pain coursed through the mana pathways engraved in her flesh.

“This is…”

The one who broke the silence was the woman who had been using the Lotus Sword, Yeonhwa. The move the girl had just demonstrated was unmistakably the Formless Flying Sword technique. A divine technique that not just anyone could learn, performed by a small girl.

“Were you taught the Formless Flying Sword technique?”

Her breathing returned to normal. Se-eorin made a light gesture toward the empty air. The sword that had been embedded in the ground pulled itself free and once again took its place behind her back.

“Does one need to be taught to use it?”

“What…?”

“I learned by watching.”

She was no easy opponent. Se-eorin was confident she wouldn’t lose, but she couldn’t guarantee a clear victory either. That was the impression she’d gotten the moment their swords had crossed. So she threw out a statement designed to shake her opponent’s composure.

I learned by watching. They wouldn’t believe it. They would rather think she had learned martial arts through some long-standing connection with the Master of Ten Thousand Swords. Indeed, most people didn’t believe Se-eorin’s words.

The small girl had only entered the Ten Thousand Swords Sect this afternoon. It was an absurdly insufficient amount of time to learn techniques called divine arts. Moreover, the Master of Ten Thousand Swords had been busy with his schedule since welcoming Se-eorin.

Everyone knew this fact. Se-eorin smiled lightly as she felt their suspicious gazes. It was fine if they didn’t believe her. It was enough to have planted a small seed of doubt.

That would disturb her opponent’s mind. They would wonder. While crossing swords, would their martial arts be stolen?

‘This is how she did it…’

Se-eorin recalled Yeonhwa’s movements from memory. She couldn’t make large movements while standing on the narrow pillar, but she could roughly imitate the sword-wielding form.

It didn’t need to be identical. As long as it was similar, her opponent would become tense. The moment the girl’s small hand gripped the White Dragon Sword, a brief sword dance unfolded. Those watching the fight immediately realized that Se-eorin’s sword dance was mimicking Yeonhwa’s movements.

“Is learning by watching so difficult? Why are you so surprised? Your sword technique was also easy to learn. All I needed was the key to the energy circulation…”

“I-impossible.”

“You don’t have to believe me. I’ll just take more of what’s yours.”

At Se-eorin’s words, Yeonhwa took a step back. Her bewilderment was evident. It was clearly an outrageous bluff. The movements the girl had shown were terrible.

Yet the single strike she had just demonstrated couldn’t be forgotten. The blow that split the moonlight and struck down toward the ground was vividly imprinted in her mind.

‘She might have learned it before… but if so, why would she need to take the entrance test…’

Se-eorin quietly looked down at Yeonhwa. Her momentum was broken. It didn’t seem like the fight would continue. Just as she thought this and was sheathing the White Dragon Sword—

Thump—

With faint footsteps, a powerful presence appeared in the banquet hall. No one had noticed the approach. Belatedly, all gazes turned in one direction.

“Your control of inner energy is rough. No, in your case, it would be more accurate to say your control of mana is rough. Isn’t that right?”

The owner of the presence was the Master of Ten Thousand Swords. With his hands behind his back, he walked over and looked up at Se-eorin as he spoke. When Se-eorin didn’t answer, the Master of Ten Thousand Swords smiled slightly and continued.

“What are you all doing? I’ve arrived, yet no one is drinking.”

He seemed unconcerned about the clash between Se-eorin and Yeonhwa. Yeonhwa, who had been reading the situation, approached the Master’s side. However, he simply walked past her.

“Everyone, take your seats. Isn’t this a joyous day? With such grim expressions, the wine won’t taste good.”

It meant to be quiet and sit down. Se-eorin couldn’t disobey this time either. The girl’s figure, which had been swaying atop the pillar, fell like a feather and landed back in her original seat.

As the Master of Ten Thousand Swords took a wine cup in his hand, the halted banquet resumed. The soft sound of musical instruments flowed in the background. It seemed like someone was plucking strings, but it was a melody she had never heard before.

It was then. The Master of Ten Thousand Swords, resting his chin on one hand with his knee raised, quietly spoke.

“You learn by watching?”

Se-eorin turned her head. The Master of Ten Thousand Swords was looking at her with an inscrutable expression. His eyes were sparkling as if looking at an interesting object. After taking a sip from his wine cup, he continued.

“Then try to imitate this.”

The now-empty wine cup began to rotate above the Master’s hand. As inner energy flowed out and enveloped the cup, its shape began to round up. He was changing the shape of the wine cup using only his control of inner energy.

It was a skill Se-eorin couldn’t even attempt to imitate.

It was a tense moment. Everyone was focused on Se-eorin’s response. What would the girl say?

Considerable time passed. After maintaining silence for a long while as she tilted the wine bottle, Se-eorin frowned.

“I can’t.”

“You can’t…?”

It was informal speech, not respectful. The tension in the hall instantly rose. Only Se-eorin and the Master of Ten Thousand Swords seemed free from the surrounding atmosphere. Se-eorin put down the wine bottle and continued.

“The power you use and the power I use are different.”

“That’s not wrong. Mana is a force with relatively low control over physical objects. It’s because it’s not from nature, but an inherent power of living beings. But there are ways around that.”

As the Master of Ten Thousand Swords finished speaking, the rotation of the wine cup stopped. What fell onto his palm was a rounded iron ball. No trace of the wine cup remained. At that moment, the rounded iron ball rose again.

This time it was a different power. What flowed from the Master’s hand was mana with a blue hue. Using mana, he rotated the iron ball and spoke to Se-eorin.

The depth was different. He fully understood and perfectly controlled the power called mana. Se-eorin gaped blankly at the skill unfolding before her eyes.

“If control is low, then show stronger will. Strong enough for this world to recognize.”

Screech—!

The rotating iron ball was being flattened. As the iron ball wrapped in blue mana continued to rotate, its shape was honed sharply. Finally, what rested in the Master’s hand was a simple blade without even a handle.

The floating blade circled around Se-eorin. She felt an intense energy that she dared not touch. Mana and inner energy were mixed, repelling each other, but he had forcibly pressed them down with strong control to make them coexist.

“Try to imitate it.”

There was no way she could imitate it. Se-eorin silently stared at the Master of Ten Thousand Swords. Considerable time passed in that state. The Master, who had been watching Se-eorin with a strange expectation, let out a small sigh.

“Come find me starting tomorrow. I’ll set aside time specifically for you.”

It was extraordinary. It meant he would split his precious time to oversee her martial arts training. As everyone in the banquet hall drew in a sharp breath, Se-eorin opened her mouth.

“No.”

The effects of alcohol dominated her entire body. Se-eorin didn’t understand what the word that flowed from her mouth meant. Her mind and body were disconnected. The girl’s body, beyond her control, sprawled out on the floor.

“I’m going to sleep.”

Silence descended. Even the soft instrumental music in the background stopped. Everyone froze in the midst of drinking wine and eating food.

At that moment, hearty laughter erupted. It was the Master of Ten Thousand Swords. He burst into laughter as if he genuinely found the situation amusing.

***

The morning after the banquet ended. Se-eorin rose from her bed feeling a terrible hangover. Her whole body felt heavy. Her stomach was also queasy. As she frowned from the burning sensation in her stomach, a shadow fell over her head.

It was Flora.

“Are you okay?”

“How much did I drink…?”

“You drank one bottle.”

“That can’t be…”

Se-eorin rubbed her forehead and shook her head. To have blacked out after drinking just one bottle? That couldn’t be. She was a proud warrior of the White Frost tribe. No matter how strong the alcohol, she could endure with her strong spirit.

She must have drunk at least five bottles. Considering her sister’s body, that seemed appropriate.

“I think I drank about five bottles…”

“You really passed out after one bottle.”

“I can’t believe it… that’s a lie…”

“Why would I lie?”

Through her headache, Se-eorin glimpsed fragments of hazy memories. She had drawn her sword and swung it excitedly. She had even used the Master’s exclusive martial arts technique in front of everyone. She couldn’t remember anything after that.

What had she done?

“Where’s Theo?”

“Theo is in another room.”

Just as Se-eorin was getting up from her seat while holding her head, a sharp shout was heard from outside the building.

[We’ve caught the Empire’s dog!]

Se-eorin and Flora’s gazes met in midair. At the same time, the closed door opened and Theo burst in.

“Th-that wasn’t directed at us, right?”

Of course not. The direction of the voice was quite far away. Without anyone taking the lead, the three of them got up from their seats and left the building.