Chapter 11: Coordinated Attack.

Before the morning mist had even lifted, two figures clashed in the middle of the courtyard.

Seorin was the first to leap in, drawing her sword.

Sowol caught the strike after a short breath.

A brief standoff followed.

Then, Seorin’s sword twisted and drove in toward Sowol’s side.

“Ugh—!”

Sowol barely managed to twist her body, but her foot slipped and she tumbled to the ground.

The sandy ground struck her waist, and a sharp pain spread from her elbow.

Seorin held her sword still, looking down at Sowol.

“Lower your center next time. Your opening was way too big.”

A firm voice.

Though it was simple and calm advice, Sowol’s face turned a little red.

“…I know.”

As she pouted and got back up, she finally noticed something under her body.

A small scrap of paper, half-pushed out from under her robe.

It didn’t blow away in the wind, landing exactly where she could see it.

She carefully unfolded it with her fingertips.

The paper felt soft, and the handwriting was neat.

A familiar style.

Sowol stared at it for a moment.

Her eyebrows twitched slightly, but that was all.

She slowly looked around.

But Seorin was already walking off in the distance, putting away her sword.

Her hair fluttered, her steps unhurried, as if nothing had happened at all.

Sowol watched her back for a moment, then quietly folded the paper and tucked it into her clothes.

She stepped forward once, twice, drawing in a small breath.

Her eyes remained clear, and her steps seemed lighter than before.

The heat from just moments ago had vanished, and in its place, a strange tension began to spread through her body.

Around noon, in a corner of the courtyard, Hwaran and Chohee faced off.

In the cool shade, the two of them naturally adjusted their distance, almost as if planned.

One step, one breath, a crossing of gazes.

Their movements weren’t aggressive, but the tension in the air was thicker than usual.

Hwaran gathered energy into her fingertips.

Her inner strength wrapped around her like a thin stream of water following her pulse—quiet, yet steady.

In contrast, Chohee moved without a trace.

Her movements were like the wind, and even the moment she slipped out of sight felt smooth.

After exchanging a few attacks, the two stopped at the same time.

In the calm silence broken only by their breathing, Chohee raised one eyebrow slightly.

“You’re especially quiet today, sah-mae.”

Instead of replying, Hwaran slowly took a step forward.

Her steps were clearly aimed toward Chohee, but there was a faint hesitation in her movement.

A look in her eyes that seemed deep in thought.

Then, she stopped exactly one step away.

And very carefully, she reached out her hand.

Chohee instinctively looked at it, and in that brief moment, Hwaran placed something small and light into her hand.

A breeze passed through.

A single leaf brushed through the air and fell between them.

Without a word, Chohee clenched her hand.

The feel of thin paper.

Smooth and unwrinkled, like it had just been folded.

Hwaran gave a small nod, as if nothing had happened, and turned away.

Chohee watched her back, then slowly brought her hand to her chest.

She unfolded the paper.

Inside, neatly folded, was a short and simple sentence.

After reading it, Chohee smiled softly without a sound.

Only the corners of her lips lifted, a smile no one else could notice.

These days, for some reason, each day feels joyful.

Something I never could’ve imagined before.

Teaching my disciples always came with responsibility, and that weight was sometimes suffocating.

But now, it’s different.

The kids have changed.

No, they’ve grown.

Their eyes have become steady, and their movements, confident.

Once, they focused only on swinging their swords.

Now, they’ve found their own flow, they think as they fight.

Watching them like that, that’s my greatest joy lately.

Some days, they come at me head-on, trying to knock me down.

Some days, they move like shadows, slipping in unnoticed.

Some days, they strike at my blind spots with completely different martial arts.

Me, at first, I was on guard.

I thought something was strange, even suspicious.

But now— I just find it fun.

When I hear Sowol’s footsteps closing in and sweep her legs with a quick move.

When Chohee jumps out of the water and splashes me, and when Seorin swings her sword with a serious expression, and I block the tip just beneath my chin,
only to see the surprise on her face.

Every time, I end up smiling.

I wonder if it’s okay for me to be like this, but somehow, my heart feels warm.

Sometimes, I can’t help myself and end up teasing them.

Honestly, it’s probably really annoying for the kids.

But.

Even so, I can feel that the disciples are gradually catching up to me.

The ones who used to get pushed back and fall without landing a single hit, can now hold their ground for a few moves.

Sometimes, they even strike with blows I can’t ignore.

Maybe that’s why I surprise them more often now.

Because if not now, there might come a day when they truly surpass me.

So today again, I walk slowly across the courtyard, thinking about who might be hiding behind a tree, waiting to strike.

Alright, come at me.

I was enjoying this, too—just a little.

Before the sunlight had fully reached the courtyard, I was hiding behind a tree, holding my breath in silence.

It was Sowol.

As always, she looked completely relaxed.

Just like every other day, she sat beneath the tree holding a bowl, picking at something.

Her back wasn’t even straight—just sitting there with the most peaceful face in the world.

I smiled quietly to myself.

‘Heheh… Today’s fall better be a graceful one.’

Just as I was creeping up.

The wind split ever so slightly.

A faint presence behind me.

I turned my head on reflex.

It was Seorin.

Sword in hand, she charged forward, kicking up dust.

Fast.

The burst of speed, the flawless footwork, no hesitation at all.

I narrowed my eyes and raised my arm to block the strike.

Tak.

But that wasn’t all.

In the moment I stopped Seorin’s blade, a breeze shot in from the other side.

—Throwing weapon.

It was Chohee.

At some point, she had hidden herself, and now she took advantage of my blind spot.

I flicked my arm to deflect the weapon and was just about to shift my stance—

—Above.

I looked up.

—Hwaran.

That quiet girl was dropping down from a tree branch without making a sound.

Both hands charged with energy, using the impact of the fall itself as a weapon.

And at the center of all those attacks.

Sowol, who had crawled up to my feet, moved.

I had no idea when she slipped in like that.

Her center was low, aiming right behind my knee.

Fast and low.

This wasn’t just a punch.

It was clear from her stance and footwork, she intended to take me down.

‘Whoa now, this is a little dangerous.’

I was momentarily at a loss for words.

In that moment, all four of my disciples came at me at once.

All at once.

Without a single moment of hesitation.

Seorin’s sword.

Chohee’s throwing weapon.

Hwaran’s drop.

And, Sowol’s low charge.

I burst out laughing.

“Hahahahaha…!”

I laughed from the bottom of my heart.

And as that laughter escaped, my body spun into action.

Tak. Puck. Chwak!

Just three movements.

I rolled my foot once to push Sowol back.

Twisted my body to redirect Hwaran’s falling strike.

Reached back and flicked away Chohee’s weapon.

And finally, caught Seorin’s sword with my sheath.

I steadied my breathing in place and turned my head.

All four disciples were circling around me.

Each one with serious eyes.

“Yes… You’ve grown well. At this level… I’m truly satisfied.”

I slowly shifted my gaze.

Four disciples.

Seorin, Sowol, Hwaran, and Chohee.

Each in their own style, it was a coordinated attack close to perfection.

The timing, the positioning, the angles and flow—everything moved in perfect unison, like it had been rehearsed.

For a moment, I silently looked at the kids.

Then—one by one, I gave them a smile.

To Seorin, I nodded with a smile.

To Sowol, a short snort.

To Hwaran, a soft expression with relaxed eyes.

And to Chohee, a faint smile lifting just one corner of my mouth.

They looked confused for a moment.

And in that moment, I spoke again.

“Well done. Truly, well done.”

It sounded like my words were trailing off—but I quickly continued.

“But… you’re still not there yet.”

I raised my arm.

I didn’t draw my sword.

Because one palm was more than enough.

“From this point on—”

The moment those words left my lips, I stomped the ground.

The earth rumbled.

First, Sowol.

She was the closest.

I launched myself at her.

Just before she could reflexively raise her arms, I shifted in midair and pushed her shoulder.

Tang.

Sowol rolled to the ground.

But I didn’t send her flying too far.

Next was Chohee.

She was already trying to retreat into the shadows.

But.

“There.”

I flicked a small stone with my fingertip.

It struck right next to her foot.

“Ah!”

Chohee yelped and revealed herself.

I quickly closed the distance.

Tok.

I lightly tapped her forehead with my palm.

She fell backward with a pouty, indignant look.

Hwaran tried to read the flow of my inner strength and respond.

A solid stance, precise balance.

But now it was time to shake that balance.

As I spun my foot through the air, the airflow shifted.

In that moment, her footing wavered slightly.

I grabbed her wrist and twisted.

Tok.

Hwaran’s body spun and tumbled to the ground.

Dust swirled in the air.

And finally.

Seorin.

Always the calmest, always the one who faced me head-on.

Seorin’s sword gleamed.

This time, she was serious.

But so was I.

The moment her sword came flying toward my neck, I drew my sheath and deflected its path.

As the blade missed its mark, I struck her abdomen with the edge of my hand, laced with a subtle vibration.

“Urgh…!”

Seorin was pushed back.

All four of them gathered again in a circle.

Breathing heavily, their bodies covered in dust.

I hadn’t even drawn my sword.

“Only now can we say… the real training has finally begun.”

After those words, I slowly turned and walked away.

The sound of my disciples breathing behind me—felt unusually vivid today.