Chapter 157: The Thing I Wished To Show You (1)
After the night of the tournament, the quarterfinals of the Tournament of Dragons and Phoenixes came to a smooth conclusion.
Or could I really call it smooth?
Because the ensuing storm was more intense than I had anticipated.
Especially since this year’s tournament was packed with unexpected twists and turns.
The first indicator was Tang Soyeol’s surprising defeat.
No one had predicted that the Poison Phoenix would lose in the first round.
Many people likely thought the Lightning Dragon, Poison Phoenix, and Snow Phoenix would dominate the tournament, especially with the Sword Phoenix, Water Dragon, and Sword Dragon absent.
But…
The Poison Phoenix got eliminated in the first round.
And the Lightning Dragon couldn’t even graze his opponent’s clothes before he ended up coughing up blood in defeat.
Snow Phoenix was performing reasonably well as expected, but didn’t shine too brightly either.
The defeats of prodigies, thought to be the leading characters of the time…
And the rise of new stars…
New developments were destined to ignite excitement among the crowd.
– Did you hear? The son of the Harmonic Sword defeated the Poison Phoenix, right? I even heard it was overwhelming!
– The Poison Phoenix isn’t weak either… But the son of the Alliance Leader? Looks like he’s really the offspring of a tiger!
– No way he’s a puppy!
Rumors about Jang Seonyeon spread with unusual speed.
There were a few more duels afterward, but Jang Seonyeon continued to display an outrageous level of skill, winning every match with ease.
His swordsmanship was beyond what someone his age should normally be capable of.
He was also adeptly using the Sword Art of the Harmonic Sword.
Many began to murmur that it wouldn’t be long before a new dragon emerged in the world.
Only a day had passed.
Just a day since Jang Seonyeon made waves.
Then came an even bigger storm that erupted and overshadowed most of the rumors about Jang Seonyeon.
The Lightning Dragon, expected to win, had lost.
To a boy whose name was barely known.
– I heard the Lightning Dragon vomited blood! He couldn’t even touch his opponent!
– Are we seriously talking about that Lightning Dragon? I heard the boy still looks like a kid.
– Yeah! Oh, the Beggar’s Sect told me to keep this a secret but—
– …If someone like you knows the secret, is it really a secret then?
– You seem like you don’t want to hear it!
– …Just kidding! Please continue.
Taking a deep breath, the man resumed his story.
– I heard that boy has supposedly broken through his limits.
– Limits? Is he a thief…? Why would he need to break through a wall?
– Oh please, don’t go spreading that nonsense around… I can’t even take you out in public with how embarrassing you are.
– …What’s with the insult? I just don’t get it!
– What do you mean you don’t know when you live in this world…! Breaking through a wall means you’ve reached the Peak Realm!
As the man shouted in frustration, laughter erupted around him.
– Stop with the ridiculous talk, you idiot! Bring us some rumors that actually make sense!
– Last time you were talking about some kid from a noble family reaching a third-rate level and being a genius or whatever… Now you’re throwing around the Peak Realm like it’s your pet dog’s name!
– You rotten piece of… I’m being serious!
Frustrated, the man continued to insist it was true, but the audience only chuckled in response.
After all, it was absurd to think that a boy who wasn’t even twenty could reach the Peak Realm.
– That’s impossible even for the Heavenly Venerables, let alone the great figures of the past.
– I swear I’m telling the truth…
– You’re quite amusing today. Fine, I’ll believe you. Just stop getting so worked up and tell me the boy’s name.
The man felt like exploding with rage over his friends’ disbelief, yet he couldn’t argue that his claims sounded a bit ludicrous.
Peak Realm, he said. Not a single child from Ten Sect Alliance had reached it, let alone the Four Noble Clans.
Letting out a sigh, the man soldiered on.
– He’s one of the bloodline from the Gu Clan of Shanxi.
– Hmm? I think I’ve heard that name before.
– Of course you have! That’s where the renowned Tiger Warrior and Sword Phoenix hail from.
– Oh, right! That rings a bell now!
– They had a male child? Why didn’t I know that?
– Naturally, you didn’t! This tournament marks his first appearance!
– While the rumor of him reaching the Peak Realm might be a stretch, he seems to live up to the reputation of being a tiger’s son, just like the Alliance Leader’s kid.
– If he really did reach Peak Realm, then he’s more like a dragon’s son!
– Right, right! Hahaha!
Laughter echoed, filling the space around them.
Meanwhile, the man who initiated the discussion was clearly dying of frustration as his friends wouldn’t take him seriously.
Despite that, the rumors about Gu Yangcheon continued to spread like wildfire.
And the boy, who was relatively indifferent to the rumors surrounding him…
“Nice job.”
“…”
“Knocked out in one hit? How can you still call yourself a Gu? Maybe you should just change your name. I can’t show my face because of the embarrassment.”
“…Ugghhh.”
Was busily berating someone.
I could see the top of his head clearly as he sat crouched down.
Staring at his thick black hair, I could feel his sorrow seeping through.
No wonder, really. How could he not be heartbroken?
“Hey, are you crying? Are you?”
“N… No.”
“At least say that after you wipe your nose.”
“Honk…”
Gu Jeolyub’s whiny voice was unbearable to my ears.
What a grown-up man, crying like a child.
“What did you do to deserve crying like that?”
When I exhaled out of annoyance, Gu Jeolyub yelled back.
“I’m crying because I didn’t do anything well…!”
Pow!
“Ugh!”
“How dare you shout when you haven’t done a thing!”
After I made my way to him this morning, Gu Jeolyub was curled up in a corner wearing a weepy expression.
I could understand his feelings.
Gu Jeolyub lost to Namgung Bi-ah in yesterday’s duel.
Getting knocked out in a single hit must be embarrassing.
‘That’s beside the point.’
Someone could question why I was scolding him when he was likely already wallowing in misery over his defeat, but I had my reasons.
“Did you trip?”
At my words, Gu Jeolyub’s shoulders flinched.
I felt utterly dumbfounded hearing what happened during last night’s duel.
I expected Gu Jeolyub to lose.
Which meant it was no surprise for Namgung Bi-ah to come back to my barrack after a swift victory.
But the issue was how effortlessly she managed it.
Even if Namgung Bi-ah was more skilled than Gu Jeolyub,
The gap in skill wasn’t enough to finish him off in just one hit.
Had Gu Jeolyub been focused, he would’ve at least survived through a few exchanges.
He couldn’t use “I was caught off guard” as an excuse.
After all, this wasn’t his first encounter with Namgung Bi-ah; he should have been well aware of her abilities.
‘So did he really trip?’
Gu Jeolyub had been so tense he froze up before the duel even began…
And tripped midway through his attack.
That was what Namgung Bi-ah told me.
“I can’t face anyone after such humiliation.”
“…Why is it my fault for your foolishness?”
“You idiot! I told you it’s because we share the same surname! Do you think our clan is massive? Do you think we have hundreds of fighters like the Mount Hua Sect?”
“…Do we not?”
“Then how many fighters with the Gu surname are there? Do you think they all have that surname?”
“Of course not…”
“So knowing that, you still tripped and lost?!”
“Ughhhh!”
For a martial artist, a total defeat was a severe humiliation.
After all, it meant absolute that they couldn’t muster even the slightest resistance in battle.
And it was likely worse for Gu Jeolyub, who lost because of his own blunder.
“I didn’t do it on purpose—”
“Are you trying to make excuses?”
“…”
“Do you even have one?”
Gu Jeolyub fell silent after I hit him with hard facts.
Of course, he didn’t have anything to say.
His loss wholly belonged to him.
His lips closed tight…
Gu Jeolyub lowered his head in shame once again.
Seeing that, I let out a sigh.
‘At least he’s not dishing out more excuses.’
If he had claimed he was destined to lose from the get-go, I would have ripped him a new one right here.
But Gu Jeolyub realized it was all his fault and didn’t point fingers.
‘By all appearances, he isn’t half bad.’
Excluding the fact that his grandfather was the First Elder, he genuinely wasn’t bad.
I even got curious about what happened to Gu Jeolyub after the First Elder met his end in my past life.
His talent didn’t seem lacking, and he had decent character.
‘Should I groom him a bit?’
I pondered the idea of bringing him along if circumstances permitted.
Although, realistically, I knew I didn’t have the time or mental space for that.
“Hey.”
“…Yes.”
He answered, still sniffing. Hearing this, I softened my tone a bit.
“Someone told me to pass on a message to you.”
“Huh?”
“‘I want a proper match next time.’ She said.”
Upon hearing my words, Gu Jeolyub swiftly raised his head to meet my eyes.
His eyes were unbearably swollen; when he lifted his head from his previous position, snot trailed comically from his nose.
“…Wow, you look incredibly pitiful right now.”
“…”
I didn’t need to mention who had asked me to pass that message—Gu Jeolyub already knew it was from Namgung Bi-ah.
“Instead of whimpering here, swing that sword of yours to ensure this doesn’t happen again next time.”
“…”
It wasn’t exactly uplifting, but I still felt it was better than letting him stay in despair. His disappointment signified that he hadn’t given up despite knowing he’d lose.
“Answer me.”
“Yes… sir.”
“If something like this happens again, I’ll burn your leg!”
“…Y-Yes, sir!”
Saying this only made me more frustrated, prompting me to give Gu Jeolyub one last smack on the head before leaving.
Stepping outside the barrack, I spotted Namgung Bi-ah waiting for me.
I hadn’t come with her, so was she waiting here after arriving late?
The way she peered at me felt peculiar.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
When I asked, slightly irritated, Namgung Bi-ah’s lips curled into a soft smile.
“…I never said any of those things, you know?”
“…”
She heard it.
I had foolishly neglected to set a boundary, assuming everything would go smoothly. She was right—Namgung Bi-ah hadn’t said she wanted to fight me next time.
I just fabricated that.
‘But she really caught that.’
I felt embarrassed, caught doing something so pointless.
“…I never claimed you were the one who said it.”
Ultimately, I opted to make a hasty retreat.
True, I hadn’t stated that Namgung Bi-ah was the one who said those words.
Though it was hardly convincing.
After hearing my lame excuse, Namgung Bi-ah’s smile only widened.
“…It’s fine.”
“What is?”
“…It’s not entirely… a lie.”
The way she spoke with that smile made her resemble a blooming flower.
‘Did she not come out to find me?’
It felt downright humiliating to assume that she had sought me out explicitly. I was wholly convinced of that.
But it seemed Namgung Bi-ah had actually come for Gu Jeolyub.
“Are you going in now?”
I asked if she would visit Gu Jeolyub, and she shook her head.
“…No, it’s not necessary anymore.”
After uttering those words, she returned once more to her usual blank expression.
With my business concluded, I was about to head back into the barrack.
But Namgung Bi-ah, who had naturally followed me, suddenly spoke up.
“…That was unexpected.”
“What was?”
“…I thought you didn’t care about such things…”
“That’s what I wanted to say.”
That was precisely what I wanted to tell her.
It didn’t make sense for Namgung Bi-ah to be concerned enough to seek someone out.
The fact that she had gone to visit Gu Jeolyub so early, when she usually woke up around noon…
That was quite a revelation.
After hearing my words, Namgung Bi-ah tilted her head in confusion.
“Is that strange?”
“Wouldn’t it look strange?”
“…Why?”
Her bewilderment was oddly amusing.
To be fair, she had been like this all along.
Though she had changed significantly by this point…
As we strolled leisurely, it seemed that Namgung Bi-ah still had more to say.
“Hey.”
I pricked up my ears upon hearing her voice. It had been a while since I’d heard her speak so clearly.
“Were you… planning to do something for Soyeol?”
“…Huh?”
I frowned slightly, confused about what she meant.
Planning to do something for her? Had I said I would do something?
“She mentioned you would agree to her request when facing her in the tournament.”
“Oh.”
Now I remembered.
Probably, Namgung Bi-ah was referring to the time Tang Soyeol asked me to drop the formalities and talk to her comfortably.
Had Tang Soyeol mentioned that to Namgung Bi-ah?
“She merely requested for me to talk casually with her.”
Could anyone even consider that a request?
To me, it felt more like a casual inquiry.
However, Namgung Bi-ah looked mildly displeased.
The faint smile that had graced her face earlier was now absent.
“What’s wrong?”
“…Nothing.”
It definitely did not seem like nothing.
“Do you want anything, too?”
I asked, just to be safe.
In case Namgung Bi-ah, like Tang Soyeol, wanted to ask something from me.
Thankfully, that didn’t seem to be the case as she shook her head.
“That’s… unfair, so I won’t.”
What led her to assert that it was unfair, just like Tang Soyeol?
They really seemed to make decisions on their own without considering my opinion.
Though, part of that was also my fault for remaining silent.
“But… I might want something.”
When she added that, I couldn’t help but respond incredulously.
“Just say that you want something… that would be better.”
When someone says they might want something, it usually means they do indeed want it.
In that moment, Namgung Bi-ah appeared a tad childish, her embarrassment visible as her face flushed.
Then she began to complain, as if suddenly reminded of something.
“…You… don’t even duel with me…”
“…”
I couldn’t really counter that.
I’d told her I would, but I practically never did. I didn’t even have a strong reason for that.
It just bothered me a bit at the thought of deuling Namgung Bi-ah.
‘…Was it because of my memories of the past, or the feelings I’m having now?’
Maybe it was the guilt gnawing at my conscience.
In the end, it was entirely justifiable for Namgung Bi-ah to feel let down.
That was likely why she spoke to me wearing such an expression.
“I’m so—”
“It doesn’t matter…”
I attempted to offer a late apology, but she swiftly cut me off.
“Whether it’s a request… or a duel…”
Namgung Bi-ah’s gaze was clearer than usual.
Her diamond-like blue eyes sparkled brilliantly. Those were also the eyes I found difficult to gaze into.
They reminded me of the same eyes that had looked at me while I held her in my arms back then.
So I wanted to avoid staring at them for too long.
Whether she was aware of it or not, Namgung Bi-ah maintained her focus and continued speaking resolutely.
“You won’t escape this time.”
My breath caught a little as her words settled in.
Now, I could somewhat fathom why Namgung Bi-ah had taken the effort to participate in the tournament, even if she disliked large crowds.
Without waiting for my answer, Namgung Bi-ah concluded her statement and began to walk ahead.
After a few steps, she abruptly turned back and looked at me again.
“…!”
In that moment, I gasped in surprise at her sudden action.
Namgung Bi-ah wore a smile that practically glowed with satisfaction, as though she knew she had turned the tables on me.
Now she could manage playful expressions!
With all these transformations bombarding me, my heart raced wildly.
“…Let’s go.”
In an instant, Namgung Bi-ah’s smile faded as she whispered softly.
The fact that she reached out her hand toward me felt like icing on the cake.
Her smooth, fair hand.
I found myself briefly staring at her hand before slowly walking over to take it.
“…Huh?”
Namgung Bi-ah’s eyes widened, taken aback by my action.
Surprised, my previously stiff expression began to soften.
There was no grand reason for me holding her hand.
It purely stemmed from a concern that she might be cold.
Nothing more than that.
I chose to convince myself of that.
After returning to my barrack, some time passed until it was noon.
And the brackets for the semifinals were finally announced.
As I stepped outside to read the posted bracket, I spotted Tang Soyeol examining it, just as I had expected.
However, Tang Soyeol’s expression was frozen.
From her face alone, I could sense that something was off.
Just as I had suspected…
– Gu Yangcheon of Shanxi’s Gu Clan vs. Moyong Hi-ah of the Moyong Clan.
– Namgung Bi-ah of the Namgung Clan vs. Jang Seonyeon of the Taeryung Clan.
Just as I imagined, the brackets had been laid out in that order.
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