At the breakfast table, an unexpected additional guest made an entrance.
It was none other than Yu Sa-yeon.
“Hehe, is that so?”
“Yes, regarding the personal matches…”
Yu Sa-yeon had apparently decided to get friendly with Yeo Il-ye, sticking close and chattering away. Did she need connections in the Jeomchang Faction or something?
Well, considering Yeo Il-ye is quite the big shot now, that makes sense. In the Martial World, skill is important, but reputation holds weight too. Yeo Il-ye is one of the hottest figures in the current martial arts scene.
“Indeed, personal ranking matches must be quite popular in Sacheon.”
“Hehe, it may seem like I’m just shining up my own face, but the popularity of personal ranking matches is high. The best-selling publication right now is a weekly magazine covering personal ranking matches.”
“Oh, is that so?”
For a moment, I doubted my eyes after looking at the cover of the book that Yu Sa-yeon handed to Yeo Il-ye.
[Sacheon Weekly Platinum Match Records]
[Jeon Hu-dam’s Thriving Agency]
“Hmm…”
I locked eyes with Black Cat, who also shook her head. So is Jeon Hu-dam running a personal business or what?
“A week’s worth of match records? Fascinating. It’s not just about the outcomes of each match, but also the journey to make it happen, along with the honor and performance comparisons of the sects involved… interesting.”
“Hehe, considering the number of peak experts in Sacheon, 100 seats are rather lacking. That’s why the Platinum Match happening here is extremely fierce.”
What would happen to a peak expert who wasn’t Platinum-rated? I can already picture it. The top experts of rival sects would flaunt their Golden Plaques and pitch a fit about being in the same tier. Ugh…
Just imagining it makes me dizzy.
“By the way, Ho Cheon-an, didn’t you win a tournament yesterday?”
“Hmm, I did. If today’s match is set, I’m thinking of participating.”
“Are you taking part in the personal ranking matches as well, Honorable Person?”
“Yes, indeed. I’d like to gauge my skills to see what level I’m at.”
“I’m quite interested in that.”
The conversation about personal ranking matches naturally led to discussing my upcoming match, and eventually, Yeo Il-ye, who had shown interest in the ranking matches, joined me in seeking the match stage.
“It’s the Red Bamboo Swordswoman!”
“It’s Yeo Il-ye!”
As soon as Yeo Il-ye approached the match stage set up on the grounds of the Hwang Gold Clan, pandemonium ensued. The audience watching the match consisted of martial arts enthusiasts interested in the scene, while the combatants were the martial artists of Sacheon.
“I am Aranseo! I’ve always admired Miss Yeo’s teamwork!”
“Thank you for uprooting the vile villains in Sacheon!”
“Red Bamboo Swordswoman! Red Bamboo Swordswoman!”
“Jeomchang Faction! Jeomchang Faction!”
“Hmm… I’m at a loss for how to handle this welcome.”
Thanks to this, attention turned to me as well.
“That person… could he be the Sacheon Outcast who supposedly gave Yeo Il-ye the realization?”
“So that outcast is Sacheon Outcast No. 28?”
“No, does that mean he was the one who went to Nangyang and got kicked out after a month?”
“Whoa. Watch what you say.”
As I awaited my match and stood on Stage 8, Yeo Il-ye was there, keenly observing my duel. It wasn’t hard to deduce the nature of my relationship with her from the side of the Sacheon Outcast’s battle.
[My apologies, Honorable Person. I didn’t expect to become a burden like this.]
[It’s alright. This is exactly the rumor I wanted. If anyone asks, feel free to say I did not give any realizations, alright?]
[That… is…]
Just as we were having that telepathic conversation, a martial artist spoke up.
“Great Hero! I’ve been curious about something for a while. Is it true that you received a realization from the Sacheon Outcast?”
Ah, there’s the typical loudmouth. The crowd shifted their curious gazes to Yeo Il-ye.
“…We encountered each other on the street and had a conversation. Suddenly, realization hit me. If I hadn’t stopped to talk with the Honorable Person, I doubt it would have come.”
“Hmm…”
“It’s not that I received realization directly…”
“I believe that had I not met the Honorable Person, I wouldn’t have gained such realization. My insights are based on my judgment, so please refrain from speaking too much on it…”
“Oh dear, I apologize!”
“I would never disrupt Miss Yeo’s excellent reputation!”
Seeing Yeo Il-ye slightly uncomfortable, the crowd quickly retreated. But in their minds, the thought that it was merely a coincidence rather than the Outcast who gave the realization was probably taking root.
In this slightly uncomfortable atmosphere, an opponent of silver grade arrived.
And upon seeing the opponent’s face, I was quite shocked.
“…Gang Jun of the Taegyeong Sect?”
“Hehehe! We’ve finally met!”
Gang Jun was my opponent, the same guy who set a record alongside Ho Cheon-an at Gyeongsu Market. This guy must have been training hard, huh? For a silver rating, he must be at least a top-tier martial artist.
“It always bothered me that I couldn’t finish you off back then. During the ranking matches, I looked for you everywhere, but it seemed you had vanished, only to reappear after being rumored about your rapid ascension! And then, news of the Sacheon Outcast No. 28 came out, and I just knew you were back!”
“Hmm…”
“That time! The fact you were injured after stepping at night has been stuck in my mind! A whole year’s gone by since then! Now, let’s compete fairly for our skills!”
I stared into Gang Jun’s fiery eyes. His determination seemed ready to erupt like a volcano, eager to draw his sword and charge me at any moment.
This guy… is way too serious.
Wait a minute…
Is he seriously bringing that up after so long? Dude, that was all business, pure business. And it was premium service, too… But I admit I charged extra then. Still, bringing up something from last year now? That’s a bit much.
Moreover, seriously, does this guy actually think he got injured by stepping at night? I mean, he must have been distracted, but a year later and he still can’t figure it out?
He was really giving me the chills on many levels.
“Gyeongsu Market…? Sounds like you have a history with Sacheon Outcast?”
“Hmm, if you’re a martial artist working in Sacheon, it wouldn’t be surprising to have ties with the Outcast.”
“Last year… Gyeongsu Market… Ah! I remember now. There were talks about an Outcast who threw people around, creating quite the ruckus!”
“Whoa, so that guy is Sacheon Outcast No. 28?”
It seemed the events from Gyeongsu Market had become quite the topic of discussion. Was there anyone who could watch Ho Cheon-an’s legendary display back then and not shed a tear? They all must have spread the news of that legendary scene excitedly.
“So it really was the Sacheon Outcast.”
“Perhaps they were an extraordinary individual hiding their identity…”
It appeared some were still holding onto the idea that the Outcast who gave Yeo Il-ye a realization was an extraordinary individual in disguise.
Should I be thankful to Gang Jun for this?
“Draw your sword! It’s time to settle our old grievances!”
…Yeah, I really don’t think I need to be grateful.
Above all, I genuinely didn’t want to get involved with a sticky guy like him in any rivalry or scandal.
“Anyway, I’m excited!”
Gang Jun drew his sword and shouted.
“Come! I’ll crush you and charge straight towards the Golden Plaque!”
Oh great, I really don’t want to fight.
* *
“Sacheon Outcast No. 28 wins!”
“Ugh, I’m so sorry, Sect Leader! I, Gang Jun, have failed in the great endeavor to revive our sect! Waaaah!”
I left behind Gang Jun, who was crying rivers, and quickly escaped the match stage.
“Looks like you have some connection with that guy?”
As Yeo Il-ye questioned me, I simply shook my head while Black Cat chuckled.
“Hehe. That was something, indeed.”
“Hmmm. It seems Lady Black Cat knows what’s going on.”
“Of course! It’s something I experienced while being with my senior!”
Proudly puffing out her chest, Black Cat seemed to enjoy revealing that she shared an incident with Yeo Il-ye that she was unaware of.
However, Yeo Il-ye merely looked at the boasting Black Cat with a smile of affection.
“Then do tell me about it.”
“I won’t!”
With a triumphant smile, Black Cat darted away, creating some space. Watching after her, Yeo Il-ye chuckled.
“Hehe, I think I understand why the Honorable Person looks after that girl. Amid her beauty lies an innocent child.”
“…Please let this slide.”
“I guess it’s worth becoming friends.”
For some reason, Black Cat, who had been standing far off, dashed over and pulled on my sleeve.
“Why are you dawdling? The special matches are about to start, we need to hurry!”
“Okay, fine.”
On the way to the martial art hall, we agreed to watch the matches if time allowed. Yeo Il-ye had shown interest in the Platinum Match records and had advised that observing the duels among the peak experts would help understand the flow of Qi for training.
“Red Bamboo Swordswoman Great Hero! I’ve admired you since…”
“Your actions moved me, Great Hero!”
As soon as we entered the special match area, Yeo Il-ye got caught up in the crowd. With a helpless expression, she looked over here, but…
“It’s all part of the plan!”
Black Cat grasped my arm and squeezed into the back of the martial art hall.
“Hey Black Cat, what happened between you and Yeo Il-ye? Why do you dislike her so much? She’s also a disciple of Hyeok Gi-rin Great Hero, what are you planning to say to him later?”
“I just feel like she’s a cat eyeing my fish or something!”
“Even so, isn’t it time to make friends besides Hyeok Gi-rin Great Hero? Someone like Yeo Il-ye, who shares similar skill levels, is close in age, and actively participates in the Martial World, it wouldn’t hurt to befriend her.”
Black Cat shot me a displeased glare full of dissatisfaction.
“I understand it can be awkward since you used to be enemies; but continually opposing someone out of the blue is rude. Let’s at least maintain some decorum.”
“…Tch. I want to persuade you, but I have no grounds…”
After continued glares of disapproval, Black Cat finally sighed deeply, her shoulders drooping.
“I’ll show you, senior! Soon, Yeo Il-ye will reveal her true colors! Understand? There will be no turning back after that!”
“…Okay, I’ll let that slide.”
This was the first time I had seen Black Cat this worked up; it really wore me out. Is there really such a thing as compatibility in human relationships? Watching Black Cat freeze in agitation did make me doubt whether having Yeo Il-ye around was a good choice. But Yeo Il-ye seemed interested in Black Cat, so for now, I’ll wait and see.
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