WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Order

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Heaven-Slaying Sword ◈

Chapter 44: Chapter Five - Dragon-Phoenix Assembly (17)

──────

It was funny to say, but Mok Ri-won had his own sense of romance.

His first martial tournament since entering the Martial World.

The romance of crossing swords with powerful opponents, then discussing righteousness and Chivalry with them.

At this Dragon Phoenix Gathering, Namgung Jin-cheon was surely the right person for that role.

That was why Mok Ri-won could not contain his anger.

No, his sense of injustice.

The very person with whom he wished to discuss righteousness and Chivalry had mistaken him for a pedophile. It was enough to drive him mad.

"No! I really don't have that sort of preference! I like beautiful women who are mature and have a sharp air about them!"

It was a cry that seemed to wring every last drop of resentment from his heart.

The servants who had followed Namgung Jin-cheon over began whispering among themselves.

"Mature and sharp..."

"That sounds exactly like the Poison Phoenix..."

"He's gone. Completely smitten."

Mok Ri-won's face turned bright red.

"N-No, that's not what I meant...!"

"Oh my, look at how red he is."

"Goodness..."

Mok Ri-won wanted to hang himself from shame.

Still, he could hardly do that at someone else's estate.

Just as he desperately wished someone would step in and mediate the situation,

"So-a, go back to your room."

Namgung Jin-cheon stepped in.

With his usual indifferent expression, he handed Namgung So-a over to a servant and waved them away.

The servants left.

Namgung So-a kept glancing back at Mok Ri-won, repeating words like "mature" and "sharp."

"S-Sword Dragon! I truly don't have that sort of preference...!"

"You don't need to explain. I'm not interested."

Namgung Jin-cheon said that and turned to leave.

"W-Wait!"

"What is it?"

"This is too unfair! I clearly told So-a that I could not be her husband!"

"I said I wasn't interested, whether you have strange preferences or So-a sees you as her husband."

Mok Ri-won froze.

His brow slowly furrowed in confusion.

An unexplainable sense of wrongness rose inside him.

"...Even when it concerns your younger sister? You have no interest in So-a either?"

That had to be it.

They were blood relatives, yet Namgung Jin-cheon seemed to feel nothing at all for his sister.

No, thinking back on everything so far, Mok Ri-won could barely remember Namgung Jin-cheon ever showing emotion.

He looked like a man whose feelings had all dried up.

"Should I be interested?"

Namgung Jin-cheon's chilling blue eyes fixed on Mok Ri-won.

Unsure how to answer, Mok Ri-won scratched his cheek before speaking hesitantly.

"Well... she is your blood relative. Shouldn't you show at least that much concern?"

"Is that a reason?"

"I think it is. Blood is thicker than water, is it not? A chivalrous hero should know how to protect his own family first. That is what I believe."

"I never said I wanted to become a chivalrous hero."

What was that supposed to mean?

Mok Ri-won was not wondering about some hidden meaning behind the words.

He genuinely questioned the sentence itself.

His head tilted.

"If you don't intend to become a chivalrous hero, why learn the sword?"

"Power is a means. The stronger, the better. Especially in the Martial World."

"...A means to what?"

"The world."

Namgung Jin-cheon's voice remained flat.

"A means to seize what should naturally be mine."

Mok Ri-won's eyes widened slightly, then settled.

His fingers curled, his open hand slowly forming a fist.

Disappointment seeped into his voice despite his efforts to restrain it.

"...You are simply a man who hones a sword to cut."

"Every sword exists to cut, whether it cuts lives, honor, or status."

"There are swords meant to protect as well."

"That is outside a sword's purpose. A sword exists to cut."

"A person wields the sword. If the person holding it does so to protect, it can become a sword of protection."

"Inefficient. If one truly wishes to protect something, one should take up a shield instead. Or build an impregnable fortress that no one would dare assail."

"It is because we love that inefficiency that we become chivalrous heroes."

"I will say it again. I never said I would become a chivalrous hero."

At last, Mok Ri-won understood the man named Namgung Jin-cheon.

He was a coldhearted man.

No, a heartless man.

He reminded Mok Ri-won of words Mok Seon-o had once spoken.

"A sword has no eyes. It cannot distinguish its opponent, nor can it judge good and evil. A sword has only the swordsman who wields it."

Those were the words Mok Seon-o had spoken to comfort him when he came to understand his own nature. The memory rose to the surface now.

"What does it matter if a sword is a little wicked, or ugly to behold? If the one wielding it understands Chivalric righteousness, is that not enough? Then would it not be the sword of a chivalrous hero?"

If, as Mok Seon-o said, the swordsman determined the sword, then Namgung Jin-cheon's sword would be a heartless one.

His values stood in direct opposition to everything Mok Ri-won had learned throughout his life.

Of course, Mok Ri-won had no right to judge them.

A hundred people held a hundred different values.

Even so, Mok Ri-won could not help feeling regret.

"Why would you say such things?"

He regretted that the Sword Dragon, Namgung Jin-cheon, was the one who held such values.

He was a star destined to rule.

A name meant to reign over this land.

Yet Mok Ri-won could not help lamenting that a man who ought to hold overflowing love for the common people was so heartless.

"Lord Sword Dragon, you can give to others. You have the ability, position, and power to do so."

Was he not different from Mok Ri-won?

Simply because he had been born beneath a star, he was someone who could receive the expectations and blessings of all people.

Could he not make the world more righteous with those blessings?

"To build power only to wield it... that is..."

Mok Ri-won hesitated.

He knew it would be insulting.

Yet he spoke the words in the end.

"Is that not the sort of thinking one would expect from the Black Path?"

Namgung Jin-cheon's brows lifted slightly.

"It is different."

"What is different about it?"

"They have no order."

He continued without the slightest change in expression, as though stating something obvious.

"They have no order. I do. I can establish my will beneath an unshakable order, so what I create will be an ideal befitting the Righteous Path."

Only then did Mok Ri-won realize.

'Ah...'

There was no reasoning with this man.

He was so arrogant and unshakable that there was not the slightest opening in him.

Still, there was one fortunate thing.

Mok Ri-won's fist clenched tight.

His lips hardened into a line.

With a resolute expression, he looked at Namgung Jin-cheon and spoke.

"...Then Lord Sword Dragon must prove it."

"Prove it? I have no need to do so."

"No, you do. To me."

Namgung Jin-cheon studied Mok Ri-won's expression.

He had never heard such words before, and an unfamiliar feeling was stirring within him.

"Prove what?"

"That your ideal is truly right, and that you are qualified to say such things."

Mok Ri-won's Qi Waves began to leak out.

Along with emotions he had yet to fully contain.

"This is the Martial World. Lord Sword Dragon must prove that qualification to me with strength."

"It will not be difficult."

"It will."

Mok Ri-won measured the difference between them: Namgung Jin-cheon's far greater reserves of inner energy, the skill he had displayed so far, and the moves Mok Ri-won himself had yet to show.

A smile formed on Mok Ri-won's lips.

'I am reminded of a scene.'

This argument reminded him of a scene from the book that ruled his life.

It filled him with delight.

"The protagonist of the first chapter of Tales of Martial Heroes, the Sword Hero, once said this."

The Sword Hero was the protagonist of the most popular chapter in that miscellaneous book, Tales of Martial Heroes.

He had said it while teaching an arrogant martial artist a lesson.

"One who takes trials lightly can never become a true martial artist."

Mok Ri-won loved the Demon Hero most of all.

He loved the great will with which the Demon Hero had overcome even his own nature and fulfilled Chivalry.

But this time, it would be fine to feel differently.

Mok Ri-won wished to become the trial that would teach Chivalry to a man destined to shine brighter than anyone else.

"...Arrogant."

That was Namgung Jin-cheon's answer.

Yet he did not sound displeased.

"Still, I look forward to it."

He was expressing his own pleasure at this sort of provocation, something he had never experienced before.

"Try to last three moves."

With that, he turned and walked away.

* * *

"Did something happen?"

At the estate's guest quarters, Dang Hwa-seo noticed that Mok Ri-won's expression was different from usual and asked.

Only then did Mok Ri-won look up sharply. He shook his head from side to side.

"Hm! No. I met the Sword Dragon for a moment!"

"The Sword Dragon? What did you talk about?"

"We talked about the upcoming martial contest."

Dang Hwa-seo was surprised.

Not because it involved Mok Ri-won, but because Namgung Jin-cheon had entertained such a conversation.

"He joined in a conversation like that? How strange. I have never once seen him talk about a martial contest."

"Well... it was rather one-sided."

Mok Ri-won smiled awkwardly.

Only then did Dang Hwa-seo let out an "Ah" and stifle a laugh.

'I can picture it somehow.'

Had this friendly man not grabbed Namgung Jin-cheon and chattered at him without pause?

That was the thought that came to her.

"You did not trouble him, did you?"

Mok Ri-won flinched.

"Is that not the sort of thinking one would expect from the Black Path?"

He had let those words slip during their conversation because he failed to control his emotions.

They had clearly been insulting.

Dang Hwa-seo narrowed her eyes.

Mok Ri-won startled and rapidly shook his head.

"I-I did not make a terribly grave mistake! The Sword Dragon was not especially angry at what I said!"

"Or he simply did not show that he was angry?"

"..."

Mok Ri-won broke out in a cold sweat, realizing that was not impossible.

Dang Hwa-seo let out a long sigh.

"Reflect on your actions. And make sure you apologize."

"I understand..."

Mok Ri-won drooped.

Dang Hwa-seo chuckled, thinking he looked exactly like a scolded puppy. Then she gently patted his head and asked,

"So, is your preparation for the martial contest going well?"

"Always!"

"That is a relief. I truly hope Young Hero Mok achieves a good result in the martial contest."

"I will. I believe that I will win."

"Confidence is good, but..."

"It is certainty."

Dang Hwa-seo blinked.

Mok Ri-won wore his usual bright smile as he declared,

"The Sword Dragon cannot defeat me."

Dang Hwa-seo parted her lips, unsure how to respond.

Confidence was certainly a good thing.

And it was good to see Mok Ri-won's spirit as he smiled before the martial contest.

Even so, there was such a thing as a difference in ability.

Namgung Jin-cheon had reached the very edge of the peak realm.

The inner energy he possessed already rivaled that of an ordinary transcendent peak master.

By comparison, Mok Ri-won's inner energy had only reached one gapja, the average amount held by a peak master.

His swordsmanship was excellent beyond question, but in the delicacy and explosive force of his Qi Waves, he was undeniably far behind Namgung Jin-cheon.

So Dang Hwa-seo asked,

"...What makes you so certain?"

Mok Ri-won felt the hand stroking his head come to a stop.

He also read the concern in Dang Hwa-seo's eyes.

So he smiled brightly enough to assure her that she had no reason to worry.

"I never lose to someone who is not a chivalrous hero."

It was, as always, a very Mok Ri-won-like answer.

It was almost absurd.

Both sides entering the match were certain of their own victory.

Yet a contest could only decide a winner and a loser.

And so, one week later, the final martial contest of the Dragon Phoenix Gathering began, with no one yet certain who would win.

Footnotes:

Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried