WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Chen

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈

Chapter 28: The Second-Rate Martial Artist Dominating the Test (3)

──────

“The third test will be a practical martial arts match. The sixteen examinees selected through the previous two tests, please step forward.”

At Yi Jagon’s words, the children who had failed to make the top sixteen moved to one side of the grand training ground.

Oddly enough, unlike in my previous life, there was no disappointment or resentment on their faces.

Seeing Gye Cheolyeong refrain from using his family’s wealth to monopolize the outcome seemed to have left them with no regrets about the results.

Yi Jagon swept his gaze over the examinees who had stepped forward.

“The rankings will be determined through martial matches, so I ask every examinee to give their all until the end.”

Then one of the children outside the training ground raised a hand high.

It was Kwak Samnam, the third child of the Kwak family, whose father worked in an inn’s kitchen.

“Isn’t the test supposed to select only one person to attend the Martial Arts Academy? Why are you selecting people by rank?”

Yi Jagon did not seem bothered by the interruption and calmly continued his explanation.

“Of course, only one person can enter the academy. Still, special prizes have been prepared to commend those who devoted themselves diligently to their studies, so do your best.”

The eyes of the sixteen children began to shine.

Hong Saryeon and the Geumpyo brothers had already swept up most of the top scores, but even if first place was impossible, everyone wanted a chance at second or third.

Besides, the gifts prepared by the Martial Alliance had to be precious items that were not easily obtained even in the Taeul Sect.

“Senior Brother, what happened?”

Geumpyo approached me with a puzzled expression.

“What is it?”

“How did you end up in eighth place?”

I had checked Gye Cheolyeong’s score in the first test and adjusted my ranking in the second accordingly.

“Isn’t this the result of roaming around instead of training diligently?”

Geumpyo clicked his tongue.

“Don’t say nonsense. You wrote books of past test questions and even taught us the improved Lesser Heaven Sword Art, yet this is your result?”

“You little brat. Do I need to spank you until you fix that way of talking?”

I had grown up with Geumpyo and his two brothers as though we were actual brothers, so there was no need for formality between us.

Besides, Geumpyo, the eldest of the three, was only a year older than me.

Maybe that was why he often tried to read my intentions.

“Tell me honestly. Are you trying to yield to the junior disciples?”

“I’ll win the third test anyway, so what does it matter if my scores in the first and second tests are poor?”

“...”

An answer came from beside us instead of Geumpyo.

“Is that so?”

Geumpyo turned his head, jumped in alarm, bowed deeply, then awkwardly hurried away.

“...”

At some point, Yi Jagon, the Gyeonseong Envoy, had approached my side.

Even Geumpyo, mature as he was, must have found it extremely uncomfortable to stand before a Gyeonseong Envoy.

I asked with an unconcerned expression, “What do you mean?”

“Your score ending up like this.”

I shrugged.

“I don’t know if you heard, but I suppose it was because I neglected my studies and skipped training often.”

“And yet someone like that picked out the test questions as though they had been given the answers?”

How did this man know that?

As I tilted my head in confusion, Yi Jagon said, “I heard it from the examinees who received high scores.”

“Is that... a problem?”

“Could it not be? Unless the test questions were leaked.”

“Leaking the examination papers of the Martial Alliance’s Gyeonseong Envoy? That sounds terrifying just to hear about.”

What Yi Jagon said could not have happened in the first place.

Even the Mantong Office, the Strategy Department’s final archive, was not allowed to interfere with the management of the examination papers.

If the papers had been leaked under such circumstances, it would not only invalidate the test, but everyone involved would be removed from their posts.

So Yi Jagon was not actually suspecting a leak.

He looked at me with utter seriousness.

“I want to hear your explanation.”

“Won’t the test begin soon?”

On the grand training ground stood Hong Saryeon, who had ranked first overall, and Gong Jihyang, who had ranked ninth.

Soon afterward, the Gyeonseong martial artist serving as referee announced the start of the match.

“...You are coincidentally ranked eighth.”

I let out a quiet sigh.

I could not tell him I had seen the test papers in my previous life, so an excuse naturally slipped out.

“Isn’t the examination little more than a formality anyway? Each sect has mostly already decided who will attend the Martial Arts Academy. In our case, things are a little unusual.”

I glanced at Gye Cheolyeong.

His eyes were red as if he had not slept at all, and his chest rose and fell with excitement as he watched the arena.

Yi Jagon followed my gaze toward Gye Cheolyeong.

“I know the circumstances of your sect. That is not particularly unusual. There is something else I am curious about.”

Then he turned his gaze back to me.

“This test differs from the previous ones. You cannot simply consult past exams and compile a book of predicted questions.”

His eyes gleamed sharply, as if they could see through everything.

Yi Jagon did not seem to care much for beating around the bush.

I obediently nodded.

“I was simply lucky.”

“Lucky?”

“I used the examination as an excuse to teach the junior disciples things that might help them later. It motivated them as well. Isn’t that a good thing?”

Yi Jagon’s brow creased faintly.

“Then why did you deliberately place yourself eighth?”

“Someone who could do such a thing...”

“I have already heard about you. They say you never forget anything you have seen?”

Yi Jagon would later become famous enough to earn the epithet Gentleman Iron Sword.

He was known for his thorough nature and flawless martial matches. It seemed that personality had already begun to show itself.

There appeared to be a limit to how long I could talk my way around him.

“It was to take the test fairly.”

“Are you saying this test is unfair?”

I shook my head.

“The test is fair. Still, I wanted to take it from the same position as my junior disciples.”

“And lowering your rank was the result of that?”

“That’s right.”

Yi Jagon fell silent for a moment.

Then he asked, “Why go so far?”

“There is already someone taking the test unfairly, isn’t there?”

My gaze returned to Gye Cheolyeong, and Yi Jagon’s followed.

He watched Gye Cheolyeong for a moment before speaking.

“That senior has yet to realize that shortcuts can sometimes become roads to death.”

“Aren’t you going to stop him?”

“Stop what?”

There was no way a master of Yi Jagon’s level had failed to notice something was wrong.

He was clearly pretending not to know.

I asked more directly, “Do you need to preserve Senior Jang’s dignity?”

The other day, Yi Jagon had spoken of the examination’s strictness to Jang Sagun and completely dismissed his opinion in front of everyone.

That was why the disciples could believe this test was fair.

Yi Jagon gave a small laugh.

“A Gyeonseong Envoy is not influenced by any institution within the Martial Alliance. Much less by old ties that have long passed.”

“I see.”

Yi Jagon seemed to have some motive, but I could not easily see what it was.

I withdrew my gaze from Gye Cheolyeong and quietly watched Saryeon’s match when I felt Yi Jagon staring at me.

“You seem to suspect something. Are you not going to protest your innocence?”

“...”

What was this? It seemed like he wanted me to ask him for help.

Why?

“Are you planning to put me in your debt?”

A strange light entered Yi Jagon’s eyes at my question.

“What if I am?”

“I would refuse.”

“I have not yet told you what the price of that debt would be.”

“Whatever it is.”

“Are you sure?”

I had not even begun working for the Alliance in earnest yet. I had no intention whatsoever of owing anyone a debt.

Besides, Gye Cheolyeong doing this was within my expectations.

“It doesn’t matter.”

I grinned at him.

“I plan to make it fair myself.”

“...”

Yi Jagon’s gaze had somehow turned into one that seemed to ask what kind of strange creature I was.

Then...

“““Waaaaah!”””

“That was amazing!”

Gong Jihyang’s sword flew away, and the Gyeonseong martial artists declared Hong Saryeon the winner.

The disciples and hall lords generously applauded Saryeon’s excellent swordsmanship.

* * *

The test did not take long.

In the first bracket, Saryeon did not exceed thirty exchanges in any of her matches against the disciples.

She did not use the Great Tremor Divine Art or the Flash Lightning Sword Art she had secretly learned, but no disciple could withstand Saryeon, who practiced every night until dawn in the Sect Leader’s private training ground, even using only what she had learned at Busaeng Hall.

After defeating Eunho, who had made it to the semifinals, Saryeon secured her place in the final.

So far, this was not much different from my previous life.

In contrast, Gye Cheolyeong displayed overwhelming skill in the latter bracket, where he and I competed.

Saryeon had not gone beyond thirty exchanges, but Gye Cheolyeong did not even go beyond ten.

Since martial arts could be used freely in the third test, Gye Cheolyeong did not hesitate to use the Three Shadows Sword Art. His first opponent had to watch his Blue Steel Sword get cut apart by Gye Cheolyeong’s blade.

And finally...

“The next match will be Gye Cheolyeong versus Jin Sowoon!”

At the Gyeonseong martial artist’s call, Gye Cheolyeong and I faced each other on the training ground.

The winner here would face Saryeon in the final match.

“So I meet you here at last.”

Unlike usual, Gye Cheolyeong was radiating an enormous fighting spirit in every direction.

The killing intent pouring out without restraint made my skin sting even as I stood still.

Every time he breathed, white vapor billowed from his mouth, creating an even greater sense of pressure.

What is that? It’s creepy because it’s so strange.

“Are you tired? Your eyes are red.”

“Yes. That’s right. I’m tired, so I intend to finish this quickly and rest.”

When Gye Cheolyeong took his opening stance, the Gyeonseong martial artist standing between us stepped back.

Rather than taking my own stance in response, I approached Gye Cheolyeong.

Then I whispered quietly.

“That’s not it, is it? You want to finish quickly because of the Bloodburst Pellet.”

“...!!!”

Gye Cheolyeong’s eyes widened.

In my previous life, Gye Cheolyeong had used the Bloodburst Pellet because Hong Saryeon was close behind him and he feared she would overtake him.

Thanks to that, Gye Cheolyeong entered the Martial Arts Academy, eventually became a Martial Alliance executive, and enjoyed success, wealth, and glory for the rest of his life.

Hong Saryeon, on the other hand, served compulsory duty as a low-ranking martial artist, performed every kind of menial task, and died as a meat shield in the Orthodox-Demonic War.

I only learned this after the Orthodox-Demonic War began and I was able to read the Mantong Office’s records.

By then, it was far too late to set things right.

Gye Cheolyeong’s eyes trembled wildly.

“How...?”

“I will correct what is wrong.”

Before Gye Cheolyeong could say anything else, I took my own opening stance and immediately thrust toward his throat.

Clang!

The force behind Gye Cheolyeong’s deflecting strike pressed heavily against me.

Gye Cheolyeong gritted his teeth.

“You will not be able to do anything!”

“Will I not?”

Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!

I drew on half my internal energy and used the original Lesser Heaven Sword Art.

Gye Cheolyeong confidently unfolded the Three Shadows Sword Art, and the swift sword strikes I unleashed were repeatedly stopped and cut short by his sword shadows.

“Go on, use whatever petty trick you have. If you extend a hand, I’ll cut off that hand. If you extend a foot, I’ll cut off that foot. I’m not indecisive like Namgung San!”

Gye Cheolyeong appeared to have built up quite a bit of resentment over what had happened with Namgung San.

His sword, filled with the power of the Bloodburst Pellet, was as heavy as a boulder.

I changed my sword style to the Ascendant Form of the Lesser Heaven Sword Art and began responding again.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The Lesser Heaven Sword Art, which targeted the vital points, grew even faster, and Gye Cheolyeong could not keep up with that speed.

It was not easy for him to control the suddenly increased internal energy.

Pieces of his clothing were cut away one by one, and small wounds began appearing underneath.

“You bastard!”

After seeing blood, Gye Cheolyeong began drawing out all the energy in his body.

The killing intent pouring from him was as fierce as that of renowned masters.

“I will never forgive you.”

I did not know what I had done so terribly wrong, but Gye Cheolyeong’s sword, carrying all his resentment from the past, had passed beyond the level of a martial match.

Even so, Yi Jagon, the Gyeonseong Envoy, did not stop the match.

What is this?

I set that thought aside and raised my internal energy to seventy percent.

Gye Cheolyeong was frustrated by his inability to cut me down despite feeling as though he could do so at any moment, and that frustration showed in his sword.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Gye Cheolyeong’s sword strikes clearly contained all of his internal energy.

Because the rules prohibited using a treasured sword in the test, I had not brought the Black Dragon Sword. All I could do was watch fragments of my Blue Steel Sword fly in every direction.

Gye Cheolyeong began shouting in excitement.

“You ruined it! You ruined everything!”

The speed of our martial match had already far exceeded the level of ordinary examinees.

The disciples could not tear their eyes away from our fight.

Boom.

Crash!

When Gye Cheolyeong’s sword struck the grand training ground, the marble shattered into pieces and fragments scattered in every direction.

“S-shouldn’t we stop this?”

“Cheolyeong’s condition seems strange.”

The hall lords and even the Gyeonseong martial artists sensed something was wrong and looked toward Yi Jagon, but Yi Jagon silently shook his head.

Then, deciding the time had come, I drew out all of my internal energy.

Clang!

For the first time, my sword was not driven back by Gye Cheolyeong’s.

I whispered to Gye Cheolyeong, who stood right in front of me, steam blowing from his nose as he tried to push me back.

“Senior Brother, this is exactly the hundredth exchange. It will probably be dangerous if this continues any longer. Are you sure you’re all right?”

“!!!”

The Bloodburst Pellet’s safe limit was one hundred exchanges.

Gye Cheolyeong had already gone through one hundred and twenty exchanges, far beyond that safe range.

I looked at his trembling body and smiled softly.

“Just give up. You will be left with an injury, but there should be no major problem living as a merchant.”

I did not like Gye Cheolyeong.

Even so, there was a reason I was giving him a chance.

It was because I hated him so, so much.

I wanted him to regret for the rest of his life that he had been given a chance to stop.

Gye Cheolyeong did not know how to react to the mercy I had shown him.

“You... You... You are obstructing my great ambition to the very end!”

Just as expected. He did not deviate from my expectations by even an inch.

I had given him the chance because I was certain he would never let go of his greed in the first place.

An even greater wave of energy burst from Gye Cheolyeong’s body.

The Bloodburst Pellet had detonated a second time.

“Gasp!”

“That is...!”

“Sword qi?!”

People cried out in alarm when they saw the red qi clinging to Gye Cheolyeong’s sword.

By wielding power beyond his original level, Gye Cheolyeong had managed to release sword qi.

But this was never something to celebrate.

His dantian had now suffered permanent damage, and one wrong move could even lead to qi deviation.

As everyone cried out in shock...

“No!”

Someone in the spectators’ seats shouted as if squeezing the voice out of their throat, but nobody turned to look.

“I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you! I will definitely kill you...!”

Gye Cheolyeong charged at me like someone who had lost his mind.

I easily evaded him.

“Senior Brother, do you know how many sins you have committed?”

It seemed my words no longer reached Gye Cheolyeong’s ears. He charged at me again like a madman.

This time, I did not retreat either and rushed toward Gye Cheolyeong.

The sin of becoming a Martial Alliance executive through the Martial Arts Academy in my previous life and using the position of Senior Brother to work his junior disciples like slaves.

The sin of throwing the disciples into the forefront of the Orthodox-Demonic War for his own achievements.

The sin of turning a blind eye even when the Taeul Sect was in grave danger.

“I cannot make you pay for every one of those sins, but I will make you pay for some of them now!”

“Die! Die! Die! Die!”

Gye Cheolyeong repeatedly screamed, “Die!” as he swung his sword wildly. I dodged those strikes and slipped into his guard.

Then I used the Lotus form of the Flowing Cloud Sect's Flower-Grafting technique and spun Gye Cheolyeong around three times.

Thud.

Crash.

Gye Cheolyeong sprang back to his feet like someone incapable of feeling pain and charged at me again.

Clang, clang, clang!

It was incomplete, but sword qi was still sword qi.

An ordinary Blue Steel Sword could not block it.

Proof of that was the growing cracks in my Blue Steel Sword.

“Serves you right, Jin Sowoon!”

Gye Cheolyeong shouted triumphantly, as though his victory was already certain.

That was understandable.

Sword qi, something only those who had entered the ranks of first-rate martial artists could wield, was an object of longing equal to any divine sword for children our age.

“I’ll kill you! I’ll go to the Martial Arts Academy! And I’ll rise to greatness!”

His lips glistened, and his eyes were bloodshot.

Gye Cheolyeong was already certain of victory.

As I received his sword, I said, “If you kill me, you’ll lose by disqualification, Senior Brother.”

“Shut up!”

That was true, though.

The red qi doubled in size as Gye Cheolyeong unleashed the Three Shadows Sword Art with all his strength.

Three grim streams of sword qi attacked my vital points, leaving me no room to move.

He had used the Bloodburst Pellet, but it was undeniably an excellent move.

But...

In my previous life, my enemies unleashed not only sword qi but sword force as if it were a toy.

“You think you can kill me with such paltry attainment?!”

One step.

As I stepped into the Three Shadows Sword Art’s killing range, its sword qi grazed past my vital points by a hair.

Two steps.

The red sword qi brushed past my earlobe as I took another step.

Three steps.

I thrust the Lesser Heaven Sword Art into the final Three Shadows Sword Art strike.

Screeeech!

Clang!

With a shrill metallic sound that seemed to pierce my eardrums, half the Blue Steel Sword I held flew away.

Gye Cheolyeong’s eyes flashed at the sight, and he smiled.

“I won, Jin So...”

But only for a moment.

His arm had been knocked wide along with his sword by my deflection. I stepped through that opening.

“Live the rest of your life atoning, Senior Brother.”

I swung my half-broken sword twice.

Slash!

Slash!

Once from his left shoulder to his right waist, then once from his right shoulder to his left waist.

Two sword wounds crossed Gye Cheolyeong’s body.

Splurt!

“Aaaaaargh!”

Blood burst from Gye Cheolyeong’s body as if crushed fruit had exploded.

“Cheolyeong...!”

Gye Yeonseok rushed in like lightning from the audience and caught Gye Cheolyeong in his arms.

“Come to your senses! Cheolyeong!”

Seeing his son’s rolling eyes and body covered in bright red blood, Gye Yeonseok shouted frantically.

“What are you all doing?! That bastard! Jin Sowoon used a killing move on my Cheolyeong!”

At Gye Yeonseok’s shout, Yi Jagon stepped onto the training ground.

“The match is over. Jin Sowoon is the victor of this martial match.”

At Yi Jagon’s declaration, Gye Yeonseok handed Gye Cheolyeong to the physician who had accompanied them, then began foaming at the mouth.

“What are you talking about?! That bastard used a killing move! Are you blind?!”

Yi Jagon had spoken respectfully even to the Taeul Sect’s young disciples, but his gaze turned sharp.

“It was Gye Cheolyeong who used sword qi and a killing move first in this martial match!”

“But... But...!”

“Leave. Even if you are a parent, I will not overlook any further behavior.”

Yi Jagon turned his head and looked at me with an oddly intrigued expression.

“Kh... I’ll kill... I’ll kill...!”

Gye Cheolyeong, who had been in the physician’s arms, suddenly sprang upright.

His eyes had turned blood-red, and white vapor poured from his mouth.

Proof that the Bloodburst Pellet had gone berserk.

He will have to spend the rest of his life bedridden.

Just as I turned to leave...

“It is because of you... You! You ruined all of my grand plans...!”

Gye Cheolyeong shoved away both the physician and his father, kicked off the ground, and shot into the air.

“...Even if I end here, I will definitely kill you!”

Gye Cheolyeong’s voice rang through the air, making the disciples flinch.

I readied myself to respond.

But then...

Whoosh.

Yi Jagon, who had stood between Gye Cheolyeong and me, shot upward. He rose over Gye Cheolyeong’s head and struck down with the edge of his hand.

Thud.

Boom!

Gye Cheolyeong was slammed headfirst into the training ground in a single move, and blood flowed from his seven orifices.

“Cheolyeong! Cheolyeong!”

Gye Yeonseok rushed to his son and checked his condition.

Then he screamed at Yi Jagon.

“What are you doing?! A Gyeonseong Envoy has reduced an examinee to this state...!”

Yi Jagon warned the red-faced, shouting Gye Yeonseok in a low voice.

“Do you know the punishment for an examinee who uses a forbidden drug?”

“...!!!”

“You should. I intend to visit the Gyerong Merchant Group as soon as this special admission test is over.”

“...”

Gye Yeonseok clenched his teeth, turned away, and looked around wildly.

“Jang Sagun! Jang Sagun! You bastard...!”

He was looking for the person responsible for letting things reach this point. But Jang Sagun and his two assistants, who had been whispering beside Gye Yeonseok until just moments ago, had disappeared without a trace.

“Group Leader! We must move the young master first.”

“Cough! What are you all doing?! Move Cheolyeong at once!”

Foaming at the mouth, Gye Yeonseok shouted his command, and the martial artists and physician carried Gye Cheolyeong out of the Taeul Sect at once.

After the commotion settled, I looked at Yi Jagon standing beside me.

“So you knew after all.”

“And you were certain as well.”

I asked in disbelief, “Are you admitting that you turned a blind eye to cheating in this test?”

Yi Jagon shook his head.

“Of course not. I did not know in the first place.”

“...”

Then, looking in the direction Jang Sagun had disappeared, he muttered to himself.

“It was also unpleasant watching him lord his seniority over everyone at every examination.”

“...”

A chill suddenly ran down my spine.

Had he used me to remove that senior?

A relieved expression appeared on Yi Jagon’s face.

“Still, thank you for not reporting it to me. Now I will not have to deal with bothersome requests anymore.”

“...I almost died.”

“Hmm... Is that so?”

“What would you have done if I had died, or at least been seriously injured?”

Yi Jagon stroked his beard for a moment before answering.

“Would there have been anything I could do? The martial world is simply like that.”

“...”

Even if I understood it, hearing such coldness directly did not feel good.

No, should I say it felt fucking awful?

“Besides, I never thought you would lose. In any case, you did well.”

As Yi Jagon patted my shoulder and turned to leave, I said, “You owe me a debt.”

“Hmm?”

I told him clearly, “I removed your senior for you, so you owe me a debt.”

Yi Jagon tilted his head, then burst out laughing.

He approached me and whispered in my ear.

“Fine. When you become capable of collecting a debt from me, I will repay today’s debt then.”

Yi Jagon’s lips twitched as though he were trying to hold back a laugh.

I met his gaze and smiled back at him.

“That is a promise.”

After all, I grew up with nothing. I’m not the kind of person who can live after taking a loss.

Footnotes:

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