Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1012

Namgung Dan crashed to the ground with a heavy thud. A wisp of white steam curled up from his head like smoke from a fire.

Yoon Jong slowly opened his eyes, which he had squeezed shut. He peeked at Namgung Dan lying still on the floor.

“…He’s dead?” Yoon Jong whispered, sounding unsure.

“Looks like it,” Jo Gul said firmly, nodding his head. He crossed his arms, a small smile playing on his lips. “It’s been a long time since I heard such a good thump.”

But their surprise was small compared to the Namgung Clan instructors watching. The instructors were behind them. Their eyes were wide, like they might pop out. They stared at Namgung Dan, unable to speak.

“B-Brother….”

“In one blow….”

Their mouths hung open.

What on earth had just happened?

They looked back and forth between Namgung Dan and Tang Soso, who was smiling brightly with a sword slung over her shoulder. They simply couldn’t understand.

“Ugh… Ugh….”

“Brother!”

“Dan!”

Namgung Dan, who had briefly lost consciousness, began to twitch. Groaning in pain as he clutched his head, he picked up the wooden sword and struggled to his feet.

“Ugh….”

He clutched his head again and trembled.

‘It hurts.’

‘It must hurt.’

‘He just wants to die.’

The Five Swords winced. Jo Gul turned away, a hand over his mouth. “I can’t watch this,” he muttered.

“Cough! Cough, cough!”

Tang Soso smiled sweetly as she watched Namgung Dan stagger to his feet.

“Why? Still want to go on?”

“Th-That….”

Namgung Dan said, looking half-dazed.

“I-I messed up. I wasn’t ready.”

“Ah, you weren’t ready?”

Tang Soso nodded as if she understood.

“Okay. Let’s pretend that first hit didn’t count because you weren’t ready. That’s fair, right?”

Carelessness is never allowed for swordsmen who risk everything on their sword. It only makes them look weak.

However, Tang Soso accepted Namgung Dan’s excuse. It was very generous.

So, it might sound like a very kind offer.

But the Five Swords’ reaction was different.

“…He’s really made a mistake now.”

“She looks really angry.”

“Should we get a coffin ready?”

“…Do that.”

Namgung Dan didn’t hear them.

“Ugh.”

Namgung Dan pressed down on his head.

His vision was blurry, and his mind was hazy. The pain in his head was beyond words. But he had to pull himself together.

‘If I can just show my true skill….’

It was a mistake to think Tang Soso would use a swift and light sword.

Who would have thought someone so small could wield such a heavy sword? His wrist still throbbed from blocking it.

“Cough!”

Namgung Dan raised his sword again and aimed it at Tang Soso. He knew it was pathetic, but saving face didn’t matter now.

If he retreated, it would look like the Namgung sword had been crushed by the Mount Hua sword without a fight. And that was against Tang Soso, who had only recently joined Mount Hua, a rising martial arts group.

That humiliation was worse than anything.

“Hmm.”

Tang Soso watched Namgung Dan aim his sword and twirled her own.

“How much longer should I wait?”

“…Excuse me?”

“For you to recover. You’re going to say you couldn’t show your true skill because you were out of it.”

Namgung Dan bit his lip so hard, it turned white.

He couldn’t argue against her words, which brought him even greater shame. He was stubbornly dragging out a match that was already over.

“I’m… Ready!”

“Really?”

Tang Soso smiled sweetly and approached him. Sparks flew in Namgung Dan’s eyes.

‘This…!’

She was looking down on him! Approaching without any guard up!

“Taaah!”

Namgung Dan roared and attacked. His sword moved like lightning, a blur of wood. The Namgung Clan’s Iron Sword Twelve Forms unfolded perfectly.

Clang!

The swords met, and he twisted his wrist, swinging his sword like a storm. It was a fierce attack meant to overwhelm Tang Soso.

‘I just need to show my true skill!’

He wouldn’t be defeated by Tang Soso, who hadn’t even practiced the sword for many years. His blood and sweat were in every strike! No matter how talented she was, she couldn’t match his dedication! No, she shouldn’t!

Surely.

Surely that would be the case….

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

She blocked everything.

Tang Soso blocked his fierce strikes without exception.

‘H-How?’

Namgung Dan started to panic.

Had his sword weakened because he had been hit in the head?

No.

A sword was part of his body. His sword moved as he wanted. But no matter how he swung, it wouldn’t reach Tang Soso.

Throb! Throb!

His wrist ached as if it would break every time the swords collided.

His wrist couldn’t handle the shock.

‘T-This can’t be happening!’

Namgung Dan screamed and swung his sword with all his might. A wild, storm-like attack poured down on Tang Soso.

“B-Brother!”

“No, Brother!”

The Namgung Clan instructors screamed. They realized Namgung Dan’s sword was no longer controlled.

If things continued, Tang Soso would be torn apart by the storm of sword energy!

But Namgung Dan was the one being driven into a corner.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Tang Soso’s eyes grew colder. Her gaze didn’t waver as she watched Namgung Dan.

Then, her small voice was heard clearly.

“Are you done?”

“Gasp!”

At that moment.

Boom!

The swords met, and Tang Soso twisted her wrist, deflecting Namgung Dan’s sword upwards. His upper body was wide open.

“Head!”

Tang Soso’s sword fell like a lightning strike towards his head. Namgung Dan pulled his sword up to block it. He gathered as much energy as he could to avoid being crushed.

‘I-I blocked it….’

But Tang Soso’s sword spun and passed by his sword.

‘What?’

Namgung Dan saw the sword lodge itself in his right ankle.

Whack!

Namgung Dan’s mouth opened wide.

Pain spread from his ankle to his entire body.

“Ugh, ugh….”

Namgung Dan, filled with anger, swung his sword wildly.

Whack!

Tang Soso’s sword struck his knee.

“Ugh…. Aargh!”

Namgung Dan swung his sword with all his might. But Tang Soso struck the incoming sword head-on.

Kawaaaang!

Namgung Dan’s back twisted. His sword bent back behind him. Red blood dripped from his grip, as if his hand had been torn.

‘T-This can’t be….’

Tang Soso’s angry voice pierced his ear.

“A swordsman swinging his sword wildly because he’s angry?”

Tang Soso raised her sword high. Terrified, Namgung Dan raised his wooden sword to cover his head.

Tang Soso’s sword came down hard.

“Put your strength into the sword!”

Kuuuuung!

“Use your power!”

Kuuuuung!

“If you want to hit hard!”

Kuuuuuuung!

“Lower your stance first, you idiot! Stance!”

Kuuuuuuuuung!

Namgung Dan lowered his stance. His back was bending almost to the point of twisting.

“Face? A kid who hasn’t even grown up talking about face?”

“Ugh, ugh….”

Namgung Dan tried to straighten his body.

“Lower your stance, you idiot!”

Kwaaaang!

Namgung Dan’s wooden sword was embedded in his face. Two streams of blood gushed from his nose.

“He really can’t understand words, can he? Fine. If you can’t understand with your ears, you can understand with your body!”

The Five Swords turned their heads, not wanting to watch.

“Lower your knees!”

Tang Soso’s sword harshly struck Namgung Dan’s knees.

“Straighten your back!”

She struck Namgung Dan’s back, forcing him to straighten it.

“Shoulders! Relax your shoulders!”

Namgung Dan’s body took on a perfect posture after being struck on both shoulders.

Baek Cheon sighed softly, looking at the sky.

Why is violence passed down?

Why….

“Use your sword while rolling your head, you idiot!”

Tang Soso’s sword flew towards the center of Namgung Dan’s head.

Watching the sword fall, Namgung Dan smiled faintly.

‘This is… a dream.’

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

A sound that no one wanted to hear echoed five times.

Plop.

Namgung Dan collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

Everyone stared at his limbs trembling like a frog hit by a stone.

“What? He’s collapsing with just this? Hey. Get up!”

Then, Yoon Jong turned to Baek Cheon.

“Martial Uncle.”

“Hmm?”

“Why did Soso become like that?”

“Yoon Jong.”

“Yes?”

“…People grow up as they see and learn. The one above is like that, so what can those below do?”

Just be grateful that you’re Chung Myung’s martial brother.”

It was meaningful, but Yoon Jong still seemed worried.

“Martial Uncle.”

“What is it now?”

“…Then what will happen to the Myungja generation who will enter Mount Hua in the future?”

Baek Cheon couldn’t answer and looked away. Chung Myung was laughing.

“…Oh, Primordial Celestial Venerable.”

Please watch over Mount Hua.

“Next! Next come out! Hey, Do-wi, you come out!”

Only Tang Soso’s loud, angry voice and Chung Myung’s laughter echoed throughout the training hall.