The next morning.
Eun Jin-ho calmly drew a deep breath in his room.
Today was finally the day of his first match in the main tournament.
He wasn’t particularly nervous or tense.
He was simply worried that he might somehow disgrace Outer Chief Administrator Go Il-pyeong and the Eunhae Merchant Group.
And if he were injured, his parents would undoubtedly worry themselves sick. That concerned him as well.
Naturally, his youngest brother, Eun Seo-ho, wouldn’t take it quietly either.
‘Maybe I shouldn’t have entered after all.’
However, this was a decision he had made only after agonizing over it dozens of times.
As the Eunhae Merchant Group continued to grow, more people would inevitably try to keep it in check or resent its success.
Whether he needed to warn those people off or make them pay for their actions, he first needed to build a reputation of his own.
If he possessed overwhelming martial prowess like Boulder True Sword, the escort guard serving the Sebin Merchant Group’s Merchant Lord, people would back down without being told. Unfortunately, Jin-ho had not yet reached that level.
That was why he needed opportunities like this to demonstrate his skill and make his name known.
All to protect the Eunhae Merchant Group.
“Brother, it’s me.”
Just then, a voice called to him from outside the door.
“Yeah, come in.”
The door soon opened, and Eun Seo-ho stepped inside.
“What is it?”
“Are you ready to head out?”
“Almost. I only need to put on my outer robe.”
“Then I came at the perfect time.”
Eun Seo-ho placed the bundle he was carrying on the table and untied it.
Inside was…
“A breastplate?”
“That’s right. It wasn’t easy to get, either. It’s made from Ten-Thousand-Forged Steel.”
Ten-Thousand-Forged Steel was said to be created by tempering steel ten thousand times, giving it extraordinary hardness and resilience.
At the same time, it was remarkably light and comfortable to wear, so it was often used for armor worn beneath one’s clothing, such as breastplates.
Of course, it was hardly easy to obtain.
Not only did its creation require high-quality iron capable of enduring ten thousand rounds of tempering, but it also demanded the skill needed to carry out such an arduous process.
For that reason, the technique for producing Ten-Thousand-Forged Steel was passed down only among a very small number of people.
“The rules of the friendly matches prohibit full-body armor, but armor that protects only part of the body is allowed. They provide everyone with a neck guard, but nothing else. That’s why I prepared this.”
One might think that if protective equipment was being provided at all, they should also issue something to protect the chest, but there was a reason they did not.
Depending on the nature of someone’s martial arts, wearing a breastplate could actually restrict their movements.
Opinions on the matter had been fiercely divided, so in the end, the organizers had decided to provide only neck guards and leave all other protective equipment to the participants’ discretion.
Eun Jin-ho understood why Eun Seo-ho had gone to such lengths to bring this to him.
Feeling the concern behind the gesture, Eun Jin-ho gave an awkward smile.
“Thanks.”
He lifted the breastplate and continued.
“Since you’re already here, help me put it on.”
“Brother.”
“What?”
“I’m busy.”
“…”
“But make sure you wear it. I’m going to punch you later to make certain you put it on properly.”
I left Brother Jin-ho’s room and scratched my cheek.
I could have helped him put on the breastplate, but the thought made me strangely embarrassed, so I had made an excuse and slipped away.
I hadn’t told Brother Jin-ho, but there was a reason I had gone to so much trouble to obtain that breastplate for him.
It was because of the opponent he would be facing today.
Yesterday, while I was resting after the matches had ended, Lady Seohyang came to find me with her face deathly pale.
Then she told me something.
“Deputy Merchant Lord Eun Jin-ho is in danger.”
I listened to her entire explanation, then pieced it together with what I remembered.
Brother Jin-ho’s opponent was Ji Gyeong-hwa of the Ji Clan.
His primary weapon was a whip fitted with iron plates, and those plates made it an exceptionally dangerous weapon.
Perhaps that was why one of his opponents had died during a match in my previous life.
That opponent had been Warrior Jo Un, Escort Guard Chang Un’s senior brother.
The reason I only remembered that incident after hearing Lady Seohyang’s warning was that I hadn’t been here during the Murim Grand Assembly in my previous life.
I had heard about it from my brothers, but they weren’t the sort of people who would gossip about someone’s death, and I hadn’t considered the incident particularly important at the time.
So I had let the information pass through my mind without giving it much thought.
In any case, participants bore no responsibility for anything that happened during the friendly matches at the Murim Grand Assembly, so Young Lord Ji Gyeong-hwa had received no punishment.
However, the man who died had been regarded as the future of the Zhongnan Sect.
As a result, the relationship between the Zhongnan Sect and the Ji Clan had become viciously hostile, and unfortunately, the two factions were based in the same region.
That conflict eventually led to a disastrous outcome.
This time, however, Ji Gyeong-hwa’s opponent wasn’t Warrior Jo Un.
It was my brother.
Naturally, I had no choice but to do everything in my power to stop it.
For now, I didn’t know why Young Lord Ji Gyeong-hwa had used a killing move back then or exactly how he had killed his opponent.
However, according to Lady Seohyang, Brother Jin-ho was supposed to collapse with blood pouring from his chest, which meant the fatal attack would strike him there.
That was why I had given him the breastplate.
I spotted Escort Guard Chang Un meditating in the rear courtyard.
Perhaps he had been shocked by Warrior Jo Un’s defeat at Brother Jin-ho’s hands, because he had been completely absorbed in his training lately.
Escort Guard Chang Un, you really shouldn’t be so devastated that your respected senior brother was eliminated in the preliminaries.
In a way, losing that match saved his life.
Of course, if I actually said that aloud, he would probably stare at me as though I had lost my mind.
I pushed the thought aside and called out to him.
“Escort Guard Chang Un.”
“Yes!”
He opened his eyes and immediately rose to his feet. I turned away as I spoke.
“It’s time to leave for the arena.”
.
.
.
My companions and I arrived at the arena.
“Did you put on the breastplate I gave you?”
“Yeah. I asked Man-i to help me.”
Man-i was Brother Jin-ho’s attendant. If he had entrusted it to Man-i, then the breastplate would have been fitted as carefully and securely as possible.
“Good.”
We took our respective seats.
After we had waited for a while, Commander Geum Yeon-hwa climbed onto the stage.
“We will now begin the second day of matches for the main tournament’s first round.”
“Waaaaah!”
“Today’s first match will be Eun Jin-ho of the Eunhae Merchant Group! His opponent is Ji Gyeong-hwa of the Ji Clan!”
“Tiger-Slaying Spear Hero! Tiger-Slaying Spear Hero!”
“Crimson Thousand-Line Whip! Crimson Thousand-Line Whip!”
Crimson Thousand-Line Whip was Young Lord Ji Gyeong-hwa’s epithet.
He had earned the name because when he swung his crimson whip, it looked as though a thousand red lines had been drawn through the air.
“Be careful!”
“Please, don’t take any unnecessary risks.”
At our parents’ anxious warnings, Brother Jin-ho gave them a confident nod.
“Yes. I’ll do my best.”
Then he turned his head toward me, and I gave him a broad grin.
Brother Jin-ho and Young Lord Ji Gyeong-hwa climbed onto the stage.
Once seven markers had been fastened to each of their bodies and both men were ready, the sound of a drum thundered through the arena.
Boom!
The match had begun.
The two exchanged a few light attacks to test each other, and Brother Jin-ho was the first to launch a serious offensive.
Haah!
He kicked off the ground, shot forward, and swept his spear through the air.
Whoosh!
Young Lord Ji Gyeong-hwa responded by lashing out with his whip, but Brother Jin-ho swiftly avoided it.
If the whip wrapped around his spear, he would inevitably lose control of the exchange.
He therefore had to make certain his weapon was never caught.
Young Lord Ji Gyeong-hwa seemed well aware of that fact. Rather than aiming directly at Brother Jin-ho, he repeatedly targeted the spear in his hands.
Even so, Brother Jin-ho succeeded in destroying two of his opponent’s markers.
He managed it by using one of his own techniques, a specialized deflection skill.
Brother Jin-ho had excellent peripheral vision and exceptionally quick reactions.
That allowed him to knock the whip’s tip aside with his spear, create an opening, and immediately follow with an attack.
Brother Jin-ho could use a technique like that?
Ah!
Something suddenly occurred to me, and I turned my head.
Mother was watching the match with a deeply satisfied expression.
Come to think of it, Brother Jeong-ho had mentioned something before.
He said Mother occasionally served as their sparring partner.
Mother’s primary weapon was a Flexible Sword, which shared many similarities with a whip.
It seemed she had taught Brother Jin-ho how to deal with Flexible Swords and whips.
Even if he had learned the method from her, I couldn’t believe he was applying it so freely in a real match!
That was impressive.
Crack!
One after another, the markers on Young Lord Ji Gyeong-hwa’s body were disappearing.
He had only three left.
Brother Jin-ho had lost only a single marker, so he was steadily securing the advantage.
At that moment, Young Lord Ji Gyeong-hwa suddenly clenched his teeth and swung his whip toward Brother Jin-ho’s weapon.
However, the whip seemed to have grown longer.
What? What did he do?
Ah, the handle!
When I examined it more closely, I saw that the whip’s handle was now considerably longer than it had been before.
A concealed section had been hidden inside it.
Some might wonder how something so simple could be considered a hidden trump card, but once an opponent had grown accustomed to a whip’s reach, adding even eight inches could easily result in a fatal wound.
Besides, the whip looked slightly too long to be aimed at the spear shaft.
That was dangerous.
My prediction proved correct.
The iron-plated whip struck directly at Brother Jin-ho’s chest.
Clang!
“Gah!”
“Jin-ho!”
Our parents shot to their feet in alarm, and I rose from my seat as well.
“Ugh…”
Brother Jin-ho groaned and staggered unsteadily.
Thank goodness.
I released a breath of relief.
If Lady Seohyang hadn’t warned me, this could have ended terribly.
Brother Jin-ho’s robe had been ripped open over the left side of his chest, revealing a gleaming metal plate beneath it.
Then there was the unmistakable sound of metal striking metal that we had just heard.
“…”
Our parents tilted their heads in confusion, so I explained.
“I gave Brother Jin-ho a breastplate this morning. Fortunately, he wore it into the match.”
Only then did our parents finally breathe in relief.
“But what made you think to give him a breastplate today?”
“I don’t know. I just felt like I should.”
“Was it some kind of instinct?”
“You could say that.”
After offering that vague excuse, I turned back toward the stage and looked at Young Lord Ji Gyeong-hwa.
It had lasted only an instant, but the emotion that flashed across his face had unmistakably been disappointment.
Disappointment?
Was he disappointed that he had failed to kill Brother Jin-ho?
Surely not.
Something was definitely wrong here.
The two men’s weapons began moving once more.
How was Brother Jin-ho going to overcome this situation…
Huh?
Brother Jin-ho suddenly extended his spear shaft without resistance, deliberately allowing the whip to coil around it.
However, a faint smile rested on his lips.
That meant this was exactly what he wanted.
Brother Jin-ho yanked the spear toward himself, dragging Young Lord Ji Gyeong-hwa forward. Then, instead of retreating, he lunged straight at his opponent and kicked his legs out from under him.
Thud!
Crack!
Only two markers remained!
Young Lord Ji Gyeong-hwa barely managed to free his whip as he stumbled backward, but Brother Jin-ho charged after him, clearly unwilling to let him escape.
Thud! Thud!
Perhaps the failure of his earlier attack had left his thoughts in turmoil, because Young Lord Ji Gyeong-hwa couldn’t mount a proper defense.
And with that, the match ended in Brother Jin-ho’s victory.
“The winner of this match is Eun Jin-ho!”
“Waaaaaah!”
Brother Jin-ho let out a triumphant roar.
“Tiger-Slaying Spear Hero! Tiger-Slaying Spear Hero!”
The spectators chanted Brother Jin-ho’s epithet and cheered wildly for him.
Wearing a delighted expression, Brother Jin-ho descended from the stage and rejoined us.
“Jin-ho!”
“Are you all right, Jin-ho?”
At our parents’ anxious questions, Brother Jin-ho scratched his head and replied.
“I’m sorry for frightening you. But I’m all right. Seo-ho happened to give me a rather useful gift.”
“Yes, we heard. Seo-ho gave you a breastplate.”
“He did.”
“Seo-ho’s instincts saved your life.”
“I’m already more grateful to him than I can say.”
.
.
.
Once the morning matches were over, Brother Jin-ho headed straight back to the inn so a physician could examine him.
When he removed his outer robe and breastplate, the entire left side of his chest was covered in a dark, ugly bruise.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes.”
The physician pressed his fingers against Brother Jin-ho’s chest.
“Aagh!”
Brother Jin-ho screamed, and the physician nodded gravely.
“It appears your sternum is fractured.”
“I see.”
“I heard what happened. This breastplate is the only reason your injuries ended here. Without it, your family might have been arranging a funeral.”
After saying that, the physician continued.
“But to think you finished the match in this condition! Honestly…”
The physician released a heavy sigh.
I couldn’t help sighing as well.
“What was I supposed to do? Withdraw in disgrace when I already had the upper hand?”
“Does that mean you intend to participate in your next match as well?”
“Of course.”
“Forfeit.”
“What?”
“You may appear fine at the moment, but you are anything but fine. If your chest suffers another heavy impact during your next match, you may never be able to wield a weapon again.”
“That’s not true. I’m fine! I’m going to compete!”
Brother Jin-ho made his declaration with absolute conviction.
And breaking through that stubbornness of his would not be easy.
.
.
.
After the afternoon matches ended, our parents returned to the inn and entered Brother Jin-ho’s room. Before long, however, they emerged with grim expressions.
It seemed they had failed to persuade him.
“That damned stubborn boy!”
“Haah…”
Outer Chief Administrator Go Il-pyeong, who stood beside them, had evidently failed as well.
“How are we supposed to break that mule-headed stubbornness of his…?”
I approached our parents with a smile.
“Father. I have an idea.”
“All right. What is it?”
I sent Father a Voice Transmission, and he nodded after hearing my plan.
“Go ahead and do it.”
I took Escort Guard Seo Wu and Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am with me and left the inn.
“Where are we going?”
I answered Escort Guard Seo Wu’s question.
“Yuwol Inn.”
“Isn’t that where the Emei Sect disciples are staying?”
“That’s right. I’m going to bring Cousin Hyang-ok back with us.”
I felt a little sorry for Brother Jin-ho, knowing Cousin Hyang-ok was about to tear him apart, but that wasn’t what mattered right now.
Naturally, I would be pleased if Brother Jin-ho continued winning and raised his reputation.
However, his health and his life were far more important.
Using an Elixir to heal his injuries was another possible solution, but with Brother Jin-ho’s personality, he would probably take that as permission to abuse his body even more recklessly.
I couldn’t allow that.
No matter how miraculous or ancient an Elixir might be, it wasn’t the answer to everything.
“What brings you here?”
A disciple standing outside Yuwol Inn asked the question, and I answered politely.
“I’m Hyang-ok’s younger cousin. Is she inside?”
“Please wait here for a moment.”
Fortunately, Cousin Hyang-ok seemed to be at the inn. Before long, she emerged alongside the disciple.
“What brings you here?”
“Well, Cousin. I have a favor to ask.”
–TL Notes–
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