Chapter 308: Youngest Candidate for Alliance Leader (6)

It was pure shock.

No one had anticipated such a situation.

"...How can this be."

"To think that Little Sword Immortal's martial prowess was at this level..."

Though they had heard of the reputation of Little Sword Immortal So Unhwi, there had always been some skepticism.

It was because, for someone who had just recently stepped out of his early twenties, his rapid growth in such a short time seemed unbelievable.

That was why even Yeolwangpaedo Jingyun, the Vice Alliance Leader, hadn't stopped him—deep down, he too had doubts.

Even though Jingyun was said to be inferior to Musangdo, he had long maintained his position as one of the Eight Great Masters—a true transcendental warrior.

In terms of age and experience, he far surpassed So Unhwi.

But when the truth was revealed, the result was nothing short of shocking.

"Just a single move..."

Military Advisor Sama Jung-hyeon couldn't believe his eyes.

He had witnessed their duel at the inn seven months ago.

It had ended amicably in a draw, but in terms of inner strength, So Unhwi had clearly been outmatched by Yeolwangpaedo Jingyun.

"Did he hide his true power back then?"

Even if he had obtained a miraculous elixir or some fortuitous encounter, it was hard to believe his skills could have improved so drastically.

Just like Sama Jung-hyeon, there was another person who was utterly stunned by So Unhwi's overwhelming martial prowess—Mount Hyeong Sword, Jo Cheong-un.

"...This kind of growth is unreal."

He too had once crossed swords with So Unhwi.

Back at the Ikyang Merchant House.

At that time, So Unhwi had certainly been among the top of the late-stage martial practitioners, but not to this extent.

The gap between them now felt as vast as heaven and earth.

"Great Hero Ho Jongdae... just what kind of monster did you raise?"

This wasn't just a matter of a student surpassing the master.

He was a monster incarnate.

Jo Cheong-un wasn't the only one astonished. So too was Gwak Hyeong-jik of North Yeongdo Castle, who had also been curious about So Unhwi's recent growth.

"...Hah."

He could only sigh in disbelief.

He had last seen So Unhwi when the boy had lost control under the influence of the Blood Demon Sword.

He had been wondering what So Unhwi's power would look like without relying on the cursed sword.

But this was far beyond his imagination.

"...I made the right choice."

When So Unhwi had approached him with an offer, he had agonized over the decision.

Whether or not it was right to follow him.

But now, after witnessing such monstrous ability, he felt certain he had made the right choice.

Gwak Hyeong-jik looked toward the other elders.

Each of them had a different expression, but all were clearly shocked, unable to take their eyes off So Unhwi.

No one could question his martial power anymore.

As someone who knew his true identity, it was almost amusing—but in truth, there was no one more suitable than So Unhwi to stand against the Blood Demon.

"He might become the youngest Alliance Leader in Murim history."

That is, if he could defeat Baek Hyang-muk, the former Alliance Leader and Infinite Sword of Heaven.

Yet right now, So Unhwi, who had just slammed that very person into the lower level of the building, was still staring at the hole in the floor.

Could it be… that even after receiving that tremendous blow, he was still unharmed?

Just then—

—RUMBLE!

"What the?!"

"The building is shaking!"

As if an earthquake had struck, the entire headquarters began to tremble.

The shaking grew stronger, and then—

BOOM!

A deafening roar erupted from below.

The floor cracked open, and a crimson flame blazed up, accompanied by a sharp and menacing wave of energy that surged upward.

-Flare!

I dodged the surging flame aura by using a technique.

Yeolwangpaedo Jin-Gyun looked quite sturdy, but I didn't expect him to withstand an attack struck with Seven-Star Gong power.

The fiery aura wrapped around his Paeyeoldo sword shattered the ceiling of the main building and stretched outward.

Those nearby might have seen it.

At that moment, a hot heat was felt from below.

-Pat!

From the open hole, Yeolwangpaedo Jin-Gyun sprang up wielding his blazing Paeyeoldo sword.

His lute-shaped Paeyeoldo was glowing red-hot with flames.

"Yeol-Yeom Sin-Gong!"

"It's the secret technique of Yeolwangpaedo!"

Some elders who recognized it shouted.

To reveal such a secret move so quickly, he must have been seriously provoked.

His face was distorted with anger, which made it clear.

-So he mastered the left hand too, huh.

It seems so.

Judging by the fact that he's using the left hand instead of the right, that is.

In fact, from the previous move, he must have clearly realized the difference in Gong power between him and me.

Yet he hurriedly rushed up like this, probably out of pride.

"Looks like he resembles someone after all—his grandfather."

I wondered who Jin-Yong resembled, and it was his grandfather.

His fierce fighting spirit regardless of the opponent's strength reminded me of his youth.

He must have become stronger by whipping himself like this.

I took a fighting stance and said to him,

"Senior, will you continue?"

Jin-Gyun shouted with a fierce voice in response.

"The duel is not over yet."

"If you're going to continue, better do it outside. If you keep wielding that blazing sword here, the entire main building might burn down."

The wooden floorboards were already catching fire due to the heat.

If we fought here, the whole compound would burn down soon.

-Creak!

"Worry about yourself first!"

Jin-Gyun gritted his teeth at my words and launched a new move.

Wielding his poisonous weapon Paeyeoldo and unleashing his secret technique Yeol-Yeom Sin-Gong, his Gong power soared to almost double.

At this level, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was on the verge of breaking the wall of a superhuman.

-Flare!

As Jin-Gyun unleashed his sword technique, the flames wrapped around Paeyeoldo opened its mouth wide like a great fierce tiger trying to swallow me whole.

He seemed completely unconcerned about the building burning down.

Well, I understood — to win, he must go all out rather than holding back energy.

I had to lift the heat of these flames upward.

-Swish!

I drew the Namcheon Iron Sword at my waist.

Stepping into my true stance, I extended my sword toward the massive flames attacking me.

"Sixth Form True Technique, Jin Chuga Hoegeom (Pursuing Asia Returning Sword)."

I adjusted the angle as much as possible.

As I extended the sword and curved the trajectory upward, the resulting wind pressure created a dragon fist gale.

"What?!"

-Kwakkwaak kwaak kwaak kwang!

The dragon fist gale from Chuga Hoegeom swallowed the fierce flames raised by Jin-Gyun in an instant, then blew away half of the ceiling of the main building.

"No way..."

"Is this sword technique?"

The expressions of some elders watching the scene were priceless.

Jin-Gyun's technique with Yeol-Yeom Sin-Gong was tremendous, but not only did I easily neutralize it, I showed such power with a sword technique, so their reaction was understandable.

-Can the building burning not happen, but this is okay?

Seems so.

I'm not in a position to judge.

But roughly handling that sword technique's power would have been very dangerous.

Soon, the fragments of the ceiling flew down, and Jin-Gyun, caught in the dragon fist gale, fell to the floor.

-Thud!

He barely managed to land, but his condition was terrible.

Blood was dripping from sword cuts all over his body from the sword aura of Chuga Hoegeom.

"Will he keep going?"

I slowly approached him.

Jin-Gyun staggered but stood up.

Then he said to me,

"...Nobu, I have fought many masters until now, but this is the first time I've seen someone grow as fast as you, So Geomseon."

His voice no longer held any anger.

From this one technique, he must have realized he had no chance of winning.

For that reason, his voice sounded hollow.

Since he no longer seemed willing to fight, I sheathed my sword, assumed a fighting stance, and said,

"You flatter me. I still have a long way to go."

He stared at me, lips trembling, and painfully spoke,

"...I'm inferior in both character and martial arts in every aspect."

"Senior?"

"Nobu has lost."

Yeolwangpaedo Jin-Gyun cleanly admitted defeat in the end.

"Ahhhh."

"Deputy Chief..."

The moment those words escaped his mouth, the elders of the Deputy Chief faction sighed heavily.

The declaration of defeat meant he was effectively giving up the candidate position for chief.

But no one voiced objection.

Who would, after witnessing my overwhelming martial skill firsthand?

"They say the back waves of the Yangtze River push the front waves, and I'm starting to understand. Nobu was blinded by vain ambition."

Jin-Gyun's voice sounded much more at ease.

Until admitting defeat, he hesitated out of pride.

But once he let go of what he held in his hand, his face looked much better.

At that moment, the voice of Namcheon Iron Sword echoed in my mind.

-My previous owner said, even a butcher becomes a Buddha the moment he puts down the sword.

There is truth in those words.

The face of Yeolwangpaedo Jin-Gyun, who let go of his lust for power and fighting spirit, resembled when I first met him.

I smiled lightly and said,

"Don't say that. Senior, you are still very much active."

Jin-Gyun scoffed and said,

"Who said I'm retiring?"

"Huh?"

"Nobu is the type who can never accept losing. Now that I have a new goal, I will sharpen my skills even more. Be prepared."

"...Junior. I will always be on alert."

It seemed he hadn't let go of his fighting spirit after all.

Better than being blinded by ambition and losing reason.

Yeolwangpaedo Jin-Gyun turned to the elders and shouted,

"I hereby withdraw from the candidate position for chief. And I support So Geomseon as the new candidate. Anyone who objects, speak now."

The elders of the Deputy Chief faction didn't answer his words.

Even though their deputy chief gave up, they seemed unable to accept me since I had once disparaged them.

They might have thought the previous chief was better.

However, not everyone felt that way.

Someone took a fighting stance toward me and said,

"The Hangsan faction supports So Geomseon as chief candidate."

It was Yangmyeong Satye of the Hangsan faction.

Her words made Junghyang Satye of the Amipha faction visibly displeased.

"Yangmyeong Satye!"

"Is there a problem, Junghyang Satye?"

"No matter how outstanding the martial arts are, if a young chief candidate lacking experience can't control his temper, who will take responsibility later..."

At that moment, someone cut off her words.

"If experience or something is lacking, the elders will help to fill it. Isn't that the purpose of the elders and the military division?"

"Elder Namgung!"

It was Namgung Mujin of the Namgung clan.

Ignoring her, Namgung Mujin took a fighting stance toward me and said,

"Our Namgung clan supports you, So Geomseon, as the chief candidate."

Before he finished, other elders one by one took fighting stances and declared,

"The Jinju clan also supports you as chief candidate."

"The Sacheondangmun also supports So Geomseon as chief candidate."

As each of them stepped forward, the faces of elders who opposed me hardened.

Still, their support did not cease.

"The Hyeongsan faction also supports So Geomseon as chief candidate."

"If our clan head were here, he would support So Geomseon as well. So our Jeonjin faction supports So Geomseon as chief candidate."

"Although the Hwasan faction hopes the previous chief returns, they admit So Geomseon's qualifications as candidate."

The final declaration came from Jo Seongwon, the ark keeper of Bukyeongdoseong.

Since they were originally on my side, they hadn't openly shown it, but now they took the atmosphere and declared their support for me.

Thus, more than half the elders recognized me as the chief candidate.

"Ugh."

"How..."

Even if the remaining elders raised objections, they had no grounds to stop me.

Deputy Chief Jin-Gyun looked toward Chief Military Officer Sama Jung-hyun.

He also sighed but nodded in agreement with the outcome.

"...Chief Military Officer agrees as well?"

"Who would disagree?"

Chief Military Officer Bang Deok-hyun wouldn't oppose.

He moves in my grip.

Then Deputy Chief Jin-Gyun officially announced,

"It is decided. So Geomseon So Un-hwi is confirmed as a candidate for the upcoming chief election, alongside the Infinite First Sword Baek Hyang-muk."

"We accept the decision!"

The elders who declared their support for me answered unanimously.

I didn't care whether the rest answered or not.

Things seemed to be going well, but suddenly someone's voice echoed in my ear.

[Hey, So Geomseon.]

It was none other than Namgung Mujin of the Namgung clan.

I looked at him puzzled, and he cleared his throat, hesitated, and then asked me casually,

[Hmm, hmm. No particular intention, but does your family have a predetermined marriage partner?]

'!?'