"So, she's from the Zhuge Family."
I thought to myself.
No wonder she seemed like she came from a prestigious family; she was the daughter of one of the Five Great Families, the Zhuge Family.
I clasped my hands in greeting and said, "I am Baek Suryong."
"I know. You're the most famous among this year's new instructor applicants."
"......"
"......"
The conversation halted, and an awkward silence lingered.
With nothing more to say, I turned my head to look at the martial arts stage.
The sparring between Namgung Soo and Myeong Il-oh was about to begin.
"If both are ready, you may start," said the elder overseeing the match.
As soon as his words fell, Myeong Il-oh advanced with quick steps, thrusting a wooden staff at Namgung Soo's chest.
Thwack! Namgung Soo easily deflected the attack with his wooden sword, and the sparring began.
"Haaap!" Myeong Il-oh shouted, circling around Namgung Soo and attacking with various techniques, while Namgung Soo blocked them almost from the same spot.
"What do you think will happen?" Zhuge Soyoung asked me with sparkling eyes.
'If you've seen enough, you should leave...' I thought, noticing her holding a thick book with one arm and a brush in the other, as if ready to jot down notes.
I scratched my chin and replied, "Well, obviously Namgung Soo will win."
I secretly hoped Myeong Il-oh would land a hit, but with his current skills, it was impossible.
"I know the outcome too. My question was how many moves Myeong Il-oh can endure."
"It depends on how much Namgung Soo holds back."
Even now, Myeong Il-oh was attacking desperately, while Namgung Soo, with an expressionless face, casually swung his sword.
'If he wanted, he could end it within fifty moves...' But Namgung Soo didn't.
Like a master teaching a novice, he leisurely blocked, counterattacked, and even gave advice.
"Your lower stance is open. Pay more attention to your footwork."
"...... Thank you."
"You're putting too much strength in your wrist. It's better to relax."
"...... Ah, yes."
"Don't aim for the head in situations like that."
"......"
Giving advice once or twice is one thing, but as Namgung Soo continued to speak as if teaching a student, Myeong Il-oh's face turned red with embarrassment.
Murmurs spread among the crowd.
"As expected of Teacher Namgung..."
"He's overwhelming."
"Doesn't he look especially cool with that expressionless face today?"
"But isn't the opponent's skill too lacking?"
"He seems to be trying hard, but... hmm..."
The students were impressed by Namgung Soo's overwhelming skill, but disappointed in Myeong Il-oh, who couldn't even touch Namgung Soo's clothes despite giving his all.
This would surely affect the student evaluations.
I narrowed my eyes, watching Namgung Soo.
'That guy...'
The purpose of this sparring was to assess the skills of the new instructor applicants.
Since most existing instructors were stronger, it was natural to hold back a bit.
But there's a limit to that; treating someone like a child would hurt Myeong Il-oh's pride.
He was standing there as an instructor, not a student.
However, Namgung Soo didn't seem to have any intention of treating Myeong Il-oh as a fellow instructor.
Not only did he not treat him as an instructor...
"He's using the opponent to boost his own reputation."
"... I can't deny that," Zhuge Soyoung sighed with a bitter voice, looking at Namgung Soo with a complicated expression.
"He used to be kind and gentle..."
"Are you close with Namgung Soo?"
"We met often when we were young. We weren't that close, though."
Being from the same Five Great Families, there must have been interactions between the families.
It's hard to imagine Namgung Soo being kind and innocent...
"Haaap!" At that moment, Myeong Il-oh, who had stepped back, shouted and prepared a big attack.
His martial robe swelled with inner energy, and his footprints were clearly marked on the stage floor.
His wooden staff left dozens of afterimages as it thrust at Namgung Soo's entire body.
Thud, thud, thud! Namgung Soo calmly blocked each attack without retreating.
Then, in a moment, Myeong Il-oh's eyes shone.
He revealed his final hidden move.
But...
"A bit too fast."
I muttered in regret, but my words didn't reach Myeong Il-oh.
Swoosh! Myeong Il-oh's final thrust, hidden among countless feints, aimed for Namgung Soo's side.
At that moment, Namgung Soo's eyes widened slightly as he murmured, "Not bad."
Thwack! In the end, the decisive attack was blocked, and Myeong Il-oh was pushed back by the rebound force.
Namgung Soo also staggered back a few steps before forcibly stopping in place.
'What was that?' I tilted my head at the unnatural movement.
Just now, Namgung Soo should have stepped back a few more steps to disperse the force of Myeong Il-oh's attack.
But he stubbornly stood his ground, and his face looked slightly uncomfortable.
His energy channels might have been slightly twisted.
"Did he think even retreating a few steps would hurt his pride?"
"... It's similar but different. Brother Namgung is fighting with his own set of rules."
Turning my head, I saw Zhuge Soyoung sighing with a dark expression.
"His own set of rules?"
"Didn't you know? Brother Namgung draws an imaginary circle at the start of a sparring match and fights without stepping outside it."
I was dumbfounded and asked Zhuge Soyoung, "Why would he do such a thing?"
Zhuge Soyoung looked at me as if asking if I really didn't know.
"Because someone did something similar with the students yesterday."
"... You mean me?"
When I pointed at myself and asked, Zhuge Soyoung nodded.
"Brother Namgung has been proud since he was young. Whenever someone showed impressive martial arts, he would always try to imitate it."
That meant Namgung Soo was imitating what I did during the external martial arts demonstration, where I fought without stepping outside the circle.
"What a strange guy."
"... I think that competitive spirit is what made Brother Namgung a top instructor."
We turned our heads back to the martial arts stage.
There, the two stood with clearly different expressions.
Namgung Soo, with a faint smile, spoke to Myeong Il-oh.
"Your last move was good. But the timing of revealing the real strike hidden among the feints was too early, making your intent obvious. With more practice, you'll improve."
"... Thank you."
Though he feigned kindness, to my ears, it sounded like, "No matter what you do, you can't even touch my clothes."
Myeong Il-oh probably heard it similarly.
"......"
The sparring was already over in spirit.
The students applauded Namgung Soo's skill, and the instructors nodded, acknowledging him as Teacher Namgung.
Only Myeong Il-oh gritted his teeth, lowering his head to hide his frustrated expression.
'He's not someone who should be evaluated like this.'
I knew how much Myeong Il-oh had prepared to become an instructor at the Blue Dragon Academy.
He had come to this city months in advance to gather information, organizing the students' traits and personalities into a genealogy.
His martial arts skills might be lacking, but he had enough qualities to be an instructor.
Namgung Soo didn't know that.
He probably didn't want to know.
"Do you want to continue? If you have more to show, I'll accept it."
"I..."
Namgung Soo asked Myeong Il-oh as if doing him a favor.
Myeong Il-oh hesitated.
He hadn't shown his true skills.
The opponent hadn't given him the chance.
"I understand your regret, but I don't think continuing will have much meaning."
"I..."
Myeong Il-oh's eyes dimmed.
His shoulders drooped, and the strength left his hand holding the wooden staff.
Everyone expected him to soon utter words of surrender.
But at that moment, Namgung Soo turned his head slightly to look at me.
A faint, mocking smile appeared on his lips.
Understanding the meaning behind that smile, I decided to wipe that annoying grin off his face.
"Earlier, you asked how many moves Myeong Il-oh could endure?"
"Yes? Oh, yes. But it's all over now..."
"How about a bet with me?"
"What?"
I immediately got to the point with Zhuge Soyoung, who looked at me with a surprised expression.
"From now on, fifty moves. Within that, Myeong Il-oh will knock Namgung Soo to the ground."
"... That's impossible."
"I'll bet on it happening."
"..."
"The loser grants the winner one wish."
"... Alright. I'll bet it won't happen."
With a determined expression, Zhuge Soyoung nodded.
I immediately sent a voice transmission to Myeong Il-oh.
[Il-oh, do you want to win?]
[Brother? What suddenly...]
[Do you want to land a hit on that annoying guy?]
[...
Of course.]
[Then, from now on, can you do exactly as I say without question?]
There was a brief silence as he seemed to contemplate.
[...
Yes.
I want to win.]
Strength returned to his grip on the wooden staff, and his eyes gradually regained their light.
Gritting his teeth, Myeong Il-oh sent me a voice transmission.
[Please help me knock that guy down.]
[Alright.
Get ready.]
Myeong Il-oh's sparring was about to truly begin.
"I will continue."
As soon as those words left Myeong Il-oh's mouth, Namgung Soo and all the instructors and students were surprised.
Just moments ago, Myeong Il-oh had looked defeated, but now his eyes burned brightly as he glared at Namgung Soo.
"I still have more to show."
"... Unexpected."
Having already spoken earlier, Namgung Soo couldn't suggest stopping, even though the outcome seemed decided.
'I thought he'd give up by now...
He's more foolish than I thought.'
Booing erupted from the audience.
Criticisms like "Can't you accept it's over?" poured in.
"Come at me."
Myeong Il-oh approached with his wooden staff raised in a middle guard.
Seeing his stance, unchanged from the beginning, Namgung Soo quietly clicked his tongue.
'Not bad, but there are already many mediocre instructors like you.'
Though his gaze had changed, nothing else seemed different.
Myeong Il-oh's strength, speed, inner energy, techniques.
Namgung Soo believed he had already grasped his opponent's capabilities.
But then, why...
'What is this?'
This chilling sensation creeping up his neck, what was it?
Swoosh! The wooden staff sliced through the air, aiming for Namgung Soo's shoulder.
Namgung Soo, familiar with his opponent's style, thrust his wooden sword to intercept it.
He planned to block Myeong Il-oh's technique in advance and immediately counterattack.
'That earlier sensation must have been a mistake.'
In the end, nothing had changed.
He was merely startled by his opponent's intensity.
But at that moment...
Swish! The wooden staff twisted like a snake, climbing up the wooden sword and aiming for Namgung Soo's wrist.
"What the!"
Startled, Namgung Soo quickly shook off the staff and stepped back.
Myeong Il-oh relentlessly pursued, thrusting his staff repeatedly.
Thud, thud, thud! The wooden staff and sword clashed continuously.
The instructors widened their eyes, and the students who had been jeering fell silent.
'How dare you!'
Realizing he was caught off guard, Namgung Soo's expression twisted.
Moreover, just two more steps back, and he would step outside the imaginary circle he had drawn.
Namgung Soo planted his feet firmly, refusing to retreat.
That was the worst decision he could have made.
It was as if Myeong Il-oh had anticipated his move.
Swoosh.
With a single step, Myeong Il-oh closed the distance, entering his own range.
Namgung Soo's eyes widened in shock.
For a martial artist wielding a staff to close the distance against one with a sword was an unexpected move.
'Damn it!'
Namgung Soo hurriedly thrust his sword to force his opponent back.
However, due to the awkward twist in his movement, the sword lacked proper strength and speed.
Whoosh! Namgung Soo's wooden sword struck nothing but air for the first time.
And through the opening created, Myeong Il-oh, gripping his staff tightly, advanced.
"Here I come."
"!!"
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud! A completely different sound from before.
The relentless barrage of attacks made Namgung Soo's body sway backward as if he would fall.