Because I Am a Man 2
In my youth, I believed that the heroes of the martial world fought honorably, one-on-one.
I thought that only those who had not properly mastered their martial arts would engage in chaotic brawls.
However, when I actually stepped into the martial world, I found that both the righteous and the demonic sects, as well as the dark paths, would resort to all sorts of schemes, plots, and tricks to win in group battles.
The manly heroes I had imagined were surprisingly few.
In the midst of this, the solitary masters who pretended to be aloof and wandered without any backing often met a tragic end due to sheer numbers.
I never liked that.
A fight is best when it is one-on-one.
It is the cleanest, the most certain, and the most primal form of combat.
As we left the main hall and made our way to a wider area, Nam Yeon-pung restricted the spectators to only the officials, and with a single command, everyone else vanished from sight.
Nam Ga-rak, standing in the spacious area with his arms crossed, asked me, “What will you use?”
I replied casually, as if ordering a side dish at an inn, “Anything.”
“Choose.”
I crossed my arms like Nam Ga-rak and responded, “You choose. I have learned a bit of everything. Use what you are confident in.”
Seeing Nam Ga-rak deep in thought, I offered him some help with his choice. “Looking at your face makes me want to hit you. You’ve never been hit while being the leader of the Nam Myung Association, right? It’s better to use bare hands than weapons. Hitting that unlucky face of yours might please your subordinates. What do you think?”
Nam Ga-rak gave a bewildered smile, looking incredulous. “You crazy bastard. You’re not in your right mind.”
“If you’re scared, use a weapon. If you’re confident, come at me with your bare hands.”
While Nam Ga-rak was contemplating, I threw my black cat, Heukmyo, to the ground.
Nam Ga-rak uncrossed his arms and silently approached me.
We were of similar height.
As Nam Ga-rak closed the distance, he asked, “Are you ready to be hit?”
I chuckled, and Nam Ga-rak threw a punch.
Whack!
As I tried to grab his wrist with the Golden Hand Technique, Nam Ga-rak withdrew his hand and swept the ground with his left foot.
I dodged the low kick with a step back.
Nam Ga-rak then threw a jab at my face.
To gauge his strength, I supported myself with my internal energy and countered with a punch.
With a loud thud, Nam Ga-rak’s shoulder was pushed back, and then he followed up with a double jab.
I sensed that the double jab was a feint and quickly created distance of about three zhang (approximately 9 meters) to observe his technique.
Now, Nam Ga-rak’s expression turned serious.
If I had attacked him the moment I gained the upper hand, it would have left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth, but now it was different.
I was not just fighting to recruit Nam Ga-rak; I needed to win over the entire Nam Myung Association, so I was determined to fight properly.
Suddenly, I thought to myself that if I didn’t give it my all, Nam Ga-rak might notice and feel displeased later.
I changed my mindset from taking it easy to focusing on Nam Ga-rak.
In an instant, I drew upon the power of the Fighting Rooster and enveloped my hands with the energy of the Flame Technique.
The observing officials finally realized that something was off and murmured, “Huh?”
“Hmm.”
Feeling the heat rising in my body from the Fighting Rooster energy, I warned Nam Ga-rak, “Be careful, Association Leader.”
I stomped the ground and quickly closed the distance to Nam Ga-rak, extending my double jab.
Nam Ga-rak’s eyes widened in surprise as he responded with his own double jab.
Boom!
Nam Ga-rak’s body flew back like a perfectly laid corpse.
At the same time, I leaped into the air, raised my right hand, and wrapped it with the Flame Technique, preparing for a decisive strike without a weapon.
As I brought my hand down, a red blade descended upon Nam Ga-rak’s head, who had just sprung up.
His face twisted in agony as he crossed his hands to defend himself, wrapping his energy around them.
In an instant, with a thunderous crash, Nam Ga-rak’s body was sent flying three zhang (approximately 9 meters).
Rolling on the ground, he tore off his tattered robe with one hand and sprang to his feet.
Nam Ga-rak’s expression had transformed into that of a beast.
Yet to me, he looked like an angry tavern cat. ‘What a face.’
I planned to overwhelm him first and then respond.
Without giving him a moment’s rest, I closed the distance again, wrapped my hands with the Flame Technique, and struck down with a series of kicks, mixing in the Flame Technique, Earth Technique, and Long Technique to unleash a relentless barrage of attacks on Nam Ga-rak.
Every time he blocked my attacks, he staggered back, his face trembling, and like a startled cat, he jumped around while somehow maintaining his fighting spirit.
In the meantime, I unleashed the Absorbing Sound Technique as the chairperson and poured the Fighting Rooster Palm onto Nam Ga-rak’s entire body.
Nam Ga-rak raised his chin defiantly as he was pulled in, then countered with a double jab against my Fighting Rooster Palm.
Boom!
As he blocked the Fighting Rooster Palm, he spat out a mouthful of blood and rolled on the ground several times.
If I maintained my energy from the Flame Technique, it would have looked good enough for my subordinates, but the Fighting Rooster was different.
It was normal for him to spit blood or roll on the ground every time he took my attack.
My level in the Fighting Rooster was simply higher than Nam Ga-rak’s skill.
To wake him up, I soared into the air and stomped down on his face.
Thud!
Nam Ga-rak barely managed to roll on the ground to dodge and sprang up using the momentum from his right hand hitting the ground.
Meanwhile, I, having taken flight, considered Nam Ga-rak’s reaction speed and launched a kick while still in the air.
Wham!
I executed this strange move to give him time to block.
Nam Ga-rak crossed his arms to block my kick, frowning as he stepped back.
I moved quickly, hiding my energy, and swung my right arm like a whip, aiming for Nam Ga-rak’s neck.
Seeing an opportunity, Nam Ga-rak blocked my arm with his left hand and thrust his right hand forward.
I forcibly injected my energy to change the trajectory, then grabbed Nam Ga-rak by the collar, pulling his outstretched wrist with my left hand and throwing him into the air.
Boom!
Nam Ga-rak flew through the air like a scarecrow, spinning around.
In the meantime, I quickly moved to the spot where he would land.
Nam Ga-rak shouted from the air, “Draw your sword!”
After declaring his intent, he drew his sword first in mid-air and swung it wildly to buy himself some time.
Safely landing, Nam Ga-rak’s whole body trembled.
He pointed his shaking sword at me and said, “Association Leader, bring your sword.”
His breathing was ragged, his eyes bloodshot, and his face was flushed red.
More than any emotion, pride dominated Nam Ga-rak.
“Bring your sword!”
Seeing him angry, I smiled slyly and replied leisurely, “Alright then.”
I extended my left hand and pulled the black cat, Heukmyo, from a distance using the Absorbing Sound Technique.
The slightly moving Heukmyo suddenly dashed into my hand like a whirlwind.
Thud!
Without saying a word to start, I drew Heukmyo and infused it with energy.
The sword emerged, wrapped in a red hue.
After spinning it near my head, I stood it upright and wrapped it with the Flame Technique.
Whoosh!
A red haze began to swirl wildly around the blade.
As I poured my external energy and internal power into my right hand, transitioning to the Fighting Rooster, the red haze lined up neatly, and the blade became calm.
Instead, the blade of Heukmyo turned a deep crimson, as if soaked in blood.
I slightly shifted the vertically held blade to the right and locked eyes with Nam Ga-rak. “Association Leader, are you ready to die?”
“......”
The officials who had been watching spoke to Nam Ga-rak, “Leader?”
There was an undertone of “Let’s stop this” in their words.
Nam Ga-rak was staring intently at my blood-red sword.
He knew that if we continued fighting, he would face a greater disaster than when we fought barehanded.
In this situation, calmness was required more than pride.
Nam Ga-rak’s lips quivered before he spoke to me in a composed tone, “I don’t think there’s a need to confirm your technique. I concede.”
In an instant, Nam Ga-rak calmed his mind, exhaled deeply, and sheathed his sword.
I glared at him while slowly reducing the energy I had infused into Heukmyo.
The blood-red blade gradually turned white, as if it was shedding its anger.
After putting Heukmyo away, I said to Nam Ga-rak, “A calm mindset is also a skill. You ended it appropriately.”
I understood the hearts of proud men well.
Nam Ga-rak would need some time.
At times like this, he didn’t need the comfort of his subordinates.
It was best to leave him alone.
Though he was a proud man, he was also a responsible one, and he would return to his true self.
I looked around the Nam Myung Association as if I had no lingering attachments and said to Nam Ga-rak and his subordinates, “See you again.”
I turned away without demanding anything or mocking the entire Nam Myung Association.
After taking a few steps, Nam Ga-rak asked in a subdued tone, “Association Leader, let’s have a cup of tea before you go.”
“Let’s do it next time.”
I suddenly stopped and looked up at the sky.
It had rained the day before, but today the weather was clear and sunny.
“The clouds...”
Nam Ga-rak seemed to be somewhat concerned and asked from behind, “What will happen from now on?”
I replied while gazing at the drifting clouds, “It will work out somehow. The Hao Sect is the Hao Sect, and the Nam Myung Association is the Nam Myung Association. If the opportunity arises, let’s compete again. If the officials of the Nam Myung Association want to spar with me, let them speak up later. If they are as dignified as their leader, they are always welcome.”
Only then did I turn back to look at the Nam Myung Association.
Everyone was staring at me.
After choosing my words, I said to them, “If the Paegum Association or Nam Cheon-ryeon bothers you, contact the Hao Sect.”
Nam Ga-rak responded, “What if we contact you?”
I replied while lightly holding Heukmyo with my left hand, “... It will be war.”
I could have added more words, but I chose not to.
The choice was Nam Ga-rak’s.
Would he remain with the Nam Myung Association and face death like in his past life, or would he join the Hao Sect and change his fate? I didn’t want to forcefully change something that was tied to the fate of a person and a sect.
However, if Nam Ga-rak’s heart changes, then fate would also change. ‘Surely, even the heavens would forgive such a change in fate.’
As I bid farewell to the Nam Myung Association and returned to the Heukmyo Room, various thoughts filled my mind.
One thing was clear: to change fate, one must first change their heart.
Not just Nam Ga-rak, but I too.
For both of us, being men, changing our hearts was not an easy task.
But how could changing fate be so easy? It was inherently a difficult task.
Nam Ga-rak was probably nursing his wounded pride and gathering his thoughts, but I was in the same boat.
Acting like a normal hero of the martial world instead of going crazy like a madman left my head somewhat confused.
Still, wasn’t this a good way to handle things? Throughout the fight, Mo Yong-baek’s voice echoed in my ears. ‘What if we induce that madness to appear only when it meets a strong opponent?’
Every time I thought about grabbing Nam Ga-rak by the collar and smashing his face, I reflected on Mo Yong-baek’s words.
I needed to train my heart from a raging madness to a calm one.
Just like how, beneath the river, big and small fish bite and tear at each other, the surface remains calm.
At this moment, I needed a peace as steady as a river.
As I walked, I hummed like the local youths sweeping the streets. “Give me a peace like a river, give me a peace like a river, give me a madness like the sea, give me a surging madness...”
...
It overflows.