I Became the Namgung Clan’s Omnipotent Item-Powered Martial God - Chapter 56
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Episode 56
Episode 56 – The Fruits of Training
#1
For a warrior, blood and slaughter are companions that cling as close as friends.
When first making a friend, is there anyone who doesn’t feel awkward?
Death, and facing its consequences, were equally strange and terrifying things.
……
Namgung Jinjin had to steady his body, which trembled in an odd way.
The sensation of tearing through flesh.
The feeling that he had snuffed out a life.
He’d spoken of it as though it were nothing, yet his heart thundered wildly, as if it might burst from his chest.
Roaaaaaaagh!
Diiiiie!
An overwhelming killing intent turned his body rigid and brittle.
Pure malice and madness intent on claiming his life.
Something invisible seemed to bind his entire form as though wrapping it tight.
Suddenly, Ho Ho—his training partner these past days—came to mind.
How had that creature managed to overcome such a vicious feeling?
What experiences had he accumulated while following the Group Leader?
Namgung Jinjin instinctively drew his blade and moved.
Yeon Ki Sun Hwan Gong.
A firm, forceful inner method that sought only to return to fundamentals—a cultivation of true inner power.
An art that circulated ceaselessly to create a domain, and within that domain relentlessly pressured any enemy that entered.
During his brief period of training, Jinjin recalled what Namgung Yeon had taught him.
As though a rounded domain—slightly misshapen, but unmistakably present—had unfurled around him.
He felt with clarity what lay at his back, what came rushing toward him from ahead.
Is this the domain Namgung Yeon spoke of?
“What are you doing!? Keep spacing out and you’ll catch a blade!”
The sound of something rushing past at high speed pierced the air.
Yi Hyeon.
Second Blade of the Third Squad.
He charged at the demons, bolstered by Namgung Jinjin’s prowess as vanguard.
He desired combat centered on speed.
And so he had adopted a new intermediate footwork technique, learning how to strike his enemies faster and with greater precision.
Bi An Geum Yeon.
(砒眼禽然).
A secret technique that grants one the vision of a bird of prey.
Yi Hyeon had received from Namgung Yeon a pill that enhanced the eyes.
Sam Roe Jin Bo.
(芟雷進步)
A footwork technique that allows one to slash enemies down with the speed of lightning.
Yi Hyeon, now moving like a bird of prey striking with the force of thunder.
And with the swift sword art known as the Cheon Pung Geom Beop added to his arsenal, a warrior of pure velocity had been born.
Shwing!
Shwing, shwing!
Three slashes in succession, instantaneous.
Yi Hyeon’s cheek and hair were spattered with crimson blood as he tore open the demon’s chest and throat.
Gasp…?
“Ho Ho! Finish it!”
“Yes!”
Boom!
A massive true qi footprint crashed down.
Ho Ho’s eyes had already shed all traces of fear.
He had witnessed it.
The behavior of the demons in the Slum.
How criminals cursed others with their words and appearance.
The terror he had felt then had now transformed into rage and ruthlessness.
The fear that had consumed him vanished.
In its place, a righteous fire kindled his gaze—the resolve to pass judgment on them.
His new martial art blazed forth with that same light.
Dae Yeon Chang Maek Gong
You who gaze upon the azure sky,
build yourself up from the very depths of hell itself.
This was a martial art created long ago by Namgung Baek, once Family Head of the Namgung Family.
The hellish days he had endured.
A secret technique born from the anguish he felt when heterodox sects seized his family—poured into the form of martial prowess.
Thus it was a martial art that shone brightest when learned by a talented yet inexperienced novice.
“Your martial art exists for those who have failed to rise again.”
“That is why you can build your foundation faster and more solidly than most.”
Before mastering ascendant techniques, a martial art to forge the deepest foundation with both speed and durability.
Ho Ho’s entire life was about to be remade by the power now flooding through him.
“Haaaaaah—!”
Where fear had once dwelled, only passion, justice, and the determination to pass judgment remained.
Crack-crack-crunch—!
One of the demons hastily raised its blade to meet the blow.
But—.
“Wh-wh-what—!?”
“Gaaaaaahhhhh!!”
When Ho Ho wrung out the very last of his strength, the demon’s sword shattered into pieces with a terrible crunch.
It seemed impossible, yet Ho Ho was performing miracles.
Had Namgung Yeon witnessed it, he would have smiled with profound pride.
Steel split asunder; even fragile flesh torn cleanly in two.
With a horrible shriek, the demon’s body fell to pieces in perfect halves.
#2
Meanwhile, at that same moment.
Namgung Yeon faced the man who stood before him with quiet confidence.
When everyone had fractured for their own gain, this man alone had honored his bond with Namgung Jin, his senior.
Such a man was worth keeping close.
His was a familiar face.
Surely this was the man who would one day become leader of the Blue Dragon Squad.
The scar running down one side of his face and his distinctive build made him an unforgettable figure.
“I’ll issue the challenge myself. It’s not a matter of personal feeling—I simply felt it was something I had to do.”
“You are welcome at any time.”
He was a man who understood the meaning of organization.
A fixer who handled his work without personal attachment.
Namgung Yeon did not regard him poorly.
Such a man could only become his own through skill and character.
In fact, this was fortunate.
Far better than those who merely watched and worried for their own advantage—a man bold enough to step forward was vastly preferable.
Namgung Yeon studied the man before him, searching his memory.
“The Blue Dragon Squad will hold the enemy at this position.”
“We appreciate your concern, but the Blue Dragon Squad will shine precisely in times like these.”
A band of warriors who would be remembered bone-deep by their enemies.
And their commander stood right before him now.
A courageous man.
Though they would cross blades today, ere long they would stand back to back against a common foe.
Shhhhk.
Namgung Yeon drew his sword.
Against those who were not demons, a warrior’s steel was the proper answer.
As if that resolve had been communicated, the man before him straightened and drew his own blade.
“I am Namgung Joo Young, eldest son of Namgung Gwak, commander of the Blue Dragon Squad of the Dae Namgung Family, and I request a duel with the Group Leader of the Third Squad.”
“I am Namgung Yeon, third son of Namgung Moo, Family Head of the Dae Namgung Family and Group Leader of the Third Squad, and I accept your challenge.”
Namgung Joo Young.
A prodigy known throughout the realm as a great sword master.
If he could make this man his own, the future itself might shift, even by a fraction.
To deepen that bond, Namgung Yeon raised his sword.
“There’s no time. Let’s end this quickly.”
“…….”
A deep, rumbling growl erupted from within him—
All the power accumulated over time.
And the cultivation energy he’d been storing while waiting now detonated.
True Qi radiated outward with such force that the entire area seemed to cave beneath its weight.
A manipulation of True Qi possible only by those who transcended even first-rate masters.
Namgung Joo Young, crushed beneath the oppressive pressure, let out a battle cry without thinking.
Otherwise, he would have collapsed to his knees in that very instant.
“Haaaagh!”
Boom!
The cry shattered through Namgung Yeon’s oppressive hold.
In the next breath, he instinctively surged forward to tear at the enemy’s throat—
The Dae Yeon Jeong Geom.
A secret technique that Namgung Jinjin’s father had recommended to his son.
The Dae Yeon Jeong Geom, known as the most exceptional among mid-tier martial arts.
Its sword forms blazed forth in brilliant flourishes.
“Hmm, you’ve learned impressive techniques. In that case…….”
Namgung Yeon then moved his body with deceptive ease.
The stance he adopted was, remarkably enough—
“The Dae Yeon Jeong Geom……?”
“When did he—?”
The instructor’s eyes flared with sudden intensity.
‘Secret martial arts texts—even a Family Head’s son couldn’t have glimpsed them. Yet…….’
What in the world was happening here?
Why was the fourth son, not even listed in the records, executing the opening stance of the Dae Yeon Jeong Geom and flowing through its forms as naturally as breathing?
Crash!
He deflected the incoming blade with ease, even dismantling its trajectory entirely.
The moment their swords touched, Namgung Joo Young felt it.
‘My body—’
His body wasn’t obeying his will anymore.
How utterly humiliating it was to lose control of his own limbs.
The smaller Namgung Yeon began to toy with his massive frame, manipulating it at will.
A supernatural fluidity that exploited the mysteries of perfect positioning.
His understanding of martial arts operated on an entirely different plane.
Before he could even process what was happening, Namgung Joo Young lost all control and tumbled gracelessly across the ground.
‘What is this…….’
Thud-thud-thud—dust rose in clouds.
Unable to believe he’d been subdued in a single exchange, Namgung Joo Young lay stunned, staring up at Namgung Yeon.
This was his true strength?
Once an opponent fell, the duel was essentially over.
From a prone position, dodging an attack was nearly impossible.
Especially with a blade resting across his shoulders as it was now.
“Do you acknowledge defeat?”
“……I yield.”
“Clean. A shame you’re not joining my squad.”
Namgung Yeon slowly sheathed his sword as he looked down at him.
The others had forfeited their claims themselves, so they’d return with whatever modest compensation was offered.
Of course, Namgung Jin would disown them.
“You could have changed squads before the second trial, probably.”
“…….”
“He’s my older brother, but Namgung Jin—he’s quite a frightening person.”
“What do you mean by—”
“You’ll see soon enough. He’s not a man given to mercy.”
Honestly, those others will be the real problem.
Namgung Yeon glanced at Namgung Jin’s remaining squad members, whose eyes darted nervously about.
What would they say when they returned?
Namgung Joo Young seemed destined to join the Third Squad.
His instinct was telling him as much.
Namgung Yeon sheathed his sword and dismissed them with a gesture.
“There are others who will arrive soon, so I’d prefer you took your leave.”
“Ahhh… Withdraw. That was a fine match.”
“I look forward to meeting again.”
With those words, Namgung Yeon handed something to Namgung Joo Young.
What must one give to make a person one’s own?
Most of the time, it was solved by offering an unexpectedly large sum of money at an unforeseen moment.
“…… What is this?”
“A bribe.”
Namgung Joo Young stared silently at the small Pill that had fallen into his palm.
#3
Reports began arriving from all directions.
Family Head Namgung Moo received them with eyes sharpening like a blade.
All preparations for the purge were complete.
Now it was time to begin the hunt on this side as well.
“Are all arrangements ready?”
“Yes, Family Head.”
“Send out the White Dragon Squad and the Red Dragon Squad.”
Family Head Namgung Moo made his decision.
Originally, it was an unwritten law that the Heir Selection Trial, no matter the circumstances, must be overcome by the disciples’ strength alone.
It was precisely this principle that had driven the trial forward despite the countless casualties.
The previous generation, the generation before that……
Even when Namgung Moo himself had become Family Head, it was the same.
He believed that only by triumphing over threats on one’s own could one prove oneself a true member of Namgung.
“There should be no disciples dying unjustly.”
“Understood.”
That arrogance had allowed them to despise and ignore the worms crawling up from below.
The roots were rotting, so pest control had to be conducted.
Namgung’s hunting hounds, seize and tear apart the prey that dared cross into the pen.
“Don’t let a single one escape.”
His eyes gleamed with menace.
Now the Demons would be hunted in turn.
Under the name of Namgung, not one of them would walk away alive.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————