I Became the Namgung Clan’s Omnipotent Item-Powered Martial God - Chapter 64

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 64
Chapter 64 — A Path for a Friend
#1
The Squad Leader Contention Battle, for all its controversies and complications, had finally come to an end.
Those who would spend two years at the training grounds had scarcely diminished in number.
Yet among those whose futures had suddenly grown dark with a single choice, a few packed their belongings and departed.
“You’re truly giving up?”
“……Yes.”
“Very well. Sign the register, then, and be on your way.”
They had agreed to have their names struck from the records.
Had Namgung Yeon witnessed this, he would have rebuked them as fools without hesitation.
The Namgung Family’s positions were not limited to that of a junior patriarch alone.
Elders, vice-heads, gakju, unit commanders……
The organizations that led this vast clan were abundant beyond counting.
A single modest position among them would have been enough to ensure a comfortable life for the rest of one’s days.
‘To throw away even such an opportunity……’
They were still young, after all.
It could be interpreted as ambition—reaching for something greater.
But the instructors who received these signatures understood something the departing ones did not.
The world was not so forgiving.
Even a mere instructor’s position within the Namgung Family was enough to live a life of prominence.
Outside these walls, one might be an ordinary martial artist, but the moment the Namgung name was attached—one’s stature became incomparably higher.
“Do well for yourself out there.”
“…….”
“Remember this one thing: a prodigal son who leaves on his own feet may find no fitting place to return to.”
Would they come to regret it?
That day, the instructor offered this sincere counsel while recalling Namgung Yeon’s combat.
But the reply that came was only cold silence.
To those whose pride had been crushed, all advice sounded like the nagging of an old pedant.
“We are strangers now. Pay us no mind.”
With those words, unnamed martial artists turned and walked away.
The problem was that such challengers were far from few.
Their departure from the Namgung Family grounds posed no immediate difficulty.
The real question was whether those who remained were truly superior to those who had left.
‘In time, once they distinguish themselves, the Family will attempt to recruit them anyway.’
But what state of mind would they be in then?
The instructor could only hope that their respect for the Namgung name had taken root.
If it had not, they would never glimpse the true face of the Family.
“Hey, Gwang Min. Have you weeded out all the chaff?”
“That’s the last of them.”
“Is it true you’re really transferring to a different post?”
“It is. Something more compelling has presented itself than staying here.”
“Hmm……”
His colleague approached and posed the question to the instructor.
Gwang Min.
A grand name, though he had scarcely begun to live up to its meaning.
Like most instructors in the Namgung Family, he was merely adequate in skill.
Gwang Min was no exception.
He had witnessed a boy catch up to everything he had accomplished over more than twenty years in a single day.
‘True brilliance lies not here, perhaps.’
“To actually take on the role of instructor for Squad Three—that’s bound to be a harsh assignment.”
“There will be considerable resistance. After all that’s happened.”
“True. For the rest of us, simply drawing our stipend and cultivating in peace—isn’t that enough?”
Gwang Min gave a bitter laugh.
Yes.
Perhaps that would be the easier path.
But those who had witnessed that day would find themselves unable to share such sentiment.
That day, the Fourth Young Master—Namgung Yeon—had proven to be a catalyst, a stimulus for every martial artist present.
And that was not all.
The awakening of the Grand Elder, seen plainly with their own eyes, had also kindled something that set hearts ablaze.
“There’s no greater growth than enduring in difficult places.”
“Your ambition is admirable. You’ll make it.”
“I’m grateful you’d say so.”
“Either way, the atmosphere feels ominous. We should be careful.”
Though he himself might not advance, he could at least worry for his friend.
In a world where so many accepted reality as it was, how noble were those who strove to climb higher.
“Do well.”
“I’ll treat you to a meal.”
“By the way… what exactly happened that day? While we’re at it, tell me about it.”
“Hmm, perhaps.”
The two spoke at leisure while their eyes drifted toward the trainees in the distance.
Those about to enter the armory.
Those eager to claim their rewards.
#2
The Namgung Family armory.
A place where weapons winnowed through countless selections were organized by grade.
From worn training pieces and recycled arms to the highest tier of treasures, it was a vast storehouse.
An immense one.
So committed to arms were the Namgung Family that they had built an entire grand hall for weapons alone.
Especially when it came to blades—they were obsessed beyond compare in all the realm.
So many had committed crimes specifically to plunder this armory.
Among the Namgung Family, the armory was one of the most heavily guarded places.
Cheolryong Gak

Beneath the imposing name plaque, those who had distinguished themselves in the Squad Leader Contention Battle had gathered.
The weapons they would receive today were mid-grade arms.
Most would choose blades, though some might differ.
Namgung Yeon paused in thought.
‘Blades overflow in my stores… What I need now seems to be something else.’
The vault in Muhan held blades in such abundance they were practically rotting away.
If necessary, one should survive by hurling cheap blades—wouldn’t one?
The dignity of a martial artist?
Before survival in extremity, such pride meant nothing.
‘Then…’
Namgung Yeon considered his objective.
Ultimately, stronger martial artists were necessary to protect this world.
To become the greatest under heaven and lead such warriors, cultivating those closest to him was essential.
The Martial Realm held practitioners of diverse weapons.
Blades were favored simply because their variations were endless by nature, and they integrated well with Inner Energy Cultivation Methods for broad utility.
But there were many who wielded spears, staffs, whips, throwing blades, and daggers too.
‘In that sense, perhaps this time I’ll teach them distance.’
There was a saying that the blade was the King of All Weapons.
Yet to Namgung Yeon, the most troublesome arms were the spear and the halberd.
Especially in formation combat, that terror of restraining with long reach and thrusting inward…
It meant nothing when Inner Power remained.
The problem came after that power depleted, when one had to endure on physical ability alone.
That was the moment when an arrogant warrior plummeted to earth.
The Squad Three children did not yet know that helplessness and fear.
‘It’s decided then.’
It would be profound study for himself as well.
Namgung Yeon knew this truth.
Without time, he would be nothing but an ordinary man—and his thinking still fell far short of genius.
Because of this, he had to learn endlessly, always seeking something brilliant and new.
“Has everyone assembled.”
“Yes.”
“The armory will remain open for the next hour.”
……
The guide who now spoke radiated an air far more imposing than even the elder had.
Cheolryong Gakju.
Some might think he was merely the keeper of weapons, but that was far from truth.
His martial prowess ranked among the finest within the Namgung Family.
His piercing gaze swept across the trainees.
And yet his warning came through firm and clear.
Far different from the ease he’d shown with Yeon before—delivered now with unmistakable force.
“Make light of a sacred weapon, and I’ll use that very blade to sever your neck.”
……
“Blades are dangerous things. Never play with them. Do you understand?”
……Yes.
The reply sounded lukewarm, and his expression darkened with displeasure, but Cheolryong Gakju opened the door nonetheless.
Namgung Yeon began moving slowly toward the entrance of the armory.
Had no one called out to him just then.
“Yeon, have you chosen your weapon?”
……Ah.
It was as though a giant had risen before him, casting a shadow.
The voice was kind and gentle.
And the eyes looking down upon him.
A benevolent gaze, yet somehow carrying the subtle air of someone addressing an inferior.
Always the one who had stood most obstinately in his way.
A person with whom he’d continued a rivalry—whether born of goodwill or bloodied strife, he could not say.
It was Namgung Cheon, eldest son of the Namgung Family and the one spoken of as the Sword King of the next generation.
“Why such alarm? It’s hardly strange for an older brother to ask his younger one a question.”
“……It’s been so long, that’s all.”
True enough. Your memories must be growing hazy. Perhaps I should have paid you more attention.
Namgung Cheon sighed softly and tilted his head with a rueful smile.
Then, with a warm laugh, he patted Namgung Yeon on the shoulder.
“Choose carefully. Our family’s weapons hold some treasures, but many are merely serviceable.”
Yes. Thank you for the counsel, brother.
He laughed as he walked inside.
Namgung Yeon watched his retreating back for a moment, then moved forward.
#3
The armory was cool.
As a place where all manner of weapons were stored, humidity control was maintained with meticulous care.
It was no accident that an entire hall had been dedicated to housing weapons.
Namgung Yeon gazed upward, from the lowest shelves to those reaching the ceiling.
Up there…… surely lay treasures crafted by the master smiths of generations past.
Materials of divine provenance, and legendary artifact weapons forged by the greatest smiths the Martial Realm had ever known.
‘Much has transpired because of those very things.’
Namgung Yeon turned his gaze back to the section where they had granted him access.
He had already decided what he would take from there.
Something he could use and discard without hesitation—not particularly ornate, yet containing refined craftsmanship.
It was a weapon he would later pass on to Namgung Sewun, his friend.
A foundation for nurturing an appreciation of such refined technique and growth.
And training for his group members against a new form of adversary.
‘This should suffice.’
Namgung Yeon selected a spear—unadorned but weighted with substance, finished with meticulous precision.
One of the instructors asked, bewildered.
That one?
Yes.
The instructor paused for a moment before speaking again.
His tone held a warning.
Once a weapon is chosen, the choice cannot be undone. You must deliberate very carefully.
I understand. This will serve admirably.
……
The instructor glanced briefly at Namgung Yeon’s armaments.
The Heavy Sword of the Namgung style strapped across his back.
And beside it, a Bell-adorned Sword—thinner than the Heavy Sword but with a blade of considerable length.
Being of the Namgung line, he would surely not abandon his swords…
May I ask why you chose a spear?
It’s for training. I can acquire better weapons later, anyway.
That’s quite a confident assertion.
The instructor recalled his recent feats and nodded thoughtfully.
It was something unthinkable at the moment the contest began, or before that.
The proof of results carried such weight.
It could slowly shift how people saw him.
‘So even the Elder praised me like that……’
He’d heard the Family Head and the Elder lived almost like enemies.
If even he acknowledged it, the feats must have been truly remarkable.
He felt the instructors’ eyes change.
Namgung Yeon was used to it by now, yet each time brought a fresh stir in his chest.
“Everyone chosen? If not, I’ll force whatever’s right in front of you into your hands!”
Cheolryong Gakju’s voice rang out loud and clear.
At those words, Namgung Yeon quickly rose and left his seat.
Feeling countless eyes fastening on the back of his head as he went.
……
Among them, his brother Namgung Cheon’s gaze seemed to linger longest.
Outside, the other group members were already waiting.
They had chosen their weapons earlier and were now awaiting their Group Leader, Namgung Yeon.
“Looks like I’m the last.”
“But why a spear?”
“That’s what I thought—figured you’d pick a sword.”
“This is for training.”
Thunk!
Namgung Yeon set down the heavy spear, a knowing smile crossing his face.
The group members looked at him with worry, wondering what mad scheme he was hatching now.
“Don’t worry. It’s not like anyone’s going to die.”
……
In Namgung Yeon’s eyes as he spoke those words, something akin to joy flickered across them, however briefly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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