I Shouldn't Have Joined the Martial Arts Alliance - Chapter 60

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

Pointlessly entering the Murim Alliance — Episode 60
How had a sword of no use whatsoever become something mysterious and precious?
There was no great reason for it.
Because it was a Precious Sword, its ornamentation was as flamboyant and showy as one might imagine—needless to say.
Perhaps.
In any case, the reason the Useless Sword had become something mysterious and precious was this: no one had ever been able to draw it from its sheath.
How could one cut through a man or a beast unless one first drew the blade and swung it?
Suppose there were a woman of such transcendent beauty.
If one could only watch such a woman from afar, what would she become in the eyes of others?
They would long to hear her voice,
they would wish to catch the fragrance that drifted from her,
and wouldn’t they go mad with curiosity about how pale and pure her skin was, how impossibly soft to the touch?
Thus would she become a mystery to be revered—held as precious beyond question.
Yet in the end, men desire to feel, to touch, to hold, to lie beside—desires that, even for a woman of transcendent beauty, would eventually go unfulfilled.
A woman who cannot satisfy a man’s desire is worthless as a woman.
She is merely a painted cake.
So it was with the Useless Sword.
It could not be drawn, so it could not be wielded; it could not be wielded, so its true power remained unknown—its strength, the keenness of its edge, the magnitude of its force—all shrouded in mystery.
It should have been discarded, yet because no one could draw it, it became all the more precious.
And so the Useless Sword faded from sight, slipping from memory.
At Gwicheon Pavilion.
Absurdly so.
While Sa U-rin remained absorbed in the Useless Sword, Jang Hye-in and the unit members had yet to shake off their bewilderment.
‘Wow… this…’
‘…Is this the Taeyang Dan we’ve only heard spoken of?’
‘And… it looks like we’re actually going to eat a Spirit Elixir…’
‘…This tremendous Spirit Elixir…’
‘If we consume this…’
‘We’ll become masters ourselves?’
‘And… all because of the youngest…’
Was this a blessing?
No.
Should he call it a curse instead?
They would eat this remarkable elixir, grasp this precious sword in hand, become masters beyond their dreams—and then die.
‘This is utter madness…!’
‘What a damnable turn of events…’
‘And yet…’
At least they’d tasted such luxury before the end—that much seemed like fortune, though…<
A sigh.
Should he cheer or weep?
Truly, because of the youngest, they were experiencing every strange twist of fate imaginable.
Meanwhile, Jang Hye-in was wrestling with another question, and so he approached Jegal Gunsa, who walked ahead.
"Gunsa."
Jegal Gunsa's steps slowed slightly at Jang Hye-in's voice.
"You're wondering?"
"…Yes? Ah, yes."
Jang Hye-in's head tilted in confusion.
"But… how did you know I was wondering?"
"Wouldn't it be stranger if you weren't wondering in this situation?"
…True enough.
A strategist indeed. Something about him seemed to pierce right through.
"Then you must also know what I'm wondering about."
"Why we would go to such lengths for men destined to die soon, I imagine."
Uncanny.
"…Yes, that's right. Then, would you tell me that reason?"
Jegal Gunsa met the gaze of Jang Hye-in and each of the unit members in turn, his eyes warm.
"I wish for you to live. No—you must live. That's why I'm doing this. If you become stronger, even slightly, doesn't your chance of survival increase?"
And.
He wanted them to become an example to every martial artist in the Murim Alliance.
No.
I hope they become an example to all martial artists in Kangho.
That's why the Murim Alliance desires Kangho to change.
"……Then, heading toward Gwicheon Pavilion right now is……."
"I'm giving you the Precious Sword as well."
"……."
'……Even the Precious Sword…….'
Elixirs can be consumed and exhausted, but a sword stays by your side always, doesn't it?
No. It's more than that.
Elixirs and the Precious Sword both…….
It's no different from gaining ten thousand soldiers and horses.
'……The Precious Sword…….'
'……They're giving us the Precious Sword?'
'……Wow…….'
'……Insane…….'
It was hard to tell if this was a dream or reality.
* * *
Strict security surrounded Gwicheon Pavilion like a net without gaps.
Jegal Gunsa, who had arrived at Gwicheon Pavilion, turned to Jang Hye-in and the others.
"I'll leave you here. I hope you each find a sword worthy of yourselves."
The gunsa spoke those words and vanished.
The fate of Jang Hye-in and the unit members rested entirely in their own hands.
Jang Hye-in let out a long sigh and opened his mouth.
"What in heaven is happening to us……."
I can't even fathom it.
Hyung-jun picked up on Jang Hye-in's words.
"Captain."
"What?"
"You always told us that even if our lips are crooked, our words should be straight."
"……Are you saying my lips are crooked? Right now?"
"Aren't they? We're not having things happen to us—we're the ones making things happen. Aren't we?"
"……Is that so?"
Seo U-chan wasn't staying quiet.
"Not exactly. To be precise, Sa U-rin started all of this."
At that, Jang Hye-in and the others looked up at Seo U-chan.
'Is he okay?'
'This blunt?'
'There might be retaliation…….'
That's when Sa U-rin spoke up.
"In that case, you should all give back the elixirs and not even enter Gwicheon Pavilion."
Flustered, Seo U-chan tried to reclaim the words he'd just spoken.
"……You have to listen to people until they finish. What I meant is, because of you, Sa U-rin received all these elixirs and is now getting the Precious Sword from Gwicheon Pavilion. Why do you do this, really……."
Nervously.
"Really?"
"……Yes, that's right."
Jang Hye-in, listening from the side, shook his head and clicked his tongue.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You're all acting crazy. Absolutely insane."
Neither Jang Hye-in nor the other members could assert themselves in front of the youngest, Sa U-rin.
Was this a blessing or a curse…….
I don't know. I really don't.
Nothing could be determined yet. It seemed like they'd only know when it all came to an end.
Whether the bond with their youngest, Sa U-rin, would become a blessing or a curse.
"Come on. Let's all go in."
And so they all headed into Gwicheon Pavilion—a place no one had set foot in for years.
Inside Gwicheon Pavilion, there was a guide. It was a white-haired elder. He didn't look like a martial artist. He was unmistakably white-haired, but his body appeared remarkably solid. His hands too were very weathered.
His solid body and rough hands were not from wielding swords, but rather bore the marks of those who craft them.
In other words, he was a master blacksmith.
"Heh heh heh. My, how long has it been since we've had visitors? Heh heh heh. I've heard the stories. Please, all come inside."
Because of the white-haired elder's bright welcome, the excitement that had filled Jang Hye-in and the others gradually settled into calm.
Seo U-chan stepped forward and asked.
"Elder, do you stay here all the time?"
"Hardly. I take in the fresh air often enough. But you've come all this way—is that what you're truly curious about?"
"Everything in the Gwicheon Pavilion intrigues me."
Among the martial artists in the Murim Alliance, the Gwicheon Pavilion was mystery incarnate.
"Ha ha ha. I suppose that's fair enough."
Though it had never been put to him that way before.
"Well then, let me show you to the place you're really after."
"One moment, please."
It was Hyung-jun.
"What is it now?"
"Given the size of the Gwicheon Pavilion, I'd have thought there wouldn't be many swords or elixirs. Is that correct?"
The Gwicheon Pavilion had only two levels. Its footprint was modest.
On the surface, it hardly looked as though it held many elixirs or precious swords at all—yet somehow they'd lodged themselves in every martial artist's mind as objects of great significance.
"Ha ha ha. You'll understand soon enough."
The White-haired Elder turned and moved forward, Jang Hye-in and the others trailing behind.
Shortly after, the Elder stopped before a space lined with books that seemed utterly out of place in the Gwicheon Pavilion.
"……?"
Everyone exchanged puzzled glances.
The White-haired Elder approached a massive bookcase and slid it sideways.
"Wait……."
Before anyone could ask what on earth he was doing, the enormous bookcase was sliding aside.
"……This is……."
"Ha ha ha. I can see from your faces you're all quite surprised."
How could they not be?
As the bookcase slid to one side, they'd expected something new to appear—but instead, there was only a wall blocking the way.
"Stop marveling and follow closely. It's dark ahead, so everyone mind your step."
"……Where are we……."
There was nowhere to go—what was he asking them to follow?
Then it happened.
Slide.
Without warning, the wall began to slide aside, as if the moment had been scripted.
"……Ah……."
As the wall receded, an entrance appeared—a passage descending underground.
Of course.
The true face of the Gwicheon Pavilion existed beneath the earth.
The staircase leading down was dark, as the Elder had said. Yet for a martial artist, it was scarcely difficult to see.
An ordinary person without inner energy, or a third-rate fighter, might find it pitch-black—but not them.
Still, the staircase was remarkably long.
Even after descending it completely, they had to venture deeper still. Then two iron doors appeared, blocking their path—but it was immediately clear which held the elixirs and which the precious swords.
The elixirs announced themselves with their own distinctive fragrance, as if calling out, "Here I am."
"So the elixirs are beyond that door?"
"That's the one. Everyone can tell by the scent."
Each of the two iron doors was secured by five heavy locks.
And beside each door was a hole no larger than a human face, likewise sealed with a lock.
The White-haired Elder approached the hole beside the iron door, used his key to unlock it, and retrieved a thick keyring holding dozens of keys. One by one, he unlocked the iron door's multiple locks.
It seemed that anyone not in the know would require considerable time to open this door—there were so many keys that identifying which belonged to which lock would be a feat in itself.
And at last, the iron door holding the precious swords swung open.
A gulp sounded through the passage.
Jang Hye-in and the others felt their anticipation spike sharply.
And then they saw it.
Along the length of the open passage, swords lined both walls like ornaments hanging in display.
"Go ahead and look around. Find a sword that suits you."
And so Jang Hye-in and the team moved forward with eager steps.
After half a watch of time had passed, everyone except Sa U-rin had found a precious sword that matched them.
So the White-haired Elder turned to Sa U-rin with a question.
"Is there no sword that strikes your fancy?"
Sa U-rin then spoke.
"There was another iron door further back, wasn't there?"
"Mm……yes, but the swords beyond it aren't ones suited to your use."
"Even so, show me."
"……Very well. It's been a while since I've laid eyes on those blades myself."
So the White-haired Elder opened the iron door that had been sealed.
Five swords hung on the wall. Now Sa U-rin understood why he'd said none of them would suit.
They were swords brimming with tremendous power. Some emanated such violent killing intent it seemed ready to devour a martial artist whole, while others radiated a demonic aura that consumed everything around them.
Still, Sa U-rin approached, determined to draw each one.
The White-haired Elder started in alarm, scrambling to stop him.
"No—don't touch them……"
But Sa U-rin had already grasped one of the blades and drawn it free.
Steel sang against steel.
And it came loose.
A tremendous killing intent thrashed against Sa U-rin, straining to consume him, but it could do nothing against one who had mastered the Honwon-gong. Instead, the raging bloodlust seemed to cower before that power, growing quiet and sinking back into the blade.
"……Are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Heh. Well, I'll be."
Even the Murim Alliance Lord hesitated before attempting to draw that sword……
Yet a mere martial artist had pulled it without so much as a flinch……
The White-haired Elder stared at Sa U-rin with eyes wide in bewilderment.
Sa U-rin then drew each of the remaining swords one by one.
They were all formidable blades, but none matched the one his father had described. And one still remained.
Yet from this final sword, he sensed no aura at all.
"This sword is different from the others, isn't it?"
"Indeed. That sword can never be drawn."
"……Why is that?"
"A martial artist capable of drawing that blade likely does not exist in all of Kangho."
Found it. The Legendary Sealed Sword.
This blade before his eyes must be the one his father had spoken of.

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