Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 108

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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 108
Swish! Slash!
Namso swung his blade, lost to the passage of time itself.
-Too many distracting thoughts.
-When the sword stands true, distractions fade away. Focus only on the blade.
I had been taught that a true swordsman must forget all else when wielding the blade, becoming one with it.
If that were the measure, then I seemed hopelessly unfit to be a proper swordsman. Every time I swung, countless memories I had struggled to forget rushed past my eyes like a lantern show.
-I don’t know how I was discovered. It seems I must flee at once.
The Doseon Sword Forest—such was the Gangho.
In this vast realm, how many tales were woven into sword tips, how many drops of blood stained the blades?
I was merely one among countless such ordinary stories.
A survivor of an annihilated family.
I had withdrawn from the world to live in seclusion, yet I was discovered nonetheless, pursued by a greedy enemy.
Even I had to admit it would make a fascinating tale over drinks.
But when it became my own reality, it was far from fascinating.
Thud! Swish! Slash!
A heavy stomp followed by blade strikes.
The tip of my sword still trembled.
-Revenge, family restoration—all meaningless.
-Simply live with strength, never forgetting your roots, never forgetting your pride.
-Do not despair so. Lad.
‘Father.’
A sinister chill settled into the tip of Namso’s blade.
‘But I must have my revenge.’
That was when it happened.
“Quite the wandering mind you have there.”
A voice rang out, and a black robe’s hem cut through the descending blade.
“…Huh!?”
Namso startled and tried to withdraw his sword.
But the blade felt as heavy as the weight of his distracting thoughts. It extended helplessly forward.
Whoosh! Crash!
Namso’s eyes widened in shock.
A young man held the blade as effortlessly as one might catch a fly.
“Who are you?”
“Martial training on the rear mountain? Very much the model student of orthodoxy, aren’t you?”
The young man smiled with a slight smirk.
It was none other than Dokgo Myeong.
* * *
“What? Why is Dokgo Myeong here?”
“Call it coincidence.”
As the saying goes, you can’t spit at a smiling face—Namso let out a sigh.
“Quite the performance.”
“Was it too obvious?”
“Brazenly obvious. Were you following me?”
“Not exactly. I just had a hunch you’d be around here.”
“…?”
Namso tilted his head in confusion.
Dokgo Myeong narrowed his brows slightly and continued.
“Since you know we’re acquainted, how about easing up on the sword a bit? My palm is throbbing.”
“You’ll have to let go first.”
“There, I’ve released it.”
“What if I suddenly twist and thrust?”
“The way of Gangho has truly fallen. A death threat on only our second meeting?”
“And you spied on me training during that second meeting.”
“You really can’t let anything go, can you?”
“That’s my line.”
Namso drew his blade with a sharp sound and let it hang diagonally at his side.
“Aren’t you going to sheathe it?”
“You expect me to sheathe my sword in front of someone I can’t tell is friend or foe, someone who followed me to a place where no one’s watching?”
His words were cautious, yet there was no real hostility in them. Instead, a relaxed smile played at the corners of his mouth.
Dokgo Myeong chuckled softly.
‘I can still see traces of the old him.’
Though he reeked of poison and malice unlike the image I remembered, glimpses of his former self still shone through.
This was the man who, even on tense battlefields, earned the respect of his subordinates through his carefree and refreshing laughter.
‘But….’
I recalled the sword strike I’d just witnessed.
‘I never imagined I’d see him wielding a blade so distorted and broken.’
What had he endured in this changed era?
His fall from grace was all the more shocking precisely because he was someone who never strayed from the path.
If this was somehow because of my existence….
Then Namso spoke.
“So, what brings you to seek me out?”
“Just thought I’d get to know you better. Figured we could chat.”
“How touching that the Young Master of Cheonha Jeil Sega would take such interest in me.”
“Mind your tongue.”
“You’re dropping formalities quite naturally.”
“I’m probably a year older than you anyway. Does it bother you?”
Namso shook his head flatly.
“Not particularly. Do as you please.”
“You do the same then.”
“I’m more comfortable this way.”
Shring! Clack!
Namso sheathed his sword.
“So, what’s the real reason you came looking for me?”
“I told you. I came to get closer to you.”
Namso’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“I’d heard your temperament was difficult, but it’s worse than I imagined.”
“Who told you such things?”
“Why are you asking that?”
“If I see them, I’ll just make sure that hearing my name alone will have them pouring out praise.”
Watching Dokgo Myeong’s eyes gleam with mischief, Namso let out a soft laugh.
Dokgo Myeong shook his head and spoke.
“That’s exactly what’s good.”
“Pardon?”
“At our age, it’s perfect to be somewhat rude, passionate about everything, and disregard formality. If you keep up with all this formality and wariness, carrying the weight of everything like you are now, do you know what people say?”
“What do they say?”
“An old soul, a fossil.”
“Pardon?”
“At our age, you’re supposed to dream and look forward. If you’re already burdened with everything and groaning about it, it doesn’t look good.”
Namso looked at Dokgo Myeong with a slightly surprised expression.
It was a remark with surprising depth, at odds with his seemingly lighthearted manner.
But then again…
“Aren’t you aware that you’re the one sounding like the biggest fossil?”
“Come on, me a fossil?”
“…”
“…”
Dokgo Myeong faltered.
“Me, a fossil?”
“Heh.”
Namso laughed lightly.
But that laughter was fleeting.
“Still, what you said isn’t entirely wrong.”
A cynical smile had settled on Namso’s lips.
“But when you try to live laughing like that, there are just too many people appearing in your dreams.”
“…”
Silence fell between them.
Dokgo Myeong hardened his expression and opened his mouth.
“I apologize.”
“Pardon?”
“I spoke carelessly without understanding your situation.”
Namso’s eyes widened for a moment before he spoke in an even tone.
“There’s no need to apologize further. It’s fine.”
“Still, I don’t think I was wrong.”
“Pardon?”
“That sword of yours.”
I gestured with my chin.
“It’s a sword technique that must be wielded with uprightness and honesty. You already know you’re going down the wrong path, don’t you?”
Namso’s expression hardened.
“What do you mean by that?”
“You have too many distracting thoughts. When the sword stands upright, distracting thoughts naturally disappear, but the reverse is equally true.”
“…!”
Namso’s eyes widened.
Hearing me speak the exact same words as his father, he found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
Then I continued.
“You’re planning to participate in the martial arts tournament, aren’t you?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Why?”
“Pardon?”
“What’s your reason for participating?”
“…Why are you curious about that?”
Namso shot back sharply for the first time.
“This doesn’t seem like such an important question, does it?”
“There’s no particular reason. I simply wish to cultivate my martial skills like everyone else.”
As Namso spoke, his eyes wavered.
Those who live uprightly cannot hide the light in their eyes. After all, they have always lived lives where they hide nothing.
“Yet you drip killing intent and poison from the tip of your blade—hardly the cultivation of martial skills.”
Namso’s expression twisted for the first time.
“You’ve been irritating me this whole time! Are you saying I’m lying?! I truly wish to test my martial skills by participating in the tournament!”
I shook my head slowly.
“Do you know why you just raised your voice?”
“Pardon?”
“In situations like this, the psychology of those who raise their voice to others is predictable. Either they lack conviction in their words, or….”
My voice lowered.
“They must deceive themselves with the words they speak.”
“…!”
“You lack confidence in your own thoughts, so you come on strong to make the other person acknowledge you. You’re seeking conviction through their recognition.”
But if one is a martial artist, a swordsman, a righteous person, they would find their own answers without caring for another’s acknowledgment.
“That’s….”
Namso stammered, his face flustered.
Then I smiled faintly and spoke.
“Would you like me to teach you how to keep that sword from wavering?”
“Pardon?”
“I know a special remedy for it.”
Namso’s eyes widened in surprise.
* * *
Night had fallen over the street.
Namso furrowed his brow as he gazed out at the young people passing by.
“Is that… alcohol?”
“What?”
“The special remedy you mentioned.”
“Of course. Where else in this world would you find a panacea like this? Drink this and all your worries and anxieties just vanish….”
“That’s exactly what a drunk addict would say.”
Namso’s face hardened as he pushed himself up from his seat.
At that moment, Dokgo Myeong spoke.
“How long has it been since you last drank?”
“Why are you suddenly asking that?”
“You said you wouldn’t refuse a drinking session, yet you keep backing away. So how long has it been?”
Just then, the server from the pavilion brought the alcohol.
Dokgo Myeong swiftly grabbed the bottle and cups, setting one before him and another before Namso, who had just stood up.
“The alcohol itself isn’t what matters. The problem is why you’re avoiding something you claim to enjoy.”
“…What do you mean?”
“You can’t do what you want to do, and you only do what you don’t want to do…. Wavering back and forth like this—how could you possibly strike anyone down?”
“…!”
Dokgo Myeong poured alcohol into both cups.
“So, will you drink or not?”
In the silence, only the distant bustle of the pavilion could be heard.
Namso’s eyes opened slightly.
His lips trembled as if he had much to say, but he soon let out a deep sigh and collapsed back into his seat.
“I don’t particularly like people like you.”
“I can tell. And you’re so rigid for someone so young. Tsk tsk!”
Namso let out a hollow laugh and drained the cup in one gulp.
His eyes widened immediately after.
“This is quite good.”
“It should be. It costs a silver tael per cup.”
“Why is alcohol so expensive?”
“That’s what I’m saying. Strong alcohol is the best, but here I am drinking this expensive stuff just to rehabilitate one person.”
Dokgo Myeong filled the cup generously once more.
The drinking session proceeded smoothly.
Dokgo Myeong no longer spoke with pretense, and Namso made no effort to show his guard.
Moments of silence flowed between them, yet even these felt comfortable. The two men shared much conversation without speaking a word.
As the night deepened and the warmth of alcohol began to settle in, both Dokgo Myeong and Namso felt it was time to take their leave.
Dokgo Myeong spoke first, his final words of the evening.
“If you can help it, don’t do it.”
“…?”
“You’ve mastered a swordsmanship unparalleled in all the realm. Wouldn’t it be a waste to wield it for revenge?”
Namso lifted his head.
Was it the glow of the lamplight? Or perhaps the flames burning within his own heart?
Or could it be the fire demon he had witnessed with his own eyes in memories long past?
A crimson glint flickered across Namso’s eyes.
“You know nothing of my circumstances. This is unwarranted meddling.”
“Whichever path you choose, regret will follow. So choose the one with less regret, and don’t look back at what you’ve left behind.”
“…!”
“But if you find yourself looking back regardless….”
Dokgo Myeong smiled wryly.
“If you need help, just say the word. I’ll be there for you.”
“…Why are you doing this for me?”
“We’ve exchanged names and faces, shared drinks together, and now we’re friends. Friends help each other—that’s how it works.”
“Friends? Can such a thing exist in Gangho as it is now?”
“If it doesn’t exist, then we create it, don’t we?”
“…!”
Dokgo Myeong chuckled softly.
“See you at the martial arts tournament.”
Namso rose to his feet, his eyes wavering with emotion.
Watching his departing figure, Dokgo Myeong drained the remaining wine alone.

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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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