Is there anything more boring than a match with a clear victor?
The finals began under a gloomy atmosphere, with everyone betting on the Seventh Division’s victory.
“My first match is Jang Il-sak vs. Jo Ga-ju! Let’s get started!”
Jo Ga-ju stared at his opponent—the person who had relentlessly provoked him at the Yong-sang Inn.
He smirked.
The memory of that time made Jo Ga-ju chuckle. It brought back the image of Jang Il-sak’s face when he got shut down trying to hit on the stunning beauty presumed to be Ho Cheon-an’s girlfriend.
“You brat!”
Jang Il-sak, guessing Jo Ga-ju was mocking him, charged with a roar, but…
THWACK!
He had to stop in his tracks due to the pressure of the spear.
‘So long!’
Jang Il-sak couldn’t hide his confusion. It was practically his first experience fighting against a true spear expert.
His experience with spear techniques had only been with the Imperial Army’s soldiers, who were absolutely incompetent in martial arts. Comparing those amateurs to the Peak Expert Jo Ga-ju was absurd.
Jo Ga-ju deliberately blocked Jang Il-sak’s approach, moving the spear around to feint attacks and obstruct the paths he could advance.
While unable to deliver a deadly attack, Jo Ga-ju effectively prevented his opponent from getting too close. Jang Il-sak was fuming from the length of the weapon being used against him.
“You brat! Fight fair!”
Jo Ga-ju didn’t respond; he simply observed Jang Il-sak’s reactions calmly.
‘I don’t want to lose to the Seventh Division.’
Although it seemed like Jang Il-sak couldn’t move at all now, Jo Ga-ju knew very well that a real confrontation would quickly reveal the gap in their abilities. He was merely preventing Jang Il-sak from entering.
‘This is just a strategic retreat for a better position.’
Defeat.
Jo Ga-ju had lost. In the individual match, he was practically just dead weight. He could have done much better if he held a sword…
‘Everyone has their role to play. Stay composed! Jo Ga-ju!’
This was a precious opportunity to gain real combat experience before the team battle. Thinking of his comrades who made it to the finals, Jo Ga-ju suppressed his fiery spirit.
Thus, Jo Ga-ju continued to defend while Jang Il-sak tried to break through his defenses in a drawn-out and tedious standoff. But no matter how advantageous the length of the spear might be, it couldn’t keep him out forever.
The moment Jang Il-sak finally closed in, Jo Ga-ju shouted:
“I forfeit!”
He forfeited.
“Ugh! Ugh!”
“Geez! If you were just going to waste time and forfeit, you should have done it sooner!”
After such a dull standoff, to forfeit! Booing rained down from all sides, but Jo Ga-ju stepped off the competition stage without a flicker of an eye. Trainees from the Twelfth Squad rushed to pat him on the back in encouragement.
“You did well!”
“Don’t let those guys get to you!”
Jo Ga-ju smiled bitterly as he spoke.
“Sorry for not being much help. I ask that you do your best.”
“Oh, don’t worry! I, the genius Jae Sang-hae, will win this one!”
Jo Ga-ju thought to himself. The overly confident attitude he usually found so irritating felt strangely comforting today.
“Alright, I’m counting on you.”
The second individual match began.
“Charge!”
As soon as the match began, Jae Sang-hae darted towards the Seventh Division trainee, Jang Woo. Jang Woo, too, charged back in response.
“This is getting intense!”
“Now this is how it should be!”
As cheers erupted around them, the exchanges between Jae Sang-hae and Jang Woo continued. Jang Woo frowned as he saw Jae Sang-hae charging recklessly.
After a series of exchanges, the battle often reached a state of calm. It was necessary to gather their energy and regain their rhythm.
But Jae Sang-hae ignored the usual flow and kept charging forward.
‘Is he trying to overwhelm me before he runs out of stamina? If so, I’ll use that against him.’
Instead of retreating, Jang Woo charged in again. If the opponent came at him ferociously, responding in kind was the way to go.
‘My stored energy and stamina give me the upper hand. If I unleash a sustained attack now, it’ll be you who gets tired first!’
This was a fight bursting with intensity!
With no consideration for what lay behind them, both fighters were pouring everything they had into the bout, making the trainees sweat in suspense. Who would emerge victorious from this explosive contest?
DING DING!!
“The winner is Jae Sang-hae!”
Gasping for breath, Jae Sang-hae barely managed to raise his fist. He was drenched in sweat after a fierce battle! In the end, both of them stumbled, but Jae Sang-hae clinched victory with every ounce of strength he had left.
“Haha, he looks like a gigolo, but his grit is impressive!”
“That’s the victory of will.”
The trainees showered Jae Sang-hae with applause. After pushing against the odds and seizing victory, they couldn’t help but acknowledge his determination.
Then.
The third and fourth individual matches unfolded.
“The winner is Gwang Jae-ryeon!”
“The winner is Kang Chumo-ru!”
After the fourth match, the trainees sensed something strange was happening. Only Jo Ga-ju had lost, while everyone else was continuing to grab wins.
“Wait…it looks like the Seventh Division is getting wiped out?”
The matches unfolded differently than expected, with Seventh Division graduates predicted to be leading.
The fifth match also ended in victory for the Twelfth Squad.
“Ugh!”
Yet another day filled with grueling matches against equal martial artists. After a brief half-hour break, the Seventh Division was on the verge of collapse, even with a walkover victory.
If the matches dragged on even a little longer, the energy and stamina they had recovered during the break would vanish in an instant.
Thus, the trainees couldn’t comprehend the Twelfth Squad’s winning streak.
“Strictly speaking, the Twelfth Squad’s stamina situation is worse…”
“Why are they winning?”
No matter how thoroughly one trained their stamina, human endurance had its limits. It was a glaring fact that the Twelfth Squad had less stamina than the Seventh Division, who had made it further with walkover victories.
Yet, in the long match, the Twelfth Squad had full control.
‘…I see.’
Watching the sixth match, Song An-seong realized the secret to the Twelfth Squad’s winning streak.
“Ha!”
“Ha!”
Okryong and the Twelfth Squad trainee battled fiercely.
As the match dragged on, both sides were completely drained, nearing their limits. Okryong struggled valiantly to swing his weapon, while the Seventh Division trainee looked to be barely holding his ground.
Song An-seong laughed in disbelief.
In the end, it was experience that mattered.
Even stumbling through mud has its technique.
When stamina and energy are completely depleted, the difference in experience on how to squeeze out the last bit of power becomes apparent. While the opponent was at a loss for what to do with their last bit of strength, Okryong wielded every last ounce he had.
Okryong and his fellow Twelfth Squad members were aware. They had maintained confidence in their victory since before stepping onto the final stage.
For the past two weeks, they had been grueling in their training, scraping the bottom of the barrel. And during that same time, what had the trainees from other squads experienced? They had merely flailed weapons around and trained half-heartedly in formations, laughing it off.
‘Do you think you lot, who haven’t gone through real training, can win against our squad in this muddy fight?’
Just a moment’s inattention could result in a brutal ordeal! Truly bloody, grueling training that left them bruised, exhausted, and grinding their teeth—there was no way to escape without it!
When even running up mountains while singing military songs seemed exhausting,
Every single part of that trained Okryong to his limits and forced him to think even amidst chaos.
‘Have you guys even experienced something like this? Have you?!’
With each passing thought, Okryong’s frustration skyrocketed!
How dare those who had never experienced such intense training expect to defeat the Twelfth Squad in a protracted battle!
Not in a hundred years!
“Get moving and start that brutal training right now, you all!”
Fueled by feelings they could hardly comprehend, Okryong launched a strike!
CLANG!!
With a swing of Okryong’s weapon, the opponent’s sword fell to the ground.
“Okryong wins!”
Ho Cheon-an’s Twelfth Squad capped off the finals with a record of 12 wins and 2 losses from 14 matches.
“I did itttt!”
“Yaaay!!!”
It was a result that had been anticipated. No matter how competitive the match was, with so many confrontations in a single day, it ultimately turned into a battle of stamina.
It wasn’t a clash of the best, but rather the worst against the worst.
Even the best techniques, executed in peak condition, usually merit recognition as a testament of skill. Yet when it comes to the lows, no one really pays attention.
Very few wonder how much potential one can harness when they’re utterly spent and only a fraction remains.
Overcoming the worst scenario hinges on that very potential.
“Everyone gather!”
“Ugh!”
The trainees looked at me with excitement still flickering in their eyes.
“The management doesn’t care about your achievements.”
The trainees’ expressions shifted. They shot a look that screamed “What’s the point if I win?”
“The management focuses on honing trainees and uncovering potential. That is our only priority. With that in mind, individual victories in matches are a happy occasion for us. I can truly see your confidence rising.”
“Ugh!”
“I’ll be watching your performances in tomorrow’s team matches as well. Dismissed!”
“Ugh!”
“Let’s go! We need to finalize our strategies for tomorrow!”
With Kang Chumo-ru’s call, the trainees dashed to their dorms. It seemed Chumo-ru’s strategy would be enacted tomorrow.
Suddenly, Song An-seong’s words popped into my mind—had he questioned my intentions?
Perhaps he was right.
Although I hadn’t forgotten my goal, it might appear to him that my attitude had changed.
But isn’t it normal to evolve? After two weeks with the trainees, I’ve come to understand them beyond just paperwork and games.
Being with the trainees made me realize I might have misjudged them.
Song An-seong might have been able to see through my wavering resolve.
I couldn’t stick to an indecisive stance; I had to arrive at my own conclusion.
A turning point.
My conclusion would certainly hinge on how well the Twelfth Squad, led by Kang Chumo-ru, performed.
Tomorrow.
Everything would be decided tomorrow.
