Emperor! Can You See Stats!?

Chapter 144: The Strong

Nangong Yichen summoned his subordinates to make a decision.

“I’m glad you’re all back safely.”

“We are ashamed, father.”

Nangong Hao bowed his head deeply, as if he had brought a bomb with him. 

The other subordinates also looked down, and the reason was as follows.

“What? You’re saying that your brother lost without even putting up a fight?”

“Yes.”

Nangong Huang, who had been beaten up by Eurius before, was Nangong Yichen’s older brother and one of the top experts in the Nangong clan.

‘Brother is skilled, but he is also impulsive and passionate. If he had listened to the young ones more carefully, this wouldn’t have happened…’

His face was filled with shock and worry, and he sighed as he opened his mouth again.

“Well… it can’t be helped if the opponent is such a master, but your rash actions have tarnished the reputation of our clan.”

“Please punish me, father.”

Nangong Hao bent his waist so low that his head almost touched the ground.

The Nangong clan had been enjoying the greatest glory among the five clans recently.

But if it became known that Nangong Huang, one of their best experts, had lost to an unknown person from a remote region, it would be a huge blow to their fame.

‘But this is troublesome. From what they told me, it seems that we were the ones who started the trouble.’

Nangong Yichen was a fair-minded person, and this was a very headache-inducing situation for him.

‘I can’t just let this go, but I can’t also try to restore our honor by clinging to this matter when we were in the wrong.’

But he thought that he had to take responsibility for this incident as the head of the Nangong clan. 

He decided to find out more about Eurius first.

“First of all, tell me what you felt or learned about that person from the remote region on your way here.”

***

A little later.

The second person who was called in was Gu Chun Geol, who was known as the Mad Dog. 

He was a person with a high status and a strange reputation, so Nangong Yichen’s tone was cautious.

“How have you been? It’s been a long time since I saw you.”

“Hmph! Cut the crap. Why did you call me, old man?”

Gu Chun Geol answered with a sour tone, as if he was very displeased.

‘Well, of course he wouldn’t be happy.’

Nangong Yichen forced a bitter smile and asked him about the unbelievable fact that he had heard from his subordinates.

“I heard from the kids that you had a duel with that person from the remote region and lost. Is that true?”

“You already know, so why are you asking? It’s exactly as you heard.”

Nangong Yichen broke out in a cold sweat. But he had to ask to confirm the truth.

“I asked the kids and they said that as a result of the bet, you became his subordinate…”

As soon as he said that, Gu Chun Geol’s expression crumpled completely.

“You… did you call me to mock me?”

“Of course not. It’s just that it’s such an unbelievable thing. Haha…”

Seeing Nangong Yichen trying to laugh it off, Gu Chun Geol clicked his tongue.

“Tsk! Then can I go now?”

“Please wait a moment.”

Nangong Yichen stopped him hastily, and Gu Chun Geol looked back with annoyance.

“Ah, what!”

“What do you think of that person from the remote region? He can’t be a bad person if you followed him obediently, right?”

“I don’t know!”

Bang!

He slammed the door open roughly, as if he was too tired to answer any more.

“Ah!”

He was about to leave when he turned his head as if he remembered something.

“I’ll give you some advice. Don’t do anything stupid for the sake of your pride. You’ll only end up humiliating yourself like me.”

Nangong Yichen met his eyes with an embarrassed expression.

“What do you mean by that?”

“That’s it, if nothing else happens.”

Bang!

As soon as the door closed, Gu Cheongeol chuckled.

“I warned him, but he wouldn’t listen. He values the honor of his clan too much. I’m sure there will be some good entertainment soon.”

He also didn’t know much about Eurius’s identity. He felt like he had a clue, but he couldn’t grasp it.

‘That bastard… No, damn it! Did he say his name was Eurius? I’m sure I’ve heard that name somewhere…’

Gu Cheongeol shook his head and returned to his quarters.

***

The next day, an unexpected visitor came to see Eurius, who was staying at Je Gal Se Ga’s place.

Eurius, who was having tea with Je Gal Unhyeon, looked at the visitor with interest.

“Did you come to see me?”

The visitor was none other than Nam Goong Ilcheon, who brought a group of experts with him.

“I heard that the elders of our clan caused trouble for you. I came to apologize.”

“I don’t mind that anymore. I’m sorry for using force too.”

Eurius nodded slightly. He thought it was unlucky at first, but he gained a good subordinate and the result was quite good.

But Nam Goong Ilcheon didn’t seem to let it go easily.

“We have to repay kindness and enmity in the martial world. I apologize on behalf of our clan.”

“If you say so, I’ll accept your apology…”

Eurius looked puzzled as he bowed his head slightly.

‘Is he a nice guy? Or does he have another motive?’

The people he met in this eastern continent were very proud of their skills.

The more outstanding experts like Gu Cheongeol or Nam Goong Hwang, the more they tended to be so. 

It was strange to see Nam Goong Ilcheon, who was almost a superhuman in the western continent, admit his mistake so easily.

“Haha! He’s always been a nice guy. He must feel bad about being rude to you.”

Je Gal Unhyeon watched their exchange with amusement. Nam Goong Ilcheon asked him for help with a subtle look.

[Unhyeon, please don’t stop me for the sake of our friendship.]

[I won’t stop you. Do as you please.]

Je Gal Unhyeon smiled reassuringly and Nam Goong Ilcheon finally brought up his second request.

“Actually, I have another favor to ask you besides apologizing.”

“What is it?”

He clasped his hands together and bowed to Eurius.

“I am the head of Nam Goong Se Ga. I request a duel with you.”

“A duel?”

Eurius tilted his head at the unfamiliar word. Je Gal Unhyeon explained it to him.

“It means a sparring match in the western continent. There are duels where they fight for their lives, but not in this case. Right?”

Nam Goong Ilcheon agreed.

“Of course, it’s a friendly duel. I heard you came from the western continent. I’ve always wanted to see the swordsmanship there.”

“It’s not difficult.”

Eurius got up from his seat. He was sure that Nam Goong Ilcheon’s apology was sincere. He didn’t know why he asked for a duel, but he didn’t have any ill feelings towards him.

When he agreed to the duel, Nam Goong Ilcheon felt relieved inside. He expected Je Gal Unhyeon to dissuade him, but surprisingly he agreed to the duel without hesitation.

“Then I’ll be your witness on your side.”

“Our side will have the experts of our clan as witnesses.”

With both sides’ consent, they went to the center of the village where Jeong Do Yeon Hab was stationed.

The experts of Jeong Do Yeon Hab who heard rumors about Eurius gathered around the open space with interest.

They murmured.

“Is the author that infamous scoundrel who is a master of martial arts? I heard he has Je Gal Se Ga under his command, but I don’t know what happened.”

“From the Nam Goong clan, they say that Nam Goong Il Cheon, the great master, is going to challenge him.”

“Then the result is obvious. The Nam Goong clan will win. That scoundrel must have accepted the challenge without knowing anything.”

The martial artists who gathered had heard rumors about Eurius, but most of them predicted Nam Goong Il Cheon’s victory.

In fact, Gu Cheon Geol was famous in the martial world as the best master of the divine technique, but his martial arts skills were inferior to those of the four great masters.

Moreover, Nam Goong Il Cheon was considered the strongest master among the four great masters, except for Baek Hak Geom Seon, the lord of the martial world. So maybe this speculation was reasonable.

“Please take care of me.”

“Likewise.”

Swoosh.

Nam Goong Il Cheon drew his sword with a cautious expression. His thoughts were as follows:

‘I have to show him an overwhelming performance as much as possible.’

He had no ill feelings towards Eurius, but he came to challenge him for the sake of his clan’s honor.

If the rumor that Nam Goong Hwang, the head of the clan, lost without even fighting spread, it would be a disgrace to the clan.

Honor was a very sensitive issue in the martial world. 

If Eurius was an old or well-known person, he could have let it go, but the rumor of a strong man was not so easy.

It was a serious problem that the whole Nam Goong clan could be underestimated by an unknown Eurius.

To prevent such a rumor from spreading, Nam Goong Il Cheon, the best master of the clan, had to defeat Eurius in this challenge.

‘I’m sorry for my friend Woon Hyun, but I have to win this challenge.’

Nam Goong Il Cheon was determined. He probably agreed to end the challenge at a reasonable point for his friend’s sake, but he had a responsibility as the head of the clan and he intended to do his best against Eurius.

.

.

.

.

.

“Tsk! Woon Hyun must be thinking like that… But I’m actually sorry for you.”

Je Gal Woon Hyun was holding back his laughter while biting his tongue.

“Shall we start then?”

Eurius drew his sword and aimed at Nam Goong Il Cheon. The challenge began at the same time.

“Hap!”

Nam Goong Il Cheon was determined to do his best against Eurius, so he used his secret technique from the first move.

Crackle!

His sword glowed blue and sparks flew. This was why he was nicknamed Thunder Dragon.

The destruction of Nua Da took the form of a white lightning bolt, but it had nothing to do with thunder. But Nam Goong Il Cheon’s secret technique could change the true energy infused in his sword into a blue current.

Rumble!

Nam Goong Il Cheon swung his sword mercilessly at Eurius with a blue lightning bolt. 

As their swords collided, there was a thunderous noise.

Clang!

“What!”

“Get back!”

The martial artists who gathered did not expect Nam Goong Il Cheon to launch such a terrifying attack from the beginning and retreated hastily to avoid the aftermath. 

Their thoughts were unanimous as they retreated.

‘That scoundrel will be crushed to bones, right?’

But the result was opposite to their expectations.

Crash!

“Ugh!”

“How can this be…”

The one who bounced back from the collision was rather Nam Goong Il Cheon. He staggered back a few steps.

“Kuh!”

He quickly regained his posture, as befitting a seasoned expert. 

He did not expect to be so easily defeated by the young and fresh Eurius, and his face became more serious.

Eurius blocked his attack with a single swing of his sword and followed up with a counterattack that pushed him back.

Namgoong Ilcheon rushed at Eurius again with a grim expression.

‘I was wrong. But I can’t back down like this.’

Kwaaaa!

This time, dozens of lightning bolts split and aimed at Eurius’s whole body.

The power contained in each bolt was astonishing, and even a slight touch on the nearby trees or ground burned them black.

The spectators had only stepped back a few steps at first, but as the aftermath of the clash grew, they soon had to widen the distance.

But Namgoong Ilcheon’s face was not very good, despite his overwhelming attack.

The spectators mostly couldn’t identify their movements, but they were baffled to see Eurius withstand the attack.

“Huh…”

“That young man is making Namgoong Daehyup struggle so much.”

If Namgoong Ilcheon was lightning, Eurius was an iron wall. He blocked all the lightning that came at him with an incredible speed.

The spectators didn’t know, but Namgoong Ilcheon’s face gradually darkened as a result of his fierce attack.

It seemed like a close match at first glance, but at some point their movements stopped abruptly.

Chang!

Using the recoil of the swords clashing, Namgoong Ilcheon widened the distance and stood still with a pale face. The spectators looked at him with curious eyes.

Namgoong Ilcheon stared at Eurius with a complicated expression for a while. Then he sheathed his sword with a resigned face.

Swoosh

“…!?”

Before the spectators could react, he resumed his stance and said something unbelievable from his mouth.

“I admit my defeat. Thank you for your mercy, Daehyup.”

“Your skill was also excellent.”

Eurius also raised his sword in a knightly manner, following the Eastern Continent style.

Whisper whisper.

“What on earth is going on? Namgoong Daehyup admitted defeat?”

“The young man defended well, but it looked like an even fight?”

The spectators were confused for a moment. It was shocking that Namgoong Ilcheon admitted defeat.

“…”

But Namgoong Ilcheon walked away silently, heading back to his place.

Namgoong Ho, who followed him, couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked hastily.

“Father, what is the meaning of this result?”

“Hoo… How did you see the duel just now?”

Namgoong Ilcheon didn’t answer, but instead asked back. Namgoong Ho opened his mouth with a bewildered expression.

“With my humble skill, I couldn’t even see your movements, but I barely saw them.”

“…”

After hearing that, Namgoong Ilcheon kept silent for a while and then opened his mouth.

“If that man had swung his sword with the intention of killing me, I would have been dead already.”

“What?”

Namgoong Ho also lost his words at that shocking answer.

“Hehe… Woonhyun, did that friend choose me as a stepping stone to announce your reputation?”

Namgoong Ilcheon muttered weakly to himself and started walking again.

***

Meanwhile, Jegal Woonhyun greeted Eurius with a bright smile.

“Well done, Daehyup.”

“You said it was a simple sparring match. Did you trick me?”

Eurius frowned. Namgoong Ilcheon’s attack was too serious to be considered sparring. It was lucky that he backed off willingly, or he could have been injured.

But Jegal Woonhyun still smiled.

“Ilcheon is not a person who holds grudges. I thought he would back off once he confirmed your skill. And wasn’t it a rare opportunity to gauge the strength of the Eastern Continent experts?”

“He gave up on attacking after I showed him some signs several times.”

Eurius nodded as if he agreed with his words. He seemed to be only defending himself, but he occasionally tried to unleash spatial cutting on Namgoong Ilcheon by showing a slight hint of his intention.

Of course, if he actually did it, he would have been cut in half without knowing why, but since it was only for intimidation, he felt an indescribable chill and kept swinging his sword.

But when it repeated a few times, he realized that Eurius could kill him but gave up on attacking and admitted defeat.

And Jegal Woonhyun had another thought as well.

“And I used him as a scapegoat for our future plans.”

“Future plans?”

Jegal Woonhyun nodded with a serious expression.

“The martial world basically respects the strong. They call it ‘the strong rule’. I can guarantee your identity, but if you want to exert influence in the martial world, you need to establish your reputation as a strong person.”

“Ho…”

Eurius would join the Righteous Alliance and go to find the inheritance. But if he wanted to have a say in that group, he needed a reputation that matched him.

“So you’re saying I should build a reputation as a martial artist in this Eastern Continent?”

“That’s right. It’s essential if we want to face the Demon Sect. Of course, you shouldn’t make enemies. In that sense, Ilcheon was perfect for this.”

Eurius looked surprised.

“Is it okay to do that to your friend?”

“He’ll understand. He also knows that it’s hard to face the Demon Sect with his current strength.”

Namgoong Ilcheon, the deputy leader of the Righteous League and one of the four great experts, was a very suitable person to build such a reputation.

But more than anything, his upright personality was the decisive reason for this duel.

Eurius understood everything and finally smiled.

“If the martial world is like that, it wouldn’t be bad to make a force here.”