ISS-Chapter 29

Chapter 29

What is needed for a sect to be called a sect?

Of course, there could be many opinions on this matter, but at least I think the presence or absence of disciples is the most important.

Isn’t that right? Even if it’s teaching a simple downward strike, if there are multiple disciples and they research it, that could be called worthy of being called a martial faction.

“…There are no applicants.”

And in that regard, the current Uicheonmun was in an ambiguous situation to be called a sect.

“Huuuuu…”

Seohwa, who let out a deep sigh, pressed her tired eyes firmly, then laid her body out long on the desk, transforming into a caterpillar-like shape. And at that appearance, Wangpal’s expression hardened.

“To think not a single person would come for three days…”

Three days had passed since Uicheonmun’s opening.

During that time, Uicheonmun had formally opened its doors and organized the interior. They had even prepared martial uniforms in preparation for new disciples entering, and had completely planned out how to train them.

Actually, looking just up to this point, things had been progressing smoothly after the opening ceremony.

However, the number of disciples who had entered over the past three days was zero, and Uicheonmun was currently in a state where, so to speak, only flies were buzzing around.

“Why isn’t anyone coming?”

“Who knows.”

“We held the opening ceremony well, and no matter what, at least one person should come, right?”

“Maintain your composure. Will being overjoyed or disappointed at every little thing get you anywhere?”

“Sect Master, your brush is breaking.”

At Seohwa’s words, I glanced at the hand I was holding, saw the brush shaft bent with all its might, let go, and let out a deep sigh.

“I expected this to some extent.”

I hadn’t thought that application requests would line up the moment we held the opening ceremony. Well, isn’t that natural?

Although Uicheonmun had thoroughly crushed the Baek Ri Family’s ambition, that didn’t prove Uicheonmun’s capabilities. Probably the public evaluation stopped at something like ‘The Uicheonmun Sect Master seems to use his head a bit.‘

Conversely, it also meant that Uicheonmun hadn’t yet proven its capability to raise disciples. Of course, there was Seohwa’s case, but that could only be seen as a one-time occurrence.

So this situation is perfectly normal. It’s normal, but.

The problem is that I can’t be satisfied with normal.

“How can we accept disciples?”

“Mm.”

At Seohwa’s question, I let out a contemplative sound briefly before speaking.

“Generally speaking, it would be divided into two categories.”

“Two categories?”

“Yes.”

At Seohwa’s questioning appearance, I smiled slightly and continued the explanation.

“Why do people try to learn martial arts?”

“Umm, well… because they want to become martial artists?”

“Right. Then why do they want to become martial artists?”

“…Why do they want to become martial artists?”

“Yes. There are other professions, so why specifically choose to become a martial artist, which is dangerous and difficult?”

At my question, Seohwa frowned briefly in thought before presenting an answer.

“Because it’s cool…?”

“Right. That’s usually the case.”

Some say that the way of the sword is a kind of dao, but in reality, among those who enter martial arts, there are none who enter to cultivate the dao. To them, being a martial artist is an object of aspiration, and they enter martial sects to become objects of aspiration.

And if you know this, naturally you can know what kind of sect people want to enter.

“People knock on the doors of martial sects that seem capable of making them masters. But for a new sect to fulfill this condition, it’s one of two things. The first is when the sect’s reputation is so high that there’s no need to doubt it. What would the second be?”

“…When they see and confirm it with their own eyes?”

“That’s right.”

If everything about accepting disciples was truly determined only by skill, nine out of ten of the current small and medium sects wouldn’t be able to exist. Because there are so many sects with skills superior to small and medium sects that you’d trip over them.

But the reality isn’t like that. The backbone supporting the Murim Alliance consists of thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands of small and medium sects. What does that signify?

Even a small sect, if it contributes to the local community over a long period and builds up trust, can recruit disciples based on that trust.

“Then the reason disciples aren’t coming to our sect is…”

“We haven’t proven our capabilities yet, and we haven’t properly integrated into the local community, so it can’t be helped.”

At my answer, Seohwa glanced at Wangpal, who was quietly nodding his head as if in agreement, and once again let out a groan and sprawled out on the desk.

“Then there’s nothing we can do for a while. I was looking forward to getting lots of junior disciples…”

“Would you like junior disciples to enter?”

“Well… it would be nice if they did, right? But it’ll be difficult for a while, won’t it? You said we have no reputation or anything.”

“If we don’t have it, we just need to make it.”

“What?”

“There’s no law saying we must follow the natural order.”

Didn’t I say it from the beginning? That I already expected it to turn out this way.

I am the sect master of Uicheonmun. The sect master who must present solutions when any problems arise in Uicheonmun.

“Seohwa.”

“Yes, Sect Master.”

“Take this to the Haun Merchant Company.”

“What is this?”

I smiled slightly, put away the brush I had set down, and folded the letter whose ink had dried as I continued speaking.

[Murim Alliance Training Academy Cooperation Application]

“The way to accept disciples.”

***

Murim Alliance’s Second Military Affairs Department.

“…Sir, Military Strategist.”

“What is it…”

Jegal Pyeong, who had been blinking his eyes in a drowsy mood after eating lunch, twisted his head irritably in response to the voice he heard. And at that appearance, Jegal Hwi shook his head.

“You should at least move your body a bit after eating. If someone who’s called a military strategist stays in such a daze, the morale of the staff will drop.”

“…Tell anyone who doesn’t like it to come find me directly. There’s so much work to handle late into the night these days that it can’t be helped. Shouldn’t I rest when the evil path bastards are quiet?”

“That’s true, but… anyway, it’s a report.”

As Jegal Hwi, who agreed expressionlessly, held up documents, Jegal Pyeong made a groaning sound and sat up properly in his chair.

“Speak.”

“It’s about this military force personnel replenishment.”

“The time is approaching. How many do they say we need to select?”

“One from Jeonguidae. Seven from Changcheondae. About four from Geomhodae.”

“Twelve from the upper-level units. That’s a lot. Especially Changcheondae.”

“It’s because of that bastard who left. Originally, that kind of guy is reassuring when he’s with you, but becomes a headache when he leaves, doesn’t he?”

“I expected it, so let’s say that’s fine, but the attrition rate is beyond imagination. What else?”

“Lower-level units also requested about thirty-four replenishments. It should be fine to distribute them appropriately, but… the problem is below that, the academies.”

“Academies?”

At Jegal Hwi mentioning the two academies existing under the Murim Alliance, Jegal Pyeong asked back.

“What do you mean the academies are a problem?”

“Exactly what I said. Since there are two academies, factional fighting is occurring.”

“That would be the case. Because they belong to different places.”

The composition itself was designed to create competition from the beginning. Simply put, the standard dividing the two academies, Mujeong-gwan and Muryeon-gwan, was based on origin status.

Those belonging to major sects or prestigious families all entered and studied at Mujeong-gwan. Conversely, those from small and medium sects or those who joined the Murim Alliance without affiliation entered and studied at Muryeon-gwan. And wasn’t that all?

Every year, Mujeong-gwan and Muryeon-gwan conducted friendly sparring matches and competed in their respective capabilities. Looking at the lineup alone, it seemed like Muryeon-gwan would be pushed back, but in reality, personal disciples of orthodox path masters would participate, so they had fairly equal fights.

However.

“The balance doesn’t match.”

This class was different.

“…What do you mean the balance doesn’t match?”

At Jegal Pyeong’s appearance, already feeling a headache coming on, Jegal Hwi answered quickly.

“This year’s Mujeong-gwan class is too outstanding. For all three years of study, Mujeong-gwan’s top performers defeated Muryeon-gwan’s top performers with a complete winning streak, so Muryeon-gwan disciples’ morale has dropped significantly. Additionally, there’s severe friction between them.”

“…I understand the situation.”

Until now, even if they growled at each other, there had been a minimum level of respect. Even if they were small and medium sects, there were cases where martial artists of considerable talent emerged from among them, and above all, the representatives’ skills were equal.

No matter how different their backgrounds were, they were equal opponents. In the martial world where strength dominates everything, that aspect would have brought about mutual respect.

However, at present, that balance had been broken.

“I understand what the problem is. But is that really something problematic? Even if we can’t solve it, it will end once they graduate.”

“That’s the problem. The training, I mean.”

“Training?”

“Muryeon-gwan disciples have submitted applications saying they won’t go on training.”

“…The reason.”

“Don’t you know?”

“I do.”

Jegal Pyeong, who pressed his brow firmly, answered quietly.

“It’s to seize victory in the graduation sparring competition.”

Before graduating from the academies.

The disciples of both academies undergo a training process where they go out into the martial world, experience what the Jianghu is like, return, and then express what they gained through sparring with each other. That is a long-standing custom maintained by the Murim Alliance and also a venue where the squad leaders of the military forces observe and select members.

But if they show a one-sided losing appearance in such a sparring competition—especially if the opponents are Mujeong-gwan disciples they dislike?

“They’d rather die.”

“Yes. Additionally, the training location is also a problem. At small and medium sects, in reality… proper training is difficult, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

At the academies, instructors can oversee training. There are also specialized training facilities. But at small and medium sects, such things are impossible.

Unlike Mujeong-gwan, which receives training at major sects, Muryeon-gwan completes training at small and medium sects in various places. If that happens, the gap will widen even further.

But still, they can’t not send them on training, which is a long-standing tradition of the academies.

“What about the Muryeon-gwan Master?”

“He’s trying to persuade them, but public opinion itself is boiling over, so it doesn’t seem easy to suppress. Even the Muryeon-gwan Master himself seems to be subtly supporting it.”

“That would be the case. If he’s been fed water by the Mujeong-gwan Master for three years, he’d want to save face.”

“What will you do?”

“Mmm…”

If left as is, Muryeon-gwan disciples would feel nothing but a sense of defeat and inferiority throughout their time in the alliance.

Since they’ll be assigned to the same military forces anyway, this isn’t good in the long term. No matter how important tradition is, they need to save face.

And having judged that far, just as Jegal Pyeong was about to make a decision while letting out a contemplative sound.

Tap!

A small sound knocked on the window.

“It seems to be a messenger pigeon.”

“Open it.”

At the instruction, Jegal Hwi rose and opened the window, and soon a messenger pigeon flew through the open window, landed in front of Jegal Pyeong, and shook itself. Then Jegal Pyeong reached out and opened the message attached to its leg.

And soon, after reading the contents, a deep smile formed on Jegal Pyeong’s lips.

“…Vice Military Strategist Jegal Hwi.”

“Yes.”

“The training will proceed as scheduled.”

“Are you serious? But then the graduation sparring competition will…”

“That’s fine too. Because there’s a way.”

At Jegal Hwi’s question, Jegal Pyeong, who erased his smile, unfolded the letter and handed it to Jegal Hwi. And.

“Send all the Muryeon-gwan disciples there.”

[Murim Alliance Training Academy Cooperation Application]

[Uicheonmun Sect Master]

The moment he saw the sender who sent it.

“…This might work.”

The same smile formed on Jegal Hwi’s lips as well.