I and Hwa stood on a massive duel stage, spanning 40 meters in both width and length.
A man appeared before us.
A solid physique, a grotesque scar running across his right eye and cheek.
The fact that a warrior of that caliber still bore such scars, even in this modern age of advanced medical technology, suggested the kind of hellish battles he must have endured.
He opened his mouth.
"My name is Lee Jung-gwan."
I couldn't help but chuckle.
The exact same situation, the exact same scene from my past life.
The only differences were Hwa, who now regarded me with wary, venomous eyes, and myself—someone who had gained far more than I had in my previous life.
"From this moment on, I will instruct you in the martial arts of the Soongmuiga family. Choose your weapons and bring them here."
At Lee Jung-gwan's words, Hwa and I descended from the duel stage and headed toward the armory.
There were no wooden swords or bamboo training weapons—only real, razor-sharp weapons.
That was when I noticed Hwa looking at me with a strange expression.
"What are you staring at? Got something to say?"
"W-what? I wasn't looking at anything! And I have nothing to say!"
"If you don't, then just say you don't. No need to yell."
Her gaze suggested otherwise, but I didn't bother prying.
Then, after a moment of hesitation, Hwa stepped closer and spoke.
"Hey, you use a sword too, right?"
She whispered to me.
"No."
"What? But back when we trained in weaponry, you clearly—"
I ignored her words and grabbed an armful of weapons.
"Hey, hey! What are you doing?!"
Without answering, I carried the weapons up to the duel stage.
I saw Lee Jung-gwan's brows furrow as he watched me struggle with the heavy load.
"…What are you doing?"
"You told us to bring our chosen weapons, so I brought them."
"I told you to bring the weapon you use."
"These are the weapons I use."
From short daggers to long spears—twelve different types of weapons.
"I thought you weren't a fool, but it turns out you're a complete idiot."
Lee Jung-gwan sighed, turning his gaze away as if even speaking was a hassle.
Hwa then stepped onto the stage as well.
"I dislike repeating myself. Engrave what I'm about to say into your minds."
His eyes moved from me to Hwa.
"I said I would teach you the family's secret techniques, but I won't be instructing you in any specific stances or forms. That's not what you need to learn."
Lee Jung-gwan unslung the weapon from his back.
Kiing—
A metallic hum resonated as he removed the leather sheath, revealing a spear that looked as though it had been woven from tree roots.
A relic-tier spear—Mokho.
"The Soongmuiga family possesses numerous secret techniques known as 'ultimate arts.' However, none of them are structured as a set martial art. They are simply individual techniques."
In my past life, I couldn't comprehend his words.
But now, I understood.
He continued.
"There are various conditions required to learn these techniques, but the most fundamental, the very first requirement, is this—your dormant 'senses' must awaken."
The bloodline of Soongmuiga is different from ordinary humans right from birth.
Those who inherit the family's blood are invariably blessed with three innate gifts, though their degree varies.
The first is an inborn warrior's physique.
The second is an ability that manifests during the Naming Ceremony.
And the third—
"The Sixth Sense. From now on, I will awaken your senses. Rather than being bound by rigid techniques, those of Soongmuiga need only draw upon the natural combat instincts within their bodies."
One step.
Lee Jung-gwan took another step forward.
"Only after your senses have awakened can you begin to learn even the most basic techniques, let alone secret arts or ultimate skills."
"W-why… why are you coming closer?"
Hwa instinctively stepped back.
I, on the other hand, casually scattered the weapons I was carrying across the stage and pulled out a longsword.
"Get ready. Unless you want to pass out from the start."
I said this to Hwa, but Lee Jung-gwan was already charging forward.
"Don't be too concerned about awakening your senses. Your body will naturally find the way."
A spear strike curved toward me from the left.
By textbook standards, I should deflect it by angling my sword sideways.
But—
"Guh!"
CLANG!
I had anticipated the attack and prepared a counter, yet I still failed to deflect it properly.
As the force rattled my insides, I felt nausea rising.
"You actually blocked that?"
Could this even be called blocking?
The impact had reached deep into my organs, making me want to vomit.
"Well, I suppose you're not completely brainless."
"Kyaah!"
BOOM!
Hwa collapsed unconscious from a single thrust.
So much for her buying me some time.
I could only click my tongue in frustration.
'To think I'd have to go through this madness again.'
I already knew how this would go.
Lee Jung-gwan—he would wield his spear just shy of killing me. In fact, as an illegitimate son, I suspected he might even go a little harder on me.
Suppressing my nausea, I sharpened my gaze.
"Before my regression, I hadn't even received this training properly in the first place."
I had been unable to keep up with the group training program and was kicked out after only receiving a bit of instruction from Lee Joong-kwan in the beginning.
So, I could only sit outside the training grounds and watch the two of them in despair.
This time, it will be different.
Boom—!
Lee Joong-kwan kicked off the ground.
I clenched my teeth and swung my sword.
***
More than a month had passed since training with Lee Joong-kwan had begun.
Crash! Boom! Crack—!
Nearly every day, the training grounds echoed with the sounds of things breaking, shattering, and exploding.
"Damn it!"
I rolled on the ground to dodge the incoming spear strike and swung my sword in a wide arc.
Sizzle!
Damn it! I thought I had dodged, but the spear suddenly appeared right in front of my face.
Even though I had amplified my mana and poured it into my strike, the spear, without a single trace of mana, shattered it effortlessly.
And just like that, I was sent flying through the air and crashed into the ground.
"That wasn't bad."
Hearing his voice growing closer, I gritted my teeth and forced myself to stand. Lee Joong-kwan never hesitated to attack, even if his opponent was already down.
"Grrrk!"
Lee Joong-kwan's movements came to a halt.
The moment his spear shaft struck Hwa's left ribcage, she started foaming at the mouth in pain.
With a slight frown, he spoke.
"Call the medical unit."
"Urgh… Huff, huff. Yes, sir."
Staggering, I left the training area, took out my phone from my belongings, and contacted the medical team.
They must have been on standby because in less than five minutes, the doctors arrived and began examining Hwa.
"Her rib is broken. On top of that, the impact on her liver has caused a drop in blood pressure and heart rate, leading to difficulty breathing."
"Tsk, I don't have many left… Use a potion. How long will it take?"
The doctor's expression turned bitter.
From his perspective, he probably wanted to prescribe complete rest, but he knew that wasn't an option.
"Even with a potion, it will take about ten minutes."
"Ten-minute break."
As soon as I heard those words, I collapsed and lay on the ground.
"Damn it. This insane training…"
Training that involved broken bones and internal injuries—this wasn't something a ten-year-old should be subjected to.
But I had no intention of complaining.
No, there was no reason to complain.
Bit by bit.
Ever so slightly.
I was starting to see it.
"I see a path."
Whenever I focused deeply, I would sometimes be enveloped in a strange sensation.
This is how I should swing.
This is how I should move.
It wasn't just something I saw—it was something I felt.
The sensation was still vague, but I was starting to grasp what that so-called "sixth sense" really was.
"Whether you're a legitimate heir or a bastard, you're all weak. The moment a break is given, you collapse like this. The future of this family is bleak."
Lee Joong-kwan sneered.
At that moment, Hwa's eyes snapped open.
"Gasp!"
Not even five minutes had passed, let alone ten.
She looked around, trying to grasp the situation, then locked eyes with me.
"Don't tell me… again?"
"Yeah. You're on your twenty-second time. I've only gone through sixteen."
"Argh! If only I had prepared properly on the first day!"
Gripping her sword, Hwa stood up.
Lee Joong-kwan smirked.
"Not bad."
His words were harsh, but in truth, he was quite satisfied.
"The eighth child, Hwa. Her physical resilience is remarkable. I went a bit overboard, but she hasn't suffered a single serious injury."
While feeling a bit impressed, he shifted his gaze to the side.
The real deal was over there.
"And that bastard child… I felt it on the first day too—he's special. No wonder my subordinates said they felt like they were being evaluated. His ability to assess situations, his peculiar mana techniques… He's definitely hiding something."
At first, when he showed up carrying an armful of weapons, I thought he was an idiot.
But his proficiency with each weapon was impressive, and his adaptability was beyond expectations.
There had even been moments when his unpredictability caught me off guard.
"And now, he's already starting to see it. It's only been a month… He might even break that record."
Lee Joong-kwan grinned and swung his spear even harder.
***
That moment came naturally.
It wasn't as if something had drastically changed.
The vague and ambiguous sensations became clear and transformed into certainty.
"Hey."
I called out to Hwa.
Hwa, panting heavily, looked at me.
"I'll give you a signal, so block just once for me."
"Why should I?"
"Well, forget it if you don't want to. I just thought we might be able to land a hit on Granduncle."
A murderous glint flickered in Hwa's eyes.
Looks like he's just as pissed off.
His expression changed at the mere mention of striking a blow.
"You're sure about this?"
"Yeah."
"You owe me for this!"
Hwa let out a sharp breath.
I was the first to charge forward.
Until now, I had relied on my instincts to dodge spear thrusts. But now, that instinct was solidified.
'To the right here.'
I twisted my body, narrowly avoiding the spear.
'As soon as I land, thrust the spear forward.'
It was a strange feeling.
My body moved exactly as I envisioned.
Every muscle fiber responded to my will.
"Oh ho."
Ijungkwan's eyes gleamed.
I grabbed a spear lying on the ground and swung it.
Clang!
Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal.
A counterattack from Ijungkwan was inevitable.
I shot a quick glance at Hwa.
"Hiyaaaah!"
Though his expression was reluctant, his eyes were alight with determination.
For just a moment.
A mere fraction of a second, but a clear opening appeared.
I threw my spear and grabbed a sword lying nearby.
The relentless training with my aunt never stopped, even after enduring hellish drills.
I wasn't perfect, but I had already grasped the essence of the second-star level.
Wooong—
A sword technique obtained from Mujin.
Cheokma.
The amplified mana was stably channeled into the sword.
Seizing the brief opening, my blade swung toward Ijungkwan's chin.
"...!"
Ijungkwan's expression twisted.
He hastily withdrew his spear to block my sword.
It didn't matter if he blocked it.
That strike was just a feint.
Fwoosh!
I let go of the rebounding sword and dashed into Ijungkwan's range, throwing a punch.
"Hup!"
Ijungkwan's eyes widened.
'This one's going to land!'
Clang—!
The sound of metal shattering rang out.
I looked at my fist in disbelief.
'He blocked that?'
Crack!
At that moment, searing pain shot through my abdomen.
Ijungkwan's other hand—
Why was it touching my stomach?
"Ugh!"
"Congratulations. It seems you've awakened."
Ijungkwan nodded in satisfaction.
'Damn it, if you're going to congratulate me, why hit me at the end?!'
I gritted my teeth, clutching my stomach.
"That is intuition. But you're still rough around the edges. If your senses were fully honed, you would have dodged that last strike."
Ijungkwan's demeanor had changed.
His usual mockery was replaced by a serious tone.
"Thirty-seven days. To be honest, I'm impressed. I heard the firstborn, Myeongjeong, took forty-five days. You were even faster than I expected."
Pain momentarily forgotten, I stared at Ijungkwan in disbelief.
At that moment—
"You're still far from done."
"Aaagh!"
Fwoosh—! Boom!
Hwa, who had tried to launch a sneak attack, was swiftly countered and slammed into the ground.
"Today's training ends here."
Ijungkwan ended the session an hour earlier than usual.
I sat in a daze, replaying the events in my mind.
"I trusted you! You bastard!"
Hwa yelled in frustration, rubbing his bruised shoulder.
Meanwhile, as Ijungkwan left the training ground, he silently examined his palm.
A small bruise had formed.
'Even after reinforcing with mana… he still managed to break through a little?'
It was only a small amount, but he had violated his own self-imposed restriction against using mana.
That moment had surpassed all expectations.
Such a level of combat instinct—far too exceptional for someone who had merely awakened their intuition.
'And the thought of discarding such a refined technique…'
A child of that age, possessing such swordsmanship, would normally be eager to show it off. Yet, he had held back until the very last moment, only to discard it completely.
An incomprehensible boy.
His mastery of mana—impossible to gauge.
His swordplay—worthy of being a family secret.
And on top of that, the strategic mind to sacrifice everything in one decisive move.
'I see potential. If he continues like this… well, the old geezers in the clan are in for a shock.'
Ijungkwan dusted off his arms and smirked.
***
On the 47th day of training, Hwa finally awakened his intuition.
At that point, Ijungkwan ended the training.
The remaining time was dedicated to rest and reviewing what we had learned.
I took plenty of rest while continuing my mana studies with my aunt.
Then, the day arrived.
The Naming Ceremony (作名式).
The second trial to prove myself as a member of the Soongmu Clan.