The 31st Piece Turns the Tables
chapter-234

“Y-You…!”

“You will take a seat,” said Gwak Seong.

So Ryo quickly turned to Seol Hong, but… she was scared as well.

- Be confident. He will pick away at you if you show any signs of weakness, Lady Seol Hong.

Recalling those words, Seol Hong looked at Seol. He then quietly and leisurely walked toward the chair where Seol Hong would be sitting and stood behind it.

Step…

Step…

“I apologize for making you wait. My name is Seol Hong,” greeted Seol Hong, sitting down in the chair Seol had pulled out for her.

So Ryo then did her best to copy Seol Hong’s actions.

“I-I am So Ryo. I am a Dragon’s Flower…”

So Ryo’s cunning facade quickly broke down the moment she sat down at the table.

“Wh-what is going on? Elder Brother Bae Yu is d-dead.”

Bae Yu had a dagger in his chest, blood pooling on his stomach.

A corpse rested in the chair beside them at the dinner table. It was a scene that would have surprised anyone.

So Ryo’s reaction to this scene was normal.

Seol Hong’s reaction was abnormal.

“Could I ask the reason why a corpse is taking up a chair?” asked Seol Hong.

“Do you know him?”

“That depends. I could, but I also couldn’t.”

Piqued by her response, Gwak Seong smirked.

“And what do you mean by that?”

“If you killed him because he wronged you greatly, then I do not know him. However, if it was because of a simple whim, I do know him.”

If Gwak Seong had mistakenly killed Bae Yu, Seol Hong planned to exploit it to her advantage, but if Bae Yu had made a mistake, Seol Hong planned to ignore it.

She stated this boldly, without stuttering a single word.

“Interesting,” murmured Gwak Seong. “He wronged me.”

“Is that so? What did he do?”

“He dared to threaten me. The petty power he had got to his head, preventing him from understanding his situation.”

“What did he say?”

“To hand over the arena. Either that or to submit to the Khan Empire. He tried to promise me wealth, but… he annoyed me, and I killed him.”

Gwak Seong was definitely not in the wrong for this.

This was undeniably Bae Yu’s mistake for not understanding his place and his opponent.

Though his decision was heavy-handed, the title ‘Dragon’s Flower’ did not carry much weight during the Dragon War.

Clatter…

Clatter…

Meanwhile, So Ryo was trembling.

The horrific sight seemed more than enough to put her on the verge of fainting.

Slide…

Beneath the table, Seol Hong slid her hand toward So Ryo’s hands and held them tightly.

“......”

Surprisingly, that was all it took to stop So Ryo’s trembling. So Ryo did not refuse her hand.

“Lady, do you know about me?”

“Gwak Seong. The Warrior’s Heart’s master and a skilled individual who had trained two conquerors. A person who could be seen as the absolute ruler of Yocheon.”

“...Anything else?”

“Though I don’t know what you are asking for specifically, if you would allow me to guess… are you perhaps referring to your hidden past?”

“How shrewd. What do you know about my past?”

The reason Bae Yu died was likely because either he didn't know about Gwak Seong’s past or he did but didn't care.

"In the past, an official from the Khan Empire attempted to assassinate you, the arena's master at the time, in a desperate bid to make a name for themselves. Unfortunately, due to their foolish actions, Dae San, your conqueror, died."

This was information Seol had given her.

Though it was a story known to few, Yocheon’s officials were aware of it. This was the main reason they had tried to prevent So Ryo from hastily meeting them.

“You know well. Though it seems like this friend over here didn’t.”

“Ignorance leads to hardships, after all.”

“Hahaha… not bad.”

As Seol suggested, Seol Hong continued to talk with Gwak Seong as if she were someone on equal footing. Meanwhile, So Ryo stayed completely silent, even hiding her face from them.

“Dae Ha, come here. I’d like you to meet some people.”

“Yes, sir.”

Seol glanced at the man approaching Gwak Seong.

He was much, much smaller than Dae San.

However, he was also undoubtedly strong.

‘He’s definitely strong!’

If Seol were to compare him to a monster, he’d be one on the verge of reaching Transcendent-rank.

The aura that he was exuding was just that incredible.

However, his open display of it showed not only his confidence but also his arrogance, to the point that it was a flaw.

"Say hi. These bastards are Hong Cheon’s children, the Dragon’s Flowers, here to steal the Warrior’s Heart from me."

“......”

“......”

Seol Hong and So Ryo were both shocked.

It seemed that Bae Yu had confessed everything to them.

He should have at least survived if he was going to reveal everything. Failing at both showed just how incapable he was.

“Dae Ha.”

“Seol Hong.”

“S-So Ryo…”

Dae Ha immediately looked at Seol.

“And you?”

From the moment he entered the room, Dae Ha had kept his eyes on Seol.

“Kang Seol.”

Gwak Seong laughed maniacally.

“Yeah… Good… I’m sure everyone’s lost their appetite, let’s get to the point.”

Lean…

Gwak Seong leaned into the table, placing his elbows on it as well.

“What do you want, brats?”

“......”

“Are you going to threaten me like your older brother? To serve the Khan Empire?”

Slam!

So Ryo shrieked as Gwak Seong slammed the table.

“Hiek…”

"Are you seriously trying to involve me in your succession battle or whatever the hell game you're playing?"

“W-Well…”

Slide…

Gwak Seong’s warriors began entering the room through the door, an undeniable threat signaling them not to involve him any further.

So Ryo’s Dragon’s Stone reached for his sword, but… couldn’t bring himself to unsheathe it.

“Answer me!”

So Ryo trembled even more under Gwak Seong's pressure before finally saying...

“I-I’ll give up. I’ll stop now.”

Suddenly, an archivist’s voice pierced through the room.

“So Ryo, the One Hit Flower, is now a fallen flower.”

So Ryo’s face quickly turned dark after that.

But even so, she couldn’t take back her words. She did not want to die.

Now, only Seol Hong was left.

Despite the intimidating presence of all the warriors, she continued to reach for more food with her chopsticks calmly.

“The food here is pretty good.”

“...It’s you, isn’t it?”

“What’s me?”

“The person who spread those baseless rumors. It’s you, huh?”

“......”

“You bastards humiliated Dae San’s name… maybe the perfect humiliation for a bastard like you who looks down on the world would be to…”

The atmosphere in the room was beginning to feel unsettling.

Well, truthfully, it had been unsettling from the start. It was simply now becoming more apt to say that it was turning violent.

“I will kill you. Before I do, answer me. Why did you do this?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“...What do you mean?”

Even Seol was on edge now, poised for a fight to break out at any moment.

However, Seol Hong gave the best answer she could at this moment.

“If you have something to say, raise your weapon.”

- If you have something to say, raise your weapon.

The reason the Warrior’s Heart had become so great.

Seol Hong was taking advantage of the banner they all stood beneath.

After hearing that… It was the first time in a long while that Gwak Seong had found himself at such a loss for words.

"Yeah... If those rumors are true, then it must also mean that you're trying to become the conqueror, right?"

Seol Hong smiled in response.

And as she did, Gwak Seong…

“Hah…”

…laughed.

“Hahahahahahaha! Cough… Ahahaha… Hahahahahahhaa!”

Stand…

Gwak Seong stood up from his chair.

“Three days.”

“I will see you in three days.”

“Dae Ha and Kang Seol will face off in the Warrior’s Heart to decide the conqueror. What will you put on the line for it?”

"What about you?"

“Obviously… everything.”

Stand…

Seol Hong stood up as well.

“Okay, I will put everything on the line as well.”

Smile…

Gwak Seong gave a big smile, grinning from ear to ear.

"It feels like... this is the first time in a long while where I've felt like I could truly breathe... Really... It’s been too long."

In three days' time, the two would be putting everything on the line.

Gwak Seong felt euphoric from that prospect.

* * *

Translator - goguma

Proofreader - Karane

* * *

Three days had passed.

Gwak Seong exited his manor.

Pourrrrrrrr…

It was raining hard outside.

The same rain that took Dae San away.

However, for some reason… Gwak Seong felt like he was in peak condition.

“Pfft…”

“Let’s go.”

Dae Ha, his conqueror, trailed him at his side.

“Dae Ha…”

“Yes?”

“Are you confident?”

“I don’t fight because I am confident in my skills, sir.”

“...Then why?”

“I fight to protect your will.”

“......”

Gwak Seong then turned, glancing at Dae Ha’s physique.

Unlike Dae San, Dae Ha was incredibly weak at first.

But now, he had honed his body to the point where his frame was now filled with muscles.

“Do you remember the day your brother left us?”

“...I do.”

“He died because of me, you know?”

“Elder Gwak Seong…”

The two recalled that day.

A newly appointed official from the Khan Empire sought control over all of Yocheon.

In fact, he had gone so far as to challenge the rights of the Warrior’s Heart, something that should never be done.

And obviously, Gwak Seong had refused to give it to him.

But that night… a bunch of assassins were sent to Gwak Seong’s manor.

- …Don’t let them in!

- …Protect Elder Gwak Seong!

- …Gahhhh!

A night filled with spine-chilling screams and shouts.

Dae San took his last breath that night, dying to one of the assassins.

“I’ve told you this countless times, sir. My older brother would have been proud to die like that.”

“...Why?”

“Because he was…”

Dae Ha stopped himself.

He couldn’t bring himself to speak on behalf of the dead, especially not his older brother. It wouldn’t be respectful to those who came before him.

“If you have something to say, raise your weapon. I love that phrase,” said Gwak Seong.

“...I do as well.”

“It’s a phrase that flipped my world on its head. My boring life… was completely changed by your older brother and the Warrior’s heart.”

“He liked that phrase as well.”

"Hahaha… Every once in a while, I'm reminded of how similar the two of you are."

“...Do you miss him?”

“No.”

“...You don’t have to lie to me.”

“Hahaha! Was it that obvious?”

Gwak Seong then stopped to take another look at Dae Ha.

- I will… I will continue my older brother’s legacy!

- …Dae Ha.

- My older brother… Dae San is…

Dae Ha had told him that after Gwak Seong was devastated by Dae San’s death. And he had kept his promise, he truly became the conqueror.

However, even a miracle wasn’t enough to fill the hole that had been left in his heart by Dae San’s absence.

It really was strange.

Gwak Seong had reclaimed his life, reclaimed his glory, but… there was something missing.

And he couldn’t put a word on it, much less understand the reason why.

“The only person who will succeed my brother’s will is me. I will reveal that truth today.”

“Don’t die.”

“...What, sir?”

“I-It’s nothing…”

Gwak Seong was shocked; he didn’t know why he had said this, either. It was instinctive.

Instead of telling Dae Ha not to lose, he was telling him not to die.

“Let’s go. It’ll begin soon.”

* * *

Pourrrrrr…

The seats in the Warrior’s Heart were packed. Despite that, more people were being allowed in, with makeshift seats set up to accommodate them.

The events that were about to unfold in the Warrior’s Heart were just that rare of a spectacle.

It had been a long time since the last Battle of Conquest.

Dae Ha, the conqueror, had accepted Seol’s challenge.

“What do you think, Lady Shin Yo?” asked Jang Du.

"Dae Ha is someone who managed to become conqueror. Despite facing numerous challengers, not one lasted more than a minute against him."

“Haha… So this will be a battle to see whether Kang Seol can drag it out to five minutes or if Dae Ha will end it in one.”

"Dae Ha is skilled with the staff, proficient enough to decisively defeat anyone who isn’t accustomed to it. That's why most people can't last a minute against him. On the other hand, Kang Seol hasn’t displayed anything remarkable. For that reason, he will lose."

“...You know more about this than I thought.”

“Ahem… I just read the scrolls they were selling near the entrance.”

“If I knew you liked this so much, I would’ve brought you here earlier… Let’s visit here often.”

“I don’t like it, okay! More importantly, what do you think, Jang Du?”

“Me?”

Jang Du scratched his chin for a second, thinking hard.

“I… too believe that Dae Ha will win.”

“Right?”

“But one thing does bother me.”

“What is it?”

“I told you before that he definitely didn’t seem ordinary, but that I also couldn’t sense anything from him, right?”

“You did.”

“He’s… hiding something.”

“Kang Seol? Is he really someone who could do that?”

“The way he fights definitely isn’t ordinary either. It’s awkward, like a giant trying to fight while wearing a child’s shoes… I will place my bet on that.”

“Oho… are you making a bet against me?”

“The loser will have to do the night watch the next time we camp outside.”

“I need a lot of sleep, though… and I’m a Dragon’s Flower…”

"Where is the person who laughed at Bae Yu's death for thinking he could do as he pleased because he was a Dragon’s Flower?"

“Fine! I’ll bet on Dae Ha.”

“Haha! It’s starting now!”

Pourrrrrrrrr…

With no roof overhead, the audience was forced to watch in the pouring rain. Although the staff used Daoist spells to block some of the rain, they couldn’t stop it entirely.

Craaaaaackle!

Lightning flashed, and thunder boomed.

However, everyone laughed defiantly.

They were just that excited to see the next match.

- Even the weather is blessing us today! Wouldn’t you agree?

“Shut up!”

“Does this look like a blessing to you?!”

“Hahahaha! You fucking psycho! Just start the match already!”

- Hahahaha! And because today is the Battle of Conquest, please look kindly upon the little warriors walking among you! And with that... the gladiators are entering!

Seol, the challenger, entered the arena alongside Dae Ha.

Today was the day when the true conqueror between them would be decided.