Ahn Hyun Do cleaned his sword with a clean cloth.
The famed sword that the craftsman had completed with his soul and by smelting even the purest part of iron. As famous swordsmen used it generation after generation, the sword’s value had grown.
“Through the sword, what makes a human capable of rising to the sky… is the sword.”
Ahn Hyun Do possessed many famed swords, but he never carelessly took out the Radiant Sword. Only when a big decision was ahead did he meditate over the resolve of his time of youth while cleaning the Radiant Sword.
“The years when there was nothing scary in the world. The years when I was so bent on just fighting that I didn’t have time to look around. I received my undeserved Radiant Sword at that time. This is the sword that let me realize that the days of the sword had no meaning, that in the end people were more important.”
Ahn Hyun Do gazed at the Radiant Sword that he had cleaned to a mirror-like shine.
The azure sky and the clouds drifting away that shone through the office room’s window were also reflected on the blade. The sunlight made him squint his eyes.
“Swordsmanship is learning the way to use the sword. If the motive of fencing is merely strong swordsmanship, what worth is there in learning it?”
The sword that nurtured a person.
Like the flourished weed of the rough wilderness, in the end, a human also had to pass through training. There was a need to learn not just in the small dojo, but the vast world.
“True fear, the drive for life… and also one’s self can be learned through the sword.”
Ahn Hyun Do slid the sword into its sheath and left the office.
“Yul Min.”
The one who took care of the secretarial jobs in the Dojo was named Yul Min.
“Yes, Uncle.”
“It seems like it is time to teach the youngest disciple the way of the sword.”
“So it has already come to this. Then I will book two tickets. On about what date should I reserve the departure?”
“Since he has to go to school right now… Around summer should be fine.”
“Though it appears he’s not ready yet… Might you be rushing it too much?”
“If he’s lacking, he should be able to earn something greater from his insufficiencies.”
Anyone can learn swordsmanship.
For a sword faster than anyone else’s, repetitive effort and studying are necessary. However, simply possessing such a fast sword doesn’t equate to winning matches. A heavier sword or developing muscular strength didn’t mean winning in matches either.
The reason for learning the sword was to see one’s self clearly.
In Ahn Hyun Do’s opinion, young people these days were weak.
“When they go to school and study, prepare for employment… If they spend ten or so years like that they’ll end up running into the world without knowing what they like or what they want to do.”
Once they are out in the workforce, there wouldn’t be a chance to change one’s self. At their workplace, after working in the store and earning money, they would see that the precious times had completely passed and were gone.
Time doesn’t ever come back. It would be great if you could cheat time, but that was an impossibility that only happened in movies.
You would discover yourself through the sword.
Here, there was also the reason of victory by the sword. Observation of yourself and your opponent!
As you compared each other’s might, you would crave for greater heights. Seeing themselves clearly, swordsmen fought with the appetite for advancement.
“A truly powerful sword. Why you must learn the sword, what a true swordsman is… I should be able to show him what those are through travels.”