EPISODE 5

If one asked anyone familiar with Kayan about the words that least described him, the answer would be pride, arrogance, and carelessness.

He had served as a collector for the Badnikers for thirty-four years, successfully completing a total of 1,031 missions.

Though he was not the strongest collector, no one could dispute that he was the epitome of what a collector should be.

He could never have imagined that today would mark a blemish on his flawless career.

Of course, Kayan's dry personality meant he didn't place much value on his personal record. Still, the unexpected was the unexpected.

Am I getting old? Kayan sighed as he remembered the voices of those urging him to retire.

He looked forward again.

He didn't flinch despite the dull blade of the sword being aimed at his throat.

Luan Badniker, the owner of the sword, looked down at him with a cool gaze, contrasting the smile on his face.

Then what was the appearance he had shown in the main house so far?

Had he experienced some awakening in such a short time? That didn't seem very likely.

Was it all an act? Kayan wondered.

Kayan shook his head.

He recalled Luan's earlier attacks, each painful strike engraved on his body, before speaking, "It's the Badnikers' hereditary swordsmanship, Iron Heart."

Luan remained silent.

"The jaw attack stems from the 7th Style, Sky Stab. I feel traces of the 4th Style in the repeated strikes to the center of my chest, solar plexus, and abdomen." Kayan looked at Luan and asked, "Young Master Luan, did you create your fist technique based on the family's swordsmanship?"

Luan laughed mischievously and withdrew his sword. "I told you so."

Kayan swallowed his groan in silence.

Naturally, the difference between sword and fist techniques was significant. The deeper one delved into them, the wider the gap got.

It was because swords and fists served different roles in combat.

What did this mean?

If this fist technique is really based on the Badnikers' swordsmanship...

As Luan had asserted earlier, it couldn't be simply described as the creation of a martial art. It was much more complicated than that. It was like painting a new picture over a pre-existing artwork—one that was complete.

At the same time, the original's essence must be preserved. Otherwise, the original's benefits would be meaningless.

Kayan knew how absurd this task was. This is only possible if you have a better discerning eye than the sword style's creator.

If Luan had truly transformed the hereditary swordsmanship into a fist technique, the Badnikers would have to acknowledge the existence of another genius equal to Heero, the eldest son.

***

I sheathed the sword, stepped back, and waited silently for a moment, giving Kayan, who seemed deep in thought, time to sort things out.

Kayan stood up from the ground.

The first thing he checked was his disheveled clothing. Only after he had tidied his messy hair did he look at me with a conflicted expression.

"White Sun Eclipse." He sighed deeply before continuing, "Young Master Luan, is that the name of the martial art you created?"

"That's right."

"Impressive," he praised.

Honestly, I felt a bit uncomfortable since I hadn't created it entirely by myself.

I changed the subject to shake off this uneasy feeling. "Sir Kayan, your movements were remarkable as well. You have unusual footwork. What type of technique is that?"

Strangely, my comment seemed to rekindle a light in Kayan's eyes. He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable.

I told him, "If you can't speak about it, that's fine too."

"No, it's not that..." Kayan trailed off.

He soon shook his head and looked directly at me. "Can you show me the rest of your White Sun Eclipse?"

"Is this the last test?" I asked.

"Of course not. You have already proven your worth, Young Master Luan," he replied.

"Oh."

His sudden shift in attitude surprised me. Thus, I asked mischievously, "Does that mean I am better than my second brother?"

"Unless my insight is wrong," Kayan said while checking his clothes, "Young Master Luan, your comparison target should be higher than Young Master Hector."

Anyone who knew Kayan, even a little, would know that he was not one to give out compliments easily. Kayan's words were nothing but the highest praise for Luan.

Noticing my silence, Kayan said, "What I just asked was purely a personal request. Please forget about it."

His tone was calm, but his expression and voice betrayed his nervousness. He maintained his attitude as a collector but seemed anxious to witness the White Sun Eclipse's moves for some reason.

This reaction came out when I showed the White Sun Eclipse, I mused about Kayan's change in attitude.

The duties of a collector varied, and among them were inspecting and grading. A collector's role also involved directly observing the martial arts practiced by the Badnikers and assigning them a score.

Kayan was the oldest collector and had graded the most martial arts.

Witnessing someone react this way after just a glimpse of the White Sun Eclipse wasn't a bad feeling.

Still, this doesn't mean I can just show it.

Collector Kayan was someone from whom I had a lot to gain.

I quietly looked at him and drawled, "The White Sun Eclipse isn't complete, so I can't show you everything."

"Is that so?"

Naturally, an incomplete martial art had many flaws. Demonstrating it recklessly before others would expose its weaknesses or failures before completion.

I didn't say this, but Kayan seemed to understand the underlying meaning. I could tell by his downcast expression and his silence.

Perhaps it was time to throw him a little bait.

"Of course, I know that you are trustworthy, Sir Kayan. So I have a proposal for you..." Looking at the nervous-looking Kayan, I continued, "I'll show you several forms from the White Sun Eclipse today. In return, could you teach me your footwork technique from earlier?"

"What do you mean by footwork technique?"

"The technique you used earlier. The one that alters your stride to create the illusion of a different speed."

As soon as I said that, Kayan's expression changed drastically.

Did I make a mistake?

It was such a complex reaction that it was hard to express in words.

I observed his troubled face and asked, "Did I say something rude?"

"That's not the case. Just..." Kayan closed his eyes, lost in thought.

To my surprise, he suddenly uttered, "Thirty-four years ago."

"Huh?"

"Back then, I was a wandering knight. That's when I met Lord Delac, the current family head."

I listened intently.

"It was after the battle of Krunvel. The empire had effectively lost. I fled without a single moment of rest for three days and nights. The vile followers of the Dark Church of Genesis were relentless in their pursuit. I drew my sword, ready to die, and went into battle." He paused, lost in the memory. "How long did I fight like that? At a time when my consciousness started to fade and my body stopped moving properly, the family head appeared before me."

I didn't expect Kayan to be so talkative. Regardless of this feeling, I quietly listened to his voice and could vividly picture the scene.

"He slaughtered the followers in a flash and saved me. His first words were..." A small smile appeared on Kayan's face. "Your footwork is unusual. What type of technique is that?"

I narrowed my eyes.

Was it a coincidence or inevitability?

The Iron-Blooded Lord once commented on the same thing I did. Was I merely following his lead?

"Then he also asked me whether I could teach him that technique." Kayan paused, collecting his thoughts.

"Young Master Luan, seeing you today has brought back memories of the old days, long buried and gathering dust in my mind. So..." Kayan was about to say something but then shook his head. "I've been rambling for too long. For some reason, I just felt like telling you that story."

Kayan didn't fully understand why he suddenly brought this up.

I was also silent for a while.

Kayan's earlier smile was that of an old man reminiscing.

Given his age, it wasn't strange, but it was the first time I'd ever seen him smile like this. What made it even stranger was that I wouldn't have known this for the rest of my life had I not returned to the past.

In my memories, Kayan would have remained a cold, merciless collector until the end.

"My footwork doesn't have a fancy name. I call it Hidden Steps."

"Hidden Steps," I murmured.

"It isn't hard for me to teach you, but I'm not sure if it will be of any use to you, Young Master Luan."

"What do you mean?"

"It is a challenging skill to master correctly," he explained.

It did look like it.

Kayan continued, "As you can see, it is a practical technique. Some of the collectors, as well as other young masters, asked me to share this technique. I taught it to them because there is nothing to hide, but..."

"No one mastered it?" I asked.

"As far as I know, the family head is the only one who has mastered it correctly," Kayan replied.

"Hmm..."

It definitely seemed like a difficult skill, but was it that hard to master? I couldn't tell from just watching it once.

Perhaps sensing my thoughts, Kayan closed the distance slightly and retraced the steps he had just taken as if to demonstrate. "The movement of your shoulders is more important than your steps. Essentially, we focus on the upper body when looking at a person."

The difference now was that it was much slower than before. Since he showed it sideways, I gained a more intuitive feeling than when I first saw it.

I observed the way he walked and said, "I think I get it. The key is to differentiate the upper and lower body's movements, confusing the opponent's perception."

"That's right. Keep your upper body movements moderate, and your strides slow but big. In theory, that is all there is to it, but..."

"The rest is a matter of sense. Okay." I glanced at Kayan before trying to imitate the movements. "Is it like this?"

One step, two steps, three steps.

I couldn't take a fourth.

"O-ohh?!"

I lost my balance, spun around, and landed face-first on the carpet.

I burst out laughing—it was so ridiculous, even to me.

"Well, it's tough to do right now. I can't imitate it if my back can't support me. How were my Hidden Steps just now?"

Kayan paused, at a loss for words. Then he asked, "Since when?"

"Since when what?"

"Young Master Luan, since when have you been deceiving your family?" he asked.

What did he mean by that?