###Chapter 8: Trial by Iron Sword
The morning after the river battle, Tae-Hyun's apartment felt smaller, his heart racing even as his city joggers passed on the street below. Everything ordinary now felt distant and weak.
He stared at the **Iron Sword Pavilion** invitation, the crisp paper cold against his fingers.
> [Attend Iron Sword Pavilion's selection trials]
> Time remaining: 4 hours
The system pulsed, nagging for a decision. If he missed it, the only other invitation was Mo Yul's blood-soaked cult—a fate he refused to entertain.
He forced down a bowl of instant noodles, bracing himself for another jump through the rabbit hole. *Login…*
The world spun. Stone tiles, echoing with footsteps, settled beneath him. He stood in a vast courtyard set atop a mountain crag, banners fluttering in stormy wind. Warriors in gray uniforms sparred in the distance, their sword forms flashing like silver lightning.
Tae-Hyun's eyes swept the crowd—dozens of candidates waited, some grim, others trembling, every one of them exuding Qi. Only a handful looked truly at ease. One, a smiling girl with hair tied back in a blue ribbon, caught his eye. She was the only one who greeted him.
"First selection, rookie?" she asked. "Scared?"
He tried to look confident, settling into a Flowing Water stance. "A little. You?"
She grinned, nodding. "Always. Name's Seol Rin." She offered her hand—her grip was strong, graceful.
Before he could respond, a booming voice echoed. An old man in sweeping robes strode onto the platform. His hair was iron-gray, his gaze sharp enough to carve mountains.
"Welcome, candidates of the Iron Sword Pavilion! Only ten among you will pass today's trial. The rest, you will find the mountain holds only cold comfort." The man didn't smile. "Ready your swords and your hearts."
A system prompt flashed:
> [Trial: First Sword]
> Objective: Demonstrate your martial technique against a chosen disciple. Survivors advance.
> Reward: Pavilion Novitiate status, access to sect resources, +50 reputation
Tae-Hyun's heart hammered. He had no sword. But as if on cue, plain swords appeared on a rack beside him—all identical, their edges cold and unyielding.
Seol Rin winked. "Don't die, okay?"
She strode away, heading towards her own opponent, tapping her blade on her shoulder.
Tae-Hyun gripped a sword, feeling its unfamiliar weight. Flowing Water Fist was meant for bare hands, not steel, but he'd have to adapt.
His opponent stepped forward: a broad-shouldered youth with hard eyes, his stance disciplined but arrogant.
"You're not Iron Sword material," the youth sneered. "Step aside before you embarrass yourself."
No time for words. The trial began.
The youth lunged, sword cutting a wide arc. Tae-Hyun's body remembered the rhythm of water—he sidestepped, letting the blade whistle past. He parried awkwardly, arm jarring painfully.
His Qi surged, desperate. He switched to Water Flow Step, circling, blending, letting the momentum of his opponent create openings. The youth stabbed forward—Tae-Hyun twisted, barely grazing the strike.
The judge watched, eyes expressionless. Failure meant expulsion—or worse.
Tae-Hyun forced his body through all he'd learned: Water Flow as swordplay, rolling his hips and redirecting force. He parried high, then ducked low, his sword clashing, scraping, and finally sliding along the blade to strike the youth's wrist.
The crowd murmured; the youth staggered back, glaring.
Tae-Hyun poured Qi into his weapon, remembering the serpent. When next he struck, his sword flowed like water, a seamless extension of himself. The blow hit, unbalancing his foe.
The youth fell backwards, breath knocked out of him.
System message blinked:
> [Victory!]
> [Martial Comprehension increased.]
> [Swordplay unlocked: Flowing River Blade Lv.1]
The judge nodded. "Pass."
Tae-Hyun's arms ached, wrists throbbing, but a grin forced itself onto his face. Around him, a dozen others either stood victorious or groaned in pain—Seol Rin was among the winners, breathing hard but smiling.
She gave him a thumbs up. "Not bad for a rookie!"
The judge pointed to a hall behind the courtyard. "Enter, those who passed. Your training begins now. Those who failed, you may descend the mountain—or be carried."
Tae-Hyun entered the hall, heart pounding with new hope.
Inside, the walls were lined with old scrolls, faded ink, and blades of every kind. The air shimmered with suppressed Qi—a field of possibility, and violent promise.
A new message arrived:
> [Pavilion Novitiate Status Acquired]
> Training unlocked: Sword Foundation, Qi Tempering, Martial Library Access
> Daily Survival Quests Enabled
He gazed at the sword in his hand, feeling not just its weight—but the enormity of the road ahead.
He wasn't a trash player anymore.
***
### Chapter 9: Beneath the Blade
Training in the Iron Sword Pavilion was nothing like the gentle arts shown in martial dramas. Each day began with dawn drills, cold sweat, and bruises.
Tae-Hyun rose early, aches from trials lingering. The sword now felt familiar, his grip strong—every motion underlain by Flowing Water's discipline.
Seol Rin trained beside him, a constant companion, her own blade whistling through the morning fog. Occasionally, she'd show him old tricks—how to pivot on the heel for strength, how to read an opponent's stance before he moved.
The instructor, a stoic man named Master Cho, watched Tae-Hyun with careful eyes. Fairly quickly, he noticed something odd about the newest student:
"You flow well for a novice," Cho observed one evening, as Tae-Hyun practiced Water Flow Step among iron lanterns. "You learn too quick."
Tae-Hyun smiled weakly. "Lucky scroll, I guess."
Cho's eyes narrowed in a way that made Tae-Hyun nervous. He'd heard rumors: Pavilion elders sometimes recruited 'genuine prodigies' from the sect, but they'd also cast out cheaters, spies, or demon-*marked* ones.
After dinner, Tae-Hyun visited the Martial Library—a grand hall filled with ancient scrolls, each locked behind a barrier that would only open for those with enough reputation or Qi strength.
Azure Snow Fairy appeared, lounging atop a stack of books. "Martial Comprehension rises, but you're hunted still. Mo Yul left a mark on your soul. Watch for assassins—this sect is safe, but only for those who earn their place."
Tae-Hyun asked, "How do I get stronger?"
The Fairy smirked. "Read the scrolls. Train without rest. Complete daily quests. When ready, request a duel with a senior disciple. Survival, candidate, is never passive."
That night, Tae-Hyun took a daily quest:
> [Daily Quest: Subdue Mountain Bandits]
> Reward: Qi Pill, +10 reputation
He ventured out with Seol Rin and three other novices, blades flashing as they fought real bandits—scarred men who used dirty tactics and poison darts.
Tae-Hyun leveraged Flowing Water, using terrain and speed to overpower foes. Seol Rin watched his form, recognizing the subtle changes—his sword techniques bending, adapted from fist to blade.
For every win, his Qi grew. Every bruise taught him something new. The Sword Pavilion tested him relentlessly, but he survived.
At the night's end, as he split the Qi Pill, letting its energy course through him, the system announced:
> [Meridian Opening 3/12]
> [Swordplay increased: Flowing River Blade Lv.2]
> [Reputation: 60]
Days blurred, each fight bringing Tae-Hyun closer to true martial mastery. The Pavilion wasn't just a place to hide—it was where he transformed from crashed streamer to sword-wielding prodigy.
But in every shadow, he felt Mo Yul's bloody glare. The real trial was yet to come.
He would need more than training—he would need friends, secrets, and the courage to face both the demons of Murim and the ghosts of his old life.
***