The two stand in the middle of the field. Looking into each other’s eyes with their own determination.

Min Jae: Are you ready to face me with all of your strength? You’re going to need it.

Ji Hoon: I’m fighting not for the sake of defeating you, but for the sake of protecting the people that I care about which you want to hurt.

Ji Hoon had noticed that Min Jae had been carrying something on his back. The shape of it looked like a sword but he was unsure what it was. Finally Min Jae took it off his back as it was revealed to be two blades distinctively shorter than Ji Hoon’s. It was two Kodachi’s.

(A kodachi was a sword known to be lightweight and smaller than the wakizashi)

Although he has two blades, it’s not necessarily better than one. A battle is determined by a person’s skill and not based on the number of swords that a person uses.

Ji Hoon thought to himself while gripping his sword preparing for the fight between the both of them.

As the both of them start to run at each other, they draw their blades as they clash while fighting toe to toe against one another. For now, both of them were just trading slashes, no one was overpowering the other. None of them dared to do any attempts to a full on attack as they didn’t want to be vulnerable to a counterattack.

Min Jae: Well, since none of us are fighting seriously, how about I tell you a little story?

Ji Hoon: Please.. Don’t speak any more of that story..

Min Jae ignored Ji Hoon and while they were still fighting, Min Jae began to tell his story.

“Once upon a time lived a boy and his sister. Their parents died when the sister was old enough to take care of him. So none of them went to an orphanage. The both of them were living in harmony and they took care of each other. The sister worked hard to send her younger brother overseas wanting him to have a better future. Alas, one day her fiancée was killed by a brutal assassin.”

“The two plotted to take revenge but the sister had started to fall in love with the monster. Eventually her feelings got the best of her when the monster finally killed her back. That night when he went to find his sister, he went into the room and saw nothing but a lifeless body with blood everywhere. She had been killed by a monster. The same monster that killed her fiancée.”

“The same night itself an assassin was sent to kill the boy as the group didn’t want anyone witnessing the situation to escape. The boy ran, but he couldn’t outrun the assassin. The assassin slashed him in the back and left. Expecting him to die there. The assassin didn’t know that they boy crawled away hanging on to life, until a sword master found him in the woods.”

“The sword master had a family, his wife and two kids. All of them took great care of him until he was much better and was finally back to great health. One night, the boy sneaked downstairs and took the sword that belonged to the sword master and killed the whole family in their sleep.”

Min Jun, Naeun and Chorong were all listening to the story he was telling. As he told them about how he killed the family that had been taking care of him, and stole all the money that the family had. Everyone was shocked at how evil he was.

Naeun: Why would he do that? The family saved him!

Min Jun: This guy is rotten to the core! He must be evil in his purest form.

Min Jae heard what they said as he proceeded to reply them. Ji Hoon and Min Jae were still trading sword blows in the process.

Min Jae: Now, you all think that this boy was evil. He could have just stolen the money without killing them. However did you know why he did it? Let me give you three guesses.

Number 1. The boy was a psychopath.

Number 2. The family resisted, not letting him steal their money.

Number 3. For a boy whose life has been ruined time and time again by a monster which took his sister away from him, seeing the family living in happiness, he just couldn’t stand it.

The answer without a doubt is number 3.

Ji Hoon flinched with the answer he gave. He was beginning to get angry.

Ji Hoon: ENOUGH!!!

Ji Hoon finally launched a full out attack on Min Jae. He leapt up in an instant and was about to reach Min Jae when he countered with his first skill.

SWORD DANCE

Min Jae avoided every attack Ji Hoon tried to do by moving silently and rapidly while alternating between slow and quick movements to confuse him. It was almost like flowing water. As Min Jae circled around him with that technique with utmost speed, he jumped out at him suddenly, landing a slash on his back.

AAGH!!

The shout was heard by everyone including Chorong who was becoming nervous.

Ji Hoon was hurt yet again. The pain from the previous wound did not help as it started to act up again. He leaned on his sword as he got up again not losing eyes on his target. If he wanted to beat Min Jae he had to use his ultimate technique.

Min Jae: That one slash was nothing if compared to what my sister lost. I’ll make sure I make you suffer here and now!

The two continue to fight. Ji Hoon jumps at Min Jae as he attempts to slash him. Min Jae uses the same technique in attempts to land another strike.

The sword dance was flawless. Even Ji Hoon couldn’t estimate where he was going to slash him.

Min Jae: Do you remember when I first saw you?

Ji Hoon: I do.

(Flashback begins)

Hye Won brought Ji Hoon into the room as Min Jae sat on the couch.

Hye Won: Oppa! Meet my brother!!

Ji Hoon: Hi! Nice to meet you. I’m Ji Hoon, I’m… your sister’s boyfriend.

Min