As soon as Jin Baek-woo, Jang Young-pil, and Kang Yoon-do arrived at Cheonwoohoe headquarters, they unleashed a forceful energy that pressed down on the trainees. Their sudden appearance sent a wave of tension through the training grounds.
"Hand over the traitor, Han Soyeon!"
Jin Baek-woo shouted. "We're here to expose the truth about Cheonwoohoe—the sect that betrayed Jungpa and allied with the Sapa!"
As murmurs spread among the trainees, Han Soyeon stepped forward. She met their gaze calmly and said,
"I'll face them. I'll show them just how narrow-minded and hypocritical their so-called 'justice' really is."
Jin Baek-woo and Jang Young-pil charged at once, pressing Han Soyeon hard. Their attacks were swift and fierce, but Han Soyeon deflected with the fluid movements of the Cheongryu Sword Art. Still, under the relentless, coordinated assault from three top Jungpa prodigies, her defenses began to falter.
"A woman talking about justice in the martial world? What a joke!"
"So this is why you left Jungpa to cozy up with Cheonwoohoe—because you were too weak to keep up!"
Even as they attacked, they hurled words meant to break her focus and morale.
But Han Soyeon raised her voice above the clash of blades.
"Is this the justice Jungpa claims to uphold? Crushing the weak beneath your heels? Do you even understand what justice means?"
Her words cut sharp, but her opponents scoffed.
"No matter what you say, Cheonwoohoe will always remain beneath us."
Seeing Han Soyeon begin to falter, Baek Wolhui stepped in. With a calm smile, she addressed the prodigies.
"Weakness in women? That's an amusing thought. Let me show you how wrong you are."
Joining the battle, Baek Wolhui unleashed the grace of Fluid Phantom Dance and Plum Blossom Blade Form. Her movements were calculated and elegant, countering with precision while dodging effortlessly.
"You speak of justice but wield your strength like tyrants. That contradiction—that's your greatest flaw."
The coordinated assault from Baek Wolhui and Han Soyeon shook the Jungpa prodigies for a moment. But they quickly regrouped and resumed their synchronized attacks.
Wolhui's sharp swordplay held for a time, but the unending strikes began revealing small openings. Han Soyeon, too, was visibly fatigued.
At that moment, a flash of sword light cut through the air—Do-hyun had arrived, stepping in to block a fatal strike aimed at Han Soyeon.
"That's far enough."
With his arrival, the atmosphere shifted instantly. His sword burned like fire, radiating a fierce and unmistakable presence.
Jin Baek-woo scoffed, "So the famous Black Cloud Sword finally shows himself. But do you really think you can take all three of us on your own?"
"Stop running your mouth." Do-hyun replied coldly as he drew his sword. A symbol of flame surged from his blade, warping the air with its heat.
But the prodigies did not back down.
"Three of us—one of you. Let's see how long you last."
Their joint assault was precise, rotating in perfect rhythm to target Do-hyun's blind spots. At one point, while Do-hyun blocked two simultaneous attacks, Jang Young-pil's blade shot toward his side.
Do-hyun twisted at the last moment, narrowly evading the strike.
"A decent formation. But that won't be enough to stop me."
He slashed, activating the Flame Sigil. A blazing firebird roared forth, sending a wave of heat toward the three. Jin and Jang raised their guards in haste, but the sheer force was overwhelming.
"Lightning Blade!"
Sparks shot from Do-hyun's sword, cracking through their defenses and striking the gaps in their formation.
The prodigies tried to counter, but Do-hyun cast Swift, amplifying his speed to supernatural levels. His blade split into three arcs, each targeting a different foe with crushing power. Their attacks missed, while his strikes landed true.
"So this is your version of justice?"
Do-hyun shouted as his fiery sword clashed against Jin Baek-woo's, knocking it aside. Jin stumbled, clearly outmatched.
Finally, Do-hyun summoned the full force of the Flame Sigil. The firebird exploded into a wave that overwhelmed the prodigies. One by one, their swords fell from their hands as they collapsed to their knees.
Sheathing his sword, Do-hyun addressed them with quiet finality.
"Justice is not something you impose with force. True justice is found in understanding, in cooperation—and in striving for a better path together."
Jin Baek-woo stared at the ground.
"Were we… wrong all along?"
Han Soyeon stepped beside Do-hyun and spoke softly.
"Justice… isn't about drawing lines between right and wrong. It's about building something better. That's what you showed us."
Do-hyun nodded.
"Justice isn't an ideal—it's something we forge, here and now, in the real world. And you, too, must walk that path."
The training grounds echoed with cheers. Even the defeated prodigies, now breathless and humbled, could no longer deny the strength—or the unity—of Cheonwoohoe.
***
Chapter : The Welfare Dilemma
The front courtyard of Cheonwoohoe's headquarters was bustling from early morning. The newly introduced dormitory system and bi-monthly meal program for trainees had just gone into effect. Trainees were now able to stay in dormitories free of charge, and twice a month, hearty meals were provided. Such welfare policies were rare in the martial world, and at first, they were met with widespread praise.
"I never thought a day like this would come. Doesn't it feel like we really belong to an organization that supports the weak?"
"Yeah, Director Lee Dohyun is amazing. I can't believe he thought all this through."
But behind those smiles, issues were beginning to surface. Cheonwoohoe's budget was limited, and the welfare programs were putting a serious strain on its finances. There were also management blind spots—some of the nearby poor, allowed to participate in the meal program, had begun exploiting the system, taking food and reselling it elsewhere.
Cheong Unjin entered Lee Dohyun's office with a heavy sigh.
"Dohyun, we need to talk."
"What's going on, Unjin?" Dohyun looked up from the documents he was reviewing.
"It's about the dorms and meal program. At this rate, we can't sustain them. The costs are far higher than projected, and the management is a mess. Our budget's already at the breaking point."
Dohyun frowned. He had tried to apply principles of management and organizational efficiency from the real world to Cheonwoohoe, but the martial world presented a whole different set of challenges.
"I really thought this would work." Dohyun set the papers down, murmuring. "I wanted to boost morale and reinforce our public image, but I didn't expect it to spiral like this."
Unjin spoke in a lighter tone, but his words were serious.
"I get that your intentions were good. But it has to be sustainable. Right now, over half our budget is going to these welfare programs. We barely have enough left to upgrade weapons or continue combat training."
At that moment, Baek Wolhui entered the room, wearing her usual composed smile.
"Unjin has a point. If we want to solidify our place in the martial world, image matters—but strength matters more. And this welfare program? It's already causing internal friction."
"Friction?" Dohyun asked, startled.
"Yes," she replied, folding her arms. "Some trainees think we should focus more on developing our strength and expanding influence rather than doling out food and housing. Others believe this program reflects our core values. Division is natural, but we can't please both sides with our current resources."
Dohyun took a deep breath. He had dealt with similar issues in the real world, but he hadn't expected such a sharp clash of values in Cheonwoohoe.
"So what do we do?" he asked, looking at them both.
Cheong Unjin spoke first.
"We scale it down. There's no way we can afford to keep it all. Cut it down to what's essential."
Baek Wolhui nodded.
"I agree. But the way we scale it down matters. We can't just cut and run—we have to preserve the image that we stand for the weak. Maybe limit the dorms to official trainees only, and run the meal program with local community partnerships. Set clear eligibility requirements."
Dohyun went quiet for a moment. What he'd learned from the real world was clear: ideals alone couldn't sustain an organization.
"Alright. Let's scale it down. But we won't abandon the values behind it. Dorms will be limited to registered trainees. The meal program will be restructured with clearer criteria. And we'll communicate all of this—internally and externally—to avoid any misunderstandings."
Baek Wolhui smiled. "A solid decision, Dohyun. Turns out you can be practical when it counts."
Cheong Unjin gave a nod of agreement.
"Good. I'll lead the internal discussions. I'll help the trainees understand this isn't a retreat—it's a necessary adjustment."
Even as Dohyun made the decision, part of him still ached. He recalled the ideals that had shaped this plan and murmured,
"I know ideals alone aren't enough… but I'm not giving up. Cheonwoohoe's mission to support the weak—no matter how small—will not be lost."