Ghost-seeing actor

The actors watching Taejoo narrowed their eyes.

“Looks like he knows how to use a sword, huh?”

“Doesn’t seem like a beginner.”

“Even so, he’ll barely catch up to Jaejin’s toes. Just pretending is good enough.”

“But shouldn’t he have that sword? Isn’t that the sword used in the main shoot?”

Meanwhile, Taejoo, who was swinging the sword to get accustomed, felt a strange sensation.

‘Why is this happening? Am I just being too sensitive?’

[That sensation you’re feeling, must be from the guard who recently passed away.]

‘The guard… Choi Mubaek?’

[That’s right. Just like how you were taught boxing skills by Elder Lee Hak-ki before.]

Hearing Lee Jung-hyeop’s words, Taejoo nodded his head slowly.

‘Ah, no wonder.’

Sharpeness, precision, and sharpness.

All of these were traits that the guard Choi Mubaek possessed.

During this constant buzz of chatter around him,

“Quiet. It’s too noisy, everyone.”

Jeong Gyu-bum stepped forward, commanding attention.

“I’ll take care of this. So, swing freely. I just want to get a sense of your level.”

“What?”

“The spot you’re taking is for the ace. You were rumored to be the best at swordplay in our action school. Honestly, you’re not someone who should be taking this spot.”

As Jeong Gyu-bum explained, Taejoo slowly raised the sword.

A well-sharpened blade revealed his smile subtly.

It was the thrill of standing against an opponent with a sword.

“Alright, I’ll give it a shot.”

Before the surroundings could react, the swords clashed far away.

Clang, clang, clang!

Taejoo slightly deflected Gyu-bum’s sword with strength in his lower body.

The moment the opponent’s center of gravity wavered,

he twisted the blade, pushing upwards.

Clang! Thud-

Far away, Gyu-bum’s sword fell to the ground.

Only then did Taejoo take a deep breath.

Just moments ago, the noisy surroundings were silent.

Not even the sound of an ant crossing could be heard.

The match was decided in just one minute.

And not by a seasoned martial arts director with 20 years of experience, but by a rookie amateur.

The atmosphere was stunned.

It felt as though the previously buzzing air had been consumed by silence.

“Hey. You, wow…”

Taejoo picked up the sword that had flown far away and handed it back to Jeong Gyu-bum.

His expression during the sparring was completely different.

It was an exceptionally calm and composed face.

“Um, was that okay?”

“What kind of guy is this?”

Jeong Gyu-bum mumbled in disbelief.

“A guy better than the ace has shown up.”

***

The time was past midnight.

The filming set buzzed with urgency.

Having proved his sword skills, Taejoo immediately began rehearsing the action scenes and started practicing.

He poured all his energy into memorizing the choreography and swung the sword countless times.

Though acting as a stand-in, he soon filled the vacant spot.

“Taejoo, you’re the one leading the assassins from the front. You’re the commander leading the charge, and simultaneously handling the soldiers quickly to create confusion.”

“So, overwhelming them creates confusion.”

Taejoo practiced with the soldiers in front of him.

How many times did their swords clash?

It was a choreographed sequence.

However, everyone fell faster than expected.

Jeong Gyu-bum shouted in frustration.

“Why does everyone have such low endurance? Even if you’re a hotshot, you should be putting up more resistance!”

“It’s not that. Director, he’s just too good.”

The humiliated words from the students.

Jeong Gyu-bum glanced at Taejoo with a slight frown.

From afar, Yoon-i was seen listening intently to the director’s instructions.

Yoon-i shook his head slowly, a look of disbelief on his face, and approached Jeong Gyu-bum.

“What’s going on, Director Jeong? Can we have Taejoo up front like that?”

“You were the one who decided to use Han Taejoo for the action scenes, weren’t you?”

“Yeah, but I thought he’d fill in the gaps diligently. The front row is the position captured by the camera, and regular swordsmanship won’t cut it.”

“Director Yoon, do you think I’d put him up front for no reason? The kid is doing pretty well. His choreography matches perfectly.”

Jeong Gyu-bum patted Yoon-i on the shoulder, giving him a light nudge.

“Just trust me once.”

Beside them, Lee Jung-hyeop, who had been hovering around, immediately flew to Taejoo as soon as he heard that.

[The martial arts director trusts you for this scene. Do well.]

“I won’t waste a single second. I’m giving it my all.”

Taejoo’s eyes were unusually intense.

A fierce determination shone through his tired, bloodshot eyes.

The noise on set quickly subsided.

Yoon-i brought the mic to his mouth.

“Ready… Action!”

***

In the dead of night under a full moon.

In the vast palace, darkness descended.

In the king’s chambers, a white-clad guard stood vigil.

He was the one guarding this room every night in place of the king.

Using the excuse of his madness, the surrounding palace maids had been dismissed, leaving him alone.

“Here they come.”

From a distance, he sensed the approaching threat.

Assassins who had come to assassinate the king.

After blowing out the single candle burning in the room, he drew a hidden sword from beneath the covers.

Pressing close to the door, he prepared for the upcoming confrontation. Suddenly, the door flew open.

“Your Majesty, it’s me!”

“Why is the Queen here!”

The queen held onto him desperately.

Her pale face looked as though she might collapse at any moment.

“I have something urgent to say. I had to come.”

“There’s nothing to discuss. Leave at once.”

The guard was frantic.

He needed to separate the queen from the approaching assassins immediately.

However, the queen was immovable.

“It’s been five years since you’ve turned away from me. I’ve spent those years longing for your heart, enduring my loneliness alone. But today, I must know. Why do you keep rejecting me so cruelly?”

“No, not today!”

The guard shouted urgently as he saw the moment unfolding.

Whoosh.

An arrow pierced through the sliding paper door from the outside.

The guard instinctively pulled the queen into his arms.

He hurriedly pushed her into a hidden space beneath the floor and commanded:

“Do not step out of here. Not until I tell you to.”

“But Your Majesty—”

“This is an order.”

Thud.

He closed the door and stepped outside.

Assassins had already breached the central hall.

Late-arriving palace guards struggled to fend them off.

In their moment of carelessness, the assassins ruthlessly pushed through.

“How dare you, insolent fools, attempt to take the king’s life and invade the palace?”

All eyes turned to the guard stepping out.

At the front, Taejoo charged swiftly toward the guard.

Opposite him, a palace soldier aimed his trident at Taejoo.

“You shall go no further!”

Taejoo slid his sword against the trident, twisting it with all his strength, then spun around.

“Ugh!”

The soldier lost his grip and was thrown to the side.

As one assassin fell, others rushed in from the sides.

Their swords reached Taejoo, who swiftly deflected their attacks.

Clang, clang!

Confused by Taejoo’s unseen swordsmanship, they revealed openings.

Seizing the opportunity, Taejoo forcefully pierced through, slicing their waists with one swift motion.

Two fell at once.

Taejoo didn’t stop, continuing to charge at the advancing soldiers.

Clang, clang!

The soldiers collapsed one by one, unable to even lift their swords properly, gasping as they fell to the ground in a pool of blood.

“Cough… Your Majesty.”

One assassin reached the guard’s face.

Just as the bloodied sword was about to strike,

The queen suddenly leaped out, blocking the guard’s path.

“Touch the king, and you’ll have to go through me first!”

The masked Taejoo’s eyes trembled fiercely.

***

Director Yoon-i fully concentrated on the fight scene unfolding before him.

At the center of his focus was, of course, Han Taejoo.

The way he methodically dealt with the enemies was impressive.

His calm demeanor contrasted sharply with his lightning-fast speed, making him stand out from anyone else on set.

The stark difference between his calm expression and his rapid movements created an eerie, chilling atmosphere.

“Seriously, this is incredible.”

Yoon-i couldn’t help but mutter to himself.

“Absolutely… astonishing.”

He glanced briefly at the side.

Even martial arts director Jeong Gyu-bum was in awe, his mouth wide open.

“I always thought my students were the best in action, but this guy surpasses them. Did he train somewhere else?”

“He claims he never trained anywhere, that it’s self-taught.”

“Self-taught? No way!”

Yoon-i furrowed his brows in disbelief.

“If that’s self-taught, then all action actors in Korea must be self-taught!”

“Exactly! If someone who isn’t even formally trained can do that, it’s pure talent!”

Jeong Gyu-bum shook his head repeatedly.

“Sorry to say this about Jae-jin, but Taejoo is better.”

Yoon-i openly admitted his thoughts.

From his flawless movements to the chilling gaze that sent shivers down the spine, Taejoo’s performance was mesmerizing.

It was so natural, so effortless, that no one could take their eyes off him.

While other actors struggled to master their choreography with intense effort, Taejoo made it seem as if he had been doing it for years.

***

At 3 a.m.,

“Okay, cut!”

With a hoarse voice, Director Yoon-i gave the satisfied cut signal.

The atmosphere on set was at its peak.

Despite the early hours, everyone was energized and excited.

The actors watching the monitor and the staff present were all thrilled.

For the past three months, they had feared that the action scene would fall flat.

However, those doubts were shattered.

All thanks to a 21-year-old stunt actor, who exceeded all expectations.

“Seriously amazing. Did you see how Han Taejoo was swinging his sword earlier?”

“He broke through two people attacking him at once? I thought skills like that only existed in manga.”

“Honestly, it was… impressive.”

“The calm gaze and the forceful swordsmanship contrasted beautifully, making it even better.”

The excitement around Taejoo was palpable, with everyone focusing on him.

Currently, he stands amidst seasoned action actors.

Taejoo’s rough hair is gently brushed aside by a hand, his expression calm.

“Hey! You should join us. Wasting that kind of talent would be a waste.”

“Action actors are the future. If you join our action school and hone your skills just a bit more…”

“Hey, do you see this guy needing any more practice? He can be thrown straight into the battlefield.”

What started with doubt and skepticism has now transformed into excitement and hope.

Exhausted, Taejoo simply nodded.

After managing to free himself from the affectionate grip of the older actors, he reached for his phone.

His aunt’s call had ended at 2 a.m.

There was also a text message.

-There probably aren’t any taxis at this hour. Just find a nearby motel to rest, and it would be better to leave early tomorrow.

Reality hit him.

‘Oh right, how do I get home?’

Should he stay at a nearby lodging and leave early the next day, as his aunt suggested?

“Taejoo, how are you planning to get home?”

One of the action actors asked him.

“For now, I’ll stay at a nearby place and head out early in the morning.”

“Hey, don’t do that. Come with us. There’s room in the action school van. You can squeeze in somehow.”

“Oh?”

A smile broke across Taejoo’s face.

Just then, a stranger walked up alongside Kang Jaeha.

“Hey, Han Taejoo! Come with us, there’s still space.”

Kang Jaeha grabbed Taejoo’s arm, pulling him along.

“Don’t be shy, we’ll take you along. Come on!”

“Uh, it’s okay. I don’t want to bother your schedule.”

“No worries, not at all. Our team leader gave the thumbs up!”

Taejoo had no choice but to be swept along with them.

However, the intense gaze of Team Leader Kwon Gi-do seemed unusually fervent.

As if there was something he desperately wanted.