It's Not the Nose Bridge, It's the Crossguard (4)
"Sect Leader!"
"Mujin! Why have you returned alone?!"
"We must take everyone and head to the western harbor right now! They've set up camp there!"
"What? Set up camp?"
"Yes! We have to hurry! Before I left, I heard swords clashing, so there's no doubt they're already fighting!"
The warrior named Mujin finished his report and gasped for breath. It looked like he'd sprinted the entire way, wringing out every last scrap of internal energy he possessed.
So it wasn't a simple raid after all.
It had been strange from the start that these Japanese pirates, lacking any real discipline or skill, had plundered the village so quickly and cleanly.
Ordinary bandits usually got so caught up shouting their slogans that they missed their chance to flee and ended up dead.
Movements like this suggested their leader had military command experience, or that this group disguising themselves as pirates had invaded Hainan Island with a clear objective.
"Mujin, head straight to the main sect and deliver this news."
"Understood!"
The warrior called Mujin blurred and vanished in an instant. The sect leader stared at the empty space for a moment before turning to me.
"You mentioned once that you served in the military, correct?"
"Yes."
"Have you experienced situations like this?"
"All the time."
I had seen enough guerrilla warfare to last a lifetime. It must have been during the campaign to recapture the holy lands. The memory of losing far too many comrades to those Middle Eastern bastards' ambushes rose unbidden.
"What does this look like to you?"
What does it look like, huh.
The sect leader was asking for my professional opinion as a soldier. He was more open-minded than I expected.
"These aren't ordinary Japanese pirates. Even pirates are basically just bandits. There's no way they could slaughter people this cleanly. This is either a group pretending to be pirates or they're working with another faction."
The most likely answer was the Demonic Sect... but I couldn't mention that without raising suspicion. It would be strange to know about them while claiming ignorance about everything else. I could say I heard it from Hye-ryeong, but the lie would collapse the moment he asked her. Better to leave it as an 'unknown force' for now.
There was no way to rule it out completely, either.
"I agree," the sect leader said.
"We should reinforce the vanguard as quickly as possible. If we can, splitting into two units would be best. Send the higher-realm experts ahead while the weaker disciples follow at a distance as a rear guard to watch for ambushes."
"Two separate units?"
"Yes. We have no idea what the enemy has prepared. This is the only way to minimize casualties."
"Not ashamed to ask those beneath you. It was good I asked."
The sect leader gave a bitter smile, then turned and shouted.
"Disciples of the Hainan Sect! Stop what you're doing and form ranks!"
At his command, the warriors who had been tending to the village's gruesome aftermath gathered one by one. They fell into orderly lines like trained soldiers and looked to their leader.
"Grave news has come from the vanguard. We move at once to support them."
"Yes!"
The Hainan Sect disciples were filthy with blood and soot, but their eyes burned with fierce determination.
"You don't seem to know lightness skill... what will you do?"
"Just give me one person. I'll catch up quickly."
"Then I'll assign Hye-ryeong to you. Hye-ryeong!"
"M-Master! I'm here!" Unlike her usual bright self, Hye-ryeong answered in a subdued voice and hurried forward. The sect leader looked at her with sorrowful eyes, patted her shoulder, and gave his order.
"Hye-ryeong, you will accompany Sir William."
"I-I also..."
"Hye-ryeong."
"...Yes."
So she had history with the Japanese pirates too.
The original story only covered her past during her fall into darkness, so it wasn't surprising there were things I didn't know.
After all, she wasn't even a main heroine, just a sub-heroine, the kind of trophy character used for one episode and then thrown away.
"First-generation disciples will lead with me at the front! Second- and third-generation disciples will follow at a distance! Understood?"
"Yes!"
"Then we move out!"
The Hainan Sect warriors raced toward the western harbor like wolves on the hunt. I watched them go for a moment, then started after them at a slower pace with Hye-ryeong.
Damn it...
"Is this the end? How boring."
The armored man flicked his sword through the air, shaking off the blood. The blade flashed in the lingering light of the sunset.
Why is there an expert like this among the Japanese pirates...
At the very least, he was a Peak-level swordsman.
And not one who had just broken through, either. He had clearly trained for a long time at that realm. For Hajin, who had only recently entered the Peak level, the man was a terrifying opponent.
"A master like you... why are you with Japanese pirates..."
"Does a sword need a reason to drink blood?"
Startled, Hajin clutched his blood-soaked shoulder and looked up. The nameless swordsman stared down at him as if the question itself was ridiculous.
"How can any person just...!"
"A sword exists to cut people. I'm simply letting it do what it was made for."
This madman...
"Ugh..."
"Senior Brother..."
Hajin ground his teeth at the weak voices of his juniors behind him. The Japanese pirates had taken casualties, but the vanguard's losses were catastrophic.
Half were dead. Most of the rest suffered serious or minor wounds. A few had managed to flee, but against an opponent like this, safety was an empty word.
How does he know Hainan Island's terrain so well?
They had been completely outmaneuvered by the landscape. Arrows flew from every corner of the forest. The disciples, distracted by their flight, were struck down one after another. Even those with high enough realms to remain mostly unharmed had been cut down or wounded by the armored swordsman.
It was a truly hopeless situation.
Master... I don't think I'll make it out alive.
Hajin gripped the sword that had fallen to the ground. Rather than suffer the humiliation of kneeling before Japanese pirates, he would fight to the bitter end.
"You vile Japanese pirates... Come. I will show you the sword of Hainan."
"The defeated dog barks loudly."
As Hajin staggered to his feet, the armored swordsman mocked him. No matter how many times a loser stood back up, the result wouldn't change.
Still, one could not completely ignore a man who had drawn his sword with death in his eyes.
The armored man slowly raised his blade overhead.
Like an executioner preparing to behead a criminal, he looked down at Hajin with his sword held high. It was a strike the current Hajin could never hope to block.
Even so, Hajin squeezed every ounce of internal energy from his body and began coating his blade with blue energy.
"Sword Qi..."
Sword Qi.
Something a first-class expert could barely manifest, and only a Peak-level master could wield properly. Its power could slice through steel like paper and cut armor in a single stroke, but controlling it was incredibly difficult.
In Hajin's current condition, simply producing a faint glow around the blade was enough to make him want to vomit blood.
"Senior Brother!"
"Gu-hwan. I'm sorry."
If only I had been a little stronger...
More than his own defeat, the pain of failing to protect his juniors weighed on his heart. With a final act of defiance, he drew up every last bit of energy from his dantian.
"Sorry, but we don't have much time. So—"
The blood-mad killer's sword was about to fall like a guillotine when—
"This...!"
The killer hastily twisted his blade to deflect the sword wind flying in from afar. Despite blocking it cleanly, the force still sent him skidding back nearly ten jang.
He spat out the blood in his mouth and glared at the old man racing toward them from a distance.
That level of sword wind... It must be the sect leader. Time to withdraw.
There was no need to fight someone clearly above his level. The armored swordsman sheathed his blade and shouted.
"Everyone, withdraw!"
The Japanese pirates began retreating the moment the order left his lips. The sect leader wanted to pursue them immediately, but he could not abandon the surviving vanguard.
"Sect Leader... I'm... fine... so please pursue..."
"Hajin! No matter how much you want revenge, do you think you alone are enough? Stay down!"
The sect leader laid Hajin down and immediately began pressing his acupoints. The disciples who had followed him started treating the wounded as well. Soon the forest reeked of blood and medicinal herbs.
"Senior Brother!"
"Hye-ryeong... you've come."
"Senior Brother! You can't die!"
Large tears fell from Hye-ryeong's eyes, soaking Hajin's clothes. He tried to smile and reassure her, but there was no strength left in his face.
"I'm not going to die... so don't worry."
"Hye-ryeong. Go back first."
"B-but I also..."
"I said go back."
"That's right, Hye-ryeong. You should head back too."
"Mister...?"
"Sect Leader."
William, arriving late, called out to the sect leader who had just finished treating the wounded. The sect leader looked up at the sound of his voice.
William spoke with a completely expressionless face.
"Please assign ten warriors to me. Preferably ones familiar with the terrain around the western harbor."
"Can I trust you with this?"
Worry filled the sect leader's eyes.
William met his gaze and declared firmly.
"I've survived far worse situations than this. I have a method, so leave it to me. Dealing with bastards like them... is my specialty."
"...Very well. Everyone listen! I will take ten disciples to pursue the Japanese pirates!"
"I'll go!"
"No, let me—"
"I want to avenge my senior brother!"
Voices burning with vengeance rang out as the warriors clamored to be chosen. The sect leader watched the chaos for a moment before beginning to call out names.
They were the disciples he had been watching closely.
Once the selected warriors had gathered, the sect leader gave his command.
"From now on, you will obey Sir William's orders. Understood?"
"Yes!"
The ten disciples, including Mu-gwang, answered as one.
William, watching them, made one final declaration to the sect leader.
"Before the morning sun rises, I will return with that bastard's head."
"...If it becomes too dangerous, retreat immediately."
"I'll be fine."
"Mister..."
"You stay here. The battlefield is too dangerous for you."
William and the ten warriors began following the trail the Japanese pirates had left behind.
Hye-ryeong watched them go from behind, murmuring in a weak voice.
"Mister, do your best..."