Shark Hunting (1)
“Here, these are the weapons you ordered.”
As expected from a master craftsman personally trained by the Hainan Sect, his skill was truly exceptional.
I bowed to the elderly Baek-cheol, whose face was etched with exhaustion from days of sleepless work, then unwrapped the bundle of weapons.
“...It’s exactly like the ones used in the Western Regions.”
“It looks longer than I am!”
“It’s not that long.”
I stood Hye-ryeong beside the sword for comparison. The blade reached roughly to the middle of her face.
“It’s a little shorter than me?”
“Well, about five feet—five cheok, that is.”
I had explained the specifications in detail, but to recreate them so faithfully... perhaps this was a master smith among the very best in the Central Plains.
I examined the longsword, the weapon that symbolized the knights who had appeared in the Central Plains, turning it over in my hands.
The length matched my order perfectly.
The balance was excellent.
The thickness was just right.
I assumed the Ox Guard stance as a test.
Then I flowed through a series of stances, cutting through the air in succession.
Basic postures that any practitioner of longsword techniques would know—yet they formed the very core of the art.
“Ho. Western swordsmanship is fascinating. But is it all right for me to watch?” Baek-cheol asked, his voice a mix of admiration and surprise. I shook my head at his reaction.
“These are only the fundamentals. No need to worry. Besides, you wouldn’t be able to replicate them just by watching.”
The sword arts of the murim and those of the West were fundamentally different, so there was little cause for concern.
“That’s right! He said there aren’t any forms!”
“No forms...”
Time to test the blade as well.
After cycling through the stances once more, I gripped the middle of the blade and shifted into a half-swording posture.
The blade was warm from the forge’s heat, but it was nothing my body—tempered by years of fighting in scorching deserts—couldn’t handle.
I mimed a thrust and a parry, then released the hilt with one hand and gripped just above the point with the other.
Mordhau.
One of the longsword techniques used primarily against armored foes.
I swung the sword downward like a hammer, then lowered the point. Since I had deliberately made the crossguard large and solid, it could serve as a warhammer in a pinch.
“Remarkable. I never imagined a sword art that involves gripping the blade itself... Are your hands all right?”
“There’s a specific grip to avoid injuring the hands.”
I released the hilt and slid the blade between my fingers, presenting my hand. Baek-cheol examined it with evident curiosity.
“To think such a grip even exists. This old man has learned something new. Still... if you’re going to hold it this way, wouldn’t it be better to blunt that section? Or perhaps wrap a leather strip around the middle to protect your hands.”
As expected of a true master smith—his eye for improvement was immediate.
Some of my old comrades had commissioned swords with exactly that modification.
“I prefer it this way.”
“Then so be it.”
I sheathed the longsword and hung it at my waist. Next, I picked up the largest of the weapons I had ordered—the polearm.
“Crafting a polearm was a first for me. Took some doing.”
“Thanks to you, dealing with the Demonic Cult will be much easier.”
Longsword techniques were excellent, but they were ultimately optimized for one-on-one combat. I needed something better suited for facing multiple opponents—ideally a weapon that could shatter skulls in a single blow and instill fear.
With Aura, even the longsword could manage it, but war was a long, drawn-out affair. One could never assume a battle would end quickly.
“I suppose I can’t test this here.”
“Try it in the front yard. I’m curious how Western warriors wield a polearm.”
Was he really that interested? Well, having him nearby for feedback wasn’t a bad thing. I took the poleaxe and stepped outside.
The front yard was cluttered with half-broken weapons, but there was still plenty of space to swing.
I gripped the haft with both hands, holding it level at shoulder height, and aimed the rear spike forward.
The sharp spike mounted on the opposite end gleamed menacingly in the sunlight—more like a spearhead than a mere awl.
I tested a few thrusts with the spike and swings with the axe head.
“Is that how polearms are meant to be used?”
“I wouldn’t know how the people here fight with them.”
Given how much strength polearms demanded, their usage was probably similar. Of course, martial artists here could reinforce their bodies with internal energy, so that might be their primary method.
And with the existence of forms, they likely wouldn’t rely on the same concise, efficient movements as in the West.
I’d have to see it in action to be sure.
“Efficient. Minimizing movement to conserve stamina despite the weapon’s size.”
Raw power was fine, but fundamentals came first. Swinging a poleaxe like the poleaxe with brute force would tire you out quickly.
I exhaled, planting the butt of the poleaxe against the ground. That was enough for now.
Time to check the dagger and buckler.
I set the poleaxe aside and picked up the remaining weapons.
The weight was good. The balance was solid. I tapped the buckler with the dagger, producing a clear ring that echoed through the forge.
“Uncle, does a shield that small even do anything?”
“Even a small shield is annoying to deal with from the opponent’s perspective.”
I hadn’t ordered the buckler for nothing. A shield just large enough to cover the head had proven invaluable time and again.
More than once, it had saved my life on the battlefield.
What I really needed was armor capable of fully manifesting Aura Armor, but that would be difficult to make here.
It was already a nightmare to forge, required enormous amounts of material, and without the proper know-how, it would only restrict mobility and turn into a coffin.
“Thank you. With this, I’ll be able to fight properly.”
“If any problems come up, just say the word! I’ll fix it!”
“Then I’ll be on my way.”
“Let’s drop these off in the room and go eat!”
I turned and left the forge with Hye-ryeong.
“Take care. And... thank you.”
Baek-cheol’s voice reached my ears.
There was no need for thanks.
I turned back to him.
“It’s just doing what needs to be done.”
[It’s just doing what needs to be done.]
To think the man who once dismissed saving others as pointless would end up like this. Captain, it seems I still have a long way to go.
“You’ve arrived. That on your back...”
After finishing my meal, I visited the pavilion where the sect leader resided. He greeted me with a smile. A map lay spread out before him—he must have been reviewing strategy.
“Weapons forged by Master Baek-cheol.”
“A polearm... an uncommon weapon.”
“Is it that rare?”
Everyone seemed fascinated by it.
“Even during my travels in the jianghu decades ago, few martial artists used polearms. They tend to draw unwanted attention from the authorities... and they’re difficult to wield.”
Since martial artists here didn’t wear heavy armor, that was only natural.
Honestly, if the fight against the Demonic Cult wasn’t shaping up to be an actual war, I wouldn’t have commissioned one at all. A poleaxe only shone on the battlefield.
It was heavy, and swinging it wasn’t easy.
Unless you had a large frame and great strength, like me.
Even among knights, while the lance was standard training, the poleaxe was something only a few specialized in.
And whether in the West or the East, carrying a sword was one thing—walking around with a polearm would get you treated as a dangerous element in no time.
So I only intended to use it here.
“Enough idle talk. As you suggested, we’ve erected palisades and strengthened the perimeter. Is there anything else we can do?”
“This is about all we can manage in the short term. The enemy will try to end the battle quickly, so we should use the traps around the island to thin their numbers before engaging.”
“At times like this, I miss my friend from the Tang Clan.”
“You have a friend in the Tang Clan?”
“I do.”
Well, that was a shame.
Someone of the sect leader’s generation from the Sichuan Tang Clan would be among their elite experts. If such a master were to coat the area with poison, the Demonic Cult would be finished. No matter how skilled, fighting while poisoned was nearly impossible.
“The most important thing is determining when and how the Demonic Cult will infiltrate the island. They’ll definitely use underwater infiltration, swimming in from a distance.”
Expending stamina that way in war was suicidal, but sailing a boat onto the island was nearly impossible.
With our defenses in place, any vessel hit by fire arrows would be reduced to shark food before it could accomplish anything.
If they attacked, their only option was a nighttime ambush by swimming.
Unless they went mad and charged with a boat loaded with explosives.
...They wouldn’t actually do that, would they?
Come to think of it, the Demonic Cult had used something like Thunder Bombs in the later parts of the original story.
I shook off the ominous thought and spoke.
“As I mentioned before, we should reduce their numbers as much as possible with arrows and traps before entering melee.”
“However, our disciples have little experience with bows. Training has been difficult.”
“That’s fine. Hundreds of arrows fired at once become a rain of death that cannot be ignored.”
I hadn’t expected accuracy. I just wanted sheer volume. Arrows were most terrifying when they rained down like a storm from the sky.
Even martial artists couldn’t dodge every single one. Combined with the traps, the damage would be devastating.
If the traps failed... then it would come down to whether they died or we did.
“Please maintain constant patrols and focus on vigilance until we detect anything suspicious or spot any boats.”
“Understood.”
“As expected of Sir Wi, a military man. Your grasp of strategy is impressive. This humble Lim has had his eyes opened.”
Ha-jin, who had been quietly listening, offered a cupped-fist salute and showered me with praise. Even with all the flattery, I had simply applied the same tactics I’d experienced countless times as a knight—aside from lance charges, I hadn’t really learned much else.
“You flatter me.”
I smiled awkwardly and looked at the map.
Seeing us fortify the palisades and strengthen our defenses, they must have realized their plan had been discovered. They would likely attack soon.
For the Demonic Cult to succeed, speed was essential.
So... all I had to do was teach them.
The bitter taste of war.
Therefore...
“Sect Leader, are there any fish caught near this island that carry poison? Even a weak toxin will do.”
No need to be picky about methods.
I brought out the plan I had been considering.