Chapter 749: This Place Is Crawling with Bastards I Can’t Stand
Chapter 749: This Place Is Crawling with Bastards I Can’t Stand
Had he ever been this shocked in recent memory?
Not even in his wildest dreams did Geom Mu-geuk imagine he would encounter Ak Gun-hak in a room like this.
Mu-geuk called out to him, his voice booming through the chamber.
“Brother Ak!”
Mu-geuk addressed him familiarly as Ak-hyung. Since they had agreed to be friends the next time they met, he was no longer the Sword King to Mu-geuk, but simply Brother Ak.
Mu-geuk’s eyes trembled as he looked at him, making no effort to hide his joy. He barely suppressed the urge to run over and pull the man into a fierce embrace.
Do you remember what I said?
See each other when we want to, help each other when we must. Be the kind of friends who can even throw their shoes at one another.
He was someone Mu-geuk had missed dearly. But he was not someone Mu-geuk expected to see here.
“I thought we’d run into each other while grilling meat in a field. I thought we’d bump shoulders while drunk at a tavern. Honestly, I even thought it would be fine if we never met again,” Mu-geuk said, letting out a deliberate sigh. “But why are you in a gloomy basement like this? No matter how much you like the underground, this isn't right, is it?”
He was referring to the time they had broken through the gates of the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall. The memory of looking up at the stars together after emerging, and the moment they had stuffed themselves with elixirs, felt as fresh as if it had happened yesterday.
“I’m sorry.”
How could Mu-geuk not know? There must have been a reason he couldn't leave.
“Did you fail to pay off your debt?”
After a brief pause, the Sword King replied, “The debt is fully paid.”
“Then why couldn't you leave?”
The Sword King did not answer.
What on earth was holding him back? What could possibly shackle a man this strong—a man who dreamed so fervently of freedom?
“If a man says he’s leaving, he should leave. You should have used those shoes to smack the heads of anyone blocking your path and just walked away.”
Mu-geuk’s gaze fell upon the Sword King’s shoes. They were brand new, as if they hadn't been worn once.
“I bought them for you to wear, yet you haven't even put them on. I held a gathering for friends, but you didn't show up. You knew I held it, didn't you?”
To Mu-geuk's surprise, the Sword King nodded. It meant he had been keeping an eye on Mu-geuk.
“I was afraid you’d ask me to dance, so I didn't go.”
“You can’t dance, and you can’t leave. What is wrong with you!”
Despite his words, Mu-geuk’s face was brimming with delight. How could he possibly hide such joy?
“Still, I’m so glad to see you again.”
Everything he had said before was merely a prelude to this.
The two men exchanged bright smiles. Regardless of their current positions, the joy of their reunion was genuine.
In contrast, the expression of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who was watching the scene, hardened. He had already guessed the stranger's identity.
So, it’s him.
Since Mu-geuk shared all sorts of stories whenever he returned to the Cult, the Blade Demon knew this man was the master of the sword who had survived the battle at the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall.
He could feel it just by looking. He could sense just how powerful that barefoot master was. The man radiated the most formidable presence of any opponent the Blade Demon had encountered thus far.
— Yes, that’s right. It’s him.
The One Flower Sword Venerable had also met the Sword King alongside the Fist Demon during that battle.
A fight had nearly broken out when Ak Gun-hak emerged from the basement first. In that touch-and-go situation, Mu-geuk had followed him out, fortunately preventing a clash.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked displeased. This felt different from Mu-geuk being friends with Jin Ha-gun or Bi Sa-in.
— He looks dangerous.
— He is strong.
In truth, he didn't call him dangerous just because he looked strong. It was because he felt Mu-geuk was opening his heart to an enemy far too defenselessly.
— That barefoot man is dangerous.
The One Flower Sword Venerable glanced at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. He was seeing something she couldn't.
The conversation between Mu-geuk and the Sword King continued.
“In the meantime, Brother Ak, a woman who likes you has appeared.”
“Me?”
“We talked about you so much. One woman’s life has changed because of you.”
Mu-geuk felt it was a shame Cha Yi-ran wasn't here. Would she be shy? Flustered? Or would she handle the atmosphere with unexpected skill?
“Is she pretty?”
“You should be asking who she is!”
The two laughed together.
Naturally, the Sword King likely knew the woman Mu-geuk spoke of was Cha Yi-ran. She was the one who had left her organization after fighting him.
“Let’s go meet her together once this business is over.”
The Sword King did not agree. Knowing this silent response wasn't because he disliked her, Mu-geuk remained stubborn.
“You’re going to act this brazen after turning a woman’s life upside down? No, absolutely not! I’m definitely taking you with me.”
The Sword King still said nothing.
I don’t know how you see the end of this fight, but I’m taking you back to the Main Cult with me. If you’re going to leave, leave from there.
Having reunited with Mu-geuk, the Sword King’s gaze shifted toward the two Demon Lords.
The Sword King was the first to offer a fist salute, showing his respect.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon glared at him, making no attempt to hide his displeasure, while the One Flower Sword Venerable returned the salute lightly, acknowledging his greeting.
Mu-geuk asked the Sword King the most important question.
“Why are you here?”
A startling answer flowed from the Sword King’s lips.
“To protect the person who wants to kill you.”
Mu-geuk wasn't particularly surprised. He had already anticipated as much the moment he saw him.
“Then we’re in trouble. If Brother Ak is protecting them, no one will be able to kill them.”
At that moment, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s cold voice drifted from behind.
“I’ll kill them.”
Mu-geuk knew he meant it.
“While I’m holding this man tight, please kill them quickly.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon muttered curtly, “For God’s sake, try making friends with some normal people!”
Mu-geuk turned to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and replied, “I suppose I started off on the wrong foot.”
Realizing the comment was directed at him, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon simply shook his head.
Watching everything unfold, Tae-su’s heart was pounding.
It wasn't just because Mu-geuk had met a mysterious person in a place like this. It was because his heart fluttered for no reason while watching the "doll" being ganged up on. He had seen Mu-geuk in action several times before, but he hadn't felt this kind of excitement then. Was it because Mu-geuk had finished his opponents too quickly?
However, seeing him standing among these terrifying masters made Mu-geuk feel like someone from a realm beyond the heavens—someone utterly untouchable.
Originally, Tae-su had intended to tell Mu-geuk that he would meet his father and quit being a thief once this job was over. But now, a different thought occurred to him.
Can I even ask to become this man’s subordinate?
He wondered if he had been chasing clouds, looking up at a sky he could never reach.
Tae-su looked at Ji Han. Don’t you feel the same?
Ji Han, on the contrary, was observing the situation with a calm gaze. Since he knew Mu-geuk’s true identity, he wasn't surprised by the situation at all.
A doll being ganged up on? Of course he should be the protagonist among those dolls. The man he served was the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
However, he was inwardly tense. He had no idea how this situation would unfold. Was it alright for his first battle while serving the Young Cult Leader to be such a grand confrontation?
If these two felt this way, how much more agitated must the other martial artists be?
The warriors were flustered by the unexpected turn of events. They had expected mechanisms and treasures to be waiting for them when this room opened. They had anticipated a scene filled with dozens of skeletons and all sorts of treasures scattered beside them.
But reality did not forgive the dreamers.
We’ve been tricked!
They thought Mu-geuk had deceived them to bring them here—both because of that doll and the way he greeted the man who was already here so warmly.
However, they soon realized that the person who had led them wasn't Mu-geuk.
The man in the iron mask stepped forward and revealed his identity by bowing politely to the Sword King.
“It has been a long time.”
“Isn't it hot, walking around in that mask?”
“I am fine.”
Judging by their casual conversation, it was clear the iron-masked man’s status was not low.
“The person you’re looking for?”
“Should be among them.”
The Iron Mask Martial Artist walked toward the group of warriors. He pulled an incense candle from his robes and lit it.
“This is Soul-Viewing Incense. It will react to the person we are looking for.”
The smoke drifting from the incense slowly spread into the surroundings. The martial artists felt a sense of dread as they watched the smoke approach them. A situation they had never imagined was unfolding.
Mu-geuk could tell. The person the iron-masked man was looking for was Dan So-jin, the very man who had sent him the voice transmission.
Ssssss.
The smoke, which had been slowly circling the area, began to swirl around one person as if it were alive. The person the smoke chose was, as Mu-geuk expected, Dan So-jin.
Mu-geuk prepared for any eventuality. If the iron-masked man tried to kill him, Mu-geuk intended to save him for now. Of course, that didn't guarantee Dan So-jin wasn't an enemy. He knew nothing about the man other than his name. Still, he felt an instinctive urge to keep him alive.
Fortunately, the iron-masked man had no intention of killing him.
“Step forward.”
Dan So-jin trembled, appearing terrified. He had been acting well from the very beginning.
“Why are you doing this?”
But it was an act performed too late.
“Stop it and come out. You can only live if you step away from there.”
The remaining people were startled by those words. Didn't that mean he intended to kill everyone else?
The iron-masked man pointed out one more person.
“You, come out as well.”
It was the man with the scar on his face. According to Dan So-jin, he was a martial artist from the Unorthodox Path Alliance.
The Iron Mask Martial Artist also knew his identity exactly.
“This man was sent by the Leader of the Unorthodox Path Alliance. We were ordered to spare him as well.”
The scarred man also walked forward and stood beside Dan So-jin. It was not a situation where one could resist.
After picking out those two, the iron-masked man began walking toward the remaining martial artists. He intended to kill the rest.
At that moment, the Sword King spoke calmly.
“It’s the day I’ve reunited with a friend after a long time. Do not spread the scent of blood.”
Realizing this was an order not to kill them, the iron-masked man looked flustered.
“You cannot do this.”
The Sword King looked at the iron-masked man without a word. He didn't glare or release any killing intent, yet the iron-masked man immediately bowed his head low.
The Sword King spoke to the martial artists standing awkwardly.
“Leave. And don't look back.”
The martial artists scrambled away, running back the way they had come.
“If I accumulate some merit like this, won't they dip me in a slightly less hot pit of fire in hell later?”
He spoke as if he had spared them for his own sake, but Mu-geuk knew better. He knew the Sword King had sent them away for him, knowing that Mu-geuk disliked such indiscriminate slaughter.
It was at that moment.
Swaaaaaaaak!
The sound of whistling Gang Qi erupted from the direction they had fled. Screams followed, and the sharp scent of blood wafted into the room.
Soon after, four men entered the chamber.
Their attire was peculiar. Two wore black martial robes with black cloaks and carried black blades at their waists. The other two wore red martial robes with red cloaks and carried red blades.
Between the two pairs, a man walked in. He was a man of truly immense presence.
Tall and powerfully built, he carried twin blades at his waist. The left and right blades were different. The left was a pitch-black blade, while the right was a blood-red blade. A moon was drawn in stark white lines on the black blade, and a sun was drawn on the blood-red one.
His features were sharp as if carved by a knife, and his pitch-black eyes shone like blade force. His gaze was so piercing that merely looking at it felt like having a blade held to one's throat.
The moment Mu-geuk saw him, he knew who he was.
The 2nd King of the Twelve Zodiac Kings, Blade King Naeng Mu-sang.
With those twin blades, he had risen to the position of the greatest master of blade techniques during the era of the Twelve Zodiac Kings. His martial arts were so profound that rumors claimed his blade techniques were a match for the Sword King’s.
Everyone feared him, partly for his terrifying blade skills, but more so for his cruel and borderline-insane personality. The four martial artists who had entered before him were absolute masters known as the Dark Blood Four Blades, the Blade King’s right-hand men.
Now, following the Sword King, the Blade King had appeared. It was the moment the 1st and 2nd Kings of the Twelve Zodiac Kings stood in the same place.
The Sword King looked at the Blade King and said, “The fires of your hell just got a little hotter.”
Their gazes locked in midair. There was no trace of fear in the Blade King’s eyes as he looked at the Sword King. Nor was there any sign of contempt.
Eventually, a low voice flowed from the Blade King. His voice was as sharp and dry as a midwinter wind.
“I’ve tried my best to understand you, but I simply cannot.”
As if the reason lay with this person, the Blade King turned his head to look at Mu-geuk.
Swaaaaaaa.
A streak of killing intent surged toward Mu-geuk. It was a killing intent laden with emotion—unpleasant and filled with hostility.
Just before that killing intent could reach Mu-geuk—
Boom!
The Heaven Extermination Great Blade slammed into the ground in front of Mu-geuk.
The energy radiating from the blade, still wrapped in cloth, repelled the killing intent, refusing to let even a single strand through.
The aura of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who had stepped in front of Mu-geuk, was incomparably cold. He was no longer the gentle man who usually read books and drank tea.
“This place is crawling with bastards I can’t stand.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon unfastened the knot holding the cloth around the Heaven Extermination Great Blade.
Srararararak.
As the wrapping fell away, the form of the Heaven Extermination Great Blade was revealed.
“I’ll consider this bet lost.”