Chapter 11: The Bet (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 11: The Bet (2)
"Cough!"
Great Leader Oh, who had been writhing in agony, vomited a spray of blood. He shuddered violently before finally collapsing.
It was karma for ignoring the warning.
For today, at least, Bizarre Haeakcheon’s eccentric cruelty felt refreshing. At the same time, it provoked a deep realization.
So, this is what power looks like.
To reduce a first-rate master to such a state in a single move—it was difficult to even fathom the true depth of Haeakcheon’s martial arts.
And what of the Namcheon Sword Guest, who had supposedly defeated this monster?
The scene served as a stark reminder of what mattered most in this harsh martial world.
One must possess power.
—To reach that crazy old man’s level, you’d have to work your ass off until you’re shitting blood.
I know that without you reminding me of reality.
"Ugh, damn it..."
Just then, Dohyeon, the advanced training disciple I had knocked out, began to stir. Since I hadn't infused my strike with Innate True Qi, he seemed to be regaining consciousness quickly.
However, perhaps because he had just woken up, he was completely oblivious to the situation.
"You brat, while I was talking—"
Grab!
Haeakcheon reached down and hoisted the boy up by the scruff of his neck.
"Huh?"
Dohyeon’s eyes went wide with terror as he took in Haeakcheon’s massive, wild appearance. Haeakcheon was so tall that it looked as if he were holding a small child.
"W-who are you?"
"Me? I am Haeakcheon."
"Hieek! E-elder!"
Only then did the boy seem to grasp the situation, his face twisting in panic.
"And who are you? Did you follow this fellow up here?"
Dohyeon’s face turned ashen as he spotted the fallen Great Leader Oh. He tried to answer, but he was so paralyzed with fear that he could only stammer incoherently.
"T-that... I... G-g-great... L-leader... O-oh... G-great..."
There was only one response to that.
"Do you have a stutter? Tsk, tsk. To think this is what passes for an advanced training disciple these days."
Thud!
"Ack!"
Haeakcheon tossed him aside in annoyance. He threw him with such force that the boy tumbled across the ground, gasped for air, and promptly fainted again.
As expected, the man was utterly merciless.
Tap, tap, tap, tap!
Hearing the sound of footsteps, I looked up to see the twin brothers descending from the cliff. Seeing how skillfully they navigated the precipice, it appeared they had already begun learning Haeakcheon’s remarkable body lightening method.
—They sure get things handed to them easily, don't they?
Tell me about it.
While I have to win bets to gain anything, in a sense, those two are incredibly lucky.
Haeakcheon then turned to me and asked, "Why did these fools come up here today?"
I told him the truth.
"They said they brought a new talent to replace me as your attendant."
"That piece of trash? Ha!"
He dismissed him as trash, but the boy was actually quite talented in his own right. He was just unlucky. Compared to the hellish training I had endured, his own training was likely nothing more than child's play.
—Agreed.
The Lesser Conversation Sword chuckled.
Regardless, even if that boy had been a genius, the chances of me being replaced were zero.
Haeakcheon approached me and asked, "But why did these fellows attack you?"
He must have been watching since the fight with the advanced training disciple began. Honestly, whenever I get involved with Great Leader Oh, nothing but trouble follows.
How should I explain this to make it sound plausible?
Just then, the older twin, Song Jwa-baek, interjected.
"It's because that guy has it out for him. It looked like he had a personal grudge against him specifically."
Song Jwa-baek looked at me and winked.
Is he trying to say, 'You're welcome for speaking up for you'?
...How very kind of him.
"Who told you to speak?"
At Haeakcheon’s irritable shout, Song Jwa-baek shut his mouth like a mute who had swallowed honey. I suppose even he finds this crazy old man terrifying.
"Heh heh. Bringing a replacement... and even laying hands on you himself. He wouldn't go that far unless he had a serious grudge."
He was telling me to explain why I was targeted. He seemed curious.
In any case, if this old man set his mind to it, he’d find out soon enough. He could just ask the Bloody Unit Leader.
In the end, I told him the truth.
"I killed two of Great Leader Oh’s subordinate warriors."
"What?"
A strange light flickered in Haeakcheon’s eyes.
Song Jwa-baek, who hadn't known this either, stared at me with wide eyes. Unlike them, who had been caught while trying to flee, I had killed two people. That likely explained their reaction.
"Ha! You killed his subordinates?"
"They were masked at the time, so I didn't know who they were. They were trying to capture me by force, so I did it in self-defense."
It was strictly self-defense. Of course, I knew they were from the Blood Cult, but it was still self-defense. I couldn't exactly let myself get kidnapped again right after regressing.
—But you did get kidnapped.
'I came here on my own feet.'
—Sure, sure. Whatever you say.
Honestly, this Lesser Conversation Sword has a real talent for raining on my parade.
I watched Haeakcheon’s reaction. Even though he was eccentric, he was still a high-ranking official of the Blood Cult, so I thought he might side with Great Leader Oh.
However, his reaction was unexpected.
"Bwahahahaha! What a bunch of idiots! To be taken down by a brat with no internal energy? They deserved to die."
Haeakcheon roared with laughter, seemingly delighted. It was my mistake to try and apply common sense to a madman.
After his laughter subsided, he said, "It is the natural order for the weak to die. Yes, indeed."
—He’s quite cold-blooded, considering they’re technically on the same side.
The Lesser Conversation Sword clicked its tongue.
From my perspective, however, it made sense.
This is the essence of the Blood Cult.
The Blood Cult followed the Evil Path, not the Orthodox Path. The reason Orthodox martial artists were called 'Orthodox' was because of their emphasis on chivalry and justice. But the Evil Faction was cold and pragmatic in these matters. In that regard, Haeakcheon was a true man of the Evil Faction to his core.
Slap!
"Oof!"
Haeakcheon struck my back with his massive palm.
"I thought you were just all talk, but you’ve got the guts to back it up. Heh heh."
That was unexpected. It was the first time a compliment had come out of Haeakcheon’s mouth. It felt strange to have this crazy old man show me favor like this.
But that favorable attitude ended there.
"They're an eyesore. Go dump them at the bottom of the mountain."
Haeakcheon’s expression hardened again as he ordered me to take the unconscious Oh and Dohyeon down. Given his foul temperament, there was no way he’d let them stay here.
But how was I supposed to carry two people down by myself?
—Just push them off the cliff. They'll find their way down.
'...You're a genius.'
But in reality, I couldn't do that.
As if reading my mind, Haeakcheon glanced at Song Jwa-baek, signaling him to help.
"Me?"
Song Jwa-baek’s face soured at the prospect of having to go back down. It must be annoying. He had just finished his grueling climb and was looking forward to resting.
Suddenly, I felt a surge of joy. Seeing how I could enjoy someone else's misfortune, I suppose I really am becoming a true man of the Evil Faction.
Song Jwa-baek glared at me, looking like he was about to explode.
I said to him, "You've really mastered that body lightening method. You're a natural at climbing cliffs."
At my praise, the corners of his mouth suddenly twitched upward. He really was the type to wear his emotions on his sleeve.
"Ahem. Well, I'm certainly better than you."
"Yeah, I'll admit that. So, you carry the Great Leader."
"What?"
I quickly hoisted Dohyeon, the advanced training disciple, onto my back. Song Jwa-baek’s face contorted.
As I was loosening Dohyeon’s belt to secure him to my body, I heard Haeakcheon’s voice.
"It must be quite annoying to be bitten by a dog like that. The thing about dogs is that they never let go once they bite. Heh heh."
"Pardon?"
"An opportunity like this won't come again for a while. Isn't that right?"
When I turned to look at him, Haeakcheon gave a smirk and disappeared into the cave.
An opportunity...
As I stood there lost in thought, Song Jwa-baek, already hanging off the edge of the cliff, shouted, "Are you coming or what, you brat?"
He was certainly fast, likely thanks to Haeakcheon’s body lightening method. Although I had learned the Namcheon Sword Guest’s technique, I didn't have the confidence to scale the cliff as well as he did. Moreover, since I had to hide my true skills, I intentionally descended slowly.
"Hahaha! You're slow as a turtle!"
As soon as I reached the bottom, Song Jwa-baek mocked me.
Go ahead, enjoy it while you can. I’ll be learning that technique soon enough.
"I think this is far enough."
Thud!
I untied the belt and lowered Dohyeon to the ground. When I looked at Song Jwa-baek, he was gripping Great Leader Oh’s right leg. It looked like he was about to break it.
"What are you doing?"
At my question, Song Jwa-baek grinned. "I'm helping you out."
"What?"
"Did you forget what that crazy old man said? That an opportunity like this wouldn't come again. He was speaking in riddles. I’ve been wanting to vent some frustration anyway, so this is perfect."
His goal wasn't the former; it was the latter. He must have been holding a lot in.
"I need to make sure his leg is completely shattered so he’s forced to retire."
He intended to cripple him. When I shook my head, he clicked his tongue.
"Hey. We’ve already taken the Blood Drum. If we want to survive here, we have to become true members of the Evil Faction. If you don't have a cold heart, you're finished."
—He’s changed quite a bit too.
As the Lesser Conversation Sword said, Song Jwa-baek’s mindset had shifted after all his suffering. He still had his naive moments, but he had grown quite resilient.
"If you can't do it, I will."
Tap, tap, tap!
Song Jwa-baek struck Oh’s pressure points. He had learned a lot. He was likely sealing the pressure points to prevent Oh from waking up while he broke his leg.
I said to him, "Hey."
"If you're going to try and stop me, save your breath. I'm doing this."
"It's not that. I think you've misunderstood something."
"What?"
"Do you really think that crazy old man said that just so you could break a leg?"
"!?"
At my words, his expression stiffened. He seemed to understand.
"You don't mean... kill him?"
"Exactly."
Did he really think a man like Great Leader Oh would give up just because his leg was broken? In my past life as a spy, I had seen many types of people. A man with that kind of obsession doesn't change with a simple warning. If he were crippled, his rage would only intensify, and he would use every means at his disposal to kill me.
"Kill him?"
Song Jwa-baek seemed taken aback, not having realized that was the intent. It seemed he was hesitant to kill someone he had no personal grudge against. He wasn't quite resilient enough yet.
I said to him, "Didn't you say you were helping me? Kill him."
"What? K-kill him?"
"Are you getting soft on me?"
Song Jwa-baek frowned and couldn't answer. I understood why. He had likely never stained his hands with blood before. But I was different.
To be honest, I had plenty of blood on my hands. To survive as a spy, I had done every dirty job imaginable.
"Move. If you can't do it, I will."
I threw his own words back at him. If I didn't take this chance to deal with Great Leader Oh, it would only get harder later. Since Haeakcheon had practically given me permission to dispose of him, it was better to kill him now.
It was at that moment.
"What did you bastards just say?"
"Huh?"
Damn it! Song Jwa-baek must not have sealed the pressure points properly. Great Leader Oh had woken up.
"Blast it!"
Song Jwa-baek hurriedly tried to break Oh’s leg. But his opponent was a first-rate master. Oh twisted his body and kicked Song Jwa-baek in the ribs with his other foot.
Thud!
"Gah!"
Despite the immense pain in his ribs, Song Jwa-baek forced himself to endure and twisted Oh’s leg in the opposite direction.
Crack!
"Aaaargh! You brat!"
Losing his temper completely, Great Leader Oh unleashed a palm strike at Song Jwa-baek’s chest. He must have infused it with Ten Stars of Internal Power, as Song Jwa-baek was sent flying backward.
Dash!
I lunged toward him from behind, aiming the Lesser Conversation Sword at his head. Oh desperately rolled to the left. It was the 'Lazy Donkey Roll.' I suppose survival was more important than the pride of a first-rate master.
Flash!
I tossed the dagger from my right hand and snatched it with my left like a bolt of lightning.
—That's it! That's the way!
This was the Eight Thunder Short Sword Art I had learned from the Lesser Conversation Sword. It was a dagger technique that utilized both hands freely. Although I hadn't mastered it yet, I managed to pull it off in actual combat.
With the dagger in my left hand, I lunged at the chest of the rolling Oh.
"Urgh! You!"
Clap!
Oh desperately caught the dagger with both hands. He truly was a first-rate master. Even in such a disadvantageous position, he managed to react.
Grip!
I gripped the hilt with my right hand as well, putting all my strength into the killing blow.
Oh spoke with a sneer, "Do you really think a brat like you, with no internal energy, can stab me?"
He wasn't bluffing. His internal power was so strong that the Lesser Conversation Sword began to tremble and push upward. He was even trying to turn the blade back toward me.
Tsk. No choice.
This was no time to hide my strength. I channeled my Life Bright Divine Art to the second stage.
The blade, which had been turning toward me, suddenly stopped. As I exerted power that nearly rivaled his own, Oh’s eyes shook with shock.
"H-how... how can you...?"
He was shocked, but I was struggling immensely. It was taxing to fully withstand the internal power of a first-rate master with only the beginning of the second stage.
"Uuuugh."
Since his life was on the line, Oh was also desperately trying to push the dagger away. The clash of internal power felt like it was churning my insides.
It was at that very moment.
"Aaaaaah!"
With a roar, Song Jwa-baek charged like a bull and delivered a kick infused with Ten Stars of Internal Power to the crown of Oh’s head.
Crunch!
"Gack!"
In that instant, along with the sound of a skull shattering, the strength left Oh’s hands.
Thuck!
"Gurgle..."
The dagger sank deep into Great Leader Oh’s chest. His mouth fell open, his face twisting into an expression beyond words. He shuddered briefly before his head slumped to the side.
The kick had been so powerful that blood streamed from Oh’s eyes and nostrils. The top of his head was completely caved in.
"Huff... huff..."
Song Jwa-baek slumped to the ground, clutching his side as if his ribs were broken.
"Fuck..."
I was also exhausted from the excessive clash of internal power, so I leaned back on my palms and stretched out my legs. I didn't know what we were doing, sitting there with a corpse between us.
I looked at Song Jwa-baek and said, "This must be your first time."
I was certain it was his first kill. His kick had been the finishing blow.
"Don't act so smug, brat. You owe me your life."
I gave a small smirk and nodded. As he said, if the clash of internal power had lasted any longer, I would have suffered internal injuries. A first-rate master was indeed formidable. The position of Great Leader wasn't given out for nothing.
As I caught my breath, Song Jwa-baek said to me, "I heard we have to duel later."
He must not have known until now. Or perhaps he knew but hadn't had the chance to talk about it.
He said to me, "It’s unfortunate for you, but I’m going to win that duel. That’s the only way I can become that crazy old man’s official disciple."
It seemed Haeakcheon had made him that offer. It made sense; giving him something to strive for would make him more motivated. His movements had certainly become much stronger.
But I had no intention of losing either.
"Are you that confident?"
"Of course. Do you really think you could even touch a hair on my head if we fought?"
He was certainly brimming with confidence. Had he not seen my capabilities properly because he was rolling around after being hit? He seemed to have no grasp of my true strength.
So that’s how it is.
I said to him, "Then, shall we make a bet?"
"A bet?"
He frowned, looking at me as if wondering what I was up to. I let the corners of my mouth curl into a smile.
"The loser becomes the winner's subordinate. How about it?"
To have the future's infamous Black-White Twin Ghosts as my subordinates...
The thought was already quite tempting.