Chapter 24: Trap (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 24: Trap (2)
The masked men, suppressed by Hae Ak-cheon’s terrifying aura—reminiscent of Zhang Fei at Changban Bridge—had no choice but to halt their charge.
Of course, not everyone was paralyzed by fear.
One brave masked man rushed toward Hae Ak-cheon, swinging a willow leaf saber.
“Hah!”
Swish!
In that instant, Hae Ak-cheon moved like a gale, snatching the blade of the willow leaf saber with his bare hand.
“Khahahaha! Good!”
“Urgh!”
The flustered masked man threw a kick at him, but Hae Ak-cheon caught it and slammed the man’s body onto the ground as if swinging a flail.
Boom!
“Gah!”
With just one strike, the ground shattered and the man’s face was crushed.
He was really taking it easy on us during our sparring sessions.
After Hae Ak-cheon slammed him down a couple more times, the masked man hung limp like a corpse, dangling upside down in his grip.
“Hmph! No fun at all.”
Hae Ak-cheon snorted and tossed the masked man over the cliff.
Even though their comrade had been killed, not a single person dared to step forward. Hae Ak-cheon’s presence was simply that overwhelming.
The sword was right.
With his upper garments torn and his True Blood Golden Body activated, Hae Ak-cheon was the personification of a wild beast. It was no wonder the enemies were frozen, suppressed by his sheer intimidation.
Right now, he looked invincible.
Just how incredible was the Namcheon Sword Guest, who was said to have never lost against a man like this?
The Namcheon Iron Sword spoke solemnly.
It seemed Hae Ak-cheon’s martial arts had grown significantly more powerful than they were fifteen years ago.
Just then, a fist expert, the most hulking figure among the masked men, stepped forward.
The masked fist expert was tall enough to make an average person look small. However, Hae Ak-cheon was even larger.
“Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon. You are as formidable as the rumors say.”
“Are you the next opponent?”
“I’ve always been annoyed by being compared to the likes of you, but fine. Let’s see—”
Before he could even finish his sentence, Hae Ak-cheon lunged forward with an agility that defied his massive frame.
“Impatient, aren’t we?”
Though it was a surprising move, the masked fist expert calmly retreated and threw a punch. Hae Ak-cheon also stomped the ground with a True Awakening and threw a punch of his own.
Boom!
The moment their fists collided, a powerful sonic boom erupted. The air pressure alone created a localized gale around them.
The first exchange seemed to be a draw.
However—
“Kh.”
A groan escaped the masked fist expert’s lips, and his body was pushed back.
Losing in the contest of internal power, the masked man pulled his fist back and desperately unleashed a flurry of fist techniques toward Hae Ak-cheon.
Fist shadows exploded outward like a pack of ferocious beasts.
“Khahahaha!”
Hae Ak-cheon let out a mad laugh amidst the shadows. Instead of dodging, he planted his feet firmly like tree roots and rotated his fists.
Bam-bam-bam-bam!
It looked like a simple movement, but it contained the mysteries of high-level martial arts. The feints hidden within the fist shadows were deflected by the rotation, leaving only the single true strike.
Thud!
Hae Ak-cheon blocked it with his left arm and immediately drove a punch into the man’s ribs.
Crack!
“Agh!”
It was a devastating blow. The sound of bones shattering was loud enough to reach my ears.
Despite the pain, the masked man managed to land a left hook on Hae Ak-cheon’s face.
Thwack!
Hae Ak-cheon tilted his head slightly, letting the punch slide off. Taking that opening, the masked fist expert quickly used footwork to widen the distance.
Incredible.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the duel. Although he was a step behind Hae Ak-cheon, the masked fist expert also possessed the magnificent martial prowess of a Supreme Peak master.
Creeeak!
Small cracks appeared on the ground where the retreating masked man stood. He was discharging the force of Hae Ak-cheon’s punch through his feet.
“He’s grown even stronger since I last saw him.”
The Second Venerable Raging Demon Lord Seo Gal-ma, standing nearby, let out a gasp of admiration. He, too, seemed surprised by Hae Ak-cheon’s divine authority.
He was praising Hae Ak-cheon, so why did I feel a strange sense of pride?
At that moment, someone from behind stepped forward and shouted.
“I wish to offer a word of advice to my seniors!”
It was Baek Ryeonha.
I had assumed she was hiding her internal energy, but the power carried in her voice was far from ordinary. At her call, several masked men who had been pinned down by Hae Ak-cheon turned around.
Baek Ryeonha shouted to them.
“If you were sent by my sister, then you are not unrelated to us. If you surrender now and explain who instigated this, I will guarantee your safety.”
Hearing her shout, I realized once again: she was exceptionally clever. She was likely the one who had set this trap.
Yeah.
It was a trap that had even deceived her own allies.
The situation was urgent, and it’s better for this kind of information to be known only by a few.
The only ones who likely knew were Hae Ak-cheon, Seo Gal-ma, Han Baek-ha... and perhaps Unit Leader Jang Mun-woong. They wouldn’t have revealed this to the others because there might be more of Baek Hye-hyang’s spies within our ranks.
The Lesser Conversation Sword clicked its tongue in amazement. I felt the same way.
Whether it was Baek Hye-hyang’s side for orchestrating this using another faction, or Baek Ryeonha for noticing it and setting a counter-trap, neither was to be trifled with.
If that was the case, there must have been a strategist who formulated the plan for her. Perhaps Baek Ryeonha was trying to find out who that person was. Since they both shared the Blood Demon’s bloodline, having a clear justification for her actions would be a powerful advantage.
-
What?
It’s not that big of a deal. Anyone could figure this much out if they knew the context. I didn’t think it was particularly impressive.
“This is my final advice to you. If you do not surrender, only death awaits.”
At her words, a masked man with an axe on his back shouted in a voice thick with rage.
“I’ve listened long enough, and it seems you take us for fools!”
“Ugh!”
His voice roared like a tiger, so loud it made my ears ring. However, shouting that loudly meant it would likely carry to the surrounding mountains. He was using his head now that the situation had turned against them.
“Persuasion has failed. Since it’s come to this, we must finish them quickly and capture only a few alive.”
Seo Gal-ma had reached the same conclusion as I had. Baek Ryeonha also nodded, sensing the situation was no longer favorable for talk.
“Arrogant brats. Fine! Let’s see who dies in the end! Charge!”
“Chung!”
At the axe-wielding man’s command, the masked men turned their attention toward us. Since things had gone south, they seemed intent on leaving Hae Ak-cheon to the masked fist expert while they engaged the rest of us. Their target, naturally, was Baek Ryeonha.
“Sixth Blood Star, protect the Young Lady.”
Seo Gal-ma asked Han Baek-ha to escort her, preparing for any contingency. She agreed, sensing it was the right move.
“Understood.”
“I will handle the one with the axe. Someone, lend me a blade.”
“Here, sir.”
When an advanced warrior handed over a willow leaf saber, Seo Gal-ma grimaced. It seemed he hadn't brought his own precious blade to maintain his disguise in the procession, and this was different from his signature longsword.
However, a master does not blame his tools. He gave it a few light swings, and even the sound it made was different.
“Unit Leader Jang. Can you move?”
“I am fine, Elder.”
After checking Jang Mun-woong’s condition, Seo Gal-ma pointed the blade forward and took command.
“Warriors, follow me! Cut them down!”
Swish!
Seo Gal-ma lunged forward at the lead. Inspired by his shout, the advanced and mid-level warriors followed him valiantly.
Despite his injuries, the Unit Leader was still a Unit Leader. Jang Mun-woong was at the very front, hurtling toward the enemies.
Clash-clash-clash!
In an instant, the two sides collided violently. Interestingly, because both sides were wearing masks, it was a complete melee. Their masks looked different, but from a distance, it was hard to tell friend from foe.
This works for me.
I opened my middle Dantian. I could afford to show a decent amount of skill under the cover of this chaotic brawl. The attention would be focused elsewhere anyway.
Clang-clang-clang!
Seo Gal-ma and the axe-wielding masked man had already clashed. The man with the axe was formidable enough to exchange over ten blows in a heartbeat.
I would have liked to watch, but the situation didn't allow for it.
Stab!
“Gack!”
I had to deal with the enemies quickly. After piercing the throat of one masked man in an instant, I immediately targeted the next. It had been a while since I’d been in a chaotic melee, and it was a good opportunity to use my skills.
Flash!
I moved through the ranks of the masked men, picking off the weaker ones first. This tactic of mine proved highly effective for our side. As they were eliminated one by one, the enemy masked men began to be pushed back.
“That guy! Kill the one with the rusty iron sword first!”
“We have to kill him!”
I guess I moved around too much. The surrounding enemies shouted in unison to kill me. Consequently, two or three of them lunged at me simultaneously.
Clang! Clang!
I unleashed my sword techniques to block their attacks. But did they really have the luxury of focusing only on me?
Thwack!
“Argh!”
While focused on me, one masked man was struck down by one of our advanced warriors. In a melee, it’s better to focus on the enemy right in front of you rather than trying to target someone specific.
Slowly, the number of enemies was noticeably dwindling. Out of the forty or so masked men, only about three were truly top-tier experts. The rest were a mix of first-rate and second-rate martial artists.
Whoosh!
Despite his injuries, Jang Mun-woong was also performing brilliantly, as expected of a Supreme Peak master. He was a powerhouse even among experts of his rank. He was currently overwhelming another Supreme Peak expert among the masked men with his bare hands.
The remaining number is...
There were about ten enemies left. They were only holding out this long because they were first-rate experts.
Just then, a sharp metallic ring echoed as two figures soared high into the air. It was Seo Gal-ma and the axe-wielding masked man.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
Incredible.
Seo Gal-ma was showing off his astounding divine authority. True to his title as the Raging Demon Lord, he was overwhelming the axe-wielding man with his domineering saber momentum. The man with the axe was struggling just to block his strikes.
A Venerable is truly a Venerable.
The reputation of the Blood Cult’s Four Venerables was not for nothing.
At that moment, one of the enemy masked men pulled a javelin from his back and prepared to hurl it at Seo Gal-ma while he was mid-air.
Zip!
I used my lightness skill to propel myself upward. Then, I exquisitely deflected the javelin the masked man had thrown.
Clink!
Seo Gal-ma could have been in danger. To think they would try to interfere in a duel between leaders... It was a classic Wicked Faction way of thinking. Then again, in a melee, winning is all that matters.
“This brat, again and again!”
The masked man who threw the javelin gnashed his teeth. It was right then.
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clannng!
Whish-whish-whish—Thud!
The conclusion was finally reached. With a sharp move from Seo Gal-ma, the axe blade shattered and flew off, embedding itself into the cliffside. Without missing a beat, Seo Gal-ma sliced through the man’s wrist.
Slash!
“Aaaaaagh!”
The masked man, his wrist severed, fell to the ground. Seo Gal-ma landed gracefully and moved to finish him off.
“It’s over.”
Just as he was about to take the man’s head—
Snap!
The kneeling masked man fired something from his sleeve. It was a needle-like hidden weapon. When an expert of his caliber fired such a weapon with internal energy, its power was significant.
“You bastard!”
Clang-clang-clang!
Seo Gal-ma hurriedly swung his blade to block the hidden weapons. Taking advantage of that opening, the man turned and bolted.
Dash!
He was heading toward Baek Ryeonha.
“Not on my watch!”
As he rushed forward, the Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha blocked his path with her blood-red hands, as if she had been waiting. It was a brilliant move to have her on guard. There was no way a man with a severed wrist and multiple injuries could get past her.
But then, an unexpected situation occurred.
Pivot!
The masked man, who everyone assumed was targeting Baek Ryeonha, suddenly changed direction. He lunged toward me with incredible speed.
“Oh no!”
Seo Gal-ma ran to stop him, but the distance between them was too great. Realizing I couldn't avoid him, I channeled my Life Bright Divine Art to the fourth star and unleashed the most powerful technique of the Life Bright Sword Technique: the 6th form, Chasing Return Sword.
Whirrrr!
The sword momentum rotated violently as it thrust forward. Even if the masked man was an expert beyond the Supreme Peak realm, it would be difficult to block this technique with bare hands—especially with only his left hand.
But once again, my expectations were subverted.
Thud!
“Kh-ugh!”
Huh?
The Namcheon Iron Sword pierced the man’s chest. However, the masked man grabbed the sword and, using a Golden Snake Hand technique, twisted my arm before wrapping his severed stump around my neck.
Then, he whispered to me.
“Rusty iron sword. You must be So Woon-hwi, the disciple of the Bizarre one.”
!?
This man knew my name exactly.
“Y-you know me?”
I pretended to be terrified while cautiously reaching for the Lesser Conversation Sword. But before my hand could reach it—
“You’ll have to pay for interfering every single time. You’re coming with me!”
Leap!
The masked man, with his arm still around my neck, jumped straight off the cliff.
“Noooooo!”
“Young Master!”
The shouts of Seo Gal-ma and Baek Ryeonha echoed simultaneously, but my body was already falling into the deep abyss along with the masked man.
Whoooooosh!
As we fell toward our deaths, the masked man spoke as if he had achieved his revenge.
“Cough, cough. You should’ve stayed out of it, brat.”
Squeeze!
“Gack!”
The man tightened his grip on my neck with all his might, as if determined never to let go. At this rate, I was going to be strangled to death before we even hit the ground.
In that instant, I drew the Lesser Conversation Sword and stabbed it into his side, toward his lungs.
Stab!
“Guh!”
He had endured the chest wound, but once his lung was pierced, the strength in his grip weakened. I channeled my Life Bright Divine Art to its limit and forced myself free.
“Y-you little...!”
Enraged, the man flailed his left hand, trying to grab me. But because we were both falling, he couldn't maintain his balance and I managed to evade his hand. If he hadn't been wounded in the chest and lungs, I would have been in serious trouble.
The Namcheon Iron Sword shouted. I pulled the Namcheon Iron Sword out of the man’s chest.
Schlick!
“Ke-heck!”
“Die alone!”
I thrust the sword like lightning toward the space between his eyebrows. Even in his state, he tried to block it by raising his arm, but the Namcheon Iron Sword pierced through his arm and straight into his forehead.
Thud!
There wasn't even a death rattle. The man stared at me with a distorted face. He was dead.
And at that very moment—
CRASH! Splash!
Aaaagh!
An impact that felt like every bone in my body was shattering enveloped me. I had been so focused on the man that I hadn't realized we had reached the valley floor. Falling from such a dizzying height, the impact was beyond imagination.
Swoooooosh!
My body plunged deep into the water before being swept sideways and forced back up by the incredibly powerful current. Perhaps because I had been channeling my Life Bright Divine Art to its peak, I remained conscious.
However, my body wouldn't move due to the shock.
In the midst of this, the Namcheon Iron Sword and the Lesser Conversation Sword were shouting, terrified that I might lose them. Fortunately, my body must have stiffened as I fell, because I hadn't let go of them. But if I didn't do something soon, I would be swept away by the rapids and die.
Glub!
My body sank. The water forcing its way into my mouth felt like it was blocking my nostrils as well. As the thought that I might die crossed my mind, a hot energy surged powerfully within my chest.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The stalled Life Bright Divine Art began to circulate through my body once more. My body, which had been frozen from the shock, began to move bit by bit. I struggled, trying to bring my head above the surface.
But being swept away by the rapids made even that difficult. I kicked and reached upward, desperately trying to survive.
It was at that moment.
Whish!
Something wrapped around my wrist.
Huh?
Pull! Splash!
In an instant, my body was yanked out of the rushing current. Looking at my wrist, I saw something faint coiled around it; the sensation was subtle.
But one thing was certain: the power pulling me possessed an internal energy so immense that I couldn't have resisted it even at full strength.
Skip! Skip!
Thanks to the pull, my body skipped across the surface of the rapids a few times before being dragged toward a specific spot. It was a cave visible through a crack in the valley wall. Someone inside seemed to be pulling me in.
Thud!
Finally, my body was pulled into the cave.
Tumble!
The force of the pull was so strong that I couldn't help but roll across the floor the moment I entered. The momentum only faded after I’d tumbled several times, and then someone grabbed my shoulder.
Grip!
Just what kind of master had saved me from those rapids?
“Huff... huff... cough.”
I vomited up the water I’d swallowed. Even in my dazed state, I looked up to see who my savior was.
!?
I couldn't hide my horror.
A bizarre figure, so emaciated he was practically skin and bones, was looking at me and smiling.