Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Chapter 3: The Showdown (2)
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Shwick!
“Urk!”
Fighting while thinking was truly exhausting.
A Blue Spear Society blue spear came thrusting in ferociously.
Clang! Kaang!
His grip ached.
Even a simple attack without feints was hard to block. The internal energy loaded into the spear shaft and tip was incredibly refined.
‘This is a waste of time! I can’t take them down anyway!’
Oho judged the situation flexibly.
He swung his sword to create distance, then quickly spun and kicked off the ground.
The Blue Spear Society spearman seemed greatly flustered by Oho’s sudden retreat. He froze in place, unable to move for a moment. Snapping back to his senses, he pulled a long signaling horn from his bosom and put it to his lips.
Piiiieeeek!
The horn’s blast was deafening. It was the distinctive signal of the Blue Spear Society.
Presences that hadn’t been there before suddenly surged from all directions. Six in total. All six shared a similar aura to the first spearman.
“Tch!”
He darted between the bamboo groves, twisting directions this way and that.
His target was the presence that had been pursuing him from the start, far ahead. It was still moving fast, but if he went all out, he could catch up.
Shwaaaa! Piiiieeeek!
A horn blast joined from the left.
He glanced back. Three shadows entered his view.
‘Plus two more ahead!’
Dodging was the best option.
He sharply veered right.
The presences ahead were different. Especially one of the two. The pressure was immense. It seemed like the leader of the Blue Spear Society martial artists deployed in this bamboo grove. Clashing head-on would be impossible. Under the constraint of limited martial arts, fighting would mean certain defeat.
Paak! Shwaa-sasa-sak!
He leaped over a rock emerging between the bamboo, soared into the air, and kicked off another bamboo stalk.
The bamboo leaves rustled loudly.
Oho chased the tracks.
The Blue Spear Society chased Oho.
It was a chase within a chase. He climbed higher along the sturdy stalks. For now, he planned to visually confirm his target.
Chwaaak!
He had climbed so high the ground looked dizzyingly far below. Nearly to the bamboo’s peak. Moonlight crowned his head, starlight his shoulders.
‘Found it!’
Far ahead.
A single shadow moving in the distance.
It was passing through a sparsely grown bamboo area. He could make out a woman slung over its shoulder.
Oho accelerated. Using the bending bamboo’s spring, he vaulted over a dozen張 in an instant.
Shwa-sasa-sak!
He sensed the Blue Spear Society spearmen following behind.
He sped through a path of piled bamboo leaves at terrifying speed. Finally, the back of the fleeing figure came into view. He could see Seol’s head shaking on its shoulder.
‘Slowing down.’
Between the bamboo leaves on the ground, he spotted bloodstains. Chung-o had slashed it, but it was more than a mere cut. Even with cloth tied around its leg, blood was pouring out. That’s why he’d been able to catch up. He thought he’d praise Chung-o when he got back.
Pa-sasa-sak!
Oho put more force into his toes. The distance narrowed. The target glanced back.
“!!”
In that instant, Oho sensed something other than desperation in its eyes. Not the eyes of one desperately fleeing. Only someone hiding a trump card would have that look.
Instinct’s warning raced up his spine.
Oho twisted his body mid-motion and flung himself sideways.
Whoooosh! Kwa-jik!!
Pa-sasa-sak!
He skidded, righting himself. Bamboo leaves blurred his vision.
“!!”
Before he could fully steady, another menacing strike came. Oho used two thick bamboo stalks as shields, launching himself backward. The opponent’s attack smashed into the bamboo.
Chwaaaak! Woo-jik!!
The thick bamboo stalk collapsed entirely. A shwaaa followed—the sound of leaves cascading down.
“You bastards!!”
Only then did he confirm with his own eyes. Oho couldn’t hide his shock.
Ching!
The clash of blades rang out.
The swords in both hands weren’t ordinary sabers. Their length was less than a chi on either side. That length would normally be called a dagger, but these didn’t even qualify. They were butcher knives for carving meat.
“Kekekeke, nimble one, aren’t you.”
“Indeed. Like a rat pup.”
Two of them.
The one who attacked Oho shook his twin butcher knives. The one emerging from ahead had a butcher knife at his waist. Both had mouths stretched in long gashes, eyes like yokai. Their attire was that of meat butchers. A groan escaped Oho’s lips.
“Meat-Eating Brothers......!!”
“Ke! You recognize us?”
“Indeed. Those eyes aren’t just for show.”
In Shanxi Province, the Meat-Eating Brothers were synonymous with evil itself.
They committed every evil—murder, robbery, rape, arson—without discrimination.
Most horrific was their diet.
These fiends ate human flesh. Hence, Meat-Eating Brothers.
They’d been publicly wanted by the martial world for ages. Countless heroes had drawn swords to capture them, but the ends were never good. Many heroes aflame with justice ended up as meals in the brothers’ bellies. Horrific. The madness gleaming in their eyes was ominous.
‘Secret Division threat level: black rank, grade two……!’
The Secret Division’s assessment was no different.
The Secret Division classified active martial artists’ threat levels by seven colors.
Black meant absolute enmity, incompatible with the main sect.
The most vicious demonic figures fell here. And this was grade two among them.
Since debuting in the martial world, the brothers had always moved together without exception. Individual power assessments had variables, so they were combined into grade two. Even as a pair, grade two was top-tier. Suppressing them required at least six Heaven-Destroying Squad martial artists of earth rank or higher.
Naturally, Oho alone was overwhelmed.
Though his martial arts were peerless among Secret Division agents, capturing black grade two demanded power to face six Heaven-Destroying Squad members single-handedly. Oho lacked that.
‘And the Meat-Eating Brothers with the Blue Spear Society?’
In the treacherous martial world, unexpected foes popping up wasn’t rare. Even unrelated passersby could become mortal enemies depending on circumstances. The Secret Division missing such figures was an oversight, but their unpredictable movements made it excusable.
What was incomprehensible was their appearance right after the Blue Spear Society.
Blue Spear Society spearmen blocking Oho’s path with the Meat-Eating Brothers.
This was off.
No exaggeration to call it bizarre.
Even if the Blue Spear Society had ambiguous aspects, they were clearly a righteous sect. One of Shanxi’s Five Strongholds, officially recognized. Official Five Strongholds status meant they didn’t casually mingle with vile demonic scum. Given their sect’s nature, they might tangle with shady groups or unclear funds, but allying with human-flesh-eating demons was unacceptable—to themselves or others.
Whoooosh! Kwa-jik!
Oho couldn’t think further.
The front one grinned with his torn mouth and swung his butcher knife. Oho urgently twisted left. A second strike came. No choice this time. He planted his feet, channeled energy into his left hand to reinforce the sword hilt.
Whung! Cheeeeng!
Sparks flew. Interest flickered on the Meat-Eating Brothers’ slack-jawed faces.
“Oho, huh? Look at this.”
“Indeed. That swordplay looks familiar!!”
Exceptional circumstances.
No matter how strict the Secret Division’s secrecy rules, they didn’t demand sacrificing life. Of course, they would if needed. Oho was prepared. But not now. If it were Shaolin or Huashan, maybe—but these savage Meat-Eating Brothers. A proper report could mean light discipline. Maybe even glossed over with finesse. Birds of a feather with Cheonwi or Danmun, Oho had plenty of flexibility.
“Is that right?”
“Indeed, brother! Seems like it.”
Ignoring their words, Oho glanced behind.
The Blue Spear Society spearmen were closing in.
They still hadn’t recognized his martial arts. The bamboo partially obscured his view.
‘Must evade for now. Can’t fight like this.’
As Oho subtly retreated, the rear one spoke.
“I like that one, little brother.”
The bulkier one. The slightly smaller replied.
“Indeed. Stringy meat has its chew. Tasty, brother.”
Their names came to mind.
The older: Dae-yuk. Younger: So-yuk. Not sure if real names.
“Brother will carve him nicely. You snatch the girl.”
Dae-yuk said.
“Can’t eat alone.”
So-yuk replied, turned, and kicked off toward Seol.
Oho flinched but couldn’t follow. Dae-yuk’s butcher knife eyed his flesh hungrily.
“That swordplay—you’re no local swordsman, right?”
Oho ignored Dae-yuk’s taunt.
He calculated mentally.
Black grade two.
Heaven-Destroying Squad six.
One down, so half.
Brotherly synergy experts, combined grade two—individually over half? Reverse possible, but less likely.
Simple math: three Heaven-Destroying Squad.
Of course, they varied. A peak earth rank would make Oho bow. But classifications used base earth rank standards. Three base earth ranks? Oho could manage. If he could use his full martial arts—though with Blue Spear Society nearby, unlikely.
“…….”
“No answer?”
As Oho stayed silent, Dae-yuk’s smirk turned feral.
He charged.
Oho imprinted the foe’s momentum in his eyes, kicked backward.
Blue Spear Society spearmen appeared one by one. A thought flashed.
‘Maybe……!’
He had to judge well.
The spearmen had drawn blue spears, ready—but on spotting Oho, didn’t charge. The first had thrust immediately. These observed, even hesitant.
‘Didn’t know? About the Meat-Eating Brothers?’
Their fluster was obvious.
Because of the Meat-Eating Brothers. Dae-yuk.
Dodging Dae-yuk’s butcher knife, Oho caught the spearmen’s expressions.
‘Of course!’
No matter how unpredictable martial fights, wrong was wrong.
Dae-yuk looked villainous. His savage swings brimmed with killing intent and malice.
The Blue Spear Society was a major sect with history.
Oho trusted Shanxi Five Strongholds’ might and knowledge. No, just without So-yuk, they hesitated—but that dull butcher knife proved their identity. If they recognized yet wavered, Oho would decide. He called out.
“Hey! Blue Spear Society martial artists!”
Shwick!
The butcher knife grazed his shoulder narrowly.
Only his collar tore. He leaped back, grabbed a bamboo stalk with one hand, spun around. Deflecting Dae-yuk’s follow-up, he shouted.
“You just gonna watch! The one you should catch isn’t me!”
He arched back, flung himself.
The butcher knife was vicious.
Steadying, Oho pointed at Dae-yuk.
“Look! This is Dae-yuk of the Meat-Eating Brothers! You picked the wrong target!!”