Chapter 231: Battlefront (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 231: Battlefront (1)
The land was a graveyard of rotten earth and dead trees.
Though the sky was a clear, cloudless blue, the very air felt thick and heavy, saturated with a darkness that had nothing to do with the weather.
…Damn it.
Bi Yeonsum, the Young Lord of the Biseon Sect and one of its last remaining members, cursed his miserable fate. To be trapped in this shithole…
-Grrrr!
A bestial roar ripped through the air as sharp claws lunged for his throat.
Tumble!
Reacting on pure instinct, Bi Yeonsum threw himself into a graceless roll across the dirt. It was undignified, but it saved his life, allowing him to narrowly evade the demon’s attack.
The danger, however, was far from over.
…Shit…!
He’d heard the horror stories about the battlefront since he was a child. But the reality was infinitely more brutal. Green Demons were as common as flies, and even the rare Blue-Grade ones roamed freely. Even these mindless beasts moved with a strange, predatory coordination.
-ROAAAAR!
The piercing howl of a tiger-like Blue-Grade Demon echoed, seeming to draw more of its kind from the distance.
…What do I do?
Gritting his teeth, Bi Yeonsum scanned his surroundings, but escape from this open plain was impossible. How had it come to this?
Fuck….
Half a year ago, to save his crumbling sect, he had voluntarily joined the Alliance. Even when assigned to the frontlines, he’d considered it a decent posting. The battlefront was where scions of noble clans were sent to fulfill their duties; he thought he could forge valuable connections.
Reality had smashed his expectations to pieces.
Demons were everywhere, and the land itself was a scarred wasteland, the only testament to the Alliance's presence.
If only I had known….
Regret washed over him, but it was far too late. If he had known this was the truth, he would have stayed within his sect walls, training in peace.
Boom!
“Keughh!”
Bi Yeonsum staggered back, failing to fully deflect the force of the demon’s strike. One or two, he could handle. But the sheer, overwhelming number was too much. He hit the ground again, scrambling desperately to his feet.
-Growl….
The demon was already upon him, its hot, rancid breath washing over his face, hungry drool dripping from its maw. The gaze of a predator seeing its next meal sent a primal chill down his spine.
“You fucking…!”
As death loomed, Bi Yeonsum’s thoughts turned to his so-called comrades from the Alliance—the ones who had abandoned him.
No, fuck that! Comrades? They were nothing but trash…!
How could they call themselves members of the Orthodox Sects after such a betrayal?
It’s my own fault for trusting those bastards.
And even before that, he should have heeded the initial warning. The words of the officer overseeing the martial artists surfaced in his memory.
-Do not venture too deep. That is not our territory.
-After all, it is managed by ‘them’.
He should have listened more carefully. Now, it was all he could think about. Not listening to his grandfather, who warned him the outside world was dangerous and to trust no one easily, was his greatest sin.
As the demon leaned in, jaws widening to swallow his head whole, Bi Yeonsum squeezed his eyes shut, overwhelmed by the stench and the glint of sharp fangs.
Slash-!
A brutal, cutting noise rang out. Something was wrong.
Drip, drip.
“Ptui!”
A foul, unknown liquid splattered across Bi Yeonsum’s face, making him cough and sputter. He wiped his face with the back of his hand and finally dared to open his eyes.
“…!”
His jaw dropped in stunned disbelief.
The demons that had surrounded him moments ago now lay dead on the ground, their throats slit. Even the one that had been about to devour him was lifeless, just like the rest.
“W-What is this….”
As Bi Yeonsum looked around in utter confusion…
Wooong-
A faint, almost imperceptible sound brushed past his ears. It was a sound he had often heard from his grandfather, the Lord of the Biseon Sect, within the quiet of his abode.
Sword Resonance.
It was the proof of a swordsman who had become one with his blade, a sign of a truly skilled master.
Bi Yeonsum’s head snapped towards the source of the sound.
There stood a young man, lowering his sword as he looked at Bi Yeonsum. His expression was one of distinct displeasure.
* * *
Amidst the corpses of the dismembered demons and the rivers of blood…
The young man moved with casual efficiency, ignoring Bi Yeonsum who sat dazed on the ground. He collected valuable parts—fangs, claws, eyeballs—and piled them neatly in a corner. Left alone, the Alliance would eventually send cleaners, or other demons would scavenge the remains.
Once finished, the young man started walking away without a word. Bi Yeonsum, his body battered and half-broken, could do nothing but limp after him.
The young man didn’t invite him to follow, but Bi Yeonsum had no other choice. Survival in this cursed land alone was impossible.
The problem was…
“B-Brother…! Wait!”
No matter how desperately Bi Yeonsum called, the young man’s steps didn’t falter.
“Brother! Please! Just wait a moment!”
After repeated pleas, the young man finally stopped and turned his head, a deep frown etched on his face.
“…!”
Now that he got a clear look, Bi Yeonsum had to catch his breath.
…He’s handsome.
In the earlier chaos, he hadn’t noticed, but the young man was exceptionally good-looking. Yet…
I feel like I’ve seen this face somewhere before…?
There was a strange familiarity there.
“Why are you following me?” the young man asked, his voice laced with irritation.
“That… It’s because if I stay there, I’ll die a dog’s death…”
Hearing this pitiful reply, the young man’s frown deepened. “Aren’t you with the Alliance?”
“…Yes.” Bi Yeonsum’s attire—the standard-issue martial arts uniform and the sword at his waist—made his affiliation unmistakable.
“Then you should go to them. Why are you following me?”
“…”
Bi Yeonsum couldn’t form a response. He couldn’t admit his comrades had abandoned him. He couldn’t confess that his own foolishness, his inattention to his superior’s warnings, had led him here. A shred of pride sealed his lips.
Perhaps sensing his turmoil, the young man let out a deep sigh and started walking again. But this time, there was a slight difference. His pace had slowed, just enough for Bi Yeonsum to keep up. It was a silent permission to follow.
As they walked, the young man muttered under his breath, “Why does trouble always find me whenever I’m on reconnaissance?”
“…Excuse me?”
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. Ah, they’re going to give me hell when I get back.”
Eugh….
The young man rubbed his forehead, looking genuinely troubled.
“Uh…. Brother.”
“What?”
“Are you… not from the Alliance?”
“Can’t you tell? Of course I’m not.”
“Then, are you from one of the Orthodox Sects…?”
“If you keep pestering me with questions, I’ll leave you behind.”
The firm response made Bi Yeonsum clamp his mouth shut. His mind, however, raced.
What is his affiliation?
The battlefront saw a rotation of different forces. Currently, the Hwangbo Clan was in charge. But this young man didn’t carry the distinct, robust Qi characteristic of the Hwangbo. He was, at the very least, not one of them.
Moreover, he can produce Sword Resonance.
That was the most puzzling part. Anyone capable of Sword Resonance at such a young age should be a famous prodigy. Bi Yeonsum knew of no one who fit the description.
…I’ve definitely seen that outfit somewhere.
The dark red martial arts uniform was something Bi Yeonsum was sure he had seen before. But when? Where? The memory hovered just out of reach.
“Let me tell you this in advance,” the young man said, breaking the silence.
“Huh?”
“If you’re going to follow me, don’t do anything unnecessary.”
“…What does that mean?” Was it a threat? Bi Yeonsum glanced at the young man’s face, but it didn’t seem to be a mere warning.
Is the place we’re going to… very dangerous?
Noticing his nervousness, the young man added, “The advice isn’t for your sake, but for mine, so please be mindful.”
“What? For Brother’s sake?”
“…I can already see myself getting beaten up for bringing another weird bastard.”
“…What?” Beaten up? By whom?
“Fucking hell…. If I knew it would be like this, I would’ve told you not to follow me.”
“B-Brother?”
“I wish you had just fucking died somewhere else.”
Despite the string of harsh words, Bi Yeonsum had no choice but to follow, trembling as he trailed the enigmatic young man.
They traversed the desolate, cracked earth until a forest loomed in the distance.
That place is….
Bi Yeonsum recognized it. The most dangerous part of the battlefront wasn’t the plains where he’d nearly died, but that very forest. It was the reason for his superior’s stern warning not to venture too deep.
“Uh, Brother….”
“What is it?”
“Is that where Brother resides?”
“That’s right.” The young man answered dismissively, then quickened his pace. Bi Yeonsum’s stiff legs made it difficult to keep up.
…That place is…
The place ‘they’ managed, according to the stories. Bi Yeonsum had never had the chance to ask his superior who ‘they’ were.
“B-Brother.”
“…Haaa.” The young man let out a heavy, irritated sigh, clearly tired of the constant calls.
Bi Yeonsum flinched but pressed on. “…It’s nothing much. I am Bi Yeonsum from the Biseon Sect. If it is not too impolite, may I ask for Brother’s name…!”
“Ah.” The young man seemed to realize the omission and gave a slight nod. “Gu Jeolyub.”
It was a brief introduction, but he reluctantly added more. “…Gu Jeolyub of the Gu Clan.”
As Gu Jeolyub turned away, disinterested, Bi Yeonsum’s mind reeled.
…The Sword of Heroic Flame?
He knew that name.
* * *
Gu Jeolyub, the Sword of Heroic Flame.
While not yet a household name in the Central Plains, his reputation was slowly spreading along the battlefront. A figure emerging over the past half-year—around the time Bi Yeonsum had joined the Alliance—known for his handsome features and formidable sword skills.
A young hero who saves isolated martial artists on the battlefront.
That was the common perception. While death was a constant companion on the frontlines, the frequency of such tragedies had noticeably decreased in the last six months. There was even a joking saying that if you were lucky, the Sword of Heroic Flame might just appear and save your life.
He’s much younger than I expected.
Bi Yeonsum had never imagined the Sword of Heroic Flame would be around his age. He studied Gu Jeolyub with newfound awe.
But still….
The Sword Resonance he’d heard, though faint, was unmistakably genuine, placing Gu Jeolyub in a realm Bi Yeonsum couldn’t even approach. He himself was still struggling to produce a proper Sword Qi, let alone Resonance.
…It’s been a year since then.
Last year, with his grandfather’s help, Bi Yeonsum had attended the Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament. It was the event that shattered his arrogance and sent him plummeting to rock bottom.
He recalled the tournament vividly. Filled with resolve to win, he had faced a boy who seemed fierce and ill-tempered, much younger than himself. Bi Yeonsum had almost felt pity, thinking he would have to crush such a youth.
However…
I didn’t know my place.
The fight began… and ended in a single bout.
A single exchange. The boy’s skill was so far beyond Bi Yeonsum’s comprehension that he was knocked unconscious and sent rolling across the tournament arena floor.
Bi Yeonsum murmured the title of the boy who had so thoroughly defeated him.
The True Dragon.
The True Dragon, Gu Yangcheon.
A martial artist who had vanished from the public eye for the past year, leaving many to wonder about his whereabouts. Given the overwhelming talent he’d displayed, many expected him to return as a monstrously powerful Master.
There are too many geniuses in the world.
Meeting Gu Yangcheon had forced Bi Yeonsum to confront his own mediocrity and recognize his true place in the world.
…Now that I think of it, that Brother’s surname is the same.
The Gu Clan. It sounded familiar. The Sword of Heroic Flame had identified himself as part of the Gu Clan. Could they be related? Brothers? But their appearances were too different.
Although their eyes do seem somewhat similar….
It felt insulting to use such a flimsy resemblance to connect the heroic Gu Jeolyub to the ferocious Gu Yangcheon. Could the younger brother possibly look like that if the elder was like this?
“…Did you say you were Brother Bi?” Gu Jeolyub’s sudden question made Bi Yeonsum flinch.
“Ah, yes. I am Bi Yeonsum.”
“I see. We are almost there.”
Bi Yeonsum glanced ahead. So far, he only saw trees and rocks. The forest seemed far safer than the rumors suggested. Contrary to tales of teeming monsters and Toxic Qi, it felt more secure than the open plains.
What Bi Yeonsum didn’t realize was that Gu Jeolyub was channeling his Inner Qi to its absolute limit, carefully selecting only the safest path through the perceived danger.
Gu Jeolyub glanced back at his limping follower. “First, we’ll get to a safe place. Then, I’ll contact the Alliance.”
“Ah, I’m causing you such trouble…. I am truly thankful…”
“…Yes, you really should be thankful.”
“Excuse me?”
“Because of you, I’m gonna have to roll on the dirt for quite a while.”
Grind.
The sound of teeth grinding came from ahead. It definitely seemed to be from Gu Jeolyub. He must have misheard, right?
“Now, I will inform you about some precautions.”
“Precautions?”
“Yes. You must adhere to them.”
A chill ran down Bi Yeonsum’s spine. Was it about the demons? The forest’s dangers? He swallowed hard.
Gu Jeolyub turned to him with a deadly serious expression. “…No matter what you hear, don’t start a fight. Don’t make a single fuss.”
Huh?
“Excuse me? Brother, what did you just….”
“Keep your mouth shut while eating. Especially if you see someone eating dumplings. Don’t bother them.”
“I’m sorry, but…. What are you talking about right now?”
“The words I am speaking right now practically determine whether you live or die. So, do not interrupt and engrave them in your mind. This is truly important.”
“….Ah, yes.”
“Also, he looks like he has a shitty personality, but when he looks particularly shittier than usual, don’t go near him at all. Consider yourself dead if you catch his eye and just give up on your life.”
“…”
“And finally, although unlikely, if you have any questions, make sure to ask them when he’s with a woman. Preferably when he’s with a woman with blue eyes or white-blue hair.”
“…Huh? A woman?”
“At those times, he at least seems to have some semblance of patience. That is the most useful advice.”
What in the world was going on? It all sounded like some bizarre joke. Yet, Bi Yeonsum didn’t dare object. The sheer earnestness on Gu Jeolyub’s face was far too convincing.
As strange as these instructions seemed, it wouldn’t take long for Bi Yeonsum to realize just how crucial they were.