Chapter 185
Chapter 185
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: Roll Them and They'll Figure It Out
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Before the second exam began,
the request I'd made to Dang Gon in advance was very simple.
Prepare qi-dispersing poison and meridian-sealing poison that leave no lingering effects on the body.
And tell Dang Chuk-yung to craft the iron chains needed for the Gale Formation, along with two heavy weapons for combat.
Dang Gon realized what I had in mind and asked,
"Branch Leader, did you perhaps take an arrow to the head?"
"Hey now! How dare a mere retainer spout such nonsense to his lord!"
"It's loyal counsel from your retainer, isn't it?"
"Just prepare it anyway."
"No, are you really planning to go after the kids? They're already grumbling about assigning missions after just one month of basic training!"
"Grumbling is just grumbling."
"Branch Leader!"
"Or should we just send them off on missions as is and let them all die?"
"!!"
"I may have thrown my weight around to change the second exam's content, but all I did was advance the inevitable a bit. You know that better than anyone, don't you, Master?"
"……."
Even if we'd stuck to the original plan of six months of basic training, they were still going to be thrown straight into real combat right after—that much was set in stone.
The Divine Cult was on the move. The South Palace Clan was itching to cross into the west.
The Joint Faction was just a stage. Conflict was unavoidable.
In that case, rather than dragging out basic training, it made far more sense to cram an intensive short-term program, then hurl them into battle while their fervor was still burning hot to rack up experience.
It wasn't just because we'd found traces of Master on Joint Mountain that we were rushing.
If Master were actually living on Joint Mountain, that'd be one thing—but since it was just traces, we needed to prepare even more thoroughly.
The faction behind those traces wouldn't be some minor player, after all.
"The old Gale Corps became legends thanks to their unorthodox brutality, practical tactics, and martial arts. Shouldn't the new Gale Corps train to match that?"
"……."
"Come on, don't make that face. Each group's Gale Dance training style is different anyway— what's wrong if one of them, the Anti-Mischief Squad, is a bit unique?"
Dang Gon stared at me blankly before letting out a sigh deep enough to cave in the ground.
"…I wash my hands of it if there's backlash. Don't come crying if the Anti-Mischief Squad gets disbanded."
"It's fine. They won't complain anyway. I'll lock the barracks doors at night so they can't sneak out."
"……."
"And hey? People? Hey? If you roll them hard enough, they'll figure it out on their own."
Dang Gon finally averted his gaze, pretending not to know me.
"Do whatever. I know nothing."
"I said it's fine. I'll take full responsibility. You don't trust me?"
"Ugh! If only you could shut up."
* * *
How would I take responsibility?
Simple. Just roll them so hard they can't think of anything else.
Do that, and the martial arts and formations will sink into their bodies. Comradeship will form among the mischief-makers.
You get the bird and the egg.
One stone, two birds. How great is that?
「Of course, a few will have to die and come back first.」
'Exactly. Spot on.'
Whiiiiiing—
Cackling, I arrived in one shot at the nearest group.
They spotted me a half-beat late, and their already pale faces turned ghostly white.
Faces like they'd seen a ghost.
They scrambled into action.
But their coordination was nonexistent.
One fumbled drawing his sword, snagging it halfway in the scabbard. Another lunged forward to block me, forgetting the chains linking them, and face-planted with a clatter.
The front one's fall threw the other three off balance, scattering their formation in chaos.
Not a trace of Gale Dance or Gale Formation anywhere among them.
To be Gale Corps material, the Gale Dance had to be instinctive—and they showed none of it.
You lot are failing from the start.
Whoooosh!
I swung the axe at them ferociously.
This single blade weighed over a hundred catties easy.
Even without qi, it was a fearsome weapon in itself.
I wielded it based on the Ten Battles Divine Demon Style's Reverse Divergence.
Swung it swift per the Demonic Heavenly Sword Form's Sword Thunder.
Infused it with the Sword One Wave Wall's perilous momentum.
This training wasn't just for the Anti-Mischief Squad.
It was also meant to organically link the three swords I'd mastered, deepening my attainment.
Well, with axes in hand, it was more like three axes.
Either way, this session was rewarding for me, good for them, and even built unit cohesion.
Oh— one stone, three birds?
Perfect.
The axe cleaved the world.
The air split, blasting my ears with a massive whoosh.
The fallen mischief-makers, realizing a direct hit would shatter their skulls, desperately tried to block.
Tsssk!
Suddenly, Dang Gyu-jin appeared in front of them, thrusting her sword overhead.
Creeeeeenng!!
The Blue Steel Sword trembled violently, near breaking.
Dang Gyu-jin's face twisted in agony.
It was a strike powered by Reverse Divergence's strength and Sword Thunder's speed.
Plus, this axe was fresh from Dang Chuk-yung's all-nighter grumbling—practically new, so no worries about handling it rough.
"Of course…!! I knew it was too suspicious that you hadn't shown up till training was almost over!"
"Come on, Sis. Training's just getting started. Fun, thrilling group sparring for everyone! Doesn't it get your blood pumping with excitement?"
"Only for you!?"
"You're loving it too, playing hard to get."
"That's not—"
"Next strike incoming."
I cut off Dang Gyu-jin and swung the axe in my left hand.
She swiftly stepped back, angling her sword path.
Knowing the axe's power, she'd deflect sideways instead of clashing head-on.
But what can you do?
That wasn't my target.
I simply let go of the left-hand axe mid-swing.
Target: Dang Gyu-jin and her chained squadmates.
They'd followed her without reforming ranks.
No good.
This was formation training—Dang Gyu-jin couldn't hog all the work.
"!!!"
The mischief-makers blanched as a man-sized axe hurtled viciously toward them.
Familiar face.
Bae Hye-in, was it?
Woman or not, once in my organization, gender didn't matter.
In the jianghu, where you eat steel for breakfast, blades don't magically veer away from women.
Nor does being female mean weakness.
Martial arts create miracles that transcend physical limits.
In some ways, women even had advantages over men.
Bae Hye-in was one such case.
Skill-wise, she was bottom of the mischief-makers. But her grasp of the Gale was top-tier.
Shock lasted a moment. Facing the savage axe, she quickly regained composure.
She unleashed a Gale Burst with her right palm, nudging the axe's path off slightly.
Simultaneously, squadmates leaped from both sides, slamming their swords upward with all their might.
Soft Wind Chain Lock.
A Gale Formation technique from the anti-expert assassination arsenal.
Sure, their clumsy moves threw them off balance, tumbling backward—but it was decent enough.
Of course, still just a snack for me.
Tsssk!
I executed Phantom Shift.
Gale Step, Gale God's Trust.
I reappeared right in Yu Su-min's group.
"Die!"
Yu Su-min, unflinching, slashed at my throat with Anti-Demon Sword.
"Straight to 'die'? Isn't that harsh, Lieutenant Yu?"
"You're here to torment me anyway!"
"True, but."
"So die already!"
"No thanks?"
I didn't block the sword.
Instead, I kicked up sand from the ground with my toes.
Dust billowed. Yu Su-min's vision blanked as grit hit her eyes.
Petty trick, sure.
"You sneaky—"
"To a Tang clansman, 'sneaky' is a compliment?"
Her swing lost target, twisting sideways. In that gap, I booted her gut.
Rising Gale Kick, Rising Gale Leg Blade.
Packed with Gale, it boomed like a drum.
Boooom!
"Kyaaack!"
Yu Su-min flew back.
Her chained squadmates rolled across the dirt too.
Then, Gong Son-beom appeared overhead, four mischief-makers in tow.
His usual tag-along ex-Hori Elite officers meshed well.
On the flip side, Sima Seon-ui showed up behind.
Hahu Jeong-mun, whom I'd noted before, flanked her.
They'd synced breaths; her sword's Gale momentum was sharply honed.
One side footwork, the other swordplay.
Seeing folks wield Gale diversely already meant a bright future for the Anti-Mischief Squad.
Of course, I'd show them only darkness for a while.
Why?
'Cause it's fun.
I gripped the right-hand axe two-handed.
Gale Dance, Gale Wild Dance.
A whirlwind erupted. The axe rampaged wildly, flinging them all away.
Kwa-kwa-bam!!
I blocked Sima Seon-ui's sword strike with the flat, then Gale Burst palmed her flying.
Twisting my torso back halfway, I Gale Wind Legged Gong Son-beom's Wall Mountain Palm to shreds, caught the falling axe left-handed, and smashed down full force.
Gale infused with Sword Thunder. The ground exploded, shockwave scattering the mischief-makers.
In that instant, shoulders squared, I charged Gong Son-beom. Stealthy Demon Claw technique.
Storm Claw, Storm Charge.
Gong Son-beom face-planted like paper. His chained ex-officers collapsed in a heap, formation wrecked.
And that was the Anti-Mischief Squad's last resistance.
Gale Wild Dance raged on. Each whooshing axe turn coated them in dust.
Screams and howls filled the air. Groans choked the training ground.
None of it fazed me.
"Everyone, up you get. I haven't even used prolonged swordplay or hidden techniques yet."
"!?"
"Just a moment's rest, Squad Leader. If you give us even a little—"
"You can rest plenty back at barracks. This is fine."
"W-We aren't fine—"
"You're fine. Let's play more. I was just starting to enjoy myself."
"No, we're not fine!?"
I raised the axe high again. I'd gone hard too—dusty, breaths ragged.
Over a hundred without qi wasn't easy, even for me.
But I saw it as training.
Fun, happy training.
Can't end something this good after one go.
I grinned wide.
"I'll show you all how fun this training really is."
Someone yelled something, but it didn't register.
Kwaaang!
I launched forward.
The mischief-makers staggered to their feet.
See? No matter how beat they look, they've got fight left.
So I'll squeeze them dry like wrung squid. Kuhehehel.