Chapter 78 - Blacksmith (3)
Blacksmith (3)
Translator: Chaos
***
‘She recognizes me even though I’m not wearing a human skin mask and it seems she’s serious.’
I let out a short sigh.
Since it had come to this, there was a high possibility that negotiations or conversations would not work.
‘Besides, I have a rough idea of why she’s doing this… the problem is that I don’t want the blacksmith and Dong-il to get hurt when Mu-yeong and I fight those masters.’
I slowly straightened my body, which had been leaning against the wall.
At that, Hwa Seo-yeon and the bodyguard who was standing silently next to her showed a strange light in their eyes.
It was in that situation.
The bald giant with a hwandao on his waist glared at me and asked in a growling tone.
“Are you the one who killed the assassin squad leader and the Shadowless Swordsman?”
“…The Shadowless Swordsman?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know! It’s been months since a guy who witnessed the assassin squad leader’s dog’s death left to kill you and disappeared without a trace…!”
“……”
At the bald giant’s angry tone, I guessed something.
‘These guys are masters under the command of Fighting Demon. Are they guys who belong to the unorthodox sect?’
At that moment when I was examining their faces, Mu-yeong, who had been standing still next to me, let out a sound of air escaping as if he was dumbfounded.
And then he opened his mouth.
“Ah, the one with a head like a bald mountain is being unreasonable.”
“…What?”
“You stupid bald bastard, if your friend disappeared without a trace, you should be lying low. To show your face here, doesn’t that mean you want to pick a fight and die a miserable death?”
“You…! You’re so insolent. Who are you?”
“Me? I’m this guy’s senior brother.”
As Mu-yeong continued to speak tauntingly, the bald giant, whose face had turned red and blue, shouted in an openly angry voice.
“I don’t know who you are, but you’re so foolish! Originally, I was going to kill that guy with the ridiculous nickname of Plum Blossom Sword Demon first… but it seems I’ll be satisfied only after I kill you first, who claims to be the senior brother of that snot-nosed brat!”
“Haha…”
Mu-yeong laughed as if he was dumbfounded after hearing those words.
At Senior Brother’s reaction, Hwa Seo-yeon of the West, the Flower of the West, who was glancing at the bald giant whose eyebrows were twitching, said softly.
“Hwando-gwi, don’t be so rash. Our purpose is…”
“Hmph! Don’t make me laugh. In the first place, I was going to this narrow village alone, but didn’t you guys stubbornly follow me, saying you were worried.”
“……”
“And in the first place, even if you are a woman that Fighting Demon-nim cherishes, it doesn’t mean that I have to unconditionally follow your orders. From the beginning, Hwa Seo-yeon, I didn’t like you ordering me around.”
“You…!”
“My sworn brother, the Shadowless Swordsman, is dead. If I don’t avenge my only friend, what’s the use of the martial prowess I’ve honed so far?”
“What is that…”
“I will honor my friend’s soul in any way I can. To do that, I would have to take the heads of those two insolent bastards.”
The bald giant, who was called Hwando-gwi, who had said that, began to move his steps towards us.
I was staring at it blankly and thought.
‘Are they starting an internal conflict? Fighting Demon must be having a hard time. All his subordinates are empty-headed…’
I, who was mocking them inwardly, soon sent a telepathic message to Mu-yeong, who was slowly drawing the sword on his waist to prepare for a fight.
[Senior Brother.]
[…What is it?]
[I had a conflict with Fighting Demon of the Four Demons of the Demonic Path before, and I think I caused this by killing a few of his subordinates in the process.]
[Hmm…! If it’s Fighting Demon, I can understand him having monsters like those as his subordinates. Did you kill the Shadowless Swordsman and the assassin squad leader yourself?]
[The assassin squad leader is right, but the Shadowless Swordsman just got cocky in front of me and was killed by another super master.]
As I said that calmly in a telepathic message, Mu-yeong, with a sneer on his lips, said to me after he had finally drawn his sword.
“I’ll take care of that bald guy, so you should evacuate the blacksmith and his son somehow.”
“…I understand.”
Kiiing—
A cry echoed from the tip of the sword that Mu-yeong was holding.
I was watching it right next to him, and shook my head.
I slowly opened my mouth and said.
“Well… then, please be careful. He’s still a formidable opponent.”
“That, I’m always mindful of, so don’t worry about it.”
“……”
“Seong-ah, you should think about how to deal with your opponent. That guy seems to be stronger.”
“Hmm…”
After hearing those words, I swallowed hard.
As Senior Brother’s advice suggested, Hwa Seo-yeon’s bodyguard was maintaining an unusual aura.
The way he maintained his composure in the face of Mu-yeong’s provocation and only followed Hwa Seo-yeon’s orders was reminiscent of a well-trained hunting dog.
Noticing that, I twisted the corners of my mouth slightly and smiled, then opened my mouth.
“Then, let’s fight outside or in the yard, not inside the house.”
“…I understand.”
Kwaang—!
At that moment, the light flickered as if it had blinked.
It was Mu-yeong, who immediately shot out like lightning with the body of Hwando-gwi.
“K-Kuk…?!
“You’ll have to play with me!”
“You… crazy bastard…!”
Hwando-gwi shouted in a voice full of anger.
It was also a declaration of his will to kill Mu-yeong right now.
But it was also a testament to the fact that he had not grasped the move that Mu-yeong had just unfolded at all.
I had already noticed that, and could feel a little relieved.
‘Senior Brother will take care of Hwando-gwi. With that level of skill, Senior Brother will be able to subdue or kill him without much difficulty.’
Then the problem is that side…
I narrowed my eyes and looked towards where Hwa Seo-yeon was standing.
As if she had felt my gaze, Hwa Seo-yeon was still wearing a faint smile on her lips as if she were sending a temptation.
I, who was examining Hwa Seo-yeon and the bodyguard who was standing silently next to her, soon swallowed hard.
“Hmm…!”
‘A stable aura that seems to boast of a mature peak master… with that level, he would be one of the top masters in Shaanxi, but how can she have such a monster as a bodyguard.’
I clicked my tongue and slowly drew Falling Star from my waist.
Seureureung…!
Although I didn’t draw it roughly, I could feel a sword cry from Falling Star, which had responded to my rising emotions.
In the meantime, Hwa Seo-yeon, who had started to stare at me with her arms crossed, slowly opened her red-painted lips.
“I thought it would be more advantageous for you to watch your senior brother’s fight first, but was I mistaken? I was going to wait for that much with a broad mind.”
“…Why don’t you cut the crap.”
“Hmm…?”
“Anyway, since it has come to this, it seems you’ve brought your forces to kill me at any cost… I’m sure you’ll immediately request reinforcements if senior brother’s fight shows signs of becoming prolonged.”
“……”
“Thinking that a woman no different from a cunning snake is putting on airs makes me feel like I’m about to throw up.”
As I said that mockingly, Hwa Seo-yeon’s eyebrows frowned for a moment.
At that, Hwa Seo-yeon’s bodyguard, who had not yet stepped forward despite my provocation, seemed to have responded to the mood of the master he served.
Seureureung—!
“……!”
“Jeon-pyeong… what are you doing? I’m sure I told you not to step forward until I gave the order.”
It was Hwa Seo-yeon, who seemed to have called the bodyguard’s name.
In the meantime, the opponent was still holding the sword he had drawn from his waist and slowly raising it.
“Hmm…”
‘It seems he’s finally really angry.’
I smiled triumphantly inwardly.
It seemed that it was difficult to draw out the momentum of Hwa Seo-yeon’s bodyguard, who was called Jeon-pyeong, with a simple provocation.
So, I had given up on provoking the opponent with words and had belittled his master, Hwa Seo-yeon.
The effect was tremendous.
‘To think that a guard who had been so cool-headed he calmly watched me probe his master’s intentions would actually draw his blade.’
This is why the weakness of those who are so loyal that they would give their lives for someone is fatal.
I, who had not known that he would come out like this just by slightly scratching his master’s pride, could only cheer.
It was at that moment.
The bodyguard asked me in a locked voice.
“Will you fight here right away? Or will you do it outside?”
“Let’s do it in the yard if possible. There’s no need to let innocent civilians die a dog’s death.”
“…I was wondering until now, but you were indeed a rising star of the righteous sect. To think of protecting such weaklings.”
“……”
I was silent at his words for a moment, and soon asked him while holding Falling Star.
“By any chance, what is your name?”
“Didn’t you hear it just now? My name is Jeon-pyeong.”
As he muttered in a voice with a slight hint of annoyance, I soon smiled faintly and rushed towards the spot where Jeon-pyeong was standing.
Paat—
“……!”
At that, Jeon-pyeong let out a strange light in his eyes and then spread his arms wide to unfold a protective qi.
But it was not my primary goal to land a blow on him.
At that touch-and-go moment, I muttered through a telepathic message.
[Let’s do it outside, outside.]
“You bastard…?!”
Kwaaang—!
Finally, a tremendous roar began to echo in all directions.