Chapter 196: Brothers-2
Chapter 196: Brothers-2
For some reason, Mukrang had been showing a deep interest in the Hainan Sect.
Thinking that perhaps he had some connection from the past, I first asked cautiously.
'Do you perhaps have ties to the Hainan Sect?'
At that, he answered with a somewhat bitter smile.
- Ties, you say... I had them. Once, a cheeky brat from the Haenam In-ga of the Hainan Twelve Families came looking for me to ask for instruction. He was a thunder-naked fool who boasted loudly that if I would guide him, he would someday surpass me and my elder brother and protect the peace of the martial world.
The Haenam In-ga was a prestigious family among the twelve clans that formed the Hainan Sect, one that had long produced the leaders of the Hainan Sect.
Come to think of it, I had heard that this Haenam In-ga had clearly become the leader of the Hainan Sect starting from the time of the Namhae Sword King In Jeung-ho....
I suddenly asked him.
'What was the name of that thunder-naked fool you mentioned?'
- Huh? That brat? It's such an old story, you probably wouldn't know him. He was a fellow named In Jeung-ho.
Cough!
As expected, whenever I talked with Mukrang, it was hard to keep up because his measuring stick was so vast.
Because the Namhae Sword King In Jeung-ho was the absolute being recognized as the greatest swordsman under heaven and the greatest under heaven in the generation after the Martial God, Thunder God, and Sword God.
And yet he remembered In Jeung-ho as nothing but a thunder-naked fool....
Mukrang asked me.
- Judging by your reaction, it seems you know the name?
'Yes, after you passed away, Elder, he was an absolute being called the Namhae Sword King.'
At that, he scoffed.
- Heh! He boasted so loudly about entering the divine realm himself, and yet he only managed to earn the mere title of Sword King. As I thought, he was nothing but a cheeky little brat.
Only the Sword King....
I felt a bit aggrieved.
If I could somehow earn even such a title, I felt like I would fly through the skies.
Anyway, I explained to him.
'Actually, they say he was revered by the people of that time as the Southern Sea Sword Emperor. But it is said that he himself declined. Saying that he, who could not even reach the toes of the Sword God, could not receive such an undeserved title.'
That was how it had been.
It was said that he was a hyeopgaek who had revered the Thunder God and the Sword God all his life and had striven his whole life to follow not only their martial arts but even their deeds.
At my explanation, Mukrang murmured softly.
- Was that so? That little brat.
It was a voice that sounded somehow lonely.
But that was only for a moment, as he asked me again.
- But how is it that the descendants of such a fellow became a band of pirates? What in the world is that about?
'Ah, that, as far as I know...'
The Hainan Sect had become corrupted roughly ten years ago, around the same time as the Emperor's Tomb Blood Incident.
I didn't know the details well, but apparently, the situation of the Haenam In-ga, which had always played the role of the Hainan Sect's leader, was very poor at that time.
Among the twelve clans, the Hae-nam Jin-ga, which also boasted powerful military force, fiercely rose up as a faction threatening the Haenam In-ga, and so the Haenam In-ga and the Hae-nam Jin-ga ended up competing for the position of leader of the Hainan Sect.
Since the leader of the Hainan Sect was decided by the vote of the twelve family heads, it was a competition that required winning the support of the other clans.
But then, bad news broke out for the Haenam In-ga.
It was because In Gye-un, who was the head of the Haenam In-ga at the time, became embroiled in scandal.
'The scandals were very numerous and varied. At first, it was said to be a woman problem. A widow from another clan made a bombshell declaration that she had been having a long affair with him. Furthermore, starting with that, various other rumors began to erupt continuously. Suspicions that he had committed hired murder, rumors that he had privately embezzled the Hainan Sect's funds, things like that.'
- Heo! Was it true?
'In Gye-un, of course, insisted it was absolutely not true and tried his best to prove his innocence, but the speed at which the scandals erupted was faster than the time it took to prove his innocence. So in the end, he was shunned even by the other clans. In a situation where he needed the support of the other clans to become the leader of the Hainan Sect, he was driven to the edge of a cliff.'
And in the end, he became forever unable to prove his innocence.
Because one day, he suddenly disappeared along with his close associates.
- Vanished, you say?
'Yes, they say he vanished without a trace along with the close associates of the Haenam In-ga and the people of the Haenam Sa-ga clan who had followed him. Together with the White Tiger Sword, the sacred relic of the Hainan Sect leader that the Haenam In-ga had safeguarded for generations.'
- Hmm, then what happened after that?
'Naturally, Jin Tae-do, the head of the Hae-nam Jin-ga, became the leader of the Hainan Sect. And... after becoming the leader of the Hainan Sect, he revealed his true colors.'
After becoming the leader of the Hainan Sect, Jin Tae-do declared dominance through force, not chivalry.
He declared that he would become the ruler of the Southern Sea through power.
And he enticed and subjugated the numerous pirates that had been opposing the Hainan Sect, eventually growing into a colossal pirate group.
The Hainan Sect, which had once produced the greatest under heaven and had even once been a member of the Nine Great Sects, ended up being reborn as a giant pirate group.
Currently, the title of Jin Tae-do, the head of that Hainan Sect, was called the Hainan Demon Sword, or the Southern Sea Net.
Among the saying commonly circulating among the Southern Sea people, "If there are Four Demons under heaven, then in the Southern Sea there are Three Demons: the Demon Mirror, the Demon Sword, and the Demon Blade," the second demonic sword was precisely him.
Mukrang murmured as if in a divine voice.
- Then the scandals of the In-ga family head that occurred before that....
'Yes, now everyone has come to assume it was all the handiwork of Jin Tae-do. It is also believed that he probably eliminated In Gye-un, the head of the In-ga as well. But... in hindsight, it's all a story already far too late.'
- ...It is a regrettable affair.
'Indeed. Anyway, as pirates, their power has already far surpassed the influence they held when they were an orthodox sect. In the Southern Sea, along with the Southern Sea Demon Mirror Man Hak-sung of Daenam Island, they reign like emperors.'
The Southern Sea Demon Mirror Man Hak-sung, corresponding to the Demon Mirror among the Three Demons of the Southern Sea, was one of the absolute beings of this era, one of the Four Demons Under Heaven alongside the Heavenly Demon of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the Blood Demon of the Blood Cult, and the Seductive Demon Son Eun-sang.
Yet Jin Tae-do, the Hainan Demon Sword, who was merely (?) one of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World, had succeeded in rivaling that absolute being of the martial world based on his powerful forces.
'They say that even the state mobilized the naval military to somehow subjugate them, but instead had all their ships, weapons, and even cannons taken away. They completely lost control of the seas, you see. So now, they say the state has actually granted them government posts. The Southern Sea Net Jin Tae-do is the Southeastern Naval Admiral, and the Southern Sea Demon Mirror Man Hak-sung is the Southeastern Naval Admiral.'
Hearing this, Mukrang let out a hollow laugh as if it was utterly absurd.
- Heh-heh, they gave government posts to pirates? Even in my day, the state was a mess, but now it completely surpasses imagination.
Since I had lived through two lives where it had always been this way, I accepted it naturally, but it certainly seemed like a situation that would be preposterous if you were hearing it for the first time.
It was then.
Jeung Chil suddenly jumped up and started walking off, grumbling loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"Eeng, what kind of young brats who've reached the transcendent peak level have no spirit? Said they're scared of mere pirates so let's avoid them, eeng!"
Clearly, something seemed to be bothering him.
I smiled wryly and asked him.
"Senior Jeung, if it's difficult for you to go to Hunan Province...."
At that, he burst out shouting.
"Ah! What do you mean difficult?! There is not a single thing in this world that can make this Elder Jeung find things difficult!"
He looked just like a child throwing a tantrum.
At that immature display, I shook my head with a hollow laugh.
And it was just when I looked toward Seolpung Jojang to ask his opinion.
He was fiddling with the silk thread wrapped around his arm, as if he had no interest whatsoever in Jeung Chil's tantrum.
I smirked and spoke to him.
"Are you thinking of Na So-jeo, Jojang?"
That silk thread was what she had tied around Jojang's wrist before they parted.
Ever since, Jojang would fiddle with that thread whenever he had a spare moment.
While wearing such a wistful expression, at that.
At my words, he smiled awkwardly and answered.
"I apologize. It's a bit unsightly, isn't it?"
I smiled and shook my head.
"No. It's good to see. Honestly, I'm envious. I should have asked her to tie one for me too."
I meant it.
I truly felt good.
The fact that I could sincerely wish for the happiness of the man I had most respected in my past life and the woman I had most loved in this way.
Looking at the silk thread with faraway eyes, Jojang suddenly spoke.
"I... feared the existence of women. I was afraid. Because I thought all women would be like my mother. Beings who deceive everyone around them with a beautiful and kind appearance and make them unhappy."
At Jojang's deep gaze, I closed my mouth and listened to his words.
This was a story I had not heard even in my past life.
"My maternal grandfather, who raised me, always told me I had to avenge my father and mother. Even until the very moment he passed away. I made a promise to him that I absolutely would do so... and I always wanted to cry. And it was only after my grandfather passed away that I could finally cry to my heart's content."
His eyes seemed full of confusion, as if recalling the emotions of that time.
"I was resentful. Of my mother, who made me this way. No, I loathed her. Truly, I loathed her so much I could not bear it. So I ran away. To a place where I wouldn't have to face my destiny. As far away as possible, at that."
Saying that while fiddling with the silk thread with faraway eyes, he suddenly smiled brightly at me and spoke.
"But isn't it a strange thing, truly? That I am now walking toward my destiny with a silk thread given by a woman I had sworn my whole life I would never trust, tied around my arm."
What I knew of his story was only about where he originated from.
I had absolutely no idea why he had run away from there, or what his circumstances were.
But what did any of that matter?
If a person precious to me had resolved to face his destiny, I simply had to cheer him on.
I smiled and told him.
"Though I cannot fully understand Jojang's situation or heart, I have always believed. That someone like Jojang would surely be able to completely smash a twisted destiny and the like. I, too, will help you to the best of my ability."
At that, he smiled brightly and said.
"Thank you. But you have already been a great help. That I was able to muster courage like this is all thanks to you, Jin."
I smirked and replied.
"Don't lie. It's thanks to Na So-jeo, isn't it."
"Huh? Hahahaha! Well, that's something I can't deny."
Just then, Jeung Chil, who had been walking far off into the distance, came back and shouted.
"What are you men whispering and laughing and carrying on about?! Are you having a love affair?! Are you out of your minds?!"
I let out a hollow laugh.
It seemed he was sulking because no one had stopped him when he had suddenly jumped up and stormed off.
"And! I heard you're not even in the same squad anymore?! What are you doing still calling him Jojang this and that?! Is it like, you're the eternal captain in my heart, or something?! You chicken-skin-inducing bastards, your hearts are so soft like this, that's why you're freaking out over being scared of mere pirates!"
Huh?
He was clearly trying to pick a fight, but now that I heard it, he had a point.
Since it had been too familiar from my past life, I had kept calling him Jojang, but wasn't it true that I no longer needed to use the title Jojang?
I suddenly looked at Jojang and asked.
"Now that I think about it... should I call you something other than Jojang now?"
"Huh? Like what?"
"Well, if I called you hyungnim... would that be awkward?"
At those words, Seol Pung's face, which had briefly shown a flustered expression, brightened.
"If I am your hyungnim, then you, Jin, would become my little brother. I would like that. If I could have a brother like you, it would be nothing short of an honor!"
I smiled brightly and said.
"It would truly be an honor for me to serve Jojang as my hyungnim! Hyungnim!"
"Jin-ah!"
Without needing to say who went first, we fiercely clasped hands warmly.
The man I respected most was to become my hyungnim — it was almost regretful that I had not thought of this until now.
As we stood there with bright faces exchanging heated gazes, Jeung Chil gaped as if dumbfounded and shouted again.
"What are you two doing right now? Taking an Oath of the Peach Garden or something? Ah, why?! You weren't born on the same day of the same year, so why don't you just go pray to the gods to let you die on the same day of the same year?!"
"Ah, shall we?"
"Oh! That sounds great!"
"No, these bastards, really!"
I really did want to try that Oath of the Peach Garden thing, but if we pushed further, I felt Jeung Chil's condition would become too serious, so we decided to stop there.
And to pacify Jeung Chil, I subtly whispered to Seol Pung.
"Hyungnim, since we've decided to form a brotherly bond like this, even if we can't do the Oath of the Peach Garden, how about swearing an oath of brotherhood before the sea?"
Heh, it felt so good to call Seolpung Jojang hyungnim.
A truly thrilling feeling, so to speak.
At that, he immediately caught on, nodded with a sly smile.
"Oh, an oath of brotherhood before the sea. That would be splendid. Then... shall we just head on to the sea like this?"
"Shall we?"
As I said that and subtly glanced at Jeung Chil, sure enough, his face had instantly brightened.
"Be, before the sea? Right, right, now that I think about it, that would indeed be quite splendid. The sea is definitely better than a peach tree. Hmm, hmm. Of course, it is."
And so, we decided to head toward the sea as we were, maintaining our course.
It was the moment I came to meet the sea, which I had only ever heard about through words, for the first time across two lives.
My heart pounded.
However, the sight we first saw when we arrived at the sea was not merely a beautiful one.