Chapter 245: What They Desire Most-1
Chapter 245: What They Desire Most-1
It was the moment when Jin Tae-do, one of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World, had sortied out leading the naval forces including the Black Dragon Ship, and Pa Cheon-jo the Six Harmony Swordsman, who could be called the strongest force of the Hengshan Sect, was charging toward Seonwoo Jin.
Unexpectedly, the first to attack Seonwoo Jin's party were not them.
It was the Blood Rain Pavilion, the group known as the world's greatest assassin sect.
Shuririririk!
Throwing weapons flew in, blackening the air as they covered the space.
It was a net-like attack that occupied every space to block any path of escape.
"Haaaap!"
Buaaaaaang!
Jin So-eun let out a martial shout and swung her staff.
The staff, spinning in a circular motion, deflected the throwing weapons like a shield.
Tittittittiting!
But in that moment, the ground beneath Jin So-eun's feet rose up and three assassins burst forth.
It was a lethal ambush aimed at her back the very moment she blocked the throwing weapons.
Shiiiik!
Three daggers were driven toward her back.
No, they nearly were.
Ddadadang!
That is, had the staff that somehow already defended her back not blocked the three daggers.
The staff, whipping about like a living dragon regardless of her hand, had deflected that fatal ambush.
That was not all.
"Huup!"
Hwiririririk!
The staff, having spun and deflected the three daggers, then rotated irregularly and grazed the heads of the attackers from an angle they could not have predicted.
Peopeopeok!
The heads where the staff had passed had parts of them vanish, as if caved in by something.
The white radiance faintly gleaming at the tip of the staff—it was because Jin So-eun's energetic force had swept past.
Those with parts of their heads missing could no longer move.
They merely stood still for a moment before collapsing limply to the ground.
But Jin So-eun had no time to spare them a glance.
For at that moment, a massive net was descending upon her from the sky.
Hwaaaak!
A gigantic net, gleaming with a black luster as if woven from iron cords, completely covered the sky.
It was an attack of an unavoidable scope.
Moreover, it did not end there.
When Jin So-eun was staring up at the net falling from the sky with startled eyes, throwing weapons suddenly poured in from all directions.
Shuriririririk! Shwaaaaaak!
It was a coordinated assault, emptying all their throwing weapons at once.
The intent seemed to be to turn Jin So-eun into a pincushion with throwing weapons, whether she got caught in the net or defended against it.
At that, a look of bewilderment rose on Jin So-eun's face at the difficult situation with no place to avoid.
It was a crisis.
But her bewilderment was brief, and she soon gritted her teeth and began to move.
It was a movement without hesitation, like that of a seasoned veteran of a hundred battles.
"Huup!"
Syuk!
In that situation where, save for beneath the ground, only things targeting her filled every direction, the choice Jin So-eun made was to extend her staff and pierce through the gaps in the net.
Then, throwing weapons immediately showered around her now-defenseless form with her staff extended to the sky.
Shuriririririk!
It was that moment.
"Hap!"
Jin So-eun swung the staff caught in the net with all her might.
Syuhaaaaak!
Then the iron net caught on the staff began swirling around her like a massive cloud, defending against the throwing weapons.
Buaaaaaang!
Tututututuk!
The throwing weapons were helplessly embedding themselves into the mass of netting.
Because the net was so enormous, even when bunched up caught on the staff, it was enough to cover Jin So-eun's entire body.
In the end, Jin So-eun was able to block all the throwing weapons using the net.
But even after that, she did not stop swinging the net.
Buuuuuung!
The mass of netting bunched around the staff was spinning faster and faster.
Jin So-eun, who had spun the mass—made entirely of iron cords and unbearably heavy—faster and faster, suddenly let out a fierce cry and hurled it.
"Eu-eu-eu-eu, hap!"
Then the bunched-up mass of netting flew off like a meteor.
Toward the Blood Rain Pavilion assassins who had thrown the throwing weapons at Jin So-eun.
Syuhaaaaak!
"!"
The assassins in that direction, startled, flung their bodies away one after another, trying to dodge it.
But it was that moment.
Jin So-eun burst forth from behind the flying net.
"Haaaap!"
"!"
She had thrown the net and followed behind it like a ghost.
Furthermore, the fact that the assassins had not perceived her meant that in that instant, she had even used stealth technique.
When the assassins' eyes widened greatly at her ambush, Jin So-eun's staff began spinning once more like a whirlwind.
Buaaaaaang!
Peopeopeopeopeok!
After the staff passed, the five assassins whose heads vanished flew off in the directions their bodies had been leaping, just as their momentum had carried them.
They flew while spewing red blood into the air, as if scattering red dye.
Teolsseok! Teolsseok! Teolsseok!
Five corpses fell to the ground and rolled as they were.
But no one within the area gave the corpses their attention.
It was because this was a scene they had seen countless times in the fighting that had continued for nearly twelve hours, a full day.
"Haah, haah."
Jin So-eun tried somehow to steady her body, drooping as if soaked, and her breath that had risen all the way to her throat.
Though she had been killing for twelve hours, the surroundings were still filled with Blood Rain Pavilion assassins.
Watching them crawl out like cockroaches no matter how many were killed and attack without fear, Jin So-eun suddenly thought.
'Was it... perhaps a mistaken choice?'
But now she knew well enough.
That regretting it was something that could not be undone anyway.
Jin So-eun gritted her teeth and moved her body, which now barely moved properly, charging at the enemies.
And filled with fury, she shouted loudly.
"Seon-woo Jiiin!"
***
A few days prior, Seonwoo Jin had parted ways with the warriors of the Haenam In family and Sa family, and Myo A-ran.
It was a natural course of action.
Because making Jin Tae-do leave Hainan Island in order to capture him was the fundamental plan of Seonwoo Jin.
In the meanwhile, the warriors of the Haenam In family and Sa family decided to secretly enter Hainan Island with the evidence Seonwoo Jin had gathered. It was to contact the other opposition factions, expose Jin Tae-do's atrocities and gain justification, and seize control of Hainan Island in his absence.
The assassination of the In family head, In Gye-gun, ten years ago in collusion with the Hengshan Sect, and the creation of the Hapsan Sect, also in collusion with the Hengshan Sect, by diverting the naval forces' troops to create the White Religion Sect.
Since each and every matter was utterly unforgivable, the justification for ousting him from the position of sect leader would surely be more than sufficient.
However, if there was a point of slight concern, it was whether the warriors of the Haenam In family could infiltrate Hainan Island without Jin Tae-do's knowledge and make contact with the other family heads.
Because Jin Tae-do's eyes would be spread throughout the entirety of Hainan Island.
At that, Myo A-ran, who had grasped Seonwoo Jin's plan in a single meeting, had warned him thus.
'If Jin Tae-do were to detect their movements first, he would not hesitate to wage a civil war on Hainan Island. He would try to purge the other family heads one step ahead.'
She was right.
Seonwoo Jin had also thought that this part, at least, could only be left to the fortune of heaven.
When Seonwoo Jin readily acknowledged Myo A-ran's words, she made him this offer.
'I will draw his attention. I will openly enter Hainan Island by a different route than theirs and meet Jin Tae-do. And I will ask him to avenge my father.'
'Hmm.'
It was an offer Seonwoo Jin found difficult to refuse.
Because if she openly returned to Hainan Island and drew their attention, it could serve as a feint-to-the-east-strike-west stratagem.
It would probably greatly raise the success rate of the plan.
But for now, he did not accept the offer and instead asked Myo A-ran.
'You are aware this will be dangerous, are you not?'
It was a matter of her entering Jin Tae-do's grasp alone, and of her own volition.
Since the Myo family head, Myo Cheong-ju, was also absent, if Jin Tae-do harbored ill intentions, there was no telling what she might suffer.
But Myo A-ran, well aware of that fact, smiled gracefully and answered.
'However dangerous it may be for me, it will not be as dangerous as it is for you, Seonu Gongja. And... it is only if I take on at least this much risk myself that I will have the decency to make a request of you, Gongja.'
At her words, Seonwoo Jin nodded and asked.
'A request. It must be regarding your father's treatment.'
Myo Cheong-ju was currently bound and restrained by the warriors of the Haenam In family, his acupoints sealed.
The warriors of the Haenam In family were glaring at him—one of the enemies of their former family head In Gye-gun—as if they might tear him apart and kill him at any moment.
It truly seemed as though a single word from Seonwoo Jin would have them rip him to shreds in an instant.
Myo A-ran gazed at her father with complicated eyes, then bowed her head and pleaded with Seonwoo Jin.
'I do not dare wish for the survival of the Myo family. For my father committed wrongs for which extermination of the family would leave him with nothing to say. But please understand me, a daughter who cannot simply stand by and watch that death. I will complete your plan, Gongja, with my life. So please, I beg you, if only as an excuse to hold him as a hostage to compel my actions, spare his life at least.'
Her words were thus.
It was an offer to use herself as a horse to more perfectly complete Seonwoo Jin's plan, and to refrain from killing her father, Myo Cheong-ju, under the pretext of holding him hostage to force her compliance.
For Seonwoo Jin, it was an offer with no downside whatsoever.
He too had already come to know her sincerity, and so he was not comfortable with killing her father Myo Cheong-ju, and he could also erase an uncertain aspect of his plan.
Seonwoo Jin readily accepted her offer.
And he explained the situation to Hyeon Cheong-gun, the leader of the Haenam In family warriors, and asked him to make the warriors understand.
At that, Hyeon Cheong-gun also readily agreed to follow his words.
Though it was regrettable not to kill their enemy Myo Cheong-ju, it was because everything was accepted as a process for bringing down the true enemy, Jin Tae-do.
Furthermore, since it was not a release and they would be keeping him restrained themselves, they could kill him at any time later anyway.
Also, the warriors of the Haenam In family, having heard Seonwoo Jin's plan, actually cheered.
It was because of the thought that they could finally kill the true enemy, Jin Tae-do.
And above all, they worried about Seonwoo Jin.
Hyeon Cheong-gun spoke.
"It is far too dangerous, Soju. Please allow at least half of us to accompany you."
It was not an empty offer.
Hyeon Cheong-gun and the warriors of the In and Sa families had become completely loyal to Seonwoo Jin after just this single encounter.
If Seonwoo Jin were to command them to die as sacrificial pawns against Jin Tae-do, they would have done so willingly.
For the past ten years, they had lived as warriors without a master, not even knowing who their enemy was, nurturing only resentment and hatred. The mere fact that Inparang, the true successor of the In family, was alive had been enough to make them thankful to the heavens.
And not only that—this Inparang had grown into a martial artist more outstanding than any young master in the martial world, had identified the In family's true enemy, and was brilliantly carrying out that vengeance.
For them, there was not a single reason not to pledge their loyalty to this young master they had found again.
But Seonwoo Jin shook his head at his counsel.
"What I intend to do is not fight Jin Tae-do, but draw him out and stall for time. Since I will not face him directly, the fewer people, the better. And since I will be fleeing from the enemy, what matters is not martial force but movement techniques and stealth arts. In other words, I can minimize sacrifice and maximize effectiveness when I am alone."
At that answer, Hyeon Cheong-gun could not ask to remain any longer.
He had clearly witnessed the movement technique Seonwoo Jin had used against Sul Mo-saeng, one that resembled shape-shifting.
If his words were true, their remaining by his side might actually hinder him.
Hyeon Cheong-gun gazed at Seonwoo Jin with regretful eyes.
The fact that he had to part again with the master he had barely reunited with, and the fact that his own inadequacy made him useless to his master's plans—these things filled him with unbearable sorrow.
Seeing this, Seonwoo Jin smiled faintly as if to ease his heart and said,
"The true battle will be after we reclaim Hainan Island. Would it be right for the warriors of the In and Sa families, who have waited ten years, to be sacrificed in such a trivial role? Please take care of yourselves. I shall look forward to your valor in the final decisive battle."
Hyeon Cheong-gun was deeply moved.
This young master, who possessed incredible martial arts and strategic brilliance that made it impossible to believe he was that young, was even considerate.
Pride that there could be no master like this in the world made Hyeon Cheong-gun's chest burn hot.
He dropped to his knees and cried out,
"Soju! Please take care of yourself! Until you return, we will reclaim Hainan Island with our lives!"
Then the nearly three hundred warriors of the In and Sa families standing behind him also dropped to their knees and shouted in unison.
"Soju! Please take care of yourself!"
"Soju! Please take care of yourself!"
It was a heart-stirring spectacle born from the genuine hearts of over three hundred warriors.
After sending off the warriors and Myo A-ran, Seonwoo Jin spoke to Son Dae-su, Son I-rang, and Jin So-eun, who had remained by his side.
"For the same reason, I can no longer accompany any of you. Elder Son, please return to our comrades and assist them now. Thank you for your help thus far."
Son Dae-su let out a sigh.
Parting with him after all their time together was regrettable, but it truly seemed unavoidable.
If Jin Tae-do, one of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World, came leading troops personally, they could not possibly be of help to Seonwoo Jin.
Truth be told, it was ambiguous whether they had been of much help even before now.
Furthermore, thinking of their comrades who were under attack by the Six Harmony Sword Squadron of the Hengshan Sect, he needed to return to them quickly.
He smiled ruefully and said,
"They say all gatherings must part—it seems that time is now. Please take care until we meet again, Gongja."
At this, his granddaughter Son I-rang also pouted and spoke up.
"Why do you leave out the saying 'if you go, you must return,' Grandfather? We will definitely meet again, won't we, Gongja-nim?"
Seonwoo Jin smiled faintly and answered her.
"Has not my sworn brother already gone to that side? Of course we shall meet again."
Of course, they all knew well that for that to happen, they each had to survive safely.
But they deliberately refrained from saying such words aloud.
Having finished his farewells with the grandfather and granddaughter pair, Seonwoo Jin now looked at Jin So-eun.
Lately, Jin So-eun had been avoiding Seonwoo Jin to an extreme degree, so it was the first time in a long while that he looked directly into her eyes.
"Jin Sojeo, thank you as well. You followed me for nothing and only suffered. Jin Sojeo, you may return to the Jin family estate, or you may accompany Elder Son. Do as your heart inclines."
At this, Jin So-eun once again could not meet Seonwoo Jin's eyes and lowered her head.
And after staring only at the ground for a moment, she abruptly raised her head and answered Seonwoo Jin's words.
It was an answer Seonwoo Jin had never imagined he would hear from her.
"No."
"...Pardon?"
Seonwoo Jin looked at her with a puzzled expression.
He could not understand what she meant by "no."
And he likewise could not understand the resentful gaze she directed at him.
Jin So-eun spoke again.
"I mean I don't want to leave Seonu Gongja like this, without having been of any help at all. Please let me stay by your side. This time, I truly want to be of help to you, Gongja."
Seonwoo Jin was taken aback by her words.
Because she had done nothing but avoid him all this time, he had never expected such an answer to come out.
The eyes that had always been timidly withdrawn now burned hotter than anything in this moment.
But Seonwoo Jin soon chuckled wryly and had no choice but to shake his head.
"I cannot permit it. The matters from now on will be far too dangerous for you, Sojeo. Moreover, if you find it difficult even to hold a conversation with me, you will only become a hindrance."
Under normal circumstances, even this level of refusal would have made Jin So-eun hang her head timidly.
But the Jin So-eun of now did not do so.
Instead, her eyes shone even brighter as she exclaimed,
"I won't be like that! I absolutely won't avoid conversation! Whatever you tell me to do, I'll follow it all! Please, give me a chance!"
Jin So-eun was currently experiencing a searing sense of disappointment and disillusionment with herself.
It was because she had just witnessed the warriors of the Haenam In and Sa families, who had steeled themselves for a full ten years while waiting for their master.
And because she had seen Myo A-ran, who threw herself without hesitation into a deadly situation to save her father and for the sake of her betrothed, Inparang.
Jin So-eun thought to herself.
'What am I even doing right now?'
Everyone was risking their lives for what was precious to them. Even Seonwoo Jin, despite it being a matter wholly unrelated to himself, had thrown himself into this dangerous affair and was risking his life.
But not her. Not herself.
'What the hell am I doing right now?'
She, who had followed Seonwoo Jin because she wanted to be with him, was now turning away from him because her heart ached.
Her own pathetic reasons, her wretched behavior—she found them so sickening she could not bear it.
So she thought.
'Think. What should I do? What do I want to do?'
No matter how much she thought about it, she had no desperate reason like the people of the Haenam Sect.
No grand cause like loyalty or vengeance.
But even so, there was something she desperately wanted.
'I want to be with him. More than anything, I want to be of help to him.'
That was it.
That was what she earnestly wished for, what she wanted to achieve, right now.
So she could not leave him like this.
She could not end her journey with him while holding onto only this pathetic image of herself.
It didn't matter if it wasn't a grand reason like revenge or loyalty.
Because it was what she wanted more earnestly than anything else.
Beneath Jin So-eun's desperate, burning gaze, Seonwoo Jin let out a light sigh.
"Huuu."
He could not understand why Jin So-eun had suddenly become so desperate.
But even so, what could not be done, could not be done.
What he intended to do was lure Jin Tae-do, who would bring overwhelming forces. In that situation, unless one possessed ability on par with his own, it was obvious they would only be a hindrance.
Jin So-eun's current abilities were still insufficient.
If he kept her by his side, the probability was very high that both she and Seonwoo Jin would end up in danger.
So, just as he was about to shake his head again toward Jin So-eun—
Mukrang suddenly spoke in his mind.
'Why not give her a chance?'
At the unexpected words, Seonwoo Jin asked back, baffled.
'...Pardon? You mean her?'
Mukrang laughed and answered.
'Yes, I rate her potential very highly. And looking at her now, it seems the conditions for it to blossom have barely been met. With just a bit of real combat experience, she seems likely to grow by leaps and bounds.'
At his words, Seonwoo Jin hesitated for a moment.
He trusted Mukrang's words more than anyone, ten times out of ten.
But even so, bringing her along was problematic.
He said she would grow by leaps and bounds with some real combat experience, but if that real combat meant meeting Jin Tae-do right from the start, she would clearly be crushed before she could even grow.
Thinking that, Seonwoo Jin was about to say that it was indeed not possible.
That was when it happened.
A thought suddenly occurred to Seonwoo Jin—the first enemies they would encounter might not be Jin Tae-do after all.
They were far away across the sea on Hainan Island; coming up onto the mainland and chasing them would inevitably take time.
Seonwoo Jin's mind began spinning furiously.
'If that's the case... the first enemies we'll encounter are probably...?'
Having thought that far, Seonwoo Jin suddenly grinned.
It was the kind of smile so chilling that even Jin So-eun, burning with fighting spirit, flinched involuntarily.
Seonwoo Jin asked her,
"Can you truly and diligently carry out everything I tell you to do, Sojeo?"
Jin So-eun answered, her fighting spirit ablaze once more.
"Anything! Whatever you ask of me, I will follow it all!"
At her answer, Son I-rang, who was listening from the side, muttered,
"For a woman to give such a dangerous answer..."
From her perspective, Seonwoo Jin's current expression seemed very lecherous and dangerous somehow.
But to Jin So-eun, burning with fighting spirit, no other voice could reach her.
And now, several days after that day.
Having fought the assassins of the Blood Rain Pavilion the entire day, Jin So-eun was gritting her teeth, her whole body covered in dirt, as she screamed out Seonwoo Jin's name.
"Graaaaaaah! Seonu Gongjaaaaaa!"