Chapter 75
Chapter 75
Chapter 75
The Magic Swordsmen (3)
The fight unfolded strangely.
They persistently exploited my weakness. The baby standing right behind me was the weakness.
After clashing with me head-on, they immediately targeted the Sword God's wife. When I had no choice but to block that side, my weakness was inevitably exposed.
Moreover, their skills far exceeded expectations.
Not only had their bodies been strengthened by magic, but unexpected spells erupted in the middle of combat.
I felt flames and ice, wind and invisible chains.
"Unfortunately for you, you've met the wrong opponent."
I thrust a sword qi filled with overwhelming force through the net of rampaging magic and sword paths into one person's side.
Pat.
As I completely sliced through his side, attacks from the others came in through that opening.
This counterattack was quite fierce.
Among them, there was one who particularly stood out.
'That bastard is the real one.'
Once the fight began, I could tell there were skill differences even among them.
The one giving commands appeared to be a reincarnator. His movements were completely different.
On the other hand, the others' skills were inferior compared to him.
'Only fifty were regressors.'
Among the Three Hundred of the Ten Alliance, fifty were reincarnators, and the rest were disciples they had directly taught.
That skill difference was clearly visible even after they became Chimeras.
'Even so, they've become threatening.'
Even the weakest one's movements were at a level that would be called an expert in the martial world.
"I'll protect myself."
The Sword God's wife, having assessed the combat situation, spoke.
"Are you confident?"
"Of course."
"Just hold out for one minute."
I chose to trust her and handle things quickly instead.
Leaving her behind, I charged toward the Magic Swordsmen.
Ten swords flew toward me. They contained strong internal energy, so I couldn't withstand them with my body.
Kung!
Using Yongcheon, I escaped that spot and got behind one person. Then I sliced his neck.
I started with the weakest one.
I eliminated them one by one starting from those with inferior skills, and up to five was manageable.
But then I heard an unexpected sound.
Hwareureuk!
A massive fireball flew toward the Sword God's wife.
The wife deployed her shield again.
At that moment, those who had been watching me all simultaneously rushed toward the shield.
'Damn it!'
If the shield broke first, the fireball would engulf the wife.
I immediately deployed my shield and leaped toward the fireball floating in the sky.
Peng!
The fireball disappeared, blocked by my shield.
However, those below didn't attack the shield but stopped attacking and looked up at me.
'How dare they.'
I had fallen for their tactic.
They had made me leap up, and seized the opportunity.
But this position was also one I favored.
"Foolish bastards."
Falling Dragon Fist.
Just as I was about to unleash the Falling Dragon Fist toward those below, they broke through the shield and entered toward the wife.
I hastily stopped the Falling Dragon Fist. Because even the wife would be in danger.
That was a mistake.
The captain who had created the fireball stabbed his sword into my back.
Fortunately, just before the sword touched my back, I barely deflected it by twisting my body.
The captain didn't miss the opportunity and tried to slice my neck using the force of falling.
'Absorption Strike.'
Before he could extend his sword, I pulled him in with Absorption Strike. Then I executed Fire Dragon Hand and grabbed his arm.
He struggled to break free from the pain of his flesh burning, but it was already too late.
'Heavenly Dragon Force.'
Before falling to the ground, I caused an explosion by colliding internal energies.
I landed on the ground, and the captain who had been caught by me scattered into a spray of blood.
"I'll kill you all."
They weren't flustered despite the captain's death. They seemed to have no fear itself.
Instead, they surrounded the wife and pressured me.
Trapped in the encirclement of seven Magic Swordsmen, the wife raised her head and looked at the sky. Then her fingernails turned blood-red and extended a full meter.
The nails immediately stretched in all directions and began to trap the Magic Swordsmen like thorny vines.
The Magic Swordsmen swung their swords to cut down the vines. While doing so, they ran toward the wife.
'She should just deploy a shield!'
I rushed inside urgently.
But two of them blocked me, prepared to die.
Kwang! Kwang!
I burst their heads open. However, that time brought a desperate moment to the wife.
Two swords headed toward the wife's neck.
'I'm too late.'
There was nothing I could do. That's when it happened.
Chaeng!
A blue afterimage swept before the wife. Then the swords that had withstood even the overwhelming force were completely cut off.
Where the suddenly appearing afterimage disappeared, a man of ordinary build stood.
The Sword God.
He was holding a tree branch.
"Hurry up already."
The Sword God assessed the situation and gave me a slight nod.
I kicked a Magic Swordsman's sword that had fallen nearby.
The Sword God caught that sword. And immediately deployed his swordsmanship.
"Let's see how much you've trained."
I no longer interfered with the fight and left it to the Sword God.
I watched the Sword God's swordsmanship after a long time.
His swordsmanship was simple and straightforward. Rather than flashy techniques, he preferred fast and accurate thrusts, and he favored strikes that severed the windpipe.
He didn't thrust longer than necessary, nor did he dodge exaggeratedly.
Move minimally and extend the sword accurately.
This was the Sword God's unique swordsmanship.
As the Sword God moved, as expected, the Magic Swordsmen whose numbers had decreased couldn't hold out.
Eventually, before even a minute passed, they all fell with their necks sliced.
"Huuu."
The Sword God caught his breath and checked the condition of his wife and baby. The wife, held in the Sword God's embrace, explained the entire situation up to now.
Then the Sword God threw his sword on the ground and approached me.
"Thank you for protecting my family."
"I didn't know fate would be this bothersome."
"I apologize."
"Let me ask you one thing."
I asked the Sword God seriously.
"You married her because you love her, right?"
At my words, the wife behind him flared up.
However, she didn't emit the black energy or have her eyes change like before. She had already returned to her usual appearance.
"I love her."
"Alright. Then let me say one thing."
"Please speak."
I whispered into his ear.
"Beware of a woman's pretense."
The Sword God remained still as if frozen.
Then he nodded slightly so only I could see. The Sword God already knew.
'The sorrow of a married man.'
I turned my body without holding any more lingering attachment.
"Those guys will come again. Avoid them on your own."
Leaving them behind, I turned away.
But the Sword God spoke.
"Would you like to have a cup of tea before you go?"
I looked back. Behind the Sword God, I could see the collapsed log cabin.
"Never mind."
Feeling like lingering attachment would remain, I just returned to Korea.
A week later.
While I was training deep in the Ice Castle, So Iryeon came to find me.
"Cult Leader!"
It was an urgent voice.
I gathered my internal energy and left the training room.
"What's wrong?"
"There's a fight!"
"What? Where?"
"At the main base!"
"Did an intruder come or something?"
I asked while heading to the teleport magic circle. Then So Iryeon said in an excited voice.
"The Sword God brought a woman and she's clashing with Yuri!"
The Sword God's wife and the Witch.
"You should have said that from the start!"
I deployed lLightness Skill and quickly went to the site of the problem.
I saw a strange scene.
At the lake park, the Witch stood with an expressionless face. And at the spot facing her, the Sword God's wife was spraying green mist.
Powerful sparks arose from the green mist, and gradually its power intensified, transforming into lightning.
And between her and the Witch, the Sword God stood with a troubled expression.
"Stop!"
I first went in front of the Witch.
"That woman started it first. Don't tell me to stop."
"What on earth is going on?"
"Necromancer. She's one of the mages I killed."
Fate gets tangled like this again.
Of all things, the wife the Sword God married was a mage who had been killed by the Witch.
I wanted to ask about the Necromancer, but there was no time for that.
"Sword God, why did you come here? You acted like we'd never meet again."
"There was no safe place."
"Don't you think that's a bit cheap?"
"I admit it."
"Let's sort out this situation first and then talk."
I went in front of his wife along with the Sword God.
"Calm down. You wouldn't have come without knowing, right?"
I stood before her. The green mist approached as if it would engulf me.
"Think of the baby. If you cause trouble here, your family's safety will be gone too."
The Necromancer's expression twitched.
Then the Sword God walked into the mist.
The mist scattered, avoiding the Sword God.
The Sword God approached his wife and held the baby. Then he slowly embraced his wife as well.
The mist disappeared like that.
The Sword God's wife returned to being a blonde, graceful woman again.
'You really can't trust a woman's outward appearance.'
In the martial world, there's a saying like this.
—Beware of women. Beware even more of pretty women. Be most cautious of women you want to love.
Did the Sword God fall into that trap?
I had a stray thought for a moment.
"If you want to die again, come at me anytime."
The Witch ultimately said one thing. Then the Sword God quickly embraced his wife tightly again.
Fortunately, the fight didn't spread any further.
"Now, tell me the reason you came."
"I'm entrusting my family to you."
"Then what will you give me?"
"I'll do anything until my family is safe."
He already knew.
That I wouldn't make him do anything unjust. Rather, I acknowledged the thoughts of the Protectors and tended to leave individual actions alone.
"So you'll leave once they're safe."
"If you have a great ambition, I will assist until then."
It was like this with the Sword God in my previous life too.
"You always hide your true feelings."
The Sword God didn't answer.
"San Guwang is here, and Jimun Seo-saeng and Cheong Ak-sal are here. Be honest. Didn't you want to see them?"
"I cannot answer."
I knew I could no longer persuade him.
I spoke to Jimun Seo-saeng who was behind me.
"Treat them as guests."
Jimun Seo-saeng bowed his head in acceptance.
I said while looking at the Sword God and his family.
"Stay as long as you want to stay. But as guests. Don't do anything for the Heavenly Demon Cult."
"Will that be acceptable?"
"Considering what you did in your previous life, you have at least that much qualification. But don't interfere with anything. Because in this life, you're not part of the Heavenly Demon Cult."
The Sword God didn't answer. My words must have hurt his feelings.
However, as the Cult Leader, I needed to maintain this center.
The Sword God was guided by Cheong Ak-sal to the visitor quarters. It was a place where no one had stayed yet.
"Cult Leader."
As the Sword God disappeared, So Iryeon approached slightly. I knew what she was going to say.
"No."
So Iryeon pouted her lips and withdrew.
"Treat them without discomfort, and don't talk about internal matters of the Heavenly Demon Cult."
"Going to hang out is okay though, right?"
"Do as you wish."
The storm that had briefly blown was settled like that.
Then Jimun Seo-saeng approached and asked,
"Cult Leader, if the Hundred White Blood Corps learns swordsmanship from the Sword God, it will be of great help."
"No. He himself said he's not part of the Heavenly Demon Cult. I don't want to be tied by interests."
Jimun Seo-saeng was disappointed but didn't ask further.
He wanted to somehow create situations where he would frequently encounter the Sword God. Because he believed that would move the Sword God's heart.
"Just wait. Considering what he did in his previous life, we can do at least that much. Even if he never returns, we should respect that decision."
The Protectors were greatly disappointed but accepted it.
I left them behind and went to the Witch's laboratory.
"Why are you here?"
The Witch asked while maintaining her reading posture.
"I'm curious about what a Necromancer is."
"A mage who rules death. Among black mages, the mage closest to death. Known as the most troublesome existence even between the Empire and mages."
"Must be quite strong."
"Right. I had some trouble when I met her in my previous life too."
The Witch closed her book and looked at me.
"Is she a dangerous opponent?"
"No. In this life, the Necromancer has abandoned much of her power."
"How can you be certain?"
"She gave birth to a child. A Necromancer is a mage who rules death. She can move the dead, but she cannot conceive new life."
Those words struck the back of my head like a shock.
"For that child, she probably gave up more than half of her Necromancer power. I confirmed it with magic just now."
I felt I understood the reason why the Sword God was so obsessed with her.
"He's having a difficult love."
"That's why I let it go."
"Do you have such feelings too?"
The Witch made that mocking expression again. The expression I hated most.
"You still don't know life."
"What?"
The Witch's mockery deepened.
"Well, it is a bit much to discuss life with a child who hasn't even lived a thousand years."
"What's that..."
"You need to live at least 1,500 years to know life. I'll understand."
Though I knew it was childish, I felt a strange sense of defeat.