Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Assault on the Tyrant Sword Sect
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The high-ranking members of the Hyeok Clan had gathered in the grand assembly hall of the family estate.
At the center, the clan patriarch, Hyeok Gongun, was delivering a grave announcement.
He revealed the reason the Hyeok Clan had been in turmoil due to the investigation all this time, as well as the fact that the head of the Nakryeon Brigade and the chief steward had been spies.
Everyone gathered in the hall clenched their fists in outrage.
"Hwang Gi-bok, that bastard was a spy!"
"No wonder our finances worsened every year."
"That's why I always felt uneasy whenever I faced the chief steward."
"Not only those two, but every member under the Nakryeon Brigade head must be thoroughly interrogated."
As the anger boiled over, Hyeok Gongun stepped forward to calm the atmosphere.
"Calm yourselves. We've already investigated the Nakryeon Brigade, and it turns out they were not involved with the head."
After rooting out the spies, Hyeok Gongun had immediately conducted a full investigation of the Nakryeon Brigade.
But no suspicious elements were found among the rank and file.
Still, given the difficult situation to maintain them, the brigade was to be disbanded, with its members reassigned to other units later.
"Where are those spy bastards now?"
"They died during the interrogation."
"What a shame. The rats croaked too soon."
"We should have shown them an end befitting traitors."
"The spies are dead, but it's not over yet."
Hyeok Gongun's eyes sharpened.
"Shouldn't we tear apart those who dared plant spies in our Hyeok Clan?"
"Who is behind them?"
Gulp.
The tense gazes of the family members converged on Hyeok Gongun.
"From our joint investigation with the cult, they've been identified as the Tyrant Sword Sect."
"The Tyrant Sword Sect!"
The hall erupted at Hyeok Gongun's words.
Most of those present burned with battle fervor, ready to storm the Tyrant Sword Sect right then and there.
"Send me! Let me go!"
"Give me just one day, and I'll wipe them all out!"
"We're already prepared to march!"
"I'll plunge my blade into the heart of those treacherous villains!"
They raised their voices, each insisting they be the ones to lead the charge.
Amid the deafening clamor that rang in their ears.
Thud!
The moment Hyeok Gongun slammed his sword on the table, the noise ceased instantly.
"I told you to calm down. Don't disgrace yourselves further."
As the atmosphere subsided at his stern command, he continued slowly.
"If all of you march against a mere sect, what will become of our clan's prestige?"
Hyeok Gongun promptly announced the dispatch unit without delay.
"The unit heading to the Tyrant Sword Sect will be the Advancing Soul Squad, and only them."
Disappointment dripped from the eyes of those present at his words.
But most had expected as much.
The Advancing Soul Squad had led the vanguard in every battlefield the Hyeok Clan had joined thus far, boasting the clan's strongest forces.
"But it's not the end yet."
"Hm?"
"What's left?"
"The one responsible for leading the Advancing Soul Squad at the forefront and charging into the Tyrant Sword Sect."
Hyeok Gongun's gaze turned to Hyeok Gyo-jin, standing at the far end of the hall.
"I appoint the young clan leader."
"Ooh, the young clan leader...!"
"If it's the young clan leader, we can trust him!"
The people nodded at the patriarch's declaration.
Hyeok Gongun regarded him with subdued eyes.
'Losing the chief steward and the Nakryeon Brigade head truly pained my heart.'
But in a way, he saw this as an opportunity.
An opportunity for the young clan leader to grow.
As time passed, eyes one by one turned to Hyeok Gyo-jin.
Soon, with all gazes upon him, Hyeok Gyo-jin clasped his fists in a determined salute and accepted the order.
"Understood!"
After the patriarch's declaration, the Advancing Soul Squad finished preparations within half a shichen and promptly departed the Hyeok Clan estate.
And Hyeok Gyo-jin stood at their forefront, advancing.
The Advancing Soul Squad's leader, Hyeok Wi, approached him and casually spoke.
"It's been a while walking alongside the young clan leader."
"Indeed. I'm glad to stand on the battlefield with you, Brigade Leader."
Until recently, the Hyeok Clan had been linked by marriage to the Cheon Clan.
Thus, attacking the Hyeok Clan equated to making enemies of two of the Seven Great Demon Clans, so other factions naturally avoided creating conflicts with them.
For that reason, there had been few battles for a while, making this joint dispatch a rare occurrence.
Hyeok Wi glanced at him sidelong and spoke in a concerned tone.
"Lately, misfortunes have piled up on the main house. I can't even fathom how disheartened the young clan leader must be."
"Disheartened? It would be a lie to say I'm not."
Hyeok Gyo-jin nodded before speaking in a firm voice.
"But it's all in the past now. I don't believe our clan will crumble over just one or two people. My duty is simply to follow the patriarch's command and bring down the Tyrant Sword Sect."
Hyeok Wi swallowed his inner surprise at that resolute expression.
Despite his position as young clan leader, he set aside personal concerns and focused even more on the mission than Hyeok Wi himself.
Feeling a twinge of self-reflection, Hyeok Wi immediately brought up the strategy.
"How shall we handle the Tyrant Sword Sect?"
"Straight frontal breakthrough, no diversions. No need to list their crimes or issue declarations of war. Doing so would only elevate their status and aid them."
"Understood."
"Once we breach the main gate, I've prepared three strategies based on their response. The first, for if they're scattered, is to deploy the Advancing Soul Squad in formation..."
Hyeok Gyo-jin explained the prepared strategies one by one to the brigade leader.
Watching him speak, Hyeok Wi eventually smiled faintly.
'He's starting to resemble the Cult Leader more and more.'
Continuing their conversation, after advancing another shichen, they arrived at the Tyrant Sword Sect's main gate.
No gatekeepers were in sight, but extending his senses revealed numerous presences inside.
'They've all gathered deeper in.'
Standing at the lead, Hyeok Gyo-jin slowly drew his sword.
Demonic energy billowed thickly from the blade as he slashed forward with ferocious momentum.
Rumble!
The gate crumbled helplessly under the sword strike, emitting a massive roar.
Thick dust rose, and as it settled, the Tyrant Sword Sect disciples, poised in combat formation, appeared through the gaping entrance.
Their numbers far exceeded the Advancing Soul Squad's several times over.
And Hyeok Gyo-jin locked eyes with the Tyrant Sword Sect leader, Deung Hwang, standing at the rear with hands behind his back.
His sturdy frame like a great tree was covered in facial scars, hinting at his violent life.
Hyeok Gyo-jin coldly addressed the sect disciples and leader.
"You've gathered like a pack of dogs."
"When the Seven Great Demon Clans come knocking, we should greet them properly."
"Wasted effort. The outcome will be the same."
The tension rose as they exchanged words.
In that hair-trigger moment, as they coldly traded glares, Hyeok Gyo-jin declared in a deep, sunken voice.
"First and second companies, front. Fourth company, left flank. Fifth company, right flank."
They had numbers but a simplistic formation, needing no special tactics.
Now was the time to overwhelm with raw power.
"The Advancing Soul Squad will, from this moment, eradicate the Tyrant Sword Sect entirely."
"Understood!"
"Understood!"
"Understood!"
No sooner had Hyeok Gyo-jin's orders rung out than the squad members vaulted the walls and gate, pouring inside.
Watching the charging foes, Deung Hwang sneered and issued his command.
"These pups barge in without fear. Wind Slaughter Squad and Demon Sight Squad, cut down those brats. Blood Coagulation Squad, bring me the young clan leader's head."
"Yes!"
The Tyrant Sword Sect charged forward as well upon their leader's order.
Soon, the two forces clashed fiercely, blades ringing.
Step by step.
As Hyeok Gyo-jin slowly joined the fray, two enemies lunged at him from both sides.
He dodged the overhead slash by stepping back once, then swung his sword to sever their arms.
But it didn't end there.
Three more from the front, two from behind, all charging fiercely at him.
"Hoo."
Exhaling calmly, Hyeok Gyo-jin gripped his sword over his shoulder and thrust the tip forward.
Instead of sidestepping, he exploded ahead.
The flustered foes hastily prepared a combined strike, but Hyeok Gyo-jin was a fraction faster.
Before their attacks merged, he slipped between them and stabbed.
The foe belatedly swung, but Hyeok Gyo-jin had already evaded, leaving his comrade in his place moments before.
"Wha—?!"
Realizing too late he'd killed his ally, the foe turned to Hyeok Gyo-jin—but it was over.
Hyeok Gyo-jin pierced his abdomen and kicked him away.
As the remaining two halted catching the body, Hyeok Gyo-jin dropped low and sliced their ankles in one stroke.
"Argh!"
They collapsed, clutching their severed feet and screaming in agony.
Glancing at the incapacitated foes, Hyeok Gyo-jin turned away.
At that moment,
"Aaack!"
An Advancing Soul Squad member who had dropped his sword lay on the ground, moments from having his throat slit, letting out a desperate cry.
Reacting instinctively to the voice, Hyeok Gyo-jin hurled his sword toward it.
The blade flew swiftly, piercing the chest of the enemy about to strike down.
"Cough!"
Blood spewed from his mouth as he crumpled.
In the blink of an eye, the living became the dead.
Having saved his comrade, Hyeok Gyo-jin raised his head and surveyed the battlefield briefly.
Vicious malice surged toward one another.
The acrid stench of blood filled the air, mingled with the clash of steel, the cries of those unleashing battle formations, the sounds of flesh tearing, and the screams at death's door— a cacophony resounding.
'I bear the responsibility not to look away from them.'
Young clan leader Hyeok Gyo-jin etched the scene firmly in his eyes.
Retrieving his sword, he cut down obstructing foes and approached Hyeok Wi.
"Brigade Leader, we must find the sect leader."
"I was thinking the same."
The current battle dynamics revealed a stark disparity between the sides.
Individually, the Advancing Soul Squad was far superior.
Yet the Tyrant Sword Sect outnumbered them six or seven to one.
Numerical superiority versus qualitative edge.
Predicting the battle's conclusion:
"We'll win in the end, but..."
"The casualties will be heavy. To end this quickly, we take the sect leader."
"Let's break through now."
As Hyeok Wi concentrated attacks on one side, a narrow path opened to the rear.
Hyeok Gyo-jin and Hyeok Wi swiftly leaped to the roof of the main hall.
They immediately dashed across rooftops in search of the sect leader.
Midway through their smooth advance, two swords suddenly thrust up from below.
"Watch out!"
Hyeok Wi shoved Hyeok Gyo-jin aside and blocked the ambush successfully, but his ankle was grabbed, sending him crashing through the ceiling.
Falling from the building, he faced the two warriors ahead.
The two middle-aged men in enemy uniforms each lacked one ear—the left one's left ear, the right one's right ear severed.
Recognizing them, Hyeok Wi bit his lip.
"You two wouldn't be the Dog-Head Twin Reds, by any chance?"
"Ho, even the Demonic Cult knows of us."
"Dodging the Twin Red Branch Killing Swords—impressive."
He couldn't fathom why these infamous unorthodox villains from Gwiju Province were here.
Seeing Hyeok Wi surrounded one-versus-two, Hyeok Gyo-jin moved to assist.
"Hold on a moment! I'll come to you..."
Boom!
Before he could finish, a heavy sword flew at him.
Kicking off the ground and evading by a hair, Hyeok Gyo-jin turned toward the attack's origin.
There stood Deung Hwang, the Tyrant Sword Demon, exuding overwhelming dominance.
"Damn it!"
Hyeok Wi's face hardened in dismay at the sight.
In defending the ambush, he'd been separated from Hyeok Gyo-jin.
Now, contrary to plan, Hyeok Gyo-jin faced the sect leader alone.
Noticing Hyeok Wi's sidelong glance, the Dog-Head Twin Reds sneered mockingly and raised their swords to block the path.
"Heh, play with us."
"...Fine. I'll cut you down within a gak and go support the young clan leader."
Hyeok Wi's eyes flashed as he charged ferociously.
As the brigade leader clashed with the Twin Reds, Deung Hwang glanced at them before slowly approaching Hyeok Gyo-jin.
"Sending the young clan leader personally—didn't think the Hyeok Clan was this stupid. Like shoving a rabbit into a gaping tiger's maw."
Retrieving his embedded sword, Deung Hwang smirked contentedly.
Hyeok Gyo-jin stared back coldly.
"Mistaking yourself for a tiger? A rat who doesn't know his place."
"Rat? Harsh words. Aren't you just a brat with nothing left without your family's halo?"
Deung Hwang provoked him, but Hyeok Gyo-jin's expression remained unchanged.
"Enough talk."
Seeing no reaction, Deung Hwang tapped his shoulder with the flat of his blade before launching forward explosively.
"I'll kill you here and raise the Tyrant Sword Sect!"
Boom!
Hyeok Gyo-jin tracked the movement and blocked with his sword.
But Deung Hwang's brute force sent him crashing through the roof into the hall's interior.
The assault didn't stop.
A flash descended from above; Hyeok Gyo-jin twisted away.
Kaboom!
Dust billowed with the deafening impact.
Springing up and steadying himself, Hyeok Gyo-jin aimed his sword at the source.
Before the dust fully settled, Deung Hwang shot out, striking down three times along the same path with ferocious power.
It was Deung Hwang's signature technique: Triple Tyrant Annihilation Sword.
Thud! Thud! Rumble!
The force was immense, echoing like an axe splitting logs.
Yet Hyeok Gyo-jin twisted his blade slightly and retreated with each strike, minimizing the impact.
Successfully weathering the Triple Tyrant Annihilation Sword, he seized the offensive.
Whoosh! Whoosh whoosh!
His sharp sword thrust at Deung Hwang's throat.
Deung Hwang barely dodged, but the blade didn't relent.
It flowed seamlessly from thrust to slash.
The downward stroke sliced Deung Hwang's shoulder guard; had he not instinctively twisted, it would have been a grievous wound.
Temporarily yielding initiative, Deung Hwang keenly analyzed Hyeok Gyo-jin's movements.
'Skilled in combat.'
Hyeok Gyo-jin's strikes were relentless, vital-targeting thrusts slipping through, hard to defend.
Though Deung Hwang's experience dominated, Hyeok Gyo-jin's superior swordsmanship bridged the gap.
After a defensive analysis, Deung Hwang exploited his experience advantage.
Splat!
Dropping low, he scooped sand from the floor and flung it at Hyeok Gyo-jin's eyes.
Hyeok Gyo-jin instinctively shielded his face with his sword. Losing sight briefly reversed the tide.
Attack after attack, feints mixed in—Deung Hwang pressed relentlessly.
As Hyeok Gyo-jin backpedaled defending, Deung Hwang grew bolder.
But even crouched, Hyeok Gyo-jin's eyes remained clear.
Thus far, neither had landed a fatal blow.
Instead of trading minor hits, Hyeok Gyo-jin opted for defense, waiting for that one opening.
And it came sooner than expected.
'A feint.'
He sensed no power behind the strike rushing at his waist.
Not dodging, he parried sideways and advanced.
Bodies close, momentum forward, he pondered instantly.
What was the strongest sword technique he could unleash now?
His mind raced.
Then, a man's movements flashed in his head.
The swordsmanship his brother, who had visited the estate recently, had shown.
Now a clan heirloom technique, its motions vividly resurfaced.
Shh.
In that instant, Hyeok Gyo-jin's hand moved on its own.
A refined stance, a single vertical downward cut from above.
The second form of the Sky-Soaring Demon Subduing Sword: Pure Soul Sword.
It perfectly mirrored what Hyeok Mulin had demonstrated before.
Not particularly powerful or fast.
But straight and elegant.
Clang—!
"What?!"
Deung Hwang's sword flew from his grip, flung to the floor.
The Pure Soul Sword's heavy fluidity had disarmed him.
Stunned, Deung Hwang's eyes widened.
'Got him!'
Seizing the win, Hyeok Gyo-jin gave no reprieve, his sword piercing toward Deung Hwang's heart.
But at that moment, Deung Hwang acted utterly contrary to expectation.
He neither dodged nor retrieved his sword.
Instead, he charged straight at the oncoming Hyeok Gyo-jin.
"What?!"
At point-blank, Deung Hwang unleashed a palm from his sleeve.
It struck Hyeok Gyo-jin's unguarded chest squarely.
Boom!
Internal shock sent Hyeok Gyo-jin flying five jang, vomiting blood.
Slamming into the wall, he gazed at Deung Hwang with trembling eyes.
"The Tyrant Sword Demon... uses palm techniques?"
He'd never heard such a thing.
No, likely no one knew.
Staring in disbelief, Deung Hwang clicked his tongue and scratched his head.
"Didn't think I'd have to reveal this."
The young clan leader's final swordsmanship was leagues beyond what he'd anticipated.
Threatened by the unexpected prowess, he'd been forced to show his full power.
'Must end this here.'
Already intent on killing, now that his secret was out, the resolve hardened.
Deung Hwang charged the fallen Hyeok Gyo-jin, unleashing Twin Jade Heart-Chasing Palms.
Facing it head-on, Hyeok Gyo-jin desperately tried to evade, but his severe internal wounds prevented movement.
"Die!"
Unable to dodge and rooted in place, Hyeok Gyo-jin anticipated his end.
But just before the palms reached his heart.
Whoosh!
A bone-chilling icy blast flew from somewhere toward Deung Hwang's path.
Thwack!
Deung Hwang twisted to deflect it with his hand, but even blocked, the force pushed him back three or four steps.
Feeling the anomaly, he looked down—his fingertips frozen with frost.
"...?"
Turning sharply to the presence on his flank, he glared at the intruder.
"That's far enough."
A figure in plain black uniform and bamboo hat stepped forward.
Hyeok Mulin lifted the hat slightly, eyeing him with one eye.
Finally revealing your true colors.
Tyrant Sword Demon.
No.
"Red Hand Ghost Killer Deung Hwang."