Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: A Tentative Alliance
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*Swish, swish.*
Bu Eun-seol’s body swayed like a small boat in a storm.
But the black sword in his hand, like a salmon leaping upstream, darted forward, exploiting the greatsword’s opening.
“Kgh.”
Paeng Ak gritted his teeth as the black sword, which he expected to clash with his greatsword, suddenly appeared at his side.
“How long do you think such a petty trick will work!”
*Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!*
Tilting his body slightly, he unleashed three consecutive techniques of his saber arts in a single breath.
He hadn't used the pulling technique in this move.
‘I've been waiting for this!’
As Paeng Ak swung his blade like an enraged bull, Bu Eun-seol also dashed toward him.
*Whoosh!*
As the close-quarters combat began, Paeng Ak's greatsword unleashed techniques in all directions like exploding fireworks.
‘Here it comes!’
*Fwoosh.*
A red haze seemed to rise from the black sword Bu Eun-seol held.
At the same time, the tip of the sword began to tremble minutely, creating the illusion that flames were spreading across the entire blade.
“Take this!”
With a thunderous roar, Paeng Ak's greatsword cut through the air.
It was the Five Tigers Severing Heaven, a one-hit-kill technique that concentrated the essence of the Five Tiger Single Saber Arts.
*Clang! Whoosh!*
Sword shadows and saber light. The shadow of the black sword and the light of the greatsword completely filled the space between heaven and earth.
*Kwooooosh…*
As the shadows of the sword and saber vanished as if washed away, Bu Eun-seol, down on one knee, spat out a clump of blood.
“Blech.”
Bu Eun-seol's face was ashen, as if coated in white powder, and his body was covered in sword wounds, both large and small.
In contrast, Paeng Ak stood impassively, a single scratch nowhere on him, holding his saber with the dignified posture of a lion.
“What sword art is this?”
Wiping away the blood, Bu Eun-seol answered Paeng Ak's question in a low voice.
“The first form of the Fiery Rain Sword, Mystery upon Mystery.”
“Mystery upon Mystery… I thought that was a purely defensive technique.”
“Of the hundreds of sword blades enveloping my body, I merely directed one outward.”
“Are you not afraid of death?”
Altering a sword form passed down through generations is no easy task, even for a grandmaster of martial arts.
To block Paeng Ak's Five Tigers Severing Heaven and counterattack, Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to unleash the fiery raindrops of Mystery upon Mystery upon himself as well.
“If I feared death, I would never have picked up a sword.”
At Bu Eun-seol's resolute words, Paeng Ak looked up at the sky in anguish.
“Heavens! Why grant such talent to a demon…”
His pained muttering gradually faded.
*Thud.*
Finally, Paeng Ak collapsed, his face buried in the dirt.
Paeng Ak, master of the Five Tiger Single Saber.
He sought to ‘hunt’ talented prodigies, while Bu Eun-seol fought to take his enemy's life.
In the end, that difference decided their life and death.
“Ptui.”
Spitting out another clump of blood, Bu Eun-seol used his black sword as a cane to get up.
“Hah. Huu.”
Suffering from internal injuries, Bu Eun-seol's qi and blood were in turmoil, making it agonizingly difficult to breathe.
—Grandfather! I can't take it anymore!
When he had free time, Bu Eun-seol would play ‘the corpse game’ with Bu Jan-yang.
The corpse game involved staying inside an empty coffin for as long as possible, but Bu Eun-seol couldn't last even half a quarter-hour in the stuffy, air-deprived coffin.
—It's so stuffy, I feel like I'm going to die!
As Bu Eun-seol kicked the coffin open and sat up, Bu Jan-yang chuckled and pinched his cheek.
—You little rascal! You think just anyone can play the corpse game? You have to learn the breathing technique.
—A breathing technique?
—That's right. If you master this breathing technique, not only can you breathe for a long time with little air, but your body will also become stronger!
Bu Jan-yang taught Bu Eun-seol a breathing technique that would allow him to last longer in the coffin.
Using this technique not only allowed him to endure the coffin for longer, but just sitting for half a shichen would relieve fatigue as if he'd had a full day's rest.
—You must practice this breathing technique I've taught you for at least one shichen every day. Understand?
—Yes!
After that, Bu Eun-seol diligently practiced the breathing technique, especially because he wanted to beat his grandfather at the corpse game.
But as days went by, the number of corpses from those who died away from home surged, and the wet burial shrouds never had a chance to dry. Although he tried to practice the breathing technique consistently, he had recently forgotten about it.
“Ugh.”
But as his insides twisted and his breath grew short, he naturally tried the breathing technique Bu Jan-yang had taught him.
“Huuu, huuu.”
The breathing technique was also very unique; it could be practiced not only while sitting properly but also while lying down or standing.
Staggering, Bu Eun-seol scanned his surroundings and found a mountain path overgrown with vines and bushes.
Hiding himself there, Bu Eun-seol closed his eyes and continued the breathing technique, sword in hand, remaining vigilant of his surroundings.
*Chirp, chirp, chirp.*
Lost in a state of selflessness, Bu Eun-seol was jolted back to his senses by the sound of birds chirping.
“Huh?”
He had definitely fought Paeng Ak around sunset, but when he opened his eyes, morning had dawned.
He had been standing there, sword in hand, for about four shichen.
“It's all healed.”
The shortness of breath and the searing pain in his veins and intestines were gone.
Moreover, all his fatigue had vanished as if he had slept soundly for a whole day, and his mind was clear.
“I never felt this before.”
Back then, he had lived a peaceful life, so he hadn't fully understood the effectiveness of the breathing technique.
But now, having suffered internal injuries amidst extreme fatigue and tension, he could clearly feel the technique's power.
“Now… just a little more.”
Looking at the cloudless sky, Bu Eun-seol could feel it.
That the third gate was almost over. And that from now on, even stronger enemies would appear.
***
Finally, ten days had passed since the start of the third gate.
By this point, most of the less skilled participants had been killed, and the remaining ones were gradually divided into the hunted and the hunters.
Those with outstanding skills who did not form groups became the prey of those who did.
“Kgh.”
A boy with a galmi needle embedded in the back of his hand let out a groan.
*Pluck.*
He quickly pulled out the hidden weapon, but because it was coated in a potent poison, his fingers and the back of his hand swelled up instantly.
His name was Seo Jin-ha.
He was a disciple of the Golden Valley Blood Sect, a prestigious family of demonic sword arts, and a sword prodigy who had shown outstanding skill from a young age.
He had achieved sword-hand unity by the age of ten, and by fifteen, he had no equal among his peers.
Moreover, possessing sharp observation and insight, he had discovered the spies from the Orthodox Faction as soon as he arrived on Hell Island and had dealt with them.
Even someone like Seo Jin-ha could not escape the persistent attacks of an organized group.
“You're out of luck.”
One of the five boys surrounding Seo Jin-ha smiled faintly.
“Now that you've been hit by our sect's special galmi needle, you will soon die without the antidote.”
They were all trainees from the Hell Blood Sect, using astonishing hidden weapon techniques and poison arts.
“Hmph.”
Scoffing coldly, Seo Jin-ha switched his sword from his right hand to his left.
“You mean to say you can use a left-handed sword too?”
One of the boys in the group sneered.
“No matter how talented you are, a right-handed swordsman can't suddenly become proficient with his left!”
As if the shout were a signal, the five surrounding Seo Jin-ha began to circle him.
It was the Hell Blood Sect's Blood-Net Formation, from which one could never escape unless they killed all the formation users.
*Ch-ch-clang.*
A metallic sound echoed from their hands, and dozens of poisoned hidden weapons rained down like a torrential storm.
*Clang-clang-clang!*
He swung his iron sword, deflecting one hidden weapon after another, but there was a limit to performing sword arts with his unnatural left hand.
As they circled dizzily, unleashing a barrage of hidden weapons, Seo Jin-ha's sword forms began to falter.
*Thwack.*
He was hit again in the right hand, and his fingers swelled as if they would burst, a wave of nausea washing over him.
“This is the end!”
Just as the five boys were about to cry out in triumph and unleash their weapons,
“Aaargh!”
A desperate scream echoed through the forest.
One of the boys circling in the formation suddenly collapsed. Someone was breaking the formation from the outside.
“You are…!”
Seo Jin-ha couldn't hide his surprise.
The one breaking the formation from the outside and dealing with the Hell Blood Sect trainees was none other than Bu Eun-seol.
“Agh.”
The Hell Blood Sect's formation was very sturdy but weak to external attacks.
Bu Eun-seol cut down the five boys in an instant and then sheathed the black sword on his back.
“Hm.”
He then searched the fallen bodies one by one and pulled a leather pouch from one boy's robes.
“Is this the antidote?”
Except for masters who could handle poison freely, users always carried the antidote for the poisons they used.
Knowing this, Bu Eun-seol had searched their bodies.
“You're not… giving me any?”
As Bu Eun-seol tucked the antidote into his clothes and turned to leave, Seo Jin-ha wore a baffled expression.
“Can't you see my hand?”
“Do you need the antidote?”
Bu Eun-seol's eyes were cold and still.
Frowning, Seo Jin-ha changed his expression. He had a gut feeling that if he shouted, ‘Forget it!’, Bu Eun-seol would turn and walk away without a second thought.
“I need it.”
As he answered with a desperate look, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
“I see.”
Then he pointed toward the opposite path and said.
“I saw someone who looked like a Hell Blood Sect trainee near the southern coast earlier. Go find him.”
“What?”
Seo Jin-ha exclaimed in disbelief.
“This poison will render my hand useless in less than half a quarter-hour. And you're telling me to go to the southern coast to get the antidote?”
“That's right.”
“You're just going to watch me die?”
“You're misunderstanding something.”
Bu Eun-seol looked at Seo Jin-ha with icy eyes.
“I came here to kill everyone, including you.”
“Wh-what?”
“However, I have no hobby of killing a man who is already dying. That's why I'm just leaving.”
Only then did Seo Jin-ha realize.
That Bu Eun-seol was frighteningly cold-blooded. But he wasn't cruel, which was why he was leaving him alive.
“I was mistaken.”
Seo Jin-ha had no choice but to admit it.
The very fact that Bu Eun-seol wasn't killing him on the spot was a considerable favor.
“Good that you understand.”
“Wait.”
Just then, Seo Jin-ha, who had been deep in thought, spoke urgently.
“Including you and me, there are twenty people left.”
“What.”
“Of those, you and I are the only ones without a group. In other words, we are their top priority targets.”
As Bu Eun-seol turned his gaze, Seo Jin-ha said slowly.
“Since it's come to this, we should form a group too.”
“We?”
“That's right.”
“Why should I form a group with you?”
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Seo Jin-ha glanced down at his paralyzed right hand.
“There are three reasons. First, before the third gate began, I researched the martial arts and characteristics of the trainees.”
He continued.
“And my swordsmanship is strong enough to be ranked in the top ten here.”
Seo Jin-ha's eyes gleamed as he spoke.
“Most importantly, I, at the very least, do not backstab people.”
The last condition was the most important one for forming a group, more so than the other two.
After all, there had to be enough trust to leave one's back to an ally.
‘He's not lying.’
Proud people, at the very least, do not lie.
Bu Eun-seol sensed that Seo Jin-ha was not the type to backstab someone.
“The terms?”
Seo Jin-ha answered Bu Eun-seol's question immediately.
“Until you and I are the last ones standing. We join forces to face our enemies and do not attack each other.”
“Fine.”
Answering crisply, Bu Eun-seol tossed him the antidote from his robes.
Seo Jin-ha hastily opened the leather pouch to find a bottle of powder and a bottle of salve. One was clearly for ingestion, the other for application.
“Oh.”
The antidote's effect was miraculous.
After he consumed and applied the medicine, his swollen fingers instantly returned to normal, and his dizziness vanished.
“Then follow me.”
Having completely neutralized the poison, Seo Jin-ha regained his arrogant expression.
“First, I'll take you somewhere safe and tell you how to defeat the remaining contenders.”
But Bu Eun-seol shook his head firmly.
“I don't think that will be necessary.”
“What? Have you changed your mind already?”
“That's not what I mean.”
Bu Eun-seol pointed to the distant sky with a bitter expression.
“They've all arrived in this area anyway.”
*Hiiiiii!*
The moment Bu Eun-seol finished speaking, a bizarre sound echoed from afar.
It was the sound of the Slaughter Fiends restricting the area.
“Already?”
As Seo Jin-ha was panicking,
*Whoosh. Thud.*
With the sound of slicing air, four groups came rushing from all directions—north, south, east, and west.
They were the groups that had survived on Hell Island until now.