Chapter 87
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Nine Heavens Castle
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Je Gal-seo's slender hand trembled violently as it clutched the money pouch. Her green eyes wavered as if on the verge of bursting into tears.
"N-no... Th-this is Murim Alliance public funds..."
It was a pleading voice, but it fell on deaf ears with me.
Tsk.
Without a word, I let my gaze drift toward Je Gal-seo's ample bosom. The tantalizing glimpse of cleavage between her buttons. Somewhere in there, her nipple must be hiding.
Should I pinch it?
Realizing the implication of my stare, Je Gal-seo's shoulders jerked in shock. She hesitated for a moment before handing over the money pouch with a look of utter resignation.
"H-here... take it..."
I took the hefty pouch and grinned in satisfaction.
"Hey!"
I waved over the man who had been collecting bets from the spectator seats. He must have smelled money, as he dashed toward me eagerly.
"Yes! You called for me, big bro?"
"What's the current payout ratio?"
"Iron Blood Ghost's thirteenth straight win! The odds are a whopping thirty-five to one!"
Two more challengers must have dropped in the meantime. I tossed the entire pouch to him. His face lit up at the heavy weight.
"Skip the next round with this. Bet it all on the challenger against Iron Blood Ghost for the fifteenth win."
"Huh? On the one against Iron Blood Ghost?"
"Yeah. Handle it right."
A short while later, the fourteenth win ended anticlimactically, and Iron Blood Ghost finally stepped up for his fifteenth straight victory. New odds were posted on the betting boards scattered around the training grounds. Extending my hearing, I caught the murmurs—the payout had skyrocketed to forty-two to one.
Iron Blood Ghost's skill was top-tier even among peak masters, by my estimation. His latest challenger was barely scraping by at first-rate level. The gap was like heaven and earth. No way he could win.
But when a blade's at your throat, everyone drops the same.
The gong signaling the start of the match rang out, and at that instant, I fired a subtle suggestion toward Iron Blood Ghost.
Fall down.
Thud!
Iron Blood Ghost's massive frame toppled forward absurdly. His opponent, looking like he'd been handed a gift from the heavens, drew his sword and charged. Iron Blood Ghost flailed in panic, scrambling to get up.
Stay down.
I layered another suggestion, pressing him down like an invisible hand. No one around here could detect my mental energy anyway. A peak master wouldn't drop in one hit. I'd just layer a recovery suggestion afterward.
That was when his opponent's sword plunged sharply toward Iron Blood Ghost.
Whoosh.
An afterimage flickered in the air, and a man appeared out of nowhere. A guy who hadn't registered on my senses at all? He casually deflected the sword tip with a single extended finger.
Clang! The blade shuddered violently.
"Iron Blood Ghost forfeits."
The man declared quietly, halting the match.
The spectator stands erupted.
"What the hell is this?!"
"No way! That's cheating!"
Shouts and curses exploded from all sides. The man cast an indifferent glance at the rowdy crowd and spoke.
"I am Dongyeong, elder of the Justice Alliance. If you have complaints, file them formally with the Justice Alliance."
His voice was soft, yet it overpowered every noise in the arena. I quietly turned and approached the betting collector from earlier.
"Give me my money."
"Uh, well... I have to calculate it first..."
He trailed off with a troubled expression. Forty-two to one odds. Shame, but I'd have to let it go. Something felt off.
"Forget it. Keep whatever I won. Just give me back my original stake."
"Huh? Just the principal...?"
That was when I felt a presence appear behind me out of nowhere. It was the man called Dongyeong.
I immediately locked eyes with the bet collector and implanted a suggestion. Keep your mouth shut. At the same time, I sent a mental command to Je Gal-seo.
I'll come get you later. Go hide somewhere else for now.
After a brief hesitation, Je Gal-seo melted into the crowd.
Confirming that, I instantly reinforced my leg strength.
Whoosh!
I kicked off the ground hard enough to crater it slightly and launched myself forward. I covered dozens of jang in an instant. But the presence behind me didn't fade. Dongyeong was shadowing me like a ghost.
I darted madly through the labyrinthine buildings of the Justice Alliance. I made sharp turns mid-path to break line of sight, but it was useless. Dongyeong maintained a precise distance, as if he knew every route I'd take. His presence showed no disruption or haste—just leisurely pursuit, like he was out for a stroll.
That nonchalance made me all the more anxious.
Finally, realizing escape was pointless, I halted in the middle of a wide open plaza.
Hoo. Breathing raggedly, I slowly turned to face the man who had stopped at a fixed distance from me.
First strike wins.
Hesitation meant death here. Without pause, I focused all my mental energy.
Strengthen muscle power. Maximize dynamic vision.
My hand blade is a sword. A razor-sharp sword that can cleave anything in the world.
And finally, I drove a wedge-like suggestion toward the smug-faced man.
Freeze.
Whoosh!
I launched as the suggestion hit, closing the gap in a flash. My honed hand blade sliced toward Dongyeong's throat. His brow twitched at my surprise suggestion, revealing a split-second opening.
But that was it.
He didn't freeze. He merely met my attack with a relaxed open palm, as if he'd anticipated it.
Clanggg!
The impossible metallic clash from hand against palm shook the plaza. An intangible shockwave radiated outward, slamming my eardrums. Riiiing. My head buzzed.
Recover.
I immediately applied a recovery suggestion to steady my dizzy head. At the same time, I reinforced the leg planted on the ground and whipped a calf kick toward Dongyeong's shin.
Boom!
A dull crack of bone on bone echoed. But Dongyeong simply clenched both fists lightly and withstood it in place. The massive impact rebounded straight into my leg.
What the hell is this guy?
I instantly backstepped to create distance. My ankle throbbed, but it wasn't broken. He didn't pursue. From start to finish, he hadn't counterattacked once. He just blocked and endured.
Like an adult indulging a child's play. That leisure grated on me even more.
Dongyeong smirked mockingly.
"Hoh... You're the one from the Murim Alliance? Not all that impressive."
Being underestimated pissed me off royally. But his skill was the real deal—I could feel it in my bones from that exchange.
"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself."
Dongyeong continued nonchalantly.
"I'm Dongyeong, elder of the Justice Alliance... Well, no matter. You're dying here anyway."
"I am Gucheon of Gucheonseong."
Gucheonseong?
"The hell's that? Some unheard-of club like Asshole Dickhead Association?"
My taunt twisted Dongyeong's lips upward.
"Whatever. No need to know. You're headed to the afterlife regardless."
He took a step forward.
"Not coming at me anymore? Then... I'll come to you."
As his words ended, Dongyeong clenched his fists tight and murmured lowly.
"Ultimate Advance."
His body vanished from the ground the instant he finished.
He's coming.
Can't dodge.
A premonition of death crawled up my spine as I instinctively maxed out my physical reinforcement. I crossed my arms in front of my chest as a guard.
Crunch!
A gruesome sound erupted—from my arms.
A colossal impact sent my body flying like a paper doll. My vision spun wildly. I soared dozens of jang before slamming into a massive stone wall, ending the horrific flight.
Rumble-crash!
Spiderweb cracks spread from where my back hit the wall.
"Cough!"
A metallic glob of blood burst from my mouth. My arms felt like shattered glass—no sensation left. Agonizing pain pierced my whole body, clouding my mind.
Recover. Recover. Recover.
I madly repeated recovery suggestions right before blacking out. The sensation of splintered bones realigning and torn muscles knitting back flooded in amid the pain.
Slowly rising, I saw Dongyeong emerging from the dust cloud. He eyed me with intrigued mutterings.
"What a bizarre ability. Taking my Ultimate Advance and still standing."
He clenched his fist again.
"Round two."
Ah. One more hit like that, and I'm done for.
I knew instinctively. That was luck; another would kill me outright, recovery or no.
Dongyeong kicked off the ground, shaking the earth.
Boom!
His cannonball form filled my vision.
Thud!
Dongyeong's incoming body suddenly veered, crashing sideways with a boom as if struck mid-air.
What?
Bewildered, I turned to see a massive man standing beside me, arrival unknown. Bulging muscles. Bandit-like face. Familiar.
It was Byeok Cheonwi.
Why was the Azure Dragon Squad Leader here? He grinned at me and waved lightly, belying his hulking frame.
"Yo, Vice Squad Leader."
Why the hell is this guy here?