Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Uninvited Guests. (2)
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From the moment we set out, the earthy smell was stronger than usual, signaling a downpour was coming.
I halted our march short of the planned distance and scouted a suitable spot in the nearby hills for our campsite.
"The ground's solid. But with this much rain coming, Brother So-cheon, Cheon Jang-ho, and Yong-myeong. Let's dig a trench today and channel the water away to the sides from the lower end."
"Got it!"
"Understood!"
"Yes, brother!"
And with that, we began meticulously preparing the camp.
"Ha-seong and Namgung Yun. Jeong-hyeon and Han Jong. Pair up, saddle the packhorses, then hang these tents at cliff height. Tie each end to those trees up front with ropes to make a roof. Angle them so water doesn't pool."
As we bustled about setting up camp...
Myeong Tae-seong, the hall leader who had taken leave to join us and pass on the admission formation to Azure Bamboo Hall, approached with a click of his tongue.
"Looks like you're pitching a rain shield. Makes sense—on a day like this, if you don't set up barriers ahead of time, even cooking rice becomes a chore. You're handling it as smoothly as a veteran scout or porter who's camped a thousand times. Heh. No matter how I look at it, you're perfect for our strike team."
Ah, no thanks.
No, I'm not going.
"Ah, that's not what I meant. Anyway. Need any help?"
"Not right now."
"Not right now means there will be later?"
"Yes. Isn't the formation the Alliance Leader said he'd teach us the Colorful Sparrow Formation?"
"Correct."
"Rainy days keep the dust down, so once the rain shield's up, I was thinking of running the kids through... no, having a modest session to refocus their spirits. It'd be great if you could explain the basics of the Colorful Sparrow Formation to the students then."
Myeong Tae-seong stroked his chin and spoke.
"To my ears, that sounds like not just the thirteen Azure Bamboo Hall students, but students from the other dorms too. Did I hear that right?"
"Yes. Exactly."
"Hm. I came along because, unlike the other dorms, Azure Bamboo Hall lacks a hereditary formation to offset that disadvantage. Is it really okay to teach the basics to students from other dorms?"
Of course it was fine.
Myeong Tae-seong seemed to be thinking of the Righteous Martial Academy's autumn dorm tournament.
But my goal wasn't just winning that tournament.
'That's just a stepping stone, a gateway.'
We had to divide up the growth opportunities accumulated through those gateways among me and the protagonist generation, to ultimately overcome the crises and chaos ahead.
'So it doesn't matter.'
No, it wasn't just okay—it was essential.
Because in the original story, there was no event where Azure Bamboo Hall learned the Colorful Sparrow Formation.
'In the original, only the so-called protagonist generation learned it.'
Even if its principles were revealed, the formation's nature meant brute force—pure power— was the only real counter beyond that.
Of course, I couldn't say anything about the original story to Myeong Tae-seong.
I chose my words carefully.
"Inside the academy, we compete. But ultimately, under the Righteous Martial Academy, the Righteous Alliance, and even the banner of the orthodox martial world, we'll all be comrades and brothers-in-arms. How could I dare monopolize the Alliance Leader's support like some selfish grab for personal gain?"
"……."
"Unless the Alliance Leader specifically said to teach only Azure Bamboo Hall, I have no issue."
At my words, Hall Leader Myeong Tae-seong's mouth gaped open for a moment.
Then he muttered something incomprehensible to himself.
"Now I see—you're not just right for the strike team."
"Pardon?"
"...Way higher up suits you better."
"...Pardon?"
"Forget it. Just a slip of the tongue—don't mind it. Hm. The Alliance Leader said to consult with you and handle it yourself, so it's fine. If that's your will, I'll teach them."
Well, anyway.
With that, the rain shield was set up.
I donned my red hat for the first time in a while beneath it and began drilling discipline.
"The other classmates wanted to come to the alliance but couldn't due to limited spots. Yet you owls, who should carry their will with a sense of duty during this field trip, dared to slack off, sneaking off to apply for the Backbone Society behind my back."
My familiar Azure Bamboo Hall classmates muttered things like, 'Does he always carry that red hat?' while making faces like, 'Here it comes.'
"I am disappointed. Until this disappointment fades, we'll reclaim the owls' spirits. Everyone, arm-in-arm with the person next to you. Sit and focus your mind. Stand and sharpen it."
Not everyone obeyed meekly.
For instance, Zhuge Seol-ji raised an objection vigorously.
"W-Wait! I never applied for the Backbone Society visit! I was in the strategy department that day!"
But I had invincible logic.
"Tsk. Zhuge Owl. Classmates are one! Time to learn solidarity first. Before refocusing, etch this: classmates are one! Thanks to you, Zhuge Owl, we've added a step! Chant changes. One: sit, classmates are. Two: stand, one. One!"
"Cl-Classmates!"
"Two!"
"Are oooone!!"
After restoring some discipline...
We began learning the directional positions of the Colorful Sparrow Formation from Hall Leader Myeong Tae-seong.
However, the travel tents we'd brought were big enough for two rows shoulder-to-shoulder, but too small for all nineteen to form the formation at once.
So we split: nine learned individual positioning in the formation, while ten prepared meals and handled other tasks.
My role was foraging ingredients.
I draped the Wind-Piercing Robe from the academy as a poncho,
gathered a few mountain rabbits and edible mushrooms, and headed back to camp.
- Who's that? The blood smell clinging to their souls, their attire, their aura—they reek of assassins by trade.
As Master said, through the downpour, I spotted dark figures holding their breath.
To avoid scaring off any passing game, I suppressed my presence even more.
And simultaneously cast the emission-type black magic:
Dark Assimilation.
Shaaaa—
Dark Assimilation.
This black magic literally seeped darkness into my body and held items, blending me into the surrounding shadows—a form of stealth.
'Come to think of it, I used it handy dodging bandits on the way to fetch Master.'
It only hid appearance; suppressing aura and presence was separate. To use it properly here required various tricks.
'Compared to rationing my pitiful internal energy back then, tiptoeing silently... now it's truly effective.'
My ample dantian internal energy supported the spell without strain,
and my sword aura saint realm prowess contained my aura and presence inward.
Of course, my qi control wasn't perfect, so sensitive sensors could detect me.
'But not these uninvited guests ahead.'
The black-hooded men focused entirely upward on the camp, ignoring my position behind them.
The steady downpour dulled their senses further, masking my faint sounds.
Thus, I silently approached what seemed the senior among them.
Shing—
Just then, the man before me cautiously drew his sword.
Their actions were suspicious from the start.
But the soot-smeared blade to prevent light reflection—hallmark of assassins—turned suspicion to certainty.
These black-hoods were assassins.
I slowly withdrew Dark Assimilation and spoke.
"Ah. Don't draw that."
At my voice, the man whipped his head around with a start,
then backed away with a 'Hiiik!' like he'd seen a ghost as I emerged from the dark.
I hurled my hat at his face without hesitation, blocking his vision.
Then channeled Heaven-Splitting energy and kicked his chest.
Thwack!!
"Guhk!"
As the kicked black-hood flew toward the pit lined with Ha-seong's caltrops...
I raised the whistle from my neck and blew sharply.
Piiik—
Piiiiik—
My whistle signaled enemy attack to allies, caught to the black-hoods.
"We're made! Attack! Kill them all!"
The black-hoods weren't complete amateurs; despite their leader falling, one barked orders without panic and charged the camp.
I hurriedly drew Regret and dashed after toward camp...
- Hm? Looks like you don't need to step in.
'Huh. Yeah?'
...ga.
I paused at the sight of my classmates fighting well.
"We were struggling enough already! Who the hell are you?!"
"You don't know? They look like assassins."
"That wasn't ignorance, and it wasn't for Yun's sake either, so don't talk to me. 'Omit the last number.' Because you couldn't do that one thing, we suffered. Who do you think caused that?!"
"But the one who ordered it was someone else, why me..."
"I said don't talk. If Azure Bamboo Hall classmates get hurt, Yong-un will flip out, so I'm taking west. You handle east."
"...Got it."
Thanks to some owl life,
or partial Colorful Sparrow training,
or both,
roles divided naturally without my coordination.
Their sync was a bit rough.
Ah, of course.
Rough in formation shape only.
Slash!!
"Guhk!"
Their skills weren't amateurish.
Clang clang!!
Slash!
"Kwaaak!"
Especially the protagonist generation from the original and peak master Hall Leader Myeong Tae-seong—the assassins gained no surprise advantage and fell one by one.
'Nice. This is auto-hunt.'
Nothing for me to do.
Just grow like this.
Ah, isn't that for times like this?
But even among the protagonist generation, holes existed.
'Eon Yong-myeong. Cheon Jang-ho.'
Not skill.
One properly inherited the Pearl Eon Family's famed fist style.
The other had top-tier Beggars' Sect intellect historically.
'It's mindset...'
Yong-myeong was innately kind; Cheon Jang-ho averse to hitting or killing. In the original, they occasionally fed frustration.
And sure enough.
Two nearby assassins dropped swords and knelt.
"Surrender!"
"We surrender!"
The pair halted identically, as if scripted.
That instant.
The kneeling assassins drew daggers from their lower backs.
'Predictable.'
But worth testing.
Since I'd marked them as holes.
Whiiish!!
The moment it happened, I hurled Regret infused with Heaven-Splitting energy at one.
Puk!!
"Guk?!"
Followed by Shadow Phantom Heaven-Splitting Step toward the other, stomping ground.
Then Subduing Dragon Tail Swing.
Bam!!!!
"Guk?!"
One pierced through the heart by Regret, the other spine shattered—both dead.
Instantly, Eon Yong-myeong and Cheon Jang-ho spoke.
"Brother!"
"No! What?!"
No follow-up, but their tones screamed, 'Why kill the surrendered?'
"Tsk."
I didn't hold back the tongue-click.
"Both of you have flowers in your heads. Flight maybe, but assassins surrendering?"
I flipped the dead assassins with my foot, pointing to their gripped daggers.
"You almost died just now."
As Eon Yong-myeong and Cheon Jang-ho went dumbstruck,
screams elsewhere ceased.
Classmates' breathing steadied.
Glancing around:
Abrasions here and there, no deaths or criticals.
'No major injuries?'
As I eyeballed the headcount, blood-soaked Ha-seong approached.
"Brother! You okay?"
"Before asking that, compare your state to mine first."
"Hm? You're fine. So what about these guys?"
"That's what we'll find out now."