Chapter 140
Chapter 140
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 140
Chapter Title: Unexpected Invitation (4)
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A person's joints are naturally meant to bend in specific directions.
Crack, crack...
Yet the body of the bandit right in front of me was defying that law, twisting freely with grotesque sounds as if it were some kind of annelid.
Crack, crack, crack...
The sight was enough to make anyone with a shred of reason instinctively step back.
Among us, Cheon Jang-ho—who had seen the ugliest sides of the martial world—gaped and retreated first.
"...What, like someone's limbs wrung out like wet laundry?"
The bandits from Jinseong Stronghold hesitated and pulled back as well.
"H-Hong-sik, why the hell is that guy doing that all of a sudden?!"
"Isn't it 'cause he got hit by that Liquor Bottle Young Master?"
"His head got smashed, so why are his limbs curling up like that?! The others are fine—why just him?"
"Uh... maybe he got a stomachache?"
"This bastard... I knew he was dumb, but this is beyond imagination. Hey, you idiot! If it's a stomachache, you grab your gut and lie down—why are your limbs twisting like that?!"
"Damn it! You call him dumb and then keep asking me?!"
"'Cause you share a barracks with that Hong-sik bastard!"
"Even I just heard him say his stomach's been off since he went to Yuksam and Taewon with those guys!"
The bandits muttered among themselves until a picture finally formed from their words.
'...Now that I think about it.'
That Yuksam guy had talked about going on an errand with this bandit named Hong-sik.
'So this Hong-sik must've gotten some procedure or eaten something from those suspected Heavenly Demon Divine Cult guys.'
No wonder.
The impact when I'd precisely struck him with the bottle had felt oddly off.
'I hit the knockout acupoint perfectly, but he just stared blankly.'
The things cultists did to get stronger in the story were so varied that I couldn't pinpoint exactly what had happened to this Hong-sik.
But one thing was certain.
'Touch that thing wrong, and it'll blow.'
Sure enough, my master voiced a similar guess through my left hand.
- ...That guy's internal energy seems to be going berserk. Stay away for now. They say even the worthless shine brightest before death. A final burst from someone on the brink can unleash power rivaling sword aura.
Come to think of it, the cult—Heavenly Demon Divine Cult—had originated from our Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect's footsteps.
I immediately asked my master.
'Any way to subdue it? Like how you taught me to seal that Bojun guy's lower parts last time—tell me, and I'll handle it?'
- No way now. With limbs twisted like oil-fried cedar, do you think the other acupoints are intact?
Oil-fried cedar was some Chinese twisted bread, but anyway, nothing came to my mind by common sense, so I'd asked just in case. Even my master shook his head.
- It looks like his core energy's being forcibly extracted in some bizarre way, undergoing marrow cleansing and bone transformation. Short of waiting for him to burn out his life force himself, nothing comes to mind.
Then no choice.
I immediately shouted to everyone around.
"Something's off! Drag the downed guys back twenty paces!"
No need to mention the cult specifically.
Just reminding them how bizarre the scene was enough to ring alarm bells for my peers and the bandits.
Having sounded the alarm, I quickly sheathed Regret and grabbed the Twin Ghost Earflaps by the scruff.
Leading by example, I retreated.
Our commotion must have reached the mountain lodge at the peak, because the door to the lodge on the highest ridge—far from our entrance—burst open.
Professor Nosam and Bandit King Do Jung-gwang came rushing toward us.
'Those two will be reliable.'
But before they arrived, the bandit twisting like an annelid suddenly straightened up.
"...Attack?"
His eyes blazed red as he propelled himself beast-like toward me, using hands and feet.
"Attaaaack!!"
The actions of this Hong-sik, suffering demonic qi backlash, mirrored most vengeful spirits, so I grasped the situation instantly.
'The last command lingering in his brain is moving his body?'
My response was swift.
I flung the Twin Ghost Earflaps I'd been holding by the scruff anywhere.
"Damn it. Come to think of it, that command—didn't this Twin Ghost Earflaps bastard give it?!"
I barely rolled aside.
The demon, missing its target, swung its arm straight into an innocent wooden fence.
Boom!
Crack!!
The power was tremendous.
"Whoa."
Seeing the massive claw marks like a bear had torn into the fence, even I couldn't help but gape.
'When I beat him down and knocked him out, he was barely second-rate at best...'
Return light, reflection illumination—whatever it was, it was vicious.
'Taking that hit head-on would've been like tanking sword aura, just as Master said.'
I could kinda see why weak-willed martial artists fell for the cult.
'From second-rate me to peak master?'
Who could resist that?
Of course, this demon was unleashing that freakish strength by burning its life force in a mindless state.
That was when.
As I thought that.
The demon yanked its arm from the fence and charged me again.
"Grrraaa!!!"
But now it was worth trying.
Reinforcements had arrived.
Rumble!!
Boom!!
The first reinforcement was Professor Nosam, who sent the demon flying with a thunderous Dragon-Felling Palm.
"What the hell is this mess?! What's with all the sprawled bandits and splattered blood? You hurt?!"
I immediately answered Nosam's question.
"No injuries here."
No need for me to mention the cult or anything.
Nosam had fought demonic arts users before—not this type, but he'd figure it out.
"Thinking back to what we discussed at the lodge, it doesn't seem like Do Jung-gwang planned this... Those bloodshot eyes and veins scream demon. But not using demonic arts?"
"Looks like his bloodline's berserking. But no time for details right now—that thing's coming again."
"No way? I nailed it with Flying Dragon in the Heavens perfectly... Huh? It's really getting back up?"
As Nosam widened his eyes at the staggering demon,
the second reinforcements arrived.
My peers.
"We'll join in too!!"
But Nosam shook his head firmly at them.
"Not your opponent! No forms or techniques—just a beast. Stay back."
Leaving those words, Nosam dashed at the demon.
I elaborated on his words.
"Yeah. You all stay back."
Je Gal Seol-ji furrowed her brows at me.
"...That sounds like you're joining in, Young Master Yong-un?"
"I have to. Professor's in danger alone."
Comparing Nosam's skill to the demon's would insult Nosam greatly.
But here, it was about temperament and common sense.
Nosam had once been called Wild Wind Madman, but that was for loving fights—not slaughter.
And he might want to extract info from the demon.
Such thoughts could create unexpected variables.
"Professor sees killing as a last resort. From what I just grazed, it won't stop that easily. What if—worst case—he gets injured?"
Je Gal Seol-ji's mouth fell open with an 'Ah!'
"If the professor gets hurt, no guarantee the Bandit King's invite stays friendly amid the chaos. You saw that far ahead."
Jeong Hyeon stepped forward.
"Then shouldn't the rest of us from Bin-do help more?"
I shook my head firmly at Jeong Hyeon.
"Jeong Hyeon, borrowing a phrase you like: overkill. Swarming like that could distract him and mess up his movement line."
Then Yong-myeong narrowed his brows.
"Then brother, you too..."
"I understand Dragon-Felling Palm forms, so I'll avoid overlapping. Cheon Jang-ho knows it better than me. Jang-ho, you can't kill people, right?"
"......"
"And Professor said stay put—are you gonna move? That's scoundrel behavior."
* * *
I ordered my peers to keep the bandits in check properly.
Whoosh!!
I drew Regret and charged toward Nosam, locked in combat with the demon.
Right then.
Crisis hit Nosam, just as I'd expected.
It wouldn't have happened against any proper martial artist.
After all.
Rumble!!
The demon spat blood from Nosam's palm strike—ribs shattered, clearly.
"Grrr!"
Thwack!
Smack!!
It didn't stop there. The fluid follow-up fist crumpled the demon's right arm—useless now.
"Grraa?!"
No martial artist would keep attacking with shattered ribs and a wrecked arm.
But this demon whipped its limp arm like a flail.
Swoosh!!
Even a master like Nosam would count an unnatural attack as a surprise blow.
This was exactly that moment.
"What kind of—?!"
Of course, he hadn't earned his madman rep from gambling.
Nosam hurriedly shifted to defense and stomped to unleash palm force.
'But!'
Since I was joining, he didn't need to handle it that way.
I shouted immediately.
"Professor! Not Flying Dragon in the Heavens—Seeing Dragon in the Fields!!"
"!?"
Nosam extended his stomping foot much farther than the half-step he'd planned.
He swept the ground like dragging hell, then unleashed palm force rising like a coiling dragon.
Rumble!!
The demon, sensing threat, kicked back and retreated.
'Now!'
I unleashed Heaven-Splitting Whirlwind at the briefly airborne demon.
Swoosh!!
Splatter!!
Its whip-like right arm tore free from the body.
My original plan was to press and behead it.
But.
"Graaah!"
Its convulsing claw swing was too erratic and bullshit, so I halted for safety and regulated my breath.
"Told you to stay put—why'd you come?"
"Felt like you might be in danger again, like just now."
"Sheesh. Since when does a student worry about the professor?"
"It happens. You'd just deduct points."
"Damn brat, can't follow one order."
Reunion greetings ended there.
I got straight to the point with Nosam.
"We have to kill it to end this."
"Yeah. Thought I could capture the beast-level thing, but impossible. Still breathing, but it's no longer human. Dying by the second. Best to send it off painlessly—proper courtesy."
"Yes."
"See? Its throat's visibly crushed from our hits. I could finish alone now. But you won't back off even if I say so?"
"Yes. No. Let's do it safe. Enemy territory anyway."
"Fine. I'll pour out full palm force— you finish the gap."
That was when.
As Nosam and I coordinated our final joint strike.
"Eon hyung!"
So Neung called urgently. Turning, I saw Bandit King Do Jung-gwang—who'd rushed to the bandits after descending the lodge—charging with his crescent blade gripped.
"Wild Wind Madman."
Nosam and I turned back-to-back, eyeing both demon and Do Jung-gwang.
"Sorry, but I can't let guests handle taking my family member's last breath in my home."
Do Jung-gwang passed us and charged the demon.
Clang! Boom!!
Clang!!
After parrying the mummifying demon's attacks a few times.
Whoosh—
Splatter!!
He lopped off its head.
Then spun his crescent blade and slammed it into the ground!
He clasped hands in fist salute toward us.
"Took time assessing—my apologies."
The hegemon of the black path, lord of seventy-two bandit strongholds, seized control of the atmosphere instantly with his apology.
As everyone stood speechless.
A single phrase itched at my tongue tip.
'...Tch. He doesn't expect that to slide with just words, does he?'
HR failure, and he just landed the finishing blow—where does he get off washing his mouth?!