Chapter 349
Chapter 349
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 349
Chapter Title: Who is the one in big trouble? (2)
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As I charged forward, Song Gil-joon drew his iron fan in his left hand and his sword in his right to counter Regret.
Clang! Clang-clang-clang!
"…The necromantic barrier devised by the Ghost King faction doesn't work?"
He muttered as if he couldn't comprehend it.
"What is this? I clearly saw it emerge from the shadows… A death spirit? But it's not some illusion meant to deceive— it has a physical form? I read the Pearl Eon Family's secrets over and over, but there's no such spell in there?"
"…You're just standing there asking questions. Are you a cadet at the Righteous Martial Academy by any chance? Oh, preparing for next year's exam?"
I shot back at his mumbling while exchanging blows with him.
His level became crystal clear.
Clang! Clang-clang!
Claaang!!!
Thanks to cultivating demonic arts, the sword energy wrapping his blade is fiercely sharp. But in truth, his body is being controlled by the sword… And even the balance between body and mind is off.
Song Gil-joon was the type from the start.
He was the kind who had to figure out anything he couldn't understand to feel at ease.
However, questioning the existence of an assassin in the midst of this— to put it bluntly, it was safe to say he was slightly off his rocker.
'Gil-joon, that bastard. Not only is he a step below me, but he seems possessed by inner demons too? I thought cultivating demonic arts would make him insanely strong, but maybe starving and skimping on sleep took its toll?'
- He does look hollowed out. Seems like inner demons have gotten to him.
My master agreed with me but issued a warning.
- But didn't you say you'd capture him alive? Sparing and capturing an enemy trying to kill you is several times harder than just killing them outright.
'True enough.'
My master was right.
Capturing alive an enemy bent on harming me was inherently difficult.
A cornered rat will bite a cat— you never know what they'll do when backed into a dead end.
'Beyond harming me, they might even choose to harm themselves.'
Biting their tongue would take but an instant.
'Gotta put in some effort.'
I was already up close, clashing blades, but I needed to steal away even the fleeting moments he had left.
'Assassin.'
- Yes, my lord.
'From now on, I'll press him relentlessly. But whether he lives or dies is my call.'
- Understood.
With that, instead of showing my full power, I focused on overwhelming him mentally alongside the assassin as I swung my sword.
It wasn't difficult.
If my Eon siblings moved like my limbs.
The assassin truly acted on commands straight from my mind.
Ssssh! Ssssh!!!
Ssshaaa!!!
In response, the assassin's sword traced dark crescents exactly where and when I desired.
I, too, swung Regret neither too fast nor too slow.
'I need to plant the idea in Song Gil-joon's mind that taking down the assassin will let him subdue me.'
Clang! Clang!
Clang-clang-clang!!
Thus, three swords and one iron fan tangled and parted in complex patterns, scattering sword energy fragments everywhere for quite some time.
Amid his frantic hands and feet, Song Gil-joon's thoughts drifted further from normalcy.
"…Did he steal some immortal's secret technique? Not a projection or even something alive, yet it moves like this?!"
The moment he was fully distracted.
I grinned and spoke.
"It's not inaction, but this is possible too."
Claaaang!!!!!!!!
Then I pulled the assassin, who had been clashing swords with Song Gil-joon, back into the shadows.
'Return, assassin.'
- Yes, my lord.
Whoosh!
The assassin vanished into the shadows at my command.
"!"
Losing his opponent as the assassin dissolved like melting away, Song Gil-joon's body staggered for an instant.
There it was— the split-second opening I sought.
Pop!
I seized the moment and lunged at him like lightning.
First, I severed his left hand gripping the short-range iron fan.
Slash!!
Then, using a ground technique adapted from the Heaven-Splitting Fist Method, I struck his acupoints from his right shoulder downward like thunder.
Thud! Thud!
Thud-thud-thud!!
With his pressure points sealed, including the mute point, Song Gil-joon's body toppled like a wooden log.
"……!"
I pinned him down by stepping on his back and said,
"Weird, right? A warrior popping in and out of shadows is odd enough, and how do I know the acupoints of someone who's cultivated demonic arts are different? What the hell is going on?"
"…Ughhh!"
I chatted with him while binding his hands and feet tightly with prepared silk cords.
Then I tore a strip from one sleeve and gagged him securely.
"Gil-joon, your life's already hit rock bottom. But as your big bro, I'll give you one big lesson. You overthink everything. Life's a battlefield, you punk."
A moment later.
A roar came from one wall of the inner courtyard.
Boom!
Ruuuumble!
The wall collapsed in a heap.
And Demonic Cult grunts appeared.
"There he is!"
I sized up the newcomers briefly.
"…Looks like our base location's blown anyway. Since they couldn't break through the paths guarded by my guys, they went this route?"
Song Gil-joon let out a wordless bellow toward them.
"Ugh! Uhhh!"
With his mute point sealed, he couldn't speak, only drool flowed.
But it looked like he was saying to kill me even if it cost his life.
Whether they read his intent or decided to abandon him, from the pack of emerging foes, crossbowmen stepped forward.
And unleashed a volley at us.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Arrows filled the pitch-black night sky densely.
Spotting them, I swiftly hoisted Song Gil-joon over my shoulder.
"Those arrowheads are poisoned, huh? No mercy. After all you've done for me… Tch. On second thought, you haven't done shit."
"……?"
"Come to think of it, how are you still alive? Your lot doesn't tolerate failure, right?"
"Ugh!"
"Anyway, since I'm being called the top young hero these days, I'll save you out of the goodness of my heart."
"Uhhh! Ugh!!"
"Don't bullshit me? Yeah, truth is, I'm thinking of using you once, so I'll keep you alive."
I swung Regret to deflect the arrows while continuing.
Ting! Ting!
Ting-ting-ting-ting!
"But don't count on it too much. Whoa, that's a lot of arrows."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Demonic Cult grunts showed decent coordination.
While the crossbow team's arrows arced toward us.
Swordsmen charged below them toward me.
Clang! Clang!
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
In response, I summoned the assassin again.
"Assassin!"
- Yes! My lord!
I countered the onslaught of enemies charging with my back to him.
There were at least a hundred swarming us, and fighting while carrying Gil-joon made it hard to cover all directions perfectly.
So, when a dangerous moment hit.
I used Gil-joon as a shield.
'…I can't die saving this bastard!'
Of course, I couldn't let the guy I'd worked hard to capture die pointlessly.
Pook!!
I aimed carefully to avoid vital organs.
But as the blade pierced, his body twitched instinctively.
"……!"
"Ah. Sorry."
My reflexive apology prompted a question from my master.
- Why are you apologizing to that Gil-joon punk?
'Huh, you're right?'
While busily swinging Regret, I yelled at Song Gil-joon.
Splatter!
Splaaatter!!
"On second thought, not sorry at all. Quit whining and hold on, you punk!"
Of course, dragging this out would kill him from blood loss.
To prevent that, I had to escape this hell.
Right then.
Jeong Hyeon and Woo So-rung burst from a nearby wing of the building.
"Eon young hero!"
"Eon hyung!"
Voices of other Eon siblings came from behind.
"See? I said the swarm thinned out a bit 'cause they bypassed. Right?"
"Yeah. Hayeon, you were spot on. These guys really came here. Hey! Eon Yong-un! Stay put!"
"Jeez. If I wasn't here, they wouldn't be gathering like that. Lady Ok-gi."
"Shut it? Silver Galaxy, after I came to save you."
"Everyone, quiet! Eon Yong-un! We're joining you!"
"Palace Yun hyung's right. Let's go! You beggar bastards! Take the right flank!"
My Eon siblings and the Beggars' Sect beggars had arrived.
As they joined in unison, the demonic forces surrounding me shifted from a circle to a semicircle.
Thanks to that, the reunited Eon siblings bombarded me with questions.
"Primeval Heavenly Lord. You weren't entirely alone."
"Yeah. That's the dark thing from before, huh?!"
"No injuries?"
"More importantly, that guy you're carrying. Song Gil-joon, bro?"
I swung the hand holding Regret and spoke.
"Woo So-rung. Jeong Hyeon. Did you find the ledger?"
"Yes! Eon hyung!"
"There are plenty of minor ones inside, but the most important ledger is with Woo young hero."
"Good. Save the chatter for later. Ok-gi, keep this bastard alive."
"Eek. Why save Song Gil-joon?! Just let him die!"
"…You think I like him? Gotta use him for something."
"Oh? True. Side's pierced? Vitals seem fine. Eon Yong-un, you do this?"
"Not from fighting me. Got dicey earlier, so I used him as a shield."
"…Suddenly feeling a bit sorry for him."
"You just said let him die. Anyway, save him. Have Eun So-jeo, Ha Seong, and So-rung guard."
Handing Song Gil-joon to her, I charged back at the demonic foes.
"The rest of you, let's go."
Then, alongside the Beggars' Sect beggars, we truly began cutting down the demons.
Ting-a-ling-
Ting-a-ling-
The still-ringing necromantic barrier— I located its core and smashed it.
Kraaack!!!
At that, the eerie bell tolls abruptly stopped.
I drew internal energy from my upper dantian to form a spell, spreading it over the battlefield as I shouted,
"Rise!"
That was it.
The already retreating demons.
Rawr!
Rawrraaawr!!
Were utterly shredded by the corpse soldiers rising at my command.
"These bastards will point swords or pull tricks on us again someday. Don't leave a single one alive."
I joined them in cutting down the demons.
Splatter!
Splatter!!
After slashing and slashing for ages.
Splaaatter!!!
Dawn broke, and the pitch darkness receded.
As the corpse soldiers began collapsing one by one.
'…Eon siblings and beggars.'
Only our side had survived.
I approached Dang Ok-gi and asked about the entrusted Song Gil-joon.
"Saved?"
"Yeah. Needs proper treatment in a clean spot, but he won't die right now."
The other Eon siblings gathered.
I scanned their faces one by one and spoke.
"Anyone dead, raise your hand."
At my words, Eun Ha-seong replied incredulously.
"What kinda question is that? How would the dead raise hands?"
Jeong Hyeon asked about what happened after he and Woo So-rung left.
"What happened after?"
"You saw that thing from the Super King faction before. Assassin… Nah, better to show. Assassin, come out."
Instead of explaining, I called the assassin.
"Yes, my lord."
At the sight of him emerging from the shadows and kneeling.
Eun Ha-yeon widened her eyes.
"Others collapse at sunrise, but this one works in daylight too?"
"A bit weaker, though."
I gestured for the assassin to return, then told Jeong Hyeon,
"Fought with him to turn the tide. Used his in-and-out trick to nab Gil-joon too."
At that.
Jeong Hyeon crossed his arms and said,
"I see. But why didn't you tell us?"
"Ahem. Well…"
As I hesitated.
Dang Ok-gi blurted,
"Obvious. To fool the enemy, had to fool allies first with some nonsense."
Woo So-rung wailed in protest.
"Too much! For real! Way too much!"
"…No choice. Had to be convincing enough that Gil-joon wouldn't read your faces. Anyway, good results, right?"
At my words, a barrage of complaints from the Eon siblings.
"How's Eon Yong-un even human?"
"Primeval Heavenly Lord. Not the Way. Not at all."
"Too much!"
"Bet he only ate bitter bear gall for side dishes as a kid. Got hooked on bitterness. Gotta ask Madam Plum Blossom later."
Amid that, thunder rumbled from Cheon Jang-ho's stomach.
Grrrooowl-
Our eyes turned there.
"Why that look? This is different from usual. Proof we fought hard. Plus, Yong-un hyung said eat after anyway!"
Backing him, Eun Ha-seong and Eun Ha-yeon nodded.
"Drained all energy, starving. They say eat rice cakes after near-death to live long. Palace Yun hyung and I need some."
"Not that it matters now, but that Guijinju food looked pretty but tasted meh. Eon Young Master, let's go elsewhere."
With all the fuss, despite saying good results make it fine.
Seeing them all safe.
A strange relief welled up.
'…Ticklish feeling.'
Savoring the not-unpleasant emotion.
I grinned and said,
"Yeah. Let's eat. My treat."