Chapter 26
Chapter 26
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Assassin 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Lee Jeong-nam, with his wealth of sparring experience, guided the group to a quiet clearing and spoke up.
"This spot should do nicely."
The location for a spar mattered a great deal. Dam Ji-woon stepped forward, inspecting the surroundings and the ground. He was checking for slippery stones or patches of mud that might cause a foot to sink.
Baek Moo-jin, on the other hand, gazed up at the sky, observing the moon's position. Clouds were drifting by at a fair clip, and he figured the whole area would dim considerably once they obscured the moonlight.
Taking in the wider view, Baek Moo-jin said,
"Which of you would like to go first..."
It was a tricky question. Lee Jeong-nam wanted to yield the first move, but something about jumping in after getting a peek at Baek Moo-jin's skills rubbed him the wrong way.
Lee Jeong-nam replied,
"Order doesn't matter to me. Commander Dam, you take your pick. But no matter who goes first, I won't be watching your bout."
Dam Ji-woon felt the same.
"Doesn't matter to me either. I have no intention of spectating."
The two were phrasing it like they were being considerate of Baek Moo-jin, and Seo Moon-geuk shot Baek Moo-jin an expectant glance. He had a hunch Baek Moo-jin's response would rile them up.
Sure enough, just as Seo Moon-geuk predicted, Baek Moo-jin replied flatly,
"Feel free to watch."
Seo Moon-geuk stifled a laugh at Baek Moo-jin's perfectly on-brand answer.
By now, he and Baek Moo-jin had grown a bit closer, so that tone felt familiar. But compared to the haughty vibe when they'd clashed—sword still sheathed—this was downright mild.
Lee Jeong-nam, arms crossed, fell silent at Baek Moo-jin's permission to observe.
Overly confident...
Dam Ji-woon tensed at Baek Moo-jin's demeanor.
Better if I go first.
"I'll take the opening bout."
With those words, Dam Ji-woon drew his sword with a sharp shing. Taking that as his cue, Lee Jeong-nam turned his back entirely, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes.
Seo Moon-geuk fanned himself idly, watching the proceedings with keen interest. He'd handle referee duties.
"I'll give the signal. You're both from the Alliance, so I hope no one gets hurt. If things turn dangerous, know that I'll step in."
Seo Moon-geuk looked to Dam Ji-woon and Baek Moo-jin, who both nodded. He stepped back from the center and declared,
"Begin."
As Seo Moon-geuk anticipated, Baek Moo-jin stood swordless, yielding the first move to Dam Ji-woon.
Dam Ji-woon, briefed by Kang Yeop, didn't bat an eye at Baek Moo-jin's bare hands. He'd gotten an earful from Kang Yeop before arriving, so he approached the spar with uncharacteristic seriousness.
Unsure of Baek Moo-jin's approach, Dam Ji-woon thrust a probing diagonal strike aimed at defense. Baek Moo-jin lunged forward instead, attempting to snatch the blade barehanded.
Dam Ji-woon yanked his sword back in alarm and retreated swiftly, only for Baek Moo-jin to charge after him.
Even Seo Moon-geuk gawked at the absurd spectacle.
2.
Dam Ji-woon and Baek Moo-jin's spar unfolded behind the seated Lee Jeong-nam. Eyes closed, he waited for the clash of steel that never came, tilting his head in puzzlement.
Only the whoosh of air and thuds of footfalls reached him.
Lee Jeong-nam focused harder on the sounds.
What in the world?
He itched to turn around. Something felt off. Tuning in, he instantly distinguished Dam Ji-woon's forceful, crisp movements from Baek Moo-jin's near-silent ones.
Dam Ji-woon's motions stayed aggressive yet light, syncing fluidly with Baek Moo-jin's. Lee Jeong-nam caught the commander's rapid breaths.
Baek Moo-jin was another story—barely a whisper. No breathing, no footsteps, just the occasional rustle of clothing.
Unable to help himself, Lee Jeong-nam cracked his eyes open, staring straight ahead.
The outcome was obvious from sound alone.
Baek Moo-jin is far superior.
He never imagined he'd break a sweat down his spine just from eavesdropping on a spar.
Then, a faint rustle from ahead caught his ear.
Hm?
Before his days as a North Heaven Alliance First Grade Warrior, Lee Jeong-nam had been an assassin. That noise felt eerily familiar—like a muffled footfall from someone desperately silencing their steps, a slip only a fellow killer would clock. But it was just once.
Am I jumpy from the noise?
Staring ahead, his focus snapped back at a sharp ching! to the spar behind him.
Finally drawing steel!
3.
Seo Moon-geuk's eyes gleamed.
Commander Dam finally forced his sword out.
Dam Ji-woon's blade plummeted vertically, blocked by Baek Moo-jin half-drawing his own.
But an ominous hum emanated from Baek Moo-jin's partially unsheathed sword.
Shing...
Dam Ji-woon shoved Baek Moo-jin back in shock, stabbing thrice in rapid succession before sweeping low and unleashing a burst of sword ki skyward.
Dam Ji-woon's sword ki was unique—no form, just blade-shaped gales.
Baek Moo-jin fully drew his sword in a fluid motion, flicking the ki away.
The clash rang out with an eerie metallic peal.
Clang!
"Hah."
Dam Ji-woon paused his assault, exhaling in awe as Baek Moo-jin deflected the ki so effortlessly.
Like hitting a wall... He's totally holding back.
From that moment, Dam Ji-woon saw no point in continuing.
We're in different leagues.
But as he halted, Baek Moo-jin sheathed his briefly drawn sword. It was habit, but perhaps also caution with potential assassins watching.
Misreading it, Dam Ji-woon's veins bulged.
Damn it... He wants to go all the way.
He raised his low-hanging sword and charged Baek Moo-jin.
I'll lose, but I'll lose fighting.
As Dam Ji-woon barreled in with momentum, Baek Moo-jin slowly pivoted into a slant stance to receive him.
Wind coiled around Dam Ji-woon's oncoming blade.
With a thwack!, he launched skyward, committing fully to a cleaving strike with no thought of guard.
Sword and body aligned straight, piercing enemy lines. Seo Moon-geuk's eyes widened at the bold, blistering speed.
Dangerous!
Baek Moo-jin's counter was a draw-and-sheathe technique.
Snow Sword Impasse.
A wet snowflake blade, path exhausted—the first sword form he'd used since descending the mountain.
Precisely, it unfolded between draw and sheathe.
On the draw, Snow Sword's subtlety made Dam Ji-woon's blade cling to Baek Moo-jin's.
On the sheathe, tracing an arc through the air, Dam Ji-woon's sword spun upward with a whirl.
Spectator and victim alike reeled in shock.
What sect has a technique like that?!
Dam Ji-woon stared blankly at his soaring sword, baffled why it stuck. He vaguely guessed at an ice art.
Meanwhile, his blade kept climbing—as if symbolizing the growing gap between them...
Lee Jeong-nam was going mad with curiosity behind them. He'd heard steel clash, then a sheathe, followed by dead silence. Yet sound alone let him piece it together.
Disarmed him.
Frustrated, he called out,
"Is it over?"
Dam Ji-woon answered,
"Yes. It's done."
He knew deep down he couldn't win, no matter what.
Lee Jeong-nam sighed involuntarily.
"Hoo..."
As he turned with the sigh, Dam Ji-woon's sword finally plummeted from the sky. Worried it'd chip, Baek Moo-jin snatched it mid-fall.
He handed it back, saying,
"My apologies for the rudeness."
Dam Ji-woon shook his head.
"You went easy on me."
"Not at all."
Dam Ji-woon pointed his sword tip down and cupped his fists.
"Well fought. I learned much."
Baek Moo-jin returned the gesture.
"Likewise."
4.
A short distance away, the Assassination Sect's killers Sa Il-gon and Jong Geun-seok exchanged glances without a word. Jong Geun-seok's mind reeled, having gauged Baek Moo-jin's prowess.
He outranked Sa Il-gon in strength.
Thus, Baek Moo-jin's skill was no joke. Defying orders to retreat made no sense either.
No choice. Ambush during his next bout.
Silent, Jong Geun-seok signaled Sa Il-gon the plan.
He raised one finger.
[One chance left.]
Pointed to himself, then Baek Moo-jin.
[I'll charge and strike.]
Solemn-faced, he indicated Sa Il-gon's hidden needles.
[You throw at Baek Moo-jin from here.]
Three fingers, shaking his head.
[Ignore the other three.]
Then mouthed,
Got it?
Sa Il-gon nodded gravely, repeating the gestures.
[One chance.]
[Senior takes Baek Moo-jin.]
[I'll hit him from behind with needles.]
So far, so good. Finally, Sa Il-gon raised three fingers and wagged them.
[Attack three times, then withdraw.]
He'd long known Baek Moo-jin was strong, so he twisted the order on purpose. Plan: chuck needles and bolt. Hit or miss, fleeing boosted survival odds.
The pair nodded solemnly, faces set.
Let's go.
Right.
Sa Il-gon eyed Jong Geun-seok, thinking,
Sorry, Senior Jong. He's beyond us.
He swallowed hard for effect.