Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Assassins 4
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While the assassins bided their time, Baek Moo-jin looked at Lee Jeong-nam and said,
"I'm ready."
Lee Jeong-nam nodded and finally scrutinized Baek Moo-jin's stance with his own eyes. It was utterly ordinary, as if no preparatory movements were needed at all. As the two faced each other, Seo Moon-geuk spoke up.
"Let's begin."
Lee Jeong-nam widened the distance and assumed his stance.
Upon closer inspection, Baek Moo-jin could tell Lee Jeong-nam's aura was truly extraordinary.
He surmised that the man possessed the skill to overwhelm not only Seo Moon-geuk but even Commander Dam Ji-woon, whom he had just faced.
With a sching, Lee Jeong-nam drew his sword. Surprisingly, Baek Moo-jin immediately followed suit, letting his blade hang low in the lower right guard.
What the hell is this...!
Just from the act of drawing their swords, the looks in Seo Moon-geuk's, Dam Ji-woon's, and Lee Jeong-nam's eyes shifted. Lee Jeong-nam snorted and nodded.
'As it should be.'
With his sword drawn, Baek Moo-jin swept his gaze around the surroundings once. Lee Jeong-nam was undoubtedly strong. If assassins were truly lurking nearby... and if they were waiting for an opening, it would come the instant Lee Jeong-nam unleashed his most ferocious assault on him.
Baek Moo-jin, in fact, planned to create just such an opportunity for the assassins to spring their trap.
Under the watchful eyes of Seo Moon-geuk and Dam Ji-woon, the two finally clashed.
Clang!
The clearing's silence shattered as the crisp ring of steel echoed brightly. But the moment their swords met, Lee Jeong-nam's form was shoved backward. Deeming Baek Moo-jin's internal energy far from ordinary, he instantly switched up his approach.
2.
As the North Heaven Alliance warrior pressed Baek Moo-jin with attacks at steady intervals before darting back, Jong Geun-seok gave Sa Il-gon a cautious nod.
'It's about to start.'
Sa Il-gon nodded in return.
From his one-kneed stance gripping his straight sword, Jong Geun-seok's hips lifted halfway off the ground.
He intended to surge forward the moment his chance arrived.
Sa Il-gon, too, glared at the combatants while clutching his steel needles. The confidence that he could land his strikes kept him tense, swallowing hard.
He had initially fixated solely on Baek Moo-jin, but watching the duel unfold made it clear that this warrior Lee Jeong-nam was no easy mark. Sweat now beaded on the hand gripping his needles, unbeknownst to him.
As if signaling to get ready, Jong Geun-seok briefly extended his left hand.
3.
Dam Ji-woon's attacks had been the flashier of the two. Lee Jeong-nam swung his blade without telegraphing his intentions.
No feints. No deceptions.
Yet his motions were concise and blindingly swift, allowing hit-and-run maneuvers.
Clang clang clang!
After two or three clashes, he retreated nimbly, tracing defensive arcs with his sword to reset before lunging again. The pattern repeated, laying bare the fight's dynamics.
Baek Moo-jin relied on highly static counters...
While Lee Jeong-nam circled actively on the outskirts, trading probing strikes. Anticipating Baek Moo-jin's ice arts, he refused to drag things out.
After another three or four exchanges, they pulled apart.
At that instant, Lee Jeong-nam stood to the left, Baek Moo-jin to the right.
Realizing ordinary strikes wouldn't fell Baek Moo-jin, Lee Jeong-nam readied the sword art reserved for do-or-die clashes with assassination marks.
'Time to use it. Extreme Swift Residual Blood Sword.'
The moment Lee Jeong-nam charged and thrust, his sword tip fractured into three paths instantaneously. Illusory blades born of extreme speed.
Baek Moo-jin swatted aside the central true edge, ignoring the two phantoms.
Clang!
The Extreme Swift Residual Blood Sword was fiendish to parry, but its true terror lay in the follow-ups chaining endlessly into more phantoms. Synced to Baek Moo-jin's deflection, Lee Jeong-nam twisted his trajectory, splitting his tip into three once more.
To onlookers, it wasn't three blades but six to nine sword gleams scattering wildly. Such was the velocity of Lee Jeong-nam's sword.
Baek Moo-jin countered even slower, even heavier.
'Pressing like this will burn through his internal energy fast...'
Baek Moo-jin had pierced the art's weakness at a glance, deliberately slamming internal energy down like a hammer on each clash to repel it.
The ringing grew heavier by the clash.
An ultra-swift sword met an ultra-heavy one.
Suddenly...
The blades locked with a grinding screech.
Once more, Lee Jeong-nam's sword clung to Baek Moo-jin's, refusing to yield.
Tseeeeeek...
White frost whipped up from Baek Moo-jin's blade, forcing Lee Jeong-nam to pour in his own energy.
In that moment, Baek Moo-jin boldly flicked his eyes to the swift-scudding clouds. They menaced to devour the moon. As darkness crept in, a faint smile tugged at Baek Moo-jin's lips while anchoring Lee Jeong-nam's sword with pure internal energy.
'If assassins are out there, show yourselves now... I'll welcome you all.'
Before long, the white frost crept onto Lee Jeong-nam's blade. Startled, he staggered back, straining to wrench it free.
Baek Moo-jin gave a slight headshake toward Lee Jeong-nam.
His expression said, 'This won't be easy.'
Watching the scene, Jong Geun-seok's eyes flew wide.
'Now!'
Jong Geun-seok's form traced a parabola in a single bound.
At the same time, Sa Il-gon unleashed all eight steel needles from his grip.
Shoooosh!
The instant the needles' flight synced with Jong Geun-seok's charge, he touched down soundlessly and leaped anew.
Wind roared.
By then, Lee Jeong-nam and Baek Moo-jin had whipped around toward the intruders. Lee Jeong-nam, mid-energy surge, knit his brows. Pulling back would invite Baek Moo-jin's counter.
Baek Moo-jin faced the same bind.
Recklessly withdrawing risked grievous backlash from Lee Jeong-nam's energy...
The snap of unfolding wire and rasp of drawn steel rang out together.
Seo Moon-geuk and Dam Ji-woon, naturally.
But in that instant...
Baek Moo-jin's left hand—which all assumed committed fully—shifted toward open air.
Those lunging to slay Baek Moo-jin.
Those rushing to shield him.
The one dueling Baek Moo-jin.
Even the one scheming assassination from afar.
All eyes locked on Baek Moo-jin's left fist.
The moment they sensed light coiling around it...
External energy erupted skyward like a bursting waterfall.
Shwaaaaaaaa...!
Screams exploded midair.
The airborne needles froze solid, momentum lost as they tumbled to the dirt.
Next, a snow-shrouded figure flailed wildly before crashing down.
An utterly eerie sight. No instant death, apparently. Jong Geun-seok—who had advanced one step post-landing—froze in place belatedly.
In that split second, Lee Jeong-nam and Baek Moo-jin locked eyes and withdrew their energies.
Lee Jeong-nam was no amateur. The instant Baek Moo-jin relented, he surged forward, severing the frozen assassin's throat before kicking off toward the needles' origin.
Seo Moon-geuk and Dam Ji-woon charged after.
Baek Moo-jin, having sheathed his sword, passed the headless corpse, scanned the perimeter once, then belatedly unleashed lightness skill to give chase.
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