Chapter 188
Chapter 188
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Fierce Flame Great Battle (5)
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"When...?"
Within his wide-eyed gaze were a young man sauntering along as if out for a stroll and an elderly man with a smiling face.
'Poison Bee Sword Guest Wang Wu?'
The first one he had been wary of was Wang Wu, the hidden expert of the Kunlun Sect.
He knew full well that this righteous faction master had shaken off the pursuit of the Red Flame Troop and killed numerous comrades.
But the sight that followed left him unable to avoid his bewilderment.
"The scenery here's nice. Maybe after retiring with my wife, I could build a house here and settle down?"
"Heh heh. If that's what my lord desires, anywhere would do."
"I think so too."
He couldn't easily grasp the situation of Wang Wu bowing his head to the young man spouting such casual banter.
However, he couldn't act rashly either.
It was because of the spectacle unfolding beyond those two.
Kwaduduk. Kwaduduk.
Beyond the pair, enormous things writhed in the air.
Kwaduduk. Kwaduduk.
Kwaduduk. Kwaduduk.
What those sky-high tendrils pierced were none other than...
'The entire Red Flame Troop before I knew it.'
The corpses of the Red Flame Troop who should have been upholding his command here.
They dangled from the shadowy tentacles that swayed mockingly, showering down a rain of blood.
In this truly geometric and surreal scene, the man realized.
That unknown something had devoured the entire Red Flame Troop.
A chill ran down his spine.
In the terror crawling up his back, the man looked back at the youth.
And he could see it.
The transparent glass-like pupils gleaming with a dark crimson light.
'Wang Wu isn't the problem.'
What in the world is this?
'This unknown existence.'
As his fingertips trembled from the eerie sensation, something in the form of a child grinned wickedly.
"Looks like you're finally in the mood to talk."
"...W-Who are you?"
"No need to know. You wouldn't believe me even if I explained."
Thud.
As the man shook his hand, a black lump like a ball rolled to his feet.
It was the head of the Sixth Squad Leader, dead with his tongue lolling out.
"Your friend was saying some pretty interesting things."
"......"
"He was babbling about the new Awakening Stone. Know anything about it?"
"I..."
The man frantically surged his inner energy and swung his index finger like lightning toward his own crown.
In extreme fear, he hesitated to speak and tried to smash his own head instead.
Parararak!
But just as he was about to shatter his skull, he clicked his tongue at the black bandages now wrapped around his arm.
'Tch.'
As he quickly moved his tongue to bite the poison pill hidden between his teeth.
"M-my lord~."
"Yeah?"
"C-can I-eat-this-one~?"
The youth replied.
"Yeah. Go ahead."
Except the head. I need to check something.
"Hee-hee-hee-hee!"
Kwajik!
The bandages bunched up like a living thing, forming the mouth of a massive monster.
"I'll-enjoy-my-meal~!"
Jjeojik! Seeing the blackness beyond the gaping maw, the man dropped the sword from his hand.
***
The flames that seemed ready to incinerate the mountains and trees scattered far more quickly than expected.
Those trembling in fear in the clearing couldn't help but feel puzzled by the sudden subsiding of the heat.
But when a familiar face appeared next, most of them even screamed.
"S-Senior Instructor!"
Especially when Jang Cheol-sim, who they thought had died, showed up, some were left stammering.
"That's a rather frivolous welcome."
"S-Sorry."
The young instructor, mouth agape in shock, blushed in embarrassment.
After a long commotion, Jang Cheol-sim gathered the instructors.
"Everyone, you've all worked hard."
"Um... Senior Instructor. Are you badly hurt anywhere?"
"I'm fine. To be honest, I was lucky. Someone came to save me right at the last moment."
"I-Is that so?"
"Hmph!"
Reading the awkward atmosphere between the sharp-edged Moyong Seon-ya and the intimidated instructors, Jang Cheol-sim asked.
"Looks like something happened."
"W-Well..."
"Tell me. The situation is urgent, so better to clear up old grudges quickly."
Moyong Seon-ya, a frank and bold scion of a prestigious family, rarely showed anger, making it all the more notable.
But the instructors who received Jang Cheol-sim's gaze only hemmed and hawed, none opening their mouths.
It was rare for them to keep silent even after his words.
'I can't make sense of it.'
Up to there, Jang Cheol-sim suddenly thought of someone who came to mind whenever something bizarre happened.
"Instructor Moyong. Where is Acting Instructor Chu Un-hwi?"
"W-Well..."
One of the squad leaders, who had been radiating cold fury until moments ago, raised his hand.
"He said he found traces of stragglers and stayed behind."
A few instructors listening perked up.
'So he's alone?'
'A golden chance to shut that destructive mouth of his.'
'Let's go first. We have to silence him.'
A few instructors remaining in the clearing exchanged glances and chimed in.
"We don't know how many enemies are left, so moving alone is truly dangerous."
"We'll go help Acting Instructor Chu Un-hwi."
"Please allow it, Senior Instructor."
Though puzzled by their sudden eagerness—having always looked down on the acting instructor—Jang Cheol-sim didn't refuse.
He himself wanted to grab him by the scruff if his body were in shape.
"I leave it to you. I'll recover and follow right after."
Seeing his pale complexion, the three instructors secretly clenched their fists.
***
Hudak.
Watching them hurriedly leave the clearing, Yeo Mae-hong muttered worriedly.
"What could Acting Instructor Chu be thinking?"
"Who knows. He must have his reasons."
Moyong Seon-ya recalled Chu Un-hwi's recent request.
- I'll follow at a leisurely pace.
With a peculiar expression, Moyong Seon-ya shook her head as if she couldn't stop him.
"He seemed to expect this."
"I'm worried, but..."
Yeo Mae-hong hugged herself, shivering slightly as she remembered his ghostly rampage moments ago.
"After seeing him fight, I'm more worried about the Silver Hall instructors."
"Exactly. He might not shine in sparring, but in real combat, few could beat Acting Instructor Chu."
Recalling the reaper-like movements that blended into terrain, exploiting gaps to sever life in an instant, Moyong Seon-ya murmured.
"What kind of life does one have to live to move like that?"
At least one thing was certain.
"The world will soon face the legend of Bronze Hall."
***
"Huff. Huff. Where did that guy go?"
The instructors, following the path the group had indicated, scowled as they rounded a smoky mountain trail.
They had to meet Chu Un-hwi as soon as possible and silence him.
'We can smooth things over with the others, but Lucky Sword is dangerous.'
He was someone whose luck matched his nickname.
At the same time, the one who had sent countless comrades to ruin with just his mouth.
"Instructor Seo. What if he sensed something and bolted?"
"No matter how slippery he is, he can't ignore our request."
"Right. If needed, we'll apply some pressure."
If word got out that he abandoned a comrade to flee, he couldn't show his face anywhere.
He might not even stay at the Divine Martial Academy anymore.
No one would seek teachings from an instructor who abandoned a comrade.
"Damn it. Nothing's going right."
As the three, sweating profusely while advancing, suddenly spotted a figure leaning against a tree ahead.
'Acting Instructor Chu Un-hwi.'
Surprisingly, he leaned there as if expecting them, grinning leisurely, which made him look quite at ease.
"What? Scared and ran off earlier, now you come crawling back?"
"Acting Instructor Chu Un-hwi."
The instructors approached quickly and bowed to him.
"We admit our mistake."
"You're right."
"We're sorry, once again."
They set aside their pride and apologized first.
Honestly, it was something they absolutely didn't want to do.
It wasn't easy for scions of prestigious families to bow to a rookie instructor from some rural sect.
"If words could fix everything, the world would be a better place."
But unfortunately.
The world isn't that simple.
"Does that mean you won't accept our apology?"
"Wrong target for your apologies, you cold, strategic fools."
The moment that destructive mouth moved, one instructor scowled.
"We were trying to settle this amicably."
"This is amicable. I really hate guys who show me their backs."
"You...!"
Walgak!
Instructor Seo surged his energy and grabbed for his collar to shove him.
"Heh heh. Nice quick reaction."
But surprisingly, Chu Un-hwi had already stepped back two paces, brushing off the hand and flicking his left wrist.
"Why use that mouth first when you have good fists?"
"Heok!"
Thud! Thud thud!
In a ghostly hand technique that wrapped the wrist, pulled, and pummeled the solar plexus, the instructor foamed at the mouth and collapsed in an instant.
Whiik! Thud thud!
The moment the wrist shook, his comrade clutched his solar plexus and toppled—it all happened in a flash.
So swift and spectral was the method that before they could blink twice, it ended with clattering sounds.
The two instructors, who had believed they could subdue a mere rookie in one breath, couldn't hide their shock.
'Instructor Seo, a lay disciple of the Jeomchang Sect, taken down so easily?'
As that thought hit them, they suddenly recalled the recent incident.
'Was taking down the Senior Instructor really just luck?'
As the two hesitated in shock, Chu Un-hwi cracked his knuckles.
"What? Not what you expected?"
"Y-You were hiding your skills?"
"Yeah. But so what? Gonna run scared again?"
Uduuk.
Cracking his neck to loosen up, Chu Un-hwi said chillingly.
"Too bad. I have no intention of letting you go nicely."
Kwajik!
In a thunderbolt strike, the bridge of the two instructors' noses caved in.
Truly lightning-fast handiwork.
***
Seeing the instructors dragged in with eyes rolled back, Jang Cheol-sim gaped in disbelief.
"...Are you that desperate to devour your comrades?"
"It just happened."
"Tsk tsk."
Looking at the three foaming and unconscious, Jang Cheol-sim was at a loss for words.
But seeing who had come with him, he didn't press further.
"Elder Wang Wu!"
Wang Wu, who had been protecting the straggler students, had joined them.
"Thanks to Acting Instructor Chu Un-hwi, we made it out safe."
We were lost and wandering when he showed up—otherwise, it would've been dangerous.
With even Wang Wu defending him, Jang Cheol-sim couldn't swallow his concerns anymore.
"It seems difficult to push for return like this."
"Agreed. We're not the only ones ambushed."
"We should send the students ahead first, then go separately to rescue the stragglers."
As they pondered options.
"Senior Instructor Jang Cheol-sim."
Nangong Il-jun and a few Soaring Heaven White Sword Squad members were rushing over with grim faces.
***
"...We're getting a ton of attention now."
Feeling burdened by the stares around them, Moyong So-hye kept fidgeting her hands and feet.
"Can't be helped."
Chu Un-hwi waved it off nonchalantly.
"They must've gotten wary of you guys they never saw as rivals."
They were dismissed as privilege holders from the start.
People who only saw them as lucky showed such intensity—natural they'd be surprised.
"I don't think that's the only reason."
"Right. Not just us."
Baek Ri-seol blocked glances toward the instructors with a pout.
"The venomous snakes are targeting Instructor Chu."
"...Not sure about venomous snakes, but it's true more eyes look at Instructor Chu with admiration now."
"Really?"
Eun Ho-seung, listening, chuckled.
"Well, yeah. If you've seen the acting instructor fight, it'd make your mouth water."
"...True. He seems born a fighter."
Even the quiet Im So-jeong nodded emphatically.
"Acting Instructor. You didn't use any fancy techniques—how do you kill so easily?"
"Simple."
Chu Un-hwi tapped his scabbard impatiently.
"Slash the throat with the blade, expert or novice, they all die the same."
"If it were that simple, who'd bother learning martial arts?"
"It becomes simple once you're used to it."
Just think about quickly and efficiently taking them down, not unfolding martial arts against foes.
"They were too confident in their own arts. They went wild popping off Heat Wave Palms excitedly."
But he was different.
"I killed my presence, then stabbed their backs while they rampaged."
Don't try to understand now.
It's in the realm of instinct.
"Learning martial arts just to kill? That's too bleak."
Seeing the chuckling instructor, everyone fell silent.
"Acting Instructor Chu Un-hwi!"
At that moment, urgent footsteps sounded as Nangong Il-jun and the Soaring Heaven White Sword Squad appeared with stiff expressions.
"I have a favor to ask."