Chapter 143
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Chapter 40. Blade Mountain Sword Forest (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
From the Zhao Family Manor's side, Jin Ga-yong and A Jeok-gang had stepped forward to the front lines, while Maeng Dal-seo had circled to the rear, biding his time for an opportunity.
On the opposing Cho Eo-jin side, the Shandong Elder and Sama Gulgi had drawn their swords, Flying Tiger and Ho Ye-hwa were watching the flow of the battle, and Bong Yeon-ja lurked in hiding, waiting to strike.
In addition, two swordsmen still remained by Ho Ye-hwa's side.
For now, at least.
Those swordsmen had numbered eleven when the fight first broke out. Yet in that brief span, seven had screamed their last breaths, and the two near Flying Tiger had fled. They had melted away like snow in spring.
Thus, the remaining pair fidgeted nervously, eyes darting for any chance to bolt. It wasn't cowardice. This battlefield simply wasn't a place for the likes of them.
When whales clash, the shrimp get crushed. That summed it up perfectly.
Looking at the overall situation, though the Cho Eo-jin side had endured a harsh baptism of fire, they still held the advantage. All those worthy of being called experts remained intact. In contrast, Jin Ga-yong and A Jeok-gang had fought valiantly but paid the price. A Jeok-gang's internal energy was severely depleted, and Jin Ga-yong had suffered light internal injuries. This gap would only widen over time, whether in numbers, stamina, or endurance.
Moreover, Go Dan-o of Yao Mountain Sword—the very reason Jin Ga-yong had come here—was still held hostage.
Most vexingly so.
This was how it had happened: Jin Ga-yong had briefly reclaimed Go Dan-o, but the shockwave from clashing with the Shandong Elder forced him back. In the ensuing chaos, Flying Tiger had swooped in and snatched Go Dan-o away again.
No Use A Jeok-gang offered a greeting.
"Flying Tiger, it's been a while. How long has it been?"
"Who knows. Over a week, but not quite a fortnight."
"Heh heh heh, you really have a knack for startling people. How long ago did we fight together, and here we are facing off already."
"Well, my circumstances are a mess... forgive me. Or maybe that's too shameless a request?"
Flying Tiger asked himself the question, then flashed a self-deprecating smile.
"No need to understand. What grand reason does life in the martial world ever need? You share a drink and you're friends; you cross blades and you're foes to kill."
A Jeok-gang mulled over Flying Tiger's words.
They sounded plausible enough. But on second thought, it came off as a lazy excuse to skip explanations and just get to swinging swords.
That thunderbolt-headed bastard...
Though annoyed, A Jeok-gang held his patience and appealed to their bond.
"Deputy Leader Flying Tiger, setting aside the stories for now—though we're pointing swords at each other today, we were once comrades-in-arms, weren't we?"
"So?"
"I ask you this: release Young Master Go Dan-o, whom you're holding. He was mere bait, not the true target, right? It's not much in exchange, but if you do, my leader Jin and I will stay and fight to our hearts' content."
"......"
Flying Tiger nearly blurted out, "What fresh nonsense is this?" without a second thought, but he caught sight of Jin Ga-yong staring at him and clamped his mouth shut.
It made him flinch.
Perhaps this unease was a side effect of being a Man-Slayer.
Mistaking Flying Tiger's reaction for his words taking hold, A Jeok-gang pressed on with fervent eloquence.
"So, let the unnecessary ones step aside, and let's fight like true martial artists—fierce and fair! No need to tarnish your own honor with petty tricks!"
Flying Tiger, of course, wanted to say, "No thanks." The follow-up in his mind was, "Why should I? I'm not an idiot."
But there was one idiot present.
Swayed by A Jeok-gang's words—which stood no chance of working—Sama Gulgi's blood boiled before Flying Tiger could even utter the 's' in "no." He stepped forward indignantly.
"Did you say fight fierce and fair? Just the two of you against all of us here? Bold words—prove you're worthy first. Start by getting past me!"
Sama Gulgi proposed a duel of the martial world: a one-on-one deathmatch decided by killing the opponent.
The proposal boiled down to this:
I can't decide on releasing Go Dan-o. But if you defeat me, doesn't that at least reduce the enemy's numbers by one?
Conversely, if I defeat you, I may not spare Go Dan-o, but at least I won't let him be dragged around and humiliated like now.
What do you say?
A Jeok-gang glanced between Flying Tiger and Sama Gulgi before nodding heavily.
Flying Tiger clearly had no intention of releasing his prisoner. In that case, as Sama Gulgi said, this was a chance to take him down one-on-one.
With A Jeok-gang's acceptance, Sama Gulgi turned to Flying Tiger. Contempt gleamed undisguised in his eyes.
"Warrior Flying Tiger, did you hear that?"
"Of course."
"Then I request this: don't interfere in my deathmatch with that man, in any way. If you try using the hostage you're holding to threaten... I'll hold you accountable for that insult later."
"What? That's not a request—that sounds like a threat."
"Think of it as a warning. Understood?"
"......!"
Overawed by Sama Gulgi's resolve, Flying Tiger simply nodded.
He had nothing else to give the awkward man, so he hooked a sword rolling on the ground with his foot and tossed it over. It was one from the swordsman who had died earlier.
Clack.
Sama Gulgi caught the sword reflexively, his face flushing slightly.
It was meant as a replacement for his broken blade. He had planned to grab one from a fallen foe anyway, but now it felt like accepting an unwanted favor. As he shot an embarrassed look, Flying Tiger jerked his chin toward the side.
'Take that and go die over there if you want. Your call.'
How infuriating that attitude was. Sama Gulgi whipped his head away and moved off with A Jeok-gang.
In the meantime, the swordsman by Ho Ye-hwa dragged away his dead comrade and cleared the spot.
Thus, the battlefield reformed.
And so, as Jin Ga-yong took a step forward for a rematch with the Shandong Elder...
Whether by surprise or providence, an unexpected figure stepped up in the old man's place.
Ho Ye-hwa.
Once again, Flying Tiger tossed a prepared sword to the one heading out. But as this sword flew toward Ho Ye-hwa's hand, it emitted a strange sound.
Rumble~
It was the Spirit Sword.
The very blade Flying Tiger had stabbed into the groundpost like a seal and sworn never to use. He had vowed not to touch it himself, but that didn't mean others couldn't.
Clack.
Ho Ye-hwa caught the Spirit Sword, his expression complex as he met Flying Tiger's gaze briefly before turning to face Jin Ga-yong.
Flying Tiger called out well-wishes to Ho Ye-hwa's retreating back.
"I'm just lending it—not giving it away. So use it well while you have it. Real well!"
Why had Ho Ye-hwa stepped up, though?
Had he been tempted by the loan of the Spirit Sword?
In any case, the second round's matchups were set:
Jin Ga-yong vs. Ho Ye-hwa.
A Jeok-gang vs. Sama Gulgi.
It looked lopsided, but that was the lineup at the start.
Flying Tiger and the Shandong Elder were spectators, and Flying Tiger faithfully fulfilled his role, alternating his gaze between the two impending fights with keen interest.
Watching a brawl is always fun, after all.
"You look thrilled. Having fun?"
"I'm tense. Whew, gives me chills."
"No. From what I see, you're just excited to watch the fights. Since you don't think it's your turn anyway."
"Elder, why spoil it when we're both just watching?"
"Hmph. So, how'd you convince her?"
"Who? Ho Ye-hwa?"
Flying Tiger said it like it was nothing.
"Told her Lady Dang had taken her position. Hold out just enough to create an opening, and she'll step in on her own."
"Ridiculous. Hold out 'just enough' against that young sword ghost?"
"Won't be easy, sure. That's why I gave her some key info too."
"What was it?"
"Leader Jin's sword is nearing the end of its life. After clashing so hard with you, how could it not? A few more power exchanges, and it'll snap clean."
"So adding the famed sword's power tips the scales?"
"Something like that~ maybe. Worst case, if it still doesn't work, won't you step in, Elder?"
"Hm, but even so, from the start..."
"Shh! It's starting."
The Shandong Elder probed with lingering doubts, but Flying Tiger pressed a finger to his lips. Looking around, Ho Ye-hwa was still holding back, while Sama Gulgi's side struck first.
"This is Unforgetting Sword. I'll skip the name. No point, since one of us will die and the survivor won't have the luxury to remember the other."
Sama Gulgi gripped the hilt with his right hand and caressed the blade with his left as he spoke.
He was testing the new sword's weight and edge. He omitted his name because deathmatches weren't for making friends—one side had to die, end of story.
What use knowing the man doomed to vanish? It'd just breed needless guilt.
A Jeok-gang grinned and replied.
"Is that so? In that case, I'm A Jeok-gang. No need for nicknames in the martial world here—let's skip those."
"......?"
"Anyway, I like the sound of that. So, ready?"
"Thanks for waiting. Let's begin."
Sama Gulgi finished with a flourish of the sword in the air and assumed his stance. It was the Sama Family's signature sword art, Three Parts Sword Draw, which he had shown in his spar with Flying Tiger earlier.
And in that moment, he didn't find it so bad.
'Yes. Start over. When have I not? In this blade mountain sword forest of the martial world, the only things I can trust are myself and my sword! Slash through the obstacle before me. Then the next, and the next. Keep slashing, and one day, I'll soar!'
Sama Gulgi roared, unleashing his surging emotions in a battle cry.
Ki-yah!
He charged, thrusting his sword as he went.
The target was unexpectedly A Jeok-gang's left instep.
A Jeok-gang had crept forward to gauge distance, and Sama Gulgi, crouching low, pierced toward it—the third form of Three Parts Sword Draw's latter half, Earth Point.
Yet this posture exposed his own head, making it a bold, aggressive opener.
Considering Sama Gulgi's usual defensive, stable style, it was downright radical.
Swish.
A hundred-foot pole, one step further.
That was Sama Gulgi's mindset now, his stance against A Jeok-gang.