Chapter 176
Chapter 176: Cheol So-a (2)
Iron God Society.
At the very end of the Western Road, the massive complex of buildings occupying the center of a huge plaza was entirely their private property.
The main gate was a massive door made of black iron. Standing as high as nine meters, the gate had the three characters Iron God Society engraved in red on its surface, vivid as if written in blood.
They were a group formed through countless clashes of iron and blood, and had now become the unshakable second-largest power in Gangdo. Some gossipers in the Martial World even evaluated that their internal foundation might be more solid than the Seven Star Immortal Assembly—such was this formidable sect.
Befitting that reputation, this place maintained ironclad defense at all times.
On both sides of the gate stood armored warriors on constant guard. Elite gate guards called Steel Iron Guards were always on standby.
Beyond that gate spread a vast training ground. Spacious enough for hundreds to train simultaneously. The floor was paved with solid granite, and weapon racks were placed throughout.
Surrounding it stood dozens of pavilions in a circular formation, and in emergencies, hundreds of elite warriors capable of fighting a hundred men each would pour out from every pavilion to mount a defense.
Proceeding dozens of meters inward past the training ground was the main hall.
A massive five-story pavilion with impressive black tiles and red walls.
On the first floor's great hall sat a huge iron sculpture. It honored the founder of the Iron God Society.
Incense always burned before the sculpture, and at the end of each floor's eaves hung extremely heavy bells made of iron, designed not to make sound even when strong typhoons swept through.
However, if an intruder existed, the formations drawn on the bells would activate all at once, designed to make the bells fall to the ground.
And.
Clang-clang, clang-clang.
Clanging—
Right now, those heavy iron bells were falling all at once, ringing madly.
Step, step.
Dong Bong-soo originally moved in a dark world.
He was never one who aspired to the bright world.
Originally, the dark world was safe while the bright world was full of lurking dangers.
Nevertheless, running openly through the bright world to move darkly was quite entertaining. This became even more so as he learned about this world in greater detail.
The heart of the Iron God Society.
Dong Bong-soo stopped at the center of the training ground.
"Who the hell are you?"
A middle-aged man, presumably a protector of the Iron God Society, asked while placing his hand on his blade hilt.
"A chivalrous warrior."
"...Crazy bastard. Barging in like this and saying what? Chivalrous warrior?"
Dong Bong-soo looked around his surroundings.
Behind him lay dozens of gate guards he had dealt with while crossing the main gate earlier.
The other directions. Meaning straight ahead, both sides, even from the air—hundreds of Iron God Society warriors were already rushing out. Like a swarm of ants.
"I am Bi Cheok-un of the Iron Dragon Flying Blade. One of the Three Iron God Hegemons."
Three Iron God Hegemons.
An epithet referring to the three exceptional masters guarding the Iron God Society.
Society Leader Iron Soul Cheol Hon, his only daughter and Young Mistress of the Iron God Society Cold-Faced Iron Hand Cheol So-a, and the Iron God Society's First Protector Iron Dragon Flying Blade Bi Cheok-un.
"Did Bukgung Ri send you?"
"No."
"Then why did you come?"
"Chivalrous deeds."
"What? Chivalrous deeds?"
The process of friction with the Iron God Society since yesterday flashed through Dong Bong-soo's mind like a panorama.
Starting with the quest generated when he intervened in the collection process at Western Road District 7 yesterday.
The man-eating pig pen at Various Items Antique Shop.
At Western Road District 7 that he visited again today, he had engaged in combat with ten white masks, ten black masks, ten yellow masks. And one elderly man investigating yesterday's incident. Though he didn't know their names, they were quite skilled, making them perfect for testing newly learned techniques.
He used a lot of Bukgung Ri's techniques in particular... He was curious what results it would bring. A very simple trick, but it would be equally effective in this lawless world.
Next, the District 6 branch he visited. There were children in the basement. Purpose unknown. Whether they were being sold, or for making elixirs, or for some other barbaric need.
Twenty Iron God Society members guarded that place. He simply erased all their heads with [Faith Arrow]. He then released the children. Because that's what a 'hero' should do.
District 5 armory. There were more torture instruments than weapons. Whips with dried blood, pliers for pulling out nails, knives for gouging out eyeballs. Thirty-five people there and three masters who seemed to lead them. He burned them away using Na Hang's Vermilion Umbrella Lord Saber technique.
District 4 dining hall. Whether it was breakfast or lunch was unclear, but the menu being cooked was meat of unknown identity. Could be human flesh or perhaps sub-humans that existed in this place. But no one there found it strange. They were laughing while using chopsticks. About fifty people. So they could enjoy even in death, he beheaded them all while they were in that state.
District 3, an unidentified lodging. Women were bound in every room. Some alive, some dead. He collapsed the building. He broke the necks of those who crawled out one by one. He cut all the knots binding the women afterward.
Like a 'true hero'.
District 2 prison. That place was in the midst of a torture trance. They were skinning one person alive. Those who still drew breath.
Naturally, he eliminated the jailers there. He released everyone held captive. Half seemed already insane. They bit into the corpses of the Iron God Society members. Of course, it was none of Dong Bong-soo's concern.
District 1. About a hundred warriors, presumably the elite among those on external duty. Their eyes were dead. Eyes of those for whom killing had become routine. In some ways, pupils similar to his own, but just crude killing intent that had been 'manufactured'. So he showed maximum mercy. All died in a single strike.
Up to here was the simple process of the 'stroll' he had mentioned to Jeon Ra-hwa.
And now.
The heart of the Iron God Society, the training ground.
Dong Bong-soo looked around once more.
On the ground, he could feel bloodstains that had dried and been buried again, dried and accumulated again... stacked dozens, hundreds of layers thick. Decades. Perhaps accumulated over hundreds of years. Even they themselves could never know how many had died here. The result of generations of simply 'routine' acts.
What an amazing world.
That even in such situations, in some ways it rolls along with law and order.
That makes it even better.
A deep smile that no longer needed hiding formed on Dong Bong-soo's lips.
"Yes, chivalrous deeds."
"Barging into another sect without any prior notice and saying you're performing chivalry."
Shing.
Bi Cheok-un drew his beloved blade.
The blade's edge gleamed blue-green in the sunlight that had risen high.
"Well, if you were someone who understood reason, you wouldn't have had the recklessness to barge into the Iron God Society alone in the first place."
Recklessness.
Dong Bong-soo's low inner thoughts that no one could hear.
Shiver.
Simultaneously, an inexplicable chill suddenly ran down Bi Cheok-un's spine. No, it wasn't just Bi Cheok-un. Everyone present showed surprised expressions.
Killing intent.
Terrible killing intent as if someone had shot evil energy from somewhere oppressed their entire bodies.
Dong Bong-soo slowly parted his lips.
"Let me tell you all a secret."
Lines that a common 'hero' would have said flowed from between his lips.
Had it become perfect noon at just that moment? [ED/N: Lāhainā Noon, or a "zero shadow day," is a unique, twice-yearly tropical phenomenon occurring in May and July where the sun passes directly overhead at local noon, making upright objects cast no shadow. It is a rare, brief, and "shadowless" event, often referred to as "cruel sun" in Hawaii due to maximum intensity.]
With the sun high in the zenith, Dong Bong-soo's shadow standing in the center of the Iron God Society was cast only beneath his feet, nearly vanishing.
"You see, I came from another world. There, I sometimes killed people."
Whoooooosh—
Around Dong Bong-soo's body—no, the entire Iron God Society fell within the domain of his Super True Energy Field.
Ting, tiding, thud...
Hundreds of weapons stuck in the training ground began floating in the air.
Crackle! Crzzzzz...
Swords, sabers, axes, spears, and so on.
All kinds of weapons slowly began rotating on their axes.
Simultaneously, they began orbiting above Dong Bong-soo's head.
Like evil spirits and demons commanded by an Asura from the Hell of the Three Paths.
[Sub] Wronged Merchant
[Chain]
: As you help the wronged, you may sometimes encounter unexpected difficulties.
I pray you overcome those difficulties well. Please.
․ A grudge relationship with the Iron God Society has been formed.
․ Disband the Iron God Society.
├─ Progress: 33.6%
└─ Reward: Hero History +5
Though no one noticed, a third of the Iron God Society had already been eliminated. All results of the 'heroic stroll'.
"But you see, here it seems I won't need to make it just 'sometimes'."
With that murmur, Dong Bong-soo began to move.
Thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack!
About ten Iron God Society warriors standing closest collapsed, spurting blood like chunks of meat skewered on a sword.
Ding—
Progress: 33.7%
The Iron God Society drew another 0.1% closer to extermination.
And Dong Bong-soo didn't stop.
Because it seemed even more appropriate to do so here.
***
Hundreds of blades flashed.
Thick blood stench and screams ran rampant.
Various martial arts embroidered the air and all kinds of weapons swayed like branches caught in a typhoon.
"Fuck, fucking crazy bastard!"
"Die! Diiiie!"
"Drop dead!!"
Soon thick blood covering all sides formed a fog, and the gathering killing intent blanketed the entire Western Road.
A level where ordinary people would faint just from looking.
Heads flew off like cut rice stalks, and between the Blood Rain scattering like a downpour, the warriors' will overflowed.
Will directed at a single person.
Killing intent.
Killing intent.
Killing intent.
However,
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang-clang! Whoooosh, spot!
The Iron God Society warriors facing the legion of swords freely sweeping through the air realized instinctively that something had gone wrong the moment they faced the brutal killing intent embedded in each one, but...
It was already too late.
.....
....
...
..
.
Masterless limbs flailed in a sea of blood, and this place where shattered iron pieces were embedded like tombstones was truly a Society made of Iron.
Standing tall like an Evil God at its center was one figure.
None other than 'chivalrous warrior' Dong Bong-soo.
․ Disband the Iron God Society.
├─ Progress: 72.6%
└─ Reward: Hero History +5
"72.6."
As expected.
The system doesn't look at the process.
Only results, and more results.
If the result is chivalrous, then the process is also chivalrous.
And.
There was still much room left to perform chivalry in this Iron God Society.
Because chivalrous deeds must continue.
Soon his feet moved toward the main hall.