Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 20
>Chapter Title: The True Intent (5)
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A monster wolf—no, a dire beast wolf—with its muzzle torn apart, dead.
This hadn't been released to kill.
It had been released so that they could survive it.
Yet here it was, dead.
"Ha..."
It was utterly ridiculous.
For a moment, everyone was speechless at the sight.
Then, one warrior in a red leather belt asked the exhausted boys.
"Who did it?"
At his question, the boys' gazes naturally turned toward a certain someone.
It was the same for all, but particularly the beautiful boy covered head to toe in blood.
It was Mok Kyung-un.
"........That guy again?"
A glint of surprise appeared in the eyes of the red leather belt warriors.
They had taken interest in him after the iron bead skirmish, but this was beyond belief.
"Senior......does this even make sense?"
One warrior whispered in disbelief.
And rightly so—for a beast of that size, even without sealed meridians, it would be hard for most martial artists to even cope.
Yet he had done this with his energy gates sealed?
"'No matter how much external arts training......'"
Impossible.
Even fully armed, it was questionable if they could handle it.
The most senior among the red leather belt warriors scanned Mok Kyung-un up and down.
The other boys looked utterly drained, but his eyes were particularly alive.
No, he didn't look drained at all.
"Could it be?"
The senior warrior's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
He spoke.
"You. Come here."
"Is there a problem?"
"Did I say you could talk back?"
"........"
Mok Kyung-un shrugged and approached the senior warrior.
The senior warrior roughly seized his wrist and immediately checked his internal state.
To confirm if his energy gates were sealed.
But,
".......They are sealed."
He had wondered if the boy had somehow unsealed them, but no.
They were still sealed.
Confirming this only made it more astonishing.
"'They raised a monster like this in a place like Timber Sword Manor?'"
It wasn't even a renowned orthodox clan or one of the Nine Great Sects.
This was bound to stir controversy.
It was the first incident since Blood Trial Valley began operations.
* * *
The dire beast wolf's corpse, its muzzle and head ripped off, completely severed from the lower jaw.
The robed sorcerer staring at it wore an incredulous expression.
He had already used sorcery at dawn to signal it to return.
But it hadn't, so feeling something amiss, he had climbed up here.
Someone addressed him.
"Is this possible?"
"Pardon?"
"I asked if it's possible."
The speaker was none other than the masked lord of Blood Trial Valley, wearing his evil ghost mask.
He had climbed the mountain late and, after receiving a report from the red leather belt warriors, arrived to inspect the corpse.
Even he couldn't help but be inwardly shocked.
Originally, the dire beast wolf was meant as a trial for the boys.
To push them into extreme situations, maximizing their will to survive.
Yet they had killed it.
"This......ha......"
The robed sorcerer could offer no answer.
If it had been a martial artist who trained in martial arts, he might have said it was impressive skill.
But this was truly unexpected.
"'Should I even mention this?'"
What made it worse was the wolf's condition.
".......It matured into an adult."
He had thought it was getting close to adulthood.
But he figured it needed a couple more months, so he had deployed it.
Yet in that short time, it had become a full adult.
From a ferocious beast to a dire beast.
"'This is insane. How did they do it?'"
Even trained sorcerers or third- and second-rate warriors struggled with ferocious beasts.
A dire beast required first-rate masters banding together to subdue.
Yet one of these boys with sealed meridians had done it? Unbelievable.
He had to report it, but he couldn't bring himself to.
A ferocious beast was already an extreme trial; with the flag's protective zone, a dire beast bordered on outright slaughter.
"'Lucky, I guess.'"
At least it was killed before causing more havoc.
But hiding it completely would be hard.
So, omitting that, he said,
"To be honest, I can't comprehend how they caught it either."
"Can't comprehend?"
"Where do you think humans have their strongest power?"
".......You're talking about the jaw?"
"Exactly. Biting force is the strongest. Especially for beasts or these immeasurable creatures—do you think it's different? Beasts live wild lives unlike humans, developing jaw strength to crush even bones."
Humans debone hard bones before eating.
But many beasts eat bones whole.
Naturally, their teeth and bite force evolve accordingly.
"If it had luckily pierced the core—the nucleus—in its heart with something sharp, that I could understand. But this? 'A bit strong' doesn't cut it."
To rip it apart required strength surpassing the dire beast wolf's bite force.
The evil ghost mask nodded.
"I see."
"Who the hell did th—"
"Enough."
"Pardon?"
"I said enough. Take the corpse and go."
He had gotten what he wanted.
No need to dwell further.
"........Understood. Then I'll borrow a few men."
"Do as you like."
As the sorcerer gathered a few warriors to retrieve the corpse, the senior warrior of deputy leader rank approached, frowning, and reported.
"I've checked."
"The Golden Gate Lock is intact?"
"Yes. Energy gates sealed—no true energy flows in his body."
"And yet he did that."
"'Strong doesn't even begin to describe it. Maybe even stronger than that Bi Script Hall kid.'"
"Hm."
Could sheer strength explain it?
The evil ghost mask had once fought such immeasurable creatures in his green days.
Recalling that, doubts remained.
Especially without internal energy.
"'I'll have to watch him.'"
He had pegged him as unusual, but now interest piqued further.
Something inexplicable by his orthodox clan origins.
The evil ghost mask changed the subject.
"Are the rest all gathered?"
"Yes."
"Total count?"
"259 survivors."
Of 468, nearly half dead.
At the deputy leader rank senior warrior's report, the evil ghost mask nodded and moved.
Higher up the ridge was a clearing with boys seated in orderly rows.
But these were survivors—half had been weeded out here too.
Of 259, 200 on the right, pale and trembling 59 on the left. The 200 looked relieved; the 59 terror-stricken.
They hadn't found a flag by dawn.
"'Damn it.'"
"'Is this how I die?'"
Hence their fear.
The outcome was foretold.
Death.
The evil ghost mask before them spoke.
"Congratulations on defending your flags. As for the 59 trash on the left, you struggled through the night without even that much—well done surviving."
Hardly complimentary.
To the 59 boys, it barely registered.
They just wanted to live.
The evil ghost mask turned to them.
-Thump! Thump! Thump!
Their hearts pounded.
The moment he gave the order, the red leather belt warriors seemed ready to behead them.
But,
"The 59 trash, follow that sorcerer down."
"!?"
Their eyes widened at the command.
They expected death here, but instead, to follow the robed sorcerer down the mountain? Baffling.
Were they sparing them?
-Murmur murmur!
Relief bloomed on their faces.
The red leather belt warriors shook their heads.
Following the sorcerer was no mercy.
They pitied the boys' joy at mere延命, unwilling to spoil what awaited.
"Shut your mouths and get lost."
Their glee faded under the evil ghost mask's bark.
Though smirks lingered.
Thus, the 59 pulled carts, gathering the wolf corpse and dead bodies, descending in procession.
"'Why the happy faces?'"
"'Something's up.'"
The unaware 200, reading the warriors' expressions, felt relieved not to be among them.
Then the evil ghost mask spoke again.
"Now, you lot here found the flags?"
"........."
"Your eyes look usable now."
He sounded satisfied.
Rightly so—the boys' gazes differed starkly from last night.
Before the iron bead fight, they seemed naive; now, exhausted but eyes feral.
Bloodied hands and ordeals had hardened them.
"'Worth the selection.'"
This was Blood Trial Valley's other purpose: culling.
Yet one stood out among them.
"........."
Mok Kyung-un.
Clothes dark crimson with blood.
Others panted, haggard; he alone calm.
His teammates, by contrast,
-Shiver!
Watched him warily.
Seeming to avoid his proximity.
"'They're afraid of him.'"
The evil ghost mask could guess why.
Normally, successful defense builds team trust.
Fear like this was unusual.
"'What did he do?'"
Curiosity stirred.
But he couldn't focus on one now.
The evil ghost mask continued.
"Good. Time for another selection."
"'Selection?'"
Relieved boys looked puzzled.
Not all—some teams inwardly cheered, anticipating.
He pointed left.
"Those who grasped the flags' true intent, go left."
"'True intent?'"
"'What?'"
-Murmur!
Boys stirred.
Some rose, smug, moving left.
Mok Kyung-un's team followed suit.
Others, clueless, started shifting left too, shrugging,
"'If caught moving without knowing the true intent, summary execution.'"
-Flinch!
They halted.
Boys split again: 80 left, 120 right of 200.
"'What's the true intent?'"
"'Did we fail?'"
The 120 right hid anxiety poorly.
"Selection" implied death for failure.
The evil ghost mask eyed the right.
"This is your limit."
"........."
"But be grateful. You're now low-rank warriors of the Heaven-Earth Society."
"!?"
Eyes widened at his declaration.
Fearing death for failing, this was unexpected.
Relief buckled legs; many collapsed.
"Haa......"
"W-We lived."
Blood Trial Valley: most entered dead, bodies out.
Surviving thrilled.
The near-half left felt sour.
Rightly so.
"'Damn it!'"
"'Low-rank warrior?'"
Most entered not for that.
They risked death for selection.
They failed.
"'Fools.'"
"'Saw the test too simply.'"
The 80 who grasped it sneered.
They qualified for higher.
The evil ghost mask drew something.
A silver plaque marked "Two."
"'Ah!'"
Assassin Valley's Yeom-ga and others' eyes sparkled.
Top passer’s token.
"'Picking the top?'"
If so, interest piqued—they knew it advantaged the endgame.
Unlike iron beads, no clear edge here.
At best, spotting the two formula flags—but 80 knew.
"'How?'"
Puzzled, he muttered.
"How to pick the top? By who memorized the formula?"
Yeom-ga and some shoulders twitched.
They secured the two early, memorized.
Confident.
"Or best at demonstrating it?"
Some shoulders sank.
They defended flags all night, barely memorized, no practice.
Assassin Valley's Yeom-ga, Hidden Scripture Hall's Yeon Mu-ung same.
Could execute freshly memorized, but not perfectly.
No one could.
"'Conditions equal.'"
If demonstrated, they'd try.
He said,
"Good. This it is. Anyone properly explain the flag formula?"
Someone shot up hand first.
-Pop!
"Swordsmanship!"
Snickers erupted.
Anyone seeing or memorizing knew.
"Is that your answer?"
Under his icy glare, the boy sat quietly, realizing mistake.
Assassin Valley's Yeom-ga rose.
"'Central Meridian Three Vital Points and Six Major Vital Points targeted in integrated offense-defense, versatile swift sword art with form variations by use.'"
"'Ah......'"
Hidden Scripture Hall's Yeon Mu-ung smacked lips regretfully.
Others too.
Concise, precise features.
Perfect.
"'How's that?'"
Yeom-ga smugly eyed Mok Kyung-un, Yeon Mu-ung.
Mo Hwa Bang's Mo Ha-rang abed recovering—no need.
This token his.
Evil ghost mask spoke.
"Grasped that much amid chaos—impressive."
"'Got it.'"
Yeom-ga inwardly cheered.
Reaction confirmed his insight.
Mok Yu-cheon's eyes gleamed.
No top ambition, so silent.
But,
"'Sharp eye for formulas.'"
Nigh identical to his grasp.
Schemer, but martial talent rivaled his.
Curious his level sans Golden Gate Lock.
"Hmm."
Evil ghost mask glanced at deputy senior warrior.
Who nodded.
Three shifts of sleepless, deadly flag wars.
This grasp alone impressive.
He proffered plaque.
"Good. This trial's top is....."
Before finishing,
"Isn't it not just swordsmanship, but a sword formation?"
"!?"
Frowning, evil ghost mask turned.
Who said that?
The speaker: Mok Kyung-un.
"Ha!"
Evil ghost mask clicked tongue incredulously.
The sword art's forms simple; formulas alone didn't reveal formation potential.
Only advanced swordsmen could discern.
Yet this novice from mere formulas?
"'Wh-What?'"
Yeom-ga, inwardly mocking "sword formation," froze.
What was this reaction?
[Chapter 20: The True Intent (5)] End