Overcoming Fate: Bloodbath at Yishuse (2)
The presence of Seo Jun, standing alone with his spear and gazing arrogantly at the enemy, dominated the fortress. The soldiers inside could hardly believe they were suffering such humiliation because of a single foe. Yet after witnessing Seo Jun, not one of them could easily step forward, crushed beneath the weight of his aura.
Thud!!
“What are you doing?! Are our warriors of the steppe cowering before just one man?!”
A man who appeared to be the Qiang commander suddenly stomped the ground hard and roared at his troops. His mere appearance brought relief and joy to the soldiers’ faces. Their commander was someone who inspired trust and faith in them.
He strode toward Seo Jun.
Step. Step.
“What is your name? I never imagined we would suffer such disgrace at the hands of a single warrior.”
The burly Qiang commander with sharp features stared at Seo Jun without missing a single detail.
“Ah~ I suppose I should introduce myself first. I am Yan Xing, Colonel of the Han River Army.”
‘Yan Xing? Who’s that?’
“Seo Jun.”
“Seo Jun? Are you the one they call the Black Wind?”
“I am.”
“As expected, only someone like you could cause such chaos. Though charging in alone like this seems rather reckless.”
Yan Xing had heard the rumors about Seo Jun spreading among the Qiang. As the top martial artist in the Han River Army, he had taken considerable interest in those tales.
“I merely did what had to be done.”
Yan Xing sensed something in Seo Jun’s resolute reply and asked, “Did you have family here?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm~ This attack has cost us far more than expected.”
The Qiang had intended this assault as a minor operation to eliminate a small outpost and reduce surveillance from the imperial forces. Instead, they had suffered heavy losses from the desperate resistance of the garrison—and now, a single enemy had inflicted damage comparable to the cost of capturing the fortress itself. Of the nearly three thousand troops brought here, close to two thousand were already lost. A third of those casualties came from Seo Jun’s night raid and subsequent battle alone.
“You’ve inflicted this much damage on us. I can’t simply let you go! Attack!!”
“Charge!!”
“Waaaaah!!!”
Yan Xing’s officers led the charge, and the soldiers surged forward behind them.
Clang!! Clang-clang-clang!! Boom!!
Seo Jun’s spear spun around his body, filling the space around him. As if to demonstrate why he was called the Black Wind, his weapon combined speed and power, sweeping over the charging soldiers like a dark gale.
Crash! Thud!! Thud-thud-thud! Slash!
Moving at blinding speed to avoid being surrounded, Seo Jun used every object around him as he struck at every enemy in reach. Even while encircled by countless foes, Seo Jun continued displaying tremendous might, causing Yan Xing’s eyes to widen in shock. Yan Xing himself had never felt physically outmatched while roaming Liang Province, yet Seo Jun’s movements now pressed heavily upon his chest.
“Ugh~”
Wounds accumulated on Seo Jun’s limbs one by one. Though his torso remained nearly unscathed thanks to the armor crafted by Po Han and the influence of his Fighting God Body, the accumulating injuries on his arms and legs gradually slowed his movements. Even so, his eyes shone more fiercely and darkly than ever before. Yan Xing nearly gasped at the sight of that gaze, which held a terrifying, desperate ferocity.
Feeling that his will might be crushed if he merely watched any longer, Yan Xing stepped forward.
Boom!!
Yan Xing’s spear clashed with Seo Jun’s in midair, sending a shockwave rippling outward. Yan Xing’s weapon traced multiple small circles before thrusting forward rapidly.
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
Each thrust seemed alive, striking from different angles toward Seo Jun.
“Raaah!!”
Instead, Seo Jun gathered all his power into a single point and unleashed a thrust as dark as the abyss itself, aimed at destroying everything in its path.
BOOM!!
A massive collision echoed through the fortress. Both men were hurled backward from the impact.
“Impressive. Even in your exhausted state, you’re my equal!”
Yan Xing felt a chill of fear toward Seo Jun, who had matched him despite being wounded and fatigued from fighting so many subordinates.
‘This is the first time… I’ve ever felt fear toward someone.’
It was terrifying. His hand gripping the spear trembled. He had never experienced such a feeling in battle before. Yet he could not retreat—he was the commander leading these men.
Seo Jun’s body shot toward Yan Xing at high speed.
Clang! Clang-clang! Clang-clang-clang!
Their spears collided with increasing speed. Seo Jun suddenly leaped into the air and brought his spear down.
BOOM!!
Yan Xing failed to dodge the lightning-fast strike and blocked it with his spear shaft.
“Hah!!”
But as Seo Jun pressed down harder, the spear blade slowly descended toward Yan Xing’s body despite his resistance.
“Raaagh!!”
Yan Xing poured every ounce of strength into pushing Seo Jun’s spear away and quickly retreated.
“Hah!”
Seo Jun sprang after him and thrust his spear forward.
Whoosh! Thud!
Seo Jun’s spear pierced Yan Xing’s right chest.
Splat!!
“No!!”
Roll~
Blood gushing from his chest, Yan Xing lost his balance from the momentum of his retreat and tumbled across the ground. His subordinates rushed to shield him, blocking Seo Jun’s path.
“Protect the Colonel!!”
“Get out of my way!! Do you intend to shame me?!”
Shoving his men aside, Yan Xing stepped forward once more. His breathing was ragged, and he leaned slightly on his spear, the wound from Seo Jun clearly severe. Seo Jun was equally exhausted. But he had no retreat—only death awaited if he faltered.
Thud-thud-thud!
“Hah!!”
Clang! Clang! Clang-clang!
Yan Xing desperately parried Seo Jun’s attacks with all his might, yet the chest wound hampered his movements. Seo Jun’s spear flashed again.
Thud! Thud!
The blade pierced Yan Xing’s abdomen.
Thud!
Yan Xing dropped to his knees. He was a formidable warrior, but had Seo Jun been in peak condition, the fight would not have lasted this long. Seo Jun raised his spear to finish him.
“Stop him!!”
“Get the Colonel out of here!!”
Thud! Slash! Thud!
Seo Jun cut down the subordinates who threw themselves in his path one by one as he advanced toward Yan Xing.
“Retreat! The Colonel needs treatment immediately!! Carry him out now!”
One of Yan Xing’s officers, realizing they could not stop Seo Jun, shouted the order. Treating Yan Xing while the battle continued was impossible. Loading their wounded commander onto a carriage pulled by two horses, the adjutant led the remaining mounted troops in a swift withdrawal from the fortress.
“Throw your weapons if you must—just keep him away while we mount!!”
The officer gave his final command to the men holding Seo Jun back, then galloped out of the fortress gates.
Whoosh~ Swish! Swish!
The soldiers blocking Seo Jun hurled their spears and swords at him before mounting whatever horses they could find and fleeing the fortress.
A short while later, the fortress had become a city of the dead.
“Ughhh~”
Occasional groans came from the wounded who had been unable to retreat, but their conditions were clearly beyond saving. Seo Jun saw no need for further action.
Fate Overcome
You have overcome the unique fate held by this individual. Entity 1230021934 is now recognized as a completely new being, and all interference from the original entity has been completely severed.
Reward: Fate Overcome Skill Orb granted.
As Seo Jun had suspected, this place was originally meant to be the stage of his death. The battle of Yishuse had changed. And Seo Jun’s own fate had been reborn.
‘Is this truly my life now?’
Until now, the lingering tendencies of the original body had occasionally surfaced without warning, causing him trouble. He did not know how much of those tendencies had been absorbed into himself, but at least those sudden, inexplicable outbursts would no longer occur.