Chapter 32
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Clash with the Raging Wave Fiend
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Swish!
The North Wind Brigade Leader sliced clean through the neck of the bandit who had closed right in on him with a single stroke of his sword, then halted upon sensing a sharp burst of energy.
“……!”
He soon spotted the Raging Wave Fiend approaching him, radiating a terrifying presence.
A cold smile curled at the North Wind Brigade Leader's lips.
‘Just when I was about to come after you myself. Perfect.’
That said, abandoning his post would endanger the defensive formation. He shouted toward Eom Mu-hwi and Dong Ho-won.
“Eom Mu-hwi, Dong Ho-won!”
“……?”
“Hold my position for a bit. Just guard the spot. Don't go helping the other squads.”
“Understood, Brigade Leader.”
He then issued orders to the North Wind Brigade.
“Team Three will link up soon. Hold out until then.”
“Under your command!”
Eom Mu-hwi and Dong Ho-won took over the North Wind Brigade Leader's spot. It made things a touch busier for Dang Cheong, but nothing perilous.
The North Wind Brigade Leader promptly slipped out of the defensive formation to confront the Raging Wave Fiend.
“…….”
Seol Hwa-un's eyes gleamed as he watched.
‘A fitting opponent. Perfect chance to gauge the North Wind Brigade Leader's true power.’
He had long known the North Wind Brigade Leader was a transcendent master who had crossed the wall. Even so, Seol Hwa-un had no precise measure of his level.
‘Show me what happens when you target this palace's Little Palace Lord, North Wind Brigade Leader.’
The Raging Wave Fiend flashed a venomous grin.
“Kekeke, out to greet me personally?”
“To dare insult this palace's Little Palace Lord. I was already set on claiming your head myself.”
“Arrogant for a mere guard captain!”
“We'll see who's arrogant.”
The Raging Wave Fiend's face turned ice-cold.
“……Hope your skills back up that mouth.”
“They'll surpass your hopes.”
“Take this!”
The Raging Wave Fiend brought his greatsword crashing down like a thunderbolt.
Paaaaat!
A thick blade qi erupted from his sword edge.
“A sneak attack?”
The North Wind Brigade Leader fell back a step and thrust his sword forward.
Incredibly, the technique he unleashed was not a sword form but the Snow Ridge One Point from the Snow Ridge Divine Sword.
Kwaaaaang!
The explosive shockwave shoved the North Wind Brigade Leader's frame backward.
‘The blade qi's stronger than I thought!’
His face soon hardened. Right before his eyes, the Raging Wave Fiend was sweeping his greatsword in a wide horizontal arc.
‘Already?!’
The startled North Wind Brigade Leader snapped his sword up.
Creeeeeeng!
The fierce impact sent his frame skidding back once more.
“……!”
“Kekeke, and we're just getting started!”
The Raging Wave Fiend pressed the assault, smashing his greatsword down.
Papapap!
Incredibly, blade shadows formed one after another along the greatsword's path. They soon surged forward alongside the blade itself.
The North Wind Brigade Leader's eyes widened.
“Ghost Shadow Blade Method?”
Kwakwakwang!
A massive boom rang out as his frame was hurled away.
“…….”
Ziiiiing!
Jamming his sword into the ground, the North Wind Brigade Leader barely halted. His uniform hung in tatters, caked in dirt—a total mess.
Seol Hwa-un shook his head as he observed.
‘Worthy of one of the Green Forest's top five experts, no doubt. But he can handle it... Uncharacteristic carelessness from the Brigade Leader. Still, hardly any damage.’
The Raging Wave Fiend narrowed his eyes.
“Not bad stamina. But how do you know the Ghost Shadow Blade Method?”
“I had my suspicions from the Ghost King Stronghold Leader's swordplay... You're disciples of the Blood Ghost Demon.”
The Raging Wave Fiend flinched.
“How did you...”
Blood Ghost Demon.
Once hailed as Gansu Province's foremost swordsman, this fiend from the unorthodox paths had racked up countless atrocities.
“What a coincidence.”
The Raging Wave Fiend's gaze flickered wildly.
“No way... You know where Master is?”
The North Wind Brigade Leader wore an odd expression.
“Of course.”
“Spit it out! Where is Master?!”
“Slow on the uptake. Ten years with no word—isn't it obvious?”
The Raging Wave Fiend's pupils quivered.
“......He's dead.”
“Correct.”
“How do you know that?”
“I saw him die.”
“What?”
“He came all the way to the North Sea seeking a place to die.”
Ten years prior, the Blood Ghost Demon had fled north to evade the Martial Alliance's pursuit. He reached Mongolian lands but, still paranoid, pressed on to the North Sea region.
Even there, he couldn't rein in his wicked ways and met his end as a frozen corpse at the hands of the previous North Wind Brigade Leader.
The current North Wind Brigade Leader, then just a regular squad member, had witnessed the battle.
Tucked in the dead Blood Ghost Demon's robes was the manual of the techniques he had mastered in life, detailing the Ghost King Twelve Blades and Ghost Shadow Blade Method.
Passed to the Cold Family—sword specialists—for analysis, the North Wind Brigade Leader had examined it too.
Thus, he knew the exact names of the Blood Ghost Demon's secret arts.
The Raging Wave Fiend shuddered in fury.
“North Sea Ice Palace... You're our mortal foes! I'm weak now, but I'll grow strong and butcher every last one of you!”
“Delude yourself all you like. It's never happening.”
“What?”
“You die by my hand today.”
“Hmph, laughable. You couldn't even parry my blade properly.”
The North Wind Brigade Leader nodded.
“Fair point. I underestimated you.”
“What? Don't tell me you're claiming carelessness.”
“Exactly.”
The Raging Wave Fiend erupted in guffaws.
“Kahaha! How ri—”
Thwung!
In that instant, the North Wind Brigade Leader's aura shifted, unleashing a ferocious energy wave in all directions. The Raging Wave Fiend's face stiffened at the sensation.
‘This bastard?’
“My turn to strike first.”
Paang!
The North Wind Brigade Leader's figure vanished in a blink.
“……!”
The Raging Wave Fiend frantically scanned his surroundings, but saw no trace.
Then, a voice rang from overhead.
“Up here.”
“……?!”
Paaaa!
The North Wind Brigade Leader's sword plunged down with horrifying momentum.
Creeeeeeng!
“Urk!”
Thud!
He barely parried with his greatsword, but the overwhelming force buckled one knee, slamming it into the dirt.
“Watch closely. This is our palace's ultimate sword art: the Cold Ice Sword Method.”
Wuuuung!
His sword, laced with pristine white frost qi, began weaving through the air in all directions.
Shushushushu!
“Dream on!”
Springing back up, the Raging Wave Fiend poured everything into the Ghost Shadow Blade Method, refusing to yield.
The two blades soon collided.
Kwakwakwakwang!
Kugugugu!
Each clash of qi-charged blades triggered earth-shaking blasts—a duel to sunder heaven and rend the earth.
By now, bandits and North Wind Brigade alike had halted to spectate.
“Whoa, what an incredible matchup!”
“How's he holding up against the Chief like that...!”
Even the North Wind Brigade reeled in shock.
“He's matching the Brigade Leader's sword?”
“Isn't that bandit way too skilled?”
“Tough customer.”
Dang Cheong and Hwangbo Yeong were no different.
‘I never imagined the North Wind Brigade Leader was this strong!’
Dang Cheong recalled his clan's premier warriors.
‘Even back home, not many match that caliber. Is the North Sea Ice Palace truly that formidable?’
As all eyes locked on the duel, Seol Hwa-un shook his head.
‘The Brigade Leader's buying time. Makes sense—opponents like this don't come often.’
True to his thinking, the North Wind Brigade Leader was savoring the exchange with the Raging Wave Fiend.
‘Ho? The Ghost Shadow Blade Method hides such nuances! Excellent. Show me more!’
Manuals had their limits for true insight. This foe clearly bore the marks of proper master-disciple training.
The Raging Wave Fiend, meanwhile, scrambled just to fend off the North Wind Brigade Leader's sword.
‘Nngh! So this is his real strength?’
It had seemed neck-and-neck at first, but the thickening chill qi now hampered his every move.
‘Damnable yin energy!’
He was gradually forced defensive, yielding ground step by step.
Kwakwakwakwang!
Over a hundred exchanges in, the Raging Wave Fiend's disadvantage was plain for all to see.
‘No helping it. Time for ‘that’!’
Better to use his ace than die hoarding it.
“Yaaap!”
With a rare spirited shout, he thrust his greatsword. This time, five blade shadows—far more than before—accompanied it.
“…….”
A menacing barrage, yet the North Wind Brigade Leader's face remained impassive. He merely swung harder than ever.
Thicker, purer white blade qi gushed forth, smashing into the Raging Wave Fiend's shadows.
Kwakwakwakwang!
The colossal blast hurled both back.
Five steps for the Raging Wave Fiend; three for the North Wind Brigade Leader. Undeniable edge to the Brigade Leader.
But distance was the Raging Wave Fiend's aim.
‘Now to end it.’
He funneled his focus into the greatsword. The blade qi sharpened, solidifying into form.
Paaat!
The onlookers cried out.
“That's!”
“B-blade gang!”
A full sword-length of dark crimson blade gang.
Blade gang wielded absolute devastation. Fine swords shattered instantly; sword qi parted like butter.
“Maintaining blade gang so effortlessly... Is he transcendent?”
The North Wind Brigade Leader studied the blade gang intently, then nodded.
“Impressive... I see.”
“Kekeke, credit for forcing my blade gang. But it's over.”
“…….”
The North Wind Brigade Leader stayed silent.
“Given up? Good. Rejoice in dying to my blade gang!”
Shuuuaak!
The blade gang slashed toward the North Wind Brigade Leader. Motionless until then, he murmured low.
“Disappointing.”
His sword stirred. For a split second, time seemed to freeze—only his blade dancing gracefully.
Flash!
Swish!
“……?!”
A slicing sound echoed, but none of the watchers caught it clearly. Seol Hwa-un alone perceived the truth.
‘Crossed the wall, sure... but not enough for the Brigade Leader.’
As the North Wind Brigade Leader extended, pristine white blade gang gleamed on his sword— a mere two inches, yet vastly superior.
It rent the foe's blade gang and greatsword alike, carving into the heart besides.
‘Brigade Leader through and through. Flawless blade gang mastery.’
The gang, striking true and no more, vanished. Pinnacle efficiency.
“It's done.”
With Seol Hwa-un's whisper, the Raging Wave Fiend's greatsword snapped in half and clattered down.
Clang!
“……!”
The Raging Wave Fiend's mouth worked soundlessly. His frame soon crumpled like a toppled flower.
Thump!
Gazing down at the fallen foe, the North Wind Brigade Leader muttered.
“Disappointed in that oversized, sloppy blade gang.”
Frost gleamed in his eyes.
Swish!
His sword sheared off the Raging Wave Fiend's head.
“For daring to defile this palace's Little Palace Lord.”
Afterward, the North Wind Brigade unleashed hell on the demoralized bandits. Most perished in the onslaught.
Finally, the North Wind Brigade Leader beheaded the last resisting vice leader, wiping out the Heavenly Eye Mountain Stronghold's bandits entirely.
Thus, three strongholds of the Green Forest Eighteen Bandits lay obliterated by the North Sea Ice Palace.