Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: The Great Nanman War (3)
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# The Great Nanman War (3)
“By now, the main force should have cut off all supplies heading to the Southern Heaven Palace.”
“The Southern Heaven Palace will likely push for an all-out war.”
“What makes you think so?”
“Because they'll figure it's better to die fighting than to starve. They might even think they have a chance to win.”
Pfft.
Seemingly pleased with my answer, Bukgung Baek offered a small smile.
“Correct. Can you predict the outcome?”
“Of course. It's a certain victory for us.”
It was true.
The Southern Heaven Palace had scraped together a thousand men at most. Even if they included the previous generation's remnants, they wouldn't reach fifteen hundred.
Moreover, the Blue Dragon Hall Master, a transcendent swordsman, was stationed with the main force.
Unable to mobilize the tribesmen, the Southern Heaven Palace was no longer a match for the Nine Dragons Fortress.
The problem was.
“It will come at the cost of many lives, though.”
The fact that those with no escape would fight to the death, living only for today.
As the nominal hegemon of the Nanman martial world, they were bound to have some fight left in them. It was clear that the Nine Dragons Fortress would also suffer heavy casualties.
“To minimize those sacrifices, the Grand Chancellor has devised a plan.”
“...?”
Bukgung Baek took a small piece of paper from his robes and unfolded it.
To catch the bandit, first catch the king.
“We'll take advantage of the gap left by their main force and take the head of the Southern Heaven Palace's lord.”
* * *
The Black Dragon Hall, positioned in the center of the Nine Dragons Fortress's encampment.
Wi Ji-pung, leading the disciples of the Black Dragon Hall, stared ahead.
Even at a glance, there were over a thousand warriors.
Their aura was so menacing that the enemy's killing intent reached him where he stood.
Gulp.
A disciple of the Black Dragon Hall standing right next to him was heard swallowing hard.
His nervousness was palpable, so Wi Ji-pung placed a hand on his shoulder.
“The followers of the inhuman path can never overcome the sword of Mount Diancang.”
“...Yes, Martial Uncle!”
His resonant voice, imbued with a hint of internal energy, reached the surrounding warriors, easing their tension considerably.
Looking at his disciples, Wi Ji-pung recalled his conversation with Mujeon.
‘Not only do they capture women for their amusement whenever they're bored, but get this—they say they eat the raw livers of children to train their martial arts. There are even rumors of some who practice cannibalism.’
He gritted his teeth and gripped his sword.
‘I will kill every last one of them.’
And he wasn't the only one who felt this way.
“The moment they make a move, we charge forward before anyone else and cut them in half! Understand?!”
“Yes!”
The warriors of the Gray Dragon Hall, with greatswords on their backs, showed off their characteristically thick muscles, exuding an imposing, mountain-like presence.
Shing.
The killing fiends of the Red Dragon Hall held their short swords, known as Killing Blades, and radiated bloodlust.
Thump. Thump.
The warriors of the Silver Dragon Hall slammed their shields on the ground, building up their momentum.
Beyond them, everyone from the Green, White, Gold, and Blue Dragon Halls was poised for a decisive battle, fully prepared.
It was a natural response when facing an enemy, but today was especially brutal.
This was because Wi Ji-pung had spread the stories of the Southern Heaven Palace's atrocities, which he had heard from Mujeon, throughout the Nine Dragons Fortress's camp.
Along with a comment that was somewhat unbecoming of a Daoist: [Those inhuman bastards must be struck down immediately!]
Even in a martial world where chivalry and righteousness had faded, the warriors of the Nine Dragons Fortress were still human, and they couldn't help but be enraged by the Southern Heaven Palace's evil deeds.
As a result, morale was higher than ever.
The warriors on both sides glared at each other for an hour.
Doom. Doo-doom.
With the beat of a large drum, the Lion's Roar of the Blue Dragon Hall Master, the commander-in-chief of the expedition, erupted.
“Annihilate them!”
Waaaaah!
The killing intent directed at each other filled the plains.
* * *
Half a day later.
“Hah... Hah.”
Wi Ji-pung stood in the middle of a pool of blood.
A fierce battle that had resulted in numerous casualties on both sides.
As if to prove it, corpses littered the ground.
Crossing the field of bodies, Wi Ji-pung paused and lowered his head to look at his feet.
“Cheong-un...”
His eyes filled with sorrow as he gazed at the body of his young martial nephew, who had followed him more loyally than anyone.
And this was not a tragedy that befell him alone.
“Junior Brother! Open your eyes!”
“Ah, no!”
“Kk-heuk!”
Amid the wails that echoed from all around, warriors from all eight halls displayed gestures of grief, one by one.
Watching the scene, Wi Ji-pung began to review the previous battle with a murderous expression.
‘Abnormal flows of internal energy, sword ki filled with a sinister aura, and above all, movements as if they felt no pain.’
He looked ahead, his eyes filled with certainty.
‘It's heretical arts.’
There was no doubt.
The heretical arts, thought to have vanished, had reappeared.
They must have used the inhuman methods Mujeon had spoken of.
Because of that, the Nine Dragons Fortress's losses were severe.
Although the Blue Dragon Hall Master and other leaders stepped forward, they couldn't undo the accumulated damage.
‘Tomorrow will be different.’
Flames burned in Wi Ji-pung's eyes as he stared at the enemy's camp.
* * *
A day after venturing into the Nanman jungle.
In the distance, the Southern Heaven Palace came into view, perched midway up a sheer cliff.
The problem was that the only bridge leading to it had been cut.
It seemed they had destroyed the bridge to guard against a possible invasion while sending their forces out.
“...This completely screws us over.”
We had to get inside first, whether to catch the lord of the palace or a cockroach.
As I stared at the inaccessible Southern Heaven Palace, a hopeful thought came to mind.
‘Wait, what if I use this as an excuse to suggest we return to the main camp?’
Wouldn't that mean I wouldn't have to risk my life fighting? ...Or so I thought.
“There is a hidden path.”
A single sentence from the great chieftain, who had joined us to help take down the Southern Heaven Palace's lord, shattered my hopes.
“Please lead the way.”
At Bukgung Baek's words, the great chieftain took the lead with his men.
Seeing his bald head reminded me of Yong Ma-san, whom I'd left back at the Nine Dragons Fortress.
‘I should have gathered some information before I left.’
If I'd known we'd be infiltrating the Southern Heaven Palace like this, I would have tried to find a map.
Following the great chieftain's lead, we circumvented the mountain and advanced toward the Southern Heaven Palace.
Perhaps because most of their forces were away, they didn't even have the manpower for sentries. No one stood in our way.
Thanks to that, we reached the vicinity of the Southern Heaven Palace in less than half a day.
Immediately, Bukgung Baek's voice rang out.
“Vice Hall Master, cause as much of a commotion as possible to draw the enemy's attention. In that opening, the Black Mountain Tigers and I will take the head of the Southern Heaven Palace's lord.”
Faced with such a grim mission, I silently nodded.
“...Understood.”
“I will do my best.”
As Ga Rip and I answered in turn, Bukgung Baek asked in a puzzled tone.
“First Squad Leader, you're supposed to follow me. Where are you going?”
Seriously, why is it always me?
Flustered, I tried my best to maintain my composure and asked.
“Wouldn't it be better for me to stay and protect my squad members?”
“Vice Hall Master Ga Rip will handle that just fine.”
My plea fell on deaf ears.
“Hehe, but my squad members have put their trust in me, how could I...”
“A superior's command on the battlefield is absolute.”
“...Understood.”
In the end, my brief resistance was futile, and I was assigned to the death squad.
And so.
“Let's go.”
At Bukgung Baek's word, one hundred and thirty Outer Hall warriors and thirty Black Mountain Tigers moved forward.
At the same time, I immediately sent a mental message to the great chieftain.
[You've done more than enough by bringing us this far, so please don't involve yourself any further. You can hide somewhere. Imagine how heartbroken Tagon would be if he returned home to find his father gone.]
I was worried he might lose his senses and charge in, seeking revenge for his tribesmen.
“...!”
At the mention of his eldest son's name, the great chieftain flinched and then quietly nodded.
Right, with this, I've done my part.
So, Tagon, you have to join the Outer Hall after you graduate from the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion.
And so the charge began.
Crack. CRASH!
The moment Bukgung Baek's strike landed, the iron gate split apart like a log struck by an axe.
Waaah!
With the war cry of the Outer Hall warriors as the signal, the life-or-death battle began.
I followed Bukgung Baek inside, along with the Black Mountain Tigers.
“Die!”
The warriors of the Southern Heaven Palace guarding the gate swung their weapons at us, but.
Splat!
...they became headless corpses, struck down by the lightning-fast swords of the Black Mountain Tigers.
Kwoooo.
At the same time, I felt a powerful presence.
From the front, three old men were flying toward us at high speed.
Profound martial skill, old age.
They were clearly elders of the Southern Heaven Palace.
Their target was perfectly clear.
“Hall Master!”
Bukgung Baek.
It seemed they intended to quickly suppress the situation by killing our leader.
After all, we weren't the only ones who could use the 'catch the king' strategy.
However, Bukgung Baek, the Ten-Hand Heavenly Conqueror, was a man who stood at the pinnacle of the transcendent realm.
He might not be one of the Ten Great Masters, but he was a battle-hardened warrior whose promotion was guaranteed the moment a spot opened up.
Fwoosh.
Befitting a contender, he sensed their approach and swung a black blade of energy, blocking the elders' attack.
KABOOM!
With a massive explosion, the elders were scattered in all directions.
The Black Mountain Tigers charged toward them.
Thanks to that, the enemies the Black Mountain Tigers had been fighting were left to the Outer Hall warriors who followed.
And as for me.
BOOM.
I used the War King Step and flew in faster than anyone else.
“What!”
The elder, who had been focused on blocking the Black Mountain Tigers' swords, swung his twin sabers in astonishment, but.
Crack. WHAM.
...I slapped his sabers away with a hand brimming with War King Ki and closed the distance even further.
A distance barely wide enough for a couple of fists.
It was the perfect range for my specialty: ultra-close combat.
He hastily tried to create distance, but.
CRUNCH.
...my hand, piercing through his protective energy, embedded itself in his collarbone first.
“You bastard!”
Wincing in pain for a moment, he pulled back and swung a saber at my waist.
It seemed he was trying to slice through my midsection to create distance.
However.
Clang.
I had the Dragon Scale Armor, an A-rank rare item capable of blocking sword ki.
Having blocked his saber with the power of my item, I unleashed the martial art most familiar to my hands.
The Dragon-Slaying Thirteen Strikes.
No, imbued with War King Ki, the fist technique that should now be called the War King Thirteen Strikes erupted.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
“Guhk!”
Completely caught off guard, not expecting me to be wearing protective armor, the flustered old man foolishly exposed his side.
Crack.
I felt the sensation in my hand as bones broke.
After that, it was over.
As I pulled back, the waiting Black Mountain Tigers thrust their swords, all heavily infused with black sword ki.
Five of them, no less!
Clang, clang. Psh-psh-pshuk.
“Ugh!”
The elder managed to parry the first two blades, but the following three plunged straight into his body.
His eyes shot open as he died instantly.
Such an anticlimactic death.
But there was no time for sentiment.
To save as many of the Outer Hall warriors fighting behind us as possible, we had to take the head of the Southern Heaven Palace's lord as quickly as we could.
Bukgung Baek's thoughts seemed to align with mine, as he headed deeper inside immediately after dealing with the elders, with me and the Black Mountain Tigers following close behind.
The precarious clang of weapons echoed from behind us.
* * *
The internal structure of the Southern Heaven Palace was simpler than I expected.
It was just a few tall, spacious pavilions.
The problem was.
“...W-what is this!”
The scene unfolding before my eyes.
Thinking, *It can't be...*, I picked up a round, white object in front of me.
Fshh.
After identifying what it was, I couldn't help but drop it from my hand.
It was a skull. One that appeared to belong to a very young child.
In that moment, I recalled the lie I had carelessly spouted to Wi Ji-pung.
‘They say they eat the raw livers of children to train their martial arts. There are even rumors of some who practice cannibalism.’
I had suspected something was amiss while talking to the great chieftain.
But not like this.
At most, I had imagined they were selling them as slaves to Japan.
While I was reeling in shock.
“As I thought.”
Bukgung Baek's voice reached me, sounding as if he already knew something.
“Do you have an idea of what's going on?”
“There's no time now. I'll tell you after this is over.”
“Yes, sir.”
The breakthrough began anew.
We began a fierce battle with the masters still remaining in the palace.
One fortunate thing was that their numbers were few.
But as we neared the lord's main hall, strange figures blocked our path.
Eyes tinged with a deep red.
A chilling aura.
“Kiyaa!”
The figures, exuding a frantic madness, were clearly not normal.
Even at a rough glance, there were at least a hundred of them.
“You... fools. You've... made it... this far...”
Behind them, the man known as the absolute ruler of Nanman, the lord of the Southern Heaven Palace, revealed himself.
“It's been a long time, Cheol-o.”