Meng Hu Corps #3: Ghost Soul Claims the Tiger Lord

Thud thud thud! The skeleton cavalry charged straight at us.

I formed a sword formation with Serin to guard Hayoung, and soon heat flared up from behind.

Whoosh! As Hayoung swung her stone staff, fireballs imbued with parma—demon-exorcising power—shot out. Talismans scattered like daggers, slamming into the skeleton cavalry.

Boom! A chain of fiery explosions followed.

"Grraaah." The skeletal warhorses engulfed in flames reared up on their forelegs, thrashing wildly. Ghosts had always been weak to fire, after all. Hard for martial artists' swords to handle, but a Taoist's spells gave us the edge.

"Over there!" But spells weren't omnipotent. Some cavalry shrugged off the magic and kept charging us.

I synced with Serin. With our bodies and minds linked as one, there was nothing to fear.

"Geun-hyeop!"

"Yeah!"

A rider closed in on me, swinging its curved blade. Even as a skeleton, the power in that weapon was solid. I didn't dodge. Just flowed it off like I'd been taught.

Tsssk! The moment I deflected the blade with my sword flat.

"Hah!" Serin unleashed sword aura, slashing the rider's flank. The skeleton cavalryman split in two with its mount and collapsed.

"Whoa! One shot!"

"Scattered riders are easy enough to handle!"

True enough. If they charged in formation all at once, hitting their sides would be impossible. But right now, they were separated. We could take them out exploiting this.

"Hey! More keep coming! Block 'em quick!"

"Yeah, got it!"

There were quite a few riders. Hayoung kept blasting spells, picking them off steadily, while Serin and I cut down the ones heading our way, guarding her.

Screee! Dodge or deflect the flying blades. If a skeletal horse tried to trample me, I'd step nimbly aside with footwork, counter, and reclaim my spot. With Serin and Hayoung right there anyway, I focused solely on the rider in front of me, swinging my sword.

"I see it...!"

I could see it. How these bastard riders fought!

"Kraaaah!"

"Aaaah!"

Meanwhile, the Meng Hu Corps was taking massive losses. Dozens already down from curved blades. No surprise. We had a skilled Taoist suppressing them. Those guys? Just swords against cavalry—sitting ducks.

"You fucking bastards!"

"Damn skeleton shits!"

"Kill 'em all!"

But even rotten fish had some bite—the Meng Hu Corps lived up to their name. True to their Murim Alliance combat unit rep, they were dropping riders too.

"Geun-hyeop! More cavalry incoming! If their numbers swell, we can't hold!"

"Yeah...! Look for an opening and fall back!"

"Right! Hayoung!"

"Got it! I'm watching!"

We had to bolt at the first good chance. Perfect—the skeleton cavalry from elsewhere latched onto the Meng Hu Corps. Use 'em as bait!

"How's it looking now!"

"Good!"

Whoosh! We dashed in one direction.

"Fuck you, Tiger Corps scum! Enjoy!"

Sucks I couldn't kill 'em myself, but they'd get surrounded and wiped anyway.

"Aaaah!" Screams echoed from behind. We booked it. The noises faded, and no more cavalry in sight. We'd successfully disengaged. Lucky break.

"Let's rest here a bit, Geun-hyeop. You okay?"

"Yeah. Just need to catch my breath. You, Hayoung?"

"Used a ton of talismans. My Taoist energy's half spent... Fighting more would be risky."

"Regen fast and bail."

Combat rest. We were rushing to recover stamina and move when—

"Kraaaaaah!"

Bloody Geuk-hyeon appeared with the Meng Hu Corps!

"This fucker! How'd he survive that?!"

"You goddamn sons of bitches...!"

But Geuk-hyeon looked off. White-eyed freak? His wide pupils contracted, veins bulging around his eyes. Not normal at all.

"That guy's popped something?"

"A pill?"

"Yeah, like dan pills. Temporarily amps a martial artist's power."

Hayoung the dan expert confirmed it. These bastards were on stims.

"Looks like we thinned the cavalry too much. They made it here after huge sacrifices—their gamble paid off."

"Yeah... Figures."

One thing left to do: Annihilate the Meng Hu Corps here. I stepped forward, roaring.

"Geuk-hyeon, you fuck! I'll kill you here!"

"Ha! You're the dead ones, you shitty weaklings...!"

As the bloodshot-eyed Meng Hu Corps closed in—

Clop clop! More cavalry appeared behind them!

"Captain!"

"These bastards again!"

Meng Hu Corps ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠engaged. Fast warhorses veered our way; Hayoung and Serin blocked them. I was about to strike a rider when—

"Kraaaaaah!"

Geuk-hyeon bellowed, charging me head-on!

"This fucker's targeting me!"

"Geun-hyeop!"

"Hold the cavalry! Geuk-hyeon's mine!"

"Got it...!"

Flames roared, Serin's sword aura cleaved riders. Amid it all, I advanced on Geuk-hyeon.

Vrrrrm. Cheong-han Sim-gong circulated, boiling my body. My inner energy surged. Not its original nature, but that's how it felt now.

"These goddamn Meng Hu Corps fucks...!"

All their fault! Rage boiled inside. Scum like him riding Murim Alliance and Imperial Guard clout. Couldn't touch him even if it pissed me off. Power of authority. Lowly prick with shit power and character, oppressing others via the system. Disgusting.

Is this Murim? Geuk-hyeon types leeching power to commit evil—martial honor and righteousness felt like a fucking joke.

But now, with that power veil far off, no need to hold back!

"I'll kill you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠right here, you revolting trash! You're Murim's shame! Murim Alliance's bastard child!"

"Filthy unorthodox scum, shut your trap!"

I aimed my sword at Geuk-hyeon.

Never imagined it'd go like this. It was supposed to go to plan.

Geuk-hyeon had crushed unorthodox groups while scheming for profit. This time too.

Pressure Nachal Bang with authority, assign suicidal missions for insubordination, then manipulate. 'Fuck!'

All down the drain. No choice now. Kill 'em all and run.

'Pathetic fuck!' Laughable—Screaming Nachal charged solo. From observations, he was a notch below. Okhwa Geom maybe, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not this punk.

Geuk-hyeon, Meng Hu captain, honed killing unorthodox scum. Plus combat dan now. No way he'd lose.

'Clear him, bail, link with other Meng Hu, then take out isolated Okhwa Geom and Plunder Fire Lotus in the mountains.'

Decision made—

Screee! Screaming Nachal's sword flew in.

'Great Flow Sword Art—not great.' Strength: relentless heavy strikes building power.

"Pathetic! Think that shit can take me?!"

Geuk-hyeon swung, parrying. Overwhelm early.

Success. He sneered. "Worthless unorthodox shit! Thought you had me? I'm Meng Hu captain Geuk-hyeon! No way a fuck like you—!"

"Shut your fucking trap, you psycho bitch!"

"What?! You fuck!"

Rage exploding, Geuk-hyeon unleashed a heavy strike—

Bam! Screaming Nachal awkwardly blocked and flew ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠back.

"Pitiful worm! Reeled by a probe strike?!"

Ridiculous. Flying that far from a feint? Murderous fury. Insulted by trash intolerable. He kicked off to finish—

'Huh?'

Déjà vu halted him. The guy struck a weird pose.

"..."

One arm straight forward, sword hand pulled back by his eye. Tip aimed at him.

'What? Stab from there—'

Thoughts cut off.

Whoosh! Suddenly, his sword blazed purple. Ghostly wails echoed. Eerie energy invaded.

"What...?"

Screaming Nachal's form darkened. Burning violet within—like a mighty yokai.

"Hah!"

Geuk-hyeon hastily drew sword aura—his ace. Not free control, but killed a Peak expert once.

But he couldn't swing.

"Ghost Soul Single Thrust."

Screeeee! Arrow-like, piercing the gap.

"Hup!"

Panicked, Geuk-hyeon raised his sword—

He saw it. Sinister energy bursting from the blade.

And—

Clang!

His sword blocked—

Sneer. The guy smirked.

'Why?' Blocked yet smiling?

Then—

BOOOOM!

Purple flames exploded point-blank.

"Grahhh!"

Geuk-hyeon squeezed eyes shut. Must counter—swung, but sword felt light. No—

"Wha—!"

Just no sword in hand. Fingers gone too.

"Wh-what?!"

Hand mangled, bloody. Like a thunderbolt exploded in his grip!

From that blast?!

'No! No way! Me! Meng Hu captain! Commanding Murim Alliance troops! Die for this shit reason...!'

Last moments, ultimate terror. He flailed. But fingerless, swordless—nothing.

Eyes met Screaming Nachal's. Wicked, deadly serious.

'This fuck... Enlightened mid-fight!'

Rage flickered.

'This yokai bastard... I was wrong. Vicious yokai in human skin!'

Vision blacked out.