Murim's Grudges #2
In the end, Jae Mi-son never showed. No choice—I dragged my ass back to the guesthouse I was crashing at and hit the sack. Then, bright and early the next morning, I swung by the Dahoebang to scope out some easy gigs before hunting down Jae Mi-son again. Finally, I caught up to that bastard.
"Hey! I'm here!"
"The gift...?"
This prick starts yapping about gifts the second he sees me.
"Had some rations, but I scarfed 'em all on the way."
"Kek... Sounds like you've got a demon in your gut."
"Heh heh heh, the Namgung Family's just too damn far, man. Hey, let's grab a drink."
"You're buying..."
"Aw, come on, why's it always gotta be me?"
"Look at you, dressed like a beggar..."
Ah.
"Can't be helped, right?"
"Kuk kuk, you're a proper young master in disguise. So, what went down?"
"I'll spill it all."
I plopped down with Jae Mi-son right away and ordered booze and snacks.
"But first—anything special happen? You get back safe after that job?"
"Not really... Oh, yeah, one thing."
"What?"
"This vigilante called Na-chal-sal showed up..."
"That's me, dumbass."
"Already figured it out? Lame. Anyway, I'm dying to know... what happened at the Namgung Family?"
"Heh heh heh, well, see..."
My mouth was watering to brag. I poured a shot of liquor, chomped a dumpling, and got started.
"No matter how you slice it, I pulled off a huge feat. So the Namgung Family hooked me up with a reward."
"No way—that sword...?"
"Bingo. They call it the Heavenly Thunder Sword."
I unstrapped the sheath and handed it to Jae Mi-son.
"Whoa, whoa...! Incredible!"
Rare praise from Jae Mi-son as he turned the blade over, inspecting it from every angle.
"What a sword."
"Hey... I tossed my I-sang Je-go and racked up merits too—what's this crap? Don't fuck with me..."
You're the support, I'm the carry, buddy.
"You got silver for that, remember? Anyway, I even shook hands with the family head, Namgung Cheon."
"What...!"
Jae Mi-son's hair practically stood on end.
"You met the Sword King Namgung Cheon...! Word is he's a Hwa-gyeong master...!"
"No shit!"
A Hwa-gyeong master!
"How strong is that?!"
"The Sword King could probably hang with the Ten Great Yokai Lords... Kuk kuk, you had no clue? Knew you were crazy, but this level?"
The Ten Great Yokai Lords! Monsters way beyond Madu Nachal—right under the absolute top yokai, absolute freaks of nature. And Namgung Cheon was that strong!
Makes sense, though. Explains why his daughter's at the Peak realm.
"What'd he look like?"
"Looked young. But just greeting him felt like standing before some overwhelming force."
"Kek... Impressive you didn't pass out."
"That so? Anyway, after the hellos and grabbing this Heavenly Thunder Sword, Okhwa Geom taught me some martial arts as thanks. Treated me like royalty for days."
"What...!"
Jae Mi-son clutched his head.
"Un-fucking-believable... You learned from the Murim's Divine Flower, Okhwa Geom."
"Yeah. She taught me solid over a few days. Heh heh heh."
"Grr... Kuk kuk, kuh ku ku kuk!"
Jae Mi-son grabbed his head and burst out laughing.
"I can feel the overwhelming jealousy... It's killing me."
"Bullshit. Oh, and I absorbed Madu Nachal's yodan too. Checked with a doc—no issues."
"That's still weird..."
Fair enough. No precedents anyway. I'm probably the only freak with this constitution, so nothing more to say.
Well, one thing nags at me. Inner energy boost makes sense, but my morning wood's gotten ridiculously intense. Real side effect?
"Hey, drink up already. My mouth's dry as hell."
"Bragging all day and now this..."
"You asked, asshole."
"Never thought it'd piss me off this much..."
Whatever. We pounded drinks, and I retold the Madu Nachal hunt—how brave and badass we were, how righteously we upheld justice and chivalry. In the story, we were legendary heroes.
"Kuk kuk... Learning from Okhwa Geom must've bumped your realm. Yokai hunts'll be a breeze now."
"Heh heh heh, can't wait to test my swordsmanship."
"With my I-sang Je-go and your Heavenly Thunder Sword, we're invincible... Ditch the Na-chal-sal crap and let's be the Anhui Twin Heroes..."
"Nah, keeping it."
"Don't joke, seriously..."
Anhui Twin Heroes, my ass. Na-chal-sal's way cooler than that lame shit.
"Kuh ha!"
We drank till it was right, then called it.
"Hey! Dahoebang tomorrow!"
"Got it..."
Hunt jobs together at the Dahoebang tomorrow. Solid plan—feels good having it locked in. You gotta roll with reliable guys. Knowing Jae Mi-son's in, already feels secure.
Heading back to my guesthouse...
"Hm?"
Suddenly, I sensed a presence.
"..."
Maybe I'm just paranoid? Glanced back—nothing.
PTSD? Got jumped last time on a night path, bawled like a bitch, committed my first kill in that state. Makes me uneasy now. I'm stronger, more experienced... but fighting humans for keeps is always risky.
Shaking it off, I picked up the pace.
Thud.
That proved it wasn't my imagination. A figure stepped from the shadows, calling out.
"Hey."
Turned—and two more emerged. Surrounded by three!
"Who the fuck are you?"
I knew I was screwed and drew my sword. Three total? Why target me? My clean clothes? Think I'm loaded and here to mug the young master?
"The hell? Check this prick—draws first? Yo, you fucking cunt, did your mom teach you to pull steel before saying hi?"
The guy in back sneered slyly.
"Wait— what's his deal? Ain't he a ronin? Then what's that sword?"
One of the front duo spoke up.
They know I'm a ronin? Got intel on me?
"Th-that guy's..."
Saw the stuttering one—familiar build.
"Ah!"
That fucker from the last ambush!
"You motherfucker! You're that guy from before!"
I yelled cheerfully, but...
"Motherfu...? Y-you bastard! I'm O Su-man!"
"O Su-man who?"
"Chang-sam's best friend and the vigilante here to kill you! I'll avenge Chang-sam you murdered!"
"Chang-sam who?"
O Su-man, Chang-sam—first I've heard. Sure, I'm an aspiring method actor intellectual. Context says Chang-sam was the prick I killed. But playing dumb and smirking'll shake 'em up.
"Chang-sam was my best friend you killed! Don't play dumb!"
"Heh heh heh, oh, that guy? Screamed so pathetically, thought he was a ghost. That a crime these days—killing ghosts?"
"Y-you fucking bastaaard!"
Provocation landed—O Su-man flipped.
And...
"..."
"..."
The other two sensed something off from my chill vibe, backing up warily. Smart play. Show weakness to these thugs? Nah. Only cockiness or raw killing intent!
Thump thump!
Truth? Scared shitless, legs shaking. But can't show it to street punks. Project nonchalance—or pure bloodlust!
"Bandit scum talking revenge for a 'friend'? No shame at all? Die as a thief, that's karma—what grudge? You retarded?"
"C-can't take anymore! Bros! It's this fucker!"
Bros?
"..."
O Su-man yelled, but his "bros" looked deflated. Cocky at first surround, but I seized initiative—they wilted.
"Bros? You dragged backup for revenge, bitch? Hey bros, don't wanna die? Hand over that prick and fuck off?"
"This fucker..."
One "bro" beside O Su-man growled.
"Not scared of the Amto Bang?"
Amto Bang? What, Dark Earth something? Lame.
"Your arrogance ends now. Don't wanna scream with limbs hacked off? Drop your weapon."
"Ooh, Black Dao gangsters?"
Obvious Black Dao vibes. Assess. Assess.
Roooar.
I quietly circulated inner energy, weighing options. O Su-man borrowed Amto Bang muscle for payback. Fine for him, but can I cut this grudge chain? No. Doubt it. Plus, surrounded. Their talk screams violence incoming. Death or cripple certain. Unacceptable.
So, to survive: kill 'em all or some and bolt. Then eternal feud with Amto Bang till one side's wiped.
"...Fuck."
This bullshit situation? Total injustice. Retaliate on a mugger and become Black Dao chow? No.
"You motherfuckers already pissing me off and now this shit...!"
"What?"
It's on. Slaughter these cunts to end it!
Cloud Flow Body Art. Effortless as drifting clouds.
I spun, charging the lone fucker behind me. Sudden chaos. The targeted Amto Bang thug flinched, drawing steel. But momentum mine—fierce charge!
Spirit, will—overwhelmingly mine!
Blue Cold Heart Art surged. Inner energy from lower dantian flooded meridians, empowering my whole body. Strength overflowed.
Grueling Namgung training paying off. Can't lose to these shits or Serin'll laugh!
"I'll carve you to pieces!"
Great Flow Sword Art unleashed at the Amto Bang thug.
"H-huh, heok?!"
Relentless blade stormed him—no stopping till one dropped!