Chapter 211
Chapter 211
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 211
Chapter Title: The Sword Emperor's Fall
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A sword flew forward, its wielder's eyes like gleaming black obsidian.
Clang!
Sparks flew from the parried sword.
“Ugh…”
A searing pain, as if his grip were being torn apart, followed, but Neung Un-bi did not stop his sword.
Screech, clang!
“Th-this bastard!”
Under Neung Un-bi’s assault, Namgung Mu-wi was forced back, struggling to defend himself.
They had already exchanged over a hundred blows.
Thud!
Leaving a deep footprint in the ground, Neung Un-bi once again used the Three Nothings Footwork to catch up to Namgung Mu-wi.
There was no turning back. He had to press on without a moment's rest.
But he could already taste the metallic tang of blood in his mouth. The Tyrant Asura Art allowed him to use sword qi he had yet to fully master, but at the same time, it was putting an immense strain on his body.
The second swing was harder than the first. His body grew heavier and heavier.
He had long since passed his limit. Once the Tyrant Asura Art burned through all the energy of the Demonic Spirit Divine Pill within him, he would eventually come to a halt.
Therefore, he had to defeat Namgung Mu-wi before that happened.
Enduring the gut-wrenching pain, Neung Un-bi swung his sword with all his might.
In truth, it was an unwinnable fight from the start.
No matter how much he pushed beyond his limits thanks to the Tyrant Asura Art, how could he be a match for a seasoned veteran who had walked the path of the absolute?
It was a battle akin to throwing an egg against a rock.
However, Namgung Mu-wi had much to lose.
Power, wealth, honor, and more.
And he was a man who could not let go of such things.
He fought to survive and enjoy them, extending his sword with the intent to live, while Neung Un-bi, in contrast, poured death into every single move.
That difference was what made their fight so tense.
And finally, the perfect opportunity presented itself.
After repeatedly defending, Namgung Mu-wi's foot slipped, and a brief stumble created an opening.
“D-damn it!”
Namgung Mu-wi hastily tried to regain his posture, but Neung Un-bi’s sword was marginally faster.
The moment the Flying Swallow Sword shot straight for his throat, Namgung Mu-wi gritted his teeth and twisted his body.
Spurt!
Blood sprayed, and Namgung Mu-wi, who had used all his strength to twist away, tumbled to the ground.
But despite the successful attack, Neung Un-bi's expression was grim.
His sword lacked power.
Because of that, it had only torn the skin instead of piercing the flesh.
“...Damn it.”
Neung Un-bi watched as Namgung Mu-wi got to his feet, clutching his own neck.
The blood soaked his upper body, but that was all. Far from being intimidated, he glared back, his eyes gleaming like a wounded tiger's.
This was the moment he had dreaded.
The depletion of his strength.
The strength he had left...
He didn't need to check to know.
The Flying Swallow Sword was trembling faintly.
No, it was his hand that was trembling.
It was as if the brakes had been abruptly slammed on a ceaselessly running machine.
But he couldn't show it. The moment Namgung Mu-wi realized his condition, he would gain confidence in his attacks.
“...What a shame. I was planning to put a hole in your neck first.”
Neung Un-bi, on the contrary, smiled with a cruel expression and licked the blood from his hand.
“Hmph... Is it because this is the blood of the Sword Emperor? I feel a thrill coursing through my entire body.”
To hide the faint tremors, Neung Un-bi trembled exaggeratedly as if writhing in ecstasy, then lifted his chin to look down on Namgung Mu-wi.
“You bastard...”
Fortunately, Namgung Mu-wi didn't seem to notice and didn't attack immediately. The still-bleeding wound on his neck made him hesitate.
About thirty feet.
With his current strength, that was the maximum distance he could cover using the Three Nothings Footwork at full power.
He had to bet everything on this next strike.
There would be no other chances.
Of course, to ensure victory, one more measure was needed.
[Hyang-i.]
“...?”
As Neung Un-bi slowly closed the distance, his gaze fixed on Namgung Mu-wi, Hyang-i subtly turned her head at his call.
[The rock on the right.]
[What?]
[I'll create one single opportunity for you.]
It was a sudden request, but Hyang-i seemed to understand and gave a small nod.
She vanished as if melting into the shadows, but Namgung Mu-wi, focused solely on him, would never notice.
Thud.
Having closed the distance to thirty feet, Neung Un-bi stopped walking.
The point where he, Namgung Mu-wi, and the rock behind him were in a straight line.
“Namgung Mu-wi.”
“...”
“This is the best move I have. I will put everything into this next strike. If you can block it, you win.”
“Your best move?”
“There’s no need to drag this out.”
As Neung Un-bi assumed a drawing stance and lowered his body as if leaning forward, Namgung Mu-wi’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
He must have been just as tense.
“Hoo...”
Neung Un-bi let out a long breath and stared at Namgung Mu-wi.
His sword was held at an angle, aimed.
Deceived by the talk of a 'best move,' Namgung Mu-wi's eyes gleamed as if he had finished his preparations.
He had no reason not to believe it. Neung Un-bi was already scraping the very bottom of his remaining demonic energy and faintly exuding it.
A space dominated by a warrior of sword qi.
Within the thirty-foot distance, their two auras expanded until they clashed.
And in that instant, just as Neung Un-bi's foot left the ground, it stomped down again.
Thump!
Pushing off so lightly it barely left a footprint, Neung Un-bi’s form shot forward.
Come, Namgung Mu-wi.
Show me the greatest power you possess!
As the Three Nothings Footwork was unleashed to its fullest, the drawn Flying Swallow Sword swung, trailing a tail of white light.
“Hup!”
Simultaneously, Namgung Mu-wi's sword rose high to its limit before slashing down vertically.
A vertical slash and a horizontal one.
The two swords, splitting the world, clashed in the shape of a cross.
Craaaash!
The shockwave created by the violent explosion of their energies tore up the ground and uprooted entire trees.
Whoosh! Thunk!
Unable to withstand the force, half of a broken sword flew into the air and embedded itself in the ground.
“Ugh!”
“Grrr...”
Two groans erupted from the center of the devastated battlefield.
But their situations were completely different.
Namgung Mu-wi had only taken two steps back, blood dripping from his torn palm, while Neung Un-bi had collapsed weakly, clutching a deep gash on his shoulder.
In his hand was the Flying Swallow Sword, now only half its original length.
In the end, he couldn't overcome the man known as the Sword Emperor.
Still, he had fortunately pushed him back two steps. Thanks to that, Namgung Mu-wi’s strike hadn't completely severed Neung Un-bi’s shoulder.
“Damn it... I lost.”
Neung Un-bi muttered, looking up at Namgung Mu-wi with exhausted eyes.
Seeing this, a distinct smile appeared on Namgung Mu-wi’s lips.
“Heh, hehehe, khahahahaha!”
He had been so tense about the power of the sword Neung Un-bi would unleash that he too had gathered all his remaining strength to block it.
But the actual power of the sword he clashed with was underwhelming.
No, it was disappointingly weak. If the sword hadn't broken, it would have been Neung Un-bi’s arm that was severed.
Now brimming with confidence, Namgung Mu-wi walked over arrogantly, a wide smile on his face.
“That was truly impressive... I should say. To have achieved so much at such a young age.”
“...Is that so?”
“Of course. But this is where it ends. Consider it an honor to die by my sword.”
Namgung Mu-wi raised his sword with a look of ecstasy.
Looking up at the man's figure, which cast a shadow as it blocked the sun, Neung Un-bi suddenly let out a smirk.
“...Why are you smiling?”
“Just... because you look ridiculous.”
“What?”
“A moment ago, you were panicking, not knowing what to do. But now that you’re sure you’ve won... you’re a completely different person.”
The corner of Namgung Mu-wi’s eye twitched at the scornful words.
“But seeing how your sword is trembling, you must have overexerted yourself, haven't you?”
“...?”
“You fool. Farewell.”
Neung Un-bi, his hands hanging limply at his sides, gave Namgung Mu-wi a bright smile.
Farewell?
Wasn't that something the one about to die shouldn't be saying to him?
Maybe if he'd said 'stay well,' it would have made more sense.
“You madman. Facing death must have scrambled your brain. I was going to make you die a painful death... but as a courtesy to the one who pushed me this far, I'll take your head in a single strike.”
As Namgung Mu-wi's sword plunged down with a murderous glint in his eyes, Neung Un-bi only smiled more brightly.
“Die!”
Slice!
A red line was drawn along with the powerful shout.
But the line was not on Neung Un-bi’s neck; it was on Namgung Mu-wi’s.
“You goddamn bastard! I told you I'd cut your throat!”
With a furious cry, Hyang-i landed beside Neung Un-bi, and the head of Namgung Mu-wi, who stood frozen with sword in hand, thumped to the ground and rolled away.
Spurt!
Unable to withstand the force of the gushing blood, Namgung Mu-wi’s body slowly fell backward.
“Haaah...”
Only then did the tension finally leave Neung Un-bi, and he lowered his head with a sigh.
Thanks to Hyang-i, he had managed to kill the Sword Emperor.
Cowardly?
In a fight where you must kill to survive, where is there room for such things?
Whether it's one-on-one or two-on-one, winning is all that matters.
“Third Young Master, are you okay?”
“...No. It hurts. My insides have been a mess for a while now.”
As Hyang-i tore a piece of her clothing to bandage his shoulder, Neung Un-bi shook his head weakly and complained.
“Hyang-i.”
“What?”
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing...”
At Neung Un-bi’s words, Hyang-i awkwardly whipped her head away.
Still, he was grateful.
From before, and still now...
Without her, he wouldn't have been able to kill the Sword Emperor, let alone make it this far.
“Let’s... end the fighting. I’m tired.”
“Understood.”
At Neung Un-bi’s command, Hyang-i grabbed Namgung Mu-wi’s head from where it had rolled on the ground.
And she shouted.
Loud enough for everyone to hear, even if her throat was hoarse and her voice raspy.
“Everyone, look!”
“...?”
“Namgung Mu-wi is dead!”
It was a short sentence, but what she held in her hand was the head of none other than the Sword Emperor, Namgung Mu-wi.
Some might charge forward, burning with vengeance, but the majority would lose their will to fight and flee.
The few warriors who lunged at Hyang-i, fired up with rage, could not escape the blades of Wang Cheon, Ju Seung, and the Sakwol Squad.
Furthermore, the Namgung family’s formation, which had collapsed as a result, no longer held any power.
The battle that followed was nothing short of a merciless slaughter.
“My lord! What should we do about the ones fleeing?”
“Let them go.”
“Sir?”
“Our own escape takes priority right now.”
“But...”
“Zhuge Min escaped before the fight with Namgung Mu-wi. By now, he’s probably found a safe place and sent a carrier pigeon to report the situation.”
“...!”
“They will come after us. It's possible even the ones who formed the blockade in the north will come down.”
“Nngh.”
“We leave at once. Collect the belongings of the dead, tend to the injured, and get to the desert as quickly as possible. Only then can we escape the pursuit for a while and rest.”
“Understood.”
Receiving Neung Un-bi’s order, Wang Cheon quickly began to organize the area.
Helped up by Hyang-i, Neung Un-bi stood and gazed at a spot on the battlefield with emotionless eyes.
Three among the many dead.
Yun An-ro, Shin Ye-rang, Kim San.
“Brothers...”
Neung Un-bi quietly called out to the men who were like his past, his voice devoid of even a hint of sorrow.
Then, he clenched his trembling fist.
He would leave their bodies behind, along with his past as Cheok Wol-rin.
In the embrace of the Central Plains...
But one day, he would surely return and build a memorial for them.
Here, in what would become the land of the Demonic Cult.
“Let’s go!”
Without any further lingering attachment, Neung Un-bi spun around.
All that remained was a desolate wind, so chilling it made one shudder.