Chapter 122
While Namgung Un faced Dwarf Slayer, Bu Eun-seol and Heuk-pyo darted across the battlefield, hurling flying daggers at the assassins mixed among the Blade Tyrant Gate's forces.
Whoosh!
Unlike the renowned hidden weapon techniques of the martial world, Bu Eun-seol's Flying Dagger Art wasn't particularly fast.
Yet the timing of each dagger's release was exquisitely precise.
—Guhk!
Every time his sleeve sliced through the air, a flash of white light would streak forth, unfailingly embedding itself in an assassin's throat.
Without fail, screams erupted from the Blade Tyrant Gate disciples and assassins wherever Bu Eun-seol passed.
"In the chaos of battle, how you throw a hidden weapon doesn't matter. What matters is releasing it at the right moment, in the right place."
Even as he flung daggers, Bu Eun-seol continuously imparted the core principles of the Dagger Mastery Manual to Heuk-pyo.
"Match your dagger's release to your enemy's movement. Practicing unpredictable timing is more important than mastering famous hidden weapon techniques."
Clink-clank!
Heuk-pyo's hidden weapon techniques began to shift after hearing the manual's essence.
Unlike before, his Blood Chain Rings now sliced through the air and struck the assassins' bodies.
He had realized that releasing a dagger at the perfect moment was far more effective than showcasing flashy techniques.
"Urgh!"
Even the daggers that missed their mark disrupted the enemy's movements, aiding their allies in battle.
"That's how it's done."
By the time Bu Eun-seol and Heuk-pyo had crisscrossed the battlefield, the Blade Tyrant Gate's formation had nearly collapsed.
The battle was now reaching its climax.
Clang-clang-clang!
Meanwhile, Namgung Un and Dwarf Slayer's duel had reached its peak.
Dwarf Slayer alternated between feints and killing moves, blending hand axes with poison, hidden weapons, even whistles and shouts.
But none of it worked on Namgung Un—his experience at Bear Family Mountain Villa had already familiarized him with the Valley of Dark Death's assassins' methods.
Flash!
Then, the midday sun reflected off Dwarf Slayer's hand axe, blinding Namgung Un.
"Tch."
The moment Namgung Un jerked his head away, Dwarf Slayer seized the opportunity to unleash a killing move.
"Got you now!"
But in that instant, Namgung Un—eyes still shut—released a lightning-fast sword stroke.
It was Heaven and Earth Self-Oblivion, the ultimate technique of the Azure Sky Flying Swallow Sword.
"What—?!"
As it turned out, Namgung Un had seen through Dwarf Slayer's sunlight trick. Pretending to shield his eyes, he had instead unleashed a surge of sword qi.
Swoosh!
The killing move of the Azure Sky Flying Swallow Sword grazed Dwarf Slayer's chest, sending his suspended body crashing to the ground.
The sword qi of Heaven and Earth Self-Oblivion had already swept through his Heart Meridian.
"Ghh—!"
Dwarf Slayer tried to channel his internal energy to protect his heart meridian, but it was too late.
Feeling his breath fading, he clutched his chest with a look of bitter resentment.
"Where the hell did this monster come from...?"
His words never reached completion.
Thud.
Dwarf Slayer collapsed headfirst, lifeless.
"Hah... Hah..."
Gasping for air, Namgung Un used his Golden Needle Sword as a crutch to push himself up.
Since entering the martial world, this battle with Dwarf Slayer had been the most grueling—and the closest to death.
"If this were the past, I'd have died within ten moves against him."
Had it not been for the brutal combat experience at Bear Family Mountain Villa, Namgung Un would have been killed by Dwarf Slayer before even using his sword technique.
"I picked the right person to follow."
He turned his head to look at Bu Eun-seol.
In the short time he'd been trailing him, he'd experienced far more than he ever had drifting aimlessly through the martial world.
"I may not be good at much, but I know how to judge people."
His gaze shifted to Bu Eun-seol, who was dominating the distant battlefield.
With an expressionless face, he moved like a Death God delivering judgment.
Truly, swallowing his pride to follow Bu Eun-seol had been an exceptional choice.
"Damn these bastards!"
Gwan Dok-gun, watching the battle unfold, clenched his fists until his knuckles whitened.
As time passed, the Blade Tyrant Gate's ranks were piling up with wounded and corpses.
Even the Valley of Dark Death's assassins were nearly annihilated. The only reason the Blade Tyrant Gate's disciples were holding on was sheer numbers.
"Hmm."
At that moment, the masked man standing beside Gwan Dok-gun with his arms crossed finally spoke.
"Propose a duel."
"A duel?"
"Three versus three would be best. The last side standing takes everything."
"Will they agree? The situation is turning in their favor."
The masked man chuckled lowly.
"Even if they have the upper hand, our forces still outnumber theirs by more than double. If this drags on, it'll be mutual destruction—no victor, just total annihilation."
Gwan Dok-gun gave a slight nod.
Indeed, even if the Heaven-Shaking Gate won, less than a third of their disciples would survive.
"Very well. Let's do it."
With an impressed expression, Gwan Dok-gun stepped forward and bellowed,
"Halt!"
As the Blade Tyrant disciples froze, he strode through the ranks, slowly advancing toward the Heaven-Shaking Gate's forces.
"If this continues, it'll be mutual destruction!"
"Gwan Dok-gun."
The Heaven-Shaking Gate's formation parted, and an elderly man with neatly combed white hair stepped forward—Wang In-hwa, the sect leader, who had been in secluded recovery for his injuries.
"For ten years, you've encroached upon our territory. And now, without a single word, you invade our headquarters."
He glared at Gwan Dok-gun with bitter resentment.
"Why have you done this?"
"The martial world has always been a place where the weak are devoured and the strong feast. I merely sought to expand my sect's influence."
At Gwan Dok-gun's shameless reply, Wang In-hwa asked flatly,
"So now that the situation has turned, you wish to retreat?"
"Far from it."
Gwan Dok-gun bared his teeth in a grin as he glanced around.
"Let us decide victory in a three-on-three duel."
"A three-on-three duel?"
"Indeed. Each side selects three masters—the last one standing wins."
His eyes flickered toward Gwak Cheon standing beside Wang In-hwa before adding,
"Let the leaders settle this."
It was an audacious proposal.
Yet Gwak Cheon and the Heaven-Shaking disciples didn't jeer.
If anything, they almost wanted to praise him for reading the situation so well.
The losses on both sides had been too severe.
"Hmm..."
Wang In-hwa exhaled a heavy sigh.
Continuing the fight would guarantee victory.
The Human Sword Unit was holding its own, but the Wanderer Corps Mun Gwang had brought was overwhelming the Blade Tyrant forces.
Yet if they pressed on, less than a third of the Heaven-Shaking disciples would survive.
"Truly, your calculations are impressive."
A victory that cost most of his disciples would be no better than defeat.
At last, Wang In-hwa nodded with resignation.
"Very well. Let it be decided by a three-on-three duel. The winner withdraws from Sangyang."
"Wise choice."
Once both sides agreed, Wang In-hwa and the Three Great Legion commanders huddled together.
With the sect leader still recovering, the Heaven-Shaking Gate's strongest forces were the Heaven, Earth, and Human Sword Units and their commanders.
But Gwak Cheon of the Heaven Sword Unit and Ju Un-cheon of the Earth Sword Unit had sustained heavy injuries in the fierce battle.
The only one still in fighting shape was Mun Gwang, commander of the Human Sword Unit.
"Commander Mun, you must take the first bout."
At Wang In-hwa's words, Mun Gwang clasped his hands.
"I will win all three rounds for you."
With bold confidence, he strode into the open space between the two factions and drew his sword.
"Come at me, any of you!"
From the Blade Tyrant ranks, a man wielding a jagged, sickle-like Grotesque Blade stepped forward—Gok Nam-cheon, the vice sect leader.
No formal greetings. No starting stance.
Mun Gwang and Gok Nam-cheon locked eyes—then immediately unleashed their killing moves.
CLANG!
Sword and saber clashed midair, sparks flying.
Mun Gwang's sword technique was as steady as Mount Tai, while Gok Nam-cheon's saber style was as agile and ruthless as a viper.
In raw martial skill, Gok Nam-cheon's saber was superior—but Mun Gwang had far more experience in the martial world and was quick to adapt.
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
But after about forty exchanges, the difference in their skills became glaringly apparent.
"Die!"
Gok Nam-cheon's Grotesque Blade pierced toward Mun Gwang's armpit, having pinpointed a flaw in his sword technique.
The strike was so exquisitely timed that Mun Gwang had no way to evade it.
'Even if I die, I cannot lose.'
Instead of dodging the incoming blade, Mun Gwang surged forward, driving his own sword deep into Gok Nam-cheon's chest.
THUD.
With a sickening sound, Gok Nam-cheon's Grotesque Blade impaled Mun Gwang's lung, while Mun Gwang's sword buried itself deep into Gok Nam-cheon's shoulder—piercing the Shoulder Well acupoint.
SCHLICK!
As the weapons embedded in each other's bodies were pulled free, the two men staggered backward in unison, blood gushing as if they had planned it.
"I lost."
Mun Gwang, who had dropped his sword, wore a satisfied smile.
He couldn't claim outright victory, but Gok Nam-cheon, with his Shoulder Well acupoint deeply wounded, wouldn't be able to fight in the next round either.
"Forgive me, Sect Leader."
When Mun Gwang stumbled back, Wang In-hwa swiftly moved to support him.
"You've done well. Someone! Quickly, take Commander Mun to the medical tent—"
"No need."
Mun Gwang pressed a hand to the acupoint on his chest, leaning against a nearby tree as he spoke.
"If I'm to receive treatment, I'll do it right here."
"Hmm..."
Seeing the resolve in Mun Gwang's eyes, Wang In-hwa had no choice but to nod reluctantly.
"Very well. Leave the rest to me."
And with that, Wang In-hwa stepped forward.
Until now, he had refrained from using his martial arts, unable to fully heal the deep internal injuries he had long suffered.
But with the fate of the Heaven-Shaking Gate hanging in the balance, he strode forward, ready to face death itself.
"Hohoho. So the Sect Leader himself steps forth?"
As Wang In-hwa advanced, Gwan Dok-gun curled his lips into a sinister smile.
"I wonder if those internal injuries have healed yet."
Despite the provocation, Wang In-hwa remained expressionless, merely nodding.
"Why don't you find out for yourself?"
By the code of the Martial World, since the opposing leader had stepped forward, Gwan Dok-gun should have done the same—this was the proper way of battle.
But Gwan Dok-gun only smirked and shook his head.
"I don't think it's my time yet. Vice Leader Do!"
He intended to humiliate Wang In-hwa by sending out one of his subordinates instead.
"Wait."
But suddenly, the Masked Man stopped him, gesturing to the subordinate standing silently at his side.
"Myeong-in. You go."
"Understood."
Gwan Dok-gun looked puzzled.
Until now, this subordinate named Myeong-in had not spoken a single word, nor had he participated in the battle—he had simply stood by the Masked Man's side the entire time.
And now, he was being sent out for such a crucial fight?
"But he—"
"Your man cannot defeat the leader of the Heaven-Shaking Gate."
Gwan Dok-gun frowned at the Masked Man's words.
"Wang In-hwa has been suffering from internal injuries for years. No matter how skilled he is—"
"Wang In-hwa's injuries were sustained while cultivating the Ascendant External Arts."
"Ascendant... External Arts?"
Gwan Dok-gun was skeptical, but so far, the Masked Man had never been wrong.
Moreover, he was a master who moved through the Blade Tyrant Gate as if it were his own home—he must have some plan in mind.
"Very well."
As Gwan Dok-gun nodded, Myeong-in slowly stepped forward.
He appeared to be just past twenty, but his eyes burned with fierce energy.
Wang In-hwa, recognizing that this young man was no ordinary opponent, extended his hand with a cautious expression.
"Come."
Without a word, Myeong-in unleashed a single fist.
The strike was so fast that Wang In-hwa instinctively twisted his body aside.
As the overwhelming fist energy grazed his shoulder, Wang In-hwa reached for his sword to counter—
But Myeong-in's next fist technique was even faster.
"Hmph."
Wang In-hwa had no choice but to retreat on the defensive.
WHISH—CRACK!
The pattern repeated—Wang In-hwa attempting to draw his sword, Myeong-in relentlessly pressing with rapid fist strikes.
'A miscalculation on my part.'
Wang In-hwa bit his lip.
Not only was Myeong-in's fist technique blindingly fast, but he seemed to anticipate the sword path Wang In-hwa intended to take, always seizing the defensive position first.
Even after forty exchanges, Wang In-hwa couldn't counter—he was completely on the back foot.
"Hmm."
Wang In-hwa grew impatient.
At this rate, even if a hundred exchanges passed, he wouldn't gain the upper hand—he'd just keep dodging.
'No more holding back.'
Wang In-hwa raised his internal energy to its limit.
The hair on his head stood on end as a massive shockwave erupted in all directions.