Chapter 206
Chapter 206
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 206
Chapter Title: Protective Intent
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He kicked up his foot. The sword touching him bounced away.
Protective Intent surpassing Protective Aura.
The intent mastered through Sword Heart completely shattered the enemy's Protective Aura. The raised sword split into dozens of pieces, causing fragments to rain down like a storm.
"...W-What...?"
He casually deflected one heading for his head. Amid the sounds of countless fragments embedding into the ground, he extended his hand.
The Supreme Sword of the Unorthodox Paths, Black Cloud.
He lifted up the man, whose final sight was even more distorted than before.
"Long time no see, Black Cloud."
"...You... are...?"
His condition was a mess. The woman behind him, staring wide-eyed, was in the same state.
Was it from the long pursuit? Or the poison? He didn't know exactly which...
But first, he needed to sort out the situation.
"Everyone, stop."
"Y-You bastard! What sorcery is this!"
He grabbed the face of the charging unorthodox warrior and slammed him into the ground, burying him deep.
---Kwaaaang!!!
The resounding vibration echoed. He released the man now embedded deeply into the earth.
The remaining ones flinched at the sight.
"W-What was that just now...?"
"T-This can't be real..."
He strode through the frozen crowd. He reached out to the woman who had half-risen.
This must be... the Sa Do Heir.
Even in her wrecked state, her beauty still shone through, so it was probably her.
"Sa Do Heir Gu Ok-gyeong, correct?"
"...Who... are you?"
"Song Nam-cheon requested my help."
"What? Song Nam-cheon did?"
"...First things first."
He turned to those slinking away.
He couldn't just let them go.
Not knowing what might happen later.
"I'll sort out the situation now."
He extended his hand. Red qi threads shot out like silk, binding everything.
Blood Threads.
A variant form of Manifestation Qi.
He lightly tugged the threads that bound all the warriors in an instant. Normally, they would shatter into fragments, but he held back.
They might yield useful information.
---Chwaaaaak!
The bound warriors screamed as they were pulled together. Ignoring them, he pressed the bundle against a rock.
Even binding them took only a moment. He turned his gaze back to the subdued warriors.
He helped the real Sa Do Heir to her feet. She stared at him in disbelief at what she'd just witnessed, asking awkwardly.
"What... kind of monster are you? Did Song Nam-cheon have someone like you...?"
"I just came because our goals align. I'd appreciate it if you didn't see me as a mere underling. And Black Cloud, what about the promise you made with me?"
Black Cloud, who had been panting, flinched.
"Th-There were circumstances."
"......."
"It's true! I can explain! This Black Cloud never speaks a lie!"
"What is it?! What's your relationship?!"
He perked up his ears to the noise coming from afar.
Heaven's Net, was it? As expected, the pursuit wasn't just one group. He could keep fighting and subduing them, but...
"Jokes aside for now, we should move."
There wasn't really a reason to.
He could just slip away anyway.
Song Nam-cheon arrived late, panting as if even following had been tough, wiping drool from his mouth.
"How are you so fast... Heir!"
"Song Nam-cheon! What's all this about?!"
"F-First, let's move! Red Cloud! What about these guys?!"
"I was going to take them since they might have info."
Song Nam-cheon drew his sword and unhesitatingly decapitated the bound ones.
Spraying blood. The familiarity of killing reminded him once more who these people were.
Unorthodox warriors, indeed. Different from the orthodox ones.
They only thought in terms of gains.
"These small fry won't know anything! Heir! Follow me first! There's a hideout I prepared in a hurry!"
"Wait."
The Sa Do Heir growled and swung her sword. It pierced the last remaining warrior, who lay unconscious.
"You fucking bastard... If we meet in the afterlife, I'll kill you again."
A woman with a vindictive streak.
Song Nam-cheon hurriedly led the way. He turned back alone.
"Red Cloud?! Didn't I say we need to hurry?!"
"Leave a trail. I'll catch up soon."
"What do you..."
"Moving with two in bad shape will slow us down naturally."
He started walking. To draw away the approaching presences.
"Go on ahead."
"...Got it...!"
They vanished. He didn't mind.
He preferred moving alone anyway.
The gathered presences landed before him soon after. The Sa Do pursuit squad, drawn by the commotion, flinched at the strewn corpses and him.
"...Who are you?"
No info to gain, as expected.
He gave a curt warning.
"Turn back, and I'll spare your lives."
"Attack!"
The swords flying without heed to the warning were actually convenient.
They saved him thinking time.
"You chose this."
Ghost Sword, Nine Ghosts hummed lowly.
. . .
A bonfire crackled. He placed hastily gathered rations over it.
Song Nam-cheon glanced at the cloth-covered entrance. A small cave midway up a cliff, converted into a hideout.
Being makeshift, it had some flaws in secrecy. But in the current situation, it was the best.
He was on the run too. After checking for pursuers, Song Nam-cheon covered the entrance again.
The Sa Do Heir crammed poorly warmed jerky into her mouth. Black Cloud did the same.
"...How long have you been starving?"
"Three days? Maybe longer."
"I heard you went far."
"We got blocked at the Sa Do border. The defenses were too tight to proceed. The pursuers kept tightening the noose... In the end, we had no choice but to turn back to survive. It was the best option. Big Cloud, water."
"Here."
The Sa Do Heir, having filled her stomach somewhat, sighed. She leaned against the wall and looked down at her wounds.
"Any golden sore medicine...?"
"Yes."
"Good."
Anyone could see her severe wounds as she slathered on the medicine, stifling groans.
The remaining medicine naturally went to the Supreme Sword of the Unorthodox Paths. But he shook his head.
"I'm fine. Better to save it."
"Your internal energy's depleted too. Use it."
"I'm fine."
"...Stubborn as ever. Song Nam-cheon. Gotta say, it's touching? Didn't know you'd like me this much."
"A steward's role is to follow the heir. It's only natural."
"If there were more like you, we wouldn't be chased like this. That bitch..."
"Can you tell me the truth?"
"Before that, I have a question. What was that kid earlier? Where'd you get that monster?"
"...A warrior from the Heavenly Dragon Society."
"Heavenly Dragon Society? Orthodox warrior? Why's he helping us?"
"I don't know the details either..."
The cloth tore open. The three startled and gripped their swords.
But the intruder was someone they knew. The warrior they'd parted with recently.
He stepped inside, cradling his scabbard as he leaned against the wall. In the sudden silence, Song Nam-cheon subtly pointed at him.
"Why don't you ask him directly?"
. . .
Sa Do Heir Gu Ok-gyeong rolled her eyes slightly.
A strange man. Even after witnessing that divine feat earlier, nothing emanated from him now.
Experts usually recognized each other. But this man had none of that.
He seemed like a commoner who'd never learned the sword. If she hadn't seen the earlier scene, she wouldn't have believed he was a warrior even if told.
Third-rate warrior.
That was the extent of his presence.
But she'd seen it.
The astonishing sight of him blocking a full-force Manifestation Qi strike with his instep.
Could even a Transcendent Realm expert do that? Honestly, she wasn't sure. She herself lacked certainty.
Even if due to some special martial art property, it was bizarre. But one thing was certain.
"...You."
He's strong.
Unfathomably so.
"An ally?"
One question pierced the silence. He answered with a sidelong glance.
His eyes were sharp. His face was neat and handsome. Frankly, not just handsome-perfectly sculpted, as if chiseled and refined.
She knew of bone refinement. But somehow, his face felt like all flaws had been meticulously carved away.
A refined appearance. But more importantly...
It was in the sword he cradled.
The sword, embraced like a cherished lover, rippled with an eerie energy. Honestly, upon first sight, she'd question the sword more than him-it was that alien.
The sword itself felt like a living being.
Gu Ok-gyeong changed her line of questioning.
"What's with that sword? A divine artifact?"
"A divine artifact and my treasured weapon. Now, we're inseparable."
".......?"
A heavy explanation for a mere weapon.
He turned his body. As if to clearly state his position, he spoke.
"For now, I'm an ally. You can say that. Our goals align, so you can trust me until then."
"...What goal?"
"The fake Sa Do Heir. That's Yeongwol, right?"
The Sa Do Heir flinched.
"...How do you know that?"
"I'm here to kill her."
"What? An assassin sent by the orthodox factions?"
"No point hiding it now. I'm not from the orthodox factions."
He stated curtly.
"I'm a member of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Red Cloud of the Soul-Hunting Pavilion. A double agent sent by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult... currently pursuing two suspected Reverse Heaven members. Yeongwol and Jin Baek-cheon. They're my targets."
"...Reverse Heaven."
At the name from Yeongwol's lips, Gu Ok-gyeong narrowed her eyes.
Her posture naturally leaned forward.
"I'd like to hear more details about that."