Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: The Awaited Shadows
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He must have been blinded by revenge.
That’s why he couldn't contain his youthful vigor and charged in like a moth to a flame. Or perhaps, having seized the power of Young Lord, he wanted to make his mark on the martial world.
Still, this was too much.
For a fledgling to run wild like this, ignorant of how fearsome the martial world is.
Would such a thing have been conceivable in the Namgung of old?
This was not a reckless act that someone with the status of the Namgung Family's Young Lord should commit so thoughtlessly.
The Vice-Commander was both dumbfounded and furious at the fact that he'd been contemplating escape because of a single fledgling.
He wished he could beat the boy to death right now to vent his frustration, but wasn't this the Young Lord of the Namgung Family?
If he captured him and presented him to the Sect Leader, a great reward would be his. The Sect Leader, in turn, would gain more trust from the Baekri Family.
They say opportunity follows crisis.
Wasn't this the perfect example?
Flash!
The Vice-Commander swiftly drew his sword and pressed it to Namgung Urin's neck. Then, he cast his gaze upon the members of the Azure Sky Sword Brigade.
“All of you, drop your swords! Otherwise, your Young Lord will die right here, right now.”
A broad smile spread across the Vice-Commander's face. It was as if all the smiles he had suppressed until now were rushing out at once.
Even if there were five skilled warriors exuding an aura comparable to his own, what could they do when their precious Young Lord was being held hostage?
“……”
But what was this?
They should have immediately thrown down their swords and begged for their Young Lord's life. Instead, weren't they just staring blankly at him as if watching a fire across the river?
The Vice-Commander was utterly bewildered.
“...What are you all doing! Drop your swords, now! Can't you see my blade is at your Young Lord's throat!”
There was no reason a person with two perfectly good eyes wouldn't see it.
Frustrated by the Vice-Commander who had thoughtlessly placed his sword at Namgung Urin's neck, Namgung Jun spoke up.
“Hey, hey. Put that sword away.”
What are you doing with those perfectly good eyes of yours? Can't you see our Young Lord's lips are curling up?
And in a seriously creepy way, too.
Namgung Chi-hyeok chimed in.
“Ah, seriously. Is that bastard an idiot? What are you doing? I said get that sword away from him.”
We're already going to get the shit beaten out of us because of that bastard Namgung Hyeon-u, and now this guy is fanning the flames of our already furious Young Lord.
If the Young Lord snaps because of that bastard's actions and takes it out on them…
The very thought was terrifying.
No, it was beyond imagination.
The usually quiet Namgung U also uttered a word.
“Please.”
Namgung Seol didn't just stand by and watch either.
“You bastard, you leave so much as a scratch on our Young Lord's face, and I'll cut off your dick first!”
‘…Wh-what is…’
What in the world was this situation?
It made him question if his own perception of the situation was correct.
He never dreamed they would react like this, even with his sword pressed against the throat of the ruined Namgung Family's Young Lord.
The Vice-Commander shifted his gaze to Namgung Urin.
‘…What is this now?’
He was smiling?
He had thought the kid was crazy, but this was a whole new level of insane. His throat was a hair's breadth from being pierced, and he was smiling like that?
And.
Such a chilling smile on a face so young?
Fine.
If you assume he's crazy, then the smile isn't entirely out of place.
But then.
‘What about them?’
Were they all crazy too?
Had the entire Namgung Family gone mad?
That can't be…
The very things Namgung Yul, the head of the Namgung Family, had feared were now coming to pass.
A situation where everyone was going mad, just like his nephew.
As if it had never been there, the smile vanished from Namgung Urin’s face, and his lips parted.
“Put this away.”
If you tell a fleeing thief to stop, will he?
Hardly.
Besides, for the Vice-Commander, this was the last way to get out of here alive.
“You… are you really the Young Lord of the Namgung Family?”
He was even beginning to doubt that such madmen could be from the Namgung.
“Why? You don't think so? After seeing my boys' swords just now, shouldn't you have realized?”
Anyone from a sect in Anhui, especially someone in the position of Vice-Commander, should have recognized it instantly.
“I saw.”
“And you still don't believe it? Ah! The Namgung of old wouldn't have been like this.”
That was true.
How could Namgung Urin not know?
“Enough. Just put this away. If you want to die a clean death, that is.”
Despite his words, the Vice-Commander's sword remained at Namgung Urin's throat. But paying it no mind, Namgung Urin turned his gaze to the Azure Sky Sword Brigade members, who were standing around blankly.
“What are you all doing? Hurry up and finish those guys off. If you want to walk properly on your own two feet tomorrow.”
‘Damn it!’
How could he be so composed with a sword at his neck?
Thinking about it, it was a bit strange that they, the members of the Azure Sky Sword Brigade, were also so composed despite their Young Lord being held hostage.
‘…No way?’
‘Are we crazy too?’
‘Nah.’
‘Birds of a feather flock together, they say.’
‘Birds of a feather? No way. Look at the difference between your faces and the Young Lord's. Don't even dream of it!’
Sigh.
“What are you doing? You don't want to walk on your own two feet?”
“N-No, sir!”
“Then finish it, quickly.”
“Yes, sir!”
The fire in the eyes of the Azure Sky Sword Brigade members, which had been extinguished, reignited. A person should, of course, be able to walk on their own two feet.
But it was too late for the will of the Black Heaven Sword Brigade members to be rekindled. Their fire had already been doused by the cold water that was Namgung, making it impossible to light again.
Thus, with their skills and morale broken, the fight between the Black Heaven and Azure Sky Sword Brigades was no longer a battle for their lives, but a one-sided slaughter by the Azure Sky members.
“Damn it.”
The Vice-Commander gritted his teeth.
The situation had taken a completely unexpected turn. Now, there was only one way for him to survive. He abandoned any luxurious thoughts of delivering the Namgung Family's Young Lord to his Sect Leader.
There was only one thing left: getting out of this place alive.
To do that, his only option was to kill the young Young Lord and escape alone.
“Still there, I see?”
“No.”
‘Now my sword will pierce your throat.’
The Vice-Commander pushed strength into the hand holding the sword the moment he finished speaking.
He pushed, but…
‘…Wh-where?’
The boy who had been right in front of his eyes, no, at the tip of his sword…
Suddenly, the voice of the so-called Young Lord came from behind the Vice-Commander.
“You're trying to save yourself? While your men are dying right before your eyes. Impressive. Truly impressive.”
Clap, clap, clap.
Namgung Urin gave the Vice-Commander a round of fervent applause.
“Ghhh!”
Biting his lip hard, the Vice-Commander spun around with lightning speed, swinging his sword.
“Tsk, tsk…”
If he couldn't handle the boy when he was right in front of him, what made him think he could catch him from behind?
“My, my. It seems your skills are a bit lacking to catch me. What to do?”
Namgung Urin had already retreated, leaving just enough distance for the Vice-Commander's sword to pass by.
“You dog.”
“Right. It really is a dog-eat-dog situation, isn't it? But who created this mess? Me? My Namgung Family? No. Your Black Heaven Sect created it. Or was it the Baekri Family? You have a mouth, so speak.”
The Vice-Commander's face flushed red, looking as if it might burst.
“You insolent whelp! How dare you! Do you think the Baekri Family will leave your Namgung alone when they find out about this!”
“The Baekri Family? Hehehe. Are you trying to threaten me right now?”
The Vice-Commander's flushed red face turned deathly pale under the gaze and laughter of the young Namgung Urin.
‘What the…’
Schwing.
Namgung Urin drew his own sword.
At the sight of Namgung Urin drawing his blade, the Vice-Commander froze on the spot.
“My father used to say that all living things, no matter what they are, are precious. Even if it's a villain who has killed hundreds, or thousands. Of course, I don't think that way, but I don't think my father's words were wrong.”
Hoo.
Namgung Urin took a deep breath and continued.
“So, my policy is not to play games with people's lives, no matter who they are. Well, I had some bad memories from when I was young, too.”
With an indifferent expression, Namgung Urin swung his sword.
Towards the Vice-Commander before him.
A torrent of blue sword energy, resembling the azure sky, lit up the Black Snake Clan's compound as it poured out at incredible speed.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.
It was followed by a series of thunderous roars.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Sharp holes were pierced through the wall of the Black Snake Clan's compound, far behind the Vice-Commander.
“……”
A chill ran down the Vice-Commander's spine.
Fortunately, Namgung Urin's sword energy had not been aimed at him. The tremendous roar also brought the fight between the few remaining Black Heaven swordsmen and the five Azure Sky Sword Brigade members to a halt.
‘…That young brat… used sword energy!’
And a torrent of it with a single swing? Was such a thing even possible?
But Namgung Urin's sword didn't stop there.
“But you’re an exception. What, the Baekri Family? You dare mention the name of the Baekri Family in front of me, no, in front of our Namgung Family?”
Once again, a massive torrent of sword energy flew over the heads of the cowering Black Snake Clan members and towards the building where more than half of them were sleeping.
Craaaash!
A huge cloud of dust erupted as the roof of the building collapsed.
“……!”
‘…As expected.’
‘Damn it. He plans to kill us all today.’
That must be why he destroyed the building that would no longer be needed.
The heads of all the seated Black Snake Clan members dropped toward the abyss.
And the five members of the Azure Sky Sword Brigade watched Namgung Urin with bated breath, their eyes wide enough to burst.
‘Is that the Flashing Thirteen Sword Thunder?’
‘Wow!’
‘That, that's it!’
‘Perfect!’
‘Amazing!’
It was only natural, but the Flashing Thirteen Sword Thunder he displayed was on a completely different level from their own.
“What are you staring at?”
Namgung Urin threw his words at the Azure Sky Sword Brigade members, who were staring at him as if their eyes would pop out.
“Uh… w-well, that is to say…”
And then.
“Still not done. There are four left? What have you been doing all this time?”
“……”
‘It hasn't been that long!’
‘It’s barely been any time at all!’
‘How long has it been since you told us to clean up!’
Without warning, Namgung Urin's sword moved again. Just like before, a torrent of sword energy flew out at an insane speed.
“……!”
For a moment, the members of the Azure Sky Sword Brigade felt as though the torrent of sword energy was flying toward them.
In the blink of an eye, the sword energy unleashed by Namgung Urin swept through the remaining members of the Black Heaven Sword Brigade.
‘…Fuck!’
‘I thought I was a goner!’
Phew.
“I finished them off. So you all better be prepared for tomorrow.”
“……”
If the Primordial Chaos Art still existed in Namgung Urin's mind, it would have said something like this.
‘My lord, you're having another fit, aren't you?’
Shut up!
Namgung Urin's gaze returned to the Vice-Commander.
“All your men are dead. But you're still just thinking about how to save your own skin, aren't you?”
Either way, death was inevitable. There was no need to weigh his options.
“Shit! So what! What are you going to do about it!”
The Vice-Commander gripped his sword tightly with both hands, resolved to cut off at least an arm, or a wrist, or even a single finger of the so-called Young Lord before he died.
“Too late, you bastard.”
“...What do you mean?”
“The chance to die a clean death is now gone.”
“Hmph! I have no intention of doing so! I'll cling to you until the very moment I close my eyes!”
“You'll come to wish for it.”
“…What…”
“Shadows.”
At Namgung Urin's words, four shadows shot out from his body.
The Vice-Commander stumbled backward, startled.
“…Shit. Wh-what are these things!”
The shadows bowed respectfully.
“You called, my lord.”
“Yes. Today is the day you've all been waiting for—the Soul-Rending Essence Absorption Art. Happy?”
“Kekeke. We've been waiting for this moment.”
“Kikiki. This is the best, my lord!”
“A day like this has finally come.”
“……!”