Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Squad Nine - Mission, Intelligence (8)
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Seon-u blankly mulled over Mok Ri-won's words.
He chewed on the meaning of those words, and the emotion that came with them.
The more he did, the more Seon-u felt like tears would well up for some reason.
‘There is such a person.’
There was someone who helped.
Someone who looked down upon those living only in their own world.
Someone who swung their sword for those who could offer nothing in return.
Seon-u thought.
The reason Mok Ri-won looked so dashing right now might not be just his appearance, but that resolute will.
It was in that moment that Dang Hwa-seo appeared.
“What are you doing, posing all cool by yourself.”
Mok Ri-won's head turned at the voice laced with amusement.
Immediately, his expression lit up brightly.
“Little Sister! Are you coming along?!”
“Would I sleep comfortably if I let Young Hero Mok go alone.”
“Little Sister...!”
Mok Ri-won's eyes wavered.
He looked ready to burst into tears.
“If you cry, I won't go with you. Cut it out!”
Mok Ri-won nodded vigorously and sprang to his feet.
He tightly grasped Dang Hwa-seo's hand and said.
“Thank you! No matter what happens to me, I'll make sure to keep you safe!”
“We have to ensure nothing happens. You can't talk like that.”
What a fool, yet someone you couldn't help but like even more.
Dang Hwa-seo recalled that Mok Ri-won was exactly that kind of person as she soothed him.
‘As for what comes later....’
Success or failure, there would be accountability for the unilateral action, but she didn't want to dwell on it now.
Because Dang Hwa-seo herself had been saved by Mok Ri-won's sense of justice before.
In the heartwarming atmosphere, the one who stepped into the courtyard wasn't the end with Dang Hwa-seo.
“Younger Brother Mok!”
“Brother Jegal!”
Jegal San emerged.
Mok Ri-won and Jegal San held their breaths with a 'Hmph!' before spreading their arms and embracing fiercely.
“As expected of Brother Jegal! I believed in you!”
“How could I leave my brother and go anywhere!”
This was the friendship of true men!
As Mok Ri-won trembled with that thought, Jegal San flinched and pulled away with a stern expression.
“Ahem! Anyway, when it comes to sneaking over walls on the sly, trust only me!”
“Bragging, you rascal.”
Dang Hwa-seo let out a hollow laugh as Mok Ri-won babbled with an innocent face.
“Whew! What luck! Truth be told, though I said all that, I was seriously fretting about going alone!”
“You have zero intention of backing out, even on pain of death.”
“Exactly! That's what chivalry is!”
Mok Ri-won thrust his thumb high.
Time passed like that again, leaving about two ke until departure.
Il-un and Hye-un appeared.
No further words were exchanged.
Il-un chanted a Buddhist prayer with a smile, while Hye-un muttered about having nothing left to do here and took his position.
This surprised even Mok Ri-won.
Of course—who knew better than him that his words had been pure stubbornness.
Thus, he had resolved to endure it even if he had to set out alone.
“Thank you for joining me.”
It made the situation all the more moving.
Mok Ri-won bowed his head to his comrades who had humored his insistence.
Amid it, Hye-un spoke.
“Not everyone's here yet, are they?”
Mok Ri-won smiled wryly.
Indeed.
Namgung Jincheon still hadn't shown.
And Mok Ri-won judged he wouldn't.
“He won't come. The Sword Dragon is a man of strong pride. He's also making the most rational judgment among us. I see the Sword Dragon as doing what he deems the most right and reasonable course.”
They had clashed opinions enough to wound feelings, but Mok Ri-won held no grudge against Namgung Jincheon.
Arrogant and stubborn as he was, that man too harbored a greater cause.
No—perhaps the grandest cause of all.
A different chivalry, not misguided.
It was a concept Mok Ri-won had already learned from his master.
Mok Ri-won acknowledged that Namgung Jincheon was different from him.
“No helping it...”
“What's no helping it.”
A voice suddenly rang out.
Somewhere angry and resolute, it carried a deep, manly timbre.
The squad members' heads all turned toward the center of the courtyard.
There stood Namgung Jincheon.
His face smeared thick with irritation.
“Sword Dragon...?”
“Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not here to help.”
Namgung Jincheon's steps were heavy. The aura leaking from him grew fiercer by the bit.
He strode right up to Mok Ri-won's nose and spat.
“Since it's already happened, I'm going because it raises the success rate. Solely because it's the right choice for the squad as a whole.”
Over naked anger underlay Namgung Jincheon's gray eyes.
Mok Ri-won hardened his expression to match and nodded.
“...Even so, thank you. For coming out with me.”
“Mark my words, Mok Ryong.”
“What?”
“You're charging straight into the jaws of death. Your chivalry is dragging you and everyone around you into peril. It'll be the same going forward.”
Namgung Jincheon was unusually emotional.
He, who never resorted to threats, even seized Mok Ri-won's collar.
Namgung Jincheon shoved his face close.
He glared into Mok Ri-won's eyes with gleaming ones of his own.
“Don't think everything ahead will play out like this. I'll keep blocking your whims from here on. For the squad. For the righteous martial world. This is the only time things go your way.”
Chin!
With that, Namgung Jincheon shoved Mok Ri-won back.
Mok Ri-won yielded smoothly, then bowed once more with clasped hands.
“I understand the Sword Dragon's intent.”
Stubborn as he was, Mok Ri-won was no man to force his righteousness on others.
In the fraught atmosphere from the pair's renewed clash, Dang Hwa-seo belatedly stepped in to mediate.
“...Well, anyway, everyone's here now.”
As Dang Hwa-seo spoke up, the other squad members responded with deliberate cheer.
Incidents aplenty had arisen, but in the end, they had banded together to advance.
Their faces could hardly look grim.
“Alright, let's move.”
The sunset was nearly gone.
It was clear this would be a very long night.
As the squad members tensed and formed up, Dang Hwa-seo said.
“You're Seon-u, right.”
“Y-Yes!”
“Describe the Mok Estate's layout, even roughly. And where the demons are holed up.”
Seon-u swallowed dryly as he looked up at Dang Hwa-seo and the Dragon-Phoenix Squad.
They were clearly leaping into hell itself.
Yet no trace of fear beyond tension showed on their faces.
At that, Seon-u thought.
‘Heroes....’
Heroes and valiant warriors.
Those who strode the righteous path without a flicker of fear.
If any fit that term, it had to be these people.
In that instant, Seon-u felt his heart pounding fiercely for some reason.
*
The strategy was nothing special.
“For now, play along with what they want. With the hostages' safety unconfirmed, we need to lull the enemy into dropping their guard as much as possible.”
The squad members nodded at Dang Hwa-seo's words.
Unknown as the enemy's strength was, it gave no cause for fear.
Consider the makeup of any ordinary martial group—three pinnacle experts or more was unlikely on their side.
The demons in the Mok Estate numbered barely twenty or so.
A squad's worth.
Pinnacle-level or higher among them would cap at one squad leader-grade warrior and a handful of vice-leader grades.
By contrast, their own force?
Six strong, every one pinnacle or above.
Mok Ri-won and Namgung Jincheon among them teetered on the Peak Realm brink.
Power-wise, they lacked for nothing.
The Young Clan Leader's estate loomed right ahead.
Mid-strategy briefing, Namgung Jincheon stood.
He drew his sword.
“I'll draw their eyes. The ones up ahead won't be top-tier. While I stir chaos, slip in the other way and secure the hostages.”
He was volunteering as bait.
No chance to stop him.
Thud.
Namgung Jincheon stomped and charged.
Soon, a 'Boom!' erupted from beyond the wall.
“Whoa, hot temper there.”
Jegal San chuckled dryly.
*
Namgung Jincheon, vaulting the wall, scanned his surroundings.
“Fifteen.”
Demons, plain as day.
Red-tinged sclera, ragged breaths—everything screamed it.
‘Top end first-rate, at best.’
So judging, Namgung Jincheon settled into stance.
His face twisted horribly.
Rage soaked his guts.
An emotion Namgung Jincheon had never felt in his life.
-Someone has to be irrational. Someone has to leap for the weak right before them. Only then can more people smile.
Mok Ri-won's words circled his mind.
Dismissed as drivel, yet they clung stubbornly.
Why, Namgung Jincheon didn't know.
The harder he shook them, the tighter they choked him.
‘Drivel. Fallacy.’
Nonsense only the ever-strong Mok Ri-won could spout.
Those brash words might shatter against someone superior.
No—today might be that day.
The demon inside could be beyond Mok Ri-won's reach.
Then his rightness would stand proven.
Then he could jeer at Mok Ri-won with relish.
“...Infuriating.”
Namgung Jincheon found it utterly infuriating.
The thought of Mok Ri-won failing to vindicate his own words churned an inexpressible loathing within.
“Charge-!”
One demon bellowed in a phlegm-choked rasp.
Demons scattered everywhere lunged, flaring savage auras.
Yawn-slow to Namgung Jincheon.
Fwoosh!
Blue qi wave crushed the space entire.
Charging demons froze on the instant.
Then his sword arced long and horizontal.
“Vermin.”
Slash.
One stroke's miracle.
Front-runners—half the pack.
Waists cleaved, torsos bifurcated.
Blood and chunks splatted down.
Survivors belatedly braced, to no avail.
Sword Dragon Namgung Jincheon: name of the next generation's lord.
The throne lost now, yet his prowess unwaned.
Nay—defeat had forged him stronger.
Arm raised, sword held aloft.
Space-ruling qi wave throttled their breaths, escape barred.
“Filth.”
Namgung Jincheon gathered his qi as he spat.
Anger still rode the blade.
Demons? Mok Ri-won? Or himself, unable to shake those words? He knew not.
One thing only: his heart dredged life's foulest mood, and perfect vents stood before him.
“Die.”
Sword descended.
Air-cleaving swing—immaterial.
Namgung sword: heaven's sword.
Namgung sword: emperor's sword.
Chasing foes to cut? Extravagance. Dishonor.
Hence, Emperor Sword Form.
Arrogant, ponderous blade fell; space qi dumped from crown-height downward.
Slash.
All demons crumbled amid the sundering.
Still Namgung Jincheon ground his teeth, venting ire.
‘Still infuriating.’
Rage lingered.