The Second-Rate Warrior in Search of Legends (6)
They all finished their preparations and regrouped three days later. The entrance to the cave holding the Mita Holy Water lay hidden in the river flowing between the valleys of the Mareung Plateau. The current was so ferocious that even those skilled in aquatic arts struggled to approach it. Worse, forcing one's way in could sweep you downstream to Dongjeong Lake before you even reached the cave. That's why the Haomen, who'd been selling maps for all they were worth, had promised to divert the upstream flow on the appointed day.
When that day arrived, Akyang was on the verge of bursting at the seams with people.
"When do we start?"
"They said they'll block the upstream current at Insi hour."
The warrior who'd confirmed the intel answered Namgung Seonhwa's question, and she relayed it to the rest of us.
"We'll move out at Myo hour, then."
"Wouldn't it be better to go a bit slower?"
As I spoke up, all eyes turned to me at once. Sure, they might hate seeing a guy show up alone without any backup, but it was only natural that the Iron Sword Sect warriors, who still harbored plenty of resentment toward me, shot me dirty looks.
"Why's that?"
"The valley's wide, but with this many people rushing in at once, a massive brawl will erupt right from the start."
The report filed with the Murim Alliance's Mantongbu had described roughly ten thousand people trudging up the narrow riverbed, only for chaos to break out immediately. Unable to properly form their sword formations, even large groups suffered heavy casualties, and renowned masters of the jianghu met absurd ends.
"The paths inside the cave are so wide and convoluted that who goes first hardly matters. Getting in early or late won't make much difference."
Namgung Seonhwa seemed to grasp my point, but thought and action often diverged in reality.
"In that case, doesn't it make more sense to go first?"
"...Understood."
I didn't push further. In a group where Namgung Seonhwa was essentially the leader, it was better to focus on my own tasks than try forcing a consensus.
"Here, take one each."
I handed a hand-drawn map to Namgung Seonhwa, Seong Moran, and Yu Ji-ryang.
"I had my suspicions, but... impressive."
Yu Ji-ryang unrolled his and let out an exclamation.
"You prepared one for each of us?"
"Who knows what'll happen once we're inside? As long as you don't get separated from your group, you won't lose your way."
Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran nodded silently, passing the message to their warriors, who dipped their heads in response without a word.
"There are so many people."
The dawn sun hadn't even risen yet, but the streets teemed with crowds heading to the Mareung Plateau.
"And I see some infamous black path groups too. Those are the Mad Demon Mad Dogs, right?"
Seong Moran scanned the surroundings with a slightly queasy expression.
"It's because of the Mita Holy Water's effects."
"Huh? Is it good for black path folks?"
"The same effect hits them differently. A white path disciple's pure inner cultivation keeps their dantian pristine and free of impurities, but most black path methods lack foundation, focusing on sheer volume—which wears down their vitality and pollutes the body the higher they climb. For them, shedding it all with the holy water is like being reborn."
"Oh..."
"...!"
Not just Seong Moran, but even Namgung Seonhwa looked genuinely surprised.
"By the way, why do you hate Hero Hyeoncheong so much?"
Hyeoncheong was Yong So-a's daomyung.
"I don't hate him..."
"Liar. The killing intent in your eyes when you look at him dwarfs what you feel for my brother."
I glanced away, only to catch Iron Sword Sect warriors glaring daggers at me. Debating whether to shut Seong Moran down, I just let it go and continued.
"He irks me because he says blindly following him guarantees survival."
"But Hero Hyeoncheong's earned that, hasn't he?"
"Sure, in terms of martial prowess. But who knows what'll happen inside?"
"...Still, it gives us an edge."
"Yes. What bothers me most is his attitude—like he controls life and death."
"You really... hate bending to anyone, don't you?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing. Things are getting rowdy up ahead."
We passed the muddy path into ankle-deep water. We'd entered the valleys of the Mareung Plateau. The crowd ahead bottlenecked, slowing our pace, while those behind us, who'd kept distance, began closing in.
"Why's it so cramped?"
As Seong Moran grumbled, Namgung Seonhwa sensed something off and ordered her warriors to stay alert.
"Prepare for battle."
Namgung family warriors drew their swords one by one. The approaching group from behind slowed a bit, but the endless press of people along the riverbed dragged them closer against their will.
"Lady Seong, stay with the warriors."
"Huh? Why?"
"Screams from up front."
"??"
While Seong Moran tilted her head, red streaks mixed into the ankle-deep water.
"!!"
Before Seong Moran could speak, Namgung Seonhwa slipped into the midst of her family's warriors. Yu Ji-ryang and the Mosanpa sorcerers had already taken shelter there.
Kraaak!Kraaak!
The distant screams grew nearer. The faint bloodstains in the river thickened into a crimson torrent. The fighting only escalated.
Onlookers got shoved into the fray by the crowd behind, sparking new clashes. A chaotic melee erupted with no distinction between friend and foe.
The black path outnumbered everyone, so the brawl spread like wildfire without pause, soon reaching the Namgung group's position.
"Form the Great Chain Sword Formation!"
A warrior shouted, and the Namgung men tried to spread out, but the packed crowd behind prevented it.
"Too tight!"
"Protect Lady Seonhwa at all costs!"
"Yes, sir!"
Before long, the Namgung warriors were forced into the fight, with Iron Sword Sect ones readying themselves next. The cliffs on either side rose thirty jang high, narrowing toward the top—no room to maneuver.
This won't do.
I swiftly drew my Flying Dragon Claw and jammed it into the cliff face. Like a spider ascending its thread, I leaped up the wall.
"What a mess."
Dozens lay dead along the riverbed upstream, new fighters trampling their corpses to join the chaos. At this rate, the Namgung and Iron Sword groups would suffer too. We needed to escape this pointless slaughter first.
"Tough, but with one layer of inner energy..."
Confirming the claw held firm, I channeled power to protect my right hand. Then, with Tae-eul Gate's Great Ocean Fist, I began pounding the wall.
Thud!Thud!Thud!
Cracks spiderwebbed across the unyielding cliff. Warriors below looked up at the odd noise, their faces paling.
"W-what the hell's that guy doing?!"
Thud!Crack!
Chunks of earth and rock rained down from the hole.
"Dodge! Incoming!"
"You crazy bastard! Stop it!"
Ignoring the shouts, I kept hammering until the gap was wide enough, then fired the claw toward Yu Ji-ryang and the Mosanpa group.
"Grab the line."
The stunned Mosanpa sorcerers, sheltered among the Namgung warriors, seized it. I reeled in my energy, pulling them up. With a kick off the ground, the three floated lightly to land midway up the cliff.
"Stay here a moment."
"..."
Yu Ji-ryang, fresh from the skirmish, stared blankly. I quickly dug another hole beside it, then hauled up two injured Iron Sword warriors and their guard.
"Dig more so others can climb."
"...There's nothing here now."
"You saving your energy for cooking soup?"
I carved another hole and pulled up a wounded Namgung warrior who'd shielded the Mosanpa sorcerers, along with an unharmed one.
"..."
By then, they seemed to catch on—the Namgung warriors silently began excavating the wall. Those versed in claw techniques among the fighters climbed up and started digging like me.
Falling rocks forced a brief lull in the fighting below, but the flames of battle still spread everywhere.
Finally, I brought up the remaining Iron Sword warriors. They gawked at the melee below, where blades flew without regard for ally or enemy. Realizing it could have been them, their faces drained of color.
"Maybe we should've come later, like Young Master Jin said."
Namgung Seonhwa expressed guilt, not having foreseen this.
"Once the crowd thins out down there, shall we head in?"
Having nearly endangered not just her own but the Iron Sword warriors too, she no longer trusted her own judgment.
"Now that it's started, this brawl will drag on. More people will climb up soon enough."
"Then what do we do?"
"We head straight to the entrance."
"...How? We don't have climbing gear."
"Anyone here skilled in rock-climbing techniques?"
I asked the Iron Sword and Namgung warriors. One raised his hand after exchanging glances—the Iron Sword guy who'd glared at me murderously whenever I was near Seong Moran.
"I've learned the Rock-Splitting Claw Technique by chance."
His killing intent toward me had vanished; he reported to his superior like it was routine.
"If I make a small gap, can you carve footholds around it for people to grab and step into?"
"...I think so."
"Here's the plan. I'll clear the path. Those with energy, piggyback a Mosanpa sorcerer each and follow the grooves he makes to the entrance."
"Understood."
"Got it."
With confirmations even from Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa, preparations moved swiftly. Namgung warriors hoisted Mosanpa sorcerers one by one; the rest stood guard against ambushes from below.
"Here we go."
Ping.
I fired the Flying Dragon Claw at the opposite cliff, smashing a section with Great Ocean Fist to create a gap. Then I shot it again.
The Iron Sword warrior with the technique dangled from my gap, carving smooth grooves—far easier than my brute-force holes, like slicing mud.
As our group zipped across the cliffs toward the entrance, others began following in our wake.
"Young Master Jin! People are tailing us from behind."
"Ignore them. If they attack, they'll block themselves too."
As we neared the entrance, Seong Moran pointed and shouted.
"Over there!"
Yong So-a and the Haeminjung group were locked in a desperate bloodbath amid the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea Array. Yong So-a and the Mudang Daoists looked composed, while Haeminjung's side had already taken losses.
"Entrance soon. Stay focused."
The upper valley near the entrance was eerily quiet. The dead were dead; the living had all rushed inside.
I landed, dodging thrusting swords and unleashing Socheon Sword Technique.
"Kraaak!"
"Gurk!"
Blood sprayed like fountains, turning the stream to gore. Iron Sword warriors landing behind me charged and cut down the entrance guards. We dove inside before reinforcements arrived.
Even indoors, we evaded sudden sword strikes, navigating forks until we reached an empty spot and halted.
"Hah... hah..."
"Hah! Heuk!"
Only then did they realize they'd entered without a single casualty.
"No casualties—fortunate."
"...Hah."
"...Hoo."
Not just the Namgung warriors, but even the Iron Sword ones eyed me with complex gazes.
"All thanks to Young Master Jin. Without you, some of us would've died already."
"Save the merits discussion for later. Excited warriors could barge in for a fight anytime."
"But we rushed in so fast, no time to check the map."
"It's fine. I remember it."
Even so, Namgung Seonhwa stared at me without moving.
"Young Master Jin, can you lead the way?"
As she spoke, I braced for objections from the Namgung and Iron Sword warriors—but glancing around, Seong Moran and everyone else watched me tensely.
"Is that okay?"
"Please do."
Only then did subtle relief wash over the Iron Sword and Namgung warriors' faces.