The Second-Rate Warrior in Search of Legends (7)
The destination was an uncharted area at the edge of the map. Someone who had wandered the caves claimed to have glimpsed the Mita Holy Water beyond it and returned. The caves formed a labyrinth of rooms in all shapes and sizes, disorienting anyone who entered. Particularly deadly were cases where fighters retreated from battle in one room, took a wrong turn, and ran straight back into their enemies, meeting their end.
"There's a fight up ahead. We'll go around."
I did my best to skirt every skirmish, weaving a circuitous path toward our goal.
"...You picked that up already?"
Seong Moran, who had sidled up close to me at some point, tilted her head to listen before blurting out in surprise.
"Just how deep is your internal energy?"
Enhanced senses stemmed from internal energy, so keen perception like mine was proof of vast reserves. But I couldn't tell her everything, so I brushed it off vaguely.
"Probably because my energy is so pure. Isn't the Tae-eul Heart Technique famous for that? And the pill you gave me last time helped too."
"Ah..."
She nodded, murmuring, 'That's a relief,' and followed me without further questions.
Scanning the caves as we pressed on, I pieced together the rough state of the battles. Yet it was hard to believe five thousand had died here. Skirmishes flared sporadically, but they weren't desperate enough for total slaughter. These were fighters who knew overcommitting meant heavy losses on their own side, so they often stopped at tense standoffs.
"...Damn."
Lost in thought, I halted at a fork in the path. My companions gripped their swords tightly at my troubled expression.
"What's wrong?"
"One way has an ongoing fight. The other has a group lying in wait."
"And?"
"The waiting group reeks of thick bloodlust."
"...!"
"What do we do?"
"We didn't come here to dodge people forever."
Namgung Seonhwa drew her sword, and her Namgung clansmen unleashed a ferocious aura. Bringing them for situations like this had been the right call.
"I'll take point."
The Iron Sword Sect disciples, led by Seong Moran, covered the rear as the Namgung group advanced.
"Left path, right?"
"Yes."
Inside the chamber, three men in splendid brocade robes stood amid a sea of bloodstains, flanked by a dozen in red unadorned uniforms.
'Gu Ji Sword Immortal Ma Go-san, Golden Horned Adept Sa Mu-in, Paradise Child Seo Hyeon-jae.'
These were peak experts I'd marked as threats back on Akyang's streets—now lording over the cave.
"Well, well, if it isn't the Namgung lady, gracing this hellhole."
Seo Hyeon-jae, known as the Yin Demon and Paradise Child, licked his lips as he spoke.
"Didn't you come for the Mita Holy Water? Even black path curs can't justify this pointless slaughter."
"Truth be told, we don't want to waste time here either. But we have our reasons."
"Which are?"
"Our map vanished in the fighting."
"...That's not it."
They'd clearly lost or destroyed it battling someone.
"Anyway, without a map, we can't find the Mita Holy Water. If we fail... we might just keep killing out of disappointment."
Seo Hyeon-jae flashed gleaming eyes and smacked his lips.
"You think the Namgung clan is a joke?"
All three belonged to the Blood Slaughter Hall, a massive black path force based in Guizhou. But even they couldn't take on the Namgung clan, pillar of the Murim Alliance. I was deeply curious what gave them such confidence.
"Perish the thought. We've lost so many since the Yellow River that we're down to this pathetic remnant. So we've prepared something special."
He pulled two fist-sized orbs from his robe. A groan escaped one of the warriors as he identified them.
"Thunderbolt bombs...!"
"!"
"!"
Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran's eyes widened in shock. Thunderbolt bombs were military-grade; even the black market rarely saw them, let alone in black path hands.
"Use those, and you won't survive either."
"Better to die here than fail to claim the Mita Holy Water."
"Think the Namgung clan bends to threats?"
I tilted my head at the bombs. I'd been startled at first, wondering if they caused the five thousand deaths. But peering closely at their size, doubt crept in. Devastating as they were, these couldn't collapse the whole cave. I'd raided armories with the Small Justice Squad in my past life's final war, using them against demons—I knew their limits. Plus, the Ma-ryeong Plateau's rock was tough; one collapse wouldn't chain-react.
"Prepare the sword formation."
At Namgung Seonhwa's icy command, Seo Hyeon-jae lit a fuse from his robe.
That's when I cut in.
"You came here following a map, right?"
He scowled at me.
"Who the hell are you?"
True to his black path roots, he showed no manners to underlings.
"With this group. I manage the map."
"Why do you care?"
"If you followed one, you'd know the goal's close."
"...Hmph. Maybe. But the bastard burned it dying—we couldn't check."
"Lost it to betrayal? Forgot the route you saw?"
"...!"
They exchanged silent glances.
"Bingo."
"Shut it. Unless you want to die, hand over your map."
"Fine."
Shocked stares flew from Seong Moran and the Namgung group. Ignoring them, I tossed over the scroll from my robe.
"Marks the destination. Don't ask where we are."
"Hmph! We know our position well enough."
Seo Hyeon-jae tucked the bomb away, licking his lips regretfully.
"Pity. Lady, don't tail us too close. Never know when these might blow."
His crew warily took the far-left fork of the three paths.
"Young Master Jin, what the hell?!"
Namgung Seonhwa rushed up, pale-faced.
"Relax. They won't get near the Mita Holy Water anyway."
"What do you mean?"
"That was a fake map."
"What?"
"Fights over maps were inevitable in these caves. Didn't expect bomb-crazy lunatics, but I prepped extras just in case."
I showed scrolls from my pack. Namgung Seonhwa, Seong Moran, and Yu Ji-ryang eyed their hidden ones in disbelief.
"Yours are real. Don't worry."
"So we're really near the goal?"
"Yes."
"Then let's move."
As we resumed, Namgung Seonhwa stuck close this time, replacing Seong Moran.
"Young Master Jin, mind a request?"
"A request...?"
"Yes. Refuse if you don't like it."
"Let's hear it."
"If you get the Mita Holy Water, sell me everything except your share?"
"Wouldn't our odds be better together? Why ask?"
"You just seem like you'll get it."
I'd brought canteens for it, but from my past life, I knew how this ended. Despite five thousand deaths, the Mita Holy Water never appeared.
"Why think that?"
She pointed at my canteen.
"It has extreme yin properties—can't touch human flesh or it'll freeze everything. Can't store it casually either. I've seen fewer than ten with these on the way."
She'd been glancing at me to guess its purpose.
"I'll pass."
"Why?"
"Giving it to a suitable kid from my sect."
"Ah... Is something wrong?"
"Planning for the Murim Academy entrance exam."
"From Tae-eul Gate?!"
"..."
She sighed, then realized her blunder. Suggesting Tae-eul Gate take the exam sounded like mockery.
"Ah... S-sorry."
"Got it."
I strode a few steps ahead. Her reaction wasn't new, but familiarity didn't dull the sting.
Passing more caves, a group with immense auras approached from one path. I halted our party and scouted ahead, planning to let them pass since the goal lay beyond.
Hiss. Thud.
A gust of palm wind grazed my cheek; roof debris shattered and rained down. Yong So-a and the Wudang Taoists advanced in perfect order. Not a drop of blood on him or them. But their followers—Ha Min-jung, Ak Mu-heun, Yang In-su—were halved, and battered.
"Got some tricks, and you're the lone survivor?"
Yong So-a scanned me and sneered. Ha Min-jung's crew snickered behind him.
I ignored him and called back.
"Come out. They're not enemies."
Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran's group emerged. Yong So-a's composure cracked faintly; Ha Min-jung's faces twisted like they'd eaten shit.
"Good thing we didn't tail them."
"..."
Yong So-a glared coldly at my words.
"...We'll watch till the end."
Ha Min-jung's group eyed the Namgung crew like lambs to slaughter, then followed Yong So-a.
Finally at the goal, a massive cavern appeared—one big enough for hundreds, yet empty. But oddities abounded. Unlike the round chambers before, this one's side was sliced flat, filled not by wall but thick shadow.
"Everyone went in there."
Yu Ji-ryang tested the shadow with his hand; it vanished inside.
"The formation isn't too dangerous. Feels natural..."
"Something off?"
"No—the energy sustaining it is incredibly potent. Even for a three- or four-century-old natural one, it's too strong."
"Problem?"
"Just contingency. As a natural formation, it should shatter under serious force."
Overhearing, Yong So-a strode in. Namgung Seonhwa cried out in alarm.
"Young Hero Hyuncheong! Wait for analysis—"
"If an herb gatherer passed, a warrior can."
He and the Taoists vanished inside, followed by Ha Min-jung's crew.
"As Hero Hyuncheong says, it might be fine. This is just precaution."
Then a roar echoed through the cave.
"Namgung clan! A disgrace to the name, pulling such cheap tricks!"
Seo Hyeon-jae's voice.
"Unfold the Soaring Bow Sword Formation!"
Warriors moved in unison at Namgung Seonhwa's shout. Inside, Mosanpa's three sorcerers probed the formation, scrawling diagrams and numbers on the floor, calculating furiously.
"You map-giving bastard! I'll gouge and eat your eyes!"
The voice grew nearer.
Yu Ji-ryang sprang up.
"Calculations done. We can enter."
"Move!"
Yu Ji-ryang led, then me, Seong Moran, Namgung Seonhwa. Pitch darkness swallowed us, but after twists and turns, he found a faintly glowing exit.
The moment we crossed—
A blade slashed at us. I kicked Yu Ji-ryang's ankle to drop him and drew my sword.
Clang!
Feeling his shallow energy, I surged power into my arm and severed his throat.
Splurt!
"Gahk!"
The black path thug sprayed blood and crumpled. Beyond lay another vast cavern like the last, filled with fighters spilling blood in fierce combat.
"Maintain the formation!"
"Iron Sword Squad! Unfold the Nine-Heaven Sword Formation! Seal the flanks!"
We held position, observing. The split factions were odd—especially the ones opposite our entrants: gaunt, filthy, unchanged clothes for days.
"Lady Namgung!"
Yu Ji-ryang called her excitedly for the first time.
"Big trouble!"
"What?"
She answered without looking away from the fray.
"We're trapped."
"What?"
"Inner and outer formations differ."
"Explain simply."
"The outer natural formation seems a fluke from the original's collapse."
"!!!"