Chapter 52
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: The Iron-Blood Sword Saint's Vow
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Are you feeling any better?
Im fine, Great Warrior An.
For a woman to do such a thing.
Am I not a person of Namgung? I, too, fight in the name of Namgung.
At the Nannys words, An Baek fell silent, nodding his head. Her statement made him feel impossibly small.
So please, let go of some of the burden you carry, Great Warrior An.
But
Im sorry.
An Baek hesitated, then looked up at her words.
Im sorry for making you worry so much. Ill be more careful from now on, so please, unburden your heart of this weight.
It was what he had wanted to say first. He wanted her to be careful, wanted to express his concern. For some reason, her words put a corner of his heart at ease, and an empty laugh escaped his lips.
He was right.
He didnt want to admit it, but he had to. He had to acknowledge the feelings with which he looked at her.
What was he right about?
Right here, right now, he would reveal his heart and win hers.
An Baek steeled himself, vowing to protect her by her side for the rest of his life.
I Nanny no, Cook Yu
He began, trying to continue his words.
I dont see the Great Young Lord anywhere, do you?
Pardon?
Come to think of it, I havent seen him. I wonder where hes gone.
An Baeks shoulders slumped. Of all the times, why did she have to bring him up now?
Something came up, so he went to take care of it.
Is that so? By himself?
The boy can handle himself now, even if left alone.
The words didnt come out kindly from An Baek. At his expression, the Nanny gave a faint smile and shook her head.
It only seems that way because you are with him, Great Warrior An.
Thank you, always, Great Warrior An.
It is nothing.
But you know there is still a long way to go. I may be the Great Young Lords nanny, but I am also the person who watches over him from the closest distance.
That is true, but.
The Great Young Lords safety is my own. If he is not safe, then my own heart will be filled with anxiety and worry.
At those words, An Baek looked up. It sounded as if she were telling him to go to the Great Young Lord now. Her words felt like a gentle dismissal, and unable to show his disappointment, An Baek simply said he would go and turned away.
Creeak.
As he opened the door to leave.
When you return, Id like to walk with you.
The faintly heard voice sent a surge of strength through An Baeks body.
As quickly as possible.
Faster than anyone.
He steeled his resolve to return.
Boom!
Hwangbo Gyeoms form was thrown back by the undulating flow of An Baeks sword. It was the sword of a Sword Saint who had crossed the line between life and death for decades.
The power was incomparable, and each seemingly simple strike tore through the protective aura of thunderbolt energy surrounding Hwangbo Gyeom, striking with vicious intent.
Craaaack!
Hwangbo Gyeom, cloaked in his Protective Aura, couldnt even trust that to be enough. He twisted his body to avoid a fatal blow and channeled power into his fists.
Were you that afraid?
An Baeks cold eyes swept over Hwangbo Gyeom.
Of the dark clouds this child would bring to the Hwangbo Family.
It did cross my mind. The fact that a mere fifteen-year-old boy won the Sword Family Assembly.
Hwangbo Gyeom gasped for breath, the air catching in his throat, before straightening his posture. He bent his knees, lowering his stance while keeping his back straight, resembling a tiger coiling to spring.
And now, he can withstand my fists. It makes no sense. The fists of me, Hwangbo Gyeom of the Thunderbolt Fist.
BOOM!
Hwangbo Gyeoms two fists slammed into the flat of An Baeks sword. The explosive sound vibrated through the air, and the resulting shockwave instantly pulverized nearby boulders into dust.
Hwangbo Gyeom of the Thunderbolt Fist.
An Baek had never met him before, but he had heard the martial name many times. He shook his head.
It is a pity that this is all the Hwangbo Family has to show.
No. Not the Hwangbo Family. This is me, Hwangbo Gyeom.
Are you playing with words?
Hwangbo Gyeoms lips twisted into a self-mocking smile at An Baeks straightforward response. It was a smile that appeared on its own.
From what I can see, Iron-Blood Sword Saint, you too seem unaware of that childs potential.
I want the Hwangbo Family to be the greatest. Before we speak of the Unorthodox Path, I want us to be the greatest on the Orthodox Path. And before that, the greatest among the Nine Sects One Union and the Six Great Families.
A grand dream.
But it was not an impossible one. The Hwangbo Family was, after all, one of the clans that vied for the top position among the Six Great Families.
Yet, as if that wasnt enough, Hwangbo Gyeom shook his head.
To become the greatest of the Six Great Families, we know there is one family that must be brought down before any other. But in this generation, we have suffered a crushing defeat.
Anyone could guess who was the cause of that defeat.
The Azure Sky Divine Sword, Namgung Mubaek.
His name was the first to come to mind when speaking of Namgung.
Hwangbo Gyeom shook his head as he mentioned Namgung Mubaek.
We hoped that in the next generation we pass on, the Hwangbo Family would be supreme.
As he spoke, An Baek saw an unexpected desire in Hwangbo Gyeoms eyes and voiced his suspicion.
The ten nyang of gold. Dont tell me that was.
With money, you can even buy talent.
What are you talking about?
It was an absurd claim. Buying talent with money.
An Baek, uncomprehending of Hwangbo Gyeoms words, couldnt help but question him as he clenched his teeth.
For the sake of the next generation, we invested in making even the smallest talents our own.
So thats what it was.
The Hwangbo Family was already making moves, looking ahead to the next generation.
Whether it was right or wrong.
The Hwangbo Family moved forward, believing themselves to be in the right.
For the sake of the next generation, the future we were building was quite bright. I had even seen that child from the Hebei Paeng Family, Paeng Hyang. The one the Tiger Saber cherishes so much.
That girl. The niece of Paeng Gak he had seen at the Sword Family Assembly.
The Tiger Saber Paeng Gak he knew did not take disciples lightly. His standards were even stricter and more severe than his own.
She was astonishing. Sword Saint, you must have anticipated as much, knowing that the First Saber of Hebei wouldn't take a disciple just because she was his niece. She was certainly outstanding. But we had plenty of talents on par with her, so we weren't worried. Not until we faced today.
An Baek followed Hwangbo Gyeoms gaze and saw who he was looking at. The Great Young Lord, Namgung Ban, lying on the ground as if dead to the world.
He was beyond comparison. Its like discussing a firefly in the presence of the sun.
The anxiety and unease flickering in Hwangbo Gyeoms trembling eyes were unexpected, even for An Baek. Was the boys potential truly that great?
But since Hwangbo Gyeom had witnessed a level of growth he hadnt, he supposed it was possible.
And so, I resolved that I must see blood today.
Do you still think the same? Even in front of me?
He added the unspoken warning not to entertain such a foolish thought. No matter how strong Hwangbo Gyeom was, he was still a step below An Baek.
You may wish to draw out all your power to kill me, but you wont be able to. The more you target me, the more relentlessly I will try to kill that boy.
He didnt want to let him live, but if Hwangbo Gyeom was determined to stall for time, his nephews condition would only worsen.
He had to return as soon as possible. As if reading An Baeks urgency, Hwangbo Gyeoms eyes gleamed.
The martial prowess of the Iron-Blood Sword Saint, An Baek. I have heard many tales of how you fought the Azure Sky Divine Sword to a standstill.
The Azure Sky Divine Sword. That name leaves a bad taste. There is no need for such comparisons.
That is why I always prepared.
Something emerged from within Hwangbo Gyeoms robes. It was a whistle.
!
Prepared to catch a big fish.
Peeeeeee
The sound of the whistle spread in all directions, penetrating the spaces between the sheer cliffs.
Before long.
Numerous presences rose simultaneously. There were at least several dozen of them. Among them were three more whose power rivaled Hwangbo Gyeoms.
In addition, twenty men wearing fist guards, their killing intent sharpened like blades, surrounded An Baek, the fallen Great Young Lord, and the bandits of the Yangsan Gang.
Today, we will put to rest Namgungs current power and the future of its next generation.
At Hwangbo Gyeoms single command, twenty-four sources of killing intent began to stir.
Gasp! Gasp!
The leader of the Yangsan Gang ran desperately through the forest, checking the condition of the young man on his back. His breathing was growing fainter.
He couldnt believe that this young man, who had seemed perfectly fine after clashing dozens of times with the monster from the Hwangbo Family, was now dying like this.
Whenever his pace started to slow, even slightly.
Dont think about anything. Just run. I will protect you.
A low voice reached him. He couldnt see the speaker, but the man from the Yangsan Gang trusted his words and ran.
Every time he squeezed his eyes shut and sprinted forward.
Boom!
The impact of an explosion felled a tree.
Slash!
The arm of a man in fist guards flew through the air.
Kabooom!
The sound of a blade deflecting dozens of phantom fists.
The noises assaulted his eardrums, but he ignored them and kept running. There was nothing else he could do. Nothing but to trust the words of the man called the Iron-Blood Sword Saint, An Baek.
He just prayed that the young man on his back would not die and that they would escape this place safely.
Its useless, Sword Saint. No matter how strong you are, you cannot protect that child while facing our twenty-man Thunderbolt Unit and the four of us.
As soon as Hwangbo Gyeoms voice rang out, a sound like thunder ripped through the air.
Simultaneously.
Life-Reaping Sword Art, First Form, Traceless Strike.
The sound of something tearing through the wind erupted from multiple directions at once, slicing the thunderclap in midair.
CRACK-KABOOM!
The two colossal forces collided in the air, sweeping across the land. The man from Yangsan Gang nearly flew away from the shockwave, forcing himself to regain his balance and mustering every last bit of his meager internal energy.
Could they really make it out alive?
Just as his faith began to waver.
I will not die. And neither will this boy.
A single voice seized his consciousness.
The Iron-Blood Sword Saint, An Baek, was already covered in blood. His hair was disheveled and wild, his clothes were torn in several places, and his body was covered in bruises.
Despite it all, the fierce light in his eyes only burned brighter.
When you return, Id like to walk with you.
Her voice, echoing vividly in his mind.
And.
Sleep for a while. It will be over when you wake up.
He couldnt be a worthless uncle to his nephew, could he?