Chapter 140
Chapter 140
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 140
Chapter Title: Crisis (1)
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Clang!
“Argh!”
“Uwaaak!”
“Don’t fall back! Hold your positions!”
“Attack!”
Fierce battles began erupting throughout the canyon. Due to the geographically disadvantageous position, the Zhao Kingdom army’s assault wasn’t all that threatening.
Even so, Jo Jeong-mu and his force of around ten thousand troops were still holding back from charging into the battlefield.
That fact kept nagging at Yi Hwan.
‘Are they the ones trying to drag this out instead?’
The thought suddenly struck him.
They couldn’t possibly be unaware that this war of attrition was absolutely not in their favor. In that case, they should have either launched a full assault or bypassed the canyon entirely to break through.
‘If their goal is to stall for time…’
Yi Hwan’s expression changed as one possibility occurred to him.
‘They’re pinning us down here so their main force can strike our main camp from another direction?’
A chill ran through his entire body in that instant. If his guess was right, the main camp was in danger. They were already short on troops, and with thirty thousand tied up here, the gap with the enemy’s main force would only widen.
The mounting sense of crisis made Yi Hwan’s blood run cold. It was the first time he’d felt this level of peril since his reincarnation.
“Moon Lord!”
Yi Hwan turned to Go Mi.
She had been watching the clash at the canyon’s end and quickly turned back.
“Yes, Great Prince.”
“Return to the main camp immediately and relay to the Commander that the enemy’s main force might target it directly—tell him to bolster defenses!”
“Pardon?”
“No time to explain—hurry!”
“Understood.”
“Cheon-mu, Jung-kyeong! Go with the Moon Lord back to the main camp!”
“Understood!”
“Yes, Great Prince!”
Go Mi, Song Cheon-mu, and Cha Jung-kyeong hurriedly withdrew toward the eastern side of the canyon. The Zhao Kingdom forces hadn’t reached that far yet, so they escaped without issue.
Yi Hwan turned his gaze back to Jo Jeong-mu.
He was still leisurely enjoying his drink, as if he were out on a pleasure trip.
Twitch.
Yi Hwan’s brow curved like a blade.
“No one in this world has ever dared to act so brazenly before me.”
Shing.
Yi Hwan drew his sword.
The moment it left the sheath, a clear blue light—not the usual white—flowed along the blade.
Whoosh!
Kicking off the ground, Yi Hwan leaped down into the canyon below. Cheol Mu-ok, Ju Tae, and the others, who had been fighting nearby, hurriedly followed after him.
* * *
“Hm? He’s coming down?”
Jo Jeong-mu, who had been sipping his liquor leisurely, narrowed his eyes as he watched Yi Hwan jump into the canyon. Then, spotting the intense blue light flowing along Yi Hwan’s blade, his gaze sharpened.
“That level of qi projection…”
“He’s undoubtedly a top-tier master, judging by the size of his qi.”
“His identity is certainly suspicious. To sideline a renowned hero like Bang Hyo and take command in such a crucial battle…”
“There are only two in Yeon’s Northern Legion who could command Bang Hyo: Commander Gwak Chung-mu… and Great Prince Yi Hwan.”
Jo Jeong-mu’s eyes widened slightly.
“So that’s the puppet Great Prince?”
“Likely so.”
As Jo Jeong-mu made a disbelieving face, Yi Hwan, now down in the canyon, began dancing his sword dance. Jo Jeong-mu’s eyes slowly widened.
Flash!
“Argh!”
“Uwaaak!”
The Zhao martial artists who had been guarding the generals and aiding the attack began flying back like leaves in the autumn wind.
Knowing they were far from weak, Jo Jeong-mu’s shock was all the greater.
“What the hell is that!”
And it wasn’t just Yi Hwan.
Cheol Mu-ok, Ju Tae, and the Yi Royal lineage warriors unleashed ferocious bladework that was in no way inferior to Yi Hwan’s—equally terrifying.
Crunch!
“Kuaaaak!”
“Argh!”
They methodically targeted and slaughtered only the martial artists. One of Jo Jeong-mu’s aides shouted urgently.
“Our martial artists are taking heavy losses! Order the attack, quickly!”
Smirk.
The leisure had already vanished from Jo Jeong-mu’s face. He turned back and bellowed.
“Go kill them!”
“Yes!”
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Those who leaped up in unison were Un Ho-chu of the Un Clan and the other Un Clan warriors.
“You lot go help too!”
At Jo Jeong-mu’s second command, dozens of blood-robed warriors soared into the air.
* * *
Yi Hwan’s sword changed colors with qi at regular intervals.
Sometimes blue light, sometimes white, unleashing matchless power.
It was the first time since his reincarnation that he’d unleashed such transcendent martial arts. The enhanced lethality of the brutal techniques was nothing short of miraculous, sending Zhao’s martial artists crumpling like fallen leaves in an autumn gale.
Even as he mercilessly struck down his foes, Yi Hwan kept an eye on Jo Jeong-mu.
‘How long do you plan to just watch?’
Yi Hwan was waiting for Jo Jeong-mu to step forward.
He planned to behead him amid the chaos once he entered the fray.
That was when it happened.
Dozens of green-robed figures first shot into the air, followed by dozens of blood-robed warriors charging ferociously.
Yet Jo Jeong-mu still hadn’t moved.
This confirmed it for Yi Hwan.
‘The delaying tactic was what the enemy wanted, not us!’
Rage boiled up. Mixed in with the fury was self-reproach.
Abandoning the surprise attack for this delaying strategy had been his decision alone. And that choice had now endangered his own forces.
Fwoosh!
From Yi Hwan’s blade rose not blue or white light, but an intense blood-red glow.
‘I’ll slaughter you all.’
* * *
Yi Hwan’s sword, shifting colors ceaselessly.
A pair of eyes watched it silently. They belonged to the masked figure who had shadowed Jo Jeong-mu from start to finish.
No one but Jo Jeong-mu had spoken to him thus far, and no one had dared treat him casually.
He was like a presence that was there yet not.
His pitch-black, snake-like eyes, gleaming darkly, followed Yi Hwan’s every move without glancing elsewhere.
Then Jo Jeong-mu spoke.
“Thirsty for blood?”
“Give the order, and I’ll go.”
A voice devoid of emotion leaked through the mask.
“It’s not time for you yet—endure the itch.”
“The losses from that one are too great.”
“Wait.”
The masked figure stared at the top of Jo Jeong-mu’s head for a moment before lifting his gaze to track Yi Hwan again.
Yi Hwan’s sword, shifting qi colors ceaselessly.
The masked figure’s eyes changed colors with each shift as well.
* * *
Scree!
A powerful surge of energy flew toward Yi Hwan.
Yi Hwan sidestepped back slightly, raising a sword barrier with the blade in his hand.
Boom!
Beyond the warping space, a figure dropped down. It was Un Ho-chu of the Un Clan.
The moment his feet hit the ground, he charged ferociously at Yi Hwan.
Clang! Clang!
Three exchanges happened in an instant.
In that brief moment, Yi Hwan discerned his opponent’s identity.
‘Un Clan martial arts!’
In his era, the Un Clan hadn’t quite reached the level of the Five Great Families, but they were a prestigious house with comparable might and influence.
However, due to the house head’s misjudgment, they had stood against Yi Hwan and lost countless masters to the Sword King, with only a scant few surviving and fleeing to the far reaches of the Central Plains.
Flash!
Each time Un Ho-chu’s sword sliced through the air, light flared, and the destructive power it carried lived up to its reputation.
Smirk.
Un Ho-chu bared his teeth in a grin.
Having forced Yi Hwan back without counterattack, he was convinced of his advantage.
But it was a clear miscalculation.
Even now, Yi Hwan was blocking Un Ho-chu’s assaults while keeping his eyes on Jo Jeong-mu.
Someone from the rear had run up to Jo Jeong-mu and whispered something. In response, Jo Jeong-mu rose, donning the helmet he’d set aside.
‘Something’s about to start?’
That was when it happened.
“My lord! Focus!”
Cheol Mu-ok’s shout rang out.
‘Focus?’
Yi Hwan finally looked straight at Un Ho-chu.
‘Focus on trash like this?’
Flash!
Un Ho-chu’s sword flew toward Yi Hwan’s throat at an unnatural angle. It was swordsmanship as swift as a beam of light. Believing victory assured, he’d altered his technique to finish it decisively.
Right then, Yi Hwan thrust forward.
Entering the path of the opponent’s trajectory—it was the desperate last resort of the weak against the strong, aiming for mutual destruction.
On the flip side, masters sometimes used it against inferiors. When wielding overwhelming superiority to end it in one strike.
Yi Hwan was, of course, the latter.
“……!”
Un Ho-chu’s eyes widened to their limit.
Thud!
“Guh!”
Yi Hwan’s sword pierced Un Ho-chu’s heart.
Staring coldly into Un Ho-chu’s eyes as life rapidly drained from them, Yi Hwan said.
“Curse your ancestors.”
Meaning that if the Sword King hadn’t shown mercy two hundred years ago, none of this would have happened today.
Thud!
Un Ho-chu toppled forward, lifeless. The Un Clan warriors cried out in unison.
“Young Master!”
Seven lights rose from Yi Hwan’s body. They moved in completely new patterns, engulfing the Un Clan warriors.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Guh!”
“Argh!”
Yi Hwan took a brief moment to survey the battlefield.
Not far away, Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae were unleashing merciless killing blows on the blood-robed warriors.
Corpses were piled into mountains and blood flowed like seas around them.
“Fall back for now.”
* * *
“Eh!”
As Jo Jeong-mu mounted his warhorse while donning his helmet, a startled exclamation escaped him.
He had seen Un Ho-chu fall.
His face twisted soon after.
“Lost a promising one.”
That was all. No further regret showed on Jo Jeong-mu’s face.
Mounting his warhorse and gripping the reins, he bellowed at the generals.
“Ignore the canyon—advance!”
“Advance!”
“Forward!”
Thud thud thud!
* * *
Climbing back up the canyon, Yi Hwan watched the Zhao Kingdom army bypassing to the left, his gaze steadying.
‘So the force that attacked here was just a feint to weaken our main camp after all.’
Bang Hyo came running up, covered head to toe in blood.
“Great Prince! The enemy’s heading straight for the main camp!”
“We were duped.”
“……!”
Yi Hwan issued orders immediately.
“Sound the retreat. We must return to the main camp at full speed.”
“Understood!”
Toot! Toot!
The horns signaling retreat echoed across the battlefield. Yeon Kingdom warriors trickled back into the canyon one by one, but most were locked in fierce combat against enemy resistance, making withdrawal difficult.
‘The remaining enemy isn’t much.’
Yi Hwan turned to Bang Hyo.
“I’ll leave this to you, General.”
“You’re heading to the main camp?”
“The enemy’s main force is likely already en route there. We weren’t the ones buying time—they were.”
“……!”
Yi Hwan placed a hand on Bang Hyo’s shoulder.
Pat.
“My apologies. It was my misjudgment.”
“……!”
Cheol Mu-ok, Ju Tae, and the Yi Royal lineage warriors gathered at Yi Hwan’s side.
Finally, Hwa Ryeong climbed up.
Her jade-like face was flushed red with unfamiliar blood.
“We’re heading back.”
Boom!
Yi Hwan kicked off the ground first and soared into the air.
The others followed, launching themselves after him.
Bang Hyo watched Yi Hwan’s figure shrink to a black dot in an instant, his eyes trembling.
‘That gaze just now…’
It was the first time.
He’d never realized a human’s eyes could be so terrifying.