Chapter 29

29.

A Man Who Beats You with Words

So Gun-pyeong placed the money for the meal on the table and stood up, saying,

"Hey, Shop Assistant, it's cramped in here, let's go outside. And Owner."

"Yes."

"The noodles ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were unexpectedly good. I'll come again."

The head of the Shop Gate, still holed up in the kitchen, replied,

"Ah, please come anytime."

So Gun-pyeong left Chunyang Restaurant with a leisurely attitude first, and Jang Deuk-su, who barely peeked his head out, asked me,

"Jaha, what are you going to do? Are you going to be okay? His eyes were too murderous, weren't they?"

"Why did you make a joke to a customer with murderous eyes?"

"I was nervous and misspoke."

"What did you say?"

"I said the sword looks strangely shaped, like it's from the Southern Barbarians."

"It is from the Southern Barbarians."

"Damn it."

The Southern Barbarians meant the barbarians living in the south, so if the other person really was from the south, it was an insulting remark that could have gotten Jang Deuk-su killed immediately.

Jang Deuk-su unknowingly gripped the pot lid tightly with both hands.

I said,

"Just in case, hold onto that tight."

Jang Deuk-su nodded repeatedly.

"Okay. Don't die."

"That won't happen. Ah, bring me a kitchen knife from the kitchen."

"Why a kitchen knife?"

"I didn't bring any Weaponry. It's better than nothing."

Jang Deuk-su hurriedly took out a large kitchen knife and handed it to me.

"Here."

I grabbed the large kitchen knife and said to Jang Deuk-su,

"See you later."

"Can I watch?"

I pointed to the pot lid and said,

"Don't come out, just hold onto that tight and watch."

"Okay."

* * *

Facing Three Hundred Cycles So Gun-pyeong in my hometown in my early twenties felt new.

So Gun-pyeong would later become a somewhat famous man in Heukdo, but he didn't match my infamy.

Suddenly, I had this thought.

At least the small-town masters of the large and small factions surrounding Ilyang Prefecture can't kill me. I think those who have made a name for themselves in the world have to appear for me to be nervous.

This is not a matter of Inner energy and Martial arts.

It's a matter of whether you have experience playing in the big waters of the world.

At this point in time, the Black Cat Clan Leader is at best a guy who fights fiercely with his senior and junior brothers, so he's a greenhorn in my standards. And this Three Hundred Cycles guy, who has earned a reputation for being tenacious, is still a subordinate of such a greenhorn.

In short, he was an unqualified opponent.

But isn't it truly unfair?

Three Hundred Cycles So Gun-pyeong and I were facing each other, both thinking of the other as a greenhorn.

I asked So Gun-pyeong,

"By the way, Gun-pyeong, why did you come alone without any subordinates? Are you being discarded after being used?"

So Gun-pyeong's face, which had been consistently relaxed, distorted.

"Why would I come with a ruckus to deal with a Shop Assistant? And don't call me by my name so familiarly. It's embarrassing..."

"Are you ashamed to fight me?"

"Shut up."

"Wasn't swarming in groups the Black Cat Clan's strength? Looking at your messed-up expression, it seems you're really being discarded after being used."

"I don't know why a small-town Shop Assistant is so arrogant."

"I don't know why a third-rate Heukdo is so confident."

So Gun-pyeong drew his War Weapon, Nightfall Blade.

That's the Weaponry I recognized.

Nightfall Blade is a Deformed Blade with a narrow width on the left and right sides of the blade, and the curve of the blade is excessively bent.

I don't know the story, but it's a War Weapon made in the Southern Barbarians. It's also a Precious Blade that will become quite famous later because it's the War Weapon of a man who has survived tenaciously. Perhaps that sword has saved So Gun-pyeong's life many times.

So Gun-pyeong saw me holding a kitchen knife and asked,

"What the hell are you doing with that?"

I put the kitchen knife to my nose and sniffed.

"It still smells like garlic. I'll let you know that garlic seeping into a wound causes terrible pain. It'll be nice and hot."

So Gun-pyeong couldn't help but laugh inwardly. This was because his Nightfall Blade could cut ordinary War Weapon like tofu.

I warned So Gun-pyeong, who was wearing a confident expression.

"Remember. Third-rate Heukdo man, if you mess with a Shop Assistant, you'll get hit with a garlic-smelling kitchen knife."

So Gun-pyeong, with his mouth shut, narrowed the distance with a blank face.

* * *

Nightfall Blade is quite sharp and hard, so the kitchen knife is naturally at a disadvantage.

If the kitchen knife clashes with his sword a couple of times, the blade of the kitchen knife will be completely damaged. I could overcome it by injecting Inner energy, but it's inefficient.

Because of that, I didn't carelessly extend the kitchen knife. I only used footwork while maintaining distance, watching So Gun-pyeong's movements.

Of course, Nightfall Blade doesn't touch my body.

No matter how much he uses tricks, throws out feints, or delivers a decisive blow, I could easily evade them.

Regardless of the Inner energy and Martial arts I'm building up now, my eyes and experience in grasping combat situations are no different from when I was called Gwangma.

So Gun-pyeong and I had a huge difference in practical experience.

But the way So Gun-pyeong fought was quite impressive in itself.

Perhaps because he was in his youth like me, he was full of fighting spirit.

But if he was smart, he should realize something from the fact that I wasn't attacking and was only evading.

So Gun-pyeong, who had been unilaterally pouring out attacks for a while, gradually felt a chill down his spine, and his expression gradually hardened.

The turbulent killing intent and fighting spirit seemed to gradually subside due to cold reason.

'He's got some sense.'

Like this, I was reading all of his psychological state and changes in atmosphere. So Gun-pyeong, who had been going crazy and attacking on his own for a while, stopped attacking on his own.

"What the hell are you? How do you know all my movements?"

"I'm a Shop Assistant."

"Shut up! You Shop Assistant bastard. That's not what I'm asking. Are you perhaps one of the Twelve Divine Generals with the same status as the Clan Leader?"

"You ask and then tell me to shut up, you crazy bastard. Just understand this incident as you being incompetent."

"I'm incompetent?"

"You've mastered the incompetent Martial arts that only the slaves of Heukdo learn."

"Slaves of Heukdo?"

"What you've unleashed isn't a proper Sword Method, nor is it normal footwork. You're just dancing with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a sword, relying on experience."

So Gun-pyeong had never heard such words in his life. But the expression was a bit strange.

Slaves of Heukdo?

So Gun-pyeong asked.

"Why is my Sword Method called the Martial arts of a slave?"

The thought that the entire force led by the Twelve Divine Generals was a slave to Daenachal was something I had from my past ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠life.

"Actually, even the expression 'slave' is too good. You guys aren't normal Heukdo. You're all Daenachal's puppets, Daenachal's chess pieces, Daenachal's fighting cocks, Daenachal's playthings, a group specializing in Daenachal's cleanup, a group that provides Daenachal with funds and women, licking Daenachal's ass..."

"Shut up!"

"Look at the state of the Twelve Divine Generals, who are said to be Daenachal's disciples. They wear those pathetic masks if they're told to, they kill whoever they're told to, they train if they're told to, they take charge of a faction if they're told to, they hold martial arts competitions for Daenachal's amusement to determine the rankings, and they're a trash group that flatters Daenachal by offering money and women. Among them, you're a bottom-tier slave who receives orders from a slightly higher-ranking slave, a dead-end life, trash Heukdo, a slave rabbit when you're alive, discarded after being used when you're no longer useful. You think you're somewhat great, but in reality, you're a cripple who can't even beat a Shop Assistant."

So Gun-pyeong's eyes turned bloodshot as he was hit by a storm of verbal abuse that I spat out in an instant. For a moment, his legs gave way as if Inner energy was slightly draining away.

"......"

"Why? Did you think you were a somewhat cool Heukdo?"

I beat So Gun-pyeong with words before hitting him with my fist.

"There's no need to feel too wronged. Daenachal, that old pervert bastard, will also die by my hands later."

At this time, Jang Deuk-su, who had been watching, unknowingly exclaimed.

"That's quite the verbal abuse."

So Gun-pyeong, who had sharp ears, looked towards where Jang Deuk-su was.

Jang Deuk-su was startled and raised the pot lid, but fortunately, there was no attack from So Gun-pyeong.

The words slave, puppet, chess piece, fighting cock, and plaything were swirling chaotically in So Gun-pyeong's head. It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was the first time in his life that his mind had been confused by someone's words, so he was even more flustered.

So Gun-pyeong, who had been taking deep breaths because he was too excited, glared at me and said,

"Keep talking."

Look at this guy?

I'm a man who has the confidence to beat a high monk with words until he vomits blood from anger.

I grinned.

"I heard that the Twelve Divine Generals, who are the leaders, learn more Martial arts from Daenachal if they rank first in the ranking battle. But what are you going to do with learning that? Aren't you cripples who learn Martial arts by receiving crumbs? Daenachal is just one of the many Heukdo masters. Is Daenachal the greatest person in Heukdo? Not a chance. And Daenachal will never pass on his Secret Technique with that narrow-minded personality. You're just Daenachal's lackeys, his playthings. To reiterate, you should be called a slave's slave. It's a rare and pitiful life."

"Is that all you have to say? If you're so great, you won't just avoid me now. Let's settle this for sure."

As So Gun-pyeong, who had regained his breath, announced another attack, I replied like this.

"Gun-pyeong, an upright man doesn't live like a slave. You need to get hit to come to your senses."

I raised the rectangular, straight kitchen knife that Jang Deuk-su had handed me and injected the Inner energy of Blazing Chicken.

The kitchen knife, enveloped in Blazing Chicken, blazed red.

Whoosh!

After the appearance of the kitchen knife, which was only slightly larger than my palm, turned reddish, a crimson flame-shaped aura rose like a mirage.

The achievements I had gained from constantly training Blazing Chicken shone the brightest from the kitchen knife first.

So Gun-pyeong, who was about to launch a preemptive strike, looked at the red-hot kitchen knife with surprised eyes.

The red light emanating from the short kitchen knife had the shape of a long sword. As soon as So Gun-pyeong saw that, he realized that he couldn't win.

However, his pride was hurt, so he had no intention of backing down like this.

I said to So Gun-pyeong.

"Do you still see me as a cripple? Either kneel there and surrender, or you'll get beaten up real good. You lackey of a slave rabbit."

I infused the Sword Energy into the kitchen knife, followed by the Flame Flower Scent, the Secret Technique of Blazing Chicken.

The official name is Flame Flower Scent, but I call this Secret Technique 'Fire Flavor'. It means that fire flavor that is subtly infused in things like fried rice.

Perhaps to those who don't know Martial arts, my posture and appearance right now will be funny. That's because I was holding the kitchen knife in my right hand high up.

But I can say with certainty that this appearance won't be funny to So Gun-pyeong.

Veins popped out on So Gun-pyeong's forehead when he heard the words to kneel.

In the world, what Heukdo man would kneel to a young man from a Shop Assistant background?

So Gun-pyeong, who thought he would just die fighting, also poured the greatest power he could muster into Nightfall Blade and swung it at me.

An unrefined, turbid-colored mirage enveloped Nightfall Blade and rushed towards me.

It was a Blade Wind containing quite a fierce energy.

'Not bad for a bug.'

Certainly, there was momentum.

I threw the kitchen knife, enveloped in Flame Flower Scent, towards the oncoming Blade Wind. The ordinary kitchen knife tore through the Blade Wind and contained a terrifying sound.

Is it just my delusion that the Sword's Cry of that kitchen knife sounds like a scream filled with the anger of the Shop Assistant from my past life?