Chapter 400
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 400
Chapter Title: So Don't Be Afraid of Poison
"Kuhk."
A groan leaked out.
The speed of blocking with the shield was just a touch too slow.
That tiny lapse brought fatal consequences.
The poison steel ghoul's claw grazed his arm below the shoulder.
His clothes tore, and a red scratch bloomed across his skin.
The area around it quickly turned black.
It was the poison steel ghoul's venom.
With one cadet poisoned, his movements slowed, and the formation began to creak.
To cover for that one person's slip, the other four had to move even more frantically.
They gritted their teeth and held on desperately.
Half of it was sheer willpower, half the body moving on instinct.
The more they clashed with the ghouls in real combat, the more they realized it.
The training from Instructor Ji Gun-wi and Instructor Ha Mu-baek, which they'd cursed at the time.
They were reaping the benefits now.
If it hadn't been for that training, would their bodies have reacted on their own like this?
That thought crossed their minds.
They lost track of time.
Kaang!
Just now.
The sword that struck the ghoul's neck bounced off.
There was only a small wound on its neck.
How many strikes would it take before a sword could even lodge in there?
As that question arose.
"Enough!"
Instructor Ha Mu-baek's voice rang out.
And the ghoul halted its movements.
"Hahk. Hahk. Hahk."
"Kuhuk."
"Hak. Hak. Hak."
Each of them heaved ragged breaths.
It had only been half a round of combat.
Yet their lungs burned to the brim.
The training felt even harsher than before, but to think it was only this much.
"Ugh."
Then.
The cadet wounded by the poison steel ghoul's claw let out a stifled groan he'd been holding back, his whole body trembling.
The black poison around the wound had spread a bit further, cold sweat pouring down his face.
"Tch."
Ha Mu-baek, who had approached in an instant, clicked his tongue.
He seemed to grip the poisoned cadet's pulse point.
And the cadet's rough breathing gradually steadied.
It took only a few breaths for the poison around the wound to vanish completely.
The cadets watched in stunned silence.
"I'll detoxify any poison as much as you need. So don't fear the venom, like this guy did."
At Ha Mu-baek's words, the poisoned cadet bowed his head deeply.
The reason his movements had slowed.
He'd been terrified by the glistening venom-coated claws of the poison steel ghoul hurtling toward him.
Even though Ha Mu-baek said he'd detoxify it.
How could he fully trust those words?
The moment a seed of doubt sprouted in his heart, those venom claws became utterly horrifying.
"Next group, prepare."
Having finished the detox, Ha Mu-baek left those curt words and returned to the platform.
This year's second squad took position opposite the poison steel ghoul.
"Begin."
With that shout, the poison steel ghoul sprang into motion again.
Perhaps because they'd seen Ha Mu-baek detoxify it, the fear of the ghoul's poison was gone.
They began aggressively targeting the poison steel ghoul.
Even so, no squad managed to fell it.
They couldn't easily slice through its rock-hard body.
It was unavoidable.
At their level of internal energy.
They couldn't infuse their swords with enough power to cut the ghoul.
It was different from Squad Seven of the Fierce Dragon Corps, who had taken the Wuliang Pills.
Ha Mu-baek watched their efforts calmly.
After this year's squads, even the first-years, had all faced the poison steel ghoul.
Three wooden crates flew in from the equipment shed.
Poison steel ghouls emerged from them.
"Now, four squads at a time."
At Ha Mu-baek's words, the cadets swallowed dryly.
Facing four squads at once meant.
Less rest time.
Even so, they began battling the poison steel ghouls four squads at a time.
That training ended as well.
"Squad One, forward."
Once more, just one squad stepped into the center of the drill ground.
"This time, it's two of them."
At Ha Mu-baek's words, the cadets' faces drained of color.
Ha Mu-baek smirked at their reaction.
"There's no rule saying you'll only meet one in the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest."
With those words, the two poison steel ghouls lurched forward.
Squad One cadets hurriedly formed up and began blocking the ghouls' attacks.
"Whew. Brutal. Way too brutal."
Dang Jin-san shook his head and muttered at the sight.
"What's so brutal about it?"
A sudden voice from behind made him glance back—Namgung Ji-hu had approached unnoticed.
"Huh? Weren't you up in that tree over there?"
Dang Jin-san had spotted the Namgung siblings when they first appeared on the grand drill ground.
"I figured you two would know all about the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest."
Namgung Ji-yu answered.
Dang Jin-san chuckled and nodded.
At least among the cadets, they knew the most.
"Meeting even one poison steel ghoul is rare. Running into two at once? Worst luck of your life."
At Dang Jin-san's words, Baek Ri-pyeong and Dan Mok Un-roe nodded unconsciously.
"Unless someone deliberately herded them there."
Yeon Ha-min, who had been watching the drill ground intently, suddenly added.
The moment she spoke, every cadet nodded.
Because they'd experienced it firsthand.
That instructor on the platform, impassively looking down.
"Usually, two or three together are death ghouls. The first ones we fought."
Dang Jin-san grinned as he said it.
Yeon Ha-min glanced up at Ha Mu-baek on the platform before replying.
"Instructor probably didn't expect it either. That they'd take down all four death ghouls."
"Monkey fell from the tree. Heh."
As Dang Jin-san let out a small laugh.
"Who the hell's chatting back there?"
Ha Mu-baek's icy voice shot toward them.
They clamped their mouths shut instantly.
But mischievous smiles tugged at their lips.
Including Namgung Ji-hu and Namgung Ji-yu.
In the battle against the two poison steel ghouls.
There were quite a few injuries.
Ha Mu-baek detoxified all the poison, but he couldn't heal the wounds.
So today's training ended there.
"We'll continue with the ghouls tomorrow."
The four poison steel ghouls now stood in one corner of the grand drill ground.
Ha Mu-baek looked at Han Seol-bing.
She sighed.
Then scattered a few iron rods around the ghouls.
Mist rose swiftly, enveloping the ghouls until they vanished.
She had sealed them with an array.
The reason was simple.
Word had spread somehow, and cadets from the Hidden Dragon Corps and Wa Dragon Corps, even instructors, had gathered in small groups around the drill ground.
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul, who had been watching from the Pavilion Lord's Hall, had even come out to the drill ground.
At Ha Mu-baek's words, the cadets collapsed to the ground.
Some wrapped wounds with bandages, others just lay flat staring at the sky.
Today's Squad Seven simply watched the training.
And that was that for them.
It held no real meaning for them anyway.
"Training isn't over yet."
Ha Mu-baek said sternly to the sprawled cadets.
Those lying down scrambled to attention.
Ha Mu-baek's gaze turned to Squad Seven.
"The ones who've been sitting pretty and gossiping all day need training too, right?"
The Fierce Dragon Corps cadets' eyes followed his gaze.
As did the eyes of those surrounding the drill ground.
Squad Seven's faces flashed with momentary panic under all those stares.
"Come out."
At Ha Mu-baek's short command.
They stepped into the center of the drill ground.
With the ghouls moved to the corner.
The center was wide open.
"Prepare."
The moment Ha Mu-baek spoke, the seven instantly formed their formation.
Because they couldn't predict when that man would charge.
Kwang!
As expected.
He rushed in an instant, slamming into their shields.
Squad Seven cadets gritted their teeth and swung swords and shields.
But they couldn't match Ha Mu-baek.
Above all.
The aura he exuded was overwhelming.
They didn't know it.
But he was emitting at least double the pressure of a dark blood ghoul.
'He can amp it up even more...'
Han Seol-bing was startled.
Back in his Hocheon Corps days, Ha Mu-baek had only matched a dark blood ghoul's aura.
She knew well what that pressure felt like.
So she could imagine Squad Seven's state right now.
'Even just dark blood ghoul level feels awful, double that...'
Among those who trained today, they were getting the harshest session.
Of course, no one else knew.
Because Ha Mu-baek focused his aura solely on Squad Seven.
Only Han Seol-bing sensed it.
And of course, the disguised Ji Gun-wi at her side felt it too.
"Kuhk."
A pained groan escaped Dang Jin-san's lips.
Ha Mu-baek's fist was buried in his gut.
The other cadets targeted Ha Mu-baek's back.
Not a shred of worry for Dang Jin-san.
"Grab him!"
Instead.
They shouted to seize the arm lodged in Dang Jin-san's gut so he couldn't pull away.
"Shit."
Cursing at his comrades' concern, Dang Jin-san swiftly clamped both arms around Ha Mu-baek's arm.
Or so he thought.
"Guhk."
Another heavy blow to the gut sent Dang Jin-san flying back.
The two swords dropping toward Ha Mu-baek's back were deflected by his spinning fist.
Ha Mu-baek's fists then smashed into the faces of Joo Woo-myeong and Baek Ri-pyeong as they swung.
The two flew back.
As Ha Mu-baek pursued to drive in another punch.
Yeon Ha-min and Ha Seol-ran's shields blocked his fist.
Kwang! Kwarang!
A massive clang echoed, and the two slid back.
Dan Mok Un-roe's sword flew at Ha Mu-baek's back as he pressed the attack.
But one kick from Ha Mu-baek sent Dan Mok Un-roe flying.
Kwajik! Kwajik!
Follow-up punches shattered Yeon Ha-min and Ha Seol-ran's shields.
They each took a gut punch and soared backward.
In that instant.
A sword thrusting at Ha Mu-baek's ankle.
Nak Woo-jin.
Ha Mu-baek lightly shifted his foot, kicking Nak Woo-jin in the face and sending him flying.
All seven sprawled on the ground.
"Not done yet."
At Ha Mu-baek's words, the seven staggered to their feet.
Once all were up.
Ha Mu-baek's form vanished again.
Kwang! Kwarang!
Kwajik!
He unleashed a barrage on Squad Seven.
One round.
Just one round of training.
But no one in the Fierce Dragon Corps disputed that Squad Seven endured the fiercest today.
Ha Mu-baek's assault was that merciless.
It even made facing the ghouls seem a hundred, a thousand times better.
After training ended.
And Ha Mu-baek left.
The Hidden Dragon Corps and Wa Dragon Corps cadets departed the drill ground with slightly pale faces.
"Insane. What the hell was that... That's a ghoul? We have to fight those in the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest?"
A Wa Dragon Corps cadet said, face ashen.
"Yeah. The Demon-Sealing Corps told us to avoid them at all costs... Makes sense now."
Another Wa Dragon Corps cadet nodded in agreement.
Still, the two had a bit of leeway on their faces.
Far more from the Hidden Dragon Corps than Wa Dragon got assigned to Demon-Sealing Corps.
The reason was obvious.
Cave Sect.
The Demon-Sealing Corps Leader hailed from the Cave Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects.
"But can you fight like those Fierce Dragon punks?"
A Hidden Dragon Corps cadet glanced at his comrade walking beside him.
The questioned one smirked.
"Me, compared to those who couldn't even use sword qi and barely scratched the ghouls?"
"Still, the Fierce Dragon guys held out without much damage. Think you could?"
"...Dunno. Well, Fierce Dragon. They were pretty decent..."
"Just facing those horrors like that is impressive. That's their level."
And so the Hidden Dragon and Wa Dragon cadets chatted about what they'd seen as they returned to their posts.
The cadets who trained with Ha Mu-baek, sure—but even the five who faced two poison steel ghouls.
That alone far surpassed Hidden Dragon and Wa Dragon training.
None in Hidden Dragon or Wa Dragon had real combat experience against ghouls.
Among the watchers were Hidden Dragon Corps Leader Neung U-dam and Wa Dragon Corps Leader Sang Gyeong-mun.
The two exchanged glances and nods.
Then headed to Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul, who was out in the open.
"What brings you?"
With both corps leaders visiting together, he had to ask.
"It's about the field training I mentioned last time."
"Hmm."
He still hadn't figured out Yeon Ja-gyeong's scheme.
"If even Fierce Dragon is doing this kind of training, Hidden Dragon and Wa Dragon can't stay ignorant of the front lines. I think we should start field training sooner."
It wasn't wrong.
"Facing ghouls, you mean?"
Pang Do-yul asked, and the two nodded.
"Fierce Dragon's headed to Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest, so Instructor Ha brought ghouls himself."
"Hidden Dragon and Wa Dragon also send people to Demon-Sealing Corps in Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest."
Sang Gyeong-mun of Wa Dragon Corps spoke.
"Then why not go to Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest yourselves and fetch some ghouls?"
At Pang Do-yul's question.
"Embarrassing to admit, but I lack that ability. So we have no choice but to send cadets."
Neung U-dam of Hidden Dragon Corps.
He readily admitted his skills fell short of Ha Mu-baek's.
This put Pang Do-yul in a bind.
The corps leader admitting his own inadequacy.
And requesting cadet field training to compensate.
What to do?
"Hoo."
Pang Do-yul let out a deep sigh.
"Understood. We'll advance the Summer Combat Festival."
With that, Pang Do-yul headed back to the Pavilion Lord's Hall.
Neung U-dam and Sang Gyeong-mun clasped fists toward his back.