46 – 04# Honeyed Words, Dagger in the Belly (5)

In the hands of a murderer, it becomes a demon, taking lives. In the hands of a soldier, it becomes a guardian, upholding the Emperor’s sacred law. That is the essence of the sword.

Therefore, those who hone their martial arts must always think, and think again, before drawing their swords. That is the line between martial arts and violence. That is what we call chivalry.

A teaching learned long ago at the Seonmu Academy, but sadly, only one alumnus here remembers it. And he’s the sworn enemy I’ve never seen eye to eye with.

Feeling a pang of melancholy at that realization, Ko Gyeom swung the Iron Dragon Silk with all his might. The iron whip, woven as thin as possible into something resembling silk, possessed a sharpness rivaling that of a famed blade.

However, the Iron Dragon Silk’s greatest advantage was none other than its range. Although more difficult to control than a standard whip, the Iron Dragon Silk granted a significant advantage in distance with its recoil.

As a result, the Hundred Grandmasters facing the Iron Dragon Silk had to dodge the nearly invisible, silk-like whip and find a way to get close. Surely, the method would have worked.

If two or three of them were completely committed to the Iron Dragon Silk and able to anticipate it, it would not be impossible to defend against. While the remaining members dealt with Ko Gyeom’s neck, he could easily handle things.

At least, that would have been the case if Ma Gang wasn’t directly in front of Ko Gyeom and guarding him. The iron chunk of metal, so crude it could hardly be called a greatsword, was swung with brute force.

Kwaaang!!!

The impact felt akin to an earthquake, even seasoned martial artists staggered under the force. Not missing the opportunity, Go Gyeom, positioned behind Ma Gang, set his hands in motion.

“Kugh!”

“Don’t get caught by Cheolryong Temple! Once they get you, it’s over!”

“Damn it, why do they fight so well together?!”

From the old days until now, these two had been worse than sworn enemies. Yet, fighting side-by-side, their coordination was uncanny, a truly maddening situation.

The original plan had been to swiftly eliminate Go Gyeom, the biggest obstruction, then capture the Sword Demon’s disciples before rejoining the fray. Instead, all four of them were bogged down.

“I spoon-fed them this opportunity, and they couldn’t even catch one? Impressive, in a way.”

“You better hold on tight yourself. Or is that pretty-boy face matched by a lack of strength, making you so weak?”

“Seems like you’re just itching to die first.”

“…These b*stards, until the very end…!”

Even in this dire situation, Go Gyeom and Ma Gang were bickering. Baek Sanha felt a white-hot rage surge to the top of his head. They were risking their lives, locked in a deadly struggle, yet…

They had the audacity to trade taunts like this? Just how long were they planning to ignore him? Fine, this entire mess was their fault.

Go Gyeom was the first to notice the change. He sensed a dangerous aura emanating from Baek Sanha, his opponent, before anyone else.

“What kind of bizarre stunt is that now? Did he learn some new martial art?”

“If what I heard is correct, that’s likely a Demonic Art.”

“A Demonic Art? Just the name sounds ominous.”

“They say it’s a martial art that allows you to become strong in a short period. Of course, there’s bound to be a price.”

Ma Gang’s words were met with a silent nod from Go Gyeom. The swirling, reddish aura was certainly not something that looked beneficial to the body.

“I can’t understand it. Guys who’ve made a name for themselves amongst the top hundred masters, why would they succumb to such a base power?”

“I can’t say I completely fail to comprehend that feeling.”

“What?”

“Don’t assume everyone is born with the same talent as you.”

“What nonsense…?!”

But Go Gyeom couldn’t finish his sentence. Baek Sanha, unable to restrain himself, launched an attack that reached his throat in an instant. A speed beyond imagination.

His reaction was slightly delayed because of it. He was only alive because Ma Gang had directly blocked the strike with his greatsword. Otherwise, that would have been the end of him. Go Gyeom bit his lip hard.

“…Thanks.”

“What was that?”

“I said, thanks for saving my life!”

“Save those pleasantries for when we’re still alive.”

“Funny you say that, who knows if we’ll be alive.”

“Still got the leisure for idle banter, do you?”

Enraged by Go Gyeom and Ma Gang’s blatant disregard even now, Baek San-ha was about to swing his sword once more when a sudden spike of killing intent turned his eyes.

“Kuaaak!!”

“Did Ahn Chu really expose his back so easily?!”

“…Hahaha, seems the young lady herself has arrived.”

Even Go Gyeom himself couldn’t track the speed with his eyes. And for him to be caught off guard by a sudden ambush, it was clear his situation was even more dire than Go Gyeom’s own shoulder wound.

Not that he pitied him.

He brought it upon himself, after all.

In a flash, the elite warrior severed the neck of Ahn Chu, one of the hundred masters. Sua, using her speed, joined Ma Gang and Go Gyeom. Clicking her tongue, Sua spoke.

“A pity I only managed to kill one with the ambush.”

“That is quite sufficient, young lady.”

“Now we can each take one. Or perhaps I should take on both of yours, and you two can rest quietly in the back?”

“Enough with the drivel. I have a debt to settle with that one.”

Go Gyeom pointed towards Baek San-ha, who was glaring at them with bloodshot eyes. He looked less like a man and more like a fiendish demon.

“Though he’s become a beast who has abandoned his humanity… as a former friend, it is only proper that I personally end his bestial existence with my own hands.”

“Do as you please.”

“But young lady, what of the other young ladies…?”

“They’re dealing with the enemy spies disguised as escorts. Fortunately, they were no more than second-rate warriors, so my junior sisters are more than capable.”

“That is a relief. I owe you my life.”

Impressed by the skill of the Sword Demon’s disciples, who had expertly dealt with even the remaining threats, Go Gyeom turned his gaze back to Baek San-ha. He could finally settle this cursed fate to his heart’s content.

◇

Kwaang! Kwang!!

While the battle above was at least a semblance of a human fight, the struggle raging below the cliff was closer to a bestial slaughter. Mu-myeong frowned.

The one common thread she’d noticed while facing other warriors was that their swordsmanship followed somewhat predictable patterns. This made it relatively easy to block or evade their strikes.

But fighting the creatures before her now was different. Movements closer to a beast than a man. Actions driven purely by instinct mutated into utterly unpredictable attacks.

What shocked her most was when a palm strike, launched straight at her, twisted in an impossible, liquid motion to evade her sword and sink its claws into her chest.

“Keuk!!”

If she hadn’t twisted her body to deflect the direct hit, her claws would have pierced Mu-myeong’s heart in an instant. But that didn’t mean Mu-myeong would simply suffer in silence.

At the very moment her palm strike pierced his chest, she simultaneously swung her sword, severing half of her arm. Though it was a near-desperate improvisation, she hadn’t managed to cut it off completely.

At least disabling one arm in this fight was a significant victory. Even if she couldn’t kill her outright, she could endure by chipping away at her like this.

That’s how I thought it was.

Right before my very eyes.

Until she regenerated her tattered arm.

‘Come to think of it, there certainly was a demonic art for healing wounds.’

But wasn’t that something only a master, almost at the level of a cult leader, could do within the Demonic Cult? The woman overtly relished the expression of bewilderment on the Nameless One’s face, bringing blood-stained fingers to her lips.

“Hmm~ The taste of blood is surprisingly fresh? Almost like that of a young man.”

“He *is* Sword Demon, after all. It wouldn’t be strange for his body to be healthy.”

‘These b*stards… I’m not an old man, I’m thirty.’

However, Nameless wasn’t so thoughtless as to bring that up in a life-or-death situation. Though, he did briefly consider whether he should actually trim his beard.

But it wasn’t a complete loss. First, the demonic art of regenerating the body consumes an absurd amount of inner energy. It was, from the outset, a technique only accessible to powerhouses at the cult leader level.

At least, she won’t be able to spam it like that. And with that last clash, Nameless managed to grasp their intention to some extent. To land attacks, no matter how small.

And to slowly whittle him down until he was weak enough to kill. He was caught off guard at first, but not anymore. Knowing and not knowing makes all the difference.

“I know exactly what you’re trying to do. May I offer some advice? Throw yourselves at me with everything you have, surpassing even your limits.”

“What ridiculous bravado…”

“I’ll say it one more time.”

At that moment, the two masters of the Demonic Cult recoiled more than five steps, without even realizing it. The frail old man who had been standing right in front of them, so utterly unimpressive, had vanished without a trace.

In his place was a giant capable of crushing them like insignificant ants, merely by taking a step. Then, the old man, imbued with a presence as immense as Mount Tai, spoke.

“Throw yourselves at me with everything you have. Otherwise…”

You’ll die in an instant.