53 – 04# *Kou Mi Fu Jian* 口蜜腹劍 (Honeyed Mouth, Dagger Belly – Hypocrisy) (12)

Dark Sword.

That was the moniker given to Namgung Seon-wi, guardian of the Namgung Clan’s shadows. Having survived the Sword Demon War, Namgung Seon-wi adopted the belief that martial strength was paramount.

Those greenhorn pups who hadn’t lived through that fight wouldn’t understand. The overwhelming martial prowess of the Sword Demon he’d witnessed that day. That absurd power that, at first, inspired terror.

And that terror soon morphed into obsession. Namgung Seon-wi never believed the Sword Demon was dead. He was certain he would return to the *murim* one day.

To avoid repeating the past, Namgung Seon-wi had enhanced his power by any means necessary. Thus, he came to be known as the Namgung Clan’s Dark Sword.

“Indeed… he manages the basics, at least. For a scarecrow, anyway.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing. Your task is complete. Withdraw now and see to the evacuation of the survivors.”

“Ah, understood! Be careful, Elder Namgung Seonwi!”

Namgung Seonwi waved a dismissive hand in response and strode forward with a light step. Sure enough, near the main gate, warriors of the clans lay collapsed in pools of their own blood.

“He doesn’t bother chasing after those who flee, does he? For someone calling himself the Sword Demon, he’s softer than I imagined.”

“…And who might you be?”

“My apologies for the late introduction. I am Namgung Seonwi, Seventh Elder of the Namgung Clan, wielder of the Shadow Sword. You may simply call me Sword Demon, I suppose?”

“It seems you know I am not the true Sword Demon. Is there a reason you still address me as such?”

“I never said you *weren’t* the Sword Demon. But be careful. Walls have ears, you know.”

Even amidst the carnage, with buildings cleaved in half like tofu, Namgung Seonwi stood before the nameless old man, utterly unperturbed. The nameless man, however, wore an expression of grave concern for perhaps the first time.

*He’s on a different level than anyone I’ve faced thus far. At minimum, beyond masterful…no, perhaps even a transcendent master.*

The aura pressing against his skin suggested as much, he thought. Well, it wouldn’t be surprising if a master of that caliber emerged from a clan like the Namgung.

*As expected, not the real Sword Demon.*

Conversely, Namgung Seonwi was now certain that the old man before him was not the true Sword Demon. To look at him, though, he at least didn’t seem like a complete hollow shell.

*That much is not enough.*

*He can never reach the real ‘Sword Demon’ this way.*

It was for this reason that Namgung Seonwi had orchestrated this entire affair.

*The Demonic Cult and the Sword Demon are nothing but troublesome. It would have been best for the Namgung Clan if they had simply destroyed each other in a bloody conflict…but alas, life rarely unfolds as one wishes.*

In order to win the Sword Demon War, the Namgung Clan had secretly allied themselves with the Demonic Cult. Thanks to this, the Namgung Clan emerged victorious, becoming the leading clan in the Righteous Alliance.

However, a different problem presented itself. The Demonic Cult, thought to be on the verge of self-destruction, proved far more resilient than anticipated.

Namgung Seonwi had naturally been a staunch advocate for the subjugation of the Demonic Cult. Not for any noble ideal, but because the Cult knew far too many unsavory truths about the Namgung Clan.

Yet, Namgung Seonwi’s calls went unheeded by the clan. The other elders and the Clan Lord were unwilling to stir up trouble unnecessarily.

[Is there any reason to soil our hands?]

[…They know too much, Clan Lord.]

[If it becomes a problem, we shall deal with it then.]

How lamentable. If he had possessed the same conviction back then, the same willingness to stain his hands with blood. Then, these villains wouldn’t be running rampant now.

“Pretext is always necessary. Especially for those who reign from above, like the Namgung Clan. And if one can eliminate that which is troublesome at the same time, it’s truly killing two birds with one stone.”

“Just what connection did you have with the Demonic Cult? No, what truly happened during the Sword Demon War?”

“You truly believe I’d tell you of my own volition?”

“…”

“Didn’t I say it just moments ago? Be mindful of your words, awake or asleep. Let us bring this profitless conversation to an end.”

Such a commotion in the courtyard of the Namgung Clan. This alone provides sufficient justification for the Namgung to deal with the Sword Demon. Especially considering the opponent is not even the true Sword Demon?

“Today is the day the Namgung Clan overcomes the Sword Demon.”

Rest assured. The demonic cultists will follow you soon enough.

◇

True to his moniker, Dark Sword, Namgung Seonwi’s sword was exceedingly violent. Devoid of all purity, Namgung Seonwi’s brutal sword path leaned closer to the demonic sects than the orthodox.

In truth, that was only natural. In the past, Namgung Seonwi had suffered an overwhelming defeat at the hands of the Sword Demon, sinking into despair. And to overcome that despair, he dedicated himself to endless efforts.

In that process, the image of the Sword Demon he experienced firsthand seeped into him. In a way, it was a natural progression. To him, the Sword Demon was a symbol of despair.

At the same time, an object of admiration. For there was no martial artist, at least, who did not admire the Sword Demon’s overwhelming power. Namgung Seonwi’s sword swung mightily.

*Kwaaang!!*

With an earth-shattering impact, Mu-myeong’s legs sank deep into the ground, cracks spider-webbing outward. The battle between two peak experts was, to ordinary people, akin to a natural disaster.

‘The sword is heavy. Far more so than the Lord of the Moryong Clan I faced before…!! I am contending with one far surpassing what one can call a ‘Peak Expert!’’

As proof, the sword energy flowing from Namgung Seonwi’s blade was far thicker than that of Moryong Kang, the lord of the Moryong Clan, that he’d previously witnessed. The instant he saw it, Mu-myeong could not help but realize.

There was no mistaking it.

That was the symbol of the Transcendence Realm.

Sword Radiance, a technique transcending mere sword energy.

Of course, it was merely a delusion of Mu-myeong’s. In this place, there was virtually no one besides Mu-myeong who knew the concept of Sword Radiance, let alone used it.

To withstand Namgung Seonwi, Mu-myeong likewise unleashed his own sword energy. And then, the swords of the two men, wreathed in swirling energy, arced toward each other.

Astonishingly, it was Mu-myeong who was pushed back in the direct clash. Utterly overwhelmed in the battle of strength, Mu-myeong could not help but feel flustered. He had never been pushed back before.

Even when facing Moryong Kang, the lord of the Moryong Clan, he had merely held back to subdue rather than kill. Had he engaged with all his strength, he could have achieved victory immediately.

But the old man before him was different. There was a reason he was called Dark Sword, it seemed. Namgung Seonwi was evenly matched with Mu-myeong. Displaying an even slightly superior strength.

‘No, is it not strength that I am opposing?’

At first, he thought he was being overwhelmed by sheer force. But the more their swords collided, the stranger the sensation became. It felt as though he was facing a massive, immovable tree.

“You seem disconcerted. Perhaps it is because you have won your battles with such ease until now.”

“…Keuk!!”

“But I am of a different caliber from those you have faced before.”

Unlike ordinary swordsmanship, which emphasizes speed and agility. A regal swordsmanship imbued with the profound truth of pursuing domineering power through a heavy sword. The heaviest sword technique the Namgung Clan boasted.

*Emperor Sword Form.*

Emperor’s Sword Form

The Emperor’s Sword began to crush the Nameless.

◇

A half-hearted resolve breeds hesitation, and hesitation weakens a man.

Compared to that, Namgung Sunwi had already experienced defeat at the hands of the Sword Demon decades ago, in his middle age. He had set his path then. A path chillingly similar to the Sword Demon’s own.

A road where the ends justified any and all means. The only difference lay in the fact that no matter how much Namgung Sunwi inwardly acknowledged the Sword Demon’s might and yearned to emulate him,

becoming the Sword Demon completely was practically impossible. However, at least he could mimic the Sword Demon to a degree, which was remarkable enough for an ordinary martial artist.

*Kwaaang!!*

The Emperor’s Sword Form’s powerful sword instantly began to oppress the Nameless. The Dark Sword was a master within the Five Great Clans, ranked among the top seven, and one who had achieved a state impervious to all poisons.

For Namgung Sunwi, such frivolous tricks were useless. He was one of the few survivors to have witnessed the true Sword Demon and lived. And he had grown many times stronger since then.

If this were the original Nameless, he might have been intimidated by Namgung Sunwi’s seemingly overwhelming power or even succumbed to fear. But the current him was different.

“…Strong. Disgustingly strong.”

A life-or-death struggle. No longer bound by rules or restrained by anyone. With a battlefield before him where he could only prove his own strength, the Nameless smiled.

[Do not be overwhelmed by the enemy’s strength. Devour their strength and become stronger yourself.]

Memories of someone bound within him, suppressed and sealed, began to unravel little by little as he skirted the line between life and death.