NOVEL NEXT Chapter 99
—Bam bam bam!
The Skeletal Cavalry is charging towards us. Serin and I are guarding Hayoung while readying our swords, and I soon feel heat coming from behind.
—Whoosh!
As Hayoung swings her staff, a fireball imbued with the power of banishing evil is shot forth. Following this, the scattering talismans fly like daggers, striking the skeletal cavalry.
—Boom!
The ensuing explosion of flames.
“That was close.”
A skeletal warhorse engulfed in flames flails as it raises its front legs. Since ancient times, ghosts have been weak against fire. While a martial artist’s sword may struggle, a magician’s spells hold the upper hand.
“Over there!”
But even powerful spells have their limits. Some of the cavalry affected by the spell continue coming our way. I synchronize my movements with Serin. With our bodies and minds connected, we have nothing to fear.
“Geunhyeop!”
“Yeah!”
A cavalryman approaching on my side swings a crescent blade. Though now a mere skeleton, the strength held within that weapon is solid.
I don’t dodge.
I simply deflect as I’ve learned.
—Swish!
The moment I redirect the crescent blade with my sword.
“Haah!”
Serin unleashes a sword strike, sending out a blade of energy at the cavalryman’s flank. With that, the skeletal cavalryman is split in two alongside his horse.
“Whoa! One hit!”
“If they’re separated, we can deal with them easily!”
That’s true. If the cavalry charged us all at once, hitting their flanks would be impossible. But right now, they’re scattered. If we take advantage of this situation, we can take them down.
“Hey! They’re still coming! Block them quickly!”
“Okay!”
There are quite a few cavalrymen.
Hayoung diligently employs her spells, systematically attacking the cavalry while Serin and I fend off the approaching enemies, keeping close guard of her.
—Swoosh!
I either dodge or deflect the incoming crescent blades. When a skeletal warhorse tries to stomp me, I promptly step away using my footwork and counterattack, reclaiming my ground.
After all, I have Serin and Hayoung with me. I focus solely on the cavalry in front of me as I swing my sword.
“I see…!”
I see how these cavalrymen plan to attack!
“Graaaah!”
“Ahhhh!”
On the other hand, the Mangho squad has suffered greatly. Several members have already fallen to the crescent blade.
It’s no surprise. We have capable magicians holding back the enemies. Meanwhile, they’re only fighting the cavalry with swords, so they have no chance.
“What a bunch of bastards!”
“Damned skeletons!”
“Kill them all!”
But despite being rotting, the Mangho squad still has its merit. As the martial arts guild’s combat team, they are visibly taking down cavalrymen.
“Geunhyeop! The cavalry keeps coming! If their numbers increase, we won’t last much longer!”
“Right…! Let’s look for a chance to retreat!”
“Agreed! Wi Hayoung!”
“Yeah! I’m keeping an eye out too!”
We need to get out while the situation is favorable. Just then, some skeletal cavalry that had appeared elsewhere joined the Mangho squad.
Let them become our offering to make our escape!
“How’s it looking!”
“Looks good!”
—Whoosh!
We immediately dash in one direction.
“You Mangho bastards! Serves you right!”
I might not get to kill anyone with my own hands, but in a situation like this, they’ll surely be surrounded and wiped out.
“Ahhhh!”
Screams echo from behind us.
We keep running.
As we do, the screams start to fade, and the skeletal cavalry begin to disappear as well. Thankfully, we’ve managed to slip away.
“Let’s take a short break here. Geunhyeop, are you okay?”
“Yeah. I just need a moment to catch my breath. Hayoung, how about you?”
“I’ve used quite a few talismans. My energy is about halfway drained… continuing to fight would be dangerous.”
“Let’s quickly recover our stamina and get out.”
Combat rest.
Just as we aim to regain our strength and move again…
“Graaaah!”
Covered in blood, Guk-hyun suddenly appears with the Mangho squad!
“This bastard! How the hell did he survive there!”
“You damn bastards…!”
But Guk-hyun looks strange.
What, is he a user of white-eye technique? His wide-open eyes are narrowed, and blood vessels are bulging around them. Without a doubt, something is off.
“That guy looks like he’s taken drugs.”
“Drugs?”
“Something like a tonifying elixir. It temporarily amplifies a martial artist’s power.”
Hearing this from Hayoung, an expert in tonifying elixirs, makes it credible.
These bastards are on a steam pack!
“It seems we’ve wiped out way too many of the cavalry. Seeing them reach this point means they must have taken a big gamble to get here.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Then there’s only one thing left to do.
Eradicate the Mangho squad here.
I step forward and shout.
“Guk-hyun, you bastard! I’ll kill you here!”
“Hah! You’re the one who’s going to die, you damned pests!”
As the Mangho squad draws near with bloodshot eyes—
—Clop, clop!
Another group of cavalry appears behind them!
“Boss!”
“These bastards again!”
The Mangho squad stands to confront them. As swift warhorses head our way, Hayoung and Serin step in to hold them off. Just as I’m about to attack a cavalryman.
“Graaaah!”
Guk-hyun charges straight towards me with a roar!
“You bastard, are you targeting me?”
“Geunhyeop!”
“Block the cavalry! I’ll take care of Guk-hyun!”
“I trust you…!”
Flames rise as Serin’s blade slices through the cavalry.
In the meantime, I too advance towards Guk-hyun.
—Hoooom.
The Cold Mind Technique surges through my body, causing my energy to boil over. Though this technique isn’t normally like this, right now, I can feel it.
“You annoying Mangho bastards…!”
It’s all because of that punk!
My insides are boiling with rage.
That cockroach is using the power of the martial arts guild and the Army of Gold. Because of that authority, it was tough to deal with him carelessly.
This is the power of authority.
An insignificant person with weak abilities tries to suppress others using power derived from an absolute system.
Disgusting, truly.
Is this what the Martial World is like? For scum like Guk-hyun to cling to power and commit atrocities, the concepts of martial and cooperation seem utterly laughable.
But.
With the curtain of that power distant now, I don’t have to spare Guk-hyun any mercy!
“I’ll kill you on this spot! You disgusting piece of trash! You’re a stain on the Martial World! A spawn of the martial arts guild!”
“You scumbag! How dare you speak to me like that!”
I point my sword at Guk-hyun.
* * *
I never imagined it would come to this. It was supposed to go according to plan. Guk-hyun had been carrying out operations to wipe out our forces while scheming to gain the upper hand.
This was meant to be one of those events.
Using power to pressure the Na-chal squad, delegating dangerous missions to provoke disobedience, then using that as leverage to control them.
“Damn!”
But it’s all gone to waste.
Now there’s no other path left.
We can only kill them and run.
“Stupid bastards!”
How foolishly arrogant that the Jeol-kyu-na-chal charged in alone. From what I’ve observed, his ability is below mine.
Sure, he might have the Jade Flower Sword, but with a loser like him, he couldn’t possibly defeat me. Guk-hyun was the main commander of the Mangho squad, and he had honed his skills by killing many opponents. And with the combat elixir he’s taken, I have no doubt I’ll win.
“The plan is to eliminate him here. Then I can regroup with the Mangho squad elsewhere, and once I take care of the isolated Jade Flower Sword and Fiery Lotus, I’ll be safe.”
Just as I finish my thoughts—
—Swoosh!
The blade of Jeol-kyu-na-chal flies in.
“The Flowing Stream Sword Technique, it’s really not that great.”
It has its perks, allowing it to unleash strong techniques continuously until exhaustion. As it unfolds, the techniques grow stronger.
“Pathetic! You think that weak technique can compete with me?”
Guk-hyun shouts as he swings his sword, blocking Jeol-kyu-na-chal’s technique. This is something you can shut down right from the start by being stronger.
Successfully breaking his technique, Guk-hyun sneers and exclaims.
“How dare a lowly scum like you think you could do anything! I am Guk-hyun, the commander of the Mangho squad! You are nothing compared to…”
“Shut your trap, you idiot bastard!”
“What?! You bastard!”
As Guk-hyun, filled with rage, swings his sword to unleash a powerful technique—
—Bang!
Jeol-kyu-na-chal, having awkwardly defended, gets sent flying back.
“How pathetic! You were defeated by nothing but a defensive technique!”
It’s almost laughable. He gets thrown back by such a basic strike? My intent to kill surges. I can’t stand being humiliated by such a loser.
I immediately stomp the ground, aiming to finish him off.
“Huh?”
Feeling a sense of déjà vu, Guk-hyun suddenly halts.
And it’s understandable because the one flung back has taken a bizarre stance.
“…”
One arm extended forward, the other holding the sword next to his eye, aiming the blade at him.
“What is he trying to do? Can he stab me from that distance—”
Guk-hyun’s thoughts are abruptly cut off.
—Whoooosh!
Suddenly, his sword ignites in a purple blaze. Simultaneously, it feels like the ghostly wails are echoing from some dark realm. A strange energy permeates the scene.
“What…?”
For Guk-hyun, Jeol-kyu-na-chal’s new form appears darker than ever. In that gloom, he seems to burn with a violet flame, almost like a powerful demon.
“Hah!”
In panic, Guk-hyun brings forth his blade of energy. This is his hidden technique, something he could call his trump card. Though he may not wield it perfectly, Guk-hyun has previously used it to kill a renowned martial artist known as the peak of the underworld.
But Guk-hyun can’t swing his sword in time.
“Ghost Spirit One Sword.”
—Swoosh!
Like an arrow shot forth, he bridges the distance in a single step!
His sword cleaves through the air as if it were an arrow.
“Hah!”
In a panic, Guk-hyun raises his sword to defend, just as—
He sees the energy from the sword burst forth.
And then—
—Clank!
At the moment his sword collides with Jeol-kyu-na-chal’s blade—
—Grin.
The other side has smiled.
“Why?”
He can’t comprehend why someone would smile after their technique has been thwarted.
Just as he thinks this—
—Boom!
The purple flames engulfing Jeol-kyu-na-chal explode.
“Khaaa!”
Guk-hyun shuts his eyes tightly as the explosion goes off at close range. He desperately tries to respond, but his sword feels far too light.
No, this isn’t lightness.
“What…!”
He realizes his sword is gone.
And his fingers too.
“What… what the?!”
His hand is drenched in blood. Several fingers are missing. It’s as if the wall explosive detonated right in his palm!
Is this what happened from that last explosion?
“Oh no! No! Not like this! I’m the commander of the Mangho squad! I should not perish for such a trivial reason!”
In his final moments, Guk-hyun feels an extreme terror and tries to fight back. But a martial artist without fingers and a sword can do nothing.
Guk-hyun locks eyes with Jeol-kyu-na-chal.
Evil yet infinitely serious gaze.
“This bastard…! He found enlightenment while facing me!”
His rage lasts only for an instant.
“Spirit Strike.”
An icy voice is heard.
—Slash!
As Guk-hyun feels his body split apart, he thinks:
“This demon… I’ve made contact. That wretched demon has been cloaked in false authority all this time!”
His vision fades to darkness.