Even the Sword God Needs Paternity Leave

Chapter 16: Black Path Swarms

The name of the fifteen-year-old Black Path aspirant was Yang Cheonjo.

We arrived at the inn that had been the kid's destination.

"Here."

A small sign stood at the inn entrance.

"It says closed today though?"

"They rented out the whole place, so I heard we just go to the second floor."

"Good, let's go. Once upstairs, stay quiet. If you alert them, you'll die first."

"As if."

The kid was already dispirited.

We passed through the empty first floor and went up to the second floor.

Creak, creak, creak.

With every step, the old stairs groaned.

"We're not open today."

Before even poking my head into the second floor, someone's voice was heard.

"I came about the recruitment. Yang Cheonjo."

When I gave his name, Yang Cheonjo's eyes widened.

Not caring, I went up.

Looking around the second floor,

"..."

He'd said few would be left after departure, but there were as many as six people.

Four sitting at a table, two standing by the window.

These people had no intention of hiding their weapons. One with a short spear strapped to his back rose from the table and asked.

"You're Yang Cheonjo? The message said eighteen years old, but you look a bit older?"

Seems he had raised his age by three years when speaking.

"Who's next to you?"

"A friend."

"A friend?"

Short Spear looked around at his companions at the table and laughed lowly. They too burst into fishy laughter.

See, just hearing the laughter, isn't the intent impure?

"Well, it's fine that two came. But we're not paying for two people's worth. You know that, right?"

"Yes."

"Sit there. The promised time changed slightly, so we depart after one shichen (30 minutes)."

One shichen.

Ambiguous.

It was fortunate we weren't left behind, but with a whole shichen to wait, who knows what might happen.

"By the way, what martial arts does Yang Cheonjo's younger brother use?"

Like having to make such pointless conversation.

It was someone who had placed a judge's pen in front of his spot at the table. After tossing out the question, he wore a simpering smile. His intention to pick a fight with the kids was obvious.

I, impersonating Yang Cheonjo, answered.

"Martial arts that smash judge's pens."

Normally I wouldn't answer like this. I would have entered with my head bowed as much as possible to avoid drawing attention.

So did that work out well?

I kept getting caught and stopped receiving spy missions. No matter how much I disguised myself, the atmosphere itself wasn't unorthodox or demonic.

So I'll do as I please.

"Pfft."

"Kekekeke, Brother Gang, you got hit!"

The group at the table burst into roaring laughter.

The two swordsmen by the window also smiled slightly.

"Right, you have to be like that to do Black Path. Hey, you're gutsy."

"The atmosphere was no joke from the moment he entered."

Doing as I please works.

Only Judge's Pen's face reddened slightly.

"You can't speak carelessly to adults. Do you know how many have fallen to this judge's pen?"

Suddenly Yang Cheonjo, the real Yang Cheonjo, interjected from beside me.

"How old are you?"

Judge's Pen frowned.

Setting me aside, even the guy who was just a friend boldly stepped up, so his displeased expression was obvious.

"Ahem, thirty-five."

"But you're doing the same work as us?"

My head felt dizzy.

Yang Cheonjo wasn't someone who only made me angry.

"These brats, when I've been so patient!"

"We haven't really looked at you much though. This is our first meeting."

Judge's Pen couldn't hold back and jumped up from his seat.

"Wait."

Short Spear extended his hand to stop him.

"Brother Gang, kids are like that. Soon when the fight starts, won't they see Brother Gang's martial prowess?"

"Hmm."

"Then they'll learn reality."

Then he laughed lowly again. Judge's Pen also smiled and sat back down.

"Right, Brother Jang is correct."

Those foul-tempered Black Path bastards just let this pass? No matter how you looked at it, they intended to use us as shields.

Fortunately in all this, my atmosphere somehow passed. Successfully pretending to be Black Path.

"Friend, they're jianghu seniors. Watch your mouth."

I gave a warning to prevent the real Yang Cheonjo from causing more conflict.

Hearing my words to the kid, the Black Path members also nodded.

Good, just stay like this until departure.

Creeeak, creak, creak.

The old stairs groaned again.

But Short Spear raised one eyebrow.

"There's no one else who should come?"

Judge's Pen raised his voice.

"We're not open today. Go back!"

However, the one coming up from below was unhesitant.

The unorthodox practitioners quietly hid their weapons.

Judge's Pen into his clothes, weapons like short spears that couldn't be hidden on the body went under the table cloth.

A man revealed himself on the landing.

"Ahh, it's hot."

Huh?

Why is this person here again?

A heavy body drenched in sweat even on this cool autumn day.

It was Kwak Daebang.

"Huh? Really? It's a day off?"

Judge's Pen showed slight irritation.

"Didn't you see the sign in front?"

"I'm a regular here. Even on a day off, I can get a cup of tea at least. I came up because I saw people on the second floor, but you're all strangers?"

Slight tension flowed among the Black Path members.

I sent Kwak Daebang a look.

He glanced toward me then turned his head away and just continued what he wanted to say.

"Where's the owner?"

"On vacation."

"That person? How unusual."

Kwak Daebang tilted his head.

"Then you people are?"

"People who know the owner. We were having a meal among ourselves."

"So that's why you laid out bought food?"

Kwak Daebang's eyes swept over the table.

"That sweet and sour pork you bought from across the street, right? Not tasty. The batter is lacking. The fish soup you probably bought from the market entrance is quite good. The fish is average but they put in seasoning well. Now, and that coriander there—"

Everyone was dumbfounded by the sudden taste evaluation.

Me too.

Kwak Daebang's alias was Flying Black Bear.

But the name called behind his back was Flying Black Pig.

I knew he liked eating, but to know even the restaurants in this area...

"But."

Where his eyes finally stopped was my face.

"I didn't know the Ink Sword Hero was also acquainted with the owner here. But why have you been twitching under your eyes?"

"..."

Mm. Kwak Daebang.

I'm also not perceptive, but he's really...

Briefly, very briefly, silence fell over the inn.

The next moment.

The table flipped and the Black Path bastards all stepped forward at once.

"Ink Sword Hero?"

"Fuck, they're White Path!"

"Kill them all!"

First I pressed Yang Cheonjo's acupoints.

Because he might foolishly step forward and die.

"Watch well. What you almost got caught up in."

From the left—swish—a swift blade flew.

From the right—whoosh—a heavy club thrust in.

I quickly blocked the swift blade with my scabbard, and met the club by swinging Mukheun with inner power.

"Kuk."

The one holding the club groaned and fell back.

Whether swift sword or club, I had tried to attack one side when suddenly the short spear flew at me head-on.

"What is it? What?"

Kwak Daebang, still bewildered, drew his twin blades.

"Black Path bastards were gathered."

"Huh? Really?"

Whatever our relationship, Kwak Daebang was also White Path. He came to his senses and jumped into the fight.

"Dog-like Black Path bastards!"

The guy facing Kwak Daebang cursed back no less.

"White Path bastards worse than dogs!"

When I was young, I raised a dog called Yellowtail.

"What sin do dogs have!"

Yang Cheonjo lying on the floor muttered quietly.

"Mom..."

Each saying what they wanted while fiercely wielding weapons.

The situation was me facing the swift blade, short spear, and club, while Kwak Daebang met the two swordsmen with his twin blades.

Behind, one guy holding a judge's pen aimed for Yang Cheonjo.

"You're the one who brought him!"

The excuse was fine, but he seemed to still hold a grudge from the earlier insult.

While facing three opponents, I quickly extended my hand to the chopstick holder.

As soon as I grabbed a chopstick, I infused inner power and shot it at Yang Cheonjo's acupoint.

"Hiiiik!"

His acupoint released, Yang Cheonjo quickly rolled across the floor with tumbling arts.

Judge's Pen repeatedly stabbed at where Yang Cheonjo had been while chasing after him.

"This bastard! This bastard! This bastard!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Yang Cheonjo rolled and rolled toward me.

A judge's pen was a short weapon.

To chase someone rolling on the floor, he had to deeply bow his head, which narrowed his field of vision.

He got too close to me.

"Hey, Brother Gang! Be care—"

Short Spear warned, but I jumped toward Judge's Pen faster. I swung Mukheun horizontally with all my strength.

"Huh?"

Judge's Pen raised his head, but—thwack—his head split in two.

"Damn it, kill him!"

The nearby swift sword struck quickly.

Thump—when Mukheun and sword collided, unable to overcome my inner power, the sword stopped momentarily.

Short Spear approached from the side to cover him.

He must have thought I would leap at Swift Sword.

I jumped backward over Yang Cheonjo who was still lying down.

"Why are you coming toward me?"

With Yang Cheonjo lying between me and the three enemies. I kicked him hard as if pushing.

"Aaaah! Can White Path do this?"

With Yang Cheonjo's cry, he slid toward the three—whoooosh.

I quickly followed behind him.

If you're going to experience it, do it properly.

So you never have wrong thoughts again.

Swift Sword, Short Spear, and Club each tried to extend their weapons toward Yang Cheonjo sliding into their legs.

"Will you have time for that?"

I unleashed the Xun Trigram Technique.

With my lightened body, I executed footwork.

Right behind the sliding Yang Cheonjo, I caught up much faster than they expected.

Because of me swinging Mukheun, they had no choice but to raise their weapons up again.

"Uuk!"

It was a fatal mistake.

Yang Cheonjo swept past their legs.

Swift Sword and Club on both sides only had one leg swept, so they staggered and regained balance.

But Short Spear, who had been leading the overall flow from earlier, was properly caught.

He tried not to fall by pressing his spear tip to the floor but lost his balance.

Smack!

His head shattered from Mukheun.

"This bastard!"

"Die!"

Swift Sword and Club flew from left and right, but with even Short Spear gone, they couldn't beat me.

"I really thought you were using me as bait. It was all a misunderstanding."

By the time Yang Cheonjo's whimpering ended, Swift Sword and Club were also lying on the floor.

"Watch this carnage well. I'm educating you on behalf of your mother, so watch carefully."

"...Honestly, I'm having regrets."

"Really?"

"Those bastards tried to kill me first. If the Hero hadn't blocked them, I would have just now..."

Someone yelled loudly.

"Save that talk for later! Won't you help here!"

Kwak Daebang was diligently wielding his blades against the two swordsmen.

Watching that scene for a moment.

"Brother Kwak, you'll win even without my help."

His blade technique was excellent.

Attacks were nimble, defense was strict.

Accustomed to moving both hands simultaneously, there were no techniques working separately—all connected.

Moreover, the two swordsmen were greatly shaken by the fact that all their allies had fallen.

Their intention to escape was obvious. Rather, it was those two whose hands were confused.

"One down!"

Kwak Daebang's blade struck off one wrist.

The remaining swordsman hid behind the one who lost his wrist and ran toward the inn window.

However, Kwak Daebang rolled his body sideways and threw his blade with all his strength. It stuck right in the back, and the swordsman died.

"Two down!"

The swordsman who lost his wrist spat curses through clenched teeth.

"Fuck, that bastard calling himself senior brother..."

As soon as one fell, the other tried to flee, so I thought they'd met for work.

But they were martial brothers.

I looked down at Yang Cheonjo.

"Do you still want to become Black Path after this?"

The kid let out a long sigh.

Rising covered evenly with broth, noodles, and blood from sweeping the floor.

Suddenly he performed a clasped hands greeting like an adult.

"Hero, I won't forget the grace of enlightening me. From today onward, I'll seek a new life. I'll never have thoughts of Black Path again. First, I'll visit my mother and discuss with her how I should live. Thank you so much."

Then without hesitation, he turned and walked away.

"Stop. Where are you trying to escape riding the mood?"

"Uuk. Isn't that the mood?"

Shameless kid.

"No. What reason do I have to trust and release you? Clean up from here."

"Can't we not?"

"No."

Words flowed smoothly, but his face was haggard.

While cleaning this place and seeing corpses, various thoughts would occur.

Leaving the kid behind, Kwak Daebang and I stood before the swordsman who lost his wrist.

"You can imagine what comes next. If you tell everything, it's at least easier. Where are the others?"

"..."

Emptiness spread in the swordsman's eyes.

We gave him time to face his loss.

"Dammit. Damn. Damn."

A martial artist's life is a moment.

Martial arts built over a lifetime can disappear in a single fight.

And after that?

You must live with what you've built besides martial arts.

White Path is at least okay. Return to your sect, rely on the Murim Alliance, people you've helped help you back.

What about this one? For a Black Path swordsman whose senior brother abandoned him and fled, is there anything built up?

Wealth?

Wealth is the lowest. Wealth for a martial artist who lost martial arts. How would you block those who would come seeking it?

"They said to raid Oga Pharmacy."

My mind jolted alert at the unexpected words.

That's the name of the pharmacy I was heading to.

"Oga Pharmacy? Why there?"

"They say there are several types of medicine handled only there. They planned to steal them and sell them expensively."

Kwak Daebang looked at me and asked.

"Why is your expression like that? A place you know?"

"It's a place specializing in children's medicine."

I didn't bother mentioning Taebok's story.

"What? Children's medicine?"

Anger surged up.

The meat for Taebok might disappear. Also, many children might face difficulties.

The Black Path bastards are crossing the line.

"I need to go."

I have sufficient reason to go.