Even the Sword God Needs Paternity Leave

Chapter 18: Flowing According to Nature's Order

I thought they would take us to a room, but no.

The small house had a backyard. Not as grand as a garden, but with decent width...

To be specific, just right for surrounding us?

"..."

At the far end of the backyard, on round logs, sat a man and woman who appeared to be Master Dongpae and Madam Cheolseon.

In front of them, the three of us stood forming a triangle.

Before I knew it, I had come to the center front, with Yang Cheonjo and Kwak Daebang standing at the left and right rear respectively—a triangle.

Behind us stood all seven Black Path members who had been inside the house.

"Hehehehe."

Kwak Daebang laughed lowly.

"Is this right?"

Yang Cheonjo asked needlessly.

Right?

Of course not.

Right after entering here, we even heard the door closing, so the intention was clear.

We were surrounded.

"I'm Master Dongpae. You have words to convey to me?"

Among the seated man and woman, the man with a broad face and thick lips that looked like a catfish opened his mouth.

Beside him, a woman with a pointed chin and pale complexion chuckled.

With a metal fan resting on her lap, she must be Madam Cheolseon.

I turned to look at Yang Cheonjo.

"It's okay. Convey the words."

"Really? In this situation?"

"Yes, it's fine."

Yang Cheonjo tilted his head back and forth.

"Ah, whatever. Then Master Dongpae, I'll convey Brother Jang's words!"

"Go ahead."

"Hey, you catfish-looking bastard!"

Good opening.

A choking sound—kugh—came from behind.

Catfish.

This must have been improvised, but Yang Cheonjo thought the same as me.

"Are you even human? Huh? Raiding a pharmacy specializing in children's medicine? Grotesque, grotesque! Even for Black Path, there are things to do and things not to do."

Correct words.

"Even if your face is a fish, your thoughts should be human. To think such grotesque thoughts—what makes you better than a thoughtless fish? Why not just become catfish soup? At least you could make one person eating the soup happy, right?"

Yang Cheonjo, having started, kept adding improvised words.

But every phrase was correct.

I had never cursed in such confrontational situations. That's why I left it to Yang Cheonjo. Listening to it, I felt excited.

Should I try cursing once too?

"Right, is your father a catfish, or is your mother a catfish?"

Suddenly Kwak Daebang made an "uh" sound, and Yang Cheonjo stopped speaking.

"..."

Brief silence flowed.

I carefully asked.

"Is this not right?"

Yang Cheonjo and Kwak Daebang shook their heads.

"You've never cursed before, have you?"

"There's no need to mention parents. That's a bit..."

Again. Doing something I've never done leads to mistakes.

"Master Dongpae, I apologize. I've never cursed before."

"That's fine. I don't know my parents' faces anyway."

"Ah..."

Sighs burst out from various places.

Kwak Daebang gave a warning.

"Learn to curse properly."

"Right."

Yang Cheonjo cleared his throat—ahem.

"I'll continue."

However, Master Dongpae was no longer listening.

"Continue what! Stop it!"

"There's still a lot left though."

"Shut up!"

He jumped up and pulled out two bronze daggers from his chest. Slightly wider and longer than judge's pens.

So he's Master Dongpae because of those weapons.

Madam Cheolseon also picked up her fan and stood.

The sound of weapons being drawn came from behind as well.

A hair-trigger situation.

But in the midst of this, I asked what I'd been curious about.

"Do you two not have children?"

I'd been curious since hearing the aliases Master Dongpae and Madam Cheolseon.

They seemed to be a couple. Would they commit such acts even with children?

"What are you saying? Now you'll curse the child too? Just where are you from in Black Path?"

"White Path. Then you're raiding Oga Pharmacy while having children? Won't you need to be indebted to them later when your child gets sick?"

Madam Cheolseon beside him laughed—hoot—and answered.

"Our child is all grown up."

"..."

Right. This is how Black Path is.

A dizzying answer, but I somewhat expected it.

However, Master Dongpae said something unexpected.

"This is all being done for my child."

"What?"

"He's pressuring me to raid here and prepare big money. He has something that needs money, so what can I do?"

What kind of talk is that?

Because his own child ordered it, he's stealing medicine from other people's children.

My hand moved toward Mukheun.

But Madam Cheolseon, who had only been assisting from the side, threw out a question.

"Do you know why you got caught?"

I briefly stopped my hand moving toward Mukheun.

Since she answered my question, I'll answer one for her too.

"Honestly, we put it together hastily so it wasn't a great plan. How did you know?"

"Hmph, in our house I'm in charge. Jang Gyu who uses the short spear knows that. So if he said to convey words, he would have said to convey them to Madam Cheolseon."

"Ah, so it was from there."

"And I knew the moment you entered."

"?"

"Leaving aside those two behind you, honestly you don't have a Black Path atmosphere, right?"

Kwak Daebang and Yang Cheonjo flared up in anger.

"Wow, again? How many times do I suffer this today!"

"Me too? I'm in the same situation as this uncle?"

Madam Cheolseon cleanly ignored both.

"It's unfortunate, but it was a plan full of holes from the start anyway. Now, shall we wrap this up?"

As she said, it was a plan full of holes.

But what does it matter?

Until meeting Namgung Jeheon and Zhuge Sheng, I thought "perfect plans" only existed in books.

Until then, I had carried out all kinds of operations consisting of hasty plans, sloppy plans, failed plans, more failed plans, etc.

Holes were the default.

Then how did I succeed with such operations?

Wuuuung—

When I gripped the handle, Mukheun hummed containing the Eight Trigram Unity Technique.

Drawing it vigorously, I shouted.

"This friend alone was the solution to holes!"

Guuuuuung—I deliberately made a fierce sound with Mukheun.

The imposing Black Path couple flinched in surprise and stepped back.

"What, that sword? A black sword?"

"Don't tell me you're the Ink Sword Hero?"

I took a stance to leap at the two.

"I'm coming!"

And I didn't go.

While the Black Path couple was flustered.

I struck Mukheun, full of inner power, into the ground.

Aimed toward behind me.

When I shout "coming," jump up.

According to the pre-arranged operation, Kwak Daebang and Yang Cheonjo's bodies were in the air.

Vibrations traveled through the ground striking the Black Path members behind.

"Kraak!"

"My ankle!"

"Aaah!"

I applied inner power over a wide range through the earth.

If I mastered the Qian Trigram Technique and could handle earth's natural energy, it would be easier and stronger.

But here, this is sufficient.

"I am the Flying Black Bear Kwak Daebang!"

As soon as he landed, he rolled his round body forward to quickly approach the Black Path members.

The twin blades danced and harvested the Black Path members' legs.

It was autumn.

"A White Path bastard mocks me!"

"Die!"

Only then realizing they'd been tricked, Master Dongpae and Madam Cheolseon stepped forward swinging their weapons.

Clang! Kang!

The sound of metal clashing vigorously rang overhead.

Yang Cheonjo had loosened the iron staff strapped to his back and swung it powerfully.

"Ow! My grip!"

With the kid's inner power, receiving one attack was all he could do.

That one time was enough for me to catch my breath.

Having released inner power over a wide range, I needed to reorganize my stance.

"Cheonjo, support Brother Kwak!"

Stepping forward, I swung Mukheun at the Black Path couple.

After each crossing weapons with me once, they shouted to each other.

"Honey, be careful! His martial arts are strange!"

"Wind circles around his sword! Guard well!"

While Master Dongpae stepped to my front left swinging his twin daggers.

Madam Cheolseon struck the round logs where the couple had been sitting with her iron fan and threw them to my right.

One high, one low.

Twin daggers, two logs—four attacks total.

And Madam Cheolseon hiding her body in the blind spot behind the logs.

However.

"What!"

"Why so suddenly fast?"

I accelerated my movement with the Xun Trigram Technique.

Moving toward the flying logs, I struck the upper one toward Master Dongpae and pressed down the lower one with my foot.

Normally, while blocking four attacks, I should have exposed an opening to Madam Cheolseon.

But the Xun Trigram Technique allowed me to execute one technique.

I lifted my foot and kicked even the lower log toward Madam Cheolseon.

While they executed one technique, I executed two techniques.

Thump!

The moment the log bounced off colliding with the iron fan.

Slash.

Mukheun split Madam Cheolseon's head from chin to crown.

Master Dongpae saw this.

"Jayoo!"

Jayoo? I thought I misheard, but no.

He turned back without hesitation and tried to climb over the wall.

"What freedom?"

Would I just let him go?

"Go to hell together too. Have eternal marital harmony there."

Mukheun passed joyfully over Master Dongpae's body.

Part of the upper body hung in the air clutched by two hands gripping the wall, while the lower part fell to the ground.

"Let's help Brother Kwak."

"Yes!"

Yang Cheonjo and I turned around without delay.

"You mean me? I finished this side too."

Oh.

Surprising.

The person standing behind was only Kwak Daebang. He was shaking off blood from his twin blades.

"Brother Kwak, you took down all seven alone? Impressive."

"Impressive nothing. You're the one who caught those two in an instant. They looked quite strong."

However, while conversing, I noticed his clothes were cut in several places.

"Brother Kwak, injuries?"

"Ah, this? I'm fine."

"What do you mean fine? Let me see."

"No, really fine. I learned Body Protection Technique."

"Body Protection Technique?"

I stared intently at where his clothes were cut, but couldn't find blood or wounds.

Body Protection Technique.

To me who knew Kwak Daebang from before regression, these words sounded somewhat different.

But that's not something to think about now.

"..."

We briefly looked around the backyard.

The couple and seven Black Path members, plus us—twelve people had been here, but now only three stood.

"We won!"

Yang Cheonjo suddenly shouted as if feeling the reality. In this fight, the kid had done his part. His first victory he contributed to, so the emotion must be special.

"Yes, a perfect victory."

Kwak Daebang also nodded.

A perfect victory achieved with a hasty plan. This has its own thrilling taste.

"It flowed according to nature's order."

When White Path and unorthodox path clash, this happens.

We win.

"Then let's go out."

To announce the proud victory to the pharmacy, so they can work with peace of mind.

"Right, quickly..."

Thud thud thud—from outside, the sound of someone knocking was heard.

"Hey, already departed? It's me, One-Eyed Ghost! I'm a bit late!"

We looked at each other.

"Just a moment."

Leaving the two, I passed through the house and went to the outer door.

Going out, a person with an eyepatch on his left eye stood there.

"One-Eyed Ghost?"

"Mm, someone new? I'm Master Dongpae's steward."

"Oh. I heard. Come in."

While guiding him, I asked.

"But why so late? Almost missed departure."

"I departed late from the estate."

Master Dongpae seems to have his own estate.

In other words, a base?

Would the son who told the master to raid the pharmacy be there?

I brought One-Eyed Ghost inside the house and asked.

"Where is that?"

"Eh? What, you think I'd tell such things?"

"Hahahaha."

"Hahaha, won't tell even with a blade at my throat."

Good, good.

I gestured toward the door leading to the backyard.

"Go in."

"Mm. Madam Cheolseon! Master Dongpae! I've arri..."

And I followed in and closed the door.

"..."

We surrounded One-Eyed Ghost.

Said just one word.

"Spill."