The Sword Emperor's Way of Establishing the Namgung Clan

Chapter 37 - The First Solo Mission (2)

The single sentence that the boy had thrown out created a silence.

It was a different kind of heaviness from the one that had been present when the Blood Master Sword had been leading the atmosphere.

An air mixed with awe, astonishment, and anticipation arose, centered on the boy swordsman.

‘Who on earth is that boy?’

The Caravan Leader, Jang Il-su, looked at Namgung Jun’s back with a startled expression.

He was so diligent and sincere, and never cut corners, and on top of that, he was good at his work.

He had been planning to accept him as a member of the caravan and properly raise him if they could successfully finish this trade journey.

But the appearance he had suddenly revealed was shocking.

Though he did not know where he had hidden it, the sight of him wearing a sword was perfectly natural.

He was an unmistakable boy swordsman.

The air of nobility on his face, which could not be hidden even by the worn-out clothes of a worker, made his bearing as a swordsman all the more dignified.

‘The Azure Sky Society?’

Jang Il-su, who had heard the words the Blood Master Sword had spat out, swallowed with a gulp.

Jang Il-su had also come across the rumors about the Azure Sky Society.

A place where righteous warriors who fought against the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult and practiced righteousness gathered. There were many who said that they were better than an average Orthodox Faction sect.

Because there were a fair number of sects that only carried the name of the Orthodox Faction and did things no different from the Unorthodox Faction, or that secretly cooperated with the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult for the preservation of their own sect.

‘This is heavenly luck.’

To think that a righteous warrior of the Azure Sky Society had been hiding his identity in the caravan procession was a tremendous stroke of luck.

‘But can that boy stand up to the Blood Master Sword?’

Though the appearance of a young righteous warrior from the Azure Sky Society was welcome, the presence of the Peak Realm master known as the Blood Master Sword was too dense.

The ferocious aura of the Blood Master Sword was spreading in all directions, fiercely clawing at the atmosphere.

In contrast, nothing could be felt from Namgung Jun. The coolly fluttering hem of his sleeve looked precarious.

‘Isn’t the Blood Master Sword a very cruel bastard.’

A swordslinger who must see blood whenever he drew his sword, and who would take on any request as long as it made him money.

There was a rumor that the Blood Master Sword had been involved in various ways in the several murders that had occurred in Hefei of late.

Jang Il-su, who was looking at the back of Namgung Jun as he stood alone facing the Blood Master Sword, was lost in thought.

‘At this rate.’

Though he had not been able to properly see the exchange of blades the two swordsmen had just had, it had seemed as if Namgung Jun was the one being pushed back.

It was because he had reacted belatedly to the Blood Master Sword’s surprise attack.

Even the bold words he had brought out after the exchange of blades had sounded as if he were encouraging himself so as not to be intimidated by the Blood Master Sword.

Jang Il-su, who had been clutching his collar, promptly shouted.

“Young Hero! There is no need for you to step forward because of us. Please save yourself!”

Even as Jang Il-su was shouting toward Namgung Jun, he was inwardly blaming himself.

In a situation where it would not have been enough to earnestly implore him for help, he was, on the contrary, urging him to run away.

But he could not just stand by blankly and watch an outsider die in vain because of their own circumstances.

This was even more so because he was a young righteous warrior with a bright future. His righteous spirit and youth, which had stepped into a deathtrap like this without hesitation, were too precious to lose.

At Jang Il-su’s shout, Namgung Jun slowly turned his head. The side of Namgung Jun’s face, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, could be seen.

“Do not worry. It will be over soon.”

SWOOSH!

The moment Namgung Jun turned his head, a savage sound of tearing air erupted.

The Blood Master Sword, who had closed the six-step combat distance in a single breath, fiercely twisted his waist and thrust his sword.

‘I must seize the flow with this chance!’

The Blood Master Sword was grateful, even as he was incensed that Namgung Jun had dared to look behind him even with him standing in front. It was because until just a moment ago, he had not been able to find a single opening in Namgung Jun.

KREEEAANG!

A clear metallic sound rang out.

The Blood Master Sword’s thrust was blocked by the sword that Namgung Jun held in a middle stance. To be precise, it was by the edge of the blade.

Seeing this, the tip of the Blood Master Sword’s chin twitched.

“You crazy bastard?”

The tip of a sword and the edge of a blade.

A single point and a single point had met with perfect accuracy. If it had been off by even a little, his neck would have been pierced.

But Namgung Jun had done it without even looking.

It was a terrifying sense and talent with the blade.

It was so sublime that the Blood Master Sword could not even dare to imagine imitating it.

‘Is it luck? Or is it skill?’

To confirm this, the Blood Master Sword roughly flicked his wrist back and then thrust his sword in succession.

They were killing moves, aiming for all sorts of vital points, starting with Namgung Jun’s two eyes.

Clang-clang-clang-clang!

However, Namgung Jun blocked all the sword strikes just by shaking his hilt. Just like the first time, he accurately deflected the tip of the Blood Master Sword’s sword with only the narrow edge of his own blade.

As a dozen or so attempts had all come to nothing, the Blood Master Sword bit his lip hard and retreated.

Only then did Namgung Jun turn his head and look at the Blood Master Sword. The Blood Master Sword, who met the fiercely flickering cerulean gaze, suddenly felt that his back was damp.

At the sight of Namgung Jun’s wondrous Sword Skill (劍技), a cold sweat was, at some point, trickling all the way down his back.

As the Blood Master Sword hesitated and merely stared, Namgung Jun quietly asked.

“Is that it?”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

Because it would be the end if he were to be pushed back in momentum, the Blood Master Sword let out a kiai and rushed at him relentlessly.

Swish-swish-swish!

The Blood Master Sword’s sword flew about chaotically and spewed forth countless sword strikes. A sticky killing intent was smeared on every single sword strike. If even a single strike were to be allowed, it would surely produce a fatal result.

Nine streaks of sword strikes, which had split chaotically and were extending in various directions, suddenly turned in a single direction.

To the eyes of Jang Il-su and The Virtuous Saber, who were watching from behind, it was to the point where it looked as if a giant vermilion sphere was forming, centered on Namgung Jun.

The Fourteen Swords of the Blood Bead.

The Blood Deceit Great Bead.

The Blood Master Sword immediately deployed the ultimate skill of his most powerful might. It was because he had felt an immense threat from Namgung Jun.

‘If this drags on, I will be the one to die.’

The first exchange of blades had been enough to grasp Namgung Jun’s level. Though his exact realm had not been revealed, it was clear that his innate talent with the blade had surpassed time.

The Blood Master Sword intended to settle the match with his killing moves, born from his only perceived advantages: his internal energy and his real combat experience.

Crackle!

From between the red sword strikes that were surrounding the vicinity, a blue lightning-thunderbolt continuously burst up.

The blue sword strike, which was blooming powerfully like a sprout, gradually grew in size and then shot out long and horizontal.

‘He strikes down the three strikes from the upper left in one go, then pulls to the side to cut off the central sword path.’

Namgung Jun’s powerful stomp, from having read the grain of the form, roughly crushed the ground.

The Thirteen Sword-Thunders of the Lightning Flash.

First Form. One Flash.

It was instantaneous.

The sword strike, which shot out like a lightning bolt, completely split apart the form of the Blood Deceit Great Bead. It had accurately pierced the opening in the form and cut off its flow.

And as if it still had power left over, the single streak of lightning that was fiercely charging forward grazed past the Blood Master Sword’s Adam’s apple.

Click.

As Namgung Jun sheathed the sword he had drawn.

The Blood Master Sword erupted with a fountain of blood from his throat. He collapsed futilely, unable to even let out a scream.

A life-and-death duel that had ended in an instant.

But everyone who was nearby had clearly seen it.

The boy swordsman had overwhelmingly crushed the Blood Master Sword. It was a life-and-death duel where the master and the novice were clearly divided.

The indigo blue martial arts uniform of the boy, which was without a single shred of disarray, seemed to show the disparity between the two swordsmen.

“The Blood Master Sword, defeated so futilely?”

“Are all the righteous warriors of the Azure Sky Society that strong!”

Jang Il-su was so overwhelmed with emotion at Namgung Jun’s splendid performance that he clenched his fists, and The Virtuous Saber’s face turned red at the fact that he had spoken of taking such a master as his disciple.

‘Hmm.’

In that interval, Namgung Jun thoroughly searched the Blood Master Sword’s body.

There was not much that came out from within the dead Blood Master Sword’s robes.

A medicine vial that seemed to be a salve for cuts, and one for poison.

A money pouch with a mix of bank drafts, silver, and copper coins.

Finally, there was a small scroll, rolled up and tied with a string.

Namgung Jun unrolled the scroll.

‘It is certain that the Blood Master Sword was moving on someone’s request.’

The scroll was a request letter.

Inside, several requests were written, and a few of them had been crossed out with a red line, as if they had already been carried out.

‘The Vigilant Form Escort Bureau, Three Wolves Gang, Front Line Sect, and the Bright Talisman Caravan.’

Namgung Jun, who was observing the contents of the request, took the scroll to Jang Il-su.

It was likely that Jang Il-su, who was knowledgeable about the affairs of Hefei, would be able to recognize the commonality right away.

“Caravan Leader. Does anything come to mind upon seeing these contents?”

Though it was a sudden question, Jang Il-su calmly observed the contents of the scroll.

Soon after, Jang Il-su’s hand began to tremble.

“These are all things that have happened in Hefei recently. And all of these groups are at odds with one sect.”

“Is that sect the Heavy Punishment Gate?”

After hesitating for a moment, Jang Il-su managed to nod his head with difficulty.

The Heavy Punishment Gate.

It was the sect with the largest scale among the Orthodox Faction sects that had taken root in Hefei.

“So the mastermind is the Heavy Punishment Gate.”

Even at the fact that he might have to face an Orthodox Faction sect, Namgung Jun’s two eyes only shone with a menacing edge.

……

After cleaning up the corpses of the Blood Master Sword and the other casualties, the Bright Talisman Caravan had to stop their trade journey and take a brief rest.

“Caravan Leader. Are you thinking of continuing the trade journey?”

“No. Now that we know of the secret plots of the Heavy Punishment Gate, which was merely a suspicion, how could we possibly take another step? For now, we must return.”

Jang Il-su’s judgment was correct.

If the Heavy Punishment Gate were to find out that the Blood Master Sword had failed, there was no telling what they might do next. It would be much safer to return to the caravan’s base and lay low.

“What will you do, Young Hero Namgung?”

Ever since he had found out Namgung Jun’s identity, Jang Il-su had treated him very politely.

“Would it be alright if I join the trade journey as is and return to Hefei? It seems that way would be easier to deceive the eyes of the Heavy Punishment Gate.”

Jang Il-su, on the contrary, was delighted at Namgung Jun’s request.

“If we are to travel with you, Young Hero Namgung, then we will have no worries.”

“Thank you for your understanding, even though I had hidden my identity and joined the trade journey.”

“Oh my. Please do not say such things. It is troublesome for us if our benefactor acts this way.”

Namgung Jun, who had finished his conversation with Jang Il-su and turned his back, raised his gaze.

Beside a tree a little distance away, The Virtuous Saber was standing with an awkward expression.

It seemed he was waiting for Namgung Jun.

As Namgung Jun approached, The Virtuous Saber bowed his head deeply and folded his hands.

“Young Hero. I committed a rudeness in our previous encounter. My eyes were lowly, and so.”

The Virtuous Saber paid his respects with the utmost courtesy. What he had done was no different from having properly offended Namgung Jun’s pride.

It was a situation where it would not have been strange for Namgung Jun to request a life-and-death duel on the spot.

“Not at all. Please do not worry about it.”

However, Namgung Jun, on the contrary, performed a fist-and-palm salute.

“When the Blood Master Sword appeared, you were the only one who stepped forward alone. I was in great admiration of your courage.”

“Courage? No. It was merely that, as a life lived by eating ‘sword food,’ I was trying to earn my keep.”

“It is all the more difficult to throw one’s life away precisely because one lives by eating ‘sword food’.”

As Namgung Jun showed a subtle smile, The Virtuous Saber shook his head with a sheepish expression.

“It was merely a loyalty bound by money. It is completely different from performing righteous deeds like you, Young Hero.”

Namgung Jun said in a firm tone.

“I do not think that Righteousness is something so grand. If one performs their Martial Arts in a way they believe is right and helps the weak, would that not be enough?”

“Now that you have helped me save face like that, I don’t know where to put myself.”

The Virtuous Saber, as if his tension had been released, finally showed a smile.

“Righteousness, you say…”

The Virtuous Saber looked at the back of Namgung Jun, who was walking ahead. Though it was a small back, it came across as truly large.

Then, as he suddenly looked up at the blue sky, The Virtuous Saber was reminded of his youth.

There was a time when he had blindly dreamed of being a righteous warrior.

Of course, that was when he had first held a saber, and after he had realized the reality of the world, he had been hard-pressed just to earn money and learn martial arts.

He had no leisure to perform righteous deeds, and could only take solace in the fact that he was not selling his blade for filthy work.

“I wonder if it is not too late, even now.”

The Virtuous Saber, who had been staring blankly at the blue sky, ran to Namgung Jun as if he had made a decision.

“Young Hero!”

“What is it?”

“It is that I wish to help you, Young Hero. Would that be possible?”

The Virtuous Saber said as he looked at the scroll that Namgung Jun was holding.

“I know the wandering warrior network of Hefei inside and out. If you tell me the contents, I can find the mastermind who made the request, or other martial artists who received the same request.”

Namgung Jun stared intently at The Virtuous Saber.

“You could die.”

“Ha! It seems you have forgotten that I was about to die today. Did you not save me, Young Hero? I shall repay the debt of gratitude for saving my life.”

Namgung Jun, who had lowered his eyes for a moment, performed a fist-and-palm salute.

“Then I will be counting on you.”

“Thank you for believing in me.”

Namgung Jun returned to Hefei with the Bright Talisman Caravan.