105 - Missions, Investigation (12) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

At the moment when the formation manifested, Yeon Ri Gun, who was confronting Mok Riwon, sensed the anomaly. KooGooGooGooGung― A massive vibration. Simultaneously, the blurring of vision, quickened breaths, and distorted heartbeat ensued. ‘It’s a formation.’ And a significantly large one at that. Perhaps a formation that enveloped this entire battleground. Yeon Ri Gun’s judgment was swift. ‘The fiend has fallen.’ They certainly came to this place with their sect leader. Then, it was only logical to assume the sect leader had employed some unknown weapon of this battleground. Yeon Ri Gun glanced at Mok Riwon. “Hoooh…!” Rough breathing, a twisted expression, and the wildly surging dark energy waves. Each sign clearly spoke of Mok Riwon's limits being tested. It seemed right to knock him unconscious and drag him away, but Yeon Ri Gun had a reason for not approaching. ‘Heavenly Killing Nature is being awakened.’ Mok Riwon's pupils flared red. Nearly devoid of reason within them. Only a murderous intent to kill, And an urge to rip apart the foe before him. That was all that could be felt. A phenomenon that occurred amidst a battle that was bloody and visceral. ‘If we push too hard, it will drag on.’ If time dragged on, capturing or anything else would be moot—total annihilation. Or, perhaps being taken by the fully awakened Heavenly Killing Nature would come first. Yeon Ri Gun was very familiar with what the fully awakened Heavenly Killing Nature could do. With the advantage of realms disappearing, Yeon Ri Gun chose to conserve his strength. “…Today ends here.” “Where do you think…!” Bang! Mok Riwon was launched away with an explosion. The murderous intent began to shake their reason as they continued the exchange; nonetheless, it couldn’t stop. Due to the members at the end of this path. Because he had promised them he would stop this man. Zzzeeeeeeeng―! A sonic boom occurred. In a flash, Yeon Ri Gun twisted the blade angle slightly to deflect Mok Riwon’s attack. Then he struck down on the exposed abdomen with his knee. “Keugh…!” Mok Riwon’s breath halted. Even so, his arm moved. The sword lodged into Yeon Ri Gun’s forearm. Phwook― And dragged down. Dudududududuk―! The sword tore through the flesh and came out. Blood gushed forth like a fountain. Yeon Ri Gun frowned and kicked Mok Riwon once more. Paak! “Keugh!” Mok Riwon flew backwards. Yeon Ri Gun, after retrieving his sword, left some parting words and departed. “Until we meet again.” Thud! Clutching his tattered arm, Mok Riwon lay unconscious at the spot Yeon Ri Gun had left. * Yang Go Hye stumbled. She took a heavy hit from Namgung Jin Chun's punch, and the senses in her body were crushed under the newly activated formation. Namgung Jin Chun picked up his sword. ‘Opportunity.’ A peculiar reaction noticed since the formation's activation. A clear opportunity, and Namgung Jin Chun did not let it slip. Whooosh! Exuding a deep blue energy wave, Namgung Jin Chun stepped forward. From above to below. As he swung down through the air, the energy wave was honed and plummeted downward. Kwaaaaaaang―! Yet, the impact was minimal. Yang Go Hye proved her title as an unmatched expert was no vain as she, despite the dizziness, conjured four white arms. They cocooned her entirely. “That cursed man…!” Gnashing her teeth, Yang Go Hye glared at Namgung Jin Chun. Namgung Jin Chun exhaled roughly. ‘I’m hitting my limit.’ He had drained too much internal energy. The martial arts of Namgung Sect relied on overpowering the opponent with superior energy. But now that he could no longer claim that advantage, if Yang Go Hye launched an attack, he would be utterly defeated. Namgung Jin Chun’s eyes darted around. Struggling to find a way to overcome this situation, an unexpected solution emerged. “Damn fiend.” Bang! Someone kicked open the remaining door and entered the chamber. Wearing shabby martial outfit and unkempt hair. Also, unfocused eyes and one arm hanging in tatters. Namgung Jin Chun widened his eyes. ‘An unmatched expert.’ And unmistakably an infernal based on the dark energy felt. Who he was needed no long thought. “…Where is Ink Dragon?” The man Mok Riwon had gone to block, saying there was a threatening presence. It was clear he was the one. Another fact became clear; his arrival meant Mok Riwon had been overcome. Namgung Jin Chun, emitting murderous intent, questioned Yeon Ri Gun. Yeon Ri Gun glanced at him briefly before, disinterestedly, approaching Yang Go Hye and carrying her off. “We’re withdrawing.” “Let me go! Release me! I’ll rip that wretch to…!” Thump! Thump! Yeon Ri Gun applied a technique to immobilize Yang Go Hye. Then, with Yang Go Hye now unconscious in his arms, he looked at Namgung Jin Chun and murmured. “You’re lucky. Both you and Ink Dragon.” Yeon Ri Gun then dashed towards the door. Amidst the enveloping silence in the chamber, Namgung Jin Chun dissipated the energy he was sharpening up until then. Thump. He knelt down. “Huff… Huff…” The gasping breaths spoke volumes. Namgung Jin Chun had reached his limit long ago. His continued standing was a miracle wrought of sheer willpower. “Sword Dragon!” Seo Ye burst out of the chamber to examine Namgung Jin Chun. “Are you alright?! Where are you hurt… Ah! Your body is like this…!” Even as Seo Ye was alarmed by Namgung Jin Chun’s condition, he was lost in thought. ‘Lucky?’ The words spewed by Yeon Ri Gun as he departed. They were dismissive, and yet, indisputably true. Clench― Namgung Jin Chun’s fist tightened. He was furious. Humiliated. Had the formation activated just a bit later, or had that man chosen to attack, he might have met his end without being able to resist. As Namgung Jin Chun trembled with dejection, Seo Ye looked at him with concern. “Sword Dragon…” Seo Ye’s gaze swept across the area. The chamber was in ruins. Not just here, but the whole stronghold of Hao Sect was damaged. The raid had barely started less than an hour ago. All this had unfolded in such a short span. While they had somehow achieved victory, it was only with their assistance. There was much to ponder, but Seo Ye decided to set those thoughts aside for the moment. “…Let’s take care of your injuries first.” With that, she examined Namgung Jin Chun’s body. The other members arrived in the chamber after a short while. “Sect Leader!” The first to arrive was Dang Hwa-seo. Cradled in his arms was Mok Riwon, looking worse for wear. “Have all the infernals fled? How is Sword Dragon?!” “I’m alright.” Namgung Jin Chun answered while sitting upright. Seo Ye, seeing Mok Riwon cradled in Dang Hwa-seo's arms, mentioned, “Ink Dragon is…” “All he did was exhaust his internal energy and collapsed. It seems the fight was halted due to the formation being activated.” Dang Hwa-seo’s expression was grim. A look of anger. “…In the midst of fighting off a surge of infernals, a man carrying a half-naked woman rushed past. An unmatched expert. I wondered if I should stop him, but he just passed by, leading the infernals.” Although the outcome was successful, it left a bitter taste. Seo Ye could tell what was left unsaid. Her lips quivered momentarily. Soon, Seo Ye nodded and said, “…Thank you. For your help. Please rest now, you’re in no shape to keep going.” Dang Hwa-seo looked as if he might collapse at any moment. Indeed, facing so many infernals alone, it was unrealistic to expect him to be unscathed. Dang Hwa-seo nodded, then gently laid down Mok Riwon before sitting beside him. “Sister! Mok! Namgung bro!” Jegal San appeared with Sun Cloud and Hyeun. All were alive. Grasping this, Dang Hwa-seo wore a bitter smile. ‘Is this fortunate?’ He thought. * In the ruined stronghold, The members of Yongbong Group were led by Seo Ye to a courtyard where they could recuperate. Despite the situation, Seo Ye was busy. First, she freed the imprisoned disciples. Out of the hundreds in the stronghold, less than a hundred had survived. All of them were in a state where they could barely walk, having had their internal energy drained. But the stronghold was far from a state to offer condolences. “I’m sorry. But please lend a hand as we attempt to make the situation manageable.” “Just by saving us, the Sect Leader has done all that could be expected. Please don’t worry.” The words of a fortunate elder brought Seo Ye close to tears. Those words brought a smile to the disciples' faces, mixing joy of survival with the thrill of meeting their long-missed Sect Leader. “Ah, and Elder Ma.” “Yes.” “Those who helped us have severe injuries. Could you see to them?” Elder Ma, the one addressed, was well-versed in medicine. Thinking he could be of help to the severely injured members, Seo Ye made the request. Elder Ma happily agreed. “Though distinction between light and dark is strict, ignoring a plea for life would not be human. I will take a look myself.” “Thank you. Let’s go right away.” “Yes.” Seo Ye led Elder Ma to the courtyard. There, the members who had received first aid were waiting. “Elder Ma will take care of you. He’s deeply skilled in medicine, so you can trust in his care.” “Thank you.” “It’s what I ought to do.” Elder Ma stepped forward. “Please, show me your injuries.” Namgung Jin Chun, the most severely injured, was first. Elder Ma tsked at his condition. His dantian was completely empty. Fractures were the least of his concerns; his organs were nearly in shambles to the point where eating properly could be a difficulty. ‘It’s internal energy shock.’ The likely cause was the clash with demonic energy, wrecking the body from the inside. While rest was necessary, treatment with medicinal herbs was urgent. Elder Ma stated, “Seeing you awake like this, it seems 'Sword Dragon' is no empty title." “…” Namgung Jin Chun did not respond. After the retreat of the infernals, he remained in this state, visibly displaying his discomfort. Perhaps, not collapsing was solely a matter of pride. Filled with rage over the incomplete victory, he brooded. ‘Is this the hot blood of youth?’ Elder Ma, choosing not to provoke him further, moved on to examine the next patient. After checking all the other members, it was Mok Riwon's turn. He was still unconscious. “Did you say his internal energy was depleted?” “Yes. It's about time he should be waking up, but he just won’t.” Dang Hwa-seo’s reply was laden with worry. Perhaps Mok Riwon was more seriously injured than imagined. Her heart was aching with concern. Elder Ma glanced at Dang Hwa-seo briefly, then closed his eyes as he checked Mok Riwon’s pulse. “His physical condition seems alright. Not perfectly alright, but he does have a few fractures that cannot be ignored. His continued unconsciousness might be due to fatigue.” “Fatigue?” “I heard he fought alone against an unmatched infernal. It wasn’t an easy battle, so he must have expended a lot of mental energy. Let’s observe him for a few more days.” “Mental energy…” Dang Hwa-seo murmured and then nodded. “…Understood. Thank you for your kindness.” “It’s nothing. Now, we should be going. Sect Leader, shall we?” “Ah, yes.” Seo Ye awkwardly rose and gave a brief bow. “I’ll visit again.” Seo Ye's gaze lingered on Namgung Jin Chun for a moment before departing. Silence fell over the quarters. Time swiftly passed. The members focused on tending to their wounds, while Dang Hwa-seo stayed by Mok Riwon's side, watching over him for two days. “…Miss?” Mok Riwon opened his eyes.