Chapter 73 – A Cornered Rat Bites the Cat

Chapter 73 – A Cornered Rat Bites the Cat

“I will let only one person live.”

No sooner had those words ended than the ink-colored blade of the Black Cloud Sword strode right before the third assailant's eyes. A cool sword that even contained the moonlight. That was the last scene he saw in this world.

“…!!”

There was no time to show any reaction.

The surroundings were just entirely silent.

It was a very strange thing. In the distance, the screams of those trying to put out the fire had been heard faintly, and nearby, hadn't the chilly voice of the one who clashed swords resounded? Yet, why…

At that moment, a step late, pain reached from his auricle, through his temple and eyes, to the bridge of his nose. A burning sensation as if burned by fire and the dizziness of his heart sinking were felt at the same time.

Only then did he realize what had happened to him.

However, by the time one realized it, it was already too late.

The assailant collapsed to the floor without even seeing the sword that had sliced through his face. Although one eye remained, his thoughts did not continue any further. For his master's gift, the hardest and sharpest thing, could easily cut through a human skull.

“Now, there are two left.”

Flicking the blood off with a light swing of his wrist, San-ho spoke to the men facing him.

“I said I would spare one of the two. Even so, do you still have no intention of speaking?”

“…”

San-ho's expression, which looked somewhat gentle at a glance, and the corpse collapsed beside him were a landscape that could never harmonize.

At that moment, the second assailant, who had slumped to the floor, could not bear that bizarre sight and slightly opened his mouth.

It was a scene where any human would have done the same.

“Th…”

“You bastard!!”

However, the reaction of the first assailant, the one standing at the very front, was faster. Before a single word could even come out of the slumped second assailant's mouth, his sword fell like lightning onto the neck.

“Argh…”

Tumble. From the second assailant's head, which fell to the floor in an instant, the words he failed to spit out scattered. The mouth from which blood gushed out and the wide-open eyes could not close, staring toward the air.

Seeing that, San-ho let out a short, hollow breath.

“Wow… Just how great is the thing you are trying to hide that you would kill your own ally like this?”

“…”

A gloomy gaze swept over San-ho.

“This makes me even more curious.”

The only remaining assailant adjusted his grip on his sword.

A dense killing intent leaked through his tightly clenched teeth.

“Even though there are many valuable things in the annex, I don't think they're worth coming for at the risk of this much danger. What on earth is your purpose… I must hear it.”

Dash!

The assailant's figure, kicking off the ground, rushed in like fire.

The sword, around which a red energy slowly wound, thrust toward San-ho's neck.

Clang!

San-ho, who blocked the strike by holding his sword horizontally, exerted force as it was and bounced his figure away. The large body was pushed back like an old tree in front of a storm.

Groaning softly, the assailant quickly adjusted his stance.

They clearly said no one would come to the annex.

Chewing over the nonsense he had heard, he stepped into his footwork once again.

An attack targeting a gap rushed toward San-ho.

Showing not a shred of mercy, a complete killing strike poured down. While San-ho hesitated for a moment at the killing strikes raging like raindrops.

Swish!

The assailant, who had penetrated to a distance within arm's reach, swung his sword with a determination to kill. This was the person who had easily killed the previous three. He must not be fooled by his youthful appearance.

Clank! A sharp metallic sound cut through the air in succession.

In contrast to him swinging his sword with a resolution to die, San-ho showed no signs of fatigue.

This could not go on. Biting his lips, the assailant poured a fierce energy filled with killing intent into his sword. The red energy rose like a haze and gradually wrapped around the blade more tenaciously.

A single sword containing all of his purpose, malice, and determination.

Kicking up dust, the assailant leaped off the ground.

His body twisted fully in midair solely to add power to the sword.

At the moment he finally swung his sword toward San-ho, who was positioned precisely on the sword path.

Slice!

A chilling sound rang in his ears.

And immediately following was a hot, burning sensation.

The assailant felt his hand burning. That was an extremely terrible pain.

“Ugh, a-aah!!”

However, there was something even more terrible than that.

His hand, which had been holding the sword, was rolling on the floor.

If so, where was this pain, this cruel agony, coming from?

Writhing in phantom pain, the assailant clenched his teeth. The sword containing his everything faded away before it could even reach. It was an unbelievable thing, but there was no way to deny the smell of blood that pierced his nose.

“…”

A swordsman without a sword is a being worse than a scarecrow. The assailant, who could no longer defend himself, stuck out his tongue. He chose suicide over opening his mouth to the Tang Clan's torture techniques.

It was at that moment.

Swish!

San-ho, who rushed forward in a single breath, shoved the Black Cloud Sword directly into the assailant's mouth.

Grind.

“…!!!”

Realizing that what touched his teeth was not a squishy tongue but a cold blade, the assailant widened his eyes. A sword that blocked suicide at the precise moment, with force neither lacking nor exceeding in the slightest.

San-ho, who did not grant him death, spoke in a cool voice.

“What am I supposed to do if you act like this when there is only one left? This is different from the promise.”

“…?”

“If you're just going to die like this, there was no reason for me to pick up the sword in the first place.”

“Ugh!!”

The assailant's body collapsed onto the floor from the pushing force. Pressing down the sword from above him, San-ho continued.

“Now speak. What on earth did you do this for?”

“Ugh…”

As if he still had no intention of opening his mouth, the assailant shook his head frantically. The corners of his mouth touching the blade gradually split, and bright red blood flowed down.

The blood that flowed into his mouth made a strange rattling sound. It sounded like phlegm boiling, or like water bubbles bursting.

Organizing his thoughts for a moment, San-ho changed his question and asked.

“I'm asking just in case. Is it by any chance because of something called Heaven's Mandate?”

“…!!!”

As soon as the words Heaven's Mandate flowed from San-ho's mouth, the assailant's eyes were dyed with bewilderment. At that clear reaction, San-ho let out a dumbfounded laugh.

“Wow… Is it real? Is there really a god this crazy in the world? Huh? That person called a god told you to go to someone else's house, set it on fire, and kill that family's son? Seriously?”

Dear God. One is coming up right now.

San-ho, who felt like grabbing God by the collar right this instant, muttered quietly to the assailant on the brink of death.

“When you go to the afterlife and meet that god, be sure to tell him this. If he pulls this kind of stunt one more time, I will…”

It was at that moment.

Failing to finish his words, San-ho quickly raised his lowered body at the presence he felt all of a sudden.

Stab.

However, even before he could dodge, the chilling sound of tender skin being pierced echoed in his ears. San-ho, feeling a hot pain in his flank, widened his eyes.

“What is this…”

“Indeed. Quite an agile movement worthy of a child of the Tang Clan.”

From behind, a strange man's voice was heard. Clenching his teeth, San-ho asked as if spitting it out.

“…Who are you now?”

“I am called Tae-oh.”

The man who introduced himself as Tae-oh smiled faintly.

On his face, a large scar crossing the bridge of his nose and cheek was clear.

“…”

“I came because everyone was late, but I didn't expect anyone to notice my scheme.”

Hot blood flowed from the place where Tae-oh's sword had torn.

San-ho, who quickly tapped his acupoints to stop the bleeding, stared intently at the face of the new assailant.

“Nor did I expect you to scatter poison in that split second.”

“Sigh…”

Letting out an annoyed sigh, San-ho frowned.

Between Tae-oh's long outstretched fingers, the Cow-Hair Needle that San-ho had thrown while dodging was glittering. Tossing back the poison-laden Cow-Hair Needle with a flick, he continued quietly.

“Do not get hurt further out of useless stubbornness; please hand over what I am looking for.”

Chuckling with a hollow laugh, San-ho gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.

“And if I do? Does that make it so you setting fire to our house and tearing my side never happened?”

“Of course, I find that regrettable, but… Even so, what is done is done. You should cherish what remains.”

Dash!

Before Tae-oh could finish speaking, it was San-ho who rushed forward.

Acrid smoke was still drifting on the wind.

Swish!

He swiftly thrust his sword loaded with internal energy. It was twice as fast as before. Was he not an opponent who had already perfectly concealed his presence and stabbed a sword without being noticed? Carelessness was a luxury.

However.

Clang! A cold metallic sound ended up bouncing San-ho's sword away.

“…”

In that split second, San-ho realized one fact.

That the person in front of him was an opponent against whom he could not guarantee victory at his current level.

‘Of all times, right now…’

San-ho bit his lips.

The hall leaders under the Family Head had left the Tang Clan due to newly started businesses. Although many people remained, they were already entangled and distracted due to the fire that was not easily put out and the collapsing pavilions.

It was truly a predicament.

At that moment, Tae-oh tilted his head slightly and advised him again.

There was no way the opponent did not know what he had felt.

“This shouldn't be something worth risking your life for.”

“Cut the bullshit. That's not for you to decide. I decide.”

Tae-oh, casting his gaze downward, nodded.

“Won't you regret it?”

“Ha… How dare you, inside the walls of the Sichuan Tang Clan, without fear. Who is talking about regret to whom?”

“In that case, very well.”

San-ho, his expression hardening coolly, glared at Tae-oh.

“I must say, orthodox martial artists always throw away their lives like straw out of unnecessary stubbornness. Without knowing how precious they are.”

“…”

“Though, that is the interesting part.”

With those words, Tae-oh's expression, which had been smiling faintly, also hardened in an instant. Extremely cold killing intent filled his sharp eyes.

It was not the gaze of someone who had harmed people only once or twice.

The bizarreness of looking more comfortable now, holding a sword, than the moment he was talking.

It was the gaze of a killing demon.

‘I can do it. No… I must do it.’

San-ho, calming his breathing, poured internal energy into his sword once again. They were the ones who set fire to the family and tried to harm him. He could never let them grasp what they wanted.

Hum, a low sword cry rang from the sword to which internal energy was added.

San-ho, stretching the Black Cloud Sword straight, took a step.

Tae-oh, likewise, stretched his sword toward San-ho.

The gaze of the two, meeting in midair, created a dizzying tension.

Dash!

San-ho, his eyes shining like a beast of the night, rushed toward him.

A light smear of blood appeared on the sword tip that barely sliced Tae-oh's collar.

Swish!

Tae-oh also did not miss San-ho's movement and swung his sword. San-ho's sword, which slipped in as he lowered his body, brushed Tae-oh's thigh, and at the same time, Tae-oh's sword cut the base of San-ho's shoulder.

Each time their swords brushed against each other, red blood splashed in all directions.

Clack! Clang! Clank!

San-ho narrowed his eyes at Tae-oh's sword, whose path could not be read. Just a little more. Just once more…!

It was at that moment.

Boom!!

A ferocious roar echoed as if to collapse the Tang Clan once again. A new explosion had occurred.

“…!!!”

The eyes of the stopped San-ho were dyed with shock. The place where the new pillar of fire soared was neither the Cloud Joy Hall nor the Cheonggeum Pavilion. It was the Painting and Calligraphy Pavilion near the main gate. A place to seek teachings through books. Naturally, it was a place where an explosion could not possibly happen.

Tae-oh, seeing the explosion, clicked his tongue and said.

“Dear me. This happens because your decision is delayed.”

“You crazy bastard…”

He set the fire himself, and he's blaming me?

Grinding his teeth, San-ho glared at him with fierce eyes.

“Do you not understand? Right now, the Young Master is merely a mouse in front of a cat. No matter how much you struggle, it is futile, so give up already.”

“Phew…”

Letting out a low sigh at Tae-oh's words, San-ho tilted his head slightly.

Even at a glance, his condition was far more serious. Although there were traces of the sword brushing here and there on Tae-oh's body, San-ho's body, which was torn more deeply, gushed blood every time he took a breath.

“Yeah, I didn't want to admit it, but I guess I am a mouse.”

Unlike just a moment ago when he glared fiercely, San-ho shrugged with a much more relaxed expression.

“…”

Tae-oh furrowed one eye at his strange expression. It could not be that he had given up now, nor was it a movement to rush in again in spite. If so…

At that moment.

“…!!”

Feeling a change in his body, Tae-oh's eyes gradually widened.

“But you know what? A cornered rat…”

San-ho was still standing quietly in that spot, staring intently at him.

“Bites the cat too.”