Chapter 164

Chapter 164: Evil Bonds Are Tenacious (2)

Su-cheon—"Heaven's Guardian."

Within the Namgung Family, heaven referred to the Family Head. The name Su-cheon meant the one who protects the Family Head.

The leader of the Sword King Unit had borne the name Su-cheon from generation to generation.

His original name held no meaning for him whatsoever. The moment he became the leader of the Sword King Unit, he abandoned the name given by his parents and became Su-cheon.

The current Su-cheon was no exception.

He was seventy-two years old. As the leader of the Sword King Unit, he was a veteran who had weathered every storm. Thirty years ago, when the Demonic Cult invaded the Namgung Family, it was he who had led the Sword King Unit to annihilate them.

The fact that he had held the position of Sword King Unit leader longer than any of his predecessors was proof of his exceptional ability.

Su-cheon was gazing at the corpses brought from the inn.

Not a single corpse retained its proper form. Through the wounds on the bodies, Su-cheon assessed the culprit's martial prowess.

"Except for Jang-gyeong, most of them were killed with a single blow."

Su-cheon felt a chill run through his chest.

The martial artists led by Namgung Jang-gyeong were, in their own right, masters acknowledged within the Namgung Family. That such masters had been killed without putting up any meaningful resistance could only mean one thing.

"A master… and one of unfathomable depth."

Su-cheon intuited that it would be a difficult fight. But he was not greatly worried.

Thirty years ago, he had withstood the elites of the Demonic Cult. He did not think the opponent would be stronger than the Demonic Cult.

Su-cheon asked a Sword King Unit member nearby.

"Where is he headed?"

"He is heading toward Hanshan. If we hurry, we can catch up by morning."

"The entire Sword King Unit will deploy."

"The… entire unit?"

"That is correct."

"You judge the culprit to be that dangerous?"

The total strength of the Sword King Unit was just over one hundred. Since two hundred years ago, that number had never changed.

There had been almost no occasion on which the Sword King Unit deployed in full. The most recent such occasion was thirty years ago, when the Demonic Cult invaded the Namgung Family.

Su-cheon answered calmly.

"I am merely preparing for the worst case."

"Understood. I will assemble the entire Sword King Unit."

"Make haste."

"As you command!"

The martial artist disappeared with his response.

Su-cheon rose to his feet.

"Whoever you are, you will come to regret having provoked the Namgung Family with every fiber of your being."

His low murmur carried a desolate chill.

***

Hanshan was not widely known, but its mountains were deep and thickly wooded, attracting herb gatherers and hunters alike.

Gwak San, who lived in a secluded corner of Hanshan, was a herb gatherer. But he had not always been one. His only daughter, Gwak Yeon, had at some point fallen ill and begun to waste away.

He sought out renowned physicians and had them examine her, but none could cure her.

Debts mounted, and in the end, Gwak San could endure it no longer. He entered Hanshan himself to find a cure for his daughter.

There was no corner of Hanshan he had not searched. Every herb he heard was beneficial to the body, he gathered and fed to his daughter. But Gwak Yeon's condition showed no improvement—it only worsened.

Until recently she could still walk a little on her own strength, but now she could not move even a single finger.

Gwak Yeon sat on a small chair in front of the thatched hut. Though it was only early autumn, she was wrapped to her neck in a thick fur blanket. Yet her complexion remained pallid and her lips were blue with sickness.

The deathly pallor on her brow suggested that the specter of death had already alighted upon her shoulder.

Gwak Yeon sat on her chair, gasping for breath.

She opened her small lips.

"Fa… Father!"

"What is it?"

Gwak San, who was beside her, asked urgently.

"Will she come today?"

"She will come. She said she would, so she will surely come."

"I hope so."

Gwak Yeon managed a sorrowful smile. At this, Gwak San felt as though his heart would tear apart.

He knew. That his daughter's life had precious little time remaining.

Her condition was so dire that it would not be surprising if she drew her last breath at any moment. Yet she was a filial daughter who tried to maintain a brave front, thinking of her father who would be left behind.

'Please hold on, Yeon-ah. If you die, your father cannot go on living in this world either.'

At that moment—

"Ah! She's here!"

Suddenly, Gwak Yeon rose to her feet. But before she could fully extend her legs, she stumbled.

"Y-Yeon-ah!"

Gwak San caught his daughter's faltering small body. But his face was full of joy. Where Gwak Yeon's gaze was directed, there stood a man and a woman.

A woman waving and running toward them, and an old man following behind.

It was Jong Ri-yeon and Hwa-no.

"Thank heavens."

A large tear rolled down Gwak San's cheek.

***

Dam Ho turned his head slightly to look behind him.

He could see Jong Ri-yeon running forward, waving her hands.

As she had said, the patient was in Hanshan. And so he had, unintentionally, accompanied her this far.

On the way here, Jong Ri-yeon had shown constant curiosity toward Dam Ho. But Dam Ho had not given her a single moment of his attention.

They were fated to part ways, and he believed he would never meet her again.

Dam Ho mounted Heuk-gui.

It was time to ride.

Heuk-gui began to gallop at terrifying speed. Dam Ho yielded his body to the horse.

After riding for some time, a forest of white birch trees appeared. Sunlight piercing through the birch grove created a dreamlike atmosphere.

Crunch! Crunch!

Heuk-gui's hooves striking the fallen leaves and pebbles on the ground produced a strange, resonant sound.

At that moment—

Swoosh!

Without warning, a sharp whistling sound pierced through the birch forest. Simultaneously, Dam Ho swept his hand.

Clang!

With a ring of metal, a bent arrow rolled across the ground. It was an arrow less than half the length of a normal one.

Whizz! Whizz!

The whistling sound came again.

Dam Ho kicked off Heuk-gui and launched himself into the air. The incoming arrows pierced harmlessly through the space where he had been.

"Go."

Suspended in midair, Dam Ho spoke. Heuk-gui seemed to understand and galloped off through the birch forest on its own. Meanwhile, Dam Ho touched down on the ground.

At that moment, round objects flew toward him from every direction.

Dam Ho's eyes narrowed. Since they had not come at the speed of arrows, he did not disturb them and simply watched their trajectory.

Psst!

The round objects that fell to the ground suddenly emitted green smoke. The instant he smelled it, nausea surged and a headache bore down.

'Poison smoke?'

Dam Ho ceased his breathing and circulated his internal energy to expel the toxic qi.

A thick cloud of poison smoke spread throughout the area. And from within the birch forest, black shadows rose to their feet.

The white birch trees and their black attire created a striking contrast. From their bodies emanated a sharp, killing intent.

'Swordsmen.'

The swords at their waists confirmed that they were swordsmen. But they were not merely carrying swords.

Some held crossbows, others threw hidden weapons, and still others wielded spears.

Each person carried at least two different weapons.

Though Dam Ho had roamed the Murim and seen countless martial artists, this was the first time he had encountered a group where each member wielded two or more weapons simultaneously.

'The Namgung Family?'

Dam Ho guessed their identity at once.

As he suspected, the newcomers were the Namgung Family's Sword King Unit. At their head was Su-cheon.

Su-cheon walked toward Dam Ho.

"So we finally caught up."

"……"

Instead of answering, Dam Ho stared at Su-cheon. Su-cheon met his gaze without flinching.

"Who are you?"

"You followed me without even knowing?"

Su-cheon furrowed his brow.

Disheveled black hair, tattered black robes, and a savage aura accompanied by bestial eyes that made the beholder instinctively recoil.

"The Fist Demon… is that right?"

Dam Ho's response was a smile—if a slight twitch of facial muscles could be called a smile.

"That is fortunate."

Killing intent filled Su-cheon's eyes.

Dam Ho was already the Namgung Family's sworn enemy.

Because of Dam Ho alone, the family's great plans had been delayed. Namgung Su had died. And countless martial artists of the Namgung Family had lost their lives.

Had they been an ordinary sect, their very foundations would have been shaken by such catastrophic damage. For that reason, there had been much discussion within the Namgung Family about assassinating Dam Ho, but unable to locate him, they could do nothing.

"You have run rampant without fear of heaven for too long, but that ends today. I shall put an end to your wicked deeds."

Su-cheon raised his hand. At this, the Sword King Unit raised its killing intent.

"These are the main family's elites—the Sword King Unit. If you compare them to the rabble you have faced before, you will be sorely mistaken."

"They all said the same thing. But in the end, they were nothing special."

"How dare you compare the Sword King Unit to such people."

"Do you think you are any different?"

Dam Ho asked.

Su-cheon's eyes reddened. He was enraged by Dam Ho's words.

"Subdue him. It matters not if you sever his limbs, as long as he still breathes. Subdue him quickly and return to the main family with the Sage."

"As you command!"

The Sword King Unit moved.

Whizz!

First, those carrying crossbows launched their bolts.

Dozens of bolts streaked toward Dam Ho. These were bolts fired not by human strength but by mechanical devices, their power multiplied severalfold.

Dam Ho swept his hand and deflected the bolts.

His eyesight and reflexes, honed in darkness, perceived the bolts flying at speeds invisible to the naked eye.

Clatter!

A pile of bolts accumulated at Dam Ho's feet.

Su-cheon's eyes gleamed.

"Quite impressive. But it is useless. This is only the beginning."

Whizz! Whizz!

The crossbows fired again.

The crossbows, painstakingly crafted by the Namgung Family's master craftsmen, could fire in rapid succession. Furthermore, spiral grooves were carved into the bolt tips and shafts, causing them to spin at terrifying speeds upon launch, doubling their destructive power.

The crossbow operators did not tire. They only needed to aim and pull the trigger. Conversely, those defending against the crossbows had to keep their nerves on edge, their muscles tensing with fear.

Clang clang clang!

Dam Ho's hands wove through the air in a dizzying array.

Blocking, sweeping, deflecting—a continuous series of motions unfolded in the blink of an eye. The bolts fired from the crossbows shattered or crumpled and fell to the ground.

The crossbow assault continued. Hidden weapon attacks were added to it. Tiny needles, so fine as to be invisible, rode the air currents toward him.

The Sword King Unit was less a group of martial artists and more akin to an army. Though they used swords as their primary weapon, they could wield crossbows, hidden weapons, and other specialized armaments with complete freedom.

Their purpose was to eliminate threats to the Namgung Family. To achieve that end, they did not discriminate between means or methods.

They valued efficiency over face, and the honor of the Namgung Family over individual feelings.

Despite the name "Sword King Unit," for them the sword was a last resort.

Dam Ho understood the true nature of the Sword King Unit perfectly.

These were not martial artists. They were soldiers.

Who knew how to wield every weapon at their disposal to crush the enemy.

Dam Ho knew another such being. It was himself.

Whirrr!

In that instant, Dam Ho's body oscillated at a frequency too fine and rapid to be seen by the naked eye.

A protective energy shield utilizing micro-vibrations had unfolded.

Clatter!

The crossbows and hidden weapons that had struck Dam Ho lost their force and fell to the ground.

At the frozen instant when everyone was rigid, Dam Ho unleashed Charging Step.

Whoosh!

His body tore through the air.

Crash!

And someone met their death.

The legendary battle between the Fist Demon and the Sword King Unit had begun.