Chapter 431

Chapter 431 – The Outbreak of the Great World War (3)

"Sigh!"

Namgung Seon-hwi let out a quiet sigh looking at his younger brother sleeping soundly.

Though it must be very difficult, his young brother was enduring better than expected. Learning the Namgung family's secret internal cultivation on his own and understanding it seemed even better than himself.

He had vaguely thought his brother was a powerless existence he had to protect, but when his brother showed unexpectedly outstanding talent, he actually felt deflated. However, he soon gathered his spirits.

If his brother learned excellent martial arts, rebuilding the Namgung family would become much easier. Thinking so, Namgung Seon-hwi carefully stroked his brother's face.

"Let's work hard together."

"Yes!"

Suddenly Namgung Yeong-hwi opened his eyes and answered.

"Huh? Weren't you sleeping?"

"I woke up."

"Sorry! Because of me for no reason."

"No. I prefer hearing brother's voice."

Namgung Yeong-hwi shook his head while lying down. It was when Namgung Seon-hwi was stroking such a brother's head. Suddenly Namgung Yeong-hwi opened his eyes wide. Because he saw a black shadow behind Namgung Seon-hwi.

"Hm? What's wrong?"

Namgung Seon-hwi was startled by Namgung Yeong-hwi's rigid appearance and turned around. Then he saw the figure of a man casting a long black shadow.

"Who are you?"

Namgung Seon-hwi shouted a warning cry while drawing his sword.

His reaction was dazzlingly fast. To this, the man smiled and said:

"Good stance. You've properly learned the Sky Limitless Sword Technique."

"How do you know that?"

"But your grip is slightly wrong."

As if a teacher giving instruction to a disciple, the man spoke with a benevolent expression.

"Wh-who are you?"

"No need to be so wary. I'm not a stranger to you."

"What?"

The man took a step toward Namgung Seon-hwi. Then Namgung Seon-hwi hid Namgung Yeong-hwi behind his back and stepped back one step. To this, the man smiled bitterly.

"Right! If I suddenly appear saying I'm not a stranger, you'd have no choice but to be suspicious. But my words are true."

The man extended his hand toward Namgung Seon-hwi.

Though he seemed to extend it lightly, his hand instantly subdued Namgung Seon-hwi's pressure point. Namgung Seon-hwi tried urgently to shake off the man's hand but it was useless.

At that moment, the man's energy flowed into his body through the pressure point. Namgung Seon-hwi's expression, who had been about to shout loudly, changed strangely.

"This is?"

"Right! It's the Sky Great Evolution Divine Art. It's the secret internal cultivation that only direct elders of the Namgung family can learn. Now will you believe my words? That I'm a martial artist of the Namgung family."

Namgung Seon-hwi unconsciously nodded his head.

The magnificent energy pouring in through the pressure point was definitely internal energy built through the Sky Great Evolution Divine Art. His father had also learned the Sky Great Evolution Divine Art and had let him experience it, so he could tell for certain.

As the man said, the Sky Great Evolution Divine Art was a secret internal cultivation that only direct elders of the Namgung family could learn. No matter how excellent one's talent, branch members couldn't learn this martial art.

"You really have learned our main family's martial arts. But I've never seen you before."

"That's natural. It's been nearly forty years since I left the Namgung family."

"Forty years?"

The Namgung brothers' pupils shook.

Because it was far too long a period for them to gauge. Since he had left the Namgung family much before even their birth, they couldn't easily guess even the man's age.

Seeing the two confused people, the man continued:

"My name is Namgung In-hu. Do you perhaps know it?"

"Co-could you be the Ink Sword Hero elder who participated in the suicide squad?"

The one who answered was precisely Namgung Yeong-hwi who had been hiding behind Namgung Seon-hwi. He had already poked his head out and was looking up at the man.

A smile appeared on the man's lips.

"You remember indeed. Right, I'm Namgung In-hu who was called the Ink Sword Hero."

"Ah!"

"Impossible!"

At the man Namgung In-hu's words, the Namgung brothers' legs gave out and they collapsed in place.

Namgung In-hu was the pride of the Namgung family.

At the time, Namgung In-hu was one of the top swordsmen within the Namgung family and possessed spirit that pierced the heavens. And he was the idol of numerous Namgung family martial artists.

He had become a suicide squad member by his own will, charged into the Demon Cult's main base, and was known to have died gloriously.

Thus Namgung In-hu became a legend and became a model for Namgung family martial artists. Even until the Namgung family's destruction, Namgung In-hu's name was spoken by many in the family.

The Namgung brothers had also heard Namgung In-hu's stories until their ears were sore. That's why their shock was bound to be even greater.

"But Elder Namgung In-hu should be over eighty years old, yet you are?"

"Right! It wouldn't be easily believable. About ten years ago, after overcoming a crisis and mastering the family's martial arts, I suddenly became young."

"Re-reverse aging and rejuvenation?"

"That's right. I completed the family's martial arts and regained my youth."

The man Namgung In-hu's resonant voice echoed through the room.

One might think he was lying, but the moment they heard his voice, the Namgung brothers thought it was true.

Not only was there no reason for Namgung In-hu to lie to them, but the unique atmosphere and temperament felt from him indicated he was a person of the Namgung family.

"H-how?"

"The story would be very long. What's important is that I've found you now, and I intend to rebuild the Namgung family through you."

"Ah!"

"You've suffered much. But there's no need to wander anymore. From now on, I'll take care of you."

At Namgung In-hu's smile, Namgung Seon-hwi's frozen expression melted. Tears were already flowing from his eyes.

"E-Elder."

"Call me grandfather. After all, your father is no different from a nephew to me."

"Grandfather!"

"Right!"

Namgung Seon-hwi followed Namgung In-hu's words as if bewitched.

Namgung Seon-hwi had been constantly worried about protecting his brother since the Namgung family's destruction. Fortunately, he had met a martial artist named Dam Ho in between and came to rely on him, but there was no guarantee he could protect them forever.

The enormous burden placed on his still immature tender shoulders was too heavy to bear. Though he practiced martial arts desperately every day and trained his body and mind, the pressure weighing on his shoulders only grew.

When he desperately wanted to rely on someone, Namgung In-hu appeared, and Namgung Seon-hwi helplessly crumbled.

"Come with me. You will become the founding ancestors of the newly rising Namgung family. I will make it so. You just need to trust and follow me. This Namgung In-hu will be your patron. Under the chaotic sky, only the Namgung family will shine purely."

"Where have you been, grandfather?"

Suddenly Namgung Yeong-hwi's voice interrupted Namgung In-hu's words.

"Yeong-hwi. What are you saying? How rude…"

Startled Namgung Seon-hwi looked at Namgung Yeong-hwi. But Namgung Yeong-hwi continued speaking without care.

"Are you really a martial artist of the Namgung family, grandfather?"

"What do you mean?"

"Where were you when the Namgung family was destroyed by the Demon Cult? If you're really Grandfather Namgung In-hu, shouldn't you have helped when the main family was collapsing?"

"There were circumstances for that."

"What circumstances? Were those circumstances more important than the family's rise and fall?"

Namgung Yeong-hwi's eyes were shining brighter than ever.

Namgung In-hu read firm will and intelligence in his pupils. Much brighter light than his older brother Namgung Seon-hwi and talent to match it.

'This one. This one is the optimal talent to raise the Namgung family. Heaven hasn't abandoned the Namgung family yet.'

Namgung In-hu was thrilled. And he was grateful to heaven for leaving such talent. Though it was heaven he had abandoned very long ago.

"Please tell us, grandfather. What you've been doing all this time. Where were you that you didn't show yourself even during the main family's crisis. And why have you come looking for us only now."

"Because the time has come."

"What time?"

"If you follow me, you'll naturally know."

"Grandfather!"

"This place isn't suitable for discussing important matters. So quietly follow me. I definitely won't harm you."

"I cannot trust grandfather."

Namgung Yeong-hwi shook his head firmly. Then Namgung Seon-hwi grabbed his shoulder.

"Why are you like this to grandfather? Yeong-hwi."

"Don't you find it strange, brother?"

"What?"

"Isn't it strange that someone suddenly appears claiming to be grandfather and tells us to follow unconditionally?"

"Yeong-hwi!"

"And following him like this isn't proper courtesy toward those two. How have they treated us all this time, and we'd leave without saying anything?"

"That's…"

Namgung Seon-hwi couldn't bring himself to answer and hesitated. Seeing this, Namgung In-hu quietly sighed.

"Sigh! You won't be able to understand me now. But as time passes, you'll come to understand my decision, my heart."

"What do you…"

Suddenly Namgung Seon-hwi and Namgung Yeong-hwi's bodies froze stiff.

As if fallen into an invisible swamp, tremendous pressure was binding their entire bodies.

"Urgh!"

The two struggled but couldn't escape the pressure crushing their whole bodies.

Namgung In-hu turned his body. Then the two people's bodies floated up into the air and moved following Namgung In-hu. He had bound their bodies with telekinetic control.

At Namgung In-hu's gesture, the door opened soundlessly.

"…"

Instantly, deep furrows formed on Namgung In-hu's brow.

Because a black shadow was cast in front of the door. Following the black shadow upward, there stood a black-clad man barely distinguishable from the darkness that had settled around.

He was standing motionless with his entire body covered in pitch-black robes.

He didn't know how long he had been standing there.

It could have been long ago, or it could have been just now.

What mattered was that despite him standing with just a door between them, Namgung In-hu hadn't noticed.

Thud!

"Ugh!"

"Gasp!"

The Namgung brothers' bodies bound by telekinetic control fell to the floor. Namgung In-hu had withdrawn his internal energy.

"Fist Demon!"

As if he already knew the man's identity, Namgung In-hu spoke.

The man standing before him was precisely Fist Demon Dam Ho.

"…"

"I put up energy barriers thinking this might happen, but it seems it was useless."

While talking with the Namgung brothers, he had deployed three layers of energy barriers overlapping. So that no sound could escape. Yet the opponent had penetrated the three energy barriers and detected his presence.

"More than expected. Fist Demon."

Namgung In-hu's already sharp eyes glinted like blades. Then the temperature in the area rapidly dropped.

The Namgung brothers shivered.

"Are you okay?"

Someone grabbed their hands from behind and pulled them.

Looking back, they saw a familiar face.

"Brother Jin-bo?"

"Come here!"

Bang Jin-bo took the Namgung brothers and hurriedly left the room. Where he headed, Nok Su-bing was already standing.

Nok Su-bing was standing motionless like a statue, staring at Namgung In-hu. Namgung In-hu also felt her gaze and turned to look.

"Who are you?"

Namgung In-hu frowned.

He looked back and forth between Nok Su-bing and Dam Ho. As if he couldn't understand the current situation. But he soon found the answer.

'The Cult Leader must have used her as a messenger.'

He unconsciously shook his head slightly, and Dam Ho didn't miss his movement.

"Heavenly Evil Cult!"

"What?"

At Dam Ho's unexpected words, his voice naturally shook.

Detecting his wavering, Dam Ho's eyes grew cold.

"You were also a traitor."

"What are you saying? Fist Demon."

"No use playing dumb. I already know everything. The suicide squad, the Heavenly Evil Cult."

"…"

"How well you crawl out. Hideously aged monsters."

"Don't…"

Roooar!

Suddenly a storm-like cry burst from Namgung In-hu's mouth.

Rage blazed in his eyes.

"Don't insult us. Monster who knows only violence without dreams or ideals." ​