episode_0102

102. Brigade Commander.

The man’s fishy smile hardened. He reflexively lowered his arm and drew his sword.

Clang!

After that, the man’s eyes widened. It certainly didn’t seem like he had drawn up his inner strength, but the recoil felt unusual.

No, it’s not just that level.

‘I’m being pushed back…’

A brief pause and then being pushed back. The man was startled and took a step back. It was a secretive and swift step, not befitting his size.

For some reason, not much dust is rising. The man was using a high-level footwork technique.

“That’s not normal strength!”

Kwaang, the man kicked off the ground roughly and charged at Yohan. Yohan felt like a huge water buffalo was coming toward him.

An aura flickered above the man’s shoulder. It’s because the drawn-up inner strength is so intense that it can be seen.

At that moment, a similar phenomenon occurred in Yohan’s whole body. He felt a sharp pain in the blood points of his whole body.

‘Immature.’

It’s not yet appropriate to use in actual combat. Well, there was no other way. Now was not the time to be picky about this and that.

Jjeo-eo-eo-eong!

Another collision. An even greater roar than before shook the space.

Before they knew it, the master and the disciples were watching their life-or-death struggle from afar. There was no hint of nervousness on the disciples’ faces. Only anticipation.

‘He’s only going to fight him with swordsmanship?’

‘I heard he made quite a bit of progress over the past month, so I’m curious.’

A lot had happened during that time.

Some members returned to the village where the cult leader first appeared to help stabilize the village, while others managed the current village, which was formerly the Black Forest Clan’s base.

As the leader changes, so does the nature of the group. They spent their days in a flurry of activity.

As a result, only a handful of disciples truly knew the cult leader’s achievements.

That’s why they were even more curious. The disciples’ eyes sparkled like stars.

The essence of Myriad Transformations Swordplay is flexibility. It’s a swordsmanship focused on defense rather than offense, and it’s a method of leading the situation according to the opponent’s movements.

In that respect, the swordsmanship of the man and Yohan were the opposite.

Jjeo-eo-eo-eong! Jjeo-eong! Hoo-oong-

“I heard you defeated the clan leader at a young age, so I had some expectations, but you were just a strong monkey!”

“Well… A monkey seems better than a boar like you.”

“Heh, a boar? That’s quite right. Go on, try to stop that boar’s charge!”

Tuwoong, the man twisted his body suddenly and pushed Yohan using his shoulder. The man has a long and thick body.

There was no visible path to avoid. Yohan was sent flying like a broken doll.

The man was momentarily puzzled.

‘What is it? It feels like I’m hitting a stone…’

The question was brief. The man rushed toward Yohan with familiar movements. This was an attack technique he used frequently.

He pushes with his naturally large body and slowly finishes off his opponent whose posture is broken.

That pale guy is quite tall, but he’s still smaller than him.

The man thought that Yohan was barely managing to regain his balance by now. He wouldn’t kill him because his talent was a waste. However─

“I’ll take an arm!”

The sword body, as thick as the man’s build, drew a heavy diagonal line.

It was a blow that could at least take an arm, or even kill him if he was lucky.

If he dies?

‘That must be all he’s capable of.’

At that moment, Yohan, who had been staggering for a moment, quickly regained his posture.

He didn’t seem to have taken much of a hit! The man was a little embarrassed. It shouldn’t have been an easy blow to withstand?

It was a little different from the plan, but it was too late to change the path of the sword now. Rather, the man put strength into his whole body.

“Euryaaaaaaa!!”

Hoo-oong, the speed of the sword accelerated even further. It was a declaration of his will to succeed in the attack, even at the cost of straining his muscles.

At that moment, Yohan’s waist and shoulders bent strangely. The master, who was watching the two fight from afar, widened his eyes.

“That’s…!”

Although he lacked the flexibility of his joints, there were clearly many parts that were similar to him in the essence of movement.

One month.

‘He mastered it in that short amount of time?’

The master let out a hollow laugh. How many dangers had he faced to acquire that technique?

He was almost caught by a decrepit old monster who had lost his inner energy, and he was almost taken down by a succubus who was draining the energy of men.

‘The latter is my fault, though.’

Anyway, he had made the technique he had acquired with such difficulty his own in just one month. Although not perfect!

The master was amazed, and so was the man fighting Yohan.

“What kind of trickery is that!”

Jjaeng- The afternoon sun reflecting the shapes of the two is dazzling. Humans and shadows are inseparable.

If someone had stolen a glance at the shadows of the two from the sky, they would have been able to see Yohan’s shadow writhing wickedly.

A black snake. It was like a black serpent that had found its prey.

The snake’s sharp fangs flowed with blue poison and rushed toward the lion.

At that moment─

Jjeo-eo-eo-eo-eong!

Yohan rolled roughly on the floor. The dust that rose up flew into the sky along the path he was thrown.

The man, who was holding up his left leg, muttered in disbelief.

“Jjeo-eong? This bastard, what’s with the level of his protective energy…?”

Hwik, Hwiik-

The man shook his ankle lightly. Nevertheless, the throbbing pain did not easily subside.

It was an injury that would take a day or two to heal. In other words, it meant that this battle would be significantly affected.

“Amazing. Your swordsmanship and martial arts are pathetic, but the level of your body and protective energy is ridiculous. I have to say, your body alone is no less than that of a young master from a prestigious family.”

He was sincerely impressed. And when Yohan shook off the dust and got up as if nothing had happened, he was even more impressed.

The man lowered his stance. A serious voice flowed from his mouth.

“I apologize for my rudeness earlier. You are a clan leader worthy of respect and a martial artist.”

Woo-woo-woo-oong…

His sword trembled slightly, then gave off a reddish haze.

The air in the area is sucked into the man’s sword. Yohan’s hair fluttered gently.

The haze, the sword energy, continued to swell as if devouring the air. Then, abruptly, the flow of air stopped.

“I am Yeom Hanjin, Brigade Commander of the Black King Castle’s Assassination Squad.”

Hearing his words, Yohan’s lips twitched without him realizing it. Yohan did not refuse this.

“…A cult that is now forgotten. I am Shin Yohan, the cult leader of the Demonic Cult.”

Hwareureuk-

The cult leader’s long sword was enveloped in a blue halo. Compared to the man’s sword energy, it was a very pathetic shape.

However, the man did not sneer or look down on him. His eyes were endlessly serious.

“Brigade Commander, please do your best.”

The man nodded. He seemed satisfied with the cult leader’s words.

“I’ll go. Cult leader.”

That was enough. Immediately after, the man’s figure turned into a red ray and rushed toward the cult leader.

Just before the fiery man came into contact with Yohan, a blue dragon opened its mouth in the place where Yohan had been.

Why, even though it was clearly daytime now, it was as if a crescent moon quietly emitting blue light was drawn in the air.

Kwaaaaaang!

The crescent moon drawn by the cult leader and the flames created by the lion collide with each other’s bodies.

Wooddeudeuk-!

The training ground splits like drought-stricken land, centered around the two.

Thanks to this, the stone floor bounced around, and the dust rose even higher.

The disciples who were watching the two’s life-or-death struggle waved their hands with frowning faces. The hand blades infused with inner strength created a clear wind, securing their vision.

“Cough, cough! Keok, Keoheok!”

It wasn’t just martial artists who were there. There were clearly ordinary people among the Demonic Cult’s disciples. Brother Gong was a typical example.

He coughed roughly, but no one helped him.

This was because they didn’t understand. How could he be so tormented by mere dust?

In the end, Jangcheong stepped forward, unable to watch any longer.

Hoo-oong- Hoo-oong!

“Hmph, I told you to go inside.”

“Tha, thank you. Hahaha… Anyway, who won?”

Brother Gong frowned and looked at the two shadows buried in the sandstorm. As an ordinary person, he couldn’t see well.

Jangcheong smiled slyly. It was clearly a smile full of pride.

“Who do you think won? Do you still not know?”

Brother Gong noticed his smile. And he tilted his head, not understanding.

“Surely the cult leader’s sword energy was smaller, wasn’t it? How…?”

“That’s because fighting isn’t just about sword energy. Keuheuheuh.”

Jangcheong turned his head slightly. Before he knew it, the dust had mostly disappeared.

Enough for even Brother Gong, an ordinary person, to see the aspect of the battle. Thanks to this, he could see it.

Hwiiiiiiing-

The cult leader, covered in dust all over his body, was rolling on the ground, and the man who resembled a lion was standing still.

“…What the fuck?”

Brother Gong’s expression hardened. Immediately after, the man’s figure slowly began to lean forward.

Brother Gong could see it. The man’s entire body had countless holes, as if someone had pierced it with wooden sticks.