episode_0107

107. Departure

Smack, smack, slurp-

The same meal as usual. However, there was one difference.

“…Looks like you’ve had a change of heart. Master.”

That was because a man who hadn’t been seen for nearly two months was sitting there.

The Master answered while shoving food in his mouth like a starving ghost.

“Disciple. Can’t I even eat? Huh?”

Somehow, even his tone seemed a bit different. Well, it wasn’t bad. Yo Han smiled and picked up his spoon.

“Of course not. Eat plenty.”

“Okay.”

Chief Marim, who had been listening quietly from the side, interjected.

“The leader understands. Brother Dokgo is still bothered by his loss to the leader. Hehe.”

“…You ungrateful bastard. Just eat your food.”

“I don’t want to.”

“…….”

It was a peaceful daily life. Yo Han, who had almost finished his meal, said.

“I’ve been saying this all along, but the departure date is today. We’ll arrive a little early, but it’s better than arriving late.”

As Yo Han said that, Chief Marim added.

“Brother Dokgo, you should pack your bags quickly too. You have to come with us.”

“…What? This is the first time I’m hearing about this.”

He looked bewildered. Chief Marim gave him a look of exasperation.

“Oh, who was it that wouldn’t let anyone talk to him all this time? Brother Dokgo, don’t you have a conscience?”

“…….”

The Master had nothing to say. It was the truth.

“The Master, me, and Jangcheong. Only the three of us will depart for Black King Castle.”

“Isn’t that too few?”

“More isn’t always better. This is enough.”

The Master nodded vaguely. It wasn’t so much that he trusted the leader’s judgment…

‘If he thought it was too much, that guy would have stopped him.’

He trusted Chief Marim. Even if he spoke poorly, his judgment wasn’t bad.

That’s why he betrayed the Black Forest Squad so quickly. He’s good at picking the right side.

“Then, I’ll get going. I hope you prepare as soon as possible. Master.”

“I’ve almost finished eating too. I’ll prepare quickly.”

“Okay.”

As Yo Han showed signs of leaving his seat, the believers who were eating around him all stood up at once.

And they bent their backs at almost a right angle.

“”Have a good rest.””

Nod-

Yo Han nodded and left his seat.

Squeak-!

The believers maintained their posture until Yo Han went outside.

When he closed the door and disappeared completely, they sat down as if nothing had happened.

The Master, who was watching this, clicked his tongue.

“These guys, they’ve all become fanatics. I wonder what happened in the meantime…”

Chief Marim replied indifferently.

“A lot has happened. Well, you wouldn’t know it, though.”

“…….”

Is this guy…?

The Master glared fiercely at the Chief. The Chief’s gaze was still fixed on the food.

“…….”

Sigh, he grabbed his forehead and got up. The Chief asked.

“Aren’t you eating more? Brother Dokgo?”

“I don’t need any.”

“Then I’ll eat what’s left.”

Crunch- Crunch-

“…….”

Throb, the Master felt a blood vessel bulging on his forehead. He walked out with a trembling face.

As the Master disappeared, Chief Marim sucked on his finger and muttered.

“He’s not falling for it. It’s certain that his inner demons have been healed.”

***

“Then, I’ll be off.”

Yo Han said that and turned around. Then, the believers who were standing in a row behind him shouted loudly.

“”Leader! Have a safe trip!!””

“Okay.”

Despite receiving enthusiastic cheers, Yo Han was indifferent.

It wasn’t the first or second time the believers had acted like this, and he was used to it now.

Yo Han, the Master, and Jangcheong moved leisurely.

Creak…

The gate, large enough for giants to pass through, slowly opened. A believer, struggling to push the gate open, shouted.

“Huff, huff. Leader! Please come back victorious!”

“I understand.”

After leaving the estate, Yo Han’s group looked around the village.

It was a sight they wouldn’t see for a while. At that time, a child approached Yo Han.

“Leader!”

Somehow, the child’s appearance was familiar. It was the child he had encountered when he first came to this village.

Next to the child was a woman who looked similar to the child. Probably the mother.

The mother was startled and hugged the child.

“Honey! I told you not to approach the leader recklessly!”

“…Hiccup!”

She covered the child’s mouth and stepped back.

Yo Han smiled slightly. He continued to walk. It was quite a heartwarming mother-child scene.

Yo Han said to the group, who had stopped before he knew it.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

It was said to take about a week to get to the Black King Castle’s headquarters. There was plenty of time.

Yo Han’s group set out, escorted by the villagers.

***

Caw- Caw-

A black crow passes overhead. The boundary between the sky and the crow was ambiguous.

“It’s already night. We haven’t walked much.”

“But we’ve come quite far. It’s definitely easier not having to carry luggage. As expected of the leader.”

Jangcheong said, patting his back as if feeling empty.

Martial artists have better stamina than ordinary people, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t human.

A week. A time that is short if it is short, and long if it is long. Even martial artists with excellent skills need a certain amount of supplies.

“How did you do it? Disciple? To hide so many things without anyone noticing. You’re no different from a divine being.”

“It’s nothing much. It’s not an ability I gained because I’m good, it’s purely the result of chance.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

Yo Han shrugged. Then, he opened his inventory and took out camping supplies one by one.

Jangcheong swallowed involuntarily.

‘Huh, this camping trip will be very comfortable.’

All things in the world have advantages and disadvantages. Many camping supplies emphasize the user’s comfort, but are inconvenient to carry.

That’s what the things Yo Han was taking out were like. They were really great for sleeping, but very difficult to carry around.

When Yo Han put all the items down, Jangcheong rushed over like a flash. And he prepared a sleeping place with familiar gestures.

‘Fast.’

A fairly plausible campsite was completed in an instant. Or, perhaps closer to a bivouac.

“Leader. Please lie down. I will wake you up as late as possib······.”

Jangcheong trailed off. That was because Yo Han suddenly raised his finger and pointed to the right.

“…Leader?”

“If you have business, come out. Don’t hide.”

Jangcheong was startled by Yo Han’s words, then quickly braced himself and looked around.

As he built up his tension, he could feel it. A foreign presence could be felt nearby.

The Master opened his mouth to Jangcheong.

“Tsk, your training is insufficient. You’re only noticing it now.”

“I’m sorry!”

Jangcheong wanted to hide in a rat hole. In the meantime, a thick voice rang out from the thick bushes. It was so muffled that it was difficult to guess its location.

-Hahaha. You’re not all weaklings, it seems. At least two of you aren’t.

Jangcheong’s face turned red.

Yo Han said, still with his finger extended.

“I told you to come out. I’ll give you ten seconds.”

Yo Han said that and really started counting the seconds.

“Ten… Nine… Eight…”

Then the bushes Yo Han was pointing to shook slightly. At that moment, the shape of Yo Han’s mouth, which was about to say ‘Seven’, changed. Soon, a voice flowed out according to the changed mouth shape and tongue movement.

“…Zero.”

Peeeiing- Whoosh!

“Kuaaaaack!”

A blue afterimage flashed, and then, along with the sound of air escaping, a painful groan echoed in the forest.

That was the beginning. Numerous shadows rushed towards Yo Han’s group.

Swish, the Master drew his sword and muttered.

“These guys, I suspected it from when they were hiding. They don’t seem like ordinary bandits.”

“I’ll block the front. Master, take care of the rear.”

“Okay.”

The dialogue between the disciple and the master was short and concise. The two rotated their entire bodies and swung their swords.

Clang clang clang!

Yo Han’s sword vibrated. Sword strikes closing in from all directions. The sword’s edge was already chipping.

But even so, the sword continued to advance. A sword is ultimately a weapon for harming people. No matter what the problem is, all you have to do is move forward.

Slash-

“Keeeuk!”

Someone was cut. The unknown men were wearing blue uniforms.

Now that he saw it, everyone who attacked the group was like that. Thanks to that, he was able to realize one thing.

Mere bandits could not have tailored clothes. It was definitely a named group with some wealth.

Clang!

Even though he succeeded in attacking, he couldn’t let his guard down. Yo Han hurriedly pulled his sword back and defended against the surrounding attacks.

Yo Han retreated with flexible movements. The opponent was numerous. Continuing to fight in one place was a foolish thing to do.

Continuously change the location of the battlefield, and stab when you see an opening. That’s how a minority confronts a majority.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Of course, the guys weren’t just watching Yo Han’s behavior.

Conversely, when a majority confronts a minority, it is important to restrict the minority’s movements.

The men, who appeared to be about six in number, moved like a single organism.

The spacing of their strides was very consistent. They were experts at dealing with a minority.

Swords sprang up from a total of six directions. It didn’t seem easy for Yo Han to avoid them.

‘I can’t block this.’

Thud thud thud-!

Dig.

At that moment, Yo Han’s figure disappeared from their eyes.

“What!”

“What is this strange thing!”

The target disappeared into the ground. Literally, he just went in.