Chapter 79: The Masked Ones
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A thunderous sound echoing heavily through the air above the forest that held the manor.
KABOOOOM…
The pupils of Nu-heum, who had been crouching on top of an old tree lush with autumn-colored leaves, flashed with peculiar light.
It was a light of surprise.
Because he had witnessed the scene that had created the thunderous sound – the terrifying final moment when Wenren Yindao’s body, caught between Cheol Ryu-heun and Jeo Gyeom, had exploded apart.
CLAAAAANG…
A metallic sound striking his ears without pause.
It was the metal sound of the Ganjiang Sword that had killed Wenren Yindao continuing forward to strike the Ghost Skull Divine Armor.
At that very moment.
SWOOSH.
The figures of Cheol Ryu-heun and Jeo Gyeom vanished like rays of light into the building beyond in the blink of an eye.
Following that.
THUD…
A faint sound and vibration, presumed to be from crashing into the inner chamber wall, was detected across the distance.
Nu-heum opened his mouth wide inside the black mask and exclaimed.
‘My word, how terrifying.’
Witnessing the rapid and fierce beyond compare sword strike that Cheol Ryu-heun had unleashed, a strange thrill wrapped around his entire body.
However, his admiration lasted only briefly as he raised his head to quietly gaze at the forest beyond the opposite wall.
‘Hmm, it seems he’s still observing the situation inside.’
Since there was no signal yet from Ximen Yue, he intended to wait here silently for now.
Suddenly.
FLINCH.
Nu-heum somehow felt like someone was watching him and quickly turned his head backward.
The colors of lush greenery entering his field of vision.
‘…’
His jet-black pupils moved quietly, sweeping over the old trees around him one by one.
But.
‘Hmm.’
There was nothing particularly catching his eye.
Only the wind gently brushing past the green leaves.
The sharply risen gaze soon settled slightly.
‘Am I being oversensitive because of the situation?’
Currently, Cheol Ryu-heun’s party was each engaged in fierce battle inside that manor, so there was no way anyone would be hiding here.
He had confirmed the personnel who had come riding the horse earlier.
Three of them.
Cheol Ryu-heun holding the reins, Yeop Hwon and Hyeop Mu-geuk sitting behind – he hadn’t seen any other martial artists belonging to White Peak Sword Sect.
And yet… why?
It felt like someone else was here.
He couldn’t shake off this strange feeling that was hard to explain in words.
It was peculiar.
This wasn’t something that happened often.
‘Why am I like this?’
Nu-heum turned his head forward again, gazing at the forest on the opposite side while operating internal energy.
It was simply something his unconscious instinct had made him do.
While he was thus sharpening his energy sense to the fullest like honing a blade, a thunderous sound erupted from the building inside the manor, shaking the surrounding air.
KABOOOOM-!
A building shattering to pieces starting from the walls, then the roof, then the pillars, everything.
Debris flew up wildly as thick dust clouds ascended in their wake.
Most likely an explosion had occurred when the sword powers of Cheol Ryu-heun and Jeo Gyeom inside clashed.
In the blink of an eye.
‘Ah!’
Startled Nu-heum’s expression stiffened sharply.
A covert presence.
Because he felt someone’s nimble movement touching his energy sense from behind.
PA-FWAP!
Nu-heum immediately bent his body down quickly, dropped, then stretched out both hands to grab a tree branch and hang from it.
Looking up immediately.
‘…!’
A figure had appeared at the very spot where he had just been.
An uninvited guest who had approached like a ghost and was now standing on the tree branch.
It was a close call.
He had somehow kept feeling that strange sensation creeping up on him, so he had sharpened all his senses including energy sense in advance – if he hadn’t, he would probably have futilely exposed his back to that mysterious figure.
This is why they say sometimes inexplicable sixth sense is frightening.
Though it was merely intuition triggered by vague instinct, there were times when it matched with spine-chilling accuracy depending on the case.
Just like right now.
Who is it?
That existence who had moved intimately and swiftly, timing it with the destruction of the building inside the manor.
That person carried no weapon on his body, but he clearly appeared to be a martial artist.
This was not good.
An ominous premonition was heightening the tension in his chest.
Just the skill of approaching within arm’s reach while craftily hiding their presence within the thunderous sounds and vibrations ringing through the forest suggested he was a high-level expert.
He didn’t know his true purpose.
He wasn’t openly displaying hostility or bloodlust.
Still, they probably weren’t an existence beneficial to this mission.
Setting aside the approach method, their external appearance was highly suspicious to begin with.
It couldn’t be helped.
Just like Nu-heum himself, the uninvited guest above was also wearing a jet-black mask, thoroughly hiding their identity, so of course they were suspicious.
If he were to learn that this unknown masked person’s identity was Head-Severing Yama Seop Pyo, the great assassin who had retired thirty years ago, what expression would he make?
“You’re agile.”
Before that short mutter even ended, Seop Pyo dropped lightly toward the opponent below.
FLICK-!
Not to be outdone, Nu-heum stretched out his leg to KICK! the large tree trunk hard and moved to a tree on the side.
KICK, KI-KICK, KICK…!
A figure heading toward the ground below the old trees, alternately kicking off both old trees as if drawing a zigzag.
TAP-TAP.
The instant Nu-heum, having landed on the ground, was about to run without looking back, Seop Pyo landed not far in front and blocked his path.
‘Tch! Fast.’
Having flinched to a stop, Nu-heum didn’t think twice before turning around and kicking off the ground to advance.
Body movement weaving through the densely packed trees like wind.
TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP- WHIFF-WHIFF-WHIFF-WHIFF-FLICK-!
He hadn’t deployed the Ximen Family’s unique ascending lightness technique since he needed to hide his identity, but the movement itself was excellent.
Well, it was natural if you thought about it.
In truth, the Gale Squad, comprising a total of three teams, was one of the major martial organizations representing the Ximen Family’s great prestige, and furthermore, each team leader’s martial prowess level was at a standard that very easily surpassed the executive-level abilities of any minor martial sect.
Comparing to the unorthodox masters who had appeared here – Third Squad Leader Nu-heum’s reputation was actually positioned even higher than the just-slain Ashen Heart Sect Master Cold Blood Evil Sword Peak Wenren Yindao.
However.
FWAP-!
The one looking down at Nu-heum, who was supposedly a step above Wenren Yindao, had at some point caught up to his movement speed.
Seop Pyo.
The legend of the previous generation martial world’s assassin path, called Head-Severing Yama, who had killed a total of one hundred villains over roughly twenty years of activity before retiring.
Having passed Nu-heum, Seop Pyo again blocked his path standing about a dozen paces away.
‘Already…!’
Nu-heum, inwardly surprised, didn’t stop running but only changed direction to the side, quickly weaving through the trees again.
Exquisite movement.
Reminiscent of a nimble squirrel’s movements.
But then.
FWAP!
Seop Pyo suddenly appeared again ten paces ahead.
‘Tch!’
Nu-heum bit down hard on his lips inside the mask and abruptly changed his direction of movement.
Because of this unexpected situation, he should go to where Ximen Yue was, but he had no leisure even to gauge that path.
How long had he run?
Just when he thought he’d finally shaken him off, a voice was heard.
“That’s far enough.”
Simultaneously, Nu-heum’s figure stopped dead in its tracks on the grass.
‘Damn it, just what is that guy…!’
Seop Pyo had appeared ten paces ahead.
Nu-heum immediately grabbed the sword hilt at his waist tight.
A declaration of intent to resolve this with martial force since he couldn’t keep wasting precious strength on movement alone.
Seop Pyo, without any movement, spoke in a quiet voice as if gently admonishing.
“Don’t worry too much. I’m not trying to take your life.”
“…”
“Your movement speed and profound use are no joke. I’d guess you’re quite a famous swordsman.”
“…”
“What is your purpose in secretly hiding and watching the manor’s situation?”
Nu-heum heard those words and muttered internally.
‘That voice… He’s definitely an elderly martial artist.’
Having roughly gauged the opponent’s age, he asked back in a rather cold tone.
“Shouldn’t you reveal your purpose first?”
“Hmm. Judging by appearances, this won’t end with just a few words…”
No sooner had Seop Pyo’s words ended than Nu-heum unhesitatingly drew the sword from its sheath.
SHING.
Meanwhile, Seop Pyo didn’t assume any particular stance, instead turning his head to gaze at the forest beyond.
“My, you’ve gotten quite far from where your master is.”
Immediately after, Nu-heum’s expression changed completely.
‘What!’
He realized belatedly.
That the opponent had deliberately conducted a chase to lead him here.
‘He even knows where the Young Master is hiding…!’
Questions and answers were meaningless.
Resolving this with his personal martial prowess was the only best option.
The moment Nu-heum raised his sword before his chest and released his fighting spirit and bloodlust, Seop Pyo picked up a long tree branch that had fallen to the ground.
“Using that in place of a weapon?”
“Indeed.”
“Hah, you’re craz…”
“I gave up the sword long ago. So I’ll face you with this tree branch.”
“Fine, you’ll regret it. Unknown old man.”
“Heh. We’ll see.”
The atmosphere of the two standing in confrontation on the grass was starkly divided.
Nu-heum was emanating fighting spirit and bloodlust wildly as if consumed by revenge and resentment.
On the other hand, Seop Pyo maintained an attitude of complete leisure as if out for a stroll.
Eyes flashing, Nu-heum made up his mind to execute swordcraft he had learned in advance for times like this.
Dancing Stream Sword Technique.
A sword path study from old times, now defunct, with an essence like performing an elegant sword dance.
It was swordcraft for disguising identity.
Since the Ximen Family’s techniques had their distinctive characteristics widely known, the opponent would immediately see through it, so he had no choice but to use the Dancing Stream Sword Technique.
KICK!
Nu-heum pushed off the ground with his sole and advanced forcefully.
Having thus reached before the opponent, he moved his sword to consecutively draw sharp trajectories.
SWISH, SWI-SWISH, SWISH-!
Blade movements reminiscent of a sword dance.
Various forms of the Dancing Stream Sword Technique were continuously deployed in succession, fiercely pressing Seop Pyo.
However.
FLICK, FLI-FLICK, FLICK-!
Seop Pyo showed even faster movements and evaded all of the sword attacks.
Like a small eel escaping through net gaps.
Bending his waist back, then slightly tilting his neck to the side, then stretching out a leg – he consecutively rendered the Dancing Stream Sword Technique’s offensive futile.
Nu-heum couldn’t help but inwardly admire while busily moving his sword-holding hand.
‘Amazing!’
Everything was smooth as flowing water, making him involuntarily stick out his tongue.
It felt like extremely concise gestures contained amazing variations that neutralized the Dancing Stream Sword Technique.
“Haaaat!”
Nu-heum let out a resounding kiai and injected even more powerful inner power into the sword while increasing the speed of his forms.
SWI-SWISH, SWI-SWISH, SWI-SWISH-!
But the result was the same.
Seop Pyo made the sword forms resembling a sword dance glance off here and there with natural movements.
The moment over twenty seconds had passed.
SWISH-!
The tree branch rushed in the blink of an eye and SMACKED Nu-heum’s left shoulder.
“Urk!”
Along with a short groan.
TAP-TAP!
Nu-heum, who had quickly stepped back, furrowed his brow sharply.
Inner power had been loaded in the tree branch, so the pain was quite heavy as if struck by a fist.
Seop Pyo’s counterattack had begun.
SMACK- SMACK- SMA-SMACK, SMACK- SMACK-!
The tree branch beat his side, forearm, thigh and more in rapid succession, creating crisp sounds.
“Uugh!”
The moment Nu-heum’s figure lost balance and tilted to one side, the tree branch targeted his right waist.
SMACK!
A considerable shock invaded due to the even more strongly loaded inner power.
“Urk!”
Nu-heum thereupon got down on one knee on the ground, revealing the gap in martial prowess.
‘Urk, just who is he…’
Cold sweat running down his spine.
His expression showed he was feeling viscerally that this was a far more powerful martial artist than he had initially expected.
It was a predetermined result.
He was naturally an existence beyond his ability to handle.
Who was Seop Pyo?
Though he had been an assassin active in the shadows in the past, his martial prowess was someone who had clearly proven it was not below that of the Thirteen Seats of the World, the supreme masters of that era.
Having stopped his attacks, Seop Pyo tilted the tree branch in his grip and spoke.
“Why do you wear clothes that don’t fit your body? There must surely be sinister reasons for hiding your true practice like that.”
Nu-heum’s gaze wavered greatly.
To notice that.
By this point, he couldn’t help but be curious about that identity.
“I shall personally remove your mask.”
Hearing Seop Pyo’s words, Nu-heum sprang to his feet while adjusting his grip on the sword hilt.
‘This is bad!’
For Nu-heum, he absolutely couldn’t give any clue that might help deduce their identity, so he had no choice but to fight to the end, but overpowering the uninvited guest before him by force was impossible.
Just then.
WHOOSH-
A jet-black figure rapidly dropped through the air toward Seop Pyo’s head.
PA-FWAP!
Seop Pyo, sensing the presence, kicked off the ground and moved his body backward.
KA-KA-KRASH-!
The ground trampled by the masked person’s foot undulated like waves and was covered with countless cracks.
CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK, CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK…
It was a tremoring stomp of terrifying power.
The moment Nu-heum saw the masked person who had appeared in front of him, his face lit up greatly.
‘Ah! Young Master!’
The masked person was none other than Heavenly Wind Sword Wolf Ximen Yue.
Meanwhile, the eyes of Seop Pyo, who had put distance behind him, quietly smiled.
Somehow he’d had that feeling.
Sure enough.
The lips hidden by the mask soon drew a crescent.
‘Heh. So, you’ve appeared. As I predicted.’
Now let’s find out.
Just what kind of fellow you are.