Chapter 99: Chapter 99
“Haa…”
As Song Yi-yeon exhaled rough breaths and wiped down his face, a handful of blood that had obscured his vision was brushed away. The blade, which had been pure white like the name White Flower Saber, was likewise dyed red before he knew it.
Fortunately, it was not Song Yi-yeon’s blood. It was the blood of the Tang Clan martial artists he had cut down. He had killed a great many. To the extent that he wondered if he would ever be able to cut down this many people in one place in his remaining life.
He was exhausted enough to want to lie down right away. His legs trembled, and his hands firmly gripping the saber were already torn repeatedly and turned ragged.
But he could not stop by any means.
“Song Yi-yeon! Behind you!”
Vice Squad Leader Zhuge Rin’s shout was heard from afar.
When Song Yi-yeon instinctively lowered his head, a hidden weapon narrowly grazed past the back of his head.
At the same time, martial artists gripping daggers lunged from both sides. Coated with dark blackish poison on the tips of the daggers, merely being grazed would put his life in jeopardy.
Inhaling a deep breath, Song Yi-yeon brandished the White Flower Saber. The scent of blood permeating the battlefield deeply pierced his lungs.
Slash!
He severed the entire arm of the martial artist lunging from the left.
At the same time, spinning his figure, he deflected the attack from the right. Thanks to that, he closed in so close to the attacking martial artist that their breaths mingled.
With his deep pupils, Song Yi-yeon briefly looked at the Tang Clan martial artist who had attacked him. His pupils were in a state that had lost their light. He even looked like a beast that had starved for days.
In truth, thanks to Dok-ra-su, the battlefield had been advantageous for the Martial Alliance members. However, after consuming strange things spearheaded by Young Clan Leader Tang Bi-cheon, they had all transformed like this.
“Just for what?!”
Screaming at the top of his lungs, Song Yi-yeon brandished the White Flower Saber.
Slash, the torso of the Tang Clan martial artist was cleaved in two just like that.
Song Yi-yeon had no internal energy left to squeeze out any longer. Looking across the battlefield, fortunately there appeared to be no casualties among the Black Tortoise Squad members yet. It seemed that he himself would likely become the first casualty.
In martial prowess he was by no means the lowest in the Black Tortoise Squad, but Song Yi-yeon did not yet possess the knack. Because he lacked actual combat experience, he simply cut down approaching enemies by the book, and cut them down again.
As a result, his internal energy was depleted faster than anyone else’s.
It was difficult to expect help from others. Because on the battlefield, the only one who could save one’s life was oneself.
“Just for what are you going this far…”
Song Yi-yeon spoke in a low voice. However, it was soon buried between the friction of clashing steel and death screams.
Before he could even catch his breath, a hidden weapon lunged once more.
He dodged with his dying strength. However, his two legs could no longer support his body, and he tumbled to the ground.
The blood-soaked earthen ground felt exceptionally cold.
Lying sideways and looking at the battlefield like this, it felt even more bizarre. Were they not seniors and juniors who had stood back to back facing a common enemy under the noble name of the Righteous Path until just a few days ago?
Just why on earth had it become like this?
The answer was not far away. Song Yi-yeon’s gaze turned toward Young Clan Leader Tang Bi-cheon. He was exchanging blows with Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader, and astonishingly, Tang Bi-cheon appeared superior.
Tang Bi-cheon brandished his dagger aiming for Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader’s throat. As Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader skillfully retreated a step to dodge, a fallen Tang Clan martial artist grabbed his ankle.
Dismay flashed across the faces of Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader, who had stepped close to death, and Song Yi-yeon, who was watching this. Song Yi-yeon wanted to get up right away and go help, but he did not have the strength to twitch even a finger.
Tang Bi-cheon raised his dagger high, and Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader swung his sword as if struggling desperately. However, Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader’s sword merely cleaved empty air.
“Song Yi-yeon, you bastard.”
Instead of killing Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader, Tang Bi-cheon was crouched before Song Yi-yeon before anyone realized.
Song Yi-yeon’s heart pounded as if it would burst. While finding Tang Bi-cheon who created such a situation loathsome, he was terrified at the same time. The primal fear that any human possesses dominated Song Yi-yeon’s mind.
Tang Bi-cheon brought his dagger to Song Yi-yeon’s fair face.
Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader, who was rushing over hurriedly, was blocked by the Tang Clan elders.
“That smooth face of yours is at an end now too. If you had been obedient from the start, there would have been no need for things to be so exhausting, right?”
“…”
Tang Bi-cheon grinned.
Soon, strength surged into his hand holding the dagger.
Song Yi-yeon squeezed his eyes shut. Normally he would have shouted that his face was off-limits, but before death, what meaning did such things have?
It was then.
Grab, someone seized Tang Bi-cheon’s wrist. It was a hand truly as large and rough as a pot lid.
Tang Bi-cheon raised his head. At the same time, his vision turned dark. A massive fist roughly struck his face.
Wham!
Tang Bi-cheon tumbled backward, and Song Yi-yeon also looked at the person who helped him with astonished eyes.
It was a familiar back. Because it was so broad and sturdy, his heart somehow felt slightly at ease.
“I believe I clearly said before leaving that I would not sit by if you touched the youngest members.”
A deep, heavy voice spread across the battlefield.
Rising while caressing the bridge of his nose, Tang Bi-cheon burst into an incredulous sneer.
“Hah, Cheol Ji-ak, are you crazy? Did you come here because you want to die?”
There was no longer respect as a squad leader. Because Tang Bi-cheon had already completely left the Martial Alliance.
Regardless, Cheol Ji-ak turned his body and checked Song Yi-yeon’s condition. Even though his back was turned to Tang Bi-cheon, there was not the slightest fear on his face.
“Close your eyes and breathe slowly.”
Song Yi-yeon closed his eyes.
At the same time, Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader, who shook off the Tang Clan elders, approached and stood as if protecting Song Yi-yeon.
“…Black Tortoise Squad Leader.”
“Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader, thank you. Had it not been for you, someone would have surely died.”
That was how precarious and desperate the battlefield was.
Soon, assessing the situation, Cheol Ji-ak spoke.
“Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader, take Yi-yeon and leave this place immediately to request reinforcements from the Martial Alliance. At this rate, this will merely become a desperate struggle to delay annihilation.”
Searing rage welled up in Cheol Ji-ak’s chest, but his head was colder than ever before.
His desire to tear Tang Bi-cheon to pieces right now reached the heavens. However, he knew it was realistically impossible.
Because he was weak.
In truth, looking solely at combat power, he belonged to the decent side even among the squad leaders of the Martial Alliance headquarters. But after the uncontrollable youngest recruits joined, it held no meaning.
‘What kind of squad leader is someone who cannot even protect a single subordinate of his own?’
That was why Cheol Ji-ak always thought.
Although he might not be able to protect the youngest members splendidly, if he could save even a single subordinate at the cost of his own life, he would sacrifice himself without the slightest hesitation.
“That cannot be. If I withdraw from this battlefield…”
“I know. People will start dying one by one. But if this continues, everyone will simply die. Who else besides you is there that can escape this battlefield?”
Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader’s pupils wavered momentarily. He knew the Black Tortoise Squad Leader’s words were entirely correct. However, he felt revulsion toward fleeing alone to survive from a battlefield where everyone might die.
As if knowing his heart completely, the Black Tortoise Squad Leader added.
“He is a lad who has not even been in the Alliance for a single year. Please, you must save him.”
Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader looked briefly at Song Yi-yeon held in his embrace. The contemplation was agonizing but brief, and his action was swift.
Confirming that he left the battlefield, the Black Tortoise Squad Leader faced Tang Bi-cheon once more. Even though his back had been turned, that fellow had not bothered to attack.
Naturally, it was not out of consideration. It was merely an act of looking down on him and taking him lightly.
Tang Bi-cheon smiled faintly and held his dagger in a reverse grip. It was packed with the intent to slaughter him with a single blow. However, the Black Tortoise Squad Leader calmly clenched both fists. Soon, fist qi flickered like flames upon his two fists.
* * *
“Crippled bastard.”
Tang Bi-cheon spat out a curse above the fallen Black Tortoise Squad Leader’s head. From the start, the difference in skill between the two was insurmountable.
Leaving the battlefield behind, Tang Bi-cheon looked in the direction Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader and Song Yi-yeon had distanced themselves.
It was a war already won anyway. At the very least, he wanted to personally kill Song Yi-yeon and Cheon Woo-jin with his own hands.
Although Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader’s lightness arts were fast, having consumed Master Won-dang’s pill, he was confident he could catch up.
It was then.
Tang Bi-cheon hurriedly lowered his head. Soon, a massive fist cleaved through where his head had been.
“What?”
Tang Bi-cheon wore an irritated expression.
The Black Tortoise Squad Leader had risen once more.
He had already broken his knee. Even so, because he got back up, he had stabbed his belly repeatedly with the dagger. Yet he stood up again.
With the intention of finishing him for sure, he had thrust a poison-coated dagger into his heart, so just how could he get up again?
“Black Tortoise Squad Leader, why on earth won’t you just die? No, how do you do that? That thing.”
Tang Bi-cheon asked as if genuinely curious.
However, the Black Tortoise Squad Leader could not open his mouth. Standing itself, no, even breathing was a miracle.
Looking at the Black Tortoise Squad Leader, who could die at any moment without it being strange, Tang Bi-cheon wore a fed-up expression.
“Fine, I admit it. You are truly a great man. But let’s stop now, you son of a bitch.”
Having spoken so, Tang Bi-cheon thrust his hands into his robes.
Soon, the posture and aura lingering over his entire body grew even sharper. It was as if a finely honed dagger stood there.
Tang Bi-cheon genuinely acknowledged Cheol Ji-ak. For someone who should have dropped dead long ago to remain standing solely on willpower alone.
“Fine. If you endure this too, I will spare Song Yi-yeon.”
Of course, he had no such intention. The stance he was about to unleash right now was actually a half-baked martial art that had not achieved grand completion. However, he was confident that even with that, there were few under heaven who could block it.
The ultimate technique of the Sichuan Tang Clan, Rain of Flowers Filling the Sky.
Just like its name, a rain of flowers filling the sky, hundreds of hidden weapons would surge forward, blotting out the world in black.
With all directions cut off, the opponent had no choice but to meet an agonizing death with their entire body pierced by hidden weapons.
Tang Bi-cheon leaped. Both hands thrust into his robes prepared daggers. Only when one could control a hundred hidden weapons through energy could it be called Rain of Flowers Filling the Sky. He was still limited to around sixty. Even so, it was a level more than sufficient to kill the Black Tortoise Squad Leader.
But the atmosphere was strange.
Suddenly, everyone on the battlefield looked toward him. Without distinction between Martial Alliance members and Tang Clan martial artists, the gazes of literally everyone were concentrating.
Tang Bi-cheon realized belatedly. That the place their gazes were directed was not him, but slightly behind him.
Soon, a truly overwhelming momentum was felt from behind his back. To the point where even Tang Bi-cheon, who had consumed the pill, froze momentarily.
Without being able to unleash Rain of Flowers Filling the Sky, he landed on the ground as is.
Struggling to calm his trembling, Tang Bi-cheon turned around. Standing solitary in that place was a far too gigantic being.
“…Clan Leader.”
The Poison King, Tang Myeong-hak.
His pupils flickered vividly in deep green like the sea catching sunlight.