Chapter 74
Decision (1)
Sword King, Namgung San.
He did not move.
However, all information occurring in Soho flowed into him.
"Cheon Clan, huh...."
The Sword King had long since heard of what Cheon Muyang had done.
As a result, the Namgung Clan ended up unable to exert any influence at all, making the fact that they hosted the Yongbong Gathering meaningless.
"Which is why they must be rushing here in such haste."
The Namgung Clan's intentions were obvious.
It was meant to be a stage to make the next Sword King, Namgung Sang-hyeok, stand out.
Since that had come to nothing, the elders of the Namgung Clan urgently sought out the Sword King.
"Sword Emperor!"
The Namgung family members called him not Sword King, but Sword Emperor.
It was an intention to steel the Namgung Clan's resolve to leap into becoming the Sword Emperor's House.
"Yes, what is it?"
"The Yongbong Gathering has...."
"Speak."
"It has collapsed."
"...."
"The Sword Emperor must step in."
"...."
"Please restore the collapsed order."
The Sword King fell silent.
To ask him to restore the collapsed order was, in the end, a request for him to step in and force things to proceed according to the original rules.
"How truly pathetic."
How could these people be called the core elders of a family known as the Sword King's House?
"Sword Emperor!"
"Leave."
The Sword King's order of expulsion.
However, no one obeyed the Sword King's command.
"Grandfather!"
Namgung Sang-hyeok appeared.
Trotting over, Namgung Sang-hyeok wore the same expression he had always made whenever he wanted something from Namgung San as a child.
"...."
And in Namgung San's gaze as he looked at Namgung Sang-hyeok, there was pity.
If he had not raised him as a spoiled child, things would not have gone so far astray.
"Grandfather, please help me."
"If I help you."
"Yes?"
"What would change?"
The Sword King's presence bloomed.
The air grew barren.
Goooooooh!
"The Cheon Clan's eldest young master, do you truly believe you can defeat that child?"
"...!"
Under the pressure of that presence, Namgung Sang-hyeok clenched his teeth and tried to endure.
However, it was only for a moment.
"G, grandfather...!"
Namgung Sang-hyeok quickly collapsed.
Seeing this, Namgung San gently closed his eyes for a brief moment.
'A level of presence you should have been able to overcome, yet you cannot even surmount this?'
If it had been before meeting Cheon Muyang.
No, if he had not known that Namgung Sang-hyeok had tried to kill Namgung Seohee.
The Sword King would likely still have held Namgung Sang-hyeok close.
'I was wrong.'
Namgung San regretted it.
He calmly acknowledged that his way had been wrong.
Rustle.
The presence subsided.
Namgung San opened his eyes.
With somewhat hollow eyes, he gazed at Namgung Sang-hyeok.
"What is it that you want?"
"P, please kill that bastard."
"...."
Who is the real butcher, one might ask.
Namgung San had a once-in-a-generation butcher standing right before his eyes.
"Kill him? Does that mean you are telling me that with your own sword, you cannot surpass that child?"
"...."
Perhaps his pride was still alive; Namgung Sang-hyeok bit his lips hard.
Drip.
So hard that blood flowed.
"No!"
"Then why do you ask me to kill that child, instead of doing it yourself?"
"...."
Pride was the only banner sustaining Namgung Sang-hyeok.
However, because he could not abandon it, Namgung Sang-hyeok could no longer move forward.
"Very well. I will kill that child for you. Then, what will you do?"
"Yes?"
"I am asking what you can do for me."
"I will make the Namgung Clan the greatest family under heaven."
"...."
It was impossible.
Yet Namgung Sang-hyeok seemed to think it would be possible if only Cheon Muyang were gone.
"The greatest under heaven...."
That greatest under heaven he had so long yearned for.
Yet the greatest under heaven that Namgung Sang-hyeok spoke of somehow felt paltry.
'Was it truly something so empty?'
Namgung San felt as though he could finally break free from the shackles of the greatest under heaven to which he had been clinging.
"...."
What was it?
Those near Namgung San somehow felt as though he was becoming faint and indistinct.
'Is he smiling?'
They also seemed to have caught a fleeting glimpse of Namgung San faintly smiling.
"Very well. If that is your will...."
Namgung San rose from his seat.
At this, Namgung Sang-hyeok's face brightened.
"I will do as you wish."
Whooong!
Namgung San did not draw his sword.
Yet everyone knew.
That dozens, hundreds of swords occupied the surrounding area.
"...!"
"S, Sword Emperor."
Namgung San's invisible swords were already aimed at their throats.
This entire space seemed to obey Namgung San's will.
"This is my final lesson."
Because Namgung San permitted them to breathe, they were able to breathe.
"Huff, huff!"
Gasping for breath, they were overwhelmed by the Emperor's Sword Form manifested by Namgung San.
"T, the Emperor's Sword Form!"
The Namgung Clan's greatest supreme technique, said that no one had ever mastered beyond five stars, was finally unleashed.
Paaat!
There was no sword anywhere.
Yet the countless swords of the Sword King that did not truly exist had already slashed through them as they passed.
Slash!
Sleeves were cut away.
Through the gaps, countless fresh wounds appeared.
"S, Sword Emperor!"
In the end, everyone, including Namgung Sang-hyeok, fell to their knees.
No one raised a sword toward the Sword King, nor did anyone try to comprehend the sword intent of the Emperor's Sword Form.
"...This is the end."
The Sword King stood utterly alone.
Until the very end, they failed to accept his teaching.
Step, step.
The Sword King walked away.
'How light I feel.'
The Sword King had already given everything.
Now there was nothing left to give.
"Do not follow me."
"Hk...!"
The Sword King decided no longer to remain silent beneath the shadows.
"I clearly warned you. If anyone violates this and follows me... without exception."
Hwaaaak!
In the empty air.
And upon the earth.
A single sword scar was left behind.
"I will cut you down."
No one dared to follow in the Sword King's footsteps.
***
Sohoru.
Cheon Muyang drank alone.
"I wonder if things are going well."
γIf you show the same disgrace as yesterday today, be prepared to die!γ
The Wolf King took three people, just as yesterday, and dragged them into a secret betting sparring arena.
After praying for the repose of the three being dragged away like criminals, Cheon Muyang heard a voice calling out to him from somewhere.
Woooom!
A resonant hum ringing in his ears.
"This is too tingly to just sit still."
Smiling faintly, Cheon Muyang rose from his seat.
Ever since earlier, his brow had been aching, so he scratched at it with his hand.
Just as he was about to leaveβ
A nearby server hurried over.
It was the child Cheon Muyang had helped.
"Where are you headed?"
"Ah, right. Something came up for a moment. Would it be all right if I took this wine and the cups with me?"
"Of course! I'll get them ready!"
"You're fast. Is that a skill too?"
With practiced hands, the server quickly finished wrapping everything and handed Cheon Muyang a small bundle.
"Here you go."
"Alright. Thank you."
Taking the bundle, Cheon Muyang stepped outside Sohoru.
Whoooosh!
A crisp breeze blew past.
Despite it being late at night, it didn't feel cold; instead, it carried the rich scent of autumn.
"Nice."
The lights of Sohoru were bright.
But Cheon Muyang walked not toward the light, but toward a place devoid of any presence.
"You're late."
And there, waiting for Cheon Muyang, stood the Sword KingβNamgung Sanβhis presence markedly different from before.
"Late? I came the moment you called."
"Then that is fortunate."
Whooong!
An invisible sword aimed itself at Cheon Muyang.
"...I believe I've already faced that sword before."
"Yes. You have. But we've never crossed blades, have we?"
Heh.
Cheon Muyang smiled.
Even amid the taut tension, he moved with utter composure.
"Ah, is that what this is about?"
Cheon Muyang loosened the bundle.
"Before that, how about a drink? Looks like you finally slipped out without a single rat tailing you."
"That sounds good."
Cheon Muyang casually plopped down onto the ground.
The Sword King likewise sat down opposite him.
Pour.
The wine filled the cups.
Moonlight rose upon the surface of the liquor.
The Sword King drank the moon.
It had a fine aroma.
"What do you think?"
"It's good."
"I'm glad."
"...."
Cheon Muyang remained utterly calm.
Even though he knew exactly why Namgung San had come for him.
"Are you not afraid?"
"Of what?"
"Death."
"I am afraid."
Death had always been frightening.
That cold, hollow sensation was something he never wanted to experience again.
"And yet, you show no sign of fear."
"That's because today isn't the day I die."
"Do you truly believe that?"
"Yes."
"...."
"Even if my opponent is the Sword King himself."
Swaaah!
The brush rustled in the wind.
But what filled the air was not merely coolness.
A bleak, sunken killing intent.
A killing intent he had never shown to Namgung Sang-hyeok or the members of his clan.
Paat!
An invisible blade flew in, aiming straight for Cheon Muyang's neck.
Whooong!
In response, a blue sword aura bloomed from Cheon Muyang's blade.
Kaaang!
There was nothing in the empty airβ
Yet Cheon Muyang had unmistakably struck aside the Sword King's blade.
"Do you still think so?"
"Yes. My heart has not changed."
How audacious.
Namgung San burst into laughter.
'If only he resembled this child even a little⦠I wouldn't regret things so deeply.'
Namgung San felt genuine regret.
And he poured that regret into the Emperor's Sword Form.
"This should cover the cost of the wine."
Ching!
The wine cup split cleanly in half.
Then, a piercing resonance rang out.
Whooong!
An overwhelming pressure, like Mount Tai itself pressing down, settled upon Cheon Muyang's shoulders.
The Sword King's will, restricting even movement itself, was truly that of a king.
"Emperor's Sword Form...."
The Emperor's Sword Form he now faced for the second time possessed a will incomparably stronger than before.
"Well thenβwill you receive it?"
"It's an honor."
"Good."
Swaaah!
The brush swayed violently.
And in that moment, rain poured down from a sky where rain should not fall.
"...."
It was rain made of the Sword King's non-existent blades.
Whooong!
The sharpness saturating the heavens radiated an intent that seemed ready to cut Cheon Muyang down at any moment.
It was as though the Sword King were asking whether Cheon Muyang could break through this rain of blades and reach him.
Whooong!
And naturally, Cheon Muyang had no intention of dodging.
'I can do it now.'
Had he not already seen it?
Within the insights he had refined over the past few days was the very sword Namgung San had shown him.
'I'm going.'
Cheon Muyang walked toward the Sword King.
The rain of blades poured down.
Yet not a single drop touched Cheon Muyang's collar.
Kaang, kaaang!
A chilling sound reverberated.
Even so, Cheon Muyang's steps did not stop as he advanced forward.
"...."
The Sword King, watching with indifferent eyes, lifted his gaze to the moonlight brimming overhead.
'Should I cut him down?'
He agonized endlessly.
If he wished to kill, he certainly couldβbut the question was whether that was truly right.
'Forgive me.'
His heart was heavy, but his resolve was set.
In that instant, the Emperor's Sword he had raised shot straight forward in a single line.
Shiiik!
A single blade flying in.
A blade that perfectly targeted Cheon Muyang's opening.
"I'm sorry."
"There's no need for that."
And thenβ
The Sword King saw Cheon Muyang smiling.
'Where is he looking?'
The Sword King realized that the smile was directed behind him.
'Behind?'
A chill ran through him.
At that very moment, he felt the fierce pressure of a blade crashing in from behind his back.
Shiiik!
The Sword King had no choice but to turn and block the incoming sword.
Kaaang!
He knocked the blade aside.
But it was not a blade that truly existed.
"Emperor's Sword Form...."
Who could possibly unfold the Emperor's Sword Form before the Sword King himself?
Step. Step.
A woman approached.
The Sword King slowly closed his eyes.
"Seohee...."
Namgung Seohee.
She walked toward him.
Under the moonlight, with eyes as clear as crystal.