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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Shrine
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“…It’s already been plundered.”
“For the Japanese pirates to invade this far inland…”
“Quickly take care of the remains and put out the fire!”
“Report immediately if you find any traces of them!”
A burning village.
The smell of fish, the stench of blood, and the burnt odor exuded by the flames engulfing the village.
The rancid concoction of smells was so foul that I wanted to hold my breath.
The village that had once been peaceful was wreathed in flames, making it difficult to even recognize its original form.
It was a familiar sight to me, having stayed on the battlefield for two years, but that didn’t make it a welcome one.
At least more than half of the villagers must have died.
It was a terrible sight, but my heart was calm.
No matter how hellish a sight, if you see it until you’re sick of it, it’s hard to draw out a reaction.
I slowly moved my steps while watching the scene from the entrance of the village.
While walking, I took note of the Sect’s martial artists, who were moving frantically, searching for survivors and laying out the corpses one by one in the open space in the middle of the village.
I stood blankly for a while, then returned to where the corpses were gathered and squatted down.
I wanted to check the state of the corpses.
I traced the trajectory drawn on the body of a man who had died, his face contorted in pain.
The blood had already hardened and flaked off.
Still, some oil did come out.
“Cut cleanly with a single stroke.”
… A single stroke.
It’s too skillful to be the work of Japanese pirates.
Do you know how difficult it is to kill a person in one clean cut?
Moreover, considering that they cut him in half, it was definitely not an ordinary level of skill.
Even in a world with aura and other martial arts, to cut a person this cleanly, outstanding skill is required.
Even If someone uses aura, without a certain level of skill the cut wouldn’t be this clean.
It would vary depending on what sword they use, what swordsmanship they employ, and their level of mastery, but to this extent, they must be at least at the level of a veteran by Western standards.
In terms of the Central Plains, it means they are at least first-rate.
Since it’s an event not mentioned in the original work, it’s difficult to grasp the situation, but it’s unlikely to be a simple invasion by Japanese pirates.
Most pirates or bandits engage in plundering because they’re poor, so it’s strange for them to wield a sword at the level of a veteran.
As with all things in the world, there could be such a coincidental existence, a Japanese pirate with genius-level talent, but that’s highly unlikely.
In the first place, reaching the first-rate level in such a harsh environment is close to a miracle.
It seemed much more likely that a skilled swordsman had joined the Japanese pirates.
Should I inform the Haenam Sword Sect for now?
I approached a martial artist of the Haenam Sword Sect who was moving corpses and asked for the Sect Leader’s location.
At the west side of the village.
I walked past the disciples of the Haenam Sword Sect, who were drawing water from somewhere to extinguish the fire, and approached the Sect Leader, who was looking down at the corpses with their eyes closed for some reason.
As I got closer, the Sect Leader looked at me with a puzzled face.
“What’s the matter?”
“The corpses, have you examined them?”
“I have. It seems there is a skilled swordsman on the Japanese pirates’ side. According to a surviving resident, they burned down the village in an instant and withdrew… This attack. It’s not simple.”
As expected, he knew.
I looked at the Sect Leader, who seemed to be taking deep breaths to calm his mind. He naturally seemed to be filled with anger at this situation.
“Looking at this, it seems we won’t be able to find your comrades.”
“I know.”
Judging by how thoroughly they found and killed everyone, they weren’t the type to keep prisoners alive. But I couldn’t just back down like this.
“You should go back.”
“When I was in the military for a while, my instructor, who was the commander of the unit I belonged to, once said something.”
The Sect Leader gazed at me without a word.
I met his eyes and spoke.
“Respect and protect the weak. Don’t turn your back on injustice.”
I may not be a knight now.
However, that doesn’t mean I have no reason to uphold chivalry.
The Sect Leader responded with a small smile on his lips.
“You had a good mentor.”
—
The Japanese pirates were always a headache for Haenam Island.
They appeared just when they were forgotten, plundering and spilling blood throughout the land.
The Haenam Sword Sect was originally created by martial artists who gathered to avenge the victims who died.
Naturally, the disciples of the Haenam Sword Sect hated the Japanese pirates more than anyone else.
A significant number of the Haenam Sword Sect’s disciples had lost family members to the Japanese pirates.
“Trash bastards…”
Everyone gritted their teeth in agreement with the words spat out by Lin Hajin, the senior disciple leading the advance party, as he looked down at the ‘child’ lying sprawled out like a discarded toy.
“It seems they played with the children and then killed them.”
“How can a human do such a thing?”
“Even the demon cult wouldn’t commit such a cruel act against a child.”
“…Woo-yeong, Gang-seo. You two take care of this child’s body. We can’t leave them like this.”
“Yes.”
As much as they wanted to move the child’s body to the village together, they couldn’t do so because they had the important mission of pursuing the Japanese pirates.
“The rest of us will immediately resume the pursuit.”
The advance party passed by the body of the child who had died unjustly and headed west through the forest that was convenient for hiding.
According to a disciple who had been monitoring the sea, they would have anchored in the west.
‘Infiltrating from the west where security is weakest, do they have an inside man?’
Since the Japanese pirates came from Japan, their invasion routes were mostly in the east, or occasionally in the south or north by taking a detour.
Going all the way to the west was too far a distance.
No matter how accustomed the Japanese pirates were to crossing the nearly 10,000-li sea route, would they welcome the addition of a few more li?
Moreover, to anchor in the west, they would have to go around to avoid the surveillance network laid out on Haenam Island.
‘Now is not the time to ponder but to act. Pull yourself together, Lin Hajin!’
Hajin hastened his steps, rebuking himself.
If the Japanese pirates, who had strangely infiltrated deep inside, escaped through the port, they would be a disgrace, so they had to catch them at least while they were still at the port.
“Stop.”
“Even the port…”
“A camp at the port…”
“The Japanese pirates?”
‘Those guys who used to hit and run, why all of a sudden?’
No matter how strong the Japanese pirates were, they wouldn’t match the Haenam Sword Sect in numbers or skill.
If it were normal, they should be hurriedly preparing to set sail by now, but they setting up a camp at the port.
“Senior Brother, aren’t the numbers of the Japanese pirates a bit high?”
“You’re right.”
“Could it be that they want to attack another village…”
“…Mujin, quickly report this to the Sect Leader. We alone cannot handle such a high number of pirates.”
“Yes.”
Mujin immediately turned around and used movement techniques to swiftly return to the village where the Sect Leader was.
“What should we do now, Senior Brother?”
“There must be a reason why they set up a camp. Don’t attack right away and find out why they did so. And… when they are completely exhausted…”
Hajin made a throat-slitting gesture instead of speaking.
“We’ll split into two groups. And…”
At that moment, a chilling sensation enveloped Hajin’s body.
The creepy sensation was reminiscent of someone pressing a blade against his throat. Hajin immediately drew his sword.
The other disciples followed suit.
Dozens of swords reflected a cold light with a sharp sound.
“Who are you?!”
“So you’re the rat bastards of Haenam Island.”
‘The foul stench of blood… He must be covered in blood.’
Just how many people had he killed to exude such a thick stench of blood from his body?
Hajin glared at the swordsman, whose appearance alone suggested he was not to be taken lightly, with a tense face.
“Who are you?”
“Me? Hmm… Let’s say I’m a passing mercenary.”
A man wearing strange armor unseen in the Central Plains.
The man who was donned in samurai armor rolled his eyes and looked at Hajin.
‘This man can’t be alone.’
No matter how outstanding a master, he couldn’t recklessly guarantee victory when fighting against dozens of martial artists who were at least first-rate.
Yet, the fact that he showed himself alone meant…
“Everyone, be on guard!”
“Oh, I don’t like quick-witted fellows.”
The swordsman in armor chuckled eerily and raised his right arm.
immediately, several presences could be felt from around the forest.
Movements too tactical to be mere pirates.
‘We’re in trouble. I should have been more cautious.’
To be ambushed on Haenam Island.
While chiding himself for his absurd mistake, Hajin still did what was necessary.
“Everyone, retreat inland!”
“Those who take the heads of the enemies will receive a larger share!”
Now, the roles of hunter and prey were reversed.
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