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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Shrine
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“Huff… It’s hard…”
Hye-ryeong plopped down on the floor, panting.
As her chest naturally moved up and down with her breaths, I gently shifted my gaze to the side. It was an excessively stimulating sight for a former soldier.
What should I say, after rolling around on the battlefield with sweaty men for nearly 2 years, seeing such a scene cracks one’s reason? Anyway, that’s how it was.
So please have some self-awareness… sigh.
She didn’t want to be like that because she wanted to, so what’s the point of saying this? It’s not like she can control it either. I spoke while still looking at the empty air.
“Get up. Even if you rest, it’s not good to rest while sitting on the floor.”
For my reason.
“Okay…”
Along with the sound of brushing clothes, I heard Hye-ryeong getting up. Only then did I turn my gaze and look forward…
“Hye-ryeong, fix your clothes a bit.”
Gosh. Fortunately, she was wrapped in bandages, if there were no bandages, I would have been in trouble. As I averted my gaze again,and the sound of fabric ruseling was heard.
“Hehe. All fixed!”
“Then let’s slowly clean up the training ground and go eat.”
“Okay~”
Hye-ryeong hummed, seemingly happy to go eat. From the perspective of a former modern person, it was a tune you’d hear in classical dance. I let that tune go in one ear and out the other while starting to pick up the wooden sword fragments scattered on the training ground.
If wooden sword fragments were left on the floor of the training ground, people who came to train could get hurt, so it was important to clean them up thoroughly. I gathered all the wooden sword fragments and piled them in the corner.
If I leave them like this, someone will take them away, I recalled what a servant had said and turned around.
“Let’s go.”
“Since we sweated a lot, today’s meal…”
“…It would be better to take a shower, no, a bath first.”
Come to think of it, I shouldn’t go on like this. I can just wash my face and hands, but Hye-ryeong… Hye-ryeong also belatedly noticed her own state and smiled awkwardly.
“Hehe… I’ll go wash up quickly!”
“Come to my room after you’re done washing.”
No, this also sounds a bit weird.
I unknowingly closed my mouth and observed Hye-ryeong’s reaction. Hye-ryeong was still looking at me with a bright smile. She seemed to have no idea what I had said.
Fortunately, she didn’t seem to take it strangely, so I could relax.
“Then see you later!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
We turned our backs and walked towards our respective rooms.
How long had we been walking like that? Suddenly, Hye-ryeong’s voice came from behind.
“Uncle! You can’t say things like that so casually!”
The sound of her laughter quickly faded away.
“…”
…She knew after all.
—
“I don’t know when the letter sent to the Yanggwang branch of the Wulin Alliance will arrive.”
Lin Habong, the Sect Leader of the Haenam Sword Sect, muttered while looking down at the village visible through the window.
It was an action to try to relieve his frustration even a little, but unfortunately, his frustration didn’t subside at all.
Such grumbling alone wouldn’t make the demon cult give up on the Haenam Sword Sect.
“Shouldn’t it arrive soon?”
Hajin, the next Sect Leader of the Haenam Sword Sect, offered a hopeful answer to his grumbling. However, Lin Habong’s expression only darkened.
He answered Hajin’s words in a skeptical voice.
“I don’t know.”
‘I hope it arrives safely.’
“If it’s Ilsan, he’s quick on his feet, so even if the demon cult bastards follow him, he’ll shake them off quickly.”
“That kid is indeed quick-witted.”
The Sect Leader smiled faintly at his words and fell into thought as if nothing had happened, looking at the clear horizon.
‘To make us the first sacrificial victim of the war…’
The power of the Haenam Sword Sect was the smallest among the Nine Great Sects.
With the small island of Haenam as their base, it was difficult for outsiders to enter, and due to the frequent invasions of Japanese pirates, there were quite a few disciples who could no longer wield a sword or died, so the number of members didn’t easily increase.
Therefore, even though the Haenam Sword Sect was treated as a major sect, in reality, it was a sect of a somewhat ambiguous size.
Even major sects a couple of levels above them would have to endure significant damage if they confronted the demon cult head-on, requiring them to close their doors for several years. Could the Haenam Sword Sect withstand it?
‘It’s really difficult.’
If things went wrong, the signboard of the Haenam Sword Sect could turn to ashes in his generation.
‘It would be better if it ended with just the signboard being destroyed.’
Although the sect was important, it wasn’t more important than the lives of the disciples. He even thought of abandoning the sect and saving the disciples in the worst-case scenario.
It was better than having both the disciples die and the sect disappear, so it could be considered the lesser of two evils, but the disciples of the Haenam Sword Sect weren’t the only ones on this Haenam Island, so such an option was impossible to even dream of.
‘We have to stop them somehow.’
The martial artists of the Haenam Sword Sect, the residents of Haenam Island, and…
“Oh my. I don’t know if it’s right to involve Sir William in this matter.”
“Although Sir William is an outsider, he is an excellent martial artist.”
“That’s why I’m more worried. We have to risk our lives to protect our livelihood, but Sir William doesn’t, right?”
He was, after all, an outsider. Just driving away the Japanese pirates was enough to repay the value of saving him. At least he helped the next Sect Leader not to die.
“That’s right.”
A dark cloud hung over Hajin’s face as well. It was the first time he had heard his always confident master speak weakly, even though he had only confirmed it.
‘The demon cult is truly a terrifying force.’
“So Hajin. If things go wrong…”
“Take Sir William and Hye-ryeong and run away. Is that what you’re trying to say?”
Hajin frowned as if he knew what he was going to say. It was something he felt emotionally repulsed by, having been born and raised on Haenam Island. It was the same with Hye-ryeong’s case.
“That’s right.”
“Aren’t you being too protective of Hye-ryeong? She’s not a child who doesn’t know anything anymore, right?”
“But isn’t she too young to participate in such a battlefield? Moreover, I made a promise to my younger brother before he died that I would protect her.”
‘I don’t care if I die. But Hye-ryeong…’
Wasn’t that why he took her in as his youngest disciple to keep her by his side as much as possible? Even if the Haenam Sword Sect turned to ashes, he wanted to protect at least Hye-ryeong.
Having taken care of her like a daughter since she couldn’t even speak properly, his paternal love for her also encouraged such thoughts.
“…I understand.”
“Now I feel a bit relieved. Hajin. Still, if we make good use of the advantage of being an island, we may have a chance of winning. Let’s focus on defense, leaving escape as a last resort.”
“We will win.”
A baseless boast.
Still, the Sect Leader felt a corner of his heart become reassured.
‘The time for the decisive battle is not far off.’
It was unknown when they would attack.
However… Sect Leader Lin Habong had a hunch that they would come to annihilate the Haenam Sword Sect in the not-too-distant future.
‘We can only do our best.’
—
“…Thus, they are thoroughly preparing their defenses.”
“Things have gone awry.”
Jin Cheongang, the leader of the Black Shark Squad, gazed at the faint image of Haenam Island beyond the horizon, lost in thought.
‘I shouldn’t have used those Japanese pirate bastards after all.’
He had entrusted the request to the Japanese pirates, having heard that there were some skilled ones among them, but the Japanese pirates, who had said they would adequately raid Haenam Island, escape, and deliver the information, had been annihilated without even being able to leave the island.
‘The advance payment is a waste, but now is not the time to think about such things.’
Their goal was, after all, the annihilation of the Haenam Sword Sect.
Even if the risk of the mission increased, they had to complete the mission.
That was the only reason for the existence of the Black Shark Squad.
“Leader Jin.”
“Samho. Speak.”
“Shall we proceed with the plan as scheduled?”
“Of course. It has become a bit more difficult, but… it’s not impossible. Isn’t this kind of situation within expectations?”
“However… without knowing the internal situation, it would be better to delay a little more…”
A somewhat cautious subordinate offered a worried suggestion, but Jin Cheongang pressed him with a furrowed brow.
“Samho! Once we have started the plan, we cannot stop midway. At least we have confirmed that the Japanese pirate bastards have devastated the west port, so we must strike now to have a chance of winning. If we give them time… we won’t be able to return to Tianshan. Understood?”
“I was short-sighted.”
It is good to carefully watch for the right time.
However, in the end, the Black Shark Squad was in a position to only carry out orders, so their options were limited.
‘I was told that the number of martial artists in the Haenam Sword Sect doesn’t exceed six hundred even including all the third-rate ones, so four hundred members of the Black Shark Squad should be able to handle them.’
Wasn’t the Black Shark Squad, taught the countering techniques of the Haenam Thirty-Six Swords, water techniques, and even concealment techniques by the Heavenly Demon Cult to deal with the Haenam Sword Sect?
As they were created to eliminate them, they would have the basic advantage.
‘Lin Habong, the Sect Leader, will be dealt with using sword formations and poison.’
“Inform all members. The time has come for us to reveal ourselves to the world.”
“Yes, sir!”
Samho’s voice echoed on the cliff.
Jin Cheongang watched him, then raised his head to look at the sky.
‘The time of living while suppressing their hatred is now over. Now… a new sky shall open.’
The Heavenly Demon Cult, which had been holding its breath for a long time, began to set out towards the Haenam Sword Sect, riding the sea breeze.
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First Arc final showdown