A Medieval Knight in a Martial Arts Novel – Chapter 20

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Shrine
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“The sentries are few.”

“Did they deploy their forces to the east or west?”

Jin Cheongang, who was muttering with only his head above water, fiddled with the Lightning Bombs carefully sealed in the box.

‘I hope there will be no need to use them until the job is done.’

Aren’t they each as precious as a thousand gold? Hoping that things would be resolved easily if possible, he drew internal energy to his fingertips.

‘It’s time to move.’

He flicked his fingers underwater. Normally, it would have ended with just a few bubbles, but since he imbued it with internal energy, a thin energy wave spread to the Black Shark Squad members behind him, riding the waves.

‘We’ll need to split into two groups and move.’

Jin Cheongang recalled the Art of War he had learned at some point and sent the signal three times.

An instruction to split into two groups and infiltrate as planned. The Black Shark Squad members began to move, dividing in half centering around Samho and the Black Shark Squad leader Jin Cheongang.

‘It’s quiet.’

A question naturally arose in his mind. The distance to the land was now less than 1 li. They had come close enough to reach the pier with just a little more swimming, but there was no reaction from anyone?

‘Did they concentrate their forces in the west and east?’

Jin Cheongang’s movement slowed.

It was due to hesitation.

The anxiety that this might be a trap set by the enemy. But he soon shook his head and regained his focus.

Once started, there was no turning back.

Kill or be killed.

There were only two options left.

Whether it became flop or not, he had to draw his weapon.

Jin Cheongang caught his breath for a moment, hugging the wooden barricade. The Black Shark Squad members followed one by one, clinging to the barricade and holding their breath. The other side was in the same situation.

Jin Cheongang turned his gaze and looked at Samho, his trusted subordinate. Samho, his loyal subordinate, was waiting for Jin Cheongang’s command to be given.

Eventually, Jin Cheongang nodded his head. Although it was quite a distance, Samho, who had been watching him, immediately understood the signal and slowly drew out his internal energy from his dantian.

One.

Two.

Three.

The two jumped out of the water simultaneously as if they were one body and crossed over the wooden barricade. Hundreds of black-clad figures quietly landed beyond the barricade, following them.

“…It’s quiet.”

The southern port was as silent as if a mouse had died.

As if they had noticed their arrival long ago and had all hidden. Jin Cheongang closed his eyes for a moment, lost in thought, and then spoke as he opened his eyes.

“Approach the Haenam Sword Sect stealthily while keeping an eye on the surroundings.”

The Black Shark Squad began to move, their steps quiet like cats prowling the alleys in the middle of the night.

Taking one step while being vigilant of the surroundings.

Taking another step while questioning the lack of any presence to an excessive degree.

Taking yet another step while straining their nerves.

“Leader. Everything is empty.”

“It seems everyone has evacuated.”

‘It appears all the villagers have evacuated. Then…’

Jin Cheongang fiddled with the box tucked into his chest.

Two, excluding the one he had handed over to Sixteen. If thrown in a timely manner, they could annihilate the enemy in one fell swoop. But he knew it wouldn’t be easy.

‘Since they used the Lightning Bomb in the north, there’s a high possibility that the Haenam Sword Sect has also noticed the existence of Lightning Bombs.’

Perhaps they might not know, but that was just wishful thinking.

Jin Cheongang moved along the outskirts of the village, checking if his subordinates were following as well. To enter the Haenam Sword Sect, it was common to take the path directly connected from the village, but the Black Shark Squad was, after all, an infiltration unit.

They couldn’t enter through the main path like guests.

Even if it was their first real battle, they had the brains to think of that much.

‘Are they gathered at the Haenam Sword Sect?’

Jin Cheongang took out the contents of the box and put them in his chest, then carefully placed the box on the ground.

“We have to stick our faces into the tiger’s mouth. It’s not looking good.”

“But Leader, this is a task for the great cause.”

“I know that too. So… we’ll have to risk our lives.”

Is this what it feels like to enter the dragon’s lair and tiger’s den? Jin Cheongang let out a bitter smile at the unfamiliar emotion. With the thought that this bitter smile might be his last, Jin Cheongang straightened his bent knees.

“Everyone, infiltrate as quickly as possible. If anyone interferes… cut them all down.”

Instead of answering, the black-clad figures nodded their heads.

‘I’ll take the lead.’

If things go wrong, he would throw the Lightning Bombs where the enemies are gathered.

Jin Cheongang gathered internal energy at the tips of his toes and muttered in a low voice.

“The Heavenly Demon will be with us.”

Words he had heard all his life.

Now was the moment when he really had to hope for it to be true.

Jin Cheongang’s figure shot out like an arrow as the internal energy built up in his toes burst out.

The black-clad figures began to charge towards the Haenam Sword Sect, following him.

And what greeted them was…

“Arrows! Everyone, use sword defense!”

At his words, the black-clad figures simultaneously drew their swords and used sword defense. The sight of hundreds of martial artists using sword defense in unison was spectacular. And the hundreds of arrows flying towards them also painted a picture no less impressive.

If there was a painter, he would have captured this scene in a painting.

If he could stay alive.

The dark night sky was filled with the sound of arrows bouncing off swords.

“Ugh…”

“Ugh… this is shit!”

“Damn it…”

The black-clad figures who couldn’t properly use sword defense due to their still immature swordsmanship and were hit by arrows rolling on the ground. Their comrades who were using sword defense glanced at the ones lagging behind and looked ahead with determined eyes.

‘There’s no time to save them.’

In the first place, it was obvious that they would immediately become a hedgehog the moment they turned their backs to the arrows in this situation. The black-clad figures abandoned the stragglers who were falling one by one and charged towards those shooting arrows on the path leading to the Haenam Sword Sect.

“Kill them all!”

“Retreat!”

But who fights his enemy at his enemy’s will? As the martial artists of the Haenam Sword Sect swiftly retreated, the black-clad figures who had been charging at them could only watch like a dog chasing a chicken and looked at the top.

The distance was quite far, and the moment they reached the foot of the mountain, the ground collapsed.

“Leader! It’s a trap!”

“Forty-two! Are you okay?”

“…I think he’s dead!”

“…Poison? Could it be the Tang Sect…”

“It doesn’t seem to be the Tang Sect.”

‘Bows and traps.’

Jin Cheongang instinctively felt that if they proceeded further like this, they would suffer great damage.

It was obvious that there would be traps laid in the place where the martial artists of the Haenam Sword Sect had retreated. Even for the Black Shark Squad, who had undergone rigorous training, it was burdensome to face the Haenam Sword Sect while avoiding traps.

‘I never thought we would fight like this.’

Most martial artists tended to look down on archery. The martial artists of the orthodox sects had even more of such an attitude, so he didn’t expect the Haenam Sword Sect to defend with bows.

While their advance was being blocked, William, who was watching the scene, clicked his tongue.

“It’s a pity. If they had just charged recklessly, we could have easily dealt with them.”

With a face full of regret, William looked down at the Black Shark Squad who had stopped at the foot of the mountain.

As long as the village of the southern port existed behind them, the situation couldn’t be ended with just poisoned arrows and traps.

‘Still, it seems we’ve dealt a meaningful blow.’

What gets in the way on the battlefield isn’t corpses.

The most troublesome thing on the battlefield is none other than the presence of injured comrades. Unless those guys were zombies, they couldn’t help but be concerned about living people.

Is there anything more eye-catching than injured comrades?

William smiled bitterly, recalling his heyday when he was actively fighting on the battlefield.

‘I’m using what I suffered from against them.’

“It seems those guys are retreating.”

At the Sect Leader’s words, he regained his senses and looked ahead. As the Sect Leader said, the enemies were unable to easily advance towards the Haenam Sword Sect.

It must be because they had learned of the existence of traps.

Normally, they would consider retreating, but… the martial artists of the Haenam Sword Sect couldn’t possibly not know that the demon cult’s martial artists were in no position to do so.

They had abandoned their ships and entered the port.

So, they were left with two choices.

Either go back to the empty southern port, regroup, and re-engage in battle, or take the risk and charge forward.

‘Going back or hiding is no different from suicide, so in reality, there’s only one choice.’

William stuck the polearm into the ground and raised his hand. A signal pre-arranged with the martial artists of the Haenam Sword Sect. The martial artists who had put down their bows began to draw their bowstrings in unison.

Seeing this, tension gripped the faces of the black-clad figures. At this rate, they would be unilaterally attacked and annihilated. Even if they tried to run away, there was only the empty southern port.

It was practically impossible to escape by taking a ship because the ships were floating in the middle of the sea. Even if they hid and held out, they could only slowly starve to death.

Jin Cheongang instinctively felt that there was only one way to break through the situation.

‘Whether it’s intentional or coincidental.’

Whichever it was, he had no choice but to play the card he was holding. Jin Cheongang sensed that the Lightning Bombs he had carefully kept in his chest had become useful.

“We must somehow approach.”

“We will take the lead.”

The Black Shark Squad members came forward one by one and surrounded him. If they could just get close enough, they could deal great damage with the Lightning Bombs, so they had to at least try.

Jin Cheongang closed his eyes tightly, then slowly opened them and said.

“I’ll buy the drinks in the afterlife.”

The black-clad figures stomped the ground, spreading out widely.

“In the end, they chose to charge.”

William lowered his raised hand with a calm face.

Arrows cut through the cool night breeze and flew towards the enemies.

The archery skills of martial artists who had never shot a bow were so miserable that it was difficult to expect accuracy unless they were at close range.

It was a level that could be ignored and charged straight ahead.

However, when hundreds of such arrows are added with traps… even arrows flying in absurd directions become threatening.

“There are traps on the ground!”

“Watch out for snares!”

“It’s a net!”

“Damn it!”

Terrible screams were heard from all directions. Jin Cheongang ran forward, looking only ahead. Because if he could just throw the Lightning Bombs somehow, he could turn the situation around.

There was a clear hope, so his eyes were still filled with fighting spirit.

And William, who saw the fighting spirit in his eyes, pulled out the polearm from the ground.

“It seems that guy is the leader.”

“Are you planning to step forward?”

“Yes. Since that guy is highly likely to have the Lightning Bombs, I’ll make sure he can’t even come close.”

“You might get hurt doing that.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve already prepared countermeasures against the Lightning Bombs.”

William took out the gourd bottle he had tied to his waist. He opened the lid of the gourd bottle and declared to the Sect Leader, spreading his hands wide open.

“I’ll make it so they can’t even use the Lightning Bombs.”

‘It’s been a while since I’ve done this.’

Feeling memories of his knight days vividly resurfacing, William stepped forward.

The target was Jin Cheongang, who was clearly exuding the aura of ‘I am the leader’.

William lightly landed between the Haenam Sword Sect and the demon cult, blocking Jin Cheongang’s path.

“A foreigner…?”

“Are you the leader?”

“…Get out of the way. Foreigner.”

“I can’t do that. I can’t let you go up there with the Lightning Bombs.”

William slowly raised the polearm. A stance aiming the end of the shaft at Jin Cheongang. Realizing that it was a basic stance, Jin Cheongang drew his sword while glancing upward.

If he couldn’t get past the foreigner in front of him, it would be difficult to advance.

‘I need to deal with him quickly and run ahead.’

He couldn’t be held back like this.

“…I’ll make you regret stepping forward.”

“That’s what I should be saying.”

The foreign warrior and the demon cult’s warrior began their clash.

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