When the Northern Sea Dries Up (3)
A whirlwind of sword energy, created by dozens of blades, enveloped me.
I continued to channel my inner strength, not for defense, but to infuse it into the Suramyeongwang Sword in my hand.
Zing!
The sword, now brimming with explosive energy, resonated with a powerful hum.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The formation of swords surged toward me like a massive tidal wave.
Just as the formation reached the spot I had been waiting for, the Suramyeongwang Sword sliced through the air. This was the moment I had been anticipating since the battle began.
Whoosh!
Boom!
Jonghwan, who had been behind the formation, was swept away by the wind. Though uninjured, he was visibly shaken.
“What the hell was that?!”
The advancing formation erupted in a powerful explosion, sending dust and debris into the air.
Screams echoed from all directions.
“The Jincheon Thunder has detonated!”
“Report the damage immediately!”
The entire area where the formation had been was obliterated, turning into a scene of chaos.
It wasn’t the Jincheon Thunder that had exploded.
It was the third form of the Chuhon Surak Sword Technique, the Muguk In. This technique could erase an entire space. I unleashed it with maximum power.
When the dust settled, the warriors who had formed the formation were gone without a trace, leaving only remnants that might have been their bodies.
Only a handful of warriors from the smaller formation survived, numbering no more than ten or so.
Jonghwan was too stunned to speak.
He realized it wasn’t the Jincheon Thunder but an attack from his opponent. Had such a martial art ever existed in the martial world? He had neither seen nor heard of it.
His entire body trembled.
I pushed his fear to its limits.
Once more, the Suramyeongwang Sword cleaved the air. A gentle breeze accompanied the release of a sword energy. Initially, it was incredibly soft.
Swoosh!
In the next instant!
The flying sword energy suddenly split apart, like a comet breaking into pieces. The fourth form of the Chuhon Surak Sword Technique, the Talhong Geop, was unleashed.
Slash!
The divided sword energy rapidly split again.
Slash! Slash!
Two became four, four became eight, and eight became sixteen.
They flew in all directions, each targeting a specific enemy as if they were alive.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Boom! Thud!
The flying sword energy pierced through the remaining men. It was an attack they could not possibly defend against. Over a dozen men fell simultaneously.
Jonghwan was the only one who narrowly avoided the sword energy. As expected of their leader, he managed to evade the attack.
He looked at me with disbelief in his eyes.
“What kind of martial art is this?”
His voice trembled. He seemed unaware of the Chuhon Surak Sword Technique.
I didn’t speak of the martial art, nor did I boast about the incredible feat I had accomplished. Using the third and fourth forms in succession had nearly depleted my inner strength.
Normally, I could use the third and fourth forms with less energy. But to maximize their power, I poured almost all my inner strength into them.
I charged at him.
I didn’t give him time to think. Now, when he was paralyzed by fear, was the perfect opportunity to defeat him easily.
Whoosh!
A streak of sword energy tore through the air, coming at me with ferocity that betrayed his fear.
I dodged into the blind spot of the seemingly unavoidable sword energy and rushed at him.
Swish!
My sword grazed his shoulder. It was a shallow cut. As expected of the leader of such a formidable organization, his martial skills were not to be underestimated.
Swish! Swish!
The next wave of swords targeted my shoulder.
Clang! Clang!
I deflected the attacks with my sword. My inner strength was nearly depleted, but I remained calm. This was not the time to rush.
I only needed one opportunity.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
As we exchanged blows, I realized he had made a poor choice. He should have acted decisively with his subordinates from the start. But that would have been a difficult decision.
He could assess his opponent’s skills before making a move. His life was more important to him than his subordinates.
Even if he had charged in first, the outcome wouldn’t have changed, but the fight would have been more challenging for me.
He launched his final attack with all his might, but there was an insurmountable gap in skill between us.
At least, in his state of shock and loss, he couldn’t cross the chasm of skill.
My sword pierced his neck and then his heart in quick succession.
Thud! Thud!
He clutched his neck, looking down at my sword embedded in his heart. He might have had much to say, but his eyes were already closing. As I withdrew my sword, he fell forward, already dead before he hit the ground.
“Phew.”
I let out a sigh. It seemed like an easy victory, but it wasn’t. Every decision was a choice.
Whether to kill the leader first or later. Whether to use the third form or the fifth form when the formation was set.
If even one thing hadn’t gone according to my calculations, the fight could have spiraled out of control. Fortunately, there were no unexpected variables in today’s battle.
No enemies were left alive.
I gathered the bodies and burned them. The smell of burning flesh filled the air.
“It’s not this way either.”
Heukseok and Cheol-gyeol were still unable to find their way.
They had no idea how long they had been wandering. More than anything, they were starving.
“Damn it! This is hell!”
The extreme hunger made them irritable.
“Gal Saryang! Just kill us already! Do it!”
She shouted, but no one appeared.
The thought that Gal Saryang might be watching from outside only fueled her anger.
“Hold on.”
“There’s no doubt that Bukmyeongdae has been defeated.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Then why haven’t they come to rescue us yet?”
Bukmyeongdae wouldn’t storm the martial alliance, but they would rescue them through Joo Cheol-ryong. The lack of news only lent credibility to her suspicions.
Just then, Cheol-gyeol sprang to his feet.
“You!”
Gal Saryang was walking toward them.
“You bastard!”
“Stop!”
Before Heukseok could intervene, Cheol-gyeol lunged at Gal Saryang. The only thought in his mind was that capturing him was their way out. He had held back until now, but he couldn’t any longer.
As he closed in on Gal Saryang.
Whoosh.
Thud!
His eyes widened. His gaze dropped. A sword had appeared from thin air, piercing his chest.
It was as if the sword was floating in midair.
Ssst.
The space distorted, and the owner of the sword emerged.
The person who stepped out from the unseen space was me.
As I withdrew the sword, the lifeless Cheol-gyeol fell backward.
Having fully recovered my inner strength through meditation, I could have won the fight easily. But with the element of surprise, the outcome was decided from the start.
Gal Saryang had played his role as bait perfectly until the end.
Heukseok silently stared at Cheol-gyeol’s body. He had been a cherished subordinate. Her face showed the regret of someone who had hoped to save him and overcome this crisis.
“What about Bukmyeongdae?”
“They no longer exist.”
“My God!”
Her eyes widened.
She looked at me intently, then spoke to Gal Saryang.
“You’ve found quite the warrior.”
Gal Saryang replied.
“You’ve got it wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
“He found an excellent strategist.”
Heukseok’s eyes widened.
Her gaze returned to me. She gave a bitter smile as she stared at me.
“Damn it. Now I understand why everything went so wrong.”
Yes, for the same reason I feared their hidden forces, Heukseok had lost.
When facing an enemy, the most terrifying thing isn’t their strength. It’s not knowing them. They didn’t know I existed.
“Who would have imagined someone so young was behind it all? This crazy martial world. Ha ha ha.”
She laughed. I knew she sensed her end was near.
“Aren’t you going to offer me a deal? Like sparing my life if I tell you everything I know?”
I slowly shook my head.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I have no intention of sparing anyone involved in this. I’ll find them all myself and eliminate them.”
There was another reason.
For an enemy of her stature, someone who had reached her position, trusting her words was dangerous. Keeping her alive would mean taking on too much risk.
Even with death looming, she seemed at ease.
“At least I’m not being taken down by some idiots. That’s some comfort, I suppose.”
I approached her slowly. As death approached, she looked up at the sky.
“That’s a fake sky, isn’t it?”
Standing before her, I nodded.
“I wish I could die under the real sky.”
“Then you should have lived righteously under the real sky.”
“Is that so?”
“That’s how it is.”
Slash!
I cut her down in one swift motion. Striking down someone in a state of resignation wasn’t something I relished, but it was necessary. I made sure she felt no pain, ending it swiftly. May she be reborn under a good sky and live a good life in her next life.
Did Gal Saryang sense my bitterness? He suddenly recalled the past.
“It reminds me of the old days.”
“When was it?”
“I’m sorry to bring up the former leader.”
“It’s alright. Speak freely.”
“I remember fighting alongside the former leader. It was just like this. The enemy seemed endless, relentless.”
I remember too. I even wondered back then.
Will I ever see the end of this war? Is there even an end?
But just like then, it will be the same now.
The illusion faded away, revealing the real world. The true sky that Heukseok longed to see appeared. Warm sunlight fell gently on her lifeless body.
Watching quietly, I spoke.
“Everything must come to an end, eventually.”
Cheonsoseon was playing the flute.
His music always drew people in. Women with enraptured expressions, and even men, couldn’t take their eyes off him.
As the enchanting performance concluded, the patrons of the inn erupted in applause.
Someone bought him a drink, and a woman brought him flowers.
But when Cheonsoseon simply gazed out the window, the lively atmosphere quickly subsided.
After a moment, a man approached him. Dressed in white martial robes, it was Baekseok. Standing next to Cheonsoseon only made his plain looks more apparent.
“Have a seat.”
“Yes.”
Cheonsoseon poured a drink for Baekseok and spoke.
“Congratulations.”
“What?”
“Heukseok is dead.”
Baekseok was so shocked he dropped his cup.
“I’m sorry!”
More startling news came from Cheonsoseon’s lips.
“In the process, the Northern Alliance was annihilated.”
Baekseok’s hand, reaching for his cup, froze. His hand trembled slightly. He steadied the fallen cup, trying to hide his shaking.
Cheonsoseon refilled his cup.
Baekseok swallowed hard and asked.
“Who exactly are we up against?”
“Someone who devoured the Northern Alliance and Heukseok without so much as a burp.”
The lack of a “burp” meant the enemy still hadn’t revealed themselves.
Yet Cheonsoseon was smiling.
“Do you have a plan?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Why am I smiling? Tell me, Baekseok.”
“Yes.”
“When was the last time you fought with the resolve to die? When was it?”
Baekseok couldn’t answer. It wasn’t just caution; he genuinely couldn’t remember.
‘When was it?’
Cheonsoseon turned his gaze back out the window.
“It’s been a while since my heart raced like this. Now that a worthy opponent has appeared, how could it not?”
Cheonsoseon continued, still looking outside.
“The affairs of the Martial Alliance will proceed as planned. The elder despises disruptions.”
“What should I do?”
“Im Yeonjeong will come to you regarding the new leader’s inauguration. Support her with all your strength.”
“Understood.”
As Baekseok rose to leave, Cheonsoseon spoke again.
“Congratulations on your victory in Go.”
“Thank you.”
Baekseok stood and left the inn.
Not far from the inn, Ilho was waiting.
Seeing Baekseok’s grim expression, Ilho asked cautiously.
“What happened?”
“That foolish fat woman is dead.”
Ilho immediately understood that Baekseok was referring to Heukseok.
Baekseok spoke somberly.
“I didn’t win.”
This wasn’t a victory by default or anything; the board had simply been overturned.
“Without the black stones, there’s no more Go to play. What will they do with the remaining white stones? Bring in new black stones? Or sweep away the remaining white stones?”
Watching Baekseok, who was restless with uncertainty about the future, Ilho had a sudden thought.
Perhaps it was never a battle between black and white stones to begin with.
Maybe Baekseok and Heukseok were just pebbles, picked up and discarded at will, dressed up with grand names to hide the crude reality of manipulation.
“Bring only the most trusted subordinates. We will act directly.”
“Understood.”
As he turned to leave, Ilho thought he shouldn’t delay his drink with Chilho any longer. A place with a nice view of the sea would be perfect…