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Who Are You? (4)

There was a simple way to eliminate them.

The final move of the Soul-Reaping Demon Sword technique, the Great Annihilation.

Risky, but the most certain method.

However, using it would mean not only those three but everyone here would die. Literally, everyone except me.

Even if it could kill just those three, it was a method to be used with caution. Because of Im Yeon-jeong’s son.

The child would die immediately if the technique was used, and would die within days if it wasn’t.

I had a gut feeling. The only person who might have a chance to solve this was Cheon So-seon. He was the closest to this technique and likely the only one who knew the truth about the forces behind it.

For now, I had to keep him alive. Killing him would have to wait until after I found a way to save the child. Of course, he might not know the way.

If that were the case… my heart felt heavy.

But right now, I needed to focus on the fight.

Cheon So-seon was the most dangerous person here. I vividly remembered how he killed Ma Bong-gi.

With a single gust of wind, he pierced Ma Bong-gi’s forehead. It was a move so powerful that if I had been caught off guard, even I might not have been able to dodge it.

In this fight, that gust of wind was what I had to be most wary of.

Just like in life, battles among martial artists are a series of choices.

For masters like us, it’s not slow swordplay or punches that lead to defeat.

It’s making the wrong choice that leads to death.

Choices like these: Do I kill Cheon So-seon first? Or do I kill Lee Seon first? If I must kill Lee Seon, do I target the Sword Master or the Fist Master?

My choice was to kill the Fist Master first. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason. It was instinct. My instincts, honed through countless battles, told me to kill him first in this fight.

Of course, I couldn’t let them see my intentions.

Whoosh.

Buzz.

The Sword Master and Fist Master closed in from the sides, while Cheon So-seon pressed from the center.

The three attacked as if they had trained together for years, though they never had. It spoke to their level of martial skill.

But that didn’t mean I was being overwhelmed. Just because they were three didn’t mean they had three times the strength.

I deflected the Sword Master’s blade and slashed at the Fist Master’s incoming punch.

Boom!

A thunderous sound erupted in the air. The energy in his punch clashed with the energy of my sword.

Swish, swish, swish!

In that moment, Cheon So-seon’s sword aimed for my vital points.

Cheon So-seon used a sword, but I could tell it wasn’t his main skill.

I had trained in swordsmanship my entire life. He couldn’t fool my eyes. His unique martial art was either that gust of wind or something related to it.

Whoosh!

I dodged his sword and quickly counterattacked. Cheon So-seon retreated, and the Sword Master and Fist Master attacked me with renewed ferocity.

Cheon So-seon avoided taking risks, while the other two were determined to protect him.

Once again, the four of us were entangled in battle.

Bang, bang, bang!

Fists flew destructively.

Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish!

The Sword Master’s attacks painted the air with dazzling strokes.

The onlookers gaped in awe. Even someone as skilled as Il-ho would know that if he joined this fight, he’d last mere seconds.

Our battle was that intense.

In a flash, we were fighting in mid-air, then racing along the wall. It was as if every blink brought a new battle.

It might have seemed chaotic, but both they and I moved with clear purpose.

My target was the Fist Master.

I should have hidden my intentions, but instead, I revealed them. I wanted them to think I was targeting him to surprise someone else.

The first attempt failed.

I feigned an attack on the Fist Master and then ambushed Cheon So-seon, but the Sword Master intervened. It was a planned failure.

Then came the second attempt.

Swish, swish, swish!

I relentlessly attacked the Fist Master, then suddenly turned and struck at the Sword Master.

But the earlier failure had made the Sword Master wary.

Swish! Thud!

The Sword Master’s counterattack drew blood from my shoulder.

For the first time since the fight began, I bled.

I quickly retreated, and the Fist Master seized the opportunity to charge at me.

This was the moment I had been waiting for since the fight began. Though it was a shallow wound, I had deliberately bled to create this chance.

I spun and lunged at the Fist Master’s punch. Until now, I had only dodged, but this time I charged at him.

Caught off guard by my unexpected move, the Fist Master was already ensnared by my arm.

He never imagined I would engage in close combat, having only used my sword until now.

Whoosh.

His body spun in the air. A move as playful as sparring with a friend. A move that made one think, “Could a master really fall for such a trick?” But it was a move imbued with the essence of the Crane Technique, from which no one had ever survived.

Boom!

The Fist Master crashed to the ground.

Just as I had been waiting for this moment, so had Cheon So-seon.

A gust of wind shot from his fingers.

Whoosh.

Thud.

A hole appeared in the wall behind me, and another in the tree beyond. The holes stretched in a straight line.

And I was leaning back.

Blood trickled down my nose. The gust had narrowly missed my face. If I hadn’t dodged, my face would have been pierced.

It might sound strange, but I moved before Cheon So-seon released the gust. In other words, I instinctively sensed it. I knew at that moment that Cheon So-seon’s gust would come. It was an attack that was hard to dodge without such a feeling.

My intuition was right, and it saved my life.

Meanwhile, the Fist Master lay lifeless on the ground.

The Sword Master’s face was filled with shock. He couldn’t believe that the Fist Master, who had trained his body all his life, had died from such a simple throw.

Cheon So-seon, on the other hand, was shocked for a different reason.

He had believed his attack would hit. But I had evaded it.

The Sword Master might not have realized it, but Cheon So-seon knew.

My true first target had been the Fist Master. So, when I killed him, Cheon So-seon had intended to kill me.

Killing a master like the Fist Master would inevitably reveal some vulnerability. Though he failed, his choice was excellent and appropriate.

I understood.

That terrifying gust had limitations.

It required immense internal energy, or perhaps it took time to use again after one use. In any case, it wasn’t a technique that could be used without limit.

If there were no restrictions, it would be hard to dodge even two consecutive attacks.

I didn’t give them time to think. When you have the upper hand, you must press on.

I aimed the Demon King Sword at the Sword Master. It was a grave insult and provocation to him.

Especially since I had just killed the Fist Master.

The Sword Master lunged at me with his sword.

“Stop!”

Cheon So-seon’s intervention came a moment too late. His judgment was delayed by the failure of his previous attack.

The Sword Master and I clashed in mid-air.

I didn’t focus on Cheon So-seon. I couldn’t block an attack from behind with my head. Only my instincts could guard against Cheon So-seon’s surprise attack.

Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!

The Sword Master’s blade clashed with the Demon King Sword in the air. The Sword Master didn’t slash but thrust repeatedly. His ultimate move was this invisible thrusting attack.

The Demon King Sword deflected the thrusts.

The exchange of attacks was so fast that there was no need to use sword energy or sword force.

Because the sword’s movements were so swift, there was no need for anything else.

Again, I had two choices.

Lead him further away from Cheon So-seon, or draw closer? At first glance, it seemed that moving away would increase my chances of dodging his second gust, but I chose to move closer.

The further I was, the less I would sense his intent. Instead, I chose to feel his intent up close.

A display of near-miraculous swordsmanship ensued, and the outcome was decided. At least in a one-on-one sword fight, the Sword Master couldn’t defeat me.

Thud!

My sword pierced the Sword Master’s heart, and the second gust flew.

Whoosh!

Thud.

A hole appeared in the Sword Master’s chest.

Another hole appeared in the distant wall. The tree beyond the wall would have a hole too.

But not me. I stood behind the Sword Master’s body, turned away from the direction of the gust.

The direction I instinctively dodged was correct. It was a split-second decision that could be called luck. But I believed it was my instinct.

Thud.

The Sword Master’s body fell to the ground.

Cheon So-seon’s expression hardened completely. At the start of this fight, he couldn’t have imagined it would end like this.

And now, he felt the fear that he might die.

Had he ever felt his life threatened before? If not, this unfamiliar feeling would be deeply unsettling.

“Who are you?”

“In this situation, does it matter?”

“What do you want?”

“That’s right. You should’ve asked that from the start.”

I glanced over at the temple.

“The children inside.”

“Children?”

Chun Soseon looked at me with surprise, clearly not expecting that.

“I’m taking them with me.”

“And what is your connection to those children?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

“Impossible!”

Chun Soseon likely thought I was after the spirit inhabiting the child’s body. He couldn’t fathom that I would risk my life against them just to save a single child.

“Then I’ll just take them after I deal with you.”

His eyes flared with intensity at my words. If I gave him time, he’d use his wind technique again. I had to subdue him before that happened.

I had no intention of killing him. My plan was to incapacitate him and then figure out the next steps.

As I lunged toward him, a white light flashed from his eyes.

In an instant, he vanished.

I had seen this miraculous movement technique before.

The moment he disappeared, I dashed straight for the temple.

Just as I was about to break through the door—

Whoosh!

A sword suddenly emerged from thin air, aiming straight for me.

It was a flawless attack, one that would have been impossible to block if I hadn’t anticipated it.

But I had. I knew he wouldn’t abandon his grand plan so easily.

Clang.

I deflected his sword and struck the air where it had appeared.

Thud!

Chun Soseon materialized, sent flying by the force of my blow.

“Ugh.”

He staggered to his feet, coughing up blood. I had hit him lightly, inflicting only a minor internal injury.

I quickly followed up, sealing his pressure points with a technique so strong that only I could release it. For good measure, I sealed his energy center as well.

He looked at me with a face full of despair, unable to comprehend how someone so powerful could exist.

“Just to be sure, if I cut off this arm, you won’t be able to use your wind technique, right?”

“No, please!”

He pleaded desperately.

My sword paused in mid-air.

I couldn’t push him into utter despair. I needed to leave him with a sliver of hope, a chance to escape this place.

It was time to bring up the children.