Moonlit Duel (2)
In the darkness, a distant cave loomed ahead.
I moved slowly toward it, without any particular plan. I intended to rely solely on my strength.
I knew well what someone of my caliber would think, how they would face an enemy.
There wouldn’t be any minor guards protecting him here. If anyone was present, it would be one or two formidable opponents.
As I approached the cave, my movements were silent, leaving no trace of my presence.
Standing at the entrance, I sensed for any signs of life inside. But there was nothing.
The old man should have sensed my arrival, yet there was no reaction.
I guess I have no choice but to go in.
Drawing the Suramyeongwang Sword, I stepped cautiously into the cave.
The interior was filthy and damp, as if venomous creatures might crawl out at any moment.
I walked slowly to the cave’s end. The wall was solid, and no hidden mechanism revealed itself. It seemed like a door that required internal energy to open.
I gathered my protective energy to its peak and infused the Suramyeongwang Sword with my power.
A low hum resonated as the sword’s aura flared.
I intended to cut through the door. There could be explosions, or hidden weapons might fly out. I was ready to force my way through.
Just then, the door opened on its own. Someone inside had opened it.
I entered cautiously.
The interior was bizarre and unsettling, like stepping into a monster’s belly. The ceiling was lined with sacs that writhed like living creatures.
The floor was uneven, and upon closer inspection, it was made of human skulls. Strange symbols painted in vivid colors adorned the walls.
Despite my travels, I had never encountered a place so eerie and mysterious.
A man without eyebrows stood there.
“Who are you?”
“I live here.”
“Where is your master?”
“The elder has left.”
“When?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
“Not that it matters. Why did you stay?”
“This is my home.”
I realized the old man had anticipated my arrival and fled.
He ran away to avoid me.
It was an unexpected turn of events.
“You won’t leave here alive.”
The door I had entered through was now closed.
“If you force it open, the mountain will collapse.”
I chuckled.
“Why are you laughing?”
“You’ve never tried to force it open, have you? The mountain’s still standing.”
“That’s true.”
“Do you really think the one who built that door would set such a trap?”
The man looked puzzled.
“Why do you think not?”
“No one would create a mechanism that could collapse a mountain. If someone tried to invade, everyone inside would die. Who would build such a thing, or allow it?”
“Are you an expert in mechanisms?”
“Not exactly. I’ve just encountered many.”
Especially doors designed to protect the martial alliance leader.
Yet the man remained resolute.
“I trust the elder’s words…”
A sharp sound interrupted him.
The door shattered into pieces.
The Suramyeongwang Sword had been thrust backward, executing the fourth form of the Demonic Sword Technique. The door was destroyed, but nothing happened. The mountain didn’t collapse, nor did any hidden weapons emerge.
The man looked between the broken door and me, astonished.
“How did you know nothing would happen?”
“Even if I don’t know mechanisms well, I know the one you call ‘elder.’ He never tells the truth, and that’s how he treats you.”
Despite the unsettling situation, the man remained composed. He had emotions but was trained to control them.
I turned and headed for the exit.
“I’m not here for the likes of you.”
“But I’ve been waiting for this day.”
A strange sound made me turn back.
Vibrant energies emanated from the symbols around us, flowing into the man’s body.
“Aaaah!”
When the scream ended, he was transformed. The once vivid symbols were now colorless.
Instead, the man’s eyes had changed to multiple colors.
Despite the terrifying situation, I remained calm.
“If it were me, I wouldn’t leave my subordinate here alone. Especially not for this purpose.”
The man charged at me. He was no longer human, having absorbed the cave’s energy and become a beast.
He was incredibly fast, with immense strength.
His primary weapons were his hands, which could tear through steel.
My sword clashed with his hands, producing a metallic sound. His hands had become harder than steel.
His movements were perfect, his power overwhelming.
Wherever his hands touched, everything turned to dust.
His combat instincts were sharp, like a seasoned master.
In an instant, we exchanged over twenty moves, and I finally saw an opening.
Just as the Suramyeongwang Sword was about to pierce his chest.
He vanished.
Invisibility!
Even seeing it with my own eyes, it was an impressive technique. Different from the one used by Cheonsoseon, but nearly as skilled.
I closed my eyes and focused.
The round objects hanging in the cave began to shake, making noise. They were trying to disrupt my concentration.
The cave’s assistance didn’t stop there.
Something rose from the floor, wrapping around my ankles.
At that moment, a powerful energy attack came from the left.
The tendrils were vines from the skulls’ eyes, as strong as celestial silk.
I didn’t dodge but swung my sword.
The Suramyeongwang Sword’s energy clashed with the incoming attack.
The area was swept away.
Energy attacks continued to strike where I had stood.
But I was no longer there.
I had cut the vines and thrust my sword into the air where the energy had come from.
Blood splattered in the air.
Yet the man remained unaffected.
Then, one of the strange spherical objects detached and flew at me.
I dodged, and it exploded on the ground.
Poisonous smoke billowed out.
Even I, immune to most poisons, felt nauseous. A regular master would have died instantly from this potent toxin.
At that moment, the man’s hands came at me from behind.
I twisted, using the momentum to knee him in the chin.
He staggered back, and I followed with a flurry of punches.
He crashed to the ground but quickly got up, seemingly unscathed.
His eyes widened, shocked that I had cut the vines and resisted the poison.
I was equally surprised. How could he withstand my attacks so easily?
He was another product of their experiments. If they continued creating beasts like this, it would lead to disaster.
At this rate, my energy would deplete first.
[You’re doing well. Can’t handle one of these?]
[Why don’t you come out and fight, then?]
[Even if I could, I wouldn’t. What are these disgusting things?]
[Exactly.]
My gaze wandered to the hanging objects.
Ah!
I noticed something.
Some of the hanging objects had turned gray and limp.
Seeing this, I understood.
[Thanks! You’ve helped me find his weakness.]
[What? What is it?]
[You’ll see!]
[It’s because of me, thanks to me!]
I engaged the man again.
Our clash was fierce.
He charged at me, seemingly unaffected by my attacks.
I saw another object go limp and die.
My suspicion was confirmed.
Those things were absorbing the impact for him!
In that case…
I leaped into the air, slashing with my sword. The fourth form of the Demonic Sword Technique was unleashed.
The sword’s energy split into sixteen, cutting down all the hanging objects.
Explosions followed as they fell.
As the suspended objects burst, a cloud of toxic smoke filled the chamber.
“No!”
The man shouted, but it was too late. The protective barriers around him had already been dismantled.
With those defenses gone, the outcome was inevitable.
He couldn’t withstand even five of my strikes before my sword found its mark.
Ssshhh!
Thud!
The moment my Suramyungwang Sword pierced his chest, I saw it—the expression of a man who had surrendered everything. He had been trained to face even death with composure.
“No matter what excuses you make, your master cannot be forgiven.”
Despite my anger, the man smiled and closed his eyes.
I pushed through the toxic smoke and slowly made my way out of the cave.
[It was my tip-off.]
[What you told me was that this place was disgusting. Even a seven-year-old could figure that out. But still… it was thanks to you.]
[Ah, that’s the role of a master.]
[Hahaha.]
In the bustling marketplace, beneath a small grain store selling rice and other provisions, there was a hidden chamber.
Inside were two people: an old man and Cheon Soseon. The secret hideout, meticulously crafted, was both discreet and well-equipped.
After receiving a report from his subordinate, the old man shook his head.
“As expected, we were attacked. Yang is dead, and the cave is completely destroyed.”
“How did you know they would ambush us?” Cheon Soseon asked.
“The information came from Seong Wangbo.”
“Seong Chonggwan? Isn’t he a traitor?”
“Indeed, he is.”
Seeing Cheon Soseon’s puzzled expression, the old man smiled.
“But he’s also a businessman, isn’t he? He subtly hinted at his betrayal, just in case I came out on top.”
That was the gist of what he had said when he came to see me. Some questions simply have no right answers.
From his unusual behavior, the old man had realized that Seong Wangbo had rejected his offer and sided with the Dark Merchant. He also knew that an attempt on his life was imminent.
“Why would he do that?”
“It was a precaution. If I died, that would be the end of it. But if I survived, he wanted to ensure I knew of his betrayal, hoping I’d spare his life.”
“That damned merchant!”
Cheon Soseon’s face twisted in anger.
“I’ll personally take care of Seong Chonggwan.”
“He’s just a messenger. If you want to eliminate someone, it should be the Dark Merchant.”
“Yes. We’ll make them pay for betraying us.”
“Soseon.”
“Yes?”
“Their power is formidable. They’ve amassed wealth over many years, and with it, immense strength.”
“If they were that powerful, they wouldn’t have needed to ally with you in the first place, Grandfather.”
The old man shook his head calmly.
“They didn’t join forces with me because they were weaker.”
Cheon Soseon was taken aback. “Then why?”