The God of Massacre (2)

Emerging from the smoke, a man appeared, wielding a long spear. It was clear at a glance that he was a master of spear fighting.

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

Footsteps echoed from all directions. Men with spears marched in unison behind him. They weren’t just in front; more men with spears approached from behind, their footsteps synchronized.

Even from their gait, it was evident they were a highly trained elite spear unit. The man who seemed to be their leader looked particularly formidable.

The men surrounded me, pointing their spears in my direction. The murderous intent emanating from their weapons felt like a web tightening around me.

The leader spoke up. “Impressive.”

He seemed surprised that I had made it this far. “No wonder the market’s open.”

Market? He must mean there’s a bounty on my head.

I grinned at him. “Looks like your business is about to close.”

He scoffed. “That’s for us to decide. We don’t serve troublesome customers.”

“Your business must be pretty dirty if it attracts trouble.”

“Kill him!”

At his command, half a dozen spears lunged at me from behind.

Swish! Swoosh! Swish! Swoosh!

Without looking back, I leaped forward, dodging the attack. The chilling sensation of spear tips grazing my back heightened my senses.

My eyes remained fixed on the leader. He stood still, observing, revealing a cautious and composed nature.

“Let’s see if you’re worth my personal attention.”

“Afraid to make the first move?”

The leader smirked, unfazed by my taunt.

The men charged at me, their spears targeting my vital points. I employed my agility to evade, leaping, rolling, and darting across spear shafts, moving back and forth.

To them, it might have seemed like I was barely dodging, but I was calculating. I assessed their skills and planned who to eliminate first and how.

When the leader raised his hand, the men retreated in perfect order.

“Are you going to keep acting like a scared puppy?”

He wasn’t trying to provoke me. He realized my skills were no joke and paused to break the rhythm of the fight.

“You should have enjoyed it while I was holding back.”

Whoosh!

A dagger flew from my hand. The man standing directly in front of me clutched his throat and collapsed.

That marked the beginning of my counterattack.

My target wasn’t the leader. Some battles require taking out the head first, while others benefit from leaving it for last. I judged this to be the latter.

As I charged, the soldiers thrust their spears at me. The spearheads surged like waves. In an instant, I vaulted over the spear shafts and descended upon them.

Crack!

My knee crushed a man’s face as he fell. His spear was suddenly in my hand, and I hurled it at the men rushing from behind.

Swoosh!

Thud!

The spear impaled two men in quick succession.

Swish! Swish! Swoosh! Swish! Swish!

Spears flew toward where I had been standing. But I was already rolling on the ground, swinging my sword.

Slice.

A man’s ankle was severed, and he crumpled. Spears embedded in the ground where I had stood, but I was already airborne, slashing at another man.

Swoosh.

Slice.

The man’s torso was cleaved vertically alongside the spearhead. I charged through the spray of blood toward the men behind.

Covered in blood, I must have looked like a demon charging at them. He couldn’t dodge or block.

After severing his neck, I spun like a whirlwind, launching myself into the air.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

A dozen spears passed through where I had been.

I didn’t just fall. When I landed, two heads fell with me.

My movements were faster than theirs. Speed alone wasn’t enough to kill them. It required powerful force and precise judgment to eliminate them efficiently.

Just as three more men were cut down with their spears, a spear flew at me. It was the leader’s throw. Having waited for the right moment, his attack was truly threatening.

The spear flew in a straight line, aiming to pierce me. I leaned back as far as I could, deflecting it with my sword.

Clang!

The spear scraped my sword, sparking. It was a powerful attack that could have injured me if I hadn’t dispersed the force.

The spear grazed my face and flew off into the distance.

The leader’s expression turned grave as his surprise attack failed.

“Damn it!”

An aide handed him another spear.

I didn’t join in analyzing his failure. Deflecting the spear had given me an opportunity. Everyone was stunned that I had blocked it, and the rhythm of attack and defense was momentarily broken.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swish!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

My sword efficiently cut down the enemies. I ignored the leader who had thrown the spear.

With each subordinate that fell, his anxiety would grow. The subordinates, in turn, would resent their leader for not stepping in sooner.

No matter how well-trained, they’re still human. Such feelings are inevitable.

From start to finish, I remained unchanged. I weaved through the flying spears, precisely targeting vital points. My movements were swift, destructive, and merciless.

I ran along the walls of the ruined building, choosing targets who couldn’t predict my approach.

Their sense of distance was shattered, and their expectations were upended. I charged when they thought I couldn’t, and held back when they expected me to advance. Their spears, which had never been broken by an enemy’s sword, were cut down one after another.

The men wavered, their movements slowed. How could they not be terrified, seeing their comrades fall one by one?

Whoosh!

A second spear flew at me, faster and stronger than before, imbued with energy.

But I dodged it more easily. Its increased power also carried the leader’s growing desperation.

Several subordinates were caught in the reckless attack and fell.

The leader’s face was set in stone as he grasped the third spear handed to him. Even as he received it, cursing under his breath, his men continued to fall.

Most of them were now corpses.

Yet I continued to ignore him, focusing on his subordinates.

“Stop!”

At his command, the men retreated.

Since the order wasn’t directed at me, I pursued them, cutting them down as they withdrew.

Another three or four fell helplessly.

I was demonstrating what a real fight looked like.

“Stop!”

The leader shouted, launching himself at me.

He must have been watching for weaknesses, but he likely found none. It would have been better to attack from the start. Now, his body was tense with fear and anger.

Even so, he was among the top three spear masters I had faced.

His spear struck at five vital points in the blink of an eye.

Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish!

Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!

It was an attack impossible to block by sight alone. I instinctively swung my sword to parry.

He pressed on with tremendous force, driving me back. The surviving men’s faces brightened, thinking he had gained the upper hand.

Thud.

My sword slipped from my grasp, flying away.

Whoosh!

Seizing the opportunity, he thrust his spear fiercely.

I twisted my body to evade.

The spear barely grazed me. But from his perspective, it was I who grazed the spear.

As I deflected his attack, I charged at him. Just as he tried to strike me with the spear shaft in panic.

Thud!

My fist landed squarely on his shoulder. Staggering from the impact, he stumbled back. But he didn’t drop his spear.

It didn’t matter. I wasn’t aiming to disarm him but to exploit the small gap under his arm.

In the next moment, my arm slipped through that gap, and his body flew through the air.

Having experienced it myself, I knew the pressure he felt.

Like everyone else, he resisted with strength, which only increased the impact.

Crash!

He slammed into the ground.

Everyone stared at us in disbelief. When no further action followed, confusion spread across their faces. Why couldn’t their leader rise from such a simple throw?

But he was already dead.

I had deliberately let go of my sword, planning to finish him with this move.

The remaining men charged at me with their spears.

Well-trained as they were, they didn’t flee even in this situation.

However, their once precise and determined spear techniques had lost their initial vigor and confidence. Now, they were driven by a rough and desperate resolve, born from the hopelessness of having come too far to turn back.

My martial arts, now ruthless, swept through them in an instant. Fists, kicks, and elbows struck their vital points with deadly accuracy. With each move, another life was extinguished.

After a few deep breaths, no one was left standing.

With a swift motion, I extended my hand, and the Suramyeongwang Sword flew up from the ground into my grasp.

At that moment, Cheonma spoke.

“How much energy do you have left?”

“Why?”

“Something else is coming.”

In the distance, an old man was slowly making his way toward us, exuding an aura of formidable presence with each step.

“I never thought you’d make me come out here myself.”

“Were you the last line of defense?”

I deliberately used the term “last line of defense,” hoping to provoke his pride. Fortunately, he responded as I had hoped.

“Yes, I am the last.”

“Good to hear.”

“Good?”

Just as the old man looked puzzled, the Suramyeongwang Sword leapt from its sheath and soared into the air.

In that moment of disbelief, the sword was already aimed at its target.

With a brilliant flash, the sword became a streak of light.

It pierced straight through the old man’s chest, shattering his defenses and penetrating his palm as he tried to block it.

I had used the last of my energy to unleash the ultimate sword technique.

The old man fell backward with a thud. He hadn’t expected me to use such a powerful technique right from the start, and he never even had the chance to draw his own weapon.

It would be satisfying to dispatch all enemies this decisively, but each use of the sword technique drained a tremendous amount of energy. It wasn’t something to be used lightly.

“That was a wise decision,” Cheonma remarked.

“To defeat someone of his caliber, I would have exhausted my energy anyway.”

“As much as I hate to admit it, your judgment and skills are improving.”

“Is that so?”

I didn’t feel stronger, but knowing Cheonma, he wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true. Perhaps I had grown stronger without realizing it.

“Let’s head back for today.”

“For today?”

“They won’t let this go. They’ll reach out again.”

“Even if it’s a trap, you’ll go again? Ha, suits me just fine.”

“A trap? Let them dig it deep. It’s not a trap; it’s a grave they’ve dug for themselves.”

“You’re as audacious as ever.”

I began to walk slowly toward the horizon, where the sun was setting. Cheonma asked,

“Why don’t you bring your subordinates? Afraid they might die?”

“If they’re afraid of death, they shouldn’t wield a sword. Besides, real experience is worth paying for.”

“True. But why hold them back?”

“It’s not about holding back. It’s about choosing battles worth fighting. I didn’t train them to die alongside those carrying explosives on their backs. I’ll save them for battles that truly matter. Let’s handle the dirty and dangerous work ourselves.”

“Ourselves?”

“Yes, you and me.”

Cheonma laughed heartily. Despite our differences, we shared a love for battle and a desire to grow stronger.

“Aren’t you curious? About the power they’ve amassed over centuries?”

Cheonma asked again.

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“Why should I be? I’m the best in the world. They should be the ones afraid.”

“You’re audacious, and I like it. Ha!”

It reminded me of my younger days, fighting with that same fearless spirit. The thrill of battle made me feel like I was back in those times.

“Hey, Cheongwang.”

“What is it, Hajin?”

His unexpected response caught me off guard. He must be in a particularly good mood.

I paused for a moment, both the world and I bathed in the glow of the sunset. Cheonma, too, must be gazing at the horizon.

“Let’s show them. At least let them know that money can’t buy this world.”