Episode 13
“Aaaah! It’s over!”
I practically dropped down from the tree to the ground.
This blasted Han Shijin sprint training had already dragged on for two months, yet I still hadn’t gotten used to it one bit.
Sure, part of it was because they kept adding weight to the steel vest, but still.
When I reached the clearing, the other squad members were already deep into their breathing exercises.
Aside from Squad Leader Seolpung, who must have set off again, and Bae Jonggwan, who would arrive later than me, it seemed I was the last to show up.
“You’re a bit late today. Good job,” said Naso-yu Sojeo, our squad’s vice leader, greeting me with her trademark bright smile just as she was about to start the breathing exercises.
With her slightly drooping eyes and ever-smiling face, Naso-yu Sojeo was as kind and beautiful as ever.
I felt a sudden happiness just seeing her again.
“Oh, yeah. I added more weight, so I couldn’t keep up the speed. I guess I just need more training. Haha!”
I answered awkwardly, and she smiled warmly, praising me again.
“Training is meant to make you better than yesterday, right? You’re really amazing, Seonwoo Gongja.”
“Oh, no. It’s nothing special. Compared to the squad leader, it’s just a drop in the bucket. Haha!”
In my past life, Naso-yu Sojeo had been the one who warmly embraced me when everyone else called me a pig and shunned me.
Back then, I had a crush on her.
Though I never confessed my feelings, nor could I prevent her death.
“Well, take a little rest before starting. I’ll begin the exercises first.”
“Ah, yes! Please go ahead! Got it!”
I stole a quick glance at her face as she entered the breathing exercises, then quickly turned away so no one would notice and joined in myself.
It had already been two months since I arrived at the front lines. About a month ago, female squad members—Cheongyeon Sojeo, Naso-yu Sojeo, and Cheon Jueun Sojeo—had started joining the training.
From what I heard, Cheongyeon Sojeo had wanted to join earlier, but the others had persuaded her to wait a bit longer.
When I first arrived, she had asked me seriously:
“Don’t you think there are too many masters here?”
“Huh?”
“Out of just seventy or so people, there are five peak masters in their twenties. That’s an unusually high ratio. Even the Murim Alliance, full of geniuses, doesn’t have that many.”
I smiled and replied:
“Maybe it’s because the people here are more desperate. If you fall behind in skill, you really die.”
“Hmm.”
After that, her competitive spirit kicked in, and she threw herself into training with fierce dedication.
Even after joining our training, she was the only woman who wore a steel vest and did sprint drills.
I knew she was naturally curious, but her competitive streak was just as strong.
She even shocked us by volunteering for external energy training.
Having a woman’s bare skin slapped with bamboo sticks—that was something even Bae Jonggwan, the external energy fanatic, wouldn’t dare do.
In the end, she backed down when told she’d have to strip off her top and apply medicine to train externally, but the disappointed look on her face was so typical of Cheongyeon Sojeo.
Other than that, everything was going smoothly.
Honwon Mugukgong was truly the best mind technique, and now that I had mastered the Seonwoo Thirteen Swords, my growth rate was incomparable to my past life.
I was really looking forward to the upcoming duel with Joo Taegyeong, just a month away.
My friends, Bisa Young and Bae Jonggwan, whom I desperately wanted to save, were also progressing well.
Bisa Young grumbled as usual but stubbornly kept up with training, and the newly learned Kuae Mind Technique had given him wings.
Bae Jonggwan, unlike in my past life, wasn’t just obsessed with external energy; he was also focusing on the Gyeongshin Method and the new mind technique.
His obsession with external energy bordered on stubbornness.
He was determined to prove that external energy, which everyone dismissed, was worthy of recognition.
I suspected it was because of his late father’s last wish, which drove him to abandon all other training and focus solely on external energy.
To motivate him, I said:
“I happen to have the mind technique of the Geumgangbulgoo Sect, a school that pursued true invincibility. Would you like to learn it?”
“…The Geumgangbulgoo Sect?”
The word “Geumgangbulgoo” was like a dream to those who trained in external energy.
He couldn’t help but be interested.
“Yes, it was a sect that trained both inside and out to achieve true invincibility. I also have their herbal combination methods. If we combine them with your own, the effects will be even better.”
“You mean you’re really going to give that to me? You’re…”
I grasped his trembling hand firmly and said:
“I’m not giving it to you. We’ll learn it together. We’ll become truly invincible together. How about that?”
“Together… invincible… sniff Thank you so much, Jin!”
As he finally broke down in tears, I comforted him and silently apologized.
In truth, there was no such sect as the Geumgangbulgoo.
Maybe it existed somewhere, but I didn’t know of it.
What I had was the Cheolnahan Mind Technique, a Shaolin-derived method I’d read about in my father’s study, along with herbal combination techniques.
Since Shaolin valued both external and internal energy, it was suitable for Bae Jonggwan, so I had embellished the story a bit to motivate him.
I felt a little guilty, but as long as the motivation and results were good, wasn’t that what mattered?
Rationalizing it that way, I continued training external energy with him.
For now, all I could do was help myself and my comrades grow.
Two months since arriving here, and if my memory was right, a major event was about to happen soon—something far bigger than the duel with Joo Taegyeong.
And my memory was rarely wrong.
Looking back on my past life, one day, suddenly, over fifty Gan-gwi (demonic beasts) had surged in like a tidal wave.
We had never faced more than five or six at once before, and this unprecedented disaster nearly wiped out an entire squad.
That wasn’t all.
Though the exact cause was unclear, after that incident, life on the front lines became even more difficult.
It was like climbing a staircase that suddenly jumped several steps instead of going up gradually.
The frustrating part was that, despite knowing this, with my current status and skills in the Thirteenth Generation, I couldn’t tell anyone or prepare directly.
It was like taking punches you could see coming but couldn’t avoid—just maddening.
Squad Leader Won Cheongwon of the Thirteenth Generation’s Sixth Squad was patrolling the dense jungle with his squad members.
Patrols were done four times a day—morning, afternoon, evening, and night—and the seven squads took turns, so they usually patrolled every other day.
Leading the way, cutting through the underbrush with his sword, Won Cheongwon waved his free hand to shoo away the swarms of mosquitoes attacking him.
The tropical rainforest of Yunnan was naturally full of mosquitoes, but for some reason, Won Cheongwon got bitten more than anyone else.
Maybe his blood tasted better, or perhaps he was just that attractive to mosquitoes.
“I should be popular with women, not mosquitoes,” he muttered irritably, then suddenly snapped open his sword scroll.
“Ugh!”
Shu-shaak!
In an instant, sharp sword shadows surrounded Won Cheongwon like a hedgehog’s quills.
This was the Seventy-Two Style Sword Technique of the Cheongseong Sect, specifically the defensive form called Sword Rain Dense.
Won Cheongwon smiled with satisfaction as the mosquitoes around him were instantly wiped out.
More would come soon enough, but just a brief respite from their buzzing was enough to please him.
Behind him, his squad members burst out in admiration.
“Wow, as expected of the squad leader! You’re amazing as always!”
“That’s the Sword Rain Dense from the Seventy-Two Style Sword Technique, right?!”
Won Cheongwon puffed up proudly and replied:
“This is nothing. For a Cheongseong disciple, this is basic.”
But his squad members weren’t about to let him get away with bragging.
“Our squad leader can do this, but just imagine how amazing First Squad Leader Han Gyoseong must be—he’s a genius even among Cheongseong disciples.”
“Han Gyoseong’s Cheongpung Sword Style is on a whole other level. His nickname is the Blue Wind Sword Dragon. Compared to him, our squad leader is like a monkey next to a dragon.”
“Ugh!”
Won Cheongwon scowled and shouted:
“Shut up, you guys! That guy reaching his peak in his twenties is the weird one! He’s like a machine without a human touch!”
“Oh, by the way, squad leader! I heard Squad Leader Seolpung of the Seventh Squad catches mosquitoes with his eyes closed while running. His senses are so sharp he never gets bitten, whether running or walking.”
“Ugh! If that guy were as popular with mosquitoes as me, he’d have gotten bitten at least once!”
Won Cheongwon was unusually cheerful and easygoing for a disciple of the prestigious Cheongseong Sect, often teased by his squad members like this.
But because of that, the Sixth Squad’s cohesion was stronger than any other.
Vice Leader Gong Jonghwa said to the squad:
“Don’t be so hard on him. Where else can you find a squad leader as good-natured as ours? And with such long arms, too.”
“That’s right, that’s right. The vice leader really knows what’s up.”
Won Cheongwon nodded with satisfaction at the vice leader’s words, and the squad members jeered.
“Hey, if you think he’s so great, why don’t you date him, vice leader?”
“Yeah, help our squad leader out. Don’t leave him lonely.”
“Hmm, that might be a bit much. His arms are too long—it’s intimidating.”
“What? Haha! You just said long arms were an advantage!”
“Wahaha! Squad leader, got rejected again, huh?”
“Shut up, you idiots! I’m not a deputy leader fan either!”
They were starting to relax and joke around as their patrol was winding down.
But then, something caught Won Cheong-won’s sharp ears.
“Everyone, quiet!”
With a serious tone, Won Cheong-won’s command snapped the six squad members to immediate attention, their chatter dying as they crouched low, alert.
Shhh-shhh-shhh—
The surrounding noise faded, and through the rustling bushes, a sound approached.
Won Cheong-won muttered under his breath, “Something’s coming. Quite a few. Form a defensive formation!”
The six squad members quickly arranged themselves into a defensive shape, with Won Cheong-won at the apex, bearing the brunt of the pressure thanks to his overwhelming strength.
The rustling grew louder.
He swallowed hard and whispered, “This… is way too many.”
Suddenly, dozens of snarling creatures burst from the underbrush.
“Kyaaaaah!”
“Kiyaaaah!”
They were Gan-gwi—demonic beasts.
Not just a few, but a whole pack of over ten charging at once.
Won Cheong-won immediately realized the situation had gone south.
Until now, even when Gan-gwi attacked in groups, it was never more than five or six at once. These ten-plus were just the beginning.
More kept coming.
With a scream, Won Cheong-won swung his sword at the front line of attackers.
“Deputy leader! Send the signal!”
Shuaaaak!
The sword technique he’d used earlier to swat mosquitoes flared again, this time releasing a thick, misty aura of sword energy—a desperate, all-out strike.
But it was useless.
Teng! Tat-tat-tat-teng! Tateng!
The sword energy bounced off three Gan-gwi charging at the front.
They were mid-level Gan-gwi, impervious to sword energy.
Won Cheong-won shouted urgently, “There are at least three mid-levels! Everyone, run! Fall back!”
Bang!
At his shout, Deputy Leader Gong Jong-hwa fired three red flares into the sky.
An emergency signal.
Ding ding ding ding!
The barracks of the Thirteenth Unit echoed with urgent bells.
The long-awaited emergency deployment order had come.
All soldiers rushed to the parade ground.
There, the unit leader, Pung Yang—the Storm Wanderer—was already ready to deploy.
Silent as ever, the deputy leader Heon Yeong-bo quickly briefed the situation.
“Three red flares fired. One first, then two at once. The unit leader and squad leaders will deploy first; squad members follow under their deputy leaders’ command.”
Red flares meant an enemy too strong to handle.
If the situation worsened, another flare would be fired.
But two flares after the first? That was unprecedented—a sign of extreme danger.
“Let’s move!”
With a sharp command, Pung Yang launched himself forward.
The squad leaders, masters at the peak of their art, followed instantly.
Han Gyo-seong of the First Squad, Sa Gun-il of the Second, Dang Yeo-eun of the Third, Ma Yu-gyeom of the Fourth, and Seol Pung of the Seventh—all vanished from sight in an instant.
The deputy leaders began moving their squads as well.
Na Seo-yu, deputy leader of the Seventh Squad, hesitated briefly before saying, “We should go too. We can’t wait for the missing members now.”
And so, every member of the Thirteenth Unit began moving.
It was the first time since the Twin Scythe Seven Fiends incident.
Squad Leader Won Cheong-won dropped his sword as three mid-level Gan-gwi deflected his sword energy and pressed forward.
If he’d been a swordsman, it would have meant certain death.
Luckily, Won Cheong-won was not.
“Ughhyaaah!”
With a fierce yell, he spun his body, whipping his long arms like whips to strike the surrounding Gan-gwi.
Paf-paf-paf-paf!
The beasts hit by his powerful blows were sent flying.
Though he couldn’t pierce or shatter their skin, he could shove and repel them.
He was originally a martial artist, not a swordsman.
A direct successor of Won Gong-kwon of the Cheongseong faction, that was Won Cheong-won’s true identity.
He’d only taken up the sword to use sword energy since he hadn’t yet reached his peak and couldn’t wield his full martial energy.
Still, even after escaping immediate danger, his face remained tense as he glanced back.
As a martial artist, he could push back the Gan-gwi, but his squad members, skilled in weaponry, couldn’t.
Won Cheong-won’s eyes caught sight of his squad being overwhelmed by countless Gan-gwi.
He dashed back, shouting, “No!”
The basic tactic against Gan-gwi was to fight in pairs—one distracting the beast’s attention while the other attacked.
Gan-gwi’s weakness was their inability to focus on more than one thing at a time.
But now, the six squad members faced more Gan-gwi than themselves.
They weren’t even fighting two-on-one; they were each forced to face two or more alone.
One Gan-gwi bit down hard on a squad member’s sword arm, turning his face pale.
Unable to move his sword, he was attacked from both sides by other Gan-gwi.
“No, no! Aaaah!”
In an instant, his arm was torn and his neck bitten.
Three Gan-gwi swarmed him, tearing him apart alive.
Deputy Leader Gong Jong-hwa was also in trouble.
She slashed a low-level Gan-gwi’s chest with sword energy, splitting it open, but the beast kept charging.
Startled, Gong Jong-hwa plunged her sword into its heart.
Poke!
But that was a mistake.
Her sword was stuck in the beast’s heart, and before she could pull it out, two more Gan-gwi lunged at her.
“Kyaaaah!”
Realizing she couldn’t block or dodge, Gong Jong-hwa closed her eyes and screamed.
“Kyahhh!”
But her time wasn’t up yet.
Bang-bang-bang!
At that moment, Won Cheong-won arrived, swinging both arms to knock the Gan-gwi aside.
“Deputy leader! Run!”
As he saved her, another squad member screamed, being torn apart by Gan-gwi.
“Help me! Aaaah!”
Won Cheong-won’s anguished gaze lingered on him briefly before the mid-level Gan-gwi he’d just repelled charged again.
There was no end in sight.
Just as Won Cheong-won reached out in despair, a massive figure suddenly flew in from nowhere.
“Yahh! Iron-clad Meteor!”
“Ughh! Diamond Rain Spear!”
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
Two men.
Despite their grand shouts, they charged like wild boars, ramming their bodies into the Gan-gwi and scattering them.
They were none other than Bae Jong-gwan and Seon Woo-jin of the Seventh Squad.
The dramatic arrival of these two, often mocked as quack medicine sellers by the entire Thirteenth Unit, had turned the tide.