Chapter 257
“Hah! Hah! Ack!”
Jin So-eun, who had been running hard beside Sun Woo-jin, suddenly faltered.
Her legs gave out.
“So-jeo!”
Sun Woo-jin, who had been running alongside her and had noticed her unsteady steps earlier, quickly caught her before she fell.
Catching her breath, Jin So-eun managed to speak.
“I-I’m sorry, Gongja.”
Sun Woo-jin bit his lip.
Carrying Myo Ah-ran and fleeing all night had been exhausting enough, but even considering that, Jin So-eun’s stamina was depleting far too quickly.
And Sun Woo-jin thought he knew exactly why.
“The aftermath of the fight with Hyeol Woo-ryeon still lingers.”
Though her internal energy had recovered, her physical strength clearly hadn’t.
And that was only natural.
She had fought for two straight days and nights, relying solely on willpower.
She had pushed her body and mind to their absolute limits.
If she had already recovered, that would have been the strange thing.
Not accounting for her weakened state was clearly his mistake.
But now was not the time to regret or to let her rest here.
Behind them, Jin Tae-do was closing in at a terrifying speed.
And behind him, the sword masters of the Six Harmonies Sword Sect, led by Pa Cheon-jo, were in pursuit.
Gritting his teeth, Sun Woo-jin knew that if they were caught here in this condition, it would be the end.
Even if he survived, he had no idea what would happen to Mayu-gyeom, Myo Ah-ran, or Jin So-eun.
Carrying Mayu-gyeom on one arm, he grabbed Jin So-eun with the other and pulled her forward.
“We have to go, So-jeo! Just a little more strength!”
“Y-Yes!”
But even as he dragged her along, the situation didn’t improve.
Judging by Jin Tae-do’s speed and the distance between them, it was clear that the moment they reached the bridge, he would catch them.
“Maybe we should have moved with the Six Harmonies Sword Sect, even if it meant being spotted?”
That seemed like the wiser choice.
Not considering that Jin So-eun’s stamina wouldn’t recover was a mistake born of oversight.
But now wasn’t the time for regrets.
They needed a plan—fast.
Then, from behind, Jin Tae-do’s voice rang out.
“Inparang!”
His voice was filled with triumph.
He was certain he had them cornered.
At that moment, gasping for breath but still running, Jin So-eun glanced back at Jin Tae-do’s distance and shouted to Sun Woo-jin.
“Sun Woo, Gongja! Hah, hah, leave us behind! Hah!”
Hearing that, a surge of anger welled up inside Sun Woo-jin.
After Mayu-gyeom and Myo Ah-ran, now she was telling him to leave them behind.
He shot her a sharp glare.
But she kept speaking.
“I-I… I can’t… let you… huff… get hurt because of me…”
It seemed she believed this was the only way she could help.
But looking into her eyes, Sun Woo-jin could tell exactly what she was thinking.
Even without reading her mind, her resolute gaze spoke volumes.
His heart turned ice-cold as he asked her.
“Are you planning to jump off the cliff before they catch you?”
Surprise flashed across Jin So-eun’s face.
“W-What?!”
Her expression betrayed her—she was embarrassed that he had seen through her thoughts.
She had been thinking of ending her own life alongside Myo Ah-ran rather than being a burden.
Sun Woo-jin’s cold gaze fixed on her as he said firmly.
“Jin So-jeo, you will never throw your life away recklessly. I will never allow it.”
“B-But…”
“I said I won’t allow it. Without my permission, you will not go anywhere.”
Faced with the first cold look Sun Woo-jin had ever shown her, and the strange intensity behind it, Jin So-eun found herself unable to respond.
And despite the dire situation, a strange flutter stirred in her chest.
His words—that she couldn’t go anywhere without his permission—somehow thrilled her.
But that feeling wouldn’t last long in this urgent moment.
Suddenly, Sun Woo-jin handed Mayu-gyeom over to Jin So-eun.
“Take him!”
“W-What?! Ugh!”
Jin So-eun, her legs weak, staggered under the weight of both Myo Ah-ran and Mayu-gyeom.
Sun Woo-jin turned back to her and said.
“Run with all your might and cross the bridge. I’ll hold them off here.”
Jin So-eun gasped in shock.
“G-Gongja! What about you?!”
But Sun Woo-jin met her eyes, drew his sword, and calmly said.
“Trust me, So-jeo. I will follow you no matter what.”
His gaze was calm and steady.
Jin So-eun felt a strange reassurance in that look.
At least, it didn’t look like the eyes of someone resigned to death.
Nodding with determination, she thought.
“If he says he can do it, then he can.”
It was trust.
Absolute trust in Sun Woo-jin.
Turning away, she began running desperately, carrying both Myo Ah-ran and Mayu-gyeom.
To lessen his burden, she had to cross the bridge as quickly as possible.
Jin Tae-do saw Sun Woo-jin draw his sword and stop.
A smile crept onto his lips.
“Foolish bastard.”
To Jin Tae-do, Myo Ah-ran, Baekrang Sword Gang, and Jin So-eun were mere distractions.
It would be nice to kill them, but it wasn’t necessary.
His true target was Inparang alone.
Yet, Inparang wasn’t escaping by sacrificing the others.
Instead, he was willing to sacrifice himself for them.
From Jin Tae-do’s perspective, it was an utterly incomprehensible, downright stupid move.
“But it doesn’t matter.”
If the fool wants to act that way, why refuse?
Laughter burst from him, fueled by rising excitement.
“Ha ha ha ha ha!”
With a wild laugh, Jin Tae-do finally reached Sun Woo-jin’s position.
He lunged at him immediately.
His signature move, the Jinryong Sword Technique—a lightning-fast thrust that reached its target before a sound could be heard.
“Die!”
Sshiiik!
At that moment, Jin Tae-do saw Sun Woo-jin also thrusting his sword toward him.
As if determined to die together, the fool chose offense over defense.
Jin Tae-do sneered bitterly.
“Heh, what a fool!”
It was laughable.
A man who had mastered the Southern Cross Sword daring to thrust simultaneously against him.
And the Southern Cross Sword wasn’t even a swift sword technique—it was a strong sword style.
Before his own sword could reach halfway, Sun Woo-jin’s blade would pierce him.
But then, Jin Tae-do was shocked beyond belief.
“!”
Sshiiik!
Sun Woo-jin’s sword was piercing his chest at nearly the same speed.
Slightly slower, but almost simultaneous.
At this rate, Jin Tae-do wouldn’t escape death.
“How?!”
Panicked, Jin Tae-do twisted his body sideways.
He couldn’t afford to die alongside this fool after pushing him this far.
Sshiiik!
Sun Woo-jin’s swift sword grazed Jin Tae-do’s chest.
A chill ran through him.
The next moment, with a bitter smile, Jin Tae-do saw Sun Woo-jin’s body brush past him.
Because Jin Tae-do had tilted his body to avoid the sword, his own blade missed as well.
Their positions swapped, and Jin Tae-do’s face twisted in shock as he shouted at Sun Woo-jin.
“Could that sword technique be… the Saille Sword Technique?!”
Indeed.
The move Sun Woo-jin had just used was the Ilshisa-il, a technique from the Saille Sword Sect, known as the fastest sword style in the world.
Though Jin Tae-do refused to accept it as the fastest, it was undeniably a formidable swift sword technique.
But for Inparang to have just executed Ilshisa-il was something Jin Tae-do couldn’t comprehend.
Then, behind Sun Woo-jin, six sword masters from the Six Harmonies Sword Sect, including Ja-seong Jin-in, appeared.
They had followed Jin Tae-do here.
“You bastard! Haaah!”
Sshuaaaak!
Jin Tae-do laughed again as he saw the six top-tier masters charging at Sun Woo-jin’s back.
Though his initial strike had been thwarted, the fact remained that Sun Woo-jin was now trapped between him and the Hyeongsan Sect sword masters.
There was no way to reach the bridge without passing through him.
And he had no intention of stepping aside.
But then—
Ignoring the shouts of the Six Harmonies Sword Sect behind him, the man didn’t even glance back.
He charged straight at Jin Tae-do again.
Crack!
His eyes locked solely on Jin Tae-do.
A look of fierce determination—as if nothing would stop him from killing Jin Tae-do.
He was probably going to try dying together again.
But this time, Jin Tae-do didn’t thrust his sword.
Instead, he raised it defensively in front of his body.
He intended to block rather than attack.
“Do you think the same trick will work again?”
He didn’t need to fight the man.
He only needed to stop him.
Then the Hyeongsan Sect masters behind would strike.
That was all.
This time, no matter whether he wielded the swift blade or the heavy sword, there was no way he was going to yield this ground.
As Jin Taedo braced himself against Sunwoo Jin’s swift blade, his mind was set.
“Ha!”
The moment Sunwoo Jin swung his sword, Jin Taedo’s eyes widened in astonishment once again.
With a sharp shout, the blade seemed to multiply—splitting into dozens, then hundreds—spreading out like a blazing sun.
Whoooosh!
This time, it was the Phantom Sword.
Startled, Jin Taedo shouted, “Phantom Sword too?!”
He couldn’t help but be thrown off by this unexpected technique.
Swift blade, heavy sword, and now the Phantom Sword—all masterful sword styles worthy of legendary status.
How on earth had this man mastered such diverse and formidable techniques?
Still, Jin Taedo was one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars.
No matter how impressive the sword styles, they were merely surprising tricks to him.
He quickly regained his composure and resumed watching Sunwoo Jin’s sword movements with a cold, calculating gaze.
“Come on, then. Show me what you’ve got.”
Jin Taedo had no intention of stepping aside for any unfamiliar sword technique.
Soon, with a steady eye, he spotted Sunwoo Jin’s true form hidden behind the Phantom Sword.
“So that’s where you are.”
Just as he calmly targeted Sunwoo Jin’s real body, the sword shifted again.
Swoooosh!
“!”
At that moment, Jin Taedo was genuinely shocked.
The hundreds of phantom sword images suddenly solidified, turning into real blades that surged toward him.
He didn’t know it, but this was the ultimate technique of the Sunwoo Fifty-Three Swords—“Gongjeuk Sisaek.”
“What kind of swordsmanship is this?!”
Summoning all his strength, Jin Taedo swung his sword fiercely.
“Haaah!”
Shuuaaaak!
His sword images instantly expanded, forming a wide, impenetrable iron wall that shielded his entire body, beginning to absorb Sunwoo Jin’s assault.
A wall of sword energy, a sword barrier, blocking the bombardment of hundreds of blades.
Babababababap!
Sunwoo Jin’s sword images collided with Jin Taedo’s barrier and vanished uselessly.
The sun-like sword strikes that had filled the sky ultimately failed to pierce through the barrier and faded away.
Exhausted but victorious, Jin Taedo’s sword barrier held firm.
Realizing the attack had ended, he exhaled deeply and thought, “It’s over.”
Though a chill ran down his spine for a moment, Jin Taedo felt satisfied.
Not only had he blocked the onslaught, but he hadn’t lost sight of Sunwoo Jin’s true form behind the sword images.
In the end, the man had failed in his final strike and couldn’t get past him.
It had been an impressive display of swordsmanship, but that was all there was.
Through the barrage, Jin Taedo caught sight of the blades of the Six Harmonies Sword Masters piercing toward the attacker’s back.
“Mu Liang Shu Bu!”
Sshhhiiik!
Blades plunged into the attacker’s exposed back, wide open and undefended.
There was no way to stop this.
The man had thrown everything into his last attack, leaving his back completely vulnerable.