Chapter 262

Ma-gyeong Manhaksoongi asked Sun Woo-jin,
“Are you confident?”

Sun Woo-jin answered firmly,
“When it comes to avenging my parents, confidence doesn’t matter.”

“Hmm.”

Ma-gyeong Manhaksoongi stroked his white beard with a look of interest. After a moment’s thought, he said,
“You can’t stop someone from avenging their parents. Very well. I’ll give you the chance to take your revenge.”

Sun Woo-jin bowed respectfully toward him, while Jin Tae-do’s face twisted in anger.

‘Inparang! That damn fool, even now…’

Jin Tae-do was furious—not because he doubted he could defeat Sun Woo-jin, but because winning this fight would bring him no benefit.

He was trying to divert Manhaksoongi’s attention and find a chance to escape. But if he faced Sun Woo-jin one-on-one, both those options would vanish.

Worse, he might be forced to reveal his true strength.

‘Ma-gyeong must be thinking the same. He probably never believed Inparang could beat me. He must have allowed this fight, thinking it doesn’t matter if I lose. Or rather, expecting me to lose.’

No matter the outcome, Manhaksoongi stood to lose nothing. If Jin Tae-do won, he could deal with the aftermath. And even if Sun Woo-jin won—though unlikely—it would only be a minor setback for him.

But for Jin Tae-do, it was all downside.

Still, he had no choice. Especially now, with the Jaseongjinma of the Hyeongsan Sect looking at him with suspicion after Sun Woo-jin’s few words.

Sun Woo-jin pointed his White Tiger Sword at Jin Tae-do and said,
“Jin Tae-do, I will avenge the wrongful deaths of Haenam Inga and the Saha elders.”

Jin Tae-do’s eyes twitched as he stared at him. Though they were still several paces apart, Sun Woo-jin’s icy words pierced like a blade through his skin.

Faced with such an extraordinary presence, Jin Tae-do had no choice but to accept the inevitable.

‘No way around it. I have to kill this bastard first to see what comes next. Or maybe not kill him—take him hostage? Would Manhaksoongi value him that much?’

His mind was a mess, but outwardly he drew his sword with fierce intent.

Clang!

“A pup climbs recklessly, unaware of the tiger’s wrath!”

Though fond of schemes, Jin Tae-do was still a warrior. Drawing his sword simplified his thoughts.

‘Right. Whether I kill or spare him, I need a swift conclusion.’

But Sun Woo-jin smiled coldly and spoke,
“I can hear your scheming all the way over here. You’re probably thinking of a quick fight to finish me off and run. Maybe even taking me hostage if you can.”

Jin Tae-do’s eyes snapped open wider. The way this guy spoke as if he’d been inside his head was infuriating.

And since everything he said was true, there was no way to argue.

Still smiling, Sun Woo-jin asked,
“Shall I clear your mind in one strike?”

“…?”

Clear his mind? Jin Tae-do couldn’t read his intent, but he decided to hear him out—curiosity getting the better of him.

Sun Woo-jin wiped the smile from his face and declared firmly,
“Jin Tae-do, you will die by my sword. So there’s no need to think beyond that. How’s that for a clean resolution?”

How dare he!

Rage surged in Jin Tae-do’s chest. He felt mocked once again.

“You little brat, how dare you!”

Shiiik!

Unable to hold back, Jin Tae-do’s sword sliced through the air toward Sun Woo-jin—an almost invisible, lightning-fast strike.

It was the Jinryong Sword Technique of the Haenam Jinga family.

Zzzeong!

With a sharp clash, the two men stepped back. Jin Tae-do’s eyes twitched, while Sun Woo-jin’s lips curled into a cold smile.

From behind Manhaksoongi, one of the Daenamsahung, Biyoma-gun Sang Do-gyeong, asked in a flustered voice,
“What… what was that just now?”

He wasn’t the only one taken aback. The Heukgyo-ma-gun and Baekjeok-ma-gun, arms crossed and watching alongside, also wore confused expressions.

The first clash between Jin Tae-do and Sun Woo-jin had been too fast to see.

The three supreme warlords ruling the southern seas couldn’t even track the speed of their sword strikes.

Only Manhaksoongi, who witnessed it, let out a breathless exclamation.

“Ho!”

Meanwhile, the two men stood apart again, swords raised, their expressions very different.

Jin Tae-do looked slightly unsettled. His surprise came from how easily his surprise attack had been parried.

He had only tested the waters, yet Sun Woo-jin had matched his lightning-fast strike with one of similar speed.

Moreover, the move Sun Woo-jin had just shown wasn’t the Sailsword Technique’s Il-sil Il-do he’d displayed before. It was a simple sword swing.

Jin Tae-do was amazed that Sun Woo-jin had reacted to his strike with such ease, simply by swinging his sword.

“You… what was that just now?”

Sun Woo-jin smiled faintly and replied,
“Surely that wasn’t your best? If it was, I’m quite disappointed.”

Seeing his relaxed smile, Jin Tae-do realized something. For some reason, this guy had grown stronger since they last met a few days ago.

He was no longer at a level where Jin Tae-do could confidently say he could win in any situation.

“That bastard…”

Jin Tae-do narrowed his eyes and began to focus. Having acknowledged his opponent, he was ready to take the fight seriously.

Sun Woo-jin nodded in return.

At last, the aura of Jin Tae-do—the Haenam Swordmaster, one of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World—was radiating.

This is the real deal now.

Sun Woo-jin centered himself.

Finally, he was about to face someone who had reached the pinnacle of the Thirty-Six Stars—not with a deadly assassin’s skill like Amhyeolhyang, but with the sword itself.

And this fight felt different from all the others.

To face the Thirty-Six Stars head-on.

In his past life, it was unthinkable. He had only ever looked up to such beings as gods.

Now, he stood shoulder to shoulder with them.

Just thinking about it made his heart race.

Thanks to his recent enlightenment, Sun Woo-jin had finally broken through the century-old wall of internal energy and entered the realm of the ultra-elite.

He was now in the same world as the monstrous opponents he would face ahead.

So he was curious how much power he could unleash if he used the Moonlight Phantom Sword Dance at this level.

That was why, despite risking revealing his strength to Ma-gyeong, he refused to yield the duel with Jin Tae-do.

Alright, time to step it up.

Moonlight Phantom Sword Dance, Third Form.

Activate Hyunmangwol.

Fwoooosh!

Sun Woo-jin elevated the Moonlight Phantom Sword Dance from the form he had maintained so far to the Hyunmangwol state.

The sensation of omnipotence and omniscience returned, and the once-overwhelming Hyunmangwol now felt much more comfortable.

Jin Tae-do and Sun Woo-jin circled each other slowly, keeping a measured distance.

In a duel of lightning-fast swordsmen, a single strike often decided the outcome.

The next clash might be the last.

Every step, every twitch of finger muscles, even the faintest tremor of fine hairs—all were fully perceived by both.

It felt as if only the two of them existed in this space.

Then, in an instant, Jin Tae-do struck first.

A lightning-fast thrust with almost no wind-up.

This time, it was a triple strike.

Shu-shu-shuk!

Three blades stabbed toward Sun Woo-jin almost simultaneously.

The speed was staggering.

Unable to handle it in place, Sun Woo-jin hurriedly stepped back, parrying the attacks.

Jjeo-jjeo-jung!

Emboldened, Jin Tae-do pressed on with more thrusts.

This time, five consecutive strikes.

Shu-shu-shu-shu-shuk!

Sun Woo-jin again retreated hastily, blocking each one.

Jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeo-jung!

But Jin Tae-do’s assault didn’t stop.

Riding the momentum, he surged forward like a storm, intent on finishing it.

“Haaah!”

Watching this, Biyoma-gun Sang Do-gyeong of the Daenamsahung frowned slightly and asked Ma-gyeong Manhaksoongi,
“He’s retreating like that… looks like he’s losing ground. Is it alright to let it go on like this, Boss?”

Honestly, Sang Do-gyeong couldn’t properly see the ongoing exchange.

But it was common sense that retreating during a duel was a mistake.

It would only give the enemy momentum and make counterattacks impossible.

Manhaksoongi answered briefly,
“His eyes are still alive.”

“Huh?”

Hearing that, Sang Do-gyeong glanced at Sun Woo-jin.

Despite being pushed back, Sun Woo-jin’s eyes still shone sharply.

They didn’t look like the eyes of someone in danger.

At that moment—

“Haaah!”

Jin Tae-do shouted and thrust his sword.

An invisible flurry of strikes swept toward Sun Woo-jin like a storm.

From the side, it looked as if multiple swords were stabbing from all directions at once.

“Gasp!”

“No way?!”

At the storm-like swift sword strikes, the two members of Daenam Sahung barely managed to parry.

The attack was something they simply couldn’t handle.

But Sun Woo-jin was different.

Until the very last moment, his sharp eyes tracked Jin Tae-do’s assault, and then, suddenly, his sword seemed to become as light as air.

Swish! Clang! Swish! Clang! Swish!

“Hah!”

“Impossible!”

It was an astonishing sight.

Sun Woo-jin’s sword swayed lightly, as if fluttering in a gentle breeze, effortlessly deflecting Jin Tae-do’s strikes that were almost invisible to the eye.

The Daenam Sahung warriors could only gape in disbelief, sighing helplessly as they watched him parry the relentless, storm-like flurry of blows.

Jin Tae-do’s eyes flickered with confusion.

He had thought this attack would finish the fight, but his confidence wavered for a moment.

At that instant, Sun Woo-jin’s gaze flashed sharply.

His sword followed suit.

“Hah!”

Swoosh!

Jin Tae-do gritted his teeth as his blade was struck hard by the opponent’s slash.

‘Ugh!’

The lightning-fast strike sent tremors through his sword, as if it might fly from his grasp.

It was an incredibly powerful blow.

And that wasn’t the end.

While Jin Tae-do endured the pain tearing at his hand, gripping his sword tightly, Sun Woo-jin’s blade came down like an axe from above.

Two strikes, almost simultaneous.

In his mind, Jin Tae-do called out the name of the technique.

“Southern Cross Slash!”

Swoosh!

Jin Tae-do barely managed to block the blow.

But though he stopped the sword, he couldn’t withstand the force behind it.

The tremendous power forced him to stagger backward, his sword vibrating wildly in his hand like a live fish.

A low hum filled the air.

“Ugh!”

Jin Tae-do struggled to regain control of his sword.

But Sun Woo-jin’s assault pressed on relentlessly.

Before long, he was right in front of Jin Tae-do again, swinging his blade.

Whoosh!

Only then did Jin Tae-do recall the nature of the Southern Cross Slash.

With each successive cross-shaped strike, the power intensifies, ultimately shattering the opponent or their weapon.

That was the hallmark of the Southern Cross Slash.

Swoosh!

After blocking the third strike, Jin Tae-do’s grip finally began to tear.

Blood seeped through the pain.

“Grrgh!”

And again.

Swoosh!

A sharp crack echoed—likely a muscle tear in his arm.

The strikes kept coming.

Swoosh!

Jin Tae-do barely held off the fifth blow, thinking he wouldn’t survive the sixth.

At this rate, defeat was inevitable.

Grinding his teeth, Jin Tae-do refused to lose so easily.

He couldn’t let everything he’d built be destroyed by a single loss.

Glaring at Sun Woo-jin’s descending blade, he thought bitterly:

“This is all because of that bastard. Inparang, that hateful wretch stole everything from me.”

He had to kill him.

Even if it meant dying here, he wanted to take that hateful man down.

In that split second, having resolved his thoughts, Jin Tae-do stared up at the descending blade and made his decision.

“If I keep going like this, I’ll lose. No more holding back!”

He unleashed his full strength.

This was a technique he’d saved for fighting Ma-gyeong.

The ninth form of the Jinryong Sword Style.

Fierce Dragon Piercing the Sea.

The secret finishing move that once pierced through the chest of the Daenam Sahung’s Blue Robe Horse Army.

Boom!

With the force of a cannon blast, Jin Tae-do’s sword shot forward with tremendous momentum, aiming to shatter Sun Woo-jin’s descending blade.

Crash!

The tips of their swords collided with a deafening roar.

The impact sent Sun Woo-jin flying backward three paces.

“!”

But Sun Woo-jin’s cold eyes remained steady as he retreated and smoothly regained his footing.

Jin Tae-do was the one caught off guard.

He had expected Fierce Dragon Piercing the Sea to break the opponent’s sword and pierce his head.

Instead, the recoil from Sun Woo-jin’s blade forced him to step back.

‘No matter how strong the Southern Cross Slash is, his power should be inferior to mine. How is this possible?’

Jin Tae-do couldn’t understand, but Sun Woo-jin had realized the unusual nature of his opponent’s sword style and had subtly incorporated the secrets of the Gaechun technique into his defense.

Gritting his teeth, Jin Tae-do charged again.

Regardless of the opponent’s power, he had to press the advantage while momentum was on his side.

“Hah!”

His sword fired out like a cannon once more.

Though slightly slower than before, the Fierce Dragon Piercing the Sea struck with the force of a massive pillar.

Boom!

Sun Woo-jin’s chest was pierced.

But in the next moment, his afterimage vanished, and his sword reappeared slightly to the side.

Like air itself, he smoothly deflected the strike.

“Not letting you escape!”

Jin Tae-do launched another Fierce Dragon Piercing the Sea.

Boom!

The cannon-like blast forced Sun Woo-jin to retreat like petals scattered by the wind.

But Jin Tae-do didn’t relent.

Determined to finish it this time, he pressed forward relentlessly.

Boom!

Sun Woo-jin barely dodged the strike, but his collar was shredded to dust.

The attack’s wide arc was overwhelming.

Though he managed to evade, it felt like an invisible giant pillar was barreling toward him.

He was dangerously close to being caught and torn apart.

“Lord Sun Woo-jin…”

Jin So-eun looked at him with desperate eyes.

The three Daenam Sahung members frowned and spoke to Man Hak-soong.

“Boss, at this rate…”

“He’s going to die soon. Should we intervene?”

But Man Hak-soong didn’t answer.

He simply watched with an expression of interest.

Inside, his thoughts churned.

‘That Jin Tae-do hid such a technique. Quite threatening. And that brat Tiger is somehow holding it off?’

He was honestly surprised.

Both fighters far exceeded his expectations.

Jin Tae-do, whom he’d dismissed as a mere snake, had venomous fangs.

And the young tiger he thought to keep as a pet was already a fierce beast.

‘Even if not now, if left alone, they could become threats.’

Man Hak-soong wasn’t the type to spare those who might challenge him.

His gaze grew colder.

Meanwhile, Sun Woo-jin focused all his mind on his sword technique.

He’d seen Fierce Dragon Piercing the Sea once before, but experiencing it firsthand was even more formidable.

Boom!

“Hoo…”

The speed rivaled his own Ilshisa-il technique, the range like Baejonggwan’s forearm, and the power like Seolpung’s palm strike.

It was extremely difficult.

Not that he had no way to counter it.

He could block it head-on with Gaechun.

No matter how strong Fierce Dragon Piercing the Sea was, it couldn’t compare to Gaechun.

But Sun Woo-jin had decided against that.

He didn’t want to reveal Mukrang Sword Style before Ma-gyeong.

More importantly, he wanted to avenge Inparang with the Southern Cross Slash.

‘But that won’t work in my current state.’

Jin Tae-do was undeniably strong.

He’d reached the pinnacle, and even in the Moonlight Sword Dance’s third form, Hyeonmangwol, he still felt overwhelmed.

He needed the next step.

Sun Woo-jin rationalized the situation.

‘My sword master told me never to use it yet, but now that I’ve reached the pinnacle…’

It was time to go all out.

“All right, let’s do this!”

Sun Woo-jin’s eyes suddenly blazed.

A pale violet glow, tinged with icy blue like moonlight.

Moonlight Sword Dance, fourth form.

Entering Mangwol.

Whoosh!

His spirit centered itself in the heart of the world.

He realized something.

He alone was unique in this world.

Compared to him, all others were meaningless and worthless.

Even the Thirty-Six Sages like Jin Tae-do, or the Supreme Ma-gyeong Man Hak-soong—they were nothing.

Merely dust.

Therefore, as the one with unique value, he was the master of this world.

Only he deserved to exist fully and had the right to govern life and death.

Boom!

Jin Tae-do’s Fierce Dragon Piercing the Sea stabbed toward him.

A pitiful creature of dust trying to harm the master of the world.

Not just worthless, but annoying.

Sun Woo-jin declared toward the strike.

“Split apart.”

A gap appeared in the attack.

A clear line was visible.

Following that line, he slashed.

Sun Woo-jin’s blade struck precisely along the opponent’s sword surface.

Swoosh!

Sun Woo-jin had precisely parried the blade, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike.

Jin Tae-do stared at him in shock.

A mere insect…

It was laughable.

Without hesitation, Sun Woo-jin swung his sword down onto the man’s head.

The man barely managed to recover his bounced-back sword, trying to block the blow.

Sun Woo-jin smirked and issued a cold command.

“Don’t bother. Break.”

Cracks appeared along the man’s blade—fractures caused by the earlier impacts.

Sun Woo-jin subtly shifted the angle of his strike, aiming directly at the largest crack.

Shing!

Crack!

The sword couldn’t withstand the pressure and finally snapped in two.

The man’s eyes widened in disbelief.

With a bitter smile, Sun Woo-jin brought his broken sword down again.

Crack!

“Ughhh!”

The man’s left arm fell off like a worm writhing in the dirt.

That’s what he was.

A worm.

No—everything except himself was a worm.

So now, it was time to sever the worm’s head.

Sun Woo-jin immediately swung his sword toward Jin Tae-do’s head.

His arm creaked slightly from the sudden change in direction, but it didn’t matter.

Then, a voice cut through the tension.

“Snap out of it, Jin! Your body can’t take any more!”

Can’t take it?

Sun Woo-jin let out a short laugh.

What nonsense.

The master of this world—his body—couldn’t possibly fail him now.

Another voice followed.

“Listen to your master! Think of Tang So-jeo! Think of what’s precious! Your friends, Bi Sa-young, Bae Jong-gwan, Seol Poong! You have to save So-jeo!”

Precious things?

He scoffed.

There was no room for such things in the world’s master.

Then, suddenly, clarity struck.

Faces of his master Muk Rang, his friends, Tang Ye-eun, and Hae Cheong-yeon flashed before his eyes.

“Ughhh!”

Sun Woo-jin bit down hard until his lips bled.

Blood welled up from the torn skin, forcing him out of the Moonlight Phantom Sword Dance.

“Grrrgh!”

He staggered back hastily.

His entire body screamed in pain.

Especially his right shoulder—the muscles strained from overexertion.

He realized the muscles had nearly torn apart.

“Phew…”

Taking a deep breath, Sun Woo-jin looked at Jin Tae-do.

The man’s face was pale, and he held the broken sword defensively, eyes wide with fear.

Sun Woo-jin could clearly see the emotion filling those eyes.

It was terror.

So overwhelming that he couldn’t even stop the blood spurting from his severed left arm.

Suddenly, Muk Rang’s voice came again.

“Are you alright, Jin?”

Sun Woo-jin answered with a bitter smile.

“Yes, Elder. Thanks to your timely warning, my muscles didn’t tear. I’m grateful. I suppose it’s clear now that using Mangwol is still beyond me.”

“Good. It’s a relief your body’s intact. But… the situation outside seems to be getting worse.”

Hearing Muk Rang, Sun Woo-jin glanced around.

He noticed Ma Kyung Man Hak-soong watching him with a grave expression.

It was a stark contrast to the playful look from before.

Seeing that, Sun Woo-jin asked Muk Rang.

“That look—is it what I think it is?”

Muk Rang replied.

“Yes. If you think it’s the expression of a tiger cub realizing it’s already a fierce beast, then you’re exactly right.”

“…This is bad.”

Just then, Man Hak-soong spoke directly to Sun Woo-jin.

“Not bad at all. Quite impressive, actually.”

His face radiated a deep, menacing aura.

Sun Woo-jin couldn’t help but swallow hard.