Chapter 355: Didn't I Say I Could Use Inner Arts?

TL: FoodieMonster007

"The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult Young Cult Leader!"

The Light Flash and the Evil Eccentric recognized Geom Mugeuk simultaneously. Geom Mugeuk had made an unforgettable impression during their first meeting.

"Why are you here?" they asked, completely surprised by Geom Mugeuk's presence.

The Light Flash and the Evil Eccentric reacted in opposite ways. A sliver of hope bloomed in the Evil Eccentric's heart. A new variable had appeared just as he faced death.

The Light Flash, however, looked utterly dismayed. He had been moments from framing the Evil Eccentric and killing the Young Alliance Chairman. Now, he would have to kill the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult too. His actions were already extraordinary, but killing the Young Cult Leader would turn the murim completely upside down.

Frustrated by the unexpected variable, the Light Flash strode over, poured himself a drink, and drank it.

How should I handle this?

He debated whether to report this to Hwang Seokgyeong immediately or handle it independently. Reporting it and waiting for a response would take time.

A bigger problem was that his plan had been exposed to the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.

The Light Flash looked at Geom Mugeuk. His relaxed gaze seemed to convey his confidence that they couldn't kill him.

Young Cult Leader, you've met your match this time.

He decided how to handle this troublesome matter.

The Light Flash looked at the Evil Eccentric and said, "At least you won't have to be framed for killing the Young Alliance Chairman."

Guessing the Light Flash's intention, the Evil Eccentric responded coldly.

"You crazy bastard."

Both he and the Light Flash were villains among villains. He had lived his whole life not trusting people, but he still had a part of him that trusted the Light Flash, with whom he had spent time. He had even liked his taciturn personality. He had been deceived by that silence. He was angrier at himself for being fooled than at the one who had fooled him.

His martial arts, the Great Iron Cleave, was a close-combat art that used the entire body. Without inner arts, he couldn't even attempt a surprise attack.

What would happen if the three of us, the Young Cult Leader, the Young Alliance Chairman, and myself, rushed him? Couldn't we do something even without inner arts?

However, he knew better than anyone how fast the Light Flash's sword was. Without inner arts, his close-combat arts would be nothing more than a massage, and the other two's attacks would be like children's swordplay.

The Light Flash's decision was just as the Evil Eccentric had predicted.

"Because it'll be handled as if the Young Cult Leader and the Young Alliance Chairman fought and destroyed each other."

Geom Mugeuk said to Bi Sayin, "In the end, the thing you were worried about is happening. Us fighting and killing each other."

"You're making jokes in a situation like this?"

"If friends die on the same day at the same time, isn't that a valuable thing in its own right?"

Bi Sayin was in no mood to entertain Geom Mugeuk's banter.

I'm going to die like this?

He had trusted the Light Flash and the Evil Eccentric. That was why he had drunk the alcohol without any suspicion. He had thought it was natural to trust them since they followed the Evil Alliance Chairman. Come to think of it, they were people who had no connection to him at all.

Suddenly, Geom Mugeuk's words about looking at people properly and closely came to mind. Yes, this too was ultimately the result of not seeing people for who they were.

After he died, what would happen to the Evil Alliance? What about the Chairman? The ones who had drawn in even the Light Flash would not be easy opponents.

As he faced death, his final worry was not for himself.

"You must not kill the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult. Even if you kill us, please let that man go."

To think I'm asking someone to save another person when I'm about to die? Bi Sayin felt like a stranger to himself.

"The Young Cult Leader will promise. He'll promise to never speak a word of what happened here. A man of his stature, the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, won't break a promise lightly."

When the Light Flash showed no particular reaction, Bi Sayin tried to persuade him more desperately. "Try to think from the Young Cult Leader's perspective. This all happened within the Evil Alliance anyway. It has nothing to do with him, does it? There's no way he would reveal today's events by tarnishing his own honor. If you kill the Young Cult Leader, the Demonic Cult will find you all and kill you."

Bi Sayin turned to Geom Mugeuk and said, "Isn't that right? You tell him."

Then, Geom Mugeuk said, "I'll talk."

"What?"

"He's the man who killed you right before my eyes. I can't just let it be. Not only will I tell everyone, but I'll also get revenge."

Bi Sayin was frustrated. This Young Cult Leader, now is not the time for jokes. Please, just this once, play along with me.

Hiding his inner thoughts, Bi Sayin calmly persuaded the Light Flash. "The Young Cult Leader is originally good at saying things he doesn't mean. Don't make this a bigger issue, just let the Young Cult Leader go."

As he said this, Bi Sayin looked at Geom Mugeuk and conveyed with his eyes, 'I'm not joking. So you shouldn't joke either.'

Of course, Geom Mugeuk would not meekly comply with that wish.

"You, right now, are the coolest I've ever seen you."

Just stop! Bi Sayin stopped himself from erupting in anger. Right, it's already come to this. He's not going to spare him just because I ask, or kill him if I don't.

"If the person trying so hard to save me isn't cool, wouldn't that be a problem too?"

After saying that, Bi Sayin gave a bitter smile. So I'm bantering even at a moment like this. Fine, I'd rather die laughing and joking with him. Thinking that, his heart felt at ease.

Geom Mugeuk looked at the Light Flash.

"Look at that man's eyes."

Bi Sayin followed Geom Mugeuk's gaze and looked at the Light Flash's eyes. They were cold, revealing no emotion.

"He has no intention of letting me live."

How could Bi Sayin not have known? He just didn't want Geom Mugeuk to die like this too.

Bi Sayin let out a long sigh.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dragged you into this."

Then, Geom Mugeuk said, "That's your second sigh."

I want to show him my tenth, my hundredth sigh, but our relationship ends with just two sighs.

It felt like he could overcome any crisis as long as he was with Geom Mugeuk. Even in this matter, Geom Mugeuk had pushed him to be the protagonist, but in a corner of his heart, there was a part of him that trusted him.

But he had forgotten. While marveling at Geom Mugeuk's incredible abilities and laughing at his banter, he had forgotten that he too was human.

"I'm truly sorry."

At his apology, which he uttered like a lament, Geom Mugeuk smiled.

"There's no need to be sorry."

Watching them, the Evil Eccentric said to the Light Flash, "Even their new, unripe friendship is so poignant, but what is this between us?"

The Light Flash pretended not to hear and said nothing.

This time, Geom Mugeuk spoke to the Light Flash.

"You will become a protagonist who will go down in the history of the murim. Because you will have killed the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, the Evil Alliance Young Alliance Chairman, and one of the Seven Evil Masters in one place."

Then, the Evil Eccentric added a word.

"Make sure to leave in that record that you killed them with Qi Dispersing Poison!"

The Light Flash, deciding not to drag it out any longer, moved to draw his sword.

Geom Mugeuk quickly asked, "Let me ask one thing before I die. Where are the children who were kidnapped and taken away?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"I got involved in this because of that incident, so shouldn't I at least know before I die?"

However, that was something the Light Flash also didn't know.

"I don't know."

"Then who in the Evil Alliance did that person you respect join hands with?"

Geom Mugeuk tried to find out anything he could through him.

But this time too, he shook his head. It seemed he really didn't know.

"You're just a man being used as Hwang Seokgyeong's sword."

Geom Mugeuk added to Bi Sayin, "Later, this man would have been used as a sword to kill the Evil Alliance Chairman."

It seemed entirely possible. He would have continued to build trust like this and, at a critical moment, played the role of assassinating the Evil Alliance Chairman. If he used poison, hidden weapons, and every other means available, couldn't he have assassinated the Evil Alliance Chairman? What if the Brawling King also joined in?

What was more worrying was this. With the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult also dead, the relationship between the Demonic Cult and the Evil Alliance would rapidly deteriorate. If misunderstandings piled up, it was a situation where a war could break out. In such a situation, could the truth behind these deaths be properly revealed? In the meantime, those bastards would just be looking to profit from the chaos.

Bi Sayin conveyed his frustrated heart to Geom Mugeuk. "I wish you would say this. 'Actually, I can use my inner arts.' I wish you would say it with a smile, like one of your usual jokes. If only we could survive because of it…"

"If we survive?"

"I'll gather people and dance."

He was a man who had never danced in his life. He was the type to think he would rather die than dance in front of people.

Would he make such a ridiculous condition just because he wanted to live?

He wanted to live. He didn't want to die like this, not even if he had to die.

There was still so much to do. He hadn't even sat in the grand chair of the Chairman's Hall yet. He hadn't established his own path. He hadn't met a woman to love. He hadn't drunk with his friend at the tavern in front of his house… He hadn't even greeted his friend's father yet.

Geom Mugeuk looked at Bi Sayin, smiled brightly, and said, "Actually, I can use my inner arts."

Bi Sayin smiled back. His rough, scarred face brightened. Yes, dying with a smile like this suits being with Geom Mugeuk.

I was glad to be your friend.

The Light Flash drew his sword and said to the Evil Eccentric, "Still, because of our bond, I'll kill you last."

"We've known each other for twenty years and traveled together for seven or eight. What a great bond indeed."

The Light Flash pretended not to hear and walked toward Bi Sayin.

"I have no ill feelings toward the Young Alliance Chairman."

His heart was beating fast, but Bi Sayin was dignified. He stared at the Light Flash calmly, unafraid of death.

Heavens, please protect the Evil Alliance!

The Light Flash's sword flew forward.

SHWAAAAAAK!

"……"

Bi Sayin's eyes flew wide open.

Blocking his view was Geom Mugeuk's back. He had crossed the space in an instant and blocked the incoming sword with the Black Demon Sword.

"……"

There was no time to talk.

The Light Flash, whose sword was crossed with Geom Mugeuk's, immediately unleashed his unique martial arts, the Thunder Chasing Triple Swords. From that single block, the Light Flash knew. If he used any other shallow tricks, he would simply die. He poured all his inner arts into his signature martial arts.

Even with inner arts, the result won't be different!

How could a human dodge a falling thunderbolt? He was confident that if he unleashed the Thunder Chasing Triple Swords at this distance, he could definitely kill Geom Mugeuk.

"……"

SHWIIIIIIK!

It was an attack so fast it was invisible to the eye, but there were humans who could dodge thunderbolts.

Even if he dodges one!

The second sword of the Thunder Chasing technique was unleashed in rapid succession. Sword light flashed, and in an instant, a dozen sword-lines poured toward Geom Mugeuk.

CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANG!

But Geom Mugeuk's Black Demon Sword blocked all the attacks. If one side was a thunderbolt, the other was a thunderbolt too.

The Light Flash was surprised and flustered. Until now, only one person had ever blocked the second Thunder Chasing Sword unleashed at this distance.

Right, he's the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, so maybe he can block it, but he won't be able to block the final third sword.

Just as the Thunder Chasing Triple Swords, which would sweep away everyone present, was about to be unleashed.

PUUK!

With the sound of tearing flesh, the clash of swords stopped.

The sudden silence indicated that the match had ended in a single move.

The Light Flash's gaze slowly turned toward his own chest.

The Black Demon Sword had pierced through his chest. He couldn't believe he had missed that attack.

"…Faster than me?"

The Light Flash slowly raised his head to look at Geom Mugeuk.

Those clear, deep eyes belonged to a different person from the one who had been bantering with Bi Sayin earlier.

Looking into his eyes, which were losing their vitality, Geom Mugeuk said coldly, "The moment you put Qi Dispersing Poison in the liquor bottle, everything you had accomplished as a martial artist vanished. Now, you are nothing."

The Light Flash's lips twitched as if to say something.

SHWIIIIK! SQUELCH!

There was no exception for him. The Black Demon Sword, pulled from his chest, sliced off his head in a single stroke.

THUD.

It was the moment the Light Flash, one of the Seven Evil Masters and a master of the swift sword, died without leaving a single word.

Flicking the blood from the Black Demon Sword with a satisfying SHWAAK, Geom Mugeuk turned toward Bi Sayin and grinned.

"Didn't I say I could use my inner arts?"

Along with the joy of being alive, a thrill ran through Bi Sayin's entire body. It was a moment where the gates of hell had opened and then slammed shut again.

"How on earth?"

"It seems the Qi Dispersing Poison doesn't agree with my constitution."

Ah! Just how long is this man going to keep surprising people like this?

"How far do you plan on dragging me around?"

"Didn't I tell you? To let yourself be dragged along comfortably, look at the stars, and watch the clouds. One day, a time will come when you'll think, 'those were the good days.' And then, when I get tired, you can drag me for a bit."

The two men's gazes met in mid-air.

Bi Sayin didn't say thank you. He had decided to settle his gratitude at the very end. Now, a life debt was added to that gratitude. Will I ever be able to settle all of this?

Bi Sayin wasn't the only one who was surprised. The Evil Eccentric was staring at the Light Flash's corpse with a dazed expression.

He was stunned by Geom Mugeuk's skill. The Qi Dispersing Poison not working on him was a second brother, and he had blocked all of the Light Flash's attacks at such a close range, and then he killed him with an even faster swift sword technique.

Even though the swift sword technique wasn't Geom Mugeuk's unique martial art, he had defeated the Light Flash with what was essentially a basic skill.

He's much stronger than us!

He knew the Young Cult Leader was a special person, but he didn't know he was this strong.

He politely performed a clasped hands greeting and expressed his gratitude to Geom Mugeuk.

"Young Cult Leader, I owe you my life. If you ever need any help in the future, please contact me."

"I will. From now on, please take good care of my friend."

As he said this, he looked at Bi Sayin. It seemed like a polite request, but it was a warning to the Evil Eccentric not to treat Bi Sayin carelessly.

The Evil Eccentric looked at Bi Sayin. The two men had a conversation with their eyes.

[How on earth did you become friends with a person like this?]

[I don't know either. When I came to my senses, I was already his friend.]

The three of them walked out of the building.

"By the way, when are you going to keep your promise?"

"What promise are you talking about?"

"The promise that you'd dance in front of people if you survived. I'm reserving a front-row seat."

"When did I ever make such a promise?" Bi Sayin flatly denied it.

"I'm sorry, but I have a witness."

Geom Mugeuk looked at the Evil Eccentric.

"You heard the promise the Young Alliance Chairman made, didn't you?"

The Evil Eccentric looked back and forth between Geom Mugeuk and Bi Sayin. It was already decided whose side he had to take.

"What promise? I didn't hear anything."

"In your life, you'll have more occasions to meet the Young Alliance Chairman than me?"

The Evil Eccentric laughed awkwardly and changed the subject.

"A mere instructor dares to aim for the Evil Alliance Chairman's seat? Come on, let's go. We can't stand to see others succeed, after all."