Chapter 358: If I Get Stabbed Twice, You Get Stabbed Once

TL: FoodieMonster007

Bi Sayin calmed his mind and steeled his resolve.

I can do this. I can win.

This was an absolutely disadvantageous fight. The Evil Eccentric was one of the Seven Evil Masters and on par with their opponents. The problem was Bi Sayin.

Bi Sayin lacked both inner arts and practical combat experience. Moreover, the two enemies had traversed the murim together their entire lives. This was Bi Sayin's first time coordinating with the Evil Eccentric.

But Bi Sayin was not afraid. He had not been since he decided to send the Evil Eccentric off with good intentions. He had changed.

I am the successor of the Evil Alliance.

He would fight without regret, even in death.

Bi Sayin's expression turned grim. His already fearsome face looked even more terrifying.

"Take the one on the left."

The Evil Eccentric told Bi Sayin to fight the King Yama Sword. The composed Thousand Armed Sword was a more difficult opponent, but that was not the only reason.

The Evil Eccentric judged that the King Yama Sword's temperament would lead him to toy with Bi Sayin. If Bi Sayin could just hold out, the Evil Eccentric planned to kill the Thousand Armed Sword and then help.

"I won't be able to last long."

Bi Sayin had been taught the Tyrannical King Annihilation Sword Technique, the unique martial art of the Evil Alliance Chairman.

However, he could only use the first sword, the White Heaven Stance. Since his level was only at the fourth star, he had to land a precise hit.

There is only one chance.

To get that chance, Bi Sayin planned to use his own unique martial art, the Four Soul Chasing Swords, which he learned before the Tyrannical King Annihilation Sword Technique.

As the Evil Eccentric walked toward the Thousand Armed Sword, Bi Sayin naturally stood face-to-face with the King Yama Sword.

The King Yama Sword's aura was formidable and filled with killing intent. Just looking at him created tension, a feeling that an unknown attack could pierce Bi Sayin's heart at any moment. Bi Sayin focused all his senses and asked a question.

"I was under the impression you were dead."

"You people brought us back."

"You people?"

"Yes, you people."

Bi Sayin understood. The Evil Alliance had saved them.

"Who sent you here?"

"I told you, you people."

Bi Sayin could feel the man's hostility toward the Evil Alliance. They were nothing more than swords being used by the Evil Alliance. The only difference was that they were butcher knives for oxen, not chickens.

The King Yama Sword drew his sword and launched himself forward.

CHAENG!

Their swords clashed once. Over their crossed blades, Bi Sayin glared at the King Yama Sword. They had only exchanged a single blow, but Bi Sayin's arm ached as if it would fall off.

How much pain are you in?

The King Yama Sword's expression, however, was serene.

CHAENG CHAENG CHAENG CHAENG CHAENG CHAENG!

A dozen blows flashed between them in an instant. Their swords locked again.

"As expected of the Young Alliance Chairman."

The King Yama Sword's eyes filled with leisure as he saw Bi Sayin's arm tremble faintly.

"I never thought the day would come when I'd kill a Young Alliance Chairman."

"If you kill me, do you think the Chairman will just let you be?"

"We only did what you people ordered. What if he doesn't?"

Who on earth are 'you people'? Bi Sayin was extremely curious about who was behind this.

"Young Alliance Chairman, don't blame me."

"Why would I blame you? If a sword stabs me, I should blame the one holding it. I'll blame the 'you people' you mentioned."

Bi Sayin said it hoping to anger him, but the King Yama Sword was calmer than he appeared.

"Fine, let's both blame the one holding the sword."

"Will you concede the first move?"

"It's a request from the Young Alliance Chairman. I should at least grant this much."

Bi Sayin leaped back from their locked swords and unleashed his technique first. He did not spare his inner arts.

The Four Soul Chasing Swords, First Sword, Soul Severance.

A pure white sword qi rose from Bi Sayin's sword like a wave and surged forward.

KWAANG!

The ground shook with a deafening roar. The King Yama Sword dispelled the powerful attack by emitting his own sword qi.

The impact pushed them both back, but Bi Sayin stumbled several more steps than his opponent.

"If my inner arts weren't lacking, I would have been more than a match for you."

The King Yama Sword scoffed, seeing right through Bi Sayin's intention.

"You've been making futile efforts for a while now. Do I look like some lowlife who would fall for such a petty provocation?"

"If you were, a provocation like this wouldn't have been necessary."

Bi Sayin treated him politely. It was not out of respect, but to keep himself from getting agitated.

If this turns into a chaotic brawl, I'll be at a disadvantage.

He had to lead this into a battle of martial arts proficiency. He was confident that the Tyrannical King Annihilation Sword Technique and the Four Soul Chasing Swords were superior to the King Yama Sword's swordsmanship. He had to find a way to properly utilize their level.

"Young Alliance Chairman, no matter what trick you use, it will be useless."

"See all my moves before you say that."

The Four Soul Chasing Swords, Second Sword, the Soul Binder.

Five streams of sword qi swirled left and right as they flew toward the King Yama Sword. They looked like five living dragons swooping down on him.

Sword qi poured from the King Yama Sword's blade as well. They were wolves that devoured dragons. The dragons, not yet fully grown, were all devoured by the monstrously large wolves.

The Third Sword, Iron Soul, and the Fourth Sword, Mad Soul, were also ineffective.

The King Yama Sword proved with his skill what it meant to be one of the Seven Evil Masters. Conversely, the more impatient Bi Sayin became, the weaker his swordsmanship grew.

"Wait! Let's take a short break before we fight!"

The King Yama Sword sneered openly at Bi Sayin's words.

"Do you think stalling for time will make the Evil Eccentric come help you?"

"It seems likely, doesn't it?"

"On the contrary, you'll be the one facing both of us, won't you?"

The two men glanced over at the fight between the Evil Eccentric and the Thousand Armed Sword.

The Evil Eccentric's Great Iron Cleave was truly incredible. He dodged and parried the Thousand Armed Sword's attacks with his bare body while launching counterattacks.

SHWAAAAAAK!

The Evil Eccentric dodged an incoming sword, then shot his elbow toward the Thousand Armed Sword's chest.

The Thousand Armed Sword narrowly avoided it and swung his sword. This time, his blade grazed the Evil Eccentric's neck.

Enhanced qi exploded from the tip of the Evil Eccentric's fist as it flew in again.

PWAAANG!

The Thousand Armed Sword twisted his body to dodge. Emitted sword qi then swept through the spot where the Evil Eccentric had been standing. The Evil Eccentric did not leap far away to evade. He tried his best not to let the distance between them grow.

It was a hair-raising match. A single mistake could mean death.

Bi Sayin and the King Yama Sword stood for a moment, watching the breathtaking exchange.

"If you truly trust your friend, let's wait until that fight is over. I'll gladly take on both of you."

But their fight was too evenly matched for that.

"If such cheap tricks worked, would we have survived this long?"

The King Yama Sword thrust his sword, pressing his attack.

CHAENG CHAENG CHAENG CHAENG!

The difference was not just inner arts. The gap in combat experience was too great.

The King Yama Sword had been through all sorts of battles, so it was not easy for Bi Sayin to find an opportunity.

PWAK!

Blood spurted from Bi Sayin's arm.

SHWIIIIK!

The moment he flinched was a crisis. The King Yama Sword's follow-up attack was ferocious.

Too late to dodge!

But in the next moment, the King Yama Sword was the one who dodged. The Evil Eccentric had come to save Bi Sayin.

WHOOOOOSH!

The Evil Eccentric rushed in as fast as lightning. He tried to send the King Yama Sword flying with his back and shoulder.

It was such a major attack that the King Yama Sword withdrew his own attack to dodge.

PWAAANG!

But the Evil Eccentric had to pay the price for disengaging from his fight. An incoming sword qi struck his back.

A groan escaped him as he coughed up blood. His protective enhanced qi had prevented his body from being sliced, but his insides were shaken.

Seizing that moment, the King Yama Sword's blade flew toward the Evil Eccentric's neck.

CHAAAAENG!

This time, Bi Sayin threw himself forward to save the Evil Eccentric.

The Evil Eccentric wiped the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

The King Yama Sword spoke to the Evil Eccentric.

"You weren't this kind of person, were you? What on earth did you agree to receive from the Young Alliance Chairman?"

"When I agreed to receive something from the Young Alliance Chairman, I wasn't this desperate, but now that I've decided not to receive anything, I find myself determined to save him."

The King Yama Sword and the Thousand Armed Sword exchanged incomprehensible glances.

Only Bi Sayin understood what the Evil Eccentric had said. Because he was the same.

He had experienced a sense of peace in the face of death. That was why he had been able to send the Evil Eccentric off with kind words.

"Thank you in advance. I don't think I'll have another chance to say it."

The Evil Eccentric firmly shook his head at Bi Sayin's thanks, which were tinged with defeat.

"Thank me after we win."

Bi Sayin could tell from the look in his eyes. Those were not just empty words. He truly meant for them to win.

"You're fighting well right now. Much better than I thought. I believe in you."

A flame ignited in Bi Sayin's heart. Just a moment ago, the thought of giving up had been growing. The idea that he would use the White Heaven Stance as his final move, and lose if it failed, had dominated his thoughts.

Suddenly, it occurred to him that he might have been approaching this fight from the wrong direction.

What if I don't aim for just one chance, but fight truly skill for skill?

He was the one who had proudly become the successor of the Evil Alliance. He must have become the successor because he had something special. Something that would not let him die so easily in a place like this.

Right, let's not underestimate myself. This is the time for bluffing!

Burning away his thoughts of giving up, Bi Sayin charged.

Dozens of sword lines cut through the air. Sparks flew every time their blades met. The pattern of the fight was the same as before, but it was clearly a different battle.

Now, Bi Sayin no longer aimed for a single decisive blow. Because he had been focused on that one move, he had not been able to pour everything he had into the fight. That difference was huge.

Blood spurted from Bi Sayin's side.

In exchange for his side, however, he had slashed the King Yama Sword's shoulder.

It was the King Yama Sword's first injury.

Seeing blood, the King Yama Sword's attacks grew even fiercer, but Bi Sayin was pleased. He could feel that his opponent's composure had crumbled.

Bi Sayin poured everything he had into the fight. If you're one of the Seven Evil Masters, then I'm the successor of the Evil Alliance. If you've experienced all sorts of battles, then I learned martial arts directly from the Evil Alliance Chairman. If I get stabbed twice, you better be prepared to be stabbed once. I'm younger than you, so I'll endure.

Blood spurted from Bi Sayin's arm again. His leg was slashed to the point of staggering, and his waist was cut too. For every two times he was hit, the King Yama Sword shed blood once.

Fortunately, the protective armor he wore allowed him to avoid fatal wounds.

The fervor of Bi Sayin, who had changed his mindset, was creating a miracle.

PUUK!

The King Yama Sword's arm was deeply slashed.

The next moment, the Evil Eccentric shouted.

"Watch out!"

Bi Sayin threw his body aside to dodge the incoming attack. The attacker was, surprisingly, the Thousand Armed Sword.

He had judged that the King Yama Sword was in danger and had intervened. He too had to pay a price.

"……"

The Evil Eccentric, who had charged in right behind, struck his torso squarely with his shoulder.

The Thousand Armed Sword rolled on the ground. The King Yama Sword retreated, swinging his sword.

Bi Sayin was the one who was surprised.

He came to save the King Yama Sword!

It meant Bi Sayin was fighting that well. He could tell. The other three were all paying attention to the other fight because they could not die. If one side collapsed, it would become a two-on-one fight. He, on the other hand, was immersed in this fight like a madman. His opponent could only exert eighty percent of his power, while he was exerting one hundred and twenty.

The Evil Eccentric and the Thousand Armed Sword clashed again, and Bi Sayin began to fight the King Yama Sword.

He fought like a madman, but unfortunately, his fervor began to cool. He started to be pushed back, little by little. One hundred seconds, two hundred seconds, three hundred seconds. As time passed, the one with more inner arts and experience was bound to have the advantage.

Bi Sayin felt a sense of regret. He had thought the skill gap between them was large, but it was not that big of a difference. That is why he felt regret.

It was not dying to an unbeatable enemy that was regrettable. It was dying to an enemy he could have killed if they had met just a little later.

There was a limit to what he could endure with youth and grit. He had lost too much blood, and his movements gradually slowed.

Bi Sayin was driven into a final corner. He leaned against a wall, panting for breath, as the King Yama Sword slowly approached him.

This is the end.

He only had enough strength left to thrust his sword one more time.

Was it because he had lost so much blood?

The movements around him appeared in slow motion, like a kaleidoscope of memories flashing before his eyes.

Even in slow motion, he could feel the intensity of the fight between the Evil Eccentric and the Thousand Armed Sword. The Evil Eccentric was too pressed in his own fight to come and help.

The King Yama Sword said something as he walked toward him, but Bi Sayin could not hear it. It just looked like his mouth was moving.

Then he started seeing things.

At first, it was a dot in the distant sky. Everything moved slowly, but only that dot moved quickly. The dot grew larger and larger as it approached.

He read the look of certain victory on the King Yama Sword's face.

Even then, the dot visible over his shoulder was still growing larger.

The King Yama Sword thrust his sword.

Bi Sayin could clearly see the sword flying toward his neck. The problem was that his own movements were also in slow motion.

With his last ounce of strength, he also thrust his sword.

Two swords flew toward each other.

In the midst of it all, the dot he had seen earlier moved several times faster than his and the King Yama Sword's movements. Was it a bird? Or a rock? Could it be a person?

He saw a distant wall crumble. The thing that had fallen from the sky kicked off the wall and soared again.

The dust from the shattered wall slowly billowed out, but the thing that had destroyed it was already gone.

In that time, the King Yama Sword's blade had reached his neck.

Just as the cold sword touched Bi Sayin's neck, someone dropped down and grabbed the King Yama Sword's arm tightly from behind.

The sword could not advance any further. It stopped.

In that very instant, time returned to its normal speed.

SHWIIIIIIK!

PWAAAAAK!

Bi Sayin's sword did not stop. It stretched out to pierce the King Yama Sword's flesh, bone, and heart.

It was not a hallucination. The sensation in his hand was real. He could see the King Yama Sword slowly collapsing.

A person stood behind him.

It was Geom Mugeuk, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily.

Geom Mugeuk had moved so fast that the distant, crumbling wall was only now falling to the ground.

Bi Sayin's eyes slid shut. He no longer had the strength to stand. He leaned against Geom Mugeuk's body as if collapsing and spoke with his last bit of strength.

"…Save Senior Eccentric."