Bi Sa-in steeled his resolve and calmed his heart.
‘I can do this. I can win.’
It was an overwhelmingly disadvantageous fight. Goeak had once stood among the Seven Great Masters of the Evil Dao, just like them, so even if he could fight them to a standstill, the problem was Bi Sa-in himself.
He lacked both internal energy and real combat experience. On top of that, those two had spent their entire lives roaming the murim together, while he was coordinating with Goeak for the first time today.
Even so, he was not afraid. He had been that way ever since he had tried to send Goeak off with a good heart. He had changed. And more than anything—
‘I am the heir of the Sado Alliance.’
A fight he would not regret, even in death!
Bi Sa-in’s expression turned solemn. His already fearsome face looked even more terrifying.
“Take the one on the left.”
Goeak had told Bi Sa-in to take the Yeomna Sword. It was not only because the calm Cheonsu Sword would be harder to deal with.
Judging by temperament and personality, the Yeomna Sword would try to toy with Bi Sa-in. If Bi Sa-in held out as long as possible, Goeak intended to kill the Cheonsu Sword somehow and then go help him.
“I won’t be able to last long.”
Bi Sa-in had inherited the Tyrant King Heaven-Shaking Sword Art, the unique martial art of the Sado Alliance Leader.
But the only form he could currently execute was the First Sword, White Heaven Form. Moreover, he had only reached the fourth level of mastery, so he had to land it with absolute precision.
‘There will be only one chance.’
To obtain that chance, Bi Sa-in planned to fight using the unique martial art he had learned before the Tyrant King Heaven-Shaking Sword Art—the Four Soul-Chasing Swords.
As Goeak walked toward the Cheonsu Sword, Bi Sa-in naturally found himself facing the Yeomna Sword.
The murderous aura radiating from the Yeomna Sword was extraordinary. Just looking at him filled Bi Sa-in with the tension of not knowing what kind of strike might come flying at any moment and bury itself in his heart. With every nerve drawn taut, Bi Sa-in asked him,
“I heard you were dead.”
“You brought us back to life.”
“You?”
“Yes. You.”
Bi Sa-in understood. The Sado Alliance had saved them.
“Who sent you here?”
“I told you. You did.”
He could feel hostility toward the Sado Alliance. In the end, these men, too, were nothing more than blades being used by the Sado Alliance. The only difference was that this was not a blade for slaughtering chickens, but one for slaughtering oxen.
The Yeomna Sword drew his sword and lightly launched himself forward.
Clang!
Their swords clashed once. Beyond the crossed blades, Bi Sa-in glared at the Yeomna Sword. They had exchanged only a single move, yet his arm hurt as if it were about to fall off.
‘How much pain are you in?’
But the Yeomna Sword’s expression was calm.
Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!
In an instant, more than ten exchanges passed between them, and once again their swords came to a standoff.
“As expected, the Young Alliance Leader is the Young Alliance Leader.”
But when the Yeomna Sword saw Bi Sa-in’s arm trembling, leisure flowed through his gaze.
“I never thought the day would come in my life when I would kill the Young Alliance Leader.”
“If you kill me, do you think the Alliance Leader will leave you be?”
“We’re only doing what you ordered us to do. What if he doesn’t leave us be?”
Just who did he mean by “you”? Bi Sa-in was terribly curious about who stood behind this.
“Young Alliance Leader, don’t blame me.”
“Why would I blame you? If I’m stabbed by a blade, I should blame the person holding it. I’ll blame those ‘you’ you spoke of.”
He had said it hoping to make him angry, but the Yeomna Sword was calmer than he looked.
“Fine. Then let us both blame the one holding the blade.”
“Will you yield the first move to me?”
“It is the Young Alliance Leader’s request. I can at least grant that much.”
Bi Sa-in, whose sword had been pressed against his, suddenly retreated and unleashed his technique first. He did not spare his internal energy.
Four Soul-Chasing Swords, First Sword: Soul-Cutting.
From Bi Sa-in’s sword, pure white sword energy rose like a wave, then surged forward in a violent sweep.
Kwaang!
With an explosive roar, the ground shook. Even though the attack was so powerful, the Yeomna Sword sent out his own sword energy and dissolved the incoming strike.
The impact drove them both back, but Bi Sa-in was pushed several steps farther.
“If I had not been lacking in internal energy, I could have faced you well enough.”
At that, the Yeomna Sword snorted and saw through Bi Sa-in’s intent.
“You’ve been making futile efforts for a while now. Do I look like some low-class fool who would fall for such petty provocation?”
“If you were, there would be no need for provocations like this.”
Bi Sa-in treated him courteously. Not because he respected him, but so that he himself would not become agitated.
‘If I let this turn into a chaotic melee, I’m at a disadvantage.’
He had to draw this into a contest of martial skill. Not to mention the Tyrant King Heaven-Shaking Sword Art he had learned, he was certain that the Four Soul-Chasing Swords was also a higher-grade martial art than the swordsmanship the Yeomna Sword had mastered. Somehow, he had to properly make use of the level of this martial art.
“Young Alliance Leader, no matter what trick you use, it will be useless.”
“Say that after you’ve seen all my tricks.”
Four Soul-Chasing Swords, Second Sword: Soul-Suppression.
No fewer than five streams of sword energy whirled left and right as they flew forth. They looked like five living dragons pouncing upon him.
Sword energy poured out from the Yeomna Sword’s blade as well. They were wolves that devoured dragons. The dragons, not yet fully grown, were all eaten by the monstrous, enormous wolves.
The Third Sword, Iron Soul, and the Fourth Sword, Mad Soul, did not work against the Yeomna Sword either.
The Yeomna Sword proved with his skill what kind of position it meant to be one of the Seven Great Masters of the Evil Dao. Conversely, as Bi Sa-in’s impatience grew, the power of his swordsmanship diminished.
“Wait! Let’s rest for just a moment before we continue!”
At Bi Sa-in’s words, the Yeomna Sword laughed at him openly.
“Do you think if you drag this out, Goeak will come help you?”
“I think he might.”
“On the contrary, you’ll have to face both of us, won’t you?”
The two naturally looked toward the battle between Goeak and the Cheonsu Sword.
Goeak’s Iron Man of Chopping and Striking was truly incredible. He dodged and received the Cheonsu Sword’s attacks with his bare body while launching counterattacks.
Swaaaak!
Dodging the flying sword, Goeak’s elbow shot toward the Cheonsu Sword’s chest.
The Cheonsu Sword narrowly avoided it and swung his blade. This time, his sword grazed past Goeak’s neck.
From the tip of Goeak’s fist as it flew in again, astral qi burst forth.
Ppeong!
The Cheonsu Sword twisted his body to evade, and this time the emitted sword energy swept through the place where Goeak had been standing. Goeak did not throw himself far away to dodge. He was doing everything he could not to allow distance to open between them.
It was truly a battle on a knife’s edge. A fight was unfolding in which a single moment’s mistake would cost one’s life.
Bi Sa-in and the Yeomna Sword stood briefly watching that suffocating exchange.
“If you truly trust your friend, then let’s wait until that fight ends. I’ll gladly face both of you.”
But their battle was far too close for that.
“If such petty tricks worked, do you think we would have survived until now?”
The Yeomna Sword thrust his blade and pressed the attack.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
Internal energy was one thing, but the gap in combat experience was simply too great.
Because the Yeomna Sword had gone through all kinds of battles, it was not easy for Bi Sa-in to seize an opportunity.
Spurt!
Blood sprayed from Bi Sa-in’s arm.
Shiiik!
That instant in which he flinched was the crisis. The Yeomna Sword’s follow-up attack came fiercely.
‘It’s too late to dodge!’
But the next moment, the one who moved aside was the Yeomna Sword. Goeak had come to save Bi Sa-in.
Whoooong!
Charging in with lightning speed, Goeak tried to send the Yeomna Sword flying with his back and shoulder.
It was such a massive attack that the Yeomna Sword withdrew his own strike and dodged.
Ppeong!
But Goeak had to pay the price for leaving his fight with the Cheonsu Sword behind. The flying sword energy struck Goeak squarely in the back.
A groan escaped him, and Goeak coughed up blood. His protective astral qi prevented his body from being cut apart, but his insides were violently shaken by the impact.
Seizing that instant, the Yeomna Sword’s blade flew toward Goeak’s neck.
Claaang!
This time, Bi Sa-in threw himself in and saved Goeak.
Goeak wiped away the blood running from the corner of his mouth.
The Yeomna Sword said to Goeak,
“You weren’t this kind of person, were you? Just what did the Young Alliance Leader promise to give you?”
“When I was promised something by the Young Alliance Leader, I was not this desperate. But now that I’ve decided not to receive anything, I find myself feeling that I must save him.”
The Yeomna Sword and the Cheonsu Sword exchanged looks, their expressions saying they could not understand.
Only Bi Sa-in understood what Goeak had said. Because he was the same.
He had experienced his heart becoming at ease instead when faced with death. That was why he had been able to send Goeak off with good words.
“I thank you in advance. I don’t think I’ll have a chance to say it later.”
At Bi Sa-in’s gratitude, tinged with a sense of defeat, Goeak firmly shook his head.
“Say thank you after we win.”
In the gaze directed at him, Bi Sa-in felt it. Those were not empty words meant to sound pleasant. He truly meant that they should win.
“You’re fighting well right now. Far better than I thought you would. Trust yourself.”
At that moment, a certain flame kindled in Bi Sa-in’s heart. Until just a moment ago, the desire to simply give up had been growing inside him. He had been dominated by the thought that he would unleash White Heaven Form as his final move, and if it did not work, then he would lose.
Suddenly, it occurred to him that he might have set the direction of this fight wrong.
‘What if I don’t aim for a single chance, but truly fight him skill against skill?’
No matter what anyone said, he was the man who had proudly become the heir of the Sado Alliance. There must have been something in him for him to become the heir. Something that would not allow him to die so easily in a place like this.
‘Yes. Let’s not underestimate myself. This is when you’re supposed to bluff!’
Burning away the heart that had been about to give up with that heat, Bi Sa-in charged in.
Dozens of sword lines split the air, and sparks flew each time sword met sword. The shape of the fight was the same as before, but it was clearly a different battle.
Bi Sa-in no longer aimed for one decisive move. Because he had kept that decisive move in mind, he had not been able to pour everything he had into the fight. That difference was enormous.
Blood sprayed from Bi Sa-in’s side.
But in exchange for giving up his side, he cut the Yeomna Sword’s shoulder.
It was the Yeomna Sword’s first wound.
Having seen blood, the Yeomna Sword’s attacks grew even fiercer. But Bi Sa-in was instead pleased. He felt that his opponent’s composure had been shaken.
Bi Sa-in poured in everything he had. If you are one of the Seven Great Masters of the Evil Dao, then I am the heir of the Sado Alliance. If you have experienced every kind of battle, then I learned martial arts directly from the Sado Alliance Leader. If I get stabbed twice, then be prepared to be stabbed once yourself. I am younger than you, so I will endure.
Blood sprayed again from Bi Sa-in’s arm. He was cut badly enough that his leg wavered, and his waist was cut as well. But once out of every two times, it was the Yeomna Sword who spilled blood.
Moreover, what was fortunate was that thanks to the protective armor he wore, he could avoid fatal wounds.
The heat born from Bi Sa-in’s change in thinking was creating a miracle.
Puuuk!
The Yeomna Sword’s arm was deeply cut.
The next moment, Goeak shouted,
“Careful!”
Bi Sa-in threw himself aside and avoided the incoming attack. The one who had attacked was, astonishingly, the Cheonsu Sword.
Judging that the Yeomna Sword was in danger, he had intervened in this fight. He had to pay the price as well.
Ppeok!
Goeak’s shoulder, charging in after him, struck his torso precisely.
The Cheonsu Sword rolled across the ground, and the Yeomna Sword swung his blade as he retreated.
Bi Sa-in was the one who was surprised instead.
‘He came to save the Yeomna Sword!’
That meant he was fighting that well. Bi Sa-in understood. The other three, except for himself, were all paying attention to the battle on the other side. Because they could not afford for the other to die. If one side collapsed, it would become a two-on-one fight.
On the other hand, he alone had plunged into this fight like a madman. His opponent could only display eighty percent, while he was displaying one hundred and twenty.
Goeak and the Cheonsu Sword clashed again, and Bi Sa-in began fighting the Yeomna Sword once more.
They fought madly like that, but unfortunately, the heat began to cool. Little by little, he began to be pushed back. One hundred exchanges, two hundred, three hundred… In the end, the more time passed in a fight, the more advantageous it became for the side with greater internal energy and more experience.
Bi Sa-in felt regret. He had thought the gap in skill between them would be vast, but once he actually fought him, it was not that great. That was why he regretted it.
He was not dying to an enemy he could do nothing against. He regretted dying to an enemy he could have killed if only he had met him a little later.
There was a limit to enduring with youth and venom. He had lost too much blood, and his movements gradually slowed.
Thus Bi Sa-in was driven into the final corner. As he leaned against the wall, panting for breath, the Yeomna Sword slowly approached him.
‘So this is the end.’
He had only enough strength left to thrust his sword once.
Was it because he had shed too much blood?
As if the lantern of his life were passing before his eyes in the face of death, the movements around him appeared slow.
Even in those slowly moving figures, he could feel how fiercely Goeak and the Cheonsu Sword were fighting. Goeak’s own battle was too urgent for him to come help.
As the Yeomna Sword walked toward him, he said something, but Bi Sa-in could not hear what it was. It was merely the sight of his mouth opening and closing.
And then he began to see things.
At first, it was a dot embedded in the distant sky. Everything else was moving slowly, but only that dot moved quickly. The dot grew larger and larger as it approached.
He read the certainty of victory on the Yeomna Sword’s face.
Even amid that, the dot visible over his shoulder was growing larger and larger.
The Yeomna Sword thrust his blade.
Bi Sa-in could clearly see the sword flying toward his neck. The problem was that his own movements were moving slowly as well.
With the last of his strength, he thrust his sword too.
Two swords flying toward each other.
Even in the midst of that, the dot he had seen earlier was moving several times faster than he and the Yeomna Sword. Was it a bird flying in? Or a stone? Could it possibly be a person?
In the distance, he saw a wall collapse. Whatever had fallen from the sky kicked off the wall and launched itself upward again.
Dust from the wall, shattered by that fierce leap, slowly bloomed in all directions, but the thing that had broken the wall was already out of sight.
Meanwhile, the Yeomna Sword’s blade had reached his neck.
At the very moment the cold sword touched Bi Sa-in’s throat, someone dropped down and seized the Yeomna Sword’s arm tightly from behind.
The sword stopped, unable to go any farther.
At that very instant, time moved as it should again.
Shiiiiik!
Puaaaak!
Bi Sa-in’s sword did not stop, but extended straight forward, piercing through the Yeomna Sword’s flesh, bones, and heart.
It had not been an illusion. The sensation in his hand was real. He saw the Yeomna Sword slowly collapsing.
And standing behind him was one man.
It was Geom Mugeuk, drenched in sweat and breathing hard.
He must have moved so fast that the wall collapsing in the distance only now fell to the ground.
As his eyes slowly closed, Bi Sa-in no longer had the strength to stand. Leaning against Geom Mugeuk’s body as if collapsing into him, he spoke with the last of his strength.
“…Please save Senior Goe.”
Absolute Regression, Chapter 359