Chapter 016. Requiem (3)
“I am back. I am a bit late, right?”
Dam Jeok-san opened his mouth as he casually entered his quarters.
Even though he had come back from a fierce battle with a monster in the Forbidden Demon Forest, he had a relaxed attitude as if he had just been for a walk somewhere.
Was that why?
The atmosphere in the hall, which had been strangely tense as even Black Panther Spear entered, became much lighter.
“No, no. It is okay……!”
The first one to answer Dam Jeok-san's words was the girl, Lee Hyang.
Soon after, Gyeong-won and Black Panther Spear also rose from their seats and welcomed Dam Jeok-san.
“Indeed, you are a bit late.”
Gyeong-won said with a playful smile on his lips.
His gaze was glancing towards Black Panther Spear.
Like someone expecting something.
SMIRK―
Dam Jeok-san, seeing that, let out a light laugh.
He seemed to know what Gyeong-won wanted.
He must have been quite discouraged while serving an unworthy lord.
Although he didn't say it, he must have been ignored a lot here and there.
Sorrow must have piled up.
But that didn't mean he thought Gyeong-won would resent him.
‘Still, I should save his face a bit.’
If that is a gift I can give to a loyal subordinate who has never left my side.
Dam Jeok-san slowly drew up the energy of the Extreme Heaven Strange Sovereign Technique.
The amount of accumulated energy was still meager. However, the predator's spirit flowing out instinctively pressed down on the surroundings powerfully.
A spirit that a person, no, any living creature, could not help but instinctively feel pressure from.
“……!”
Feeling that spirit, Gyeong-won's eyes widened as large as lanterns.
The Young Master is at this level?
Gyeong-won clearly thought he had seen Dam Jeok-san's true worth.
At the spot where he hunted the Blue-Scaled One-Horned Snake.
Because that was divine might unbelievable for someone who had just regained his dantian.
Yet how could he emit a spirit one step sharper in that short time?
Of course, he knew Dam Jeok-san was not training martial arts from scratch, but recovering his old skills. However, even considering that, it far exceeded the level understandable by common sense.
If he was like this, how would Black Panther Spear be, who didn't even know the fact that Dam Jeok-san had regained his dantian at all.
Gyeong-won looked at him with eyes full of curiosity.
“……! Young Master, congratulations on your Great Completion!!”
Black Panther Spear Jang Woo-ryang shouted while bending his waist deeply as if he would bow right there.
A voice so loud it almost shook the quarters.
“Great Completion, what nonsense.”
Dam Jeok-san smirked while still maintaining his spirit.
“Do you remember what I said before? It is still far from becoming like that.”
“I remember.”
Only then did Black Panther Spear straighten his body a little and say.
He told him to survive. Survive and seize glory together. That was the maximum loyalty he could offer.
Even until then, those words didn't really hit home.
Fundamentally, he knew Dam Jeok-san was right, but doubts about whether it was truly possible remained in a corner of his heart.
Nevertheless, he was persuaded by Dam Jeok-san's spirit and powerful conviction.
However, now it seemed he could truly picture it. The image of Dam Jeok-san defeating all competitors and sitting on the highest seat of the Martial Sovereign Castle.
Could a person change that dramatically in just a few days?
Black Panther Spear realized anew that he should not dare to judge Dam Jeok-san with his own standards.
Even when such a commotion was happening in the hall.
“……?”
The girl, Lee Hyang, was only peaceful.
She just made an expression of not knowing why the two uncles repeating shock after shock were acting like that.
‘Hoh.’
The one admiring that while killing his presence and standing behind Dam Jeok-san was Mu-yeong.
As the Martial Sovereign's bodyguard, he possessed senses developed more sharply than anyone else here.
So he could sense clearly as if seeing with his eyes how Dam Jeok-san's spirit dominated this quarters.
His spirit spread out densely like a spiderweb and pressed down on Gyeong-won and Black Panther Spear, but just before reaching the girl, it swirled round and only wrapped around her surroundings.
Controlling presence, not even internal energy, in such a way meant that Dam Jeok-san's ability might be even more excellent than Mu-yeong thought.
‘Though it is not for me to dare judge.’
He cut off the uselessly extending thoughts.
The order he received was to take that child to the Castle Lord. That was all.
Darkness split open, and Mu-yeong revealed himself.
A black cape amply covering his body. A darkish mask completely covering his face. A faint presence like a ghost even though he was revealing himself.
It was truly an appearance like a textbook example of an assassin.
Moreover, as the Martial Sovereign's bodyguard, he had never revealed himself in public.
The guard Gyeong-won, instead of judging the circumstances, swung his sword at lightning speed toward the stranger.
A killing move with emotion thoroughly excluded.
Without considering suppression or restraint at all, it contained only killing intent.
That was because Gyeong-won instinctively realized the immense gap existing between himself and the opponent.
‘If I fight, I die. And I will definitely die.’
Such fear rose from his instinct.
But he did not hesitate. Because what he feared more than his own death was failing to protect his lord.
However, the masked Mu-yeong blocked Dam Jeok-san's sword as if it were nothing. With his bare palm, at that.
CLAAAANG―!
A metallic sound rang in the hall as if sword clashed with sword.
“Quite impressive.”
Mu-yeong muttered in a languid voice.
On his palm blocking Gyeong-won's sword, an almost transparent energy barrier was shimmering.
The energy barrier Mu-yeong created was one of the secret techniques of the One Skill No Origin Art passed down only to the Castle Lord's bodyguard.
A peerless defensive technique that couldn't be scratched even by ordinary sword qi.
Yet, after receiving Gyeong-won's sword strike, a clear crack appeared on the energy barrier.
It was truly a sword strike transcending the realm.
‘He has a good guard.’
While Mu-yeong looked back at Dam Jeok-san and thought―
This time, Black Panther Spear's fierce spear strike flew in from the opposite side.
Whether fortunate or unfortunate.
The one who blocked it was Dam Jeok-san, who shrugged and stepped forward. He lifted his scabbard whole to block the spear and opened his mouth.
“Both of you, no need to be tense. He is just a bit rude and gloomy, but he is a guest.”
Dam Jeok-san said with a light laugh.
“And sent by none other than the Castle Lord.”
“…….”
Feeling somewhat preempted, Mu-yeong crumpled his face inside the mask and slowly lowered his hand. As the word Castle Lord came out, Gyeong-won, who had rushed in excitedly, also withdrew his sword.
But Black Panther Spear was looking at Dam Jeok-san with his eyes wide open.
‘The strike just now was unleashed with nearly eight stars of internal energy…….’
Of course, he guessed when the Young Master revealed his spirit. That he had reached a level he couldn't take lightly again.
But still, to this extent.
“Young Master, truly, truly amazing…….”
Black Panther Spear said without hiding his emotion. An expression almost on the verge of tears.
“Enough gilding my face, put away this spear.”
But Dam Jeok-san sighed and tapped the spear shaft.
He blocked it to show the Third Young Master's dignity to Mu-yeong for now.
But Black Panther Spear's strength was so strong that his waist was throbbing.
“Ah! I apologize.”
Black Panther Spear hurriedly put away the spear.
Only then did it seem the situation was being wrapped up―
THUD.
A small, sharp stone thrown belatedly by Lee Hyang fell at Mu-yeong's feet.
The anxiety that the masked monster might harm Dam Jeok-san was held not only by the two martial artists but also by that child.
“……A stone.”
Mu-yeong muttered in an absurd voice and picked up the stone. Even beyond the mask, a flustered look was evident.
Even when Gyeong-won thrust his sword recklessly, he just admired it and wasn't surprised.
Because a guard ought to do so.
But the girl's action was somewhat different. Should he say it stimulated the emotion he thought had dried up, or rather never had from the beginning.
But he soon shook his head.
Thinking is merely a luxury for a tool.
Repeating that to himself, he slowly approached Lee Hyang. Revealing his presence as much as possible so the girl wouldn't be startled.
“If you follow that uncle, you will be able to see the end of the bastard who made your family like that.”
Dam Jeok-san, who had approached Lee Hyang before anyone knew, pointed at Mu-yeong and said.
His hand was lightly placed on Lee Hyang's head.
“He looks a bit gloomy, but you do not need to worry too much. Because he is the person protecting my Master.”
Dam Jeok-san said so and shrugged one shoulder toward Mu-yeong.
As if asking if he could say this much.
“…….”
Mu-yeong looked slightly displeased, but did not go out of his way to argue.
“Then I will follow him.”
The girl looked straight into Dam Jeok-san's eyes and said.
“Good. If you do not want to watch, you can close your eyes. If it is hard to endure, you can run away, and if you are sad, you can cry.”
Dam Jeok-san held the girl's hand tightly and said.
“However, after today passes, you must not be bound anymore. To that deep, deep resentment.”
Then she cannot live her own life.
Of course, Dam Jeok-san also knows well that such things do not happen as one wishes.
Still, he sincerely hoped the girl would live her own life.
“……Grab this.”
Mu-yeong held out his hand with a slightly gruff voice.
“Yes!”
Mu-yeong stared blankly at Lee Hyang, who answered cheerfully as if squeezing something out.
Mu-yeong, who lightly held the girl in his arms, kicked the ground with a TAP. His figure had already jumped over the wall and reached the empty air before anyone knew.
“Wow……!”
When the girl floating in the air exclaimed as if fascinated, Mu-yeong let out a low sigh.
* * *
A storm had passed.
After Mu-yeong left with the girl, the hall was engulfed in silent silence.
Because Black Panther Spear, who came here knowing nothing, and even Gyeong-won, who roughly guessed Dam Jeok-san's tracks, could not easily guess the unfolding situation.
“Where should I start explaining…….”
Noticing such signs, Dam Jeok-san crossed his arms and looked at the two alternately.
“You roughly know the situation, right?”
He looked at Gyeong-won and asked, and Gyeong-won nodded.
Although it was still full of things he couldn't understand.
“In Hyang's case, I specially asked Master. To stay by her side so she can watch the life-and-death duel between me and Second Senior Brother.”
That meant the Martial Sovereign himself would take the girl and observe their life-and-death duel.
“Yes……? The Martial Sovereign?”
“W-What! By Second Senior Brother, do you mean the Young Master of the Woo Clan?”
Gyeong-won and Black Panther Spear shouted in shock at the same time.
“It is chaotic, so speak one at a time.”
Dam Jeok-san waved his hand and said.
“……May I dare ask what happened with the Iron Blood Woo Clan?”
Black Panther Spear looked around for a moment and opened his mouth first.
“Of course. Didn't you decide to be with me again?”
Dam Jeok-san said, pulling up the corners of his mouth crookedly.
A confident smile reminding of his prime before losing his dantian.
However, that smile was one step firmer than before, as much as the human Dam Jeok-san had been tempered.
The story from raiding the Iron Blood Woo Clan's monster farm, rescuing the girl from there, to visiting the Martial Sovereign followed.
“From here, you are also hearing it for the first time, right?”
Dam Jeok-san looked at Gyeong-won and asked.
“That is so.”
“Nothing special happened except entrusting Hyang to Master. I just went into the Forbidden Demon Forest for a short while and came back.”
“What?”
To express entering and leaving the Forbidden Demon Forest, counted as a Forbidden Land even in the Martial Sovereign Castle, in such a way.
Absurdity filled Gyeong-won and Black Panther Spear's faces.
But Dam Jeok-san continued speaking without caring.
“There, I saw a quite respectable swordsman……. Let's talk about this later when we go to the North.”
Dam Jeok-san muttered, recalling the monkey monster.
Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times.
Showing once would be better than saying a hundred times.
The story he experienced in the Forbidden Demon Forest eventually became his sword.
Dam Jeok-san briefly explained the situation afterwards too.
The two people kept nodding their heads, half-dazed.
When it reached the part where he received the Heavenly Martial Gentleman Token, both Black Panther Spear and Gyeong-won gulped.
Like that, the story was roughly wrapped up.
“I intend to go to the Iron Blood Woo Clan now. How about it, will you go together?”
He looked at the two people and said.
It is a scene of a life-and-death duel with the direct lineage of the Iron Blood Woo Clan.
If they follow Dam Jeok-san, they will become sworn enemies with them. Gyeong-won, who bowed his head as if it were natural, and Black Panther Spear also nodded without hesitation.
Because from the moment they decided to be with Dam Jeok-san anyway, they had crossed a river of no return with the Iron Blood Woo Clan.