To The Place You Belong. (4)

“St- stop…”

Fwoooosh!

The extremely swift sword was shoved into the mouth of the one about to scream. The sword, ending one life in an instant like a venomous serpent, sank into the next enemy’s heart.

It was literally a ray of light. Even if one knew, they could not stop it; even if they saw it, they could not react.

“It’s Jo Gul!”

“O- One-Sword Splitting Light!”

“It’s the Plum Blossom Five Swords!”

Those who recognized the one at the front shouted. Before that cry even ended, another flying blade mercilessly turned someone into a wandering soul.

“B- back off! Create distance!”

The Ten Thousand People Clan also prided themselves on never being outmatched in battle. They could not be ignorant of how to counter a swift blade.

But what greeted those who quickly widened the distance and dodged the blades was a golden power cutting through the air.

Kraaaaaaaaaang!

An utterly ferocious power detonated amid those retreating. Their bodies, smashed into pulp by the blast, flew in all directions like a ball kicked by a child.

Into the space thus opened, one person descended forcefully.

Sshhhhhh!

What came first?

The sound of silk being cut by a fine sword? Or the momentary flash of a crimson blade? Or perhaps a severed head soaring into the air?

Though it was hard to order events, who had created that sight was painfully clear. Yu Yiseol, fierce as a divine falcon, sprang off the ground and surged forward.

Lowering her stance like a flying swallow, she emitted semicircular streams of sword qi one after another.

“Aaaaaaah!”

Those cut by the sword qi screamed in agonizing despair.

What truly plunged them into terror was neither their arms flying off nor their guts spilling out.

It was the face as if carved from hardened cold iron and a killing intent like boiling ice. An indescribable discord emanated from the swordswoman before them. That instilled an inexpressible terror in those who faced her.

Screech!

Yu Yiseol, having cut down another enemy, briefly turned back.

Her gaze moved beyond those following to Baek Cheon in the rear. More precisely, to Chung Myung whom Baek Cheon held.

After checking his condition once more, she fixed her stare ahead with eyes full of determination.

Fwoooosh!

A fierce sword qi, as if condensed with killing intent, erupted.

Originally her sword sought the extreme of efficiency. But now her blade abandoned everything she had pursued and wrought nothing but raw power, to carve a path even a moment faster.

Before Yu Yiseol’s sword qi even faded, Namgung Do-Wei’s sword detonated, and Tang Pae’s dagger embroidered over it.

Before assaults that threw everything away, the Ten Thousand People Clan’s fortress-like encirclement began to crumble like a sandcastle.

“Get out of the way, you bastards!”

Kraaaaaaang!

Just then, the power Hae Yeon hurled caused a huge explosion in the path they were opening.

“I- it’s breaking through! They can’t stop it! Commander!”

Ho Ga-Myung silently watched the unfolding scene with a hardened face.

Kraaaaaaang!

Every time the power exploded, those who stood in the way were scattered in all directions. The once-tight encirclement was forcibly twisted, and cracks opened in the solid iron wall.

Ho Ga-Myung thought that even in such exhausted states they were forcefully wrenching open and tearing apart the encirclement.

‘…It’s infuriating.’

How many more times must he endure this sight?

Since he joined the Ten Thousand People Clan following Jang Ilso, no one had rendered him so helpless.

Of course, he hadn’t always succeeded or always beaten his opponents.

But this experience differed in trajectory from anything he’d faced before. Up until now… yes, until now the reason had been clear.

Plum Blossom Sword Ghost.

This was not a being Ho Ga-Myung could handle. As long as they existed, all of Ho Ga-Myung’s stratagems were rendered meaningless and tactics lost their worth.

So they had relentlessly cornered that one alone, willing to endure sacrifices that others might scorn as violating military principles.

The strategy clearly fit neatly and drove that devil into a life-or-death line.

So it should have been over now. The moment the Plum Blossom Sword Ghost lost consciousness, this brutal fight should have finally ended.

Yet… why was this happening again? They should have eliminated every possible variable.

Was there a miscalculation? No, he did not make miscalculations. He had never once underestimated an opponent.

Ho Ga-Myung had even considered the possibility that the enemies might break through the encirclement and enter.

There was only one thing he hadn’t predicted.

That those who should have exhausted all their strength just by breaking the encirclement were shattering it with force far beyond his expectations. It was as if…

Grit.

Ho Ga-Myung ground his teeth.

‘This is impossible.’

They could not be the Plum Blossom Sword Ghost. There could not be many like that in the world.

“Commander!”

At the urgent call from his officer, Ho Ga-Myung took several deep breaths and clenched his trembling fingertips tightly.

“…Keep calm.”

“But right now…!”

“Didn’t I tell you to stay calm?”

The officers’ commotion subsided. Ho Ga-Myung coldly analyzed the situation. Finally, he spoke softly.

“Open the front.”

“What? What do you mean…!”

The officers’ gazes focused on Ho Ga-Myung as if unable to believe it. To open the front meant to lift the encirclement.

Judging the momentum, it would be difficult to encircle them like this again once they were let through. Letting them go in this situation would render all the sacrifices the Ten Thousand People Clan had made meaningless!

“C- Commander! You must stay calm!”

“Do I look like I’m excited?”

The aides watched Ho Ga-Myung with trembling eyes. In the middle of those stares, he spoke in an icy voice.

“Blocking their front now does nothing but raise their momentum. What we must aim for now is rather…”

Ho Ga-Myung’s gaze fixed on a single spot.

“The rear.”

His blade-like stare locked precisely on Chung Myung, whom Baek Cheon was holding.

He admitted it. They had exceeded his predictions at this moment. He didn’t know by what principle it was possible, but denying the phenomenon unfolding was pointless.

But that didn’t make them omnipotent. Their desperation only highlighted their weaknesses.

“Ignore the others and focus thoroughly on the Plum Blossom Sword Ghost alone.”

The aides glanced at one another.

“Immediately!”

“Yes!”

The officers issued orders crisply in all directions. Amid the bustle, Ho Ga-Myung’s dark gaze remained fixed on the unconscious Chung Myung.

‘Is this the future you saw, Plum Blossom Sword Ghost?’

Could they even be willing to die for that? Did they believe one day they’d replace everything he had done?

Truly… it’s a ludicrous overconfidence that makes one want to laugh bitterly.

There cannot be two Jang Ilso’s in the world. Likewise, there cannot be two Chung Myung’s. Such people are not raised by others; they are bestowed by heaven alone.

But no scoff came.

There was nothing to mock. Ho Ga-Myung himself now saw fragments of the future the Plum Blossom Sword Ghost had dreamed of.

Ho Ga-Myung bit his lower lip.

‘It’s over now anyway.’

That future would not come. No, even the fact that such a possibility existed would vanish today, right here and now.

He could feel it.

Fwoooosh!

The sensation of cutting enemies was felt not at his fingertips but at the sword’s tip. It’s a strange way to put it, but nothing else could describe the feeling.

Swishhh!

Blades surging like lightning pierced the enemy’s skin, tore flesh and vessels, and finally split bone—an intense sensation vivid at the sword’s tip.

It felt as if the boundary between sword and hand had vanished.

It was an overwhelming unity that made one feel they must forcibly distinguish the sword’s tip from the hand’s.

Everything he had known was collapsing. The boundaries that divided the world blurred. Within it existed only blade and self. No, even the blade disappeared; only he remained.

The unity he had only imagined arrived in a transcendental way. If he plunged into it, he would surely take one more step forward.

But Jo Gul forcibly pushed away the realm that had come to him… no, the realm he had clearly already stepped into.

‘Strange! This is strange…!’

The enemy no longer felt strong. It seemed he could trample anyone if he willed it.

But that sense of fulfillment instead sent a warning to Jo Gul’s senses.

The conflict in his mind grew progressively deeper and muddled.

Couldn’t he go a little further?

If he could feel this sensation a bit longer, he’d undoubtedly become incomparably stronger. So why push such a possibility away himself?

‘What about me?’

I am a swordsman. I want to grow stronger. I want more…

“Chung Myung!”

KWHANG!

At that moment, the hazy world enveloping Jo Gul shattered like a mirror. Spinning to look, the current situation became clear.

Enemies who should have been in front were gathered behind him.

‘What? Why?’

For an instant he couldn’t understand the situation. Had he struck out too quickly?

No, that couldn’t be. If that were the case, the enemies would have blocked him more fiercely in front. So why was the situation like this…

At that moment, Jo Gul saw a scene.

One Ten Thousand People Clan member, eyes full of killing intent, ignored the sword flying at him and threw his body toward Baek Cheon.

Though swords were lodged all over his body, his path aimed solely at the unconscious Chung Myung.

Kaaang!

Before Jo Gul could finish a scream, Baek Cheon’s blade struck and cut down the path.

“Hyaaaaaa!”

But that was only the beginning.

The enemies began to rush toward Chung Myung. Relentless attacks poured in.

“Th- these bastards…!”

Jo Gul immediately drove his foot into the ground toward the rear.

Those who had been fiercely breaking the encirclement were now already surrounding Baek Cheon, who held Chung Myung, and fending off the incoming assaults.

‘No!’

Urgency flashed across Jo Gul’s eyes.

Chung Myung was unconscious now. That meant he couldn’t even offer the slightest reflex to twist away from incoming attacks. It also meant a blind blade could end his life.

No, there was no need to strike a vital point. Chung Myung’s body couldn’t even withstand a simple impact now.

Wooooooong!

At the sound, Jo Gul’s gaze snapped forcefully backward. He clearly saw someone gathering qi. The power concentrated in their raised hand was enormous at a glance. Jo Gul reflexively hurled himself to block in front of Baek Cheon and Chung Myung.

“Aaaaargh!”

Screech!

With all his strength he thrust his sword and cut the qi-filled hand. It was razor-close.

Hearing the agonizing scream erupt, Jo Gul clenched his teeth until his jaw muscles bulged.

‘Who do you think I am?’

His shout, filled with his spirit, burst out explosively.

“You won’t touch Chung Myung! You bastards!”