We’ve Got A Chance

Gyo-ha blinked at the man who looked to have no more intention of fighting.

“…Is that it?”

“Yes. I’ve confirmed what I came for.”

As Ghost Evil Blade turned to leave, Gyo-ha hurriedly called out to stop him.

“W-wait! You’re just leaving like this?”

Ghost Evil Blade frowned slightly at Gyo-ha, as if mulling something over.

Then he let out a small, belated sigh.

“Ah. I didn’t explain, did I? My apologies. I was asked to kill Iron Tyrant Staff. But when I reached Mudo, his body had already been cremated. I couldn’t trust rumors alone, so I came to verify.”

It sounded more like he was talking to himself than to Gyo-ha.

His eyes weren’t on Gyo-ha, but somewhere out in space.

After speaking, Ghost Evil Blade jerked his chin at Gyo-ha.

“I heard it was the kind of fight where anyone could have died. Someone of that level wouldn’t lie about it.”

“No, it wasn’t quite like that…”

Mid-sentence, Gyo-ha tilted his head.

Come to think of it, there had been several dangerous moments.

‘Was it?’

Watching the two, Yu So-ha whispered softly.

“Are martial masters all like that?”

Gyo-ha and Ghost Evil Blade.

Neither of them were anywhere near normal.

To pick a fight just to ‘confirm’—had he said so beforehand, it wouldn’t have gotten this serious.

At her words, Noh-sam spoke cautiously.

“Not all of them, I imagine. Probably.”

But the more he spoke, the less sure he felt.

After all, Noh-sam hadn’t met many other masters.

‘…Or maybe? Should Medicine Immortal count as a master?’

His medical skill was famed, his martial skill, not so much.

And Medicine Immortal wasn’t exactly normal either.

An eccentric.

Then Geum Ho-pyeong spoke, face set.

“Miss, a master of that level can hear us.”

“Ah.”

Startled, Yu So-ha covered her mouth.

But Ghost Evil Blade looked unconcerned.

It was as if he didn’t care at all.

Gyo-ha, brow deeply furrowed, spoke up.

“Um… can we keep fighting?”

“Why?”

Though he’d been the one to start it, Ghost Evil Blade regarded him curiously.

He truly had wanted only to confirm.

Gyo-ha hesitated for a moment and then spoke.

“I just got warmed up. It’d be a shame to stop here. Can’t we?”

Ghost Evil Blade stared at him in silence.

And just as he was about to answer.

His expression changed.

He turned his body, eyes fixing beyond the brush.

Gyo-ha, too, crouched low like a beast and stared the same way.

Their reactions tightened the faces of the group.

Soon, an old man stepped from the shrubs.

A kindly-looking elder.

But the moment he appeared, it became hard for them even to breathe.

The old man’s gaze fell on Gyo-ha.

“So you’re the Battle Wolf? You look as stupid as they said.”

“No?”

Battle Wolf? It was the first time he heard of it.

“Wuh?”

At the unexpected answer, the old man cocked his head.

Was he mistaken? No, there weren’t many who went around looking like that.

Then Ghost Evil Blade stepped forward.

“Darkshadow Mountain Ghost.”

At his words, the party’s faces went rigid.

Darkshadow Mountain Ghost was a former-generation master who had terrorized the Central Plains.

He looked at Ghost Evil Blade in mild surprise.

“Oh? Someone still recognizes this old man. Hm? Have we met?”

“Tianzhong Mountain.”

“Tianzhong Mountain… Tianzhong Mountain… Ah. The little brat from the Green Forest back then.”

Darkshadow Mountain Ghost chuckled, amused.

Ghost Evil Blade addressed him.

“What brings you back to the Central Plains?”

“I came back for revenge of course. He ran because he didn’t want to tend to an old man, but a disciple is still a disciple.”

“…Iron Tyrant Staff was your disciple?”

The old ghost only smiled gently in lieu of an answer.

But that was answer enough.

“You can go.”

The implication was that the others would not.

Dismay crept over their faces.

But Ghost Evil Blade stepped forward instead.

“If not him, I’d have killed Iron Tyrant Staff myself.”

Meaning he wasn’t uninvolved.

Darkshadow Mountain Ghost’s smile deepened, his kindly face twisting into a Ghost’s in an instant.

“One of the Seven Ghosts, is it? A sliver of fame and you’re arrogant already. I tossed you a lifeline out of old ties.”

“You didn’t do that out of old ties. It’s just that Wudang makes you uneasy.”

“What?”

“Why didn’t you show yourself when Iron Tyrant Staff was hunted by Wudang?”

At Ghost Evil Blade’s calm rebuke, the old ghost stiffened.

Bull’s-eye.

“Wudang is troublesome, but this one is alone and easy. That’s why you crawled out, isn’t it?”

“You…”

Flames seemed to spark in his eyes.

“I’ll rip that mouth to ribbons and throw it to the beasts.”

A suffocating, dense killing intent flooded out.

Ghost Evil Blade slowly drew his saber.

Ssshhhk.

The simple draw sent chills up the spine.

A gloomy cold seeped from the blade.

Ghost Qi.

It was the reason he was called Ghost Evil Blade.

But Darkshadow Mountain Ghost only scoffed.

“If you think I fear your heretical arts, you’re mistaken.”

He raised both hands.

Unlike his oddly short thumbs, the other four fingers looked unusually long.

That wasn’t the only oddity.

Ink-black, nail-less fingers. His hands, unlike Iron Tyrant Staff’s, were honed for claw techniques.

Moments later, the two figures collided.

Exchanges came without pause.

Each clash shattered trees and tore up earth.

Was this how a battle between war gods was like?

The party stared, spellbound—then furtively glanced away. If they were to flee, it had to be now.

But Ghost Evil Blade had stepped up for their sake.

Could they really run and leave him?

Then Gyo-ha spoke.

“You guys go ahead.”

“Eh?”

The sudden words made them blink.

“What about you?”

At Yu So-ha’s question, Gyo-ha shook his head.

He watched the fight with a calm gaze.

“At this rate it’ll end soon, and you’ll be chased again.”

The others might not see it, but to Gyo-ha, Ghost Evil Blade was slowly being pushed back.

This was not someone one could face alone.

‘…Even if we fight together, there’s no guarantee we’ll win.’

Yu So-ha cried urgently:

“Then we’ll help too!”

But Gyo-ha shook his head, firm.

“No. You’d only get in the way.”

He couldn’t fight properly with them there. At his cold words, Yu So-ha stiffened, and Geum Ho-pyeong added:

“He’s right. This isn’t a situation we can join.”

When even Noh-sam nodded, Yu So-ha couldn’t insist.

“We’ll go on ahead. You have to come find us.”

Gyo-ha nodded to her words.

“Then, Young Master. I’ll see you in Lanzhou. Fortune to you.”

After Yu So-ha, Geum Ho-pyeong also bid him farewell.

Noh-sam met Gyo-ha’s eyes and gave a small nod.

Gyo-ha’s bundle and clothes were in Noh-sam’s hands.

Thus the party took their leave.

Left alone, Gyo-ha watched Darkshadow Mountain Ghost and Ghost Evil Blade.

Ghost Evil Blade was being driven back, cuts multiplying on his body.

‘…He looks constrained somehow.’

As if he were holding himself back.

Meanwhile, his shoulder was sliced, and blood sprayed.

The gloomy aura pouring off Ghost Evil Blade grew fiercer.

Flinch.

The old ghost’s fingers were sharper than blades. Gyo-ha smothered the urge to charge in.

‘Not yet.’

If he wedged in now, he’d only get in the way.

‘Just a little longer.’

If he watched a bit more, he’d see it.

Without even blinking, he studied their fight.

Darkshadow Mountain Ghost knew the party was retreating.

Unlike Ghost Evil Blade, he had leeway. He didn’t stop them because he was sure he could catch them whenever he wished.

He could feel Ghost Evil Blade’s breathing grow ragged.

‘So even with heretical arts, he’s a half-measure.’

This was never a fair match.

Everything was going smoothly.

Except for one thing.

That gaze fixed on him.

Crouched low, watching this way.

‘His internal energy’s not even third-rate. But if he beat that brat, Yang Gwang, he must have a hidden card.’

Yang Gwang was Iron Tyrant Staff’s real name.

Judging by his tempered body, he was clearly trained in external arts.

But he wasn’t overly concerned.

He was at best, second-rate, or maybe brushing first-rate.

The same went for Ghost Evil Blade before him.

He was a matured first-rate martial artist.

But still only first-rate.

He hadn’t crossed the wall.

Then Gyo-ha began to move.

He sprang in an instant and threw a punch.

‘Foolish.’

Darkshadow Mountain Ghost sneered at him.

A battle between masters wasn’t like a clumsy brawl. One move decided life or death.

To rush in here was a mistake.

His fingers sharpened like knives.

KANG!

His fingers struck the iron shackle and bounced away.

‘Impressive strength. But…’

His other hand slid into Gyo-ha’s flank.

Strength alone solved nothing.

Gyo-ha tried to avoid it, but those fingers had already split his hide.

Blood spattered.

But the old ghost’s brow twitched despite landing the blow.

He’d aimed to sever a rib, yet failed.

‘He has good senses… no, good eyes.’

Seeing those steady eyes despite the wound, his expression cooled.

It didn’t matter.

‘Seeing doesn’t mean you can avoid it.’

His hand flashed and a cut opened on Gyo-ha’s neck.

Sliced hair scattered through the air.

A moment slower and his Adam’s apple would have been torn out.

But Gyo-ha didn’t stop.

He charged again, and mid-rush, his waist bent.

And a stabbing saber thrust in.

“…!”

Darkshadow Mountain Ghost swept his hand.

But he couldn’t fully parry, and a cut opened across the back of his hand.

His first wound.

Fury flared in his eyes.

But they gave him no chance to unleash it.

An iron shackle rose from below.

A saber followed.

Exquisite timing. They were like fighters who’d practiced coordinated assaults for years.

‘What—’

His face hardened.

Were they long-time partners?

Even if so, given Ghost Evil Blade’s temperament and arts, it shouldn’t be possible.

His thoughts snarled.

But he soon realized that wasn’t it.

Gyo-ha threw himself sideways.

Ghost Evil Blade’s saber chased for his head.

‘It’s not a coordinated assault.’

Ghost Evil Blade’s movements hadn’t changed.

Gyo-ha was unilaterally syncing to him.

As Darkshadow Mountain Ghost had thought, even if he read his movements, it wasn’t enough to stop his attacks.

On top of that, Gyo-ha’s eyes couldn’t take in all of Darkshadow Mountain Ghost’s attacks.

It was like everything was shrouded in a hazy mist.

This was because Darkshadow Mountain Ghost’s realm was too high. It was something one at his level wouldn’t be able to grasp at a glance.

That was why Gyo-ha had watched Ghost Evil Blade.

He’d even traded hands with him once.

So he could anticipate his movements.

‘It’s not perfect, but enough.’

Feeling the pain in his back, Gyo-ha’s mouth curled up.

It wasn’t because of the pain.

‘That man is incredible, too.’

The cut was from Ghost Evil Blade’s saber, not Darkshadow Mountain Ghost.

Without a word, he’d read Gyo-ha’s intent.

And moved.

There was no hesitation in his blade.

He fought as if Gyo-ha weren’t there at all, completely excluding him.

But, it was no easy feat.

Saber and fists tangled.

At first it grated; then it began to mesh.

‘We’ve got a chance.’

Gyo-ha’s and Ghost Evil Blade’s eyes flashed.

Just then—

“…What infuriating pests you are.”

With that cold voice, a chilling frost swept in.