Seventh Killer, Jeok Mahyeok (4)

As the sun slowly sank toward the horizon in the evening, Seonu Jin looked at a secluded manor and asked,

“Is that the manor?”

Jeok Mahyeok respectfully answered Seonu Jin’s question.

“That is correct, Young Master.”

Seonu Jin, who had nearly reached Guizhou Province, had returned with Jeok Mahyeok to Aksan in south-central Sichuan Province after two days.

And that was all because the manor before them was the main headquarters of the Sichuan Assassin Sect.

After hesitating briefly, Jeok Mahyeok cautiously spoke.

“Um, Young Master. I do not doubt your abilities. However, even so, confronting the Sichuan Assassin Sect head-on by yourself is somewhat….”

Seonu Jin smirked at those words and asked,

“Are you worried about me? Whether I destroy the Sichuan Assassin Sect or recklessly charge inside and die should have nothing to do with you.”

Jeok Mahyeok looked slightly flustered before answering solemnly.

“Although I have lived like scum, I am not so foolish that I cannot distinguish what is right or recognize my benefactor.”

Seonu Jin smiled gently at Jeok Mahyeok’s answer.

As expected, he was a talented man worth investing time to acquire.

After learning that Seonu Jin had neither killed his younger sister, Jeok Hayeon, nor his younger brother, Jeok Hagun, Jeok Mahyeok had tearfully expressed his gratitude to Seonu Jin.

He then began cooperating fully with him.

That was how Seonu Jin had learned the location of the Sichuan Assassin Sect from Jeok Mahyeok.

And now, with Jeok Mahyeok leading the way, he had just arrived there.

He had come here to erase the Sichuan Assassin Sect.

Jeok Mahyeok spoke again in a worried voice.

“The Sichuan Assassin Sect is counted among the three foremost assassin organizations in Sichuan Province. Unlike other organizations that generally avoid targeting Pinnacle Realm masters, it has successfully assassinated a considerable number of them. Moreover, although they cannot be seen from here, more than fifty assassins are constantly concealed inside in ambush. Including those stationed there without hiding, there should be over a hundred. Therefore, even for you, Young Master, breaking through from the front would be….”

Jeok Mahyeok was genuinely worried about Seonu Jin.

From the moment Seonu Jin said he would erase the Sichuan Assassin Sect—or, more honestly, from the moment he had smiled like sunlight and apologized for deceiving him before revealing that he had not killed Hagun—Jeok Mahyeok had begun to regard him as a benefactor.

Furthermore, although Seonu Jin said he could not yet trust him and entrusted his two siblings to a nearby branch of the Hao Clan, he had also instructed them to return the siblings to Jeok Mahyeok if he did not come back after three days.

He said it was a precaution in case he failed to destroy the Sichuan Assassin Sect.

To Jeok Mahyeok, who had never received genuine goodwill from anyone throughout his life, everything Seonu Jin did seemed like the conduct of a chivalrous hero from a story.

It was enough to make him wonder whether this was what it felt like for a man to fall for another man.

Seonu Jin grinned at the man worrying about him and replied,

“Thank you for worrying. But I never said I intended to break through from the front.”

“…Pardon?”

Just as Jeok Mahyeok looked puzzled by Seonu Jin’s words—

Seonu Jin’s figure suddenly scattered as though crumbling into flower petals blown by the wind.

Susususuk!

“?!”

Jeok Mahyeok could only stare in shock.

He was the Seventh Killer of the Sichuan Assassin Sect, one of Sichuan’s foremost assassin organizations, yet he had lost track of another person right before his eyes while watching him directly.

It was an unbelievable sight even though he had witnessed it himself.

It was unmistakably a concealment art.

And one at a level incomparable to the concealment art he had learned. A shudder ran through him.

‘Where? Where did he go?’

He concentrated all his attention on his senses.

However, he could not detect Seonu Jin’s presence anywhere.

Instead, he sensed something else.

‘Could it be?’

Unable to trust his own senses, Jeok Mahyeok immediately activated his concealment art and approached the manor.

Then he could finally sense it clearly.

‘The presences of the assassins in ambush are disappearing?!’

Unlike its quiet exterior, the secluded manor serving as the Sichuan Assassin Sect’s headquarters was guarded by numerous assassins lying in ambush.

Yet the presences of those hidden assassins were steadily disappearing. Like tiny candles extinguished when the wind passed. Like starlight fading with the arrival of dawn.

Seonu Jin had to be eliminating them while concealed.

It happened so swiftly and naturally that Jeok Mahyeok felt chills run down his spine.

Eventually, before even half a quarter-hour had passed, every presence vanished. Seonu Jin then opened the front gate and stepped out as naturally as could be, calling to Jeok Mahyeok.

“Come inside. It seems I will need you to guide me through the interior of the manor.”

Jeok Mahyeok hesitated, unsure what to say, before eventually asking him,

“Could you perhaps be Dark-Blood Fragrance, Young Master?”

Recalling that Do Munseung had asked him the same question not long ago, Seonu Jin smirked.

“Of course not. I merely learned concealment arts as a hobby.”

For Jeok Mahyeok, it was an answer that inspired even more self-loathing than being told he was Dark-Blood Fragrance.

---

At the same time, Gye Suryeok, Sect Master and First Killer of the Sichuan Assassin Sect, had gathered the assassins ranked Special Class or higher in the main hall to discuss countermeasures.

“Twelfth Shadow, has there still been no report from the Seventh Killer?”

Twelfth Shadow bowed his head and answered.

“Yes. He reported that he was beginning the operation, but nothing after that….”

First Killer Gye Suryeok finally slammed his desk with an enraged expression.

Boom!

Then he muttered through clenched teeth.

“So because of that bastard Seonu Jin, we have lost the Third, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Killers?”

Gye Suryeok was furious, yet at the same time, he sank into deep contemplation.

He now had two paths available.

Abandon the commission before suffering further losses, or gather their remaining strength and complete it.

Emotionally, he believed giving up would be the correct choice.

They had already suffered tremendous damage, and gathering their remaining strength meant that even he would have to participate.

However, realistically, that would not be easy.

The enormous penalty for failure was one concern, but the greater issue was that the client was the Hongsa Sword Dragon, who was expected to become the live-in son-in-law of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

Therefore, canceling his commission at this stage would likely cause them to lose the favor of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

Moreover, had the Hongsa Sword Dragon not subtly implied that this commission represented the will of the Sichuan Tang Clan?

In the end, if they wished to continue living within Sichuan Province, they had no choice but to complete the commission somehow.

Gye Suryeok looked at the Special-Class assassins gathered in the hall, including the Second and Fourth Killers, and spoke resolutely.

“We will stake our lives upon this commission. From this moment onward, everyone, including me…!”

It was then.

Creeeak!

The doors to the main hall slowly opened with an irritating sound.

Gye Suryeok shouted furiously.

“Who is it?! Who dares enter during a Special-Class meeting?!”

However, the expression of Gye Suryeok, who had shouted so angrily, soon became strange.

There was no one visible behind the open doors.

He frowned and said,

“What sort of prank is this?”

He could not imagine that anyone might enter using concealment arts while deceiving the senses of everyone present, all of whom were Special-Class assassins.

While moving in concealment, Seonu Jin sent a voice transmission to Jeok Mahyeok, who was also concealed beside the door.

Guard the entrance and do not allow anyone to leave.

The next moment, Seonu Jin’s figure rose between the shadows of the gathered Special-Class assassins.

It was an appearance like that of a ghost.

“!”

“!”

Startled by his appearance, the assassins hurriedly launched themselves backward and tried to throw their hidden weapons.

However, pale-violet rays of light spread in every direction like the sun before they could act.

The Fifteenth Form of the Seonu Thirteen Swords.

Emptiness Becomes Form.

Fwaaaah!

Everyone in the hall could only freeze where they stood.

It happened in an instant.

In a single moment, as though a pale-violet sun had shone and released sword-shadows in every direction, more than thirty Special-Class assassins who had attempted to leap away were slaughtered where they stood.

There was no sound. No clash of swords, nor any screams.

There was merely light amid the silence, and when it vanished, dozens of corpses spraying blood collapsed powerlessly.

Thud! Thud!

The sole handsome man standing among the corpses smiled coldly and asked Gye Suryeok,

“You must be the First Killer, the Sect Master of this assassin sect.”

Gye Suryeok, who had been staring blankly before barely regaining his senses, swallowed and asked in return,

“W-Who are you?”

Seonu Jin smiled gently and answered,

“Seonu Jin.”

Gye Suryeok’s eyes widened as far as they possibly could.

That man was Seonu Jin? And how had he reached this place?

However, he had no time to think deeply about it.

That was because Seonu Jin was walking directly toward him.

Gye Suryeok clenched his teeth and shouted,

“What are you doing?! Attack him together!”

The surviving Special-Class assassins instinctively began throwing hidden weapons at him.

Pyupyupyupyuk! Swiiiish! Whirrrl!

Dozens, then hundreds of hidden weapons in every shape and form filled the space black as they surged toward Seonu Jin.

Seonu Jin’s sword began spinning fiercely.

The Fifth Form of the Four-One Sword Method.

Whirlwind Cut.

Whirlwind Cut was a defensive form of the Four-One Sword Method that shared the same lineage as the Whirlwind-Flow Forty-Eight Swords, a Diancang Sect art specialized in defense and flying-sword techniques.

When Seonu Jin unleashed it, his rotating sword began knocking aside every hidden weapon like a massive circular shield.

Tatatatatang!

Gye Suryeok’s expression distorted even further as he stared at the astonishing sight.

“How… could that be?”

At that moment, a shadow was slowly approaching Seonu Jin from behind while he wielded his sword.

It was Sa Pilcheuk, the Fourth Killer of the Sichuan Assassin Sect.

Timid from childhood and fond of hiding, Sa Pilcheuk had abandoned swordsmanship and hidden-weapon techniques to concentrate solely on concealment arts.

That was because he had been too afraid to cross swords with enemies or throw hidden weapons at them.

However, as he continued doing nothing but hiding, he eventually realized something.

No one could detect him anymore, and for someone like him, killing people had become exceptionally easy.

The moment the doors opened earlier, he had instinctively hidden himself with his concealment art in surprise.

It had been an instinctive action ingrained into his body.

However, because of that, he was certain.

Seonu Jin, whose attention was currently focused upon defense, could not have detected him.

Therefore, Seonu Jin’s exposed back undoubtedly belonged to him.

‘Hehehehe. Farewell.’

Sa Pilcheuk laughed inwardly as he approached directly behind Seonu Jin’s heel.

Just as he thought all he needed to do was fire the needle tube into his back, Seonu Jin, who had been deflecting hidden weapons, suddenly stepped backward and stomped forcefully.

Directly into the shadow where Sa Pilcheuk was concealed.

Crack!

With a sound like a watermelon bursting, Sa Pilcheuk’s headless corpse was exposed.

No matter how great a master of concealment one was, it was impossible to remain hidden after losing one’s head.

Seonu Jin glanced at the corpse and thought,

‘This man must be the Fourth Killer.’

He had already obtained all the information regarding the Sichuan Assassin Sect from Jeok Mahyeok.

Thus, he had been most wary of the Fourth Killer, who was said to possess the sect’s greatest concealment skills. Now that he had eliminated him, there seemed to be no need to hesitate any longer.

Seonu Jin finally began to move.

Tatatatatatang!

Seonu Jin’s figure, which had been deflecting hidden weapons with Whirlwind Cut, suddenly shot sideways like a cannonball.

Bang!

It was the effect of Bursting Advance Steps, which had now become an indispensable core of Seonu Jin’s movement.

Fwaaaak!

The assassins spread out to the side were instantly shredded as though exploding.

It was because of Seonu Jin’s sword strikes, which had descended upon them at a speed impossible to perceive.

The assassins could not even react properly to his speed. In the instant they realized something was wrong, they merely sprayed fountains of blood and became wandering ghosts.

First Killer Gye Suryeok grew desperate and shouted,

“Second Killer! What are you doing?! Stop him!”

The Second Killer was a man who had stood expressionlessly at one side like a doll throughout the fierce battle, as though it had nothing to do with him.

However, the moment Gye Suryeok’s command fell, he began to move.

He swiftly launched himself forward and threw hidden weapons.

Swish! Whirrrl!

A heavy arrow flew like a beam of light alongside spinning throwing stars. Their speed was on a completely different level from those thrown by the other assassins, forcing Seonu Jin to swing his sword and block them.

Ting! Ting! Ting!

It was then.

At that instant, the Second Killer had already moved behind the other assassins and shoved one of them forcefully toward Seonu Jin.

“!”

The assassin flew toward Seonu Jin with horror in his eyes.

Seonu Jin smirked and easily cut off his head with his sword.

Shaaak!

At that moment, the Second Killer sprang out from behind the assassin and swung his saber.

Shuak!

Clang!

It was only a single collision, and although the attack was blocked, it had been an exceptionally threatening surprise attack.

However, when Seonu Jin easily stopped his ambush despite that, the Second Killer did not linger.

He immediately leaped away and concealed himself among the other assassins again.

Then he instantly launched more hidden weapons.

Swish! Whirrrl!

Seonu Jin smirked, blocked the hidden weapons, and resumed slaughtering the remaining assassins.

According to Jeok Mahyeok, the Second Killer was the greatest saber wielder of the Sichuan Assassin Sect and the Sect Master’s blade. He was indeed an amusing opponent.

Although he had not even surpassed the Pinnacle Realm, merely combining the techniques available to him appropriately allowed him to appear more threatening than most Pinnacle Realm masters.

Seonu Jin grinned, licked his lips, and thought,

‘Now then, shall I try this as well?’

A hazy sword qi began pouring from Seonu Jin’s sword.

The Seventh Form of the Four-One Sword Method.

Black Heaven Sword Rain.

Shuhaaaak!

Sword-shadows poured down like rays of light amid the hazy sword qi resembling dark clouds.

It was a supreme technique intended to slaughter the remaining dozen or so assassins all at once.

Fwaaaak!

The Second Killer desperately escaped from among the assassins whose bodies were pierced by sword qi and who sprayed blood.

He deflected several sword-shadows with his daggers as he fled.

Cha-cha-chang!

‘I cannot let him escape!’

Seonu Jin’s figure followed him like a ghost.

For the first time, the Second Killer slightly narrowed his eyes and frantically scattered hidden weapons at close range.

Whirrrl!

However, Seonu Jin gently diverted them like flower petals scattering in the wind and immediately reached the Second Killer’s side.

The Second Killer’s daggers became several rays of light and descended upon Seonu Jin.

Tatatatatang!

It was an astonishingly rapid chain of attacks.

Afterimages even made it appear as though he had several arms.

However, Seonu Jin casually swung his sword and comfortably blocked them all before finally smiling and unleashing a sword strike at him.

The First Form of the Four-One Sword Method.

One Breath, One Kill.

Swish!

The eyes of the Second Killer, Gyeon Jung, widened.

A sword strike he swore he had never once witnessed, yet had always dreamed of reaching someday, was piercing through his body.

Thud!

Struck by the sword qi, he flew into the wall and collapsed onto the floor.

Thump!

It was over.

“Hmm.”

Seonu Jin lightly looked around.

Everyone visible had fallen to the floor.

He had not killed all of them, but at the very least, none remained capable of resisting.

Except for one person.

Seonu Jin now turned his gaze toward that final person.

First Killer Gye Suryeok was clenching his teeth, his face trembling.

For some time, he had been aiming a bamboo tube at Seonu Jin.

It was a bamboo tube that sprayed Hakryeonghong, an extreme poison leaked from the Tang Clan.

If even the Second Killer could not stop him, Gye Suryeok had intended to fire the bamboo tube without hesitation.

Every assassin in the room would die, but at least Gye Suryeok, who possessed the antidote, would survive.

However, in the end, he could not press the bamboo tube.

Gye Suryeok spat out his words in a voice filled with rage.

“Seventh Killer, you betrayed us.”

Jeok Mahyeok, who had already approached using concealment arts and placed his sword against the back of Gye Suryeok’s neck, answered,

“Betrayed you? You held my life and my siblings’ lives hostage with gu poison and threatened us, yet you speak of betrayal? Your shamelessness truly knows no bounds.”

Gye Suryeok clenched his teeth at Jeok Mahyeok’s voice, which sounded strangely cheerful.

Then he spat out,

“You bastard, do you think you can survive after doing this? Even if you and your siblings all die from the gu poison….”

Seonu Jin approached and cut him off.

“Oh, yes! That gu poison. Why don’t we have a conversation about it? You have two options. Speak quickly and die without pain, or suffer every imaginable agony, eventually speak anyway, and then end up unable either to live or die.”

Gye Suryeok looked at Seonu Jin with firm determination in his eyes and shouted,

“Do not waste your tricks! You will get nothing from me…!”

At that moment, Seonu Jin’s hands moved rapidly.

Tadadak!

It was the Tendon-Separating and Bone-Dislocating technique he had read and memorized in the Seonu Clan’s library.

In an instant, unbearable agony surged over Gye Suryeok like a tidal wave.

Overwhelmed by the tremendous pain, Gye Suryeok rolled his eyes back and screamed.

“Kuaaaaaak!”

Seonu Jin watched him with a gentle smile for a moment before speaking again.

“Come now, this is only the first stage. You cannot be screaming already. Let’s quickly reach the fifth stage, and then we can talk again.”

The Tendon-Separating and Bone-Dislocating method Seonu Jin had learned consisted of ten stages in total.

It seemed Gye Suryeok was in for a long day.