Episode 41

Breaking the Namgoong Clan.

There were a few precautions to take during this operation.

1. Civilians must not die.

2. The warriors of the Namgoong Clan must not die. However, if they attack us, we can use force to suppress them.

3. We must obtain the dark secrets held by the Namgoong Clan.

These were the conditions.

The first is obvious.

The reason the Namgoong Clan is being attacked now is that they forcibly conscripted civilians under the pretext of having discovered something.

The second is the most essential principle. Starting by killing them and attacking them after discovering their hidden transgressions are different matters.

Once the third is resolved, there will be turmoil within the Namgoong Clan, and the second issue will also be resolved.

‘What a hassle.’

Breaking the Namgoong Clan required such conditions.

“Are you alright?”

Nam Hyerin examined my complexion.

“There’s no problem.”

There’s nothing wrong.

The principal wanted incriminating proof of the Namgoong Clan’s deeds.

Although there were plenty of flaws, it had to be related to their ‘achievements’ for the government to bury them.

But how would I know that?

However, there was Yoo Eunchae, and the principal was aware that she knew something.

‘She’s the easiest method.’

Although I could ask her, that doesn’t suit my temperament.

‘And there’s a way.’

A way to directly expose the disgrace.

Yoo Eunchae told me her method, but it’s no good.

‘Why go the long way round?’

I thought after hearing Yoo Eunchae’s method.

I’m certain my method is the most reliable.

So, I broke through the main gate.

Seon Woohyeon, Shin Yura, and Yoo Eunchae looked at me bewilderedly.

“…You, what on earth have you done!”

Before Seon Woohyeon could say anything, I started moving.

Boom!!

The door shatters. I stride forward, a wooden sword slung over my shoulder.

I felt the bewildered gazes.

‘It’s okay.’

A reputation can always be made.

The Namgoong clan’s patriarch.

When I saw him, I knew.

What kind of power he had tampered with.

And.

Its fatality.

‘If there’s a problem.’

It’s something I have to deal with physically.

The patariarch would be a formidable opponent.

A master of the highest caliber.

A realm of properly wielding sword qi, a uniquely unparalleled existence.

‘In contrast, I am…’

My body is currently beyond strange.

Physically, I am at the bottom of the first class.

In terms of mana, at the peak.

And my mind is.

‘A transcendent.’

In the language of this place, one who has shed or ascended.

Everything realized from my past lives, starting from the one before last.

I fully preserved them.

That’s why I am strong.

If they are similar to my level, I will definitely win, and even if they are a bit stronger, I am confident in victory.

The problem is,

What he possessed was somewhat problematic.

Charm Art.

A martial art considered heretical among martial arts.

Because it steals people’s vital energy.

Those who lose their vital energy wither away and die.

And there’s something else he hid.

‘He hid something very interesting.’

Step by step, I walked forward.

Seon Woohyeon, the children of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan, Han Yurim and Han Junseok, and the swords of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan also followed me.

Everyone looked at me in astonishment.

Yoo Eunchae was the same.

At first, she seemed flustered but soon calmed down.

She was saying with her eyes,

‘If it’s the master, he must have done something.’

Nam Hyerin was the same.

After a month of rigorous training, she came to believe most of what I said.

With a wooden sword slung over my shoulder, I thought about a method to directly destroy Namgoong.

And a move that would inevitably bring the clan leader running.

‘Emperor Sword Form.’

I’ve chosen you.

Emperor Sword Form.

It contains the profound understanding of a swordsman who wished to embrace the sky.

It captured the azure sky of spring, the vast sky of summer, the clear sky of autumn, and the supreme sky of winter, capturing the four seasons.

It contains the profound understanding of the Five Directional Gods.

In the martial world, these beings act as spirits under the name of gods.

Thus, the Emperor Sword Form suited Nam Hyerin.

‘Because she can control spirits.’

And there was the trait that Yoo Eunchae hinted at—Sword Empress, was that the name?

The moment I heard it, I thought it would suit her very well.

‘Or, in my case, I make the spirits comply forcefully.’

I can suppress them with force, but Nam Hyerin is different.

By utilizing the Sword Empress’s talent, she can summon spirits.

The Emperor Sword Form is a sword technique that can only be used by summoning spirits.

Thus, the Emperor Sword Form is originally meant for few to learn.

It is a sword technique, yet it is not.

Crack.

Stepping firmly, I caused the ground under me to split like a spider web.

“Hoo.”

Breathing.

With my heavenly eyes discerning every detail, I started separating the commoners from the warriors.

’More than I thought.;

Nothing special.

A person of medium rank commands the troops, but that’s it.

I drew my sword.

Koogooogoong!

The emperor’s form enveloped my back. An unprecedented power dwelled within.

My eclipse.

Azure Sky Emperor Sword.

Koong!!

From the wooden sword, the energy waves circulate endlessly. Circulating and endlessly connecting.

The essence and everything of Emperor Sword Form.

The sword energy buzzed, giving a thrilling sensation up to my wrist.

The power of spirits dwelled in the sword.

What I did was simple.

I drew my sword down.

‘I don’t know what they found to be moving so hastily.’

Seon Woohyeon and Yoo Eunchae acted as if they must block it by any means.

If they act like that, there must be something tremendous.

「We absolutely must prevent that item from falling into the hands of the Namgoong clan’s head!」

「It must never go to Namgoong.」

I recalled their earnest requests.

“Aaaah!! Everyone run!!”

“No! you said this would be a good method!!”

“Damn, everyone, get ready!!”

It’s chaos everywhere. Could it be that I can’t control my power?

As the corners of my mouth rose on their own.

I swung the Blue Emperor sword.

Kwaaaaaang!!

A massive roar sounded. At the same time, the Emperor Form disappeared.

My hands were still tingling. This is the aftermath of using the Azure Sky Emperor Sword with an incomplete body.

‘Well, this is fortunate, all things considered.’

For someone like Nam Hyerin, returning to normal would take a full three days of recuperation.

Crack.

I twisted my neck and moved forward.

The acrid dust. And the noise and commotion.

“Eh, what? Why am I perfectly fine? It’s like a god struck me down with a sword?”

“Call the armed forces immediately!! The enemies have invaded!!”

“We’ve sent the signal. They’ll be here soon!”

I follow the sounds. More quietly than anyone else.

I hold my breath. Slowly, I entrust the energies within me to nature.

Wind, earth.

They tell me where the enemies are.

“In one minute! They’ll be here in one minute…ugh!”

“Everyone stop! First, solidify our defense…ugh!”

I take down all the warriors in sight.

After knocking down about fifteen, the dust in the air slowly began to settle.

“What is this…”

“You’re the person in charge, right?”

The face that just a moment ago told me I would regret this was now right in front of me.

“What did you say to me earlier? If I want to live quietly in Korea, I should stop what I’m doing now—If I don’t want to regret it, that is?”

“That.. that is…”

“Let’s make you regret it instead.”

“I’m, I’m sorry… cough.”

I pressed down on his stomach with my foot.

The guy, whether the leader or the chief, struggled and gasped for air.

Ah, maybe not the chief.

Even if the Namgoong Clan has fallen into disrepute, someone with such meager strength wouldn’t be the chief.

Those who decide on a family’s major and minor matters might be weak in terms of martial power, but a chief would at least be a top-notch expert.

‘That’s why the Namgoong Clan is also feared.’

While I was thinking about that, Yoo Eunchae came to me.

“Ah, you’ve already caught the chief.”

“…Is this guy really the chief?”

“He’s definitely fast. To subdue the chief in a single move. First, we need to torture him to find that ‘item’.”

“Why torture him?”

“Huh? Aren’t you torturing him to find the Namgoong Clan’s ‘that’?”

“Why do that when there’s an easier method?”

“…There’s a better method?”

Seon Woohyeon and Yoo Eunchae’s gazes focused on me.

“What about the others?”

“They’re coming from afar. The heirs of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan are trying to leave, but the swords are forcibly pushing them in.”

“Probably, they were ordered to. Those guys are ridiculously stubborn. They’re the type to carry out orders even in such a mess.”

Seon Woohyeon looked at me and said.

Snap!

I didn’t like the look in his eyes, so I smacked him with a wooden sword.

“Ouch!”

“What, should I just beat you up, huh?”

“…Ugh.”

Looking at Seon Woohyeon, I turned my gaze towards a place resembling a cave.

There was a commotion coming from there.

‘To appear in just one minute?’

It meant that someone had somewhat anticipated they would be attacked.

Those wielding swords came swarming in.

Each one had a flag that read Azure Heaven Brigade or Heavenly Dragon Brigade on their back.

“Azure Heaven Brigade and Heavenly Dragon Brigade. This might be a bit tough.”

“Sigh, I’ll take care of half of Azure Heaven Brigade.”

“If we join forces with the Iron-Blood Sword Clan, we might be able to hold off Heavenly Dragon Brigade.”

“Then…”

Seon Woohyeon’s eyes turned towards me.

Regardless, I looked away.

‘The one who looks dangerous.’

None.

At this rate, if we struggle hard enough, we might make it through.

I looked at Seon Woohyeon and his group.

“Seon Woohyeon.”

“What?”

“You take charge of Azure Heaven Brigade. If we fought hard enough, there won’t be any deaths or serious injuries.”

“…Wait, don’t tell me you’re.”

Before he could finish saying ‘don’t tell me’, I was ready to leap.

From the entrance, a powerful aura was bursting forth.

‘That won’t do.’

The others will somehow manage to hold on.

I’ve only taught them for a month and a week, but I didn’t teach them carelessly.

Yoo Eunchae wouldn’t just watch Seon Woohyeon’s power being eroded.

‘Right?’

She knows how to separate personal matters from work.

It’ll be okay.

“Han Seojin!!”

Kwoong!

A lion’s roar that made my ears ring. Tremendous internal energy was infused.

Along with something extraordinary.

‘As expected.’

I moved forward with a smile.

Coming here, I had a lot to ponder.

Should I show him the art of spear through the wall or beat him up with my fists?

The pleasant thing is beating him up with both fists.

Spear technique is not bad either.

Swordsmanship is a martial art convenient to use anywhere, but the spear technique is used by those with the most outstanding talent among all weapons.

However, there is something even more pleasant.

‘Sword.’

It’s pressing down with a sword.

I threw away the wooden sword.

It’s made of some kind of wood and boasts the same strength as a steel sword, but.

‘It’s a bit unsuitable to fight with that.’

I looked at him.

His physique is excessively swollen, and his steps are a bit awkward. Each one is subtle, but anyone who has reached a certain level can notice.

It’s like he’s forced his way up.

Essence, Qi, and Spirit.

It’s a level that can only be reached by combining all those elements, but there are other methods as well.

You could contract with a devil or forcibly steal power from others to inflate your size.

But as they are the ones who easily crumble at the next wall.

Even just reaching that level, one can make a name for themselves in the martial world.

Just for that alone, skirmishes break out, and villages disappear without them caring.

And that guy is the latter.

“Do you think you can attack our Great Namgoong Clan just because you trust your Emperor Sword Form?!”

“Your voice is too loud. Do you want to tell everyone you got attacked and became scared, like a coward?”

“You… won’t be able to live a good life.”

He growls like a beast.

“I’d like to return those words exactly. How much energy have you stolen? It seems like you’ve devoured dozens at that rate. We haven’t even known each other that long, have we?”

“…I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“Well, I guess that’s as far as that goes.”

Martial arts or magic. Reaching the heights with these is, above all, an intense pleasure.

That’s why many abandoned humanity.

However, It’s a separate issue from corruption.

“You, you’ve made a contract with a demon. Their smell is so strong, it’s making my face scrunch up.”

“…”

Namgoong Clan’s head’s complexion hardened.

As if he thought I wouldn’t know.

“Clan head!! We will join the fight as well!”

Behind the Namgoong Clan head, about 30 warriors gathered.

They bore a flag that read ‘Lighting Sword Squad’ on their backs.

It felt like a different level compared to the sword squad I had seen before.

If that sword squad were to step in, Seon Woohyeon or Yoo Eunchae might get hurt or even die.

‘I must stop them.’

I glanced briefly to the other side.

At those who said they would step forward the moment the Namgoong Clan’s disgrace was revealed.

‘It might be good to leave it to them.’

But there’s something I want to test.

The Eternity I possess.

That is the newly created trait.

“Scum! You dare to mess with us, you’ll pay!!”

The Lightning Sword Brigade charged at me.

The clan leader watched me as if wanting to see my skills on guard.

‘Even now, he only looks out for himself.’

The previous clan leader really chose poorly.

Whooosh─!!

The qi close to the Great Sky starts rapidly spinning in my heart.

The circle engraved with the Glacial Heavenly Moon spins vigorously. The part engraved with Brilliant Blazing Fire interlocks with it, activating it to an extreme.

system_start
Unique Trait, the eternal mana of Eternity resides within you.
system_end

The attribute of Eternity is layered on top of my magical attributes.

I extended one hand toward the Lightning Sword Brigade.

Glacial Heavenly Moon.

A sphere as blue as the moon existed above my hand.

Glacial Heavenly.

The destructive ice sphere that could be called the ultimate technique of the Glacial Heavenly Moon.

“Ha, using magic against us!!”

The one who seemed to be the sword master of the Lightning Sword Brigade took out a shield.

A blue shield.

A faint anti-magic property, resistant to magical forces, was felt.

Regardless, I prepared my magic.

Glacial Heavenly.

The secret technique of the Moon that freezes everything.

To this, I add the new power I’ve acquired.

system_start
Unique Trait, Eternal Ice, is activated.
system_end

The blue sphere transformed into a flower. Like a lily made of ice sculptures.

Eternal Heavenly Glacier.

Immediately after, blue light burst out in all directions.