Chapter 749: This Place is Filled with People I can’t Stand
Had there been a time recently when he was this surprised?
Geom Mugeuk never once imagined he would come face to face with Ak Gunhak in this place.
His voice rang so loud that it echoed through the chamber as Geom Mugeuk called out to him.
“Brother Ak!”
Geom Mugeuk addressed him comfortably as Brother Ak. When they had met again, they had agreed to treat each other as friends, so now he was no longer the Sword King, but simply Brother Ak.
The eyes of Geom Mugeuk trembled as he looked at him. He could not hide his joy. He barely restrained himself from rushing over and pulling him into an embrace.
Do you remember what I said?
See each other when you wish to, help when you must, and sometimes be the kind of friends who even throw shoes at one another.
He truly had missed him dearly. But this was not the place where he had expected to see him again.
“When I thought of meeting again, I imagined running into you while roasting meat out on a field. I thought we’d bump shoulders in a tavern, drunk and laughing. Or, I even thought it’d be fine if we never met again at all.”
Geom Mugeuk let out a feigned sigh.
“But why are you in such a gloomy underground place? Even if you liked basements, this one isn’t it, is it?”
He was referring to the time when they broke through the underground gates of the Golden Dragon Martial Hall. The moment they had looked up at the stars together, the time they had eaten elixirs until their stomachs nearly burst—those memories returned as vividly as if they had happened yesterday.
“I’m sorry.”
Of course Geom Mugeuk understood. He knew there must have been a reason that kept him from leaving.
“Is it because you haven’t repaid all your debts?”
After a pause, the Sword King replied.
“All debts are paid.”
“Then why haven’t you left?”
The Sword King did not answer.
What could have bound him here? What could have restrained a man so powerful, one who always dreamed of freedom?
“If a man says he’ll leave, he should leave. Whatever stands in the way, he should smash it over the head with his shoe and walk off.”
Geom Mugeuk’s gaze fell upon the Sword King’s shoes. They looked brand new, as if they had never once been worn.
“I bought those so you’d wear them, but you didn’t even put them on. I held a reunion, and you didn’t come. You knew I hosted it, didn’t you?”
Surprisingly, the Sword King nodded. That meant he had been keeping an eye on Geom Mugeuk.
“I was afraid you’d make me dance.”
“You can’t dance, you can’t leave—what’s that supposed to be!”
Despite his words, Geom Mugeuk’s face overflowed with joy. How could he possibly hide such happiness?
“Still, I’m really glad we got to meet again.”
Everything he had said before had only been to reach this one sentence.
The two men smiled brightly at each other. Whatever their current positions might have been, joy was still joy.
On the other hand, the expression of Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who was watching the scene, stiffened completely. He could guess who the man was.
—That man.
Since Geom Mugeuk always came back from missions and shared every detail of his experiences, it was easy to figure out that the opponent before them was the swordsman who had left the battle unscathed at the Golden Dragon Martial Hall.
Even just by looking, he could feel it—the sheer strength radiating from that barefoot man. Among all the enemies he had faced until now, this one exuded the most formidable presence.
—Yes, that’s right. It’s him.
One-Slash Sword Supreme had met the Sword King together with the Fist Demon King during that battle.
Because Ak Gunhak had emerged from the underground first, a fight had nearly broken out. Fortunately, Geom Mugeuk had followed right after, and the confrontation had been narrowly avoided.
Blood Heaven Blade Demon wore an uneasy look. It was a feeling different from when Geom Mugeuk had befriended Jin Hagun or Bih Sa-in.
—He looks dangerous.
—He’s strong.
In truth, Blood Heaven Blade Demon hadn’t said “dangerous” because the man looked strong. It was because he sensed that Geom Mugeuk was letting his guard down far too easily toward a potential enemy.
—Those bare feet are dangerous.
One-Slash Sword Supreme turned to look at Blood Heaven Blade Demon. He was seeing something she could not.
The conversation between Geom Mugeuk and the Sword King continued.
“In the meantime, Brother Ak, you’ve even found someone you like.”
“Me?”
“We’ve talked about you so many times. Because of you, one woman’s life completely changed.”
Cha Iran should have been here. Geom Mugeuk couldn’t help feeling it was a pity. Would she be embarrassed? Flustered? Or would she handle it gracefully, as she often did?
“Is she pretty?”
“You should be asking who she is!”
The two laughed together.
Of course, the Sword King knew that the woman he spoke of was Cha Iran—the one who had left the organization after fighting him.
“Once this is over, let’s go see her together.”
The Sword King didn’t respond. Yet Geom Mugeuk knew that his silence didn’t mean dislike. That was why he persisted.
“You turned a woman’s life upside down and still act this shamelessly? No, I won’t have it! I’ll make sure to take you there myself.”
Still, the Sword King said nothing.
Whatever you see as the end of this fight, I don’t care. I’ll take you back to the main cult myself. If you leave again, leave from there.
With that, the Sword King’s gaze—who had reunited with Geom Mugeuk—shifted toward the two Demon Supremes.
He was the first to clasp his fists and bow politely to them.
Blood Heaven Blade Demon glared at him, unable to hide his displeasure, while One-Slash Sword Supreme returned the greeting with a light bow.
Then Geom Mugeuk asked the Sword King the most important question of all.
“Why have you come here?”
From the Sword King’s lips came a shocking answer.
“To protect the one who came here to kill you.”
But Geom Mugeuk was not greatly surprised. He had already guessed as much the moment he first saw him.
“Then this is a problem. If Brother Ak is guarding him, no one will be able to kill anyone.”
At that moment, a cold voice came from behind—Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s.
“I’ll do the killing.”
Geom Mugeuk knew those words were no bluff. He meant them.
“I’ll hold him down tight. While I do, please strike quickly and finish the job.”
Blood Heaven Blade Demon muttered sharply,
“For once, make some normal friends!”
Geom Mugeuk turned to look back at him and replied,
“I messed up on my very first choice.”
Realizing the comment referred to him, Blood Heaven Blade Demon shook his head.
Tae Soo, who had been quietly watching everything, felt his heart pounding wildly.
It wasn’t because Geom Mugeuk had met some mysterious man in such a place.
It was because watching those puppets being in battle together made his heart race for no reason. He had seen Geom Mugeuk in action many times before, yet had never felt this kind of excitement. Perhaps it was because he always handled things too quickly back then.
But now, seeing him fighting alone among those terrifying masters, Tae Soo felt as though he was witnessing someone from an entirely different world—a heaven beyond heavens, utterly beyond his reach.
Originally, he had planned to tell his father that once this mission ended, he would stop being a thief.
Yet now another thought crossed his mind.
‘Would it be wrong to ask to become one of his subordinates?’
Looking up at the man who seemed as distant as the heavens, Tae Soo wondered if he had just been chasing clouds all this time.
He turned to look at Ji Han.
‘You don’t feel the same way?’
Ji Han, however, was watching the situation calmly.
He wasn’t surprised at all, because he knew who Geom Mugeuk really was.
Puppets under joint attack? Of course, his lord would be the center of such a battle. After all, the man he served was the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Even so, Ji Han felt tension building inside him.
Could their very first battle under the Young Cult Leader really be something so immense?
If even the two of them felt this way, how shaken must the other martial artists have been?
Caught off guard by the turn of events, the warriors were utterly bewildered. When they opened this chamber, they had expected traps and, beyond them, treasures waiting to be claimed.
They had imagined seeing not one but dozens of skeletons, with heaps of treasure piled high beside them.
But reality did not forgive dreamers.
‘We’ve been deceived!’
They thought Geom Mugeuk had tricked them into coming here. The puppets, his warm reunion with the man in this place—everything seemed part of a scheme.
But soon they realized that the one who had led them here was not Geom Mugeuk.
A man with an iron mask bowed respectfully to the Sword King and revealed his identity.
“It has been a long time.”
"Doesn't that mask feel too hot to wear all the time?"
"It is fine."
From the casual tone of their exchange, one could tell the iron-masked man's position was not low.
"Who are you looking for?"
"They should be among them."
The iron-masked warrior walked out in front of the martial artists.
He took an incense stick from his chest and lit it.
"Come this way."
"This is Soul-Viewing Incense. It will react to the person we’re looking for."
The smoke that rose from the incense slowly spread around.
The martial artists felt fear as the smoke drifted toward them. A situation they had never imagined was unfolding.
Geom Mugeuk knew. The person the iron-masked man sought was Danso Jin, the very one who had sent him a secret message.
Ssshhh.
The smoke, circling slowly like a living thing, gathered around one person.
As Geom Mugeuk had expected, the smoke chose Danso Jin.
Geom Mugeuk prepared for any contingency.
If the iron-masked man tried to kill him, he intended to save Danso Jin. Of course, that did not guarantee Danso Jin was not an enemy.
He only knew his name. Still, instinct told him he should save him.
Fortunately, the iron-masked man had no intention of killing him.
"Come out here."
Danso Jin trembled, terrified. He had been acting the whole time, from the beginning to this point.
"Why are you doing this?"
But his performance was already too late.
"Stop that and come out. You must come out if you want to live."
The remaining people were stunned by those words. Did that mean the rest of them were to be killed?
The iron-masked man pointed to one more person.
"You come out, too."
It was the man with the sword scar across his face. Danso Jin had said he came from the Unorthodox Alliance.
The iron-masked warrior knew his exact identity, too.
"This man was sent by the Unorthodox Alliance master. He, too, was ordered to be spared."
The scar-faced man stepped forward and stood beside Danso Jin. This was not the time or place for resistance.
After choosing the two, the iron-masked man walked toward the remaining martial artists. He intended to kill them all.
Then the Sword King spoke calmly.
"It is the day I met an old friend. Do not make me smell blood."
Knowing he meant that they were not to be killed, the iron-masked man was taken aback.
"You mustn't do this."
The Sword King stared at the iron-masked man silently. He did not glare or show murderous intent, but the iron-masked man immediately bowed his head deeply.
The Sword King told the martial artists who stood awkwardly.
"Leave without looking back."
The martial artists rushed back the way they had come.
“If I pile up a little merit like this, maybe when I go to hell, they’ll dip me in a fire pit that’s a little less hot, don’t you think?”
He made it sound as if he had spared them for his own sake, but Geom Mugeuk knew better. He knew the man had let them go for him—because he understood that Geom Mugeuk detested senseless slaughter.
And just then—
Ssshhhkkk!
The sound of energy tearing through the air came from the direction the martial artists had fled.
Screams followed, and the thick scent of blood rushed into the chamber.
Soon, four men entered the room.
Their attire was peculiar. Two wore black martial robes with black flowing garments and black sabers at their waists. The other two were clad in red robes, red flowing garments, and had red sabers at their sides.
Between the two black-clad and the two red-clad men, one man walked in.
He was a being of overwhelming presence.
Tall and broad-shouldered, his body radiated power. At his waist hung twin blades.
The swords on his left and right sides had distinct features.
The left blade was a pitch-black saber, the Black Blade. The right blade was crimson, the Blood Blade. A white crescent moon was engraved upon the black saber, and a blazing sun was etched onto the red one.
His facial features were sharp, as though sculpted finely with a blade, and his jet-black eyes gleamed like newly polished steel.
Just looking into them was like having a blade pressed against one’s throat—eyes that cut, piercing and merciless.
Geom Mugeuk recognized him the instant he saw him.
The Second King of the Twelve Zodiac Kings—Blade King Naeng Musaang.
With those twin blades, he had once stood at the pinnacle of swordsmanship among the Twelve Zodiac Kings. His mastery of the blade was said to rival even that of the Sword King.
Everyone feared him—not only for his devastating swordsmanship, but more so for his cruelty and, at times, madness.
The four martial artists who had entered before him were his subordinates, known as the Dark Blood Four Blades—absolute masters who served directly under the Blade King.
Now, in this place, the Sword King and the Blade King stood together. It was the moment when the First King and the Second King of the Twelve Zodiac Kings shared the same air.
The Sword King looked at the Blade King and said,
“Your hellfire just got hotter.”
Their gazes clashed in midair. In the Blade King’s eyes, there was no fear of the Sword King—but neither was there disdain.
At last, the Blade King spoke, his voice low and sharp, like a winter wind—cold, dry, and cutting.
“No matter how hard I tried to understand you, I simply couldn’t.”
Then, as if to say that this man was the very reason, the Blade King turned his head and looked at Geom Mugeuk.
Swoooosh—
A wave of killing intent shot toward Geom Mugeuk. The murderous aura carried emotion—displeasure mingled with hostility.
Just before that killing intent could reach him—
Boom!
The Heaven-Extinguishing Saber struck the ground before Geom Mugeuk.
From the saber, still wrapped in cloth, burst a fierce energy that repelled the incoming killing aura completely, not letting even a trace pass through.
Standing before Geom Mugeuk was Blood Heaven Blade Demon, his expression colder than ever. He was no longer the calm man who read books and drank tea.
“This place is filled with nothing but people I can’t stand.”
Blood Heaven Blade Demon untied the knot binding the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber.
Ssshhrrkkk—
As the cloth unraveled, the true form of the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber was revealed.
“Let’s just say I’ve lost this bet.”