“Do not tremble. I won’t feel good after killing you if you do…”
At those words that could only be considered humiliating, Shin Eui-gyeom couldn’t even respond.
All of his past titles were meaningless now. Mumu’s strength was something that simply kept shocking him.
‘… No one can stop him.’
He even considered a scenario where all four attacked him together, but he couldn’t see a path to victory. No, even if all of the Murim sects united to fight him, they could not overcome his power.
Shin Eui-gyeom looked at Mumu with trembling eyes. Just the slightest touch from this boy would likely blow his head off.
‘Is this what it feels like to be near death?’
All sorts of thoughts passed through his mind.
He hadn’t lived a bad life. He was born a lowly captain and made a name for himself later in life. Even if he died here, he would have no regrets.
And then another thought entered his mind.
‘If this boy wanted revenge, he could just kill us all. Why then did he show off his strength?’
Mumu’s actions didn’t seem to show that he wanted revenge. Then why was he showing off this power?
As Shin Eui-gyeom turned towards Mumu, he decided to ask.
“If you are going to kill me, just do it. Why bother showing me your strength?”
Mumu gave him a casual reply.
“I am trying to show that killing one of the Four Great Warriors isn’t really difficult.”
“So you are trying to humiliate me?”
“Why would I bother with that? I did tell you.”
“What did you tell me?”
“If I killed you and the three other warriors, it would only make things more annoying.”
At those words, Shin Eui-gyeom frowned. He couldn’t understand what the child meant.
Even if he wasn’t from the Forces of Evil, anyone who had their parents murdered would go after their enemies. Yet this child didn’t seem to be like that.
‘… Is it because he doesn’t have a force behind him since he only recently found out about his father?’
If that were the case, he could understand since Mumu said he was adopted when he was young.
Which would explain why he had little affection for his biological father.
‘If he grew up under a person who is a scholar, then there is a chance.’
Mumu’s strength was clearly unrivaled. It was on par with the power of natural disasters.
If Mumu decided to walk down the path of revenge, no one could stop him. However, there was one thing that was stopping him.
The boy’s own intentions were to not walk down that path.
Thud!
Shin Eui-gyeom knelt down and looked at Mumu as he said,
“No matter who your father is, it doesn’t change that I am your enemy. And even if I die in your hands, I will have no resentment.”
“Is that so?”
Mumu responded rather dryly.
At this response, Shin Eui-gyeom touched the ground with his forehead.
Thud!
If people had seen this, they would have been greatly shocked. A man hailed as one of the saviors of the land, and Murim, who never knelt in front of anyone, was now doing so.
It was to the point of even touching the ground with his head.
“I don’t know why someone ready to die is doing this.”
“It doesn’t matter even if I die.”
“Then why are you doing this?”
“I do not ask you to do this as your enemy who is about to die, but as a warrior. If you take revenge, please end it with just the Four Great Warriors.”
“Only kill the four of you?”
“Please let our blood relatives live and end your revenge with just our lives.”
That was what he wanted.
The cycle would never stop if Mumu and the other children decided to kill each other. However, if Mumu agreed to end his revenge with just the Four Great Warriors, then it would be fine.
The weight of their titles was different from ordinary people.
From another perspective, they were simply four humans in the end. Shin Eui-gyeom believed that only four people wouldn’t be a huge sacrifice.
Thud!
Shin Eui-gyeom slammed his head on the ground once more.
“Please!”
Mumu stared at him and then said,
“But you said that if I killed you all, the land would unite as one? That is another annoying thing.”
To Mumu’s question, he replied.
“There is a way to deal with that.”
“A way?”
“Our deaths can be done cleanly.”
“Cleanly? What do you mean?”
Mumu was puzzled.
“You said you didn’t want things to become bigger and bother you, right?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Then, you just have to make sure the public doesn’t know what killed us.”
“… What?”
At Mumu’s question, Shin Eui-gyeom raised his head.
“Put off the idea of taking my life for now.”
At that, Mumu tilted his head. A delay in this kill?
“If I die here, news of your revenge will spread all over the realm.”
“Um.”
“I am not going to beg for my life.”
“Well, okay.”
“If you delay taking my life, I will gather all four of us here.”
‘!?’
Mumu’s eyes shone at this proposition.
“You will bring them all?”
“Yes. I swear on my life.”
That was an offer that Mumu never thought he would get.
“If you finish the act in a place where no one would see, our deaths would not become a problem for you.”
“…”
Mumu touched his chin.
Should he risk his life for this offer? Obviously, if the people didn’t know that he had taken his revenge, no one would bother him.
This wasn’t a bad proposition, but…
“How can I believe that?”
“I have confirmed that you can wipe the land clean with your strength if you put your mind to it. Why would I make false promises to try to save my life?”
Mumu looked into the eyes of Shin Eui-gyeom.
Even if he looked like he had forgotten fear, his eyes could not lie. The sound of his beating heart and trembling body clearly showed that he was ready for death.
Mumu stared at him and said,
“I see that you are serious. But by what means will you bring the other Four Great Warriors? Will they even agree?”
Shin Eui-gyeom had made this choice because he had seen Mumu’s disastrous strength, but what of the other warriors?
They wouldn’t believe Mumu unless they witnessed his power. And even if they did, there was another problem.
Would they agree to give up their lives?
“I want you to give me a chance.”
“A chance?”
“Right. Some might refuse if I ask them to follow me to prevent more sacrifices.”
“Then how will you bring them all?”
At this, Shin Eui-gyeom spoke with a bitter face.
“My defeat will move them.”
“Defeat?”
“Yes. All of them, including me, are warriors with renowned names. My defeat would certainly lead them here.”
Shin Eui-gyeom would use the sympathy card. Of course, even within the Four Great Warriors, there was a hierarchy that dictated their order.
Even among them, one or two would love to meet a strong man outside their small group of four familiar faces.
“If that is the case, will we be working together?”
“We will, and I will get them. If you give them a chance.”
“What chance?”
“Give them a chance to fight you. Even if they are your enemies, they are warriors, and warriors must be given a chance to fight to the death.”
This was actually a proposal for the Four Great Warriors.
He knew their odds of winning were slim, but he couldn’t simply ask his allies to give up their lives without a fight. Therefore he used this opportunity.
‘Even if we lose to this child, it will end with the sacrifice of just us four… and it would be a chance to erase the existence of a disaster if one of us wins.’
He didn’t mention this, though. This was a gamble with the lowest probability of success.
‘… Please accept this.’
Shin Eui-gyeom desperately hoped that Mumu would accept his plea. If the boy changed his mind and killed him here, he would become a walking disaster that would also kill the other three.
Thud!
Shin Eui-gyeom, who imagined that grim future, hit his head on the ground again.
“Please.”
“Um.”
Mumu, who continued to stare, finally replied,
“Fine.”
‘Ahhh. I did it.’
As soon as Mumu accepted his offer, Shin Eui-gyeom breathed a sigh of relief. It was a gamble that would be paid with his life.
This deal would prevent a greater tragedy and also give him one last chance to fight this monster.
This was someone who could not even be compared to that monster from 17 years ago. This was a fight where almost all of the odds of victory were tilted toward Mumu.
‘Still, we don’t know.’
Shin Eui-gyeom thought that this move was at least clever.
The four of them had managed to kill that man in the past. Now, 17 years later, they would have to do it to his son.
‘Is this fate?’
Perhaps it was.
He wasn’t sure what the ending would be, but for now, he decided struggling until the very end was the best option.
With that thought, he then stood up.
As Mumu approached him, Shin Eui-gyeom decided to express his gratitude.
“Thank you for giving me the chanc…”
Ssh
Before he could even finish, Mumu brought a finger to his forehead.
“This?”
“Evidence of your defeat.”
“What?”
Flick!
Mumu’s finger moved explosively with a loud breaking sound.
“Kuak!”
Shin Eui-gyeom groaned in pain as his body bounced backward. After flying back twenty or more steps, he only stopped after some trees broke his momentum.
“Kuuuk.”
Shin Eui-gyeom staggered out of the branches and felt his bones shaking in so much pain that it was difficult to keep hold of his senses.
He only had a moment to protect himself with internal energy but had failed to do so. The bone of his forehead felt as if it had sunk in.
“Kuak… ahhh… ahh…”
Pain assailed him everywhere in his body.
Bang!
Mumu appeared in front of him as Shin Eui-gyeom waved his hand in a futile attempt to stop anything more.
“This… this is enough…”
“No, it isn’t.”
Flick!
Mumu captured one of his arms and would not let go despite his futile struggle.
Shin Eui-gyeom could not even budge.
Mumu then said,
“If you cannot use one arm for the rest of your life, wouldn’t it be possible for the other three to be a little doubtful when coming to me instead of being excited?”
“W-what….”
“Ah! Maybe I should do both arms to make it more effective?”
‘!?’