Cling! “To the endless development of our clan!”
“To our clan!”
As Namgung Chaegong raised his cup high and shouted a toast, others followed suit, raising their cups. The atmosphere quickly became lively.
The elderly members of the Namgung Clan pointed out that it was unbecoming for the Clan Lord to act without dignity, but how could a temperament like a cloud flowing with the wind change? The Clan Lord was happily downing drinks, caught up in the excitement.
A grand banquet. Even if those at the top tried to maintain gravity, it would flow lightly, and with the Clan Lord taking the lead in enjoying himself, the excitement was uncontrollable. Some martial artists even wanted to show off sword dances, saying such an occasion couldn’t be without entertainment.
Namgung Chaegong put his arm around Namgung Pae’s shoulders.
“Pae, it’s a good day, have a drink with me!”
“Clan Lord, I’m the head of security. Someone needs to keep their eyes open and guard… Urk!”
“How dare you try to avoid a Master’s cup!”
His skill in using the Grabbing Hand Technique to catch Pae’s chin and make him drink was natural. While the birthday celebrant was making such a ruckus, one corner of the wall was relatively quiet.Envers fiddled with his cup and asked Namgung Myeong.
“…The Clan Lord seems quite informal, doesn’t he?”
“It’s just embarrassing…”
Namgung Myeong, perhaps ashamed of his father’s behavior, couldn’t bring himself to look up and just kept his head down.
“Being warm is better than being cold.”
If anything, it was enviable.
If the Duke of Redburn had been such an affectionate person, many things would have been different. Envers tilted his cup and drank the plain water in one go. His mouth tasted bitter.
“Daoist Cheonghwi.”
“Why do you call?”
“Do you have a dream, Daoist?”
“Of course. That is… to become a Master. Enough to defeat the Heavenly Demon.”
If he became that strong, there would be nothing to fear in the world. He would even surpass Bennett and rank first at the Academy, and be equal to or surpass the professors.
He could even kiss Luna, and achieve all his wishes and everything he wanted, couldn’t he?
Namgung Myeong looked at Envers with bright eyes and asked.
“What do you want to do after becoming a Master?”
“I need to see my mother, return to my family and reclaim my position, and also… meet my elder brother.”
“Ah, so Daoist Cheonghwi has a Hyungnim too! But… are those things you can only do after becoming a Master?”
“…I am not too sure about that.”
Perhaps not.
“Ah, I’ll join you.”
“Thank you. Have a cup too.”
“Hehe.”
Clink.
The two youngsters pretended to be adults, exchanging cups of plain water. As Envers picked up a piece of tofu from a plate and chewed it, he suddenly felt a passing breeze.
Whoosh. Rumble.
“…?”
A vibration… spreading very shallowly through the air like a whip.
A faint tremor tickling the hair on his skin. Envers turned to look in the direction of the Namgung Clan’s main gate. While everything around was noisy and the banquet was still in progress…
Envers pushed all that commotion to a corner of his mind and focused.
“…? Daoist Cheonghwi?”
Thud. Thoom.
The sound of collision. And the faint smell of blood wafting to his nostrils. Envers slowly stood up, tensing his entire body.
Namgung Myeong, also sensing something was amiss, put down his cup and stood up, looking intently at the main gate. Only then could Namgung Myeong feel it…
Gaze Insight.
The murky killing intent staring at him from far away.
===============================================================
Woooooo──.
Midnight. Outside the walls of the Namgung Clan, where the banquet was in full swing, complete darkness had settled. The full moon was out, but its light wasn’t enough to illuminate every corner of the shadows.
Rustle.
The branch of an old tree bent down and then sprang back up, trembling. Something, some night creature, had stepped on it and passed by. Rustle Rustle Rustle. The sound of leaves brushing against each other evidenced the creature’s presence.
Tap. Tap.
It jumps up, stepping on a stall set up by the roadside. However, its movement is quite strange. There was a peculiar unpleasantness about it, as if it were human but not quite human.
Human voices reached the beast’s ears. It was two martial artists guarding the Namgung Clan’s main gate. They were chatting with each other.
“…They’re really having fun inside. How long until our shift change?”
“Still a while to go. The full moon hasn’t even moved from where it’s hanging over that pavilion.”
“Damn, when I get off duty, I’m going to drink first thing…”
Thud.
It climbed up onto the roof.
“…Hey. Wait. Over there.”
A silhouette painted pitch black by the moon’s backlight, eyeballs white without pupils. An unnaturally thin body that could be traced by its outline. Disheveled hair.
“…Is it… human?”
“Whether it’s human or ghost, it doesn’t seem to be a good omen. Ring the bell! I’ll buy some time–”
Tap.
The beast ran on all fours.
Its hands and feet crossed haphazardly, in a bizarre running style unlike any animal in the world. It was like a gallop that mixed half centipede, half dog. Tap. Taptaptaptaptaptap.
And in an instant, it arrived in front of the martial artist.
Crack.
It broke his neck.
Looking at his fellow warrior who had been taken down in an instant, the remaining martial artist was gripped by terror. It was a speed that didn’t even allow for a reaction. He would probably die too.
“Y-You mon–”
ster bastard.
Before he could even finish that word, the creature grabbed his companion’s broken neck and used it as a weapon. The martial artist witnessed his companion’s crown flying towards his face.
That was the last thing he saw.
Thud, thoom.
Two corpses with smashed heads were created. But it wouldn’t stop at two.
Tap.
The beast leaped over the wall.
===============================================================
Chaos is like fire; given a little time, it spreads uncontrollably fast. However, the beast was a little faster than fire.
At the edge of the banquet, by the wall where Namgung Myeong was located. The disheveled beast ran on all fours to take the young boy’s life.
The beast’s body was revealed by the banquet hall’s light.
Bloodless gray skin, tightly shrunken muscles all over its body, a sunken belly as if it had no internal organs. Those with knowledge realized that this monster had a name: Jiangshi.
The Namgung Clan warriors in its path drew their swords.
“Block it!”
“Stop it!”
A Jiangshi was also called a First-Rate nightmare.
This was because its grayish-white skin has hardness and strength beyond imagination. Unless one has reached the level of being able to cut iron, they cannot inflict meaningful damage on a Jiangshi.
So, the warriors blocking the Jiangshi’s path now also knew they couldn’t defeat it.
But their victory conditions were different.
The Namgung Clan warriors just needed to hold out. Even if their arms and legs were broken one by one, if they could buy even a very short amount of time…
“Ruining my birthday banquet, you damn bastard!”
The Namgung Clan’s greatest sword, Namgung Chaegong, would handle it!
Hiss! Steam burst out from Namgung Chaegong’s body. He had expelled all the alcohol from his system with a precise application of Inner Qi. He drew the sword at his waist and leapt. The Clan Lord would reach them in ten seconds.
The Namgung Clan warriors smiled. Even if swords didn’t work, they just needed to hold out for a mere ten seconds!
They thrust their swords. They thought that if they infused them with Inner Qi and pressed down as if pushing, they could suppress the Jiangshi’s movements no matter how strong it was.
“You can’t go any further… Ugh?!”
In one move, they realized that thought had been presumptuous.
The Jiangshi seemed to know all of the Namgung Clan’s Sword Movements, squeezing its body into gaps that couldn’t be filled by the swords. And as it passed by the warriors, it lightly scratched them with its sharply filed nails.
Slash.
Throats were cut and blood gushed out. A warrior clutched his throat and moved his lips. This was no ordinary opponent. It was beyond mere strength.
It knows the Sword of Namgung. It knows how to break them…!
But how could he convey words with a bleeding throat? It was too late.
Slash, swish.
The Jiangshi, moving jerkily like a possessed shaman, avoided the Sword Movements flying at it from all directions and killed two more.
While some guests screamed and others retreated or tried to draw their swords, the Jiangshi had already reached within arm’s reach of Namgung Myeong. Namgung Chaegong shouted.
“STOP──!!”
But would such words work on a monster made from a corpse?
For those without human hearts, only martial force works, so Namgung Chaegong’s urgent cry was of no use.
Thwack-!
But this also meant Envers’ club was effective. The Jiangshi staggered slightly, and in that moment, Envers blocked its path with his body and shouted.
“…Namgung Myeong, run away!”
“I’ll help too, Daoist Cheonghwi!”
“It is targeting you, so stop talking and run, ugh…!!”
Slash slash slash slash!
The Jiangshi’s nail stabs came in a flurry. Envers used Gaze Insight as a guide, barely avoiding them at the cost of his skin being torn.
Then, the Jiangshi extended its leg at an incomprehensible angle.
A movement with indecipherable intent. But Envers could understand. This wasn’t a mistake. This was… that monstrous Heavenly Demon’s… strategic moves that read several moves ahead!
Whoosh──!!
“How can a ghoul use the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts…?!”
Envers racked his brain to the point of getting a headache. Thinking and thinking again about what attack would come next.
“Luna…”
If he didn’t know, she said to sit down and see.
He sat down right where he was. Perhaps confused by the unexpected movement, the Jiangshi momentarily froze. Envers’ eyes flashed.
Envers, supporting himself on the ground with both arms, brought his feet together and launched a kick.
Thwack!
The Jiangshi was pushed back. It seemed the Jiangshi’s own body weight wasn’t that heavy. If used in a repelling manner, time could be bought. Envers kept this fact in mind.
And then, Namgung Chaegong arrived.
“I’m here, Little Daoist. Focus on evasion!”
“Clan Lord!”
Whoosh-!
Blue flame-like sword energy rose from Namgung Chaegong’s sword. And it was swung like an arrow, drawing a cross.
However, before the Clan Lord’s sword could even be swung, the Jiangshi moved as if it knew what attack was coming. And easily avoided it.
“…You bastaaaARD!”
A technique superior even to strength.
The Heavenly Demon’s extreme art that could deflect Ignition with the mere strength of a child.
It couldn’t be said to have reached that level. However, the Jiangshi was using the characteristics of its already dead body to imitate the Heavenly Demon’s techniques somewhat similarly. If it had been an ordinary Jiangshi, it should have been cut to pieces long ago.
Crack.
It avoided by breaking its neck.
Crack. Crunch.
And avoided by twisting its own ankle 360 degrees and rotating.
It countered using methods that were chilling just to look at. Creating space by crumpling its own body, and wielding it without hesitation like a tool.
Chill.
Envers’ instincts were raised to its very maximum warning. Think. If it could really do ‘anything’ to achieve its goal, what methods would it use?
He mustn’t be bound by common sense. Viewing everything as a tool, thinking that anything that could happen would happen. Let’s try to follow the Heavenly Demon’s way of thinking. Even if only approximately. Then──
The Jiangshi subtly changed its position while engaging Namgung Chaegong. And Qi gathered around its elbow.
“…Ignition?!”
Envers realized.
The direction the Jiangshi’s fingertips were pointing was towards Namgung Myeong. That bastard… intends to cause an explosion inside its own arm and ‘fire’ it!
Rip. Tear. The sound of muscle fibers tearing comes from the Jiangshi’s arm.
Envers, suppressing the intense pain rising from his Mana Circuit, squeezed out mana to his limit. What he recalled was his confrontation with Jay. If he could use Ignition to suppress it before the Jiangshi’s arm was fired!
In time that seemed to have slowed down, as Envers tried to utilize the subtleties of Ignition.
“…Ugh!”
He felt dizzy and his vision spun.
…It was poison. There was poison on the Jiangshi’s nails. He thought he had avoided well enough to only have his skin torn, but even that was fatal.
Bang──!!
An explosion occurred at the Jiangshi’s elbow, and its pale arm was fired, tearing through space.
Namgung Myeong seemed to barely twist his body to avoid it, but he was too young to shake it off completely. The fired arm lodged into Namgung Myeong’s dantian.
“Aaaagh…!!”
No.
Along with the boy’s scream, Envers’ vision also went dark.