Chapter 80
Shadow-Slaying Squad (4)
Namgung Hyuk’s group pushed their horses without resting even for a moment.
They ran so fast that the horses collapsed from exhaustion even before the people riding them showed signs of slowing.
But they couldn’t stop. Abandoning the horses, they used lightness arts and rushed forward at full speed.
Even then, they were one step too late.
“Namgung Clan…!”
“How could this happen!”
The moment they entered the outer courtyard, what they saw was the inner residence engulfed in flames.
Shadow-slaying assassins had deliberately set fires everywhere to throw the Namgung Clan into confusion, including the Blue Sky Sword Unit.
“Unforgivable!”
The one who was more furious than anyone else was Namgung Jin.
He burst forward with vicious killing intent, leaving no time to stop him.
“You can’t just charge in when assassins are running wild!”
Yang Miryeong stomped her foot and looked at the others.
“Mo Captain and I will follow after him. The four of you—find those two.”
“Thank you.”
What Namgung Hyuk feared most right now was for Namgung Hwarin and Jegal Lin.
Knowing his heart, Yang Miryeong told him to go search for them first.
They split into two groups and rushed into the inner residence.
Namgung Hyuk, who knew the layout best, took the lead toward Jegal Lin’s quarters.
Please… let both of them be safe.
With his heart burning, he headed there.
Bodies of assassins and Namgung clan warriors were strewn everywhere he passed.
Growing anxious, Namgung Hyuk used the Cloud-Dragon Eight Steps despite the risk of being seen, leaping over walls and rooftops in a flash.
Then—he suddenly stopped mid-air and landed on top of a wall.
They’re not here?
Even while moving, he had spread his Thunder-Sense Ki in all directions to search for assassins.
Part of that ki had reached the building where the two stayed… yet he sensed no presence whatsoever.
Did they escape to another place?
If they moved somewhere safe, that was good. But if they were chased and forced to flee—
Namgung Hyuk’s eyes caught sight of the tallest hall nearby.
He used the Cloud-Dragon Eight Steps again and reached the rooftop.
Where are the two of you?
He enhanced his eyesight with internal energy and scanned the areas where he had sensed faint presences earlier.
And finally—he spotted Namgung Hwarin, surrounded by assassins.
…!
There was no time to think.
Driven only by the determination to save her, he exploded with thunderous qi and flew at full speed toward where she was.
And now—
“Are you alright?”
Namgung Hyuk cut down several assassins targeting Namgung Hwarin in an instant and rescued her.
Hearing his voice, perhaps her tension collapsed.
Namgung Hwarin’s body gave out and she nearly fell to the ground.
Grab!
Namgung Hyuk swiftly caught her by the waist.
“Hyuk… brother.”
“I’m here. You’re safe now.”
As he spoke, he checked her condition.
She’s been poisoned?
If he didn’t stop the bleeding and neutralize the poison quickly, her life would be in danger.
Swaek!
The assassins, who had hesitated after seeing their comrades cut down in a single strike, seized the brief opening and attacked all at once.
“Begone.”
The moment Namgung Hyuk spoke, filled with anger—
Crackle—!
The thunder energy bursting from him traveled along their blades and burned the assassins alive.
“Gaaah!”
“Aaaaah!”
Screams rang out as the assassins turned to charred corpses.
After clearing the area in an instant, Namgung Hyuk lifted the nearly unconscious Namgung Hwarin into his arms.
I must take her to the Medical Hall!
But his feet did not move easily.
He still had not found Jegal Lin.
Just as he hesitated—
“It is Soul-Submerging Poison (잠혼독).”
A sudden voice—Tang San.
Tang San, Gi Woo-sung, and Kim Ji-seok had arrived, following after Namgung Hyuk.
“Her pulse is faint. Lay her down here first.”
For once, Tang San spoke calmly.
His composure reassured Namgung Hyuk, who quickly complied.
“Can you treat her?”
“……”
Tang San only nodded slightly and immediately began treatment.
Poison users always carried antidotes capable of counteracting the poisons they wielded.
Tang San searched through his stock and found the antidote that neutralized Soul-Submerging Poison, placing it into Namgung Hwarin’s mouth.
Then he performed emergency first aid on her wound using his medical knowledge.
“The immediate danger is over. As long as she’s taken to a physician now, she will survive.”
“Thank you, Tang San.”
Namgung Hyuk held his shoulder sincerely.
If the only person he considered family within the Namgung Clan—Namgung Hwarin—had died… he didn’t want to imagine it.
“She should go to a physician at once.”
“…I will go look for Jegal Gun-sa.”
Namgung Hyuk said quietly, then lifted Hwarin again and handed her to Kim Ji-seok.
“Please take her to the Medical Hall.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
“Leave the lady to us. Go quickly.”
At Gi Woo-sung’s urging, Namgung Hyuk immediately dashed off to find Jegal Lin.
At the same time—
While the Namgung Clan descended into chaos from the attack…
Beyond a mountain, in a bamboo forest, Dam Hyeolja and around twenty assassins of the Shadow-Slaying Squad gathered.
They had left the inner residence behind to come here for one reason:
This bamboo forest housed the secluded hut of the Sword King, Namgung Bi.
By now, the other squads must be nearly annihilated.
Dam Hyeolja recalled the subordinates left to handle the clan.
Their missions were likely failures.
The greatest failure in the history of the Shadow-Slaying Squad.
It was bitter… but the mission wasn’t over yet.
He still had the most important task remaining.
If I complete this one mission, my position in the cult will not diminish.
Dam Hyeolja’s expression hardened beneath his mask.
He raised his hand, signaling the assassins.
– What’s the situation inside?
– Silent.
The hut was dark, unguarded, and seemingly defenseless.
– Bring out what we prepared.
– Yes, sir.
Several assassins carefully took something from their robes—
A very special poison, given to them by the Five-Poisons Sect.
There are only three poisons in the world that even a peak master immune to all toxins cannot withstand.
Seven-Step Soul-Severing Powder from the Sichuan Tang Clan.
Thousand-Year Gu Poison, the poison of poisons.
And lastly, the Shadowless Gut-Rending Poison crafted by the Five-Poisons Sect.
We finish off the Sword King for certain and retrieve the item.
This mission focused not on assassination, but on retrieving “an item” in Namgung Bi’s possession.
Because the owner was one of the Supreme Ten Masters, an extreme method was required.
– Release the poison.
Just as the assassins prepared to scatter the poison with the wind—
“What are you doing at this late hour?”
A chill ran down Dam Hyeolja’s spine.
The voice came from behind the very spot where he and his men were hiding.
“Heh.”
Turning around, they saw Namgung Bi in shabby robes, hair messy as though he had just woken, hands clasped behind his back.
“H-how…?”
They had clearly sensed sleeping qi inside the hut.
But he had somehow appeared behind them, outside.
Namgung Bi looked at them calmly.
“Judging by your attire, you are assassins from the Cult. Have you come for this old man’s life?”
Dam Hyeolja and the others fell silent like mute stone statues.
Their instincts screamed at them not to carelessly open their mouths.
“Don’t waste your time. Just go back.”
Surprisingly, Namgung Bi waved them away.
Shocked, Dam Hyeolja blurted out,
“Y-you would simply let us go?”
“I retired long ago. All that’s left is to wait quietly for death… Why would you bother taking this old life?”
Dam Hyeolja grew confused.
Does he not know about the attack on the clan? Does he think we’re here only to assassinate him?
If so—there was still a chance.
He secretly sent a transmission.
– Agent 23. Enter the hut and retrieve the item.
If the subordinate slipped in while Namgung Bi was distracted…
Dam Hyeolja wiped a bead of sweat and spoke.
“Forgive us, but this is a mission. We cannot retreat so easily.”
“So you insist on bloodshed?”
Suddenly—
The entire bamboo grove trembled violently.
Namgung Bi’s atmosphere changed completely.
Dam Hyeolja felt an emotion he thought he had discarded long ago:
Fear.
So… this is the aura of one of the Supreme Ten Masters.
This was the place he would die.
Accepting that calmly, he signaled his assassins.
They immediately surrounded Namgung Bi, spiraling around him in swift, silent motion—
The Shadowless Killing Formation.
– Strike!
At the command, assassins from the inner and outer rings launched themselves at the Sword King.
They carried not only their short swords, but also the vials of Shadowless Gut-Rending Poison.
It was practically a suicide attack.
“How foolish.”
Namgung Bi calmly extended his hand.
It held no sword—but what did that matter?
At his level, he needed no blade to unleash sword force.
He waved lightly.
Slice.
The assassins rushing him were instantly decapitated and dismembered—so cleanly it hardly seemed real.
Yet the attacks did not stop.
Swae-aek!
Trained to perfection, they unleashed sword-qi and formed a deadly killing zone no expert could escape.
A death formation.
But when Namgung Bi raised his hand again and swept downward—
KWAAAAA!
A massive surge of energy exploded outward, consuming the assassins.
“……”
In an instant, a clearing of ten jang in radius appeared around him.
At that moment—through the distant bamboo, a figure shot forward like an owl pouncing on prey.
Dam Hyeolja.
While his subordinates died, he had hidden his presence, waiting for the exact moment the Sword King finished his attack.
A perfect ambush.
His killing intent erupted in the final instant, crimson sword-qi bursting toward Namgung Bi.
Thud!
But the opponent was the Sword King.
“A… amazing…”
Dam Hyeolja passed behind Namgung Bi, landed, glanced once at the fatal wound carved into his chest—and collapsed dead.
Namgung Bi did not even turn around as he walked toward the hut.
“What is it you seek?”
Inside the hut, Assassin No. 23 had been tearing apart the room searching for the item.
At the sound of Namgung Bi’s voice, he froze.
So fast—that he was already back?!
I cannot reveal anything.
So he tried to commit suicide.
But before he could move, Namgung Bi sealed his acupoints, immobilizing him.
“You will answer later.”
Namgung Bi spoke calmly to the petrified assassin and stepped outside with a hard expression.
“This old man sought only to spend his final years peacefully in seclusion… Yet the world refuses to allow it.”
Sighing, he looked out toward the Namgung Clan beyond the mountain.
