The Beggar Young Master of the Namgung Clan

Namgung Il had seen those marks countless times in the past.

On the chest, back, or even the arms and legs.

The members of the Blood Dragon Cult carve a mark somewhere on their bodies, like that man, to show that they are members.

"..."

The mark of the Blood Dragon Cult was a red dragon, but not all members had a complete red dragon drawn on their bodies.

There was only one person in the Blood Dragon Cult who had a complete red dragon drawn on them.

Only the Blood Demon could have a complete red dragon drawn on his body, and the other members could only have a part of the red dragon carved on their bodies.

'Why is a remnant of the Blood Dragon Cult in a place like this...'

He had thought that there might still be remnants of the Blood Dragon Cult somewhere in this world.

But wasn't this place the center of the Central Plains, not the Western Regions?

Moreover, to think that that remnant had appeared on a mountain owned by the Flying Dragon Academy... Namgung Il could not believe that fact now.

"..."

The man pulled up his loosened upper garment with one hand.

Then the tattoo disappeared into his clothes again.

Although his gaze was not clearly visible because he was wearing a mask, it seemed that the man was looking at Jegal Myeong, who was bleeding.

'This is not the time.'

He didn't know why a remnant of the Blood Dragon Cult had appeared here.

But if he stayed like this, Jegal Myeong's life would be in danger.

Namgung Il was about to intervene between the two before that.

Swish—

Just then, a dagger flew towards the man from somewhere.

Although it was a very sharp attack, the man blocked the dagger lightly by swinging his broadsword.

'This is...'

A sharp attack using a hidden weapon. Namgung Il knew who had thrown this hidden weapon before he even turned his head.

As he turned his head, as expected, Tang Il-yeong was standing there, and as if the attack was not over yet, he was holding numerous hidden weapons in both hands.

"Your opponent is me."

Tang Il-yeong said and quickly moved his hands.

At that moment, the hidden weapons that spread out in all directions.

Just by looking at the direction, it felt as if they had been thrown randomly, but in the middle, the hidden weapons bent in an absurd direction and eventually flew towards the man.

Swoosh—

The man lifted the broadswords held in both hands from his spot.

Clang—

As he swung the sword held in his right hand in that state, the hidden weapon that had flown to the man first was deflected.

After that, moving his body as if he were rotating, the twin swords that danced wildly in the air.

In the end, all the hidden weapons that Tang Il-yeong had thrown were blocked by the man's swords and scattered helplessly on the ground or trees around.

"...Tsk."

Seeing that, Tang Il-yeong clicked his tongue slightly.

It was a move he had put his heart into, but he couldn't even leave a small scratch.

Tang Il-yeong said in a low voice, looking at the man who had stopped moving.

"Follow me."

"..."

With those words, Tang Il-yeong turned and ran.

As if responding to Tang Il-yeong's provocation, the man immediately chased after him.

Seeing the two who were moving away, Jegal Myeong also tried to chase after them.

Flop—

But Jegal Myeong could not chase after the two.

His right hand, which had already reached its limit, finally lost the sword it was holding, and Jegal Myeong's figure also swayed and was about to fall forward.

Phat—

Discovering that, Moyong Ryeong quickly moved her feet.

Fortunately, Moyong Ryeong was able to arrive in front of Jegal Myeong just before he fell, and she sat down on the floor, carefully supporting him.

"Young Master, are you alright?"

"Rather than that, please hurry and go to Young Master Tang... No matter how much it is Young Master Tang, it is impossible for him to face that strange man alone."

Jegal Myeong knew that Tang Il-yeong had become a bait for him.

Because if he had continued to fight the man, he would surely have been a dead man.

To prevent himself from becoming the man's target any longer, Tang Il-yeong had deliberately moved his position.

'What on earth is that swordsmanship?'

He had never seen that type of martial art before.

Wasn't the origin of martial arts to protect one's own body?

His own Iron String Sword Style was also based on that, and most of the martial arts of the orthodox faction were protecting that meaning.

But the man's swordsmanship was what should he say... rather than protecting his own body, it was a martial art that felt full of the will to kill the opponent somehow.

'Young Master Tang is in danger.'

The reason he had been defeated was also decisive.

Although the difference in skill was not that great, he had been flustered by the man's attacks that only aimed for his vital points and had allowed a blow.

Perhaps Tang Il-yeong would also not be able to easily adapt to that part, just like him.

He was too dangerous an enemy to face alone.

"Please go quickly!"

"But..."

"If we stay like this, Young Master Tang will die."

"..."

In the end, Moyong Ryeong closed her mouth as if she had made up her mind.

Although Jegal Myeong's wound was not at a level where he could be left alone with peace of mind, as he had said, he could not leave Tang Il-yeong alone either.

Moyong Ryeong nodded and got up from her seat.

"Please."

"...Yes, leave it to me."

"..."

"Young Master Namgung Hae. Let's chase him quickly."

As Moyong Ryeong said that, Namgung Hae was startled.

'Th-that brat... seemed too dangerous.'

He seemed much more dangerous than the brat who had thrown him.

In the first place, the opponent he had been trying to chase was not that brat...

Seeing the sword wound on Jegal Myeong's shoulder, Namgung Hae was even more hesitant to step forward.

"I-I..."

Namgung Hae said and unconsciously took a step back.

At that moment, his steps that had stopped as he bumped into something.

Namgung Hae tilted his head and looked back.

"...!"

As soon as he looked back, Namgung Il was standing there.

To be precise, Namgung Il, who was in the form of a strange man.

Since he naturally did not know his identity, Namgung Hae could not help but be surprised with a loud scream.

"H-heuk—!"

"..."

"He-he appeared again!"

Namgung Hae hurriedly corrected his grip on his sword.

Jegal Myeong and Moyong Ryeong, who were behind, also sent a wary gaze, discovering Namgung Il, who had suddenly appeared.

'Of all times...'

It was truly a series of mountains.

It was a situation where it was difficult to face that man just now, but for the brat who was originally there to appear at a time like this.

Since he thought that the two were a team, Jegal Myeong eventually picked up the sword that had fallen on the floor with his left hand.

"Miss Moyong, please chase after Young Master Tang by yourself."

"What do you mean? What about that strange man?"

"I and Student Namgung Hae will block him here."

Of course, it was an opponent that the two could not handle.

Especially with Jegal Myeong's right arm in that state, wouldn't there be no chance of victory, however slim?

Knowing that and leaving the place was the same as leaving the two to die.

"I can't do that."

"Miss Moyong...!"

"Both of you are precious classmates to me. So I will save both of you."

Moyong Ryeong said and aimed her sword.

Jegal Myeong also seemed to have judged that persuading Moyong Ryeong any further was his own greed, and he got up from his seat and aimed his sword with his left hand.

"I'm sorry to break the mood. I have no intention of fighting, so put down your swords."

"...?"

"Ah, you can't recognize me in this form."

Namgung Il said and lowered the mask that was covering his mouth.

But the people who were still looking this way with a doubtful gaze.

Although Namgung Hae, who was right in front, seemed to have realized something, Jegal Myeong and Moyong Ryeong still did not seem to have recognized Namgung Il's identity.

Swoosh—.

In the end, Namgung Il wiped his face with his sleeve.

Then his face, which had returned to its original appearance to some extent.

Although the makeup was not completely wiped off, still, it was now at a level where one could recognize his original face.

"Y-you are...!"

Discovering Namgung Il, who had returned to his original face, Jegal Myeong could not help but be surprised.

To think that the identity of the strange man was Namgung Il.

How on earth should he accept this situation... Jegal Myeong was looking at Namgung Il as if he had seen a ghost.

"N-Namgung Il! What on earth is this!"

"..."

"D-don't tell me your identity was a vicious evil faction..."

"Brother, I don't want things to get more complicated, so just shut up there."

Namgung Il said and moved his gaze to Jegal Myeong.

"It's a bit complicated to explain the detailed situation. Anyway, I was just acting as a public enemy of the martial world, disguised until now."

"...!"

"But what on earth is that brat just now? He's a brat I've never heard of."

As Namgung Il said that, Jegal Myeong felt as if his thoughts were finally being sorted out.

'To think that the identity of Moomyeong was that person...'

Thinking about it after knowing the result, everything was connected naturally.

Namgung Il had taken on the role of a public enemy of the martial world in this class, and in fact, the Moomyeong who had appeared in front of them had claimed to be a public enemy of the martial world.

Of course, he had not thought that Namgung Il would go so far as to disguise himself and play that role, and he had not thought at all that he would even attack, so he had not been able to realize his identity until now.

"...We also do not know the identity of that man."

"..."

"We just found him in the forest while we were searching for you."

At first, he had just thought that Moomyeong had another companion.

But now that he looked, it seemed that was not the case.

Namgung Il had disguised himself and had claimed to be a strange man during the class, and at that time, the man had been in the forest... It was a bit strange to dismiss it as a coincidence, but now he had no choice but to think so.

"In the end, you don't know what happened."

"..."

"I see."

Namgung Il said and moved his steps.

Seeing that, Jegal Myeong hurriedly opened his mouth.

"W-wait a minute!"

"What."

"Where are you going now?"

"Why ask the obvious? I have to chase the real strange man."

"Th-then we also..."

Jegal Myeong frowned and stopped his words in the middle.

Although he had been fine for a moment due to the tension, as the tension was released, the pain from the sword wound began to be felt again.

Seeing that, Namgung Il said as if he were dumbfounded.

"The patient should lie down."

"Kuh..."

"I'll go alone, so the other two, apply some Golden Sore Medicine to that brat's wound."

"Uh... we don't have any Golden Sore Medicine."

As Moyong Ryeong said that, Namgung Il clicked his tongue and shook his head.

"What—? The future of the orthodox faction?"

"...?"

"To just stand by with your hands when there's no medicine. As expected, those who grew up delicately can't be helped."

As Namgung Il said that, Moyong Ryeong was momentarily at a loss for words.

Wasn't that side also the same, having grown up delicately?

Since Namgung Il was taunting her without even giving her the Golden Sore Medicine, Moyong Ryeong felt a surge of anger.

"Then what solution do you have..."

"Didn't you learn in class?"

"...?"

"Red Spot Grass. Find that and apply it to the wound. Then the possibility of survival will be much higher than doing nothing."

"Ah...!"

Only then could Moyong Ryeong recall the existence of the Red Spot Grass.

It was a medicinal herb with an excellent effect in stopping bleeding, which she had learned in the Practical Martial Arts class.

'To remember what I learned in class in a situation like this...'

Learning and applying it in a real battle are separate issues.

But to think of a solution like the Red Spot Grass so calmly in this urgent situation.

Moyong Ryeong couldn't help but be surprised by Namgung Il's momentary wit.

"...I understand! Leave the Young Master to us."

Moyong Ryeong shouted confidently towards Namgung Il.

Her face, which had forgotten that Namgung Il had taunted her earlier.

Seeing that, Namgung Il was about to go on his way again.

"Namgung Il..."

"Ah, what now."

Why did he keep calling a busy person?

Namgung Il looked at Jegal Myeong with an annoyed expression.

"Please save Young Master Tang."

"..."

"Please... Young Master."

"Don't worry."

Namgung Il's gaze changed as he answered.

"From the past, I have never left a real evil person alone."

"..."

"I will do the same this time."

With those words, Namgung Il's figure disappeared in an instant.

'As expected... being a public enemy of the martial world doesn't suit me.'

Rather than that, it is much more comfortable to save the world.

Namgung Il muttered to himself and completely threw off the mask that had been hanging around his neck.

(End of Chapter)