Chapter 119 : The Real One Appeared (2)
Tang Il-yeong was running through the forest at a fast speed.
"..."
Right behind him, a man wearing a mask was chasing him.
The strange twin swords still held in the man's hands.
If Tang Il-yeong stopped moving even for a moment, it seemed that the man would swing those twin swords without hesitation.
'I can't seem to shake him off.'
Although he was running away with all his might, the man was following him without any difficulty.
At this rate, far from shaking him off, it seemed he would follow him forever.
In the end, Tang Il-yeong took out a hidden weapon from somewhere and threw it behind him.
Swish—
The hidden weapons that Tang Il-yeong had thrown flew accurately towards the man.
Although he had just checked the location for a moment and had thrown it, there was almost no error, but the man immediately reacted to the hidden weapons and hid his body in a nearby tree.
Thud—
In the end, the hidden weapons were blocked by the tree.
Seeing that, Tang Il-yeong bit his lip slightly.
It was an environment where this side was too disadvantageous, with many geographical features, to throw hidden weapons openly.
'As expected, fighting here is too disadvantageous. It would be better to hide my body for now and then launch a surprise attack...'
Muttering so inwardly, Tang Il-yeong's expression became blank as if he had received a shock.
Hidden weapons are cowardly and disadvantageous in a frontal fight.
That was one of the things that Tang Il-yeong hated to hear the most in the world.
But for him, of all people, to naturally try to avoid a frontal fight... Tang Il-yeong looked a little shocked at that.
Squeeze—
As if he had decided something, Tang Il-yeong clenched his fists.
At this point, he would have bought enough time for Jegal Myeong and the other two to escape.
Although he had been running away for his comrades until now, now Tang Il-yeong decided to fight for his own beliefs.
'It's disadvantageous because there are many geographical features? It doesn't matter if you have the skills.'
And he had enough of those skills.
Now was the golden opportunity to prove that hidden weapon techniques were the best martial art.
Tang Il-yeong glared sharply at the tree where the man had hidden his body.
Swoosh—
Soon, the man came out from the tree and showed himself.
Tang Il-yeong, who was standing confidently in front as if he had been waiting.
The man discovered him and immediately ran in a straight line.
Swish—
Tang Il-yeong threw a hidden weapon at the man who was running from the front.
The hidden weapon, which he had thought was one at first, split into nine in the middle, and as soon as the man discovered that, he immediately threw his body to the side.
'As expected.'
He had thought that if he attacked with the Nine Illusions Kill, the man would surely hide his body as he had before.
Because no matter how much it came from the front, it was a very difficult task to block all nine hidden weapons at the same time.
As if he had been waiting, Tang Il-yeong took out two hidden weapons from his sleeves.
Swish— Swish—.
Tang Il-yeong threw the hidden weapons he was holding in his hand in the same direction as the Nine Illusions Kill had flown.
Although he had thrown them late, the two hidden weapons that instantly chased after the Nine Illusions Kill that had been thrown earlier.
When they passed by the tree where the man was hiding, the hidden weapon that had been thrown first and the hidden weapon that had been thrown later collided with each other.
Clang-clang-clang—
The sound of metal clashing with each other was heard in succession in the forest.
Then the hidden weapons that were bending in all directions as if they had a will of their own.
The hidden weapons that should have just passed by the tree where the man was hiding bent in direction and flew to a completely unexpected place.
Swish—
The bent hidden weapon was flying accurately to where the man was standing.
Of course, not all of them had changed direction, and only the two hidden weapons that had been thrown late were flying quickly towards the man.
"...!"
Even that was a completely unexpected attack for the man.
Although he had completely hidden his body with his back to the direction the hidden weapon had been thrown, why on earth was the hidden weapon flying towards him?
With a movement that felt urgent, the man swung his sword at the hidden weapon.
Clang—
With a reflexive movement, he was able to strike one of the hidden weapons.
But the ones that had bent in the direction of where the man was were not one, but two.
A dagger flew and stuck in the forehead part of the mask the man was wearing.
Flop—
As the man fell, he showed himself from outside the tree.
Tang Il-yeong could confirm that from a distance, and he slowly approached the side of the fallen man.
"...Hoo—"
The dagger he had thrown was stuck in his forehead.
Confirming that, Tang Il-yeong let out a sigh of relief.
'Fortunately, it seems to have been successful.'
The hidden weapon technique that Tang Il-yeong had just performed was a really advanced technique.
A technique that could never be successful unless one considered not only the accuracy, but also the distance and speed difference.
Although he had done it countless times in practice, it was the first time for Tang Il-yeong to use it in a real battle like this.
"...I did it."
Tang Il-yeong muttered in a low voice and clenched his fists.
Even if you use hidden weapons, you can fight confidently from the front.
Because it seemed that he had proved that himself in his first real battle, Tang Il-yeong was now very proud.
"..."
The joy was also brief. Tang Il-yeong looked down at the man he had killed in silence.
As long as his forehead had been pierced by a hidden weapon like that, he could not avoid death.
As it was his first real battle, it was his first murder.
Although he did not feel guilty about the murder because the other side had attacked first, it was inevitable that he felt strange.
Swoosh—
Tang Il-yeong held out his right hand towards the man's face.
Who on earth had appeared in this forest and had attacked them?
To solve that mystery, Tang Il-yeong was about to take off the mask that was covering the man's face.
However.
Swish—!
Before his right hand could reach the man's face, a sharp sword strike flew towards Tang Il-yeong.
A thick drop of blood falling on the dirt.
The blood that had flowed from Tang Il-yeong's thigh was soaking the floor.
Thud—!
As his leg was cut like that, Tang Il-yeong lost his balance and could not help but fall to the floor.
Fortunately, his leg was not completely cut off, but it was by no means a state where he could walk properly.
Tang Il-yeong grabbed his wound with his hand and glared at the person who had just swung a sword at him.
"...!"
The person who had just swung a sword at Tang Il-yeong was none other than the man.
The sword that had been swung while he was lying down had cut Tang Il-yeong's leg.
The man got up from his seat, staggering, using his sword as a cane.
'He's alive...?'
Seeing that, Tang Il-yeong could not help but be surprised.
His forehead should have been pierced by his hidden weapon... Just then, the man pulled out the hidden weapon that was stuck in his forehead with his own hand.
"It seems the young brat had a hidden move."
"...!"
"But this is the end. With your leg like that, you can't run away now."
The man said and threw the hidden weapon on the floor.
Crack—
Just then, a crack appeared on the mask the man was wearing.
As if it were annoying, the man also took off the cracked mask with his hand and threw it away.
Grin—
As he took off the mask, the man's face was revealed.
A thick scar that crossed his entire face diagonally.
The blood flowing from his forehead was further enhancing the man's hideousness.
"Ah...!"
Seeing that, Tang Il-yeong could realize why the man had not died.
The mask he had been wearing on his face had acted as a shield.
Although there seemed to be an impact, it seemed that the power of the hidden weapon was not enough to completely pierce the man's skull.
'To act so carelessly without even confirming that the enemy was dead...'
He should have thrown a hidden weapon at his vital points once more before taking off the mask.
To be so excited because he had succeeded in his first real battle and to not be able to judge properly... he was so pathetic even to himself.
"Now that I've seen your face, I can't let you live even more."
"Kuh..."
Tang Il-yeong took out a hidden weapon while lying down, as if he were going to resist until the end.
But before that, the man who instantly approached Tang Il-yeong.
In the end, Tang Il-yeong's arm was stepped on by the man, and he had to let go of the hidden weapon in his hand.
"Aaaack—!"
Tang Il-yeong screamed as if in pain.
Seeing that, the man raised his sword with a vile smile.
"Die."
"..."
Tang Il-yeong could see the man aiming a sword at his head.
To think that he would meet his death like this.
Tang Il-yeong closed his eyes and muttered to himself in a low voice.
"Grandfather... sister, I'm sorry."
At that moment, the sword was sharply struck down on Tang Il-yeong's head.
Crackle—
Tang Il-yeong, who had his eyes closed, could not see anything.
But the metallic sound heard in the pitch-black darkness.
At the same time, the force that was pressing down on his arm was no longer felt.
"Hoo— I wasn't late by a hair's breadth."
"...?"
"You're not dead yet, right?"
Someone was asking him.
He felt he had heard it somewhere... without being able to remember who it was, Tang Il-yeong opened his closed eyes.
"...!"
As he opened his eyes, a person he had not seen before was standing in front of him.
That back... wasn't it the strange man who had attacked them earlier?
Tang Il-yeong was startled and raised his upper body.
"...?"
Just then, Tang Il-yeong belatedly realized that the strange man's face was visible.
The strange man's side profile, which was faintly visible.
Although his face was not clearly visible, with just that much, he could sufficiently recognize who it was.
"...Namgung Il?"
"..."
"Why are you here..."
"You held on well. You can rest there now."
Namgung Il said and aimed his sword somewhere.
The man who was looking this way with a slightly frowning expression.
After looking at the two in turn, Tang Il-yeong could realize that Namgung Il had saved him.
"N-Namgung Il! Be careful!"
"..."
"He's a dangerous brat! So it's dangerous to approach him rashly..."
"Who are you giving advice to?"
As Namgung Il said that, Tang Il-yeong was at a loss for words for a moment.
He had said it because he was worried... was that advice?
Namgung Il said, looking at the man with a relaxed face.
"I've dealt with brats like that until I was sick of them in the past."
"...?"
Tang Il-yeong could not understand those words.
Just by looking, it seemed that the man was a person who had a body in the evil faction, so how could Namgung Il have dealt with him until he was sick of him?
Leaving Tang Il-yeong, who was looking this way with a puzzled face, behind, Namgung Il quickly ran towards the man.
Phat—
Namgung Il, who narrowed the distance with the man in one breath.
Seeing that, the man first swung the sword held in his left hand.
"Upper left."
"...?"
"Then it's the lower right, right?"
Namgung Il muttered and lightly jumped up right in front.
At that moment, as if by magic, the man was swinging his sword as Namgung Il had said, and Namgung Il continued to mutter something leisurely.
"Are you going to swing both left and right at the same time this time?"
Flinch—
"Ah, you don't want to? Then will you first widen the distance and watch the situation?"
At this moment, the man was looking at Namgung Il as if he had seen a ghost.
'This brat... what on earth is his identity?'
It was a sight as if he had completely seen through his swordsmanship.
If not, how could he have said his movements in advance before he had even taken action like that?
As the man was looking with a flustered gaze, Namgung Il said with a calm face.
"I told you earlier."
"...!"
"I've dealt with brats like you until I was sick of them."
The only person who could understand the meaning of those words now was Namgung Il.
(End of Chapter)