The mission notice came out when he received a request from physician Hong. It was now in front of Seol-Hwi again.
The text which had appeared began to disappear slowly, and Baek Yang-chun could be seen along with 10 seconds passing.
202… 201…
And then a very familiar window appeared.
Seol-Hwi chose ‘Use martial arts’ without a second thought.
He chose the first one. The building may collapse, or there’d be a loud noise if he decided anything else. And according to the opponent’s reaction, the attack he uses would be effective. So Unified Elimination was the right one.
Seol-Hwi’s body moved ahead with a flash of light and advanced toward his opponent.
“…!”
But the reaction of the opponent was faster than expected. As soon as he noticed movement, Baek Yang-chun looked at the ceiling.
But his response was too late.
“Kuak…!”
Seol-Hwi was lucky. There wasn’t enough time for Baek Yang-chun to cover his body with internal energy. Seol-Hwi’s attack cut from the shoulder to the thigh.
Ah!
Unfortunately, the man realized this, and the attack was shallower than expected.
The combat power has also gone down!
Seol-Hwi felt relieved. It was a pity that he couldn’t get this done in one hit, but he thought this damage would be worthwhile.
“Urgh…”
Moreover, the face of his opponent was darkening. It could be because of the pain of the hit, but it could also be an internal wound as Baek Yang-chun tried to move his internal energy in a hurry when cultivating.
As expected!
On the outside, Baek Yang-chun was ready with a defensive form, but his insides must be hurting due to the attack.
Seol-Hwi decided on the same thing again.
After Seol-Hwi’s attack, Baek Yang-chun’s body was pushed back. He was stabbed in the shoulder, yet it didn’t seem like it affected him. But the internal injury was confirmed from the blood dripping down his mouth.
The attack was successful but wasn’t as fatal as Seol-Hwi thought. The combat power hadn’t decreased at all.
“You!”
Baek Yang-chun, who calmed himself down, finally counterattacked.
Kakang!
The attacks kept coming in.
…!
Seol-Hwi’s eyes widened. He felt a strange feeling from his opponent’s sword technique.
Kakakang!
Dozens of attacks in an instant.
If he stepped back, he would die. The attacks continued even though the sword could barely touch him.
In a situation where Seol-Hwi would be hurt with one strong move, he felt shocked.
This swordsmanship…
This was something he had never experienced before. Seeing this splendid and beautiful swordsmanship, Seol-Hwi exclaimed in admiration despite the possibility of his death.
It was a sharp and clean movement as it fought with Seol-Hwi’s sword.
He had never learned or heard of anything like this. How could a sword wielded by a human be this beautiful?
It was like watching a sword dance on a sunny day.
“Who are you?!” Baek Yang-chun asked. “Who ordered this?!”
Seol-Hwi looked at his opponent; the sclera of his eyes was yellow instead of white – a sign that the optic nerve was damaged. It was a symptom of energy running wild due to cultivation being performed wrong.
…
Seol-Hwi didn’t have the time or energy to speak. Because as he was looking at Baek Yang-chun’s sword, the timer caught his eye.
109… 108…
“Hmph, right. You won’t talk then?” Baek Yang-chun clenched his hands around his sword, and Seol-Hwi did the same.
Clang!
Once again, several attacks came in. But this time, Seol-Hwi started to move.
It was because of nervousness. The opponent’s attack was too sharp. Time flew, yet he couldn’t counterattack.
If I could ever learn something like this…
In the midst of this, Seol-Hwi felt a thirst for this martial art.
Mount Hua’s swordsmanship.
At first glance, it looked like a technique stretching out splendidly, but in reality, when facing an opponent, there is nothing that is not sharp in the direction the sword moves. In particular, the techniques which were being linked were too shocking.
This was too different from what Seol-Hwi learned or did.
Seol-Hwi felt that the lives and thoughts of many people were behind the swordsmanship he was looking at.
Damn it, I don’t have time!
Seol-Hwi checked his status.
It was a tense situation for both himself and the opponent. At this rate, they will only continue to cross swords.
80… 79…
Chachachang!
Seol-Hwi focused on trying to break the flow. While his opponent was getting stronger in the offensive, Seol-Hwi was dragged into staying on defense.
“This guy! Who are you!”
Seol-Hwi didn’t respond to Baek Yang-chun’s words. His eyes remained only on the timer.
If he did anything too recklessly, he could suffer fatal injuries.
Right, that’s the only way.
As Seol-Hwi lowered his sword, his opponent’s eyes widened. And when Seol-Hwi took a step back, Baek Yang-chun moved. He didn’t notice the expression on Seol-Hwi’s face, which said he had a plan.
It was an opportunity for the opponent, but this was what Seol-Hwi intended. It was what he was aiming for, but there was no guarantee of success.
Seol-Hwi chose to respond.
“Ack!”
Baek Yang-chun swung the sword in front of him. Seol-Hwi tried to avoid it but still suffered damage.
One more!
Seol-Hwi showed a gap once again. And for another time,
“Ack!”
He was stabbed in the shoulder.
One more time!
Seol-Hwi didn’t give up. He continued to show a gap and would get hurt, but he was aiming for just one thing.
The blow by which the opponent’s aim is to decapitate him.
Shing!
But the opponent kept going for his sides.
One more…
Seol-Hwi lowered his sword with bloodshot eyes.
15… 14…
As the time kept counting down, he made his opponent attack faster.
And this time, Seol-Hwi chose to respond.
At that moment, Seol-Hwi got what he wanted.
The sword’s direction in front of him was a horizontal slash, aiming for his neck.
Swish!
Seol-Hwi bent his back to dodge underneath the sword, then suddenly straightened his body to place his hand on Baek Yang-chun’s chest.
“…?!”
Baek Yang-chun was shocked. But it wasn’t just that – Seol-Hwi was getting ready to use the Four Peak Demonic Martial Arts, Wind God.
A never before used technique.
It wasn’t the Wind God Fist or Wind God Sword, but Wind God Palm.
Gugugug!
The wind blew furiously from Seol-Hwi’s hand.
Baek Yang-chun’s chest had a hole blown straight through it.
“Kuaak!”
His body was pushed to the wall and fell to the ground.
“Haa…Haa…”
6… 5…
Seol-Hwi was panting, both from exhaustion and the injuries on his body.
3… 2…
Finally, the timer stopped.
Things changed in front of him, and he heard familiar voices.
“Captain.”
“You did it.”
One after another, the members of the Hidden Truth Corps began to come down from the ceiling.
“Are you okay?”
Among them, he responded to Seo Ryeong’s question.
“Well. I could be better. But…” He smiled briefly as he got up. “Let’s leave this place now…”
“…?!”
It was then.
Seol-Hwi’s head moved to the side.
“Someone’s here.”
“…!”
A sound outside the door.
Seol-Hwi couldn’t understand. Even though he completed the mission within the time limit, he was still discovered.
Imugi glanced around and said, “Captain…this…looks like a setup.”
“What?!”
He couldn’t believe it. How did this happen?
“Come out. I already know you’re here.”
A voice calling to them from outside.
Seol-Hwi had an ominous feeling but didn’t want it to be true.
Seol-Hwi walked out, and there stood the man with smiling eyes and dozens of warriors.
“We meet again.”
There was this one and another new face.
The disciple of Mount Hua’s Goo Jong-myung, who had killed Seol-Hwi in the past.