Who made a mistake? (3)

Ta-a-a-ack!

Jo Geol’s thrusts sliced through the air like a hawk targeting its prey. His swift blade, known for its speed and efficiency, shone brighter than any other disciple from Hwasan in this situation. 

Standing beside him, Yoon Jong occasionally shouted, 

“Don’t go out, you idiot!”

“Ah! I know!”

Every time Jo Geol’s foot twitched, Yoon Jong, like a ghost, noticed the movement and grabbed the leash.

Jo Geol bit his lips. He knew he had to hold his ground. Now was not the time to advance to cut off the enemy’s lifeline.

But no matter where he looked, he saw Black Ghost’s forces surrounding them.

‘I can’t catch my breath.’

The difference in numbers was overwhelming. It felt like no matter how many enemies he took down, there were always more. Despite minimizing internal energy consumption, they were still human, and it was exhausting to fight like this.

If the war of attrition continues like that, wouldn’t they be the ones to fall first?

‘So, a bit more…’

“Hold the line!”

“Damn it!”

A a loud curse finally burst from Jo Geol’s lips. The sight of those who had been wounded returning to the front lines was clear. 

While they might have improved the situation if they could cleanly cut off the enemy’s breath, but there was no way to prevent the injured from joining by just standing in one place.

“What can a Taoist do if not endure?”

“I understand, damn it! Anyway, stop nagging!”

Jo Geol gritted his teeth and swung his sword. Since he couldn’t jump forward, the only option was to use his sword accurately, one strike after another.

As Jo Geol’s swordsmanship became sharper, Yoon Jong sighed deeply with a stern expression.

‘We have to hold on.’

Yoon Jong wasn’t oblivious to why Jo Geol was acting this way. While he too wanted to charge forward right away, Jo Geol’s impulsive nature made it difficult.

‘It feels like we’re sinking deeper and deeper into a swamp.’

Breaking through a swarm of enemy wasn’t easy, but holding out against such opponents was a different kind of challenge. Above all, the lack of a clear way to end the fight was making them anxious.

Had they ever felt their energy draining away so acutely with each swing of their swords? If it weren’t for the fact that Hwasan’s disciples had extraordinarily high internal energy for their age, they might have succumbed to exhaustion and fell by now.

Thud!

At that moment, a powerful drumbeat resounded.

“Aaah!”

The crimson aura from the sword instantly flew through the air. Dozens of sword energies swept away the oncoming enemies from the front, as well as those flanking them.

“Kraaah!”

The unleashed sword energy was only quick piercing, not able to inflict fatal wounds, but it managed to dampen the enemies’ confident assault.

Yoon Jong looked at the one who had unleashed the sword energy.

Baek Cheon gritted his teeth and unleashed the sword energy once more. He was well aware of the exhausted state of Ogeom, so he forced himself to refresh the atmosphere even if it was too much for him.

And then one after another.

“Ooooh!”

Baek Cheon created a space that the golden light of the buddhist fist surged into. Hye Yeon supported Baek Cheon and relentlessly shot his strong energy into the gaps.

“Huuk! Huuk! Huuk!”

Hye Yeon always maintained a steady rhythm, but now rough breaths poured out of his mouth.

The others were no different.

Yu Iseol, who was as swift as the wind, and Tang Soso, whose sword was always cheerful, were gradually becoming heavy and dull. 

Shielding those behind them while enduring the relentless enemy onslaught took more of a toll on their stamina than they had anticipated.

“Baek Cheon Dojang! Let’s change the vanguard!”

Namgung Dowi, who had been trembling in the rear, shouted. But Baek Cheon didn’t turn around.

‘These bastard is dying over there!’

His determination was high, but this wasn’t a fight that Nangung Dowi could endure. Perhaps in normal circumstances, but having exhausted all his energy to clear the path, he was even less capable now.

When Baek Cheon briefly glanced behind, his eyes met Im Sobyeong’s. That was all, but he shouted as he turned back to the front.

“Hold your ground!”

He swung his sword as if shaking it off, gritting his teeth.

‘Believe!’

It wasn’t about trusting Im Sobyeong. It was about trusting Chung Myung’s judgment in bringing Im Sobyeong here. Chung Myung wouldn’t have dragged him here without a good reason. If Chung Myung believed in him, there was no reason for them not to.

And then it happened.

“Kah-a-a-ack!”

People in red robes rushed into the area that the Hwasan’s disciples had cleared and swarmed over the enemies.

“Red Dogs?”

Baek Cheon, startled, opened his eyes wide. He quickly looked in Jang Ilso’s direction, and even though he was fighting, Jang Ilso was wearing a strange smile. 

Despite the precarious situation of sending more than a half of the Red Dogs to their side, his face was still full of composure.

‘Thank you for the gift, you damn bastard!’

Baek Cheon chewed up his thoughts and refocused on the battlefield.

“Clench your teeth and protect Chung Myung!”

His sword sliced through the air like a phantom.

“This…”

The face of Mangeum Daebu was completely distorted.

Unable to overcome his impatience, Red Dogs dove into the side of Black Ghost’s forces, who had rushed forward. His tightly-knit formation was falling apart.

“Dammit.”

Originally, such a situation should never have occurred. If Mangeum Daebu had been in the middle, he would have never let things crumble like this. But now, even though he was Mangeum Daebu still in name, there was no way to intervene. His excitement had surged, blood rushing to his head, making him deaf to the voices yelling from behind.

Thanks to the grueling training, he still maintained his form and composure, but even that was just a matter of time before it collapsed.

Moreover, he had seen it clearly.

“Jang Ilso!”

Jang Ilso was advancing one step at a time as if tempting them. It didn’t require much thought to imagine how it looked in the eyes of the frenzied Black Ghosts. 

With Jang Ilso in a weakened state, thrusting his neck in front of them, who could remain rational? The leader of Maninbang and the Ryeonju of Sapaeryeon, Paegun Jang Ilso – it’s a unique opportunity to cut the reins with ones own hands.

The fortified position that he had prepared for with great care was now slipping and shaking out of his control at this very moment.

‘These fools!’

If they just calmly carried out their roles as instructed, there should be no room for failure, yet why was everything falling apart so stupidly?

‘No.’

Clearly, Jang Ilso was betting his own life at this moment. However, in exchange, he was creating a definite crack in Mangeum Daebu’s encirclement formation. He might not have the power to break through that crack immediately, but…

Mangeum Daebu’s gaze suddenly turned towards Hwasan.

‘What if he completes the meditation?’

Isn’t it all too obvious what will happen then?

If they let those people escape from here, Mangeum Daebu’s fate is just as sealed. It would be a miserable situation, almost to the point of being better off taking his own life.

“Send all remaining men in.”

“But the plan…”

“Hurry!”

“Yes!”

The reserve units in front of him rushed forward. As those left behind as a hidden trump card, they should be able to block the crack that was currently forming…

‘No, it’s not enough…’

Clang.

Mangeum Daebu unknowingly bit his lips tightly. They couldn’t resolve the problem on their own. That place was originally where Mangeum Daebu should have been.

‘What should I do?’

No matter how much he tapped the abacus in his head, a clear conclusion didn’t emerge.

‘Is it better for me to intervene at this point?’

If Mangeum Daebu was to intervene, stabilizing the encirclement wouldn’t be a major issue. While his strength had been reduced by more than a half, his strategic acumen remained intact.

‘First, even if it’s a bit risky…’

In the moment when he was about to extend his foot, he paused.

‘Wait.’

His foot halted in mid-air.

‘Why is Jang Ilso doing this?’

Jang Ilso was currently disrupting the encirclement, even risking his own life being a bait. Why? Was he depending on that Hwasan’s guy to break through the encirclement when he finished his meditation? Was Jang Ilso really the type of person to entrust his life to others in this situation?

“Ha… Haha.”

Mangeum Daebu chuckled as if he understood. He seemed to know why Jang Ilso was engaging in such actions.

He gazed at Jang Ilso, who was walking a tightrope between life and death, with an extremely cold look in his eyes.

‘The objective… was me from the beginning, Jang Ilso.’

Mangeum Daebu despised it the most when his plans didn’t go according to his will. Jang Ilso must have anticipated that if the arrangements started to go awry, Mangeum Daebu would personally intervene. The clear crack created by Jang Ilso wasn’t meant as a means to escape the siege from the start. The crack itself was a bait to lure Mangeum Daebu.

It was an ironic situation. If he hadn’t lost one of his arms, he wouldn’t hesitate and would have thrown himself into the crack immediately. However, because he had lost confidence in his own abilities, he could think twice.

Paradoxically, at this moment, it was Danjagang who saved his life. The arm that the Bishop had severed had saved Mangeum Daebu’s life.

‘…It was a clever move, Jang Ilso.’

His eyes quickly regained their coldness. Jang Ilso’s ability to set such a trap even in this situation was impressive, but it also meant that there was no other choice but to bait Mangeum Daebu with his own life.

‘I’ve won, Jang Ilso.’

A cold smile graced Mangeum Daebu’s lips.

“Wi Chung.”

“Yes.”

“Deploy all the remaining forces.”

“My lord?”

“It’s fine. At most, it’s just a tantrum.”

Mangeum Daebu gripped the sword at his waist, and there was no trace of the hesitation he had a moment ago.

“Even if he completes the meditation, it doesn’t matter. We can kill them all if we don’t give them any openings. Deploy!”

“Yes!”

Following Wi Chung’s command, even the guards surrounding Mangeum Daebu all leaped into the front lines.

And the effect was immediate. The elite forces of the Black Ghost in the forefront immediately pushed back Hwasan’s disciples who were struggling and attacked the rampaging Red Dogs as if they were going to devour them.

It was a moment when the wavering front line regained its composure.

“You relentless bastards.”

Mangeum Daebu raised his head.

It’s unknown who made the first move, but it was clear that both Im Sobyeong and Jang Ilso had their eyes on the same thing. Those who hadn’t predicted such an event were responding to each other as if they had prepared their strategies in advance as soon as the situation unfolded.

If Mangeum Daebu’s determination had been even slightly weaker, Jang Ilso’s final move would have pierced through his neck.

However, Mangeum Daebu no longer cared about what that move of Jang Ilso was. Even if he didn’t know what that ultimate move was, leaving it as an eternal mystery alongside Jang Ilso’s death was the best option.

“They’ve made sure we can’t let our guard down until the very end.”

In any case, Mangeum Daebu had won this battle. Even if it wasn’t solely due to his abilities but rather a gift from Danjagang, luck is also a skill, isn’t it?

“Ugh!”

“These, these guys!”

The disciples of Hwasan, who had been fighting fiercely, began to retreat.

Black Ghost’s warriors, now composed and calm, pressed them back without haste.

The rampaging Red Dogs started to spill blood in alarming amounts.

Mangeum Daebu’s smile deepened as he observed the perfectly stabilized front line. Now, all that remained was to savor the sight of those who would die in disgrace.

“In the end, the one who laughs last wins, right, Jang Ilso?”

At this moment, what Mangeum Daebu was most curious about was Jang Ilso’s expression. Since his final gamble, even staking his own life, had failed, what expression would Jang Ilso wear?

But…

At that moment, he saw it.

Even while surrounded by Black Ghost’s elite forces who looked ready to strangle him at any moment, Jang Ilso only had eyes on Mangeum Daebu. His gaze held… a sinister smile.

‘What…?’

Shivers went down Mangeum Daebu’s body. He involuntarily looked around, but there was nothing threatening in his surroundings, no matter how hard he looked.

‘Has he gone mad?’

Mangeum Daebu, who had been looking at Jang Ilso with questioning eyes, now gritted his teeth.

“Wi Chung!”

“Yes!”

“Go and cut Jang Ilso’s throat and come back!”

“…You mean Jang Ilso, my lord?”

“Yes! Finish him with your own hands!”

“Understood, my lord.”

“Hmm?”

“Do we really need to do that?”

Mangeum Daebu, who had been surveying the front, furrowed his brow for a moment. What an imprudent thing to say in such a situation…

He flinched.

In that moment, Mangeum Daebu’s shoulders jolted as he was taken aback.

“You?”

Sensing that something was amiss, he instinctively turned his head. No, he tried to.

Clang!

Before he could do so, an immense pain surged through his side. A cold dagger pierced his flesh and tore through his lung, causing excruciating pain.

“Kuaaah…”

Mangeum Daebu’s body began to tremble like a leaf, and he felt as if his breath was being choked by the excruciating pain, causing his mind to go white.

What had just happened? What…?

Struggling to turn his trembling head, he finally saw it. It was Wi Chung, who had coldly smiled while burrowing his hand into Mangeum Daebu’s side.

“You…”

The first thought that crossed his mind was “betrayal.” However, that thought was quickly erased. If Wi Chung was a traitor, would Mangeum Daebu have placed him so close?

“You… you’re not Wi Chung…”

Someone who wasn’t Wi Chung but could perfectly imitate his appearance, to the point where Mangeum Daebu didn’t even suspect him.

“There’s only one person like that in the world.”

“Cheon…”

Black blood flowed back from Mangeum Daebu’s mouth.

“Cheon… Myeon… Su… sa…”

Wi Chung, or rather, the leader of the Hao clan, Cheon Myeon Susa, responded.

“Long time no see, Mangeum Daebu.”

His voice was filled with a hidden laughter.