Chapter 30
CLAAAAANG!
Neither of us waited.
Ma Cheonho's spear shot forward.
I redirected it with my dagger.
After the first clash...
We both separated.
Observed.
The spear had far more destructive power than when I'd watched him during the second trial.
Even one collision made my hand numb.
Internal energy.
The tingling showed he was serious.
Good.
I wasn't planning to go easy either.
If he was serious...
So was I.
There were eyes watching.
I was no longer simply another trainee.
Now...
I was a team leader.
Someone these people might later call superior.
I needed to show them one thing.
That I was strong enough to trust.
I'd gone through this countless times in the military and mercenary world.
In moments like this...
You could not show a struggling victory.
I raised energy from my dantian.
Opened the fourth stage of the Formless Heaven-Breaking Divine Art completely.
Blue energy shimmered across the dagger.
"No reason to drag this out."
"Let's finish in one exchange."
"You understand what I mean?"
"I'll answer with my strongest technique."
"Come."
Yellow energy gathered around Ma Cheonho's spear.
He understood.
I sent part of my internal energy into my legs.
Prepared the Black Lightning Divine Steps.
Against a spear...
Entering close range was the best answer.
But Ma Cheonho wasn't someone who would allow that easily.
From what I remembered...
His spear style hid one sharp killing move behind constant variation.
As I entered...
He would create a trap.
Then strike.
That single strike would become my opportunity.
If I caught it...
I won.
If not...
He did.
Preparation finished.
Black lightning spread across my feet.
Then I charged.
Tap-tap-tap!
Shhk! Shhk! Shhk!
Ma Cheonho reacted like an experienced spearman.
He controlled distance.
Every thrust split into multiple apparent paths.
The spear tip filled the space like a cluster of needles.
Avoiding them wasn't difficult.
Because...
They almost seemed to be telling me where to dodge.
He's guiding me.
Making me think I'm choosing the direction...
While slowly forcing me where he wants.
Then he'll release the real strike.
I followed.
Reacted even to feints.
Moved exactly where he wanted.
After several seemingly meaningless exchanges...
The rhythm changed.
Ma Cheonho prepared his finishing move.
His posture became larger.
His eyes sharper.
Counter it.
This was the moment.
I concentrated completely on his final attack.
He shifted his weight backward.
Then poured everything forward.
One hand held the spear near the end.
His waist rotated.
The entire body launched the thrust.
SHHHHHHK!
Energy covered the spear.
It rotated as it approached.
Like a dragon opening its jaws.
Too late to evade normally.
And if I tried...
He'd probably alter the path and continue chasing.
Blocking?
Impossible.
My dagger would shatter.
My shoulder might disappear with it.
One answer.
The one I'd intended from the beginning.
Reach him before the spear reaches me.
Black Lightning Divine Steps had exactly the technique for this.
One faster than Black Lightning Shadowless when moving only forward.
I chose it.
Black light exploded from my legs.
Black Flash.
SHHHHHHK!
CRACKLE!
Shhk!
As the spear nearly reached me...
I moved both daggers.
Spear.
Dagger.
One of us would connect.
Then...
BOOOOM!
WHAM!
Dust exploded from the ground.
It wasn't thick.
So it cleared quickly.
Then...
"Kgh!"
Thud.
Ma Cheonho collapsed.
One dagger rested against his stomach.
Another against his throat.
I hadn't cut him.
The dagger at his throat stopped at the skin.
The one at his abdomen...
Had struck with the handle.
Behind me...
The ground bore a huge mark carved by his spear.
I had to admit one thing.
The destructive power was excellent.
It had only grazed me...
Yet the fabric along my side had been completely shredded.
I had avoided it by less than an inch.
If that hit...
I would've been destroyed.
Ma Cheonho was stronger than expected.
At the instant his spear reached me...
I had used the recoil of Black Flash to twist my body.
Passed beside the attack.
Then reached him first.
Charging directly had been the answer.
Sometimes...
The safest place near a gun...
Was right beside the muzzle.
"Kh... cough!"
I kept the dagger at his throat.
"That should be enough reason."
"Or not?"
"..."
He remained silent.
Pride?
Defiance?
Then...
His mouth opened.
"...One more question."
No protest.
Good.
His eyes had softened.
Not completely...
But enough.
"Cough..."
"One exchange was enough to tell me something."
"The Third Young Master isn't merely trying to leave the Dark Demon Well."
"May I assume..."
"You are looking higher?"
The question carried weight.
The rest of the team immediately focused.
Apparently...
They had wanted to ask too.
Just how far did the rope they'd grabbed actually reach?
I decided this was a good opportunity.
"Maybe you misunderstand me."
I answered calmly.
"I simply want to survive."
"..."
Disappointment appeared across several faces.
They really needed to learn to hear the whole sentence.
"However..."
"As all of you know..."
"This damned bloodline won't even allow that."
"They keep trying to kill me."
"Again and again."
"So..."
"I'm going to climb."
The disappointment began disappearing.
Life returned to their eyes.
"Higher."
"High enough that no one can threaten my survival."
"And..."
"I told you I'd keep all of you alive."
"So if I climb..."
"You climb with me."
"Only people prepared for that should follow."
"If you want to leave..."
"Leave now."
"But if you follow..."
"I guarantee your survival."
"That much, I promise."
I withdrew the dagger from Ma Cheonho's throat.
I spoke as calmly as possible.
I had no talent for grand declarations.
I simply told them what I'd always done.
Once someone became my teammate...
I did not betray them.
The only thing I valued slightly more than my own survival...
Was that.
The words still felt embarrassingly dramatic.
Silence followed.
Had I given Ma Cheonho the certainty he wanted?
Would anyone leave?
Then...
Thud.
Ma Cheonho, who had stood using his spear as support...
Dropped to one knee.
"Ma Cheonho, descendant of the Golden Horse Spear Sect of Bukwol Peak..."
He saluted.
"I will serve Young Master Cheon Sowol, descendant of the Sacred Moon, as my lord."
"Please take me with you on the path toward the Sacred Moon."
"I want strength."
"Strength enough to reclaim what I have lost."
"I swear I will never become a burden."
I had given him a reason.
And certainty.
My strength was the reason.
My goal was the certainty.
Apparently...
Both satisfied him.
There seemed to be another reason he wanted to stand beside me.
I didn't ask.
No one stood beside another person for no reason.
He could tell me when he was ready.
I lightly patted his shoulder.
Then...
Thud. Thud.
The twins dropped to their knees too.
"Jin Tae and Jin Su of the Byeongwol Sect!"
"We came fully prepared!"
"We will follow the Young Master to the end!"
"To the end!"
They had probably arrived expecting this from the beginning.
I accepted their salute.
Then Yang Myeonghwa spoke.
"Promise me one thing."
"If I accomplish even a small achievement before the Young Master rises..."
"Bring my tribe to the Heavenly Mountains."
"That's all I need."
"I promise."
I looked at everyone.
"The same applies to all of you."
"When I say survival..."
"I mean quality survival."
"If what you want is your clan's revival..."
"Revenge..."
"Martial arts..."
"Whatever it is."
"If I can grant it..."
"I will."
Yang Myeonghwa smiled.
"Then my choice was correct."
"Yang Myeonghwa, convert from Xinjiang..."
She knelt.
"I swear to serve Young Master Cheon Sowol with all sincerity."
Even the woman sent to assassinate me...
Was now kneeling.
Her added condition made the oath more trustworthy.
I added the broader promise partly for the others.
As always...
I didn't merely want to stay alive.
I wanted to live well.
Together.
One person remained.
Everyone else had lowered themselves.
Na Gak alone still stood.
Our eyes met.
"I have many questions for the Young Master."
"The first is how I learned the Nine Divine Hands."
"Right?"
"Correct."
"Can you answer?"
"I learned it from a Western Regions manual while I was obsessed with alchemy."
"The manual disappeared in the explosion."
"Enough?"
"Enough."
"Siam was split into many regions and lineages."
"Surely our ancestor wasn't the only person who learned the Nine Divine Hands."
"Then another question."
"Anything."
"How much of the Nine Divine Hands do you know?"
"Everything I know."
"More than you."
"But only the forms."
We finally had the conversation we'd postponed.
Na Gak asked quickly.
I answered quickly.
He nodded after every answer.
Honestly...
This didn't need to be drawn out.
I'd only delayed it earlier because I wanted him tied to me first.
Then came the question I'd been waiting for.
"Can you teach me?"
I answered immediately.
"You've already proven your qualification."
"If you're my person..."
"I'll teach you everything."
Perfect.
Someone who had already trained the Nine Divine Hands from childhood...
Could probably handle Muay Boran far better than I could.
I had intended to give it to him from the beginning...
If he reached this point.
If he followed me.
Thud.
Na Gak dropped to one knee.
"Na Gak of the Siam Sect..."
"I swear loyalty to Young Master Cheon Sowol, descendant of the Sacred Moon."
"My Nine Divine Hands will be used only for the Young Master and the Siam Sect."
The complete Nine Divine Hands...
Would eventually pass into Na Gak's hands.
His kneeling posture became the price.
All five were now kneeling.
I alone remained standing.
I looked at them.
Then spoke.
"Thank you."
"I will prove that none of you bent your knees for nothing."
"Trust me and follow."
I hated overly sentimental lines.
Although...
At this point I'd already said plenty of them.
Still...
Those final words felt like a good beginning.
The awkwardness between us...
Faded a little.
