Chapter 1572: Not Just Any Fox (Part 2)

"Die!"

Baek Cheon's face contorted.

The charge of crazed enemies? He had already experienced enough of that.

Powerful strikes from absolute experts, aiming for his life? He had faced even more than that. Even though the Black Dragon King was strong, it couldn't compare to facing the bishop in Hangzhou.

But strangely enough, this was the first time the two had been combined.

"Damn!"

Baek Cheon fiercely cut through the charging enemies.

At that moment, the Black Dragon King swooped in and brought down his scimitar.

Baek Cheon's eyes flared.

'Don't underestimate me!'

Thanks to his preparedness, he easily blocked the scimitar. However, it wasn't without consequences.

Thunk!

"Crack!"

At the moment of the clash between the sword and the scimitar, the impact reverberated through his entire body. His insides shook, and hot blood flowed back through his throat. If Baek Cheon were in perfect condition, he might have withstood such a blow, but now it was difficult.

"You!"

Nevertheless, Baek Cheon forcibly swallowed the blood and swung his sword like a madman. However, it only cut through empty air. The Black Dragon King had already withdrawn behind the enemies.

"This coward!"

Jo Gol cursed, observing the enemies persistently attacking and covering Black Dragon King.

"And you call yourself the Black Dragon King! You don't even know what shame is!"

"...So, he's a member of the Evil Sect. Wishful thinking."

"Not all Evil Sect members are cowards like that bastard!"

Jo Gol and Yoon Jong fiercely fought against the attacking enemies, trying to provoke a reaction.

However, the Black Dragon King merely stared at Jo Gol with a snake-like face, ready to pounce at any moment.

"Damn it."

Jo Gol's face gradually hardened. The situation had changed. Behind the hunting dogs blindly charging, a skilled hunter stood, enduring and aiming his arrows at them.

'Wasn't he supposed to rush in headlong?'

At that moment.

"Amitabha!"

With a slightly rougher tone than usual, Hye Yeon emitted a golden light.

Baek Bo Shin Gwon. In Shaolin's techniques, there was nothing better for striking an opponent from a distance!

However, the Black Dragon King skillfully twisted his body to avoid the golden power directly and dodged it.

"You can't escape!"

Pah-aat!

As if he had expected it, Hye Yeon rushed straight at the Black Dragon King like a flying arrow.

In an instant, the Black Dragon King smirked and, grabbing a nearby pirate, hurled it towards Hye Yeon.

"Sneaky...!"

As Hye Yeon tried to push the airborne pirate away, something sharp suddenly emerged from the chest of the blue-tinted enemy. It was the Black Dragon King's scimitar. It pierced through the enemy, blocking the view, and struck Hye Yeon.

"What...?"

A brutal strike. Even the usually composed Hye Yeon couldn't help but stiffen.

The scimitar hurtled towards Hye Yeon's chest.

Thud!

"Suniiiiiiim!"

Startled, Jo Gol screamed.

Hye Yeon, who had been pushed back, raised his head. His reputation was not a mere pretense; amidst it all, he crossed his hands, pressing the scimitar aimed at his chest.

Thanks to that, the scimitar, which should have already cut through his heart, came to a stop just piercing his clothes.

However, in exchange, Hye Yeon gained deep wounds on both wrists.

"Humph!"

Whoosh!

As the Black Dragon King retrieved the scimitar and swung it horizontally, Hye Yeon, who had received the blow, floated in the air. The corpse of the pirate, with a pierced chest, shattered into pieces and scattered in all directions.

"Black Dragon Kiiiiiiing!"

Lee Songbaek shouted in rage, his blood vessels popping in his eyes. It was understandable; he had never heard of, let alone imagined, someone throwing their subordinates as bait, tearing them apart to inflict wounds on the opponent.

A human wouldn't, at least. Even if someone were wearing a human mask, such actions were absolutely unacceptable and should never be done.

The sword filled with Lee Songbaek's anger descended from the sky to the ground.

That which blocked Lee Songbaek was not the Black Dragon King.

Squeak! Thud!

Momentarily losing his senses, Lee Songbaek's side was bombarded by the long harpoons of the pirates. The swift harpoons mercilessly sliced through Lee Songbaek's skin and tore his muscles.

But even in the midst of this, Lee Songbaek's sword and the Black Dragon King's scimitar clashed head-on.

Kwaaaang!

The result was almost certain. With a thunderous roar as if a bomb had exploded, Lee Songbaek's body was slammed into the ground like a rock. The scattered pirates were also thrown aside, spewing blood.

The Black Dragon King quickly surveyed the surroundings and then slipped behind the enemies. It was a ghostly movement.

Seeing this, Baek Cheon felt a cold sweat on his back.

In the first place, the Black Dragon King's martial arts were stronger than theirs. How terrifying would it be when a strong individual could choose when to fight?

'Reinforcements?'

None. Except for Namgung Dowi, the Namgung Family could barely hold on.

Moreover, for everyone Baek Cheon had brought to reach this place, much more time was needed. Although Baek Sang was sending signals, realistically, it was difficult right now.

In other words, it meant that only those present here had to capture the Black Dragon King.

For the first time, a strange emotion appeared on Baek Cheon's face.

'...No, I wasn't wrong.'

He wasn't wrong. He was definitely not wrong. The choice he made was right.

But... was he truly prepared for the consequences? Could he accept the situation of losing everything because of this choice?

...Did he just underestimate his opponent?

Baek Cheon bit down hard on his lower lip.

The Black Dragon King was strong.

It wasn't just about strength. He remained calm even in a life-and-death situation and, by utilizing everything at his disposal, managed to corner the Heavenly Comrade Alliance instead.

Although he knew that the concept of 'strength' in Kangho wasn't just about martial prowess, Baek Cheon still forced everything through.

Even if someone became as formidable as the Black Dragon King, he knew that their expertise and cunning wouldn't be on par with the Black Dragon King's.

"Are you planning on not coming any more?"

As evidence, the Black Dragon King was staring at them without a hint of anxiety. It was the face of someone who fully knew that delaying the situation would only benefit him.

A fox.

That one phrase didn't leave Baek Cheon's mind. A fox carrying the air of a tiger - "Hoga Howi" (狐假虎威).

Just a fox cub...

Baek Cheon tightly gripped his sword.

Then, a faint voice trembling beside him was heard.

"...Ah, isn't it time?"

Jo Gol, who carried Namgung Dowi on his back, was looking around as if searching for something.

"Hmm, he must have heard the news for sure... Then, by now..."

Thud.

Baek Cheon bit down on his lower lip.

He wasn't angry at that complacency.

The longer they waited, the more enemies would gather. It was a situation where they couldn't afford any delay.

Nevertheless, Baek Cheon, using the pretext of devising a strategy, was stalling, buying time. He was infuriated by his own carelessness. He had been waiting. Waiting for Chung Myung to come. Waiting for him to resolve the crisis as usual.

Yes, like a fox cub waiting for a tiger.

The Black Dragon King's words were correct. Without the tiger, he was just a fox cub unable to do anything. A foolish and arrogant fox who mistakenly believed the tiger's authority was his own.

Thud.

Baek Cheon, overwhelmed by self-loathing and disgust, tightly gripped his sword. As he couldn't overcome the feelings of self-reproach and repulsion, someone's voice pierced through his ears.

"He's not coming."

"Sahyung!"

It was Yoon Jong. Bleeding from his side, he stepped forward, pointing his sword at the Black Dragon King.

Yoo Iseol, with lips reddened by blood, also spoke more forcefully than usual as she stood by Yoon Jong.

"Don't let him come."

Her cold gaze was fixed on the Black Dragon King. Both Baek Cheon and Jo Gol flinched at that gaze.

"Amitabha..."

Hye Yeon also walked forward with a heavy sigh.

"While it's true that Chung Myung Siju's martial arts are remarkable... we are not helpless without him."

Yoon Jong turned his head, gazing at Baek Cheon. His eyes showed no discernible emotion.

Baek Cheon trembled faintly.

It seemed like Yoon Jong's eyes were conveying something.

Was this really the situation you wanted? Was it truly right to throw yourself recklessly into a situation where you lost everything, even the lives of those who followed you?

Of course, he knew this voice in his heart was the voice of guilt. Yet, he couldn't help but lower his head.

But what came out of Yoon Jong's mouth was an entirely different phrase.

"Sasuk."

"...Yoon Jong, I..."

"I follow orders."

Baek Cheon's face froze in astonishment.

The look in Yoon Jong's eyes was not a reprimand. It was... a firm belief.

"...In a chaotic battle, he's not an opponent we can defeat. If the opponent intends to fight with numbers, shouldn't we also do the same?"

"Exactly."

"R-Right!"

Lee Songbaek nodded lightly, and Jo Gol also vehemently agreed.

"If Deputy Sect Leader gives the order, we can trust it."

Lee Songbaek, who had been pushed aside by the Black Dragon King's techniques, also came forward, wiping the fresh blood from his lips and approaching Baek Cheon's side. 

Jin Geumryong, who displayed clear discontent on his face, also moved to the opposite side. It seemed like he didn't like it, but for now, there was no other choice. [avengers...assemble!!!]

Baek Cheon observed all these movements and the trust in each face with a vacant stare. His eyes blinked briefly.

Just a fox cub. A fool who flaunted himself, borrowing the air of a tiger.

However, they believed in him, trusting the culprit who had led them into this crisis without any suspicion.

So, what should he do?

"...It was decided from the beginning."

What he should do. What he had intended to do.

Baek Cheon reached out his hand in one swift motion towards Namgung Dowi, who was slowing down Jo Gol's movements.

"Sasuk?"

"This way."

Baek Cheon received Namgung Dowi and lifted him up. He took out the bandages and securely wrapped them around his body, fixing everything in place.

"Jo Gol! Yoon Jong! Same as always. Open the way!"

"Yes."

"Leave it to us!"

For a moment, he had forgotten, but originally, Jo Gol and Yoon Jong were like one when they fought together. Their strength could be properly demonstrated when they fought together compared to when they were alone.

"Sunim! Sohyeop!" [I like 'sunim' more than 'monk-nim']

"Please speak, Siju."

"Yes, Deputy Sect Leader!"

"He loads all his power into a single strike. Once the two in front open the way, block that attack perfectly!"

"Yes!"

"You must succeed."

Baek Cheon's gaze was fixed on the back of Yoo Iseol.

"Samae. Keep an eye on him from behind! Anytime!"

"I understand."

"What about me?"

Baek Cheon glanced sideways at Jin Geumryong. The moment he saw that discomforting face, a blunt voice burst out of Baek Cheon's mouth.

"Guard here, idiot."

"...If you survive here, you are next. Remember that, Jin Dong Ryong."

Baek Cheon chuckled at the angry voice of the enraged Jin Geumryong.

He firmly gripped his sword, still carefully observing the Black Dragon King, who was moving cautiously.

Opportunities would not come many times. No, this might be the only one. Perhaps if this strike failed, all that remained was to die as a truly pathetic fox.

No... Even a fox was fine.

Originally, what he learned wasn't about becoming a tiger. If he couldn't become a tiger, then becoming a fox that bites and kills tigers was good enough.

He stared intensely.

The tip of the scimitar undulated slightly with the Black Dragon King's breath.

Up. Down. Up again. And...

"Now!"

As Baek Cheon's signal dropped, Jo Gol shot forward like lightning. Everyone followed suit as if drawn along.

The thick smell of blood, the heat burning their faces, the pressure as if their hearts were being crushed, and even the death that stung their skin.

Overcoming all of these, Jo Gol's sword extended.

The true sword that Baek Cheon, who had lost his own sword, gained: the sword named Jo Gol.