chap 476

When did I first hear it?

It was a line from an old martial arts film, the title now lost to the corners of my memory.

Martial arts is just vertical and horizontal. In the end, one of us falls, and the other stands.

This axiom had proven true in every duel I had faced in Murim.

'Either I knock them down, or I go down.'

Except for the Blood Lord, who, even with one arm severed, had managed to escape, every encounter ended in one of these ways. Either I fall or my opponent falls, and I never fell.

Yet, as I dove into the chilling depths, clutching the Twisted Divine Water Dragon, a third outcome surfaced in my mind — a forgotten variable.

'What if this creature escapes?'

This beast had reigned over Dongting Lake and the Yangtze River for centuries.

Even a dog acts boldly in its own yard; I realized I couldn't stop it if it decided to flee.

At the same moment, I realized I had been under a major misconception for a while.

'It wasn't supposed to be a fight; it should have been a hunt.'

This isn't a life-or-death duel between men.

This was survival against a monster, where any and all tactics were permissible.

Having been a Hunter for seven years, I scoffed at how naive I had been. I was playing the part of a traditional martial artist, instead of what I truly am.

'What a foolish act.'

Hunter and martial artist. Martial artist and hunter.

I straddled these worlds — a modern martial artist and a Hunter of Murim.

As the boundary between these identities blurred even further, clarity struck me with invigorating force.

'Yes, this is it.'

Emerging from the lake, a newfound energy surged through me. My feet hit the shore with purpose as I bellowed:

"Attack formation, ready!"

"...!"

"...!"

"...!"

The air crackled, tension slicing through it as the eyes of my allies — Jeok Cheon-Gang, Mun Kyung, and another — widened in astonishment.

"Are you talking to this old man? Is this how a greenhorn barely wet behind the ears speaks to his elders?"

"The Fire King has really botched his disciple's training."

"...I'm sorry. It just slipped out."

In the heat of the moment, I had forgotten who I was speaking to.

Swept away by the adrenaline, my thoughts had drifted too far.

While the two elders fixed me with scorching glares, Cheong Pung burst into enthusiastic approval.

"Savior, that was so cool! Mimi! Attack formation!"

Churick!

"I swear to the heavens, one day I'll brew liquor from that snake bastard..."

Jeok Cheon-Gang's declaration was abruptly silenced.

A monstrous shadow, brooding beneath the rippling waves, erupted from the depths.

KRAAAAA!

A roar, more earth-shattering than any before, tore through the sky.

From a form vast as a hill, a palpable energy exploded outward, compressing the air around us into a thick blanket of dread.

High above, a solitary eye, a void of absolute darkness, surveyed us.

As it began to glow ominously, a stifled groan slipped through the tension.

"Uh...!"

This was fear in its rawest form.

Beside Cheong Pung and myself, the oppressive aura overwhelmed everyone present.

Even Transcendent Masters were rendered powerless under its weight.

But...

'I am here.'

A seasoned Hunter, versed in confronting the most terrifying of monsters. Faced with an adversary as immense as an aircraft carrier, my resolve wouldn't falter.

Observing the beast anew, I couldn't help but mutter,

"Looking at it again, it seems almost like a fairy."

The comment elicited a sharp pain at the back of my head — a response that might appear mad to an onlooker.

Yet, I spoke with 100% sincerity.

'The creature is indeed powerful, but the Arch Lich was much more troublesome and formidable.'

Without the Skeleton King's intervention, that battle might have been my last.

However, the key lies in survival and the lessons wrought from peril. The terror I endured in the face of the Arch Lich was not just a memory; it had transformed into wisdom, imprinted deep within my soul.

'And I'm a quick learner.'

All experiences, good and bad, have become my flesh and blood. Over these seven years, they have taught me not just to endure, but to prevail.

Inhaling deeply, I lifted White Flames.

With a decisive movement, I thrust the spear downward, channeling Qi through its tip.

Kuooong-!

A thunderous explosion echoed as the released energy wave repelled the creature's aura of Fear.

It was like shattering an invisible barrier, dispelling the suffocating atmosphere that had enveloped us.

"What..."

"You..."

The astonished faces of Jeok Cheon-Gang and Mun Kyung turned toward me. Fixing my gaze on the creature, I declared confidently:

"First, there's no need to be scared."

"...!"

"...!"

Fear, I knew, was but a spark that ignited our deepest anxieties into overwhelming dread.

Yet, when confronted and dispelled, it reveals a vital truth.

Grrrr.

The formidable beast before us, now merely growling lowly, wasn't the invincible terror we had imagined.

Looking directly into its ominous, pitch-black pupil, I announced my next command:

"Second, from now on, follow my commands and beat that bastard without mercy."

Mun Kyung's dry voice dug into my ears.

"I don't like the process much, but the outcome sounds quite appealing."

"So, you don't dislike it then?"

"Who do you think I am?"

"That was a foolish question on my part."

The Dark Saint. The greatest assasin in the history of Murim.

For an assassin who eliminates his targets by any means necessary, of course only the result matters, not the means.

"Grandfather."

"I don't recall ever teaching you how to deal with such vile creatures... Let's finish it off first, then we'll talk."

Tssst!

At Jeok Cheon-Gang's gruff command, Cheong Pung unleashed a surge of violet Sword Aura.

Ours was a strategy devoid of healers or tanks — a purely offensive formation. Yet, there was no raid team more formidable.

'Four Transcendent Masters together.'

Even a Jangsu stone bed with a five-star rating would weep at such a lineup. [Note: this brand of stone bed is known for being very sturdy and durable.]

To the colossal Twisted Divine Water Dragon, we might appear as mere ants, but within each of us resides a dormant giant, brimming with unparalleled might.

Now, four such titans were poised to hunt this behemoth.

"You're done for now."

Seemingly comprehending my declaration, the Twisted Divine Water Dragon heaved its massive form from the depths, unleashing a ferocious roar.

Roooar!

Kurururung, kwaaah!

With that single roar, dozens of waterspouts burst forth, besieging us. Amidst the chaos, the beast's ravaged maw yawned open.

Groooong!

The air trembled more intensely than before.

Yet, before it could unleash a third Water Breath, my voice cut through the tumult, clear and commanding.

"Scatter!"

Shhh!

Instantly, like a choreographed dance, four figures shot in separate directions, each finding their strategic ground.

The hunt was on.

* * *

Raid.

It was a term once relegated to fantasy games, but now, in a world where Hunters clashed with monsters, this word had become familiar even to toddlers.

Yet, out of the billions who had endured the Great Cataclysm, none could have foreseen this:

Somewhere, across time and space, a raid unfolded against a giant dragon-like monster.

At the center of this maelstrom was a familiar figure.

Thud, swish!

A heavy form soared, vaulting off tumbling rocks.

A massive tail swiped, missing narrowly and shattering a cliffside, sending a burst of wind scattering debris.

Amidst windswept locks, the piercing eyes of Jin Tae-Kyung shone with resolve.

'If I strike that tail now… No, not yet.'

He checked the impulse to thrust his spear, knowing the critical tactics of this raid.

Preventing the escape of the Twisted Divine Water Dragon was paramount.

It needed to be drawn onto land, then swiftly dispatched like a bolt from the blue.

To strike too soon could alert and arm the beast with caution.

To an outsider, the scene might have suggested otherwise, but Jin Tae-Kyung understood the delicate dance of the hunt.

"That damn bastard...!"

Jeok Cheon-Gang could not bear the thought of losing his late-acquired disciple to such a futile end!

As he prepared to release his Qi, infused with a torrent of curses, a shout halted him.

"Grandfather!"

"...!"

Hwaruk, kwaaa!

The Scorching Yang Qi veered off course, searing the unsuspecting earth instead.

The beast's pitch-black pupil flickered with confusion before igniting with the ferocity of a cornered animal.

Roooar!

Whoosh, bang!

With a thunderous roar, its massive tail swept across the ground like a destructive broom. In the nick of time, Jeok Cheon-Gang leapt into the air, evading the swipe and bursting forth in exasperation.

"How long are you going to make me wait?!"

Kwaang!

High above, evading the looming threat of the monster's advance, Jin Tae-Kyung called back.

"I'll give the signal!"

"So when is that going to be?!"

"Ah, stop shitting and wait! Trolling me is only fun once or twice! Just do as you're told like everyone else!"

"...!"

Jeok Cheon-Gang's eyes trembled.

Mixed with some bizarre words, he couldn't fully understand what was being said, but one thing he heard clearly.

'Shit? He says this old man is taking a shit?'

Until recently, he had fretted over whether his advancing age was rendering him senile enough to smear the walls with shit, but never had he imagined such brash words from someone he considered his disciple.

Jeok Cheon-Gang, still reeling from the shock, was snapped back to reality by Jin Tae-Kyung's urgent directives.

"Grandfather, now! Retreat thirty paces back! Cheong Pung, move to its rear, and Mun Kyung to the side!"

"Yes, Savior!"

"What a funny guy. I said I would follow your wishes, not that I would tolerate such informal speech."

"Fuck, you're an ADC who can't communicate, and you're a real bastard. Listen to me!" [Note: Attack-Damage Carry is an old term from League of Legends in which ADC characters were very heavy hitters with their basic attacks and usually upgraded or increased in skill in attack-related stats. ADC is a character that is meant to deal the most damage out of the rest of the team.]

"...!"

Mun Kyung's compliance and his silent, tight-lipped nod slightly lifted Jeok Cheon-Gang's spirits.

'Yes, at least he calls this old man 'Grandfather'.'

Under normal circumstances, anger would be the expected response. Yet, witnessing Mun Kyung being addressed as casually as one might mention a neighborhood dog's mess, he realized it could have been worse. He could have been called "Cheon-Gang" in such a dismissive tone.

At that moment, Jeok Cheon-Gang felt a surge of empathy for Mun Kyung, who proceeded without further objections.

'What is this strange feeling?'

Jin Tae-Kyung seemed to radiate an extraordinary presence.

To Jeok Cheon-Gang, it wasn't the commanding aura of a Transcendent Master.

Rather, it was like...

'A veteran of a hundred battles. Yes, that's exactly the feeling.'

As someone who has lived his whole life as a martial artist, Jeok Cheon-Gang had never been just a foot soldier or lacked experience, but somehow, he understood what it must feel like for a rookie placed on the battlefield with a veteran for the first time.

"No matter how I look at it, he's truly a strange guy..."

"Hey, Jeok Cheon-Gang! Wake up and pay attention!"

"...!"

At that moment, as Jeok Cheon-Gang's eyes trembled, the very word he had been waiting for rang out before he could even burst into anger.

"Strike now!"

Swish, swish, swish, swish!

In a synchronized assault, the four giants charged towards the Twisted Divine Water Dragon, now fully emerged on the shores of Dongting Lake.