Chapter 143 : Chapter 143

Chapter 143. Fighting Ghost (1)

While I was conversing with the one I presumed to be Hwangbo Ak, the Tang Clan guy’s voice came from behind.

“Brother Nam. Did you happen to have a long-lost brother?”

I could somewhat understand why the Tang Clan guy had spouted such nonsense.

Their physiques were very similar.

A frame filled with muscle, fitting the description of ‘burly’.

Well, their faces looked completely different, though.

Unlike the simple-looking Nam Geon, that guy looked quite fierce.

To the Tang Clan guy’s nonsense, Nam Geon replied in a gloomy tone.

“I, I told you before. I was abandoned. I, I have a lost brother.”

“……Ahem. Tha, that wasn’t what I meant.”

As expected, that guy’s mouth was the problem.

At that moment, the man with the massive build smirked and opened his mouth.

“That’s right. I am the Fighting Dragon, Hwangbo Ak! Now, who will be the first to step forward and face me!”

Do people who resemble each other attract one another?

Hwangbo Ak’s gaze, after saying that, was already on Nam Geon.

“Hehehe. You. You look like you can fight.”

“My, my hyung-ah fights better than me.”

Nam Geon’s honest reply. Soon after, the gatekeeper behind Hwangbo Ak also spoke up.

“It wasn't the big one, that person was looking for the Third Dragon Leader.”

His hand was pointing at me.

Then, Hwangbo Ak’s gaze turned to me again.

“Hoo. You look quite frail. Were you the strongest one?”

If I had my way, I would just kill him. It wasn't because of his comment about me looking frail.

In the first place, conversing with a bandit wasn't to my taste.

But since I had to infiltrate the Nine Dragons Fortress, I decided to endure it for now.

“That’s right.”

At my answer, the guy exclaimed with a belligerent smile.

“A man should naturally converse with his body!”

Right after spouting that crazy talk, he immediately unfolded his movement arts and rushed at me.

Kwang!!

With a loud bang, the ground exploded, and the guy’s body stretched out long.

It was the Bow Body Ejection Shadow technique, but it wasn't refined.

It seemed he had simply used overwhelming strength to increase his speed to an extreme.

I swung the Master’s Blade at Hwangbo Ak, who had closed the distance in an instant.

The guy smirked and threw an iron fist at the Master’s Blade.

It was literally an iron fist.

His two fists were covered in gauntlets that seemed to be made of iron.

A sound similar to when Nam Geon swung the Mother's Affection Sword echoed.

Swiiiiiish!

As if he intended to shatter the Master’s Blade.

But the famous sword, crafted with great care by Mr. Yeo, the blacksmith, was not something that would break so easily.

Clang!!

A metallic sound echoed.

Soon, a continuous, unpleasant grinding sound was heard.

The gauntlet covering the guy’s fist was slowly being ground away.

At this rate, his hand could be cut off, but Hwangbo Ak laughed as if he was pleased.

“Hahahahaha! That’s quite a useful sword!”

He retrieved the right fist he had clashed with and simultaneously stepped into my embrace using his footwork.

“Let’s see! If your sword skills match that sword!”

An impulse to just slash the guy’s vitals arose.

But it was still too early.

If my goal was just to kill this guy, it would be a different story. But my plan was to annihilate the Nine Dragons Fortress itself.

I created distance by stepping back with my footwork and thought.

Right. He’s a guy I’m going to kill later anyway, so let’s check his skills.

As I created distance with my footwork, the guy also pursued me with his.

Kwang!

The ground exploded each time.

The concept of subtlety did not exist in his footwork.

Instead, it was brutally fast.

I threw out my sword a few times to test the reaction of the guy who was closing the distance in an instant.

Quick and concise thrusts, just like the advice I had given to Senior Sister Choyeon.

His response was surprising in many ways.

Instead of dodging my sword strikes using footwork, he just twisted his body at the last moment with an animalistic reaction.

In between the minimal movements, a subtle cutting sound echoed.

Slice! Slice!

His clothes were slightly cut by the sword strikes he couldn't completely dodge, and faint bloodstains appeared here and there.

But regardless of whether he was wounded or not, he just charged, and charged again.

“Uahahahaha! You fight like a sneak!”

Was his brain just filled with muscle? Or was this a strategy of sacrificing flesh to take the bone?

The guy who rushed forward while enduring his injuries finally succeeded in closing the distance.

His iron fist flew straight at my head.

It was a blatant killing move from the very first exchange, even though we had just met and had no particular grudge.

Seeing the bandit’s killing move, my own killing intent stirred.

I managed to divert the Master’s Blade, which had unconsciously been heading for his neck.

The Sword Screen, scattered along with the Master’s Blade, wrapped around his iron fist.

Hwangbo Ak, whose iron fist was blocked by the Moonlight Coiling Sword, frowned.

“Hmm!?”

As he repeatedly swung his iron fist, I blocked it each time with the Moonlight Coiling Sword, and he shouted again.

“What an unpleasant technique!”

The softness and draining feeling of the Moonlight Coiling Sword seemed to displease him greatly.

Of course, there was no reason for me to care what he thought.

I continued to perform the Moonlight Coiling Sword, deflecting his fists.

In the meantime, I continued to create distance with my footwork, and whenever the distance opened up, I aimed at his vitals with concise thrusts.

Each time, he twisted his body with a keen reaction, and occasionally, a shallow wound would appear.

“Do you think I’m an idiot!”

He suddenly threw a series of double fists into the air.

The fist Qi formed from his fists flew towards my vitals in succession.

Clang!

While I was blocking and dodging them.

Kwang!

With a loud bang, the guy who had closed the distance swung his iron fists repeatedly.

Various trajectories were embroidered in the air, and at close range, his fists and my sword became entangled.

One of the future Seven Evils.

I observed his movements, comparing him to Hyeok Ilso, who was also one of the future Seven Evils.

They were two very different people in many ways.

Hwangbo Ak was superior in combat experience and agility. But in terms of precision, Hyeok Ilso was incomparably better.

Clang!

Hyeok Ilso’s internal energy was much deeper. It seemed to be due to the spiritual medicine provided by the Black Market.

On the other hand, in terms of innate physical strength, just by looking at his build, this guy was far superior.

It was difficult to compare them in many ways, as they walked completely different paths.

Still, if I had to say, I thought Hyeok Ilso had a slight advantage last time.

Come to think of it, Hyeok Ilso had become stronger faster than his original future self. Because of my intervention.

Thanks to my improvement since killing Hyeok Ilso, facing Hwangbo Ak wasn't that difficult.

Slice!

The Master’s Blade grazed his forearm.

Blood trickled down his forearm.

A searing pain like being burned by fire should have flared up, but he laughed heartily instead.

“Uahahaha! Great!! A fight should be like this!”

He seemed to be enjoying the life-and-death struggle.

Seeing the bandit enjoy himself displeased me greatly.

Pat.

I retreated suddenly, unfolding my movement arts at full power.

Just as he was about to chase me, I repeatedly swung the Master’s Blade in the air.

Swiiiiiish!

Sword Qi filled the air and flew towards him.

While Hwangbo Ak was striking down the sword Qi with his iron fists, I sheathed the Master’s Blade and said.

“This should be enough for a test. What do you think? Is it enough to join the Nine Dragons Fortress?”

At my question, the guy twitched like a puppy that needed to poop.

It seemed his body was itching to fight more.

Suddenly, a useful idea came to mind.

“Since we’re joining the Nine Dragons Fortress, we’ll be seeing each other often, won’t we?”

As soon as my words ended, the guy burst into hearty laughter again.

“Hahahaha! Just thinking about it is exciting! I never imagined I would gain such a magnanimous brother today!”

The alias Fighting Ghost suited him better than Fighting Dragon.

He was clearly just a guy crazy about fighting.

“It’s fate that we’ve met like this, so how about sharing a drink to strengthen our friendship! Hahahaha!”

At his shout, one of the nearby bandits quickly exclaimed.

“I, I will prepare a table of drinks immediately, Third Dragon Leader!”

I didn't want to drink with a bandit, but I nodded for now.

A drinking session with an ignorant man who only knows how to fight.

It seemed to be the perfect opportunity to get more information about the Nine Dragons Fortress.

On the way to the manor with Hwangbo Ak.

The Tang Clan guy belatedly apologized to Nam Geon.

“I’m sorry, Brother Nam. I was mistaken. That man called Fighting Dragon or Fighting Ghost doesn't resemble you at all.”

I thought he had finally come to his senses, but he looked at me and added.

“He may look different, but his actions are just like his.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

At my question, the Tang Clan guy gestured towards Hwangbo Ak with his eyes.

To be precise, at the bloodstains on his body.

“Laughing and talking to himself while fighting, and getting happier the more he gets hurt. Aren’t those things you do?”

“……It’s different.”

To be similar to a bandit.

I wondered if there could be a more unpleasant joke.

I had no idea why even Senior Sister Baek Hyang and Nam Geon were smiling awkwardly.

***

Deep inside the manor. A table of drinks was set up in the pavilion that was originally used by the owner of this place.

There, facing Hwangbo Ak, we filled each other's cups, and as soon as we did, the Tang Clan guy opened his mouth.

“Are you just going to leave that wound as it is?”

That guy definitely had a sickness.

He seemed to be anxious to treat any patient he saw.

At the Tang Clan guy’s words, Hwangbo Ak laughed again.

“Uahahaha! This is just a scratch. It’ll heal if I leave it.”

At that answer, the Tang Clan guy stared at me again.

“Why are you looking at me?”

“Hah. You’re really the same.”

A frown naturally formed on my forehead.

“What’s so similar?”

“Don’t you say that all the time?”

“I say it because it’ll heal.”

The one who reacted to my answer was Hwangbo Ak.

“Hahaha! You look frail and your fighting style is sneaky, but now I see our new brother thinks similarly to me!”

“…….”

I felt like just killing that guy right now.

While I was trying to suppress my killing intent, the Tang Clan guy was busy chatting with Hwangbo Ak.

“My name is Dang Sopyeong. And this fellow here has the surname Jin and the given name Yuseong, but his alias is Ghost Sword. Ghost Sword. I hear that among Brother Hwangbo’s aliases, there is also the alias of Fighting Ghost, is that not so?”

“Uahahaha! That’s right! Someone called me Fighting Ghost because my fighting is just like a ghost!”

“Heo. Now that I see it, Brother Hwangbo seems to be quite fond of the alias Fighting Ghost.”

“That’s right. Hahaha. I just love to fight.”

“But why do you use the alias Fighting Dragon?”

I thought about cutting both of them down, but I decided to leave them for now.

The Tang Clan guy was digging up information on his own.

Well, I figured I could punish him later.

“Hahaha. That’s because the place I belong to is the Nine Dragons Fortress, isn’t it?”

“Ah. So that’s why the people outside called you the Third Dragon Leader.”

“That’s right. Hahaha. My foster father, the Fortress Leader, is the First Dragon, and the Vice-Fortress Leader, my foster uncle, is the Second Dragon.”

It meant that guy was the third in rank within the Nine Dragons Fortress.

I listened quietly and then casually asked him.

“Do you like life-and-death battles that much?”

“Isn’t it obvious? The tension and pressure of knowing your neck could be cut at any moment. The sensation of life and death hanging in the balance right before your eyes. What else in the world could make your heart pound more than that?”

He was a madman.

I had no idea why the Tang Clan guy was nodding his head with an ‘as expected’ expression and looking at me.

I mentally tallied the number of times I would beat up the Tang Clan guy and asked Hwangbo Ak again.

“If you like fighting so much, why do you stay in the fortress? If you like to fight, wouldn't it be better to roam Jianghu than to be cooped up in the mountains?”

“Hehehehe. I can still fight the bastards who come looking for us here. Also, I must repay the grace of my foster father for raising me, shouldn’t I?”

An interesting answer.

In the future, the Nine Dragons Fortress did not exist.

In the rumors I had heard, the reason the Nine Dragons Fortress fell was due to internal strife.

The reason I was trying to infiltrate the Nine Dragons Fortress and induce internal strife was because of this rumor.

And according to that rumor, that filial Hwangbo Ak over there was scheduled to be betrayed by his foster father.