Chapter 55: Black Poison (4)
The swordsmanship of the ‘village’ had two characteristics.
The first was that it was deeply imbued with the energy of ‘darkness’.
This was natural.
Although they pursued a high level of swordsmanship that wouldn't be pushed back even in a direct confrontation with a swordsman, Godok was fundamentally an assassin.
However, the second characteristic had nothing to do with assassination and was solely for increasing the power of the swordsmanship.
‘It’s precisely adding the properties of basic elements.’
Water, fire, wind, earth, metal, wood, lightning.
The Godoks had to struggle to imbue their swords with the power of these seven elements, and indeed, most of those who survived to the end had mastered three or more elements.
Needless to say, Harang could handle all seven attributes at a proficient level.
Therefore, he could tell.
The swordsmanship used by the unidentified mysterious figure before him was an exact replica of the village’s.
Even the form itself.
“I’ll ask once more. How do you know the swordsmanship of the ‘village’?”
“What kind of bullshit is that! How dare you know the swordsmanship of the Great One……!”
Hwaaaak-!
“Stop spouting nonsense and answer my question. How did you execute ‘Amroe’, the village’s swordsmanship? Tell me honestly where you learned it. Then I’ll promise you a painless death.”
“……!”
Before the mysterious figure could even finish his words.
A terrifying energy, unseen until now, erupted from Harang’s body.
It was a presence so great that even the mysterious figure, strong enough to scoff at an entire squad of Black Poison, was momentarily speechless.
That was shameful.
That was so incredibly humiliating.
This shouldn't be happening.
He, who carried on the will of the Great One, the true Black Poison, absolutely must not be frightened by such a mere pup.
Bbaduk
The mysterious figure, gritting his molars so hard it seemed his teeth would break, thrust his hand inside his robe.
Then, a new weapon emerged.
It was a pair of curved swords.
The blades, curved like a waning moon, were chillingly sharp.
He spoke.
“I myself am endlessly curious. How you know Amroe… and not just the 1st form, Nakroe, but even the 2nd form, Yeokroe.”
“……Are you not planning to answer my question?”
“But it’s alright. Unexpected events have always filled our paths, and crises difficult to overcome have always abounded… This time is no different. I shall try to surpass my limits this time.”
“You’re not listening to me at all, are you?”
“Questions, I’ll ask them again after I’ve cut off your limbs.”
“Hey. Hey……”
Papat-
It was the moment Harang was continuing his words with a frustrated face.
Before the sentence could even be completed, the mysterious figure’s form rushed in.
Twin curved swords, swung upwards diagonally from a deeply lowered stance.
The blades struck dozens of times in a trajectory difficult to block.
However, Harang was at ease.
In the first place, the swordsmanship he was currently facing was not the mysterious figure’s full power.
Perhaps his unique weapon was the first sword, as the attacks unfolding from the twin curved swords were indeed inferior compared to before.
Harang, his black hair flying, moved his body left, right, and sometimes backward.
Even in his movements, as gentle as a willow tree swaying in the wind, the properties of basic elements were infused.
It was then.
A new power gradually began to dwell in the mysterious figure’s swordsmanship, which had only been swung rapidly.
It was fire.
A flaming sword style, vast like a fire blooming on a dry prairie, hot, and rushing in with uncontrollable speed.
Harang’s expression became serious.
It wasn't because it was difficult to block.
It was because the opponent had once again used the village’s swordsmanship.
‘Yeonhwanseom, Flame Technique…… The form is different, but the essence is the same. This too is the village’s swordsmanship. How on earth?’
Various thoughts swirled in his mind.
Could there have been a ‘senior’ batch that he didn't know about?
Or was there more than one village?
If not that, had he encountered a member of the organization that managed and operated the village?
He couldn't know.
Truly, limitless possibilities unfolded, creating a frustrating situation where nothing could be resolved by mere speculation.
‘No, it’s not a frustrating situation.’
Harang stared at the enemy before him.
He could see the mysterious figure, his complexion turning blue from holding his breath and concentrating on swinging his sword.
His venomous gaze was more threatening than a keenly sharpened blade, but even so, he was no match for him.
To be precise, his skills didn't measure up to any of the surviving Godoks.
“Hoo-eup.”
Harang let out a short breath.
With that, paat, his form scattered like the cold night air.
The flustered mysterious figure quickly looked left and right, but the black-haired young man had already perfectly secured his rear.
And.
Kwaaaang!
Kukwakwakwakwakwakwa-!
“Kuh, uwaaaaaaaak!”
A front kick, extended as powerfully as if a volcano had erupted.
It mercilessly shattered the mysterious figure’s lower back.
A body enhanced by the techniques of Earth and Flame was more potent than any blunt weapon; no matter how tenacious the mysterious figure was, he would no longer be able to resist.
‘How long will it take? It won’t be easy, will it?’
Jeobeokjeobeok, Harang walked towards the mysterious figure, muttering to himself.
He was calculating how much time would be needed for torture, and it seemed it wouldn't be as easy as when dealing with Black Scorpion.
Of course, he was confident.
What he had learned in the village wasn't just swordsmanship and assassination techniques.
He had learned how to resist torture and how to perform torture for what felt like an eternity.
If he added not just physical pain but also psychological pressure, he could sufficiently obtain what he wanted, no matter how mentally strong the individual was…….
“……Hmm.”
Harang, who had been deep in thought like that, let out a groan with an expression of ‘oops’.
It couldn't be helped.
Approaching the mysterious figure at a slightly faster pace, he muttered softly.
“Am I a fool? To not have thought of this.”
That was right.
The mysterious figure had already committed suicide long ago.
It seemed that the moment he was hit by Harang’s kick and sent flying, he had judged there was no chance of victory and bit his tongue.
He was a tenacious fellow.
‘Of course, I didn’t intend to let him live anyway…….’
He didn't know the fellow’s identity.
But at the very least, he was someone who had tried to kill him.
Harang’s personality wasn't good enough to extend mercy even to such an individual, so in a way, the mysterious figure had made the best choice for himself.
“In that case, I too must make the best choice for myself.”
Harang, nodding, delicately removed the mysterious figure’s equipment.
From the robe, laden with all sorts of hidden weapons, to the underwear covering his private parts, nothing was missed.
Thus, the man became completely naked.
Even the fake skin covering his face had been peeled off, so it was correct to say that nothing was hiding him now.
“Now then… shall we try to dig up some information, whatever it may be.”
Dead men tell no tales.
However, even without words, they often revealed various things.
Through their bodies, through their equipment, through everything else… Harang intended to find out various pieces of information he needed.
‘I hope something related to the village comes up.’
Feeling his heart pound slightly, Harang began to examine the mysterious figure’s corpse.
Thus, a somewhat gruesome, yet to the perpetrator, an unconcerned event began.
* * *
“Hmm, it’s a pity.”
Harang, who had been examining the mysterious figure’s corpse for about 10 minutes, muttered regretfully.
It was because no particularly useful information had emerged.
The only thing he found was a black tattoo on the back of the man’s neck.
It was different from the spider, scorpion, and snake symbols of the common Black Poison, and to Harang’s eyes, it looked similar to a ‘Hydra’, a monster from mythology.
That meant…….
‘It’s different from what was on the neck of the village’s general manager.’
It was disappointing.
Still, he decided not to completely let go of the thread of suspicion.
At least they had in common that they had tattoos on the backs of their necks, so he thought that perhaps the entire Black Poison group might be related to the village.
‘But this fellow, is he really Black Poison? Probably, right? Come to think of it, that’s confusing too.’
‘What’s the number under the hydra? 13? Does it mean something?’
Harang, who continued to ponder for a moment.
He finished his thoughts about a minute later, after deciding to cut off the heads of the black hydra and the black snake and take them with him.
If he took them and showed them to Sheratiya Viyan, it would serve as proof that he had perfectly executed the request, and wouldn't it also be easier to ask various things related to Black Poison?
‘That’s a really good idea.’
Harang, who nonchalantly had a thought that would make Viyan shudder if she heard it.
Eventually, his gaze landed on the numerous pieces of equipment sleeping inside the mysterious figure’s robe.
Unfortunately, among them too, there was nothing that could serve as a clue.
However, if asked whether there was nothing to gain at all, that was not the case.
The equipment the mysterious figure possessed was all high-quality, top-grade items, enough to make Harang drool.
Someone says. A master doesn't blame his tools.
That was right.
It was like that even just in the village.
Harang, who had often been placed in various extreme situations, knew countless ways to continue fighting, whether bare-handed, with a stone, or with a tree branch.
‘However, when a master holds a good quality tool, a much better result comes out.’
Indeed, that’s right.
Harang, muttering such a monologue, began to diligently covet the deceased’s collection.
He packed the sharply honed daggers.
He also put on the good-quality leather belt that had stored those daggers.
He even picked up the mysterious figure’s sword, which had flown far away during the first clash, and swung it around.
It was quite decent.
Despite receiving a strong impact, the blade wasn't chipped, and the weight balance wasn't ruined.
It was an apology to Willer, the best blacksmith in Marzen, but it was a weapon one grade above his.
“I’ll take this too. The twin curved swords, hmm……”
If asked whether he could handle them or not, he was on the side of being able to.
However, he had no intention of changing weapons when he could perform much better with a sword.
Harang, who was examining the twin curved swords, looked at them with a very regretful gaze for a long time before placing them back on the ground.
And a moment later.
‘……But these items here, can’t I sell them to the Viyan Merchant Guild?’
Immediately changing his mind, he made a bundle out of the robe the mysterious figure had been wearing and began to sweep everything into it.
“Lululu, luru, hmmhmm…… Huck!”
Harang, who was humming, stopped as if shocked.
It was because he had realized a tendency of his that he hadn't known until now.
“I, I like free things more than I thought.”
It wasn't that he had great material greed.
However, he couldn't tolerate giving up when there was an opportunity to gain profit.
It seemed to be true, seeing as it was the case when he emptied the pockets of the bandits who attacked him on the street, when he looted the Travion Gang’s hideout, and even now.
As he was having such trivial thoughts and packing the mysterious figure’s weapon, a dagger engraved with a slightly more ornate pattern than the others.
Feeling something strange, he pressed the bottom of the handle with his thumb, and with a click! sound, two round objects popped out.
“This is……”