Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1323. If it's a person (3)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
An ordinary person cannot comprehend Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword.
The man's behavior was both extremely human yet utterly beastlike.
Perfect rationality coexists with an unfathomable wildness.
Thus, he cannot be interpreted or predicted.
Perhaps the common person (범부(凡夫)) cannot even begin to fathom what thoughts occupy his mind.
They might guess at what he shows outwardly, but none can grasp the concealed depths of his true intentions.
Then does Ho Gamyeong different?
Can he, unlike the common rabble, approach those true intentions?
No way. Ho Gamyeong considered himself no less a common man than the rest.
There was once a time when he considered his talent and intellect exceptionally outstanding.
But that empty pride had long since been thrown into the dung heap.
He cannot predict. He cannot understand. He cannot even guess.
But he could sense it.
How Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword would move, how he would respond, how he would act.
And Ho Gamyeong didn’t think this was due to any special quality of his own. It was simply because he had witnessed it countless times.
How beings who transcend common perception, who transcend common sense, think and act and live.
‘As much as I hate to admit it…’
Yes. They were alike.
He didn't want to admit and denied it for long, but after encountering Chung Myung in Hainan Island, he finally had to admit it.
That Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword bore an uncanny resemblance to Jang Ilso.
If so, there was no need to deliberate further.
If Jang Ilso were in a situation like Chung Myung and burdened with people he must protect, how would he act?
The answer was already clear.
People typically make a mistake.
They think Jang Ilso is an absolute being who toys with everything in the world beneath his feet.
They believe that founding Myriad Man Manor, creating Evil Tyrant Alliance, and dominating Gangnam were mere amusements to him.
But to Ho Gamyeong who had observed Jang Ilso for a long time, that was all utter nonsense.
Jang Ilso was a man who fought desperately for everything.
He puts his heart and soul into even a single action, a single gesture, a single word spoken.
He feigns malice, wields hypocrisy as a weapon, and deceives and sacrifices all, even himself.
And ultimately, he seizes and secures the blood-stained results he calls ‘purpose’.
There was one reason Jang Ilso could become an absolute being.
‘Because he never showed weakness to anyone.’
Even when his breath hitched at his throat, even in moments when he was so exhausted that moving a single finger would make him collapse, even when he stood on the brink of having his neck severed, Jang Ilsol never ceased to portray himself as invincible.
There were countless crises.
Even in moments of utter despair, Jang Ilso never lost sight of the self he wanted to project, and that fact had brought him this far.
Surpassing legend to write myth, and now reaching for the realm of faith itself.
Jang Ilso was such a man. Then...
Could it not be the same for Chung Myung, who so resembles him?
That seemingly unshakable resolve will, that strength that doesn't show even an inch of disarray no matter how time it gets struck, that grim reaper-like appearance as he cuts down enemies without emotion...
Could it all be a result of desperate effort?
Perhaps it was the image he absolutely wanted to show to both ally and enemy?
Just as Jang IlSo endlessly crafted his image, could it be that Chung Myung does the same?
'There's no way he isn’t exhausted.'
He has fought the most.
He has expended the most internal strength.
Shed the most blood and endured the heaviest burden.
From Hainan Island to here, Chung Myung has shouldered and endured all these things.
It would be impossible not to collapse.
A being of flesh and blood cannot endure endlessly.
He should have collapsed long ago.
But at some point, hasn’t everyone started believing it?
That Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword Chung Myung will never fall.
Not just his comrades but even his pursuers, like Go Yang, and even Ho Gamyeong, who orchestrated this entire plan, wavered in doubt until the very last moment.
It was a phenomenon that resembled faith.
An absolute conviction shared by both allies and enemies alike.
This was the brilliant masterpiece Chung Myung had carved into Kangho over years of painstaking effort.
But now Ho Gamyeong has seen it with his own eyes.
Even that monster was human after all.
A weak human made of flesh and blood.
Ho Gamyeong spoke as if to drive a wedge into his conviction.
"He's already at his limit."
Go Yang looked at Ho Gamyeong with a dumbfounded expression and asked.
“How so?”
“Is that all?”
“Is that all there is to it?”
"More than enough. Too much, even."
Ho Gamyeong's eyes shone coldly.
A wild beast doesn’t show pain until the moment it dies. They instinctively know well that the weak will die."
“….”
"He's not a beast, but he’s no different. He must be strong. He cannot fall. He must always remain steadfast and composed. But the fact that he failed to do so means one thing."
Ho Gamyeong declares with certainty.
“He’s already crumbling.”
A hint of doubt crossed Go Yang’s eyes.
He carefully scrutinized Chung Myung again.
No matter how he looked, he couldn't quite understand it.
Chung Myung was still as ruthless and monstrous as when first seen.
And even the scene unfolding around him hadn’t changed either.
The Myriad Man Manor martial artists were still being cut down as soon as they charged.
However...
'Thinking about it, it’s not entirely wrong.’
Had there been time to catch his breath?
Forget sleeping, he probably hadn't even had proper time to circulate his energy.
And yet, how many have already fallen to that sword?
Even the simple task of cutting unmoved grain with a well-forged sickle becomes hard labor when repeated all day long.
Then how could one not tire from repeatedly cutting down people for days without rest?
The conclusion was clear; it was absolutely impossible.
It takes only a moment’s thought to realize.
He fought and fought while traveling a distance that took Myriad Man Manor days to cover without a single battle, all while protecting those following behind him.
However, Go Yang believed that Chung Myung was not tired at all until he heard Ho Gamyeong's words.
"…It feels like being bewitched by a ghost."
“Don’t blame yourself. It’s not because you’re foolish but because that one is extraordinary.”
Go Yang nervously moistened his dry lips with his tongue.
Honestly, he still wasn’t entirely convinced.
There was a massive gap between what his mind understood and what his eyes witnessed.
'A military advisor's words, eh.'
But these were the words of none other than Malice Rakshasa Ho Gamyeong.
Then wasn’t it worth taking a gamble??
“What are you hesitating for?”
“...Hm?”
"You’ve got to earn your keep."
At Ho Gamyeong's words, Go Yang just burst into laughter.
Honestly, this was far from his preference.
Go Yang preferred more leisurely hunts.
He preferred to pleasurably savor the sight when wounded prey could no longer even resist and gasped for breath, taking his time before ending them.
But… if he had to choose, he didn't particularly dislike the tremor of driving a blade into the heart of prey that still had strength remaining.
"If it’s your command, gladly."
In any case, they hadn’t come to let their prey leave this gorge nicely.
The only difference was whether this was a fight to end them or a fight to wound them.
Seureureung.
As Go Yang unsheathed his blade, the members of Blood Sword Platoon pressed close behind him as though waiting for the moment.
“But first, let me ask one thing."
Ho Gamyeong glanced at him with a displeased expression at the words.
It was apparent that he did not want to waste time with idle talk.
But even knowing this, Go Yang asked again.
"The target?"
"Obviously."
Ho Gamyeong's gaze fixed on Chung Myung.
“Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword. If we can take that bastard down, the rest don’t matter."
“Neat.”
Go Yang moved toward the gorge with a deep smile.
"Let’s get to it."
His foot struck the ground.
He shot forward like a meteor, consecutively stepping on the shoulders of those standing densely ahead.
Truth be told, the terrain wasn’t to his liking.
A narrow path was disadvantageous for pursuers.
The prey could clearly see the pursuer’s position, and such terrain often created more disadvantages than advantages.
Moreover, in such confined spaces, it was difficult to make use of the unconventional attacks that were Blood Sword Platoon’s specialty.
So what remained was simply clashing with pure force.
But precisely because of that...
‘It makes things clearer.’
Go Yang's body tears through the air as he moves forward.
The narrow gorge walls visible to his left and right became distorted at will.
Amid the twisted world, only Chung Myung's figure ahead remained sharp and distinct.
Swaeaeaeaeaek!
The cold eyes of Chung Myung, who had been cleaving through Myriad Man Manor martial artists in one stroke, met Go Yang's seething eyes head-on in midair.
“Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword!”
Paaaat!
Go Yang's sword split the air and rushed towards Chung Myung.
Fearsome speed. And a strike imbued with a tremendous force equal to that speed.
Chung Myung’s eyes twisted as he stepped firmly into the ground.
Then, he swung his sword fiercely to meet Go Yang’s blade.
Kaaaaaaang!
The clash of metal exploded like thunder.
Red and blue sword energy from both blades scattered in all directions like fireworks.
"Hahah!"
An indescribable heat rose in Go Yang’s eyes.
The intense sensation in his wrist.
This must mean that the prey he sought was still alive and well.
But Go Yang unleashed successive sword strikes without the slightest hesitation.
Parararak!
His flexible and razor-sharp swords swung wildly, aiming for Chung Myung like a swarm of dozens of poisonous snakes.
Sword strikes that bit into his entire body as if they were alive.
Chung Myung's blade, in respond, unleashed dozens of streaks of sword energy.
The writhing, fluid movements of Go Yang’s sword clashed with Chung Myung's swift and linear strikes countless times in the short time it took to exhale a single breath.
Kagagagagagagang!
A clamorous noise rang out like hundreds of metal beads consecutively striking an iron plate.
Each sword strike overflowed with desperate will and killing intent to absolutely slay the opponent.
Kwagagagak!
The moment their sword shadows intertwined, Go Yang’s charging body was pushed back.
His thin swords (세검(細劍)) couldn’t withstand the force of Chung Myung’s Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword.
Paaat!
Chung Myung’s sword drew a long line from below Go Yang's eye to his earlobe.
Blood spurted as the blade sliced cleanly through the lower part of his ear.
But at that moment, Go Yang's sword stance shifted.
He instantly channeled massive internal strength and struck downward from above.
Chung Myung met the descending blade head-on without retreating.
Kwaaaaaang!
Their energies collided head-on, sending shockwaves rippling outward.
Those caught in the blast were sent tumbling backward.
Yet, the two at the center of the storm stood their ground, neither yielding an inch as their swords pressed against each other.
Gagak! Gagagagagagagak!
The grating sound of their blades grinding against each other reverberated.
Ppudeudeuk!
But even louder was the sound of their trembling grips as their weapons strained under the immense force.
Neither yielded an inch as their gazes clashed with ferocious intensity.
"Kukuk."
Go Yang’s gaze which seemed to press on Chung Myung suddenly shifted downward.
Specifically, towards Chung Myung’s leg.
He could see Chung Myung’s martial robes continuously getting soaked.
Blood was welling up from within.
"Kukukukuk. That leg..."
Triumph sparkled in Go Yang’s eyes.
“Looks like the wound hasn’t healed yet?”
“….”
“Hm? Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword!”
Go Yang pressed his sword down with all his might toward Chung Myung’s injured leg.
Chung Myung staggered briefly before being pushed backward.
Go Yang with half his face soaked in blood burst into wild laughter as he rushed forward.
With the momentum of a predator who had found its wounded prey.
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