Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1683. That's None of My Business! (3)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“They’ll aim for the flanks! Don’t let your guard down for even a moment!”
Baek Cheon glanced briefly at the left side engulfed in flames, then checked the opposite side. Yoon Jong was leading his division and guarding the flank like him.
'Now...'
Baek Cheon quickly swept his gaze around and was about to give another order.
“Why did you pull me back?”
Jin Geumryong, who had approached him before he knew it, threw a question. Instead of his characteristic arrogance, his face was filled with anger.
"Do you understand the situation? We’ve entered rugged mountains. Our speed will inevitably drop. If the front is delayed, we will be surrounded and isolated by enemies pressing in from all sides."
"I know."
“And yet you pulled back? Do you even understand your position? You should have been at the front clearing the path."
“...”
"Or you, don't tell me...?"
“Enough nonsense, Jin Geumryong.”
"...What?"
Baek Cheon's gaze was fixed straight ahead. The sight of Jo-Gol charging at the very front and the hall members following him entered his view.
"I just entrusted the role to the most suitable person. As far as I know, there is no swordsman better than Jo-Gol at breaking through the front."
"You..."
Jin Geumryong was about to say something but hesitated for a moment. Baek Cheon calmly spoke the words Jin Geumryong could not bring himself to say.
"No. It would be the same even if I hadn't gotten weaker. Even if I became twice as strong, it would be the same. Qualification to stand at the forefront isn't obtained through martial prowess from the start."
“...”
“You’ll understand if you watch. Why I insisted on putting Gol-ah at the front. And why I didn't entrust the vanguard to you.”
Jin Geumryong frowned and stared silently at the vanguard. At least for now, he didn't sense anything particularly special about Jo-Gol.
'That reckless fool?'
Nevertheless, the reason Jin Geumryong didn't immediately object was none other than Yoo Iseol’s silence.
Much as he hated to admit it, that female swordsman who was at least his equal or perhaps several steps ahead was voicing no complaint.
No matter how indifferent a person she seems to the point of being hard to fathom, if she were just staying quiet because it was Baek Cheon's order, she would have shown at least a hint of dissatisfaction. But right now, she was keeping silent as if it were only natural for Jo-Gol to stand at the forefront.
A sigh-laced voice escaped Jin Geumryong’s mouth.
“…I really don’t get it. These Mount Hua punks."
He followed Jo-Gol's back with sharp eyes.
"Let's see. Just how great he is."
“Get lost!”
Jo-Gol's sword slashed through the air like a thunderbolt.
Paaaaat!
At the literally lightning-like sword energy, Evil Tyrant Alliance martial artists who couldn't even react had their bodies instantly pierced and fell over like rotten logs.
The scenery of burning Mount Wudang gradually revealed itself where they fell.
Trees charred black like charcoal, and still fiercely blazing crimson flames. If a gate to hell existed, it would surely look like this.
Just climbing the mountain through those ominous flames would be no easy task. And where the fire had died down even a little, enemies would surely be waiting. They would wait for the arrival of Heavenly Comrade Alliance in a more advantageous position.
However, Jo-Gol's steps didn't have even a moment's hesitation.
"Vice Hall Leader! The flames here are too fierce! We must take a detour!"
"No!"
“Vice Hall Leader!”
“Euchaaaa!”
Not paying even the slightest attention to the words coming from behind, Jo-Gol rushed forward and swung his sword horizontally.
Kagagak!
Where the sword energy reached, the burning trees were severed from their bases and fell in a single stroke. Stunned gasps flowed from here and there.
"Ah...?"
Kuuung! Kuuung!
Large spaces opened up wherever trees fell. Minor flames remained, but the ferocious flames that had been coiling around and spreading through the trees vanished.
"Let's cut them down!"
Jo-Gol shouted loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"They're already thoroughly burned! We can just cut them down! Let’s make a path!”
"Ah..."
Those staring blankly ahead flinched, then quickly nodded.
"R- Right! What are you all doing? Help Vice Hall Leader!"
"Yes!"
Cutting down trees while climbing a mountain? This was something unimaginable under normal circumstances. The pine trees grown on a mountain like Wudang were hard beyond description, and their size was formidable as well. Even for those trained in martial arts, cutting those trees down instantly to open a path is difficult.
But not now. Aren't the trees burned dry inside leaving only their form? Cutting and breaking trees like that wouldn't be very difficult even for ordinary people who haven't learned martial arts.
“Cut wider!”
“Yes!”
“Push through in one go! With all your strength!”
“Yes!”
Jo-Gol kicked the ground and swung his sword widely again. The bases of the charred black trees fell off at once.
Many people's gazes were captivated by Jo-Gol's back as he advanced.
'How?'
Cutting down burned trees to open a path. Instead of detouring to avoid the flames, eliminating the flames to save time.
At first glance, one might think it was an idea anyone could easily conceive. But actually, coming up with the most appropriate response immediately upon seeing the situation was absolutely not easy.
How can anyone maintain composure when flames and pitch-black smoke are tightening around their throat? Most people here could think of nothing but detouring to avoid the raging fire.
Yet that young swordsman instantly opened a path they hadn't even considered.
'I haven't heard that One Sword Split Light is exceptional in this aspect.'
'Are all Mount Hua Five Swords like this?'
Unaware that such gazes were pouring onto his back, Jo-Gol just kicked the ground.
'So light!'
His body felt strangely light.
It wasn't excitement from being on a life-or-death battlefield. Not overflowing with vitality, but literally his body felt light.
At this rate, it felt as though he could break through straight to the top of that high mountain in one rush.
“You baastaaaaard!”
Three spears, red-hot from beyond the raging flames, flashed as they flew in. Before Jo-Gol's eyes even captured the spears' presence, his sword reacted first. The fierce blade deflected all the spears.
Kaaaaang!
Three impact sounds overlapped as swiftly as one. Following that, the sword with a viper-like edge shot out at an incredible speed toward where the spears had flown from.
“Guh!”
Retracting his sword, Jo-Gol swung it horizontally like flowing water, cutting down the tree blocking his path in a single stroke. A massive old pine, which hadn't lost all traces of its age despite being burnt black, fell with a loud crash.
Kuuuuung!
Before the scene that soon unfolded before his eyes, Jo-Gol stood tall.
"Hmm..."
Beyond the flames emitting heat intense enough to distort his vision, he saw over a hundred Evil Tyrant Alliance martial artists waiting for him.
Flames and enemies.
Taking in both things he had to face, Jo-Gol twirled his sword once to adjust his grip and lowered his stance.
“Vice Hall Master!”
“Onward!”
Jo-Gol kicked off the ground without delay as if there was nothing more to think about.
Standing at the forefront, the only thing he must do was clear. To not stop for even a single moment until he reached that mountain peak!
"Try stopping me! If you can!"
Jo Geol's body surged toward the enemy like a beam of light.
* * *
The silence lasted for quite a while.
Chung Myung picked up the cup in front of him. He looked straight at Jang Ilso and downed it in one gulp.
Tak.
The liquor cup was placed on the table. Chung Myung roughly wiped his mouth with his sleeve.
“Not really.”
“Hm?”
“You're asking if I’m curious about what would have happened if our positions were swapped?”
Chung Myung chuckled. Like Jang Ilso... No, perhaps containing even more biting mockery than Jang Ilso.
“I’m not idle enough to wonder about things that will never happen.”
“...”
“I’ve never even thought about it. That I could become an Evil Sects bastard like you.”
"My, my. A child lacking imagination."
Jang Ilso gave a small shake of his head.
"Have you really never thought about it?"
“Never.”
"Really?"
Jang Ilso chuckled softly. And stared piercingly at Chung Myung as if trying to capture him within his pale eyes.
"Evil Sects isn't particularly grand. Anyone who refuses to follow the norms the world arbitrarily sets is called Evil Sects. In that sense..."
(H: Evil Sects also means Unorthodox and Righteous Sects is Orthodox. That term fit the most in this context.)
Facing Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword who was looking back at him with an indifferent face.
“Among those Righteous Sects punks right now, isn't the one who most resembles Evil Sects none other than you?”
“...”
“Have you really never thought about it? That you want to cut off the heads of those spouting nonsense, or that you want to trample everything they stand for. Even if not that….”
While he spoke slowly, Jang Ilso’s eyes slowly began to boil.
"About wanting to smash to pieces all those things they arbitrarily set up and call the world's laws."
“...”
Chung Myung didn't answer.
"Have you really never thought like that? Really?"
"...Stop spouting nonsense. It ruins the liquor.”
Chung Myung cut him off coldly and looked at Jang Ilso.
"I don't know what answer you want from me, but there's only one answer I can give. I won't become like you. You stupid Evil Sects bastard."
Jang Ilso's eyes narrowed.
"Words from one who hasn't experienced it."
“It’s the same regardless of what I experience.”
“...”
"You babble as if you know me well, but you don't know me. No, you'll never be able to understand me in your lifetime."
“Why?”
“Because you’re a man for whom only you yourself matter.”
Before he knew it, there was no expression on Jang Ilso's face. He simply stared blankly at Chung Myung.
"But I am not. What matters to me isn't something like myself."
"...What nauseating hypocrisy."
"Right, perhaps so. But I'm a person who lives grasping that nauseating hypocrisy. Just as you live grasping that shabby hatred you've dressed up under the name of desire."
“...”
Chung Myung spoke as if there was nothing to consider.
“And even if you and I were switched, the result would be the same. At least right now.”
“...What does that mean?”
“You lose, Jang Ilso.”
“...”
"It would be the same even if I stood in your position. Then I would lose. This war isn't something you and I decided in the first place. That moment has already passed."
At those words, Jang Ilso looked back at the burning Mount Mudang. Then he looked back at Chung Myung and laughed strangely.
“Ah, are you harping on about that high-and-mighty belief again? That they will win for you?”
“...”
"Do you hope that earnestness reaches heaven? Hm?"
"There's no such thing as heaven. Even if there were, I'm not stupid enough to hope for anything from that damn thing."
"Oh? Then what?"
"You don't understand. You're wrong, stupid."
Jang Ilso tilted his head slightly at Chung Myung's unexpected remark. Chung Myung bared his teeth and laughed.
"You think you've tie me here, at this place."
“...Are you saying that’s not the case?”
"I'm not here. What's here is just my shell."
Chung Myung's gaze slowly shifted from Jang Ilso to the burning Mount Wudang, somewhere below.
“I am already there.”
“...”
“I am fighting over there. Me.”
“What nonsense are you...”
"You'll probably never be able to understand. That's why you'll lose."
Chung Myung turned his gaze back to Jang Ilso. Those indifferent and black eyes containing nothing pierced through Jang Ilso.
"That arrogance of yours, believing you can know and understand everything, will be your downfall."
Jang Ilso's eyes greatly shook once. For the first time since sitting in there.
Consider supporting me by subscribing on Patreon for 5$. The Patreon membership for Mount Hua and Infinite Mage is the same. The benefit:
Advance chapters of Mount Hua : 76
Advance chapters of Magic Realm Convenience Store Worker : 144 Chapters
Advance chapters of Got a Gallery in the Wild : 10
Comments Box