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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: A Hero with One Sword (1)
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제7화
I spotted Taeu waiting for me in front of the house. Dragging my blood-soaked body, I trudged toward her step by step. I didn't even have the energy left to call out her name.
"Sowol! What happened? Are you okay? You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"
Seeing me covered head to toe in blood, Taeu rushed over and grabbed my shoulders.
"Dongcheol's dead. The other kids... so many of them died."
I tried to explain properly, but for some reason, the words just wouldn't come.
From that brief statement, Taeu grasped the situation. She turned her head away from me, hiding her trembling eyes.
"At least you're safe. That's what's important."
How could it be? Looking at you checking on me with those unfocused eyes, I couldn't dress this up as fortunate, no matter how I tried.
Once again, people had died because of me. Once again, I hadn't been able to protect a single one.
"I'm going to wipe out every last one of those Fallen Ghosts Pavilion bastards."
How should I describe the look on your face when you heard that? You started to say something but ended up clamping your mouth shut. Brushing past you, I took a step forward.
I meant to head straight for the Fallen Ghosts Pavilion scum, but Taeu grabbed my arm again.
"Wait, hold on. Wipe them all out? What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said. You know it's not hard for me, right?"
Only then did Taeu realize I was dead serious. She knew I had the power to erase them without a trace—and that I'd made up my mind to do it.
"But... but what changes if you kill them all?"
"The trash infesting this place will be gone."
Grip.
Taeu's hand tightened on my arm.
"You said it yourself—people's lives have their own momentum. What happens to you after you slaughter them all? You planning to live the rest of your days like that?"
How could you say something like that after seeing me drenched in blood? Knowing full well I've lived by killing and killing again, how could you tell me not to take lives so lightly anymore?
I kill without a single tremor in my fingers. I've always been the Blood Demon. I believed I could change, but in the end, I'm just a murderer who can't.
"Whether the Fallen Ghosts Pavilion dies or not is none of my concern. But if I let you walk away like this, I feel like I'll never see the you from right now again."
Tears streamed from Taeu's eyes, warm with body heat, splashing onto the back of my hand. That warmth slowly cooled the fire raging inside me.
You never hesitated to stain your own hands with blood. You weren't afraid of changing. And yet, here you are, afraid that I might change.
But.
"But no one else here can do it but me."
Still, I couldn't just let the Fallen Ghosts Pavilion slide. Not after thinking of those dead kids.
"Do you really have to kill them all? Okay, what if you just take out their leader? Wouldn't that disband the Fallen Ghosts Pavilion?"
"No. Even if you kill the leader without a sound, someone else will just take his place. And if we kill him publicly without justification, it'll bring more harm to the slums again."
"Justification... right, so you need a justification?"
Taeu fell deep into thought. After pondering for a long while, she suddenly looked me straight in the eye, as if she'd hit on something.
"If that's the case, then I've got an idea."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
We left the slums with Wolhyang. We'd rushed out without much explanation, but she followed me silently.
Once out of the slums, we rented a room at an inn in the bustling downtown area.
Taeu's plan was absurd and completely unrealistic.
"But you can pull it off, right?"
True. Otherwise, we wouldn't even be trying something this ridiculous.
First, I scrubbed myself clean in the inn's bathhouse.
I untangled my matted hair and washed away the grime and dust caked on my entire body.
Then I tied my long hair neatly and donned a sky-blue silk robe I'd bought from the market.
"Even though this idea came from my head, you look like a totally different person."
The beggar from the slums was gone. Staring into the mirror, I saw the refined young heir of a prestigious clan.
"Oppa, you look like someone else all dressed up."
"Doesn't it feel weird?"
"Not at all! You look super cool."
Their gazes were starting to make me uncomfortable. I'd never dressed up like this even in my previous life, so it felt awkward.
"Taeu, the sword."
"Huh? Oh, right!"
The sword Taeu handed me was an antique long sword with wave patterns on its pristine white scabbard—something decently priced from the market.
Of course, looks were deceiving; it was a cheap piece of junk inside. But what mattered wasn't performance—it was the orthodox patterns and imposing appearance that righteous sect folks would carry.
"Alright, I'm off."
"Be careful."
With that, I stepped out of the inn.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
As soon as I stepped outside, people's stares shifted dramatically. No longer avoiding me out of disgust—they were cautiously stepping aside.
I strolled down the street leisurely with my hands clasped behind my back, just like the young masters from noble clans.
From now on, I was righteous sect. From now on, I was a hero. From now on, I was...
The Blood Demon who'd lived like a mad dog, now playacting as a hero. The irony bubbled up, but I swallowed it down.
Hoo.
Finally, atop the platform in front of the tallest, most crowded building in Xining's busiest district, I raised my sword high and bellowed.
"This humble one is Yi Sowol, a wandering hero on a martial tour! With no worthy opponents, I've come all the way to distant Xining in Qinghai. If there are any men of Xining who truly know the way of the martial arts, step up to this platform! The victor shall receive five hundred silver taels!"
"W-whoa! Wooaaah!"
The crowd, who had been staring at me out of curiosity, erupted in cheers.
In this era where true heroes were rare, a wandering hero holding an open challenge all the way in Qinghai? It must have been a huge thrill for the bored folk of Xining.
No sooner had I finished speaking than a burly man climbed onto the platform.
"Looks like this overconfident hero looks down on Xining. I'll be your opponent."
"What's your name?"
"Wei Yingxian. I'm somewhat known around these parts."
I tossed him a spare sword.
"You can have the first move."
"Hah, you look like a greenhorn fresh out of the martial world. Don't regret it."
The guy drew the sword and charged, swinging wildly without any proper form.
He had power and speed, but no practicality—just the type who bullied the weak relying on his size.
I didn't budge an inch. From my spot, I lightly deflected his blade and pressed mine to his throat.
"Next."
Everyone's gotta say it once in a situation like this.
"Woooah! Hero, you've got skills!"
Whether from embarrassment or not, the big lug blushed and slunk off the platform. Then a variety of challengers followed—street toughs, a local dojo instructor, hunters, woodcutters, and a dozen or so others.
Of course, every single one lost in one exchange the moment the duel began and hurried back down.
They tried all sorts of attacks, but in Xining where martial artists were scarce, there was no way anyone could last more than one clash with me.
"Invincible Steps! Invincible Steps! Invincible Steps!"
After twenty straight wins, my title had shifted from "Hero" to "Invincible Steps."
Was this a nickname? All because my opponents were trash and I hadn't taken a single step.
"Is there no one brave enough to mount this platform?"
But I hadn't achieved my goal yet. I glanced at the Fallen Ghosts Pavilion guys in the crowd, eyeing each other warily.
Our eyes met, and finally, one climbed up.
"I'm Jin Hocheon of the Fallen Ghosts Pavilion. Around here, they call me the Twin Sword Ghost."
Probably their strongest in the area, sent up fearing disgrace if they lost to some nobody.
Wise choice.
"First strike is yours again."
"Arrogant fool. My twin blades won't be so easy to block from a standstill."
The Twin Sword Ghost assumed his stance—steady, well-formed. He must've been unmatched locally. But at best, barely beyond third-rate.
Hoo...
After regulating his breath, he rushed me, swinging both swords in unison. Four slashes flew at me in an instant.
There were traces of training in the form-like motions and stable sword paths. But it still felt crude.
I tilted my blade slightly in place to block the first two, knocked his sword skyward on the third.
Slash.
And severed his wrist on the fourth.
"Gaaah!"
He clutched the stump and collapsed.
"Next."
A hush fell over the crowd. The first injury—and to a Fallen Ghosts Pavilion member, no less.
Strictly speaking, he'd come at me with killing intent first, so he should be grateful I left him his life instead of his head.
But touching Fallen Ghosts Pavilion in Xining meant retaliation regardless of reason. The crowd knew it, so they held back their reactions.
Right about now.
I strode forward, facing the onlookers. With their fear of Fallen Ghosts Pavilion bubbling to the surface, I shouted.
"Since arriving in Xining, I've heard tales of a group called Fallen Ghosts Pavilion extorting and terrorizing innocent residents. I, Yi Sowol, as a warrior who knows justice and heroism, cannot stand idly by. Tell your leader this: If he truly knows shame as a warrior, come to this spot tomorrow at noon for a one-on-one duel!"
The crowd murmured.
At this moment, when their fear was laid bare, my challenge went beyond a mere duel—it carried the weight of righteousness.
That weight would be my justification.
"No way, something like that."
"Is he gonna be okay?"
No one cheered openly, but the news would reach the leader for sure.
'A young hero called Invincible Steps has publicly insulted Fallen Ghosts Pavilion and challenged their leader to a duel.'
Reputation gained. Justification secured.
No matter how much third-rate riffraff they were, as martial artists, they'd have no choice but to accept.
Taeu, you brat. I thought it was a crazy plan at first, but it's working better than expected.
"You... we were your target from the start, weren't we?"
The fallen Twin Sword Ghost—no, One-Armed Ghost now?—glared daggers at me.
"Go tell your leader: Don't send your underlings. Face me here like a man."
"You'll regret this."
Glaring to the end, the one-armed ghost slunk off the platform.
Cliché lines, cliché scene, cliché staging. The kind of stock moment straight out of any hero's tale.
Ah, so this is what righteous sect feels like.
A righteous hero facing villains under the blue sky.
The Alliance Leader would've leaped to his feet applauding and shouting praises for heroism.
A hero with one sword.
Justice with one sword.
Your neck with one sword.
No righteous sect in the world has ever had a "hero" like me.
Well, I'm the Blood Demon, after all.