novelraw Chapter 251 : Tragedy (2)
Chapter 251 : Tragedy (2)
"Something feels wrong."
After stopping at a rest area and trying to call the hospital, no one answered despite repeated attempts, causing Lee Ho-seung's expression to become serious.
"Something is strange."
"Yes. No one answering makes no sense."
"...What could have happened?"
At Lee Yu-jin's words, Su-hyeon frowned.
'This couldn't be.'
There was only one possibility that came to his mind.
'Has Lee Cheong-myeong done something?'
Su-hyeon had thought that Hwang Won-jae would make him act until discharge.
'Do they know we're coming?'
That wasn't certain.
But.
If his guess was correct, this might be an urgent situation.
"Instructor Lee. Let's leave this car at the next rest stop."
"What?"
"From now on, it would be better to move using my Chukji."
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"Aaaahh!"
"W-why are you...!"
"That's a Ma-in! That person is no longer the Captain Lee Cheong-myeong we knew! He's been consumed by demonic nature!"
"Impossible! If that were true, he couldn't have been hospitalized!"
Amid screams and wails, the Execution Force members who received Lee Cheong-myeong's attack were greatly confused and panicking.
"That's not what's important right now!
The 5th Unit Squad Leader in charge of patrol and security calmed the members.
"You! And you and you! Protect the injured and medical staff!"
"Yes!"
"Then Squad Leader...!"
"Only three people follow me. We'll stall for time until reinforcements arrive."
The Execution Force members regained their composure at his clear command.
"Understood!"
Just then.
"An interesting thought."
"?!"
Lee Cheong-myeong, who had appeared without warning, leisurely walked among them and spoke.
"Kuk...!"
Crack!
The baton extended toward Lee Cheong-myeong was cut into three pieces and rolled away.
"Aaaahh!"
Wrist, elbow, shoulder.
Lee Cheong-myeong sliced an arm three times in one breath, tilting his head sideways.
"Well, now you've lost one arm. What will you do next? Bite with your teeth?"
"Damn it!"
Skang!
After easily slicing the Squad Leader's neck like cutting soft cake, Lee Cheong-myeong snickered as he looked at the faces of the Execution Force members filled with fear, anger, despair, and sorrow.
"I like how diverse your expressions are."
"Hahaha!"
Hwang Won-jae, watching Lee Cheong-myeong's massacre as mental imagery, was delighted.
"You're doing well. You have talent."
And for good reason.
'He's a man who has wielded a sword his entire life.'
What need was there to even mention his aggression and cruelty toward enemies?
"The fall of a hero. The downfall of a hero. Tragedy is always enjoyable."
"But the Execution Force will soon deploy."
Hwang Won-jae sneered at Jang Su-il's words.
"Let them come if they dare."
Even if a Captain came, unless it was a top-tier Captain, it would be difficult to face the current Lee Cheong-myeong.
Moreover, as long as the recovery team led by the two Ma-in, Ha Jin-su and Kang Ui-jin, was in charge of the second wave.
"We might even be able to devour another Captain if we do well."
Hwang Won-jae declared.
"This is an antlion pit."
But he didn't know.
Once again, Su-hyeon, who was beyond his calculations, was rushing toward that place.
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"Whew! We've arrived."
Su-hyeon was able to reach the hospital instantly by generously using his enlarged mana capacity to fire off multiple Chukji.
And.
"Ah."
"What the hell is this?"
"......"
The three were speechless at the tragedy before their eyes.
"Aaaahh!"
"Sob, save me!"
"Someone help!"
"Mother...!"
Lee Cheong-myeong.
None other than 'Sword Warrior' Lee Cheong-myeong, the head of the 11th Unit.
Was creating a sea of blood by cutting and stabbing patients, medical staff, and Execution Force members.
Before that unbelievable, horrific scene.
"Uncle."
Lee Yu-jin muttered with a bewildered, blank expression.
"Senior!"
With a roar like a tiger's howl.
Lee Ho-seung rushed at Lee Cheong-myeong, who was just about to stab an Execution Force member to death.
"Ah. Ho-seung. Have you come to see your senior?"
Sneer.
Lee Cheong-myeong smiled and raised his sword.
Kaaaang!
The two swords collided with a loud noise.
Thump!
Lee Ho-seung's characteristic 'Consciousness Acceleration' was immediately activated at maximum output, causing his consciousness to sink instantly into the sea of Non-Self.
Chachachachang!
Stabbing, cutting, deflecting, scraping, deceiving, and piercing.
Kakakakak!
Cutting, cutting, cutting, cutting, yet neither of them had even a single hair cut by the other's sword.
Swords filled with rage on one side and killing intent on the other met in front of each other's eyes, chests, legs, and hands.
"Good. As expected of my father's favorite disciple!"
Kwaaang!
Lee Cheong-myeong stepped into True Stance, forcing Lee Ho-seung back.
"You've made my blade slightly chipped."
"That sword. Where did you get it?"
"I don't know its name. If you're curious about its owner, I can let you find the corpse."
"Fucking hell, you've got a mouth on you!"
Lee Ho-seung raised his sword again in anger.
"It's not a bad sword, but I suppose it was a bit too much to withstand the disciple's sword."
Woong.
Lee Cheong-myeong's sword energy emitted an even larger, stronger, and more turbid light.
It was sword energy full of overflowing magical energy.
"...Huh."
Lee Ho-seung was now beyond incredulous.
"Instructor."
Meanwhile, Su-hyeon and Lee Yu-jin, who had roughly gathered the critically injured patients in one place, stood behind Lee Ho-seung in blood-soaked clothes.
"Jeong Su-hyeon."
"Yes."
"Were they all killed by my senior's sword?"
"...Yes. Without a single exception."
"Fuck."
Lee Ho-seung cursed in a sorrowful voice.
"That guy is no longer my senior, nor the 11th Unit Captain, nor the Sword Warrior."
Lee Ho-seung declared, filled with anger, betrayal, and sense of duty.
"Jeong Su-hyeon, Lee Yu-jin."
"Yes."
"...Yes."
"From now on, help me kill the Ma-in Lee Cheong-myeong."
"Understood."
Su-hyeon drew his Moonless Sword.
"......"
Lee Yu-jin, who roughly wiped away her welling tears, closed her lips that would barely open and drew her Willow Water Sword.
"Lee Yu-jin. Your answer?"
"...!"
Lee Yu-jin, who had bitten her lip until it bled, painfully pulled out her voice.
"Yes, understood."
"Interesting."
Lee Cheong-myeong said with a face devoid of any trace of amusement.
"Whose head should I cut off first? Tell me anytime."
"Ma-in. Stop using that face and that mouth to utter my senior's voice."
Lee Ho-seung, who had gathered all his surging emotions into one sword, took a step forward.
The next moment, his figure disappeared from everyone's sight.
Kang!
"Good!"
Lee Cheong-myeong shouted.
Kakakakak!
Mystical sword strikes, difficult to understand their principles and processes even when seen, unfolded from Lee Ho-seung's fingertips.
'Damn it.'
It was a sword they had honed together.
It had been arduous days spent following their respected master and trying to stand shoulder to shoulder with his senior.
Now that sword was being wielded to kill each other.
'Even if I subdue him, it would be impossible to imprison him in White Castle now.'
Lee Cheong-myeong had already killed too many innocent patients and comrades.
This level of crime was certainly deserving of Black Castle.
Lee Ho-seung was not unaware that there should be no exceptions in punishing such crimes.
'Damn it.'
To him, Lee Cheong-myeong was his senior and friend who had walked the path of the sword together for a lifetime.
That he, despite all the glory built by his hands, should meet such a tragic fate because of one trash disciple.
Lee Ho-seung could not suppress his grief at all.
'Ha Jin-su, Ha Jin-su.'
Recalling that cursed face, Lee Ho-seung roared once more.
"I'll kill you!"
"Me? You? Impossible!"
Lee Cheong-myeong snorted and deflected all of Lee Ho-seung's sword strikes.
Despite recognizing him, Lee Cheong-myeong's appearance, using deadly strikes without the slightest hesitation, was truly that of a Ma-in.
Kang!
Lee Yu-jin's sword, joining the fight between the two, blocked Lee Cheong-myeong's deadly strike.
"Hmm!"
Pain squeezing his heart, stiffening muscles.
Su-hyeon aimed for Lee Cheong-myeong's wrist during the moment his movement paused.
But.
Kwaang!
Lee Cheong-myeong, once again stepping into True Stance to repel them, attacked Lee Yu-jin.
Chang!
Speed, the strange path of the sword, and even the aim that saw several moves ahead.
Against the attack close to the pinnacle of swordsmanship, Lee Yu-jin could barely hold on, flexibly using her characteristic.
"Ugh!"
However, after just over ten exchanges, blood spurted from Lee Yu-jin's shoulder.
"Die!"
Chang!
Yet Su-hyeon's Moonless Sword, thrusting from behind Lee Cheong-myeong, narrowly saved Lee Yu-jin.
"Three-on-one? Do as you please!"
Lee Cheong-myeong drew even more magical energy.
"Damn it!"
And his skill was truly formidable.
"Eek!"
Against Lee Ho-seung's sword, he used his power advantage to push forward.
"Hup!"
Against Su-hyeon's powerful strength, he used technique to find openings.
"Ugh!"
And against Lee Yu-jin's Penetrating Scene, he used flying strikes to leverage the advantage of range, creating a long line on her side as he stabbed through an opening.
"Did you think I wouldn't have devised countermeasures knowing your abilities?"
"...Uncle."
Lee Yu-jin bit her already blood-crusted lips once more.
"You still call me uncle in this state? How dull."
Lee Cheong-myeong sneered.
"Do I look like a monster to you? No. I am still Lee Cheong-myeong. Don't I appear so to your eyes?"
"Cut the bullshit, you bastard."
Lee Ho-seung growled.
"Disciple, your language is rough today."
Lee Cheong-myeong shrugged.
"Shall I cut out your mouth first?"
'...Lee Ho-seung can't last long.'
Su-hyeon thought.
It wasn't a matter of skill.
Lee Ho-seung had severely injured his internal organs in a fight long ago, and had missed the golden time by fighting too long in that condition.
Given that he had to withdraw from the field due to those aftereffects.
A prolonged battle at full power was poison to him.
'He knows that. His cunning has increased since becoming a Ma-in.'
"Yaaaaaah!"
Lee Cheong-myeong once again drew out magical energy and unleashed a fierce attack.
However.
'Nevertheless, it's 3-on-1.'
While Lee Cheong-myeong as a Ma-in was terrifyingly strong, they could win with the three of them combined.
'Liberation.'
Thump!
'Eye Power activated. Tachypsychia Mode.'
Su-hyeon, simultaneously activating two buff skills, compensated for his inferior technique with strength, speed, and reflexes, handling Lee Cheong-myeong's sword head-on.
'This bastard!'
Su-hyeon's defense, focusing all his strength on defense without any thought of counterattack, was not easy to break through even with Lee Cheong-myeong's sword.
Kang!
The Hardening Shield protected Su-hyeon's blind spots, enabling more daring exchanges.
"Well done, Jeong Su-hyeon!"
Thanks to this, Lee Ho-seung and Lee Yu-jin, able to focus all their strength on offense, were creating small wounds by pressing Lee Cheong-myeong from left and right.
'Just a little more!'
And finally, the three began to see a chance of victory.
"Whoa, whoa, that's far enough."
Kaang!
Lee Ho-seung's thrust, which would have been the decisive move, was blocked by a sword that appeared from thin air.
"!?"
"Three-on-one is a bit harsh. Let's play together."
"Ha Jin-su! You fucking bastard!"
Seeing the root cause of all this trouble grinning before him, Lee Ho-seung completely lost his temper.
Chachachachang!
Fierce sword strikes, without thought for consequences or aftereffects, forced Ha Jin-su to retreat.
"I'll be your opponent."
Ma-in Kang Ui-jin separated Lee Yu-jin, creating a one-on-one situation between Su-hyeon and Lee Cheong-myeong.
'The recovery team?'
Su-hyeon gritted his teeth as he saw Ma-in approaching the injured Execution Force members.
"Ma-in Lee Cheong-myeong. I will no longer feel sympathy for you."
"Insolent brat."
Though he had fallen from grace by becoming a Ma-in.
No, rather because of that.
Lee Cheong-myeong showed unrestrained killing intent toward Su-hyeon, who had the potential to become his powerful rival.
"Do you feel better now?"
"Of course."
Lee Cheong-myeong, completely subjugated by Hwang Won-jae, didn't doubt the truth of his emotions for a moment.
"Right now, I'm in the best mood ever."