Invincible with Twin Swords

Chapter 17 : Just Survive Tonight!

"You want me to duel? Me, the Red-Eyed Strange Buddha, Neung Saun?"

Neung Saun said, startled.

"Ah, it's not that I doubt your skills, Great Hero Neung, but doesn't this kind of work require delicacy? It's not like the Blood Eagle Man will come openly and ask for a fair fight."

The agency head's attitude towards Neung Saun was not the upright appearance he had shown us. He was that much of a big shot.

I stepped forward.

"Well, honestly, isn't there a consensus that your reputation, Great Hero Neung, is a bit exaggerated? There are also stories that you're not that great."

I'm pretty good at getting under people's skin if I put my mind to it.

"What? What? This brat needs me to teach him the Buddha's teachings with my mountain-cutting saber to come to his senses. Come here right now."

Neung Saun rolled up his sleeves and rushed at me.

"Ah! Great Hero Neung seems to have a misunderstanding. I'm not the one who said your reputation is an empty one."

I said, hiding behind Deoksam.

"Those words were conveyed by this Great Hero Mad Wind Blood Axe here."

"Me? Me?"

Deoksam pointed at himself with his finger and made a dumbfounded expression.

"Moreover, he said that your reputation might have been created and spread by yourself!"

Neung Saun was about to change his target and rush at him, but he hesitated for a moment after seeing Deoksam's physique and huge axe.

The anger of those who get excited easily is usually directed at the weak. They can't show that much anger to the strong.

Deoksam has the power to temporarily quell the anger of these cowardly bastards and make them return to reality.

"Now! Since Great Hero Neung is excited, how about you calm down a bit and have a fair duel tomorrow in front of many people? If you fight now, you'll just hear stories that Great Hero Neung couldn't control his momentary anger again, won't you?"

"After I take care of that bear-like fellow, it's your turn next, so be prepared. I'll pull out your tongue."

"Yes, yes. I understand. After Great Hero Neung teaches this rude bear a lesson, I will step up for a duel. Then it might be your last night, so sleep well and I'll see you tomorrow."

Who would dare to put the words 'last night' on their tongue to the great Neung Saun?

Neung Saun's face was full of anger and he was about to say a word, but I cut him off.

"Any kind of accident can happen in a duel. Haha."

Neung Saun stopped. He will definitely unfold a killing move in tomorrow's duel.

The expression on the Subduing Dragon agency head's face was a sight to see.

His own neck is on the line, and the guys who came for money as escorts are fighting among themselves...

But Deoksam's expression was even more of a sight to see.

"No, when did I say that? I heard the name of that guy Neung Saun for the first time today."

As soon as we returned to our quarters, Deoksam got angry like fire.

"It's normal to hear the name of someone you're seeing for the first time for the first time."

"No, besides, why am I the one going out for the duel? You're the one who caused the trouble, hyungnim."

I plan to make Deoksam cut off Neung Saun's head in tomorrow's duel. Well, various accidents are bound to happen in a duel.

For Deoksam to unfold a killing move, the other side must unfold a killing move first. Only then will this bear-like fellow react and the wildness sleeping in his heart will awaken.

He needs to get rid of his tender sensibility that fears blood. Neung Saun is perfect as a sacrifice for that.

In the future, our swords will be stained with countless blood.

If you hesitate for a moment, you yourself are in danger. Right now, we don't need the Deoksam of the Nine Dragons Stronghold on Dubang Mountain, but the Mad Wind Blood Axe, Han Deoksam.

"I'm telling you in advance, I will not intervene in whatever happens in tomorrow's duel. You have to solve it yourself."

"I'm not expecting it!"

* * *

"The day has dawned. Come out right now!"

Neung Saun came since morning and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Let's have breakfast first! It could be the last meal for both Great Hero Neung and our side, couldn't it?"

Deoksam and I finished the delicious meal prepared by the Subduing Dragon Escort Agency and sauntered towards the escorts' training ground.

Perhaps because it was an escort agency, it was filled with delicacies that couldn't be seen in this region. Neung Saun would probably have been satisfied with his last meal in this world.

Around the training ground, the escorts of the escort agency and even the porters had all gathered after hearing the rumors and were preparing to watch the duel.

It was so noisy yesterday, so there was no way they wouldn't know. Besides, apart from his notoriety, Neung Saun was a real master. They couldn't have missed the duel of such a master.

"When you face Neung Saun's mountain-cutting saber and an axe, it won't feel like they're clashing, but like they're sticking together. With the feeling of cutting with the axe blade rather than receiving it with strength!"

I killed Neung Saun in the past. I had witnessed him unfolding a killing move on a woman for the reason that she was blocking his way in the marketplace. We got into a fight on the spot, and I cut off his head.

"Remember! Don't clash with strength! You have to avoid the front!"

Because of the martial arts Neung Saun had learned, a strange energy was imbued in his mountain-cutting saber, and I had a hard time too. He uses that energy to absorb some of the impact of the opponent's weapon. That's why it's difficult with just strength. It's tricky to deal with those who use such sinister martial arts.

"Geez, I'll fight well on my own."

Deoksam walked out with his axe on his shoulder with an indifferent expression.

At the other end, Neung Saun was already waiting with his sleeves rolled up.

"I couldn't sleep all night. I was so excited at the thought of making a big hole in your belly."

"Ah, the story from yesterday was not what I... no. Let's stop. Let's just finish this quickly."

When Deoksam held his axe and took a stance, admiration came from the spectators around.

It seemed that he had already dominated the momentum just by appearing, but in fact, there would be no one here who would bet on Deoksam's victory.

"Don't blame me for being cruel with my hands!"

Without the virtue of yielding three moves to a junior in the martial world, Neung Saun charged first.

- Swish!

As expected, a strange red energy was imbued in the large mountain-cutting saber. From the beginning, he unfolded a killing move, aiming for Deoksam's vital points.

Deoksam also raised the axe held with both hands above his head and ran straight ahead.

Oh, no. I told you not to clash head-on.

- KABOOM!

The two huge heavy weapons clashed with the maximum force they had, making a huge roar.

With a single impact, both of them were thrown back.

Deoksam had taken about two or three steps back, and a small stream of blood was flowing from the corner of his mouth. His internal organs must have been shaken.

That's why you should have listened to me, why did you use strength...

What about Neung Saun? What happened to Neung Saun? Huh? Huh?

Neung Saun had rolled back several times from the single impact with Deoksam and was thrown to the end of the training ground.

His hair was a mess and his clothes were covered in dust.

He was vomiting a lump of red blood, leaning on his mountain-cutting saber planted on the ground.

Ah! What did I advise Deoksam?

I realized.

If you can't overcome it with just strength, you should look back and see if your own strength was insufficient.

"Cough. Th-this. To bounce off my mountain-cutting saber. You're using a strange power, aren't you?"

I also think that Deoksam's absurd strength is strange.

"Do you want more? I think this is enough."

Deoksam lowered his axe and turned around, leaving the fallen Neung Saun behind.

A belated exclamation erupted from the escorts who were watching from the surroundings.

- Wow! Wow!

Would they ever see such divine strength in their lives?

Moreover, his opponent was the Red-Eyed Strange Buddha, Neung Saun, who was said to be unbeatable in terms of strength. He had suppressed him with strength in a single clash.

Neung Saun should have done better.

Only then could I have brought out Deoksam's hidden wildness... huh?

Neung Saun, who was kneeling, suddenly kicked off the ground and rushed at Deoksam.

In one hand, he held his mountain-cutting saber, and in the other, he held something small and glittering.

"Be careful! It's a hidden weapon!"

This bastard!

I immediately shot towards Neung Saun as if I had been bounced from my seat.

...Too late!

In the meantime, Deoksam also sensed Neung Saun's killing intent and turned around.

Simultaneously with turning around, he swung the axe he was holding with the speed of light.

- Clang!

The six hidden weapons thrown by Neung Saun were blocked by the huge axe and fell powerlessly to the ground. Through the gap where Deoksam was blocking the hidden daggers, Neung Saun's mountain-cutting saber headed for Deoksam's head.

Everyone around squeezed their eyes shut.

It's my fault. I should have thought that that bastard Neung Saun might use a dirty trick.

- KABOOM!

At that moment, a huge roar echoed.

Deoksam had blocked it by swinging the huge axe with one hand, and Neung Saun was standing still with a dazed face, holding a mountain-cutting saber that was broken in half.

"You brought this upon yourself."

Then he struck down with his axe again and smashed Neung Saun's head.

Deoksam's wildness has returned!

* * *

"By the way, didn't you say you were afraid of blood before? Looking at you today, it doesn't seem like it."

I asked, tearing off a chicken leg from the table of drinks prepared by the Subduing Dragon agency head.

"When did I say I was afraid of blood? I said I hated blood."

"Isn't that the same thing? But you were fine smashing his head today."

Deoksam said, downing a glass of alcohol.

"I only hate my own blood. I don't care about other people's blood."

Ah! So that's what it was.

I misunderstood. I made a very big misunderstanding.

There was no need to find his wildness.

I just need to do well myself.

As promised, we were to be the agency head's closest escorts. Although he was offering a lot of money, there were almost no ronin who wanted to face the Blood Eagle Man right next to the agency head.

As the days passed, the agency head's face rotted away.

There were only a few days left from the promised month.

"How about you just hide somewhere no one knows? At this rate, you'll dry up and die before the Blood Eagle Man comes."

"Well. Is there a place the Blood Eagle Man doesn't know?"

It's true. Were there no one who had tried to hide somewhere after receiving the Blood Eagle Man's red hawk decoration?

It just changed the place of their death.

"Don't worry too much, agency head. Didn't you see with your own two eyes how this bear-like fellow easily smashed Neung Saun's head last time?"

Now Deoksam doesn't react even if I call him a bear. He probably thinks he was a bear in his previous life too.

"And I'm stronger than that guy. When the Blood Eagle Man comes, I'll bring him right in front of your face, agency head. I promise."

I am a man who keeps his promises.

The last night of the promised month had come.

The Blood Eagle Man will definitely come tonight.

The night of the Subduing Dragon Escort Agency was as bright as day. Torches were hung in every part of the estate, and all the hired ronin and escorts of the escort agency were surrounding the agency head's room.

The agency head, worried that the Blood Eagle Man might be hiding among the recruited ronin, couldn't even go outside all day and was just hiding in his room.

"Hey, you can sit down. And can't you put that sword aside?"

The agency head had drawn his sword and was standing up, tense.

"Just survive tonight!"

And just before the sun rose, at the darkest time!

The air in the room sank heavily.

Deoksam, who had been dozing off, opened his eyes wide.

And something faintly moved on the shadow of the Subduing Dragon agency head, Gil Wancheong, who was still holding his sword and couldn't let go of his tension

(End of Chapter)