Sword God Reborn

Chapter 243 : A Common Enemy

Although they had stormed out of Cheon Mubaeck's room with great momentum, it was, in fact, a nerve-wracking battle with a predetermined outcome.

The atmosphere was such. Gyo Mun-cheok, Hwangbo Sung, and Tang Su-gun felt it instinctively.

The topic of the establishment of the Demon Repelling Squad was already the loudest topic among the rising stars.

"Good grief..."

Hwangbo Sung sighed at the unfolding situation.

Although he was the leader of a faction, it was not a vertical relationship where orders were immediately carried out.

It was just a gathering of those with similar intentions. It was not a master-servant relationship.

"It's an opportunity to fight the Demonic Path alongside the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero."

To the vast majority of martial artists, Cheon Mubaeck was literally an object of envy.

It was so in many ways.

He was not a direct descendant of a prestigious clan, nor did he belong to a sect represented by the Nine Sects One Union.

He was a being who stood tall alone.

Just the fact that he was leading was enough for the majority to want to join the Demon Repelling Squad.

"Ugh. At this rate, our position will narrow."

"Our?"

At Gyo Mun-cheok's words, Hwangbo Sung raised an eyebrow.

They had been subtly engaging in a nerve-wracking battle, and now he was suddenly saying 'our'.

Gyo Mun-cheok snorted at Hwangbo Sung's sharp reaction.

"Do you think this is a situation to be fighting with you right now?"

"..."

"Let's think about it. Didn't you also join the Righteous Alliance to build up achievements and gain fame to seize the position of your family's successor?"

"Umm."

"To do that, we have to stand out. Isn't that the reason why we deliberately led the young martial artists and took care of those who followed us?"

Hwangbo Sung swallowed a groan and looked at Gyo Mun-cheok. A strange sense of empathy formed at the fact that his thoughts were exactly the same.

To lead the young martial artists and build up achievements in the Righteous Alliance.

Wasn't that why they had deliberately formed factions by taking care of those with similar intentions and outstanding skills?

The problem was that this faction itself had become meaningless in the face of a newly revealed variable.

"The Demon Repelling Squad led by the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero will surely absorb the rising stars regardless of our factions."

"Hmph. You seem anxious. Do you think they will all abandon you and join the Demon Repelling Squad?"

"Isn't that a given? The reason they have gathered around us now is because our voices are loud and we are strong. But the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero is more than that. Honestly, if it weren't for the current situation, I would also deeply admire him. Do you really think you won't have a problem?"

"..."

Hwangbo Sung closed his mouth.

He had stormed out of the room in anger at Cheon Mubaeck's cold reaction.

Even as he was leaving, he had looked back, wondering if he would be stopped, but that had not happened.

In fact, Hwangbo Sung also deeply revered Cheon Mubaeck.

Listening to his deeds in the martial world, the ambition in his heart soared.

At the same time, as much as he admired him, a strong sense of rivalry also followed. To put it nicely, it was a fighting spirit; to put it badly, it was envy.

Thoughts like 'I could also gain that much fame if I fought the Blood Demon Valley' swirled in his mind.

"Do you think the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero doesn't know us? Young Lady Zhuge is by his side. He will know all about our skills. What the Demon Repelling Squad, which will take on the most dangerous missions, needs are the rising stars with the most outstanding skills. And yet, he didn't try to hold on to us."

"So, Young Master Gyo, you're going to bow your head and join the Demon Repelling Squad?"

"That's right."

"Hah. What's the point of joining the Demon Repelling Squad, annihilating the Demonic Path, and building up achievements? Then the already famous Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero will take all the credit. People will chant his name, saying 'As expected of the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero'!"

"Then what on earth are you suggesting we do? If we stay like this, isn't it obvious that all the martial artists will follow the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero?"

Hwangbo Sung could not answer. Gyo Mun-cheok's words were true.

"In front of the fame of the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero, we are but a firefly in front of a lamp."

"What did you say?"

"I was being generous with the lamp. We are a firefly in front of the sun."

Gyo Mun-cheok sneered.

"Let's be realistic, brother. Even if the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero's fame is widespread in the martial world, do you or I have a decent moniker?"

Of course, they had monikers.

Monikers like Thunder Flash Saber Master or Iron Steel Hero.

"Hmph, anyone can see the difference is huge. Compared to the moniker of the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero."

"Ugh."

In the end, Hwangbo Sung had no choice but to admit it. The martial artists would one by one hope to join the Demon Repelling Squad and rally around Cheon Mubaeck.

"...Not my warriors."

At that moment, Tang Su-gun interjected in a quiet voice.

Gyo Mun-cheok sighed.

"That's because they are your blood relatives. But think about it. You'll just be isolated. I know the blood relatives of the Tang Clan are strong, but in the end, the Demon Repelling Squad will take on all the dangerous missions, and the achievements will also be built by the Demon Repelling Squad. Then will you just sit there and suck your thumb, Young Master Tang?"

At Gyo Mun-cheok's continued explanation, Tang Su-gun just frowned and could not refute.

Hwangbo Sung asked as if he were frustrated.

"Then what are you suggesting we do?"

"Let's join the Demon Repelling Squad and take control of it from within."

"Take control?"

Hwangbo Sung thought about it for a moment and then let out a cry of admiration.

"Are you suggesting that only the elite warriors who are on good terms with us join and take control of the Demon Repelling Squad?"

"That's right. What does it matter if the leader of the Demon Repelling Squad is the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero? If we can move the warriors belonging to the organization according to our will, won't the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero eventually have to be mindful of us?"

"Aha...!"

"Since they will only be deployed on dangerous missions, it's obvious that it will be a small elite force. Let's persuade the skilled and trustworthy ones among the warriors we each lead and have them join. Since we have taken care of the warriors until now, if they are loyal, they won't easily ignore our words."

In any case, they were also the ones who had stolen the hearts of the young martial artists and had become the leaders of the factions.

They were trusted by the warriors in many ways.

At Gyo Mun-cheok's clear explanation, Hwangbo Sung and Tang Su-gun exchanged glances without a word.

If it went that way, it was obvious that the real leaders of the Demon Repelling Squad would be these three.

Then, depending on the situation, they could build up achievements and gain fame.

No matter how much he was the leader, if the majority of the members did not follow him, he would naturally have to be mindful of them.

"Good. Let's do that."

"Young Master Tang?"

"...I'll do it."

"Good. Good. With this, we have a temporary alliance. Ah, and... ahem. About Young Lady Zhuge."

At the mention of Zhuge Seol-ah, the eyes of the two men flashed.

Gyo Mun-cheok inwardly swallowed a laugh.

"Well, it seems you all have your hearts set on Young Lady Zhuge to gain the background of the Zhuge Clan..."

"Hmph."

"Well, let's not talk for long. In a way, we might all be rivals in love, but this is not the time for us to be fighting among ourselves."

"What do you mean?"

"The Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero. The way Young Lady Zhuge looks at him is not ordinary."

"Are you saying Young Lady Zhuge has her heart set on the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero?"

"I only just realized that she is a person with such a warm gaze and a warm voice. Isn't it a side she has never once shown us?"

Hwangbo Sung swallowed a groan and nodded heavily.

At first, he had approached her just to borrow the halo of the Zhuge Clan.

But the moment he witnessed her appearance, perhaps all three of them had harbored the same feeling.

However, she had been so cold that she had never once smiled properly in front of them.

He had vaguely known that she just had a cold personality, but the atmosphere was clearly different when she was next to Cheon Mubaeck.

"Well, that's probably because the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero's fame is so high. So, for all three of us to gain a higher fame than him, let's first join forces."

No matter how much they fought and bickered, when a common external enemy appeared, they would unite.

The three of them, united with a firm resolve, went to find Cheon Mubaeck.

* * *

"The Wolya Faction?"

Zhuge Yeogang's trembling gaze turned to Cheon Mubaeck.

At first, he didn't understand, so he asked again and again, two, three times.

But Cheon Mubaeck's answer was the same.

"I plan to strike the Wolya Faction. Please approve it."

"...Is the Wolya Faction the Wolya Faction I know?"

"If you are thinking of the number one assassin sect in the Central Plains, the Wolya Faction, then yes."

Zhuge Yeogang's mouth went dry at the plan Cheon Mubaeck presented as soon as the members of the Demon Repelling Squad were finalized.

"The Wolya Faction. Are you crazy?"

It was a plan so absurd that Zhuge Yeogang had no choice but to shout so.

Cheon Mubaeck revealed the recent attack by the Wolya Faction. Zhuge Yeogang's expression grew darker and darker.

"To think that the Wolya Faction accepted a request from the Demonic Path..."

"From the moment they accepted the request from the Blood Demon Valley, they have sided with the Demonic Path."

"Umm."

"For now, I was attacked alone, but what will happen when the real war begins in the future?"

"Well... haa."

"The famous masters of the martial world will die. The prodigies will die. Of course, not all of them. But the sword that the Wolya Faction has honed in the darkness is sharp. It is a blade that can certainly take a person's life."

"So you're going to lead the Demon Repelling Squad and strike the Wolya Faction's bases?"

"That's right."

"If it's such a matter, the entire Righteous Alliance should move."

"No. If the core of the Righteous Alliance moves, we don't know how the Blood Demon Valley will move."

"Are you saying they might aim for an empty house?"

"That's right."

"It's too dangerous a mission. Even if you're fine, the rising stars of the Demon Repelling Squad will suffer great losses."

"That's right."

At the calm answer, Zhuge Yeogang flinched for a moment.

Zhuge Yeogang carefully observed Cheon Mubaeck with a strange gaze.

"Are you perhaps... trying to pick out the jade from the stones? Are you going to take only those who survive the fight?"

It was a cruel move that was hard to even think of.

But there was no move more certain, albeit ruthless, in the current situation.

Zhuge Yeogang also knew the atmosphere within the Demon Repelling Squad well.

That the leaders of the three factions harbored ill feelings towards Cheon Mubaeck.

But what if some of them died in the fight?

He would have eliminated the opponents who harbored ill feelings without even lifting a finger, and at the same time, he could induce the unity of the remaining ones. Because a common enemy, a common grudge, would have been created.

Perhaps Cheon Mubaeck's extraordinary brain had thought that far?

And that's why he had planned the attack on the Wolya Faction, which was judged to be unreasonable?

In that moment, Zhuge Yeogang felt a chill run down his spine.

"No."

Cheon Mubaeck denied it. Zhuge Yeogang looked at Cheon Mubaeck with a skeptical look.

"...Really?"

"If we attack the Wolya Faction in our current state, there is a high probability that we will be defeated in reverse. I plan to look after the skills of the warriors who are currently in the Demon Repelling Squad as much as possible."

"You're going to fix their martial arts?"

"At the very least, I have to make it so that they don't die, right?"

At Cheon Mubaeck's words, Zhuge Yeogang crossed his arms.

In fact, since he had said he would give him full authority, to continue to refuse would be to deny his own words.

And eliminating the Wolya Faction to get rid of the Blood Demon Valley's sword in advance was also a quite excellent plan.

Zhuge Yeogang looked into Cheon Mubaeck's eyes.

It was a serious gaze that showed no sign of wavering. Zhuge Yeogang sighed and nodded.

"Hoo, I don't know. Let's just promise one thing. If you judge that it's unreasonable during the process, you will give up the mission."

"I understand."

Having virtually obtained his approval, Cheon Mubaeck immediately stood up from his seat.

* * *

"Will their skills really improve that much just by fixing their martial arts?"

At Zhuge Seol-ah's question, Cheon Mubaeck thought for a moment.

If they attacked an assassin sect of the Wolya Faction's level, a fierce and dangerous battle would unfold.

It was a natural thing for camaraderie to be born in a fierce life-and-death struggle.

They could get the good result of the Demon Repelling Squad uniting to face a common enemy.

Moreover, it would give a sense of reality to the rising stars who were full of youthful hot blood, who had left behind the fear of the Blood Demon Valley and were just thinking of gaining fame.

That being said, Cheon Mubaeck did not wish for the Demon Repelling Squad to suffer great damage.

'In any case, in the fight with the Demonic Path, my job is to kill the strongest enemies in the most dangerous places.'

For example, the high-ranking members within the five stars, the leaders of the Blood Demon Valley.

The leaders of the Seven Demonic Sects. And even the Heavenly Demon.

Naturally, the role of the Demon Repelling Squad, which would support him from behind, would also become larger.

"I have to make them that way."

Cheon Mubaeck intended to make them sharp swords.

"Oh, Young Lady Zhuge. You've come."

"Everyone has gathered. Young Lady, or should I say Vice-Squad Leader?"

The three idiots who were looking at Zhuge Seol-ah with gleaming eyes.

'If I just push them to the point where they don't die...'

If you push them to the brink of death.

Their skills would improve by leaps and bounds, as if by magic.

'I'll push you to the point where you'll beg me to kill you.'

In that moment, goosebumps rose on the bodies of the three.

At Cheon Mubaeck's flashing gaze, the three somehow felt an ominous feeling.

(End of Chapter)