Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Strange Object (5)

Jin Sobae danced a sword dance in the narrow yard. The sword that he could not bear to discard, but rusted from not managing cut the air lightly.

-Excellent. From now you are the 12th generation successor of the Returning Heaven Flying Swallow Sword.

The famous sword the teacher gifted on the day of leaving was nothing more than a lump of scrap metal that lost its former appearance.

-Please, take good care of the lineage of the Returning Heaven Flying Swallow Sword.

Thus despite the deep internal injury he occasionally demonstrated the Returning Heaven Flying Swallow Sword, and every time fell into despair but today was different.

‘Not only all internal energy healed but no strain in circulating qi, and the dantian also became fine.’

However, the body soaked in alcohol for a long time and the martial arts that gave up training had greatly regressed in skill and was similar to when there was internal injury.

‘At best three stars, perhaps below that.’

To regain this years of bloody effort would be needed but Jin Sobae unfolded the scroll instead of training.

[Act: Kill twenty fish.]

[Gain: Complete recovery of the body.]

Opening the pouch at the waist, quite a few coins jingled.

-Benefactor, some hyung gave pocket money saying buy something delicious and eat! I will give this, so buy medicine!

Overcoming the hesitation he headed to the market. Not even walking much the gazes from all sides stabbed him.

“Look over there, isn’t it One Day One Good?”

“Tsk tsk, they said living as a ruffian, still the same.”

“Aren’t you ashamed of the past fame?”

Jin Sobae remembered all the people he saved, and examined their faces while passing the market.

“Aigoo, I will absolutely not raise my child in such a pathetic state.”

-Great hero! Thank you! Thanks to you I lived!

The youth who was chased by a wild boar in the mountain had now become middle-aged and spoke ill of him.

“Well, I did receive help before. But isn’t it all that he went around helping others for his own honor and rising in the world? It is not pure goodwill so is there a reason to be grateful?”

-Thank you, really thank you! Thanks to you I was able to pay the father’s treatment fee! This grace, I will absolutely not forget!

The filial son who shed tears and expressed gratitude sneers at his goodwill.

“...Hmm.”

-If receiving grace one should repay! Great hero! If needing my strength please call anytime!

The middle-aged man who held both hands and said he would repay the grace of being saved from bandits had become an old man and quietly closed his mouth.

‘Things worse than beasts!’

Swallowing the surging killing intent he bought one basket of loaches and returned, and boiled them in boiling water. Then strength returned to the flesh, and the body became light as if throwing off the burden being carried.

‘The body recovered!’

He danced the sword dance again. The uncomfortable and awkward movements disappeared and perfect martial arts unfolded but something seemed missing.

“Yes, I was still holding with the left hand.”

Like before suffering internal injury he corrected the grip of the sword with the right hand. At first it was unfamiliar but soon regained the former sense and when the peak skill came out he shed tears of emotion.

‘With this even going to the underworld I have the face to meet the teacher again!’

How much did he regret that the lineage of martial arts was severed in his generation? Every day was a day wanting to die, and nevertheless every day was a day living with a sliver of hope.

‘It is not simply continuing the lineage.’

Jin Sobae unfolded the scroll.

[Act: Kill 20 people.]

[Gain: New realm of the Returning Heaven Flying Swallow Sword and strengthening of the sword technique.]

Holding the sword he hid his body in the alley of the pleasure district and searched for prey.

‘The Returning Heaven Flying Swallow Sword will become the number one martial art under heaven and leave a name in the history of the martial world.’

Looking at the lights of the pleasure house emitting powder scent to the point of nose stinging and the tavern where fights occur every day, the gambling den where one rejoices and grieves at one die and shouts loudly he thought.

‘If killing one a day one will not be suspected.’

But one day passed and several days passed and he did not draw the sword.

『What are you doing?』

And one late night, someone whispered in Jin Sobae’s ear.

『Aren’t you hateful of them? Everyone laughed at you and ignored yet why not kill?』

Could not distinguish whether hallucination or one’s own thought. Whether speaking beside, or echoing in the head was not clear, and whose voice it was could not be known but no sense of incongruity was felt.

『Are you afraid that honor will fall by killing people?』

The scroll in the bosom trembles. This too Jin Sobae could not think strangely.

『If killing them your martial arts will become number one under heaven, and no one will be able to ignore you.』

Then an illusion unfolded. In the illusion people no longer criticized him, and everyone cheered and loudly sang his alias and name.

『The murder of the weak is a struggle, the murder of the strong is a sin, but the murder of the peak is a great achievement. You can reach the peak. No longer a weak one, do not fear.』

At that moment, a drunkard passed in front of the alley and Jin Sobae remembered his face.

“Ugh, getting drunk.”

-Great hero! Please! Our family is captured! Please save us!

The day the remnants of the evil thieves dug a trap and threatened people to lure him.

Knowing it was a trap from his appeal that told the truth yet entered, knowing there was poison yet swallowed the food for the people that very day.

“Eheya, the moon is bright, bright!”

-That is not our fault. It is the evil thieves’ fault, and the fault of One Day One Good who could not properly deal with them all. If he had properly dealt with the fellows from the beginning our family would not have become hostages, so the apology should be received by us!

Discovering the start of the incident that changed his future he chased behind.

『Kill that one.』

The unidentified voice continued to whisper.

『If not that one your body would have been fine.』

『You would not have lived a life wanting to die but unable to die fearing the lineage of martial arts would be severed.』

『You would not have lost all property trying to heal the internal injury, and would not have picked fights with jealousy and envy every time seeing a good martial artist.』

In a secluded alley, while the opponent peed on the wall he moved behind and drew the sword.

“Ugh, refreshing!”

『Complete the revenge and make the grand dream reality.』

However he did not strike down the sword.

“Uat! W-what!? Save me!”

Even after the opponent who finished peeing discovered him and fled in a hurry without even raising the pants.

『Why didn’t you kill!?』

Even though living a life studded with anger and hatred amid insult and contempt.

『Do you want to live such a life again?』

Even though he himself was tired and suffering from such a miserable life.

『The world abandoned you. So even if you abandon human principles the world cannot criticize you.』

Even though wanting to kill those who insulted and laughed at him crossing the last good several times.

『Is a life ignored even by children, protected by a child satisfying?』

Because there is still one family that believes in and remembers him.

-If receiving grace isn’t repaying the human principle?

-You may stay as much as wanted. We will make sure there is no inconvenience in serving the benefactor.

-Uncle is the benefactor of our parents right? Thank you really for saving our father and mother!

“It is not satisfying.”

『Then act and fill the desire.』

“But I do not want to.”

『Why?』

Jin Sobae lowered the sword.

“I lived as One Day One Good, and want to die as One Day One Good.”

I do not want to be remembered as a beast that abandoned human principles by that family.

『Foolish thing.』

Suddenly desire surged. Wanting to make the Returning Heaven Flying Swallow Sword stronger, and the people on the street only looked like materials for that.

『Act.』

In the flame of terrible desire and anger he recalled the boy who protected him.

-Don’t bully our benefactor!

He drew the sword put in again.

“Uaaaa!”

With the left hand.

The sword cuts off the right arm.

“I am!”

Along with the fountain of blood the right arm cut from the shoulder soared into the air.

“One Day One Good!”

His future too.

The teacher’s will too.

The honor to be obtained again too.

Fell to the floor together with the soared right arm.

『How!?』

Following the unknown doubt and astonishment screams and confusion followed.

With the thought that it was like a wolf’s howl the body collapsed, and he felt someone catching him beyond the invisible field of vision.

“...Huh.”

Thinking it was a voice heard somewhere Jin Sobae lost consciousness.

* * *

I laid the drunkard who cut off his own arm and fainted on the floor.

“We will treat!”

“Please.”

The Hebei branch chief and Heavenly Net agents who happened to come together while discussing the strange force and turbulent spirit skillfully wrapped bandages and treated him.

“I will deal with that.”

The scroll that somehow escaped from the drunkard’s bosom fluttered in the air.

“It seems the weakness was targeted right?”

『There is no other case thought of with many differences from the previous form.』

Inside the unfolded scroll one wolf was drawn. Whether drawn with blood the red wolf emitted a faint blood scent and was alive.

‘So that is why there was a blood scent.’

The picture rolled around in pain here and there and unlike before clearly emitted energy.

『It is the first time seeing a strange object containing energy.』

“It means it was not an ordinary fellow.”

Looking closely it is the appearance of clinging and hanging while holding with energy what is trying to fall from the scroll.

Leaving it alone confirming that the scroll and energy gradually try to become one again I cut the connected energy with sword qi.

Keheng-!

The blood-colored wolf howled and fell from the scroll. The scroll from which the wolf fell rotted and became ashes, and the wolf rolled on the floor and after emitting the last death cry collapsed as is and stopped breathing.

“Bind this too.”

“Yes!”

Leaving to the other Heavenly Net agents I confirmed the drunkard.

‘I never expected this person would refuse the mission.’

I did not expect at all.

Rather, I thought if this person obtained the scroll he would kill people wildly and unfold slaughter.

But looking at the situation, it seemed he refused the mission by cutting off his own arm hating to kill people.

‘I sympathized with the past but the present was merely trash.’

It was hard to understand how he overcame, and accordingly I recalled the teacher’s words.

‘If there are a thousand people there are ten thousand thoughts and twice that many circumstances.’

To me he was trash but he also has his own thoughts and circumstances, and did he possess the righteousness to overcome the temptation of the strange force and turbulent spirit?

『Boss! This seat found it! Praise me!』

“Yes, yes, well done.”

『Is there no reward?』

“I won’t hit for a month.”

『Unsatisfying but I will take even that. But why is the expression like that.』

“Just, thinking that people are really difficult.”

『People are just people so I do not know what is difficult.』

“Strange forces and turbulent spirits are an area that cannot be understood.”

『Didn’t you yourself say it is difficult? Did you admit yourself as a strange force and turbulent spirit?』

Snatching the Three-legged Crow, I rubbed a flick on the head.

『Gyaaak! You said you won’t hit! You said you won’t hit!』

“It is using what was accumulated last time so not breaking the promise.”

『What on earth are you saying!』

A few days later, the Hebei branch chief came looking for me.

“What is this?”

“It is the inner core extracted from the Merit-Offering Blood Wolf Painting.”

Holding a treasure that as a martial arts novel maniac one absolutely cannot not know.