The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Chapter 109

[ … words ]

***

From the moment Moyong Jae-hwa picked up the bow, our journey began to become easier.

Ping.

Thump.

Whenever Moyong Jae-hwa’s Tongma-si (Piercing Arrow) fell over the heads of the attackers amidst the sloppy Hwansi (Illusionary Vision) I shot up, they were scattered in all directions, terrified by the absurd power of the arrows.

Arrows that could not be defended against became objects of fear, causing them to hesitate in their steps.

Our party took a rest amidst their hesitation.

“Hyung-nim, you know what you said the other day?”

“What?”

“The story about that person who held off ten thousand people alone. That was an exaggerated story, right?”

Jae-hwa seemed as if he could not easily believe it even after hearing his own story.

I let out a smirk.

“It is true. Without even a little exaggeration.”

The reason I was able to accompany him, who was like a lonely wolf that no one trusted in my previous life, was purely because of my memory.

Thanks to that, I was able to hold that marvelous sight, which no one else had seen, in my eyes.

“He held off ten thousand enemies alone.”

It was said that the maximum range of a composite bow was one hundred jang, but the iron bow he used reached four hundred jang.

In addition, his signature technique, the Byeokryeoksi (Thunderclap Arrow), caused a massive explosion of energy, inflicting great shock on the area.

If I recited the terrain that was drawn in my mind, he would sense the wind, the terrain, and the movement of the ground, then shoot arrows toward invisible targets.

When a single arrow shot from a distance that could not even be seen with the naked eye fell over the heads of the unit, the damage spread in all directions as if they had been bombarded.

Even if they were Ma-in (Demonic Beings) who had mostly gone mad due to Ma-gi (Demonic Energy), they had no choice but to instinctively shrink back from the bolt of lightning falling from above.

In front of his iron bow, a unit of ten thousand could not move a single step.

“Byeokryeoksi… How is it that he thinks exactly the same as I do?”

“The composite bow of the Guigung-mun looks sturdy, but it will probably be hard to endure your strength. In the future, change it to an iron bow; I will introduce you to an elder who is good with his hands.”

“…Hyung-nim.”

I looked back because his voice sounded strange, and his eyes were welling up with tears.

“Why, why are you like this?”

“Hyung-nim is truly my benefactor. From now on, even if Hyung-nim says that you can make Meju (soybean paste block) out of red beans, I will believe and follow you.”

I was suddenly reminded of the Jae-hwa of my previous life and could not help but click my tongue.

-I hate people. People are less trustworthy than dogs.

The innocent appearance, contrasting with my previous life, somehow made me think it was fortunate.

“Ah, but Hyung-nim. Why did I not hear about such a person?”

“…”

I tried to tell a reasonable lie, but I said something else.

“He… died alone.”

“Yes? Why?”

-Please, only you remember that I existed. My life was always a shameful life of avoidance and escapism.

The words left behind by him, who finally met his death at the hands of the Amheuk-jeol-hon-dan (Dark Severed Soul Group).

“It was because he was ashamed of himself for not facing his own circumstances.”

I spoke, hoping that the regrets of the Moyong Jae-hwa of my previous life would reach him, and the Moyong Jae-hwa of this life fell into deep thought.

<><><>

As Jae-hwa and I kept the attackers in check, we moved safely to Namsong.

Thanks to that, the party members were able to take a break, albeit briefly, and sleep for a short while.

“Hyung-nim, they are coming again.”

“I saw them. Get ready.”

“They really come without getting tired of it.”

Even though Jae-hwa had to move and keep them in check incessantly with me, he showed no signs of fatigue.

Ping.

Thump.

Our arrows fell over the heads of the personnel, who looked to be about five hundred.

“Huh? Hyung-nim, they are not running away?”

Until now, the attackers had been terrified by the power of the Tongma-si, which they could not respond to, and had been unable to move, hiding behind rocks or under trees.

“Let’s try again.”

This time, I fired three arrows in succession, each in a different direction.

Due to the Hwansi, it was literally raining arrows over the heads of the attackers, but this time, they did not even show any signs of panic.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.

The unit of five hundred poured out their energy simultaneously toward the sky, and a sound like thunder erupting in a clear sky rang out.

“…”

It was an unimaginably ignorant strategy, but it was also an undeniably effective method.

Moreover, as long as Moyong Jae-hwa could not yet use Byeokryeoksi, there was no way to deal damage to them.

“Wait a moment.”

I had to confirm the opponent’s identity.

There were not many groups that could fire their energy all at once as if they had coordinated it like the unit of five hundred.

Closing the distance in an instant with the Cheon-ha-dok-haeng-shin (Heavenly Poisonous Walking God) and confirming their martial uniforms, I could not help but let out a low groan.

“Jongnam…”

It was the Nine Great Sects again.

<><><>

We, who were heading toward Nanyang, ultimately had no choice but to change our course toward Mugang.

There was no longer any spare capacity to deal with a unit of five hundred, and specifically, enemies at the level of the Jongnam Sect. There was no way other than to run away unconditionally, but the party members had already reached their limits to keep going without sleep.

I said in a low, flat voice.

“This time, it is Shaolin.”

When we turned toward Mugang, this time, three hundred personnel from the Shaolin Temple were chasing us from behind.

“The real problem is elsewhere.”

In my words, the complexions of those who were looking at me with tired faces darkened even further.

“The 12 Peak Stars have not given up yet, and it is said that Hwasan and Jeomchang are also moving.”

“Can we really say they are chasing us?”

Namgung Seon-hwa licked her dried-out lips.

She had an expression as if she would collapse at any moment.

It was unfortunate, but I had no choice but to shake my head.

“The fastest way from Songsan to Cheonmun, where the Murim Academy is located, is the road that passes through Namsong and Dongju and crosses into Hubei. Mugang is blocked by the Dabie Mountains. They came all the way here to target us.”

“…”

They looked as if they hoped it was not reality.

“What should we do? Young Master Jin…”

Seong Mo-ran was the same as Namgung Seon-hwa. She, who had always extended an overflowing energy in all directions, was now in a precarious state, looking like she would break if the wind blew.

“The best way is to cross the Dabie Mountains.”

“Ah…”

“…”

Sighs flowed out from here and there.

The warriors who had endured with grit and determination and followed along this far also knew that they could not cross the Dabie Mountains.

Moreover, there were three Heuk-do (Black Path) sects located in the Dabie Mountain area. If they happened to get into a dispute with them, they would not just fall behind due to injuries, but lose their lives.

“…But, since that seems difficult, we will cross into Dongju through Nanyang. Instead, we won’t be able to rest.”

“…I would rather have that.”

“…That would be better.”

Having made the choice with the feeling of having to choose between burning to death or drowning in water, we began to move again.

“There it is! The entrance pass is over there!”

“Strike!”

“Everyone is out of strength. If we only get past those guys, we can enter the Murim Academy!”

Just because giant sects like Shaolin, Hwasan, and Jeomchang appeared did not mean the plunderers had given up.

On the contrary, because they were the ones who had been waiting on the previous route, they desperately tried to steal the entrance pass somehow before the personnel of the Nine Great Sects arrived.

“…”

“Haa, haa.”

“Keuk, haa.”

Our party fought more desperately and harder than ever before.

Those who were already exhausted did not even have the strength to shout or use Gi-hap (energy shouts).

They were just thinking about the shortest time, the most optimal method to defeat the opponent, and how to get out of this place.

<><><>

A nameless small mountain on the way to Nanyang.

Our party was hiding in a place where darkness had fallen.

Although dinner time had long passed, no one even thought about lighting a fire.

No, there was not even anyone who took out the beef jerky they used to eat out of habit.

All the party members were only thinking that they wanted to close their eyes quietly in this darkness right now.

The moon, which had been hidden by clouds, revealed itself, and as it illuminated Seong Mo-ran’s haggard face, she smiled awkwardly.

“…I never thought I would learn Haeng-gong (circulating energy) so diligently in my life.”

“…”

“…”

Everyone just showed awkward smiles; they could not let out laughter.

Screech-

The cry of a hawk was heard through the moonlight.

Thinking ‘no way,’ I got up from my seat and whistled softly.

Sure enough, the hawk that flew down flapping its large wings was the Cheol-eung (Iron Eagle) of the Hao-mun.

“At this hour, why…”

The Hao-mun sent information once every morning.

Even so, the fact that they sent a message hawk again in this dark night.

I quickly examined the hawk’s feet.

There was a larger amount of parchment wrapped around the hawk’s feet than what they had sent in the morning.

“…”

Everyone who knew that I received information about our movements from the Hao-mun looked at my face.

I could not gauge how I should deliver this story I had just seen.

“What does it say?”

“…Cheongseong and Gongdong are passing through Wuhan and moving north.”

“…”

“…”

The final destination of the Cheongseong Sect and the Gongdong Sect, who took the exam in Gangnam, should have been Wuhan, where the Murim Academy was located.

Namgung Seon-hwa, who had been silent, said as if she were dejected.

“Why are they moving north?”

No one let out a prediction that came to mind about the reason they were passing through Wuhan and moving north.

“No, that’s not it… Isn’t something strange? There should already be plenty of entrance passes in Gangnam as well. From the perspective of Cheongseong and Gongdong, the probability decreases as much as the travel distance. I am wondering what reason there would be to go that far.”

“That is true. The admission to the academy is important. It is strange to think they are chasing us just because there are many simple entrance passes. The quantity of the Three Pass Gate passes is fixed, after all.”

“In addition, Shaolin is like that too. Why are they chasing us? They have already secured enough entrance passes.”

It was not just Shaolin. Hwasan, Jeomchang, and Jongnam also had secured the same level of entrance passes as in previous years from their perspective.

“I think I can answer that question.”

Clang, clang, clang.

We reacted like lightning to the voice heard in the darkness and drew our swords.

A silhouette moved smoothly through the dark forest.

“Gh, ghost?”

Geum-pyo was startled.

It was not just Geum-pyo who flinched; the warriors of each clan also gripped their swords tightly at the sight of that figure moving left and right like a ghost.

“I am sorry for startling you. But because you are hiding so secretly, it was really difficult to find you.”

I said, looking at the silhouette slowly emerging from the darkness.

“What brings the So-bul (Little Buddha) of the Yongbongjihoe here?”

He was none other than Il-myeong, the So-bul belonging to the Yongbongjihoe.

Contrary to the warriors who were brushing off their shocked hearts, I did not take my eyes off him.

“I came to explain what is happening right now.”

“It sounds like someone’s intention.”

Il-myeong showed his characteristic gentle smile, to the point where those who had been startled by the ‘ghost’ a moment ago felt embarrassed.

“It is said that the Murim regular exam of my generation was the most fiercely competitive in history… but I do not think so.”

“…”

“Perhaps this regular exam that you, the donors and Bodhisattvas, are taking will be the most harsh and chaotic exam in history.”

Il-myeong bowed his head.

“And in the end, you will all be eliminated.”

“This is my first time hearing that the So-bul of the Shaolin Temple has the eye of the future.”

I gritted my teeth, but Il-myeong just gave a hollow laugh.

“You, donor, are still like a blazing fire.”

“Please understand me for being rude. It is because the current situation is like this.”

Il-myeong nodded as if he understood everything.

“We came to change the future where you will all be eliminated.”

“You keep saying ‘we,’ but is it only invisible to my eyes?”

“Haha, actually, because we scattered to find you, I came here alone.”

“Who is that ‘we’?”

“To be exact, it would not be ‘we.’ Because it is a plan that ‘he’ proposed and executed.”

“He?”

“Hyun-cheong… Ah, it would be better to say ‘Yong So-a.’ He wants to see you.”

“…”