The Terminally-Ill Side-Character Inside of a Martial Arts Novel

It happened in an instant – Moyong Sowol disappeared from sight and appeared behind Geum Hyul.

Geum Hyul reacted as quickly as he could, but it was impossible to properly defend when he had lost track of Moyong Sowol’s movements.

His sharp senses helped him avoid Moyong Sowol’s sword before he could even realize the situation. But he couldn’t avoid getting his side grazed by the tip of her sword.

“Kugh!!”

Geum Hyul stepped back and glared at Moyong Sowol with a stiff face. He had a confused expression, not understanding what had happened.

Geum Hyul was a veteran of a hundred battles who had been through countless chaotic situations over 40 years leading the Yeonwi Left Army.

He could fulfill his missions by fully utilizing his talents in any situation. That’s why he had been at the forefront of the Murim Alliance for 40 years while commanding the Yeonwi Left Army.

He had met many masters. Among them was Hyuk Dojin, the Young Cult Leader, and he had even crossed swords with Namgoong Baek in a martial arts competition.

‘But…’

None of the opponents he had crossed swords with had moved at a speed that escaped Geum Hyul’s eyes. Even the Murim Alliance Leader couldn’t do that.

Even for a master who had reached the pinnacle of shape-changing techniques, it was impossible to escape his eyes. But for Moyong Sowol, who hadn’t even reached the Flowering Realm, to produce such speed? It was impossible.

Geum Hyul gritted his teeth while pressing his side to stop the bleeding. He had originally overlooked the fact that he had been fighting for a long time and his physical strength and inner power were severely depleted.

Therefore, rational judgment was impossible. While it was true that Moyong Sowol’s movements were faster than expected, the key point was that Geum Hyul’s body condition couldn’t see it.

Overlooking this, Geum Hyul thought Moyong Sowol had used some cunning trick.

“You’ve become an arrogant person who doesn’t even know shame, daughter of Moyong.”

“Shame?”

“Being born as a daughter of the proud Five Great Clans and becoming the Young Madam of the Demon Cult is already enough to bite your tongue and commit suicide, yet now you even use evil techniques and abandon decency. If you knew that righteous blood flows in your body, you would be ashamed!”

“…”

Moyong Sowol, who had been listening to Geum Hyul’s stern voice, frowned and let out an empty laugh as if dumbfounded.

Moyong Sowol stared intently at Geum Hyul and twisted the corners of her mouth.

“It’s been a while since I’ve heard that. It’s been a while since I’ve heard that I should be ashamed for being born with Moyong clan blood and becoming the Young Madam of the Demon Cult, so it feels new. But, it’s not particularly pleasant.”

Moyong Sowol’s quiet voice spread faintly.

Geum Hyul glared at her and glanced behind. Even while facing Moyong Sowol, Geum Hyul wasn’t focused on her. By his standards, he was more worried about the Cult Leader who might appear at any time than the insignificant Moyong Sowol.

He needed to deal with Moyong Sowol immediately, kill Hyuk Dojin, and then escape. Geum Hyul gritted his teeth.

“In the past, when I heard those words, I really felt like a sinner, like I should be quiet and apologize…”

Her quiet murmuring voice seemed to fade, then Moyong Sowol pushed up the corners of her mouth. Her white hair fluttered behind her back with a sneer.

To Geum Hyul’s eyes, that appearance seemed like a witch using evil techniques.

“I have no sin. Isn’t that right?”

“You call that words…”

“It was my own clan and the Murim Alliance that sold me to the Demon Cult, not anyone else. So, I don’t need to apologize to anyone. On the day I was sold to the Demon Cult, Moyong Sowol died and only the Young Madam of the Demon Cult remained. So, you have no right to say such things. Especially…”

Her finger moved to point at the tip of Geum Hyul’s sword.

“Even more so for someone holding that sword that stabbed my man.”

Geum Hyul frowned. Moyong Sowol smiled faintly and drew up her true qi. Moyong Sowol’s inner power, concentrated in one place enough to disturb the surrounding air, exceeded Geum Hyul’s expectations. It wasn’t just the level of an ordinary master.

“This is…”

“I didn’t use any evil techniques and I’m not ashamed. So stop making noise and die.”

Moyong Sowol’s figure disappeared once again. Geum Hyul tensed up at Moyong Sowol who had disappeared in an instant and raised his sword. His eyes couldn’t follow Moyong Sowol’s movements, but his senses were still alive.

The superhuman senses possessed by a Flowering Realm master could accurately read even the trajectory of a sword flying from an invisible place.

His body moved before his mind could think and judge. The sword narrowly missed his shoulder. Geum Hyul’s eyes flashed as he glared at Moyong Sowol who had revealed herself beside him.

“Petty tricks!!”

He twisted his body and immediately swung his sword over Moyong Sowol’s head, but it vainly cut through the air. As if a curtain was being torn, Moyong Sowol’s afterimage was cut by Geum Hyul’s sword and disappeared.

Geum Hyul opened his eyes wide as if surprised. When his stiffened senses twitched again, Moyong Sowol had already moved behind him.

“This…!!”

Geum Hyul gritted his teeth and tilted his body forward as if falling, rolling fiercely on the ground. It was an unsightly appearance that didn’t seem like an evasion method a Flowering Realm master would show.

But this wasn’t the time to consider that. What does it matter how she avoided in a situation where his neck would fall if he reacted even a little late? Geum Hyul, who rolled on the ground almost crawling while enduring the shame of his body being covered in dirt, looked back.

Moyong Sowol immediately rushed in as if not wanting to miss the opportunity. Geum Hyul felt a familiar sensation from the tip of Moyong Sowol’s sword stabbing towards him without the slightest shake.

‘Could it be…’

Only then did Geum Hyul realize that he had been unable to make rational judgments.

‘Unity of sword and person… Flowering Realm?’

Geum Hyul had to admit he had been careless. No, to be precise, it would be right to express it as ridiculous and unfair.

Certainly, until just now, that woman hadn’t even reached the stage of knocking on the wall, let alone the Flowering Realm.

But could it be possible that in that short time, she climbed to the Flowering Realm, realized that mysterious intent, and broke through the wall?

Geum Hyul knew he could make countless excuses if he wanted to, but in the end, they were all just excuses.

A tiger uses all its strength even when hunting a rabbit. No matter how inferior an opponent was to himself, he should have used all his strength.

The moment he crossed swords based on clumsy assumptions without properly confirming and became angry, concluding it was evil techniques, defeat was already determined.

‘…No. Even if I had judged properly, it would be impossible to win against that woman in my current state.’

Her ability to use inner power was excellent to the point where she couldn’t be seen as someone who had just reached the Flowering Realm. It was as natural as if she was using something that had been residing in her body for a long time. Geum Hyul swallowed a bitter smile at the appearance that could only be described as innate talent.

In the end, it was defeat.

* * *

Although it seemed I was overwhelmingly pressuring Geum Hyul, my body condition wasn’t very good either.

There were still wounds from the madman, and I couldn’t handle the energy perfectly yet. It was only possible because Geum Hyul didn’t know my skills and his condition wasn’t perfect.

Even so, it was a golden opportunity for revenge. The tip of my sword was accurately aimed at Geum Hyul, and if I advanced just a little more, I could pierce his heart.

But my sword didn’t reach his heart. Although I could kill him if I took just one more step forward, I couldn’t swing my sword due to the strange discomfort caught by the unfamiliar keen senses.

In the end, I withdrew the sword I was thrusting and stepped back. Then I could realize the identity of the strange discomfort I had just felt.

A huge sword fell from above, landing exactly where I had been standing just now.

It was an extremely fast speed. It wasn’t a natural fall, but a sword stabbed down by someone from above. If I had reacted late with my body balance collapsing forward, it wouldn’t have been strange if my body had been cut in two by the greatsword.

I wiped the sweat flowing down my cheek and looked at the man approaching where the greatsword was stuck. A huge build and a rough-looking face. He looked more like a mountain bandit than a martial artist.

“Heheh, your condition looks really bad?”

He pulled out the greatsword and glanced back to look down at Geum Hyul.

When Geum Hyul frowned, the man let out a deep laugh. That appearance was somehow familiar. It was a face I was seeing for the first time, but a man who was strangely familiar to my eyes.

Who is he? A familiar voice and build I’ve heard somewhere before. Where have I seen him? Where…

While staring at him blankly, I glanced behind. I saw Hyuk Dojin who still hadn’t regained consciousness.

At that moment, I remembered where I had seen him.

“The attack…”

“What?”

The man who had been looking at Geum Hyul turned his head towards me. I spoke quietly while facing him.

“You’re the man who attacked and burned all my medicine back then, right?”

“What are you talking about? That was so long ago, you still remember? You’re more narrow-minded than I thought.”

He grinned and acted arrogantly, then stuck his sword in the ground and bragged.

“Forget about trivial things. If you pay attention to such small things, it will be difficult to become a great person like this Elder Cheol Mugi.”

The man’s self-praise calling himself a great person continued.

But this wasn’t the time to observe that. The personality and behavior of the man in front of me weren’t important. What was important was that this person called Cheol Mugi was strong.

Even back then, he had fought evenly with Hyuk Dojin. Although the form was just holding Hyuk Dojin’s ankle, that alone was enough to guess his skills.

…Can I win?

Even in perfect condition, it would be a close match, but in my current state, I couldn’t be certain. I slightly rolled my eyes to look towards Hyuk Muhyeol who hadn’t revealed himself yet. It was difficult to expect Hyuk Muhyeol to take care of his internal injuries and help. Then…

“Don’t worry too much. I didn’t come here to cause trouble.”

“What do you mean?”

“What do I mean? I just came to observe the situation. This blockhead might kill you, so I came to prevent that.”

“Prevent me from being killed?”

He grinned and nodded. I felt complicated emotions at his words and actions. Even without knowing exactly, this person called Cheol Mugi was an elder of the Murim Alliance.

That meant he was a colleague of Geum Hyul. Then it wouldn’t be strange if he helped him and attacked me, but he was preventing that…

As the train of thought continued and flowed to a new place, my brows narrowed.

“You… are you from the Black Dao Sect?”

Cheol Mugi, who had been answering lightly until just now, just smiled faintly without saying anything.

I knew that the Black Dao Sect and the Murim Alliance had some kind of relationship. But I hadn’t thought that someone from the Black Dao Sect would be sitting in the position of Murim Alliance Elder.

Lee Jehak. How far is that man seeing?

“The answer seems obvious, but I guess I should ask anyway.”

Cheol Mugi drew his sword and pointed it at me. When I slightly narrowed my brows, he chuckled and pointed his sword sideways to indicate Hyuk Dojin behind.

“Give up and come with us. Then I’ll spare the man behind you who’s no different from a corpse.”

“Didn’t you just say you weren’t going to cause trouble?”

“I won’t. But even if I don’t step forward, it seems someone who can deal with you has already arrived.”

Someone to deal with me? He jerked his chin. I stared at him intently then rolled my eyes warily to look in the direction he pointed. I saw a familiar figure from the corner of my eye. I slightly narrowed my brows and turned my head.

A woman was slowly approaching with her sword drawn.

A woman approaching me with a dry face without any expression.

“…Geum Soso.”

I thought that perhaps she was the worst opponent I could face in the worst situation.

As soon as Geum Soso saw me, her eyes flashed and she immediately rushed in.