Chapter 187: The Noble Castle
Translation: Tay
Edit: Sephtair
Banjoong's face turned red.
He was an old man. As he was older, he was that much stronger and had plentiful battle experience.
Looking at it like that, this situation itself was like a child's game.
However, the game was a bit violent.
Banjoong spoke rigidly with a firm expression.
"My Lord, the return of Young Master Banya is a matter to be congratulated, but the order of the clan must be kept. As the Young Master has lived a foreign life for a long time, it seems he has forgotten the clan's order."
Order?
Muyoung inwardly clicked his tongue.
The Command Clan was the oldest and one of the largest clans.
There was a certain order, but Muyoung had no interest in that sort of thing.
In spite of order, in the end, strength was justice.
Muyoung had already proved his strength by showing seven Bone Dragons.
Nevertheless, to still oppose him seemed like a frantic last-ditch effort to Muyoung.
'Banjoong. He became the next head.'
That was true in Muyoung's memory.
The clan leader, Bango, had been assassinated by Muyoung, and Banjoong had risen into his position.
After that, the rapid collapse had begun.
This was because he was only good at fighting, and was ignorant in politics and economics.
During a time at the height of the confusion.
If Muyoung could sum it up, it was a time of 'foul politics'.
There were innumerable groups that fell prey to all sorts of plots and absurd gossip, and disappeared.
The Command Clan couldn't adjust to that flow.
To be precise, Banjoong was incredibly passive. His greatest challenge was his inability to accept changes easily.
In any case, in the situation where the next leader was almost decided, Muyoung… no, Banya appeared.
It was enough to make his lower stomach hurt.
He'd try to suppress Muyoung and keep his position somehow.
In fact, it looked like there was hardly anyone in the clan on Muyoung's side.
There were merely those who wanted to try to use Muyoung and those who hated him.
Muyoung also was well aware of that.
So, he intended to use them instead, and make this place a hideout.
"You cannot fight in the venue. Also, should you not listen to Banya's opinion?"
Bango came up with a compromise.
However, this was only for appearances, and it was probably meant to test Muyoung and his military power.
After all, not all of them were satisfied by the 7 Bone Dragons.
People were selfish and wanted power they could control. Since Muyoung had displayed his strength here, they would certainly try to keep him in check.
So Muyoung decided to leave the matter entirely to Tacan and Ain.
Perhaps roughly understanding him, Tacan nodded to Muyoung.
'You've changed a lot.'
Muyoung could sense that he knew how to act, and that he knew how to read the situation.
He was a little curious about how Tacan had been living for the past two years.
"Anytime."
Muyoung spoke leisurely.
He secretly looked around and stuck out his chest as arrogantly as possible.
Although Muyoung enjoyed hiding in the shadows and assassinations, he had never disguised himself like this and impersonated someone.
Perhaps if Banya was still alive, he would give off this kind of feeling.
Muyoung then looked around and added a few more words.
"I am the heir of the Command Clan. If you don't like it, force yourselves to submit."
"You…! You…!"
"Huuhh."
Incredibly arrogant words.
The chairman's aura hardened in an instant.
However, this was all possible because he was 'the Command Clan's heir'.
Muyoung had stressed that point.
Rather, he would have been disappointed if he didn't.
As expected, Bango smiled subtly.
'This is the best as a hideout.'
Muyoung only had to gain the appropriate amount of trust.
In any case, his real goal was not the Command Clan.
The ancient weapons, Ellarsigo!
Muyoung's only purpose here were the things that were sealed in the ground.
Tacan went up on the platform.
This platform that was neither wide nor narrow was the Arena.
The person that came up as Tacan's opponent was a middle-aged man.
Bansan. Banjoong's apprentice.
He was perhaps the strongest of those that followed Banjoong.
Muyoung watched him carefully as well.
He didn't care whether it was Banjoong or Bansan.
It was just that he wanted to keep an eye on Tacan's progress.
Even though it was only in the Arena, Muyoung felt that Tacan was hovering around the level of humanity's ten strongest.
But that was only a numerical concept, and real ability was revealed in a life-or-death battle.
Banjoong and Bansan were going to try to kill Tacan.
So even before the start of the fight, Muyoung could see their plan to take him down a peg.
On the other hand, for Muyoung, it was a question of whether to kill or spare his opponent.
If his opponent was killed, his future actions would change depending on what he did after, and if he spared his opponent, it would be a warning to some extent and, at the same time, his behaviour in the Command Clan would be a little free.
Although, either way, there were prerequisites for winning.
"I am Bansan."
"Tacan."
Tacan was maintaining his concept.
An ignorant warrior. However, the type of warrior that knew only honor.
Tacan, who was wearing black full-body armor, pulled out a sword.
Swoong!
A gigantic greatsword.
Bansan's weapon was a knife.
A 1.5-meter-long ornamental knife. One side of its blade was shining.
And people who showed promise participated as the duel's observers. The clan head Bango was also included among them.
"Start the duel."
At Bango's words, Bansan rapidly began to move.
Bansan was the most boasted master in the Command Clan.
The apprentice of Banjoong, who led the Command Family. However, his talent was so superior, it could be written as the most promising.
He stepped on the floor with The Eighth Step. It was a move that dazzled the eyes of his opponent.
The feeling was inexplicably slow, but approaching and cutting the opponent in two seemed to be Bansan's tactic.
At that moment, fog surrounded Bansan.
The fog blurred the view and made identification of Bansan's location confusing.
An obfuscation skill.
Thud!
Tacan stepped heavily on the ground.
Hwiiiing!
Then, a strong wind blew away the fog.
On the other hand, calm winds swirled around Tacan.
Tacan could feel everything in contact with the wind blast. Like a spider that knew what was on its web.
Bansan walked the path of the dense wind without any suspicion.
He was sure that his skills would work even though the fog had blown away.
Tacan lifted his sword up. Of course, his chest was open.
He was preparing in order to unleash some sort of technique. However, the preparatory gesture was too big.
Bansan penetrated that gap.
Suuuuk!
The shortest distance. A fast slash crossways.
Poof!
However, Bansan only hit the air.
He had only cut Tacan's after-image.
"Keuuk!"
On the other hand, Bansan vomited blood.
Before he knew it, he had a long wound that stretched from his shoulder to his belly button.
"Body Bow Shadow Bomb!"
"Rather than the Body Bow Shadow Bomb, isn't that the Royal Spirit Charge?"
"Well, it's a bizarre skill."
Body Bow Shadow Bomb was a technique where the body bent and moved instantly, while the Royal Spirit Charge was a skill where the energy was subdued then sprung upwards.
Tacan seemed to have used a mixture of the two.
And there was one more thing. The usage of the techniques while cutting down the approaching opponent.
While striking with his sword, through that half-flexibility he had quickly fallen; however, at the same time, he had somehow cut down Bansan.
If he did this intentionally, he would be a ridiculous master.
'There is nothing else to see.'
Everything was shown in one strike.
A clear distinction in ability.
Seeing the technique that Tacan had just used, he was forced to nod his head.
Muyoung was the same. Where had Tacan earned that ability to use offensive and defensive battle methods at the same time?
"Still…"
Bansan got back up. He was bleeding a lot, but not enough to die.
Tacan stretched his neck. He didn't seem to like it because Bansan hadn't fallen meekly.
Then, Tacan switched his greatsword to a reverse grip.
Whooosh!
Along with the sound of wind, he quickly moved like a sword being drawn.
Before he realized it, Tacan was standing behind Bansan.
Bansan's body was in exactly two pieces.
Without losing even a drop of blood, Tacan sheathed his sword and came down from the field.
Everyone was speechless.
Even when Bansan had died and become a corpse, Banjoong and Bango were unable to regain their senses.
The highest level of martial arts!
Mastery skill that surpassed a certain point.
Banjoong and Bango were both unable to read Tacan's movements.
If either of them had been in Bansan's position… would they have been able to block him?
'He still has a hot-tempered personality.'
He was originally going to spare his life.
However, Muyoung knew that when Bansan had risen again, Tacan had killed him impulsively.
Still, Tacan's growth could be seen.
In terms of handling the sword, he had exceeded Sword One.
Tacan, who had been horribly defeated by Sword One a little over two years ago, had overcome that defeat and now appeared stronger.
Muyoung also had no choice but to nod his head.
"As the heir to the Command Clan, I am ready to accept a duel at any time. But…"
He wanted stability, but he shouldn't give the impression that it was too easy.
Muyoung had to be made to seem as if it would be wasteful if he was disposed of, but he was not exactly desired either[1].
Muyoung left the field with Tacan while speaking coolly.
"I'll have to take your life."
Banya, the heir of the Command Clan, had returned!
The rumor spread quickly. The Noble Castle was wide but narrow.
Especially those called the Vested Interests Class knew everything that happened inside the Noble Castle. Of course, they had to pay attention to the hot topic, which was Banya's return.
"Seven Bone Dragons…"
"The power to wipe out a medium clan by himself."
Banya was the subject of the week.
Bone Dragons were top-level monsters. The difference was obvious depending on the materials used to make them, but if it was a Fire Bone Dragon, it would be enough for the top three levels.
Seven of those monsters.
"The Command Clan is going to rise again."
"Even though Banya himself was not proven."
"The Command Clan will show up at the banquet after 10 years."
"The Lawless Clan has fallen. There are many clans that aimed after the Command Clan's position. I'm looking forward to this banquet in many ways."
The Five Great Clans should always be maintained.
However, the Lawless Clan that had established a foothold in the Great City had fallen.
Everyone was hushed up regarding the fall of the Lawless Clan, however, seeing their behaviour, it was only natural that one day they had fallen.
And the middle clans were all fiercely competing for that position.
The Command Clan, who had also gradually fallen, was on the road to recovery.
They couldn't stand still. They would certainly make a move.
"Are you guys just going to watch?"
And the heirs to Great Clans like Banya were all gathered in one place.
A secret room.
In fact, it was a place where all the heirs of the Great Clans, excluding the Command and Lawless Clans, interacted with each other.
They were not happy about Banya's sudden appearance.
The Command Clan dealt with corpses. There were many who didn't view that bizarreness happily.
While it was decaying naturally, Banya had emerged.
Of course, Banya was an eyesore to them.
Everyone's gaze fell on one person.
One man was leaning against a wall.
He seemed to be in his mid to late thirties, and there was a subtle but indescribably heavy mood around him.
The man who was responsible for this gathering, and who had the greatest power.
His words certainly had a ripple effect. At the very least, there was no one at the Noble Castle who defied him.
The Noble Castle. An enormous fortress and birthplace. The one that was treated like the king of the place was one man.
The Reign Clan's heir, Reign Gun!
Up until now, he had kept silent, but now he spoke.
"He has to be suppressed, so that he can't crawl up."
Translator's notes:
Original phrase was 'Chicken ribs' (계륵 Gye-reuk): An idiomatic expression of Chinese origin describing a war situation in which both sides were evenly matched so even victory would be pyrrhic.