A Medieval Knight in a Martial Arts Novel

‘Who would’ve thought that the Wallbreaker Bomb would end up being useless like this…’

Geumcheon Gang stared despairingly at the Wallbreaker Bomb rolling futilely along the ground. The Black-Clad Persons nearby felt much the same way.

There was nothing to be done when their secret weapon had been so inexplicably neutralized.

William noticed the Black Night Team’s lowered morale and adjusted his grip on the poleaxe.

‘Seems like their numbers are barely three hundred.’

Which was a lot for him.

But it was too few for the people of Haenam Island.

William quietly turned his head and met the gaze of the Sect Leader who was eyeing him.

“Everyone, drop your bows and draw your swords.”

The voice of the Sect Leader was heavy with intent, and his disciples threw their bows to the ground. After all, their arrows were almost depleted, and even if they weren’t, wielding a non-personal weapon like a bow would be useless in the current situation.

It was time for swords, not bows.

For the martial artists of Haenam Sword Sect.

For the warriors of the Black Night Team.

For everyone, as they were all swordsmen.

In this field of swordsmen, William stood out with a plow in hand—his poleaxe, into which he poured his internal energy through his toes.

It was embarrassing to even call it a fancy footwork technique.

But fighting isn’t done through footwork alone.

Sometimes the simplest techniques triumph over the complex ones. The entire hill was filled with the tense atmosphere of an impending full-on battle.

The leadership of the Haenam Sword Sect, with their elders at the forefront, stared down at the Black Night Team. William sidled up next to them.

‘Surely, he’s not going in alone?’

Geumcheon Gang looked at William in disbelief.

A mysterious Colored-Eyed Person with remarkable skills.

Although their levels seemed roughly similar, the actual proficiency favored the other side, ruining their tactical plans as a result.

Geumcheon Gang wanted to rip him apart right then and there, but he couldn’t make a rash move.

‘If I mess this up, I might lose the last Wallbreaker Bomb.’

If this final Wallbreaker Bomb became useless as well, even the slimmer chances of hope would vanish. Gazing through the ranks of the Black-Clad Persons with his hand on his sword, he looked up at the Sect Leader, Jang Ha Bong, of Haenam Sword Sect.

Even in modern martial arts, where there were more people attaining the supreme level, those that achieved the highest realm in the entire Martial Realm numbered around fifty.

Could he defeat the Sect Leader of the Haenam Sword Sect who ranked among those fifty?

The inner voice of Geumcheon Gang shook its head.

If the Wallbreaker Bomb hit directly, there’s no doubt anyone would fall, but would an expert in the supreme realm really be taken down by the tricks of a mere high-level martial artist?

Had everything gone according to the original plan, perhaps, but since the plan had failed from the start, it was all over now.

Geumcheon Gang grit his teeth.

‘My chances of survival… don’t exist.’

Observe the righteous martial artists who seem ready to carve them up at any moment. Filled with the energy of battle, Geumcheon Gang steadied his restless heart.

‘If I’m going to die anyway, I’ll take the Sect Leader with me.’

Even in death, he’d accomplish his mission.

The task emphasized repeatedly by the Demonic Sect’s leadership for the greater cause.

And as a member of the Demonic Sect, he had to execute that mission.

“All members of the Black Night Team, move forward. We must at least delay Jang Ha Bong’s movement. You understand?”

In lieu of an answer, the Black Night Team tightened their focus, ready to obey their trusted leader’s command. At their readiness, a faint smile crept onto Geumcheon Gang’s lips.

‘See you in the next world.’

“…So this is the point-break strategy.”

William casually glanced at the Black-Clad Persons preparing for the final battle.

From their close engagement, William inferred that Geumcheon Gang didn’t possess any extra Wallbreaker Bombs.

Directly facing his opponent in combat, William estimated, through his expertise, that Geumcheon Gang’s level of skill was roughly akin to his own. However, targeting someone at a level far superior in the supreme realm like the Sect Leader of Haenam Sword Sect would be impossible under the current circumstances.

‘There’s only one… or at most two.’

If Geumcheon Gang had multiple bombs, he would have thrown them all at the Sect Leader. But the Black Night Team’s careful positioning amidst his troops, aimed at hitting the main team, implied that the Wallbreaker Bombs available were few.

From Geumcheon Gang’s grave expression, William assumed he had at most one or two bombs left.

‘To put it simply, we just need to stop him from throwing the bombs.’

Without the bombs, all they were left with were a few exhausted martial artists and a mass of top-tier experts—no match for an all-out charge.

‘The goal is to draw attention and, if possible, target Geumcheon Gang.’

The immediate objective was set. Clutching the poleaxe with both hands, William exploded with energy through his feet, launching himself forward amidst the explosive sounds of the earth splitting beneath him.

“Side troops, stop that Colored-Eyed Person!”

“Understood!”

The Black Night Team members turned their blades to William on the side. Preparing to swing his poleaxe, William pulled his arm back.

Despite being attacked by numerous swords, he didn’t flinch.

Attacking a demon’s lair, aiming for its heart, was something William was all too familiar with.

His poleaxe sang through the air as it swung from right to left—a simple motion.

Yet it was so powerful that the Black Night Team members didn’t dare block it, instead retreating. Had they blocked, both the sword and their heads would have flown off into the air.

After the first attack missed, William naturally adjusted, shifting the poleaxe to rest on his shoulder and changing his grip.

William effortlessly shifted into a stabbing stance, lunging at the nearest Black-Clad Person’s heart before they could even notice the maneuver.

“Ghh…”

“Choosing not to scream isn’t a bad decision, though whether it’s good for you, I’m not so sure.”

William’s spear impaled the Black-Clad Person, pulling them close. The momentary commotion left the rest of the Black-Clad Persons stunned. William smirked at the sight.

‘Apparently, they haven’t really engaged properly in combat before.’

Using an art known in the Central Plains as ‘Grab’, he yanked the person towards him, using the body as a shield while spinning the poleaxe around.

Naturally, the corpse flew off the spearpoint and soared through the air, heading towards the Black Night Team at the front.

Caught off guard by the flying corpse, the Black Night Team members hesitated whether to cut it down or catch it.

Should they slice it?

Should they catch it?

Either choice was emotionally wrenching.

In the end, they resolved to slice.

Blood and guts sprayed, covering the Black-Clad Persons.

‘Comrade love is commendable, but on the battlefield, one must be ruthless above all else.’

If not, hesitation will get you killed.

Using the corpse as a shield, William dashed toward the Black Night Team’s flank again. This time, leading with the head of his poleaxe.

‘How did he get here so fast?’

The Black Night Team member, distracted by the flying blood and entrails, finally noticed William and raised their sword.

But it was too late.

‘I thought I blocked it—’

The Black Night Team member’s last thought before losing consciousness. Ignoring the severed head and the gushing blood, William immediately drove his poleaxe into the next opponent.

But this time, he was blocked.

Parrying with their blade, the Black Night Team member exchanged a glance with another member. The Black-Clad flank guards deployed the ‘Black Wolf Steps’ and surrounded William on all sides.

Pushing them back with the spike on his poleaxe, William retracted his weapon.

‘Surrounding. Clever.’

He glanced at the visibly tense warriors and smiled.

He savagely grinned even in peril as he gripped his poleaxe in reverse. The Black-Clad Persons, seeing his action, didn’t move rashly, but instead advanced their blades cautiously.

“Eight.”

His poleaxe lunged toward the nearest Black-Clad Person. The Black-Clad Person reacted quickly, dodging his thrust.

This created an opening for William. The Black-Clad Persons seized the moment, slashing at him, aiming at his vital points from all sides.

William’s response was straightforward.

Unstoppable charge.

Blocking where necessary. Evading where possible.

And accepting what couldn’t be dodged.

Tears appeared on his once pristine clothes, and blood trickled through the gaps, though none of the injuries were serious.

He immediately swung the poleaxe horizontally to shove the Black-Clad Person away, creating space, and with the weapon recovered, pierced another Black-Clad Person’s head with the spike on the poleaxe’s end.

“Seven.”

“32!”

The cry of lament echoed across the field, and it was a mistake to let such things distract them.

Kicking the dead body of 32, William leapt into the freshly created gap while the Black-Clad Persons were delayed in their reaction.

Once free from the encirclement, he hurled the poleaxe at the Black-Clad Persons trying to surround him again, an unexpected maneuver powered by internal energy.

A Black-Clad Person rushing toward him became the next victim, impaled mid-air.

“Aaagh!”

“27!”

With one final gurgling breath, 27’s mangled body soared into the distance, colliding with a tree.

“Six.”

William retrieved the buckle shield from his left waist and picked up a fallen sword.

It wasn’t the familiar grip, but a perfect fit for a shield.

He charged at the disrupted Black-Clad Persons like a rampaging rhinoceros.

“Don’t panic! We still have six of us!”

Six against one.

Even with a difference in realm, a formation could hold with six remaining.

But William wasn’t the type to wait for that. He recklessly leapt toward the nearest Black-Clad Person.

Sensing the danger, the Black-Clad Person’s curved sword aimed directly for his heart, with tension-filled power. To William, an excellent target.

He tilted his buckle shield slightly to intercept the blade. The Black-Clad Person’s body swayed from the impact as the intended strike missed, destabilizing their stance.

And it was their final mistake.

A burning pain in the stomach prompted 41 to vomit blood and lower his head.

“Damn foreign devil—”

“Five.”

The emotionless counting struck fear into the hearts of the Black Night Team.

And that fear was as good as a death sentence.

Fear was an emotion that beckons death.

It took William only moments to dispose of the terrified Black-Clad Persons. As the fight ended, he took a deep breath and surveyed the battle that still raged around him.

He immediately searched the battle with darting eyes.

His target remained, always, Geumcheon Gang.

Dropping the bloodied sword and picking up his poleaxe from the ground, it was time to re-enter the fray.

Noticing that Geumcheon Gang faced off with the Sect Leader in the middle of the battlefield, he held the poleaxe in one hand.

It was a bit heavy, but spreading internal energy throughout his body strengthened his limbs enough. Next, he coated the poleaxe in internal energy, which enveloped the weapon in a faint bluish hue.

And with that, he hurled the poleaxe at Geumcheon Gang.

The powerful poleaxe split the air with a terrifying whistling sound, moving straight toward Geumcheon Gang.

Geumcheon Gang belatedly noticed the incoming poleaxe, startled, and leapt out of the way with a stepping technique.

The unavoidable opening was subtle, nearly impossible to catch if not for the supreme-level swordmaster standing directly before him.

And this was not a moment to miss.

“Captain!”

Jolted back to awareness by a Black-Clad Person’s cry, Geumcheon Gang raised his eyes skyward.

“Die, you curs of the Demon Sect!”

A wave of sword energy surged toward the Black-Clad Persons.

Their bodies were brutally shredded by the overwhelming force, transforming the hill into a terrifying, hellish sight. The mastermind behind this massacre, Jang Ha Bong of Haenam Sword Sect, glared with burning eyes at Geumcheon Gang, whose right arm had been severed.

“Such…”

“Do you not understand that losing focus on the battlefield is tantamount to suicide? That foolishness is no match for Haenam Sword Sect…“

“Failure… how can this be…?”

Using fire incense with only one hand was effectively impossible at this point.

‘We’ve lost.’

The dozens of sword energy waves unleashed by the Sect Leader crushed the front lines. The remaining Black-Clad Persons, already fatigued, were being ruthlessly eliminated by the Haenam Sword Sect disciples with little resistance.

‘How futile…’

The meticulous plans built over long years reduced to failure.

In his fading consciousness, he gazed at the approaching Colored-Eyed Person.

‘He… must be warned about this guy…’

He had a strange premonition that this Colored-Eyed Person would be a great obstacle to the greater cause.

“…Wallbreaker Bomb?”

“….Yes.”

Reaching out with his remaining arm to grab the Colored-Eyed Person’s arm aimed for the bomb, his arm fell limp after moving only a short distance.

‘I’ve died.’

William shifted his gaze from the deceased Geumcheon Gang onto Sect Leader Jang Ha Bong. Observing the remaining Demonic Sect warriors, he addressed him.

“Because of you, we’ve achieved victory without great loss.”

“It’s nothing.”

“The rest of the discussion will come after we clean up the remainder.”

“I will help.”

Without hesitation, both figures charged towards the remaining Demonic Sect forces.

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