Chapter 17
They’re trying to intimidate me, but I can see their eyes are shaking!
I’ve been scolded by my aunt enough to know how to fight. These guys are scared of going up against me.
Did they think that just because they’re holding swords and threatening me, I’d back down?!
But no…!
No matter what, I can’t let go of the hard-earned money I earned! This is my time and my life! How dare they think they can just take the money I’ve suffered for!
Do they even know how hard I’ve worked in this Martial Arts World?!
“Kyahhh!!!”
Frustration bursts out as tears form with a scream.
“Uh, uh?”
Honestly, I’m scared.
Facing murderers is so terrifying I could almost wet myself. But even more, the urge to kill those bastards in front of me grows stronger…!
If this is the Martial Arts World, can’t I kill them?!
“I’m going to kill at least one of you bastards!”
I forced myself to threaten them with all my might. No matter what, if I fight two of them, I’m guaranteed to die. I know that all too well.
No matter how much one is filled with murderous intent, it can’t fight against four arms at the same time.
“Come here! You little bastards!”
“Uh, uh…”
Bluffing.
“You pathetic bastards suddenly show up and cause a ruckus!”
I’m serious about my threat to kill at least one of them.
If the numbers don’t match, I need to fight in another way.
I have to touch their fundamental fear!
“I’m going to kill at least one of you…!”
Breathing heavily, I take a step forward, feeling the tremor in my hands.
I boldly stride forward.
“Wait!”
“Th-this guy?!”
Do you have the guts?
Are you willing to risk death?
Are you ready to risk your lives for a few coins here and now, you little shits?!
You can’t possibly have that kind of courage!
You shouldn’t!
You must be here acting like fools instead!
If you had that kind of courage, I’d drop dead!
I know these guys are murderers, but not all murderers are bloodthirsty battle maniacs. They’ll definitely shy away from a direct confrontation. They wouldn’t want to risk their lives for an easy kill and the chance to take some money!
“UAAAAAHH!”
With a shout, I charged straight at them. I was already ready to unleash the techniques of the Three Calamity Sword Technique.
With the resolve to kill one of them for sure, I infused my sword with my fierce determination.
If I don’t fight to the death here, I’ll just keep getting exploited in this Martial Arts World and die miserably!
Better to cause a ruckus while I still can!
“Ha!”
“Wh-what?!”
—Slash!
In an instant.
The two men turned around and began to flee.
“I can’t watch this! This crazy bastard!”
“It’s not worth it to fight that madman!”
Running away?
Are they really running away?!
“Y-you bastards! Kyaaaah! How dare you turn your back on me?! Hey, hey! Don’t run away! Don’t run away! D-Don’t run away!!!”
So they cause all this chaos and now they’re running away?! I felt my sanity slipping in this mad situation.
How can I stand for this!
“AAAAHHH! Don’t run away! Don’t run away!!!”
“Ugh?! Aaaahhh!”
“Whoaahhh!”
Screaming loudly, I chased after them.
I want to unleash all the unfairness of this situation.
I want to pour out all the injustice that’s been making me suffer in this crazy Martial Arts World!
I’d be fine taking it out on these bastards!
I’m not doing this because I enjoy life in the Martial Arts World; if they dared to try and kill me, it’s only fair I kill them back!
“Haaah! Aaaahhhh!”
“Kyaaahhh!!!”
“I’m so crazy!”
And so, I chased after the one who veered left from the group of fleeing men.
*
“Haah! Haah!”
Chang Sam fled with all his might.
After dealing with that rookie martial artist, he planned to rob him of his money and his sword. Then he’d treat him like a slave, collecting coins from him every day.
Chang Sam and Oh Su-man exploited rookies just beginning their journey into the martial world, even going so far as to kill them if necessary.
In the Martial Arts World, losing a wandering swordsman is a common occurrence. If such a person is found dead, no one cares.
Even the authorities just confirm that an unidentified wandering swordsman was found and casually burn the body. They have no interest in the deaths of martial artists.
So there are no consequences, and they simply need to look for other prey.
It’s easy to toy with scared rookies. When they’re scared, they can’t fight well, and even if they’ve learned martial arts, they can’t display their true skills when pressured by two attackers.
Moreover, if they’ve never taken a life before, their blade’s edge naturally dulls. It’s easy to suppress them.
Today they planned to show off such skills and make a quick buck.
“Ugh…!”
But everything went wrong.
“Don’t run away! You’ll die in my hands! Aaaahhh!”
“That crazy bastard…!”
This guy was completely insane!
That lunatic, trembling and wild-eyed, seemed drunk on blood as he screamed and began slashing with his sword!
His stance was anything but normal!
Instead of being afraid of his own death, he preferred to see our blood!
That third-rate rookie was now unleashing his desperation, willing to go down together!
‘How can that guy be like this! He’s not even a demon!’
If a martial artist is willing to give up their life, neglecting all defense to take their opponent down with them, they can thrust ahead even against a superior opponent.
Let alone when they’re of the same caliber!
Fighting that madman would truly either kill or severely injure Chang Sam. He could only choose one of the two fates.
‘I can’t throw away my life for just a few coins!’
Chang Sam and Oh Su-man didn’t want to die.
That’s why they struggled, rolling low in life. They decided to run.
They realized they weren’t dealing with a rookie entering the martial world; they were up against a true madman. Running was the right decision. No need to mess with that type. There are plenty of easy targets out there. Just abandon this one and go for others.
—Slash!
“Huh?!”
But just how far is that guy going to chase us?!
Chang Sam felt the terror of death tightening around him. Was there no one to help? He intentionally ran to a deserted area, so there were no people around.
‘Damn…!’
Should he actually fight for his life here?
Instead of enjoying a mutually advantageous situation, should they really be fighting for their lives??
Even if they won, the reward would only be a few coins. If they lost, they were guaranteed to die.
It’s a mad deal.
No loss could be greater than this one.
Chang Sam couldn’t comprehend why he had to weigh his life and death in such a dirty place.
Tears began to fall.
“Kha!”
Finally at his limit, Chang Sam stopped in a bent position, breathing heavily.
The madman was still coming after him.
As if he was set on killing him no matter what.
“Do you think…! Do you think I wanted to work my ass off in this pathetic place?! How dare you try to take my money…! My money! I have to dig all day just to earn that you bastard!”
The madman shouted wildly, approaching with huge strides. It made no sense what he was saying.
He seemed so insane; to Chang Sam, it felt like he stood before a demon.
“If I take a day off, I can’t eat because I won’t have money!”
If that lunatic’s sword touches him, flesh and bone will be severed.
“Ugh…!”
Imagining that made Chang Sam paralyzed with fear even more.
He’d become the hunted.
Him.
“Pl-Please spare me! Please, kind sir! Please! We were just pitiful people too! I foolishly talked about taking a few coins!”
He instinctively cried out.
“Is that all you have to say now!!!”
“I’m really sorry, kind sir! Ugh!”
In a battle between a terrified person and a crazed person filled with murderous intent, the latter always wins. That’s how experience goes.
Chang Sam prayed and prayed for his life. Even so, he couldn’t drop his weapon.
Then it happened.
“Then take everything in your pockets and lick my feet, you bastard!”
That demon ordered Chang Sam to take out what was in his pockets and apologize.
‘Wait…???’
For a moment, Chang Sam thought he might actually live. Money? He could die and just have his pockets searched. It wouldn’t take long.
But since he was insisting on getting it out himself and lick his feet, it seemed he actually wanted a real apology.
“Understood!”
Chang Sam hastily searched his belongings. He had only about 120 coins. He was hardly in a position to have much money.
Would he really forgive this?
“Oh.”
Chang Sam realized how foolish that thinking was. For a moment, sheer panic clouded his judgment.
Most likely, this realization came about because his body instinctively sensed death.
—Swish!
The blade nearly sliced his throat as he briefly glanced down at his belongings.
“You… you… ugh.”
The demon only wore an expression of rage. Even while bleeding, tears streamed as though he wasn’t done expressing his anger.
To be killing someone with a face full of rage and tears, that’s a level of insanity that would even frighten seasoned fighters.
It was a mistake to try and make a deal with someone like that from the beginning.
“Gulp.”
In his final moments, Chang Sam realized one last thing. The command to take out his money and apologize was merely a scheme to kill him easily.