Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 334 – Mastermind (1)

-Murmur murmur!

The Tang Clan’s executives and warriors, who were watching the situation outside from the Tang Clan’s walls, were stirred.

It was because of the tremendous confrontation unfolding before their eyes.

“Clan Leader… Just what is going on?”

Deputy Head Tang Cheol-young’s mouth was agape and couldn’t close.

That was because the confrontation unfolding before their eyes had completely transcended the category of ordinary martial artists.

Even when watching a confrontation between experts at the peak of the Transcendent Realm, the level would be considered high.

However, this was not something that could be evaluated like that.

‘Is this a confrontation between grandmasters?’

In the eyes of Tang Cheol-young, who had reached the extreme pinnacle-stage of the Transcendent Realm, he couldn’t even see their movements, and he could only hear the sounds of something clashing.

But every time they clashed, it was as if heaven and earth were being recreated, and everything around was being devastated.

The ground was cracking, shattering, and it was a complete mess.

In between, there were movements that could be seen with the eyes, and at those moments, the ultimate techniques of the Transcendent Realm were rampant, leaving them speechless.

“What the hell is happening?”

“Putting aside the Green Forest, why are such monsters here?”

“How would I know that?”

The Tang Clan’s executives were dumbfounded.

Of course, since it was a high-level confrontation, they were also martial artists, so they couldn’t take their eyes off it, but they were gradually becoming worried.

Why were these people doing this here?

‘…Sigh.’

Tang In-hae, the head of the Tang Clan, felt the same way.

He knew who that muscular man was.

Since he was wearing a golden bracelet, he recognized that he was the being who had been protecting the Tang Clan for a long time.

But he didn’t know who the one who appeared now was.

He seemed to have no relation to the Green Forest, but seeing him fight against that family, who were like the Tang Clan’s protectors, there was a very high probability that he was an enemy of the Tang Clan.

‘What should I do about this?’

It felt better when the Green Forest was surrounding them.

Just as an expert who had barely surpassed the peak and reached the early stage of the Transformation Realm couldn’t challenge the dominance of the Eight Stars, who were considered the top experts in the martial arts world, those two people had clearly surpassed the peak of peaks.

‘…It’s impossible.’

If they were to fight, he would barely be able to endure for about 10 seconds.

Just by seeing that Green Forest Fighting King Seok Pae-ung, whose external martial arts had reached the peak, had suffered a defeat, the difference in skill was evident.

Just who were they?

Both of them looked like they were in their twenties, not even reaching their prime based on their appearance.

If they had reached such a realm, had they undergone rebirth and returned to a youthful state, not aging at all?

Tang In-hae, who had been continuously clicking his tongue, fell into contemplation.

Among them, the only certain thing was that it would be best for that family’s monster, who claimed to be the Tang Clan’s protector, to win.

But if that person with the brutal and tyrannical martial prowess were to win, the Tang Clan might face the worst enemy in its history.

‘Or should I hope for a mutual defeat?’

Looking at it now, the confrontation seemed to be even, like a fierce battle between a dragon and a tiger.

If one side doesn’t have overwhelming martial prowess or luck is not on their side, a confrontation between evenly matched experts never ends without injuries.

In that case, he might have to keep looking for an opportunity.

If the monster, not the protector, wins, he might have to seize that moment.

-Boom boom boom boom boom!

‘Huh?’

At that moment, he saw Yoo Moo-jin rolling on the ground.

Seeing this, Tang Clan Leader Tang In-hae’s eyes trembled.

He had hoped for Yoo Moo-jin to win, but judging from the blood flowing from his abdomen and back, he had suffered penetrating wounds.

That meant the outcome of this confrontation had become clear.

‘Then what about that monster?’

Tang In-hae turned his gaze with a slight hope.

He saw Mok Gyeong-un barely maintaining his posture with trembling hands.

Although not as much as the protector, that bastard also seemed to have exhausted his internal energy and was heavily injured.

Tang In-hae’s eyes sharpened.

Perhaps he could seize an opportunity.

‘Now, within one or two moves, the match will be decided. If not now, there may not be another chance.’

At that moment,

“Clan Leader? Just what is going on?”

‘Ah!’

At the voice coming from behind, Tang In-hae turned his head with a troubled expression.

The one who called him was none other than Ye Song-ah, the granddaughter of the Holy Fire Priestess.

After he left in the middle of their conversation, she had come out, puzzled by the sound of booming coming from outside and the constant stirring of the Tang Clan warriors.

With this, Tang In-hae waved his hand and said,

“Go to the villa area. If you stay here, it might become dangerous…”

-Gulp!

Tang In-hae stopped mid-sentence and swallowed his dry saliva.

What?

The air was becoming so heavy that it was suffocating to breathe.

From behind, an immense energy that stimulated not just his qi sense but all five senses was emanating, but he didn’t know what was happening.

He thought the confrontation was almost over, but why did the energy become even stronger?

It was a moment of confusion.

-Boom!

Before his words could even finish,

A tremendous boom erupted, and all the buildings of the Tang Clan shook, and the ground trembled.

Startled by this, Tang In-hae hurriedly turned his head.

Then, countless fragments and hazy dust were rushing towards the Tang Clan’s side.

-Whoosh!

With this, Tang Clan Leader Tang In-hae raised his hand and emitted a powerful force with his profound internal energy to block the flying fragments.

-Clang clang clang clang clang clang!

After all, he was one of the Eight Stars, so this wasn’t a difficult task.

As he blocked the fragments, some of the dust cleared, and there he saw Yoo Moo-jin, whose entire body’s skin had turned black and muscles had compressed as if condensed.

Yoo Moo-jin was extending his fist, and in that direction, nearly twenty jang (approx. 66 meters) was completely devastated in a fan-shaped area, leaving his mouth agape.

‘Was his energy not completely exhausted?’

Tang In-hae was dumbfounded.

He had thought the protector had almost been defeated, but he didn’t expect him to have such hidden strength.

No, was it even correct to call this hidden strength?

To this extent, it was fair to say that he hadn’t used his full power.

‘It’s an unbelievable punch.’

Tang In-hae couldn’t hide his shock, feeling intimidated.

If nearly twenty jang could be devastated with just a single punch, if he directly confronted it, not only would his entire body be torn apart, but he wouldn’t even be left intact.

‘…He’s truly a monster.’

Why hadn’t such a monster-like being made his debut in the martial arts world?

If he stepped forward even now, the landscape of the martial arts world would be overturned, and it would change from the Six Heavens to the Seven Heavens.

Those who received the title of “Heaven” and reached the pinnacle of the martial arts world were monsters who had transcended human limits.

That person possessed the martial arts befitting that.

However,

“Lo- Look at that!”

“…That’s impossible!”

Exclamations burst out from here and there.

Wondering why, he saw that in the place where the dust had cleared, two qi-controlled sword energies were rotating in a crossed pattern, creating a curtain.

‘…’

Seeing this, Tang Clan Leader Tang In-hae was left speechless.

He thought the confrontation was almost over, but seeing the strength they had revealed, they hadn’t used their full power.

This was truly a confrontation between monsters.

At that moment,

“Ah!”

At the voice coming from the side, Tang Clan Leader Tang In-hae frowned and sighed.

While his attention was captured by those monster-like beings, at some point, Ye Song-ah, the granddaughter of the Holy Fire Priestess, had climbed onto a platform set up to allow a view beyond the wall.

With this,

“Didn’t I tell you to go quickly? This is not a place for you to be now…”

At that moment,

-Thud!

Ye Song-ah knelt on the spot, crossed her hands on her shoulders, and her eyes turned red.

Startled by her sudden behavior, Tang Clan Leader Tang In-hae asked in confusion,

“Why are you acting like this?”

“It’s him. He has come.”

“What do you mean by him?”

“Thank you. I sincerely thank you, Clan Leader.”

As she suddenly expressed her gratitude, Tang Clan Leader Tang In-hae had a look of incomprehension.

Why was this child acting like this?

Then, she looked at Tang In-hae with teary eyes and said,

“I had hoped that you would make the right choice, and it seems my prayers and wishes have been answered.”

“Song-ah, what are you…!?”

At that moment, Tang In-hae’s expression froze.

Could it be that she was talking about that?

As he thought that, she continued,

“I was worried that you might make a grave mistake, caught up in desire, but seeing him come here to protect the Tang Clan, it seems you have made the right choice. I sincerely apologize for doubting your words even for a moment.”

“What?”

“Isn’t he fighting that monster to protect the Tang Clan?”

‘!!!!!’

Tang In-hae’s breath was caught in his throat for a moment.

She was misunderstanding the situation.

The one who was protecting and the one who was trying to pose a threat.

But thanks to this, Tang In-hae could finally understand the identity of that monster-like being.

Could it be that he was the being from the prophecy that Ye Song-ah had said she saw through the precognition of the Holy Fire Priestess?

‘Ha…’

How could this happen?

Tang In-hae recalled the conversation he had with her.

She had definitely said,

[Grandmaster Mun-no leaving even Grandmother and hiding him was probably to protect him.]

[To protect him?]

[Yes. Since the wings he needed to spread were torn off, no matter how great he is, he is still extremely weak. If he were to encounter enemies…]

She couldn’t continue.

She was afraid of such a situation.

[Clan Leader… As you said, I have revealed everything I know. So please help Grandmaster Mun-no. A crisis is approaching him.]

Through this, Tang In-hae could deduce one fact.

If the prophecy were to come true unconditionally, would there be a reason to worry about what would happen in the future like this?

If the outcome was predetermined, all of it would be meaningless.

But the fact that she was so worried meant that the prophecy was not something that would be fulfilled unconditionally, but that variables could arise at any time and change accordingly.

If that was the case, this prophecy could be an indicator to respond to any dangers or hardships.

‘It’s tempting.’

The power to respond in advance to what would happen in the future.

This was a tremendous ability that anyone would find tempting.

***

[Haa… haa… You’re… coveting something… you shouldn’t covet.]

[I shouldn’t covet it? Ha! Don’t you think it’s more problematic for such a dangerous power to be in the hands of a group that promotes deception and misleading the people? Rather, it’s right for such a dangerous power to be handled not by the likes of you, but by those who can uphold justice and righteousness.]

[…You’re attaching a good-sounding cause. In the end, you’re admitting that you’re caught up in your own greed. Cough… cough…]

-Grit!

Indeed, he really disliked this fellow Mun-no.

No, it had been like that for a long time.

His grandfather, the Lord of Ten Thousand Poisons, Thousand Poison Hand Tang Yeon-jong, had tried to pass on the secrets of the family to this fellow, who was just a branch family member with thin blood ties.

If his father and he hadn’t dissuaded him, such a thing would have really happened.

Perhaps his ill-fated relationship with this fellow had continued since then.

[Talk all you want. In the end, you, who are addicted to the Formless Poison and will soon cross over to the netherworld, can do nothing.]

[Cough cough… haa…]

Seeing the fellow’s pale and weakened appearance, he felt a bit refreshed now.

Since he was skilled in poison techniques to the extent that even his grandfather acknowledged him, preparing the Formless Poison as a precaution had become a divine move.

No matter how much of a fellow he was, once addicted to this, he couldn’t move.

Then, shall we finish it?

-Swish! Swish!

With the sword he had prepared, Tang In-hae drew a mark on the immobile Mun-no’s body, a vertical line passing through the center of the character “two.”

This was the mark of that secret organization or whatever, wasn’t it?

The corners of Tang In-hae’s mouth rose sardonically.

He had heard that what the Secret Society fellows really wanted was not the ability of prophecy, but to deal with the being in that prophecy.

Those fellows should be grateful to him.

He had made what they wanted come to them on its own.

‘It’s killing two birds with one stone.’

With this, it was done.

If she lost everything, in the end, that child Song-ah would rely on him even more.

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