Absolute Warrior V2C2: The Ten Evils
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TL: FoodieMonster007 If you see this, you are at the wrong site!
Before taking the second exam, the candidates were given another chance to give up, but no one quit since everyone had made it through the first round safely.
"Everyone, line up in rows of ten!"
Following the instructor's order, they all formed rows of ten. Then, ten instructors appeared on the opposite side.
"If you endure for twenty seconds, you pass."
The examinees' expressions hardened. It was clear that this was not going to be a simple duel. Lasting twenty seconds meant that anyone who failed to hold out that long could end up dead.
The instructors radiated a strong killing intent.
"First row, step forward!"
The ten people at the very front stepped forward, their faces tense.
One of them raised a hand. Upon closer inspection, Crimson Tiger realized it was that cruel bastard who killed people for fun, Eum Sagwon.
"What is it?" Wol Seongcheon asked.
Crimson Tiger observed him carefully. Judging by the way Wol Seongcheon looked at Eum Sagwon, it was clear he already knew about him. Considering the young man's master was a famous unorthodox expert, it wasn't surprising.
With a sinister grin, Eum Sagwon asked, "Is it okay if I kill the instructor?"
The instructors simultaneously unleashed their killing intent, but Eum Sagwon looked utterly relaxed.
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Wol Seongcheon replied, "Of course! Especially since you've provoked them, you'll have to do your best to survive."
"Of course."
"If that's all, let's begin!" an instructor to the side shouted.
The ten duels began simultaneously. Calling them duels was an understatement, as they were quite literally duels to the death.
Everyone, not only Crimson Tiger but also those waiting their turn, watched Eum Sagwon fight.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
The instructor's sword relentlessly targeted Eum Sagwon's neck, but Eum Sagwon dodged it with ease.
Watching Eum Sagwon's movements, Crimson Tiger immediately grasped his level. He was definitely talented for his age. It was no wonder he was so arrogant. As far as he could tell, the young master, Soh Bung, and Eum Sagwon were all around the same level.
The first nineteen seconds passed quickly.
STAB!
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"Ahh!" the instructor screamed as his sword was snatched and he was stabbed in the neck with it. As he died, he crumpled to the ground.
Eum Sagwon had deliberately killed the instructor on the twentieth second.
The instructors ground their teeth at their comrade's death, but Eum Sagwon didn't care. Rather, he seemed to be enjoying himself.
"He's so arrogant because he trusts his master," Soh Bung whispered from behind Crimson Tiger, who had been pretending not to notice him.
Crimson Tiger wanted to ask Soh Bung why he was acting so friendly, but he said nothing. He had a feeling that if he paid attention to the guy, Soh Bung would never stop talking.
The first duel ended. Other than the instructor who had faced Eum Sagwon, two examinees died.
"Next!"
The instructors were replaced, and the duels continued.
One after another, examinees were disqualified. Even if they didn't die, if they were injured, they failed. Some examinees tried to endure to the very end, only to lose their lives.
The instructors were merciless. While they didn't actively try to kill, they also didn't care if their opponent died. Of course, some of the instructors were injured. Still, they remained unfazed and calmly continued the duels.
Finally, it was Crimson Tiger's turn.
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The instructor grinned coldly at Crimson Tiger.
CLANG! CLANG!
Crimson Tiger decided to hide his true skills. Rather than endure for twenty seconds, it would be better to win with a surprise attack.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
He blocked the instructor's initial attack and regulated his strength so that he seemed evenly matched to the instructor.
SWISH!
Crimson Tiger flicked his sword at the instructor's shoulder. It was a feint.
"Don't even try!" the instructor shouted and twisted to dodge.
Crimson Tiger's sword suddenly bent at an unnatural angle.
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SPLURT!
Crimson Tiger's sword pierced the instructor's arm.
"Keuk!" The instructor screamed and dropped his sword. It had happened too quickly.
The instructor gaped at him, dumbfounded, before looking at the blood dripping from his wound. The transition from feint to real attack had been so smooth and precise that he couldn't dodge.
Wol Seongcheon, who had noticed Crimson Tiger at the entrance and had been observing him, approached. "You're quite skilled," he remarked.
"I need to be at least this skilled to join the Nine Ironblood Brigades," Crimson Tiger replied, deliberately acting arrogant.
"Let's see how long your luck lasts, then," Wol Seongcheon said plainly, turning away. Just another brat who's overestimating himself…
Seeing Wol Seongcheon's disappointed expression, Crimson Tiger smiled. His gamble had succeeded.
And so, Crimson Tiger passed the second exam.
The reeds parted, revealing a man's face. His eyes darted left and right, then he slipped back into the reeds.
RUSTLE, RUSTLE…
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The man crept forward through the reeds. He moved cautiously, sometimes as slow as a snail, sometimes as fast as a snake. Despite his absolute confidence in his ability to escape, however, he had been unable to shake off his pursuer for the past few days.
This man on the run was Black Sheep, one of the Twelve Phantoms who, along with Green Snake, specialized in espionage. As one would expect from his area of expertise, he excelled at stealth.
This time, though, his pursuer was relentless. No matter how hard Black Sheep tried to shake him, the man followed him like a shadow, even preventing him from meeting the Vanguard Squad at the rendezvous point.
Still, Black Sheep didn't give up hope. Even though there was a high probability that something had happened to the Vanguard Squad, he desperately prayed that they were merely running late.
After all, if the Vanguard Squad had been killed or captured, that meant there was more than one pursuer. If, by chance, his pursuer was the one who had delayed them, then his situation was dire. And if his pursuer was strong enough to kill them… then he was as good as dead.
In any case, right now, Black Sheep was running out of options. He had crucial information to deliver to the Association. Information that had to be relayed no matter the cost. Therefore, even if it was against the rules of noninterference, he had asked his handler for help.
Before obtaining this information, he had thought that Green Snake was merely unlucky. Although a woman, he had heard that her skills were extraordinary, and as a fellow espionage specialist, he had always been a bit curious about her.
…Except she hadn't actually been unlucky.
RUSTLE, RUSTLE…
Almost there.
Beyond the reeds was a river. The small ferry dock there was where Black Sheep was supposed to meet his handler, Yin, though it was uncertain if Yin would show up.
Still, he had no one else to turn to.
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Suddenly, he froze. Pressing his ear to the ground, his face twisted into a grimace. The arrogant gait that no longer bothered to hide, the terrifying relentlessness… it was the man who had been tracking him.
Fuck! He caught up to me!
Black Sheep did his best to conceal his presence.
SWOOSH!
His pursuer landed among the reeds, a dozen paces away.
Although Black Sheep couldn't see him, he could sense the man scanning his surroundings. Holding his breath, he didn't move, and neither did his pursuer.
Time dragged on.
CRACK, CRACK.
The sound of reeds parting reached Black Sheep's ears. His pursuer had started moving.
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Please! Please go the other way! he prayed desperately.
The sound of the footsteps faded into the distance.
Yes, just go.
Black Sheep slowly relaxed.
THUD!
The ground tremored faintly. Black Sheep's eyes widened, and he kicked off the ground.
He's found me!
Black Sheep scrambled forward like a madman, just as sword qi sliced through the spot where he had been moments before, slicing through the reeds cleanly and scattering them everywhere.
Black Sheep ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Now that he had been discovered, there was no point in creeping through the reeds.
A sharp gust of wind and something whizzed past his ear. His pursuer, a masked man, was closing in on him.
Black Sheep twisted his body, and a wave of sword qi grazed his feet.
SPURT!
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Blood sprayed from Black Sheep's left arm.
What he had thought was a single wave of sword qi was actually two waves. If he hadn't twisted his body at the last second, his arm would have been cut off.
As he emerged from the reeds, Black Sheep's face lit up with relief. In the distance, he saw a masked man standing by the river. It was his handler, Yin.
Skidding to a halt and turning to face his pursuer, he shouted, "Go tell them! There's a traitor in the Radiant Hall! Hurry! Get out of here!"
This was the information he had to deliver. Information that was worth dying for.
He trusted in Yin's unparalleled movement arts. As long as he could buy his handler some time, Yin would definitely be able to escape.
His pursuer stopped a few steps away and slowly walked out into the open.
An ominous shiver ran down Black Sheep's spine, followed by a sense of foreboding from behind him.
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Black Sheep glanced back. His eyes widened in shock.
"Yin!"
Yin still stood by the river, and then…
THUD!
He collapsed.
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Black Sheep's heart sank. "…Yin!"
Only now did Black Sheep notice a second masked man standing behind Yin, blood dripping from his sword.
Yin's blood.
In his desperation, he had been too slow to notice that Yin was already dead.
This is the end, Black Sheep thought as the two masked men closed in on him from both sides. The one who had killed Yin exuded an even stronger aura than his pursuer. He couldn't possibly defeat either of them, let alone both.
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A strange calm settled over him.
Looking at the man who had been following him, he taunted, "You persistent dogshit! Did you stalk me by the scent of my pussy or something?"
For a moment, the man's eyes narrowed, but his face quickly broke into a broad grin at the thought that his mission was as good as accomplished. "Just consider yourself unlucky!"
Black Sheep tightened his grip on his sword and spun around to face Yin's killer. At first, he wanted to take his pursuer down with him, but at the last moment, he changed his mind. He would avenge Yin.
All three men lunged simultaneously.
There was the whoosh of the wind, the clang of metal, the tear of flesh… and then silence.
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The three stood in a line, with Black Sheep sandwiched in the middle. Two swords pierced through his body, one through his chest, one through his back.
THUD!
Black Sheep's sword fell to the ground, blood gurgling from his mouth. He had only grazed his pursuer's arm.
Damn it, what a pity…
He had wanted to take at least one arm to avenge Yin. After all, if he hadn't made that stupid request, Yin would still be alive.
We'll meet soon… I'll apologize to you then.
Gathering the last of his strength, Black Sheep spat, "…The Ten Evils?"
Yin's murderer nodded slightly. "Slayer!"
"Bloodchaser!" the man behind him said.
Finally, Black Sheep understood. Like Crimson Tiger, Slayer specialized in assassination, while Bloodchaser was a master tracker. With the two of them working together, he never stood a chance of escaping.
"Be glad… that I'm the sheep, not the… tiger…" Black Sheep whispered as his head slumped forward, followed by his body.
Wiping the blood from his sword, Bloodchaser said, "Long time no see, Slayer."
Slayer, a man of few words, nodded expressionlessly in acknowledgement.
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"Is it okay with you if I make the report?" Bloodchaser asked.
Slayer nodded again. He was widely regarded as the strongest among the Ten Evils, along with another man called Wraith. Black Sheep was beneath his notice.
"The tiger, huh?" he mumbled to himself, releasing his killing intent as a strange sense of rivalry consumed him.
A middle-aged man in scholar's garb gazed out the window. He was Head Strategist Jongri Mun, a man who held the complete trust of the Coalition Leader.
His eyes were distant, not focused on the scenery outside. Before he knew it, his mind drifted back to the memory of that unforgettable day… a memory he desperately wanted to erase. However, no matter how hard he tried to forget it, it kept coming back to haunt him like an obstinate wart.
That day… he had been drinking in the inner sector of the Evil Coalition's headquarters.
A boisterous laugh had echoed from next to him.
"Hahahaha! Did you really tell the Coalition Leader that Cheon Ahseong was stronger than him? Really? Hahahaha!" the Heaven-Destroying Corps Commander Hwan Akso roared with laughter, clutching his stomach.
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The Heaven-Destroying Corps, a force consisting of three thousand elite warriors, was one of the three most powerful forces in the Evil Coalition alongside the Blood Asura Corps and the Nine Ironblood Brigades.
Most importantly, the arrogant, domineering, and belligerent Hwan Akso was the most vocal advocate for war against the New Righteous Association.
"So? What did the Coalition Leader say?"
"He said that I didn't know his true strength yet."
"Hahahaha! He must have been so pissed!"
Although he joked about it now, Jongri Mun had been deadly serious back then. After all, it was a conclusion he had reached after years of careful analysis.
Cheon Ahseong's martial arts had surpassed the highest levels known to man, reaching the realm of the Martial God. Dozens of assassins had been sent to kill him, but none returned alive.
The only fortunate thing was that Cheon Ahseong did not covet power. He was solely focused on reaching the pinnacle of martial arts.
Even the New Righteous Association wasn't founded by him. Moved by their respect for him, his followers had established and managed it for him.
This was both a strength and a weakness of the Association.
Jongri Mun felt restless. He constantly worried that Cheon Ahseong might break through some barrier and enter a new realm. Any change in the man's martial arts would inevitably cause a massive shift in the delicate balance between the Association and the Coalition.
"I need to go pee," Hwan Akso said suddenly, rising to his feet, but his legs wobbled and he swayed slightly.
Having drunk quite a bit, he seemed to have forgotten to dispel the effects of alcohol with his inner qi.
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"Are you sure you're alright?" Jongri Mun asked.
It was a pointless question.
"Of course I'm fine. Even if I'm drunk, I could still take on a hundred, a thousand of those Association bastards and throw them all down the pit latrine."
Thinking back, why had he asked if Hwan Akso was alright? Of course he was fine. Would a master like that ever fall in an outhouse?
But why oh why did Hwan Akso have to answer like that?
Fate was a cruel mistress.
Not only did Hwan Akso never return from the outhouse, when Jongri Mun went to look for him, he found Hwan Akso dead, his corpse thrown down the pit latrine, just as he'd said he'd do to the Association bastards.
Apparently, an assassin had ambushed Hwan Akso in the outhouse.
Just like that, the Heaven-Destroying Corps Commander was assassinated in the heart of the Evil Coalition's headquarters. And as if the murder wasn't bad enough… the assassin had slipped through three layers of security and escaped.
The entire Coalition spiraled into chaos. Countless people were killed or demoted because of the incident.
In the end, they had concluded that the assassin was one of the Twelve Phantoms. Orders were given to find and execute him, but Jongri Mun rescinded that order.
They could have killed all of the Twelve Phantoms, because one of them was bound to be the culprit. However, Jongri Mun still desperately tried to dissuade the Coalition Leader.
He'd argued that they had to stay calm, that revenge had to be exacted differently. He'd said that when one lost a game of chess, one should hate the opponent, not mere pawns like the Twelve Phantoms. He'd asserted that he had good reasons for keeping the Twelve Phantoms alive.
Finally, although not as significant as the Heaven-Destroying Corps Commander, the successful assassination of the Association's Vanguard Squad Commander quelled the Coalition Leader's anger and desire for vengeance.
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KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!
Suddenly, someone knocked on his door, snapping Jongri Mun out of his reverie.
"Come in."
Giyeong, a sharp-faced middle-aged man and the strategist in charge of managing the Ten Evils, entered the office.
Technically, the Ten Evils were an independent group within the Evil Coalition who answered only to the Coalition Leader, but in practice, they were managed by Jongri Mun.
This was evidence of just how much the Coalition Leader trusted his Head Strategist.
"What's the situation?"
"Slayer and Bloodchaser have killed him."
Jongri Mun smiled triumphantly. "With this, we've eliminated all the Association spies in Headquarters. Well done!"
Giyeong pulled a sealed letter from his pocket. "We've received another message from him."
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Jongri Mun's eyes lit up. It was a message from Enigma,1 one of the Ten Evils and the spy they had planted in the Radiant Hall.
This was the real reason why Jongri Mun had insisted on keeping the Twelve Phantoms alive two years ago. It had taken seven years to successfully plant the Enigma in the Radiant Hall, and far longer if they included the preparation time.
He had held back from killing the Twelve Phantoms all for this. In order to avenge Hwan Akso, they would need to completely expose the Twelve Phantoms and deal them a severe blow.
In fact, Enigma had given him a rough idea of the person who had killed Hwan Akso. Among the Twelve Phantoms, only two were capable of infiltrating the Coalition's headquarters for such a mission: Crimson Tiger and Flying Dragon.
Still, he had given up on killing them for now. It made no sense to risk losing everything just for revenge.
Jongri Mun read the letter from Enigma. "…What? Crimson Tiger applied to join the Nine Ironblood Brigades?"
"Yes, he took the entrance exam."
"What's his goal?"
"It's a special operation, so even Enigma couldn't find out too many details."
"Those bastards!" Jongri Mun frowned.
"We suspect he may be planning to assassinate the Ironblood Commander, but we don't have any hard evidence."
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"Has the Nine Ironblood Brigades taken on any special missions lately?"
"Not that I know of. Just the usual."
"Why now of all times?"
"We'll need to analyze it, but it's probably impossible to figure out their motives."
Jongri Mun nodded. "Do you know who he infiltrated as?"
"No, but he'll definitely be among those who pass."
"I suppose so. What do you suggest we do?"
"Normally, we should inform the Ironblood Commander, but…" Giyeong glanced at Jongri Mun.
As expected, Jongri Mun shook his head. He did not have a good relationship with the Ironblood Commander.
"…In that case, we'll take care of it ourselves."
"How?"
Giyeong grinned slyly. "I had one of the Ten Evils infiltrate the Nine Ironblood Brigades' entrance exam. The moment Crimson Tiger's identity is revealed, he's dead."
Footnotes:
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Enigma: Enigma's codename in Korean is Milyeong-gak, which is very similar to Yagong's aide Milyeong. Are they the same person, though? :p ↩
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