19. The Man of Rain and Steel (2)
I cannot obtain the main weapon I used before.
Therefore, I must find a substitute weapon until then.
The key question was whether Uncle Geumcheolyong could create it.
In truth, it was fine if he couldn’t make it.
I only hoped that Geumcheolyong would not vanish while crafting a weapon with a good handle, but instead become an artisan who challenges himself to create something of greater value.
As Geumcheolyong watched the rain, he spoke to me. “It’s not an easy task.”
“That’s right.”
“Above all, it’s not easy to obtain such hard iron. As you said, if we can find everlasting iron, everything will be solved. But finding everlasting iron is as difficult as obtaining public stone oil for those in the martial world.”
“That’s true.”
“However, if it’s heavy, we might as well check the black market.”
The black market is a term that refers to places where skilled practitioners of the dark path obtain weapons.
There were auction houses and places that sold crafted weapons.
When Geumcheolyong mentioned checking the black market, it sounded like he meant to find iron, not to buy a finished sword.
I kept my mouth shut here as well.
The task of making weapons was solely Geumcheolyong’s responsibility, having run the iron workshop for a long time.
It was not my place to interfere.
However, if Geumcheolyong truly created a weapon that satisfied me, it would be both my fortune and his destiny.
It seemed that the masters of the martial world had been too afraid to create excellent weapons at their own will, but I intended to break that taboo.
In any case, if something happened at Yongdu Iron Workshop, I planned to protect it.
Geumcheolyong asked me, “Do you have a name in mind?”
I immediately replied with the name of the weapon. “The name of the weapon is ‘Kwangin’ (狂刃).”
The word ‘Kwang’ means mad, and ‘In’ means blade.
Geumcheolyong murmured the meaning of the weapon. “So it’s a mad blade? In that case, since you said the shape of the weapon doesn’t matter, can I understand ‘In’ as meaning to tear apart and kill the opponent?”
“Roughly, that’s the meaning.”
“Would it be alright if I made it a straight sword? A straight sword would be the most suitable if I don’t want to use any tricks.”
A straight sword, as the name suggests, is a sword with no curvature in the blade.
“A straight sword would be even better. A man should go straight.”
At my unexpected words, Geumcheolyong glared at me for a moment before saying, “Alright. I will make it a straight sword. The name will be Kwangin, and it will contain my unbreakable belief.”
I smiled slightly. “That sounds good.”
Jang Deuksu, who had been quietly listening, added a comment. “Kwangin… that’s a fearsome name.”
Geumcheolyong, imagining the weapon he had to create, asked, “What’s the deadline?”
“The deadline is set by the artisan, not the requester. Will an artisan produce a satisfactory finished product just because the requester demands it? It can be any time.”
In truth, Geumcheolyong had never been an artisan, but I intended to treat him as one.
Geumcheolyong stroked his chin. “That’s true. It’s hard to predict the time needed to gather materials. One day, I will call you and present you with Kwangin. In that sense.”
“Yes.”
Geumcheolyong pointed to the empty bowl. “You’ll have to buy the noodles today. You’ve eaten well today.”
“Is it right to eat from a poor Jamsogyi?”
Geumcheolyong looked at me with a disbelieving expression. “You are not Jamsogyi. I don’t know when you stopped being one. Today, you’ll eat from the lord of Hao Gate.”
Jang Deuksu, who was washing the bowls, asked curiously, “Hao Gate? What is Hao Gate? Did Jaha create it?”
I answered him. “Deuksu hyung.”
“What?”
“You’re also part of Hao Gate.”
Jang Deuksu replied in surprise. “Huh? Me? When did I join?”
“Anyone I know is already considered a member.”
“Ah.”
“In that sense, we must always provide free noodles to the lord.”
Did you understand?” Jang Deuksu widened his eyes like a tiger and said with a serious expression,“Guest, why are you saying this?”
“……”In any case, it doesn’t work well with the men of Illyang County.
I had no choice but to take out money from my pocket and place it on the table. Suddenly, my gaze turned first to the outside of Chunyang Restaurant. Soon, Geumcheolyong and Jang Deuksu followed my gaze and looked outside.
Men were standing in the rain. Geumcheolyong spoke with concern. “Hmm, uninvited guests in the rain.
Of course, they must be your enemies, right? I have never sinned, so I haven’t even approached the dark path.” Jang Deuksu’s expression also turned serious.
“Even if I want to help, I can’t fight.
If I hurt my hands, I can’t do business.” Still, Jang Deuksu had already checked the position of the sharpest knife. In any case, if they attacked Chunyang Restaurant, the owner would also be ready to fight.
I shook my head and said,“Is there any sign that those guys are looking for me?” At that moment, the men outside called towards Chunyang Restaurant. “Jaha… we know you’re there.
Come out.”
Jang Deuksu nodded.
“The lord is calling you out.”
As I looked at Jang Deuksu, who had been elevated from guest to lord, he said in a serious tone,“Be careful.” Geumcheolyong also genuinely worried for me. “Lord, be careful.
My back hurts whenever it rains… it’s a chronic illness.” I stood up, loosening the whip from my waist. “Leave it to me.
These bastards, bothering me in the rain.” As I stepped out of the restaurant, Geumcheolyong said to Jang Deuksu,“Somehow, the way you said ‘these bastards’ sounds like it’s directed at us.” Jang Deuksu shook his head.
“No.”“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m your older brother.
Jaha is not that kind of person.”
“The martial world is full of strong practitioners.”
“Then are you saying that the elder is also Jaha’s younger brother?”
“Deuksu, are you going to argue about age differences of more than ten years based on martial arts? Let’s just move on.”
“Yes.”* * * I stepped outside and looked at the rats getting soaked in the rain.
Only one person exuded the aura of a master. It was a bald man wrapped in a rain cloak, with only his eyes barely visible. As expected, the bald man, wearing the rain cloak alone, spoke.
“Is that the scrawny one?”
The other men replied.
“Yes.”
The eyes of the one wrapped in the rain cloak, looking at me, were truly fierce. “They say you dared to kill Neungjiseok of the Black Line.
Is that true?” I tilted my head.
“Neungjiseok… that name sounds familiar.”
Of course, I knew he was the one who died by my hand near Jaha Inn. Looking around, I recognized quite a few familiar faces among the rats. They were the martial artists from Shihwa Tower.
This meant they were other subordinates of Jo Sam-pyeong. I asked the man in the rain cloak,“Are you the elder brother of Neungjiseok, who is getting soaked?”
“I am the Wisenwoo of the Black Line.”
Upon hearing the name Wisenwoo, a nickname immediately came to mind.
‘If it’s Wisenwoo, it must be the Twin Ghosts of the Ring Blade.’
What kind of fate is this? Those who challenged me during my time as the lord of Hao Gate and died were the Twin Ghosts of the Ring Blade. I now realized that Wisenwoo and Gu Yangsu were brothers known as the Twin Ghosts of the Ring Blade, and they came from the Black Line.
Perhaps the Black Line was a loosely bound group, which allowed them to leave later. One day, when a great dispute arose over the Jangbo Road, the Twin Ghosts of the Ring Blade were the murderers who slaughtered fifty masters from both the dark and white paths overnight.
Of course, the Twin Ghosts of the Ring Blade died at my hands, and the treasure pointed out by the Jangbo Road also became mine. As Wisenwoo loosened his rain cloak, his face was fully revealed. The one who had died at my hands was now glaring at me with a youthful face.
Of course, I did not rule out the possibility that Gu Yangsu was hiding nearby. Holding the whip, I said,“Those from Shihwa Tower should go inside.
I don’t want you to get caught up in this.” Wisenwoo was so consumed with the thought of killing me that he didn’t even glance at the rabble. The Shihwa Tower rabble quietly retreated and took their positions at a considerable distance.
They were curious about the outcome of the fight. Wisenwoo asked,“Kid, why did you kill Neungjiseok?” I replied briefly,“For burning down my house.”
Wisenwoo grinned.
“That was a good enough reason to kill him.
Thanks to that, you’ll die too.”
“Does the world go as you wish? There aren’t many things that go as freely as your hair.”
Veins bulged on Wisenwoo’s forehead.
“I’ll have to tear your mouth first.”
At that moment, the sky flashed. As Wisenwoo and I clearly saw each other’s faces, we both grinned at the same time. Wisenwoo took a stance, holding two ring blades.
He becomes stronger when he fights alongside Gu Yangsu rather than when he fights alone. It’s unfortunate for the Twin Ghosts of the Ring Blade, but I know their techniques well.
Not only the Twin Ghosts of the Ring Blade but also the Murim Alliance, I have had several disputes with them, so the more skilled they are, the more likely I am to know them. Now, I had the power of the Golden Nine Clouds created by the Heavenly Jade and the experience of my past life.
Because of that, all of this was merely a game on a rainy day. “Wisenwoo, you’re hastening your own demise.
You have the fortune to live long if you don’t meet me.
What a pity.” Though I mentioned the fate of my past life, Wisenwoo, who had no way to understand, scoffed at my words.
“Crazy bastard.”
“Sharp as ever.”
In the meantime, the rain grew heavier.
Swoosh…!
Wisenwoo dashed forward fiercely, shaking off the rainwater that had pooled in various places. As my whip flew, Wisenwoo, slipping away, swung his two ring blades and quickly closed the distance. He knew how to kill an opponent wielding a whip.
He had no intention of widening the distance. On the contrary, I moved sideways to secure a distance where I could strike with my whip. For a moment, Wisenwoo and I moved in circles, engaging in a preliminary battle for dominance, and we got soaked in the rain.
While moving, I intentionally splashed the pooled rainwater onto Wisenwoo’s path, and he diligently swung his ring blades to deflect the water with the broad side of the blade. My strategy in this preliminary battle was to maintain a tense atmosphere with Wisenwoo. This way, Gu Yangsu, who was likely waiting nearby, would reveal himself.
For this reason, I focused on defense. In the meantime, the sky flashed three times in succession, and thunder rumbled in the distant sky. I heard a splashing sound from somewhere, and suddenly, Cha Seong-tae arrived, holding a straight sword.
As soon as Cha Seong-tae arrived, I warned him.
“Wait.
There’s a master.”
“Yes.”
Cha Seong-tae replied briefly and took off the eye patch he had been wearing. The heavy rain had made it hard to see. While blocking Wisenwoo’s attack, I had no choice but to tell Cha Seong-tae,“There’s another one nearby.
Be careful.”
Cha Seong-tae flinched and began to scan the pouring rain, gripping his straight sword tightly.
“Understood.”
A moment later, Cha Seong-tae said,“There are only the rabble from Shihwa Tower.” Before Cha Seong-tae could finish his sentence, a black object spun and flew through the rain.
“Huh?”
Then, two blades spread out to the left and right, revealing Gu Yangsu with a dark expression, joining Wisenwoo. Cha Seong-tae, looking extremely shocked, cursed.
“What the hell, there really was one.”
As I saw Gu Yangsu’s face after a long time, a laugh escaped me.
“Hehe.”
Now that all the Twin Ghosts of the Ring Blade had appeared, there was no need to hold back. I immediately wrapped my whip with the energy of flames. The whip, moving through the rain like an angry snake, glowed red.
Gu Yangsu warned me briefly. “Master, he’s a hidden master.
Be careful.”
“Yes.”
Wisenwoo and Gu Yangsu split to the left and right, each wielding their ring blades to surround me.
Upon confirming my power, they chose a strategy to prolong the fight.
Since the process of retracting the whip is slower than other weapons, the Twin Ghosts of the Ring Blade’s response was appropriate.
Now, one of them would likely entangle my whip with their two ring blades while the other would attempt a surprise attack from behind.
Reading the thoughts of the Twin Ghosts of the Ring Blade, I prepared for a water battle.