CLS-Chapter 584

Chapter 584:

“Hmm.”

Baek Hoe-myeong was leisurely watching the battlefield.

Even with tens of thousands clashing before his eyes, not a trace of tension appeared in his gaze.

“Is this the true strength of the martial world?”

The Zhejiang branch had fallen far too easily.

Seeing the Zhejiang branch collapse more simply than expected, he had even been seized by doubts about whether they had been too cautious. But watching their current display, indeed the martial world’s foundation was not to be underestimated.

Gwon-geuk was Gwon-geuk.

But those supporting Gwon-geuk were also undeniably strong.

‘Shaolin and Wudang, and then Namgung and the Righteous Martial Alliance…’

These were the core forces of the martial world.

The weight of the names Shaolin and Wudang alone was extraordinary. Though even they seemed pale before that Gwon-geuk.

“How urgent they were.”

Just looking at that composition, one could tell how resolutely the Righteous Martial Alliance intended to strike White Sword Castle. Well, with the Demonic Cult pressing from the other side, they couldn’t afford not to give their all.

They would want to finish White Sword Castle as quickly as possible.

From Gwon-geuk’s perspective, resolving everything through dialogue would have been best—but that was never going to be easy. After all, there’s no such thing as a war that ends with words.

If it could end with words, the war wouldn’t have started in the first place. War is something that can only begin when one is prepared to accept losses to oneself.

So they couldn’t help but consider the worst-case scenario. Strategically speaking, deploying all available forces here was the right move. Even Baek Hoe-myeong would have made the same choice.

But that was the problem.

“Too complacent.”

Baek Hoe-myeong shook his head.

“Shall we begin soon?”

Baek Hoe-myeong gestured.

“Prepare.”

“Yes, sir!”

Feeling the movement around him, Baek Hoe-myeong gazed at the battlefield with transparent eyes.

“Tsk tsk tsk.“

His eyes caught sight of Gong-geom (Empty Sword) engaging with Gwon-geuk. Gong-geom was blocking Gwon-geuk’s advance, buying time to reorganize their formation.

But that was all.

‘Helpless.’

Gong-geom was strong.

Even throughout White Sword Castle, those stronger than him could be counted on one hand. It wasn’t that White Sword Castle was weak, but that Gong-geom was strong. Objectively speaking, with Gong-geom’s level of skill, he wouldn’t particularly lose out to those called Sword Sovereigns or Sword Immortals of the martial world.

This wasn’t his evaluation but that of his uncle, the Heavenly Flow Sword. So it would be accurate.

Yet the tide of battle visible to the eye was tilted far too clearly.

“What a monster.”

He truly felt anew just how strong that white-haired old man was. Every time those arms and legs like massive tree trunks moved, an overwhelming fighting spirit that made breathing difficult erupted forth.

“If this were a duel ground, it would be your victory, Gwon-geuk.”

But this wasn’t a duel ground—it was a battlefield.

“Now, it has ripened. Time to pay for your sins, Righteous Martial Alliance.”

Baek Hoe-myeong curled up the corners of his mouth.

Kuwoong!

He was being pushed back.

“Keueueuuk!“

Gong-geom’s face contorted.

The hand gripping his sword trembled violently.

‘How can this be?’

He had merely blocked the fighting spirit with his sword once. Wasn’t this something that could naturally happen during combat? But the aftermath of that natural occurrence was anything but natural.

It felt as if someone had struck his sword with a hammer. His tiger’s mouth was already torn, bleeding crimson.

One exchange of moves.

That alone made the superiority crystal clear.

‘Stay calm.’

He knew he was outmatched in internal energy. Wasn’t Gwon-geuk’s internal energy being the greatest under heaven already famous?

If he faced Gwon-geuk head-on, he could never win. When a fist master and sword master clash directly, the result is far too clear. So he just needed to avoid meeting him head-on.

Dodge the incoming fighting spirit, deflect what couldn’t be dodged, and aim for openings. That was the swordsman’s way.

But…

Kuuuuuuuwoong!

Crack.

Gong-geom’s arm snapped.

His own arm, twisted in a strange direction. Gong-geom looked at it with disbelieving eyes, his body trembling as he turned his head.

Another strike.

Another strike was coming.

The range covered by the incoming fighting spirit was too wide to dodge by leaping away. Just how far would he have to flee to escape this wave-like massive force?

“How, how is this possible!”

How could one become this strong?

In the past, during the war, Gwon-geuk had been stronger than him too. But it wasn’t an insurmountable gap. In the twenty years since, he had trained ceaselessly without resting even a moment.

He thought he would have caught up by now, but what was this difference?

It was on a different dimension.

It was different from watching from afar. Gwon-geuk, experienced up close, had become a completely different person from the past.

Look.

It was overwhelming him.

It seemed as if all space from the sky to the ground was covered with the fist force Gwon-geuk was unleashing. A massive wave was crashing down from above. How could a person possibly face this?

‘Was even that not his full power?’

The force that had swept away the warriors wasn’t his full strength. Gwon-geuk’s true power wasn’t at that level. Feeling the massive force bearing down on him, all Gong-geom could do was fall into despair.

“Why…”

The fist force swept over his body.

Forgetting even to raise his internal energy to protect his body, Gong-geom screamed.

“Whyyyyyyyy!“

Kwaaaaang!

An explosion.

Like a volcano erupting, the battlefield was overturned with a tremendous explosion. The ground shot up to the sky, and the sky collapsed down. The world groaned before that immense force.

Even those who had been fighting desperately for their lives retrieved their swords and leaped away from the aftermath. If they were caught in that tremendous force, their lives couldn’t be guaranteed.

As the dust cloud that had soared to the sky slowly began to clear, the figures of two people were revealed.

Gwon-geuk stood calmly, looking up at the sky.

Like a great tree firmly rooted in the ground. All who saw Gwon-geuk’s figure thought the same thing.

A giant.

A giant of the age.

The sight of the giant who had supported the martial world stirred the hearts of all who watched.

And in contrast.

Gong-geom’s appearance was miserable.

His limbs were twisted every which way, and his entire body was stained with blood.

Anyone could see it was a situation he couldn’t survive.

“Why…”

A distorted voice leaked from Gong-geom’s mouth. Blood was flowing out continuously, making his words barely audible, but what he was saying could be understood from his expression alone.

“Why to this extent…”

Gwon-geuk looked at Gong-geom with indifferent eyes.

“Is it strange?”

“…”

“There’s nothing strange about it. It’s only natural.”

Doubt clouded Gong-geom’s eyes.

Natural? Why natural?

“What we carry is different. If one could become strong through training alone, if one could become strong through mere effort alone, where would there be anyone who couldn’t become strong? You hid your power back then. Isn’t that right?”

Gong-geom’s lips moved slightly.

Blood trickled out between his closed lips.

“You were already wrong then. While you hid yourself and conserved your strength on the battlefield, others squeezed out every last drop of internal energy and fought and fought again. They overcame mortal crises countless times. To become equally strong with such people? That’s arrogance.”

“…”

“Ten Thousand Swords is great. I can tell just by looking at you. You’re strong because you learned Ten Thousand Swords. If you hadn’t learned Ten Thousand Swords, you wouldn’t have dared reach your current position. But in the end, it falls apart. Know this clearly before you die. Those who don’t give everything cannot overcome their own limitations.”

Gong-geom’s body collapsed forward.

Whether he accepted Gwon-geuk’s words or not was unknowable. The dead don’t speak.

A desolate wind blew.

‘How fleeting.’

Gwon-geuk quietly turned his head. About now…

“Those who don’t give their all cannot transcend their limits. Wise words indeed.”

A clear voice.

Gwon-geuk’s eyes turned toward where the voice had come from.

Baek Hoe-myeong.

Not too far away, Baek Hoe-myeong was standing.

“Those words could also be interpreted as meaning that White Sword Castle, which has been keeping itself hidden and conserving power, has limits. Is that correct?”

“Interpretation is up to you.”

Gwon-geuk was slightly surprised.

Right now, Gwon-geuk had attempted a central breakthrough to capture Baek Hoe-myeong. Baek Hoe-myeong was that important piece here. No matter how much they had a family head, the one leading this place was Baek Hoe-myeong. The moment his head fell, the battle could not continue.

‘He’s no fool.’

Knowing this, would he deliberately close the distance and approach him?

Did this person still believe he would be as gentle as before?

“You have great courage.”

“I’m someone with little courage.”

“Yet you approach me? I’m a more frightening person than you think.”

“I know that well enough. How could I think lightly of someone who defeated Gong-geom in one strike?”

Baek Hoe-myeong shook his head and added.

“And I also saw clearly that those hands can become as cruel as necessary when needed. Well, it’s only natural. Someone who has fought the Demonic Cult so much wouldn’t show mercy in his techniques.”

“Then?”

It was a question asking if he had approached knowing all this. Even as he said this, Gwon-geuk’s body was slowly leaning toward Baek Hoe-myeong. If he tried to run, he intended to cut off his head in an instant.

“Still, shouldn’t the finale be with me?”

“Finale?”

“Yes.”

Baek Hoe-myeong smiled brightly.

“The finale of the giant of the age, Gwon-geuk. The finale of the Righteous Martial Alliance that led the era.”

Chilling.

The moment he heard those words, a cold energy flowed down Gwon-geuk’s spine.

He couldn’t dismiss it as mere bluster. Gwon-geuk’s senses all sounded warnings at once.

Something was happening here right now. Danger!

“What have you done?”

“I haven’t done anything. At least not here.”

“What?”

“I said I haven’t done anything. I set things in motion long ago. I’ve simply been waiting until now. Waiting for the board to ripen and for the moment when no one could escape. I was trying to draw you inward somehow, but who would have thought you’d walk in on your own feet.”

Gwon-geuk’s gaze swept left and right.

They were surrounded.

As strong as Gwon-geuk’s charge had been, and as intense as it was, they had been able to penetrate inside easily. But thanks to that, they had ended up surrounded on both sides by White Sword Castle.

If Gwon-geuk could continue pushing forward like this, there would be no problem, but…

“I understand what you mean. But now that you and I are so close, isn’t it meaningless?”

“It has nothing to do with me.”

“…”

Baek Hoe-myeong’s face changed strangely.

“It’s already happening. Even I can’t stop it. The reason I came here is to give you at least a warrior’s clean death.”

“What on earth are you talking about…”

That was the moment.

Thump.

His heart pounded violently. The fine hairs on his skin all stood on end at once.

‘What?’

The atmosphere changed completely.

Enemy?

No! No!

Realizing that the atmosphere behind him had changed completely, Gwon-geuk turned his head back.

And then his eyes widened as if they would tear.