CLS-Chapter 586

Chapter 586:

“Hey, snap out of it, you bastard! What are you doing!”

“You’ve gone mad! You’ve all gone mad!”

“Don’t break formation! Don’t panic!”

“Aaaaaahhhhh!”

Chaos.

And terror.

The battlefield became a living hell in an instant.

It couldn’t be helped.

When a comrade who had been talking and fighting alongside you just moments before suddenly swings his sword at you, who wouldn’t be confused?

Especially when vivid demonic energy began pouring from that comrade’s body?

“Fall back! Immediately!”

Song Hyeon ground his teeth click click.

Though he shouted “fall back” with his mouth, Song Hyeon knew all too well that this wasn’t the situation for it.

Where exactly were they supposed to fall back to?

They had already penetrated deep into the formation that the Hundred Swords Castle had set. With this many people having pushed into the formation, to turn around and retreat?

It was nearly impossible.

The moment they turned around, the Hundred Swords Castle members surrounding them would rush to attack their backs.

Showing their backs to such opponents?

‘I’d rather bite my tongue off for an easier death.’

They had only pushed forward riding on momentum, but those people’s abilities were by no means inferior to Shaolin or Wudang. The moment they showed their backs, they would become defenseless.

And there was no need to do so anyway.

The Hundred Swords Castle had already created an appropriate distance from them. They didn’t allow enough gap to create space, but they also didn’t allow close enough distance for swords to directly reach.

The method of watching and applying pressure was clearly evident.

‘Damn it.’

Song Hyeon’s gaze turned to Baek Hoi-myeong.

Watching Baek Hoi-myeong leisurely observing them, something was boiling up from within his stomach.

“Demon-like bastard.”

He was demon-like in many ways.

That appearance of laughing while watching people die, and that demon-like ability to pull off such an absurd thing.

‘What exactly did he do! What!’

The situation was becoming increasingly urgent.

Those who had been convulsing began rampaging one by one. At first, it was just a few causing problems, but soon it swelled to dozens, then hundreds.

Whoooooosh!

It surged forward.

To his nose, against his skin.

The surging demonic energy plunged his entire body into eerie tension. The moment the demonic energy touched his skin, his body trembled without his knowing.

‘Demonic energy!’

Why were these people emitting demonic energy?

Song Hyeon’s face grew increasingly pale.

He would have understood if what poured out had been poison energy instead. He could have just thought they had been poisoned somewhere. There remained the question of whether it was possible for this many people to be simultaneously poisoned, but that could be explained by the opponent’s abilities being remarkable.

But demonic energy?

What is demonic energy? It’s the fighting spirit emitted by those who have learned demonic arts. It’s not something that can emerge from external interference like poison energy.

But who among these people would have learned demonic arts?

There might be one or two. Warriors are ultimately beings drawn to strength. There’s no guarantee that those who yearned for strength wouldn’t secretly learn demonic arts.

But this many at the same time?

‘Impossible!’

It was absolutely impossible. If it had been before seeing this situation with his own eyes, Song Hyeon could have staked his own neck on it. No, even seeing it with his eyes now, he could still stake it.

It was absolutely impossible for this many people to learn demonic arts while evading their sect’s notice.

“What the hell is happening!”

Song Hyeon, having completely lost his composure, screamed.

Though he had the duty as Wudang’s sect leader to not lose his cool, maintaining composure in such a situation was impossible.

“Cheong-mu! Cheong-jin!”

The disciples who had been in front of him began pouring out demonic energy from their entire bodies. Song Hyeon couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by that overwhelming change.

Demonic energy.

Demonic energy poured out.

Those wrapped in black demonic energy all over their bodies twisted their bodies grotesquely, then looked up at the sky.

Gaping mouths.

Bulging eyes.

All the blood vessels in their eyes burst, turning red, then redder still. The corners of their eyes tore, and bloody tears flowed down.

It was a horrific sight he wouldn’t want to see even in dreams. But the real problem started from then.

“Kiiiiiiii!“

It was like the howling of a small beast.

It wasn’t loud. Nor was it threatening. It was an eerie howl that gave goosebumps the moment you heard it. Emitting such howls, they swung their swords at anything within reach.

Wudang’s Pine Pattern Ancient Sword, swords imbued with Wudang’s soul, stabbed into the bodies of their martial brothers.

“Cheong-muuuuuuu!”

Song Hyeon screamed.

Eyes rolled back, swinging swords. The force gathered at the sword tip was remarkable. But the softness and precision that Wudang prided itself on was nowhere to be found.

“Elder brother! Why are you doing this! Elder brother! Come to your senses!”

“Sect leaderrrrrrr!”

It was pandemonium.

They emitted demonic energy.

They vomited blood from their mouths.

Their distorted faces were stained with blood, and the swollen blood vessels looked as if they might burst at any moment. Those who had transformed into such horrific appearances swung their swords toward them.

“Junior brother! Why are you doing this! Get a grip!”

They couldn’t properly face them.

Those currently rampaging without reason were comrades. Fellow disciples. Those who had learned swordsmanship together and discussed Wudang’s future. How could they properly face such people when they were attacking without reason?

Blocking the incoming swords was all they could manage.

The numbers increased one by one.

Finally, when the number showing symptoms exceeded one-fifth, Song Hyeon’s tightly bitten lips burst.

At this rate, it would be total annihilation.

The Hundred Swords Castle didn’t even need to intervene. They were still managing to block for now, but it wouldn’t last long.

Without those people needing to lift a finger, at this rate they would collapse unable to resolve their internal problems.

Then… what should they do?

“Pin them down!”

A loud shout came from somewhere.

Kuuuuung!

Shaolin disciples who had leaped into the air jumped down onto those having seizures and pinned them down. At the same time, surrounding people rushed over and pressed down on their limbs.

“Kaaaaaah! Kaaaaak!“

The madmen whose movements were blocked foamed at the mouth and had seizures. But they pinned them down even more firmly.

Those who had found a countermeasure began applying the same method to somehow catch those who were struggling.

‘No.’

Song Hyeon’s face contorted.

This wasn’t a solution. Rather, this was a method that worsened the situation. Four or five people were consumed to subdue one person. And those pinning down the struggling person couldn’t take other actions.

Then what about the Hundred Swords Castle?

How were they supposed to face the Hundred Swords Castle?

Moreover, weren’t the number showing symptoms gradually increasing? Soon they would run short of hands.

He trembled.

Song Hyeon’s hands were trembling. Song Hyeon had known from early on what decision he needed to make. But he couldn’t dare make that decision.

The situation gradually worsening.

And the eyes of the Hundred Swords Castle watching like prey dying of exhaustion.

All of these things began pressuring Song Hyeon.

‘Right.’

Rather than dying unable to make a decision, it was better to do something and die.

If he didn’t go to hell, who would?

A chill settled in Song Hyeon’s eyes.

“Grrrrrrrk!“

One person entered his sight. Someone held by both arms and legs, vomiting blood.

Someone struggling.

“Junior brother.”

It was Song Dam, his junior brother.

Song Hyeon quietly approached Song Dam. The disciples were struggling to control his movements. Unable to dare swing swords at their sect’s elder, yet unable to die struck by blind swords, they rushed in with bare bodies, accepting injuries to block their movements.

Song Dam foamed at the mouth and struggled. Knowing that his arms and legs wouldn’t move, he stuck his head out trying to bite.

“…You look to be suffering.”

Song Hyeon smiled lightly.

Who could he blame? This was a situation created by his incompetence. If he had been a little more careful, they might not have come this far.

So all of this was for him to bear.

“I’ll make you comfortable.”

Slash.

Song Hyeon’s swung sword split Song Dam’s neck in one strike. Song Dam’s head, separated from his body, rolled to the ground. A fountain of blood spurted from the severed neck, and the headless body struggled then slowly went limp.

“……”

Those who had been holding Song Dam down stared at Song Hyeon with wide eyes, unable to even open their mouths.

“S-Sect Leader……”

“Disciples, listen!”

Receiving those gazes, Song Hyeon shouted like a declaration, infusing his voice with internal energy.

“Cut them down! Cut down all those showing madness!”

“B-But Sect Leader!”

“It’s an order!”

The sound of grinding teeth, the sound of biting lips, sighs of disbelief.

All those sounds are painfully stabbed into Song Hyeon’s ears.

He knew.

What feelings those receiving the order had.

But right now there was no other way. Everyone would know. The moment time dragged on in any way, they couldn’t avoid the swords of the Hundred Swords Castle.

‘I’ll bear it.’

Song Hyeon’s eyes became bloodshot.

A leader doesn’t exist to make decisions. They exist to take responsibility. And now was exactly the moment he had to take responsibility as Wudang’s sect leader.

“What are you all doing! Immediately!”

“Yes!”

Swords were swung.

Unbearable to watch.

Pandemonium.

Those who had fought back-to-back now swung their swords with killing intent to take each other’s lives.

Though the swords hesitated at first, they soon began carrying momentum.

Because no one wanted to die.

They knew that those currently struggling and swinging swords at them were martial brothers. They also knew that some problem had occurred and it wasn’t their true intention.

But so what?

No matter the situation, that fierce momentum and killing intent rushing to take his neck didn’t disappear. Those caught up in the violent swords unknowingly began fighting with killing intent.

The increasingly bothersome demonic energy, those horrific appearances—everything made them increasingly sharp.

Kill and be killed.

Martial brothers against martial brothers, allies against allies, and friends against friends began spewing killing techniques targeting each other’s necks.

Bloody tears flowed from Song Hyeon’s eyes.

‘These demon-like bastards.’

How could they do such a thing?

‘Why exactly!’

When had those people been so bewitched? Exactly when?

Song Hyeon slowly turned his body around. Baek Hoi-myeong’s figure came into his sight.

‘Fine.’

Perhaps they would bury their bones here. Even if they could manage to clean up all of those people, with the remaining strength they couldn’t handle the Hundred Swords Castle.

Then!

‘I’ll drive it into you too.’

This pain, this despair.

With his sword.

“Baek Hoi-myeoooooong!”

Song Hyeon drew and gripped his sword, flying straight toward Baek Hoi-myeong. Blue sword energy settled on his sword. A sharpness and killing intent unthinkable for a Wudang sword.

His sword, no longer able to carry softness, flew straight toward Baek Hoi-myeong’s neck.

Infinitely sharp.

And infinitely sorrowful.