CLS-Chapter 609

Chapter 609:

“That concludes my report.”

“……I see.”

Baek Hoe-myeong nodded weakly.

How devastating.

The human casualties weren’t as severe as expected. No matter how fearsome Wei Yan-ho might be, he couldn’t pursue and strike down all those numerous people.

When you think about it, it was a natural outcome.

Even the current damage was mostly inflicted during the initial charge against Wei Yan-ho rather than during the pursuit.

Taking all those factors into account, it could be considered minor damage. At least, if you only looked at the numbers.

But Baek Hoe-myeong couldn’t regard this defeat as a simple accident.

This was a crushing defeat.

And an enormous one at that.

There had been reasons to choose retreat. If they had waited for reinforcements from the main force and engaged in a war of attrition before committing their full strength, even Wei Yan-ho would have had no choice but to withdraw.

If luck had aligned, they could have made that place Wei Yan-ho’s grave.

But the casualties they would have had to accept to achieve that were far too great. So that method couldn’t be chosen. The decision to retreat at that point wasn’t wrong.

But he hadn’t anticipated what came after.

As Wei Yan-ho pursued them, Baek Hoe-myeong suffered a fatal wound.

The justification of strategic retreat became dulled in the face of actual sacrifice. How much damage was sustained and how fatal that damage was didn’t matter much.

What mattered was that those retreating felt they were being chased and driven away by Wei Yan-ho alone.

Their morale was at its absolute worst.

Baek Hoe-myeong glanced sideways at the swordsmen setting up camp.

Everyone was dejected.

This was a feeling that should never be received from those heading into battle. Baek Hoe-myeong instinctively sensed that the situation was getting worse and worse.

Between the sunken eyes, impious glances could be glimpsed from moment to moment.

Baek Hoe-myeong bit his lips tightly.

It was only natural.

To be chased away by a single person with such forces?

If someone else had committed such an act, Baek Hoe-myeong would have looked at them like vermin. The fact that only this level of reaction was coming back proved how much trust Baek Hoe-myeong had earned from these people up until now, and how strong their loyalty was.

What should I do?

Originally, he had planned to reorganize here and then wait for the Demonic Cult to push forward.

It would have been sufficient to reap the benefits when the Demonic Cult first shook the Righteous Martial Alliance. And Baek Sword Castle had the right to do so.

While those foolish Demonic Cult bastards were being held back by Wei Yan-ho, Baek Sword Castle had single-handedly faced the Righteous Martial Alliance and beaten them down. So they had every right to indulge in such luxury. If only it weren’t for this situation.

It was deteriorating.

The longer they dragged this out, the more negative thoughts would spread. Right after achieving an incredible victory, they had suffered an incredible defeat.

It would have been better if they hadn’t achieved that great victory at all. They could have steeled their resolve. But since emotions that had reached their peak had instantly plummeted to the worst, there was no way morale could easily recover.

“Young Master.”

“Mm……”

“Please give us your orders.”

Baek Hoe-myeong’s lips trembled.

It was an agonizing choice, but it was his responsibility. A leader must always make choices. Even if that choice was wrong and caused damage to everyone, it was twice as bad as hesitating and being wishy-washy without making a choice.

“We wait.”

“……Young Master?”

A question came back instead of acknowledgement.

Even the listener knew what enormous damage this choice would require.

“Follow orders.”

“B-but Young Master, this place isn’t suitable for waiting. And…… everyone’s morale has fallen. Time won’t restore what can’t be recovered by waiting.”

“I know.”

He knew it painfully well.

Baek Hoe-myeong chewed his lips repeatedly.

What judgment would the Family Head have made at a time like this?

It wasn’t even worth thinking about.

The Family Head would have solved everything with a very simple method. He would just go find Wei Yan-ho and cut off his head.

Baek Hoe-myeong was feeling deep despair.

He had learned everything from the Family Head. He had lived believing it was right to act like the Family Head and think like the Family Head. But right now, at this moment, Baek Hoe-myeong realized painfully.

He could never become like the Family Head.

No matter how much they shared blood, the Family Head was the Family Head, and he was himself. He wasn’t born with the same genius as the Family Head.

Others might praise him as a prodigy, but his talent didn’t even reach the Family Head’s toes. He could never become like the Family Head.

So he couldn’t imitate the Family Head.

The Family Head had never once worried about such things. Why would the Family Head think about how to deal with an opponent he couldn’t handle with his own martial prowess?

Because such a situation would never arise.

“……We wait here……”

“That’s a bad move, Young Master.”

Baek Hoe-myeong turned his head.

“U-Uncle!”

Cheon-ryu.

Cheon-ryu Baek Gong-ui had appeared at some point and was walking toward him.

Watching Cheon-ryu walking slowly with his hands clasped behind his back, Baek Hoe-myeong felt both shame and relief simultaneously.

“Ah……”

Just as his tension was about to release.

“Focus!”

Cheon-ryu shouted vigorously.

The moment they heard that shout filled with internal energy, strength entered Baek Hoe-myeong’s entire body. Those who had been watching the situation also all straightened their bodies.

“Don’t let your guard down!”

Cheon-ryu’s voice echoed thunderously.

“Pathetic and miserable fools! If you live wielding a sword, victory and defeat will always follow you. Do you dare call yourselves swordsmen when you lose strength in your sword-holding hands after experiencing a single defeat!”

Those who heard that rebuke each gritted their teeth.

It was words that struck at their pride.

“Are you afraid? Are you afraid of losing? Are you afraid of dying? Or are you afraid of not achieving your goals?”

They tried to find some answer.

Somewhere between honest feelings and righteous cause.

But Cheon-ryu didn’t wait for their answer.

“Whatever that answer is, what does it matter! Having fear is already a shameful thing!”

Cheon-ryu raised his hand and pointed to the sky.

“Look!”

Their gazes turned skyward.

“Those who died unjustly at the hands of those villains are looking down at us. What do you think they would say if they saw you now! What do you think they would say seeing you with your tails tucked and spirits dampened after meeting a powerful enemy!”

“……”

“Ten Thousand Swords embraces all the swords of the world. But there is one thing that doesn’t suit Ten Thousand Swords. That is the sword of a coward!”

Cheon-ryu seized control of the atmosphere in an instant.

The atmosphere that had been falling into the abyss gradually became more intense.

“What is it that you want!”

Everyone tried to speak of great causes. But Cheon-ryu said something different.

“It must be Wei Yan-ho’s head.”

“……”

“Great causes? Purposes? All good. But how can you discuss great causes when you can’t recover your wounded pride?”

Cheon-ryu turned his head fully to meet everyone’s eyes.

“I will go to take Wei Yan-ho’s head.”

It boiled up.

Very quietly.

Emotions didn’t burst out. But they were boiling hotter than anything else.

“I cannot leave that bastard who wounded the name of Ten Thousand Swords as he is. We lost? We ran away? I also lost. I also ran away!”

Cheon-ryu cried out as though coughing up blood.

“Losing isn’t shameful. Not struggling forever while remaining defeated is shameful. If we lost, then we win! If we suffered a crushing defeat, then we repay it with a great victory. That is our way!”

At that moment, a roar that seemed to send the world away burst forth.

They stomped the ground, raised their heads, and screamed like madmen. Some were cursing on the spot, and others were trembling while gripping their swords.

Cheon-ryu waited for their reaction to subside without saying a single word. Only after everyone had vented what was built up and regained their composure did Cheon-ryu open his mouth.

“Young Master.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

“Please give your orders.”

“……”

Baek Hoe-myeong’s eyes wavered.

Since Cheon-ryu had come, he naturally thought he would take command. Given the current atmosphere, it was too natural for Cheon-ryu to lead everyone.

Baek Hoe-myeong had failed to lead these people, and Cheon-ryu had captivated them with just a few words. So wasn’t it clear who was superior?

“As long as the Family Head is not present……”

Cheon-ryu was resolute.

“We follow only the Young Master’s commands!”

“……”

“Young Master, we subordinates were incompetent and failed to properly carry out the Young Master’s orders! This time we will definitely complete the orders the Young Master gives! So give us orders! In the name of Ten Thousand Swords!”

Baek Hoe-myeong quietly nodded.

“We reorganize here.”

An order that didn’t match the heightened atmosphere. Just as disappointment was about to leak out, Baek Hoe-myeong immediately opened his mouth.

“And then we go to take Wei Yan-ho’s head.”

The atmosphere boiled up again.

“How did you come to be here?”

“Is there anywhere I cannot go?”

“That’s not what I meant. There’s nowhere in the world Uncle cannot go. Especially if it’s where the Baek Family stays.”

Cheon-ryu smiled broadly.

“I thought you might need me, so I came.”

Baek Hoe-myeong bit his lips tightly.

What would have happened if Cheon-ryu hadn’t come here?

Just thinking about it made him dizzy.

Thanks to Cheon-ryu coming, he was able to handle the situation.

“Uncle.”

“Speak, Young Master.”

“Please take command.”

“……Did you say command?”

“I am incompetent. I am lacking. I don’t yet have the ability to lead the Ten Thousand Swords Baek Family.”

Cheon-ryu looked at Baek Hoe-myeong with strange eyes.

“They too would prefer to be led by Uncle rather than me. So for the greater plan……”

“Young Master.”

It was a cold and resolute voice.

Baek Hoe-myeong trembled at the cold energy contained in Cheon-ryu’s voice.

“Listen to my words carefully.”

“……Yes.”

“We are not doing this for immediate results. Conquering the martial world right now and making them pay the price is important, but what’s more important is that the name of Ten Thousand Swords rings out for the next thousand years.”

“……”

“And those who must bear that great plan are not old men like us, but the masters of the next generation like the Young Master. Don’t try to end everything with judgment. What we must embrace is not the mission of judgment but the mission of revival.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Grit your teeth. Straighten your shoulders. Whether you make mistakes or fail, even if you do the most foolish thing under heaven, you are the Young Master of the Baek Family!”

Baek Hoe-myeong clenched his fists.

“Standing above means that. You must endure that heavy responsibility. Even if the crushing weight breaks your bones and tears your flesh, endure and endure again. Only then do you have the qualification to be called the Young Master of Ten Thousand Swords Baek Family. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“I will keep it in mind, and keep it in mind again!”

Cheon-ryu nodded.

Will began to show again in Baek Hoe-myeong’s eyes.

“But…… what about the Family Head?”

When the Family Head’s name came up, Cheon-ryu’s face slightly distorted.