CLS-Chapter 640

Chapter 640:

“There’s no need to imitate nature. And even if you feel like imitating nature, nothing will change. Humans are nature, and nature is human. What you must wield is not the sword of nature, but the sword of humanity.”

‘What nonsense.’

If the sword of nature and the sword of humanity are no different, then wouldn’t saying to wield the sword of humanity instead of nature’s sword also be wrong?

Baek Mu-han’s words contained many contradictions.

Representative examples were “I never let anyone who goes against my temperament be” and “I was extremely merciful.”

Complete nonsense.

But when you consider the circumstances, the peculiarity of Baek Mu-han’s words was that they strangely fit together.

So the meaning of those words was this:

Baek Mu-han never forgives those who cross him. However, he doesn’t kill them or impose punishments, so he’s merciful.

It sounds ridiculous, but it makes sense.

Baek Mu-han has enough power that he could kill everyone who opposes him without receiving any punishment. For such a person to spare those who irritate him by his will alone—how merciful is that?

‘With that personality.’

If anyone else had said those words, they would have been called crazy. But because they came from Baek Mu-han’s mouth, he could understand them. He really was someone who could do that and more.

The words about using humanity’s sword were the same.

If there’s no difference between nature and humanity, there’s no need to be bound by nature’s sword. Humans are also nature, and human hands are also nature. Then all swords that come from human hands are nature’s swords.

The sword that comes from Wei Yan-ho’s hands is also nature’s sword.

Even if it looks a bit slow and lazy.

That too is nature, isn’t it?

He moves.

As if not moving at all.

So slow and sluggish that it seemed as if he wasn’t moving at all. The phrase “the sword is being lazy” fit perfectly.

Dawdling.

Sluggishly.

Wei Jeong-han, watching this scene, felt as if the world had stopped.

How strange.

Clearly the world was moving rapidly.

The rain of descending swords was difficult for Wei Jeong-han to follow with his eyesight. Before his eyes, countless things were clearly moving at high speed.

Yet strangely, it felt as if the world had stopped.

The fastest swords and the slowest sword.

That terrible discord made the observers feel something that could only be called eerie.

And…

Something even stranger happened.

It was slow. Slow as if stopped. Wei Yan-ho’s sword was slow enough to make one yawn.

Wei Yan-ho’s incomparably sluggish sword beneath that pouring rain of blades.

It was completely incomprehensible.

As if knowing this frustration, Wei Yan-ho’s sword became slightly faster. Just slightly—the sword that had felt almost completely stationary only became fast enough to recognize that it was moving.

Such a minor change couldn’t accomplish anything.

At least that’s how it looked to Wei Jeong-han’s eyes. Under those fierce, fast, and strong blade edges pouring down violently, it seemed Wei Yan-ho’s body would be torn to shreds at any moment.

But why was he standing still?

Why wasn’t he rushing in to save his son?

Wei Jeong-han bit his lips tightly.

It wasn’t because he was protecting himself. No matter how clearly the outcome appeared before his eyes, he had conviction.

No matter how dangerous it looked, Wei Yan-ho would never be defeated. Beyond reason, a faith-like belief existed firmly in his chest.

And Wei Yan-ho had never once disappointed him.

Not as a son, but as a martial artist, Wei Yan-ho was the most reliable person in the world.

It becomes slightly faster.

Wei Yan-ho’s sword, which had been gradually gaining momentum little by little, suddenly became so fast that it could no longer be followed by the eye. At the same time, brilliant light burst from Wei Yan-ho’s sword and shot toward the sky.

It was like watching the sun rise.

The scene of dawn breaking through the dark night, twilight arriving, and finally the sun revealing itself by cutting through the horizon. If the sun were to rise right before one’s eyes, it would probably look like this.

There was nothing.

All that could be seen was brilliant light.

The world filled with blinding light paradoxically looked like a world of nothingness with nothing in it. When all that could be seen was pure white light, how could that scene be called a world?

The sword divides the world.

The sword wasn’t satisfied with merely destroying the world’s form—it erased every scene in the world.

Only light exists in the world.

Only the sword exists in the world.

In an instant.

Wei Yan-ho’s sword covered, carried, and destroyed everything in the world.

Flash and fade.

The light that appeared like a fantasy quickly disappeared like a fantasy. What remained was a world from which the light had vanished. The brilliant light had disappeared so suddenly that it felt like a world without light.

“Kkeuleok.“

In the center of that world, Wei Yan-ho slowly lowers his sword.

Blood streamed steadily from the corner of his mouth.

“Kkeuleok!“

No one moves.

It’s as if the world has stopped.

It’s a similar impression to before, but different. If the earlier rigidity had been an illusion caused by Wei Yan-ho’s slow sword, now the world really seemed to have stopped.

Countless people were visible, but none of them were moving. Opposite to before, this time it seemed like Wei Yan-ho alone was moving in a world that had stopped.

“Kkeuleok!“

Wei Yan-ho hunches over.

Blood flowed endlessly from the corner of his mouth. Thick blood also flowed from his body, cut and torn everywhere, soaking his entire form.

Blood person.

Wei Yan-ho dyed red with blood from head to toe. The term “blood person” was perfectly appropriate.

‘Was it too much?’

It had been a foolish act.

Mental imagery is gyeonggye—a realm.

One shouldn’t dare covet a realm that the body cannot contain. But at this moment, Wei Yan-ho had stepped into a place his body couldn’t handle.

The wounds remaining on his skin were nothing. The internal injuries were several times more serious. The single sword strike that exceeded his own level had completely turned his insides upside down.

But its power was certain.

“…You.”

Limping, Cheon Ryu-geom walks out.

His chest was also split lengthwise with blood seeping out, but compared to Wei Yan-ho’s wounds, his injuries looked rather light.

“…What did you do?”

Cheon Ryu-geom’s eyes were colored with shock.

And rightfully so.

One sword strike.

It was just one sword strike.

With that single sword strike, everyone who had staked everything and charged at Wei Yan-ho had fallen.

Without leaving behind a single scream or breath.

Cheon Ryu-geom Baek Gong-ui had devoted his entire life to the sword.

Even he couldn’t find words to explain this single strike. This sword seemed like a sword yet wasn’t a sword, seemed not like a sword yet was a sword.

Just…

Yes, it was just a sword.

Hateful.

So hateful.

Where that sword was directed were his subordinates, his comrades, his blood relatives. So how could he not be hateful?

But Cheon Ryu-geom couldn’t push away the reverence captured in his eyes.

No matter how much he tried to coat his chest with hatred, no matter how much he tried to leave only boiling anger, he couldn’t push away the admiration and reverence he inevitably felt as a swordsman.

He was now sincerely feeling reverence toward a child who hadn’t even lived half his lifetime.

And at the same time…

Incomparable regret was washing over him.

“Why do you go so far?”

“…”

Cheon Ryu-geom spoke heavily.

“Do you see it?”

Cheon Ryu-geom’s chin gesture pointed toward the Righteous Martial Alliance.

“While you bleed, while you suffer pain… those people are just watching the war between you and us.”

Wei Yan-ho turned his head slightly.

He could see the pitying gazes looking at him.

What was so pitiful about it?

“Is there a reason you must protect them even by doing this? If you put your mind to it, escaping from this place would be nothing. Even if not that, if you didn’t insist on protecting them, your room for maneuvering would double. Why do you fight carrying such a heavy burden?”

“Heo…”

A hollow laugh came from Wei Yan-ho’s mouth.

What was this old man talking about right now?

But Cheon Ryu-geom didn’t stop talking.

“Answer me, young hero. What meaning do Kangho and Murim have for you that you would throw away even your life to protect Kangho?”

“No!”

Wei Yan-ho snapped irritably.

“I’m dying of pain and you’re spouting nonsense!”

“…Huh?”

“Kkeueung!“

Wei Yan-ho straightened his back.

Then the wounds that had stiffened slightly split open with a jjeojjeok and blood gushed out again.

“Ugh, I’m going to die.”

He really was going to die at this rate.

Wei Yan-ho cursed while stanching his wounds.

“Protect what? I’m the one about to die!”

“Ah, no…”

This made the situation awkward for Cheon Ryu-geom instead. Having lost his words, he opened and closed his mouth trying to say something, then shook his head.

Anyway, he couldn’t hold a conversation with that guy.

Fortunately, Wei Yan-ho continued the conversation for him.

“You seem to be mistaken about something—do you think I’m doing this now for some great reason?”

“…”

“You’ve got the wrong person.”

Wei Yan-ho waved his hands dismissively.

“Heroic spirit and all that—dogs can have it. I’m not that kind of person. I’m just doing what gives me the highest probability of survival. The rest is none of my business.”

Cheon Ryu-geom frowned.

Words and actions didn’t match.

Wei Yan-ho had already suffered serious injuries. The damage he inflicted on Hundred Sword Castle was enormous, but the price was also great. Now Wei Yan-ho would no longer be able to stop Hundred Sword Castle.

And if Wei Yan-ho couldn’t stop Hundred Sword Castle, the Righteous Martial Alliance couldn’t stop them either. In the end, he had fought well but failed.

But why were such words coming out?

“Do you intend to turn your eyes away from reality?”

“I’m looking more clearly than anyone.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Hmm.”

Wei Yan-ho straightened his back again.

Then he let out a deep sigh.

“They’re annoyingly late.”

“…”

“Listen here, old man. You seem mistaken, but I’m not someone who volunteers for hardship with such shallow emotions. My master said people shouldn’t harbor vain hopes and such. People make efforts when they have firm purpose and hope in sight. Just like right now.”

“Hope?”

“Yes, hope. Hmm… maybe hope is a bit much? To be precise, I called my dad.”

“…Dad?”

“Yes. When someone I can’t handle bothers me, calling dad to fight is the standard approach.”

Suddenly everyone’s gaze turned toward Wei Jeong-han.

Wei Jeong-han turned pale and waved his hands.

“Not me! I’m telling you it’s not me!”

The gazes returned to Wei Yan-ho.

“No. Well, not that dad…”

Wei Yan-ho grinned.

Despite his blood-soaked face, that smile felt refreshingly pleasant.

“He’s a dad, but a different dad. Should I call him the father of all people?”

“…Father of all people?”

Cheon Ryu-geom’s face hardened.

There was only one person in the world who could hear those words.

Only…

That was the moment.

At first, it was a small tremor.

A small tremor that couldn’t even be felt.

But that tremor soon became a large tremor that everyone could feel, and eventually transformed into massive vibrations that shook the earth’s axis.

The world trembles as if an earthquake had occurred.

“I told you they were late.”

Wei Yan-ho grinned and turned his head to one side.

Then everyone saw it.

The moving horizon.

No, a force running while filling the horizon to the far distance.

“Eo… eo, Eorim Army?”

Toward the shocked Cheon Ryu-geom, Wei Yan-ho flashed a bright smile.

“Now then, it’s time to pay the price for beating up the Right Inspector of the Censorate. You’re all caught red-handed!”

With the Eorim Army’s might behind him, Wei Yan-ho stuck out his chest.

For some reason, Wei Jeong-han, finding that sight both proud and embarrassing, quietly turned his head away.