Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel) - Chapter 112 - Final Gate (2)

Chapter 112 – Final Gate (2)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The Mok Gyeong-un whom Son Yun, the King of the Fate Blade, remembered had certainly been no more than third-rate.

Of course, that did not mean he had ever regarded the boy as worthless.

He had learned the sword forms of the Moon Meridian, whose lineage had been severed over a hundred years ago, and he also possessed innate talent in occult arts.

That was why, although Mok Gyeong-un came from the orthodox Yeon Mok Sword Manor, he had been brought into the Heaven and Earth Society.

It was important to draw out the Moon Meridian sword hidden in his mind, but also because Son Yun had thought that Mok Gyeong-un, chosen by the secret manual, might become useful timber for the Heaven and Earth Society.

And yet he had thought all of that had been ruined by the Society Leader’s caprice.

[You would send him to Corpse Blood Valley?]

[It is the Society Leader’s order. Are you thinking of defying it?]

[But…..]

[Enough.]

He did not know the reason.

Why had the Society Leader ordered that the two hostages brought from Yeon Mok Sword Manor be sent to Corpse Blood Valley?

He had not even granted them an audience.

Because of that, Son Yun, the King of the Fate Blade, had cast aside the last trace of attachment he had held toward Mok Gyeong-un.

Even if he had learned the Moon Meridian sword, the place he had been sent was Corpse Blood Valley.

A place where more than eighty percent entered and came back as corpses.

How could a brat no more than third-rate possibly survive in a place crawling with trainees possessing talent at first-rate and above?

‘It is over.’

Was the Moon Meridian sword to be completely buried like this?

He had been disappointed in that way, but yesterday he had been unable to contain his shock because of his disciple’s honest confession.

[What? Say that again.]

[I-it was not a total defeat. The disciple was careless for a moment…..]

[No! I mean the boy’s name.]

[Mo….. Mok Gyeong-un.]

‘!!!!!!’

Mok Gyeong-un.

That bastard was alive?

That boy who had been no more than third-rate had been sent to Corpse Blood Valley?

He could have understood it, perhaps, if it had been Mok Yu-cheon, the youngest son of Yeon Mok Sword Manor.

He had acknowledged that one to possess such extraordinary natural talent.

And yet Mok Gyeong-un had survived until now.

[Ha…… how could this…..]

[Master?]

[Close your mouth.]

[………]

The night before last he had received a message asking him to attend the Final Gate and completion ceremony.

But if that fellow had crossed hands with his youngest disciple Yeop Wi-seon in the hidden treasure vault, then did that not mean he had not only reached the Final Gate, but had even earned the head plaque?

Son Yun was not one to bat an eye at most things, but this was something he could not help but be astonished by.

So last night, Son Yun, the King of the Fate Blade, had fallen into deep thought.

What in the world had happened in Corpse Blood Valley?

How had Mok Gyeong-un, who had been no more than third-rate, become strong enough in such a short time to earn the head plaque and defeat his youngest disciple Yeop Wi-seon, who had already reached the absolute realm?

Question after question piled up.

But there was no way to clear those questions up without seeing it for himself.

So Son Yun made his decision.

‘I will confirm it myself.’

He already had outstanding disciples, including his eldest disciple Wu Ho-rang, one of the Five Tigers, said to be among the finest younger talents within the Heaven and Earth Society.

So he no longer had any greed about taking another disciple.

But he decided to come in order to confirm just how abnormally fast Mok Gyeong-un’s progress had truly been.

‘If……’

If, seeing him in person, he displayed ability so remarkable that it surpassed even Son Yun’s expectations, then even if the other executives cursed him for it, he was willing to take him as a disciple.

He was a descendant who had learned the Moon Meridian sword and survived in spite of the Society Leader’s whim.

He could not let that slip away.

After that brief recollection, Son Yun, the King of the Fate Blade, looked toward Mok Gyeong-un, one of the six standing lined up in the square.

‘!?’

Son Yun’s brows drew together slightly.

The distance was too great to make a firm conclusion, but by qi-sense, Mok Gyeong-un’s level felt to be at the very end of first-rate.

‘What?’

Of course, even that alone could be called remarkable.

After all, in very little time he had reached the end of first-rate from third-rate.

But at that level, it would have been difficult to defeat his youngest disciple Yeop Wi-seon.

‘The gap between first-rate and the absolute realm is clear.’

Even ten first-rate masters together would struggle to beat one absolute master.

Then by what means had Mok Gyeong-un defeated Yeop Wi-seon?

He could not understand it.

‘What method did you use?’

As he stared at Mok Gyeong-un, a strange light entered Son Yun’s eyes.

That was because, besides Mok Gyeong-un, he had discovered Mok Yu-cheon as well.

‘That child survived too?’

Truly astonishing.

In the end, did that not mean both of the hostage children from Yeon Mok Sword Manor had survived?

Of course, in Mok Yu-cheon’s case, because he possessed natural martial talent far beyond his age, Son Yun had thought he might survive if luck favored him.

Yet to think he had truly survived.

And not only that, but had beaten out all those Heaven and Earth Society talents to place among the final six.

‘Yeon Mok Sword Manor…… perhaps it was not a place to be underestimated.’

Truly unexpected.

At the same time, however, seeing the changed look in Mok Yu-cheon’s eyes pleased him.

When he looked at Mok Gyeong-un, he was surprised by the advancement in martial level, but the expression and eyes were no different from before. By contrast, Mok Yu-cheon had become far more solid, and there was even fierceness in him.

Having survived Corpse Blood Valley, he seemed to have shed the skin of a mild-mannered orthodox-path youth.

‘It was worth coming.’

He had come to solve a question, and it had become interesting.

One brat astonished him with enormous progress, while another startled him by how much he had changed since last time.

To think it was not the Heaven and Earth Society’s own children, but the orthodox hostages, who were pleasing his eye.

It really was something one lived long enough to see.

* * *

‘What a pity.’

Mok Gyeong-un smacked his lips as he looked toward the front of the platform.

Was she called the Sound-Summoning Valley Master? It had seemed as though something quite amusing would unfold after that woman appeared, but it had been interrupted midway.

By the arrival of Son Yun, the King of the Fate Blade.

-To make a face of disappointment, truly you have no fear at all.

Blue Spirit clicked her tongue toward Mok Gyeong-un.

-There are few enemies more troublesome than masters of sound arts. Unlike other martial arts, sound arts follow such a different course that they distinguish neither ally nor enemy.

What did she mean by that?

As he wondered, she seemed to read his thoughts and said,

-It means sound arts cannot attack only a chosen target.

‘A chosen target? Ah…..’

Well, sound arts themselves function by loading true qi into sound and creating shockwaves.

But sound is not the kind of thing that one specific person hears while another does not.

Unless one were deaf, one could not help but hear it somehow.

Now he thought he understood why Blue Spirit was saying this.

‘If that woman truly resolved to unleash sound arts, the whole surrounding area would suffer.’

If that happened, disaster would break out before the Final Gate could even begin.

But because of this, a question arose for Mok Gyeong-un.

Why would someone learn a martial art with such a dangerous drawback, one that inflicted indiscriminate harm on allies and enemies alike?

‘If sound arts alone are the main thing, then it is inefficient.’

It might be effective against many opponents, but when there were many people nearby, the risk was too great.

Still, he did not think that was all.

Even he, who had not been exposed to martial arts for very long, could think of that drawback, so there was no way an expert in sound arts would not know it.

In any case, the interesting spectacle disappeared, and an unexpected person appeared instead.

Son Yun, the King of the Fate Blade.

The very one responsible for bringing him here into the Heaven and Earth Society.

He could see the man staring fixedly at him.

Judging by the fact that the man’s eyes did not seem to carry emotional things like anger or welcome in particular, it felt closer to him trying to confirm something.

‘Did he come to see me?’

If that were the case, it would be quite unexpec… ah!

Suddenly Mok Gyeong-un remembered what had happened in the treasure vault of Corpse Blood Valley.

Yeop Wi-seon, disciple of Son Yun, the King of the Fate Blade.

‘That fellow.’

Only after fighting had he learned the fellow’s true identity.

It seemed likely that Yeop Wi-seon had reported something about Mok Gyeong-un to his own master.

Otherwise, there was no way the man would appear and immediately begin staring at him out of nowhere.

The strange thing here was,

‘It is not anger?’

For someone who had come enraged because his disciple had been harmed, there was nothing in those eyes like fury or such emotion.

If so, then it did not seem like something he needed to worry about greatly.

More importantly,

‘Not yet?’

Mok Gyeong-un was waiting for someone.

The one he was waiting for was none other than Baek Sa-ha, the Annihilation Poison King, one of the Five Kings.

According to what Yi Ji-yeom had told him, unlike the other Five Kings, Baek Sa-ha, the Annihilation Poison King, participated in the completion ceremony almost every time, so there should have been a chance.

Yet there was still no sign of him appearing.

‘Hmm.’

Could there be some variable? If so, that would be quite troublesome.

At present, the most ideal situation would be for him to pass the Final Gate in first place and obtain the right of reverse nomination.

The one who finished first in the Final Gate would be granted the right to choose an executive at the completion ceremony.

Of course, whether the executive accepted him as a disciple or as a subordinate would depend on that executive’s choice, but at least it would create a chance to remain close.

And yet, for some reason, he had an unpleasant feeling.

‘If it turns out he does not come…..’

Mok Gyeong-un’s gaze moved to the executives seated in chairs beside the platform.

If what Yi Ji-yeom had told him was right, then the middle-aged man wearing iron rings would be Won Byeong-hak, the Thunderbolt Fist King, and beside him would be Hang Yeo-ryang, the Sound-Summoning Valley Master, and next to her…

‘Was it the Shadow Sect Master?’

How unexpected.

The situation had become different from what Yi Ji-yeom had told him.

According to Yi Ji-yeom, the Shadow Sect Master and the Sound-Summoning Valley Master had almost never attended completion ceremonies, and given their dispositions, there had been a high probability they would not come this time either.

Yet the ones said not to be coming had appeared at the completion ceremony.

Among the expected figures, no one had arrived except Won Byeong-hak, the Thunderbolt Fist King.

‘Hmm.’

Mok Gyeong-un rubbed his chin.

The Final Gate would begin very soon, and if things stayed this way, it seemed there would be no path for him to enter as a disciple of Baek Sa-ha, the Annihilation Poison King.

‘Do I have to go with the second-best option?’

Mok Gyeong-un possessed a benefit from having obtained three head plaques.

[Separate from the Final Gate, you may ask for instruction from one among the twelve masters of this Society: the Five Kings, who may be called the greatest masters of this Society, the Three Sect Masters, and the Four Valley Masters.]

Originally, following Yi Ji-yeom’s recommendation, he had intended to use this benefit on one of the Five Kings, two of the Eight Stars said to be the greatest masters in the Central Plains.

Blue Spirit too had agreed with this.

[A chance to receive instruction from a realm-of-transformation master will not come easily.]

Mok Gyeong-un had thought that made sense.

Blue Spirit always told him:

that there was no need to cling to one thing alone, and that he should broaden the range of his thinking.

She said that martial arts too became an opportunity to broaden one’s thinking further by hearing the views of many different masters.

‘But it may come to where I cannot do that.’

If Baek Sa-ha, the Annihilation Poison King, failed to appear at the completion ceremony to the very end, then he would have to use this benefit.

Only then could he ask him about the Ghost Sword.

* * *

Thus, after roughly the time of one i-gak passed,

the only ones who appeared before the Final Gate began were Bo Hyeok-so, the great unit leader of the Yama Unit, ranked fifth among the hundred military corps of the Heaven and Earth Society, and Dae So-man, the unit leader of the Red Blood Unit, ranked seventh.

Among the hundred corps, the heads of those ranked within the top ten were given the title of Great Unit Leader, a rank directly below the executives.

Their treatment could be viewed as that of quasi-executives.

‘No helping it.’

Mok Gyeong-un smacked his lips as though regretful.

In the end, he was left in a situation where, if he finished the Final Gate in first place, he would have to choose among Son Yun, the King of the Fate Blade; Won Byeong-hak, the Thunderbolt Fist King; the Shadow Sect Master; Hang Yeo-ryang, the Sound-Summoning Valley Master; Bo Hyeok-so, Great Unit Leader of the Yama Unit; and Dae So-man, Great Unit Leader of the Red Blood Unit.

That was, of course, on the assumption that he passed the Final Gate in first place.

-Tak!

Yi Ji-yeom, the Master of Corpse Blood Valley, stepped up onto the platform and opened his mouth.

“Now that all the observers have gathered, I will begin the Final Gate.”

Yi Ji-yeom lightly flicked his finger.

Then the red-belted martial warriors carried over a large wooden board and set it up right beside the platform.

Several horizontal and vertical lines had been drawn on it, with blank spaces left here and there.

Seeing this, the trainees’ eyes narrowed.

‘A tournament chart?’

It certainly looked like a tournament chart.

If names were written into the blank spaces, it would become a proper tournament bracket.

Which meant,

“As you can see, this is a tournament bracket for martial contests.”

‘Ah……’

The Final Gate was revealed.

It was none other than martial contests.

Unlike the gates before, it was the most primitive kind of test.

“Until now, through the various gates, the trainees have tested their own limits and by the end of that process have reached this place. And the Final Gate is now a place for you to display your potential before the observers.”

A martial competition.

Through this, each of them would have a chance to display their martial level.

That was the Final Gate.

Depending on how much they showed here, the breadth of their choices would change.

‘Martial contests…..’

The trainees’ eyes grew serious.

Unlike before, they now had to prove their skill before the eyes of the executives.

That alone made tension inevitable, but it also made their motivation all the more extraordinary.

Yet there was one problem here.

‘The numbers do not match.’

There were six trainees.

If they were to face off, eight would have been the ideal number.

That way, eight could become four, four could become two, and those two could decide the final winner.

But since there were six, inevitably,

‘A victory without battle.’

A victory without battle.

In other words, two people could go straight to the final match after fighting only once.

Then senior martial warrior Gwak Mun-gi went to the bracket and began writing numbers.

One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six.

Among these, Five and Six were structured so that a single win would send one directly to the final match.

At that moment Yi Ji-yeom, the Master of Corpse Blood Valley, pointed to the table set before the platform.

There sat a single wooden box with a round hole cut into the top.

“As you see, because the numbers do not match, you will draw the tourn…”

-Ssk!

Then someone raised a hand.

It was Yeon Mu-ung of Mirrored Scenery Gate.

Unlike the previous gates, this was the Final Gate and the executives were watching, so he stepped forward without hesitation.

“May I ask just one thing?”

“Speak.”

“Those who advance by a victory without battle and those who advance only after fighting twice will be disadvantaged in stamina and every other way. Can that truly be considered fair?”

At those words, everyone else nodded, seeming to agree.

Then Yi Ji-yeom, the Master of Corpse Blood Valley, gave a short laugh and said,

“Naturally, those who will have to fight two martial contests will have difficulty managing their stamina, so they will of course be given sufficient time to regulate their qi and recover. And the martial contest to determine the final winner will be fought with forms only, without internal power.”

At that, Yeon Mu-ung of Mirrored Scenery Gate lowered his hand, apparently somewhat satisfied.

Of course, if someone suffered injuries, that would be another story, but it was still evident that they were trying to remove disadvantages to some degree.

At this point Mok Gyeong-un muttered softly,

“Would it not be simpler if everyone just fought all at once?”

“Tsk, tsk.”

At those words, Mok Yu-cheon, standing two spots away, clicked his tongue openly.

If that happened, whom would everyone here regard as the one to eliminate first?

Mok Gyeong-un.

In a group match, the most dangerous enemy would naturally be eliminated first, and so it could never be a fair contest.

Of course, Mok Yu-cheon still did not know.

That among the six, two were Mok Gyeong-un’s subordinates.

At that moment Yi Ji-yeom, the Master of Corpse Blood Valley, continued speaking.

“Now then, trainees, come forward in turn and take out the iron balls inside the wooden box.”

The time for the drawing had come.

The first opportunity to choose was given to those who had scored lowest in the previous gate.

Those were Mok Yu-cheon and Yeon Mu-ung of Mirrored Scenery Gate.

Perhaps unwilling to seem like the worst performer by stepping out first, Yeon Mu-ung did not immediately come forward.

So Mok Yu-cheon drew from the box first.

Mok Yu-cheon’s number was,

“Six.”

At those words, Yeon Mu-ung of Mirrored Scenery Gate showed a slightly disappointed expression.

No matter how much they tried to make it fair, it could not be helped that Five and Six, who had to fight only once before contending for the championship, were advantageous.

‘Ha….’

Mok Yu-cheon snorted as he looked at the Six he had drawn.

Should this be called good luck?

Meanwhile, Yeon Mu-ung drew his numbered ball.

It was,

“……Four.”

Unfortunately, the victory without battle had slipped away.

There was no helping it, disappointing though it was.

Next, Mo Ha-rang of Mo Hwa House came forward and drew an iron ball.

“Three.”

‘!?’

At those words, the corner of Yeon Mu-ung’s mouth twitched.

Since they had constantly been compared to each other throughout these gates of Corpse Blood Valley, she was precisely the opponent he had wanted to cross hands with once.

Next, Mu Jang-yak stepped forward.

Mu Jang-yak did not care either way.

After all, while winning this gate was important, it was also a place to show the observers just how much talent he possessed.

-Tak!

“One.”

The number Mu Jang-yak drew was One.

Next, Yeom Ga of Crimson Kill Valley came forward.

The Demon Monk possessing Yeom Ga did not care particularly about this drawing, so with a blank face he reached in and pulled out an iron ball.

The number was,

“Five.”

At those words, the expressions of two people changed.

Mok Yu-cheon, who had already thought he owed a debt to Yeom Ga of Crimson Kill Valley, lit up at the thought that Yeom Ga had become his bracket opponent.

And the other was Mu Jang-yak.

Naturally, without even needing to draw, he became matched against Mok Gyeong-un, and he drew a slow breath as he looked at him.

‘So it turns out this way.’

He had thought the day would come, before too long, when he would cross hands with Mok Gyeong-un directly.

And yet that day had already arrived.

‘To face the most troublesome opponent in the very first match……’

Mu Jang-yak shook his head slowly.

The one person among his peers he had thought would become troublesome if made into an enemy was Mok Gyeong-un.

And yet now he would be crossing hands with him.

-Grip!

Strength naturally entered his fist.

It was not because he was afraid.

He did not think he would lose immediately.

After all, he possessed ‘that,’ the hidden move that no one could defeat.

This heightened sensation was nothing more than competitive spirit.

Mu Jang-yak came over to Mok Gyeong-un, held out his hand, and said,

“So we finally cross hands. Whoever wins, let us fight with all we have.”

At those words, Mok Gyeong-un shook his hand and said as though troubled,

“Ah. That will probably be difficult.”

“What?”

“If I fight with all I have, this contest will become far too boring, so I will take it easy on you. Therefore, you should do your best.”

‘!?’

What was this bastard babbling about?

Was he provoking him right now?