Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“Ahhhhh!”

“Ohhhhh!”

Mount Hua and the bandits charged at each other fiercely.

Swish!

The sword moved with extreme swiftness and agility, and the blade that met it was incredibly strong.

Kwaang!

The deafening sound echoed as the sword and blade collided.

“Tsk!”

“Euk!”

The moment they crossed weapons, their faces hardened like never before.

“I guess you aren’t easy!”

“Don’t let your guard down!”

It was Mount Hua who shouted first.

Even though they had faced two bandit groups before this, the power emanating from this blade was entirely different from those encounters. It was a moment when they could clearly understand why this particular bandit group was the only name mentioned in relation to Green Forest.

The Great Star Bandits felt the same.

“T-these people!”

“Do not retreat!”

There were times when one could learn more from a single sword strike than a thousand words, and that was precisely the situation for the disciples of Mount Hua and the bandits.

Kakakak!

Un Geom, who had deflected the flying sickle, stiffened as he shouted.

“Do not fight with brute force!”

“Yes!”

Un Geom’s eyes darkened at this.

‘These are not people to be underestimated.’

Un Geom couldn’t claim to fully understand the situation in Kangho. Still, he was certain that the strength and status of these bandits they were fighting against couldn’t be compared to the previous bandits they had faced.

‘Is this really the group aiming for the position of Green Forest King?’

The bandits who followed a stronger bandit.

Thus, the stronger bandits tended to gather around the central mountain with strong leaders. Ultimately, it meant that the strength of the bandit leader symbolized the strength of those under them.

So, looking back, one could see that person as Go Hong.

‘Even so, they are ultimately bandits!’

Un Geom had more faith in the power of Mount Hua than anyone else.

Among the disciples he taught, not a single child was lazy. At least in the past few years, they endured difficult training that other sects couldn’t even imagine and completed it without a single complaint.

No matter how much Go Hong forced the Green Forest bandits to train, the disciples of Mount Hua surely didn’t have to endure such tough training to become strong, so there was no way the children would fall behind.

Un Geom didn’t believe in his teachings, but rather, he believed in the disciples who overcame his teachings.

“Believe in yourselves! You are already strong enough!”

The loud cheers that followed couldn’t be heard, yet they strengthened the Mount Hua disciples.

“Yoon Jong, Jo Gul! Support the left side!”

“Yes, sasuk!”

“Sago! To the right with Soso!”

“Yes, sahyung.”

Quickly responding to the situation, Baek Cheon swiftly arrived in the center.

Paaat!

The sword he wielded pierced the neck of the bandit who was swinging his sword in an instant.

“Ugh…huh….”

With the sound of blood gurgling, the bandit fell down. However, Baek Cheon didn’t spare even a second of attention for the dead man and rushed towards the dozens of blades that came next.

“Ack!”

“My leg! Ack!”

Thud!

And then he stomped down on the ground hard.

‘One cannot lead with words alone.’

He had seen enough by now. What was it like to lead people?

When someone truly trustworthy led from the front, those who followed were able to overcome their own limitations and unfold twice their actual strength. Hadn’t he already felt this countless times as he looked at the back of Chung Myung?

‘I cannot always follow him!’

One day, he would be the sect leader of Mount Hua.

He wasn’t one to be led but one to lead all.

Prrr.

The tip of his sword began to tremble as this beautiful steam, which shone with plum blossoms, burst out.

“Sahyung!”

“Watch the back of sasuk!”

Even without uttering a word, the sahyungs understood Baek Cheon’s intentions and held their ground.

A faint smile graced Baek Cheon’s lips.

“Let’s go, Mount Hua!”

“Yes!”

Un Geom and the Un disciples, who were at the front, claimed the most dangerous position in the war - the forefront - and led Mount Hua.

Meanwhile, Lee Jong-Bang watched this unfold and shook his head.

‘What on earth is this?’

This couldn’t continue.

Hadn’t they confirmed that Mount Hua’s strength far surpassed theirs? There was no chance of victory if they engaged in direct combat.

Yet, his damned leader was charging at the enemy head-on, failing to utilize either the terrain advantage or their numerical superiority.

If one had to choose, then this was the epitome of what shouldn’t be done.

The difference was clear.

In terms of sheer power, their side might have been the strongest. Of course, Mount Hua’s strength was evidently superior, but considering the difference in numbers, it was hard to label the bandits as weak.

However, the force of the current battle was concentrated on Mount Hua.

‘No matter how much I ponder, this seems impossible.’

These people, who hadn’t even lost the fat on their faces, were moving in unison like seasoned warriors.

This wasn’t just their strategy but their trust.

No matter how much the Green Forest bandits trained, they could never fight and completely surrender their lives to the person standing next to them. It was impossible to overcome the deeply ingrained doubt through training alone.

But the Mount Hua sect was wielding their swords with utmost trust in those protecting them. They believed in their sahyungs who would stop the men they couldn’t and that someone would move with them to tackle the opponents too difficult for them to handle.

That was essentially what a sect was.

When people who have lived different lives believe in and trust each other under one name, their power can multiply several times.

Those who led risked their lives to ease the burden on those who followed, and those who followed did their best to protect the one in the lead.

“A-Ack!”

“W-what are these people…!”

Even at a glance, the battle situation was clearly against them. Mount Hua’s swordsmen rushed through the center of the widespread bandits without a second thought.

If things continued like this, it wouldn’t be long before their center was breached.

‘L-leader!’

Lee Jong-Bang was flustered and looked at Go Hong’s back.

Although defeat was evident, he watched the situation and didn’t move. Seeing that laid-back attitude, Lee Jong-Bang’s eyes trembled.

‘Could it be that he really has no other intentions?’

He eventually gathered courage and ran to Go Hong.

“L-leader!”

“Hmm.”

Seeing him run and shout, Go Hong’s eyes twitched, and he looked away.

“I-If we let this continue, the damage will be too great! Five Tigers! Put them in!”

The Five Tigers were the subordinates of Go Hong, whom he personally raised.

Only skilled warriors could turn the tide for them. If they stood in front, they could break even the strongest force.

“Five Tigers?”

“Yes, leader! It isn’t too late to turn the tide….”

At that moment, Go Hong suddenly grabbed him by the collar and threw him down.

“Ackkk!”

“This useless bastard.”

“L-leader?”

Go Hong’s face had distorted.

He shouted, pointing ahead. When Lee Jong-Bang saw it, he saw the bandits being pushed back.

“W-what are you trying to show?”

All he could see was the image of Mount Hua digging into the center and mercilessly cutting down the bandits.

“See it?”

“Uh?”

“Tsk tsk. Aren’t they all rushing to the center? As if they are allowing themselves to be surrounded!”

Lee Jong-bang’s face contorted at Go Hong’s confident words.

“Leader! Surrounding only works when one has the strength to defeat the opponent. Surrounding the opponent with insufficient power invites individual destruction upon us.”

Lee Jong-Bang, his frustration at its peak, couldn’t bear it and screamed. Normally, this would have been unthinkable, but with his life on the line, there was nothing more he could do.

Would he just die because of this foolish man?

“Perhaps it’s because one doesn’t have enough strength?”

“What are you saying! Have you almost lost your mind….”

Thud!

Kwang!

Go Hong slapped Lee Jong-Bang on the cheek.

Lee Jong-Bang, thrown to the ground with one hit, immediately rolled around and groaned, clutching his swollen face.

“He was right when he said not to discuss anything with you. You incompetent fool!”

“…”

Lee Jong-Bang cupped his cheek and looked at Go Hong with blank eyes.

‘He?’

And.

Just what was he talking about?

“Hehe. There wasn’t a single mistake from the start to the end. It’s like a ghost. Really looks like a ghost!”

“L-leader!”

“I don’t know what you’re doing, but that person’s abilities are a hundred times more reliable than yours!”

Go Hong’s bloodshot eyes showed satisfaction.

“Not enough strength? Ahahahaha!”

He hit the ground hard with the huge scimitar he was holding in his hand.

“Then just add the strength you lack! Everyone, come out! Kill those fearless brats!”

Lee Jong-Bang wondered if Go Hong had completely lost his mind.

Who was he asking to come? The Five Tigers?

No. The Five Tigers, it couldn’t be. He wouldn’t make such a fuss if it was an obvious move to involve them.

Then who?

‘Are you saying that you have joined forces with another group without telling me?’

No. If Go Hong had that kind of resourcefulness, something like this wouldn’t have happened. Wasn’t Go Hong a person who was secretly looked down upon by other bandits because of his reckless nature?

Then…

It was at that moment.

Kwang! Kwang!

The fences surrounding the greenhouse collapsed all at once, accompanied by a massive explosion that sounded like a firebomb had detonated.

“Hik!”

Lee Jong-Bang turned his head in fear as a cloud of dust rose.

“…”

Finally, the thick dust was blown away by the mountain wind.

‘W-what. What is it? Who are those guys?’

Unidentified bloody figures appeared. Lee Jong-Bong’s eyes widened.

The number of them who suddenly appeared behind the fence was about fifty at most. In a place where over 600 people were fighting, the number fifty seemed absurd at first glance.

However, the moment they revealed themselves, everyone there sensed that something unusual was about to happen.

The red military uniforms and the thin swords made everyone watching feel eerie. But what caught their attention even more was the breathtaking aura they exuded.

“Uhhahahaha!”

Go Hong burst out laughing.

“That damn rat! The world doesn’t just move as you want it to in your head!”

Im So-Byeong stared at the unknown warriors with a serious expression.

‘What is this now?’

These were people he had never seen before.

To put it bluntly, they weren’t Green Forest bandits. There wasn’t a slight trace of bandit nature or qi in them.

His back instantly became wet with cold sweat.

‘Was it all a trap?’

Had Go Hong set a trap for them?

At the moment when he became aware of this possibility, Go Hong’s scimitar was aimed at the disciples of Mount Hua.

“Kill them all! Don’t leave a single one of them alive!”

As soon as those words were out, the bloody figures crossed the line and advanced.

As the situation changed, everyone couldn’t hide their shock.

“I knew it would end up like this.”

But Chung Myung, who watched this, clicked his tongue and stepped forward.

“Hey, sasuk.”

“… what now?”

“The training session ends here.”

“Uh?”

Srrng.

The Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword was pulled from Chung Myung’s waist.

“The real fight starts now.”

A cold, murderous intent suddenly flowed from his eyes.