The Ruler of Darkness - Book 4: Chapter 24

It was unimaginable that members of the special forces, of all people, would fail to sense the murderous aura right in front of their own headquarters.

“What’s going on? Is there a fight?”

“A duel? A sparring match?”

As the standoff between Jung-ah and the Three Exceptional Warrior began, all the special forces agents who were awake in the headquarters rushed out without exception.

Among them, those with exceptional light-footed skills didn’t even bother with the doors; they simply leaped over the roofs of the three-story buildings to make their appearance.

How could those who pride themselves as warriors miss out on a fight?

Finally, unlike the others, a man fully dressed in his uniform, known as Life-Stealing Devil Sword, lazily made his appearance.

“What’s happening?”

At his question, a special forces member known as Mr. Hwang replied.

“It seems like the steward of Wongak Pavilion and the Three Exceptional Warrior under the Third Young Master are about to clash.”

“The chief…?”

“I understand the steward has learned martial arts, but the Three Exceptional Warrior is not an easy opponent.”

“Hmm. Maybe we should intervene only if it’s the worst-case scenario.”

The special forces members widened their circle to make room for Life-Stealing Devil Sword.

As expected, the scene that unfolded was of the two, a man and a woman, still with their swords sheathed, facing off against each other.

“Ah…”

Life-Stealing Devil Sword let out a sigh that was almost a groan, to which Mr. Hwang, noticing the tense atmosphere between the man and woman, said,

“You always doted on the stewardlike your own daughter, did you ever teach her how to use a sword?”

Life-Stealing Devil Sword shook his head firmly.

“Never did.”

At that moment, another special forces member asked Life-Stealing Devil Sword,

“Wouldn’t it be better if the steward won, rather than that dark-hearted man? Do you think she has a chance?”

Though he spoke indirectly, there was no member of the special forces who disliked the women of Wongak Pavilion.

Their eyes were all fixed on Life-Stealing Devil Sword.

Ignoring their gazes, Life-Stealing Devil Sword muttered,

“If she loses one-sidedly in front of so many people, it’ll be a huge blow to her morale as well…”

As he clicked his tongue softly, Mr. Hwang inquired, “One-sidedly? Who do you mean?”

Before Life-Stealing Devil Sword could answer, the Three Exceptional Warrior was already addressing Jung-ah.

“Girl, now that we’ve gathered quite an audience, I shall thoroughly correct that foul habit of yours.”

Despite being surrounded by clearly formidable individuals, the Three Exceptional Warrior paid them no heed, confident that the warriors from the main house would not interfere in the duel.

It was, in fact, an excellent opportunity for him. Once he dealt with her properly, she would never dare boast about being a warrior again.

“If you’re ready, then draw your sword, girl,” he warned Jung-ah, who still merely rested her left hand atop the sword hilt.

He had never encountered such a careless stance within his knowledge, which is why he found it noteworthy.

However, Jung-ah simply looked at him leisurely, maintaining her posture without any intention of drawing her sword.

Lowering his stance, he exuded a menacing aura.

“If you’re not prepared, you might as well throw away your sword now and apologize to the seniors here and to me for your foolish claims of being a warrior…”

Jung-ah, who had been silent, let out a small sigh.

“Do all the warriors of the Third Young Master fight with their mouths?”

“What…?!”

His patience for the novice was over. Angered, he tightly gripped the leather-wrapped sword hilt, causing the sword within to scream as if in agony.

As he lowered his stance to the extreme and twisted his body to conceal the sword, his internal energy sharply focused.

“Ah…!”

The special forces members watching couldn’t help but admire.

“He has mastered the art of drawing the sword to its limits…!”

“Such an excellent stance.”

“It seems one of the Three Skills includes the art of drawing the sword.”

Their gaze then shifted towards Jung-ah.

Even amidst the peak tension, Jung-ah maintained a leisurely, and to some, an arrogantly relaxed posture with her left hand resting on the sword’s hilt.

“If one has mastered the art of drawing the sword, then what follows should be a secret technique…”

“I wonder if the steward can withstand that first strike with such a stance.”

“It’s too close for comfort.”

At that moment, Mr. Hwang, who had been keenly observing Jung-ah’s stance, smacked his lips and tilted his head in contemplation.

“That stance, it seems familiar…”

Then, the lightning-fast strike from the Three Exceptional Warrior split the breath of everyone present.

Like a shot fired, the sword, unleashed from its sheath, was the embodiment of Sword Spirit, Sword Cry—the secret technique of the art of drawing the sword, the Storm!

Witnessing that perfect strike, the special forces members sensed Jung-ah’s imminent defeat.

Except for two people, Life-Stealing Devil Sword and Mr. Hwang.

With a metallic screech that tore through the air, a sword soared high.

Spinning and twirling, the sword danced through the air before plummeting down, bouncing a couple of times on the ground’s flagstones and then coming to a rest.

From the Three Exceptional Warrior’s grievously torn grip, blood streamed profusely.

His gaze was fixed on the icy blade thrust beneath his chin.

It was inconceivable.

He was at a loss as to what had transpired.

His eyes shook uncontrollably.

One of the special forces members, baffled by what he saw, muttered,

“Left-handed reverse grip?”

Jung-ah stood with her sword held in her left hand, in a reverse grip, pointed at the Three Exceptional Warrior’s throat.

“She mastered the heretical techniques among the heretical?”

Left-handed and reverse-grip swordsmanship had been considered heretical since ancient times, but in the world of swordsmanship, these were merely common terms, not ones of contempt.

The maids, who had silently believed in her victory without a doubt, erupted in applause.

“The Three Exceptional Warrior’s draw was faster, wasn’t it?”

“In such a high-level sparring, to counterattack despite striking after…?”

“What on earth just happened?”

The special forces members doubted their own eyes. As accomplished warriors, they had clearly seen Jung-ah’s counterattack but could not comprehend what they had witnessed.

Then, Mr. Hwang, with a resigned smile, broke the silence.

“Are you all still unsure about what that sword technique was?”

All eyes turned to him as he shook his head in disbelief, as if he couldn’t trust his own conclusion.

“That was the Sword House’s Secret Sword, Flash Shadow Instant, wasn’t it?”

Initially, faces were marked with disbelief at his assertion.

“Flash Shadow Instant?”

But in the next moment, expressions turned to shock.

“Flash Shadow Instant?!”

There wasn’t a single special forces member there who hadn’t been considered a prodigy in their youth, and each had eventually encountered a wall they couldn’t overcome. Yet none had dared to attempt mastering Flash Shadow Instant, known as the most challenging technique in the Sword House.

A secret sword technique that any martial artist of notable skill within the Luoyang Sword House would aspire to learn. Yet, among all those talented individuals, only a rare few ever truly mastered it.

The concept of striking after being struck, a counterattack meant to be a one-hit kill. A sword technique that brings the extremes of these concepts into reality, consisting of eight forms dedicated solely to these two purposes.

That was the essence of Flash Shadow Instant.

While the special forces members were still in disbelief, Life-Stealing Devil Sword let out a bitter laugh.

“Left-handed reverse grip. The sixth form of Flash Shadow Instant, Devil King’s Prey.”

He shook his head in acknowledgment. It was the most perfected form of Devil King’s Prey he had ever seen.

‘To have mastered Flash Shadow Instant in such a short time…’

He looked at Jung-ah with an expression of unfathomable bewilderment.

‘Steward Jung-ah, what exactly are you?’

“Flash Shadow Instant…!”

The Three Exceptional Warrior shouted almost convulsively.

Even as his throat was grazed by Jung-ah’s sword, bleeding, he paid it no mind and continued to shout.

“Don’t lie! This is sorcery! Sorcery, I tell you!”

Jung-ah retracted her sword with an expression of disbelief at what she was hearing.

“It can’t be! Let’s fight again! One more time! I was just… momentarily off guard!”

He limped toward his sword on the ground, attempting to grasp it.

However, his injured right hand failed to hold the sword, so he picked it up with his left.

“This time I’ll face you properly! Come at me, right now!”

The steward, unaware of the situation’s gravity, hastily exclaimed.

“Yes, yes! Fight one more time!”

But Jung-ah had no intention of continuing.

“It’s time for our guests to arrive; everyone should leave.”

At her words, the Three Exceptional Warrior yelled back.

“What kind of guest would come to a place like this! Are you running away cowardly?!”

The steward also shouted.

“It’s unlikely that a guest of the Eldest Young Master would come, but even if they did, what of it?!”

Life-Stealing Devil Sword turned his gaze in the direction Jung-ah was looking.

It was toward the far side of the main road.

“All special forces members not in proper uniform, return to headquarters immediately!”

“What do you mean, Captain?”

Life-Stealing Devil Sword pointed toward the distance.

“The guests have arrived.”

As expected, the first to arrive were individuals from within the Luoyang Sword House.

“I have been sent by the chief of the Supreme Operating Council of the Luoyang Sword House, bringing congratulations and gifts!”

“We represent the entire Council of Elders, here to convey our congratulations and present gifts to the Eldest Young Master!”

“I am a steward from the Inner Court, bringing a congratulatory letter from the Inner Court’s Supervisor.”

The entrance was quickly turning chaotic with individuals bearing gifts and letters from recognizable figures within the Luoyang Sword House. Jung-ah’s maids efficiently directed them to the waiting room or further inside Wongak Pavilion.

Following them, envoys from the vassal families and branches of the Luoyang Sword House began to arrive.

“We are envoys from the Kaifeng Yuan Family, a branch family of the Luoyang Sword House. Please guide us to the Eldest Young Master.”

“I am an envoy from the Sikong Family in Shaanxi, Taiyuan, representing our family head.”

But this was just the beginning.

“We come from the Ma Family in the Imperial Capital. We wish to meet the Eldest Young Master to deliver a gift and letter from our previous family head.”

“I serve the retired Grand Preceptor.”

Convoys and individuals bearing gifts and letters of congratulations from those with personal ties to Yeon So-hyeon, some of high standing, formed a long line.

“A gift sent by Mr. Ham, an external advisor to the Imperial Secretariat.”

Witnessing the scene unfold, the steward was in disbelief.

“Predecessor head of the Ma Family? The Imperial Grand Preceptor? An external advisor to the Imperial Secretariat…?”

Such connections were beyond even what the Second Young Master possessed. But it wasn’t just that. Everyone being led inside Wongak Pavilion, those heading to the waiting room, and the continuous influx of guests forming a line at the back—among them, there wasn’t a single name that a mere steward could dare to greet with his head raised.

The Three Exceptional Warrior, cornered and dragged out by the special forces members, could only stare blankly at the unending procession.

The climax was heralded by a powerful shout, filled with internal energy.

“Make way, everyone!”

All eyes turned towards the source of the voice.

“The Vice Eunuch of the Ceremonial Department, carrying the Imperial Edict from His Majesty the Emperor, has arrived!”

At the mention of the Emperor’s Imperial Edict, everyone prostrated themselves.

“The Emperor’s Imperial Edict…?”

The steward form Ho-won, who had been standing dumbfounded, murmuring to himself, was suddenly seized by those around him and forced to kneel.

‘What’s happening? Is this all still a dream from last night that I haven’t woken up from?’