Whirrr.
A hint of hesitation flickered in the eyes of the boys wielding the White Horse Whip. Judging by the sound of footsteps, at least a dozen people were approaching. If they recklessly fought Bu Eunseol here, they themselves might become prey to that incoming group.
Swish. Thud.
The crisp sound of air being sliced and the stomping of feet grew closer.
“You’re a lucky one!” The boys from the White Horse Sect, calculating their odds, hurriedly dismantled their formation. “Let’s go!” With a short shout, the boys gripping their White Horse Whips vanished into the forest, moving with the speed of a gale.
Swish.
Bu Eunseol, retrieving the iron sword from the ground, gazed impassively at the spot where the White Horse Sect boys had disappeared.
“They haven’t mastered the White Horse Whip properly.” Trapped in the Golden Serpent Array, Bu Eunseol had deliberately refrained from counterattacking, only dodging their assaults. He had been closely observing the White Horse Sect’s renowned whip techniques to identify their weaknesses.
“Maybe I should’ve just killed them.” A single strike from the White Horse Whip could not only tear flesh but also rupture muscles.
Even a few hits could render a body immobile, but Bu Eunseol, trained in the Way of the Beast, had anticipated every move, avoiding fatal injuries.
“No, another chance will come soon enough.” Bu Eunseol was certain.
Those who underestimated him as an easy target would surely pursue him again. In a slaughter battle, the strong avoid the strong and hunt the weak to survive.
Trrr.
At that moment, the sound of light-footed movement reached his ears, now dangerously close.
“No need to overdo it.” Having endured the Golden Serpent Array without striking back, his stamina was significantly drained.
With so many others still out there, there was no reason to engage in a bloody battle against a group.
Whoosh.
As Bu Eunseol leaped into the shadowed bushes,
Crack. Swish.
A group of over ten people darted past the spot where he had stood, moving swiftly with their light-footed techniques.
“…” Once the group was gone, Bu Eunseol rose again, suddenly overwhelmed by intense hunger.
It was the third day since the Third Trial had begun. All he’d consumed in that time was clear water. The trial wouldn’t end in a day or two, so he needed to eat. ‘I need to go there.’ Recalling a specific location in his mind, Bu Eunseol quickened his pace.
Thud. Thud.
Even as he moved, he occasionally paused to strike a stone or press his ear to the ground. Running blindly while evading the bloodthirsty could lead to an ambush. Thus, he expanded the sensory range of the Beast Way to monitor his surroundings.
Whoooosh.
A chilly breeze brushed past his ears. Emerging from the forest, Bu Eunseol arrived at the martial hall of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect.
Creak.
Opening the door revealed a large martial hall divided into three sections: a training ground and a practice chamber. Surveying the empty hall, Bu Eunseol stepped confidently into the grand pavilion. Passing a hanging plaque, he entered a long corridor. Deep inside, rows of tightly packed rooms lined the walls. This was the personal training chamber where trainees of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect could practice martial arts in solitude.
Clang.
Bu Eunseol forcefully opened the iron door of the chamber in the farthest corner. Pushing aside a table, he pried up a wooden floorboard. Beneath it was a stash of dried meat.
Swish.
Taking a piece of dried meat, Bu Eunseol began to chew slowly. He had scouted the terrain of this hellish place, occasionally hunting small animals to make jerky.
Chomp. Chomp.
The unseasoned dried meat was enough to sate his hunger. Bu Eunseol chewed reverently, as if a monk reciting sacred texts. After eating his fill, he leaned against the wall of the training chamber and closed his eyes.
How much time had passed?
“Phew.” Feeling his mind clear and vitality return to his stiff body, Bu Eunseol slowly opened his eyes.
Though he had lost much blood, they were merely flesh wounds. With brief rest, he had fully recovered his strength.
“The sun should be up by now.” Rising slowly, he tucked a few pieces of dried meat into his clothes.
Then he stepped out of the training chamber. Looking up, he saw the distant sky beginning to brighten. Though life-giving sunlight poured onto the earth, this hellish place was filled only with a murderous air.
“This slaughter… its end is still far off.” There was no guarantee that only ten would remain in the Ten-Demon Battle.
Even Chief Instructor Hyeok Ryeon-eung hadn’t specified, “Kill until a certain number remain.” It could be until one remains, or perhaps five.
Thud.
At that moment, the vibration of footsteps striking the ground brushed past Bu Eunseol’s ears. Four people. Judging by the consistent distance between their steps, they were clearly a group.
“It’s them.” Bu Eunseol’s lips curled slightly.
From the sound of their footsteps alone, he deduced they were the White Horse Temple group.
Swish.
Unconsciously, his hand brushed the hilt of the black sword strapped to his back. This black sword was not only light but also served well as a backup weapon.
And now, Bu Eunseol sought to claim yet another weapon.
***
At the peak of a rocky mountain overlooking the entirety of Hell Island.
There stood a muscular elder with a grave expression and a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar, side by side. They were Chief Instructor Hyeok Ryeon-eung and the Master of Ten Thousand Battles, Baek Jeoncheon.
“What’s the situation?” At Hyeok Ryeon-eung’s question, Baek Jeoncheon unfurled a parchment map of Hell’s Path and answered respectfully.
“Of the eighty-six trainees, forty-one remain.”
“Forty-one, even after three days…”
“It seems the talented ones anticipated this. Few are engaging in fierce combat; most are forming groups or establishing strongholds.” Hyeok Ryeon-eung nodded leisurely.
“I see.”
“To be honest, I don’t quite understand…” Baek Jeon-cheon’s gaze deepened as he looked down at Hell Island. “If we had restricted the area to this rocky mountain from the start, this could’ve been resolved quickly without dragging on.”
“Are you asking why I didn’t gather them all to fight at once, instead gradually expanding the restricted area and prolonging the battle?”
“Yes.” Turning his gaze, Hyeok Ryeon-eung looked down at the landscape of Hell Island instead of answering.
At a glance, it seemed peaceful, but battles of life and death raged in every corner. With a deep breath, he sensed the faint stench of blood carried by the wind.
“If we did that, we’d end up with the same result as the Second Trial. Someone who hasn’t even properly mastered martial arts might survive.”
“Bu Eunseol… are you referring to that boy?”
“Exactly. Thanks to him, we learned that a chaotic melee in a confined space isn’t enough to judge true skill.” Snorting softly, Hyeok Ryeon-eung narrowed his eyes and spoke. “This was the conclusion reached after long discussions with the elders and the leaders of the Ten Demonic Sects.” Recalling that time, Hyeok Ryeon-eung spoke coldly with a displeased expression.
“Rather than recklessly weeding them out, we decided to let them demonstrate all their abilities—martial prowess, wisdom, leadership, adaptability, and quick thinking—even if it takes more time.”
“So that’s what happened.” Baek Jeoncheon nodded.
Despite being the Master of Ten Thousand Battles, he wasn’t permitted to attend the meetings concerning the Ten Demon Successors. Only the Sect Leader of Majeon, the elders, the instructors of the Ten Demon Successor candidates, and Chief Instructor Hyeok Ryeon-eung were allowed to participate.
“Now that only the worthy ones remain, it’s time to make them reveal their true skills.” Hyeok Ryeon-eung pointed to a spot on the parchment map Baek Jeoncheon held. “First, restrict access to this area.”
The place he indicated was near the martial hall of the Hwa Wu Sword Sect.
***
At the Hwa Wu Sword Sect.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes gleamed with an unusual intensity. Though he hadn’t learned stealth or movement techniques, his training in the Way of the Beast made him adept at concealing his presence. Moving silently toward the training chamber, he resembled a predator stalking its prey.
“They found my tracks well.” Bu Eunseol had deliberately left traces of blood to make it easy for the White Horse Temple boys to pursue him.
Sure enough, they had followed the bloodstains all the way to the Hwa Wu Sword Sect.
“That guy went this way.” Following the scattered bloodstains, the boys entered the corridor leading to the training chambers.
At that moment, Bu Eunseol slowly emerged from behind them. There was only one exit from the training chambers. By blocking the corridor, he had trapped the four boys like rats in a cage.
“Crazy bastard.” But the boys sneered at Bu Eunseol. “Did you think luring us into a narrow corridor would let you win?”
Whirrr.
Summoning their White Horse Whips, each three jang long, they grinned confidently.
“Today, you die!” No more words were needed. Only a battle of blood and flesh remained. “Take this!” With a thunderous shout, the four boys surrounded Bu Eunseol and swung their White Horse Whips.
Whoosh!
The four whips stretched and contracted with each swing through the air. The fearsome aspect of the White Horse Sect’s whip techniques was their ability to freely adjust length, unleashing unpredictable and fluid moves that even the wielder couldn’t always anticipate.
Ping! Bang!
The whips, moving like living snakes, darted through the air, targeting Bu Eunseol’s vital points.
“What?” But Bu Eunseol didn’t move from his spot.
Or rather, though he appeared stationary, he was perfectly dodging every move.
The Beast Way.
The mysterious power of this technique was being fully unleashed.
Swish!
Bu Eunseol’s sword, narrowly dodging the whips by a hair’s breadth, was finally drawn.
“Aaagh!” A bloodcurdling scream erupted as a fountain of blood sprayed from the neck of one of the boys wielding a whip. “What kind of swordsmanship is this?”
Bu Eunseol had executed the second form of the Hwa Wu Lightning Sword, Ascension and Descent. But combined with the Beast Way and his killing intent, it transformed into a sharp, brutal, and swift sword technique.
Flash!
With a brilliant gleam, Bu Eunseol’s iron sword drew another arc of blood.
“Urgh!” Another scream rang out.
He had stabbed the elbow joint of a boy moving in sync with the whip’s speed. It was the only joint the White Horse Whip couldn’t protect.
Whoosh!
The black sword, having pierced the elbow with a series of rapid strikes, now sliced through the boy’s carotid artery.
Spurt!
As another fountain of blood erupted,
“You bastard!” The two remaining boys, enraged, shortened their whips and pressed Bu Eunseol.
But without the Golden Serpent Array, the whips’ power was significantly diminished. Individually, their skills were not impressive.
“Argh!” Another scream echoed as a boy wielding a whip collapsed.
No matter how frantically they swung, they couldn’t land a hit on Bu Eunseol, who predicted every move and trajectory.
—This guy lured us here on purpose!
Only then did the boys realize. They hadn’t cornered Bu Eunseol; he had cornered them. He had hidden his true strength, merely observing their whip techniques.
“Get out of the way!” They swung their whips wildly, but they couldn’t touch a single hair on Bu Eunseol, who blocked the exit.
Tssst!
Suddenly, a strange sound accompanied something swiftly piercing Bu Eunseol’s side.
Whirrr.
Bu Eunseol quickly spun his body in midair. A white whip grazed his shoulder.
Tssst!
The whip, passing by, abruptly changed direction and struck at his back.
Clang!
He blocked it with his drawn iron sword, but being airborne, his body was flung to the end of the corridor.
“Now’s our chance!” The two boys, trapped in the corridor, bolted toward the exit.
“Hm.” At that moment, a large shadow loomed, blocking their path. “What are you lot doing?”
The shadow was a massive boy, with White Horse Whips wrapped around his waist and arms.
