Blade of the Discarded — Chapter 2

HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN HERE...?

THERE AREN'T EVEN HALF OF US LEFT...

DID YOU HEAR,

THEY SAY WE'RE GOING TO BE SOLD AS SHADOW FIGHTERS?

SHADOW FIGHTERS?

WHAT ARE THOSE?

APPARENTLY, THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL KIDS LIKE US WHO LEARN OTHER SECTS' MARTIAL ARTS AND GET SOLD OFF.

TH-THEN...

WILL WE GET TO LIVE IF WE'RE SOLD TO SOMEONE OUTSIDE?

WE WON'T.

WE'LL STILL DIE.

WOULD THEY LET US LIVE AFTER WE'VE LEARNED THEIR STOLEN MARTIAL ARTS?

EVEN IF WE GET OUT, WE'LL END UP DEAD.

WE'LL DIE EVEN IF WE GET OUT?

THEN WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO LIVE?

FIRST, WE HAVE TO GET STRONGER.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE'LL BE ABLE TO SURVIVE WHEN A CHANCE COMES.

I'M GOING TO SLEEP.

HOW DOES NUMBER TEN KNOW ALL THAT...?

I-I DON'T KNOW...

EUNCHEON PAVILION, MANBUDONG

HOW IS THE SHADOW FIGHTER LEARNING THE IMPERIAL SWORD FORM PROGRESSING?

THE TRAINEE HAS REACHED THE FIFTH LEVEL.

THE IMPERIAL SWORD FORM IS SUCH A DIFFICULT MARTIAL ART TO MASTER...

TOO SLOW.

IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THE SHANDONG AK FAMILY REQUESTED A SHADOW FIGHTER.

IF THEY CHANGE THEIR MINDS AT THIS RATE, OUR LOSSES WILL BE ENORMOUS.

YOU MUST SPEED UP THE TRAINEE'S PROGRESS, EVEN IF IT REQUIRES HARSHER TREATMENT.

WHETHER THE TRAINEE DIES FROM THE TRAINING OR WE LOSE THEIR TRUST AND THEIR BUSINESS, THE RESULT IS THE SAME.

...YOU MAKE A FAIR POINT.

EVEN IF THIS IS OUR FIRST SHADOW FIGHTER TO LEARN THE IMPERIAL SWORD FORM,

THERE MUST BE NO FURTHER DELAYS.

MANBUDONG'S REPUTATION MUST NOT SUFFER EVEN THE SLIGHTEST BLEMISH.

...UNDERSTOOD.

I WILL ACCELERATE NUMBER TEN'S PROGRESS.

I WILL NOT DISAPPOINT YOU, MY LORD.

NUMBER TEN,

YOUR SPECIAL TRAINING BEGINS TODAY.

IF THIS IS THE BEST YOU CAN DO, YOU MIGHT AS WELL DIE.

IT WOULD BE LESS PAINFUL.

HUAAAAH!

THOSE WHO FAIL TO GROW STRONGER DIE,

AND YOU'RE NO EXCEPTION.

ALSO,

I INTEND TO KILL YOU.

STRUGGLE ALL YOU CAN

IF YOU WANT TO LIVE.

WE WILL DRAW OUT EVERY BIT OF THAT BRAT'S POTENTIAL.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE BRAT DIES.

PUSH HIM HARDER.

NOT EVEN FOR A MOMENT

WILL YOU ALLOW THAT BRAT TO REST.

I WANT TO LIVE.

TO DO THAT,

I HAVE TO GET STRONGER...

NO MATTER THE COST.

NUMBER TEN AGE: EIGHTEEN

YOU'RE FINALLY OF SOME USE.

YOU'RE LEAVING MANBUDONG TODAY.

YOUR BUYER HOLDS A SEAT AMONG THE FIVE GREAT FAMILIES

AND CONTENDS FOR THE FINEST SPEAR ARTS UNDER HEAVEN,

AS PART OF THE SHANDONG AK FAMILY.

NEAR THE AK FAMILY ESTATE DONGPING PREFECTURE, SHANDONG PROVINCE

LOOKS LIKE THAT'S IT.

SO SHADOW FIGHTERS REALLY EXIST?

I WAS SURE THEY WERE JUST A RUMOR...

HALT THERE.

ARE YOU FROM MANBUDONG?

THIS LAD IS A SHADOW FIGHTER?

BRING OUT THE SHADOW FIGHTER!!

THE FAMILY HEAD WISHES TO SEE THE SHADOW FIGHTER'S SKILLS!!

SO THAT'S HIM,

THE BRAT WHO COST US THREE YEARS OF THE FAMILY'S BUDGET.

HEAD OF THE SHANDONG AK FAMILY AK TAESANG

...NOW, LET'S SEE

IF THAT WHELP

WAS WORTH THE PRICE.

TCH, JPRETTY QUICK FOR A BRAT, AREN'T YOU?

TO THINK THE BRAT EVEN COUNTERATTACKED IN THAT SPLIT SECOND...

IF I DON'T TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY, I'LL LOSE FACE IN FRONT OF THE FAMILY HEAD.

I HAVE TO GO FOR THE KILL!!!

THAT IS DEFINITELY THE IMPERIAL SWORD FORM,

BUT THAT LEVEL OF SKILL ISN'T ENOUGH.

DON'T BLAME ME IF YOU DIE!!

THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.

NO MATTER WHAT,

I WILL SURVIVE.

HAHAHA! HAHAHAHA!

YES...

THE PRICE WAS WORTH IT!!

TAKE THAT BRAT TO DORAN PAVILION!

MAKE SURE HE'S WELL-FED AND RESTED!

THE FUTURE OF OUR SHANDONG AK FAMILY DEPENDS ON IT!!!

OPEN THE GATES!