Blade of the Discarded — Chapter 5

THE NAMGUNG FAMILY'S SECRET ART HAD SEEMED FLAWLESS.

IMPERIAL SWORD FORM

HOW MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS HAD I SPENT SEARCHING FOR EVEN A SINGLE OPENING?

EVEN IN MY DREAMS, I TRIED AGAIN AND AGAIN TO OVERCOME THE IMPERIAL SWORD FORM.

AND TODAY, AT LONG LAST,

I SHATTERED THAT WRETCHED NIGHTMARE.

HAH...

HAH...

HAH...

FAMILY HEAD...!!

FAMILY HEAD!!!

FAMILY HEAD!!!

I'VE FINALLY OVERCOME THE IMPERIAL SWORD FORM!!

HOHOHO,

NATURALLY, OVERCOMING THE IMPERIAL SWORD FORM IS ONLY TO BE EXPECTED OF THE SHANDONG AK FAMILY'S YOUNG MASTER.

THOUGH I AM SPARING WITH MY PRAISE,

TODAY I CAN NOT HELP BUT COMMEND YOU.

YOUR SPEAR HAS FINALLY PIERCED NOT THE OUTWARD FORM OF THE IMPERIAL SWORD FORM,

BUT THE PRINCIPLE BEHIND IT.

YOU ARE QUITE RIGHT, FAMILY HEAD.

JUST AS ONE WOULD EXPECT OF THE GREAT SHANDONG AK FAMILY'S YOUNG MASTER.

I'M PROUD OF YOU, MY SON.

YOU ARE THE FUTURE OF THE SHANDONG AK FAMILY.

MY FATHER'S APPROVAL. I'VE YEARNED FOR IT ALL MY LIFE.

NOTHING COULD BE SWEETER.

THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE.

YOU MUST SHOW EVERYONE THAT THE SHANDONG AK FAMILY HAS SURPASSED THE NAMGUNG FAMILY.

SEND A CHALLENGE TO THE NAMGUNG FAMILY.

YUEYANG

HAVE YOU HEARD THE RUMOR?

THEY SAY THE AK FAMILY'S YOUNG MASTER HAS PERFECTED A SECRET TECHNIQUE TO DEFEAT THE IMPERIAL SWORD FORM.

OH, PLEASE. THE SHANDONG AK FAMILY HAS NEVER BESTED THE NAMGUNG FAMILY.

BESIDES, HE'S UP AGAINST NAMGUNG HYEOK, A ONCE-IN-A-CENTURY PRODIGY.

THIS TIME WILL BE NO DIFFERENT.

SO WOULDN'T BETTING ON THE NAMGUNG FAMILY BE THE SENSIBLE THING TO DO?

I'LL PUT MY FAITH IN THE TIGERS OF SHANDONG.

YOU MUST HAVE MONEY TO BURN!!

THE DUEL BETWEEN THE AK AND NAMGUNG FAMILIES

HAS ALL OF YUEYANG BUZZING.

THE DUEL WILL SOON BEGIN.

EVERYONE'S ATTENTION WILL BE ON THE DUEL.

ALSO,

THE MARTIAL ARTISTS GUARDING THIS PLACE HAVE FINALLY LET THEIR GUARD DOWN.

STILL...

MANY OF THE AK FAMILY'S WARRIORS ARE WATCHING ME.

IF I ESCAPE NOW, EVEN MORE MARTIAL ARTISTS WILL GIVE CHASE.

THEY MUST THINK THIS MANY MARTIAL ARTISTS ARE ENOUGH TO KILL ME,

BUT THAT'S PRECISELY WHY I HAVE TO ESCAPE NOW.

AT LEAST SIX OUTSIDE THE DOOR...

THERE'S TWELVE OR MORE, COUNTING THOSE NEARBY.

GUH... GWAH...!!

KUGHH...

TH-THE SHADOW FIGHTER...!!!

THE SHADOW FIGHTER HAS ESCAPED!!!

CATCH HIM!!!

YOU'VE GOT SOME NERVE.

I DIDN'T EXPECT YOU TO ACCEPT YOUR DEATH QUIETLY,

BUT TO COME CHARGING BRAZENLY OUT THE FRONT GATE!

HIS STANCE,

HIS BREATHING

EVEN THE ANGLE OF HIS GRIP ON THE SPEAR,

HE'S AN EXPERT.

THIS POINTLESS STUNT HAS ONLY HASTENED YOUR DEATH.

IF YOU'D STAYED PUT, YOU COULD HAVE LIVED AT LEAST ANOTHER DAY.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN CURIOUS. NOW SHOW ME

JUST HOW STRONG A SHADOW FIGHTER REALLY IS.

THE CURIOUS CAT IS ALWAYS THE FIRST TO DIE.

I CAN SEE EVERY TRAJECTORY CLEARLY.

HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF TIMES,

I'VE FACED AK WIGUN'S SPEAR. THOSE TRAJECTORIES HAVE BEEN ETCHED INTO MY BONES.

GAH...!!!

A LITTLE...

DEEPER...!!

YUEYANG IS OVERFLOWING WITH PEOPLE WHO'VE FLOCKED HERE TO WATCH THE DUEL.

THE BIGGER THE CROWD, THE LESS ANY ONE PERSON STANDS OUT.

I'LL BLEND IN WITH THEM AND ESCAPE.

YOU'RE EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN I THOUGHT.

I THOUGHT YOU'D CRAWL OUT THROUGH SOME LITTLE HOLE. I NEVER EXPECTED YOU TO SMASH YOUR WAY OUT THE FRONT GATE.

MOVE ASIDE.

YOU HAVEN'T KEPT YOUR PROMISE YET.

YOU SAID YOU'D KILL MY BROTHER FOR ME, REMEMBER?

YOU'D BETTER KEEP YOUR PROMISE BEFORE THE FAMILY'S MARTIAL ARTISTS GET HERE.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO STAND IN MY WAY,

YOU DO REALIZE YOU'LL BE RISKING YOUR LIFE, DON'T YOU?

A SIGNAL FLARE...

I-I EVEN GAVE YOU THE EXPLOSIVE FLAME PILL...

AND HANDED OVER MY FAMILY'S SECRET MARTIAL ARTS...!!

IF YOU TAKE ALL THAT AND RUN WITHOUT HOLDING UP YOUR END,

I WON'T JUST LOSE MY CHANCE TO BECOME FAMILY HEAD. I'LL LOSE MY HEAD...!!!

UH...

AAH...

IT'S OVER.

THE PROMISE HAS BEEN FULFILLED.

WHAT...?

D-DON'T TELL ME...

MY BROTHER...?!!