Chapter 40

“You fight well.”

Shadow Blade genuinely admired Mantian as they exchanged blows. Whoever his master was, they taught him well.

Dog Chasing Stick Technique – Striking the Dog to the Sky – Using the stick to strike the dog and send it flying into the sky.

Mantian’s staff, aimed at Shadow Blade, continuously blocks and deflects attacks targeting the heart, neck, and vital points. He doesn’t allow Shadow Blade to close the distance any further.

There’s no flashiness, but the foundation is solid, and there are few openings. Especially impressive is the defense of vital points.

Shadow Blade rolls his eyes, analyzing the current situation and observing Mantian. His strength lies in quick thinking and understanding the situation.

The most essential ability for survival in the wild isn’t size, strength, or speed. It’s the ability to judge whether the opponent is stronger or weaker than you.

Animal instincts tell him. In terms of physique, internal energy, and experience, Shadow Blade surpasses Mantian. But…

Predicting the trajectory of the staff aimed at his head, Shadow Blade sidesteps. The powerful attack is straightforward. Too simple. That’s what he thought.

Dog Chasing Stick Technique – Striking the Dog’s Back – Striking the dog’s back diagonally.

…Mantian’s staff technique bridges that gap.

The straight trajectory of the lightning-fast staff strike naturally flows like water, curving diagonally toward Shadow Blade’s neck.

Moving to dodge the attack only created an opening. Reluctantly, Shadow Blade raises his left arm. Sacrificing the arm to protect the neck.

Crack-!

Enduring the pain as his arm cracks, Shadow Blade deflects the staff. He steps back, furrowing his brow as he observes Mantian’s staff.

Shadow Blade’s intuition, which has saved him countless times, screams. That staff technique is dangerous.

It’s not a martial art from the nine major sects like Shaolin, Wudang, or Huashan. It’s not about yin-yang, tai chi, or enlightenment.

That technique was created purely to destroy something.

The staff attacks relentlessly from multiple directions, not giving Shadow Blade a moment to think. It mercilessly targets his weak spots.

There are no grand moves, but Mantian gradually takes control of the fight. Like an unrelenting river, the strikes pour down on Shadow Blade.

It’s a ruthless beating. Shadow Blade feels like a dog dragged before a butcher.

…But that doesn’t mean Mantian is strong. As a martial artist, Mantian has a fatal weakness.

Shadow Blade smirks as he eyes Mantian’s limping right leg. He unleashes a hidden technique to exploit the weakness and dodges the attack.

Ghost Shadow Step.

Like a ghost, he silently approaches, securing an advantageous position. Like a shadow, he follows, targeting the slow reaction of Mantian’s right leg.

Observing the enemy and striking their weakness. That’s how assassins fight.

***

“Damn it, this fight is a pain in the ass.”

To summarize my current situation, a damn Demon Sect bastard is tormenting me with his fingers, going “Zigun! Zigun!!” while I’m barely holding on, going “Grrr- Tekkai (Iron Body)!!” In short, I’m screwed.

Every time I try to create distance to use the Dog Chasing Stick Technique, he follows like a ghost. The momentum I had slowly shifts like evaporating steam.

“Why the hesitation? Didn’t you say you’d kill me?”

Breathing heavily, I glare at Shadow Blade, who wears a twisted smile, thinking he’s already won.

“Haa- Haa-.”

I wipe the blood streaming down my cheek with my sleeve. Honestly, I can understand why he’s so confident.

The fight was even at first, but once the real battle began, my right leg’s weakness was exploited. I’ve been stabbed and slashed all over, my body in tatters.

“I believe those who fail to fulfill their given roles deserve to die. What do you think?”

“…That’s a pretty messed-up ideology.”

“Compared to your leg, I think it’s perfectly normal.”

Shadow Blade smirks at Mantian’s sharp retort, circling him slowly like a cat toying with a weakened mouse.

“The role of a martial artist is to be strong. There’s nothing more pitiful than a weak martial artist. And an older brother’s role is to protect his cute little sister.”

Shadow Blade feels a thrill as he mocks Mantian, whose amber eyes silently glare back. Taunting prey before killing it. A delightful hobby.

“A crippled weakling who can’t even protect his sister. Do you even deserve to live?”

There’s no need to respond. I steady my breathing and raise my staff. Enduring the pain, I prepare to execute a basic form.

Even if I’m on the verge of collapsing, nothing changes. I will defeat the Demon Sect and save my sister.

That is the responsibility and role of Sima Mantian, the older brother of Sima Yeonghwa.

And that calm demeanor irritates Shadow Blade. His face hardens coldly as he cloaks his hand in demonic energy and approaches Mantian.

“Let’s see how long that arrogant bravado lasts.”

There’s no need to target weaknesses anymore. Mantian is already weakened beyond compare. Shadow Blade strikes the staff with his palm, splitting it in two.

Clang-!

The cleanly severed staff spins in the air. Shadow Blade spins with it.

A spinning kick, fueled by rotation, slams into the arrogant brat’s abdomen.

“Guh-!!”

Mantian’s body, struck squarely by the energy-infused kick, can’t withstand the impact and flies like he was hit by a dump truck.

Like a metal goose, he crashes through the door behind him, flying out into the warehouse filled with flour.

Golden Goose Technique.

Mantian’s eyes gleam. The eyes of a gambler who hasn’t given up.

The technique Mantian intended to use wasn’t a staff technique. It was lightness skill. The moment the attack landed, he immediately used lightness skill to leap backward.

The fact that there was a door instead of a wall was also part of the plan.

‘…This is my escape route!’

The warehouse, filled with flour from the scuffle. The conditions are set.

The real battle begins now.

***

“…Ha!”

Shadow Blade is dumbfounded.

The earlier momentum is gone as he watches Mantian crawl away, pissing himself. A trail of liquid flows from his leg.

There’s no sight more fitting of the word “pathetic.”

“A fitting sight for a weak, crippled half-wit who can’t even protect his sister. Why did you act all tough from the start?”

Despite the chilling laughter behind him, Mantian continues to crawl away from the warehouse. His limping leg doesn’t stop moving.

Silently, he moves forward to fulfill his role, his responsibility.

“…Around 200,000 BC, humans hunted mammoths.”

“…What?”

Shadow Blade frowns at the incomprehensible words.

“Without magic, aura, or martial arts. Just with stones and wood, they took down a 5-meter, 12-ton monster.”

“Are you insane?”

“With just the desire to eat meat, they challenged a mammoth hundreds of times stronger than them and succeeded.”

A firm voice, unexpected from someone crawling away in fear, echoes.

“The true strength of humans… isn’t some special power like martial arts….”

He doesn’t stop speaking. He doesn’t stop moving forward.

“Human strength is the will to achieve something! The resolve to overcome fear! Will and resolve create the path to victory!!”

“…What the hell are you babbling about?”

As Shadow Blade coldly interrogates Mantian, who’s spouting nonsense, Mantian laughs inwardly.

Truly wise words. Honestly, I don’t even know what I’m saying.

He slightly turns his head to glance back. Checking the situation.

Right… All that loud talk was just to distract him, hiding the flames approaching the warehouse, fueled by the oil I secretly spilled.

***

Shadow Blade’s body stiffens. In Mantian’s gaze, he sees a wolf.

The face of a wolf looking back. The Wolf’s Gaze.

The monstrous wolf who seized the world, Sima Yi’s face.

When Sima Yi brought down Wei and gained power that could be said to have seized the world, a elder from the Divine Sect once visited him to expand the sect’s influence.

What they discussed isn’t recorded. The only thing written in the Divine Sect’s books is-

“Never show your front or back to the Wolf’s Gaze.”

-A single line of warning from the elder, who returned with white hair.

Goosebumps cover his body. Instinct screams.

He doesn’t know what Mantian is planning, but staying here is dangerous. He needs to retreat immediately. But at that moment, an invisible force crushes his body. His knees slam into the ground.

『Fudo Myo-o Step (不動明王步)』 – Suppression (壓)

Mantian, who had been waiting for this moment, staggers to his feet and unleashes the technique. Releasing all the energy he had been holding back, he plants his feet into the ground with the resolve to stop the world.

The suppressed, heavy, and hot energy of the Immovable King surges violently. It crushes the demon.

“Ahh- Wha, what the-”

In the crushing pressure, Shadow Blade rolls his eyes, unable to comprehend what’s happening. Mantian speaks gently, as if explaining to a fool.

“I’ll defeat you and protect my sister. That’s all it’s ever been.”

He looks at the flames crawling into the warehouse through the broken door. He steels his resolve. With a refreshing smile, he delivers his iconic line.

“Are you ready? I am.”

The flour-filled warehouse meets the flames. Neither the cheers of victory nor the screams of the demon can be heard over the massive explosion.