Chapter 65

In a world where there are reincarnated otakus spamming champy drips, cute baby sharks with tiny teeth, and psychics who can shoot fire by flicking their fingers, how could there not be flying swords?

Normally, you might think, “That can’t happen!” or “No way!” but in an emergency, that kind of thinking is dangerous.

What’s happened has happened. You can’t limit your options by sticking to common sense.

So, while Jeoseokhyeon is currently in chaos due to a flood (?), I’m running around looking for the sword.

After wandering around the village, I’m not sure if I can call it fortunate, but I’ve managed to figure out the behavior patterns of the water dragons.

They don’t directly harm people but instead destroy buildings to draw attention.

Moreover, they don’t care if ordinary people run away or not, but they actively target martial artists with internal energy, trying to provoke them.

…Why, though?

If they were just randomly attacking people and buildings, it would make sense, but this deliberate targeting is strange.

I don’t know who it is, but the real goal of the one controlling the water and flying around with a mysterious sword isn’t the destruction of the village.

Attacking the village is just a preparatory step. They must have another purpose.

“Waaah! My house! The village! What are we supposed to do now?!”

“Whaaat?! I came out to see what happened when the neighbor’s house collapsed, but now my house is falling too?!”

“Pray! Pray to Jeoseokcheon!!”

“Grandpa! That’s just a legend! If you don’t want to end up in a coffin, stop talking nonsense and run!!”

Anyway, as I’m thinking this, I’m watching people who can only stand by and watch their village being destroyed from afar.

“Do they have disaster relief funds in the martial arts world?”

I thought that, but it wasn’t something to worry about right now, so I shook my head and focused on finding the flying sword.

Kiiing~! Kiiing~!!

…And I actually found it. Or rather, it appeared right in front of me.

A shining white blade reflecting the sunlight, a beautiful blue hilt like dragon scales.

Anyone could see it was a legendary sword, wagging its hilt left and right like a puppy meeting a friend, coming towards me.

Kiiing~! Kiiing~!!

***

Depending on their nature, dragons have a habit of sleeping while hugging their treasured possessions.

It’s psychologically comforting, prevents theft, but the biggest reason is to mark their territory.

By imprinting their energy on their cherished treasures, they warn other celestial beings, the Eight Legions of Heavenly Beings, that this is theirs and not to touch it.

So, Guhae, following the dragon instincts within her, also slept on top of her most treasured possession, Sima Mantian, and naturally imprinted her energy on him.

Kiiing~! Kiiing~! Kiiiing~!!

(Friend~ Friend~ Let’s play together!!)

…But despite this territorial marking, the dragon energy felt after a long time only made the sword, Yongyeon, excited and happy.

Moreover, the energy imprinted on the human in front of her was very similar to that of one of the Four Dragon Kings who rule the four seas—Ao Shun, the Dragon King of the North Sea.

So, there was no hostility.

In fantasy terms, it’s like a high-level water spirit playing in the human world suddenly encountering a human blessed by the Spirit King.

To be precise, a human blessed by the Spirit King’s daughter, but Sima Mantian, unaware of this, was flustered by the sword circling around him.

“What… what’s going on?!”

Originally, I planned to call Wang Miaoyang immediately after finding the sword to prevent any mishaps, but with the sword approaching me first, I wasn’t sure what to do.

How should I act when a flying sword, which could turn into a killing machine at any moment, is circling around me like a puppy?

“What’s the right move… wait… puppy…?”

An idea flashed through my mind.

It might be a dangerous choice, but if this sword was really the one controlling the water and destroying the village, I couldn’t just leave it be.

I took a deep breath. Clenching and unclenching my hand, I waited for the right moment.

Kiiing~? Kiiiing~!!

(What’s wrong? Let’s play in the water!!)

The sword buzzed, expressing something. I didn’t know what it meant, but I couldn’t hesitate any longer.

So, steeling myself, I reached out towards the hilt.

Pat~ pat~

Kiiiing~?!

Focusing all my nerves, I patted the hilt as carefully as if I were petting a dog or cat.

“Good~ good~ you’re a good sword~.”

Pat pat~ As I patted the hilt, the blade trembled. What reaction would it have?

Would it stab me? Or not? That was the question.

As various thoughts raced through my mind, the reaction to my action came.

Kiiing-! Kiiing-! Kiiiing-!!

(That’s- that’s- good! More!!)

Instead of piercing my body with its sharp blade, the beautiful blue hilt rubbed against my palm, buzzing happily.

“Phew… phew…”

A sigh mixed with tension slowly and carefully escaped.

At any moment, the blade could pierce my neck—all or nothing.

The gamble succeeded.

I couldn’t completely relax or be sure, but at least for now, it didn’t seem like the sword wanted to harm me.

***

“W-what is this-? What’s going on?!”

Wang Miaoyang couldn’t hide her shock at the scene before her.

No wonder. The sword, Yongyeon, one of the legendary swordsmith Gu Yazi’s masterpieces, one of the Ten Thousand Swords, was flirting with Sima Mantian.

Kiiing~ Kiiiing~!

(Human, let’s do that, that!)

“I don’t know why, but it seems to like me. Master, what should I do now?”

In the midst of the chaos, Wang Miaoyang, hearing her disciple’s voice who had brought the sword trusting only her master’s words, shook her head and composed herself.

She didn’t know how he managed to get it, but her disciple had done well. As a master, she couldn’t just stand there dumbfounded.

“Yongyeon, come back. Playtime is over.”

But before Wang Miaoyang could finish her sentence, the sound of light footsteps approached, and a bewitching voice called the sword back.

Kiiing… kiiing….

“Aah?! Yiyi! Don’t go! I already thought of a name for you!!”

At Sima Mantian’s call, Yongyeon looked at him reluctantly but then turned its blade and returned to its owner. It liked Sima Mantian, but it also quite liked its current owner.

In the chaotic village where water dragons were rampaging.

A group dressed in white approached unhindered.

…And the former sect leader.

Kiiing-! Kiiing-!!

Seeing the sword, which once belonged to her master, fly into the hands of the enemy, Wang Miaoyang clenched her fists, suppressing the urge to rush out, and hardened her expression.

“Shijie (Senior Sister).”

…And now, the one who had defected from the Jeonjin Sect to the Demon Sect.

The Ilwol God Sect’s Seventh Elder, Ma Yang, smiled beautifully, suppressing the urge to rush out at the voice calling her and the golden eyes directed at her.

“Long time no see, Shimei (Junior Sister).”

***

Ignoring the assassination target, Namgung Sososo, standing behind her, Ma Yang’s gaze was fixed solely on Wang Miaoyang. The Ilwol God Sect’s Third Elder, Tang Wu, frowned and stepped forward.

He was tired of wasting time.

Ting-!

…But an unexpected interference forced Tang Wu to step back immediately.

A black iron ball, filled with clear killing intent, narrowly missed his nose and embedded itself in the wall.

If Tang Wu hadn’t been from the Sichuan Tang Family, specializing in hidden weapons, he might have been hit by this clean assassination technique.

Calculating the direction the iron ball came from, he quickly opened his left hand.

Clang-!!

The hidden dagger from Tang Wu’s sleeve and the iron ball, launched with a time delay, collided in mid-air, sparking.

At the same time, Tang Wu’s eyes caught sight of a masked man on the roof, wagging his right hand at him instead of firing the next shot.

Of course, it was Jang Sam-i, the servant, bodyguard, and assassin of the Sima Family.

A clear provocation, or rather, a desperate attempt to keep a dangerous person away from his charge, but to those unaware, it was undoubtedly a provocation.

“…Ha!”

The corner of his mouth twitched upward. A bizarre smile, whether amused or angry, formed.

Tang Wu, glancing at his master, spoke to Ma Yang’s seven disciples standing by.

“Hey, your master’s not in her right mind right now. You guys handle Namgung Sososo.”

“What about Third Elder…?”

“Crow control.”

With that, Tang Wu used his lightness skill to leap onto the roof to catch the bold masked man who had challenged him with hidden weapons.

And unintentionally, he realized one thing.

Now that he thought about it, the seven girls Ma Yang had chosen as disciples all had something subtly resembling the blond kid she was obsessed with.

Even though they’re on the same side, she’s really a crazy old hag.