Chapter 62
The Black Kill Squad of the Demonic Cult.
They were known as one of the strongest martial forces representing the Demonic Cult.
Though they were just one squad in terms of numbers, looking at the list of people they had eliminated on the Demonic Cult's orders showed just how terrifying these masters were.
The fact that such a group had targeted the Scholar Forest Group meant the Demonic Cult considered this mission highly important.
In truth, even without the ambush that prevented the Scholar Forest Group from using their internal energy, they were no match for the Black Kill Squad to begin with.
But above all, the Black Kill Squad preferred to quickly and easily eliminate their targets.
Rather than enjoying combat, they derived more pleasure from the act of taking lives itself.
In any case, they were about to finish all their tasks.
They had selected someone to use as a spy, and just needed to dispose of the rest of the useless ones.
But then,
"What's this? Who are you?"
The entire Black Kill Squad wore incredulous expressions.
It seemed he had come alone.
Yet this young man who didn't look like much was brazenly acting nonchalant in front of them.
What? Was he prepared?
He was clearly either an idiot who couldn't read the situation or someone with a death wish.
"Th-That person!"
"Sir! Did the Family Head perhaps come with you? Where are the other Peng Family warriors?"
The faces of the Scholar Forest Group members, who had been facing certain death just moments ago, brightened.
They looked around, hoping that the Peng Family Head, one of the absolute masters, might have come along.
But no matter how much they looked around, no one else was in sight.
"N-No way..."
Unbelievably, it seemed that man had come here alone.
Was he in his right mind?
In an instant, all the Scholar Forest Group members' faces twisted.
Though he had clearly come to save them, they found Yeo Un-hwi's recklessness absurd.
No matter how he had defeated Jo Min, there was no way he could win against all of these opponents.
He was alone, after all!
Even if the entire Scholar Forest Group fought at full strength, victory would be far from certain. Coming alone like this was practically suicide.
The entire Scholar Forest Group felt like they were about to go mad.
"Tsk tsk. From what I hear, you're a Peng Family warrior who came alone without any fear?"
"My, how brave. Seeing this situation, most would run away without looking back, yet you stepped forward?"
"Well, he must be confident in his skills. Heheh."
He was clearly young, and didn't look like much of a master.
At that age, there was no way he could be such a high-level master that they wouldn't notice.
Yet despite being surrounded by growling enemies, Yeo Un-hwi was simply smiling for some reason.
"Look at this guy. He's smiling?"
"Seems he's either lost his mind or is very slow to grasp the situation. Or maybe he's obsessed with playing the hero."
One of the Black Kill Squad members glanced at their commander.
He was asking if it was alright to kill this fearless fool right away.
When the commander nodded, he immediately started cackling with an excited expression.
And then,
Slash, slash.
"Urk."
"Ugh."
He quickly slit the throats of two or three Scholar Forest Group members in front of everyone, then licked his blade as he slowly stepped forward.
"How would you like to die? Hm?"
Though he was trying to intimidate Yeo Un-hwi with gleaming eyes, Yeo Un-hwi didn't even blink.
He just calmly stared back.
"Look at this guy. Is he brave? Or frozen in fear?"
The commander spoke to the squad member who was clearly looking to have some fun:
"Hurry up and finish him. We've wasted too much time on this nobody."
"Ah, yes! Tch. I wanted to play around more, but I guess I have no choice..."
Slash.
With an unexpected slicing sound, the Demonic Cult member's head suddenly fell to the ground with a thud.
Huh?
Everyone's eyes widened at the scene that had unfolded before them.
But the Black Kill Squad were weapons specialized for combat.
"Y-You bastard!"
"How dare you!"
"Die! Hah!"
As soon as their comrade fell, they reflexively drew their swords and charged at Yeo Un-hwi like lightning.
"W-Wait! Fall back!"
The Black Kill Squad commander shouted urgently.
Even he hadn't seen this man's movements just now.
That meant this man was an incredibly skilled master.
Rashly charging in was absolutely forbidden.
But before he could stop them, the Black Kill Squad members had already recklessly attacked, and though the commander hurriedly reached out towards their backs, it was already too late.
Slash. Slash. Slash.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
In an instant, he could only watch as their arms, legs, and necks were severed.
Not a single scream rang out.
Their necks had been cut before they could even cry out.
So very cleanly.
*Damn it!*
The commander felt his hair stand on end.
The man who was the Black Kill Squad commander stepped back greatly.
It was unbelievable.
In an instant, the entire Black Kill Squad had been completely annihilated by Yeo Un-hwi.
So absurdly, in that brief moment it took to blink.
After staring with wide eyes for a moment, the Black Kill Squad commander gathered his thoughts.
No. This was impossible.
They were the strongest martial force of the Great Heavenly Demonic Cult. This couldn't happen.
The Black Kill Squad commander thought. No, he started to convince himself.
That all of this was only possible because that man had taken advantage of a moment of carelessness.
*I will not lose.*
He had confidence in his sword.
Even in the most critical moments, his swift sword had cut down masters even greater than this.
And he still had one more trump card left.
Though he was quite surprised, he still believed Yeo Un-hwi would be no match for him.
Swish. Swish.
Gradually moving his legs to adjust the distance with Yeo Un-hwi, he slowly prepared to draw his sword.
And he calmly regulated his breathing.
A brief silence fell, and Yeo Un-hwi showed an opening first.
He clearly thought so.
At the same time, the Black Kill Squad commander's hand moved quickly. At an incredible speed.
The moment his sword was drawn, he sensed his victory.
Yeo Un-hwi hadn't even reacted to his sword yet.
Soon, the world began to spin.
But then,
Huh?
His gaze twisted somehow, and he saw a body in familiar clothing over there.
Why is my body over there, how...
Thud.
That was the Black Kill Squad commander's last moment.
His neck had been severed without him even realizing how he had died.
A swift sword even faster than his own, which he had such confidence in, had been unleashed from Yeo Un-hwi's hand.
And so the entire Demonic Cult Black Kill Squad lost their lives to Yeo Un-hwi in an instant.
Without even being able to show their skills, let alone scream properly.
It was a pathetic and miserable death unbefitting their reputation.
"Huh? Huh? W-We won?"
Though they hadn't expected it at all, when the entire Demonic Cult Black Kill Squad fell to Yeo Un-hwi, the Scholar Forest Group members' faces went blank for a moment before they started jumping up and down in joy.
"Hooray! Hooray!"
"Hahaha! We're alive! We're alive!"
They shouted hurrahs loudly without any sense of dignity or shame.
Even though some of their fellow members had died, not a single one mourned.
They were truly a shameless and selfish group to the very end.
"Haha! You bastards! You were nothing after all, huh? Hah! Ptooey!"
It was the man from the Scholar Forest Group who had caused trouble at the Peng Family and even tried to hit Yul.
He was even the one who had volunteered first to be a spy for the Demonic Cult.
He kicked the corpses of the Demonic Cult members with a smirk.
"I was planning to somehow hold out until my internal energy returned and then wipe out all you damn Demonic Cult bastards, but you beat me to it. Tch. Well anyway, good work!"
He boasted nonsensically.
In truth, he too had clearly seen Yeo Un-hwi's absurdly incredible martial arts.
He was only bragging because he believed Yeo Un-hwi wouldn't harm him.
After all, they were on the same Orthodox side.
And hadn't he come out to save them like this?
So there was no way he would raise his sword against him. As long as that was the case, it didn't matter how strong he was.
Thus, the man was now desperately trying to salvage his pride.
Yeo Un-hwi's head tilted as he silently watched him.
"Why are you all so happy?"
"Hm? What? What do you mean?"
"Why do you look so relieved?"
"No, what are you..."
That's when it happened.
Slash.
Suddenly, the hand of the man who had been boasting and causing a fuss fell to the ground with a thud.
A Demonic Cult sword was now in Yeo Un-hwi's hand.
"Huh? That's... my hand? Uh. Aaaaagh!"
The man screamed as he looked at his wrist spurting blood.
Then he shouted madly at Yeo Un-hwi.
"Y-You crazy bastard! What the hell are you doing?! How dare you cut off my hand! Aaaagh! You! I'll kill you for sure!"
"You're noisy."
Slash.
Soon his neck was severed.
Thud.
The man who had always been so confident to the point of arrogance fell to the ground, failing to grasp the situation until the very end.
As the severed head fell to the ground with a thud, a moment of silence fell.
"Uh. Uh. Uh..."
The Scholar Forest Group members who had been cheering froze with their eyes wide open.
Their minds simply couldn't comprehend what had just happened before their eyes.
Only the question "Why?" filled their heads.
They were at a loss for words.
Seeing the Scholar Forest Group members like this, Yeo Un-hwi smirked.
"Why are you surprised? I just cut down the Demonic Cult members earlier, and now I've cut down the trash who volunteered to be their spy."
Gulp.
The Scholar Forest Group members' faces turned deathly pale.
They had all seen it. That man wasn't the only one.
It wasn't just him who had volunteered to be a spy for the Demonic Cult. They had done the same.
They were facing death once again.
No. They couldn't die like this.
They had to survive somehow.
"Th-This is unfair! We didn't want to do it!"
"Th-That's right! And this is a matter that should be discussed with the Alliance! It's not for you to decide! How dare you cut down a member of the Murim Alliance before they've even made a judgment, unless you're insane..."
Slash. Slash.
The necks of the two men who were arguing with Yeo Un-hwi without reading the situation fell to the ground.
Hiiik!
The faces of the entire Scholar Forest Group turned pale at the sight.
"You seem to be misunderstanding something."
Yeo Un-hwi's cold voice pierced their ears clearly.
"I'm not here to argue with you now."