"Kkeuaak!"

The manager's pain-filled scream filled the Myriad Virtue Inn.

The young man smiled and looked at Chunil.

Bba-deuk.

Chunil, who had gritted his teeth, said to the disciples following him.

"You guys stay out of it."

"Pardon?"

Without answering the question, Chunil approached the center of the incident.

The young man who was twisting the sword embedded in the manager's hand and smiling cruelly.

And the five warriors surrounding him as if to protect him.

"I don't know who you are. Your name, your skills... I'm illiterate so I can't read, and I'm always getting scolded by the Family Head for being ignorant. But I know what I have to do."

"..."

"The Outer Hall Master of the Tang Family's estate has a duty to protect the people belonging to the Tang family. That's what I have to do now."

The corners of the young man's mouth split wide at Chunil's words.

"That punk is so tragic all by himself. Do you have the skills?"

Even at the young man's sneering words, Chunil's expression did not change.

"Skills? Are they important?"

"What?"

"The Family Head said so. No matter how strong the opponent is, there is no retreat in a fight of the Tang Family's estate."

"That Family Head punk must be crazy. How is that different from telling you to die?"

"It doesn't matter. That is the Family Head's order, and I just follow it."

"..."

"Let them go now."

Chunil, who had stopped at a distance, said to the young man with an eerie gaze.

But.

"Keuk keuk, keuk keuk keuk... Hey. Did you say you were One Cup Child?"

"..."

"My mind has changed."

"What?"

"One quarter of an hour. If you can't save them within that time... these guys will die."

Chunil gritted his teeth at the young man's murderous smile.

"Myeongseok! Ilseung!"

"Yes! Outer Hall Master!"

"From now on, the Outer Hall will save the family members from the enemy who has caused a disturbance in the territory of the Tang Family's estate! Escort the guests inside outside! And control the entrance!"

"Yes!"

At Chunil's command, the Outer Hall warriors, Myeongseok and Ilseung, began to escort the guests outside in an orderly fashion.

"Keuk keuk, Jangpae."

"Yes, Young Master Lee."

"What are you doing?"

"Pardon?"

"He says we're the enemy."

"..."

"Then we have to act like the enemy. Don't we?"

"Yes!"

At the young man's command, Jangpae, who had stepped forward in front of Chunil, sneered and gave an order to his subordinate.

"It is Young Master Lee's order. Teach the country bumpkin his place!"

"Yes! Guard Captain!"

The four warriors who had received the order approached Chunil.

One against four. It was a number that could be intimidating, but Chunil looked at the enemies he was facing with a sharp gaze.

Their confidence.

They might be much stronger than him.

But the Family Head had said so.

When the weak fight the strong, they must use their carelessness, and know how to use the space.

And what was the first thing he had to do now?

Save the lives of the family members.

Tung!

Chunil's hand, as he approached the warriors, struck a nearby table.

Chwareureuk!

The chopsticks and food bowls on the table flew up.

Kwaak! Swaeaek!

Chunil, who had grabbed them with his hand and thrown them at the strong men, immediately followed, throwing his body.

"Keuk! This kind of crude!"

Peok! Bba-gak!

The warriors sneered at Chunil's move and struck away the flying objects.

Crude?

Stupid punks... 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Chunil's lips twisted into a smile, and his hands reached for his waist and then shot out.

Piping!

Silver flying needles pierced the air.

Puk!

"Keuk!"

"Keuk!"

Short groans erupted from the warriors who had not even formed a formation.

The first attack was to blind them, and the real one was the flying needles.

It was the Tang family's hidden weapon technique that Cheonyeong had taught them, Close First, Kill Later.

Blind them and cut their lives.

However, since it was not completely polished, he could not accurately aim for the vital points.

Still.

Bbeo-eok!

Thanks to that, he was able to dig into the gaps between the warriors, and it was enough to land an attack on the body of the enemy whose center was disturbed.

"You damn punk!"

The warrior, whose face was contorted by the flying needle attack, kicked at Chunil.

Hwooung!

"...!?"

But Chunil, who had ducked low and made it a miss, slipped through the gap between the warriors and escaped.

His target was not the warriors in the first place.

The manager and the waiter.

He had planned to save them from the young man first.

First, he would separate that punk.

"Hoo-heup!"

Chunil, who had stomped his foot hard and charged again, gripped the short sword tied to his back.

Swiaak!

The sword, swung as soon as it was drawn, drew a short trajectory towards the young man's smile.

Ttaaang!

But it didn't reach.

On the contrary, it was roughly deflected with a metallic sound by a thick sword that had suddenly intervened.

"Keuk!"

The shock of the collision, and the repulsive force contained within it.

"Punk! The attempt was good."

Jangpae, who had intervened in an instant and blocked the sword, immediately drew his sword vertically as if to split Chunil's body.

Chunil rolled on the floor, changing direction by stomping his foot.

Pa-ga-gak!

The sword, imbued with internal energy, broke the floor in a long line.

Tung!

Chunil, who had gotten up from his roll, tried to attack the young man from a different direction.

"A futile act!"

Kaaang!

But it was soon blocked.

Chunil, avoiding the trajectory of the horizontally drawn sword, jumped back and caught his breath.

"Hah... hah..."

Jii-ing-

The sword in his hand was trembling minutely.

With its teeth hideously chipped from the two clashes.

"You idiots! To be mesmerized by a mere trick and endanger Young Master Lee's safety!"

"S-sorry."

Jangpae, who was blocking the young man's front, looked at the subordinates who had been hit by Chunil's attack with a displeased expression.

"To be hit by the crude technique of a country martial family's nobody."

"Please give us another chance! We will..."

"Shut up!"

"..."

"You're Young Master Lee's guards... tsk tsk. I will question you about the disgrace you have shown after we return. Be prepared."

"...Yes."

At the harsh reprimand, the warriors lowered their shoulders with dejected expressions and stepped back.

"Punk, you're quite something. To break the formation with hidden weapons and try to aim for Young Master Lee directly."

"..."

"But do you know? My master is not someone a lowly punk like you should be aiming for. As a guard, I will now hold you accountable for that sin."

Jangpae glared at Chunil, exuding a cold presence.

His breath seemed to catch at that murderous gaze.

He could already tell from the two clashes that the punk was far superior to him.

Then to win?

To create a gap and save the people from the young man, he had no choice but to make him so angry that he would swing wildly.

"Kyaak! Tweh!"

"...?"

Chunil spat roughly on the floor and relaxed his tension.

"You're full of shit. Under the heavens, is there a separate lowly punk, and a separate noble punk?"

"What did you say?"

"And so what if his status is noble? His actions are worse than Woo-cheol of Inhoe-hyeon."

"...Woo-cheol?"

"The vagrant gang leader who used to sell kids. The one who was killed by our Family Head."

"What? Are you now... comparing Young Master Lee to a trash-like punk?"

"Ah, on second thought, I feel sorry for that punk Woo-cheol. For comparing him to a punk like that. It would be better to compare that punk to Woo-cheol's lackey, Mak-gae."

"You punk..."

As Jangpae's face turned red as if it would burst, and his breath grew rough with anger, a triumphant smile appeared on Chunil's lips.

So loyal.

It seemed he was angry that his master had been insulted.

The provocation had worked perfectly.

They said that when one gets angry, their strength becomes excessive, and excessive strength leads to unreasonable movements.

"Hah, that son of a bitch. Growling because his master was insulted. His loyalty alone is commendable. But... there's no dog food. I want to give you something. Shall I throw you a bone from the meat the Myriad Virtue Inn's customers left behind?"

Chunil had grown up on the streets.

Most of the words he heard whenever he bowed and begged from people were sarcasm and ridicule.

So it was only natural that the words he was used to hearing were familiar to his mouth.

"Th-th... you punk who deserves to be torn to shreds!"

Jangpae's anger soared to the top of his head.

He glared with raised eyes and his body trembled.

"Keuk, keuk keuk keuk. Interesting. Interesting."

But the young man's voice cut through the middle.

"Calling Jangpae a son of a bitch..."

"I'm sorry, Young Master Lee. The lowly punk's words have disturbed your ears."

"No, no. It was quite refreshing."

"..."

"But, can a master endure it when his guard is treated like a son of a bitch by an Unorthodox Faction nobody?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'll give you a chance to vent your anger."

"Pardon?"

As Jangpae asked back, the young man sat down on a nearby chair and looked at Chunil.

"Hey, Outer Hall Master of the Tang Family's estate."

"What is it?"

"I'll add one more condition."

"...?"

"I'll keep these two alive as long as you can hold out."

"What?"

"If you defeat Jangpae, these two will live... but if you happen to lose consciousness, the two will die."

"What did you say?"

"I pray your skills are as good as your mouth. Jangpae is a more outstanding warrior than you think. Ah! One more thing. The fact that they will die if you don't save them within a quarter of an hour is also valid."

The young man smiled with a mischievous expression.

Damn punk...

I don't know which noble family's young master you are, but do you think a person's life is such a joke?

"Young Master Lee has bestowed his grace upon me. You punk... I will not kill you gently."

Jangpae, who had stepped forward, blocking Chunil's view, had put away his sword.

But Jangpae's presence, which was much larger than when he held a sword, made his skin tingle.

It was a terrible killing intent.

This son of a bitch.

It seems he's so grateful for being allowed to vent his anger.

And why did he put away his sword? To beat me to death with his fists?

That would be quite painful.

By the way, does this mean the provocation was meaningless?

It was a situation where he had just angered a son of a bitch for no reason.

And the master had even let him off the leash.

"Punk! Are you scared already!"

Jangpae didn't wait and threw his body.

Strangely, his voice sounded like a bark.

Jjeo-eok!

"Keuk!"

Although he barely blocked the attack that came from the side, a groan escaped him at the shock that felt like his arm would break.

Kung!

Chunil, who had been pushed back, barely propped himself up against the wall.

But without a moment to catch his breath, Jangpae's attack continued.

Kwadeudeuk!

Jangpae's fist grazed Chunil's hair, who had ducked forward, and hideously smashed the wall of the Myriad Virtue Inn.

Hwirik! Bba-aak!

Chunil, who had pulled his body away from the wall, jumped up and kicked.

A slight retreat.

It was a very minimal effect.

Anger appeared on Jangpae's face, who had blocked the attack.

"Six Harmonies? With a martial art that only kids learn! You're facing me?!"

Although Jangpae's anger seemed to pierce the heavens, Chunil couldn't understand why he was angry.

What about the Six Harmonies?

It was the only fist and foot technique that Cheonyeong had taught them.

He had only learned that.

That it was enough for using one's body...

Swiiik!

Jangpae's attacks continued without rest.

Chunil dodged them narrowly each time, and had to roll on the floor several times.

Kwang! Kwakwang! Kwakwang!

The inside of the Myriad Virtue Inn quickly turned into a mess from their fight.

If he hadn't slowed Jangpae's movements with the occasional thrown hidden weapon, the balance would have been broken long ago.

"You rat-like punk!"

But willpower alone cannot bridge a clear difference in skill.

The moment Jangpae's movements changed.

Jjeo-eok!

"Keok!"

A heavy fist struck his abdomen, bending his waist.

Kwajik!

A soaring knee struck Chunil's face.

Chunil's body, which had allowed the attack, collapsed to the floor.

"Kkeu-euu..."

Blood flowed down as if his nose was broken.

But he had to endure.

His ears were ringing and his head was dizzy, but if he fell... the family members...

Somehow...

"Punk, it's the end."

As Chunil staggered weakly, Jangpae sneered and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, lifting him up.

In Chunil's blurry eyes, he could see Jangpae clenching his fist.

If I just endure without losing consciousness... I can save them.

But just... one quarter of an hour.

Jangpae's fist was swung.

The hand that gripped his scruff, the swung fist.

The moment he saw his empty neck, a blue poison bloomed in Chunil's eyes.

I won't die alone!

Pu-uk!

"Keuk!"

Jangpae staggered back, clutching his neck.

Chunil's body collapsed to the floor.

But a sinister smile was on his lips.

Did you see? You son of a bitch.

No one can know the winner until it's over.

(End of Chapter)