CH 477

Saito Genryu's hands were trembling.

'What... is this?'

Just what... was up with that monster!

The name of Kang Jin-Ho... Kang Jin-Ho this, Kang Jin-Ho that...!

That name had been getting on Saito's nerves the most in the past few months. Of course, it was in the 'irritating like a persistent mosquito' sense. Saito never once felt fear or reticent while hearing that name.

He honestly thought that the situations and circumstances—plus the geographical locations—had protected Kang Jin-Ho. He genuinely believed that Kang Jin-Ho's name would've never reached the ears of neighboring nations if he was Japanese, not Korean.

That's what Saito thought until now. However, he was proven wrong. He had no choice but to admit to the truth now.

Kang Jin-Ho didn't acquire this level of influence and garner notoriety because South Korea was his backyard. No, it was more like... The true danger his existence posed had been undersold because he lived in South Korea!

Yet another severed head flew up in the air. Saito bit his lower lip at this sight. The brave warriors he had painstakingly trained and guided until now were falling like leaves in a thunderstorm. However, for some strange reason... Saito wasn't enraged.

That was because this event unfolding right before his eyes didn't seem real to him. It felt more like he was dazedly watching a silent black-and-white movie. What a bizarre sense of disharmony this was.

However, Oizumi's urgent cry yanked Saito's mind back to reality. “Sir! What should we do?!”

“...!” Saito snapped out of his stupefaction. He bit his lower lip and observed the situation before him.

Kang Jin-Ho's sword reflecting the moonlight slashed diagonally from top right to bottom left. A brave warrior of Nanahoshi-gumi, kitted out in the distinctive black martial robe, was cleaved apart from his shoulder to his hips, and the two halves were violently flung in opposing directions.

“You...!” Saito gritted his teeth.

Japan was still stuck in the era of warring states. Outwardly, the country seemed united for the last several centuries, but within the hidden world? It was a different story. Like how the yakuza had divided territories and vied for supremacy against each other, martial artists in the shadows had split into different factions and clans to battle against each other.

Blood always accompanied the conflicts of martial artists. It was an inevitable reality. As such, Saito had witnessed the death of countless many. And dozens, nay, hundreds, had died at Saito's hands, too.

Even so, Saito could swear on his blood-soaked life that he had never seen a spectacle like this. It felt like humans were no longer humans. The scene of a living person's body being cleaved apart in the blink of an eye before flying away had gone past the realm of 'terrifying' and straight into surreal fantasy.

There was one more thing adding to the surreal nature of this spectacle. And that would be Kang Jin-Ho's figure revealing itself as the corpse split apart into two halves and flew away to left and right.

Kang Jin-Ho's figure was enveloped in some strange type of black smoke that couldn't be explained or identified by normal means. And his eyes were gushing out streaks of crimson light with enough invisible power to freeze the hearts of anyone daring to meet his glare.

His figure... It was so frightening that Saito feared it might appear in his dreams one day! Quite literally... He was facing an avatar of the Devil emerging from Hell itself!

Kang Jin-Ho's swords held in his hands gleamed under the pale moonlight. A devil walking around with a pair of pure-white blades? What kind of disharmonious and nonsensical scene was this?!

'Just what the hell is he?!'

Things like logic and common sense also existed for martial artists. However, Kang Jin-Ho had transcended those things. By an unimaginable degree, too! This wasn't simply the matter of physical strength. From his appearance, the atmosphere he oozed, techniques he used, and even his mentality...! Everything about Kang Jin-Ho exceeded Saito's expectations and calculations by a wide margin.

Among all these things, what Saito found the hardest to accept as a martial artist was Kang Jin-Ho's martial prowess.

Paaaaaaahng!

An explosion noise loud and sharp enough to tear eardrums out resounded in the air. However, it wasn't produced by solid objects colliding with each other. Kang Jin-Ho's sword was 'simply' scything through the air.

Who would believe that a human swinging a metallic object around could make noises like that? Saito was witnessing it in real time with his own two eyes, yet even he could hardly believe it!

“S-sir! We will be annihilated at this rate! We will be wiped out! What should we do?!”

Saito grimaced when Oizumi cried out to him. 'You idiot...!'

Didn't he train his men to always maintain their cool? Why were they panicking like this, then? Humans were incapable of thinking straight in a panicked state, so whatever happened, they must stay calm.

Calm and collected, so...

Just how much longer am I supposed to stay calm?!

“That damn son of a b*tch!” Saito roared and unsheathed his weapon in anger.

Kang Jin-Ho was striding forward while cutting people down as if he was hacking down on bundles of straw. Not a single witness to this slaughter managed to retain their courage to stand up and fight against this terrifying monster.

“Uhh-uuuuuh...!”

They knew they had to run away, but...! But their legs didn't work as their minds intended. The shinobis willed their bodies to turn around and run as fast as they could, but muscles and joints creaked and stuttered like broken records to deny their brain's orders.

“Uh... uwaaah...!” One of the Japanese warriors stumbled back when Kang Jin-Ho approached him. Or, more correctly... He tried to.

The shinobi's intensely-trained body did its best to not betray its owner. Although slow, it did move according to his instructions. Unfortunately, Kang Jin-Ho's walking speed was so much faster than the shinobi's retreat.

Grab!

Kang Jin-Ho reached his target and grabbed the shinobi by the throat. And then, he leisurely picked his victim up to the air. He quietly muttered to his victim. “I wanted to ask you a question, actually...”

The hand grip on the shinobi's throat was so stupendously strong that it seemed to be choking the life out of him. The terror the shinobi felt at this moment was indescribable. To think the murderous monster who had slaughtered a dozen-plus men before the shinobi's eyes was now gripping his throat!

How could anyone maintain their grip on sanity?

“How do you define an enemy?”

The darkness seemed to distort. That area should be where a person's mouth was. The darkness around Kang Jin-Ho's mouth was slowly, oh-so-slowly, twisting and distorting. What that distortion signified was all too clear for anyone to see.

It was ridicule. Clearly and unequivocally... ridicule.

“An enemy can be defined by two characteristics—hostility and possibility. If someone is hostile toward you, and there is a possibility of this person harming you in some way... Then you'd define this person as your enemy. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?”

That was obviously a question directed at the shinobi getting choked out of his life. However, how could he answer? When his airway and esophagus were blocked tightly until no air could escape? Even so...!

Even though he couldn't answer, even though he couldn't breathe, and even though his mind was blanking out while snot and drool trickled out of his nose and mouth... One thought continued to dominate his brain.

Kang Jin-Ho's words rang clearly in the shinobi's ears. “In that sense... Do you think you are my enemy or not?”

If the concept of 'enemy' required 'hostility' and 'possibility' to be fulfilled first, the shinobi couldn't be called Kang Jin-Ho's enemy anymore. The uncertain and vague hostility flew out the proverbial window a long time ago, while the possibility of him harming Kang Jin-Ho in some way had never existed, to begin with!

That was why...! A flicker of hope bloomed in the shinobi's heart. Despite the intense pain from his throat getting crushed, that ray of hope burned brighter and brighter in him.

“However... Do you know what your problem is?” Kang Jin-Ho slowly pulled his victim closer. His eyes glowing in a blood-like crimson hue glared directly into the shinobi's soul. “I'm the type to not give a damn.”

Craaack!

The shinobi's neck snapped, and his tongue hung limply out of his mouth. As Kang Jin-Ho killed a man with zero hostility toward him as painlessly as possible, one could argue that he was very strict with upholding his ideals. Although, those who had already died at his hands wouldn't really agree with that assessment.

Kang Jin-Ho disinterestedly tossed aside the limp corpse, then scanned his surroundings to meet the terrified gazes of his future victims. “Hmm... This can't be right.”

Even though his voice sounded turbid and supernaturally low, everyone could clearly hear it for some reason.

“You can't be this weak, right? Or am I wrong? If you are, it makes no sense that you'd show up here hoping to kill me.”

“...!” Saito gritted his teeth. His bloodshot eyes chased after Kang Jin-Ho's every movement.

“Now, come at me,” Kang Jin-Ho smirked lazily while beckoning at the Japanese. “Fine. I'll give you an opportunity. Opportunity to survive this situation. Get together and organize yourselves. And then, attack me properly again.”

No one could say anything at that.

Kang Jin-Ho shrugged his shoulders. “Look around you. There is no place to hide or escape. Well, if you think you can survive in the open sea, you can always try.”

Some of the shinobis flinched visibly. They seemed to be considering that suggestion. Then again, why shouldn't they? To most regular people, jumping into an open sea in the middle of the night was akin to committing suicide, but they were shinobis. Martial artists. In other words, they were no ordinary people.

Although difficult, it should be possible to reach the shore if they swam in the right direction. This option should have a hundred times higher odds of survival than trying to fight this monster!

In that case...!

“Oh, just to let you know that... There are people waiting for you by the shore. Thought you should know that, at least.”

Dejection washed over the Japanese warriors in an instant. They were reminded of something just then. And that was the cruel fact that they had fallen for Kang Jin-Ho's trap.

The net seemed shoddily constructed, so they sneered at it at first, but... As it turned out, there was more than one net. Even if the nets had many holes, layer several of them together, and the resulting article would become tighter and more secure, with zero gaps for the prey to slip through. And the shinobis were a school of fish trapped in this net.

The only remaining options for them were to obediently wait for their deaths or ungainly struggle until the end and eventually suffocate to death. In that case... which option should they choose?

“That's enough of you humiliating us!” Saito growled loudly, his voice coming through his clenched teeth.

He had to bear witness to the once-proud warriors of the Empire of Japan getting scared of a lone Chosenjin and trying to flee. Saito Genryu's pride and self-esteem had been mercilessly trampled on by this shameful spectacle. He'd never forget this humiliation, even in death!

“Since you're all going to die, die like a man of our noble Empire of Japan! This is not how Japan's warriors act in front of their enemies!” Saito's blood-boiling roar rang out in the night sky. All those who heard his call stopped stumbling back in fear, and determination began burning in their eyes once more.

For sure, Saito Genryu's mastery at spurring on his men should be commended. Unfortunately, someone on this island was still not impressed. Not even one bit.

“I'd prefer if you said that in Korean so I can understand it, too,” Kang Jin-Ho tutted loudly.

Oizumi shuddered at how unperturbed Kang Jin-Ho sounded. Honestly, he... He preferred how Kang Jin-Ho sounded like a monster a minute ago. That was because Oizumi found it so excruciatingly hard to endure the sneer contained in Kang Jin-Ho's current voice.

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Oizumi grimaced and growled angrily. “My apologies for showing you such an unsightly scene. However, we shall demonstrate what the noble warriors of the Empire of Japan are like! You shall learn what the spirit of the Japanese is!”

“Nope, I already know,” Kang Jin-Ho casually nodded. “I'm somewhat interested in history, you see. So, I know very well what this whole spirit of Japanese warrior nonsense is. Do you know what the Chinese call it, though?”

“...The Chinese?”

“A mantis is trying to block a wagon's wheel. In simpler terms, you've bitten off more than you can chew.”

“...!”

“Apparently, flying a fighter plane into an enemy aircraft carrier is your idea of bravery and beautiful death. Which is funny, really. Something that the Chinese would laugh at for being stupid is seen as an honorable act worthy of praise in your country. Is this the difference in culture, then?”

Oizumi growled in anger. “You bastard...!”

“However, that's how the Chinese think about it. I'm not like that. Indeed, my thoughts are... a little different.” Kang Jin-Ho slowly raised his sword.

“Hmph! It's obvious what you Chosenjin would say! You just love to play a victim, after all!”

“Nah. It's not like that,” Kang Jin-Ho flashed a toothy grin. “I don't care about one's nationality or whatever. The end result will still be the same, anyway. The moment you decided to bare your fangs at me... Your fate had been sealed.”

“...!”

“If you wish to change your fate, then well... You will have to fight for it. And now, it's time to test your courage. Let's find out if your so-called spirit of Japan will work on me. Even if... I can already tell the results.”

“You... You abominable son of a...!” Oizumi grimaced.

However, even before he could finish his sentence, he saw 'it'. He saw Kang Jin-Ho appearing right in front of his nose as if the earth had shrunk.

Oizumi didn't have any time to react. All he could do was watch a pure-white blade gleaming in the moonlight rapidly descending on top of his head.

'This... This has to be a lie...!'

His death was swiftly approaching. And there was no room to escape.

Death closed in with the flashes of white light. And beyond the white streak was a pair of crimson eyes.

When Oizumi saw those crimson lights draw subtle arcs, indicating laughter, he instinctively realized that everything... Absolutely everything was wrong. Since the beginning, no less!

They should've never provoked this man. When they decided to kill Kang Jin-Ho, they were also setting themselves on a collision course with this grim fate.

Even before regret could fill Oizumi's heart, Kang Jin-Ho's Crimson Destiny split his torso in half.