The Youngest Member Chapter 42

Jang Seongguk's mind went blank for a mont.

The corpse of Wang Ak, standing with its head blown off.

The newcor from the Martial Alliance, standing next to it with a dark iron staff hanging down.

Blood was dripping from the iron staff.

"Hey. What on earth is this..."

"I was almost killed."

Cheon Woojin said calmly and pointed at Wang Ak's corpse.

Only then did Jang Seongguk's gaze go down. The hand axe in Wang Ak's hand had co close to his waist.

Since Wang Ak had a good physique, his strength must have been great. If Cheon Woojin had been a little late, Jang Seongguk's upper body would have been split in half by that hand axe.

Thinking so, a chill ran down Jang Seongguk's spine.

However, the problem was not over.

"T-thank you, but..."

The bandits who had lost their comrade were exuding a truly nacing montum. At a glance, there seed to be close to twenty of them.

In contrast, the number of escorts following this escort was just over ten.

Unfortunately, the martial arts level of the escorts was much lower than that of the bandits. In the first place, if they could afford to hire masters of that level, they would have made a contract directly with Shaolin without going through the Henan Escort Agency.

Jang Seongguk's gaze naturally turned to Cheon Woojin and Song Yiyeon.

'Even if these two are here...'

Anyway, the opponent was a mountain stronghold belonging to the Green Forest, even if it was at the bottom. Even if they were lucky enough to subdue the guys in front of them, the reinforcents of Heungsan Fortress would attack before they could get out of this mountain.

Jang Seongguk ca to a conclusion in an instant. He was the head escort of this escort. He had a duty to save everyone and finish the escort.

By the ti Jang Seongguk had composed his mind.

"How dare these vermin!"

A nacing roar erupted from among the bandits.

In their hands were axes and clubs the size of a grown man's torso, which made them feel even more threatening.

Jang Seongguk, who swallowed hard, forced himself to draw sothing up from his dantian.

Drip, drip.

It was none other than tears.

It was a situation with no chance of winning. In the end, what he had to rely on was emotion. He would bow his head until his hands beca his feet and his forehead was worn out. He would evoke sympathy and beg for his life.

It wasn't that Jang Seongguk had no pride. He was a man who had once harbored a dream of joining the Martial Alliance and becoming a master who road the world.

However, pride did not feed him. Naturally, it did not save his subordinates either.

As Jang Seongguk shed large tears, the bandits looked at him with an expression as if they were dumbfounded.

"Oh, great heroes..."

Jang Seongguk did not stop there and slowly bowed his upper body.

After all, the basics of begging were to kneel and hit your head on the ground.

As he was about to bow his head and kneel in a movent as natural as flowing water.

Thud.

His upper body would not bend any further. The resistance felt from his forehead was supporting Jang Seongguk's body.

"...?"

Jang Seongguk had a bewildered expression.

Soon, Jang Seongguk, who had grasped the situation, let out a curse.

"You son of a bitch, what the hell are you doing!"

What supported his forehead was Cheon Woojin's Crescent Moon Staff.

Cheon Woojin, who had lightly lifted the Crescent Moon Staff and supported Jang Seongguk, said without taking his eyes off the bandits.

"If they were the kind of guys who would spare you for that, they wouldn't have swung their axes in the first place."

"...Do you think I, I don't know that!"

Jang Seongguk exploded. The sha and powerlessness he had suppressed, and the anger at this situation, all burst out at once.

Did he want to be like this in front of his juniors?

But in the martial world, the weak were such beings. Beings who bowed, begged, and prolonged their lives by relying on the sympathy of their opponents.

But didn't he have to live?

By the ti Jang Seongguk was about to say sothing.

"Young hero Song."

Cheon Woojin called Song Yiyeon in a low voice.

Song Yiyeon, who was suddenly called, nodded his head awkwardly. This situation itself was a bit uncomfortable.

Cheon Woojin's words continued.

"Please protect the escort."

"...I understand."

Song Yiyeon also knew. The situation had already progressed to the point where it could not be reversed. The bandit had swung his axe without fear, and young hero Cheon had smashed his head.

Of course, he also understood senior Jang's heart. What could be more important than life?

However, there was one thing that senior Jang did not know.

'That young hero Cheon is not just any Martial Alliance mber.'

Song Yiyeon, who nodded his head, imdiately readjusted his grip on his longsword.

"I will protect them with my life, so do as you please."

"Thank you."

"What's there to be thankful for?"

Jang Seongguk felt as if his insides would burst at that conversation. Why didn't he have such a ti? The feeling that he could do anything with just a single sword.

At the ti, he had thought it was romance and passion, but looking back, it was just the rashness of his youth.

"Stop..."

Jang Seongguk thought that the rash young guys from the Martial Alliance were ruining his work. Until now, that had also been the truth.

However, before Jang Seongguk's words could even finish.

Swoosh-!

For a mont, a sound of tearing air that seed to rip his ears was heard. Even Jang Seongguk, who had learned martial arts to so extent, could not help but frown.

However, compared to the scene that would follow, it was nothing.

The rash Martial Alliance mber rushed towards the bandits. No, to be precise, he was already in the middle of them.

He couldn't even understand how fast it was.

The bandits were also surprised by that formidable speed, and their reactions were a bit slow. At least a few who were a little higher in martial might swung their axes and clubs.

'...It's already too late.'

For a mont, Jang Seongguk felt as if his mind had gone blank. All the emotions that had filled him disappeared as if they had been washed away, and that empty space was filled with surprise.

It was as if the world had slowed down. A scene that he should never have been able to see with his martial might was clearly visible to his two eyes.

The dark iron staff exuded a truly gloomy and ominous darkness. It drew a huge circle along the trajectory of the staff, and soon, that endless darkness covered the bandits.

Although it was darkness, it was shining more brightly than anything else in the world.

"Full moon...?"

Yes, surprisingly, a black full moon had risen.

By the ti Jang Seongguk's chest was overwheld with an indescribable emotion.

Thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack-!

A truly cruel sound of tearing flesh erupted.

The bodies of the bandits who had been grazed by the black full moon were finely crushed and scattered in the air. Blood, flesh, and marrow soon rained down.

Red raindrops from a black sky.

Jang Seongguk had a strong feeling that he would never forget this strange scene for the rest of his life.

Thud, thud-thud-thud-!

The back of the man standing tall in those red raindrops. He was no longer a junior of the Martial Alliance, nor a rash rising talent.

A martial artist. How many martial artists had he seen and experienced in his life, which had been spent with one foot in the martial world? However, he had never seen a being who suited the word 'martial artist' as much as the man in front of him now.

It was as if he was seeing the personification of 'martial arts' itself.

'I had forgotten.'

In front of the cold wall of reality, an emotion that he had put deep in his heart was seeping out. The admiration for strength and the awe felt in front of overwhelming martial might.

Although Jang Seongg-guk was in his forties, his heart was pounding as if he were twenty and had first set foot in the Martial Alliance.

What broke his deep reverie was a light voice from behind.

"Young hero Cheon, I was protecting them well."

Of course, he had done nothing. Because the bandits had all died in just one breath.

Cheon Woojin, who had turned around, let out a smirk and said he had done well, and Song Yiyeon also raised the corners of his mouth.

Unlike Song Yiyeon, who was already quite used to Cheon Woojin's martial might, the escorts, including Jang Seongguk, were half out of their minds.

It was then.

"Oh? Young hero Cheon!"

Song Yiyeon, who was about to sheathe his longsword, was startled and ran forward. Because from behind Cheon Woojin, a bandit who was still breathing had raised his axe.

Song Yiyeon, who was on the cart, imdiately drew a straight line and rushed forward. Although he was slow compared to Cheon Woojin, in the eyes of Jang Seongguk and the escorts, it was a truly trendous speed.

Soon, as he was about to pass by Cheon Woojin's side.

"It's alright."

At the sa ti, Song Yiyeon's steps stopped.

The bandit brought his axe down towards the back of Cheon Woojin's head. However, at the crucial mont, the axe split in half and just cut through the empty air.

Cheon Woojin nonchalantly turned around.

"Hic...!"

The bandit took a breath like a herb gatherer who had faced a tiger. Clear fear was flickering in his two eyes.

Cheon Woojin said calmly.

"Guide ."

"W-what..."

Not only the bandit, but also everyone including Song Yiyeon was puzzled.

Cheon Woojin's words continued dryly.

"Guide

to Heungsan Fortress."

"Ah..."

The bandit let out a deflating sound.

Song Yiyeon, who was next to him, said.

"Young hero, our mission is not to subjugate the bandits, but to finish this escort well."

"I know. Since we've killed all the bandits belonging to them, there's no way Heungsan Fortress will stay still. At the speed of the escort, we'll be caught by the bandits in no ti."

It would be convenient if they attacked from the front. Because he could just smash all their heads like now.

However, if they uselessly used poison or set traps, things would get troubleso.

It was better to go to the mountain stronghold now and subjugate them for sure.

"Y-you're telling

to sell out my comrades..."

The bandit said with a forced voice, even while trembling in fear.

However, as Cheon Woojin lightly raised the Crescent Moon Staff...

"If you just spare my life, I will guide you."

It was a bandit who betrayed imdiately.

That's how bandits were.

Although they were grouped with the black path as the evil path, they had no loyalty. In the first place, since they were guys who had chosen to extort others as a way to make a living, they generally had no conscience.

Cheon Woojin nodded his head.

"Guide

by the fastest route. And Head Escort Jang, you can continue the escort as planned, or if you are anxious, you can wait here."

"Umm..."

Jang Seongguk made an unintelligible sound. That was his state of mind right now. He knew that Cheon Woojin was very strong. Song Yiyeon, who had co with him, was also not ordinary just by looking at his movent skills.

However, it was true that he was worried. It was probably more so because Jang Seongguk's level was not enough to accurately gauge Cheon Woojin's martial might.

Cheon Woojin, who noticed his heart, said calmly.

"If we don't join you by the ti the escort reaches Henan, please tell the Henan branch of the Martial Alliance. In the first place, since we are Martial Alliance mbers, we are just doing what we have to do."

Song Yiyeon next to him nodded his head. In fact, he had no particular thoughts, but if young hero Cheon had decided to go, he would go.

He wasn't particularly worried either. Young hero Cheon, who had even fought with the disciples of the Dark Heavenly Son, would he be flustered by re bandits?

"Still..."

Jang Seongguk trailed off.

However, Cheon Woojin just turned around and brought the Crescent Moon Staff down on the bandit's shoulder.

"Aaaah!"

The bandit let out a scream as if he were facing death. Because he knew well how his comrades had died by that iron staff.

Cheon Woojin said as if he was dumbfounded.

"Don't make a fuss and guide ."

"...Yes, great hero."

"Don't call

great hero."

He didn't want to hear the words 'great hero' from a bandit.

And so, the bandit firmly shut his mouth and began to guide them.

Song Yiyeon, who was following the bandit and Cheon Woojin, waved his hand at the escort, which had not yet taken a step due to worry.

"I'll be back soon. Senior."

He was like soone going to the marketplace to buy candy.

(End of Chapter)