Beastly and Fearlessly - Chapter 9
Only Noblemtl
Episode 9
A monolithic net.
It is one of the spirits of the South, a huge snake with a small horn on its forehead.
Actually, it’s not a horn, but closer to a hump.
Anyway, it’s a guy who grew up abnormally with a mysterious energy of a man, and if you look inside the horn-like bump on his forehead, you’ll find a small bead-like internal organ.
When taken by an unmanned vehicle, it instantly increases air power.
“No, it’s… … .”
“Tsk tsk. Why are you so greedy when you’re old? You’re not going to take it with you when you die anyway. And why would a warrior from the Beast Palace have such great background? Energy is overflowing everywhere anyway.”
Namman is full of the energy of nature.
And warriors have bodies suited to receiving energy.
That is, if you just breathe properly, your whole body will be filled with energy.
In addition, he has the stamina to not tire easily.
So, unlike the people of the Central Plains, they are not obsessed with the size of their history.
“Then what will the labor and management be willing to do?”
“I don’t care what happens as long as I don’t have an arm left. But I still need to have a hand to hold chopsticks. Haha.”
“Does the palace plaque not matter?”
As soon as the elder finished speaking, the old man’s face hardened.
I quietly asked Deoksam, who was still loitering around.
“What is a palace?”
“It must be something more precious to you than your own life. It’s because you saved the Beast King’s life in the past battlefield, and you received it directly from Him. He was always proud of it. The Lord of the Senate was always displeased with that. Now, he may seem like an old man who is annoyed by everything in the world, but back when he had two arms, he was a very special person.”
After a long silence, the old man answered.
“Let’s do that.”
* * *
Before the showdown, the elder brother called out to Damwangsu from afar.
“Remember, the position of Sodongju in Namcheon Damdong isn’t something you can just get by winning once in a fight. You have to show me that you are worthy of it before that. So this time, completely crush that guy.”
“Hehe. I was going to do that anyway. If the opportunity arises, I’m thinking of using a male and female swordsman. Then, wouldn’t it be possible to finish it without any troublesome things like a raincoat? Of course, if that bastard falls before completing even one lap, there won’t be a chance to do that.”
“Shut up. Just do as I say. Don’t waste your time thinking about other things and ruin what’s already been done.”
“Haha. I see. By the way, didn’t you say you would give me the inner part of the Dokgakhwamang? You said that if I could get the position of Sodongju by any means necessary, you would give it to me… … . Well, it all comes down to winning the bet. Ha.”
“That kid is too greedy. He would have been stabbed in the back in an alley if left alone, but he brought him here.”
“How can someone be as greedy as you? Haha. I will continue to be nothing more than a puppet that moves according to your will, but I will be satisfied. I am not that greedy. Hehe.”
It was true that the elder brother, Moon Il-ji, searched through Namman to find a suitable person to put in the position of Sodongju.
However, it was not Nanman but a rural village in Yunnan that discovered the damwangsu.
It was unknown why he was abandoned in the Central Plains, but even at a young age, his eyes were alive.
At that age, he was already a member of a black group called Samhwanbang and was committing all sorts of bad deeds.
I had also achieved a certain level of achievement in martial arts.
‘I knew it the moment I saw it.’
The two eyes filled with greed were just like his own.
A guy who will do anything to get what he wants.
Plus, he has excellent skills and skeleton.
It cost me quite a bit of money to create a new identity and acquire various elixirs, but it was worth it.
If everything goes according to plan, the entire Namcheon Damdong will be mine.
Dong-ju, who is still talking about the honor of being a warrior, has no way of knowing his scheme.
“But didn’t you say that it would be hard to return from the forest alive? That you would become food for wolves and bury your bones in the forest… .”
“Shh. This kid’s gone crazy. Where did he get that kind of talk?”
“Haha. Calm down. I was wondering if something was not going according to plan… … Anyway, I’ll run well and come back. Thirty laps is nothing.”
“It’s not something you can see easily. In the history of Namcheon Damdong, only two people have completed thirty laps of Mujangbong.”
“Don’t worry. In terms of stamina, I’m not behind anyone here. Ah! If that guy, Dam-myeong, is lying down in the middle, I can carry him and run. I’ll have to show him the character of someone who will soon become the leader of Namcheon Dam-dong. Hehe.”
* * *
Dozens of young warriors ran out at the same time.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The sound of footsteps that shook the earth’s axis drew the attention of the warriors who were practicing individually in the great martial arts field.
There was a smile on the lips of the warriors who had paused from training for a moment.
“Hehe. The old man is still the same as before when he returned. Who will pass this time?”
“Pass? Did you know that only two people have completed thirty round trips? One is now Dongju, and the other is the best warrior in the Beast Palace.”
“How could you not know that? Thirty laps is nonsense anyway, and the important thing is who will be left in the end.”
“Oh. That guy running out in front is the guy that the Elder Lord brought along? He’s called Damwangsu or something. He must have been training very harshly.”
“That guy will probably be the last one to stay. I’ve often watched him train, and he never gets tired. He’s also very skilled.”
“What about Dammyung Sodongju?”
“Hehe. Have you ever seen Sodongju do physical training? If he can do more than ten laps, I’ll share some of the snake wine I made last time. The last time I had a fight with Ma Yeong-hu was unexpected, but physical strength isn’t something that can be gained in an instant.”
* * *
Knock knock. Knock knock.
I ran while maintaining a constant stride and breathing rate.
I really wanted to feel the wind and run as fast as I could, but I held back because I had to run for quite some time.
The southern path leading up to Mujangbong Peak is steep.
Running on flat ground and climbing a mountain are two completely different stories.
Those who haven’t managed to conserve their stamina will probably fall out of breath after going back and forth three or four times.
“Dammyung Sodongju, don’t let your strength drain from the start. Hehe.”
Damwangsu passed by me and said a word.
“Oh. Okay. You’ve had a hard time too.”
The guy who told me not to let my strength drain too much rushed forward at full speed.
I can’t even see his back anymore.
But there is no need to rush.
Anyway, when the end comes, you will be running beside me.
Wheezing.
When you reach the top, you can feel a cool breeze.
Some are already heading down the cliff.
Looking down, it seems so far away.
A smooth cliff with nothing to grab onto.
Still, everyone is desperately trying to find a small gap and getting down there.
“Wow!”
Cheers could be heard from those watching below.
Damwangsu was hanging like a monkey, holding onto a small gap with one hand.
Then he finds another opening and flies his body.
It’s a difficult task without a fair amount of strength and agility.
You’ll also need some courage.
“Ohhh!”
“Wow! How nimble! Has anyone ever gone down a cliff so easily?”
As he landed on the ground with a feat of magic, exclamations of admiration erupted from all around.
Now it’s my turn.
Everyone’s eyes were turned to me.
You must be wondering how the lazy bum will get down the cliff.
They had already taken up positions where they could clearly see me falling.
“Phew… … .”
I took a deep breath and looked down the cliff.
A steep, nearly vertical slope with a great height.
There are countless people watching me from below.
But in my past life, I was a special agent of Salmak.
Wall-climbing is a basic skill that any skilled assassin must master.
If you concentrate your energy on your palm and use the magic of attachment, you can even stick to a smooth ceiling.
“Oh my gosh, that’s surprising. What is that?”
“Oh, no, what am I looking at right now?”
“Is that possible?”
Amazement beyond cheers.
It can’t be helped, I’m crawling down the cliff with my palms pressed against it.
Compared to the days of being hung from the ceiling with nothing to grab onto, this cliff is so easy.
I don’t know how long these calluse-free palms will last.
“Ahhhh!”
Some idiot tried to imitate me and fell off a cliff.
A blurry figure quickly moves to the point of impact and is lightly caught.
To be able to carry that massive body with just one arm.
As I went down the cliff, I saw the old man putting down on the ground one of the things he had caught earlier.
Then he turned to me and asked.
“Where did you learn such strange skills?”
“Well, I tried it and it worked.”
I felt like if I stayed still, questions would pour in, so I hurriedly ran towards the south ramp.
When I glanced back, I saw Noh Sa shaking his head with an expression of disbelief.
* * *
Two days have already passed.
Now there are only five people left.
Of course, Damwangsu is far ahead.
“Huk. Huh.”
The only sound that echoes on the steep slope is the sound of breathing.
Everyone has already reached their limits, but they are gritting their teeth and holding on.
“Are there about ten laps left now?”
The old man asked the warrior of Namungdae who was watching.
Many warriors were watching the young warriors’ challenge from under the staff.
“That’s right. You’ve survived a lot this year. By the way, I didn’t know that Sodongju would still be around. All those guys with sad faces over there are the ones who bet that Sodongju wouldn’t make it past ten laps. Heh heh.”
“If it’s not too late, go and bet your money. Sodongju will be the last one left.”
A calm but confident voice.
“Sodongju will fill all thirty?”
“No way. That standard is just a goal set to filter out every last one. It’s close to impossible. If you were to challenge again now, since you’ve already earned the title of warrior, wouldn’t you be unable to do it?”
“Oh, you want me to try again? Why are you saying such harsh words?”
“If you neglect your cultivation, you will soon be caught up with those kids.
“By the way, did you change your route? To an easier one?”
“What nonsense are you talking about? This is the same road you ran on before.”
The warrior standing next to him tilted his head and continued speaking.
“Then it’s strange?”
“What’s wrong with you, you punk?”
“I remember the twentieth lap. I really felt like I was going to die. If there was a hell, it would be here. Everyone had an expression on their face like they were about to die.”
“Of course. Where would you find a crazy guy who would laugh while suffering like that for three days? What on earth are you trying to say?”
“Is that Sodongju over there? Look at Sodongju’s face closely.”
Nosa carefully examined Dammyeong’s face from afar.
“Me. That crazy guy… … .”
Sodongju Dammyeong was smiling brightly.
As if I was doing the most fun thing in the world.
* * *
It’s already the last thirtieth.
There are two people left.
The last person to complete the 30 laps of Mujangbong was the current owner, Dam Mu-heun.
About thirty years ago.
Maybe that scene will be repeated today.
All the warriors of Namcheon Damdong gathered at the foot of the northern cliff to see that glorious sight.
Except for one person.
“What the hell is going on?”
Elder Moon Il-ji, who was hiding under the shade of a tree, muttered to himself without realizing it.
The southern foot of Mujangbong Peak.
A winding place that is never visible from outside the mountain.
Damwangsu, who had been far ahead from the beginning, was already exhausted and was crawling up on all fours.
Just coming here is commendable.
This would not have been possible without the greed for the Sodongju position.
The problem is the name.
‘That damn kid. I thought he’d foam at the mouth and collapse after running three or four laps.’
Dam-myeong, who was running from afar, was still running on two feet.
It will soon surpass the king of beasts.
‘That won’t work… … .’
The inner workings of the monolithic net are not important.
Anyway, in order to push out the guy who inherited Dongju’s blood and establish a new Sodongju, a justification is needed.
It means that you have to show overwhelming strength.
That’s also the reason why I participated in this armed resistance training race.
Even my precious inner garments were hanging.
‘The more that guy gets recognized, the weaker our cause will become. Haa. I should have continued to be a stupid, lazy bum… … That’s what I should have done. Tsk tsk.’
Bam.
I broke off a small branch.
A common twig the size of a finger.
But soon it will become a sharp sword and aim for the Cheonju point on the back of the neck.
A paralyzing blood clot that can cause fainting or, if properly inserted, death.
He secretly put his energy into a tree branch.
Even for an experienced warrior, doing thirty laps of the armed guard is difficult.
So it’s natural for you to be exhausted and roll around on the mountainside.
If you’re really unlucky, a branch might get stuck in your blood.
Because unexpected accidents always happen on dark mountain paths.
Knock, knock.
Dammyung was approaching at the same speed as when he set off.
Although his appearance was obviously exhausted, there was a faint smile on his face.
‘I wish you hadn’t suddenly changed into a different person… … .’
He waited for Dam-myeong to come closer, holding the branch.
Now there are about twenty chapters left.
Close enough to fire a projectile.
The elder quietly raised the hand holding the tree branch.
That moment!
“It would have been better if the moon had been bright… … .”
His voice was heard from behind.