Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 155

The reason assassins didn’t call Hwa-rin ‘Slaughterer’ was simple: he had never taken a contract to kill anyone before.

After the battle with the Blood Demon Alliance, the sect leaders who knew Hwa-rin recognized him as their leader. However, many still regarded Hwa-rin as merely the predecessor to the true ‘Slaughterer’.

They believed that when Hwa-rin truly earned the name ‘Slaughterer’ by killing people professionally, they would call him that, and not just the predecessor.

“First, I want to thank you all for answering my call,” Hwa-rin’s voice echoed, reaching every assassin present.

“The reason I have gathered you here, as stated in the written summons, is to create an alliance amongst us assassins to stand against a great power.”

They simply bowed their heads, listening intently to Hwa-rin’s words.

“I do not underestimate your martial prowess, but I believe it is lacking compared to the Righteous Heaven Alliance, the Blood Demon Alliance, the Ten Great Families, the Nine Sects and One Union, the Twelve Evil Clans, or the Five Demonic Clans.”

When Hwa-rin stated this frankly, everyone seemed to agree.

“Therefore, to narrow the gap between us and them, we need to learn not only assassin martial arts but also orthodox martial arts. I also hope that you will discover the strengths of both assassin and orthodox martial arts and develop them into your own unique martial arts to leave for posterity.”

One person raised their hand.

“Speak.”

“I am Bae Gu-hwan, the leader of the Black Curtain Sect in Henan Province. You said that we must learn orthodox martial arts, but learning and mastering advanced martial arts to the extent that they are effective in the Murim world [the martial arts world] is a distant prospect.”

“It doesn’t have to be advanced martial arts. Any martial art that complements your assassin martial arts is sufficient. I repeat, we are assassins, not orthodox martial artists. We are only trying to narrow the gap a little.”

Another person raised their hand.

“Speak.”

“I am Jin Woo-seol, the leader of the Blood Sect in Sichuan Province.”

They first announced their identity before posing their question to Hwa-rin.

“If we narrow the gap a little, what benefits will we gain?”

Hwa-rin gave a simple and clear answer to Jin Woo-seol.

“Then you won’t have to worry about getting cheated out of your money in the future.”

Scoffs and murmurs of laughter rippled through the assembled sect leaders.

“And if the sect leaders stand in front and their disciples behind them, I think I can get to know you a little faster.”

As soon as Hwa-rin finished speaking, people began to move, and twelve more groups appeared than the expected fifty or sixty.

This was because quite a few sect leaders had brought only a single disciple.

“Why did you only bring one person?”

“We don’t have enough capable people, and this one is the only one who is somewhat skilled.”

“I clearly stated that I cannot be held responsible for deaths during the training process. Judging from your words, isn’t this disciple the one who will lead the sect?”

“But you said that if they endure the training, you will make them invincible, didn’t you? I think dying or living, enjoying wealth and glory, is all this guy’s fate. I didn’t want to remain a sect leader, a master, who didn’t even provide that opportunity, so I asked this guy what he thought, and he said he would overcome it, so I brought him.”

Hwa-rin looked at the person standing behind Song Cheon-woo, the leader of the Hidden Gate in Shandong Province.

She was one of the few female assassins present, and although she looked small and frail, her eyes were the most radiant among the gathered people.

“I sympathize with your thoughts, so I will give special help to the disciple of the Hidden Gate to achieve what she wants by pushing her even harder.”

“Thank you.”

Another person raised their hand.

“I am Yeok Do-gi, the leader of the Ghost Killing Gate in Guizhou Province. Is the disciples’ training done here?”

“No. It will take place in a location that is not noticeable to people. To be precise, after a certain amount of training, I plan to integrate them into society, living amongst ordinary people to deceive prying eyes.”

The sect leaders listened to Hwa-rin’s answer, wondering if that was even possible. However, Hwa-rin had already experienced it with the Fierce Tiger Death Squad, so he believed it was achievable for the assassins as well.

Afterward, Hwa-rin outlined the assassin alliance he envisioned, and most of the assassins accepted the idea positively.

“Then the sect leaders of each sect will now talk separately.”

Hwa-rin’s figure disappeared from the watchtower and reappeared inside the largest building in the mountain fortress.

“You guys go out and help with the cooking. If you don’t get the mealtime right, you’re as good as dead.”

The Green Forest bandits [bandits operating in mountainous areas] who had gathered there had no choice but to be driven out by Hwa-rin’s words.

When Hwa-rin took a seat on the floor, the sect leaders of the assassin sects entered the building.

“Everyone, please sit down.”

Unlike his authoritative demeanor from moments ago, he showed courtesy befitting the status of a sect leader. However, it did not change the fact that Hwa-rin held a higher position than them.

The sect leaders sat on the floor as they pleased, following Hwa-rin’s example.

Hwa-rin’s face reverted from the masked appearance to his true self. The sect leaders who saw his face for the first time were inwardly surprised by his manly appearance.

Most people who wear masks or disguise themselves have major flaws on their faces, but Hwa-rin’s face was not only without flaws but also handsome. Upon closer inspection, he seemed remarkably attractive.

“To introduce myself accurately, I am Joo Hwa-rin, the leader of the Nine Dragons Stronghold located in Sanyang County, Shanxi Province.”

When the words ‘leader of the Nine Dragons Stronghold’ came out of Hwa-rin’s mouth, they were surprised once again.

This time, several people raised their hands.

“Are you Leader Ha Cheong-min of the Sea Gate in Guangxi Province?”

“That’s right.”

“Speak.”

When Hwa-rin pointed to one person, the others who had raised their hands lowered them. By exchanging questions and answers in this way, there was no commotion, and no one frowned at other people’s claims or opinions.

“There is a rumor circulating that you exchanged swords with the Mad Emperor Baek Mu-gi.”

“That’s right. I was defeated in twenty and a half moves.”

The eyes of those who heard Hwa-rin’s answer changed. They held a glimmer of hope.

“And I was seriously injured, but fortunately, I was able to save my life, and I benefited a little from that fight.”

“Benefited?”

“People mention the One Demon, Two Emperors, Three Kings, Four Emperors, and Five Gods as the Ten Great Masters, but in fact, I think I can beat them if I put my mind to it.”

Since he was the predecessor of the Slaughterer, the leader of the assassins, the sect leaders thought it was acceptable for him to have that much arrogance, and not a single one of them felt any antipathy toward Hwa-rin’s words.

“So, when I exchanged swords with the Sword Demon last time, I wasn’t very afraid or thought I would lose. But the Mad Emperor Baek Mu-gi was a master of another dimension.”

“A master of another dimension?”

“The Three Kings and Four Emperors are also strong, but they were not masters that they could compare to.”

In the Murim world, there were rumors that the One Demon and Two Emperors were stronger than the others, but hearing it directly from Hwa-rin made it feel different.

“So, the fact that there are at least three masters in the Murim world that I can’t compare to touched my pride.”

“Hmm…….”

“When my master was active in the Murim world, no one dared to be compared to my master. But now, I can’t even compare to them, and I was even beaten up, so I think my master would think I’m pathetic, so I’m setting a new goal and moving forward.”

“A new goal……?”

“To catch the One Demon and Two Emperors. In fact, if about thirty years pass like this, there is a high possibility that I will become the strongest in the world.”

He had already fought and won against the Sword Demon, who was called one of the Ten Great Masters of Murim, so if time passed and the older generation of masters died of old age, Hwa-rin, who was left behind, would naturally be called the strongest in the world.

“My pride won’t allow me to do that, so I will defeat them while they are still alive and well.”

The sect leaders of the assassin sects saw that Hwa-rin’s eyes were burning and knew that what he was saying was not empty words.

The sect leaders’ calculations began to churn.

“While confronting the Blood Demon Alliance this time, I realized that you can’t survive alone in the Murim world unless you are truly exceptional.”

Even though the law of the jungle was strongly applied in the Murim world, one could not face the entire Murim world alone.

Just as Kwon Ma Cho Dan-woon, who had plunged the Central Plains into terror two hundred years ago, was eventually killed by the Murim alliance, surviving alone in the Murim world may be more difficult than finding a needle in a desert.

“So, this time, I realized that it is necessary to create an assassin alliance to help each other and raise the status of assassins a little more.”

One person raised their hand.

“Speak.”

“I am Kang So, the leader of the Blood Finger Gate in Fujian Province. You said that you would raise the alliance and status of assassins, but do you have a specific plan?”

“What I’m thinking now is to increase the success rate of assassins’ requests.”

“I know that the success rate of requests is already high.”

“Without mistakes. I’m talking about a success rate that can succeed in any difficult request.”

The sect leaders knew that Hwa-rin’s words were bordering on impossible, so they shook their heads.

“We have clear limitations. It is difficult to escape those limitations, whether it is receiving a request or eliminating the target after receiving a request.”

“That’s why I made the proposal to train the disciples of each sect and make them stronger.”

“Hmm…….”

“If you are satisfied with yourself, you cannot change or develop. Then you will be left behind. Not only the Murim world but also the world is constantly developing, and people’s level of awareness is increasing.”

Hwa-rin knew very well that changes were happening quickly because he had traveled around with the Fierce Tiger Death Squad countless times.

“If we can’t keep up with it from time to time, we will eventually not be able to stand up.”

One person raised their hand.

“Speak.”

“I am Bo Guk-sang, the leader of the Heavenly Secret Gate in Guangdong Province. Then how can we make those things possible?”

It was a simple question asking what Hwa-rin wanted from them.

“We need to cooperate.”

“What do you mean by cooperation?”

“A customer who frequently places requests with the Blood Sect in Sichuan Province made a request to eliminate someone in Guangdong Province. Then how long will it take for the Blood Sect to complete that request? I would like Jin Woo-seol, the leader of the Blood Sect in Sichuan Province, to answer this.”

“Including the time to travel, investigate, and execute the request, it will take at least fifteen days to a month.”

“Then how long will it take if the Heavenly Secret Gate in Guangdong Province takes action?”

“If they know the people, it can be done in about two or three days if possible.”

“That’s right. What if the Blood Sect gives this request to the Heavenly Secret Gate through a carrier pigeon? How long will it take?”

“Even using the time it takes for the carrier pigeon to travel, it can be resolved in five days.”

“If the Blood Sect received the request but didn’t do any labor or dangerous work, so they take 10% of the request fee, and the Heavenly Secret Gate did all the work related to the request, so they receive 90%, would you be willing to do that?”

“I don’t mind.”

Bo Guk-sang, the leader of the Heavenly Secret Gate in Guangdong Province, answered.

“I think the others here won’t have any complaints about this either. Considering the cost of sending assassins to eat and sleep, it may be more expensive to send them than to earn money.”

No one could deny Hwa-rin’s words.

“Experience is needed to become stronger. If our assassin alliance is created and a system is established through the alliance that allows for these cooperative requests, will each sect be able to make more requests than before? Or will they make fewer?”

“It depends on the assassin’s rank, but it seems that there will be more requests. If there is only one special assassin among the assassins we have, and requests come in from three or four places at the same time, time may pass endlessly, and the client may put the request in another place due to frustration.”

“Doing a lot of work means that the assassins you have are also gaining experience and growing. I think we can become a little stronger through this kind of cooperation.”

The sect leaders accepted Hwa-rin’s thoughts positively.

One person raised their hand.

“Speak.”

“I am Lee Jae-woo, the lord of Gunseong in Hebei Province. What happens if we receive a request that we cannot handle? If we give up the request, the reputation we have built up may be tarnished.”

“If it’s that kind of request, you’ll probably have to risk the fate of the sect, so you’ll have to be more careful. Leave those requests to me. I will step in and solve them for you.”

The sect leaders’ shoulders trembled slightly at Hwa-rin’s declaration that he would step out to kill.

“Are you saying you will accumulate killing karma?”

“Living as a Murim person is itself accumulating killing karma. And I have no intention of moving separately to receive requests.”

He would kill, but instead of receiving requests himself, he would take over requests that the assassin sects could not handle.

“I heard that you are being monitored by the Blood Demon Alliance.”

“I just can’t get involved in Murim affairs. But a merchant can go anywhere in the Central Plains.”

In other words, the ban was not a major restriction for him.

“Ah…….”

“If the sect leaders here agree with my thoughts, I will start working with the goal of creating a clear system by this year and implementing it next year.”