Disciple of The Three Kings [EN]: Chapter 10

*Shhh!*

No sooner had the chilling sound of slicing echoed than…

‘Kkyaaaaah!’

A scream erupted from one of the spiders.

Kang Eun-ha had already released herself from the magic binding item.

The moment she broke free, she snatched her weapon, which was nearby, and charged forward.

The spiders, thinking Ahn Min-hong’s party was weak, had been careless with their equipment.

*Shhh! Shhh!*

Kang Eun-ha swiftly cut down the second spider.

Thud, thud.

In an instant, two spiders had lost their heads.

‘…….’

The other spider, still not understanding what was happening, slowly turned his head.

But Kim Cheol-ho was different.

‘Gotcha!’

Even as he gave the order, Kim Cheol-ho drew his sword and rushed forward.

‘Too late.’

But it was impossible to catch up with Kang Eun-ha’s speed.

*Shhh!*

Finally, the third slicing sound rang out.

As expected, the spider’s head fell to the ground.

*Clang!*

Belatedly, Kim Cheol-ho’s sword clashed with Kang Eun-ha’s blade, sending sparks flying.

‘How could you, you…!’

Kim Cheol-ho pushed back Kang Eun-ha’s blade, his face contorted in anger.

He had clearly disarmed Ahn Min-hong’s party, including Kang Eun-ha, and put magic binding cuffs on them.

Magic binding cuffs were fatal to players; unless you were a ranker [a high-level player], there was no way to remove them.

‘Could it be…!’

Kim Cheol-ho was about to say ‘ranker’.

‘How foolish. You’re wrong.’

*Clang!*

Kang Eun-ha pushed back Kim Cheol-ho’s sword.

‘Magic binding cuffs only work on…’

*Clang!*

Kang Eun-ha deflected Kim Cheol-ho’s sword.

A reddish aura swirled around Kang Eun-ha’s blade.

‘Players and mana users of Einheart.’

‘Martial artist-!’

Kim Cheol-ho, having been pushed back, quickly regained his stance and glared at Kang Eun-ha.

‘You! You weren’t a player!’

‘Why so surprised? You don’t seem like a second-rate, or even a D-grade player yourself.’

Second-rate by martial artist standards, D-grade by player standards.

‘Between level 20 and 40.’

That was the level Kim Cheol-ho had revealed.

But the mana surrounding Kim Cheol-ho’s body was much stronger than that.

‘First-rate, C-grade?’

First-rate and C-grade, which would be level 40 to 60 for a player.

Kim Cheol-ho flinched.

It was only natural.

There was no way Kim Cheol-ho would have revealed his true level while doing such illegal things.

Although forging association registration certificates was illegal, it was easily done through the Black Market.

What was more surprising was Kang Eun-ha.

‘Well, it’s customary before entering a gate. Should I check it out?’

A martial artist pretending to be a player.

That was never easy.

From the start, the internal energy of a martial artist and the mana of a player were completely different in nature.

Kim Cheol-ho had used an information search skill to check all of Ahn Min-hong’s party, and their average level was E-grade.

That included Kang Eun-ha.

The information search had recognized Kang Eun-ha as a player.

‘A way to deceive skills, huh?’

He knew how to deceive levels, but how a martial artist could be recognized as a player was a mystery.

Rowoon watched Kang Eun-ha and Kim Cheol-ho with even more interest.

‘I won’t let you die easily.’

‘Can you even kill me in the first place?’

Kim Cheol-ho smirked at Kang Eun-ha.

‘You’re getting cocky after taking down three morons.’

Only then did Kang Eun-ha’s smile disappear.

Kim Cheol-ho was right.

Although she had defeated three spiders, there were still stronger opponents left.

Kim Cheol-ho, who had deceived his level, and…

*Swoosh.*

The ronin.

‘Judging by the sword energy, you must be at the peak level. If so, I can’t win.’

Kim Cheol-ho gripped his sword tighter.

To challenge an opponent who was one grade higher as a player was suicidal unless you had extraordinary confidence.

What if the difference was that much between a martial artist, who was considered stronger than a player?

‘Certain defeat.’

But Kim Cheol-ho was not alone.

‘I ask for your help. I will pay you handsomely.’

Kim Cheol-ho’s voice was directed at the ronin.

‘By the way, that person is a peak-level martial artist like you.’

Kim Cheol-ho’s eyes turned to the ronin who was with Rowoon.

The ronin raised his sword as if responding to Kim Cheol-ho’s words.

*Whoosh.*

The sword’s blade glowed blue.

‘…….’

It was indeed the sword energy that was called the symbol of the peak.

That was why Kim Cheol-ho hadn’t asked about his level when hiring him.

With a peak-level martial artist and a C-grade player, most unexpected situations could be easily handled.

* * *

The Three Kings’ teachers, especially the Martial King Shin Yeo-wool, introduced herself like this.

‘I am the master of the Demonic Cult.’

The Demonic Cult.

That was why Rowoon, who had decided to become her disciple later, asked.

‘Is the Demonic Cult related to the Demonic Sect?’

The Demonic Sect.

Who were they?

They were a vicious group that was treated the same as the black mages of Einheart, and it was okay to kill them on sight.

It was said that Eun had eradicated them over thousands of years, but their remnants still remained, hiding in Eun and even on Earth, disturbing the world.

‘The Demonic Cult is their root.’

Shin Yeo-wool was their master.

‘They are pitiful. If you succeed and return, take care of them.’

The worst terrorists, wanted by all forces in Eun.

For an ordinary person, it would be difficult to even encounter them in their lifetime.

But Rowoon was different.

‘The monster carcass disposal site of the Hwasan Guild.’

It was a place where all the workers were treated like slaves, receiving less than human treatment.

Although it was said to be corrupt, Hwasan was a guild that valued its reputation.

How could they openly use slaves?

The reason was simple.

‘The slaves at the disposal site deserved such treatment.’

The workers at the disposal site were all criminals.

Red players like Kim Cheol-ho, and those who had committed crimes of at least murder.

Rowoon hadn’t befriended the slaves, but he had listened to their stories.

They were in an inescapable death row, and they would reveal secrets that should never be spoken.

One of them stuck in his memory.

‘If you take a special request from the Black Market…’

A man who had become a slave after being caught buying and selling people in the Black Market.

‘You can meet the remnants of the Demonic Sect.’

‘The Demonic Sect?’

‘Yes. Didn’t you know there’s a rumor that the Black Market and the Demonic Sect are related?’

‘So what’s the request?’

Rowoon remembered the word ‘Demonic Sect,’ the group that Eun was so hostile to and that was so mysterious.

‘Heinous crimes like murder and kidnapping, gates, D-grade or higher.’

Of course, the possibility of their stories, filled with lies, being true was extremely low.

But there was room to investigate.

After all, Rowoon had lost all his foundations and had to hide his identity.

So, even if he couldn’t find the remnants of the Demonic Sect by participating in crimes in the Black Market, he would deal with the criminals and steal their wealth and identities.

However, his thoughts changed when he saw Ahn Min-hong’s party.

‘A player?’

The energy he felt from Kang Eun-ha, who called herself a player.

It was internal energy.

No.

*Smirk.*

It was demonic energy.

The scent of demonic energy that ordinary people could never recognize.

No, it was a subtle scent that even masters who had reached the Hwagyung realm [a high level of martial arts mastery] could not easily detect.

It was a scent that could not be recognized unless one had learned the Blood Demon Divine Art.

In other words.

‘Iron Hero! Attack first!’

‘Bitch. Blame your bad luck.’

The man called Iron Hero, who had wrapped his sword in dense sword energy, moved with fluid and swift movements….

*Smirk.*

And swung his sword at Rowoon.

‘You! You’ve been acting suspicious since earlier!’

Indeed, was he a peak-level martial artist who had been a ronin for a long time?

He seemed to have judged that Rowoon, who was standing still and doing nothing behind Kang Eun-ha, was more dangerous than the one in front of him.

After all, in this situation, Rowoon was a dispensable existence to them.

It wasn’t a bad judgment.

*Whoosh-!*

Iron Hero’s sword, imbued with sword energy, grazed past Rowoon’s eyes.

Someone who saw this scene might think he was lucky to have dodged it, but Iron Hero, who had swung the sword, knew better.

‘It should have hit.’

It was a sword swing that was full of surprise, recognizing the unavoidable angle and situation.

Just one step.

Rowoon had avoided Iron Hero’s sword with that.

‘Oh no.’

It was too late to realize something.

*Snap!*

The sound of a finger flicking was heard.

*Boom!*

Iron Hero’s head exploded.

Kim Cheol-ho’s eyes went blank as he watched this scene.

It wasn’t because Rowoon, whom he had hired from the Black Market, had betrayed him.

He had never trusted the guy he hired from the Black Market, and he had planned to kill him by framing him for this kidnapping.

That was why he hadn’t bothered with detailed information or verification.

Kim Cheol-ho was shocked because Iron Hero, a peak-level martial artist who had been with Kim Cheol-ho’s party for a long time, had his head blown off in an instant.

‘You seem to have a lot of leeway.’

Rowoon’s voice.

Only then could Kim Cheol-ho realize the reality.

That it wasn’t Rowoon who was dangerous right now.

That he shouldn’t be distracted by such things.

‘……!’

That Kang Eun-ha was in front of him.

*Clang! Shhh!*

If they had fought properly, they would have exchanged a few blows, but Kim Cheol-ho, who had been distracted by Rowoon, had his neck cleanly severed.

That was the price of carelessness.

Kang Eun-ha, having dealt with Kim Cheol-ho, stood still and looked at Rowoon.

‘Am I next?’

Kang Eun-ha flinched at Rowoon’s playful voice.

Fortunately, she didn’t do anything foolish like Iron Hero.

*Swoosh.*

She lowered her red blade but didn’t release her sword energy.

It seemed like she had no intention of resisting, but she was ready to resist in case of an emergency.

‘Could you please spare me?’

It was an unimaginable sight from someone who had been beheading people without hesitation.

‘……? I was just with Kim Cheol-ho’s party.’

Kang Eun-ha cautiously shook her head.

‘You also blew up the head of another ronin. If you were with them, I wouldn’t have been able to catch even one spider.’

‘…….’

‘So, you’re not with them and have some other purpose.’

Interesting.

‘How do you know my purpose?’

‘…….’

Kang Eun-ha, who had been speaking without hesitation, stopped.

‘Whatever it is… I will help.’

‘Whatever it is?’

‘You can have it all if you want anyway.’

He was a powerful being who could blow up the head of a peak-level martial artist in one move.

‘Only my grandfather could do something like that.’

Transcendent?

That was not enough.

At least….

‘Hwagyung.’

It was a feat that only a strong person of S-grade or higher could achieve.

*Chuckles.*

‘What if I want your life?’

Kang Eun-ha closed her eyes tightly.

She seemed to have expected this situation.

‘I will give it to you. But…’

Kang Eun-ha opened her eyes again and said.

‘Could it be after we leave the gate?’

Kang Eun-ha’s eyes were looking at Ahn Min-hong and the others, who were trembling, unable to accept the sudden situation.

Was she trying to save them in this situation?

Or did she have another purpose?

‘Let me ask you one thing.’

‘I will answer if I know it.’

‘How did you know I was strong?’

‘Huh? You blew up the head of a peak-level martial artist…’

Rowoon shook his head.

‘You should have attacked me first.’

‘……!’

‘You are suspicious, and you didn’t confirm my strength. Plus, I was the closest to you.’

It was true.

Rowoon was standing close to where Kang Eun-ha and her group were tied up.

If she were him, she would have released the binding cuffs and targeted him first.

A person whose strength was unknown was likely to be a variable, and in a battlefield of life and death, variables had to be eliminated first.

But she had ignored him and attacked the other spiders.

‘She couldn’t have felt my energy.’

Rowoon had clearly hidden his energy completely.

It was also the function of the third stage of the Blood Demon Divine Art, the Black Blood.

It didn’t seem like she had attacked the spiders because of a foolish choice.

It was certain.

That was why he was curious.

‘Your eyes… I couldn’t look at those eyes during the night watch either. I didn’t feel any threat or energy, but I’ve only felt like that once before.’

‘Who was that?’

‘That’s…’

Kang Eun-ha closed her mouth as if she couldn’t answer.

‘Well, it’s okay. I’ll find out eventually.’

Her martial arts were quite useful.

She was also quite smart.

But what was more interesting was something else.

‘She has a good sense.’

It was a jackpot from the start.

‘Then let’s go out.’

Kang Eun-ha nodded and released Ahn Min-hong’s party.

The gate boss was at a level that Kang Eun-ha alone could defeat.

* * *

Kang Eun-ha, who had come out of the gate, bowed her head to Rowoon and said.

‘If you want my life, you can take it.’

But Rowoon asked her something else.

‘Are you from the Cheon family or the Hyeol family?’