Book 11: Chapter 23: Has-Been

A few months ago.

Around the time winter was ending and spring was arriving.

Life-Snatching Ghost Sword stood in front of Yeon So-hyeon.

"Gatekeeper. What is it?"

At the name of gatekeeper, Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's fierce impression distorted even more fiercely.

"Well, you see…"

But contrary to his flare-up, Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's tone was polite.

Though it was strange.

If anyone else had treated him like the Eldest Young Master did, he would have drawn his sword without a word.

However, he could not do so to this strange boy, the Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon.

"…What did the words that the Eldest Young Master said to me back then mean?"

"What words?"

At Yeon So-hyeon's brief question back, Life-Snatching Ghost Sword muttered.

"That, you know. Last time. When you told me, 'You still carry around a toy-like sword.'" Yeon So-hyeon recalled the memory just by hearing a few words.

"Ah, that time?"

For when it came to memory, he was someone whom no one in the world could match.

Even if it was a word or conversation thrown in passing or briefly brushed by, for Yeon So-hyeon.

It was strange for him to forget.

"What about those words?"

Fiddling with his fake sword, Life-Snatching Ghost Sword said.

"What is the meaning of the words you said about 'a time will come when your sword is rusted, so you cannot draw it even if you want to'?"

"To be precise, I said, 'A time will come when your sword is worn out, and you cannot draw it for the sake of anything.'" Yeon So-hyeon clicked his tongue while correcting his inaccurate memory.

"If you feel you heard something important, remember it properly, or write it down somewhere."

Yeon So-hyeon's tone was, as usual, as if scolding a novice warrior.

"It's not that! Since I kept thinking about it in my head, when I tried to put it into words, my words got tangled…!"

Life-Snatching Ghost Sword tried to protest but shook his head.

"No, that is not what's important!"

As always, he was being swept up by the Eldest Young Master again.

Though Life-Snatching Ghost Sword had never been told anywhere that he lacked eloquence.

It was always the same when dealing with the Eldest Young Master.

Somehow, he felt mistreated.

"What on earth is 'that time'?"

Life-Snatching Ghost Sword added words to reinforce his question.

"It does not seem that the Eldest Young Master's words simply meant a time would come when my skills decreased, so even if I drew my sword, I couldn't do anything…"

In front of his question, Yeon So-hyeon's footsteps, which had been walking through the garden, stopped. "……"

The footsteps of Life-Snatching Ghost Sword, who had been following behind, also stopped.

"…Yes, indeed."

With his hands clasped behind his back.

Looking up at the pitch-black night sky, Yeon So-hyeon spoke.

"If it goes on like this, it won't be long before this Sword Family meets its ruin."

At Yeon So-hyeon's casually thrown words, Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's breath caught in his throat.

"…R-Ruin?"

"Do you not know how rotten the Main Family has become since Father's absence?"

Life-Snatching Ghost Sword had only retired from active duty.

He was not so insensitive that he would fail to notice that the atmosphere of the Main Family was changing.

"But even so, saying the Main Family will be ruined in a short while is too extreme—" Yeon So-hyeon cut him off and continued what he had to say.

"It is said to be a castle built on sand, and the Main Family right now is in that exact state."

"Do you also know how much wealthier the Main Family has become since Father's absence?"

"…Yes."

Though he was weak at playing with numbers.

Having spent his entire life in the Luoyang Sword Family, he knew how bloated it was becoming.

Life-Snatching Ghost Sword also felt it.

"As the castle on the sandbar grows larger day by day, there is no way the current Sword Family, lacking the foundation of the Patriarch, can hold out." "……"

Yeon So-hyeon said to the pensive Life-Snatching Ghost Sword.

"If the Main Family meets its ruin, when that time comes, the object to which you dedicate your sword, and the reason to draw your sword, will all vanish."

* * *

At that time, actually.

Life-Snatching Ghost Sword had been half-believing and half-doubting Yeon So-hyeon's words.

But now.

The basis of the words Yeon So-hyeon had said.

The omen that could never be ignored, that the super-large family called the Luoyang Sword Family was about to collapse.

Was clearly revealed before his eyes.

"Even worse, you bastards who failed in protecting the Patriarch, which was the single most important mission…"

The Institution, which should have become the eyes and ears of the Supreme Executive Council to look over every corner of the Luoyang Sword Family.

Was showing a completely corrupt appearance at this very moment.

"You all die here today."

The declaration.

The eerie sound of Life-Snatching Ghost Sword clenching his teeth was heard clearly by everyone, as if imbued with internal energy.

How would they answer that declaration?

"No matter how much they are a Special Task Force composed of experts, they are nothing more than washed-up has-beens!"

The commander warrior of the Institution shouted like a dying struggle and waved his hand to his subordinates.

"Strike them all!"

However, even before the Institution warriors who received his command could move.

"Where do you think you're escaping to?"

Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's figure had already rushed right in front of his eyes.

"Kugh…!"

The commander warrior clenched his teeth.

'No matter how great the Life-Snatching Ghost Sword is, he is nothing more than a has-been who has long retired from active duty!'

And he himself was an active-duty expert.

The commander warrior's rear foot, which seemed to be retreating, stepped on the paving stone.

That rear foot firmly supported his body as if it had become an axle supporting a giant cannon barrel.

And the force starting from that rear foot rose up his solid lower body, passed through the dantian, wrapped around the waist.

And became a vast force loaded onto the sword through the meridians of the arm.

Sword Heart, Sword Ring.

Fast Sword Stance.

Ultimate Secret, Terrible Disturbance.

A sword technique created by the Luoyang Sword Family by modifying Mount Hua's Plum Blossom Sword Technique, which was called the ultimate of the Illusion Sword in the past.

That ultimate secret was blocking the onslaught of Life-Snatching Ghost Sword.

The sword light endlessly born from the tip of the commander warrior's sword contained terrifying lethality.

The sword lights quickly blended into dozens and hundreds, becoming a wall made of sword light.

"Hup!"

And having created a wall of sword light like that, the commander warrior behind it.

Moved on to the next sword style as naturally as inhaling connects to exhaling.

Sword Family Secret Sword.

Sword Family's Sixty-One Sword Technique.

'One Thousand Wild Wi—' the commander warrior's eyes, which had been about to stretch out the next sword, grew so wide they seemed about to tear.

'What madness?!'

Without a shred of hesitation, Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's figure.

While protecting only his vital points with his five swords.

Had slammed into the wall of sword light generated by the commander warrior, and was breaking straight through. "……"

Even if his vital points were guarded.

To break through a wall of sword light with the power to grind dozens of humans alive was insane.

As proof of that.

First, the head of Life-Snatching Ghost Sword, who entered the wall of sword light, was covered in blood.

His body, pushing in subsequently, was also being hacked to pieces by the sword light.

"Keuhe."

At first, the commander warrior thought he had misheard.

But it was not so.

"Keuhehe."

It was the sound of laughter.

And it was definitely flowing from Life-Snatching Ghost Sword, who was passing through the wall of sword light while being covered in blood.

His eyeballs, gleaming with murderous intent, were staring precisely at the commander warrior even amidst the sword light. "……!"

Although goosebumps broke out all over the commander warrior's body.

He too was one who had crossed the wall and reached the boundary.

The sword in his hand did not stop.

One Thousand Wild Winds and Thunders.

Rumble the sword light that had flashed like scattering pieces of glass reflecting light now became lightning accompanied by thunder.

"Euuuoh!"

A shout bursting from the dantian, passing through the mouth.

Every time the commander warrior swung his sword.

It seemed as if bolts of lightning containing horrible power multiplied one by one, slicing and burning Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's entire body.

But.

"Is this all."

Before long, the swords protecting Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's vital points began to sever the lightning bolts one by one.

"Euuuooooh!"

The commander warrior poured out sword strikes with all his might, but.

"Is this your everything?"

The sword held in Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's right hand.

Form, containing the subtlety of the heavy sword, exploded the lightning bolts.

The sword held in Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's left hand.

Sensation, containing the subtlety of the fast sword, split the lightning bolts.

"Euaaaaa…!"

Now, even the commander warrior could not tell whether what came out of his mouth was a shout or a scream.

Although he was swinging the sword to the point where his blood vessels, expanded to the limit, tore, and dead blood gathered at his fingertips, turning them black.

Perception, Formation, Consciousness.

The three swords of Life-Snatching Ghost Sword, as if mocking his struggle.

"Hehehe, hahahaha!"

Along with the mad laughter bursting from Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's mouth.

Greedily devoured the commander warrior's sword style instead and climbed backward.

'I-Is this Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's…?!'

Asura Five Yin Extremes.

The ultimate Telekinetic Sword Control known to be wielded only by Life-Snatching Ghost Sword even in the Luoyang Sword Family.

A bolt of lightning grazed Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's cheek, but Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's sword severed the commander warrior's ankle.

A bolt of lightning tore Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's back, but Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's sword slashed the commander warrior's left hand.

A bolt of lightning stabbed Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's flank, but.

"…Kugh!"

The three swords of Life-Snatching Ghost Sword had already torn the commander warrior's abdomen to pieces.

"Cough, cough…!"

The commander warrior spat out a handful of black, dead blood from his mouth.

With his abdomen completely torn and intestines spilled out, how was there still blood left to spit?

The commander warrior looked up at the sky as if lamenting.

'How regrettable…!'

Though he had lived in the shadows all his life wearing a mask as a faceless bodyguard warrior.

How could he end like this without ever making a name for himself?

"Did you say we are washed-up has-beens, kid?"

Life-Snatching Ghost Sword asked with a smirk and an eerie smile.

But, there was no answer from the opponent. "……"

The commander warrior, whose insides were completely minced, had already stopped breathing while standing.

Slash.

Flying through the air to sever the commander warrior's neck, Life-Snatching Ghost Sword's sword returned and entered the sheath.

Life-Snatching Ghost Sword looked around with a face smeared with his own blood and the opponent's blood.

"Incoming!"

The action of a Special Task Force member, who had to retire with only one arm left, preparing to draw his sword looked too obvious.

"Block it!"

The corrupt warriors of the Institution gathered to raise their internal energy and clustered their heavy shields.

"Hup!"

A short, dry shout.

Simultaneously.

An explosive sword-drawing technique generated by twisting the entire body.

Sliced all the torsos protected by heavy shields and heavy armor horizontally in a single move.

A one-hit-kill sword-drawing technique.

That was the path chosen by the warrior who had lost the dual-sword technique that had accompanied his hand for his entire life.

"Argh!"

On another side, there was a warrior who had lost his leg.

Without moving a single step from his spot, he swung a giant sword.

And was ruthlessly slicing through the corrupt warriors of the Institution.

"Keuhek!"

On yet another side, there was a warrior who had lost both eyes.

Running wild with other senses instead of his lost sight, he was performing a dance of blood. "……"

They did not show the same remote boundary.

As they had in their prime, when they were uninjured.

As the corrupt warriors of the Institution fell.

The wounds the Special Task Force members suffered also kept increasing.

"Yes. Maybe we are in a situation of becoming has-beens, even if we aren't completely has-beens yet."

But.

"Even so."

Life-Snatching Ghost Sword and his colleagues.

The lives of the experts who had once dominated an era were filled with twists and turns.

And their sword styles had become deformed.

But the swords they held, like their minds, were straight and only straight.

Without a shred of bending, without a shred of hesitation.

"It is enough to sweep all of you bastards away!"

The sound of Life-Snatching Ghost Sword and his swords roaring in unison resounded loudly.