The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 331

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 331

Chapter 331. A Special Commission (4)

I evaded the Bizarre Being’s attack while simultaneously swinging my blade toward him.
Whoosh—!
What? He dodged that?
Moreover, not content with evading my strike, he immediately lunged toward Jin Yu Warrior.
Jin Yu Warrior raised his blade to block the porcelain shard the Bizarre Being had hurled.
Clang—!
The Bizarre Being showed no hesitation despite his attack being blocked, immediately rushing toward another warrior.
“Ugh!”
Lee Pil Warrior barely managed to deflect his assault.
Thus began a seven-against-one battle between myself and six others against the Bizarre Being.
Naturally, in such circumstances, the one fighting multiple opponents grows exhausted far more rapidly.
Yet the Bizarre Being showed no signs of fatigue—his speed never diminished, his strength never waned.
Was such a thing even possible?
Rather, it was we who were growing weary.
“Hngh!”
Eventually, Myeong-jong Warrior, unable to properly defend against his onslaught, groaned and retreated backward.
The porcelain shard clutched in the Bizarre Being’s hand had raked a long line across Myeong-jong Warrior’s arm.
Fortunately, the thick fur garment he wore prevented the wound from being deep.
Yet it was his right arm, no less. If he pushed himself and aggravated the injury, the consequences would be grave.
“Myeong-jong Warrior! Fall back!”
“But—!”
He gripped his blade again in protest. It was Seo-woo Warrior who cut him short.
“We are not mere warriors—we are Guard Warriors! Remember that we must think of what comes after!”
“Understood.”
Myeong-jong Warrior finally withdrew, and we continued our exchange of attacks and defenses.
The Bizarre Being fought as though driven by pure instinct, yet he identified our weaknesses with uncanny precision and exploited them.
He seemed to lack reason, yet how could he execute such calculated attacks?
Moreover, as the battle wore on, he grew increasingly skilled in combat.
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
Eventually, one by one, we allowed his strikes to land, and they withdrew from the fight to tend their wounds.
After roughly two hours had passed, only Seo-woo Warrior, Jin Yu Warrior, and I remained standing against the Bizarre Being.
“Haah, haah.”
I breathed heavily, my chest heaving.
If not for my Master’s grueling physical training, I would have collapsed long ago.
I fixed my grip on my sword while glaring at the Bizarre Being.
The Bizarre Being’s breathing had only grown slightly rougher.
I recalled the testimonies of those who had been attacked by this Bizarre Being before.
That it had departed once they were all defeated and incapacitated.
Which meant that if they could not match its strength, it would simply leave.
Could that be connected to what it said earlier about wanting me to kill it?
Does it leave when it judges that it cannot be killed?
Looking at the murderous intent burning in those crazed eyes now, this fight had already become irreversible.
Perhaps it would lose interest and retreat if we sustained serious injuries.
But that would be disadvantageous for us.
I needed to reach Guizhou with the eyes within a short time, and recovery from injuries would take several days or more.
I bit my lip.
The sensation of flesh being torn still remained vivid.
Damn it.
Fine then. Let’s see who wins!
“Haaah!”
We resumed our exchange of attacks and defenses.
What the Bizarre Being held in its hand was a fragment of broken pottery.
That was at least fortunate.
If what the creature held had been a proper weapon instead of pottery shards….
I didn’t even want to think about it.
Crash—!
Clang-crash-bang!
Our sword and the creature’s pottery fragment collided, producing a thunderous sound.
Because it was an attack infused with inner energy.
Which meant the Bizarre Being was also a martial artist capable of using inner energy.
What story lay behind it, wandering about the Northern Sea in nothing but that tattered thin garment?
“Haaht!”
Thud!
“Ugh!”
Whoosh—!
This would never end at this rate.
I decided to change tactics.
“This won’t do. Seo-woo Warrior, step back and rest for a count of one hundred, then rejoin us.”
“Understood.”
Seo-woo Warrior stepped back to rest, counted to one hundred, then rejoined the fight.
Then Jin Yu Warrior stepped back to rest, and after that Jin Yu Warrior rejoined while I stepped back to rest.
By taking brief rests in rotation like this, we gained some breathing room.
But that respite was short-lived.
The Bizarre Being’s movements began to accelerate. It should have been slowing down, yet it grew faster instead!
This was absolutely maddening.
“Kugh!”
At that moment, a ceramic shard in the Bizarre Being’s hand grazed past Jin Yu Warrior’s ribs.
“Jin Yu Warrior!”
“I-I’m fine!”
Jin Yu Warrior insisted he was unharmed and refused to retreat, but there was no way he could properly withstand further attacks while already wounded.
He was on the verge of allowing another strike through.
Clang!
But Seo-woo Warrior blocked that attack.
“Fall back.”
“…Understood.”
Jin Yu Warrior swallowed his frustration and retreated. He had come to realize he was now only a hindrance.
Once his attacks were blocked, the Bizarre Being began to relentlessly target Seo-woo Warrior.
Its attacks grew even faster and more refined.
At first, it seemed to be at a similar level as us, but through fighting, I could discern the truth.
It was one tier above us.
Suddenly, regret washed over me.
Had I come to capture this creature for nothing?
But it was already too late.
And this decision was the best I could make as the Small Guild Master of the Eunhae Trading Company.
Now was not the time for regret, but rather to devise how we could emerge victorious from this battle with the Bizarre Being.
“Hngh!”
At that moment, Seo-woo Warrior seemed to lose strength and stumbled slightly. Well, we had already been fighting for over four hours.
He had endured this long only because he had reached the pinnacle of his realm.
But as Seo-woo Warrior moved more and exerted himself harder to protect me, he seemed to tire faster than I did.
And the Bizarre Being did not miss that opening, targeting Seo-woo Warrior’s left shoulder.
“Not a chance!”
Clang!
I threw myself forward to block that attack.
My opponent wore an expression of mild approval.
That look ignited something within me.
“That’s right, let’s see what you’ve got. You mad bastard.”
I spoke harshly as I thrust my blade toward its neck.
Clang!
The blade was blocked, but I rotated my body and swept a kick toward its head.
Thud!</
It connected solidly.
Normally it would have sent it tumbling, but it merely stumbled slightly.
Damn thing was incredibly durable.
Somewhere along the way, this battle had become a one-on-one confrontation between myself and the Bizarre Being.
If I couldn't win against seven-to-one odds, this fight was essentially hopeless.
But I couldn't retreat here.
The cost would be far too great.
I felt grateful that this place was the Northern Sea. Had it been anywhere else, my inner energy wouldn't have recovered so naturally.
Thanks to the bitter cold of the Northern Sea, my inner reserves remained sufficient.
Then concentration, willpower, and sheer determination would decide this battle.
"Let's see this through to the end."
How many hours had the fighting continued?
The sun had risen and morning had come, yet our battle showed no signs of ending.
But ultimately, it was my stamina that gave out first.
"Hah!"
The Bizarre Being's attack sent my blade flying from my grasp.
I'd been gripping it tightly, unwilling to let go, but after hours of continuous fighting, my grip strength had finally been exhausted.
I should have bound the sword to my hand if I'd known this would happen.
The Bizarre Being advanced toward me.
Behind me, I heard the cries of my Guard Warriors.
"My lord! Please withdraw!"
"Let us fight!"
I glanced back at them.
They'd all bandaged their wounds, but they hadn't recovered from their injuries.
"It's fine."
At that moment, the Bizarre Being's gaze turned toward them.
Seeing them still standing upright with weapons in hand, it seemed to decide to finish them off.
That couldn't happen!
Then, suddenly, the words of the Ancestor that I'd heard at the Northern Sea Ice Palace came back to me.

"Any Palace Master must be prepared to shed much blood to protect their disciples. If you have no weapon, you must strike down your enemy with your bare hands."

Now I understood those words.
Yes, this was the feeling.
Of course, they were Guard Warriors who existed to protect me. But before that, they were my people.
The Extreme Yin Soul Ice Technique I had learned back then.
I recited its final move in my mind.

My life gives birth to all life—the Realm bears witness to victory.

I will survive, and all will live to see me proclaimed victor across the Realm.
I will make it so.
I drew a deep breath, glaring at the Bizarre Being as I spoke.
"This isn't over yet, you bastard."
Despite the murderous intent blazing in my eyes, the Bizarre Being smiled.
"I'm unarmed, and you mean to fight wielding a weapon? How cowardly."
Perhaps stung by my words, he hurled the ceramic fragment in his hand away.
Clatter!
We lunged at each other simultaneously.
Whoosh! Crack! Crack! Rapid-fire strikes!
Hand met hand, arm clashed against arm. Our legs moved without pause.
Our hands and feet became weapons, exchanging fierce and desperate blows in a life-or-death struggle.
At some point, I began to forget.
The commission from the Guizhou Castle Magistrate, the Guard Warriors behind me, even that I was in the Northern Sea.
None of it mattered. Only the Bizarre Being before my eyes existed.
No—at some point, I even forgot I was fighting the Bizarre Being.
What am I doing right now?
More than that, who am I?
I strained with every fiber to remember something, anything. Instinct screamed that I could not afford to forget.
Then a vast force within me stirred.
This is… Hyun Ryong?
In that same moment, the first elixir I had ever consumed came to mind.
Blue Ice Snow Plum Chamber.
I nearly died after taking that.
But why did I consume it?
Ah, to correct my constitution. I had to fix my constitution to achieve my goal…
My goal?
In that instant, everything crystallized with perfect clarity.
My ambition to build the Greatest Under Heaven Trading Company, and how I had died so miserably at the hands of the Baekcheon Merchant Guild Master in my previous life.
And my vow of vengeance.
Then someone whispered.

"Is it really possible?"
"What are you struggling so hard for anyway?"
"Haven't there been countless times you wanted to run away?"
"It would be easier to give up."

Ugh….
I don't know whose whisper this is, but it's doing a damn poor job of persuading me.
If I stepped forward as a merchant, I'd fail to sell a single item and go bankrupt on the spot.
I let out a small laugh.
Whoever you are, would you shut up?
This new life was obtained through the Ancestor's sacrifice. I couldn't afford to die like that again.
Give up? Would you even be capable of it?
I had to survive, no matter what.
I had to survive and take revenge on the Baekcheon Trading Company and the Murim Alliance, and transform the Eunhae Trading Company into the Greatest Under Heaven Trading Company.

* * *

In the fight against the Bizarre Being, my sword had been knocked away.
But Eun Seo-ho did not give up.
My hands and feet became weapons in place of a blade.
In that struggle, clothes tore, wounds opened on our bodies, and blood scattered through the air.
"Is it acceptable to simply stand by and watch like this?"
At Chang-un Warrior's question, Seo-woo Warrior bit his lip and shook his head.
"It's already too late."
"What?"
"Look into the master's eyes."
At Seo-woo Warrior's words, they looked into Eun Seo-ho's eyes and realized they held no focus.
"Surely not?"
"The master is currently in a state of absolute concentration. For us to forcefully intervene in this situation would be difficult. Missing a moment of enlightenment would be fortunate by comparison. We could inadvertently cause him to fall into demonic delusion."
"Then what should we do?"
It was Yeo Eung-am Warrior who answered.
"We can only watch. Trust in the master."
At those words, they clenched their teeth and watched the battle between the Bizarre Being and Eun Seo-ho.
The fight was long.
Already having gone through one sleepless night, dusk fell once more.
And then the sun rose again.
It was then that they witnessed something extraordinary.
A silvery radiance burst forth from Eun Seo-ho's body.
"Ugh!"
"This light is…?"
Their eyes stung, and they instinctively raised their hands to shield their vision.
When they lowered their hands, what they saw was Eun Seo-ho and the Bizarre Being facing each other.

* * *

My mind is crystal clear.
I had never experienced such clarity before.
And my perception of qi has become remarkably sharp.
The power surging through my entire body felt entirely new.
It was as if I could accomplish anything.
Setting aside that exhilarating sensation, I looked at the man before me.
Where there had once been unfocused crimson eyes brimming with madness, clear and lucid eyes now gazed back at me.
"Where is this…."
"The Northern Sea."
"Damn. I see."
He looked at me and scratched his head.
"I apologize. It was not my intention."
From his tone, it seemed he was no ordinary person.
His demeanor had completely transformed from when he was a Bizarre Being. What on earth is this man's true identity?
"Thanks to you, I was able to escape the Demonic Influence. I owe you a debt."
Escape the Demonic Influence?
Then did that mean he was trapped by it, which is why he committed such outrageous acts?
It was utterly incomprehensible.
That was when it happened.
"…!"
My body trembled.
I felt another piercing sensation—far more intense than the one emanating from the Bizarre Being before me.
"I have finally found you."
I shook off that sensation and turned around.
Where my gaze fell, there stood a middle-aged man. But in an instant, he appeared directly before me.
The Bizarre Being immediately prostrated himself.
"Master, I pay my respects!"
The middle-aged man glanced at me and spoke.
"My incompetent disciple has caused you trouble."
Disciple?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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