The Terminally-Ill Side-Character Inside of a Martial Arts Novel

It wasn’t that I was confident in my skills.

I wasn’t obsessed with martial arts matches nor did I particularly want to cross swords with the Righteous Sect.

It was just that if I didn’t step up, Hyuk Dojin would end up taking direct action.

Hyuk Dojin’s will was the Demon Cult’s will.

I narrowed my eyes as I looked at the silent people. How many of them could I defeat?

I would probably lose without even fighting against a master like Sword Protector Jin.

But except for a few, there weren’t many masters overwhelmingly superior to me.

The Righteous Sect people whispered among themselves at my words, then seemed to reach a conclusion as they looked at me.

“Can you take responsibility for those words? If you can’t accept the results after the match ends…”

“That won’t happen. I take responsibility for my words. And I think you esteemed seniors will do the same.”

“Good. Then the person we’ll send out…”

“Ah, let me say in advance that I don’t think high-ranking people like Sword Protector Jin or the elders will step forward to face just me alone. After all, I’m just a young Righteous Sect woman.”

The elders’ faces twisted as I pulled up the corners of my mouth.

Is that the crux? How petty till the end. I didn’t think I could beat an elder no matter what.

They had decades of training and practical experience condensed in them. Even if my skills were higher than theirs, the difference in actual combat would more than make up for that gap.

That’s why I had to draw the line.

Sword Protector Jin rubbed his chin beard and paused for a moment, then looked at Moyong Do.

“Hero Moyong. Will you step forward?”

“…”

The arrow turned to Moyong Do.

I was dumbfounded at Sword Protector Jin’s words. To call the much younger Moyong Do ‘Hero’ and pass that arrow to him.

Is this person really the Sword Protector Jin respected by countless Righteous Sect people?

If he wins, it’s natural; if he loses, he’s a traitor.

To pass that burden to Moyong Do because he couldn’t choose someone to shoulder it. I let out a hollow laugh, it was so absurd.

Moyong Do glanced at me, then turned around. Moyong Do’s expression was calm as he faced Sword Protector Jin.

“I don’t particularly want to cross swords with my sister whom I just met. If I hold back my techniques because I don’t want to forcibly hurt Sowol, I’ll lose. She doesn’t look that weak.”

“That could be the case. Then…”

Sword Protector Jin’s eyes rolled slowly.

Those who had been confidently talking just moments ago avoided his gaze every time Sword Protector Jin’s eyes landed on them.

Sword Protector Jin clicked his tongue lowly. I could somewhat understand his difficulties. It was a heavy position.

If they were defeated in the martial arts match, both sides would lose a lot.

Not only the pride of the righteous and evil sects, but the Righteous Sect didn’t place as little weight on the martial arts competition as the Demon Cult.

Moreover, if they lost, their own reputation would plummet and the criticism they would receive would be enormous, to the point that these things would be trivial in comparison. Who indeed would shoulder that burden.

“Hah, is there no one?”

Sword Protector Jin sighed, but no one raised their hand.

Some time passed, but the situation didn’t change. I stared at him intently, then closed my eyes.

“It seems there’s no one. Then the match…”

“I’ll do it.”

The voice that came was thick. People’s gazes turned to the direction the voice flowed from.

It was Seo Gwangho, rubbing his neck which had a dark bruise, as if he had just regained consciousness. He frowned as he walked forward.

“I’ll have the martial arts match.”

“Will you be alright? Just now…”

“I just let my guard down. You don’t need to worry. Besides, I’m not so weak as to lose to such a weak-looking fellow, even if it were the Young Cult Leader. Leave it to me.”

He spoke confidently and turned to look at me. Anger occupied his eyes, which were making a rough smile.

That was anger over what Hyuk Dojin had done to him, and at the same time, an intention to vent that anger on me.

He approached to stand next to Moyong Do and looked down at me.

My neck naturally bent. Even Hyuk Dojin and Moyong Do were taller than me so I had to look up at them somewhat, but this man was looking down at me from an even higher place.

Seo Gwangho’s mouth opened slowly.

“You look so frail you might break if I just flick you. What do you think, Moyong Do? Is it alright if I beat up your sister?”

Moyong Do’s eyes changed sharply and shot at Seo Gwangho.

Seo Gwangho laughed boisterously as if enjoying that gaze.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Do you want me to lose to your sister so the elders have to put their heads to the ground?”

“…”

“Hah, look at this guy? Really? No matter how much you love your sister… Wake up! What’s in front of you now is not your sister, but the Young Madam of the Demon Cult with long white hair. Just because your sister became the Young Madam of the Demon Cult doesn’t mean you’re a Demon Cult member.”

“Babble all you want. If you keep running your mouth and embarrass yourself like just now, you’ll be the only one to lose in the end.”

Seo Gwangho shouted loudly at Moyong Do’s back as he turned away after glancing at me.

But Moyong Do didn’t stop and soon disappeared from view.

Seo Gwangho clicked his tongue and cursed at Moyong Do.

“The Moyong clan has become a puppet of the Demon Cult too. If a guy like that becomes the clan leader, the Moyong clan will be kicked out of the Five Great Clans and enter the Demon Cult. The master of Liaoning will change soon too.”

The voice of this man casually babbling was grating.

I could understand why Moyong Do didn’t want to particularly deal with this man. He was noisy and unpleasant. An arrogant man without any trace of manners. A shameless man.

“You, are you always this talkative?”

“…What?”

The gaze that turned to me was distorted.

“What did you just…”

I frowned as I pulled out the sword stuck in the ground and brought it under his chin.

“I asked if you’re always this talkative.”

“You bitch, you dare point a sword at this elder…”

“The age difference doesn’t seem that big, yet ‘elder’.”

The corners of my mouth raised involuntarily.

His face flushed red, then a rough sound came as his fist raised.

“You must be crazy for death!!”

“…”

His fist plunged down very quickly. But there was no way that fist would reach me.

Hyuk Dojin’s palm calmly blocked his fist, leaving a slight distance to my forehead.

Seo Gwangho seemed surprised at his sudden appearance and stepped back.

Hyuk Dojin lowered his palm and spoke quietly.

“Stop babbling dirty words and start quickly.”

“Kuk…!”

Seo Gwangho, who had stepped back while clutching his wrist, gritted his teeth and turned his body.

Sword Protector Jin, looking around the place that seemed like a storm had just swept through, let out a long sigh.

As he turned his body, the path to the martial arts arena that had been blocked until now opened.

I put away the sword I had organized and turned my head.

Hyuk Dojin also looked at the path, then lowered his gaze to me. His eyes were calm. He didn’t show any anxiety or worry towards me. They contained certainty.

“It seems I forced an unreasonable situation on my wife unnecessarily.”

“I did it because I wanted to. Rather, I think I pushed too forcefully… Is it okay?”

If I lose and we withdraw like this, the Demon Cult’s reputation will plummet.

The story of losing in this battle of wills with the Martial Arts Alliance will spread throughout the Central Plains.

If that happens, Hyuk Dojin’s position in the Demon Cult will certainly narrow. And my position will be the same.

I asked worriedly, but Hyuk Dojin smiled languidly.

“What does it matter? Gambling inherently involves taking risks. Besides, even if we lose, who would dare say anything?”

“But…”

“And what is there to worry about?”

He smiled and quietly stroked my head.

I rolled my eyes upward. Beyond my gaze slightly obscured by his arm, Hyuk Dojin’s smile spread.

“Because Sowol will win.”

“…”

At his words, I felt the tension releasing. I grasped my wavering emotions and nodded.

Hyuk Dojin withdrew his arm and quietly looked at me, then turned his body.

“Well then, let’s go.”

* * *

In the spectator seats, people were curious about the situation at the entrance that had suddenly become noisy.

They could tell something had happened as most of the Righteous Sect martial artists rushed over and seemed to be fighting and getting angry.

But since they couldn’t see, they couldn’t grasp the exact situation.

While everyone was murmuring and clamoring about what was going on, the Righteous Sect people standing at the entrance dispersed, and soon a large man climbed onto the center of the largest martial arts arena.

“It’s Seo Gwangho!”

“The Four Dragons’ Thunderbolt Saber Seo Gwangho!”

He took out the huge saber from his back and planted it on the ground with a thud.

At that sound, the commotion among the spectators seemed to double in excitement.

They had waited a week for this match. Is it finally starting? Everyone had such thoughts as they anticipated who would come out as Seo Gwangho’s opponent.

But even as time passed, Seo Gwangho’s opponent didn’t appear.

“What’s going on? Is there some problem?”

“Seo Gwangho’s expression doesn’t look good. There was a commotion at the entrance just now, I wonder if there’s some issue?”

“What kind of prob… Oh, someone’s coming out.”

The spectators’ gazes turned to the entrance.

They all looked with expectant eyes to see what kind of man would appear to face that huge saber and show an amazing match.

But what actually came out of the entrance was an extremely delicate white-haired woman.

Just looking at her appearance, her looks that captivated the eyes and her ethereal body were so beautiful it would take one’s breath away, but that wasn’t the important thing.

“…Who is that young miss? Is she someone we know? White hair… hmm.”

“I heard the Young Madam of the Demon Cult has white hair… But didn’t the Young Madam not participate in the martial arts competition?”

“That’s right. Then who on earth is that woman…”

While everyone was speculating about the identity of Moyong Sowol who had appeared, a small commotion rolled in from afar.

“It’s Snow Plum Blossom. It’s Snow Plum Blossom!”

“Snow Plum Blossom? The woman who crushed a thousand bandits in Hubei?”

“Come on, could it really be that woman? Snow Plum Blossom is known to be an incredibly powerful master. She’s said to be strong enough to be evaluated as possibly the master of the distant Ice Jade Palace, how could such a delicate young miss…”

“You can’t know without seeing! Besides, how many young misses with white hair like that are there in the Central Plains?”

“Ahem…”

The commotion among the people filled the martial arts arena.

Meanwhile, Moyong Sowol climbed the steps and approached the center of the martial arts arena, which looked at least twice as big as the others.

Moyong Sowol’s face remained expressionless even at Seo Gwangho’s gaze smirking at her.

He casually rested the huge saber that was even larger than Moyong Sowol on his shoulder and spoke.

“Do you know why Diancang’s Red Dragon Eighteen Saber Technique is called the Red Dragon?”

“…”

“It’s called the Red Dragon because it’s said to create rivers of blood with every movement of the saber. How about it? I’d like to leave my red marks on that fair white hair and skin of yours.”

Moyong Sowol let out a small sigh at his provocation.

Her composed appearance even in front of a body that looked twice her size came across as refreshing to the people around.

“Snow Plum Blossom… Was the Young Madam Snow Plum Blossom?”

Cha Yeonhwa, who was watching that scene from afar, muttered quietly.

Her calm appearance and beautiful exterior. Cha Yeonhwa’s eyes narrowed.

“Who do you think will win?”

Cha Yeonhwa asked quietly.

Moyong Do, who was looking up at the martial arts arena from some distance away from her, slightly rolled his eyes.

Cha Yeonhwa looked diagonally at Moyong Do with an expressionless face.

Moyong Do’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you saying you have no obligation to answer?”

“…”

Cha Yeonhwa stared intently at Moyong Do, who still kept his mouth shut, then threw her gaze at Moyong Sowol. Her mouth opened slowly.

“I heard something vaguely before. That there was a white-haired daughter like an old woman in the Moyong clan, and she was so weak in body that she wouldn’t live past her youth. That she was so weak she couldn’t even see sunlight after collapsing while learning martial arts.”

“What’s your reason for saying that?”

At Moyong Do’s sharp voice, Cha Yeonhwa slowly raised the corners of her mouth.

“Just that it’s similar.”