The North Sea Martial Warrior - Chapter 10

========== 10. DEMON HERO OF THE SNOWY PLAINS ==========

The Snowfield Demon Bear

Central Plains.

The spring in the south was warm.

Plum blossom petals in full bloom fell onto the teacup.

The man paused while lifting his teacup.

A faint ripple stirred on the calm surface. It wasn’t the wind. It wasn’t the ground shaking either. It was simply due to a vicious killing intent flying in from the far north.

“The thing I worried about… has happened.”

The man muttered.

His face was hidden by the backlight, making it invisible.

Flap, flap.

A hawk landed on the windowsill.

A red cylinder was tied to its ankle. It was an emergency message from the Northern Sea.

The man unfolded the message with smooth movements.

[Northern Sea Martial Warrior… ]

The first sentence that caught his eye.

But the terror contained within it was as vivid as if it were piercing through the paper.

“The legend… was true? Heh heh! Northern Sea Martial Warrior… Northern Sea Ice Essence Divine Art.”

The man’s lips curled into a bitter smirk.

“Even so, it’s just a pathetic Frozen Earth martial art…”

Crinkle.

He exerted force into his hand.

The message, made of the highest quality mulberry paper, scattered into a handful of dust.

“So?”

He asked the empty air.

“Should I be scared?”

There was no answer.

He snorted.

“You wouldn’t know how many people like the Northern Sea Martial Warrior I’ve dealt with to get to this position. Heh heh! I’ve dealt with dozens. The best among them was Ilseom Danhong. He was truly strong. Does the Northern Sea Martial Warrior even reach half of Ilseom Danhong’s level?”

His gaze turned toward the ebony box placed in the corner of the table.

A deep blue cold air was flowing out through the cracks.

A chill so intense that the surrounding air turned white and froze.

The legendary spiritual medicine that had been opened for the first time in a hundred years, the Snow Lotus Fruit, was in there.

“If you’re coming to the Central Plains… bark. So that I can hear it all the way here.”

The man emptied his teacup.

“You wouldn’t be able to make it to the Central Plains anyway.”

Back to the Northern Sea.

The blizzard obscured his vision.

“Chief-nim, there is something ahead.”

Taikan raised his bow.

His eyes pierced through the blizzard.

“…Is it a person?”

“It looks like a person, but also like it isn’t.”

“What are you talking about, Hyung-nim?”

Harku sniffed.

“I don’t smell blood.”

“No, I smell blood.”

Arko interjected.

“But it’s weird. It’s not the smell of human blood… it’s the smell of beast blood. Is it a bear?”

“Why would a bear be standing in the middle of the road?”

“I don’t know. Go ask it.”

“Hey, you go ask it.”

“No way. You go, Hyung-nim.”

Garkan sighed.

“Shut up. We are in front of the Chief-nim.”

The four of them shut their mouths. Airak walked forward silently.

The blizzard died down for a moment. And then, it was visible. A Snow Wall!

That was the only way to describe it.

What covered the giant frame reaching nine cheok (about 270cm) was white fur. It was impossible to tell if it was clothes made by layering animal hides, or fur growing out of the creature’s own skin.

Every time it breathed, white steam rose from its nostrils.

Half of the creature’s face was mangled by a giant claw scar.

It was also missing an eye. A deep blue ice marble was embedded in the scar-filled socket.

“…No way.”

Taikan’s face stiffened.

“Hanbingsamsu?”

“What?”

Harku widened his eyes.

“Those monsters from the legends?”

“It’s not a legend. They exist.”

Garkan said in a low voice.

“The craziest bastards in the Northern Sea. They are beasts that even the Ice Palace can’t touch.”

The disaster of the Northern Sea.

The first of the Hanbingsamsu. The Snowfield Demon Bear, Balkar.

“Rats.”

Balkar opened his mouth.

His thundering voice resonated across the snowfield.

“Airak or Thunder-ak… they said some dogs were barking. Did you come here after drinking more of your mother’s milk?”

“What did you say?”

Harku flared up.

“Hey, you hairy bastard…”

“Harku.”

Garkan restrained him.

“Don’t attack recklessly. That guy is different.”

“How is he different? Isn’t he just a big bear?”

“He’s not a bear.”

Taikan gritted his teeth.

“That guy… he’s a madman who invaded the Extreme Yin Land to find the Chief-nim. Just to fight.”

“…What?”

“It was ten years ago. That guy appeared in the Extreme Yin Land and smashed everything in sight. Looking for the Chief-nim.”

“Where was the Chief-nim then?”

“He was in the Extreme Yin Land. We didn’t know where exactly. The Extreme Yin Land is so vast. And light doesn’t even penetrate it.”

Balkar’s eyes flashed.

“You’ve finally come out, Martial Warrior.”

Rough iron gauntlets were worn on both of his hands.

Gauntlets forged from Ten Thousand Year Ice Iron. They were legendary weapons said to break icebergs with a single punch.

“I’ve waited ten years.”

Balkar growled.

“Do you know how much humiliation I suffered because of the false rumor that you are the strongest in the Northern Sea?”

“I don’t know.”

Airak answered calmly.

“I’m not interested.”

“…You son of a bitch.”

Balkar’s killing intent exploded.

The blizzard was pushed back. The snow within a radius of ten jang seemed to evaporate and disappear.

“I told you to attack together.”

Balkar clashed his gauntlets.

Bang!

A heavy metallic sound resonated across the snowfield.

“That kind of bullshit is an insult to the Hanbingsamsu. Do I need three people to catch a guy like you?”

“So?”

Airak asked.

“Did you come alone?”

“Obviously.”

Balkar bared his teeth.

“I will enjoy the honor of skinning you all by myself.”

“…….”

Airak chuckled.

“That’s my line.”

At that moment, Garkan adjusted his shield and growled.

“Move out of the way! If you block the Chief-nim’s path, you will see blood.”

“Hyung-nim, wait a second.”

Arko stepped forward, giggling.

“Look at that size. The hide alone would be incredible, right?”

“Hey, are you thinking about money in this situation?”

“If I sell it to the wealthy enthusiasts in the Central Plains, I could buy a brothel. No, two?”

“…You crazy bastard.”

Taikan was cold. He was already half-drawing his bowstring, looking for the creature’s weak point.

“The hide is too thick. Ordinary arrows will just bounce off.”

“Then where are you going to shoot?”

“The eyeball. No, that guy is missing one eye. Then the nape of the neck or the gaps in the joints.”

“Hyung-nim, no matter where you shoot, I’m going first!”

Harku let out a wild cry.

Slobber was already flowing from the corner of his mouth. His eyes had lost all reason. The instinct of a mad dog had awakened.

“He’s my meal! That thing is mine!”

“Harku, wait…”

“I smell it! The smell of very fatty blood!”

Whoosh!

There was no time to stop him. Harku kicked off the snow and lunged out. His twin blades flashed like a beast’s fangs.

“Kahaha! Die!”

Harku’s blade technique knows no defense. It is a fast sword style solely for slaughter.

Harku, who had dived into Balkar’s embrace in an instant, stabbed at the creature’s nape. It was a direct hit.

Anyone would die if their throat was pierced. But.

Clang…!

A dull metallic sound resonated across the snowfield, and the blade bounced off.

“…What?”

Harku’s eyes widened.

The thick muscles and fur wrapping around Balkar’s neck were steel armor in themselves. No, a body close to the Diamond Indestructible Body… the effects of his external Qi Gong were clearly revealed.

“Pathetic.”

Balkar snorted.

The creature didn’t dodge. It didn’t block. It just pushed its fist out, as if swatting away an annoying fly.

Ice Bear Supremacy.

Pure physical strength loaded into the Ten Thousand Year Ice Iron gauntlets.

Crack!

A chilling tearing sound.

It was far more terrible than the sound of bones crushing. It was the sound of the entire torso being crumpled.

“Keuheok!”

A shockwave burst out from behind Harku’s back.

The leather armor he was wearing was torn apart like paper.

In a single blow, Harku’s body flew like a stone thrown from a sling and crashed into a snow pit ten jang away.

The white snowfield was instantly dyed red.

“Harku!”

Taikan immediately drew his bow.

Ping!

The arrow flew toward Balkar’s eye. Balkar tilted his head slightly.

Whoosh.

The arrow cut through the air and missed.

“Tsk.”

Balkar shook the blood off his gauntlets.

“Martial Warrior this, Martial Warrior that. Are you only bringing such small fry with you?”

“…….”

“I’m disappointed. Very much so.”

Taikan ran to Harku.

The guy’s condition was not good. His chest was caved in.

“Three ribs broken, organ rupture. His Qi and blood are twisted.”

“Is he alive?”

Garkan asked.

“He’s still breathing. But this…”

“What, what’s the problem?”

Arko approached.

“A rib pierced his lung. For a normal person, it would be instant death. Even for us, this is too severe. It’s an injury that would require lying down for half a year.”

At that moment.

“Cough…!”

The blood-soaked Harku twisted his body.

He spat out a mouthful of blood clots. Then he giggled.

“Damn it… it hurts…”

“You crazy bastard.”

“What’s crazy about it? Isn’t it natural for it to hurt?”

“If it hurts, you should cry, why are you laughing?”

“I’m laughing because it’s funny. Hyung-nim, that guy’s punch was freaking strong.”

Harku laughed while drooling blood.

“But you know what. I think I can take one more hit.”

“…You really are a crazy bastard.”

“Just prepare some meat, Hyung-nim. In three days… no, two days, it’ll heal.”

Harku did not die. No, the muscles in his chest were twitching minutely and finding their place.

The super-regeneration ability unique to the Airak tribe. It is a vitality close to that of a beast.

“I’ve heard rumors about the Airak tribe until my ears hurt, but… you guys are tough.”

Balkar raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll acknowledge that bug-like vitality. But.”

Crack.

Balkar cracked his neck.

A massive killing intent pushed back the blizzard.

“Next, I’ll crush your skull. Let’s see if you can withstand that.”

“…….”

Garkan and Arko tried to draw their weapons at the same time. Their anger had passed the critical point.

“Back off.”

A low, but absolute voice. It was Airak.

“Chief-nim!”

“Back off.”

Airak walked forward slowly. The wolf hide cloak flapped in the wind.

Balkar’s massive shadow engulfed Airak’s small frame. The size difference was like a bear and a child. But the momentum was the exact opposite.

Airak stopped walking… and looked up at Balkar.

They were eyes with all emotions castrated, containing death itself.

Balkar flinched, almost stepping back. ‘What is this? This gaze?’

Instinctive fear. Goosebumps rose on his spine.

“…….”

Airak raised his hand and tapped his old, tattered wolf hide.

“I heard that bear hide is rare in the Northern Sea.”

Shing.

The curved sword at his waist rang. He hadn’t even drawn it yet, but the sword’s cry cut through the snowfield.

“This is perfect. It’s time to change clothes.”

Airak’s lips curled up. Balkar’s face distorted.

It wasn’t a simple provocation.

That guy was currently… looking at him not as a warrior, but as prey.