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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Hell Island
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A lone sailboat cut through the vast, open sea.
Its exterior was no different from that of an ordinary vessel, but its sixteen sails were dyed jet black.
*Swoosh.*
On the deck of the ship as it sliced through the wind, an old man with a mane of hair like a lion's stood tall.
He was Hyeokryeon Eung, the Hall Master of the Demonic Cult's Law Enforcement Hall and the head instructor for the Ten Demonic Apprentices Project.
"Hmm."
Gazing at the remote island in the distance, he spoke in a low voice.
"I just don't understand."
"What is it you don't understand, sir?"
When Baek Jeon-cheon, who was by his side, asked, Hyeokryeon Eung shook his head.
"It's about that boy, Bu Eun-seol."
"Ah."
"He has no outstanding bone structure, nor any sign of having learned martial arts. Yet he took down a practitioner of the Muk-hon's saber arts in a single move."
Hyeokryeon Eung was a master of practical combat who had survived countless battles.
But even he couldn't fathom how Bu Eun-seol had managed to defeat Neung Un-gang.
"From his movements, it seems he already knew the counter. But that makes no sense at all."
Standing beside him, Baek Jeon-cheon smiled faintly.
"From what I saw, it seemed he observed Neung Un-gang's saber forms in the training yard and devised a way to break them."
"That's impossible."
Hyeokryeon Eung shook his head.
"If he could find the weakness in a technique just by watching it, that boy would be an unparalleled genius surpassing even the legendary Heavenly Demonic Emperor."
"No, I say this because there were times he would stare intently at the fallen."
"Discerning an enemy's techniques by observing their wounds is something only old veterans who have rolled in the martial world for decades can do. And even then, one must be well-versed in the martial arts of both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions."
"That is true."
Hyeokryeon Eung and Baek Jeon-cheon were masters with exceptional insight.
But they couldn't have dreamed that Bu Eun-seol had followed Bu Jan-yang since childhood, studying the causes of death in corpses.
"Even if he knew the weakness, a single-form counterattack was akin to suicide. What if Neung Un-gang hadn't been careless and had chained his techniques together? No matter how I think about it, it's nonsensical."
"But he succeeded, did he not?"
Baek Jeon-cheon smiled calmly.
"He might have been gambling with his life."
"A gamble, you say."
Hyeokryeon Eung shook his head.
"In a fight where one's life is on the line, there is no such thing as luck. That boy definitely has something."
Though he didn't say it aloud, Hyeokryeon Eung seemed dissatisfied that Bu Eun-seol had defeated Neung Un-gang and become a candidate for the Ten Demonic Apprentices.
"Whatever it is, it will be revealed this time."
Baek Jeon-cheon shrugged.
"Our job is simply to create the Ten Demonic Apprentices."
Before long, the ship had nearly reached the remote island.
Hyeokryeon Eung, deep in thought, nodded his head.
"Indeed."
***
Bu Eun-seol opened his eyes.
He slowly sat up and looked around, his expression turning strange.
This was for two reasons.
'My wounds.'
Covered in wounds both large and small, he had passed out unknowingly right after clearing the second trial.
But now, the gashes torn open by the monk's spade were meticulously stitched up, covered with a wound salve, and even bandaged.
There was no pain, and his body felt light, as if a renowned physician had treated him personally.
'I was on a ship, heading somewhere.'
The second reason for his surprise was that he was lying in a cabin aboard a ship.
All around him, boys and girls in a variety of martial arts uniforms were staring at him intently.
Seeing a few familiar faces among them, he guessed they were the participants who had passed the first trial due to their good bone structure.
"…"
Bu Eun-seol calmly sat up, but the expressions of the boys and girls in the cabin were not friendly.
Though there were occasional glimmers of curiosity, most of their gazes were filled with dismissal and contempt.
'I'm used to looks like that.'
An ordinary person would have been at least a little flustered by the intense stares.
But Bu Eun-seol had been scorned by countless people throughout his work as a corpse examiner.
Even if hundreds of times more people were staring at him, it wouldn't bother him in the slightest.
*Thud.*
Just then, a low vibration was felt, and a low voice came from outside the cabin.
"Disembark."
The boys in the cabin moved like automatons, getting off the ship.
A desolate island landscape revealed itself before their eyes.
"This place is…"
As someone muttered, the black-clad warrior leading the boys spoke.
"Hell Island."
Hell Island.
The name perfectly matched the island's scenery.
A remote island, impossible to leave without a boat. At its center was a massive stone mountain, devoid of a single blade of grass or a tree.
Looking at the desolate landscape, it felt as if they had stepped into hell to atone for the sins of their lives.
"What are you spacing out for?"
The black-clad warrior at the front walked over and clapped the shoulder of Bu Eun-seol, who was standing dazedly at the very back.
"Move it."
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol's eyes widened.
'It was this bad?'
The shoulder the warrior had clapped was a spot where not just skin, but a chunk of muscle had been torn away.
Yet to think it had recovered so perfectly that he couldn't feel any pain even when it was struck.
—As long as you don't die, there are physicians here who can perfectly heal even the most severe injuries.
This was a very important fact.
And only Bu Eun-seol, who had survived the second trial, knew it.
"This is where you will be staying."
Following the long, snake-like procession, they arrived at the large stone mountain they had seen when disembarking.
Looking closely, they could see numerous caves dotting the mountainside.
'Was this man-made? No, that can't be.'
The massive stone mountain was too large to have been made by man, yet there were too many caves for it to be a natural formation.
"Leave all your existing clothes and weapons here, and take one of these sets of clothes and a sword."
The black-clad warrior pointed to a wide table beside him.
On the table lay loose, drab clothes.
They didn't come in various sizes, but there were strings to tighten the waist and chest, so they were wearable one way or another.
And next to them lay ordinary iron swords that could be bought at a blacksmith's for twenty nyang.
"Enter any cave you wish. The choice is yours."
*Rustle, rustle.*
As soon as the warrior finished speaking, the boys in the line hurriedly grabbed clothes and ran towards the caves.
The location and structure of the caves were visibly different from one another.
The difference between a comfortable cave and a filthy one was vast. Cleaning could take time, or a cave might be too dirty to even attempt cleaning.
Above all, since it was a place for rest, they all wanted to choose a slightly better spot.
'Caves…'
But Bu Eun-seol did not hurry, slowly making his way up the stone mountain.
Having lived in a single room at the Pyeong-an mortuary on the outskirts of the city, he didn't care where he stayed as long as he had a place to lay his body.
"This place looks good."
"I thought a cave would be damp, but this is quite pleasant."
The spacious and cozy caves had already been claimed by the faster participants.
The problem was the commotion that arose in the few remaining caves, with people arguing over who would get the better spots.
"Hey, I'm using this one, so why don't you yield?"
"Don't you think it would be better for me, a girl, to use this one?"
As the argument grew louder, one boy, unable to watch any longer, pointed to his own cave.
"Stop fighting. I'll just go somewhere else."
Watching the scene, another glint of understanding appeared in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
'They don't know what happened in the second trial!'
What if they did know about the second trial? If they knew the results of that bloody fight?
There was no way such a peaceful conversation would be taking place.
But the participants here were all dressed lavishly, and some of the boys even carried an air of elegance or nobility.
'Are they all descendants of famous families?'
Bu Eun-seol then recalled a frightening fact.
Come to think of it, most of those who had remained in the second trial were individuals who had learned martial arts on their own or were from minor factions.
In other words, they were all disposable.
*Grind.*
Bu Eun-seol gritted his teeth.
'I will survive.'
The faces of those who died in the second trial still lingered in his mind.
The Demonic Cult had even managed to discriminate in something as fair as death.
"Still haven't chosen?"
A low voice came from behind him.
Turning his head, he saw the black-clad warrior looking down at him with a stern gaze.
"You've been sluggish from the start."
When Bu Eun-seol bowed his head slightly, the warrior waved his hand.
"There's no time. Decide quickly."
"Then… I'll take this place."
Bu Eun-seol, who had been examining the inside of each cave one by one, pointed to the most remote one in a corner.
It was filled with dirt and filth, and the entrance was so narrow that one had to stoop to enter.
"You'll take that one?"
The surrounding boys smirked.
While not the best, there were many caves left that were more pleasant than that one.
Yet he was deliberately choosing to enter a dirty, narrow cave.
"Guess he likes dirty places."
"Seeing him in a monk's robe, maybe he's used to filth."
Despite the jeers around him, Bu Eun-seol walked calmly toward the cave.
The black-clad man's eyes flashed.
'A talented one.'
The cave Bu Eun-seol had chosen looked dirty and narrow, but it actually had many advantages.
The entrance was too small to worry about ambushes, and inside, there was a space large enough to train alone.
Not only that, but the lack of light would allow for a deep sleep.
"If you're all changed, come out."
At the black-clad man's words, the candidates who had changed their clothes in the caves lined up again in the open area.
"On this Hell Island, there are ten training halls where you can learn the martial arts of the Ten Demonic Sects."
The black-clad man swept his gaze over the assembly and spoke.
"You can learn all of them, or you can choose one. The choice is yours."
The boys began to murmur.
Wasn't it a good thing to learn the martial arts of the Ten Demonic Sects, even if they couldn't master all of them?
"Furthermore, your daily routine is also free."
The black-clad man spread a large piece of parchment on the table.
It was a detailed map showing the locations of the ten training halls on Hell Island.
"If you want to sleep, you sleep. If you want to learn martial arts, you learn martial arts."
At this, the gathered participants' expressions brightened.
To be able to learn any martial art they desired and to use their time freely without a set schedule.
'Something's strange.'
But Bu Eun-seol's expression turned cold.
These were the cruel people who had orchestrated a plan to make the participants kill each other.
There was no way they would train the Ten Demonic Apprentices, on whom the fate of the Demonic Cult depended, in such a lenient manner.
"Well then, I wish you good fortune in your martial path."
With those words, the black-clad man turned and disappeared somewhere.
"Let's go quickly."
The gathered participants looked at the map, and most of them ran off in one direction.
It was the location of the training hall of the Hwau Geommun, the strongest of the Ten Demonic Sects, where one could learn their absolute sword arts.
"I've trained in saber arts, so I'll go to the Hyeol-yeom-doga."
"I've long wished to learn the Baek-ma-pyeon of the Baek-ma-sa."
"This one's specialty is palm techniques, so I must go to the Myeol-in-gung."
"I've heard the poison arts of the Jiok-hyeol-seong are harmless to the human body."
A few boys chose training halls that aligned with what they had already learned.
Before long, all the participants gathered in front of the stone mountain had disappeared, leaving Bu Eun-seol standing there alone.
'What I need to learn right now is not advanced martial arts.'
Bu Eun-seol had never learned martial arts systematically.
And he had no idea what would happen next on Hell Island.
Staring blankly at the parchment with the locations of the training halls, Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed.
*Step, step.*
He then turned and walked toward the north, a direction no one else had taken.
The place Bu Eun-seol arrived at was in front of a small, thatched hut.
'This is a training hall?'
The black-clad man had clearly said there were training halls.
But upon arriving, there was no training hall, only a single hut built in an empty field.
"Excuse me."
Bu Eun-seol looked around before approaching the front of the hut.
"Is anyone here?"
*Gurgle.*
The ground in front of the hut moved like a stomach, and then a large head popped out from the earth.
"What is it."
His eyes were slanted upward like a wolf's, and his cheeks and sideburns were covered in a pointy beard.
The man, with only his head sticking out of the ground, had the appearance of a wolf.
"I've come to learn the martial arts of Nang-ya-gak."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, the man frowned and asked.
"Did you come here because you want to become one of the Ten Demonic Apprentices?"
"Yes."
"Then leave."
The man, his face scrunched in a grimace, muttered.
"Learning our sect's martial arts will be a waste of time. Don't waste your energy."
'An honest man.'
Bu Eun-seol knew this as well.
Nang-ya-gak was in such a state of decline that it was barely holding on to its place among the Ten Demonic Sects.
The only reason it still occupied the lowest seat was due to the splendid glory of its past, having produced numerous peerless masters.
'But I need the martial arts of Nang-ya-gak.'
While teaching him how to determine the cause of death in corpses, Bu Jan-yang had told him many stories about the factions and figures of the martial world.
Naturally, this included stories about the Ten Demonic Sects.
"I will learn the martial arts of Nang-ya-gak."
"You must think this is a joke."
Despite Bu Eun-seol's firm reply, the man yawned as if annoyed.
"And don't be mistaken. The time you have to learn martial arts on Hell Island is not infinite."
The man let out another long yawn and smacked his lips.
"If you understand, go somewhere else and learn martial arts. Don't waste your time."
"I will learn the martial arts of Nang-ya-gak."
Bu Eun-seol said seriously.
"Please teach me."
The man looked at Bu Eun-seol with a puzzled expression.
"Why? If you wished, you could learn the sword arts of the Hwau Geommun, said to be the strongest among the Ten Demonic Sects. If the sword doesn't suit you, you could learn the Hyeol-yeom saber arts, which are comparable to the Hwau Geommun's sword. There should be no need for you to learn our sect's martial arts."
At the man's question, a smile touched Bu Eun-seol's lips.
"Because surviving comes first."
"Surviving?"
"The martial arts of the Ten Demonic Sects are not something that can be learned in an instant."
Bu Eun-seol said, his eyes filled with intensity.
"I've heard that by learning the martial arts of Nang-ya-gak, one can possess the most tenacious life force in the world."
The man let out a short laugh.
"That's right. Our sect's martial arts begin with remodeling the body. To use practical combat techniques, one must first obtain a body stronger than anyone else's."
The man's expression turned solemn.
"But that's all. Just because you have a more tenacious life force than others doesn't mean you can become the greatest master of the demonic path. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"I understand perfectly."
"Good that you understand."
As the man tried to put his head back into the ground, Bu Eun-seol prostrated himself.
"Please, teach me the martial arts of Nang-ya-gak."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes were blazing as if the sun had been embedded in them.
"You're insane…"
The man realized that Bu Eun-seol wasn't joking, but was genuinely determined to learn the martial arts of Nang-ya-gak.
"Fine."
"Thank you."
As Bu Eun-seol tried to bow again, the man waved his hand.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm only teaching you because it's an order from the Demonic Cult."
"I understand."
*Swoosh.*
Just then, the ground around him melted like ice, and the man's body, which had been buried in the earth, was slowly revealed.
*Thud.*
The man who rose from the ground had shoulders that looked twice as wide as an ordinary man's, and he was nearly seven feet tall.
"Nine out of ten who try to learn our sect's martial arts die."
"I understand."
Seeing no wavering in Bu Eun-seol's eyes, the man bared his canines and smirked.
"Your name."
"It is Bu Eun-seol."
"No, your name is now Nang-ya-gak Trainee Number One. Got it?"
The man smacked his lips and said.
"Though I doubt there will be a Number Two."
"I understand."
As Bu Eun-seol nodded, the man pointed to his own face with his thumb.
"I am Sa U, the Secret Transmission Hall Master of Nang-ya-gak. From now on, you will call me Elder Sa."