Season 3: Chapter 257. The Sword (1)

[Commander Mode Ended]

With this text, Sa-Rang's spirit floating in the sky descended back into her body. The expansive view of the battlefield from above transformed into the commander's dark and confined room. She relied on the candlelight on her desk to illuminate an object shining prominently.

'Soon...'

She reached out and picked it up. In the flickering light, the long sword seemed to waver.

'They will come.'

Tat—tat—tat—tat...!

Footsteps could be heard somewhere beyond the door. They sounded urgent as if in a hurry, yet also confident in their victory.

Sa-Rang drew the blade from its scabbard. Her burning crimson eyes reflected in the blade.

She muttered to herself as if to reaffirm her resolve, “Just once.”

She resolved to drive this blade into the gap of their overconfidence and complacency. She would tear open a moment and stretch it into an eternity, even if only for an instant.

One breath. She had to stake everything on it.

Tat—tat—tat—tat──

The footsteps grew louder. She closed her eyes for a moment.

***

OrangeKing squeezed his eyes shut.

His throat felt tight and his chest felt heavy, but he managed to speak with difficulty.

"This tournament!!!"

Although this tournament was ending here, he felt confident that next year would bring better results. It was not just a simple consolation, but a statement made with a gamer's eye. Joseon was a team that could definitely achieve better results next year.

As he prepared to wrap things up and comfort the audience as well as himself, a sudden flash occurred.

"Huh?"

Slash!

The neck of the first samurai who stepped into the commander’s room suddenly fell to the ground.

Thud.

“?!”

An astonishing scene appeared on the broadcast screen. Sa-Rang stood there, holding a blood-drenched sword in front of the narrow entrance.

“Wh-What...?”

OrangeKing couldn’t close his mouth in shock.

‘That sword?’

Moreover, that was not an ordinary sword. It was a Tachi much larger than the standard Hwando and a product of Joseon’s fourth era. Tachi wasn’t an official term for it. Joseon had increased the size for this sword to counter Japanese blades during the Japanese invasions.

‘Why does the commander have that?’

Typically, the commander only had a very basic sword deliberately placed in the room.

‘Handling such a large sword must be difficult.’

As if mocking such doubts...

“Hmph.”

Her lips drew in a shallow breath.

Swoosh.

Her sleeve fluttered once and the head of the next samurai rolled off.

“!?”

And again.

Swoosh!

Her robe fluttered and blood sprayed again. Everything happened in an instant.

From this moment on, OrangeKing felt as if time had stopped. Everything seemed frozen except for the woman’s fluttering black hair and robe.

Slash!

Every time the candlelight flashed on the blade in the pitch-black darkness, an enemy’s head rolled on the floor.

Swoosh...!

Her sleeves billowed wide and another followed.

Slash!

Blood spurted out and another enemy fell.

Swish.

The sword, seemingly ravenous for blood, sought the next opponent immediately. She caught sight of them and lunged, slashing through their openings.

Slash!

Slash!

It felt too overwhelming and even graceful to call it a fight. The large sword looked like a dancer's fan. It seemed like a dance. Everything felt like a play.

“Hah,”

she exhaled.

Thud!

The last Japanese soldier’s head rolled to the floor. The audience erupted in cheers after finally realizing the performance had ended.

“Whoaaaaaa!!!”

Time seemed to flow properly again and OrangeKing took a deep breath.

“W-Wow...”

His vision blurred with intense emotion. He was almost out of his mind.

‘What on earth just happened?’

Despite everything, his professional instinct made him shout in a near tearful voice.

"I-I am the Queen of Joseon!!!"

— Hahahahaha

— That was insane, but what just happened??

— He thinks he's the queen lol

— Why is he crying? hahaha

— Is he really crying??? hahaha

— What kind of physical skills does the commander have???

— I'm the queen of Joseon, wahhh hahaha

— LOL

***

“Hah... hah...”

Sa-Rang was still catching her breath and didn’t let go of her sword. Her eyes, still in combat mode, sharply scanned the surroundings. No trace of anyone remained.

“No one left.”

She had taken care of the initial intruders.

Swoosh.

Only then did she lower her sword.

‘I have to move.’

More would surely come. Although the enemy commander couldn’t see the internal situation of the building, they would sense that something went wrong if no news arrived. This time, they would come in greater numbers. She had to move before then.

‘I must move...’

She looked down at her legs and hesitated momentarily. Her body could move as she commanded in this virtual world, but the aftermath would affect her physical self. She would have to give up command afterward. Joseon would have to fight without a commander. Was that even possible?

“Whew.”

As she exhaled deeply, a scene flashed through her mind.

[Trust us]

She bit her lip and moved outside of the palace.

***

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"The supreme commander! Best Yi Sun-Shin is moving! This means they’re going to the end!!!"

Tat—tat—tat.

She abandoned command mode and ran out the back door of the palace.

"Japan seems to have noticed something! More soldiers are coming in! They can't find her now! Once the commander exits commander mode, they can't be tracked!"

"Correct! Without commander mode, it’s just as it sounds!"

While Japan searched within the palace, she had already exited through the back door.

"But! The supreme commander's speed! Her speed is...!"

Naturally, the supreme commander unit was not designed for combat. Although she had no weapon restrictions, she lacked advantages in speed or health. If she simply ran, she would soon be caught. It would only be a matter of time.

"If that happens, can Joseon do anything to Japan!?"

The Joseon troops who invaded Japan's base became crucial again. The screen partially switched to show Japan’s main island.

"Oh, Almond!? Is that Almond!? He’s bulldozing his way in with dual swords!"

— OMG

— Wasn’t he an archer? lol

— Wow, as a spy

— This is insane

***

Clop, clop!

Almond galloped with the reins in both hands. All the defense towers had been neutralized.

‘Now we must break through.’

He approached his allies and drew his sword. Not the fourth era sword, but the commander's sword. Wielding it, he issued an order.

[Scatter]

Several routes appeared along with the command to scatter.

"Scatter!?"

"Aren't we breaking through!?"

The others had some doubt, but Almond shouted firmly, "We’re easier to stop when we're clustered together! Scatter!"

With that, all the soldiers turned their horses and followed their respective routes.

The confused Japanese soldiers naturally spread out as well. It was a natural instinct. They weren’t blocking any particular area, but preventing the Joseon soldiers from getting through.

As Joseon’s formation spread, the cannons from the castle found it difficult to target them. Japan’s defensive line became sloppy like a giant net.

Almond did not miss this moment.

“Hyah!”

He continued riding and drew his sword.

"Charge again!!!"

With that command, he slashed at the soldiers blocking him.

Slash!

Immediately, a samurai’s head flew off. Despite the samurai fighting back with their swords, the Japanese soldiers felt overwhelmed by the cavalry charging from all directions.

Clang!

Almond parried their blows and thrust the commander’s sword into their necks.

“Gah...!”

With two swords, he charged through the enemy ranks. He didn’t need a plan in this chaos. They just had to cut through the gaps, leap over bodies, step forward, and stab the next neck.

“Gah...!”

“Ugh!”

“H-Here! Block—”

Slash!

His blade cut down the soldier at the rear. A blood-soaked path lay behind him.

“Hah... hah.”

Finally, he saw the stairs leading to the castle. Climbing those steps would lead him to the enemy's commander.

***

"Joseon is almost through! Now it's a race against time!"

While Almond broke through the front line, the broadcast returned to Joseon's side.

"Joseon! What's the situation in Joseon!? What happened to the commander!!!"

The screen showed the Joseon commander running desperately to escape.

— Noooo

— She looks really tired

— Oh no...

— Can she make it?

— Oh, a soldier arrived...

"Ah! She’s been spotted! They’re chasing her!!"

The Japanese troops found her trail and eventually discovered her.

"A musket soldier is following her!"

A musketeer shouldered his gun and knelt to precisely aim.

"It’ll be bad if she gets hit!!"

Chiik...!

The musketeer pulled the trigger and the flintlock ignited.

Bang!

The bullet flew toward the Joseon commander.

OrangeKing squeezed his eyes shut and screamed, "Ahhhhhhh!"

At that moment, a dark shadow swiftly passed by the commander.

Thud.

The bullet struck the horse's thigh.

“Neigh!”

"A horse!?"

"B-Bread!?"

[Bread]

Vice Commander Bread had ridden in and taken the bullet. She extended her hand.

“Quickly...!”

Sa-Rang grabbed her hand and leaped up onto the back of the horse.

“Hyah!”

The horse galloped again and a black hawk soared into the sky.

"They’ve lost the enemies! This means more time!! Now we really don’t know!"

"The situation is crucial again for Japan! How is it..."

***

Whiiiii!

[Send Hawk]

A black hawk flew and the clear blue sky reflected in its dark eyes. As it looked down, a completely different scene unfolded.

"Aaahhhh!"

"Break through!!"

"Stop them!"

Blood splattered endlessly. Corpses tangled and piled up in a hellscape. In a narrow gap surrounded by numerous buildings, Joseon and Japanese soldiers engaged in chaotic melee.

It was oddly quiet at the very front of the chaos with fewer people like the eye of a storm.

“Huff... huff...”

Almond ran up the stairs to the castle entrance with no soldiers blocking him. All of them were behind him, engaged in a brutal fight with the other Joseon troops.

Almond’s horse lay dying at the foot of the stairs. Finally, he opened the castle door.

Thud.

At that moment—

“!”

Slash!

A flashing blade slashed at his neck and a red line appeared on his throat.

[Honda]

The enemy ace had been waiting for him for a final stand.