Chapter 226: Ronin (2)

Seeing the hostile attitude of the Easterners running toward them, Yuri spoke.

“I learned something about the East thanks to my master.”

“Oh, can you understand what they’re saying?”

“No.”

“Then what did you learn?”

Yuri dismounted his horse.

“That if you want to speak with a swordsman from the East, you must first draw your sword. It’s a world where the weak are devoured, where the weak are scorned. That’s also known as the unfeeling river of the martial world.”

“But Master Moyongchan talked a lot about justice and honor…”

“All lies.”

Yuri raised Guilty. The furious faces of the Easterners were drawing closer.

“Why do you think my master came to the continent? A hero’s life in the East is like a raft adrift in the void.”

“And what does that mean?”

“If you understood, you’d hurt yourself.”

From Guilty, the energy of the Cut of the soul and the heart began to burn intensely.

Yuri stepped forward with a sigh.

“They say that in the four seas, all are companions, but even if this is another continent, how can people from the martial world attack a stranger with swords without a word? The river code has hit rock bottom.”

His group, fully confident in his skills, left him in charge of the situation and watched calmly from their mounts.

And just as the Easterners were about to reach him.

Yuri shouted.

“Gal!”

A sonic wave accompanied by a sword’s roar swept through the Easterners.

None of them managed to stay on their feet, and all were sent flying, crashing down at a distance.

“How pathetic.”

Yuri shook his robe forcefully and walked heavily toward the Easterners groaning on the ground.

“I should teach you a lesson…”

At that moment, a young woman ran from the Elaine Company caravan.

Without taking his eyes off the fallen, Yuri asked in a sharp tone.

“Are you the interpreter?”

“Yes. Excuse me, but… are you by any chance…?”

“Tell them this.”

Yuri cleared his throat and declared.

“There are five virtues every person must cultivate: benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and fidelity. And you have failed in every single one!”

Though the language was different, Yuri pronounced the words “benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and fidelity” exactly as Moyongchan had taught him.

Upon hearing those familiar words in their mother tongue, the Easterners looked up in surprise.

They hesitated at first, but when the interpreter relayed the full message, their faces turned red.

Being scolded by a foreigner for lacking “the five principles”—core virtues of the East—was a blow of shame.

The interpreter bowed in their place.

“They mistook you for a bandit group. I beg you not to be angry.”

“That kind of mistake can cost a life. If I had been weaker than them, I would’ve died for no reason. Using force without asking questions is no different from a beast’s behavior.”

“You are absolutely right. They’re deeply moved and would like to know the name of such a noble person.”

“My name is Yuri Briol.”

When Yuri revealed his identity, the interpreter nodded slightly with a knowing smile, as if she had suspected it.

“I knew it…”

“And by the way, my enemies call me the Black Demon.”

“Huh?”

Jared, from behind, made a gesture slicing his neck with his hand.

“Don’t translate that, please.”

“Ah… Understood.”

Yuri cleared his throat.

“Anyway, you all are with the Elaine Company, right?”

“Yes, Your Highness. It’s an honor to meet you.”

The Easterners opened their eyes wide upon seeing the interpreter bow to Yuri.

She explained something while still bowed, and the Easterners, hesitant, also bowed to Yuri in their own way.

“I’m sorry they didn’t recognize you. I’ve explained who you are.”

“Tell them to get up. It’s natural that Easterners wouldn’t know me. And they don’t have to show me reverence.”

“Yes, but these men wish to settle on our continent. Therefore, they must adapt to our customs.”

“Ah, yes?”

Yuri tilted his head, intrigued.

“Interesting. In that case, why don’t we talk a bit while traveling together? After all, we’re heading west, right?”

“Yes, exactly.”

Yuri remounted and, along with his group, approached the caravan.

As they rode at the front of the group, chatting, the interpreter explained she was in charge of the caravan.

Her name was Iris, a young woman with great talent for languages. She quickly learned the Eastern language and, thanks to that, held a high position despite her age.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you again.”

“The pleasure is mine.”

According to Iris, these men were ronin from the East.

“Over there, the elite are deeply entrenched, and the lives of ronin grow more desperate. Swordsmen without backing or connections can no longer even survive. These here, tired of such a harsh life, wish to settle on our continent.”

“So they’re Eastern mercenaries.”

“That would be the most accurate term.”

“They even import people now… Elaine Company sure knows how to do business.”

Iris lowered her head in silence, but Yuri waved his hand.

“Don’t take it the wrong way. That wasn’t sarcasm, it’s a compliment.”

“Thank you. Our company complies with all labor laws. They all signed standard contracts before coming.”

“I believe you.”

As they talked, the ronin marching behind the caravan looked at Yuri with eyes full of longing.

After learning his status, it was clear they hoped to land some kind of work.

“Are there many ronin like this in the East?”

“Yes. Quite a few. Ever since peace came to the martial world, many swordsmen who only know how to wield a sword have become unemployed.”

“Just say they’re unemployed. Sounds less glamorous.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

“I see, so that’s how things are.”

Yuri looked back. As he did, the ronin, who had been walking sluggishly, straightened their backs and began marching more firmly.

“They seem skilled with a sword…”

“Yes, their abilities are decent.”

Iris glanced back over her shoulder.

“Many opposed bringing them, fearing they’d change their minds on the way back.”

“I can imagine.”

If Yuri hadn’t knocked them out with his first spinning attack, they were skilled enough to have taken on a band of bandits.

Yuri murmured.

“Every foreigner who wants to settle… must go through an inevitable trial.”

To enter the structure of the continent, they had to fight alongside its inhabitants and shed blood with them. Until they paid that price, they would be rejected.

That was human nature.

Yuri decided to use the ronin in the upcoming war.

“Iris, can you convey something for me?”

“Yes. What would you like me to say?”

Yuri suddenly turned his horse around. Even so, his mount stepped backward while still advancing firmly. Everyone was impressed by his riding skills.

Yuri shouted.

“Warriors of the East! If you belong to the world of Murim, then it’s only fair that you earn your place with the sword. Are you prepared to shed blood and prove your worth? Do you have the courage to pay the price to settle in this land?”

To Yuri’s surprise, the Easterners responded enthusiastically in broken Continental language just after Iris finished translating.

“Yes!”

Their motivation pleased Yuri.

Iris added from the side.

“The life of a ronin is harsher than that of a mercenary from our continent. These are people who have wielded swords every day. They must have come already prepared to jump onto the battlefield.”

“You already guessed how I was going to use them, didn’t you?”

“I’m a merchant, after all.”

“The Elaine Company sure has talent.”

Yuri asked casually.

“By the way, do you know someone named Rick?”

“Rick? That guy who flatters everyone he meets the moment he sees them…?”

Iris stopped when she saw Yuri’s expression and quickly corrected herself.

“…No, I mean he’s a very eloquent colleague I admire and want to emulate.”

“Right, that’s what I thought.”

“So, you know him?”

“I’ve seen him around, during my travels.”

“I see…”

“Anyway, I’ll hire those ronin.”

Yuri planned to use them to retake Bezos.

If they proved their skills, they could settle on the continent just as they wished. For Yuri, that also meant the possibility of importing more ronin from the East—a double benefit.

They could become a secret weapon against the Empire, something it would not anticipate.

And moreover, Yuri wasn’t just thinking of hiring them—he was already envisioning a large-scale strategy with them as a key piece.

“They say the Heavenly Demon was the enemy of Murim…”

“Heavenly Demon?”

“Nothing, just thinking out loud.”

Yuri smiled.

“If these ronin open the path for exchange between East and West, our continents will draw even closer, don’t you think?”

“That’s right. It’s the kind of world merchants like me dream of.”

“It’ll be so. Is there anyone among them who acts as a leader?”

“There’s one who has learned the Continental language the fastest. He’s the one leading the group now.”

“That’ll make things easier. Tell him I want to hire all the ronin. A battle to retake Bezos will happen soon, and they must participate. I’m entrusting the contract details to you.”

“Me?”

“Yes. I’ll hire you as the intermediary.”

Iris’s eyes widened.

Negotiating a contract of this scale was a major achievement for a merchant.

Her reputation within the Elaine Association would soar even higher.

And on top of that, the client was none other than the prince of the Kingdom of Briol.

Iris nodded with a bright smile.

“Leave it to me!”

“Can you guide them to Briol? We’ll head out first.”

“Yes. We were planning to bring the goods to Briol anyway.”

“Not to the Empire?”

“The Empire isn’t the only one with customers, right?”

“True.”

Yuri gave a slight smile and looked back at the ronin. They were all watching him with eyes full of hope.

Soon they would fight in his name.

Before parting ways, Yuri decided to strengthen their bond. As a commander, it was his duty to foster unity among his troops.

He dismounted and began walking alongside the ronin. Then, he took out something that caused confusion among the Easterners.

It was an Eastern object he had bought from Rick—a singing bowl for exorcism.

As he ran the stick along the outer rim of the bowl, a strange resonance began to spread.

“Oh…?”

“Oooh…!”

The ronin, familiar with the object, clasped their hands together in front of their chests.

Yuri gestured to Iris and spoke.

“They say this object has the power to repel evil energy. Leave your past behind. The shadows that bound you to your old life are gone. Today, a new life begins with me!”

His words were immediately translated. The ronin’s eyes filled with tears.

In a foreign land, in the midst of confusion, Yuri’s words touched their hearts.

Then, one of the ronin behind began to recite in an unknown language,

“Mahāprajñāpāramitā Hridaya Sūtra… Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, practicing deep prajñāpāramitā…”

The ronin’s chant and the vibration of Yuri’s bowl harmonized as if they were one.

“…Form is emptiness, emptiness is form…”

Yuri closed his eyes and listened. Though he didn’t understand the words, he felt a deep resonance.

He continued to ring the bowl in silence while the rōnin recited solemnly.

It was a brief moment, but in it, Yuri and the ronin felt united. When the voice ceased, Yuri also stopped turning the stick.

“The next time we meet, I’ll test your sword skills. I expect you to demonstrate the level worthy of Murim warriors. Until then, farewell! Prajñāpāramitā!”

“Prajñāpāramitā!”