Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 47

Episode 47(True Value Shines in the Face of Crisis (1))

Maa Doo Won stared at Lee Gwak blankly.

“What?”

“Don’t we have to fix this somehow? What can we do?”

“That, that’s…….”

“You know this place best, Scholar Ma. Stay calm,”

“Umm!”

“How can I assist? Just direct me.”

Lee Gwak’s cool words brought Maa Doo Won back to reality as if he had been poured with cold water.

Even as they spoke, the whirring of the mechanism continued, a sound that made his heart race.

He quickly gathered his thoughts and spoke,

“We can control this place from the mechanism under the north wall. But with the mechanism here activated, the traps in the corridors will be active too.”

“Get up.”

Lee Gwak held out his back to Maa Doo Won.

“What?”

“There’s no time to explain. Hurry and get on.”

“Ah, alright.”

Overwhelmed by Lee Gwak’s presence, Maa Doo Won clambered onto his back.

“Hold on tight.”

Lee Gwak began to run at a terrifying speed with Maa Doo Won on his back.

“Ah!”

Maa Doo Won was startled by the speed and grabbed Lee Gwak’s neck tightly.

Lee Gwak raced through the dark corridors like a whirlwind.

As they reached the middle of the passage, Maa Doo Won yelled,

“Be careful, this is the dark trap area…”

Swoosh! As expected, traps were triggered, and darts flew towards them.

At the sound of the blast, Maa Doo Won involuntarily closed his eyes tightly. He thought he was dead.

Whoosh! A gust of wind swept past him, sending chills down his spine. He cringed, expecting the worst.

But the expected pain never came.

Slowly opening his eyes, Maa Doo Won saw he was still on Lee Gwak’s back, who continued his relentless dash.

“What the hell happened?

Maa Doo Won’s face was lit up with confusion and suspicion.

Just then, the pathway turned at a right angle. Instead of slowing down, Lee Gwak stepped on the wall to change direction.

“This is the fire trap. We must stop…”

Before he could finish his sentence, massive flames erupted from the walls on both sides.

At that moment, Lee Gwak’s left arm moved.

Chirp!

Like a black viper, a whip shot out, whirling around Lee Gwak and Maa Doo Won at a terrifying speed.

The red flames were repelled by Lee Gwak’s actions, as if a black dragon was coiling around them, protecting them.

“What is this?”

Maa Doo Won gasped in awe.

Whoosh! Three giant saw blades shot out from the walls.

Lee Gwak blocked them perfectly; there was nowhere else to dodge.

Maa Doo Won thought it was the end for sure.

Then, Lee Gwak’s right hand blurred into action.

Clang! The menacing blades were split in two and clattered to the ground.

No trap or mechanism could stop Lee Gwak.

With every flash of his hand, the mechanism disintegrated, and the traps were rendered useless.

Only Lee Gwak, with his deep understanding of these mechanisms from a warrior’s perspective, could achieve this.

He utilised his knowledge to the fullest.

Boom! Intense energy swirled around them.

Never before had Maa Doo Won experienced such a spectacle. He forgot the crisis at hand, mesmerised by Lee Gwak’s martial prowess.

To him, Lee Gwak was just an ordinary warrior, a squad leader of the outer hall under unusual circumstances, not because of his skill. But at this moment, Maa Doo Won forgot all about that and marvelled at Lee Gwak’s skill.

Lee Gwak’s left arm would shoot out like a black viper, disabling the mechanisms, while his right arm slashed through any obstacles.

Maa Doo Won, a mere scholar, could not fully comprehend the weapons Lee Gwak used. But he knew Lee Gwak was no ordinary martial artist.

Thud! In the distance, a massive iron gate began to close – the central control room for the mechanism.

Made of thick iron, once sealed, it could not be broken without immense force.

“No!”

Maa Doo Won Yelled

Just then, Lee Gwak threw his sword.

Swoosh! The sword stuck upright in the ground, momentarily halting the descending gate.

The weight of the gate bent the sword like a bow, but then it snapped, and the gate slammed shut with a heavy thud.

Lee Gwak exhaled sharply, his back to Maa Doo Won, now visible against the massive black gate.

They had made it inside in the nick of time, both drenched in sweat from the exertion.
Maa Doo Won was speechless, his face a picture of shock. Lee Gwak snapped him back to reality.

“Quick, stop the mechanism!”

“Yes, right!”

Maa Doo Won hurried to the control centre.

Fortunately, the mechanism hadn’t fully activated yet. He quickly shut it down.

The ominous hum that filled the air slowly faded.

Exhausted, Maa Doo Won collapsed, panting heavily.

Lee Gwak, too, sighed in relief.

His body trembled slightly from the effort. He had exerted himself to the limit.

Leaning against the wall, Lee Gwak caught his breath, his heart slowly calming. Then Maa Doo Won spoke.

“What are you?”

“Eh?”

“What are you, really? Just a martial artist of the outer hall? How could such an ordinary warrior possess such extraordinary skills?”

Maa Doo Won’s eyes shook uncontrollably, his worldview shattered by Lee Gwak.

“I trained hard,”

“What?”

“I trained desperately, not wasting a single moment of my time in Mount Sohua.”

Lee Gwak’s firm reply left Maa Doo Won trembling. Lee Gwak offered no further explanation, but his sincerity was clear.

“Trained desperately?”

“Yes! Not a day, not an hour, not a moment wasted.”

“You’re unbelievable,”

Maa Doo Won muttered.

He had heard of hidden masters in the Jianghu, but never imagined one was right beside him. He briefly suspected Lee Gwak to be a spy, but dismissed the thought.

During their time on Mount Sohua, Lee Gwak had never given cause for doubt. Had he been a spy, triggering the mechanism would have been a more convincing act.

“Why not join the inner court with such skills?”

“I prefer to stay as I am.”

“You dislike attention?”

“Yes!”

Maa Doo Won sighed softly.

He felt the truth in Lee Gwak’s words. The Lee Gwak he knew was not one for double talk or excuses.

Maa Doo Won decided to trust his own eyes.

“You said you dislike attention?”

“Yes!”

“Alright, I won’t tell anyone about your martial arts prowess.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m more grateful. Thanks to you, I averted a disaster. Phew!”

If the mechanism had fully activated, the ground would have collapsed, triggering numerous traps, culminating in a devastating explosion. The catastrophe would have been Maa Doo Won’s responsibility. If not for Lee Gwak’s timely intervention, a horrific event would have unfolded.

“I’m truly grateful.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Lee Gwak!”

“Yes!”

“If you need anything, just ask. I’ll help you as best I can.”

“I didn’t do this expecting a reward.”

“I know. But I must do something to ease my conscience.”

“Alright.”

“Now, how do we clean up this mess?”

Lee Gwak sighed.

“Indeed.”

“Well, we’ll figure something out,”

Maa Doo Won looked up at the sky with a resigned air.

Suddenly, he burst into laughter, and Lee Gwak joined in.

As they emerged outside, Lim Ji Moon rushed towards them.

“Scholar Ma, hyung, are you okay?”

Even after being dragged outside by Han Seol Gung, he didn’t leave and waited for Lee Gwak.

“We’re fine,”

Maa Doo Won assured him.

“What about the mechanism?”

“Thankfully, Scholar Ma stopped it in time.”

“Really? Phew! That’s a relief,”

Lim Ji Moon put his hand on his chest. His face was filled with self-pity.

He felt guilty that he had left the two of them behind and escaped. Even though he had been dragged out by Han Seol Gung, he felt like crying at the thought of not being with them in their moment of crisis.

Maa Doo Won approached him.

“I apologise for causing you so much worry.”

“No, I’m just glad you’re safe, Scholar Ma.”

“You must have been very scared, please go inside and rest.”

“What about you, Scholar Ma?”

“I’ll stay with Lee Gwak to repair the malfunction we caused.”

“Then let me help you…”

“If we need help, we’ll let you know. For now, please rest,” Maa Doo Won said, gently insisting.

At Maa Doo Won’s polite request, Lim Ji Moon couldn’t be stubborn. Even Han Seol Gung joined in.

“Please, do as Scholar Ma says. The higher-ups wouldn’t want you exposed to further danger,”

“Alright, but if you need help, let me know. I’ll do my best to assist,”

Lim Ji Moon’s face showed his reluctance to leave.

Then Han Seol Gung turned to Maa Doo Won with a stern look.

“What happened today was definitely due to Master Ma’s fault, right?”

“Yes, it did.”

“While it’s fortunate that you resolved it, this could have been a huge disaster for the alliance. I will report this incident. Be prepared for the consequences,”

A troubled look crossed Lim Ji Moon’s face.

“Noona, is that really necessary…?”

“In such cases, it’s crucial that rules are strictly enforced,”

Han Seol Gung cut in sharply.

Her gaze shifted to Lee Gwak, standing behind Maa Doo Won.

In that moment of crisis, her memory of being overwhelmed by Lee Gwak’s spirit, leading her to flee with Lim Ji Moon, was still vivid.

‘Lee Gwak!’

Han Seol Gung gritted her teeth in frustration.