The bleak darkness of the night was unexpectedly illuminated by the raging flames that consumed the forest.

Pull!

The assassin tried to pull his arm out, but he couldn't escape the grasp of his enemy.

This bastard…?

The assassin didn't use all of his strength, but he knew that he couldn't escape his grasp easily even if he did

Which was what made it stranger.

I… to a young bastard like him?

He couldn't calm down his shock.

He may have lived his life behind the scenes as an assassin, but he still had the orange blood of Hwangbo Clan.

This meant he shouldn't be overpowered by a mere kid, one who hadn't even lived a quarter of his life.

But then why is this happening…!

The situation before him sent a flurry of thoughts through the assassin's mind.

Aside from his surprise at being caught, he was more curious about why the kid chased him all the way here.

However, standing idly by was not an option. Gazing into the kid's red eyes, the assassin slowly started to speak.

“…I'm not sure what you are on about.”

Initially, he feigned ignorance.

His plan had been to intimidate the kid into silence by scaring him a little, but the assassin's mind had changed by this point.

He wondered if such a thing was even possible.

It's impossible.

Assassins were capable of assassinating those that were at a higher level than themselves.

Indeed, it is often assassins who achieve what are considered miracles, such as when a First-rate martial artist manages to eliminate those in the Peak Realm.

Of course, all it took was setting up a situation where the target became vulnerable and stabbing from the back.

This essentially means that if two martial artists are of equal skill, an assassin's defeat is almost unheard of, particularly in an environment as advantageous as a dark forest.

“I just…”

“You don't know anything about this?”

Upon hearing the assassin's words, the True Dragon, Gu Yangcheon's expression became gradually more annoyed.

The glow of his radiant red eyes in the night, combined with the surrounding flames and his ferocious demeanor, all of these things made Gu Yangcheon look like a Demon.

“There is no way a martial artist on the front lines would be unaware that this is the territory of the Gu Clan.”

“I just took the wrong turn, that's all.”

“Oh, is that so? Quite the coincidence for a martial artist from the Hwangbo Clan to find themselves here, at this time of night.”

“…!”

Cold sweat flowed down the assassin's back upon hearing Gu Yangcheon's words.

How did he know that he was from Hwanbo Clan?

The assassin tried his best to hide his shock and maintain a calm expression.

“…I'm not sure what you are talking about.”

“No need to play dumb, I can't not know that you are from that clan because of your peculiar rough Qi.”

“I'm not from Hwangbo Clan.”

“Nor is it as harmonious as the Peng Clan's. Ah, that must be why the Hwangbo Clan isn't counted among the Four Great Clans.”

“…”

“See, your expression rotted as soon as I compared your clan to Peng Clan.”

Oh.

The assassin let out a sigh while rubbing his face.

He made an unnecessary mistake as he didn't expect to hear such a thing.

Perhaps, it was because he has taken too long of a break from his work.

“What an amusing child you are…”

Gu Yangcheon's brow furrowed at the assassin's words, clearly displeased.

“Amusing my ass. Why are you acting all innocent after attempting to do something nasty in the middle of the night?”

“You have a very rough mouth for a blood relative of a noble clan. Do you know how many years this old man has worked in the Central Plains?”

“So what? Do you want me to show respect to you?”

Clench

The assassin gradually felt an increase in pressure, as the grip on his arm tightened..

“You are asking me to show respect when you are the one that tried to do some bullshit in the middle of the night. One might think age would bring wisdom and grace, yet it seems you rotted instead.”

“You bastard…!”

“To be fair,”

As the assassin was about to retort in anger, he momentarily paused upon seeing Gu Yangcheon's mocking smirk

Both the bastard who snitched embarrassingly after being beaten up and the one who came here at night after hearing about it look equally dumb as hell.

After hearing him speak mockingly with a smirk, the assassin couldn't contain his anger any longer and began to gather his Inner Qi.

I have to kill him.

He knew that the kid was extremely powerful for a young prodigy.

Not only did he overcome his wall at that age, but just by looking at how he was able to catch up to himself while hiding his presence, indicated that the kid's level wasn't merely of young prodigy's.

However…

In the end, it doesn't matter.

In an instant, the assassin's arm, previously grasped by Gu Yangcheon, slipped free as if greased, escaping effortlessly.

Gu Yangcheon opened his eyes wide as if he didn't expect this to happen, but by then, the assassin had already vanished.

Night is my domain.

For those that lived as assassins for decades, the darkness of night was like their own world.

Merging with the shadows was second nature to them. Despite the flames brightening up the darkness, it mattered little; shadows were omnipresent.

You will regret this.

The assassin was determined to make the kid regret talking shit about the Hwangbo Clan.

Concealed in the darkness, the assassin's eyes glinted ominously.

The kid remained still, scanning his surroundings slowly, seemingly searching for the assassin.

I was told not to kill him, but I have no other choice anymore.

The assassin slowly started to move after observing him.

He erased his presence, silencing himself.

He became one with darkness.

Stealthy, he advanced towards Gu Yangcheon from behind.

It was too difficult to toy around with the kid without killing him.

It was very annoying and wounded his pride, but the assassin knew the kid wasn't at a level where he could afford to do such a thing, anyway.

He felt humiliated by the fact that he couldn't toy around with a mere kid even as an assassin who has reached Fusion Realm. But he didn't care about it anymore, as all he wanted was to erase this bastard right now.

This bastard is dangerous.

The assassin deciding to kill Gu Yangcheon was mostly because he talked shit about Hwangbo Clan and himself, but also because Gu Yangcheon was way too talented.

This bastard's sky has no limit.

Whether it was the monster from Peng Clan, or the Water Dragon from Mudang Sect, there were so many geniuses in the world, but the assassin knew better after facing him, that this kid was the most dangerous of them all.

Furthermore, if Gu Yangcheon saw Hwangbo Clan as an enemy, then it was better to eliminate him before he grows more and becomes untouchable.

In this regard, the assassin felt glad that it was him who was sent to deal with this bastard.

I should demand bigger compensation from the Young Master.

He mused, as he gathered his Inner Qi.

The dagger in the assassin's hand, now swirling with his sharp Qi, aimed directly for Gu Yangcheon's heart even before he could notice the assassin.

But just as the blade was about to make contact with its target

Smack-!

“…!”

The assassin almost screamed after what just happened.

It was because Gu Yangcheon had spun around in an instant, seizing his arm once again.

“What…?”

Crack-!

The sound of cracking bones filled his ears the moment his arm was caught.

He realized instantly his wrist had shattered.

“H…How.”

The assassin's curiosity over how he was detected again by Gu Yangcheon overrode even the intense pain shooting up his wrist.

He wasn't close enough to be noticed, nor was there time for Gu Yangcheon to react had he noticed late.

Just how-

“How could I not know when you were clearly visible?”

“What?”

The assassin's expression turned to one of confusion upon hearing Gu Yangcheon, a look that quickly faded.

Slam!

Because Gu Yangcheon's fist had connected squarely with the assassin's face.

“Ughh…!”

With a jarring impact, the assassin's head whipped back.

He tried his best to dodge by observing his movement, but his arm remained firmly caught.

The force of the blow sent his consciousness reeling, as if one blow was enough to damage him this badly.

Drip…! Dribble…

Barely managing to move his head after it had been snapped back, blood and several broken teeth dripped from his mouth.

“Ugghh…”

This has become dangerous.

Something has gone very wrong.

The assassin's instincts screamed in alarm,

My body isn't… listening…

yet he found himself trapped in his unresponsive body.

The blow he had sustained was serious, far beyond his expectations, but it wasn't enough to shut down his body completely, which was why it felt strange.

“…Ugh…”

Struggling, the assassin managed to raise his head to gaze at Gu Yangcheon

Even amidst the darkness, Gu Yangcheon's eyes were shining radiantly.

“You… bastard…! You used… poison?”

“Poison? Ah, I guess you could call it that.”

Gu Yangcheon tilted his head in confusion, before he nodded his head in acknowledgement.

“You could call it a poison I suppose.”

Poison I see…

At last, the assassin thought he understood why his body was betraying him. Being poisoned made sense.

However,

Just when?

He didn't know when the kid was able to poison him, nor did he know what kind of poison it was for his body to become this powerless.

He had immunities to most poison as an assassin, and there was no way that he could be poisoned this easily unless he was against the legends of Tang Clan.

However, it was not important anymore.

Gasping for air, the assassin pleaded to Gu Yangcheon.

“Let me… live…”

Begging for his life was most important right now.

Gu Yangcheon laughed as if the sight in front of him was absurd..

“Fast on giving up huh? I expected you to growl a little more.”

If he was in a situation where he was poisoned and couldn't run away, he had to prioritize his life.

Usually, caught assassins might choose to end their lives by biting the poison they keep underneath their tongue or die under torture for their clan. However, such an end was far from what he desired now.

His loyalty for the clan had died a long time ago already, and he only had the desire to live the rest of his life as the Elder of his clan.

Which was why I accepted the Young Master's request…!

He did this so that he could gain honor while also keeping the Elder position, as well as aspiring to erase his life as an assassin, but he didn't expect this turn of events.

Gu Yangcheon remained impassive upon hearing the assassin, his demeanor bordering on annoyance.

“Why are you humiliating yourself like this?”

“Brother Gu… No, Young Master Gu, I… I'll tell you everything… of who ordered me to do such a thing. If you want, I could even… Upf!”

The assassin's mouth that was about to divulge everything was silenced by Gu Yangcheon's hand.

His hand wasn't even that huge, but it for some reason felt giant to the assassin.

“I already know who made such an order even if you don't tell me.”

Blaze

“Ufgh… Ufh!”

Heat emanated from Gu Yangcheon's palm, and though the assassin attempted to call out in desperation, no sound escaped.

“Nor do I need any proof. We aren't living in a world where such a thing matters, right?”

“Ufgh… Ufh.”

Blaze-!

Shortly after, flames erupted from his hand, enveloping the assassin's face and body.

“Urrghh!!”

The assassin's attempts to resist were feeble, but he didn't even have that much strength to struggle properly.

The flames continued to rage until the assassin's life came to an end, and as he stopped meaninglessly resisting, the flames instantly disappeared.

The only thing held in Gu Yangcheon's palm was a clump of ashes that no longer seemed like a person.

Rustle

Loosening his grip, the ashes scattered to the ground, as he realized something as he shaked his hands off.

“Oh.”

Right.

I forgot to ask for his name.

“…Maybe it doesn't matter that much?”

It's probably Hwangbo Something anyway.

Bending slightly, Gu Yangcheon pulled out something from the burnt corpse, tucking it into his pocket.

After briefly staring at the corpse, he turned away with no remorse and walked back where he came from.

It wouldn't matter for him to leave the corpse like this.

As Demons would come not long after and devour it anyway.

Not even a trace would be left.

That's what the forest at the frontlines was like.

****************

While Gu Yangcheon took a brief leave with the words that he'd be back shortly, Bi Yeonsum was enduring an extremely difficult situation.

A situation so awkward that he felt like he might suffocate to death.

Please… save me.

He sat up like a statue while being tensed up and was only looking forward, but his attention was only heading towards the side of him.

To the girl that looked towards the forest, sitting still.

Glance.

Bi Yeonsum glanced for an instant and gulped.

She's… so unbelievably pretty.

The girl was so beautiful that Bi Yeonsum had trouble breathing.

Her white hair which was shining along with the moonlight, along with her blue eyes which were staring off into the distance, transformed the atmosphere around her into a dreamscape.

Back when Bi Yeonsum saw the Snow Phoenix, he wondered how anyone could be so pretty, but the woman before him now surpassed that level entirely.

It was to the point he wondered if she could really be called a human.

This person is the Sword Dancer…

It was a person that Bi Yeonsum was well aware of as well.

The Sword Dancer, Namgung Bi-ah.

She was a martial artist who randomly appeared in the tournament of Dragons and Phoenixes, and the older sister of the Lightning Dragon.

In the tournament, she unfortunately was defeated by the Meteor Sword, the son of the Murim Alliance's Leader, but while fighting looked like she was dancing with her sword, this scene was engraved into people's minds. Thanks to it, she was awarded the Sword Dancer title.

Bi Yeonsum who left his clan out of embarrassment as he couldn't show anything in the tournament, hadn't gotten a good look of Namgung Bi-ah then, but looking at her now, he realized that she was way beyond his expectation.

Not just her beauty, but martial skills as well.

The single strike that she executed earlier.

It was way too shocking for Bi Yeonsum.

It almost seemed unreal, for her to clean strike the whole forest infront of her.

Of course, a skilled sword user was capable of doing such a thing, but Bi Yeonsum felt a bit of shame by the fact that Namgung Bi-ah had such power despite her being the same age as him.

Along with it, he felt envious of Gu Yangcheon.

Because such a beautiful and strong girl was his fiancée.

How long has it been ever since Bi Yeonsum kept glancing at Namgung Bi-ah out of enviousness?

Namgung Bi-ah who stayed so quiet that it made her seem like she wasn't even breathing,

Rustle.

Suddenly, she got up and flicked her pretty lips while looking forward.

“…Where… were you?”

“Pardon…?”

Bi Yeonsum, puzzled, thought she was speaking to him and answered hesitantly.

“There was just a rat.”

Another voice chimed in before Bi Yeonsum could continue.

Soon, the person belonging to that voice emerged from the bushes.

It was Gu Yangcheon who disappeared earlier.

“…Rat…?”

“Yeah, a pretty big one”

He looked the same as before, but he for some reason had a more exhausted face.

But what did he mean by rat?

Why did he suddenly have an urge to catch a rat?

Namgung Bi-ah who also wondered in her thoughts like Bi Yeonsum, asked Gu Yangcheon.

“…Are you okay?”

What was she asking about?

Bi Yeonsum didn't understand. Perhaps Gu Yangcheon was scared of rats?

Though Gu Yangcheon who suddenly went to go hunt a rat was even more incomprehensible.

Gu Yangcheon smiled as he heard Namgung Bi-ah words.

A smile so unsettling that Bi Yeonsum instinctively recoiled.

“Why wouldn't I be okay? I just stepped out for a bit.”

“…”

He responded as if he was really fine, but Namgung Bi-ah had an expression that showed she wasn't satisfied with such a response.

Gu Yangcheon, who also saw her expression, made a conflicted expression.

Did he notice why Namgung Bi-ah didn't feel satisfied?

“Stop making such an expression, I'm really fine.”

After giving a brief response, Gu Yangcheon turned his gaze towards Bi Yeonsum.

Startled by the eye contact, Bi Yeonsum couldn't help but flinch, feeling unexpectedly intimidated.

He was worried that his reaction was too obvious, but it thankfully seemed like Gu Yangcheon didn't care.

“Hey.”

“Y-Yes!”

“Let's head back now.”

Bi Yeonsum's eyes widened because of Gu Yangcheon's abrupt suggestion.

“Huh…? But we still have some time until the sun rises.”

They had to stay here at least until the sun started to rise.

Gu Yangcheon, appearing tired, responded while rubbing his neck.

“I found a good excuse to go back to the camp.”

Excuse?

Bi Yeonsum cocked his head, puzzled by what Gu Yangcheon meant.