After Chun-bong woke up, they dawdled a bit before heading towards the Black Tiger Sect.

With their few belongings stuffed into a single bundle, they set off, but Chun-bong, still drowsy, rubbed their eyes and let out a small yawn.

"Haam... It's a shame to leave. We lived in that house for a whole year."

"One year in that house is more than enough. Honestly, it's a miracle it didn't collapse while we were sleeping," Seo-jun replied.

Chun-bong pouted their lips in response.

"You're right, but still... Why do I feel like punching you?"

"Ah, Geum Chun-bong, that's not a nice thing to say," Seo-jun chided playfully, massaging the back of Chun-bong's neck. Chun-bong’s body tensed up, making a strange sound. What is this? Are they a cat?

"Anyway... huh? Hey, you there!"

Seeing a rough-looking fellow nearby, Seo-jun called out to him.

"S-soul Reaper...?"

"Oh, am I famous now? Everyone seems to recognize me."

"Shut up."

Laughing, Seo-jun approached the man and casually threw an arm around his shoulder.

"Hey, friend, do you know anyone around here? It would be nice if there were at least ten of them."

"Are you asking me to sell out my comrades?"

"Why put it like that? I'm just asking for a little information on where some unpleasant folks hang out."

The man's eyes darted nervously.

"...If you walk a bit further, you'll find a group called the Black Serpent Gang."

Bingo.

•  

Just as the man said, they soon arrived at a shabby-looking building.

"Well, I guess I'll be off then."

"Whoa there, where do you think you're going? You're coming with us."

"You said you'd let me go if I told you!"

"When did I say that?"

I honestly don’t remember saying that.

As Seo-jun scratched his head, the man started to frown, clearly uncertain about his own memory.

Well, let's leave him to his thoughts.

BANG!

Seo-jun kicked open the door and shouted loudly.

"We're looking for ten friends to help with some honest labor!"

Unsurprisingly, the response wasn’t friendly.

"Who the hell is this crazy bastard?"

"Just when you think you've seen it all..."

The members of the Black Serpent Gang stared at Seo-jun in disbelief, then grabbed weapons and approached him.

After all, it’s only natural to deal with the madman who just kicked down the door.

But that was their mistake.

"These guys only listen after a good beating," Seo-jun said as he picked up his sword sheath.

...

He set down the bloodstained sheath.

"Phew, let's go, boys."

"Y-yes, boss..."

After taking a thorough beating, their manner of address changed to "boss." They always need a good thrashing to listen.

Leading the newly recruited laborers through the back alleys, Seo-jun noticed the curious gazes following them.

Beggars hid and peeked out, while other gang members pretended to pass by but kept a close watch.

Ignoring them, they continued on their way, eventually arriving at the Black Tiger Sect. It felt like it had been a while since they last visited.

"Wow... it's a mess."

"Looks like everything of value has already been looted," Chun-bong observed.

Just as Chun-bong said, the Black Tiger Sect had been thoroughly ransacked by their back alley friends.

But the important thing is the building, not the contents.

Seo-jun addressed the laborers following him.

"Alright, guys. We don't ask for much. Let's just clean up the bodies, okay?"

"Yessir..."

As they entered the building, the stench of rotting bodies hit them.

The halls were lined with corpses.

Even the hardened gang members flinched at the sight, but they figured cleaning up bodies was better than getting beaten again. So, they quietly got to work, disposing of the corpses as Chun-bong sighed.

"So many dead."

"They deserved it."

"True."

The Black Tiger Sect was notorious even among the criminal underworld for their brutality. Human trafficking was just the tip of the iceberg for these scum.

Once the bodies were cleared out, Seo-jun stood in front of the largest building in the Black Tiger Sect's compound.

"This building isn't necessary, is it?"

"Not if it’s just the two of us."

In other words, they didn’t need it.

Grinning, Seo-jun drew his sword.

The Merged Origin Divine Art began to influence his intent.

"Should I give it one last test?"

He observed the world he had constructed within his intent—a turbulent river and a sky that alternated between bright and dark.

What he had gained from the Azure Stream Sword Technique was more than just swordsmanship; it was the flow of energy and intent. While Seo-jun had merely copied the sword techniques, in truth, he had taken a significant portion of the spiritual art itself.

He may not know the exact incantations, but having grasped the flow of energy and intent was almost as good as having learned the art.

Three different spiritual arts had been mixed to create something new.

"Inhale..."

Seo-jun took a deep breath and raised his sword. A turbulent golden sword aura flickered wildly along the blade.

"What the...? What is that?" Chun-bong's eyes widened as Seo-jun brought his sword down.

CRACKLE—BOOM!!

The pillar and an entire wall of the building shattered completely. Seo-jun nodded in satisfaction at the rough, jagged scar left behind.

"Not bad."

"Are you kidding me? What the hell is that? I never taught you anything like that!"

"Oh, this? It’s called the Merged Origin Divine Art."

"You mixed something into the Golden Cloud Divine Art!? Are you out of your mind? You’ll get yourself killed!"

"Ah, it’s fine."

The gang members trembled as they watched the madman who had just demolished a house with his sword.

Seo-jun glanced at them before turning to Chun-bong, who was glaring at him.

"Hey, Geum Chun-bong."

"What?"

"I want to reach the ultimate pinnacle."

"You’re insane."

CRACK!

Seo-jun destroyed another pillar.

"Is the ultimate pinnacle some random dog’s name or what?"

"Well, 'pinnacle' isn’t a dog’s name either."

"...You leave me speechless."

CRACK—SNAP!

Three pillars shattered.

At that point, the building began to creak and groan ominously.

Seo-jun gestured for Chun-bong to step back and raised his sword again.

Chun-bong watched him and spoke.

"But the ultimate pinnacle is different. You can’t reach it just by mastering energy. Even for you, it would take another ten years at least."

"Ten years? I’ll do it in ten days."

"That’s just crazy."

Honestly, I think so too. Ten days was just a number I threw out.

The ultimate pinnacle...

The term "ultimate pinnacle" suggests surpassing the "pinnacle."

So, what is the pinnacle? As the word suggests, it’s the highest level one can reach.

But wait, there’s also the ultimate pinnacle, the divine state, and so on, right?

Some idiots might say that, but it’s nonsense.

It means reaching the highest level as a human being.

In other words, from the ultimate pinnacle onwards, you’re not entirely human anymore.

RUMBLE!

Seo-jun grinned as he watched the building finally collapse under the force of his sword strike.

"Wow, it collapsed nicely."

"Ugh... the dust!" Chun-bong coughed.

"Did our Chun-bong eat some dust?"

"...You’re getting cheeky lately."

"My apologies."

Seo-jun climbed up the rubble of the collapsed building.

Standing tall under the sun that hadn’t yet reached its peak, he took a deep breath.

"Yaaah-hooo!"

Chun-bong gave him a look of genuine concern.

"...Is he losing it?"

•  

After fulfilling his bucket list item of demolishing a building with a sword, Seo-jun began renovating their new home with a whistle.

The small building next to the collapsed one would be their new house. It was probably used as a storage room before.

What about the laborers? They were sent home.

"It’s nice, right, Chun-bong? We won’t have to worry about it collapsing here."

"Unless you bring it down yourself."

"Am I crazy? Why would I destroy our house?"

"Haha."

Chun-bong laughed dryly while mopping the floor, grumbling all the while.

"But seriously, what’s this Merged Origin Divine Art? Where did you sell off everything I taught you? And is it really a divine art?"

"I figured I’d need some techniques to use when we’re outside. You said I shouldn’t use the Golden Cloud Divine Art out there."

"Hmph."

Ah, they’re sulking.

Chun-bong takes great pride in the Golden Cloud Divine Art, so they must be feeling a bit jealous that I made something new.

"Hehe."

But I’ve become a master of Geum Chun-bong psychology. Just a bit more teasing, and they’ll snap out of it.

"Yap."

I mercilessly squeezed their soft cheeks, making Chun-bong squirm.

"Stop it! Quit pinching my cheeks! They’ll wear out!"

"Oh no, we can’t have that. Pinching your cheeks is one of life’s joys."

"What do you mean, ‘one of life’s joys’...?"

Chun-bong sighed and patted their slightly reddened cheeks.

Seo-jun stood arrogantly, arms crossed, watching them.

"Anyway, it might be a stretch to call it a divine art right now, but it’ll be different in the future."

The foundation is the Golden Cloud Divine Art. Although it might feel less refined due to my tinkering, that’s just for now.

Who knows? Maybe one day the Merged Origin Divine Art will be considered the greatest martial art in the world.

Even now, it feels more suited to me than the Golden Cloud Divine Art.

"When that time comes, make sure to record that the Golden Cloud Divine Art was the original, okay?"

"Got it."

Seo-jun roughly ruffled Chun-bong’s hair.

After they finished cleaning, Chun-bong took a deep breath and asked Seo-jun.

"But you said you were going to the Cheongha Sect today, right? When are we leaving?"

"Hmm, maybe tomorrow? Suddenly, I’m feeling a bit lazy."

"We know you’re in there! Come out at once!"

The sudden loud shout made Seo-jun and Chun-bong look at each other.

"Seems like they’ve come to pick us up."

"I knew this would happen."

Chun-bong clicked their tongue and stood up.

"Grab your sword. If a fight breaks out, don’t hold back just because they’re from a righteous sect. Your survival comes first."

"I’m touched."

"Shut up."

When they stepped outside, they saw several men dressed in blue.

The face of the one leading them was quite familiar.

"Oh, that Cheong-whatever."

"It’s Cheong-woon. The sect leader requests your presence, so come with us."

"Sure."

Seo-jun nodded obediently, which made Cheong-woon suspicious, but he soon motioned for his men to move.

"Let’s go."

•  

Seo-jun had thought the Cheongha Sect was just some small-time sect, but it turned out to be much larger than he expected.

After a brief conversation with the gatekeeper, Cheong-woon approached Seo-jun.

"Listen up. Do not show any disrespectful behavior in front of the sect leader."

"Okay."

"That kind of talk is what I’m referring to!"

"Senior Brother, the sect leader is ready to see you."

"Tch."

Cheong-woon clicked his tongue and led the way to the main hall.

When they arrived at the imposing building, Cheong-woon bowed deeply.

"Sect leader, it is Cheong-woon."

"Come in."

The voice that answered was deep and authoritative. Following behind Cheong-woon, Seo-jun soon saw an older man who appeared to be the sect leader.

"Is that him?"

"Yes, sect leader."

"You lost to this insignificant black path thug?"

"...Yes."

"Hmph, you need more training."

The sect leader spoke openly about Cheong-woon’s failure, as if discussing someone behind their back. Seo-jun scratched his head and opened his mouth to speak.

"Excuse me, sir—"

"Silence. Keep your mouth shut, you vulgar thing."

"But—"

"Shut up if you don’t want to die."

The sect leader clicked his tongue and continued lecturing Cheong-woon, saying that in martial arts, complacency leads to death, and that one must always beware of the dirty tricks used by those in the black path.

Seo-jun, who had been standing there blankly, suddenly smiled brightly.

"Heh, you bitch. How about letting me say something, you bastard?"