In a den of black snakes, a white snake stands out unmistakably.

Among countless individuals, those who are exceptional always find a way to shine.

In a place like Jinryong Pavilion, a small representation of the martial world and the gathering of righteous sects, the exceptional individuals are bound to attract attention.

The more gifted they are among the many geniuses, the brighter they shine.

These individuals take pride in themselves, and in time, their names become a part of their reputation.

Thus, the rumors currently swirling around Jinryong Pavilion, about the formation of factions, naturally caught the ears of the cadets.

After all, it might determine their futures.

While Jinryong Pavilion might be an institution focused on swordsmanship, how many people here actually came solely for that?

In truth, many would welcome the formation of factions; they were likely hoping for such developments.

So, the small rumors quickly spread wide and fast.

"They say Seolbong is personally moving to form a faction, and he’s already recruited several prominent clans and bloodlines."

"I heard Shinseong has taken most of the swordsmanship division under his wing to form a faction."

"A group of cadets belonging to various sects have formed a faction of their own."

"They’re forming a royal guard around the descendants of the Swordmaster and the Swordlord."

And so on—the big rumors went something like that.

"What’s with that last one?"

I couldn’t help but chuckle when I heard that last rumor.

A royal guard? I thought I’d misheard it at first.

Are they insane?

What are they even doing?

Do they seriously have nothing better to do?

“Did you hear about it too?”

“…Huh?”

“They’re calling it your royal guard.”

I interrupted Namgoong Bi-ah, who was half asleep while eating next to me.

Hearing my question, Namgoong Bi-ah shook her head, genuinely looking as though she had no idea what I was talking about.

So, was it just a baseless rumor?

That could be the case. Not all rumors turn out to be true, after all.

But then—

“I’ve seen it.”

Gu Ju-yeop suddenly chimed in.

“You’ve seen what?”

“The royal guard.”

“…It actually exists?”

“Yes….”

Gu Ju-yeop looked utterly exhausted. Word was that his instructor was a lunatic obsessed with monster theories, and the amount of material he had to memorize was no joke. But did it really have to age him like this?

“What was it like?”

“…Honestly? They didn’t seem quite right in the head.”

Of course, if they were sane, they wouldn’t have come up with something like a royal guard.

“I was going to mention it because….”

Because?

“…Never mind.”

Just as he was about to say something else, Gu Ju-yeop held his tongue.

What’s that about?

If Gu Ju-yeop was holding back, there must be a good reason. I’d have to leave it for now, though I fully intended to press him for answers later.

“Is your rumor true, then?”

This time, I turned to Mo Yong-hee.

She was quietly picking at her food, but when I asked, she responded immediately.

“No.”

Her answer was firm.

Of course, there’s no way she could have recruited so many prestigious families and clans in such a short time.

“There’s still a little bit left to go, though.”

“…What?”

“There are more influential merchants involved than I expected. And a lot of them are arrogantly unaware of their place. It’s taking longer than anticipated.”

“….”

“But don’t worry. It won’t take too much longer.”

Sorry, but as far as I’m concerned, I wouldn’t worry about Mo Yong-hee even if the world were ending.

The gleam in her eyes was terrifying. Seriously, how long has it been since she started here?

“Why are you pushing so hard? Can’t you just take it easy?”

“Gongja-nim, the world isn’t that simple.”

Mo Yong-hee was right.

No one knew better than I did just how messed up the world really was.

“If we prepare ahead like this, it’ll be helpful for you down the line, Gongja-nim.”

“…What exactly are you preparing that’s going to benefit me?”

“…”

When I said that, Mo Yong-hee’s eyes turned icy cold. Did I say something wrong?

“Gongja-nim, have I ever given you a harsh word?”

“I don’t think so?”

In my past life, I’d gotten scolded by Seolbong constantly. But in this life, that hadn’t happened once.

Our relationship had clearly changed.

“I’d like to keep it that way, but it’s becoming harder.”

“Why?”

“There are just… some things that can’t be helped. You blockhead.”

With that sudden outburst, Mo Yong-hee turned away as if she was sulking.

Wait, did I do something wrong?

I looked to Namgoong Bi-ah and Tang So-yeol for an answer, but they both avoided my gaze.

Judging by their reactions, it seemed like I really had messed up.

In times like these, it’s best to keep my mouth shut and just eat quietly.

Meanwhile, Cheol Ji-seon, sitting nearby with trembling eyes, caught my attention.

“Hey, you’re going to lose your eyes if you keep that up, friend.”

“…Huh? Oh…”

“What’s got you so spooked? Did someone threaten to kill you?”

“N-No….”

I tried to lighten the mood with a joke, but Cheol Ji-seon only shrunk further into himself.

It was like he was asking himself why he was even here.

‘I get why he’s acting like this, though.’

It was probably related to the rumors about factions he’d been thinking about earlier.

The biggest rumor circulating through Jinryong Pavilion right now was—

“They’re saying Jinryong is trying to take over Jinryong Pavilion.”

I couldn’t help but snort at how ridiculous it was.

Take over? What the hell?

Why would I go through the trouble of trying to take over something like this?

This rumor was likely sparked by the incident with the instructor and the commotion I caused in Jang Seon-yeon’s group.

The titles I’d been given in the rumor mill were something else.

The fierce and ruthless leader, Jinryong.

Jinryong’s right-hand man, Paewoo-cheol.

The hidden mad dog, Cheol Ji-seon.

And so on and so forth…

Just hearing these nicknames gave me a headache.

‘Ruthless? Ruthless?’

Who’s calling me ruthless? I’ve been doing my best to live a good life!

Even so, the real issue here was Cheol Ji-seon.

The hidden mad dog, seriously?

Thanks to the chaos I caused, no one dared to touch Cheol Ji-seon in his group anymore.

But now, he was practically isolated.

‘The man known as Jinryong’s close friend.’

‘He may look fragile, but don’t be fooled. He’s probably just as dangerous!’

‘Jin I-seok might have been lucky. It could be fortunate that Jinryong dealt with him before the mad dog bit him.’

Rumors like these were spreading like wildfire.

It had only been three days since the incident, and already Cheol Ji-seon’s reputation was plummeting.

He protested, claiming he hadn’t done anything, but once a rumor spreads, it’s hard to undo.

Among all the ridiculous rumors, the only thing that held any truth was—

‘I did save him from Jin I-seok.’

The bastard who was harassing Cheol Ji-seon.

In a way, I guess it’s true that I saved him. I beat the guy to a pulp before Cheol Ji-seon could use his power.

Cheol Ji-seon, seemingly having no appetite, was just poking at his food with his chopsticks. But by now, he should realize it.

For the time being, staying near me was his safest option.

That’s why he was sitting there, pale as a ghost.

The fact that Cheol Ji-seon had ended up isolated wasn’t part of my original plan, but it wasn’t a bad thing.

It made it easier to keep him close.

‘So, what’s next?’

There was still a lot I didn’t know.

If Cheol Ji-seon really was Jegal Ji-hee, then—

Was he cross-dressing as a man? Or disguising himself?

Why had he come to Jinryong Pavilion, hiding his identity under an alias?

And how could I make sure the power Cheol Ji-seon held would be used in a way that benefited me?

‘Where do I start?’

The first step was to get him to reveal “that” power in front of me.

To do that, I had two options.

‘Either force him to use it or create a situation where he has to show it.’

The first option wasn’t on the table.

If I wanted to force it out of him, I wouldn’t have bothered keeping him around this whole time.

That meant I needed him to show it willingly.

But how…?

I pondered for a moment, several ideas floating through my mind.

However, only one seemed feasible right now.

“Hey, friend.”

“Y-Yeah?”

“I’ve got a favor to ask you—”

“Hyungnim.”

Just as I was about to speak to Cheol Ji-seon, Paewoo-cheol suddenly interrupted.

“…You scared me.”

“I apologize for interrupting your meal. Oh, and good day to you too, hyungnim and noona.”

“Oh, uh… Hi…. Good to see you.”

At the word “hyungnim,” Cheol Ji-seon became visibly flustered.

Ever since Paewoo-cheol had heard that Cheol Ji-seon was my friend, he had started calling him “hyungnim.”

Cheol Ji-seon had asked him to stop, but Paewoo-cheol, of course, didn’t listen.

He’d even started calling the others in my group “noona.”

‘…I used to think he was oblivious, but…’

Turns out Paewoo-cheol was quicker and more cunning than I’d given him credit for.

At first, he’d come across as a complete idiot, but now he seemed like someone skilled in getting along with people.

The problem was that, thanks to him, the rumors about me were only growing more exaggerated.

“Why did you show up like that? You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

When I frowned slightly, Paewoo-cheol flinched and spoke carefully.

“I apologize. It’s just that…”

Paewoo-cheol seemed hesitant, bowing his head as if he had something important to say.

“…Instructor Cheol Hwan-oh is looking for you, hyungnim.”

“…Why’d you say that so cautiously?”

I’d nearly gotten anxious for no reason.

When I asked, baffled, Paewoo-cheol gave me a puzzled look in return.

“Uh? Well, naturally, I assumed it was a summons for a duel to the death….”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Well, since hyungnim plans to take over Jinryong Pavilion, I figured you’d start by taking out the instructors….”

“…”

I take back what I said about him being smarter than I thought. He’s insane.

“Don’t worry, hyungnim. As your sworn brother, I’ll follow you wherever you go—”

Smack!

“Argh!”

I kicked Paewoo-cheol in the shin, causing him to hunch over in pain.

“I’m pretty sure you’re the reason these rumors are spreading.”

“W-What do you mean?”

“…Be honest. You’re not really from a righteous sect, are you?”

“Wha…?”

Ugh, my head hurts.

Ignoring Paewoo-cheol, who was now clutching his leg in pain, I stood up.

I hadn’t even finished my meal.

“I’m heading out first.”

“…Going?”

Namgoong Bi-ah, who had been dozing off through her meal, asked as she got up. We hadn’t spent much time together lately, so I felt a little guilty about leaving.

But I couldn’t exactly skip out on this.

Still, her gaze tugged at my heart, so I reached out and gently ruffled her hair.

“I’ll see you next time.”

“…Okay.”

At that moment—

“Hm?”

I glanced back.

I’d felt an intense gaze on me.

But when I looked around, I couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from.

There were too many people eating quietly for me to tell.

Should I use my sensory abilities to check? But the direction of the gaze had been too broad to track.

‘…Was I imagining it?’

I’d almost completely recovered from my injuries, so I doubted it was just my body playing tricks on me.

Still, the matter with Instructor Cheol Hwan-oh was more pressing, so I decided to let it go for now.

“So, where is Instructor Cheol? Why are you staring at him?”

As I prepared to ask for directions, I noticed Paewoo-cheol glaring at someone.

It was Gu Ju-yeop.

Were they having a staring contest? No, that couldn’t be it… What’s going on?

Gu Ju-yeop, too, seemed unsure why Paewoo-cheol was glaring at him and looked at me, silently asking what was happening.

‘Don’t ask me. I don’t get this guy either.’

I had no idea what was going on in Paewoo-cheol’s head.

Then, Paewoo-cheol spoke up.

“I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“…?”

Gu Ju-yeop’s expression turned confused, and so did mine.

What had I ever said about Gu Ju-yeop?

As far as I remembered, I hadn’t said much.

“You might not like it, but what can we do? Life’s like that sometimes.”

What is this nonsense?

Was he talking to Gu Ju-yeop?

“Yes, I’m talking to you.”

“Ah, of course. I’ll humbly accept my fate.”

I dragged the babbling Paewoo-cheol away before he could cause any more trouble.

“Stop spouting nonsense and just show me where the instructor is.”

“Understood, hyungnim.”

With that, I forcibly removed Paewoo-cheol from the scene.

If I left him there any longer, who knows what else he might have done.

As we walked away, Gu Ju-yeop stared after Paewoo-cheol with a puzzled expression.

Once I’d left the area, Cheol Ji-seon awkwardly rose to his feet.

He had no intention of sticking around in that space for long.

Over the past few days, Cheol Ji-seon had become all too familiar with what happened to the atmosphere whenever Gu Yangcheon left.

The women remaining in the room were all highly respected post-rebirth martial artists. They were people Cheol Ji-seon had once admired and wanted to be close to.

But facing them all at once was too overwhelming.

Meeting them one-on-one was one thing, but in a group, it was too much.

Just as Cheol Ji-seon prepared to pick up his unfinished meal and leave—

“Wait.”

Flinch.

Someone called out, stopping him in his tracks.

The person who had spoken was Namgoong Bi-ah, the woman known as the Sword Dancer.

“Yes…?”

“…Finish your meal.”

Her blue eyes gleamed as she spoke.

The combination of those eyes and her unbelievable beauty was too much to handle.

Was that why he couldn’t maintain eye contact? Instinctively, he looked away.

“…Eat.”

“Yes, ma’am….”

For some reason, Namgoong Bi-ah’s words carried enough weight to make Cheol Ji-seon sit back down without protest.

‘…What’s this about?’

Why did she want him to stay?

Telling him to eat in this situation was like telling him to get indigestion.

‘Don’t tell me…’

The thought suddenly crossed Cheol Ji-seon’s mind.

This beautiful woman was engaged to the ruthless Jinryong.

That alone was a reasonable enough explanation.

‘…Is this some kind of new torture method?’

It was entirely plausible that she was doing this just to mess with him.

Namgoong Bi-ah continued to gaze at Cheol Ji-seon with a strange look in her eyes.

Unsure of what to do, Cheol Ji-seon had no choice but to pick up his chopsticks and start eating again.

Across the table, Seolbong remained silent, while Tang So-yeol just sipped his tea.

Meanwhile, Namgoong Bi-ah kept her eyes trained on Cheol Ji-seon.

At this point, he didn’t know if the food was going into his mouth or his nose.

‘…Sister. I’m really struggling here.’

Cheol Ji-seon desperately thought of his sister, but it didn’t make his situation any better.

 
   
   ******************
   

Following Paewoo-cheol's guidance, I went to meet the instructor.

Instructor Cheol Hwan-oh didn’t exactly give me a warm look after our previous wager, but it seemed like he was the type to separate work from personal feelings.

“I heard you called for me.”

When I asked Cheol Hwan-oh, he sighed softly before responding.

“I hear you caused quite a stir.”

Of course, it was about that incident.

While walking here, I had a pretty good idea why Cheol Hwan-oh had summoned me. There was only one recent incident that would warrant such attention.

Cheol Hwan-oh's comment was clearly referring to the chaos I had caused in Jang Seon-yeon's group. It wasn’t like I expected to get away with it scot-free.

Sure enough, Cheol Hwan-oh brought up the matter.

“Duels between cadets are permitted, but I’ve heard this incident was different. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

It wasn’t a duel. Not really. I was the only one doing the hitting, after all.

Cheol Hwan-oh pressed further.

“Why did you do it?”

I didn’t hesitate to answer.

“I got pissed off and knocked him out.”

“…What?”

Cheol Hwan-oh’s eyes widened in surprise. He must have expected some kind of reasonable excuse. Too bad for him.

“The guy was insulting a weaker cadet. No one stepped in, so I did.”

“That’s something the cadets involved should handle themselves. You’re not part of that group, so you should have let them resolve it. All of these cadets are martial artists; they need to be able to deal with such things on their own.”

His message was clear—since they were martial artists, they needed to overcome such challenges. And I agreed with that.

But Cheol Hwan-oh still didn’t seem to grasp the core of what I was saying, even though I had made it clear from the start.

“Yeah, I get that. But like I said, I was pissed off, so I hit him.”

I knew it wasn’t the right thing to do, but I did it because I was angry.

“Haa…”

Cheol Hwan-oh let out a deep sigh this time.

“No excuses, huh? You understand this is no small matter.”

I figured it wasn’t something I could just shrug off.

Maybe my permission to skip morning training would be revoked, but that was a consequence I’d already prepared for.

“So, what’s my punishment?”

I was curious about what kind of penalty I’d be receiving, but Cheol Hwan-oh surprised me with his response.

“The head instructor wants to see you.”

“…What?”

“The Pavilion Master will decide your punishment.”

Now it was my turn for my eyes to widen in surprise.

The Pavilion Master—Qinghae Sword, the leader of the Kunlun Sect and the current master of Jinryong Pavilion.

The fact that such an important figure wanted to see me was shocking, but Cheol Hwan-oh seemed to think my reaction was because I finally understood the gravity of the situation.

He was wrong.

Qinghae Sword or not…

“If the Pavilion Master wanted to see me, couldn’t you have just sent me straight there? Why drag me here first? What a hassle.”

“…”

“Oh, and the Pavilion Master's room is on the opposite side of this place… Sigh.”

At my words, Cheol Hwan-oh’s face twisted into a scowl.