The dark space set behind the Sinryong Hall.

The place resembled the black barrier that had once surrounded the skies above the hall.

Crack.

Out of the darkness stepped a figure with a half-mask and black hair—Amwang (暗王).

His right shoulder was missing an arm, and in his remaining hand, he held the severed limb. No blood flowed from the wound; the bleeding had already been stopped using his Qi.

“…”

With a calm expression, Amwang looked off into the distance. Amidst the thick forest of trees, a woman leaned against one of the trunks, waiting.

She appeared to be in her thirties, with long black hair and striking, beautiful features.

Upon seeing her, Amwang spoke first.

“I kept you waiting. My apologies.”

“…It’s fine…,” she replied.

The woman who had been waiting quietly was So Yi, the Sword Empress of Mount Hua.

When she saw Amwang emerging from the space, her eyes widened.

His arm had been severed.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

At her concern, a slight smile tugged at the corner of Amwang’s lips.

“You’re as kind as ever, worrying about me.”

So Yi frowned at his response.

She had encountered Amwang when the attack had first begun. The moment the mysterious black barrier had been erected, she had been about to rush to the disciples' aid. However, someone had blocked her path, preventing her from moving.

It was a man with white hair and pale eyes—Amwang.

• "It’s been a while."

• "...!"

So Yi had been shocked to see him.

• "What brings you here, Elder?!"

Just as she had exclaimed in surprise, Amwang's fingertips had already reached the nape of her neck. Although not much was known about Amwang's martial arts, So Yi had some idea.

Unlike other assassins, Amwang didn’t use daggers.

He had likely reached the level of Ilsin (一身), an ultimate form of martial mastery, similar to her master, Plum Blossom Immortal. Weapons were unnecessary for someone of his caliber.

Though using weapons might maximize efficiency, Amwang didn't seem to need them.

If he so wished, his fingers could have severed her neck effortlessly.

In that moment of tension, So Yi had been distracted, her attention split between Amwang and the safety of the disciples. That split-second delay had created the current situation.

Or perhaps, knowing Amwang, he had planned that moment of hesitation.

In such a situation, there was only one thing So Yi could say.

• "…Please, let me go."

Though there might have been ways to escape, she had no time to find them.

So, she chose to plead.

• "If you’re here to kill me, I’ll accept my fate. But… not now…"

• "Sword Empress, I’m not here to kill you."

• "Then…!"

• "That’s why it’s even more important for you not to move."

So Yi had no idea why Amwang was stopping her. She offered him her life if that was what he sought but pleaded for the chance to save the children.

Amwang declined.

He had no intention of killing her, but he wasn’t going to let her act.

With no other choice, So Yi acted quickly. Drawing her sword, she prepared to unleash her Qi.

• "You're making things difficult."

Amwang’s fingers moved slightly against her neck.

Snap.

Though So Yi had hastily gathered her protective Qi, it was instantly neutralized.

That was the end. So Yi lost consciousness.

When she regained it, the most critical events had already passed.

Many had perished.

The Sinryong Hall was in ruins.

"What happened?" she asked.

“What do you mean?” Amwang replied.

“…The children are dead. Dozens of them.”

At her words, Amwang’s expression remained unchanged.

Or rather, it seemed as if he didn’t understand her concern.

“So?”

His response caused So Yi’s face to twist in anger.

“Do you believe this wasn’t your fault?”

“If you hadn’t stopped me—!”

Thud.

Before So Yi could finish her sentence, Amwang vanished.

He reappeared behind her.

“You seem to be mistaken. Do you think if I hadn’t stopped you, you could have saved anyone?”

“…Even if I couldn’t save them all, I could have saved more,” So Yi retorted.

Amwang nodded slightly at her words.

“That’s a fair point. However.”

His fingers brushed against her back.

“Do you think I had any obligation to do so?”

“…Elder.”

His voice was cold.

“I understand your sense of justice and righteousness, but expecting me to share your values is selfish, don’t you think?”

“This is different…”

“It’s not. Life and death, they are all the same.”

Amwang’s tone was final.

“I understand your frustration and sorrow, but let me make one thing clear—you should be thanking me.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

So Yi’s face showed her confusion.

Amwang sighed quietly.

“I didn’t want to brag.”

“Elder…”

“Shall we talk about something else?”

Amwang dismissed the topic as if it were of no further interest to him.

But So Yi wasn’t ready to let it go.

“I haven’t finished talking yet…”

“You’re mistaken.”

As she tried to continue, an overwhelming wave of killing intent burst from Amwang’s feet, causing So Yi to hesitate.

“Just like that child earlier. You, too.”

His eyes, once dark, turned a blinding white beneath his mask.

“Do you know why your head remains on your shoulders despite annoying me?”

His expression hadn’t changed at all, but the pressure from his killing intent made it hard for So Yi to even breathe.

She didn’t think of herself as particularly arrogant or prideful.

But neither did she think her level of martial arts was low.

As someone who had earned the title of Sword Empress (劍后), she had the skills to back up her reputation.

Yet, the gap between her and Amwang was beyond imagination.

‘I was caught off guard earlier, but even so…’

There were rumors that if Amwang truly intended to kill someone, not even the Three Supreme Masters could escape him.

So Yi had never believed those rumors.

But seeing Amwang now, she realized they might be true.

“The only reason you and that child are still alive is because of your connection to my old friend.”

Friend.

So Yi already knew who he was referring to.

Her master, Plum Blossom Immortal, who was like both a parent and a teacher to her.

The first time she had seen Amwang was when she was very young.

A group of fewer than ten people had come to Mount Hua.

At that time, Plum Blossom Immortal hadn’t yet become the leader of Mount Hua, and he was known as the Mad Sword of Mount Hua instead of Plum Blossom Immortal.

The people who had come to visit were said to be close friends of the Mad Sword of Mount Hua.

And among them were people who would later be known as the greatest masters of their generation.

“Huff…”

As So Yi let out a quiet sigh, the suffocating pressure of Amwang’s killing intent receded.

“Plum Blossom Immortal. Knowing what kind of disciple you are to that man, I understand why you are the way you are.”

Amwang walked past her, taking slow, measured steps.

“But I’m not him. Don’t try to project his values onto me. There won’t be a next time.”

Amwang wasn’t part of the orthodox sects.

Though he wasn’t considered part of the evil sects either, calling him a righteous man would be difficult. He was the king of assassins.

Amwang knew this about himself and didn’t see himself as belonging to the righteous path.

There was no hesitation in him.

The sanctity of life wasn’t something to be discussed with an assassin.

“If you need someone to blame for their deaths, feel free to blame me. I’ll allow that much.”

Walking past So Yi, Amwang held up the severed arm he had been carrying.

Then, he pressed the limb back against his shoulder.

What So Yi saw next shocked her.

“…!”

A strange, sticky substance began to ooze from the connection point, sealing the severed arm back onto his body.

Moments later, the arm was fully reattached, and even started moving again.

At that moment.

Amwang raised his newly attached arm to the sky.

So Yi wondered what he was doing.

Crunch.

The instant Amwang clenched his fist, the black barrier that had been covering the sky began to crack.

“…!”

The barrier that had blocked all outside help, cutting off the light and aiding the attack, was his doing.

So Yi stared at him in disbelief.

Noticing her gaze, Amwang glanced back at her.

“What’s with that look?”

“That arm… how…?”

Even the greatest medical techniques couldn’t reattach a severed arm like that.

What Amwang had done wasn’t something explainable by medicine.

Amwang tilted his head at her reaction.

“You should already know that humans aren’t the only beings in this world.”

“…Then, Elder, you’re…?”

“Who knows. I still think I’m human.”

So Yi swallowed dryly as she observed Amwang’s actions, realizing the deeper meaning behind them.

It was a warning.

She felt it clearly.

“I know you’re looking for something,” Amwang said.

“…!”

His words made So Yi flinch.

“I’d tell you not to bother, but I know you won’t stop. I won’t kill you, but I suggest you tread carefully.”

“Do you know something, Elder?”

The thing So Yi was searching for…

It was the whereabouts of her old friend, and the truth behind what had happened at the Sinryong Hall in the past.

Did Amwang know?

Her eyes sparkled as she asked, but Amwang simply turned his head away.

“Even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you.”

“Elder…”

“If you get yourself killed, that crazy bastard will go on a rampage, and I’d rather avoid that.”

As Amwang said this, he thought of someone.

Three figures came to mind.

One was a giant man, likely laughing in some remote mountain valley in Shanxi.

Another was already dead.

And the last…

Was a young man deeply connected to the other two.

‘Well… I suppose I can’t call him young anymore.’

A youth with black hair and the distinctive eyes of that family.

He had far surpassed the level one could look down upon as merely young.

They called him the youngest ever to reach the peak.

Amwang hadn’t believed the rumors.

But seeing it with his own eyes, he found the rumors laughably understated.

‘Fire Boundary (화경), huh.’

Fire Boundary.

A level of martial arts mastery that fewer than a thousand people across the martial world could reach.

Most who achieved it did so in their later years.

But this youth had reached it before the age of twenty.

It was an accomplishment that would be remembered throughout history.

Even someone as emotionless as Amwang had been surprised.

Yet, despite this, something else bothered Amwang more.

‘I wasn’t mistaken.’

He had sensed it clearly.

That boy from the Gu family—Amwang had detected something in him that felt eerily familiar.

 
   ******************
   

"Achoo…!"

I sneezed out of nowhere and wiped my nose, thinking to myself.

Is someone talking about me? Why does my nose itch so much?

“…It's not like it's the first time people talk behind my back.”

I quickly brushed off the thought. People talking behind my back was nothing new, and there was no point in worrying about it now. With that settled, I turned my attention to the person crouched in front of me.

"What are you doing here?"

No response.

The figure just sat there, head bowed, trembling slightly as if exhausted.

With a small sigh, I called out to her again.

“Nuna.”

At the sound of my voice, her shoulders flinched. She had heard me, it seemed.

“Are you just going to keep crying?”

“…Who said I was crying…!”

Gu Yeon-seo lifted her head, reacting sharply to my words.

“Your eyes are all red and puffy. Wipe them properly before you deny it.”

“…Hmph…”

At my remark, Gu Yeon-seo hastily rubbed her eyes with her sleeve.

“You're such a mess.”

“…You’re the weird one…”

Her voice trembled as she replied, still shaken by what had happened.

“How can you be so calm after seeing all that?”

She had seen people die right in front of her.

Their necks slashed, bodies cut by swords, blood spilling as their lives slipped away. The breathing she had heard just moments before had ceased within seconds.

“I almost died…”

Gu Yeon-seo had been on the brink of death.

A man who attacked had grabbed her with his massive hands, and she had nearly been sliced to death by his sword.

If not death, who knows what other horrors might have awaited her.

Ironically, it was Gu Jeol-yeop who had saved her.

He had launched a surprise attack to rescue her, and after that, he had stayed hidden to survive. Or so she said.

“But you…”

“What about me?”

At that time, what had I been doing?

I was probably busy hunting down and killing other enemies.

I understood why Gu Yeon-seo couldn’t comprehend it.

She wasn’t used to the real world, sheltered within the walls of the Sinryong Hall.

Even when she ventured out, it was usually for events like the Yongbong Gathering or quick trips to the nearby mountains. She had never experienced anything like this.

But even so…

“You survived, didn’t you?”

“…You…!”

That was all I could say. I understood the terror she felt. I understood why she was crying.

But I wasn’t going to tell her that at least she was better off than those who had died. It wouldn’t help her to hear that.

“If this were Hui-bi Nuna, she would’ve already stood up by now.”

“…!”

At the mention of Gu Hui-bi, Gu Yeon-seo’s expression hardened. As expected of someone from the Gu family.

She looked even scarier when she frowned.

“Why are you bringing her up now…!”

“You said you wanted to be like her. So get up. What’s the point of sitting there, crying like a baby?”

The uninjured disciples were busy clearing the debris and tending to the wounded.

Maybe they hadn’t been through what Gu Yeon-seo had, but there was no one around to comfort her. No one to understand.

“You haven’t even thanked the person who saved your life, have you?”

“…”

“You didn’t, right? That’s embarrassing. You should just quit the family altogether. Don’t go around saying you’re part of the Gu clan; it’s embarrassing for the rest of us.”

“You little…!”

Gu Yeon-seo growled at me, her voice filled with anger.

“What do you know to be talking like that…!”

“Of course, I don’t know anything. How could I?”

Of course, I didn’t. We weren’t even that close, despite being blood relatives.

And if I didn’t know her situation, then nobody else cared at all. I could already hear the whispers behind her back.

Annoying.

“If you’re just going to keep crying, then do it. Eventually, the family will send someone for you. Then you can go back home holding their hand. But…”

I turned my back on her as I spoke.

“Don’t ever call yourself a warrior again. Be sure to pass that message on to the head of the family too.”

I didn’t wait for her reply.

I simply walked away, spreading out my senses.

Shortly after I left her, I could hear her quiet sobbing, but soon after, I felt her stand up and head toward the other disciples to help clear the debris.

I let out a breath through my nose, satisfied.

The black energy that had covered the sky was gone now. Soon, people from the Murim Alliance would arrive.

Then, the clans and sects to which the disciples belonged would hear the news, and something big was bound to happen.

‘As for the Sinryong Hall…’

Whether or not it could continue to function was doubtful.

I had been aiming for an early graduation, but now it seemed pointless.

I had gotten what I wanted, but it wasn’t good news.

‘…There’s no way this could be a good thing.’

An incident had occurred that hadn’t happened in my previous life.

And it was a bad one.

My head hurt.

I continued walking. The next thing I had to do was meet with Bieui-jin and have a conversation. It was better to get that done quickly.

As I was walking, I sensed Moyong Hee-ah rushing toward me from a distance.

“What’s the rush?”

“Young Master…”

She was slightly out of breath from running.

“What is it? Did something else happen…?”

As I spoke, my voice trembled slightly, the memory of her earlier confession still fresh in my mind.

If Moyong Hee-ah had caused some other incident, I felt dread creeping up.

But it wasn’t that.

“…Lady Wi has woken up.”

“…!”

Wi Seol-ah had regained consciousness.

Upon hearing that, I dashed off without another word.

There was someone I needed to see before dealing with Bieui-jin.