“…If it really was an accident…”

“…The physician suspects something…”

The voices drifted up from below as I balanced precariously on the edge of the wall. With a slight twist, I managed to regain my footing.

The wall wasn’t impossibly tall, but it was high enough that anyone clad in black robes darting about would immediately be spotted.

I drew upon every ounce of inner energy, activating the Silent Shadow Steps to weave through the patrols.

The inner buildings came into view.

Just a little farther…

—Scrrk.

Something snagged my foot. I flailed, desperately trying to recover my balance, but the momentum was too much. My body tipped forward, plummeting toward the ground below.

The hard earth loomed closer. The impact would undoubtedly be loud.

But just before I hit the ground, Number 29 grabbed the back of my robe and yanked me back up.

“...”

I nodded my thanks, which she dismissed with a turn of her head, gesturing toward the rooftops.

We leaped, using the wall as a springboard to grip the edge of the roof. With some effort, we climbed onto it and finally caught our breath.

From there, we crossed several more rooftops. The tightly packed buildings made it relatively easy to leap from one to the next.

Under the pale moonlight, we ran.

Finally, we reached our target.

The central building.

The residence of the Black Sky Axe Sect’s Sect Leader, Mengcheon.

Number 29 drew her sword, slicing cleanly through the roof to create an opening.

We slipped inside.

A voice echoed through the space.

Angry, venomous.

“Bring me more food! You bastards! Do you think the Sect Leader’s words are a joke?!”

Our eyes met.

It was him.

The Sect Leader’s eldest son…

Meng So-un.

Meng So-un wheezed heavily, his breaths labored. Without his internal energy, even moving was a struggle. This wasn’t much different from before.

He paused mid-bite, then called for a servant.

“Bring me Teacher Baek.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Who are you calling ‘Young Master’?”

Thud.

He seized the servant by the throat, growling as the man choked and gasped.

“I am the Sect Leader.”

“My apologies… Sect Leader…!”

“Get out of my sight.”

The servant fled the room, leaving Meng So-un to finish his meal.

His body had grown grotesquely large, but it was steadily absorbing internal energy.

Raising his hand, he drew forth a wave of energy, clenching the air with ease.

Paang!

The air shattered with a burst of force.

Meng So-un grinned, his expression twisted.

This power—it was leagues beyond the Black Sky Axe Sect’s techniques.

Teacher Baek was right. Who would believe he had mastered this martial art in just two months?

That pathetic father of his. He should have sought out such power long ago.

Still chuckling, Meng So-un noticed a shadow at the door. Though he had not called out, the figure stepped inside.

“Teacher Baek. I don’t recall summoning you yet.”

“Sect Leader, I’m hurt. If you say such things now, what does that make me?”

“Heh. Fine, I’ll let it slide—just for you.”

The thin man seated himself before Meng So-un, pouring wine into an empty cup and taking a sip.

“So, what brings you to me at this late hour?”

“There’s something I need to ask. Teacher Baek, I followed your instructions and absorbed my father’s essence. But my body shows no sign of shrinking—it’s not even close. Why?”

“Sect Leader, everything takes time.”

“Weren’t you here to shorten that time?”

“…”

Teacher Baek downed his wine in one gulp.

“Sect Leader, how is your mastery of the White Demon Physique progressing?”

“I’ve been feasting nightly on stray dogs and devouring food constantly. I can feel it—I’m far stronger than any of those out there.”

Meng So-un chuckled darkly.

“I like it. But this piggish body—it's unsightly, isn’t it? You said this was just a temporary side effect. So when does it end?”

“As I said, with time…”

“I don’t have time!”

His roar silenced Teacher Baek momentarily. Then, the man spoke softly.

“Sect Leader, as I’ve said, everything must follow a sequence. When we first met, weren’t you searching for something beyond the techniques of the Black Sky Axe Sect?”

“…Yes.”

“Since then, I have delivered everything you desired. Calm your anger. Are you not stronger now than when we first met? You have surpassed what the Black Sky Axe Sect could ever hope to achieve. In two months, you’ve surpassed the first-class level and now gaze upon the pinnacle. The brilliance of this martial art speaks for itself, does it not?”

“…You’re not wrong.”

“Sect Leader, you’ve already absorbed the former Sect Leader’s essence. But absorbing it all at once would be abnormal. That essence represents a lifetime of cultivation. Its purity is comparable to orthodox martial arts. To fully integrate it in an instant would be impossible.”

“…”

“All you need to do is trust me. Have you stored the essence as I instructed?”

“I’ve placed it in my lower dantian. It’s condensed into something as hard as a pill.”

Meng So-un sneered.

“It feels like carrying an elixir within my body.”

“Can’t you see? It’s dissolving, bit by bit. When it fully integrates, you will gain a new body. Patience, Sect Leader. Patience.”

“…Fine.”

“And the White Demon Physique—are you practicing diligently?”

“Why bother? This body is strong enough just by moving. I don’t need techniques. A single swipe of my hand distorts the air. What more could I need?”

“…”

Teacher Baek stifled a laugh.

“If that’s how you feel, so be it. On another note, there’s something I need to claim.”

“The agreement? Of course. With a body like this, there’s nothing I can’t do.”

Teacher Baek—the so-called disciple of the Master of All Medicine—had made a pact.

“I, Meng So-un, having gained martial arts and my rightful position, will join the Ten Thousand Demonic Sect.”

“The Second Demon will be pleased.”

“Heh. I am grateful the Second Demon recognizes my value.”

“You were destined for greatness from birth. Had I not seen it, I wouldn’t have approached you.”

Meng So-un laughed heartily. His anger melted away.

Yes, he was chosen. The foolishness lay with his father, who had tried to teach him outdated techniques.

Now, he was free of that nonsense.

“No one dares speak against me, even when I feast or indulge in women. This is the life of a true master. I haven’t felt this alive since that day.”

“That day?”

“There was someone who always annoyed me. A brother, if you could call him that. Weak and unmanly—his very presence grated on me.”

Meng So-un recalled the day clearly.

The day he pushed that weakling into the lake, watching his struggling form sink beneath the surface.

“…He called for me with his frail voice, but it was disgusting to hear.”

“Indeed.”

“Demonhood—that’s what it means. I was born to be strong. The Black Sky Axe Sect’s eldest son, now its only heir. No one can look down on me.”

Meng So-un’s laughter abruptly stopped.

“Now I sit as Sect Leader, preparing to ascend within the Ten Thousand Demonic Sect. My days of triumph are just beginning. The Second Demon’s side will be mine.”

“Well said, Sect Leader. However, may I ask something?”

“What is it?”

“Have you increased security?”

“What do you mean? Since my father’s death, the warriors have abandoned me. Those wretches suspect me. None follow me now. Once I officially ascend as Sect Leader, I’ll crush them all.”

“Then who is hiding in the ceiling?”

“What?”

Teacher Baek flicked his wrist. Hidden weapons flew into the ceiling, shattering part of it.

Two figures tumbled down, landing lightly and drawing their weapons.

Teacher Baek’s face hardened.

“Two? I only sensed one... You must have trained in swordsmanship. Where are you from?”

“W-What?! Who are you?! How dare you sneak into the Black Sky Axe Sect?!”

Meng So-un hurled the dining table, shattering the door.

Dodging the debris, the intruders stood ready. One of them spoke, her sword glinting ominously.

“…I get it now, Number 30. These bastards... They’re worse than scum.”

“…”

“I’ve trained as an assassin, but this proves I’m still human. Do what you must. I won’t stop you.”

Her blade hummed with deadly intent.

“I’ll handle the other one.”

Teacher Baek stood, his hand lingering over his concealed weapons.

“Call for reinforcements, Sect Leader.”

“What?! Against these wretches?” - Meng So-un roared in outrage.

“Call reinforcements? Against these intruders? Do you take me for a coward?! These fools couldn’t even hide their presence from Teacher Baek! I’ll kill them myself!”

Teacher Baek remained calm, fingering the throwing weapons in his hands.

“The man may not be an issue, but the woman is a threat. She’s a master swordsman. Sect Leader, I strongly advise caution.”

But Meng So-un ignored the warning, his swollen body shifting as he unleashed a burst of energy. The walls groaned under the pressure.

Number 29 moved in a blur, vanishing from sight. Teacher Baek disappeared just as quickly, the clash of steel ringing out as they engaged.

The fight was between masters—so quick and decisive that it was impossible to follow.

In the midst of this chaos, I turned my attention to Meng So-un.

“Who are you?! Tell me your name before I crush you into dust!”

He was enormous, his grotesque form pulsating with concentrated energy. Though his appearance was revolting, the sheer magnitude of his power was undeniable.

I could feel it—his aura was chaotic, unstable, eating away at itself even as it grew stronger. The stench of death surrounded him.

Through this disarray, I sensed another trace, faint but unmistakable: Mengcheon’s energy.

The father’s essence now corrupted within the son’s bloated body.

“…You.”

I gritted my teeth, my hands tightening around my sword.

“You killed your father, consumed him for your gain, and feel no remorse for what you’ve done?”

Meng So-un sneered, unaffected.

“So, you were eavesdropping. But what does it matter? Dead men tell no tales!”

His body twisted further, muscles bulging grotesquely as his energy manifested in fiery waves.

“The strong devour the weak! That is the way of the Demonic Sect! The weaklings of the Black Sky Axe Sect taught me nothing. I became strong by my own hand, and I took what was mine. That’s the only truth that matters!”

“…You’re right.”

Meng So-un blinked in surprise at my response.

I unsheathed my sword and exhaled slowly, focusing my thoughts.

“You’re right. You’ve done nothing wrong. You simply acted on what you believed to be true. And I’m not here to judge you for it.”

“What nonsense are you spewing now?!”

“My name is Wang So-hong,” I said, uttering the alias as if it were my own.

It was a lie, a false identity I had created in an instant.

But…

“I’m here as Mengcheon’s second son. Tonight, I am the spirit of your dead brother, and I’ve come to haunt you.”

Meng So-un’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“What?!”

“The dead rise to claim the living,” I said, my voice cold and unwavering.

“The strong devour the weak, isn’t that what you said? Then come! Let’s see who survives the night.”

The crimson glow of my blade illuminated the room as I raised it.

Meng So-un’s lips curled into a snarl. His massive body shifted, his energy coalescing into an oppressive force that weighed heavily on the air.

“You dare to challenge me? Fine. You’ll regret this, ghost or not!”

With a roar, Meng So-un charged, the floor cracking beneath his weight as he unleashed his strength.

I met him head-on, our weapons clashing with an explosive force that reverberated through the room.

The fight had begun.

Tonight, one of us would not live to see the dawn.