“What did you just say?!”

Mookbi’s eyes went wide.

“The overall person responsible for this?”

“More like the hidden power behind it,” Yeon Hojeong said, looking a little awkward.

“In the actual field work, I’ll be playing the left-palm role anyway. But Hu Gae’s coming with me too, so the top title will probably land on him.”

“That’s not the problem right now!”

“Then what is the problem, you brat.”

Worry settled over Mookbi’s face.

“They say the Fighting King, Yangcheon, is a monster even your father can’t do anything about.”

By now, she knew enough about the rivers-and-lakes world to understand what that meant.

Even so, imagining the full strength of a master she had never seen with her own eyes wasn’t easy. But if he was a monster even Yeon Wi—one of the strongest people she knew—would struggle to handle, how could she not worry?

Still, what she was truly worried about was something else.

“Even so, I have to go.”

“Going, fine. But you said Mo Yonggun is commanding the operation.”

That was it. That was the part she was afraid of.

At Yeon Hojeong’s side, Mookbi had watched Mo Yonggun’s choices too many times to count. She didn’t think she understood schemes as well as Yeon Hojeong did—but she knew danger when she saw it.

“If Mo Yonggun makes up his mind—!”

“He won’t, this time.”

“...What?”

“This time, he won’t come after me. He might still pull a little mischief, sure.”

“Are you sure?”

“I think so.”

Which meant he wasn’t sure at all. Even Yeon Hojeong couldn’t look straight through Mo Yonggun’s heart. That much was obvious.

A heavy unease spread across Mookbi’s face.

“If you just say you won’t do it this time—”

“I said I would.”

“...What?”

“This wasn’t an operation that assumed I’d be involved. I asked Mo Yonggun myself. I told him I was going.”

“......Why?”

“There are a lot of reasons. I figured I could cut down on pointless sacrifices, and move a lot more flexibly.”

“Is that really all?”

Yeon Hojeong shook his head.

“Of course it’s not all.”

Mookbi didn’t press further. If he intended to tell her, he would’ve said it before she asked.

There was only one thing she wanted to confirm.

“I’m coming too.”

“No.”

“.......”

“I can’t bring you on this operation. You’re going to rest for a while.”

“Why?”

“Because you and I are both too distinctive. After we wiped out dark-path sects, a lot of rumors about you probably spread through that side of the world.”

“That goes for you too.”

“I can still manage just fine without an axe.”

“.......”

“Your barehanded fighting is... decent enough to watch. But it’s not something you can rely on when your life is on the line. One mistake, and you really will lose your life.”

“Danger is what we’ve faced in countless battles until now, too.”

“This is a different order of danger. Putting out a village fire and jumping into a wildfire are not the same thing.”

If he was saying it like this, it really must be that dangerous.

Yeon Hojeong spoke with a serious face.

“Still... there’s a role I want you to take.”

“...What is it?”

“I don’t know how long this will take. There are too many variables.”

“.......”

“But at the very end, we’ll have to get out of Yangcheon’s territory. If I’m guessing right, there’s a high chance we won’t be able to retreat with breathing room, and we won’t be able to slip away quietly, either.”

“.......”

“When I think things are more or less wrapped up, I’ll request support immediately. I want you to join as part of that support force.”

Mookbi’s eyes wavered.

She understood. In truth, she didn’t have to be part of the support force.

He was persuading her. If he wanted, he could’ve pinned it into her chest with a few cruel sentences—but instead, he was asking her to stay behind as support.

Mookbi stared at him for a long moment, then let out a sigh.

“When do you leave?”

“I’m not sure yet. I heard it could be as soon as seven days—at most, within fifteen.”

“Seven to fifteen...”

Mookbi nodded.

“Fine.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?”

Yeon Hojeong looked genuinely regretful.

“I told a once-in-an-era demonic monster who got a taste for popping people’s heads to hold back, so I’m sor—”

THUD!

“Ghk!”

Yeon Hojeong staggered. She’d planted the punch cleanly into his stomach.

“Th-this bitch just hit me. Just now?!”

Mookbi snorted so hard it practically made a sound.

“Go and die for real!”

“You miserable—!”

Mookbi stormed into the quarters, her footsteps pounding. She looked thoroughly sick of his worthless jokes.

Rubbing his abdomen over and over, Yeon Hojeong let out a short laugh.

“Brat. So you really are worried.”

Then, all at once, he frowned.

“But when did she train like that again? Fuck, it hurts like I’m dying. I almost threw up.”

Barehanded technique aside, he couldn’t deny the sheer power of her fist. That was with an ordinary punch—if she truly committed, she looked like she could split a rock.

He sat down on the platform and exhaled hard.

“Hoo... there’s no break, is there.”

Honestly, that was how it was supposed to be.

If the Fanatic Three Teachings were constantly eyeing the Central Plains, then he had to move without rest. He needed clear preparations against invasion—reinforcing power, concentrating strength.

Yeon Hojeong steadied his mind.

Maybe this will be the thing that binds the Orthodox Path martial world into one.

If there was solid proof that Yangcheon was tied to the Fanatic Three Teachings—

Then, even if he didn’t say a word, everyone would turn their eyes beyond the frontier.

If it happens like that... I couldn’t ask for anything more.

Of course, the Dark Path would have to be bound into one as well. That work alone was no ordinary burden.

Lost in thought, Yeon Hojeong scratched roughly at his head.

“Damn it—fine. For now, I’ll put complicated thoughts away. This is when I need to focus on what’s right in front of me.”

Then a blunt voice reached him.

“I didn’t expect your ‘what’s right in front of you’ to be that kind of thing.”

Yeon Hojeong smiled bitterly. He’d already felt his father’s presence.

“You’ve come?”

“Yes.”

Yeon Wi asked straight out.

“You forced your way into the core of this operation?”

“Yes.”

Yeon Wi fell silent.

Yeon Hojeong tensed inwardly. His father had changed a great deal compared to before, but a person’s nature didn’t change easily. A thunderous scolding wouldn’t have been strange at all.

And then half a quarter-hour passed.

“You said you gave one thing, so you would take one thing back. But looking at it now... instead of taking anything, you’ve leapt straight into the enemy’s maw.”

“How could that be?”

“What do you mean?”

“I intend to use that maw well—and tear off the enemy’s flesh. If it were anyone but me, I think they’d get swallowed before they even set their teeth.”

“.......”

“Of course, that wasn’t the only thing I meant to bring back.”

“And what was that?”

“A Tang Clan member.”

Yeon Wi’s eyes gleamed.

“A Tang Clan member?”

“One of the Tang Clan members who boarded the same ship as Mo Yonggun. I meant to take them back.”

“Was that possible?”

“Of course. Well—no, I couldn’t have turned their heart right away. But still.”

It was an answer Yeon Wi hadn’t expected.

It really did show how sharp his son’s mind was. Whether it would work in practice was another matter—but the direction of the thinking itself was different from Yeon Wi’s.

Yeon Wi sighed.

“You should’ve said something beforehand.”

Yeon Hojeong dipped his head slightly.

“I’m sorry. On this matter... I have nothing to say for myself.”

“Hoo.”

It had to be frustrating.

Commander of the Alliance’s first-ever roaming unit? Of course it was something to celebrate.

But no matter how glorious the position, once he stepped into a combat unit, it meant more real battle than anyone else.

Some people said: as a martial artist, gaining more experience is something you should be happy about.

Yeon Wi agreed with that, too. But a person’s heart didn’t move on reason alone.

Yeon Hojeong was his child. Whatever he learned, a parent could not welcome watching their child thrown into life-and-death situations again and again.

And now—now he wasn’t just being sent into the most dangerous operation yet. He had to keep the possibility of betrayal from allies in mind, too.

“I heard Hu Gae is going with you.”

“Yes. I didn’t expect it.”

Yeon Wi nodded.

“I’ve spoken with Hu Gae many times. He can be frivolous, yes—but once you actually deal with him, you find he’s deep inside, and warmhearted. His ability goes without saying.”

“That’s right.”

“With someone like that with you... at least, that’s a relief.”

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“I’ll return safely. Don’t worry.”

“How can I not worry?”

Yeon Wi lifted his gaze to the sky.

Soon the sun would be high overhead. There was still time before the meeting.

Danger... danger, huh.

Yeon Wi closed his eyes.

His son was walking into a place of death, and he had nothing to give him. His ability was already outstanding, but a parent’s heart still wanted to give something.

“Leaving the axe behind, yes?”

“Yes.”

Yeon Wi turned.

“Follow me.”

Father and son headed to the very clearing where Yeon Wi had sparred with Abbot Gonggong.

Yeon Hojeong looked around.

It’s changed.

Someone had continued harsh training here for a long time.

The scenery was nothing like it had been then. The ground had been tamped down, and broken or cut trees had been cleaned up—but not all traces of the fierce battle could be buried.

Hm?

A flicker of sharp interest flashed in Yeon Hojeong’s eyes.

That is...?

At the base of a cut tree, there were chilling marks.

The stump was packed with more than ten stab-like punctures—so brittle it looked like it would crumble if you so much as touched it. The marks themselves weren’t impressive—but the True Qi that had penetrated through them was monstrous.

Penetrating Sword-Force... this is an absurd level. From the look of it, it made those marks in a single strike.

If that sword strike had detonated into a human body—

The sword-force would’ve entered through the punctures, shredded the nerves through the entire body, and smashed the internal organs to pieces.

It was a martial art that made his skin crawl.

Even more surprising was the familiarity he felt from the traces of that sword strike.

“Yes. Your father did it.”

As if he’d read Yeon Hojeong’s mind, Yeon Wi spoke.

“While refining the Iron Sword Grand Refinement, I trained to maximize # Nоvеlight # the sword’s lethality.”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes shook.

“That doesn’t sound like a martial art you would use.”

“It is. And at the same time, it isn’t.”

“...Pardon?”

“What I pursue is the martial art of the Middle Way. And the Middle Way reaches all martial arts. If you know how to wield a flowing living sword, then you must also know how to wield the most horrific killing sword in the world.”

“......!”

“I intend to carry even that path of ferocious slaughter—the path I forced myself to look away from until now.”

“...I see.”

Incredible.

Just by changing his resolve, he could produce a sword art that terrifying. It was the Way of a swordsman who had begun climbing beyond a single clan—toward the very peak.

With an unusually stiff face, Yeon Wi asked,

“You’ve been sparring with your father rather brutally, haven’t you?”

“We have. We even used killing moves.”

“That’s right. But your father has never once used a killing move on you with sincere intent.”

“.......”

“Today, I will.”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes wavered again.

VMMMMMMMM.

From Yeon Wi’s fingertips, a pale green glow bloomed—beautiful, and ominous.

“I will not draw my sword. But for a short while, I will enter this match believing you are an enemy who deserves to die.”

“......!”

“Prepare yourself. I’ll warn you now—I will use my full strength.”