Kang Ryang’s eyes went so wide they looked like they might tear.

Who is this?

It was a truly dazzling entrance.

The hems of the clothes were shredded and ragged, as if he had charged in with such explosive momentum that the fabric could not endure it. It meant he had not cared for his body at all—he had run with absolute focus on speed alone.

And this power...?

FLASH! FLASH!

He had shattered the Black Sheep Unit with immense power, but it seemed he had not yet dispersed what remained. True Qi rippled across his entire body, scattering in lightning-like brilliance.

Kang Ryang’s eyes trembled.

This man... is insanely strong!

A master beyond imagination. For a moment, even the prowess of Kang Ryang’s late father rose in Kang Ryang’s mind.

As Yeon Hojeong watched Kang Ryang staring up in shock, Yeon Hojeong fell into an emotion Kang Ryang could not know.

So this is how we meet.

The Five Great Divine Generals had all served Yeon Hojeong with utmost respect. But most of them had been older than Yeon Hojeong.

Saying age meant nothing in forming bonds, that if someone was worth serving then that person ought to be treated as an older brother—many had called Yeon Hojeong “older brother.”

But Kang Ryang was truly younger than Yeon Hojeong. Was that why? Even in private, Kang Ryang had been especially respectful toward Yeon Hojeong.

And now, in this life too, Yeon Hojeong met Kang Ryang like this.

Yeon Hojeong turned his head.

“Stabilize your breathing. Before you recover your power, you have to get your breathing back under control first.”

“Y-Yes...?”

“Close your eyes and focus on your bloodflow. Make the blood circulate through every single strand of muscle.”

“W-Wait! Who are you—?!”

“If you fall behind, I’ll leave you.”

Kang Ryang swallowed.

From that low, sunken voice, Kang Ryang felt a ruthless dignity. A crushing presence that made it feel like Kang Ryang had to obey.

Damn it.

This was not a situation where Kang Ryang could pick and choose. Questions flooded in, but Kang Ryang immediately closed his eyes and regulated his breathing.

Kang Ryang did not trust strangers. But right now, Kang Ryang had no choice.

HOOF.

Realizing that Kang Ryang was stabilizing his breathing, Yeon Hojeong fixed his gaze on Black Elder.

...!!

A chill ran up Black Elder’s spine.

An absurd master!

A formless wave of Qi seemed to spiral wildly, as if the entire body was pouring it out and mixing it together.

Where does a master like this come from?!

Then five Black Sheep Unit members who had survived the monstrous assault staggered to their feet.

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes flashed.

Black Elder shouted,

“Spread out!”

THUD-THUD-THUD!

It was a shout that came too late.

In an instant, Yeon Hojeong’s figure vanished, and every one of the surviving Black Sheep Unit members collapsed, vomiting blood.

Yeon Hojeong flicked his hand. Blood on the hand dripped onto the ground.

SHRAAAAK!

Black Elder unleashed movement arts to the north.

An opponent I can’t beat!

Black Elder could not even attempt to identify who the opponent was.

If Black Elder got caught, Black Elder would die. Even Black Elder—said to be the strongest expert under Black Sheep—could not help feeling fear in the face of Yeon Hojeong’s Killing-Intent-soaked martial arts.

PAPAPAPAK!

Black Elder’s movement arts, sprinting over the ravine water, were shockingly fast.

First I have to get away from him! I need to report to my lord—

That was when—

“HUHK!”

Tatadak!

Black Elder hurriedly stopped movement arts.

“...!!”

Yeon Hojeong was already standing five paces in front of Black Elder, hands clasped behind his back.

“You’re skilled.”

“......”

“But.”

Yeon Hojeong tilted his head.

“That martial art—no matter how I look at it, it doesn’t feel like Dark Path martial art.”

Black Elder’s eyes shook.

“Why is that? It feels like I’ve seen it somewhere before. That grotesque True Qi leaking out of your movement arts... It seems to run on a track that isn’t even the same as the Central Plains’ martial lineage.”

Sssss.

The raging power slowly sank down.

But the Killing Intent in Yeon Hojeong’s eyes gradually swelled.

“You. Where did you learn that martial art?”

WOOOOONG.

A faint radiance rose from Black Elder’s two hands.

It was an opponent Black Elder could not run from. Then there was only one choice—fight.

So this is it.

Black Elder felt death in a moment Black Elder had never expected. Black Elder had truly never imagined life would end on a stage like this.

But if this too was fate, Black Elder could only accept it without complaint.

My lord. This petty one will die in a faraway land, but please, achieve the great work and take your place as a great pillar of the Cult—

WHAM!

HUHK!

A single massive hand filled Black Elder’s vision as it came in.

It was a hand, yet it did not look like a hand at all. It was like a gigantic tiger charging with jaws gaping wide.

SHRAAAAK!

Black Elder ducked and grabbed Yeon Hojeong’s wrist with both hands.

Dissecting Severance Grapple!

Clamping the wrist and forearm, folding the opponent’s arm as it was, driving in to extreme close range. A right knee rising into the groin at the same time, and a hardened forehead aiming for the opponent’s face.

A clean, natural motion that flowed like water. A body technique polished thousands—tens of thousands—of times, perfectly ingrained.

THUNK! CRACK!

“URK!”

Black Elder felt a flash explode across Black Elder’s vision.

Pain slammed in so violently that it felt like consciousness would be blown away. The forehead that should have crushed the opponent’s nose ridge instead felt as if it had split in half.

“Oho.”

A broad grin spread across Yeon Hojeong’s face.

“I knew it felt familiar.”

CRACK.

“NGH!”

Black Elder’s scattered mind snapped back instantly.

Because a horrific pain erupted. The knee that had aimed for the opponent’s groin had been shattered completely by the exact same knee strike.

Even so, one hand still clung to Yeon Hojeong’s forearm to the end. A terrifying will.

Yeon Hojeong spun his arm roughly.

CRACK-CRACK!

“KRAAAGH!”

The right arm that had been forcing that grip shattered from the elbow down.

It was not broken with Inner Qi or brute force. It was a joint lock—tearing ligaments and crushing bone. A perfect move that could not be shown without intimate knowledge of the human body.

“The name was Dissecting Severance Grapple, was it?”

Staggering under the monstrous pain, Black Elder jolted.

He knows Dissecting Severance Grapple?!

THUNK!

“KEUK!”

Black Elder’s body lifted into the air, dangling. Yeon Hojeong had seized Black Elder by the throat and raised Black Elder up.

Danger!

Black Elder tried to strike Yeon Hojeong’s head with the intact left arm—

Tss tss tss tss.

A sinister Killing Intent gathered like thick fog.

Black Elder’s body froze. An enormous Killing Intent poured in through every pore, binding the limbs in place.

Then Yeon Hojeong’s voice bored into Black Elder’s ear.

“You. Which one of the three are you?”

“...?!”

“Perverse Lust, or Mad Blood? Or is it Divine Flame?”

“HUHK!”

Black Elder’s eyes went wide enough to tear.

Yeon Hojeong’s smile deepened.

“So it’s true. You.”

“H-How do you know us?!”

“Who knows. How would I know.”

FWOOSH.

The Killing Intent that had covered the surroundings became rough, like flames rising up.

Yeon Hojeong’s bright smile twisted into something like a vicious god of slaughter.

“Because you dog bastards have done a hell of a lot of damage to me.”

Hatred burning.

Rage surging up to the brink of eruption.

Yeon Hojeong had controlled internal force so only Black Elder could hear, but the mix of joy and fury nearly made Yeon Hojeong’s voice swell. It was almost a mistake—unlike the usual cold, calculating Yeon Hojeong.

“I’m really happy to see you.”

Yeon Hojeong slammed Black Elder down.

KRAAASH!

Yeon Hojeong could not suppress the rising fury, and put too much strength into it. Black Elder felt consciousness dim as pain exploded through the body, as if every joint and bone had been pulverized.

Who... is he?

In the blurring haze, Black Elder forced eyes open and looked up at Yeon Hojeong.

Who the hell is he to know us...

In that instant, Black Elder sucked in a breath.

Hahahahaha!

A roaring laugh echoed, stinging the ears.

The mad laughter of a Dark Path grandmaster, unable to contain joy and fury. Yeon Hojeong threw head back and laughed at the sky—madness itself flickering in the expression.

Black Elder’s face went pale.

Behind that erupting laughter, a terrifying wave of Qi poured out like a volcano exploding.

Crazy—!

A mad demon. There was no other word.

Black Elder remembered the Cult’s unit of demons, said to be the most violent and cruel of all. Even those frenzied butchers would look more sane than the young man in front of Black Elder.

After laughing for a long while, Yeon Hojeong looked down at Black Elder with a smiling face.

The face overflowed with smiles, but in the eyes, magma was erupting.

“I think we’re going to have a {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} whole lot to talk about.”

Yeon Hojeong stomped down on Black Elder’s lower abdomen.

THUNK!

*****

Kang Ryang swallowed hard.

“Breathing’s settled?”

Yeon Hojeong approached with a blank face. In Yeon Hojeong’s hand dangled Black Elder, reduced to something like a rag.

Crazy.

Black Elder’s body was shattered in a horrific state. The beating had been so brutal that without the clothes, it would have been hard to tell if it was a man or a beast.

Yeon Hojeong gave a bitter smile and set Black Elder down.

“He had some guts.”

Thud.

A bizarre groan leaked out of Black Elder’s fallen mouth.

Kang Ryang swallowed an empty breath.

He’s not dead?!

Even in that state, Black Elder’s thread of life still clung on. Kang Ryang almost felt pity, even though Black Elder was an enemy.

“How’s your body?”

“Huh? Ah!”

Kang Ryang hurriedly bowed.

“I don’t know who you are, but I’ve received a great favor. I will repay this—without fail.”

“Of course you’ll repay it. I don’t move without compensation.”

A voice brimming with arrogance.

Strangely, Kang Ryang felt relieved by it. If Yeon Hojeong had done this out of pure goodwill, Kang Ryang would have found that even more suspicious.

“Please tell me your name. Once my matter is finished, I will surely come and repay you—”

“And that matter of yours is what?”

“Huh?”

“Your matter—killing Yangcheon, the one who annihilated Ghost-Iron Sword Gate. Isn’t that it?”

Kang Ryang flinched.

“H-How did you—?”

Come to think of it, the moment this man had barged into the battle, he had called Kang Ryang by name.

He knows about me?

It was something Kang Ryang should have realized earlier. In the chaos, Kang Ryang must have forgotten.

Wariness fell over Kang Ryang’s face.

Seeing that expression, Yeon Hojeong snorted a laugh.

So honest.

Every feeling inside showed on the face. Kang Ryang had never had talent for deceiving others, but Yeon Hojeong had not expected Kang Ryang to act this much like a fledgling.

“Enough nonsense. Gather the corpses in one place. We need to erase the traces.”

“...May I ask one thing?”

“Go ahead.”

Kang Ryang’s eyes sharpened.

“Are you a person from the Ink Dragon Manor’s side?”

Yeon Hojeong tilted his head.

“If I were Ink Dragon Manor, would I have needed to kill all of these guys?”

“You never know. Maybe you meant to seize all the merit by capturing the Ghost-Iron Sword Gate’s heir—”

“Even to the point of killing allies? With my skill, I could just kidnap you. That would solve it.”

“...!”

Kang Ryang hesitated. Thinking about it, it was true.

As Yeon Hojeong gathered the corpses together, Yeon Hojeong spoke.

“I’m not Ink Dragon Manor. I’m someone trying to learn something from those bastards instead.”

“Yes?”

“Details later. Hurry and gather the bo—”

That was when.

Yeon Hojeong straightened up and looked south.

“Well, look at that.”

Kang Ryang’s gaze turned sharp.

“What is it?”

“......”

“Benefactor?”

“Looks like Ink Dragon Manor sent more people. The Killing Intent is pretty vicious.”

“What? Guh— Don’t tell me it’s enemies again?!”

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“I like it.”

“W-What do you mean?”

“A festival of idiots fighting to steal merit. I like the idea a lot.”

Sliiiide.

Yeon Hojeong pulled a mask off one Black Sheep Unit member and put it on.

“This just got easier than I thought. You—stick close. If you can’t keep up, I’ll leave you behind.”