A commotion could be seen at the gatekeepers’ side.

Watching that, I quietly waited.

Gubong, however, seemed restless, but it didn’t matter.

I had his arm firmly in my grip, ensuring he couldn’t run away.

“Sir... What is this—?!”

He was flustered by my restraint, but I had my reasons.

“You never know. You might try to run off. Just a precaution, you see.”

“...Where exactly would I even run off to all of a sudden...?”

“Who knows?”

And besides—

“If you do run, it’s not like I can’t catch you, but... that’s just too much of a hassle.”

“...”

My frankness made Gubong’s expression instantly sour.

As we were engaging in what could barely be called an argument—

"Huh, what’s that?""...Why are they here...?"

The already cold and tense atmosphere sank even further.

Fear etched itself onto everyone’s faces. The people nearby suddenly parted, making way.

It was voluntary, but their movements were closer to fleeing than anything else—an obvious aversion to getting too close.

The unnatural, stiff air hung heavily over them.

And through the path they had cleared—

Thud—!

Someone was approaching.

A flag swayed atop a tall staff, accompanied by a dozen or so individuals walking beneath it.

I tilted my head as I looked at them.

‘They’re different.’

It wasn’t the white-clad family I saw yesterday.

They were the complete opposite, clad in pitch-black.

The peculiar thing was that all of them had their faces covered, making their appearances unrecognizable.

Weird people. What’s with them? I watched with a puzzled gaze.

“...Damn it...”

Gubong muttered under his breath as he saw them, and I felt tension in the arm I was gripping.

“What’s this? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t run?”

Contrary to his earlier claims, his reaction was unsettling.

I smirked at him.

“Come on, there’s no escape anyway. Just stay put.”

“...Let go of me. This isn’t the time for jokes—”

“Jokes? Who’s joking?”

“...Sir?”

He stared at me with wide eyes, as though realizing something from my reaction.

“Don’t tell me...”

“Ah, don’t look at me like that.”

His gaze was honestly a bit much.

“It wasn’t intentional... well, not entirely. I didn’t know which side it would be, you see.”

As for the specifics, I wasn’t certain.

I hadn’t fully anticipated things would turn out like this either.

It was just that—

“I had a bit of hope, you could say.”

It wasn’t foresight—it was expectation.

That things would turn out this way.

And now, that expectation had come to fruition.

“You...!”

Gubong gritted his teeth and tried to pull away, but I wasn’t letting go.

“Oh, just stay put. What are you going to do at this point?”

“You don’t understand...! I don’t know how you figured it out, but this won’t help Mount Hua in any way—”

If anything, it would only harm them.

Gubong shouted desperately.

“Yeah, that might be true.”

I cut him off, already aware of what he was about to say.

“No matter what secrets you’re keeping. Even if those secrets are poison to Mount Hua. Sure, that’s possible. But—”

Lowering my gaze, I looked at Gubong.

“What does that have to do with me?”

“...What?”

“Don’t kid yourself. I’ve never once been here for Mount Hua.”

Even the anger I had felt yesterday for their sake—

Even my fury directed at Gubong—

If it was all purely for Mount Hua, then that assumption was incorrect.

“I.”

It was for Noya.

“Don’t really care about Mount Hua.”

Whether it crumbles or not doesn’t concern me.

Gubong’s eyes trembled at my words, and anger began to rise within his gaze.

Seeing that, I shrugged.

“But don’t worry. The old man made a request, so I won’t mess things up.”

“You dare—!”

Gubong couldn’t contain himself and began to shout—

“It’s been a long time.”

“...!”

But a voice cut in, silencing him completely.

It was coarse and dry, devoid of any emotion, as though it came from the depths of a well.

Gubong’s gaze shifted.

It was the figure leading the group approaching earlier.

Their face remained concealed, their entire form cloaked in black.

The outfit wasn’t half-bad, honestly.

“Dark Noble.”

“...”

The presumed man’s words made Gubong tremble as he bit his lip.

“The leader is calling for you.”

Hearing this, Gubong forced himself to reply.

“...I... am no longer the Dark Noble. I abandoned that name.”

His words of denial elicited no reaction from the man.

After a brief pause, the man spoke in an unhurried tone.

“The leader has questions related to this matter. Please come with us.”

“Didn’t you hear me? I abandoned that name. I’m no longer one of your people.”

Resolutely, Gubong placed his hand on his waist, ready to draw his sword if necessary.

“I will not return. Not even in death.”

“...”

The man behind the mask tilted his head, glancing between me and Gubong.

After a moment of contemplation, he spoke again.

“The leader said, ‘If he refuses, bring him by force.’”

“...”

“We are merely following those orders.”

“So... you plan to use force to take me.”

Clang—

Gubong gripped his sword’s hilt tightly, the sound of metal resonating from the scabbard.

“I am of Mount Hua.”

There was determination in his gaze.

This was different from before.

“...I will no longer waver in weakness—!”

Bang—!

“Gah!”

Gubong collapsed mid-sentence.

I had knocked him unconscious with a blow to the back of his head.

I caught him before he hit the ground and hoisted him up.

Looking at him incredulously, I muttered,

“What the hell? He was groveling just fine before, so why the sudden pride?”

Why did he have to act up now of all times? What a hassle.

“People should be consistent. Don’t you agree?”

I glanced at the man, seeking agreement, but he merely stared at the unconscious Gubong.

“No reaction, huh? Boring.”

Clicking my tongue, I tossed Gubong toward him.

The man caught him effortlessly, as if he had been waiting for this.

Only then did he finally look at me.

“What? Got something to say?”

“The leader has also—”

“Told you to bring me along too, huh?”

“...Yes.”

“Was it specifically me, or was it just to bring along whoever’s nearby?”

“...”

No answer.

Clearly, he had no intention of telling me.

Not that it mattered.

“Well then, let’s go. Might as well see this leader of yours.”

I had intended to follow them anyway.

That’s why I did all this in the first place.

I slipped into their group and followed them.

Deeper and deeper into the unknown.

************

Meanwhile, as Gu Yangcheon and Gubong followed their guide—

Someone stood silently atop the towering fortress walls, observing the scene.

Through the black mask, a pair of faint eyes gazed serenely over the entire fortress.

"Let’s go. Might as well see this leader of yours."

At the sound of that voice, a pair of brown ears twitched, accompanied by a flicking tail of the same color.

Without saying a word, she fixed her gaze solely on Gu Yangcheon, who was moving further away.

Soon, he would disappear into the interior, out of her sight and reach.

What should she do?

If she stayed still, she would lose him.

Especially if he ventured into the shadows—it would be impossible to predict what might happen.

“...”

As she quietly deliberated, the woman began to move.

She decided to follow him.

She couldn’t let him escape.

With that thought, she started to stealthily make her way into the fortress.

“Hey.”

“...!”

A voice from beside her made her quickly back away.

But—

“Why do you keep following me?”

Even as she distanced herself, the voice still sounded as though it were right next to her.

Grab—!

“—!!”

A hand gripped her mask.

And just like that—

Fwoooosh—!!!

She was flung away from the fortress at an incredible speed.

The rush of air hit her as she was hurled far away. She couldn’t even tell how far she had been thrown.

Before she realized it, she had rolled onto the ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) ground, tumbling over the dirt.

She barely managed to regain her footing, only to see someone standing in front of her.

“Hello.”

A woman with black hair waved lightly, her tone almost playful.

“We’ve met before.”

“...”

“Back then, I let you go.”

The woman tilted her head, an expression of confusion crossing her face.

“So, why are you back?”

“...”

“Why are you watching him?”

“...”

“You.”

And in that moment—

“Do you hate him?”

Rumble—!!!

An immense energy burst forth from the woman’s shadow.

The oppressive aura spread across the ground, turning the dirt black.

“...”

Despite the overwhelming energy, the masked woman said nothing.

She merely raised her hand, and energy began to coalesce in her palm.

Ziiing—!!

The gathered energy took the shape of a sword.

“Hm...”

The woman with violet eyes watched, her gaze sparkling with interest.

It was a fascinating sight.

Somehow, it felt familiar, as though she’d seen it before.

But where? She couldn’t quite recall.

It probably wasn’t important.

The black-haired woman extended her hand as well.

Ziiing—!!!

Energy rose from the ground, forming in her grasp.

Soon, it too transformed into a sword.

“This seems a bit different, though.”

It was distinct, something that could be seen just from looking.

But—

“It doesn’t matter.”

Even if they weren’t the same, it wasn’t an issue.

The process might differ, but the outcome wouldn’t change.

“You. Are you his enemy?”

“...”

No response.

“Is that so?”

She took the silence as confirmation.

“Then that won’t do.”

With those words, she took a step forward.

Crack—!!!

From the tip of her foot, darkness bloomed like a flower in the night.