‘Shit.’

My body locked up. Cold sweat spilled down a back that had gone rigid with tension.

‘How?’

How the hell did this happen? My eyes rolled as I looked to Yoo Cheongil. I’d told him to warn me the instant he heard anything—yet the warning came way too late.

Was this Yoo Cheongil’s fault?

No.

‘It was late.’

The sound reached me late. And judging by Yoo Cheongil’s face, he’d been trying to [N O V E L I G H T] tell me already.

So what the hell?

Why did I suddenly stop hearing his voice?

The question flashed through me, but right now—

‘Fuck.’

—wasn’t the time to chase questions.

I had to figure out how to survive this.

‘What? Why?’

Was I too impatient? I’d figured that once people had already left, he wouldn’t show up today or tomorrow.

‘No way Strange Demon came in person.’

I didn’t expect him to appear this blatantly.

‘Leaving Teacher behind was a mistake.’

The reason I split off from Teacher was to misdirect eyes.

As long as Teacher stayed at Mount Hua, it proved I hadn’t moved—so I figured it would make it easier for me to act.

‘...So where.’

Where did my calculation go wrong? They said Strange Demon was a martial artist and a strategist.

Did he notice my plan? Not just notice it—he predicted I’d come here, and he showed up?

No way.

‘Is this a trap?’

Just like I scattered traps for the HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE—did he scatter one for me?

As that thought formed—

“Where are you looking?”

“......!”

Strange Demon spoke to me.

“Do you see something over there?”

His blank face was aimed straight at me. A chill crawled up my skin.

Last time, he’d worn that artificial smile—creepy in a different way.

This time—

‘It’s worse.’

It’s worse because he’s expressionless.

I couldn’t read what he was feeling.

And that made it terrifying.

‘What do I do?’

My mind raced. How do I get out of this?

[Kid.]

Yoo Cheongil’s voice came through. And then—

[Move.]

I felt it—him trying to possess my body.

Meaning: this is that dangerous.

I started to relax my body, letting the strength drain—

PAANG—!

“......!?”

[Huh?]

Yoo Cheongil got bounced back.

[What the—!]

The possession failed.

What? Why?

Was it not time yet? That couldn’t be it...

‘It’s been months since the last possession.’

There was no reason it should fail.

And as I stared at that absurd fact—

“Your face looks like you’re thinking too hard.”

Strange Demon stepped closer.

“......Hng.”

The closer he got, the tighter my body became.

His gaze slid slowly—off me, and onto the sword in my hands.

“......That sword.”

The Divine Sword. The blade I’d been using as a shovel.

The moment his eyes landed on it—

‘Now.’

SHHHIIIK—!!

I swung.

Hardened qi gathered.

Crescent moon.

A half-moon arc carved itself into the air and flew straight at Strange Demon—

GRAB—!!

“......You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

It didn’t cut.

Not even close.

Strange Demon pinched my blade between two fingers—thumb and index—and stopped it cold.

That’s possible?

KIIIKIIIK—

I poured strength into it, trying to force the cut through, but it didn’t move.

Not an inch.

The gap in level hit me like a slap.

“NGH...!”

“.......”

Strange Demon didn’t even react to my struggle. He just stared at the Divine Sword.

Like he was inspecting it.

Then he lifted his gaze back to me and spoke.

“......So it is his sword.”

He’d confirmed its source.

“A noble sword... carrying an ignoble energy.” His face creased. “Disgusting.”

Was it because I’d used the Blue Moon Sword Dance with it?

His expression twisted deeper.

And then—

THUD—!!

“......KHK!”

A shock exploded in my chest.

He’d shoved me with his palm.

THUMP—!

Pain snapped through my wrist.

My grip gave out, and my body flew backward.

I rolled across the wet, muddy ground.

“Cough.”

Clutching my chest, I lifted my head.

Strange Demon hadn’t come closer.

But in his hand—

the Divine Sword’s blade still hung there.

‘Fucked.’

He took it.

Now what?

‘What do you mean “now what.”’

You’re done. That’s what.

This was a crisis.

And part of it was on me for thinking too lightly.

I never imagined Strange Demon would show.

I never imagined it would twist like this.

Throb—

Pain flared at my waist too—like the impact had aggravated the wound there.

“Hoooo...”

A sigh spilled out.

This was the line.

No matter how I looked at it, I was standing on the edge of death.

‘I should’ve brought Teacher.’

I panicked because the heretics popped into my head.

I moved recklessly because I trusted Yoo Cheongil’s existence like a crutch.

If I had to name why the operation failed—

That was it.

[Kid.]

Yoo Cheongil called me, sounding strained.

[You get one chance.]

I listened hard.

A chance?

[He’s a pure martial type. Reaction speed, physical control—he’s specialized in moving his body. Close combat is suicide.]

I already knew. Anyone who can catch my blade with two fingers—thinking I can win is insanity.

[Use moonlight. Cut his sight, then follow the sword path.]

“......”

I understood immediately.

Blast moonlight—flash him for an instant.

Then—

‘Run on the route the sword path shows.’

Follow the path the Moon-Thread Sword Path reveals.

Simple. Clean.

And honestly—

‘It’s the only thing I can do.’

SSSSSHHH—!!

I wrapped energy around my blue eyes.

The Moon-Thread Sword Path spread—

—and I almost freaked out.

‘You’ve gotta be kidding me.’

There was nothing.

No route.

No line.

The Moon-Thread Sword Path wasn’t showing me a single way out.

Are you serious?

Was it telling me there was no possibility?

‘So there’s no way, is that it?’

A laugh crept onto my face.

Laughing in this situation is ridiculous, but it happened anyway.

‘...One chance.’

If moonlight blocks his sight, I get a moment.

I decided to trust Yoo Cheongil.

Right now, there was nothing else.

GRAB.

I loaded my legs, ready to lunge.

And then—

Tap.

‘Huh?’

Strange Demon lowered the Divine Sword.

Then—

SWISH—

He reached with a pale hand, like he was going to grip the hilt.

And then—

PAHSSSUK—!

‘What—?’

Blood burst from Strange Demon’s hand as it touched the sword.

It spilled down in a thin stream, dripping straight onto the ground.

What the hell?

Why is he bleeding?

Did he cut himself on purpose?

My eyes widened.

“......Hngh....”

Strange Demon let out a nasty little nasal sound.

“Of course...”

He nodded, like he’d just confirmed something.

And then—

‘He’s smiling?’

A smile rose on that blank face.

And the smile was soaked in madness.

I barely had time to register it—

‘Now.’

I took it as my opening.

BANG—!

I launched at Strange Demon with everything I had.

I closed the distance while he was still staring at his bleeding hand and smiling.

And then—

WHOOOAAAAAA—!!

I erupted moonlight.

A flash so bright even my eyes wanted to squeeze shut.

Did it block his sight?

Did it blind him?

I didn’t have time to care.

I moved left.

Slipped past his shadow.

Broke out behind him.

I flicked my gaze back—

‘...He’s not moving?’

Strange Demon was still.

Was he stunned? Actually blinded?

It didn’t feel like it.

‘I don’t know.’

I ran.

That was all.

I sprinted like my life depended on it—

and Strange Demon never chased.

*****

“Ugh... ha....”

“......Teacher?”

I made it back to the quarters.

The moment I stepped in, the Small Moon Unit Leader narrowed his eyes at me.

“Where did you go.”

“......Just had something I needed to check...”

“At this hour? You should’ve said something. It’s good you came back in one piece, but if something had happened—”

“I ran into Strange Demon.”

“......What?”

“What do you mean ‘what’—don’t talk to me like that.”

“...What did you just say?”

I wiped sweat off my face and exhaled.

“......Later.” My voice came out dead. “I need to go inside and rest, so we’ll talk later.”

“Strange Demon appeared—what does that even mean?”

“It means exactly what it sounds like. I met Strange Demon outside and came back alive.”

“......What the—”

The Small Moon Unit Leader stared at me like I’d taken a blow to the head.

But instead of explaining, I chose to get inside first.

“God, I’m gonna die....”

The instant I sat, I collapsed like a corpse.

Not exaggerating.

I almost died.

My heart was pounding so hard it hurt.

I really almost died.

‘How did I live?’

Was it because the plan worked?

No.

It didn’t feel like that.

‘It’s like Strange Demon just... stood there.’

He never moved.

He didn’t look like he was trying to grab me as I fled.

He didn’t even look like he meant to stop me when the flash went off.

What was that?

‘...What the hell?’

I lived, but it felt wrong.

[What was that?]

Even Yoo Cheongil sounded the same.

[...Something’s off.]

Yeah.

Off doesn’t even cover it.

And then—

‘Ah, goddamn it.’

I felt the emptiness at my waist and groaned.

‘I left the sword.’

The Divine Sword Strange Demon stole—

I left it.

Unbelievable.

Now I’m leaving swords behind too?

‘...I couldn’t exactly go back for it.’

But I never imagined I’d abandon it like this.

“Haaaa....”

What now?

Do I go back?

If I bring Teacher this time, would that be enough?

‘...No. There’s no way Strange Demon left it sitting there.’

I’m screwed.

What do I do?

I probably have to go back—

‘...I have to, right?’

The stake, the situation—everything.

Moving in the daytime is risky.

Before information leaks to Sacred Wind, it’s better to act.

I started to get up to go find the Small Moon Unit Leader—

Stagger—!

“......Huh?”

My legs suddenly gave out.

My vision swayed.

Not just my legs—my whole body lost strength.

[Kid...?]

Yoo Cheongil called me.

I couldn’t answer.

My consciousness snapped—

and I collapsed.

*****

I opened my eyes.

The first thing that came out was a breath.

‘...Here...’

The moment I woke, I recognized the space.

That place from before.

Black.

Black upon black.

That ominous space where you couldn’t see anything.

Panic surged and I looked down at my feet.

Last time I’d gotten pulled in without warning—was it happening again?

I was about to flinch—

Tap tap.

‘Not water this time.’

Unlike last time, when it was a lake, this time it was hard ground.

So I won’t get dragged under?

That was my thought as I looked around.

Then—

‘...That.’

Far off, someone was standing there.

A figure in black martial robes, hair hanging wild—someone who fit this black space too well.

‘...That guy.’

The same guy from when I fell into the water last time, wasn’t it?

As I realized it, the figure slowly turned to look at me.

Our eyes met.

My body shook.

Red light poured from his gaze.

“...Who are you?”

I asked carefully.

It wasn’t Yoo Cheongil.

But—

‘That presence...’

It didn’t feel weaker than Yoo Cheongil.

If anything, it felt stronger.

It was suffocating.

If it was a ghost at this level—

‘...A disaster deity.’

A high-ranking malicious ghost.

And among disaster deities, something even higher—something close to a top-tier god.

Why is something like that here?

I tried to voice the question—

Sword.

‘...Huh?’

That was all the man said.

Don’t leave your sword behind.

‘...My sword?’

There won’t be a second time.

It sounded like a warning.

And before I could spit out—

Why is this suddenly about a sword—

SHK—!

My neck was suddenly severed.

“KHK!?”

And I snapped awake.

I jolted upright, shaking.

“Hah... hah...”

I grabbed my throat.

It had been cut.

The sensation was too vivid—too real.

“Hngh....”

A nightmare from hell.

Cold sweat drenched me.

I clutched at my pounding heart, trying to calm down—

[Kid.]

Yoo Cheongil spoke.

“...Old man. Why did I—”

I was about to ask why I’d lost consciousness, when—

[Watch the front.]

“...Front...?”

My eyes went forward.

And—

“......!”

I almost screamed.

In my quarters—right in front of my bed—

someone was kneeling.

Hands folded neatly, blood pouring from them.

And in front—

a sword wrapped in bandages.

That bastard—

“...Strange Demon?”

It was him.

He was kneeling, showing me the crown of his head.

“Why are you—!”

He didn’t just arrive at Mount Hua—he was in my quarters?

Was this an assassination?

I tried to move, choking on the shock—

“Please pardon me for waiting.”

Strange Demon spoke.

“Forgive me for coming so rudely, without even sending word.”

“...Huh...?”

Something about the way he was speaking—

was wrong.

Strange Demon lowered his head even further until it nearly touched the floor.

“Strange Demon of the Eight Demonic Ones.” His voice was reverent—too reverent. “A demon disciple of the Divine Religion greets the bloodline of the great one.”

“...What?”

He was saying things that made no sense.