The struggle for Junior Sect Master.

That was the phrase that lodged in my mind first.

...What the hell is that?

It was the first time I had ever heard it.

There was something like that here?

Frowning in confusion, I looked at Yoo Cheongil.

[...There was something like that?]

That old bastard had the exact same reaction.

He clearly had no idea either.

And on top of that—

The struggle is one thing, but Baek Yeon and the daughter of the Cheon Family... so that means—

He had asked for help for Cheon Hyein?

That was what his deal with the Tyrant King had been about?

Why?

I couldn’t understand why Baek Yeon would want something like that.

...So that’s why they were together?

Baek Yeon and Cheon Hyein, together in the vault.

Watching that scene replay in my head, I narrowed my eyes.

I still had no clear idea what this struggle even was, but the important part was—

Either way, Cheon Hyein is part of Baek Yeon’s objective.

That was the part I was focusing on.

“Because of that, you were going to get dragged into this sooner or later anyway. Will that be all right?”

“...Mm.”

At the words struggle for Junior Sect Master, I narrowed my eyes.

I had a feeling I understood what he meant by saying I had no choice but to get involved.

Even if I don’t know exactly what it is, if it involves the title of Junior Sect Master...

Then yeah. There was no way I stayed out of it.

I could admit that much.

“I’ll handle that part myself.”

I needed time to find out more.

And even if I did find out, my choice probably wouldn’t change.

I don’t know what this struggle is, but for now, it’s better to keep the Tyrant King on my side.

“Hm.”

Not long after hearing my answer, the Tyrant King nodded.

“If that is what you intend, then fine. So that means you’ll help me obtain what I want, yes?”

“...If it’s at least something I know.”

“Good. If what you tell me matches what I want—”

He grinned.

“Then I, too, will grant what you want.”

The Tyrant King smiled.

*****

Right after my conversation with the Tyrant King ended, I returned to my quarters before daylight fully broke.

The moment I stepped into the room, a pair of faint blue eyes greeted me.

It was Do Hyeong.

He looked like he had just woken up and was in the middle of sitting up.

“Where did you go?”

“I was out training.”

“Really? Impressive.”

After saying that, Do Hyeong said nothing more.

Impressive?

Who was he calling impressive?

...Wait, does he normally wake up at this hour?

From what I’d seen, he was always awake before me, so maybe this really was his normal time to get up.

Was that even possible?

No matter how little sleep you needed, that was still insane.

“Senior.”

“What is it?”

“...Do you normally wake up at this hour?”

“Yes.”

Do Hyeong answered with the calmest face in the world.

Wow.

He got up at this hour and trained?

He’s insane.

No matter how dedicated you were, I had trouble believing that was possible.

WOOOOONG.

The guardian spirit circling faintly around Do Hyeong’s body caught my eye for a moment.

Then, just as he was about to head out, I stopped him.

“Senior, may I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“Do you happen to know anything about the struggle for Junior Sect Master?”

He stopped in place.

At my question, Do Hyeong halted the step he had been taking toward the door.

Then he turned to look at me with his awakened Moon Eyes and said—

“You don’t know?”

“Huh?”

“I asked whether you don’t know.”

“Ah. Right.”

No, I didn’t.

At least, not that I remembered.

The moment he heard my answer, Do Hyeong replied right away.

“I see. Then it seems nobody explained it to you.”

“What exactly is it?”

“It means exactly what the words say.”

Do Hyeong spoke like I should think about it more simply.

“It is a struggle over the position of Junior Sect Master. That’s all.”

“...A struggle over the position of Junior Sect Master?”

After hearing that explanation, I looked back at Yoo Cheongil.

[...What the hell is that supposed to mean?]

His reaction hadn’t changed.

The man who had actually been sect master himself didn’t know about it.

“Was it created recently?”

“Yes.”

Just as I thought.

So this so-called struggle had only been established not long ago.

“The sect master said it would be held once every ten years. Next year is that ten-year mark.”

“...A struggle every ten years.”

[Hah.]

Yoo Cheongil let out a breath at those words.

[They really made some worthless nonsense.]

His next words were full of displeasure.

He also looked like he genuinely could not understand it.

“So what do they do when they hold it...?”

“What do you mean, what do they do?”

At my question, Do Hyeong tilted his head as if he found it strange.

“It’s a struggle. They fight each other.”

“...Fight? Everyone, with no conditions?”

“As if.”

“Then what?”

“The condition is those who have opened the Moon Eyes.”

“Ah.”

Those who had awakened the Moon Eyes.

So—

That means the people from the Small Moon Unit.

Not everyone who awakened the Moon Eyes belonged to the Small Moon Unit, but usually, once you awakened them, that was where you ended up.

All those who have awakened the Moon Eyes.

And if it was called a struggle for Junior Sect Master...

“If you win, does that mean you become Junior Sect Master?”

“Yes.”

If the name meant exactly what it sounded like, then sure, that made sense.

Then...

“And after that, you become the next sect master?”

“That’s different.”

“That’s different too?”

“Yes. In the first place, you could become sect master even now—if you challenged the current sect master and defeated him.”

“......”

Well, that was true.

The condition for being sect master of Blue Moon Sect was simply being the strongest person currently within Blue Moon Sect.

If someone wanted that seat, they could challenge for it and seize it at any time.

Which meant—

“Then is there any reason to become Junior Sect Master in the first place?”

Why go through the trouble of holding a struggle for Junior Sect Master and claiming that position?

That was what I asked.

“There is one thing.”

“One thing?”

“If one obtains the position of Junior Sect Master—”

Before finishing the sentence, Do Hyeong turned to look out the window.

Dawn still had not broken outside.

The moon was still hanging in the sky.

“One gains entry into the Moon Void Pavilion.”

“The Moon what—?”

[Insane.]

Before I could even ask what that was, Yoo Cheongil’s eyes widened.

[Hah. What a joke.]

His voice was full of fury.

Looking at Yoo Cheongil, I scratched my cheek.

“I see. Understood...”

“May I go now?”

“Yes. I’ll see you later.”

That was how Do Hyeong left to go train.

And only after I was alone with Yoo Cheongil did I ask him—

“What the hell is going on here?”

What was this talk about Junior Sect Master, and what was this struggle supposed to be?

I couldn’t make sense of any of it, so I asked him directly.

[Cheon Seonghwa. That snot-nosed brat has gone and started some worthless nonsense. Junior Sect Master? What a ridiculous thing.]

“So it didn’t exist when you were around?”

[Why would there be any need for such a thing? If someone wants the seat of sect master, then they cut off the current holder’s head and take it. That is Blue Moon Sect’s rule.]

“......”

Not just a simple challenge—cut off their head?

[That is what it means to rise to the seat of sect master. The challenger draws the sword staking life and death on it. The one who loses dies.]

It was brutal as hell.

[Well, according to the rules, if a sect master dies of old age, they sometimes ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ hold that kind of duel to choose the next one. But when has a Blue Moon Sect master ever died a natural death?]

So every last one of them had died to a challenger.

[And in the middle of all that, Junior Sect Master? Ridiculous enough already. But on top of making a thing like that... they’re opening the Moon Void Pavilion?]

“...What exactly is the Moon Void Pavilion for you to be reacting like this?”

The moment that word had come up, Yoo Cheongil’s response had been way too intense.

It was like Moon Immortal Sword had crossed a line.

[That is a place only the sect master may enter. And beyond that, it is where the Moon Traces left behind by all past sect masters remain.]

“...Ah. And?”

A space reserved for sect masters.

Sure, fine, that part I could understand.

But Moon Traces?

That was a new one.

[For purifying one’s energy and obtaining Blue Moon Sect’s secret arts... though none of that is particularly necessary for you.]

“Why not for me?”

[The secret arts inside? Mine are better than any of that trash.]

“...Ah. Right.”

His tone was overflowing with confidence.

Still—

“Then why are you in such a bad mood?”

If his power was supposedly far superior to anything in there, it didn’t seem like he had any reason to be pissed off about it.

So why was he this irritated?

[Because beyond the rules, it is necessary.]

“For what?”

[Because to complete the Blue Moon Heart Art you possess, the Moon Traces are required.]

“Hm?”

Now what the hell was that supposed to mean?

“It’s necessary for completing it?”

[Tch... I was planning to let you obtain it slowly, but that Cheon bastard has gone and done something stupid. If that’s how it is, then there’s no helping it.]

Yoo Cheongil’s eyes gleamed as he spoke.

[Junior Sect Master. There is no choice now but to seize that pathetic title.]

“...What?”

At Yoo Cheongil’s bold declaration, I could only let out a dumb sound.

*****

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Under the moonlit sky, the strongest man in Blue Moon Sect—

Moon Immortal Sword, Cheon Seonghwa—

was tapping the edge of his desk with his fingertip.

His face was expressionless as he repeated the same motion over and over, and it had clearly gone on for a long time.

Or perhaps he had put too much force into it.

Either way, there was now a hole in the desk, about the size of the tip of his index finger.

Even with the mark already there, he kept tapping.

And tapping again.

There was no expression on his face, but judging by his manner, there was a faint trace of impatience in him.

Then—

“Have I kept you waiting long?”

Someone entered Moon Immortal Sword’s room as naturally as if it were his own.

It was the Tyrant King.

At his words, Moon Immortal Sword’s gaze turned toward him.

“I wasn’t waiting.”

“Really? That’s a shame.”

The Tyrant King did not look remotely bothered by the answer as he sat down in front of him.

“What business do you have?”

Moon Immortal Sword asked.

“It’s not that I came because I had some particular business. I just wanted to say thank you.”

“For what?”

“For making arrangements so that I could stay here in the first place.”

“......”

“If you hadn’t allowed it, I doubt I could have so much as set foot inside Blue Moon Sect. Isn’t that right?”

Moon Immortal Sword did not refute him.

It was neither agreement nor denial, so the Tyrant King had to imagine the answer for himself.

“I don’t believe there’s anything happening in this place that you don’t know about.”

Again, no reply came.

“So let me thank you. In advance, too, for what comes next.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really? Then I hope you go on not knowing.”

Heh heh.

The Tyrant King laughed as he studied him inwardly.

Still...

They said only monsters ever rose to the position of sect master in Blue Moon Sect.

The previous sect master went without saying.

And the current one too...

If someone asked whether he could really be compared to the Sword Saint, the answer would be hard to give.

But one thing was certain—

he was no easy opponent.

Which was why he was curious.

“Who do you think comes after you?”

“......”

At that question, a current of energy flickered in Moon Immortal Sword’s eyes.

Because what the Tyrant King had really asked was—

Who do you think will be the one to kill you?

“I’ve never thought about it.”

“Why? Because whoever it is, they’re still far too weak?”

“No.”

Moon Immortal Sword shook his head at the question of whether it was simply too far in the future to matter.

“Time has nothing to do with it.”

“Then?”

“No one will ever defeat me anyway.”

“......”

At those words, the corner of the Tyrant King’s mouth rose.

It was arrogant.

Overbearing.

But coming from Moon Immortal Sword, it carried real weight.

“Interesting. Fine. It was a pointless question.”

That was how a martial artist ought to be.

The Tyrant King accepted that and rose to his feet.

“I came only to give thanks today, and to ask permission. The night is deep, and I’ve conveyed my intent, so I’ll be on my way.”

“I don’t know what thanks or what permission you mean.”

“That’s fine. I’d prefer you keep not knowing. We’ll meet again. Ah.”

Just as he was stepping toward the door, the Tyrant King glanced back.

“That brat who’s supposed to be the Sword Saint’s successor—he’s worth using.”

After saying that, the Tyrant King disappeared.

“......”

Left alone, Moon Immortal Sword turned his gaze back out the window.

The exact same expression as before.

Then, while looking at the moon, Moon Immortal Sword gave the faintest nod.

As if—

the Tyrant King had been right.