Martial arts—what is it, really? At its root, it’s nothing more than twisting your qi in the dantian (inner energy center), and depending on how you apply it, that’s how realms are divided.

If you’ve only twisted qi inside your dantian, you’re third-rate.

If you can start channeling it into your sword, you’re second-rate.

If the qi you’ve put into the sword begins to take on form, you’re first-rate.

Beyond that?

Hell if I know.

They say once you reach the pinnacle, your qi fuses with your body this way or that, but that’s none of my business.

Me? I was just a run-of-the-mill third-rate martial artist, which meant—

—in martial arts, I was a fucking nobody.

By rights, I shouldn’t even have been allowed to enter the Martial Alliance. I was scraping the bottom of the barrel.

That was my place.

“...What the hell am I even doing.”

I rubbed my throat, still tingling from the edge that had kissed it.

A sword had been pressed right there only moments ago.

Thankfully, no blood was drawn. But another hair’s breadth and I’d be dead.

I remembered those eyes under the moonlight.

Cold, merciless—so much so I nearly pissed myself.

I’d gambled he wouldn’t actually kill me, and it turned out right, but I never wanted to go through that again.

“Are you satisfied now?”

I turned, asking.

There, the old man with the blue eyes grinned at me.

[Not bad. Yes, that should do.]

“What’s the point if he doesn’t take it in?”

Waist this, power that.

The old man’s little whim had been to toss a few pointers at Yeon So Cheon through my mouth.

Christ. A ghost lecturing martial arts? That was new, even for me.

“Even if it’s my words coming out, he won’t listen. What’s the point?”

When I asked, the old man’s reply came at once.

[That boy will listen.]

“And why are you so sure of that?”

[Because it’s worth listening to. Because it’s what he needs. Hah-hah.]

“....”

Vague conviction, that’s what it sounded like. Whatever.

“Fine, then.”

No more of my concern.

Nearly got killed, my standing with Yeon So Cheon was in pieces—nothing more I could do.

“I kept my promise. Whether you ascend to the afterlife or wander in peace, that’s your business now. I’m going.”

I moved as if I had no regrets. The old man gave me a strange look.

[Young man.]

“Yes?”

[Why don’t you ask anything?]

“Huh?”

What was he suddenly on about?

“Ask what?”

[Why I made that request of you. What my connection is to that boy. Who I truly am. Why don’t you ask a thing?]

“Ah.”

I nodded.

So that’s what he meant. If that was the subject, my answer was already fixed.

“I’m just not interested.”

[...Hm?]

“Your coaching, your meddling—I couldn’t understand it even if I tried.”

Waist this, posture that. Whatever.

“As for your relationship? Grandfather and grandson. Master and disciple. Something along those lines, right?”

At least not husband and wife, or lovers.

Options were limited either way.

“Whatever it is, I don’t care to know. I don’t want to be involved.”

I’m no fool. I knew well enough the old man was no ordinary ghost.

Especially ghosts this vivid—they’d been big names while alive.

I’d seen enough of them in my past life to know.

This one was the same.

[Ho. And as a martial artist, you wouldn’t want my teachings?]

The way he said “my” carried a mountain of pride.

What kind of man was he, to be so sure of himself even dead?

I was a little curious.

But still.

“Sounds like a poisoned chalice to me. No thanks. Least of all that.”

Rule number one: don’t get tangled with ghosts more than you must.

No matter how great he’d been, I wasn’t about to go poking into it.

“Thin and long. Don’t stick out, don’t stir shit, live quiet.”

That was still my goal.

Though I couldn’t ignore how badly things had soured with Yeon So Cheon.

Even if it wasn’t my fault, I’d overstepped. Best to count myself lucky it ended where it did.

[Hrm. I see.]

The old man reacted oddly to that.

“In any case—keep your promise.”

That vow: if he ran into other ghosts, he wouldn’t talk about me.

[Fine, fine.]

He nodded. I sighed inside.

[But young man, I do wonder.]

“...What now?”

[My request is finished. But what if it were the other way around?]

“The other way around?”

[What if you had a request for me?]

Now that was out of nowhere.

Me, making a request of him?

‘As if.’

I shook my head.

Ask a ghost for help? Never happening.

“If it ever came to that, I’d grant whatever you wished instead.”

[Really?]

He grinned.

The sight of it gave me the creeps.

[Very well. Until next time, then.]

He waved and vanished.

Didn’t look like ascension, more like he could come and go freely. Not a bound spirit, then.

I scratched my neck.

“Next time...?”

“See you again.” Those words stuck.

Ghosts couldn’t directly affect the living world.

Knowing that didn’t stop unease from creeping in.

“...Eh. What could happen?”

Nothing would change. Surely.

I told myself that and let the night pass.

“How... how in the world did you do it?”

‘Ah, fuck.’

So much for nothing happening. Trouble hit right away.

Morning, just after night watch.

Of course my shift had been the last, so I’d barely slept.

I stumbled outside looking half-dead, only to be grabbed at once.

“Young... Young Master Bang.”

“...What now.”

I looked.

Yeon So Cheon.

The same bastard who’d put a blade to my throat just yesterday.

I frowned. Something about him was off.

“...Agent Yeon, you didn’t sleep?”

His appearance was a mess.

Hair all disheveled, face drawn, eyes shadowed.

He looked like hell.

‘Don’t tell me he really trained all night.’

I’d heard once you hit second-rate, you could go days without sleep. But still, this was more than exhaustion.

Then—

Clench!

“...Huh?”

Yeon So Cheon gripped my shoulder hard.

“...Agent Yeon, what’s this about?”

“What exactly are you...?”

“...What?”

What was he talking about—

Then I narrowed my eyes.

‘Yesterday. It must be that.’

The words I’d passed along from the old man.

I hadn’t thought they’d mean much, but Yeon had listened, just like the ghost said.

Had he really gained some insight from it?

‘If so, why does he look like death?’

Shouldn’t enlightenment make you happy?

Yet here he was, half-broken, demanding answers.

‘The hell happened to you?’

Definitely trouble.

How to shake him off fast...?

My mind raced.

“My waist, my waist...”

He kept muttering, almost broken.

I scratched my cheek.

“Just like you said, Young Master Bang—when I loosened it, truly...”

“Agent Yeon.”

I cut him off.

“Yes...?”

“The carriage has already departed.”

Expressionless, I went on.

“Didn’t you say yourself yesterday? ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) That I should never come near you again.”

“...!”

Yes. He had.

No next time. He’d warned me, cold and clear.

Scared me shitless. Nearly checked my pants afterward.

...But that was then.

‘And now’s when I use it.’

Those words he’d thrown at me—I could throw them back now.

“My words to you ended yesterday. Don’t worry, I’ll keep what you said.”

“Th-that’s...”

His face darkened.

Whatever realization he was chasing, it wasn’t my problem. Same for the ghost’s nonsense.

“Just think of it as a dream. I’ll live that way too. A third-rate nobody blurting bullshit. I was just out of my mind for a moment.”

I waved him off and tried to walk, but he didn’t release me.

“...Would you please let go?”

“You couldn’t not have known.”

“...I really didn’t—”

“If you hadn’t learned what I learned, you could never have spotted it. I’m no fool. That means—you too are from that place.”

“O-oi! Shut your mouth!”

I clapped a hand over his lips.

“Are you crazy?”

“Mmph—”

Wherever “that place” was, I didn’t want to know.

Everyone here already knew Yeon was hiding his identity. They just pretended otherwise.

And now this idiot was about to spill it to me himself.

“I’m not listening.”

I wanted no part of it.

That place, whatever it was, screamed trouble.

“Whatever you’re thinking—I’m not. Leave me out of it.”

“....”

The more I spoke, the stronger that look of conviction grew in his eyes.

Ah, shit. Stepped in something nasty here.

‘All I did was mouth off about his stance, and now this.’

That old man—what the hell did he rope me into?

A few silent seconds passed.

Then—

Release.

Yeon let go of my arm.

“...Very well.”

He didn’t look convinced at all, but at least he let go.

Couldn’t shake that stubborn glint, though.

‘What can I do.’

I had nothing left but to ignore him and walk away.

Who’d have thought he’d confront me first thing in the morning.

Even as I left, I felt his stare burning into me.

I ignored it.

The old man was gone, hadn’t shown again. I just needed time to pass, to settle into peace.

Please, no more messes.

That was all I wanted.

I walked off.

“....”

Yeon So Cheon watched me go. Then, quietly,

“...Pungyeon.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

His guard’s transmitted voice. Yeon continued,

“What you told me last night—was it true?”

“Yes. Not a shred of falsehood.”

Pungyeon repeated his report.

“He noticed me watching him.”

Yesterday, just after I’d spat water onto Yeon.

Pungyeon had tailed me.

Yeon forgave it, but Pungyeon hadn’t. He’d meant to teach me a discreet lesson.

‘And then—what the hell?’

I’d turned and looked straight at him, hidden though he was.

And casually spoken.

In that instant—

Ssshhhhh—!

Something swept through him, chilling his whole body.

Pungyeon knew at once.

A warning.

Clear as day: I see you. Don’t try anything.

Pungyeon was a peak expert.

A martial artist who had crossed the gulf between first-rate and pinnacle.

For someone like him to feel such force—

“...Are you saying Young Master Bang is a pinnacle expert?”

“...I can’t be sure. But it’s possible.”

Yeon frowned.

“Then why report it so late?”

When I’d walked off, and Yeon was left swinging his sword in shock, Pungyeon had only then spoken up.

Had he said it earlier, Yeon wouldn’t have let me slip away so easily.

“...My apologies. I thought it a mistake. Only after seeing more did I grow certain.”

Yeon bit his lip.

I was barely eighteen. How could I be pinnacle already?

And yet...

‘Even when I grabbed him, I felt nothing.’

He’d tried to probe my realm with his qi when he held my arm. What he felt was no more than a third-rate nobody.

No trace of anything else.

‘Was he hiding it?’

Had I sensed him probing and deliberately smothered my realm?

If so, it was too perfect.

So perfect it was more believable that I really was third-rate.

Yeon nodded to himself.

‘Whatever the case—if he’s from that place, it all makes sense.’

Every suspicion about me clicked.

Why I’d hide my realm while suffering abuse.

Why I’d throw him pointers.

Why someone from that lineage would appear here, of all places, in Anhui.

‘Yes...’

His eyes widened.

Doubt piled upon doubt, bound into certainty.

‘He’s also a disciple of the Blue Moon Sect.’

Bang Sungyeon—like him—was an heir of that place.

Yeon So Cheon believed it utterly.

****

Late morning.

I’d been summoned to the commander’s office.

Not just me—most of my Second Unit was gathered.

“A command has arrived.”

The commander’s voice drew everyone’s ears.

“Traces of the Mountain Ghost have been discovered nearby.”

“...What?”

“The Mountain Ghost!?”

“Commander, is that true?”

Shock rippled through the squad.

Mine included.

‘The Mountain Ghost...?’

An outlaw of the Heretical Path, known across Anhui and Zhejiang.

Unregistered with the Martial Alliance, armed with a great saber.

A pinnacle expert.

Rumor had it he’d slain a Namgung Clan martial artist and fled.

‘...And he turns up here?’

Couldn’t have been worse luck.

I mean me, not him.

‘For fuck’s sake, if you’re going to flee, go farther!’

Shandong, Hebei, anywhere else. Why the hell stay stuck in Anhui?

‘Is there never a quiet day in my life.’

I barely swallowed a sigh.

“First Unit will engage. Our Second and Third will conduct the search.”

Some relief there.

Good. Let the combat unit handle him. So long as we didn’t stumble right into him, we’d be fine.

At least, that’s what I prayed.

‘A pinnacle expert? Insanity.’

Even a first-rate is a human weapon. A pinnacle... what even is that?

I’d heard they wield sword force beyond sword qi, slicing rock like tofu.

‘Hell no. Please, never cross my path.’

The thought alone gave me chills.

Could I get out of the search somehow?

No sooner had I thought it than—

“The branch leader has great expectations for this matter. Do your utmost.”

‘Son of a bitch.’

The commander nailed the coffin shut. No dodging.

Branch leader’s name dropped? Forget excuses.

‘Namgung Clan’s involved, so they’re drooling for credit.’

That was the real reason.

Bagging a pinnacle outlaw who’d slain a Namgung was a golden opportunity.

So they were mobilizing everyone.

“Assignments are listed. Prepare to move out.”

“Understood!”

“Understood!”

“...Unders...tood...”

Only my voice sounded half-dead.

Was there nowhere I could hide till this blew over?

I was scheming when—

Sssst.

“....”

Heat crawled down the back of my neck.

That stare. It’d been on me since we entered the office.

I forced myself still.

‘Don’t turn around.’

I knew who it was.

Yeon So Cheon.

He’d been glaring ever since morning.

Through training, through meals, all the way here. Staring. Staring.

‘Keep it up and you’ll give yourself indigestion, bastard.’

How long before he stopped?

I tried ignoring it, but it wasn’t easy.

‘It’ll pass. A month at most.’

Whatever misunderstanding he had, it would fade. Or he’d leave before then.

For now, all I had to do was avoid him.

‘Today I can hide behind the search excuse. I’ll start worrying tomorrow.’

No way they’d put us on the same team. Too many would line up to be with him.

‘Yes. Should be fine.’

I nodded, relieved.

Five minutes later—

“I look forward to working with you, Young Master Bang.”

A white-haired youth bowed politely.

“...Ah, fuck my life.”

Of course. Nothing ever went my way.