“Uh... uh. Fine.”

[Yoo Cheongil] let out a deep sigh and even shook his head. [...What am I to do with this brat.]

Watching the two of them react, this time I was the one who had to be dumbfounded.

‘...Come on, it’s the Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill. You’d turn that down?’

Among the elixirs in the Central Plains right now, it ranked at the very top.

It was something money could never buy; at best you might glimpse one at some tournament the Martial Alliance hosted once in a blue moon.

If I were to sell it...

‘I could set myself up for life.’

I’d never have to worry about money till I died.

Of course—

‘...As long as Father didn’t find out.’

If the Bang family caught wind, who knew what those people would use it for; I’d have to hold back.

Or what if I didn’t sell it and took it?

‘...I’d get incredible.’

There was a reason martial artists kept singing about the Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill.

It was a waste to put it into this wormy body, but whether I sold it or swallowed it, it didn’t change that it was an immense opportunity.

“Then, sir. I’m listening—would you please tell me, slowly, what you need me to do?”

“...Uh... uh...”

The Poison Sovereign pulled a strange face at my response and looked at [Yoo Cheongil].

“...Is he always like this?”

[Don’t talk to me—I’m a little embarrassed right now.]

[Yoo Cheongil] turned his eyes away like he couldn’t even lift his head.

At that, the Poison Sovereign’s lips tugged with a faint smile.

“You swore you’d never take a disciple even if you died, and after dying you picked a kid just like you as your heir.”

[Who’s an heir, now.]

[Yoo Cheongil] scowled, annoyed.

[Out of sheer necessity—sheer. I’m just using him. Normally I wouldn’t even glance his way.]

“Old man. I can hear you. You know that...?”

[He never listens, he’s got nothing, and the way he struts like he’s somebody—]

“I said I can hear you, you old fossil.”

[Good grief...]

With [Yoo Cheongil] running his mouth nonstop, the Poison Sovereign chuckled at him—

Then shifted those eyes back to me, who was now thoroughly disgusted.

“Boy.”

“Yes, venerable sir I respect.”

[Cut the honeyed flattery.]

“Ah, then I’ll do that.”

[...]

He was a little taken aback by how fast I switched. Why? I figured it was what he wanted, so I did it.

“...Anyway. Will you take my request?”

“I’ll hear it first and then decide.”

If it was a tough ask, I wouldn’t do it—Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill or whatever.

With that intent, the Poison Sovereign nodded and added:

“I know you’ll be going into my secret archive. My request is that you bring one item out from there.”

“An item...?”

“Yes.”

“What item?”

“A sword.”

“A sword?”

I frowned at that.

A sword...?

“You want me to carry a sword out of the secret archive.”

“That’s right.”

“......”

With that confirmation, I rubbed my chin with my index finger.

‘One sword from the secret archive.’

It didn’t sound that hard. If doing just that would get me the Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill—

‘It’s certainly a good deal.’

The problem was—

“How exactly am I supposed to carry it out?”

The location was the Poison Sovereign’s secret archive.

Who knew what was inside, and there was no way I could just help myself to something inside and walk out.

A sword, of all things?

The Poison King would never allow it.

Yet—

“Don’t worry. I have a way.”

He answered my doubt with a flat expression.

“Boy, all you have to do is pick it up and walk out. It’s simple.”

“...And I get the Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill for something that simple?”

“Yes.”

“......”

He spoke like that was truly the case, but the more he did, the deeper my doubt grew.

‘Why?’

Why on earth?

If bringing it out alone earned me the pill, then what kind of sword was it?

“Hm...”

I mulled it over.

Then I shifted my eyes to ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) [Yoo Cheongil].

The old man just rested his chin on his fist and stared at me blankly.

As if to say—

—Let’s hear your decision.

Like he’d listen to what I chose.

‘...Damn codger.’

Would it kill him to help a little? He always pulled this crap at times like this.

“Sigh.”

I exhaled and spoke to the Poison Sovereign.

“...Fine, I’ll do it.”

There was a lot to think about, but I made my choice for now.

Ridiculous as it was—

‘...It’ll work out somehow.’

Rather than complicated thoughts—if something blew up, that vicious old ghost would take care of it.

It was a choice soaked through with a let-it-ride mindset.

****

After hearing my answer, the Poison Sovereign vanished.

He left me only a curt word of thanks.

After that, I stayed with [Yoo Cheongil] and we talked.

In the middle of chatting about this and that—

[You asked the girl to forge you a sword?]

He reacted more to the part about meeting Tang Yeran than to the secret archive or repairing Full Moon.

“Yes.”

[And she said she would?]

“Yes. She said she would.”

When I added that she’d even begged to be allowed to—[Yoo Cheongil]’s face soured.

What? Why that screwed-up look?

[...The world really is filthy.]

“...What do you mean?”

[Every handsome-faced brat should’ve been ground up.]

“For someone who saved the world, your tone is morbidly murderous.”

It was honestly chilling.

Then he tossed out, blunt as ever:

[So what about the black iron sword?]

“If it’s black iron... ah.”

I’d momentarily forgotten.

Before coming to Sichuan, [Yoo Cheongil] had promised me a black iron sword as a wager payout from his snack pantry.

“Hey. That and this are unrelated.”

Who knew when Tang Yeran would forge it?

And even if she did, I didn’t have to use it.

‘There’s no way it’d be better than the black iron sword.’

A black iron sword, mind you.

A blade made from one of the precious few metals that could be set beside cold iron.

No matter how much Tang Yeran put her soul into her work—

‘...The material is the material.’

Good material makes a good sword.

That was an unchanging law.

[So the conclusion is—you’ll take them all?]

“It’s good to get everything you can when you can.”

[You’ll split your gut, idiot.]

“I’ve got better digestion than I look.”

[...Heh...]

When I didn’t give an inch, [Yoo Cheongil] let out a dumbfounded laugh.

[So you agreed to that fool’s terms to get it all?]

I didn’t bother thinking hard about who “that fool” was.

“You mean the Poison Sovereign?”

There was only one person [Yoo Cheongil] would react to like that.

“Come on, he’s offering the Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill. Of course I’m doing it.”

[And you know what might be lurking?]

“Something, sure. But if it comes to it, I believe you’ll do something.”

[...Ha. What a brazen wind you are.]

“If it were truly dangerous, you would’ve stopped me, right?”

If I shouldn’t go or it was dangerous, he’d have warned me.

He didn’t, and just watched to see what I’d do.

“Which means you’re telling me to try.”

[Click, click... you’re reading too much into it. I just watched because it was a nuisance.]

“Ah, yes. Of course.”

That did track.

I didn’t bother with the rest because it was a nuisance.

Anyway—

“Whatever it is, I think it’s worth trying for one Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill.”

If I could get it—

It was worth a try.

When I said that—

[Why do you think it’s one?]

“...Huh?”

[Yoo Cheongil] spoke like it wasn’t even funny.

[I told you, didn’t I? There’s plenty to strip off the Tang Clan. You think the only thing is a sword?]

“......”

[And you’re satisfied with just one pill? Tsk, tsk. Is your ambition really that small?]

“...Ha.”

I couldn’t help smiling.

“Didn’t you just say I’d split my gut being greedy?”

[And you said your digestion’s good, didn’t you. What—losing your nerve?]

“Please. As if.”

I laughed into [Yoo Cheongil]’s blue eyes. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

“I’ve never been one to refuse what people hand me.”

[That’s not a bad temperament.]

“Heh heh heh heh.”

[Ke-ke-ke-ke!]

Greedy laughter rang through the quarters lit by a single lamp.

It might’ve been the best we’d ever gotten along since I met the old man.

****

Time passed, and the day the Poison King had mentioned arrived.

It had flown by like an arrow.

“...Oof...”

I stepped outside, shedding today’s fatigue.

I’d been losing sleep for days; that didn’t help.

“I’m dying here.”

I rolled my stiff shoulders and scowled.

Repeating training for days had left my body a little cooked.

‘Ah, I should’ve kept it moderate.’

Trying to push myself into doing something just because—I ended up like this.

This is why a man shouldn’t show off.

‘...Got all excited over talk of the Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill.’

When it feels like things are going well, I overstep my bounds.

Thanks to that, muscle aches buzzed all over.

“Ugh.”

I forced myself along. By the time I stepped outside, people were already waiting beyond the door.

Seeing that, I wet my lips with my tongue.

The time had come—it felt real, and I got a little tense.

Spotting me, the man at the front spoke.

“I’m Mun Geukyeon, of the Poison Shadow Guard.”

“I’m Bang Sungyeon.”

“We’ve come by order of the Clan Head. I’ll be in charge of escorting Young Master Bang.”

They greeted me with courtesy.

I nodded as I looked at them.

“Right. I’ll be in your care.”

“Please excuse us a moment.”

My vision was covered as he spoke.

They’d blindfolded me with something like a band.

I wasn’t surprised. This had already been explained.

“We’ll move now.”

They took me along at an easy pace.

We moved for a good while.

We went up and down, at times climbed stairs at random, then descended as well.

They were probably taking me in circles—but how far were we going?

Just as I wondered that—

“We’ve arrived.”

The words I’d hoped to hear came, and my sight cleared again.

‘Here...’

A few lamps threw light over the space.

The floor was gritty stone; aside from that, every side was stone—an entirely stone-walled space.

When I looked back, I saw a dark opening. We must’ve come in through there.

‘...Creepy.’

At this point, if the Tang Clan killed me here in secret, no one would ever find out.

‘...Where is this?’

As for its location—

Between the blindfold and the winding path, there was no way to know exactly.

[Right under the Clan Head’s office.]

“......”

[Yoo Cheongil] stated the answer flatly.

[Why bother with all the roundabout crap. They could’ve just brought you... the Tang lot are all weird, I’m telling you.]

Tsk, tsk.

I ignored his constant tongue-clicking and turned my eyes again.

Opposite the entrance, by a wall that looked sealed, someone stood watching me.

The Tang Clan’s Clan Head—Poison King Tang Gyeongak.

“You’ve come.”

“Clan Head Tang.”

“I apologize for the discourtesy, in the name of security.”

“It’s fine.”

I gave a sheepish smile at his apology.

...Not like I didn’t already know where we were.

While paying my respects, I let my eyes slip around.

There weren’t many people.

Including the Poison King, maybe seven?

Four wore face veils, so I couldn’t tell their sex or age.

Only the Poison King and the remaining two showed their faces—

And the eyes of those two were very peculiar.

They looked like they had no idea why they were here.

Then—

“...Young Master Bang?”

One of the two, Cheon Eujin, called out to me in surprise.

Which meant the other was obvious.

“Bang Sungyeon.”

At the young man’s voice, I looked at him and smiled.

He was a Small Moon Unit martial artist who had come to Sichuan with me—

My immediate senior—

“...What is this?”

And in this affair, the lucky charm who’d be watching over me: Do Hyeong.