Blurred vision.

And within it, one thing stood out all the sharper.

The old man’s blue gaze, fixed on me as he crouched there.

‘...Why is this old man here?’

I almost jolted at the unexpected encounter.

The old man /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ was the first to speak.

[Do you remember what I asked you before?]

‘Before?’

Before, meaning...?

‘Ah?’

I remembered.

Our last conversation, just before we parted.

The old man had asked me then:

[What if the roles were reversed?]

‘Reversed?’

[You might one day have to ask me for a favor, might you not.]

He had said that, and I had immediately scoffed.

‘If that ever happens, I’ll grant you whatever you want, elder.’

...And what had he said in reply?

[Very well. Then I’ll see you next time.]

“......”

I dragged his words back out of memory.

After recalling them, I swallowed dryly as I looked at him.

Perhaps he sensed I had remembered, for his expression shifted.

[Then let me ask again.]

He grinned wide. That smile froze me more effectively than the pain.

So terrifying a smile it was.

The old man, still smiling, asked:

[Shall I help you?]

It was the temptation of a ghost.

****

Kwa-guguguk—!

“Ghhk!”

Yeon So Cheon’s arms trembled under the brutal assault.

He struggled to raise his sword and deflect the great saber, but in the end he was driven back.

Beyond his scowling eyes, the giant pressed the attack without pause.

Such size, such weight—and yet he was fast.

The gap came from the difference of realm.

Overwhelmed by that crushing power, his body wore down.

Yeon So Cheon already knew.

The Mountain Ghost was toying with him.

If he wanted it over, he could have ended it at any time.

But he did not.

Was he amusing himself?

Yeon So Cheon realized it and frowned.

Exhausted.

So utterly worn that even his breathing failed him.

And still, he swung his sword.

He could not die here.

‘I have no choice.’

He narrowed his brow and drew up his strength.

‘I’ll use it.’

The power he had kept suppressed—he was about to draw it out.

A technique never to be used in actual combat. But there was no other way.

To break this situation, he had to do anything.

Kwaak—! He stamped hard, setting his axis.

“Hm?”

The Mountain Ghost’s eye flickered at the sight.

He sensed something strange.

Energy rose from Yeon’s dantian (inner energy center) and wound about his body.

In an instant it surged into his sword.

Sword qi activated.

He twisted his waist, gaze set forward.

He adopted a stance meant for a wide, carving swing.

And as he did, the sword qi began to distort.

“Huuuuh...!”

With his deep exhalation, a clarity swept through his body.

Sseuuu—!!

On the blade, a subtle energy began to gather.

“This brat...?”

Even the Mountain Ghost’s face tightened.

What was that? Instinct screamed danger.

At best, the boy was first-rate.

That was all the Mountain Ghost had gauged him to be.

And yet he felt threatened?

It made no sense.

Kwaaak! The Mountain Ghost gripped his hilt and surged forward.

He was about to cut Yeon down—

“Stop.”

The voice froze his motion.

Baaak—!

“Ghhhk!”

In that opening, Pungyeon appeared, driving a kick into Yeon So Cheon’s abdomen.

The gathered energy scattered, his stance collapsed, and Yeon fell.

“Ghhhk! Khhhk—! Uuugh!”

He retched as he hit the ground.

“Hmph.”

The Mountain Ghost drove his great saber into the earth.

Then, frowning, he looked at Pungyeon.

“I thought letting you watch meant you’d handle it yourself.”

At that, Pungyeon smiled.

“Of course not. We’re partners, after all... I was only letting you sample the taste.”

So saying, he walked toward the fallen Yeon.

Kwak.

“Ghhk...”

He clamped a hand around Yeon’s throat and hauled him up.

“Young Master, are you all right?”

He smiled as he spoke, and Yeon looked at him through pain-filled eyes.

“Wha... why...”

It made no sense. None of it was believable.

Pungyeon standing before him, this whole situation.

How? Why was his own bodyguard doing this?

Yeon’s eyes shook. Pungyeon said:

“Surprised? Then forgive me.”

“Pungyeon... what is this?”

“You’ve become so pitiful, Young Master.”

He lifted a hand and wiped blood from Yeon’s cheek.

“What... what are you doing, Pungyeon...”

They had been together five years.

The bodyguard he had come to think of as family—betraying him like this. He could not believe it.

But—

Kwaaak—!

“Ghhk—!”

The grip on his throat tightened.

“That’s the thing.”

Even as his strength bore down, laughter rose in Pungyeon’s eyes.

“Young Master, why did you have to provoke Lady Cheon and drag things to this point?”

“......!!”

Lady Cheon.

The name of his own sister made Yeon’s lips quiver.

“Pungyeon... don’t tell me... this, all of this... my sister’s orders?”

His voice shook with shock.

Pungyeon burst into laughter.

“Hahaha!”

What was so funny? He laughed and laughed.

“Young Master. Our innocent Young Master...”

At last he cut it off and stared at Yeon.

“Did you really think this came down only to your luck and my skill? That naïve? How do you expect to survive in this world? I told you countless times.”

The words he had always driven into Yeon:

“In this world, you can trust no one. Only yourself can protect yourself. I taught you that... and yet you still haven’t learned.”

“Ghhnn...!”

Despair spread across Yeon’s face.

“Lady Cheon gave me the word... and promised me.”

His hand crushed tighter.

“If I finish this job, she’ll see me raised to Commander of the Guards.”

“Ghhk...”

“Don’t take it too hard. The truth is, you could never have given me that position. Not with your ability.”

Yeon tried to pry his arm free, but his body, restrained, would not move.

“So blame your own incompetence.”

“Ghhhk—!”

“For the years I’ve looked after you, I’ll make it painless.”

“Let... let go...!! I said let go!!”

Yeon tried to flare his energy—

Bbaak—!

“Ghkk—!!”

Pungyeon’s fist slammed his abdomen, wrenching a choking gasp from him.

“You resist too much. Then I’ll have to make it painful.”

As Pungyeon muttered with annoyance, the Mountain Ghost spoke behind him.

“Oi. You haven’t forgotten our agreement, have you?”

“No, no. Don’t worry.”

Pungyeon smiled as he answered.

“As promised, the Namgung martial artists will keep being lured here. That’s why I leaked the information. But...”

“Ughhh!”

“I have something to finish here first. So, deal with those vermin for me, will you?”

The Alliance dogs still lived.

And reinforcements might come. They had to be eliminated.

Couched as a polite request, but in truth a command.

The Mountain Ghost shook his head expressionlessly.

He cared nothing for Pungyeon’s business.

As long as the agreement held, nothing else mattered.

He moved to finish the survivors.

Yeon So Cheon, coughing blood, glared back at Pungyeon with renewed force.

“You... trash!”

To think he had trusted such a man for years.

Betrayal burned his eyes.

He had lived with no foothold in this world.

In that life, Pungyeon had been his only companion.

He had endured and endured, vowing to someday defeat his sister.

And Pungyeon, he had thought, was like a true elder brother.

‘Fool...’

Yeon cursed himself.

As Pungyeon had said, he should never have trusted anyone.

While he dreamed of revenge, he had failed to watch closely.

His mistake brought this end.

‘In the end... all of it was in my sister’s palm?’

He thought he had found hope.

It had been false.

He had achieved nothing.

“Young Master, have you given up?”

Pungyeon sneered at his look.

“Good. Then you won’t waste your strength anymore.”

He raised his other hand. A dagger gleamed in it.

Seeing it, resignation slowly clouded Yeon’s eyes.

He began to close them—

Thud.

Something rolled to his side.

What?

With blurred sight, he looked.

“......!!”

His eyes flew wide.

It was a head.

The Mountain Ghost’s head.

Still wearing that blank face.

The cut was clean.

“Wha...?”

Yeon wasn’t the only one who saw it.

Pungyeon did too, turning his head.

“What...?”

And then his body froze at the sight.

Not far away, the Mountain Ghost’s body collapsed.

Neck severed cleanly.

Kuuung—!!

The giant frame fell lifeless to the ground.

“Haa...”

A low sigh came from somewhere.

The torches were out, the cave sunk in darkness.

And in that dark, Pungyeon saw something.

Eyes.

Blue, utterly blue eyes.

Someone was watching from beyond the dark.

Shiver—!

Meeting them, Pungyeon’s skin crawled, every hair bristling.

“Who’s there...!”

He raised his force and demanded.

Step.

Footsteps from the dark. The eyes drew closer.

Yeon So Cheon saw as well.

That blue shimmer swaying in the gloom.

‘That is...’

He could not look away.

Step.

The steps came nearer.

Soon, the owner of the sound emerged.

“Ah... ahhh...?”

Yeon gasped aloud.

Brown hair grown long, once tied but now loose and wild.

A youth his own age.

Bang Sungyeon.

He trudged forward, sword leaned on his shoulder.

Blood streamed from his thigh.

“Agent Bang...?”

Pungyeon too was struck dumb.

How was he standing there...?

‘How...?’

What happened to the Mountain Ghost?

How was this fool walking toward them, unharmed?

It made no sense.

Pungyeon braced himself, eyes on him. Then Bang Sungyeon spoke.

“Go ahead and choose.”

“What?”

At the sudden words, Pungyeon frowned.

Sungyeon went on, unconcerned.

“Will you be carved apart piece by piece? Or—”

His eyes glowed.

“Beaten to death like a dog?”

For some reason, they were vividly blue.