Chapter 139
**
I answered by tightly gripping the drawn sword.
Ak-bi chuckled.
“Well… it’s not an unexpected reaction. But it’s not the right direction either. You value pride over your own life? Such people always meet an early death. Jeok-un. And you too will walk the same path.”
“I’ll listen to the rest of the story later.”
“The rest of the story, huh. Unfortunately, whether you get to hear it or not is not up to you. Jeok-un. It’s my decision.”
Ak-bi stood up.
“Bul-jun. Tonight, you become a fallen monk alongside your former master. You will take responsibility for the entire disappearance incident. And the Martial Alliance Inspector dies here. For having pierced through the truth of the fallen monk.”
“…….!”
“Even I can’t turn the entire Shaolin into living puppets. Just handling that Great Master Cheonil is already plenty difficult. However, you see, making someone into a living puppet is not only achieved through the Demon Breathing Technique. The Eighteen Arhats and the Four Great Vajras. To make Master Jang Gyeong and Master Na Han my allies…”
Ak-bi grinned.
“Money would suffice.”
—Snap.
Ak-bi’s finger snapped. The sound of wind stopped.
The surroundings grew quiet. I felt the chaotic currents dissipate in that silence.
The formation was instantaneously broken.
At the same time…
A multitude of presences rushed in.
“Behold. The changed Shaolin.”
—Clack.
Shadowy figures descended from the towering terrain.
The symbol of Shaolin, known for its most rigorous training.
The Eighteen Arhats.
The four absolute masters known as the other swords of Master Jang Gyeong.
The Four Great Vajras.
With them at his back, Ak-bi laughed, not even hiding his body as he shrugged his shoulders.
“Though it’s a bit premature, it’s time to fulfill our promise. Master Jang Gyeong. Master Na Han.”
“…Namu Amitabul.”
“Older Brother. I regret that it has come to this.”
Bul-jun’s eyes trembled at the sight of the two remaining figures who revealed themselves atop the rocky mountain.
“Now then, Master Jang Gyeong… Master Na Han… you wouldn’t be threatening me, would you?”
“What threat? Monk. We are equal partners. We obtained what we wanted from each other. I received the puppets, and they wanted someone removed because of that.”
Master Jang Gyeong.
The man with a serious demeanor spoke first.
“Older Brother, how many times must I say it? You shouldn’t be huddled in this narrow space; you must extend outward. But you refused.”
“How can one who cultivates virtue to save others seek to expand their power and increase their revenue?”
“To achieve salvation for all, someone must step forward. Those of us who have polished our virtue are indeed worthy of standing at the peak of salvation. Teachings must flow from the top down. Only by standing above can we save the sentient beings, don’t you agree? Denying that truth is what you do, Older Brother.”
“You bastard! Are you saying that while forcefully expanding your power, the blood and tears of the exploited citizens are in accordance with the Buddha’s will?!”
“Necessary sacrifices. If the outcome is witnessed later, they will understand.”
Master Na Han.
The sharp-looking man spoke up.
“From the beginning, Older Brother was not suited for the changing Shaolin. Like a shackle from a bygone era. As the world changes, Shaolin must adapt as well. To keep pace, some things must be relinquished.”
“Those are just flowery words! In the end, it’s your personal greed that superseded your virtue!”
“You really know nothing. It is those who are capable that must have more to give to those beneath them, isn’t that so? This is all part of the process to spread virtue to everyone. It’s a necessity.”
“Driven by personal greed… to turn your back on the teachings of the Buddha… to corrupt Shaolin…!”
“Corrupt? Tsk tsk. It is us who sustain the current Shaolin, Older Brother. But how have you treated us? Haven’t you been talking about retreating to the past, all while avoiding your duties? Not even performing your role as the main elder, yet only speaking nonsense… Ask the children here. Did we force them?”
Master Jang Gyeong and Master Na Han laid their hands on the massive prayer beads.
“Your disappearance would be for the benefit of Shaolin. Originally, we intended to deal with you after your notoriety had grown, but… since it has come to this, we have no choice.”
“You, who have become a beast blinded by blood, will die as a rare monster who even killed innocent Damyang. But don’t worry. Over your corpse, Shaolin will develop further.”
“I… to take just one down… how many…”
“Well, if we were to be precise, it would be a bit much to say they are guiltless, wouldn’t it? The vagrants don’t do their work properly and merely beg from others, you know. Older Brother.”
“There are distinctions in human lives, and we considered methods to minimize civilian casualties. Vagrants… are not proper humans.”
“You crazy bastards!”
Bul-jun’s expression crumbled. I took a breath next to him.
The Eighteen Arhats. I know. The symbol of Shaolin. Collectively, they could easily topple leaders of other sects.
The Four Great Vajras also had their fierce reputations spread throughout the martial world. The top masters of Shaolin aside from the main elder. The four together were said to be unbeatable by any evil.
And then the two.
With Master Jang Gyeong and Master Na Han. The Great Master Cheonil before me was undoubtedly a match for Gongbaek. The previous exchange made that clear.
The situation looks grim.
…But.
There’s something the enemy hasn’t noticed.
They merely perceive me as a disposable piece for the Heavenly Demon.
I am much stronger than they think…
They know about me, but they don’t know everything.
Along with the fact that my Master took me as his disciple, they surely have no idea what paths I have traversed.
Thus, your judgment is incorrect, Ak-bi.
From the very beginning to the end, it’s all wrong.
“…Huh.”
I breathe along the edge of my sword. I find what I can do within the Blood Sword.
A year-long journey. The diligent steps I took to reach the Martial Alliance.
What I practiced during that time was not merely training to wield the Ear Sword.
I continued to practice. Through mental exercises, I relaxed the muscles of my entire body and could reflect on the strengthened self.
They are the ones who killed innocent lives.
They are the ones who abducted the missing and made them into human meat.
They are the ones who brainwashed people to turn them into living puppets.
Now they even go beyond that…
They are the ones who desecrate the dead for their own goals.
I lower my sword at an angle. I feel the beating of my heart.
I open my energy channels one by one. I feel the swirling of my emotions within.
Shaolin.
A rotting Shaolin.
I recalled the voice of the girl who asked me to save her father. The promise I could no longer keep flashed through my mind.
Then what must I do?
“……”
Revenge.
In speaking on behalf of those who died without even being able to resist.
I must defend the child who was crying.
If I do not, no one else will.
Here in Shaolin, there is no one to voice their suffering in their stead.
I must do it.
“……”
Listen to the beating heart.
Feel the life pulsating.
Where do you stand, Jeok-un? What can you do?
“…Everything.”
Gongbaek flinched. The shock in his gaze was palpable.
The training wavered. His hand trembled, having unconsciously taken a defensive posture.
I do not look back at them. I simply feel.
Ignoring even the hidden laughter of Ak-bi.
“Kuhuhu! More astonishing than I expected! So you had a hidden move after all! The Heavenly Demon must have treated you well! My judgment did not lie! You have value to be used, Jeok-un!”
I don the guise of a beast.
To do what must be done.
I extend my foot. The qi I had concealed bursts forth, rising from my lower abdomen to envelop my entire body.
Cheongeop whispers. Is it time to stop hiding?
I spoke.
“I’ll tear it all apart.”
No longer needing to breathe.
. . .
Myochoa burst out through the door. She collided with Geumpyeong, who was also rushing out.
“…Did you feel that too?”
“Yeah.”
I was trying to get some sleep. It seemed better than getting stuck on a seemingly stagnant issue.
But something was different. A sudden surge of immense pressure coursed through my body in an instant.
It was but a moment, yet I felt it undoubtedly.
The roar of a beast that seems ready to no longer hold back.
“…Do you know where it came from?”
“No idea. It was too fleeting. Has Bul-jun moved? But something about that power feels… different from pure.”
Once again, our gazes collided in midair.
At once, Myochoa and Geumpyeong threw open the door.
“…What.”
Jeok-un is gone.
“You don’t mean… that person from before…”
“The Master confirmed his background personally. That can’t be right.”
“Then who on earth are you talking about?”
“…A third party…?”
A third-party master has appeared within Shaolin?
What could possibly be the reason behind that?
The context makes no sense. There’s too little information.
These past few days. It looked like nothing was progressing, so I felt relieved, but…
Has Jeok-un found something without us knowing?
“…We need to go to Shaolin.”
“I’m coming with you.”
I’m not particularly inclined to that idea. But it’s something that can’t be helped right now.
That ripple of energy. It was definitely…
Something akin to the roaring of an absolute master.
If that was the enemy…
Acting alone would definitely lead to disaster.
“What on earth is happening…?”
. . .
I saw countless post-mortem records.
Bul-jun. How did that name come to be?
It was like a demonic nature that draws people in. The higher its renown, the more moths to the flame come seeking to learn a trick.
Gongbaek defeated all of those who challenged him. He imparted knowledge to those lacking it, and when it was time to engage, he showed a degree of sincerity.
But no one dared to confront him directly.
The name “Master” had that authority.
The name “Heavenly Seer Gongbaek” carried as much.
When I crossed the wall, I vaguely realized that very few capable people remained in this world.
And most of those were heads of organizations. Just moving was enough to create a storm, so it was not surprising that they were out of reach.
Nevertheless, they occasionally appeared.
Those who purely pursued martial arts.
Those who surprised themselves with their own martial talent.
Those were strong. Some without alias, but all had a hidden move.
Occasionally it would send a chill down my spine. But even that was simply the end of the chill.
Among those without names, none could surpass the fame of Bul-jun.
A name given to four supreme beings. And that was…
Gongbaek understood best. The weight of that name.
But this is something else.
What in the world is happening?
I feel the swirling red energy. My whole body trembles with the ferocity that I had kept hidden.
It’s not out of fear. The ‘War’ that is carved into my being is reacting instinctively.
Jeok-un.
A master whose power has been cultivated through layers.
Though that’s not all. What stands before me possesses force beyond mere power.
What clings to that sword tip… is an intense density of pure blood energy.
But there is no demonic nature. What I feel is nothing but fighting spirit.
The world is in turmoil. Even my innards feel frigid.
It’s an entirely different form of power from those I had previously encountered.
This…
Isn’t it a bite that could reach even oneself…?
“You…!”
A spy of the Demon Cult.
A martial artist intertwined with the Heavenly Demon.
But to simply see them as a spy is a gross understatement. Their prowess is considerable; they are certainly not expendable.
“Who on earth are you?!”
“Our positions may differ, but we share a common goal at this moment.”
Amidst the roiling blood energy, a predator whispers.
“Isn’t there something you need to do, Elder?”
“……!”
Gongbaek had turned his head late. Speechless in surprise, he came face to face with a long-forgotten reality.
The fallen monks who turned their backs on virtue and sulked in power and riches, and his own master whom he had killed with his own hands.
The disgrace of the deceased.
“…Master.”
“…….”
In his answer-less eyes was a haze of despair. Those vacant gazes merely stared back at him in silence.
“Teacher Bai. Kill me.”
…In the end.
Had he been unable to uphold even the last will of his master?
Gongbaek swallowed the surge of tears. All doubts and hesitations fell away.
Wasn’t it said that one’s nature should be this way?
That it was unfit.
The results of all those excuses came back to roost before him.
The many regrets from neglecting his responsibilities as the main elder.
He had led to a downfall.
He had failed to uphold his duty, and by not following through with his master’s final will, he ruined everything.
…Therefore.
“…I, the unworthy disciple, shall heed my master’s final command.”
He would no longer harbor any regrets.
“The 18th main elder of Shaolin, Gongbaek.”
The might of the Mujiun flowed from every part of Gongbaek’s body. It swept through the surroundings, not merely enveloping but beginning to suppress everyone.
“I shall momentarily set aside my virtue and begin to do what must be done.”
He turned his head for one last look. He gazed at the agent of the Demon Cult.
“…May I entrust you with the rear?”
“Just keep an eye on the situation.”
—Thud.
The blood sword dyed red touched the ground.
In an instant, the ground cracked.
As if an unbearable weight had just fallen upon it.
“I will clean it all up.”
