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“…”

“…”

A moment of silence passed. Under the setting sun that was beginning to fade, I shared a glance with Mongmong.

Crack.

The pressure gripping my neck intensified, but there was a hint of hesitation somewhere.

[No…? Really not?]

Mongmong asked again. It was the same sensation as before.

My heart felt a tingle.

Hearing that, I replied.

“Yes. It’s not.”

Once more, the answer was the same.

It was uttered without any hesitation.

What was this?

Isn’t it a power like the Dragon Word?

The sensation was similar to the power that Blood Demon used on me. But the results were different.

Just a slight poke. Nothing felt different.

“Really not?”

Mongmong asked again.

What do you want me to say?

“I said it’s not!”

I spat out, infused with annoyance, and Mongmong’s eyes turned strange.

The look of confusion was evident.

A feeling of disbelief, perhaps?

And once again, silence swept over.

What the hell do you want? The pressure around my neck remained.

Should I just push him away? It was a tough dilemma.

I glanced at the Heavenly Demon beside me.

I could see a slight intensity in the Heavenly Demon’s eyes.

If things kept going this way, she seemed poised to do something.

Either way, it would end badly.

Woo Hyeok.

I steeled my heart. Just as I was about to push Mongmong’s arm away…

Swish-!

The hand gripping my neck released. The massive arm shrank back to that thin, white one from before.

Swoosh.

Debris from the wall scattered, and my feet landed on the ground.

Rubbing my throbbing neck with one hand, I brushed off my clothes with the other.

“That’s strange… Why not?”

Mongmong said softly, furrowing his brow.

“…What’s not?”

“…No… That.”

“Were you trying to guide me or was it for this purpose?”

“That’s not it….”

Mongmong waved his hands away. Then he wrapped his hands around his chin.

“What’s going on? This can’t be right? My intuition can’t be wrong…”

“Hah.”

I let out a breath as if utterly dumbfounded.

“What exactly do you want from me…?”

“…”

Mongmong glanced at me from head to toe.

I felt the quick light green gaze pass over me.

As if unsure of what was happening, he wrapped his neck. Suddenly…

“…Uh, um. Sorry… Sorry.”

Mongmong smiled as if truly apologetic and gave my shoulder a light pat.

It was mildly bothersome that the language had relaxed, but I didn’t want to nitpick over it.

‘He’s definitely hiding something.’

It was clear. This guy, whatever he was, had something up his sleeve.

“I must have misjudged something. Hahaha.”

“You misjudged and suddenly gripped my neck…”

Just as I was about to ask sarcastically—

Woosh-!

A gust of wind blew.

Crack!!!

A loud noise roared from the left side.

When I shifted my gaze, I saw a massive circular hole had been created.

“…”

It was the result of Mongmong’s fist.

‘That little brat.’

I squinted my eyes. The presence that had been so small before was now drastically different.

‘Unstable.’

The forcibly compressed physical form swayed unsteadily.

As he slightly released his hidden power, his presence rose as well.

‘…Strong.’

I was certain.

I had thought it was somewhat similar to that Duryeong or whatever his name was.

But that was not merely a guess; I was observing it properly.

‘What level are we talking here?’

At worst, he could match a teens’ martial master in the Central Plains.

Among them, he was on par with the Sword Sovereign.

‘Can I win?’

I quickly calculated my odds.

It was a habit whenever facing an ambiguous opponent or a strong person.

What would be the result if I fought him now?

Clenching my fist slightly, I spun my energy for a brief moment.

I checked my physical state.

‘Hmm.’

I wasn’t at my best. My left palm was still messed up, and the aftermath of using the Heavenly Demon Technique had rattled my insides.

What would happen in this condition?

‘I don’t know.’

I couldn’t tell what would occur even at my best. In this state, things seemed quite ambiguous.

Especially…

‘That last punch.’

I couldn’t see the fist well. Even if I didn’t raise my Qi Perception, it was definitely not weak.

‘This won’t do.’

With the Heavenly Demon there, my chances wouldn’t be slim, but…

‘Calculating with the Heavenly Demon in mind is strange.’

She was still an enemy.

Even now, I somehow felt uncomfortable being in her presence, but I had to keep recognizing her as an opponent.

Thus…

‘I mustn’t fight.’

I internally answered myself.

This was not a fight I should engage in.

At that moment.

“If you go straight down this path, you’ll find the Black Family.”

Mongmong awkwardly smiled and pointed at the other side of the hole he had made.

There, I could indeed see the mansion of the Black Family.

‘No way.’

Did he really make a hole to lead me there?

Tearing down every wall…?

‘What a reckless guy.’

I frowned.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Haha, really.”

Whether he knew my thoughts or not, Mongmong only wore that awkward smile.

“I must have misunderstood. Can you forgive me?”

“…What exactly are you?”

I asked, filled with questions.

Upon hearing my query, Mongmong widened his eyes for a moment, then…

“Well, it might not be good to know, but are you sure you want to?”

“Then I’ll just pretend I don’t know.”

“You’re quick to judge, aren’t you?”

“I avoid getting tangled in bothersome matters.”

Of course, saying that while being involved in all kinds of bothersome situations.

“Hmm, yeah.”

Mongmong nodded at my words repeatedly.

“That’s good, too.”

Then he grinned like before and added:

“If you’re really curious, go ask the black kid over there.”

“…”

The black kid.

I immediately knew who he referred to. The issue was…

‘…Calling the leader a kid.’

I didn’t know much yet, but I understood that nobles held significant positions.

Among them, a leader was like a governor managing a whole region.

Mongmong referred to the leader as a kid.

I focused on that part.

“Enjoy yourself. I really am sorry.”

Mongmong said, placing both hands together as if praying and talking to me.

“I’ll treat you better next time. So, take care.”

He waved goodbye as if urging me to leave.

Just moments ago, he was playing the whole band while now sending me off alone.

It was funny yet…

‘Does he really just want to let me go?’

Given that I didn’t have to fight for now, I felt relieved.

As I was about to walk away without relaxing my expression—

“Oh. So…”

Mongmong added one more thing.

“Did you say you were Cheol Jiseon of the Hwasan Sect?”

“…Ah. Yes.”

Hwasan Sect.

He must have recognized me from my clothes.

I was wearing the martial robe they provided.

“Right. I’ll remember. See you next time?”

“…”

If possible, I’d rather not see you again.

I wished I could say that, but…

‘…That’s not good.’

It felt like I’d run into this guy again before long.

My instincts were telling me so.

*

I made my way toward the mansion of the Black Family through the shattered streets.

This place wasn’t initially my destination, but somehow, I ended up here.

“Who…”

The Gatekeeper in front of the mansion aimed his weapon at me menacingly, just like at the gates before.

But upon seeing the token in my hand, he froze in place.

After that, everything was straightforward.

Just by showing one token, I bypassed all procedures and entered.

I was given something, and I was glad to have taken it.

So I stepped into the mansion and stood before the massive door.

Just as the guide was about to knock with trembling hands…

[Come in.]

A voice echoed from inside.

Creeeak.

The door opened by itself. I stepped inside without hesitation.

The inside was just as it had been the last time I visited.

A dark gloom with not a single ray of light.

In the middle sat a table and a man with black hair.

“Here we meet again.”

“Pleasant to see you.”

“It seems like the person who came with you is different this time?”

The Black Clan Leader spoke while looking at the Heavenly Demon.

“Yes. Your son is a bit busy this time.”

In truth, he wasn’t busy at all, but there was no need to bring him here.

The other side didn’t seem to mind either.

Well, at least their family was stable. This place seemed as much of a mess as our own.

“Now, are you here for another reason…?”

It seemed he was about to get straight to the point, so I raised my hand to stop him.

“Ah, first, I need to ask something.”

This was more urgent.

“…?”

The Leader wore a puzzled expression.

Seeing that, I spoke up.

“I met someone just before I came here.”

I explained the encounter with Mongmong that I had right after arriving.

The more I spoke, the more the Leader’s expression crumpled.

From his reaction, it seemed he knew who that person was.

Plus, to be honest, I had my suspicions as well.

Once I finished discussing how I had been led through the hole he created…

“…This is troubling.”

The Black Clan Leader spoke in a tone that suggested he felt cornered.

“Your General has been looking for you.”

Hearing those words, I narrowed my eyes.

As expected.

‘That brat is indeed in charge.’

Someone who treats the Leader like a kid while being able to manage the entire fortress as if it were their bedroom.

The four rulers my mother accompanied.

Mongmong was practically the de facto ruler here in Yawol.

*

-So I was saying, last time…

-No, listen! At the recent Armory…

In the streets filled with various sounds.

On what could be said to be an unremarkable building roof.

A young man with green hair tilted his head.

Though he was called a young man, he looked more like a boy.

“Hmm…”

As if deeply contemplating something, he rolled his eyes repeatedly.

“Something’s off.”

No matter how much he thought, he couldn’t make sense of it.

The young man recalled the ones he had met just before.

A sharp-featured young man clad in white, with sharply-cut black hair, alongside a beautiful woman.

Out of the two, he pondered over the male.

“What is it?”

What could it possibly be?

“Something was definitely strange…?”

Even now, it felt off. His intuition had never lied to him, so he thought it would be the same this time.

As he looked down at Yawol, the moment he remembered that boy…

He felt an unknown vibration in his back.

Go there now.

Go catch that guy and check it out.

That intense sensation boiled within him.

So he was about to move in to confirm it.

But then…

“No way?”

That kid said no.

“Hmm…?”

He couldn’t comprehend it.

“Really not…?”

He had just denied it verbally, but how was he supposed to trust that?

“He even used his name yet still said no.”

The question he posed wasn’t just rhetorical.

As someone from Mankye, he should have the mark that anyone with that lineage possesses.

The Master of Mankye.

Just below the Master, the General.

They could deliver absolute statements with power infused in their souls to those of lower rank.

If commanded to live, you’d live. To die, you’d die.

That was an absolute law inscribed in Mankye.

‘Did he really say no?’

When the young man infused his might into the question, the answer came back as a denial.

“…Strange…”

How could that be possible?

His instincts told him that they were indeed the case, yet the response was one of denial.

This was the first time the young man faced such a situation after becoming a General.

It was an impossible occurrence.

To claim his intuition was wrong is directly related to power as well.

“Hmm…”

Was he genuinely mistaken?

He couldn’t bring himself to believe it, but that was the current reality.

There was no explanation otherwise.

Those receiving a command must not lie.

It was an absolute law stamped in the world that couldn’t be altered.

However…

‘Just this once.’

There existed a case when one could defy a General’s command.

That was…

‘If he is a being higher than the General.’

Someone of a rank greater than the General, just below the Master of Mankye.

Naturally, orders wouldn’t take hold over him.

“Hahaha! Ridiculous.”

The young man thought of this possibility but immediately brushed it aside.

After all, his Master existed right above him.

There was no way that kid was above him.

“Intuition can sometimes be off.”

The young man nodded and accepted that reasoning.

He strongly believed there was no way that could be the case.

“If worse comes to worst, I can just check again next time.”

After all, he would soon meet him again.

The young man’s intuition told him he would see that kid soon enough, and he was confident that this instinct wouldn’t fail him.

 

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