Before the fight, the Thousand Hands Sword had a question.
"I heard earlier that you seem to hold a grudge against us?"
No matter how much he racked his memory, he had no history with Gwae-ak.
How could he forget something involving someone like Gwae-ak?
Gwae-ak did not tell them why he wanted to kill them.
It was obvious that the Thousand Hands Sword wouldn't understand and would only mock him.
There was a woman Gwae-ak had kept in his heart.
She was a widow raising a child and running a small restaurant, where he would sometimes stop to eat.
He had no special relationship with the woman.
They were merely a shop owner and a customer.
Strangely, he was drawn to her.
He could have taken her if he had put his mind to it, but he didn't.
Just watching the woman and her child put his heart at ease.
For him, who had lived a wicked life, she and this place were a kind of sanctuary.
And then, the incident occurred.
During the Twin Swords of Yama's escape after being branded as Public Enemies of the Martial World, the customers in the restaurant were massacred.
She and her child died then.
Though he had no connection to her, Gwae-ak resolved to kill the Twin Swords of Yama in revenge.
He still didn't know what kind of feeling it was.
Whether it was for her, or because he was tired of seeing the two of them running rampant and swaggering around as one of the Seven Great Masters of the Unorthodox Alliance.
Later, he heard news that the Twin Swords of Yama had been trapped in the Heavenly Net formation and killed.
But Gwae-ak didn't believe it.
They weren't the kind of people to die so easily.
And in the end, seeing how the heavens had brought them before him like this, she must have been a meaningful person in his life.
Gwae-ak explained his revenge this way.
"Did we ever have a grand reason to kill people?"
The Thousand Hands Sword laughed.
It was a smile where his mouth and eyes did not match.
"You have a point."
The fight between Gwae-ak and the Thousand Hands Sword began.
Gwae-ak did not fear swords, but the Thousand Hands Sword's blade was terrifying.
Just as rocks turned to tofu under his fists, iron bars became radishes under the Thousand Hands Sword's blade.
The same was true for the Thousand Hands Sword.
How dare he prance around bare-handed before his sword? He would dice him up in an instant, leaving not even a trace behind.
But if his opponent was Gwae-ak, he might be the one looking foolish, relying on nothing but his sword.
They knew each other too well.
They knew the skills of the Seven Great Masters of the Unorthodox Alliance.
Their skills were evenly matched.
It was a duel between martial arts that had reached the ultimate state and swordsmanship that had reached the ultimate state.
Within the dazzling forms lay deceit, and within the light movements hid the secret to a single, fatal strike.
Having wandered and fought throughout the Central Plains their entire lives, their skills were as outstanding as the infamy they had built.
Ultimately, this fight was a battle of who could control their inner energy better, and who would make the first mistake.
Even the smallest error meant death.
All this brilliance would be part of the process; in the end, life and death would be decided by a single, simple form.
Even as they fought, both men were mindful of the battle between Bi Sa-in and the Yama Sword.
He wanted to kill the Thousand Hands Sword quickly and save Bi Sa-in, but it wasn't going as planned.
Fortunately, Bi Sa-in was fighting surprisingly well.
'Just hold on a little longer.'
Just as the fight was reaching its climax.
When the two separated for a moment, he saw Gwae-ak's gaze turn to the sky behind him.
At that moment, the Thousand Hands Sword read the words formed by Gwae-ak’s twitching lips.
He's coming.
Yes, Gwae-ak had clearly said, "He's coming," as if to himself.
He couldn't turn to look at the sky, suspecting it was a trick to distract him for a surprise attack.
Who was coming?
What unsettled him even more was that the joy blooming on Gwae-ak's face was not something that could be faked.
And then, he heard a subtle, unfamiliar sound of the wind.
Shhhhiiiiiiiiiii.
It was a sound he had never heard before.
Something was really coming.
It was a sound from a distance he never would have noticed if Gwae-ak hadn't pointed it out.
But he had no time to look back.
Gwae-ak had begun to pour all his remaining strength into pressing him.
In a fight between masters like them, pushing oneself too hard always came with a price.
But Gwae-ak was recklessly unleashing his attacks.
It was as if he was trying to prevent him from turning around.
As if he was certain the fight was about to end.
What in the world was coming? Was the grim reaper himself on his way?
In the midst of their fierce battle, he heard it.
The sound of the wall behind him crumbling.
'Someone really did come.'
He saw someone fly in, use the wall as a springboard, and then rush towards the Yama Sword.
He wanted to go and help, but he couldn't.
By the time he registered the fact, the opponent was already grabbing the Yama Sword’s arm.
Puk!
The moment he saw Bi Sa-in's sword pierce the Yama Sword's heart!
The Thousand Hands Sword's concentration broke.
That fleeting moment was exactly what Gwae-ak had been waiting for throughout the fight.
Thwack!
Gwae-ak's elbow struck the Thousand Hands Sword's chin.
Despite the soul-shattering impact, the Thousand Hands Sword desperately tried to stay conscious.
As he swung his sword to defend against a second attack, he couldn't see Gwae-ak.
'No!'
The Thousand Hands Sword despaired.
For masters of their level, losing sight of an opponent was the same as letting go of their lifeline.
Crunch.
With the sound of breaking bones, the Thousand Hands Sword's neck twisted a full circle.
He saw Gwae-ak's face behind him, and then the original scene in front of him again.
It happened so quickly that he didn't realize his neck was broken.
He saw the fallen Yama Sword in the distance, and he could see what Gwae-ak had meant by 'he's coming.' The moment he realized it was a young man.
Like a lamp's flame blown out by a gust of wind, the world went dark in an instant.
The light vanished from the eyes of the neck-broken Thousand Hands Sword, and he collapsed like a straw doll.
"Haaaah."
A long breath escaped Gwae-ak's lips.
Looking down at the Thousand Hands Sword’s corpse, Gwae-ak remembered that woman from long ago.
The one who had smiled brightly, saying she had given him a double portion.
Thinking back at this moment, he realized that he had loved her.
'Actually, the portion was too much for me. Rest in peace now.'
He now said the words he couldn't say to the woman back then.
In this world, there is such a thing as revenge for someone whose hand you never even held.
Gwae-ak raised his head and looked toward Geom Mugeuk.
Geom Mugeuk was applying pressure to Bi Sa-in's pressure points to stop the bleeding from his wounds.
"Did you hear what the Young Alliance Leader said?"
"What did he say?"
"He was a complete mess, but he said this. 'Please save Senior Gwae.'"
Gwae-ak's eyes trembled slightly.
"What is he talking about? I was having a grand time beating him up."
"It looked like a close call."
"I'm telling you, it wasn't!"
Exhausted, Gwae-ak also slumped to the ground.
He had been cut in several places and had suffered internal injuries.
Moreover, the mental strain had been immense, and as the tension eased, sleepiness washed over him.
"To the person who was winning just fine, what kind of..."
As his head dropped, his bravado fell asleep with him.
*
When Bi Sa-in opened his eyes, he was lying on a bed.
An unfamiliar ceiling and the pungent smell of herbs filled his nose.
'I'm alive.'
The fact that he was alive brought a wave of joyous relief that was hard to put into words.
He really thought he was going to die this time.
He recalled Geom Mugeuk's face as he looked at him at the very end.
His exhausted, panting form.
That look of relief in his eyes.
'Anyone would think you were the one fighting.'
Bi Sa-in examined his body.
It was covered in bandages, and the smell of golden salve was strong.
How many places had he been cut? He could remember more than six.
He reflexively tried to sit up, but cried out in pain and lay back down.
His whole body ached as if someone had beaten him all night.
Just then, Bi Sa-in's eyes caught two sets of protective armor propped against the wall.
Looking at the blood-soaked armor, he was struck anew by how fierce the battle had been.
He couldn't even remember how he had fought at the end.
'Ah! What about Senior Gwae?'
He was so worried about Gwae-ak that he couldn't stay in bed.
As he grunted and tried to sit up again, he heard Geom Mugeuk's voice from outside.
"You're not well, where do you think you're going all the time?"
Then came a welcome reply.
"I told you, I'm fine."
"I'm telling you, you're not. If you don't treat this properly now, when you get old, your bones will ache."
"I'm as old as I'm going to get, and my bones ache as much as they're going to ache!"
Bi Sa-in lay back down on the bed.
A smile had formed on his lips without him realizing it.
Though he was injured and a powerful enemy still remained, at this moment, his heart was at ease.
He fell asleep again and woke to find Geom Mugeuk in the room.
"You're awake?"
"How long was I asleep?"
"You slept for almost a whole day. Aren't you hungry?"
"I'm fine."
Sometimes, when you feel too good, you don't even realize you're hungry.
Now was one of those times.
"But where is this?"
"It's one of our safehouses."
To think he would live to see the inside of a Heavenly Demon Divine Sect safehouse.
"Help me up."
As Bi Sa-in tried to get up, Geom Mugeuk gently pushed him back down.
"Are people from the Unorthodox Faction always this impatient? You seem even more hot-tempered than the demonic practitioners of our sect."
"That's not something the person who flew here in such a hurry yesterday should say."
He postponed his thanks again.
He felt that settling the debt of gratitude would not be possible in a single day.
He would have to live his life taking out each piece of gratitude from the basket one by one.
Geom Mugeuk threw open the window.
"The weather is wonderful today, too."
He watched Geom Mugeuk's back as he gazed out the window.
For some reason, when he was quiet, he seemed lonely.
Especially when looking at his back as he stared at something.
"How did you know to come?"
Geom Mugeuk answered, still with his back to him.
"I rushed here because I missed you."
"Stop with the nonsense."
The moment he confirmed that the one who had joined hands with the Martial King was the Grand Strategist, Hyeok Sa-gun, Geom Mugeuk had dashed toward Bi Sa-in's safehouse using Swift Step.
Hyeok Sa-gun would know that Bi Sa-in was alive, and he would also know the location of the safehouse.
If not for that split-second decision, Bi Sa-in and Gwae-ak would have died.
"The person who joined hands with Hwang Seok-gyeong is..."
Bi Sa-in tensed.
There weren't many people who would know the location of the safehouse and could send the Twin Swords of Yama.
Geom Mugeuk turned to face Bi Sa-in and said.
"It is Hyeok Sa-gun."
"!"
Bi Sa-in was shocked.
He had thought it had to be someone of that level for it to make sense, but he hadn't imagined it would really be Hyeok Sa-gun.
"Are you serious?"
"I confirmed it myself."
Bi Sa-in felt a tightness in his chest and couldn't bear to lie down any longer.
Enduring the pain, he forced himself to sit up.
This time, Geom Mugeuk did not stop him.
He extended his hand, and a gentle, cotton-like energy flowed out, helping Bi Sa-in to sit up.
Bi Sa-in leaned against the wall, lost in thought for a moment.
He remembered Hyeok Sa-gun smiling at him.
Seeing the young man always made him feel good for some reason.
He had felt that when he officially became the Grand Strategist, the Unorthodox Alliance would be transformed into something new.
But all of that was just an act, a lie?
Anxiety outweighed his anger.
Hyeok Sa-gun was a more difficult enemy than any other in the Unorthodox Alliance.
He was closer to the Alliance Leader than anyone else.
"Are you worried?"
Bi Sa-in nodded.
He had to face Hwang Seok-gyeong's martial arts and Hyeok Sa-gun's intellect.
"I was saved by your help again."
"No, this time you saved yourself."
"What do you mean?"
"Because you faced an enemy stronger than you and held on until the end. All I did was grab his arm just once. You were the one who killed him."
Geom Mugeuk gave all the credit to Bi Sa-in.
Another piece of gratitude went back into the basket.
"You fought really well. Of all the Young Alliance Leaders I have seen, you are the best."
A smile formed on Bi Sa-in's rough face.
"You've only ever seen one Young Alliance Leader."
This time, Geom Mugeuk broke into a wide smile.
Seeing his smile made him truly feel that he had survived.
Just then, Gwae-ak entered the room.
Bi Sa-in tried to clasp his fists in a formal greeting while seated but grunted in pain.
Right, both of his arms had been cut.
"It's fine. Just stay as you are."
"Senior, are you alright?"
Gwae-ak also reeked of medicine and was bandaged up here and there.
"I'm fine."
He was grateful that he was alive.
If he had been the only one to survive while Gwae-ak died, he would have felt guilty for the rest of his life, thinking of him.
"I am alive because you saved me, Senior."
"How could that be because of me?"
As he said this, Gwae-ak glanced at Geom Mugeuk.
Because Geom Mugeuk had arrived in time, he and Bi Sa-in had both been able to survive.
He now owed him his life twice.
He wanted to thank him, but felt a surge of cantankerousness.
"When can we leave? The food of the Demon Sect really doesn't suit my palate."
He was uncomfortable staying at a Heavenly Demon Divine Sect safehouse.
Before meeting Geom Mugeuk, he had always preceded the words 'Demon Sect' with 'damned'.
"My job is done, so I can go now, can't I?"
Having killed those he needed to kill, there was no need to be greedy for a secret manual.
"I think I'll go live in seclusion in a place with good mountains and clear water."
At that, Bi Sa-in said to him.
"Please postpone that retirement."
"Why? Did you change your mind about buying me the biggest golden basin in the world?"
"Of course not. Before you soak your hands in that basin, I would like to borrow them for a while. Since you have already saved my life once, please take responsibility for it from now on."
Geom Mugeuk knew better than anyone how much it meant for martial artists to overcome a life-threatening crisis together.
That was why he knew how important this moment was for these two men.
Bi Sa-in respectfully bowed his head and made his plea.
"Please help me become a good Alliance Leader."
Bi Sa-in did not raise his head.
His posture conveyed his will to remain bowed until he received permission.
"I am a man with many enemies and many flaws. If you keep me by your side, there will be much opposition."
"I'll tell them all to get lost."
A faint smile appeared on Gwae-ak's lips.
"You might think so now."
Gwae-ak did not accept easily.
He looked down at the bowed Bi Sa-in for a moment, then glanced at Geom Mugeuk.
Geom Mugeuk said to him.
"I will give you double what the Young Alliance Leader offers. Come to our side."
Bi Sa-in, still with his head bowed, couldn't help but let out a dry laugh.
Geom Mugeuk was a man who couldn't resist a joke even in a situation like this.
"Your food doesn't suit my palate."
After rejecting him with a single sentence, Gwae-ak approached Bi Sa-in and lifted his bowed head.
"There's no need to keep me by your side just for my sake. Rather, by taking a step back, I'll be able to help you properly."
It was his way of saying he would help quietly, without stepping into the limelight.
It was also a sign of his will not to throw his weight around using the Alliance Leader's authority.
"Thank you, thank you so much."
"Don't forget the biggest and best golden basin."
At that moment, Bi Sa-in, who had only relied on the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path, gained his most dependable ally.
Geom Mugeuk congratulated the two with his eyes.
A few people he missed naturally came to his mind.
Just then, a demonic practitioner managing the safehouse came and delivered a dispatch.
"This is an urgent dispatch sent to the Young Cult Master from the Unorthodox Alliance through the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion."
Geom Mugeuk checked the contents of the dispatch.
"What does it say?"
To Bi Sa-in's tense question, Geom Mugeuk replied with an expression that said, 'what was bound to happen has finally happened.'
"Your Alliance Leader wants to see me."