“Oh, for heaven’s sake, you idiot! What do you mean, ‘I’m fine’?”
‘Oh, it’s a joke. Just a joke. Did you really think I was tempted?’
Can’t a man even make a joke?
Ha Sochan quickly sealed the pouch and tucked it into his robes, grumbling.
Yeon Soso saw this and smiled faintly.
“Did you accept the offer?”
“Not yet.”
“…Then why are you keeping it?”
“Didn’t you give it to me as a gift?”
“Well, fine. That much money is nothing. Consider it a gift.”
‘Nothing, my foot.’
This weight in gold was a hundred times more than the commission Sin Harin paid, emptying her pockets.
…Of course, that was also because Sin Harin was broke, but still.
No matter how wealthy a sect, they wouldn’t pay that kind of sum as a monthly salary.
So the Red-Eyed Sword Demon’s attitude right now was…
‘A bluff.’
We don’t care about money.
We have so much money that we treat that amount as pocket change. Something like that.
—Or maybe she just has no sense of money.
‘Surely not? She’s probably just good at maintaining her composure.’
Indeed, the Red-Eyed Sword Demon’s expression remained unchanged.
“Why do you want to take me with you?”
“Well, don’t you know yourself?”
“Because I’m handsome?”
“…So this is your personality.”
“It’s a joke. It’s probably because there aren’t many martial artists with my level of exceptional skill at this age.”
“That’s true, but it sounds like you’re boasting, and it’s quite annoying.”
“It’s not boasting; I just happen to be quite capable.”
He spouted some nonsense while assessing the situation.
‘Doesn’t seem like she intends to attack.’
But you shouldn’t try to understand a madman.
The Red-Eyed Sword Demon over there clearly looked like someone whose screws were loose.
She could be smiling widely like this one moment, then have a blade at his throat the next.
‘If I fight here, what are my chances?’
It was ambiguous.
Based on the aura she was exuding, it seemed manageable, but it was unknown how much power she was hiding.
Her hidden subordinates were an added bonus.
And the Hungry Ghost Sword… was extremely bothersome.
‘When did she even find that?’
She must have arrived in Namchung even later than Ha Sochan.
“There are many martial arts manuals there too.”
Whether she knew Ha Sochan’s thoughts or not, the Red-Eyed Sword Demon chattered on eagerly.
“Even you, Young Master, would be surprised, wouldn’t you? To think so many martial arts manuals could be gathered in one place…”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, truly. You can even occasionally find the martial arts of legendary masters who have disappeared. If you join us, Young Master, you’ll be able to read all those manuals to your heart’s content.”
‘What a load of nonsense.’
Even if the Demonic Cult’s archive was vast, it wouldn’t be half the size of the Martial Arts Archive.
No, not even half, perhaps three-tenths?
Of course, the Red-Eyed Sword Demon had no way of knowing that.
That’s why she was saying such things.
—By the way, she’s really putting a lot of effort into persuading him, isn’t she?
‘Indeed. I didn’t think she was the type to do something like this.’
Though he knew almost nothing about her, well.
Considering only the rumors he’d heard throughout his first and second lives, he never thought she’d be the type to babble on and gather people like this.
‘She seemed like someone who would kill you on the spot if you rejected her offer.’
Of course, Ha Sochan hadn’t rejected the offer yet.
Even considering that, her attitude was remarkably gentle and enthusiastic.
She even seemed a bit excited, as if she was in a good mood.
‘She thanked me for the gift earlier, for getting the Hungry Ghost Sword.’
Could that be why she’s in a good mood?
It was highly probable.
Furthermore, if bringing Ha Sochan isn’t her own will but an order from someone higher up, then she’d have to work hard, making her even more enthusiastic.
Of course, he wasn’t particularly drawn in.
‘If she had prepared another gold ingot of the same weight as before, he might have actually been tempted.’
—Are you serious?
‘It’s a joke.’
—What kind of joke is that?!
Mugeuk grumbled noisily, shouting his nagging.
Ha Sochan completely ignored Mugeuk and looked at the Red-Eyed Sword Demon.
The Red-Eyed Sword Demon was still trying to explain, with her limited eloquence, how good and outstanding her organization was.
“Unlike the Righteous Faction, we are merit-based, not bothered by troublesome and unnecessary hierarchies or ranks. If you achieve great deeds, you could even become a disciple of one of our sect’s esteemed elders. If that happens…”
“Lady.”
Ha Sochan interrupted her.
He looked directly at the Red-Eyed Sword Demon and spoke.
“What is your position within that organization, Lady?”
“…You know that’s a very rude question, don’t you?”
The Red-Eyed Sword Demon narrowed her eyes.
But Ha Sochan retorted calmly.
“I apologize if you found it rude, but… if I were to accept your offer, wouldn’t I become your subordinate?”
“Not necessarily.”
“There’s a high chance of that, position-wise.”
“What’s wrong with that? Do you dislike me being above you?”
“It’s not that I specifically dislike you being above me, but…”
Ha Sochan’s eyes narrowed.
“I dislike having someone weaker than me in a superior position.”
“Ha.”
The Red-Eyed Sword Demon let out a hollow laugh.
“Are you really from the Righteous Faction?”
“I am.”
“Doesn’t seem like it.”
“I said I am.”
“Well… fine. I don’t dislike this kind of thing either.”
Thump.
A light tremor vibrated.
“…!”
Ha Sochan’s eyes widened.
It wasn’t because of the immense killing intent emanating from her opponent.
“In any case… you’re saying that if someone stronger than you is in a superior position, you’d be willing to serve them.”
Red.
The Red-Eyed Sword Demon’s eyes… were stained crimson.
“This isn’t a good place, so I won’t drag this out.”
“…!”
The Red-Eyed Sword Demon’s figure vanished.
But Ha Sochan didn’t panic.
The moment he realized she was gone, he flung himself, rolling once on the ground.
Whoosh!
A sword swept through the spot where Ha Sochan’s neck had been just moments before.
Terrifying speed and power.
Raising the Red-Eyed Sword Demon’s danger level in his mind, Ha Sochan threw a handful of dirt he’d grabbed while rolling on the ground.
“Tricks!”
The Red-Eyed Sword Demon, her face covered by a long sleeve, frowned.
Ha Sochan didn’t miss the opening.
As he rose, he twisted his body and thrust his sword forward.
Supremacy’s Heavenly Thrust.
Without the cumbersome need to execute forms in sequence, a blue sword aura gathered at the tip of his blade.
Ha Sochan, without hesitation, maximized his rotational force and thrust his sword.
“Kya ha ha ha! That’s more like it! If you’re going to talk so boldly, you need to have this much skill!”
Even with the sword aimed at her glabella, the Red-Eyed Sword Demon didn’t dodge.
Instead, she laughed maniacally and raised her own sword. At the same time, Ha Sochan’s eyes widened.
His gaze was fixed on her sword.
More precisely, on the sword aura emanating from it.
‘Why is it so ominous?’
Just looking at it, he could feel a thick, viscous killing intent.
Is she planning to finish this here and now?
But even so, he couldn’t retreat.
He put more strength into his lower body and thrust his sword with all his might.
A little stronger!
CRASH!
Dust billowed up with an explosive sound.
The debris in the alley couldn’t withstand the clash of forces and scattered, rolling across the ground.
“…”
Ha Sochan, his face stern, retracted his sword.
The Red-Eyed Sword Demon… was unharmed.
Nor was she pushed back.
She merely smiled chillingly, gazing at Ha Sochan.
“You weren’t using your full strength, were you?”
“Do you want to level the whole area?”
“Indeed.”
The Red-Eyed Sword Demon nodded, as if in agreement.
She glanced around the half-ruined alley, then spoke.
“I’d like to play more, but… I can’t anymore. A clash of this magnitude would surely have caught the attention of everyone nearby. What a shame.”
She licked her lips, as if genuinely meaning what she said.
Her crimson eyes flashed as she spoke.
“You… feel the same, don’t you?”
“Because a conclusion hasn’t been reached yet.”
“Kya ha ha! Of course. Tomorrow at noon, come to the abandoned temple northeast of the city center. There… we’ll have a proper match. You can think about whether you want to join our sect until then.”
“…”
“Oh, just in case you’re wondering… it won’t be fun if you bring other people or try to run away, Young Master. I finally took a liking to you, so please don’t disappoint me, okay?”
“You said you took a liking to me on a whim, and now you plan to be disappointed on a whim?”
“I’m quite fickle, you see. If you want to live, you’ll have to play along with my whims.”
“How terrifying.”
“I’m not joking. You don’t think the skill you showed just now is all you have, do you?”
The Red-Eyed Sword Demon smiled faintly and continued.
“Then. Don’t be late tomorrow.”
With those words, the Red-Eyed Sword Demon vanished abruptly.
Ha Sochan silently watched her retreating figure.
—What are you going to do, Ha Sochan?
‘What do you mean, ‘what am I going to do’?’
—Aren’t you going to catch her?
‘Why would I catch her now?’
What advantage would there be in catching the Red-Eyed Sword Demon here?
Perhaps dissatisfied with Ha Sochan’s answer, Mugeuk frowned.
—What? You said you needed to get that sword!
‘I do. But not now.’
—Why?
‘No, Senior. Think about it. If I fight now, won’t I just attract a bunch of annoying flies?’
Just as the Red-Eyed Sword Demon said, martial artists of a certain caliber would undoubtedly have detected this clash.
In that case, they’d gather with their factions, wondering what happened.
That wouldn’t be good.
Even if he managed to defeat the Red-Eyed Sword Demon and get his hands on the Hungry Ghost Sword, he’d then have to fight off the swarms of ‘flies’ that would rush in.
—What’s the problem? Can’t you just smash them all? Huh? If you’d trained a little harder…
‘Ugh. Such an old fogey.’
—What did you just say, kid?
Mugeuk glared.
But the usual nagging didn’t follow.
He sighed lightly and continued.
—Actually, you’re right. Fighting in this situation would be foolish.
‘…Why are you admitting it so easily for once?’
—Didn’t you see it too? She wasn’t using her true strength.
‘Isn’t that true for me too? If I open the Eight Gates of Life and Death…’
—Hey, kid. You’ve never even used that.
‘Regardless.’
Ha Sochan shrugged.
—You shouldn’t use something like that recklessly. Besides, she… no, never mind.
‘Why did you stop talking? Now I’m curious.’
—It’s because I’m not certain enough to say. Ha Sochan. So what will you do? Are you going to go to the agreed-upon place as she said? That wouldn’t be good.
Mugeuk said worriedly.
Ha Sochan nodded.
‘Am I crazy? To go there. Who knows who else might be waiting.’
—What? So you’re not going? When will you get the sword then?
‘Tonight.’
“…What?”
A bewildered expression.
But Ha Sochan continued, his face calm.
‘Tonight. I’ll retrieve the Hungry Ghost Sword.’
—…How? You don’t even know where she is.
‘There’s a way to find out.’
Ha Sochan smiled faintly and pulled something from his pocket.
A wooden container.
The container that once held the Thousand-Mile Scent was empty.
‘I threw it with the dirt I scattered earlier.’
—You clever rascal!
Mugeuk laughed heartily, as if proud.
‘Since no one followed, I’ll spend some time wandering elsewhere, then figure out where she’s staying. The ambush will be after that.’
—But Ha Sochan. Isn’t going alone a bit dangerous? Who knows how many companions she has.
‘I won’t be alone.’
—Ah. With that beggar fellow?
‘No? There’s an even easier and more convenient method.’
Ha Sochan smiled faintly and continued.
‘Have you ever heard the saying, “use barbarians to control barbarians”?’
That night.
A letter was sent to the leaders of all factions coveting the Hungry Ghost Sword in Namchung.
It was a letter detailing the location of the demonic sword they had been searching for so diligently.