The market streets of the Unorthodox Alliance were no different from Demon Family Village.
Merchants laughed, chattered, and shouted amidst the people coming and going.
Aside from the aura of the martial artists, if you took just this scene, you couldn't tell if you were in front of the Martial Alliance or the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.
It was a sight that made one think that people live the same everywhere.
“What are you looking at so intently?”
“I’ve been so focused on training, it’s been a long time since I’ve been out here.”
“You must have worked hard to be serving the Young Alliance Leader at such a young age.”
Pyo Gi-gwang took Geom Mugeuk to his favorite tavern.
“This is a place I come to often. The food is quite good.”
However, the expressions of the owner and the tavern boy greeting him were not those one would give a regular customer.
“I got into a few fights here.”
He could say such a thing so naturally because he felt comfortable with Geom Mugeuk.
Was it possible to feel that way in just one day? Especially for someone like him, who had always walked around with his quills up like a hedgehog.
But as you could see, it was true.
He felt comfortable with Geom Mugeuk.
“Your injuries must have been a great blessing to the owner of this place.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“If not for them, this entire place would have been blown away, wouldn't it?”
How could he not enjoy the company of someone who listened so intently to his words and even made such jokes?
Pyo Gi-gwang’s order reflected his mood.
He ordered good wine and several of the most expensive dishes at the tavern.
“Aren’t you overdoing it?”
“It’s just money I can’t spend when I’m dead, isn’t it?”
“You should save it. As long as I’m protecting you, you will absolutely not die.”
“You’re brimming with confidence.”
Instead of picking up his chopsticks, Pyo Gi-gwang poured wine into a cup.
“That person is not someone you can handle.”
For the first time, he spoke of the one behind all this.
“I may not be able to handle him, but I have my fisherman, don’t I?”
To the question of what was there to worry about when Bi Sa-in was around, he drank his wine without a word.
Geom Mugeuk could feel it.
He thought that Bi Sa-in would not be able to handle the person behind this affair.
“The food is delicious.”
They said it was a well-known eatery in the area, and indeed, the food was quite good.
If Jo Chun-bae had been here, he would have quipped about having him evaluate the Unorthodox Alliance’s cuisine as a representative of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.
“Don’t just drink, you should eat as well.”
“You eat plenty.”
Pyo Gi-gwang had no appetite.
The thought that he might die soon made his appetite vanish as if by magic.
And the one who could bring back his appetite was not a skilled chef, but Geom Mugeuk.
“How did you rise to the position of Black Dragon Division Lord?”
You have no idea how much I struggled.
With these words as a prelude, Pyo Gi-gwang once again studied Geom Mugeuk’s expression.
As if he hadn't asked just for the sake of courtesy, Geom Mugeuk listened intently with sparkling eyes, even while eating.
Recounting his past, Pyo Gi-gwang grew more and more excited.
How could he not be? He was boasting about the greatest achievement of his life.
“My rival at the time was from a very good family. You can't even imagine the political games he played.”
“So you overcame him with pure skill.”
“You could say that.”
“How could someone who relies only on his backing and throws his weight around ever defeat a man who has the experience and effort of rising from the very bottom?”
A smile naturally formed on Pyo Gi-gwang’s lips.
To hear that his life was one of overcoming hardships with skill, now that he thought about it, it was something he hadn't heard even when he was the Division Lord before his injury.
Was it because his life had been so thankless? Despite having so many people around him, not a single one had ever said those words to him.
Geom Mugeuk’s words made him feel so good that he wondered if he had been treated so poorly for the past ten years just to meet this person today.
“Please, tell me another story.”
Geom Mugeuk understood Pyo Gi-gwang’s heart well.
When he lived as a wanderer, he met many martial artists who had become wanderers due to injuries.
Those whose energy cores were damaged and could no longer use inner energy, or those who had lost an arm or a leg.
After being cast out of their organizations, what else could men who had lived by the sword their entire lives do? And so, they lived on as third-rate wanderers.
When they got drunk, they would always boast about their glory days.
It wasn't boasting, but more like a release of pent-up sorrow.
“Are my stories interesting?”
“They are.”
Pyo Gi-gwang stared intently at Geom Mugeuk.
This young man continued to show a side of himself that was different from his expectations.
“Do you know what my first impression of you was? I thought you’d be very talkative. When I heard you say your name's 'Yeon' was from 'performance' and not 'connection', I thought, ‘He must talk a lot.’ But it turns out you’re a good listener.”
“Not at all, I talk a lot. I’m just holding my tongue because we haven't gotten to know each other well enough yet.”
Pyo Gi-gwang laughed, finding his words amusing.
To think he could laugh when death was just around the corner.
“I wonder if we’ll have time to get to know each other better.”
To the self-deprecating question, Geom Mugeuk answered with confidence.
“I will protect you.”
“Instead of that, let’s hear your story now.”
“My story is too long.”
How could he possibly know the meaning hidden in that meaningful smile?
“You must have gone through a lot.”
“Don't even ask.”
Geom Mugeuk waved his hands as if he didn't even want to think about it.
“With your personality, you must have a lot of people around you.”
“That’s why I’m lonelier.”
“Lonelier?”
“Like when there are so many people, but no one to actually meet. Or when no one takes care of you, it’s so miserable. Everyone makes the same excuse. They thought someone else would take care of it. That’s why people like us end up with a black hole in our hearts.”
“A black hole?”
“It’s something a person I like told me. That everyone has a black hole in their heart. A hole you shouldn't fall into, or stare into for too long.”
Pyo Gi-gwang thought the young man was saying strange things, but at the same time, he thought of his own hole.
He had one too.
A deep and large hole, so big that he couldn't help but fall in, even if he tried not to.
I wish I had met this young man a little earlier.
If he had, would his fate have changed? Could he have lived a different life, one not destined to be silenced?
“If you’ve finished eating, let’s go.”
“Let’s.”
The two left the tavern and headed home.
“Go and get some sleep.”
“I can’t do that. I have to protect you.”
“How long can you stay awake to protect me?”
He really couldn't understand the Young Alliance Leader.
He should have at least sent someone to take turns.
“Hey, did you happen to make a mistake in front of the Young Alliance Leader?”
I did.
If he knew just how much I flustered and teased him, he’d faint.
“I told the Young Alliance Leader that I looked forward to a splendid Unorthodox Path. Could that have been my mistake?”
Pyo Gi-gwang looked dumbfounded.
“A new martial artist, to the Young Alliance Leader?”
“Then when can I say it? The more senior I become, the harder it would be, wouldn’t it?”
So that's why he was out of favor.
It seems that glittering look in his eyes was bothersome.
Because it shone brighter than his own.
To just cast aside such a fine young man.
Then, a thought suddenly struck Pyo Gi-gwang.
A fine young man? Did he already think of him that way just because he listened to his story?
Pyo Gi-gwang realized anew just how lonely his life had been.
It was when he was lost in such thoughts and turned onto a quiet path.
Four masked men blocked their way.
It wasn't something arranged with Bi Sa-in.
The person behind this incident had sent men to silence Pyo Gi-gwang.
Judging by their aura, they were contract killers.
Pyo Gi-gwang’s heart sank.
‘It’s finally here.’
That moment had come far too quickly.
Fate was such a wicked thing.
To present death at the most pleasant moment.
Why couldn’t it have come a few days later?
His gaze turned to Geom Mugeuk standing beside him.
I wanted to hear this young man's story too.
There were still things I wanted to tell him.
And most of all, he felt sorry.
‘This young man is dying because of me.’
Pyo Gi-gwang said to Geom Mugeuk.
“It seems the fisherman is about to pull up his net. I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.”
To his sincere apology, Geom Mugeuk drew his sword and said.
“I might get pulled up if my fisherman pulls, but I have no intention of being reeled in by theirs.”
At the same time, the assassins leaped into action.
Two rushed toward Geom Mugeuk, the other two toward Pyo Gi-gwang.
Pyo Gi-gwang closed his eyes.
Since he was already prepared for death, he wouldn’t put up a clumsy resistance.
He would end his life with dignity and style.
Shwiiiiik.
He heard the sound of a sword slicing through the air towards him.
Just as he thought it was the end.
Puuuk!
He thought his own body had been stabbed, but it wasn't.
Geom Mugeuk had somehow blocked the way, stabbing his opponent first.
He felt another sword flying in from behind his back.
The one who had initially charged to kill Geom Mugeuk had changed targets and attacked him.
‘I’m going to die this time for sure.’
The moment he thought that, his body was pulled.
He was pulled toward Geom Mugeuk, dodging the incoming sword.
Puuuk!
Geom Mugeuk’s sword pierced the heart of the assassin who had stabbed from behind.
His movements were swift and clean, without a single wasted motion.
The two remaining assassins flew toward Pyo Gi-gwang at the same time.
It was an attack committed with the resolve of mutual destruction, determined to kill Pyo Gi-gwang even if they died themselves.
‘Ah! This time, I’m really going to die!’
But this time too, both attacks missed, cutting only through the empty air.
Just before the sword stabbed him, Pyo Gi-gwang had been thrown to the ground by an unknown force, causing the attacks to miss.
The price for that one-sided attack was death.
Geom Mugeuk’s sword, after stabbing the neck of the assassin on the left, was instantly drawn out and pierced the heart of the assassin on the right.
This series of movements was as natural as a choreographed sparring match.
Of course, Pyo Gi-gwang, who was lying on the ground, did not see this artistic move.
‘I’m alive again?’
Pyo Gi-gwang got up and looked around.
The four masked men who had blocked his path were all lying dead.
“What just happened?”
“I told you I’d protect you, didn’t I?”
It was at that moment.
Shwik shwik shwik shwik!
Hidden weapons flew down from the trees.
Geom Mugeuk swung his sword, deflecting the hidden weapons, and shouted at Pyo Gi-gwang.
“Run behind that tree!”
Pyo Gi-gwang ran frantically with Geom Mugeuk and hid behind a large tree.
Geom Mugeuk held out his sword to check for enemies reflected on the blade.
“There are three on the tree to the east. And two more are hiding behind the bushes below it.”
Of course, if Geom Mugeuk were to use his original skills, he could have dispatched everyone here in an instant.
But he didn't.
Right now, to both Pyo Gi-gwang and his enemies, he was a martial artist of the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path.
The youngest, who had been hiding his skills, was showing just that much.
“It’s not too late. Leave me and go.”
Pyo Gi-gwang never thought he would say such a thing to save a rookie he met yesterday—no, his skills were no rookie's—a person he hadn't known for even a day.
“You’ve dealt with four of them, so the Young Alliance Leader will understand.”
Just then, someone dropped down from the tree.
Shwiiik!
It was a completely unexpected stealth attack, so Pyo Gi-gwang thought he was surely going to die this time.
‘I’m really going to die!’
But just before the opponent's sword could lodge in his head, Geom Mugeuk gently pulled him aside.
He felt the descending sword graze past his ear.
Then it should hit my shoulder, right? Just as he had that thought.
Puaaak!
The assassin who had launched the surprise attack spewed hot blood and collapsed, a corpse.
This time too, Pyo Gi-gwang couldn't see properly just how he had been dealt with.
‘I’m alive again? How on earth?’
Before he could ask anything, Geom Mugeuk pulled him again.
“Behind that rock over there!”
Pyo Gi-gwang ran with Geom Mugeuk.
He was confused.
He couldn't just not run since Geom Mugeuk was with him, but running away like this wasn't what he wanted.
Pak pak pak pak pak!
Daggers flew in and stuck in the ground at the feet of the two running men.
No matter how skilled the assassin's throwing dagger technique was, how could they hit a single one when Geom Mugeuk was leading the run?
Narrowly dodging the attacks, the two safely hid behind the rock.
“I told you to leave me!”
“They are trying to silence you, so why are you accepting it?”
“You don’t understand my heart.”
Leaning against the rock, Geom Mugeuk looked at him.
“Is it because of your loyalty to the Alliance?”
Naturally, Pyo Gi-gwang looked at Geom Mugeuk with an expression that said so.
Geom Mugeuk’s gaze turned to the corpses lying in the distance.
“Those men are contract killers. What kind of Alliance sends contract killers after a subordinate who carried out their orders? In this filthy situation, where is there any room for loyalty?”
“!”
At that moment, another assassin leaped over the rock.
Seogeok!
As Geom Mugeuk slit his throat.
Assassins who had emerged from behind the trees threw hidden weapons.
Shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik!
Seeing the dozen or so hidden weapons flying towards him, Pyo Gi-gwang thought this was finally, truly the end.
‘I pray that you, at least, survive!’
Puk puk puk puk puk puk puk!
At the sound of flesh being torn, he opened his eyes to see that Geom Mugeuk had already killed the assassin who had jumped over the rock and was now standing in front of him, using the corpse as a shield.
All the flying hidden weapons were embedded in that corpse.
‘What, I’m alive again?’
Before he could say anything, Geom Mugeuk grabbed him and started running into the mountains.
“Run!”
Behind them, the assassins who had finally revealed themselves began to pursue them in a group.
As he ran breathlessly with Geom Mugeuk, Pyo Gi-gwang had only one thought.
‘Why do I keep on living?’