From now on, I’ll be the one to face you. (3)

“Hmm. What a familiar sight.”

Jang Ilso stroked his chin and licked his lips slowly.

“Yes, come to think of it, you’ve always been standing in front of me for as long as I can remember.”

“If you hadn’t been desperately running for your life all the time, we could have met a bit more often.”

“Well… I can’t say you’re wrong. One ought to be a little afraid, right?”

Jang Ilso’s eyes curved gently as he smiled.

“My, the great Sword Ghost [Geomgwi] of Hwasan is after me. How could I not be afraid?”

At those words, carrying no hint of genuine fear, Chung Myung bared his teeth, smiling coldly.

Jang Ilso clicked his tongue lightly.

“Let me ask you one thing. Will you really be all right?”

“…”

“You know this isn’t the best you can do.”

Chung Myung’s gaze sank heavily. He understood exactly what Jang Ilso was getting at.

Indeed, Hwasan had rushed here, preventing immediate casualties. But that had created a bigger issue. Now, only those who had arrived quickly were left to face Jang Ilso and his men alone.

“If you had surrounded me more leisurely, ignoring the lives of those worthless dogs and pigs… perhaps I’d be feeling rather scared right now, don’t you think?”

Even if hundreds or thousands more had to die, in terms of the outcome alone, Jang Ilso was undeniably right. He continued slowly.

“Because of that complacent choice of yours… you will lose. And in the end you’ll face the very world you most wanted to prevent.”

A triumphant smile flickered at the corners of Jang Ilso’s mouth – the sort of grin only someone who had bent everything to his own will could wear.

However, Chung Myung remained unfazed. Instead, he simply acknowledged it.

“Yes. You’re right.”

Caught off guard by the unexpected reaction, a brief glint flickered across Jang Ilso’s eyes.

“You say I’m right?”

“If it’s about finding the easiest and quickest way, you’re right. If we’d sacrificed a moderate number of lives to block your path, buying time through their deaths and surrounding you slowly, we would have won. Perfectly.”

“But you didn’t.”

“Right.”

“Because you are weak.”

“Wrong, you idiot.”

Chung Myung snorted, snapping back sharply. Strangely enough, Jang Ilso now overlapped with Chung Myung’s past self.

Chung Myung had been no different. He used to feel frustrated by those who ignored the efficient path even when it was right there.

He had gotten angry, criticized harshly, and raised his voice at times.

But now he knew.

“Efficiency isn’t everything.”

“…”

“Sometimes there’s a path you must choose even while knowing it will be harder and more painful.”

He still couldn’t fully understand Chung Mun from those days. Perhaps Chung Myung would spend his entire life contemplating and never grasp what Chung Mun had truly seen. Chung Mun had been far too great for Chung Myung to ever catch up to.

But at least, he could follow in Chung Mun’s footsteps, the path he had chosen.

Jang Ilso let out a cold laugh.

“You’re speaking of dreams. That’s something you can only say after achieving it. If you fail halfway, it becomes nothing more than a foolish choice.”

“I’m here now to make it happen.”

Chung Myung raised his sword and pointed it straight at Jang Ilso.

“I have no intention of repeating the foolish mistakes I once made. Facing you won’t be done my way – it’ll be Hwasan’s way.”

Jang Ilso couldn’t completely grasp Chung Myung’s words, but he could feel the resolve gathered at that sword’s tip. He clicked his tongue with a look of pity.

“How foolish. Effort, burning determination, unity among all…”

“…”

“If such things could truly grant you what you desire, who in this world would ever suffer? The only thing that matters is whether or not you possess the power to ultimately claim what you seek… That’s all.”

Crack.

The rings on each of Jang Ilso’s fingers scraped roughly against one another.

“And true despair always visits those who lack the power to carry their will through.”

“Then it seems despair is headed your way.”

“Your so-called great sect will soon be powerless. All that’s left for you is to be crushed and die. And you – you won’t be able to stop it. Dear, dear… How will it feel, I wonder, watching helplessly as those beloved brothers of yours die one by one?”

“I am here.”

“What?”

“But there are those who are not.”

“…”

“I can’t do everything. Hwasan can’t do everything either. It doesn’t have to. Because we have something now that we never had before.”

“Oh, my. Am I supposed to shed tears of admiration?”

“No need. The only thing you’ll shed is blood.”

“Hmm.”

As if it were prearranged, the two fell silent. They both realized it at the same moment.

Further conversation was useless [무용(無用)].

All that remained was to defeat the other and prove who was right.

Scrrratch.

Chung Myung’s sword, pointed downward, scraped across the ground.

Srrrng.

From beneath Jang Ilso’s sleeve, ornate bracelets clasped tightly around his wrist clinked together sharply.

The two locked eyes, exhaling slowly. Then, without either yielding the initiative, they charged towards each other at precisely the same moment.

❀ ❀ ❀

‘Damn it.’

His lips felt parched, dry as sand. He tried moistening them with his tongue, but it provided only fleeting relief. Soon they cracked painfully once more.

‘Why am I even…’

No matter how he thought about it, this was madness. Even he himself couldn’t fathom why he was acting like this. His lost hand swept over his face, the fabric of the mask feeling strangely foreign beneath his fingers.

Yes. It was stupid. Irreversible. Something even an idiot wouldn’t attempt. So why in the world was he doing this insane thing?

“Are we going the right way? Try anything funny and I won’t let you off.”

“This…”

At the voice behind him, Yu Gong clenched his teeth. A thick murderous intent welled up inside him.

He desperately wanted to turn around and ram his sword down the throat of the bastard yammering behind him.

“If you think it’s just a threat, you’ll end up with a huge…”

“Enough, Sang-ah.”

“Sahyeong, how can we trust him!”

“If you weren’t going to trust him, you shouldn’t have started. Since we’ve started, we have to trust him to the end.”

“……Yes.”

Running with his eyes fixed straight ahead, Yu Gong grimaced briefly.

‘How admirable, really.’

What kind of bastard could toss out words like that so casually? Even someone who’d lived his whole life surrounded by beauty and goodness wouldn’t casually utter something like that.

Is the world that guy lived in really so different from the one Yu Gong lived in?

Yet more painful than hearing that nonsense was the fact that Yu Gong was now moving exactly as that lunatic intended.

While curses slipped out of him as naturally as breathing, Baek Cheon asked quietly from behind.

“When will we get there? We’re short on time.”

“…Damn it! Quit your whining already! Unless you want me to end it all right now!”

Yu Gong finally snapped and shouted. Baek Cheon fell silent, but to Yu Gong right now even that silence was irritating.

‘Shit!’

He couldn’t understand it at all. More incomprehensible than that lunatic was Yu Gong himself.

From the beginning Yu Gong had become Sapaeryeon’s dog, ready to throw everything away. And yet now, hoping for what, had he chosen the path of betraying Sapaeryeon?

Did he expect them to forgive him and take him back for this? Did he foolishly expect he could return to how things were, smiling and laughing as though nothing had changed?

Nonsense. In fact, Yu Gong didn’t even desire that. To face them again now and live together would be no different from punishment.

‘Then why…?’

Rip.

Yu Gong grasped at the mask covering his face, pulling it so tightly it threatened to tear apart.

“The hostages are safe, right?”

When the voice came again from behind, Yu Gong shut his eyes tightly. Even in this chaos, that crazy bastard only cared about the hostages.

Grinding his teeth, Yu Gong answered sharply.

“A hostage loses value the moment they’re dead. You should know that, so why do you keep asking?”

“I know, of course. But your message…”

“I’ve already sent it.”

Surprise flashed across Baek Cheon’s face. Yu Gong spun around sharply and shouted.

“Damn it, why are you so surprised? If I hadn’t contacted them beforehand, they’d suspect me too. I had to do it, even if only to avoid suspicion!”

“…Right.”

Baek Cheon nodded, seemingly convinced. Yu Gong clenched his jaw and faced forward again.

If he’d been simple enough to be intoxicated by the cheap justice that bastard preached day and night, his guts wouldn’t be twisting like this now.

But sorting out the tangled thoughts and feelings would have to wait.  He had come this far. Now there was no turning back.

To survive, Yu Gong had no choice but to help these two madmen rescue the hostages. If Sapaeryeon ever discovered Yu Gong’s betrayal, he’d find himself begging for a quick, clean death.

“It’s over there.”

“Where?”

“In that cave, right over there.”

After a brief silence Baek Sang – looking bewildered – asked again.

“You mean there?”

Along a ridge extending from the foothills was a small cave with an extremely narrow entrance. Calling it a ‘cave’ seemed generous. It was more like a shabby burrow or a hole, barely noticeable.

“You’re telling me such important hostages are held in a place like that? You bastard, do you take us for fools? What the hell…!”

“Does Hwasan pick disciples based on how stupid they are?”

“What did you just say, you son of a…!”

“Where do you think we are right now? With a war possibly about to erupt any minute, do you think they had time to prepare some fancy hideout to carefully hide the hostages?”

“…”

“Instead of doubting it because it looks shabby, you should be suspicious if it weren’t shabby. Isn’t the very reason you sought me out because you thought Jang Ilso wouldn’t keep the hostages too far away?”

Baek Cheon nodded slowly. Yu Gong certainly had a point. Baek Sang, seeming to realize this too, shut his mouth. Still, he wasn’t fully convinced, growling roughly.

“If you’re really telling the truth, you won’t mind taking the lead. Go ahead. We’ll follow right behind.”

“Why should I?”

“…What?”

Yu Gong’s cold gaze pierced Baek Sang.

“I said I’d tell you where the hostages are, and I’ve already guided you here. And now you’re expecting me to fight alongside you? Cut the jokes, you bastard.”

“This son of a…!”

Baek Sang lunged forward furiously, ready to grab Yu Gong by the collar. However, at that instant, Baek Cheon’s arm extended, grasping Baek Sang’s shoulder firmly.

“That’s enough.”

Stepping forward, Baek Cheon faced Yu Gong directly. Their eyes met briefly. Then, Baek Cheon bowed deeply to him.

“Thank you.”

“…”

“I know you’ve already done everything you can. We’ll handle the rest.”

“…Do you actually trust my words?”

“I do.”

“Why? Shouldn’t you have at least a shred of doubt? For example, even if there are hostages inside, if I’ve informed them that I’m bringing you along, that cave could become your grave.”

Baek Cheon calmly asked back.

“Did you tell them that?”

“Of course not! I was just giving an example…”

“Then there’s no problem.”

“…You’re insane.”

Yu Gong let out a hollow laugh. Baek Sang interjected again.

“Sahyeong! Do you seriously trust this bastard? Like he said himself, it could be a trap!”

“And what else can we do? Just suck our thumbs and wait?”

“Ah, that’s…”

Baek Cheon chuckled softly.

“We’re out of time. Even if it is a trap, we’ll have to break through. We don’t have a choice. All we need is for the hostages to actually be there.”

Baek Cheon looked at Yu Gong as though seeking confirmation. Feeling burdened by that steadfast gaze, Yu Gong averted his eyes and muttered.

“I’ve never told a lie. Whether you believe it or not, it’s up to you.”

“That’s enough for me.”

Baek Cheon turned away. As if every second mattered, he shot straight towards the cave Yu Gong had pointed out. Startled, Baek Sang gasped and hurried after him.

“Hey, it’s dangerous to go alone! This is insane, seriously!”

Left alone, Yu Gong watched their backs with a complicated, unreadable expression.

Baek Cheon truly didn’t pause for even a breath before heading straight for the cave. He muttered a low warning to Baek Sang.

“We’re going in.”

“Wait – at least let me brace myself!”

“Move.”

Without the slightest hesitation Baek Cheon plunged inside. Baek Sang squeezed his eyes shut and flung himself into the dark cave after him.

“Hmm…….”

Once inside, they found the passage stretched far deeper than expected. Baek Cheon narrowed his eyes.

‘Searching this will take time.’

“Who’s there?”

A heavy voice rang out from one side of the cave. Baek Cheon grinned.

“Since you’ve even come out to greet us, we must be in the right place.”

A moment later several figures emerged from the shadows. The chill of the killing intent they let seep out made Baek Cheon and Baek Sang instantly tense up.

“Sahyeong, those bastards don’t look easy. Just the two of us won’t cut it. Maybe we should gather people and come back…”

“Think that’ll work?”

“Of course not. Knew it would come to this.”

With a deep sigh Baek Sang drew his sword.

“Hwasan?”

Now Baek Sang stepped forward naturally. Seeing his attire, Sapaeryeon’s fighters’ faces hardened.

“How did these punks find this place!”

“Doesn’t matter. Kill them – now!”

The moment they confirmed the intruders were from Hwasan, every trace of carelessness vanished. Sapaeryeon’s men drew their weapons and charged.

“Break through in one go!”

“Damn it! If I die, then so be it!”

Baek Sang and Baek Cheon also slammed their feet against the ground and sprang towards Sapaeryeon’s fighters.