Book 15 Chapter 2

The phoenix's missing left eye

-Dokanbong Dokgoryeong

Act 1, Chapter 1

At the right time

Lee Jin-sul was so pleased that her eldest sister, Dokgo-ryung, the idol of all the girl swordswomen and a member of the Seven Peaks, and whom she looked up to, had volunteered to teach her swordsmanship early in the morning.

A one-on-one specialty lesson with a lone wolf.

It was a privilege she would not normally have dreamed of. Dokgo Ling had a reputation for being one of the coldest and fiercest of the Seven Peaks, but this girl was wrong. Although she appeared to be very fierce and cold on the outside, she was actually a very warm and gentle person on the inside. Those who knew her would be hard pressed to believe it, but Lee Jin-sul was a firm believer. Except that sometimes she was a little too strict……..

A black blindfold on her left eye that cannot be hidden. No one knows its history. The people revered her, calling her the One-Eyed Phoenix, the One-Eyed Peak, the Poisonous Spirit.

"Do you understand? It doesn't matter if it's a long sword, a short sword, or a twin sword. A master of the highest caliber can make a sword out of anything he has in his hand. It doesn't matter if it's long or short, sharp or hard, or how many of them there are. The key is how you read your opponent's movements and recognize when it's in your best interest, the 'right time'. If you don't have the vision to do so, you'll be at a loss. Only after this is accomplished will it be possible to discuss your opponent's 'weaknesses' with your own skill as a variable."

Before he could finish his sentence, he stabbed out of nowhere. It was a light slash, but its speed and direction were so timely and threatening that Lee was momentarily stunned, but he calmly parried the blow with his right sword. He then used his empty left sword to counterattack.

His voice was hollow, as if he were ignoring himself. He's letting his guard down.

Lee was determined.

It's not often that I get the chance to kick a perfectionist's ass. My defenselessness is an unmistakable curiosity. They will be surprised and praise you. You'll see yourself differently.

"Great!

She spun gracefully like a butterfly, and just as she was about to do so, the festive double-headed dance unfolded in her hands!

"Huh!"

She stopped moving abruptly, as if caught in frozen time.

The prayer was discarded without even trying.

"Boom, uh… suddenly!"

He couldn't see it, let alone smell it. However, the fact that the sword pole, which was hovering just below his left shoulder blade, was emitting a sharp premonition was also an unchanging reality. Its position and 'point of view' were so timely and exquisite that Li Qiye couldn't even flinch like a butterfly caught in a spider's web. The face of the sword's owner, Dao Goling, was expressionless.

"As you know, the ability to recognize loopholes is the most important factor in the battle between masters. But you can't see a loophole unless you have the 'timely' reading. And the discovery of a valid loophole for yourself is proportional to your skill. This is because your opponent's weaknesses are relative, not absolute. The courage and daring to dive into your opponent's arms, the speed to pierce through crevices that appear and disappear in an instant, the strength to withstand his sword power, and the skill to parry! How much power and skill you possess, and how accurately you grasp it, can be the difference between victory and defeat, life and death. That's why your vision is the first thing you need to work on. It's your eyes that tell you what you're capable of, and it's only a fool with a brain full of muscles who doesn't know the subject matter and tries to solve it with brute force by swinging a sword."

Lee Jin-sul nodded repeatedly at the advice, which was like the golden rule of poisonous advice. Her eyes were very serious as she listened. To be able to learn swordsmanship from a master sword maker! This was a fortune that could not be savored in normal times.

Lee was well aware of this. He was worried about himself, so he volunteered to teach ……. It's a relief to have a little more discipline. This guy!

With a determination not to miss a single character, Lee Jin-sul is learning, and she may have just grown up a little bit. There's no guarantee how long that will last.

He continued.

"When facing a master, it doesn't matter if you have one or two swords. Just because you have one more than the other doesn't mean you can't be caught off guard. Since you're wielding one on each side, your trajectory is limited to keep them from interfering with each other's movements, and you're less powerful than a single hand, so you should always be aware of your weapon's weaknesses. It is important to cover up your weaknesses and fight with your strengths, that is, to gain an advantageous position where your strengths will outweigh your weaknesses. Do not forget to keep that in mind."

Then he stabs again. It's much faster to learn by doing than by talking. Her sword stabbing at Yoblood over and over again was a very monotonous attack, devoid of any variation. Lee Jin-sul wielded his twin swords, trying to counter the monotonous stabbing attacks with fancy swordsmanship, but it was not enough, and he was constantly being pushed back.

May it be so!

As he retreated, Lee Jin-sul's face grew more and more frowned and sweat beaded on his forehead, while Dokgo-ryung's face was as relaxed as if he was taking a walk.

"Your twin swords focus too much on the flashiness of their movements. It may help deceive your opponent, but it is a useless decoration against a true master, for they are not fooled by a dazzling exterior and can see through it at a glance. Besides, there's a lot of waste in their movements. That's why the simple thrust I'm making right now is not being received well."

Despite her cheerful and cute appearance, she was actually a dichotomy of love for martial arts and a desire to explore. Hearing this far, it was impossible not to feel a sense of déjà vu, so she decided to play the best game she could. Her eyes shone, and her new body split in two.

Two swords, twelve strikes!

A twenty-four-pronged sword attack that utilizes accelerated ki. A deadly technique reserved for life-and-death battles and unarmed contests of honor and pride.

"Stupid!"

Dokko Ling, who had remained calm up until this point, had become agitated. It was a technique that could not be defended against lightly as before! But there was nothing that could not be destroyed.

Lee Jin-sul's body shook slightly, and the new form split in two. A total of four swords emanated from it.

"Not yet!"

Boom!

With a light flick of his wrist, Dokgo Ling quickly stabbed his sword at a single point.

Lee Jin-sul's haggard face had become sullen. Tears like pearls could fall from his deer-like eyes at any moment.

You're frustrated.

A blow with all her might. But even that was useless against her.

Before the ten, twelve, twenty-four, and twenty-five spear attacks were even finished, the tip of Dokgo Ling's sword cut off Yi Yun's movement. This time, it was the udder. It was impossible to guess which path the sword had taken.

Dokgoryeong's shoulders shook once, and he spoke angrily.

"Fool, I just explained to you, and you've already forgotten! I told you that too much emphasis on flashiness leads to larger movements and more sloppiness, and if your opponent sees that sloppiness, your attack will fail or be counterattacked. Besides, it's hard to form a united front when you're scattered."

Intimidated by the venomous heels of the old man, who seemed to be spitting fire, Jin-sul bowed her head deeply. Her slender shoulders twitched slightly, like a small bird in the cold, and it seemed as if something was about to drip out of her.

Even this woman, who is said to have an ironclad heart, cannot help but feel weak at such a sight.

"Seol-ah, you always get me in trouble! Don't cry!"

He placed a hand on her trembling little shoulder. His voice was soft and warm, like a spring breeze, not the raging storm.

With a whimper, Jin-sul nods. It's like a puppy.

"A master's fight does not require multiple initiations. When they face each other, they don't move unless they know they have a chance. If there is no loophole, they wait. Create your own "right time" ……. If that doesn't work, they make one. Then they dig in. This is the battle of the masters. It doesn't matter if you swing first or last, the only thing that matters is who reaches your opponent first. A sword that doesn't reach is as meaningless as talking to someone who isn't ready to talk. Of course, if you're a supreme master, you don't care about any of that!"

Lee Jin-sul snapped his head up and looked at Dokgo-ryung. Her eyes were puffy and swollen, but she smiled wryly.

"If you're talking about a superlative gochujang, you're like Gum-hoo?"

Dokgo Ling shook his head, forcing himself not to giggle at the cuteness.

"He's not a superhero!"

"Really?"

"He is the God of the Sword!"

Her voice was filled with the conviction of a prophet delivering an immutable truth. It was easy to see how much she revered her master. Already, it was more than reverence, it was faith.

"I've never seen him in action either. In fact, he rarely draws his sword. He probably already doesn't need one. I've only seen him hold a sword a handful of times in my life. But there is something about standing in the presence of His sword that I feel, a sensation that is etched into my body, never to be forgotten."

"What?"

An anecdote about the idol of an all-female warlord. Her ears perked up. She'd already forgotten when she'd cried.

As if recalling the situation back then, Dokgo Ling closed his eyes tightly.

"I didn't feel any throwing or swords, but it was enough. I realized the moment his sword pole pointed at me. Alas, no matter where or how I moved, I could not escape that sword! It was as if a transparent net of heaven had been drawn tightly over my head. The feeling of helplessness and overwhelm is something you can never know unless you experience it. It's an indescribable feeling. But if you ever come face to face with someone who makes you feel that way, run for your life. It's a sign of someone much stronger and different than you. You can never win. Knowing and acknowledging the difference in capabilities is nothing to be ashamed of."

"Yes, sister!"

Lee nodded meekly. Then he swore to himself that he would never forget.

"Hmmm, you have an unexpectedly sweet side!"

"Is that a surprise?"

At Na Yerin's question, Bi Ryuyeon nodded honestly.

"Definitely!"

The two of them were now sitting on a rock, a dozen sheets away from Dokgo-ryong and Yin-sul, watching their actions.

No one had ever agreed to this (these regular walks). Bi Ryuyeon hadn't bothered to ask for permission, and Na Yerin hadn't clearly expressed her agreement or disagreement. But they walked together, smelling the dark green grass that stung their nostrils, the paths barely dried by the early morning dew, and they walked together in the twilight sunset, a reddish glow that stretched to the horizon of a sea of clouds in the distance. Their behavior was as natural as it had always been, even though no one had mentioned it or agreed to it.

"It's hard to imagine that with his usual ferocious behavior."

But it was none other than Bi Ryuyeon herself who showed her ferocity most powerfully and clearly. It's hard to like someone who looks at you like you're some kind of bandit or scoundrel. While it's useful for shaking off other shills, it's a bit of an embarrassment when it comes to yourself.

"Yes, he's a very scary man. He's very strict, but……."

"But?"

"He's a very sweet man, and he used to be a much more cheerful person……."

Na Yerin trailed off. As if she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"That left eye, it's not congenital, is it?"

Na Yerin nodded at Bi Ryuyeon's point. If a scar that big was acquired, there had to be a story behind it, and that story was definitely not ordinary.

"The one-eyed phoenix……."

His name was one that many people, men and women alike, admired and longed for in the Academy of Heaven and Earth. Of course, the woman sitting next to him had hundreds of guards, or even thousands if you counted the stronger ones. But the party didn't seem to see it as anything more than an inconvenience, and some of the molecules were certainly inconvenient.

"Since when?"

"Seven years ago… it was the summer of……."

Etched in Na Yerin's memory was the mournful image of a woman wailing in a torrential downpour, unperturbed by the gush of blood from her hollow eyes. The sky seemed to weep with her, and the blood seemed to be tears flowing from her eyes, so much so that everyone could only watch in silence, having forgotten to stop the bleeding.

"That's a question you can't answer, can you?"

Some pasts are meant to be brought out into the light, while others are meant to be kept quiet and buried in the dark.

"Yes, but even if I tried to answer that, there's no story to tell, because no one knows the whole story of what happened eight years ago."

A dark shade fell over her face as she recalled it: it was nothing less than a nightmare. Sometimes, the winds of time and the tides of age can never wash away the memories.

"You know what?"

"……?"

"That the lion is actually five years older than me?"

I hadn't noticed it at all.

"Because of… that incident seven years ago?"

"Yeah, it was a big enough wound that I had to spend two years nursing it, and even after that, it took a long time to heal."

A shadow fell across Na Yerin's face again. She felt sorry for him. Even though his behavior was beyond common sense, he was not the kind of person to pick at someone else's wounds, believe it or not.

Other people's pasts were not something to pry into for fun, especially when it made one's heart sad!

"That brought back bad memories, I'm sorry!"

I can't believe this bullshit human being is apologizing……. If anyone in the know had seen it, they would have been concerned that the sun would not rise in the west tomorrow.

Na Yerin shook her head. She hadn't told anyone about this yet. No, she couldn't. So why could she tell this man?

"No, I didn't mean to, it's okay! I'm sure the Dingo lion is almost healed of his wounds by now, and the way he's smiling now is enough for me, and it's all thanks to Seol."

At the time, it was a lifeless corpse. But now it was nowhere to be seen. It was a relief. That alone was enough to satisfy Na Yerin.

It was not she who had opened her heart, but that child there, who had done what she could not! She had been an emotionless, inorganic doll at the time, and for that, she was very grateful to the tomboy.

"But my nightmares have increased since the Hwanmadong exam. I hope you don't mind……"

At this point, neither of them had any idea of the fateful trials Dokgo-ryong was about to face.

Wheeeeeeee!

The morning wind whistled past them, a sharp breeze. Perhaps the breeze this morning was a sign of its grim foreboding.

The next day, there was a man who, with the strength of a single man, broke through the Three Great Halls of Destruction and arrived here in Hongmae Valley. He was called the Grand Duke Bi.

Act 1, Chapter 2

Encounter (遭遇)

"Lion! Lion! …Dokgo Lion?"

Turning his head to see if he could hear Na Yerin's call, Dokgoryeong's gaze was fixed on the face of one man, as if frozen in time. Even though they were standing on the same ground in the same space, there was a sense of otherness, as if they were in parallel dimensions that were forever out of reach.

It was a creepy feeling of disconnection, like no matter how much I called out at the top of my lungs, I would never reach the other side.

The old man's body began to stir. But Na Yerin's voice still seemed to fall on deaf ears, and she walked off to one side like a madman. Was it the staggering steps, the confusion of not being able to control her body?

"Lion!"

Na Yerin calls out to her receding back, but there is still no response. Finally, she gave up and lowered her outstretched hand to her back.

What was that sensation? An intense sensation, like a spark in the back of her mind! A tangled, complex chaos that flooded into her mind like a tidal wave! Na Yerin felt like she was going to choke on it.

"My sister……."

An ominous wind whipped through her mind.

This had never happened before.

A slender arm stretched gracefully out to the side, as if cut and pasted from a dance move, halting a dozen steps.

"Wait!"

As the Grand Duke walked to his quarters, escorted by the Thousand and Seven, someone stood in his way without fear. To his surprise, it was a woman, her left eye covered by an inverted triangle-shaped patch. Rain's indifferent gaze traveled over it and stopped.

"Rude!"

Three of the Seven Heavenly Swords, the four-sworded Dao Chuun and the four-sworded Bai Xiaoying, burst forth like a gale, exuding life force. Like a brutal chariot traveling across an ancient battlefield in the midst of a bloodstorm, it had the power to slaughter all who stood in its way. But even in the face of these threats, the poisonous eyes of the poisonous beast did not flinch.

"That's it!"

The Archduke Rain raised a hand to stop them.

"Ha, but he is the one who stood in the way of his master."

Sam-girl and Sa-girl protested vigorously, their loyalty to their lord seemingly the only thing on their minds. A faint sneer tugged at Dokgo-ryung's lips as he watched.

"Hmm, what loyal animals, to be able to growl like that for their master. They'll bite anyone who messes with them, so why don't you gag them properly?"

No one likes to be insulted by being told to gag themselves because they might struggle as they pounce and bite like animals.

"This……!"

"Lord, this is awesome!"

Flesh erupted from the bodies of the two insulted. Dark flesh that never seemed to stop with threats.

Click!

Deng Xiaolong silently gripped the scabbard with his left hand and gently opened the sword with his left thumb. He had no intention of apologizing to these people. He was preparing for the examination.

"Didn't you hear me, I told you to stop!"

The voice of the rain, now more subdued, carried no anger, but the two servants shuddered with fear and withdrew their lives. They knew all too well that this was how their master raged. A cold anger that could freeze the very soul, it might be the most terrifying anger in the world.

"Look at the crest embroidered on the left breast of her top."

Her lustrous black hair, draped like a pendant across her left breast, blew in the breeze and revealed itself. It was a swan with four wings that seemed to soar at a moment's notice, and the word sword was clearly embroidered in the center.

"That… that sentence!"

The two servants' eyes widened. It was the very sentence they had heard by rumor.

"Four Flying Swords! A crest that can only be worn by the master of the South Sea Sword Pavilion and the master of the first female sword master, Sword Hu. Even if it's just you guys, you won't be able to defeat them easily… I don't want any more trouble."

The emblem of the flying white hong is unique to the sword art, and the number of wings in the sword art indicates the level of proficiency. The highest ranking swordsman had six wings, and the elders in charge of running the organization had five.

In the younger generation, only three people were permitted to possess the four secrets, so it was not unworthy to be called a master.

"Even if you're the mastermind behind Samsung, you're not going to lose."

Still, they weren't convinced by their master's orders.

Great confidence!

He could instinctively sense that my confidence was no bluff. Such ferocity could never be achieved through ordinary training or study.

"What capabilities are they hiding?

They were unguarded.

"Let me hear your story, and for what purpose do you stand in my way?"

"……."

Dokgoryeong didn't answer that question right away. He didn't have an answer for that question yet. His body had moved before his mind, and he'd gotten in the way. Even he was confused about what to do next and what to ask.

When she tried to ask a question, her voice was stuck in her throat like a needle. But she swallowed her shame and barely mustered up the courage to ask.

"…Have we ever met before?"

Grand Duchess Bi's eyes pierced through the air as she asked, her face a very intricate color, her eyes slightly wide with surprise.

"Are you flirting with me? To have the rare experience of receiving such a thing from a sword master… Guangyong!"

"Wahahahahahaha!"

"Khee hee hee!"

"Ho-ho-ho-ho!"

The Grand Duke's mocking reply caused the entire room to burst into laughter.

"That's… unbelievable!"

The old woman, her face flushed with shame, retorted. But in the face of this insult, she merely shouted. It was an unthinkable reaction for her. Her anger was fueled by a desperate need for answers. Her tightly clenched fists trembled.

When the laughter died down, the Grand Duchess looked the poisonous old man squarely in the eye, and she met his gaze head on, unbowed.

'Heartless snow……. It looks like a winter peak!'

His eyes were not the frozen, frosty ones she had known. It was a cold, heartless face that could not possibly be the same as the one that had laughed so vulgarly a moment ago. It was as if the laughter of a moment ago had been a play…….

'I've got the wrong person after all…….'

Just as I was thinking about it, Vi answered.

"We have never met in the past, and I don't see any need for us to meet in the future. Does that answer your question?"

After a quick, silent nod and a glance at the woman's expression, Rain led Chilgul away and swept by her side like the wind.

Dokgoryeong was frozen in place, motionless, like a man caught in frozen time. An unspeakable sorrow washed over him.

"Lion, is something wrong?"

When he awoke, he found his sister-in-law, Na Yerin, standing beside him with a worried look on her face. Angry and surprised, Dokgo Ling hastily excused himself.

"Oh… it's nothing. It's none of your business!"

I didn't want to worry about it. This was his own problem, and no one else's.

"Ugh!"

Suddenly, I felt an intense pain in my left eye, which was hidden under my eye patch. I quickly covered the other side of my face with my palm and pressed down, but the intense pain didn't go away.

"Sister!"

Na Yerin cried out in concern and grabbed her shoulder.

Boom!

Dokgo Ling nervously waved the hand away.

"Ryeong sister……."

The astonishment in his voice brought Dokgo Ling to his senses. What a disgrace!

"Meh, sorry! Don't worry, it's no big deal. It's just an annual event. I should go… get some rest."

Her last words were barely audible.

The solitary man's shoulders slumped as he walked toward his quarters, and there was not the slightest hint of vigor in them. Na Yerin watched, the depths of her eyes darkening. But there was nothing she could do now but watch.

"Boom!"

A short groan escaped from between the lips of the solitary old man. With each step she took, the pain in her left eye grew more and more intense. It felt like hundreds of fire ants were biting into her body.

His mind and body were in turmoil and confusion. His disoriented body staggers, his steps twisting and turning like a drunkard's.

All I wanted to do was rest, and I couldn't think about anything else.

People need to know when to step up and when not to step up. We often refer to people who don't know when to back off as "moody" and act out of character. This type of person usually sees the world through their own lens and thinks it's the only one. It's the same as living in a delusional world, and it's just as foolish.

Unfortunately, this type of human is not a particularly rare race. Rather, it is our misfortune that we are so common. They're the kind of people you can find anywhere, just by looking around. And here was one of them.

"Hehehehe, Grand Duke, don't you think that even if she only has one eye, she's still quite the damsel in distress?"

It was Ogre Shoufeng and Ogre Wenchu who stood beside the silent Grand Duke Bi and began to speak in a low tone.

"Isn't it very arrogant of you to think that your mere title of Disciple of the Sword Gak is enough to make you stand in the way of the Grand Duke?"

The Grand Duchess remained speechless and did not slow her steps. Wu Wenchu must have taken this as a sign of approval, and so, in his excitement, he licked his lips even more eagerly. It was a mistake.

"What do you say, Grand Duke, I'll give you a kick upside the head later, and she'll love it…, heh!"

The five girls of the Thousand and Seventy, the Five Winds and the Five Wonders, could no longer keep their mouths shut. One day, a sharpened scythe was placed in his mouth. If he had continued to tease his mouth any longer, his tongue would have been cut in half by the blade of an iron sword.

Wenchu was horrified beyond belief. The scythe now lodged in his thrush was not his favorite weapon, the Gale, which he had always used to slaughter others. He could not guess when it had fallen into the hands of the Archduke, who had never left his loincloth.

From the rain's mouth flowed an understated, heartless voice.

"I never gave you permission. Then who the hell gave you permission to even think about such trivialities?"

Wu Wenqiu's face turned grim with fear, and his forehead was already beaded with cold sweat. The rest of the six girls around him were also stunned. But no one stepped forward to help him.

"I hate vulgarity. Don't you ever speak those words in my presence again. Do it again. I will immediately cut out your filthy tongue and throw it to the dogs."

It was a quiet but chilling voice. If there was a God of Hell, he would speak in a voice like that.

"Back, back, back…all!"

But before he could finish his apology, the blade of the scythe was gone from his mouth, and the mace was back at Wenchu's waist. It was a ghostly gesture that didn't even give him a chance to feel the air move.

Wenchu stood there in a daze. He felt like he was daydreaming in the middle of the day. But the goosebumps all over his body and the twitching of his fur protested that it wasn't a dream.

"Do not forget who you are. You are my servants and Sioux. You are not allowed to move without my permission. Foolish Sioux who forget their status will be cut down. There are plenty of Sioux to replace them! …Do not touch her until you have my permission."

"Joe, for crying out loud, I'll keep that in mind."

Archduke Bi's voice was as sharp and icy as an ice knife sharpened by a northern wind and snow. All seventeen thousand and seven answered in unison, bowing to the abstract majesty that surpassed the monarch of a nation. Silent terror gripped their hearts. There could be no defiance; to defy him was to defy heaven.

Interlude

Nightmare (惡夢)

The moon hung over the sea of stars.

The lunar clusters wrap around the moon like a mist from the netherworld.

Deep, deep night.

Under the rain of moonlight that falls evenly on the ground, people dream different dreams. The night is common to all, but a bad night's sleep seems to discriminate heavily.

"Huh!"

Letting out a scream and kicking the bedding violently, Dokgo Ling jumped out of bed.

"Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm!"

Her breathing was ragged and unsteady, as if she'd just been in a fierce struggle. Her entire body was drenched in a cold sweat. Was she having a terrible nightmare?

"Why… why am I reliving that dream again now……."

It was a nightmare I wouldn't want to relive again if I could.

"Boom!"

Another excruciating pain shot through my left eye. Biting my lip tightly, I quickly pressed my left hand over it. It felt like a hot pharynx was stirring inside my left eyeball.

I wanted to move on, I wanted to stop suffering, but the scars of the past, etched into the very core of my soul, were too deep and too clear.

"Master……."

The face of her master, who had always surrounded her with the same grace and love as Haha, flashed through her mind. She dropped her head silently in a blissful longing. She suddenly missed him so much.

The wreckage of the nightmare still clawed at the deep wounds carved into her mind's core.

Act 2, Chapter 1

"You are the spirit child of Dokgosega, clever child. Welcome, my child! I am Yi Ok-sang, who will be your teacher from this day forward."

It was a very beautiful voice, emanating from the compassionate smile of the Bodhisattva incarnate.

"This… this is the one!

A shiver ran down the girl's tiny spine. The girl, who was bowing her head in front of Yi Yun, was so overwhelmed by the realization that she had realized the deity she had enshrined in the shrine of her heart that she was unable to formulate even a simple answer. Frozen like an ice cube and trembling with emotion, Yi Yun received the girl with a smile.

"What are you fussing about? Let's get on with the Nine Worships!"

The words of his father, Dokgo Younghong, the current head of the Dokgo family, brought Dokgo Ling back to his senses.

Triple that of the first founder, who founded Kendo, triple that of the fourth founder, the last great Kendo, and triple it again for the next great Kendo, who will be his teacher. Sum Gradient.

Solitary, age nine at the time.

On this day, she finally became a disciple of Kung Fu.

On a white sandy beach that glistened as if dusted with finely ground gold, a girl performed a sword dance.

The girl's slender feet pounded the sand, her long, flowing black hair swaying in the breeze like silken threads. Her face had not yet completely shed its girlishness, but her healthy body was already fully curved and carried the fragrance of a mature woman.

Beauty like a bud in full bloom. It was filled with light and vigor, the crystallization of youth.

As the girl danced faster and faster, the beads of sweat on her dainty forehead sparkled in the air like jewels. The girl's pale pink lips curled into a bright, fresh smile that was like a beam of light filling the distant horizon. A very active flower.

Sigh!

With each swing of the girl's sword, the sand beneath her moves as if in response, creating a spiraling trajectory.

It was a phenomenon called "sword wind". The sword power contained within a second's eclipse was released without a sound. It was no ordinary talent for such a young girl to have already achieved such a feat. As she danced the sword dance, seemingly oblivious to herself, she was as beautiful as a geese frolicking in the sea breeze. On the left breast of her top was an embroidered image of a two-winged white goose.

She loved the sword, its crystal-clear, straight blade and the soft sound of it cutting through the wind, especially when she felt her spirit transcend her body and set her free. He felt that he could continue practicing swordsmanship for the rest of his life.

If only this moment had lasted forever…….

I didn't need fancy clothes, expensive jewelry, or handsome men. All he needed was this sword…….

Whenever she practiced her sword skills, she often forgot herself, and sometimes she really hoped that would be the case, for she loved the sword more than anything else.

That was it.

Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle!

The girl's gaze was drawn to the source of the clapping, which came from behind her.

Her gaze was drawn to a vivid swan symbol, its wings counting six.

Six Feet Under!

There was only one person who could carry that sentence at the Gumgak.

With a curtsy, the girl dropped to her furry knees.

"Greetings, Master!"

That's right! The woman being exemplified by the girl was none other than the Heavenly Martial Artist, the pinnacle of swordsmanship, Yi Yun, who was more often referred to as "Sword Lady" out of respect than her real name.

She looks like a gray-haired grandmother who must have passed her hundredth birthday long ago.

A graceful face that could easily fool a mid-forties woman, jet-black hair that seems to turn back the hands of time. Is it her eyesight, or her godlike makeup, or is it a reincarnation?

Her current form alone should be enough to tell you that she is a super-advanced, super-experienced adept.

"You have improved, Ling'er, and the hesitation is gone from the tip of your sword, and you wield it so joyfully that it amuses me to watch!"

"Go… Thank you, Master!"

It was hard not to be pleased with the praise of her heavenly master, who never spoke ill of her. He never called something good when it wasn't, and if she had improved, she had indeed. Dokgo Ling was so overwhelmed with gratitude that she felt like crying.

Gum Hu smiled, his face full of compassion.

'Ho, ho, ho, you're still a long way from crying over your grandmother's praise.'

Her laugh had the greenness of greenery and the coolness of the sea breeze, and no one could have imagined that it belonged to an old woman who had passed her hundredth birthday. She looked younger than her mother, who was barely past forty, Dokgo-ryong thought.

"A delicate Xiao'an sword, a cool flying sword. At your age, you've already mastered the art of forgetting yourself and getting drunk on swords… I admire you!"

It was a great honor for a swordsman to be praised for his swordplay.

There are two introductory sword arts in the sword arts: the small goose sword and the big goose sword. Only after mastering these two swords will you be granted entry to the Arcane, depending on your achievements. If you don't prove your worth with these two swords, you won't be able to see even a glimpse of the Arcane for the rest of your life.

It's a vision because it's not given away. If you try to force water into a small bowl, it will only break.

"Maybe it's about time!"

"Well, then……."

Her face lit up with delight.

"Yes, that means it's time for you to inherit the vision of the Han Shangjing Spirit Sword. Do your best, I'll be watching!"

"Me, really?"

Sword Hu took the trouble to nod once more in favor of his beloved apprentice.

"Go, thank you, Master!"

Dok Goryeong was almost ecstatic with joy. His heart pounded in his chest.

Ah, what a moment, what a moment, what a moment, what a moment!

Not everyone whose name appeared on the sword's roll of honor was allowed to pass on the arcane aura. It was a privilege reserved for the chosen few.

Like all of K'ungak's other disciples, Dok Goryeong has been suffering for this day.

Still reeling from the blissful chaos, Dao Goling watched her master's disappearing back for a moment in a daze. She continued to stand there even after the Sword Hu's newcomer had completely disappeared from her field of vision. As if she were a stone statue.

"Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

And a moment later, a scream of joy echoed across a beach of gold.

Food Gain!

However, the story of a few white seagulls nearly dying of heart attacks at the sound of their excited screams never reached the ears of humans and will forever remain a hidden story of nature.

Act 2, Chapter 2

Sword Pavilion - Kannon Guardian

There is a mountain in the South China Sea called Mount Botha.

-It's probably more accurate to say the Southeast Sea, but it's commonly written as the South Sea, so let's call it the South Sea for now.

Botasan (普陀山).

A Buddhist shrine located on an island in the Zhushan archipelago in Hangzhou Bay, Zhejiang Province.

Along with the Five Great Mountains and Amishan, it is one of the three most famous mountains in China, and is sometimes referred to as the Four Great Daoist Mountains.

Legend has it that it was named after Botarak (Potalaka in English), the spiritual home of Guanyin Bodhisattva in South India. It is said that during the Tang Dynasty, a monk brought a statue of Guanyin from the Five Great Mountains, and when the boat reached this place and stopped moving on its own, he built Botasa Temple and enshrined the statue, and it became a holy place.

Here, in the land of Kannon, an object of worship, was a sword pavilion.

Sword Angle (劍閣).

Located at the foot of Mount Botha in the South Seas, this all-female sword shrine is a place of worship.

Absolutely forbidden male zones.

Although it is far from the center of power and does not intervene much in the affairs of powerhouses, no sect has the audacity to ignore it. This is because it is currently home to the most revered member of the Martial Kingdom's constellation, the Heavenly Three, who transcends politics.

But even if you're not a swordswoman yourself, their mysterious swordsmanship is unrivaled, and their swords are said to teach male writers the hard lesson that dedicated swordsmanship transcends gender. This ability to produce female swordsmiths worthy of being called swordswomen is the true power of sword art.

Many kung fu practitioners think that Botaam in the South China Sea is Gumgak, and it is very dangerous to see the two as the same place. Perhaps this misconception stems from the fact that in the early days of Gumgak's career (before Gumgak had a name), when asked where they came from, Gumgak's disciples would answer that they came from Bota Mountain. In addition, the South Sea is so far away from the center of Jianghu that few people have ever been there, so the idea that Bota Mountain is Gumgak has been cemented.

However, a black angle is by no means a bota-am.

There is no doubt that these two schools were in the same place, and there was a great deal of exchange of teachings between them (there seems to have been very close contact between the two sides throughout the ages).

But even if that were the case, it would be a huge mistake to conflate the two. They are two very different and distinct groups.

Bothaam was a religious shrine of sorts, and Gumgak was a martial arts group. As the Shaolin Temple example shows, many religious groups in powerful countries are martial arts organizations. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say that you can't be free from martial arts as long as you have the power. But that doesn't mean that all religious groups are warlike. It is impossible to do so without basic competence. Moreover, the founder of the first Bothaam seems to have been far from innocent. He had no connection to the Murim from the beginning.

In addition, Bhota Am is the home of the Bodhisattva Kuan Yin.

Kuan Yin Bodhisattva.

In Sanskrit, it's called Avalokitevara, and its name means "watcher" or "watcher of the watchers," which is why it's also called the watcher.

Kwanjae means to listen to all the sounds of the world, and Kwanjae means to take care of all the things of the world by observing them materially. So technically, they both mean the same thing. Which one you choose to use is a matter of personal preference.

It is also known by various names such as Kwangseon, Guanseon, Guanjiajie, Guanjiajie, Guanjiajie, and Guanjiajie, and is abbreviated as Guanyin for short.

So what is a bodhisattva?

A bodhisattva is a saint who benefits the world and sentient beings, so this Kwan Yin bodhisattva is a bodhisattva who rescues and protects sentient beings with a heart of great compassion.

If you are who you say you are, you must have very good ears and great eyesight, otherwise how could you hear all the sounds in the world (though there would be a lot more nonsense) and see all the sights in the world (though there wouldn't be much to see)!

If you ask them if they don't use their swords well, they might say that it's "blasphemy" to ask a worshipper of the great Kannon Bodhisattva about his fearsome blades.

So how did this misconception come about?

This can be traced back to the birth of the sword angle.

As one of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, the temple attracts a large number of devotees and worshippers, as well as a large number of patrons and donations. Add to that the income generated by its own stupas, and the wealth is estimated to be enormous.

Did we mention overpaying?

Too much wealth invites unwanted guests. Bottaam was no exception.

Furthermore, the geography of the island, surrounded on all sides by the sea, limited the occupation of the uninvited visitors. As a result, Botaam had been raided by pirates on several occasions in the past and plundered for gold and food. The government forces of the South Seas were helpless against these newfound sea pirates. If it weren't for the help of the neighboring powerful factions, this boat would have been uprooted and sold to the pirates. However, there was only a limited amount of troops they could send. Besides, the Guan army was a nasty bunch, and he was lucky if they didn't stab him in the back of the head.

The pirates were relentless in their plunder. But there was one man who was so enraged by this that he rose up in the form of a woman, and he was Yi Okmin, the first sword master and the first sword lord.

She was born as a maiden to a mugai and was known from an early age for her beauty and great talent with the sword, but she was also a devotee of Bodhidharma and a devoted follower of Guanyin Bodhisattva. It is said that she never let go of the teachings of Kuan Yin Bodhisattva from her mind.

After learning the Arcane Sword from a nameless deceased man in the South Seas, she realizes that protecting Kannon is her destiny and gathers a group of disciples to establish a sword academy. It goes without saying that she is met with enthusiastic support, a warm welcome, and a promise of support. It was an "unheard but insistent request" for Botaam, who had no real power.

Thus, the gum angle was born. However, it was not until much later that it was officially called Gumgak. Most of the women in the early days of the sect were disciples of Bothaam as well as disciples of Gumgak. It's no wonder that these two places are often mistaken for the same thing.

Because of this, almost all of Gumgak's disciples believe in Kuan Yin Bodhisattva, and since the time of T'ai Chi Min, Gumgak's abbot has been referred to as the protector of Kuan Yin Bodhisattva and the guardian of Nankai Bottam for generations. If Namhae Bottom Lake is the holy place of Kannon City, then Gumgak can be said to be the land of the guardian of Kannon.

And even now, Gum Gak was silently protecting the holy place of Kuan Yin Bodhisattva with his sword.

The normally eerily quiet Gumgak was now a hive of activity, with people from all walks of life bustling about. Curiosity got the better of him, and he heard stories being told here and there. After piecing together a few stories, Dokgoryeong realized that the bustle was the result of preparations for the arrival of a distinguished guest.

What kind of a dignitary could this be that could keep the entire sword academy so busy? Could it be the emperor? The questions were not answered, but only amplified. Dokgo Ling came to the conclusion that he couldn't take it anymore.

"Yu lion, who's coming?"

Dokgo-ryung's actions were swift, as she grabbed Yoo Soo-kyung, who had been busy cleaning up in the name of organization, and asked.

"I'm in the middle of something… and she is!"

Yoo was a bit miffed that the inquisitive in-laws had interrupted her work, but it did satisfy her curiosity.

"I've been told that the Lord of the Ten Thousand Pavilions will be visiting here soon."

A slight look of surprise crossed Dokgo-ryong's face.

"If you're a magician, you're a tycoon!"

Someone like that deserved to keep GumGak this busy.

"But… why?"

She couldn't believe, even at her young age, that a man of a thousand years of age had traveled to such a far-flung corner of the world for no apparent reason.

"I don't know……. I didn't hear any details, but… he wants to send some of the Innkeepers of the Skyscraper to train here, and he's here to discuss it."

You are trained by a swordsman.

It was an irresistibly attractive prospect for a female swordsman. No woman, especially if she was learning martial arts, could fail to admire a swordsman.

"You have eyes to see, Master, after all!"

Dokgo-ryong's heart swelled with pride.

"Lion Yu, what can I do?"

While everyone was busy preparing to receive the guest of honor, Dokgo-ryung had nothing to do, so he was just lazing around. That's why he was able to interfere.

But she resented the fact that she was the only one doing the work. She felt like she was being ignored, like she was being told, "You're not ready for responsibility yet! Her personality was not one of spontaneous playfulness, where she would say, "Oh, that's great!" when she was told she could play. It was this diligence that made her who she is today.

"Well, I don't have a lot of work to do."

The division of labor was already complete. There was nothing left for her to do. But she didn't give up.

"Standing around doing nothing isn't my thing. Anything is fine by me, just tell me what to do. I'll do it with honor and life!"

I said in a determined voice.

"What's the point of having a life……."

Soo Kyung Yoo said.

"Hehe."

Dokgoryeong stuck out his tongue and smiled sweetly. It was an adorable laugh. I had to give him something for coming out like this.

"Tsk, tsk, you have a hard life too, I don't get it."

His determination forced Yoo Soo Kyung to make something out of nothing. Even if it meant nothing to him, it would mean something to the sisters in front of him.

"Ummm…, yeah!"

I had a great idea. On second thought, it was a brilliant plan. It would satisfy his in-laws. And he'd free himself from interference.

"Well, let's just go on patrol, then. What do you say?"

Yoo Soo Kyung asked.

"Patrol?"

"Okay, I need you to look around in case there are any rogues or henchmen with nefarious intentions lurking. This is a very important job, so do your best."

The chances of that happening were very slim, one in a million, but she knew her sister-in-law wouldn't care about such details.

"Yes, lion!"

As she expected, the girl replied in a strong voice. No objections or counterarguments were raised. That was enough to satisfy the solitary lord, who had been spared from a life of servitude.

"Dokgoryeong, I'm going to take a patrol mission around the island now."

Dokgo Ling replied, his voice strong as a soldier in an army.

At the sound of that lively, serious voice, Yoo Soo Kyung once again shook her head.

"Well, yeah……."

'Why did you buy this and suffer for it…….'

It was an incomprehensible mentality to her, who was invested in taking breaks from work.

"Okay, first, let's do a lap around the white sandy beach!"

Patrols here are always centered around the beach. Due to the geography and topography, vicious unwanted guests with impure hearts always enter through the sea. However, the ocean is open to everything in all directions, making it easy to spot anomalies. For this reason, it is rarely visited during the day when the sun is shining brightly overhead. On this particular day, it was clear enough to see the horizon across the sky and sea in the distance.

Dokgoryeong strolled down the beach, feeling like a stroll. No, she was patrolling! The white sandy beach she was walking on was dotted with boulders that were more than a man's height, their black surfaces polished to a rough sheen by the wind and waves.

Then, as the small waves crashed in and washed away a handful of sand, he saw a young girl in a white robe, as pure as snow, sitting on a rock. She must have been about ten or twelve years old. She looked out to sea with eyes deep and quiet beyond her years. Her clothes fluttered like snow-white wings in the sea breeze.

The girl in white turned her head to look back as the poisonous old man's footsteps stopped behind her.

"Sister Ryeong?"

A voice so numb that all emotion seemed dead. It was so inorganic that it could hardly be believed that it came from the mouth of a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl with a beautiful face carved out of seven jewels.

"Oh, it's Yerin!"

Dokgo Ling replied in a cheerful voice.

The young white girl in front of her was Na Yerin, a new apprentice who had arrived three years ago. The girl's dreamy, mysterious beauty, unconcealed by her young age, was something that even she, herself, found extraordinary.

"What happened to……?"

Na Yerin asked in short, piecemeal bursts.

"Patrol!"

Dokgo Ling laughed and answered, short and strong, and Yerin nodded quietly in understanding. It was a doll-like movement.

After a long moment of silence, the little girl spoke again.

"My sister……."

"Huh?"

Dokgo Ling and Na Yerin's gazes met in one place. Their eyes were as mysterious as the night sky in the sky, as if they could suck you in. Sometimes, however, those eyes gave her chills, as they seemed to peer into the future and pierce through the barriers of a person's mind. For this reason, she was shunned by many within the academy, though of all of them, Dokgoryeong tended to get along best with her.

"…Be careful."

A voice with no highs or lows. Too monotone for a warning voice.

"She! What kind of nonsense is that? She's so wacky……."

Dokgo-ryung said, a little puzzled. He was definitely not telling me to be careful on patrol. There was no explanation, but somehow I knew in my gut.

If so, what?

This younger sister-in-law sometimes says something unintelligible like this.

"Just……."

Dokgoryeong shook his head in disbelief. She was a difficult child to understand. But whenever I saw him acting strangely mature for his age, I would feel sorry for him.

"Sister…be careful…man…love…pain……."

Na Yerin's last mutterings fell on deaf ears. Where are those eyes, the color of the night sky, looking now? That may not be known even to the girl herself.

"Yeah, did you say something?"

Na Yerin shook her head silently. She decided to give up.

"What an ice-cold child you are. Really… even an ice sculpture would be less cold than you, Yerin! A girl's gotta be a little brighter to be a girl!"

His words were scolding, but they were filled with compassion for Samae. She was worried about them. Still, it was much better than before. Once upon a time, I was mute for seven days and seven nights.

At my age, when I'm full of energy and curiosity beyond the norm, and my mouth can't hold back if I don't talk for even a few moments……. How big a scar was carved into that little bird's heart, she couldn't even imagine.

'She's been here for three years now…….'

As vividly as she remembered the scene of her initiation (which would probably stay with her for the rest of her life), she also remembered the scene of her death.

"Greetings, this is the child who will be your sister-in-law from this day forward. Her name is Yerin, and she is the daughter of the current Martial Spirit Lord, the Qin Tian Thunder Sword God, the Nine Hundred Heavenly Dao."

Pointing to a girl he had never seen before, the master said.

"Hello, Yerin, I'm an old man, please take care of me, call me Sister Major!"

Dokgoryeong greeted him with a cheerful voice and a wide smile. But there was no reply.

The little white girl, pretty as a doll, hid behind her master's back, shivering like a little bird in the rain.

"Oh, dear, dear, poor……. I guess the shock hasn't worn off yet. I can't believe you still resist human contact so strongly……."

The swordsman clicked his tongue in disapproval. At that moment, the words of the master struck a strange chord in Dokgo Ling's mind. But he didn't dare to ask what had struck him.

When an adult fails to be an adult, it's an embarrassment, but when a child fails to be a child, it's a misfortune. However, it was clear to see that the little girl in front of me was very afraid of something. What the heck had happened to her…….

The frightened girl's eyes were as clear and deep as the night sky. They were very impressive eyes, filled with a strange magic.

He knew which one of them had to be brave in this situation, so he took the initiative and extended his hand. Pretense doesn't work in this situation. It's all about sincerity and authenticity.

Squatting down in front of Na Yerin so that they were eye level, Dokgo Ling lifted her hand and gently stroked the little falconer's head.

"When you go through the baptismal ceremony and the formal initiation, you become a cub scout, which means that you're bound by a deeper bond than blood siblings, because blood siblings are only related by blood, but cub scouts are related by spirit. So no matter what you're going through, don't be afraid, you're not alone. And if anyone is bullying my little sibling, this great lion will beat them up, so don't worry!"

It was a pretty radical statement.

The first time the old man's hand was placed on her head, young Na Yerin squeezed her eyes shut and flinched like a shy cat. A small tremor of fear radiated through her fingertips. Still, Dokgoryeong didn't stop stroking her.

The trembling through her fingertips was now significantly reduced. The lion's gentle strokes, like the breeze, seemed to appeal to the young falcon.

"On that note, take care again, little brother!"

Once again, Dokgoryeong greeted him with a cheerful smile. This time, the response was unexpected.

"Yes…, my sister……."

The voice was as thin as a mosquito's, but Dokgoling's ears, trained in the sword art of listening, did not miss it. Overwhelmed with emotion, he threw his arms around young Na Yerin.

The girl's short scream of "snap!" was heard for a moment, then faded.

"Oh, you're so brave, I was worried because you've been avoiding people all this time!"

A slight crack appeared in Na Yerin's tightly closed mind. Sword Hu looked at the Daoist Elder with a look of pride in his eyes and smiled wryly.

"Looks like we have another new member of the family……."

As the two disciples embraced each other, she watched them silently with the compassionate gaze of a Bodhisattva incarnate.

"…Do you think we should have a reception tonight?"

It wasn't a bad idea.

-Act 2, Chapter 3

Girl, meet boy - a duet of a boy and a girl

-The boy loved the girl's two jewel-like eyes, full of life. It was bright and healthy and full of life, like a black pearl sealed in the sunlight. So the boy liked the girl's two eyes.

She saw him from a jutting ledge on the beach where the waves were breaking in white foam.

He was surrounded by dozens of seabirds, and if you didn't know better, you might think he was being attacked. The white birds swarmed around the man. A sea gull perches on his shoulder without protest or warning.

He was a very mysterious boy. But technically, he could hardly be called a boy, much less a young man. He was about eighteen or nineteen? He had a face that could easily be described as youthful. I hadn't seen him in the neighborhood before.

"I've never seen you before, if you don't mind me asking, may I know who you are?"

The boy's gaze slowly returned to the sky.

It was a very pale, hollow-looking face. There was no light in it. He looked like a man made of dust. His mouth opened slowly. His eyes flickered to the symbol on her left breast.

"Crimson or black?"

He recognized the fire-white sigil at a glance. At least it meant he wasn't an ordinary person. He was a powerhouse.

Dokgoryeong nodded.

"Yes, I'm a disciple of Gumgak. What are you doing here? I'm the security officer in charge of Gumgak's patrols, and I really need to know why."

Of course, I was kidding when I said head of security.

She could not yet hold any position with her twin wings. Not having a position meant not having professional responsibilities. It also meant that she was not qualified to be independent, and it was a reminder that she was still a ward. For a woman with more than her fair share of independence, this was deeply distressing, and perhaps that's why she clung to her patrols so tightly.

"Well then, Chief, to answer your question, I was merely gazing out at the vast expanse of space and smelling the salt on the refreshing sea breeze, for it is cool here, and it occurred to me that it might lighten the burden of my heavy heart a little. A hopeful observation, I know, but one that might lull even myself into oblivion."

For a moment, his expression was so full of sorrow that it made the old woman's heart ache. He had a charm that naturally moved the viewer, a type of character she had never encountered before, which made it all the more fresh, stimulating, and effective.

Boom! Boom!

My heart suddenly sped up. I felt like I had run a long distance without stopping.

"Uh, why is this?"

I found myself blushing. It was a strange thing.

"What's your name?"

Dok Goryeong asked. It wasn't out of a sense of duty as a security officer to verify the identity of outsiders.

The boy shook his head and said.

"Um…, I forgot!"

After a long pause, the boy replied with a nonchalant face. If you didn't know better, you'd think he was talking about what was for breakfast.

"Ho, amnesia?"

A half-question popped up in his excited voice.

The boy knew very well what it was that sparkled like stardust in the girl's eyes: a burdensome light that bore the name of curiosity.

"No…, don't you think it's a little rude to look at me with such a blatant stare?"

Dokgoling looked at the boy with a look that said, "Oh my God, amnesia! I've never seen anything like it! It was definitely out of line.

"Amnesia… no?"

The girl's half-question to the boy, whose face had turned grim, drew a thin line of a smile across his lips. It was the first smile he had seen since his encounter with Dokgoryeong.

"No! But maybe that's what I need right now."

He wasn't kidding, he was actually eager to get amnesia. No, not just eager, but desperate.

"Do you want to forget your name……? Do you want to break free of the chains that bind you?"

He may have said it without thinking, but it was true. Unconsciously, the poisonous spirit had tapped into his most powerful desire. That's why he couldn't laugh.

"It hurts like hell to be hit in the face so suddenly. A name you can't throw away even if you wanted to……. It may be another form of fate."

The young man's eyes were very deep. At first glance, he looked like an old man. Such a profound gaze would only be appropriate for a man over sixty years old, not a young man of about twenty.

To be able to have such a deep expression on his face at such a young age showed that the weight of his burden was not unusual. Even at such a young age, the burden of his work was not easy to bear.

According to the Book of Zhu, fate is something that can be changed according to Eastern thought. However, fate is something that is literally determined at birth and can never be changed. Blaming fate is foolish. But it's equally foolish to do nothing to change it.

Which way is he?

"But does forgetting a name really make you feel better?"

Is this what it feels like to be pierced through the heart by a rainbow sharp enough to send a chill down your spine? Stabbed where it hurt the most, the boy clutched his chest in intense pain. A bitter sob escaped the corners of his mouth, spreading from side to side.

"Maybe it's my own misfortune that I know it's impossible, but I can honestly say that right now I'd like to forget the name that's weighing on my shoulders and just have a nice break, even if it's just a temporary one in the name of escapism……. that's what I need."

His face looked very tired and lonely as he said that.

What kind of life had he led to make him look like that at his age? Dokgo Ling was surprised to find himself suddenly curious.

I've never been this curious about a member of the opposite sex before……. It was a first.

"Hmm…, how about this?"

Dokgo-ryung said with a wide smile.

"You're going to forget your old name right now, but you'd feel so uncomfortable without it, so I'm going to give you a special new name, and while you're wearing it, you're going to forget who you used to be and live like a new person!"

The girl's bold suggestion gave the boy pause for thought.

He wasn't sure how to respond to this out-of-the-blue offer. But he couldn't deny that it was a very attractive offer indeed.

"They say you forget your name……."

It was to escape from the curse of a week's rest.

"Yes, to forget a name is to forget the person who bore it, isn't it? While you have a new name, you're taking a break from the past; you're becoming someone else, like an actor in a light opera!"

He didn't even wait for the boy to respond, just moved on to the next step.

"So what should I call him? I can't call him 'hey' or 'you,' and it's too clichéd to call him a nobody, and……."

He didn't bother to listen to his opponent's answer. The other boy was being dragged around.

"Okay, so why don't we call it a silver name?"

"Secret name?"

"Yes, because you've hidden your name. The name to hide, the name to give, and the name to give!"

As he spoke, Dokgoryeong smiled broadly. It was a sunny smile, devoid of all selfishness.

"SilverName……."

I let it rest on my tongue in my mouth for a moment, turning it around and savoring it. It's a nice resonance, something that resonates with me.

"Don't you like it?"

The girl's mood quickly turned sour, as if all the weather was bad.

The boy shook his head vigorously. Apparently, my delay in answering had been misunderstood.

A hand of salvation extended from an unexpected person in an unexpected place……. It was up to the boy to choose whether to take the hand or let it go, and he finally decided.

"No, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, you might be a saving grace from the heavens."

The boy then accepted the girl's offer.

"Gee, a saving grace……. That's a gross exaggeration."

The girl followed suit and smiled broadly.

"Well, I'm serious, but……."

What she didn't realize at the time was that it was the first time in a year that he had laughed so genuinely.

"I'll be right back!"

"Goodbye, Dingo lion!"

Na Yerin said as she waved to the departing doge with a smirk on her face. It was a common sight these days.

"Yerin, can you come over here?"

In the distance, Yoo Soo-Kyung beckoned to Na Yerin.

"Yes, Mr. Yu, can I help you?"

Yoo whispered, wondering if anyone was listening.

"I haven't seen much of the Major lately. Do you have any idea where he's been shooting around?"

"Well, I don't have a clue."

In an overly adult tone, Na Yerin replied.

'Seriously, this kid isn't even cute…….'

Yoo Soo Kyung muttered to herself. For some reason, this kid was really a burden to deal with.

"Sorry, that wasn't cute enough."

Yoo Soo Kyung was stunned by Na Yerin's blunt words.

"Ah…hahaha……. Moo, what do you mean……."

You can't help but feel embarrassed when your mind is being read. I tried to fake it, but it didn't work.

"It's written on your face."

In a doll-like voice, Na Yerin said bluntly.

"Me, really?"

Yoo touched herself all over her face in panic. Of course, there couldn't be any writing on it.

"Ahahahaha… ahahaha……."

Yoo Soo Kyung, her face flushed red, let out another intermittent laugh.

"……."

All the while, Na Yerin's face remains expressionless. She looks like a marble statue.

"By the way, do you even have a man these days? You're really getting out a lot, Major, ahahahaha!"

I tried to distract him, but there was no way to tell if I succeeded or failed because his expression didn't change.

Failed Name (孤掌難鳴)! It takes two palms to make a sound. It's no use talking to yourself. Doesn't this kid have the slightest bit of curiosity? I felt the strength drain from my shoulders.

"That can't be right……."

Yoo Soo Kyung shook her head and pondered in a quiet voice.

I don't really have any complaints.

He was one of the chosen ones, and his family was wealthy enough to have no problem feeding and educating him. His future was set at birth, and he was proud of himself and his family. But one day he was told that everything he had seen, heard, and thought was an illusion.

His gaze and thoughts were a persona, a facade to deceive others. They were manufactured values. In truth, he was not supposed to see that way, hear that way, or think that way. But the values that had been constructed could not be shattered in one fell swoop, and forced action was taken.

His values were shattered that day. His values were reorganized to serve the purpose of the family's existence.

Nothing of value comes without a price. He would have to pay for his destiny, for the privileges he had enjoyed, and that would mean shattering his world and becoming a different person altogether. He had no choice; he was face-to-face with the gods who controlled his fate and destiny. There was no second choice for him.

But that didn't stop me from dreading the ceremony.

A person receives a new name [字] through custom, and inherits the family history and identity. He is transformed from a half-man into a full human being. But for him, the custom went far beyond this ordinary meaning; it was imposing a new destiny on him, and that destiny had already stained his hands with blood. It was a baptism of despair, a bloodstain that would not be removed for the rest of his life.

He felt as if the ritual would make him disappear; he had already decided to become a ghost when he did "the deed." But the deed haunted him more than he could have imagined.

So I ran away. He ran, and he ran, and he ran, and he ran, until he came to this little island in the South Seas. The eyes of the watchers still hovered around him. He hadn't completely escaped his fate. He knew it was just a matter of waiting and watching. Still, here he was, reunited with her, and that was enough to satisfy him.

"But how long can this happiness last?

I couldn't be confident. You only realize your own helplessness.

I already knew. That there was no such thing as deserving to be happy anymore……. He had already betrayed what was most precious to him. His heart died with his conscience that day.

So I was giving up. I had no hope. But then I saw her. She looked me in the eye, her eyes shining like black pearls in the sunlight.

"Could I be happy with her?

But the fate that bound him was not so light, and a shadow fell over his face as he recalled it. He felt ugly, like he was floundering in a swamp he couldn't get out of. A chill ran down his spine even though it was broad daylight in the middle of summer.

"Eun-myung, are you inside? I'm here!"

Outside, he heard her voice, bright and cheerful, a voice that knew no darkness, pulling him out of the darkness once again.

'Yes, let's not think about it now. We have agreed to forget our old names for a while! For the time being, let's stick to our roles! It's a midsummer's dream. Let us enjoy this happiness for a while.

He forced a smile on his face, determined to do so. He couldn't let her see his grim face.

"Here you go, Leroy!"

In a cheerful voice, he replied.

Act 3, Chapter 1

Pirates (海賊)-Black Seafood

A short distance away from the island, a boat floated on the night tide, not very large, but very sleek looking, with a sharp, narrow stern and several triangular sails to help it catch the wind.

Named the Black Sea Wind, she was a ship with as many battles as she had looks. The Black Wind's exploits on the seas, where countless dangers abounded, made her stand out among her peers. She boasted that she had never been sunk after taking such a beating.

Standing tall on the deck, smelling the sea breeze, the man's eyes were fixed in one place.

Botham.

That's where his gaze now rested. The distance was great, and it was a moonless night, so even the stars were dim, and he could see only the tiny lights of fireflies.

"I assume you're familiar with the penetration path?"

On the deck of the Black Sea Wind, facing the sea breeze head-on, Dogok asked Zhongguang.

"Of course, boss!"

Dogok was the sole decider of the ship's course. The fact that he was called the boss on a ship floating in the middle of the ocean gives us an idea of what his job was. Zhongguang was a dockmaster.

Voila!

A loose fist pierced the night sea.

"Oops!"

A short scream erupted from the mouth of Ji Hyun-Koo, the brains of the Black Sea Winds, who was nicknamed the Wise Seagull.

Dogok growled and shouted.

"How many times did I tell you not to call me 'boss' and to call me 'ze-dog-sir' or I'll kill you and get you, ang?"

An admiral is the supreme leader of a fleet, commanding dozens of warships. It was an unworthy title for a marauding, plundering pirate.

'No bravado… no admiral! Just a simple pirate on the subject of…….'

Apparently, Vice Admiral Zhongguang's judgment of reality was higher than Dogok's. Even the captain could recognize that, even if he didn't want to. A man must know his place.

However, Zhongguang was wise and had a mind of his own, so even though he was in a quandary on the inside, he was not shy at all on the outside. He also kept his facial expressions neat and tidy, which was impeccable.

"Admiral Dogok, ah… what a pleasant sounding word!"

To be on the safe side, Zhongguang decided to ignore the delusional boss, whether he drowned or not.

Pirates!

There are bandits in the mountains and pirates in the sea. Thus, pirate is an occupational classification of a specialized industry based on geography.

Some argue that the term refers to a person who uses a particular vehicle to conduct business, rather than a geographic location. So, they argue, if you're a pirate in the sky, you're an aerial pirate, and if you're a pirate in space, you're a space pirate. However, some scholars dismiss this argument, citing the fact that idiomatic or metaphorical expressions are not universal definitions of language.

They may claim to be the "free winds of the sea" rebelling against an oppressive society, but a robber is a robber and a bandit is a bandit.

Dogok was missing his right eye, hence his nickname, the King of Wood.

His group, the Black Sea Winds, were the leading pirates of the South Seas, feared and reviled by ships sailing these southern waters, and their leader, Dogok, is often used as a simile for sailors, meaning "son of a bitch," "eighteen," or "bastard.

Why is this infamous group of pirates, the ones who can take down a dwarf, here now? For business, of course.

His hollow right eye is said to be the result of a blow from a female swordswoman when he was a young man, healthy and active on the road. Luckily, he was spared by the mercy of a female swordswoman, but it scarred him for life. Of course, he hated her for it, but he was never grateful. However, the proud sea rogue never dreamed of taking revenge for his actions in a presumptuous manner, as it would have ended in a swift and unceremonious death, and he was a man of virtue who valued and cherished his life.

Voodoo Master Zhongguang was one of the few people who knew where the woman swordswoman came from: her master was the Sword Gak, and… the master was a man named Sword Hui Yixiang.

For Dogok, it was the good fortune of a knightly student to return from the brink of death. The swordsman's treatment was merciful, as befits a guardian of the great bodhisattva. It was meant to be a call to repentance. But like any good pirate, he was ungrateful. Instead, he repaid the favor with hatred. From that point on, Dogok hated Gumgak to the point of gnashing his teeth. Still, he wasn't a complete idiot, so he never did anything to harm the men of K'ungak.

Sword Gak and Sword Hu, these two beings were both hated and feared by him. Therefore, he preferred to strike at Sword Gak indirectly.

It was in that same spirit that we planned the sacking of Bothaam.

"Then start the action at the stroke of midnight!"

Dogok commanded.

Night patrols were a crucial part of the Gumgak mission.

It was customary for a black, two-winged apprentice to take turns on these night patrols. As a rule, it was a two-man job, but it was not uncommon for one to go it alone for one reason or another.

Dokgo-ryung was alone today, so he was the only one who witnessed it.

'Well, they're…….'

A group of nearly twenty people were moving stealthily along the beach, each carrying something over their shoulder. It was a rather heavy-looking object, at first glance. The direction they were coming from was one she knew well. It was where Bothaam was.

"Pirates?

She quickly ducked into a nearby bush.

"Captain Gwanghae, this ended surprisingly well."

One of the men, who appeared to be a subordinate, smiled and spoke to a large man walking at the head of the group. The big man was carrying nothing but a girdle around his waist. He seemed to be the leader of the group.

"I know. I thought it was going to be so hard to do bota, bota, bota, but I must have gotten too excited when I heard the name. Now I'm like, "What the hell, this is boring, I thought it was going to be more challenging!"

The hulking man called Guanghai answered in a gravelly voice.

"Knowing where the emergency call bells were and where the surveillance was located in advance was key. You've got to have a head on your shoulders."

"Well, what good is an old seagull if he doesn't have a head, he's got to have something to keep him from being roasted!"

In a deep voice, Guang Hai replied. There was a hint of displeasure in his voice. Apparently, he had a rivalry with Zhongguang, the dockmaster, which was why his praise of Zhongguang was so music to his ears.

Anyway, their conversation was explaining in great detail who they were.

"So you're a pirate! How dare you rob the abode of the Bodhisattva of Ksitigarbha!

In this case, the action to take was clear.

"Call each of them!

As he fumbled in his pockets for his emergency whistle, his complexion changed dramatically.

"Uh, no, there's no emergency horn!

It was a rule to carry an emergency whistle on patrol. Of course, she was well aware of that and had never failed to do so.

Apparently, she had forgotten to bring it. We all make mistakes, and hers was not unreasonable, but on this day of all days!

As the uneventful days continued to lengthen, my mind became more and more delirious. I realized that it's the mindset of a prepper to be prepared just in case……. I was lulled into a false sense of peace and recent joy. It was shameful. But now was the time for action, not regret.

"Stop!"

Sheathing his sword, the poisonous old man ran out of the woods, shouting.

"Who, who!"

The pirates, returning home after a rewarding day of plunder, were startled by this sudden appearance and were momentarily disturbed.

"How dare you steal Bottaam's things… You have a swollen liver! Return them now, or this sword will not forgive you."

At other times, he shouted with force and intimidation, but his short body was not very convincing.

"What, what, surprise, it's just one girl?

Gwanghae patted his chest and said.

"How dare the little bitch make fun of the old man…huh?"

Assault Leader Guanghai's eyes widened at the sight of the poisonous beauty. This was an unexpected bonus. Suddenly, desire surged like a black flame from the bottom of his heart.

"Oooh, such a great deal!"

The solitary beauty was something you don't often see on a small island in the middle of nowhere.

Guang Hai felt his mouth water and licked his lips with his tongue. It was a look that made him feel more disgusted than a toad. In pirate circles, a charge captain is a plunder captain. The title was traditionally reserved for the most brutal, the most brash, the most vicious, the one who led the front line of the plunder.

Gwanghae, the leader of the Black Sea Wind Raiders, was no exception. He was also known as the Crazy Wave because of the way he made his plundered ships look like they had been swept away by a mad tide! They were not to be trusted as fellow human beings. Especially beautiful girls like the poisonous elderly…….

"You dare to challenge our Black Sea Wind in a single bound! Your courage is fictitious, young lady, but I'm afraid you'll have to be captured for our goods, heh, heh, heh."

The command came again from the mouth of the mad wave Guang Hai, whose crude laughter flowed like filth.

"Guys, this is a precious commodity. Don't you dare scratch it! Hold it carefully!"

Dokgo-ryung was furious at being treated like an object.

If you were captured by pirates, at best you would be sold to a slave trader and enslaved. Not to mention ruining her body and her life. Besides, if it was the Black Sea Wind, she'd heard the name before. No matter how hard she searched her memory, she couldn't recall them being a decent group of people who would hold a ransom in a civilized manner.

"You people! You double as human traffickers! I will kill you all in the name of my sword."

Coming to the conclusion that she was facing a race that should never have been spared, Dokgo-Ling wiped the hesitation from her sword. It was a readiness to kill. In fact, she had never been in combat before.

"There, sword!"

The name Gumgak had the power to strike fear and terror into their hearts. Some of the pirates visibly stiffened. On the sea, maybe, but on land, Gumgak was outmatched. No, it was no contest. To the pirates of the South Seas, the name Gumgak was synonymous with fear, as it was inhabited by "nachal women.

"Two, don't be afraid, what are you afraid of, you fools!"

Like a seasoned pirate, Guanghai quickly cleaned up the mess.

"Look at her! She's just a little girl! And she's alone! What are you afraid of?"

He was right. Gwanghae's pleas quickly brought the pirates back to their senses.

"Don't look down on me, I'm more than enough for a bunch of pirates like you."

Deng Xiaolong's voice was loud and proud. Even though he was surrounded by twenty rough men, he didn't show the slightest sign of being intimidated, and his demeanor was so imposing that one would think, "Truly, a disciple of the Sword Gak!

But Guanghai's focus was on something else.

"Hmph, that means you're really on your own!"

The savage pirate's beady eyes glinted sharply.

If she had been wiser, she would not have confessed to herself that she was alone. Bluffing was part of the game plan.

"No matter how frightening the name of the Sword Pavilion is, it's not as scary as the rabbits that live there! Why don't you drop your sword and let us take you in? Don't worry, this wonderful brother of yours will take care of you, and from now on, you can call him Guang Dai, or even better, Guang Lang! Heh, heh, heh!"

It was an ugly smile, with drool dripping from the corners of his mouth at any moment, and it sent chills down my spine as I listened to his lazy smile and his worthless rantings.

"Shut up, Da, who would entrust a recruit to an ugly savage like you for insanity? I would rather bite my tongue and commit suicide."

He wasn't kidding, and the sincerity of his words was unquestionable.

"What, what! It's a… savage! Have you ever seen such a good-looking savage, Ang?"

Guang Hai's words were not recognized even by his own men. No matter how much he bent his arms inward, the sky did not turn into a square or the earth into a circle, and neither did Dogok's insistence on calling himself an admiral……. Apparently, delusion was a tradition among the Black Sea Winds.

"If you're going to forgo the prize and take the punishment, you're going to regret it, kids, hit me!"

The pirates charged, screaming in fury.

"See with your own eyes how fierce the sword of the sword is!"

With no intention of agreeing to the madman's false standards of value judgment, Dokgo Ling did not hesitate to swing her sword in a confrontation. Her sword glowed with silver as she fought back, fearless and determined. Even the Goddess of War could not be more valiant than her.

And so began the long night.

Never before had time been so clearly his enemy as it was tonight. Never before had he neglected to manage his time, and yet time was against him. It wasn't fair. But the tide of the battle was turning against him.

"Was it not enough?

Although she was skilled in the Xiao'an Sword and the Rainbow Sword, and had been praised by Sword Hu, she was still a girl. Besides, this was her first real fight. All she'd ever done was play a promised match with her sisters. It was safe to say that she had no real experience in martial arts.

Still, her swordsmanship was dazzling, and the razor-sharp edges of her blades were enough to confuse the pirates as she flapped her wings like a swift geese.

His years of systematic training as a pupil of a prestigious master had paid off. He was no match for the pirate ruffians who had practiced ignorantly, focusing solely on strength. Among them, only the assault leader Gwanghae had mastered the true art of martial arts.

But they had a savagery and cruelty that had been honed through years of practice. And for them, morality and ethics were worth no more than passing bullshit. They would do anything to win. Their idea that the winner takes all was a pirate mentality.

Her lack of practical experience was proving to be a fatal weakness, even for someone who had been trained by the most prestigious masters.

Besides, one hand cannot defeat ten. Her skills were not yet strong enough to overcome the difference in numbers and gender. As the minutes ticked by, Dokgo-ryong found herself at a disadvantage. Her breathing became labored, and sweat poured down her face. Her feet felt heavy as if they were sinking into the sand, and the arm that held her sword felt as if it were a steel rod.

But even so, she gritted her teeth and once again sent a sharp blade toward the glans man rushing toward her. A flash of silver cut through the night sky. With a click, a fountain of blood gushed from the man's neck. His glans was sliced in half and scattered across the white sand. This was the cultivation of the art of cutting iron with a sword.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

She took down another pirate, but her body was already at its limit. Every muscle in her body was screaming. Her breathing had slowed to a crawl. For the first time, she realized how hard it could be to breathe. It was painful, like breathing underwater.

How many people have you cut so far?

Seven? Eight?

Some were never able to finish. But even at this cost, the pirates were relentless. As each of their comrades fell, their poisonous aura grew thicker, and they shouted unspeakable curses, but they refused to give up on capturing them. Fortunately, it was acting as an exhalation for the exhausted poisonous old man. But that was about to change. They still hadn't gotten their main man, Gwanghae, to the front. If he did, it would be very dangerous.

The dark streak of blood on his forehead showed that he was quite seething. What's more, he was far from patient.

"Fools, must the order come to this old man? How can I trust weaklings like you to plunder with impunity? Get out of my way, I'll take care of it myself!"

Finally, the captain stepped up.

She had to be determined. Only by defeating him here with all her might could she hope to win. There was no place to retreat. This was a backwater town.

"Huh? Huh?"

Guanghai was a bit flustered.

How can such strength come from such a small body? I thought I'd had enough, and I went out there confident of victory……. His loud bravado would be meaningless now. He had a one-on-one match in mind. He had the dignity to ask for a fight, and he was confident enough.

But when it came down to one-on-one, the little girl lunged like a madman. The sword, thought to have lost its power, was still fast, still sharp, still mysteriously changing.

"Hey, that's not right… Boom!

Things weren't going the way he wanted them to.

'I'm going to have to get my act together soon…….'

Dokgo-ryung had grown impatient in his own way. He was almost out of energy and stamina. He was gritting his teeth and squeezing out the last of his energy, but it was clear that the longer he delayed, the worse off he would be.

"If so!

It may be very dangerous to use it at this point. But if you don't use it, you won't be able to make a decision. There is no other way to win. However, it was clear that he was at a disadvantage if things continued as they were. He had no choice.

"All right, I'm betting on the last meal of the Rainbow Sword!

Dok Goryeong calmly seized the opportunity, knowing better than anyone that she would not get a second chance.

"Yippee!"

As Deng Xiaoling's momentum dropped noticeably, Guang Hai took advantage of this to loudly taunt him, stabbing at him vigorously. She thought that with his lack of refinement, he wouldn't be able to defend against her big move. But she was wrong; she had been practicing to seize the opportunity, the "right time," not because she was weakened. Rather, she had been reserving her strength, waiting for the right time, while focusing on her defense.

The bigger the move, the bigger the gap, and Dao Goling, who had escaped his opponent's offense by using the Hundred Crimson Muran technique, unleashed his strongest herbivore towards the gap.

飛上千里!

An advanced sword technique that sent dozens of sword qi flying through the air at once. Twelve geese-shaped sword qi left the girl's sword. For now, twelve was the limit.

"Huh!"

Guang Hai didn't have time to be surprised that a sword herb that could only be found in a first-rate master's sword had come from a little girl, and he swallowed hard as he hurriedly swung his saber and blocked the flying white-red sword Qi with the Lifesaving Herb's Light Wave Shield.

Cha-ching-ching-ching! Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam!

Not wanting to die, he swung the greatsword with all his might. A crashing sound like hail on steel rang out.

"Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, stop!"

It was a close call. But he didn't make it. His breathing was ragged and raggedy, and he was bleeding red from several cuts. His clothes were tattered and ragged, but he was still alive. He had many gaping wounds, but none of them had cut more than skin and none of them had reached his muscles.

'Is this a failure…….'

As he calmed his ragged breathing, he felt his vision go black.

Now she was out of options.

'Truly, the sword of the Sword Angle is a fierce falcon, and even a young girl can wield such a powerful sword!

Guang Hai felt his heart grow cold. If the entire Sword Pavilion heard the news from Botham and took action……. It would be a terrifying disaster. It had to be assumed that Bothaam's stool had already reached the Sword Pavilion. There was no time to lose. Guang Hai began to feel very nervous.

He exclaimed, once more in a maniacal tone.

"Kahahahaha! I'd love to cuddle him more, but I don't have time! I'm afraid that's the end of our playtime!"

When he forced himself to laugh out loud, the wound throbbed and ached, but for the sake of bravado, he gritted his teeth.

"Heh, don't be ridiculous, you'll have to save that for after you've knocked me out!"

But in reality, I could barely stand.

Gwanghae immediately replied to Dokgo Ling's words.

"I'm going to knock him out now!"

He wielded the fierce tocho with his right hand and gestured to his men with his left. The faces of his men frowned as they received the signal. "Are you serious? Against a little girl like that? How cowardly!" was the obvious reaction. "After all that talk earlier!" was another. For a moment, I felt ashamed, but the fear of the sword pushed aside whatever little shame I had.

Even as he staggered, as if he were about to collapse, he bravely dodged the blow. He had used up all his strength to fight back, but he still had a last bit of energy in reserve to escape if the adventure was successful.

But it was impossible for Guang Hai's eyes to see that, so he sent another, stronger signal, one that meant, "Shut up and run, or die!

The men reluctantly sprang into action. A tall, lanky pirate pulled a small bamboo pole from his arm. He drew from a leather pouch a single needle, tightly wrapped, and placed it inside. Then he put the other end to his lips and pointed it at the girl.

Dokgo Ling was too busy dodging Guang Hai's onslaught to pay attention to anything else. When Guang Hai signaled that he was ready, a savage grin appeared on his face.

"What's the big deal……."

Hook!

The lanky pirate drew in a deep breath and blew it into the oar.

Ping!

The compressed air rushed with terrifying pressure through the narrow oar, and the force of the expansion sent the iron needle flying with terrifying speed. The iron needle flew as fast as an arrow toward the Poisonous Dragon's back.

Dokgo-Ryung's words didn't last long.

My mind was drifting away from my body. A very unpleasant feeling came over me.

"This, this?"

No matter how hard I tried to right myself, I couldn't stop my staggering steps. My vision was blurring like ink on goggles. I felt dizzy.

"Dao or poison?"

Dokgoryeong bit his lip and replied.

"Hmph, don't worry, it's just a sleeping pill! It's a valuable object, why would you want to destroy it!"

Guanghai said with a smile that was more hideous than a slimy toad.

"Sue, sleeping pills?"

The focus in Dokgo Ling's questioning eyes had already relaxed considerably. Guang Hai nodded.

"Yes, it's a special sleeping pill that can put an elephant to sleep! It's a real baguette, specially formulated for martial artists who are more resistant than the average person. It's so expensive that even we don't use it lightly. Consider it an honor, and rejoice, for when you wake up, heaven will be waiting for you, heh heh heh!"

It was as clear as fire that what might be heaven for him would be hell for her. But she had no more strength left to resist. Her hands and feet were tangled and her head ached more and more. She tried to gag.

"Rain, cowardly……."

His tongue was now paralyzed. I wanted to curse, but I couldn't even do that now.

"Hehehehe, thanks for the compliment, that's what pirates are for!"

Its languid laughter was chilling, and if only I could drive my sword into its throat! But as if held in place by a petrified gilt, neither hand nor foot moved anymore. His consciousness continued to sink into the dark abyss.

'secretname…….'

Why does that name and that face come to mind now? It's a vain expectation…, a wish that will not be fulfilled……. Even if he were here now, I didn't think he had the power to save me.

Still… still…….

'I'd like to see you one more time…….'

That was the end of Dokgoryeong's consciousness.

Act 3, Chapter 2

Grim Reaper (死神降臨)

"Come on, grab somebody, we're moving. The boss is waiting for you!"

Guang Hai ordered. If Dogok were here, he would not hesitate to ask who was the boss and then slap him on the back of the head.

"Yay!"

A subordinate pirate in yellow robes steps forward and tries to pick up the fallen poisonous lord from the floor…….

Pod!

"Kaaahhhh!"

A ghastly scream erupted from the Yellow Pirate's mouth. A scream of agony. A scream that could only come from the depths of hell.

"Moo, what's going on?"

Guang Hai stared at his subordinate in bewilderment. There had been an unexpected turn of events.

"Suck!"

Guang Hai's eyes widened. There was an incredible sight there. Huang's pirate, who had been unharmed a moment ago, was clutching his right arm, which had been severed cleanly below the elbow, and howling in agony.

Red blood was oozing from the cut.

[Do not touch!]

The chaos hadn't even begun to settle in when I heard voices coming from all directions at once. No, not from four directions, but from all eight at once. I couldn't even guess the direction.

"Who, who?"

If Guanghai had been more polite and wise, he might have asked, "Which deceased?" but he had no such qualms.

[Don't touch her! Don't touch her with those filthy hands of yours! It is an insolence that should not be committed. Ignorance of the fountain, ignorance of the subject matter, failure to recognize your own vulgarity, insulting her, attempting to defile my sanctity-all unpardonable sins, great sins that can only be paid for by death. Great sins that cannot be paid for by anything but death. Only death can pay the penalty].

The air of nature rang in the human voice. It was a voice of tremendous pressure; it had a mysterious power over the hearer's mind, and it was full of majesty, like the military decree of a war god.

"Seo, is that a hexagram?"

This trick uses air power to create artificial resonance in six directions to hide your position and confuse your opponent.

"Moe, show yourself!"

Gwanghae shouted nervously. An unknown sense of distance and fear gnawed at his nerves. Anxiety gripped his insides.

"Boo, voodoo man! Over there, over there……."

Guang Hai's gaze quickly traced his subordinate's fingertips.

A figure emerged from a small patch of shrubbery. At first, tension was evident on his face, but as the distance between him and the mysterious intruder grew, the tension did not increase, but rather visibly decreased, until finally, he was left with a look of disbelief on his face that said, "I'm so ridiculous!".

He was still a young boy. It was clear that he was a young man in his late teens to early twenties, but in the eyes of Kwang Hae, who had suffered countless prenatal bouts, he was just a snotty child.

He was the same boy that Dokgo Ling had named Eunmyeong. Guang Hai had dismissed this boy based on his personal judgment of his appearance. It was the biggest mistake of his life.

There's more to the story than meets the eye.

"Don't let age and appearance fool you when it comes to the big boys.

The outward form did not reflect the inner essence.

Only colorful silk pouches don't necessarily contain gold nuggets. It's entirely possible that a plain cloth bag could contain a nugget of gold. The point is to find out before you open it. This is the kind of snowballing that will keep you alive for a long time.

He had forgotten this powerful maxim. In fact, it's hard to blame him, as many people forget this "obvious" too easily. But the blame for his mistake was his own.

Silver Eyes looked at the fallen poisonous spirit and turned back to the pirates.

His face was rigid and devoid of any emotion, but his eyes were alive with a fierceness that could choke the heart out of any viewer. His eyes were as cold as death.

[I'll get paid!]

A cold, frosty rage that could not possibly be human swirled in the silver eyes that glowed brightly in the darkness.

Yuck!

The sound of dry heaves could be heard here and there. They felt the alien air centered around this boy, instinctively, before reason.

'You mean to tell me this boy has the nerve to rule over twenty pirates of the high seas?'

Guang Hai had to let go of his initial reaction of belittling the boy. The room was already overwhelmed by the cold aura the boy exuded, as evidenced by the fact that everyone's eyes were glued to him and no one was willing to make a move.

The grim reaper had descended.

"Kid… kid… yi, name it!"

Guang Hai bluffed and shouted at the top of his lungs, but he failed to completely hide his agitation. The initial momentum had already been lost. It was real. But he couldn't lose any more momentum. It was the difference between winning and losing. However, the situation was becoming increasingly unfavorable.

"You have no right to know my name, and you have no right to ask!"

It was a heartless voice, devoid of a shred of emotion. I couldn't believe that such a voice could come from the mouth of a boy so young.

"There is only one thing you must do, and one thing you can do."

In the voice of the Great King, the boy was sentenced.

"Atone for that sin with death!"

The verdict is in.

There is not a single creature in the food chain that wants to be eaten by a predator.

But when the food is appetizing, even if they don't want to eat it, they are drawn to it. In that sense, Botaam could be said to be superlative in terms of food, but a being named Gumgak was turning this superlative food into a 'rice cake in a picture'.

Still, these gold and silver-hungry carnivores don't give up. No matter how many times they try and fail, they never give up. This relentlessness is what makes them truly terrifying.

But this evening, it was the pirates who would suffer the consequences. They were facing the Grim Reaper.

"Kaaahhhh!"

Once again, the tiny terminal echoed over the late-night beach.

Iron, iron, iron!

The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks drowns out the screams with the white sand.

"ugh, ugh, ugh……."

Guanghai was in the midst of the Great Depression.

His teeth were clicking and clacking nonstop now. In all his years, he had never been so terrified of a man as this ferocious cannibalistic shark. What emanated from the boy's slender body was the touch of death itself, and none of them could withstand a second of it.

No, I couldn't even tell what had happened in the first place. He couldn't even read the traces of how he'd brought about his death.

It was just a light flick of the hand. But each time it came, it was always the same: death. It was never in their hands. No sword or other bladed weapon was held in its hand, nor the laws of the land, nor the laws of the sea, nor the laws of the land. Yet death raged among them like a fierce beast.

Those who were touched by the collar of death died as sharply as if they had been cut by a sword. The scythe of an unseen grim reaper seemed to be slicing them to pieces, slaughtering them.

The seconds were fast, precise, and brutal. It was only when the tenth man fell at his hands that Guang Hai realized, in the midst of his madness, that he had come to a realization.

"This guy is planning to wipe us out, and true to his word, he won't spare a single one of us!

I felt like I was going crazy with unbearable fear.

"Strike together! You can't do it alone! Join forces!"

The scramble for survival has begun.

"Ooohhhhhh!"

With shouts and yells, the eight of them try to shake off their fears, but Eunmyeong doesn't bat an eye. After all, a rock doesn't stir when dozens of eggs are thrown at it.

Once more he flicked his sleeve, and a silver gust of wind rushed out like a fierce beast and bit eight heads off.

Pooh-shah-shah-shah!

Eight heads shot up into the air simultaneously, along with a fountain of blood. It happened in one fell swoop.

"Nine to go!"

His eyes glowed with cold murder as he spoke numbly.

"Do, let's run!"

Guanghai exclaimed, his eyes nearly rolling back in his head.

But the Reaper was unforgiving of fugitives. He kicked up one of the pirate's dropped spears, caught it, and threw it with all his might.

Pow, pow, pow!

Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack!

Three pirates were skewered in one fell swoop and became pirate skewers.

It wasn't a fight, it was a one-sided slaughter.

"Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh."

Guang Hai ran without looking back. The shadow of death was closing in on him, and he had no time to look back. He ran full speed toward the ship he'd come on.

'If I could just get on that boat…….'

Finally, he reached the ship he had come on: the ark that would take him out of this hell.

But the shadow of death was much faster than he thought.

"Are you the boss?"

"Huh!"

He looked up, breathing heavily, and was stunned.

Before he knew it, Eunmyeong was standing at the stern of the ship he'd come in on, looking down at him, her eyes as cold and impassive as death's crystals.

"…but not the boss, where's the boss?"

Eunmyeong's eyes saw right through his identity.

"Well, it's over there… on the main line, over the ocean."

For a pirate, loyalty meant being first on the toss list in a crisis.

Focusing his gaze on the tip of his second finger, Eunmyeong's eyesight improved, piercing the darkness and allowing him to see the shadows of objects glimmering in the starlight. It was a remarkable ability, even for someone who relied on starlight.

Pirate ships don't come directly into harbors. It's unlikely that a pirate ship would be able to dock in a regular harbor, and it would be bad enough if it approached these waters the wrong way and got caught on a reef or had its rudder buried in the sand. So they split up into small speedboats and infiltrate the coast.

"Okay, I got it, go away!"

Eunmyeong said in a blunt voice.

"So, you're letting me live?"

As he knelt, trembling, his face lit up with a glow of renewal. Overcome with emotion, he leapt to his feet and tried to bow, but he couldn't.

"Huh? What happened?

Guang Hai was unable to assume the position. He probably couldn't do it again, because his arms were already attached to his shoulder blades. He wondered if his arms had fallen off his shoulder blades, but there was no pain.

It was a strange and soul-crushingly terrifying experience. The sound of death's footsteps echoed in his ears, louder than thunder; he was not allowed even a moment of mercy like his men.

Shake!

His height suddenly shrank. This time it was his legs that fell off. There was no pain, either. To experience such a bizarre thing in your waking mind was a horror beyond measure. It was a soul-crushing shock.

The most horrible, miserable expression humanly possible appeared on Guang Hai's face. Tears streamed from his unfocused eyes, and saliva cascaded from the corners of his half-open mouth.

And…….

The rage that had been dormant for so long, like an illusion, awakened from the severed surface of his limbs and rushed into his brain at once.

"Kaaaahhhhh!"

A pitiful scream that could not possibly have been human. The ghosts were no better.

Poof!

Guang Hai's neck, finally severed, fell to the sand. His eyes remained sunken in their sockets, and it was perhaps the most joyous moment of his life, for he had been freed from his suffering and was at peace.

"I said it plainly. You will pay the price!"

The Reaper, who had taken the form of a boy, spoke in an impassive voice. The count is not over yet.

It was nighttime, so the moon wasn't out. Instead, the stars were blindingly bright. Even the ocean was starry, its black surface sparkling with light as if sprinkled with powdered sugar.

The black seafoam floated silently on the shimmering black silk.

"What? Hey, Spotted, what's that?"

"Is that… well, boss?"

At the Pirate King Dogok's question, the spotted one scratched his head.

Voila!

Predictably, fists flew.

"My-dog!"

Emphasizing each character, Dogok raised his voice once more. The gale's mouth stretched out a foot.

"They're back already? They're fast. But why are you coming back already, Gwanghae, you can't be playing with yourself, can you?"

Gwanghae, the raid leader, had begged to be left in charge of this operation, and Dogok had stayed behind. He trusted him, so he decided to give it a try. He wanted him to gain experience so that he could be more comfortable in the future. If Dogok knew that his trusted servant had called out to him without hesitation, his eyes would probably roll back in his head.

He squinted and watched the landing craft approaching the main ship, which was 'ridiculously' fast.

"That's ridiculously fast! Since when do my kids have such good rowing skills……?"

But he didn't even finish his sentence, he was speechless. His eyes grew wider and wider.

Poof! …poof! …poof!

A series of booms shattered the silence of the night sea. At the same time, a series of pure white splashes shot up.

"What, what, is that gunfire?"

Panicked, they scrambled to their feet, shouting and shouting, but there was no sign of a ship anywhere; there was no way those lazy bastards would be on duty this late at night. Besides, unless they were familiar with the waterways in these parts, a moonless night like this was a perfect time to run aground.

The binge was echoing from the little speedboat racing toward the main line.

"Hey, what's that?"

"Well, one thing's for sure, we proud and brave pirates go around quiet as a mouse, not like that."

"Hurry up and get Zhongguang!"

Dogok exclaimed urgently.

"Yes, sir!"

Given the circumstances, Dogok decided to save this one for last. Spotted Magpie raced toward the cabin, and Ji-hyun-gu, who was relaxed and doing something surprisingly un-pirate-like, reading, rushed out onto the deck.

"What's going on, boss?"

"This one, that one, they must be rebelling on purpose!

As proof, I was pronouncing the word boss with more force than necessary. But there was no time to argue about it now. At Zhongguang's question, Dogok pointed wordlessly to one side. There it was, so much closer.

I pulled a telescope from my bosom (a looted item from long ago) and turned it in their direction. It was nighttime, but I could see it by the stars.

Zhongguang's jaw dropped.

Poof! …poof!…poof!

The boat lurched forward with every splash from behind the speedboat. Dogok's jaw dropped as he snatched the telescope from Zhongguang's hand and pressed it to his right eye, straining to see. What he saw was unbelievable.

There was only one other person in the boat, a very young boy. Standing stiffly at the back of the boat, every time he exhaled tension into the sea, the boat lurched forward like a dolphin in flight. Still, his conscience pricked, he held one oar in his hand.

"What do you want me to do, boss?"

Damn it!" Dogok ordered, vowing to rip that thrush to shreds one day. The thing's animosity was clear.

"All hands to battle! This ship will now enter combat."

Zhongguang snapped.

"Aye, sir, this ship is about to enter combat, sir, all hands on deck, sir!"

"I'm already busy, puddle!

A dark vein wriggled on Dogok's forehead like a roaring earthworm, and he made no attempt to hide his discomfort.

"Hey, seagull!"

Zhongguang, who had been called by his old nickname once upon a time, was momentarily stunned, but he tried to remain nonchalant.

"Yes. Do you still have any business, Mr. Boss?"

"You're being very blatant."

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, boss!"

Zhongguang replied with a smirk.

"Whatever, we'll see!"

For now, we had a job to do first.

"Wise decision, boss!"

Zhongguang shouted back. Dogok ordered loudly again.

"Light the fire! Light the fire!"

All the lights on deck had been turned off to provide more complete concealment from prying eyes. But while the darkness was perfect for hiding, it was not ideal for combat.

The deck was suddenly as bright as daylight.

"Archers, to port! The rest of you idlers, gather your remaining bows! Crossbows at the ready! Javelins at the ready! Something's coming. Shoot it, shoot it, shoot it, shoot it! Goodbye to the night sea. Give him to the fish!"

Dogok ordered with a whale-whale grimace, an instinctive fear of the unknown gripping him. His instincts were on the side of caution.

At Dogok's command, the deck bustled with activity. His orders were carried out with swiftness and precision. It was a swift and unified movement, as befits a pirate who had recently made a name for himself in these southern waters.

Archers were deployed, crossbows were loaded, and muskets were drawn. There were still more than fifty men on board. I hadn't sent many of them out to sea, since moving in a swarm would only advertise that I was here.

"We're ready, boss!" came the reply, and each time he heard it, his insides boiled over. The vein on his forehead grew more prominent.

"Hey, you idiots, it's the Admiral, the Admiral!"

I can't believe I was pirating with these guys as my subordinates……. Suddenly, you start to feel miserable. He sighed heavily.

When this is over, I'm going to put them all in a mental institution, he decided.

Ignoring the irate boss, Zhongguang ordered.

"Stand by! Wait! When they come within five yards of the range boundary, we'll shoot them all at once. If you rush into range, the arrow will not have enough power to inflict a fatal wound. It's a waste of arrows. Prepare a double-crossing arrow."

Zhongguang's command was quite competent and unobtrusive for a man of his stature. He waited with his right hand raised high in the air.

Finally, the speedboat was within range. Swallowing hard, the pirates waited impatiently.

By the time the two tensions were released from the boy's longshim again, the ship had already traveled five miles.

"Fire!"

The hand that held it dropped, and dozens of arrows and three crossbows flew with a sharp crash into the black, churning night. The momentum was terrifying, like a school of sharks that smelled blood and lunged for their prey.

As he cut through the night at breakneck speed in his speedboat, Yin Ming swung his oars like a windmill to deflect the arrows flying toward him. The windmill-like rotation of the oars created a huge updraft of wind that deflected the arrows flying at him in all directions.

"You think you can stop a martial artist with a plain, unloaded arrow? That's ridiculous."

Eunmyeong muttered, her face impassive.

The faces of Dogok and Zhongguang changed drastically as their first attack, which they were quite confident of, fell flat.

"Damn, it's a martial artist, and a pretty good one at that. Arrows won't do much good. Crossbows, aim for the ship! We'll sink it."

Zhong Guang's words were true. An arrow that was not loaded with true energy could only seal the movements of a first-rate master. Moreover, it was useless against a peak master.

"Load up the gale!"

Three massive crossbows were pointed at the speedboat in unison, each loaded with a club-like arrow. The gale was a weapon designed for fleet warfare, with arrows specifically made for crossbows. It could punch a hole in a small wooden boat like that with a single shot. Moreover, even the strongest master could not take it down with his bare hands.

"Fire!"

Pfft!

More shrill shrieks echoed through the night sky, and the flying warriors sped toward the silver speedboats with terrifying speed. One shot missed. The second he deflected with his oars. He could feel the heavy weight of the ship at his fingertips.

Boom!

The third, however, struck precisely at the bow of the ship, puncturing it and sending it flying out to sea. It was heavy and large, and its destructive power was great. The recoil of the impact threw Eunmyeong's body into the air. The enormous force struck the bow and lifted the stern.

"Hit! Ouch!"

Dogok and Zhongguang hugged each other and jumped for joy. But their joy was short-lived, for they were about to witness an even more astonishing sight. The boy they thought was going to fall into the sea and flounder, was running across the surface of the water, kicking up a frightening amount of speed, and coming toward them.

"Ears, ghosts!"

When some ignorant pirates saw him, they were frightened and cried out. A man in the flesh running on the water! Such a feat was unheard of and unseen by them, and they could only assume it was the work of a demon.

But Dogok and Zhongguang were different; they were masters of first-rate martial arts in their own right. Not all martial artists are the same. There is such a thing as class.

The problem is that there's a huge, unspeakable gap between who they are and who they are coming to be.

"De, equilibrium, that's stupid, that's ridiculous, that's only in stories and legends."

Confused, Dogok bit down on a crab bubble and shouted like a madman.

"Shoot, shoot, never let it go up!"

Even as he snarled at his men, Dogok realized why. They were already on their way, never to return! The Grim Reaper was coming for them.

The men struggled to stop the Reaper, but to no avail. Running like land on the surface of the sea, the creature continued to close the distance, deflecting and dodging arrows as if they were nothing more than plastic, until it finally arrived in front of the ship's odd line.

Boom!

A huge, three-foot-high splash of water erupted as Eunmyeong landed on the deck.

Hoo-doo-doo!

The splashes turned to rain and pounded the deck. Yet Eunmyeong's clothes were not soaked.

"You, you're… who, who are you?"

Dogok asked in a rambling voice.

"Reaper!"

Eunmyeong replied in a nonchalant voice.

"If I resist, I die; if I don't resist, I die. What will you do?"

He was the very definition of death.

"Why don't we just surrender, we're screwed."

Zhongguang quickly whispered in Dogok's ear. Under the circumstances, his judgment was for the best, but Dogok had already lost his cool.

"You don't think that's going to spare us! Come on, guys, hit it, hit it, hit it, hit it, hit it!"

Dogok wrought whale-whale evil, but his venomous words scattered into thin air. There was no one to follow him.

"What are you doing, attack, attack, attack!"

But again, no one attacked them; they were as immobile as if they had been caught in a grip.

They feel it instinctively. that attacking this man would mean death……. Their instincts have become nails, blocking their feet, blocking their movement.

Zhongguang, who had been watching silently, put his hand on Dogok's shoulder. It was an unimaginable behavior.

Dogok turned around with a "What?" look on his face.

"I can't help it, I can't help but be impressed by your courage, this Ji Hyun Gu Zhongguang!"

With a solemn and reverent face, Zhongguang recited like he was reading a poem.

"Hey, dude, what are you talking about, huh?"

Zhongguang didn't answer the question. Now he didn't have to.

"I've got your back, boss! Now, then! Bye!"

"Crrrr! You, you, you, you……."

But Dogok, trembling with rage, did not finish his sentence, for as he spoke, he saw Zhongguang turn and dive boldly into the sea. Samuchi's mouth dropped open in betrayal.

"Oh, where did you get the nerve!

Inspired by his bravery and unafraid of the cold and darkness of the night sea, his men threw down their weapons and threw themselves into the water. Some of them cleverly grabbed a wooden barrel and jumped.

Puff, puff, puff!

Here, there, and everywhere, the water gushed forth. This time, Eunmyeong didn't restrain himself.

"Wise men. Brave! But how many of them will ever set foot on land again alive?"

The chill of the night sea cannot be ignored, even in the warm South Seas. If they didn't reach land within three hours, they would likely die of hypothermia. Many of them would die, and some would survive. Who would live and who would die was the province of the gods alone.

"Oh, no……."

Eunmyeong tossed a knife to Dogok, who was trembling with a puzzled expression on his face. The blade clattered to the deck and trembled.

Eunmyeong asked.

"Are you going to abandon ship and join them?"

Dogok bellowed.

"Nonsense! A captain never abandons his ship. Only those who share their fate with the ship are worthy of being called a captain."

He may have been a pirate, but he was a sailor to the bone.

"I see your courage, and if you commit suicide, I will leave your corpse intact!"

His voice was devoid of emotion. The knife he'd just thrown at her was apparently for self-destruction.

"Don't you dare, I don't want to die at the hands of a wetback like you!"

He drew his sharpened machete and lunged at Dogok like a frenzied beast.

"Stupid!"

Eunmyeong swept past him with a light motion. It was like a breeze.

Pod!

A beam of light, thinner than a silver thread, cut through the night.

Their positions changed in an instant.

"You think you can get away with it this time!"

Dao Gok shouted fiercely, but Eun Myung remained motionless with her back to the enemy.

"What… what's with the cocky attitude, are you ignoring me now?"

But Eun-myung did not answer, for there was no need to move any further. Without looking back, the reaper spoke in an indifferent voice.

"There's no talking to the dead."

Suddenly, Dogok's remaining right eye popped open.

Profit!

Rusted hinges twisted and deafening sounds came from behind me.

The tallest mast on the Black Wind, the main mast, was slowly tilting sideways at an angle.

The base was separated as if it had been cut with something sharp, and now the mast was crumbling down the slope.

The twitching of Dogok's right eye, which had been bulging in despair and fear, stopped. His mouth, which had been half-open in a 'heh', also stopped. A vivid red line was drawn across his neck.

Eunmyeong closed her eyes in silence.

Poof!

A fountain of blood gushed from Dogok's neck as he lay motionless on Eunmyeong's back. The white sails on the masts that fell to the deck were stained red with spattered blood. The deck, which his men had mopped daily, was now soaked with red blood instead of seawater. His body crumbled to the deck like a straw doll.

This was the last of the Black Winds of the South Sea, a man who preferred to be called an admiral rather than a leader.

"Foolish! It would have been easier to self-destruct……."

Yin Ming raised his right hand, and a pure white light emanated from it. It was as if he had drawn a sword steel from his hand. It was a lesson.

Without hesitation, he thrust his glowing white hand downward as hard as he could.

Boom!

There was a roar that seemed to shake the entire ship, and a deep, gaping hole opened up beneath his feet. After passing through several layers of flooring, he reached the lowest deck, where the water was gushing in. With a single blow, he had cut through the sole of the boat. It was an amazing force.

"Our, our ship…, our Black Wind…is sinking."

A panicked voice came out of Zhongguang's mouth as he floated face-down in the night sea, and he and several of his men who had jumped with him were equally panicked.

Now they have no place to go back to.

"The Reaper…, it was the Reaper after all. Reaper……."

Zhongguang muttered in a confused voice.

The name Black Sea Wind was never heard off the coast of the South Seas again.

Her long lashes fluttered. Then the closed eyes opened slightly.

"This is……."

"You're good to go."

"Do, pirate?"

Her body twitched violently as she remembered what had happened before she passed out. Eunmyeong calmed her down.

"It's okay, they're nowhere to be found, so you can rest easy."

Yin Ming smiled quietly. The coldness and cruelty that had seemed like the descent of the Grim Reaper a moment ago was nowhere to be seen.

"Uh, how?"

His senses hadn't fully returned, but he knew that there weren't any people from the four schools around. The only one who seemed to be around was Eunmyeong.

"No way!"

You look at Eunmyeong in surprise. He's smiling quietly, not in denial. It was a mysterious smile.

"You saved me……."

Dokgo Ling smiled quietly. Eunmyeong nodded silently. She was glad that he had saved her, more than anything else.

"Thank you."

She spoke in a whisper. Her warm breath tickled his ear, and something hot rose in his chest.

"How are you feeling?"

"Hey, I'm fine, except I'm still a little dizzy……."

Dokgo-ryung replied.

"I'm glad you didn't have any major cuts."

She nodded quietly. Then she hung her head, closed her eyes, and was silent for a long time.

Eun-myung watched as the poisonous elder bowed his head. She had never been taught what to do in such a situation. Something flickered at the tip of her long, thin lashes, which were trembling slightly.

Dokgo Ling suddenly fell into Eunmyeong's arms. Eunmyeong was momentarily confused, then wrapped his trembling hands around her body and held her close. The woman's unique scent stung his nose.

"Black…, black……."

In his arms, she began to sob. Eunmyeong was even more perplexed. She had heard somewhere that a woman who cries is the strongest in the world, and it seemed to be true. The Reaper was frightened and bewildered by her tears.

"I was scared, oops……. I was scared, oops. I was really, really… scared……."

This was her first real battle. She'd practiced with her sisters and brothers, but she'd never been in the thick of a life-and-death battle. Life dying on the tip of a blade, the subtle feel of the blade against her palm as it sliced through another's flesh, the intense stench of blood in her nostrils, the screams ringing in her eardrums. It was all too much for her mind to handle. She was still a girl. This was too much for her.

Eun-myung held her quietly and gently patted her on the back, then gently stroked her back.

"Everyone has to cross some barriers to become an adult, because reality is more harsh than you can imagine, sometimes it's hard, sometimes it's cruel, but it's inevitable, because that's what life is all about, crossing those barriers one by one, but don't worry, I'm here for you, and I think it's easier for two people to cross barriers than one……."

Dokgo Ling lifted his black pearl eyes, still watery with tears, and looked at Yin Ming, but there was none of the ghostly coldness in his eyes that had sent dozens of pirates to the other side just moments before.

Dok Goryeong laughed, his face a mess of tears.

"Hehehe, my face… it's a mess, isn't it?"

Sure, his eyes were red as a rabbit's, and his hair was disheveled. But it was also a very lovely face. Eunmyeong shook her head with a gentle smile.

"No, it's very pretty!"

The two remained like that for a while, looking at each other in silence. No words were necessary.

In this moment, their consciousnesses may have merged into one.

Inside a cave carved into a coastal cliff, a campfire crackled and burned. But the only thing warmer than the flames was the body heat of one man.

The tension released in an instant, and my mind felt hollow and empty. She felt helpless, as if all the water had been drained from her mental well. She had been close to death, knocked out with a sleeping needle, and nearly kidnapped by pirates, and her mind had long since exceeded the tolerance limit of a girl's delicate nerves.

And… it was the first time I'd ever cut someone. I was prepared for it, but it was harder to bear than I thought. I missed someone like crazy. I had never wanted the warmth of a human being as badly as I did at this moment.

Then a soft, warm hand gently stroked the hair below her ear. It was the same hand that had held her so tightly in her own feverish embrace, and how comforting it had been, his presence still bringing her out of her confusion and emptiness.

"Is that okay?"

He asked, his voice gentle. The girl nodded silently, not opening her mouth. Somehow, she was too ashamed to speak.

'He's the one,' she thought. She had no regrets about this decision; her empty heart was begging for it. Right now, she needed him more than anything.

She wanted to feel the warmth of a human being. The foul smell of blood still dominated her imagination. She needed another touch to erase it. And now there he was at her side. The owner of the hand that had saved her and wrapped her in its warmth. The touch of his hand on her face was so gentle, so tender, it brought tears to her eyes. Human warmth radiated from his fingertips. Qi and qi, soul and soul, were touching each other.

She looked up and saw the flickering shadows of the flames behind him, and then, beneath them, his eyes, full of kindness. She gently closed her eyes.

Their lips pressed together in silence.

Tears trickled down her cheeks from both of her closed eyes.

Shoot!

The soothing sound of the waves was playing in my ears like a lullaby.

I was happy.

Closing (終幕)

Rain in a Storm (悲歌)

He vanished before my eyes like a mirage of a dream that never existed in the first place. The reason was unknown. Only his words, that he would return, lingered eerily on the gray walls of the cave.

Dokgo Ling was furious. Her empty heart ached as if it had been sliced open with a spear, but no scream escaped her throat. Only tears flowed down her cheeks in silent wailing, soaking the ground.

He vanished like a wisp, leaving only unfulfilled promises. She decided to wait. Her attempts to find him turned up no leads. Waiting was a task of unimaginable patience.

And it's been a year since then.

"Finally… finally……."

It's here! For the first time in a year, I heard from Eunmyeong. My trembling hands involuntarily tightened around the scroll.

"SilverName……."

I clutched the scroll in my hand and held it tightly in my arms. He was so happy that he felt like crying.

"Idiot, you're so late for your first post in a year!"

She vowed to scold or protest his laziness when she saw him. But she never followed through on her resolution.

Na Yerin hurried to catch up with the poisonous elder, who seemed to be in as much of a hurry as if he'd caught fire. She was always full of energy, but this was definitely over the top. She looked like she was terrified of being killed by the chasing Time and was desperately running away.

"Hold on a second, big sister!"

Na Yerin has just captured a poisonous dragon, desperately fleeing from a felon named Time, and she must go to great lengths to calm its rampaging stallion.

"What's going on, Samae? I'm busy, can we talk later?"

Dokgoryeong was fidgeting like a restless person. Time was not chasing her with a razor-sharp knife in hand, but she was struggling, and in that struggle, Na Yerin could sense a certain 'desperation'.

But Na Yerin's grip on the hem of her dress was tight, and she had no intention of letting go. Instead, she gripped the hem of the white stallion's robe with all the more force at this hour, and there was an invisible determination in her strong grip.

"Buy……?"

This declaration of intent was met with a puzzled look from Dokgoryeong. There hadn't been a time in all these years when Na Yerin had acted so aggressively in this way.

"Sis, I don't think you should go out today."

Na Yerin said in a quiet, monotone voice.

"Why?"

"Just."

Na Yerin replied, trying to hide her anxiety. But the answer was a very awkward one. His increasingly unfriendly demeanor left Dokgo Ling dumbfounded.

"Just? You're saying all sorts of strange things! What are you afraid of? Aren't there any pirates out there these days?"

A year ago, the pirates off the coast of the South Sea had become noticeably less frequent since the death of the pirate king of the South Sea, Dogok, and the collapse of his pirate organization, the Black Sea Winds. Since then, no one has touched Bothaam. No one wants to follow in the footsteps of the Black Winds, so the place has been uneventful and boringly peaceful.

"But… there's something ominous about it. Can we just go out today? Please, lion!"

There was a certain urgency in Na Yerin's voice. Normally, she would have complied without question. But right now, she was so desperate, she couldn't afford to.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you, but don't worry, I already have three wings, so don't worry!"

Dokgo-ryung calmed his in-laws by placing his hand on his younger brother's small shoulder and smiling weakly.

Seeing the determination swirling in the doge's eyes, Na Yerin knew there was no stopping her.

"Well, be careful then, please!"

Since dusk, I've had a strange uneasiness that hasn't gone away. It felt like a rock on top of my heart. It was a feeling I'd never felt before.

Even for a single mom, I had never seen Na Yerin so anxious. I felt the need to reassure her somehow.

"Don't worry, I'm just going to take a look around!"

There was a part of him that wanted to stay within the circle as much as possible and reassure his younger sibling, but his desire to see Eunmyeong again was far ahead of that. The overflowing waves of emotion were already too high to be held back by the banks of reason.

"In weather like this……."

The night sky was shrouded in dark clouds, hiding the stars and moon. It looked as if the rain would fall at any moment, and the wind was howling ferociously through the air. The air was filled with the dangerous odor of the storm.

But Dokgo-Ryung was determined.

"Sorry, Samae, but I have to go out tonight!

A year later, I finally heard from him.

"Dingo lion!"

Shrugging off his younger sister-in-law's tiny hands, Dokgo Ling finally opened the door and rushed out. Through the open door, a gust of wind rushed in like a weeping dragon. It was strong enough to blow a small girl like Na Yerin backwards if she didn't stand with all her might.

"My sister……."

Na Yerin watched with wistful eyes as the poisonous old man receded into the distance. The ferocious wind beat against her entire body. The wind gradually increased its ferocity, pounding against windows and doorways. The ominous black inky clouds that filled the sky further fueled her anxiety.

"It would be nice if nothing happened……."

She prayed, and prayed, and prayed that this pounding in her chest was just her own overwhelming obsession.

Flash!

A pale thunderbolt flashed across the thickly clouded sky.

Quack!

Deafening thunder shook the heavens and earth.

One drop, two drops!

The rain began to fall in concentric ripples over the standing puddles. A storm was coming.

"Should I have listened to my sister-in-law then?

She regretted it many times over. But at the time, her head was so full of thoughts of him that she couldn't think of anything else.

And so fate was speeding toward tragedy.

Heavy rain, accompanied by a ferocious storm, fell from the sky, drowning out all sound in this world. As if to mourn for what was about to happen……. But while the sky could mourn for what was to come, it had no intention of preventing it. It was a cruel sky.

Rattle!

It was not the sort of sword that would be given to an apprentice, hastily forged, unceremoniously missing a blade, and never properly sharpened. It was sharp enough to show off, sharp enough to take pride in. Its owner had never neglected to maintain it. But now the once-promising sword was trembling like an aspen tree harassed by a violent wind.

"Go away, don't come near me."

The face of the solitary old man, his sword pointed at a halt, was now filled with tears. The jewel, which had always been bright and full of life, was now dulled by despair, fear, and sorrow. It was a mournful sight.

What was once a blissful dream became a nightmare that inhabited the depths of a dark abyss.

"Please, please don't come any closer!"

A scream erupted from his shattered heart, forced and twisted.

Jab, jab, jab!

But the man did not stop walking, his face showing no sign of emotion, as if it were now molded of ashen lime.

"Please! Please!"

It wasn't a rejection or a refusal, but a plea for help.

"Silver…people!"

As she called out the man's name as he approached her, she felt like she was being ovulated by an awl.

But he still didn't stop walking. It was the stride of a dead man, precise and regular, but devoid of any variation. With each step he took, she stumbled backward, as if running away.

She was scared, terrified, and wanted to run away as fast as she could from the center of this nightmare, but all she could do was stumble backwards. She had never been so scared before.

He had seen, learned, and practiced countless sword techniques, but even though his swan had grown from two to three wings, they were of no use to him at this moment.

I loved you. He was my first love, my first man. You were the one I met before the incense burned, cheeks flushed with excitement, listening to the pounding of my heart, wondering if it would leak out, if the other person would find out. Until I heard those lying words from his mouth… No, I didn't even know if I still loved him at this moment, because the love I'd cultivated over the past year was too great to turn all my feelings into hate and hatred with those lying words.

"Why… why……."

The man's stiffly closed mouth moved as if he were about to speak.

"For this is my… destiny."

For the first time, something that could be called emotion appeared in the man's glassy, emotionless eyes: a sadness of unknown depth.

-I need your eyes!

At first, I thought it was a bad joke. But it turned out to be a truth worse than any joke.

A chill ran down my back and off the damp cave walls. There was nowhere to retreat; he was still coming at me like a doll at a steady pace.

Dokgo Ling shouted, his grip on the sword tightening.

"I'm going to… stab you."

But nothing changed on Eunmyeong's face. His eyes were still filled with sorrow, and his body was still defenseless. As if it was an expression of his will to die gracefully if you kill him……. Looking at those eyes, she couldn't bring herself to stab him. Moreover, the tip of the sword was still trembling violently, as if it represented her heart.

"You're cowardly, you're so cowardly, you say you need my eyes, you say you need my life, why do you have such a dead, forlorn look on your face, why do you have such sad eyes, if you're a villain, why don't you make a meaner, more evil face, so that… so that… so that… so that I can't stab you."

It was a bloodcurdling scream and a wail. Eun-myung did not stop her steps in response to this heartbreaking cry, but continued to move forward. The distance between them was now immeasurable.

Cook!

The sword pole touched his abdomen. The poisonous spirit sensed it. He raised his head in anger.

Maybe he'll stop now……. When he stopped walking, I wanted to talk to him again. I wanted him to smile and apologize for being such a gross prankster, and I thought that would make me forgive him for everything. But… he didn't stop.

It happened before she had time to react, before she could avoid it. Her eyes widened in horror, and she twitched slightly. Unperturbed by the tip of the sword touching her abdomen, Eunmyeong took another step forward.

Poof!

It quickly became apparent that his body was no sword immortal. The sharpened blade had burrowed two inches into his abdomen, slicing through his intestines. Red blood poured out of the wound like a waterfall, but his expression remained impassive, and he recklessly took another step forward regardless.

Poof!

Finally, the sword pierced through his abdomen and pierced his back, revealing a gruesomely beautiful form stained with blood. The blood that had flowed from his front now flowed from his back.

It was crazy. It was insane. So who would do such an outrageously insane thing? What would you do?

He struggled to make a sound, his torn nerves and uncontrollable, intermittent breathing making it difficult for him to speak. His face remained unchanged as waves of pain ripped through every nerve in his body. It was a feat of superhuman endurance. The gleam of sadness in his eyes only intensified.

"Why……? Why……? Why!"

A pitiful scream erupted from his mouth. Try as he might, he could not wake up from this bad dream.

"The price… this scar is the price, the price for shattering the fragments of memories I've built up over the years, and the last reminder of you that I have left, this scar will never go away, and I will think of you every time I see it, just as you think of me every time you recall the pain in your eyes……."

His voice wasn't as cold as it had been a moment ago. It was the voice she'd wanted to hear so badly, the voice of the man she'd fallen in love with a year ago. But it was also the last voice she'd heard.

"If we ever meet again, I won't be me anymore. Farewell, my love, the one I loved!"

His right hand slowly moved to her left eye, her face fading to pale. It hadn't occurred to her to pull out the sword embedded in her abdomen. Her facial muscles twitched with fear.

"Noooooooooo!"

Crispy!

I felt a burning sensation in my pharynx, a burning sensation in my brain, and a darkness of indescribable pain and despair.

"Gahhhhhhhhhhh!"

In the midst of the torrential downpour, a scream rang out from a cave through the din.

An eyeball rested on the man's bloodied hand. Outside of its owner's body, the eyeball no longer held the glow of the night sea.

"is…person……."

His body crumbled like a tower struck by lightning.

After that day, her left eye never opened again.

Closing (終結)

Sole Proprietorship

As he watched the moonlight fall on the Tianmu Peak, he pressed his left hand to his aching left eye. Whenever he thought of that time, the wound would always sting.

"SilverName……."

Memories were trampled on by nightmares. What happened to him during the year he disappeared was never discovered. It remains an unsolved mystery.

The one that gave me beautiful memories, the one that gave me terrible nightmares. They were both the same person, but it was impossible to think of them as the same. It would be unreal.

In the fabric(織物) of memory woven by her life, some of the corners of the past were stained with a large blotch(汚點). It was an indelible stain, a mark that would remain forever.

On the fabric of the past, where the weft of time and the warp of fate are woven together, no new pattern can ever be imprinted again. It cannot be reconstituted, and therefore no ugly, repulsive stain can be erased.

You can only look away from it, or forget it, through the hypnotic power of powerful illusions or the fluid passage of time. If that's not possible, you'll have to live with the stain for the rest of your life.

The most beautiful mandala of her life, embroidered with five-colored threads that glowed with passion, love, light, and joy, had been horribly defiled by the darkest ink.

Something hot trickled down the corner of his right eye.

Her left eye is no longer capable of crying.

'I thought I'd forgotten about it, but…….'

It was an illusion. It was self-deception. It was impossible to forget it. It's just something you've been ignoring, refusing to face.

Because it's scary… because it's painful… and because it's sad…….

"Then the man appeared.

After bundling them up with their memories, placing them in a solid box and locking it securely, placing chains on top of them, and casting them into the depths of oblivion, the lid of the box that sealed their nightmares was reopened.

The cause was self-evident.

'Did you say Archduke Rain…….'

In retrospect, they didn't look that much alike; much of what Eunmyeong had then was missing from him now. But even so, the figure in the rain reminded him of him, subconsciously. Today's vivid dream was the surest proof of all. It was no small thing to dismiss as insignificant.

There is no effect without a cause. Every effect has a cause, an essence. This is called the law of causality. In Buddhism, it's often referred to as karma. It is possible to trace a cause back to its source and even identify the most fundamental first cause. It's just that the causes are too complex and intertwined for the human eye to see.

If there is any being that can escape the law of causality, it is God, whose cause and effect are the same and indivisible.

So, is it a coincidence that I've met someone named Bi, the Grand Duke, at this point in my life, or is there some sort of causal inevitability?

"What am I good for now?

Once again, I look to the moon, but neither the night nor the moon answers.

Closing

Archduke Rain

Sleep hadn't come. His energy wasn't the kind of weakness that could be depleted in a day or two of rest, but his face was tired now, and the reason he hadn't slept yet was because of the maelstrom of jumbled, uncomfortable emotions he now carried and felt.

"Fate is too much of a joke……."

Sometimes I'll drop it when I'm trying to stay away, and sometimes I'll stick to it when I'm trying to stay away. ……. It had no such whims. The title of worst companion is a distant second.

But the worst joke of all was the inescapable fact that it was a life partner that was "almost" impossible to part with. For some, life was a constant battle of the wills with this fawning companion.

But still, a last resort remains. It may be God's last mercy.

There is only one way to part ways with this companion, and that's with a secret weapon. In Buddhism, this method of divorce is called "liberation," and in Taoism, it's called "beneficence. Despite the different expressions, both are the same divorce document. Even now, there are many practitioners in the world trying to obtain this "divorce document".

Rain, who hadn't yet gotten his hands on this letter of separation, was sadly not immune to the causality of this fate.

And now, as if to show off how complicated things can get, the fates were playing tricks on us.

"Hesitation, anguish, regret, worry……. Did I still have those residues at the bottom of my heart?"

I couldn't believe it, it couldn't happen, it shouldn't happen.

"That's ridiculous, didn't we throw all that stuff away a long time ago, 'back then'?"

On that day, the day he gave up being human, he threw it all away, along with his memories. But were there still remnants of it?

You thought you'd wiped the slate clean.

"So… what if… what if… what should I do?"

Do I have to eliminate that fate, that hesitation, that cause… again?

One side of Archduke Bi's lips twisted upward.

"Are you asking me to do it all over again?"

Even a joke, when taken too far, can provoke anger. Even in the heavens, there's a level and a degree to jokes.

"Kkhkhkh……."

Rain walked over to the window and looked up at the moon through the grate.

I wish for a rain shower, but the night sky is silent with an indifferent blankness.

Vi removes the top he was wearing. She untied the robe to reveal her hard, perfectly toned muscles. His body was like a work of art. Each line of his body symbolized his disciplined past, but there was one major flaw.

It was a light red scar under his left ribcage. A large, vertical slash about an inch long. It was a mark that felt very foreign, a remnant of a painful death of a past memory.

The day he acquired this mark, he gave up being human. To become something beyond human!

He silently stroked the scar on his stomach, a lifelong, indelible mark of sin.

Silent, impassive eyes turned to the moon.