Shocked Gazes at Sakaki Seito's Gate
All their faces twisted in shock as they stared at the gate Sakaki Seito had created. No one could have anticipated it. Who could have imagined he'd sacrifice his own life to generate a gate?
The dagger embedded in Sakaki Seito's throat dissolved into smoke and vanished.
Thud.
His corpse crumpled to the floor. Blood pooled and spread, painting the surroundings a vivid crimson.
Han Ducheol stammered, "Th-this... how is a gate... Sakaki Seito..." He kept muttering disjointedly.
No matter how they looked at it, it seemed Sakaki Seito had created the gate by throwing away his life. If that was true, it was a massive incident. The shock was so profound that their minds went blank, unable to form a single thought.
Nam Gyuil said to him, "It looks like there are awakeners colluding with monsters."
"What?!"
Han Ducheol furrowed his brow, his jaw dropping in horror. His expression was pure astonishment. He couldn't believe there was a faction trying to annihilate humanity by conspiring with monsters. He couldn't comprehend why anyone would do such a thing.
Nam Gyuil clicked his tongue as he glanced at Sakaki Seito's sprawled corpse. I had so much to learn from that bastard.
He'd died too easily. There was a mountain of things to uncover: the goat tattoo on the back of his hand, how he'd obtained the Blood Sword, where he'd learned his martial arts, and more.
Sigh, what a headache.
Nam Gyuil turned his gaze to the gate the man had created upon death. It looked different from ordinary gates.
There's a pattern at the gate's entrance.
One identical to the goat tattoo on Sakaki Seito's hand, no less. He had no idea what it meant. But one thing was certain.
A brand-new gate has appeared—one that never existed before. Perfect timing; I needed a place like this.
The corners of Nam Gyuil's mouth curved upward slightly. New gates were treated as colossal disasters, but they were also prime opportunities for growth. Undiscovered elixirs and items could emerge from them.
Han Ducheol looked at Nam Gyuil. "What do you plan to do now? A gate has appeared right inside the guild."
"We have to clear it."
"I figured you'd say that."
Chairman Han Ducheol chuckled softly and nodded. Normally, they'd report a gate's appearance to the government and decide who would close it. However, a gate on guild property gave that guild the choice: clear it themselves or hand it off to another guild.
Nam Gyuil, of course, intended to handle it personally.
Han Ducheol scratched his cheek and made one request. "Once the gate is cleared, could I train under you as well?"
"Under me, sir?"
"Yes. Your skills have already surpassed mine, haven't they?"
Han Ducheol acknowledged Nam Gyuil's prowess. He was one of Korea's top five hunters.
Nam Gyuil pondered briefly. He had no intention of teaching his training methods to anyone outside his comrades.
But Chairman Han Ducheol is a key ally of Public Guild.
Making him stronger would undoubtedly benefit Nam Gyuil greatly. Of course, the secrets of the training methods had to remain guarded.
Nam Gyuil needed firm assurance on that point. "I can share the training methods... but I'd appreciate it if you kept them secret. If they leak, our enemies will grow stronger too."
He addressed this while glancing at the executives of Kangcheol Guild. Han Ducheol nodded.
"I'll make sure of that."
"That's reassuring."
"Honestly, I have more questions than I can count. How on earth did you summon that burning bird?"
"I'll tell you later."
Nam Gyuil closed his mouth, unable to explain in front of others. Soon after, his comrades rushed into Public Guild.
"Hyung, that Sakaki Seito punk..."
Lee Chanu raised his voice but fell silent upon spotting the corpse. His comrades' eyes shifted to the gate.
"Wait, why's there suddenly a gate inside the guild? What happened while we were gone?"
"Sakaki Seito created it when he died."
"What?!"
They all gaped in surprise.
Nam Gyuil dismissed Phoenix to conserve his internal mana.
"I'm heading into the gate that appeared in our guild now. It looks dangerous at a glance—anyone coming with?"
They each chimed in.
"Yes. Of course."
"We follow you anywhere, hyung."
All of them signaled their intent to enter.
Nam Gyuil chuckled. He liked their burning resolve.
"Then let's go!!"
He led his comrades into the gate.
Upon entering the gate, Nam Gyuil and his comrades scanned their surroundings. It was vastly different from the usual gate interiors.
What is this?
Gates always featured landscapes tied to their monsters, but this was peculiar. Wooden buildings lined the area, impeccably maintained. A wide alley of medieval Eastern-style structures evoked the set of a wuxia film.
No monsters in sight. Just eerie silence. The emptiness amplified the chill.
"Where are the monsters?"
Lee Chanu glanced around warily.
The sun dipped behind the ridge, darkness creeping in with thickening fog. The temperature dropped.
Then—
Clatter.
Scattered stones in the alley trembled. A chilling aura enveloped them. Soon, humanoid figures clawed their way up from the earth.
They were jiangshi.
Nam Gyuil shouted to his comrades, "Everyone, stay sharp!!"
Jiangshi resembled zombies but were distinct. Zombies were mere shambling corpses with feeble strength. Jiangshi wielded internal energy, moved with blinding speed and monstrous power, their combat prowess tied to their original host's might.
Jiangshi didn't arise naturally. Nam Gyuil frowned inwardly. Shura Demon Formation.
A Demonic Cult array that animated the dead to fight. Its origins were vile: created so corpse-mothers could devour their young for sport. Used especially against the orthodox sects—reviving valiant fallen warriors as jiangshi to slaughter innocent civilians. Legend said the Heaven Demon savored it with his drinks.
No wonder everyone hates the Demonic Cult.
Nam Gyuil scowled. These monster collaborators use Blood Cult and Demonic Cult arts interchangeably? They're entirely different factions.
Doubts swirled. What was the true identity of those colluding with monsters?
"Grraaah."
A jiangshi lunged with a guttural roar. Nam Gyuil clicked his tongue. Questions could wait; eliminate the jiangshi first.
They had no single weak point. Smash a zombie's head, and it was done—but not jiangshi. Even decapitated, surviving limbs crawled and attacked. No easy counter; sever head, arms, and legs to immobilize.
At least they didn't infect like zombies. Bites and scratches were safe.
Nam Gyuil explained all this to his comrades.
Lee Chanu paled. "Wait, doesn't that make them way deadlier than zombies?!"
"No infection is something, at least," said Hwang Ilsu, assuming his sword stance.
Hong Shinu took her thrusting posture. "This time, I'll take down the most monsters."
Han Kangsu snorted. "You, the most? With me here? Dream big much?"
Nam Gyuil swung at the charging jiangshi, raising his voice. "Don't get cocky! Focus on the fight!"
"Got it!!"
They clashed with the jiangshi. Nam Gyuil unleashed sword aura, effortlessly slicing them apart. His strikes were ferocious, the blade tracing sharp arcs with merciless cutting power.
Slash—!
In one breath, he disabled four jiangshi. Even severed, the limbs twitched grotesquely.
To wipe them all out, I need to break the formation.
The Demonic Cultist activating it must be watching from somewhere nearby.
Nam Gyuil glanced at his comrades. Slash—!! They were holding their own.
Hwang Ilsu, versed in Moyong-style swordsmanship, bisected two in a single stroke. Han Kangsu wielded Taeguk Sword principles, his deepened insight letting him overwhelm five at once.
Lee Chanu deployed Nangong sect's Je-wang Sword. "Eek!!" He retreated in fright more than he struck, but Nangong footwork kept him nimble enough to dispatch them.
Nam Gyuil eyed Hong Shinu last. She wasn't being pushed back, but she'd felled the fewest. Her thrust-focused training hindered slashes; severing limbs favored sweeping cuts over stabs, slowing her kills.
Then—new jiangshi erupted from the ground beneath her feet. Terrible timing. She'd just felled the one ahead when more surged from below.
A dire moment. Nam Gyuil leaped toward her to assist. He drew a deep breath, channeling internal energy into Huashan sect arts.
Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword.
A sword art of twenty-four strikes, blending splendor with crisp elegance. Plum blossom scent wafted around him. As it tickled their noses, Nam Gyuil's blade cleaved the air.
Its momentum was crystalline. Amid fog swarming with jiangshi, it traced a graceful arc like a flower blooming defiantly.
Slash—!!
First form: Plum Blossom Falling Wild. The blade sketched roadside plum blossoms.
Second: Plum Blossom Dance. It captured dancing petals in a razor arc.
Nam Gyuil's sword depicted blooming plums sequentially, up to the ninth form, Plum Blossom Nine Changes. The ornate, refined technique danced amid the jiangshi.
Hong Shinu flinched. Nam Gyuil's swordplay felt alien—ethereally beautiful and dreamlike, blurring reality.
Thud.
He felled the jiangshi pressing her in an instant. She snapped back to focus.
"You okay?" Nam Gyuil asked.
Something welled up inside Hong Shinu. "Yes, sir."
But frustration lingered. Her skills had grown, yet she'd needed saving again.
Why does this keep happening to me?
Maybe over-focusing on thrusts was the issue. Should she practice slashes? Could pure thrusting make her truly strong?
Doubts flooded her. As she hung her head in dismay, Nam Gyuil said calmly, "Don't waver."
"..."
"Dig into one path steadfastly. You can do it."
Hong Shinu nodded. Advice from her idol, Nam Gyuil, rang true. You can do it felt more solid than ever.
"Grraaah."
"Graaah."
More jiangshi burst from the ground. Lee Chanu cursed. "Damn, no matter how many I kill, they keep coming! What are they, cockroaches? Why so many?!"
He ranted like he might snap.
Nam Gyuil agreed. Endless spawns would wear them down. They needed to find and crush the boss monster quickly.
The bastard's surely at the formation site. Locate the boss, and this could end fast.
Nam Gyuil sought Demonic Cult energy, channeling Kunlun sect methods. Sensitive to foul auras, Kunlun would pinpoint it swiftly.
Demonic energy permeated everywhere—but one spot pulsed strongest: a two-story building midway down the alley.
There!!
Nam Gyuil led his comrades there, a buried doubt resurfacing. Why did martial artists appear right after I reached the second floor of Akashic Records? So contrived.
Perhaps this boss held the answer.