The Murim Alliance Attacks!
The day of the Gyomaguan graduation ceremony had finally arrived. Seo-ah and her group reached the open field where the event was to be held. Despite arriving quite early, the grounds were already bustling with a massive crowd. I could feel the weight of countless gazes fixed upon us. It was no surprise, really—we were a group featuring two Silver Badges and a Gold Badge who had taken the top spot, all of whom were prodigies who had been practicing martial arts for less than a year. It was only natural that so many people were eyeing us like predators.
"Nice to meet you. I am from the Changwi Sect..."
"Hey, get lost! If you join our sect, I’ll give you the position of Vice-Sect Leader!"
"Greetings. If you have any interest in the Dark Shadow Pavilion, we can offer you the treatment of a team leader right away..."
Since I wasn't a true disciple of the Cult, I didn't know the names of every small-to-medium sect, but I couldn't help but be surprised. The people rushing toward the twins and So-yul to introduce themselves were all from major sects or core institutions of the Cult—I knew this because even I recognized their names. What was even more surprising was that even I, wearing a maid’s uniform instead of a student’s, occasionally received recruitment offers. I suppose rumors had spread after I threw a dagger at Jin Geuk back then.
'I did get some attention back then, didn't I...'
Of course, I wasn't offered high-ranking positions like the kids were. Regardless, we turned down every single offer. Baek-ak, looking uninterested, picked his nose while chatting with So-so, who had turned pale after being surrounded by high-ranking officials from major sects. Baek-ran politely declined on behalf of her immature twin brother.
"I apologize. We have no intention of joining any sect immediately after graduation..."
"It cannot be helped. Just keep in mind that the doors of the Dark Shadow Pavilion are always open."
"Young Lady! Remember the Chain Sword Sect! The Chain Sword Sect! Please, you must remember us!"
Following our polite refusals, most of the recruiters left with friendly smiles. Of course, there were some who seemed offended by the rejection, but no trouble broke out. There was no benefit in making enemies with those destined to become the pillars of the Cult. On the other hand, So-yul’s side was different.
"Get lost."
"Are you trying to shove such unheard-of trash in our faces?"
"Everyone back off! You’re making our Boss uncomfortable!!"
My expression was sour because of you. What on earth happened over the past year to make her act with such a lack of manners? Was she even allowed to act like that? Of course, that wasn't the case. Unlike the twins, who parted ways amicably, the recruiters on this side glared at So-yul as if they wanted to kill her. A future talent who would become the backbone of the Cult? A prodigy who took first place after only a year of training? At best, she was currently at the entry level of the First-Class realm. She was just a child with little experience. Maybe in ten years, it would be different, but right now, if we clashed head-on, I could easily crush them. Naturally, the competitive martial artists of the Demonic path couldn't look kindly upon So-yul.
"Young Lady! Your words are too harsh. What did you just say!"
"You brat! You’re running wild without knowing how high the sky is. Won't you apologize immediately?!"
"As a martial artist of the Demonic path, not a coward of the Righteous Faction, I cannot stand by after being insulted. Draw your sword. As your senior, I will teach you the etiquette of the Murim."
The atmosphere turned hostile, a situation on the verge of exploding. Seo-ah thought it wasn't good to scold So-yul in a place with so many eyes on us, so I just watched. But just as I was about to step in and tell her to apologize, a smooth, gentle voice drifted over.
"Excuse me. Has my disciple committed some sort of rudeness?"
"..."
A heavy silence instantly crushed the area. It was a voice that anyone coming to recruit talent at the Gyomaguan could never fail to recognize. It was a voice that no student of the Gyomaguan could ever forget. Not only those around us, but all the recruiters and students who had been scouting talent from afar turned their attention to the owner of the voice.
A handsome middle-aged man in black robes, gently waving a black fan. A demonic head whose notoriety spread far beyond the Cult and across the Central Plains. A man who could be discussed as the next "Greatest Under Heaven." An absolute master who reached the Transcendental Realm before the age of forty. A man designated as one of the next generation's Ten Demonic Monarchs. It was the Head of the Gyomaguan, Am-un-seo-saeng.
"We... we greet the Head."
Everyone in the area bowed their heads. Even in this situation where everyone else was bowing, Am-un-seo-saeng walked behind So-yul, who was standing stiffly, placed his hand familiarly on her shoulder, and spoke.
"I will ask again. What discourtesy has my disciple committed?"
***
To start with the conclusion, the atmosphere that felt like a fight was about to break out vanished. Those who had been growling as if they wanted to tear So-yul apart immediately bowed their heads as if they were being buried in the ground and disappeared as if fleeing. No matter how competitive a martial artist of the Demonic path was, they didn't have the guts to protest against one of the few absolute masters in the Cult.
— I am sorry! Young Lady.
— Did I ask you to apologize? A lowly person like me failed to recognize a noble person... Please forgive me.
— I... I would like to state that this is my personal opinion, unrelated to my sect. Actually, the side effects of my Demonic Arts flared up, so that... well, you see...
In particular, the martial artist who had been running wild, telling So-yul to draw her sword, stammered pitifully, rambling about how it was all his fault before leaving the scene. Seo-ah looked at So-yul with a strange expression.
'Was it all because she had someone backing her up...'
Even so, So-yul had been the one to commit the rudeness first, and I thought it was only right for her to apologize to them. But with her master standing right in front of her, I felt it would look strange for me to scold her. Seo-ah decided to shelf this matter. I'll scold her later.
Am-un-seo-saeng shifted his gaze toward the twins.
"Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from So-yul."
"Ah... yes."
"We greet the Head."
The twins also seemed flustered, as if they didn't know So-yul was Am-un-seo-saeng's disciple. Baek-ak jerked like a machine, and Baek-ran, while paying her respects, glared at So-yul as if asking why she hadn't told them about this sooner. Noticing that gaze, the Scholar spoke.
"Haha. Don't scold her. If rumors spread that an outsider who hasn't even practiced martial arts for a year became my disciple... you know how it goes, right? You won't see a good outcome."
How could they dare to talk back in his presence? Baek-ran only bowed her head even lower. His gaze passed over the twins and landed on me.
"Ah. So you were the one. The owner of that doll."
"Yes...? A doll?"
Hearing something I had never heard in my life, So-yul was startled, as if she had been caught doing something she shouldn't have, and she stepped between me and the Scholar.
"Don't say weird things to my Boss. And why are you here?"
"Your complexion has improved a lot. This master is happy. Haha."
"Don't change the subject. I asked why you're here?"
So-yul spoke as if she didn't particularly welcome Am-un-seo-saeng. 'What is this? Are they not close?' Am-un-seo-saeng seemed to treat So-yul quite familiarly. Well, So-yul is a child with a lot of wariness... Am-un-seo-saeng laughed heartily and said.
"Does a master need a reason to come see his disciple?"
"A master? You? Since my Boss came to find me, the contract..."
"Haha. My disciple seems to be shy. Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you, too, Seo-ah."
"Don't interrupt me and..."
"Haha. Actually, I wanted to officially introduce my disciple to everyone before the speech today. May I take So-yul with me?"
"By whose permission..."
"It must be nice to have a friend like So-yul. Since her master is the Head of the Gyomaguan, no one will be able to touch you recklessly wherever you go. Of course, that's while So-yul is my disciple."
"..."
"So-yul. Shall we adjust the promise we made back then for a moment? I will help you... so you don't have to part ways with your Boss."
"Hmm..."
"That means you're okay with it, right? Then, I'll take So-yul for a moment. I have to introduce her to everyone soon, anyway."
Seo-ah watched the farce—if it could be called that—with her mouth firmly shut, then nodded. It meant she could take her. Am-un-seo-saeng didn't seem to have any intention of oppressing So-yul, and since So-yul seemed to have the upper hand anyway, it was possible. She wouldn't come to any harm. It would be good for So-yul, who was overly dependent on me, to develop social skills and have someone else she could lean on besides me.
Am-un-seo-saeng thanked me and took So-yul away immediately. Somehow, when I first saw the absolute master, my whole body had trembled... but this first meeting with a Transcendental master was a bit of a letdown. It felt like watching a "daughter-fool" father taking his teenage daughter away. Regardless, it was a look that didn't match the dignity of an absolute master.
***
So-so muttered next to me that she couldn't believe she had seen Am-un-seo-saeng right in front of her, and Baek-ak just gave short, one-word answers to So-so's comments, like "Mm-hmm. Yeah. He was amazing." Baek-ran grumbled on the side, saying that the Vice-Captain lacked social skills, that she was strong but she was worried about her future, and that she seemed to have lost her mind a bit after not seeing her sister for a year. It seemed she felt a bit betrayed that So-yul hadn't told her anything about having Am-un-seo-saeng as her master.
Time flowed on like that.
— Ding. Ding. Ding.
Along with the sound of bells announcing the congratulatory speech throughout the Gyomaguan, Am-un-seo-saeng climbed onto the platform. So-yul was not yet in sight.
— Nice to meet you, everyone. I am the Eighth Head of the Gyomaguan, Am-un-seo-saeng. To those who have come here today...
'The Voice of the Six Harmonies (Yuk-hap-jeon-seong)!'
I had wondered how he would give a congratulatory speech in this era without a microphone, but to think he would display such a technique. Experiencing the legendary Voice of the Six Harmonies felt truly novel. On the other hand, the content was surprisingly no different from the boring congratulatory speeches of the modern era.
— Yes. That is so. And today, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce to you all the disciple I have taken in this time.
It seemed it was finally So-yul's turn. Because of the slight commotion earlier, everyone already knew that Am-un-seo-saeng had taken a disciple, so the stir didn't spread as much as I thought. There was only the occasional sound of murmuring.
Just as So-yul climbed onto the platform and Am-un-seo-saeng was about to continue speaking, one of the crowd kicked off the ground and jumped onto the platform. Of course, he was suppressed by Am-un-seo-saeng's single move.
"Who are you?"
"Eradicate the Demonic path! Die, you devils!"
As the madman suppressed by Am-un-seo-saeng shouted, a massive explosion occurred.
— BOOM!!!
"It's a Thunderball (Byeok-ryeok-tan)!!"
Due to the sudden terror, the entire area fell into a state of panic. While everyone was flustered and murmuring, Seo-ah looked up at the platform, hoping So-yul was safe. When the clouds of smoke cleared, what I saw was Am-un-seo-saeng, who had fortunately protected So-yul from harm. However, the Scholar did not seem to have come out of the Thunderball's blast unscathed. Then, figures in white robes began to leap over the outer walls. A demonic follower shouted.
"It's an attack!! It's the Murim Alliance!!"