The Assassins' Guild Strikes
Jangan Commandery had been turned upside down.
The torrential downpour that had swept through the night before was shocking enough on its own — but in the very hours that the rain fell, the heads of four sects in Jangan Commandery had died.
It had been an assassination, and the process had claimed every single one of their guards as well. Throats pierced. Hearts burst. Necks severed. Dantians torn apart.
The job had been so clean that some were saying Amjon — the foremost assassin in the world — must have stepped in personally.
And yet, it was clearly not Amjon's work.
Amjon does not handle things that way. If there is a target, he goes to that target and kills only that target. If a sect head was the objective, Amjon's way is to kill the sect head alone and leave.
This was a meticulously calculated method, designed to throw all of Jangan Commandery into chaos.
So who could have done such a thing?
There was no need to buy information from an intelligence organization.
Only one person would commit such an act.
The Branch Master of the Sambong Branch of the Asura Sword Sect — the sect in the neighboring county.
Yi Do, the Cruel Demonic Blade.
And true to his name, it had been truly cruel.
The Jangan Branch of the Pacheon Fist Sect had assembled.
Its Branch Master — the Giant Spirit Divine Fist, Pung Bi-chang — slowly opened his mouth.
"Dang Gupae died yesterday."
Dang Gupae was a branch member of the Jangan Branch who had been escorting the merchant caravan of the Jong Clan. He had assumed, as usual, that nothing would go wrong. That assumption had been far too complacent.
They were on their way back now, taking custody of his corpse.
"And every warrior and porter in the Jong Clan caravan perished with him."
If it had ended there, he would not have been weighing his words so gravely.
"Last night, the heads of the Jong Clan, the Wol caravan, the Hwang Clan, and the Jin Clan all passed from this world. Whose territory is Jangan Commandery?"
"Ours, Branch Master — the Pacheon Fist Sect's."
"Exactly. It is Pacheon Fist Sect's domain. The culprit is beyond doubt — that Yi Do of the Sambong Branch. That bastard has crossed into Pacheon Fist Sect territory without an ounce of fear and spilled blood. We must reflect. Even with the torrential rain, we lost track of his movements entirely. Or should I say... did we?"
"That's right!"
"Then what must we do now?"
Pung Bi-chang swept his murderous gaze across the assembled branch members.
"Vengeance. We will have vengeance."
The entire branch was set to mobilize.
It was at that moment.
Four men entered the Jangan Branch.
"Good day to you."
They all wore black bamboo hats. Three of them had frames so gaunt they looked as though the wind might carry them off, while the last one was built on a scale that dwarfed ordinary men by more than double.
No — he was a human pig.
Even beneath the bamboo hat and the face covering, the jutting rolls of his cheeks were impossible to miss.
"We overheard your discussion through no intention of our own, but it seems you have yet to receive word."
A faint crease formed between Pung Bi-chang's brows.
"And who might you be?"
"We come from the Killing Curtain."
News that the Killing Curtain had entered the fold of the Pacheon Fist Sect had already spread throughout the murim. It had reached the point where hiding it properly was simply impossible.
Every branch in the Kingdom of Jeok had withdrawn, and Yi Do — bound to the Killing Curtain by deep debts of gratitude and grievance alike — had joined the Asura Sword Sect. Where else would the Killing Curtain turn?
The Pacheon Fist Sect. There was nowhere else.
These four were the Dharma Protectors the Killing Curtain had raised, and every one of them was a master who had reached the Three Flowers Gathering at Crown.
Pung Bi-chang stood one step above them at the Ogijowon stage — but they were assassins. Assassins kill those of higher cultivation by any means necessary, and four Three Flowers Gathering assassins together were trouble even for Pung Bi-chang.
"We respectfully petition you, Branch Master. Might you entrust this matter to us?"
"......Is this an order from above?"
"Something like it. It is true that our Killing Curtain has taken refuge under the Pacheon Fist Sect, but we have yet to prove our worth. And above all, that Yi Do is notorious for his cruelty — even if the Jangan Branch moves, you must be prepared to lose at least a few of your people, and yet......"
"Come now. We are proud men of the Pacheon Fist Sect. When it comes to avenging our comrades and restoring order to a Jangan Commandery in chaos, what does a life matter?"
"As expected of the man they call the Giant Spirit Divine Fist — your overflowing boldness is truly admirable. However, this matter in particular, you must entrust to us."
"And why must I?"
"Establishing our footing here in the Pacheon Fist Sect is one reason, certainly. But decisively — this kind of work is our specialty."
"Your specialty?"
"Yes. We will begin by assassinating the Cruel Demonic Blade, and then — just as he did in Sambong-hyeon — assassinate every sect head there as well."
"Hmm......"
"We do not doubt your ability, Giant Spirit Divine Fist, nor the ability of the branch members gathered here. But unlike you, who must move in the open, moving from the shadows — that is our craft. We can carry this out in a way you cannot."
It was a persuasive argument, in its own way. Plausible enough. Good enough.
The four assassins, as if by prior agreement, bowed with cupped fists all at once.
"Please, entrust this matter to us. We ask this of you."
He had not expected them to lower themselves this far. The Giant Spirit Divine Fist, Pung Bi-chang, finally nodded.
"Give it a try, then."
"Thank you."
I looked at Un Dohyeon standing before me.
The appearance of the man in the black bamboo hat had changed somewhat. He had grown a little larger, too.
I circled around him once, checking his overall look from head to toe.
It would pass.
Besides, on the long robe he wore was painted a white cart wheel with five flames upon it.
At a glance, he looked exactly like Yi Maeng-rip.
"By the way, my lord — word from the Cheonjeong Gate says another caravan will be passing north of Bibong Mountain today. Shall I send word separately to the Hong Clan?"
I shook my head.
"Send nothing."
"......Understood."
I gave the man, whose face was full of unspoken questions, a brief answer.
"I will go alone."
"......You will not bring me along this time, either?"
"No."
Un Dohyeon looked visibly crestfallen, but there was nothing to be done.
"I have a separate, important task for you. Listen well."
"I am listening."
"From this moment, I will patrol Sambong-hyeon together with Yi Maeng-rip, the Dharma Protector, and then head north of Bibong Mountain."
It might have looked as though I was blundering about recklessly, but that was never the case. I moved with my own calculations, always.
"Make sure that becomes known. Then, the moment I enter Bibong Mountain, remove your disguise, return to the branch, and write up a report."
"......A report, you say."
"Today, Yi Maeng-rip, Dharma Protector to Elder Neungdon, came to the Sambong Branch and was killed by assassins of the 'Killing Curtain.' Despite his rank as Dharma Protector, he showed such pathetic judgment that he sold me out to save his own skin, and even attacked me alongside the assassins. I was wounded and fell, but the Killing Curtain's killers, certain they had already seized victory, killed Yi Maeng-rip and moved to finish me next — only for every one of them to fall instead. Write all of that up properly."
As my words went on, Un Dohyeon's eyes grew wider and wider, and at the end, his jaw simply dropped open.
"......You truly mean for me to write...... that?"
"Yes. And add this as well. The Dharma Protector Yi Maeng-rip coveted the assets of our branch here in Sambong-hyeon, along with the tribute the local clans had offered me. In an exceedingly high-handed manner, invoking Elder Neungdon's authority, he ordered that the entire tribute be sent not to the main sect but to Elder Neungdon himself. Attach a memorandum of mine stating that this matter requires a formal explanation."
What my words meant was unmistakable.
"......You are certain, then, that the caravan crossing Bibong Mountain today belongs to the Killing Curtain."
"I am."
"......Then that would mean the Cheonjeong Gate's information was wrong. Wouldn't it be better to go and find out for certain?"
A smile spread across my face.
"Why go to the trouble?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"They fed me false information that nearly got me killed. If I — the Branch Master of Sambong-hyeon — nearly fell into peril because of the Cheonjeong Gate's bad intelligence, then the Cheonjeong Gate has no choice but to answer for it."
What this implied was simple.
"......At the very least, the Cheonjeong Gate's Sambong Branch will not dare defy your word, my lord."
"The deal I offered them was this: investigate the movements of the caravans in Jangan Commandery in meticulous detail and report them to me, and in return I would grant them a fair share of the proceeds."
"That's correct."
"But seen in the larger picture, that arrangement means I would be led around by the Cheonjeong Gate's intelligence — that their information would dictate my movements. The order of things should be reversed, shouldn't it?"
Admiration began to seep into Un Dohyeon's expression.
"At first, when that downpour came, I suspected the Killing Curtain had been involved. They were not. They must have needed time to prepare as well. This is the right moment."
Un Dohyeon swallowed dryly.
"......You do not know...... how Elder Neungdon will react."
I laughed.
Of course I knew.
I never leave those who stand against me in peace. Elder Neungdon has not yet crossed the line — but the moment he does, I will kill him without a second's hesitation.
"If he isn't a fool, he'll notice I'm handing him an opportunity right now. If he's even dumber than that, he'll end up resorting to force. Come to think of it, how many elders does the Asura Sword Sect have......?"
"Eight, my lord."
Eight.
"Too many."
"......"
"Are your doubts settled now?"
Un Dohyeon nodded.
"Still disappointed?"
Un Dohyeon shook his head with a faint smile.
"Then we're done. Time to set out."
"Yes, my lord."
The patrol concluded without a hitch.
A considerable number of the people in Sambong-hyeon had seen with their own two eyes that Yi Maeng-rip and I traveled together. That was evidence and justification in one.
So I made my way to Bibong Mountain, and Un Dohyeon, having shed his disguise, returned to the branch.
I crossed the mountain alone. After roughly an hour of walking, a road opened up before me.
Today, the caravan of the Myeong Clan of Jangan Commandery would pass through here. The Myeong Clan was one of the thirteen clans tied to the massacre at the Sambong Branch — a clan I fully intended to exterminate, root and branch, in due course. It was a little regrettable, in a way.
Resting my hand on the hilt of the Unryong Sword at my waist, I waited at the bend of the road.
After a short while, the sound of wagons began to drift toward me.
Ten or so carts. Twenty escorting warriors.
Twenty porters as well.
The moment they spotted me, they froze in place. A man who appeared to be their leader stepped forward.
"......It is an honor to meet the renowned Branch Master of the Asura Sword Sect himself...... We have no part in what happened before. We will pay a toll, so if you would simply pretend not to see us and let us pass......"
"Spare me the act."
At my words, the man's mouth snapped shut. He spoke on in silence.
"From Jangryeong Commandery all the way to this place, the debts you've entangled us in were never threatening — but they were certainly a nuisance. For that much, you have my grudging respect."
"......"
"But this is where it ends."
I drew the Unryong Sword.
"Let's begin."
The man smiled thinly.
"Truly, your boldness knows no equal — you've provoked the Killing Curtain, offended the Emperor Sword Sect, made enemies of every power that would have you. It seems your audacity truly is of a different breed."
"And so?"
"Nothing, really. Since we each know exactly what the other wants, there is no further need for pretense, nor for talk. Very well. We begin now."
It was just as the man moved to give the order. A sudden curiosity struck me.
"Before that, one question — did Mun Hudo not come?"
"......Hard to say. Why don't you look around and find out for yourself? Whether he's here — or not."
An obvious ploy.
Mun Hudo was not here.
Above all —
There were no watchers lurking nearby. No mountain beasts, either.
That was enough.
I closed my eyes.
"KILL THEM—!"
Along with the man's roar came the sound of feet kicking off the earth.
I opened my eyes.
The whole world had turned red.
I drove my foot out toward the man charging at me.
Fifth Binding
Sky Breaking Extinction Earth Kick
KWA-AAAAAANG—!!
The man's body burst apart. I plunged into the spray of scattering blood.