Chapter 237
Chapter 237: Three Eyes (3)
『Faith Judgment (Faith Judgment) Lv.1』
[Advanced Magic] [Area] [Holy Attribute]
― When the hearts of those who believe in the hero gather one by one, that faith descends as Heaven's judgment. The more believers, the heavier the judgment becomes.
Pours down sacred light condensed from the faith directed toward the hero from the sky, inflicting Holy Attribute damage on all enemies within range.
Damage increases in proportion to the number of those who believe in the caster. One person's faith is but a single ray of light, but the faith of a hundred becomes the sun.
Mana Consumption: 150 MP
Cast Time: 3 seconds
Cooldown: 300 seconds
Effect Range: 50m radius centered on caster
Base Damage: 100 (+ Faith Modifier)
: Damage weight by trust level +10~50% (cumulative application)
: Additional damage × 200% to Evil Sect·Demon type enemies
: Casting interrupted upon being struck
『Hero's Blessing (Hero's Blessing) Lv.1』
[Advanced Magic] [Area] [Recovery] [Holy Attribute]
―The hero's touch must reach those who have been wounded. To all those you wish to protect, let down warm light.
Converts the hero's faith into light to restore the health of all allies within range.
Recovery amount increases in proportion to the number of those who believe in the caster, and simultaneously purifies status ailments (poison, bleeding, energy drain, etc.).
A miracle unique to heroes, giving the strength not to fall even in the midst of the battlefield.
Mana Consumption: 120 MP
Cast Time: 2 seconds
Cooldown: 180 seconds
Effect Range: 30m radius centered on caster
Base Recovery: 150 HP (+ Faith Modifier)
: Recovery weight by trust level × 1.3x (cumulative application)
: Purifies 1 status ailment (poison, bleeding, energy drain, internal injuries, etc.)
: Cannot move during casting, casting interrupted upon being struck
The choice was not difficult.
: Damage weight by trust level +10~50% (cumulative application)
A trust relationship—meaning even just treating oneself as the object of 'faith' granted a 10% damage increase. Ten people meant double, twenty people meant quadruple. If it deepened further to the level of 'reverence,' one could obtain a 50% damage increase per person. With just two people, double the damage.
Even if the base damage was low……
What if Hero Gate's disciples increased to fifty? If they became a hundred, a thousand?
Having examined it carefully, no 'ceiling' was visible either.
'Headcount is firepower, then.'
The second skill, an area recovery technique.
Honestly, it wasn't bad.
A technique that boosted all allies' health at once. In terms of battlefield endurance and if large-scale warfare were to break out, this side might be more stable.
However.
From Dong Bong-soo's perspective, it wasn't worth a single thought.
Because this was the Murim.
Even recalling the battle with the opponent he'd fought not long ago, headcount meant nothing.
The fox monster he'd seen when he first fell, and the words that 'someone' at that place above the sky he'd seen while falling had said—and the words that bastard, who had been 'disguised' as the Dark Net Rakshasa Path the other time, had said.
―Finally caught you, you worthless lowly bastard!
Everything converged and pointed toward something far too clear.
'The Upper Realm.'
The higher region that Kim Rae-won had originally set as his goal.
How powerful it was, how dangerous it was—none of it was known at all.
However, if that bastard from before had misunderstood him and called him a 'worthless lowly one,' then he would certainly need to go properly prepared.
In that sense.
The only headcount that held meaning for him right now was the number of 'devotees.'
Killing is faster. Killing is surer. Rather than saving weak allies, it was overwhelmingly more efficient to grow stronger and cut down enemies indiscriminately.
An obvious thing to say, but.
In this place, rather than saving the entire Central Plains.
'More than saving the entire Central Plains, the entire world……'
Growing strong enough to kill it all was overwhelmingly more important.
That was also this body's way, and closer to human nature.
As for the weak—it was enough to make them believe and follow and follow until they revered.
Moreover.
: Cannot move during casting
Perhaps because it was a healing type, if it couldn't even be used while moving, [Hero's Blessing] was close to utterly useless in this Murim.
And so [Faith Judgment] was chosen, simply as that.
Having done so.
The letter that had been pushed to the edge of the table came into view.
'It came from Bae Dal-pae, I believe.'
Something about the state of affairs and trends in the Martial World.
―The Dark Net Rakshasa Path, the Vast Heaven Limitless Sword Sect, and Formation Tower are simultaneously moving large numbers of personnel toward Gangdo.
Rather than trends, it was a single-line warning phrase.
One would have to consider that many parts connected to a series of successive events had become twisted and distorted, producing this outcome.
"Interesting."
An emotion he had never properly felt throughout his life, he had come to feel far too often since arriving here. Of course it was good for himself, but seen from a Martial World perspective, it was an emotion that would bring results that were by no means good.
Dong Bong-soo folded the letter.
Then shifted his gaze outside the window.
The sun had already sunk quite a bit, and the sunset lay stretched long over Hero Gate's rooftop.
At that moment.
Footsteps were heard. They were neither fast nor running, yet each step carried a lightness within it.
It had been quite a while, but it was easy to tell whose footsteps these were.
Soon the door opened, and.
"Hey-."
A dust-covered form, the face of someone who had been running without rest for days, came into view.
"Long time no see."
Dong Mu-toe stood there baring his teeth in a grin, one hand raised lightly. He was exhausted, but his eyes were clearly sharp.
"Yeah, it's been a while."
Dong Bong-soo read Dong Mu-toe's eyes.
What was contained within them was not fatigue alone. A considerable portion of the reason Formation Tower was moving, during his absence, was likely something Dong Mu-toe had drawn out.
"Ho-o-."
Dong Mu-toe's gaze passed over Dong Bong-soo and swept once around the interior of the room.
The pile of letters on the table. A brush with dried ink. Through the window, the new pillars to the west and the barracks lined up in rows.
"Ooh-."
The corners of his mouth rose first.
"What's all this? In just a few days away, the whole sect has completely changed?"
His head turned toward the window.
Twelve pillars. Burly men raising beams. Beyond them, the sound of people moving between barracks lined up in rows. A drilling shout was coming from the training grounds, and the thin sound of a whetstone was leaking from beyond the stone wall to the west.
"The number of people seems to have shot up too? Just how much has it grown? Is this really Hero Gate?"
Instead of answering, Dong Bong-soo took out a teacup. Then poured tea straight away and pushed it over.
"Sit down."
Dong Mu-toe plopped down. Dust rose faintly from the hem of his clothes before settling. Because of that, the scent of a man who had been running without rest for days spread over the surface of the tea.
Lifted the cup for a sip.
As he set it down, as though recalling something, his fingers drummed the table.
Tap tap.
"Ah, right."
"What."
"A fair number of days have passed while I was gone, haven't they?"
Dong Bong-soo drank his tea.
"Can I ask questions retroactively, one per day missed?"
"No retroactive application."
"Wow."
Dong Mu-toe's face scrunched up.
"That's harsh, Guild Mas……"
Dong Bong-soo's eyes came up. His expression was blank.
"……No, I'm quite content with one per day, Your Majesty Guild Master. This humble one is satisfied, s……"
The gaze did not waver.
"……ick."
And then.
"I shall laugh. Huh. Huh. Huh."
Pfft.
The corner of Dong Bong-soo's mouth lifted once and came back down.
Dong Mu-toe swallowed a fake cough and picked up his cup again. Took one more sip and let the tension out of his shoulders.
"The Grand Zenith Position said he'd like to meet."
'As expected.'
Dong Bong-soo's hand paused over his cup.
"In what manner?"
"It's that he wants to meet, not that he wants to join hands. It'll still be probing for now."
Dong Mu-toe's fingers walked across the table.
Clack-clack-clack.
"The Grand Zenith Position originally never decides anything directly. He's someone who lays out the board and watches."
"So he's laying out the board?"
"It'd be more accurate to say he's begun laying it out."
Dong Bong-soo tilted his head.
"And what about Trigram Leader Myo and Trigram Leader Eom? Any word from that side?"
"Those two?"
Dong Mu-toe grinned.
"Are they still here?"
"Just eating and doing nothing."
"Ha."
Laughter burst out. Whether it was surprise or amusement at the fact that two Formation Tower Trigram Leaders had settled into a fledgling sect just eating and doing nothing—it was laughter impossible to tell apart.
"If those two came here on their own feet and settled in, it's not something the Grand Zenith Position would separately summon them for. Formation Tower is like that originally. Even if they're Trigram Leaders, each individual is fundamentally just an independent formation Taoist."
"……"
"The Grand Zenith Position's direct involvement is only when all of Formation Tower moves together."
Dong Bong-soo simply listened in silence.
But even if they were treated as individuals, with Dong Mu-toe counted, that was three here at Hero Gate. That could only hold value in any sense. The negotiating power would also be overwhelmingly superior on this side.
'Not bad.'
"And."
Dong Mu-toe's eyes narrowed.
"The Grand Zenith Position clearly hasn't taken anyone's side. Not the Dark Net Rakshasa Path's, not the Vast Heaven Limitless Sword Sect's. Formation Tower isn't that kind of place originally."
Dong Bong-soo waited.
"However."
Dong Mu-toe's fingers stopped.
"He seemed to want to receive a commission from the side that wins…… the side that will win."
He drank his tea without a word.
"In your opinion, which side do you think will win?"
Dong Bong-soo set his cup down.
"Me."
"……What?"
"I'll win."
Dong Mu-toe went silent.
As if the world had stopped, he stared blankly at a single spot.
On Dong Bong-soo's face there was neither Kim Rae-won's sly smile nor the predator's cold edge. A man who had simply stated a fact was sitting there.
Tch-.
"Annoying, but."
Something close to a scoff escaped.
"That's true."
Soon it was quiet.
No one opened their mouth. The sunset was descending below the windowsill, and the beam of light that had spread through the room narrowed and then cut off.
Dong Mu-toe moved on to rumors.
Rumors that small and large clashes were breaking out one after another along the boundary between the Vast Heaven Limitless Sword Sect and the Dark Net Rakshasa Path. Word that the Dark Net Rakshasa Path's surveillance range had widened beyond before. Fragmentary information that several of the Vast Heaven Limitless Sword Sect's branch sects had begun redistributing their forces.
Dong Bong-soo simply listened while drinking his tea. It was as though puzzle pieces were being laid one by one on the table, but he showed nothing of it. The letter from Bae Dal-pae and the rumors from Dong Mu-toe. Pieces flying in from two directions were drawing the same picture.
Every force in this vicinity was moving. If a mass of this size was moving and clashing, there was likely a high possibility that other parts of the Central Plains were also in great upheaval right now.
Chaos.
In that it was unpredictable, it was a direction he detested to the extreme—but if it was in the Murim Martial World?
He'd have to welcome it with open arms.
Still, for now, slowly, only inside.
Soon Dong Mu-toe's voice fell silent. It seemed that pulling this fellow to his side had indeed been a good choice. Thanks to that, he had acquired much information without leaving his seat.
The room had grown dark. Even after the light disappeared, no one lit a candle. Only the silhouettes of the two remained in the darkness.
Dong Mu-toe's hand came down to the table.
"Oh wait, one more thing."
The texture of his voice changed.
It was not the tone of someone who had just been recounting rumors in a murmur.
"I sensed something on my way here……"
Dong Bong-soo turned his head and looked directly at Dong Mu-toe.
"There's a presence near Gangdo?"
Dong Bong-soo's hand stopped.
"Going by the feel of the energy alone, it was almost identical to the Dark Net Rakshasa Path's side."
Silence.
"Are you certain?"
"Not to the point of certainty."
Dong Mu-toe continued. He'd only sensed it without confirming it head-on, he said. That the quality of the presence was certainly not of the ordinary Murim variety, he said. That Evil Energy was wafting off it, but that he knew neither the scale nor the identity, he said. And so rather than pressing for confirmation, he'd evaded and come here, he said.
"I figured it was better to inform this side first rather than recklessly confirming it."
Dong Bong-soo's eye shape, and his pupils, had changed.
Whether they had grown sharp or whether he was smiling softly. Whether they were more visible because it was dark, or whether the darkness made them feel that way.
It was the same face as the man who had been sipping tea and smirking just a moment ago, yet it was not the same person.
"Roughly how many?"
"Don't know. Only caught the presence."
"Direction?"
"About a hundred miles to the east?"
A hundred miles. At that distance, with the will to do so, one could surge directly into Gangdo at any moment.
At that moment.
"……But you know."
Dong Mu-toe scratched his throat.
"I don't think it's only the Dark Net Rakshasa Path. There was something more, one additional thing, but it was so fast I couldn't catch it."
With those words, Dong Mu-toe rose from his seat and brushed off the dust.
"I'll need to go check with Trigram Leader Myo and Trigram Leader Eom for now. I have no idea exactly what's going to happen……"
Heh.
"Anyway, this is going to be fun, isn't it?"
And with that he turned to leave—when outside the window, in the darkening sky.
A small dot was rising above it.
A signal flare.
It had flown up from behind the main hall. It was a kind of communication from Jin Ha-gyeong. Something he had permitted earlier, that had only now, after all that deliberation, been fired into the sky. Directed toward the Vast Heaven Limitless Sword Sect's branch.
Dong Mu-toe followed it with his eyes as well.
"……What is that?"
"Ah, various things happened."
"Is that someone from the Vast Heaven Limitless Sword Sect?"
"Yeah. Turned out that way."
"Ah, that must have been incredibly fun. All the fun was happening here. And here you had me doing nothing but Lightness Arts and running my mouth!"
The small dot was sucked away out of the grumbling Dong Mu-toe's field of view.
***
The steps of the woman walking the mountain path were steady.
Swish, swish
Though she walked as if taking a leisurely stroll, the surrounding scenery turned to lines, she moved so fast. The night wind stirred the hem of her clothing, but mere wind was not enough to affect her stride.
Yeop Bi-hwa.
The sword born of the Vast Heaven Limitless Sword Sect, yet not confined within Vast Heaven's frame. The Iron-Faced Lady, bearing an epithet unrelated to the beauty that had once shaken the world.
Swish
Even as she moved at such speed, she kept drawing one name continuously in her mind.
Kim Rae-won.
― Do you have somewhere to go back to, too?
She had not answered.
― I do. I just can't go back yet.
That man had been smiling, as he always was.
― Still, if you keep walking, you'll reach somewhere eventually.
And he had disappeared.
Whether he had found a place to return to. Or whether he had never reached it in the end.
But now.
That name had been heard again from Gangdo.
'Kim Rae-won.'
The very instant she was engraving that name once more in her mind.
Light rose in the sky.
In the direction of Gangdo.
The beam of light rose and then, as if a sword had been drawn across it, split once at the end. It was the signal flare with a unique trajectory left only by the light of fire carrying the Vast Heaven's internal energy.
"As I thought……"
People of the Vast Heaven Limitless Sword Sect were in Gangdo.
Swoosh, swoosh
The stride of Yeop Bi-hwa, who now had much more to confirm, widened.
Swoosh, swoosh-!