Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Eleventh Bout - Wager, Competition (1)
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Mok Ri-won returned and headed straight to the training grounds, sinking into meditation.
Roughly a day and a half.
The other squad members realized he was forgoing food and sleep to continue his meditation.
“Looks like he's onto something.”
“Ugh, what a show-off. How does someone gain enlightenment just from a short trip? No way the Alliance Leader gave Young Hero Mok some special training because he likes him, right?”
Those were Il-un and Hye-un's words.
Hye-un was even shivering.
He knew Mok Ri-won's talent far surpassed their own, but even accounting for that, his progress was too fast.
Of course. Back at the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament, he'd been at the early Pinnacle Realm just like them. Yet in less than half a year, he'd achieved this.
No matter how you sliced it, he didn't seem human.
“…No wonder he's a candidate for the greatest in the world.”
“We should redouble our efforts too.”
“I already am.”
Hye-un pouted.
Dang Hwa-seo let out a hollow chuckle at the sight, then turned her gaze to Namgung Jincheon.
He was glaring at Mok Ri-won, veins bulging on his forehead, before suddenly turning away.
“I'll take Training Ground 2.”
Was his body itching? Or was it his competitive spirit burning?
At his consistent demeanor, Dang Hwa-seo let out a snicker.
“Come on, let's not disturb him and get to our own tasks, everyone.”
Under Dang Hwa-seo's lead, the squad members cleared out, and another half day passed.
Only then did Mok Ri-won open his eyes.
A profound light swirled in Mok Ri-won's heated gaze.
He had gathered his scattered insights, forging a more majestic inner energy.
‘Almost there.’
Of course, the essence of his inner energy hadn't changed.
Mok Ri-won's internal force was still fiercely turbulent due to his Extreme Yin body.
It was more accurate to say his control over it had strengthened just a bit more.
‘Humans, the jianghu, and potential.’
Those three words were at the core.
Further progress... was impossible right now.
Above all, the total volume of his inner energy was still lacking.
His swordsmanship forms were also one step short.
‘Peak Realm.’
That massive wall had been chipped away but refused to crumble.
Still, the stagnation wouldn't last long.
‘Just one step.’
Exactly one step.
Mok Ri-won's martial genius proclaimed as much.
With the next realm within reach, impatience stirred, but Mok Ri-won suppressed it firmly.
‘Slowly, and on the right path.’
His master's teachings—Mok Seon-o's—still guided his way in this moment.
Mok Ri-won left the training grounds.
The sky was already pitch black.
Only the stars above scattered their faint glow.
“Hmm... I'm starving.”
Mok Ri-won looked glum.
At this late hour, the kitchen staff had likely retired, and the other squad members were probably asleep.
Should he just tough it out and go to bed?
As his lips puffed out in frustration.
“You've worked hard, Young Hero Mok.”
Dang Hwa-seo appeared, carrying snacks in her bosom.
Mok Ri-won's eyes widened.
“Little Sister! What brings you out this late?”
“I figured you'd be wrapping up around now. You can't stand being hungry, after all.”
Dang Hwa-seo smiled and held out the snacks.
“I packed some rice cakes and dried meat. Eat up and get some rest.”
“Little Sister...!”
Mok Ri-won trembled with emotion.
Then he grabbed her hand.
“As expected, there's no one like you, Little Sister!”
“Obviously.”
Dang Hwa-seo replied shamelessly.
*
There was a small garden in front of the Dragon-Phoenix Squad's training grounds.
Sitting on the veranda offered a fine view of the pond and fence ahead.
Mok Ri-won munched on rice cakes while gazing at the stars reflected in the pond.
They chatted idly.
He was sharing everything he hadn't mentioned earlier, having rushed into meditation out of excitement.
“So anyway! The Alliance Leader said we must value people for more than just their martial prowess.”
“And that led to your enlightenment?”
“Exactly! I feel ashamed—I rushed back without properly greeting him.”
“The Alliance Leader will understand. After all, didn't he reach that realm after going through the same trials as you?”
“Right! And get this, the Alliance Leader was going to...”
The conversation stretched on.
He recounted Sa Baek-un toasting and wanting to refill his cup, their earlier chit-chat, the white liquor they'd shared there, and only then did Mok Ri-won remember the spirit medicine and mention it.
“Oh! The Alliance Leader said he'll bestow spirit medicine on the Dragon-Phoenix Squad!”
“Yes, I heard today. One Marrow Cleansing Pill and one Purple Marrow Pill. They're from the Nine Great Sects that visited the Alliance this year.”
“Ooh, two of them...!”
“They'll likely go to Young Hero Mok and the Sword Dragon for their greatest contributions. Congratulations.”
At Dang Hwa-seo's smiling words, Mok Ri-won flinched.
“Uh... the others won't get any?”
It only then dawned on him.
Dang Hwa-seo blinked, then burst out laughing with a 'pfft!', patting his shoulder.
“Everyone acknowledges it. Don't worry about it.”
“But...”
Hadn't they all suffered together?
Especially since they'd taken the hard road because of his stubbornness—how could he keep his mouth shut?
“If we split the spirit medicine...”
“You'd get less than a tenth of the effect. You know better than that.”
“Then sell it and buy several lesser elixirs...”
“You'd be chased by not just the Alliance, but Shaolin and Mount Hua too? Could even be branded a criminal for leaking secrets.”
At Dang Hwa-seo's warning tone, Mok Ri-won's face paled.
“N-No, not a criminal...!”
He slumped his shoulders in resignation.
“Hmm... It'd be nice to get more spirit medicine.”
“They don't come easy.”
“Aren't you disappointed?”
“Watching you grow strong fills me up more than enough.”
Right after saying it, Dang Hwa-seo realized it sounded odd and corrected herself.
“I mean, it's nice seeing the squad members get stronger.”
That shouldn't sound too obvious.
Dang Hwa-seo nodded in satisfaction.
Mok Ri-won just watched her quietly.
Her usual kindness shone through once more.
His retinas seemed intent on etching her smile, freezing perfectly still.
The words that slipped from his mouth were.
“You know, Little Sister.”
“Yes?”
“You have such a big heart. I really like that about you.”
Mok Ri-won smiled casually.
Paradoxically, even his casualness made him beautiful.
‘Ah...’
His gently folded eyes and upturned lips were elegant.
His skin, reflecting the moonlight and pond light, gleamed white and smooth as porcelain.
An absurdly handsome man.
The thought made Dang Hwa-seo's eyes waver.
Her gaze fixed firmly on his eyes, refusing to budge.
Up close, Mok Ri-won's clear eyes held a faint brown tint—the feature she loved most about him.
It felt like they openly revealed his pure nature.
The quiet manor courtyard.
A light breeze rustled the branches, sending leaves falling onto the pond, rippling the surface.
A faint water sound reached only a martial artist's ears.
Whether the ripples stirred her heart or Mok Ri-won's pure smile created another echo, her insides suddenly tingled.
Or maybe such causes didn't matter.
“Your eyes...”
Dang Hwa-seo's hand reached out.
It touched his cheek, her thumb brushing under his eye.
“Hm?”
“…They're so pretty.”
That was all that filled her mind.
After mumbling dazedly, Dang Hwa-seo startled herself.
“…Ah!”
She shot to her feet.
Even in the dim light, the flush on her face was clear.
Reason returned a beat late.
‘W-What did I just...!’
What embarrassing nonsense had she spouted!
Dazed in the moment, she'd uttered something too shameful to repeat. Flustered, she rolled her eyes, then squeezed them shut and fled.
“Rest well!”
Left alone, Mok Ri-won tilted his head.
“Hmm, Little Sister sure is quirky!”
That was all he said.
*
Dang Hwa-seo's face was still flushed the next day.
Upon waking, she shuddered in shame; on her way to wash and handle duties, she paused every three steps to cover her burning face.
It continued at the meeting.
“Dragon-Phoenix Squad Leader, are you unwell?”
Gwon Pyo-wol, who sat nearby during meetings, asked.
Dang Hwa-seo forced an awkward smile and shook her head.
“No, I'm fine.”
Just mortified enough to want to hang myself.
She swallowed those words.
How could she have said that there?
‘No.’
On second thought, it was all Mok Ri-won's fault.
That atmosphere, and him being so handsome—it was the problem.
Anyone in the world, not just her, would have blurted the same.
Dang Hwa-seo rationalized pitifully to calm herself.
But it didn't ease her mind.
Her body trembled again, deepening Gwon Pyo-wol's puzzlement.
“Let's begin the meeting!”
The meeting started amid it all.
The reports were the usual: traces of the Demonic Cult found at some outpost in a region, updates on those out on missions, rumors from other branches, and so on.
Since they were things she could check later, Dang Hwa-seo struggled to focus.
Her thoughts wandered to ‘How am I supposed to face Young Hero Mok today?’
Then it happened.
As if heaven itself aided her focus, the words after the reports made her eyes widen.
Specifically, True Origin Unit Leader Gyeon Dong's objection to the Dragon-Phoenix Squad's spirit medicine award.
“Hmm, a Marrow Cleansing Pill and Purple Marrow Pill seems excessive, no?”
Gyeon Dong said, twitching his goatee.
Dang Hwa-seo let out a hollow laugh.
‘This guy?’
What gave him the confidence to say that?
As such doubts swelled.
“…I believe it's a fair reward. My squad members risked their lives there.”
“True, but it did cause a crack in the system. The Dark Dragon and Sword Dragon completed the mission admirably, but what happened could set a bad precedent for the Alliance.”
Dang Hwa-seo's fists clenched.
Gyeon Dong snorted.
“No matter how it aligns with protocol, if it endangers others, there should be punishment. I'd say skip the Purple Marrow Pill.”
The meeting hall's atmosphere sharpened.
The other squad leaders and unit leaders watched Dang Hwa-seo with keen interest.
She ground her teeth, cooling her heated head with effort.
‘Playing it like that, huh...’
This was hard to stomach.
After all, wasn't it a reward earned by staking their lives?
Mok Ri-won and Namgung Jincheon had faced Peak Realm demonic experts and death's door, swinging their swords.
How dare some third party spout this nonsense?
Dang Hwa-seo eyed Gyeon Dong sharply.
Then she addressed the other squad leaders.
“…Any squad leaders in agreement?”
Three hands went up.
Three stayed down.
She'd asked only squad leaders, not unit leaders, for one reason.
Dang Hwa-seo grinned.
“It's a tie. 3 to 3.”
She knew how many squad leaders were close to Gyeon Dong.
This outcome was within expectations.
And this was the Murim Alliance.
“How about this? I hear the True Origin Unit got four lesser elixirs.”
“W-What does that have to do with anything?”
“Let's settle it with a spar. Who deserves the spirit medicine.”
Gyeon Dong flinched suddenly.
The other leaders murmured in intrigue.
Someone muttered.
“Spirit medicine wager, huh? First in two years?”
It wasn't unprecedented.
With so many people in the Alliance, petty squabbles were constant.
The spirit medicine bet Dang Hwa-seo proposed was a customary way to handle such.
The Alliance tacitly allowed it to foster competition among units.
‘I've been itching to settle things properly.’
She'd strip him of everything and leave him speechless.
Dang Hwa-seo glared at Gyeon Dong with that resolve.