Chapter 44: I Don't Really Like Going Around Alone, You See
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 44: I Don't Really Like Going Around Alone, You See
Martial License Exam Control Headquarters.
Hundreds of monitors, large and small, illuminated the entire examination venue.
"All Mechanical Formations are currently operating normally."
"Green Forest Ten Strongholds implementation rate is over 90%. Black-White 2 through 11, acting as stronghold leaders, have taken their designated positions. The other Black-White Agents are on standby within the Spell Formation gaps."
"Spell Formation error rate has risen to 3%! Requesting stabilization work from the Spellcasters of the Mystery Hall!"
Dozens of personnel raised their voices, sharing and reporting the constantly changing field situation.
"The lead group of the Second-Rate License Exam has begun their second mission. The Martial Artists leading each team are Song Jun-ho, Pi Seung-hwa, Oh Jung-min, and..."
"Shin Kang-heon is showing erratic behavior! He's suddenly leading his team into a Green Forest stronghold unrelated to the mission!"
"The Peak Master Exam is also progressing rapidly. In particular, Bu Yeon-ha of the Changcheon Sword Sect is displaying martial prowess far exceeding expectations..."
The Korean Martial Alliance had focused all its resources on this License Exam.
As Yeo Pil-geuk had meticulously maintained security and prepared for months, everyone gathered at the control headquarters was pro-Alliance Leader, their eyes filled with grim determination.
However, due to the limited personnel, everyone was overworked, and most in the headquarters had been pulling all-nighters for days, unable to go home.
"Senior, at least have some coffee."
"...Ah, thanks."
The man, who had been staring at the monitor, took the coffee cup offered by his junior.
His eyes were already sunken from staring at the monitor for over ten hours.
"I've already owed you for how many cups now. I'm strangely tired today..."
"It's just coffee. Why don't you go catch a few winks? I'll cover your monitor, Senior."
"..."
Normally, he would have refused, but no matter how much coffee he drank, the fatigue wouldn't subside; in fact, his head felt even foggier.
Eventually, he nodded and stood up.
He felt like he'd genuinely fall asleep sitting there.
"Alright, I'll leave it to you then. I'll just sleep for 20 minutes."
"Yes. Get some good rest."
After his senior left, the junior who had offered the coffee split and moved the Rising Stars his senior had been monitoring to his own screen.
"..."
The Alliance Leader might have thought the License Exam was prepared in absolute secrecy, but from the start, it was impossible to perfectly conceal an operation of this scale.
Some of the Eight Great Sects knew this fact and feigned ignorance, while others sought to obtain what they needed through this exam.
"...There you are."
The agent's gaze, rapidly scanning dozens of monitors, stopped at one spot.
Yang Ha-yun and Ki Mu-hyeok were asleep, eyes closed, with the brazier between them.
He immediately pulled a USB from his pocket, plugged it into the device, and performed a simple operation. With a brief 'chzzzt' noise, the same screen began to loop.
Sparks flew from the brazier, and the two sat facing each other, peacefully asleep, breathing softly.
That monitor would continue to show only this scene until someone noticed.
And by the time they noticed, the situation would already be over.
[Extreme Yin Energy Acquisition Plan initiated.]
After sending a message to the person waiting inside the Spell Formation, the agent began to leisurely watch the monitor, waiting for his senior, who by now would be sound asleep from the sleeping pills.
"Uninvited guests?"
Yang Ha-yun blinked, her expression still heavy with sleep.
She couldn't understand what Ki Mu-hyeok was saying.
Even after spreading her Qi Sensing Domain widely to check her surroundings, she felt no human presence.
"...There's no one here. Are you dreaming?"
Naturally, Yang Ha-yun didn't believe Ki Mu-hyeok's Qi Sensing Domain could be superior to hers.
Nevertheless, she couldn't help but meekly nod at his terrifying gaze and resolute tone.
"Grab your bag first."
"..."
Yang Ha-yun slung her bag over her back as Ki Mu-hyeok instructed and scanned her surroundings.
But she still felt no distinct presence.
‘This isn't just Killing Intent.’
Ki Mu-hyeok felt a subtle Killing Intent slowly approaching from outside the cabin.
His naturally keen senses, honed by his past life's experiences and the guidance of his former Assassin Master, had been sharpened to their absolute limit.
In other words, when it came to Killing Intent, Ki Mu-hyeok was a Martial Artist who could react faster than anyone else in the examination venue.
‘This is different from the beasts or Ghosts created by the Spell Formation. This is...’
It was a much more subtle and refined Killing Intent, accompanied by a sticky, malicious aura.
That unique sensation was extremely familiar to Ki Mu-hyeok.
‘These are professionally trained Assassins.’
Squeeze.
His hand, gripping the sword hilt, instinctively tightened.
Beings who absolutely should not be in the License Exam venue had entered.
Ki Mu-hyeok glanced at Yang Ha-yun, who was looking around with a doubtful expression.
‘Assassins were targeting her?’
His knowledge of the future was fragmented.
A Rising Star with an Extreme Yin Constitution would suffer an unforeseen accident, becoming permanently incapacitated, and this incident would lead to the Alliance Leader's dishonorable retirement.
He didn't know what kind of 'accident' it was, only able to guess.
He had expected it to be an injury from an overheated Betting Duel between Rising Stars, or perhaps harm from mechanical devices or a Spell Formation...
"From now on, don't make a sound. Breathe slowly, as if you're asleep."
"..."
Yang Ha-yun still looked skeptical, but she nodded and slowly calmed her breathing as Ki Mu-hyeok instructed.
The Killing Intent, drawing ever closer, paused for a moment.
At the same time, Yang Ha-yun's eyes widened.
‘There's something outside!’
‘Finally noticed, did you?’
It was then that the two exchanged glances, communicating silently.
Sssshhh...
Something drifted into the cabin on the wind.
As soon as he heard the sound, Ki Mu-hyeok spoke in a low, rapid whisper.
"Hold your breath and wait! I'll break through the ceiling, so..."
"I'll do the breaking."
Though she was often called naive by those around her, Yang Ha-yun was a promising Rising Star sought after by the Eight Great Sects.
Her aptitude as a Martial Arts Practitioner surpassed anyone else's.
The moment she sensed the Assassin's presence, she drew forth her Extreme Yin Energy.
Her pure white hair fluttered in the air.
CRACKLE-CRACKLE-CRACKLE-!
As Yang Ha-yun unleashed her Extreme Yin Energy with full force, the cabin froze solid, turning stark white.
The sleeping powder that had drifted in on the wind met the same fate.
The solidified powder turned into granules and rained down.
‘A monster indeed.’
Ki Mu-hyeok marveled inwardly.
Grade 1 Constitution.
When a possessor of a special Constitution, among them, unleashed her true power, a formidable chill swept through the area.
Thin ice instantly began to form on the surface of his wool hat and gloves.
"...Be careful."
Yang Ha-yun warned, aiming her palms, imbued with a pure white aura, towards the roof.
Simultaneously, the palm force unleashed from both hands blew the roof away.
BOOM-!
As soon as a large hole was blasted in the cabin roof, both figures shot up through it.
Ki Mu-hyeok quickly scanned his surroundings mid-air.
‘One, two, three... eight, is it?’
Black-Clad Masked Assassins were staring at the two figures who had shot up.
"..."
They made no sound, but their momentarily stiff movements revealed their surprise.
It was now clear that someone had mobilized Assassins to target Yang Ha-yun.
‘Sneaking into a Korean Martial Alliance exam venue to target a promising Rising Star of the Eight Great Sects?’
To pull off such a crazy stunt, there had to be an organization far larger than he could imagine behind it.
At the same time, a thought crossed his mind: had he meddled unnecessarily? And also, a suspicion arose that it might be related to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
‘For now...’
His mind was complicated by various possibilities and calculations, but his judgment was swift.
Ki Mu-hyeok led Yang Ha-yun towards the south.
"This way!"
The two began to run in the direction they had first set off for their mission.
Someone, perhaps Black-White 1, would be waiting there.
If they met an examiner, they would at least secure some safety from the Assassins.
WHOOSH!
But not long after they unleashed their Lightness Skill at full power, they realized something was wrong.
Yang Ha-yun looked around with a bewildered expression and said.
"Isn't this the same path as before?"
"...They brought a Spellcaster too, it seems."
The surrounding space was distorting.
The path twisted, and before their eyes, the cabin they had just escaped from reappeared.
"If we hadn't brought a Spellcaster just in case, things could have gotten messy."
One of the Assassins surrounding them was muttering and casting a spell, and the Assassin Leader stepped forward, speaking in a distorted voice.
His gaze was fixed on Ki Mu-hyeok.
"It would have been easier for everyone if you'd just fallen soundly asleep from the sleeping powder. Your companion's unnecessary keen senses are making things difficult, aren't they?"
"..."
"..."
The Assassins slowly tightened their encirclement.
Ki Mu-hyeok naturally drew his sword, ready to swing it at any moment, and Yang Ha-yun's hands were wreathed in pure white cold energy.
‘These aren't just any riff-raff. These are real Assassins.’
Their level was different from the thugs who loosely hung out a shingle as 'Assassins' in back alleys.
Each one was a skilled practitioner, harboring sharp Killing Intent.
Ki Mu-hyeok hadn't chosen to flee from the start for no reason.
‘Even I would find it difficult to handle more than three at once. And besides...’
The biggest problem was the Assassin Leader watching from a few steps behind.
He felt far more dangerous than the other Assassins.
"We'd also prefer things not to get any messier than this."
At that moment, the Assassin Leader offered Ki Mu-hyeok a negotiation.
"All we want is the Extreme Yin Constitution. Why don't you pretend not to see and step aside? Then we'll let you safely complete the rest of the exam."
"...What?"
At that moment, Yang Ha-yun's eyes trembled with anxiety.
As Ki Mu-hyeok looked at Yang Ha-yun with an expressionless face, she opened her mouth, her voice trembling.
"C-could this also be part of the exam? Like, if you abandon your comrade, you're immediately disqualified..."
It was a desperate plea for him not to abandon her, but Ki Mu-hyeok, his face devoid of expression, gave no reply.
"..."
Ki Mu-hyeok's goal was to achieve good results in the exam, obtain a First-Rate License, and place within the top 3 overall to demand the Five Elements Divine Art from the Alliance Leader.
Thinking coldly, helping Yang Ha-yun was optional; he could help or not help.
And this, after all, was something that was going to happen anyway.
At that moment, the Assassin Leader looked up at the sky, then clicked his tongue with an exasperated 'Tsk'.
Then, looking back at Ki Mu-hyeok, he said.
"We're running out of time, so I'll count to five. If you don't step aside by then, your companion dies, and the Extreme Yin Constitution is captured alive."
The Assassins nodded, and the leader began to count.
"One, two."
Each time he spoke a number in his calm voice, the Killing Intent emanating from the Assassins grew thicker, pressing down on them.
"Three."
Yang Ha-yun's complexion turned pale from the suffocating, intense Killing Intent, while Ki Mu-hyeok looked at the Assassins, still saying nothing.
"Four."
At that moment, Yang Ha-yun pushed Ki Mu-hyeok's back from behind.
"You go."
"..."
Ki Mu-hyeok turned to look, and Yang Ha-yun was biting her lip tightly.
Her eyes were full of fear.
"I said go. They said they wouldn't kill me, just capture me alive. So... you go alone. And tell my Master."
Yang Ha-yun was trembling uncontrollably.
She was terrified, her heart feeling like it would burst from the genuine Killing Intent of Assassins she'd never felt before in her life, but she forced strength into her eyes and glared at them.
"You people. You'll regret this."
The Assassins looked at Ki Mu-hyeok instead of replying.
Ki Mu-hyeok, sheathing his sword, slowly raised both hands.
"...Alright. I'll withdraw. So open the encirclement."
The Assassin Leader looked at Ki Mu-hyeok and nodded, as if he had expected it.
"Realistic, as expected. Open it."
The encirclement briefly parted, and Ki Mu-hyeok began to move, stepping through the gap.
Then Yang Ha-yun pressed something into Ki Mu-hyeok's hand.
"Take this."
"..."
It was the egg they had received when they first started their mission.
Ki Mu-hyeok, tucking the still-frozen egg into his clothes, began to walk with his head bowed.
His deep sigh made him resemble a defeated soldier surrendering in war.
But.
As Ki Mu-hyeok passed by the Assassin who had intentionally cast the spell, he drew his sword like a bolt of lightning and swung it.
"Hup!"
The opponent, sensing a chill, reacted immediately, but the sword draw was faster than imagined, and Ki Mu-hyeok's acting, convincing enough to fool an Assassin, led to their carelessness.
FWAAAK!
The Assassin's head shot into the air.
Its wide-open eyes stared at Ki Mu-hyeok.
‘One down.’
He immediately pushed off the ground and dashed sideways.
As another Assassin's thrown dagger sliced through the air, Ki Mu-hyeok was already slashing the side of the second Assassin.
CHAAAK!
‘Two.’
The incapacitated Assassin reeled back, spewing blood.
However, the Assassins swiftly reformed their encirclement, surrounding Ki Mu-hyeok.
The Assassin Leader spoke in a stiff, hardened voice.
"...Is there really a reason for this?"
Ki Mu-hyeok gave a wry smile at the terrifyingly thickening Killing Intent.
"I tend to get quite lonely. I don't really like going around alone, you see."
For a moment, his eyes, having returned to Lone Noble Ki Mu-hyeok, gleamed with madness.