Published at 27th of August 2026 7:14 pm

Chapter 1107: The World of Ascension (37)

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

"......Eh?"

Our eyes met. The signature blue eyes of the Namgung family. To borrow Shin Noya's words, he had a face that resembled Namgung Myung’s, handsome and striking.

Compared to Namgung Jin, he appeared more sharp and cold.

"What... what is this?"

The strange Namgung Hyeong.

He was the one who would soon run away with the Blood Sword of the Namgung family and become a martial artist of the Wudang Sect.

I had met his gaze, comparing him to the young version of himself.

‘Crazy.’

In that moment, I was so surprised that I couldn’t even hide. Could it really be Namgung Hyeong?

I hadn’t expected to encounter him here, so I stood still, staring at him in shock.

"......Who are you?"

Namgung Hyeong spoke to me with a heavy sense of caution. His hand had already moved to his waist.

Seeing this, I quickly raised my hands.

"Ah... well... I came from the Alliance."

"Eh? The Alliance?"

At the mention of "the Alliance," Namgung Hyeong’s eyes widened slightly.

"...Do you mean the Martial Alliance?"

"Yes. I’m from the Martial Alliance."

As I spoke, I showed him my chest. I was wearing the uniform of the Azure Dragon Division, issued by the Alliance, and it bore the emblem of the Martial Alliance.

Seeing this, Namgung Hyeong relaxed just a bit, but...

"...How did someone like you end up here? This place isn’t somewhere just anyone can enter."

Of course, it wasn’t easy. This was the secret room of the Namgung family.

It wasn’t a place where outsiders could enter freely. The mere fact that someone from the Alliance was here was a problem.

"Well... I got lost..."

The excuse I came up with was pretty weak.

"...Lost?"

Namgung Hyeong’s caution grew even stronger. Of course, it would.

"It’s true."

"But there should be a gatekeeper outside, right?"

"There wasn’t one."

"...No gatekeeper? Really?"

"Yes."

"Why wasn’t there one?"

"Why are you asking me that... Wait a second."

I frowned and spoke.

"Why are you speaking so casually?"

"You do too. You look like you’re around my age."

"Ah..."

I nodded at that. He was right. This guy was strange enough to be called ‘The Strange.’

"By the way, why are you here?"

"Can’t you tell?"

"I can tell you’re family, but you didn’t come in with permission."

"What do you mean? How would you know?"

"Because I didn’t believe what you said about there being no gatekeeper."

If he had said that he’d seen it, I would have doubted it when I said there was none.

‘No gatekeeper? Really?’

He just seemed confused by my response, as though he wasn’t even sure whether there was one or not himself.

"Wow, you’re smart."

"Plus, it sounded like you were talking to someone. Who were you talking to?"

"..."

When I asked, Namgung Hyeong closed his mouth. It was obvious who he had been talking to.

‘It must be Namgung Myung.’

The lingering thoughts of Namgung Myung that were said to be trapped in the Blood Sword.

It was probably those thoughts that he had been conversing with.

"...I tend to talk to myself a lot."

"..."

I could feel it from his words.

‘This guy can’t lie either.’

It seemed like both of us were bad at pretending.

"Ah, I see..."

"Yeah. Anyway."

Namgung Hyeong stood up.

"I came here secretly too. I’ll get in trouble, but that’s not the issue with you."

Swish.

His sword was drawn.

"I know it’s an excuse, but I still have to subdue intruders."

I licked my lips after hearing that.

"Ah, that’s not a good choice... Can’t we just forget about this?"

"I told you. I have a position to uphold. Let’s understand each other, alright?"

Thud—!

Namgung Hyeong immediately rushed at me. He was at my face in an instant.

He twisted his body and quickly swung his sword.

‘Oh.’

His movement was smooth. Far better than Namgung Jin’s.

Clearly...

‘This guy is better.’

Namgung Hyeong’s skill was superior to Namgung Jin’s.

Thwack—!

"Huh?"

Before his sword could fully gain momentum, I cut off the flow. Suddenly, Namgung Hyeong’s wrist was grabbed, and his eyes widened.

Screee—!

He tried to apply more strength, but the sword didn’t move. Seeing this, Namgung Hyeong’s face showed signs of confusion.

"Eh, why is this—?"

Namgung Hyeong’s body spun. I tripped his foot and knocked him off balance.

The guard on his upper body weakened. I lightly shoved him with my foot.

Thump—!!!

"Snap!"

Namgung Hyeong’s body was sent flying backward.

I couldn’t help but admire him slightly even as he was knocked back.

‘He’s still defending, even in that moment?’

I created an opening and shoved him, but in that brief moment, he gathered energy in his abdomen.

Creak—!

Thanks to that, Namgung Hyeong stopped not far from where he was sent flying.

"Wow..."

He held his sword and looked at me, his eyes sparkling.

"You’re strong."

"I hear that a lot."

"You’re not exactly polite, are you?"

"That’s something I hear a lot too."

"Hahaha."

Namgung Hyeong laughed.

"I see now. I understand."

What did he mean by that? As I looked at him with confusion, he said...

"You’re Divine Dragon, right?"

"...Huh?"

He suddenly spoke nonsense.

"I heard that the famous Divine Dragon of the family was coming. It’s been so noisy, I was curious about it..."

Swish.

Namgung Hyeong raised his sword again.

"Now I see it. Your level really is different."

One sword. One touch.

It seemed that with just that, Namgung Hyeong confirmed something, and his eyes shone.

"You are Divine Dragon, right?"

"...No—"

"The face is a bit more messed up than what I heard."

"...This guy?"

I almost retorted, but got irritated instead. Why was he talking about my face?

"Anyway. You are Divine Dragon, right?"

"Sigh... if I say no, will you believe me?"

"No. If you’re not, then... our old man wouldn’t be making all this noise."

Namgung Hyeong smiled and said, and I casually glanced at the sword hanging on the wall.

Stop it. That guy is a monster. A monster wearing the skin of a child.‘......’

Senior, your words are a bit too harsh.

A monster wearing the skin of a child? While it's not wrong, it still feels a bit unsettling.

‘I still hear it.’

These are words that wouldn’t be heard by someone who’s not of the bloodline.

To hear the voice of the Blood Sword, a talent was needed.

There was a legend that if one heard the voice of the Blood Sword, they would become the family head, but...

‘But it’s said that it doesn’t work like that anymore.’

Since the time of the Celestial Lord, one no longer had to be chosen by the Blood Sword to become the family head.

"Don’t touch it, it could be dangerous."

"Ugh, so noisy. Old man, I’ve got it covered."

"...Do you want to keep going?"

"Of course, I told you, I have my own reasons, alright?"

Those reasons? Pure nonsense. Anyone could tell he just wanted to fight.

‘That guy really was passionate back then.’

The Strange was usually a laid-back person, always annoyed by things.

Was he really passionate about martial arts now? Or was he just excited because he met a strong opponent?

I couldn’t say for sure.

‘It’s no use.’

At this point, I had no choice.

"Go—!"

Just as Namgung Hyeong rushed toward me again.

Whoosh—!

"Snap!?"

I closed the distance and slammed my fist into his chin. His head jerked back as if thrown by the impact.

Thud.

Namgung Hyeong lost his sword and collapsed.

"...Phew."

I controlled my strength to knock him out.

He wouldn’t be waking up for at least half a day.

I left Namgung Hyeong lying there and turned my head.

Descendant! Descendant! Wake up!

The voice of the Blood Sword, stuck on the wall, kept shouting. Ignoring it, I looked around at the other walls.

‘Was it here?’

When I had come to the Namgung family before, I had visited this very place and encountered something.

Namgung Myung’s lingering spirit.

I remembered that something else was here, not just the Blood Sword.

Swish.

I approached and faced the object I had seen before.

‘No response?’

It didn’t react as expected. No matter how much I touched it or focused my energy, there was no response.

"Hmmm..."

I wondered if I could talk to it when I came back, but apparently not.

‘Then...’

Descendant!

Should I talk to the Blood Sword, which was making so much noise? Sure, I could pretend to know something, but...

‘That doesn’t seem right.’

Pretending to know would serve no purpose. Only those of the bloodline can hear the Blood Sword’s voice.

Showing my ability would be a problem.

‘The problem is here, though.’

I had run into Namgung Hyeong by accident.

Was it really right to just leave him here? That was what I pondered.

"..."

I scratched my head and looked around.

There was a place I had felt the wind coming from earlier.

A painting hanging under the wall. I felt a faint breeze there.

I approached and moved the painting.

"...Here."

There was a small hole in the wall.

I thought I knew where Namgung Hyeong had entered.

I looked at it for a moment and thought.

"Should I use this?"

I immediately grabbed Namgung Hyeong and threw him through the hole.

Descendant!

Ignoring the loud Blood Sword, I crawled into the hole.

********

I came out. The hole was longer than I expected, but I managed to squeeze through.

I ended up in a room.

It seemed like Namgung Hyeong’s room.

‘...The room and secret space are connected?’

How could that be? But it was true.

"Hmm."

I glanced around the room, threw Namgung Hyeong carelessly inside, and went out.

‘It’s small.’

This place was smaller than where I was staying, and it was far off in a more remote area.

It was almost at the far end.

For a place given to a blood relative, it was incredibly sparse.

‘Not even a servant in sight.’

There was no guard at the door or any servant doing housework.

Not a single person was visible.

‘...This treatment is awful.’

It looked like it was far worse than how I had been treated in the family.

Seems like he wasn’t living a good life.

‘No wonder he ran away.’

Now I understood why Namgung Hyeong had taken the Blood Sword and ran away.

"Should I go for now?"

I left Namgung Hyeong behind and flew toward my destination.

I arrived at my room, and thankfully, the powers I had set up were still intact.

Snap—!

As soon as I saw it, I deactivated my powers and sighed in relief. It seemed like Do Yoon still hadn’t returned.

At that moment...

"Are you there?"

I heard a voice behind me.

"Ah, yes."

"Can I come in?"

"Yes."

The door creaked open, and Soi appeared.

She was still looking at me with a somewhat uncomfortable expression.

"The vice-leader wants you to gather."

"Right now?"

"Yes. He said to prepare for the investigation immediately."

"Investigation?"

Was she going to move out immediately? I wondered what the investigation was about.

"The Great Magyeong Gate. It's an investigation about the red Great Magyeong Gate."

"......!"

My eyes widened when I heard that.

...The Great Magyeong Gate?

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