Published at 26th of January 2026 10:05 pm

Chapter 364

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Alliance Leader Candidate.

At those words, I spat out a curse.

Heavenly Insight looked at me, dumbfounded, at the foul words that came from my mouth.

"So now you're throwing out rude words right in front of me?"

"... I apologize. It just slipped out."

The words 'Alliance Leader candidate' twisted up my insides.

I'd heard it from Divine Spear as well, but still—I couldn't get used to it.

'I probably never will.'

It was an absurd notion, nothing more.

"Can't you stop doing that?"

"Stop what?"

"Saying I'm an Alliance Leader candidate."

"What else should I call an Alliance Leader candidate, if not Alliance Leader candidate?"

"Can I curse again?"

"Go ahead."

"..."

His expression was scarier than telling me not to.

So I couldn't say anything—could only let out a sigh mixed with resignation.

"... No one really sees me that way anyway."

Alliance Leader Candidate.

The reason I ended up being called that was simple.

I heard about it from Divine Spear as well.

It all started because he was preparing to retire, an unexpected event.

The Alliance Leader was retiring.

When the official word spread, chaos arose within the Murim Alliance.

There were many things going on, but if I had to choose the biggest change,

'... It'd have to be who the next Alliance Leader will be.'

After Divine Spear stepped down, the question was: who would take his place?

If he had simply died, they would have urgently held a vote for the next leader—but right now, Divine Spear was still alive.

So, they could prepare for the next Alliance Leader more calmly, and the current leadership had already picked out several candidates for the next leader.

But the problem was—

"... Why am I one of them?"

The fact that I was in there.

Even more absurd, I was personally recommended by Divine Spear himself.

"Isn't that crazy...?"

I couldn't believe it. What kind of nonsense was this?

I wasn't even twenty yet. I had no place or power to squeeze in among all those old men and women.

And you're saying I'm suddenly included? No one would believe that... but—

"Why am I included in the first place?"

Amazingly, it was true. Damn it all.

Currently, there are a total of five Alliance Leader candidates mentioned.

Among them, just hearing their titles is enough to make anyone tremble.

Naturally so. This was the Murim Alliance, the very center of the Righteous Faction.

To choose someone to stand at the top of such a group, the candidates should be extraordinary figures.

'... This is insane.'

And I'm among them?

No one would believe it.

Naturally, even inside the Murim Alliance, people were talking non-stop.

'Is it right for Moon Hero to be made a candidate?'

'No matter how much of a hero he is... making that young fellow a candidate is a bit much...'

'Divine Spear must've made a mistake.'

'On this point...'

All sorts of comments came up. Some even personally protested to the Alliance.

'I don't even want to do it.'

Did anyone say I wanted to? It was infuriating.

I didn't want to get involved in such bothersome matters.

"It's not like I'll get picked anyway. It isn't good for the Alliance either, is it?"

"That's probably true."

"Then why..."

"I don't know."

"Excuse me?"

"The Alliance Leader... no, Divine Spear's true intention—I don't know it either. He doesn't seem keen to say."

Heavenly Insight looked away toward a letter on the desk, but his words were still directed at me.

"My thoughts aren't so different from yours. It's not a good situation—anyone can see it doesn't make sense."

"If that's so—"

"But, Divine Spear invoked his authority. We cannot object to that."

"... His authority?"

"Right. Divine Spear exercised his authority as Alliance Leader."

"What is that exactly?"

I was hearing about this for the first time. Was there such a thing? I glanced at Yu Chun-gil.

Yu Chun-gil avoided my gaze. That man knew something.

"It's the authority to pick the next Alliance Leader directly."

"... There's such a thing?"

"There is. Isn't that how Divine Spear could become Alliance Leader in the first place?"

"...!"

I looked back at Yu Chun-gil after hearing that. His expression was very different from when he avoided my eyes a moment ago.

'The reason Divine Spear became the Alliance Leader.'

I'd assumed it was simply because he was from Heaven Beyond Heaven.

'... But come to think of it.'

Divine Spear's background was an issue. I wouldn't have known otherwise, but upon digging deeper, it turned out he was in a very difficult position to become Alliance Leader.

'Especially the issue with the Jeok family.'

The internal affairs of the Jeok family, who were suspected of plotting rebellion.

The Murim Alliance, knowing this, wanted to deal with them, so Yu Chun-gil was sent.

During that process, Divine Spear lost his eyes, which allowed him to survive.

'Thanks to that, some issues were avoided, but—'

That didn't mean the Jeok family's crimes disappeared.

They claimed to have erased all records,

'But someone must remember.'

And those people were likely core members of the Alliance. Which meant—

'As long as his background is tainted.'

If that stain was something that tried to rebel against the Alliance,

'... Divine Spear's chances to become Alliance Leader would be nearly zero.'

Whether he was from Heaven Beyond Heaven,

Or however strong or virtuous he was on the battlefield,

That was a separate issue.

'That's just how the world is.'

You could forget everything else, but not treason.

So not even a hero could ordinarily sit in that seat.

'... So the old man pushed Divine Spear into the position by exercising the Alliance Leader's authority.'

By using the Alliance Leader's special authority.

"... Is that authority really that powerful?"

"Yes—which is why you're a candidate now, isn't it?"

"..."

He was right.

'Well,'

Just being put up as a candidate meant an enormous amount of power.

But what came to mind was—

"So it doesn't give him the power to place someone directly as Alliance Leader, then?"

"..."

This time, Heavenly Insight didn't answer.

Which meant yes.

'Thank goodness.'

He could place someone as a candidate, but couldn't just hand over the position directly.

'He can give them influence or justification, and that's it.'

That might be for the best. Anyway.

'Since I'm already among the candidates...'

Damn that old man, Divine Spear.

'... When he explained it to me, he made it sound like he barely knew.'

Turns out, he was the one who put me up as a candidate.

"This is ridiculous... And you're okay with it?"

"There's no way I'm okay with it; as I've already told you, I simply respect the authority of the Alliance."

"Right. If it were something reasonable, you would've accepted it already."

If I had truly been fit as a candidate, there wouldn't have been all this talk.

"So, in the end, I have to stay as a candidate... But what I want to know is this."

Being a candidate? Fine. Whatever.

"Can't I refuse?"

I don't want to become the Alliance Leader. I don't want to be even a candidate. Don't I have the right to refuse?

I mean, I should have that right.

"Do you not wish to become Alliance Leader?"

"Yes."

Is that even a question?

"Why? Isn't that the seat every martial artist in the Righteous Faction dreams of?"

The Alliance Leader's seat? I'm sure it's great.

For everyone else but me.

"A position without qualification is a heavy burden, plain as day. Clothes that don't fit are just cumbersome."

I should live within my means.

I'm already acting out too much as is. Any more, and it'd get dangerous.

"And besides, even if I'm a candidate, I doubt I'll actually become Alliance Leader."

As Heavenly Insight said, 'Alliance Leader' isn't some stray dog's name—and not all candidates become Alliance Leader.

"So I just don't get it. What does Divine Spear want from me...?"

The intention of the current Alliance Leader who pushed me as a candidate.

That's what I wanted to know.

'And I haven't seen him for days now...'

The very person who put me up as a candidate was nowhere to be found these days.

'He said he was busy, but that's just an excuse.'

Not that I believed it was the whole truth, either.

Sarak.

I heard the rustle of a page turning.

"You want to know what he wants?"

As I heard that sound, Jaegal Jin spoke almost absentmindedly.

"Are you really pretending not to know? No way you don't, surely."

"..."

"You already know. The Alliance Leader has already told you."

At that, I looked away. I glimpsed Yu Chun-gil.

He stared down at me with calm blue eyes.

That's right.

He's right.

'I already know.'

There was no need to figure out his intention.

Divine Spear had already told me what he wanted.

It was—

'A meeting with the Demonic Cult.'

The letter from the Demonic Cult.

They wanted to start a conversation with the Righteous Faction, that was the very line that revealed his intention.

'He wanted me to attend as the representative.'

To go there with the name-tag 'Alliance Leader Candidate', as the representative of the Righteous Faction.

'... So that's why he put me up as a candidate?'

If that was the reason, it was just as ridiculous as I'd thought.

"Don't you think the very idea of a 'meeting with the Demonic Cult' is absurd?"

A meeting with the Demonic Cult?

With the ones who had made such a mess of Henan? To me, it seemed impossible.

Even after reading the letter, it was the same.

'That.'

Why would Divine Spear accept it?

"Did even the Strategist agree to this? That can't be..."

"You keep misunderstanding something."

"Excuse me?"

"It doesn't matter whether I agree or not. This is the Murim Alliance."

Just as I was thinking how obvious that was—

"The Murim Alliance follows the will of the Alliance Leader."

"...!"

"Even if it's a misguided ideal or a twisted matter, it's our duty to honor that will."

The atmosphere felt different.

Even as he stared at the letter, his eyes fixed on me—his gaze and the heavy loyalty flowing from his dry frame weighed on my shoulders.

'... The weight of the spirit.'

Heavenly Insight's spirit felt so heavy.

So I asked,

"... Even if the Alliance Leader started a war?"

I was curious where his resolve came from.

Chwak.

At my words, Heavenly Insight opened his fan and covered his face, only his sharp gaze remaining visible.

"If the Alliance Leader sees justice in it."

"..."

He was rational above anyone else, but when it came to this sort of thing, he was strangely devoted.

Almost eerily so.

"... So you're saying I absolutely have to go as a candidate, just as ordered?"

"That's not it. If your will is truly set, nobody will force you."

"Oh..."

That was a relief. Yeah, I need to at least have options. Not having any just wouldn't make sense.

"Then, I won't..."

"But."

Heavenly Insight cut me off, pointing at me with his fan.

"Bring someone in your place."

"... Excuse me?"

A replacement? I frowned at this sudden proposal.

"... A replacement?"

"The location must be Xian. Male. A martial artist, and his title is..."

Charruruk. Tak-!

Heavenly Insight's fan struck the desk with a snap.

"Tyrant King. Bring him here, under the name of Sword Saint's successor."

"...!"

Tyrant King.

I'd heard that name somewhere before.

TL's Corner:

It's a roundabout way of telling BSY to bring someone for the Murim Alliance...

Also, the one of the Five Kings of all people...

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