Published at 26th of January 2026 10:07 pm

Chapter 369

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

"It's you."

At those words, the veins in my arm tensed. I desperately tried to draw my sword, but it wouldn't budge at all.

It felt as if a massive rock was pressing it down. What is this guy?

He appeared to be in his sixties, judging by the wrinkles on his face, and his long, black hair was tied up haphazardly.

Moreover, his body was enormous. In fact, upon closer inspection, his physique was almost on par with Divine Spear or Yu Chun-gil—their massive builds were comparable.

"There's no doubt. It's you, isn't it?"

"... Who are you?"

Who was he to act this way? In my bewilderment, I asked.

『Ha. Would you look at this brat?』

Yu Chun-gil's eyes gleamed as he looked at the old man.

『He really showed up. The bastard who should be stuck in Xian actually made it all the way here?』

Xian.

That word made my eyes go wide. If this old man had come all the way from Xian, then there was only one person that came to mind.

"... The Tyrant King."

"Correct."

As soon as I spoke, the surroundings froze over.

"The Tyrant King...?"

"The Tyrant King, Muk Yeok-Sung...!? Why is the Overlord of Xian here?"

Just his title was enough to cause the atmosphere to ripple with tension.

He was one of the Five Kings and had earned his title through sheer martial strength. Perhaps such a reaction was only natural.

The problem was...

"Why are you doing this to me, great hero?"

It was the Tyrant King's reaction upon finding me. At my question, his eyes narrowed.

"Why, you ask."

Creak.

"...!"

There was a sound coming from the hilt he was gripping. Was he actually cracking it? I flinched in alarm.

Swoosh–!

CRASH!!!

A surge of aura swept past, separating the Tyrant King and me. The pressure was fierce.

"Tyrant King."

The source of the aura was the Small Moon Division Leader. He unleashed a vicious sword aura as he spoke to the Tyrant King.

"It's an honor to meet one of the Five Kings. However... isn't this crossing the line a bit? This is the Blue Moon Sect."

CRRRACK—!!

His aura grew larger and larger. The Division Leader's rising power made all the other members hesitate.

"I'd like to ask why you're behaving this way within the Blue Moon Sect."

Hostility and fighting spirit mixed in the air. The Division Leader's intimidating presence seemed to grow without end.

At this, the Tyrant King stared right back at him.

"Division Leader. It seems you've gained something since we last met."

Was he sensing something from the Division Leader's aura? A strange glint appeared in the Tyrant King's eyes.

"Not bad—your aura."

"Thank you for the compliment. However—"

Schwing. The Division Leader pointed his sword at the Tyrant King.

"You must explain yourself for threatening a disciple of our sect inside the Blue Moon Sect."

"And if I refuse?"

"In that case..."

RUMBLE.

The ground beneath the Division Leader's feet trembled.

"Then you'll have to obey the laws of the Blue Moon Sect."

"Not a bad answer."

The Tyrant King rolled his shoulders as he spoke. Don't tell me...

'Are they really about to throw down here?'

Were the Small Moon Division Leader and the Tyrant King really about to fight? With absolute masters involved, the others watched with fascinated anticipation.

Lunatics.

'Why are these guys interested in this?'

This was about to become the eye of a storm—there was no doubt that all martial artists were out of their minds.

I should put some distance between myself and them. Just as I thought that—

"That's enough."

A blue flash of light landed between us, speaking firmly.

The moment he appeared, the stifling air, heavy with killing intent, instantly lightened.

Virtuous Moon Sword. The Sect Leader of Blue Moon Sect had arrived, standing between the Tyrant King and the Division Leader.

"Sect Leader..."

The Small Moon Division Leader tried to speak to Virtuous Moon Sword.

"Tyrant King. This seems like a different matter altogether."

Virtuous Moon Sword cut him off, speaking first.

At his words, the Tyrant King unclenched his fist.

"It was just about to get interesting. What a pity."

"You said you'd come just to achieve your goal and leave, didn't you?"

"I did. But I got curious."

The Tyrant King's gaze turned to me.

"I couldn't help but wonder—who is this brat raised by that fussy Sword Saint? I just had to see for myself."

Step.

The Tyrant King approached me. The Small Moon Division Leader tried to move again, but this time Virtuous Moon Sword stopped him.

"It's you, isn't it? You should be the one."

"... Excuse me?"

"You're the best out of this lot. You were the quickest. That one wasn't bad either..."

He glanced at Do Hyung.

"But you—you're the one."

"..."

"Answer me. Are you the Moon Hero?"

"... Yes, I am."

"Knew it."

Quickest here? Was he talking about who'd reacted to that killing intent he gave off earlier? I guessed I was the only one who responded to it.

"Not bad. You made something decent."

He looked me over appraisingly, like a craftsman inspecting a new tool. He kept glancing at me, thoroughly intrigued.

"... Very impressive indeed. Now, then—"

Whumm.

'Huh?'

The hair on my arm stood on end. I felt something surge from the Tyrant King—chilling intent even before it fully exploded.

『Half a step backward to the left. Raise your sword diagonally.』

Yu Chun-gil's quick instruction made me move on instinct. Just then—

Bang!!

His fist slammed into the blade, which I'd raised diagonally.

THOOM—!!!

"Ugh!"

My knee buckled, staggering me. I grit my teeth, holding back a groan. That had to be a punch from the Tyrant King.

The impact nearly knocked my supporting leg off the ground. I tried to pivot hurriedly—

Tap.

Before I was sent flying, someone caught me and grounded the blow. It was Virtuous Moon Sword. He steadied me, absorbing the impact.

"You're a terrible listener."

Chills!

The bloodlust he gave off now didn't even compare to what the Tyrant King had just radiated. The air froze. The disciples nearby grew tense.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Virtuous Moon Sword glared at the Tyrant King, who looked at his fist with a satisfied smile.

"You blocked it."

"..."

"You. You blocked this."

Was it that surprising to him that I'd blocked it? The Tyrant King kept staring at his fist, apparently astonished.

"I like you. The Sword Saint really raised a good one."

"Tyrant King."

His words didn't matter anymore. Virtuous Moon Sword set me down and walked up to the Tyrant King.

Virtuous Moon Sword flicked his hand. Despite not wielding a sword, everyone wondered how he'd act toward the Tyrant King—

Crack—!

"Huh?"

"Woah...!?"

The sudden sound of bones twisting. I glanced over—and there, the Tyrant King was grabbing his own right arm, breaking it in an unnatural direction.

"It's an apology. My bad. I went overboard with my little test."

"..."

Everyone went silent upon seeing him break his own arm in apology. The man was certifiable.

'... Grandpa was right.'

A cranky and incomprehensible man.

That's what Yu Chun-gil had said about the Tyrant King. He turned out to be absolutely right.

Though 'doesn't talk much' definitely wasn't true.

Virtuous Moon Sword looked at me.

"What do you want to do?"

"Sorry?"

"I asked you—what do you want done with the Tyrant King?"

"..."

What did I want to do with him? Would they actually do as I asked?

If I told him to kill him here, would he actually do it? The thought crossed my mind for just a moment.

"... I'm fine."

For now, that was the only answer I could give.

To ask Virtuous Moon Sword to battle the Tyrant King on my behalf here would've been insanity.

"Understood."

Upon hearing my reply, Virtuous Moon Sword withdrew his aura, then turned and walked away.

"Follow me. Any further rudeness will not be tolerated."

"Sure. Sorry for the trouble."

The Tyrant King followed Virtuous Moon Sword. Were they really leaving just like that? What a storm of a man. As the Tyrant King faded from sight—

"Ah."

He glanced back at me and whispered.

—Let's meet again later.

His voice crept in telepathically. I flinched, a shiver running through me.

'What is with that guy...?'

The Tyrant King, who insisted I should be nominated as the Alliance Leader candidate in his stead.

My first encounter with him left me with nothing but an overwhelming sense of bewilderment.

* * *

Right after the Tyrant King's rampage, everyone was so shaken by his appearance that no one could focus on training.

Apparently, the Small Moon Division Leader also thought nothing more could be done under these circumstances, so the training was called off.

Everyone switched to individual cultivation.

Thanks to this, I could return to my room and rest.

"Man... I slept a bit."

I lay down and dozed off as if catching up on lost sleep. Roughly two hours must've passed.

I sat up.

Next to me, Yu Chun-gil stared at me as if amazed.

『You went to sleep after all that?』

After being knocked around by the Tyrant King, I could still sleep?

"Well, nothing actually happened, and worrying doesn't change anything anyway. I need to shake off my fatigue first."

If I didn't sleep, I'd just waste time. Better to rest a bit than burn the hours pointlessly.

'That way I can think straight later.'

This was how I best sorted out my mind.

"Phew."

A glance around the room showed that Do Hyung hadn't returned yet.

Noting that, I fully woke up and started thinking.

'The Tyrant King, huh...'

A black-haired, muscular old man. That air he gave off, as if he'd specifically sought me out—it made me try to think through just what kind of person the Tyrant King really was.

"... Grandpa."

To do that, I needed Yu Chun-gil first.

『What?』

"Just to check—there's nothing between you and the Tyrant King, right?"

『What do you mean?』

"You know, like you stole his fiancé... or took his eye. Stuff like that."

『Would you look at this brat? Do I seem like the type to mess with everyone I've met?』

"Given everything I've seen up until now, you kind of did."

『...』

This time Yu Chun-gil had nothing to say.

『I didn't do anything to that guy.』

"Really...? For real?"

『If you didn't trust me, why ask in the first place?』

"A man's gotta ask. As long as that's all there is..."

『Oh, right.』

"... What?"

Was there something after all? I asked uneasily.

『Remember that thing from before.』

"That thing...?"

『The item I left in the storeroom.』

"If you mean... that thing."

I thought back for a moment—then remembered.

"Ah..."

There was something, all right. That bracer. I remembered Yu Chun-gil telling me—

'He said he stole it from the Tyrant King.'

He'd said that was the Tyrant King's.

'That could be bad...'

Although honestly, I'd never been too bothered about it. It didn't look particularly valuable, and there was no way the Tyrant King would come all this way just to reclaim some bracer.

"That's the only thing, right?"

『Of course. Imagine what would happen if there was something else.』

So he was aware?

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's a relief. As long as that bracer isn't, you know, some super important family heirloom or anything, we should just let this go—"

『Oh? How did you know?』

"... What?"

My face twisted. What did he say?

"... What do you mean, how did I know?"

『That bracer.』

Yu Chun-gil spoke as if genuinely impressed.

『That's a sacred ancestral artifact passed down in his family. Losing it probably caused him a ton of trouble. Kekeke.』

"..."

Scratch, scratch.

I rubbed my face dryly at his words.

'Ah, shit...'

For the first time in a while, I was desperately craving to perform an exorcism.

TL's Corner:

The old man is being used as a plot device to move our lazy MC...

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