Published at 29th of January 2026 10:14 am

Chapter 384

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Three years' worth of records. Virtuous Moon Sword accepted the letter brought by Yu Yul and confirmed the information with a hardened expression.

Not much time had passed. Even though it had been three years, it wasn't a large amount.

After reading through everything, Virtuous Moon Sword looked over at Yu Yul.

He was squinting his eyes into crescent moons, smiling. Seeing Yu Yul like that, Virtuous Moon Sword asked,

"So you requested to return—I wondered why, but what do you mean by saying that his movements were strange?"

The final line. The reason Yu Yul had returned to the Blue Moon Sect was crucial.

One of the Five Kings of the World.

The Death King, Hyun Hwa.

He was someone who had gone into seclusion in the mountains several years ago and disappeared without a trace—Virtuous Moon Sword had been keeping an eye on him, considering the organizations he had belonged to and the things he'd done.

In the last line, Yu Yul had written that he returned because the Death King's movements had become odd.

"Did something happen?"

"... Hmm."

Yu Yul scratched his cheek at Virtuous Moon Sword's question.

"I don't really know myself."

"What?"

"The Death King stayed at the mountaintop and didn't show himself. I've actually only seen him with my own eyes three times in these three years."

Only once a year. That was the only chance to see the Death King.

"I've noted other unusual points as well, but... the most important are those three occasions."

Once a year, facing the Death King. That was the issue.

"Each time, the atmosphere was strange."

"Atmosphere?"

"Yes. The mood of the mountain was strange. I know the mountain itself has always been unusual, but... on those days, the air, the ki in the atmosphere, even the animals in the forest were all cowering."

Yu Yul's face twisted, as if recalling those memories.

"It wasn't as if the Death King was doing anything in particular, yet it was like that."

"Is it possible the Death King figured out what you were up to?"

"It's not impossible. But—"

Yu Yul broke off mid-sentence and smiled again.

"That wouldn't happen. I'm confident about that."

"..."

Virtuous Moon Sword nodded, as if convinced.

If it was Yu Yul, he wouldn't have been discovered. If it was that Yu Yul.

"So, I was planning to investigate a bit more to figure out why I was getting that feeling, but..."

Yu Yul hesitated briefly before speaking. Virtuous Moon Sword waited for him to continue, not pressing.

"The last year. That's when something happened."

"What kind of problem?"

"Someone visited the Death King."

For those years spent investigating, no one else had ever come. If it weren't for Yu Yul, no one would have even been able to approach the place.

And now, someone else had come?

"Did you find out who it was?"

Just who could it be? Virtuous Moon Sword asked, his curiosity piqued.

"... That's..."

Yu Yul frowned narrowly as he answered.

"Bow Ghost."

"...!"

"Heaven Beyond Heaven of the North Sea came looking for the Death King."

An answer wholly unexpected.

* * *

While Yu Yul and Virtuous Moon Sword were deep in conversation, I was walking outside, my body sore and aching.

"... Agh."

My body still tingled. Where that Yu Yul guy had hit me was especially bad.

'It's not like he even hit me that much.'

Yeah, right—how badly could I have been beaten, really? At most, I'd struggled just to try and launch a counterattack, but beyond that, I couldn't do anything.

'Just who is he, anyway?'

Who the hell is he? It's been a long time since I last felt a wall like that. I hadn't encountered so many sword paths recently. And on top of that,

'It's not like we're the same age, but still.'

There wasn't much of an age gap, so how could he display that degree of swordsmanship?

'... There weren't many rumors about him, and since he's supposedly been on assignment for years, I didn't pay him any mind.'

For him to suddenly show up and put me in this state...

'Just who is he, really?'

He gave me an odd vibe. There are plenty of weirdos out there, but—

'It's not just weird—he's really strange.'

Not just odd, but extremely strange. And moreover—

'... There's a weirdly high amount of spiritual ki around him.'

There were traces of spiritual ki everywhere near that guy. He himself didn't seem divinely gifted, but for some reason, there was a lot of spiritual ki floating around him.

'Did he just come back from rolling around in an evil spirit's den or something?'

It didn't seem like he'd tangled with anyone just because of his own overwhelming ki, but with that much spiritual ki—

'What did he do to end up like that?'

Honestly, to me, it was way beyond the level of just feeling uncomfortable.

'I don't want anything to do with him.'

His personal vibe, the energy around him—everything about him made me want to stay away.

I was doing my best to endure the creeping chill up my spine when—

"Young master Bang...!"

I ran into Chun Uijin, who had been waiting for me.

"Ah, yes. Young master Chun."

"Are you alright...?"

"I'm fine, really. Nothing happened."

I'd just gone in, explained the situation, and that was it. What more could there be?

"... That's a relief."

Chun Uijin sighed in relief. Seeing that, I asked,

"Who was that guy?"

I didn't need to specify—the person in question was obvious.

"... Ah, you mean Senior Brother Yu?"

"Yes."

"You don't know?"

"I wouldn't say I don't know at all—I've heard his name, but it was the first time I saw him in person."

"That's understandable. Senior Brother Yu spent the last three years away from Blue Moon Sect on a mission."

Three years.

Such a long time. Long-term assignments are one thing, but still.

'What kind of mission would require him to be gone for three years?'

I was certainly curious.

But that was all—just curiosity.

"I didn't expect that guy to pick a fight with me as soon as he came back."

"... Haha..."

You'd think he'd want to rest quietly after returning. I had no idea why, but the first thing he did was pick a fight with me.

"... Well... Senior Brother Yu has always been a little like that."

"Always looking for a fight right away?"

"Hm... To put it nicely, he's just very curious about things."

"And to put it not-so-nicely, he's a weirdo and kind of a freak."

"... Haha."

Chun Uijin didn't deny my words. He was obviously an oddball.

And the important thing was—

'He's strong.'

He was such a strong fighter it was strange there were so few rumors about him. I don't know if he's at the level of an absolute master, but just one exchange with the sword was enough to tell.

'It's weird that someone like that is so little known.'

He was just downright bizarre. His very existence felt off.

"That, uh, Young master Bang..."

"Yes?"

As I was quietly deepening my negative impression of Yu Yul, Chun Uijin spoke to me carefully,

"Senior Brother Yu is a bit odd, but... he isn't a bad person."

"..."

I stared back at Chun Uijin at those words.

'How strange.'

It was quite unexpected for Chun Uijin to speak up for someone like Yu Yul in this situation.

Chun Uijin always seemed the type to take my side no matter what.

"Are you two particularly close?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, are you and Yu Yul especially close? Friends?"

"Ah... not exactly close."

Chun Uijin scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"It's just... When I was young, he helped me a little."

"I see."

He said "a little," but from the look in his eyes, it seemed he was quite indebted.

'Not a bad person, huh.'

It was true.

'Rather than a bad person, he's just a bizarre guy.'

It wasn't so much a negative feeling as simply an aversion. That's what I felt toward Yu Yul.

"Don't worry. I'm just annoyed at getting picked on—I don't have an excessively negative view of him."

That's about it. The only thing on my mind is that he barked at me like a dog. I can't say anything more, since I don't actually know him.

'That's the most dangerous thing.'

Making rash judgments. There's never been a time where that ended well for me.

"Anyway, is that what you waited to tell me?"

"Ah..."

It seemed his main goal was to prevent any misunderstandings about Yu Yul.

That made me laugh.

'Yu Yul, huh.'

What kind of person is he for Chun Uijin to defend him so earnestly?

'Now I'm just more curious.'

If he were just a villain, I'd have let it go. But it was the strange ones who got under my skin.

And—

'... Something tells me.'

I felt, very strongly, that we'd end up getting involved again anyway.

* * *

Night fell. During the day, I'd spent my time trying to teach Sky Filling Flower Rain to that Poison Dragon bastard and training under Sword Emperor.

Small Moon Division leader couldn't join us due to work, possibly related to Yu Yul's return.

Thanks to that, I could use my time for personal training.

Tap.

I let my sword fall. My body was drenched in sweat, and my breaths came rough and heavy.

"Hoo..."

I tucked my sword into my belt and wiped off the sweat.

'It's tough.'

Training wasn't going easily.

'What should I have done?'

I kept going over my fight with Yu Yul, but no easy answer appeared.

That feeling from then.

That fight.

What I should have done.

I still couldn't figure it out.

No, that's not it.

'I know, but I can't do it.'

I might not know the exact actions, but the result was obvious.

'I had to be faster. I had to be stronger.'

The difference in speed and power. That was the cause, pure and simple.

'Even after reaching the Transcendent realm, I can't fully use it.'

That's what Yu Chun-gil and Sword Emperor both said to me. Even if my level is higher, it doesn't fit my body.

'So what am I supposed to do?'

I had to make it my own, they said. But that's easier said than done.

'If it was easy, I'd have done it already.'

No one knows that better than me.

"... Tsk."

I clicked my tongue. I've reached the Transcendent realm, but there are still plenty of monsters in the world.

'Back when I was 3rd-rate, I didn't know any better.'

At that level, I thought reaching 2nd-rate would be enough.

'... If I'd stayed at 2nd-rate, I'd have just been crushed like a bug.'

The higher your level, the more terrifying the world becomes.

And on top of that—

'... Those fanatics.'

Some of the ones who were a nuisance in my past life are involved, too.

No way I could just sit quietly now.

'Whatever else,'

Since I know those guys are involved with the fanatics, I can't leave them alone.

'Because this won't end with just the world going to hell.'

I'd love to just do nothing, but they won't let me.

If—

'If any of those people remember me from my past life.'

More accurately—if they remember the previous me.

'... They'd tear everything apart trying to find me.'

Obvious. They did the same thing in my past life.

'Tsk.'

I slowly brushed my chest near my heart. If nothing else, I shouldn't unseal what's locked up in there.

'Even using it as much as I have is too risky.'

If I unseal what I've barely managed to keep tied up again...

'They'll notice.'

Dealing with evil spirits wouldn't be my only problem.

"... There's a lot I have to do."

It was already impossible to live an easy life as originally planned. Even if I ever want to relax in the future—

'I have to get stronger.'

I had to become greedy for strength.

As I was thinking that—

『Ow, my whole body aches.』

"...!"

A huge spirit. The previously vanished Yu Chun-gil appeared.

"... Grandpa, where have you been all this time?"

Just as I was about to say something to the old man, who had been gone all day—

『Found it. Let's go.』

"... Huh?"

He suddenly blurted out something strange.

Go?

"Go where...?"

『Didn't I tell you?』

Yu Chun-gil said gruffly,

『Muscle-Tendon Transformation. You need to do that.』

"...?"

You mean... now?

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