Published at 18th of March 2026 6:26 am

Chapter 404

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Chalbak. I climbed down the ladder into the underground. The entrance to the secret chamber looked as familiar as ever, as if to prove it was connected to most of the buildings of the Blue Moon Sect.

As expected, I was able to enter again this time.

Ziiing.

Out of habit, I channeled power into the Moon Eye. As the darkness was dispelled, I forced myself to sound casual as I asked Chun Hye-in,

"... Is there no lamp or anything?"

I needed to pretend this was my first time here, after all. As we walked through the corridor, I asked Chun Hye-in,

"There's nothing like that. You'll get used to it soon enough, so just go with it."

She replied in a tone of annoyance. Still as rude as ever.

We walked down the passage. After passing through, I came to a space I recognized.

It was the first chamber.

A first chamber where there was really nothing of note. As we entered, Chun Hye-in looked at me.

"We're here."

"Here?"

For a secret chamber left by the Sword Saint, it was completely empty. I looked at her as if to ask if this was really the place.

Though, honestly, in the darkness, I doubted she could even see my expression.

"Yes, here."

"But there's absolutely nothing here."

Calling this empty space a secret chamber felt utterly absurd. Of course

'I know it's the right place.'

I knew better than anyone else that this was in fact the secret chamber. I just had to pretend otherwise.

"It looks like that, but this is the place."

"And what makes you so sure?"

No matter how I looked at it, it didn't seem like a secret chamber. I wondered why she thought this was the Sword Saint's legacy.

I knew because that old man Yu Chun-gil had told me, but I was curious about Chun Hye-in's reasoning.

Was it something Baek Yeon had said?

'That can't be it.'

I immediately ruled that out. Knowing Chun Hye-in's personality, there was zero chance she'd act on Baek Yeon's word alone.

'There's just no way, not with that woman's character.'

So that meant she had to have a reason she could trust herself.

"... I'll show you now."

Sure enough, Chun Hye-in spoke as if she had a basis for her conviction, then stepped forward.

A wall. Chun Hye-in approached the wall of the secret chamber.

Watching her, I frowned.

'That spot...'

The mechanism of the secret chamber. To be precise, it was a space that could only be opened by using Moon Wave.

Standing before it, Chun Hye-in looked at me.

"Do you see anything? Or feel anything?"

"... What?"

Chun Hye-in spoke as she gently touched the wall. Listening to her, I couldn't help but be flustered.

'Is she asking if I see something?'

What was this? Was Chun Hye-in seeing something? Of course, I could see itafter taking the Divine Pill, the awakened Moon Eye allowed me to see the blue lines clearly.

However

"There's something here."

Chun Hye-in spoke as if she could sense something, despite not being able to see it. That was honestly surprising for me.

"What do you mean there's something? It just looks like a wall to me."

"Come and touch it."

"..."

At her words, I gingerly touched the wall. It was just the same as ever. As far as I could feel, it was just a wall.

And it made sense.

'The mechanism doesn't operate by direct contact with a sword.'

Not even a scratch could be made by a blade. The mechanism only responded to the sword aura released when using Moon Wave.

I knew this all too well, and yet

"Don't you feel anything? There's definitely a fine something here."

Chun Hye-in continued to speak as if she could feel it. Something fine. Could it be

'Is it the sword path of Moon Wave?'

The sword path I could see with my eyes. Chun Hye-in was feeling around exactly where it appeared.

It looked like my guess was right.

'She's able to sense this?'

Is it possible to sense it just by feeling? I couldn't understand, but by all appearances, Chun Hye-in really could sense ither hand was exactly on that spot.

And yet she asked if I could see anything?

"What is it you think I'm supposed to see?"

I pretended not to see anything.

"Hmm."

At my words, Chun Hye-in stared intently at me. Was she trying to figure out whether I was telling the truth?

"... So you can't see it after all."

Apparently, that wasn't it. Chun Hye-in, who had been running her hand along the wall, fell into thought.

"I thought you'd be able to sense it."

"Why? Is there something there?"

Feigning ignorance, I asked, and Chun Hye-in replied,

"The sword path."

"...!"

At her answer, my eyes widened inwardly. Right on the mark.

"There must be something beyond this space, too. I think this line is the key to opening it."

"..."

To deduce all that from just being able to sense a line.

Even more

"And also, this line... it probably has to be opened using the Blue Moon Sect's sword path. The fact that there are no marks on the wall means it's not triggered by direct contact."

'Wow.'

I was impressed. I only knew because Yu Chun-gil had told me something close to a hint, but she pieced all this together by herself.

She really was smart. Almost troublesome to deal with.

"The problem is"

Just as she began to speak, Chun Hye-in suddenly drew her sword.

Srrrrk.

She immediately shifted her hips and assumed a distinctive stance.

Moon Wave.

Swiishhh!!!

Her sword cut through the air. The sharp crescent narrowly brushed along the wall.

"..."

"..."

Nothing happened.

Chun Hye-in had matched her blade to the visible line perfectly, but the mechanism did not respond.

Naturally.

'That only responds to Yu Chun-gil's energy.'

Yu Chun-gil. The mutated form of the Blue Moon Mind Technique that he had recreated from scratch since birth.

And, based on that, the altered Moon Wave.

Only by using those could the mechanism activate.

No wonder Chun Hye-in's sword didn't work.

Faced with that, Chun Hye-in bit her lip.

"As expected. It doesn't work."

"What did you do just now...?"

"The shape of the sword path was Moon Wave. So I tried cutting along it using my sword aura. But it seems like my sword won't do the trick. So"

Chun Hye-in'sblue eyes fixed on me in the darkness.

"I thought perhaps you, Young master Bang, could do it."

"... Why would I be any different?"

"You are different. This chamber was left by the Sword Saint. As his successor, if anyone can trigger something, it would be you."

"..."

Sharp. Disgustingly sharp, really.

"So you want me to try it?"

"Yes."

'Seriously.'

I curled my lips up.

"So that's why you brought me here...? That was your goal, wasn't it?"

To move on to the next step. If, as she expected, I was able to do it

'We can only move to the next room if I'm here.'

So that's why she was willing to trust me with something so valuable.

"Hmm..."

I stared at the wall. I could already see the line with my Moon Eye.

I looked at it and drew my sword.

Clack.

I gripped the hilt.

'If that's your intention'

I guess I'll play along.

Thinking that, I drew a flash of light. Radiant Moon Annihilation. The sword aura of Yu Chun-gil seeped into my blade.

"..."

Chun Hye-in stared at the sword aura, entranced by the splendor.

She seemed captivated by the brilliant glow, like it was sweeping away the darkness.

"Hoo."

I twisted my waist and repeated exactly the same movement Chun Hye-in had just done.

No not exactly the same. You'd know if you looked closely. There was a subtle difference.

That slight difference changed everything.

Kirik.

A crescent moon was drawn in the night.

I traced the line exactly as it appeared.

A gentle silence swept over us. Chun Hye-in held her breath as she watched the drawn flash.

And then

Kririririk!

Kugugugugung.

The mechanism activated, and the wall began to move.

"... Ha."

Seeing that, Chun Hye-in let out a breathless laugh.

"Of course..."

She looked as if her suspicions had been confirmed. The second mechanism activated, and the door opened.

"Ooh."

I pretended to be surprised.

"So we just go in?"

"... Let's go."

Chun Hye-in nodded and stepped ahead.

A dark corridor.

I couldn't help but smirk at the sight.

I followed behind her.

***

The second secret chamber. The space where I had obtained the Divine Pill.

Outside of that, there wasn't really much here.

As Chun Hye-in entered the chamber, she narrowed her eyes as she looked at the things inside.

"... So it really was the Sword Saint's secret chamber."

"Did you sense something?"

"... The very fact that the mechanism responded to your sword was enough of an answer."

"Hmm."

She was right.

"... There was a second room."

With a tense face, Chun Hye-in nodded and then started looking around the room.

"This is..."

She found something next. It was a box on the floor.

'Oh, right.'

I hadn't cleared that away. It was the box I'd left after taking the Divine Pill.

"What's this?"

"It's a box. Empty, though."

Ugh, I should've disposed of it after using it. I completely forgot.

I scratched my head in embarrassment.

At least I'd brought away the recipe, so that was a relief.

"... An empty box. Are there any other items..."

Fortunately, Chun Hye-in didn't seem too concerned about the box.

Then she reached for another object.

Sleek.

She grabbed something lying on the floor. It seemed to be a double-edged sword.

Did that used to be here? I think so. I'd probably tried to block it out deliberately.

The moment Chun Hye-in picked up the item

Kirik

"Hmm?"

"Huh?"

Suddenly, there was the sound of a mechanism activating.

"What the"

Both Chun Hye-in and I responded to the noise. What was going on? As I turned my head, trying to figure things out

Kririririk!!!

"Hah!"

"What the hell?"

The room suddenly began to move, as if it was quickly closing in to compress us.

Whoooooosh!!

It happened in an instant. Damn it, why is this happening all of a sudden?

Chun Hye-in summoned her sword aura. The door behind us had long since shut. She looked about ready to try slicing through the wall.

'As if that would work.'

I knew that wall wasn't going to give way so easily.

I gritted my teeth.

'The solution'

I turned my head. As my vision shifted, my mind started to race. Thankfully, I quickly came up with a solution.

Crackle!

I unleashed Moon Heaven. Power surged throughout my body. It felt like time itself was slowing down for a moment.

The wall closed in. I reached out and grabbed Chun Hye-in by the nape, pulling her with me.

That unmoving wall. That was it.

I activated the Moon Eye to check the line.

"Ha!"

I let out a yell and pressed down with my toes. With the sword filled with Radiant Moon Annihilation, I slashed at the wall.

Chwarrrrk!

It cut straight through.

Kririririk!!!

The mechanism triggered. The door started to open. But the speed was agonizingly slow.

I threw Chun Hye-in first into the narrow gap that had opened. Her small frame slipped right through.

Leaving Chun Hye-in rolling behind, I dove in after her.

Just as I made it inside

KWAANG!!!

The closing room crumpled inward.

"... Goddamn."

That was close. If I'd been any slower, I would've been crushed flat.

Panting for breath, I screwed up my face.

"Is that old geezer insane?"

What kind of lunatic does something like this in a secret chamber?

As I blinked and surveyed the situation

Sleek.

Chun Hye-in picked herself up.

"... Ah, I'm fine"

I was about to ask if she was alright, but

"You."

Rather than showing any signs of having just escaped a brush with death, her eyes focused sharply on me.

"You already knew about this place, didn't you?"

"..."

Her words made me freeze in place.

'Damn it.'

She caught on.

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