Published at 2nd of April 2026 5:11 pm

Chapter 415

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

"How's your body feeling?"

After Chun Hye-in left, Tyrant King Muk Yeok-Sung visited me and started asking questions.

"... Yes, I'm fine."

"Tsk click. Yeah, you do look fine enough."

... Then why bother asking? While I was suppressing my exasperation, Tyrant King changed the subject.

"How about that thing?"

He gestured toward my arm, meaning the bracer.

"Well... I don't notice any particular changes."

"Hmm."

I knew that his interest was in this bracer.

'Change, huh'

But really, there was nothing that could be called a change. The bracer remained quiet.

Muk Yeok-Sung stared at me intently. His black eyes were honestly a bit unnerving.

"Do you remember the conversation we had?"

"... I do."

I wish I could forget, but I just can't.

"Don't worry. I'll let you know if anything comes to mind."

"Just to be clearI have no intention of becoming the alliance leader."

"..."

His firm tone was piercing.

"I could step up as a candidate, but becoming the leader won't happen."

"... Is that a definite statement?"

"I'm sure of it. Tsk tsk tsk. Those guys have eyes, don't they? Would they really make someone like me alliance leader? It wouldn't even be funny."

That was an objective self-assessment. Is that how it is?

'But as Tyrant King'

He's one of the Five Kings and a hero who even participated in the war.

Shouldn't he be more than qualified to be the next leader of the Alliance?

That thought crossed my mind, but clearly, Tyrant King had other ideas.

'Well, not that it matters.'

Whether he became the leader or not wasn't important to me.

All that matters is whether I get to be a candidate or not.

"Anyway. More relevantly, what will you do about that?"

His gaze was still fixed on my arm.

"... Why? Are you going to tear off my arm again if you don't like it?"

I guarded my arm as I spoke. Muk Yeok-Sung's eyes grew wide at my words, then before long, he burst into laughter.

"Hahahahaha!! Would you look at this kid? Did you actually take that seriously?"

"... You didn't mean it?"

He looked ready to rip off my arm at any moment. Was he joking? That's hard to believe.

I looked exasperated, but Muk Yeok-Sung's reaction was unwavering.

"Don't worry. I won't do anything so cruel. Besides..."

Muk Yeok-Sung looked off somewhere as he continued.

"If I were to do that to your arm, the Sect Leader here wouldn't just stand by."

"The Sect Leader?"

Why did he bring up Virtuous Moon Sword? I didn't think he was the type to get involved just because my arm got ripped off.

"I won't touch your arm. Unless, of course, we truly have no other option."

He drummed the table with his fingers as he spoke.

"In that case, we may have to go to the Muk Family together."

"Your family's household, sir?"

"Yeah. There might be a solution there. Make peace with that much, at least."

"..."

Hmm.

'The Muk family, huh?'

I don't really know the place, but...

"I understand."

Since this item originally belongs there, and there might be a way to deal with it, I figured I'd have to go if needed.

Of course.

"... But only once all the contracts I made with you are completed."

"Understood."

He seemed to accept that part, at least.

"Anyway, I just wanted to check on your health today, so I'll be off."

With that, Tyrant King stood up.

"I've done what I had to here. Is the next step the Alliance?"

"... Seems that way."

"Good. Then, I'll see you there."

As soon as the Blue Moon Festival schedule ends, I'll return to the Alliance.

Having completed my goals, that's what needed to be done.

After Tyrant King disappeared

"Tsk..."

I clicked my tongue and got up too. My still-stiff body was bugging me.

'... So now.'

The next step.

It was time to visit Virtuous Moon Sword.

***

I headed to the Sect Leader's office.

On the way, the stares of the disciples burned holes in me. It was overwhelming.

Most likely, it was fallout from the Martial Tournament.

That's the Moon Hero.

-... So he's finally come to his senses?

The tone in their voices was clearly different from before.

Perhaps a mix of reverence and surprise.

I guess winning the Blue Moon Festival carried weight.

Ignoring the flood of stares, I found myself before the Sect Leader's office.

"Excuse me."

As soon as I entered, I met Virtuous Moon Sword's eyes.

"You're here."

"Yes. I heard you sent for me."

No sooner had I arrived than Virtuous Moon Sword stood up.

"Come."

"Pardon? Where to?"

No response. He simply walked past me, heading somewhere. I gave a slight nod and followed behind.

No conversation. Nothing about Blue Moon Festival, nothing about the fight. Not a single word was exchanged.

'... So frustrating.'

It's always like this when I'm alone with this man. It's awkward to ask questions.

Especially from my position, where I had something I wanted to ask.

'I wanted to ask about that.'

Something similar to what Silver Moon Sword usedMoon Heaven.

I wanted to ask about the martial art that Virtuous Moon Sword had modified, but I could sense it just from watching his back.

A clear pressure not to ask unnecessary questions.

So, in complete silence, I followed Virtuous Moon Sword for about half a 'gak'.

"We're here."

"... This is?"

We'd arrived at a cave within Blue Moon Sect.

"What's this place?"

"It was promised."

"The promise... Ah?"

The things the Blue Moon Festival winner gets.

The title of Young Sect Leader.

'And access to the Blue Moon Sect's library, right?'

The place said to contain all the Blue Moon Sect's martial arts, the so-called divine techniques.

Could it be...

"... You brought me here now?"

Bringing me here, right after I woke up?

"Take this."

Virtuous Moon Sword handed me something: a seal.

"It's the Young Sect Leader's seal."

"..."

Then he walked past me, heading out. What the?

"Where are you going? Don't you need to open it for me?"

If not, at least tell me how to open it. I hurriedly called out to Virtuous Moon Sword, and he turned and said,

"There's no need to open it for you. You should know how."

"Um...?"

"See as you wish."

Thunk.

With those words, Virtuous Moon Sword disappeared. He was gone in a flash.

"... What the hell?"

Left alone, I stared at the cave. I supposedly knew how to open it? I stared blankly at the entrance.

"Hmm?"

I noticed a hole at the entrancejust the right size for the seal.

Carefully, I inserted the seal.

"..."

Nothing happened.

"What's going on?"

What am I supposed to do now? I just stared blankly.

You should know how.

"..."

Virtuous Moon Sword's words kept echoing. The sensation was like a tickle at the crown of my head.

'... This.'

Could it be...?

Hooook.

I drew out my energy. It wrapped around my hand, and I sent it into the seal.

That instant

Kiiiiiiik! Kigigik!!

Sound of mechanisms moving.

Drurururuk.

With a click, the entrance opened like magic.

"Ha."

I let out a hollow laugh.

***

Inside the cave.

The opening mechanism wasn't difficult. As ridiculous as it was, Virtuous Moon Sword's words were the key.

'You should know.'

I was supposed to know. That phrase stuck deep inside me.

'... Did I know?'

The existence of the Sword Saint's successor's hidden records.

And the fact that I could open that place as well.

'Just how much did he know?'

How much exactly did he know? And why did he pretend ignorance if he knew?

Whatever the reason, I couldn't help but smirk.

'I'm getting sick of this.'

For some reason, I never wanted to associate with people with blue eyes. They looked like they only pursued brute strength, but

'In their heads, though...'

It was just a complicated vortex of psychological battles.

'Tsk.'

I clicked my tongue. Then looked at the library. It wasn't that big.

Only one bookshelf stood inside, the rest meticulously locked down like it didn't matter.

Not that the bookshelf was that big, either. Just a moderate size.

The books inside weren't packed full, either.

Gaps here and there between the volumes, I observed with squinting eyes.

'... Hmm.'

What am I supposed to look at here?

'Supposedly, only the Blue Moon Sect leader can enter here.'

I wondered what the previous leaders saw in here.

'See as you wish.'

Virtuous Moon Sword only told me to look as I pleased. But what did he want me to see? There wasn't much.

Even as I examined the bookshelf, nothing in particular stood out.

What exactly was I supposed to look at among these worn-out old books?

'... See as you wish...'

No matter how many books I read,

No matter how much I read,

Maybe it doesn't matter?

'For him to just hand over the full authority like this...'

Does that mean it's all meaningless, no matter how much I learn? Or does he truly just not care?

"Hmm."

I studied the bookshelf.

'Just what am I supposed to do...'

Carefully, I pulled out a book. It was thick with dust. I brushed it off. No title.

I opened it up to check the contents.

'... A sword technique?'

It looked like something about Blue Moon Sword Dance, but not much of it was helpful. After all,

'My sword style was derived from Yu Chun-gil.'

It was a sword art activated based on the modified mind technique he created. Should I call this a sword path?

'Honestly...'

Each strike felt like a finishing move, so it wouldn't really fit the definition of a sword path.

'Come to think of it?'

I never really learned formal techniques.

'Even using Great Moon'

It's less a sword path and more a combined martial technique. Something that consolidates everything I've learned so far into a single skill.

And more

'I still have two left.'

There were still two martial techniques I couldn't use. Because I hadn't learned them yet.

'... But a sword path, huh.'

I never learned the Blue Moon Sect's sword path from Yu Chun-gil.

All the other disciples use it, but Yu Chun-gil never taught me. Which feels odd.

'Did Yu Chun-gil just not use sword paths?'

That thought crossed my mind. Now that I think about it, maybe that was the case.

He never mentioned sword paths, never showed any intent to teach themmaybe he just didn't care much about that element?

'But how can that be?'

I didn't understand.

To a swordsman, the sword path was of critical importance.

Most techniques are based on certain forms, and even when I awakened Moon Eye, the sword path was

'All swordsmen have their sword paths.'

They're created with that in mind.

'But here I am'

I never learned the Blue Moon Sect's sword path.

"Hmm."

Mulling that, I gazed with interest at the forms described. I studied the techniques.

Then I pulled out another book beside italso thick with dust. One by one, I examined them.

Line by line, I read

'What's this?'

Something was strange.

'There are overlaps?'

The way certain sword forms were described, and the methods for using them.

As I kept reading

'Is it a coincidence?'

In both the explanation and the instructional steps for the forms, I kept noticing curiously similar parts.

"..."

I pulled out another book and checked. Not all matched.

Since I have photographic memory, I could compare as I read. The differences were minor, but definitely present. What was this?

"..."

Thud.

I returned the book to its place, then stepped back two pacesjust far enough to take in the entire bookshelf.

Standing there, staring at the bookshelf.

'See as you wish.'

Virtuous Moon Sword's words echoed.

'As I wish?'

No way

Uuuuuung.

I summoned my energy and activated Moon Eye. Blue light flickered as my eye technique awakened. The world shone in blue, and then

&qot;Ha."

My eyes widened as I spotted the difference.

"You've got to be kidding."

The bookshelf.

Some of the books were glowingnot all, just a select few radiating a vibrant blue light.

Now I understood.

'So that's how it is.'

A room only the Sect Leader could enter.

Which means

'... The divine pill obtained by the Sect Leader.'

This archive could only truly be seen by someone who had consumed the Blue Moon Sect's divine pill.

Gramps' Note:

Gak = quarter of an hour

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