Once you reach Huaxing’s level, you fundamentally go through a transformation.

Based on what you possess, your body is newly reconstructed.

But it’s not just beneficial for martial arts. When viewed from a broader perspective, it also impacts your appearance.

Everyone returns to their prime years. Not only that, but you can maintain your looks regardless of how old you get.

In the martial world, the saying to not underestimate someone regardless of their age didn’t come out of nowhere. Moreover, having an appearance cleansed of impurities usually makes a person appear much more handsome or beautiful than an average person…

Narin stared blankly at the scene before her.

“My lord, I brought water.”

“My lord, can I be the first to serve you?”

“My lord, this side dish is especially delicious.”

“My lord, please try this too.”

Four masters.

To be more precise…

Four handsome men.

Uncommonly handsome men were waiting on one man. Among them sat the self-proclaimed most handsome guy, awkwardly.

Narin subtly turned her head. She glanced at Gwangyang, who was eating his meal.

…Did this guy always look so much like a squid?

“I told you it’s okay to go do what you want…”

Jeok-un scowled, rejecting their courteous gestures, but they were persistent.

“You said we should make use of the life you’ve given us, so we’ve decided to dedicate it to you, my lord.”

“We would have died if it weren’t for you, my lord. We wouldn’t want to use our lives for anything else.”

“You’ve done us a favor, so should we not return it in kind?”

“Even if you refuse, I’ll follow you. I’d rather you step on me.”

Their attitude of being willing to burn themselves for their master was pleasing…

But isn’t the shift in loyalty a bit too sudden?

Yet, it looked good. The gathering of these handsome men itself created a picturesque scene. Right now, a few women in the tavern eating their meals were looking this way, their faces flushed.

It’s also not hard to understand their feelings. Narin clasped her arms, frowning.

Not only has she eliminated the solitude in her mind, but forgiving those who threatened her life is practically the same thing. Moreover, her master was the epitome of virtue, so it was natural to develop admiration for him.

It’s understandable… but as someone who has clashed swords with them over life and death, it feels somewhat strange.

Furthermore, Gwangyang was blatantly eyeing just one person.

“…Ugh…”

“What’s wrong? You look like a puppy that needs to go out.”

“I’m frustrated! Frustrated! In the end, I never got to clash swords properly, so of course, I’d be frustrated, right?”

“What does that mean? If it weren’t for Il-ho, I wouldn’t have even managed to exchange a single blow. That person was a monster.”

“…It’s not just a gap in skill. It feels as if I’m being played with, which makes me even angrier…”

“You were indeed toyed with.”

Bai Saak.

The guy who clashed swords with me just yesterday casually stuffed a piece of Dongpayuk into his mouth.

“The skills of those who follow my lord seem pretty ordinary. I heard you’re his disciple… but are you really learning to wield a sword properly?”

“This guy!”

“The will is commendable, but that’s all. There’s nothing special about you. Moreover, your martial arts are a bit quirky at best… it’s somewhat pitiful.”

“Hey, aren’t you being a bit harsh…?”

“Then why not learn from me instead?”

“…?”

Bai Saak said it nonchalantly.

As if it was just passing small talk, as if it didn’t matter at all.

“I think I could teach you well. The nature of the sword I wield is similar too, so it would surely be beneficial.”

“…What?”

“My lord, would you entrust Gwangyang to me? I will raise him to be worthy of your title as your disciple.”

“Your joining hasn’t even been decided yet…”

“So let me prove my worth. Let me show you the necessity of having me around.”

“Since the youngest has said so, I have no choice. Hey! Was your name Narin?”

A man who had been sipping alcohol with his meal since morning nodded.

“I heard you handle a unique form of martial arts. You create chambers in your muscles to store your internal energy. Fortuitously, it seems similar to the martial art I possess, so what do you say to properly learning martial arts from me?”

“I have no intention of learning from anyone but my master!”

“I’m not asking you to serve me as a master. I’m merely saying I can help you to some extent. To be honest, you know this as well as I do, don’t you? You’re rather lacking to brag about being my lord’s disciple.”

“……”

“My lord may not have the time to teach you daily, so I would like to fill that gap. I dislike being called ‘master’ as well, so let’s settle on ‘teacher’ instead.”

Narin blinked. Unable to hide her dissatisfaction, her cheeks puffed up.

“I don’t want to?!”

“If you don’t want to, fine. I’m not that eager to teach you anyway. Just don’t end up regretting it later.”

“…Regret?”

“Bai Saak is a cocky and arrogant guy, but surprisingly, he’s good at teaching people. Many who learned just a few phrases from him have shown significant improvement.”

“…….”

“If your master learns martial arts from him, it won’t be long before he catches up. I know from experience that there’s nothing more unpleasant than being surpassed by a kid you thought was weak. It’s beyond mere friendship—it’s in the realm of competitive spirit.”

Weiji Il-do refilled his glass.

“Let me ask one last time. Will you? Or won’t you?”

Narin flinched without realizing it.

“…Ugh.”

I can’t trust him. Honestly, I find him utterly untrustworthy.

But still… if I arbitrarily give up amidst the doubt and Gwangyang catches up…

That would surely frustrate me.

Moreover, part of what he said was somewhat true.

The shadow of my master has drifted far beyond my reach.

…At least.

I want to be strong enough to help. I want to display a much stronger version of myself.

“Y-you really will make me strong? Even more than here…?”

“I don’t lie. Leave it to me. I’ll teach you the concepts of swordplay.”

…

The Divine Army’s four.

They suddenly joined. This wasn’t the outcome I desired. I wanted them to forget their solitude and live freely.

“Why on earth…”

“I’ve brought someone I never wanted to serve for a lifetime. Unable to take my own life due to lacking strength, I just followed orders.”

Dam Bi-chang smiled bitterly.

“It was a shameful time. But now, I feel I want to spend days that are not shameful anymore, if only to make amends for my past mistakes.”

“But why specifically me…”

“Though I’ve been used as a tool for a lifetime, isn’t it true that he treated me as a martial artist despite that, my lord?”

“……”

“This time, I simply chose someone to serve not as a tool but as a warrior.”

I quietly looked down at Dam Bi-chang, Zhu Moxing, Weiji Il-do, and Bai Saak.

This wasn’t the original plan. I intended to use the assassins aimed at me…

To expose the reality of the Martial Alliance Leader to everyone.

But the outcome had changed. I found my respect for their swords. With that one word, I simply intended to leave the Martial Alliance as if this event never happened.

As a sign of respect for them. Just burying this matter deep within my heart.

Yet, as they now desired to follow, the situation became awkward.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“I respect your swords, but I can’t trust you.”

“…….”

“Just yesterday, you were aiming for my life, weren’t you? Given the circumstances and how things have changed so positively, of course, I can’t help but be suspicious.”

“I understand, my lord.”

“You don’t need to follow me unnecessarily; you can still carry out your past atonements alone. You can accomplish so much without needing to serve me. You now have the freedom to do anything without worrying about the eyes of others.”

“……”

“Honestly, no matter how much I think about it, I can’t accept you. It’s not just for my safety; it’s for the safety of my companions as well. So, please retract that statement and leave from here.”

The four fell silent.

Then, they all raised their heads in unison.

“If we prove our resolve, wouldn’t that make you reconsider, my lord?”

“…What?”

“Please wait just one day.”

Dam Bi-chang spoke on behalf of the group.

“We will show the world that we are not merely the subordinates of the Martial Alliance Leader. We will demonstrate the sincerity of our intentions and the truths about the Martial Alliance Leader’s situation.”

“What do you mean…?”

They disappeared after uttering only that phrase.

I heard their story no more than three days later.

“…Jeok-un.”

Su-ryeon came looking for me.

“I have urgent news.”

“What’s the news…?”

“Several of the Martial Alliance’s management offices that were set up for protection have been destroyed. There are no deaths, but those who faced the assailants suffered serious injuries.”

“…Could it be…?”

“Moreover, those assailants have been calling themselves Dam Bi-chang, Zhu Moxing, Weiji Il-do, and Bai Saak, and they’ve been openly discussing the true state of the Martial Alliance Leader. They are wandering around the Martial Alliance, apologizing to the victims and bowing their heads.”

“…….”

“It’s said they stripped all their possessions and converted them into gold to donate to the victims. The Martial Alliance Leader was enraged and immediately dispatched a pursuit team, but those four subdued them all before escaping…”

Outside was buzzing.

I slowly stepped into the yard.

“It’s rumored that bounties have been placed on them by the Martial Alliance, and the weight of gold currently hanging over their heads could equal that of a building.”

After Su-ryeon’s words, I discovered four blood-soaked warriors kneeling in the courtyard.

Gasping breaths. Their tattered clothes were covered in wounds.

Their bodies were still bleeding, and perhaps due to a lack of blood, their faces were pale.

Dam Bi-chang lifted his head. He murmured in a hoarse voice.

“…My lord… we destroyed six branches of the Martial Alliance to prove our resolve. We’ve used our accumulated reputation to inform others about the true situation of the Martial Alliance Leader… and we’ve completely walled ourselves off from you by overpowering the pursuing teams.”

“…….”

“Please accept us…!”

It was reckless.

But being reckless was what stirred my heart.

Are they so desperate as to act in this way? I wanted to clearly understand the reason behind their desperation.

The desire to serve those they wished to serve. What could that possibly be?

“Why are you going to such lengths?”

“……”

Dam Bi-chang smiled weakly. Some of them let out muffled laughs as if they were trying to laugh at their own misery.

Once that passed, their gathered thoughts began to flow into words.

“I want to become someone who can no longer feel ashamed of myself.”

Without realizing it, I flinched.

Someone who can no longer feel ashamed of themselves.

Isn’t that something I longed for truly?

…I understood.

With that one phrase.

“Your social status, the reputation you’ve built, your position, your power… you should cast it all away.”

“We have thrown it all away.”

“It might be heading in a completely different direction from what you desire.”

“Yet, we will follow you.”

“If I were to issue you unreasonable commands, would you still follow them?”

“I would like to believe you wouldn’t… but now that I’ve decided to follow…”

Dam Bi-chang spoke calmly.

“Even if it means following you into the depths of hellfire, I will do so to keep the vow I’ve made to myself.”

“……”

I stood before them. Lifting each of them who were kneeling, I brushed off the dust on them.

That answer was enough.

 

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