850——————==

True Martial Home

What the heck?!

Divine Thief?!

I was completely baffled. I never imagined I’d be transported to some bizarre fantasy world, let alone that the Divine Thief would appear right in front of me. With my mouth agape, I stared at him, who seemed less than impressed and muttered.

“What’s with that dumb reaction? Are you really my junior? If you’re the top thief with Baek Byun Shin Tu, then you’d better have some clever tricks and sharp wits, but what’s going on with you?”

“…….”

Only then did I start to grasp what was going on. Steadying myself, I replied.

“I’ve used Baek Byun Shin Tu’s martial arts to steal everything from the leader of the Nine Great Sects to the sleeves of the Twelve Joules’ sect leader, even the royal seal. Is that why I was summoned here?”

The Divine Thief replied bluntly.

“I don’t know about all those details. What kind of thief walks around bragging about their heists? Do I look like I’ve got time for that?”

“…….”

What did I even do wrong, though…

‘What a bad attitude…’

I felt a mix of indignation as the Divine Thief continued.

“In any case, the fact that you’re here means you’ve met the three conditions I set.”

“Conditions?”

“One. You’ve mastered all the techniques of Baek Byun Shin Tu.”

The Divine Thief slowly extended three fingers and began folding them one by one.

“Two. You’ve successfully applied those techniques to commit a heist worthy of historical mention.”

Up to this point, these conditions matched what Zhuge Sa and I had expected. But I was puzzled about what the third condition could be, and the Divine Thief continued.

“Three. You need to have the will to trace my footsteps through your thievery. If you accomplish these three, you will be automatically summoned here with your will.”

“Hm… isn’t that a bit too simple? Are there any other conditions?”

“Too simple, you say?”

The Divine Thief blinked for a moment before bursting into hearty laughter.

“Hahaha! You’ve got guts! From what I can see, you don’t seem like an ordinary fellow either. Just for your information, no other thief has come here for a thousand years.”

“That’s because the secret techniques of Baek Byun Shin Tu were entrusted to the Han Clan.”

“What are you talking about? That was just being prepared, and I’ve created about 50 more volumes of that secret technique and distributed them throughout Jianghu.”

“…….”

“Back in my day, everyone and their dog knew Baek Byun Shin Tu. The Han Clan simply stored it out of loyalty; they didn’t think of it as a precious secret technique.”

I was blank for a moment, but soon found his words absurd.

“You’ve dispersed that many secret techniques into Jianghu?! Why on earth…?”

“Wouldn’t that increase the number of thieves chasing after me? If everyone knows, then it’d keep getting passed down over the years. But it seems no one has succeeded at a historical heist or even chased after me.”

“…….”

“Feel free to have some pride. You can proudly claim to be the only successful one in a thousand years.”

I felt a wave of confusion wash over me. What on earth was this Divine Thief standing before me?

But once I sorted my thoughts, I realized there was reason behind the Divine Thief’s strange actions. He was only concerned with whether the one who would succeed him had the will to pursue him, regardless of what martial arts or internal strength they possessed!

And the three conditions set by the Divine Thief were incredibly easy for me, but would be quite difficult for other thieves. This was simply because Baek Byun Shin Tu was a collection of lower-tier skills, and while you could hardly call Yong Baek Byun or Seo Saeng Tal Ju top-tier techniques, using them for a historical theft was next to impossible.

It made sense why Baek Byun Shin Tu wouldn’t leave a solid name behind for future generations. It was probably something thieves diligently practiced a thousand years ago but slowly faded as time went by. After all, thieves have no strict master-apprentice bonds or inheritance obligations. Though, considering that the One Hand Take Heart technique contained within Baek Byun Shin Tu is still familiar to thieves in the current Jianghu, some traces of its existence clearly remain even a thousand years later.

As I gathered my thoughts, I spoke to the Divine Thief.

“You seem to have powerful martial arts, why didn’t you incorporate your strong ultimate techniques into Baek Byun Shin Tu? That way, challengers wouldn’t be so rare. With strong techniques, stealing would also be easy.”

“Right. That makes sense. If a thief had peak or ultra-peak martial arts, they could easily pull off a heist by pure strength. But…”

The Divine Thief snorted.

“Strength doesn’t mean you’re good at thievery, you know? Martial Artists need to excel at fighting, but thieves aren’t like that.”

“…….”

“I wanted someone with the qualities of a top thief who could become the best despite having only that third-rate skill. If I had hidden strong techniques in Baek Byun Shin Tu like you suggested, then sure, there would be more challengers, but they’d just be trained martial artists who got used to spilling blood in their quest for the secret technique.”

“Why can’t that be allowed?”

“I’m not pursuing a philosophy of battle. I’m following the path of a refined thief. If someone is skilled in fighting, they should challenge the path of a Martial God for eternity. Not that there haven’t been any like that besides Yeodong-bin or Jang Sam-bong.”

The Divine Thief muttered with a scoff, his face filled with disdain. From this, I could tell that he wasn’t fond of fighting itself and was quite firm in his belief of what a [true thief] should be.

“Um… I only swindled a little with the Thunder God Lineage’s ultimate move, Thunderclap…”

“Really? Well, you do look like someone who just barged in with peak martial arts. But it’s pretty strange for a guy like you to challenge my path… Let’s just move past it.”

“…….”

“Substituting a pheasant for a chicken? As long as you have the will, that’s all that matters.”

Suddenly an idea struck me, and I turned to the Divine Thief.

“Divine Thief, where exactly is this? And where are you right now? Where did you go looking for the Xuanyuan Sword…?”

The Divine Thief replied irritably.

“Ask one thing at a time!”

“…….”

“You’ve got potential as a thief, but why do you look so foolish? What a curious fellow.”

“Uh, well then, first about where this place is…”

“This is beyond the gate of the Martial God.”

“……!!”

At those words, I realized the nagging feeling I’d had since the start was actually true.

Beyond the [Gate]!

This had to be the mysterious space where Yeodong-bin gained inspiration to defeat the Great Dragon, a place filled with the infinite whirlwind. I couldn’t remember it well because things had happened so abruptly, but now that I thought about it, I definitely recalled seeing it in Yeodong-bin’s memories. As I wore an astonished expression, the Divine Thief chuckled.

“So you’re not an ordinary fellow after all. That expression means you have a rough idea of what the Martial God’s Gate signifies.”

“I know a little. Then if I touch this whirlwind, wouldn’t I acquire powerful martial experiences like Yeodong-bin and be able to move forward?”

I retorted, reaching out to grab the whirlwind beside me.

I challenge it!

Even if it drives me insane, I will also gain new martial experiences and carve out the Absolute Realm like Yeodong-bin!!

“What are you doing?”

“…….”

I steeled my resolve and waited for the raging currents to crash into me, but after a long while, nothing came. Instead, the Divine Thief stood there grinning mockingly.

“Wow! Our junior is so cool〜. Show us your strength!”

“…….”

The Divine Thief shrugged with amusement.

“Are you just messing around? How long are you going to keep dancing in place〜?”

“Well… I just wanted to try it out.”

As I withdrew my hand, feeling sheepish from his mockery, the Divine Thief replied.

“You’ve clearly seen or heard something like this, but it’s pointless. Yes, it is true that grabbing the whirlwind grants martial experience, but you won’t be able to obtain any.”

“Why not?”

“Why do you think? Just so you know, even though I’m not a Martial God, I summoned you here.”

“…….”

What’s the reason?

As I desperately wracked my brain, the Divine Thief clicked his tongue.

“You didn’t properly enter the Martial God’s [Gate]; you were invited as a guest by the master of the throne, which means you can’t gain access to the whirlwinds created by the realm of the gods, and as a mortal, you don’t qualify at all.”

“…Uhm.”

“Only those who open the gate are entitled to acquire those experiences.”

Guest status.

Since I entered through a secret path, I couldn’t grow stronger like Yeodong-bin by capturing the whirlwind?

But I couldn’t wrap my head around it, so I asked the Divine Thief.

“I heard Yeodong-bin received invitations to the Martial God several times. What’s the difference?”

“Well… that guy is a special case. He made a ‘contract.’ He gave up everything he could enjoy and got strength by dedicating himself selflessly. Very few can do that, so it’s irrelevant to you.”

“…….”

“Well, anyway, back to the main topic.”

The Divine Thief continued.

“Your second question was about where I am, right? It’s obvious, but I’m not ‘here.’”

“Not here? Then what about you standing right in front of me?”

The Divine Thief shrugged.

“Just a remnant thought. Think of me as an advisory spirit left for the junior who passed my conditions in Baek Byun Shin Tu. My main body is busy exploring somewhere right now. Been doing it for a thousand years.”

“Where is that?”

“Outer Dimension.”

“……!!”

“From your expression, you seem to know what that is. It makes things easier to explain.”

I was taken aback.

Outer Dimension?!

The Divine Thief had crossed over to the Outer Dimension?!

I shouted in disbelief at the unexpected whereabouts of the Divine Thief.

“Wait, hold on. Outer Dimension is said to be a place where pure darkness from the universe gathers, and there’s hardly any air or life. Are you saying you’ve survived there for a thousand years without dying while continuously exploring?!”

“Yep.”

“How could a human…?”

Surviving in the Outer Dimension is said to be ten times harder than surviving in outer space. Who could easily endure a realm filled with chaotic primordial chaos and the wails of chaotic beings? But the Divine Thief replied as if it were no big deal at all.

“After reaching the Absolute Realm, passing beyond the [Gate] and becoming the master of the throne—that’s what all this means. I’ve got infinite lifespans guaranteed. While I may not have powerful chaotic forces, as long as the will of the Martial God exists, my body and soul are protected from chaos. Unless I’m destroyed by external violence, I am immortal, and I can use this space for eternity.”

“……!!”

“I don’t have to become an immortal like Yeodong-bin. I can leave behind secret techniques and summon you this way.”

The master of the throne!

It was a term I had never heard before. I asked the Divine Thief.

“What does being a master of the throne mean?”

“Ah, I can’t tell you that.”

“Why not?”

“Because that’s top secret. It’s a secret from you riffraff who haven’t even passed through the [Gate] yet… I’m only telling you this because you’re the thousand-year direct junior.”

It was just like when Yeodong-bin was in a crucial moment—The Divine Thief completely clamped up. But with those words alone, I could infer a decent amount of information.

‘Yeodong-bin and Jang Sam-bong knew about this space where the infinite whirlwind exists. They also met the Martial God. That implies they are also masters of the throne.’

Perhaps being a master of the throne means being chosen by the Martial God to open the [Gate]?

But that was merely a basic assumption, and I had no idea why they opened the gate, what the criteria for their selection were, or what awaited them after opening it. It seemed like the masters of the throne strictly adhered to their secrets.

The Divine Thief continued.

“Now for the third thing. As I mentioned before, I went to the Outer Dimension to find the Xuanyuan Sword. I think that covers it.”

“Divine Thief! You found the Xuanyuan Sword?! What is its identity?”

“Hehehe.”

He grinned in a sinister way before saying.

“Not telling you.”

“……?!”

“I’ve worked my butt off figuring it out for a thousand years, and I’m still exploring the Outer Dimension. Do you think I’d just hand over that info to you for free? Would you do that if you were me, you dummy?”

“W-What? Then why on earth did you summon me here?”

“Well, it’s to give you a chance to challenge me.”

The Divine Thief said.

“As I said, I am in the Outer Dimension, and I can tell you the secret to reaching there and surviving. If you have the resolve to find the world’s greatest treasure, follow me.”

“…Does the Xuanyuan Sword really exist?”

“Who knows? I’m at least still searching for it.”

“…….”

I pondered over the Divine Thief’s words.

‘All clues are urging me toward the Outer Dimension.’

But for some reason, it felt unsettling. That feeling had continually warned me as I gathered information while chasing the Xuanyuan Sword. If I were merely someone living a normal life, I would have been completely tempted by the Divine Thief’s words, but now, knowing far too much, I couldn’t see his proposal as just another adventure.

I contemplated for a long while and then drew my sword. As the Heavenly Gathering Cloud Sword glowed, the Divine Thief’s eyes sparkled with interest.

“Whoa?”

“I can’t trust you. I’m not even sure you really are the Divine Thief! Until I confirm your authenticity, I can’t take on such a challenge, so send me back.”

Regardless, there would come a time when I would attempt the Xuanyuan Sword in the Outer Dimension. I was on a path toward seeking Miyamoto Musashi to break through the Death Sea, and that meant I had to. Therefore, the Divine Thief’s proposal was indeed quite tempting, but I wanted to extricate whatever I could from the situation before proceeding.

“You said you’d show me a move?”

“…….”

As a thief who reached the Absolute Realm, it was only natural I wanted to witness his martial arts.

“What a truly bizarre fellow… You don’t have an ounce of prowess but still insist on pretending to be a martial artist? Considering your essence and talent, I’d say you could easily be a top thief! Can you really just pick one….”

The Divine Thief mumbled, sighing lightly while crossing his arms.

“Fine, whatever. I was thinking of passing down my true martial technique to you as a reward for passing my conditions with Baek Byun Shin Tu anyway. While I’m at it, I’ll give you a bit of a beating too.”

“I’ll give it my all.”

“Oh come on…. You, a rookie who hasn’t even reached the Absolute Realm, want to fight in a space ruled by the master of the throne? Do you even realize what that means?”

“Come!”

When I took my battle stance, the Divine Thief shifted into an ethereal shade.

Divine Skill

One Hand Take Heart

Wham!

Twist.

“……??”

In the next moment, I staggered back, bleeding from the corner of my mouth. I slowly turned around in disbelief to see the Divine Thief holding something round in his left hand. The round object was pulsating with a crimson glow. I stared blankly at it, recognizing what it was, as the Divine Thief coldly remarked.

“Isn’t it splendid? I didn’t like fighting much, so even when I was active in Jianghu, I rarely fought for long.”

“…Gack….”

The Divine Thief threw my heart aside and said irritably.

“Whenever a passing third-rate thief swipes a heart, those arrogant martial artists reflexively vomit blood and kick the bucket. You see?”