Urban Vagabond: Reload

Moon Seungil, the previous Transcendent Extremity Gate sect leader, had been one of the most renowned masters in the Korean martial world and a respected heroic swordsman.

Moon Seokju had always been proud of such a father, and had wanted to resemble him.

His own talent was outstanding even among his peers, and everyone said he would succeed his father and become the next sect leader.

......Until a monster like Sunwoo Jeha suddenly appeared.

—This is Sunwoo Jeha, who will be training with us in the main sect starting today. Everyone, get along with her.

On the day his father brought Sunwoo Jeha to Transcendent Extremity Gate with an utterly excited expression, Moon Seokju smiled and greeted her first.

—I’m Moon Seokju. Let’s get along. I heard your talent is incredible, so later, maybe we could spar—

—Master. When do I learn new martial arts?

—......

The girl had ignored someone speaking to her face and left his outstretched hand hanging awkwardly in the air.

And yet his father had looked at Sunwoo Jeha with a pleased smile, as though she were some treasure.

—Haha! You already want to learn new martial arts? Wait just a little. And Seokju, you need to take good care of Jeha like a younger sister from now on.

—......Understood.

From that point on, Moon Seokju disliked Sunwoo Jeha.

Han Shinhu, Sunwoo Jeha.

The monsters born into the Korean martial world in the same era.

Of them, Han Shinhu had quickly decided to naturalize abroad, saying Korea was too cramped, while Sunwoo Jeha chose Transcendent Extremity Gate because it allowed her to learn the most martial arts among the Eight Great Sects.

You should have just left for another country back then too.

When Moon Seokju passed the pinnacle-expert license exam, Sunwoo Jeha was recognized by the World Martial Alliance as a supreme master.

When he finally gained recognition as a supreme master after bone-shaving effort, Sunwoo Jeha was already looking toward the peerless realm.

—Seokju, look at Jeha. Is she not truly astonishing? Once Jeha becomes sect leader, Transcendent Extremity Gate will become much stronger than it is now. So you must help Jeha a great deal at her side.

—......Yes.

His father had always looked at Sunwoo Jeha with eyes full of affection, and had urged his own son to support the next sect leader well.

From then on, his role had already been decided.

Once, he had even asked like it was a joke.

—Father. Isn’t the person who will become the next sect leader far too lacking in social skills? She dozed off at the last Eight Great Sects meeting too, and she could not even understand what was being said during an important negotiation.

That day, for the first time, Moon Seokju received a pathetic look from his father.

—The sect leader of one of the Eight Great Sects is not a businessman or politician. Especially if one is the sect leader of Transcendent Extremity Gate, one must be a stronger martial artist than anyone else. Only then will the disciples follow sincerely!

The belief of Transcendent Extremity Gate sect leader Moon Seungil was firm.

Because he, too, was a madman who had devoted his entire life to martial arts.

Moon Seokju could understand that much.

But.

—As for all those miscellaneous matters, you can help Jeha and do them in her place, can’t you?

Miscellaneous matters.

Did you ever think about how miserable those words made your son?

Moon Seokju glared at Sunwoo Jeha’s back as it slowly grew larger and gritted his teeth.

If only you weren’t here.

The darling of unreasonable talent.

A monster he could never catch up to, no matter how desperately he struggled.

At some point, to Moon Seokju, the worst Great Anomaly was no longer the Giant Tree Ghost, but Sunwoo Jeha.

If only you didn’t exist.

The seat of Transcendent Extremity Gate’s sect leader, and the trust and awe his father had shown, would all have been his.

If only you disappeared!

Moon Seokju’s breaths gradually grew rough, and killing madness bloomed in his eyes.

—......Seokju.

When Moon Seungil sacrificed himself to seal the Giant Tree Ghost, he used most of his final remaining time to speak with Sunwoo Jeha.

And to his actual son, he left only a few brief words.

—Support Jeha well and lead Transcendent Extremity Gate.

Support? Support her? Was that really all you had to say to your son at the end?

He saw the pieces of the puppet falling in dozens of fragments.

Moon Seokju met the empty eyes of his father, then burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! Of course you don’t even hesitate!”

Ten years ago on that day, Moon Seokju decided for the first time not to follow his father’s words.

Sunwoo Jeha. You go avenge your precious master.

The mad martial artist who had mercilessly cut down even that corpse for the sake of avenging her master was racing to kill a Great Anomaly.

And as always, he was chasing after her back.

But starting tomorrow, it would be different.

Because Transcendent Extremity Gate will be mine.

Transcendent Extremity Gate sect leader Sunwoo Jeha would perish together with the Giant Tree Ghost.

The fact that two generations of sect leaders had risked their lives to hunt a Great Anomaly together would remain in Transcendent Extremity Gate’s history, and be spoken of for a long time.

I’ll give you a grand funeral. With the authority of Transcendent Extremity Gate’s sect leader!

Grind.

An eerie sound came from between his clenched teeth. His killing intent–filled gaze stabbed like a blade into Sunwoo Jeha’s back as it drew closer and closer.

Kyaaaaaaaak!

At the appearance of more enemies, the Giant Tree Ghost let out a ghostly wail and swung its branches violently.

SHRAAAK—!

But the sword force bursting from Moon Seokju’s sword cut them down in a single stroke.

In a situation where it was already straining with all its might to stop Sunwoo Jeha’s charge, the Giant Tree Ghost lacked the spare strength to block another supreme master and elite martial artists.

“We will soon join the sect leader! Everyone, steel yourselves and......”

Just as Moon Seokju opened his mouth, trying to suppress his excitement and raise his subordinates’ morale—

[By the way.]

A careless voice abruptly cut across the mood at the most important moment.

[It seems all of you kept plenty of strength in reserve. Seeing as you don’t look very out of breath after climbing all the way up here......]

Kim Muhyuk, wearing his wolf mask, was following at the very rear.

Even though Moon Seokju had raised his speed quite a bit along the way to shake him off, he was still following without much difficulty.

Annoying brat.

Moon Seokju’s face crumpled.

A variable had appeared just before the most important plan.

It was good that he had reduced the damage Transcendent Extremity Gate would suffer, but Moon Seokju had never wanted him to follow them this far.

“......If it’s too hard, go back even now.”

[I’m fine.]

At the short but firmly stubborn answer, Moon Seokju hesitated for a moment.

Can he be persuaded with money?

After thinking briefly, Moon Seokju shook his head.

If Kim Muhyuk was the same kind of person as Sunwoo Jeha, he would never be persuaded by money.

And considering the risk, Kim Muhyuk was someone he absolutely could not leave alive.

It would have been better if you had quietly gone back. I have no choice but to kill you too.

Moon Seokju sent a look to two of the four martial artists who had followed him.

They were his trusted confidants, who had acted like his hands and feet for ten years.

Subordinates who already thought of him as the sect leader and followed him.

Deal with him quietly.

The two, understanding Moon Seokju’s intent from his eyes alone, slowed down, and soon began running alongside Kim Muhyuk.

******

Kim Muhyuk sensed the faint killing intent from his left and right.

That makes it certain.

The vice sect leader of Transcendent Extremity Gate was the traitor.

They were not going to help the sect leader. They were planning to ambush Sunwoo Jeha the moment she killed the Giant Tree Ghost.

The vice sect leader is a supreme master. If he aims for the moment she’s exhausted and lets her guard down, then even if she’s the Strongest in Korea, he could probably take one arm. But......

Kim Muhyuk honestly wanted to tell Moon Seokju.

That no matter what he did, he could not kill the Transcendent Extremity Gate sect leader.

That at best, he would only manage to cut off one arm, and in the end, he would die a dog’s death.

But the moment he said that, that traitor’s sword would immediately be aimed at him.

[......This isn’t easy.]

Kim Muhyuk was not yet confident he could handle a supreme master alone.

When he gradually slowed down as though he was tired, the two martial artists running beside him also slowed down with him.

But Moon Seokju and the other two martial artists running ahead did not even look back.

Two pinnacle experts who must be among the best in Transcendent Extremity Gate.

If pinnacle experts were divided into ranks among themselves, the two running at Kim Muhyuk’s left and right were undoubtedly top-tier powerhouses.

Even for Kim Muhyuk, if he fought them like this right now, his chances of victory were slim.

SHIIING—

But Kim Muhyuk slowed down even more and drew his sword.

Of the two swords carried on his back, the blood-red blade was drawn outside for the first time today.

[Why don’t we talk here for a moment? Traitors.]

Kim Muhyuk stopped, setting his foot on one of the Giant Tree Ghost’s vines.

The two martial artists naturally stopped with him. One of them opened his mouth.

“......You catch on fast. Then why didn’t you run?”

Fierce killing intent rose from the two pinnacle experts, and their weapons aimed at Kim Muhyuk.

Kim Muhyuk glanced once at the upper reaches, where terrifying qi waves were bursting one after another, then answered.

[When else would I get to watch the Strongest in Korea bring down a Great Anomaly? I can’t miss that just because there are a few rats nearby.]

Even at the natural informal speech and provocation, the two martial artists did not grow angry. Instead, they laughed quietly and closed the distance with Kim Muhyuk.

“You’re young. That sort of recklessness is what hastens one’s death.”

“We’ll pay you double, so do you have any intention of keeping your mouth shut? In the end, aren’t you mercenaries who accepted a commission from Transcendent Extremity Gate?”

Kim Muhyuk drew up Phantom Dream’s energy and shook his head.

[Say it correctly. The person who made the commission to Blue Wolves was Transcendent Extremity Gate sect leader Sunwoo Jeha.]

Dokgogwi, the wandering martial artist of his previous life, had never once broken a promise with a client unless the other party betrayed him first.

On top of that, there was no reason to run.

This was the central part of the pillar, where the Giant Tree Ghost’s energy overflowed, and Kim Muhyuk had any number of ways to use it.

[Phantom Dream.]

At Kim Muhyuk’s call, the sacred weapon, the cursed sword, vibrated with a Woooooong—.

“Die!”

“Taah!”

The moment the two Transcendent Extremity Gate pinnacle experts felt something ominous and charged at the same time, Kim Muhyuk drove Phantom Dream deep into the Giant Tree Ghost’s vine.

[You can eat until your stomach bursts.]

At that moment, Phantom Dream’s essence-devouring power was unleashed to its fullest, and a storm of qi waves burst out, pushing the two martial artists away.

Thank you for the meal—!

Glug, glug, glug, glug, glug, glug.

Phantom Dream’s spirit body trembled as though electrified. Its young boy’s body grew so rapidly that the growth was visible in an instant.

Delicioussssss—!

The Giant Tree Ghost was a terrifyingly evil Great Anomaly, but it possessed pure and intense wood attribute energy unlike anything Phantom Dream had ever tasted.

Kyaaaaaaaak!

At the sudden sensation of its blood being sucked away, the Giant Tree Ghost thrashed, but Kim Muhyuk held firm while driving Phantom Dream in even deeper.

[Give some of that to me.]

A portion of the wood energy absorbed through Phantom Dream flowed into Kim Muhyuk’s body.

Five Elements Divine Art—Wood Gives Birth to Fire.

Raise flame through the energy of wood.

A one-of-a-kind technique using Phantom Dream’s ability and the characteristics of the Five Elements Divine Art.

It was Kim Muhyuk’s Giant Tree Ghost strategy, which he had researched over the past ten days.

FWOOOOOOOSH!

Through wood energy, he bolstered fire energy, and from his lower abdomen, which heated in an instant, fierce flames burst forth, no less intense than if he had cultivated a divine art of the blazing-yang lineage.

“Insane......”

“W-what is that?”

Even the two Transcendent Extremity Gate pinnacle experts lost their words and stepped back at the sight they had never seen before.

Sssssss.......

Along with his sword, Kim Muhyuk’s entire right arm was wrapped in flame, and from it came a terrible heat that seemed ready to burn everything away.

[You’re not very perceptive, are you.]

The fire energy Kim Muhyuk could wield in this moment rivaled Shin Kangheon, who was wreaking havoc on the ground.

[Why didn’t you run earlier?]

At the words returning exactly what they themselves had said, the Transcendent Extremity Gate martial artists could not answer at all.