Urban Vagabond: Reload

Choi Geon stared at Kim Muhyuk, locked in the Martial Alliance prison alongside him, with an incredulous expression.

“What the hell were you thinking?”

He had been through every hardship life had to offer, but he had never imagined that one day he would be thrown into the Martial Alliance prison together with his disciple......

Yet the disciple in question only looked around the cell as though it were no big deal, casually making jokes.

“Teacher, don’t you think we’re the only master and disciple in the orthodox martial world who have ever been imprisoned together?”

“Stop. That is the worst joke I’ve heard all year.”

Choi Geon shot Kim Muhyuk a sharp glare, then let out a deep sigh.

He did not mind paying the price for his own sins.

But he never wanted his disciple to suffer because of him.

“The Alliance Leader will explain things properly to the investigator, so you will be released soon enough. Once you get out, do not get any foolish ideas. Stay quiet until the day of the confrontation interrogation. This is your teacher’s request. Understood?”

Despite his teacher’s earnest plea, Kim Muhyuk could only shake his head.

“You heard it on the way here. An assassin targeted the investigator at dawn today. If the investigator had actually died, would this have ended with simple detention?”

“.......”

Kim Muhyuk appeared calm on the surface, but cold fury churned in his eyes.

“The fight has already begun. And judging by how they are willing to use any means necessary...... they must be desperate.”

“Disciple. I appreciate your help, but this is a fight I need to face myself. Take a step back and watch for now.”

“Fortunately, the investigator does not seem certain that you are the culprit. From talking to him, he seemed to be keeping several possibilities in mind.”

Choi Geon was stubborn, and Kim Muhyuk rarely listened to anyone else.

Master and disciple shared the same iron-hard stubbornness.

“If you get involved, I cannot act freely. This is not a request. Do you understand me?”

“Who could possess swordsmanship good enough to imitate you while also holding a grudge against you? Can you narrow down a list?”

“You little bastard. Have your ears been blocked this entire time?”

“Have you been listening to me at all?”

The stubborn master and disciple would not compromise, even with each other.

They did not raise their voices, but they argued for a long while, each only saying what he wanted to say with an expression that made it clear neither intended to yield.

In the end, however, Choi Geon was the one who threw up his hands.

“Urgh...... Fine, fine!”

He could feel how far his disciple was willing to go for him.

He simply could not remain cold to the end.

“I give up. Do whatever you want. Just do not blame me later!”

Kim Muhyuk smiled like a victor at his grumbling teacher.

It was a historic moment: the Sword Demon himself had given in.

“Do not worry. I will make sure to protect you, Teacher.”

At his disciple’s shameless words, Choi Geon looked flustered.

“......Now you are treating this teacher like a child. Who is protecting whom?”

He had been a martial artist for over fifty of his seventy years.

For most of that time, Choi Geon had fought his way through every kind of battle alone.

It would not have been an exaggeration to say that he had lived his entire life like a lone wolf.

Yet his perceptive disciple, as though he had read Choi Geon’s thoughts, brought up wolves.

“Teacher, you know wolves are pack animals, right? I hear the whole lone-wolf thing is a lie.”

“......What are you trying to say now?”

“We will all surround you and protect you. So just stay put and eat the food we bring you.”

“Ha ha ha......!”

Choi Geon let out a foolish laugh at the overprotectiveness he was receiving for the first time in his life.

The disciples who had learned swordsmanship from him in the past had feared or respected him, but none had ever treated him as warmly as Kim Muhyuk did.

At first, it had felt unfamiliar.

Now, though, he keenly felt that affection.

“You are my disciple, but you are still out of your mind.”

Without the affection this child had showered on him, he would have withered away long ago.

Of all the words that came to mind, Choi Geon barely managed to choose one.

“......Thank you. For staying beside me.”

Even though his body was in prison, the reason his heart felt so at ease was the disciple beside him.

Even so, Choi Geon looked at Kim Muhyuk with concern.

“But are you not uncomfortable? I was locked up in places like this plenty of times when I was young, so I am used to it......”

Back when he commanded the Demon Extermination Unit, Choi Geon had often been imprisoned in the Martial Alliance prison.

He had frequently received internal disciplinary action for excessive suppression tactics and beating up his own comrades.

But this had to be Kim Muhyuk’s first experience with anything like this.

He was probably acting calm so as not to worry his teacher, but an unfamiliar environment had to be uncomfortable......

“Well, for a prison, this place seems pretty decent. It even has a bed.”

To Kim Muhyuk, who had been a wandering martial artist in his previous life, the Martial Alliance prison was no different from a hotel room.

He had snatched sleep in conditions far worse than this more times than he could count.

As his disciple casually walked over and lay down on the bed, Choi Geon’s brows narrowed.

“......You brat. This is not your first time, is it?”

Kim Muhyuk only tossed and turned as though he had not heard.

Choi Geon snickered at his shamelessness.

“Ha ha. Anyway, you always manage to make me laugh. At least I will not be bored with you here.”

“Should we make an escape plan until someone comes?”

“Do you see those bars in the corner? I fiddled with them a little years ago. Twist them slightly, and they will come right out.”

“As expected of you, Teacher.......”

Fortunately, the two never had a chance to put their escape plan into action.

Kim Muhyuk was released the next day, while Choi Geon quietly spent time alone until the confrontation interrogation.

*****

A sign outside one of the Martial Alliance meeting rooms read:

A solemn air hung over the room.

As the scheduled time approached, people gradually took their places along both sides of the meeting room.

Viiiiing—.

Ivan Volkov, wearing an interpreter earpiece, took the microphone.

After looking around at those gathered, he spoke.

“Greetings. I am Ivan Volkov, a World Martial Alliance investigator.”

To his left sat the five sect leaders from the Eight Great Sects.

They were the ones who had requested the special audit, claiming Choi Geon’s return to the Martial Alliance had been illegal.

One elder from each sect stood behind their respective sect leader.

To his right sat the Martial Alliance Leader, Yeo Pilgeuk; elder No Gucheon; the White Tiger Unit commander; the Black Tortoise Unit commander; and other Martial Alliance representatives.

Across from Ivan, Choi Geon sat with an expressionless face and sharp, gleaming eyes.

“This special audit is being conducted in response to a request from the Eight Great Sects. I was dispatched to determine whether the Korean Martial Alliance committed illegal acts or exceeded its authority. Since the claims and submitted materials from both sides differ, I found a confrontation interrogation necessary in order to reach a more reliable audit result. I thank everyone present for attending.”

Ivan Volkov’s voice was calm and even, as though he were reading a report.

Yet every major figure in the Korean martial world gathered here watched him with tense expressions.

“I must also inform you that any attempt to commit perjury or destroy evidence during this confrontation interrogation may result in discipline and punishment by the World Martial Alliance.”

The World Martial Alliance was the organization with the greatest strength and authority among martial organizations around the globe.

It was a federation of Martial Alliances from nations worldwide.

It hosted the World’s Strongest Sparring Tournament and managed high-risk martial artists through Black Restraint Bands.

In other words, every martial artist formally registered under the licensing system was effectively affiliated with the World Martial Alliance.

The Heavenly Demon Cult had worried about them the most. In the end, Richard Han smashed them to pieces......

When the Heavenly Demon Cult turned the world upside down, Richard Han had stormed the World Martial Alliance headquarters with only a handful of people and brought down that ironclad fortress.

Of course, that would not happen for another twenty years.

“Then we will begin the confrontation interrogation. Both sides are requested to answer the investigator’s questions sincerely and in good faith.”

The World Martial Alliance investigator had the immense authority to write the special-audit report and determine the severity of disciplinary measures.

He had been attacked by an assassin only days earlier, so he was likely on edge.

With a cold expression, Ivan continued.

“The point at issue in this special audit is whether the Martial Alliance committed illegal acts or exceeded its authority in the matter of Sword Demon Choi Geon. Since the claims and submitted materials from both sides differ, I will ask several questions to establish the facts. Are there any questions before we begin?”

At that moment, someone from the Eight Great Sects raised a hand.

It was the sect leader of Golden Glory Gate, wearing an extravagant gold robe.

“Wait. Why is that child here?”

The Golden Glory Gate sect leader’s displeased gaze was fixed on Kim Muhyuk, seated with the Martial Alliance representatives.

“Is he not simply a young rising star with no connection to the special audit? What in the world is the Martial Alliance thinking?”

The Golden Glory Gate sect leader’s voice was somewhat sharp as he addressed Yeo Pilgeuk.

He knew who Kim Muhyuk was.

A young rising star with a Grade 4 constitution who had drawn some attention during the license exam.

He had become a pinnacle expert unusually quickly through luck, but it was obvious that his talent had already reached its limit.

“Important matters are being discussed by the elders of the martial world. Get out of here at once!”

He had also heard that Pi Seunghwa, a young rising star he favored, had been made to look like a complete fool by Kim Muhyuk during the Transcendent Extremity Gate training camp.

So, to take the wind out of the opposing side’s sails, he deliberately singled Kim Muhyuk out and berated him.

“Ha ha ha.......”

Choi Geon, who had remained quiet until then, suddenly shook with laughter.

It was obvious that he was mocking the Golden Glory Gate sect leader.

“......Why are you laughing all of a sudden? Is something I said amusing?”

“You fat pig. I am laughing because Golden Glory Gate apparently has the worst information network around. Did all that money go straight into stuffing your gut?”

Even when facing a sect leader of the Eight Great Sects, Choi Geon did not hesitate to curse.

By his standards, the Golden Glory Gate sect leader had gotten off easy.

“Hah, what kind of nonsense is that.......”

The Golden Glory Gate sect leader suddenly felt uneasy and looked around.

The other sect leaders from the Eight Great Sects were shaking their heads with awkward expressions.

They all appeared to know something.

I am the only one who does not know? What?

At that moment, Kim Muhyuk rose from his seat and gave a formal martial salute.

“I am Kim Muhyuk, a junior of the martial world. I am here as the representative of Blue Wolves, the martial crew to which my teacher, Martial Artist Choi Geon, belongs.”

“......You are the leader of Blue Wolves? And the Sword Demon’s disciple?”

“That is correct. And I apologize, but.”

Kim Muhyuk tilted his head slightly as he responded to the Golden Glory Gate sect leader’s flustered question.

“Since this is an official proceeding, I would appreciate it if you stopped speaking down to me. I am attending as the head of an organization as well. Calling me things like ‘you,’ ‘hey,’ or ‘kid’ would be inappropriate.”

“I never called you a kid......”

“Or do you prefer being addressed casually? Then I will speak casually too. Hey, Golden Glory Gate sect leader.”

The Golden Glory Gate sect leader’s face reddened after being verbally toyed with by a junior far younger than himself.

“What an insolent bastard......!”

Meanwhile, the Azure Sky Sword Elder rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and muttered,

“Have my eyes grown dim with age? Why are there two Sword Demons?”

At the Azure Sky Sword Elder’s foolish joke, no one on the Eight Great Sects’ side laughed.