Urban Vagabond: Reload

A sect leader of the Eight Great Sects had lost a fight to the death and been killed.

It had not even been a fair one-on-one duel.

It had been many against one, and the Skybreaker Gate sect leader had been among the many.

Yet he had still suffered a crushing defeat. As he died, he had even confessed his horrific crimes before the entire world.

Could there be a more wretched end for an orthodox martial artist?

“......”

“......”

A heavy silence hung over the hall. Even the Skybreaker Gate martial artists who had attended the public hearing looked confused by what their sect leader had said at the end.

“What in the world are we supposed to do about this...?”

“Sh-Shouldn’t we recover the sect leader’s body first?”

“You want us to go in there right now?”

Corpses lay across the blood-soaked floor, every face twisted in agony.

Choi Geon stood alone and silent at their center.

His expression was impassive, revealing nothing of what he was thinking.

[...He is exhausted as well.]

The trembling Golden Glory Gate sect leader sent a private transmission to the other sect leaders.

All the civilians had been evacuated, and the reporters had been sent outside.

Every leader of the Eight Great Sects was currently gathered in the hall.

Even against a peerless master, they possessed enough strength to make an attempt.

[Sect leaders. If we do not act now, we may never have another opportunity.]

The death of the Skybreaker Gate sect leader had shocked the Golden Glory Gate sect leader back to his senses. He continued sending private transmissions, trying to persuade the other leaders.

[The Sword Demon has become a peerless master. If that man is reinstated in the Martial Alliance... will any of us ever sleep soundly again?]

The expressions of several sect leaders tightened almost imperceptibly.

The return of Choi Geon, Commander of the Demon Extermination Unit, sounded like the final end of the era of the Eight Great Sects.

[We must kill him now! Other than the Martial Alliance Leader, there is no expert here capable of stopping us.]

The fact that Investigator Ivan Volkov was watching bothered him somewhat, but as a third party, Ivan was unlikely to interfere in the fight.

[Let us use revenge for the Skybreaker Gate sect leader as our justification. I will find some way to suppress the uproar in public opinion!]

Several of the hesitant sect leaders nodded in agreement.

A thin smile formed on the Golden Glory Gate sect leader’s lips.

Good! Once I incite the sect leaders into dealing with the Sword Demon, it will all be over!

His ability to calculate profits and losses faster than anyone else was one of the Golden Glory Gate sect leader’s greatest strengths.

He had no intention of stepping forward alone.

Everyone would share the risk, while he would claim the greatest share of the reward.

Now all he needed was for someone else to take the lead...

“Hehehe.”

The Azure Sky Sword Elder gave his characteristic laugh and looked at the Golden Glory Gate sect leader.

“You truly never change. It makes your thoughts so easy to read.”

“...I do not know what you mean.”

“I mean that I shall be the first to step forward.”

The Azure Sky Sword Elder ended the conversation and moved to act.

SHING.

He drew the Namcheon Sword and began walking toward Choi Geon.

WHOOOOSH!

Razor-sharp pressure erupted from the supreme master once known as the greatest swordsman in Korea.

He was the sect leader of Azure Sky Sword Gate, a man who prided himself on being the finest in Korea when it came to the sword.

With every step he took, the faint darkness still lingering around Choi Geon was pushed back.

The Azure Sky Sword Elder stopped before him and spoke.

“Sword Demon. Even during the height of your infamy, did the two of us never face each other directly?”

Choi Geon stared at Na Ilcheon for a moment, then nodded.

The Azure Sky Sword Elder had also played a part in driving him out, but he was nevertheless one of the few martial artists among the Eight Great Sects whom Choi Geon respected.

“I never had much involvement with Azure Sky Sword Gate. I do remember knocking a few of your men around and sending them home.”

“I seem to recall disciples of my sect returning half-dead...”

“Hehehe. Compared to the ones who returned without their heads, that was nothing.”

“......”

“......”

The tension created by the two old men merely standing face-to-face left the surrounding martial artists’ palms slick with sweat.

One was an old swordsman who had long been called the greatest in Korea.

The other was the Sword Demon, who had reached the realm of a peerless master.

The moment they clashed, the resulting battle would exist on an entirely different level from everything that had come before.

[Once the Azure Sky Sword Elder attacks him, we shall all move at once!]

The Golden Glory Gate sect leader’s excited private transmission rang in the ears of the other sect leaders.

The hem of his golden robe slowly began to flutter.

But the scene he expected never came.

The two old men exchanged meaningful smiles, grinned, and nodded °• N ?? v ?? l i g h t •° to each other.

“Let us spar sometime later. I would like to request a lesson from the first peerless swordsman to appear in this country in over a decade.”

“Hehehe. Gladly. I have long wished to cross swords with you as well, Senior Sword Elder.”

Their amicable exchange left the Golden Glory Gate sect leader, who had been preparing to leap into action at any moment, utterly bewildered.

“What are you...”

At that moment, the Azure Sky Sword Elder turned and took his place beside Choi Geon, standing on his right.

Then he raised his voice in a firm declaration.

“Azure Sky Sword Gate testifies that both the process and outcome of this life-or-death spar were entirely fair! Should anyone deny that fact or harbor the cowardly intention of using underhanded means against the Sword Demon, they will first have to face my sword!”

“...!”

The sect leader of Azure Sky Sword Gate, one of the main pillars of the Eight Great Sects, had officially taken Choi Geon’s side.

“Azure Sky Sword Elder! What do you think you are doing?!”

The Golden Glory Gate sect leader, who felt more betrayed than anyone else, shouted with his eyes wide.

The Skybreaker Gate sect leader had barely died, and the old man was already attaching himself to the Martial Alliance!

Convinced that the other leaders of the Eight Great Sects would never tolerate the Azure Sky Sword Elder’s betrayal, he stepped forward.

“We need to unite our strength, yet you betray us instead! Unless you withdraw what you just said immediately...!”

The Azure Sky Sword Elder clicked his tongue as though pitying him.

“Tsk. Your problem has always been that you are slower than everyone else at reading the room.”

“...What did you say?”

A chill ran across the Golden Glory Gate sect leader’s nape, and his expression stiffened.

The Azure Sky Sword Elder looked at him with pity.

“Do you think I decided this on a whim? And do you truly believe I am the only one?”

That was the moment the Golden Glory Gate sect leader realized Azure Sky Sword Gate was not the only one among the Eight Great Sects to have changed sides.

WHIIISH!

The sect leader of Sun and Moon Gate had been quietly observing the public hearing from the back of the gallery.

The Glacier Priestess used her lightness technique as though flying and landed to Choi Geon’s left.

“Although our sect has closed its gates, the situation leaves me no choice but to step forward. Sun and Moon Gate will also stand as a witness to this life-or-death spar. I hope there will be no further unnecessary conflict.”

The Glacier Priestess spoke in a calm voice.

Choi Geon had saved her life during her fight to the death with Jang Jinmyeong, and they had promised to fight the Heavenly Demon Cult together in the future.

There was still one more.

“...I am Woo Hyunje, proxy for the sect leader of Transcendent Extremity Gate. I also believe the outcome of this life-or-death spar was legitimate.”

With Sunwoo Jeha absent, Woo Hyunje announced the sect’s position as its representative.

This is my chance to repay Blue Wolves for their help.

Woo Hyunje was a man who never forgot either favors or grudges. He had not forgotten the enormous help Blue Wolves had given him during the previous Giant Tree Ghost hunt.

Three of the Eight Great Sects had stood on Choi Geon’s side from the beginning.

But it did not end there.

“...Supreme Pole Sword Gate also recognizes the result of this life-or-death spar and will humbly accept it.”

“Ahem. Great Saber Gate is of the same opinion. It appears we have misunderstood the martial artist known as Choi Geon all this time.”

The Supreme Pole Sword Gate and Great Saber Gate sect leaders avoided the Golden Glory Gate sect leader’s gaze as they hastily switched sides.

“Even you two? Why? Why is everyone doing this?!”

The Golden Glory Gate sect leader looked around in confusion.

Before he knew it, no one in the hall remained on his side.

As he struggled to understand the situation, the Azure Sky Sword Elder’s private transmission reached his ears.

[Did you think you were the only one capable of sending private transmissions?]

The Azure Sky Sword Elder had been on Choi Geon and the Martial Alliance’s side from the beginning.

The time between the beginning of the special audit and today had been more than enough for him to persuade others and draw them over to his side.

[It was not easy. A few remained undecided until the very end and only changed their minds moments ago. Hehehe.]

“You were on those bastards’ side from the start! You devious old snake...!”

The Golden Glory Gate sect leader’s face flushed red when he realized that he had been dancing in the Azure Sky Sword Elder’s palm from the very beginning.

Yet the Azure Sky Sword Elder smiled contentedly, as though he had just received a compliment.

[The era in which the Eight Great Sects fought one another for power is over. The orthodox martial world must unite as one to face the crisis approaching us.]

The Heavenly Demon Cult.

After Kim Muhyuk revealed the Cult’s existence and the threat it posed, the Azure Sky Sword Elder had resolved to join the great cause of unifying the orthodox martial world’s strength.

That was why Azure Sky Sword Gate had been included among the five sects that accused Choi Geon and the Martial Alliance.

[You may think it heartless, but I hope you will understand. We must cut away enough of the rot before we can begin anew, must we not?]

As the Golden Glory Gate sect leader finally understood his position, his face contorted horribly.

The Eight Great Sects would suffer a complete defeat in the special audit.

And someone among the sects that had started this affair would have to accept responsibility.

It had already been decided who that would be.

Skybreaker Gate, whose sect leader was now dead.

And the Golden Glory Gate sect leader himself, along with Golden Glory Gate.

Both sects would now walk a path perilously close to total ruin.

Yet there was still one thing the Golden Glory Gate sect leader could not understand.

Growing desperate, he hurriedly sent another private transmission.

[Why? Why must it be me?! At least give me a proper reason!]

He could at least understand the Skybreaker Gate sect leader, who had committed a horrific crime against children in the past.

But what about him?

As the Golden Glory Gate sect leader demanded an answer in aggrieved desperation, the Azure Sky Sword Elder gave him a pitying look.

The obvious reason was that Golden Glory Gate was rotten.

The Golden Glory Gate sect leader’s greed surpassed anyone else’s, and he had inflicted immense harm upon the world in ways different from the Skybreaker Gate sect leader.

There was also one more reason.

It was minor, but important.

[Tsk, tsk. Why did you have to pull the whiskers of a sleeping lion?]

“Wh-What are you talking about? Who did I...”

The Golden Glory Gate sect leader followed the Azure Sky Sword Elder’s pointed gaze.

Kim Muhyuk was staring at him with cold eyes.

That brat? Don’t tell me all of this happened because I provoked him.

The Golden Glory Gate sect leader stood there dumbfounded, unable to believe it, when someone approached from beside him.

Pat, pat.

It was the Sword Demon.

Choi Geon gave a faint grin and lightly patted the Golden Glory Gate sect leader’s shoulder.

“Hehehe. We shall meet again soon. Make sure your ledgers are especially well organized.”

“...What is that supposed to mean?”

Choi Geon leaned toward the Golden Glory Gate sect leader’s ear and whispered.

“Because the next time we meet, I shall be visiting Golden Glory Gate as an inspector of the Martial Alliance.”

“...!”

A short while later, the Golden Glory Gate sect leader fled the public hearing hall with a deathly pale face.

The leaders of the Eight Great Sects watched him leave, their expressions filled with a mixture of emotions.

“...Many things are about to change.”

“Perhaps it is simply the inevitable course of the times...”

“It may be time for us to begin yielding our places to the next generation.”

In later years, scholars studying the history of the Korean martial world would all say the same thing.

It was on this day, following the events at the public hearing, that the balance of power within the Korean martial world changed completely.

The era of the Eight Great Sects came to a definitive end, and the Korean martial world was reorganized around the Martial Alliance.

At the heart of that transformation stood the Sword Demon Choi Geon, the Azure Sky Sword Elder Na Ilcheon, and a man who, at the time, was still known merely as a young rising star.

Of course, that was still a story from the distant future.