Urban Vagabond: Reload

After the public hearing adjourned.

The sect leaders of the Eight Great Sects who had filed accusations against the Martial Alliance and Choi Geon visited World Martial Alliance investigator Ivan Volkov’s office.

“We have come with an urgent request, Investigator.”

Three sects remained, excluding the dead Skybreaker Gate sect leader and the Golden Glory Gate sect leader, who had fled back to his sect as though running away.

AZURE SKY SWORD GATE. Supreme Pole Sword Gate. Great Saber Gate.

Representing them, the Azure Sky Sword Elder offered Ivan Volkov a clasped-hands martial salute. The other two sect leaders wore distinctly sour expressions.

“We are prepared to withdraw our accusation against the Martial Alliance. In return, could you halt the special audit?”

Even at such a brazen request, Ivan Volkov’s expression remained indifferent.

Judging by the course events had taken, he had expected something like this.

So this was the plan from the beginning.

It would not have been an exaggeration to say that everyone had been played upon a board laid out in advance.

The Eight Great Sects had tried to ruin the Martial Alliance’s image through the public hearing, only to find themselves cornered instead.

News of the Skybreaker Gate sect leader’s death—and the reason for it—will soon spread to the rest of the world. They cannot silence everyone who was there...

Astonishingly, all of this had been part of a game someone had designed.

Even Ivan himself, an investigator for the World Martial Alliance, had been nothing more than a piece on that chessboard.

There were a few unexpected variables, but in the end, most of it must have gone according to his plan.

Ivan already knew who had designed this meticulously arranged chessboard.

He also knew that nothing he did now could reverse the course of events.

“That is not possible.”

Regardless of all that, Ivan intended to fulfill his responsibilities.

“The special audit will continue. That is the mission I was given, and it is my duty.”

The Azure Sky Sword Elder frowned, troubled by Ivan Volkov’s unexpected inflexibility.

“Even though the parties involved have reached an agreement? Our accusation against Sword Demon Choi Geon arose from a misunderstanding—”

“It is my responsibility to determine that.”

Ivan cut him off firmly. Looking the Azure Sky Sword Elder straight in the eye, he continued.

“If you wish to halt the special audit, lodge a formal objection with the World Martial Alliance and return with an official suspension order.”

Faced with those green eyes, which showed no intention of compromising, the Azure Sky Sword Elder gave a heavy nod.

“...Understood.”

“Of course, your request will be taken into account when I write the special-audit report. The same applies to the life-or-death spar held during the public hearing and the statements made afterward. I will review every piece of evidence fairly, reach the fairest possible conclusion, and write my report accordingly.”

Having emphasized fairness twice, Ivan dismissed them.

“So return to your sects.”

“...If that is the proper procedure, then there is nothing to be done. Let us go.”

After the Azure Sky Sword Elder withdrew with the two worried-looking sect leaders, Ivan began reviewing the mountain of material gathered during the public hearing.

Even after several hours, not the slightest disorder entered his movements.

If anything, he only became more absorbed in his work.

“Sword Demon Choi Geon...”

Ivan Volkov’s expression was unusually serious as he unconsciously murmured the title and name.

He intended to remain in Korea for at least several more days.

Partly because he needed to complete the special-audit report, but also because he had received another, even more important assignment.

“Korea’s second—no, third peerless master.”

The emergence of a new peerless master.

As an investigator for the World Martial Alliance, Ivan carefully documented the martial arts, disposition, threat level, and other qualities Choi Geon had displayed before his own eyes.

“To think three peerless masters would emerge from such a small country...”

Richard Han. Sunwoo Jeha. And Choi Geon.

Was there some special energy flowing through this land?

Three peerless masters, figures rare even on a global scale, had appeared here in less than twenty years.

And I doubt it will end with them.

Ivan set down the documents he had been holding and looked out the window.

The sweltering Korean summer had begun. It was hardly an appropriate season for the coat he insisted on wearing.

Yet Ivan Volkov raised its collar as if a sudden chill had passed through him.

He had thought of the man who had arranged this enormous game.

The more he investigated, the more one name seemed to warrant even greater vigilance than Choi Geon, the man they called the Sword Demon.

“Kim Muhyuk. I have no concrete evidence, but I suspect you will become the fourth.”

Ivan Volkov was convinced that the Strange Sword Heroic Swordsman mentioned by Sunwoo Jeha was Kim Muhyuk.

“And when that day comes... you will be classified as every bit as dangerous as Richard.”

It was the intuition of one of the finest investigators in the World Martial Alliance.

*****

of the material Kim Muhyuk had submitted was accepted as evidence.

The criminal allegations against most of the ninety-eight names submitted by the Skybreaker Gate sect leader were substantiated. The revelation that a significant number of them had come from the Eight Great Sects weakened the sects’ position even further.

However, the many extreme acts Choi Geon had committed in the past could not simply be overlooked.

Ivan Volkov investigated those matters just as thoroughly.

“...Accordingly, the World Martial Alliance hereby orders the Korean Martial Alliance to implement the following corrective measures.”

Several days later, at the Korean Martial Alliance.

Ivan Volkov personally read the audit findings before the principal parties involved in the special audit.

“Furthermore, as martial artist Choi Geon’s excessive conduct has been substantiated in the incidents listed below, among others, the World Martial Alliance has decided to impose an appropriate disciplinary measure.”

He had already submitted his special-audit report to the World Martial Alliance and, within the authority granted to him, had personally determined the degree of punishment for the martial artists involved.

“Martial artist Choi Geon is hereby...”

Gulp...

As the moment of Choi Geon’s punishment arrived, Yeo Pilgeuk and the others from the Martial Alliance swallowed dryly.

Every one of them hoped the punishment would not be too harsh.

Then Ivan Volkov opened his mouth, his expression cold.

“Fined one hundred thousand dollars and ordered to complete three hundred hours of community service.”

“...A fine?”

“C-community service?”

The punishment was far lighter than anyone had expected.

At the very least, they had anticipated that he would be injected with a qi-dispersing poison to prevent him from using martial arts for a time, or sentenced to imprisonment or penal labor.

More shocked than anyone was Choi Geon himself, who stared back in bewilderment.

“...That is all? I thought I would finally get a look inside the World Martial Alliance’s infamous underground prison.”

Ivan set down the documents and replied coldly.

“Would you like me to revise the punishment even now?”

“Hehehe... Well, it is a little disappointing, but I suppose this will do. There are still plenty of evildoers left to beat down in this country.”

After exchanging that rather murderous joke, both men gave faint smiles.

Ivan Volkov’s expression softened.

“Martial artist Choi Geon. I was deeply impressed by your past actions.”

“...By mine?”

He was known as the World Martial Alliance’s cold and dispassionate investigator.

Yet despite his frigid exterior, Ivan was also an orthodox martial artist with fire in his heart.

He had become an investigator because he wanted to stand beside those who had suffered injustice.

“I do not believe that cutting down evil without exception is always the correct answer, as you seem to. However...”

From the extreme acts Choi Geon had committed over the years, Ivan had sensed a heroic spirit and compassion that never failed to look after the weak.

“I cannot help respecting the way you have pursued justice consistently for decades. With that in mind, this is the punishment I deemed fair.”

“...!”

At that moment, everyone understood what Ivan Volkov had meant by fairness.

“I hope that from now on, you will act openly and honorably rather than as the Martial Alliance’s Shadow Sword.”

A quiet smile appeared on Choi Geon’s lips at those unexpected words of encouragement.

“I never thought a World Martial Alliance investigator, of all people, would acknowledge me. I am truly pleased.”

“I am afraid it is too soon for you to be pleased.”

“...What do you mean?”

The special audit had fortunately reached a satisfactory conclusion, but another matter remained—one perhaps even more important.

Ivan’s expression grew serious once again.

“Martial artist Choi Geon, you are to report to the World Martial Alliance within thirty days and undergo a Black Restraint Band suitability assessment.”

Choi Geon’s face stiffened briefly before he slowly nodded.

“...Understood. I shall do so.”

A new peerless master had appeared in the Korean martial world.

At Choi Geon’s own request, the fact had not yet been announced publicly.

The World Martial Alliance, however, had received the news long ago.

“A Black Restraint Band... Hehehe. There was a time when wearing one was my greatest wish.”

Given Choi Geon’s history, disposition, and the martial arts he had displayed, it was highly likely that he would be required to wear one.

It was a shackle designed to prevent high-risk martial artists from using their power recklessly.

No one enjoyed wearing a Black Restraint Band, but Choi Geon did not seem particularly bothered.

“Will the World Martial Alliance be buying my plane ticket? Things will be a little tight if I have to pay the fine as well.”

“Your expenses will be fully covered.”

“Hehehe. Thanks to you, I will finally get to visit America.”

“...”

Ivan answered with a smile before turning to Kim Muhyuk.

“Martial artist Kim Muhyuk. Of all the martial artists I met in Korea, you left the strongest impression.”

“Me?”

Kim’s eyes widened as if he had no idea why, and Ivan narrowed his own.

“I was tempted to punish you for making a fool of an investigator...”

When Ivan added that he had taken Kim’s lack of malicious intent into consideration, Kim gave him an awkward smile.

“Do you remember the question I asked you before? I asked what you would want to do if you possessed enough power to change the world.”

Kim nodded, remembering the exchange.

“I think the question was phrased a little differently... but I believe I answered that I would want to save the world if it was in danger.”

Though I was half joking, he added.

Ivan studied him with a peculiar look.

“Someone I know answered the same question like this.”

Ivan told him Richard Han’s response.

“Maybe I should try destroying it once.”

“...”

Ivan did not say who had given that answer, but Kim somehow felt that he knew.

Heh.

“To think there is a lunatic out there who wants to destroy a perfectly good world... Then I suppose I will have to stop him.”

Ivan raised one corner of his mouth at the fierce competitive spirit in those words.

“Interesting. I look forward to meeting you again someday.”

“I look forward to it as well.”

The following day, having completed his mission, Investigator Ivan Volkov returned to the World Martial Alliance.

*****

The special audit, plagued by endless controversy and trouble, had finally ended.

The Eight Great Sects had tried to use Choi Geon to drag the Martial Alliance’s reputation to its lowest point, but public opinion turned relentlessly against them once the circumstances of the Skybreaker Gate sect leader’s death became known.

With public sentiment even worse than it had been during the Jang Jinmyeong incident, the sect leaders issued apologies day after day.

Skybreaker Gate and Golden Glory Gate, in particular, had all but been forced to shut themselves away.

Meanwhile, Choi Geon was expected to follow the proper procedures and soon be formally reinstated in the Martial Alliance.

There was plenty of good news to celebrate.

But it was still too soon for a party.

“Master.”

One final connection to the past remained to be settled.

“I found the trail of Yang Seonu, who fled.”

Kim Muhyuk had come to see him late that night.

At his words, Choi Geon quietly nodded.

“Then let us go.”