We Attack The Murim Alliance

Those who made it out of the lake collapsed to the ground.
Even though the battle was over, its intensity still lingered.
That was how fierce the battle had been.
It was different from fighting other martial artists.
The martial artists catching their breath exchanged awkward looks.
They had cooperated during the battle, but they were enemies.
Yet they could hardly point their weapons at one another now.
At that moment, someone was the first to extend a hand.

“Since we fought side by side, let us at least exchange names. I am Jeok Oh of the Radiant Cloud Sect.”
“…The Radiant Cloud Sect?”

The martial artist’s expression became strange upon hearing that.
The reason soon became clear.

“…I am Geum Gwak of the Hundred Flowers Gate.”
“……”
“……”

This time, the expression of the man who had offered his hand became strange.
The Radiant Cloud Sect and the Hundred Flowers Gate.
They had recently been involved in a minor dispute. Since they came from different regions, they had not recognized one another.
The others were in similar situations.
After exchanging names, things became even more awkward.
At that moment, Shin Yul suddenly sprang up from where she had been lying.

“Wait. Technically, aren’t these things spirit creatures?”
“…Spirit creatures are sacred beings…”
Bong Seok spoke, but Shin Yul was already no longer listening.
She ran toward the enormous mosquito.
The same thought seemed to occur to the others, and they began discreetly searching around.
Seo Jong-dae clicked his tongue.

“As if an inner core would come out that easily…”
“I found one!”
“Huh?”

Seo Jong-dae blinked at the sudden cry.
Tang Ho did the same.
When they turned, they saw Shin Yul holding a black orb tinged with red.
The orb was smaller than a finger joint.
The gazes of those watching changed at the sight.
They hurried into action.
The smaller creatures had none, but some of the larger ones possessed them.
Shouts of discovery rang out from all around.
Ordinarily, even a single inner core would be enough to cause bloodshed.
But there was no need to worry about that here.
Mosquito corpses were scattered everywhere.
Some looked toward the creature lying in the lake, but Shin Yul was already cutting open its belly.
The Shin Clan Unit stood guard beside her.
Even without them, no one would have stepped forward.
Considering their contributions, only the Tang Clan or the Shin Clan had any right to claim it.
The Tang Clan showed no intention of doing so, so it naturally went to the Shin Clan.

“Wow.”

Shin Yul soon returned carrying an orb the size of a human head.

“Wait. Something about it feels strange.”

It was Shin Gi-yang. Unlike the smaller orbs, its sheer size allowed him to sense that something was wrong.

“It’s similar to Heretical Qi… but different.”
“It contains a sinister energy. I advise against consuming it.”

The Black Snake Guard’s Unit Leader assessed it coldly.
The group nodded at the judgment of someone with extensive Kangho experience.
Looking at it directly, they could feel the ominous energy it emitted.
After hearing that, even Shin Yul lost any desire to eat it.

“…I think it may already be too late.”

Bong Seok muttered.
When they turned, they saw several people behaving strangely.

“Ge, gereuk.”

One collapsed while foaming at the mouth.
His entire body convulsed before he coughed up blood. Not everyone reacted that way.
Some displayed even stranger symptoms.
Kkideuk, kkideudeuk.
The sound of bones scraping.
His skin split apart as though he were shedding it, and enormous eyes began bulging out.
Seo Jong-dae and Tang Ho stiffened as they recalled the insect humans.

“We must kill them before they complete their mutations!”
“What?”

Shocked cries rang out.
This was different from when they had fought the mosquitoes. These were humans.
Unlike the hesitating Orthodox martial artists, the Unorthodox martial artists moved immediately.
They struck off the heads of those displaying abnormalities with sabers and swords.
The Orthodox martial artists merely pointed their swords at them, unable to act so readily.

“Wh-why are you doing this? I-it’s me.”

The man’s eyes rolled wildly.
His voice was cracking.
The moment sympathy and sorrow appeared in the martial artists’ eyes, he swung an arm that had transformed into a sharp blade.
Before the arm could reach anyone, a throwing knife struck him.
It was the Black Snake Guard.
Unlike the others, the Black Snake Guard had not collected any inner cores.
Their Unit Leader had given no order to do so.
After ensuring that the fallen were dead, the people sat down again.
However, their expressions were grim.
Looking sickened, they put down the orbs they had collected.
They were not inner cores. They were little different from curses.

“What in the world… are these things?”
“I told you they were yokai. This is no time for the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions to be fighting each other.”

Bong Seok declared triumphantly.
No one knew why Bong Seok looked so proud, but no one had the energy to question it.

“…What do we do now?”

One of the Beggars’ Union disciples asked.
He was not truly expecting an answer.

“…We finish the job.”

It was Seo Jong-dae. He rose and looked around at the martial artists.

“Two of the smaller ones flew up the mountain earlier.”
“…I also saw some heading north.”
“We dealt with those.”
“Come to think of it, some also escaped northward.”

They had not killed every mosquito.
Some had escaped during the battle. The people shared what they had seen. Fortunately, none of the larger ones appeared to have gotten away.
However, even the smaller ones were still a threat to ordinary people.
The Orthodox martial artists were the first to get up.
Exhausted or not, they still had a duty to fulfill.
When the Orthodox martial artists began moving, the Unorthodox martial artists who had been watching them also stepped forward.
They couldn’t be the only ones to flee after coming this far.
Moreover, there was no guarantee that the escaped mosquitoes wouldn’t spread and create more creatures like these.
Not everyone left.
Some remained behind to clean up the site.

“What should we do with these corpses…?”
“Send them to both Alliances. Perhaps then they’ll realize this is no time for petty struggles over power.”

It was Shin Yul.
A war between humans and yokai would begin.
However, Shin Gi-yang thought differently.
Would learning about the yokai truly make them stop fighting?
Would they be capable of making such a rational decision?

‘…Perhaps.’

They might already know.
But he chose not to say it aloud.

“Can your people take charge of these inner cores? No, these sinister things. Ah, unless anyone still wants one.”

When Shin Yul looked at them, the people hurriedly waved their hands in refusal.
They had seen what happened to those who ate them. For all they knew, merely carrying one might affect them.
They didn’t even want to be near them.
The Black Snake Guard’s Unit Leader nodded at their reaction.
No one could compare to the Tang Clan when it came to handling dangerous materials.

“We can take this one, right? We should keep at least one as a souvenir.”

The inner core taken from the giant mosquito yokai.
No one objected.
Once the matter was settled, Shin Gi-yang and the others approached.

“Why keep that disturbing thing?”
“You said it yourself, Brother. It resembles Heretical Qi.”

Tang Ho and Seo Jong-dae narrowed their eyes at Shin Yul’s words.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of eating it. If I did, I wouldn’t have said anything in front of you.”

She had a point.

“Then what?”
“We should at least study it. We are going to be fighting creatures like this over and over from now on.”

Shin Yul answered Bong Seok calmly.
The others looked surprised.
She was already preparing for the next battle. Shin Gi-yang was especially astonished.

“…Have you finally grown up?”

His voice trembled with emotion.
Shin Yul gave him a bright smile.

“It’s been a while since we had some sibling bonding, hasn’t it?”

Seeing that expression, she was no different from her usual self.
After hearing Shin Yul’s words, Tang Ho realized something and looked toward the Black Snake Guard’s Unit Leader standing some distance away.
Even from that distance, someone of his level would have heard everything.
They had not been speaking quietly in the first place.

“We will take them back to the clan and study them.”

The Tang Clan possessed many poisons capable of killing humans.
But from now on, they would also need to kill beings that were not human.

“You said two of them also flew this way earlier, right?”

It was the direction from which the Shin Clan had come. The Shin Clan Unit had already set out, and martial artists heading in the same direction had joined the search as well.
But the more hands they had, the better.

“Let’s hurry, take those things down, and have a drink!”

The others chuckled as they watched Shin Yul laugh with her hand on Seo Jong-dae’s shoulder.

Lanzhou, Gansu Province.
The land had once been divided between Ironblood Hall and Justice Gate, but it was now undeniably Ironblood Hall’s territory.
Seo Jeong-hu, the Master of Ironblood Hall, reclined in a chair draped with tiger hide.

“So you are telling me to join your side?”
“Yes, Hall Master. It would be better than the Evil Heaven Alliance.”

The man standing in the great hall hurriedly bowed his head.
Seo Jeong-hu laughed as he looked at him.

“Is that so? What can you offer me?”
“Territory and power. My lord can bestow upon you not only Lanzhou, but all of Gansu Province.”
“Oh? How interesting. You called him the Yokai King?”
“Yes. He is the one who leads all yokai. Soon, humans will also bow their heads at his feet.”

The man spoke proudly.
The martial robes he wore belonged to the Evil Heaven Alliance.

“When you speak of power, do you mean that?”
“It is a power beyond comparison with the Heretical Qi of the Four Great Families.”

As he spoke, the man released his presence.
A violet haze rose around him.

“I will consider it.”
“…We cannot give you much time.”

The man rose after saying that.
His business here was finished.

“Wait. You came all this way. I cannot send you away empty-handed.”
“That is unnecessary. I merely came to deliver my lord’s message…”

The man couldn’t finish speaking.
His head had flown into the air.
Seo Jeong-hu had already risen from his chair and stood holding his saber.
Not even a trace of blood stained the blade.
The strike had been that swift.
Seo Jeong-hu slowly turned around.
At that moment, a voice came from below.

“…You will regret this.”

It was the severed head. It was glaring at Seo Jeong-hu.
It remained alive despite being decapitated.
An unusual gleam appeared in Seo Jeong-hu’s eyes at the sight.

“You’re still alive? No. You are a different one.”

Not only its presence, but its voice had changed.

“Are you the one he called his lord?”
“No. I too am merely one of his servants.”
“Must be nice to have so many underlings.”

The head frowned at Seo Jeong-hu’s mockery.

“Indeed. I had forgotten how insolent you humans are.”
“Not compared to you lot. I don’t care what sort of creatures you are. This land is mine.”

Seo Jeong-hu lifted the head.
He brought it directly before his eyes.

“Who gave you the right to decide whether my land can be given away?”

Seo Jeong-hu snarled fiercely.

“And another thing.”

Seo Jeong-hu twisted his lips and seized the head’s face with his other hand.
As he tightened his grip, the face gradually distorted.
Its eyes bulged.

“I prefer taking to receiving.”

With that, the face burst apart.
Hududuk.
Blood and brain matter splattered across the floor. Seo Jeong-hu shook the blood from his hand and slowly looked around.
His subordinates had eyes only for him.
Their expressions didn’t waver despite the grotesque sight.
It was because they believed in Seo Jeong-hu.
The hegemon of Lanzhou.
A warrior of iron and blood.

“So these things are why the Evil Heaven Alliance and the Murim Alliance have been dragging their feet.”

They clearly already knew.
Yet they hadn’t informed him.
Seo Jeong-hu brought the blood on his hand to his mouth.
The metallic scent of blood filled his mouth.

“Even if you are not human, your blood tastes the same.”

Seo Jeong-hu smiled savagely and spoke.

“This works out even better.”

What could possibly be good about this? Seo Jeong-hu spoke again to his puzzled subordinates.

“Prepare for war.”
“As you command.”

His subordinates knelt in unison.
At the very front stood ten martial artists. The Ironblood Ten.
They were Seo Jeong-hu’s sharpest blades.

“We attack the Murim Alliance.”

Surprise appeared in the eyes of those at the front.
He had just declared war on that so-called Yokai King.
Yet now, out of nowhere, he intended to attack the Murim Alliance.
However, no one questioned him.

“If they are hesitating, we need only give them a reason to act.”

At this rate, the Evil Heaven Alliance might use them as a disposable pawn.
It didn’t matter whether it was the Murim Alliance, the Evil Heaven Alliance, or that so-called Yokai King.
All of them had to be plunged into chaos.
A world without enemies or allies, where everyone pointed their blades at one another.
That was the world Seo Jeong-hu desired.

‘Within that chaos, I will build a new order.’

And so, Seo Jeong-hu turned his saber toward the Murim Alliance.