Indomitable Wild Wolf

A bewitching smile that could make one’s mind go blank.
However, Gyo-ha was not deceived by her appearance.
He knew how terrifying the being beneath it truly was.

“I hear one of those who emerged calls himself the Yokai King. I do not wish to see the yokai expand their influence any further.”

Only then did Gyo-ha understand.
It was the other yokai she was wary of.
A territorial struggle.
However, something still puzzled him.

“…Would he really be a threat to you, Sis?”

Gyo-ha found that difficult to believe.
The woman burst into laughter at his question.

“You are right. If he came here, I would beat him to death myself. But he will not.”

As she spoke, she gazed beyond the cave with gentle eyes.

“My children may be precious to me, but I cannot keep them by my side forever.”

The time would come for the fully grown ones to leave and live independently.
The Yokai King would be a threat to those spiders once they struck out on their own.

“…You aren’t going to deal with him yourself?”
“They could hardly call themselves independent if they relied on their parent forever, could they? Of course, I can have others make things a little easier for them.”

Those others were Gyo-ha and Namgung Hyeok.
Gyo-ha could not quite understand.
It would be simple if she handled the matter herself.
However, Gyo-ha didn’t need to understand. He already owed her a debt.

‘…Wouldn’t that just mean unleashing spider yokai in place of that so-called Yokai King?’

The outcome didn’t seem all that different.
Perhaps reading his expression, the woman smiled.

“I see humans as prey. But that creature seeks to rule them.”
“Ah.”

She had a point.
As long as she had ample prey, she had no reason to act.
However, some beasts killed not to eat, but for amusement.

‘Humans do the same thing, though.’

It went without saying which was more dangerous.

“Now that you understand, be on your way.”

It was an abrupt order to leave, but Gyo-ha had expected as much.
He nodded and began walking away, only to stop.

“…By the way, what’s your name?”

The woman tilted her head at his question.
Her expression asked why he needed to know.

“I can’t keep calling you Spider Sis forever.”
“Oh my, is that what you called me?”

The woman burst into laughter.
Her laughter did not subside for some time. After laughing for a long while, she finally spoke.

“My name is Ban-gok.”

Ttak.
The woman snapped her fingers.
Threads wrapped around Gyo-ha’s body, and he was immediately dragged away.
Gyo-ha sped through the cave.
He considered resisting but decided to let it happen.
There was no telling whether he could free himself even if he tried.

‘She could have simply shown me the way.’

She apparently disliked having Gyo-ha linger there that much.
Spiders peeked their heads out from all around the cave.
They were large enough for Gyo-ha to make out clearly.
He couldn’t begin to guess how many there were.
As he observed them, he suddenly found himself outside the cave.
The spider threads dragging him snapped.
He was flung outside at the same speed he had been flying through the cave.

“Kek!”

Gyo-ha rolled across the ground.
He had been flung so fast that he continued rolling for a long time without stopping.
Eventually, Gyo-ha rose after tumbling across the ground.

“Just how far did she send me rolling?”

The cave was nowhere in sight.
Gyo-ha shook his head.
Then his gaze fell upon the claws protruding from his hands.
At some point, they had extended again.
He sighed and watched until they shrank once more.

“…It’ll take some time to learn how to control these.”

It was an unfamiliar sensation. He needed time to adjust.
Gyo-ha shook his body.
His arms dangled limply.
They looked too limp even to use as whips.
However, there was a way.
Ban-gok had told him.

‘Yokai.’

He needed to find a yokai connected to recovery or regeneration.
Yokai hunting.
That was the calling of those who bore the name Kunlun.

‘Before that, I should stop by the Murim Alliance.’

Namgung Hyeok and Jeon Pyeong would be worried.
He needed to let them know what had happened.
Fortunately, the Murim Alliance Leader and the Namgung Clan appeared to be keeping silent despite knowing about Gyo-ha’s power.
In truth, he didn’t care what they thought.
The problem was…

‘Master.’

Would his master accept this power?
Or would he regard Gyo-ha as an aberrant being?
If it was the latter, Gyo-ha was in danger.
Given his master’s personality, he would show no mercy even to his own disciple.
Gyo-ha tried to scratch the back of his head, then sighed when his arms failed to move.

“Well, I’ll just have to face him and see.”

There was no use worrying about it here.
Gyo-ha began walking toward the Murim Alliance.

As Gyo-ha walked, he sensed unrest around him. He could not identify anything specific, but the air felt heavy.
While wondering what was wrong, Gyo-ha soon encountered a welcome sight.

“Make way for the Mountain King!”

A group descended from the mountain.
Gyo-ha’s eyes lit up when he saw them.

“Everything you’ve got…”

One of the bandits charging toward him closed his mouth.
Gyo-ha looked as though he possessed nothing.
Even his blackened arms hung limply at his sides.

“…Boss, I think he’s a cripple.”

The bandit looked behind him, silently asking what they should do.
A burly man scratched his cheek with an awkward expression.

“Hey, you!”
“Me?”

When Gyo-ha answered, the man nodded.

“Do you have any money?”
“No.”

Gyo-ha shook his head. He had spent it all long ago.
Namgung Hyeok had managed everything during their journey, so Gyo-ha truly had nothing.
The man clicked his tongue and gestured with his chin.

“Check him.”

At the man’s order, a simple-looking young bandit leaped down the mountain and ran toward Gyo-ha.
The young man patted Gyo-ha down.
He soon turned toward the burly man.

“He really doesn’t have anything!”

The man sighed deeply at the young bandit’s report.
If Gyo-ha had been dressed respectably, they might at least have held him for ransom, but his torn clothing made it appear that he belonged to no proper family.

“Why’d you have to come through here and confuse us?”

The grumbling man waved his hand.
The young bandit returned to him.

“Hmm, are we finished here?”

When Gyo-ha asked, the man nodded.

“Yeah. Carry some money next time. How can you travel empty-handed in such a dangerous world?”

Gyo-ha grinned at the man.
Then.
He stepped forward.
Gyo-ha rose into the air and spun.
A back kick.
Kwang! Ujikkeun.
The loud crack of a massive tree breaking rang out.
Kkiiiiiik.
The tree slowly tilted before crashing to the ground with a kung.
Naturally, the watching bandits’ eyes widened.

“So, could I trouble you for a little help?”

The bandits gave the smiling Gyo-ha the friendliest expressions they could manage.

“A full-scale war has begun?”
“Yes. Martial artists have already passed through this area as well. I’ve never seen so many of them gathered in one place.”

The young bandit answered Gyo-ha’s question.
The two were currently descending from the bandit stronghold.
There was no real need, but the young man had come to see Gyo-ha off.
Thanks to the helpful bandits, Gyo-ha had also obtained new clothes. He now looked like a bandit to anyone who saw him, but that was still better than looking like a beggar.
Gyo-ha nodded at the young man’s words.

‘Just how much time has passed?’

A considerable amount of time appeared to have passed while Gyo-ha was inside the cocoon.
He would likely learn exactly how long only after reaching the Murim Alliance.

“Th-then I’ll leave you here.”

Gyo-ha nodded at the young man, who spoke cautiously.
He had obtained useful information thanks to him.
The moment Gyo-ha said he understood, the young bandit vanished like an arrow.
Gyo-ha parted ways with him and resumed walking.
When he arrived at the Murim Alliance, he found martial artists standing guard far more vigilantly than before.
Gazes gathered upon him as he approached the Murim Alliance dressed like a bandit.
It was rare for a bandit to walk into the Murim Alliance of his own accord.
Some wondered whether he was an envoy sent by the Green Forest.
The Eighteen Strongholds of the Green Forest.
They couldn’t be dismissed as a mere collection of bandits.
The Green Emperor, Chief Stronghold Master of the Eighteen Strongholds of the Green Forest, was one of the Twelve Heavens.
They were classified as Unorthodox but did not belong to the Evil Heaven Alliance.
The gazes intensified when Gyo-ha stopped before the main gate.

“State your name and affiliation.”

The martial artist guarding the gate spoke sharply.
Just as Gyo-ha was about to answer, someone stepped forward first.

“Young Hero Gyo?”

Someone had recognized him.
When Gyo-ha turned, he saw the martial artist who had previously brought news from the Strategist Department.

“Your timing is excellent. The Strategist has been waiting for you.”

The man turned his head after speaking.

“This is Young Hero Gyo-ha of the Kunlun Sect. The Namgung Clan and the Strategist Department will vouch for him.”

The gatekeeper’s eyes widened at his words.

“Indomitable Wild Wolf!”

Gyo-ha blinked at the unexpected exclamation.
The man from the Strategist Department chuckled.

“It seems you haven’t heard yet. Word of your deeds has spread throughout the Murim Alliance. Elder Gwak Mu heard the stories and personally bestowed an epithet upon you.”

A wild wolf that never yielded.
It was an impressive epithet.

“We were also surprised that he personally chose an epithet for you.”

Gyo-ha smiled awkwardly.
He had no idea who Gwak Mu was, but the atmosphere made it difficult to ask.

“…I should thank him later.”
“He is currently away on the Guizhou expedition. He will be pleased if you thank him when you meet later.”

The Guizhou expedition.
Gyo-ha’s eyes lit up.
His heart raced merely hearing about it. The scent of battle hung heavily over the words.
The name Gwak Mu had already vanished from Gyo-ha’s mind.
However, Gyo-ha had something he needed to do.
There was no chance he could fight properly in his current condition.

“I have duties to attend to, so I can only guide you this far. Someone else will meet you at the main pavilion.”

Gyo-ha nodded.
The man had not originally come out to meet Gyo-ha.
He had merely spotted him while passing by.
Besides, word of Gyo-ha’s arrival had already spread, so someone else would be waiting.
In truth, the man had been unusually kind.
Gyo-ha soon learned why.

“My niece received your help during this incident. Thank you.”
“Your niece?”
“Jegal Yeon is my niece.”

The man was from the Jegal Clan.
Strategist Jegal Tae was also from the Jegal Clan, so there was nothing strange about that.
No one was better suited to the Strategist Department than members of the Jegal Clan.
The man bowed once more and departed.
Left alone, Gyo-ha resumed walking.
He was already familiar with the interior of the Murim Alliance.
He had no difficulty navigating it alone.
However, the Murim Alliance he had returned to was different from before.
The entire Alliance grounds felt deserted.
It was clear that many martial artists had departed.
Even those who remained seemed tense and on edge.
It made the reality of the war sink in.

‘Looks like Hyeok and Brother Jeon Pyeong aren’t here either.’

Had they remained at the Murim Alliance, they would have heard of his arrival and come to find him already.
When Gyo-ha reached the main pavilion, a martial artist waiting there spoke.

“The Strategist is currently with the Alliance Leader. He instructed me to send you to the Alliance Leader’s office as soon as you arrived.”

Gyo-ha nodded.
The martial artist glanced at him. Gyo-ha had accepted the news far too calmly.
He showed no sign of nervousness.
Even someone at the level of a unit commander could not easily meet the Murim Alliance Leader.

‘…He certainly deserves the epithet Indomitable Wild Wolf.’

Admiration and pity appeared in the martial artist’s eyes.
As a martial artist, there was no chance he had failed to notice Gyo-ha’s unnatural condition.
News of Gyo-ha’s injuries had spread alongside word of his accomplishments.
In a situation like this, a talent of Gyo-ha’s caliber was precious.
But that talent had withered far too soon.
Unaware of the look in the man’s eyes, Gyo-ha arrived before the Alliance Leader’s office.

“Come in.”

A now-familiar voice came from beyond the door.