What Are You Doing Here?

Gyo-ha ran through the fog.

Though it had grown thinner than before, he could barely make out blurry shapes.

An ordinary person would have had trouble even walking properly.

But Gyo-ha was bounding over ground and trees, sometimes on two legs, sometimes on four.

He ignored small branches and piles of stones and simply ran.

The embers in Gyo-ha’s eyes were growing brighter.

He could feel it.

A chilling cold.

A stench stabbed at his nose.

The fog heaved once more. He could see what lay beyond it.

A swordsman stood within the fog.

He was not simply standing there.

The fog clumped like smoke, trying to bind the swordsman together with the shadows.

Each time, the swordsman swung his sword.

―Woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo.

The fog screamed as it split.

The group that arrived a step later also swallowed hard at the sight.

“He cut the fog…?”

Jeon Pyeong spoke as if he could not believe it.

It was not only the fog mixed with the shadows. Even the fog behind them was sliced apart.

There was no need to draw their own swords and test it.

They had been fighting in the fog themselves just moments ago.

But one of them did not seem convinced and swept her spear through the empty air.

It was Shin Yul.

Shin Gi-yang pretended not to see and asked Bong Seok,

“That swordsman you said you saw before. Is that him?”

Without taking his eyes off the swordsman, Bong Seok nodded.

Even seeing it again, his sword strikes were terrifying.

Each and every stroke he swung was close to a killing blow.

And every time he swung, the fog grew thinner.

It was hard to believe that there was someone in the world who fought fog.

But the sight before their eyes was real.

“Was there such a martial artist in Qinghai!”

Jeon Pyeong exclaimed in admiration. Meanwhile, Bong Seok bit down hard on his lip.

This was different from when he had cut down the Evil Heaven Alliance martial artist.

The sight of the swordsman going all out was enough to give him chills.

“Over there.”

At that moment, Seo Jong-dae called to the group.

On the other side, they could see a group of people gathered.

Their clothes were a mess, but still neat and proper.

Some of them were even wearing martial robes.

They were clearly the Murim Alliance’s investigation team.

They were not the only ones. On another side, they could see people from the Evil Heaven Alliance.

Both sides had fewer people than before.

Had they gone missing, or died.

The two sides also noticed each other and began to keep their guard up.

Even so, they could not move recklessly.

Because this place was not their territory.

‘…That group is nowhere to be seen.’

Seo Jong-dae coolly took stock of the situation.

Were they still wandering in the fog?

Or had they avoided this place because they knew what the thing here was.

He could not tell.

―Woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo.

The fog heaved once more.

The people held even their breath as they watched.

All but one.

“Wait. Hey, what are you doing?”

Bong Seok quietly called out to someone.

Gyo-ha turned his head and tilted it.

While the others hunched down, Gyo-ha alone stood tall.

He did not stop there and began to walk forward.

“Don’t tell me you are planning to jump into that?”

Gyo-ha nodded as if to say, Of course.

The group was dumbfounded.

“Hey, you crazy bastard!”

Shouting without meaning to, Bong Seok glanced around, then grabbed Gyo-ha by the collar.

“Can you not tell just by looking. That man is a master that even Darkshadow Mountain Ghost cannot be compared to. Even Darkshadow Mountain Ghost at his prime wouldn’t be able to stand a chance!”

A fully fledged peak master.

Even among the elders of the Nine Great Sects, those who had reached that realm could be counted on one hand. Only a sect leader or a senior elder could face him.

“That person is not a master on that level.”

At Gyo-ha’s words, Bong Seok stared at him in disbelief. The others were the same.

If someone who split fog and smashed mountains in a single strike was not a master, what was.

But Gyo-ha’s eyes did not leave the swordsman.

“It is not that man swinging the sword. That sword is the one swinging the man.”

“What nonsense are you…what?”

Bong Seok, about to shout at him, blinked.

Gyo-ha looked down at his own arm.

“It is chillingly strong.”

Contrary to his words, Gyo-ha was smiling.

Seeing that, Bong Seok thumped his own chest.

“Right now it does not matter whether the sword is swinging the man or the man is swinging the sword.”

Even as he spoke, he felt how strange it sounded, but he had no other way to say it.

“Either way, he is a monster!”

What did it matter if the person himself was not a master.

Gyo-ha nodded.

How could he not know?

His limbs were trembling.

That sword was an existence beyond common sense.

“We should run while we are here. The fog has thinned too!”

If they did not run now, they would have no chance.

Whether the fog won or that sword won, it would not end well for them.

They were not sure they could escape, but it was better than fighting those things.

“I think it is already too late for that.”

It was Shin Yul. At her voice, the others turned and saw the swordsman looking at them.

“…Oh my god.”

Bong Seok groaned.

The swordsman slowly walked toward the group.

But the others soon realized. The swordsman’s gaze was not on the group.

It was on Gyo-ha.

Their gazes met.

[Spi, der……]

The swordsman’s voice was cracked like rusted metal.

It did not sound human.

[…Spii, deeer.]

The swordsman walked in a straight line toward Gyo-ha.

Unlike him, the fog took the chance to coil around his body.

Red and purple.

The blood flowing from the swordsman’s body mixed with the fog.

Unlike the rest, who were puzzled by the sudden word, Gyo-ha understood what it meant.

“So, you must have gotten beaten by that noona, huh?”

[… …! …!]

A rough roar that no human language could convey rang out.

“That noona. I knew she was amazing, but I guess she is famous on your side too.”

At the fierce reaction, Gyo-ha nodded.

“…What are you trying to do, provoking that thing?”

Bong Seok spoke, looking sick.

By now, even the others had to admit that thing was not human.

No human could make such a horrible sound.

Not only that, its gait was strange as well.

Ignoring the fog that clung to him, the swordsman strode forward.

Seeing that, Gyo-ha knocked his fists together.

Gyo-ha walked forward.

Soon, the swordsman’s blade moved.

Shwaak.

The air split.

It would be more accurate to say it cut space itself.

Feeling the sharpness above his head, Gyo-ha ran his tongue over his lips.

If he had been even a little late, his head would have flown off.

It was not that Gyo-ha had dodged well.

‘It’s thanks to the fog.’

It looked like smoke and shadow mixed together.

It held onto the swordsman’s body and would not let go.

‘Good.’

In that case, it was doable.

Gyo-ha hurled himself forward.

What would happen if the fog let go of the swordsman and attacked Gyo-ha instead?

He would die with no chance to move.

But that thought did not exist in his mind.

The iron shackle aimed for the swordsman’s temple.

Kwaang!

The swordsman raised his sword and blocked it.

‘I already expected at least that.’

Gyo-ha’s body spun once and his leg went for the head again.

Kwaang!

Another strike followed.

Kwaang! Kwagang!

Each time Gyo-ha moved, gusts of wind burst out.

At a glance, it looked like Gyo-ha was the one driving him back.

The swordsman stepped back, blocking Gyo-ha’s attacks.

At that moment, the swordsman’s blade flashed.

A speed that could not be compared to anything before.

Shwaak!

Blood sprayed.

The swordsman’s arm twitched, then changed direction.

He tried to bring it straight down on Gyo-ha’s head.

If a streak of light had not cut across in front of the sword.

Tang!

A flying dagger, knocked away by the sword, spun through the air.

Then a spear and a sword came flying in.

Chaeng! Chae-aeng!

“Nggh.”

“What kind of strength is this…!”

From the shock, Shin Gi-yang and Jeon Pyeong were pushed back.

But they were not the only ones here.

Right after, Shin Yul and Seo Jong-dae filled the gap.

“How on earth do we fight something like this!”

Shin Yul grimaced at the impact in her hands.

She was the one attacking, yet it felt like her palms were going to split open.

The strength was monstrous.

The enemy had only blocked.

‘…Even blocking a single strike is hard.’

And that prediction hit exactly.

Another sword strike came flying in.

She raised her spear shaft to block, but her body was flung away.

Her breath caught in her throat.

After she rolled across the ground a few times and lifted her head, she saw Bong Seok’s face.

“…What are you doing here?”

Instead of answering, Bong Seok lifted both his hands.

Unlike the others, he was barehanded.

If he tried to block that barehanded, his hands would be torn apart.

Naturally, there was nothing he could do.

But it was too infuriating to just leave him be.

Glaring at Bong Seok, Shin Yul lifted her spear. She could see her older brother Shin Gi-yang’s body being hurled backward.

As she stepped forward, stupid faces came into Shin Yul’s view.

“Are you just going to stand there and watch?!”

At her shout, the Murim Alliance members looked at one another and nodded.

They too had realized who was fighting.

The Plum-Blossom Swordsman, Jeon Pyeong, was fairly well known.

Once the Murim Alliance members joined in, Shin Yul turned to those from the Evil Heaven Alliance.

“And what are you lot doing? You think if we die it will just let you go?”

At those words, the Evil Heaven Alliance martial artists also stepped forward.

They understood as well.

They simply did not like the idea of moving together with the Murim Alliance.

But if this group collapsed here, they would be the next ones who had to deal with it.

It was not an opponent either side could face alone.

The Murim Alliance and the Evil Heaven Alliance glared at each other, then raised their swords.

Then they rushed toward the swordsman.

“Do not try to face him head on!”

Shin Gi-yang shouted to the Evil Heaven Alliance martial artists.

Jeon Pyeong also spoke to the Murim Alliance martial artists.

“Just think of it as blocking a single strike!”

The martial artists of the two groups nodded.

They had been watching, so they could tell.

This was not someone they could face.

They would last only a second.

Once the ones who blocked a strike were sent flying, others took their place.

In that time, they pulled themselves together to be ready to block the next blow.

But even that was not easy.

They had only blocked once, yet their arms and wrists throbbed.

All they were doing was holding its ankles down.

The rest was not their role anyway.

---

The ones who had been rolling on the ground looked ahead.

The opening they had made.

Through it, one person was running.

The fist he had drawn back shot out like an arrow.

Radiant Burst Strike.

Kwagagagagang!

From the impact, the swordsman’s body flew.

Gyo-ha did not come away unscathed either.

The cut wound burst open and flung blood into the air again.

But he endured without falling.

His body swayed, yet his eyes looked at only one place.

The swordsman pushed himself back up.

But the sight was grotesque.

It looked as if a puppet hanging by strings were being pulled upright.

“…He got up after taking that hit?”

One of the martial artists spoke in disbelief.

“No, it is not that it had no effect.”

The one who replied was from the Murim Alliance.

But he soon realized the one who had spoken first was from the Evil Heaven Alliance and shut his mouth.

Ulkeok.

The swordsman coughed up blood.

Yet his steps did not stop.

“His hand…”

“Is it merging with the sword?”

“…It’s being eaten by it.”

Someone’s words decided it.

His arm writhed, then was sucked toward the sword.

“Uh, ugh…”

The swordsman writhed in apparent agony.

Then the bamboo hat he had been wearing fell off.

“That man is…!”

At the Evil Heaven Alliance martial artist’s shout, everyone turned to look.

“Do you know him?”

“…Lightning-Strike Swordsman.”

At the name that left his mouth, their shock grew.

He was a master known in southern Qinghai Province.

It was only that his origins were unclear, so he leaned neither toward the orthodox nor the unorthodox.

In other words, he was a man who walked the line between the orthodox and unorthodox.

The people now looked at the swordsman with different eyes.

In the martial world, countless people make a name for themselves and then disappear.

But no one had imagined he would show up again in such a state.

He was still writhing as if in pain.

His skin had turned blotchy red. Blood seeped not only from his mouth but little by little from his eyes, ears, and nose as well.

Then the swordsman’s movements stopped.

One arm had already been devoured down past the elbow.

It was a grotesque sight, as if a sword had sprouted from his arm.

That was not the only thing that had changed.

Veins appeared on the blade as if it were alive.

The once black blade was stained red.

The clear haze rising over it was something they all knew well.

Sword Qi.

The people felt it in their gut.

Now, even blocking that sword would be impossible.