You Cannot Go Without My Permission (2)

The dawn was in full swing.

At this hour, when everyone was asleep, Yu Jinsan’s eyes slowly opened as he lay in bed.

As if time had slowed down by tens of times, he slowly raised his upper body.

Suddenly, like a stray cat, he cautiously glanced to the left. And, as expected, he let out a gasp as if he had seen a ghost.

“You surprised me!”

His granddaughter was sitting cross-legged in front of the door with her eyes closed. It seemed she was saying he couldn’t go out without her permission.

At that moment, Yu Seol’s eyes remained closed as she slowly twitched her small red lips.

“Grandpa, where are you going?”

“Why are you up like that? I have someplace to go, so sleep a little longer.”

“You should take me wherever you go.”

Yu Jinsan said as he dressed.

“It’s dangerous there. I can’t take you. There are scary people.”

“It’s because it’s dangerous that I should go. I’ll protect you.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle.

No matter how advanced her martial arts skills were, how could he entrust his eight-year-old granddaughter to protect him?

Yu Jinsan’s expression turned stern.

“I don’t have time, so move aside!”

But did the voice of a child carry any authority? Unlike before, even as he raised his voice, she didn’t budge.

“No.”

“This child, really!”

Yu Jinsan strode toward the door and tried to pull the child away from it, but she remained immovable. She was like a rock embedded deeply in the earth.

‘Hammered Weight?’

It was a technique to increase the body’s weight through internal qi. Now, Yu Seol’s weight wasn’t that of a small child but ten thousand pounds, and it was as solid as iron.

It felt as if a massive mountain was blocking his path. The harder he pulled, the more it seemed he was being pulled instead.

“You cannot go.”

“……”

Yu Jinsan sighed and looked frustrated.

How could one blame a child who was worried for him?

Yu Jinsan and his granddaughter finally found a compromise after a tug-of-war.

She would only move according to his instructions. If the situation got tough, she would escape alone, among a few other safety measures they agreed upon.

“You must keep the promise you made to Grandfather.”

“Yes, I will.”

There was no time to hesitate.

The operation to destroy the Evil Faction.

They must have known that the information had leaked. It was a situation where predicting what variables might occur was impossible.

It wasn’t the time to relax.

“Let’s leave.”

The two stepped out the door and ran shoulder to shoulder.

Yu Seol held out her right hand as if she had been waiting.

“Hold my hand~”

Yu Jinsan stretched out his hand and held Yu Seol’s, saying to her,

“I am not going there to fight, and it is a dangerous place. When we arrive, you must stay behind Grandpa.”

Five days would be wasted walking from here to the destination of Mount Muack for ordinary people. However, martial artists who had reached the peak of footwork could make the journey in just 2 hours.

Tatatat!

The birds scattered in surprise at the momentum of the two, hand in hand, dashing like arrows.

There was no need to follow the path. They ran across rooftops when pavilions appeared and leaped over obstacles when they came up.

As he ran frantically with her, his heart felt like it would explode.

‘Good. As if I could run to the end of the world….’

For Yu Jinsan, who had been on the brink of death, every moment of happiness was precious. Everything was enjoyable with his granddaughter.

And the smile never left Yu Seol’s face.

After about 2 hours of running, they could see the peak of a mountain in the distance, vanishing behind the clouds.

Mount Muack.

This place, the base of the Black Rabbit, was infamous for its misty terrain and rugged mountains, as the name suggested.

From an assassin’s point of view, it was the optimal fortress. At the entrance, there was a sign that declared outsiders were not permitted to enter.

In front of the signpost, Yu Seol tilted her head and asked,

“It says don’t enter. What do we do?”

It was an expected situation. They couldn’t just turn back after coming this far.

“Just stay close behind Grandpa.”

“Yes.”

Without hesitation, Yu Jinsan took the first step onto the mountain path. Although the terrain was so rough that it would be difficult for normal people to enter, it posed no obstacle for them.

After a while, they moved ahead as if they were running on flat ground. Strange traces were visible everywhere.

Behind him, Yu Seol pointed to something with a curious look.

“There are bones there.”

“It seems like a dead monkey. Don’t worry about it. Let’s keep going.”

As they climbed further, the fog thickened, and visibility decreased.

Yu Jinsan’s eyes shone as if they held a flame within them. By concentrating qi in his eyes, he managed to increase his viewing distance to some extent.

Yu Seol, following him, seemed unaffected by the fog.

That was when they had advanced halfway further…

“Grandpa, what is that man doing there?”

Yu Jinsan stopped for a moment and glared in the direction the child pointed to. A shadow was cast, swaying on the branches of a tree about a dozen miles away.

It was an unusual sight. Upon closer inspection, the shape was definitely that of a person.

‘It’s a stealth technique.’

At that moment, the shadow on the tree stretched and came at them like lightning.

It was the nature of a very skilled assassin, but there was no reason to be afraid as long as the attacker’s location was known.

Yu Jinsan quickly twisted his upper body to avoid the attack.

Pang!

Just as he did, a sword passed in front of his chest.

Following right behind, Yu Seol swiftly approached and kicked the assassin’s ankle like lightning.

Tsk!

Her small foot, seemingly frail, contained enough internal qi to break trees, and her speed was incredibly fast.

The assassin tumbled to the ground and let out a scream.

“Kuaaak!”

Yu Seol squatted down beside the fallen man, curled her small, walnut-like fist around his shoulder, and frowned.

“Ugh.”

She made a gesture that meant she would strike his face if necessary.

Faced with the overwhelming disparity in martial arts prowess, the assassin surrendered.

Once she had subdued the assassin, Yu Jinsan patted his granddaughter’s shoulder.

“You did well. That’s enough. Let’s go.”

Since he had come to ask for help, he couldn’t kill them.

Yu Jinsan, who had knocked the assassin down, pressed the blood point and led the way.

The surprise attack wouldn’t end with just one man down. He shouted as he clutched his bamboo stick.

“We didn’t come to fight! I am here because we have something to discuss!”

He shouted, but all he received in return was silence.

Instead, what came back was an onslaught of assassin attacks.

Papat! Papapat!

Needles, daggers, and various other weapons from the assassins flew in from all directions, all targeting their vital points.

Yu Seol was blocking the weapons coming from the sides and rear, making it not too difficult for Yu Jinsan to fend off the frontal attacks.

Tung! Tatang!

The frequency of the incoming attacks gradually decreased and then ceased as they weakened.

Still, the intermittent weapons of the assassins were nothing if not irritating.

Were they irritating? Yu Seol, who was following behind him, narrowed her eyes and softly said,

“Grandpa, wait right here.”

“Wh-where are you going?”

He looked back to find his granddaughter no longer there, but soon Yu Jinsan could see a small shadow stirring in the fog.

With each movement of the shadow, a thudding sound followed.

Tung! Chang! Kwang!

Screams echoed in succession, in sync with the sound of each blow.

“Kuaak!”

“Ack!”

“Kuaaak!”

The desperate screams continued unabated even after a considerable amount of time had elapsed. The attack wasn’t lethal enough to kill the assassins, but for some reason, Yu Jinsan felt anxious.

“You cannot kill them!”

There was no reply, only the continuation of miserable screams.

After a long wait, silence returned.

Soon, his granddaughter reappeared through the fog, a bamboo pole slung over her shoulder.

“It’s alright now, Grandpa.”

“…What happened?”

“Uh. Everyone is asleep.”

She must have knocked them all unconscious. He sighed in relief and took the lead, heading towards the summit once more.

‘I’m glad I told her not to use our family technique.’

Their family’s most potent spear technique was too lethal for the current situation. Instead, he had her continue training for the future.

Perhaps realizing that their usual tricks wouldn’t work, no more hidden weapons were thrown as they proceeded.

First-rate assassins posed no threat to Yu Seol. Sending top-class assassins would mean significant losses for them.

‘It takes a significant effort and investment to train one special assassin.’

Now that their purpose here has been exposed, there is no reason for the Black Rabbit Sect to attack them further. Had they sought to test him, they would have their answer by now.

As expected, no further surprise attacks occurred before they reached their destination.

A short while later, when they arrived at the summit, someone was already there, awaiting them.

A person whose entire body was covered in dark black clothing stood before them. His movements were precise, and he didn’t emit any aura. Unmistakably a top-class assassin.

“The Sect Leader said he would like to meet you.”

“Thank you.”

Yu Jinsan and his granddaughter followed the figure across the sect. The basin at the summit resembled a bandit’s stronghold.

The only difference was the peculiar training grounds of the assassins.

The various devices installed all around looked dangerously life-threatening.

Yu Seol’s eyes lit up with envy as she watched the assassins train with all their might.

“…looks fun.”

Yu Jinsan sent a message to his granddaughter, who looked impressed.

-Soon, we will meet a scary person. Grandpa will handle it, so just stay silent and don’t do anything.

He sent this to prevent any unexpected accidents.

Yu Seol nodded, seemingly understanding the caution.

After a while, they arrived at their destination—an old-fashioned place that stood tall.

“Please head in.”

The special assassin who had guided them stopped all movement in front of the door, standing like an old tree. His presence alone spoke volumes about what an assassin was.

As they entered the place, the atmosphere changed.

A cool chill emanated from within, as if the weather had shifted.

Did Yu Seol also feel something unusual? She held her grandfather’s hand with a slightly stiff expression.

“Nothing will happen, so don’t worry.”

“…yes.”

Another door came into view inside the place.

When it opened, they saw a person waiting on a platform covered in red brocade.

His demeanor was as sharp as a blade. The look in his eyes, as if his emotions had been cut away, was unsettling.

Baek Sang, the Killing Sword Soul, and the Sect Leader of the Black Rabbit Sect, were there.

Did they say the strong recognized the strong?

Feeling strange, he looked to the side and saw his granddaughter glaring at the guy. She seemed ready to fight again.

Yu Jinsan quickly released her hand and sent her a message.

-Don’t glare. Just act like your grandpa.

When Yu Jinsan put his hands together and clasped them, Yu Seol automatically followed suit.

As the tension in the air eased further, Baek Sang was the first to speak.

“This is the first time in my life I am seeing two Super Masters who underwent the re-aging process simultaneously. I guess you did have to be here.”

“Thank you for giving us the way.”

Baek Sang leaned back in his chair and nodded with curious eyes.

“I was wondering if the rumors were true, but you are more amazing than I heard. Yin Yang Twin Monsters. What business brings you here?”

Yu Jinsan cursed the Murim Alliance in his mind. The title of Yin Yang Twin Masters, which they created on their own, had spread to the Black Rabbit Sect. It was only a matter of time before the rumors circulated further.

But that was a concern for later.

He took out the badge of the Evil Way Alliance, which he had borrowed from Baek Gyu, and the letter he had prepared and presented them to the man.