"Maybe I should just massacre everyone in the Martial Alliance—regardless of age or gender."
"You bastard!"
The bamboo-hatted man, who had kept some distance from me, couldn't hide his agitation at my words.
He probably never imagined I'd take this kind of approach.
After all, my goal in trying to become the leader of the Martial Alliance was to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Emperor.
Didn't they say it themselves?
Even a rat, when cornered, will bite a cat.
If I couldn't have the Martial Alliance anyway, there was no reason not to cause chaos.
Then, the bamboo-hatted man who had previously blocked my swordplay spoke.
"Empty threats. There's no way you'd do that."
"What do you mean, 'no way'? Can you say that even after seeing this?"
"Since ancient times, the Sword Immortal revered justice and was a great master of the righteous path. Do you really expect me to believe his descendant would slaughter the innocent?"
At those words, the bamboo-hatted man who had kept his distance hesitated briefly.
Then he looked at me and burst out laughing.
"Ha ha ha! I almost fell for it. Right. Someone who's trained as a Taoist wouldn't casually resort to killing fellow righteous sect members."
I chuckled and replied,
"You think I'd hesitate over something like that just to instill some caution about those who seek to control the martial world?"
"Nonsense! Don't think we can't see through your cheap tricks to confuse us!"
The one who was quickest to be swayed talks the most.
In that case, there's no reason to hesitate anymore.
I raised my sword.
"Stop bluffing!"
"From today, the Emperor will become quite notorious—maybe even more infamous than the Five Great Villains."
No sooner had I finished speaking than I channeled my inner energy into the Saryeon Sword.
Releasing my energy openly, the man panicked and shouted.
"You really—!"
Regardless of his shouting, I swung my sword at the wall.
With a sharp force, the sword strike exploded from the Saryeon Sword and flew toward the wall.
It was at that moment.
The bamboo-hatted man who had blocked my sword before moved like lightning to intercept the blow.
— Chaeaaaang!
With an ear-splitting sound, energy burst outward from him in all directions, cracking the floor and walls of the office.
— Crack! Crack! Cra-cra-crack!
'Impressive.'
He deflected the strike so that it caused minimal damage.
Even though I used considerable power, he didn't budge an inch. As expected, a supreme master who had surpassed even the limits of the superhuman realm.
The bamboo-hatted man who had kept his distance shouted in disbelief.
"You're insane!"
"What's so insane about it?"
"Are you really the Sword Immortal's descendant?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"A so-called descendant of the Sword Immortal killing fellow righteous sect members without hesitation—you've truly gone mad."
"You were the ones who struck first."
Did you forget how you grabbed my weakness and tried to blackmail me?
I might have given in when I was weak, but not anymore.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
Then, the bamboo-hatted man who blocked my sword raised his voice at me.
"You've fallen, descendant of the Sword Immortal!"
It wasn't the altered voice he had used before.
'...This voice?'
Though he was shouting, I had heard that voice before.
"To sacrifice innocent lives just to achieve your goal—how can someone who claims to uphold the righteous path do that?!"
As he continued to berate me, I became certain.
I knew whose voice that was.
He had become so agitated that he forgot to disguise it.
As if he realized this, the other bamboo-hatted man scolded him.
"That's enough."
Realizing his slip-up, the man went silent.
But it was too late.
I looked at him and said,
"Don't you feel ashamed to accuse someone else of falling from grace?"
"What are you talking about?"
What's the point of pretending now, even if you try to alter your voice again?
I snorted and said,
"How disappointing from the man acknowledged as the greatest swordsman of the righteous path. The former leader of the Martial Alliance, the peerless sword of infinity—Baek Hyang-muk!"
'!!!'
He froze.
Naturally, having his identity exposed would leave him flustered.
I was dumbfounded.
The symbol of the righteous sect, the very man who led the Martial Alliance to its greatest glory—siding with them?
Whatever his reasons, it was deeply disappointing.
I did think something was strange when the leader of the Martial Alliance practiced the Blood Heaven Great Internal Art—an ultimate technique only the cult leader of the main sect could learn.
"..."
I pressed him.
"Baek Hyang-muk. You, a former leader of the Martial Alliance, colluding with those manipulating the martial world from the shadows—do you really have the right to criticize anyone else?"
"...You're mistaken."
He finally opened his mouth to explain.
"Mistaken? Aren't you hiding your face and moving in secret with these people inside the Martial Alliance right now?"
"I..."
As he tried to speak, the bamboo-hatted man who had kept his distance cut in.
"Enough!"
He was trying to stop me from shaking him further.
If Baek Hyang-muk—arguably the strongest power here—were to waver, they'd have trouble stopping me.
Then the man spoke again.
"Change of plan. We'll kill him here and now."
"Kill me?"
It sounded like this had been part of the plan all along.
He turned to me and said,
"Descendant of the Sword Immortal. Did you really think we hadn't figured out a way to kill you?"
"A way to kill me?"
Had they come up with some kind of countermeasure?
Just as I was wondering, the man clenched his teeth.
I heard a crunching sound, and something inside his mouth popped.
He had hidden something between his teeth.
Then, the veins in his neck—the only exposed flesh—started to swell and turn black.
— Goooooooo!
His energy suddenly skyrocketed.
Just a moment ago, he was a top master. But now, in terms of energy alone, he had nearly reached the superhuman realm.
Is it really possible to achieve this kind of power surge just from medicine?
"You think the strength granted by drugs will last long?"
I asked.
He chuckled.
"This pill drains all your vital energy and boosts your power nearly threefold."
I frowned at that.
The part about draining vital energy stood out.
That meant the drug might give him a temporary boost, but he'd surely die from energy depletion.
"You're throwing away your life?"
"Killing you, descendant of the Sword Immortal, is worth that price."
As he said that, he tried to blow the whistle hanging from his neck.
I released energy with my Saryeon Sword to stop him, but Baek Hyang-muk intercepted it.
— Chaeaaang!
In that gap, the man blew the whistle.
— Piiiieeeep!
The shrill sound echoed outside the office too.
The whistle signal spread throughout the military command building.
No way...
The man looked at me and grinned wickedly.
"Everyone here is ready to die to capture you. Descendant of the Sword Immortal."
"Ha!"
"This place will be your grave."
They were clearly prepared.
Over two hundred people were stationed inside the building.
If they all took that pill which dramatically boosted energy by sacrificing their lives, then they had created a literal suicide squad.
That's how desperate they were to kill me.
With Baek Hyang-muk, the righteous path's top master, Seo Bok the immortal, and now this guy whose power rivaled a superhuman's after taking the drug—they had assembled their strongest force.
The man pointed at me and shouted.
"Gunbang, restrain him!"
Apparently, he was confident the immortal Seo Bok could hold me down.
But Seo Bok didn't respond.
Instead, he put his hand to his forehead.
"What's wrong?"
"...Nothing."
Seo Bok shook his head and tried to rush toward me.
I chuckled and said,
"You've gone through a lot to prepare. Well then, try your best to stop me."
"What?"
Before he could finish his question, I threw myself toward the window of the command center.
Baek Hyang-muk and Seo Bok leapt after me to block my path, but thanks to my modified Wind Shadow Step—a top-tier lightness skill—I was already through the window in a flash.
The man shouted in panic.
"Y-You! Stop right there!"
"Do you think I'll just keep fighting with you here forever?"
"I intend to turn the Murim Alliance into a complete wreck while disguised as the Golden Emperor, just as planned."
"And I've already chosen the perfect place for that destruction."
-Pop!
I launched my body toward that place.
Shouts came from behind me.
"Catch him! We must catch him no matter what!"
Along with that shout, a swarm of people in military attire—including the man, Baek Hyang-muk, and Seo Bok—burst out through the windows.
-Crash! Crash! Crash!
People smashed through every window of the Military Affairs Bureau building, and it was quite a spectacle.
They must be losing their minds with desperation.
If they fail to catch me, the Golden Emperor—who isn't even here—will become Murim's greatest villain.
I deliberately kept my distance while using light footwork.
I had to make sure they could still follow me to a degree.
"Where are we going?"
'Hwangryongdang.'
-Hah!
Sodamgeom clicked his tongue at my response.
What a perfect opportunity this was.
Even before my regression, I had always wondered how I could kill that bastard Mo Yong-su—the one who stabbed a sword into my stomach. Now the chance had arrived.
Before long, I saw the "Tangjujeon" where all the various factions' leaders resided.
I saw buildings with a signboard reading "Hwangryongdang" and didn't hesitate to head in.
The guards protecting Hwangryongdang tried to stop me as I suddenly appeared and tried to enter.
"Halt! This place is not to be entered reckle—"
-Slash!
I cut through their legs with a single sword stroke.
"Aagh!"
Their legs severed, the guards rolled on the ground screaming.
Leaving them behind, I stepped over the front courtyard and into the main building.
Hearing the screams, dozens of Hwangryongdang members rushed out of the buildings.
Hwangryongdang was practically the Mo Yong Clan itself, composed of direct and collateral descendants of the Mo Yong family and skilled disciples from many clans and sects across Liaoning Province.
"What is this?!"
People who came out of the outer buildings were stunned to see the dismembered guards.
"No way!"
"Who is that guy?"
"One of his eyes...!"
Yes—one of my eyes is golden.
They must have seen it clearly.
I dashed between their ranks, surprising them, and slashed through their bodies without mercy.
-Shhk shhk shhk shhk shhhk!
"Gahh!"
"Urgh!"
They tried to draw their weapons and fight back, but even the strongest among them were only first-rate. How could they hope to stop me?
Out of every ten, I left one or two barely alive—splitting the rest in half with a single stroke.
Those who fainted would later explain this brutality all too well.
"Catch him!"
"Waaahhh!"
With a flood of screams, the Hwangryongdang members swarmed toward me.
As expected of one of the top three forces in the Murim Alliance, their numbers were immense.
Over two hundred surrounded me in an instant.
And among them, I spotted Hwangryongdang's leader—Mo Yong-su.
"Who the hell is that man?"
"We don't know, sir! He just suddenly appeared and started attacking our members!"
"Seize him at once!"
He didn't look like he had any intention of stepping in himself.
Fine—then I'll go to him.
I swung my sword at the ones surrounding me.
"Get out of my way."
-Slash!
"Aagh!"
"Ugh!"
Over twenty people were sliced in half in an instant by the sword energy released from my blade.
Whether second-rate or first-rate, none of them could withstand my blade.
Just as thousands of ants can't bring down a water buffalo.
"S-Stop him! Stop him!!"
Mo Yong-su paled in fear at my overwhelming martial might.
He might have been a peak master among the younger generation, but he was still just a peak master.
The fact that this guy had killed me before I regressed is utterly humiliating.
-Slash! Slash!
I cut down those blocking me and walked toward him.
With blood covering me, I must have looked like a demon straight from hell.
Once I was within ten steps, he panicked and turned to flee without looking back.
But—
-Swish!
With the technique of "Shifting Form and Replacing Position (Ihyeonghwanwi)," I instantly blocked his escape path.
"H-Heck!"
To the stunned man, I gave a slight smile.
"The boss running away? That won't do."
"W-Who are you?! Why are you—"
"If you want to know why you're dying, ask the one who's already in hell."
"What?"
Before he could finish, I slammed my sword down on his head.
-Crack!
"Gurk!"
-Splat!
Though I used only moderate inner strength, the moment it hit, his skull shattered, one eye popped out, and blood spurted from all seven orifices.
His head crushed, Mo Yong-su staggered like a broken puppet.
It looked like he was dancing in his own blood.
"L-Lord Tang!"
"This can't be..."
The Hwangryongdang members were utterly dumbfounded.
If the enemy had been someone they could reasonably fight, they might've screamed in anger. But when someone with overwhelming power slaughtered their comrades and killed their leader in a single strike—who could even speak?
-Pop pop pop pop pop!
At that moment, warriors in military attire, including three wearing bamboo hats, appeared at Hwangryongdang's compound.
The surviving Hwangryongdang members cried out, thinking they were reinforcements.
"You're from the Military Affairs Bureau, right?!"
"P-Please help us!"
"A man with a golden eye suddenly appeared and massacred our Lord Tang and members!"
One bamboo-hat man, presumably Baek Hyang-muk, raised his hat and glared at me while looking at the countless corpses.
"So you finally did it."
His voice was filled with anger.
He must've believed I had slaughtered innocent people from the righteous sects.
Just then, another bamboo-hat man stepped forward, pointing at me, and prepared to shout.
"Everyone listen! I am from the Military Affairs Bureau. That man is—"
Before he could finish—
I stomped the ground with true force.
-Boom!
A massive shockwave spread in all directions, and the remaining Hwangryongdang members' eyes rolled back as they collapsed.
-Thud! Thud!
Did they really think I'd let them go around announcing I was the descendant of the Sword Immortal?
Seeing everyone drop, one bamboo-hat man muttered in disbelief.
"No way... was that the Blood Demon's Sovereign Step?"
I had planned to snap my fingers, but the neighboring factions had sensed the chaos and were beginning to gather. So I unleashed the full power of the True Intent Shocking Technique.
Judging from how much innate qi I used, at least two or three hundred people must've collapsed.
Baek Hyang-muk spoke to the other bamboo-hat man.
"That man is none other than the successor of the Little Sword Immortal—no, the master of the Blood Demon. Why be surprised now? If we don't kill him quickly, more lives will be lost."
"Hmph! I'm well aware."
The bamboo-hat man raised his hand, and warriors from the Military Bureau formed a circle around me to prevent any escape.
He, Seo Bok, and Baek Hyang-muk advanced toward me in a battle-ready stance.
Baek Hyang-muk pointed his sword at me and said:
"I've always wanted to test the techniques inherited from the one known as the world's greatest swordsman. It's a pity it's happening like this."
"Enough chatter. Focus on killing him."
I scoffed at their exchange.
Then, gripping the blade of the Saryeon Sword with both hands in reverse, I said:
"You should start by apologizing."
"What?"
"I wasn't planning to go all out, but I'm short on time too. Let's end this quickly."
My words left them dumbfounded.
"Ha! You sure underestimate us. Even if you're the Sword Immortal's heir, you won't easily defeat us—"
Before he could finish—
-Crack-crack-crackle!
'!!!'
As my whole body was cloaked in lightning energy, their words stopped cold.
"We have to stop him!"
-Pop! Pop!
Sensing the threat, Baek Hyang-muk and Seo Bok leapt toward me simultaneously.
Despite their fierce momentum, I plunged the Saryeon Sword into the ground in my thunder-attuned state.
-Stab!
'Great Thunder-Evasion Sword Art: Sky-Reversing Lightning!'
At that moment—
-Crack-crack-crack-crack! Boom boom boom boom boom!
Lightning energy burst upward from over ten sections of the ground.
"No way!"
"W-What is this?!"
Baek Hyang-muk and Seo Bok were struck speechless as they charged in.
It was like thunder and lightning that should strike from the sky suddenly surged upward—a cosmic upheaval.