“Commander Seong.”

“...Yes, young master.”

“Do you think I will fail?”

He shook his head.

“...I believe you will succeed. But I think what comes after will be the greater problem.”

“Do not worry.”

Unhwi rose from his seat as he spoke.

“The path of a warrior is, by its nature, perilous. If I had wished to walk an easy road, I would never have taken up the sword in the first place.”

There was still no wavering in Unhwi’s voice.

His body might be in ruins, and was certain to be driven into even worse ruin, yet his will remained as unyielding as steel.

Before such a man, Commander Seong could find no words to say.

***

Pung Muhwi stood upon a high cliff, his face grim, looking down below.

Spread beneath his feet was the Heavenly Sea.

An endless expanse of blue water stretched to the horizon, the sunlit waves sparkling like stars fallen from the sky.

Large and small islands in the distance looked like clouds drifting upon the ocean, painting a beautiful scene — but ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) none of that beauty entered Pung Muhwi’s eyes.

There, uninvited figures were unloading cargo, and in one corner, taxes were being paid.

Where the blue banners of Seongjak Province should have been fluttering, unfamiliar emblems were waving in the wind.

Yeom Cheol, vice-lord of the Heavenly Bureau, approached Pung Muhwi and said,

“It is dire. While Lord Seol has shut himself away these recent days, they seized the place as if they were waiting for it.”

Pung Muhwi did not answer, continuing to gaze downward.

On Dragon Scale Island, on the Moon-Shadow Peninsula, and across the Iron Wave Archipelago, encampments had been raised one after another.

Cunningly, they had not set foot on the mainland of Seongjak Province, yet with this they had perfectly sealed every route to the Heavenly Sea.

There was only one reason Seongjak Province was called the yolk of the land.

Because of the Heavenly Sea — the great maritime trade route located here.

That was it.

The Heavenly Sea connected not only Jeogan of Yangryeong Province, where Unhwi had once been, but also both the Central Plains and the outer regions.

From the east came foreign merchant vessels, from the west caravans deep inland, from the south the rare treasures of the southern barbarians, and from the north the specialties of the northern nomads — all passed through this place.

Among those northern nomad goods were items from the Snow Palace.

Every day, hundreds of merchant ships came and went, and the tolls and docking fees they paid accounted for more than half of Seongjak Province’s total revenue.

Even Cheongpa Grand Harbor, the province’s central port, had only prospered because of the Heavenly Sea.

This sea was the true yolk of Seongjak Province, and he who controlled the sea controlled the province.

Until recently, it had been administered by Gangcheon Wave Gate, who shared its profits with the Seongjak Alliance.

A mighty naval power, Gangcheon Wave Gate had cooperated with the authorities, maintained order in the Heavenly Sea, and repelled pirate incursions. But when the sect was annihilated not long ago, a vacuum had opened.

And there were those who had moved to fill it.

The coalition led by Ihwageom Cheonjong.

“What kind of combination is that supposed to be?”

Such words were only natural.

The warriors establishing camps there were certainly men of Ihwageom Cheonjong.

But the warriors laughing and whispering with them were from Cheoneum Sword Sect and Cheongun Sword Sect, both also among the Five Sword Schools. And it did not end there.

There was even participation from Hondoma Flame Palace.

The powers of the Five Sword Schools and the Outer Demonic Sects had joined hands.

“...It is enough to drive one mad.”

Unhwi’s words had not been wrong.

That the Heavenly Alliance was asking aid from Central Plains powers meant their reputation and influence were weighing down upon the surrounding cities.

Pung Muhwi was indeed a formidable man, a master of the Mythic Stage, but even he could not touch warriors of Ihwageom Cheonjong, Cheoneum Sword Sect, and Hondoma Flame Palace assembled together.

That would be suicide.

No matter how reckless he might be, even Pung Muhwi knew better. At least here in Seongjak Province, the only man with the guts to confront the Five Sword Schools and the Outer Demonic Sects was Unhwi.

“It is no wonder the governor’s seat is on fire.”

At Yeom Cheol’s words, Pung Muhwi nodded.

The reason he had come all the way here to see this for himself was simple: the governor had come in person to inform him of the situation.

The provincial troops of Seongjak had already withdrawn. Not of their own will — they had been forced out.

Yeom Cheol cautiously asked,

“What will you do?”

Pung Muhwi’s fist clenched tight.

If possible, he did not wish to go to Unhwi.

It was not a matter of keeping distance from him. Rather, as a lord of the Heavenly Bureau, he wished to resolve this himself, without Unhwi’s aid.

But no matter how he looked at it, there was no angle.

Even if he pretended madness and struck, the Heavenly Bureau’s forces could not oppose a coalition of four sects.

Leaving aside the reprisals that would follow, their forces were scattered across separate strongholds — strike one, and the others would immediately descend.

No matter how he thought on it, the end would be annihilation.

This was a problem that could not be resolved at Pung Muhwi’s level.

He quietly turned his body.

“Where are you going?”

“To Lord Seol.”

It was no shame. It was the limit of his ability. That, Pung Muhwi admitted.

Just as he was about to depart, he stiffened.

Slowly turning his head, he saw a woman descend to the ground.

His expression hardened.

Upon her robes was the character Yeom — the Yeom of Hondoma Flame Palace.

The head of Flame Hall, the Red Flame Lord Hwa Muryeong.

Her realm: Mythic Stage.

“Why leave after only watching? Won’t you stay for a drink?”

“...I do not think we are on such terms as to sit face to face over wine.”

“How cold. Who knows what sort of terms we might yet be on?”

Her words were strangely phrased.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I think you know full well.”

Hwa Muryeong grinned.

“Your Lord Seol, I hear he was beaten bloody by the Lord of Gaebang and can’t even move.”

“....”

“So why not side with us instead? Honestly, even if your Lord Seol is called a prodigy, that doesn’t change the fact he’s still just a brat, does it?”

“...A brat. If you mean that sincerely, I think I’ll be disappointed.”

“Just speaking truth. Does it offend you?”

Pung Muhwi’s eyes sank.

“Mind your manners. Just as I do not insult you or Hondoma Flame Palace.”

“Not do not. Cannot. No matter how much you lived like a king in Seongjak, Hondoma Flame Palace is not some common street sect. Isn’t that right?”

He calculated inwardly.

How long would it take to cut this woman down here? How long until the men behind her arrived?

“You look like you’re entertaining dangerous thoughts. Best not. I don’t want to fight either.”

“Strange words from a woman who claims not to want to fight.”

“And your tone has changed, hasn’t it?”

As she smirked, warriors of Hondoma Flame Palace gathered behind her, joined by men of Cheoneum Sword Sect and Cheongun Sword Sect. Their number exceeded a hundred.

“You know the rule — spies must die, yes?”

Pung Muhwi drew his sword, and beside him, Yeom Cheol did the same. He subtly sent a sound transmission.

—Jin Museong will soon arrive with ten men of the Heavenly Bureau. Hold out until then.

The Bureau had its structure. Yeom Cheol was vice-lord, under him three captains, one of whom was Jin Museong — drawn from Pung Muhwi’s own Wind Sword Hall.

Perhaps sensing their transmission, Hwa Muryeong shrugged.

“You’re tense. But who knows, if you beg, I might spare you.”

“....”

“I’ve already extended the offer, but shall I repeat it for courtesy’s sake? Join us. If you do, we’ll keep this Seongjak Alliance or whatever it is intact. The profits too.”

“You cross the line.”

Pung Muhwi’s voice was cold.

“No matter if you invoke the Heavenly Alliance’s name, to seize a harbor and monopolize it is to provoke the court itself. According to the treaty between Wun Nation and the Heavenly Alliance, only the Tensusa assigned to each region may oversee and deliberate its affairs. You have not only invaded Seongjak Province by force, you have openly violated that treaty. Do you think such lawless acts will be tolerated without cause?”

Hwa Muryeong burst out laughing.

It was not untrue — but she had her own reply ready.

“I didn’t know myself, but Ihwageom Cheonjong has quite a few strings tied to your Wun Nation’s court. They’ll craft the justification neatly. Honestly, you exaggerate.”

“Exaggerate?”

“When did we seize the harbor? We’re merely ‘near’ the harbor, restoring order for the Heavenly Alliance’s reconstruction and stabilizing unclaimed territory. Seized? Dangerous words. And since your Tensusa is bedridden, instead of being grateful that we’re managing things in the meantime, you speak of justification and violation? That’s dangerous talk.”

Her smiling words were not untrue.

Justification was crafted like that. Schemes and deceit ran rampant.

That was the martial world.

“So what will it be? Will you die here, or join our ‘alliance’?”

No sooner had her words fallen than two figures descended from the sky.

Jin So-cheon, the Clear-Sound Swordsman of Cheoneum Sword Sect.

And Hang Ryeo, the Blue-Feather Swordsman of Cheongun Sword Sect.

That Ihwageom Cheonjong had allied with these two was no surprise. But that Hondoma Flame Palace was part of it was strange indeed.

After all, Cheoneum and Cheongun Sword Sects belonged to the Five Sword Schools. What business had an Outer Demonic Sect among them?

Pung Muhwi steadied his breath.

Jin So-cheon and Hang Ryeo — both were warriors of the Mythic Stage.

They did not need to speak. Their very realms spoke volumes.

Submit, or die.

There was no need to think of words like “time to choose” or “moment of decision.”

He had already chosen to follow Unhwi.

He was a man worthy to follow.

And beyond that, his pride as a warrior could never allow betrayal.

Better to die fighting than die in cowardice.

As Pung Muhwi raised his sword—

Footsteps came from behind.

Slow, unhurried.

At the sound, Hwa Muryeong and all the gathered warriors turned their heads.

And in that instant, more than a hundred warriors all held their breath.