Chapter 132

Chapter 132

While bandits are treated by both the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions as rabble who only rely on their numbers to run wild, it’s not as if there are no masters among them at all.

For instance, among the stronghold leaders of the upper ranks within the Seventy-Two Strongholds, there are those who have made it onto the list of the Murim’s Hundred Great Masters. Those in the ranks below them are also masters who wouldn’t be looked down upon anywhere.

Seventy-two strongholds gathered under one organization. It’s already a problem when rough bandits gather together, but what’s more, aren’t the stronghold leaders and vice-leaders all masters without exception?

Disputes and fights break out every single day. In places beyond the reach of Total Stronghold Leader Nokrimwang, it’s not uncommon for upper-ranked strongholds to plunder lower-ranked ones. However.

No matter how much it’s a group of bandits, there are rules and regulations. Plundering between members of the same organization is something that must never happen.

That’s why Nokrimwang organized elite masters under his command into corps and had them patrol to suppress stronghold leaders and vice-leaders who abused their power in such situations.

“Things are getting interesting, aren’t they?”

Gwiyeon, standing here right now, was the commander of that patrol corps.

“Hmm.”

The situation is strange.

Stroking his rough chin, Gwiyeon looked around and wiggled his fingers with a playful smile. The Nokrim bandits of Jeokwangchae stood there dumbfounded, unable to recognize him.

“Little brother. Come over here.”

“……Little brother?”

“That’s right. I’m talking to you there, the burly-looking one. Our little brother.”

“Little… are, are you from Nokrim?”

“Of course. Would our little brothers have anyone else besides us?”

“……You’re here already!”

The horse bandit who brightened up at the sight of the grinning Gwiyeon immediately rushed over and bowed his head urgently, shouting. What followed was an accusation.

“It’s those bastards! Those bastards tried to steal the goods meant for the Hero! We tried desperately to protect them but… keuheuk!”

“My, my. That must have been difficult.”

“That’s right! But now that the Hero is here, those bastards are finally finished…….”

“No, from what I can see, it looks like little brother is the one who’s finished?”

“……What?”

Ppeogeok—!!!

“Keuaaaak!”

Before the dumbfounded horse bandit could finish his question, a fist shot out like a beam of light and struck the bandit’s snout. Two front teeth instantly flew out and soared into the air.

“Since little brother doesn’t seem to know, let me tell you. We Nokrim Heroes, you see, are finished the moment we’re looked down upon. We have to pack up shop that very day.”

Gwiyeon paused briefly before continuing.

“A reasonable bandit. A friendly bandit. A bandit who coexists with the residents. Have you ever heard such talk?”

“……N-no, I haven’t!”

“Of course not. Such contradictory words don’t exist in this world. Do you know why that is, little brother?”

“Because bandits must be fearsome beings.”

What is a bandit?

A bandit is someone who steals travelers’ money and takes their valuables. If a pickpocket secretly empties a traveler’s pocket, a bandit is someone who uses force to take everything from a traveler.

That’s why bandits must be more fearsome than tigers, more insidious than smallpox. A being from whom one has no choice but to be robbed. A being before whom one hands over everything one has and feels relieved thinking, ‘At least I kept my life.’ That is what a bandit must be.

But still.

“One behind the big tree to the east. One behind the rock next to it. One up in the tree. One lying flat on the ground.”

“You couldn’t handle just four youngsters and had to return what you stole? And you still call yourself a bandit, little brother?”

Pyugeok!

“Keuheuk……!”

Still smiling brightly, Gwiyeon kicked the horse bandit over and patted the cheeks of the fallen bandit.

“Listen well if you want to join under our Nokrim Alliance. Little brother. Open your ears wide and listen.”

“……Y-yes!”

“Bandits are bandits because they’re ignorant. They’re ignorant and have nothing to lose, so they’re difficult because you never know what they’ll do. Once we start calculating gains and losses, we become weak from that moment on. Got it?”

“I understand……!”

“How fortunate that you understood so easily. Our little brother has a good head on his shoulders, quite unlike a bandit. Well then.”

Having patted the head of the horse bandit—who was much older than him—as if treating a child, Gwiyeon stood up and turned his gaze.

“You little brothers hiding there. Why don’t you come out now? Let’s see your faces and talk.”

“If you don’t come out, I’ll come to you myself. Do you have the confidence to run away?”

“……Unfortunately, no.”

At Gwiyeon’s calm tone, the shadows that had been pausing for a moment began to slowly walk out from the forest. Soon, the Uicheonmun disciples revealed themselves.

“Younger than I thought. All handsome young men and beautiful young ladies.”

Gwiyeon whistled and stood on one leg.

“So. You want to go looking for this sword? You say it’s your sect’s sacred relic?”

“What should I do? The sword has already come into my hands, and I don’t want to return it.”

Pak!

With those words, Gwiyeon kicked the scabbard into the air, caught it in his hand, and slightly drew the sword to check the blade. A sword blade with the character for Righteousness written on it.

“It’s a good sword. Worthy of being a sacred relic.”

“You Nokrim vermin……!”

“It’s not a crude item worthy of being evaluated by someone like you.”

Seohwa stepped forward at the front, restraining the indignant Baek Risan, and shot back. Gwiyeon grinned.

“Young ladies have quite sharp tongues. But do you know what? I hold the power of life and death over you all.”

“I know.”

“And yet you take such a hostile attitude?”

“You weren’t planning to let us go easily anyway, were you? Someone who says bandits must be fearsome.”

“That’s true too. That’s logically correct. But I’m not such a rigid person.”

Chak— With a sound, Gwiyeon resheathed the sword and sat down using the fallen horse bandit as a chair. And the conversation that followed.

“Persuade me.”

“……Persuade you of what?”

“What else? A reason why I should let you little brothers live. If it’s reasonable, I’ll let you go. If not, I’ll kill you. Isn’t that a simple and rational proposition?”

Gwiyeon shrugged his shoulders and continued.

“From my perspective, there are three reasons why I should kill you little brothers. Want to hear them?”

“Go ahead.”

“The first is our Nokrim’s reputation, as I mentioned earlier. If we take a big hit and don’t get revenge, everyone and their dog will look down on us Nokrim bandits, won’t they?”

Repay kindness twofold, revenge tenfold.

Warriors often say such things, but bandits are a bit different. Even if they forget the kindness they received, revenge is something bandits must accomplish in order to survive.

“The second is, well, fear of future trouble. This sword I’m holding is essentially stolen goods.”

“From what I can see, since your sect master didn’t come with you little brothers, it seems they don’t know the sword is here. If you little brothers don’t return from here, the sword’s whereabouts will remain a complete mystery forever. Stolen goods that won’t cause trouble even if consumed. Doesn’t that sound quite appealing?”

He doesn’t know who the sect master is, but judging from the disciples’ bearing, they’re no ordinary person.

Even if he doesn’t lose, he’ll definitely suffer losses if he faces them. That’s a reason not to make an enemy of them.

“And the last, third reason is very simple.”

“I just don’t feel like letting you live. I have a bad feeling. I feel like something big will happen if I let you go.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Those are roughly the reasons. Now then, shall I hear the reasons why I should let you little brothers live?”

“That’s not necessary. Whatever answer I give, you’ll reach the same conclusion anyway.”

“No, that’s not true……?”

“There might be exceptions. But we won’t be among those exceptions.”

Seohwa answered lightly and clenched her fists, taking a ready stance and drawing up her internal energy. A chill slowly rising.

“That’s why I intend to prove it.”

“What?”

“That you can’t kill us.”

“Ooh.”

Gwiyeon threw out a small exclamation at Seohwa’s confident declaration and dusted off both hands. His lips gradually forming an arc.

“What a model warrior’s attitude. To speak your mind without being intimidated even when facing a powerful enemy.”

“But do you know something, little brother?”

“What?”

“That kind of attitude is just perfect for getting killed in Nokrim.”

He won’t use one hand.

“Try to block. If you block for a long time, I might let you live.”

Making that light declaration, Gwiyeon put his left hand behind his back and stomped his foot. And then.

With the internal energy he’d drawn up, in the next moment.

Pungrimgak Ilgak

Tayeopgwanmok

Gwiyeon’s blurred leg tore through space.

“That won’t be necessary.”

At the same time.

“Because you won’t be fighting us.”

Faster than the wind.

Cheonryeosin Ip

Gaesin

Beside Seohwa, who had raised a white flag.

Lightning struck down.

“……Fuck.”

Profanity escaped without him realizing it.

Gwiyeon, who had lifted his foot to attack, retracted it and took a step back. If there were a Thunder Dragon in the mortal world, would it look like this?

Mountains and rivers fall silent, and plants tremble. Even without accompanying sound, it is thunder; even without blazing white, one knows it is white lightning.

Close your eyes and open them—he’s right in front of you. Despite arriving quietly, faster than anyone and more intense than anyone.

Silent lightning.

What better way to describe this white-robed man than those words?

‘I’ve stepped in shit……!’

Understanding the situation, Gwiyeon gritted his teeth and drew up his internal energy at full power. However, the man paid no attention to this and raised his hand to place it on Seohwa’s head, unconcerned.

“You’ve raised the white flag.”

“……Yes.”

“Should I consider this as giving up the test?”

At the words of the man—Baek Riyun—Seohwa paused briefly, then bit her lip in frustration and nodded.

“I tried to eliminate variables as much as possible, but in the end, a variable appeared.”

“If it were the Sect Master, they might have had some way to handle this…… but I have no way to resolve this.”

Not give up and run away? Or stand and fight as is?

Neither has any chance of success. Not slim—none at all. The moment Gwiyeon appeared, both Baek Risan and Seonwoo Gang had transmitted that they couldn’t even properly confirm the identity of the person who appeared.

“……I want to follow.”

She wants to live up to Baek Riyun’s expectations.

She hates being considered useless. It felt like looking back at her past self, who sat helplessly with her hands on the campfire, unable to do anything.

She tried to do everything she could. She tried to follow even while using somewhat reckless tactics.

“I can’t put my fellow disciples in danger because of my stubbornness.”

Her ability is insufficient to resolve this. She cannot pass the test.

If she knows that, she must acknowledge it. Before damage occurs.

“I’m sorry. This time…….”

She cannot follow. Because her ability is insufficient.

Having finished speaking, Seohwa squeezed her eyes shut. A sense of helplessness washed over her.

“If that’s what you think.”

Baek Riyun nodded slightly at Seohwa’s words and looked down at her calmly, then smiled. And the declaration that followed.

“You pass.”

“……What?”

At Seohwa’s dumbfounded expression, Baek Riyun grinned.

“Sect Master. What do you mean…….”

“Of course I can explain. But let’s talk about it in a bit. First…….”

Baek Riyun let Seohwa’s words flow past and slightly turned his head, making eye contact with Gwiyeon, who had already moved far away and was trying to quietly escape.

“We need to do something about that first, don’t we?”

The moment he met Baek Riyun’s eyes, Gwiyeon immediately drew up his internal energy and stomped his foot in the opposite direction from Baek Riyun. His form instantly stretched out.

Pungrimju

Exceptional lightness skill pushed his form forward. A lightness skill created in the mountains that boasts being faster than anyone in mountainous terrain pulled Gwiyeon away from the threat. And then.

“I need to get away from that monster. No matter what……!”

Gwiyeon, who had crossed dozens of jang in the blink of an eye, drew up his internal energy to the maximum to deploy his lightness skill more fully.

Tuk tuk!

“Let me ask just one thing.”

“Euheoeok!”

At the sensation on his shoulder, Gwiyeon was greatly shocked.

“So who exactly did you say you were going to kill?”

At the same time, Baek Riyun’s foot stomped on Gwiyeon’s back.

Hard enough to plant the running Gwiyeon into the ground.