Hwang Byeok, leader of the Tiger Hunt Team of the Dawn Sky Society, was trembling with the greatest fear he had ever experienced in his life.
It had started as an ordinary day.
An assassination order had come down from above, and the target was nothing more than a young applicant to the Martial Alliance.
Hwang Byeok had been rather displeased that the entire Tiger Hunt Team had been mobilized to eliminate someone so insignificant.
Still, the job shouldn't take long.
He had even been thinking about visiting a gambling den afterward, something he hadn't had the chance to do in quite some time.
Yet the assassination target they had encountered was a monster who had surpassed their wildest expectations.
As for the Martial Alliance instructor they had initially considered an obstacle to their mission, she hadn't even needed to do anything.
Hwang Byeok stared at the dark iron staff with trembling eyes.
The weapon was caked with the blood and flesh of his subordinates.
And now it hovered above the head of his last surviving subordinate.
The man was already sobbing uncontrollably, weeping like someone who had completely lost his mind.
The monstrous young man who had destroyed the entire Tiger Hunt Team looked down at them with utterly indifferent eyes.
"What I want to hear from you."
Hwang Byeok cursed inwardly.
How the hell am I supposed to know what you want to hear? I'm not a mind reader!
Struggling desperately to overcome his terror, Hwang Byeok forced himself to speak.
"G-Great Hero! If you tell me what you want to know, I'll answer anything! Please..."
Cheon Woojin regarded him without expression.
Then he raised the Crescent Moon Staff high overhead.
Hwang Byeok's subordinate squeezed his eyes shut.
The sight of his comrades' heads being mercilessly smashed apart by that iron staff remained horrifyingly vivid in his memory.
And just as the Crescent Moon Staff began to descend—
"I-I'll talk!"
"..."
The weapon stopped a hair's breadth from the man's head.
Hwang Byeok felt his stomach twist at the sight.
The iron staff was clearly an extraordinarily heavy weapon. Anyone could tell that simply by looking at it.
Yet Cheon Woojin handled it as casually as if it were a slender wooden stick.
That alone was enough to demonstrate just how far beyond them his martial arts had progressed.
The corners of Cheon Woojin's lips lifted slightly.
"Speak."
"Actually, we received information beforehand that a team of Martial Alliance applicants would be passing through this area."
Zhuge Lin's brows drew together.
"You knew this was an official Martial Alliance examination, and you still dared to attack them?"
Hwang Byeok paid her no attention.
He kept his eyes fixed on Cheon Woojin, as though the Martial Alliance instructor wasn't even there.
Right now, there was only one thing that mattered.
Staying alive.
"Our target was a young martial artist named Cheon Woojin. We were told he carried a black staff and a white fan, and that his martial arts were unusually advanced for his age. B-but we never imagined he would be this powerful!"
"And?"
Cheon Woojin looked down at him.
He still hadn't heard what he wanted to know.
Meeting that distant, indifferent gaze, Hwang Byeok hurriedly continued.
"I don't know who commissioned the assassination! I really don't! The only other thing I know is..."
He hesitated.
Revealing the internal affairs of his organization was something he would ordinarily never consider.
But his hesitation lasted only an instant.
What could possibly be more frightening than having his skull crushed by that iron staff?
"Originally, your examination team's assigned target was the Annihilation Team. They're the ones who attack villages without martial artists or government soldiers to protect them. They rape and abduct the women, and murder the men. We're the Tiger Hunt Team, an assassination unit belonging to the same organization—the Dawn Sky Society!"
Cheon Woojin nodded.
So they even knew the mission our team had been assigned.
In other words, information had indeed been leaked from within the Martial Alliance.
Having confessed everything he knew, Hwang Byeok looked up at Cheon Woojin with a mixture of terror and desperate hope.
"I see."
Cheon Woojin gave him a peculiar smile.
Hwang Byeok felt a wave of relief wash over him.
Thank heavens...
And then—
Thwack!
His last surviving subordinate's head burst apart.
For a moment, Hwang Byeok's mind went completely blank.
He had told the young man everything he knew.
Every last detail.
Yet his final subordinate had still been killed.
It wasn't that Hwang Byeok particularly cherished the man's life.
That wasn't what horrified him.
The problem was that he was next.
The Crescent Moon Staff slowly moved into his field of vision.
As Hwang Byeok stared at the rough, unyielding surface of the dark iron weapon, warmth began spreading through the front of his trousers.
Song Yiyeon, who was standing nearby, spoke up.
"Young Hero Cheon, this man just pissed himself."
"...You didn't have to tell me that."
"No, I only mentioned it because you're so frightening, Young Hero Cheon, that I feel like I'm about to piss myself too."
"..."
Cheon Woojin stared at Song Yiyeon, dumbfounded.
Hwang Byeok, meanwhile, felt as though he was going insane.
The young man before him looked exactly like any other promising martial artist of his generation.
Yet this seemingly ordinary fellow was holding Hwang Byeok's life in his hands, casually toying with it as though it meant nothing.
Worse still, his behavior was utterly unpredictable.
The possibility that he might swing that iron staff and kill him at any moment filled Hwang Byeok with a terror that refused to subside.
Cheon Woojin finally turned his attention away from Song Yiyeon.
His cold gaze settled on Hwang Byeok once more.
"One more time."
Hwang Byeok's stomach churned.
He had already revealed everything he knew.
Yet apparently, not a single word had been the answer this monstrous bastard wanted.
"E-everything..."
"What?"
"I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"
His terror finally overwhelmed his reason.
Hwang Byeok began spewing curses in an uncontrollable torrent.
He swore that even after his death, he would curse Cheon Woojin's family and companions.
He spat out every vile threat that came to mind.
But Cheon Woojin didn't so much as blink.
"Is that all? You truly are a villain who doesn't understand the value of an opportunity."
With those words, Cheon Woojin raised the Crescent Moon Staff high.
It was then.
Something about Cheon Woojin's gaze struck Hwang Byeok as strangely out of place.
As he stared blankly into those eyes, his feverish mind suddenly cleared.
He finally understood.
This wasn't an opponent who could be swayed by begging for mercy.
Nor would desperate pleas for his life accomplish anything.
In other words, Cheon Woojin wasn't merely tormenting him for amusement before delivering the final blow.
There really was a specific answer he wanted to hear.
For a moment, Hwang Byeok's eyes drifted toward the iron staff that had slaughtered every one of his subordinates.
Its dark surface was rough, yet beneath that roughness lay a faint but remarkably deep luster.
Could it be...?
Hwang Byeok blinked.
Come to think of it, this monstrous young man had recognized Tiger Hunt Black Flash.
That coordinated attack formation had been taught to them by someone who stood above the leader of the Dawn Sky Society.
Someone whom their leader, himself counted among the foremost villains of the age, served.
Hwang Byeok had heard that this mysterious figure was a monster of evil far surpassing even the Dawn Sky Society's leader.
And that he was one of the disciples of the Dark Heavenly Son.
At that critical moment, Hwang Byeok suddenly considered himself an extraordinarily fortunate man.
Because when he was young, shortly after joining the Dawn Sky Society as a low-ranking member, one of his superiors had mentioned the Black Master in passing.
That person's eldest senior brother...
The great villain whose junior martial brothers included some of the most notorious evildoers of their generation.
A terrifying master who had one day simply vanished from the martial world.
Hwang Byeok looked up at Cheon Woojin again.
Now that he thought about it, even those eyes seemed to contain the very essence of a villain.
And at last, he believed he understood.
He's achieved rejuvenation!
There was, of course, a slight misunderstanding.
But given the circumstances, it was the most reasonable conclusion Hwang Byeok could reach.
He had convinced himself that the Black Master, having regained his youth through profound martial cultivation, was standing right before him.
Hwang Byeok immediately slammed his forehead against the ground.
"I-I failed to recognize such an esteemed senior! I serve your junior martial brother's..."
Thud.
The Crescent Moon Staff came to rest lightly against the back of his bowed head.
The cold touch of metal sent a shiver down his spine.
"Guide me."
"Pardon?"
Hwang Byeok couldn't even raise his head as he asked the question.
Cheon Woojin lightly tapped the back of his head with the staff.
"The Annihilation Team that's been attacking those small villages. Take me to them."
"W-why...?"
Hwang Byeok was so bewildered that he couldn't help asking.
"Because my mission is to kill every last one of them."
Hwang Byeok drew a sharp, hollow breath.
Why would the Black Master be assigned a mission to kill the likes of the Annihilation Team?
Could the leader of the Dawn Sky Society have turned against him?
If that's the case...
Hwang Byeok made a firm decision.
If he somehow survived this ordeal, he would leave the Dawn Sky Society immediately.
Such was the Black Master's standing in the world of villains.
Meanwhile, Zhuge Lin and Song Yiyeon were staring at Cheon Woojin in utter disbelief.
He's planning to carry out the Martial Alliance's mission? Even after all this?
He looks so normal on the outside...
You had to look closely to realize just how insane he was.
And the longer you looked, the more frightening he became.
That was the impression Cheon Woojin had left on both of them.
Oblivious to their thoughts, Cheon Woojin lifted the Crescent Moon Staff and gave it a sharp swing through the air.
Whoosh!
The force of the movement shook the clinging blood and flesh from its surface.
After returning the staff to his back, Cheon Woojin spoke.
"I'm going to have this man guide me to the Annihilation Team, or whatever they're called, and deal with them. After that, I'll head straight to the Dawn Sky Society."
He looked around at the others.
"The rest of you should return to the Martial Alliance. And it would be best if you reported that I was dead."
"Why?"
Song Yiyeon's question came immediately.
Cheon Woojin answered as casually as ever.
"Because whoever hired these men will only feel relieved and lower their guard if they believe I'm dead."
Song Yiyeon nodded solemnly.
He, too, had already realized that someone within the Martial Alliance must have leaked their information.
"Wait just a moment! What exactly are you suggesting?"
Zhuge Lin stepped forward.
"Naturally, we should report this to our superiors and have the Martial Alliance conduct a full investigation! Besides, do you have any idea how large an organization the Dawn Sky Society is?"
Zhuge Lin was, after all, an officer of the Martial Alliance.
She was familiar with all the prominent Black Path organizations of the age.
Naturally, she had no idea that the true master behind the Dawn Sky Society was a far greater evil than the figure publicly associated with its leadership.
Cheon Woojin had already anticipated her objection.
As a member of the Martial Alliance, it was only natural that she would respond this way.
He spoke in an even, unhurried voice.
"And what happens if the Alliance investigates but fails to uncover the culprit?"
"What?"
"I'll have to continue living under the threat of assassination. Can you confidently promise to take responsibility for my safety then, Deputy Commander?"
"..."
Zhuge Lin fell silent.
Cheon Woojin's overwhelming martial prowess had momentarily made her forget something important.
Regardless of how powerful he was, someone connected to the Martial Alliance was actively trying to have him killed.
Cheon Woojin continued.
"Besides, the person this man serves seems to know my master. I've heard that in the martial world, it's perfectly natural for a disciple to inherit the karma of his master."
"That's true, but..."
"Then I'll act not as a Martial Alliance applicant, but as the disciple of an extraordinary martial master. As Deputy Commander, you have no grounds to stop me. And if you insist on stopping me in your capacity as an examiner, I'll simply withdraw from the examination."
Zhuge Lin sighed.
Every point he had made was reasonable.
Even with her brilliant mind, she couldn't find a convincing argument against him.
"Then I'll accompany you."
"Huh?"
Cheon Woojin made an odd sound.
Of all the responses he had anticipated, Zhuge Lin volunteering to accompany him hadn't been one of them.
She met his eyes firmly.
"Young Hero Cheon is my responsibility. And the same applies to every other young martial artist here. Until this matter is resolved, I have a duty to see it through."
Cheon Woojin studied her determined expression.
Then he shrugged.
"Well, if that will put your mind at ease."
He nodded before turning toward Song Yiyeon.
"In that case, Young Hero Song, please lead the other applicants back to the Martial Alliance. Report that I've been killed and that the Deputy Commander has secretly gone after the attackers."
Song Yiyeon and the other young martial artists agreed.
After all, Cheon Woojin had saved their lives.
Under the circumstances, they could hardly refuse his request.
Before sending them away, however, Cheon Woojin took out the Crane Feather Fan.
To prevent suspicion when they returned to the Martial Alliance, he began making shallow wounds on their bodies.
His movements were astonishingly precise.
Although their skin split slightly and blood trickled from the cuts, none of them felt the slightest pain.
Once again, the young martial artists were reminded of the immense gulf separating their abilities from Cheon Woojin's.
Finally, it was Song Yiyeon's turn.
Cheon Woojin made several shallow cuts on his body, then tore his clothes slightly so they would no longer look suspiciously clean.
Afterward, the Crane Feather Fan suddenly moved toward Song Yiyeon's face.
"W-wait!"
"...?"
"This is my greatest treasure! If you need to, just make the wounds elsewhere deeper! You can give me more of them, too!"
Cheon Woojin stared at him in disbelief.
He's a martial artist, isn't he? How can he be so afraid of getting a scar on his face?
"Your face is too clean."
At that, Song Yiyeon promptly smeared some of the blood and dirt from the fallen men in black across his face.
"How about this? Is it enough?"
"...That's enough."
Song Yiyeon had always considered Cheon Woojin a strange fellow.
But the more Cheon Woojin observed Song Yiyeon, the more convinced he became that the feeling was mutual.
******
After the other young martial artists had departed for the Martial Alliance, Hwang Byeok, who had been listening to their conversation all along, suddenly spoke.
"But... you're not actually that senior, are you?"
Their conversation had finally made him realize that Cheon Woojin wasn't the Black Master.
Cheon Woojin answered him flatly.
"I'm his disciple."
"No... Then you haven't achieved rejuvenation?"
Hwang Byeok sank into deep thought.
He had revealed everything because he believed the man before him was the Black Master.
But if Cheon Woojin really was as young as he appeared...
He might be able to deal with the Annihilation Team somehow.
But would he stand a chance against that person? Against a disciple of the Dark Heavenly Son?
And if this young man ended up being killed by that person...
Then what happens to me?
Hwang Byeok's thoughts were in complete disarray.
"Then... where is that senior now?"
"He's gone somewhere far away. Very far away."
Hwang Byeok squeezed his eyes shut.
He couldn't tell whether Cheon Woojin meant that the Black Master had departed on a long journey or that he had died.
But if the Black Master's influence no longer extended to this place, there was a very good chance that his disciple would be killed by the person they were about to confront.
"Do you know who you're going to meet?"
Hwang Byeok asked the question cautiously.
Cheon Woojin gave a faint smile.
He had already suspected the identity of one particular man.
"Asura Demon Lord."
"...Huh?"
Zhuge Lin's expression went blank.
She knew of the Asura Demon Lord as well.
How could she not?
The man was classified as a second-class public enemy of the martial world.
Dealing with him required the deployment of at least three of the Martial Alliance's combat units.
And Cheon Woojin had just casually announced that he intended to go after him.
"So... you knew it was the Asura Demon Lord all along, and you were planning to go there by yourself."
Zhuge Lin nodded slowly.
"Ah, I see. And I just said I'd accompany you. Hahaha..."
She began muttering to herself, laughing hollowly like someone who had lost her mind.
Watching her, Cheon Woojin reached a quiet conclusion.
So she's strange too.
Between Song Yiyeon and Zhuge Lin, he was beginning to wonder whether all the people he met in the martial world were like this.
He spoke to her calmly.
"If you're frightened, you can return to the Alliance. But my master called the Asura Demon Lord a 'weakling,' so I doubt there's much reason to worry. He never gave me any special warnings about him, either."
Zhuge Lin abruptly stopped laughing.
She turned toward Cheon Woojin with a grave expression.
"Young Hero Cheon, by any chance... are you a disciple of Alliance Leader Beili Tian?"
"No."
"Then... are you the disciple of the Black Plaque Star Lord?"
The Black Plaque Star was known as the foremost organization of the Black Path in the current era.
Cheon Woojin recalled the Black Plaque Star Lord, whom he had briefly encountered during his childhood.
A smile escaped him.
"Neither."
"Then why are you laughing...?"
"I just remembered something amusing."
After all, the Black Plaque Star Lord had been a rather amusing fellow.
Black Master had beaten him from morning until night.
Then, when the next morning came, Black Master had beaten him all the way through to nightfall again.
And afterward, the two had even shared a meal together.
At least to Cheon Woojin, the Black Plaque Star Lord was a very funny man indeed.