Hwang Byeok, leader of the Dawn Sky Society's Tiger Hunt Team, stood at a crossroads.
Before him lay a choice that could determine the course of his entire life.
Would he betray his organization and surrender to the terror standing before him?
Or would he uphold his loyalty and face death with courage?
Cheon Woojin decided to lend a hand to Hwang Byeok, who seemed to be struggling with this difficult decision.
A black haze began shimmering around the Crescent Moon Staff, darker even than the weapon's dark iron surface.
The moment Hwang Byeok saw it, his deliberations came to an abrupt end.
"I'll guide you, Great Hero."
And so, Cheon Woojin and Zhuge Lin set off under Hwang Byeok's guidance.
As they traveled, Zhuge Lin carefully inspected the poison, concealed weapons, and sword hilt she had brought with her.
After all, they were on their way to confront the Asura Demon Lord.
A second-class public enemy of the martial world.
******
The Annihilation Team preyed exclusively on villages where few martial artists or government soldiers were stationed.
Finding them did not take long.
After all, the mission assigned to Cheon Woojin's group during the second examination had been to subdue the Annihilation Team.
They had already been heading toward the village believed to be the criminals' next target.
With Hwang Byeok leading the way, they arrived in Ankang County, Shaanxi Province.
It was a small, peaceful settlement, much like its name suggested.
But by the time Cheon Woojin and his companions arrived, that peace had been utterly destroyed.
The village was already stained crimson.
Houses burned, and pillars of smoke rose from every direction.
Men lay bleeding on the ground, both adults and children alike.
Burly men dressed in black dragged women through the streets by their hair.
The once-tranquil village had become a living hell, filled with unending screams and desperate cries.
Cheon Woojin and his companions observed the scene from a thicket some distance away.
More precisely, Cheon Woojin had yet to make a move, so Hwang Byeok and Zhuge Lin were waiting with him.
It was then.
"Let go! Let go of me, you sons of bitches!"
A young boy with a runny nose clung desperately to the trouser leg of a woman who appeared to be his mother.
The boy was crying, but there was no fear in his eyes.
The men in black found his defiance rather amusing.
Chuckling among themselves, one of them gave the boy a kick.
It was only a light kick, but the boy immediately doubled over, clutching his stomach as he rolled across the ground.
Even so, he continued glaring at the men in black with eyes full of hatred.
"I'll kill you. I swear I'll kill you bastards!"
His voice, choked with tears and blood, carried a weight far beyond his years.
Having witnessed the ugliest depths of human cruelty with his own eyes, the boy had been forced to grow into a man.
The expressions in the men's eyes changed.
Sometimes, the desire for revenge could turn a person into a monster.
And in the martial world, an enemy dismissed as a problem for the distant future could one day return with a sharpened sword.
The men in black had spent enough years surviving in the Black Path to understand that truth.
One of them seized the hem of the boy's mother's clothing.
The boy watched with a frightened expression.
"D-don't! Don't do it...!"
It was then.
The woman, already half-conscious, suddenly sank her teeth into the man's hand.
"You bitch!"
The man flung her aside with a curse and raised his dark longsword.
The woman hurriedly threw herself over her son, shielding him with her own body.
But even from within his mother's embrace, the boy continued glaring defiantly at the man in black.
A chill crept through the man's heart when he met that gaze.
I have to kill him.
Watching from the thicket, Zhuge Lin could no longer bear it.
She stepped forward.
"We have to stop them!"
At that very moment, Cheon Woojin caught her by the arm and held her back.
"Not yet."
Zhuge Lin was growing desperate.
Yet Cheon Woojin's eyes remained perfectly calm.
The man in black, unable to contain his rage any longer, brought his sword down toward the mother and child.
Death loomed directly before them.
Clang!
A sword suddenly intercepted the attack.
Unfortunately, it was not the arrival of a righteous hero.
"Don't touch what doesn't belong to you."
"But these little bastards—!"
"Number Seven."
At the quiet warning, the man in black known as Number Seven flinched.
Number Three had deliberately addressed him by his rank rather than his name.
The meaning was clear.
Number Seven spat at the mother and son before turning away.
Number Three regarded the pair with indifferent eyes.
Then he seized the mother by her hair and began dragging her away once more.
One by one, the village women were being forced onto the carts the men in black had brought with them.
Zhuge Lin could barely contain her frustration.
"Why are we still standing here? We've come all this way, and we're just going to watch?"
Cheon Woojin continued observing the scene without a word.
His gaze remained calm.
How much time passed like that?
Eventually, he spoke.
"That's enough."
"What is?"
"I needed to confirm something."
The Asura Demon Lord was, after all, a disciple of the Dark Heavenly Son.
A villain of such standing would hardly orchestrate atrocities like these merely for amusement.
Black Master had repeatedly taught Cheon Woojin that a true villain always had some justification for his evil deeds.
And so, Cheon Woojin had continued watching.
The men were being killed.
Some of the women were being abducted.
If the purpose of these kidnappings were simply to satisfy lust, the attackers would presumably favor younger women.
Even if their tastes were unusual, there should still be some identifiable characteristic shared by their victims.
Yet the women being taken away varied widely in both age and appearance.
Cheon Woojin had noticed something else they all possessed in common.
Their yin energy was exceptionally strong.
So they aren't abducting these women merely to satisfy their desires.
They're after their energy.
And the reason someone would specifically seek out women possessing abundant yin energy was obvious.
"Severed Pulse Syndrome."
If Cheon Woojin's deduction was correct, the Asura Demon Lord must be suffering from Severed Pulse Syndrome.
Having reached that conclusion, Cheon Woojin suddenly emerged from the thicket without the slightest warning.
Both Zhuge Lin and Hwang Byeok were caught completely off guard.
"W-wait! At least give me a moment to prepare..."
Their opponents were dozens of trained Black Path martial artists.
No matter how capable Zhuge Lin was as a Deputy Commander of the Martial Alliance, she could not hope to fight so many enemies alone.
Of course, she had a monster like Cheon Woojin on her side.
But she wasn't the sort of person who could simply stand back and watch while someone else did all the fighting.
Hwang Byeok, however, was even more flustered than she was.
"What the hell are you?"
One of the men in black spotted Cheon Woojin and immediately spat out a curse.
Then he noticed Hwang Byeok standing behind him.
Before long, Number Three spoke.
"Isn't that Team Leader Hwang?"
"Hahaha..."
Reminded of his own position, Hwang Byeok let out an awkward laugh.
Number Three carefully studied the atmosphere between Hwang Byeok, Cheon Woojin, and Zhuge Lin.
Then he suddenly shouted.
"AMBUSH!"
At once, the men in black who had been setting fire to the village converged on their position.
Their response was instantaneous.
Not one of them displayed the slightest sign of panic.
Clearly, these men had undergone rigorous training.
Suddenly, a burly red-haired man pushed his way through the gathering attackers and strode forward.
The words Number One were written across his chest.
Hwang Byeok swallowed hard.
"The Annihilation Team Leader..."
Although both men held the rank of team leader, the difference in their martial abilities was enormous.
The Tiger Hunt Team specialized in assassination.
The Annihilation Team, on the other hand, was a direct-action force.
If Hwang Byeok managed to sneak behind the other man and drive a blade into his neck, he might stand a chance.
But in a direct confrontation, victory was out of the question.
The Annihilation Team Leader glanced around, briefly taking stock of the situation.
Then he burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! Team Leader Hwang! What's happened to you? Don't tell me you've betrayed the Society Leader!"
Despite the unexpected intrusion, he wasn't nervous in the slightest.
One traitorous team leader.
One young man.
And one young woman.
What was there to fear?
Hwang Byeok scratched his head roughly.
"...I didn't have much choice if I wanted to stay alive."
"Hahahaha! And you think that excuse will satisfy the Society Leader? Do you seriously believe he'll let you live?"
Hwang Byeok was already painfully aware of that reality.
But hearing another team leader say it aloud only made his situation feel more hopeless.
"Fuck..."
If he stayed on this side, he would die.
If he returned to the other side, he would die.
The hopelessness of his predicament threatened to suffocate him.
And now that he was standing before a man as imposing as the Annihilation Team Leader, Hwang Byeok was beginning to feel pathetic for having placed his faith in these youngsters and followed them all the way here.
Should I switch sides again?
The Annihilation Team Leader was arrogant, certainly.
But he wasn't entirely without a softer side.
On the contrary, if Hwang Byeok appealed to that arrogance by groveling and begging for mercy, the man might find it entertaining enough to accept him back.
Just as Hwang Byeok was desperately weighing his options, Cheon Woojin glanced over his shoulder.
Their eyes met.
Hwang Byeok sharply drew in his breath.
"Have you made your choice?"
"..."
Hwang Byeok cursed inwardly.
The Society Leader, the Demon Lord... Do all these masters learn how to read minds?
But Cheon Woojin hadn't read his mind.
A true master observed everything about the person before him.
Their breathing.
Their pulse.
The slightest tremor of their pupils.
From such details, a sufficiently accomplished martial artist could deduce what another person was thinking.
Hwang Byeok found himself staring into Cheon Woojin's calm, unwavering eyes.
And for reasons he couldn't quite explain, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
I can't imagine that guy getting beaten.
Rationally, he believed the Annihilation Team Leader, the Dawn Sky Society Leader, and the Asura Demon Lord were all stronger than this young man.
And yet...
Something deep within him, an instinct cultivated through years of martial training, kept warning him of the danger Cheon Woojin represented.
At last, Hwang Byeok furiously raked both hands through his hair.
"Ah, fuck! I don't know anymore! Just come at me!"
Having resigned himself to death, Hwang Byeok charged toward the Annihilation Team Leader.
But something abruptly blocked his path.
A dark iron staff.
Cheon Woojin stared at him in disbelief.
"Who told you to fight? Get back."
"W-what?"
For a brief moment, Hwang Byeok was genuinely moved.
So this coldhearted monster actually cares whether I live or die?
Unfortunately, Cheon Woojin's next words shattered that impression.
"If you die, who's going to guide me to the Dawn Sky Society?"
"...Fuck."
Hwang Byeok cursed yet again.
"Hahahaha! What the hell are you people doing?"
The Annihilation Team Leader burst into another fit of laughter.
His booming voice was so loud that the surrounding air seemed to tremble.
Cheon Woojin turned to face him, his expression perfectly calm.
At that, the corners of the Annihilation Team Leader's mouth twitched.
"What? Planning to take me on all by yourself? Forget that idiot Hwang Byeok—the impressive young lady behind you looks like she knows how to fight too."
Zhuge Lin had already drawn her sword.
When she caught the fleeting look of lust in the Annihilation Team Leader's eyes, a wave of nausea swept through her.
Killing intent surged within her.
But Zhuge Lin was not a woman who allowed her emotions to dictate her actions.
She was a Deputy Commander of the Martial Alliance.
And a member of the Zhuge family.
She forced herself to remain composed and carefully assessed the situation.
Regardless of the circumstances, a member of the Zhuge family was expected to evaluate the strength of both allies and enemies with a cool head before arriving at the most appropriate course of action.
That was how a martial artist of the Zhuge family ought to conduct herself.
I still can't determine the full extent of Young Hero Cheon's abilities. But there's no doubt he's stronger than I am.
In that case, I'll leave the leader to him and deal with the remaining small fry...
It was then.
Cheon Woojin's figure blurred.
For an instant, his back seemed to waver.
Then he vanished, almost as though he had sunk straight into the ground.
Zhuge Lin's eyes widened.
She hurriedly looked around.
Crack!
A sharp, sickening impact rang out.
Zhuge Lin immediately turned toward the sound.
"W-what...?"
A horrifying sight greeted her.
Cheon Woojin's dark iron staff had smashed through the Annihilation Team Leader's head.
Then through his neck.
His chest.
His dantian.
And all the way down to his crotch.
His body had quite literally been crushed in half.
"..."
A suffocating silence descended upon the village.
The surrounding men in black stood frozen.
Nobody could move.
No—it was difficult even to breathe.
Amid that terrifying silence, Cheon Woojin calmly withdrew the Crescent Moon Staff.
The Annihilation Team Leader's mangled body collapsed to the ground.
Cheon Woojin lowered his weapon, allowing it to hang loosely at his side.
Blood dripped from its surface.
Drip. Drip.
The village had fallen so utterly silent that each drop of blood striking the ground seemed to echo like thunder.
Cheon Woojin slowly surveyed the remaining men in black.
His movements were unhurried.
Then, without warning, he vanished again.
Terror seized the members of the Annihilation Team.
They had all witnessed how their leader had died.
And now the monster responsible had disappeared from their sight.
The next time Cheon Woojin appeared—
Crack!
Another bone-chilling impact rang out.
Everyone turned toward the sound.
What they saw was exactly what they had feared.
Another of their comrades had been struck down.
After that, Cheon Woojin continued swinging the Crescent Moon Staff with the same unhurried composure.
For a time, blood scattered through the village like a crimson mist.
Yet there were almost no screams.
Most of the men in black had their heads crushed and died before they could even open their mouths.
Eventually, one of the surviving attackers turned and fled.
Then another followed.
And another.
Soon, the terrified men were running toward the outskirts of the village, fleeing without so much as a glance behind them.
Cheon Woojin watched their retreat with an expressionless gaze.
Then—
Swish.
He drew the pure-white Crane Feather Fan.
A gentle breeze stirred at its tip as he gave it a light flick.
At first, the wind was scarcely more powerful than the flutter of a butterfly's wings.
It drifted toward the fleeing men in black.
But as it traveled, it gradually gathered strength.
The gentle breeze swelled into a powerful current.
Then, at last, it became a fierce gale that shook the entire village.
Whoooosh!
A single strike.
That was all it took.
Blood.
Flesh.
Bone marrow.
And the terror of the men in black.
All of it was swept into Cheon Woojin's white gale and scattered through the air.
Thud. Thud-thud-thud.
Moments later, the remains that had been flung skyward began raining down upon the village.
Watching from a short distance away, Zhuge Lin and Hwang Byeok could only stare in a daze.
Hwang Byeok's legs trembled so violently that he could barely remain standing.
And there, beneath the crimson rain, stood Cheon Woojin.
Alone.
The pure-white Crane Feather Fan rested in his left hand, while the dark Crescent Moon Staff hung loosely at his side.
He looked like a demon who had just completed a massacre.
And at the same time, like a divine being who had descended to subdue a demon.
Hwang Byeok had witnessed all manner of horrors during his years in the Black Path.
Zhuge Lin, too, had confronted countless villains while carrying out missions for the Martial Alliance.
Yet neither had ever witnessed anything quite like this.
They knew with absolute certainty that they would remember this scene for the rest of their lives.
The sight before them had left an impression unlike anything they had ever experienced.
And at that moment, it was engraved indelibly into the deepest reaches of their hearts.