"It was a fine sword indeed."
Dan Sahyeok took a light sip from a steaming cup of tea in a tower somewhere within Yellow Dragon Fortress, then continued.
"The Blazing New Moon, was it? A remarkable sword. It absorbed the lion's share of the blow its master should have taken, right to the very end. In the end, it sacrificed itself to save him."
"You give me the creeps."
O Duseok, seated across from him, wrinkled his brow.
He had not touched his tea.
He had always preferred camel's milk to tea, and liquor to camel's milk.
"Are you planning to start a war with the Namgung Clan? No--at this rate, you might end up making an enemy of the entire Martial Alliance!"
"That will not happen."
"How can you be so sure? Because you are too strong?"
"Because if they were going to fight, they would have swarmed in by now."
"......Hmph!"
"Well, the reason you mentioned is not wrong either."
"Tch. Insufferable brat."
O Duseok grumbled, and Dan Sahyeok let out a quiet laugh.
"More importantly, have you given it any thought?"
"Given what any thought?"
"You know what I am talking about."
"......I have not decided yet."
O Duseok folded his arms and leaned back.
"The easy thing would be to stay here and pick up whatever crumbs you throw my way, but...... I am a Martial Alliance warrior. I have no intention of abandoning the duty I was given."
"The source of that duty--the Blood Sky Demon--is dead."
"The Blood Sky Sect still remains. The Wild Wind Temple they allied with, the jackals who smelled the rot and flocked to join them--they are everywhere."
O Duseok spoke with the utmost gravity.
"Our war is not over yet. I will not abandon it."
"That sounds just like you, Branch Commander."
"Tch. Complimenting me with one side of your mouth and mocking me with the other. Damn brat. Then and now, there is not an ounce of charm to be found in you."
"I meant it as genuine respect."
"Respect, my foot. You, respecting me? A passing dog would laugh."
"Heh heh."
Dan Sahyeok let out a wry chuckle.
O Duseok eyed him with displeasure, then tossed out a remark as if in passing.
"I will talk to the men below."
"Hm?"
"I mean I will ask those people back at the branch whether they would be willing to come here and help you."
"Hmm."
"There is at least a cartload of fools who look up to you, so there should be a decent number who would quit the Martial Alliance and head for Xi'an."
"Are you certain about that, Branch Commander? The more warriors who leave, the weaker the branch becomes."
"And you knew that when you quit the Martial Alliance and left?"
"I took out the Blood Sky Demon in exchange."
"Tch."
O Duseok clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Every word out of Dan Sahyeok's mouth was right, which left him nothing to rebut. All he could do was screw up his face and grumble.
The sight of the burly, dark-skinned man sulking drew nothing but a quiet laugh from Dan Sahyeok.
Their bond, which at first glance might appear ill-fated, was woven together in just that fashion.
"At any rate, I really am getting this damn fortress."
"Mm."
"The Martial Emperor Hall got blown clean off, but...... well, as massive as it was, it is just one of the many halls in Yellow Dragon Fortress."
"Indeed."
"So what do you plan to do? Really throw everyone out?"
"The Martial Alliance has served its purpose. It is time to bring things to a close."
"Hmph...... and after that? What will you do with an empty fortress?"
"Anything, would you not say? This is Yellow Dragon Fortress, after all."
Xi'an--the provincial capital of Shaanxi and one of the three great ancient capitals of the Central Plains.
In other words, one of the most populous cities in all the land.
Yellow Dragon Fortress sat in the heart of that Xi'an, on what could only be called prime ground.
An estate the size of a palace, plain and simple. If one wished to put it to use, the possibilities were endless.
"If it were me, I would just sell it to some rich man for a fortune."
"That is what you would do, Branch Commander."
"I am hardly the only one who would think that. Have you even taken a look around this place? Do you have any idea how enormous this damn fortress is?"
"I surveyed the grounds on my very first day here."
"It is absurdly huge."
"Absurdly huge it is."
"Monster or not, can you really inspect and manage every inch of this vast place by yourself?"
"That is precisely why I intend to employ people. People like the Branch Commander."
"I told you, I have no interest in helping you."
"Then there is nothing I can do."
Dan Sahyeok answered placidly and sipped his tea.
His lukewarm attitude left O Duseok nothing but exasperated.
"This is why I cannot stand you."
"I do not mind the Branch Commander at all."
"Shut it! Bah, at any rate, I will be heading back soon, so take note."
"Safe travels, Branch Commander. It was good to see you again."
"Hmph!"
O Duseok flicked his sleeves and departed the tower.
Dan Sahyeok was slowly finishing his remaining tea when another man shuffled hesitantly toward the base of the tower.
"Sir, it is me, Jang Ucheol."
"I know."
Setting down his cup, Dan Sahyeok peered over the railing at Jang Ucheol below.
"The errand?"
"Done, of course. I hired a skilled cook."
"Good work."
"Um, but...... is what everyone is whispering about true?"
"It is."
Dan Sahyeok did not even ask what he meant.
He simply affirmed it without a trace of emotion.
Jang Ucheol's face went visibly pale.
"Th-then you really did beat the Namgung patriarch--"
"Hero Dan Sahyeok, are you there, sir!"
A booming shout erupted from out of nowhere.
In an instant, a mob of several dozen swarmed in and encircled the tower.
"Wh-wh-what the?"
"Out of the way!"
They tried to shove Jang Ucheol aside, but he braced himself and did not budge.
"Who do you people think you are, barging in and disturbing my sworn brother's rest!"
What had started as mere happenstance had become genuine devotion; ever since Dan Sahyeok had saved his life, he had come to serve the man as his elder brother in earnest.
Dan Sahyeok himself seemed indifferent to the whole arrangement.
At any rate, Jang Ucheol's menacing stance did cause the uninvited guests to soften their approach somewhat.
"We have come only to speak with Hero Dan Sahyeok, the Lord of Yellow Dragon Fortress."
"Speak? What kind of speaking? And what kind of people come to speak and make this kind of racket?"
"That is enough. Let them talk."
The voice came from above.
Jang Ucheol clicked his tongue and stepped aside. The ringleader scrambled to the foot of the stairs and bent low in greeting.
"I am Gwak Doyeong of the Yichang Sect in Hubei. In certain circles, I am known by the epithet Thunder God Single Sword."
"Hmph, what a needlessly flashy epithet."
Jang Ucheol muttered under his breath.
He had lowered his voice, but there was no chance it went unheard.
Gwak Doyeong made a pointed effort to ignore it and pressed on.
"The crushing blow Hero Dan Sahyeok dealt to the Martial Alliance's entrenched old guard! I was deeply moved. On behalf of all the rising forces of the martial world, I offer my gratitude."
"As if he can represent everyone."
"......"
"Ahem."
"......Furthermore, I have come with my comrades to lend our aid to the new Martial Alliance that you, Hero Dan, intend to lead."
"We will devote ourselves body and soul! Please take us in!"
"Please take us in!"
Their shouts rang loud and clear.
Dan Sahyeok merely tipped his cup, paying them no mind.
Having already finished his own tea, he was savoring the cup O Duseok had left behind.
His attitude made it plain that Gwak Doyeong's words held no interest for him.
"Hero Dan Sahyeok?"
"There seems to be a misunderstanding."
Jang Ucheol stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Gwak Doyeong.
"Who told you that?"
"......Told me what?"
"Who said my sworn brother was going to create some new Martial Alliance or whatever?"
"And who might you be, asking such a question?"
"Jang Ucheol, Second-Class Warrior assigned to the Martial Alliance headquarters."
At Jang Ucheol's introduction, Gwak Doyeong's face contorted in an instant.
"Our Yichang Sect ranks among the Martial Alliance's Top Twenty, yet a mere Second-Class Warrior dares stand in the way?"
"Who barged in and disturbed my sworn brother first?"
Jang Ucheol claimed his place as Dan Sahyeok's brother without hesitation.
Since Dan Sahyeok himself said nothing to the contrary, Gwak Doyeong found it difficult to push back.
"......I came only because I heard Hero Dan Sahyeok intends to establish a new order within the Martial Alliance."
"You are not here to help. You are here to scavenge for scraps."
"Wh-what did you say?"
"Have you even seen the proclamation my sworn brother posted?"
"That eviction notice, you mean?"
"That is right. And do you know what it means?"
"......"
"It means clear out while you still have the chance!"
Jang Ucheol lifted his chin.
"And it has been nearly ten days since those notices went up. Has the Yichang Sect, one of the Martial Alliance's Top Twenty, finished packing?"
"W-we intend to support Hero Dan Sahyeok, and therefore--"
"Is that so, sir? What should we do?"
Jang Ucheol called up toward the tower.
Before long, a quiet voice drifted down.
"The eviction will proceed as planned. For sects and clans formerly affiliated with the Martial Alliance, there will be no exceptions."
"Please take us in, Hero Dan!"
Gwak Doyeong cried.
"If you do not, you will come to regret it!"
"What, are you going to charge at him like the Namgung patriarch?"
Jang Ucheol needled him to the last.
Gwak Doyeong's face turned scarlet with the urge to strike him, but he barely held himself in check.
He gathered himself and looked up at the tower once more--
"Gah!"
Dan Sahyeok, who had come down at some point, was standing right in front of him.
"S-sir!"
Jang Ucheol, too, was clearly startled.
Not a single person among them had registered even a hint of Dan Sahyeok's movement.
"I said there will be no exceptions."
Dan Sahyeok spoke.
"There will be no new Martial Alliance. Every sect and clan in this fortress will leave."
"H-Hero Dan!"
"You said you wished to help me?"
"Y-yes......"
Gwak Doyeong answered, privately hopeful.
Dan Sahyeok addressed him with quiet composure.
"Not making a fuss and leaving on time--that is helping."
"......!"
"I appreciate your cooperation. Forced eviction procedures will begin in two days, so please be out before then."
"Hero Dan!"
Gwak Doyeong shouted, but Dan Sahyeok ignored him and walked away.
Jang Ucheol considered tormenting them a bit more but stopped when he saw their faces turning a sickly blue.
At this rate, swords really would come out.
"S-sir!"
He scrambled to catch up, and Dan Sahyeok tossed out a single remark.
"Let me meet the cook now."
"Pardon?"
"The cook you hired. I need to see if the cooking is any good."
"Oh."
"It took you days to find someone, so the skill had better be solid."
The duel between Namgung Un and Dan Sahyeok had been several days ago.
In truth, Jang Ucheol had secured a cook almost immediately after, but reaching Dan Sahyeok had taken more time.
The aftershock from their battle had been that immense.
'And yet all he cares about is the cook's skill.'
Whether to call that impressive or oblivious......
Probably both, Jang Ucheol decided privately.