Chapter 8

Mountain Ghost.

He was said to be past forty, though little concrete information was known about him.

The fact that so little was known even at that age was surprising, yet it was the truth.

The reason his name belatedly became known was because of the incident involving the Namgung Clan.

At the time, for reasons unclear, he killed a Namgung martial artist in the middle of an operation.

And so, for the last half year he had been fleeing, evading the Namgung Clan’s pursuit to capture and execute him.

Black hair, a towering body over seven feet.

A scarred martial artist who wielded a great saber.

It matched the description of the Mountain Ghost.

“Hmmm.”

The man’s voice rang low within the cave.

The sound raised gooseflesh across my skin.

I glanced sideways.

A man was dead.

He had always mocked me, a senior who just last night had given me no end of grief—

‘Dead.’

His neck was cut, and he was dead.

It happened in an instant.

Gulp.

I swallowed dryly.

“Haaaah...”

The Mountain Ghost let out a quiet sigh.

Even that small act had my body reacting on its own.

“What’s all this, then... This wasn’t... this wasn’t part of the plan...”

The Mountain Ghost muttered with a languid expression, then took a single step forward.

Thump—

The moment he moved,

Clang! Shrring—!

Every agent drew their swords.

“Mountain Ghost... are you truly him?”

At the commander’s trembling voice, the man curled his lips into a grin.

The yellowed teeth he revealed, the squinting smile—just seeing them made my knees weak.

“Then who else would I be? Yes. I am the one you call Mountain Ghost.”

“E-everyone, battle—!”

The instant the Mountain Ghost affirmed it, the commander began to rally us.

Shhhiiing—!! That same sound as before echoed out.

Kwaang—!

“Urgh!”

A groan slipped from Yoo Hyungin’s mouth.

He had stepped in front of the commander, sword raised.

The Mountain Ghost had attacked—and he had blocked it.

I hadn’t even seen it.

In short, we were fucked.

‘...An opponent whose attacks I can’t even see.’

If that blow had been aimed at me, I’d have ended up like Dong Baekwoo just now, my head lopped off.

“For the Martial Alliance’s dogs to sniff this place out already... that changes things. How did you even know?”

Even facing our numbers, the Mountain Ghost remained at ease.

“Well, not that it matters... I’d have to dispose of you anyway.”

Ssshh.

He gripped his great saber as he said it.

“Haaah... huuuh...”

Yoo Hyungin’s breathing was ragged after blocking the strike, but he immediately stepped forward to take point.

“Commander. You must return and call for reinforcements.”

“What...?”

“If you don’t, everyone here will die...!”

“I—I understand.”

“Junior Bang! You too, hurry and—!”

As Hyungin barked, the commander answered with a trembling voice, and was about to call to me when—

“Oh-ho. You think I’ll just let you leave?”

“...!”

Thud—!

The Mountain Ghost leapt forward, closing in.

Yoo Hyungin swung his sword in haste to intercept the great saber. But—Kwaang!

“Ghh!”

He couldn’t block it completely; the shock drove him backward.

A gap opened.

The Mountain Ghost rushed straight at the commander.

“Eek!”

The commander frantically raised his sword to defend, but unlike Hyungin, he couldn’t withstand the saber’s swing.

“Guhk!”

Kwaaaang—! He barely avoided being cleaved, but was blasted far away, slammed into the cave wall.

“Cough!!”

Spewing blood, the commander collapsed.

The Mountain Ghost’s gaze turned back toward us.

“Let’s finish this quickly. It would be troublesome if it gets too noisy.”

His chilling eyes fixed on me.

‘F-fuck...’

I had to move—

Boom—!

“...!!”

Before I could even think, a blade was at my face. I hadn’t even managed to react.

“Urgh!”

The one who blocked the attack meant for me was—Yeon So Cheon.

He was straining with all his might to withstand the Mountain Ghost’s strike.

“What... are you doing...!”

Yeon So Cheon shouted desperately at me.

“Hurry...! Join in! This isn’t the time to hide anymore—!”

His urgent tone.

Hearing it, I realized.

He still believed I was concealing something.

“Hm?”

The Mountain Ghost studied Yeon So Cheon, then smirked.

“Ah, I see. You’re the one... the Cheon...”

Just as he spoke, Yoo Hyungin darted in with a sudden slash.

But the Mountain Ghost slipped aside with his footwork, evading.

And in doing so, he ended up blocking the cave entrance.

“Unexpected. To find two first-rates here... Then is it you?”

He jerked his chin toward Hyungin.

“Are you the one?”

“...What do you mean?”

Hyungin scowled.

At that, the Mountain Ghost tilted his head.

“No... judging by the feel of that trash, it’s not him...”

He glanced at the commander, crumpled against the wall.

Then his eyes came back to me.

“That one’s even more of trash.”

“...”

I grimaced at the sudden insult.

“No... it has to be you. Hm.”

He muttered as if baffled, eyes narrowing at me.

What the hell was he talking about?

Just as I wondered, Yeon So Cheon spoke in a taut voice.

“...These corpses. All your doing?”

“Mm?”

The Namgung corpses strewn across the cave floor.

Looking at them, Yeon continued.

“What in the world happened here? Why are the Namgung Clan’s martial artists lying here...?”

“Because... this is the place they were seeking. And also—”

Crack.

The Mountain Ghost loosened his shoulders, adding,

“What you are looking for is here as ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ well.”

“...!”

Yeon So Cheon’s eyes widened.

So the Namgung had come here searching for something—and this man had slaughtered them.

And what Yeon sought was here as well?

‘What is this?’

What exactly was it that he was seeking?

What could it be, to make him react like that?

But there was no time to think.

“Have I answered enough?”

The Mountain Ghost had no more words. He lunged again.

“Then you’ll die now.”

Fwoosh—! Wind burst as the saber swung.

Too fast.

Klang—! Hyungin parried again.

This time, he wasn’t forced back.

As he held, Yeon So Cheon charged in.

Each slash he swung left afterimages in the air.

Sword qi.

That must be sword qi.

Which meant—Yeon So Cheon was truly a first-rate martial artist.

‘I can’t follow it...’

The battle began, but my eyes couldn’t keep up.

They were simply too fast to see.

Klang—! Kang—! Grk—! Kwaang—!

Only sounds and sparks flashed in the darkness.

The furious exchange raged until—

Kwaang—!

“Ugh!”

With a heavy crash, Yeon So Cheon was flung back, barely landing.

I stared.

His once-neat uniform was shredded, his body covered in cuts.

Drip.

He wiped blood from his lips, then glared at me.

“What are you doing...?”

“...What?”

“Why aren’t you stepping in at a time like this...!”

“N-no, Agent Yeon, that’s not—”

At his accusatory words, I shut my mouth.

Because I had no strength.

That was what I wanted to say.

That it was his own fault for misunderstanding.

But I couldn’t open my lips, because Yeon So Cheon was still the one fighting.

When I stayed silent, his face twisted.

“...Tch.”

Clash—! Clash—!

Hyungin still battled the Mountain Ghost.

And if Yeon was pushed back like that, Hyungin couldn’t be in good shape either.

Watching them, Yeon So Cheon forced out words, his expression reluctant as if he’d rather die than say them.

“...Pungyeon. Aid me.”

A voice called someone forth.

Then—

Thud.

From the darkness, a figure appeared.

Dressed in black martial garb, face completely covered.

Even the clash up front stopped at the figure’s arrival.

“Yes, Young Master. I heed your command.”

The voice was male.

He walked calmly toward the Mountain Ghost and Hyungin.

“...Who is that...?”

I blurted in confusion, and Yeon So Cheon quickly added,

“You must have already realized... He is my bodyguard.”

‘Bodyguard?’

“Because Pungyeon is with me, I understand why you wouldn’t act. I suppose it couldn’t be helped.”

No—I had no idea he even had one!

Wait—

A bodyguard?

The moment I processed it, a chill ran down my spine.

Pungyeon was approaching steadily.

So—reinforcements.

Which meant he had been circling unseen all this time.

He must be strong. Strong enough to guard Yeon So Cheon.

Strong enough, perhaps, to even bring down the Mountain Ghost.

Which meant—we might live after all.

‘But something’s...’

Watching, unease welled in me.

My mind spun.

‘Yeon So Cheon’s purpose. A bodyguard. Namgung Clan. Mountain Ghost. This cave.’

Unrelated words began linking into threads.

“....”

And then—

Thud—!

When Pungyeon drew near, I suddenly shouted,

“Senior! Get back! That man—!”

Hyungin turned at my cry.

Shluk—!

“Ghh...!?”

But Pungyeon’s sword had already pierced him.

“...Pungyeon!?”

Yeon So Cheon screamed in shock.

“Khuhh... kuhk!”

Hyungin collapsed, blood spraying.

Pungyeon yanked his blade free, then kicked Hyungin’s body away.

Crack—!

Hyungin’s form tumbled helplessly across the ground.

“Senior...!”

I rushed to him.

“Senior! Stay with me!”

“...Kh... kuhuk!”

I pressed my hands against his wound.

Too much blood. I had to stem it first.

“Senior...!”

No response—only the gurgle of blood.

Shrring.

“How curious.”

A blade’s edge touched my throat.

“How did you know?”

Pungyeon’s voice came from behind me.

“Pungyeon! What the hell are you—!”

Yeon So Cheon’s voice was full of shock.

Fwoosh—!

“Grhhk!”

But the Mountain Ghost pressed him again before he could hear an answer.

The fight raged on.

“I truly am curious, Young Master. How did you know?”

“...”

That Pungyeon would attack Hyungin.

That he would betray us.

He demanded to know how.

Cold sweat poured down my face.

Should I tell him? I couldn’t buy much time.

“...The Mountain Ghost said it.”

I spoke while thinking furiously for a way to survive.

“All the information was in his words.”

“Hm?”

Pungyeon sounded puzzled, but it was true.

‘This wasn’t part of the plan.’

The Mountain Ghost’s words upon seeing us.

A plan.

His presence here was part of some plan.

‘That changes things. How did you know?’

His next words.

Which meant someone had informed him.

But the information was different.

Which meant he had only just heard about us.

Also—

‘Unexpected. Two first-rates. Then is it you?’

He was surprised by two, meaning he expected one.

He knew of Yeon So Cheon, but not the rest.

Which meant the information was incomplete.

And lastly—

‘What you are looking for is here.’

He said it with certainty.

Meaning he knew what Yeon So Cheon sought.

And judging by Yeon’s reaction, it was true.

So then—

‘The Mountain Ghost had partial knowledge of the Martial Alliance’s plan.’

But not complete knowledge. Meaning the informant had limited access.

Still, he had to be someone inside the Alliance.

He knew the movements of key figures.

He knew about Yeon So Cheon.

But he knew little about us.

‘If anything, the source had to be someone close to Yeon So Cheon.’

Which meant—

The betrayer was someone who knew Yeon So Cheon’s affairs intimately, while having incomplete access to other data.

Information even the commander didn’t know—only the branch leader would.

But if the branch leader were the traitor, he would have known more.

So exclude him.

Which leaves...

“Someone close to Yeon So Cheon. Someone who knew the Alliance’s affairs. Someone who couldn’t relay too often, and so sent only scraps...”

Bits and hints connected.

“...Your appearance only confirmed it.”

“Oh...”

Pungyeon gave a low sound of admiration.

“But you weren’t certain, were you?”

True.

I wasn’t certain.

It only lined up too neatly.

“...Still. There’s no harm in caution.”

Even if not certain, it was right to guard against risk.

“...Hahaha...”

Pungyeon chuckled.

“Well now.”

That laughter carried killing intent.

Cold sweat drenched me, dripping along my jaw.

The blade at my throat bit in, drawing a line of blood.

Then—

“Not good enough.”

Shing—! Slash—!

“Ghhh!”

Pain tore across my back as I rolled on the ground.

I’d been cut.

“Kh... urrgh...”

Agony blazed through me.

Heat flared like fire, stealing my breath.

Curling up, trembling, I saw Pungyeon tilt his head at me.

“Young Master Bang, you are far more troublesome than I thought. I’m glad I learned it now.”

Shrrip—! He flicked blood from his blade.

“I wasn’t certain either... but seeing this, I am now.”

His gaze held scorn.

“Young Master Bang. You’re weak, aren’t you?”

“...”

I glared at him through pain.

“Weak. Pathetically so...”

At those words I scowled hard.

“F... fuck... Why the hell is everyone losing their minds...”

When had I ever claimed to be strong?

It was their delusion, not mine.

‘Goddamn it... what a life...’

So I’m really about to die.

This is what comes of getting entangled in this kind of shit.

Always these martial world bastards.

“Hhh... hhh...”

Breath ragged. The pain was searing.

Thankfully, not a fatal blow. Pungyeon must have deliberately missed the vital spot.

“...Then it was coincidence that time... No. That presence, it was real...”

He muttered something, then shook his head.

“No matter. If you’re not worth noting, it doesn’t matter.”

His eyes emptied of interest, leaving only contempt.

Swish—!

Stab—!

“Gaaahhh!”

A dagger drove into my thigh.

The pain tore a scream out of me.

“Stay put. I have pressing matters. Better if you die alongside that vermin.”

With that, Pungyeon turned and walked away.

Toward Yeon So Cheon.

“Ghhnn...”

He’d left me unable to even run.

“...Fuck.”

A truly miserable situation.

I knew from the start today felt wrong—everything tangled up like this.

Am I really going to die here?

‘Die like this? In this pathetic state?’

After regaining my past-life memories, to just die like this?

I wanted to live differently this time.

Not die like this.

‘No way to... no way out?’

I tried to think, but nothing came.

That’s how dire it was.

Hyungin was barely clinging to life. Yeon So Cheon too.

All the other agents, save the commander, were dead.

‘Reinforcements...?’

I bit my lip.

How could reinforcements find us when they didn’t even know this cave’s location?

Even if they came, it would take days.

No hope.

As I watched Pungyeon approach Yeon So Cheon, just at that moment I was thinking that.

[Ta-daaa~]

“...!!”

A sound in my ear made me jolt.

I barely stopped myself from crying out.

I turned my head.

“Huh...?”

There stood a familiar face.

The one who’d dumped his nonsense on me last night and vanished—not a man, a ghost.

[Good to see you, young man.]

The hulking, blue-eyed old man.

He was watching me.