55 – 04# A Honeyed Mouth, A Dagger in the Belly (14)

The blood trickling from the severed arm finally ceased. Only then did I cast aside the assassin’s limb, still clutching his hidden blade, to the ground. My head throbbed, clouded with confusion.

The liberated memories of the Sword Demon mingled with my own, stirring no small amount of turmoil. At first, I’d believed it was merely inheriting the internal energy of the old man, the Sword Demon.

But that wasn’t the end of it. The Sword Demon, in his own way, seemed to have an ulterior motive. Could it be that the reason he saved me, a mere babe, was planned from the very start?

Yet, much of it simply didn’t add up. I distinctly recall the old man advising me to walk the righteous path, teachings that still resonated within me.

Of course, he hadn’t taught me systematic etiquette or scholarly pursuits like the orthodox martial artists. Still, I was, at the very least, instructed not to commit evil deeds. And yet…

Why, at this late hour, was he suddenly baring his fangs?

Though considerably bewildered, I calmly assessed the situation. I didn’t know the Sword Demon’s exact intentions, but the fact remained that his memories were encroaching.

Indeed, while fighting the Namgung Clan assassin, a portion of the Sword Demon’s memories were unleashed, granting me power closer to that of the Sword Demon himself. But the side effects were certainly not insignificant.

“…Right now, I am certain that I am myself. But if I continue to use the Sword Demon’s internal energy and memories, will I still be able to confidently say the same?”

Regrettably, I couldn’t dare give a definitive answer to that question. Yet, to not use this potent power would be a clear loss. The Sword Demon’s strength was undeniably overwhelming.

Proof of this was evident during the fight with the assassin. Initially, I was pushed back, but as the Sword Demon’s memories were partially released, I completely dominated him. Though I failed to kill him in the end.

‘The same sword, in the hands of a murderer, becomes a vile weapon of destruction. Conversely, in the hands of a soldier, it becomes a guardian of the Emperor’s law.’

Even if I wanted to extract the Sword Demon’s memories, there was no way to do so in the present. Therefore, I had no choice but to use this power while searching for a solution.

Of course, I wasn’t exactly pleased to be utilizing this power. But right now, I had no choice but to confront the Demonic Cult. In any case, we had already become enemies.

They wouldn’t stop until they killed me. Consequently, I couldn’t stop until I completely eradicated the Demonic Cult. And naturally, I would need power to do so.

‘Facing the assassin this time, I realized that I desperately needed power more than anything else.’

The assassin was a martial artist of a different caliber than anyone I’d faced thus far. For instance, with Mo Yonggang, the Clan Head of the Mo Yong Clan, it felt like a clash of full strength against full strength.

In contrast, the assassin seemed to fundamentally prevent me from exerting my full strength. As a result, I couldn’t use stances like the Mount Tai Press or Sweeping a Thousand Armies, and was forced to retreat.

And the reason that was possible was likely because the assassin had reached the Transformation Realm. Meaning that, as I was only at the Peak of Transcendence, I had no choice but to be pushed back by the assassin.

‘But after regaining even a little bit of the Sword Demon’s memories, things changed.’

To be precise, it felt like the Sword Demon’s memories were controlling my body. Either way, there was no denying that the Sword Demon’s memories were far stronger than I was now. I let out a sigh.

Of course, I had no intention of constantly relying on the Sword Demon’s memories. Someday, I would have to be able to defeat experts like that assassin with my own strength. Only then would I be able to prevail against the Demonic Cult.

“Great Hero! Are you alright?!”

“We didn’t expect the Great Hero to be here.”

“…Why are you all coming out from over there?”

Blast, I didn’t mean to.

Despite the familiar faces emerging from beneath the collapsed building, a sharp tone escaped my lips without conscious thought. The two young men visibly startled because of it.

It seemed the memories of the Demon Sword were still exerting their influence. I cleared my throat, attempting to diffuse the tension. The fighting was over. There was no need for such sensitivity.

“It’s nothing. More importantly, what business brought you here?”

“Truthfully, we were imprisoned as soon as we arrived.”

“A man called Dark Sword tried to kill us.”

“H-hey, friend. Even so, you can’t just blurt things like that…”

“Is it not the truth?”

I see, the picture forming roughly in my mind. That Dark Sword fellow was attempting to pin all the blame on the Demon Sword, then use that as justification to start a war with the Demonic Cult.

Naturally, any living witnesses would only be a hindrance in that process. That’s why Dark Sword was trying to eliminate them himself. I simply arrived beforehand.

“Then, we should return to the Moyong Clan first…”

“Grand Hero? Are you alright?”

“Blood from the mouth…!”

“Oh, dear.”

I frowned. Accompanied by a pain as if hundreds of needles were piercing my organs, crimson blood flowed from my lips. But this wasn’t internal damage sustained from the fight with Dark Sword.

Instinctively, I realized.

This was internal damage gained from the Demon Sword’s violent fighting style.

But the moment I grasped that, my consciousness began to fade.

◇

Luckily, thanks to Ma Gang and Go Gyeom, Mu-myeong was spared the fate of collapsing on the ground, exposed to the drizzling rain. They immediately moved him to the Moyong Clan.

When Mu-myeong returned, unconscious and carried on Ma Gang’s back, it was Soo-ah and Seol-hwa who were most distraught. They had personally witnessed their master’s overwhelming power.

Especially Soo-ah, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she understood her master’s greatness and strength far better than Seol-hwa. Therefore, for their master to suffer internal injuries at the hands of another martial artist?

‘Such a sight is unimaginable. There must be another reason.’

‘There’s no way Master would be injured by someone else.’

However, everyone else besides Soo-ah and Seol-hwa couldn’t help but assume the injuries came from the fight with Dark Sword. After all, Dark Sword of the Namgung Clan was a renowned master himself.

“Dark Sword of the Namgung Clan… is that not the ultimate master of the Namgung Clan, who survived the Demon Sword War?”

“It seems the blade of resentment, sharpened for decades, has finally reached Grand Hero Demon Sword.”

“Grand Hero Demon Sword must have suffered severe internal injuries from the Demon Sword War. Add to that the passage of time… it’s not entirely incomprehensible that he’d be injured by Dark Sword.”

‘Hey, I’m only thirty, you b*stards.’

The way they so naturally treated him like a doddering old man finally roused Mu-myeong from his stupor. Not that the internal injuries were that severe, to begin with.

If I had to put it into words, it felt like my body couldn’t keep pace with my memories. That gap overloaded my system, and I suspect it caused some internal damage.

When I regained consciousness, I was in the residence prepared for the Moyong Clan. It was originally a space set aside for talks with the Namgung Clan, but sadly, those talks fell through.

“I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I apologize, Clan Leader.”

“It’s quite alright. We wouldn’t even consider joining hands with the Namgung Clan if it meant antagonizing you, Grand Protector.”

“Thank you. I appreciate you keeping your word.”

“You are our clan’s savior. How could we not offer you even this much?”

Moyong Hyun waved his hands dismissively, stopping me as I lowered my head in gratitude. If not for me, the Moyong Clan would likely be in the clutches of the Demonic Sect by now.

*’We were saved by you, Grand Protector, not just in life, but even the clan itself. So, the Moyong Clan will walk this path with you until the end, upholding our loyalty. However, there is one thing that worries me…’*

“Master!”

My disciples came running the moment they heard I had awakened. Among them was Suyeah, Moyong Hyun’s younger sister. She threw herself at me.

“Master! Are you alright?!”

“I am fine. But a young lady your age shouldn’t be throwing herself into someone’s arms so easily.”

“It’s alright if it’s you, Master.”

“That girl.”

*’…Could it be that Suyeah harbors feelings for the Grand Protector?’*

It’s good that she respects him, but her actions feel too emotionally charged. Moyong Hyun carried this concern for a brief moment, but quickly dismissed it.

Looking back, she was raised without the love of her parents, unlike others her age. That must be why she trusts and relies on the Grand Protector like a parent.

*’Perhaps we should be thanking the Grand Protector for this. It is almost as if he is looking after Suyeah in our place.’*

And even if Suyeah secretly harbored affections, he is confident that the Grand Protector would set things right. However, I was preoccupied with other thoughts.

“What happened with the talks with the Sado Alliance?”

“Ah. U-um… They ended reasonably well.”

“Aside from the Moyong Clan and the Sado Alliance, are there others in the Murim world who will stand against the Demonic Sect?”

“Though not many, there are some who are willing.”

I nodded at Moyong Hyun’s words. We must unite all forces that oppose the Demonic Sect. And, at the same time, I need to find a way to control these memories.

The road ahead is long and treacherous.