FWAAAAAAA.

A crushing pressure spread through the entire medical unit.

At that dizzying pressure, the people nearby swallowed their breaths for a moment.

‘Ghk!’

My body trembled under it. And because of that, the pain flared even harder.

Wow. I’m fucked.

I grabbed my shoulder as it felt like my mind might go blank.

“...Huh?”

The most flustered one here was Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin. The instant that massive pressure poured straight at him, his eyes shook.

But that wasn’t even the only problem.

“What did you just say?”

The Silk King was already moving.

In the blink of an eye he was right in front of Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin, reaching out a hand.

Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin moved his own hand immediately.

He moved fast, trying to respond somehow—

GRAB—!

But the Silk King’s hand had already been gripping his flailing wrist for a while now.

‘Fast.’

Fast and strong. A being called an absolute master seized Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin—who had a Heaven-Martial Body—like it was nothing.

“Right now. I asked what you said. How dare you.”

The atmosphere just kept getting worse. It really felt like something was about to explode. I tried to say something in the middle of this terrifying mess—

“...Father...!”

Murong Yeongsun shouted. And the Silk King’s hand went rigid like stone.

“There are people everywhere. Don’t.”

Murong Yeongsun said it to him with roughened breathing, and the Silk King glanced at her.

His eyes were still cold, but the pressure he’d been pouring out instantly subsided.

“I’m sorry.”

A flat voice that didn’t sound sorry at all. But I knew.

That apology from the Silk King was sincere.

As the pressure died down, the battle aura that had filled the medical unit vanished. And as the Silk King released Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin’s wrist—

“Haa—!”

Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin exhaled the breath he’d been holding back. His face was drenched in cold sweat.

“Ahahahaha!! Well now.”

Whether he understood he’d almost died or not, Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin kept laughing.

“I didn’t expect to meet someone so precious in a place like this.”

He formed a fists-and-palms salute with both hands and bowed his head to the Silk King.

“I am Peng Dojun of the Peng Clan. I greet the great Silk King.”

Clean. No wasted movement. It was almost surprising, considering how much he usually acted like a thug—

“Since we’ve met, please give me your daughter.”

Predictable, but yeah. That bastard really was insane.

‘Wow.’

I never imagined he’d spit out something like that right to the man’s face.

“......”

The Silk King’s face froze. He looked like he didn’t even understand what he’d just heard.

And even—

“...What the hell is that lunatic saying?”

Murong Yeongsun’s reaction was the same. Her expression was a masterpiece.

“What did that guy just say?”

“...You heard it.”

There was no way Murong Yeongsun—with ears that sharp—hadn’t heard him. Asking me again didn’t change anything.

“...You.”

“At my level, it wouldn’t be a problem for you to give me your precious daughter. I’m going to become the strongest under heaven.”

“......”

“I know well that Young Lady Murong is a woman precious beyond measure. Then isn’t it right that a man worthy of her should take her?”

Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin spoke while looking my way.

What? Why are you looking at me?

Our gazes met, and the instant I showed a sour expression—

“Hm?”

Murong Yeongsun looked back and forth between me and Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin.

Then, a moment later, her eyes widened.

“Ah. That man... he’s Peng Dojun, isn’t he?”

“You didn’t know?”

“I don’t really care about other people, so I didn’t recognize him.”

“......”

She said it proudly. It was a guy so distinctive you’d think it’d be weirder not to remember him.

But Murong Yeongsun hadn’t even remembered him at all.

‘Then why is he acting like that?’

Even so, Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin couldn’t take his eyes off Murong Yeongsun.

And the way he kept glancing at me too was pissing me off, when—

“Blade Absolute doesn’t seem very passionate about teaching his kid manners.”

The Silk King’s chilling voice came out.

Blade Absolute Peng Wooseong.

That was the current Clan Head of the Hebei Peng Clan.

“To be arrogant enough to crawl out like this in front of me. Ridiculous.”

Even while mentioning Blade Absolute Peng Wooseong—an absolute master himself—he didn’t show a hint of caution.

If you remembered who the Silk King was, it made sense.

“Should I correct his habits?”

It was a voice that made the Silk King’s anger unmistakable.

But—

“If you grant me instruction, I’ll carve it into myself deeply.”

Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin smiled brightly, like he wasn’t afraid at all.

He was insane.

‘He’s actually insane.’

It was like a huge blade was pressed right to his throat.

And yet he was still acting that brazen, it was almost unbelievable—

And even more unbelievable because—

‘That method might actually work.’

“Ha.”

The Silk King let out a hollow laugh.

“I’ll let it go once, seeing your spirit.”

And just like I expected, he cooled the emotion he’d been showing toward Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin.

It had always been like that.

‘That man is surprisingly generous toward people with strong presence.’

The Silk King liked bold types.

Even though his own temperament wasn’t like that at all.

And I already knew this because I’d lived through it once.

‘No.’

‘If you won’t do it, I’ll kill you.’

‘Kill me. I still won’t do it.’

‘Ha.’

“......”

A not-so-great old conversation flashed through my mind. I forced it away and watched the situation.

“...Mm....”

Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin looked almost disappointed that the pressure had eased.

Was something in his brain genuinely broken? He was disappointed by that?

“However.”

The Silk King spoke while looking at him.

“There won’t be a second time, that brat.”

CREEEAK...

“Ghh...!”

A presence beyond comparison with a moment ago erupted from the Silk King.

The energy of an absolute master. {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Enough pressure to make the whole medical unit shudder.

“Don’t drag my daughter into your mouth. I’ll wipe out the Peng Clan with you.”

“Kh....”

Even after he spoke the Peng Clan’s name, there wasn’t the slightest hesitation.

Rough, blind emotion in his tone. The Silk King’s eyes were more terrifying than anything.

Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin, taking that pressure head-on, opened his mouth with a face full of bulging veins.

“...I... understand.”

“......”

FWOOOOSH—.

Only after hearing the answer did the Silk King finally kill his presence.

“Cough—!”

Peng Dojun dropped to one knee.

And—

TRICKLE—.

Blood ran from the upper body of the collapsed man. Looks like the wound the Poison Dragon gave him had torn open.

“Ahahahaha.”

Even though pain had to be hitting him, Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin laughed.

Now it wasn’t even fear. I didn’t know what to call what I felt.

‘That guy’s a monster....’

I reminded myself again: I never wanted to get tangled up with that bastard.

‘Haa.’

I sighed and shook my head, and then—

“Hmph.”

Murong Yeongsun made a nasal sound and moved.

Wait.

“Hold on.”

That sound. A bad feeling crawled up my spine. Whenever Yeongsun looked like that, she usually caused some truly awful incident.

“Wai— agh!”

I tried to grab her, but a spike of agony tore through me.

Ah, goddamn it, a flare-up now?

While I clutched my chest and wheezed, Murong Yeongsun reached Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin, still on one knee.

“Young Lord Peng.”

“...Oh!”

Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin’s eyes widened when he saw Murong Yeongsun in front of him.

“It’s been a long time, pretty— no, Young Lady Murong.”

Maybe because he’d just been scolded, he at least fixed the way he addressed her.

“You’re still beautiful.”

“Me? I always am. But listen.”

Murong Yeongsun smiled as she met his eyes.

“Young Lord, do you like me?”

“I do. While we’re at it, what do you think about an engagement?”

“...Uh.”

I froze for a beat at how fast he said it.

But Murong Yeongsun recovered her expression quickly.

“By any chance, were you like this back then too?”

“Oh, you remember? Yes. I said it like this then, too.”

“Ahh... right. That’s right.”

Liar. That face says she doesn’t remember.

“Back then, how did I reject you?”

She sounded certain she’d rejected him.

“Did you say you hated me because I was stupid?”

“...Ah....”

Murong Yeongsun nodded at Peng Dojun’s words, looking satisfied.

“It was a bit harsh.”

“It’s fine. You can’t usually recognize a man’s true worth right away.”

“...S-sure.”

She was losing interest in real time.

Was that okay?

Just as I started to worry—

“Fine. An engagement.”

“...!”

“Huh?”

“Oh?”

At Murong Yeongsun’s words, three people reacted at once.

The Silk King froze with his mouth slightly open.

I frowned like I’d misheard.

And Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin stared at Murong Yeongsun with bright eyes.

“Engagement. I’ll think about it. But there’s one condition.”

“Oh, what is it? I’ll grant you anything.”

In response to Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin’s words, Murong Yeongsun pointed somewhere with her fingertip.

Me.

“Beat that guy and come back.”

“......”

I dragged a hand up my face.

‘That little—’

Just like my bad feeling said, something fucked up happened.

“That’s my condition.”

Murong Yeongsun said it with a bright smile.

“Mm.”

Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin looked at me, his smile disappearing for a moment.

Then—

Grin.

With a smile far worse than the one he’d been wearing before, he said,

“Not hard.”

“......”

Looking at that smile, I remembered it again.

I’m fucked.

*****

Right after the situation blew up.

Murong Yeongsun dragged her stiff, frozen father out of the medical unit.

After that, Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin vanished after tossing me a “look forward to it,” and I pulled the stunned Poison Dragon along and came outside too.

“Ugh.”

I stepped out, still in pain.

I’m going to die. Seriously.

With my body such a mess, I wanted to lie down a little longer, but I couldn’t. That was the tragedy.

‘How the hell was I supposed to stay in that atmosphere?’

The storm the Silk King and Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin had created.

I had zero confidence I could handle being left alone inside it.

So I had no choice but to walk out, body throbbing.

‘Why did the Silk King really come?’

Murong Yeongsun came with him, and he said he followed my father.

It was a meeting that came out of nowhere.

‘What the hell has my father been doing?’

What did you even do to make the Silk King leave his territory in Liaoning and come all the way to Henan?

And Murong Yeongsun wasn’t even attending the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.

‘I really need to run away fast.’

If I stayed under that man, I couldn’t even guess what kind of disaster I’d get dragged into.

As that urge to bolt as soon as possible swelled bigger—

“...Are you really okay?”

The Poison Dragon spoke to me from behind.

“Okay with what?”

“Your body. You’re not well—are you sure you should be moving?”

“...What?”

I looked at the Poison Dragon like he was disgusting.

“Why are you suddenly worried when it doesn’t suit you?”

“Yes?”

“Ah. It’s that, isn’t it.”

I knew immediately.

“Myriad-Flowers Rain. You can use that now, so you’re thinking if you suck up I’ll teach you more, right? Not a chance. Even if you do that, I—”

“...Myriad-Flowers Rain?”

“Hm?”

“Did I use Myriad-Flowers Rain?”

“......”

“...?”

Something was off.

“Hey.”

“Yes.”

“You don’t remember?”

“...What?”

Ah. So that’s it. He didn’t remember.

Yoo Cheongil said he’d entered Selfless Trance, so—

It looked like he didn’t remember what he’d done in the tournament at all.

“...Mm. Never mind.”

I turned my head, thinking it’d be better not to tell him.

“No! Wait—are you saying I used Myriad-Flowers Rain?!”

The Poison Dragon grabbed me urgently.

“Hey—let go! I don’t know either! Remember it later yourself!”

“No—!”

I shook him off and walked quickly toward the tournament stage.

I needed to get away from him—and even besides that—

‘There’s something I need to see.’

There was a match I had to see.

‘It better not be too late.’

I didn’t know it would end up like this.

But I had to see it no matter what.

Because—

‘This one is Baek Cheonin’s match.’

Baek Cheonin, who’d beaten the Moon Dancer, still had a match left.

And his opponent was—

‘Cheon Eujin.’

Cheon Eujin. The Moon Dancer’s younger brother.

With that in mind, I kept walking and walking.

By the time I got there, I could finally see that the match was still in progress.

And then—

FWOOSH—!!

A sharp sound rang by my ear.

“Huh?” 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

And the sight that followed—

TRICKLE—.

“Cough...!”

Cheon Eujin, bleeding with a sword stabbed into his stomach.

And—

“......”

Baek Cheonin, staring down at Cheon Eujin with a savage expression for some reason.