SWISH.

A flash burst, and the sound followed right after.

A moment of light and sound. And then.

TAP—!

Someone’s head hit the floor, rolled across it in a lazy tumble, and the body that had lost it sagged and collapsed.

DRIP.

Blood spilled from the neck-stump. The slow flow soaked into the lifeless white robe.

“What—!!!”

The reaction came a beat late.

SSSHK— SHK—!!

Swords came free on all sides, their points snapping toward a single target.

The blades were aimed at the White King of the Murong Clan, one of the Five Kings Under Heaven.

“White King! What the hell is this—!”

“Don’t tell me even the Murong Clan Head was a spy from the unorthodox factions?!”

“The Nine Dragons Commander... in one sword....”

Not just the commanders nearby—Martial Alliance warriors, too, raised their stances.

As if they were about to clash with the White King at any second.

And in the middle of all that, the White King slid his sword back at his waist and looked only at me.

Not a sliver of hesitation. The moment I mentioned a wish, the White King killed a man with his sword.

I swallowed hard.

‘...You actually did it.’

Honestly, I’d only been half sure.

So for him to come out like this—yeah. I couldn’t help being shocked.

‘Remember this.’

A conversation with the White King from a few years back.

‘As you wish, what you did for me will be kept secret. But that alone can’t possibly express my gratitude.’

It was around the time I’d handled an incident connected to Murong Yeongsun.

I’d nearly died. And the only people who knew the truth of it were the White King and me.

‘But letting it end there is out of the question. You won’t want help for the clan itself, so....’

Back then, the White King raised three fingers and spoke to me.

‘From this day forward, I will grant you three wishes.’

‘Wishes...?’

Lying in bed, wheezing like I was on my last legs, I still remember it clearly.

‘Yes. Wishes. No matter what you desire, I will stake my name, my honor, and my daughter—then fulfill it without fail.’

‘...Ha.’

It was so absurd I almost laughed.

‘And how do you know what I’m going to wish for?’

Did this man not know what fear was? How could he say he’d grant a wish no matter what it was?

Forget it. I don’t need that.

That was what I wanted to say.

But.

‘Who knows. I don’t know what you’ll wish for...’

The White King cut me off, firm as a nail.

‘It doesn’t matter. Whatever it is, I will grant it.’

“...”

That steady, heavy certainty crushed the words right out of my throat.

Still, a gift is a gift.

So I used one wish right then and there.

If I ever disappeared, I wanted him to help—so that Murong Yeongsun would never know.

And because he granted that, I’d been able to come to Henan without trouble.

“...I should’ve wished for Murong Yeongsun to never be able to come to me.”

I’d phrased it wrong, and it twisted things up.

Not that it mattered right now.

‘...Whew....’

I stared at the commander’s corpse on the floor and wiped cold sweat away.

No matter how much it had been a surprise strike, the man had been an absolute master.

A monster well past pinnacle.

And the White King had taken his head with a single sword.

So yeah.

The title “Five Kings Under ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) Heaven” wasn’t for show.

“White King...!”

“Say something!!”

“......”

Not a word.

As if proving the promise between us was real, the White King obeyed me—no matter what the situation was.

“...Goddamn it....”

The warriors finally snapped, unable to stomach the White King’s silence, and started to surround Thousand-Mile True Sight, ready to break into a fight with the White King—

“Enough—!!!”

Thousand-Mile True Sight seized the room with a shout.

There wasn’t a trace of inner power in it, but an enormous voice burst out of his dry body.

“Stop. All of you.”

“S, Strategist... but...”

While the warriors hesitated, Thousand-Mile True Sight turned his eyes on me.

It was chilling. The instant our gazes met, a sharp shiver ran up my spine.

That man had almost no inner power?

“Explain yourself. In detail.”

I steadied my breathing inside.

This was the moment that mattered.

I’d done this because I knew he’d react like this. If it was Thousand-Mile True Sight, he’d try to understand the question first—before he decided to execute me and the White King.

Just like I’d expected, he stared at me like he was drilling through my skull.

“I don’t know why the White King listened to you. And this isn’t the time to pick that apart. But the situation in front of us must be explained properly. What was your intent? Why did you have a commander killed?”

“If I say I didn’t kill him, you won’t let it go, right?”

“I’m not in the mood for wordplay.”

Of course not.

And neither was I.

This was just buying time.

A single breath.

That was all I needed.

“As I told you before—on my master’s word, I’ve already been investigating HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE and DEMON CULT.”

“......”

No answer. Keep talking.

“In the process, the internal art my master passed down helped.”

“Helped? You mean the Blue Moon Heart Art.”

“Yes, but... what I learned isn’t a simple Blue Moon Heart Art.”

At that, Do Hyeong and Cheon Eujin reacted—just slightly.

“What I have is a martial art altered by my master. Sword Saint Yoo Cheongil.”

“...Altered?”

“Yes. A completely different power—carrying the will and conviction he meant to pursue.”

SHK.

I drew my sword.

The pressure of the room swung toward me instantly.

Thousand-Mile True Sight raised a hand and stopped them.

SSSS.

I let my energy flow and unfolded Radiant Moon Annihilation-Overturn.

As sword force brightened, everyone’s eyes locked onto it.

“This is sword force that can’t come from the internal art taught in the Blue Moon Sect. The same goes for the martial arts I’ve been using up until now.”

“......”

“If you know my master’s martial arts, Strategist, then I believe you’ll understand why. Am I wrong?”

[Ha.]

Yoo Cheongil, who’d been listening in silence, let out a hollow laugh.

[So you’re going to sell me out. That brat.]

‘Like I have a choice.’

Is selling the old man out really the problem?

Right now, I could sell worse things than that.

I cut off the manifested Radiant Moon Annihilation-Overturn.

And Thousand-Mile True Sight spoke.

“So what does that mean?”

From his tone, it sounded like he’d accepted the idea that what I’d learned was altered—or evolved.

Good.

That made the explanation simple.

“My martial arts were created in advance by my master to oppose DEMON CULT and HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE. And the Moon Eyes I awakened are the same.”

[What are you talking about? When did I ever—?]

I ignored Yoo Cheongil.

I covered my eyes with my hand and said it plainly.

“My eyes can distinguish the warriors of HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE and DEMON CULT.”

“What?”

“What did you just say?”

People reacted from every side.

And then—

“HAHAHAHA—!!”

Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojun threw his head back and laughed like a maniac.

“So you really could see something—!”

Like he finally understood.

I nodded to myself.

Thanks.

Because of Black-Grand Saber, my actions suddenly had a lot more weight.

The problem was—

“So? The Nine Dragons Commander was with HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE?”

“That’s what it looked like to me. And I didn’t know how he’d react, so I asked the White King to act immediately.”

“Was this agreed on beforehand?”

Thousand-Mile True Sight turned to the White King and asked.

The White King shook his head.

“No.”

“Then you heard that boy’s words and cut a commander’s head off just like that?”

“There were circumstances.”

The White King dodged around the subject of the wish.

“So it wasn’t agreed on.”

Thousand-Mile True Sight looked at me again.

“Even if your words are true—do you have proof you can offer?”

“No. Because I really can see it.”

“Then you’re saying there’s nothing at all that makes you trustworthy.”

“That’s what it looks like. But I didn’t lie. I staked my master’s honor. And I’m the one who told you about DEMON CULT in the first place.”

I pointed out that I was the one who’d handed over the information about the Baek Family’s connection to DEMON CULT, but—

“You know that isn’t enough for me to simply let it go.”

Of course it wasn’t.

But.

“And you also know there isn’t time to sit here debating what the truth is.”

I put it into my voice.

You don’t have time, either.

Thousand-Mile True Sight’s brow twisted.

“In this situation, are you trying to threaten me?”

“No. I’m saying we should be efficient. Whether you believe me or not, neither you nor I has the luxury of making that choice leisurely.”

“......”

“If you believe me, I can help you. If you don’t... it’s going to be inconvenient for me, but it can’t be helped.”

“And what will you do if I don’t believe you?”

“Who knows. Doesn’t look like I’ll have a way to live... and I don’t want to be caught. So I’ll have to become a fugitive and run for it.”

“Ha... you’re going to run with your chest out?”

“If I just get caught here, it’s a dog’s death.”

“......”

The wrinkles on Thousand-Mile True Sight’s face deepened.

He still hadn’t chosen.

‘Then there’s no choice.’ 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Dragging this out longer would only cause problems.

I didn’t even know how safe this place really was.

‘...Yoo Cheongil told me to trust Divine Spear, but...’

I couldn’t. Not completely.

That rancid pressure I’d felt from the Heaven-Breaking Palace Lord kept drilling into my skull.

It felt wrong.

My bad luck was screaming at me not to leave this alone.

That was why I’d come here instead of anywhere else.

“So. Make your choice.”

“Ha... you insolent little bastard.”

Thousand-Mile True Sight smiled.

That thin smile was razor-sharp.

[Oh, he’s mad.]

Yeah, no kidding.

Thanks for the confirmation kill.

“If you come at me this brazenly, did you think I’d accept you lightly?”

“I didn’t not expect it. But you know—grandfathers have a soft spot for their grandsons.”

“As I said earlier. I don’t want your pathetic wordplay.”

“Mm.”

That was it.

It was never going to end with words.

‘Fine.’

Time to play the card I’d prepared.

I was about to put force into my voice—

“Why don’t you just hear him out?”

TAP—!

Someone dropped into the center of the group.

“I’ll take responsibility for it. How about that?”

At the gentle voice, every gaze snapped over.

“...You?”

Thousand-Mile True Sight’s eyes widened as he looked at the newcomer—the woman.

She smiled brightly.

“It’s been a while. Jegal Oppa.”

The moment she said it, the warriors’ eyes widened.

And—

‘...What?’

I flinched, staring at her.

The woman who appeared was none other than someone who’d vanished from the world.

One of Heaven-Beyond-Heaven.

The hope and idol of every female warrior.

‘Sword Empress...?’

A Sword Empress who’d reclaimed youth.

And she was my damned sister’s master.