“Aah...!”

The Small Moon Unit Leader suddenly dropped to one knee and let out a groan.

Seeing a man who looked well past forty acting like that was beyond unsettling.

What’s wrong with him?

What the hell is this man doing?

Like he’d been bewitched by some peerless beauty, he stared at me with vacant, affectionate eyes.

More accurately... it felt like he was staring at the light wrapped around my body, and the state I was in.

What...?

Is something off?

I raised a hand and checked myself.

It was Moon Heaven.

A body wrapped in light, and a weightlessness that felt endless.

THUMP. THUMP.

I gave a small hop, and the sensation became even more certain.

...Yeah. As expected.

It forcibly drives you into a trance, then the internal art stimulates your meridians and sharpens your muscles to boost your reaction speed.

And the inner power that seeps in further strengthens the body, adding speed and strength on top of it.

As long as your inner power doesn’t hit bottom, you can maintain this state all the way to the end, but—

The drain is way too fast.

Now that I’d actually used it, I knew.

My inner power was dropping at a ridiculous rate.

For an art with this kind of insane effect, the consumption was just as overwhelming.

...Even so.

Moon Heaven really is a terrifying power.

The Blue Moon Sect’s secret art that Yoo Cheongil created.

Third Form: Radiant Moon Annihilation-Overturn.

Moon-Spirit Sword Path.

Only after mastering those two can you hold the essence of the moon inside your body.

I get that it’s a big deal, but...

Then why the hell is that man reacting like this?

The Small Moon Unit Leader.

I seriously didn’t understand why he was acting like that.

Those eyes—he looked like he’d actually fallen in love.

It was unbearably uncomfortable.

“...Unit Leader. Why are you acting like that?”

“Hah...”

Maybe he couldn’t hear me, because he kept reacting the same way.

Watching that, I took a step closer.

I thought maybe he was hurt.

The moment I approached with that thought—

SWISH—!!

“...?”

The Unit Leader slowly reached a hand toward me.

His trembling fingertips moved toward me, painfully slow.

What is this? Is he trying to touch me?

And then, the instant the tips of his nails touched the Moon Heaven aura—

“Huh...!”

The Small Moon Unit Leader let out an awed exhale as he felt it.

“...Beautiful...”

“......”

He said the same thing as before and stared at me blankly.

Now it was getting scary.

Why is this man like this?

Right as I frowned in confusion—

[Ah. I see.]

Yoo Cheongil spoke, as if he’d figured something out.

[So that’s who this bastard is. It’s that bastard from back then.]

“...What?”

Yoo Cheongil gave a small, amused smile, like everything clicked into place.

[That brat. He made it all the way to Unit Leader?]

They knew each other?

If he had memories tied to the Moon-Thread Sword, then maybe he also had history with the Small Moon Unit Leader, but...

What kind of relationship?

I couldn’t help paying attention.

[Yeah. The weird bastard who kept throwing a fit, begging me to take him as a disciple.]

Yoo Cheongil recalled the past.

[Back then it was definitely—]

*****

It was, of course, before the Orthodox-Demonic War.

Back when Yoo Cheongil was deep in training at the Blue Moon Sect, there was a young man who kept coming around him.

Please accept me as your disciple...!

A kid who kept seeking him out for at least two full weeks—those long, endless days.

A handsome face that still carried a soft, youthful air, and a stubbornness that stood out enough to catch the eye—

“...Hold on. Wait. Stop.”

When I cut in, Yoo Cheongil’s brow creased hard.

[What now? This was the perfect moment to drop into a flashback.]

“Sorry for interrupting, but you said something I can’t let pass.”

I must’ve been genuinely shocked, because I didn’t even keep it in my head—I said it out loud.

I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t stop myself.

“Who has ‘a soft, youthful air’ and ‘a handsome face’?”

Don’t tell me the “handsome, soft-looking” young man in his memory is the Small Moon Unit Leader.

“That’s impossible.”

No matter how I looked at it, the Small Moon Unit Leader was the exact opposite of that.

He was sharp, angular, and fierce-looking—what part of that is “soft”?

[Is that what matters right ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) now? I’m telling you he looked like that when he was young.]

I didn’t believe it for a second.

[No... This isn’t the point. The point is—ah, damn it.]

Yoo Cheongil tried to continue, then snapped.

[You ruined the flow. Forget it. He was just some guy who chased me around.]

A long explanation got compressed into a short one out of pure irritation.

Then why is he reacting like that to Moon Heaven?

When I looked at Yoo Cheongil with that question, he answered with a flat expression.

[When I first attempted Moon Heaven, the one watching was him.]

The Small Moon Unit Leader saw Moon Heaven being created?

[Even back then he made that same face and begged me to teach him. I brushed him off and told him I’d teach him later... and then the Orthodox-Demonic War broke out.]

So the timing got wrecked and now we’re here?

“But after the war ended, wasn’t there still time?”

It’s not like Yoo Cheongil died the moment the war ended.

He’d lived on as Alliance Leader for a while.

It didn’t make sense that he barely remembered anything about the Small Moon Unit Leader after that.

[I was busy. Do you think I kept track of every single person? And he didn’t show up after the war ended, either.]

“...Huh.”

It wasn’t a satisfying answer, but...

If that’s what happened, there wasn’t much I could say.

Anyway.

“So his reaction is...”

Is he like this because the Moon Heaven he wanted so badly is right in front of him?

“Come to think of it.”

Even when he saw Third Form: Radiant Moon Annihilation-Overturn, his face was kind of like that.

“Moon Heaven has him completely hooked.”

It wasn’t even the same class of stare.

“Unit Leader. Snap out of it. Unit Leader?”

“Ah... Ah.”

At my words, he barely came back to himself.

“...So this is that secret art?”

“...Yes. Something like that.”

I had no idea why it activated on its own, though.

“...I see...”

He still couldn’t look away.

Even after he regained his senses, it didn’t change.

“So this is the legacy he left behind...”

After confirming the real thing, his expression shifted into a bitter smile.

“Beautiful. Truly.”

“......”

The words stayed the same, but the emotion inside them kept changing.

“...Yeah.”

I scratched my cheek awkwardly.

It wasn’t like I had anything I could say here.

But then—

BOOM—!!

“...Huh?”

The Small Moon Unit Leader suddenly dropped to his knees again.

“Unit Leader?”

I stared at him, startled—and then I whipped my head to the side.

“Get out.”

“...Y-Yes.”

I told Thunder Dragon to leave. He looked just as shocked, then hurried out of the training room.

“Unit Leader, why are you doing this? Get up.”

“...Please...”

I tried to talk to him, but he didn’t seem to hear a word. He was bowed so low I could see the top of his head.

“Please... can’t you teach me as well...?”

“......”

My head started to hurt.

Because I’d heard the exact thing I was afraid I’d hear.

“Mm.”

What am I supposed to do with this?

I glanced over at Yoo Cheongil.

He just stood there with his arms folded, watching the Small Moon Unit Leader, saying nothing.

The answer here was honestly already decided.

You said it earlier.

This is based on a transformation of the internal art.

The Blue Moon Heart Art the Unit Leader currently practices—

And what I learned is different.

The Blue Moon Heart Art Yoo Cheongil refined was different from the root up.

And unless you use that to master Third Form: Radiant Moon Annihilation-Overturn and Moon-Spirit Sword Path—

Moon Heaven is impossible.

Yoo Cheongil himself said the secret art can’t be used.

And in that situation, he’s asking me to teach him Moon Heaven?

...This is a problem.

It’s already gotten harder to keep the promise about Third Form: Radiant Moon Annihilation-Overturn as it is.

What am I supposed to do?

“Well... Unit Leader.”

First I should get him to stop kneeling.

That thought crossed my mind as I was about to speak—

“Please, I’m begging you... My... my lifelong wish... Bang unit member... no, Young Master Bang.”

“......”

SSSS—.

He’s making it impossible to refuse.

My head throbbed.

What do I do?

While I was drowning in thoughts—

[Kid.]

Yoo Cheongil spoke to me.

[Allow it.]

“...What?”

“...What?”

I must’ve let it slip out loud, because the Small Moon Unit Leader’s eyes widened.

“...You said yes?”

“No, I—”

That’s not what I meant, but—

[It’s fine. Just say you will.]

Yoo Cheongil spoke again.

[It’s not like there’s absolutely no way.]

He tilted his chin toward the Unit Leader and added,

[And it seems like there’s a bit of my fault in this, too.]

His expression shifted, like something had surfaced in his mind.

Is it really fine?

Is it actually fine?

Right as I hesitated again and again, just before I spoke—

[But.]

Yoo Cheongil stepped closer and slipped in one more line.

“...There’s a condition.”

I followed his words exactly.

“A condition?”

The Small Moon Unit Leader’s eyes lit up.

“Yes. If I’m going to teach you the secret art, there’s a condition. If you won’t accept it, then I—”

“I’ll accept it. Whatever it is... I’ll accept it.”

He didn’t even let me finish.

He was truly desperate.

This isn’t something you’re supposed to accept that easily.

I looked at the Small Moon Unit Leader and said the condition Yoo Cheongil had mentioned.

“Then from now on, that means I’m teaching you, Unit Leader.”

“That’s right...!”

“Which makes you my disciple.”

“That’s—huh?”

His expression froze for a split second.

“In martial arts, there’s etiquette and order a disciple must show the master. If you’re a disciple, you do everything your respected master tells you to do. So.”

I slowly bent my knees and met his eyes.

“Then our Unit Leader...”

I changed my tone mid-sentence.

“...you ready to show this master that kind of attitude?”

I said it with a bright smile.

“......”

The Unit Leader’s eyes trembled.

It was exactly what it sounded like: become my disciple, show me proper respect, and do whatever I tell you.

In other words—be a slave with a fancy label.

[...Huh? I wasn’t telling you to go that far.]

Yoo Cheongil muttered.

If you told me to take him in and use him, it’s the same thing.

[No, that’s not what I meant. That’s an insane—]

“Now. Are you going to do it? Or... are you not?”

I ignored Yoo Cheongil and spoke to the Small Moon Unit Leader.

I started in polite speech, then dropped into casual.

It was on purpose.

“You only get one chance.”

“......”

The Unit Leader’s eyes shook harder than before.

What answer would he give?

Would he actually say it?

In the silence where that curiosity crawled up my spine—

“...I... will.”

The Small Moon Unit Leader answered.

And the moment I heard it, my expression changed.

*****

SPLASH.

A koi thrashed on the surface of a pond where light spilled across the water.

A calm, natural vista.

A quiet place formed along a forest path in western Henan.

There, a man stood still, staring at the pond.

He was frighteningly handsome.

A face so close to perfect his age felt irrelevant. Just having him stand there made even a shabby place look like it was glowing.

He stared for a long time.

Then—

“What are you staring at like that?”

A sharp, biting voice reached him.

At the sound, the man turned with a bright smile.

“Oh, look at that. And who might you be? Isn’t this my daughter who ran away from home.”

A woman stepped into view at his words.

Bang Seojin’s face tightened in an instant.

“How come you haven’t aged at all? At this point, you should’ve aged at least a little.”

“Your father works hard on upkeep. Of course it stays maintained.”

“...Hah...”

At Bang Cheonho’s reply, Bang Seojin pinched the bridge of her nose.

“My energy’s getting drained. I already don’t want to talk.”

“Tsk. How can a daughter be so rude while speaking to her father? Especially when—”

Bang Cheonho walked up with light steps.

“It’s been years since I’ve seen your face. Have you been well?”

“...Yeah. More or less.”

Bang Cheonho drew closer as she spoke.

Bang Seojin’s expression hardened, and she reached out.

SSSHK—!!!

A sword was already in her hand.

“Whoa!”

Bang Cheonho jumped back.

“W-What are you doing! Are you trying to kill your father!?”

His face went pale, as if he were genuinely terrified.

Even watching that, Bang Seojin’s expression didn’t change.

“Drop the bad acting.”

“Should I?”

Bang Cheonho immediately recovered his smile.

Bang Seojin lightly scraped her tongue along the roof of her mouth.

“So. The one who always ran away—why did you come to see your father?”

With that smug smile of his, Bang Cheonho asked her.

And she answered him without hesitation.

“It’s nothing big. Just let our youngest go.”

“Hmm?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to just let him live on his own? He’s got his brother anyway. And it doesn’t look like that kid wants to stay in this shithole of a house either...”

“Haha.”

Bang Cheonho laughed out loud.

“There’s nothing to ‘let’ or ‘not let.’ If he wants to leave, he’ll leave. Like you did.”

“......”

Bang Seojin’s pretty brows pulled together.

“That’s not what I mean. I’m saying this because I know what I’m talking about.”

“You know? What do you know?”

“I heard from my teacher. About you.”

“Ah. What did you hear? That I’m shameless? How embarrassing. Your father still has too much passion, you see... I do hope the Sword Empress looked kindly on me...”

“I’m not here for wordplay. I’m serio—”

TAP—!

“...!”

Bang Seojin’s eyes widened.

Bang Cheonho’s finger was pressed against the center of her forehead.

“If you’re serious, then stop there.”

He was still smiling, but the smile had changed into something strange.

“Whatever the Sword Empress told you, what she knows is only a fragment at best. So forget it. Like you did when I sent you away.”

“......”

“And don’t worry about our Sungyeon. He’s more capable and sharper than anyone—you don’t need to care. Look. He’s already saving our family. And they call him Moon Knight, no less.”

“...Father.”

“My precious daughter.”

The smile vanished from Bang Cheonho’s eyes.

“Don’t step too deep. We are the Bang Clan, and we exist as the Bang Clan. That’s all. Just that.”

“......”

“And pass my regards to the Sword Empress. She hates seeing me, more than enough. Hahahaha!”

Bang Cheonho scratched the back of his head and laughed loudly.

“Haha.”

The laughter slowly faded.

“Good to see your face. Let’s meet again.”

With that blunt line, Bang Cheonho turned his back.

He walked off and disappeared.

“...Phew.”

Only after Bang Cheonho vanished did Bang Seojin finally let out a breath.

“...Seriously.”

No matter when it is—

“This shithole of a house.”

It was a house she couldn’t bring herself to love.

Back then.

And now, too.