“...Brother.”

The instant Tang Yeran saw Poison Dragon, her brows drew tight.

Sensing that, I picked up on a strange charge in the air.

“What is this?”

She’d just said she’d reserved the slot... so Poison Dragon being here—did something go wrong?

Just as that doubt formed, Tang Yeran spoke to him.

“...What are you doing here?”

Seeing the reaction, I was sure. Something was wrong.

Poison Dragon answered while finishing his arm circles.

“Can’t you see? I was training.”

“I’m asking why you’re training now. This hour was supposed to be mine.”

A trace of savagery edged Tang Yeran’s tone.

I was a little surprised at the way she spoke. I’d never heard that voice from her before.

At her words, Poison Dragon tilted his head and looked at her.

“As if you ever cared about training.”

“...Not ‘as if’—I filed the report myself, that’s why I’m saying it.”

“So that’s why you brought in outsiders who aren’t bloodline?”

“...”

At that, Tang Yeran faltered for a beat.

“Well now.”

Seeing that, I sighed inwardly.

Judging by her reaction, bringing us really was a problem.

“That’s...”

“Enough.”

Just as she started to speak, Poison Dragon cut her off.

“You were going to run away again with some silly excuse anyway.”

At those words, Tang Yeran’s fine brow crumpled hard.

But that didn’t stop Poison Dragon.

“Have some shame. How long do you plan to live like that?”

“...”

Scolded like that, Tang Yeran couldn’t say a word.

Her closed lips showed no sign of opening again. She’d looked like she might snap back, but that died in an instant.

Poison Dragon clicked his tongue.

“Tch. Pathetic.”

He moved, looking ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) at her with disgust.

He walked toward her, slow.

“As I’ve always said, I don’t care if you fritter away your time on amusements or forget your place to chase a foolish dream.”

With every step and word, I saw Tang Yeran’s small shoulders flinch.

“I truly wonder how long you’ll keep disgracing us. Well? Are you following the Clan Head’s will?”

“...That...”

“You’re not, of course. You never do.”

As if he already knew without needing an answer.

Or perhaps it was simple disgust that said he didn’t even want to talk anymore.

And that wasn’t all. As if he wasn’t finished, he kept firing.

“The way you can’t decide a thing and just flounder, the way you try to run from reality—every time I see it, it’s revolting.”

“...”

“Sister.”

Poison Dragon brushed lightly past Tang Yeran, giving her shoulder a tap.

“Know your place. As you are now, you can do nothing.”

“...”

At that chilly, forceful tone, Tang Yeran glared at him.

Meeting that look, Poison Dragon only smirked.

“What. Don’t like what I said? Then draw your dagger. I’ll face you gladly.”

In other words: if it bothers you, come at me.

He said it with a face full of confidence, and she, hearing it, only bit her lip.

“Hmph. Idiotic thing.”

Maybe not the reaction he wanted; Poison Dragon ignored her and walked on.

Thud—! Even leaving, he didn’t forget to clip her shoulder.

And then—

His eyes turned to me.

“...”

Our gazes met.

As with me, Poison Dragon would know who I was.

But—

“Tch.”

He clicked his tongue.

Then:

“Of course—it turns out you’re not only low in level, you trail after a woman’s skirts.”

He just spit out something filthy. The tone was soaked in the same contempt he’d used on Tang Yeran.

Look at this bastard.

Tilting my head, I asked him:

“Are you talking to me?”

“Who else do you think I’m looking at right now?”

“I’m not blind, so I wouldn’t miss that... I asked just in case.”

I put strength into my eyes as I met his.

“Because I believed someone of the vaunted Seven wouldn’t be this stupid.”

“...What?”

Poison Dragon’s eyes warped viciously.

Already sharp, they crumpled further.

“What did you just say?”

As if he’d misheard. Seeing that, I snorted and opened my mouth.

“You treated me like a blind man, but it seems your ears don’t work?”

“...Huh?”

“Want me to say it again?”

I kept my gaze locked on his and leaned my head forward.

We were very close now.

“Stupid.”

The instant I said it, the air around us chilled.

Tang Yeran, watching, widened her eyes in alarm.

I couldn’t see him, but I felt Do Hyeong over there set a hand to his sword.

Same for Poison Dragon. His slitted eyes grew harsher by the heartbeat, a killing edge seeping in.

“You do know who you just said that to, don’t you?”

A frozen voice brushed my ear.

Hearing it, I was surprised inside. I thought he’d erupt straight away.

He really was the Poison King’s son.

Clocking that, I spoke to him:

“I know very well. But it’s you who seem not to.”

“What?”

“Do you know who I am?”

“Ha.”

A sneer curled Poison Dragon’s face.

“I knew you were the Sword Saint’s heir—that’s why I came.”

“You know well.”

“...Are you mocking me?”

“No. I’m just impressed.”

Because for someone who knows exactly who I am—

“—why are you acting this stupid anyway?”

Crack.

Poison Dragon clenched his fist.

He squeezed so hard I could hear it.

“Keep running that mouth and you’ll land yourself in trouble. Do you not know where you are?”

“That’s what I’m saying. Running your mouth gets you in trouble—so why do you keep doing it?”

We’d dropped formality a while back. I tried to hold back, but he kept scratching where it didn’t itch.

I looked at him like I truly didn’t understand.

“If your brother-sister dynamic is a mess, handle it yourselves. Why flick the sparks at me? Bored?”

“You—!”

“Otherwise it makes no sense... No matter how immature, this is child’s play.”

[One step back.]

I moved before the voice finished.

I slid my left foot back and leaned my torso away.

In that instant—

Whisk—!

Something grazed past my neck. Poison Dragon’s hand.

He’d tried to grab my collar.

When he missed, surprise flashed in his eyes. He hadn’t expected to miss.

Seeing that, I spoke.

“Unbelievable.”

I said it with a sneer, but inside I was rattled too.

I hadn’t seen the hand. If Yoo Cheongil hadn’t warned me, I would’ve been grabbed.

Which meant his hand was that fast.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

I pressed him, but Poison Dragon was still staring at his hand.

Then his expression shifted and he spoke to me.

“You were hiding your strength?”

“...”

As if I’d have any strength to hide. He’d clearly gotten the wrong idea from what just happened.

“So it wasn’t a lie that you beat Little Azure Sword.”

Letting his imagination run, reason crept back into his eyes.

“What, if you sense I’m not trivial, are you going to change your attitude?”

Even with my smile, he just stared—and then:

“My grandfather said this.”

Out of nowhere, he brought up his grandfather.

“He regretted never getting a proper decision against the Sword Saint.”

“...Hm?”

[What?]

At Poison Dragon’s words, not just I but Yoo Cheongil watching behind me gave a strange reaction.

“...What’s that supposed to...”

“He said even after a hundred bouts, a clear decision never came, and it ate at him.”

“...”

If a hundred bouts never gave a decision—

What, was it fifty-fifty?

I glanced at Yoo Cheongil.

[Heh heh...? Heh heh heh heh...???]

He didn’t look well.

Especially when he laughs like that—that’s when he’s most dangerous.

And sure enough—

[What? No decision?]

Grrr—! His face twisted wickedly, his whole frame trembling.

[What did that lunatic babble before he croaked? No decision, my a—!!]

Vmmm—!

When Yoo Cheongil raised his voice full-on, my shoulders tingled.

[That bastard fought me a hundred times and not once—NOT ONCE—did he ever beat me, and he dares spread nonsense after death!?]

He thrashed, aggrieved.

[A wretch who could do nothing, always got thrashed, always ate floor...!! What’s he wagging that tongue with!]

That massive body roiling in midair set my head spinning.

“...Uh... hmm.”

Fighting to steady myself, I spoke to Poison Dragon.

“What I heard is a bit different.”

“...Different how?”

“The Poison Sovereign never beat the Sword Saint even once in a hundred bouts. They say he couldn’t do a thing and only collapsed on the floor.”

[That’s right. That’s the truth.]

At my words, Yoo Cheongil clapped like I’d done well.

His glee was an eyesore, but this time I needed to use it.

With that intent, I continued—

“...You...”

Sssss—

“...Well now.”

I almost rubbed my arms without thinking.

A chill swept in from nowhere.

As that chill rose to the brim—

“How dare—!”

Poison Dragon exploded.

“How dare... how DARE you insult my grandfather!”

“I didn’t really insult him; I only repeated what I heard...”

“You insist on crossing the line.”

“...”

He wasn’t hearing me anymore.

Who’s been jump-roping over the line from the start, anyway?

Shhk.

Poison Dragon suddenly palmed something. A dagger, by the look.

“So you beat Little Azure Sword and got cocky. Know your place.”

“...Mm...”

I scratched my head.

Namgung and Poison Dragon were indeed different.

The force I felt from him was on another level.

The Seven.

The title for the greatest geniuses among the many late-stage prodigies.

Little Azure Sword is called an outstanding genius, but even so, he didn’t make the Seven.

By contrast, Poison Dragon standing before me is different.

“The Seven.”

A wretch hailed as a peerless genius alongside Moon Dancer.

“Draw your sword now. I’ll make you answer for your words.”

And that wretch’s face was full of rage.

Normally, I’d think I was screwed and get scared first.

“...Ah, that’s not good.”

But strangely, I wasn’t afraid.

It felt different from facing the Poison King.

“How about you think again?”

“Why? Getting scared at last?”

“...No, rather than that.”

I was honestly worried.

But Poison Dragon didn’t seem to get it.

Then—

[Boy.]

Yoo Cheongil spoke to me in a searing voice.

[Step aside quickly. I believe that whelp and I have urgent business.]

Hearing that, I rubbed my face.

Looks like this won’t be peaceful this time either.