Urban Vagabond: Reload

Outside the window, the city’s nightscape glittered in full splendor.

The top floor of the tallest building around.

The owner of this place stood in the silence, lost in thought.

He didn’t move an inch as he watched the city—until he sensed a faint presence behind him.

“My lord.”

The figure at the window turned, looking down at the man in black kneeling and prostrated before him.

“How did it go?”

“We removed every risk factor that was in the Alliance’s lightning prison. You shouldn’t have to worry about information leaking out anymore.”

The man in black reeked of blood.

The scent was far thicker than usual, and the owner of the room frowned.

“You’re injured.”

“...While eliminating the risk factors, I ran into an unexpected master. But I succeeded in shaking him off and returning.”

“You didn’t kill him—you shook him off?”

“He was a master I couldn’t kill with my skill.”

“......”

The man in black acknowledged the fact evenly, but his lord couldn’t help being shocked.

The man he’d sent to clean out the assassins trapped in the Martial Alliance’s lightning prison was one of the strongest among his subordinates.

An assassin who could kill even most pinnacle experts in the blink of an eye.

And yet there had been a master lying in wait inside the Martial Alliance’s lightning prison—someone even he couldn’t handle?

“That old man, the leader... He’s got more hidden cards than one or two.”

Even though he kept his guard up against the Martial Alliance Leader, the contempt in his tone came out so naturally it sounded effortless.

Then the man in black, still prostrated before him, lifted his head and spoke.

“My lord. May I dare to offer an opinion?”

The lord gave a slight nod, and the man in black continued carefully.

“Could it be that some of the Eight Great Sects have sided with the leader?”

“...Is that suspicion based on evidence?”

“No. But even if the alliance of the Eight Great Sects looks as solid as a fortress from the outside... everyone on the inside can feel it isn’t what it used to be.”

As if he’d braced for punishment for speaking too freely, the man in black lowered his head even deeper after finishing.

But his lord didn’t deny it.

“A fortress would crack, sooner or later. Everyone wants to be the best, yet eight are trying to sit in the same cramped seat.”

“If one of them joined hands with the Martial Alliance Leader, it would explain how our plan was leaked. As you know, the Martial Alliance’s information network never slipped outside our sight.”

“...Yes. It’s certainly possible.”

Gritting his teeth, the lord issued an order.

“Monitor the leader’s surroundings. Find traces of involvement from the other Eight Great Sects.”

If solid proof was found, the Eight Great Sects wouldn’t be able to maintain the relationship they had now.

If someone noticed my plan and warned the leader...

Whoever it was—

he would never forgive them.

Seeing the killing intent wavering in his lord’s eyes, the man in black bowed his head and answered.

“Yes, my lord.”

It was the moment a crack formed in the alliance the Eight Great Sects had kept solid for so long.

The discontent and suspicion that had been piling up, bit by bit, had been ignited by what happened during this license exam.

“Anything else to report?”

“We’ve finished investigating the late-bloom talent who played the decisive role in ruining our plan.”

“...The one who teamed with Yang Hayun at the exam site? Kim Muhyuk, was it.”

“Yes.”

From the man in black’s mouth spilled various details about Kim Muhyuk—public evaluations of him, and even the fact that the Azure Sky Sword Gate among the Eight Great Sects was watching him closely.

After finishing his report, the man in black checked his lord’s expression and asked,

“Should we eliminate him?”

After a short silence, the lord slowly shook his head.

“At a time like this, there’s no need to scratch at a scab and make it worse. We’ll watch him for now, make contact slowly...”

He trailed off, then gave his subordinate a cold smile.

“He seems talented enough. Later, when the opportunity comes—either recruit him or kill him.”

“Recruit him into the main force?”

At the question, the lord shook his head.

“Send him to the Cult. If he catches my eye, I think I’ll only want to kill him.”

As if he couldn’t suppress the killing intent rising higher and higher, he repeatedly clenched and opened his hand.

And from his palm, a grotesquely evil aura flared up like flame.

“...Understood.”

The man in black bowed his head as if the flames didn’t bother him in the slightest.

*****

A few days passed after I fully recovered from my injuries, and after I received internal energy from Yeo Pilgeuk.

“Huuuu...”

After gathering and settling my internal energy in my lower abdomen, I slowly opened my eyes.

Through my half-open vision, I could see golden haze and blue haze wavering.

It was the process of energy circulation and breath regulation—metal energy and water energy leaking outward, then being drawn back in.

Compared to the day I first received metal energy from Yeo Pilgeuk, handling the two energies had become noticeably more comfortable.

“Hmm. Now I’m finally seeing some results.”

“...When did you get here?”

When I turned around, Choi Geon stood with his hands clasped behind his back, watching his disciple with a satisfied expression.

“Not long ago. It looked like you were near the end, so I stood guard for a bit. You’ve gotten pretty used to handling the two energies, haven’t you?”

Something clearly didn’t sit right with me, and I shook my head with an ambiguous expression.

“Still a long way to go. These little bastards... they’re giving me a hard time.”

At first, I’d been purely happy about the sudden increase in internal energy.

But my body couldn’t easily adapt to the abundance of internal energy I’d never had in my previous life, and I’d even shattered several wooden practice swords.

And on top of that, during a spar I’d used as “getting used to the Five Elements Divine Art,” I’d been crushed by Shin Kangheon without mercy...

—Hahahahahaha! I won! I beat that crazy bastard!

—...Again.

—Like hell! I’m going to brag about this all day!

—...Again.

—Can’t you ask politely, loser? And first, do something about that weird internal energy before you come at me. Stop flailing your arms and legs like that, will you?

Grit.

Even now, it felt like I could still hear that laughter, so I had to take a deep breath so I wouldn’t end up going into qi deviation.

Hoo—

“I need to get used to the Five Elements Divine Art fast and get my revenge on that lunatic.”

Seeing the sharper-than-usual intensity in his disciple’s eyes, Choi Geon laughed heartily.

“No need to rush. Most people go through this when they first enter an ascending internal method. And what you learned—wasn’t it something called a divine art?”

Just because you obtained internal energy easily didn’t mean you could handle it easily.

If it were such a tame force you could control at will, it wouldn’t have earned the name “divine art” in the first place.

“Right now, unlike what you think, your sword path is off, and even the spacing in your footwork has changed. If you worry about that, your blade can’t help but dull. It’s all part of adapting.”

At the words of my master—smiling gently as he spoke—I had no choice but to nod.

“Greed invites trouble. I’ll do it step by step.”

“You say that, but I heard you’ve been doing nothing but energy circulation and breath regulation, except for mealtimes.”

“......”

“Hm. Look at this brat.”

When Choi Geon narrowed his eyes at me, I slipped my gaze away.

“Tsk tsk. This won’t do. Come with me. Let’s go out for a bit.”

“At this hour? Where?”

It was quite late at night.

But at my question, my master only gave me a meaningful smile.

“Just wherever our feet take us. We’ll cool our heads, maybe have a light drink.”

We threw on some simple clothes and went out, walking side by side and talking quietly.

Most of it was discourse on martial arts.

“What matters more than a large quantity of internal energy is harmony between internal and external training. Once you’re used to the Five Elements Divine Art, you need to increase the weight of your external training again.”

“I was planning to increase my sword training starting tomorrow, actually.”

“And don’t try too hard to force the balance of energies, either. The verses say the energies will harmonize naturally.”

“When would be the right time to acquire the lacking energies—fire, wood, and earth?”

“Even water will upset your stomach if you drink it too quickly. Try when you feel your vessel has grown sturdier.”

Choi Geon let me read and interpret the manual on my own, but whenever it was needed, he would read passages with me and offer only the minimum advice.

From what I can see, you’re already doing more than enough.

I didn’t seem satisfied, but to handle the Five Elements Divine Art’s energies to this extent in only a few days was impossible without effort, persistence, and talent.

It was only possible because I’d been sitting down and doing energy circulation and breath regulation so obsessively it felt like I’d grow sores from it.

“The passage that says, ‘When the energies of the Five Elements gather into one and harmonize, a new change will occur’... That’s what’s bothering you, isn’t it?”

“I am curious what will happen.”

I nodded, excitement on my face.

Yang Hayun’s Yin-Extreme qi.

And the Martial Alliance Leader’s metal energy.

Both were energies so pure you could hardly find their equal anywhere.

Just by obtaining those two, I’d gained internal energy that wouldn’t lose to any late-bloom talent at this point.

What happens if I gather all the other energies too?

Of course, acquiring fire, wood, and earth energies at a level comparable to those two wouldn’t be easy.

And more important than that was expanding my vessel further.

Even with just two energies, it already felt like I was nearing my limit for the present.

“...As you said, Master, this is the time I need to make my vessel bigger and sturdier. I think I was getting greedy.”

After staying home for days, stepping outside made my head feel clearer. I scratched the back of my head with an awkward smile.

“You brat. So you finally admit it without fighting me!”

In a good mood, Choi Geon reached out and roughly ruffled my hair.

And then—

I noticed a faint cut mark on his palm, and asked in surprise.

“You were injured?”

“It’s nothing. There was an intruder in the Martial Alliance’s lightning prison. I crossed blades with him and got nicked a little.”

“...What?”

Saying something that shocking as if it were nothing, Choi Geon gave a small smile.

“I guess I really am getting old. Back in the day, I would’ve cut that bastard down in one stroke, but instead I end up getting hurt.”

“Who the hell was it...”

“Heh heh. I’d like to see that face once myself.”

While I’d been focused on fully recovering, Choi Geon had kept his identity hidden and interrogated spies within the Martial Alliance.

The spies disguised as Black-White were brainwashed to a truly vicious degree.

And the enemy had even sent an assassin, just in case, to prevent information from leaking.

“He wasn’t ordinary. I nearly lost him completely...”

“Master. So where are we going right now?”

At my question—like I’d caught on to something—Choi Geon’s smile deepened.

“Right there.”

Stopping in place, Choi Geon jerked his chin toward a certain direction.

In the distance, I could see a building with a huge signboard reading Great Heaven Gate.

“The fleeing assassin’s trail cut off partway, so it was troublesome—but I remembered what you told me before about Great Heaven Gate.”

Back at the sword dance competition, I’d told Choi Geon about the Ghostshade House that I’d used to get an anomaly attached to Kim Hyunseung—and about the Great Heaven Gate behind them.

Choi Geon recalled that, and after realizing Great Heaven Gate was not far from where the trail had cut off, he investigated on a hunch.

And in the end, here—he found the assassin’s trail again, the one he’d thought he’d lost.

“Great Heaven Gate has some history as a mid-tier sect, but they don’t have the guts to touch the Martial Alliance. And they don’t have the ability, either.”

As Choi Geon looked up at the building, his eyes shone coldly.

“I’m certain the Eight Great Sects are behind this.”

The corners of Choi Geon’s mouth drew into a savage, vicious arc—Sword Demon Choi Geon, bound by a poisonous feud with the Eight Great Sects.

With that same smile, he turned back to me and spoke like he was making a casual suggestion.

“So, about that—disciple.”

He also thought it could help me, since I’d been struggling lately to harmonize internal and external training.

“To help you adapt to your newly gained internal energy, want to come with me? There’s nothing as good as real combat, after all.”

And I was the type who was stronger in the real thing than anywhere else.

Sure enough.

A smile bloomed on my lips too—one that looked just like my master’s.

“Sounds good. They say seeing something a hundred times isn’t as good as trying it once yourself, right?”

Before my master even finished speaking, I was already loosening up my body.