“What?”
The headmaster, Do Jeong-myeong, got up from his seat without even hiding his shocked expression.
He had received a message from Dan Pil-hoo that the East River Sword Star had been waiting at a location around four kilometers away from the academy.
It hadn’t been long since he received that news, so what was this?
“Headmaster, what do we do?”
“Where is he?”
“He-he said he wanted to see the location of the spar between his deceased disciple and student Hong Hye-ryeong. He is now being led back there.”
“Did he say he wanted to see it?”
At the guard’s report, Do Jeong-myeong frowned.
He had already been surprised by the sudden attack on the school building. On the other hand, he felt like the worst hadn’t come yet.
The situation would become irreversible if the man could not hold his anger and go straight after Hong Hye-ryeong.
“Let’s head there for now.”
“Yes, sir.”
At the training centers on the northeast side of the dormitories.
There was a particular training area where two people had met, resulting in turmoil. One was dead, while the other was now detained.
The guard guarding the area couldn’t hide his shock at the appearance of the East River Sword Star.
‘W-what is this?’
‘Shit. Is today going to be the day?’
Finally, the time had come.
The nervous guard glanced behind him. The training center had a sign that barred entry to prevent people from entering the scene of the crime.
Inside, Shin Eui-gyeom was moving.
“Hmm.”
The man continued to look inside.
Thinking that the room was dark, he raised his hand towards the ceiling.
Flash!
In an instant, the room was filled with sunlight.
‘!?’
The guard tasked with guiding this man became shocked at the sight. He had just blown away the ceiling in an instant!
The remainder of the ceiling fell down as powder.
‘To tear down a ceiling without even holding a sword.’
This was an unimaginable level of martial arts.
They have all heard about the incredible feats of the Four Great Warriors, but witnessing it with their own eyes was something else.
Shin Eui-gyeom continued to look around without caring about the guard.
‘…’
The first thing he noticed was the blood-stained floor.
His eyes turned dark as he saw traces of where his youngest disciple had died.
‘Chun.’
He sighed.
He could remember the child’s arrival like it was just yesterday. The young child who hadn’t even become a fully bloomed flower yet ended up being sent far away from this world.
Shin Eui-gyeom tried to calm his aching heart and moved around this place littered with spears, swords, and blades.
He narrowed his eyes.
‘Why isn’t he going further in and taking a closer look?’
‘Can he even see it correctly from here?’
The guards didn’t know, but Shin Eui-gyeom could imagine the scene of the fight by looking at the marks around the ground. His eyes lit up as he imagined it all.
‘… Hong-hyung. You have taught her properly.’
He wondered if the child could properly handle the Fire Dragon Giant Blade.
But looking at the marks, he knew she could handle it without hesitation. Her power seemed to be unusual and unique as well.
‘Did she really use the power of the blade?’
There were burn marks along with the slashes. It seemed like she had used the power of the Fire Dragon Giant Blade, known to be the incarnation of flame.
It would have been difficult for Young Chun to win even if he had used the secret technique he was taught.
That child would not have been capable yet of using his swordsmanship fully.
After analyzing the scene, he observed the location where blood stains were splattered.
‘.. Hmm.’
Shin Eui-gyeom, after looking at the scene for a few seconds, moved inside for the first time to take a closer look.
‘…’
As he moved, his eyes narrowed as he turned around to see everything around him.
“G-great warrior?”
“Where is the body of that child?”
At this question, the warriors gulped.
‘It couldn’t have been long, but did he already check everything?’
Do Jeong-myeong hurriedly moved towards the mortuary. He had arrived at the training center earlier to only be a step behind.
He realized that things were happening too quickly.
If Shin Eui-gyeom saw the body of his youngest disciple, there was a high chance that he would jump to the worst conclusion before they could get a confession out of Kang Mui.
Do Jeong-myeong arrived at the mortuary to find three people already there.
“Deputy.”
“Headmaster?”
The deputy was with him as well as two others.
“You two are the Horned Sword and Martial Clear Sword?”
They were Shin Eui-gyeom’s disciples who had reached the academy after knowing that their teacher had made a move.
“Headmaster.”
“Long time no see.”
The three of them awkwardly exchanged their greetings.
This wasn’t a good time for anyone to meet, so they couldn’t even smile. After looking at each other, they soon moved into the building.
As they went inside, they could see Shin Eui-gyeom, who had arrived first.
Shin Eui-gyeom was staring intently at the body of Young Chun.
“… Chun.”
Seeing this, Swordsman Young Chuseo’s eyes reddened.
When he heard the news that the youngest disciple had died, he cried for a full day. He had cried so much that he thought there were no more tears to shed, but now…
The moment he saw the body, he couldn’t control his tears.
“Chun… Chun… for you to leave like this…”
Young Chuseo sat down on the floor, muttering his sajae’s name like a song. At this sight, Young Gadong also bit his lip.
After hearing Hong Hye-ryeong’s explanation, he tried to calm himself, but this sight was still horrible.
‘How cruel is this meeting?’
The heavens were truly indifferent to take away this little child who wasn’t yet fully bloomed away from the world.
Due to the heavy atmosphere, neither the headmaster nor Dan Pil-hoo could speak.
In the meantime, Young Chuseo, who had been crying, got up and immediately spoke to his teacher.
“Master! This isn’t something the master has to do! I will cut that woman’s head off to appease the soul of our Young Chun!”
“C-Calm down!”
Do Jeong-myung hurriedly tried to stop him. Young Chuseo then placed his hand on the wooden box on his back and warned.
“If you try to stop me, I will fight you as well to get this done!”
“Chuseo! What is this rudeness in front of the master!”
Young Gadong immediately shouted, but Young Chuseo pointed to their sajae’s body on the table.
“Do you say that despite looking at this? Aren’t the marks left on the body of your sajae the same ones that the Southern Blade Emperor’s technique would leave?”
At those words, Young Gadong could not say anything else. All of the evidence was simply too clear.
Since the martial arts of the Four Great Warriors were studied by others, the East River Sword Star’s disciples also knew of this.
The traces of the flames left by the Giant Blade was not something that could be denied.
When Young Gadong could no longer protest, Young Chuseo began to urge his master.
“Master, I will go to Hong…”
“Silence.”
His master responded with a rebuke.
“Master, why…”
“I clearly told you to be quiet.”
The second time he spoke his warning, his tone was heavier. Young Chuseo, who hadn’t been able to control his anger, quickly shut his mouth.
He knew his master too well.
A warning to be quiet would not come out a third time. He shouldn’t try to push his luck.
As Young Chuseo became silent, Shin Eui-gyeom, who couldn’t take his eyes off Young Chun’s body, turned his head around and asked.
“Did that girl see the body?”
“… She did. And…”
Ssh!
Shin Eui-gyeom raised his hand, indicating that he didn’t want to hear anymore. He then narrowed his eyes and asked.
“Where is she?”
Do Jeong-myeong’s complexion became dark. Was he actually trying to do this?
If this man could not control his anger and went off to kill that child, things would never be the same.
“Great Warrior… please calm down for a moment. The truth is yet to be revealed.”
“Headmaster. I will not ask you twice.”
Shudder!
At those words, everyone felt a chill run down their spines.
Gulp.
Even gulping was difficult.
Hong Hye-ryeong looked at Shin Eui-gyeom with dull and exhausted eyes.
His eyes were as cold and sharp as a sword that wanted to cut everything down.
She knew why he was looking at her like this. He must also think she was the one who killed his youngest disciple and had come to take revenge.
“Give it.”
“Yes.”
In response to Shin Eui-gyeom’s words, Young Chuseo responded coldly and threw the large blade he was holding toward Hong Hye-ryeong.
Clack!
Her eyes became heavy when Hong Hye-ryeong saw the Fire Dragon Giant Blade in front of her.
“Uncle Shin…”
“Pull the blade out.”
“…uncle Shin. It is natural for you to misunderstand this, but I…”
“I will not tell you again. Pull it out.”
Hong Hye-ryeong’s eyes reddened as she became overwhelmed by his voice.
She had no idea what she could do now. The opponent was no longer someone she could reason with. Unless her father came now, no one could stop him.
“I cannot… pull it.”
“Do I need to make you do it?”
Thud!
Shin Eui-gyeom took a step closer to her. At that moment, the blade on the ground began to move up.
He gestured toward the blade as it bounced and floated in the air. The sword then unsheathed itself.
Sring!
‘Ah!’
Hong Hye-ryeong saw this and sighed at this unimaginable energy.
To be able to unsheathe a sword without touching it was amazing.
‘Void Air Control.’
She felt it right away.
But…
Wheik!
The Fire Dragon Giant Blade that was freed from its sheath at the hands of another began to release flames.
This was because the weapon had a will of its own.
“Urgh.”
Even Young Chuseo took a step back at the intense flames emanating from the blade.
But still, this weapon meant nothing in front of Shin Eui-gyeom.
Sharp energy rose over the flames.
‘Too… strong.’
He then urged her again.
“Grab the blade. Or will you accept death without doing it?”
“…”
In the end, Hong Hye-ryeong had to take the blade.
Clench!
The moment she grasped it, the flames from the blade intensified further.
“I just have to control my strength to not kill him.”
‘!?’
Kang Mui looked at Mumu with a blank expression.
Where was his confidence even coming from?
‘What? To not kill?’
He had fought with Mumu and would admit that the boy had unusual strength. However, the opponent he was talking about was someone who had reached the peak of the sword.
And he has to control his strength against one of the Four Great Warriors?
This wasn’t confidence anymore but just simple absurdity.
‘He is really crazy.’
If that was possible, would they have even had to make a plan to create a division between the four of them?
They had spent over 17 years devising a plan against these living monsters. Kang Mui then sneered.
“Even nonsense has a limit. I will tell you for sure. I will never speak those words from my mouth, I will never ask you for help…”
Flinch!
Before he could finish his words.
Kang Mui raised his head at the overwhelming pressure he felt from above. Mumu did the same.
‘Wow.’
In Mumu’s eyes, it was as if a bright mass of light that he had never seen before had appeared.
Kang Mui gulped in nervousness.
‘This. This is…’
It was the first time he felt such a sense of intimidation. Suffocating energy filled the air.
‘No!’
Kang Mui’s eyes shook as he became flustered.
Even though it wasn’t too close, the fact that they could feel such a thing from this distance meant that the person to whom it belonged to was immensely strong. This kind of strength could only belong to one person.
‘No way…’
He was the type to never back down.
But there was no evidence here. Why was this person coming to the prison?
It gradually became more and more difficult for him to breathe as that intimidating power came closer.
Kang Mui’s eyes trembled.
Chak! Thud!
The black iron gate opened to reveal the figure of a person.
The figure of a middle-aged man wearing a navy blue uniform.
It was Shin Eui-gyeom. The headmaster, the deputy, and two of his disciples also came with him.
‘Why?’
Kang Mui couldn’t understand as he saw this. Why was the man coming here?
By now, he should have gone and killed that girl!
Tak!
The moment he took a step forward.
Crack!
“Ahem!”
Kang Mui’s body moved backward against his will and stopped against the wall. Mumu hadn’t even broken down the chains around his legs yet, so his ankles looked like it might break at the sudden force.
“Are you the kid called Kang Mui?”
Shin Eui-gyeom came closer and asked Kang Mui, who could still not comprehend the situation.
The evidence wasn’t there, nor did he confess to anyone. Why was this monster here trying to threaten him?
As Kang Mui struggled with his confusion, Shin Eui-gyeom continued.
“No matter how much polishing of the scene is done, depending on who is using the technique, a male or a female, and, depending on their own skeletons and physical condition, the marks on the body are always different.”
“I do not know what you’re talking abou…”
At Shin Eui-gyeom’s words, Kang Mui pretended to be frightened and tried to speak. However, as he looked into Shin Eui-gyeom’s eyes, he ended up coughing up blood as his insides felt like they were being twisted.
“Kuak!”
Shin Eui-gyeom spoke in a low voice.
“It wasn’t that child.”
“W-what do you mean…”
“How many times do you think I had observed the 4th form of the technique of the Fire Dragon? To deal with that man 17 years ago, Hong-hyung and I had fought and trained countless times. The traces left on Young Chun’s body was not something that came from the hands of Hong Hye-ryeong.”
‘!?’
Kang Mui’s eyes fluttered at those words. He possessed a talent where he could remember everything he saw at least once.
How much effort had he spent reproducing the technique perfectly to deceive all who saw it?
But then this man came to say that it was flawed?
‘What is this?’
The headmaster, who noticed Kang Mui’s shock, felt amazed.
‘… amazing.’
Only this man could distinguish such a difference.
Even he, as the headmaster, could never confidently side with Hong Hye-ryeong in this. But this man was different.
He had noticed even the most subtle differences after he had gone to observe the location of the spar and his youngest disciple’s body.
They all thought the man would kill Hong Hye-ryeong when he asked her.
[You didn’t do it.]
Shin Eui-gyeom, who pushed Hong Hye-ryeong to hold the sword, was convinced she didn’t do it. The headmaster had to ask why he had threatened her to confirm the truth.
To which he replied.
[You said that it wasn’t confirmed that she had killed Young Chun. So, if I asked her to use the technique for authenticity, she is bound to do it differently from what she did there.]
So he continued to push her.
Hong Hye-ryeong believed she would be killed for what others believed she did and would be resolved to defend herself to survive.
Therefore she would use the technique as she was taught. Through this, Shin Eui-gyeom eventually confirmed that she was not the culprit.
‘He isn’t one of the Four Great Warriors for nothing.’
He was different from ordinary people. In the first place, he didn’t think that their perspectives would be this different.
‘Thank god.’
The headmaster became elated at this.
The worst situation would be avoided now. Everything would now end if Kang Mui confessed to the murder.
“H-help me!”
Kang Mui looked at Mumu and asked for help.
And Mumu…
“Will you keep the promise?”
“I will.”
He had no idea what the two were talking about. Only Kang Mui and Mumu knew the meaning behind their words.
Kang Mui struggled with impatience as he was no longer sure why this was happening.
‘This is a failure too.’
All their preparations had ended with nothing.
Once Shin Eui-gyeom becomes convinced of his guilt in the murder of his youngest disciple, he dies too.
‘Damn it!’
Kang Mui became desperate and asked Mumu for help as a last resort.
At that time, Shin Eui-gyeom looked at Mumu and said,
“Kid? Are you with this child?”
Mumu shook his head and replied.
“It’s not that. I promised to stop you in return for a small price.”
‘!?’
Mumu’s words made even the headmaster and deputy incredulous.
On the other hand, the East River Sword Star’s disciples stared at Mumu with expressionless faces.
Who would be stopping who now?
“You…”
Shh!
Shin Eui-gyeom raised his hand and stopped the angry disciples coming from behind him.
He then asked Mumu.
“How do you plan to stop me?”
Mumu scratched his head and said,
“With power.”