Chapter 58: Ripples on the Lake (1)

The light faded from Sword Master Muyachi’s pupils. His eyes gleamed translucently, as if veiled in mist, and in that moment, his hair and eyebrows had turned fully white.

Even as this happened, water continued to spew from the drainpipe. Finally, once the reservoir ran dry at the bottom, only a few drops fell with a plink-plink.

A chilling silence descended.

Lee Taebaek relaxed his grip. He flicked his broken fingers vigorously. The ligaments were shredded to rags, dancing like a paper puppet.

Good thing I buffed my Faith stat the moment I noticed. Almost ended up crippled…

Thud.

He staggered and dropped to one knee. It was as if he’d just woken from anesthesia.

“Ugh.”

Surviving this long was a miracle in itself. Both body and mind had long surpassed their limits in every way.

“Hoo… Hoo…”

He drew in deep breaths and exhaled. His solar plexus swelled noticeably before deflating.

He moistened his lower lip with the tip of his tongue, feeling the cracked fissures. Blood pooled in his mouth.

“Nearly bit the dust for real.”

He started to fold his umbrella but gave up. The ice encasing it had frozen it open in place.

Thump.

He set the umbrella down beside his foot. Then he craned his neck back until it hurt, gazing upward.

The Lilith Order sprawled across the night sky of Lake City like duckweed on a pond.

“Tell the Cult Leader I’ll drop by soon.”

He muttered it under his breath, yet Kim Changsik nodded. Guess he knows Presence Detection too. He left wordlessly with his men.

Lee Taebaek wanted a moment to catch his breath, but he couldn’t afford to. A monster loomed right there.

Even after standing motionless for so long, its aura remained undiminished.

‘Barely scraped by.’

It had been a spar to gauge each other’s measure, not a fight to the death. That’s how he managed to keep his head.

“He went all-out midway through.”

What a coward.

A miser who knew nothing of fair play.

That said, up until then, he’d held back to test Lee Taebaek’s skill.

If the Sword Master had unleashed Dimensional Sword from the start, it would’ve been over in an instant.

It came down to variables, chance, and above all, luck. Pure heavenly fortune.

If even one had failed him… The thought alone sent chills down his spine.

‘Like farming the final boss underleveled.’

The Ten Wings lived up to their name. From his perspective, Sword Master Muyachi was terrifyingly strong.

Who could empathize with the dread of Chamado bursting from rifts in space, slashing from all directions? He never wanted to face it again.

And every attack was an instant-kill. The psychological pressure kept nausea surging. Buffing his Mental stat beforehand had been a godsend.

“Nine more like him out there.”

Not to mention three even stronger ones.

The Seven Dignitaries were evenly matched in power.

But the Three Calamities—M yo, Mi, Yu—were unmistakably a cut above.

Of course, that didn’t diminish the Seven Dignitaries’ stature. The Three Calamities were simply off-the-charts disasters.

In Lee Taebaek’s eyes, having taken the Sword Master’s attacks on his body, he was King Kong in human skin.

“…Somehow survived.”

His words said one thing, but his brain cells swam in euphoria. Adrenaline raced to his scalp, and fresh blood filled his mouth from burst capillaries.

Whatever the details, it was Lee Taebaek’s unanimous victory. The judges would’ve raised his arm.

During the fight, the Mercenary King had shown fluster multiple times. That had been the highlight.

“This is why we raid bosses.”

Lee Taebaek curled his lips upward. The thrill of achievement brought immense euphoria.

“No worries about drinking snacks this lifetime.”

He chuckled vacantly and staggered to his feet. He scanned the surroundings widely.

Ice had shoved the concrete aside from the ground up, blanketing the entire district in white.

Twitch.

Just then, the Sword Master’s eyelashes quivered. Icicles dangling from his brow bone, nose tip, and chin clattered down.

Crack.

Fissures spiderwebbed across the frost coating his skin. Beneath the cracks, his true flesh began to show.

The moment light returned to Muyachi’s eyes, the binding chill evaporated in a hiss. And this was just ten seconds after freezing.

“Hoo…”

Muyachi’s eyes flashed as he fixed on Lee Taebaek. The feral glare of a hunter spotting escaped prey.

The battle high hadn’t faded easily.

“Hahahahaha!”

Maniacal laughter boomed. Snowflakes scattering in the infrasound fled instantly.

Whoosh.

The Sword Master widened his eyes. Ominous light leaked from his pupils.

‘Something’s wrong.’

…Come to think of it, did I really last nine exchanges? That nagging doubt was the source.

In the heat of battle, survival was all; afterward, euphoria clouded his mind.

‘Screwed.’

The Sword Master growled once. No chance to backpedal now. Lee Taebaek’s pores opened in sweat.

In that moment, the berserker’s face softened to serenity.

Thud.

Muyachi slammed Chamado into the concrete and leaned back against the blood groove, assuming full lotus position.

As Lee Taebaek gaped in bewilderment, Muyachi closed his eyes gently. He spoke.

“Stand guard for me.”

“What…?”

“Sparring with you brought sudden enlightenment. Insights must be contemplated fresh for twice the gain. I need to circulate energy now.”

Lee Taebaek was stunned.

He blurted out,

“You know we’re enemies, right?”

“Enemies? Our business is settled, as far as I know.”

“…That’s…”

That’s not settled yet, you monster! But Muyachi seemed aware, adding,

“I know one exchange remains. Five hundred million in equivalent value. So here’s my proposal: I’ll waive that five hundred million if you stand guard.”

“What kind of math is that?”

“Say no if you don’t like it.”

Muyachi cracked one eye open slyly. He shot Lee Taebaek a piercing glance.

“I’ll settle it with one slash.”

No real choice.

Even as a Ten Wings, this was too bold—reckless, really.

‘What makes him think I’d stand guard?’

If I harbored ill intent and struck, even the Sword Master would die. Energy Circulation left anyone defenseless, child or Ten Wings alike.

“……”

“Please.”

Lee Taebaek was speechless with absurdity, but Muyachi took it as assent. He shut his eyes without delay.

Lee Taebaek reined in his ragged breaths. Sword Master Muyachi had already begun circulating energy.

Gazing at him, Lee Taebaek let out a hollow laugh. The recent bloodbath felt like a vivid nightmare, replaced by this pastoral scene.

Staying like this made his own lower abdomen itch. He’d gained insights from the clash too. Time for measures.

Footsteps shattered the quiet. Glancing at the source, familiar faces rushed over.

The Commander-in-Chief and 0th Battalion. Kang Hyeonseong and the 9th Battalion, fresh from their mission, had joined the procession.

Levi dangled limply over Kang Hyeonseong’s shoulder to boot. Per Lee Taebaek’s orders, the 9th had captured her alive.

‘They’ll uncover the truth quick.’

0th Battalion Team Leader and Levi—the culprits—were assembled. Even without him, they’d pin the blame. He trusted that much.

“…Hm.”

After brief deliberation, Lee Taebaek sat cross-legged too. He closed his eyes.

Soon, the ice net blanketing the sky like an umbrella dissolved into particles and scattered like fine snow.

Amid the drifting white blessing, the two men focused on Energy Circulation without a twitch.

Snow fell.

The men meditated.

Lightning struck in their mindscapes.

It was summer.

Sword Master Muyachi awoke from Energy Circulation first.

Numerous gazes pricked his skin like needles. Half wariness, half suspicion.

A human dartboard, Muyachi swept his eyes over the crowd. They’d formed a barrier between him and Lee Taebaek, keeping a safe distance.

“So that’s how it is.”

He read the situation shrewdly. Beyond the human barricade, Lee Taebaek was still circulating energy. He didn’t need to see it.

Muyachi nodded deliberately. He drew Chamado and rose.

Crackle.

Lee Taebaek’s lackeys narrowed their eyes fiercely. But cowed by the Sword Master’s presence, they didn’t dare charge.

They stabbed with glares alone. Not pettiness on their part—it was standard before him.

The Commander-in-Chief alone seemed composed. Beside him, a man glared without fear. Muyachi remembered him.

One-Man Thousand Kill. Kang Hyeonseong, was it? One of Lake City’s top fighters.

“What’s this? The great Sword Master lets his target walk during a contract kill. And shares Energy Circulation to boot. New bad habit?”

“……”

“Lucky for you. If Taebaek died, the Resistance would’ve thrown everything at killing you. Might not win, but with me? Mutual destruction’s on the table.”

The Commander-in-Chief casually dropped his hands behind his back. Muyachi stared at the helmet before shaking his head slowly.

“I didn’t let him live. Lee Taebaek survived on his own.”

Everyone jolted at the Sword Master’s words. Murmurs ballooned through the air.

“Wh-what does that-.”

Kang Hyeonseong stepped forward. Muyachi narrowed his eyes and sighed.

“One-Man Thousand Kill Kang Hyeonseong. You’re the one who pulled Lee Taebaek from Brain Prison?”

“…Yes.”

“And you don’t trust him? What farce is this.”

Kang Hyeonseong shrugged.

The Sword Master had hit the nail on the head.

“Conditional or not, Lee Taebaek withstood nine of my strikes. He landed no effective hits, but dodged them all.”

Kang Hyeonseong whipped his head to glance at Lee Taebaek, then back.

“Heard the gist from the Commander-in-Chief… You said you’d trade ten exchanges for a deal. Right?”

“Correct.”

“Why… though…?”

“A question?”

“…Yes.”

Muyachi’s excitement waned. Exhaustion hit harder after the recent boil of blood.

“Got curious. The strongest I know took interest. Wanted to see for myself. Satisfied?”

“The strongest?”

“No point saying.”

The Sword Master glanced at the lone spire piercing the distance. Kergel Magic Tower.

“Myo the Heavenly Demon.”

Everyone gasped. Even the laid-back Commander-in-Chief wasn’t immune this time.

“Other megacorps will notice Lee Taebaek soon. Help him stay hidden. They don’t act directly, but their eyes and ears are everywhere.”

“Why go this far?”

“To settle things.”

Muyachi turned.

“To clash swords with Lee Taebaek at full bloom. I want to crush him.”

“…Hah.”

“Keep him hidden. Keep him safe. If he catches their eye, they’ll stop at nothing. Recall how Ja entered Siesta. Remember the blood they spilled for him. You’ll get it then.”

With that, the Sword Master departed quietly. But the ripples he’d caused would not.

The Ten Wings’ Wu—the Sword Master.

The stone Muyachi cast would spread waves all the way to their abode.

To the pinnacle of the City.

To the megacorps.