Without any shockwave or sound, a beam of light silently split the sky—only to be blocked by an enormous greatsword.

The blade was so broad that the shadow it cast across the ground was vast—so wide it even darkened the jagged, torn-up scars gouged deep into the earth.

It was the greatsword of the Sage Sword Lord of Goyo.

Before the gate of Heukdo Castle, where the blackened fortress had been horizontally cleaved and toppled in eerie silence.

A quiet wind was blowing through.

Eight warriors clad in black robes fluttering like cloaks stood, their garments stark against the battlefield. Among them were the massive figures of the Northern King, Sage Sword Lord of Goyo, and Liu Yuan Star General, Mun Gok, standing out even among these giants of the martial world.

An oppressive pressure pressed down—not with sudden violence but gradually, steadily—sinking the ground beneath their feet.

The dust at their feet rose in a yellow haze. This was the peak of battle energy, pushed to the edge in a life-or-death confrontation.

Rumble—

Beneath the raised greatsword of the Sage Sword Lord of Goyo, now held vertically like a monument, their battle neared its end.

“With a weapon that huge, you're going to... strike a higher stance...?”

Cheonrim Captain Hahoe Wi-jin muttered, pounding the area around a sword wound that stretched from his waist to his chest.

But that sword wound had resisted even the precise acupuncture techniques unique to the Ming bloodline. All he could do was vomit thick, blackened blood.

“Goddammit.”

He wasn’t the only one.

More than half of the black-clad warriors had their chests or backs split open by that sword slash. This included Namgung Hwa-shin of Suncheon Lord, temporary Blood Replacement Commander Hyeon Won-chang, Commandment Lord Yun So-yu, and Light Blade Squad Commander Hak So-seon.

Drip, drip...

The blood flowing from their bodies had long since pooled beneath them. It was thick and sticky.

A sword scar left behind by the Sage Sword Lord of Goyo.

An absurdly powerful sword strike filled with pressurized force that gnawed at their wounds. Unlike Jin Myeong-jo's Shadow Night Blood Demon Blade, this strike blocked all forms of healing arts, including acupuncture, through sheer destructive mystery.

One could say it was a miracle they hadn't been cleaved in two.

Thanks to the hardened defensive energy they had refined to their limits, their reaction speed honed to the edge, and the Jeong Household’s internal arts that had refined every meridian and muscle to the pinnacle of martial perfection, they had barely withstood the blow.

And yet—

Still, slowly—

A death approached like a thin strand of twilight.

Like the soundless clashing of countless weapons and the stench of blood within the castle walls... or like the spreading pools of blood beneath the feet of the eight in black and the two Northern Kings.

No one could move recklessly anymore.

The exhaustion was immense. If anyone were to be caught once more by Mun Gok, their body would be torn clean in half.

Now, like the chilling silence of Heukdo Imperial Palace, all they could do was control their internal breathing.

“Worry about what's happening inside the city.”

It was because of Liu Yuan Star General Mun Gok that things had turned out this way. He had clearly become the pivot of the battlefield—an absolute external force.

But even he wasn’t unscathed.

A portion of his head had been completely blown off, and his massive body was slashed all over with dark red sword wounds, revealing skin like ash.

He was bleeding profusely, just like the others.

“All of the Northern Kings... or rather, all but one, have a Great Warrior under them. So your subordinates, still fighting within Heukdo, must be facing martial troops led by those Great Warriors of the Demonic Realm.”

Mun Gok finished speaking with eerie calm.

“Without even a direct superior to lead them.”

His internal breathing remained completely unshaken.

He was the only one whose breath in and out remained steady. A presence so immense, it was surreal.

Even Jin Myeong-jo, who had landed countless sword wounds on Mun Gok, was now breathing out pale white mist.

“Hmm, does your shoulder hurt less now?”

Mun Gok suddenly asked Jin Myeong-jo, but he gave no reply.

“......”

The Shin Sword Corps Commander’s left arm had been torn off completely. Veins and muscle fibers twitched faintly, trying to regenerate, but the effect was negligible.

He hadn’t been born of noble blood.

A mere mongrel bloodline.

His white hair marked him as one of the rare, extremely fast-reacting blood ghouls, but the speed of his internal energy gathering and regenerative ability barely exceeded those who were turned into ghouls after being bitten.

In other words, that white hair was nothing more than a brand, revealing what he was.

“By the time your arm returns to its original form, this land... this country whose name has yet to be decided, whether it's called ‘Gold’ or ‘Great Qing’—its fate will already be sealed.”

There was no mockery in his tone. Only cold fact.

It had always been like this.

Even after he shattered the protective energy around Yun So-yu’s back with a single punch... even as he nearly crushed Hahoe Wi-jin’s head with both hands...

Mun Gok remained calm. Always speaking with deep, resonating internal breath, he shook his enemies from within.

“Behind the city, down by the river, strong military energy is approaching. At least thirty thousand men.”

He casually gestured toward the Sage Sword Lord of Goyo with his own body and even placed his hands behind his back.

Though clearly guarding his comrade’s Ultimate Martial Way, his wide yellow cloak made him look like a mild-mannered scholar.

“Thanks to the Whirling Wind Hollow, our forces retreat and regroup quickly. Though that sound cave was shattered by the North Emperor’s miraculous sword...”

The force now confronting the Divine Sword Corps—

It was the elite of the elite within Heukdo. The only ones fast enough to respond to the Whirling Wind Hollow’s call and move at that pace.

In short, the great army sweeping in behind Heukdo at this very moment was the true main force. Their numbers were on a completely different scale. They were the very spine of the nation's foundation.

The Divine Sword Corps’ rapid northward charge was proving meaningless.

The Demonic Realm’s martial world had gained the upper hand.

Even so, Mun Gok’s expression remained composed.

“We really shouldn't have used so much national power... It’s baffling. What did we do wrong? We crushed the heads of those who devour humans, built towers from their corpses, added to the towers whenever enemies or civilians died... Could we have been more moderate?”

“What?”

Bukgung Ah of Yeouicheon stared in disbelief, her blue eyes wide, but Mun Gok’s words flowed gently on.

“I know that custom of stacking corpses incites the slaughter among martial artists blinded by energy cultivation. And when the God of Battle returns, the Great Wall and Beijing may be dyed in blood. But even so, there is no way to be more human. What do the starving see when they look out?”

“......”

“You and the North Emperor... you are not vessels meant to hold anything. You’re just sharp blades. You came here to kill, nothing more. In an age of famine and closed gates, for us Yozoku, invasion is the only form of defense...”

“Don’t presume to decide anything.”

Jin Myeong-jo slowly parted his lips, gripping a crimson-misted sword with his only remaining hand. Even if he lost his neck instead of his arm, he would win this death match.

“The name of the unique martial art created by the current Shin Sword Corps Commander is Seizing Method. It’s not something you can comprehend.”

But his words never reached the enemy.

“To transcend law. Of course I know.”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Mun Gok smiled faintly and turned his foot ever so slightly. That tiny motion caused the ground beneath him to sink.

“I intend to do the same.”

KWAHHHHH!!

With a single, subtle step backward, he leapt in a massive arc toward Heukdo. The very air tore from the overwhelming force of his body.

The monster flew through the sky. His destination was clear.

Where Jeong Yeon-shin was facing off against the South Emperor. A place where the balance of the battle likely hung by a thread.

Heukdo Imperial Palace.

FWOOOSH!

In a split second, four shadows twisted violently in place and shot after Mun Gok.

Shin Sword Corps Commander Jin Myeong-jo, Annihilation Unit Commander Shin Hwang, Yeouicheon Lord Bukgung Ah, and Light Blade Squad Commander Hak So-seon all reacted at once.

The rest were left to face the descending greatsword.

[“I govern the martial law of this world. I do not intend to permit your advance.”]

The voice echoed from an elderly Yozoku swordsman with snow-white hair. At that moment, the Sage Sword Lord of Goyo dropped a silent arc with a single sword swing—one that devoured even sound.

Ultimate Martial Way.

[“Prison God’s Domain.”]

A thought as heavy as sunlight poured down.

RUMMMMMMMBLE—!

The vibrations rippled across the land, leaving afterimages. It was as if the entire wilderness had sunken in.

An overwhelming sword strike that allowed no response.

—Simgeuk Qilin allows late response to precede initiative. I will break the flow.

Namgung Hwa-shin, hair wild like a madwoman, threw herself at the greatsword.

There was no time for anyone to stop her. Yun So-yu and Hahoe Wi-jin, still bracing with their respective defensive stances, were swallowed by the rising dust.

***

The blue sky flowed on in peace, separate from the earthquake that had shaken the land. Thin, feathery clouds stretched gently across the nearby airspace.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom―!

The shadow of a giant figure dashed across the pale-blue sky. A hammer the size of a full-length banner trailed from his back.

"This is chaos beyond chaos. I’ll just have to choose one spot."

He muttered in a low voice as he scanned the battlefield from its start to its edge. At the same time, his rapidly accelerating movement scattered the white clouds, tearing through them as he advanced.

The wasteland, the Black Road, the Black Road Imperial Palace, and at the farthest end—the murky waters of the tributary of the Black Dragon River.

Rumble―!

Following the trajectory that reached even the farthest waters, dozens of thick shockwaves erupted in the air. All were tremors caused by steps on the void.

But in the next moment, a single explosive wave burst from the vast river, the most immense of all across the entire battlefield.

It was, naturally, the point where Ma Yeon-jeok and Bukdo had clashed—sword, poleaxe, and axe crossing.

In a fleeting instant, a faint ripple swept across the entirety of the Black Road.

KWAHHHHHH!

Like a dragon ascending to the heavens, a jet of water shot upward.

It was as if a giant waterfall had formed.

Foamy sprays of river water burst beyond the Black Road and scattered even into the wasteland, and an untimely rainbow plunged from one end of the Black Road to the other.

All seven colors were vast and hazy.

"This place is full of monsters. Naadam or not..."

Mugok of the Liu Yuan Star Lords sprinted in a straight line toward the end of the rainbow, just as Mun Gok had disappeared toward the Black Road Imperial Palace.

Mun Gok, guarding the Southern Emperor.

Mugok, who was close with Bukdo.

All of the Liu Yuan Star Lords had arrived at the Black Road.

At that moment, inside the massive jet of water shaped like a coiled dragon, Ma Yeon-jeok and Bukdo stood facing each other, weapons lowered.

Their bodies were fully exposed to the endlessly surging water, taking it head-on.

Sssssss—

Their superheated bodies, scorched by the friction of overwhelming internal force, emitted plumes of white steam. Both were in a state where even a single missed breath could bring the fatal final strike.

[I know your Ultimate Martial Way. Its name is Manghoe.]

Bukdo spoke.

[The technique of the previous Wudang’s top master—Manghoe, which crushed other forms through sheer force. In terms of sword techniques, it was unmatched in the martial world of the Ming.]

"You know quite a bit. Fitting for beasts who let loose a ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ thing like Yeoryeong."

Ma Yeon-jeok replied, stroking the worn hilt of his Bowol Sword. The space around his large hand flickered and cleared, blurred and then solid again.

Manghoe.

A desperate yearning to return. A sword strike that could drag even time itself back.

It was the will of a father who wished to return to the time before his daughter Ma Yeon-sang met that wretched Jeong Ban-ak.

A parent’s love.

Of course, it was stronger than any martial tyranny. And since creating Manghoe, Ma Yeon-jeok had never lost a single duel.

Back then, his nickname was Invincible from the First Strike. Unlike most peerless masters, he never hesitated to unleash Ultimate Martial Way from the start.

Naturally, it became the subject of analysis by every force.

But even during that time, no counter-method was discovered. Because it was a single honest move without trickery. Whether or not the opponent saw it coming, it didn’t matter.

However, at this moment, Bukdo looked down upon that era.

[An outdated martial technique. I saw it through the memories of the Earth King. Your fight with the previous Wudang leader was passed down from upper danjeon to upper danjeon.]

Saaah—

A breeze leaked from the massive body wielding both poleaxe and axe. It clearly defied natural principles—his body itself had become the origin of some kind of wind.

At the same time, colorless internal force misted around Ma Yeon-jeok’s body like a soft fog.

He opened his mouth without expression.

"So the rat’s alias is Earth King? What a grand name for vermin."

[Manghoe... a Ultimate Martial Way that uses both sword and hand. But there’s no variation in your forms. Without deviation, the trajectory extends only in a straight line.]

"Pointless analysis. Come, then."

[As long as I don't lose in the first exchange, it's easy to counter. Like a frog's final leap before death. And a Yozoku master like me can overcome your brute strength.]

Before his thought could even finish, Bukdo’s poleaxe came crashing down toward Ma Yeon-jeok’s shoulder.

Ma Yeon-jeok’s hand, faintly wrapped in bluish flame, brushed it away—only for a hand axe to fly in from the other side.

The moment he parried it with the Bowol Sword, the massive recoil split the water pillar horizontally.

FWHAAAAH!

White foam scattered widely, tearing through the sunlight, and amid the shards of transparent light, blue-green flames rose like wildfire and filled both the upper and lower jets.

Blossom-Ash Synthesis Technique: Oblivion Force.

JZZZZZHHHH!

Bukdo’s defensive energy, caught in the azure blaze, rippled violently.

After multiple transcendental impacts, even his gray-muscled body, which once seemed impenetrable, now looked on the verge of collapse.

At the same time, Bukdo’s intent surged from beneath the river, as if he had been waiting for Ma Yeon-jeok’s counterstrike.

Ultimate Martial Way.

[Substitute Horse Relies on Northern Wind.]

A dry mutter fell. How could one forget the landscape of their homeland—

It happened in a flash.

The river that had turned a deep blue suddenly split apart, and a massive whirlpool manifested like a dragon’s ascent. The water column was shredded entirely in an instant.

KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAHHH―!

This was the very definition of monstrous and divine.

With unimaginable power, a spiraling wind like a divine dragon ascending to heaven was unleashed.

It connected the vast surface of the river to the distant clouds above. The dull roar of wind devoured all sound on the battlefield and spiraled on infinitely.

“...!”

In that instant, the entirety of the Black Road froze.

This was an era of superstition. The martial world of the Demon Realm was no different from that of the Ming. Throughout the land, whispers of the Wind God’s appearance spread.

And in the center of it all, Ma Yeon-jeok stood atop a dark foam bubble like an immortal. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

The front of his pink robe was soaked in blood.

He’d been pushed back by the transcendental storm, and the blood-soaked hem of his clothes now resembled the purple robe he wore in his youth.

[The harmony of change and strength. This is nature itself.]

Bukdo’s voice echoed, heavy and boundless within the storm. His spirit merged with the whirlwind, cloaked in natural disaster. It was only fitting.

Bukdo spoke again.

[Can you even enter? Your technique is strong, but rigid. It felt like you were retreating, lost in the past.]

In contrast, the whirlwind of the Ultimate Martial Way ‘Substitute Horse Relies on Northern Wind’ spun with the overwhelming velocity of emotional turbulence.

It mirrored Bukdo’s state of mind—someone who wandered, returning and leaving, in order to protect his northern kin.

The intent forming his Ultimate Martial Way contained a full five characters. Naturally, Bukdo’s fatal final strike was as fierce as his anguish.

By contrast—

Ma Yeon-jeok’s intent was short.

[No Return.]

It rang out suddenly.

In the next moment, Ma Yeon-jeok had broken through the translucent whirlwind like a dream.

His extended sword and body aligned perfectly horizontal—Sword and Body as One. The fragmented remnants of gray internal force within the massive whirlwind scattered like feathers, and the leftover shadows of the water columns burst forth as if clawing at the sunlight.

Union of Speed and Strength. Overwhelming speed, transcendental power.

Faster.

Even faster.

So that he might reach the end of time given to his grandson before it was too late. So that Jeong Yeon-shin’s life would not stop. A tyrannical natural order that whipped the flow of time itself, as if he were a divine being.

And so, he was fast.

So fast that by the time Bukdo blinked once, the Bowol Sword was already pierced into his heart. Without even a splash of flesh, the defensive energy and ribcage were burned away by a single bluish sword strike.

A Ultimate Martial Way that guarantees death upon release.

[Has life... changed?]

The astonished curiosity of the madman Bukdo deepened like a layered echo from the mountains.

PUHHHHHHHK!

Two jets of blood exploded along the lines of the massive storm and leaked into the air.