A man holding a large bowl filled with rice, various greens, and cuts of fresh meat was shoveling food into his mouth with chopsticks. His name was Ju Gwal, the owner of a butcher shop. He was eating some of the pork he'd butchered himself after grilling it.

Ju Gwal ate in a rush. Whenever he felt his throat clog up, he washed it down with liquor, and once it went down, he resumed eating rice and meat. Despite the large portion, the food was quickly disappearing. When about half of the bowl was gone, a man in dark clothing burst in and said urgently:

"Sir Ju."

Ju Gwal responded with his mouth full.

"Why the rush?"

"Yeompyeong was found with his head cut off."

Ju Gwal set down his chopsticks.

"Who did it?"

"It wasn’t just Yeompyeong. There was a corpse in the middle of the street with the entire upper body missing. Based on the records, we think it was Jeong Sam."

Ju Gwal stared at the messenger.

"Jeong Sam? No upper body?"

"Yes. The ground was littered with mangled remains. Looked like he was completely smashed. The heavy rain washed a lot of it away, so only the lower half remained. Also, Yeompyeong’s ears had been cleanly sliced off."

Ju Gwal looked down at the meat on top of his rice mix.

"...What are people saying? Any witnesses? Anyone peeking from the shadows?"

"Old Noya sold a bamboo hat and green robes to a stranger. Said he was rich enough not to carry coin and gave off a terrifying vibe. He wore a red longsword, and it seems Yeompyeong and Jeong Sam chased him into an alley and were killed right away."

Ju Gwal wiped his face with his hands and asked,

"A martial artist with a red longsword? Never heard of one like that before. Any other details?"

"An old man living next to the alley peeked out and said he thought the man asked, ‘How many of you are there?’"

"‘You’? As in us?"

"Yes. What should we do? Everyone’s been notified and is gathering."

Ju Gwal asked,

"Was it internal force that blew the upper body away?"

"I’m not sure. Can internal force even do that?"

"I can’t."

Ju Gwal stood up and grabbed a butcher’s knife from the table, tucking it into his belt.

"Which direction?"

"Moved from Nasan Road toward Jukpyeong Road."

As Ju Gwal stepped out, the messenger followed.

"I’ll gather everyone and follow behind."

Ju Gwal stopped and said,

"No. I’ll go alone."

"Sir?"

Ju Gwal looked at the man and said,

"This expert with the red longsword isn’t local. He’s not from Daheungbang or Samwonbang. He’s an outsider. Probably just passing through and ran into bad luck. I’ll chase after him, and once I find him, I’ll decide what to do."

"Understood."

"If I’m not back by noon tomorrow, take over the shop."

"Be careful, sir."

Ju Gwal waved him off and left the butcher shop.

***

Two hours later.

Ju Gwal stepped into Samwonbang, whose door was left half-open. The entrance all the way to the main hall was littered with corpses.

“...”

He had never gotten along with this faction, but seeing them all slaughtered gave him a strange feeling. He recognized quite a few faces. At that moment, a voice called from the main hall.

“...Are you with Haomun?”

Ju Gwal looked toward the hall and answered,

“Haomun? I’m Ju Gwal of Nasanbang.”

He briefly considered running, but curiosity rooted him in place. Besides, with someone of that skill, he’d be caught immediately anyway.

He stepped through the blood, which squelched underfoot. As he pushed open the door to the main hall, the stench of blood mixed with wind stabbed his nose.

Ju Gwal looked at the man sitting in the main hall.

He was shirtless, with his back exposed and his entire body soaked in blood. Blood even dripped from his hair.

“...”

The scene on the floor was more gruesome than anything Ju Gwal had seen in his own butcher shop. The corpses were torn to pieces, and something smelled faintly like roasted flesh. He realized it, too, was blood.

As expected, a red longsword was laid on the table.

Gwangmyeong Usa turned his head and spoke to Ju Gwal.

“...Everyone said they weren’t with Haomun. Doesn’t matter.”

For the first time in his life, Ju Gwal found another human terrifying. The man’s face was caked in blood—and his eyes were red.

Ju Gwal asked,

"Are you with the Demonic Path?"

Gwangmyeong Usa nodded.

"As you can see... And you?"

Ju Gwal drew the butcher’s knife from his belt.

"Black Path."

Gwangmyeong Usa smiled.

"I see. So, not with Haomun. Are you one of the Jecheon Alliance Lord’s men, then?"

Ju Gwal walked toward the table and answered.

"No."

Now facing each other across the table, Ju Gwal asked Gwangmyeong Usa,

"Why... did you kill them all? Because of martial arts?"

Gwangmyeong Usa nodded.

"Partly, yes."

"What’s the other reason?"

Gwangmyeong Usa sniffed and replied,

"Why do you reek so much? You smell like pigs, cows, shit, and garbage all mixed together."

Ju Gwal replied,

"Yeah? Well, I find the stench of your blood more disgusting. So what’s the other reason?"

With a sour look, Gwangmyeong Usa answered,

"Because of the Haomun Master."

"Haomun Master? Did he beat you? Why take it out on us?"

"We’re simply doing to martial artists what you do to the powerless. That’s the only difference. 'Taking it out on you'? Please. The Haomun Master isn’t even my match. And besides..."

He gestured up and down at Ju Gwal.

"You’ve got guts. I’ll tell you how to live."

"What is it?"

"Join ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) our cult, and I won’t kill you."

Ju Gwal asked,

"Cult? What cult?"

Gwangmyeong Usa pointed to the blood pooling across the floor.

"Look. The Blood Cult."

"The Blood Cult?"

"Yes."

Ju Gwal asked,

"Are you the cult leader?"

Gwangmyeong Usa nodded, and Ju Gwal replied,

"Sorry, but I already joined the Pig-Shit-Scent Cult. I can’t take any more stench. I’ll have to refuse."

Gwangmyeong Usa shook his shoulders as he laughed.

"Ridiculous guy. Since you’ve refused, I’ll be sending my cultists to kill every last man in Nasanbang. That’s your answer for refusing."

"What kind of trash..."

Gwangmyeong Usa let out a deep breath and stood up.

"You made me laugh, so I’ll let you live. But your friends will probably be here soon. I’ll be going."

As Gwangmyeong Usa turned away, Ju Gwal swung his butcher knife. Gwangmyeong Usa whipped his left arm, and the internal force flung Ju Gwal through the wall of the hall.

Looking at the hole he’d made, Gwangmyeong Usa shook his head.

"Black Path bastards, seriously..."

He trudged through the blood, glanced around at the corpses, and spoke to them.

"It’s time to go independent. Tired of taking orders. You’ve held out long enough. Blame the cult leader who insisted on taking them alive even after I warned him to kill them all. That’s why you’re dead. Got it?"

The Blood Cult Leader surveyed the crimson blood all around, but of course, no corpse was left to answer.

“...”

***

Smack!

“...”

Ju Gwal barely opened his eyes to the sharp slap. His whole body ached as if broken, and even his cheek was stinging.

A man knelt beside him, looking down. As Ju Gwal tried to remember who it was, the man muttered,

"See? He’s alive."

Someone nearby retorted,

"Did you have to slap him that hard?"

Once Ju Gwal came to his senses, he asked the man in front of him,

"Who are you?"

He looked around, unsure how he’d ended up lying here. He struggled to sit against the wall, slowly piecing things together.

"Yeompyeong and Jeong Sam were killed, I chased after them... Daheungbang and Samwonbang were wiped out... Did you see the guy with the red longsword?"

As Ju Gwal rambled incoherently, the young man answered,

"You saw Gwangmyeong Usa?"

"Gwangmyeong Usa? Said he was the Blood Cult Leader."

"The Blood Cult Leader?"

Only then did Ju Gwal really take in the young man’s face and eyes.

‘This one’s crazy too...’

Waking up from unconsciousness only to think he might die again made him realize how arrogant he’d been in thinking he was ready to die at any time. Now, he saw that belief for the delusion it was. Though the man before him seemed younger, Ju Gwal asked cautiously,

"And you are...?"

The man replied,

"I’m the Haomun Master. I’m chasing Gwangmyeong Usa. Did you see him?"

"I did."

"Judging by the state of the corpses and blood, he’s been gone for over an hour. If you know anything helpful, speak up."

"Why the informal tone...?"

"It’s a habit. Let’s just go with it."

"Fine. He was completely unhinged. Asked me to join the Blood Cult. Killed my two younger brothers. Said he did all this because of martial arts. And because of you."

"Because of me?"

Ju Gwal nodded.

"Because of you."

The Haomun Master asked again.

"My fault?"

Ju Gwal nodded again.

"Your fault."

The moment he answered, the Haomun Master smacked him across the face.

Smack!

Ju Gwal instinctively held his cheek. The Haomun Master glared at him and said,

"How the hell is it my fault, you bastard? That guy’s crazy. You think that’s on me? Say one more stupid thing."

Still clutching his cheek, Ju Gwal replied,

"Let’s say it’s not."

"Right?"

Just then, a new man emerged through the broken wall. The Blood Cult Leader had been terrifying, but this newcomer had an equally intense presence.

"Third, let’s go."

The Haomun Master stood up and looked down at Ju Gwal.

"These people who died—your comrades?"

"Not really."

"Then?"

"Rival faction."

"But your brothers were killed."

"They died before I came here. I was just following their trail."

"I see."

The Haomun Master nodded once.

"Well, I’ll avenge them anyway. I’m chasing the bastard. Hard to catch him though. I’m off."

"Hey, Haomun Master."

As he headed for the exit, the Haomun Master turned.

"What?"

"Be careful. He’s completely insane. Looked totally gone in the head."

The Haomun Master vanished, but his voice lingered.

"So am I."

Something clicked in Ju Gwal’s mind. He shot to his feet and ran to the hall, chasing after them. He thought there were only two, but four people were leaving Samwonbang.

Ju Gwal asked,

"Haomun Master, anything I can do? I need revenge too."

The Haomun Master stopped, turned, and looked at him.

"Try contacting the Jecheon Alliance Lord. At this rate, every Black Path group is going to be wiped out. Gwangmyeong Usa’s on a tour of slaughter. Everywhere he goes ends up like this."

"We’ve got no ties to him."

The Haomun Master stared at Ju Gwal.

"Even so, contact him. If the man known as the Black Path’s number one ignores this massacre, he should give up the title altogether. Tell him the Haomun Master said that."

Ju Gwal nodded.

"I’ll deliver it exactly."

"Do whatever. Either way, the opponent is Gwangmyeong Usa."

As the Haomun Master resumed walking with the other three, he asked,

"Eldest Brother."

"What?"

"If the Jecheon Alliance Lord and Gwangmyeong Usa fought, who’d win?"

"How would I know? Never fought him."

"I have."

"Who’d win?"

"Usa. But the Alliance Lord doesn’t fight alone. He’s more like a pack of wolves."

Strangely curious about their conversation, Ju Gwal eavesdropped right up to the doorway. This time, the younger one tossed out nonsense.

"...You know who wins in a fight between a tiger and a bear?"

"Who?"

"The bigger one, you idiot. Depends on the day."

The man who hadn’t spoken at all sighed in exasperation.

"Good grief, I can’t listen to this. Are these really grown men talking?"

The Haomun Master snickered by himself.

Feeling something strange stir in him, Ju Gwal called out to them.

"Hey, you four—what the hell are you?"

The younger one next to the Haomun Master answered with his back still turned.

"We’re the Four Villains."

Ju Gwal nodded and replied.

"Wow. That’s so lame."

"Hey, does that Black Path punk have a death wish?"

The young one turned, and Ju Gwal finally saw his face—a snide, irritating guy who looked like a courtesan’s brother.

Ju Gwal waved.

"...Anyway, I’ll inform the Jecheon Alliance Lord. Farewell, Four Villains."

As he stood watching them with arms crossed, a deep voice spoke up.

"Disciple."

"Yes?"

"Let’s not go around calling ourselves the Four Villains. It really is childish."

"But the third one always says it."

"It sounds even more childish when you say it."

"Understood."

The Haomun Master and the man in the center burst out laughing, while the courtesan-brother type sighed.

Ju Gwal chuckled unintentionally, but quickly corrected his expression. Now wasn’t the time for laughter.

He immediately set off with long strides, resolved to contact the Jecheon Alliance Lord—just as the Haomun Master had said.