Chapter 84: Return
It was the sound of True Immortal Cheongun and the man in black talking.
Don't tell me... when they say “Flow”...
Was it referring to the realization of martial arts that had reached the ultimate realm?
I focused completely on their conversation.
“You... the final... Flow... you...”
“...I... also... I didn't know...”
Their voices were clearly reaching my ears...
but I couldn't hear them properly.
The conversation kept cutting in and out, leaving only fragments.
Damn it, why is this happening?
It was frustrating.
True Immortal Cheongun had clearly told me before.
There were others in the world besides him who had left behind their own Flow.
And he had told me to find those remaining Flows.
If I can find them all...
I might gain enough power to surpass even Moyong Cheonhwi.
Then...
“...from the Demonic Cult... everything... end...”
“...in the end... that... destiny....”
The Demonic Cult.
And the end.
Two words that sounded far too ominous...
far too dangerous.
The instant they entered my ears...
my heart began pounding.
It felt as though I had stepped one pace closer to a dangerous truth I was never supposed to hear.
Even so...
I didn't back away.
I had to catch even one more word.
I focused even harder on the voices dissolving into the air.
But...
Crack. Crack-crack!
The scene before me suddenly began to shatter.
It was like a glass window covered in fractures breaking apart right in front of my eyes.
No... don't!
I tried to move forward.
But then...
Whoosh!
It felt as if someone had violently grabbed the back of my head and yanked me away.
My vision flipped.
Every trace of light around me vanished at once.
“Ghk...!”
When I opened my eyes again...
True Immortal Cheongun was gone.
So was the mysterious man in black.
I had returned to reality.
The stale air of the treasury and the metallic smell of old weapons rushed into my nose all at once.
Was that some kind of dream?
Of course it wasn't.
The object in my hand proved it.
Why... would True Immortal Cheongun's memories be here...?
I quietly stared at the sword I was holding.
The hilt was badly rusted...
but the blade itself was still sharp enough to use immediately.
The scene I'd just witnessed flashed through my mind.
True Immortal Cheongun.
The mysterious man in black.
Their fierce battle.
And the final words I'd heard.
The Demonic Cult.
The end.
And everything had begun...
...after I grabbed this sword.
I tightened my grip around the hilt.
I'm taking it.
Creeeeeak.
I opened the treasury's iron door and stepped outside.
The first people I saw were Yu Gwangcheol and Jin Gwangung waiting beyond the entrance.
The moment I appeared...
Jin Gwangung blocked my path as though he'd been waiting for me.
His eyes moved up and down my body.
“What the hell?”
Then his gaze landed on the sword in my hand.
His face immediately twisted.
“Don't tell me... that's what you picked.”
“Yes.”
I answered calmly.
Jin Gwangung clicked his tongue as if he'd just witnessed the most pathetic sight in the world.
“Haa... what kind of lunatic are you?”
I frowned.
“Master, isn't that a little harsh...?”
“Harsh?”
He pointed at the sheath.
“You idiot! Why would you bring out a piece of rusty garbage?!”
He tapped the end of the sheath with one finger.
“Just looking at it, it's obviously some discarded low-grade weapon.”
He stared at me like he genuinely couldn't understand.
“Out of everything in that treasury, you chose this?”
“Is something wrong with your eyes?”
Yu Gwangcheol, standing beside him, added with a sigh,
“I didn't realize you liked antiques that much, Mujin.”
"..."
Jin Gwangung shook his head again.
“Out of all those things...”
“you bring back some rusted iron sword.”
He clicked his tongue repeatedly.
“You should've just taken the pill the Alliance Leader offered.”
“What the hell were you thinking?”
I smiled awkwardly.
“This sword... called to me.”
“What?”
Jin Gwangung snorted.
“The sword called to you?”
He stared at me.
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
Then his eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“You didn't secretly drink inside the treasury, did you?”
“No.”
“Then why are you acting like this while sober?”
He let out a long, disappointed sigh.
All I could do was laugh.
It really did call to me.
But no matter how much I explained...
no one would believe me.
I looked down at the sword again.
The words I'd heard inside the treasury returned to mind.
Flow.
Demonic Cult.
The end.
What had True Immortal Cheongun and the man in black been talking about?
Why had this sword been inside the Righteous Alliance treasury?
And why had my awakened ability reacted to it?
Then a strange thought occurred to me.
Was it really coincidence that this sword ended up in my hands?
Maybe something invisible...
something I still couldn't understand...
was guiding me toward some kind of fate.
Well...
Whatever fate is waiting for me, I'll find out if I keep going.
With that thought...
I tightened my grip around the hilt again.
I informed the Righteous Alliance people which item I had chosen from the treasury.
They looked surprised too...
but didn't say anything.
After completing the simple procedure required to remove the sword...
our group returned to the lodging.
Hyeongwon, Yu Seola, Myeongjeon, and Tang Soyeon were all waiting for us.
The moment Myeongjeon saw me...
he immediately blurted out,
“Martial Uncle Mujin!”
His voice was full of curiosity.
“What was Lord Moyong Cheonhwi like in person?”
“Why did he call you specifically?”
Everyone in the lodging turned toward me.
They didn't say it aloud...
but all of them were clearly curious about why Moyong Cheonhwi had summoned me.
I smiled at Myeongjeon.
“There's no need to make such a fuss.”
“It really wasn't anything special.”
Myeongjeon's eyes widened.
“Nothing special?!”
He raised his voice excitedly.
“The leader of the entire Righteous Alliance personally called for you!”
“How is that not a big deal?!”
Then he leaned closer.
