I asked the Blood Star, Ak Byeongbi, once again.

"Did you come here as a Hall Leader of the Inspection Pavilion?"

"Is that important?"

"The person who sought me out yesterday claimed he was from the Inspection Pavilion."

"..."

"For someone who isn't even affiliated with the Inspection Pavilion to dare pose as its member... Isn't that a grave crime?"

As I continued speaking despite the air being taut with tension, Ak Byeongbi's face contorted further.

"That is not important."

With his chin raised, he cast his eyes down at me and growled.

"The most important fact right now is that I am the one who sought you out."

Just as he said, catching the eye of the Inspection Pavilion was no different from being in a dangerous situation.

Because the Inspection Pavilion possessed the authority to investigate targets and uncover their other crimes.

Their nickname within the Murim Alliance was 'Grim Reaper'.

It was a nickname given because those dragged to the Inspection Pavilion never returned in one piece.

However.

"That is why I am asking. Did you come here as a Hall Leader of the Inspection Pavilion right now?"

"..."

"Or am I asking if you are using the Inspection Pavilion's authority for personal matters, just like Oh Ungyeong of the Ak Clan did."

"How dare you...!"

No matter if it was the Inspection Pavilion, it was impossible to just grab anyone and frame them without proper justification.

And I had absolutely no intention of becoming just 'anyone'.

"Even though the Inspection Pavilion has mobilized, not a single member of the Disciplinary Pavilion is in sight. Why is that?"

"..."

"In the end, I can only see this as you coming here to pressure your opponent using your status in the Inspection Pavilion."

He hadn't even pulled out a common warrant or an identification tag.

Ultimately, this meant he had come here not as the Third Hall Leader of the Inspection Pavilion, but as Ak Jupyeong's uncle.

A glint of arrogance flickered on his face.

"You are misunderstanding something."

"..."

"I am the Third Hall Leader of the Inspection Pavilion. Issuing a warrant later makes no difference."

"... Is that so?"

I had heard that if a warrant wasn't issued, the Inspection Pavilion would sometimes abduct the target first and extract a confession through torture.

Were those rumors true?

"As expected, there was no way you simply came here empty-handed."

He had been completely caught sending Oh Ungyeong to impersonate the Inspection Pavilion yesterday.

For Ak Byeongbi, he wouldn't be able to just let this go.

His intention seemed to be to take me away first and deal with the aftermath later.

What a shame.

I was no longer the idiot who would just sit back and take it like before.

TAP!

I performed the Taiyi Eighty Thousand Divine Steps, creating four illusions to confuse Ak Byeongbi's line of sight.

"..."

But for some reason, Ak Byeongbi just stood there rigidly, unmoving.

Presently, the moment I immediately unleashed the World-Traversing Lone Footwork to dash toward the Academy Director's office...

Ak Byeongbi slammed the shaft of his spear into the ground with a THUD.

CRACK!

The solid marble floor of the training ground shattered like dry leaves.

The vibration originating from Ak Byeongbi was transmitted as a strange shockwave, causing the marble I was about to step on to pop up with a CRASH.

The Blood Star uses such techniques too?

As I untangled my feet after losing my footing and tried to leap again, Ak Byeongbi muttered impassively.

"Where are you trying to go?"

At the same time as his words, rustling sounds echoed around the training ground, and the presence of people could be felt.

One by one... martial artists revealed themselves.

Before I knew it, they had surrounded Ak Byeongbi and me.

"The only place you are going is the Inspection Pavilion."

The speed of my footsteps, which were about to accelerate, gradually slowed down again.

'To think he prepared this extensively...'

The martial artists of the Ak Clan might not all be experts, but if they attacked simultaneously with Ak Byeongbi, there was no way I could face them.

While I racked my brain figuring out how to escape this place.

Ak Byeongbi turned around and spoke.

"However, I will give you a chance to choose."

His spear pointed at the martial artists of the Ak Clan.

"Break through the Ak Clan's spear formation, or escape from me. Choose one of the two."

"..."

Ak Byeongbi was offering ridiculous choices that made no sense.

"There isn't a single thing I wish to choose."

"Is that so? Losers always flee from making a choice."

"I inherently do not back myself into disadvantageous choices."

"That is a shame. But the ways of the world do not always flow exactly to your liking."

While Ak Byeongbi spoke, my gaze shifted subtly toward the roof of the pavilion.

'Yayul Geuk.'

Yayul Geuk, who had attempted an ambush to strike the back of my head again today, was stealthily climbing over the roof.

I immediately sent him a sound transmission.

-Yayul Geuk! Cause a commotion right now and draw their attention. Then I'll head straight for the Academy Director's office...

But before my words could even finish, Yayul Geuk moved.

'That bastard!'

Perhaps sensing the strange atmosphere, Yayul Geuk was backing away while keeping his movements as minimal as possible.

I trembled with a sense of betrayal.

"Yayul Geuk! Go to the Academy Director's office right now and tell them the Inspection Pavilion has shown up here!!"

As my voice rang out thunderously, he startled and glared at me murderously.

That cowardly bastard.

So what if you glare at me? What are you going to do about it?

One of the Ak Clan's martial artists immediately approached Yayul Geuk from behind, subdued him, and tossed him in front of Ak Byeongbi.

Even in this situation after being caught, Yayul Geuk glared at me.

"... Jin Sowoon! You dirty, deceitful..."

"You bastard! This is all because of you!"

"... Because of me?"

"Yeah! Everyone here is from the Ak Clan."

With his acupoints sealed, Yayul Geuk rolled his eyes to glare murderously at Ak Byeongbi.

"The Ak Clan...! Jin Sowoon, undo this. I'll kill them all..."

"Shut up and stay out of the way."

I kicked him, shoving him into the corner of the training ground.

Ak Byeongbi, glancing once at the screaming Yayul Geuk, spoke.

"Are you done?"

I could no longer avoid this.

Especially since my last resort, Yayul Geuk, had ended up in that state.

He really was a useless bastard.

I readjusted my grip on the Black Dragon Sword.

If I couldn't run away, all I had to do was break through.

"Have you given up now?"

I glared at Ak Byeongbi.

"You will pay the price for what you've done today."

"I heard Jupyeong was left with a disability..."

Qi coalesced on the tip of his spear.

Unlike the clumsily scattering qi I had seen the day before, this was spear qi shaped perfectly, as if meticulously carved.

"You will be the first to pay a harsh price for it."

To begin with, measuring martial prowess against the Blood Star was a foolish endeavor.

I also drew up my internal energy and unleashed the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Art.

"Try it if you think you can."

Six Ten Thousand Swords.

Sword Qi enveloped them.

An absurd amount of internal energy was drawn out, but this wasn't the time to worry about the aftermath.

Because there was no way I could let myself be dragged off to the Inspection Pavilion right now.

"... I see why you had a conflict with Jupyeong. You are a mannerless brat."

"Look who's talking!"

The six Ten Thousand Swords began to move.

The Ten Thousand Swords, radiating Sword Qi, once again began to unfold the Twin Heaven Sword Art.

The sky above the small training ground was now embroidered with countless swords without a single gap, all aiming at Ak Byeongbi.

However, there wasn't a single trace of a sense of crisis on Ak Byeongbi's face.

"Come!"

"Hyaah!"

Ak Byeongbi prepared to swing his spear in a wide arc.

I executed the Taiyi Eighty Thousand Divine Steps and charged at him.

SWISH!

SWISH!

SWISH!

Tearing the air to shreds, the Lesser Heaven Sword Technique struck toward his fatal acupoints.

And the Great Heaven Sword Technique clouded his eyes in confusion.

Ak Byeongbi, who had taken his opening stance with great momentum, repeatedly retreated to dodge the swords.

Then, when his feet could retreat no further.

"Blazing Fire Spear!"

Absurdly enough, the name of a martial art burst from his lips.

'Crazy...'

Wasn't shouting the name of a sword technique or a Martial Move only something neighborhood kids did when playing war?

I wondered if he was perhaps trying to deceive me, but the spear qi lingering on his spear tip glowed bright red and began to emit intense heat.

'He's actually unleashing what he shouted?'

FWOOSH!

Blazing with sweltering heat, the spear qi swallowed up the Twin Heaven Sword Art.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Pressure erupted between the clash of qi, pushing my body back.

I stood my ground using the Thousand-Catty Drop technique while simultaneously thrusting into his five directions using the other Ten Thousand Swords.

CRASH!

As the Ten Thousand Swords struck down, Ak Byeongbi evaded them with unbelievably agile movements.

At the same time, I unleashed the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist with my left hand to block his retreat.

"Firelight Heaven-Piercing Fist!"

"..."

Once again shouting the name of his martial art, Ak Byeongbi thrust his hand out.

His right hand flashed brilliantly as it poured toward me.

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM!

Having exchanged three Martial Moves in an instant, we were pushed apart by the resulting shockwaves of qi.

SLIDE!

I stood my ground as much as possible against the repelling force, but I ended up being forced back seven steps...

'I was pushed back in internal energy?'

Unbelievably, he had only taken three steps back.

Ak Byeongbi stared at the fist he had just exchanged techniques with, then pierced me with his characteristically sharp gaze.

"You bastard... For a disciple of the Taiyi Sect to possess this level of internal energy. Truly, nothing could be more suspicious."

No matter if he was one of the Seven Stars, the fact that he possessed internal energy greater than my own level was hard to believe.

"Do they drink Hollow Azure Stalactite Milk instead of water in the Ak Clan? You're incredibly suspicious yourself."

"... Right. We can have all these discussions once we go down to the underground of the Inspection Pavilion."

He gripped his spear with both hands again and took a charging stance.

"Dark Cloud Flashing Lightning Spear!"

It was the signature spear technique that made the Ak Clan a prestigious family of the spear.

I heard the only ones who had seen its true prowess were the foreigners of the north and the villains of the Underworld Murim.

Hah, to think I would end up seeing it.

CRACK.

He kicked off the ground with so much force that the marble shattered, sending stones scattering in all directions.

Even though he was charging in a straight line, I couldn't easily bring myself to dodge.

'If I dodge, I die...'

The true terror of the Dark Cloud Flashing Lightning Spear stemmed from the hidden trap concealed within its simple attack.

The moment the target avoided a head-on clash, he would use a second step to pierce through their body no matter where they dodged.

It was a martial art that utilized the length of the spear, which was longer than a sword.

I abandoned the thought of dodging, grasped the Black Dragon Sword in my opposite hand, and charged at him.

"Foolish bastard!"

CRASH!

With his second step, the marble shattered, and a mound of dirt scattered in all directions like a splash of water.

Ak Byeongbi's figure became completely one with his spear, lunging forward as if to pierce my body in a single breath.

I raised the Black Dragon Sword, held in a reverse grip, and desperately blocked his spear.

SCREECH!

I pressed the flat of the blade entirely against my forearm to disperse the impact, but even the remaining shock felt like it would break my arm.

Then, I grabbed his spear shaft with my other hand and unleashed Lotus to its absolute limit.

"Heup!"

Perhaps he hadn't anticipated the sudden trick of Shifting Flowers and Grafting Trees, as he couldn't dissipate the momentum of his charge and was pulled toward me along with the spear shaft.

I then executed the Snowflake technique, hurling his massive body with all my might.

CRASH!

Ak Byeongbi was thrown out of the training ground.

The moment he smashed into the wall, kicking up sand and dust in all directions.

I wildly launched Sword Qi into the cloud of dust.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!

In a single breath, nearly twenty streams of Sword Qi shot out and exploded.

The moment a few of the Ak Clan martial artists forming the encirclement flinched and moved toward Ak Byeongbi.

I instantly unleashed the World-Traversing Lone Footwork to break through their encirclement.

"Deploy!"

However, the martial artists of the Ak Clan quickly blocked my path.

I tried to scatter the Twin Heaven Sword Art to shake them off in one fell swoop and dash away, but...

'Already?'

Feeling an immense wave of qi from behind, I desperately deployed the Taiyi Eighty Thousand Divine Steps without even having the time to turn around.

BOOM!

With a sound like a Thunderbolt Bomb exploding, the ground was gouged out.

At the edge of the crater stood Ak Byeongbi, holding his spear pointed down.

"Why didn't you call out the name of your martial art this time? How cowardly."

"..."

He casually wiped away the fresh blood on his lips.

"I have more than just one or two questions about you. How can the skills of an academy student be at this level?"

"If it's about that, I can answer you without having to go to the Inspection Pavilion."

"..."

Through this last exchange, I knew for sure.

He wasn't an existence with the immense internal energy I had expected.

Until now, he had merely been absorbing and deflecting the shock of the qi waves using his external arts.

Furthermore...

It was clear that he was afraid the commotion would spread outside.

'It should have been a golden opportunity for him.'

When I had my back turned to deal with the martial artists of the Ak Clan.

I was definitely caught off guard.

Even knowing it, I couldn't prepare, and because it was an unexpected situation, I had grown complacent, merely trusting in my Celestial Silkworm Garment...

But Ak Byeongbi had simply let that golden opportunity slip by.

'Because... if we fight out loud here, the people outside will notice what's happening!'

Shouting the names of his martial arts and Martial Moves up until now must have been an extension of that concern.

To make me focus on him and prevent my attention from turning outward.

"... So that was it."

A smile formed on my lips.

His intentions were completely transparent to me.

"You acted so bold and honest. But you were just a cunning fox wearing the mask of a bear."

As if he didn't like my demeanor, Ak Byeongbi furrowed his brow heavily.

"... What are you talking about?"

"As expected, you don't want the situation to escalate into a commotion outside, do you?"

"..."

"That must also be the reason why you couldn't capture me with your spear formation."

Ak Byeongbi's face stiffened hard for the first time.

It wasn't an expression of holding back anger, but a desperate look meant to hide his fluster.

"... Even if you figured that out, nothing changes."

"Do you really think so?"

This was why I loved fighting those who act arrogant.

Because such bastards were so complacent that they never bothered to investigate their opponents.

And if you strike the back of their head when their guard is down...

'Nothing could be more thrilling than this.'

WOOOSH.

The atmosphere violently trembled, and a strong wind stirred.

Like wind being sucked into a cave, the air currents gathered roughly into my hand.

Watching me concentrate on the flow of the atmosphere, Ak Byeongbi ground his teeth.

"What are you plotting...!"

There was no way the world-renowned Blood Star wouldn't be able to dodge the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm.

But it didn't matter.

Because if the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm erupted in the Murim Academy, people would have no choice but to look here whether they wanted to or not.

BOOOOOOOOM!

A deafening explosion blasted out in all directions.

It was a signal flare announcing that the Ak Clan and I were here.