Unorthodox Alliance (3)

Minwoo headed toward the lavish audience hall where the Unorthodox Alliance leader resided.

"Alliance Leader. The Fifth Young Master is here."

The alliance leader raised his head at the Second Elder's words. Kim Minwoo recalled what Jang Sam had told him.

["... You were terribly afraid of the Unorthodox Alliance leader, Young Master. He had no affection to speak of. The way the other young masters are still locked in endless competition should give you some idea."]

["You have absolutely no supporters. Unless you count me, Jang Sam...?"]

The conclusion was simple. The alliance leader had little affection for his own flesh and blood. Being his illegitimate son offered no particular benefits. It was more as though he'd tracked the boy down simply because they were related.

Minwoo had heard he'd arrived here a year ago. The fact that he'd been given Jang Sam and nobody else told him all he needed to know. This world's Fifth Young Master, Baek Socheon, was practically a discarded child.

Then was there any reason to show the man respect?

'Nope.'

The moment he saw those snakelike eyes, he knew. This alliance leader wasn't the sort to toss him scraps just because he wagged his tail.

'I just need to show him I'm useful.'

Then the man would be desperate to put him to work. All Minwoo had to do was exploit that.

The alliance leader stared at him and spoke.

"I hear you made a wreck of Suheon."

"You mean that Fourth Young Master bastard?"

"Yes."

"Well, I didn't kill him. I'd say that was consideration enough for your dignity."

"You've grown quite full of yourself since I last saw you."

"The clue to ascension, was it? I hear it's quite something. Desirable enough that even you want it, Alliance Leader."

The alliance leader's face stiffened slightly.

"Suheon, or whatever his name is. With a dumbass like that taking up a spot, would you even win the third-place materials, never mind the clue?"

"So you intend to enter the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering in his place?"

"That's the plan. It shouldn't be a bad proposition for you, either."

"... There are only a little over fifteen days left before the points are tallied."

"Then I just need to pull off one big score before then, don't I?"

"... No single mission awards 3,800 points."

"Then make one."

That was one reason he'd beaten the living shit out of the Fourth Young Master. He'd put the tenth-place contender out of commission in one go. He'd all but proven his qualifications.

What if Minwoo couldn't attend the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering? The alliance leader would be the one losing out. Sending even one more talented contender would improve his chances of obtaining the clue to ascension.

"... You want me to create a mission?"

"Otherwise, you'll have to send someone a little worse than the bastard with the crippled legs, won't you?"

"Many eyes are watching me as well. If I create a mission for you overnight, complaints will pour in from within the alliance."

"I'm sure your leadership will see you through that."

"Hah."

The alliance leader regarded him incredulously for a moment. Then he drew his sword and swung.

[The Unorthodox Alliance leader uses Death Spirit Sword Art (S)!]

An immense mass of mana split into seven streams and came pouring toward Minwoo.

'This'll cost me an arm.'

He had the calculation worked out at a glance.

Cedric and the other skeletons appeared in a rush, intercepting some of the sword energy with their bodies. They stopped three streams.

Minwoo twisted aside to dodge one of the remaining four. He took two of the last three with his body. Blood sprayed into the air, but he was fine. They had only grazed him; neither wound was fatal.

One remained. A stream of sword energy aimed precisely at his heart. He saw no way to dodge it.

He raised his sword. The instant he deflected the attack—

[You have sustained massive damage!]

[The Sword of Judgment is destroyed!]

The blade exploded, and the diverted sword energy sheared one of his arms clean off. Blood fountained from the neatly severed stump.

'Got off cheap.'

Was it because the man was one of the biggest names in Murim? That attack had been vicious. Stopping it at the cost of a single arm was more than a fair trade. Holding his severed arm, Minwoo looked at the alliance leader.

"Is the test over?"

"..."

The alliance leader remained silent, his expression rigid. Then he rummaged inside his robes and tossed Minwoo a pill.

"Hold your arm in place and take this."

"Sure."

Holding the severed arm against the stump, Minwoo popped the pill into his mouth and chewed.

[You have consumed a Top-Grade Recovery Pill!]

His severed arm began to knit smoothly back into place.

'Looks like he meant to gauge my abilities, then stop...'

He couldn't have truly intended to kill Minwoo. He'd be the one losing out if he did. He must have meant to test him.

But look how that had turned out. Minwoo had actually stopped the attack and proven himself. Now the alliance leader would never let him go. That strike would have killed most young martial talents before they could even block it.

'Then let's get what I want, too.'

He grinned at the alliance leader.

"Oh, I'll be taking my maid and servant on the mission. I'll split half the points with my maid, too."

"... What?"

"My maid's quite capable. Make sure you adjust things so we'll both have just enough points after splitting them. Otherwise, I'm not doing the mission. Oh, and since you broke my sword, get me a new one. I'd also appreciate a decent martial arts manual. I'll be going now."

Minwoo left the alliance leader's residence. The thirsty man was the one who dug the well. He'd do a fine job of digging it on his own.

* * *

Baek Hakseong, leader of the Unorthodox Alliance, wore a rigid expression.

He hadn't stopped his sword art before it ran its course. That was partly because he hadn't attacked at full strength, but there was another reason. His instincts had told him that this much wouldn't kill the boy.

Those cold eyes had already worked out every calculation.

The result was just as he'd expected. The boy had countered his sword art with terrifying precision.

'His body is only at the level of a first-rate warrior...'

Had he possessed a body of that caliber, could he have blocked it at the cost of only one arm? He couldn't be certain.

He'd caught a glimpse of a terrifying talent.

'... This is a good thing.'

How had his youngest stopped the Death Spirit Sword Art? Had he been hiding his abilities? Such trivial questions didn't matter. What mattered most was that an unexpectedly powerful card had fallen into his hand.

'I must get him in.'

He had to get Baek Socheon into the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering, whatever it took.

'As for the mission... I can assign him that one.'

Baek Hakseong's eyes gleamed. He had the beginnings of a plan to raise his youngest son's and the maid's scores without provoking an uproar.

A sudden pang of regret struck him. Until now, he'd believed his eldest had the greatest aptitude. That was why he'd invested the most in him. It was too late to reverse that now. There was little time left before the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering.

'If only he'd shown his talent sooner.'

He would have poured all his resources into the boy.

Baek Hakseong soon shook his head. Regret was regret. Right now, there was work to be done.

"Second Elder, are you there?"

"Yes."

"Gather the elders. We need to hold a meeting."

"Understood."

"Oh, and..."

* * *

Minwoo had more or less memorized the route, so finding his way back wasn't difficult. He returned to the quarters he'd seen earlier.

Jang Sam and Seo Yerim were waiting inside. Jang Sam, who'd been sitting with his head hanging like a beaten dog, sprang to his feet.

"Y-Young Master! Why did the alliance leader summon you? Was it because you injured the Fourth Young Master?"

"Not just that. We had a few things to discuss."

Minwoo gestured for Jang Sam to step outside for a while. Apparently getting the wrong idea, Jang Sam glanced back and forth between him and Seo Yerim, then scratched his head.

"Hehe. Then I'll leave you to it."

"... It's not like that."

"Oh, come on. You even gave Big Sister Aengaeng a pet name. What was it, Yerim? I understand everything. You're both young and hot-blooded, after—"

"Oh, for fuck's sake! Will you shut up?"

Seo Yerim's eyes turned vicious.

"Th-Then call me whenever you need me! I'll be off!"

Jang Sam bolted out the door. Only then did things quiet down a little.

"Your name is Aengaeng?"

"... Yes. Just like yours is Baek Socheon."

Minwoo thought he understood why Jang Sam had been acting up. Their assigned names in this martial world were Aengaeng and Baek Socheon. Yet when they'd first met earlier, they'd both used their real-world names. Apparently, those had sounded like pet names.

So the Fourth Young Master had had some reason to fly off the handle. He hadn't dreamed up that whole affair drama out of nothing.

"... Let's only use our real names when we're alone. Misunderstandings would be a hassle."

"Then what are you going to call me?"

"Aengaeng. Something like that should work."

"... This is seriously driving me insane."

"What choice do we have? I'm a young master, and you're a maid."

If she didn't like it, she should've had a higher status. In this world, a young master who unfailingly spoke politely to a maid would be considered the crazy one.

"... Didn't your dad say anything? Don't they raise a maid's status if she can fight well?"

"He didn't say anything in particular."

"... Fine. Do whatever you want."

She pressed a hand to her forehead as though it hurt and answered with an air of resignation.

"Let's get down to business. Do you know how to clear this gate?"

"I have an idea. The Dragon and Phoenix Gathering."

Minwoo nodded. As expected of someone beyond A-rank, she had some basic sense.

"I'm entering it. Leaving through the midway zone isn't an option."

"... I thought so. Be honest. You came into this gate on purpose, didn't you?"

"Yes."

There was no need to deny it. She'd already gotten a rough idea of his abilities. At the very least, she must have realized he wasn't some dumbass who'd stumble helplessly into a gate after being shoved. And she was right.

"Do necromancers have a skill like that? Something like secretly pushing people with a ghost hand?"

"Snowy."

"Coo."

Snowy revealed itself, perched on his shoulder. Aengaeng—no, Seo Yerim—opened her eyes wide.

"Wait, when did that get there?"

"Its stealth ability is quite formidable. Even the Sword Immortal can't detect it."

"... That little bird pushed him?"

"Yes. It's a divine beast, so it's pretty strong."

Seo Yerim let out a small laugh.

"Jo Piluk must be pretty fucking pissed. I swore right to his face before I came in."

"He'll be getting plenty more abuse from now on, anyway."

"... Well, you're not wrong. Whew. So you're not planning to just leave quietly?"

"I've got rewards to collect. Which brings me to you, Yerim. What are you going to do?"

"Hmm..."

She folded her arms, thinking hard.

"... The rewards did look pretty good."

"I'm taking first place. If you're aiming for second or below, though, sure."

"... Ha, that's funny. Who said you get first place?"

"You'll have to let me have it. Otherwise, you won't even get into the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering. How are you going to earn the points?"

"... By completing missions."

"You won't have time. They all award jack shit in points."

"... Not even if I work hard?"

"It'll be tough. They're hard enough to accumulate, and the sabotage will be fucking relentless. Once you've built up some points, every bastard out there will come to assassinate you."

How dare a maid accumulate points? He could guarantee it: the contenders teetering on the edge of qualification would be the first to come after her, eager to kill. It would be a goddamn nuisance.

"Ha. I guess they would."

Seo Yerim vigorously scratched her head.

"But wouldn't the same go for you?"

"That's why I crippled the Fourth Young Master and went to negotiate."

"What did you negotiate?"

"I'll be getting one big mission. Big enough for both of us to qualify for the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering even after splitting the points."

"And in exchange, I help you take first place?"

"That's how the world works."

"What if I betray you?"

"If you were that kind of person, you wouldn't have come to save me in the first place. I thought someone had come charging in to commit suicide, you know?"

"... Don't get the wrong idea. I didn't jump in because I like you."

"I know. So, deal?"

There was no chance Seo Yerim would betray him. She'd come to save his life in the first place. Would she then betray him and kill him, or stab him in the back?

'If she wanted me dead, she wouldn't have come.'

And if she double-crossed him, how would she face the Sword Immortal once they got out? It wasn't her he trusted. It was her boundless affection for the Sword Immortal. That was why—

"... All right. I might as well get myself a decent martial art while I'm here."

"A good choice."

When she agreed, he could grin inwardly.

'One major rival eliminated.'

His chances of taking first place had just increased exponentially.