Chapter 105. To the Main Avenue
"I said I would definitely find it."
"Yeah, you did. You said if it was a rabbit, you'd find it, kill it, and take it back, right?"
"It was originally mine, so calling it 'taking it back' isn't logically correct."
"Tsk, you're really nitpicky. Well, whatever. Anyway, after handling it for a bit, my thoughts changed."
The Weapon Monster spoke like that, reached into his robes, then pulled his hand back out. In his hand was a jangdori nearly two arm-spans long.
"..."
"You see, I started wanting it for myself."
Pababak!
As soon as he finished speaking, the Weapon Monster charged toward Dong Bong-su like a bolt of lightning and smashed the jangdori downward even faster than that. The speed truly befitted one of the Twenty Great Masters Under Heaven.
Huuwoong—!
The blunt end of the jangdori was coming straight down, and if it struck as it was, Dong Bong-su's head would undoubtedly be pulverized on the spot.
But Dong Bong-su merely watched calmly, showing no intention of moving at all. He was far too composed for it to be explained by the attack simply being too fast. He did not even blink.
Pat—!
One cun.
Precisely at a distance of about one finger joint from Dong Bong-su's forehead, the jangdori stopped.
"Why didn't you dodge?"
Dong Bong-su, still staring straight ahead at the Weapon Monster, replied.
"There was no killing intent or desire."
A general principle. Normally, people cannot kill without the will to kill, and cannot steal without the desire to steal.
Very occasionally—extremely rarely—there are peculiar humans.
Those inhuman sorts can commit murder or theft even without such emotions. They are treated as madmen by the world, called things like Eight-Skill Weapon Maniac or Weapon Monster, but in Dong Bong-su's eyes, he still belonged to the category of normal humans. Of course, the fact that he was unbelievably strong was an exception.
"That sounds like you're saying you could've dodged if there had been killing intent?"
"That is so."
"Khehehe. Crazy bastard. You really are crazy. Well, I guess you're saying that because you don't yet know exactly who I am, but even so, that's impressive. Fine, fine. Then let's say you could've dodged—what were you planning to do after dodging?"
"After dodging..."
"After dodging?"
"I would have killed you."
"Heh—hahahahahahaha! As expected, as expected, you're a fun one. That's why I couldn't help but wait for you. Kha—khahahaha!"
The Weapon Monster was pleased. He liked Dong Bong-su very much.
Beyond simple interest or curiosity, he had developed affection.
But there was something he did not know...
In truth, the root of all that affection was Dong Bong-su's acting. It was merely the result of showing only words and appearances that the Weapon Monster would like, without straying from the role model he had set for himself: the 'fake hero.'
The Weapon Monster would never know that, even if he died and came back to life...
"Alright, let's go. I'd better show you quickly, if only because I don't want to get killed by you."
He did not specify what he was going to show, but it was easy to guess. It had to be the 'new item' made by melting down the [Novice's Sword] entrusted to him earlier.
The Weapon Monster stood up first and walked toward the door.
Dong Bong-su stared briefly at his back, then slowly rose from his seat.
Crack, crunch.
A sudden sound, as if bones were being crushed.
Dong Bong-su stopped at the strange noise.
His ears quickly traced the source. It was faint, but the wavelength was lengthening. That meant it was moving away from him. Which meant...
Drreuk.
The door opened, and the Weapon Monster turned his head to look at Dong Bong-su.
"What are you doing? Why aren't you following?"
"..."
"Oh, this? I just tidied it up a bit. The old man said that, within the Martial Alliance, I should avoid walking around with my own face if possible."
"Is it fine to show it to me?"
"Yeah. 'If possible' just means you don't have to follow it when it's not possible, right?"
"..."
"To me, you're an important guest who's not 'if possible.'"
In that very short span of time, the Weapon Monster's face had changed into that of a refined middle-aged man.
Only then did Dong Bong-su realize that one of the Weapon Monster's eight abilities was transformation.
The Weapon Monster gave Dong Bong-su a playful wink, then stepped outside the door and said,
"You know this is a secret, right?"
"I understand."
"Ah, you bastard. At least pretend to be surprised or something. You're really a damn boring guy. Now I'm more embarrassed for saying it's a secret. Damn it. Hahaha."
He complained about how boring it was and cursed, yet laughed loudly all the same. It meant he truly felt fondness toward Dong Bong-su.
Dong Bong-su merely followed behind him with an expressionless face, walking out toward the entrance.
"These rotten bastards. There are so damn many of them gathered here."
Was it unrelated to his face becoming refined?
The Weapon Monster's manner of speech was still as thick and crude as dishwater sludge.
When Dong Bong-su followed him out, just as he said, a large crowd had gathered. Looking toward the end of the long corridor of the Guest Residence Pavilion, people were swarming so densely it looked impossible for anyone to pass through.
It must have been because today was the application day for the All-Under-Heaven Youth Martial Arts Tournament, and the Muhwa Gate had been opened.
"Well, paths don't exist only on the ground."
The Weapon Monster looked around, then raised his head to gaze up at the sky. Seeing that, Dong Bong-su could easily guess what he intended to do.
"You know lightness skill well enough to get onto the roof, right?"
"That is so."
"Well, with a body trained that well, you could easily do that with just external cultivation anyway."
Whoosh—.
As soon as he finished speaking, the Weapon Monster leapt straight up onto the roof of the Guest Residence Pavilion.
And then.
Dong Bong-su also kicked off the ground and jumped up without the slightest hesitation.
***
A proclamation to all martial comrades.
Due to the large-scale provocations of Heavenly Demon Castle that have continued over the past years, the martial world has fallen into misery. Thus, the Martial Alliance seeks to recruit promising new heroes of the martial world in order to repel those rebellious demonic path practitioners of the frontier.
On the occasion of Yusu (Rain Water, one of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, the fifteenth day after the Start of Spring), beneath Cheongsin Mountain in Zhengzhou, we will accept applications for a martial arts tournament to select young heroes (thirty years of age or younger) who will lead the next generation. We ask for the active participation of rising talents.
Hyeon-cheon, Fifteenth Martial Alliance Leader.
"Sister, now that we're up on the roof, I can really see the whole Martial Alliance at a glance."
At Ha Seon-hyang's words, Hua Ruizhi put the Martial Alliance plaque she had taken out back into her robes. Just as Ha Seon-hyang said, from atop the Guest Residence Pavilion's roof, the Martial Alliance's grounds spread out vividly before their eyes, as if they could reach out and grasp them.
Compared to when they were below, it felt like an entirely new world. Because applications for the All-Under-Heaven Youth Martial Arts Tournament had begun, the road leading from the Guest Residence Pavilion to the Main Avenue was already packed with people, making it impossible to secure any line of sight from below.
The Main Avenue.
It had always been the most congested road within the Martial Alliance. On both sides of the road stood buildings responsible for the Martial Alliance's external affairs, such as the Guest Residence Pavilion, the Anti-Demon Hall, the Conquering Evil Hall, and the Hall of Ten Thousand Martial Arts. To reach the Inner Hall, one had to pass through this road, and to leave the Martial Alliance, one also had to go through here. In short, it was the most critical transportation hub within the Martial Alliance.
Even so, this was the first time it had ever been this crowded since the Muhwa Gate was opened.
"Hiiyaa~ this really looks just like a marketplace, doesn't it? I guess it's because it's the first day?"
Ha Seon-hyang spoke with her mouth agape. As she said, the vast Main Avenue was packed so tightly that there wasn't even space to place a foot, let alone stick one's head through.
Among them, near the six halls lined up on both sides of the Muhwa Gate, people were stacked threefold, fourfold, or even more. It was so chaotic that, even in early spring, dust rose thickly, making it difficult to properly observe people's movements.
Those six buildings were surely temporary reception centers accepting applications for the All-Under-Heaven Youth Martial Arts Tournament. The people clustered there like dried meat were obviously those waiting to apply for participation.
"Shaolin, Wudang, Beggars' Sect... the Murong Family, the Hebei Paeng Family... the Black Dragon Sect of Zhejiang, the Hwangbo Family of Jiangxi, the Hainan Sword Sect of Hainan—huh!? That's attire from Dongying... huh!? Those people look like they're from Cheonggu... wow—sister, so many people came. But the Martial Alliance plaque clearly invited only people from the Central Plains. Yet they came from all over, didn't they?"
Martial artists, Daoists, beggars, and merchant types in fine robes aside, there were also people wearing shoes split strangely down the middle, those with topknots tied high, and many others from every region. The current Martial Alliance truly looked like a gathering place of all under heaven.
"Just as you said, people have gathered like clouds. But it feels fewer than I expected."
Hua Ruizhi said, tilting her head slightly.
Of course, it was impossible to deny that an enormous number of people had gathered, but it still felt fewer than she had anticipated—even considering that it was still morning.
It had been a very long time since a martial arts tournament, and the fact that it was being hosted by the Martial Alliance, which currently led the martial world, meant that an incredible opportunity had opened here. Moreover, today was the very first day for applications.
"That's few?"
Ha Seon-hyang said, eyes wide in surprise. She even stuck out her tongue, looking rather cute.
"Yes. It's probably because of the ghost incident that supposedly happened in Zhengzhou last night. But it doesn't seem to have had a major impact. Most martial artists who intend to apply seem to have come anyway, and it's likely just the spectators who decreased."
"Oh? You mean that rumor about ghosts appearing? Mm! I see!"
"Right. It's a ridiculous rumor, but for ordinary civilians, things like that can feel real—and frightening."
"Wow—. Then if even the spectators had all come, it would've been so packed there wouldn't be room to breathe, right?"
"Probably so."
While replying to Ha Seon-hyang, Hua Ruizhi continued to scan the surroundings quickly, as if searching for something.
'Has he not arrived yet?'
Could it be that he wasn't participating in the All-Under-Heaven Youth Martial Arts Tournament? Surely he wasn't over thirty? Or perhaps he hadn't come to Zhengzhou at all?
'Zhong... Zhi.... hang.'
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