Before Dawn.
Inside the quiet sanctuary of the Sect Leader's quarters, Dong Bong-su opened his eyes.
It was not a sudden awakening from a deep slumber, for he had not slept at all. He had spent the entire night in a state of hyper-lucid meditation, where the blue luminescence of the System window flickered endlessly.
Click.
[Hero Rank: ★★ First-Rate]
All Stats +5
Trait Unlocked: Faith Weight
He had reviewed these notifications dozens of times, yet he studied them again.
To a casual observer, a +5 increase to all stats might have seemed incremental. But to Bong-su, a Dual Karma-Root, these numbers were not mere additions; they were force multipliers.
In the high-velocity, high-stakes realm of Murim combat, the smallest margin-a microsecond's faster reflex, a milligram's more dense muscle fiber-was the razor-thin line between a triumphant return and a cold grave.
He slowly clenched and unclenched his right hand.
Throughout the night, he had run internal simulations, acclimating his nervous system to the minute surge in power.
The extra points had fully settled into his marrow and sinew. He knew now, with mathematical certainty, that if a conflict erupted at this very second, his body would move in perfect synchronization with his intent, without the slightest lag in execution.
"Unlockable Skills"
Faith Judgment Lv.1 [Y/N]
Hero's Blessing Lv.1 [Y/N]
His index finger hovered in the air.
But after a moment of cold calculation, he lowered his hand.
'Not yet,'he decided.
'There is no urgent necessity. Better to keep these cards for the future.'
Click.
He minimized the skill menu and accessed his Inventory. With a thought, he retrieved the shattered 'pieces' and laid them out across the floorboards in the center of the room.
Arms. Legs. A torso. And a broken, hollowed head.
It was the mortal remains of Cheol So-a, the former Seventh Dharma Maiden of the Heavenly Yin Sect.
With the detached precision of a clockmaker, Bong-su began the grim task of reconstruction.
He fitted the limbs back into their original sockets, aligning the bone fragments as best he could.
The face had been half-crushed by the finality of his strike, but the structural outline remained intact-certainly enough for identification by those who had known her.
A faint, unnatural chill began to seep through the room.
While this world lacked the technology for refrigeration, the System's Inventory acted as a temporal stasis field. The moment the body was retrieved, a thin, spectral mist of frost rose from the pale skin. The flesh was icy to the touch but perfectly preserved, devoid of any hint of decay.
To Bong-su, this task carried no emotional weight.
He was not looking at a person, nor was he mourning a fallen rival. He was merely arranging components. Whether this lump of flesh had once been a high-born mistress or a common criminal mattered as much to him as the origin of a cut of meat matters to a butcher.
The meat infront of him was just a commodity-a diplomatic tool.
Once the assembly was finished, he wrapped the corpse in a clean, heavy cloth and carried it to a detached annex located outside the main sect grounds, hidden from the prying eyes of the children.
Returning to his room, he sat and expanded the Super True Energy Field.
Woooong-.
The world bloomed in his mind's eye..
Ice Night and her nine attendants were stationed just outside the sect's perimeter. He could sense their suppressed pulses and the cold, rhythmic hum of their internal energy. They had not relaxed their vigilance for a single second.
From the way they shifted their formation every two hours, Bong-su confirmed his earlier assessment: the Heavenly Yin Sect was a highly refined, professional killing machine.
Turning his focus inward, he swept the sect grounds.
From the quarters of Jeon Ra-hwa and the children, he sensed deep, even breathing. They were safe, dreaming of a future he was currently building for them.
'As for Eom Bi-ryeong's side...'
Already awake.
The Trigram Leader's energy was sharp, restless. It seemed she hadn't slept either, her mind likely looping through the impossible display of power she had witnessed at the wall.
Myo Jin-heo, on the other hand, was a pool of absolute stillness. In the guest wing, his presence was as unchanging as a stone at the bottom of a lake.
Bong-su knew that for a master of that caliber, trying to distinguish between genuine sleep and a perfect disguise was a waste of processing power.
He would simply have to observe and adapt when the man eventually moved.
He withdrew the field and ran through his mental checklist for the day.
Hand over the corpse and the jade token to Ice Night and ensure their departure.
Consult with Jeon Ra-hwa before retrieving the jade token.
Conduct the interviews. 215 applicants.
He closed his eyes for a heartbeat, then opened them.
Whether the person who opened those eyes was the same soul that had closed them was a question no one in this world-perhaps not even the System-could answer.
Soon, the door to the Sect Leader's room creaked open. Kim Rae-won stepped out into the morning light.
***
The Hero Gate
Martial Arena.
Before the children began their morning drills, Kim Rae-won went to find Jeon Ra-hwa.
"You're up early," he said, his voice carrying the warm, resonant tone of a leader who cared.
"You too," she replied, not looking up from her work.
Ra-hwa was already deep into the administrative labor of the day. She was organizing the recruitment roster-a thick, meticulously bound booklet containing the names, family origins, and brief martial histories of all 215 applicants. Beside it lay a hand-drawn diagram of the arena's layout for the interviews.
'Capable, Bong-su noted internally. She was the type of asset that anticipated requirements and finished them a step ahead of the command. Her growth was exceeding all initial projections.
"There is something I need to ask of you," he said.
"What is it?"
"That jade token around your neck. It needs to be returned."
He briefly summarized the late-night encounter with the Heavenly Yin Sect. Ra-hwa's eyes widened, and she started at the mention of the assassins, but as she confirmed that no blood had been spilled and the situation was under control, a long sigh of relief escaped her lips.
Even so, her hand reflexively moved to her throat, her fingers brushing the cold surface of the jade.
The token was a treasure of the Heavenly Yin Sect, an item that had served as an artificial catalyst, significantly boosting the efficiency of her Snow Snow Yin Cold Art.
"You need to return it to those people," Rae-won said gently. "It belongs to them. Keeping it would only act as a beacon for more trouble."
"...I understand."
Without a hint of protest, she unfastened the cord and handed the token over.
But as she did, she looked up at him with a mischievous, slightly weary smile. "Without this, though, the training might get a little colder."
"I'll miss the warmth it provided."
Kim Rae-won accepted the token, his fingers brushing hers, and he offered a smile that radiated an almost tangible sense of security.
"Don't worry. You've got me, don't you?"
"Tch," she snorted, rolling her eyes. "What are you supposed to be?"
"A human brazier?"
"When I am around, warmth tends to overflow, doesn't it? The people of Gangdo seem to love it," he teased.
"Ha. Ha. Was that supposed to be a joke, Sect Master?"
"No. I meant it quite literally."
"..."
"Or what? Should I offer a hug?" he asked, stepping slightly closer.
"This body possesses a significant amount of what people call 'body heat, you know."
Ra-hwa let out a short, genuine laugh. She lowered her gaze back to the roster, pouting in an attempt to look annoyed, but she couldn't suppress the way the corners of her lips curved upward. She knew she had failed to hide her amusement, and the realization only made her blush deepen.
"...Stop talking nonsense. Please. We have work to do."
"Nonsense? How disappointing," he said, though his eyes twinkled with the practiced warmth of his persona.
"Yes, yes. I heard you, Sect Master."
'This woman is approaching the peak of utility, Bong-su thought.
It was not an emotional sentiment. It was an evaluation. In the cold, calculating mind of Dong Bong-su, calling someone "utility" was the highest possible honor a human could receive.
"What about the interview preparations?" he asked, pivoting back to business.
"Everything is ready. I've organized the flow of applicants. You just have to sit there, look dignified, and judge them."
Rae-won nodded and gestured toward the detached annex. "Let's settle the matter with Ice Night's group first. Then we begin the selection."
"Understood."
***
The Detached Annex.
He summoned Ice Night and led her alone into the annex. He ordered her nine attendants to remain. outside, creating a space of forced intimacy and solemnity.
As he pushed the door open, the sight of the cloth-covered shape on the floor commanded the room.
Kim Rae-won reached down and pulled back the fabric.
Thud.
Ice Night's footsteps faltered.
There lay Cheol So-a.
The corpse had been pieced together with clinical care. Though the face remained a fractured ruin of what it once was, the identity was unmistakable. The cold mist still clung to her skin, making the flesh look like a marble statue rather than dead meat.
Ice Night did not weep. She did not scream.
She was a high-ranking member of the Heavenly Yin Sect, a woman whose very soul had been tempered in the freezing Abyss to suppress the "waves" of human emotion. Yet, the air in the room suddenly sharpened. The temperature plummeted another ten degrees, the ambient moisture in the room turning into fine needles of frost that hung in the air. That microscopic shift in the environment was the only scream she allowed herself.
Slowly, Ice Night sank to her knees.
She reached out a pale hand and lightly touched the forehead of the corpse. It was a silent, ceremonial gesture-the specific courtesy the Heavenly Yin Sect afforded its fallen.
The silence in the room stretched until it became heavy.
Ice Night was likely remembering the girl as she had been within the sect-a bright, cold talent, a prodigy whose name the Great Sect Leader had spoken with pride.
And then, she layered those memories over the horrors she had heard last night. The man-eating pigs. The human trafficking. The systematic cruelty that had turned this "bright child" into a monster.
It was not just a body she had to bring back to the Abyss; it was a report of total moral failure.
"And this too," Rae-won said, breaking the silence.
He held out the jade token.
Ice Night accepted it with a trembling hand. As her fingers closed around it, she felt a lingering trace of energy. It was the internal energy of her own sect, yet it felt... wrong. It had been wielded not by a Law Maiden's refined method, but as if it had been forcibly crammed into a cracked, foreign vessel.
She looked at Rae-won, a question forming in her eyes, but she did not voice it. Not yet.
"I will take the remains and the token," Ice Night said, her voice a flat, hollow rasp.
She rose to her feet, her gaze fixed on the doorway. "There is much I must report to the Great Sect Leader.
She paused at the threshold, her silhouette framed by the morning sun.
"I will come again."
It was a short, declarative statement. But Dong Bong-su knew it was far more than a polite farewell.
It was a promise.
She would return to deliver the Sect Leader's final judgment on the Hero Gate. The fact that she intended to return in person meant that the 'Connection' established by the System was not just a line on a screen-it was a taut, vibrating cord of fate.
He smiled, the warm mask of Kim Rae-won perfectly in place.
"I'll be waiting."
Ice Night departed. He heard her low, commanding voice instructing her attendants to recover the body, and soon, the ten energy signatures moved away from the Hero Gate.
Gradually, then completely, they vanished from the city.
Dong Bong-su monitored them through the Super True Energy Field until they were beyond the city gates.
'The connection still holds, he thought.
They are returning to their hive, but the thread is still connected to me. This is sufficient for now.'
***
Later that Morning.
The sun was high now, casting long shadows across the Hero Gate Martial Arena.
Two hundred and fifteen people stood in disciplined rows. It was a diverse crowd-some wore the scarred leather of veteran mercenaries, some carried the heavy staffs of wandering monks, and some were young, barehanded aspirants with nothing but fire in their eyes.
But all two hundred and fifteen pairs of eyes were locked on a single point.
Kim Rae-won.
He sat at the head of the arena, his posture effortless yet commanding. Jeon Ra-hwa stood at his right hand, the roster open.
And in the corners of the arena, the 'guests" watched.
Eom Bi-ryeong leaned against a pillar in the shade, her arms folded across her chest, her eyes narrowing as she studied the crowd. Opposite her, Myo Jin-heo sat on a stone bench, his fan spread open, masking the lower half of his face as he observed the proceedings with the detached interest of a scholar.
Kim Rae-won stared at the crowd in a heavy, contemplative silence. For several minutes, he did not speak, allowing the weight of his presence to settle over the applicants until the air felt thick with anticipation.
Then, he rose.
The reaction was instantaneous. Two hundred and fifteen people tensed as one, their pupils dilating, their heartbeats quickening in response to his sudden movement.
"The Hero Gate is a place that practices Chivalry," he began, his voice clear and resonant.
"It is not a place you can enter simply because your fists are strong or your blade is sharp."
With that single sentence, the entire atmosphere of the arena shifted.
It was the activation of his new trait.
『Faith Weight
The moment the words left his lips, they didn't just carry sound; they carried energy. It was as if a giant, invisible hand had descended from the sky to press against the applicants.
A considerable number of them reflexively straightened their backs. Slumped shoulders were drawn back, and dull eyes suddenly sharpened with a layer of newfound purpose. It was as if his very voice was physically realigning their spines.
"..."
Dong Bong-su's internal sensors registered the change with satisfaction. The trait was functioning perfectly. It was creating a psychological resonance, a "frequency" that aligned the crowd with his persona.
"One by one, step forward," he commanded.
The interviews began.
His questions were deceptively simple, yet they were designed to probe the fundamental architecture of their characters.
"Why do you seek to enter the Hero Gate?"
"What, in your heart, is the meaning of chivalry?"
"Have you ever truly risked your life to protect someone weaker than yourself?"
To the observers, it looked like a leader seeking heroic values. But beneath the surface, Dong Bong-su's Super True Energy Field was conducting a total diagnostic.
He was reading the micro-tremors of their heartbeats, the subtle hitches in their breathing, and the way their muscles unconsciously tensed or relaxed when they spoke. The System showed him their names and basic stats, but he was looking for the "texture" of their souls.
His criteria for selection were absolute.
Strength could be manufactured. Martial arts could be taught through the System's facilities. What he needed now was not power, but Faith.
He needed those who fundamentally believed in the concept of the "Hero." He needed people with a rigid moral principle carved into their very bones-those whose sense of justice wasn't just lip service, but a visceral fire in their guts.
Why? Because those were the people who would believe in "Kim Rae-won" most deeply. And their absolute trust would become Dong Bong-su's ultimate power source.
He filtered them with ruthless efficiency.
The First Applicant.
He was a young man with poor martial arts. His build was slight, and his hands lacked the thick calluses of a true swordsman. But when asked why he came, his answer was straight and unyielding.
"I saw what you did, Sect Master. I saw how this city changed when you wiped out the Iron God Society and the Seven Star Immortal Association. I saw that a single person's strength could actually make the world better. I want to learn under the man who accomplished that."
Heartbeat: Stable. Breathing: Even. No deception detected.
'The perfect vessel,' Bong-su thought. 'The type most likely to believe with total devotion and be swept up in the narrative.'
He was exactly the kind of talent a high-level organization-or a cult-wanted most.
Kim Rae-won smiled warmly, the light catching his eyes. "Good. You have the heart we seek. Pass.
Next."
The Second Applicant.
He was a man of massive proportions, radiating confidence and carrying an expensive, well-maintained saber.
"I came because I want to be the strongest in Gangdo," he declared.
It was an honest answer. There was no lie in his heart. But it was fundamentally hollow.
Bong-su noticed that Faith Weight had no effect on this man. When the rest of the crowd had straightened their backs at Rae-won's speech, this man had remained unchanged-not because he was enlightened, but because his back was already straight from self-absorption.
'The type who believes only in himself,' Bong-su evaluated.'
A mercenary soul. If he becomes strong, he will leave for a higher bidder. If he becomes weak, he will betray to survive. He does not build trust; he only seeks transactions.
"If fate allows, perhaps we shall meet again on the road," Rae-won said gently, his voice full of "regret."
He was turned away with a warm smile, but the internal judgment had been instantaneous and final.
The man looked deeply disappointed and muttered several complaints, but he did not dare lash out. The prestige of the Hero Gate in Gangdo had already become absolute. To resist the "Justice" of Kim Rae-won was to mark oneself as a villain in the eyes of the entire city.
The interviews continued for hours.
Bong-su categorized them into two groups: the "Believers" and the "Mercenaries." Those who fell into the ambiguous middle were placed on a "hold" list.
The classification was nearly finished. The types of human beings were, in the end, finite and predictable.
But as the sun began to dip, the final applicant stepped forward.
The Two Hundred Fifteenth.
He was a taciturn man in his early twenties. He wasn't particularly tall, but his shoulders were broad, his hands were thick and scarred, and his eyes held a depth that felt like an old wound.
"What is Chivalry?" Rae-won asked.
The silence that followed was long. In a typical interview, such a delay would be a sign of ignorance or hesitation-a major deduction.
But Bong-su's field read something different. This silence didn't come from a lack of thought; it came from a heart that was beating with a violent, agonizing intensity. It wasn't the heat of anger, but the cold weight of something else.
Bong-su waited, his gaze patient.
"I do not know," the man finally said, his voice slow and heavy.
"But I remember when my younger sibling was dragged away by the Iron God Society. I stood there. I watched. I did nothing because I was weak. I do not know what chivalry is... but I know that what I did that day was its opposite."
Kim Rae-won's gaze sharpened. "And that sibling?"
"Dead."
The Super True Energy Field surged. Heartbeat rising-not with rage, but with a profound, crushing sense of self-loathing. This was a "Living Emotion."
This man was fueled by a desperate need to prove his existence, to atone for a moment of helplessness that had defined his life. Such people would run until their hearts burst to follow a signpost that promised redemption.
"Your name?"
"Seok Gyeong."
"No," Rae-won said softly. "Your younger sibling's name."
"...Seok Ran."
Kim Rae-won nodded, a look of solemn respect on his face. "I will remember that name. And I will remember you. Pass."
Selection Complete: 20 New Disciples.
As the sun set, Bong-su prepared to hand the final roster to Jeon Ra-hwa. But as he reached out, a familiar sound echoed in his mind.
Ding-!
[System Alert: You have exceeded the Guild Member Limit.]
[Current: 12/30. Remaining Capacity: 18.]
[Action Required: You have selected 20 people, exceeding the limit by 2.]
Bong-su had known the limit was 30; he had purposely selected 20 to test the System's boundaries. He wanted to see how the "World" would react when his growth hit a mechanical ceiling.
The result was immediate.
Doooong-!
[Guild Quest: Threshold of Growth]
[Your sect is expanding. To embrace more souls, you must build a vessel worthy of their potential. Accomplish one of the following to increase capacity.
Option 1: [Laying the Foundation]
Raise the average combat level of all guild members to a specific standard.
Progress: 0%
Reward: Member Limit +10, Guild EXP+100
Option 2: [The First Resonance of Martial Fame]
Resolve a major crisis outside the city of Gangdo in the name of the Hero Gate.
Progress: 0%
Reward: Member Limit +15, Fame +10, Guild EXP +200 ]
Bong-su's eyes narrowed as he read the second option.
'Outside of Gangdo...'
The Hero Gate was about to outgrow its cradle. The stage was finally getting bigger.
-x-X-x-
The interviews were over.
Out of 215 applicants, twenty were chosen, and the rest were sent away.
Only dust and silence remained in the Training Ground.
The sun had already begun to set, and the evening glow hanging at the edge of the eaves was rapidly fading.
Dong Bongsu stood in the middle of the empty Training Ground, looking down at the Guild Quest window floating before his eyes.
[Solidify the Guild's Foundation: Raise the average combat level of guild members above a certain standard.
Progress: 0%
Reward: Guild Member Limit +10, Guild EXP +100]
[First Resonance of Martial Fame: Resolve a crisis outside of the River Capital in the name of the Hero's Sect.
-Progress: 0%
Reward: Guild Member Limit +15, Fame +10, Guild EXP +200]
Looking purely at the numbers, the expected value of the second option was overwhelming.
However.
'To go outside, and to go the distance, I need to build my strength.'
The twenty people chosen today.
They weren't chosen because they were strong.
They were chosen because they believed.
The 'Faith Weight' I used today proved it.
They are resources who believe in me, not a fighting force to be sent to a battlefield.
'Not yet.'
There was still no news on the outcome of Dongmun Mutoe.
For the Sect Leader to leave the River Capital without knowing what decision the Formation Tower had made was the height of inefficiency.
For now.
'I will solidify the inside, then venture out.'
As his finger clicked the upper option, the familiar mechanical sound rang out.
Instantly.
The second option scattered like paper turning to ash, and the first option flipped over like a sign, revealing new text.
[[Solidify the Guild's Foundation] Accepted
: Raise the average combat level of guild members to 'High-Beginner Rank' or higher.
Current Average: Low-Beginner Rank
Goal: High-Beginner Rank
Progress: 12%
Time Limit: 7 days
Reward: Guild Member Limit +10, Guild EXP +100 ]
12%.
It means a portion has already been accounted for.
The levels of Jeon Rahwa and the ten children have been reflected.
In the end, it will be determined by the average of thirty people.
Dong Bongsu quickly made a mental calculation of the levels of Jeon Rahwa, the children, and the newly chosen members.
He weighed their levels against the standards of this Murim.
Their skill and talent were at a level where it would be impossible to turn them into an elite force in just a week.
But there were certainly parts that were possible.
'What the System wants is precisely a survivable level.
The point where they can take care of themselves.
Just crossing that line would be enough.
He could have closed the quest Ul then, but Dong Bongsu stood still for a moment and waited.
And before long.
Du-woong-.
The sound he wanted echoed in his head again.
[Urgent! The guild has exceeded its member capacity. If the guild is not expanded within one week, all guild functions will be suspended!]
"..."
The corner of Dong Bongsu's mouth twitched slightly.
'As I thought.'
He remembered.
This warning had appeared even when the guild capacity was exceeded by just one person.
Back then, he solved it through Facility Expansion.
- The System never overlooks exceeding the member limit. Yet, it faithfully provides an opportunity.
That was the biggest difference between 'Murim Online' and 'What is Hero'.
Having confirmed whether it was an exception or a rule, he finally closed the Guild Quest window.
In the meantime, the evening glow beyond the Training Ground had completely faded.
The lanterns hung here, and there began to light up one by one.
Dong Bongsu closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, a suitable warmth had returned to the skin of his face.
He turned his head.
He saw her walking towards him, holding a register.
"You worked hard."
"Yes, I did. And-"
Jeon Rahwa took the register from her arms and held it out.
"While I was at it, I also drafted a plan for organizing the twenty new members."
"A plan? What's that?"
"Wow! You did all this without even thinking about something like that?"
"Well, no. If I created a sect and held an opening ceremony, it's only natural to have members, right?"
"Then don't you think about how to place them, how to utilize them, or how they'll be able to eat well?"
"Yeah. I don't."
"...You don't? Or you can't?"
"The former."
Kim Rae-won gave a nonchalant smile.
"I have you, after all."
"...What would you do if I weren't here?"
"You can't not be here."
"In this Jianghu... who can be so sure of the future? Who knows when or how...."
"No."
Kim Rae-won cut her off in a tone that held not a hint of wavering, hesitation, or doubt.
"You are my guidepost. No one can touch that, or destroy it."
"..."
"You are mine. . As long as I do not die."
"..."
Hwiii-.
Jeon Rahwa didn't open her mouth until the slightly chilly night wind broke the silence.
For some reason, her heart was beating irregularly, a little faster than usual.
"...Aren't you embarrassed?"
"About what?"
"No. Forget it. If you don't know...."
Quickly recovering her usual composure, Jeon Rahwa put on a prim expression.
'Anyway, I organized it right after the interviews ended, so just take a look."
Dong Bongsu took the register and flipped through it, page by page.
Group assignments.
A simple evaluation of their basic Martial Arts level.
Dormitory placement plan.
She had certainly finished almost everything one step ahead, without even being asked.
'As expected.
"Well done."
"Is that all the praise I get? Really?"
"What more should I do?"
"Well... Ah, whatever. Forget it."
Jeon Rahwa lightly ruffled her hair with her hand and picked up a sheet of paper from the register.
It was a summary of the organization plan.
'Anyway, the real problem is this."
"What is it?"
"Most of these people's Martial Arts are only at a third-rate level. There are ten people like that. The rest are barely at a second-rate level."
"I know."
"The only thing I can teach is the Twin Snow Yin Cold Art. It doesn't suit these people, and it's not a martial art I can just teach to anyone in the first place."
"I know."
"Wow! Look at this guy. You have no thoughts again, do you?"
"No."
"Then what are you going to do?"
"What do you mean?"
What Kim Rae-won had to do was very clear.
The same went for Dong Bongsu.
"I'll do it myself."
Jeon Rahwa's hand, which was flipping through the register, stopped.
"You? Yourself?"
"Yeah. Myself."
"...You do know what 'doing it yourself' means, right?"
"What, is it hard? First, I'll make it so they don't die."
"..."
"Making them strong comes after that."
Jeon Rahwa's incredulous expression was becoming more and more pronounced, but Kim Rae-won paid it no mind.
"Basic Internal Energy, basic Footwork, basic Weapon Arts. I'll even teach them how to survive first."
"How long will it take to teach all that?"
"7 days."
"7 days... you say?"
"Yeah. Once I've taught them everything, they'll have to go through a real battle."
"...Hey, if it were that easy, why didn't you just pick them sooner?"
Jeon Rahwa's eyes scanned Kim Rae-won's face.
It was unclear if she was trying to read something or if she was confirming something she had already read.
"Ah, I see. You should have told me beforehand."
"Ha. Ha. Ha. That was funny. Really funny."
4G
'As expected, you're the only one who laughs at my jokes. The kids all run away."
"...I'm going to run away too. From next time."
"..."
'Anyway, since you say you can do it, I guess it's not impossible. Right?"
"Yeah. It's possible."
"Yes, it's possible. Yes, yes."
Jeon Rahwa started flipping through the register again, the corners of her mouth curling up.
It was a smile that made it hard to tell if she was trying to hide something or reveal it.
"Then what about me?"
"You'll do what you've always been doing. Organization, schedules, supplies, and lodging. I'm leaving all the administration to you."
"That was already my job."
"That means you're doing a good job."
"Ah, yes. Thank you so much. I'm so grateful that I've been sleeping like a log these days. Ha. На."
Then, Jeon Rahwa hesitated for a moment, swallowing the words she was about to say next.
Her hand, which was rising towards her neck, paused mid-air before falling.
It was the spot where her jade pendant used to be.
But Dong Bongsu already knew everything.
The circulation of her Twin Snow Yin Cold Art was already rougher than before.
The flow of her Qi lacked its smoothness.
The difference between having the jade pendant and not having it was already palpable.
Nevertheless, he let out a light chuckle and said.
"Don't worry. Even without it, you're already a master."
"...A master? Someone like me?"
"Well. You should probably refrain from calling yourself 'someone like you'."
"... "
"Because when you actually go out into the Jianghu, you'll realize there are thousands, even tens of thousands of people below you. You wouldn't lump all those people together and call them 'someone like that', would you?"
Jeon Rahwa's expression was the very picture of the question, 'No way, really?"
Dong Bongsu lightly tapped her arm and smiled.
"Have some faith. Anyway, I have one more favor to ask."
"One more? Why don't you just give me a hundred more tasks while you're at it? A thousand would be great too."
"That's enough. For now, just bring me Hoae."
"What? Hoae?"
"Yeah. I have something to check."
Jeon Rahwa tilted her head but soon nodded and started walking towards the children's dormitory.
***
"You called for me?"
Dong Bongsu faced Hoae and asked.
"You've been looking after the other children's training lately, haven't you?"
"Yes. Something like that."
Dong Bongsu knew very well that it wasn't 'something like that', but almost entirely her.
Whenever he checked the individual status of the guild members in the system UI, the children's training patterns were consistent.
It meant someone was managing them, and since Jeon Rahwa had become buried in administrative work, it could only be Hoae.
"When the ten of you move together, what do you do if the formation breaks?"
A sudden question.
Hoae thought for a moment.
"Um... Instead of trying to align the front from the back, I go to the front."
"Why?"
"If I shout from the back, the kids in front will turn around. That slows them down even more. If I stop at the front, the ones behind will naturally stop too."
"..."
An answer a child shouldn't know, one not found in any textbook, that could only come from real experience.
"Then, what if one of the ten gets injured?"
"...It depends on where they're hurt."
"Which part is the most dangerous?"
"The legs."
"Why?"
"If your hand is injured, you might not be able to fight, but you can still run away. If your leg is injured, you can't do anything."
"Let's say you fought with enemies, and one of your younger siblings' legs was injured. What should you do?"
"It's a sad thing for the injured kid, but... for the sake of the remaining children, I have to leave that child behind."
"Why?"
"Because it's better for nine to live than for all of them to die. Depending on the situation... for that child's sake, I might even have to kill them myself first...."
Hearing her answer, Dong Bongsu gave a pale smile.
Not a shred of hesitation.
Environmental factors might have played a part, but she was definitely different.
This child was a natural.
Just like me....
-x-X-x-
It was simply latent, not yet manifested.
"Starting tomorrow, the training for the twenty new members will begin."
"What? Already?"
"Didn't you all start training almost as soon as you arrived?"
"Well, that's true... but those men looked very weak."
Does she mean she's already figured them all out?
Indeed, in this respect, this child is a bud no less promising than Jeon Rahwa.
No, in this regard, I should say she is somewhat different from me.
Whether that's good or bad is still impossible to tell.
"I'm thinking of giving you a role as well."
"What? Me?!"
"Yes. You."
Looking straight into Hoae's trembling eyes, Dong Bongsu asked with certainty.
"Can you do it?"
The child's eyes were filled half with nervousness and half with anticipation.
"What kind of role is it?"
"Instructor."
"Instructor? What's that?"
"Someone who beats up people who don't listen and makes them stronger."
"Ah? I beat them up? Those men? Me?"
"Yes. You have to beat them up."
"...Why?"
"Because those men have all become family members of this Hero's Sect now."
"Family... members."
"No need to be scared. Just do the same thing you did with the children. The only difference is that the number of people will be a bit larger."
Family members.
People who eat together.
Hoae, who repeated this word several times, firmly pressed her lips together in a determined manner before nodding her head.
"...Yes! I can do it. I will do it."
"Good. Come to the Training Ground before sunrise tomorrow."
Hoae bowed deeply and disappeared with quick steps.
Her back, though still small, was straight.
Just then, Jeon Rahwa, who had been watching from a distance to see what Kim Rae-won would do, approached.
She was still gazing at Hoae's retreating back as she muttered.
"You really... Do you even know how old she is?"
"Age doesn't matter when it comes to skill."
"That's true, but..."
"You've already agreed."
"What?"
"You said, 'That's true, but, didn't you?"
"..."
"Watch carefully. You'll be surprised when you see how strong that child already is."
He was the one who had actually taught the child martial arts.
Although he hadn't passed them down thoroughly and persistently, Dong Bongsu could feel it.
If his judgment was correct, she was already....
Click.
He opened Hoae's individual Status Window.
The numbers were much higher than he remembered.
The last time he checked was only a few days ago.
Interesting.
'I'll find out for sure if I check properly over the next week.'
"In any case, this is a field she was already specializing in."
A smirk.
"All I did was give it a fancy name."
"Yes, I understand. Still, if it seems like the child can't handle it, I'm going to make her stop immediately."
"Just try not to push her to work even harder."
"Tch. As if."
Watching Jeon Rahwa's back recede into the distance, Dong Bongsu opened the Quest Window again.
[Progress: 12%.]
Seven days.
The words 'making sure they don't die' were quite plausible for something said as Kim Rae-won.
Not only had Jeon Rahwa and Hoae been convinced, but it was also a line that Dong Bongsu himself could have said.
'The surest way to teach someone how to survive is...
Dong Bongsu also turned his body.
"To make them cross the threshold of death countless times."
Because the driving force of evolution is always, inevitably, survival.
* * *
The next day, just before sunrise.
About thirty people were gathered in the Training Ground.
The children had already been arranged into two squads by Hoae.
The new members were restless.
The heat from last night's interview had cooled, and only the chilly dawn air weighed on their shoulders.
They glanced at each other or looked down at their feet.
Dong Bongsu stood in the middle of the Training Ground, scanning each and every one of them.
'Seven days.
Arithmetically, it was entirely possible.
After all, it's much easier to raise a 10-point person to 50 points in a short period than to educate a 90-
point person to become 91.
However, it couldn't be done here.
"Attention."
It wasn't intentional, but 'Faith Weight' naturally spread beneath his voice.
The effect, however, was clear.
The backs of the thirty people straightened all at once.
It must have been because they felt an indescribable weight pressing down on the air.
"You are all new recruits. We are a new sect. And as such, we are weak. But!"
Dong Bongsu continued speaking as he calmly looked at each person one by one.
"The Jianghu is old, and as such, it is rotten."
His outstretched index finger pointed to the sky outside the Hero's Sect.
"Out there! The Murim! The Murim! The Jianghu, for all its long history and the foul, rotten stench it
gives off, is stronger than us."
At his speech, the entire Hero's Sect was enveloped in silence.
"As you all know, our Hero's Sect will venture out into the Jianghu. And soon, at that."
"..."
"..."
"Then what is it that you need right now?"
The area around the Training Ground remained silent.
However, an unknown resolve began to flow from their bodies.
It was all a natural atmosphere that Dong Bongsu had drawn out.
He slowly approached, passing by the children and then each of the new members as he continued to speak.
"Pack your bags immediately to last for seven days and nights."
Silence.
Thirty pairs of eyes widened simultaneously.
All the new members looked at the person next to them, and the children looked at Hoae.
The meaning of packing their bags was all too clear.
"What you need is strength. Skill."
Of course, this was the first time Hoae had heard of this, too.
"I, this Kim Rae-won, will make you strong. Strong enough not to get beaten up easily wherever you go."
* * *
Jeon Rahwa came running, panting for breath.
She was hugging a register tightly, suggesting she had been pondering what roles to assign to each of the new members.
"You're taking everyone outside this time?"
"Yes. Everyone."
"But if everyone leaves the Hero's Sect, who will guard this place?"
"Why guard it?"
"...What?"
"If no one's here, we don't have to guard it."
"..."
"The people are the Hero's Sect. Not some buildings and land."
Jeon Rahwa's mouth closed.
A moment of silence.
Just then.
"...Then what about us?"
A sharp voice was heard.
It was Eom Bi-ryeong, standing with her arms crossed under the eaves of the Training Ground.
Myo Jinheo stood next to her, holding a fan.
Dong Bongsu nonchalantly turned his head in their direction.
As if he had only just seen them.
"Oh? You were still here?"
"..."
The corner of Eom Bi-ryeong's eye twitched.
Myo Jinheo, who glanced at her, covered his mouth with his fan and spoke softly.
"Hasn't Trigram Master Dongmun returned yet?"
"Ah, that? Is that why you're still here?"
"For now, yes?"
"Then you should come with us."
"...What do you mean by that?"
"If two Trigram Masters of the Formation Tower are left alone in an empty house, wouldn't it become the River Capital branch office of the Formation Tower, not the Hero's Sect?"
Dong Bongsu, faithfully wearing the persona of Kim Rae-won, raised the corners of his mouth and said.
"You've been eating for free all this time, so you should at least play the part of a houseguest. Don't you think?"
After a brief silence.
Eom Bi-ryeong smirked, and Myo Jinheo folded his fan.
For now, it was a sign of affirmation.
Jeon Rahwa, who had watched it all, approached, shaking her head.
"But."
"Yeah?"
"Have you decided where we'll be training?"
"Of course..."
"Ah, so you did have a plan?"
"No."
"...You're joking, right?"
"Of course..."
Dong Bongsu smiled.
"I'm not."
It wasn't a joke.
Outside the River Capital was a vast, empty plain.
And lions are originally raised in such places.
A lion becomes a lion by running and rolling, getting broken and battered tirelessly on the vast plains.
If it's raised in a zoo, it becomes no different from a large cat.
"We'll start with a run."
"No, I mean, if we're going to run, there needs to be a destination, right?"
"Ah, that?"
"Yes, that."
"There is one, that."
"...Ah, I'm seriously considering not packing your lunch."
The Kim Rae-won mask is certainly not bad for having this kind of fun.
But that's enough.
Dong Bongsu looked in one direction and said.
"The place where we first met."
"...?"
"The Colorful Lake."
"The Colorful Lake?"
"Yes. There."
Unlike the first time, it was now a completely quiet place.
"Even if the mountain bandits have been wiped out... It's extremely far from here."
"That's why it's good."
"...?"
"It only counts as training if it's far enough for dozens of people to drop dead from running."
"..."
* * *
One meal's time later.
The entire group from before stood in front of the Hero's Sect's main gate, carrying their belongings.
Their baggage consisted of little more than provisions, water, and a change of outer clothes.
Even then, most didn't know how to pack, so Jeon Rahwa had to hand things out to each of them.
The faces of the new members were filled with half nervousness and half bewilderment.
The children were different.
Hoae had already divided them into two squads and positioned them at the front and back.
Without even being told.
"The men will feel less anxious if they see familiar faces at the front and back."
That's what Hoae had told Jeon Rahwa.
On the other side, Eom Bi-ryeong came out with a sword strapped to her back.
Myo Jinheo silently unfolded his fan and stood with her at the rear of the formation.
Both of them had an attitude that suggested walking itself was nothing to them.
The moment the two Trigram Masters' participation was confirmed, a murmur arose among the new members.
Rumors had spread so much that their identities were no longer a surprise in the River Capital.
It was just surprising that such masters were coming along.
Dong Bongsu let the murmurs pass him by.
It wasn't bad.
It was another reason that added to the authority of the Sect Leader.
Of course, he wasn't very interested in that at the moment.
Somewhere in the middle of the formation.
A man named Seok Gyeong was standing there.
The two hundred and fifteenth, and last, applicant from last night's interview.
- I don't know what righteousness is.
- I do know that doing nothing when my sister was dragged away was not righteousness.
A man whose river of emotion was aimed not outward, but inward at himself.
This type of person grows quickly when they start to stretch out, making a path of water.
Because the one they have to prove themselves to is not others, but themselves.
'I'll remember that,'
Was not part of Dong Bongsu's calculation, but a line from Kim Rae-won, an ad-lib of sorts. It came out very naturally as he became the persona itself and acted. But that didn't affect him, the person was still himself and will be, if this 'mask' turn out to be hindrance then he would disregard it as such.
Nevertheless, it was quite effective for now.
Because Seok Gyeong's eyes had changed at that moment.
Right now, Seok Gyeong was standing without any particular expression.
His baggage was tied to his back.
It was on the lighter side compared to the others.
It seemed he was a man who originally traveled light.
His eyes were deep.
A transparent gaze.
This man had broad shoulders and thick hands, yet his movements had no scent of martial arts.
'Below third-rate. A body that has not even properly learned basic internal energy.'
Nevertheless, there was a point worth noting.
That physique was a practical 'body' forged through all sorts of life experiences.
The way his muscles were built was not from training, but from work and a proper daily life.
A man over twenty.
By the standards of this place, one might think it was impossible to achieve anything by teaching him martial arts, but not Dong Bongsu.
It was quite the opposite.
'He has no martial arts, but his foundation is solid'
A clean, empty vessel that held nothing else.
'All I have to do is fill it, and fill it again.'
However, it was necessary to drastically shorten that period.
Dong Bongsu's gaze moved away from Seok Gyeong.
In any case, he could confirm it sufficiently over the next seven days.
For now, departure came first.
"Let's go."
Kim Rae-won threw out a single word and started walking.
With his steps as the start, the entire group began to move.
As they passed through the gates of the River Capital, a wide plain unfolded.
The morning sun was still low, and a light fog hung over the distant mountain ridges.
What on earth did she eat, and how did she grow up for this to be so natural?
Hoae had already tightened the formation and brought it into overall balance.
The two groups of children formed a shape that enveloped the adults from the front and back.
The march began, and Kim Rae-won gradually increased his pace.
When the formation began to stretch out in less than a meal's time, Seok Gyeong moved.
He silently took the baggage from an older member who was staggering at the back.
Without anyone telling him to.
He was now carrying the baggage of two people.
Yet, his pace did not slow.
Because his basic physical strength was outstanding.
Hoae saw the scene.
Their eyes met.
Seok Gyeong nodded, and Hoae nodded back.
They didn't know each other's names.
They had never exchanged words.
Yet, it seemed as if something had been communicated between them.
'There are always two types of people.
Dong Bongsu thought as he walked.
The strong and the weak.
The rich and the poor.
The ruler and the ruled.
In this way, everything could fundamentally be created with two contrasts.
And among them, naturally.
There are those who do what they are told, and those who do things without being told.
Hoae had proven it among the children.
And Seok Gyeong was now demonstrating it with his own body.
'Interesting!
The march continued.
It was still a long way to the Colorful Lake.
-x-X-x-