"Interesting."

Gok Cheonmu spoke at last, after a long silence.

"No point denying it anymore, then. Not when you've found the Valley of Ten Thousand Deaths. I took that girl far too lightly. I never imagined she'd keep tracking the body after the tail had already been cut off."

He smiled, and his admiration was honest.

"One mistake of mine is what brought all this about. If I was going to deal with you, I should have been more thorough. I thought someone raised in the Murim Alliance's hothouse wouldn't amount to much. That at most I'd have to keep the Murim Alliance in check."

Gok Cheonmu shook his head ruefully.

"Not wanting your blood on my own hands. That bit of greed is what landed me in this mess."

He must be feeling it keenly now. That had been his one chance to get rid of Seo Woojin with no fallout.

But the regret lasted only a moment.

Gok Cheonmu rubbed his face, hiding it behind his hands. Between his fingers, his eyes showed a glint of madness.

"I accept your offer. The crimes of Yoo Geonwoo and the rest of the Four Black Dragons are wiped clean. What you did to my son, I'll treat as if it never happened. And I'll ask no questions about the men of mine you killed."

Seo Woojin didn't answer.

His hand had moved to his sword hilt on its own. He could feel some nameless pressure bearing down on him.

"However."

Gok Cheonmu lowered his hands from his face.

There was no expression on it at all.

Only one thing.

Killing intent.

"If you can take ten of my attacks, that is."

Whoosh!

BOOOOOOM!!

Skreeeeech!

"Alliance Lord—!!"

The Cheongeum Envoy cried out, startled.

She drew her sword, too late, and had just leveled it at Gok Cheonmu when—

"Stop—!!"

Seo Woojin's shout froze her where she stood.

Only then did Seo Woojin get up, with a low sound in his throat.

He'd reacted in time, no question.

He'd blocked the upward cut with his sword still in its scabbard.

But the…