Chapter 188: It Won’t Be Easy, Though

As the Giant Tree Ghost was completely annihilated, the spell barrier that had imprisoned the Great Anomaly began to fade. It was not a forced collapse, but a natural dissolution.

Fssss......

The spellcasters, including Dr. Man, remained inside to clean up the interior.

Starting with the martial artists on the outer edge of the battlefield, they began leaving the spell barrier one by one and returning to reality.

“It really is over......”

“I thought I wouldn’t care even if I didn’t make it back, as long as I could get revenge......”

“But it feels good to come back alive, doesn’t it?”

The martial artists of Transcendent Extremity Gate who escaped outside looked at one another, as though they still could not believe it. One by one, relieved smiles began blooming on their faces.

At that moment, a stern shout like frost fell over them.

“Don’t stand there in a daze! Take care of the wounded! Team leaders, assess the damage and report!”

The man with a sturdy, square-cut face who had commanded Transcendent Extremity Gate’s martial artists while both the sect leader and vice sect leader were absent shouted.

It was Woo Hyunje, the man Sunwoo Jeha had already chosen as the next sect leader.

A short while later, Woo Hyunje received damage reports from the team leaders.

“All team members suffered light injuries. One is seriously wounded. The seriously wounded one is not in critical condition.”

“All of us have light injuries.”

“Two seriously wounded. We treated them quickly, so there should be no issue with recovery!”

At the astonishingly low number of casualties, Woo Hyunje’s face filled with bewilderment.

“......That is all the damage?”

Not a single person had died in the process of hunting a Great Anomaly.

It was a result so absurd that it did not even reach a quarter of the casualties Transcendent Extremity Gate had expected.

The fact that no one had died made him happy, but it was also difficult to believe.

“The sect leader, the vice sect leader, and the four who went with them have not returned yet, but......”

The people who had gone to the top to hunt the Giant Tree Ghost directly had not yet come out of the barrier. Since it was the most dangerous mission, there was no helping the worry.

“Everyone will be fine. Let us believe that and wait.”

“Yes!”

After reassuring the disciples, Woo Hyunje turned his head and looked somewhere.

The reason they had succeeded in hunting a Great Anomaly with so little damage was there.

“......We owe those people a great debt that will be difficult to repay.”

The martial artists of Transcendent Extremity Gate who heard his murmur nodded. Everyone’s gazes were directed to one place.

“Oof, my poor back......”

“B-Big brother. Everyone suddenly started staring at us.”

“Why? Now that it’s over, do they think paying us would be a waste, so they’re going to silence us?”

“Why would you make such a terrifying joke!”

There was Hwang Suksu, patting his stiff back, and Han Jaechun, flinching under the gazes of the experts.

Beside them, Kim Bokja lay sprawled on the ground without caring whether anyone was watching, and Apricot was lying down with her shoulder as its pillow.

“I really might wreck my whole body at this rate. I’m so tired, Apricooot......”

Pyaaak......

At the sight of them completely exhausted and collapsed, Woo Hyunje felt a kind of emotion difficult to put into words.

He had not forgotten the sight of Shin Kangheon freeing the martial artists of the previous generation who had become the Great Anomaly’s puppets, nor the sight of Kim Muhyuk climbing the Giant Tree Ghost without hesitation to help Sunwoo Jeha.

When the sect leader returns, I must tell her. That the martial artists of the main sect survived thanks to those people, and that we must repay them far more generously. If she does not allow it, then even if I have to use my own money......

Though he himself did not yet dream of it, this was the moment the next sect leader of Transcendent Extremity Gate decided to regard Blue Wolves as benefactors of the sect.

Woo Hyunje was not the only one who felt gratitude toward the crew members of Blue Wolves.

I owe my life to them.

Now Master can rest in peace too.

They had no reason to take that kind of risk for someone else’s business......

The martial artists who had initially dismissed Blue Wolves as a mercenary group that fought for money lowered their heads in shame, and they were deeply moved by the true heroic spirit of Blue Wolves, who had nevertheless risked their own lives to help them.

In particular, the feelings of those who had recovered the bodies of their masters, fellow disciples, and friends were beyond words.

Those overwhelmed by emotion were already conveying their gratitude separately.

“If anything difficult ever happens, or if you need strength, please contact me. I will come running anytime!”

“Thank you! I swear on my honor as a martial artist that I will spread word of your exploits far and wide!”

“I will never forget it. The loyalty all of you showed us......”

When the experts of the Eight Great Sects approached them tearfully and expressed their gratitude, the three people themselves were the ones who became flustered.

“W-Why is everyone suddenly acting like this?”

“It’s fine! We just worked hard because we were paid......”

“......You’re not doing this to reduce our compensation, are you?”

The three of them had merely fought hard after receiving an enormous commission fee, and while thinking of the pay they would receive after it was over.

Faced with the martial artists’ sincere gratitude, all three could only wear awkward expressions.

In the middle of that, Kim Bokja displayed her business sense and passed out her business cards.

“This is my business card, so please take one each. If anyone around you needs nail care or treatment, please refer them to me......”

Then the swarthy men began competing to ask about appointments, saying they would go to the beauty shop for treatments in order to repay their debt.

“You must be tired, so that is enough!”

Woo Hyunje stepped forward, stopping the other martial artists.

With both the sect leader and vice sect leader absent, he thought that he at least should formally convey Transcendent Extremity Gate’s gratitude.

“At a later date, we would like to formally invite all of you back to the main sect and host you properly. Of course, the sect leader must permit it, but...... hm?”

Woo Hyunje’s expression suddenly hardened, and he turned his head to stare fixedly in one direction.

VROOOOOOM!

A short while later, an SUV came into view, racing down the mountain road from far away at terrifying speed.

The martial artists of Transcendent Extremity Gate drew their weapons all at once and took up a defensive posture.

“......What is that?”

“I’m certain access around here should be forbidden.”

“Huh? Wait! It’s a Martial Alliance vehicle!”

After confirming that the logo of the Korean Martial Alliance was clearly engraved on the hood and sides of the oncoming car, the martial artists lowered their weapons.

SCREEEECH!

The SUV swerved to a stop with acrobatic, hair-raising precision, and from the driver’s seat stepped out an old man wearing a bomber jacket and sunglasses.

Hwang Suksu and Han Jaechun recognized him first. Kim Bokja also stared at him with an incredulous expression.

“Huh? Elder?”

“How did you get here......”

“Tsk. I knew this would happen.”

Choi Geon did not waste words.

After clicking his tongue at the sight of Hwang Suksu and Han Jaechun covered in minor wounds, he grabbed them by the backs of their necks and threw them into the back seat of the vehicle like luggage.

“Uuuuuuh!”

“Wait a second!”

After putting the two of them in first, Choi Geon dusted off his hands and turned toward Kim Bokja.

That was when it happened.

“Who are you? Even if you are from the Martial Alliance, you cannot behave so recklessly here!”

Before anyone noticed, Woo Hyunje had drawn his sword and stepped in front of Kim Bokja.

Seeing the tip of the other man’s sword aimed at him, Choi Geon chuckled.

“Do you know who you are pointing that blade at?”

“......!”

At that moment, Woo Hyunje felt killing intent chill the back of his neck.

When Choi Geon put his hand inside his coat, cold sweat ran down Woo Hyunje’s back.

If that hand came out holding even a small dagger...... could he really block it?

“I am Blue Wolves’ driver.”

Fortunately, what Choi Geon pulled from his coat was a mask.

A Blue Wolf mask, the mascot of Blue Wolves.

Just as a sigh of relief escaped on its own at the fact that it was not a blade, Kim Bokja poked Woo Hyunje in the back from behind.

“Excuse me, I need to get in the car, so could you move?”

Woo Hyunje lowered his sword and slowly stepped aside.

After even Kim Bokja got into the vehicle, Choi Geon folded his arms and looked around.

“I will take them straight to the hospital, so you handle the cleanup yourselves. Do you have something to say?”

Woo Hyunje was still extremely tense facing Choi Geon, but he forced himself to speak calmly.

“......Please take them safely to the hospital. They are benefactors of the main sect.”

“Ho. I like that answer. I will remember it.”

At those words, which carried sincerity, Choi Geon’s presence softened as well.

And just then, Kim Muhyuk and Shin Kangheon walked out of the spell barrier together.

“......Master?”

“Huh? Teacher!”

At the sight of the two most heavily injured people, Choi Geon’s brow narrowed.

“Tsk, tsk......”

Choi Geon clicked his tongue in disapproval, while his eyes closely examined the wounds on their bodies.

“Both of you, get in the car at once! We are going straight to the hospital.”

“......Yes, sir.”

“Yes!”

The two people who had rampaged against the Giant Tree Ghost transformed into docile lambs and obediently got into the car. Choi Geon also immediately climbed into the driver’s seat.

VROOOOOOM!

The SUV carrying every crew member of Blue Wolves shot down the mountain road in an instant.

From inside the car, which raced at a speed that sent dust flying, long screams rang out about how it was too fast, but even those vanished quickly.

“Phewww......”

Only then did the martial artists release their tension, swallow dryly, and murmur among themselves.

“A-An expert like that is only their driver?”

“Obviously, that has to be a lie.”

“I still have goosebumps......”

Though it had only been for a brief moment, Choi Geon left a powerful impression on the martial artists of Transcendent Extremity Gate.

In particular, Woo Hyunje, who had faced him head-on, rubbed the goosebumps on his forearm and muttered,

“......Ha. So what we saw today was not even all of Blue Wolves.”

It was the moment rumors about Martial Crew Blue Wolves were inflated yet again.

*****

A few hours later, the crew members of Blue Wolves were all hospitalized together.

Everyone had been injured, but among them, the most severe case was unquestionably Kim Muhyuk. Naturally, he had been carried into the emergency room alone.

“......Still, I’m less injured than last time.”

After being loaded into the car like luggage and immediately laid out on a hospital bed, he had undergone comprehensive internal and external injury exams and was now waiting for the results.

With an embarrassed expression, Kim Muhyuk looked up at his master, who stood with his arms folded, glaring down at him.

“I do have some internal injuries, but nothing’s really broken......”

“Can you not stay still?”

Choi Geon, eyes narrowed in a fierce glare, caught his disciple’s fidgeting arm and put it back down.

“Do not even think about moving until the comprehensive exam results come out. I heard you handled sacred weapons simultaneously again. You should be grateful your lower abdomen was not torn apart!”

“......Ha ha.”

Kim Muhyuk, who had been silent for a moment, suddenly began grinning.

Choi Geon’s face twisted, and he glared at his disciple.

“You’re laughing? Why are you laughing? What did you do so well that you can laugh?”

“I thought that if I laughed, Master would feel less guilty.”

Choi Geon looked at his disciple with a complicated expression, then eventually let out a sigh.

“......Hrrm. You are right. I feel so guilty I do not know what to do.”

Choi Geon regretted his decision not to take part in the Great Anomaly hunt.

It had been a decision made from his desire not to have his identity exposed to the Eight Great Sects, and from the shallow feeling that he did not want to give them even the slightest help.

Even though he had expected that without him, his disciple and crew members might be badly hurt.

“I am sorry for being such a selfish master. If I had gone with you, you would not have been injured this badly...... I suppose I have no right to be angry at you now.”

The reason he had revealed his presence in front of the martial artists of Transcendent Extremity Gate had also been that he was angry at himself and acted on impulse. He could have handled it far more quietly.

“Master. Removing you from this plan was my decision.”

However, Kim Muhyuk shook his head with a firm expression.

“If you had followed us, I actually would have been disappointed.”

“......Why?”

Kim Muhyuk closed his eyes for a moment.

In his mind, the battle against the elite martial artists of Transcendent Extremity Gate, the short but intense fight to the death against the anomaly-transformed Moon Seokju, and Sunwoo Jeha’s Transcendence-Level Ultimate Technique engraved into his brain rose vividly.

“Because your sword would have covered everything, and I would not have seen and realized as much as I did today.”

“Huh......”

When Kim Muhyuk opened his eyes again, they were shining. It was the face of someone deeply absorbed in something.

Seeing that, Choi Geon shook his head.

“This is bad. I did not know your madness would deepen to this extent already......”

“So you did enter madness too, Master, right? I knew it!”

At his disciple’s question, asked as though delighted to meet someone of the same kind, Choi Geon answered by lightly rapping him on the forehead.

“Good grief. Where in the world did a boy like this suddenly pop out from?”

He had intended to pour out a great deal of nagging, but Choi Geon eventually burst into a small laugh.

After all, would he not be thoroughly scolded by his parents, who would arrive soon?

Instead, as a martial artist and a master, Choi Geon asked his disciple something he was curious about.

“Very well. What was the Strongest in Korea like, watching from right beside her?”

Kim Muhyuk thought for a moment, as though choosing his words.

The Strongest in Korea.

To Kim Muhyuk, who had aimed for the Strongest in the World from the beginning, it had merely been a title he thought he would pass through someday.

But now, it was different.

“......She was incredible. Incredible enough to make me think I absolutely want to take that seat from her.”

At his disciple’s honest answer, Choi Geon burst into hearty laughter.