Chapter 12: The Bloody End
The bandit chief's breathing grew ragged.The massive blunt weapon in his hand was caked with blood and dust.But still, he didn't back down.
Seung-chan twirled his sword lightly.Drops of blood fell from the tip.Without realizing it, he smiled.
"Good. You're still standing?"
The bandit chief clenched his teeth.His body was already covered in dozens of stab and slash wounds.But his will to fight remained.
"Even after drinking so much blood… you're still not satisfied?"
Seung-chan didn't answer.His mind was busy.
Until now, his body had moved on instinct.Even when wounded, he didn't feel pain.If anything, the pain became a kind of exhilaration in battle.
His fingertips trembled.It wasn't fatigue from blood loss.
It was madness.That madness was closing in on him again.
Chapter 13: Between Beast and Human
The chief lifted his massive weapon.One last blow, using every bit of strength.Could it turn the tide?
But—
Slice.
Once again, the sword grazed his shoulder.Blood streamed down.
"Guh…!"
Seung-chan stepped back, as if giving the chief a chance to counterattack.
But that was just an illusion.
Seung-chan was a predator hunting its prey.He was slowly, methodically cutting the chief down.
His arm.His thigh.His chest.His fingertips.
He didn't kill him in one strike.He whittled away at him—bit by bit.
The chief's breath became ragged.His body was covered in wounds.The more blood he lost, the weaker he grew.
But his eyes still burned.
"Stop toying with me…"The chief gasped."If you're going to end it, just end it."
Seung-chan raised his sword.And—
He froze.
His hand was trembling.
Chapter 14: What Is Mercy?
He realized something.
He was enjoying this fight.The sword in his hand was no longer just a weapon.It was a butcher's knife.
"Am I killing right now, or am I fighting?"
The man before him was not just a villain.He was strong.He'd fought, bled, and endured until now.
But what about himself?
Was he respecting his opponent as a warrior?Or simply indulging in the pleasure of bloodshed?
Seung-chan exhaled.His eyes, stained with red, slowly cleared.
He realized he could not become a beast any longer.
Chapter 15: Death in a Single Moment
"That's enough."Seung-chan said.
The bandit chief lifted his blood-soaked face.His eyes were already fading, but he still looked ready to fight to the end.
"What do you mean, enough…? Did I win?"
Seung-chan quietly shook his head.He stepped forward.
"I grant you mercy."
The chief's face hardened.But by the time he understood—
Slice.
The sword moved once.A single, painless stroke.
The bandit chief didn't even collapse.He simply stood there, staring up at the sky.
Then, slowly, he closed his eyes.His body slumped to the earth.
Seung-chan slowly lowered his bloodied sword.He closed his eyes.
Now he understood.This was the only fight he could allow himself.
Not a cruel butchering,but leaving the opponent with dignity in their final moment.
"Next time… I won't lose myself."
Seung-chan returned the sword to his belt.Standing on blood-soaked earth, he reaffirmed his resolve.
He could have become a beast in his madness.But he chose to remain human.
Chapter 16: Question. The Strong Are Strong, and the Weak Are Weak?
The strong are strong. The weak are weak.It's not just a saying.It's the law of the world—and the very logic of Murim.
The world of beasts, the world of humans—both the same.The strong take what they want, the weak lose what they have.The strong survive, the weak disappear.
I was strong.In the past, as Lee Hyeon-do, I stood where no one could reach me.
But now…Am I still strong?Or just someone who used to be strong?
Strong martial arts and weak martial arts.
Murim people always crave stronger techniques.They dream of the ultimate martial art—one that, once mastered, grants absolute power.
But such arts are not given to everyone.Those with power pass them down only to trusted subordinates, loyal friends, or their children.Those who inherit them become strong.
Strong martial arts create strong people.And the strong make their martial arts even stronger.
By contrast, weak martial arts are open to all.But nobody wants to learn them.Insignificant techniques, ignored by everyone.
Those who practice weak martial arts are always overlooked.Their names forgotten.Their skills don't matter.
But—
I began to wonder:
"What if the strong learned weak martial arts?""If a strong person uses weak techniques, wouldn't they become strong too?"
Is strength really about the technique itself?Or about the one who wields it?
This isn't just philosophy.It's the essential question of Murim.
Now, I intend to test it for myself.
What is truly strong?Martial arts?Or the one who uses them?
I will prove it.
Chapter 17: Not Yet
Seung-chan held the manual for the Samjaegeombeop in his hand.Honestly, he didn't need it.He'd practiced the Samjaegeombeop countless times; every movement was engraved in his mind.
Even so, he turned the pages again.He felt the worn paper at his fingertips and slowly traced the words.
Cheon (Heaven) – a strike that splits the sky A downward slash, swift and forceful like a bolt of lightning. Aiming for the opponent's upper body, cutting through in a single motion.
Ji (Earth) – a strike that splits the earth A low stance attacking below the opponent's waist. Specialized for breaking the opponent's balance—defensive, yet lethal.
In (Human) – a strike that splits man A straightforward thrust or slash from the front. Simple, but the most efficient killer move. Delivered with unwavering intent.
The Samjaegeombeop.The most basic sword art in Murim.Everyone learns it, but most abandon it after the basics.
"Who can master dazzling techniques without first mastering the basics?"
Seung-chan closed the book, deep in thought.He had once stood at the apex of strength.So—should he learn this sword art all over again?
Most warriors, after grasping the basics, move on to stronger, more complex techniques.But he was going in reverse.
The Samjaegeombeop.It's not just a basic sword art.It is the root of all martial arts.The source of strength.
And then he realized:
"If a strong person learns a weak technique, it becomes strong."
"Strength does not come from the art—it comes from the one who wields it."
But—
Not yet.
He drew his sword.The wind brushed the blade.The familiar weight in his hand.
Until he fully understood the Samjaegeombeop,his journey was far from over.