“You look in good spirits.”

At Geom Mu-yang’s words, Ma-bul smiled and replied.

“Maybe it’s because I brought good news.”

Ma-bul was acting brighter and more energetic than usual.

“You don’t need to worry about Kwon-ma. He clearly declared his support for the Great Prince.”

Despite the good news, Geom Mu-yang’s expression didn’t lighten noticeably.

“Great Prince, allow me to speak frankly. I know that recently you have been disappointed in me. I tried my best, but things didn’t go as I intended. Therefore, I apologize to you.”

Ma-bul apologized sincerely, without a trace of insincerity. It was an extension of the feelings he’d felt earlier watching Geom Mu-geuk train martial arts.

He thought that if things continued like this, he wouldn’t be able to defeat Geom Mu-geuk. Change was needed, and he resolved that he himself must be the starting point.

“No, the one who should apologize is me.”

From Geom Mu-yang’s reaction, Ma-bul sensed that Geom Mu-yang was embarrassed and doubting his words.

Geom Mu-yang was the type to look beneath the surface of others. He always filtered what others said once before accepting it. Now he was doubting Ma-bul’s sincerity.

If this had been yesterday, Ma-bul would have been angry at this reaction. He would have recalled the rift that had grown between them.

But he did not. Now he wanted to accept it. This was the true nature of Geom Mu-yang. If he didn’t like it, then he himself should leave.

Whether Geom Mu-yang knew this or not, he spoke calmly.

“When I returned to the sect, I was more surprised than I expected by how much Mu-geuk had grown. The Mu-geuk I knew was a young wolf, but upon returning, he had become a great tiger. In my anxiousness, I was rude to you several times, Ma-bul. I apologize.”

Geom Mu-yang bowed his head.

Ma-bul’s heart relaxed. That was enough.

The rift between him and Geom Mu-yang had not shattered to fall apart but rather felt like a mark for a better relationship ahead. It was the gold they could look at in tough and frustrating times to draw strength.

“You are also a tiger, Great Prince. So don’t be afraid. Roar as much as you want. I will protect you.”

“Thank you.”

Ma-bul was gathering strength.

Yes, when we approach someone, this is how it should be. Just as Geom Mu-geuk approached him without hesitation, he too should stride confidently toward Geom Mu-yang. Only then, whatever the outcome of this matter, he would have no regrets.

Ma-bul’s gaze turned toward the window.

“The moonlight is especially beautiful tonight.”

But Geom Mu-yang’s eyes never enjoyed the lovely moonlight.

‘This can’t continue like this.’

Ma-bul thought he could not defeat Geom Mu-geuk if he was softened by the moonlight.

‘If you truly care for me, you should not praise me as a tiger but bring a trap to catch that other tiger.’

No matter how many tricks were needed, no matter how reckless the schemes had to be, they must be used. Yet, he was relaxing like that.

It was because he was not as desperate. After all, if he lost the succession struggle, only he would die.

Because their hearts were different, the moonlight today was different. It shone soft and warm but also cold and lonely upon them both.

In the misty training ground bathed in moonlight, I was punching alone.

Through the training, I had mastered all the techniques learned in Jeokkwon. Though others found it difficult, it still felt like basic boxing to me. But since basics had to be solid, from the very first moment of training, I had invested all my time in honing boxing skills.

Then Kwon-ma walked over there.

With the moon behind him casting shadows across his face, Kwon-ma truly looked like a demon.

“Are you not afraid of me?”

“How could I not be afraid seeing that face?”

“Not just afraid, but you’re underestimating me.”

“Is it better to be feared by others? You’ve been through a lifetime of that, haven’t you?”

Kwon-ma slowly walked right up in front of me.

He pushed his face close. It was the first time I had seen his face so close. He really looked like a demon born into this world.

“How do I look up close?”

Seeing the face of a Ma Jon, I felt something for the first time.

“You look tired.”

“!”

“What exactly is making the Ma Jon of the Cheonma Sect so tired? The Iron Fists? Or that cliff? Or something else?”

For a moment, Kwon-ma’s pupils trembled slightly. No one had ever asked him such a straightforward question. Even fellow Ma Jons and his father never treated him so bluntly.

“So you’ve been seducing all the Ma Jons like this, but it won’t work on me.”

The comment about looking tired had touched a nerve.

“As I said, I never wished for that from the start. What I want is something else.”

“What?”

“Teach me boxing. Learning boxing is so enjoyable. It’s so thrilling and exciting that I can’t sleep.”

He spoke sincerely. Perhaps it was because he had trained in swordsmanship his entire life. Because he had mastered the Twelve Star Great Accomplishment of the Flying Sword Technique. Because he had reached the Great Accomplishment of the Wind God’s Escort. Boxing had come to him like fate at this moment.

“Teach me. I want to fight Kwon-ma with the boxing you teach me!”

“!”

“I want to beat Kwon-ma with that boxing.”

At that moment, energy poured out of Kwon-ma’s body. His energy was like the wind. It was the kind of fierce wind that makes it impossible to open your eyes and fills your mind with fear as if you might be blown away.

The Cheonma Hoshin Gong naturally activated, and I raised my own protective energy to oppose his.

Then Kwon-ma’s energy grew even stronger. A wind blew that seemed capable of blowing away not only the body but the soul as well.

I infused my clenched fist with inner energy and executed a technique.

It was Ilkwon Daecheon (One Fist Covers Heaven), learned from Jeokkwon training.

Paang!

A refreshing sound of wind burst from the empty air where my fist had struck.

I stared into Kwon-ma’s eyes and said,

“You awakened something inside my body.”

Even without saying it, Kwon-ma surely knew what that was.

He withdrew the energy that was pressing me and asked,

“Why did you come only now?”

He was the seventh connection among the eight Ma Jons. A question he would naturally be curious about.

“Was I not a person you needed until now?”

“Quite the opposite.”

“The opposite?”

“I heard that you act as the role of two Ma Jons. That’s why I wanted to meet you after I became stronger.”

“Who said that you play two people’s roles?”

“My father.”

My father said that although the number of Ma Jons was four or three, the balance was even. I confirmed through Chwi-ma that it was with Kwon-ma in mind.

Certainly, my father had influence over the Ma Jons. Kwon-ma also showed some complicated emotions when my father was mentioned.

“I can’t believe the leader said that. Don’t take reckless moves to pull me to your side.”

“Go and check it out yourself.”

Kwon-ma’s face grew even more terrifying. If you went out to the Central Plains with that face, every day would be filled with new incidents and exciting events, I’m sure.

He stared at me fiercely and asked,

“Is it true that I could become your disciple?”

“It’s true. It’s the only chance to become Cheonma’s master. Don’t miss it.”

“What if the Cheonma tries to control the disciple they made?”

Only then did I release my energy. It was the first time I showed energy to Kwon-ma.

The endlessly spreading clear sky.

Clear water reflecting that sky. Shallow water where you dip your feet, then realize the bottomless deep sea. Extending that suffocating fear, I said sternly,

“Is that all your Cheonma is?”

Kwon-ma looked at me with a shocked face.

We stared at each other silently for a long time. The silence was broken by Kwon-ma.

“Reach out your hand. Reach out that baby hand.”

I stretched out my hand forward.

“Clench your fist.”

I slowly clenched my fist.

In Kwon-ma’s eyes inspecting my fist, there was a flash of surprise. Yes, it would not be a hand easily seen. This hand, called a baby’s hand, was the Cheonmu Divine Body hand bestowed by heaven.

To become a master, the entire body is important, but especially the hands. Especially in boxing, it is even more important. You cannot hide physical weaknesses with weapons.

He wrapped his big hand around mine. Hand met hand, they explored each other.

Soon Kwon-ma said nothing about my hand and turned away to walk off.

“Start coming to the Black Fist training from tomorrow.”

After leaving Dongkwon Gate, I headed straight to Evil Song Sect.

It was to ask Geukak Soma about Kwon-ma. Somehow, I thought Geukak Soma would know Kwon-ma well.

As always, Geukak Soma was sitting silently in that all-white ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) room.

His first words upon seeing me were,

“Great Prince, you want to fight Kwon-ma.”

I was surprised.

“Have you mastered the martial art that reads minds? Or have we come to a point where we understand each other just by looking in each other’s eyes?”

“You’re wearing a mask today, aren’t you?”

“Does wearing a mask mean you want to fight Kwon-ma?”

“Yes, then it means I want to fight him.”

I smiled and lifted the mask above my head.

“Since I’ve come this far?”

“Then you must have come because you want to play with me.”

At least today, I hadn’t come to play, so I lowered the mask again.

“You can deceive ghosts, but not Soma.”

I nodded in honest admission.

“Do you miss blood?”

“Seems so. Because I miss blood, I think of you first.”

“When I heard that Great Prince was learning boxing from Kwon-ma, I expected you to come to see me once.”

Geukak Soma and Kwon-ma were completely different people. Their feelings, atmosphere, and personalities were all different.

But if asked to classify Ma Jons without any criteria, Geukak Soma and Kwon-ma would probably be put in the same group.

“Do you know why Kwon-ma supports the Great Prince?”

“Because I arrived late?”

Geukak Soma shook his head.

“Because he supports the eldest successor?”

“Probably not.”

“Then why does he support his brother?”

Then an unexpected answer came out.

“Because of the leader.”

“Because of his father?”

“Until recently, before Great Prince stood out, everyone expected the Great Prince to become the successor. Probably the leader at that time thought so too.”

“So that means Kwon-ma is following his father’s will?”

“Exactly. He thinks the leader wants the Great Prince as the successor. He’s unaware that things have changed a lot recently.”

“Because he was only focused on teaching his subordinates.”

“Exactly. If he finds out the leader is thinking of Great Prince, he’ll change his mind.”

Chwi-ma said that father liked Kwon-ma most because he was purely obsessed with martial arts. I thought perhaps Kwon-ma was the one who liked father the most as well.

Geukak Soma gave some final advice about Kwon-ma.

“Kwon-ma’s nickname is ‘Invincible.’ He has never lost once. You will know what kind of person Kwon-ma is when he loses.”

I nodded silently. The one to deal that first loss might be me.

Geukak Soma read that eagerness in me.

“Great Prince, why do you want to become stronger like this?”

He knew exactly that my ultimate goal to learn boxing from Kwon-ma was not just to gain a Ma Jon but because of the desire to grow stronger.

“Are you dreaming of uniting the world?”

“No.”

I said firmly.

“Do you want to be the best in the world?”

“No, that’s not it either.”

“Then why are you running so breathlessly?”

“Because I have a premonition that a strong enemy will appear before me someday. An enemy so strong I can never defeat without going mad trying. I suppose I have such an anxiety.”

I revealed my honest unease to him. Strangely, it was easier to show these feelings to Geukak Soma.

Geukak Soma suddenly emitted a spirit wind.

Jiiiiiik.

A long line was drawn on the white wall he always looked at. I was startled. It was a wall that seemed impossible to damage.

“Great Prince, how far have we come?”

It was the first time in a long time that he drew a line and asked me. The last time he drew one, I said we had reached the survival line.

I drew a vertical line with my Black Demon Sword past the survival line he had drawn before to the end of the line.

“This is how far I’ve come.”

We hadn’t spent much time together, but two life-risking fights standing back to back made us draw that line here.

“Do you remember? When we first met, I said I wouldn’t become friends with a masked person. Now the rule has changed. Since I wear a mask too, I’ll make friends with masked people.”

Geukak Soma said to me with clear eyes.

“You said, when we reach that line, we’d become friends, eat together, drink together, have fun, fight sometimes, rescue each other from danger, and if one of us dies first, we’d even pour alcohol on the grave.”

“That’s right.”

“If that strong enemy I mentioned appears and puts you in danger...”

After a brief pause, Geukak Soma added,

“I will come to save you.”

“!”

I understood. Geukak Soma’s line was drawn at the same place as mine.

Father always said not to trust people. That such feelings were cheap sentimentalities, naive sentiments. Even so, I liked this moment very much.

“I’ll be waiting for you to come save me.”

Geukak Soma’s eyes shone brightly. No more words were necessary.

As I turned to leave, I asked Geukak Soma with concern,

“By the way, is that wall okay? It’s the wall used for training, isn’t it?”

He looked at the white wall and said, looking at the opposite white wall,

“I didn’t like the color of that wall. From today on, let’s train facing this wall.”