Just as the Great Khan was wondering, an uproar broke out outside.“Great Khan! B-big trouble! The enemy is at the outer wall!”At his subordinate’s report, the Great Khan answered in a bored voice.“I figured when the alarm started. Skip that and come in to report.”“Yes!”When the man entered, the Great Khan asked:“How many did they bring?”“Three.”“Hm? What? Three?”“Yes.”Absurd.“They do know where they’ve come, right?”“It seems so. I heard them shout, ‘So this really is the Gale Sect.’”“Then they found us properly. And there are three?”“Yes.”“Hmmm. One of them feels like he can throw his weight around. Still—gutsy. Do they know whose doorstep this is?”As the Khan muttered, the strategist beside him asked:“Was there a flaw in the formation?”“No! None at all.”“Then how did they enter?”“One man stamped, and the shockwave shook the formation. He stamped a second time and it shook harder—the web began to crack. On the third, a gap opened and a section gave.”The strategist who had laid the formation himself sighed.“The sand was the problem.”As the ground trembled, the sand shifted—and with it, the formation parted.Even so, it shouldn’t have opened that easily.While the strategist frowned, the Great Khan rose.“What does it matter now? It’s open. Let’s go.”“Where, my lord?”“Guests traveled far. We should greet them.”“I can go out and handle it.”“No. I was getting bored. Whoever they are, I hope they can entertain me.”With that, the Great Khan strode for the door. ****Outside, the Great Khan saw three figures standing proud.“Two are Central Plains folk, and one… looks Northern Sea.”“To my eye as well.”“What kind of mix is that? A delegation from the Northern Sea?”“What delegation smashes a formation to enter? They’re enemies.”“I know. I asked because it’s ridiculous. We can ask their identity ourselves.”As the Great Khan advanced, Gale Sect warriors parted to either side.Standing atop the wall, the Great Khan spoke, inner power riding his voice.“Who are you?”Vmmmmm—Though he spoke low, his voice rolled across the whole fortress.Yeon Cheon Baek smiled and answered.“I hear you’ve been tormenting caravans from the Central Plains. We’re here to erase you from the world so you never do it again.”The Great Khan snorted.“Erase us? With three?”Yeon Cheon Baek asked, expression unreadable:“You’re the Great Khan of the Gale Sect?”“I am. And you are?”“Doesn’t matter. I’ll give you a chance. Dissolve the Gale Sect and follow me—I’ll spare your life.”“What was that? Hahaha!”Vmmmmm—His laugh made the air shiver.“Amusing tale. You want me to follow you. Do you have the power for that?”“Probably?”“Fine. Make me acknowledge you. Then I’ll dissolve the Gale Sect and follow, like you say.”“Great Khan!”The strategist flinched and tried to stop him.“Relax. As if I’d acknowledge the likes of him.”“Such promises should not be made lightly. If it goes poorly, it could wound the troops’ morale.”“Enough nagging. Must you carp even before the enemy?”“My apologies.”The Great Khan looked at the three.“Let’s see a bit of your skill.”He flicked his gaze; the strategist raised a hand.Grgrgrk—The gate opened and a squadron of horsemen thundered out.Dudududu—Buk Mu Gyeol stepped forward at the sight.“I’ll handle them.”“Rampage to your heart’s content.”With Yeon Cheon Baek’s leave, Buk Mu Gyeol nodded and drew up his power.Vmmmmm—A killing cold howled out; white rime began to frost the ground around him.At that, the Great Khan and his strategist knew instantly who he was.“There’s only one man who can pour out cold like that.”“The Lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”“Aren’t we allied with the Northern Sea? I thought we were moving together this time.”“Correct.”“Then why is he looking at us like enemies?”The strategist studied the scene and said:“It’s the man in the center. From what he’s doing, he seems to be following that man’s lead.”“The Lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace… following another man? You expect me to believe that?”“I don’t, but his behavior suggests it.”While they spoke—“Uwaaa!”Cries of shock burst from their men.The cavalry that had gone out to meet the foe were freezing solid mid-charge and shattering to pieces.At the same time, Buk Mu Gyeol sprinted for the wall.What was he planning?As that thought flickered—Whooom—A deep cold rushed in; hundreds of ice spears formed in the air.Buk Mu Gyeol grumbled:“Damn desert. How dry is this place that I can only make this much?”The arid air wouldn’t let him create as many as he liked.“Eat this for now!”Swaaak—The ice spears he hurled rained down atop the wall.The Great Khan stretched out a hand and gave a light shake.Chzzzzng—With a single gesture, he shattered every spear.As the shards burst into glittering dust—Buk Mu Gyeol vaulted up the wall and lunged for the Great Khan.Intercepting him were men who dropped in his path.Thud-thud—They blocked his opening strike—these were the Gale Sect’s personal guards and elders, the Gale Eight Sands.“How little must you think of us to pull a stunt like this!”Enraged, the Eight Sands struck at Buk Mu Gyeol.But the Eight Sands were no match for a man who had stepped into the Mythic Realm.“Out of the way.”Chzzzzng—!“Ghk!”“What is this impossible cold!”Their levels were hardly low, but their bodies were freezing over.Crack—They forced their inner power to circulate and blasted the ice away, ready to strike again—The Great Khan stepped forward.“Enough.”“Great Khan!”“I’ll do it.”“B-but—”“He’s not someone you can handle.”The Eight Sands knew it, too.“More won’t matter. You’ll only die dogs’ deaths. Stand down.”“Y-yes.”At his single word, the Eight Sands withdrew.Naturally, the Great Khan and Buk Mu Gyeol faced each other.The Great Khan spoke to his strategist.“Clear everyone back.”“B-but—”“That’s an order.”“Y-yes.”The jesting face was gone; he was truly serious.“Shall I guess who you are?”“Heh. If you miss it after all that, you’re a fool.”“Heh-heh. True enough. What brings one who should be in the Northern Sea all the way to this desert?”“I’m following that gentleman to the Central Plains.”“That gentleman?”“Yes. A terrifying one. So—go run to him, throw yourself down, beg forgiveness, and then fall in behind.”“Hahaha! So the master of the Northern Sea tucked his tail and cowered before someone?”“You wouldn’t?”“I’m the Great Khan of the Great Desert. That will never happen.”“Boasts like that are a bad habit.”“Unlike you, I am strong.”“I thought so, too.”“I’ll help you—so you can get free of him.”“What?”“You and I are allies. Remember? Allies help each other. If you’re being dragged along because you can’t beat him, I’ll help. You and I together—couldn’t we take him?”“Hahahaha!”“Why laugh?”“Because it’s funny.”Buk Mu Gyeol glanced at Yeon Cheon Baek.“To your eye, do you think the two of us together could beat him?”“I’ve just reached a new realm—stepped into Mythic.”At that, Buk Mu Gyeol chuckled.“So have I.”“What?”“I’ve stepped into the Mythic Realm as well. In this very fortress.”The Great Khan was startled.Buk Mu Gyeol’s realm matched his own.“Two at the Mythic Realm, Second Castle—and still someone we can’t beat? Someone like that exists in the Central Plains…?”He broke off, as if a name had struck him.“N-no way. The Martial Deity Heaven Lord… him?”Buk Mu Gyeol nodded.The Great Khan’s gaze swung to Yeon Cheon Baek.“T-that man is the one I’ve only heard in rumor… the Martial Deity Heaven Lord…”Then he looked back to Buk Mu Gyeol.“Is he really that strong?”“He is. Strong enough that even if you and I joined hands, we wouldn’t win.”“That much?”“No—that’s not all. I didn’t even manage a proper attack before I was put down.”The Great Khan’s eyes widened.“Not even a proper attack?”“Correct.”“By the heavens…”Unbelievable.Just how strong was the Martial Deity Heaven Lord?“Don’t waste your strength. Do as he says. If not, the Gale Sect vanishes today.”The Great Khan’s face hardened.Then, as if resolved, he stepped past Buk Mu Gyeol and spoke:“I can’t believe it. I’ll see for myself.”“What?”Before Buk Mu Gyeol could stop him, the Great Khan launched for Yeon Cheon Baek.Yeon Cheon Baek smiled at the man rocketing in with murderous momentum.He’d been regretting it, truth be told.He shouldn’t have handed this fun to Buk Mu Gyeol.But the Great Khan had come of his own accord. How considerate.Depending on how he handled himself, Yeon Cheon Baek would let him live.As for his crimes, he could repay them by protecting caravans from now on.Granting one chance didn’t seem so bad.Chzzing—Bzzzt—The Great Khan’s opening strike crashed against Yeon Cheon Baek, and with the shockwave, thunder writhed in the air.Yeon Cheon Baek laughed.“Good. Heh-heh.”Gooseflesh rose on the Great Khan’s arms—his blow had been taken as nothing, and the man was enjoying it.And yet… what was this?A smile was tugging at his own lips.Someone he could fight with his whole strength.It was exhilarating.Without stopping, he poured everything he had at Yeon Cheon Baek.Chzzzzk—KWA-BOOM—Fwoooosh—!The Great Khan’s secret art, the Flame Heaven-Explosion Divine Art, roared again and again.Yeon Cheon Baek received it almost lazily—and even offered advice.“Not bad. Your realm’s Mythic as well, it seems. But this spot is loose. And this one.”He tapped the gaps with his fingers.If that had been an attack, not a correction?It would have been fatal.Prickle—prickle—Chills raced over his skin.And he liked it.He had confirmed it.The Lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace had spoken true.This one was strong.He couldn’t imagine the two of them winning.Fwap—Tap—After his relentless assault, the Great Khan leapt back.“Huff… I thought the rumors were exaggerations, but now I see they were lacking. Martial Deity Heaven Lord.”“Is that so?”“Yes. I’d wanted to meet you—an honor to do so like this.”“I’m pleased as well.”“Truly pleased? I hear you came to erase us today.”“That’s right.”“Haha. You say such frightening things like nothing.”“Well—it’s the truth. But I’ve changed my mind a little.”“Why?”“Killing you all doesn’t guarantee new villains won’t sprout in the Great Desert. Better to reform you and set you to guard the desert.”

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