921 Episode 52 Mad Sword Emperor (6)
A disciple of the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint.
There's only one person in this world who truly fits that nickname.
「 Supreme King Yoo Joonghyuk. 」
I, too, thought of him when I first discovered traces of the Mad Sword Emperor in the examination hall.
The question is this:
「 Is Yoo Joonghyuk really the Mad Sword Emperor? 」
If the Mad Sword Emperor is truly Yoo Joonghyuk, it's absurd that Nirvana didn't recognize him.
Furthermore, there's further evidence that the Mad Sword Emperor isn't Yoo Joonghyuk.
「 Yoo Joonghyuk's primary weapon in the 41st Round was a 'spear'. 」
What I discovered in the examination hall was clearly a 'sword mark'.
Unless Yoo Joonghyuk, who had suddenly transformed into the Breaking the Sky Sword Beauty, had once again wielded a sword.
Of course, that possibility is impossible, so common sense dictates that the 'Mad Sword Emperor' Cloud Mountain speaks of is not Yoo Joonghyuk, but someone else.
【Breaking the Sky Sword Saint... You're talking about the Transcendent imprisoned in the underworld of Murim. Was the Mad Sword Emperor her disciple?】
I froze for a moment.
Who is imprisoned where?
【Yes, that's my guess.】
Watching Cloud Mountain silently nod, I forced myself to take a deep breath. I wanted to ask about the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint right away, but I had to hold back.
The last time I saw the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint was eight years ago. I even heard that she had come to Murim with the 'Mad Sword Emperor'.
But she was imprisoned?
Who could dare imprison her?
The Ascended? Of course, the all Ascended in this city were strong. There were many who were comparable to the Narrative-level.
But even within the same 'Narrative-level', the difference in rank was vast. The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint wasn't just high-level; her fighting prowess was extraordinary.
No wonder she was called the 'god' of Murim. But she was imprisoned in Murim.
How on earth? Could she possibly be connected to the 'Mad Sword Emperor'?
Feeling compelled to find out, I cautiously opened my mouth, but Hermit spoke in a disgruntled tone.
【Do you think I came all the way here just to hear something like that?】
「 I desperately want to hear this information, so I want to tell you to shut up. 」
Thankfully, Cloud Mountain didn't back down and responded.
【That's all I need. Do you think your master feels the same way?】
...Master?
It was a bit surprising. Hermit, the 'Red Mask', didn't seem like the type of person who would claim to be someone's subordinate.
【He's not just another incarnation, but a disciple of the 'Breaking the Sky Sword Saint'. If you're a Recorder, you'd know who Breaking the Sky Sword Saint's disciples are. Your master would be quite interested in this story, right? Because—】
Hermit, momentarily showing discomfort, quickly cut Cloud Mountain off.
【So, who is the Mad Sword Emperor?】
【Are you interested?】
【Tell me, Cloud Mountain.】
【No one knows her true identity because she always wears a skull mask. She appeared like a comet eight years ago with the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint, and is known as the 'Mad Sword Emperor'. Her main area of aIctivity is the 'New Murim District'.】
【You can ask a low-level Recorder about that.】
【I'm not finished telling you yet. You heard about the recent destruction of the Orbital Elevator in the 'New Murim District', right?】
【Was it really the Mad Sword Emperor who destroyed it?】
I knew that story. I even witnessed it.
Judging by his expression, Hermit didn't seem to know that much, and Moral... seemed to be half-associate.
Hermit asked.
【Why would she do something like that? Doing something like that would incur the wrath of the Giant Nebulae.】
I was curious, too. Regardless of the identity of the Mad Sword Emperor, the 'Orbital Elevator' served as a crucial bridge for the Ascendants and the higher-level Nebulae.
But destroying it meant...
【The Mad Sword Emperor realized the purpose of the 'New Murim District' city.】
At those words, Hermit and Moral fell silent simultaneously. A cold agitation rippled through the table, and then—
[Someone is activating 'Lie Detection'!]
[The statement has been confirmed to be true.]
Hermit glared at Cloud Mountain and asked,
【How on earth did you know such information? Did you sign a 'Recording Contract' with the Mad Sword Emperor?】
【If you want to hear more, please disclose the information. I heard you brought something quite interesting today, didn't you?】
【...】
【You won't be the only one to receive the information like last time, will you? This time, there will be a 'penalty'.】
Hermit flared at the mention of the penalty.
【The information I bring is on a different level than yours.】
【Of course you would. You follow the great 'High-Rank Recorder'.】
A high-ranking Recorder...
So, does that mean 'Hermit' follows high-ranking Recorders like Bicheonhori or Cheon Inho?
Sensing my gaze, Hermit glanced in my direction and muttered smugly.
【You're lucky.】
I thought it was just a whisper, but Hermit continued, tapping the table like a keyboard.
【The information I brought is about the 'Large Fragment of the Oldest Dream'.】
It was a boastful piece of information.
[Someone is activating 'Lie Detection'!]
[The statement has been confirmed to be true.]
Cloud Mountain and Moral, having confirmed the truth, exchanged a glance and asked.
【This is quite interesting.】
【If it's a large fragment, how big is it?】
【It could possibly be comparable to the King of Fear.】
For a moment, I thought he was talking about me. At this point, there must be only a handful of 'Kim Dokja fragments' that large.
A bright light shone from the mask of Cloud Mountain.
【Interesting. So? Tell me more. What kind of fragment is it?】
【It's a newly discovered fragment. It's clearly different from the ones known so far.】
【Have the other Nebulae noticed? Where was it found? Could it be—】
【That's it. I'll listen to your information and tell you the rest.】
【Hmm…】
Cloud Mountain seemed displeased, but didn't seem to want to press on.
Now that it was certain that it was information about the 'Oldest Dream', the information from the Hermit proved worth listening to to the end.
Finally, the two men's gazes turned to me and Moral.
I tossed their gazes back at Moral.
Moral stared at me with a bewildered expression for a moment, then flinched uncomfortably and opened his mouth.
【Well... As a senior, I suppose it wouldn't be a bad idea for me to speak first.】
He continued with his characteristically gloomy tone.
【I've brought quite a bit. If any of this interests you, I'll tell you in detail...】
【I didn't expect much anyway. I guess you're just going to brush it off with some worthless garbage.】
Undeterred by Hermit's cynicism, Moral began to speak.
【Just listen.】
The first piece of information he brought was about the upper scenario area.
【'Ragnarok' will begin soon.】
Ragnarok.
Along with <Eden>'s 'Great War of Good and Evil' and <Olympus>'s 'Gigantomachia', the 'Great Destruction Scenario' that represents the Star Stream was finally about to begin. It was quite useful information, so I nodded meaningfully to Moral in interest.
But the other two Recorders seemed to have different thoughts.
【We already know that. Is there anything else?】
【Yes.】
The second piece of information Moral brought was that the boundaries of the worldline were gradually collapsing after the destruction of the Fear Realm.
But this information didn't seem new to the other two Recorders.
【As expected, you're just making a fuss again today, are you?】
【Actually, I've done some research on the Mad Sword Emperor, but honestly, I don't know as much as you, Cloud Mountain.】
【So, what else?】
【There's been a recent discord within <Olympus>.】
The discord within <Olympus>.
Is that the beginning of that in this episode?
【The 'God of Wine and Ecstasy' has declared independence from <Olympus> with his forces.】
Dionysus's independence. This was quite interesting information, so I nodded meaningfully at him again.
Moral, emboldened by my response, was about to speak again when...
【That must have been information from months ago.】
The cold retort of Hermit cut him off.
【Are you offering to exchange information on the 'Oldest Dream' for information on something even a low-level Recorder would know?】
【That's—】
【If this keeps up, I'll remove Moral from the team next time.】
Cloud Mountain nodded in agreement.
【I'm a bit disappointed this time. Since we have a new member, it's time to change the members.】
【Now, wait a minute. It's not over yet.】
I felt like I had a rough idea of the Recorders' positions in this room.
Cornered, Moral sweated profusely and spoke again.
【This is somewhat ambiguous information, so I hesitated to share it.】
【Ambiguous information?】
【An appraisal item that has reached the highest 'Appraisal Ranking' has appeared in the auction house of the 'New Murim District'.】
【What kind of appraisal item is it?】
【It's a 'fragment of the End-level Fear'.】
A silence fell over the table for a moment. Hermit was the first to speak.
【This is the first time I've been surprised by the information you brought.】
【Are you sure it's the End-level Fear?】
The two Recorders looked genuinely astonished.
Of course, I was equally astonished.
Because that was my story.
【Has this already reached that level?】
【Perhaps 'Moral's' sphere of activity is within my vicinity.】
【The results of the 'scales' appraisal are correct, but they're not yet conclusive. The Management Bureau has determined that it's 'probable'.】
Hermit seemed to lose interest at the mention of 'probable'. But Cloud Mountain was different.
【Who brought that?】
Is it a mistake? A strange sense of impatience was palpable from Cloud Mountain, who had always been so relaxed.
【Could it be someone from the Fear Realm? A Transcendent, perhaps—】
【That's possible, but I don't think so.】
【Why?】
【According to eyewitness accounts, he was just an ordinary incarnation. His rank wasn't high either.】
【What did he look like? What color was his hair? What clothes was he wearing?】
Cloud Mountain's persistent questions almost seemed obsessive.
Hermit spoke in a hushed tone.
【Cloud mountain, it seems it was true that you were looking for a Transcendent from the Fear Realm.】
【...】
【There hasn't been a return from the Feqr Realm since 'Breaking the Sky Sword Saint'. You should know that.】
It seems that's all the information known to the public. Looking at the situation, the 'Recorders of Fear' outside seemed to be unaware of the exact events that occurred inside the Fear Realm.
Cloud Mountain happened to be searching for someone inside.
I was at a loss as to what information to reveal, but I thought it was a good thing.
【It seems like everyone else doesn't know, but there's another Returnee of the Fear Realm.】
At my words, the three recorders turned to me simultaneously.
【What nonsense are you talking about? How do you know that?】
【I saw it myself.】
【What?】
【The destruction of the Fear Realm.】
[Someone is activating 'Lie Detection'!]
['Lie Detection' has confirmed that what you said is true.]
The message rang out, as if it had been waiting for it.
【That can't be. You saw it? How?】
With a quiet shock, Cloud Mountain asked in a dazed voice.
【How could you see what happened inside?】
【Did you sign a 'Recording Contract' with a transcendent?】
Faced with a barrage of questions, I feigned a smile and answered.
【Such personal questions are difficult.】
If I'm not careful, my 'butt' could be exposed.
【If you're trying to avoid it with that kind of talk—】
【You all know that there were 'high-ranking Recorders' there, right?】
The three Recorders nodded, glancing at each other.
So, everyone knew this much?
【I met the 'Fox that Commands the Sky' there.】
[Someone is activating 'Lie Detection'!]
['Lie Detection' has confirmed that what you said is true.]
Cloud Mountain was dazed, what he was thinking unknown, while Moral looked somewhat agitated.
【Did you really see Bicheonhori yourself?】
Even Hermit, who had always been sarcastic and scornful of others' information, couldn't hide his emotions.
【Tell me. What exactly happened there? What on earth did you see?】
In an instant, the control of the situation shifted to this side.
【Do you think you're qualified to hear that with the information you've brought?】
A heavy silence fell over the table. A silence where anger, curiosity, and shock strangely coexisted. As if enjoying the silence, I opened my mouth.
【Let's do this. Tell me what I'm curious about first.】
【What do you want to know?】
【The exact time of Ragnarok's outbreak. The current status of the Mad Sword Emperor. And the spatiotemporal coordinates of the large fragment of the Oldest Dream.】
The three Recorders looked at each other and nodded.
【If we tell you that, what exactly will you tell us?】
【I'll give you a choice, so choose for yourself.】
【Choices?】
For reference, the choices I presented were:
<Top Secret List of the Fear Realm>
1. The story of 'Kim Anna', the great Catastrophe-level Fear.
2. Additional information on survivors of the 'Fear Realm'.
3. The secret of the 'Oldest Dream', which Recorder 'Bicheonhori' was curious about.
The Recorders glared at the choices I offered with serious eyes.
Moral was the first to speak.
【Are you really going to tell me this? Do I just have to choose one of the three?】
【Yes. I'll tell you privately whichever one you choose.】
I smiled and whispered meaningfully.
【For your information, one of the three is a trap.】
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