Chapter 1081: Scorched World.

“If it’s Baek Yangcheon…”

“The one the Fist Sovereign wanted as a disciple?”

“He’s much younger and smaller than I thought? Did the Fist Sovereign really show interest in that young man?”

“They say he even got a perfect score on the Monsterology exam.”

“What…? They said this exam was the hardest ever.”

“That’s not all. In the first test, well, against the examiners…”

Whispers reached my ears. Even with my transcendent cultivation, I couldn’t completely suppress my heightened senses, no matter how much I tried to hide them.

Just as the voices of those showing interest in me became clearly audible.

I stepped onto the podium.

Kkirik.

Listening to the creak of the wood, I lightly stepped up and surveyed the front.

The numerous people gathered were all staring at me.

Amidst the curious gazes, I saw the man who had been talking to me just moments ago.

Do-yun, was it?

‘He said he was from Sanseodo-ga.’

He’s from the same region. Sanseodo-ga? I don’t recall ever hearing of it.

‘Perhaps someone from an obscure family.’

No matter how I thought about it, no figure came to mind, so I didn’t dwell on it. I merely noted him because his reaction was amusing.

It’s the same now. As if he’d received some immense shock, his eyes, fixed on me, were filled with astonishment.

‘Interesting.’

He was someone who offered a bit of fun teasing after a long time.

After chuckling at him, I focused on the situation. At that moment.

“Baek Yangcheon.”

I turned my gaze towards the voice calling me.

There was a familiar face. It was the examiner who had overseen the area during the second test. He was looking at me with somewhat untrustworthy eyes, likely eyes filled with suspicion.

‘He probably thinks I bribed someone.’

The perfect score on the exam.

I heard that exam was notoriously difficult. It seems my perfect score is unusual.

‘It’s just suspicion, literally.’

The problem is likely that my background is currently a lesser clan, the Baek Clan.

Would someone from a place whose status as a prominent family is ambiguous really bribe an examiner?

He’s probably judging ambiguously because he has thoughts regarding this.

“Yes.”

As I answered, the man slightly furrowed his brow.

“…Congratulations on passing. You’re the top scorer.”

“Thank you.”

The top scorer, huh.

I have received such accolades at the Dragon God Pavilion before, though.

‘…Receiving it here won’t…’

It wasn’t something that evoked much feeling.

Just then.

“The Alliance Leader will arrive shortly, so please compose yourself.”

“…!”

The mention of the Alliance Leader made my eyes widen. The Alliance Leader here would be…

‘…The Sword Master.’

Wi Seol-ah’s grandfather, and one of the current Three Sovereigns of the World.

‘The person closest to being the Undisputed Number One in the World.’

The world says that if they were to pick the Undisputed Number One right now, no one would doubt it would be the Sword Master.

A great figure who led the Martial Alliance to its golden age and peace.

‘Well, not anymore.’

The Sword Master appearing… Just as I was feeling a bit tense at the man’s words.

“The Alliance Leader arrives!”

A loud voice was heard from afar.

No, actually, I knew even without hearing the voice.

‘Presence…’

Something immense slowly approaching from a distance.

Sharp and chilling. It felt as if the air itself had become blades, slicing through my skin.

Extreme tension.

The form that seemed to flatten the very air was the dignity of an absolute being.

I turned my gaze.

I could see. An old man approaching from within the main Alliance building.

A small, petite build.

His black hair was sparse, mostly white, and though he was an extremely thin old man…

‘…He’s different.’

Looking at that old man, I couldn’t help but question if he was the same person I knew.

The feeling is completely different. He was an old man with a lean face, exuding a benevolent appearance.

This old man now.

The Sword Master (劍尊) was entirely different.

‘He’s like a well-honed famous sword.’

A sword blade incarnate. I felt like I couldn’t breathe the moment I saw him.

‘The feeling was completely different.’

I didn’t know his appearance as Alliance Leader, and the Sword Master I knew was only from when he was a servant.

His current state felt completely different.

Raising my tension, I gripped my cultivation.

I mustn’t be discovered. With that thought, I used all my strength.

Even if I had reached the level of the Three Sovereigns, just how strong the current Sword Master was remained unknown.

I suppressed my power, again and again.

At the same time, I allowed a moderate release. If I blocked it completely, it would seem strange, so I adjusted it to a masterful peak level.

“…”

Soon, the Sword Master approached me and stopped. As our eyes met, his sharp golden eyes turned towards me.

“Baek Yangcheon, was it?”

“Yes. It is an honor to meet you, Alliance Leader.”

“…”

His golden eyes scanned me thoroughly. However, I felt no internal energy from him.

But perhaps, just looking was enough for someone of the Sword Master’s level.

“…A new star has risen in the Central Plains.”

Those nearby flinched at his softly spoken words. They surely understood the value of those words spoken by the Sword Master.

Furthermore.

“Why, have you taken a liking to the newcomer?”

An old man who appeared beside him. Looking at him, I slightly narrowed my eyes.

‘…Mukyeon.’

The Martial Alliance’s strategist, the old man called Wi Hyo-gun’s brain.

He was an old man who had returned to the strategist position even in the world I came from.

‘Of course. He would have been here at this time too.’

It wasn’t strange. It just meant one more person to be wary of.

“I heard you’re the new top scorer. Please take good care of us.”

“…Thank you.”

After the strategist and the Alliance Leader finished speaking, the Sword Master continued, addressing the crowd of countless people gathered.

“I welcome and praise you all who have decided to become the Alliance’s strength.”

The words were simple. It was the kind of congratulatory speech one might hear anywhere.

While half-listening to the pleasantries, I quietly dispersed my energy around me.

Because the Sword Master might notice, I did it very shallowly and slowly.

‘There are quite a few unusually sharp gazes.’

Among those watching me, how many are bothersome?

As I considered that, the number was quite significant.

Is this the result after filtering out so many?

‘Hmm.’

I nodded.

‘With this many… I think I can handle it.’

It didn’t feel particularly difficult.

Recalling this, I nodded.

Just as I was organizing my thoughts, the Alliance Leader’s congratulatory speech concluded.

---

After the speech ended, the place where the personnel and I headed was none other than the plaza.

Everyone who had been in front of the podium was guided and gathered in the plaza.

The reason was simple.

“From now on, I will call out the affiliated Sword Brigades.”

It was to select the Sword Brigades where the successful candidates would be active. If one joined the main Alliance, it was natural to belong to a Sword Brigade.

It was a natural principle.

Everyone maintained a tense silence, busy observing the individuals standing before them.

There were a total of six individuals standing before the successful candidates.

Personnel from six Sword Brigades were looking at them with their hands clasped behind their backs.

There were eight Sword Brigades existing in the Martial Alliance. No, around this time…

‘There would be the Divine Dragon Brigade too, making it nine.’

There should be nine Sword Brigades, yet only six have come.

That part has a simple reason.

‘The ones that didn’t come would be the Divine Dragon Brigade, the Wind Dragon Brigade, and the Guardian Brigade.’

The Divine Dragon Brigade, being a place that selects only the utmost elites within the Alliance from the start, wouldn’t be recruiting new members.

Since the Wind Dragon Brigade and the Divine Dragon Brigade were special forces, it was the same for them.

‘So, the remaining ones are taking personnel.’

It was an understandable reason.

“I shall begin the roll call.”

Along with the voice, the names of the personnel are called out.

“Jin Seok-hyeon, Flying Dragon Brigade.”

Each time a name was called, the individuals stepped forward. Towards the seniors of the unit they would belong to.

“Bang Hyeon-yeon, Golden Dragon Brigade. Seok Ho-ryeong, Iron Dragon Brigade.”

The roll call was swift. It seemed they had already prepared the list compiled within the brigades in just one day.

As names were endlessly called out like that.

“Do-yun, Blue Dragon Brigade.”

A familiar name flowed out.

“…Baek… Yangcheon.”

My name was called.

“Blue Dragon Brigade.”

“Oh!”

The moment my name was called, the person behind me, Do-yun, reacted intensely.

“We’re in the same place again this time!”

“…”

“Wow. To be in the same brigade as such a great figure…! I’m filled with emotion.”

This guy had been talking non-stop since we gathered in the plaza.

I was getting slightly tired.

Perhaps because he knew my identity, he seemed even more talkative.

‘…Why the same brigade of all places?’

And the Blue Dragon Brigade, no less.

My ears already felt like they’d ache.

‘Still, it’s somewhat fortunate.’

I casually ignored Do-yun’s words and confirmed the part about the Blue Dragon Brigade.

‘It turned out as I wanted.’

It was the part I had hoped for the most.

From the perspective of someone who desperately wanted to join the Blue Dragon Brigade, breaking through the low probability felt like a good outcome.

This is a decent harvest.

‘…Where Father is.’

The current commander of the Blue Dragon Brigade was said to be Gu Cheol-un of the Divine Dragon.

Since that was the place Father, whom I met last time, belonged to, I wanted to go there if possible.

It seemed to have gone as I wished.

“Hahaha. It seems like we’ll get along well from now on, doesn’t it?”

“…Ah, yes.”

I moved my steps along with the noisy Do-yun. The robes of the Blue Dragon Brigade were blue, easily visible even from afar, so finding them wasn’t difficult.

Thus, arriving with Do-yun at the location of the Blue Dragon Brigade’s seniors.

“Nice to meet you.”

‘Huh?’

Her beautiful tone naturally drew my gaze.

She was a woman with an impression as beautiful as her voice. Refined and elegant.

Furthermore.

‘Floral scent.’

I sensed a floral fragrance that was all too familiar to me.

‘…Ah.’

I realized upon seeing her.

I kept looking, feeling like I was only seeing familiar faces here.

The woman who met my gaze smiled.

“Please take care of me from now on. I am…”

Her name, or rather her title…

“They call me So-i of the Blue Dragon Brigade, though shyly, they call me Sword Peak. Please take care of me, juniors.”

“…”

Plum Blossom Sword Queen So-i.

It was her in her youth.