Reincarnator’s Stream

It was not unusual for the Murim Alliance Leader to look for him. From the beginning, Lee Suhyuk had received offers from various guilds, including the Murim.

However, at this point in time, the fact that the Murim Alliance Leader was personally seeking him out carried different significance.

‘… Could it be?’

The current leader of the Murim Alliance was Namgung Hwayung.

She had succeeded Jin Doha as the next leader of the Murim Alliance five years ago. Her exceptional skills and character, her ranking, and the background of the Namgung family. Yes… With the background of the Namgung family, she became the Murim Alliance Leader.

The current leader was the daughter of the Namgung family head who had once backstabbed him along with Kim Ilsoo.

‘Damn old man.’

When thinking of the Namgung family head, his face involuntarily contorted.

Though he always acted kind towards others, he was ultimately one of those common humans blinded by greed.

The more he thought about it, the more his insides churned.

He wanted to run to that old man right then, grab him by the neck, and cut off his limbs to ask, ‘Why did you do it? Did you ever feel even a little bit sorry for us?’

But…

‘Not yet? Really, not yet?’

*Crackle, crackle*

As if answering his own question, sparks flew from his fingertips.

The more he proved to himself that he had climbed this high again, the deeper his doubts grew.

Lee Suhyuk had quickly risen back to where he had come from.

But reaching the same level didn’t mean he had regained his former strength.

While he had developed several methods to overcome the lightning, his level and stats were significantly lower than back then.

Moreover, with 20 years having passed, the level of players in this era was several stages higher than before.

Could he really win against Murim?

‘… A head-on confrontation is impossible.’

There were only a few beings capable of such a feat.

Only about two names came to mind. Unless it was the Heavenly Demon or the Great Mage, no one could take on Murim alone.

But how much longer would it take until then?

Originally, he had intended to climb the steps gradually, but the thought of Hwang Gyuseong made him impatient.

‘Such as Shiwoo, or Yerang.’

And even Hyomin.

It was uncertain when something like what had happened to Gyuseong might happen again.

They were still fighting, and Suhyuk wanted to help them as soon as possible.

*Clench.*

He tightly clenched his fist, still undecided.

He continued reading the messages, wondering if there might be more.

『Un Hyang: I can’t find Cheon Ryang. Something seems to have happened.』
『Un Hyang: It wasn’t that big of a fight…』

Wondering if there might be something related to Murim, it was still about Cheon Ryang.

The messages had arrived in the morning. Had they still not found him? Honestly, all it would take was a response through the kit.

The last message had come just a few hours ago.

『Un Hyang: … I’m sorry.』

What was she apologizing for?

Suspecting something, he tried calling, but there was no answer. An ominous feeling crept in.

“… What is this?”

Un Hyang and Cheon Ryang were both unreachable.

In the few hectic days, something had happened. As that realization dawned on him and he got up, someone knocked on the door.

*Bang, bang*

“Lee Suhyuk, are you in there?”

It was a familiar voice. Suhyuk picked up the mask by the bedside and put it on before getting up.

*Creak*

As he opened the door, he saw the face of the guest waiting outside.

The guest was Cha Unhyeop.

He was from the Divine Dragon Group. Once, he had been the one leading the charge to capture Un Hyang, and now he was here looking for Suhyuk.

“How did you get here?”

“I asked the person called your team leader. What have you been doing all this time that you haven’t been reachable?”

“Team Leader?”

Come to think of it, he had also received a text message from John Dale.

『John Dale: It seems there’s a problem with Un Hyang. A person named Cha Unhyeop is urgently looking for you, Suhyuk. What should we do?』
『John Dale: Suhyuk? Why aren’t you picking up your phone? Can I let him know your location? It’s a very urgent matter.』
『John Dale: I went ahead and told him. He’s on his way.』

Whatever it was, it didn’t seem like a trivial matter if John was willing to disclose even the location of his lodging.

“Does this have to do with my manager?”

“If it’s about Un Hyang, then yes.”

“And it involves you?”

Cha Unhyeop nodded. As if it were a confidential matter, he entered Suhyuk’s room and closed the door.

“She went to the Divine Dragon Group.”

The Divine Dragon Group.

That place was originally where Un Hyang had been, a place she had tenaciously escaped from.

And now, Un Hyang returned there on her own?

“What happened?”

“I don’t know the details either. I’m not sure how the Master made her go back on her own.”

Suddenly, the messages left behind by Un Hyang flashed through his mind.

Cheon Ryang.

She had definitely fought Cheon Ryang and had said that he disappeared afterward.

No way?

“My guess is, if things stay like this, she might never return….”

Cha Unhyeop couldn’t finish his sentence.

*Crackle.*

Before he knew it, Suhyuk’s eyes had turned a golden hue, glaring intensely at him.

“Tell me everything in detail.”

And those eyes visibly held anger.

“Are you saying Un Hyang might die?”

* * *

When Suhyuk had just woken up.

“I told you so.”

Yerang climbed a high sand dune overlooking the Counter-Fight stage with a triumphant expression.

“I knew this guy would be up somewhere, showing off.”

“Alright, I’ll praise you later when we go back, so keep quiet for now.”

With the appearance of Yerang and Shiwoo, Jin Hwaryung turned around to face the two.

From their words, it didn’t seem like they were here by coincidence. Moreover, there was only one reason they would come to find him.

“Is it because of that matter again?”

“It’s an easy task if you help us.”

“If that’s what it is, I’ve already helped. Though it wasn’t intentional.”

He was referring to the recent clash between the Murim World and Blue Zone’s alliance.

Likely, quite a lot of people had lost their lives in that clash, which wasn’t bad news for either Shiwoo or Yerang.

But,

“I know. But in the end, everyone survived, didn’t they? Jin Doha, Kim Ilsoo too.”

Everyone they wanted to get rid of had survived that encounter. Since the leaders of their groups lived, they would eventually regain their former strength.

“You let them live on purpose?”

Jin Hwaryung had allowed Jin Doha, Kim Ilsoo, and most of the people there to survive and go back.

Some said it was because of Jin Hwaryung’s limitations, or others believed it was because of Jin Doha and Kim Ilsoo’s own strength, but Shiwoo didn’t think so.

“Why? Did you suddenly realize your brother is precious to you?”

“That’s a topic you ought to avoid.”

“Then?”

“Let’s get straight to the point. I refuse.”

Yerang’s expression darkened immediately. Almost as if he anticipated it, Shiwoo nodded.

“Figured you’d say that.”

“Then how about leaving now? Looking at cowards makes me sick.”

That was the nature of his relationship with the two.

They could meet and converse, but there was no intimacy between them.

Of course, even this level of connection would make someone say it’s impressive to meet the Heavenly Demon and not lose their head in the process.

But, “Because you think there will come a time when you’ll need our power?”

Shiwoo did not back down.

The desire to find his friend and the urge for revenge were too overwhelming for him to retreat just like that.

“You are?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I just thought you might remember this moment when the day you’ve been waiting for arrives.”

The moment those words ended.

*Tick*

Jin Hwaryung’s sword was already at Shiwoo’s neck.

A slight cut bled from his neck, but Shiwoo did not blink as he spoke.

“Yerang.”

“What?”

“Put that away. It’s just a threat.”

Just as the sword was at Shiwoo’s neck, there was also a sword closely aimed at Jin Hwaryung’s neck.

As if to say, “I can cut your throat at any moment.”

*Crack*

Ice fragments fell from Jin Hwaryung’s sword. The coldness covered the surroundings, and the breaths of the three people were visible.

Jin Hwaryung’s and Yerang’s gazes clashed up close.

Unlike Jin Hwaryung, who seemed unbothered from the start, Yerang glared at him with a growling look.

After a slight pause, Yerang retracted the sword aimed at Jin Hwaryung’s neck. Jin Hwaryung, who apparently had no intention of beheading, put his sword away as well.

“Don’t say unnecessary things.”

“Sorry. I got heated for a moment.”

Despite the words, he felt a sting inside.

‘This isn’t working either.’

This was the last card he could play, knowing what Jin Hwaryung had been searching for recently. After much contemplation, he played this card, but it ultimately failed.

If they couldn’t get Jin Hwaryung’s help even after this, then it was truly hopeless.

“… Yerang. Let’s go.”

They couldn’t fight Jin Hwaryung here. That would indeed be a suicidal act.

Nor was there any point in further persuading him with words.

The Heavenly Demon was not someone who could be swayed by half-hearted persuasion.

Just as the two turned around.

– Look for someone else besides me.

Jin Hwaryung’s telepathy reached Shiwoo’s ears.

Shiwoo, who had just taken a step, turned to look at him. Jin Hwaryung, who sent the telepathic message, did not make eye contact as if he did not want to reveal that he had done so.

The two moved to a village. They used items to change their appearances.

In a quiet cafe, Yerang ordered a warm, sweet drink to calm his seething insides.

Once her temper settled somewhat, Yerang grumbled.

“Does that guy have no pride? He doesn’t even think about revenge after being bluntly betrayed first?”

“He’ll do it alone if he does. Not by teaming up with us.”

“… Is that so?”

When the faint hope disappeared like smoke, rational judgment took over.

Yes. To begin with, there was not a high probability of getting Jin Hwaryung’s help. He relied on less than a ten percent chance. There was no need to be too disappointed.

“Well, now that the Counter-Fight is over, he’ll probably start soon. Even if he didn’t team up with us, he wouldn’t just let it slide, right?”

“… Will that guy kill Kim Ilsoo?”

“He won’t go that far. The Heavenly Demon doesn’t want war.”

The death of any key player representing their realms, be it Kim Ilsoo or Jin Doha, would trigger a war.

And Jin Hwaryung was not someone who wanted war at all.

“I really don’t know. What’s inside him…?”

Those who did not know the Heavenly Demon referred to him as one of the world’s greatest evil spirits.

But the more Shiwoo got to know him, the more he felt that Jin Hwaryung might have a different side from what the world knew of him.

Moreover,

– Look for someone else besides me.

The telepathic message.

It sounded like another way of rejecting, but it didn’t seem that way.

Jin Hwaryung was not the type to hesitate; he would draw his sword directly if he objected.

‘Why use telepathy then?’

Apparently, Yerang hadn’t heard those words. Jin Hwaryung directed it solely at Shiwoo.

As he delved deeper into his thoughts, his brow furrowed naturally.

‘Does he have someone in mind?’