Before Mae-Bi appeared in the clearing, before blood spilled and teeth were shown—He was still leaping from tree to tree, Jin beside him, the wind in their ears and nothing but silence ahead.
Through the breaks in the canopy, they saw it—A rickety, moss-covered bridge, stretching over a deep canyon blanketed in mist.
Beyond that?
The twisted terrain of Thousand Venoms Peak, home of the Second Pillar.
"We made it!" Jin shouted with a grin.
But neither of them moved.
They both paused at the edge of the tree line, eyes on the bridge, unsure.
"We just grab the pill," Jin said, "and this mission is over. Right?"
"Yeah..." Mae-Bi replied, his voice distant. "We're done..."
But he didn't move.
He stared at the mist.
Jin glanced at Mae-Bi, a quiet smile forming on his lips. He could see it — the hesitation, the storm of thoughts behind his friend's eyes.
Mae-Bi stayed silent.The wind on his face did nothing to clear his mind.
They're just kids.
Stupid. Naive and Reckless.
In his past life, they had died early because of Rak . And preventing it now was something he didn't plan. He wanted to let it happen. No — he made it happen. He's plan was to rushed their deaths because he needed assassins he could trust. Tools that wouldn't question him for his goal to destroy the demon cult.
But was that the right thing?
They hadn't betrayed him. Not yet. They hadn't done anything truly wrong.
So why did it feel like abandoning them now... would make him worse than before?
Jin's voice broke the silence.
"Look," he said, eyes forward, tone calm. "Our team's annoying, sure. But they don't deserve to die."
Mae-Bi didn't respond.
Jin pressed on. "You're their squad leader now. That means something. You don't get to walk away just because it's easier."
Mae-Bi looked ahead at the bridge, shrouded in mist.
Just one step and the mission continues.
But his feet didn't move.
"...You're right," he finally said, voice soft. "I was going to leave them."
He glanced at Jin.
"You saw through me, huh?"
"I always do."
Mae-Bi smiled, nodding. "Then let's go back."
The two of them turned, no hesitation this time. They vanished into the trees.
"They're probably getting beaten up by now," Mae-Bi muttered, laughing under his breath.
Jin laugh too imagining their face.
Now — Back to the Present
Mae-Bi stood in the clearing.
And what he saw made his stomach twist.
Yeon-Mi — trembling, bruised, being shoved forward like some broken toy — while Yo Gun-Sik laughed.
No one had moved.No one had stopped it,in fact, his team was sorrounded and scared to attack or escape they were like animals in a cage finding a way to free themselves.
And Rak...
Just watched everything happen.
Mae-Bi's expression darkened.
You've gone too far, Rak.
Beside him, Jin's anger boiled over.
"I'll handle Rak," he growled, stepping forward.
He didn't wait for a reply.
"Mae-Bi..." he said, voice low and steady, "You deal with those bastards. I'm going to beat the shit out of him."
Gun-Sik laughed, cracking his knuckles as he stepped forward.
"So you're the brat. Mae-Bi, huh?" he grinned, eyes gleaming. "Didn't think you had the balls to show up in person. Aren't you the one saying you'll crush all the squad commanders? Gutsy for a baby-faced rat."
Mae-Bi's brows furrowed.
What is he talking about? I never said that...
His eyes flicked to Rak.
Tch. Of course. That little bastard must've lied to make this third squad leader angry.Before he could finish that thought—
CRACK!
Gun-Sik's fist shot forward like lightning. Mae-Bi barely tilted his head in time, but the edge of the punch grazed his cheek, opening a shallow gash.
Blood.
Mae-Bi backflipped mid-air, landing low, his boots skidding against the dirt.Gun-Sik was already on him, another punch coming like a hammer.
Boom—
Mae-Bi blocked with both arms but was sent flying, crashing into a tree with a sickening thud.
"HAHA! You dodged that?" Gun-Sik howled. "Not bad, rat. Not bad at all."
His Blood Eyes flared — glowing crimson.
So did the rest of his assassins behind him.
Ten of them, all circling.
Of course, Mae-Bi thought grimly. The Demon Cult doesn't do the orthodox rules to fights. They hunt like jackals. One target, ten blades what a bunch of Cowards.But that's why they survive and raise to the top the most fear cult in the whole martial world.
Gun-Sik raised his arm lazily.
"Kill him. Let's see if he's worth the hype."
The assassins moved.
Their Veil Steps were above his own. Too smooth, too fast.
But Mae-Bi... smiled.
"You fools really think you're the only ones with toys?"
[System: Combat Scan Activated]
A pulse ran through his mind. The battlefield slowed — just a hair.Trails of motion. Shifting weight. Breathing rhythms.
Got you.
The first assassin lunged from the left — curved angle, mid-range dagger.
Mae-Bi spun, catching the man's wrist and slamming an elbow into his ribs.
CRACK.
The second came from above — a downward blade thrust.
Mae-Bi rolled, kicking out the first assassin into the second.
"System," he muttered, eyes glowing, "show me their rhythm."
[Blood Eyes Integration: Complete.]
[Reading Enemy Movements: 76% accuracy.]
Three more came.
They vanished mid-step — Perfect Veil Step.
But to Mae-Bi?
They were glowing ghosts.
He sidestepped the first slash, twisted, and delivered a brutal palm to the third assassin's chest, sending him soaring into a tree. Blood sprayed.
The others hesitated.
"You're not gonna rush me all at once anymore?" Mae-Bi taunted, red eyes locked on them like a wolf among sheep.
"What are you idiots waiting for?!" Gun-Sik roared. "He's just one brat!"
Mae-Bi licked the blood off his lip, smirking.
"Come on then," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's see what stage dogs of the cult can reach... before I put you all down."