The words Hyeoncheon Jinin had instructed Eul Ji-tae to convey to the Soldier Eccentric were delivered to Dong Bong-soo in their entirety as well. The core of the Murim Alliance Leader's message was to investigate whether the ghost incident that occurred last night in Zhengzhou's entertainment district was indeed the work of the Chosen One of the Extreme Yin Star of Heavenly Calamity.
The Chosen One of the Extreme Yin Star of Heavenly Calamity?
As an unfamiliar term appeared, Dong Bong-soo's mind began spinning rapidly, starting to deduce. Soon enough, he pulled out a result that fit.
'Are they talking about her?'
Yeon Yeong-ha.
It wasn't certain, but Dong Bong-soo's sixth sense was telling him so. That she was the Chosen One of the Extreme Yin Star of Heavenly Calamity.
If that were true.
Dong Bong-soo had to extract as much information as possible about the Extreme Yin Star of Heavenly Calamity from the Soldier Eccentric. To do that, he needed to become the Soldier Eccentric's disciple or something equivalent.
"Understood. I'll take on that matter."
The conversation proceeded again in spoken voices, and the Soldier Eccentric's consent fell.
"Then I'll relay that to the Alliance Leader. Elder."
"Do as you please."
At the Soldier Eccentric's indifferent dismissal, Eul Ji-tae lightly cupped his fists and turned his body. He then passed by Dong Bong-soo and left the place.
At that moment, Eul Ji-tae's lips moved once more. Since his back was turned, the Soldier Eccentric didn't see it.
[We'll meet again soon.]
Eul Ji-tae's brief Sound Transmission.
Though not as much as the Soldier Eccentric, he too was interested in Dong Bong-soo. Enough to find it regrettable to just let him go.
"What did Breaking Heaven Hegemon Blade say?"
The Soldier Eccentric walked toward a corner piled high with weapons as he spoke. He had been guessing. That Eul Ji-tae was quite interested in Dong Bong-soo and must have said something.
"He said he'd see me again later."
Rustle, rustle.
"Is there a need to say such things secretly? He's become both dull and sinister. Tsk tsk tsk."
The Soldier Eccentric grumbled as he rummaged through the pile of weapons.
He was looking for items made of 'Divine Metal.'
A moment later.
The Soldier Eccentric pulled out a peculiarly shaped armor—or rather, something closer to clothing than armor—and approached Dong Bong-soo.
It wasn't the kind of item Dong Bong-soo had originally ordered. He had asked for something made like full body armor with all parts segmented. The plan was to pull out specific armor sections from his Inventory whenever there was an enemy attack to use for defense. Additionally, when necessary, it could be used as hidden weapons instead of Blade Fragments.
However, this form of clothing the Soldier Eccentric had made and brought was entirely different.
While chunks of iron were woven here and there, highly elastic fabric connected the major joint areas, creating an extremely unique shape...
'It's like a bulletproof vest.'
A bulletproof vest for martial artists. That was Dong Bong-soo's impression.
The Soldier Eccentric had developed equipment that wouldn't be seen in this world for several centuries.
"It's not the shape you told me to make, but I thought this would be better, so I showed off my skills a bit."
The Soldier Eccentric said this as he handed the clothing to Dong Bong-soo.
Swish.
Immediately Dong Bong-soo received it.
Tingle.
'Hm?'
A strange sensation spread from his fingertips throughout his entire body. It wasn't like static electricity passing through. It was something different. Tingling but not unpleasant.
"By the way, why didn't you answer earlier?"
The Soldier Eccentric spoke while still holding onto the edge of the clothing.
Though it was a somewhat out-of-the-blue question, Dong Bong-soo already knew well what the Soldier Eccentric was asking about.
"Because there was no need to answer."
"Aren't you worried Breaking Heaven Hegemon Blade might have misunderstood?"
"He won't have. He already knew."
"I doubt it?"
"No. If he had misunderstood, he wouldn't have bothered using Sound Transmission to speak to you."
"I suppose that's true. But you see..."
Uncharacteristically for the Soldier Eccentric, he trailed off.
"You need to answer me."
"..."
The Soldier Eccentric's tone became extremely serious, and sharp light burst from his eyes, pressing down on Dong Bong-soo's entire body. A pressure greater than when dozens of assassins had pressed against his body bore down on him.
"Will you become my disciple?"
As if he wouldn't give it unless he became his disciple, he gripped the clothing made from the [Novice's Sword] tightly as he spoke. He sent a gaze as intense as his tone, but Dong Bong-soo brushed it off casually.
Rather, what was stimulating his nerves right now was the strange current rushing through his fingertips and throughout his entire body.
Unlike the calculated proceedings with the Soldier Eccentric, this wasn't planned at all.
"I told you earlier. I already have a master."
Dong Bong-soo answered while feeling the peculiar current traveling freely through the blood vessels of his body.
"Heh heh heh. Of this world?"
"..."
"Has this Eight Skills Soldier Madman been pushed aside by the objects around here too?"
"No. You are also of this world."
"Interesting answer. Then, does that mean I'm also your master?"
At the Soldier Eccentric's words, Dong Bong-soo's expressionless mask secretly smiled.
"Yes, yes. That's good enough. Isn't that saying you'll at least learn if I teach you?"
He had obtained what he wanted.
If he had immediately acknowledged himself as a disciple to Eul Ji-tae earlier, he might have gotten an unfavorable result instead. Because the Soldier Eccentric was that kind of person.
In the worst case, he could have become a half-disciple or not become a disciple at all.
One brief one-act play had concluded, and as a result, Dong Bong-soo's mask had gained a master who wasn't quite a master.
"By the way, do you not know Breaking Heaven Hegemon Blade and Eight Skills Soldier Madman?"
"I know them."
"Then how can you be so unreactive?"
"You're all just one of the myriad things in the world. There's no reason anywhere in this world to be surprised at seeing things."
"Heh heh, hahahahahaha!"
The Soldier Eccentric laughed like a madman at Dong Bong-soo's answer.
"Yes, yes. That's it, that. That's why I like you. Heh, heh hahahahaha!"
Who in the world could remain so composed receiving attention from one of the Ten Absolute Supremes and one of the Ten Great Masters? Undoubtedly, only Dong Bong-soo in the Central Plains. More importantly, there wasn't a shred of falsehood in those words.
However, the Soldier Eccentric didn't know that the reason was different from what he thought, the truth beyond the sincerity.
He probably wouldn't know until he died, or even after death.
The Soldier Eccentric laughed refreshingly, then soon stopped laughing and tapped Dong Bong-soo's shoulder a couple times before walking toward the door.
"Hey. Let's talk about what comes next after we've dealt with the task the old geezer entrusted first. Dong Guang-chuan... my disciple."
"..."
"Heh-. Gives me goosebumps. This Eight Skills Soldier Madman actually got himself a disciple."
With those words, the Soldier Eccentric left the place and went up the stairs.
Dong Bong-soo waited until the Soldier Eccentric had completely disappeared from sight before closing the door.
Thud.
Now only Dong Bong-soo remained in that place.
He examined the clothing the Soldier Eccentric had made, handling it this way and that. A tingling yet somehow refreshing current still flowed in through the clothing.
He only thought of it as a current for convenience. This was definitely not a current. If this energy were electricity, there would be no way he could be holding this with such a good feeling.
To confirm, he needed to wear it. Clinical experiments on other people would be useless. Judging from the Soldier Eccentric's expression and reaction earlier, he certainly wasn't feeling this current at all.
That meant this clothing was still being treated as an item like the [Novice's Sword].
Why the New Murim Online system still saw something that had been broken and completely recreated in a different form as an item wasn't important.
What mattered was its effect.
And.
What was certain was that its effect would be clearly different from the original [Novice's Sword].
This strange current.
The [Novice's Sword] had never possessed such a thing.
Moreover, he had felt this current-like sensation once before.
"..."
Dong Bong-soo stood holding the clothing for quite some time before finally putting it on his body.
If his memory was correct, this current absolutely...
[Critical ERROR occurred! Critical ERROR occurred! Critical ERROR occurred! The item currently equipped by the player is an illegal item without a serial number! Player must immediately remove the item... zzzt! Zzzzt! Forced log out...]
Hologram messages torn and broken here and there.
Though he had experienced several critical errors so far, this one was a first.
"Aaagh-!"
The current that had felt refreshing until now pierced through his entire body like a storm, and the program's error message also wildly tore through his mind.
As if to tear his soul apart.
***
At that moment when Dong Bong-soo's soul was precariously on the verge of being torn to shreds.
The Soldier Eccentric was leaving the Byeongrok Pavilion, his quarters within the Murim Alliance, in good spirits and exiting the Muhwa Gate.
He unleashed his Movement Technique toward Zhengzhou's entertainment district, whether people saw him or not. People didn't pay much attention to him either. After all, martial artists weren't particularly rare in present-day Zhengzhou.
A moment later.
The Soldier Eccentric arrived in front of Nangnang Tavern.
Before properly investigating yesterday's incident, he intended to prioritize on-site inspection and corpse examination. Because such basic procedures were the starting point for solving all cases.
"What brings you here?"
One of the Martial World Protection Corps members guarding the scene approached and spoke to him.
The Martial World Protection Corps members were spread throughout this area following Eul Ji-tae's orders. To conduct a basic investigation into yesterday's incident.
Preserving the scene as is and blocking indiscriminate access by unrelated people was also part of the basic investigation. That's why he was confirming whether the Soldier Eccentric was a person involved or not.
The Soldier Eccentric glanced at him briefly and said.
"Bukgung Gi."
"Ah, Hero Bukgung! We've been waiting."
The Martial World Protection Corps member, who seemed to have received advance notice from Eul Ji-tae, welcomed the Soldier Eccentric's appearance.
"This way, please."
He lightly cupped his fists and led the Soldier Eccentric inside Nangnang Tavern.