It has already been a week since Tang Do-gyeong left.

“So, the last Gyeongsu Market was a special case,” someone said.

“Is that so?” another replied.

“Usually, when requests to eliminate Black Bandits come in, there are two main benefits for the Righteous Factions. First, since they’re supposed to be righteous, it’s difficult for them to resort to harsh measures against Black Bandits. But among these Black Bandits, there are some really vile ones, and even if they get a taste of justice, they’ll just reappear like cockroaches.”

“Really? I thought it was just a marketing strategy to promote themselves as the kind-hearted Righteous Factions who even rescue Black Bandits.”

“… Do you really think so? Outcasts have always felt like a faction that preys on Black Bandits. They stomp out the bad ones to the ground. So, for the Righteous Factions, it’s great that the troublesome Black Bandits disappear, and it also makes them look far more impressive when they handle the Sacheon Outcasts.”

“If the last Gyeongsu Market had gone as planned, I should have just given them a little grief afterward, taken the money, and sent those Black Bandits to cause a ruckus at the market until Taegyeong Sect Leader shows up and cleans me up. That would have been the normal process.”

Ho Cheon-an returned to the daily grind of the Sacheon Outcasts. Though, there were those who were not so fortunate.

“Do-gyeong!”

“Ugh… Great Hero Tang…”

As evening fell, while Ho Cheon-an was clicking his tongue at the Outcasts digging into the ground, one Outcast burst into the Inn, shouting with gusto.

“Extra, extra! Hear all about it!”

“Great Hero Tang has made the news! It is said that they showcased a new martial art at an official Tang Clan event! I haven’t received all the details yet, but they’ve been praised for opening a new horizon by combining Hidden Weapons and physical techniques!”

“Oooh…! Great Hero Tang!”

“So, what about Great Hero Tang’s treatment now?”

“That’s inside info, so I can’t go that far…”

“Ah, what a pity!”

In an instant, the Outcast Inn erupted into a buzz.

‘Hmm.’

Ho Cheon-an contemplated Tang Do-gyeong for a moment.

‘It seems like the trait of family love has blossomed, huh.’

Since Tang Do-gyeong had attained Realization, their realm would naturally rise to the level of Hwa-gyeong, but it would still take quite a bit of training to reach that point. It would be tough to reach Hwa-gyeong by merely refining something like the Mantle of the Tiger.

It would probably take a long time for Tang Do-gyeong, who was just stepping into their Peak Stage, to reach the threshold of Hwa-gyeong.

‘From now on, I should be more careful when giving Realization.’

Experiencing both Yeo Il-ye and Tang Do-gyeong, Ho Cheon-an began to understand what Realization truly was. It was not just a convenient tool to raise one’s limits. It truly pierced through life and could change a person entirely.

‘Anyway, since Tang Do-gyeong achieved Realization, I guess the theory that they couldn’t accept information due to stress is out the window.’

How exactly Tang Do-gyeong achieved their Realization was a mystery even to Ho Cheon-an, but the fact that they had achieved it meant they could receive Realization if they chose the right method.

In the end, it seemed he had no choice but to convey Realization through voice. Ho Cheon-an tentatively concluded.

‘Why did I do that?’

He recalled memories sparked by the thought of Realization. During Tang Do-gyeong’s enlightenment, the use of gambling techniques had merely been an ‘impulse’ at that moment.

It felt like a gut instinct from Ho Cheon-an, who had lived through eight years in the Martial World, rather than the actions of a veteran player with ten years of experience. Tang Do-gyeong’s display during the gambling, stories from childhood, and Tang Do-gi’s confession about having given up Hidden Weapons, etc…

The various thoughts swirling in his head pushed Ho Cheon-an forward, making it seem like it was bound to happen.

As a result, Tang Do-gyeong came up with a new martial art.

That was something Ho Cheon-an had never predicted.

‘Well, if this is progress, then I suppose it qualifies as progress.’

He knew that Tang Do-gyeong was weak with Hidden Weapons, but thinking it could be filled in with gambling techniques was nothing short of a gamble. A gamble that seemingly yielded some results.

Now it had been eight years living as Ho Cheon-an. He had accumulated just as much experience as a player with ten years. The experiences gained by clashing with Tang Do-gyeong as a Sacheon Outcast might have unconsciously led to some conclusions.

“Oh, the dumplings are delicious today.”

Watching the Black Cat shove dumplings into the Black Shadow Qi Technique, Ho Cheon-an found himself overwhelmed with complex feelings.

‘I definitely was cooling my head in the room.’

His consciousness had slipped away afterward. Thinking back to just before, when he had been trying to coax Tang Do-gyeong out, it wouldn’t have been strange if he had simply passed out…

The throbbing head and aching body felt as if he had downed some strong liquor.

And the fact that Tang Do-gyeong had entered the state of Realization during his unconsciousness was also odd.

‘This doesn’t make sense…’

The most suspicious character in this situation was the Black Cat. They had been the closest and also the one who had approached him after the incident involving Yeo Il-ye.

Given the throbbing in his body, it seemed most suspect that some kind of drug had been administered.

‘But that doesn’t add up either.’

Assuming the use of real drugs had coaxed Tang Do-gyeong’s Realization, Ho Cheon-an wouldn’t be here now. If the Black Cat had been targeting him due to Yeo Il-ye’s matter and confirmed this through Tang Do-gyeong, the best course of action for the Black Cat would have been to kidnap him and disappear.

‘It doesn’t make sense if they just vanish.’

Over two years of experimenting, Ho Cheon-an also dug into his own past. Spending a considerable amount on an information organization yielded nothing.

If the Black Cat had come to target him after hearing the rumors about Yeo Il-ye, there was a very high chance they would be connected to an information group. The true identity of the Black Cat had never been revealed, and Ho Cheon-an had no way to track them down if they disappeared.

Even if they attracted attention, the environment would allow them to vanish completely, so there’d be no reason not to.

‘Most importantly, letting me be like this is a bad idea.’

First, it means Ho Cheon-an himself could harbor strong suspicions about his condition, and secondly, with news of Tang Do-gyeong achieving Realization, soon everyone from the Tang Clan would hear about it, and naturally, Ho Cheon-an would come under scrutiny as well. Specifically, the Inn itself would be affected, and Ho Cheon-an would surely fall within that scope.

‘Ah, this just doesn’t make sense.’

Did the Black Cat administer a drug to extract Realization and pass it on to Tang Do-gyeong? If that was true, what could the Black Cat gain now? It would just be a story that causes them to lose out, increasing their target’s attention while leaving suspicion behind just like now.

Above all, the Black Cat he had seen was not without merit—except for that one trait of being overly keen to show off.

Still, Ho Cheon-an kept a corner of his mind guarded. The lingering throb in his body and the Black Shadow Qi Technique still held some uncomfortable elements. It would be fine to maintain this level of caution for now, not knowing the Black Cat’s true identity.

“Phew.”

Ho Cheon-an took a sip of the noodle broth, pondering.

‘It truly is time to get my head in the game.’

Since nearly losing his life due to Yeo Il-ye, everything that unfolded until Tang Do-gyeong departed made him feel dazed.

Once the storm had settled and he returned to normalcy, he realized plenty.

He had spent quite a substantial amount of time at this Outcast Inn over the past seven years. Caught up in the mundane routine of being a Sacheon Outcast, he fell behind midway, only to wake up one day finding his body aching while the incidents had all ended.

The conclusion of the Tang Do-gyeong incident was a sharp whip for Ho Cheon-an.

The notion that he became a veteran player with ten years of experience was now a thing of the past; all that remained was the unremarkable Iryu martial artist, Ho Cheon-an, in his seventh year.

He knew he had to devise a plan before his fame value rolled off. Though he thought about it, in actuality, he was too heavy to move.

They say if you lack teeth, chew with your gums, and that was precisely Ho Cheon-an’s situation.

‘If I lack teeth, I should just get dentures instead of chewing with my gums.’

Spending time with low-tier thugs and clueless but first-rate peers made his mind and body go dull.

If he had decided to break out of his shell, he should have surged forth at a speed that wouldn’t let others notice. Yet here he was, having not even begun.

It was high time to shed the Iryu Ho Cheon-an, the Sacheon Outcast, and elevate his parts as a veteran player and an eight-year martial artist, Ho Cheon-an.

“Ah, this chill I feel. It’s time to go back to being a Veteran.”

“…Senior, did you eat something wrong?”

“No, I’ve just been reborn.”

Seeing Ho Cheon-an suddenly start ranting, the Black Cat couldn’t help but chuckle. His face, marred with the troubles of the past week, seemed to have finally shed them off.

The once dulled look from being worn down by strife finally resumed its spark. The Black Cat wished that this glint in his eyes would be preserved for a long time. What she wanted was to witness the thread weaving itself free to wander, not one simply dragged along by her lead.

‘Thank goodness it seems like he’s found his spirit again.’

Now it was June.

The month summer was approaching.