Number 2044
Ten years later...
"Has the training of the Black Death Squad finished?"
"Yes, it has been completed successfully. However, there are some concerns."
"What is it?"
"Well, it's about Number 2044..."
"You mean the one with exceptional talent in swords? I recall hearing about him."
"Yes, he is a master of swift swordplay, energy techniques, and stealth arts, naturally gifted as an assassin. However, it seems that assassination doesn't suit him."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, one could say he is more suited for direct confrontation. Strangely enough, even though he performs assassinations perfectly, he gives off an impression that is far from that of a dark assassin. So far, he has been accepting orders well, but the issue is when he might start showing his true nature."
"Then how about replacing him with someone else?"
"He is an exceptionally skilled second-class assassin... and there's a great possibility he will grow into a first-class assassin, and there aren't really any suitable replacements."
"In that case, it would be best to use him appropriately and later transfer him to another group."
"We are teaching him only what is necessary for assassination, without any additional skills. However, his obsession with swordsmanship is so strong that he is learning on his own, despite us not teaching him anything."
"He seems to have a promising future as a swordsman."
"Yes, but for now, it's a problem since we need assassins."
He was called Number 2044. It had already been over ten years since he arrived here. At the age of 17, he could not even remember his name. Since coming here, he had been in a continuous cycle of training. First, he accumulated internal energy. For him, it wasn't particularly difficult, but his peers fell one by one during training, and he never saw them again after that. He also trained in hand-to-hand combat whenever he could.
Four years later, twelve martial artists clad in black arrived and assessed the thickness of the children's arm veins, splitting them into two groups. They took one group away. They never returned. He was judged to be more suited for swordsmanship than palm techniques due to the thinness of his arm veins, and he trained in swordplay. He learned five different swift sword techniques, energy techniques, and other new methods.
Three years later, 200 of them were selected for further training. Number 2044 was among them. They were separated from the group they had been learning with and began receiving new training tailored just for them. This was specialized assassination techniques. The sword techniques he learned at this stage were entirely different from those he had learned before.
The swift swordplay was entirely focused on speed, ignoring defense and only learning how to kill the opponent. He also learned various stealth techniques to conceal his presence and ambush.
Since coming to the Magic Sect, Number 2044 had developed a bond with his sword. The friends he made could leave at any moment, and as he lost contact with them one by one, he turned his affection toward the sword.
Number 2044 developed a sword as he underwent training as an assassin. Assassins, due to their profession, have swords custom-made to fit their hands according to their preferences. He named his beloved sword "Mookhon."
It was made from Baekryeonjeonggang, an extremely durable steel that has been refined a hundred times. The slightly bluish-white glimmering crescent-shaped blade had the name '墨魂 (Mookhon)' engraved in relief according to Number 2044's specifications. Mookhon was a short sword, 2 feet 3 inches long (about 70 centimeters), with a long handle measuring 1 foot in length. It was a unique sword that had no blade guard, just a simple black scabbard and handle.
Every day, as he polished his sword—the essence of a martial artist—he was captivated by the resilient beauty of the Mookhon blade.
His first assassination was to kill the renowned swordsman of the righteous sect, Gong Sun-su. It was the final stage of his training, an opportunity to put the theories he had learned into practice. The target assigned to him was Gong Sun-su. The instructor handed him a note:
Name: Gong Sun-su
Affiliation: Heavenly Swordsman
Specialty: Poisoned Sword Techniques, Ghostly Steps
Internal Energy Level: 1st Grade
Remarks: An exceptionally skilled swordsman. He is quite fond of women. Currently has seven concubines and is involved in money lending. If someone cannot repay their debts, he may take their daughter or wife and sell them. He commands six 1st-grade martial artists and thirty-three 2nd-grade martial artists, totaling over 600 subordinates. He owns four gambling houses and two moneylending establishments, and the money he collects through money lending and gambling scams is substantial. The capabilities of the six 1st-grade martial artists protecting him are outstanding. They take turns guarding Gong Sun-su, and only three accompany him when he goes out.
Caution: He must be killed within 50 days after leaving the sect, and no traces should be left behind.
As he was still reading the note, the instructor spoke.
"Number 2044, dealing with this trash is well within your abilities. Don't worry too much about him; he's just a worthless piece of garbage."
"I understand."
Number 2044 spent 35 days reaching the location where the target lived. After that, he approached near Gong Sun-su's mansion and waited for 10 days. The longer he observed the target, the higher the success rate of the assassination became, so he didn't mind investing those 10 days.
After various observations, he concluded that sneaking into the mansion without killing the guards would be quite difficult. So, he purposely threw a dart at Gong Sun-su, who had gone out to inspect the battlefield. His intent was to test Gong Sun-su's martial arts skills and the capabilities of his guarding martial artists, but his primary goal was to lure out the 1st-grade martial artists from the house.
The next day, Gong Sun-su was ambushed and, becoming cautious, he appeared at the battlefield with all six of his 1st-grade martial artists. The opportunity had come. It would be impossible for Gong Sun-su to notice someone of 2nd-grade martial artist level sneaking into his house.
After ensuring that Gong Sun-su had left the house with all his 1st-grade martial artists, Number 2044 quietly slipped inside, patiently waiting for nightfall. Through his 10 days of surveillance, he discovered that Gong Sun-su would enter the room of any one of his seven concubines or wives depending on his mood. While it would be challenging to launch a night raid under those circumstances, he also found out that every 3rd or 4th day, he would go to the newly arrived seventh concubine.
Number 2044 concealed himself in the room of the seventh concubine for two days, exhibiting superhuman patience while hiding his presence. Before sneaking in, he relieved himself and entered on an empty stomach, prepared to endure for the worst-case scenario of four days. He couldn't prepare food or drink. While eating would be manageable, dealing with bodily functions posed a problem. He dug a hole beneath the bed and waited.
Fortunately, by the evening of the second day, Gong Sun-Su returned. Number 2044 pinpointed Gong Sun-Su's location based on the sounds of their heavy breathing and moans as they embraced, then slowly raised his sword. To ensure that even the sound of the blade would go unnoticed, he had unsheathed it and been ready since he first hid.
At the moment he found the right position, he thrust his sword toward the direction of Gong Sun-Su's breathing with maximum speed. After a light groan and a low scream, he waited for a moment. There was no further movement, and the room was engulfed in silence. Leaving the sword in place, he quietly crawled out from under the bed to see the blade of Mookhon protruding from the heads of the man and woman. Since he had not withdrawn the sword, blood did not flow from the wound, and thus the room was devoid of the stench of blood, filled only with the scents of the woman and the act of intimacy.
Number 2044 slowly opened the window, waiting for dawn. Any security system becomes lax at dawn. Moreover, there was a more significant reason for Number 2044 to wait for dawn: the first-class masters changed shifts at five in the morning. At that time, there was a slight opening. Number 2044 exited the house without leaving any traces behind. Just before leaving, he had drawn Mookhon, so there was hardly any blood left.
Upon completing his practical training and returning to the training ground, Number 2044 was soon summoned by the instructor.
"I've returned after completing my mission, Instructor."
The instructor glanced at a pile of papers without looking at Number 2044.
"Number 2044! You've learned five types of swordsmanship so far, yet why did you only stab instead of using any of them?"
"Because you told me to leave no evidence. I thought that using swordsmanship would indirectly reveal the killer through the marks left on the body."
"Ah... You've quickly grasped something I didn't even teach you. You left three traces when killing him. Do you know what they are?"
"Yes! The shuriken used to distract the guards, the sword mark on the head of the corpse, and the last one would be the hole under the bed."
"You're well-informed! Why did you use a shuriken? Why not use something as inconspicuous as a stone?"
"Because that shuriken is commonly sold at weapon shops. It wasn't made at our school. I purchased it on my way to the target."
"That's a good idea, but if someone investigates, they could find out who bought it. In the future, use coins or stones instead of shurikens!"
"Yes!"
"It was good to just stab with the sword. As it stands, the only thing known outside is that an assassin killed him, and there's no indication of who did it. That's how it should be done. Keep up the good work in the future!"
"Yes."
"There will be a banquet for those who succeeded this time. Tomorrow, the final training begins."
"Understood."
He successfully completed five assassinations during the training process. When the training concluded, what awaited him was the title of a first-class assassin and the name Mookhyang.
He always wore a black martial arts uniform and favored black bamboo hats or hoods, with both the sword handle and sheath also being black. This led to the nickname "Mookhyang." Although it was a sort of nickname used to refer to him, he had been called Number 2044 since he was seven years old, and by now, he had long forgotten his original name; thus, this had ultimately become his official name. He had recently been assigned to the newly formed Black Death Squad. Since the Black Death Squad was under the command of the Ninth Division of the Demonic Sect, it received quite favorable treatment. However, despite most of his comrades indulging in alcohol and pleasures to relieve the tension after killings, he consistently dedicated himself to honing his martial arts.
In fact, for assassins, a single second of attack could determine everything. As long as they had fast movement techniques and reliable stealth, they didn't need to possess extremely high martial arts skills, which is an interesting aspect. However, there were times when the level of martial arts became crucial—specifically, when it came to completing a mission and escaping. If one was determined to kill, no one would be able to escape, but when it came to surviving while killing others, it became quite challenging.
For Mookhyang, the most critical aspect of mastering swordsmanship was speed. He had killed many skilled fighters through ambushes, realizing that the most important element in martial arts was swiftness. The next essential elements, in his view, were movement techniques and body techniques. To approach the enemy at maximum speed and deliver a blow, he needed fast body techniques. Additionally, the movement techniques necessary for eliminating an enemy and escaping had to be supported by speed.
While escaping, he had to engage in combat with pursuing enemies, but assassins should never reveal their sword techniques. Using sword techniques would expose their identity. The most crucial traits for an assassin were perseverance and patience. Waiting was the greatest skill for creating opportunities. It was also necessary to possess the observational skills and intellect to analyze the enemy's every move. Recognizing habits or quirks unknown to others could prove beneficial to him.
Knowing that Mookhyang was obsessed with swordsmanship, the squad leader did not teach him new sword techniques. While he imparted various skills essential for an assassin, such as movement and stealth techniques, he specifically refrained from teaching swordsmanship. From the squad leader's perspective, Mookhyang's understanding of swordsmanship had already surpassed the level of an assassin. The squad leader believed that with Mookhyang's abilities, he could likely kill everyone and escape, even without having faced a direct confrontation. However, whether he was unaware of his own swordsmanship's strength or simply disliked unnecessary killings, he always chose traditional assassination techniques, vanishing without leaving a trace.
One early morning, Mookhyang awoke, gazing at the rising sun, lost in deep thought. Does a limit to swordsmanship truly exist? How are the sword winds, sword energies, and sword strength that people talk about generated? When I swing a sword infused with internal energy, an invisible force extends from it, cutting through trees—is that the sword wind? Or is it the sword energy? I've heard that a skilled fighter can kill someone over a hundred paces (approximately 300 meters) away just with sword energy; how is that possible? I've heard that when the sword art is unleashed, light emanates from the sword, blinding those who see it—what sort of harmony is that...?
Mookhyang's constant contemplation about swordsmanship stemmed from the squad leader. Lacking a visible target, he felt a desire to ascend step by step using the knowledge he currently possessed. Traditionally, warriors of the Demonic Sect practiced many demonic arts. Once they mastered one art, they would strive to learn another. The later techniques they acquired were immensely powerful, requiring significant internal energy, but the masters of the Demonic Sect displayed rapid advancements in internal energy that orthodox sect masters could only dream of, so this was not a major issue.
To reach a certain level of mastery, one had to attain enlightenment, which could not be conveyed through words or verbal formulas. Since internal energy in orthodox sects accumulates very slowly, there are limits to mastering one's swordsmanship. While learning a particular technique, one might run out of internal energy and be unable to complete the later stages, constantly striving to connect what they know while engaging in combat to achieve a stronger level of swordsmanship.
However, masters of the Demonic Sect can attack opposing masters using only their formidable internal energy without needing to seek enlightenment. If they lack sufficient internal energy, they can temporarily amplify their power by up to five times using the Demonic Sect's secret techniques. However, releasing such a level of energy can be life-threatening, so most are content with amplifying it to about three times. Even amplifying their energy to three times can lead to death if their basic internal energy is weak, but for a skilled master, generating that much internal energy for an instant is not a significant issue. Because of this, masters of the Demonic Sect often desire more overpowering martial arts but feel no need to master them. Thus, when they approach the upper echelons of martial arts, they inevitably hit a wall, reaching a moment where further progress seems impossible. Only a few who gain enlightenment at this point can enter the ultimate realm.
Mookhyang grew up in an environment that encouraged deep contemplation about martial arts from the very beginning. The squad leader likely took this action because he hoped Mookhyang would refrain from learning further martial arts. However, because of this, Mookhyang developed an unusually reflective habit regarding martial arts as a master of the Demonic Sect. One day, he would be grateful for this habit of thinking—especially when he finds himself blocked by the "invisible wall" that all Demonic Sect practitioners wish to surpass.
The Emergence of the Asura Blood Sect
A sudden tension filled the temporary meeting attended only by those of elder rank and above. This was due to the presence of the vice leader. The vice leader rarely attended meetings unless it was a matter of great importance, so everyone was on edge. After hearing an explanation from Prince Jeok Miyeom regarding the operations conducted so far, the room fell into a momentary silence. The first to speak was the sect leader.
"What do you believe to be the cause of the failure of this operation? Two elite agents from the Shadowless Corps were killed. We need to understand the reason to address it."
"Sect Leader, according to the latest intelligence, the Asura Blood Sect's Daemang Mountain branch has maintained an extremely tight defensive line. With formations and many powerful experts guarding it, we are limited to using only our intelligence agents."
As the magic energy radiating from the sect leader became increasingly intense, all the experts in the room sensed that he was not in a good mood. The sect leader, a supreme master, usually controlled his magic energy with great care.
"Then what do you suggest we do?"
"The special agents trained for reconnaissance excel in stealth and subterfuge, but their martial arts skills are lacking. This time, we plan to send in a team of about three. We've selected one person with excellent infiltration and pursuit skills and another skilled in stealth and formations. However, we lack a powerful warrior to protect the rest of the team. Of course, they must also excel in infiltration."
The sect leader seemed to ponder for a moment before unexpectedly posing a question to the vice leader.
"What do you think, Vice Leader?"
The vice leader, Byeok Andok-gun, known as the Blue-Eyed Poison Lord, rarely attended such formal events but was considered a formidable expert. He had a very young and handsome appearance but was among the top three most powerful in the sect. Unlike others, he did not conceal the suffocating magic energy surrounding him.
"Wouldn't an assassin be suitable if we need both stealth and martial arts skills?"
Receiving the vice leader's comment, the senior elder, Ma Cheon-geom-gwi, also known as Yeojulpa, added, "It would be wise to deploy one or two elite assassins."
Then, the great law enforcer, Hyulyeong, said, "I disagree. Assassins are skilled in conventional surprise attacks but are vulnerable to unpredictable enemy attacks. It would be better to take two of the top masters under my command from the law enforcement court."
Breaking the long silence, Elder Yeojigo, known as the Heaven Sword King, spoke. Although he ranked 10th within the sect, he led the strongest group, the Heaven Demon Blood Sword Brigade, and his words carried great weight. Moreover, he was the only son of Senior Elder Yeojulpa, giving him a formidable background, yet in the martial world, skill was always prioritized over lineage.
"I oppose the great law enforcer's opinion. The warriors from the Law Enforcement Court are traditional masters with no relation to stealth or ambush. They cannot be deemed suitable for this mission. It would be better to bring a few powerful experts from the Heaven Demon Blood Sword Brigade. These men are seasoned on the battlefield and will be of help."
As Elder Yeojigo's simplistic and ignorant statement came to an end, Elder Gong Liang, known as the Black Hand Ghost Shadow, spoke up. As his name suggested, he had shiny, delicate, but emaciated black hands, a result of practicing the malevolent magical technique known as the Black Corpse Demon Claw. His powerful claw techniques and ghostly movements had elevated him to the 8th rank in the sect. He was the head of the Shadowless Corps, an organization composed of around thirty top-tier experts tasked with covert inspections.
"How can we conduct intelligence activities with mere murderers like those sword demons? It would be better to send a few experts from my Shadowless Corps."
The sect leader showed a pleased expression. "That sounds good. Since they specialize in covert inspections, their stealth and infiltration skills should be excellent, and their martial arts level is also high."
Then, Ma Won, a powerful figure overseeing the five major martial organizations within the sect, as well as the Black Death Squad, spoke. With an ordinary face, Ma Won was a master of the tyrannical magical technique known as the Ink Dragon Mixed Origin Technique.
"I recommend one assassin from my Black Death Squad. To prepare for unforeseen circumstances, it would be best to have two experts from the Shadowless Corps and bring along one assassin."
The sect leader then asked, "Who is the individual recommended by the Chief Inspector?"
"Yes, I previously mentioned a fellow named Mookhyang. Although he is not an elite assassin, he excels in swordsmanship. In fact, in a direct confrontation, he might surpass even an elite assassin. He is not only adept at stealth but is also a formidable sword demon; I can vouch for his swordsmanship."
"Then let's proceed with this plan. How about sending two first-class agents from the Shadowless Corps, two experts from the Shadowless Corps, and one assassin?"
"That sounds most agreeable."
The sect leader stood up and said as he left, "Though the size of the team has grown larger than originally planned, these individuals have their own merits. Let's see what careful plots the Asura Blood Sect is concocting."
Everyone stood up and saluted while exclaiming, "Long live the Sect Leader!"
After the meeting concluded, the vice leader asked the great law enforcer, "How is the health of the Supreme Elder these days?"
The Supreme Elder refers to the retired former sect leader, the Poison Hand Demon Emperor Han Seok-young. He is 35 years older than the sect leader and is the leader's father. In the past, he was known as Poison Hand due to his cruelty. He is one of the Four Demon Emperors and a supreme master.
"He is still in good health."
"I haven't seen his face lately, so... Please tell him to come to the Elders' Council once in a while. Also, you should pay a bit more special attention to him."
"Understood. I am doing my best even now. However, since he has turned away from the world... these days, he keeps plum blossoms as companions, doesn't he? Didn't he love plum blossoms immensely before?"
At this, the vice leader burst into laughter. "Haha, someone who loves plum blossoms so much..."
"Haha, it's hard to believe that someone who loves plum blossoms so much is known as the Poison Hand Demon Emperor, even now."
"Well, for us who serve him, it's quite comfortable since that's his hobby. He hardly leaves the garden except for the training hall."
"Does that mean he still has a higher level to reach?"
"Who knows? With enough effort, he might be the first to attain the level of transcending the demon path."
"Ah! I miss the old days. Those times when the Four Demon Emperors lived together…"
"What can we do? That's fate for you… I think the Supreme Elder was somewhat shocked by those events back then."
"Perhaps. That Zhang In-gyeol, that fellow, had an exceptional Black Death Demon Palm…"
Zhang In-gyeol was a member of the Four Demon Emperors and held the position of vice leader until he led his followers to break away from the sect and establish the Dark Demon Sect. The Black Death Demon Palm, emanating from the Extreme Demon Body, is known as a symbol of terror.
"Then let's meet next time."
The great law enforcer politely saluted. "Yes, goodbye."