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‘The Murim Alliance?’

That was the name of an organization featured in the martial arts novels Seo Jun-Ho used to read a lot as a student. It definitely didn’t fit in a world like this one, where human bodies were fused with layers of machinery.

“More precisely, the Murim Alliance’s walk-in information division has the second most information in the city.”

“The second? Then, where’s the first?” Seo Jun-Ho asked.

“Hey, hey!” The man yelped, surprised. He lowered his voice as if he were worried that someone might hear him. “It’s the imperial palace, of course. But civilians like us can’t just waltz in there.”

The Murim Alliance, and now an imperial palace?

Seo Jun-Ho nodded slowly. “I get it. Do you also know if the Murim Alliance teaches swordplay?”

“Of course they do. But you’ll need this.” He touched the tips of his thumb and index finger to form the shape of a coin. “As long as you have enough credits, you can learn any third-rate style used by peasants to one of the Ten Great Families’ most powerful techniques.”

‘A sword style.’ It had only been a few days since Sir Hart advised him to learn the finest sword fighting style. This city just might be the best place to learn one.

“All right, then. So where is the Murim Alliance?” he asked.

“It’s the second tallest building in the city. It’s the headquarters of the Murim Corporation, aka the Murim Alliance.”

“Thanks for the info.” His business here was done. However, just as he was about to leave, he was interrupted.

“Hey, bumpkin, let me give you one last piece of advice.” The man’s rusty robot arm creaked as he put a cigarette between his teeth. “Don’t get too sucked into the glamor of this city.”

“...I’ll keep that in mind.”

After that loaded warning, Seo Jun-Ho stepped out of the bar. The first thing he saw was an expensive-looking sedan parked in the alleyway.

“I have been waiting for you, bounty hunter Seo Jun-Ho,” an elderly man said. He was wearing white robes.

Seo Jun-Ho stared at him.

‘He’s strong.’

He couldn’t tell if this man was also part machine because the man’s robes were too loose, but Seo Jun-Ho could clearly sense magic energy from the man’s body. From what he could sense right now, he estimated that this old man was a powerful fighter only a step or two below the Butcher.

“Do you know me?” Jun-Ho asked.

“Of course I do. Allow me to introduce myself.”

A hologram business card slowly floated over toward him.

[Special Director of the Murim Corporation, Kongtong Sect Leader Hyun-Baek.][1]

“Wow, you’re a great man. But why did someone like you come looking for me?” Seo Jun-Ho asked.

“Ah, allow me to explain.” The old man laughed heartily. “We were the ones who invited you from Earth, Young Hero.”[2]

Seo Jun-Ho froze. This was unprecedented in his years of experience climbing up the Floors.

“This is new. It could be beneficial to humor him,” the Frost Queen said. Seo Jun-Ho looked at her and nodded.

“Please lead the way.”

The three of them got into a sedan and galloped smoothly through the air.

***

Unlike its modern-looking exterior, the interior of the Murim Alliance’s building was decorated in an oriental style. Hyun-Baek led him to his office.

“This tea is called baihao yinzhen.[3] Though, I do not know if it will fit the taste of a youngster like you.”

“Fortunately, I enjoy it.”

“Hoho, it has been some time since I met a youngster who is educated in the way of tea.” Director Hyun-Baek looked pleased. “I am aware that you have many questions right now.”

“I won’t deny it.”

“Then where shall I begin…” He stroked his long beard and eventually spoke. “First, allow me to tell you about this city.”

“I was curious about that.” Seo Jun-Ho wanted to know how such a weird place came to be.

“...Hm.” Hyun-Baek smiled bitterly as he looked out the window and into the beautiful nightscape. “Seven hundred years ago, this country used to be a beautiful place.”

“It had been filled with neigong, and it was a place that valued camaraderie and chivalry. It was a great empire covered with azure seas and emerald mountains.[4]”

“However, disaster came in the time it took to blink.” Meteors fell from the sky, and the world burned. “Mountains, oceans, land, life…Everything was destroyed.”

As nature itself was devastated, the abundant energy also faded. All they had left was a tiny piece of land comparable to just a fist.

“While we despaired, the Aeon Empire offered us salvation.”

“The Aeon Empire?”

“It is the largest empire in the universe.” Hyun-Baek let out a small sigh. “And this planet, ZY-410, was turned into their military base.”

“What does that mean?”

“Hm. In simple terms, we were made into a vassal state, and in return, they supplied us with technology and aid.” And the Aeon Empire hired the destitute martial artists as mercenaries. “During the same period, they built a city.”

And that was how Neo City came to be...

“There’s something I’d like to know,” Seo Jun-Ho said after hearing about the city’s simple history.

“Ask, and I shall answer.”

“I don’t sense any magic energy here at all. Does that mean that those without it innately can’t become martial artists?”

“Ha! A fine question. This goes to the heart of the issue.” Hyun-Baek nodded. “As I have said, this planet has already died once.”

Vrrr.

Three hologram chips appeared before his eyes.

“The Aeon Empire expected this and gave us three chips in assistance.”

“Chips?” Seo Jun-Ho turned his head, and the holograms floated over toward him.

“The first chip is one that only His Majesty the Emperor can use: the System Chip. It possesses the omnipotent power to control everything in this city.”

“That’s incredible.” If someone wanted to, they could wreak havoc throughout the entire city with that kind of power. “What is the second chip?”

“It is the Sect Record Chip, which contains information on all the fighting styles that existed in our former country.”

“...Every single one?”

“Indeed. With this, even the methods that were developed by clans that no longer exist can be restored. It can only be used by the world’s current leaders.”

“This one’s also incredible.”

A record of every sect’s fighting techniques. This one chip had too much power.

At this point, he couldn’t help but be curious. “Then just what kind of power does the last chip possess?”

“Neigong.” Director Hyun-Baek chuckled. “In order to cultivate new warriors, they need neigong to use. Therefore, the Aeon Empire gifted us with a chip containing an immense amount of neigong.”

“Still, how much magic power could one chip actually hold…”

“It is the neigong of three thousand gapja.”[5]

Seo Jun-Ho tilted his head. “Is that a lot?”

“One gapja is the equivalent of neigong cultivated by a martial artist of average skill over 60 years.”

“Then, three thousand gapja is…”

It equated to the neigong accumulated by an average martial artist over 180,000 years.

Seo Jun-Ho’s jaw dropped. “That’s an unbelievable amount.”

“His Majesty has distinguished martial artists into third-grade, second-grade, first-grade, high-grade, and transcendent. This decides the amount of neigong they can obtain.”

“That is wise of him…”

“Hoo.” Director Hyun-Baek suddenly let out a sigh. “However, seven hundred years have already passed. Our repository is constantly being drained, and we can’t keep up with it.”

Director Hyun-Baek was right. Even if the chip contained an incredible amount resulting in three thousand gapja of magic power, it was still a limited resource. In other words, if they couldn’t fill it back up, it would eventually run out.

“However, a few years ago, a strange rumor began to spread throughout the city,” the old man said.

“What kind of rumor?”

“Out of the three chips, it was rumored that the Neigong Chip was originally composed of two chips.”

“Isn’t that too random?” Seo Jun-Ho looked unconvinced. After all, humans often clung to optimism after being pushed into a corner.

“The Murim Alliance originally had the same opinion as yours.” Director Hyun-Baek lowered his voice. “However, due to recent events, there are doubts that it wasn’t just a rumor, after all.”

“Did something special happen?”

“Indeed. Have you heard of the Demonic Cult?”

“I’ve never heard of them.” Of course, he had been hearing the Fiend Association’s name back then until he felt like his ears would grow callused.

“They’re a mercenary business. A few years ago, they were established in the slums of the eastern outskirts. Their foundation is the use of illegal martial arts that are efficient in killing, and they rapidly gained power as a result.”

“Can’t the Murim Alliance just keep them in check?”

“We have attempted it several times, but each one ended in failure.”

Seo Jun-Ho’s eyes furrowed. “That’s weird. Shouldn’t the Alliance have a great advantage because they possess the majority of martial art styles and martial artists?”

“Your words are correct.”

“So how can they block the elite fighters from the Murim Alliance?”

“I explained it previously. That is why there are some growing doubts about the rumor’s legitimacy.”

“Wait, does that mean the fourth chip…”

“It is not in the hands of the Demonic Cult. That is what we currently believe…”

Seo Jun-Ho thought for a moment before asking, “Has the government done anything yet?”

“Government? Ah, you speak of the administrative offices. That is another problem.” Director Hyun-Baek let out a small sigh. “From the olden days, the palace and the Murim Alliance have maintained a policy of non-aggression whilst limiting contact as much as possible. However, whenever his people were harmed, His Majesty had always summoned his troops to establish order. Unfortunately, His Majesty is currently bedridden with an illness.”

“And he doesn’t have some kind of stand-in who can carry that out in his place?”

“Perhaps it is because he once wielded omnipotent power, but he does not...”

“Hm.” In other words, things were still a complete mess. It would be dangerous if the Demonic Cult obtained the Neigong Chip like the Murim Alliance expected. “Are the illegal styles stronger than the martial arts of the Alliance?”

“We cannot accurately estimate their power, but illegal styles can be cultivated much faster. A large reason why young fighters join the Demonic Sect is that they can become strong within a short period of time.”

So there was some mysterious factor that made them strong very quickly.

Seo Jun-Ho nodded slowly. “So, for what reason have you invited us Earthlings into this?”

“Bounty hunter—no, Player Seo Jun-Ho. I implore you, please subdue the members of the Demonic Cult and reveal the truth of the fourth chip.”

‘So this is the main quest of the 5th Floor...’

They had to work as a bounty hunter and investigate the fourth chip…

Seo Jun-Ho thought for a moment and eventually spoke, “There’s something I’d like to ask.”

“Ask, and I shall answer.”

“Do you happen to know anything about the Floor Master?”

“The Floor Master? What is that?”

“I wanted to ask if there’s some kind of great enemy that is threatening the world.”

“Hm…” Director Hyun-Baek thought for a moment and shook his head. “I do not know. The only answer that comes to mind is the CEO of the Demonic Cult, the Heavenly Demon.”

“The Heavenly Demon?”

“He is the very person who founded the Demonic Cult several years ago.”

“Several years… Is it?”

Seo Jun-Ho closed his eyes. He knew. He knew that it wasn’t possible for that CEO and the fiend to be the same person. Still, just hearing the name ‘Heavenly Demon’ made Seo Jun-Ho clench his fists hard.

“Thank you. Truly, thank you. There are already some hunters from Earth who are carrying out the same mission, so I recommend that you work together.”

Seo Jun-Ho knew that there were Players that had come up to the 5th Floor before him. However, he didn’t really have any thoughts about working with them.

“I prefer to work alone.” Seo Jun-Ho shook his head and asked. “If I use up all my magic energy… That is, my neigong, how can I replenish it?”

“Come here.”

“Understood.”

“I hear that Earthlings use something called Vita instead of chips implanted in their bodies. Come here.”

Hyun-Baek held out his left hand, and a moment later, a hologram window appeared

[Bounty Mission]

Target: Lightning Scythe

Level: First-grade martial artist

Last known location:

Crime: Killed seven martial artists affiliated with the Murim Alliance.

Reward: 1,500 credits

The information involved nothing but a blurry face and a figure. It also looked like it had been captured on CCTV.

The man in the photo was covered in blood with a crooked smile.

1. The hanja of his name means “wise and sure”. ☜

2. He refers to Jun-Ho in a second-person term that is used for young martial artists who have already made a name for themselves. The young hero here is used similarly to young master ☜

3. A Chinese white tea. It is the most expensive and prized variety of white tea in the world. ☜

4. 1. Neigong is internal body energy, which is the source of power for martial artists in wuxia. 2. The characters for ‘camaraderie’ and ‘chivalry’ make up the word ‘wuxia’. ☜

5. A gapja is a sexagenary cycle, a cycle of sixty years that was historically used to record time in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. ☜