Yodo Muramasa
The headquarters of Ronia, located in Osaka.
A violent ripping sound echoed through the chairman's office.
Chairman Hosaka Shudo couldn't keep his anger in and swept his hand across the desk. Beyond him, his relatives, the chief secretary, and the head of security all bowed their heads low.
"Hah. Hah. Hah."
Only after he'd exhausted everything he could throw did Shudo finally let his body sink into the chair.
He had hurled all he could at them, yet his fury scarcely abated.
His family's pride and the company mascot—the granddaughter he cherished—had been utterly smashed by some unknown Korean man.
And of all people, it had been someone brought by the rival company, Genex.
'Those losers who always got trampled at the Exchange Meetings…!'
It should have been the same this time, and for the most part, it had been.
That is, until something unexpected happened.
"Have you investigated this Yoo Jin-hyeok?" Shudo demanded.
"Yes. We searched as thoroughly as possible, but—"
The chief secretary's voice faltered.
"There's nothing to call a trace. We visited the old town where his registered address is listed, but he moved away long ago. There aren't any notable activities tied to him. He doesn't belong to any organization."
"How is that possible!!!"
"W—We're sorry!"
The chief secretary squeezed his eyes shut and bowed his head. Aside from that apology, he had nothing else to offer.
He, too, was at his wit's end.
Hosaka Rena had been the rising star in Japan—a new force who carried the nation's hopes, praised as the next Matsuna Hiyori. The fact that someone had singlehandedly destroyed her meant the man Yoo Jin-hyeok should have left obvious traces. Yet somehow absolutely nothing could be found.
"Is someone erasing his traces somewhere?" Shudo barked.
"What? What are you saying—do you mean Genex is hiding him?"
"Not Genex. If they truly wanted to hide him, they wouldn't have brought him to the Exchange Meeting in the first place."
The head of security spoke after a moment's thought.
"Even Genex couldn't erase traces this thoroughly. If a party were doing that, the natural suspect would be a state agency. The first thing that comes to mind is the Player Hunter Agency."
Shudo exhaled slowly and tapped his fingers together. When a name occurred to him, he spoke.
"You don't mean… a Runner?"
"That's a possibility."
"But it's strange. Why would someone bother erasing traces and then sit back? The Player Hunter Agency could have taken him."
"Cautiously speculating, perhaps the Runner refused. People who are even slightly exceptional can't help but want to be noticed in this world. Runners, on the other hand, hide themselves in anonymity completely. He may have never wanted his existence revealed in the first place. The Player Hunter Agency might have chosen to cover his tracks as a second-best measure instead of recruiting him."
"So they covered him up so flies wouldn't swarm him?"
"If he's a Runner, it wouldn't be only flies drawing near. Of course, that hypothesis doesn't explain everything. Why would someone so determined to stay anonymous appear at the Exchange Meeting at all? Why act so conspicuously when there? Also, when he fought Jo Kang-tae, the Runner's weapon was chains—a mastery that showed years of practice. And then suddenly he uses a sword."
"Could be a disguise. The move you mentioned could have been a feint to bait questions out."
In truth, Yoo Jin-hyeok had used a wooden sword only once—and it had been a very simple downward slash.
Shudo buried himself in the chair. For now it wasn't conclusive, but a plausible theory had formed.
"And Rena?"
"She's finished treatment and is recuperating. The wounds are surface-level; nothing life-threatening."
At least the granddaughter's survival was something to be glad about.
But they could not let this go.
Physical wounds might heal with time. The wound stamped into the family's pride would never do so on its own.
They would not rest until they avenged the ones who'd cut that scar.
"If Yoo Jin-hyeok is a Runner and the state is shielding him, would the Player Hunter Agency have allowed his attendance at the Exchange Meeting?"
"Unlikely. Even if the meeting is for a small number of families, secrets don't stay secret forever. Whether Genex brought him or he came on his own, the state's permission was probably not granted."
"If that's the case, and Genex loses him—what then?"
Silence fell over the chairman's office as everyone realized what Shudo was getting at.
Shudo's mouth curled.
It was a perfect chance: two birds with one stone. Genex, that company he'd longed to trample, and the man who'd humiliated his granddaughter at the Exchange Meeting—both could be punished at once.
Shudo looked at Uryu, the head of security.
Uryu had trained in intense kung fu before awakening and had climbed to the 70th floor in one go after his Ascension, earning fame across Japan. He was trusted to handle things flawlessly.
"Secretary, contact Kobe's Yamaguchi-gumi and tell them I want a meeting. Uryu, take my grandsons and head to the Exchange Meeting. Say we left because Rena was receiving treatment—say she couldn't return right away. And check—confirm whether that man really is a Runner. Can you do it?"
"Yes. Leave it to me. If I can just get close, I'll figure it out at once."
It wasn't blind confidence. Uryu had watched a video of the Runner fighting Jo Kang-tae. When pressed, the Runner would absolutely draw his main weapon. As a mid-70s tri-player himself, Uryu was sure he could detect that.
"Hmm."
Shudo made a low satisfied sound and lifted the corners of his mouth.
His worst mood began to brighten.
The Matsuna family shrine, west wing.
"I see."
Seira gave a faint smile.
Once alone, Jin-hyuk had manifested Seira and told her about obtaining the Muramasa and the memories awakened with it.
Seira quietly stared at the Muramasa lying on the floor.
"The fact the sword is here now means Kamen got what he wanted. That's a relief. But, master—"
"Yes?"
"How did Kamen's end look?"
Jin-hyuk shook his head.
"The same as when we died. Nothing about the end surfaced."
Seira placed her hand to her chest.
Though it had been long ago, they had been comrades and friends who fought the same battles.
She prayed earnestly that whatever end they had met, it had been the kind they would have wanted.
"Let's follow it a little further. We might learn something while searching for the sword."
"All right. May I try lifting the sword?"
"Of course."
Perhaps because Kamen had been reflected into the Muramasa, Seira reached for the sword with care.
Ding!
"Huh?"
A message suddenly popped into Jin-hyuk's mind. That timing was unexpected.
[The Yodo Muramasa recognizes its true owner, Kamen Breed! And it recognizes the person Kamen most deeply respected and trusted—the captain of the Black Knights, Seira Kinkeyton. The Muramasa acknowledges her existence!]
[A qualified person has seized the sword! The Yodo Muramasa is registered as Seira Kinkeyton's treasured armament!]
[The Yodo Muramasa's rank is being determined!]
[Yodo Muramasa]
Level Limit: 201.Rarity: Legendary.Type: One-handed sword.Attack: 1000.Unique Effect: Yoki Growth.Each life taken causes the yoki (spiritual energy) within the Muramasa to grow.Unique Activation Skill: Yoki Discharge.Releases the yoki accumulated in the sword.
"Holy crap."
Jin-hyuk touched the corner of his mouth.
A Legendary item had appeared.
Not only that, it was an activation weapon with a level cap of 201.
Its value defied pricing itself.
Jin-hyuk checked Seira's treasured armaments on the status screen.
Alongside the demon sword Tarkan, the Yodo Muramasa had been added.
Unlike Tarkan, which was still locked, the Muramasa showed the stats Jin-hyuk had just witnessed.
'No way a blank card could bring this in.'
With a level cap of 201, the moment someone tried to attach a card, it would spit it out.
Jin-hyuk peered at the Muramasa with glittering eyes, then looked up at Seira and smiled.
Seira tilted her head in question.
Jin-hyuk's face was a mixture of pride and admiration.
"Why the smile?"
"I told you. The Black Knights wouldn't have regretted making Seira their captain."
If Kamen had regretted it, if he had resented Seira, the Muramasa would never have accepted her as its new master.
A faint smile curved Seira's lips.
"Indeed. At least Kamen—"
A truly stubborn iron will.
Jin-hyuk wanted to prove quickly that the other knights felt the same.
"Let's update the quest and go."
[Entering Floor 6 of the Tower of Myths. Tickets will not be consumed.]
A room for the sword opened before them.
Seira walked up to the statue of Kamen Breed with the Muramasa in hand.
Ding!
[The statue of Black Knight Kamen Breed activates!]
A violet aura seeped from the statue.
At the same time, the statue shifted posture and dropped to one knee, bowing its head as if recognizing the captain of the Black Knights—Seira Kinkeyton—standing before it.
[Legendary Quest "Traces of the Black Knights" cleared condition updated!]
Remaining conditions to clear: Activate the other two statues.
Jin-hyuk punched the air.
Quest 1/3 complete.
The main gate of the Matsuna family shrine.
A sedan pulled up and stopped. Uryu and Chairman Shudo's grandsons stepped out.
Priestesses of the Matsuna family blocked the stairs.
"You can't go past this point."
"I am Uryu, head of security for Chairman Hosaka. As you all know, we have the Hosaka family here. Stand aside."
"We're sorry, but the Hosaka family has already left the Exchange Meeting without permission. Anyone who has left cannot return until the meeting concludes."
"We left to get Hosaka Rena medical treatment. She didn't end up returning, but Hosaka intends to remain at the Exchange Meeting until it ends."
"Even so, you may not enter. The rule stands: once someone departs, they cannot return until the meeting is over. That is the rule set by the Matsuna family."
Uryu's face tightened, perhaps at the stubbornness of the reply.
He was about to raise his voice when a shadow appeared on the upper steps.
"Rules, huh."
Kansai's tiger—the Matsuna Hiyori—had arrived, fully resurrected thanks to Jin-hyuk's help.
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T/N:
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