Chapter 126 - The Black Flame Dragon Who Steals Opportunities

Dumbfounded by the news that they had secretly entered, I asked back.

"Secretly? Guards were definitely stationed."

"It seems they slipped in during the shift change of the guards."

"..."

The guards of the prestigious Murim Academy were breached?

As the sequence of events roughly formed in my mind, heat slowly rose to my head, but the urgent matter right now wasn't how those bastards breached the guards.

No matter how many safety measures were put in place, if someone carelessly took a step inside the Soul-Extinguishing Array, they would never be able to escape the Soul-Extinguishing Array.

What was the reason that despite so many people managing to make it out of the Demonic Spirit Plateau alive, those who blindly entered the Soul-Extinguishing Array were never found?

It was because there was no way to find those who had wandered into somewhere among the two hundred thousand paths.

"W-What should we do?"

Yu Jiryang's voice was constantly trembling.

It seemed he had been interrogated and held accountable by the people of the Nine Sects and One Gang over this matter before I arrived.

"Please wait... just a moment."

I quickly looked around. If the guards had been breached, it was obvious that those responsible were being interrogated.

I spotted two people with grim faces being interrogated on one side of the Grand Equestrian Ground.

I quickly moved and approached them.

Yu Jiryang hurriedly followed behind me.

"May I speak with these people for a moment?"

"..."

The person who appeared to be the superior of the guards stopped his interrogation and spun away, and I asked the guard from last night a few questions.

While listening to the guards, someone abruptly interrupted.

"Sir Yu Jiryang, and Academy Student Jin Sowoon."

Yu Jiryang flinched in surprise and turned his head, and there stood a drill instructor glaring at the two of us with an expression like an evil spirit.

"The elders of the Alliance wish to hear an explanation. Let us go."

"..."

* * *

For the demonstration, a platform had been set up in the center of the equestrian ground, and over thirty chairs had been brought out.

And right now, people were packed into every seat with no empty spots, and on top of that, all the officials had crowded in and were standing behind the chairs.

TREMBLE.

Yu Jiryang was trembling so intensely that I could feel it while walking next to him.

I briefly placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Great Warrior Yu, why don't you calm down a little?"

"... Ah, yes. Yes. I should."

"If it's truly too hard for you, I can go alone."

Yu Jiryang's face brightened at my words, and he wore a thoughtful expression for a moment before shaking his head.

"No matter what, I am the one responsible for this Soul-Extinguishing Array. I must go."

"..."

Yu Jiryang trudged toward the platform like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse.

Unlike how it looked from afar, Murim Alliance Leader Hyuk Mugang, Chief Strategist Zhuge Somyeong, and all the members of the Elder's Hall were already present on the platform.

"What exactly happened here?"

"How did you manage things for children to carelessly wander in and out of this dangerous deadly array?"

"What is there even to hear? We must unseal the array at once and reprimand the person responsible according to the Alliance's laws."

As soon as we arrived, loud shouting erupted from all directions.

Furthermore, the members of the Elder's Hall wildly exuded killing intent as they spat out their words, unable to control their emotions, and everyone who had gathered to watch the demonstration completely shut their mouths at the unusually severe atmosphere.

The perilous atmosphere continued, feeling like crossing a bridge while stepping on the tips of blades.

"How long is the academy representative going to keep his mouth shut!"

"Speak at once!"

"This is what happens when someone lacking even the basics is appointed as the representative. We must replace the representative immediately."

And soon, those arrows of blame began raining down on me as well.

As chaotic, sharp words filled the space, Zhuge Somyeong finally spoke, as if he could no longer stand it.

"Everyone, be quiet!"

"..."

"..."

When the elders shut their mouths at Zhuge Somyeong's shout, the area was engulfed in silence, as if we had stepped inside the Soul-Extinguishing Array itself.

"I will ask. How many people entered in total?"

When Zhuge Somyeong led the conversation, the people's gazes now began to follow him.

Receiving everyone's attention, Yu Jiryang stuttered as he spoke.

"A-According to the reports, I heard there were s-six people in total."

"According to the reports? Are you saying it isn't completely accurate?"

"N-No. The companions of those who entered the Soul-Extinguishing Array said so, so it is a certain number."

"Fine. They entered, so why is this causing such a massive problem now?"

"Normally, it is standard for anyone entering the Soul-Extinguishing Array to come out within two hours. But the fact that those who entered at the Hour of the Tiger yesterday still haven't come out by the Hour of the Snake today means they have lost their way inside."

"If they lost their way, can they not find their way back out?"

"Since the Soul-Extinguishing Array has no reference points, one must walk the path according to the rules based on the steps they take. But if even a single step was wrong..."

At Yu Jiryang's words, the elders' faces began to heavily contort into frowns.

"Why are the safety measures not activating?"

"The safety measures are meant to block people from entering through places other than the array's entrance. They were never meant for those who use the entrance in the first place."

"So you're saying there are no safety measures at all?"

"It is a supreme array where safety measures cannot be implemented in the first place. That is why we strictly managed it, restricted the number of people, and made sure they only went through the designated Gates of Life and Death..."

Just as Yu Jiryang tried to blame those who entered as they pleased, Daoist Myeonghyeon abruptly cut him off.

"In the end, you're saying our children are trapped inside a dangerous deadly array with no safety measures."

"... Ah, that is..."

Zhuge Somyeong furrowed his brow, but Daoist Myeonghyeon continued speaking as if he didn't care.

"The probability of the children coming out on time is?"

"... Zero."

"Hah, unbelievable."

Putting on an utterly dumbfounded expression, Myeonghyeon turned to the Murim Alliance Leader and said.

"Alliance Leader, this is a grave matter that could claim the lives of the academy students who will carry the future of the Alliance. We must dismantle the Soul-Extinguishing Array at once and save the children."

Murim Alliance Leader Hyuk Mugang looked back at Yu Jiryang and asked.

"I heard the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Extinguishing Array literally cannot be dismantled. Is there a way?"

"F-From the beginning, the fifty pillars that act as the central axis of the Soul-Extinguishing Array were designed to break after a month, so it will disappear a month from now, but... there is a problem."

"A problem?"

"The flow of time felt inside the Soul-Extinguishing Array is different from the outside. Because of that, even staying just one day will be like staying inside for seven days and nights."

"Are you saying it directly affects them even though it isn't real?"

"The people trapped inside the Water Demon Great Square Array, one of the Zhuge Clan's deadly arrays, die of suffocation..."

"Hah..."

"This was also the first time we experienced this effect while newly constructing it this time. The problem is that those who entered without permission yesterday..."

"Wait!"

Yu Jiryang stopped speaking and looked at Daoist Myeonghyeon.

"Stop using words like 'without permission' or 'unauthorized personnel' to avoid your own responsibility. This is entirely your fault for neglecting the management."

"..."

"..."

"..."

The elders nodded in agreement with Daoist Myeonghyeon's words. Yu Jiryang stood there, pale and completely dazed.

"Continue."

"Y-Yes. The problem is that those who entered yesterday didn't bring any emergency rations."

Daoist Myeonghyeon shook his head, then looked at the Alliance Leader and spoke.

"Alliance Leader, there is nothing more to hear. We must forcefully dismantle it at once."

The Murim Alliance Leader also nodded, as if agreeing with Myeonghyeon's words.

"Is there a way to forcefully dismantle it?"

At the Alliance Leader's words, Yu Jiryang's lips trembled violently as he spoke.

"If we simultaneously break the fifty pillars I mentioned earlier... it might be possible."

"Then execute it at once."

At Myeonghyeon's command, Yu Jiryang made an expression as if he were about to die.

Unable to bear watching him any longer, I stepped forward.

"That is impossible."

"... It doesn't seem like the time for you to step forward. We will interrogate you later, so stay out of this for now."

I ignored Daoist Myeonghyeon's words and looked at the Alliance Leader and the Chief Strategist, speaking up.

"To artificially dismantle the Soul-Extinguishing Array, fifty people must enter through the Gates of Life and Death, establish the exact directions, and break the pillars simultaneously.

However, this is only a theoretical example, and you must consider that if it fails, those fifty people could additionally fall victim to the Soul-Extinguishing Array."

As soon as I finished speaking, deep sighs of lamentation flowed out from all directions.

"Hah!"

"How could..."

"Why on earth would they build such a thing?"

Even the Murim Alliance Leader and Chief Strategist shut their mouths upon hearing the explanation.

Eventually unable to hold back his anger, Myeonghyeon erupted in a shout.

"How will you take responsibility for this? Didn't this disaster happen because you forcefully tried to keep your representative position!"

I slowly turned my head.

And I stared at Daoist Myeonghyeon, whose face had flushed completely red.

"Why should I take responsibility?"

"W-What? You dare..."

"Listening to the guards from last night, I heard that a group of twenty people swarmed in and ordered an early shift change. During that process, the name of the Orthodox Council was brought up."

"That is utter nonsense..."

I cut off Daoist Myeonghyeon's words and continued speaking.

"How does the Mount Cangshan Sect deal with those who secretly steal others' martial arts?"

"What are you suddenly talking about?"

"I proceeded with the event by capping the number of participants due to limits in funds and space. This was to pass down the secret arts of the Soul-Extinguishing Array to those who officially participated in the event. But since those who didn't even participate secretly tried to steal the secret arts and caused this disaster, shouldn't they naturally be punished rather than rewarded?"

Daoist Myeonghyeon and the other elders' faces turned beet red.

"Naturally, I bear zero responsibility for this matter. Nor does Sir Yu Jiryang here have any responsibility. They brought this danger upon themselves, and that danger was entirely due to their personal greed."

I subtly infused internal energy into my voice. So that everyone gathered here could hear my words.

"As I just mentioned, there is a way to dismantle the Soul-Extinguishing Array. The elders among you who can survive for a hundred days on minimal water and rations can risk the danger and dismantle it. If you succeed, you can save the academy students who committed this foolish act."

At the mention of a hundred days, not a single elder answered.

"If not, then those who conspired and carried out this act should step forward. The ones who intimidated and threatened the guards, forcefully pushing this matter through."

I turned my body and surveyed the venue.

Among the academy students, the members of the Orthodox Council glared back with murderous intent in their eyes.

"Who will step forward? Will it be the elders and seniors of the sects? Or the ones who, despite being academy students, didn't listen to a single word their representative said? Who will it be?"

After I finished speaking, not a single person uttered a word.

You couldn't even hear the sound of a passing ant in the venue.

I no longer cared about how others viewed me and fully poured my internal energy into my shout.

"Is there no one? Academy students are currently dying inside the Soul-Extinguishing Array. Is there no one willing to risk their lives and step forward for them?"

I looked toward where the members of the Orthodox Council were gathered.

And I spoke to the person standing at their center.

"Academy Student Ilgak! I do not believe you were uninvolved in this matter. Do you not intend to step forward?"

"..."

What a truly bizarre sight.

To think that the monks of the Shaolin Sect were all glaring at me with murderous intent.

Even the demonic practitioners in my past life probably never received such glares.

Just as I was about to pressure them again, Zhuge Somyeong stepped in.

"Enough."

Zhuge Somyeong swept his gaze over the members of the Elder's Hall as if looking at trash before he continued.

"The crucial issue right now is not who holds the responsibility. It is how we can save them. Is there a way to rescue them?"

"If someone could scan through all two hundred thousand paths, they could be saved."

"You say two hundred thousand, but in reality, you only taught three routes. If you count the branches derived from those, there wouldn't be that many paths."

As expected, the position of Chief Strategist wasn't for just anyone.

I nodded.

"That is correct."

"Then the greatest possibility would be for the people who know the Soul-Extinguishing Array best to go inside and save them."

Yu Jiryang carefully raised his hand.

"Although I and the array masters of my sect built the Soul-Extinguishing Array, we cannot freely navigate inside it. The one who has been rescuing those trapped in the Soul-Extinguishing Array all this time is..."

Yu Jiryang didn't finish his sentence and looked at me.

Zhuge Somyeong nodded as if he had expected as much.

"It seems you must step forward."

Zhuge Somyeong, the Murim Alliance Leader, and the elders all looked at me and nodded.

As if it were only natural for me to step up.

I shook my head.

"I refuse."

"What?"

"What the Chief Strategist suggested is entirely theoretical; in reality, I would be risking my life. However, I see no reason to risk my life for a matter that might even be blamed on me."

"Are you still the academy representative after saying that!"

I replied to Daoist Myeonghyeon's shout.

"I am the academy representative, but the majority of the academy students never acknowledged me as such. Take the blame and risk my life for people like that? Why should I? I refuse."

"Hah..."

Daoist Myeonghyeon and the elders trembled violently.

Zhuge Somyeong, who had been looking at me expressionlessly for a moment, spoke.

"The academy representative is right. Those who entered the Soul-Extinguishing Array broke the academy's rules and ruined an important event funded by the Alliance's budget. They must pay a heavy price equal to the crime of stealing another's martial arts."

"Chief Strategist!"

"You cannot say that!"

"That is impossible!"

Zhuge Somyeong glared at Daoist Myeonghyeon and the others as he spoke.

"Then, will you simply watch your disciples die?"

"..."

Zhuge Somyeong shouted loud enough for the entire Grand Equestrian Ground to hear.

"Those who spearheaded this incident and those who dared to fearlessly enter the Soul-Extinguishing Array will be subject to expulsion, and anyone involved will also face disciplinary action."

Regardless of what the people whispered upon hearing Zhuge Somyeong's words, Zhuge Somyeong looked at me and spoke.

"Can the academy representative bring the academy students back so they may receive their proper disciplinary action?"

I'll get to see the bastards of the Orthodox Council get expelled?

"I will definitely bring them back!!!"

Even with my life on the line, I can't pass this up.