What I Know About Mujin
Not much.
I only know that it's a mysterious weapon that can change its form at will and that it is likely connected to the Black Flag in some way.
The mountain keeper took a sip of his drink before continuing.
"So, you don't know its origins either. But long ago, I saw something similar—and I saw the man who possessed it."
As soon as I heard that, I thought of the man in Mujin's memories.
He was, in many ways, my mentor.
The foundation of my movements was established through training in the ever-changing techniques that he had developed, and much of my magic arts were influenced by his methods.
Even my decisive secret technique, Cheokma, which I often used in critical moments, originated from Mujin.
'If I can find a clue about that man's identity, I might also uncover the secrets of Mujin and the Black Flag.'
With that thought, I listened intently.
"That man, long ago, was a shaman who communed with spirits and read the stars. These days, I suppose you'd call him a sorcerer."
The mountain keeper waved his hand in the air as he spoke.
The mist from the healing water shifted like paint, forming a vivid image.
It depicted a shaman clad in long, flowing ceremonial robes.
And in his hand, he held a crude, unidentified stone.
"Wait… That stone?"
"Yes. Just like the ring on your finger, that stone could change form at will. He wasn't particularly well-known before obtaining it, but as soon as he got the stone, his fame skyrocketed."
I paused for a moment upon hearing this.
"You're saying… he could use it as a magical tool just by changing its shape?"
"You know a bit about sorcery, I see. That's right. Without any special ritual implements or ceremonial tools, he could wield all kinds of sorcery using only that stone."
These days, sorcery had been modernized in many ways, but its foundation remained deeply religious.
That's why many sorceries required complex preparations—ritual tools forged through years of devotion, jujube wood struck by lightning, or even rare bamboo flowers.
Yet, this man had eliminated the need for such materials with just a single stone.
"In any case, he became the greatest sorcerer of his time. He wielded forbidden arts freely, without cost—so, naturally, his power grew. And then…"
The mountain keeper waved his hand again.
The image in the air flickered, shifting into something new.
"The stone devoured him."
"…!"
The man's appearance had changed—no longer human, but something closer to a monster.
A glossy black material, metallic in sheen, covered half his body. His once-bright eyes had turned a deep crimson.
"He was perfectly fine for nearly a year, using sorcery with ease. Then, all of a sudden, he transformed. Soon after, he lost his sanity and began rampaging like a wild beast."
"What happened to him?"
"What do you think?"
The mountain keeper let out a dry chuckle.
"A sorcerer who has fallen to the path of heresy is nothing short of a calamity. He had to be killed. But he wouldn't die easily, so after much struggle, we sealed him away. About a hundred, maybe two hundred years later, it was confirmed that he had finally perished inside the seal."
"And the stone?"
"The greatest sorcerers of the time joined forces and destroyed it."
I fell silent for a moment.
'This is familiar…'
Fragments of old texts I had read in the Royal Archives resurfaced in my mind.
I turned to the mountain keeper.
"Was the place where he was sealed called Mangwi Mountain?"
"Mangwi Mountain? Never heard of it."
"…You haven't?"
"Nope. What's that?"
"Then where exactly was he sealed?"
"A remote island off the easternmost coast."
That meant it wasn't what I had seen in Janggyunggak.
The ancient document clearly stated "Northern Mangwisan."
"Stone and Mujin. Two different things. But there's a connection."
I recalled the new power of Mujin that had manifested before coming to Cheonwisan.
The ability to wield the power of copied weapons.
It was a power even my third brother had been unable to use before the regression.
It was too similar to the stone mentioned in the story told by the mountain keeper to be a coincidence.
"By the way, why do you ask?"
"It's nothing."
"You're such a dull guy."
Whoosh—.
The mountain keeper waved his hand in the air as if swatting away a fly.
And with that, the man's figure scattered into mist and disappeared.
"Now, back to the story."
The mountain keeper drained the rest of his drink before speaking again.
"At that time, I smelled something foul. It had been so long that I had forgotten, but now that I recall it, I'm certain. It smelled just like you. Not human, not beast, not spirit—something strange."
The mountain keeper stared intently at me.
His eyes glowed dangerously.
"I'm convinced it's not just a well-crafted weapon, but an unidentified foreign object. Why not give up? Your family must have better weapons than that."
Resting his chin on his hand, the mountain keeper gazed at me.
I didn't avoid his stare.
Though his tone was soft and almost persuasive, I felt a crushing sense of intimidation.
For a brief moment, I thought.
A single spring leaf fell onto the surface of the healing water.
Then, I opened my mouth.
"When I first awakened my Evil Eye, my father told me something."
He had warned me about its dangers and advised me to seal it.
At that time, I had answered him like this:
"If this power was given to me, no matter how dangerous it is, I will subdue it and make it my own."
That was exactly what I had said.
"You arrogant brat. You really said that to that cold-hearted man?"
The mountain keeper smirked.
But his eyes were not smiling.
"Still, kid, do you really think this is the same as the Evil Eye?"
"To me, it's not that different."
"Then there's no other way. I'll have to take it from you. Feels a bit like robbing you, though."
The mountain keeper slowly stood up and reached out into the air.
In an instant, silence fell over Cheonwisan.
Ssshhhk—.
He curled his fingers lightly, as if gripping something unseen.
The air where his hand moved distorted.
And in that space, something transparent, like condensed heat waves, began to shimmer.
"A Goblin Club."
Feeling its overwhelming pressure, I swallowed dryly.
***
A Goblin Club.
One of the many divine artifacts associated with goblins.
According to legend, it's depicted as a cudgel or staff that can create anything at will.
In reality, it's not much different.
But rather than "creating" something, it's closer to "bringing it forth."
A single swing can summon typhoons, tidal waves, and move mountains.
That misty form wasn't even its complete manifestation yet.
If the mountain keeper fully unleashed the club, he would become a walking natural disaster.
"You should just hand it over while I'm still being nice. It's been a while since I used this, so I might not be able to control my strength."
Resting the Goblin Club on his shoulder, the mountain keeper's eyes gleamed.
I stared at him for a moment before smiling lightly.
"You won't be able to."
"…Do I really look like I won't?"
"Yes. Because if you did, you'd be breaking the pact."
Thud—.
The mountain keeper's body stiffened.
"What?"
"I'm supposed to guard the mountain and assist the trainees in their training, but if you do anything to me, that would be breaking the oath."
"Hah."
As soon as the mountain keeper heard those words, he let out a deep sigh and lowered his head.
"Heh."
Then, with an awkward chuckle, he slightly lifted his head and met my eyes.
"You knew all along?"
"Of course."
I smiled back.
Due to the oath with the progenitor, the mountain keeper could not harm a trainee unless there was a special reason.
Pulling out the club, making threats—it was all just an act, since he couldn't take it away directly.
"Ah, damn it."
The mountain keeper flicked his hand into the air.
At that moment, the intimidating goblin club scattered into the wind and disappeared.
"If you knew already, you should've just said so. You cocky brat. Making me feel embarrassed."
I didn't say anything on purpose.
Because I had already figured out why the mountain keeper went through all this trouble.
"In truth, you never really intended to take it from me, did you? You were just testing me to see my resolve."
The mountain keeper's eyes widened.
As if caught off guard, his mouth hung open, and he stammered.
"W-what are you talking about? A test?"
"If you were truly willing to do whatever it took, there were ways to reclaim Mujin. There are even loopholes in the oath, after all."
The oath between the mountain keeper and the progenitor was as follows:
Protect the mountain.Assist the trainees who enter the mountain.But if a trainee leaves the mountain…?
"…Seriously, instead of wielding a sword, you should make a living using that sharp tongue and clever brain of yours."
"You're complimenting me, right?"
"It's an insult, you little brat!"
The mountain keeper grumbled, grinding his teeth.
'Damn it, is this kid really 14 years old? No, he doesn't even seem human. Could he be a fox spirit or a dragon in disguise?'
As Lee Cheol had suspected, all of this had been a test set up by the mountain keeper.
Unlike that ominous stone, Mujin didn't give off any sinister aura. It likely wouldn't cause any problems if I kept it.
Even so, Mujin was still a mysterious artifact, possibly related to that sorcerer's stone.
That's why the mountain keeper had tested whether I was a weak-willed person who wavered easily.
He had already seen my determination through my training, but he wanted to reveal another side of me.
'But this kid figured everything out and played along?'
A terrifying one.
He had acted so naturally. I couldn't understand how he had seen through it.
At that moment, Lee Cheol erased his smile and asked,
"But if it was really that dangerous, why didn't you take it?"
"That Mujin thing… it doesn't have the same eerie energy I felt from the guy who was devoured by the stone. That means it's probably not some monster that eats its owner."
"You mean the energy?"
"The moment I saw that stone, I got a strange feeling. Goblins have pretty sharp instincts, you know."
"I see."
I nodded.
I had already been sure that Mujin wasn't dangerous.
The man who had obtained the stone was consumed within a year.
But ever since I obtained Mujin, I hadn't noticed anything unusual.
'Still, the goblin's instincts and my assumptions aren't the same thing.'
"By the way, Mountain Keeper."
"What now?"
"You threatened a trainee and even pointed a weapon at me. You're not just going to let that slide, are you?"
The mountain keeper's mouth fell open as he stared at me.
I smiled ever so gently.
"I'm quite thorough when it comes to settling accounts."
"Hey, hey, t-this time was just…!"
The mountain keeper's eyes began trembling violently.
***
"Damn it! This kid could even scam the underworld's grim reapers! Even the King of Hell would get swindled by him! Ugh!"
The mountain keeper gritted his teeth, pounding his chest in frustration.
In the end, since he had only made threats and not actually done anything, Lee Cheol's request wasn't too unreasonable.
—There's a certain magical herb I need, but it's usually found deep in the domain of spirit beasts. Collecting it isn't a problem, but they don't like it when I intrude, and I don't want to trouble them either.
So, he had asked the mountain keeper to fetch it.
Sometimes, spirit beasts' nests produce elixirs or herbs influenced by their energy.
Some beasts don't mind, but others cherish those plants dearly.
The former was fine.
The latter… was a nightmare.
Getting the herb meant coaxing and appeasing the spirit beasts—or finding a suitable replacement.
It wasn't difficult for the mountain keeper, the guardian of Cheonwi Mountain.
'Just incredibly annoying!'
Still, he made a resolution.
From now on, he would never mess with that sly little brat again.
Nothing good had ever come of it.
With a heavy sigh, the mountain keeper trudged toward his cave.
'A kid aiming for the trials has such an unusual power. How am I supposed to take that?'
He let out another sigh, gazing up at the sky—then suddenly tilted his head.
'Something feels off.'
He turned back toward Lee Cheol's training area.
'Mujin itself didn't have that ominous energy… so where the hell is that foul stench coming from?'
***
Although my training with the mountain keeper had increased, my daily routine remained unchanged.
Morning hikes, martial arts in the afternoon, aura skills in the evening, alchemy at night.
I simply adjusted the schedule slightly to include more combat practice in the daytime.
'Alright, I've ground all the herbs, hidden them from the spirit beasts… Now, I should get some sleep.'
It had been an eventful day.
I finished my preparations and sat on my bed.
There was one last thing I had to do before sleeping.
Something I couldn't do often because I was always too busy while awake.
Wooong—!
A dark mist slowly seeped out from within me.
Black Energy.
And on my bed lay a sword and a dagger.
Black Night. And Red Blade.
'Time to read again tonight.'
The Black Energy gradually seeped into the two blades.
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