Chapter 126 :

Chapter 126. The Black Flame Dragon Takes Away Their Chance

At the words that they had secretly entered, I asked again in disbelief.

"Secretly? There should have been guards posted there."

"It appears they slipped in during the shift change."

"..."

The security of the Martial Academy had actually been breached?

As I roughly pieced together what had happened, heat slowly rose to my head, but the urgent issue right now was not how those bastards had gotten past the guards.

No matter how many safety mechanisms we had prepared, if someone carelessly took the wrong step inside the Soul-Destroying Formation, they could no longer escape.

Why had we ultimately failed to find those who had recklessly entered the Soul-Destroying Formation on the Maling Plateau, despite so many others managing to escape alive?

Because there was no way to locate someone who had wandered into one of its two hundred thousand formation routes.

"W-what should we do?"

Yu Jiryang's voice would not stop trembling.

It seemed the people of the Nine Great Sects had already held him responsible for what happened before I arrived.

"Please... wait a moment."

I quickly looked around.

If the security had been breached, then those responsible for guarding the place were surely being questioned.

I spotted two people off to one side of the main training ground, looking miserable as they were being interrogated.

I immediately moved toward them.

Yu Jiryang hurried after me.

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

The man who appeared to be the guards' superior stopped questioning them and turned away, and I asked the person who had stood guard last night several questions.

While I was listening to the guards, someone abruptly interrupted.

"Yu Jiryang. And academy student Jin Sowoon."

Yu Jiryang flinched and turned his head.

An instructor stood there, glaring at the two of us with an expression like an evil spirit.

"The elders of the Alliance wish to hear an explanation. Come with me."

#

A platform had been erected in the center of the training ground for the demonstration, with more than thirty chairs arranged upon it.

Now every single seat was occupied, and even more related personnel had gathered behind the chairs.

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

Yu Jiryang was shaking so badly that even I could feel it while walking beside him.

I briefly placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Great Hero Yu, perhaps you should calm yourself a little."

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

"If it's too difficult, I can go alone."

Yu Jiryang visibly brightened at my words, then thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"Whatever happened, I am the person responsible for this Soul-Destroying Formation. I must go."

"..."

Yu Jiryang trudged toward the platform like an ox being dragged to the slaughterhouse.

Unlike how it had looked from afar, the platform was already occupied by Murim Alliance Leader Hyeok Mugang, Chief Strategist Jegal Somyeong, and all the members of the Elder Hall.

"What exactly happened?"

"How was this place managed so poorly that children could freely enter and leave such a dangerous ultimate formation?"

"What is there even to hear? Dismantle the formation immediately and punish those responsible according to the Alliance's laws."

The moment we arrived, angry shouts erupted from every direction.

Moreover, the members of the Elder Hall seemed unable to control their emotions, releasing killing intent as they shouted.

Those who had gathered to watch the demonstration immediately fell silent at the ominous atmosphere.

The tension was so precarious that it felt like crossing a bridge while stepping on the edges of blades.

"How long is the academy representative going to remain silent?!"

"Speak immediately!"

"This is what happens when someone who doesn't even understand the basics is made representative. The representative should be replaced at once."

Soon, the arrows of criticism began flying toward me as well.

As the space filled with sharp words until it became complete chaos, Jegal Somyeong finally seemed unable to tolerate it any longer and spoke.

"Everyone, be quiet!"

At Jegal Somyeong's roar, the elders closed their mouths.

The entire area fell into a silence that felt as though we had entered the Soul-Destroying Formation itself.

"I'll ask. How many people entered in total?"

Once Jegal Somyeong took control of the discussion, everyone's attention shifted toward him.

With every gaze now fixed on him, Yu Jiryang stammered as he answered.

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

"According to the report? Are you saying the number isn't certain?"

"N-no. Their companions told us, so the number is certain."

"Good. They entered. Why exactly is that such a serious problem?"

"Normally, anyone who enters the Soul-Destroying Formation should come back out within one double-hour. But the people who entered during the Tiger Hour yesterday still haven't emerged even though it is now the Snake Hour. That means they became lost inside."

"If they've become lost, can they not simply find their way out again?"

"The Soul-Destroying Formation has no fixed reference point. You must use your own steps as the standard and follow the route according to its rules."

"But if even a single step is wrong..."

At Yu Jiryang's explanation, the elders' expressions began to darken.

"Why hasn't the safety mechanism activated?"

"The safety mechanism exists to prevent people from entering anywhere other than the formation's entrance. It was never intended for those entering through the proper entrance."

"Then you're saying there is no safety mechanism for them?"

"It is an ultimate formation for which such a safety mechanism cannot be created in the first place. That is why the number of participants must be strictly controlled and everyone must enter only through the designated life-and-death gate..."

Just as Yu Jiryang was about to blame those who had entered without permission, Daoist Myeonghyeon abruptly cut him off.

"So in the end, our children are trapped inside a dangerous ultimate formation with no safety mechanism."

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

Jegal Somyeong frowned, but Daoist Myeonghyeon continued as though he did not care.

"What are the chances that they will come out on their own?"

"...None."

"Hah. Truly unbelievable."

Wearing an utterly exasperated expression, Myeonghyeon turned toward the Murim Alliance Leader.

"Alliance Leader, this is a grave matter that could cost the lives of academy students who will carry the Alliance's future. We must dismantle the Soul-Destroying Formation immediately and rescue the children."

Murim Alliance Leader Hyeok Mugang looked toward Yu Jiryang and asked,

"I heard the Infinite Buddha Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation cannot be dismantled, just as its name suggests. Is there a method?"

"Th-the fifty pillars forming the central axis of the Soul-Destroying Formation were designed to collapse after one month, so the formation will disappear then... but there is a problem."

"A problem?"

"The flow of time experienced inside the Soul-Destroying Formation differs from the outside. Because of that, even remaining inside for a single day feels equivalent to staying there for seven full days and nights."

"Even though it isn't real time, it still directly affects those inside?"

"Those trapped in the Jegal Family's ultimate formation known as the Sleeping Demon Great Formation suffocate to death..."

"This is an effect we ourselves experienced for the first time while recreating the formation. The problem is that those who entered without permission yesterday..."

"Wait!"

Yu Jiryang stopped speaking and looked toward Daoist Myeonghyeon.

"Stop using phrases like 'without permission' and 'unauthorized personnel' to avoid responsibility. This happened because you failed to properly manage the formation."

The elders nodded as though agreeing with Daoist Myeonghyeon.

Yu Jiryang's face turned deathly pale, and he looked completely dazed.

"Continue."

"Y-yes. The people who entered yesterday did not take emergency rations with them."

Daoist Myeonghyeon shook his head before turning toward the Alliance Leader.

"Alliance Leader, there is nothing more to hear. We must forcefully dismantle the formation immediately."

The Murim Alliance Leader also nodded as though agreeing with Myeonghyeon.

"Is there a way to dismantle it by force?"

At the Alliance Leader's question, Yu Jiryang's lips trembled.

"If the fifty pillars I mentioned earlier are destroyed simultaneously... it should be possible."

"Then do it immediately."

At Myeonghyeon's words, Yu Jiryang looked as though he might die on the spot.

Unable to watch him any longer, I stepped forward.

"That is impossible."

"...This does not seem like a place for you to interfere right now. We will question you later, so stay out of this for now."

Ignoring Daoist Myeonghyeon, I looked toward the Alliance Leader and Chief Strategist.

"To forcibly dismantle the Soul-Destroying Formation, fifty people must enter through the life-and-death gate, accurately take their designated directions, and destroy the pillars simultaneously."

"However, that is only a theoretical example. You must consider that if it fails, another fifty people could become trapped inside the Soul-Destroying Formation."

The moment I finished speaking, deep sighs arose from every direction.

"Hah!"

"How could..."

"Why did you create something like that in the first place?"

Even the Murim Alliance Leader and Chief Strategist fell silent after hearing my explanation.

Unable to suppress his anger any longer, Myeonghyeon shouted.

"How will you take responsibility for this?! Isn't this disaster the result of you recklessly trying to keep your position as representative?!"

I slowly turned my head.

Then I looked at Daoist Myeonghyeon, whose face had turned bright red.

"Why should I take responsibility?"

"W-what? You dare..."

"I spoke with those who stood watch last night. They said twenty people came together and ordered them to change shifts earlier than scheduled. During that process, the name of the Righteous Path Association was mentioned."

"That is absurd..."

I cut off Daoist Myeonghyeon and continued.

"How does the Diancang Sect deal with someone who secretly steals a look at another person's martial arts?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I placed a limit on participation because of restrictions in funding and space. The purpose of the event was to transmit the secrets of the Soul-Destroying Formation to those who had formally registered."

"But people who did not even participate in the event secretly tried to steal those secrets and caused this disaster. Naturally, shouldn't they receive punishment rather than reward?"

The faces of Daoist Myeonghyeon and the other elders turned scarlet.

"Naturally, I bear no responsibility for this matter. Nor does Great Hero Yu Jiryang standing here."

"They brought the danger upon themselves, and that danger came entirely from their own personal greed."

I subtly infused my voice with internal energy so that everyone gathered there could hear me.

"As I just explained, there is a method to dismantle the Soul-Destroying Formation. Those among the elders who can survive for roughly one hundred days on only the minimum amount of food and water may risk their lives and attempt it."

"If they succeed, they can save the academy students who did something foolish."

At the words "one hundred days," not a single elder answered.

"Otherwise, those who conspired to make this happen and carried it out should step forward. The ones who intimidated and threatened the guards and recklessly forced this plan through."

I turned and looked around the entire gathering.

Among the academy students, the members of the Righteous Path Association glared at me with fierce killing intent.

"Who will step forward?"

"The elders and senior members of the sects?"

"Or those who, despite being academy students, never cared in the slightest about the representative's instructions?"

"Who will it be?"

After I finished speaking, no one said a word.

The area was so silent that even the sound of an ant passing by could have been heard.

No longer caring about anyone's reactions, I filled my voice with internal energy and shouted.

"Is there no one?! Academy students are dying inside the Soul-Destroying Formation right now! Is there truly no one willing to risk their life for them?!"

I looked toward where the members of the Righteous Path Association were gathered.

Then I addressed the person standing at their center.

"Academy student Ilgak! I do not believe you were uninvolved in this matter. Do you have no intention of stepping forward?"

What a strange sight.

The monks of Shaolin were glaring at me as though they wanted to kill me.

Even the demonic practitioners from my previous life probably had never received looks like that from them.

Just as I was about to press them again, Jegal Somyeong stepped forward.

"Enough."

Jegal Somyeong swept his gaze across the members of the Elder Hall as though looking at garbage, then continued.

"The urgent matter right now is not who bears responsibility. It is how we can save those trapped inside. Is there truly no way?"

"If we could search all two hundred thousand formation routes, we could save them."

"There may be two hundred thousand routes, but you only taught three actual paths. If we calculate the routes branching from those three, the number should not be nearly as large."

As expected, not just anyone could become Chief Strategist.

I nodded.

"Correct."

"Then the most likely method is for people who understand the Soul-Destroying Formation well to enter and rescue them."

Yu Jiryang slowly raised his hand.

"My sect's art practitioners and I may have built the Soul-Destroying Formation, but we cannot move freely within it."

"The person who has been rescuing people trapped inside the Soul-Destroying Formation all this time is..."

Yu Jiryang left the sentence unfinished and looked at me.

Jegal Somyeong nodded as though he had expected exactly that.

"Then you will have to go."

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

As though it were only natural that I should step forward.

I shook my head.

"I refuse."

"What?"

"What the Chief Strategist said is only theoretical. In reality, I would have to risk my life."

"But I see no reason why I should risk my life over something that was never my responsibility in the first place."

"And you still call yourself the academy representative?!"

I answered Daoist Myeonghyeon's furious shout.

"I am the academy representative, but most academy students have never acknowledged me as their representative."

"You expect me to shoulder responsibility and even risk my life for people like that? Why should I?"

"I refuse."

"Hah..."

Daoist Myeonghyeon and the elders trembled with rage.

Jegal Somyeong stared at me expressionlessly for a moment before speaking.

"The academy representative is correct."

"Those who entered the Soul-Destroying Formation broke academy rules and ruined an important event funded by the Alliance."

"They deserve punishment comparable to the crime of stealing another person's martial arts."

"Chief Strategist!"

"You cannot mean that!"

"That cannot be allowed!"

Jegal Somyeong glared at Daoist Myeonghyeon and the others.

"Then will you simply stand by and watch your disciples die?"

Jegal Somyeong raised his voice so that the entire main training ground could hear.

"Those who led this incident and those who recklessly entered the Soul-Destroying Formation without permission will be expelled from the academy. Anyone else connected to this matter will also face disciplinary action."

Ignoring the murmurs that broke out among the crowd, Jegal Somyeong looked at me.

"Academy Representative, can you bring the students back so they may receive their rightful punishment?"

I could watch those bastards from the Righteous Path Association get expelled?

"I will absolutely bring them back!!!"

Even if my life was on the line, there was no way I could pass up something like this.