Night, outside the Crimson Spine Sect Outpost
The air over the mountain slope shimmered like wet silk beneath the moonlight. A patrol of robed guards paced the narrow path that led to the outpost carved into the cliffside. The Crimson Spine Sect hadn't yet reinforced this forward base — a mistake they'd regret by dawn.
A silent figure stood atop a pine, watching.
He wore a loose robe of midnight blue, faceless beneath a carved mask of charred silver. At his back, five chained medallions flickered faintly — one for each element. Flame. Earth. Water. Wind. Lightning.
No name, no clan crest. Only rumors and fear.
The martial world had begun whispering about a rogue expert who struck corruption with elemental fury. Those who saw him never found proof of who he was.
They simply called him: Musang Oje — The Elementless Sovereign.
He lifted a hand.
Fwsssh!
A spiral of wind kicked up dust. A sleeping guard choked as his breath was stolen. Before he could cry out—
Whip!
A tendril of fire snaked from the trees and bound his mouth shut. The last thing he saw was a masked silhouette descending from above like a specter.
---
Within the outpost — 10 minutes later
Sun-Ho — now fully in the role of Musang Oje — stepped across the cracked stone courtyard. Eight men lay unconscious behind him, not dead, but broken in pride.
He reached the inner sanctum, where crates of weapons and coded scrolls filled the room. As his gloved hands flicked through the parchments, his eyes narrowed.
"Alliance ballots… forged names… cultivation poison records…" he murmured.
He tucked the damning scrolls into his inner robes.
A sudden burst of killing intent washed over the chamber. He didn't turn.
"Not many dare enter here alone," came a deep voice behind him.
"Even fewer leave," Sun-Ho replied calmly.
From the shadows stepped a tall man — broad, with grey-streaked hair and eyes like polished steel. A mid-level elder, Grandmaster realm. Probably sent to oversee the outpost quietly.
"I don't know who you are," the elder said, "but you're dead the moment you removed those scrolls."
Sun-Ho tilted his head. "Are you sure? Because you've got a slight tremble in your right wrist — and a burn on your sleeve."
The elder frowned.
"You already fought me. And you lost."
Thud!
The elder collapsed. A sealed pressure point in his spine released just enough Qi for breath — but not speech or motion.
Sun-Ho crouched beside him. "You'll live. But your information won't."
He stood, tossing a slow grin behind the mask. "I recommend less arrogance and better guards next time."
Boom!
A gust of wind burst behind him as he leapt into the night, disappearing like a forgotten flame.
---
At a forest clearing — Later that night
The party had just finished cleaning up camp when a new gust of wind swirled the embers.
Master Jang looked up with a grin. "Ah. He's back."
So-Ri narrowed her eyes. "You sensed him?"
"Of course. He still walks like a righteous brat, even in disguise."
A moment later, Sun-Ho stepped out from the trees, mask gone, robe changed. His hair was slightly singed.
Ma-Rok blinked. "Where'd you go?"
"Scouting," Sun-Ho said.
Yeon held up his board:
"You mean beating people up and stealing their secrets?"
Sun-Ho shrugged, pretending to look innocent. "A little of both."
Ji-Mun raised an eyebrow. "Anything useful?"
Sun-Ho tossed a scroll to Yul-Rin. "See for yourself. The Crimson Spine is planting fake names in the alliance ballots. They're backing a puppet."
Yul-Rin opened it. "These are the fake elders they've bribed…"
Master Jang took the scroll, eyes narrowing. "Then our mission becomes clear. We need to purge these names — or publicly expose them before the Summit of Blades."
So-Ri tapped her fan thoughtfully. "You're suggesting political warfare, not just martial conflict?"
"We do both," Sun-Ho said. "We reveal the scrolls during a public duel — where we crush their chosen candidate and their lies."
Ma-Rok grinned. "Ooh, I like where this is going."
Yeon scratched something into his slate:
"Can I explode someone with fire next time?"
Sun-Ho patted his head. "Only if they deserve it."
---
Morning — A nearby village tavern
The group entered for breakfast. They were dusty, bruised, and oddly cheerful.
The innkeeper stared at the ragtag crew of travelers — a noble girl, a healer, a giant in armor, a quiet kid, and a lazy master. And their leader, a quiet young man who looked entirely too average.
The villagers watched them whispering, pointing subtly.
Ji-Mun leaned over. "Word's spreading."
"Good," Sun-Ho said, smirking faintly. "Let them think I'm just the public face."
So-Ri nudged him. "And Musang Oje?"
Sun-Ho replied, "He's a myth."
Yul-Rin sighed, sipping her tea. "You're lucky we haven't written a ballad yet."
Ma-Rok clapped his hands. "I was thinking! What if we had a team name?"
Everyone groaned.
"What? Come on. It could be poetic. Like 'Flame and Shadow Alliance!' Or 'The Fellowship of the Burn!'"
Yeon scribbled:
"The Dumb Party."
Sun-Ho laughed. "We'll think about it."
Just then, Ji-Mun slipped him a note.
He read it aloud.
"Crimson Spine's main base is three days from here… and they're expecting visitors."
---
Elsewhere
In a crimson hall filled with incense and whispers, a masked woman read the report about the outpost's destruction.
She crumpled the page slowly.
"So… the Sovereign moves."
Another figure in the shadows leaned forward. "Shall we retaliate?"
"No," she said coldly. "We watch. We wait. And when he overreaches…"
Snap!
She crushed the scroll in her hand. "We sever the flame from the shadow."
---
[End of Chapter - 26 ]