A voice interrupted—deep, casual, unsettling. The masked men and the monk turned sharply. A figure crouched atop a boulder twice a man's height, watching them with an amused expression.
"You dare speak our holy leader's name so carelessly?!" one of the bandits shouted.
The monk gasped. It was the swordsman.
"So it's true," the stranger said. "You were sent all by that thief, Guangdu, right?"
"You ignorant swine—how dare you insult our Master!"
The swordsman chuckled, rising to his feet. "Just as I thought."
He leapt lightly down. One masked man lunged—and was instantly grabbed by the collar and flung down the mountain path, his scream echoing.
"Fun, isn't it? Who's next?"
The others charged in fury, swinging weapons wildly. One by one, they were cast aside like leaves in the wind, tumbling down the slope.
The monk looked up in awe as the swordsman approached.
"D-did my master send you?" he asked in a trembling voice.
The stranger extended a hand. "Your master—he's Mandun of Hyundo Temple, isn't he?"
The boy shrank back. "You can't take this. I must offer it to Great Master Guangdu."
The stranger folded his arms. "Go ahead. Keep backing up, and you'll end up joining the rest of those thugs at the bottom."
The boy glanced behind him—there was a steep drop just beyond the rocks.
"I won't go back to Hyundo Temple. I… I've chosen my path."
The man stepped back. "My name's Goi. Your master asked me to look after his foolish disciple—not to drag you back."
The boy stood up, stunned. "He… he did? Why?"
Goi shrugged. "Who knows what he's thinking? But it's a good thing I found you just in time. So, where are you headed now?"
"To Great Master Guangdu. I must give him this statue."
Goi smiled faintly. "Very well. I'll come with you. Who knows? There might be more of those bandits around."
Goi walked along the mountain path, with Nogani trailing beside him. The young monk kept glancing up at the swordsman—first with lingering fear from the earlier fight, but now with growing curiosity. There was something oddly mischievous in the man's face, a boyish grin beneath all that power.
He doesn't seem to be leading me into a trap… nor does he want anything from me.
And strangely, whenever their eyes met—those playful eyes with a hint of amusement—Nogani found himself oddly comforted.
"So, how did you come to meet this fraud Guangdu?" Goi asked casually, breaking the silence.
Nogani flinched at the casual tone. He felt relieved at the shift in mood, but found it improper that someone would refer to the revered Master so informally. Still, there was little he could do to correct the man, so he chose a softer form of defiance—clarifying the title.
"Great Master Guangdu is a truly enlightened soul," Nogani said proudly. "He is the living incarnation of Maitreya, destined to sweep away the corruption and wickedness of this world."
Goi did not interrupt, merely nodding slightly, allowing the boy to speak.
"I first met the Great Master at Woonrak Falls. My master—he always scolded me, always warned me never to go near the falls, or beyond them. The more he said it, the more curious I became."
Goi chuckled softly. "Well, they do say—nothing tempts the heart like what's forbidden."
"Exactly!" Nogani exclaimed. "My master's just jealous. If there's someone greater than him out there, he should've told me. But no—he's petty, afraid I'd leave him once I met Great Master Guangdu."
He shot a side glance at Goi, only to find that mischievous grin again.
"I saw it with my own eyes," he continued passionately. "Great Master Guangdu descended slowly from the top of the falls, riding the mist like a god. He is truly the Maitreya reborn."
"Did he say that himself?" Goi asked dryly.
"What does it matter?" Nogani huffed. "Once you see his power, even you'll believe in him."
Goi tilted his head. "Then why does your 'Living Buddha' need a golden statue the size of a man's arm?"
Nogani's lips tightened. He was annoyed by the man's tone, but convinced that even this disrespectful stranger would one day kneel before Great Master.
"His divine energy was diminished upon reincarnation," he explained. "That's why he needs this statue—it will restore his fullness."
Before he could elaborate, Nogani bumped into Goi's back. Goi had stopped walking. Ahead, a rope bridge swayed over a chasm.
Peering ahead, Nogani's face lit up. "Ah! The Cloud Bridge. Just past that is the Hojung village."
He glanced back at Goi with a teasing smile. "You're not afraid of heights, are you?"
But Goi didn't move. He stood firmly, blocking Nogani's path. "Out," he said.
From the trees on either side of the path, masked figures emerged.
"Shame," one of them said. "Would've been more fun on the bridge."
"What's the difference? Just beat them and take it."
Nogani reeled in alarm. Goi half-drew his bronze gladius, checking the reflection of the bandits in its surface. One bandit's eyes lit up.
"Hey! That golden sword—it's mine!"
Goi smirked. "You want it? Be my guest."
He fully unsheathed the blade, which shimmered faintly in his hand.
"Now tell me—why is foul energy clinging to every one of you?" He stepped forward, and with each step, the sword glowed brighter.
Drawn by the golden gleam of the blade, the bandits circled him like starving wolves.
Their eyes gleamed. Just as one raised his hand to signal an attack, Goi spun on the spot.
"Cleansed!"
He swung the blade in a wide arc and returned it to its sheath in one fluid motion. The strike left behind a ring of golden light that rippled outward. In a heartbeat, some bandits dropped unconscious. Others collapsed to their knees, their eyes dazed, blinking in confusion.
Goi walked among them. He lightly tapped one groaning bandit with the tip of his boot. The man blinked, slowly regaining his senses—then immediately fell flat, prostrating.
"Forgive me, General! I must've been possessed!"
Goi crouched beside him. "You were. What's the last thing you remember? Something that made you feel good—your happiest moment, maybe?"
The bandit hesitated. "When I saw my boss at the falls. That moment, sir…"
Goi's gaze darkened. "Your boss—is it Guangdu?"
"Yes, sir."
Goi stood, patting the man's head, then sent him flying with a swift spinning kick.
He turned to Nogani, who had thrown himself to the ground, praying feverishly to every Buddha he could name.
"Guangdu's at the falls, is he?" Goi said quietly.
Nogani looked up, startled by the voice. He gaped at the fallen bandits around him.
"What happened to them?!"
Goi shook his head. "I'll go alone to Woonrak Falls. You—turn back if your heart has changed."
"Changed?" Nogani sprang up. "Never! I must bring this statue to Great Master Guangdu."
He marched ahead, resolute.
Goi let out a faint chuckle. "I thought he was possessed… but it turns out he's just a fool with misplaced faith."
And with that, Goi followed him across the Cloud Bridge.