I Somehow Became the Leader of the Black Faction - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Leader of the Black Path Alliance

The Leader of the Black Path Alliance – Episode 1

Episode 1

“Huh…?”

Rumble… Crash!

Whoosh!

Thunder roared and lightning struck.

Rain poured down so heavily that it was impossible to see ahead.

That was the weather on the day the Leader of the Black Path Alliance died.

“We must choose a new Alliance Leader immediately.”

The future of the Black Path Alliance seemed as bleak as the darkness itself.

In the dimly lit, clandestine chamber, a dozen figures gathered.

The only light between them came from a single candle burning in the center of the table.

A man with a long, jagged scar across his cheek broke the silence with a cold voice. “As you know, the Alliance Leader is dead. His death was suspicious. Naturally, we must thoroughly investigate his demise. But more importantly, the position of Alliance Leader cannot remain vacant for even a moment.”

“But… didn’t the Young Alliance Leader also turn up dead?” someone interjected, challenging the man’s words.

Hearing the words that confirmed what I didn’t want to believe, I finally grasped the severity of the Black Path Alliance’s situation.

“Head of House Gok, do you have a proposal?”

Gok Cheon-mu, the head of the Gok Family of the Tyrant Blade, one of the seven families that sustain the Black Path Alliance, smiled faintly.

“It’s simple. When the Black Path Alliance was first established, the strongest in martial prowess became the Alliance Leader. If there’s no clear successor to the deceased Alliance Leader, then the head of the Black Sword Thousand Family, who possesses the greatest martial strength, should…”

“No. That’s impossible,” a woman interrupted before Gok Cheon-mu could finish.

Gok Cheon-mu frowned and shot the woman a cold glare.

“Woman. Who dared interrupt me? Do you still think the Alliance Leader who protected you is by your side? Or are you emboldened by your father’s influence? You’d do well to think carefully before speaking. Your title as Strategist means nothing to me.”

Yun Seo-rin, the young genius Strategist of the Black Path Alliance, frowned.

After the Alliance Leader’s death, she had anticipated that the Head of the Gok Family, if not others, would treat her this way. Therefore, she wasn’t surprised.

But she was still displeased.

Sigh…

Yun Seo-rin let out a deep sigh and met Gok Cheon-mu’s gaze directly.

“If you hadn’t been spouting such nonsense, I would have listened quietly.”

“What did you say?”

Thud!

Gok Cheon-mu slammed his fist on the table, his anger evident.

Yun Seo-rin, however, let out a faint smile.

“Since you seem to be ignorant, I’ll explain it myself. The heads of the Seven Wicked Families are barred from becoming the Leader of the Black Path Alliance. This is a pact we made when forming an alliance with the Murim Alliance.”

“Hmph! What a pathetic excuse! What’s so sacred about some mere pact? How dare the Murim Alliance interfere with our Black Path’s ascension to the pinnacle! If we must tiptoe around them, I’d rather fight them head-on!”

Yun Seo-rin shook her head slightly.

That fool must have forgotten.

The other family heads aren’t challenging my words. Why is that?

Swoosh.

Yun Seo-rin swept a strand of hair from her face and let out a faint sigh.

“We’re not communicating. Should I try to put it more plainly? If you ignore me one more time, I’ll resign as Strategist.”

Gok Cheon-mu snorted. “Hmph! Such sweet words.”

“Ah, and since you mentioned my father earlier, I should live up to that expectation, shouldn’t I? Our Black Dragon Yun Family will also withdraw from the Black Path Alliance.”

This time, he couldn’t laugh. “Wh-what? Are you daring to threaten me now?!”

“Yes, that’s right. A threat. Fortunately, you seem intelligent enough to recognize it as such?”

Gok Cheon-mu’s face turned crimson. He looked ready to lunge at Yun Seo-rin and grab her slender neck. The air around him practically crackled with murderous intent.

Yet Yun Seo-rin didn’t flinch. Instead, she chuckled.

“Heh heh. What do you think would happen if the Black Dragon Yun Family left the Black Path Alliance? We are a family with a long and proud tradition. Many sects and clans follow our Yun Family. Moreover, the economic power of Zhejiang is entirely in our hands. How about it? Do you understand now? Why I’m in this position? I’m even worried that the other Seven Wicked Families might ostracize the Gok Family instead.”

“How dare you…!”

Yun Seo-rin shook her head vigorously.

“Yes, how dare you! If you dared to oppose the Murim Alliance, you should have been prepared for the consequences! Listen carefully. The moment we fall out of favor with the Murim Alliance, the Black Path Alliance is finished. And what about without the Black Dragon Yun Family? Can the Gok Family alone stop them? Can they stop the Black Sword Thousand Family? The Head of House Gok’s wayward son would be the first to lose his life to those self-proclaimed chivalrous heroes.”

At Yun Seo-rin’s declaration, the air in the secret chamber instantly turned icy. Had they only now realized the implications of the Black Path Alliance’s position? Was the future they faced now becoming clear?

No one dared to speak. Even Gok Cheon-mu was no exception. He hadn’t expected her to openly threaten to leave the Black Path Alliance so brazenly.

Damn it. Under normal circumstances, that statement would have been enough to cause serious trouble.

Only the unique circumstances surrounding the Leader of the Black Path Alliance’s death made her threat effective.

After a tense silence, a low voice broke the quiet. “What’s your alternative?”

The already frigid air seemed to freeze even further. Yun Seo-rin, who had been relentlessly pressuring Gok Cheon-mu, now turned her gaze, her face hardening.

The man seated at the head of the table—the Head of the Black Sword Thousand Family—stared at her indifferently.

Yun Seo-rin swallowed dryly and slowly replied, “There is one. Someone who can take the place of the Alliance Leader.”

“Who is it?”

The voice was as devoid of emotion as his gaze.

I felt an oppressive pressure far greater than the murderous intent Gok Cheon-mu had shown.

Yun Seo-rin clenched her fists, desperately trying to maintain her composure.

“About twenty years ago, when we first formed an alliance with the Murim Alliance. As you know, it wasn’t a true alliance, but a humiliating one forced upon us by their superior power. As a token of this alliance, the Alliance Leader’s son was sent to the Murim Alliance as a hostage, a symbol of our alliance.”

The man paused in thought, then nodded. “Yes, I remember.”

“He’s still at the Murim Alliance.”

The man chuckled. “How amusing. He’s still alive?”

“We’ve received occasional news. The Alliance Leader… he misses him.”

Even after adopting another son, the pain never faded.

“Very well.”

“……!!”

At the man’s words, all eyes turned to him.

Yun Seo-rin, who had initiated the conversation, couldn’t help but be flustered.

She had prepared extensively to persuade them, but to think he would accept so readily!

Gok Cheon-mu immediately protested.

“Wait! Brother! This isn’t something to be taken lightly! We know what kind of man that is! Frankly, he’s been drinking the waters of the Black Path for twenty years! Twenty years is more than enough time to become the Alliance Leader’s lackey…!”

But Gok Cheon-mu couldn’t finish his sentence.

The man’s indifferent gaze silenced him.

“The Strategist will handle this matter personally.”

With those words, the man left the room.

No one dared speak.

They couldn’t fathom the man’s intentions, nor predict the future that lay ahead.

With nothing to anticipate, the remaining members one by one filed out of the secret chamber.

Bang!

Only after Gok Cheon-mu, the last one to leave, slammed the table in a fit of frustration did Yun Seo-rin finally find herself alone.

“Haa…”

Had she overcome a great mountain, or had she merely reached the foothills?

Yun Seo-rin shook her head, clearing her mind of stray thoughts.

“Commander of the Black Dragon Guard.”

As she called out, a man in black emerged from the shadows.

“Greetings, Strategist.”

Yun Seo-rin spoke without even glancing at him.

“Entrust the retrieval of the Alliance Leader’s son to the Black Dragon Guard.”

She pulled a small piece of paper from her robes and handed it to him.

“This description is based on the testimony of a spy who saw the Alliance Leader’s son long ago. I’ve estimated his current appearance and included basic information like his name and age, so finding him shouldn’t be difficult. The Murim Alliance will also formally request his return.”

The Commander of the Black Dragon Guard’s lips moved as if he wanted to ask something, but he ultimately retreated in silence.

Only then did Yun Seo-rin’s icy gaze turn to where the Commander of the Black Dragon Guard had stood. Her eyes held a complex mix of emotions, though her thoughts remained hidden.

Six hours had passed since the Leader of the Black Path Alliance’s death.

Outside, the thunder still raged unabated.

Gok Cheon-mu emerged, immediately intending to seek out the Black Sword Thousand Family.

But someone was waiting for him.

Cho I-gyeom, the head of the Bipung Chu Family, one of the Seven Wicked Families.

Gok Cheon-mu’s face twisted into a scowl.

“I have no business with you. Get out of my way.”

Cho I-gyeom grinned good-naturedly.

“Hahaha. Our Head of House Gok seems quite displeased. Still, you should hear me out. Don’t needlessly antagonize the Head of the Cheon Family.”

“Are you looking to die?”

At the killing intent radiating from Gok Cheon-mu, Cho I-gyeom wrapped his arms around himself and shook his head vigorously.

“That’s ridiculous! At least consider my perspective. Why else would someone from the Yun Family come to you?”

Only then did the murderous intent in Gok Cheon-mu’s eyes subside.

“Let’s make this quick. I have no desire to waste time talking to trash like you.”

A long smile spread across Cho I-gyeom’s lips.

“Of course. Let me state my business first. I have information for sale, if you’re willing to pay a high price.”

Gok Cheon-mu glared at the glint in Cho I-gyeom’s eyes, his own lips curling into a long smile.

“This is going to be a long conversation.”

The two men immediately walked off together, pushing through the downpour.

Gulp.

The sound of him swallowing echoed like thunder.

The Murim Alliance’s entrance examination, held once every four years, began.

The first test took place in a clearing behind the mountain, where candidates struck large rocks with wooden swords.

Hundreds of candidates took turns striking the rocks.

“For every strong action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

As the examiners explained, those with superior martial arts skill left hairline cracks on the rocks or sent fragments flying. Most candidates were assessed by the volume of the sound their strikes produced.

Skin as white as snow.

Elegantly arched eyebrows and lips tinged with red.

A man so handsome he could be mistaken for a woman stood before the rock, his face tense.

Some stared at the striking man, captivated by his appearance.

An indescribable aura emanated from him, fueled by an unidentifiable sadness in his eyes.

A suffocating pressure gripped his chest, keeping him from tearing his eyes away from the man.

Did the man sense their gaze? He swallowed hard, trying to ease his tension.

“Hey! Hurry up! Do you even know how many are left behind you?!”

The examiner’s aggressive tone did nothing to alleviate the tension.

Tch. He’s really laying into me.

This was nothing like the impression he’d expected of the Murim Alliance.

Swoosh.

The man moved slowly.

His longsword, raised high in the air,

Screeeech!

and dropped like lightning.

Clang!

“Huh?”

A foolish exclamation rang out, followed by snickers from the crowd.

The examiner, unable to hide his bewilderment, announced the result:

“Seo Woo-jin, Fail!”

The man called Seo Woo-jin, his face flushed crimson, fled the testing grounds as if pursued by demons.

Only then did the crowd burst into raucous laughter.

“Hahahaha! I thought he was some hidden son of a powerful clan, but he’s just a greenhorn!”

“Heh. The nerve to try and join the Murim Alliance with that skill. Is he shameless or just clueless? Tsk tsk.”

The examiner grumbled irritably as he tore up the paper with Seo Woo-jin’s information.

“Damn it! Every dog and his brother wants to join the Murim Alliance now. Next! Hurry up and get here!”

The examiner clicked his tongue and glared at the rock.

His movements were clearly the Blue Dragon’s Flash, a basic sword technique from the Eighteen Swords of the Wind. His posture was textbook perfect… but no internal energy, and his natural strength was nothing special.

The examiner shook his head, dismissing the man from his mind.

He was just doing his job, conducting the examination as instructed.

Sigh…

Seo Woo-jin trudged along, his shoulders slumped.

I followed Grandpa’s teachings exactly. Why didn’t it work…?

No, that wasn’t right.

Grandpa had always been like that.

“With your pathetic cultivation, you’d be lucky to die in a ditch! So stop chasing foolish dreams!”

He’d always dismissed it as just his grandfather trying to torment him.

Could it be true after all?

Damn it! Even so! I worked so hard! What’s the point of all that effort?!

He could have made a louder sound just by smashing down with pure brute force.

Seo Woo-jin let out another deep sigh and shook his head.

“Damn it all… I should just go back to the mountains. I’ll live out my days as a farmer from now on. Heroics? What a joke. The Murim Alliance? Bullshit.”

With no lingering attachments and no one to hold him back, he felt he had nothing to lose.
His nagging grandfather was no longer around to scold him.
Just as he resolved to pull himself together, he heard a soft swish.
A group of men blocked his path, all clad in black.
Seo Woo-jin was startled but managed to speak calmly.
“W-what is it?”
His voice trembled slightly, but fortunately, they didn’t seem to notice.
The most menacing-looking man stepped forward.
“Excuse us. And we’ll continue to be rude. May we ask your name?”
“W-what? Why would you need that…?”
“It’s simple. Just tell us your name and age, and we’ll leave peacefully.”
Seo Woo-jin’s pupils dilated wildly.

Why are they suddenly asking for my name and age? And all of them, swarming here like this?

What’s going on? What do they want? Why? Who are they? Damn it. Am I going to die the moment I’m born? Is the martial world as ruthless as Grandpa said?

Damn it. As if.

Seo Woo-jin subtly shifted his weight, shifting one foot back and casually moving his hand towards the hilt of his sword.

“Seo Woo-jin. I’m twenty-six this year.”

“…!!”

The men in black visibly stirred.

Now’s my chance to take out the one at the front…

The moment he was about to draw his sword in one swift motion, the men in black collectively knelt on one knee.

“We greet you, Young Alliance Leader—!!”

Unable to even draw his sword, Seo Woo-jin was forced to wear a bewildered expression.

“Huh…?” he stammered, letting out a dumbfounded sound.

At the same time, at the Murim Alliance’s entrance examination site:

“W-What on earth…!”

The examiner couldn’t finish his sentence.

While waiting for the next candidate, a massive boulder had crumbled on its own.

“W-What in the world was that…!”

That was the very boulder Seo Woo-jin had struck, the one everyone had mocked earlier.