Rise of the Fallen Kingdom’s Third Prince

The Green Forest Band Nokrimdo.

According to what Cheongun had once told him, Eastern martial artists who were left without a way to make a living ended up as ronin or bandits, and the bandits would gather in organizations called Nokrim.

They were even considered another sect, known as the Seventy-Two Strongholds of the Green Forest (Nokrim 72 Chae).

“The Green Forest Band? Don’t tell me…”

Yuri focused on a man with his arms crossed standing further back. At first glance, he was Eastern.

“Could it be the Eastern bandits have opened a branch in the West?”

“Well, it seems you know our venerable elders of the Nokrim.”

“Brother, the name of the Nokrim has already spread across the continent!”

Just as Yuri suspected, the man in the back spoke.

“If you know of the East, could it be your trade is that of a merchant?”

“No, my trade is being an excellent husband.”

The other ignored the answer.

“I am the sub-chief of the Blood and Vengeance Fortress, famous among the 72 for my quick and merciless hand. I have come to teach the people of the West the doctrine of the Nokrim.”

“And what is that doctrine?”

“The value of the mountain.”

“What?”

“The mountain is like a mother who gives to us without asking for anything. Have you ever seriously reflected on the value of the mountain?”

“…”

“No, right? That’s why the Nokrim charges you a toll.”

“And why is that?”

“So you may learn the value of the mountain. The mountain is never free, just like freedom.”

“And still, why do you receive that money?”

“Because we will use it for something good.”

“…”

“For the good of the mountain.”

It seemed that, as a group, they had developed their own absurd philosophy.

“Well, it’s perfect for me to find you.”

In any case, Yuri needed an Easterner to discover the origin of the objects Cory had given him. Maybe he wouldn’t even need to reach Liberta—if he captured this man, it might be enough.

“Let’s go.”

“Heh…”

One of the burly men at the front, showing off his muscles, approached Yuri. He seemed to have received martial training from that sub-chief, because his presence was noticeable.

“Hey, you. From the way you talk, it seems you know how to fight. Don’t you use a weapon? Want me to lend you a sword?”

“No.”

“Ha, from the way your eyes are trembling, you’re scared to death…”

“Does this look like trembling to you?”

“I’ll give you one last chance.”

The man twisted his smile. A scar on his face contorted.

“Take a weapon. I’ll wait for you.”

“Are you really going to wait for me?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, waiting for me to take a weapon—you really are different from common bandits.”

“Of course, we follow the teaching of the mountain…”

At that moment—

Bang!

A gunshot thundered. The man fell to the ground, bleeding.

“I don’t bother with those things.”

In Yuri’s hand shone a small silver metallic object. The bandits stepped back, terrified.

“W-what just happened?”

“Magic! That guy’s a mage!”

“A mage can’t attack like that out of nowhere!”

“W-what is that? A weapon?”

Yuri spun the object on his index finger and, with a metallic click, pointed forward again. He grinned shamelessly at the cowering bandits.

“This is a firearm. Scum.”

“Firearm? That sounds familiar…”

“If you want to live, drop your weapons. I won’t kill you.”

“Damn it…”

The standoff grew tense.

“Die, bastard!”

A bandit who had hidden attacked from behind, but Yuri turned and pulled the trigger. The shot hit the man’s thigh, and he fell to the ground screaming.

“Aaaahhh!”

Two down in the blink of an eye. The group murmured uneasily.

“By the gods…”

“I’ve never seen a weapon like that.”

The sub-chief shouted.

“All at once! Whatever that weapon is, he can’t use it continuously. Don’t give him time!”

Yuri whistled.

“Quick to analyze the situation, huh?”

At the sub-chief’s order, the bandits charged. Yuri fired and took down the first one who lunged at him.

“Argh!”

But the others didn’t stop.

“No helping it.”

He drew the sword from his belt. In one hand, the sword; in the other, the firearm.

His own style had been born, combining the new weapon developed in Briol with swordsmanship—pistol swordsmanship. It was the birth of a new lethal technique.

“This is the first time I’ve used it in real combat.”

He analyzed the attackers’ formation and aimed at two giving orders at the front.

Since the weapon was still in development, its accuracy was low; so he used mana to stabilize the barrel and guide the bullets’ trajectory.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The shots landed squarely on their thighs. Three bandits fell bleeding. They weren’t dangerous enough to warrant killing them.

“What the hell!”

“Aaagh!”

“Damn it!”

Those coming from behind tripped over the first ones who fell. One, more skilled, managed to reach Yuri.

“Take this!”

“Uh-huh.”

Yuri blocked his thrust and shot at his thigh. But the enemy, who had already figured out how to avoid the shot, pulled back his leg just in time. The bullet lodged in the ground.

That sudden movement threw him off balance, and Yuri’s sword came down on his shoulder.

“If you move, you’ll get hurt.”

“Agh!”

The slash made him drop his weapon, and a shot to the leg took him down.

The rest kept advancing, refusing to give up. Yuri retreated while shooting.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The bullets were running out. With a motion, he ejected the magazine and loaded another from his belt.

“We’ve got you now!”

Several surrounded him, but Yuri’s sword was even deadlier than the gun. All ended up with cuts on their legs, down on the ground.

Finally, they understood they couldn’t beat him.

“He’s too strong…”

“We’re going to lose…”

“He’s stronger than the Nokrim!”

Yuri let out a dry laugh.

“You’re only realizing that now?”

The bandits began to flee.

The sub-chief, who claimed to come from the East, was the first to turn his back and run.

“How shameless.”

He could let the others go, but not that one. Yuri assessed the terrain—he was at a certain distance, and obstacles blocked the line of fire. In such a situation, a single shot wouldn’t be enough.

He sheathed his sword at his waist and drew another pistol hanging from his side.

Two guns.

Pistol swordsmanship style: dual-shot mode with concentrated fire.

With a pistol in each hand, Yuri ran after the bandits, but suddenly leapt to the side in a perfect arc.

At the highest point, through trunks and leaves, he saw the sub-chief’s legs and unleashed a rapid barrage with both pistols.

Bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang!

The bullets, reinforced with the Soul and Heart Slash technique, flew tracing spirals in the air.

“Aaargh!”

The sub-chief collapsed in a mess. Seeing him, the others stopped in terror.

“I surrender!”

“Please spare our lives, sir!”

“I only ask that you let me live!”

“We won’t resist.”

Yuri landed gracefully, spun the two pistols around his fingers, and blew the smoke from the barrels.

“Too easy.”

He holstered the weapons and calmly walked over to the sub-chief, while the rest lay face down on the ground.

“What do you think?”

“Huh?”

“I’m asking what you think of my sword-and-gun combat technique.”

“I-it was incredible.”

“Of course it was.”

Giving a bandit a few pats on his bald head, Yuri stopped in front of the sub-chief.

“Sub-chief, what’s your name?”

“Ghh…”

“If you answer, I’ll heal you. If not, you’ll never walk again.”

“I…”

“You?”

After hesitating, the man spoke.

“My name is Hwang Bo-cheol.”

“H-Hwang Bo-cheol?”

Yuri was surprised, and the other man smiled faintly.

“Even in the West, there are those who recognize the name…?”

“What is a descendant of the Hwangbo House doing as a bandit?!”

Yuri knew a bit about the Eastern martial hierarchy—among the great houses, one of the most prominent was Hwangbo. It was said that everyone with that surname was strong and used dominant techniques.

“You…!”

For an heir of such a house to be a bandit was like Laurent turning to looting.

But Hwang Bo-cheol let out a chuckle.

“Listen closely. My name is Bo-cheol.”

“Huh?”

“That means my surname is Hwang, not Hwangbo.”

“…”

“I have nothing to do with the Hwangbo House.”

“This bastard…”

When Yuri lifted his foot, Bo-cheol shouted,

“I-it’s a misunderstanding! I never said that!”

“Could be…”

“Everyone mistakes me for Hwangbo, and I’m tired of explaining. Do you know what that’s like?”

“Pfff…”

Yuri lowered his foot.

“I get it, Bo-cheol.”

There was no point in beating on an already subdued enemy. There was something he needed to do.

He knelt beside him.

“Bo-cheol, does it hurt a lot?”

“Yes. Heal me quickly.”

“First, look at this.”

He took out the mysterious book Cory had given him and showed him the cover.

“What does it say here?”

Even without knowing how to read Eastern script, Yuri sensed it wasn’t just any book. Just knowing the title would give him a lead.

Bo-cheol frowned, and upon focusing on the cover, his eyes widened.

“Wait… this…”

“You can see it’s not something common.”

Yuri pressed the pistol to his forehead.

“Don’t ask questions, just read it. But if you go telling people what you saw, I’ll come for you and kill you.”

“I…”

Fear appeared in Bo-cheol’s eyes.

“I can’t tell you.”

“What?”

“I don’t know anything.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I can’t read!”

“What?”

Bo-cheol clenched his teeth and closed his eyes.

“I’m illiterate.”

Yuri stared at him in shock, and the other bandits also seemed surprised.

“T-the sub-chief can’t read?”

“That can’t be…”

Bo-cheol spoke in a trembling voice.

“Sorry, everyone… I guess I’ve disappointed you…”

“That’s not it…”

One of the bandits shouted,

“But boss, you can read and write the common language of the continent without a problem!”

“That’s…!”

Bo-cheol roared,

“The Eastern language uses ideographic characters. That’s why common people like me have a hard time. Only the children of wealthy families can learn; most Easterners live and die without knowing a single letter. That’s how cruel the East is! With money, there’s education—without money, there’s nothing! To hell with the whole Eastern martial world!”

His voice rose higher and higher.

“In the East, learning the language is so hard that even if the people want to express themselves, they can’t! And when I arrived in the West and discovered a phonetic alphabet, I was in shock! Such an easy-to-learn, scientific writing system!”

Yuri nodded with a faint smile—it was true, the continental script was excellent.

“So that’s your story…”

“And also, Western food is delicious! A revolution for my palate! I’ve gained weight since I arrived!”

“Wow…”

“And Western music is so fresh and beautiful! It changed my life! I want to learn an instrument from here!”

“Hmm…”

“And Western dogs are adorable! Loyal, smart, and with soft fur! If I take one to the East, everyone will go crazy from the cuteness!”

“Oh…”

“And Western people are so kind—!”

“That’s enough, damn it!”

Yuri gave Bo-cheol a knock on the head.