The earliest scene Mok Ingwang remembered was a cold winter.
Surviving on a back-alley floor as cold as a sheet of ice even amid the bitter midwinter weather, enduring deprivation such as hunger and thirst alongside other orphans.
He didn't know how he had come to live such a life.
To him back then, it was only natural, and not just himself—no one around him cared about such reasons either.
Indeed, even if he had known, nothing would have changed.
He spent his childhood in such an environment.
If there was one fortunate thing, it was that even back then, he possessed the ability to survive in such circumstances.
Born with a sturdy body, even when children who couldn't endure the harsh environment died off one by one, he never suffered so much as a minor illness, and he was talented enough at fighting to stand his ground in conflicts with those bigger than himself.
But even he had one fatal flaw.
Namely, that deranged temperament of his that worsened with age.
Because of a personality that seemed fine normally only to suddenly snap out of nowhere, things that could have easily been let go snowballed out of control more often than not.
Naturally, fights never ceased around him, and having lost all of his few connections and even hit rock bottom in reputation, he had no choice but to choose isolation himself.
Then one day, while living a life akin to a bomb that couldn't suppress the surging rage within him and caused disturbances time and again even in such circumstances.
A turning point in his life came to him.
About twenty-some years ago.
Now he knew the cause, but back then he had only felt as if the entire city was in an uproar, and the boy Mok Ingwang came to meet him.
"Sigh, how could a child like this be here... What is this world coming to."
An old man with an immortal's bearing, wearing a worn dobok, his face full of worry, with a long beard trailing down.
He gazed straight at the boy whose eyes were devoid of life, merely surviving because he couldn't die, and slowly opened his mouth.
"Hey."
"...?"
"Get a hold of yourself."
At that out-of-the-blue rude remark, Mok Ingwang tilted his head.
Wait, was it originally like this at this time...?
The voice sounds a bit strange too?
But as if having no intention of waiting whether he harbored such doubts or not, the old man standing before him continued speaking with a benevolent expression.
"Sigh—you bear something a child should not bear. I suppose this, too, is fate. So, child. What is your name?"
"..."
"Oh dear, my mind was hasty and I forgot to introduce myself first. I am..."
Slowly opening his mouth toward the still silent boy, the old man introduced himself.
"From now on, I am the Mad Demon."
"...?!"
His consciousness surged back.
"Kuk!"
Mok Ingwang's eyes, which had been closed as if dead, snapped open.
Immediately what he felt was immense pain radiating throughout his entire body.
There wasn't a single place that didn't ache as if he had been tortured.
"Oh! You're awake? I wondered if you would, but to think you'd really react to these words! Kuhahaha!"
Finding his body flinching involuntarily all over at that, a voice he had faintly heard in his dreams chattered noisily at him.
A man with a unique appearance so alien it was far removed from the general sensibilities of this world, yet now quite familiar to the eye, crossed his muscular arms and declared proudly.
"But it's too late now! Anyway, I won!"
Halli, who had proudly claimed victory in the duel for the title of Mad Demon, nodded heavily.
From that resolute attitude, he even exuded a firm conviction that no matter how the opponent responded, he had no intention of yielding whatsoever.
"Ha..."
Mok Ingwang let out a deflated sigh.
However, that reaction wasn't born simply because the opponent's words were absurd.
No, rather, right now he didn't even have the leeway to understand what Halli was babbling on about.
*'I had a feeling...'*
Beyond the excruciating pain felt throughout his entire body, the presence of madness.
That energy which had rampaged like crazy in the thick of the fierce battle was now docilely following his control.
He had definitely braced himself to be completely swept up by madness and acted, and had actually held out until the very last moment before finally accepting the result and resigning himself, and yet...
For some reason, his energy was now in a more stable state than ever.
To the point where it was hazy when his mind had last been so clear.
"...So I thought of a new nickname for you. Simply, how about 'Mad Dog'? With the feeling that once it bites, it never lets go! If you don't like that..."
Even amidst this, various nickname candidates poured out of Halli's mouth, who was acting friendly as if they had never fought.
Mad Asura, Soul-Departing Madman, Mad Dragon King, and so on.
His words and actions showed not even a speck of consideration for the person in question, but neither Halli who spoke them nor Mok Ingwang who heard them paid much mind.
*To think he could even suppress the madness dwelling within my body. What on earth is he?*
His mind became tangled in complexity.
Perhaps because the madness that had tormented him his entire life had subsided, even his hostility toward the opponent had mostly diminished for now.
Anyway, since things were already smashed to pieces like this, there wasn't much point in resisting further for no reason.
The greatest emotion he was feeling right now was curiosity and excitement; he simply wanted to know what trick had been used on him to make this possible.
And how on earth that had been possible.
Until now, he had thought there was absolutely no method and had nearly given up...
*Maybe, if I make use of him, it might be possible.*
As he stared blankly at him like that, Halli—having taken that gaze somehow—frowned and stepped back.
"Tsk, no way. I'm not backing down. I like this one, so you pick and use something else."
It seemed that only the matter of that nickname was still lodged in the opponent's head.
With him acting like that, wouldn't the one whose head was dizzy with all sorts of thoughts look like more of a fool?
"...Crazy bastard."
In the end, he spat out the words rising from within his heart with a sigh and a hollow voice.
He wasn't aware of it, but this was the third time he had uttered "crazy bastard" since they had faced each other until now.
In other words.
A three-strike "crazy bastard" out.
It was the moment the fake madness knelt before the real madness.
***
Halli descended the mountain together with the former Mad Demon, Mok Ingwang, who had become as obedient as a gentle lamb since waking up.
While there likely weren't any broken bones thanks to the effort put into controlling his strength, that was about it—his whole body was in tatters like a rag—yet he walked on sturdily without a groan.
And Halli, watching him from a few steps behind, slowly stroked his chin and nodded.
*Hm, I roughly expected as much, but the effect is better than I thought. I don't know when he'll return to normal, but for the time being there shouldn't be any major worries.*
Naturally, it wasn't a normal reaction for a human who had been rampaging like a madman just moments ago to become so docile like that.
It should be seen as a kind of mental side effect from suppressing and restraining the madness rampaging inside his body through a somewhat violent process.
Of course, his current state—obedient and somewhat listless—was just right for handling him right now, so there was nothing bad about it.
*Meeting this fellow was a coincidence, but... well, good is good.*
Thanks to that, he had gained quite a bit.
Not only things regarding martial arts that Halli could make use of, but also being able to grasp the nature of 'madness' in more detail this time were gains, and there were quite a few usable pieces of information obtained through him as well.
*Above all, forming a connection with such a talented person was the greatest gain.*
Of course, since they had been fighting tooth and nail just moments ago, he couldn't be trusted unconditionally.
It was merely a temporary event born from various overlapping conditions that had led to them forming something like a temporary truce and traveling together like this.
Additional measures would likely be needed to bind him firmly, but...
*Well, judging by his reaction, just being able to control the madness seems like it'll be enough.*
He had already obtained the clue needed for that, so there was nothing to hesitate about.
Whatever the circumstances, it seemed to be an extremely sensitive issue for him.
Of course, there was the minor issue of not knowing when he might bare his fangs again, but...
"What? Those eyes? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Huh? Ah, it's nothing. Kahahaha!"
"...Put your fists down first before you talk. Unless you're really thinking of killing me."
Whether because he wanted something from this side as well, even though they had ended up traveling together in such a sudden manner, he didn't show any particular signs of rebellion.
Though being subdued by force likely played a part as well.
"Then let's get going, friend!"
"...Where to?"
With their own respective ulterior motives, those who had ended up traveling together moved their steps toward their next destination.
"Geez, this friend is really stifling. Where's the hottest place right now?"
"Hottest...?"
"Ah—I mean, where's the place that's the talk of the town these days?"
"That's Mount Song, isn't it? A gathering where the representative forces of the Orthodox faction assemble in one place. Of course, they might not all be elites, but the symbolic meaning... Wait, don't tell me?"
"U-hahaha! Come on, let's go!"
"You crazy bastard! What the hell are you thinking?"
What else.
Since we've come this far, I ought to at least make my presence known!
There was no better place than that for a showcase of the new 'Mad Demon'.
*I can't miss such a big event!*
Halli strode forward without hesitation, glancing back briefly at Mok Ingwang, who was following reluctantly with a disgusted expression, and tossed out a word nonchalantly.
"So, what are you going to pick as your new nickname? Personally, I think Mad Dog is the best! Or if not that..."
"..."
Ah, he gritted his teeth.
As expected, it seemed he hadn't completely sorted out his feelings yet.
***
The guest hall that greeted visitors who had come to the Shaolin Temple.
Hyugo, having left that place, set out on the road today as well, following the monk who guided him.
Before the main assembly began, it was for work not unlike his recent routine.
"Then please take care of me today as well."
"Don't worry. His progress has been quite good so far."
Soon after entering a room filled with the scent of medicinal herbs, he turned his gaze to one side.
In the very center lay a gaunt young man as if dead.
Just as at the Jegalsega, he was the one whom Hyugo had been asked to treat this time.
*I wonder if it's okay to use divine power drawn from another dimension right in a temple, though.*
Of course, he had taken additional measures to prevent the holy energy's aura from leaking outside in case of unforeseen circumstances, but...
Still, it was fortunate that the Shaolin Temple wasn't exclusive toward other religions.
From the beginning, what they pursued wasn't unconditional faith and worship of divine beings, but rather emulating them to reach enlightenment.
*Bzzt*—Hyugo, who had brought the holy symbol in his hand to the patient's forehead before he knew it, narrowed his eyes and observed the changes.
As they say, even a dog at a school recites poetry after three years; having done this many times already, he was perfectly capable of observing the treatment's response.
And the diagnosis was.
*How fascinating. The reaction is exactly the same as Jegal Hyemi's after all.*
No matter how he looked at it, this wasn't some kind of disease.
Yet it didn't seem to be a specific constitution problem either...
"...Ah, you're here."
Just then, the eyelids of the youth who had been lying quietly slowly opened, and a parched voice flowed from his lips.
"Ah, please lie still. I'm almost finished."
"I am in your debt again today. Thanks to the Divine Physician, I have improved greatly. I can now take simple walks."
As if to prove it wasn't mere words, his voice had improved considerably compared to before.
At that, Ha Seunghun, retainer of the Jegalsega and the Nameless Divine Physician, who slowly nodded, recalled a conversation he had with the former family head Jegal Gunak before departing for this place.
Right after it was decided that he would join the Shaolin Temple journey, the Jegalsega side had asked for his understanding on one matter.
Namely, that there was someone at the Shaolin Temple with the same symptoms as Jegal Hyemi, and could he take a look at him.
They said that since they had already conducted related research for the treatment together, it wouldn't be easy to blindly hide the fact of her recovery.
It might be fine for now, but if news of her full recovery were to get out someday, wouldn't the Shaolin Temple feel considerably betrayed?
And it wasn't as if she could hide inside the family forever.
*The Shaolin Temple is the foremost among the Orthodox forces, both symbolically and practically. It might be good to forge a connection with them at this opportunity.*
And it was a request that Hyugo had no particular reason to refuse either.
Since it aligned with his goal of expanding influence in the Ganghwangye as well.
And there was one more fact that had influenced that decision...
"Your progress is faster than expected. It seems the Shaolin Temple has put great care into this until now."
"Hahaha... I am always grateful. I hope I can repay this favor someday. Ah, of course, to the Divine Physician as well."
"I am grateful even for your words, Your Highness. Then I shall finish up."
The identity of the patient entrusted to the Shaolin Temple was precisely the Imperial Grandson.
And what was more, he was the legitimate descendant of the last Emperor.