Urban Vagabond: Reload

The moment I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was two corpses collapsed on the ground.

“......”

The Tamra Alliance’s left and right guardians were dead, their faces twisted in agony.

The hundreds of wounds covering their bodies, and the limbs torn and twisted like rags, made it easy to guess what kind of pain they’d suffered right up until the end.

I ripped off my blood-smeared goggles and the stifling face mask and tossed them aside. There was no point hiding who I was anymore.

“Hey, Phantom Dream.”

Considering the things they’d done up to now, it was karmic justice—but the fact that it had used my body to toy with humans and kill them wasn’t exactly pleasant.

But Phantom Dream didn’t answer, no matter how I called it.

“Not answering? You want to get snapped?”

When I lifted the sword and stared it down, the blade finally began to tremble.

Phantom Dream? Me?

It asked back in a cowed voice, and that answer made me remember something I’d briefly forgotten.

Phantom Dream was a name that got attached after the bloodbath was cleaned up.

Phantom Dream. A hollow dream.

I didn’t particularly want to change that name.

If anything, calling it the same thing felt like it kept me from forgetting what happened before my regression.

Good or bad, I didn’t want to forget my past.

“Yeah. Phantom Dream is your name starting now.”

For a moment, it didn’t answer, like it was thinking.

In my head, I could practically see the boy I’d met inside its inner world, rolling the name around in his mouth again and again.

Hmph. It’s not bad.

That cocky attitude made my hand move on instinct—I swung the sword and slammed it into the floor.

CLANG!

Aah! Why again?!

“From now on, you’re forbidden to hurt people whenever you feel like it, and you’re forbidden to crave blood. If you pull that crap again, I’ll toss you straight into a furnace. Don’t forget it.”

The blade shuddered like it was scared, and Phantom Dream spoke in a small voice.

......Then you’re telling me to starve forever?

After seeing how insane it was inside that mental world, Phantom Dream couldn’t dismiss what I said as an empty threat.

If it was this human, he really would throw me into a furnace!

“Instead.”

Thankfully, I had no intention of sealing the cursed sword’s abilities completely.

“From now on, I’ll allow you to absorb the blood of villains I cut down and the power of evil anomalies. The nutrition will be way better that way.”

Tsk, that sounds delicious......

For a second, I imagined the boy smacking his lips.

Phantom Dream could build power and raise its rank by absorbing the blood of whatever it cut.

That ability was exceptional even among sacred weapons—but at the same time, it was dangerous enough to devour its owner.

......So if I stick with you, you’ll feed me tasty stuff? Fine. I won’t eat just anything anymore.

It seemed like Phantom Dream had accepted it after thinking things over, but I didn’t trust it so easily.

It looks tame now, but once it recovers its strength, it might try to take my body again.

Real trust—building an actual relationship where we acknowledged each other and could believe each other—would take a long time.

Still, I didn’t think that was a bad thing.

The better the sword, the longer it had to be hammered.

Once I’d sorted my thoughts, I asked Phantom Dream a question.

“Where’s Gu Hyeonwoo?”

Who’s that?

“......The human who was swinging you right before me.”

At that, the sword tip shifted, pointing in a direction.

I started moving that way.

And it took only a few seconds to truly realize the state my body was in.

“......I’m a wreck.”

My body felt heavy like I’d fallen into water, and I stumbled just trying to take a few steps. It had been a long time since my stamina hit rock bottom like this.

I couldn’t properly see my injuries without a mirror, but it felt like there wasn’t a single place on me that didn’t sting.

Even the internal energy in my lower abdomen was completely empty.

“If I’d woken up a little later, you would’ve sucked down even my innate energy too, huh?”

.......

It felt like Phantom Dream was watching my mood, so I didn’t press it further.

In that situation, it had been the only choice I had—and in the end, I survived.

Instead, I started walking while using Phantom Dream like a cane.

THUD. THUD-THUD.

There was no scabbard, so I walked with the bare edge tapping the ground. After a long silence, Phantom Dream spoke in a fading voice.

......I’m tired. I used too much strength. I need to sleep for a bit.

“What?”

And then the presence I’d been feeling from it vanished in an instant. I slammed it down on the floor a few times, but there was no reaction.

“You’ve got it good, you bastard.”

I muttered under my breath and kept moving.

Thankfully, Gu Hyeonwoo wasn’t far. He was unconscious, but I could hear faint, steady breathing.

“You’re still alive. Somehow.”

Even with my whole body aching, a small smile slipped out. I hoisted Gu Hyeonwoo up and carried him on my back.

“Ugh—up.”

I picked up his severed right arm, wrapped it roughly in cloth, and tied it at my waist. My vision went yellow for a moment, but once I stood still a bit, it became bearable.

“The exit...... should be the direction those guardians were running.”

With Gu Hyeonwoo on my back, I started slowly searching for the way out.

It felt like my entire body was screaming at me to collapse right now and rest.

My muscles were shrieking from swinging a sword all night, and my joints creaked with every step.

But I ignored every signal my body was sending and kept moving.

This was exactly when the memories from my vagrant days—memories I didn’t even want to think about—actually helped.

I’ve fought while holding my guts in with my hands. Am I really going to complain about this?

Whether it was good luck or bad, no more enemies came at us.

It looked like all the swordsmen who’d entered the cave were dead, and every camera and monitor on the walls was shut off, not working.

Something happened outside too... or they’re waiting at the exit with a formation set.

I hoped it was the former, but even if it was the latter, getting out was still the best move. I didn’t know the exact time, but I did know I’d been in this cave for a long while.

“Ungh......”

Gu Hyeonwoo was trembling and groaning. The heat coming off him through my back wasn’t normal.

“Hold on just a little longer. I don’t want to be the one telling Jiu her dad died.”

A comrade’s death.

It was something I’d lived through so often I was sick of it.

But there were things that never became okay, no matter how used to them you got.

“......You’re not going to die just because you lost one arm. So don’t die.”

I ground my teeth and forced myself to move faster, bit by bit.

How long did we walk like that?

Gu Hyeonwoo woke up and spoke in a strained voice.

“This place is......”

“You’re tired, so stop squirming and stay still. And save your words.”

After he grasped the situation, Gu Hyeonwoo spoke with a resigned tone.

“Leave me and go alone, if you have to. Just keep your promise. Our Jiu’s severed meridian condition......”

“Cut the bullshit.”

I snapped back, irritation in my voice.

Go alone. At least you survive. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

Those were the words I hated most in the world.

“You think I’m going to be moved by that? If I planned to ditch you, why the hell would I carry you in the first place? Don’t sap my strength—shut up and stay put.”

“I......”

“Don’t talk to me. I’m tired enough just walking.”

After a brief silence, Gu Hyeonwoo grumbled, very quietly.

“You little punk... talking down to me with no manners.”

With everything going on, it seemed my mouth had slipped back into the way I talked in my vagrant days.

Realizing it late, I let out a small laugh.

“Mr. Gu. Just hang on a little longer. You’ve got to live long and happy with Jiu.”

“......That sounds like you’re mocking me. Just talk casually. It suits you better.”

“Fine, Hyunwoo.”

“You should at least call me brother, you little shit.”

We chuckled and tossed stupid lines back and forth. It was the only way to endure this.

After checking his condition for a moment, Gu Hyeonwoo spoke seriously.

“Put me down. I can walk on my own.”

“Just stay still—your stubbornness......”

Gu Hyeonwoo planted his feet on the ground, half by force, and looked at me.

His face was pale under cold sweat.

If anything, he was in worse shape than me—not better.

He grabbed me as I wobbled and said,

“If you collapse, I’m leaving you behind and going alone. Any last words?”

“I promised Jiu we’d eat ice cream together again...... Tell her I’m sorry I couldn’t make it.”

“You bastard. You’re making it impossible to leave you.”

We supported each other and kept pushing toward the exit.

Whenever we started to lose consciousness, we traded more pointless talk and held each other upright.

If I’d been alone, it might’ve been impossible to make it out.

“......I can see light.”

“That’s probably outside.”

A faint glow was leaking in now—we had to be close.

We squeezed out what little strength we had left and hurried.

A moment later, the two of us stumbled out of the cave and let out quiet exclamations.

“Ha......”

“Beautiful.”

We were standing on the edge of a cliff.

Canola flowers spread out thick and bright around us, and beyond them lay the horizon.

Below that horizon, the sun was just rising.

“......Didn’t expect to see a sunrise the moment we got out.”

“Looks like more time passed than we thought.”

That was when I felt unfamiliar presences drawing near.

We spun around on reflex, wary—and saw dozens of people approaching, whistling and cheering.

“That was an incredible fight!”

“You’ve got to greet the winner in person!”

“You both came out together—so do you split the prize in half?”

“Thanks to you, I made triple!”

Gu Hyeonwoo stared at them with a displeased expression.

“......Spectators.”

He knew the underground arena rules well enough. There was no way he’d feel good about people betting on his life.

And then—

“Mr. Killer? Mr. Killer, right—?!”

Park Gwangtae shoved through the crowd toward me, grinning so wide it looked like his mouth would tear.

“We won! It’s ten billion won! Even split between two people, it’s at least five billion!”

As Park Gwangtae rushed up in a frenzy, I smiled back, genuinely.

“You’re happy because you made money?”

“Hahaha! Of course! This is all thanks to you, Mr. Killer—!”

So overwhelmed he looked ready to cry, Park Gwangtae spread his arms to hug me.

In that instant, I naturally lifted Phantom Dream—the sword I’d been using like a cane.

THUD—.

Park Gwangtae looked down at the sword buried in his chest, mumbling in a stunned voice.

“Why... why...?”

Blood spilled over his lips. His face twitched, packed with resentment and rage.

I stared him straight in the eyes and asked,

“How much did they promise you?”

And in that same moment, a dagger hidden inside his sleeve slid free and dropped to the ground.

The plan he’d had—ambushing me the moment I relaxed—had been exposed, and Park Gwangtae’s face warped like a demon.

“How... did you know?”

I tipped my chin toward Gu Hyeonwoo, who was standing rigidly with a hard expression. He’d been scanning the area like he was searching for someone. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

“Because that man’s manager didn’t show up. If it was that big guy, I figured he’d definitely come to congratulate the winner.”

“Fuck...!”

When I pulled the sword out, Park Gwangtae collapsed sideways.

THUD.

I stepped past his body and leveled my blade at the spectators, who had already drawn weapons and were spilling murderous intent.

......Can I eat this?

Maybe the smell of blood woke it—Phantom Dream spoke again, newly alert.

I nodded.

“It’s a banquet. Enjoy as much as you want.”

In that moment, with the sunrise behind me, it looked like my whole body was burning red.