Convict Unit: Black Parade

It was a long blade, slender and beautiful.

The hilt was wrapped in smoothly tanned Foghowler leather, the guard forged from the same creature’s bone. Even the rigid scabbard was made of hardened hide.

Jae-hee gripped the hilt and slowly drew the blade, revealing its pure-white edge.

Forged from bone, not steel, it lacked the signature glint of metal, possessing instead the cool, translucent beauty of jade.

“Whoa.” An exclamation escaped Jae-hee’s lips. “So beautiful…!”

The dagger Razor had given him had also been entrusted to Grease Gal, who serviced it to match.

She had remade its hilt, guard, and scabbard with Foghowler leather and bone, turning it into a short sword—a perfect companion to the long one.

“This one’s pretty, too!”

Jae-hee fawned over the two blades.

Ghost held out a hand. “Let me see.”

Jae-hee’s eyes went wide. He instantly clutched both swords to his chest and scurried backward.

Ghost’s brow furrowed in irritation. “Little brat. Who said I was going to steal them? I just want to check their condition.”

“R-really? You won’t take them?”

“A minute ago it was all ‘I’ll present everything to my master first…’ I won’t take them. Just let me see.”

As Jae-hee hesitantly offered the scabbards, Ghost snatched them in one fluid motion and drew the longsword.

She studied the beautiful, translucent blade, then closed her eyes, weighing the sword’s balance and heft in her hand.

“The balance isn’t bad. Grease Gal knows her stuff.”

Jae-hee giggled happily.

“A little light, though. Lighter even than a typical bone weapon.”

Sheathing the sword, Ghost handed it back to Jae-hee. “This weight might suit a speed-freak like you, but its cutting power will be weaker than a typical metal sword.”

“Still, it’s amazing, right?! Right?!”

“Yes, it’s a fine sword.”

Jae-hee chuckled happily.

A faint smile touched Ghost’s lips as she watched Jae-hee’s dopey grin. She jutted her chin. “So, have you named them?”

“Yep! I decided ahead of time. The longsword is Mountain Lord, and the short one is Mountain Child.”

Mountain Lord and Mountain Child.

“Oh my, what’s this supposed to mean? A tiger and a country boy?” Punch Queen, who was just passing by, had overheard the names.

She let out a hearty laugh and slapped Jae-hee on the shoulder as she walked past.

“Sounds just like you two, doesn’t it?” she boomed, laughing heartily.

Jae-hee tilted his head. Is that so?

An image flashed through his mind: a little kid clinging desperately to the side of a massive tiger.

Huh. Maybe it is a little like that…?

Ghost shot a glare at Punch Queen’s retreating back before shrugging. “Well, the names aren’t bad.”

“Hehehe.”

Jae-hee was stroking his new swords with a blissful expression when he let out a small “Ah” and glanced toward Ghost.

“Speaking of which, why is your sword named Void Trinity?”

The sword at Ghost’s side was the polar opposite of his own—a black blade, from its edge to its guard, hilt, and scabbard.

Void Trinity.

“It’s a really cool name, but I don’t know what it means.”

Ghost glanced down at the weapon, then explained reluctantly. “I didn’t name it. The craftsman who made it did.”

She drew the blade with slow, focused precision. It slid from the scabbard without a whisper of sound, the jet-black steel cleaving the air as it met the world.

Jae-hee’s sword, Mountain Lord, possessed a jewel-like luster, whereas Ghost’s Void Trinity was a darkness that seemed to swallow all light.

“When drawn, it shows no color, makes no sound, and leaves no life.”

Ghost’s voice was a low murmur.

“That is why it was named the Dark Blade, Void of Three—Void Trinity.”

She spun the blade in the air before sheathing it.

It was true; the sound of it cutting through the air was overwhelmingly quieter than other weapons. And even under the transport’s bright lights, the blade reflected nothing, remaining a deep, flat black.

Jae-hee blinked with curiosity. “Is there a reason for getting rid of the color and sound?”

“Because of the purpose for which this sword was made.”

“Its purpose?”

“It was made for assassination.” Ghost answered all her disciple’s questions, her voice as dry as sand. “From the very beginning, it was a blade forged to kill.”

“…”

“That’s enough talk about this.”

After sheathing her sword in silence, Ghost jutted her chin toward the two blades Jae-hee was cradling so preciously. “Anyway… don’t get too attached.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“Because someday they’ll break, and someday you’ll have to throw them away.”

Jae-hee shook his head vehemently and hugged the two swords even tighter.

“I’ll never throw them away!”

“…”

“No matter how banged up they get, even if they’re chipped and broken! I’ll carry them with me my whole life!”

Ghost let out a disbelieving sigh and gestured with her chin. “Yeah, well. You do you.”

Jae-hee giggled, rubbing the scabbard against his cheek.

She stared at her disciple for a moment.

“Kid.” Her voice was slow. “Let me ask you now.”

“Yes?”

“Can you really kill a person?”

Jae-hee’s heart jolted. He froze.

Ghost’s tone became stern as she continued.

“This mission isn’t about hunting monsters. We’re going to wipe out a criminal organization. They may be vicious lowlifes who’ve committed every crime in the book, but at the end of the day, we’re going up against people.”

“…”

“Can you take an enemy’s life with your own hands?”

Jae-hee forced a cocky smile.

“What’s this, Master?” he chuckled. “Are you worried about me?”

“Don’t change the subject. Answer me straight.” Ghost’s pale blue eyes were unwavering as they locked onto his. “Can you kill a person?”

Swallowing nervously, Jae-hee hesitated before answering.

“It’s a little scary, but still…” His round eyes looked up at her cautiously. “If I want to survive, I have to take them out, right?”

“…”

“I’ll just clench my ass cheeks! And… give it my all.”

Ghost watched him for a long moment, her blue gaze unreadable.

“Don’t push yourself too hard,” she finally said.

“Huh?”

“You need a certain grim resolve to survive in this world, but it’s not something you can just choose to have. It builds up slowly, out of necessity.”

Her voice sounded less like a master and more like an old woman who had seen too much of life.

“Even in a fucked up world where life’s worth less than a fly… you can’t let yourself think killing someone is normal.”

“…”

“If you must, you’ll get blood on your hands. You’ll have to make your decision without hesitation. But don’t wade deeper into that pool of blood than you have to.”

Despite her words, Jae-hee knew.

He knew Ghost had no intention of stopping him from killing. He knew he would soon be taking the life of another.

That was the world. And that was the Convict Unit.

So instead of answering, Jae-hee simply beamed.

Ghost snorted and turned her head away.

***

The transport plane landed.

Their landing point, however, wasn’t Chuncheon. It was an airfield somewhere in Gyeonggi Province.

When the transport’s hatch opened, a van was waiting to take them.

«You’ll travel the rest of the way by vehicle.» Commander Seo’s voice crackled through their earpieces.

This mission had nothing to do with a Gate’s Realm Erosion, but with her being so far out at sea, the reception quality wasn’t great.

Punch Queen slapped the dust off her hiking jacket and stretched with a groan. “Thought this was a direct flight, but we’ve got a transfer? Ugh, what a pain.”

«What, were you planning to land a transport plane right in downtown Chuncheon? Let the whole world know you were plopping your asses down?»

“Aww, it was just a figure of speech. Really now…”

The five prisoners boarded the van. The driver on standby started the engine immediately.

«There’s still a ways to go. Everyone get some rest.»

As the van slipped onto the road, the prisoners closed their eyes and tried to catch a short nap.

But Jae-hee wasn’t sleepy. He pulled something from his coat.

Ghost glanced over, wondering what the kid was up to now.

The object was a cassette player. The one Key-maker had left behind.

Jae-hee put one earphone in, then glanced at Ghost before shyly offering her the other. “Wanna listen together, Master?”

“…I may have a few years on me.” Ghost let out a sigh, pulled her cap down, and sank into her seat. “But I’m not quite old enough for trot music yet.”

This stuff is actually pretty catchy, though… Jae-hee thought, disappointed.

Ghost gave no further response, seemingly asleep.

Jae-hee looked out the window on the far side.

The Boy rested his forehead against the van’s cool glass, earphones in.

Outside, a blur of desolate forest and city rushed by. He took it in, then hit play.

With a tour bus medley thumping in his ears, the van raced toward the mission.

***

An hour later, the van screeched to a stop.

The prisoners got out and quickly surveyed their surroundings. It was a desolate street on the outskirts of Chuncheon. Rows of old buildings lined a deserted alley.

Thirty years after the Gate War, South Korea’s military and policing capabilities had been stretched to their breaking point, with what little strength remained concentrated in Seoul.

Though the situation had gradually stabilized and support for regions outside the capital was slowly increasing, most provincial cities had already been ravaged and turned into slums over the past three decades.

This block of buildings on the edge of Chuncheon was no different. Unmaintained, with concrete crumbling from their walls and their skeletal frames exposed, the buildings radiated a grim aura.

Jae-hee instinctively sniffed the air.

“Stop.” Punch Queen, walking at the head of the group, suddenly stopped at the end of the alley.

She raised a hand and pointed to a building in the distance. “See it?”

The building itself was old, but its sign was brand new, creating a strange sense of disharmony.

The sign read: Chuncheon Prime Poultry Co.

At the building’s entrance, two unsavory-looking men covered in tattoos and piercings stood guard, smoking cigarettes.

“Looks like we’re in the right place~!”

Wearing a leather glove on her right hand and a metal one on her left, Punch Queen turned to the others. “All right, everyone! Let’s get to work and have some fun today!”

Cowboy grinned, spinning his single-action revolver in his hand.

Robbin’ Hood hefted two massive axes, testing their weight. They were so large that a normal person would have struggled to wield one with both hands, yet he lifted them as easily as if they were hatchets.

Ghost and Jae-hee attached their scabbards to their waists.

It was Jae-hee’s first time wearing swords, and he fumbled with them so much that Ghost clicked her tongue and helped him.

“I assume you at least know how to draw it from that position?” she asked.

“Huh? What position again?”

“…Right, it’s my bad. I should have set aside time to teach you the absolute basics.”

After a crude lesson on how to draw a blade, it seemed everyone was ready for combat.

Punch Queen gave an exaggerated bow. “Hello, everyone! Your team leader for today will be yours truly, Aunt Punch! Let’s all get along, shall we? A round of applause, please~?”

“Yay~!” Only Jae-hee clapped enthusiastically.

The others just watched, unenthused.

But Punch Queen seemed satisfied enough with that.

“Are you all ready to rip, tear, and kill every last one of those gangster scum~?”

Her voice held zero tension, as if she were a Chuncheon tour guide rather than a leader on a mission to annihilate a violent gang.

“Great! Then before we head in… I’ll brief you folks on the operation!”