Chapter: 437
“…Who are you?”
Her voice made my shoulders tremble.
I looked at her in disbelief.
Namgung Bi-ah… No, the Queen of the Demonic Sword.
Clearly, she is the Queen of the Demonic Sword. There was no way I, of all people, could fail to recognize her.
The woman who was Namgung Bi-ah in my previous life and died for me was right before my eyes.
Unlike the Namgung Bi-ah with her platinum hair, the hair of this version had turned completely white.
While the appearance seemed similar, the aura felt utterly different.
If Namgung Bi-ah had a hazy, dreamy vibe,
the Queen of the Demonic Sword was like an impenetrable darkness.
It was a deep void that seemed capable of swallowing you whole if you dared to delve into it.
“…”
What should I even say?
I found myself biting my tongue as I stared into the Queen’s icy blue eyes.
The thick silence stretched on for several seconds. A gust of wind blew.
The wind carried with it the aroma of blood that filled the surroundings.
Click.
The Queen of the Demonic Sword’s sword shifted.
My entire body locked up.
The energy she exuded from the tip of her sword began to crush all directions in an instant.
‘This…’
It was dangerous. Every instinct told me so.
I didn’t feel any killing intent. That was typical of the Queen of the Demonic Sword. She never exhibited any killing intent when taking lives.
You probably wouldn’t believe how absurd that is.
Unless you accidentally kill someone, your will to survive usually surfaces.
That’s just how it is, inherently.
The difference lay in how one controls it.
However, the Queen of the Demonic Sword was someone who fundamentally lacked any killing intent at all.
That’s what made me ponder about the past.
It wasn’t that there was no intent to kill; rather, it was as if she had become killing itself—unfathomable, no longer feeling it.
I had even thought it was laughable at one point.
But now, as I reflect, that was far from the truth. She wasn’t a bloodthirsty person.
At least, back then, I just didn’t know…
A pulse of power radiated from the Queen’s shoulder.
I frowned at that sensation.
‘…What do I do?’
It was perilous.
I had no idea whether the situation I was in was reality or illusion.
If there’s one thing I could be sure of, it’s this:
‘If I die here, I might truly die.’
Just like all the phenomena I’d witnessed so far, if I died in this place, it might end up being my genuine death.
Crack.
Even if I made that judgment, the problematic truth was—there was no solution.
Kugugugugugugu—!
“Ugh…!”
The absurd pressure forced me down to one knee.
‘…The Emperor… Sword Form…!’
A secret technique of the Namgung clan, performed by Namgung Bi-ah.
That was unfolding in the hands of the Queen of the Demonic Sword.
The direct feeling struck me:
‘The level is entirely different…’
It felt as if the Emperor’s Sword Form that Namgung Bi-ah performed was mere child’s play.
The power of the Queen of the Demonic Sword was on a completely different plane.
The sheer pressure she exuded wasn’t just on me—it was overwhelming everyone nearby.
Kuawaaah—!
I couldn’t even guess how far her energy reached.
Crash! Trees snapped under the pressure while stones cracked and crumbled.
There I was, struggling to withstand it, and the Queen of the Demonic Sword looked down at me with her chilling blue eyes.
Swish.
The sword moved.
It appeared slow, yet the insight encapsulated within sent chills down my spine.
The Queen of the Demonic Sword was strong.
I knew that for sure.
But.
It seemed I had forgotten how strong she truly was after so long, submerged in peace since returning.
Wow, I totally forgot how strong she was!
Saaaaaah—!
The sword sliced through the air effortlessly.
It was merely a light lift of the sword, devoid of any intricate movements.
Boom—!
A faint vibration echoed.
I felt like death was looming over me.
Whoosh.
The tip of the sword that had been lifted fell downwards.
Directed by that downward motion…
Paaaaaaah—!
The sky split open.
Awe welled up in me at this ridiculous spectacle.
It was a single sword—no, a masterful stroke bridging two worlds, revealing peak skill.
Phew!
“Ugh…!”
The backlash from that strike sent me halfway to the ground, desperately clinging on to stay rooted.
Even after a long time, that force was simply overwhelming.
It was a transcendent level of might, making any comparison to the current Namgung Bi-ah ludicrous.
‘…Queen of Swords.’
I could finally grasp the true power of the Queen of the Demonic Sword, who carried the legacy of the Sword Master.
Is this really a fantasy?
No matter how I looked at it, it was far too vivid to be just a figment of imagination.
The wild wind pressure that had tried to engulf everything was gradually dissipating.
Once it became bearable, I found myself exhaling ragged breaths.
I looked back.
“Crazy.”
Luckily, the Queen of the Demonic Sword hadn’t swung her sword at me.
Behind me, she slashed the air as if targeting something in the distance.
And as a result… the heavens were torn asunder.
I lifted my gaze to the sky.
The remnants of that cut were still visible, and the aftermath had caused the clouds to stall, seemingly frozen in place.
Just as I was wondering what on earth she aimed to strike with her sword,
Kukukung—! a rumbling surged.
‘What is this?’
It wasn’t the aura of the Queen of the Demonic Sword.
An unfamiliar wave of energy radiated from where her attack had breached.
The Queen’s brows furrowed slightly, hinting at the enigma at hand.
Just when I was trying to piece everything together…
Bang…
A sharp sound erupted from the direction where that energy emanated.
And it didn’t take long for me to realize something immense was barreling toward us.
My eyes widened in shock as I felt the power drawing nearer.
Just as I processed that…
The Queen of the Demonic Sword was already in motion.
She wielded her sword.
Swoosh—!
CRACK! Something collided against her sword, clad in potent energy.
An incredible backlash followed.
Just being in close proximity to that resonating force was enough to slice my cheek, blood beginning to seep out.
The Queen swiftly countered the incoming energy, steadied her grip on her sword, and sliced through it.
Splinter!
The energy that had split at the blade’s point quaked for a moment before bursting apart.
Paaaaak—!
Another violent gust exploded forth.
This time, a mixture of confusion clouded the air, making it harder to withstand.
“Ugh… .”
Having narrowly endured, I surveyed the area and found utter chaos reigning.
Corpses were strewn about, distorted by the turbulent pressure.
Blood that had pooled across the ground scattered, leaving a grotesque sight.
‘What on earth just happened?’
As I stood momentarily stunned by the turn of events.
Clink.
Someone approached.
Naturally, it was the Queen of the Demonic Sword.
The fierce winds had left her scarcely unmarked, just a smear of blood remaining.
As the Queen of the Demonic Sword drew near…
“Ugh…!?”
Suddenly, my body began to float.
It was Air Magic.
The Queen had cast levitation on me.
The force lifting me off the ground was no joke, but I could let it go if I chose to.
Still, I chose to endure for now.
Because I knew if I resisted like this, she’d unleash her sword at me instantly.
“…What are you…?”
She approached, sniffing as if trying to catch a whiff of something.
“…Why… can’t I… smell anything…?”
What smell is she referring to?
She hovered above me, continuing to sniff.
What the heck is going on…
‘Is this…’
Suddenly, I felt a flash of déjà vu, as if this situation had occurred before.
Even in this life, didn’t Namgung Bi-ah do this from time to time?
‘What a bizarre inclination.’
I was mystified; what kind of odd hobby was this?
Of all times, we were in a precarious situation right now. Who has the time for this?
While she continued her peculiar sniffing, the Queen halted and eyed me, as though she wanted to question me further.
“…Where?”
“What…?”
Before I knew it, I’d slipped into informal speech.
This is why habits can be terrifying!
Fortunately, the Queen didn’t seem to care about that.
She only asked me questions as if my speech was the least of her concerns.
“…Affiliation… Answer…”
“…!”
I swallowed dryly at her words.
I never expected her to ask me this.
It seemed she mistook me for a demon from the Demonic Cult.
‘Didn’t recognize me, huh…?’
From her demeanor, she clearly didn’t know who I was.
Should I consider this luck?
While I pondered, she tilted her head slightly before gripping her sword.
Crazy.
This girl was contemplating killing me.
It must have crossed her mind for a brief moment—she genuinely intended to do it.
Seeing this, I quickly blurted out a sentence.
“Heuk… I’m with the Black Flame Corps!”
I spat out a name I’d rather die than speak.
Fuck… I never envisioned a day I’d utter this name aloud!
Perhaps my reluctance imbued my words with weight, as the Queen’s eyes widened ever so slightly, halting her moving sword.
Black Flame Corps.
That’s the name of the organization I just uttered.
Originally, the three primary factions of the Cheonma sect were widely known.
The Cheonra Black Watchtower led by Pilduma.
The Ghost Sword Corps led by the Demon Sword.
The Green Knights presided over by the Green King.
These three factions were rumored to be burning the entire Central Plains in the name of Cheonma.
And that’s not incorrect.
Those are the three units officially recognized.
But there’s more.
The members of the Demonic Cult knew, even if they weren’t from the Central Plains.
There were actually four units within the Demonic Cult.
A unit that supersedes the aforementioned three factions, a direct subordinate group operating solely under Cheonma’s command.
Black Flame Corps.
The unit to which the Queen of the Demonic Sword belonged was precisely that one.
And…
‘…I’m the leader there.’
I, the one burdened with that wretched name, was in fact its leader.
What the hell.
Upon hearing my confession, the Queen of the Demonic Sword furrowed her brows deeply for the first time.
“…Lies… I haven’t heard… about a new recruit…”
She clearly didn’t believe me.
But at this point, it couldn’t be helped if she didn’t trust my words.
I still have a means…
“I… I merely follow the words of the cult leader. There are no lies to be found.”
“…”
Listening to my response, the Queen focused her gaze into my eyes.
Her purple-stained irises studied me for a moment.
Thud.
“Ugh.”
Only then did she release me from the levitation she had cast.
This was her way of showing she would tentatively trust me.
…Phew!
I exhaled a sigh of relief; she was bound to believe it anyway.
Members of the Demonic Cult swore to never utter a lie.
To claim a lie while swearing on the Heavenly Demon’s name would mean detonating the very magic attached to one’s heart.
Yet, having spoken that line and still being alive, she would have no choice but to trust me for the moment.
I had already severed my connection with the Heavenly Demon, so whatever trick I could pull off didn’t concern me.
She was oblivious to this.
As she tossed me aside, the Queen of the Demonic Sword tried to sheath her sword,
but at that instant, CRACK! the sword splintered in two.
“…”
She clearly hadn’t fully absorbed the preceding attack.
Looking at her broken sword, the Queen simply tossed it away without a trace of regret.
‘Where does she keep her magic?’
I scanned her waist for any signs of magic but found nothing resembling her weapon.
It seemed she hadn’t brought it along.
Turning her back to me, the Queen of the Demonic Sword commanded,
“…Follow me.”
“What?”
My confusion led me to inevitably reply back.
Follow you…? To where?
She glanced at me, then provided a little more insight.
“…The Heavenly Lord… is coming.”
“…!”
“…We must… retreat… by orders.”
Upon hearing the Queen’s words, I grasped what that earlier power surge had been.
It seemed it was an assault by none other than the Heavenly Lord, one of the three Lords.
That guy is here?
So does that genuinely mean this isn’t the time to dawdle around?
The Queen of the Demonic Sword likely took me for an ally and intended to take me with her first.
But…
‘Where…?’
Even amidst this intricate situation, that thought flickered in my mind.
It’s a relief that I avoided death at the hands of the Queen of the Demonic Sword, but if I accompany her like this, where would that lead?
That was a pressing question.
“Demon… Sword Master.”
At my call, she paused and looked my way.
Her blue eyes, still devoid of any vitality, felt distinctly off.
This was proof I had grown accustomed to the current Namgung Bi-ah.
Her gaze didn’t reflect anything like that.
Seeing those awkward eyes, I calmly inquired,
“…Where are we heading?”
“…”
A brief silence followed my inquiry, with the Queen’s expression suggesting she wondered why I’d ask such a thing.
“…Daejeon (Great Hall)…”
“…”
As she concluded her sentence, the Queen resumed her stride.
The moment I heard her words, cold sweat broke out across my brow.
The Great Hall she mentioned.
That was akin to the headquarters of the Black Flame Corps, and there…
‘…I’m there.’
That place housed the Black Flame Demon Emperor, the ruler of the main faction.
Upon remembering this, I realized it was clear:
Things were turning more and more chaotic.
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