Chapter: 438
A day passed.
Even with time flowing, this damn illusion remained unbroken.
All this time, I had focused on gathering information about this wretched world.
First of all, this place was indeed the world from my past life.
I could tell that much as soon as I saw it.
What a dog’s world.
Crunch.
The more I thought about it, the more my teeth ground together. I could guess the meaning behind the “regret” that Dangjemun had mentioned.
The time I regretted the most.
I wondered if that was why I was sent here.
If that was the case, it was truly a cruel test.
Just the fact that I was sent back to a world I desperately wanted to forget and never experience again was pure hell for me.
This isn’t a return to a past world.
I knew it was just an illusion.
I had even hoped that if I could prevent the things that should have happened in this world, the future might change.
Yet, knowing it wouldn’t happen, I realized the futility of that hope.
And that was why it felt like hell.
In a place where nothing could be changed, I was merely a spectator.
It was enough to call it hell for me.
What do you want me to realize here?
I thought as I brushed away the rippling waves with my hands.
I couldn’t grasp the intention behind the party’s request.
What was the purpose of this test? What did she mean by “choice”?
I couldn’t figure it out.
I just stared at the river with heavy eyes.
A face reflected in the river caught my attention.
The face in the water was startlingly unfamiliar.
That was because it wasn’t my face.
I touched my face with my hand.
There was an odd dissonance between how it looked and how it felt.
Only the appearance has changed, but the feel is the same.
It felt like something akin to a hallucination had covered me.
Perhaps, you could say it was a more natural kind of human skin suit.
Age… Is it similar to my current self?
This meant I was now at an age where I could finally be called a young man.
So, I wasn’t recognized because of this?
I thought I understood why the Demon Sword Master hadn’t noticed me.
My previously fierce gaze was gone, replaced by softer, slightly lowered eyes.
If you were to say it was the exact opposite, that would sum it up perfectly.
Anyway, it felt way too awkward to refer to it as my face.
I turned my gaze away from my face and surveyed my surroundings.
It seemed like I was somewhere in Sacheon. It was an area I wasn’t familiar with.
What is the time zone right now?
This was the most important part. What moment is it now?
I was a bit lacking in understanding this.
First of all… The Demon Sword Master is alive and… has Sacheon fallen?
If that were the case, the Poison Queen must be dead.
“…”
Even after spitting that out, I bit my lip. Sacheon had fallen into the hands of the mines, and the Murim Alliance must be sending all their forces to reclaim it.
But even so, their operation would likely fail.
…because I am here.
It was an arrogant thought, but it was the truth.
It seems that the Heavenly Lord had made a full-force appearance in Sacheon, but any further infiltration would be impossible.
If he revealed himself properly, the Heavenly Demon would descend.
The Heavenly Demon issued a stern warning.
He would turn a blind eye, allowing the Poison King and his blood relatives to flee to Shaolin, but if the Three Lords intervened in this matter, he would also show himself.
This incredibly arrogant warning, surprisingly, had some effect.
Having confirmed the power of the Heavenly Demon, I knew her words weren’t just a bluff.
Moreover…
Right now, the Demonic Cult has not launched a proper attack.
They could easily storm Hanam and demolish the righteous faction if they wanted to.
But for some reason, the Heavenly Demon ordered them to occupy Sacheon and wait.
I wondered how much time had passed like this.
About a year or two.
Around that time.
I couldn’t recall the exact timing.
That’s because I wasn’t in a state of mind to grasp the flow of time back then.
So then, when is it right now?
What point is it during the waiting period initiated by the Heavenly Demon?
I needed to know that part.
Because the end of this waiting period meant…
The death of the Demon Sword Master…
It marked the trigger for the war to begin in earnest and the moment when the Demon Sword Master would meet her demise.
I shifted my gaze to the Demon Sword Master, who was gazing blankly at the river.
She was staring at the water without a particular aim.
Just…
“Your Highness, no matter how I look at it, this does not seem to be right.”
“…”
That was because she was lost.
I had nearly forgotten for a moment.
That the Demon Sword Master was utterly hopeless with directions.
I should have picked up on it the moment she decided to lead the way.
…I can’t believe I forgot this.
The Demon Sword Master was someone who would get lost going from left to right.
She was the type who would walk backward when asked to go straight.
You’d think I would have known better, but here I was, just following her thoughtlessly.
What should I do?
I was moving away from the water, following the Demon Sword Master.
Her pace was quick, but it wasn’t so fast that I couldn’t keep up.
This was probably due to her consideration for me, allowing me to follow along.
If we go this way, isn’t that the opposite direction?
I had already been wandering around for a day.
It wasn’t just any wandering; it meant I hadn’t slept and had been roaming the streets throughout the night.
This is maddening.
Honestly, I didn’t know the exact location of this place, but I knew the direction to Daejeon.
I felt too awkward pretending to know that, so I stayed silent and just followed her.
But if I leave it like this… I’ll be spinning in circles for seven days and nights, let alone just until tomorrow.
Going to Daejeon itself was a problem, so not going would be advantageous.
Yet, leaving things as they were was also an issue.
What should I do?
Should I subtly suggest we explore the other path?
That would be tricky too.
…I’d end up with my throat cut if I messed around too much.
If it were Namgung Bi-ah, I wouldn’t hesitate to approach her, but with the Demon Sword Master, I had to be careful even about starting a conversation.
She had a profound disdain for humans, especially a strong resentment towards men.
Right now, she was bringing me to Daejeon merely because I was a member of the Black Flame Corps and not because we shared the same faction.
The Demon Sword Master would kill even a fellow demon without a second thought. I had to keep a safe distance while always being aware of her reactions.
At that moment…
“…!”
The Demon Sword Master seemed to notice something and turned her gaze.
Pop.
“What?”
She quickly released a short burst of energy and vanished.
What the hell?
I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
She vanished right before my eyes, and I didn’t even notice.
I thought I had become somewhat stronger by reaching Hwagyeong.
Yet, seeing this made me realize I still had so far to go.
I couldn’t even detect a single presence.
Where did she go?
I stopped moving, trying to locate the Demon Sword Master when – whoosh! – she reappeared right in front of me.
She had someone by the collar.
“Huff… huff…”
The person caught by the collar was surprisingly another mine. Since Sacheon was now the territory of the Demonic Cult, seeing another mine here wasn’t too odd.
But… why did she bring him here?
“Huff… huff…!”
Judging by the expression on the mine’s face, it didn’t appear to be the kidnapping she had mentioned. The man looked shocked as he recognized who had captured him.
“Ma… Master Sword…!”
The expression on the Demon Sword Master’s face as she looked down at him was icy cold.
“…Daejeon… location… direction.”
She uttered those words briefly, and I understood her intent.
Did she really grab him to ask for directions?
It seemed that way.
After a moment of thought, the man quickly replied.
“If it’s Daejeon, just go straight west… Ack!?”
As soon as she heard his answer, the Demon Sword Master threw him away.
He screamed as he flew off into the distance.
Did she truly grab him just to ask for directions?
…
What is even happening right now?
As I looked at her in confusion, the Demon Sword Master wiped her hands on her clothes as if she had touched a piece of filth.
Then, she glanced at me.
“…West. Let’s go…”
“…Ah, yes.”
After confirming that we would depart again, she immediately began to move.
“Wait a minute.”
“…?”
At my words, the Demon Sword Master paused and looked back at me.
The reason I spoke up was simple.
“That’s east, Your Highness. West is the opposite.”
“…Hmm.”
“That’s north…”
The Demon Sword Master, who had stopped walking twice, turned to look at me with unexpressive eyes.
Looking into those eyes, I realized what she was hinting at.
“…You want me to guide you?”
“…”
The Demon Sword Master didn’t respond to my question.
But I understood her silence to mean yes, so I slowly turned my steps westward.
Is this right?
I wondered as I walked.
Was it really okay for me to go to Daejeon on my own feet?
If I just went east like this, the Demon Sword Master wouldn’t notice.
Even thinking that, my feet were already moving.
There were some aspects I wanted to confirm, and above all…
I need to find a way to break out of this wretched illusion.
I had to figure out how to finish this test.
Why had I been sent back at this moment? And why did I meet the Demon Sword Master immediately after I arrived?
Taking all this into account, I decided that I needed to stay by the Demon Sword Master’s side.
That was my conclusion.
Thinking like that, I stole a glance at the Demon Sword Master.
However…
“Your Highness… where are you going?”
“Ah… mistake…”
The Demon Sword Master froze, having almost strayed off course, and straightened herself up.
“…”
Seeing that, I nodded slightly.
It seemed this task wouldn’t be as easy as I thought.
We ran west for quite a while.
It would have taken about another full day.
It had been two days since I stepped into the illusion of my past life.
As time passed, a massive building appeared before my eyes.
It was a building I hadn’t seen in such a long time.
…I finally made it.
Thinking back on how much I struggled during that time, I had to keep watching the Demon Sword Master, who wanted to vanish at any moment.
And I had to choose my words carefully for fear of upsetting her.
Damn it.
If it were Namgung Bi-ah, I would have thrown ten punches at her.
It was regrettable that I couldn’t do that.
If I had done that to the Demon Sword Master, I would’ve lost an arm, and my neck would certainly have followed.
Moreover, as I walked towards the battleground with the Demon Sword Master, I could once again see the tragic reality of the situation unfolding.
There isn’t a single place that doesn’t smell of blood.
Everywhere bore the traces of war. Half-decayed bodies could often be seen, emanating foul odors.
If you thought you spotted a river, you could even see bodies floating upon it.
…
All I could do when seeing this was bite my lip.
No matter how much I think about it…
It was truly a filthy memory.
I swallowed a sigh with difficulty and continued on.
In an area slightly distanced from the center of Sacheon, there was a building that had once led the commerce of Sacheon.
The Demonic Cult had remodeled and was now using that place.
The so-called Great Hall.
That’s what we came to call that place.
As I approached the building, a figure who looked like a gatekeeper bowed his head.
“We greet the Vice-Lord.”
This was directed towards the Demon Sword Master.
Vice-Lord. Yes, that was the title the Demon Sword Master held within the Black Flame Corps.
The Demon Sword Master looked at the gatekeeper with cloudy eyes, questioning him.
“…The Lord…?”
“The Lord awaits inside.”
The gatekeeper’s words earned a nod from the Demon Sword Master.
Then, the gatekeeper glanced at me with a puzzled expression. Seeing that, the Demon Sword Master added:
“…Newbie.”
“Oh, a newbie?”
At the Demon Sword Master’s words, the gatekeeper smirked.
“A cute little thing has shown up. Alright, I’ll see you later, rookie.”
“…”
That smile was full of fresh joy and intrigue.
What was this brat’s name again?
I racked my brain but couldn’t remember.
In my past life, I didn’t even have the capacity to memorize the names of the gatekeepers.
I followed behind the Demon Sword Master without offering any particular reply.
I continued to think about it along the way.
Is this really okay?
Is it truly fine for me to walk back into the den of minions on my own?
Furthermore, if I were to be caught by the Heavenly Demon, that would be the end.
…Is there another method?
If part of this trial was ultimately a confrontation with my regrets…
I inferred that there must be something around me in my current life, including the Demon Sword.
…Visiting the new sword could also be a way.
I was certain there would be a story there too. Still, strangely, my instincts were guiding me here.
As I walked along the corridor, a massive door appeared at the end of the eerie silence.
The moment I stepped towards it…
…Cough…!
I found myself involuntarily gasping.
Beyond that door, absurd martial spirit and murderous intent poured out like an avalanche.
Cold sweat trickled down my face.
My heart started pounding wildly from the anxiety, and my body instinctively shielded itself, signaling my defense mechanism.
But it still wasn’t enough to block it all.
Creeeak.
As my breathing became strained, a brief surge of energy enveloped my body.
It was the Demon Sword Master’s protective aura.
“Hah…?”
Then, my previously constricted breath flowed out, and my racing heart began to settle.
It seemed the Demon Sword Master had spread a barrier.
…Why?
I had to look at her with a perplexed expression.
Because she was not the type to show such kindness to someone she had only met a few days ago.
Whether she knew I was watching her or not, the Demon Sword Master kept moving forward.
Finally, we stood before the door.
Creeeak!
As soon as the Demon Sword Master arrived, the door began to part on its own.
I flinched as the overwhelming magic energy surged forth through the slowly opening crack.
It was overwhelming.
The magical atmosphere was brutal, and the seriousness within was intimidating.
Magi filled the expansive room, and figures knelt in neat rows on either side.
Each and every one of them radiated an unusual level of magical energy.
Among those visible demonic figures, there was not a single feeble presence.
As I frowned at the swirling magic in the air…
“You’re late.”
A deep voice echoed ominously from the throne at the far end.
The thick murderous intent hidden in that voice made me unconsciously swallow hard.
As he spoke, the magic swirling in the space began to ripple violently.
Struggling to fend off the suffocating magic enveloping me, I finally raised my stiff neck to meet his gaze.
In turn, the man’s violet eyes also locked onto mine.
He looked just the same as before.
I stifled a bitter laugh at the sight of him.
His gaze looked weary, while layers of murderous intent seeped from around him.
The mass of magical energy he exuded was so immense that it caused an unusual atmosphere throughout the room. The mines there couldn’t even lift their heads due to the overwhelming presence.
At first glance, he appeared exceptionally formidable.
What a pitiful fool.
In my eyes, he was nothing more than an incompetent worm.
A coward who had run away from every challenge.
That fool was right in front of me.
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