Chapter: 448
When the flames were transforming into a threatening shape.
“I know you called us on purpose. How could I not know?”
“Huh… Huh…”
A voice filled with laughter was actually quite terrifying.
With such a strong murderous intent in those words, how could I not feel afraid?
“It’s amusing to watch your ridiculous struggles… but unfortunately, it gets a little tiresome. That’s a polite way of saying I can’t watch for long.”
Clink.
The Demon Sword Master placed her hand on the sword hilt.
It seemed she picked up on my intentions without me saying a word.
The same went for me.
‘That kid is really mad.’
And she seemed very much so. The way she was grinning as she spoke made it pretty obvious.
As expected, few in the world can’t control their anger quite like her.
Bi Yeon Island already seemed pushed to its limits.
Huff… Huff…
Her breathing was ragged.
The bet she had made was a complete mess.
It looked like Bi Yeon Island wouldn’t withstand the pressure from the demon lord looming right before it for much longer.
As the demon lord’s aura encroached from all sides, a silent warrior emerged from behind, dragging a mine.
Perhaps since the Demon Sword Master and I were on the offense, he must have hastily picked up the pace to lead the way.
Muk-kwon is quick on the uptake.
He frowned slightly as he scanned the situation and gestured backward.
In response, the demons began to exhibit agitation.
Immediate crisis.
That sounds about right.
It means a battle is about to break out.
In the meantime, I was busy looking around, trying to figure out why this damn situation had unfolded.
Of course, understanding the situation was important.
‘Where could it be?’
There was something even more critical.
According to the information Muk-kwon provided, it should definitely be here.
‘Small Sword…’
The legendary figure of this age.
I had heard she was here, but I still hadn’t seen her.
Could she be over there in the village?
Just as I was scanning the area, it happened.
Thud.
Bi Yeon Island, facing the demon, started to stagger and lose her form.
Fortunately, she didn’t fall, but it looked like she was on the verge of it.
What was puzzling was that.
Not only the Demon King but also the Demon Sword Master, and even Muk-kwon, had completely lost interest in Bi Yeon Island by now.
No…
‘Weren’t they watching from the beginning?’
Following their gaze, I looked somewhere else.
A void where nothing was visible.
I concentrated my senses toward that spot. I thought there might be something there to see.
And then.
‘…!’
I genuinely felt something.
Very faint, but there was definitely something there.
‘This is.’
An unknown chill.
It felt like someone was aiming a sword at me.
With that thought, I activated my body’s vital senses.
Now I finally understood why everyone’s attention was directed that way.
I had been so focused on searching for the Small Sword that I forgot about the crucial fact.
That meant she wasn’t the only one here.
Zzzzzt.
A flash of energy burst through the empty space.
The Demon Sword Master reacted slightly upon seeing that. It clearly resembled her energy.
With my heart pounding, I stared at the void.
[You are still the same.]
A voice rang out along with the growing energy.
Thud! The energy gradually swelled in size until it formed a shadow.
The figure, initially appearing made of pure energy, slowly took on a more human shape.
Tap.
As the figure that appeared from the air touched the ground.
Whoosh!
The surrounding pressure rapidly dispersed.
The unexpected figure was an elderly man with white hair.
The old man approached slowly, step by step, hands behind his back.
I gulped as I registered that.
He had white hair steeped in history and blue eyes that reminded me of someone.
This was a person I hadn’t encountered in quite some time.
More accurately, he was someone I had never met since my regression.
Gasp… Gasp…
Perhaps with the pressure lifted, Bi Yeon Island was exhaling rough breaths endlessly.
When the old man approached her and touched her back with his hand.
Gag.
Bi Yeon Island spit out black blood.
It seemed the internal turmoil had been forcibly corrected.
“Take a little rest.”
“I’m… sorry.”
As Bi Yeon spoke, the old man gently patted her shoulder in response.
The cold gaze of the Demon King turned towards the old man.
“I was wondering where you were hiding. So, you were here.”
“Ha ha… Hiding? I’ve never hidden.”
“You keep irritating me like a rat, and I thought you’d gone crazy and were throwing a fit.”
‘Wow.’
That’s a dizzying provocation to hear.
I really wanted to shove a sock in that insufferable brat’s mouth right now.
I half-wondered if his brain had been pickled in demon magic.
‘…I did that?’
I wanted to deny it.
How could one shamelessly act like that in front of none other than one of the Three Lords and the absolute authority of the Namgung clan?
‘I really lived with my head on the chopping block.’
Standing before me was none other than the Heavenly Deity.
In front of the demon lord, who sat like a mountain in the Central Plains, the Demon King was casually bantering like it was no big deal.
“I was just about to kill and dispose of the demons lurking around. What a coincidence.”
Chuckle.
The Heavenly Deity only laughed at the Demon King’s words.
“…Demon? Well, that’s accurate enough. I’m just living because I can’t die.”
The Heavenly Deity smiled, gazing off at somewhere.
In the direction where the Demon Sword Master stood.
“It’s been a while.”
“…”
The Demon Sword Master offered no reply to the Heavenly Deity’s words.
Just silently staring at him.
The Namgung clan had been obliterated by the Demon Sword Master.
The Heavenly Deity hadn’t been able to prevent it, so there might only be these two left of the Namgung bloodline in the whole Central Plains now.
It felt like an incredibly uncomfortable relationship.
“Though it’s been a long time since we met, there’s much to discuss and settle, but unfortunately, I have something else to do first.”
Something to do?
I felt my nerves tense at the Heavenly Deity’s words.
Sure enough, it meant there was something he needed to handle here.
“Something to handle….”
The other ‘me’ had also heard the words of the Heavenly Deity.
He frowned, questioning the Heavenly Deity.
“Do you mean there’s something urgent enough that it makes you ignore the leader’s warning?”
“That’s correct.”
The Heavenly Deity smiled as he looked toward the Demon King.
“We want to conduct a trade with you.”
Trade? I tried to focus for a moment to interpret that unexpected statement.
Ha.
I had to roll my eyes at the sudden hollow laugh that the Demon King let out.
‘Oh, that’s a bad sign.’
Sure enough.
“Trade? Just a moment ago, that trash was asking me to talk. Now, the Demon is requesting a trade.”
“This may not be all that bad for you either….”
“Shut up. I feel like my ears are rotting away.”
The pressure that had momentarily paused surged once again.
The last remnants of a smile vanished from the Demon King’s face, replaced entirely by a palpable anger.
“The cult leader has shown mercy to you… but like always, those unaware of their place will inevitably lose their gratitude.”
Whoosh.
Flames engulfed the Demon King’s body.
“So if you fail to recognize your place, you might just have to be reminded quite directly.”
“… Do you believe this is the right way to see blood every time?”
At the Heavenly Deity’s words, the Demon King waved his hand.
“Don’t shove your ridiculous utopia down my throat.”
BOOM!
With the gesture of his hand, the flames that had been floating in the air began to rain down towards the ground with a thunderous roar.
“Even you don’t have the right to speak like that.”
A wave of fire began to slowly descend.
Although it was coming down quickly, the Heavenly Deity, facing the Demon King, frowned but showed no signs of taking action.
What’s going on?
I swallowed hard as I watched.
‘Is he really going to drop that?’
Even in my crazed state back then, I wouldn’t have dared act so reckless in front of the Heavenly Deity.
What on earth was he thinking?
I had no clue what he was planning.
What I mean is, I can’t seem to grasp the intentions of this crazy kid to pull such a stunt.
Could I have beaten that old man back then?
‘That’s impossible…?’
No matter how I looked at it, that would be unthinkable.
They were undoubtedly beings of a higher class than me.
It might barely be possible if I teamed up with the Demon Sword Master.
That’s the majesty of the Three Lords. Yet, he acted as though it meant nothing and recklessly attempted something.
Whoosh whoosh!
The flames drew ever closer to the earth.
As that happened, deeper despair spread across the faces of the surrounding warriors.
“Oh, no!”
“Save me!”
The formation began to crumble as chaos ensued.
Up until then, the Heavenly Deity had not moved a muscle.
Not only was he not drawing his sword, but he wasn’t even preparing any energy.
Why?
Is it a force beyond even what the Heavenly Deity can stop?
That seems unlikely.
Even if it was a mix of demonic energy, the old man’s power would surely be more than sufficient.
But then why?
The flames were approaching even closer.
Soon enough, they will touch the ground and create a massive explosion.
Was he really planning to burn all the people here?
Whoosh!
Something darted across the sky towards the flames.
The speed was astounding.
Before I could even get a good grasp on what it was, dozens more rushed in after it.
Whoosh!
In an instant, something strange occurred.
Hiss!
“…!”
The colossal flames that had exuded overwhelming dominance began to diminish gradually.
The black flames floating in the air suddenly vanishing as if being sucked inward.
It only took mere seconds for all those flames to disappear.
Ah.
Only after witnessing this change did I cast a glance at the Demon King, finally grasping his intent.
The reason he expended so much energy to create this chaos.
‘He was trying to summon someone.’
While it may have been an effort to assert dominance, his true intention was to showcase it to someone and call them here.
In the space where the flames had vanished, something rotated slowly. A sword.
A handful of otherworldly swords shimmering with golden light.
They were floating gracefully in the air.
Witnessing the extinguishing flames, the warriors who had previously been steeped in despair began to cheer.
It seemed they had realized who the sword belonged to.
“He has come…! The Great Lord has arrived!”
At their cheers, the demons frowned and looked up into the sky.
In that moment, the golden sword hovering in the air sped off somewhere.
Right above where the Heavenly Deity stood.
Just moments ago, there had been no one there, yet now someone was floating in the air.
“…”
Seeing her, I found myself biting my lip.
With this mystical notion tied to my previous life, I had entertained the possibility of meeting her someday.
Whether to define this as anticipation or worry was hard to pin down.
Or perhaps anxiety would be the best term.
I had been contemplating the chances of seeing her.
But.
‘…This is.’
When meeting her in person, an emotional whirlwind coursed through me, far beyond my expectations.
Several swords moved as if to protect her.
The woman stood gracefully atop the floating swords in the air.
Her hair was not merely brown but had transformed into a full golden hue.
Contrasting with her shimmering pupils, her tired eyes were filled with an ethereal atmosphere.
She was different from the woman who always sat beside me, smiling and chattering.
“…Small Sword.”
The Demon King murmured quietly upon seeing the woman.
Had she caught that tiny whisper?
Sogeomseong cast her gaze in our direction.
I felt like I was witnessing a ghost…
‘Huh?’
…That’s what I thought…
But something felt off.
What’s going on?
Sogeomseong was not looking at the Demon King.
This might be an illusion, but it didn’t feel like one.
Sogeomseong wasn’t focused on the Demon King. Rather, it seemed…
‘She’s looking at me…?’
For some reason, it felt like her gaze was fixated on me.
I could not fathom why, but she was undeniably looking my way.
And it was with eyes wide open in surprise.
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