Chapter: 346
A night when the moon was barely rising.
Someone is sitting on a huge rock, lifting a wine glass. A few strands of long hair mix with the wine, but he doesn’t seem to mind much.
The moon floating above shimmers on the undulating alcohol. The owner of the glass casts a sideways glance at it before immediately tilting the glass back for a sip.
That disheveled appearance, paradoxically, looks noble. It’s likely because he is all too aware of how overwhelming his position and power are.
Behind the figure sipping alcohol, the green forest is drenched in blood.
It is filled with bodies so mangled that it’s hard to recognize their forms. Each one of them was a well-known master esteemed in the Central Plains.
A chaotic mix of those who have reached their peak and pinnacle of power.
In a way, they possessed enough strength to erase a prestigious family from the Central Plains.
Yet, the person quietly drinking before me has wiped them out with just a few gestures.
After finishing the contents of his glass, he quickly shifts his gaze to look this way.
The moment I meet the purple eyes within, it feels as if the color of the moon floating at night has also turned purple.
[Lord.]
[…Yes.]
He bows his head at the call. The figure who confirmed his posture.
Cheonma pours more alcohol into his glass.
Slurp.
The sound of pouring alcohol reverberates through the tranquil forest.
[Are you feeling regretful?]
[What do you mean?]
[I mean, are you upset that I intercepted the Lord’s gift?]
[…]
I remained silent at Cheonma’s question. He, as if expecting my reaction, merely raised his glass to drink again.
The corpses piled behind me belonged to a unit sent by the Alliance for my assassination. Given that there were occasionally people who didn’t seem to belong to the Alliance, it appears some were mercenaries hired at great expense.
[…That’s not true. If the leader hadn’t helped, I would have been in danger.]
At my attempt at diplomacy, Cheonma lets out a small chuckle.
[Did the Lord say that? What a ridiculous statement.]
Cheonma bursts into laughter while elegantly waving one hand.
Whoosh—!
In an instant, the piled-up corpses were engulfed in black flames, vanishing without a trace.
[Those Alliance bastards must be incredibly impatient to pull such silly tricks.]
The three great masters known as the strongest in the Central Plains were all slain, the Hwasan Sect reduced to ashes.
And the Namgung clan was exterminated.
Even the forces aligned with the righteous faction are gradually being absorbed by the Demonic Cult or disappearing completely.
Amidst these events, it’s said that laughable factions have emerged, praising Cheonma and the Demonic Cult.
The Alliance, which had been built and fortified over centuries, began to crumble.
Some have made their choice. In the end, the current state of the Central Plains will descend into ruin, and the age of the Demonic Cult will dawn; thus, they aim to join Cheonma’s ranks before it’s too late.
Is there still hope for the Central Plains?
No, that doesn’t appear to be the case. At least, that’s my conclusion. The hope in the Central Plains would surely wither with Cheonma’s appearance.
Such is the reality of Cheonma.
His very existence is a calamity, as if the term ‘apocalypse’ were manifested in human form.
That’s exactly who Cheonma is.
He took the final sip from his glass and quietly gazed up at the heavens.
The wind gently swayed his hair.
[Lord.]
[Yes.]
[I will head to Hanam in seven days and nights.]
[…!]
I struggled to hide my surprise at Cheonma’s words. What he implied was that he would personally wage war in Hanam, where the Alliance was located.
Although skirmishes had occurred thus far, this would be the first direct assault.
[You look surprised.]
[No. I just…]
[Worried?]
[…]
Worried, indeed.
Those words pierced my heart like a sharp blade, leaving me speechless.
As though understanding my expression, Cheonma continued.
[You don’t seem to be worried about me.]
With a hint of amusement, he rested his chin on his snow-white fingertips, half-lidded purple eyes gazing at me.
Unable to hold that stare, I merely lowered my head.
[Then who do you concern yourself with?]
[No… I’m not worried about anything…]
[Lord, you’re terrible at lying. Did you know that?]
[…]
[Despite all this time, you still have a childlike innocence.]
Hehe.
Cheonma’s laughter filled my ears.
[The only person who has lied to me and lived is you, Lord. Do you realize that?]
[…]
[And you’re probably the only one still breathing, without answering my question.]
[Cult leader…]
Swish.
It seemed Cheonma had no intention of hearing my answer, as he silently rose.
[The Sword Demon in Uicheon will return shortly.]
[The Green King in Sichuan has likely completed his preparations. He will confront the Sword Emperor.]
As Cheonma began to slowly unveil the information to me, he gradually lifted off the ground, his feet slowly ascending into the air.
The swirling black aura surrounding him resembled the shape of wings.
When Cheonma spoke to me, it crystallized how I hadn’t known any of this information.
The Sword Demon was, after all, my direct subordinate.
As for the Green King, he was initially Zhuge Hyuk’s bodyguard but was absorbed into my ranks after his demise.
The fact that I had no knowledge of their return or activities indicated that Cheonma had deliberately shielded me from that knowledge.
Was he planning to cast me aside?
That fleeting thought fluttered through my mind.
In that moment, Cheonma added one final statement.
[I will command the demons.]
[Cult leader…!]
This was not an odd statement at all.
After all, Cheonma was the de facto ruler of all demons and the heavens, so it was not bizarre for him to take command.
What was pivotal was the fact that Cheonma had never sought to do anything before.
Until now, Jegal Hyuk had retained command of the demons.
Moreover, I held command over the factions beneath me.
Immediately following Zhuge Hyuk’s death, his command powers were absorbed into my own.
For Cheonma to claim all command meant he would genuinely take action himself.
This would inevitably spell disaster for the Central Plains.
The sole reason the Central Plains had barely managed to hold their ground until now was that Cheonma had not genuinely sought to destroy them.
I knew that for sure.
If Cheonma had truly sought to obliterate and burn the Central Plains, it would have been impossible for them to endure to this point.
But… why?
Why did Cheonma choose now to take action? It’s a rhetorical question, but one I pondered.
The reasons that Cheonma, who had refrained from acting all this time, began to do so now was perplexing.
Perhaps it was because the three great masters were dead and their strength diminished significantly, thus waiting for a situation in which victory was secured.
Such thoughts flitted through my mind, yet observing Cheonma’s past demeanor told me that was unlikely.
Was that why? Without realizing it, I found myself questioning him.
[Cult leader…]
[Yes.]
[May I inquire about the reason?]
Cheonma’s desires aligned with the ambitions of the demons.
To question that was utterly absurd, completely out of the question.
Nonetheless, I needed to ask.
[The reason…]
Cheonma, suspended in mid-air, looked down at me with an expression of intrigue.
His figure obscured the moon’s ascent, blocking out the light.
Within that shadowed visage, only the purple glimmer of his eyes radiated brilliantly.
[Were you curious about that?]
[I’m sorry….]
With the way his eyes curled, I could tell that Cheonma was smiling.
[It’s simply time.]
The time has come.
Cheonma’s words struck me more profoundly than ever.
[From now on, everything I say to you is a command. It must be adhered to without exception.]
[…I will follow.]
[When I set my sights on Hanam, you must make a choice.]
I listened intently to Cheonma’s declaration.
[Whether to accompany me to Hanam or not.]
[…Cult leader, what do you mean by that?]
It was an incomprehensible statement. To decide whether to join him in Hanam when the master of the demons is heading for war?
How could I, a subordinate, even consider the option of not going?
[If given the choice, I believe you would head to Hanam regardless.]
[That goes without saying.]
[But is that truly for my sake?]
[…!]
I swallowed hard at the implication behind Cheonma’s words.
[Those trembling eyes remain unchanged.]
[…Cult leader.]
[It seems there’s still a place for that woman in your heart.]
[No! How could I entertain such foolishness…]
[This time, I will not hold you accountable for misleading me.]
[…]
As he spoke, Cheonma absentmindedly swept his fingers through his hair.
At that moment, I caught a glimpse of Cheonma’s face.
The features, both familiar and stirring up a whirlpool of emotions, seemed like a visage I couldn’t maintain focus on for long.
[I do have a fondness for you, Lord.]
[…Thank you, but…]
[Yet, there are times when I want to sever your neck. Do you know when?]
[…]
[When you gaze at my face and feel a sense of longing. Each time that happens, I am overtaken by the urge to gouge out your eyes.]
[If you wish, I will incinerate both of my eyes right here and now.]
Those words came out sincerely.
Upon hearing my response, Cheonma smiled, seemingly pleased with my answer.
[That would prove troublesome. I rather like your eyes, indeed.]
Swish swish…
As Cheonma gradually settled into the air, the fields and forests stretching below began to wither and decay steadily.
It must be the influence of the demonic energy he emitted.
[Right after everything concludes…]
[You will be faced with a choice.]
A choice.
Will there come a time when I must make a choice?
I still couldn’t grasp the meaning of Cheonma’s words.
[When that time arrives…]
As I continued to be lost in confusion over his words, Cheonma seemed to offer an answer.
I don’t recall precisely what I heard from Cheonma at that moment.
What’s more:
At that time, I remained ignorant of the choice Cheonma had commanded me to make.
Cheonma met his demise at the hands of Sogeomseong after the war, and Sogeomseong was subsequently dubbed ‘Shingeom.’
Moreover, every demon who gathered in Hanam was either captured by the Murim Alliance or suffered death or torture.
The Demonic Cult’s defeat.
This was an event no one had anticipated for the righteous faction’s victory.
Not even I.
And on that day, what Cheonma had relayed about a choice…
Even now, after returning, I still have no understanding of what it meant.
Whoosh—!
The body engulfed in flames surged through the forest with ferocity. I heightened my focus to its extreme.
To reach my destination more swiftly.
‘No way….’
I sought to suppress the overwhelming anxiety rising within me, clenching my teeth to endure.
Thud, thud.
One side of my danjeon continued to resonate, vibrating at the epicenter of my anxiety.
This culminated in the heightened sensations overstimulating my senses.
The danjeon responded; I heard sounds, caught scents, and derived flavors.
My hands trembled as I caught glimpses of something in the distance.
There was only one reason this sensitivity surged.
It was warning me.
The master of the demons was over there.
Over there.
Cheonma was there.
‘This is absurd.’
It was too soon for Cheonma to appear.
Certainly, it was something that would only happen after I surpassed my youth.
Not now, but several years until that occurred.
‘Has time unraveled?’
That might be possible.
Given the number of things that changed during my regression, this too could have been altered.
But it shouldn’t have happened.
At the very least.
The emergence of Cheonma should not occur now.
This is a scenario for which nothing is prepared.
‘Faster.’
I strained my legs and propelled myself forward. The flames became a point, breaking through rapidly.
I did not shy away, obliterating and incinerating any obstacles in my path.
The incidents surrounding my return and the mysterious forces that attacked Shinryonggwan faded from memory.
Only thoughts of Cheonma remained.
I ran.
Crash—!
Burning every tree in sight, I forged ahead.
How long did I run like this?
Finally, I reached the focal point of my energy.
Only then did the surrounding chaos gradually come into focus.
The first sight greeted me was a disarray, as if a catastrophe had struck.
A little further away, Bi Eejin sat, gasping for breath.
What could have put him in such a state?
I glanced around.
There, blocking his path, was Wi Seol-ah.
With her sword drawn, she exuded a fierce demeanor.
The golden aura enveloping Wi Seol-ah’s figure clearly indicated the martial prowess of the Sword Emperor.
The purity emanating from that energy was substantial.
Likewise, the aura of presence radiating from Wi Seol-ah was formidable.
It seemed Wi Seol-ah’s level had exceeded my expectations.
But my gaze quickly shifted elsewhere.
There was an opponent whom Wi Seol-ah faced, sword raised high.
The moment I caught sight of that adversary, time felt like it had briefly frozen.
For what felt like seconds.
In that fleeting moment, so much rushed through my mind.
I felt nothing. It was undeniably within my view.
I noticed the stance and the face came into view.
Yet, paradoxically, I felt utterly disconnected.
At that moment, the existence confronting Wi Seol-ah turned its head towards me.
Was this an illusion? Surely, they were looking in my direction.
Time, which felt stagnant, began to flow once more.
Soaring toward them, I swiftly embraced Wi Seol-ah.
“Huh…!”
In this unexpected turn of events, Wi Seol-ah emitted a startled exclamation.
I clasped her tightly, moving away.
“Huff… Huff….”
Releasing frantic breaths, I cradled Wi Seol-ah protectively in my arms.
I raised my inner energy to its fullest.
An inferno blazed in my eyes.
My hair began to shift slightly.
Even though I had intruded upon the scene, the being remained impassive.
“…Why.”
I murmured in disbelief.
“Why have you appeared now?”
I sensed it through my energy, but encountering it so closely solidified my certainty.
In response to my words, something identical to Wi Seol-ah tilted its head in puzzlement.
Upon locking eyes, I felt as if my breath was snatched away.
Nothing was perceptible.
Yet, in stark contrast, I sensed an overwhelming torrent of emotions.
Suppressing the tremors within, I managed to call out the name.
“…Cheonma.”
At my call, Cheonma’s two purple eyes gleamed with a spark.
Seeing that, I found myself convinced yet again.
Cheonma had indeed returned to this land.
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