Chapter: 403
A man was looking up at the darkened sky.
At first glance, it looked like a night sky, but it was, in fact, broad daylight, just past noon. When he gazed at it, he could tell that the sky wasn’t normal at all.
As the man looked up at the odd sky with indifference, Boom! Boom! A thunderous sound drifted from somewhere and brushed past his ears.
Just as he wondered what on earth that noise could be, he sensed it. Someone was approaching him from afar.
Feeling a heavy presence, the man turned his gaze toward the source of the sound.
There, he saw…
Guddeuk-!
At a glance, someone was coming closer, dragging a monster the size of a small hill with one hand. The monster was already dead.
Its body was dented in several places, with bones protruding through the skin, showing it had been violently beaten.
There was no need to ponder what had caused the monster to end up like this.
The man’s gaze shifted to the one dragging the monster.
With dark green hair and an oddly upturned mouth, a madman with a massive muscular frame and blood smeared on his chin approached.
He was known as the Green King among those in the Central Plains.
The man, staring at the Green King, spoke up.
[Your Majesty. What is this all about?]
[Ah, my lord. It’s been a while.]
Seeing the Green King answer with a grin, the man frowned.
[This is a present. Since there’s a wild brat causing me trouble, I thought you could have a taste before I deal with him.]
[…]
The man waved his hand dismissively at the Green King’s words.
In that instant…
Whoosh-!
The monster the Green King was dragging was suddenly engulfed in black flames and began to burn.
[Tsk.]
Upon confirming that, the Green King clicked his tongue and briefly extended his fist toward the monster.
Bang-! Crunch-! Whooooooow!
The pressure from his fist obliterated the flame-covered monster without leaving a trace.
Though only ashes remained, it was an awe-inspiring display of power.
[Hey, I brought this for you, and you’re completely disregarding my kindness.]
[Business.]
[Hehehe… you really are a dull person.]
The man didn’t show any particular reaction to the Green King’s jab. He continued to stare at him with his indifferent purple eyes.
Observing this silently, the Green King finally exhaled through his nose and spoke.
[Have you heard the news about the destruction of Cheonra Black Watchtower?]
At the Green King’s words, a flicker of interest appeared in the man’s eyes.
He knew this news as well. Cheonra Black Watchtower was one of the units directly under the Celestial Horse.
It was said that one of their powerhouses was wiped out in an instant.
[And it was by the hands of just one man.]
Known as the monster of Pangga, it was done by the Sword Emperor, Peng Wujin.
[Isn’t that something? I could never have imagined that the old man would lose to someone like that.]
[What do you wish to imply, Green King?]
[Oh, I’m just expressing my amazement.]
The Green King chuckled as he continued speaking, but the man found his demeanor irritating.
[I believe it wouldn’t have been possible without some help.]
[…]
The man’s head tilted slightly as he sat up straight.
At that moment…
Kukukung-!
A tremendous roar began to echo across the sky, which had been darkened. As if a storm were brewing, the black heat began to swirl gradually.
[What are you trying to convey?]
[Well…]
[Are you trying to suggest that this great lord has something to do with Pilduma’s death? Is that what you mean, Green King?]
What the Green King implied was that there was suspicion from the Cheonra Black Watchtower’s leader, Pilduma, regarding the man’s involvement in Peng Wujin’s death.
[Well, that’s not necessarily what I meant… Are you feeling accused?]
[…It’s absurd.]
Knock knock.
A rough sound erupted from the man’s body.
Watching closely, the Green King’s eyes began to fill with madness.
[Green King.]
[Speak.]
[I covet your position as the main branch’s leader. I’ve heard you often boast about it. Is that correct?]
The Green King’s smile broadened at the man’s remark.
[Which fool has been spreading such rumors?]
That was a true statement.
The Green King indeed was envious of the man’s position.
Upon hearing this, the man sighed softly.
[…My mentor advised against futile actions, so I’ve been ignoring your petty ambitions.]
There were four units directly under the Celestial Horse in the Demonic Cult.
The Green King was leading one of them.
This meant he held a significant position within the Demonic Cult, yet he was still dissatisfied.
He might not be able to reach the position of his master, the Celestial Horse, but at the very least, he hoped to climb right beneath that level to feel satisfied.
In this regard, that man was a hindrance to the Green King.
It was mentioned that there were a total of four units under the Celestial Horse in the Demonic Cult.
Each of these units was composed of fearsome experts making them a formidable killing squad.
The Green King led the Green Knight Brigade.
Cheonra Black Watchtower.
Guardians’ Sword Sect.
Green Knight Brigade.
And the final one?
There was a main force overseeing the three above units.
The man in front of him was their leader and the one just below the cult leader.
The man began to gradually approach the Green King.
As he moved closer, a searing heat radiated from his body.
[You desire my position…]
What emotion lingers in the depths of those dark purple eyes?
The Green King, observing this, deemed it nothing short of a profound irritation.
With that gaze, the man addressed the Green King.
[What’s your level?]
Upon hearing the heavy tone, a wave of energy enveloped the Green King’s body.
His build nearly towered over with a difference of two heads, but in terms of presence, the man didn’t fall behind.
Finally, when they stood face to face,
the man looked the Green King straight in the eye and uttered,
Kneel. Aren’t you looking a bit too high?
That marked the beginning.
The Green King flexed his muscles and swung his fist at the man.
Whoosh! Black flames erupted from the man’s body, splattering everywhere.
After this fight concluded,
The Green King emerged with one eye gouged out, now a one-eyed beast.
The southern Taesan Mountain, which had been adorned with sparse vegetation, was reduced to a barren wasteland, its beauty halved.
As I recalled that incident, I finally managed to gather my wits a little.
…Is this a dream?
Could it be because I was thinking about him right before I dozed off? I ended up summoning these pointless memories into a dream.
It was the memory of the Green King, claimed to be somewhere in Sacheon.
‘How annoying.’
It wasn’t a particularly pleasant memory, and upon waking up, I felt an inexplicable unease wash over me.
It wasn’t quite a nightmare, but it was far from a pleasant dream either.
First of all, I couldn’t excuse staying in bed, so just as I was about to get up,
I heard a whisper tickling my ear.
“… the ball….”
“Or not….”
It felt like I was slowly waking from sleep.
It seemed someone was saying something, but I couldn’t hear it properly. After forcing myself to wake, I blew air into my sluggish body, rallying myself.
“Ugh….”
I rubbed my drowsy eyes and sat up.
I felt a ripple of surprise from the people around me at my presence.
The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes again was a change in the owner of the knee I had been resting on.
I was sure I had been resting on Namgung Bi-ah’s lap,
but for some reason, Wi Seol-ah was sitting there now.
If that’s the case, does that mean I had been using Wi Seol-ah’s lap as a pillow?
Hey…what…
Come to think of it,
Didn’t Wi Seol-ah say she was coming with me? I can’t recall her saying anything to me.
In the midst of it all, I was baffled as to why I hadn’t shaken off my fatigue.
What in the world happened when the wager was made?
“Your Grace…?”
As Wi Seol-ah saw me swaying slightly, she called out in surprise.
Though my vision was blurry, Wi Seol-ah’s radiant golden eyes were still visible.
“… Phew.”
“Are you okay…?”
“Are you…?”
Staring into Wi Seol-ah’s concerned gaze, I wanted to ask her something first.
“…Are you okay?”
“Yes?”
“…Is it alright if I go with you?”
“Ah.”
Wi Seol-ah, seeming flustered by my sudden question, hesitated a moment while looking into my eyes, then smiled softly and replied,
“It’s okay.”
That warm smile truly seemed to shine, was it just my eyelids fooling me? Probably not.
“Now… I’ve decided not to think about that anymore.”
With that smile, Wi Seol-ah assured me.
Just as I was about to say something while watching her,
-If you’ve come to your senses, you should come out now. How long are you planning to rest?
I furrowed my brow at the voice that rang in my ears.
Because somehow, Pae-joon called for me.
That ghostly old man, was he watching me all along?
-Tsk tsk, if you’re up, you should hurry out. Getting all cozy while paying attention to women.
-…I was going to go out anyway.
-That must be true.
-…
With a sigh at Pae-joon’s sarcasm, I gently patted Wi Seol-ah’s hair, opened the carriage door, and stepped outside.
By now, night had settled in.
I had intended to sleep just a little longer, yet here I am, wondering how I ended up sleeping so deeply.
If I knew I would sleep this long, I should have had the kids wake me up.
‘…Where am I?’
I turned my weary gaze around.
First, I saw a valley and a gravel field. Judging from the stillness of the carriages, it seemed they intended to camp here for the night.
I tried broadening my senses a bit since just looking around didn’t suffice, yet my perception was spreading far slower than I intended.
‘What’s up with that? Why is this happening?’
Feeling slightly flustered about this, Pae-joon’s voice echoed in my ear.
-Don’t be surprised. In a way, this is quite normal.
-Is it normal?
-Yes, it’s a reaction to reaching a state of selflessness forcibly.
-Ah.
Pae-joon had explained that during my training when I lost my mind, Tuapacheon Kung forced me into a state of selflessness.
Is he implying that the backlash from that incident is causing this?
-What I mean is, you’ve reached a place you shouldn’t have wandered into.
Although I hadn’t fully reached that level, it seemed I had accidentally taken a step into selflessness.
‘So as a result, my body feels tired, and my senses are all out of whack.’
I suppose there’s a good reason why I struggled to regain focus, even while trying to regain my footing.
I shifted my gaze to search for Pae-joon.
That was my aim, though given the impediments in my senses, it was proving difficult.
I would ultimately need to ask him instead.
-…Where are you?
-Head straight into the forest to your left.
With those instructions, I began walking.
A forest sprawled behind the valley, so I figured that was the direction I needed to go.
Since it was a dim area, I ignited a flame at my fingertips to light the way ahead.
However, the surroundings remained inexplicably dark.
I wondered if perhaps this too was a consequence of being backlashed. Did my eyesight degrade?
With these thoughts, I ventured deeper until I stumbled upon a suitable clearing where I found Pae-joon standing at its center.
“Did you arrive?”
“Yes.”
“Heh, you don’t look well based on that expression of yours.”
“I can manage.”
To be honest, it was a little challenging, but not to the point where I couldn’t train anymore.
While I was struggling to pull my focus back together,
“I feel like your body is ready now; it’s time to advance to the next training.”
I blinked hard at the words that came from Pae-joon.
Next training refers to the one-time stretch he’s mentioned multiple times before.
“If you’re ready, it’s time to teach you the Tuapacheonmu technique. Do you have any objections?”
“None.”
I mean, I’ve been running all around for that one lesson. If you’re going to teach it to me, I’ll certainly learn!
There would be no time for a break. Even the time to head toward Sacheon should be filled meticulously.
“Good. Let’s do it.”
Pae-joon suddenly shrugged his shoulders.
Could he really be planning to just dive right into it without explaining anything?
“Before that, there is something you must do first.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Just then, an eerie sound flitted through my senses.
What’s going on? Just as I was about to grasp the meaning of this, my vision began to twist unexpectedly.
What was once a normal forward gaze suddenly dropped downwards, revealing the ground below.
And I was speeding toward it in a steep fall.
Could I be decapitated?
The sensation of losing my balance just as my head narrowly avoided colliding with the ground.
“… Huh…!”
In an instant, clarity jolted back to me.
I exhaled sharply and quickly clutched my neck.
Fortunately, my head was still intact.
…Then what was that feeling just now?
While cold sweat drenched me, Pae-joon’s voice seeped through once more.
“I mentioned before, about your most significant problem.”
I don’t fear death.
That must have been the issue.
I remember pondering if I care whether my body breaks or not; it’s a definite strength, but perhaps excessive.
“Typically, I would take some time to correct your movements and motions, but luckily, a suitable teacher is nearby.”
“…What are you suggesting?”
“You’ve died once already. Can you comprehend that?”
“…!”
“Your head must have been severed; there’s no way you wouldn’t realize.”
Was what I felt just now an intentional situation set by Pae-joon? Or was it some kind of hallucination?
If it wasn’t a trick of the mind, then maybe it was a technique?
I wasn’t sufficiently grasping what was happening when, suddenly, someone stepped from behind Pae-joon.
When I recognized him, I swallowed hard at my own surprise.
The figure was none other than the Dark King.
Why on earth does he suddenly appear? My mind swirled in confusion.
And then Pae-joon continued, observing my reaction.
“I didn’t mean to go this far, but you seem to exceed my expectations, and now I’m feeling greedy.”
“… Sir?”
“If I’m taking on a disciple, it needs to be perfect. After all, you’re none other than my precious disciple.”
“Is there a relation between that and the Dark King being here…?”
“Of course. This guy will assist you in your training.”
The Dark King helping me with my training? What kind of ridiculous talk is this?
I squinted and demanded an explanation from Pae-joon.
He merely smiled and spoke.
“There’s only one thing you have to do. From when the moon rises until the sun comes up, just catch this guy once.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, I felt dazed.
“Are you referring to the Dark King…?”
“Yes, the condition is that this must happen daily until you succeed.”
You want me to catch the Dark King?
And at this witching hour, no less?
“It won’t exactly be easy for you, so this guy will continuously draw near you.”
‘Are they saying I have been offered a chance?’
Even so, it still felt underwhelming.
I wished I could start training with Tuapacheonmu immediately.
I just couldn’t wrap my head around why they’d have me play this absurd game of tag.
Does the Dark King validate such unusual antics?
…Presumably, yes.
Since he’s willingly participating, this situation makes it a requirement that I, at my age, engage in a game of tag.
Especially with the Dark King, the legendary King of Assassins.
‘Then what was the vision I saw earlier?’
The vision of my head falling, it had been too lifelike to be merely an illusion.
Pae-joon had clearly stated it was a crafted encounter.
Is there something more to this?
As I continued to contemplate these questions, Pae-joon took a step forward and addressed me.
“Then, good luck with your endeavor. I hope you can complete it swiftly; there’s still much I need to share with you.”
“Will you leave like this?”
“I’ve imparted everything I need to; from here on, it’s your task.”
Are we really going to leave things this way?
I stared blankly at the departing Pae-joon.
He turned his head back and glanced at me.
“Oh, I have one crucial request, though I forgot to mention it.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t collapse, alright?”
“What does that…?”
Because he kept blurting out strange requests, I attempted to seize him to request a proper explanation.
However, the second half of my words failed to come out.
Whoosh.
Something plunged into my heart.
“…!”
It wasn’t pain.
Blood gushed forth, and my mind felt hazy.
Amidst it all, I confirmed who had stabbed the dagger into my heart.
There stood the Dark King, gazing at me with frigid eyes.
Heeeek—!
On a dark night lit by a crescent moon, a horse gallops relentlessly down the path.
In a hurry, the carriage behind shakes violently as if it’s going full throttle.
“Ugh….”
Inside the carriage, a beautiful woman grips the window, desperately trying to cover her mouth with her delicate hands to endure the rough ride. She was so pale she might as well have been colorless.
Is this what happens when you ride in such a bumpy carriage for the first time?
Mo Yong-hee couldn’t stand the churning in her stomach any longer.
“Slow down… Please… Ugh….”
In an utterly pitiful voice, Mo Yong-hee pleaded, but the speed only heightened.
‘It feels like I’m going to die…!’
In her mind, it seemed like all the thoughts running through her head were racing, slipping past like clouds in a storm.
It wouldn’t be strange if she died like this.
Yet amid it all, she found it amusing that the face that kept appearing in her mind was that of a man, not a pile of past memories.
Mo Yong-hee squeezed her eyes shut and spoke to the vision of the man.
‘…Your Grace… Looks like this is it for me.’
Slowly, Mo Yong-hee began to fade.
The coachman driving the carriage, filled with excitement, spoke up.
“Nephew! Look out the window! The moon is particularly lovely today!”
“Oh, aunt… Please… the speed…”
“Huh? What did you say? You want to go faster? I can see you enjoy life, nephew!”
“Ah….”
Perhaps due to her nephew’s plea, the woman driving the horse beamed and accelerated further.
At this point, Mo Yong-hee could no longer cope and ultimately lost consciousness.
The woman continued to urge the horse forward without realizing it.
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