Chapter: 535
Night passed, and dawn arrived.
To be precise, the sun was just barely beginning to rise.
“Huff…”
After finishing my simple morning training, I washed my body in the breeze.
I wanted to wash off the sweat, but I just felt like I needed to wash something away.
That was, in itself, evidence of how frustrating things were.
“…What do you expect me to do?”
I was an absolute mess, all stirred up because of what had happened last night.
– Please kill me.
The Dark King suddenly appeared, explaining his curse while asking me to kill him.
In short, I did not kill the Dark King.
“Guh…”
If you asked why I didn’t do it, the reason was straightforward.
‘How could I just kill someone who asked me to?’
I wasn’t afraid of killing people.
How could that even scare me at this point?
Moreover, it wasn’t as if I had some sentimental attachment to the Dark King that would prevent me from killing him.
What kind of affection could I possibly have for him?
If I were to look for a reason, it was simply that it felt icky.
I understood his wishes and the issue of the curse, but for some reason, I felt uneasy about killing him.
I didn’t know if it was because of a curse tied to him or something about me being a dragon that was at play.
But, really, that was the reason.
On top of that,
‘There aren’t many situations where I can gather information like this.’
Not only was there that unease, but I also didn’t want to just let the Dark King go so easily.
‘He wants something from me.’
What the Dark King desired was crystal clear.
He wanted me to lift the curse he was bound under.
Whether he wanted it lifted directly or wanted freedom through death was secondary.
Do you know what my first thought was when I heard that?
‘Can I use this somehow?’
Disgustingly, that was the thought that crossed my mind.
When I thought about the potential value the Dark King held, it was unavoidable.
Even.
‘I need to know more about myself, too.’
He seemed to know more about dragons than I did, claiming that, since he had dragon blood, he could wield some sort of power.
‘Was that the power at Shinryongwan?’
Not to mention, the power that caused me to die hundreds of times due to my negligence in training seemed to stem from it.
‘So it wasn’t martial arts?’
It was certainly not martial arts; after figuring it out, I actually understood it better.
It was too vague to be called a technique.
It was ludicrous to classify it as martial arts, and I couldn’t grasp it, no matter how much I speculated.
‘If it’s some external force, that’d make sense.’
If it was something entirely different, that would be better. After all, that would mean…
‘Even I could use it?’
If it really could be said that even I, who was no longer human, could utilize it, that would be something to welcome.
Given the lack of power on my part, anything to fill that gap could only be a good thing.
The catch is.
‘So… what exactly is a dragon?’
Before that, I just needed to figure out what a dragon actually was.
The suggestion that the Dark King, the one who cursed the bloodline of Yeon-ga, was the Blood Demon seemed quite fitting.
The Blood Demon is presumed to be a dragon.
‘They called him the Dragon Emperor, didn’t they?’
If we recall that the Blood Demon was referred to as the Dragon Emperor, under normal circumstances, that means the Blood Demon is a dragon.
‘Then, what about my mother?’
Thinking back to my father’s reaction, I realized my mother must also be an otherworldly being.
I suspected from the get-go that she couldn’t be human, given that she was described as a disaster.
‘…Is my mother also a dragon?’
I found myself wondering if that conclusion was reasonable.
Perhaps my father had thought of my mother upon seeing my changed appearance.
The Blood Demon is a dragon.
If my mother is also a dragon, then…
“…Does that mean that the very essence of what we call a disaster is ‘a dragon’?”
If that’s the case, could it mean that I am now the dragon as a result of the sacrifice of the disaster?
“Hmm…”
I’m scrambling to piece together the jumbled information that annoyed everyone one by one, and every time I do, it feels even more messed up.
“…Tsk…”
But, regardless of how it goes, the bottom line is that I am now a disaster.
It’s only becoming clearer.
What a lovely pile of crap I’ve landed myself in.
“That’s why, instead of acting like a hero, I should have just hunkered down and lived quietly.”
I should have just procured what I needed and stayed cooped up in the mountains.
Why did I have to go out and decide to save the world and end up like this?
It was absurd.
‘I aimed to stop the bloodshed, but now I’ve turned into a disaster myself.’
It’s pretty comical, really.
No, I haven’t been officially declared a disaster yet.
Should I have some hope?
‘What the hell? Is that even possible?’
Even while pondering this myself, I knew it was a ludicrous thought.
It was just that the perplexion I barely caught was stopping me from admitting it outright.
‘If I am a disaster, that brings issues with Cheonma.’
The one who triggers bloodshed is Cheonma.
Knowing that, I’m running around frantically trying to halt future bloodshed from erupting.
Wouldn’t it be rather strange if I’m labeled a disaster here?
For that single reason, even if all evidence points at me, I couldn’t easily buy into it.
“…Noya, do you know anything?”
Frustrated, I called out for Noya.
[…]
Noya remained silent.
“Hmm…”
It’s not like I’m ignoring him on purpose; I understood that he had his own reasons.
After hearing last night about the curse afflicting the Dark King’s bloodline.
From that moment on, Noya seemed deeply shaken, and his response was not typical.
[…How…How could that happen… ]
Was it a lament or shock? Noya murmured that, voice trembling, before disappearing.
He probably isn’t asleep like before; he must be in need of time to process.
Yeon-ga’s bloodline was cursed by the Blood Demon.
It seems that part was quite a shock to Noya.
I, too, was curious about that.
‘What on earth transpired?’
Yeon Il-cheon sealed the Blood Demon and vanished.
The man who had been recorded as a hero in history, and yet his descendants lived lives unworthy of human recognition due to the Blood Demon’s curse.
‘Serve the dragon?’
The more I think about it, the more senseless the curse appears.
It can’t be resolved by death.
In order to break this curse, it needs to be passed down to descendants or have the dragon break the curse.
‘What a beggarly task.’
How miserable must it be that the Dark King even wished for his own death while seeking salvation?
There were many things I didn’t quite grasp there.
However…
‘I can’t just let the Dark King die.’
Even if he pleads for death because his life is miserable, I can’t just let that be.
‘I’m sorry, but from my perspective, it’s not easy either.’
In a scenario growing increasingly chaotic, the existence of the Dark King holds substantial value.
Especially since he desires something from me.
‘…I have to leverage this.’
Such opportunities don’t come often.
And it was my favorite scenario.
A useful individual who wants something from me.
The easiest to deal with yet easily discarded.
“Tsk…”
When I attempted to use this to my advantage, this icky feeling kept bubbling up.
– Please kill me.
The tone of the Dark King pleading for his own death…
His expression at that time, unlike his usual emotionless face, lingered in my thoughts.
That was something I truly despised.
It’s not those who wish to live that cause torment. It’s those who desire to die that torture.
What a disgusting affair this is.
I knew full well that anyone enduring that feels their life is akin to hell.
This was precisely what I had faced in my past life; how could I not know?
From the perspective of someone who understands that sentiment best, this was something I absolutely did not want to do.
Even with that knowledge glaring at me, I couldn’t ignore it.
There were simply too many responsibilities weighing down my mind to ponder each one in detail.
“…This is truly infuriating.”
Just reminiscing about it made my blood boil.
I wasn’t angry for the situation itself.
Simply put.
It was the anger directed toward me for exploiting another’s emotions.
“You’re here.”
Immediately after washing my face, I hurriedly made my way to the residence of the Poison King.
I remarked with a smile at the Poison King, who had gone pale in the span of a day.
“Your condition doesn’t seem very good.”
Though he wasn’t overweight, he didn’t look gaunt either. He had lost a significant amount of weight since I last saw him.
‘It’s only been a day…’
It must have been a rather tough time for him.
It seemed he realized that too; the Poison King forced a bitter smile as he spoke to me.
“…There’s been a lot of work to deal with.”
The Poison King’s words, delivered with a forced smile, felt heavy indeed.
Was it because I understood his situation so well?
‘That face isn’t smiling; it’s merely a face devoid of smiles.’
He had every reason to look like that.
The Elder had died.
Not just the First Elder either.
Upon hearing that the First Elder had been murdered, the Third Elder and Chief Elder attempted to flee.
However, it turned out they were caught by some nameless martial artist.
It’s obvious who that nameless figure was.
‘…He must have been busy.’
It could only be my father. He had mentioned tidying everything up, and it seemed he really went ahead and did just that.
He didn’t come home all night, and it would appear he had been busy.
Given that the Poison King looked as he did, that was likely the reason.
‘If an Elder died, it wouldn’t be merely over…’
In the Sega, the title of Elder is not just a name.
Each Elder commands a certain power.
The more prominent the clan, the greater that power would be.
If even three Elders from such a prominent family were to die, what would become of the power they were meant to oversee?
‘It would scatter and fall apart.’
The head of the family is the head of the household.
This is the most basic fact.
However, it is evident that not everything in the world plays out in this manner.
Even if the one upon whom loyalty must be sworn is the Head of Household, they still cannot prevent powers from concentrating on the Elders just above them.
Namgung Clan serves as a prime example of this.
The power held by the Elder Council is overwhelmingly strong, rendering the Sword King unable to exert his authority as the family leader.
‘…As for us, we’re simply being seen off by my father.’
Let’s skip over the specifics of our clan.
While the Tang clan might not rival the Namgung Clan, it’s absurd to believe the Elders would lack power.
The vacant space left by the Elder’s death must have posed a significant dilemma.
‘Ultimately, it’s not the Poison King’s problem…’
To claim the Elder died due to his own misfortune wouldn’t be fair to the Poison King.
‘However, it appears he lacks the time and strength to manage the remainder.’
The situation was looking rather bleak.
Juggling even one force was bound to be a herculean task, let alone having to handle three simultaneously.
‘Not to mention, things are rumbling around as well.’
Under an already strained situation, the disruption in the Tang Clan was bound to drive anyone mad.
Thus, it made sense as to why the Poison King looked the way he did.
Which is why it was rather puzzling.
Right now, the gent leaning against home base, whose feet should be dampened from running around, seemed strangely relaxed.
“You must still be busy. What brings you here?”
“I was aware you would come soon.”
“…Huh?”
I found myself tilting my head at the Poison King’s words.
He knew I would be coming?
“I don’t remember clearly. Did I say I would come today?”
“It wasn’t anything of the sort… But I had a hunch you would.”
“This is….”
I couldn’t quite wrap my head around why people were predicting things about me.
What’s frustrating is that they mostly seemed to be accurate.
“Then you were actually waiting for me?”
“…I had thanks to express, and I had something to inquire about.”
At those words, I slightly crossed my arms.
There wasn’t much need for appreciation, and the inquiry felt somewhat awkward.
“Do you have a question?”
“I heard that my daughter fainted while speaking with you.”
“…”
Swish.
I promptly uncrossed my arms.
Damn it.
“…There’s some circumstantial reasoning behind that…”
“I’m not saying you need to be defensive; no need to worry.”
“Oh, really? That’s a relief then.”
“…”
Was that cheerful response the issue?
The Poison King’s expression morphed slightly.
… No, I said it was fine, so why the strange face?
“…That was a bit of a jest. Now, let’s get to the main topic.”
“Is there something more to this main topic?”
It appeared he wasn’t particularly curious about the story of Dang So-yeol.
So, what could this possibly be?
As I was squinting slightly, looking at the Poison King,
Swish.
He pulled something from his attire.
‘Huh?’
I looked up, curious, only to see Dokcheondan.
It was likely the one I had given him. What on earth prompted him to suddenly bring it out? I watched in curiosity as he spoke.
“Old Confucius.”
“Yes?”
The Poison King addressed me.
“I know you have more Dokcheondan.”
“…!”
At his words, my eyes widened.
… How did he know?
‘Did I mention I had a bunch of it?’
I couldn’t quite recall saying that, but it seemed unrealistic.
I have a pretty good grasp of my own tendencies.
If I had wolfed down that valuable treat all to myself, there’s no way I’d outright admit there was more in stock.
If that’s the case, how in the world did the Poison King come across this information?
As I stared at him with surprised eyes, befuddled, he suddenly burst into laughter.
“What’s so funny now?”
I wondered if he had misplaced his sanity for half a second.
“Just testing the waters; looks like there’s really more, huh?”
“…?”
His jovial demeanor forced a sigh from me.
‘Damn it.’
Exhaling, I came to a realization.
It wasn’t the Poison King who’d lost his mind; it was me.
‘Perhaps I was overwhelmed by the myriad of stories I heard the day before?’
That could very well be a possibility.
Still, thinking that didn’t help anything.
It was merely a sign of my own foolishness.
“Tsk, should I just give it back?”
It was too late for denial, so I casually confessed.
“Could you not wear such a reluctant expression?”
“Oh, I’ve been caught.”
As I spoke plainly, the expression on the Poison King’s face turned strange.
I wasn’t exactly thrilled by it, but what I said was true.
If he requested it back, I’d have to return it.
After all, it originally belonged to the clan.
‘Even if the Tang family had given it to me…’
Either way, I’d consider handing it over to the King if that’s what he wanted.
Of course, I had intended to keep it well-hidden and live that way.
Damn it. I never thought I’d be foolishly caught.
‘Maybe I should just hide three of them when I do.’
Secretly having greedy thoughts, I was wrestling with how to nicely escape from this situation.
I wanted to give it freely, especially since it was Dokcheondan.
‘No, surely three would be okay…? I did go through some effort, after all.’
While I pondered how to divert this calamity, the Poison King spoke again, “If it’s necessary, feel free to take all of them.”
“Yes?”
“You can have them all.”
Upon hearing those words, I halted all my thoughts and focused on the Poison King’s eyes.
He’s offering me everything?
“…”
I found myself staring into the Poison King’s eyes after what he said; a strange emotion washed over me.
Should I feel grateful for offering such an absurdly generous deal?
Should I be relieved not to have it taken from me?
Or should I celebrate this unexpected stroke of fortune?
Sadly, none of the above applied to me.
The emotions behind the Poison King’s words chilled me.
My eyes turned icy, instinctively.
Staring at the Poison King with that expression seemed to elicit a response.
“…Oops, this was indeed rushed. Does that mean we’ve both had our fair share of blunders?”
Just like how the Poison King unearthed what I was concealing.
This time, I’d stumbled across something from the side of the Poison King.
“What’s going on?”
A deep, cold tone dripped from my mouth, reaching the Poison King.
He hastily made mistakes in his urgency.
The very thing he uttered should never have been offered so recklessly.
If he was to do it at all, it should have been approached with more subtlety.
In that way, I likely would have never picked up on his intentions. However, he failed.
And now, I had caught on.
“What’s on your mind?”
There’s definitely something buried here.
The Poison King’s insistence on giving away Dokcheondan so easily suggests he has alternative motivations.
“Old Confucius.”
Fortunately, he didn’t seem to have any intention of dodging the issue like I did.
Or perhaps he was just fed up with the game by now.
I suspected the latter. To confirm that suspicion, the Poison King spoke cautiously, his weary expression evident.
“Shortly, an announcement will likely be made by the Murim Alliance.”
“…What do you mean?”
An announcement? What sort of announcement?
“Is it a public release about the Tang faction’s incidents?”
Did they really record everything I’ve witnessed and send it to the Murim Alliance?
Yet I mentioned an unexpected scenario.
“No, not that.”
The Poison King countered my words.
‘…Then what’s the deal?’
Reflecting on it, the Poison King clearly wouldn’t make such a call on his own.
As I was about to nod in understanding, he interjected.
“The announcement from the Alliance will speak of the Tang Clan descending from the Four Great Powers.”
“…?”
Something genuinely surprising had just slipped out.
‘What on earth did I just hear?’
It wasn’t something that could be easily processed.
I knew I had heard it well; however, no matter how much I mulled it over, I couldn’t quite digest it.
So, I directly questioned the Poison King.
“…Your Majesty.”
“Speak.”
“Did you possibly take some medication…? Something strong?”
“…”
At my inquiry, the Poison King’s eyebrows twisted in clear displeasure.
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