In the Black Space set up behind Shinryong Temple.

At once, this space, resembling a black curtain unfolding across the sky.

Pat pat.

A figure with black hair wearing a mask appeared, the King of Demons.

One shoulder was completely bare. In his remaining hand, he held a severed arm.

No blood flowed; the wound was already sealed from the bet made.

“…”

The King of Demons stepped out with a blank expression and gazed into the distance.

Amidst countless trees, a woman awaited, leaning against one.

She appeared to be in her early thirties, with long black hair and striking beauty.

Seeing her, the King of Demons initiated the conversation.

“Sorry for making you wait.”

“…It’s fine….”

The woman who had waited quietly was So-i, the Sword Demoness.

She widened her eyes upon seeing the King of Demons emerge from the space after a while.

It was because one of his arms had been severed.

“Are you alright?”

At the Sword Demoness’s words, the King of Demons raised the corner of his mouth slightly.

“You’re still as caring, worrying about me.”

The Sword Demoness frowned at his words.

The last time the Sword Demoness encountered the King of Demons was when the ambush first began.

As an unknown black curtain descended around this area, she had intended to quickly go to the place where Gwandosaengs were, but at that moment, something had blocked her path, rendering her unable to move.

A mysterious figure with white hair and a blank stare blocked her way and spoke.

– It’s been a while.

– …!

The figure was the King of Demons.

– How did you…!

Just as the Sword Demoness attempted to voice her surprise to the King of Demons.

His fingertips were already touching her throat.

Though the specifics of the King of Demons’ martial arts were unknown, the Sword Demoness vaguely understood.

Unlike other assassins, he did not use traditional weapons.

He had likely already reached a level of mastery akin to Maehwa Seon, his parent or master, and thus didn’t see it as necessary.

Of course, having a weapon could maximize efficacy, but it seemed the King of Demons operated as if he didn’t need one.

If his fingertip desired it, her neck could be severed in an instant.

As the tense situation shifted and she sensed the Gwandosaeng’s condition faltering, a revelation struck her.

No, it could be said that the King of Demons may have calculated even that difference to bring about this moment.

In such a scenario, there was only one thing the Sword Demoness could say.

– …Please let me go.

There might be a way out, but time was too short to seek it.

So she chose to plead.

– If you’ve come to kill me, I’ll close my eyes without a fuss… but right now…

– Sword Demoness, I have no intention of killing you.

– Then…!

– Hence, it would be troublesome if you moved.

Though she didn’t understand why the King of Demons was treating her this way.

If he wanted her life, he would give it.

But she pleaded to spare the children, and the King of Demons refused.

The King of Demons claimed he didn’t intend to kill her. So then…

Swish.

The Sword Demoness’s judgment was quick.

She could have rationally calculated further, but it seemed there was no time to do so.

As she attempted to raise her bet and draw her sword—

– You’re making this difficult.

The King of Demons twisted the hand that was at her neck.

Thud.

A sensation brushed against her neck, and though she tried to raise her defense, it was effortlessly nullified.

That was the end of it. The Sword Demoness lost consciousness immediately.

When she regained her senses, most critical matters had already concluded.

Many had closed their eyes.

And it was right after the Shinryong Temple was thrown into chaos.

“What happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“…The children are dead. Several dozens of them.”

At the Sword Demoness’s words, the King of Demons maintained an unchanged expression.

If anything, he looked as if he couldn’t comprehend.

“So.”

At the words that spilled from the King of Demons, the Sword Demoness’s face twisted.

“Do you think that’s my fault?”

“If you hadn’t stopped me…!”

Thud.

As soon as the Sword Demoness spat out her words, the figure of the King of Demons vanished.

He reappeared right behind the Sword Demoness.

“You seem to be under quite a misconception. Do you think if I hadn’t stopped you, you would have been able to rectify this situation?”

“…Even if I couldn’t save everyone, I could have saved more children.”

Upon the Sword Demoness’s words, the King of Demons gave a slight nod.

“That’s a reasonable statement, but…”

The King of Demons’s fingertip touched the Sword Demoness’s back.

“Do you believe I have a reason to do so?”

“…Sir.”

His voice was cold.

“While I understand your sense of justice and righteousness, isn’t it selfish to ask that of me?”

“This situation is different…”

“It’s not different. The matter of life and death is fundamentally the same.”

The King of Demons’s voice was resolute.

“I understand it’s frustrating and unfair, but one thing I wish you to recognize is that you are in a position to be grateful to me.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

At the Sword Demoness’s inquiry, the King of Demons sighed quietly.

“It feels like I’m being patronizing, so I’d rather not say.”

“Sir.”

“Shall we discuss something else?”

The King of Demons cut off the conversation as though he would not continue that topic.

But the Sword Demoness was not inclined to let it go.

“My story isn’t over yet….”

“You seem to be under a misunderstanding.”

Just as the Sword Demoness was about to speak, an overwhelming killing intent surged from the King of Demons’s toes.

The sheer pressure even made the Sword Demoness hesitate.

“Both that little girl earlier and you now.”

Perhaps due to the effect of the mask, the darkened eyes were gradually turning pure white.

“Do you think you’re still alive despite irritating my nerves?”

Though his expression remained unchanged, the relentless emanation of killing intent made it hard for the Sword Demoness to breathe.

She never considered herself arrogant or excessively proud.

Yet, even so, she did not think of her level as low.

Her pride could be recognized because she was addressed as the Sword Demoness.

To think there would be such a disparity between her level and the King of Demons.

‘Though the earlier attack was a surprise.’

It was nighttime, and if the King of Demons truly wished to kill her, it was rumored that even the Three Eminent Beings of the world could perish.

The Sword Demoness had never fully believed such rumors, but upon witnessing the King of Demons now, she could almost see how that could be true.

“It’s because you are associated with my friend. That small reason is what keeps your lives safe.”

Friend.

She already knew who that referred to.

Her master, a figure akin to a parent.

The current leader of Hwasan, Maehwa Seon.

The very first moment the Sword Demoness laid eyes on the King of Demons was back then.

When she was very young.

There was a time when less than ten individuals visited Hwasan.

At that time, Maehwa Seon had yet to become the leader, known instead as Hwasan’s Light Sword.

The individuals who claimed to be friends of Hwasan’s Light Sword were people who, in the future, would come to be called immense powers.

Among them was even someone who ascended to the Three Eminent Beings today.

“Huuh…”

As the Sword Demoness finally let out a moan, the suffocating killing intent faded in an instant.

“Maehwa Seon. Since you’re under his care, I can understand what sort of nature you possess.”

The King of Demons took a few steps past the Sword Demoness.

“I am not like him, so don’t impose your values upon me. There will be no next time.”

The King of Demons was not from the righteous faction.

Though he was not called a member of the Demonic Faction, calling him the King of Assassins made it hard to call him righteous.

He knew this and did not consider himself righteous either.

It was simply necessary.

Life’s gravitas was not a matter for an assassin to negotiate.

“If the deaths of those children need to fall on my shoulders, think so if you must. I’ll allow that much to pass.”

As he walked past her, the King of Demons lifted the severed arm in his hand and pressed it against the area of his cut shoulder.

The Sword Demoness could only gaze in shock at this.

“…!”

An unrecognizable, viscous substance began to ooze out from the area where the arm met the shoulder, and before long, it rejoined seamlessly.

After being fully reattached, the arm even started to move.

At that moment, the King of Demons stretched the reattached arm high into the sky.

The Sword Demoness pondered what this could mean when suddenly—

Crack.

The black curtain covering the sky began to fracture.

Which meant that the power that obstructed external help while shrouded in darkness was, in fact, the King of Demons’s strength.

The Sword Demoness watched in disbelief.

Confirming her gaze, the King of Demons spoke.

“What is that look?”

“Y-That arm… how….”

No matter how incredible a healer Shin Yi was, it was impossible to reattach an arm in such a manner.

This defied the very boundaries of medical skill.

Upon seeing the Sword Demoness’s reaction, the King of Demons tilted his head.

“You already know that there’s more than just humans in this world.”

“…Then, you are…?”

“Who knows? I still consider myself a human, at least.”

The Sword Demoness swallowed hard as she observed the King of Demons.

In witnessing his actions, the truth became clear to her.

This was a kind of warning.

The Sword Demoness sensed it.

“I’m aware that you’re looking for something.”

“…!”

Startled by the King of Demons’s words, she flinched.

“I would prefer to warn you not to do so, but whether you will heed that warning is irrelevant; I can’t kill you outright, so I’ll endure it.”

“Do you know… something more?”

What the Sword Demoness sought were the whereabouts of her friend and what had transpired in the past with Shinryong Temple.

Did the King of Demons possess this knowledge?

She looked at him with a spark of determination, but the King of Demons merely turned his head away.

“Even if I knew what you desired, I have no intention of revealing it to you.”

“…Sir….”

“If you place yourself in danger, I see that madman stirring up trouble again.”

As he spoke, the King of Demons recalled someone’s face.

Three individuals came to mind.

One was a giant who likely still lurked somewhere in the depths of Mount Shan, cackling away.

Another was someone who was already dead.

And the final one was a fool deeply connected to the previous two.

‘A fool… I can’t quite label him that.’

A young man with black hair and those distinctive eyes of his family seemed far beyond merely being young.

He had been called the youngest to reach the peak, if memory served.

The King of Demons did not believe that rumor to be true, yet upon witnessing him with his own eyes, it seemed to belittle even that.

‘A Transformation Realm Martial Artist.’

Truly extraordinary.

With perhaps less than a thousand such martial artists across the entire Central Plains.

The average age of those reaching such heights tended to be deep into old age; to think someone under thirty would enter this realm was surely something to be documented in history.

It surprised even the King of Demons, who was typically expressionless.

What more could be said?

However, aside from that, what caught the King of Demons’s attention was something else entirely.

‘It wasn’t a misconception.’

He distinctly sensed something from the child of the Gu clan, known as Taesaeng.

“Ahchoo…!”

Suddenly sneezing, I wiped my nose and thought.

Who’s talking about me?

Why’s my nose itching like this?

“…It’s not like I haven’t heard it a couple of times before.”

I quickly brushed it from my mind.

If someone spoke about me behind my back, it was nothing out of the ordinary, so why should I care now?

Wrapping things up in that thought, I glanced at the person seated in front of me.

“What are you doing here?”

“…”

No reply came.

The figure merely bowed her head, trembling slightly as if exhausted.

Letting out a small sigh, I called out to her once more.

“Older Sister.”

“…”

The woman flinched at my call.

So she was listening, after all.

“Are you going to keep on crying?”

“…Who’s… who’s crying…!”

The woman shot back, raising her head indignantly. It was Gu Yeonseo.

“Your eyes are red and puffy; wipe them properly and then speak.”

“…Huh….”

In a flurry, Gu Yeonseo hurriedly rubbed at her eyes with her sleeves.

“Pathetic.”

“…You’re the one being weird.”

As I jokingly remarked, Gu Yeonseo snapped back with a trembling voice.

“Seeing that… how can you be fine?”

People were dying right before her eyes.

Gwandosaeng’s neck was severed, and blood spilled as they drew their last breaths.

Just moments ago, she heard their breathing.

In but a few seconds, it had all ceased.

“…I almost died.”

Gu Yeonseo had been on the brink of death.

Caught in the giant’s colossal hand, she nearly succumbed to being sliced by a sword.

If she lived, she likely faced horrors all the same.

And oddly enough, it was Gu Jeolyub who saved her.

Gu Jeolyub had dashed in to rescue Gu Yeonseo.

Afterward, she quietly concealed her presence and managed to survive, as it was said.

“But you….”

“What about me?”

I thought back to what I might have been doing instead.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I were engaged in the act of killing others at that very moment.

It wasn’t incomprehensible for Gu Yeonseo.

Venturing out into the Central Plains for the first time. No, since she was under the protection of Shinryong Temple, she wouldn’t have left without reason.

Going beyond the Gu Clan likely meant heading towards major events like the Dragon Meeting or somewhere in Mount Shan.

She wouldn’t have thought she’d encounter such a real battle.

Even so.

“Living is what counts.”

“…You…!”

That was all I could bring myself to say. I understood her terror.

Seeing her cry like that was something I could comprehend.

But I wouldn’t say she was better off than those who had died.

What good would it do to mention it?

“Yi Seol-Ah would have acted differently.”

“…!”

Mentioning Wi Seol-Ah’s name caused Gu Yeonseo’s expression to harden.

Typical of the Gu clan; her frown felt intimidating.

“Now, all of a sudden…!”

“If you wanted to be like her, then act accordingly. Stop wallowing in your own despair.”

The ones who had endured without serious injury were busy clearing debris or helping the injured.

Perhaps they had experienced worse, allowing them to continue on.

But no one understood the circumstances to lend a compassionate ear. And even if they did, not a single soul was inclined to be lenient.

“Older Sister, did you thank the person who saved you?”

“…”

“I guess not? Honestly, that’s truly embarrassing. Just let go of your pride. Don’t walk around saying, ‘I’m from the Gu clan~!’ I’d be the one feeling ashamed.”

“You jerk….”

Gu Yeonseo hissed at me in reply.

“What do you know to speak so recklessly…!”

“I wouldn’t know, of course.”

I understood nothing at all.

Even if she were related by blood, not exactly closely bonded.

And the fact that I was oblivious meant…

That others didn’t care for Gu Yeonseo’s circumstances in the least. Word of her state had already begun to circulate behind her back.

Such a nuisance, truly.

“If you’re going to keep whining, just do it. Eventually, our clan will send someone to fetch us. Once they arrive, hold their hand tightly and return to the Gu Clan. But.”

I turned my back on Gu Yeonseo and said.

“Just make sure not to walk around saying you’re a martial artist. Tell the Clan Leader exactly the same.”

“…”

I didn’t wait for Gu Yeonseo’s response.

I began to walk away instead, letting my aura spread.

After I moved away from Gu Yeonseo for a bit, I soon heard her sobbing behind me.

But then I noticed her rising to her feet, walking towards the Gwandosaengs who were clearing the debris.

Feeling this, I released a breath.

The black qi that had been hanging over the sky vanished.

Soon the Martial Alliance would send someone.

Before long, word would reach each clan affiliated with the Gwandosaengs.

And when that happened, a significant event would unfold.

‘As for Shinryong Temple…’

It seemed inevitable that the Shinryong Temple would not continue to operate.

I had planned for an early graduation, but it felt rendered meaningless now.

While it should have become the good story I desired, there was no way that could be the case.

‘…This is anything but a good thing.’

An incident occurred that had not happened in my previous life.

And it was decidedly not favorable.

My head ached.

I continued on my path. What remained… was to speak with Bi Yi-jin first.

I thought it best to finish things quickly.

As I made my way, I sensed Moyong Hi-ah, who had likely been waiting for me, sprinting toward me from a distance.

“What’s wrong? Why are you running?”

“Prince….”

Judging by her slightly heavy breathing, she must have hurried over.

“What’s up? Is there something else going on…?”

I spoke, while a slight tremor climbed into my voice.

Due to the recent confession from Moyong Hi-ah about her situation.

If she had done something, it would only fill me with dread.

However, Moyong Hi-ah did not utter anything of the kind.

“…Wi Seol-Ah has awakened.”

“…!”

The news that Wi Seol-Ah had awakened struck me.

Without responding, I dashed off.

For there was someone else I needed to find before Bi Yi-jin.