Chapter 698
This is more akin to folklore and oral tradition rather than history.
That’s the story.
A long, long time ago.
Once, during the time when a goblin, yearning for his hometown, committed sins.
Due to the sins he committed, the fabric of the world was crushed, and the dimensions twisted.
And from within that, beings that defied the laws began to pour out.
With a moment’s action, the rules collapsed.
The shattered rules began to dismantle the laws set by the world.
As a result, countless lives were lost.
Calling it punishment would be colorless.
It’s more fitting to describe it as an accident.
Yeah, it was an accident.
An accident committed from ignorance.
One.
The implications of that accident would only become more severe.
– Kyaaa!!
– S-save me!!
Screams were everywhere.
The world was drenched in blood.
– It’s a monster!
Unknown entities appeared and devoured humans.
The world was stained with death.
Seeing this, the goblin had to shed tears filled with fire.
For he was the one who crushed the world with his own hands.
The world was also enraged.
It wasn’t merely because innocent beings were dying.
It was because the laws it set were being broken, and for that, the deity was furious.
The established rules were being violated and the world began to crumble.
Watching this, the world said.
A broken world is unnecessary.
Thus, it would restart.
That was the judgment the world ultimately gave.
So the goblin thought.
In this state, he couldn’t return to his world, and he could only watch the world crumble.
What should he do?
The goblin thought again.
First, he must close the door from which the beings poured out.
He would close the door and beg for the world’s mercy.
The sin was his to bear.
Thus he sought mercy.
Thinking so, the goblin eventually closed the door.
Closing it wasn’t hard.
Withstanding what comes after is a different issue, but it wasn’t so difficult to simply close it.
Having closed the door, the goblin sought out the world.
He would resolve the mess he had caused somehow, and humbly seek mercy.
At that moment, surprisingly, the world granted the goblin’s wish.
Instead of erasing the world immediately, it offered him a chance.
As it spoke to the goblin, it assigned him a sin to bear.
If the goblin accepted it, the world would provide opportunities for both the goblin and the world.
That was the condition.
Since the goblin had no choice to begin with, he accepted without hesitation.
Fortunately, the world did not lie.
As it had promised, it granted him an opportunity.
The problem was that the punishment dubbed the condition was far harsher than expected.
Even if the goblin regretted it afterward.
This sin he bore could never be dismissed by him.
Tap-tap-! Swoosh-!
The spectacle of energy unfolded before me.
The dark-colored flow that looked as if charred danced in the air.
Even deeper in the forest where night had fallen, a darker energy swirled.
In that alien spectacle, I glanced at the small back.
Wearing the familiar Gu Clan’s Martial Robe, her black long hair fluttered.
The gaze that regarded me was as beautiful as someone else’s.
The purple eyes contained a contradiction of being both hateful and beautiful.
Heavenly Demon.
I frowned at the sight of the woman’s back, who was called calamity in a previous life.
It was such a small and delicate back.
Once it had seemed so vast, but now it appeared too small.
“What are you?”
I asked with a disheveled voice, and the Heavenly Demon who was glaring at me turned her head.
Then she looked straight ahead.
Standing before her was the man who claimed to be my grandfather.
“Hmm.”
Shrouded in flames, I couldn’t recognize him properly, but he held a human form and called himself my grandfather.
Even if that wasn’t enough, just seeing the resonance of the Technique of the Flame Wheel was revealing.
That flame itself was none other than the Technique of the Flame Wheel’s flame.
Remembering that he had tried to take the Technique of the Flame Wheel from me, made it probable that he was indeed my grandfather.
‘How he managed to take this is a mystery, though.’
As a result, I could clearly see how dangerous the situation was.
At that moment.
-Shrill!
The sound of insects reached my ears.
The silence that had enveloped started to unravel.
The wind brushed my cheek, and the senses that had faded began to gradually return. What was happening?
Had my grandfather loosened his force?
Or did something twist with the appearance of the Heavenly Demon?
As the questions arose in my mind.
“That’s right.”
My grandfather spoke, looking at the appearing Heavenly Demon.
“So you were here. I had forgotten for a moment.”
His slight head nod made me recall someone.
It annoyingly resembled my actions.
Or perhaps it was because I resembled him?
“The aura of the non-human. It’s been a while since I saw it. Have you been well?”
“…”
In response to my grandfather’s words, the Heavenly Demon extended her left hand.
At that moment.
Wheeeeee—!!!
The dark energy suspended in the air started to converge into the Heavenly Demon’s hand.
Upon feeling that, chills ran down my spine.
It was a tremendous energy.
The compressed and concentrated energy began to take shape at the Heavenly Demon’s fingertips, resembling a sword.
It was a power I was all too familiar with.
It was something she often used in a previous life.
At that time, she never mentioned the name of the power, yet the righteous faction had dubbed it the so-called Heavenly Demon Sword.
Indeed, it was worthy of being called a divine sword. With a single swing of that sword, the terrain would be altered.
Swoosh—that sword was completed.
The Heavenly Demon aimed the sword tip at my grandfather.
Then she spoke.
“Disappear.”
“…”
“This is not a place for you to be.”
“Haha.”
At her words, my grandfather chuckled.
“What a surprise….”
In that moment.
Whooooooooom—!
“Cough…!”
My heart began to race violently.
It was due to the Technique of the Flame Wheel I regained from my grandfather acting up.
It was hot.
The flame energy spread through my Blood Qi.
Chiiiii—!
Because of this, heat gradually emitted from my body, which was considerably painful.
“How dare some mere junk attempt to impose a spell on me.”
My grandfather, oddly stimulated, let anger seep into his voice.
Was it the flames reacting to this anger?
“Anyone on this land may order me to leave, but at least you fools cannot.”
As he took a step forward, the surrounding air violently trembled.
Hooosh—!
Simultaneously, the temperature rose.
My skin felt as if it was burning from a fire in the forest.
“Repugnant.”
Kuuuuuu—
The surging energy threatened to choke me.
I struggled to suppress the wild energy.
Still, it wouldn’t listen.
‘Damn that.’
I gritted my teeth.
In the midst of all this, my grandfather steadily approached the Heavenly Demon.
Did she intend to fight back with her sword?
‘What the hell is she doing.’
Unexpectedly, a stream of curses slipped from my mouth.
My so-called grandfather suddenly appears causing all this chaos, and now the Technique of the Flame Wheel is throwing a fit.
The Heavenly Demon, whom I despised so much, took up her sword to fend him off.
Was she really trying to protect me?
The Heavenly Demon?
‘What does she think she is?’
This is ridiculous.
Could the situation be any more absurd?
Clenching my fists, I struck my own chest hard.
Boom—!!!
Smack!
“Hmm.”
“…!”
At the sound of the violent impact, the Heavenly Demon turned back.
It was so forceful that the pressure field exploded from my body.
“Cough.”
Crack.
Blood flowed.
I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.
“Wow, damn…. That hurts like hell.”
I must have rushed it and messed up.
I rubbed my chest. This turned serious. I think I might have broken a rib.
Disappointed, I heaved a sigh, but even that hurt.
I should have hit softer.
Fortunately, the Technique of the Flame Wheel calmed down after that hit.
This was better than a broken rib.
Thanks to that, I could move a little better.
The two of them stared at me in shock.
Ignoring that, I stepped forward.
I grabbed the Heavenly Demon’s shoulder and pulled her back.
“…!”
The Heavenly Demon widened her eyes but didn’t look at me.
“Get back. Don’t interrupt.”
This is a family affair, after all.
It wasn’t the time for an outsider to interfere.
As I caught my breath and moved forward, my grandfather also seemed surprised and responded.
“How did you get free?”
The flare-up of his Mental Energy.
He gazed at me with disbelief, as if he found it strange that I had escaped.
“Did becoming non-human allow you to bear my flames for a moment—.”
“Why is this your flame?”
Ptooey.
I spat on the ground. The red so deep was all blood.
“No, it’s my flame.”
That flame I had toiled and soothed my entire life.
“Which one are you trying to take. You have no idea how much I’ve struggled to use it.”
“Haha.”
Hiding my creaking body, I inquired of my grandfather.
“Why do you want to take something from your grandchild without giving any sort of gift? Did you eat your years in your rear end?”
I had already discarded politeness.
If the other party doesn’t respect me, I shouldn’t have to either.
I can reclaim my flame.
The discomfort from that, but I didn’t want to bow my head.
“Try to take it if you can.”
“Child, it seems you’re misunderstanding something. If I want, I can take the seed as I please….”
“Then let’s just die here.”
“…!”
Upon speaking of death, my grandfather fell silent.
“What did you say?”
“I said if you take it, I’ll die.”
“…”
As I thought, declaring death changed my grandfather’s demeanor.
Just as expected.
‘It seems I’m necessary, huh?’
My grandfather needed me.
Whether it was my body, or the fact that I was a boy destined to become the Lesser Clan Leader, he couldn’t afford to let me die here.
“…Ha….”
My grandfather chuckled lightly upon hearing my words.
Seeing that, I immediately took action.
“Do you think I can’t do it?”
Nodding my head, I grabbed my neck.
“If you want to take it, then go ahead.”
“…”
Reclaiming the flame.
My grandfather and my father met, and I didn’t know what conversation they had, but since he mentioned a year of grace.
It meant during that time, he would seize the Technique of the Flame Wheel away from me.
If that happens.
‘Everything will be tangled.’
Everything I had planned would be ruined.
Even my accumulated realm was based on careful calculation.
If the Technique of the Flame Wheel was sealed away, it would mean the end.
‘That can’t happen.’
In that case, I would rather die here.
With that intention, my grandfather paused for a moment and gazed at me.
We exchanged glances without a single word.
To call it a gaze was ambiguous.
It was merely energy.
As silence settled, my grandfather eventually broke into laughter.
“Hahaha!”
With every burst of laughter, the air trembled.
It wasn’t the pressure of energy.
It felt distinctly different.
“How amusing. This child has raised a child amusingly.”
That child would likely refer to my father.
Then, when he mentioned raising a child amusingly, was it a curse? To me, it sounded like a curse.
“Could it be you thought I would negotiate with my life?”
“Negotiation, what a pretty term. To put it correctly, I’m being threatened while I’m struggling.”
How absurd. I clicked my tongue in annoyance.
“In that regard, you’re just like your father.”
My grandfather responded as if something similar had happened before.
Then, gazing at me, he said.
“Alright. Seeing your determination, I won’t take away your flames.”
He declared he wouldn’t take the Technique of the Flame Wheel. Thank heavens for that.
I didn’t let out a sigh of relief, though.
“However.”
My grandfather hadn’t finished speaking.
“Even so, that’s for one year.”
“…What do you mean by that? You want me to come to Shin Gang within that time?”
“Correct. To be precise, you should come after taking your place.”
“Why should I?”
“That’s our destiny.”
Hearing my grandfather’s words, I scrunched up my face.
Destiny, damn it.
“What’s in it that I need to go there?”
“The door.”
“The door?”
“To guard the door. That is our task.”
What my grandfather said, the door.
What did that mean? I didn’t think deeply about it.
I wasn’t in a position to think deeply.
“It’s a year.”
My grandfather reiterated my time limit as if reminding me.
“Before that time passes, rise to where you should be.”
Ascend to the position of a Lesser Clan Leader and seek Shin Gang.
That was my grandfather’s desire.
So I asked.
“What if I don’t?”
What happens if I don’t do it?
Upon my inquiry.
“Do as you wish.”
My grandfather replied to me nonchalantly.
“As long as you can, that is.”
“…Wow.”
That was a more irritating statement than being told not to do it.
There was no way to escape it, whatever I did.
That emotion was clearly evident in my grandfather’s words.
While I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists.
“Also, I hope you take good care of that one.”
My grandfather’s gaze turned from me to the Heavenly Demon.
“She is a precious key to us.”
“A key?”
“Yes, a key that can lock the door so it may never be opened again.”
I frowned.
A key? The Heavenly Demon?
“You said you entrusted that girl to Gu Huibi. What was your intention?”
My grandfather brought the Heavenly Demon and entrusted her to Gu Huibi.
I couldn’t help but ask where he found her and why he did so.
My grandfather nodded at my question, like it was a part of my habits.
“It’s a matter of necessity. It’s only right to keep something valuable in sight.”
A matter of necessity.
What bothered me more was the latter part.
To keep it in sight.
So he entrusted it to Gu Huibi. That statement stung.
“Having seen your face today, I will take my leave.”
My grandfather cut his speech and looked around.
There was nothing but empty air.
“It seems my guest has come to visit me at the right time.”
As he fixed his gaze there, my grandfather continued to speak to me.
“Child, remember well. As long as the flames exist, I will continue to watch over you.”
Therefore.
“Until next time, let’s meet again.”
With that, my grandfather uttered his goodbye.
Boom—!
In an instant, he transformed into flames and vanished.
“…”
Under the dense forest greenery, the spot he had stood was now scorched black.
As his presence disappeared, I felt the chilling air settling down and bit my lip.
“That’s just damn annoying.”
Not only did he suddenly show up, but he also spouted nonsense and vanished.
‘What? A composed madman?’
I shuddered at the thought of my grandfather that the Pejon had mentioned.
‘Composed? What a load of crap. He’s just crazy.’
How could one call him composed? If he were composed, it would mean the world had gone mad.
And now, talk of destiny; it felt as though the hurried task had suddenly been accelerated.
‘A year?’
Recalling the period that my grandfather had given me.
‘Should I just take off?’
I had reached a level where I didn’t need to linger around the Gu Clan anymore.
Finishing the Blood Calamity took precedence over carrying on a legacy, and I could just leave without meddling with this Lesser Clan Leader nonsense.
[Do what you wish if you can.]
My grandfather’s words swirled in my mind as they set off a spin.
The conviction that I couldn’t escape kept gnawing at me, making me feel queasy.
“Ha….”
As I thought to splash my face with water, I felt pain surging from my chest.
That was the rib I had smashed earlier.
‘It’ll probably hurt for about three days.’
Considering the increased regenerative speed, maybe three days would do.
It seemed treatable enough.
I could leave it be, but just in case, I should find Seon Ui.
Pondering that, I turned around.
As I did, I met those purple eyes.
Right. I had momentarily forgotten that I was with the Heavenly Demon.
“…”
The Heavenly Demon was looking at me with a perplexed expression, one hand clutching her shoulder.
Why was she holding her shoulder?
‘Is it because I grabbed her there earlier?’
I had pulled her back forcefully.
‘But I didn’t grab too hard.’
Wondering if she was just feigning pain.
“Are you leaving?”
The Heavenly Demon spoke to me.
“Are you going?”
“Yeah. I’ll be off.”
Originally, I had come to meet Gu Huibi and the Heavenly Demon, but under these circumstances, I didn’t want to stay any longer.
Let’s head back.
I needed to think and certainly needed some rest.
As I was shifting to walk away, however.
Grab.
The Heavenly Demon firmly caught my arm, halting me.
“What is it?”
I glared at her in annoyance.
“Food.”
The Heavenly Demon brought up a totally unexpected topic.
“…What?”
“Let’s eat before you go.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Why on earth would I have a meal with you?
If we were to eat, I would absolutely choke on it.
There was no way I could eat after all this. I was losing my appetite by the second, and I attempted to shrug her off.
“Your sister will be waiting.”
At the mention of Gu Huibi, I inadvertently paused.
“Why is my sister waiting?”
“She said she would go pick you up.”
She mentioned my name when leaving?
“…Huh.”
“My sister made something delicious. Let’s go.”
As the Heavenly Demon dragged me, I did want to go back.
Yet, hearing about Gu Huibi made my feet freeze.
‘Well, this works out.’
Since it had come to this, I might as well finish everything while I was at it.
With that thought in mind, I closed my eyes.
