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**

Yeong-wol absorbed the moment the war began and ended within her two eyes.

There was no need to take direct action. Without Lord Im Wol-ryong, the balance of power itself was already off-kilter.

The front line was maintained solely because of the martial prowess of Hyun-kyung. It crumbled in an instant.

The martial strength was stronger on this side.

The number of troops was more favorable on this side too.

Sure, there were occasional mishaps where allies couldn’t tell friend from foe, but General Song Nam-cheon deftly managed all of those situations.

He was entrusted with the position of General for a reason. His abilities were certainly impressive.

“Lianju, the war is nearing its end. What about handling the aftermath…?”

“We don’t need prisoners. Kill them all.”

“…Understood.”

He was too competent to be dealt with directly. Song Nam-cheon.

At the right time, he would have to face justice.

Yeong-wol slashed through the approaching remnants with ease as she advanced.

In the midst of it, she even encountered a familiar face—Ji-ryong of the Sado Clan, who she had faced on the battlefield upon Lady Sado’s summons.

With one arm severed and a sword stuck in his chest, he was dying.

“You vile… dogs of Sapa…”

Had he gone blind? Yeong-wol nicely cut off his meaningless gasps.

What was concerning was what lay behind. Jin Baek-cheon. A place he might have taken two martial experts with him.

He couldn’t lose. He was that kind of person. But what if, just what if, he were dead or in a dying state…

Deciding it was best to put an end to it—for the sake of her Lady Sado.

Yeong-wol set off along the path, following the trail of blood that began to appear.

She came upon the aftermath of a fierce battle: broken trees and the corpses of Cheonryong Association warriors scattered alongside.

Yet it seemed the actual battlefield lay deeper within.

Yeong-wol moved quietly. She continued to follow the bloodstains.

The smell of blood brushed against her nose.

It began to grow overwhelmingly strong.

Chunks of flesh were stuck here and there. Not just that—the craters scattered around suggested a meteorite had fallen; it was no small matter.

Was the Lord of the Cheonryong Association that strong? After walking a bit further, Yeong-wol eventually spotted a corpse.

A mangled body. A chest deeply caved in.

The body of Lord Im Wol-ryong of the Cheonryong Association was half-buried in a pit.

Traces of resistance were evident, not scattered about. He must have fought until the end, knowing he was bound to lose.

The expression lingering on his barely remaining face was one of utter despair. Yes, that. Upon meeting Jin Baek-cheon, he always wore such an expression.

No matter how much one struggles, it was a testament to the genius one cannot surpass. The man who once was Hyun-kyung… now, who could dare question where he stands?

Wondering if there was anything to salvage, Yeong-wol rummaged through the Lord of the Cheonryong Association’s belongings. But all that came out was mere remnants of a time long gone.

Everything was broken. Truly, it was Jin Baek-cheon. He showed no mercy. Yet…

There was no sign of his usual habit. The habit of toying with his prey.

What could it mean? The man who would usually say it was delectable to torment something he fancies… did he not care for Lord Im Wol-ryong that much?

Yet, Hyun-kyung.

If he had reached the peak of martial prowess.

Yeong-wol decided to move further ahead. After carelessly pulling out the body of the Lord of the Cheonryong Association and laying it on the ground, she continued on.

The already intense smell of blood began to grow even stronger. The collapsed terrain was nearly close to flat.

There was nothing left of the forest. Only traces remained. Had they fought here against the Lord of the Cheonryong Association? Or that upstart martial expert?

Questions swirled in her mind. Amidst it all, Yeong-wol finally came face to face with the truth she longed for.

Jin Baek-cheon, lost in thought. A wide pool of blood surrounding him.

And…

A lifeless corpse devoid of light.

“…….”

Unfortunately, it was not in a dying state. Stabbing his back proved futile. Yeong-wol cleanly abandoned that notion. Instead, she softly called out to him.

“Jin Baek-cheon.”

“…Huh?”

He turned around.

Upon spotting Yeong-wol, he appeared to awaken from a long reverie and let out a smile.

“What’s up? The war? How did it end?”

“We’re wrapping things up. Is this guy the upstart martial expert?”

“…I suppose so?”

“What’s with that? You look like someone who’s seen a ghastly sight.”

“…I don’t know. I still can’t grasp what I’ve seen.”

“What?”

What kind of nonsense is that? Yeong-wol blinked in confusion.

Jin Baek-cheon glanced up at the sky.

“Night is falling. It’s all over now. But… I can’t figure out why.”

“What are you talking about?”

“…You know, my perspective is rather narrow. I almost lost my head thinking it was just a toy.”

“…Pardon? You?”

“Well, it was a nearly accidental strike. But still. It was persistent. I’ve never encountered a sword so tenacious in my entire life.”

He bent his knees. Crouching down, he reached out to the corpse.

The already ruined body lay immobile. Its limbs torn apart and deeply embedded in the crevice.

The head, forcibly lifted, swayed precariously as though it might fall off any moment. Jin Baek-cheon whispered.

“I’ll keep my promise. Jeok-un. Your sword was saying. It was excellent even for some casual fun, so as promised, I won’t pursue it.”

“…Pursue what?”

“The companions he sent first.”

“…You won’t pursue it, with your character? You love to toy with others.”

“Eh…”

He withdrew his hand.

The corpse’s head fell limply.

“Perhaps it’s just a whim.”

The sword that Jin Baek-cheon stepped on shattered into countless pieces.

Red metal scattered everywhere, resembling blood.

It was beyond salvaging.

As Yeong-wol stared absently at his back, she subtly reached for the corpse.

But Jin Baek-cheon spoke, without even glancing back.

“Just leave it be. Don’t touch it. He deserves to rest. Let’s allow him to meld back with nature.”

“…….”

I’ve never seen such a sight before.

What kind of battle has he experienced?

Yeong-wol decided to follow suit.

After all, it was just a corpse. Not a single intact part remained…

It was bound to yield nothing of significance.

Only shattered and broken bits…

Searching the deceased would surely lead to meaningless actions.

…

The world has changed.

The downfall of the Cheonryong Association. The expansion of the Sado Clan’s territory.

As a result, the Sapa faction’s momentum soared high. The Martial Alliance’s disregard for the Cheonryong Association’s plea also became evident, leading to the current Martial Alliance Leader’s status plummeting.

This sparked a massive power struggle.

The current Martial Alliance Leader, leading the old martial faction, was pitted against the new martial faction, causing the Martial Alliance to split in two.

An internal war broke out due to the divided power dynamics.

The Sado Clan was not spared from chaos either. A conflict erupted while dividing the territory taken from the Cheonryong Association, causing the world to spiral into disorder.

At that moment.

The Demon Cult stepped into the world.

A sudden emergence from the Martial world startled the entire realm, terrors emerging from the Tianshan.

In an already chaotic world, more chaos continued to pile on.

With the martial world now divided into three factions, a bloody storm of war swept through. The unkempt internal affairs and external forces fighting for their teeth engulfed the world in an unprecedented wave of monumental warfare.

Those being robbed and those robbing were widespread in this realm.

The name of the chivalrous buried while only those cowardly plundering others thrived, accumulating wealth and power.

In a world where personal survival was prioritized above all, could justice still survive?

“…….”

The second-in-command of the Demon Cult, Ilma, marked a point on the document he had been writing. He sat back, slowly pouring himself some tea.

It was a time when information traders struggled to operate properly. If words don’t get through, swords fly first, and everyone was extremely cautious about speaking in the presence of others.

Yet, amidst it all, he had indeed received some news.

The Martial Alliance inspector who had gone to support the Cheonryong Association.

The news was that his disciple, Jeok-un, had died.

“…….”

Jeok-un is dead? What nonsense could that be?

He was the kind who crawled out of the dung heap. He must have faked his own death.

After all, it was a status he ought to have discarded; the death was just a way to cast it aside. Ilma was fiercely convinced.

He couldn’t have died. On the day they return, he would stroll back into the house with a smile.

When that time comes, I’ll have to scold him a little. How dare you surprise your master, even for a moment? Such an impudent disciple.

And a daughter?

I only belatedly heard of the fact that she was an adopted daughter, but even so. She ought to ask for my permission. To casually adopt someone…

I should scold him at least twice. Truly.

“…….”

…So.

He needs to be scolded.

Just come walking in.

It’s fine if a few limbs are missing. Just the head being attached is good enough.

Just somehow, make it back to this home.

That much should be a small breeze.

Isn’t it something even an ordinary person could manage?

So…

So…

“…Ilma-nim.”

Ilma quietly looked down at the martial artists who had arrived before him. He met the gaze of a small child, staring up at him with empty eyes.

He reached out a hand. They must have endured a long journey. Just looking at the dust clinging to them, one could tell.

But that state of disarray was but a shallow comparison to the ruin within.

Look at those empty eyes.

Just like mine.

“…Are you Sua?”

“…….”

A small nod of the head. A mouth robbed of speech.

The daughter who parted from her father…

Ilma finally became aware of the reality sitting before him.

He’d raised a disciple, only to lose them in a place beyond his reach.

…Perhaps, I should have never grown attached.

—Thud.

He placed a hand on the child’s head. It stirred slightly.

It was supposed to be a petting he’d been saving for when his disciple returned.

He whispered softly.

“…You’ve struggled.”

Ilma didn’t vocalize his emotions. He didn’t wail loudly either.

He simply sat quietly in a chair after hearing the news. When the martial artists who had gone after him were crying and screaming, he listened silently.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand their pain.

But there were things more urgent that needed addressing before their grief.

Twice.

This was the second time.

The wound they inflicted on this Demon Cult, on his heart.

“…….”

So.

Crying despondently, screaming out loud,

Silently pouring a drink, yearning for the one who left.

Everything could wait.

“I know it’s difficult for you to have come such a long way.”

“……”

“But despite that, there is work to be done. I cannot leave this place due to circumstances. I must fulfill the order given by my one and only Lord. So…”

Ilma quietly looked at Sua.

“I’ve heard enough about your talents through the written accounts.”

“……”

“And above all, leaving one’s family’s grudge to others is a laughable act.”

She raised her head.

Ilma asked softly.

“Do you have anything you want to do?”

At the question, her hands trembled.

In her empty eyes, a crimson glow descended in an instant.

“…I want to kill that person…”

“Well then, it’s settled. Our goals align. The direction we wish to take will probably coincide as well.”

The relationship between master and disciple is usually referred to as father and son.

Family. That must be the bond that ties us together.

…So…so…

“Kill him yourself. I will teach you so that you can kill him.”

“…….”

“If you don’t want to, reject me here and now. I do not accept you as my disciple. I simply plan to enhance your skill with the sword.”

“…I…”

“I intend to tear apart Reverse Heaven solely by my own will from now on.”

Ilma extended his hand.

“Regardless of anyone else, I will ensure you can kill that Jin Baek-cheon with your own hands.”

“…Yes.”

Sua nodded.

In a world that had lost its great light and was filled with emptiness, it was as if a purpose finally emerged.

“Please train me. Into an unbreakable metal.”

With talents that could be found nowhere else in this world.

So, they united.

Only for the sake of vengeance.

 

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