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**

The succession ceremony for the Position of the Heavenly Demon Sect Leader had long since passed.

Supreme Leader Cheon So-so now reflected on her completely diminished power while chewing on information.

She heard he was dead.

Jeok-un.

“…….”

It felt strangely different from the death of a pet dog. Was it that she was disheartened by unexpected results?

No, it didn’t feel like that.

“…….”

Somehow, the very fact that he was dead felt like a lie.

Cheon So-so lifted her head. She looked up at the night sky and wiggled her feet.

Seven Demon.

A runaway. A member of Reverse Heaven.

What she had thought turned out to be absolutely correct. But still, she thought that power had its limits.

Hyun-kyung. Just that much. No matter how much she thought about it, she believed that’s where the boundary lay…

He defeated the puppy.

Considering the speed of growth, she thought Jeok-un would have reached that level by now… but perhaps that’s not the case.

He probably existed on a slightly higher rung. An unformed level.

In Reverse Heaven, it was likely referred to as ‘Transcendence.’

“…….”

If it’s that level, it makes sense. He stands in the same realm as Ilma, so it’s odd to find it incomprehensible.

Hyun-kyung is often expressed as a stage of enlightenment. However, if one passes a bit beyond that, they begin to shed their human facade.

There is a saying, “Soaring through feathered realms.” This is the pinnacle desired by Taoists. Strictly speaking, the path leading from Hyun-kyung to that ultimate realm is truly the way to “Soaring through feathered realms.”

Detaching oneself from what is within the body, moving away from fate.

The realm where one can manipulate the world as they wish, effortlessly obtaining what they desire.

“…….”

Transcendence is merely the stage just before reaching that place.

It’s when the vessel of the physical body surpasses everything, transforming into something akin to nature itself.

It’s a level that ordinary humans cannot reach. Not even the most talented among them.

Just entering it means you are no longer treated as human. Nicknames lose all meaning.

Transcendence is that kind of place. And from the moment one enters such a place…

Not even a master like Hyun-kyung can withstand it alone.

…He probably didn’t achieve it solely on his own.

There must have been his intervention.

Given his abilities, that wouldn’t be surprising.

“…Reverse Heaven.”

That’s how it was expressed.

Cheon So-so quietly pondered that term. She tilted her head in thought and soon let out a sigh.

Under the master of Reverse Heaven, there will be six members of Reverse Heaven.

Among them, Jin Baek-cheon is said to be the youngest…

The other five must undoubtedly be masters of Transcendence.

“…….”

Cheon So-so recalled a man who had visited her once before.

At that time, she felt like a little child, as if she would die with just a gesture from him.

But what about now?

She stands at the last boundary achievable as a human. And because of that, she believed there were no limits for herself.

But what if…

If it’s a God?

“…….”

Then she would have no choice but to fight.

“Cheon So-so.”

The Demon Cult that the previous Heavenly Demon entrusted her with.

Though she had set down the title of Heavenly Demon, her tasks hadn’t changed.

As always, she was merely preparing to protect her family.

Plans are steadily being prepared. From within the unseen shadows.

The forces opposing the gods were continuing to grow. Now even Ilma, who had learned of the situation, had joined in.

“…A drink.”

Yet, her mouth felt bitter.

It wasn’t because she didn’t know how the war would end.

But because of one man who had left.

“Cheers, Jeok-un.”

With eyes that sparkled so brightly. Unbothered by what others couldn’t even imagine…

She tried to catch up to the moment she last encountered that man.

Cheon So-so momentarily delved into memories. What started as simple curiosity, but it became something more later on.

Gradually, feelings developed. Eventually, watching became enjoyable too. Witnessing a guy who seemed like he would die entering dangerous places and somehow crawling back out brought forth emotions she had never felt before.

Normally, one wouldn’t develop affection for a dog they picked up…

Yet this time, she couldn’t help but give in. Perhaps it was just because he was so inherently good-natured. Or maybe it was something beyond mere endearment.

After losing him, she realized that the gap was wider than she thought, and the Heavenly Demon was bewildered. Sheltering that passion she could no longer meet, she filled her glass with liquor.

“…I’m sorry.”

These were not words to hurl at a dog she picked up out of simple curiosity to raise and discard.

…However, she had been continuously regretting it in fact.

If given time, she wished to return to before sending him away.

“I made a mistake.”

The glass filled with liquor was placed on a grave without a body, and the Heavenly Demon turned away.

A lonely gravestone shimmered in the moonlight.

. . .

The seasons changed.

They continued to change.

The power that erupted from the Demon Cult began to confront the Martial Alliance head-on. The Sado Clan also bared its teeth.

In this ever-ongoing conflict, the hearts of the people began to rot away.

The principle of refraining from touching civilians was slowly deteriorating, and with that, an invisible knife seemed hidden throughout the martial world.

The kindness given from one person to another vanished. Everyone began to distrust one another, and the act of humankind helping humankind also disappeared.

In the bleak world, only blades remained.

But still, it wasn’t entirely true that the world lacked kindness and righteousness.

“Nonetheless.”

The grass caught fire.

“When you feel the urge to help someone, you must indeed help them. Got it? Hae-won?”

“Yes, Dad.”

The fire starter, Yuk Nam-pyeong, gazed quietly at the burning grass.

This year’s place was settled here. A forest with few visitors.

Somewhat distant from the main road. But it wasn’t simply because it was remote that they chose to farm here.

For some reason, the surrounding trees were neatly arranged. It was as if only the center of the forest had been hit by a storm, leaving a perfectly leveled area.

Thanks to that, they didn’t have to do work like cutting trees. It felt like discovering an old tilled field that nobody had farmed.

Yuk Nam-pyeong straightened his back. If they burned off the remaining weeds and foliage, it wouldn’t take much effort to acquire a vast field.

Having lived their life helping others, perhaps this was a reward they received. But there remained a slight concern.

Even if they planted fast-growing crops, would they have enough food to last until then?

They had already consumed almost all the remaining food while enduring winter. The little left was distributed to those they encountered on their way.

He was used to resisting hunger.

But he didn’t want to impose that on his daughter.

He resolved to share what little food remained well to feed her. It’d also be good to try and catch wild animals along the way. Yuk Nam-pyeong nodded slightly.

His daughter, Yuk Hae-won, quietly tugged at the hem of his clothes.

“Dad, can I go pick something edible?”

“It seems dangerous to go alone…”

“I’ll stay close. I won’t go far!”

A diligent child. Yuk Nam-pyeong nodded slightly.

“Don’t go too far, okay?”

“Yes!”

Despite having lost her mother early, she remained steadfast and lively.

Yuk Nam-pyeong looked at the burning foliage and began to till the areas where the fire had already been extinguished.

He moved diligently. To protect the only remaining family.

. . .

Yuk Hae-won, during the passing of winter and gradually incoming spring, examined the new sprouts breaking through the ground.

Most of them were inedible. But amidst them, there were indeed some things that could be eaten.

That… two years ago? At least that’s what she heard.

On the day the Cheonryong Association clashed with the Sado Clan. The adults said there were so many casualties that the dead couldn’t be counted.

“…….”

It felt eerie.

Yuk Hae-won brushed her arms for no reason. After confirming her father’s position, she began to move busily.

She liked what her dad did. She also liked helping others.

But she always hated that he tried to shoulder the burdens alone.

While her dish was piled high with grain, her father’s always seemed to be nearly empty. She didn’t like that. Thus, she needed to find at least something to eat during such times.

After her mother passed, her father was alone, so she had to be more vigilant.

Yuk Hae-won moved busily. The sun that hung high was gradually setting. While tracing the traces of edible grass, she suddenly sensed she had ventured too far.

Time to go back. She heard a cracking sound from her back. By now, her dad would likely be looking for her. So it would be better to turn back here…

—Pash.

“……?”

Yuk Hae-won flinched. She turned her head toward the sound she heard.

Something was there. Clearly.

Was it a mountain beast? But it felt different from that.

It was as if something was calling out to her… something…

“Hae-won?”

A voice called from afar. It was her father’s voice. But Yuk Hae-won quietly moved her feet.

She headed in the opposite direction, continuing to walk with the sound of the wind.

For some reason, the vegetation and forest felt heavier. That place, where something seemed to be growing, was densely covered with grass and trees.

It felt like a wall. It was hard to see through. But the voice echoed from within.

Something… was there… here…

“Hae-won!”

In an instant, her body was yanked backward. Startled, Yuk Hae-won turned around.

Her father shouted.

“Why aren’t you answering!”

“I’m sorry! Dad… it’s just that something’s in there…”

“It’s getting dark! What if you run into a mountain beast…!”

He flinched. He too appeared to have heard a sound, glancing inside.

“…A beast?”

“I don’t think it’s a beast, Dad. It just… feels different…”

“…….”

He surveyed his surroundings briefly, his expression stiffened.

“Of all places to find such a spot near the tillage… It won’t be easy to find a place like this again…”

“…Dad?”

“Hae-won, let’s head back for now.”

Returning home, her father soon armed himself with a heavy blade. Entrusting her with the lantern, he began to carve a path inward.

“We need to see what’s inside. For safety’s sake. Daughter, if anything happens, run to the hut we built as a temporary shelter. Got it?”

“B-but you should come with me!”

“Don’t worry. Just trust your dad.”

The vines and thickets began to fall one by one. And along with that, a path to the inside opened up.

Yuk Nam-pyeong and Yuk Hae-won. The two of them finally confirmed with their own eyes what lay within.

“…What is this?”

“Ah, Dad…?”

A slightly dug pit. And the greenery that stretched over it.

At its center lay a man, buried among the plants.

Motionless, as if he were a corpse…

Quietly.

 

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