Twenty-Nine continued to crawl. They just kept crawling.

“I have to go back to where I came from.”

They’re waiting. They’ll endure.

Thirty.

I can’t imagine his death.

So let’s go and help. We must help.

I can’t let him die. No matter what.

No matter what…!

“…Ah.”

In an instant, my head drops to the ground. Dust crawls into my mouth.

I cough. Blood mixed with saliva falls to the floor.

I have to stand up.

I have to stand up…

But my body…

My body isn’t moving…

“…Ugh.”

No. Now isn’t the time to complain.

Instead of thinking, reach out. Keep moving.

Crawl. Crawl closer.

Somehow grab hold. Hold on…

Hold on…

“…Huh.”

Swallowing the tears that were about to fall, I crawl while sobbing.

“Don’t die.”

“Please don’t die.”

Thirty. You mustn’t die. It’s strange if you die after coming this far.

You’re alive, right? Please tell me you’re alive. I beg you. Please…

No, someone like you cannot die.

That’s… that’s really unfair.

You must be alive. Please.

Right now.

I’m coming…!

“You.”

I hear a voice. I turn around late.

In my blurred vision, someone is standing. I can see them holding something.

A man drooping like a corpse.

Guk Jin Myung’s body.

“What are you doing?”

“…….”

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Are they an enemy? Are they an ally? I don’t know. Given that they’re holding Guk Jin Myung, they might not be an enemy.

I flail the sword I’m holding. The woman laughs.

She lightly grasps the tip of my sword with both hands.

“Can you answer just one thing? I have a promise for a down payment; I’m busy.”

“…….”

“Is it from Cheonakmun? Or Sma Clan?”

“…….”

“Can’t answer? Well, I guess you look like you can’t.”

Purple hair spills in front of my eyes. The woman bends down, backlit by the moonlight.

She whispers.

“Just blink once. Is it Sma Clan?”

“…….”

An answer.

How should I respond?

Again, without realizing it, Twenty-Nine smiles wryly. Is it true that instinct doesn’t change?

Still a coward. But if I can overcome my nature with effort…

I must be resolute.

I don’t want to lie now. Even if the person in front of me is an enemy, I want to hold onto my will.

There’s nothing more ridiculous than putting a drawn sword back into its sheath.

I blinked.

The woman smiled.

“Is that so?”

She reached her hand out. As her hand approached my face, Twenty-Nine squinted his eyes.

Yet the expected pain didn’t come.

Instead, something rolled into my mouth.

“It’s a painkiller. It only makes the pain go away, so don’t go wild, okay? You might really die.”

“…….”

“I have somewhere to go. I need to use this guy well. So just lie still here…”

I grabbed her ankle.

The gaze looking down stiffened.

“I told you to lie still; I never said to crawl up.”

I cough and splutter. My voice starts to come back.

So I plead. I’m too weak to do anything.

Crying.

Whispering.

“Pl…ease… Th…irty…”

“What?”

“Blood Demon… Sa…ve…me… Alone… over there…”

“……”

Knowing I can’t do it myself.

Knowing I’m not strong enough to do everything.

So I cling and plead, even throwing away my strong pride.

“Please…!”

“…I’ve never seen such a sight before. Little one. What you should be worrying about is your own body. Now isn’t the time to worry about others, you’re about to die yourself.”

“Sa…ve me…”

“Ah geez. Since you’re begging like that, I guess I have no choice.”

The woman’s eyes curved like a crescent moon.

“Then… this is a debt? I’ll collect every single penny of it later.”

…

My body is breaking. It’s repeating regeneration and destruction.

Cheongeop twists my body. The black roots embedded in my veins are screaming.

A body that has reached its limit. The creaking has grown worse.

I feel the tips of my toes as rotting skin falls away.

…But.

I’m still walking.

“What on earth do you get from pushing yourself this hard?!”

The sword flies.

It collides. With my body.

—KAAAAAAANG!!!

I clash my sword. My groans mix with screams.

It hurts. I feel like I’m going to die. My creaking body is writhing.

For just one step forward.

I have to swallow thousands of groans.

I’m freezing. My body. I can feel it. Dying in real-time.

But even so, I’m still walking.

Don’t think.

Move.

I swing. The enemy distances itself. I don’t chase after the widening gap.

Instead, I raise my sword. I forcibly dig beneath my frozen flesh.

I awaken the dead nerves with the tip of my sword.

“What’s happening now…?!”

The outside is freezing. The rate at which I freeze is faster than my regeneration.

That’s why I dig. I awaken it myself.

Cheongeop.

Don’t fall asleep.

It’s not time to sleep yet.

Continuing to self-harm, I pull blood that wants to sleep. I tear away frozen skin while crying out.

Blood. Return.

Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique. Awaken the blood to the ends of hell.

If my energy is lacking, then dig deeper.

Recall what’s been consumed.

The time accumulated.

The sword gathered.

—Tear it all apart to prove it!

“A voice is waiting. From an unfathomable height that you can’t even glance at.”

I hear the previous whisper. I raise it at the tip of my sword.

I step into the Soul Stealing Sword’s terror.

Awakening the blood.

Swinging the sword.

I prove with my whole body that I am alive.

“What?!”

I slash towards the twisted face devoid of a smile. It gets blocked.

But I don’t stop.

“You ignorant…!”

I scatter the sword’s tip. Evade the incoming blade.

I catch my dislocated right arm. I jam it back into place.

“This… this…!”

I grab the sword. I let it slip.

I grab the sword. I let it slip.

I grab the sword. I let it slip.

Yet once more…

—I grab the sword.

“I’ve never seen a beast like you in my life!”

The Soul Stealing Sword howls.

It comes.

An unprecedented sword strike. The blade rushes towards me beyond sincerity and begins to prepare to pounce.

I stagger and grasp the sword. I inject tension through my loosened muscles.

“…Wait. Heavenly Demon Cheon So-so.”

To lend weight to words I spoke myself.

To make sure I won’t look back at the extended sword again.

Now, I draw that sword as if it has become one with me from hell.

Gorgeous sword strike?

None.

I don’t know anything like that.

I don’t understand illusions or empty gestures, nor do I care for those trivialities.

I simply dash ahead like I’m intoxicated, laying a firm target for the sword.

That’s all I know about the sword.

The sword handle I grasp shakes. I feel the tremor over the frozen sword.

As always, it feels like a distant dream.

To grasp it, I grit my teeth. To not leave my longing as mere longing, I shout with my whole body.

Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique

Second Form.

Dan Hoon Choo.

“I’m on your tail. All the time.”

Frozen blood mixes with a sigh.

The extended sword gleams, ready to slice through sound as it devours.

The Soul Stealing Sword regurgitates everything it consumed from me. The blue flame encompasses everything at once.

But even so.

…Even so, I…!

“Enough.”

The nape of my neck is caught.

“That’s far enough. Stop thrashing about.”

My body tilts backward.

The flow of the thrashing sword breaks. The sword I almost dropped rattles in my hand.

There’s someone behind me.

A strange presence I didn’t notice until they got close.

The Soul Stealing Sword suddenly sheaths the sword. Blinking with a face drenched in cold sweat.

“What’s with this sudden… who are you…?”

“The Soul Stealing Sword’s Noh Ha-chun. Let’s stop here. The story from now on…”

I look up. In my hazy vision, someone is standing.

Purple hair. A refined yet enchanting smile.

“This is the territory of ‘Blood Sea’. The Sma Clan has requested a special inspection.”

“…Blood Sea? Why is Blood Sea suddenly here…?”

“To distinguish right from wrong. Finding and managing traitors is within the Blood Sea’s jurisdiction, right? It’s only natural to do what we originally intended, so there’s nothing strange about it.”

“……”

“Step back. This is a notification. I’d appreciate it if you understand that this isn’t a negotiation.”

eS82cEF3M2JnbHlDcjVodFVtUDBmNWZZaDhLMmQvNmtKTXVPYWtCdFN6RFJEQU81b1B1SjhMOUZYTEVpR2dYSA

“…Huh.”

“And if you still won’t step back…”

The woman points behind her.

“Your disciple might be in danger?”

“…Jin Myung…? Was it you?”

“No. Some kid did it. I think he’s a Blood Demon member.”

“My disciple…?! Is he still alive?”

“I’ve taken all possible measures. He won’t die. Probably?”

“…Thank you. I’m not thinking about fighting Blood Sea. Not in this state. In the first place, if Blood Sea is properly inspecting, then there’s no reason for me to step in. Isn’t it the most reputable organization within the school?”

“I appreciate you understanding.”

“…Understanding or not… I’m tired. Ha ha… what a crazy situation. What on earth did you raise in Blood Demon? What is that…?”

“Well, I don’t know. I’ve never seen a beast like that.”

My vision is blurry and fading. Everything is gradually consumed by darkness.

The side effects are belatedly taking effect. My frozen body is being devoured by the cold.

“You’ve pushed me so hard even at the entrance to the peak? Anyone who hears it would laugh.”

“…Wait a moment. Excuse me? It would be troublesome if you die. My promise includes keeping you alive.”

The voice grows distant.

My colorless vision is completely dyed black.

“Soul Stealing Sword?! What have you done to this child?!”

“I don’t know either. Something… felt like it was being consumed…”

“Oh my god. Cheongeop? Don’t tell me this child…?”

“Do you know something?”

“He’s the Master’s toy! Ah damn! I stepped in it! I received money wrongfully!”

“You received money?!”

“Let’s overlook the trivial matters! Soul Stealing Sword! Please help!”

“You want me to help the one I was just an enemy of…?”

“Blood Sea! I’m requesting cooperation in the name of Blood Sea! I don’t want to die at the hands of the Blood Sea Master!”

“Blood Sea Master? Could it be… related to the Blood Demon?! Then that makes sense! Yeah! It makes sense that such a freak is out!”

“Stop talking nonsense and hurry up…!”

My body shakes.

Did I hold? Did I make it?

I don’t know. Where’s my sword?

“…Oh my. Even after all this, you’re still not letting go of your sword?”

Where’s my sword…?

“Truly a beast.”

“I don’t have time to admire you! Soul Stealing Sword! Position yourself! What kind of hell is this! I thought I was going to earn free money… ah! Why did I make such a promise?! Why would I want to smack a beast way stronger than me before I came?! I should have killed it first!”

“Stronger than you?! Even amongst the ones I’ve seen, it’s the deadliest!”

No matter how many times I cut it, it won’t die, but rather it rushes back at me… I’ve never seen such a terrifying adversary in my life! It’s not that I didn’t kill it! I couldn’t kill it!

I need to…

I have to stand…

“What are you doing?! Lie down! This is completely insane?!”

“Huh? You still want to get up in that state? This is just…!”

“Soul Stealing Sword! Didn’t I say several times that now is not the time to appreciate?!”

I need to… stand…

Now it’s… really…

“What exactly did the Master raise?!”

My frozen body freezes in place.

Standing there, as it is.

Even Cheongeop is quiet, not making a sound.

Everything…

—is tranquil.

 

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