---

**

Silence is heavy. I realized that my future hinges on my response.

What should I answer? The Heavenly Demon smiled slyly. At the end of that enchanting smile lies an unfathomable darkness.

“Think carefully and answer. Lies are not permitted.”

“…Does it make any difference if I answer, given the collar already around my neck?”

“What others fill and what you fill are different.”

The collar filled by myself.

…The collar filled by others.

I met the gaze that pierced through me in the gap between those two thoughts. If I open my mouth to speak, my fate will likely be sealed in that moment.

What if I refuse this position here?

Will I die? Or will I at least be tortured? I just don’t know. I couldn’t see through her intentions.

The Heavenly Demon before me has always been like this since our first meeting. I couldn’t understand what she was thinking, and it felt like an unassailable mountain was toying with me.

…Then what can I do?

I pondered stubbornly. She didn’t rush me. She merely looked up at me as if finding me interesting, humming a tune.

Time passed. It felt endless. Perhaps it was merely a fleeting moment. But at least for me, it felt that way.

I groped for what flashed by.

In the end, the conclusion I reached brought me back to square one. The thoughts I held when I first saw her.

The gaze of the beast that made my heart race.

“…I am an ordinary person, Master.”

“I know.”

“Even if I wield a sword my whole life, I may never surpass you, Master.”

“That’s only natural.”

“But even so…”

I want to try.

I want to see with these two hands.

What does it mean to have the gaze of a beast?

What is it like for the one looking down, rather than looking up?

Sincerely.

—I truly want to surpass her. As a warrior.

“I plan to go as far as I can.”

“Even if it means dying in the next moment?”

“I am already familiar with pain.”

I smiled. I felt my tension ease in that laughter.

Yes. This is my sincerity.

“I can’t look at two places with one eye.”

“…What does that mean?”

“As long as I pursue the sword, there will always be a collar around my neck. But…”

I looked seriously at her. I still couldn’t see.

It was just like our first meeting. Even though I thought I had gained some strength, I still couldn’t see even a single toe of hers.

…However.

Even if I confirm that sight with my eyes, the feelings I hold won’t change.

“Isn’t it strange for a dog stronger than its master to have a collar around its neck?”

“……”

“If I stand behind you, I will put the collar on myself. But if the day comes when my shadow surpasses yours…”

That will be the day I grasp all that I have desired.

Power and the sword.

The gaze of the beast.

Born as an ordinary man, yet ultimately grasping the very tip of the sword.

“When that time comes, I will take off the collar I put on myself and grasp the sword.”

“Is that rebellion?”

“I must take off the collar to confirm what I’ve built up, right? I will face off against the one I’ve chased with my sword; it wouldn’t make sense to wear a collar then.”

“What a funny fellow. You’ve said something that didn’t need to be said. Why is that?”

“You did ask me to reveal all my true intentions, did you not?”

I clasped my hands together in respect.

“I’m a dog, so I’ve followed as a dog should.”

“…Khehe.”

The Heavenly Demon chuckled lightly.

“Jeok-un. There is no one in this sect who has truly tried to surpass me. Those with power instead revere me. Do you know why?”

“I don’t.”

“Because no monkey looks up at a tree they can’t climb. Isn’t that right? That’s the nature of it. I am like the massive tree rooted in this new sect. If we’re the same beast, we might at least exchange glances, but since we are fundamentally different life forms, it is only natural that you cannot dare to look up.”

“……”

“I realized you’ve only just grasped a sword. But that means you’ll see my back even better. Do you feel the edge of my power? Can you visualize the power of my sword before you?”

“I cannot.”

“The Soul Stealing Sword. Even that strong warrior you faced could not see the very tips of my toes. That’s the kind of being I am. Even if you were to reach a level like the Soul Stealing Sword, you still wouldn’t be able to see.”

“…….”

“Are you really saying you want to truly catch up to such a being? If you take a step, I will walk two steps ahead of you. Perhaps even ten steps ahead. The gap will continue to widen, eventually becoming an insurmountable chasm. Time is not on your side; it is fair to everyone. When your time passes, mine will too.”

She stood before me.

She looked up at me.

“I walk faster than you. While you toddle along, I was already walking in the sky. And yet, you still wish to pursue me?”

“…Yes.”

“What possibility do you see?”

“I realized it at the end of the fight with the Soul Stealing Sword.”

Those were fearful eyes.

But I wouldn’t settle for just fear.

“There is a sword suitable for every warrior, isn’t there?”

“That’s right.”

“It seems a sword that thinks does not suit me. I prefer to think after I act rather than before.”

“…….”

“So, this time, I plan to act first and think afterwards.”

“When?”

“Perhaps…”

I looked down into those fearfully glistening eyes.

“Now is not the time to wield a sword, is it?”

“Haha! You’re the first to say something like that to me! What a truly funny dog you are!”

The Heavenly Demon reached out and grabbed my front. She pulled me close, tilting her head up at me.

At the end of that enchanting gaze hung shallow droplets. I realized they were tears born from genuine laughter.

“Is that so… A ridiculous statement?”

“It’s not that it doesn’t make sense. Isn’t there anything wrong with each of our paths? But still, the path you wish to walk is fraught with thorns, worse than a fire pit. For you to say you will walk it yourself, how can I not laugh and give you a hard time?”

The Heavenly Demon let go of me. She spun around.

Taking a few steps ahead.

“All warriors are the same. Each one yearns for a sword. They will do anything to grow stronger. That’s the same ideology shared by the righteous, the underworld, and even the Demon Cult.”

“…….”

“But most of them are blocked by the wall of reality and become discouraged. Eventually, they settle into their station, giving up on looking up. Ordinary people do so even faster. Those lacking in talent, like you, give up long ago.”

“…….”

“Jeok-un. But you are different. My instincts were correct. Even if that body is mediocre, that soul is superior to any strong warrior, which is a pity since you met me so late in life. The impact of a child who never dreamed now dreaming is nothing to scoff at.”

The Heavenly Demon peered at me, an undeniable smile hanging on her lips.

“However, you are still beneath me. Let me make it crystal clear: you will never catch up to me. Absolutely impossible, even if you died and came back several times over. Yet you wish to chase me?”

“…I have already died and come back several times.”

I returned her smile.

“Just a few more times will suffice.”

“Phuheh. If anyone else had said that, I would have laughed heartily. But you… you have the right to say that.”

The Heavenly Demon took my hand. She led me beyond one room into another.

“Since you’ve decided to collar yourself, I’ll select another for you.”

“What might that be?”

“As long as I stand before you, you are my dog, aren’t you? My hunting dog. Therefore, you belong to me. Always remember this: I am your master, holding tight to your collar, and even if you dislike it, you cannot reject it.”

“I have no intention of rejecting it.”

“Why is that?”

“Since you are the one who granted me this life, I will cherish that grace even while standing before you.”

“…Hmmm.”

“Even if the day comes when I take off the collar, the day I stand opposite you…”

I made sure to say it clearly.

To the benefactor who planted the ‘dream’ within me, I would express my sincerest intentions.

“Even if the heavens were to be torn asunder, I would not betray you.”

“I could tear the heavens apart, though.”

“…I would prefer you not to.”

“Khehe. Just kidding. You are such a funny one.”

With a mischievous laugh, she opened the door.

I froze.

What lay before me was a massive bed unlike anything I had ever seen.

I instinctively took a step back. The Heavenly Demon placed a hand on my back.

“Master, Master?!”

“You are now a clear dog of mine. You’ve put on your own collar, so it’s the same as saying you’ll follow me out loud, isn’t it? Since I’ve decided to truly raise you, it’s time to do some basic training.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“Oh? Don’t step back. Didn’t I just say I would give you ‘direct’ training?”

She held me tightly. Pushing against me, she pressed her chest against mine and gently bit my ear.

“Refusal is not an option. Is there any dog brave enough to refuse my command? None.”

“…C-can I at least prepare myself mentally…?”

“What nonsense is that from a guy who said patience is a sword? Now. Just lie down quietly. I’ll teach you everything from A to Z.”

I squinted my eyes. I took off my top.

The Heavenly Demon, who had picked up a medicine from a nearby shelf, smiled slyly.

“How impatient.”

“…I-I’m embarrassed…”

“What’s embarrassing about it? You should be ready to not die. From now on, I intend to reshape your physique, fixing that wretched body until it’s satisfactory for a thousand years.”

“…Pardon?”

“Or what, were you expecting some fooling around? Certainly not. I’m not into that sort of thing. I’d rather be the one getting ravaged. Of course, nobody has ever tried to ravage me in this world. There have been some, but all died at my hands. If there’s anyone who would, it would be that Ilma kid. With his fierce nature and imposing physique, you’d better watch your waist if he ever pulls an all-nighter.”

“Y-yes?!”

“Why are you so shocked? You’re adorable. Haven’t you ever been with a woman? Visit Gilu sometime. One must occasionally purge the energy trapped in the lower realms.”

My head spun from the teasing, and I buried my face.

“Could you not stop…?”

“Phuh. You’re such a funny child. Hmm. A little cute too. Like a well-behaved puppy. Aw, so cute.”

“…….”

“I’ll wrap up this small talk here. Jeok-un. This may be the last thing you hear, so listen carefully. The great method I’ll unfold now is the Reverse Heaven Blood Flow Technique. It’s a type of taboo technique that goes against the natural order. The chance of death is a full ten percent.”

“…Pardon?”

A complete ten percent…

Isn’t that practically the same as saying I’m definitely going to die?

“Don’t worry. I have my own plans. You have proper regeneration, so you should be able to endure this. The fatality rate will drop to fifty percent. Since you absorbed the ice essence left by Bing Baeksul, that probability may decrease to thirty percent. Of course, it all depends on whether you can endure all of this.”

“…….”

“Aren’t you the one who says patience is a sword? So, as a patient puppy, just hold on tight. If you do so, you might gain something.”

“What do you mean?”

“A body far stronger than the one you have now. The Reverse Heaven Blood Flow Technique consists of five levels. It cannot be progressed through instantly, so I plan to pace it according to the thousand-year cycle. Fortunately, your thousand-year essence has reached the second stage. After all the near-death experiences you’ve had. Well… if you’re throwing your life on the line, it’s only natural that the results should be good. This thousand-year essence loves blood especially.”

She took out a large needle. The viciousness of it was indescribably chilling.

“I’ll aim to raise the Reverse Heaven Blood Flow Technique to the second level in accordance with your progress. The regeneration and the pace at which your body breaks down will meet at a razor-thin line. Through the repetition of destruction and regeneration, your entire body will shed its old skin like a snake. Your once weak physique will improve, and your body will grow stronger.”

“Are you saying…?”

“That your foundation will be firmly established. But here’s the catch. I have never used this before. Ah, well, there was once. The one who I tried it on couldn’t endure the pain and ended up biting his tongue off, dying. He was quite a renowned warrior, to be honest. But a master assassin, you see? He couldn’t even withstand the first stage.”

The Heavenly Demon sighed. She sat on top of me, stroking my cheek.

Her flowing hair tickled my neck. But I couldn’t feel giddy.

Because within those red eyes that gazed into mine danced the specter of death.

“But you’ll endure, won’t you? Aren’t you my beloved puppy? Right?”

“…….”

“Don’t look away.”

“…Is it more painful than the thousand years?”

“Hard to say…”

She grinned, idly playing with the large needle.

“Tell me after it’s done. After you feel this pain.”

—Thud.

 

---