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“Are you serious about catching a dragon?”

Yeodong-bin wasn’t exactly taken aback by Master Mangnyang’s unexpected command to catch an I-mugi. After all, he’d tangled with plenty of demon beasts and otherworldly races that were just as challenging, if not more so. Plus, it felt like a task a divine being might assign him.

So, he headed straight to the back mountain of the village to search for the I-mugi. Before long, he stumbled upon a cave behind a waterfall that looked like it could be the dragon’s lair.

Rumble rumble…

Inside the cave was a massive chamber, and, lo and behold, there lay a gigantic I-mugi, measuring over twenty lengths! Not often do you see an I-mugi this enormous, but Yeodong-bin figured that after two thousand years, it would be quite the specimen.

The dragon seemed to be caught halfway through becoming a Fire Dragon, with patches of red scales sprouting all over its body. Its snake-like gaze fixated on Yeodong-bin.

To Yeodong-bin’s surprise, the I-mugi spoke—not in a human language, but somehow, thanks to some magic, its will resonated clearly with him.

[Ah, are you the famed Sword Saint Yeodong-bin?]

“You know who I am?”

[There isn’t a monster or demon in the Central Plains who hasn’t heard of the Eight Immortals’ renown…]

For a moment, the dragon exhaled what seemed like a fiery breath. Yeodong-bin tensed up, ready for a fight, but the words that followed froze the expression on his face.

[Save me.]

“…What?”

[I once failed to become a heavenly dragon a thousand years ago. I’ve since trained diligently for a thousand years, and now I’m close to earning the right to ascend. If only Queen Mother would grant me permission…]

“What are you rambling on about?”

Yeodong-bin was on guard, thinking this might be a trap, but the I-mugi seemed to have given up on fighting, bowing its head deeply.

[Please… let me try one more time. I’ve trained for two millennia to become a dragon…]

“Whatever nonsense you’re spewing, I need to kill you.”

Clang!

Even though Yeodong-bin’s sword was infused with power, the I-mugi still showed no signs of battle readiness. Rather than getting riled up, it simply stared at Yeodong-bin with its piercing eyes.

[I’ve been alive for a long time. It’s clear that even with all my effort, you would win. So I beg you for life, to fulfill my dream.]

“You’re a great demon that has lived for two thousand years. Converting your accumulated demon power to divine power is no small feat. Do you really think you can rise to the heavens?”

[I don’t know… But I have lived solely for that purpose.]

The I-mugi cried out.

[Sword Saint! Don’t take away my chance to achieve my dream.]

“……”

Yeodong-bin found himself hesitant.

Typical humans spend a hundred years trying to pass the trials, but only a tiny fraction succeed. The rest live ordinary lives, finishing their days in silence, with nothing but the bitterness of unfulfilled dreams. Yeodong-bin understood all too well the depth of despair for practitioners who have worked tirelessly, only to die meaningless deaths. Now imagine how much more intense that feeling must be for this I-mugi who had put in decades more!

Even the Fire Dragon Incarnate, who bore the title of Fire Dragon King, displayed a surprising degree of sympathy for the I-mugi. Yeodong-bin could feel the emotion, as the flames of his Fire Dragon Sword began to dull.

What should he do?

Yet, Yeodong-bin swiftly made up his mind and raised his sword technique. Seeing Yeodong-bin’s posture, the I-mugi closed its eyes as if resigned to its fate.

Yeodong-bin yelled.

“Hah!”

SWOOSH!

His sword sliced through the air at blinding speed, and the dragon’s head flew off. The massive creature’s huge head was as heavy as a boulder, hitting the ground with a mighty thud. Yeodong-bin, channeling all his internal power and intent, grabbed the severed head and made his way back to Master Mangnyang.

Upon his return, Master Mangnyang’s voice echoed in his head.

[Yeodong-bin. Have you returned?]

“Yes. I’ve slayed the I-mugi.”

WHOOSH!

The moment Yeodong-bin replied, the scenery around him began to shift, and the village vanished, leaving him floating in an empty void. Everything was shrouded in white; nothing existed in this emptiness.

Then, from the opposite side, a mass of darkness oozed out, slowly taking on a human-like form. It transformed into a somewhat malnourished-looking man, and his face looked chillingly cold and devoid of emotion.

Once materialized in the void, Master Mangnyang addressed Yeodong-bin.

[You slayed the I-mugi by my command. Do you have any regrets about that?]

“…Not exactly.”

Yeodong-bin answered honestly. Master Mangnyang continued.

[You came to me seeking power, right? And to gain that power, you must follow my commands. Ultimately, what is the reason you seek such power?]

“To defeat the Dragon of the Apocalypse that’s about to descend, so I can save the human world.”

[Ah, so that is your noble cause. Then let me ask again.]

Master Mangnyang’s emotionless gaze fell on Yeodong-bin.

[Did the I-mugi perish for the sake of that noble cause? Or was it sacrificed due to your personal desires?]

“……”

Yeodong-bin bit his lip, startled by the direct hit to his conscience. After a moment’s thought, he responded.

“If you hadn’t commanded me, I wouldn’t have needed to slay him.”

[But slay him you did. You trampled on the I-mugi’s wish without a second thought for your pursuit of power.]

“That’s just unreasonable, isn’t it?”

[Unreasonable, you say? Why aren’t you considering the option of refusing my orders?]

“……”

How could he refuse?

After all, the very lives and destinies of all humanity rested on his shoulders!

As Yeodong-bin simmered with frustration, Master Mangnyang continued.

[You seek out tremendous power without knowing what the Dragon of the Apocalypse actually is, or what calamities will befall the world upon its descent. I see little difference between you and that dragon.]

“What are you talking about? Preparing for an impending disaster is absolutely necessary…”

[Is it truly necessary? Regardless, the fact remains that the I-mugi died because of your righteous cause. You are merely a weak soul seeking power through my influence.]

“Ugh.”

SSSS!

At that moment, the massive head of the I-mugi vanished from Yeodong-bin’s hands. Startled, he looked to his side, only to see particles of light gently drifting away. Then Master Mangnyang spoke.

[In the future… there will be one with great resolve, intent on escaping the fate of the apocalypse. This individual will perform a ceremony to avoid a tragedy that results in billions dying, but to do so, thirty thousand innocent lives must be sacrificed. In such a situation, would you stop them?]

Yeodong-bin replied resolutely.

“I would stop them.”

[Why? Thirty thousand lives are far fewer than a billion.]

“Human life cannot be weighed by numbers.”

At that, Master Mangnyang lightly scoffed.

[Indeed. Is the hope of the I-mugi, who has waited for two thousand years, really any less important than the mere existence of the Great Desire Empire’s populace? Such clarity is amusing.]

“……”

Left speechless by this pointed critique, Yeodong-bin could almost sense a smile on Master Mangnyang’s face.

[What I just mentioned was one of the scenarios I observed from a parallel world. Oddly enough… while there are countless parallel worlds leading to the apocalypse, the likelihood of their existence remains ambiguous. Additionally, predicting the fate after the apocalypse is impossible, locked within an everlasting stasis. It’s as if someone intentionally sealed it away.]

“……?”

[Yeodong-bin, what were you expecting when you came to me? You seek my power to avert the calamity that the dragon will bring, but is that truly your only aim?]

Yeodong-bin felt confused.

He sensed that Master Mangnyang held a grudge against him—most likely because he had beheaded the I-mugi. But deciphering what Master Mangnyang wanted from their conversation felt impossible. The dimensional gap between their thoughts was too immense for Yeodong-bin to grasp.

Ultimately, feeling resigned, Yeodong-bin decided to be straightforward with his intentions.

“I want to find peace in this world. I can’t stand to see the innocent suffer and die horrifically anymore. For that, I’m prepared to walk the thorny path, even if it means becoming an Asura myself. That’s all.”

As he shouted this out, Master Mangnyang replied coldly.

[How predictable. The same old story of needing to accept minor sacrifices for the sake of saving the world—remarkably consistent. There have been many like you in the past.]

“…I won’t bother you any further.”

Yeodong-bin glared at Master Mangnyang.

“You’ve had your fun with me. I apologize for daring to ask for your help. I’ll take my leave now!”

Just as he shouted this,

WHOOSH!

Yeodong-bin’s body was transported back from the void to reality. He found himself lying in a small shrine.

‘Where is this…?’

This shrine was infused with divine energy, and before him was an altar with some offerings laid out. As Yeodong-bin inspected the offering, he quickly realized it was a lizard’s tail. Staring at the small lizard tail, a voice rang in his head.

[Yeodong-bin, the Celestial Realm is not an absolute justice. It’s merely a construct created by the deities to manage humankind, and it cannot divert the fate of the apocalypse. Even if you manage to stop the Dragon of the Apocalypse, it remains a futile struggle in the end.]

“……!!”

[The world will collapse in a few hundred years. There is no way to escape this, and on the day the Constellation descends, everything will be destroyed and thrown into chaos. The echoes of countless demons will swallow blood and flesh, plunging the world into despair.]

Yeodong-bin’s heart sank.

While he felt ill at ease, wondering if Master Mangnyang had merely been toying with him, he couldn’t ignore the grave power that spoke about the Celestial Realm and the apocalypse. If what they said was true, despite all his efforts, it seemed the future held nothing but despair. As he stood frozen, Master Mangnyang’s voice continued.

[And you have shown me the limits of human heroes. Noble cause versus sacrifice… An overwhelming contradiction that you cannot overcome when faced with reality. As long as you carry that limitation, you can never defeat a deity, but will simply be toyed with and made to submit. Because to the gods, good and evil are irrelevant.]

“Master Mangnyang, what do you seek from me?”

[Your willpower.]

WHOOSH!

In that instant, a pale visage emerged before Yeodong-bin, reminiscent of a shrouded specter. Struck by a cosmic horror, Yeodong-bin instinctively recoiled, and Master Mangnyang transmitted his will through this avatar.

[Somewhere far away is a being trying to communicate its will to this world. If you genuinely wish to overcome all contradictions and absurdities to save it, I will pave a way for you to connect with ‘that being.’ However, the moment you choose this path, you will suffer endless despair and pain while waiting for the apocalypse.]

“……”

[I repeat, it’s an unreasonable and painful path. It would be hundreds of times more difficult than defeating the Dragon of the Apocalypse and being celebrated as a hero, then spending your days as a Celestial Sword Saint. Do you still wish to accept it?]

Yeodong-bin grasped the meaning behind Master Mangnyang’s words.

And he shuddered.

‘…A cosmic entity. You mean… a being on par with the [Ruler]?’

Furthermore, the moment he connected with that entity, the stirring battle against the demon presence in the Central Plains would pale in comparison to the fateful and painful task that would ensnare Yeodong-bin’s soul. If Master Mangnyang was warning him directly, it was bound to be grave.

Yeodong-bin grappled with the weight of the decision.

Did he seriously need to acquire such power?

Was he truly required to plead so desperately for the sake of the entire world?

At that moment, a vision flickered in Yeodong-bin’s mind—a little girl with a leaf in her hair.

“I’ll accept.”

[Good. I will now bridge the connection between you and ‘that being’…]

Yeodong-bin could not shake the tension. He was resolute like never before, ready to confront any formidable foe.

[In truth, I don’t know much about that being at all. I’m only facilitating the connection. You’ll have to figure the rest out yourself.]

WHOOSH!!

A tremendous light flooded Yeodong-bin’s vision.

And then—Yeodong-bin met the Martial God for the very first time.

 

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