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Chapter 7: The Fate of a Calamity

I was destined to be a calamity.

Upon hearing that, I found myself frozen for a moment.

The fact that that little tree was the Divine Tree.

That my soul had been twisted before consuming the Fruit of God.

That the twisted and lost soul had found its place after eating the Fruit of God.

The entire process was shocking, but in the end, the most shocking thing was that I was fated to be a calamity.

‘…In the end.’

Was that really it?

What Yeon Ilcheon had said, everything I had experienced in the Central Plains, even undergoing regression—was it possible that it was all the will of the world?

‘…And what about Mother?’

Originally, Mother didn’t come to the Central Plains as a calamity.

‘She came to leave behind a calamity.’

To leave behind the true calamity, that’s what it meant.

I couldn’t shake off that implication that Mother, the Master of Mankye, would eradicate the Central Plains.

A master would emerge from the world lost and take action. Yet, my mother appeared in the Central Plains despite having Mankye.

I had assumed it was because there was another master in the Abyss.

‘…Rather than becoming a calamity, she intended to create one.’

Now that made sense.

So, it was a doggone mess. The realization that it was indeed true was absolutely maddening.

“Damn…!”

Boom-!!

The ground shattered beneath my fist. The volatile emotions and realms combined to turn the earth into tofu.

“Goddammit.”

I wanted to deny it. I wished it weren’t true, hoped it wouldn’t be.

‘…Fuck.’

I couldn’t dismiss it.

The situation was just too much to deny.

Moreover, the life I had lived thus far made it impossible to reject the truth.

A regression forced upon me?

What lay in my body that was so unfathomable?

Events that unfolded against my will?

None of that mattered.

What truly mattered was.

‘Even if I deny it, I can’t change anything.’

I knew digging only at the ground while claiming it wasn’t true would yield nothing.

So it was better to accept the reality quickly and find a way to break free from this situation.

Having lived thus far, I automatically sought methods in my mind, but.

‘…Hold on a second, you bastard.’

It was utterly pitiful to have to think rationally even in this situation.

Was I supposed to behave like this even now?

‘…Even when I’m doomed to be a calamity?’

Without time to feel sad or angry, I was supposed to keep moving forward even now?

‘What am I supposed to do?’

Having gotten this far, what on Earth was I supposed to do?

I had said I would catch the Blood Demon after overcoming the Heavenly Demon.

‘At this rate, I’m saying I’m more dangerous than that.’

If I were a calamity of the Central Plains, wouldn’t that mean I was more dangerous than either the Heavenly Demon or the Blood Demon?

“Hahaha….”

A laugh bubbled up uncontrollably. It was just too absurd to bear.

“Seriously… what a joke.”

I dropped my hand, which I had intended to slam back down on the ground in anger.

“What on earth is this all about….”

It felt hollow and futile.

I had undoubtedly been running tirelessly all this time.

Trying everything with a temperament that barely held together, I had clung on grimly even when I wanted to give up.

“I have been doing what exactly?”

What have I been doing all this time?

Crack.

I tensed my fist in growing frustration.

My dazed brain still couldn’t process anything, only emotions floating around, swirling around my body.

Calamity? It says I’m a calamity. That phrase kept recirculating.

‘Why me?’

Why was I the calamity?

How had I lived this life? What had I experienced to arrive here after regression?

‘…Could it be that I’m the cause?’

What if I was the thing I needed to stifle?

Then what should I do?

If I’m truly destined to be a calamity…

‘Should I just die?’

Would my death end everything? If it’s that simple, should I just die now?

I thought this over and ran my hand through my hair.

“…Damn.”

A curse slipped out. Death? I wasn’t afraid of that.

I had long since passed the point of fear.

But.

There was something else I feared.

The faces I would never see again if I died.

Those I could no longer let go of. Along with the driving forces that made me act so cruelly.

Those images disrupted my ability to even imagine taking my life.

“…What a load of crap, seriously.”

It was ridiculous. Thus, doubt began to seep in.

“Could it be, is this also your design?”

What if it was all the will of the world?

Every single thing I questioned, if this current state were also someone’s intent, what would that mean?

“Ah….”

Exhaustion washed over me. I genuinely had no idea.

“….Mother.”

I whispered softly, packed with questions.

What on earth were you trying to do?

Is leaving me as a calamity really the end?

‘Then why did you twist my soul?’

Noya said it was because my soul was originally twisted, allowing me to escape from my fate.

To escape the fate of being a calamity, you twisted my soul all this time.

‘Why now?’

Why give me the Fruit of God at this point?

Though it was Yarang who fed me the fruit, I believed both Noya and I had seen Mother’s intent behind Yarang.

Noya had said that if she returned my soul to its original state, it meant there was a method to try.

So there must be a way.

Having heard that, I barely managed to catch my breath, but.

Staying there was unbearable. I felt the need to escape.

Even though I didn’t want to leave the Hwasan Sect. I had found a spot a bit away from the Divine Tree and sat alone.

It was certain that Noya and the turtle would notice my absence. However, I was confident they wouldn’t come.

They likely understood I would need time.

Crackling-!

Unable to keep my hands still, I began pulling out the weeds growing on the ground.

Thousands of thoughts invaded my mind, rendering me unable to remain still.

‘If I’m fated to become a calamity.’

Could it mean that I’m destined to become the master of the Central Plains?

Then, it would imply that I would erase all living beings and take the place of Mu-a, the past master.

‘…How?’

If erasing is the goal, how would that even happen? Would it take brute force like the Blood Demon? Or was there something else?

At the very least, I had no thoughts with me at present.

It meant I held neither the desire nor the idea to become a calamity.

If that were a glimmer of hope, would it be hope?

‘Noya might have been wrong.’

Even Noya, who seemed infallible, could certainly be wrong this time.

I held on to that as a ray of hope.

“…”

I paused to wipe my face with my hand.

I splashed water onto my dry face and repeated the process.

“…Ah.”

What am I supposed to do?

Moving forward, what on Earth am I to do? What am I even hoping for?

The uncertainty only tangled me further.

My hands trembled.

I bit down on my quivering fingertips.

Drip. Blood trickled down my fingers.

Even having realized I was wounded, I bit down harder.

‘Get a grip.’

This isn’t the time for this.

Please, get a grip. Find a way.

This wasn’t the moment to be dawdling. I have to find a way.

Even if I couldn’t think of anything.

I had to come up with something.

I needed to.

Just as I had done until now, I had to keep trying.

‘What do I do? If Noya’s words are true? Should I plan based on that assumption? If so, what do I plan? What’s the way out of this…? How do I escape this?’

Questions and more questions in a cycle.

The unanswered echoes of probing gradually gnawed at me.

Squish, squish.

As I chewed my fingers, blood continued to seep into my mouth.

Even though I should feel the pain. I ignored it and kept biting.

‘What if I become a calamity? What if I have to kill everyone? Isn’t it better to not go back? Shouldn’t I just stay here—’

As I became increasingly trapped in my thoughts, slowly crumbling.

Swoosh.

Someone clasped tightly around the hand that was chewing my fingers. Startled by the sudden touch, I jerked my hand away.

Swish-!

I quickly pulled my hand free and looked over in shock.

“Ah.”

“…You.”

The one holding my hand was the Heavenly Demon. When did she arrive? I felt as if I hadn’t sensed her presence while lost in my thoughts.

As I stood there flustered, the Heavenly Demon approached and took my hand once more.

My hand was bleeding profusely.

“…Are you okay?”

As the concern seeped through in her words, I scowled.

“Mind your business.”

With emotions bubbling, my words came out harshly. I snapped at her.

“…This isn’t the time to talk to you. Just go away.”

“…”

I spat out my words ferociously, but as always, the Heavenly Demon did not move.

If anything was different, it was that her expression was distant from its usual blankness.

‘Something feels…’

Her usually dull gaze was slightly curved.

In the way she looked at me, I could perceive a glimmer of light. For some reason, it felt as though she was slightly smiling.

‘What is this?’

Was it just me being mistaken because of my bad state?

Such thoughts flashed briefly through my mind but were soon dispelled.

“Are you in a lot of pain?”

At her words, the thought flickered away again.

“…What did you say?”

“You seem to be in a lot of pain.”

Her words twisted my lips in a grimace.

“Why? Do you plan to console me?”

Why was I spitting out such nonsense? It was utterly foolish.

“Don’t overstep. Don’t mistake it just because we walked together for a bit.”

It was downright pitiful; I knew that all too well.

I just couldn’t hold back.

“I’ll keep saying this, I find you really disgusting—”

Before I could finish my words, my face was suddenly buried somewhere.

The Heavenly Demon’s hand had grasped my head, pulling me into her embrace.

“What the hell…!”

Is this some kind of joke? I shouted out angrily.

“It’s okay.”

“…”

“It’s okay.”

As her hand gently stroked my back, my body stiffened.

“It’s okay. It’s okay.”

Her words didn’t carry the glossy warmth usually found in such consolation but simply repeated the assurance that everything was fine.

Yet, the one saying it was the Heavenly Demon, the one I loathed the most.

Perhaps it was simply that I was in need of some form of solace.

I remained silent, simply still for a moment.

“…It’s okay. You’ll be fine.”

And thus it was.

“You’ve always done well.”

The Heavenly Demon’s tone was significantly different this time, and.

Woo-oo-!

Her gentle hand patting my back contained a foreign energy that seeped through.

I hadn’t noticed that.

“So, it’s okay.”

“…”

I didn’t pull her into a hug.

I didn’t cry in her arms.

Such foolish actions didn’t cross my mind.

I just sat quietly.

Simply quietly, without uttering a single word.

To me at this moment.

That was the best choice.

As time passed, I gradually began to feel the oddity of the situation and slowly pulled away from the Heavenly Demon’s embrace.

“…Goodbye.”

Her expression had returned to its usual state.

 

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