1309 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Throbbing---!!!! Woooo-!!! The demons let out a wail. It was a resonance that occurred once night fell. Though one might expect a cacophony from their croon, at the center of the demonic circle stood the woman known as the Sword Queen, with just her eyes closed. The fatigue aside, maintaining her presence here demanded concentration. More than she had initially anticipated. She had to gather her strength continuously throughout the day. “…….” Woooo--!!! As the demonic cries continued without pause, the Sword Queen slowly opened her eyes. In her half-open gaze stood a familiar face. “Divine Dragon.” When she called out, the young man, Gu Cheolun, responded to her. "Speak." "You seem to carry a lot of discontent." Though she spoke with a smile, Gu Cheolun offered no reply. He neither confirmed nor denied it, prompting the Sword Queen to nod slightly. "What is it that troubles you?" She asked sincerely. "Is it because I didn't send you back there? Or perhaps you're upset because I sent Cheolhyun Buseon in your place. Or could it be—" Her gray eyes met Gu Cheolun’s. "Are you displeased that I'm using that entity you're so fond of?" Twitch. Gu Cheolun finally reacted to her words, his eyebrows twitching. The Sword Queen laughed softly at this. “It was a pointless question, wasn’t it? If I put it that way, everything would seem bothersome. I've been mischievous.” “…….” “I hope you understand. This is the best compromise I can offer.” Her slender hand moved. Kuaaaa-!! The demons screamed again in succession. Amidst this, the Sword Queen pointed at Gu Cheolun with her fingertip. “I know there’s another purpose in your mind. And I’m aware you're bothered by that strange entity.” For a moment, Gu Cheolun pondered the identity of this 'strange entity.' Was she referring to the woman tied to the tree? Or was she talking about that enigmatic being? He couldn’t arrive at an easy answer. Perhaps his expression betrayed his confusion. “Just now, you hesitated, didn’t you?” The Sword Queen noticed. “The fact that I could even make you waver is curious. It’s amusing.” Her eyes carried a look of interest. In response, Gu Cheolun regained his composure. “Haha.” His demeanor seemed to amuse her even more, evident by her frequent chuckles—a side not seen by others. She was aware of this too. It often happened around Gu Cheolun. To be accurate... ‘...It's like I'm reminded of my son.' Had he been alive, he would have been about the same age. Thoughts of her son made her occasionally behave like this. "Haa." The Sword Queen sighed deeply, running a hand through her hair. Her insides twitched slightly. 'Just how long must this go on?’ The incessant and sluggish circumstances unsettled her. 'Aah.' A wave of languid emotions rose within her. At that moment. Hooooo-!! “…….” A surge of energy erupted from within her, enveloping her emotions with a scorching and tangy aura. It stabilized her, telling her not to waver, not to hesitate. “It’s best not to worry about it. What you've disrupted, they will handle.” “…….” “Do you harbor special feelings for the Tang Clan girl?” “I do not.” Gu Cheolun was firm. Regarding the Poison Phoenix, there was no ounce of sentiment. To him, she was just a useful member of the Tang Clan, a being merely human-like. "That's good to know." The Sword Queen nodded in acknowledgment of his answer. “A key is just a key.” A necessary component for the path she intended to tread. Nothing more. “So—” She was about to tell the Divine Dragon not to concern himself unnecessarily when— Whooooo-. Kueeee…. "…Hmm?" The demons, who had been wailing, suddenly ceased. The creatures, previously making a ruckus, simultaneously fell silent. It was a peculiar occurrence. Even if the Sword Queen tried to stop them, the demons wouldn't cease at night. Could it be that they just stopped wailing on their own? Even for the Sword Queen, it was an unexplainable phenomenon. “……Huh?” Just as she was about to scrutinize the demons in bewilderment. “……Divine Dragon?” Gu Cheolun’s reaction was equally odd. Normally expressionless, there he was— “…This is…” He stared at somewhere, wide-eyed, his sight trembling as though he noticed something in the distance. “Divine—” Just as the Sword Queen was about to call out to him again. Thud-!!! “……!!!” Her heart lurched. Her chest felt as if her heart had plummeted to the ground. “…This…is.” Her gaze, akin to Gu Cheolun’s, fixed on that distant point. Simultaneously, she felt the air rapidly growing hotter. Something had emerged. An entity absolutely— that seemed impossible to exist in this world. An immense presence. * * * Crackle. Crackle. The sound of a flame crackling was audible. ‘What was that?’ I didn’t hear wrong. Somewhere, the sound of fire burning reached my ears. It was an alien sound. Yet, I glanced at my hand. The orb I was holding had been split in half. What was it that split so cleanly in half? ‘…If an artifact breaks like this…’ Previously, when the orb had split, the thought of repairing it before giving it to Mi Hyoran crossed my mind. Even what I got from my grandmother ended up breaking. Am I just not meant to get along with artifacts? “Pheww…” I let out a sigh. It was a sigh tainted with pain. '…The orb is one thing.' Damn, this really hurts. Blood flowed from a gash on my chest. I hastily stopped the bleeding with my energy. I could regenerate it if I wished. ‘That’s dangerous.’ Using more power than necessary to regenerate it could become problematic due to the considerable energy cost. ‘What about Namgung Bi-ah?’ I looked back. Namgung Bi-ah was staggering to her feet. At some point, it seemed she had been struck by the Sword Sovereign's attack again. ‘Tsk.’ I clicked my tongue. Things were looking bleak if this continued. Being fully armed might not even guarantee success against him. 'This situation isn’t good at all.' Various aspects of the situation were utterly aggravating. If I had enough energy, I might have been able to give it a try. ‘I don’t have the strength to use Master Transformation.’ Naturally, since I had already tapped into my internal energy, even considering it was out of the question. ‘What should I do?’ How could I—? ‘Is there any way to ensure the others can get away safely?’ I racked my brain, attempting to control my bleeding while thinking of a way to save the group behind me and Namgung Bi-ah, as well as the somewhat useless Namgung Jin. ‘…Setting aside the Sword Sovereign.’ The problem lay with Cheolhyun Buseon above. I looked up into the sky, frowning. That damned old man. He should have been dealt with first. ‘Hmm?’ I couldn't help but frown as I looked at Cheolhyun Buseon. What’s going on? Something seemed off. ‘What’s up with him?’ Cheolhyun Buseon’s expression was bizarre. He wasn’t even looking in my direction. What on earth was he staring at? It wasn't the Sword Sovereign either. His gaze was fixated somewhere behind me. What could it be? Could it possibly be in Namgung Bi-ah’s direction? It didn’t seem so. As I observed his strange stare— ‘…Wait a second.’ I realized that the oddity wasn't limited to Cheolhyun Buseon. The Sword Sovereign was similar. He, with his eyes glinting like golden coins, was staring at the same spot as Buseon. Their eyes reflected disbelief, as if witnessing something unimaginable. What could it be? Following their gaze, I turned to look behind me. I wondered what they were seeing when— “What?” A blazing scene unfolded behind me, causing my eyes to widen in astonishment. The air carried burning embers and amplified heat. Moreover— ‘A demonic gateway…?’ A massive, scarlet-colored demonic gateway had unfolded in the sky. What on earth was happening? ‘This…’ While focusing on the demonic gateway— Thump-! “Hah.” My heart trembled. It wasn’t merely a disturbance; a resonance began forming. Goosebumps erupted on my skin. Whaaaam. The gears of the Flame Wheel Art bound to my heart reacted furiously. I realized, from observing this spectacle, that the searing energy emanating from the gateway belonged to Gu family. Which meant— ‘No way.’ I looked at the orb I held in my hand. The orb, now split in half. Could it be— ‘Did it activate?’ Could the orb’s power have been triggered? Was it why this demonic gate had manifested in response? Then— ‘Will my grandfather—’ Would the current family head of the Gu clan appear through this? I swallowed hard at the thought. Rumbleeeeeee---!!!! The demonic gateway vibrated violently. The ground quaked under its immense power. Incredible. Just the presence of the demonic gateway being opened resulted in such a tremendous force. “……Hyogun.” “…….” “We can’t just stand by this time, can we?” Cheolhyun Buseon lifted the corners of his mouth. It seemed the elderly man had recognized the strangeness of the situation. The Sword Sovereign began to channel power into his sword instead of replying. Golden sword energy formed. Whaaam. I stood up, watching this unfold. ‘Not yet.’ It seemed like a critical moment where any interference would be catastrophic. ‘Somehow.’ I had to prevent it, whatever it took. I hadn’t a clue what this opportunity entailed, but it was surely an opportunity. Bearing this in mind, I straightened my stiff knees. Whooosh-!! “……!” The Sword Sovereign had already reached my side. But that wasn't all. Whaaa-!!! A gust from Cheolhyun Buseon swept past me towards the demonic gate. ‘What’s going on?’ How could they move so fast? Even exhausted, I didn’t expect them to be this swift. Alarmed, I started to move my hands, but— Moonlight Sword Dance. Moon Destroyer. The Sword Sovereign’s blade descended to cleave through the demonic gate. The sheer overwhelming force made me grimace. ‘Damn it.’ From within, it felt as if it could cut through any imagery or enlightenment contained within. The sword cut through, ripping the void. Just as the gate was about to be struck by the ensuing wind and flashes. Thud. “Ah.” With a soft sound. “Urgh…!” Thud-!!! The Sword Sovereign was sent flying backward. The flash shattered into shards in the air, and Cheolhyun Buseon’s wind fell silent. A massive hand had emerged from the demonic gateway, seemingly obliterating all the attacks. And then— Crackle-zzzzzzzz—!!! The hand started to tear apart the yet-unopened demonic gateway. “…Is it tearing it?” It began to rip it apart.