804 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

The surrounding area grew darker as night fell. It was the time when darkness settled, patiently awaiting the arrival of dawn. No lanterns were deliberately lit, and since no effort had been made to tidy the place up, the overgrown bushes were visible. Though I hadn't given it much thought, it seemed like it was time to take care of it. Of course, it wouldn't be me doing the cleaning.... Woo Hyuk was sick, so it seemed reasonable to ask Cheol Jiseon. Anyway. Chirp, chirp! In the silence, the only sound that pierced through was that of the insects. I carefully stepped through the grass, coming to a halt at a certain spot. Right next to where the moonlight shone. I cautiously stopped beside it. Since when did it start? When did standing in the moonlight and just watching it become something I avoided? I already knew the reason. It was such an absurd pretext that thinking about it would make me laugh out loud. "What a load of nonsense." I sneered at myself. There was no greater foolishness. By now, I should have been fine. Yet, here I stood, still acting this way. It felt like no matter how much time passed, I remained stuck in the same place. "..." That's enough for now. When I tried to step into the moonlight, my foot faltered. Truly, there was no greater idiocy than this. "Tsk." Ultimately, I retracted my foot, halting back in place. It was strange to be attempting something unnecessary. After all, I hadn't come here to do such things; it was time to get to the point. "Haa...." I let out a small sigh and closed my eyes. Then, I released the senses that had been bound. Whoosh!!! The senses I had locked away suddenly sprang to life. Instantly expanding their range, information came pouring in from all directions. Sounds became more vivid, and the sensation of the wind brushing against my skin amplified sharply. It was much better than before, but even now, the sensations were still uncomfortable. Though I wanted to stop immediately, I released everything to the fullest since there was something I needed to confirm. Aaaahh---!!! Chirp! Chirp-chirp--!! Countless sounds invaded my ears. An increase in sense didn't mean the sounds grew louder. Rather, it was correct to say I heard more sounds. The task was to identify from which range and at what distance they originated. But reaching that extent was still beyond me. ‘Hmm.’ After a while, I felt a headache coming on. The intensified senses and power aside, it seemed I was unprepared to accept it so readily. Ssss. I practiced deep breathing, trying to adjust internally. The reason for releasing everything immediately when I should've done it slowly was simple. ‘Now, then.’ I hoped I could figure it out at this level. ‘Where could it be?’ The released senses extended densely outward as if spinning a web around the area. Spreading out thickly, intent on leaving no gaps. Both sounds and movements. Even the information contained within them. Enduring the discomfort, I identified it all. Only then, I believed, would I understand. After a moment. Or what felt like a long time. ‘Ah.’ Amidst the myriad flows, I finally discerned what I was looking for. The sensation was akin to finding a small pearl amidst a gravel path. So minuscule, I wondered how I ever found it. To put it differently. ‘Does the formation of senses need to be this advanced to capture it?’ The development of my senses had to reach this level to detect it. ‘Ridiculous.’ I chuckled dryly at the absurdity. Twinge. "…" I grimaced at the sharp pain. The headache was reaching its limit. Using my energy, I promptly sealed off my senses again. Whoosh-!! As soon as I closed them, the torrent of information ceased, allowing me to release the breath I had been holding back. Damn, this was tough. A bit more and I’d have been breaking out in a cold sweat in this weather. Shaking off the remaining traces with a shake of my head, I carefully opened my eyes and looked at a particular spot. There seemed to be nothing but overgrown weeds and lush grass. It looked devoid of anything at all. There wasn't even a space where someone could hide, making me question if something indeed was there. “You're a bit late.” My senses clearly pointed to that spot, so I took the chance and spoke. Then. Swoosh. ‘Insane.’ From the seemingly empty space, a figure appeared abruptly. A young man, clad in black attire, with skin as white as snow. His bright, almost white hair starkly contrasted with his deep, dark eyes. He appeared to be around the age of thirty. His expression was unreadable. And his face revealed nothing of his thoughts. That young man was known in the current martial world as the master of the night. The king of all assassins and the head of the continent's top assassin group. A figure capable of killing anyone, even including the three sovereigns if he wished. He was the Dark King. ‘...Got it.’ Watching him, I swallowed dryly. According to Na Hi, the Dark King had arrived, and he was heading towards my dwelling as told. I thought it was worth trying. ‘Did I succeed?’ I had pinpointed the Dark King's presence from an otherwise unnoticed position. Previously, I couldn't even detect the Dark King's presence. Now, I had managed to sense it to some extent. Acknowledging the result, the Dark King stared at me quietly and spoke. “You seem to have acquired some fortune.” As expected, he noticed right away. “I gained something good recently.” “Congratulations.” “…You don't look like you're congratulating me, but thanks.” His expression didn’t change a bit. It was quite odd to hear "congratulations" in that state. Moreover. “What happened to your eye?” “...” For some reason, the Dark King had a bandage over one eye. It seemed like an issue had arisen. “You're later than planned, and it looks like you've had some trouble.” “That is correct.” The Dark King spoke as he touched the bandage over his eye. “It was for a deal.” “A deal?” What did he trade his eye for? And by deal, it meant. ‘At least it wasn't because of getting beaten somewhere.’ Of course, the Dark King wouldn't be the type to get beaten anywhere. He'd kill before being killed. However, if there was an issue here. “Does it not regenerate?” The fact that the Dark King's eye would not regenerate was surprising. He had once told me that even if he tried to die, he couldn't. With his absurd regenerative abilities, I thought even if he lost something, it would eventually grow back. “Yes,” he said plainly, confirming that his eye would not regenerate. “This seems to work independently from the curse.” “…Is that so? Then, theoretically, you could've achieved death,” I mused. Given that he had given away his eye without it growing back, it meant the Dark King could have achieved his goal. His goal was death. For someone longing for eternal rest, it seemed this might have been an unparalleled opportunity—and yet he stood here. It puzzled me. In response to my query, the Dark King stated, "That is not rest." "Not rest?" "The eye is not gone; it has been given. What you refer to as finding rest by giving it to him is impossible." “I'm not following. Can you explain that a bit more?" “If I were to give him my life as I did with the eye, I wouldn't find peace but would continue existing, forever bound.” "…" Hearing his words, I furrowed my brow. Offering one's life didn’t equate to death. Rather, it seemed like he'd be bound to something, leading an empty existence. ‘What is he talking about?’ It felt like I understood, but I didn't. Moreover. ‘The curse that Yeon Ilcheon bore was laid by Blood Demon, wasn't it? Someone out there capable of bypassing his curse to take an eye...’ I continued to question the Dark King. "You mentioned you were going somewhere—what did you actually see?" The Dark King had announced an unexpected trip to a demonic land. What could he have experienced to end up like this? When I asked, he replied, “I went to the Demonic Realm of Tai Tian and met with its master there.” The Dark King answered. "There, I..." But then. "…" "Dark King?" Mid-sentence, he seemed to dive into deep thought, furrowing his brow. It was fascinating to see such an expression from the Dark King, as it was a first. After a brief moment. "It seems this is as far as I can go." "Pardon?" Abruptly, the Dark King made an odd remark. Snatch-! "…!?" Suddenly, he ripped off his left pinky and ring fingers with his right hand. Everything happened so quickly that I couldn’t fully grasp the situation. "Dark King, why would you do that all of a sudden?" As I took a closer look at the fingers he had torn off. Sizzle--!! "Huh?" Dark smoke enveloped the fingers, reducing them to nothingness. I turned back to look at the Dark King. "Is this a binding curse?” "…" Though he didn't answer, the truth was evident. That was the toll for speaking of forbidden matters, it seemed. Two fingers for a few sentences. High cost for little return. Moreover, I could tell that it wasn't martial power at work. ‘Magical arts.’ Now that I could recognize the distinction, I knew this was within the domain of magical arts, not martial arts. Swoosh-! The Dark King's fingers healed in an instant but did not regenerate. I had heard that even amputation could be undone, yet they didn’t grow back. “This is—a bit troublesome. I'm sorry.” I couldn't help but feel guilty since he sacrificed two fingers merely to answer my question. “The Blood Demon’s goal is to dismantle the world's order.” “What?” Just as before, the Dark King suddenly continued speaking. “He doesn't yet have the means to directly target the heavenly realms, but that time is nearing, and the divine beings are wary of him.” "Dark King, what are you doing now?" “To obtain this power, one must first eliminate apostles…” Snap. Once again, he cut himself off in mid-sentence. This time, however— Crack-! Without touching it, the entire left arm below the shoulder vanished. Confirming it, I addressed him. “Are you out of your mind…?” Had he lost two fingers and now an entire arm? I was left speechless by the absurdity. "It was the equivalent worth of my left arm in conversation." The Dark King remained unfazed. Even after losing his left arm before my eyes, he showed no change in demeanor. "Sorry I couldn't tell you everything. Still, it shouldn't take long for you to find the rest." “Is this some kind of homework? What on earth is this…? Are you saying losing an arm is nothing because you're ready to die?” “Yes.” “Ah ha?” The answer was unhesitating. "It was information worth the lowest possible exchange." "…This is ridiculous." The Blood Demon’s aim. A shocking revelation to drop casually after not appearing for so long. ‘The Blood Demon’s purpose...’ The monster that caused catastrophes with bloodshed long ago. And still conspiring today. The information the Dark King obtained suggested his purpose was to shatter the order. ‘…Order.’ What order did he want to break? And why would the Blood Demon seek to dismantle it? Questions bubbled up. Years ago, I had also heard of the Blood Demon’s goal. Directly from him. Well, in a manner of speaking, because it wasn’t here but another place. Even then, it was indeed the Blood Demon. He had clearly told me. -A paradise. He dreamed of a paradise, he said. That was his goal. But if the Dark King's information was accurate. ‘What do order and paradise have in common?’ What connection lay between these two elements? And the paradise mentioned by the Blood Demon—what did it signify? Moreover, the crucial question was. ‘Who is the paradise for?’ The paradise the Blood Demon spoke of. Whom was it meant for? "…" I silently contemplated it. Then, I lifted my gaze to the Dark King. “Dark King.” “Yes.” “You remember what you mentioned, don't you?” “Which are you referring to?” “You said if I strengthened Tang Sohyeol, you'd take care of it. That.” “Yes.” “Can I push that off a bit longer?” "…" “It won’t take forever.” There was no reply. I hadn't expected one. It was just something I needed to remind myself of. The task I kept postponing, using the excuse of the myriad of matters at hand. The most important things that I needed to do. I had to remind myself of them. Now was the time to refocus and address what needed to be done. "I have a few things to ask of you." ****************** Time passed. To be precise, two more days had gone by since confronting the Twin Swords, and one day had passed since recruiting all the members of the Sacred Dragon Division. Even right after the incident, I had to return to the alliance to gather more members. As I mentioned before, I was told to recruit ten, but there were issues with insufficient numbers. So, I managed to add three more to make it ten. Then, with the ten provided by the alliance. Completing a total of twenty. The remaining five needed to be brought along separately for some specific tasks. And thus, the Sacred Dragon Division was formed. “I greet you, Division Head.” “…Greetings to the Division Head.” “Yes. Hello.” Today was my first official day as Division Head. Going to work. The very term felt somewhat off. Receiving various looks, I walked through the alliance's interior. The issue with the Twin Swords had already spread by word of mouth. Apparently, he's still in a coma, lying in bed. In such a situation, the assailant was boldly walking around, making everyone suspicious. It was quite surprising to me as well. Naturally, I expected to be banned from entering for a while or to be called into the interrogation room, but as Muk Yeon said, something was being done. Thanks to that, I still had access to the alliance. As a result. “I greet the Division Head.” “Yes. Nice to meet you.” “Here, prepared by the alliance….” Before the person even finished speaking, I accepted the robe he offered and put it on. Swoosh-! The robe felt slightly oversized as it draped over my shoulders. This was a robe reserved for those at the Division Head level within the martial alliance. It's made from the threads of a special beast, they say. Besides being resistant to fire and water, it could also be used as a shield when infused with protective energy. It was a high-quality item I never imagined I'd wear. 'I’ve seen Moyong Hee ah wearing one.' Given her family background, Moyong Hee ah often donned such items. 'A robe for a Division Head.' The feeling of it on my shoulders was bizarre. I never thought I’d wear something like this in my lifetime. In my previous life, I acted as a leader in the Demonic Sect. Now, to be a leader in a righteous faction... perhaps I've finally reached some higher status? ‘I don’t know about that, but I have indeed become a leader.’ Internally, I snorted at my thoughts and continued onward. Upon donning the robe, I was led to a place, which I heard was originally used by the Ilryong Division or something like that. Eeeeek. As I opened the door and entered, I saw people already gathered inside. They were split evenly across the expansive courtyard. From what I could tell, one side consisted of external recruits while the other comprised those sent by the alliance. It was as though they were in a standoff; the atmosphere wasn’t pleasant. Step. With that sight in mind, I slowly approached. As soon as I arrived, all eyes were on me, and I calmly received their gazes. Standing at the center, I clasped my hands behind my back and looked at the two groups. First impressions are important. ‘It’s been a while since I’ve done this, so maybe I should be a bit gentle?’ With that thought, I smiled and said. “Hello?" I spoke with as much gentleness as I could muster. And yet. Gulp-!! For some reason, my smile seemed to heighten their vigilance even more. …Ah, damn. For the first time in a while, I felt a bit hurt.