948 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Clouds of dust rose as the result of an artificial pressure, not just a natural breeze. The ground beneath them began to crack gradually, expanding indefinitely. But the disconcerting part wasn't just the cracks but the black searing marks spreading from the toes of a single woman. "You," spoke the Heavenly Demon, her purple eyes gleaming, "want to die?" With each word she uttered, the very ground vibrated. The tremors, though subtle, were felt by everyone, prompting various reactions. "What, what's happening?" "The ground is... trembling?" "The noble has fallen...!" Some were anxious about the unfolding chaos, while others were horrified by the fallen noble. And me? 'Damn it,' I thought, as I ran a hand over my face. The Heavenly Demon advanced, emitting a dark aura that made me involuntarily swallow. Each step she took was heavy, her gaze void of emotion. The aura she projected was so menacing that I instinctively used my own energy to suppress it with a pounding heart. If I hadn’t, everyone nearby would have lost consciousness. Despite managing to put a stop to it, the force was stronger than I anticipated. Crackling fiercely, the energies clashed, leaving me stifled—almost enough to laugh at the absurdity of it. It reminded me clearly of something I had forgotten: this woman is indeed the Heavenly Demon. Once, she was called an Absolute in a previous life. In this incarnation, she seemed a benign presence, but now her true nature was evident. 'I was too complacent.' Although she seemed different, I now realized my assumptions were wrong. Through the surging energy, the Heavenly Demon continued onward, with her destination likely being where the noble had been thrown. "Kuh...huff..." In the rubble, the fallen noble staggered upright, cheek flushed, blood trickling from his mouth. His expression was one of utter confusion. "This... what is this..." He struggled to raise himself, his gaze suddenly widening as he noticed the Heavenly Demon approaching. "Wha...! How dare you...!” "How will you deal with him?" "What...?" "How do you plan to deal with him?" Each word that escaped her lips intensified the energy further—a daunting task just to hold back. "Urgh...!" Besides, no matter how much I try to suppress it, the noble was still close enough to feel her aura. He began to shiver, his eyes filled with frightened confusion. It was that intense. "Whose limbs are you..." Continuing her advance, the Heavenly Demon finally reached the noble. The once unfocused energy started coalescing into a tangible form—a drop of dew suspended in the air, an ominous sight. Realizing the danger, I immediately leapt forward and embraced the Heavenly Demon from behind. Tightly—! “...!” Upon contact, her body became rigid. I felt the turmoil of her violent aura. "Have you lost your mind? What are you intending to do? I told you to behave!" As I spoke, the Heavenly Demon remained silent, but the trembling aura revealed that my actions were effective. Slowly, sensing a weakening of her energy, I loosened my grip. Gently releasing her, I observed—thankfully, there was no movement. Still holding her wrist, I noticed its unusually cold touch, hovering in anticipation of any eruption. 'Seems okay?' Her demeanor was much calmer than before. Observing her, I carefully began retreating, and she quietly followed. With a safe distance between the noble and the Heavenly Demon, the noble exhaled a deeply held breath. Coughing, he seemed to struggle but showed no signs of spitting blood—an indication that his internals were unharmed. "You... you pests...!" Once pristine and polished, his attire was now disheveled due to the encounter. His long hair was in disarray, and his once immaculate clothes were covered in dust. "I’ll never forgive you... nor you...!" "Why me?" Despite preventing further chaos, he blamed me, resentful without consideration of the disaster that might have befallen him otherwise. "Seize them at once...!" he bellowed. Only then did his guards regain their senses, advancing towards us. “…Hmm…” What to do? 'Should I flee or fight?' Safely escaping was easy enough, but the subsequent consequences seemed tedious. Beating them all would be excessive. 'Not the best option.' Handling things as I did with the White Clan wasn’t preferable here. ‘Although, it could be done…’ My hesitation stemmed from certain reservations. So, what was the best course of action? Simply running away? As I mulled over the options, my eyes wandered to the sky. The sunset had turned into deep twilight—soon it would be night. As the solution dawned on me, I nodded. "Right, that's the right way." A new plan formed in my mind, sure to resolve the situation neatly. Turning my head, I addressed the Heavenly Demon. "Hey." "Hmm?" Her demeanor was noticeably more composed now. The only lingering sign of her previous agitation was a slight flush in her cheeks, which stood out against her pale skin. That’s something that would probably pass with time, so I chose to disregard it for now. "Listen carefully from now on." I whispered quietly, using my energy to send the message directly to her mind. "..." The Heavenly Demon nodded upon receiving it. "...From now on, we will detain the culprits who harmed the noble...." As the soldiers approached, we obediently extended our arms. Clank. Just like that, the shackles were placed without issue. "I will not... ever let this go unpunished." Wringing his cheek with anger, the noble quivered as we were led away to the Azure family. **************** The Azure family was located at the farthest edge of the city from where we had been. Near the outer walls, it was harder to pinpoint compared to the White or Black families. ‘It’s the largest, it seems?’ Of all the places we saw, the Azure family’s estate was by far larger. Not just its size, but its towering height stood out to me. While I wasn’t much informed about architecture, the fact that I found it mesmerizing suggested it was meticulously crafted. Still, I couldn’t help but think... ‘As beautiful as it is, it seems fragile.’ Its durability looked questionable. Almost as if one could break it just by pushing lightly. ‘Hmm.’ A part of me wanted to test it, a simple desire to see it crumble. Yet, knowing that wasn’t possible right now, I clicked my tongue in regret. "Follow properly!" "Yes, yes." The soldier tugged on the chains, dragging us along. We half-heartedly followed behind. ‘How bold they became just by shackling us.’ Their attitude switched dramatically when our bodies were restrained. Previously, they treated us like ticking bombs. ‘Must be something with these shackles.’ I had experienced similar restraints with the Black family. They were said to include some special stone, making it hard to use energy or even sapping physical strength. ‘Certainly,’ Once shackled, it was evident that my internal and external systems were obstructed. It didn’t just hinder energy flow; it stifled muscle movement. It did feel uncomfortable, but... ‘It’s not bothersome enough.’ I could break free any time, so it wasn’t a significant concern. We spent a long time being escorted through the compound, eventually reaching another space. Creak. Upon entering, dampness and a musty smell hit my nose. Rows of iron bars lined the space—it was a detention area for prisoners. "..." Despite myself, I clicked my tongue. ‘I’ve been coming here too often.’ Since arriving in Man Gye, I’d been visiting these spaces frequently. Due to past experiences, I wasn’t fond of jails, but— ‘Can’t be helped.’ Given the circumstances, I quietly entered the cell. Or rather, the soldiers shoved us in without ceremony. "In due time, your fate will be decided. Stay put until then." I chuckled lightly at their irritated tone. "Well, I’ll try." "Krrk." In response to my comment, the soldier ground his teeth. It was ironic, given how ‘kindly’ I’d spoken. ‘Their demeanor completely changed.’ Not just their attitude; it’s as if their whole nature altered. They were much rougher and fiercer than during the day. It likely wasn’t just due to us being prisoners. ‘Is it because it’s nighttime?’ With the moon now risen, I assumed that might be the reason. ‘Moonlit clan's strength surges with the night.’ Regeneration, increased strength, and perhaps even their temperament being influenced matched with what I knew. "The young lord will soon summon you." “Then tell him to hurry up….” Bang. He left without hearing the end of my sentence. "Such a temper." Scratching my head awkwardly, I turned to the side, where the Heavenly Demon had already sprawled on the floor. “...” How did she look so comfortable? "Hey, what are you doing?" "Hmm?" She tilted her head, puzzled at my question. "Why?" "It’s not 'why.' Do you realize we’re here because of you?" "Because of me?" "Yes, it’s your fault." If she hadn’t attacked the noble, we wouldn’t be in this situation. Of course... ‘If she hadn’t, I’m sure I would’ve hit him myself.’ It wasn’t beneficial to voice that part, so I kept quiet. "Did you have to stir things up?" "..." She pursed her lips at my reprimand. "He said something strange." "What did he say that's so strange?" To be candid, his words were vile, but not enough to provoke her so intensely, as far as I could recall. "He said he’d cut off your limbs." "That was directed at me, not you, you fool." "Exactly." "..." Her straightforwardness left me speechless for a moment. Was that her reasoning? She struck the noble because he insulted me? “…What are you talking about?” Unable to comprehend, I shook my head. "Why are you involving yourself on my behalf?" "..." "I should be the one getting angry if necessary, not you." I had speculations but still found her behavior peculiar. Since meeting her, the Heavenly Demon frequently involved herself in matters concerning me, which unsettled and irritated me. "Besides, if interfering only messes things up, just stay quiet. Or leave me alone." The Heavenly Demon bit her lip, clearly wanting to say something but holding back. “Click.” Turning my gaze away, frustration seeped in from both the situation and the shackles. ‘Should I just break free?’ I considered removing the shackles that felt so bothersome, but decided to hold off for now. Instead, I settled down and closed my eyes. ‘How long will it take?’ I wondered how long it would be until the person I was waiting for would arrive. As I pondered this with my eyes shut... Creak. The door made a noise much sooner than I expected. I opened my eyes to see what was happening. “Hello?” Someone entered the cell, his voice cheerful. “Long time no see.” I raised my head to see the familiar face with a bright smile. “Do you need my help?" The young man who appeared was none other than Mongmong... no, it was Yu Sa, the current ruler of Shadow Moon Fortress and the very person I had been waiting for.