1066 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 1066: Northern Hare - Web Novel Archives I never became the head of the family. Not that I ever wanted to, even from the moment I became the young master. Ultimately, it was the actions of others that led to this outcome. Isn't that right? Whether I had intended it or not, I should have become the head. That's the kind of life I had lived. Even if I didn't want it, it was a duty I should have fulfilled. I led a life that only made such thoughts inevitable. Even if life was crap, I had to accept it. No matter how much I rebelled or strayed, in the end, I would still find myself in that position. Like that. I would eventually sit in the seat I resented my father for. That's the life I was meant to lead. Yet everything twisted with the appearance of the Heavenly Demon and the demon sect. The Heavenly Demon, or rather, at the time intended to kill the younger swordmaster. Instead, I entered the demon sect in her place. Thus, I drifted away from the family, further distancing myself from the position of young master and head. In the end, regrettably, I led a wretched life. That was the story of my past life. "The Heavenly Demon... twisted fate?" Is that what prevented me from becoming a disaster in the first place? "What nonsense." I spoke, my face contorted. Does that even make sense? I couldn't understand. My mind refused to accept it. Those words implied that the Heavenly Demon knew everything and twisted fate deliberately. "What would the Heavenly Demon possibly want?" Why would she do such a thing? I'd heard it was the Heavenly Demon's doing that sent me back, but even then, the question remained. Why did the Heavenly Demon make me return? I couldn't comprehend it, and now, they say it was the Heavenly Demon who twisted my fate? "...Why?" Why me? Why would the Heavenly Demon go to such lengths? '...What is her true nature?' What was the true identity and intentions of the Heavenly Demon? I couldn't know what she was thinking back then. And even now, asking the current Heavenly Demon would yield no answers. She was essentially a different being from my past, after all. Then. 'Is there some purpose even in this?' Is there a meaning behind the current state of the Heavenly Demon as well? 'Damn it, why do I always.' Have to live in such doubt? Not knowing anything only heightens my frustration. This is all happening to me, yet I can't understand any of it. The mere fact that I'm only now beginning to learn bits and pieces speaks volumes. Grinding my teeth. I clench my fist. Should this be considered incompetence too? Just as thoughts about myself were in turmoil. Clap. Something lands on my head. It was a hand. Shin Noya approaches to stroke my hair. For some reason, that rough touch calmed me a bit. "Descendant." The ancestor took the opportunity to speak to me. "Forgetting can be seen as a blessing in some ways." "What kind of nonsense is that out of the blue." "Not knowing can sometimes be the path meant for you." "That's a poor excuse. Instead of saying you won't tell me, why beat around the bush and make it complicated?" "It's true. It is an excuse. However, it's not solely my will in play." "Speak plainly. If it's not your will, then whose is it?" Regardless of what the Heavenly Demon did, or what my fate was, or what the family’s intentions were, it was inevitable that I didn’t know the stories at the center of it all. That my life wasn't entirely my own. That was the only truth I could feel at the moment. "...What's the conclusion?" So, what’s the point? "The conclusion of this damn story is that I'm meant to become a disaster in the end." The vessel’s destruction. To prevent my death, they said to absorb the ancestor. Absorbing the ancestor meant understanding one thing. 'Continue the will.' The ancestor tied to our ancient martial art. His idea of absorption was to continue the will. Absorb him and carry on the family’s purpose. However, it was said that by doing so, I would become a disaster. At this point, it might have been better to just die. "Do you think I'd do such a thing? I said it before, better to let me die." Better to meet my end like this. I mean it. Rather than burning everything with my own hands, it's right to let things collapse as they are. While I was thinking that way. "I did mention, there are plans." The ancestor added to the earlier conversation. Plans. Yes, I had heard it. That Mother had left behind some arrangements. ‘Something about divine essence obtained from the mythical tree, wasn’t it?’ I might not fully grasp what divine essence is. But I knew something began to dwell within me. The fact that cracks were forming because of it was unmistakably clear. The problem was. "What difference does this plan make?" So, receiving this plan changes what exactly? That, too, had one conclusion. ‘That I must become the master.’ When the vessel collapses, and I absorb the ancestor, I inherit the family’s will. It's clear I’ll become a disaster. Even with the plan brought up now, what changes? Agitated, I asked. "Nothing changes. If you wish to live, you must become the master." "…So, if it’s all the same, why should I—" "But if you don't become the master of the Central Lands, that's a different story." "…Hmm?" I paused at the ancestor's words. If I don't become the master of the Central Lands? "What dwells within you is your mother's divine essence. In other words, it's right to see it as the divine essence of all realms. Originally, the world decided to set you as the end of the Central Lands greatly due to your mother's influence." "…So, you're saying." "You need to ascertain the reason your mother sought to bestow you with divine essence." Ascertain? What exactly? What was the arrangement Mother spoke of? 'Don’t become the master of the Central Lands.' My disaster is, in theory, the acting master of the Central Lands. It’s said to manifest when the family's purpose is fully taken on. Then. '…Even if I become a master.' It implies I can become a master of some other place. Then, the plan talked about by Mother and the ancestor is— 'Are they telling me to succeed all realms?’ Does that mean I'm meant to contain this vast and devious land? If that truly is the case... 'What of the creatures of this land?' Becoming the master would mean exterminating all living beings in that world. It was precisely to avoid this outcome that I chose not to become the master of the Central Lands. If I become the master of the World of All Realms, it implies that I must carry out that very task. ‘...If I must, I can do it.’ I don’t care. Honestly, I've long since discarded the notion of righteousness. If I have to destroy or forsake something to protect those I care about, I would do so without hesitation. It just fills me with some unease. "Do not worry." At that moment, the ancestor spoke as if he understood my intent. "The World of All Realms is different from other places." "What do you mean by that?" "Unlike other worlds, the All Realms is special. You know, don't you? There are two masters in the All Realms." Ah. Hearing those words, I remembered. Unlike other places, the All Realms has two masters. Contrary to the rule that only one master should exist. The All Realms were divided between the underground and the surface, each having its master. The surface was my mother’s domain. The underground was ruled by— ‘The Abyss.’ The Abyss, said to be the source of all death and monsters. It governs the dark and murky parts of the realm. "The World of All Realms will not see its creatures disappear when the master changes. For such an imbalance to occur, both masters would have to vanish simultaneously." "...So if I become the master of the All Realms, then won't the issue be resolved?" Even if I absorbed the ancestor and became the master of this place through the divine essence of the All Realms— Does it mean I could defy the fate decided by the world? I pondered if that could be the case and asked further. enN1WnIzcFhHMVJuR0JvdkNPc013NE5XemwvUURnaDJCYkxlb3dqdjQrUURuYituWUw2UUJFMnpxR2ZMbmtHNA "I do not know." "Have you lost your mind?" The ancestor gave an incredulous response. You don’t know? Have you gone mad? What kind of response is that? I gazed at him incredulously. "I genuinely don't know. It’s only a possibility based on the arrangements I’ve seen from your mother." "...And yet, you expect me to make a choice based on that?" "Precisely, that is why I said it is up to your choice." Even he does not know what will happen. He simply tells me to make a decision in this collapsing scenario. "Absorb me and restore the vessel." He spoke as if urging me, and I let out a hollow laugh. "...How can I trust you?" How am I supposed to trust the figure of the ancestor? That is the fundamental problem. After all, the being in front of me is the specter of the family. It exists to ensure that the family's will is carried on. Trust him and absorb him? There's even doubt whether the words he's spoken are true. And yet, am I to bet everything on this gamble and choose? It was an exceedingly difficult task for me. Upon saying that, the ancestor's form began to change. Crackling. The body made of flames began to alter gradually. Snap. The floor was littered with fallen embers from his form. Ultimately, he reappeared in a form entirely different from before. It wasn’t the resemblance to my past self I had seen... ‘Who is that?’ He appeared entirely unfamiliar. A man with a somewhat slender build and sharp eyes. He seemed to have a resemblance to my father. Perhaps a little bit of me as well. Upon seeing him, I realized. That’s what the ancestor originally looked like. "This is my penance and punishment. Things my bloodline should not endure because of me." Slowly, he knelt down. "I hope that the end is not despair. If this truly can change fate, then there's nothing I’d wish for more." The sincerity in his voice was evident, carrying the emotions he felt. Whether it was desperation or earnestness, I wasn't sure. But I recognized its fervency. "While I cannot be sure of the result, if there is even a slight chance... I truly hope you will undertake this task." "...Ha." I laughed at his words. "So, in the end, you’re asking me to clean up your mess." To prevent any further suffering caused by his own greed. The wish that things would conclude with me. I couldn’t help but feel resentment, yet the meaning was undeniably clear and straightforward. "..." I looked at the ancestor in silence. Absorbing him would undoubtedly turn me into a disaster. I had ceased being a mere human, embracing the essence of a dragon. The lingering attachments that held me back had been eradicated. The pinnacle of the ancient martial art had been achieved, bringing me to the edge of transcendence. So different from my previous life, yet ultimately leading to the same end—a disaster. ‘You are a calamity.’ The words of Yeon Ilcheon reverberated within my mind. I had fought fiercely, living intensely to deny those words. ‘...Was Yeon Ilcheon right all along?’ In the end, was he right? Such thoughts engulfed me. Should I allow everything to crumble as it is? Or accept, even if it’s a gamble, and choose to embrace it? I contemplated the options. The decision to make a choice was easier than I expected.