1176 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

As the fleeting light subsided, my senses gradually returned beyond the realm of perception. In a moment where only light blinded my eyes, rendering everything invisible, my vision slowly restored, and the scene unfolded. "...Here again?" I found myself standing in a world bathed in white—a place I had grown weary of visiting countless times. This was my inner world. Suppressing a sigh, I glanced around my surroundings. 'Is there no one?' I wondered if anyone might be here. Each time I found myself in this place, I had encounters, leading me to expect I might see something once more. As these thoughts lingered... Tap. "...!" A smell wafted through. The scent brushed past my nose, causing me to turn around immediately. It was the smell of something burning—a nauseating stench. And so, I diverted my gaze. "What are you searching for?" "..." Someone was there. Seated on the ground in the lotus position, someone was watching me. Squinting, I studied him. His crimson hair and matching eyes stood out. Eyes so red they could be mistaken for those of the Blood Demon, yet he wasn't. 'It's hot.' Just looking at him made me feel warm. I knew who he was. "It has been quite some time, has it not?" "As you wish." He was my ancestor, the being referred to as the Ancestor. The very person who had sent me to this place. He observed me with a displeased expression. I, too, had to acknowledge him with a nod. "You look quite different now." His appearance had changed. Previously, he had either mirrored my own form or appeared as flames. But now, he was different. Though he bore some resemblance to me, there was something distinct about him. "That's not particularly important." The Ancestor responded with an indifferent look, showing he did not care. Indeed, his appearance was not crucial to me either. What mattered was. "Did you appear to explain this to me?" Explanation regarding the situation at hand. "What is this place?" Why was I cast into such a world? It was finally time to hear the answer. The Ancestor stared at me with clear eyes in response to my question. "You already know, don't you?" “I'm not asking about something trivial.” The world of my father's youth. Such details were not important. "You said it was just a pretend world anyway. What matters is what I am supposed to do here. What do you seek from me?" "..." The Ancestor fell silent for a moment. It was a fleeting silence. "Continue as you have been. You're doing well." "...What do you mean by continuing as I have been?" "What you're currently doing." "Are you saying I should just continue causing trouble, regardless of what happens to this world?" With a hint of irritation in my voice, the Ancestor burst into laughter. "Hahaha-!" "What? Why are you laughing?" He was getting on my nerves. As I narrowed my eyes, the Ancestor stopped laughing and addressed me. "I told you, didn't I?" His voice had a low tone, laced with the scent of burning like his presence. "Descendant, no matter what chaos you bring, nothing will change." "...That is." "Were you worrying about this world despite knowing that? How absurd." "Who's worrying?" I was about to flare up at the absurd notion of worrying about the world. "Then, you must be concerned about the children within you. The ones who might appear here eventually. If it's about them, discard those thoughts." Fwwr. Crimson flames emerged from where the Ancestor sat. "As I said, it's a world made with falsity. The emotions you're trying to harbor are meaningless here. Just take what you can gain from this place. For your own sake." "...Take what I can gain?" "Yes, just like now." "..." "Combining energies into a single force was not a bad choice. Even the clashes between energies that you triggered—your assumptions are correct." The power of the Abyss had vanished. With the focal point binding the energies gone, they began to rampage as I predicted. "Then, the reason the Abyss disappeared is also..." "That is correct." The second assumption was also verified. The reason the Abyss vanished. More precisely, 'The reason his power no longer reached me.' According to the Ancestor, 'I've ascended to a level.' The status of a master. I had ascended to such a level that the Abyss’s power no longer activated. This meant that the theory of energy rampaging was correct. 'This happened because I touched that egg.' Thinking this far, my eyes widened. "The egg. What is that egg?" "..." As I raised the question, the Ancestor slightly nodded. "What do you think it is?" "Is now the time to ask questions? Have you lost your mind?" Instead of explaining, he retorted with a question. I felt like abandoning everything. In response, the Ancestor chuckled lightly. "Just a jest." "Really annoying." "That is the seed of the Divine Tree." "...The Divine Tree?" My eyes grew wider. The Divine Tree? If it was the Divine Tree... "Are you referring to the one I saw in the Myriad Realms?" "Yes." "Why is it here..." Why was it in the Central Plains, and on the front lines at that? As I pondered over this, he said. "Do you know what the Divine Tree is?" The Ancestor spoke to me. "Not really..." How could I possibly know that? "The Divine Tree symbolizes the presence of its master." The Ancestor stated and snapped his fingers lightly. Snap-!! Accompanied by the sound. Clatter-!! A coarse sound emerged from behind me. Curious, I turned around and saw something growing behind me. Swish-!! It was a tree. A massive tree quickly sprouted. Thick and gigantic, it flourished swiftly, filling the ceiling. "This is..." It wasn't just any tree. The pitch-black tree, and its leaves... "Flames?" Remarkably, they appeared to be made of fire. Additionally, "...I can feel energy." I could sense familiar energy emanating from the tree itself. It was undoubtedly the fiery energy of the Flames of the Nine Suns. "The Divine Tree is both the source of the master's strength and a testament. Its existence marks the connection between the world and its master." "This tree, you mean...?" It was an unusual tree, but to think it held such significance? Moreover, "Are you saying that egg is the seed of the Divine Tree?" The egg I found on the front lines. Was that truly the seed of the Divine Tree? "Why does something like that exist here?" Why was the seed present on the front lines? I asked him. "Why are you so surprised? You already understand the significance of Gu-ga's existence, don't you?" The Ancestor spoke as if it were only natural. A surrogate master—if that was why the seed was here. "Oh, so it's here because of that mess again?" The Ancestor flinched at my remark. He fell silent immediately. What else could he possibly say? I stifled the urge to sigh. Yeah, it’s all because I was born into this troublesome household. I understood the cause, but. "...What's the reason for it reacting now?" I wanted to know why it responded when I touched it. Was it also because? "Is it because I possess a certain level?" "That's correct." … I got as far as understanding that. Then, "Is this what you and my mother planned all along?" I asked whether it was all part of the design. "That's not true." He refuted the idea. "I can't speak for your mother, but I certainly did not anticipate this far." "Is that true?" "To be exact, I wished you wouldn't touch the seed." ZlRhMlA0WFhoSm5wcmNWSEIvZkF0L1RaZUZrdVYreXNKcFJ1N1M2RDBFcm9HTldvS2JhNVliT1lhb2ZXM3BzbA "Why not?" "Because for you to touch it and for it to react means... it essentially leads to a situation you didn't hope for." The statement sent a chill down my spine. A situation I didn't hope for. Could it be? "…Does it mean disaster?" "Yes." It indicated that I was becoming a disaster. The reaction of the seed signified the testimony of a master. My attaining the level of a master implied becoming a disaster. The seed had already reacted and begun to sprout. "Does that mean... ultimately, I become a disaster?" "I don't know." "What?" What was that supposed to mean? Not knowing? I stared at the Ancestor with furrowed brows, but his expression remained the same. "As I said, this is a fabricated world your mother prepared. Whatever happens here may not necessarily transpire as I foresee." The Ancestor’s words of uncertainty led to other questions. He was right. If this was an artificial world, and if nothing here affected the real world... "Then what am I supposed to do in this place?" What was the purpose of this world? By saying there was something to be done, it inferred a set task. If so, just tell me plainly what needs to be found. "I already told you, do as you wish." "Enough with the frustrating comments, just..." "This is the best I can offer. Here, no matter what you do, it will proceed to the determined conclusion. That's the world your mother set." "The predetermined ending no matter what I do?" "Still, it’d be good to hurry just a bit. There isn’t much time." … Somehow, it would reach there. But to hurry just a bit. How conveniently inane. In a world where nothing changes, to ultimately head towards a fated conclusion. "This sucks." It wasn't even funny. The Ancestor sighed quietly at my reaction. "If you knew the things your mother sacrificed for this, you would understand." "I don't need your hollow consolations." My insides cooled. I contemplated since it was a story of predetermined events anyway. "Seeing Namgoong Bi-ah's lightning aura in Hyeon So-yeon, that was to provoke me, wasn't it?" "What?" The Ancestor reacted oddly to my words. I didn't ponder his reaction too deeply. "It was strange, don't you think? There's no way Namgoong Bi-ah could be in this world. It seems that was another predetermined event, no?" "What are you saying? Who appeared?" "…Why are you reacting like that? Last time, in Hyeon So-yeon's body..." I was about to recount the events of the previous night. Rumble--!!!! The white world began to shake. Crack!! The sustained world crumbled, breaking into fragments. "Is my time up?" It appeared it was time to awaken. Having experienced this a couple of times, I was accustomed to it now. However, "Descendant." The Ancestor spoke to me with slightly surprised eyes. "What?" "We didn't do anything concerning that girl over here." "What?" "There seems to be something amiss." "What on earth." Not knowing about Namgoong Bi-ah’s situation? I tried to question the Ancestor about his curious remarks but. Crack!! The world completely collapsed. “Gasp--!!” I opened my eyes and regained consciousness. The first thing that greeted my sight was an unfamiliar ceiling.