980 (edited) - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

‘I’ve found his trail.’ That was what General Yusa spat toward Hong Jeong. The banquet had only just ended—how could he have already found traces? The thought crossed her mind, but to Hong Jeong, it didn’t matter. What mattered was this: ‘You take care of it.’ The General had given her the order. And upon hearing it, Hong Jeong wasn’t shocked. ‘Oh my.’ She smiled brightly, almost delighted. How could she not be pleased? An unknown intruder had appeared, knocking down clan leaders one after another. No one knew who he was, nor how powerful he might be. Baeksaek had already fallen, and Cheongsaek had nearly been killed. But so what? One was an idiot brute, the other a pathetic weakling. The one that remained was nothing but an annoying bastard. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t have bothered associating with such insignificant trash. But even so, they were not weak. That much, Hong Jeong admitted. ‘And two of them were defeated.’ By an existence no one even understood. Just how powerful was this being? The thought made Hong Jeong’s body tremble. ‘...I want to fight him.’ She despised the weak, and loved the strong. That was the creed of the Jeoksaek clan. That was why— She had torn apart her own father. And ripped out the hearts of her weaker brothers. Because they were so much weaker than her, and yet dared to stand above her. She could not accept it. So she killed them. She would not allow the weak to exist above her. That was Hong Jeong. One who reveled in battle against the strong, and loathed the weak. There was even the well-known tale in Night Moon of how she had once challenged General Yusa himself, and nearly died. Her thirst and hunger for strength. That was Hong Jeong’s identity. Her reason for existence. “Hahahahaha---!!” That was why, when she felt the murderous intent erupting before her, Hong Jeong couldn’t stop herself from laughing. Rumble…!! ‘What is that?’ Hong Jeong, leader of the Jeoksaek, flinched as murderous intent suddenly burst forth. The aura was overwhelming. So dense, so sharp, her tail bristled. How could such killing intent pour out of a mere living being? Cold sweat slid down Hong Jeong’s cheek as her memory stirred. The day she had faced Yusa. The killing intent she’d felt from him then. It had been enough to make her knees buckle. But this… this was different. If Yusa’s aura carried rage or other emotions within it… Then this was— ‘Pure killing intent itself.’ Only the will to kill. No other emotions could be felt. No anger, no hatred. From this man radiated nothing but a single, simple intent—to kill. ‘…Amazing.’ She brushed her arm, shuddering. She had never felt anything like this before. A grin tore at her lips as she drank in the sensation. “Heehee.” She wanted him. Should she thank the General for giving her this chance? She didn’t know. Hong Jeong stopped thinking, and simply clenched her fist. At that moment— “You wretch.” The man before her. What was his name again? Ah, yes— ‘The Heavenly Demon.’ The fiend blessed by the heavens. That was what he called himself. And he said to her: “I despise those who know not their place.” With each word, his killing intent swelled. The more she looked, the more she felt it—the more wondrous it became. How could anyone be this strong? Hong Jeong found herself tilting her head back, gazing at the sky. The sky was clear. Daytime. The blessing given to the Moonlit Night by the Lord of the Myriad Realms— On nights beneath the moon, their blood granted them unrivaled power. So how could a member of the Moonlit Night wield such overwhelming strength beneath the sun? ‘Could the General even replicate this?’ Yusa was a pure-blood, the strongest among them. But even he—could he radiate this kind of presence during the day? Somehow, Hong Jeong doubted it. Then— “Where do you look?” The Heavenly Demon spoke. “How dare you look upon the heavens, when the heavens are already before you?” Arrogant words. Hong Jeong’s eyes widened despite herself. There was only one sky in the Myriad Realms. Every living being knew that truth. Yet here was a man, standing upon the earth, daring to call himself the sky. “You… you’re truly insane, aren’t you?” Hong Jeong laughed as she said it. “Perhaps.” The Heavenly Demon, still radiating that dreadful aura, replied in an oddly calm tone. “Perhaps I am.” Crack—!! “…!” Hong Jeong turned at the sharp sound—his knee was buried in her arm. Her limb bent the wrong way, crushed before pain could even reach her. Boom!! Her vision flipped. Her eyes, which had been fixed straight ahead, suddenly found themselves staring at the sky. She had been lifted into the air. Too slow. Hong Jeong clenched her teeth, forcing her energy to flare in a desperate attempt to regain control— Snap! This time, her waist. Crash! Crack!! Then her leg. “Ghhk!” Groaning, Hong Jeong couldn’t hide her shock. Every strike landed precisely where it would stop her movement. So she could not turn. So she could not escape. So she could not resist. So she could not move at all. The Heavenly Demon battered her body with absolute precision. Yes—battered. No other word was more fitting. Thud! Her forehead slammed into the ground, only to bounce back up. Her body, once staring at the sky, now faced the dirt. “Khahk…!” She coughed blood, but her eyes did not close. She saw his foot slam toward her face. She raised her hands to block. This time she would stop it— Smack! “Ughhh…!” Not her face. Her stomach. The feint struck true. Her body flew upward, and would have drifted helplessly into the air— Whoosh!! But the Heavenly Demon did not permit even that. A strip of cloth lashed out of nowhere, wrapping her tightly. A perfect bind. Desperate, Hong Jeong strained to tear it apart. ‘Why… won’t it rip?’ The cloth was impossibly tough. And then— “Huuh.” A low sigh brushed her ear. Rumble!! At impossible speed, the Heavenly Demon’s fists pounded into her. Thrown back, pulled forward, shaken and struck again. The impact consumed her body. “----!!!” Not even a scream escaped her throat. She could only watch through a flickering haze as the fists kept coming. Only when she had been pummeled endlessly did the cloth unravel, and she collapsed. “Ughh… ahhh…” Groaning, Hong Jeong slowly fell. Was this the end? As her vision dimmed and her consciousness began to fade— Clench! The Heavenly Demon seized her hair, yanking her upright. And with his hand glowing with energy, he jabbed her forehead. Crackle!! “…!!” Power coursed through her body, snapping her mind back into sharp focus. “Ghh… hhahh…” Saliva or blood—something dripped from her lips. With trembling eyes, she glared up at him. “What… what are you doing?” His voice was calm. The same tone, the same presence, the same eyes as when she first saw him. Eyes that looked down upon her from the highest peak. “Pathetic wretch.” His deep voice brushed past her ear. “This lord has not yet permitted you to fall.” Her body shuddered at his words. “At the very least, you should serve as a small amusement.” For the first time, there was a change in his tone. A trace of laughter. It seeped into his heavy, blunt words. Hearing it, Hong Jeong felt something stir within her. What was this? What was this sensation that made her chest tremble, her body sweat cold, her soul shiver? ‘Ahh…’ She realized it, at last. ‘This is fear.’ So this was fear. A feeling even the General had never instilled in her. This was fear. This was dread. “Khuhh… hhahaha…” Hong Jeong, blood smeared across her face, laughed. ‘…Exhilarating.’ Fear was exhilarating. She had realized it too late. She wanted more. She wanted to taste it again and again. So she looked at the Heavenly Demon with hungry eyes— “Your gaze disgusts me.” But he had already lost interest. His hand stretched toward her eyes, as if to pluck them from her skull. And just as his fingers brushed her eyelids— “…Stop.” A voice rang from behind. The Heavenly Demon’s hand froze. Then, with a faint chuckle, he answered the newcomer. “How disappointing. A little later, and I would have played with her longer…” He had known all along who had arrived. He sounded utterly unfazed. “Why show yourself now? If you meant to cower like a rat, you should have kept hiding.” “…” Yusa’s brow furrowed. “You knew I was hiding?” “Haha.” The Heavenly Demon could not hold back his laughter. And then— Crash!! He hurled Hong Jeong’s battered body into the ground. She bounced across the dirt, unconscious. “Did you think this lord would not see through your petty tricks?” “…” Realizing the Heavenly Demon had been aware all along, Yusa narrowed his eyes. “And yet you fought with Jeoksaek?” He must have known Yusa could intervene at any time and change the situation. So why fight anyway? “Fight?” The Heavenly Demon scoffed, as if the idea were absurd. “You call indulging a child’s antics a fight?” “…” What Jeoksaek had done was nothing more than petty play. Even if Yusa had intervened, it would not have mattered in the slightest. That was the meaning behind his words— And Yusa’s face twisted in fury.