1322 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Crash-!!!! A hole was pierced through the wall that Tolly had slammed into. From that hole, countless demons and apostles peered through. Moreover. "Nice to meet you." In the center stood a demure-looking woman. It was the Sword Queen, who was looking directly at me. As I noticed her gaze, I raised the corners of my mouth. "Krurrrrr--!!" Rumbling, Tolly raised his head. Looking ahead, I spoke. "Fire it off like you did before." At my command, Tolly's head lifted high. Whoaahhhh-!!! The same energy began to gather in his mouth. Flames surged and clustered together, then erupted. Kwoaaaahhhhh----!!!! An oppressive heat burst forth like a flash. It exploded as if to obliterate a mountain. Whoooosh-!!! A gust of wind blew. Kwoaaah-!!! The flames were being blocked. I spotted petals—gray petals. "……Well." With a soft voice, the Sword Queen rose to her feet. Astonishingly, the petals were emanating from her. "We have quite the aggressive visitor." "Krurrrr-!!" "That creature……." While scrutinizing the demonized creature, the Sword Queen narrowed her eyes, whereas I clicked my tongue, acknowledging her power. 'As expected.' It wasn't just about creating or empowering apostles. That power… '……It's similar to Mother's power.' It's not just similar; I heard it's supposed to be the original form of Mother's power. The flames couldn't extend further. They were impeded by the petals, unable to push deeper. Even stray embers couldn't inflict any more damage upon the mountain. "……Enough." At my words, Tolly retracted the flames. "Krurrrr-!!" He was filled with hostility. Just as he was about to launch at them, I intervened. "Hold on. It's pointless to continue." I said, patting him gently. "Return." "……." His body shrank, reverting to his original human form. I carelessly slung him over my shoulder. "What a charming friend." "Thank you for the compliment." "A compliment……?" "Yes. A compliment to him is pretty much like a compliment to me." After all, he looks just the same as he did when he was a child. Quite a bold move. Whereas I never got called cute once in my childhood. "Haha." The Sword Queen laughed at my reaction. "I didn’t expect you'd come in person. You've experienced it, so what brings you here?" "I mean, I tried pretty hard to find another way." I scratched my head. "But it turns out I had to come here anyway. And I'm in a bit of a hurry." "……Oh, my? What’s the rush?" "There is something." I didn't feel the need to elaborate. "It might sound a bit underhanded, but could I ask you something as well?" "Go ahead." "Why are you doing this?" "……." The Sword Queen momentarily fell silent at my broad question. "Should I elaborate further?" "Please do." "Why did you become an apostle and do all this? What's your objective?" "……Haha." Perhaps she hadn't expected such a direct inquiry. The smile faded slightly from her face. "You're Baek Yangcheon, right?" "Yes? Oh, yes." That's right. I am of the Baek family now. "Indeed." "Is your reason for asking to reproach me? To blame?" "Uh……." Blame? "No?" Why would I? "……Pardon?" "Why would I reproach you? That's pointless." I've never lived a life where I could reproach anyone. That's something only those who lived righteously can do. Not someone who lived foolishly like me. "I'm merely curious." Why did this woman end up like this? It was mere curiosity. "So if you can, I'd appreciate an answer. It's been frustrating not getting direct responses from anyone." "……." "Oh, if you can’t provide one, that's fine. It doesn't really matter whether I hear it or not……." "He was about your age." The Sword Queen interrupted, and I silenced myself. "If my son were alive. He would have been about your age." "……Hmm." A son? 'Did the Sword Queen have a son?' I racked my brains. I wasn't aware. All I knew was. 'Only Bong Soon.' Bong Soon, the Sword Queen’s daughter, who possessed her relic. She was the only one I knew of. "I wish to see that child." "Yes, that’s understandable. But? How does wanting to see a child who's already passed away relate to this?" "……Well. Someone told me." Ssss. The Sword Queen straightened up. At the same time, a sword appeared in her hand. Oh, that's. '……It's that.' The wooden relic Bong Soon used. Wasn't it originally from the Amitabha School? I’d heard that, but to be honest, I wasn’t particularly interested. "They said I could see my child once I achieve certain things. That's the reason." "……Wow." I laughed at her words. "That's a foolish thing to believe. Did you fall for such nonsense?" How could anyone be so naive? "When people die, it's the end." It's a simple worldly fact. "Once they die, you can't see them again. Not ever." Once someone is gone, that's it. Even if. By some miracle. "Somehow, in turning back time, you meet them again." Creaaak. I loosened up my body. "The people you meet then would not be the same as the ones you knew." I was aware of this. Additionally, these words were directed at myself as well. 'In this place.' Even if I were to repent a hundred, a thousand times and live to lessen my guilt. 'The chance is gone.' The bad deeds I committed won't disappear, and those who died because of them are not undone. The ones who spent their lives for me won’t come back. "But resurrection?" That's beyond laughable. "Foolish." "……." The Sword Queen gazed intently at me after my words. "Your eyes seem sad." "I hear that often." Crunch. Whatever she said, I eased my body. There was no need to listen any further. "Have you experienced losing something?" Ignoring my mood, the Sword Queen continued to question. Losing something, she asked? "I wonder." Does it really matter? "So much that it's too numerous to count now." I've lost so much that I can't keep track. Or perhaps. 'I don't count anymore.' Even though people are known to be creatures of forgetfulness, there's one wretched thing about it. 'You can never forget the things you lost because of your own mistakes.' I live carrying the burden of my foolishness my whole life. Even if one tries to cover it up, it's something that can never be fully forgotten. "……." The Sword Queen looked at me with a sympathetic gaze. "I see." "Since I've said my piece, let's get to the main point now." Whooooo-!!! Power surged within me. It's not much. Thanks to Tolly erasing all traces, we hadn’t managed to connect. "Sword Queen." "Speak." "The power you took. Return it to me. And." Crack. Energy coursed through my entirely loosened muscles. "Where is that bastard, the Blood Demon?" "……." The murderous tone made the Sword Queen's eyes widen. "You know of him—." Boom-!!! Pushing off the rock I was perched on, I darted towards the Sword Queen. The distance between us narrowed swiftly. The heat wrapped around my hand aimed for her, but— Whoosh-!! "Ku!" The view shifted. Someone had grabbed my cheek and sharply redirected me. Shards scattered as my body rebounded. As fate would have it, I was propelled into the air. Was it a deliberate launch? Just as I tried to control my body with heat— "Krurrr-!!!" Tolly leapt in and caught me. "Wow. Nicely done." Thanks to him, I got a solid hold. I twisted my slightly sprained neck and looked down. "Yeah. I figured you'd be here." It was the person who deflected me. Beside the Sword Queen, a young man was looking up at me. '...Father.' The Divine Dragon Gu Cheolun. Surrounded by fire, he gazed at me, with a slightly perplexed expression. From his eyes, I could sense, 'What happened to meeting in five days, and why are you here?' He seemed puzzled, as I had intended to meet five days later but ended up here suddenly. "Well, I have my reasons too." I didn’t have the luxury of waiting much longer. "Sigh." I let out a deep breath. The look Father gave me was peculiar. With the Sword Queen beside him, facing off against Father was inevitable. Moreover. 'Even without that.' Boom—!!!!! Below the mountain, the battle between Cheolhyun Buseon and the Dark King caught my eye. With Heavenly Exalted-level figures clashing, the very landscape was being reshaped. 'The Dark King is a shadow assassin, but...' Could he fight so fiercely as well? I noted it with interest. 'Ah.' There's no time for this. "We have an intruder," I said, looking at Father. I didn’t send him any telepathic messages. Right now, someone like the Sword Queen could easily intercept those. "……." Father's brow furrowed. "I have my own reasons on this side too..." I rapped Tolly lightly on his back. Each time, it felt like my heart vibrated. Was it instinct? As if I wanted to harness the energy right away and channel it into my vessel. 'Oh, this isn't good.' Not yet. 'Not yet…….' The time hadn’t come. Additionally, 'I haven’t decided yet.' When I absorb Tolly, who’s considered my main body, I don't know what might happen to him. That's why I was in a quandary. 'So.' I'd buy a little more time. Even if I couldn't gain power or whatever. Right now, there was a task with Father that needed addressing. 'First.' The more allies, the better. With this thought in mind, I gestured towards Father. The first maneuver. "What are you doing?" "……?" "Aren't you coming in?" "……." I taunted Father. His expression twisted in a rare display of emotion at my irresistible gesture. Now then. ‘Let the second breach of filial duty commence.’ It was time to do what I did best.