57 - Travelling Relationship (7) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

In reality, Gwak Chil's arrival at this place dated much earlier. Specifically, it would be right to say it began just before Mok Riwon seriously started to wield his technique, when the two initiated their conversation. Why hadn't the peak masters noticed Gwak Chil's presence? The answer to such a question was simple. To that extent, both were deeply engrossed in each other. Mok Riwon was out of his senses due to the tingling murderous intent and Paungchu's demonic energy. Similarly, Paungchu himself was dizzy from the demonic energy coursing through his veins. This was why they had engaged in a life-or-death duel. ...It wasn't an important story. In any case, the crux of the current situation was that Gwak Chil had heard the entire conversation between the two. Heaven's Killer Star. Demon. And Brotherhood. Gwak Chil felt his head swirling with all that he had overheard. Naturally, any commoner not involved in the martial world would know what the Heaven's Killer Star entailed. That was also why Gwak Chil's actions were delayed. And also why he had helped Mok Riwon. -"I was greatly moved by the story of the Demon Brotherhood!" Gwak Chil finally came to understand Mok Riwon a little. "Gwak Daein…." "Are you alright? Can you move?" Gwak Chil was merely concerned for Mok Riwon. After checking on him for a moment, realizing he could walk, Gwak Chil heaved a sigh of relief. Mok Riwon kept looking at Gwak Chil with an anxious heart. He then felt relieved seeing Gwak Chil showing no different expression. "...Let's return. Judging by the signal flare just fired by Demon, it seems the situation on their end has concluded as well." At Gwak Chil's words, Mok Riwon nodded. The unforeseen catastrophe had come to such an end. * Seven couriers had died. Thirteen were injured, seven of them severely. As such, the convoy's atmosphere was far from cheerful. "...Still, you did the best you could under the circumstances." Danghwasu told Mok Riwon. It wasn't merely consolatory words. Danghwasu had done his utmost to save the couriers' lives. Jegalsan also created chaos using all of his jade stones to prevent the Demons from targeting the couriers. The significance of their deeds was known to everyone here. However, no one dared to express their thanks lightly, given the shock of confronting the corpses of those they had laughed and talked with until just moments ago. "...This is the martial world." Mok Riwon muttered lowly. His insides ached as much as anyone else's. 'I came to capture you.' The character, Gwon Mara, had clearly stated this. Meaning, this entire disaster was triggered by him. Crack-. Mok Riwon's fist clenched tight. Despair filled his eyes. His horribly twisted face was covered in moisture. 'I….' Himself, and the star he bore had caused this disaster. Mok Riwon felt once again what the Heaven's Killer Star truly signified. This time might have been fortunate. But next, an even greater calamity might strike, and then, one of the bodies lying there might be his kin. "Monk Sohyeop…." Danghwasu placed his hand on Mok Riwon's shoulder. Mok Riwon, startled, trembled. As he turned his head towards Danghwasu and their eyes met, Danghwasu was taken aback. Tears were welling up in Mok Riwon's eyes. Danghwasu had never seen such an expression on Mok Riwon. The sight of him about to collapse in tears was unimaginable even in dreams. It was natural for Danghwasu's heart to ache. Embracing him tightly, overcome by a heart-wrenchingly bitter feeling, he said, "It's okay." Tap. Tap. He patted Mok Riwon's back, hoping merely to prevent him from crying. There's a nature to receiving consolation. Suppressed emotions that couldn't be expressed, could just spill out due to those words and gestures. "Choke…." Mok Riwon's body trembled minutely. Raw sobs began to leak from his mouth. Soon, he cried like a child. In his journey from Gangseo to Anhui, heading towards Wuhan, Mok Riwon, at the outset of his martial world journey, had tasted his first defeat. * The conveyance's load had increased. Now, the convoy was transporting seven corpses along with the valuables. With wounds and heavy hearts, they arrived in Hubei after five more days. "You've had a hard time. Thank you for joining us on this journey." The leader of the convey, Piaodao, performed a respectful salute. Danghwasu returned the salute, saying, "I've only done what needed to be done. Besides, I couldn’t even fulfill my role properly." Piaodao gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "In a situation where everyone could have died, the fact that many of us survived is undoubtedly due to the heroes' efforts. Take pride in that." "What will you do now?" "What else can we do, we must continue our courier journey." Piaodao said. Despite the grief of loss, they couldn’t afford to fall. Like always, they would rise again and continue on their path. The martial world was such a place. "Will the heroes now head to the Wulin Alliance?" "That is the plan." "Please, I ask of you." Piaodao raised his head. He continued to speak, not erasing that sad smile from his face. "Demon has emerged. The martial world may fall into chaos again. Thus, I implore the heroes to prevent that from happening." "...We will." "Thank you." It was then Piaodao slightly alleviated his sorrow. Listening to that conversation, Mok Riwon felt his insides turn. People have been sacrificed because of him. People mourn those sacrifices. Mok Riwon couldn't raise his head in front of them. Until the moment he left the courier station, Mok Riwon couldn't lift his head. Thus, they made their way into the streets. "Hero!" At that moment, Gwak Chil called out to Mok Riwon. * Since that day, Gwak Chil hadn't exchanged a single word with Mok Riwon. Obviously, there were things on his mind. Despite beginning to understand him, the Heaven's Killer Star frightened him. Moreover, irrespective of that, Mok Riwon had been engulfed in gloom for the remaining five days, creating an atmosphere Gwak Chil couldn’t breach. That's how they reached today, to the moment when it wasn't known when they would see Mok Riwon again. Gwak Chil hesitated to let him go just like this. It wasn't about having any grand resolve or will. Just as someone had done for him, Gwak Chil wished Mok Riwon could gain strength from someone's consolation. Although Dokbong and Goeryong were by his side, it was uncertain if they knew about Mok Riwon's Heaven's Killer Star. "...I heard you're leaving." Gwak Chil called Mok Riwon aside and spoke in a quiet alley. Mok Riwon gave a bitter smile. "That's right. It's time for me to go." Mok Riwon's face was haggard. Though one could say that his haggardness added to his beauty, Gwak Chil wasn't in the mood to notice such things. Gwak Chil clenched his fist. Then, he stammered as he began to speak. "...Actually. I heard it that day. The conversation between Demon and the hero." Startled- Mok Riwon's body quivered. A look of horror then spread across his face which he lifted, followed by a faint fear. Mok Riwon immediately understood the implication of those words. Hesitantly- Mok Riwon took a step back, while Gwak Chil stepped forward. "I won’t tell anyone! Not in my entire life!" Gwak Chil spoke in the loudest voice he had used in almost twenty years. In fact, he had a lot of things in mind to say before coming here, but at this moment, he couldn't recall any of them. What he conveyed was raw sincerity. "I promise! I stake my honor. My life. And..." My life wasn’t much to speak of. Hence, Gwak Chil didn't have much to stake. 'Gwak Chil' didn't have much to stake. Gwak Chil faltered, then barely squeezed out the words. "...I'll stake my pen name, Gwak Chilpyo." In an instant, Mok Riwon's breath hitched. He didn't understand Gwak Chil's words at first and looked dumbfounded, then his eyes went wide as if tearing apart. "What does that mean...?" "It’s me. I'm Gwak Chilpyo. I'm that poor writer the hero praised and esteemed." Gwak Chil smiled bitterly. Now that he'd spilled these words, he was struck by a sense of futility. The secret he had tightly kept turned out to be so easily spoken. "I stake my name. I won’t tell anyone about the destiny that has befallen the hero. So please, listen to me." Mok Riwon was confused. That someone he felt spiritually aligned with was the author of 'The Tales of the Martial Heroes', that he knew his star, and vowed not to speak of it. There were many questions. And hesitations. Among them, Mok Riwon voiced one question. It wasn’t a well-thought-out one. "...Why?" He simply voiced the question that came to his mind. "Why do you say such things to me? Why would you keep my secret, and why stake something as important as your pen name? I don't understand. I am…" The Heaven's Killer Star is a star to be shunned. No, it’s rightfully vile. Even Mok Riwon had come to understand that. Yet, suppressing his will to live wasn’t enough. This star, as Mok Seono had said, covered everything in its living space with a murderous intent. Yet, such words were incomprehensible. Mok Riwon's words gradually trailed off. He was in agony. Gwak Chil's answer came as sorrow floated atop Mok Riwon's face, drowning out other emotions. "Yet, the hero does not seek martial brotherhood." Gwak Chil said. "Yet, the hero still does not wish to become a martial hero. He has not saved anyone with it." "I couldn't save. I am..." "No, you did." Gwak Chil stood tall. He took a formal martial artist salute with an unimpressive smile. "The hero saved me. The words the hero gave me lifted me from my agony." Confusion swirled on Mok Riwon's face. Gwak Chil continued. "I hated the story of the Demon Brotherhood. I received too much criticism because of it. Because of it, I could never hold a brush again. I came to hate my own creation." "..." "That's why for 20 years, I couldn't hold a brush. But, not anymore. The hero showed me. He showed me that the tale of the Demon Brotherhood could be loved, and what had tormented me wasn't the criticism of others, but my own fear. So now, I'm no longer tormented." Gwak Chil bowed deeply. "Thank you for saving me. Regardless of which star you carry, or which sword you wield, I regard the hero as a martial hero." Silence enveloped them. Mok Riwon watched Gwak Chil, who was still bowing his head, then cautiously parted his lips. "...They were dead because of me." "It was Demon’s doing." "They came because of me." "There's no law that blames the victim for their plight. You, hero, are also a victim." "I might endanger people around me in the future too." "But, still, it's not your fault, hero." Mok Riwon's eyelashes trembled. Suddenly, he felt a lump in his throat. "I am.." Speaking wasn't easy. Mok Riwon felt his jaw shaking. He bit down hard to control the trembling, and with a desperate plea, he asked, "...Can I become a martial hero?" Mok Riwon did not know the answer. Born with a star that incited murder and having stepped into the martial world, eventually causing the death of others because of that destiny, he was merely afraid. So, he wanted to ask. To one of the masters who had taught him about martial fraternity. To Gwak Chil. A light sparked in Gwak Chil's eyes. His eyelids fluttered slightly before settling down softly. "The hero is already an excellent martial hero." He grinned broadly, revealing his yellow teeth. Mok Riwon breathed stutteringly. "Again, the hero saved me..." "No, not me." Mok Riwon wiped his tears with his sleeve. While shaking his head, he then smiled through tears-filled eyes. "Daein… Gwak hero, you saved me." Mok Riwon took a formal martial artist salute. Though still sad and in pain, somewhere in those words, there was certainly a warmth that comforted Mok Riwon. A support that helped him stand. "The hero saved me. From a long time ago, up until today." The first day he came to understand his killing intent, it was the tale of the Demon Brotherhood that had saved Mok Riwon. Each time training became too arduous, it was the heroes of the 'Tales of the Martial Heroes' that lifted him up. And today, perhaps preventing him from crumbling, was its author, Gwak Chil. Mok Riwon bowed deeply. "The hero taught me that even someone like me can dream of being a martial hero. Encouraged me not to give up. Helped me stand up like this." Mok Riwon's clasped hands trembled. There was a wet tremor in his voice as well. "Gwak hero saved me. I am deeply grateful." Gwak Chil bit his lip tightly. "...You overpraise me." Only one thing was engraved in the retina of Gwak Chil. There was a man who smiled while tears streamed down his face. A man who, with the purity of a boy, forged ahead in righteousness. A man who faced a difficult destiny and was sure to encounter painful paths ahead. Yet, a man who seemed unwavering. Gwak Chil felt inspiration budding. For some reason, he felt the urge to hold a brush. "Such excessive praise." In that moment, viewing that smile, Gwak Chil thought. He wanted to write a story about a protagonist who, with a clear smile and a dark-hued sword, cut through adversities. It was a passion rekindled after 20 years.