ch 259
Became a Swordsmanship Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 259
'An immortal being cannot be judged by a mortal.'
This was the answer to the question I had asked the Primordial Heavenly Honored One two days ago about whether the Demon God was stronger than me.
He said he would support me, but I thought he was being too frightening. However, the moment I actually saw the Demon God, I understood why the Heavenly Honored One had said such things.
The moment we faced each other, all kinds of painful memories came flooding in like a tsunami.
Followed by suicidal impulses.
Despite having deployed Absolute Domain, I wanted to bite my tongue or strangle myself to death.
The most despairing thing was that the Demon God was not even aware of my existence.
That Demon God does not look at me.
It simply exists before me, yet this is so absurd...
I had thought it would be stronger than the Demon King, but this isn't simply a matter of being strong.
It's literally on a completely different level.
I clearly saw the creature, yet I cannot express its appearance in words.
The surroundings are all darkness and void since this is outer space, but that Demon God is an even deeper and denser darkness. After much thought, I finally found a similar word.
That thing is an abyss.
Can one fight against an abyss?
Even if I used Formless Sword or mental focus, to that creature it wouldn't even be at the level of a mosquito bite—it would be no more than a single bacterial cell entering its body.
—Will you just stay still like that? There's no time.
The voice of the Primordial Heavenly Honored One, whom I thought had left, was heard, and I finally regained my composure.
Right. I can't let that absurd monster go to Earth like this.
I didn't come here to kill or fight that creature in the first place.
When I asked if this world would inevitably be destroyed, the Primordial Heavenly Honored One shook his head and explained the Demon God's purpose.
The Demon God's purpose is Luciel.
More precisely, that creature is being drawn to Earth by Luciel's power.
I asked if we could just hide Luciel.
If Luciel went to the space of the Demon Realm Tree where she originally was, the Demon God wouldn't be able to sense Luciel either.
But the Primordial Heavenly Honored One said the Demon God wouldn't stop even then.
Ordinary hunters would think their prey had escaped and return home when their quarry disappeared.
But the Demon God before my eyes is fundamentally a being that roams the universe seeking power.
It has no home to return to, and having already set Earth as its destination, it won't stop.
I thought we would inevitably have to fight, but then one method came to mind.
From the Huiyin acupoint located below the dantian to the Baihui acupoint located at the temples, I circulated internal energy through all the meridians throughout my body.
I refined all the internal energy I had drawn up with mental focus and released it in a single moment.
Absolute Domain began to gradually expand its range.
Toward the Demon God.
The method I thought of was another prey.
If another prey appeared, it wouldn't care about the prey that had already disappeared.
The expanding Absolute Domain touched the Demon God.
But the Demon God still does not look at me.
—It seems to be a failure. How...
Was the Primordial Heavenly Honored One still watching me?
—Not yet.
Honestly, I had somewhat expected this result.
From the beginning, that Demon God was said to be drawn not by me but by Luciel's power.
Still, I really didn't want to do this, but now there's no other choice.
I withdrew the internal energy I had been releasing, stopped my mental focus, and closed my eyes.
Absolute Domain contracted again, and the negative thoughts flowing from the Demon God began to disappear.
I stopped thinking.
No, I erased my thoughts.
Paradoxically, countless memories began to surface.
When I first came to this world.
When I met Master.
When I became a teacher.
When I met the children, including Se-jin.
When I met Luciel.
There were some negative memories mixed in, but not one of them wasn't precious.
I erased all the memories I had faced, and all the emotions about those memories.
—Don't tell me you're...
When I asked Master what the next level was before, it wasn't because I didn't know or because I lacked confidence to reach it.
It was because I was afraid.
Even if I didn't know precisely, I was somewhat aware.
That if I took one more step up from here, I would no longer be human.
Before erasing the last remaining emotion, I sent a mental transmission to the Primordial Heavenly Honored One.
—As you know, I won't go to the Immortal Realm.
***
"You must be frustrated too, Sister."
"Frustrated? I have plenty of research to do anyway, so it's fine. I'm more worried about you all."
"Don't worry about us. Brother said we should be able to handle it among ourselves."
"Really? If Shin-hyeok says so, then it must be true."
"Sister, shall I give you some more chocolate bars?"
"Huh? No, I have plenty too."
Se-jin and Eunseo, who had stayed for about two days to keep me company, left this place.
Neither of them said it directly, but they must have come at Shin-hyeok's request.
The last time I saw Shin-hyeok, he hugged me and ruffled my hair.
'I'll tell Eunseo and Se-jin to drop by whenever they have time,' he had said.
After seeing the two off, I returned to the Demon Realm Tree.
Leaning against the Demon Realm Tree, Shin-hyeok's image comes to mind.
Shin-hyeok is really a fool.
Going with Master was a blatant lie...
Does he really think I wouldn't know?
How long have we been together?
From the moment I was liberated from the Demon Realm Tree, I already knew.
That this situation would come if I didn't hide my traces even now.
That's why I tried not to leave this place.
I thought that even if I lived trapped here for life, it would be enough if I could continue to be with Shin-hyeok.
It definitely would have been fine.
I had already spent thousands of years alone in this place.
But Shin-hyeok seemed to feel sorry for me like that.
So he said he would handle everything and extended his hand, saying let's go together.
I knew better than anyone that I shouldn't take that hand, but...
At his words to trust him, I eventually took his hand and turned away from the future that was to come.
I even had a glimmer of hope that maybe Shin-hyeok really could solve it.
Shin-hyeok worked hard to keep his promise.
He prepared various countermeasures for this current situation and lived really busily.
But I knew all too well that all of that was useless.
I knew, but... I just couldn't bring myself to say such things to Shin-hyeok who was working so hard.
Actually, it's not like there's no method at all.
While Shin-hyeok was working hard, I wasn't just sitting still relying on him without preparing any countermeasures.
However, if I use this method, Shin-hyeok might resent me... no, he'll definitely hate me.
But there's no choice.
What I consider most important...
What I love is Shin-hyeok.
Having made up my mind, I left the world and came to the portal where Master was.
As soon as I entered the portal, I could see Master wearing white training clothes.
He looked slightly surprised, but his expression isn't what's important.
As expected, going with Master was a lie.
"Luciel, how are you here?"
"Did I come somewhere I shouldn't have?"
"No, Shin-hyeok said you'd come in two days."
"That fool..."
"You did fight after all?"
"It's not like that."
"It's not? That guy Shin-hyeok wasn't acting like his usual self either."
He didn't go with Master, but he did meet Master apparently.
"How was he?"
"How? He didn't pester me to spar with him as usual, and came to my side to bother me and act spoiled a lot. You really didn't fight? Even if he was a bit neglectful of you, that guy has been very busy lately..."
"...We really didn't fight."
"If you didn't fight, then what..."
Suddenly Master's expression became serious.
Did Master know too?
"I see. So that's why he was like that."
He muttered to himself and took a step toward me.
"Right now Shin-hyeok is alone..."
"I know without you saying it. Do you think I wouldn't know what you know? There's a limit to ignoring this master."
He spoke playfully and laughed like usual Master, but it seems Master really knew too.
"I'm sorry..."
"Why are you being so unlike yourself? What do you have to be sorry about?"
Seeing Master speak so calmly, my eyes began to sting.
I came here with determination, but I didn't expect him to speak so nonchalantly.
"Master..."
"Do you remember when I told you before not to shoulder everything alone?"
I nodded affirmatively while holding back tears that seemed about to burst out.
"Those words weren't just for Shin-hyeok."
"Master."
"Thank you for coming to tell me this."
"Really... really... I'm sorry."
I couldn't hold back the tears that finally burst out.
"Hehe, I told you it's fine."
Master approached and patted my back.
"I'll talk to Shin-hyeok properly."
As soon as he spoke, Master waved his hand once and space split open, creating a black dimensional rift.
He was about to leave immediately, so I grabbed Master.
"Why? Didn't I say I'd talk to Shin-hyeok properly? Stop crying and wait here."
I didn't answer Master, who was speaking unusually kindly, and knelt down to bow nine times.
When Shin-hyeok formed a master-disciple relationship with Master, he taught me that I should bow according to the Nine Bows Ritual, but I didn't do it.
He was Shin-hyeok's master and was helping me, but he was just a human who wouldn't live longer than me.
I had somewhat looked down on him.
Of course, later my thoughts changed as I transcended the fate of being the guardian of the Demon Realm Tree, but even then I didn't perform the Nine Bows Ritual.
A lot of time had passed and I thought it would be a bit embarrassing to suddenly show courtesy now.
After finishing the nine bows, Master was standing in front of me.
"Did Shin-hyeok teach you?"
"Yes. Shin-hyeok taught me but I was too late... Ow!"
He suddenly flicked my forehead.
No, flicking my forehead just because I was late is too much, isn't it?
Thinking this old man really has no emotions, I looked at Master, who was laughing mischievously like usual.
"The Nine Bows Ritual is bowing with nine forms of courtesy. It's not bowing nine times."
"No, how would I know such a thing..."
He scolded me saying that married couples become alike, and that I even said the same thing as Shin-hyeok, but both Master and I ended up laughing at each other.
This isn't a situation to laugh about.
"If you cry and then laugh, your butt will..."
"This old man! I'm going to tell Shin-hyeok everything."
"Yes. Tell him everything when he comes back."
After finishing his words, Master took steps toward the dimensional rift again.
"Master, wait!"
"Why again? Are you trying to make it all my fault if that guy Shin-hyeok gets hurt because we delay like this?"
"Master's disciple wouldn't be unable to endure that much."
"True, that guy Shin-hyeok isn't that weak. But now really..."
"Master... I was really glad that you were my master."
At my words, the old man smiled briefly and disappeared into the black dimensional rift without answering.
As Master left, the black dimensional rift gradually shrank and soon disappeared.
Old man, really petty to the end.
He could have answered briefly before leaving—would it have hurt him somewhere?
He must have been very embarrassed, but I also spoke while enduring embarrassment...
As I was resenting Master whom I would never see again, I saw writing in the place where the black dimensional rift had disappeared.
[Luciel, I was also happy that you were my disciple. Be happy.]