Chapter 334: Mother (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 334: Mother (1)
“What are you saying…”
[ It was my only choice. The child was weeping with such profound sorrow. Helping him was the only reason this old tree could find for its actions. ]
“…”
[ To travel through time and return to the past… it places a terrible burden upon the soul. ]
I frowned at the tree’s words. They were all too familiar to me.
[ The child made a choice, but it is impossible to alter one’s own fate.]
“That…”
[ However, that child succeeded in one thing. Perhaps that is why you, my apostle, are able to speak with me now.]
As the World Tree said, Yeon Il-Cheon had succeeded in sealing the Blood Demon. Now I understood why he said sealing the monster was the only thing he could do.
But the Blood Demon would one day resurrect, and the world does not make the same mistake twice.
The end will come, no matter what.
That’s what Yeon Il-Cheon had told me. The end would arrive, whether by the Blood Demon’s hand or some other force.
The world that the World Tree speaks of… is it similar to that of a God?
Was it the same God revered by the Wudang and Shaolin Sects? Was that it?
But that’s strange.
The World Tree’s existence had been erased, meaning it had once existed in this world. I wondered what the Tao Clans were like in such a world. With a being as powerful as a ruler already present, could they have worshipped another God?
Now isn’t the time to think about that.
I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. There was still much to learn, and I couldn’t afford to waste time.
“…Then… sigh.”
I sighed, the sound catching in my throat. This situation was simply too much to handle. So, I was supposed to clean up the mess my ancestors left behind? That might be debatable, but that’s certainly how it seemed to me.
Then what…
I didn’t know what to ask first. There were too many questions, and my mind was in turmoil.
Fuck…
How had things come to this? What should I ask first? The seed? The Heavenly Demon? This place? Or should I start with my own regression? Or perhaps…
[ Apostle. ]
“…!”
As I struggled to focus, the World Tree spoke.
[ You seem very tired, apostle. ]
“…It’s not like that,” I lied. I knew myself. The weight was immense, the difficulty overwhelming. I was utterly exhausted.
“You said you weren’t responsible for my regression, right?”
[ That is correct. I am not responsible for your journey back through time. ]
The tree had also claimed it no longer possessed the strength for such a feat. But was that the truth? Could the tree be lying to me—
Smack-!
I slapped myself hard, my head jerking sideways from the impact. It was an old habit, a way to snap out of my own spiraling doubts. I had learned to question everything, to trust no one, to see enemies everywhere. The few who had stood by me died for me, and this corrosive suspicion was the habit I’d developed to survive.
“…It’s fine. Everything is fine, but…” I wrapped my hands around my head, forcing my thoughts aside. What I wanted from the World Tree wasn’t the ultimate truth of the world or its hidden secrets. I just had one simple question.
“What is it that you want from me?”
What did I need to do? What must I do from now on? What was expected of me in this cursed situation? I needed to know, desperately.
[ Apostle. ]
“…You said this to me.” I am the flame that will burn away all burdens. That’s what the World Tree had told me in my past life. Was it simply because I knew how to control fire? That couldn’t be it, no matter how much I thought about it.
[ Did I say that to you? ]
“Yes. But I don’t know how I could possibly do such a thing. The only thing I know how to burn to ashes… is people.”
To burn away burdens. Why would the tree say that to me? I knew nothing. That’s why I had to ask earnestly.
“What do I need to do first?” I needed to know my purpose. More and more people were gathering by my side, one by one. Funnily enough, I found myself caring about all of them. But a calamity was approaching. To protect those beside me, I needed to know what to do. Behind the Heavenly Demon, whom I once thought was my only enemy, lay a greater secret. This wasn’t for myself, but for them.
“You said I have the power to burn it.”
[ …Apostle. ]
I’ll do it. Whether it’s the Blood Demon or the Heavenly Demon, I’ll do it to survive and to protect them. So please, tell me.
“Apostle… yes. Was Yeon Il-Cheon also your apostle? The one who received your mark?” Since the tree called me an apostle, I wondered if Yeon Il-Cheon had held the same title.
[ …That is correct. That child was an apostle as well. ]
“Yeon Il-Cheon called me a calamity when we met. He said that I would bring about the world’s end.”
The Blood Demon had failed, but the calamity would not end there. Another would come. According to the World Tree, that was the way of the world. I believed that ‘other’ would be the Heavenly Demon.
[ You met that child? ]
“Yes. He left behind a memory from his past.” It hadn’t been a pleasant encounter, but I had met him.
[ That child left a memory… ]
The World Tree seemed lost in thought, but I couldn’t afford to wait.
“What is it that you want? What do you want for you to…” Mid-sentence, a sudden, terrifying thought struck me. “Wait… Did I end up in this place in my past life because you summoned me?”
[ That is not the case. Just as it was then, our meeting is merely a coincidence. ]
A wave of relief washed over me. Both events had occurred because Cheol Jiseon ripped open a Gate of Demons. The thought that it might all have been orchestrated by the World Tree was terrifying.
“Then, please tell me what you want from me.” The one who had told me I could burn away all burdens, who spoke of escaping this world, who left a mark on me—it was the World Tree before me. “…Do you want me to help you escape from this world and return you to the normal world?”
The World Tree seemed to offer a faint smile at my words.
[ That is not possible. ]
“Then why did you choose me, of all people?”
[ I simply… wish for my children to live on. ]
The World Tree wished for the people of my world to survive. “Is that why you chose me?” Did that even make sense? How could it? It was beyond my comprehension. “…Why me, out of everyone?” I didn’t possess that kind of strength.
[ No, apostle. You are capable. ]
“Why do you…” Just as I began to ask how the tree could be so sure,
[ Before we discuss that, there is a story you must hear. ]
“A story?” The World Tree cut me off.
[ Are you aware of the being that resides within you? ]
“…!” I gasped. The being it spoke of could only be the beast inside me. “How do you… know about that?”
But that wasn’t the only shock. The World Tree brought up something I had almost forgotten.
[ We must first talk about your mother. ]
It was about my mother, who had disappeared long, long ago.
* * *
Tap, tap, tap!
Cheol Jiseon ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Breathless, his legs numb, he pushed himself forward.
What is that…!
His eyes remained fixed on the sky. It was slowly turning black, growing darker.
No… that’s not the sky.
It wasn’t the sky at all. It was more like a barrier—a black shroud engulfing the area, as if a massive formation had been activated. And it wasn’t small. It had already swallowed two mountains and was now stretching toward the Heavenly Dragon Academy in the distance.
Just what is happening…!
Cheol Jiseon gritted his teeth and ran. This was definitely not a peaceful situation.
As he ran, a panicked thought crossed his mind. I… where am I even going?
He had started running in a blind panic, with no clear idea of who to turn to.
What about the instructors?
If he could see this phenomenon, surely the instructors had seen it too. But the eerie, absolute silence that surrounded him sent chills down his spine.
Then—
Swoosh-!
Cheol Jiseon spun around instinctively, reacting to a sudden shift in the air. He moved purely on instinct.
Pwoosh!
“Ughhh!”
But he was a fraction too slow. He felt a sharp, stabbing pain. His body was flung backward by the impact, the attack laced with potent Qi. Cheol Jiseon tumbled helplessly across the ground.
“Huff… Huff!”
He glanced down and saw the source of the pain—a dagger was buried deep in his thigh.
“…Ughh…!” He gritted his teeth against the agony.
“What are you doing? You nearly killed him.” A voice cut through the silence.
Through the haze of pain, Cheol Jiseon saw a figure clad in black approaching, a sword held ready.
Who…
“We were ordered to identify our targets before killing them. Do you have a death wish? The Great King will have your head.”
“A few casualties won’t matter,” another voice spoke from behind. This was the man who had thrown the dagger.
“I thought the order was to spare only the ladies of the Four Noble Clans. Everyone else is fair game, isn’t that right?”
“That rule likely applies to the instructors. Watch your step if you want to avoid trouble.”
“…Tsk.” The man clicked his tongue in annoyance, then grabbed a handful of Cheol Jiseon’s hair and yanked his head up.
“Agh!”
“Do you recognize this face?”
The other man approached and studied Cheol Jiseon’s features closely, grabbing him by the chin to get a better look.
“Oh no.” He frowned, as if he’d found a problem.
“What?”
“Look at the mole on his face and his uniform. He’s one of those the Great King explicitly ordered us not to kill.”
“…Oh, really?”
“What do you think we should do now?”
“What else? We leave him.”
The man chuckled. Cheol Jiseon was paralyzed with fear from the ambush, but his eyes darted around, taking in every detail.
One has a dragon emblem on his chest, the other on his left wrist…
Cheol Jiseon was memorizing their features.
“Sorry, kid. I was itching for a taste of blood, but I’ve got other things to do.” The man who had thrown the dagger patted Cheol Jiseon’s cheek a few times, utterly unapologetic, before rising to his feet. It seemed he really was going to let Cheol Jiseon go.
If he’s sparing me… what about the others?
Cheol Jiseon recalled the men’s words. They were going to kill everyone except for a select few students of importance.
And the instructors are nowhere to be seen…
That meant they were either complicit, or the area was already overrun by enemies like these two.
…Was this a planned ambush?
Wait.
Cheol Jiseon suddenly remembered the Meteor Sword’s assurance that he needn’t worry about his ambush on Gu Yangcheon. Could this be related to the Meteor Sword?
“His leg will be fine once the bleeding stops. I didn’t use any poison.”
The man smirked and turned to leave, apparently heading off to find other prey.
Cheol Jiseon couldn’t let him go. He moved his fingertips slightly. It hadn’t been long since he last opened a gate to the Abyss; he couldn’t do it again so soon. But he couldn’t just let these men walk away.
He tried to grasp the familiar sensation with his hand, but it eluded him.
Please…
It was a power he had always wanted to be rid of, and of course, it failed him now when he needed it most.
As Cheol Jiseon frantically moved his fingertips,
“Shall we head to another—”
The man who had stood up stopped talking mid-sentence.
Cheol Jiseon followed the man’s gaze, sensing something was wrong.
Thud.
Something landed right in front of Cheol Jiseon.
“H… Huaghh!”
Cheol Jiseon screamed instinctively. It was a severed head—the head of the man who had just been examining his face.
“Which bastard…!” the remaining man shouted, gathering his Qi.
Slash-!
A sickening sound of flesh being sliced echoed through the air.
Thud.
The second man’s head rolled to the ground beside Cheol Jiseon.
Cheol Jiseon was too terrified to scream, his hands clutching his chest in sheer fear. Was it an instructor? Those two men had seemed powerful; to dispatch them so easily…
“…Where is he?”
Just as Cheol Jiseon began to feel a flicker of relief, thinking it might be an instructor, an unexpected voice came from above. It was a voice he had heard before. Not often, but a few times. Usually, it was a tired, sleepy, yet beautiful and charming voice. Now, it was cold, filled with a fury that sent a fresh wave of fear through him.
Cheol Jiseon slowly lifted his head to see who the voice belonged to.
The first thing he saw was a cascade of bluish-white hair.
“…Where…”
Then his eyes met two beautiful, icy blue pupils.
“Is he?”
Swish-!
She flicked the blood from her sword with a swift, practiced motion.
It was Namgung Bi-ah, gazing down at Cheol Jiseon with a chilling intensity.