Chapter 346: Comeback (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 346: Comeback (6)
Beneath the moonlight, a figure sat perched upon a massive boulder, pouring a drink. Strands of long hair dipped into the cup, ignored or perhaps unnoticed.
The moon's reflection shimmered on the liquid's surface. Noting this, the figure raised the cup and took a slow sip.
It was a simple action, yet it carried an air of profound dignity, a quiet power radiating from their poised stillness.
Behind them, the verdant forest was marred by dark, spreading pools of blood.
Littering the ground were the corpses of martial artists once renowned throughout the Central Plains.
Their ranks had ranged from the Peak Realm to the Fusion Realm.
This was a force potent enough to eradicate a noble clan. And the one now drinking so serenely had ended them all with little more than a few casual gestures.
After draining the cup, the figure turned, its gaze falling directly upon me.
Meeting those violet eyes felt like watching the moon itself change color.
[Captain.]
[…Yes.]
I bowed my head at the call. The Heavenly Demon glanced at me briefly before pouring another drink.
Dribble.
The soft sound of liquid filling the cup echoed unnaturally loudly in the deathly still forest.
[Are you disappointed?]
[About what, if I may ask?]
[I’m asking if you’re disappointed that I took your prize.]
[…]
I said nothing. As if expecting this silence, the Heavenly Demon lifted the cup and took another sip.
The bodies strewn across the ground behind us belonged to a force dispatched by the Murim Alliance to eliminate me. The presence of fighters from outside the Alliance suggested they had spent a fortune hiring extra mercenaries.
[…Not at all. Had you not been kind enough to intervene, I might have been in genuine danger.]
The Heavenly Demon smiled at my response.
[You? In danger? That’s amusing.]
With a light swing of its hand, the Heavenly Demon laughed.
Swooosh-!
Black flames erupted, engulfing the corpses and causing them to vanish without a trace.
[The Alliance must be growing desperate, to waste resources on such a pointless endeavor.]
The Three Venerables, the strongest of the Central Plains, were dead. Mount Hua had been reduced to ash. The Namgung Clan was destroyed.
The former pillars of the Orthodox Faction were now either being absorbed into the Demonic Cult or wiped from existence.
Ironically, across the Central Plains, followers of the Heavenly Demon and the Demonic Cult were beginning to emerge.
As the once-almighty Murim Alliance crumbled, people were making their choice. Seeing the inevitable fall of the Central Plains and the rise of the Demonic Cult, they chose to align themselves with the Heavenly Demon.
Did any hope remain for the Central Plains?
No, it seemed impossible. At least, that was what I believed. Any hope had vanished the moment the Heavenly Demon appeared.
Such was the nature of its existence.
The Heavenly Demon was a walking calamity, the end of days given human form.
After finishing the drink, the Heavenly Demon looked up at the night sky.
A light breeze drifted past, stirring its long hair.
[Captain.]
[Yes.]
[I will depart for Henan in one week.]
[…!]
I masked my shock. The Heavenly Demon itself intended to personally initiate the war in Henan.
There had been many conflicts, but this was the first time the Heavenly Demon had chosen to take direct action.
[You seem surprised.]
[Not at all. I merely…]
[Are you worried?]
[…]
Worried?
The word struck a nerve, and I fell silent.
Had it read my expression? The Heavenly Demon continued, a hint of amusement in its tone.
[It doesn’t seem like you are worried about me.]
It raised a pale hand to its chin, studying me intently with those violet eyes. Unable to hold its gaze, I lowered my head.
[Then, I wonder who it is that has our Captain so concerned.]
[It’s not like that… I am not worried…]
[You are a poor liar, Captain. You know that?]
[…]
[Despite your years, you still possess a certain childishness, Captain.]
Chuckle.
The Heavenly Demon’s soft laughter echoed in the silence.
[You are the only person who has ever told me a lie and lived to speak of it. Did you know that?]
[…]
[You are also the only one who can remain silent in my presence and survive. ]
[Leader…]
The Heavenly Demon rose slowly, as if it had never expected a response.
[The Sword Demon will soon return.]
[The Deer King in Sichuan must have finished his preparations by now. He will move against the Dao Emperor.]
As it spoke, the Heavenly Demon began to hover slightly above the ground.
A dark aura swirled around it, resembling a pair of shadowy wings.
I was taken aback. I had known nothing of these plans.
The Sword Demon was my subordinate. The Deer King had been Zhuge Hyuk’s escort but had come under my command after his death. The fact that I was unaware of their missions meant this was the Heavenly Demon’s own design.
Was the Heavenly Demon trying to sideline me?
The thought crossed my mind, dark and unbidden.
Then, the Heavenly Demon continued.
[I will now assume direct command of the army.]
[Leader…!]
This, in itself, was not strange. The Demonic Humans had always belonged to the Heavenly Demon. But until now, it had always acted indirectly. Zhuge Hyuk and I had held command, and after his death, the bulk of the forces fell to me, with some authority shared among the other Vice Captains.
The Heavenly Demon’s decision to take control now signaled its intent to act directly—a move that would surely bring utter calamity to the Central Plains.
The Central Plains had only survived this long because the Heavenly Demon had remained in the shadows. I knew it had the power to reduce everything to ash with ease.
But… why?
Why now? I had always known this day would come, yet I couldn't help but question the timing. Why had it waited until now to step forward?
Was it because the Three Venerables were dead and their forces broken? Was it simply waiting for assured victory? Given the Heavenly Demon’s nature, I doubted such petty reasoning.
Unable to contain my curiosity, I finally spoke.
[Leader…]
[Yes.]
[…May I ask why?]
Questioning the Heavenly Demon’s will was unthinkable, a transgression that should not be forgiven. Yet, I had to ask.
[A reason, you ask.]
The Heavenly Demon looked down from its height, amusement flickering in its gaze. Its form eclipsed the moon, blocking the light, leaving only its violet eyes glowing in the darkness.
[So, you were curious.]
[I apologize…]
The subtle curve of its eyes told me it was smiling.
[The time has simply come.]
The time has come?
The words resonated deep within me, stirring a strange foreboding.
[From this moment on, everything I utter will be an order you must follow without question.]
[…Understood.]
[When I go to Henan, you will have to make a choice.]
I listened intently.
[You must choose whether to accompany me to Henan, or to remain here.]
[…Leader? What do you mean…?]
I was baffled. A choice? When the leader of the Demonic Cult marched to war, my place was naturally by its side.
[Captain, I am certain you would choose to go to Henan, even if I gave you the option to stay.]
[Of course.]
[But is that choice truly for my sake?]
[…!]
I struggled to conceal my shock.
[Your eyes are the same as they have always been.]
[…Leader.]
[It seems that girl still occupies your thoughts, Captain.]
[Not at all. How could I possibly be concerned about such a…]
[I will forgive this lie, Captain. Just this once.]
[…]
Whether intentional or not, the Heavenly Demon brushed its hair aside, giving me a clear view of its face.
That familiar visage stirred a tumult of emotions within me, making it difficult to meet its gaze.
[I am fond of you, Captain.]
[…Thank y-]
[However, there are times I wish to strike your neck. Do you know when?]
[…]
[It is whenever you look upon my face with that longing in your eyes. Each time, it makes me wish to gouge them out.]
[If it is your wish, I will burn my eyes to ash here and now.]
I meant every word.
The Heavenly Demon’s lips curved into a satisfied smile.
[That would be a pity. I am rather fond of your eyes, Captain.]
Rustle.
As the Heavenly Demon ascended higher, the forest around us began to wither, the vegetation rotting away as life was drained from it.
It was the effect of the Demonic Qi pouring from its body.
[When all is finished,]
[a time will come when you must make a decision, Captain.]
A decision.
A time for me to decide?
I still could not grasp its meaning.
[When that time comes,]
The Heavenly Demon’s final words reached me, yet somehow, I could never recall them afterward. I was left with no clarity about the choice I was meant to make.
It was because the Heavenly Demon was slain by the Celestial Sword in the war that followed.
Every Demonic Human in Henan was captured by the Alliance, facing either execution or torture.
It was the definitive defeat of the Demonic Cult.
No one had expected the Orthodox Faction to win.
Not even me.
And even now, after my regression, having reached the Fusion Realm once more, I still cannot comprehend what decision the Heavenly Demon wanted me to make.
Blaaaze-!
I tore through the forest, flames roaring around me as I pushed my Qi to its absolute limit, racing desperately toward my destination.
No…
I clenched my teeth, trying to suppress the rising tide of fear.
Thud, thud.
My Dantian pulsed, resonating with a presence far beyond me. It was the source of my terror.
Every one of my senses screamed in response to the vibration. My Dantian quaked, a strange ringing filled my ears, and a bitter taste coated my tongue. My vision sharpened unnaturally, allowing me to see something in the distance even as my hands shook uncontrollably.
Only one presence could evoke such a reaction.
My instincts screamed the truth: the ruler of countless demons was there.
In that place, the Heavenly Demon awaited.
This can’t be happening.
This wasn’t the time for the Heavenly Demon to reappear. It shouldn't happen until I was twenty, which was still years away.
Has history changed?
It was possible. Much had been altered since my regression; this could be another shift. But this… I couldn’t afford this. Of all things, the Heavenly Demon’s arrival was the one variable I was utterly unprepared to face.
Faster.
I pushed myself harder, stoking the flames around me to burn brighter, to propel me forward with even greater speed. I didn’t bother dodging obstacles; I simply melted everything in my path to ash.
I pushed all other thoughts aside—the chaos at the Academy, the ambush, all the strange events. Only the Heavenly Demon occupied my mind.
I kept running.
Craaack-!
I scorched a straight line through the forest, trees splintering and burning in my wake.
How long had I been running?
Finally, I reached the epicenter of that ominous presence.
And then, I saw it.
A scene of devastation lay before me. In the midst of the wreckage, Bi Eejin knelt, gasping for breath.
Why was he in such a state?
My eyes scanned the area.
Then I saw Wi Seol-Ah.
She stood with her sword drawn, a fierce, golden Combat Qi blazing around her. It was unmistakably the martial art of the Sword Venerable. The power radiating from her was staggering, far beyond anything I had imagined she could achieve.
But my gaze was drawn past her.
To the figure standing opposite her, facing her down.
The moment my eyes fell upon that figure, time itself seemed to stop.
For only a few seconds, perhaps.
In that brief eternity, a flood of thoughts crashed through my mind.
I felt… nothing. A profound emptiness. But I saw it, clearly, with my own eyes.
I saw the figure standing there. I saw its face.
And yet, it stirred no emotion within me.
Then, the figure turned from Wi Seol-Ah and looked directly at me.
I thought I might be mistaken, but there was no doubt. It was staring right at me.
And then, time snapped back into motion.
I lunged forward, pulling Wi Seol-Ah into my arms.
“Ah…!”
She gasped in surprise at my sudden appearance, but I held her firmly, yanking her away from the figure.
“Huff… Huff…”
Panting, I gathered my Qi, shielding Wi Seol-Ah within my embrace. My pupils ignited with Flame Qi, and my hair stirred with power.
Despite my abrupt entrance, the figure remained utterly impassive.
“…Why.”
I addressed it directly, my voice tight.
“Why have you appeared now?”
The aura had already told me everything, but facing it now, I was certain.
The figure before me—a perfect mirror image of Wi Seol-Ah—tilted its head slightly.
My breath caught in my throat as our eyes met. I felt a void of nothingness, and yet a crushing weight of everything, all at once.
Masking my terror, I spoke its name.
“…Heavenly Demon.”
At my words, the Heavenly Demon’s violet eyes glowed with an inner light.
In that instant, I knew with a chilling, absolute certainty.
The Heavenly Demon had returned to this world.