Chapter 452: How Manyth World Is This? (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 452: How Manyth World Is This? (1)
“I am the Dancer.”
A woman wearing a mask introduced herself, having emerged without warning from the other side of the Gate of Demons.
That she had come from a different realm was strange enough, but my attention was immediately captured by her words.
-I greet the being from another world.
A being belonging to another world?
Hearing that from her sent a chill down my spine. It sounded as if she knew I didn’t belong here.
I fought to keep my composure. “Were you the one looking for me?”
Was she the one who had sent the Celestial Sword to bring me here? If so, just who was she? This was the first time I had ever seen anyone like her.
I never saw her in my past life.
Whether in my past life or this one, I had never encountered a woman with such an aura. That made it impossible to place her.
Was this world not the one I knew? By now, I was starting to suspect this wasn't even a memory of my past. Things had felt off from the very beginning. If this were truly a reflection of my memories, there shouldn't be anything here I wasn't aware of—yet that wasn't the case. I'd realized it just days after falling into this world. I had simply been doing my best to ignore the fact.
Frowning, I continued to stare at the woman who called herself the Dancer. She responded with her hands gathered respectfully. “I have no right to do such a thing.”
“Right?”
What did that mean? Was she merely a messenger?
The Dancer.
The title felt familiar. Of course, I knew what a dancer was, but she was the Dancer. Where had I heard that before? I was sure it was important…
…!
A memory surfaced almost instantly. It was from a few years ago, during the Dragons and Phoenixes tournament. Specifically, the final match against Jang Seonyeon. Back then, the Blood Demon, speaking through a host, had said to me:
-If you get to meet the Dancer…
He’d told me to let her know he was looking for her. The Blood Demon had definitely mentioned the Dancer.
Which meant…
This woman is connected to the Blood Demon?
My frown deepened. I glanced at the Celestial Sword. She stood perfectly still, her expression calm despite the Dancer's appearance. She seemed slightly uncomfortable, but not at all shocked. Clearly, the Dancer’s arrival was not unexpected to her.
What is going on?
If the Blood Demon was behind this 'Dancer,' did that mean the Celestial Sword knew of the Blood Demon’s existence? A torrent of questions flooded my mind. As I bit my tongue, a sense of foreboding washing over me, the Dancer spoke again.
“I apologize for receiving you in this manner.”
“…How did you know I came from elsewhere?” I asked.
“A prophecy. My master foretold that a being from another world would arrive here, and that I must treat you with respect.”
A prophecy about my arrival?
So this world truly isn't a reflection of my memory.
She had called it a test and sent me to an entirely different world. But what world was this? It was undoubtedly similar to the one I experienced in my past life, yet… something was different. Whatever. The important question was why Tang Jaemoon had sent me here.
I let my anger show. “I don’t care about your prophecy. I want to know how you identified me as that person.”
Who gave the prophecy didn’t matter. I needed to know how they could be so certain it was me.
It was the Celestial Sword who answered, not the Dancer. “…Our energy resonated.”
I glanced at her. She spoke without meeting my eyes.
So that’s it.
It was what I had suspected. She had just confirmed it. They had deduced my origin when her energy resonated with mine. That was what she said, and it was what had happened.
But is that reason enough?
I still found it hard to accept.
As I pondered, the Dancer looked at my handcuffs and then at the Celestial Sword. “Free him.”
The moment she spoke, the handcuffs fell to the ground, cleanly severed. I stared at the Celestial Sword.
When did she draw her sword?
She now held a blade in her hand. She had drawn and cut the cuffs without me even noticing. And more than that—
Slam-!
My Qi, previously sealed, surged back to life, flowing freely through my body. The shackle on my Dantian had been released along with the physical restraints. The Celestial Sword must have done that, too.
After checking my condition, the Dancer approached me. “I apologize that the current situation necessitated such poor treatment.” Her words were respectful, but her tone and posture were cold as ice, like speaking to a statue.
“Fine. Anyway, what do you want from me?” I preferred to get straight to the point, disliking convoluted stories. What was their ultimate goal?
The Dancer replied with the same careful tone. “My master wishes to meet you.”
So, she couldn’t give me the answer herself.
At the same time she responded—
Craaack-!
The Gate of Demons she had emerged from earlier began to open again. Was she signaling for me to follow her inside?
When I gave her a questioning look, the Dancer explained, “My master is unfortunately indisposed and unable to move, so he requests you visit him.”
“What happens if I refuse?”
When I asked what would happen if I declined, the Dancer simply stared at me, offering no response. There was no option to refuse.
A polite tone, but it's a threat nonetheless.
I smiled bitterly. Everyone in this world was so violent. I hated being on the weaker side; it was why I needed to get stronger.
I shook my head and stared at the Dancer. “I just follow you in there?”
“Thank you for your understanding.”
Some understanding. Whether she noticed my sour expression or not, the Dancer turned and stepped toward the Gate of Demons. Without hesitation, I followed.
This suited me. Instead of wondering, it would be faster to go directly to the source and demand answers about this world.
Let's just hear how this damned world came to be.
With that thought, I stepped into the Demonic Realm, closing my eyes as light poured from the other side. When I opened them—
“Hmm?”
A massive ice crystal loomed before my eyes.
In a room steeped in silence, a navy-colored stick lay upon a large table. It looked like worthless junk, but it was one of the Five Treasure Swords of the Central Plains—the Namgung Clan’s treasure, the Thunder Fang. Even considering only its hilt remained, the woman staring at it had eyes so sharp and cold they felt like they could cut.
After a long, quiet stare, the woman spoke to the man seated across from her. “…Why…?”
Her voice was laced with clear anger and resentment.
Hearing her, the man lifted his head. “What are you talking about?”
“Why… did you send him…?”
The Demonic Sword’s beautiful face furrowed into a deeper frown seeing the man’s unbothered reaction. “…You shouldn’t have sent him…”
“He said he would go himself. I merely respected his decision.”
“…Lies…”
The Demonic Sword firmly doubted the Demon Emperor’s words. “…Captain… doesn’t know how to respect…”
“…”
The Demon Emperor frowned, seeming insulted. “…Vice Captain. What do you think you are doing right now?”
He showed his displeasure, but the Demonic Sword only repeated herself. “You shouldn’t have sent him.”
“You are just repeating yourself. Have you lost your mind?”
Slam-!
The table shattered into pieces as the Demon Emperor lightly slammed his fist down. “You are succumbing to unnecessary emotions. What makes you care so much about him?”
“…”
It had only been a few days. That was how long the young man—Pal Jeolyub, undoubtedly a fake name—had been around the Demonic Sword after appearing under the Heavenly Demon’s banner. There was no information on him. To overcome the wall of the Fusion Realm at such a young age, yet be unknown in this world? He claimed to have become a Demonic Human for revenge after the Orthodox Faction destroyed his clan, but no one in the Black Flame Army believed him. However, since he used the Heavenly Demon’s name and remained unharmed, they saw no need to dig deeper. Demonic Humans didn't trust each other, but they all believed in the Heavenly Demon.
“I don’t understand.”
They had avoided an unnecessary conflict, reclaimed the Thunder Fang, and rid themselves of a suspicious individual. It was the best possible outcome. So why was the Demonic Sword acting this way? The Demon Emperor couldn’t understand; it frustrated him.
The Demonic Sword’s eyes shifted strangely as she continued to stare at him. Amid the anger and resentment, another emotion began to surface. The Demon Emperor saw it as pity.
Just as he was about to yell, demanding why she looked at him that way, the Demonic Sword spoke. “…It’s not me… who is feeling unnecessary emotions…”
“…”
The Demon Emperor’s expression darkened. “…It’s you…”
Slam-!
A piece of the broken table flew past the Demonic Sword and smashed against the wall, shattering further. The Demon Emperor had thrown it, unable to contain his anger. “Vice Captain. Do not cross the line any further.”
“…”
It was a final warning. He would not forgive her if she continued.
Hearing this, the Demonic Sword gathered the Thunder Fang into her arms without another word. As she opened the door to leave, she delivered a final message to the Demon Emperor. “I… won’t give up on you… no matter what happens.”
The Demon Emperor was baffled. He wanted to shout after her, to demand what she meant, but it was too late—the Demonic Sword was already gone.
Craaack.
The Demon Emperor’s fist clenched tighter.
Then…
Slam-!
He swung his fist, demolishing the wall beside him.
“…”
Patter.
Debris from the shattered wall piled on the floor. The Demon Emperor tried to steady his breathing. His anger wasn't solely because the Demonic Sword failed to understand his decision. It was because of what she had said.
-…It’s not me… who is feeling unnecessary emotions…
-…It’s you…
Her words had struck a nerve he had been desperately trying to hide.