Chapter 473: Ten Thousand (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 473: Ten Thousand (4)
There was once a girl without a name.
Or rather, she had been given names, but none had ever stuck. She never saw the point in clinging to them. They would all fade away in time, like everything else. Becoming attached would only make things harder.
Remembering the past was a bother. Each recollection forced her to relive moments she would rather forget. Yet, she was condemned to repeat life, over and over again. That was her task: to live until she achieved some unknown, desired goal.
How many times had it been?
Too many to count. It had likely been over a thousand cycles since the very first. The exact number was irrelevant now. For simplicity's sake, she decided it had been ten thousand times. It was probably far more, but ten thousand had a nice ring to it.
She had lived countless lives.
By now, she had even forgotten why this cycle had to repeat. After an eternity of repetition, she had arrived at this moment. The girl tried to remember. She needed to recall a time when she had a name, to etch into her mind the rare moments when she had genuinely smiled. These fading memories were the last things that kept her going.
\-- ■■ --
She tried to remember what she had been called.
It was a name she would never hear again. After all, whenever she returned to the beginning, it was as if nothing had ever happened. Precious memories decayed into mere imagination.
In her long existence, the lady had done it all.
Once, she became the master of the greatest merchant association in the Central Plains. Another time, she ruled the largest region in the world. She had been the Murim Alliance Leader, a clan lord… her roles were endless.
She lived myriad lives and experienced everything imaginable, yet the ending was always the same. A world crumbling to dust—sometimes by fate, sometimes by her own hand. Despair was the final, inescapable conclusion.
Nothing ever changed.
No matter what path she chose, the outcome was identical. What was the point of this hellish, repeating cycle? Was there even a solution? Why was this her fate?
These questions haunted her throughout her interminable existence. Even these thoughts grew blurry over the eons, but they never ceased entirely.
And so, she lived on.
This relentless cycle bred a deep resentment—and envy—for her other half, the one who shared her face. She envied that girl’s ability to cling to the same beliefs every time, to live each life in blissful ignorance.
The girl recalled the few hundred lives where she had tried to be good, where she had attempted to save the world. She had once believed that was her purpose. The irony was bitter. Even the strongest determination eventually rotted away with time. That was her harsh reality.
Her beliefs, her desire to understand her task… all had rusted into nothingness. The only things left were a handful of faint, cherished memories.
-I don’t like spicy food that much. They aren’t too tasty.
He had said it with a rude voice, even when she was trying to be kind.
-It’s cold, right?
He had foolishly tried to hold her hand.
-…I’ll be leaving first, sorry.
He had sacrificed his own life to save hers.
She remembered this past clearly. It was why she continued. As time passed, she had to give up many things. It felt like her heart was tearing apart each time a precious memory faded, but she had to endure. Only then could they live on.
The girl? No. She had never valued her own life. If she died, she would simply start over. She began by letting go of small things, but eventually, she had to release her most important memories. The name she was called, the hand extended to her in kindness… she stopped reaching for them first.
Sometime while she was still counting the lives, she realized the truth. Wanting to protect them by staying near them was futile. She couldn't.
She endured. And endured. Her heart shattered countless times. The pain never faded. But she had to bear it. So that he could live. Not her, but him.
In the endless cycles of apocalypse, the girl had only one desire. More than a hopeful life for herself, she wanted him to live in a world without a predetermined end.
Belief and power… such things meant nothing to her anymore. They too had rusted away. He was more important than all of it. And so, she gave up on staying by his side.
Despite his nature, he was quick to throw his life away to save others. He had died countless times trying to save her. The bitter irony was that he lived longest when she was nowhere near him. He survived until the world itself began to crumble and rot.
She denied this reality for a few cycles, but eventually, she had to accept it. His survival depended on her absence. The knowledge was certain, but her pathetic greed and obsession made it agonizing to let go.
Just look at her now. She couldn't resist being near him. While she felt a grim satisfaction at crushing her other half, she couldn't quell the jealousy she felt toward that ignorant girl.
She knew she had to let go of everything, but some things were simply beyond her strength. And that is why what happened next was so shocking.
“Someone told me this.”
It was someone she had resented at first.
“The one who sent me to the past.”
In time, he became her friend. After more time passed, he gave her a name.
“I heard that it was you. Is that right?”
For him, she ended up giving everything away, even the things she had desperately wanted to keep.
The Heavenly Demon was visibly shocked. I had never seen her eyes so wide. I didn't think it was possible for those cold, prideful eyes to hold such an expression. It almost made her resemble the Wi Seol-Ah I knew.
What am I even thinking?
I immediately erased the thought. It was only because they shared the same face. This horrifying creature was nothing like the simple-minded girl I knew.
A thought born from similar features?
That was a problem in itself. If I compared the Celestial Sword and the Heavenly Demon, they were practically the same person, differing only in hair and eye color. How was that possible?
At the same time…
My left arm is going wild.
An intense hostility radiated from my left arm. It was the same sensation I had felt when I encountered the Blood Demon. Why was I feeling this toward the Heavenly Demon, but not toward Wi Seol-Ah?
What does it mean?
What was the connection between these two? At the very least… it seemed the Heavenly Demon was linked to the Blood Demon. And if Wi Seol-Ah was related to the Heavenly Demon, then she must also be connected to the Blood Demon.
The Blood Demon and Wi Seol-Ah?
But how?
The story became impossibly convoluted if that were true. I’d have to ponder how the Sword Emperor could have raised Wi Seol-Ah as his granddaughter, but now was not the time for such thoughts.
For now…
The important thing was the Heavenly Demon standing before me. With her here, I couldn't afford to be distracted. Only a fool would let their mind wander in her presence.
Moreover, the Heavenly Demon was frozen in shock—an extremely rare sight.
…Could I win if I launch a surprise attack right now?
The thought crossed my mind, but I knew it was hopeless. I had already seen what happened to the Celestial Sword when she tried to fight her. Well, not really seen—they were too fast for my eyes to follow.
I still have a long way to go.
I was once again made aware of the immense mountain I had to climb. The Fusion Realm was nowhere near enough. I already knew this, but the reminder did nothing to improve my mood.
“…Hmm.”
The Heavenly Demon finally moved, bringing a hand to her chin as she broke from her stupor. She seemed deep in thought.
Then, a moment later.
Ddddd-!
She loosened her grip on the spatial rift.
Craaack-!
The moment she released the gate she had been forcibly closing, it unleashed its pent-up energy and began to open wide once more.
In an instant…
Swoosh-!
“…!”
I felt my body being violently pulled toward the gate. Just as I was about to channel my Qi in shock,
“I see. In the end, there is only one solution,” the Heavenly Demon mumbled, her eyes fixed on me. “I’m bored now.”
Strangely, there seemed to be a new light in her eyes.
“What are you suddenly talking about all of a—”
“You will be able to return to your world if you enter this gate.”
“…What?”
I stared at the rift. Was that what this gate was? A way back to my world all along?
Why did it appear so suddenly?
I was speechless. I hadn't done anything to summon it.
How does this relate to 'regret'?
This had nothing to do with what Tang Jaemoon had said.
The Heavenly Demon pointed at the open gate. “…I didn’t get an answer to my question yet.”
She smirked as I barely managed to speak. “You never expected to hear an answer in the first place.”
“…”
“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?”
I gulped nervously. I thought my act had worked, but she had seen through my intent from the beginning. To put it simply, getting an answer from her would have been nice, but my main goal was to stall for time by distracting her.
However.
That answer…
Could I take it as confirmation that she was the one who sent me back in time?
“…Why?”
The question escaped my lips before I could stop it.
Why?
For what reason? How did she manage to send me back?
“Why would you…”
“I don’t know. I’m not the one you know. I am not from your world.”
“Don’t lie. Surely you know—”
“Lie?”
The Heavenly Demon frowned. Simultaneously, an unimaginable pressure exploded from her.
“Do not dare to judge me when you know nothing about me. How unpleasant.”
“…”
I had clearly angered her. Her tone was chilling. It was just a wave of Qi, but it felt like the very space around us was distorting. I couldn't speak; I could barely breathe under the crushing pressure.
“You do not belong to this world. Disappear.”
“…Wait… I…”
“You achieved the outcome this world desired. This gate is the proof of that.”
She claimed I had achieved something, but I had done nothing. Tang Jaemoon said that no matter what decision I made, nothing would change. But in this world, I hadn't even been given a chance to make a decision.
Perhaps reading my expression, the Heavenly Demon spoke again, her gaze cold. “It seems you are mistaken.”
“…What?”
“No matter what you tried to do in this world, nothing would have changed.”
“What do you…”
-Are you afraid of the Demonic Sword dying to protect you? Do you want to save her that desperately?
“…!”
-Or perhaps, you are worried that the one you left behind will get hurt?
My body froze solid at her lightly spoken words. How did the Heavenly Demon know all of this?
Ignoring my shock, she continued. “I didn’t know what you dreamt of achieving, but it seems the one who sent you here was unaware of something.”
“…You…”
“As long as I exist, you will not be able to change anything.”
“You… just what are you?”
How could she know even that?
“What a foolish question. You already know what I am, do you not?”
The Heavenly Demon smiled.
“I am the Heavenly Demon. I have no other name. And even if I did,” she said, calmly brushing my cheek with her ice-cold hand. I was powerless to escape her touch, my body still locked in place.
My arm shook. My left arm trembled violently, as if despising the Heavenly Demon's contact.
Glancing at my arm, the Heavenly Demon spoke to me with a smile. “I have already forgotten it.”
As her sentence ended, the Gate of Demons expanded instantly.
“You should as well.”
And just like that, the Gate of Demons swallowed me whole.