Chapter 669: My Name Is (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 669: My Name Is (3)
The sun was gradually dipping below the horizon.
Standing in the middle of the silent forest, I glared at the figure before me.
She had the sharp eyes and long black hair characteristic of the Gu Clan. On top of that, her crimson eyes signified her deep affinity for heat. The all-too-familiar sight made my entire body go rigid.
The woman tilted her head and spoke to me.
“Little brother?”
I scrunched up my nose at the title I hadn’t heard in a long time.
“…Sister.”
As the word left my lips, my entire face twisted, not just my nose.
The woman’s identity was none other than Gu Huibi. The Sword Phoenix, Gu Huibi—the eldest daughter of the Gu Clan and my older sister.
And there, clinging tightly to Gu Huibi’s back, the Heavenly Demon peeked out at me.
How the hell was I supposed to describe this situation? It was a complete mess. I couldn’t think of any other way to put it.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, little brother?” Gu Huibi greeted me with a smile.
I couldn’t bring myself to smile back.
Fwoosh.
The moment I recognized her, I withdrew the Holy Spear. Its energy naturally receded, returning to my heart. However, my instincts remained on high alert. Spreading my senses out like sharp needles, I evened my breathing.
As I shrouded myself in my aura to assess the situation, the Heavenly Demon, who had been peeking from behind my sister, pointed a finger at me.
“Sis.”
“Hm?”
“He followed me.”
Gu Huibi tilted her head at the wary words. At the same time, my eyes widened as I glared at the Heavenly Demon.
‘…What did she just say?’
What did that thing just call Gu Huibi? Did she… call her ‘Sis’?
‘What kind of crazy bullshit is this?’
I had no idea what was going on. But—
“No, Yeon, that…”
“Hey.”
“…!”
Grrrrrr!
I unleashed my aura in a sudden burst. Fully opening my heart awakened the energy that had seeped into its deepest corners. At the sudden release of power, Gu Huibi’s eyes widened and her body stiffened.
“Get away from her.”
“...”
The Heavenly Demon’s expression crumpled as I spoke, my fighting spirit radiating outward.
“I said, get away.”
“No.”
“No?”
Ziiiiing!
Pure killing intent seeped into the aura pouring out of me. The fear and anxiety I had felt just moments before vanished, replaced by a singular, cold resolve.
I’ll kill it.
I’ll kill it and get it away from Gu Huibi.
Right now, that was the only thought in my head.
“Then you can just die.”
I had to kill it to get it away from her anyway. If I was going to have to deal with it eventually, now was as good a time as any. The anxiety that I might not be able to win had long since evaporated.
Kill it.
Having made my decision, I reached out.
Ggggrk!
The energy erupting from my heart surged into my arm, binding together tightly to form Combat Qi. With this as my weapon, I thrust my hand toward the Heavenly Demon. My fingertips were inches away.
When I reach her, I’ll grab her neck and rip it off.
Just as that thought crossed my mind and I lunged—
Grip.
Gu Huibi casually grabbed my wrist.
“Little brother.”
I shifted my gaze at the sound of her cool voice. Gu Huibi’s crimson eyes were blazing, but unlike the heat radiating from them, the emotion within was chillingly cold.
“What do you think you’re doing right now?”
“...”
Tsssss.
I frowned at the heat searing my wrist, then looked Gu Huibi in the eye.
“…Sister.”
“Yes.”
“You’re in the Fusion Realm?”
“...”
A flicker of surprise crossed Gu Huibi’s face at my blunt question. I was just as shocked.
‘…How did she get there?’
Gu Huibi had reached the Fusion Realm. I was certain of it from the heat I’d just felt and the sheer density of her energy upon contact. To think the daughter of our father had already reached the Fusion Realm… Seriously, how?
The killing intent from moments ago vanished as if it had never existed, replaced by a wellspring of questions.
‘Is something like this even possible?’
Sword Phoenix Gu Huibi. Ever since she was a young prodigy, she had been hailed as the greatest of her generation, showcasing overwhelming talent. She had inherited Lady Mi’s striking beauty, but she was also infamous for her incredibly foul temperament.
Foul didn't even cover it. Because she was a sword-wielding heroine, she was given the respectable title of Sword Phoenix, but she later earned the moniker ‘Crazy Mad Bitch.’
Crazy Mad Bitch. As in, she was so crazy they had to say it twice.
‘How insane do you have to be for people to call you that?’
Gu Huibi’s temper was exceptionally nasty, even by the standards of the Gu Clan.
‘To the point where a nice guy like me couldn’t possibly stand her.’
Anyway. No matter what the rumors about Gu Huibi were, they always ended with the same conclusion.
‘…A talent that makes you put up with that shitty personality.’
It was Gu Huibi who was called the greatest prodigy, leaving the Sword Dragon Yung Pung of Mount Hua and the Sleeping Dragon Woo Hyuk of Wudang in her wake.
The Gu Clan was a small clan in Shanxi that, while noble, had lost much of its power. Many had questioned how the child of the Tiger Warrior—who was only in the latter half of the Hundred Masters—could possess such monstrous talent.
‘…What’s there to question? She was just a fucking genius.’
Sometimes, a dragon is born from a tiger. You never know how the world works.
‘After all, even a tiger can give birth to a dog.’
And of course, I was the dog.
As I wallowed in self-pity, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
‘No, wait. Was it a dragon born from a dragon?’
From my perspective, having glimpsed our father’s true power, Gu Huibi’s talent wasn’t actually that surprising. She simply took after our father. That was all the explanation needed.
Yes, that was Gu Huibi’s position: a monster who was the spitting image of our father’s talent. As such, it wouldn’t be difficult for her to be called a genius, but…
‘Still, reaching the Fusion Realm this early is strange.’
Her current level was more than just strange; it was bizarre.
‘How did this happen?’
It wasn’t that I didn’t believe in her talent. It was simply that this was too much, too fast.
‘…It’s true there are a lot of people in the Fusion Realm around me lately.’
Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-Ah, of course, but also Tang Soyeol and Woo Hyuk. I knew they were growing at a rapid pace, unlike in my past life.
‘But that’s because of my intervention.’
The only one I felt I’d properly intervened with was Tang Soyeol, but it was a fact that the flapping of my wings had changed the world.
But.
‘I haven’t done a single thing for Gu Huibi.’
And yet, she had reached the Fusion Realm. Though she had the talent to reach it eventually, this speed felt unnatural.
‘Is this also because of me?’
Or…
‘Is it because of that thing?’
I could see the Heavenly Demon glaring at me. Did it do something to Gu Huibi? No, in the first place, why were the two of them even together?
The questions piled up. Just as I was about to use force to get some answers—
“Little brother. Stop.”
Gu Huibi stood in my way.
“Yeon, you stop too.”
At Gu Huibi’s words, the Heavenly Demon frowned. I could see a small wisp of energy coiling around her hand. She had been about to fight me.
But.
“Yeonah. Your sister is talking.”
“...”
“Stop it.”
When Gu Huibi stopped her with a sharp, commanding voice, the Heavenly Demon’s face scrunched up before she finally withdrew her energy.
I couldn’t even react to the insanity of the situation. The Heavenly Demon was actually listening to someone. The sight was so dissonant it made my head spin.
As I watched with a bewildered expression, Gu Huibi let out a shallow sigh.
“First, we should move. Here…”
“Sister, do you even know what that thing is you’re keeping with you?”
“...”
“If you don’t even know, why—”
“Follow me,” Gu Huibi cut me off. “I’ll explain when we get there. For now, just follow.”
With those words, Gu Huibi turned her back. The Heavenly Demon gave me one last glare before following her.
“…Hah.”
I watched them silently, suppressing my emotions. I stared at the backs of the Heavenly Demon and Gu Huibi. Biting my lip, I finally took a step and followed.
All the while, my eyes were fixed solely on the Heavenly Demon’s back.
* * *
I followed the two of them.
We didn’t walk for long, but by the time we stopped, the sun had completely set. Just as I was wondering how far we were going, we finally arrived at our destination.
It was a forest far from the city. A small hut sat on a hill where one would never expect to find a sign of human life.
Don’t tell me they live there?
The moment the suspicion arose, Gu Huibi entered the hut.
“Come in.”
“...”
As soon as the words were out, the Heavenly Demon quickly slipped inside. Her movements were all too familiar.
Inside the pitch-black room, Gu Huibi waved her hand.
Flicker!
A flame ignited in a dormant lamp, revealing a rather messy room. Seeing this, the Heavenly Demon tilted her head.
“Sis, it’s your turn to clean today.”
“…Ahem.”
At the comment, Gu Huibi let out a dry cough.
“…I had things to do today, so I forgot.”
“Okay.”
“Really.”
“Okay.”
The Heavenly Demon nodded blankly at Gu Huibi’s excuse. I watched the scene in silence, my patience reaching its absolute limit.
“Yeonah, do you want to go out for a little walk?” Gu Huibi asked.
“Okay.”
This time, too, the Heavenly Demon simply obeyed without question. She turned to leave, and our eyes met. Her shoulder brushed past mine as she walked out.
I felt my hands clench into tight fists.
Creek.
Thud.
The door slowly closed, and the Heavenly Demon’s presence faded. Only then did Gu Huibi slowly sit down on the floor.
“I don’t have any tea. Do you want some?”
“And if I say I do?”
“I’d have to send her on an errand. She’s gotten quite good at it after a few times.”
“...”
I didn’t need to ask who she was talking about. She was actually sending the Heavenly Demon on errands.
“Forget it,” I refused with a sigh. I didn’t need tea. “Just explain.”
“We haven’t seen each other in so long, and you don’t even have a greeting for me? Your big sister is disappointed.”
“I’m not in the mood for jokes.”
When I spoke with a frown, Gu Huibi let out a short laugh. I didn’t like that smile.
“Explain what happened. Why are you with that thing?”
I had only half-believed what Moyong Hi-ah had told me because I thought there was no way it could be true. But seeing this, I knew her words were accurate. Gu Huibi really was with the Heavenly Demon. How on earth did this happen?
At my question, Gu Huibi’s smile turned bitter.
“‘That thing’? Little brother, that’s not a very nice way to refer to someone.”
“Don’t change the subject. You obviously don’t even know what that is…”
“How could I not know?”
“What did you say?”
Gu Huibi’s words made me scowl. Was she saying she knew the Heavenly Demon’s identity? How?
Just as deep anxiety and questions began to surface, she spoke again.
“We both met at the Black Palace. How could I not know after seeing that spectacle?”
“...”
Gu Huibi’s words brought a strange sense of relief. She was referring to the child form of the Heavenly Demon she had seen at the Black Palace. It meant that, at the very least, she didn’t know the full details.
However.
“You know that, and you’re still taking it with you? Are you crazy?”
Even seeing just that fragment of the situation, it was clear the Heavenly Demon was not a normal being. At the very least, it wasn’t human. She should have been certain of that.
“What do you plan to do, keeping something so dangerous by your side?”
“How do you know if it’s dangerous or not, little brother?”
“…Huh?”
At my words, Gu Huibi’s temper seemed to flare, and her tone became harsh.
“Whether that child is dangerous or not—how can you be so sure, little brother?”
If I didn’t know, who would? I was the only one who knew what the rest of the world did not. The Heavenly Demon was dangerous. It was just difficult to prove it because I was the only one with the memories of the future.
“You can tell just by looking.”
“You can’t know something just by looking, little brother. Especially for ‘us,’ we of all people shouldn’t talk like that. Don’t you understand?”
“...”
Gu Huibi’s words made my tongue twist. This wasn’t good. Not only was her momentum formidable, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to break that damn stubbornness of hers.
Of course—
“Sister, I’m pretty sure I told you not to change the subject.”
When it came to stubbornness, I wouldn’t lose either.
“What I asked was why you are with that thing. If you keep annoyingly changing the subject, then forget this conversation. I’ll handle things my way.”
I was holding back right now. At this point, what Gu Huibi thought was meaningless. There was a goal right in front of me. And since I had decided not to run away anymore, there was only one thing to do.
“Explain. Before I get up.”
Once I stood up, it would be over. I imbued my words with that heavy meaning.
“...”
A deep sigh escaped Gu Huibi’s lips.
“If you get up…? Are you going to harm that child?”
I didn’t answer. I had expressed myself clearly enough. Now was the time to wait for her answer.
“Hmm.”
At my reaction, Gu Huibi composed her fierce eyes and adopted a calm demeanor. Contrary to my own raging emotions, I looked at her with surprise. To be able to become so calm here instead of getting angry…
Considering the last time I saw Gu Huibi was years ago, it was a tremendous change, just like her martial arts.
And if…
‘If the Heavenly Demon created this change.’
That made me dislike the situation even more.
“Little brother.”
Having calmly finished her thoughts, Gu Huibi looked at me.
“You can’t do that.”
Her following words made my eyes harden.
“Are you looking down on me right now?”
“No. It might be different for others, but you can’t do it, little brother. I mean that sincerely.”
Gu Huibi smiled. It was a refreshing smile that resembled Lady Mi’s. It just didn’t resonate with me.
“Sister, I’m not in a generous enough mood to listen to nonse—”
“The reason I’m with that child… is because this is a family matter.”
“…!”
Gu Huibi’s next words made me freeze. Not just the words I was speaking, but the energy I was raising as well.
‘A family matter?’
Those words came from none other than Gu Huibi. A family matter. That meant the reason Gu Huibi was with the Heavenly Demon right now was because of the Gu Clan.
“Bullshit.”
I spat out the word, filled with displeasure. It was utter nonsense.
“Bullshit? You’ve got quite the mouth on you now, talking to your sister like that.”
“What is this if not bullshit? Sister, have you really lost your mind?”
Gu Huibi wasn’t stupid enough to bring up a family matter so lightly. It was something I had never said, even during my old hooligan days. That’s how much weight the words ‘a family matter’ held for a blood relative.
“How can you attach that thing to a family matter?”
“Because it’s the literal truth.”
“Sister.”
“If you knew who ‘sent’ that child to me, you would also realize that my words are true.”
I felt a subtle nuance in Gu Huibi’s words. The person who sent the Heavenly Demon to Gu Huibi?
‘Don’t tell me… is it a blood relative of the Gu Clan?’
Is that why Gu Huibi was deliberately calling it a family matter?
‘But who?’
I racked my brain, but no one came to mind. Who in the Gu Clan was so important that simply being sent by them would make this a family matter?
‘Isn’t there no one besides Father?’
Even though there were elders and captains of the swordsmen, in the Gu Clan, the Lord ultimately made most of the decisions.
Then, was it Father?
‘No, that’s impossible.’
I immediately denied it. Father would never do that. He would never send something like that to Gu Huibi.
Then was it the First Elder? In terms of influence, the First Elder was somewhat plausible, but…
‘If anything, the First Elder would be even less likely to do so.’
Then the only ones left were the other elders…
‘Those geezers are as good as useless.’
The remaining ones were old men in the back rooms who were only holding on because they had the Gu surname. They weren’t the type to get involved in family matters.
‘No matter how much I think about it, there’s no one.’
I couldn’t think of anyone, and my questions only deepened. Just then, Gu Huibi looked at me and gave me the answer.
“Grandfather.”
“…Huh?”
What?
“The one who sent that child to me was none other than Grandfather.”
A completely unexpected person had appeared.