Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: To the Cliff's Edge (2)
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A person cannot live alone.
No matter how joyous the occasion, how happy the moment, or how great the achievement, if there is no one to share those feelings with, one soon realizes its meaninglessness.
To have not a single person who is genuinely happy for your growth and success is a miserable and harsh fate.
Money, power, honor, and strength cannot create true friends and comrades.
If those things were to disappear from your grasp, they would leave without a second glance, and when you are at your most tired and weary, no one would remain by your side.
Deep connections with whom you can open your heart are hard to find. Even more so in a harsh world.
In that regard, Gwiyeong had been holding on quite well.
No matter how difficult or exhausting it became, she pushed forward.
The shock of losing her parents had spurred her on.
"Gwiyeong, you must live. That is what your mother and father truly want."
Those were the words Gwiyeong heard while on the run with her mother.
After leaving this final wish, Gwiyeong's mother had thrown her life away in place of her daughter.
*You must live.*
To ensure her survival more firmly, she built a force and cultivated her strength.
She did not make friends or comrades.
She did everything alone.
She no longer had the confidence to endure the pain of losing someone precious.
However, a person's life should not be merely about survival.
The weight of this world and of life is not so light as to be borne alone without anyone's help.
Gwiyeong had not known this fact for nearly thirty years.
But after meeting Gale Blade, her life underwent a great change.
In a horizontal relationship called friendship, not a vertical one of superior and subordinate, she found true solace for her heart.
Since Gale Blade was a weapon, not a person, she did not have to worry about losing him.
Perhaps that was why she had given her heart to him so easily.
***
By the time they had dealt with all the remnants of the Black Dragon Society and seized control of the surrounding areas, night had fallen.
Hegemony Lord Wi-ak looked at Gwiyeong and spoke.
"It's getting late. I think we should spend the night in this vicinity."
"There are still many intact buildings from the Black Dragon Society. We can stay there."
"Hmm, that would be for the best. Then we will advance on the Heretic Alliance first thing tomorrow morning. It would be wise to get plenty of rest today."
"I will make sure to tell my subordinates."
After their conversation, Gwiyeong headed to where the warriors of the Black Ghost Guild and the White Snake Guild were waiting.
An officer of the Black Ghost Guild, who was in the middle of managing the occupied territory, saw Gwiyeong and bowed his head in greeting.
"Guild Leader, we have bound all the surrendered warriors of the Black Dragon Society and are managing them with the warriors of the White Snake Guild."
"Good. You've worked hard. However, we will head for the Heretic Alliance first thing tomorrow, so make sure the subordinates get a full night's rest tonight."
"The, the Heretic Alliance, you say?"
The officer asked back, a look of bewilderment on his face.
Gwiyeong replied to him with a firm gaze and tone.
"Yes, the Heretic Alliance. Is there a problem?"
"N-No, sir. I will relay the message immediately."
After speaking, Gwiyeong stepped outside the Black Dragon Society's estate to cool her head in the chilly air.
"Hoo."
Taking a deep breath, she looked up at the countless stars in the night sky and calmed her heart.
She had always charged forward without hesitation, but this time, her opponent was the formidable leader of the Heretic Alliance, so she couldn't help but be tense.
Watching her, Gale Blade spoke.
[I'm here, so what are you so tense about?]
The arrogant attitude he'd shown when they first met was gone, replaced by a much friendlier tone.
"The enemy is the leader of the Heretic Alliance. It would be a lie to say I'm not tense."
[There's nothing to fear. Don't you have me, the strongest weapon, by your side?]
Gwiyeong let out a chuckle and said.
"Heh heh, aren't you a bit too arrogant?"
[Didn't I tell you? If you have the ability to back it up, it's not arrogance, it's confidence.]
Gwiyeong walked slowly and sat down, leaning against a rock on a quiet forest path.
The sound of leaves rustling with every gust of wind soothed her mind.
It was even more so with the most dependable Gale Blade right beside her.
Gwiyeong spoke to Gale Blade in an uncharacteristically gentle tone.
"You asked me once. What kind of mask I was wearing."
[...Have you found the answer?]
She fell silent for a moment before slowly opening her mouth.
"I always thought I didn't need comrades or friends. I believed such people would only get in my way."
Gwiyeong recalled all that she had achieved so far.
"The first time I held a weapon and struck down an enemy, the first time I absorbed a faction, the first time I reached a new realm. These should have been moments of joy, but they weren't. I didn't know why back then, but now I think I do."
She looked at Gale Blade by her side and spoke.
"I think it was probably because of loneliness."
[Loneliness, is it?]
"When I lost my parents, a great crack formed in my heart. To avoid being hurt any further, I closed it off."
To a child, parents are their entire world.
A child whose world has been completely snatched away closes the door to their heart and locks themselves inside.
At such times, a child might surprisingly show no sadness or great agitation.
They turn away because they know that the moment they accurately perceive the situation, their spirit will shatter.
"I had no one with whom I could share my joys and sorrows. The family and friends that others naturally have."
But now, she could admit it.
"The pain I carried was loneliness and solitude. To hide it, I wore a mask of cold-heartedness. I always looked away, but now I can face it."
To avoid being swayed by her emotions, Gwiyeong wore a mask devoid of them.
"I think I've changed since meeting you. Thank you."
She expressed her gratitude with simple words.
Hearing this, Gale Blade chuckled and replied.
[Heh heh, this isn't like you.]
"I think I was wearing a mask, just as you said. It was always uncomfortable. I can't tell you how much more at ease I feel saying this now."
[Well, if you're comfortable. That's good.]
After saying that, Gwiyeong gazed at the night sky with a slightly flushed face.
When Gale Blade said nothing more, she asked, a little shyly.
"Was it a little strange?"
Gale Blade, blinking his crimson eyes, replied.
[I was just thinking that you've changed a bit compared to when I first saw you.]
"Is that so."
[Of course, so have I.]
Gwiyeong stared at Gale Blade intently.
[I wonder what would have become of me if I had met you when I was human. At least, I wouldn't have ended up like this.]
Hearing Gale Blade's words, Gwiyeong's expression turned bitter.
[But it's not all bad, I suppose. It's because I became this that I was able to meet you.]
At those words, an emotion she couldn't quite name welled up inside her.
"Gale Blade, you..."
Just then—
*Rustle.*
The sound of light footsteps reached them.
Gwiyeong immediately turned her head toward the sound.
There stood a woman in a white martial arts uniform.
Bathed in the moonlight, her figure was clearly visible.
She had a simple yet charming appearance with well-defined features.
The woman stood watching Gwiyeong, her black hair fluttering in the night breeze.
"Who are you?"
Gwiyeong instantly rose to her feet, gripping Gale Blade and assuming a defensive stance.
But the mysterious woman showed no intention of fighting.
"I have no intention of being hostile toward you. Please be at ease."
"I asked who you are."
"My name is Jinseon, of the Hainan Sect. I am currently a member of the Martial Alliance."
"The Hainan Sect? Why has a warrior of the Orthodox Faction come to see me?"
Gale Blade also raised a question.
[What business does a member of the Martial Alliance have here?]
Jinseon paused for a moment before speaking.
"Be wary of Hegemony Lord Wi-ak."
"What are you suddenly talking about?"
Jinseon closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and spoke with a gaze full of firm resolve.
"That man is dangerous. He knows what his destiny is, yet he walks toward ruin. If you do not wish to be swept up in it, distance yourself from him at once."
It was clear she knew something and was giving a warning, so Gwiyeong demanded more detailed information.
"You suddenly appear and spout incomprehensible words. Do you want me to capture you and bring you to the Hegemony Lord? If not, then speak plainly. What exactly should I be wary of?"
Gwiyeong gathered her energy and threatened her.
"I am here on a mission for the Alliance, so I cannot say much. However, this much is certain. If you stay with that man, you will surely die."
Having already joined hands with the Hegemony Lord, hearing such words left Gwiyeong unsettled.
"...This is absurd. If you're going to keep spouting nonsense, then get lost."
As Gwiyeong's threat intensified, Jinseon closed her eyes as if lost in thought, then opened her mouth.
"The moment he reveals his true nature, it will be irreversible. I hope you make a wise decision."
Leaving those words behind, Jinseon turned and left.
Watching her retreating back, Gwiyeong scowled and muttered.
"...What the hell was that?"
Everything was a mystery.
It was strange that a member of the Martial Alliance would appear and reveal her name, and the reason for her sudden warning about the Hegemony Lord was also unknown.
[Strange. Usually, when someone gives a warning like this, they hide their identity and give a plausible reason, don't they? That woman did the opposite.]
"...I was just thinking the same thing."
It could be a trick, but she didn't seem to be lying.
[Are you going to tell the Hegemony Lord?]
Gwiyeong pondered Gale Blade's question for a moment before making a decision.
"No. For now, I'll just observe his reaction and judge from there. There's something I don't know."
In fact, she had felt a strange sense of unease from the beginning, when Hegemony Lord Wi-ak first proposed they attack the Heretic Alliance.
It was undeniably strange for him to suddenly appear, propose an alliance at their first meeting, and suggest they kill the leader of the Heretic Alliance.
[...This is quite unsettling.]
Unable to resolve their questions, Gwiyeong and Gale Blade returned to the Black Dragon Society's headquarters.