The Unrivaled Dragon's Burden
Although it was too late, now at least...
The lively, raucous sounds drifted from the distant pavilion.
A lavish banquet hall had been prepared with sumptuous dishes and beautiful women, musicians and dancers invited to entertain.
However,
In this moment, the man who had not been invited to the victory celebration banquet, even though he was the one who could be said to have made the greatest contribution to this victory, Yang Soyu, was sitting on the seat where he had once met Dang Miryeong, drinking alcohol in a miserable state.
In a situation with no proper side dishes, he was gulping down the rough, bitter tasting liquor.
As he swallowed it into his mouth, he quietly gazed at the moon floating in the hazy distance.
And,
While watching his appearance like always, the one who hid her face with a fan.
Hyangbi was trembling while looking at Yang Soyu who was repeatedly raising his cup without saying a word.
The discrimination he had always received as a member of the Unorthodox Faction was felt once again.
However, although it should have become somewhat familiar by now, it felt even more bitter today, and this feeling was not easily disappearing.
“... It’s really too much... How... How can he do this without any hesitation... Even though Master went to such lengths for that woman. How...”
Hyangbi expressing her resentment and anger while looking at her master’s appearance.
Even with her words, Yang Soyu just tilted the liquor bottle without saying anything, only silently emptying his cup.
“I can’t stay like this. I should inform the Murim Alliance of Master’s achievements now. Despite receiving such a favor from Master, betraying him in this way... I can’t just leave that woman who has violated the principle of gratitude, which is the basic principle of a Murim person...!”
Showing intense emotions, Hyangbi was about to run to the banquet hall immediately.
At that moment, while looking at her, Yang Soyu extended his empty cup.
“No need for that, just take a drink. I’m fine.”
“Haa... But...”
“Anyway, even if I protest here, nothing will change. It’s a pity, but I can take comfort in the fact that the invincibility myth hasn’t been broken, and I have no choice but to wait for the next opportunity.”
“Kuk...”
Hyangbi, swallowing her anger as she took the cup at Master’s dissuasion.
Then, the liquor that Master had poured for her began to fill her cup.
However...
“!”
“...”
Her cup was full.
Despite the remaining liquor overflowing, the liquor continued to be poured.
Hyangbi’s gaze naturally turned to her master’s face in front of her.
With a stiff expression, his eyes red with alcohol.
While seeing his this appearance, which he rarely showed emotions.
Hyangbi began to feel a sensation as if tears were about to well up in her eyes.
“...Hic... Hic... Hic...”
Finally, unable to suppress her emotions, Hyangbi started sobbing.
Then, she took the cup that had stopped overflowing when the liquor bottle was finally empty, and forced it into her mouth.
She was a young girl in her late teens, but due to the special environment she grew up in, she could drink better than Soyu.
However, even today...
Even Hyangbi couldn’t swallow it anymore after only half-emptying the cup.
And, to her who was shedding tears.
That man.
Her master, Yang Soyu,
Showed a smile that was hard to hide on his face and gently stroked her head.
“Don’t cry. I’m fine... I’m really fine...”
“Hic... Hic... Uuhic...”
The master’s words that conveyed the same strength as always.
While seeing this master’s appearance, Hyangbi had no choice but to shed even more bitter tears.
At this moment,
Knowing who was the most deserving of crying,
Yet knowing that he could not do so in the end.
Hyangbi chose to cry for him instead of that person.
Although she couldn’t do much for him,
At least through this...
Hoping that she could soothe his heart a little.
Hoping to share his pain a little.
Dang Miryeong, who had practically monopolized the achievement of assassinating the Blood Demon.
However, regarding this, she did not worry much about the fact itself at the time.
Regarding the so-called gratitude spoken among warriors.
According to the rule that one must repay any favor or grudge in any way, such actions could be dangerous in many ways, but Dang Miryeong felt no particular concern about that either.
Of course, if the other party was a warrior from the Orthodox Faction, she might have had to worry seriously about such matters.
However,
The person in question, Yang Soyu, was an Unorthodox Faction warrior who was not treated as a person depending on the situation.
Even if he openly protested the unfair treatment he received here, no one would believe him, and he would likely only receive blame for slandering the Sichuan Dang Family.
In fact, Yang Soyu also knew this fact, and there was no mention of this matter.
Through this incident, the Sichuan Dang Family and Dang Miryeong, who had demonstrated her ability to the entire Murim Alliance, received completely different treatment from before and were able to join the war against the Heavenly Demon.
The Sichuan Dang Family, which moved as a main force unit to assassinate major figures of the Demon Cult and launch surprise attacks, rather than just a discarded pawn to draw attention like before.
In the process, Dang Miryeong’s performance was particularly dazzling, and she ultimately enjoyed the glory of having her name added to the title of the strongest female warrior in the Murim Alliance, the Four Heavenly Flowers.
Dang Miryeong, recognized as one of the top experts excluding Namgung Taehyeon, the strongest male in the Murim Alliance.
However,
Despite having reached the high position she had always dreamed of, the feeling of discomfort was growing thicker in Dang Miryeong’s heart as time passed.
It was... the man who had a debt that she had not disclosed to the outside world, which could be considered a shame for her at the moment.
It was due to Yang Soyu.
After the incident that day, Yang Soyu, who was still sent to difficult missions where his life was in constant danger, unlike them.
However, this terrifying man never failed after that, successfully completing the reckless missions given by the Murim Alliance at all times,
And in the process, many people in the Murim Alliance came to trust his skill, even if they couldn’t fully trust the person named Yang Soyu.
From Dang Miryeong’s perspective, who was indebted to him, this was a rather bad situation.
Dang Miryeong felt this conflict several times a day, wondering if it wouldn’t be better to apologize to that man now, but she never ended up carrying it out.
It was not just for the sake of face; she was afraid.
The fear that the man might not forgive her.
And as a result,
The fear that if she apologized, she might lose everything she had built up until now.
And,
In front of Dang Miryeong, who was feeling the growing mental burden day by day,
Finally, the mission of that day was given.
The mission to engage in the final battle with the Heavenly Demon, staking the Murim Alliance’s survival.
For this, the strongest sword of the Murim Alliance, Namgung Taehyeon, and the Four Heavenly Flowers including Dang Miryeong, who had the ability to confront him, headed to the Demon Cult’s headquarters.
And at that place...
Yang Soyu, who was a being like a winning amulet for the Murim Alliance, who had not created a single failure in the battle that was considered impossible until now.
He also participated.
Yang Soyu, who had first moved together in several years since the incident of assassinating the Blood Demon.
However, even at this place that might be the last, Miryeong could not even apologize to him, let alone speak.
Also, the one who had been accompanying him for the sake of his lowly Unorthodox Faction origin, and who had not been able to protect him from the harsh treatment by the other Four Heavenly Flowers and Namgung Taehyeon.
Despite the mental burden caused by this fact tormenting her, Miryeong never took action...
In the end, she engaged in the battle with the Heavenly Demon at the center of the Demon Cult.
And
The result was.
It ended in a scene that was far different from what she had thought.
Despite the top experts of the Murim Alliance, including her, clashing, they could not defeat the Heavenly Demon.
Even the method of hiding his aura and attempting assassination did not work at all on the Heavenly Demon,
And eventually, under the Heavenly Demon’s attack, Dang Miryeong suffered serious injury and rolled on the floor pitifully.
Immediately after,
While waiting in the back according to Namgung Taehyeon’s instructions, Yang Soyu, who came forward after seeing what had happened to them.
At the moment he saw him standing alone in front of the Heavenly Demon,
Intense despair and regret beyond that began to bloom in Dang Miryeong’s heart.
“If I had known I would die like this... I should have at least apologized... I’m sorry... I was blinded by greed that day... If I could get forgiveness like that...”
While lamenting her own foolishness for not opening her mouth, Dang Miryeong predicted the future of Yang Soyu and her own end that would follow.
However,
In the scene that followed in such a desperate situation,
It created a result that overturned Dang Miryeong’s despair in her heart with shock, horror, and even deeper regret.
It was,
The scene where the Heavenly Demon, who seemed like an unshakeable mountain, fell into the hands of the man she knew.
No, the man she thought she knew.
Yang Soyu, who had overwhelming power that she had not expected.
After seeing the Heavenly Demon defeated and standing in front of that man.
Dang Miryeong finally realized.
How foolish a being she was...
How much she had lost due to momentary greed...
*
“If... I hadn’t done that then... No, even if I had apologized a little faster... The two great heroes wouldn’t have shown such a figure at the end...”
While recalling the memory of that day when she showed clear anger towards him, Dang Miryeong shed endless tears of regret.
With Yang Soyu becoming the Unrivaled Under Heaven, the excuse that the opponent was an Unorthodox Faction member of low status no longer had any meaning.
At the same time, the fact that despite receiving a great favor from that man, she repaid it with betrayal was giving Dang Miryeong an overwhelming fear and guilt.
Also, in this situation, the discrimination and ostracism against the Sichuan Dang Family that started again from the Murim Alliance side was clearly making Miryeong realize how meaningless and pitiful the things she had done until now were.
And,
After struggling for several days in the midst of such torment and regret,
Dang Miryeong finally reached one conclusion.
“I have to find him... Even if it’s too late now... No matter what happens, I must find that man. Find him and... No matter what, formally apologize and receive forgiveness...”