The Heavenly Demon's Underground Reckoning
Around that time, the Heavenly Demon made his way deep underground. From the moment he first laid eyes on this building, he had sensed an ominous aura emanating from somewhere nearby. When he pushed open the massive iron door, familiar faces came into view. Or rather, faces that had once been familiar.
The Blue Thunder Sword Lord of the Qingcheng Sect, the Poison Forest Demon Emperor of the Sichuan Tang Clan, the White Flame Sword King of the Kunlun Sect, the Phantom Tomb Elder of the Dianchang Sect, and the Plum Blossom Sword Master of the Mount Hua Sect. Every single one of them had once been rivals who could match the Heavenly Demon in his younger days.
"It has been quite some time, you righteous scum. To think that none of you ever reached the realm of reversing age and returning to youth, yet here you stand, looking young again. How surprising."
The Poison Forest Demon Emperor answered, his voice thick with the bitterness and resentment of a defeated man.
"We formed an alliance with the Black Round Table just to kill you! And thanks to the sacrifices they prepared, we even regained our youth."
They had all absorbed the life force of children provided by the Black Round Table to restore their youth. In exchange, they had participated in the organization's experiments, offering their knowledge of acupuncture and curses. Countless children had died in the course of this mutually beneficial transaction.
"Haa... To think that those who once strutted around claiming to be righteous would stoop to such vile arts. The honor of the righteous sects has been dragged through the mud. No, 'dumped in a cesspool' would be more accurate."
"Shut your mouth! We will avenge our sects that you wiped out!"
"You launched a cowardly preemptive strike on my cult, and now you have the audacity to rage because you suffered the consequences? You look like monkeys right now. That child I cherish once told me, 'If you pick up a sword to kill someone, you must be prepared to be stabbed by that same sword.' Even if that child is wise beyond their years, it seems you are even less mature than them."
Unable to endure the Heavenly Demon's provocations any longer, the Blue Thunder Sword Lord rose and unleashed a slash. It was a strike capable of cleaving city walls like tofu, yet the Heavenly Demon caught it bare-handed and twisted it apart.
"Your skills have improved somewhat. Still, it is nothing worth praising, since you only achieved it by borrowing power from those vile arts."
The time when they could stand as equals against the Heavenly Demon was nothing more than a distant memory from before they had even reached adulthood. He had continued to receive strict training under the Black Wing Sword Saint, personally conducted his funeral, and emerged as an entirely different person afterward.
The disciple of the Black Wing Sword Saint, O Cheon-yeong, who had suddenly appeared in the Central Plains and severed both arms of the Martial Alliance Leader. He had uniquely elevated swordsmanship into divine arts, founded the Heavenly Demon Cult based on that power, and thrown the Central Plains into terror. There had been attempts to subjugate him, but they all ended up as mere anecdotes that only enhanced his reputation. When no one remained who could match him, he headed to the western continent, where he first met the succubus thief Squar, traveled with her, and eventually joined the heroes' party.
"Today will be different, O Cheon-yeong. At last, the chance for revenge has been granted! Today, I will finally kill you and fulfill my long-cherished wish!"
"Aren't you ashamed to speak of revenge after striking first? Your words sound more repulsive than the squealing of pigs in a slaughterhouse. And... do you really think the likes of you can stop me?"
"Of course we can! You rejected the realm of reversing age and returning to youth, spouting nonsense about natural order! We who have abandoned such scruples will never lose to you!"
The Heavenly Demon suddenly burst into laughter. It was neither mockery nor derision. He simply could not contain his amusement at the words coming from the Blue Thunder Sword Lord.
"What are you cackling about?"
"It seems you are under a misconception. The reason you survived your defeat at my hands was never because of your own strength."
Killing intent began to stir in his eyes, which had seemed devoid of vitality due to old age.
"I spared you because I found it amusing how you righteous sects clung to your so-called morals and rules despite your defeat. But now that you have done something like this just for the sake of youth... there is no longer any reason to let you live."
Though the Heavenly Demon's body had aged, his aura had not. Far from declining, it felt as sharp and chilling as a finely honed blade.
"Come at me, then. Let us sever this long-standing grudge here. In the name of my master, the Black Wing Sword Saint, I will take the lives of those who could not resist the Black Round Table's temptation."
Unexpectedly, the Poison Forest Demon Emperor replied.
"What nonsense."
"What?"
"Even the Black Wing Sword Saint... No, there is no need to say more to you. Words are unnecessary for martial artists. Let us fight."
Camellia stared silently at the red sword Werner had given her. Ever since facing her father, she had avoided going outside and even speaking with Werner. After all, her father was one of the culprits who had reduced Werner to that state.
Everything made sense now—the decades of fruitless searching, his failure to appear at her mother's grave. Her father was no longer the gruff but kind man he once was. He had become a nauseating villain aligned with the Black Round Table.
If he targeted Werner's life again... what would she do? She agonized over it. No matter how evil he had become, he was still the father she had once cherished. Yet if that same father tried to take the life of that innocent child again, she resolved to fight him with everything she had.
"But you know it too. If you charge at your father with everything you've got right now, you'll be chopped to pieces in ten seconds."
The silver-haired girl's spirit that had emerged from the red sword Camellia held stroked her hair and whispered in a sweet voice.
"Then run away. Honestly, you're scared, aren't you? Following your father might be an option too. No one could blame you for it. You were someone who wandered looking for your father, so going to his side would only be natural."
"...Shut up."
"Then do you want to fight? I'll be honest. Aside from that kid who wields the Holy Sword and that old man who uses martial arts, even if all your other companions gathered together, your father would wipe them out in thirty seconds. Chop, chop~."
"Who the hell are you, suddenly appearing as a vision and spouting this garbage...?"
The silver-haired girl smirked, swallowed the answer she had wanted to give, and offered a formal, superficial response instead.
"I am the previous owner of this sword... and someone who can give you power."
"What...?"
"Don't you need it?"
Camellia instinctively knew. The girl before her was someone who could grant her sufficient power, and... she was not someone who would share that power out of mere goodwill.
"There will be a price, won't there...?"
"As expected, you're quick on the uptake. Unlike some people who just whine and beg... Honestly, receiving power from someone else for free feels wrong, doesn't it? From a human perspective, the basics of any transaction are..."
"Enough chatter. Just tell me the price."
"My, why is everyone so rude and stingy these days... Fine. The price I demand is..."
The girl smiled quietly, a sinister curve to her lips that was born of curiosity and interest. It was a vicious smile that even made Camellia flinch for a moment.
"Lifespan. I have no need for money or anything of the sort. In exchange for the lifespan you offer, I will grant you power proportional to it."
It was no different from a devil's temptation. Gaining power by selling one's own lifespan was an absurd notion that the Camellia of the past would have scoffed at. But the Camellia of now was different.
"Then I will offer my lifespan."
"Oh... How much? A hundred years? Two hundred? Three hundred? Ah, since half-elves live long, the value is relatively lower compared to humans."
She began to ponder. How much lifespan should she offer to protect Werner, while also maximizing the time they could spend together? The answer was simple.
"When that child dies, let me die with them. I don't need anything except the lifespan until the moment that child dies."
Camellia wanted to protect Werner, the boy who had approached her with a bright smile when she was lost after losing her family. After Werner grew up, she had always wondered about the feelings that had reversed within her. But now she knew the answer, and she decided not to hesitate.
"This one really is crazy too. Her taste in men is something else... Well, fine."
The silver-haired girl said this and placed her finger on Camellia's forehead, pouring power into her.
"Your precision, dynamic vision, and strength will all be different from before, so try to adapt. Ah, and I've modified that weapon in my own way, so don't wor—"
Before the silver-haired girl could finish speaking, Camellia was already heading toward the building where Werner and the others were. Watching her retreating figure, the silver-haired girl muttered to herself.
"Every single one of these daughter-in-law candidates has such a nasty attitude..."