Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 437 (Part 2)



437 (Part 2)

“W-well if it’s the Great War you just need to go straight west… Gah!?”

As soon as he heard the answer the Demon Sword Master threw the man away.

The man screamed as he flew far away.

Did he really bring him just to ask for directions?

“…”

What is this situation?

As I looked at him in confusion the Demon Sword Master wiped his hands on his clothes as if he had touched something filthy.

Then he looked at me.

“…West. Let’s go….”

“…Ah yes.”

After notifying me that we would be setting off again he immediately tried to move.

“Wait a moment.”

“…?”

At my words the Demon Sword Master paused and looked back at me.

The reason I called out was simple.

“That’s east over there Sir Sword Master. West is the opposite.”

“…Hmm.”

“That’s north….”

The Demon Sword Master who had stopped walking twice stared at me with an expressionless face.

Looking into his eyes I realized what he meant.

“…You want me to guide you don’t you?”

“…”

The Demon Sword Master didn’t respond to my question but I understood that his silence was a confirmation and I slowly began to walk west.

‘Is this really right?’

I thought as I walked.

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I wondered if it was correct to be heading to the Great War on my own.

If I just went east like this the Demon Sword Master wouldn’t notice anyway.

Even while thinking that my feet were already moving.

There were parts I wanted to confirm and above all.

‘I need to find a way out of this damned illusion.’

I had to figure out how to end this trial and the reason I was sent here at this point. And meeting the Demon Sword Master right after coming out.

Considering all this I concluded that I needed to stay by the Demon Sword Master’s side for now.

I glanced at him while thinking this.

However….

“Sir Sword Master… where are you going?”

“Ah… mistake….”

The Demon Sword Master who was about to stray from the path paused and corrected his posture.

“…”

Seeing that I nodded slightly.

It seemed that it wouldn’t be an easy task after all.

******************

We ran west for quite a while.

I had to spend about another day’s worth of time.

It had already been two days since I arrived in the illusion of my past life.

As that time passed a massive building came into view before me.

It was a building I hadn’t seen in a long time.

‘…We’ve arrived at the corrupted officials.’

During the past time how much I had struggled. I had to keep watching the Demon Sword Master who kept trying to disappear at any moment.

I had to be careful with my words fearing that I might offend him.

Damn it.

‘If it were Namgung Bia I would have given him a good smack on the head.’

It was frustrating that I couldn’t do that.

If I had done that to the Demon Sword Master my arm would have been severed and my head would have followed suit.

Moreover while walking with the Demon Sword Master toward the Great War I could see the current dire situation once again.

‘There’s no place that doesn’t smell of blood.’

The traces of war filled the surroundings. The corpses that occasionally appeared were half-decayed and reeked.

Whenever I spotted a river I could see corpses floating on it.

‘…’

Seeing that all I could do was bite my lip.

‘No matter how I think about it….’

It’s truly a filthy memory.

I swallowed a sigh and continued walking.

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In a region slightly away from the center of Sichuan there was a building that originally led Sichuan’s commerce.

The Demonic Cult had remodeled it for their use.

It was called the Great War.

That’s what we referred to it as.

As I approached the building a figure that looked like a gatekeeper bowed his head.

“I greet the Vice Captain.”

It was directed at the Demon Sword Master.

Vice Captain. Yes that was the position the Demon Sword Master held in the Black Flame Corps.

The Demon Sword Master looked at the gatekeeper with cloudy eyes and asked.

“…Where is the Captain?”

“The Captain is waiting inside.”

At the gatekeeper’s words the Demon Sword Master nodded.

Then the gatekeeper looked at me with a puzzled expression. The Demon Sword Master added a comment upon seeing that.

“…A newcomer.”

“Oh a newcomer?”

At the Demon Sword Master’s words the gatekeeper suddenly grinned.

“A cute one has come huh? Let’s meet later newcomer.”

“…”

That smile was filled with interest and fresh delight.

‘What was that guy’s name again?’

I tried to recall but couldn’t remember.

In my past life I didn’t have the luxury to memorize even the gatekeeper’s name.

Without giving any particular response I followed behind the Demon Sword Master.

Even as we walked I kept thinking.

‘Is this really okay?’

To be walking back into the den of demonic practitioners on my own is this really acceptable?

If Heavenly Demon were to find out it would be the end.

‘…But is there any other way?’

If this trial is ultimately about confronting my regrets.

I thought there must be something around me not just the Demon Sword Master in this life.

‘…Going to see the Divine Sword is also an option.’

That side would surely have its own story. Yet strangely my instincts were pointing me here.

Thud.

As I continued walking down the corridor I saw a massive door at the end of the quiet silence.

The moment I stepped toward it.

“…Gah…!”

I let out a gasp without realizing it.

Beyond that door an absurd amount of fighting spirit and killing intent was pouring out.

Cold sweat began to flow.

My heart feeling fear started to beat wildly and my defensive mechanism activated causing qi to protect my body.

Even so it wasn’t enough to block everything.

Crack.

As my breathing began to be affected a brief qi wrapped around my body.

It was the Demon Sword Master’s protection.

“Haah…?”

Then the suffocating breath was released and my pounding heart gradually began to calm down.

It seemed the Demon Sword Master had unfolded a barrier for me.

‘…Why?’

I had to look at him with a strange gaze.

The Demon Sword Master was not someone who would show such kindness to someone he had only seen for a few days.

Whether he knew my gaze or not the Demon Sword Master continued to walk.

Soon we reached the door.

Creeeak-!

As the Demon Sword Master arrived the door began to open on its own.

As it slowly opened I had to flinch at the demonic qi that poured out from the gap.

It was intense.

The demonic qi was overwhelming and the atmosphere inside was even more serious.

The large room was filled with demonic qi and there were figures kneeling in rows on either side.

The demonic qi emanating from each individual was not ordinary.

Among the visible demonic practitioners there wasn’t a single weak one.

As I frowned at the mixed demonic qi in the air.

“You’re late.”

A heavy voice came from the throne at the far end.

I swallowed hard at the thick killing intent contained in that voice.

As he spoke the demonic qi that filled the space began to stir.

Struggling to fend off the suffocating demonic qi I lifted my stiff neck to look at the opponent.

In response the man’s purple eyes also turned toward me.

He looked the same as before.

Seeing him I couldn’t help but smirk inwardly.

His weary gaze and the killing intent oozing from his body.

The massive amount of demonic qi he possessed was so overwhelming that it disturbed the surroundings. The demonic practitioners mixed in with it couldn’t lift their heads.

His presence seemed particularly enormous.

‘What a pathetic sight.’

To my eyes he was just an incompetent bug.

He hadn’t overcome anything; he was merely a coward who ran away.

That fool was right in front of me.

I thought as I looked at the man.

‘It’s been a while.’

It was only this time since I came to my past life.

‘You idiot.’

I faced the Black Flame Demon Master.