Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 444



444

”’〈 Chapter 445 〉 Distortion. (3)

Rustle…

Leaves slowly fall in the breeze.

The woman picked up one of the countless falling leaves.

According to the seasons the leaf which should have been beautifully colored was withered and dry.

“…”

Seeing that the woman frowned.

The leaf devoid of vitality and completely dried up made her turn her gaze to find the reason for its state.

The reason was right in front of her.

The land to enter Sichuan. Beyond that boundary lay a distant hellscape.

The forest which should have been full of life had long lost its splendor.

What was astonishing was that it took merely five years for the once vibrant forest of Sichuan to reach this state.

All of this was due to the influence of demonic qi.

Moreover this forest served as a warning to the orthodox sects.

After the demonic practitioners drove out the Tang Clan and killed the poison master spreading demonic qi to bring the forest to this state held significant meaning.

It proclaimed that this land was the domain of the Demonic Cult.

‘…a warning that the orthodox sects would not be allowed to cross into this land.’

Knowing this meaning the woman could only bite her lip in frustration.

The golden eyes filled with light turned towards the desolate forest behind her.

The woman seemed to be staring at something far away as if searching for someone.

Perhaps because of that.

She did not notice that someone had appeared behind her.

Crisp.

At the sudden clear presence the woman heightened her senses and grasped the hilt of her sword.

Thud.

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“…!”

She could not draw her sword. Another’s hand had stopped her from doing so.

The person who blocked her righteous sword smiled slightly and spoke to her.

“Seems you have many worries Little Sword Saint.”

An old man with strikingly white hair stood before her.

As soon as the woman recognized the old man’s identity she suppressed her surprise.

Then she immediately bowed her head in respect.

The old man was indeed someone worthy of such reverence.

“…I greet you Heavenly Lord.”

The old man’s identity was none other than one of the Three Lords the Heavenly Lord.

The woman examined the clothes he was wearing.

“…”

They were dark in color.

The Heavenly Lord who had originally worn the blue martial arts uniform symbolizing the Namgung Clan had insisted on wearing such dark clothing right after his clan was annihilated.

The last of the Namgung.

That was another title the Heavenly Lord held.

“I thought I sensed no presence at all. Is something troubling you?”

At his words the woman forced a bitter smile.

“I apologize.”

The woman Little Sword Saint spoke and the Heavenly Lord stroked his beard and laughed.

“You have no need to apologize to me. I merely spoke out of concern. Rather it is I who should apologize.”

“No it’s just… I was lost in thought for a moment.”

At the Little Sword Saint’s words the Heavenly Lord nodded slightly.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries the Little Sword Saint asked him with somewhat subdued eyes.

“Will you be joining us in this operation Heavenly Lord?”

“Indeed.”

At his answer the Little Sword Saint bit her lip slightly.

It seemed that the ally mentioned by the King of the World was indeed the Heavenly Lord.

“I heard from the King of the World that we would depart tomorrow but is that the will of Lady Seonui?”

Lady Seonui the alias of the woman currently serving as the strategist for the Murim Alliance.

“I haven’t heard the details but I suspect that is the case.”

At the Little Sword Saint’s response the Heavenly Lord rolled his eyes.

It seemed he was not particularly pleased with the situation.

However he did not voice any objections.

Given the many accomplishments Lady Seonui had achieved it was difficult to express dissatisfaction even if he did not fully understand.

“…Are you alright?”

This was the question the Little Sword Saint posed to the Heavenly Lord.

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Upon hearing the question the Heavenly Lord looked at her with a peculiar gaze.

Then he chuckled softly.

He knew very well what she was asking about.

The fact that the Heavenly Lord was participating in this operation meant disregarding the words spoken by the Heavenly Demon previously.

Perhaps because of that the Heavenly Lord’s eyes grew somewhat cold.

“Is your concern for me or are you worried about the movements of the Heavenly Demon?”

The weight of his words imbued with deep emotion made the Little Sword Saint hurriedly respond.

“Of course…”

Just as she was about to speak the Little Sword Saint bit her lip and stopped.

She had intended to say that she was worried about the Heavenly Lord but she realized that her true feelings were not that.

The moment she realized this the Little Sword Saint deeply bowed her head to the Heavenly Lord.

“I have committed a breach of etiquette… I apologize.”

At her words the energy emanating from the Heavenly Lord seemed to diminish for a moment.

And then.

After a brief silence following the Little Sword Saint’s apology the Heavenly Lord walked past her with slow steps.

He headed towards the boundary that separated Sichuan from the outside.

As he approached the edge of the boundary the Heavenly Lord spoke in a somewhat heavy voice.

“Lift your head.”

“…”

“I know what you are worried about.”

The voice of the Heavenly Lord was filled with something more bitter than anger.

“…It is truly a ridiculous matter that the old men who were exalted as the Three Lords are now unable to move a single step due to the warning of just one person.”

“…”

Just one person.

Everyone knew how dreadful the Heavenly Demon was to be reduced to such a statement.

– I will not allow the Three Lords to set foot in Sichuan from now on.

That light remark had bound the feet of the Three Lords who had once ruled the Central Plains.

The appearance of the Heavenly Demon along with the display of his overwhelming power.

His ability to stand against the Three Lords without faltering and to create calamity with a mere gesture had instilled enough fear in many.

The Heavenly Lord was aware of this.

The reason the current orthodox sects the Murim Alliance were holding their ground in the Central Plains was that the Heavenly Demon had not moved.

Even if their pride was shattered and inner demons took root.

The reality was as such.

Reality does not change.

No one knew why the Heavenly Demon had not moved for the past few years.

However the Three Lords and the key figures of the orthodox sects all understood.

If the Heavenly Demon truly moved this war would have ended long ago.

The Heavenly Lord pondered recalling that overwhelming presence.

‘What on earth is he waiting for?’

An unknown monster.

No one knew the intentions of that being which could have ended everything long ago but chose not to move.

It was indeed a dire situation.

He recalled the Little Sword Saint’s worries.

The reason he felt anger without realizing it was that the Heavenly Lord also knew that he could not defeat the Heavenly Demon.

Even as an ally the Heavenly Lord would not cross into Sichuan. That was the plan laid down by the alliance.

‘Tsk.’

He scoffed at the thought.

‘Not crossing over.’

How ridiculous the words he had thought were.

It was not that he would not cross over but that he could not.

Even at this point trying to maintain his pride was truly laughable.

The Heavenly Lord closed his eyes.

He could see nothing.

It was as if it reflected the future ahead.

Within it a very small light appeared.

So small and delicate that it seemed it would crumble if touched.

Seeing that the Heavenly Lord gently opened his eyes.

And then he turned around.

There stood a woman with golden hair and golden eyes just as the Sword Lord had been in his youth.

A woman who still seemed to be looking at the forest of Sichuan as if something was bothering her.

She appeared to be in her thirties with a truly frail body.

To the Heavenly Lord she seemed far too weak to carry the hope of the Central Plains.

Yet she was the hope of the Central Plains at present.

“…”

The Heavenly Lord forced back a sigh that was rising within him.

The world that held hope for that small woman.

And himself who was longing for it.

The growing desire for revenge everything felt bitter.

The Heavenly Lord moved forward erasing the thoughts piling up inside him.

“…Let us return together.”

“Yes.”

At the Heavenly Lord’s words the Little Sword Saint also took a step forward.

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

The words spoken by Mukgwon stirred the great hall.

The forces of the alliance began to gather in the village outside Sichuan.

The meaning behind this was anything but trivial.

The master seated on the throne looked at Mukgwon with eyes filled with curiosity.

“Is that true?”

“Yes Captain.”

At Mukgwon’s firm response gazes turned towards him.

Expressions were filled with doubt.

I felt the same way.

‘What on earth is happening at this time?’

The Murim Alliance had suddenly begun to gather their forces.

This was a situation that was not in my memory at all.

‘Moreover….’

Mukgwon’s words continued to swirl in my mind.

– It has been reported that the Little Sword Saint has been spotted.

‘…Why?’

Shin Gyeom.

No the woman who would still be called So Geom-seong should not be in Sichuan at this time.

If Sichuan had become the domain of the demonic practitioners her job would have been to hunt the demonic practitioners in the surrounding areas and secure her position.

Sichuan was clearly a place designated by the Heavenly Demon so she should not have appeared now.

‘I don’t understand.’

The Murim Alliance would know this fact better than anyone.

They knew that she should not recklessly step onto this battlefield.

In the current situation the only hope of the Murim Alliance was her.

Losing her would be akin to losing the war.

‘To think they would deploy So Geom-seong here in such a situation?’

The appearance of the Shin Gyeom without knowing what operation was underway was giving me a headache.

I had thought that she would not appear in a battle involving Sichuan.

Yet unexpectedly forces were gathering and things had turned out this way.

‘Where did it all begin…?’

Where did this world start to twist?

If I were to find the cause of it.

‘Could it be because I appeared?’

Of course that was the only possibility but I still could not understand.

Was it possible that my mere appearance could cause such a mess?

Even small actions could turn the situation upside down but this was too absurd.

It was as if….

‘It feels like someone knows of my existence.’

It was as if someone had noticed the anomaly and forced this situation into being.

I frowned and clenched my fist.

Whatever it was the Little Sword Saint should not appear in the current situation.

She is the hope of this world.

‘Hoo….’

I recalled the woman who was turning her back on the world with her small back.

What a wretched fate it was.

No one could take her place so she had to bear the burden herself and even now she would be small.

‘…Damn it.’

Thinking of that made curses slip out.

The Three Lords once called the sky of the Central Plains.

The four great families pillars of the orthodox sects.

The Nine Great Families who had grown strong while protecting their regions.

With such beings overflowing how could a single woman become the hope?

Moreover why should she not appear in the current situation?

I chewed my tongue as I recalled the reasons she should not.

It was only natural.

The reason the Little Sword Saint had become the hope of the Central Plains was because of the power she possessed.

‘…Breaking the Demon.’

It was specialized in dealing with demonic practitioners.”’