Seol-Hwi’s expression went stiff. This was a shock to him.
Seo Ryeong… To think that her name would be mentioned out of nowhere by Ju Seorin. What could this be?
“So what about it?”
“Ha, look at you pretending to be calm.”
He tried to get out of this situation, but then Ju Seorin giggled. It seemed like his emotions were clearly visible.
“Why do you want to say what doesn’t work? Then should we make a bet? To see if it matters or not when they die?”
“…”
Seol-Hwi’s eyes turned cold.
He could not say anything to this.
I knew right from the start.
Ju Seorin was determined to bite him. And his tricks would not work. Seol-Hwi retraced all his steps after coming from the temple.
So she must have followed him.
Hidden Truth Corps.
The only time when he got out of this place and went there… She must have followed him there, Seol-Hwi guessed that was the case.
“I wonder. I didn’t know that there could be so much meaning to a person who was met just once…”
“Ha. Normally, even for a sudden action, there is some amount of meaning. And it is natural that your inner emotions get revealed in the face of death.”
She laughed like she was enjoying this.
“If my life was in danger, I would think so. But when people die in a slow manner, their character and sentiments clearly come out.”
“Do I look sentimental?”
“Because you’re under the command of the Fourth Disciple.”
“…”
“We focused on the members that you met. As you can see, it isn’t so wrong.”
It is us…
It was not so intentional, but it was a meaningful word to Seol-Hwi.
Ju Seorin had allies she worked together with.
So even with a short amount of time and insufficient information, they were able to fully grasp Seol-Hwi, and they were expressing that they had the upper hand.
That was pretty annoying.
“Uh? Then if I kill you… all the problems will be resolved.”
Seol-Hwi gave his answer. In this case, it was more convenient to take the easy road than a complicated one.
Ju Seorin sneered at him as he openly spoke of a murder.
“If that is the case, you won’t be able to leave the Bloody Death Pavilion. I tend to leave a lot of traces you know.”
“I can hide this much. And the dead don’t talk.”
“There is the captain of the Hidden Truth Corps. Of course, if you leave now on your own, you won’t know how to protect them. But still you will do that?”
This time she was threatening him.
The premise was that it would be impossible to convince the Bloody Death Warlord if they did not complete the training session.
This woman was surely clever.
Moreover, he could not figure out how Seo Ryeong is being targeted. But—
“Huhu. Huhuhuhu. Hahahaha.”
Seol-Hwi suddenly smiled, and this made Ju Seorin’s face go stiff.
“Why are you laughing so much?”
“Just. Because this is fun.”
“…Do you realize what I am talking about?”
“I know. So I will let you know.”
Sneak
The moment Seol-Hwi took a step, Ju Seorin felt this unpleasant coldness run down her back.
Something was strange. It seemed like nothing was happening as planned.
“W-what?”
“Was it Ju Seorin? You ended up picking the wrong opponent.”
“…?”
“If you were going to intimidate me, you should have already brought in the right evidence, and even if the evidence was right, you had to know what the other person was like, so…”
Step
Seol-Hwi took a step and continued talking.
“If you knew that much, you should have chosen to reconcile or do something else instead of intimidating me. Then there would have been at least some hope for you people.”
Chiik!
At the same time, a gray energy rose from the tip of Seol-Hwi’s sword.
“You… you…”
Ju Seorin momentarily took out a weapon from her pocket. However, the energy spreading around her eyes was freezing her limbs.
“That… Ghost Incarnate…”
Just in time, the Dark Soul Spirit Sword passed by her head. It was a martial art which was learned while fighting with Ghost Incarnate. However, by then it was already too late.
Swish!
Sword energy pierced her neck in a flash, and she fell down on the spot, unable to fight back.
The poisoned dagger and the improved assassin blades in her hand rolled to the ground.
“Just a trace, just leave it like this, the problem is…”
Seol-Hwi raised his head.
He looked at the sky on the other side with a stiff face.
“I should have already stopped this woman from doing this… maybe?”
Seol-Hwi was worried.
He had carried out the mission until this point, but he did not want to create a situation where he could not continue with the training session.
Ah! That is right.
When a person suddenly crossed through his mind, Seol-Hwi rushed out. The bright moonlight behind them enveloped the fallen Ju Seorin and Seol-Hwi with a strange light.
A woman was looking at the moon with the eaves of a building.
Dressed neatly and long hair down, with a sculpted face, anyone could see that she was a beauty.
There was the voice of an old man.
-You need to help him in the future.
Teacher…
A being of unknown identity, helping an unknown person who, unlike themselves, was going back into the past.
Even more so, the fate to avoid the eyes of the strongest.
Is he really such a person?
Cheon Miryo was honestly having a hard time believing that, as a person who had already risen to the extreme and saw the world on a different level.
However, anyone can go there.
The problem was not the Profound Demon level. At this level, not just the efforts of a person are important, but also luck would play a huge role.
Even if he were to ascend to that position, he had to fight and defeat the chosen ones.
The road was rough, like dancing on a knife’s edge, and it was a road with too many unknowns. No matter how many orders her teacher gave her, she was not sure if she would be able to complete them.
The Four Great Heavenly People. People who did their best and waited for the commands from those in heaven. It might sound nice, but in the end those are words for a winner.
How could anyone know if the defeated ones did their best? It was a complicated thing.
…Huh?
She reacted to the presence which came from far. And soon found a man.
“You were in here?”
It was Seol-Hwi. Cheon Miryo who met him again, thought,
He changed.
His eyes looked so calm.
His eyes were already accepting the energy of nature . Moreover, it felt like the energy around felt very natural.
“You awakened.”
“Somehow, I ended up with a little benefit… rather, a request.”
Wheik
The woman who jumped up from her place, approached Seol-Hwi.
She was wearing an white robe which was so beautiful that it stimulated the eyes. It was a beauty which one would not help but be conscious of.
“What request?”
“There is a place called Hidden Truth Corps near here. There is a woman named Seo Ryeong at the troops of the Fourth Disciple, and I would like it if you protect her.”
“…?”
Cheon Miryo tilted her head. It seemed like she needed an explanation here.
“There is someone targeting her. I cannot leave the pavilion right now because of the training. So can you…”
“Right, so why should I help her?”
Seol-Hwi hesitated at her question.
Come to think of it, that’s right,. from her point of view, there was no reason to casually request her to protect Seo Ryeong.
“That…”
When Seol-Hwi paused at the words, Cheon Miryo smiled.
“Someone you know?”
“…”
“In the past…”
“…!”
Seol-Hwi’s eyes widened. Past. Right, but it felt so odd.
Was it just a simple past, or the past before he came to this life?
“Nice. If you tell me to do it, then you have to do it too.”
Words of affirmation, that she would follow the words he said.
Even so, Seol-Hwi had nothing to respond to.
What could he say? Would it not be right to say she was the woman in his life before?
“But.”
After a thought, she asked.
“It won’t be a hindrance right?”
“…”
“The enemies we face in the future. I don’t want to be the target of that.”
It was difficult for Seol-Hwi to answer here.
Actually, from now on, they will look closely at them. The possibility of not being able to keep her in the future was higher than the possibility of being able to protect her.
Even so, Seol-Hwi tricked Cheon Miryo.
“Then I will handle it.”
His thoughts and intentions were clear.
It was early in the morning, and ten days had passed.
The academy head, So Cheon-gwi, was polite and bowed as he headed into the building.
“I would like to express my gratitude that so many warriors are participating in the main event even through the busy time.”
Among the guests, there were a lot of elder level warriors, who were quite famous.
On the surface, they came in the name of congratulating those who completed the training session, but their eyes were greedy for talent.
Of course, the group training was notorious for its difficulties. At the same time, those who overcame all the difficulties were all those who had been verified.
“I heard it was quite a mess this time?”
“Well, when was it not?”
“The eyes of the kids who completed the training were different. Great job.”
“Haha. That is too much…”
So Cheon-gwi, who exchanged greetings with the elder, was a bit taken aback, and it showed in his expression.
“Is our child doing well?”
It was the First Disciple.
He asked, looking doubtful.
“Uh… um, please sit down first.”
So Cheon-gwi turned around. They expected it this much, but it was unusual for him to ask questions before speaking of such results.
“Why? Is something wrong?”
“That… I apologize, but there was a problem in fairness with other disciples.”
“What problem?”
“…”
So Cheon-gwi did not speak much and stayed silent.
If he answered now, it could have been a mess before the results were even announced.
“The announcement is the Warlord’s duty. Please do not expect me to say anything and wait for it.”
“…Cheeky.”
It was quite an uncomfortable look, but the First Disciple did not speak further.
Phew
So Cheon-gwi let out a sigh of relief. Then, inside the huge building resembling a training hall, they walked to the left and right. Everyone exchanged gazes.
“I really waited for today. I wonder how they have grown and what ranks they have received.”
“…”
Now was the time to do it.
Instead of saying anything, So Cheon-gwi bowed his head deeply and responded with a nod.
In a way, he was a person who was more of a madman than the First Disciple, so he avoided looking at him as much as possible.
It is bad.
Nonetheless, concerns rose.
The First Disciple and the Second Disciple… If those two decided to go on a rampage, would there be anyone who can stop the battle that would ensue?
“I think it is more like going through the process one by one rather than ranks.”
After a little bit of time passed, the Third Disciple also appeared, walking along slowly.
“…”
If a problem had happened during the training time, was it not a threat to be determined and looked into?
“Uh? You can see the results.”
However, So Cheon-gwi was annoyed with the way they spoke, but he was not afraid of them.
As a person who served the Bloody Death Warlord, he was the strongest and the most resilient figure among the Eight Warlords.
If, by any chance, they did not like the result and wanted to change everything, the person they should go against would be their Warlord. So he was entertaining them.
The eyes of So Cheon-gwi widened.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Uh? You…”
It was the Earth Demon. He was the weakest of the Heavenly Demon’s disciples, but the one considered to be the most annoying. That person walked in.
Unlike the other disciples, he came alone without an attendant and was dressed very casually, so he was confused for a moment.
…He is so confident.
To be honest, he did not like such an attitude at first.
People with positions like this should behave accordingly. But the Earth Demon was so free and defenseless, like a man who had nothing to protect.
There were times when he thought this was a disrespect to their warlord.
However, after conducting this training, he realized.
A dog which is all bark, doesn’t bite.
Barking dogs do not bite. He realized why the Earth Demon was so full of himself that he did not have to show himself as flashy.
“Thanks to the guests who all visited us. This group training was of 20 days. Among them…”
There were five elders, three upcoming elders, ten troops leaders and the four disciples of the Heavenly Demon who participated in the report on the results of the pavilion.
With more than 20 key figures seated in the audience, So Cheon-gwi stood on the stage.
And right next to him—
There was a Bloody Death Warlord staring at him.
“…In this way, there have been numerous cultivation practices in all spheres of life. At the main event, the best warriors had gathered and led the trainees. In the process…”
So Cheon-gwi’s arm was clenched. He tried to be calm, but from what he was seeing this did not seem so formal.
“…Unfortunately, during this collective training, nearly half of them died due to accidents, fighting, murder, and killing of instructors. From the first day, there was a killing of a trainee.”
Whisper
The faces of everyone changed upon hearing that. Fighting and killing an instructor?
This was something which should never happen. And even if it did happen, it was something that could not be questioned because of the place they were in.
But,
“Basically, it was difficult to follow the growth due to all that, and people came here with different purposes so…”
When So Cheon-gwi finished that, the Warlord got up.
“I will inform you of those who will be severely punished among them.”
Tuk
His voice, which sounded like iron, drew the attention of everyone.
