Chapter 129 – Seeking the Ancient Power (3)

My head throbs.

Did I lose consciousness for a moment after exhausting all my strength? My last memory was being caught by the Heavenly Demon and dragged away.

As I opened my eyes to the cold air, the night sky at dawn filled my vision. I was lying like a beggar in the heart of the mountain.

‘Seems like getting beaten has become my daily routine.’

Being hit here and there.

Now I’ve even traveled to the past to be beaten by the Heavenly Demon. I chuckled as I lifted my upper body, and the Heavenly Demon, who had been sitting right next to me, initiated a conversation.

“Are you awake?”
“Yes.”

Had he been meditating while waiting for me to open my eyes? This man truly is relentless.

And yet, his body remains incredibly robust. A peculiar current of energy still flowed across the surface of the old man’s body even after our battle.

“I see.”

The old man cut the conversation short.

“I will ask you three questions. Where do you come from?”
“It’s quite far. A place beyond words.”

The old man closed his eyes and twitched his eyebrows.

“Is that related to the power you possess now?”

A question that struck a chord.

However, I couldn’t utter any further explanation.
Mentioning the future was forbidden.

Although I tried to speak, my throat choked as I opened my lips. I attempted to nod, but even that didn’t move.
Seeing my hesitation to answer, the Heavenly Demon remained silent, as if understanding.

“Who is the withered old tree connected to you?”
“….”
“You’re an insolent fellow. If I were ten years younger, I would have twisted your head off right away.”

What could I do when I couldn’t answer?
The old man, still with his eyes closed, continued to ride the tranquil flow of magical power.

“You can’t say where you’re from, yet you use my strength?”

– Snicker.

“As expected, you seem like an entity that shouldn’t be here.”

I couldn’t even bring myself to admire the old man’s insight. He appeared to know more about my condition than I had imagined.

“Indeed. The fact that you possess that power suggests that I must have engaged in some insane behavior.”
“…”
“Why did you think that?”

With just a glance into my eyes, the Heavenly Demon saw through my innermost thoughts.

“That action you displayed. It resembled mine exactly.”

The Heavenly Demon’s power. He held immense pride in his own strength.

“It’s impossible for two martial arts born in the same era to possess the same structure. If you think about it, the answer is already apparent. Will you still not speak?”

As I remained silent, the old man chuckled.

“It seems you cannot speak.”

Just like that. Once again, the old man discerned my situation in an instant.

How could he have seen through it all? There was no way to know.

It was audacious of me to think I could understand that old man’s true nature with my limited experience.

‘I cannot fathom the passage of time and the events the Heavenly Demon has experienced.’

He has his own wealth of experience, and it serves as a foundation, allowing him to see through even this situation.

Age is not to be underestimated. I could see why the World Tree of Time guided me to the Heavenly Demon.

“What is your reason for coming here?”
“Well, I don’t know the specifics.”
“The honey-eating mute finally speaks. You don’t know why you’re here?”

-Grrrrr.

The sound of grass bugs echoes throughout the area. On a summer night, their delicate melodies fill the mountain air, creating a pleasant atmosphere.

Despite being rebuked, I still do not know why I came here.

It was a past that arrived without direction or purpose from the very beginning.

Trusting the World Tree’s words to find a purpose somewhere, I conversed with Heaven, who was right before my eyes.

However, now that I’ve encountered an elder like this, I couldn’t help but focus my attention on this one aspect.

“…Personally, I wish to seek knowledge.”

I felt a considerable deficiency.

Though my abilities have received some recognition from Heaven, upon facing the real deal, I realized that I was greatly lacking. This inadequacy would eventually hold me back in the future.

Yet, my request seemed like nothing more than a hasty excuse to the elder.

“You offer no response to my questions, and yet you say you’ll serve me blindly?”
“I will do everything you ask of me.”
“Until when?”
“…I don’t know.”
“Nothing was ever set from the beginning.”

The elder, the Heavenly Demon, finally opened his eyes.

“How much do you know about me?”

“I know nothing beyond the name.”

“Indeed.”

The old man spoke, then chuckled as if he found it amusing.

“Do you know how many young warriors have sought my guidance thus far? Those who have come seeking my teachings, based solely on my name.”

The name Heavenly Demon. Many warriors were blinded by the weight and value that it carried.

The old man raised his little finger.

“Do you know the most fitting way to test the resolve of these individuals?”
“…I do not.”
“Pain.”

Magic gathered at the tips of his fingers. A darkness free of any debts enveloped his entire body.

“Flaying their flesh, gouging out their eyes, severing their arms… Eventually, they curse and fall away, all on their own.”

A faint pain emanated from his right arm. Turning his gaze, he saw his skin had turned a sickly blue, as if tainted by poison.

“Can you prove that you are different from those who merely spread rumors?”

The Heavenly Demon spoke.

Truly, if you thirst for power, give it a try.
In a way, it was a grave warning.
With naive thoughts, one could become a cripple. It would be best to withdraw now.

“…I can do it.”

I answered reflexively.

A decision driven by a sliver of unease, uncertain of what the future might hold if I were to refuse here.
And perhaps the hope hidden in a corner of my heart, that nothing significant may come to pass.
A fragile sense of self-worth, rooted in the familiarity of pain.

All these emotions were chaotically intertwined, and from such sentiments emerged my nod of agreement.

“Ha.”

However, it seemed that my concerns appeared all too childish to the Heavenly Demon.

“You lack determination.”

A word of disappointment fell.
Soon after, I felt a searing pain in one side of my arm.

The sudden pain was so intense that he couldn’t even scream.

“Uh-“

Blood gushed from his half-severed arm.

How? By what method?

Overwhelmed by the attack he hadn’t even noticed, the Heavenly Demon exhaled sharply, stood up, and began descending the mountain path.

“Change your mind and return by tomorrow.”

– Throb!

The pain was so severe that he couldn’t even respond.

Was it a nerve-intensifying poison that had afflicted him?

Blood vessels protruded on the surface of his skin. Suppressing them with the power of healing, he bit his tongue and endured.

“…Haa, ha. Damn it.”

The excruciating pain gradually began to subside.

“Phew.”

By the time he regained his senses, the Heavenly Demon had already departed.

He remained in the mountains, collapsing onto the puddle of blood he had spilled.

– Buzz.

The annoying insects among the grass were still crying out.

“I thought I was going to die.”

Still, to what extent is he expecting from me?
It was fortunate that he didn’t slit my throat in one swift motion.

‘Prepare myself… But how?’

It’s true that to Heavenly Demon, my existence must have seemed unreliable.

‘Putting an iron plate on my face and boldly seeking him out to brazenly ask for martial arts training. It would have been impossible under normal circumstances.’

The silver lining was that Heavenly Demon seemed to have some insight into my situation. Perhaps he had been subtly inquiring about me.

‘Is there a reason so dire that you seek to learn from me?’

And to reflect on that resolve.

‘The problem is, I was brought here without knowing why.’

Regardless of how motivated I am, whether that motivation becomes truly desperate is another matter.

I believe that I’m living quite diligently. However, there are times when it doesn’t appear that way to others.

And as always, the problem lies with me.
It signified that I still hadn’t adapted to this world.

‘Is there no way?’

-Rustle.

As my worries deepened,
The nearby grass began to sway.

Could it be that a wild beast, smelling blood, had come even though there was no wind?

-Pop!

A small head emerged from the grass.
Someone I knew.

“Why are you here?”

In response to my question, the girl with leaves adorning her head answered tersely.

“I’ve come to see the world’s greatest fool.”

Heaven.
She must have arrived in a hurry, as her hair was full of leaves and cobwebs.

“Hey, are you calling an adult a fool?”
“Adults don’t do strange things like this.”

In Heaven’s hand were an assortment of bandages and medicines.
Her bulging pockets gave the impression that she had gathered everything she could possibly find.

“Master despises requests to be taken on as a disciple the most. It’s my decision to choose disciples, not yours. That’s the only thing I’ve heard all my life, so I’m sick of it.”
“…I see.”
“It’s fortunate that I didn’t die. It seems Master took a liking to me.”

Though the bleeding had ceased, Cheondo personally disinfected the remaining wounds and tightly bound them with bandages.

-Slap!

As soon as the treatment was finished, she smacked him on the shoulder with the palm of her hand. His nerves were still sensitive, so an involuntary sound escaped him.

“I have many questions about that power, the things I witnessed then… but I won’t ask. You must have your reasons, right?”

After saying this, Cheondo offered a bashful smile. Though she was curious, her expression indicated she wouldn’t pry any further.

Cheondo had been so mature even since her younger days. He couldn’t help but be amazed anew.

“Oh, right.”

Cheondo clapped her hands, then reached into the collar of her clothes, pulling out something wrapped in leaves and offering it to me.

“Try this.”

Upon unwrapping the leaves, I found a generous amount of rice balls inside.

These were misshapen rice balls mixed with various vegetables and sesame oil, emitting wafts of steam. My mouth watered, and I immediately popped a rice ball into my mouth.

“I brought these from the kitchen, made with what was left. I hope you find them to your liking.”

With her arms crossed, Cheondo snorted in amusement. I swallowed a grin, savoring the satisfaction that filled my mouth.

The clumsy, ugly shape and the excessive salt – a person skilled in cooking would never prepare them this way. The rice was still hot, perhaps because it had been freshly cooked.

“They’re delicious. You did a great job.”
“Really? Anyway, I should get going now.”
“Oh, right. Come closer before you leave. You shouldn’t be wearing something like this so carelessly.”

He caught hold of Cheondo as she was about to leave, gently removing each leaf and strand of spider web from her head. Cheondo silently accepted his help, then vanished like a rabbit in a flash.

‘Her personality was so different when she was young.’

From her radiant face to her warm smile, there was a marked difference. Of course, it wasn’t to the extent that one could say she was a completely new person compared to the present-day Cheondo.

Her inability to care for someone without feeling restless was similar to her current self. Her lack of honesty was also very much like Cheondo.

As he watched her disappearing figure, Lee Si-heon leaned against a nearby stone.

‘When will morning come? Time seems to be crawling by.’

[Lee Si-heon.]

‘Ah, you’re here?’

[Today’s events were quite extraordinary. I had no choice but to use my power to reconnect.]

‘It’s my ability.’

[I see. As expected of King Mokryeong…]

The World Tree, quietly admiring, fell silent before speaking up again.

[Will you return today?]

‘No. Let’s endure until tomorrow at least. I need to understand what I’m lacking.’

What did it mean to lack resolve?

Taking the phrase literally, there wasn’t a solution for me. I needed to become stronger. Even now, that desire was more than enough. I had trained relentlessly, pushing my body to its limits.

I gazed up at the star-studded night sky, pondering over and over.

I considered screaming out in response to the sudden surge of emotions, but quickly halted my thoughts.

– Plink.

A droplet of rain fell, splashing onto my forehead. The rainwater trickled down my face, soaking the earth below.

There was always one thing I desired.

To put an end to everything and return to normalcy. It didn’t matter if it was the hometown where I once lived or the place where Lee Se-Young and Cheondo resided.

The unease of not realizing that someone’s blade is pointed at my back – that was what I yearned to escape from most of all.

[…….]

I wondered if my inner thoughts had been completely exposed.

The World Tree whispered to me.

[I understand. There is only one way to achieve what you desire. My lifespan will be shortened, but in the current situation, it seems the most effective option.]

“Give it a try.”

[Are you certain?]

Before I even heard it, I had already answered. The Heavenly Demon had told me that I lacked resolve.

‘To change the future, the World Tree sent me to the past.’

I possessed talent and had experienced many fortunate encounters. Without these, I wouldn’t have been able to easily achieve the recognition and numerous accomplishments I had obtained so far.

However, my future self did not succeed. For what reason, I wondered…

[In that case, please close your eyes.]

‘What for?’

[Listen carefully. I ask that you consider this to be nothing more than a one-night nightmare.]

The World Tree of Time warned me in a worried voice.

– Throb.

My arm, struck earlier, begins to ache.

Overwhelmed by a deep drowsiness,
I surrendered to the change, gently lowering my eyelids.

[Sorry.]

* * * * *

An unseen sewer.

An exhausted body, feeling as if waking from a lengthy dream.
Perhaps the journey to the past was the dream, and this was reality.
The tangible sense of reality in both hands causes me to deny all past experiences.

Dry skin and a foul odor grazing my nose.
A massive weight pressing down on both arms.

Someone was embraced against me.

-Drip.

Water trickled down my chin. My hair was soaked.
Moisture lingered in every corner of my body, and my eyes burned.

The cold sensation of the other person’s skin felt through my hand. Water dripped from my chin again.

‘…What on earth?’

My face reflected in the sewer water, reminiscent of a filthy pit.

A twisted smile, to the point where I even doubted if it was my own.

Feeling a dreadful shudder in my trembling hands for no apparent reason, I gathered my mana above my grip and emitted light. The face of the person cradled in my arms was revealed.

“…”

Green hair. Eyes closed, a slumped woman.

A woman with a serene expression despite having gone through a disaster. Blood had congealed beneath her pale face. The moment I realized how it happened and who she was, my mind became a jumbled mess, forcing me to halt my thoughts.

“…Uh.”

I couldn’t utter a single word.

“Uh, uh… uh.”

A high-pitched ringing filled my ears.

“Ma… Master?”

An immense pressure weighed upon my chest.

A heavy, sinking emotion. It felt as if it were slowly descending into the depths of a dark and vast ocean.

How long must pass before I awaken from this dream?
No matter how much I pondered, the answer eluded me.

It was a sorrowful dream.