C366
“Young Master, did you pass?”
Cale approached with a mocking smile and looked at the Heavenly Demon.
Snick.
The Heavenly Demon, who considered Cale’s attitude as overly lively, actually just seemed like a mischievous young master. Answering casually, he said:
-It’s something obvious.
-Huh?!
Those nearby jumped or looked towards Cale and the Heavenly Demon.
“…”
The Knight of Abundance, who was waiting for her turn, also directed her gaze to the Heavenly Demon.
“Really? Wasn’t it a voluntary resignation?”
“Didn’t he just enter? And now he’s leaving?”
The others who were waiting couldn’t contain their surprise and spoke to those nearby.
“…Who is that person?”
“Find out who he is!”
And there were people secretly trying to find out the Heavenly Demon’s identity. They were participants in the exam, but they were also people from the faction the participant belonged to.
“He can’t be lying with the exam place right in front of him. Investigate that person and return.”
In the past few days, there had been one or two who had lied about the results of the Kingdom of Lan’s exam. They were all caught by the Kingdom of Lan’s warriors and were exiled from the kingdom. Therefore, no one was as bold as to lie about the qualification exam’s results, and…
“…Definitely-”
When a person opened her mouth, the gazes turned towards her.
“He’s strong.”
And when she finished saying those words…
“-!!”
“…!”
People couldn’t hide their surprise.
The person who was waiting for her turn after the Knight of Abundance. A woman with a spear as long as her height on her back.
Snow Death Flower, one of the Kingdom of Lan’s Five Great Factions.
This faction, composed only of women, was represented by the leader’s sister.
And the woman who had spoken at that moment was her sister.
Her name was Hyun Seong, and she seemed to be about 40 years old.
People changed their way of looking at the Heavenly Demon due to the fact that he had made the spear warrior, who had been standing silently without paying attention to her surroundings, open her mouth.
“…”
The Heavenly Demon was also looking at her.
-Heavenly Demon, Heavenly Demon! That woman was looking at you before you entered the exam!
Raon’s cheerful voice, who had become transparent, resonated in his mind.
And the Heavenly Demon already knew what Raon had said.
“Kim Haeil.”
The Heavenly Demon’s name came out of Hyun Seong’s mouth, the representative of Snow Death Flower.
Although it seemed like she had no interest, she was carefully observing everything, with sharpened senses.
‘Seong-ah. This is an opportunity.’
Sister.
As the leader said, an opportunity for Snow Death Flower to become famous.
She couldn’t miss it, and for Hyun Seong, this tournament was something she had to win at all costs.
‘I’m sorry. You must have ambitions too.’
Her sister, the leader, had chosen her heir.
Currently, Hyun Seong was second in command of Snow Death Flower, and when the heir sat in the leader’s position, she would have to retire.
‘It can’t be.’
She was too young to wait for the future where she would remain as second in command and retire.
For Snow Death Flower, her home and family.
And also for her future.
Hyun Seong needed this tournament.
That’s why she was with sharpened senses.
‘Ghost Sword.’
The true warrior she recognized among the foreigners.
She knew Ghost Sword had participated in this exam, and he came out a little earlier to observe him.
And she saw him…
‘That group-’
She wasn’t only paying attention to Kim Haeil.
‘The servant and the bodyguard.’
They’re also strong.
Hyun Seong remembered the sense of threat she felt when the Heavenly Demon’s bodyguard prepared to draw his sword.
‘Calmness.’
The way the Heavenly Demon stopped him was like the eye of a hurricane.
If that bodyguard emanated fierceness despite his calm appearance, Kim Haeil’s mere presence evoked the figure of the Dark Abyss leader, a group that pursued absolute strength without worrying about laws, morality, or ethics.
Gulp.
Without realizing it, she swallowed.
The reason was simple.
‘I don’t know.’
Neither the bodyguard nor Kim Haeil.
She doesn’t know how strong those two are.
Kim Haeil, who reminded her of the Dark Abyss leader.
Is he weaker than the leader?
‘I don’t know.’
She really didn’t know.
Those two are immeasurable.
But-
‘That servant.’
Strangely, he bothered her.
He didn’t seem strong.
His body didn’t seem like someone who had walked the path of Wu.
Of course, he seemed like he had been brandishing a sword since he was a child, but he only had good looks. He was weak.
‘But-’
Why does she feel-
‘Path of the Wind.’
Those who seek the path.
The guys who train in the middle of nature. And, yet, the guys who get involved in the world’s affairs.
Why do I think of those guys when I see him?
‘I don’t know.’
She didn’t know anything about that servant. But she felt an unknown scent in that servant.
Is it the scent of nature?
Or is it an illusion?
Hyun Seong couldn’t easily answer.
However, she could reach a conclusion.
‘They have a true identity different.’
At that moment, the Heavenly Demon opened his mouth.
“Why don’t you say anything after mentioning my name?”
Hyun Seong snapped out of it. And she quickly answered politely.
“I hope to have the opportunity to witness your Wu someday.”
“Witness, huh?”
A strange smile appeared on the Heavenly Demon’s lips.
“Don’t you want to fight directly?”
The Heavenly Demon. His appearance made him seem much younger than Hyun Seong. However, people felt a strange sensation from the way he treated her with such familiarity, and from the way Hyun Seong showed him respect despite that.
“…”
The Knight of Abundance was silently observing that scene.
A calm smile appeared on Hyun Seong’s lips.
“Fighting directly would also be nice.”
The Heavenly Demon nodded with a strange smile.
“That would also be nice.”
He turned around.
“See you in the finals.”
And he left.
“Young Master, I’ll take you to the inn!”
Cale quickly stuck to the Heavenly Demon’s side.
“I won’t do anything foolish.”
At the Heavenly Demon’s words, Cale snorted. The Heavenly Demon silently looked at Cale and then looked around.
The gazes watching him.
‘Well.’
He savored that moment.
‘It’s the first time.’
He had never been in such a situation in his life.
They don’t know him.
There’s no Demon Cult or Heavenly Demon in front of Kim Haeil. Therefore, they would surely dare to say they would fight him.
‘It’s exciting.’
Ghost Sword too, Hyun Seong too.
Some others too.
They were watching him, but they weren’t abandoning their ambition.
‘There are really many decent martial artists.’
Kingdom of Lan.
I really like this place.
“…It’s problematic.”
If this continues, it could become real.
“What did you say?”
At Cale’s unpleasant question, the Heavenly Demon shook his head.
‘I feel tempted.’
The Heavenly Demon began to feel a little greed for the martial artists’ gazes.
-Human, it seems like the Heavenly Demon has a gaze that will cause problems.
Exactly!
Cale and Raon’s gazes, who were watching the Heavenly Demon, became even sharper.
‘Hmm.’
And Choi Han confirmed one by one the traces of the people secretly following him, beyond the gazes watching him.
“Ignore them.”
“Yes. It’s on purpose.”
Choi Han fulfilled his duty, ignoring Cale and the Heavenly Demon’s words, who knew everything and were letting it pass.
‘Choi Han, Heavenly Demon. Definitely, the Wanderers will also participate in this exam.’
‘If, as we suspect, the Kingdom of Lan was prepared for the Blood Demon, the Blue Blood, our enemies won’t want others to unknowingly take that opportunity.’
‘Maybe there’s something important in the Kingdom of Lan that even the king doesn’t know, something that only the Wanderers know. That’s why they wanted the Blue Blood Family, the Blood Demon, to take over this kingdom.’
The Wanderers of Five-Colored Family.
The enemy that made Choi Jung Gun become like this and who is aiming at us.
Now, only Five-Colored Family and Transparent Blood Family remain, and Choi Han couldn’t afford any carelessness.
“Hmm.”
Meanwhile, Choi Han felt a little uncomfortable.
“Leave them.”
He slightly nodded at the Heavenly Demon’s words.
“…”
Ghost Sword, who quickly left the exam after the Heavenly Demon.
He was closely following him, about ten steps behind him.
* * *
“Ugh!”
Dark Abyss.
It was said to be a place where those who only sought Wu gathered, no matter the justice, path, or law, and there were all kinds of strange warriors there.
“Ugh!”
The Dark Abyss leader, who was facing the Justice Alliance.
The leader, Passote.
He was face down on the ground.
“Ugh!”
He strained his head to try to remove the foot pressing on him, but he couldn’t raise his head, he could only turn his face to look up at the owner of the foot pressing on him.
“Why are you doing useless things?”
The face of the girl who was smiling cheerfully was reflected in Passote’s eyes.
“You said you wanted to give up-”
“Ugh!”
The girl pressed harder with her foot. Leader Passote felt an irresistible force, a sense of oppression as if a mountain was pressing on him.
It seemed like his head was going to explode.
‘It’s useless.’
There’s no way I can beat this girl.
If there’s a God of Wu, it’s this girl.
Even Queen Tamahi in her prime would have been like dust in front of this girl.
“If you don’t want to see Dark Abyss disappear, participate in the tournament with all your strength.”
The girl crouched down and removed her foot from Passote’s head.
She met his eyes.
“And do what I tell you. Obediently.”
Passote’s face distorted with shame. Although the foot pressing on him had disappeared, he couldn’t stand up. He only asked.
“…Why me?”
Dark Abyss originally had no intention of participating in this tournament.
Of course, any member who wanted to participate could do it, but Dark Abyss had no intention of sending anyone in its name.
That’s why Passote asked the girl.
“Je, je.”
The girl answered with a smile.
“Dark Abyss can do it.”
Thump.
She dropped a sheet of paper in front of Passote.
There were some names written on it, of those who had taken the qualification exam in the past few days, who had been the center of attention and had been on everyone’s lips, unnamed or factionless participants.
“Dark Abyss doesn’t have a good reputation, so no one will say anything if they kill some participants.”
Puh. The girl laughed.
“The Kingdom of Lan didn’t say they would protect the participants’ lives outside the tournament place.”
Then.
“Do it silently.”
Even if they discover you.
“Well, even if it’s discovered, it’s Dark Abyss, right? So it will be alright.”
At that moment, Passote opened his mouth.
“Dark Abyss doesn’t do that kind of cowardly and vile things, ugh!”
The sense of oppression that enveloped him.
Passote couldn’t continue speaking.
The only thing he could see was green energy.
The green energy that was oppressing him.
He didn’t know what it contained, but it was terrible.
“How many times do I have to tell you?”
The girl said impatiently.
“Do what I tell you.”
She spoke again with a kind tone.
“Then, see you later.”
Passote felt the energy that was oppressing him disappear.
He raised his head.
There was no one there.
“…”
He was alone in his shelter in the Kingdom of Lan’s capital, in the center of his room.
“How-”
How did Dark Abyss come to this?
“Damn it.”
Passote, the young leader of Dark Abyss.
He wanted to change Dark Abyss. No, he wanted to return to how it was at the beginning.
Wu.
Only seeking that, like back then.
Those who followed him were everywhere in Dark Abyss’s dome, supporting him.
Passote didn’t want to participate in the tournament. If he won, he would become the king’s heir. He would be part of the power game. He wouldn’t be able to pursue Wu alone.
“…”
Passote extended his hand and took a sheet of paper.
Twick. Twick.
Crimson blood flowed from his mouth due to internal injuries.
The blood drops seeped into the paper.
There were several names written there.
<Kim Haeil.>
Among them was the Heavenly Demon. However, Passote couldn’t see those letters.
‘Who will it be?’
Who will that girl be?
She definitely introduced herself.
‘My name is Sohyi.’
And Passote asked her where she came from.
‘I’m just a Wanderer.’
She introduced herself like that.
* * *
“Ten people-”
Queen Tamahi stared intently at the list that the Martial Arts Academy leader, Charun, had given her.
“Are these the warriors you chose?”
“That’s right.”
“…What about their connection to the Wanderers?”
“I’m verifying.”
Sorak.
Ghost Sword.
Kim Haeil.
Sohyi.
Etc.
Queen Tamahi, who had been pointing at the names of the ten people one by one, asked.
“Besides these ten people, other gems might appear.”
“Of course. This list only includes those who were judged in the qualification exam. When we enter the real battle, many more will show their talent. I’ll report any gems that are found.”
“Hmm.”
Tamahi nodded her head. The old minister stared intently at his sovereign, who was deep in thought. She spoke after a while.
“They-”
These ten people.
“Are those we must protect or those we must kill. It will be so.”
At that moment, Charun opened his mouth.
“They might not be all that.”
Hmm?
Tamahi’s gaze turned to Charun.
Wu.
Charun, who had lived his whole life treating Wu as an academic discipline.
She was looking at her as her teacher, not as her minister.
Tamahi straightened her posture.
Charun opened his mouth.
“There might not be any gems among them.”
The old man thought of some people.
“We must protect the gems.”
Those we must protect, those we must kill.
“It’s not necessary to protect beasts.”
We can’t protect beasts.
And the beasts-
‘Even if they don’t want to test themselves, they’ll end up revealing themselves.’
Charun had seen some beasts.
‘No, it’s not that.’
They’re not beasts.
‘They already are beasts.’
Moreover, very skilled and experienced beasts who know how to hide.
There are three of them.
“Will beasts appear?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I believe so.”
“…It’s interesting.”
Beasts…
Queen Tamahi murmured in a low voice and smiled.
“Then, will they eat me?”
Whether enemy or ally.
Queen Tamahi, who had spoken with a smile, stopped. Because Charun’s face didn’t have a hint of a smile.
“Ha, ha!”
Immediately, Queen Tamahi burst out laughing.
“This is fun.”
The old minister smiled inwardly seeing that the queen’s eyes, which had been consumed by helplessness, were shining.
* * *
-Human, Human! There are more people watching us!
Oh.
Cale nodded his head.
Cale’s group, who was staying in a place that operated as an inn and restaurant, was sitting at a window in the second-floor dining room, calmly waiting for the food that would soon come out and the people who would soon arrive.
‘We’re getting a lot of attention.’
Two days had passed since they took the qualification exam.
The Heavenly Demon.
Well, Kim Haeil, this guy, was getting a lot of attention. He was the one who had passed the exam the fastest.
‘Huh?’
At that moment, Choi Han made eye contact with him.
‘Why is he like this?’
The moment he had that thought. He heard the Heavenly Demon’s relaxed voice.
-Someone has sent an assassin.
Assassin?
-Human, Human! There’s a guy like our dear grandpa Ron on the roof!
Ron, the assassin.
If it’s like that guy, then he’s an assassin.
-It’s fun.
The Heavenly Demon seemed very excited.
-It’s the first time someone has tried to kill me since I was young. I’m very curious to know how they’ll try to kill me.
This crazy bastard.
The Heavenly Demon was waiting for the assassination. Cale shook his head, and Choi Han looked at the Heavenly Demon with a sigh, as if he understood.
“…”
And Ghost Sword was sitting at a table a little further away, eating and staring intently here.
‘Why is that guy like this?’
Cale thought Ghost Sword was very strange. But he wasn’t the only strange one.
“…Oh, God of Abundance.”
The Knight of Abundance, who began to eat after praying to her god. She had also stayed here and was always hanging around near Cale and Ghost Sword.
Cale’s gaze, who was looking at the two users, had a strange gleam.
‘Although it’s strange-’
If everything goes well, they could be users I could have a good conversation with.
Because Cale was an NPC.
And one who could give missions.
-Human, why are you laughing like that? Are you going to deceive someone?
He ignored Raon’s words.
At that moment…
Clang.
There were people entering through the second-floor dining room door.
-Human, it’s Crown Prince Alberu and the kind Rosalyn!
