Book 18 Chapter 2

The Ruler Who Lurks in the Shadows

-Fear of not getting used to it

I don't even remember how long it was anymore. It had been a long time since he had sat here with darkness enveloping his body. The insignificant world called Jianghu was in fact maintained by the after-effects of a hahai-like grace bestowed by 'they' with a few whims, but lately, he hadn't even realized it and had been filled with complacency. What was the point of keeping such an insignificant world alive when he couldn't even grasp the subject matter? It was unavoidable that I was becoming increasingly skeptical. Wouldn't it be better if I did something about it? It was much better to break the bowl of water than to let it stagnate and rot. To do so, it was best to burn the remnants of the past. It would be a good experience to toss and turn, wouldn't it? It was a thought that briefly flashed through the mind of the ruler who dwelled on the south side of the deep darkness, the one who controlled everything in this place with a single finger.

South-facing. To sit facing south was a symbolic position reserved for the heavenly children. It was blasphemous for a non-emperor to sit there. Of course, his job was not as tedious as the emperor's, but within his realm, the spirit of a tianzhi would fall to the ground like a bird without wings, and he would become irrelevant. Every decision here was forbidden to escape his grasp, even if it was fate.

He always remained in the darkness, watching the world of light, sometimes his voice would take form and affect it in some way. But even then he still remained in the darkness, never revealing himself.

Did the light come from the edge of darkness? You can see light in darkness, but it is impossible to see through darkness in light. So, since ancient times, the north has been the seat of the emperor. The emperor is the one who sits in the dark north and watches over the people in the bright south. Cloaked in darkness. The best emperors of old were those who made their subjects unaware of their existence. He who makes his subjects forget that they are ruled at all is one of two things. Either he is the most brilliant ruler, or he is the most terrifying.

So long ago, rulers sought to hide themselves, and taboos were created. So that the people would never see them, never recognize them. Trees were planted to the right and left of the king's path. The ban was to make the trees visible. It was also meant to make it impossible to see what was behind the trees. The people had to bow their heads whenever an eunuch passed by. Soon, it became a taboo to look beyond the darkness in the light of day. The ruler was expected to do his job and do it well. It was important to emphasize that it was impolite to ask questions.

Between him and the young man lying on the ground three doors away, a great black curtain had been drawn, a symbol of disconnection. It's black, but thin enough that you can see through it, but only a small part of it. On the pitch-black curtain, in large white letters, were two words: "I'm done.

滅劫.

All I could see was a 'dread'. There were only these two characters. No, I was allowed to see them. All the rest were solid black.

Beyond the curtain, a long line of torches crackle and flicker, but they do not reveal him. Only the south is illuminated by the torches as they make their way along the path. In the north, where he dwells, only darkness still breathes. The light is too feeble and insignificant to dispel the darkness that pervades the place, and only blackness can be seen in the eyes of the young man who grovels outside the three black curtains.

The young man was trembling with fear. Though the tremor was subtle enough to be imperceptible, it would surely have frightened those who knew him. For the man who had been called the Grand Duke, and who was at times an object of reverence, was not at all in keeping with his former reputation as the "best of the best" in the Temple of Heaven. Not even a trace of his once arrogant swagger and lofty pride remained as he dissolved into the darkness. Is it because of the darkness in this place that I can see things I could never see in the light? The young man with his head bowed was none other than the Grand Duke Bi, who had mysteriously disappeared after triggering a volcanic eruption, and was now being hunted down by all the warlords as the one responsible for the 'volcanization', trembling in terror and fear like a small bird caught by a bird of prey.

The man on the other side of the curtain had just been told how the bugs he'd always considered insignificant had dared to stir. He did not dare to speak. The heavy silence weighed heavily on Rain's heart.

"Whoa……."

After a brief silence, the lanterns that dimly lit the darkness flickered with a heavy sigh. Not even the wind, which could penetrate any space, no matter how small, if there was an opening, could enter this darkness from anywhere.

"You're not going to tell me I've failed now, are you?"

Sometimes we mishear. The occasional misspoken word could be expected. I was prepared to forgive a slip of the tongue once in a while, but I couldn't afford to let it happen. No, it was unacceptable that it should happen at all.

"Yo, forgive me……."

The rain was painful. It was painful, the realization that he had failed, that he should have been more thoroughly perfect than anyone else, had become a sharp steel rake, cutting mercilessly at his mind and body. He lamented that he had no ability to transcend time. If only he had been granted the ability to reach back into the fabric of time and retrace its unrelenting course, he could once again put a corrective touch on the past that had already become an irrevocable fact, but dreams were dreams, and reality was reality. He dared not lift his head to face the irrevocable fact that he had not only failed to live up to his expectations, but had shattered them.

"……."

The mace of silence weighed down on both of Rain's shoulders. The whole world seemed to be scolding him.

"…I must have misheard you, because you're asking me to do something I'm not comfortable with today."

He wasn't used to being told that something he oversaw had failed. It didn't matter if he'd directed it or not, especially not this time. The person he trusted the most had failed to repay his trust. It was a first.

It took me a while to accept that because failure was never on my mind.

"Surely, I have heard reports that a crimson flame of terror burned on the Heavenly Peak."

So you had a hunch that you couldn't imagine anything but success. But what if your hunch was wrong?

"That report was not complete."

Rain replied cautiously in a somber voice.

"So?"

"There is one missing report that should be added after that."

"What is it?"

"Afterward, it is said that some people saw a fire dragon ascend."

And Rain, too, had witnessed the unbelievable sight from a distance from the Heavenly Peak. The sight, engraved on his retinas, was still vivid in his eyes, unwashed by any water.

"Are you saying it's a direct cause?"

Rain hesitated for a moment before answering. He hadn't been there himself, and while he had ordered his intelligence team to prioritize gathering information from those who had been at the volcano meeting, they hadn't been able to get much useful information. The situation was so chaotic that few people had a clear picture of what was going on around them, as everyone was trying to protect themselves. It was not easy to find someone with the mental strength and ability to see the whole picture under such adverse conditions.

'A sudden gust of wind blew in and blocked my view. I couldn't see anything because the wind was so strong it could have blown me off my feet.

This is the most common testimony we hear.

There were also useless testimonies from assholes who said things like, "I closed my eyes tightly, thinking I was going to die, and when I opened them again, it was all over. Obviously, this is not enough to reconstruct what happened. All we can do is hypothesize, but based on poor testimony, we can only come up with weak hypotheses.

"It's still just a guess, but I'm more than a little sure of it. They must have used some sort of method to create a giant updraft. The original fire was lost and frantic, with nowhere to go, and was poised to fill the Red Valley. But just as it was about to heat the air, scorch the earth, and boil the rivers, it found a way out, and shot upward at once. Like a needle pricking a taut ball."

Rain's conjecture was very logical. But it wasn't enough to explain the phenomenon.

"That was the firepower of ten chariots full of 'longlin' that exploded in an instant, and its destructive power would have reduced even the Old Dynasty to ashes in an instant! Do you mean to tell me that there was a martial artist there who possessed the ability to control that torrent of power?"

Reality can be incredibly fickle and bizarre at times, often making things happen that you thought could never happen. When that happens, it's not so much about the phenomenon itself as it is about what made it possible.

"Maybe we've been too dismissive of Samsung."

Rain replied.

'Oh, come to think of it, the center of that whirlwind was the place where the Three Kingdoms of Heaven are, I'm pretty sure.

The testimony that was among the information the Vigilantes asked for.

"Nonsense, they don't have that ability!"

The voice from the darkness was as insistent as ever, but Rain would not relent.

"But we can't say for sure. Besides, the information we have on the Three Kings of Heaven is too old."

Rain replied thoughtfully, but he was not convinced.

"I've heard stories of lions that are older than that."

That's a point that Rain had overlooked and not kept in mind until now.

"Come on, you can't be……!"

Vi knew who the "old lion" was referring to, and his surprise was heightened by the fact that he understood all too well what it meant.

"It can't be, there's no way I could have failed to recognize a being of that stature……."

Rain's words were cut off mid-sentence.

"You have too much confidence in yourself. How can you be called a god demon if you are so easily identified? If he wishes to remain hidden, no one can discover his existence. I fear no one in this clan. Except for one, the old man."

Rain wanted to retort.

"But it's been a hundred years since then… history moves on, and we can't rule out the possibility of new figures emerging.

But Vi didn't want to reveal her true colors.

"Well… I guess I should give him credit for making some progress, huh?"

A voice vibrated through the darkness once more, this time with a bitter mockery. The lanterns that illuminated the windless area swayed frantically once more.

Silent but powerful life, unseen life, melted into the darkness, stretching out like a web in all directions.

He was smiling without realizing it. It was a smile that could freeze the sun.

"suck……."

Rain shuddered slightly.

It was a voice I'd heard since birth, but I still couldn't get used to it. Even now, whenever I hear it, I can feel my deepest fears stirring.

"I'll call it a little more fun, but what happened to the key?"

He asked again.

"……."

Sometimes silence is a valid answer. Today, somehow, I had more unanswered questions than answers.

"You mean to tell me that you've returned without the key and without disposing of the old bastards that parasitize Kang Ho?"

The "Fire Dragon Plan" had been in the works since before he knew about it. Decades of meticulous planning had been undone overnight. Vi braced himself for the outburst of anger. But the outburst of anger he expected never came.

"Hehe, this and that all failed……. Well, that was a nice one."

He even seemed to enjoy the situation.

"I guess I'll have to stick with the old history books for now!"

The rain that followed his announcement that he was going to write a history of the new Murim, Shin Murimgi, was unmistakable. He was obviously referring to his work.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll take whatever punishment you give me. Father!"

Rain couldn't help but feel a surge of shame. She had never felt so incompetent in her life.

"Why do you think it failed?"

The question was asked.

"I know what you are capable of. I created you. You would have been perfectly prepared for the Three Realms, and even if you couldn't win, you wouldn't have lost. So what else was there there that you couldn't handle?"

"They were stronger than we thought, but there was one variable we didn't anticipate."

"Unexpected variables?"

Coming from the mouth of a man who sees everything coming, plans things out to the letter, and doesn't make a single mistake, it was quite a surprise.

"It's one person."

"One person?"

I didn't think I misheard him. I said "one person", not "a group of people".

"Yes. There was only one person who couldn't be measured by my scale."

A man's shadow flashed through Vi's mind. Long bangs that fell down to his nose, a mouth that always had a cynical smile on it, and an outrageous ability to act outside of his own expectations.

"What's his name?"

"…it's called Bi Ryuyeon."

"Get back!"

The air behind the dark curtain rang heavy.

"I'll step aside."

Rain replied with a polite bow before turning and walking away.

"Wait!"

Crouching down, Rain backed away cautiously, then stopped moving.

"……."

The rain waited for one after another, but none came. There was a moment of stifling silence. A bead of cold sweat rolled down his cheek from his forehead. It was then that the candles that had been burning silently began to flicker once more.

"Failure is failure anyway, and actions always have consequences, even for you!"

The rain waited for the next sentence to fall without comment.

"I will hold you accountable for your failure."

Finally, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

"Of course. I don't want to be an exception, and I'm not going to pass the buck to my subordinates. My overconfidence and incompetence have turned a decade's worth of work into nothing, and I'm not going to make lame excuses now that the Great Plan, which shouldn't have been delayed, has been delayed. I'm determined."

The last thing we wanted was to be outdated.

"Good. I see I haven't taught you wrong to not run from the consequences of your actions. Now go and do your probation. I'll let you know when the disposition is decided."

"I'll leave you to it."

He sat down and watched the scene in silence. With a squeak of friction, the heavy iron door swallowed up the sliver of light that had crept in. Once again, darkness fell all around.

"Are we going to have to start everything from scratch?"

A muffled voice came from the darkness.

The air in my lungs turned into a sigh as I was released from the heavy weight that had been weighing me down.

"Whoa……."

The air in the claustrophobic room I'd just been in was a long sigh, as if I didn't want to leave a single handful behind.

"Hah, that's some serious intimidation."

A feeling of gravity that could only be felt when the weight of a thousand muscles weighs down on the heart. Even the nervousness he'd felt when he'd come face-to-face with the three living legends of the Martial Realm hadn't been on this level. Sure, he'd been caught off guard by the fact that the three of them had underestimated him, but even taking that into account, it didn't compare to the chill of a sharp ice hook scraping across his heart.

Perhaps it was because I was already immune to that kind of intimidation by the time I was in Tianmusheng, but I still wasn't immune at all. This was despite having been exposed to it for much longer.

"…I can't get used to it, not at all……."

It's been said that all humans are gifted with an extraordinary talent: the ability to get used to things, or adaptability. This assessment is largely correct. But there are exceptions to every rule, and this was one of them. There were things in the world of experience that he had seen since birth that he could never get used to. The proof was in the darkness beyond the iron gate behind his back. It was as if there was a gap behind him that could never be bridged.

"Is that what absolutes are……."

If even that is not the absolute, then what is the absolute and what is the ultimate? The incomparable and irreplaceable state of nothingness. A world that his short understanding could not even begin to conceive of. It was already beyond his grasp.

"What are you sighing so loudly about, the ground is going to fall out from under you."

Hmmm!

I almost unconsciously glanced back. But she barely resisted the urge to shake her head. No matter how preoccupied she was with other thoughts, she had no desire to admit that she hadn't noticed the gesture until now. It was scandalous, and it was humiliating to know it was scandalous and do it.

"Somewhere along the way……!

Bi replied in a cold tone, feigning innocence as best she could and not looking back.

"Second?"

Even without looking, his sharpened senses allowed him to detect the identity of the figure behind him.

The response was immediate.

"Oh, and now you're not looking back, death penalty? That's a shame."

"When did you, whose coldness is worse than a river in the dead of winter, become such a heartfelt human being?"

"You mean to tell me that you thought I was less than a human being? I'm so……."

The young man's voice trailed off as he held his temple with his right hand and shook his head exaggeratedly. The laughter that had once filled his face was now frozen in place.

'Somewhere along the way…….'

He shook his head, but it was only for a fraction of a second, and yet Rain's body had appeared in front of him like a ghost, without a trace. The young man felt a chill run down his spine.

"Does this mean we're tied……?

The match ended in a draw for now. The rain's response took away what little mental edge the young man had left.

"Indeed……!

But he recovered quickly.

The young man's face froze for a moment, then melted, and his smile returned.

"Oh my God, I thought my heart was going to fall out, death penalty!"

The young man said excitedly.

"That's too bad."

The rain replied in a tone of deep regret. It was clear that he was not at all pleased with this encounter. In that sense, the rain was very honest. He abhorred the perverse behavior of smiling in front of him and cursing behind his back. His eyes were, quite honestly, cold, even though it was clearly a death sentence. A sharp, ice-cold gaze that pierced his opponent's eyes.

A thin young man stood there, clad in a gorgeous golden robe embroidered with silver. He was perhaps twenty-five years old. He was so gorgeous that he could have been mistaken for someone who deliberately scattered flower petals as he walked and trampled over them.

A large, glowing green jade necklace, a purple headband, and a jade sash around his waist. It was clear that he was a typical human being who would spare no expense in adorning his appearance. Especially the green jade around his neck, which was half the size of a palm, was large enough to make people stop to ask its price. In addition, his left ear had five golden earrings in small rings, which naturally raised the question of whether or not his ears would hurt if he wore them all the time. The young man didn't bother to ask if he'd already grown accustomed to Rain's stinging glare; he knew better than anyone else that he could never be genuinely upset. Just like himself.

"Death penalty, it's been a while."

A flamboyant young man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties greeted me with a brilliant smile and a cheery bow.

"Ishiguro, it's been a while, what can I do for you?"

Her voice, reciting the young man's name over and over again without calling him by his first name, was as dull as a dried up dead tree, devoid of any emotion. There was not even a trace of the weakness she had shown earlier on the other side of the stone gate. Instead, his cold, piercing gaze was as cold as a sharpened sword.

"You're being stiff. Why don't you just go ahead and call me 'Gunna' and we'll get along even better, don't you think, Death Penalty?"

The flamboyant young man named Seagan was not at all intimidated by the brilliant light, which was colder than the winter moon. Rather, he was as gentle as a willow tree swaying in the spring breeze.

"Decline."

Dudung

The answer was like a knife, and the young man reeled in shock.

"Woe to you, Death Penalty. Aren't we the only priests in the world, aren't we the only executioners in the world, aren't you really going too far, how can you drive such a big stake into my heart, the only priest?"

A pleading voice came from Ishiguro's mouth as he beat his fist against his chest in anguish, but the rain didn't budge.

"Not one."

Rain replied bluntly. Indeed, his priest was not one of the Ishigans.

"Oh, let's not sweat the small stuff."

Ishigaki's voice, so freshly restored from his earlier pleas, sounded like it could fly. In its refreshing brazenness, the 'other' priest was instantly transformed into a 'trifle'.

"More than that, I don't have an answer yet."

Rain asked in a harsh voice, interrupting Ishiguro.

"Answer? For what……. Oh, you mean for what?"

Rain nodded.

"I was just coming to say hello to you, Master, since I just got out of the closet, but I've already done my reporting."

"Closing? Come to think of it, I thought I heard you were closing. I've been wondering why you haven't been seen in a while."

If he didn't show up for a while, I didn't even know if he'd heard about the closure or not. In fact, it didn't matter at all whether he knew about it or not. All he had to do was to show that he was, and it would be over; he was saying that there was a part of you in me that was barely of that stature. The words were enough to bruise the flamboyant young man's ego, but he didn't care about the other man's reaction, so he asked again.

"Yeah, when did it come out?"

The secret training hall was located in a vault that was dated here. It couldn't have come out yesterday or today.

"……."

After two deep breaths, Ishigan managed to control the muscles in his face that were threatening to contort, and he began to wonder how he could possibly touch the pride of this pompous executioner.

"It's been a while, but you don't care about the death penalty anyway. He went for the big one and failed spectacularly… Oh, and was that a gold ball?"

He looked stunned at his own mistake, but it was pretense anyway. Seeing the mockery behind the mask of sincerity, Vi cursed to herself.

"Now he's trying to make me look bad.

"It doesn't matter. Keeping your mouth shut doesn't make it go away. You must have been very happy."

"Oh, how could you? I've been working on this plan for a decade, and if it fails, it will be a huge setback for my future plans, so how dare I wish it to fail? Please don't say that, even jokingly. I'm afraid others will take it the wrong way."

His words were clear, but they were laced with poison. The way he pretended to be something he wasn't, but said everything he had to say, was very shallow.

If that's a talent, I'd call it a talent, but it remains to be seen whether it's a benefit or a detriment.

"It's not a misunderstanding, it's an insight.

Well, it didn't really matter anyway. He might think he was hiding it well, but he could already tell that the priest saw him as an unwelcome obstacle to a prosperous life. As long as he didn't rise above himself, he'd never have a connection to the top. Defeating himself was the only way he could seize that opportunity; there was no other way, so the twisted feelings he harbored were understandable, but that didn't mean he condoned them. If you can overcome it, you should try, but if you can't, it's gone forever. I'm sure they realize that, too. That's why they're still hesitant to take action, just talking the talk. Gently scratching your fingernails against the sensitive spots of others' nerves.

"That sarcasm, and the fact that you haven't rusted yet, suggests you must have closed under very good circumstances."

Rain said in a sarcastic tone. He wasn't about to give up his mental edge just yet. The string of tension between them was pulled taut, with neither side willing to give an inch.

"Well, well, well, we haven't seen each other in a long time and you're so cold, our death penalty."

"Did I say something wrong?"

"Isn't the training wing there perfectly controlled in terms of humidity and room temperature? I've been doing fine."

Touro Ishigaki replied that such a closing exercise was no big deal, but he knew better than anyone that it was a bluff.

"To say that you've been doing well in that hellhole… that's the only thing you've ever said that I can approve of. I hope your accomplishments are as good as your tongue."

"I'm glad to hear that, what do you want me to show you now?"

笑裏藏刀 (笑裏刀). Did I mention the sharp blade hidden behind laughter?

Ishigaki's colorful, fine-lined face was filled with laughter, but it was a clear provocation. His smug demeanor made Vi feel even more uncomfortable. She couldn't just leave him in this mood.

"If I could. But can I? You'll have to work at it if you don't want to be laughed at."

Rain laughed. Ishigan laughed, too. The flame of murder blossomed, bursting into bloom.

"I'm already working on it, so don't move. Because if you do, I can't guarantee it."

The smile on Ishigan's lips twisted and turned into something more sinister. In an instant, Rain's body stood still.

'Somewhere along the way…….'

This is the second time today that I've been stabbed through the void, twice in a row… Sensing the web of flesh that surrounded her, she swallowed hard.

If you take the slightest step here, the taut flesh will fly out to tear you apart like a raging storm.

The priest was smiling a smile of conversion, smug in the knowledge that he had struck a blow. He was angry that the mental advantage he had just gained had been wasted, and now he had the upper hand once again. It was not going to be pleasant. Ishigaki smiled and warned.

"It would behoove you to remain still, Sisyphus. The 'purple cloud' is sensitive and reacts to the slightest movement, and you might harm it if you do anything wrong. Your. Ah. Mal."

Rain, who prided himself on his calmness and coolness, was stunned into silence by this move.

"This technique can't possibly be……."

Ishigaki proudly replied with an inward smile of conversion at the results of his closing.

"Yes, that's right, it's a 'purple cloud'."

"When you say Zaun, do you mean 'that' Zaun?"

For once, even the rain seemed to be surprised.

"Is there another joun besides that joun? This is 'that' joun, the joun that is paired with the 'dark thunder' of death."

To be paired means that the two martial artists are equal. This was Yi Shi Gun's tacit declaration and demonstration that he was now equal in status and power to the rain, as opposed to being unequaled.

"Congratulations, you finally made it."

In a voice so contrary to his own, Rain bluntly rattled his vocal cords.

"Thank you. But it's not quite up to the 'dark thunderbolt' of the death penalty yet."

It was a gesture of confidence that it was not a matter of low rank, but merely a matter of accomplishment, and that the gap would soon be filled over time. Well, that may not be necessary anymore.

"That's not very humble of you, so what are you going to do with me now, kill me?"

Rain asked in a grave tone. He was calmer now that he knew what it was. There was nothing as frightening as ignorance. When you knew, you were no longer afraid. Shigan had weakened himself by showing off. Whether he knew it or not, he replied.

"Killed? Don't say such horrible things, it's not the death penalty, and I used to believe in the death penalty."

Seagan replied smugly, absolutely convinced of his dominance.

"Do you want to try it?"

The rain asked, looking him straight in the eye, and he swallowed dryly at its formidable gaze. The rain's taunt had worked; his inner self was now facing a serious temptation that was hard to resist.

"…the exam is available at……."

He wanted to shout, "Yes, let's try it!" but he barely suppressed the urge that was welling up inside him.

"Let's save the test for… another time."

It wasn't time yet.

"Oh, yeah, I'll leave it at that."

Rain replied in a blunt tone, withdrawing his piercing gaze.

Voila!

With a snap of his fingers, the web of flesh that had been wrapped around Rain was washed away. That was enough of a show of force. The last thing he wanted was to expose too much of his skill; the time was not yet ripe for a decisive battle. His pride was strong, but he was not yet blind to the situation.

"You still have the death penalty."

After reaping the rewards of the qi he had unleashed, Yi Shi Jian said with a forced smile.

"I'm not as bad as anyone else."

Rain's reply was still blunt and critical, and the condescending tone stirred Ishiguro's pride again. I couldn't take it without hurting my own prideful coolness. I knew I had to do something about it or I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. So I said.

"By the way, I saw it again, death penalty."

"What do you mean?"

The oddly exaggerated tone struck a nerve with Vi.

"Oh, don't tell me you didn't notice. I thought you said this one failed, but you got the loot."

"Loot?"

"Yes. Heard the rumors?"

"I don't remember."

But Ishigan would not back down. The fun of breaking the tedium of perfection was about to begin.

"Why… that woman. I heard the death penalty was out on this operation and they brought her back……."

At that moment, a terrifying flesh emanated from Grand Duke Bi's body. Yi Shijian's body tensed up at the sight of that thick flesh.

"What are you talking about?"

'indeed…….'

It was an intense, rich life that wouldn't sting more than a million needles piercing his body.

"Well, there's nothing to be upset about, is there? I'm not accusing you of anything, Am, I'm just saying, it's a heroic color, no, it's a heroic color, and I'm rather impressed that you had such a romance with the death penalty."

That would mean it was special, and if it wasn't special, it was meaningless.

"She must have been pretty, huh?"

Once again, black flames flashed coldly in the rain's eyes.

"What's the point?

I was slightly chilled by the horrifyingly gruesome living conditions, but I couldn't survive here if I were too weak to be intimidated.

"Maybe I can use it later.

Inwardly, he sang a happy tune. It had been a long time since he'd seen rain reveal so much hidden emotion. Enough to upend his usual behavior. It was a strength that could easily become a weakness.

Had it read his thoughts? The frozen mouth of the rain slowly opened.

"…Don't sweat the small stuff!"

His tone was one of absolute force, one that would not tolerate any dissent.

"It's just a simple, small curiosity. It doesn't mean anything, yes, I was just wondering what happened to that booty, no, that woman. I'm a man first, am I not, death penalty?"

This young man was repeating what people who always mean something say.

"She's dead."

Rain replied with a chilling look.

"What? Is he dead?"

The young man's eyes widened. I'm trying to figure out how beautiful she is, or what's going on behind the scenes that brought this icy, cold-blooded woman here. …….

Anyone who dies in the middle of nowhere is bound to panic. It's like being a thief who has a plan to steal a treasure and is just about to execute it, only to realize that the treasure has already been stolen. I've called it the dog chasing the chicken, looking at the roof.

"Yes, she's dead!"

As if to confirm it, he repeats it again, and his answer is as sharp as a knife. For a moment, Ishigaki was speechless, but he simply replied, "That's too bad, that's too bad. I'm so sorry for your loss." He didn't even bother to offer any consolation. I didn't want to keep my mouth shut and be mute. His stomach was in such a knot that he couldn't untangle it unless he did something.

"Hmmm, let's leave it at that, it's better that way."

He had to settle for savoring the small pleasure of repeating what he had heard earlier.

"Do as you please."

Rain replied dryly, but his fists were shaking slightly, as if to hide the agitation in his heart, and Ishigaki's eyes did not miss it. Satisfied, Ishigaki nodded lightly and said, "I'm sorry.

"We won't be seeing you for a while, Death Penalty."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to run a quick errand to Nam Changel."

"Namchang?"

If your destination is Nanchang, there's only one place to go.

"Tianmu Academy……."

It was the most direct cause of the failure, the real power behind Baekdo, and the biggest obstacle to the future successes with Jung Cheon-mung.

"You've decided to trigger that courtesy plan."

"Seo, no way!"

Ishigan nodded, a cruel smile forming on his lips.

"That's exactly what the death penalty envisions."

"I thought the plans for the Netherworld were abandoned?"

"You can never be too careful, and while you didn't expect the Fire Dragon Ascension Realm to end in failure, you didn't think you didn't have a backup plan or two in case it did, did you?"

You won't survive in this harsh world if you play it safe. This world is not a brainless world built for brainless children.

"How come I didn't hear a word?"

"I've been reprimanded by my master, and he's put me on probation for a while. He's entrusted me with this mission, and I've decided to use the Thirteen Bloods as my escort."

"Thirteen bloods?"

"Yes."

"You mean you use those killing machines?"

"If I'm going to use my hands, I'm going to do it in the fastest way possible. You've been working your ass off while I've been closing, now get some rest, and I'll take care of what happens next."

'You're just a substitute while I'm out of commission. You've been toiling and failing for this body. Now that I'm out of the way, you're going to stay quiet, and I'll take care of everything else. I hope you can rest in peace," was an adaptation of the phrase, adapted for public consumption.

"Is that true?"

"Sure. Would you like to check it out?"

Ishigan said in a condescending tone. It was hard not to enjoy being promoted from a position of always having to do as ordered to one of giving orders.

"That's it. I wish you success. But before you go, I'll give you one piece of advice, in the spirit of brotherly love."

They both felt like they were breaking out in hives at the mention of a relationship that didn't exist. It was a fact they both knew all too well that nothing like that existed between them anyway.

"Don't underestimate them, they are strong."

It was wisdom from direct experience.

"Thanks for the advice, I'll take it to heart."

It was a dry answer, but he didn't forget his four limbs, for they were his body.

"Oh, and give my regards to the dead woman."

Ishigan waved his hand a couple of times in a final light gesture, then turned and walked toward the door. The door swung open with a heavy thud, and he disappeared through it.

Grrrrr!

With another heavy note, the stone door to the outside world closed.

Pavabababat!

'It' started at her shoulder blades and ran at breakneck speed past her elbows toward her sleeves.

And just as the door closed, Rain's right arm inflated and exploded with a loud bang.

"Boom!"

He grunted and clutched his right shoulder. Unlike his binge, his right arm was intact. The sleeve that covered it was torn into tiny triangles and scattered into the air. With a terrifying momentum, as if it had exploded. It was the result of the explosion of his potential career.

"I told you there's no way he'd go down that easy!"

He couldn't wait to show his power.

"…not exactly a career-killer."

It was a terrifying technique that screamed 'I've got your right hand'.

But he hadn't forgotten to reciprocate.

Grrrrr!

The stone gate closed behind Ishigan's back. He set his feet on the long flight of stairs leading up to the World of Light. He walked up the stairs for as long as he had come down, his mind focused on the unseen offensive that had taken place earlier.

"It's not sophisticated enough!"

Maneuvering the cloudlike Zaun was never easy, but a force you can't control is bound to hurt you at some point. You have to control it somehow.

"And power!"

It needed to be soft, but strong enough to tear through steel.

For today, I had to be satisfied that I had a rough gauge of the gap between me and him. Just outlining what was lacking and what I needed to strengthen to surpass him was a harvest. Plus, he'd left me a gift!

He wasn't used to being ignored, and he didn't want to be ignored in the future. That's why he had to demonstrate the power he had, at the risk of it being used against him later. Risking that it might come back to haunt him.

The only thing that bothered me was that Rain's right arm was slower to react than expected, so I could have easily given him a gift, but I didn't.

'As if it were an injury.

It was creepy how easily things worked out. It seems that relationships aren't the only thing that can go wrong when things work out too well.

'But he didn't give me any indication that he was… No way…….'

But he soon denied his reasoning.

"The man was immobilized, until the invisible currents of air caused by my cloud, Zaun, surrounded his being."

Tuduk!

Before he could finish his sentence, his braid snapped, sending his black hair falling like rain. His vision was momentarily blurred by the sudden baptism of hair.

Puddle!

The grinding sound came from inside the bowed head.

"Is this your neck I have taken?"

That wasn't the end of it.

Tuduk!

His iconic necklace, made of expensive jadeite, snapped and fell to the ground. He watched in a daze, not bothering to catch it as it tumbled down the darkened staircase. Slowly, like a feather, it fell before his eyes, hitting the floor and breaking into dozens of pieces. The shattered pieces scattered in all directions with a loud crash. He gazed at the scene in awe.

'I didn't even feel alive…….'

You mean you can't be sure of victory or defeat yet? He was a man who could not be caught off guard. He didn't even realize he was using his body, and before he knew it, he was holding a knife to his head and neck. It was a clear warning not to get carried away.

"Aah!"

Ishigan frowned slightly at the pain that shot through his right cheek. He looked at the hand he had unconsciously brought to his cheek. It was blood. A sharp splinter had grazed his cheek. A chill ran down his spine.

"Damn it!!!"

The words spontaneously came out of his mouth. He wasn't very good at that kind of self-control. How dare you scar my beautiful face.

"We'll see, Rain! The title of Grand Duke attached to your name, don't let me take it away from you! Only this body is worthy of that title!"

Gritting his teeth, Ishigan swore. He must see those eyes water with blood, and he must see those handsome, stiff knees prostrate themselves before him. At the mere thought of it, a wave of pleasure swept through his body, sending him into a sweet ecstasy. His eyes were already glazed over.

"At all costs!"

He swore once more. You, my dear, will one day kneel at the feet of this body.

Bea looked at her bare right arm. Ishigan's deduction was correct. A hideous scar lay there, as if a ferocious black dragon had swept through it. The sharpness of the black scar suggested that it was recent. As Bi looked at it, an emotion other than coldness flashed through her eyes. It had been made by her, by her sword. It was a scar that would never be erased, along with the other scars on his chest.

"Is this the price……."

The rain was real.

"If this is the price I have to pay for what I have done……."

Rain pauses for a moment. He looked down, his right palm soaked with blood. A heavy weight pressed against his heart. Her left eye was red with tears, her right pupil bulging. The woman's two eyes came alive again, as if a veil had suddenly been lifted from the image that would never be erased. Disbelief, horror, and despair. The pounding of the rain seemed to echo in her ears.

"Hmm, well, that was a cheap shot then. For the price of erasing a man's life from this world."

Vi smiled bitterly and muttered quietly to herself at the absurdity of the fact that equivalence could never be established.

But when he raised his head again, the pain and agitation that had filled his eyes had vanished like smoke.

"Yes, she is dead! I killed her with these hands!"

Rain exclaimed, balling up his still-immobilized right fist.

"The girl I saw on the sand that day… she's never coming back again!"

He muttered quietly as he brought his hand up to the scar on his right forearm where a black dragon had gone on a rampage.

The hand that ended the life of a young man with no name, and the life of a woman with no name. But, but, but.

"I… don't regret it, ever!"

It was the only path left to him. It was the only path.