Childhood Friend of the Zenith

She had a memory.

It definitely wasn’t a reminiscence though, so she simply called it a memory.

It was a night lit by a full moon.

Others seemed to have forgotten about how long it’s been ever since falling into this world, but she remembered every single day.

She couldn’t help it; her mind retained everything she saw, locking in each day spent in that place.

A little more than two years.

That was how long she had survived in the Abyss.

The sky was always red, and the moon glowed with an ominous crimson. Day and night blurred together, so she relied on the moon’s presence to mark time.

[ … ]

It was an unsettling world, through and through.

Sitting on a rock, she looked up at the sky and let her thoughts wander.

It was a lifeless world, where everything had dried up.

How could anyone not feel an unease in such a world?

[ Haah. ]

She sighed, her breath forming a brief puff of white mist.

There was a sadness in the stillness of this world, and she wondered if it was trying to tell her something.

Something felt off.

She knew from instinct that there was something off about this world, but she struggled to find the answer.

[ … ]

She closed her eyes, and then opened them again, gazing at the moon.

Was she mistaken?

It felt as if the red moon was trying to speak to her.

She wondered whether to respond, to somehow acknowledge it, but no words ever left her lips.

Then,

[ I finally found you. ]

A voice called up to her from the base of the rock.

Most martial artists in the Abyss communicated telepathically; few ever spoke out loud like this.

And he was the only one who addressed her with such a fierce tone.

It was a fierce-looking young man, with black hair and eyes flecked with red, dressed in a dust-covered red outfit.

[ … ]

It was the man she despised most in the world.

Looking down with a steely gaze, she responded.

[ I told you that speaking out loud is dangerous. ]

She spoke telepathically,

[ You bitch, you think this is funny? ]

He retorted aloud.

[ You think I’d speak out loud if I didn’t have to? ]

[ Then work hard. ]

[ You’ve got a knack for talking crap, and today’s no exception. ]

A mocking smile spread across the young man’s face.

The girl frowned, an expression rare for her.

He was the only one.

She had mastered the art of suppressing her emotions, but somehow, he had the uncanny ability to break through it.

-What did you just say to me? How dare you shove that thing towards me!

That was how their first meeting was like, and it was because of him that she ended up learning her sword for.

Not that the incompetent man remembered any of it himself.

[ Anyway, what brings you here…? ]

[ What do you think? It’s my turn for the night watch. ]

The young man clicked his tongue, glancing around before addressing her in his usual annoyed tone.

[ Didn’t I tell you last time? If you’re on night watch, stay near the camp. Don’t climb up a mountain.]

[ …It’s more efficient getting the high ground. ]

[ Maybe for you. But it’s a pain for me to climb all the way up here. ]

[ Didn’t I tell you to use your flame for times like this? I would’ve come down if I’d seen it. ]

[ … ]

The man frowned and turned his head away after hearing the girl’s response.

They’d had this conversation before.

With her skill level, it made sense for her to find higher ground for her watch.

Because of this, she often chose elevated spots for her night watch.

But he was the one scheduled for the next watch after her.

She’d told him to use his flame as a signal, yet he insisted on climbing up to her every single time.

She couldn’t understand.

It wasn’t like they were fond of each other.

With that thought, she shook her head and looked down the hill.

[ …Looks like your annoying friend tagged along, too. ]

She noticed another figure behind him.

Despite his title, he had a knack for running his mouth.

She wasn’t fond of this man either; he always seemed to seek out the one she hated most for conversation.

Though still, he was still hundreds of times better than the man currently in front of her.

[ Oh, you were here huh? ]

This man went by the title Sleeping Dragon.

[ Flame. I told you to wait for me. ]

[ What are you saying, you crazy bastard? You are up next after me. ]

[ Nothing wrong with a little chit-chat, you know? Keeps things lively, Flame. ]

[ And you keeping me up when it’s your watch? ]

[ …Hehe. ]

[ Hehe my ass… Screw off, will you? ]

Just watching them talk made the girl sigh. She couldn’t understand this either.

To her, all humans held the same value, yet she couldn’t help but feel that some weren’t on the same level as others.

It wasn’t simply because she was the descendant of the almighty Sword Venerable.

It wasn’t about the Four Noble Clans, the Ten Sect Alliances, or any noble bloodlines at all.

That man in front of her was a twisted person.

His rough personality and willingness to bare his fangs at anyone, regardless of who they were, marked him as different.

What separated him from a Demon, she wondered at times.

On top of that, he had no talent in martial arts and barely put in any effort.

He was completely different from others who overcame their wall to survive in this Abyss. She couldn’t understand why the Sleeping Dragon insisted on being with a man like him.

To her, it seemed as though he’d already given up on everything.

He bared his fangs at those he couldn’t hope to defeat, as if he didn’t care if it cost him his life, or maybe even welcomed it.

But why?

Why did he seem to long for death?

If he truly wanted to die, he could have ended it himself.

[ … ]

She recognized the coldness of her thoughts and tried to push them away.

She had to rule out these cold thoughts.

These thoughts made her feel a little less human each time.

No.

It was more that she didn’t want to lose the last fragments of her humanity.

[…I shall be taking my leave now.]

She planned to return to camp. She didn’t need sleep, but she did feel the need to cool her head.

Grab.

A hand suddenly grasped her wrist, it was the Sleeping Dragon.

[Hey, why leave so soon?]

[…!]

[It’s obvious you aren’t even going to sleep when you go back, so how about chatting with us for a bit?]

Why?

She knew the Sleeping Dragon was just like this and rarely got annoyed with others.

But that day, for some reason, she felt a surge of anger.

[ …Hmm? ]

The Sleeping Dragon paused.

[Divine Sword?]

Why?

Normally, she wouldn’t be angered by something so small, but her patience had reached its limit.

She couldn’t tell if it was because of all the strange events piling up or something else.

But she hated the feeling of a lowly creature daring to touch her.

[ Stop it. ]

It was him who finally separated the Sleeping Dragon from her.

[ Why bother stopping a girl who is trying to leave? ]

[ No, I just… ]

[ And you—get lost. ]

He roared out loud.

[ Oh, I don’t know about that one. ]

The Sleeping Dragon laughed it off, while the girl left them and made her way back to camp.

As she walked away, she turned back to glance at the two men.

The Sleeping Dragon chatted beside him, looking pleased, while the man simply sat in silence, offering no response.

She watched his back, noticing it seemed darker than usual.

He never looked back after she left.

It was the same for her as well. She didn’t want to bother reading his emotions.

Yet, somehow, her overwhelming anger faded almost instantly.

She wasn’t sure why but decided to cool her head first.

She returned to camp, feeling warmth in her heart but a chill in her chest.

She had called this a memory at first, but now she regretted it.

What if she had been just a little different?

Though she knew she couldn’t return to those times, the regret never left her mind.

She coped by convincing herself that she had no choice back then.

But what did she truly have left?

Was it only the memory of his face, from afar or up close?

Was she satisfied that she was able to shoulder his burdens?

She wondered if it was right to keep her soul intact because of her never-ending regret.

She knew nothing.

“Let go. Now.”

But she had one thing to do.

“Don’t you dare lay a single filthy finger on him.”

I will protect him. That’s what all this was for.

Rumble.

The mountain crumbled gradually.

New dimensions formed, leaving traces suspended in the air.

With a single swing, all this destruction was unleashed.

“Huff… Huff…”

The resonance of Demonic Qi began to settle.

Gu Yangcheon barely held back the crushing pressure, his breaths heavy, his eyes trembling despite himself.

He hadn’t felt this way when he faced the Heavenly Demon or when his Demonic Qi raged uncontrollably.

Slam.

A powerful explosion echoed from the ravaged land.

From within the swirling dust, it was none other than the Heavenly Demon who emerged once more.

Tap, tap.

The Heavenly Demon shook off the dust, but there was not a single scratch on its body.

…Despite its appearance, it still is the Heavenly Demon, huh.

Just a few years ago, she looked barely ten; now, she appears to be my age.

The rate of her growth was different compared to average humans.

“…”

After stepping from the dust, the Heavenly Demon stood motionless, fixing its gaze on Wi Seol-Ah.

Noticing the sword in Wi Seol-Ah’s hand,

Shing.

It conjured a sword from its black aura.

It seemed to be mimicking Wi Seol-Ah.

Wi Seol-Ah frowned at the sight.

Without hesitation, she charged at the Heavenly Demon.

Clang-! Cggck!

Their Qi collided, sending explosive shockwaves through the surroundings.

The recoil slammed into my exhausted body. For now, all I could manage was to keep myself from being swept away by their attacks.

It’s strange.

I wasn’t just referring to the Heavenly Demon’s appearance.

That was unusual enough, but what truly mattered was Wi Seol-Ah.

From my knowledge, she was a Peak Realm martial artist.

Even in her perfected Peak Realm state, she shouldn’t have wielded such power.

I was able to see it.

Claaang-!

Wi Seol-Ah’s sword was gradually forcing the Heavenly Demon back.

How was that possible?

Could the Heavenly Demon be weaker in this era?

That was possible.

I didn’t know what level the Heavenly Demon was currently in.

Dense Demonic Qi spread out in the surroundings.

It surged wildly yet obeyed the Heavenly Demon’s command.

Wi Seol-Ah cut these Demonic Qi with her sword and moved forward.

Each swing of her sword left white trails in the air.

This was the aura now enveloping Wi Seol-Ah.

That was the problem.

Wi Seol-Ah’s Qi effortlessly erased the black Demonic Qi.

It was a white aura which was a level above golden aura.

This was the aura that had let her overwhelm other Demonic Humans in my past life and ultimately defeat the Heavenly Demon.

But how?

But the current Wi Seol-Ah wasn’t at the level to use such a power.

Considering how the Sword Venerable himself was easily defeated by the Heavenly Demon, it wasn’t just about martial arts, it was her own enlightenment that made the difference.

How was Wi Seol-Ah now wielding a power she had barely achieved in the final moments of my previous life?

How was this happening?

Funnily enough, I was more curious about that, than the Heavenly Demon’s early appearance.

A tingle ran down my spine.

Strange noises filled my ears, and my breathing grew ragged.

Why?

Was I still feeling the recoil from my Demonic Qi?

Yes, that was exactly what was happening.

My Demonic Qi continued to ravage my body with pain.

I felt on the brink of losing consciousness from it,

Why.

But I still had my focus on Wi Seol-Ah.

There she was, the girl wielding her sword against the Heavenly Demon, her body cloaked in a white aura.

The current Wi Seol-Ah was strong as well.

She had enough talent to earn herself the Celestial Sword title in the future.

I knew this because she had reached Peak Realm in only a few years.

That alone confirmed her strength, but something about her seemed different now.

Why…?

The Wi Seol-Ah I saw now wasn’t the cheerful girl who’d run to the dinner table with a smile, she was the silent, stoic figure who bore pain and sadness to save the world.

Craaaack-!

With each clash, the white aura seemed to alter the Demonic Qi itself.

The white aura was on the verge of fully erasing the Demonic Qi.

My gaze shifted to the Heavenly Demon.

The Heavenly Demon’s face remained emotionless.

A flicker of shock crossed its face as it was forced back, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

The Demonic Qi became gradually stronger.

Though the white aura continued to consume its Demonic Qi, the Heavenly Demon poured even more out.

It simply decided to pour more out because it was being eaten away.

What a monstrous method that was.

“Ugh…!”

Wi Seol-Ah groaned in pain due to the sheer amount of Demonic Qi.

The Demonic Qi began to affect her, slipping past her defenses. Even so, she kept her aura extended to protect me.

No.

I couldn’t bear seeing her like this.

I didn’t want her to see her fight against the Heavenly Demon again, which was why I worked so hard to become stronger.

Facing calamities, witnessing countless deaths, none of that mattered to me.

I cared about one thing alone.

I didn’t want her to bear that burdened life again.

That was my reason to live.

Yet, I was watching this unfold powerlessly.

What was the point of reaching Fusion Realm?

I couldn’t even protect that small girl, and instead she was the one protecting me.

What do I do?

I wanted to act, to pull her out of this fight, to stop the Heavenly Demon right here.

If I do that, then many things would change.

But then I would have to move first.

Stop sitting here like an incompetent fool—move.

“Ughhh…”

I tried to stand, but the pain drove me back to my knees.

Just what? What do I do?

With bloodshot eyes, I racked my brain.

I considered how to subdue my raging Demonic Qi and find a way out of this situation.

“…”

The answer came to me instantly, almost as if I had always known it.

As my Demonic Qi resonated with the Heavenly Demon’s, I found my way out.

Choosing this path would bring my life closer to the one I had in my past, yet it was still a way forward.

Hesitation followed after.

I knew this choice might drag me back to hell, shattering any chance for peace, but still, I raised my head and looked ahead.

“Ugh…!”

I gazed at the girl, swinging her sword against the Demonic Qi, determined to protect her.

Was peace more important than her?

No, it wasn’t.

My mind was made up.

There was never any need for me to think it over.

Swoosh.

I unleashed the explosive Demonic Qi I’d been holding back all this time.

I gathered every ounce of my Demonic Qi, charging it up.