Book 25 Chapter 1

The empty adjacent seat

— the original form it should have.

Here lies a sword.

Sharp and keen, as if it could slice through steel, this sword is what the people of the world call a famous sword, and its inscription is 'Baekroe'. The one who wields this sword is a renowned master among martial artists, and furthermore, he was the leader of the righteous Cheongcheon Alliance, a prominent faction of the orthodox martial arts world, a swordsman of the highest caliber.

This sword, whose sharp edge seemed capable of easily slicing through solid rock as if it were tofu, was now pointed at a person's neck. The person, dressed in black clothes befitting their dark hair, was none other than 'Yeonbi'. Cornered to a dead end, Yeonbi's back was pressed tightly against the wall. There was no room to escape to either side. All avenues for evasion had been completely blocked by Baekroe beforehand. Truly, it was a sword art worthy of its fame.

Yeonbi let his hands hang loosely and gazed at Na Baekcheon's face with a bitter stare. In the two pupils of his face, which had turned dark and devoid of life, the fury of a man who had lost his beloved daughter burned fiercely.

Na Baekcheon thought he wanted to swing his sword and sever this woman of Hyeon's neck at that very moment. As a swordsman who had reached the realm of oneness between divine energy and physique, his body naturally moved according to his will just by harboring the thought. The name of the thought he harbored was 'homicidal impulse'. A surge of impulse to draw blood welled up from the depths of his heart. If he hadn't suppressed that impulse with his profound endurance, if he had let his consciousness slacken even slightly, Yeonbi's neck, having lost all will to resist, would likely have been severed with a single stroke.

However, even if blood gushed from Yeonbi's severed neck, it wouldn't have cooled his burning, fiery rage. The flames of anger in the heart of a parent who had lost their most precious treasure, their child, were that intense.

"Do you have anything to say?"

Na Baekcheon asked in a voice laced with heavy killing intent, each word carrying weight.

"No."

Yeonbi's amber eyes had become extremely hazy as he replied. They were so dim that one doubted if they were indeed the clear, transparent eyes like amber, which always sparkled with spirit and composure.

Rumble, rumble.

Na Baekcheon's beloved sword, 'Baekroe', pointed at Yeonbi's neck, trembled and dug little by little into the pale white skin of his neck. Red blood seeped from Yeonbi's white neck, contrasting with his black attire, and trickled down his neck line.

"……"

Yeonbi offered no excuses. He didn't even let out a groan. He simply clenched his teeth and remained silent. It wasn't due to the pain of the blade digging into his neck. It was because he was so furious that he couldn't forgive himself.

"Keeeeeugh!"

Na Baekcheon wanted to swing his sword and end it all. Even he, such a formidable warrior, was on the verge of going mad.

'Rina…'

His beloved daughter, Na Yerim, had faced many difficulties since childhood due to her innate beauty. How many times had she trembled like a small bird from unforeseen threats around her? A child had the right to live as a child. Therefore, he had used all his power and authority to protect his daughter. Protecting a child's rights was a natural part and duty of adults. This was even more so for parents.

As the years passed, his daughter's beauty only grew, and so did the threats. Although she required a lot of care and there were many hardships, his daughter, whom he had obtained in his old age, was beautiful enough to offset them. And she was his precious, invaluable treasure, which could not be replaced by anything.

Yet, the person he had guarded against the most, the one who had inflicted the most severe and fatal mental wound on his daughter, had now stolen that precious treasure, that priceless gem. It would have been strange if he hadn't gone mad.

The one now holding a sword to Yeonbi was not the leader of the martial arts alliance, but a father who had lost a child. Yeonbi understood that fact. Therefore, Yeonbi couldn't act. He couldn't even think of evading. Because that old father's treasure was just as precious to Yeonbi himself.

'Treasure?'

No, that word was insufficient.

It was his life, half of his existence.

One could live without treasure, but one could not live without life. He had never realized how heavily the loss of her weighed on his heart…

'To realize its true value only after losing it…'

How pathetic this was. He felt a surge of anger towards himself. That's why he stood there, fixed like a taxidermied corpse, unable to offer any resistance or reaction.

"It's all because of you. If you hadn't insisted on coming to this trash of a competition, Rina would have been safe!"

The hand holding the sword trembled violently with emotion.

"That's just a hypothetical."

Yeonbi said.

"No, it's not hypothetical, it's a certainty. It's all your fault. You're prepared to take responsibility, aren't you?"

How could he take responsibility? Did he even have any means to take responsibility for this situation? When everything was meaningless without her.

"I will take full responsibility for what I need to be responsible for. But you can hear all my reproaches after Rina is found."

"Found? How?"

Na Baekcheon asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I have a plan."

"A plan? Do you think you can get out of this situation with such a flimsy excuse?"

Na Baekcheon, filled with rage, didn't easily believe Yeonbi's words.

"It's not an excuse. When Rina is in danger, there's no time for such idle pursuits."

Yeonbi's voice was firm.

"Let's hear it first."

Ye-cheong, who had been lost in thought, spoke with difficulty. She was desperate, clinging to any straw, so she was willing to listen even to her sworn enemy.

"Speak."

Na Baekcheon said with a voice clearly showing his displeasure.

"I need him."

Yeonbi's solution was very brief.

"Him? Who can resolve this situation?"

A look of disbelief filled his aged eyes.

"There is. Only that person can resolve this situation."

Yeonbi's tone was resolute.

"Is there really such a person? Who is it?"

Yeonbi spoke a name.

"Bie Ryuyeon!"

"……"

After a silence that seemed eternal, the reaction that erupted was immense.

"Bie Ryuyeon, you say, you say, you say, you say, you say, you say?!"

Na Baekcheon, forgetting his dignity, flew into a rage.

"Nonsense! I absolutely refuse!"

"I don't like him much either."

Ye-cheong, who had been silently contemplating with a grim expression, chimed in.

"Of course! How could you even consider that scoundrel!"

In Na Baekcheon's eyes, Bie Ryuyeon was no different from another culprit, even if he wasn't present. No, as the situation had escalated to this point, it felt like all the blame lay with that guy. Yes, it must have been that guy's fault. Na Baekcheon couldn't bear it without blaming someone. But Yeonbi remained steadfast.

"My strength alone is insufficient right now. I need him."

"No, no, no! Absolutely not!"

"Why not?"

"It's an absolute no!"

"Isn't saving Rina the most important thing right now?"

"Th-that…"

"Now is the time to put aside personal feelings."

"Even so, isn't that Bie Ryuyeon guy under house arrest at the Cheonmu Academy? It would take at least a month round trip just to summon him! There's no time for such a waste of time! Absolutely not!"

"There's no need to waste time."

"No need to waste time?"

"Yes, because… he's here."

Na Baekcheon's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Huh? Why is that guy here?"

"I don't know the details. I just know he's here. He must have received a secret order from the Cheonmu Academy."

Since he couldn't possibly tell the truth, it was best to vaguely gloss over the reason. Na Baekcheon and Ye-cheong were in a hurry, so they didn't press for details.

"That Jin Ga guy! He's causing trouble without a word to me~"

Na Baekcheon muttered to himself. He seemed a little annoyed by that.

"He probably knew you wouldn't agree if he told you."

Ye-cheong's casually thrown remark struck Na Baekcheon's heart like a sharp dagger.

"Are you saying I'm untrustworthy?"

"No, it just means you're a simple-minded fool."

"……"

Na Baekcheon had no reply to her words, which implied that he should stop being a fool and act like the leader of the martial arts alliance.

"But why him?"

He asked Yeonbi this time.

"Because only he can resolve this."

"I don't believe it."

"No, you must believe it. Because saving Rina is the only way to restore his fractured world to its complete form. He will do anything for that."

"Anything?"

"Anything!"

Na Baekcheon couldn't help but ponder for a moment. A fierce battle was raging within him between the emotion of not wanting to see that guy at all costs and the reason that, given the circumstances, any help was needed.

"It's not too late to blame or reproach him after Rina is saved. Am I wrong?"

No one could answer "wrong" to this question.

Silence answered.