Book 28 Chapter 23

Rumbling Heaven, Move

— The First Arrow Shot

A private room located deep within the Black Heaven Alliance.

A man sat in a chair, lost in quiet contemplation.

"Was the matter handled properly?"

The man, seated in the most luxurious private room the Black Heaven Alliance had prepared for him, opened his mouth and asked quietly. He was a man who wore a mask, and anyone who saw beneath that mask was fated to die. It was none other than the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion himself, one of the strongest figures in the current martial world.

"Yes, no one has noticed anything so far. The effect is perfect."

"Good, everything is proceeding smoothly. I was a little worried when they arrived, but it's fortunate that 'it' was completed just in time."

"It was heavenly fortune."

A shadow of a person appeared silently from the shadows on the wall. Wearing an iron mask, he was none other than Eunson, the Iron Mask of Hidden Shadow, the twelfth leader of the Thirteen Commanders of the Heavenly Demon.

"Are they all gathered?"

The Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion asked, unfazed by the sudden appearance of the iron-masked man like a ghost.

"Yes, all the elders have gathered in the meeting room a short while ago, my lord."

"It must be noisy by now, everyone."

"What will you do?"

For the first time, a smile bloomed beneath the mask of the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion. The iron-masked man, who rarely saw his master smile, couldn't help but feel a chill. His master possessed a power that crushed the souls of men. He could not even dream of resisting such overwhelming power.

"That is not for me to decide. The position of Alliance Leader is currently vacant, so we cannot freely deploy the full strength of the Black Heaven Alliance, can we? It is a most inconvenient situation."

However, his tone did not convey any discomfort.

"Indeed, it is so."

The iron-masked man replied with extreme politeness.

"Then, I suppose I should go and appease those flustered old men. In this state, we won't even be able to assassinate Na Baek-cheon, let alone prevent internal strife. We cannot wage war without a leader."

The Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion rose from his seat and headed towards the door.

"Then, I will go to the Elder Council meeting."

The wheels of fate had already begun to turn. His role now was to further accelerate their rotation.

As he predicted, the hastily convened meeting room was in utter chaos.

Shouts and curses flew from all directions. At first glance, it might seem like a heated debate, but upon closer listening, it was merely people arguing heatedly.

These were the seven pillars that supported the sky of the dark path, the Seven Pillars (Seven Pillars of Black Heaven). Out of thirteen pillars, seven remained after the annihilation in the war a hundred years ago. Although they were strong enough to survive that great conflict, they were not significantly superior to each other among those who survived. Because no single entity stood out, they made no pretense of obeying each other's orders.

Within the Black Heaven Alliance, only Gal Jung-cheon, a descendant of the God of War and Demon, could move them. The influence of the God of War and Demon Gal Jung-hyuk, who had retired from active duty but secretly reigned as the Supreme Alliance Leader, still cast a long shadow over the entire dark path. It was hard to imagine a new Alliance Leader being formally chosen without his consent, but he was officially retired anyway.

Especially since the culprit was known to be Na Baek-cheon, there was no justification to stop those who would seek revenge for their children, even for the giants of the dark path.

'Even they are in this state.'

The seven elders engaged in heated debate shared one commonality.

It was their anger at losing their Alliance Leader.

It was obvious that their reputation would be tarnished if they did nothing. If they restrained the conflict again, the name of the God of War and Demon Gal Jung-hyuk might be followed by the astonishing words 'coward'. In that case, his influence and presence would rapidly diminish.

'Well, that wouldn't be bad either,' the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion thought as he walked into the meeting room. He didn't resort to crude tactics like clearing his throat.

However, the moment the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion entered, the boisterous meeting room fell into an instant silence. He merely entered, and merely walked towards the chair where he would sit. Yet, all seven elders in the room felt his presence and simultaneously fell silent as if by agreement.

The elders in the meeting room all rose from their seats in unison. Although they were called elders, no one was older than the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion. He was the consultant, advisor, and supreme elder of the Black Heaven Alliance.

Only when the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion walked around the low table and took the empty principal seat did the others follow suit and sit down.

"…"

Silence. Stillness. And quiet.

Even after a long time, no one spoke. It was the complete opposite of the loud voices just moments ago. The elders, unable to speak, stole glances at the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion. Even these were sidelong glances; no one dared to meet his eyes.

Intimidation.

His mere presence exuded an overwhelming aura that crushed the heart. Like a rabbit to a wolf, like a deer to a tiger, they instinctively recognized him as a higher predator who existed far above them.

Feeling their survival instincts stimulated, they naturally realized.

There was only one path left for them.

The law of the martial world is that the strong survive, and the weak perish.

Therefore, it was only natural to follow the strong.

"Why have you all become so quiet? Let us resume the meeting."

As the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion finally spoke, the dam broke, and voices began to erupt from here and there.

"Yes, how should we deal with Na Baek-cheon, the leader of the True Heaven Alliance, the murderer of our Alliance Leader?"

Seated in the principal seat, the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion replied quietly.

"Blood for blood is the law of the dark path. Blood for blood, Alliance Leader for Alliance Leader. I cannot conceive of any recompense other than his life."

"That is right. As expected of the leader of those hypocrites who put on airs, he is skilled, and has currently vanished. However, he has not yet escaped the wide-ranging encirclement."

"But he is Na Baek-cheon, and ordinary warriors cannot even search for him, let alone pursue him. I urge that we immediately send reinforcements of peak experts."

"Since the True Heaven Alliance broke the non-aggression pact first, if we remain silent even after losing our Alliance Leader, we will no longer be able to show our faces in the dark path. Our rule over the Black Heaven Alliance will vanish like foam."

The first rule of the dark society was to prove that they were not weak. To not retaliate in kind would be an admission of incompetence.

"That is correct. It is time for total war."

"I agree. We must attack the True Heaven Alliance!"

The elders' gazes turned towards the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion.

It was as if they were saying, 'Our intentions are united.'

The Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion opened his mouth.

"Mobilize the Ten Heavenly Armies."

With just a single sentence, the shock it delivered was immense.

"Wh-what?!"

A fierce shock ripped through the meeting room like a rampaging bull.

"The Ten Heavenly Armies? Are you serious?"

One of the elders asked back in a trembling voice. The ripple effect of that one sentence, which made even the seasoned elders of the Black Heaven Alliance stammer, was profound.

The Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion was composed, as if he couldn't understand why they were so surprised.

"Why are you so surprised? Isn't that what you all want?"

Silence fell for a moment. It was because they keenly felt the weight of those words.

"Have you all become too dull from not fighting for so long? We should not underestimate the potential of the True Heaven Alliance. To not only capture Na Baek-cheon but also erase the name of the True Heaven Alliance from this martial world, we have no choice but to mobilize the Ten Heavenly Armies."

"B-but, mobilizing the Ten Directional Heavenly Armies of Black Heaven…"

The Ten Directional Heavenly Armies of Black Heaven, abbreviated as the Ten Heavenly Armies.

They were the greatest force possessed by the Black Heaven Alliance. Ten units that represented the martial power of the Black Heaven Alliance itself. The 'Rumbling Heaven' that the King of the West Sea, Ra Bi-oh, so desperately wanted to enter, was the third of these ten. Only when these ten heavens combined did they form the 'Great Black Heaven'.

In other words, their mobilization meant the full deployment of the Black Heaven Alliance's entire military might.

It was truly total war.

Only then did the old elders realize, through their goose-pimpled skin and agitated hearts, what they had been speaking of. Yes, they had been clamoring for war just moments ago. A true war where corpses piled up like mountains and blood flowed like rivers, where bloody winds howled and bloody rain poured down.

"As I believe you know, mobilizing the Ten Heavenly Armies requires the agreement of the Elder Council and the approval of the Alliance Leader. We cannot begin a great war without a leader. The most important task for you now is to fill the vacant position of Alliance Leader. Before Na Baek-cheon completely escapes the Black Heaven Alliance's territory."

It was an unspoken pressure, implying that the longer their decision was delayed, the greater the chance of losing Na Baek-cheon. The reaction was swift.

"You do not need to worry about that. We have someone to fill that position."

"Who could that be?"

The Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion asked quietly.

"It is you."

"Are you speaking of me?"

The Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion asked slowly. Without any sign of surprise. As if this was the natural progression.

"Yes, you are the only one who can fulfill this great responsibility at this time."

"I refuse."

The Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion refused quietly but resolutely.

"Why?!"

All the elders rose from their seats and exclaimed. Their attitude was one of complete incomprehension as to why he refused.

"Normally, the Alliance Leader and the Pavilion Master cannot hold both positions simultaneously. You all know this well, do you not?"

"But this is an emergency situation. A great war will soon break out. A total war. A great war after a hundred years. However, we have lost our leader from the beginning of the war, or rather, before it even began. We need a powerful, legendary figure to unite us and boost our morale. Only you, the Pavilion Master, can make that happen."

"But…"

The Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion attempted to refuse again.

Then, the elders rose in unison and knelt on one knee before the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion. And they exclaimed:

"The elders of Black Heaven pay homage to the master of Black Heaven! Long live! Long live! Long, long live!"

Originally, "Long live" was a salutation reserved only for the Emperor. However, this was the martial world, a place where such things were routinely disregarded. It hardly mattered, as they would not be heard anyway.

The Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion sat in silence for a long time, deep in thought. During that time, no one who was kneeling rose.

The Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion did not answer immediately. However, he did not refuse either. He simply looked at the elders kneeling before him for a long time. Even after half an hour, no one stood up.

"Haa…"

A low sigh escaped the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion's lips.

"I have no choice. If you ask so earnestly, I will temporarily assume the position of Alliance Leader. However, only until this battle is over!"

The heads of the prostrate elders bowed even lower.

"Thank you, Alliance Leader!"

In everyone's greeting, the word 'temporary' was omitted as if it had never existed.

The handover of the Black Heaven Alliance's Alliance Leader position proceeded flawlessly in the Great Black Heaven Palace, the Supreme Pavilion of the Black Heaven Alliance. The two divine artifacts symbolizing the position of Alliance Leader, the 'Black Heaven Twin Dragon Seal' (Black Heaven Twin Dragon Seal), which could be considered an imperial seal, and the 'Lion Gold Tablet' (Lion Gold Tablet), were briefly handed over to the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion. As he sat on the dark, ink-colored 'Black Lion Throne' (Black Lion Throne), carved from a massive piece of black jade, only the Alliance Leader could occupy, an unapproachable majesty emanated from his entire body. The elders felt a natural sense of awe at the astonishing transformation, as if the seat naturally belonged to him.

Immediately, one of the elders brought up an agenda item.

"Who shall be dispatched to pursue Na Baek-cheon, who has concealed his tracks?"

This was the most urgent matter to be handled first.

"To pursue a peak expert like Na Baek-cheon, one must send a being of comparable caliber. No matter how much of a peak expert he is, he would not have escaped the inescapable net of the Wumen Sect. Order the waiting Seven Constellations to commence search and pursuit."

The answer came immediately, as if he had already thought of it.

"Oh, oh, oh, the Seven Constellations?! Indeed!"

Exclamations of admiration erupted from various directions.

"If it is them, they will surely be able to catch the tail of Na Baek-cheon, who is hiding like a cunning snake."

Na Baek-cheon was an undisputed master of the sword, his skill said to be comparable to the Sword Sage. Therefore, few could even catch a glimpse of him. Even if he was currently injured.

At that moment, the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion, seated on the Black Lion Throne, leaped to his feet. Naturally, all eyes turned and fixed upon him.

"As the interim Black Heaven Alliance Leader, I shall issue my first command."

The leaders of the urgently assembled troops and the elders all stood at attention and bowed, exclaiming:

"The warriors of Black Heaven await the command of the Alliance Leader!"

After standing there for a moment, the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion slowly surveyed the assembled crowd and spoke in a majestic voice.

"We will mobilize the Third Heaven of the Ten Heavens, Rumbling Heaven, and attack the True Heaven Alliance!"

At his words, the bodies of the elders and leaders trembled. One of them stepped forward and said politely:

"Shaking Heaven will mobilize."

Shaking Heaven could be considered the True Heaven Alliance's most advanced military force, intended to suppress Rumbling Heaven. They were positioned on the border, ready to move at any moment in response to Rumbling Heaven's movements.

"It matters not, it is what I desire."

The Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion's answer was clear.

"B-but, it is a time of mourning. The funeral for the former Alliance Leader Gal has not even concluded…"

Then, the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion slowly opened his mouth in a solemn voice.

"Precisely because it is a time of mourning. I wish to pay my respects to the path of the former Alliance Leader, with a thousand drops of blood and ten thousand flames."

Recompense was the law of blood, the ironclad rule.

Furthermore, his voice contained a strange power that gripped the hearts of men, making the military commanders dare not retort.

"I will never forgive those hypocrites!"

The stern anger in the Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion's voice ignited the anger of the assembly. They all resonated with that anger, nurturing hatred. Hatred and anger possessed a magic that could most easily incite people.

"I will capture that wicked villain and publicly execute him in front of all the people, and his head will be placed on a tall pole as food for the crows."

His voice contained a power that shook the minds of men.

"And, his blood relatives and all those who supported him will not escape the sword of vengeance."

The warriors of Black Heaven, who felt deep anger in their hearts, erupted in a frenzied roar like an explosion of emotion. Now, they felt that only blood and death could wash away this boiling hatred. The Master of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion extended his right hand as if flicking it and shouted:

"Fire the first arrow of war! It is a great war after a hundred years! Warriors of Black Heaven, go forth and fight! The righteous cause is ours! Death to Na Baek-cheon! Destruction to the True Heaven Alliance! From now on, only one heaven will remain in this martial world sky!"

Then, the elders bowed deeply in unison and exclaimed:

"Unrivaled Dominance! Eternal Black Heaven!"

The voice announcing the beginning of a great war after a hundred years was filled with immense anger and hatred.

Now, a river of blood was about to flow through the martial world.