Crackle crackle-.
The sound of something burning away could be heard all around. Through my hazy vision, I stared at the center of the sound.
From the sky, sparks slowly fell.
Following them, something else dropped to the ground along with the sparks.
Thud-.
A small sound echoed through the vast space.
Crackle.
Crackle.
The sparks that fell on the ground seemed to form a path. I followed those sparks toward my destination.
As I headed to my destination, something was lying on the ground. With its chest pierced.
Around the punctured chest, cracks were slowly forming.
Crrrack-.
Not only that, but the space itself was gradually cracking as well.
"Haaa..."
Heat lingered in the breath I exhaled. At that sensation, I stroked my chest.
Hummm.
The heat that had disappeared was slowly returning.
There was no joy in feeling this sensation for the first time in days. For some reason, I was just silent now.
My exhausted body felt more buoyant, floating somewhere, rather than just tired.
For some reason, I couldn't clearly feel my own heartbeat.
It felt like if I let my guard down for even a moment, I would float away somewhere.
The sensation of my body assimilating with the flames. It was the same feeling I had when I first took the Dokcheondan I created.
Back then, I struggled to somehow maintain it.
Now, I didn't care at all.
I was too busy looking at the bastard collapsed on the ground.
[Haa... Haa...]
A low breath flowing out. Fading eyes that seemed to signal the end was near.
Down to the body that had begun to crumble, starting from the chest.
He was slowly dying, as if it would truly be the end for him soon.
No, wait. Should I even call that dying?
This guy is merely energy, isn't he?
Various thoughts crossed my mind, but that wasn't what I should be thinking about right now.
"Hey."
At my call, he looked at me.
Looking at him like that, I spoke.
"Why did you go easy on me?"
[...]
At my words, he gave no answer. His eyes merely showed resignation, as if accepting his current state.
That only made me more furious.
"I'm asking. Why did you go easy on me?"
Even if my realm was higher than my previous life's body, this guy is definitely not me from my past life.
"You. You could have done more, couldn't you?"
Furthermore, you could have ended this much earlier. Even when you used Heocho to drop the Flame Jade on me.
If he really intended to kill me, I should have been dead already.
But.
"Why did you do that?"
Instead of doing so, he kept giving me chances.
He kept stimulating me. He made me stoke my flames somehow.
As if.
"Did you want me to realize something?"
As if he wanted me to realize something. Then, what did he want me to realize?
I didn't ponder it deeply. I already realized the answer as well.
"That your flames are mine. I'm asking if you wanted me to realize that."
The flames dwelling in my body are entirely mine. The moment I realized that and harmonized them, I could make his flames mine.
It was simple. I just needed to acknowledge it.
But, did he really do all this just to teach me that?
Why?
Unable to understand at all, I asked again.
[...You're wrong.]
Only then did he offer an answer.
[In the end, you wouldn't have realized it.]
"...Why do you think that?"
[Because you had too much.]
"..."
The voice that came along with his breath was thick with exhaustion.
[You wouldn't have looked at anything else because pondering that was too burdensome. Because you're that kind of bastard.]
I couldn't refute it. Because that was actually true.
"...So, you went out of your way to do this just to teach me this?"
Was the reason he drove me so hard like he was going to kill me just to make me realize this?
As soon as that thought crossed my mind.
[Don't get the wrong idea.]
He said to me in a fierce voice.
[I wanted to kill you no matter what.]
Distinct killing intent crystallized in his voice.
[The sight of you secretly dreaming of hope, calling it a newly gained chance. The sight of you expecting that you might atone for things no one remembers. It was utterly disgusting.]
"..."
[Furthermore.]
Scraaape. He dragged his fingertips across the ground. He did it so hard that his fingertips were visibly crumbling.
[Your desperate appearance, so eager to escape the karma given to you, is the same. I hate you.]
Listening to his words, I quietly clenched my fist.
Because they were only chilling words that I couldn't dare to answer.
[Do you know why I appear before you in this form?]
"...Who knows."
[Because you couldn't break free from this form.]
The reason his form was that of my past life.
The statement that it was because I hadn't escaped from back then.
I couldn't deny that either.
Because it was actually no different.
[You are still incompetent and lowly. You haven't broken free from anything. Do you think you're struggling to escape on your own? You're not.]
Resentment lingered in his eyes.
[Do you know what karma you carry?]
I know. I wanted to answer that I knew. However, the words still wouldn't come out.
[You don't know. If you knew, you couldn't be like this.]
He was certain. How could he be so sure?
He said he had seen more from my body than I had. Was that why?
[The karma you bear is inherited through blood. The position of the Gu Family's Patriarch is such a place. The Young Patriarch is no different.]
My eyes narrowed.
[Do you know what you gain when you become the Gu Family's Young Patriarch?]
I nodded.
The authority to open the door beneath the Gu Family. And. Being able to freely step outside the clan.
At least, that was the boundary I knew.
[It erases the wall the world has imposed on martial artists.]
"...!"
I had to widen my eyes at his words.
"...What?"
[Do you truly think you grew stronger in an instant by carrying Demonic Arts on your back? You're wrong.]
[That merely helped you. The important thing was the authority you gained by becoming the Young Patriarch.]
A few years ago, Noya said.
He said the current world didn't want martial artists to become stronger than necessary, so they put leashes on them.
Because of that, he said the realm of martial artists was drastically lower than the era before the Blood Demon.
'...Becoming the Gu Family's Young Patriarch makes that wall disappear?'
It was a story I'd never heard before.
As if he already knew of my surprise, he continued speaking.
[Of course. You ran away from your father before even hearing the words.]
"..."
[No, this is strictly your father's problem. Because that child must have cherished you.]
What does that mean?
When did my father ever cherish me for him to say such things?
My mind was in such a mess that it wasn't registering properly.
Why would becoming the Young Patriarch grant such a privilege? Just what is the Gu Family...?
Is there something more than what I knew?
As I kept rolling my eyes in thought.
[Stop spouting nonsense.]
He shouted at me as if enraged.
[Do not consider this curse a privilege or special favor. This is merely a reprieve granted by the world out of necessity.]
"What do you mean..."
[It is a procedure prepared to form the vessel faster. Because that makes it easier.]
Creating a vessel. I focused on those words.
To make the Gu Family's Young Patriarch grow stronger faster?
"...Why?"
[The vessel to endure the karma must not be weak.]
Thump, thump. My heart started beating fast again.
[Once you become the Young Patriarch like that and form nine rings... you will be granted the qualification.]
"...That qualification, don't tell me."
[The qualification to rise to Patriarch.]
"..."
By becoming the Young Patriarch and reaching the completion of the Nine Flame Wheels Cultivation. Only then could one rise to Patriarch.
It was a condition I hadn't known.
[It's natural you don't know. You lacked the qualification, and your father wouldn't have wanted you to know.]
Keuk-keuk....
The guy let out a hollow laugh.
[What an incredibly foolish bastard. His way of protecting his child is twisted beyond belief, isn't it?]
Protecting his child. That child seemed to mean me. Did my father do something to protect me?
I couldn't understand. I had to wait for an explanation.
[You've probably never even thought about it once.]
His face was full of mockery.
[You rose all the way to the position of Young Patriarch. Even though such a guy left the clan and ran away, why didn't your father come to catch you?]
"..."
[Because he lacked the ability to catch you? Nonsense. There aren't many existences on this land that can defeat your father. Do you think you're included among them?]
Even the Heavenly Demon couldn't catch him and only achieved a draw. I was also certain in my fight with my father in my past life.
I couldn't even touch my father's collar.
So I thought.
The reason my father didn't come to catch me was simply because he had given up on me.
That was what I had thought.
But.
[That child was simply at ease.]
His story was different.
[He merely stood by, not wanting to lock you back in the cage.]
[Isn't he truly a foolish bastard?]
Crumble.
His hand finally shattered.
[Running away did nothing to erase the karma of blood. In the end, someone had to bear it. So I ask.]
He gathered his trembling voice and asked me.
[In your past life, when you reached the completion of the rings. You didn't become the Patriarch in the end. Then.]
Crumble... The speed of his crumbling grew infinitely faster.
[Who do you think was bearing the karma you didn't carry?]
"..."
A dagger flew and pierced my chest. It felt like a stake was driven in, and a blunt weapon was slamming down on top of it.
Even if I didn't want to remember, it came to mind.
My father, who withered away after being struck by my fist.
The sight of my father growing infinitely weaker and older as his internal energy scattered.
"Ah..."
In the end, I couldn't breathe.
[The time had come. Even though the time came, you fulfilled nothing. Thus, your father should have left his position as Patriarch long ago for the sake of the karma, yet he did not.]
[The world is not considerate enough to take such emotions into account.]
[Then, what must your father have been going through?]
My hands trembled. And.
[Whatever it was. It was the world's wrath, you see.]
His last words pierced through me.
[It is not light enough for a mere human to endure.]
[He endured that. Solely for the insignificant you. You, being incompetent, probably didn't know this, nor did you want to know. Because you're that kind of bastard.]
"..."
My legs lost their strength, feeling as if they would give out and kneel at any moment.
I forced myself to endure it. There was still something I needed to ask.
"...What... is the Patriarch's karma?"
[Why, do you want to bear it now?]
"..."
[It's a question too late. If you wish to hear it, ask your father. Though I doubt he'll even explain it properly.]
His tone, heavily mixed with mockery, was enough to grate on my ears, but I didn't mind.
[Therefore, I hate you.]
I could instinctively understand his resentment.
Because I also hated myself so much right now that I could go crazy.
My vision blurred. What is it.
Is even my vision stopping?
[So I will ask you again.]
Not knowing what it was, I wiped my eyes with my hand.
That moment.
[Why are you alive?]
Trickle.
Something flowed down my cheeks.
It was tears.
"Ahhh..."
Upon realizing this, I couldn't hold back and finally covered my face with my dry hands.
[Why the hell are you alive?]
No answer came to mind. I wanted to ask myself too. Why on earth am I alive.
Atonement? Was it really just for that, as I said? If so, maybe it would have been better to die.
Then, was it simply because I liked the changed world?
Because I was glad of a world where no one knew my sins?
Or else.
Just because I liked looking at the children. Was that why?
I don't know anything. Nothing came to mind.
[Answer me.]
"...Just..."
Truly, nothing came to mind. So, in the end, there was only one thing I could spit out.
"I wanted to live..."
[...]
Without adding any other reason, I just wanted to live.
Stupidly and foolishly, that was my only answer.
Atonement, longing, fear.
Including all of that, that was the reason.
I didn't want to die like that.
So I wanted to live.
The words I spat out with a voice mixed with tears were so ugly, but.
[...Hah...]
Hearing my words, the guy let out a laugh as if it was finally done.
[I didn't know it would be this hard to hear those words.]
"...What?"
[Now get lost. I don't even want to see your face.]
I tried to ask what he meant, but at the same time as his words, my vision instantly crumbled.
*****************
Crackle.
Crackle, crackle.
A space where not even a voice could be heard anymore.
In a place filled only with the sound of burning embers. A Dokkaebi in the form of someone lay collapsed.
[Huuu...]
He exhaled a breath that seemed to say he was tired.
He was truly exhausted.
It was the first time in nearly hundreds of years that he was this exhausted.
[...Truly lacking fellows.]
Is that useless stubbornness resembling himself?
It's quite annoying how they don't listen to a word he says.
How is there not a single honest guy. He didn't like any of them.
And.
[...I'm sorry.]
Because all those events were his fault, the Dokkaebi quietly spat out an apology.
Crackle. Crackle.
The sound of the burning sparks gradually grew louder. Probably in a little while, this space itself would collapse.
Then he would sleep a long sleep once again.
Thinking of that, the Dokkaebi closed his eyes.
Step.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard from behind.
The Dokkaebi slightly opened his eyes at the sound. He wasn't surprised. Because he already knew who it was.
[It was a pointless interference.]
The figure that appeared let out a laugh at the Dokkaebi's words.
[Even if you hadn't done such a thing, that child would have realized on his own eventually. I warned you from the beginning not to interfere in my affairs, didn't I?]
"I apologize for that part."
[Hah!]
The Dokkaebi, having heard the words, raised his body.
[I must have told you last time too. To speak respectfully to me.]
He glared at someone. It was a woman.
A woman with black hair and purple eyes. And carrying a child who didn't look to have a very good temper.
She looked at the Dokkaebi and spoke.
"I don't use respectful language to anyone. Strictly speaking... I occasionally did to one person."
[Still an obnoxious wench. Do you not know that child is my child?]
As if in response, the woman laughed again.
At that laugh, the Dokkaebi clicked his tongue briefly.
[You're not so different in your lacking. With such terrible taste in men.]
"It's on the quite high side. That's why I don't regret it."
[Tch...]
Stupid bastard. The Dokkaebi swallowed those words.
There was nothing to be gained by doing that to this woman. If he had to say something, rather than those words... "Pitiful." It was more fitting to say that.
A fragile one who threw everything away for an ugly bastard.
Because of that, the Dokkaebi couldn't hate that child.
[If you were that worried, you should have just appeared.]
"No."
The woman was still smiling, but one could tell the smile had subtly changed.
"That wouldn't be a good thing for him."
[...Tch.]
"Before you fall asleep, I just came to see your face for a moment. Even if it's not the real one... I wanted to see that face."
Considering the Dokkaebi's face was currently in the form of someone, it was impossible not to understand what she meant.
As if satisfied, the woman turned her back and walked away, holding the sleeping child.
The Dokkaebi watched her retreating back and lay down again.
The conversation ended there.
The slowly closed eyes were greeted by sleep as if it had been waiting.
Before falling back into a long sleep like that.
The Dokkaebi thought of the woman and spoke.
[This is a small comfort I give for you.]
A gift he secretly slipped to his incompetent descendant for the woman's sake.
He didn't know if the guy would notice it, though.
Hopefully, he would notice before it was too late.
The Dokkaebi hoped so, and fell back into a deep sleep.