Records of the Silver Dragon — Episode 85
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Smiling, he kept slamming the back of its head into the ground. At that, it let out a deep sigh.
“Isn’t this… like stepping on a landmine?”
Thud thud thud thud thud!
Perhaps displeased by the sight of it sighing, Jehwa began ruthlessly pummeling its body with his fists.
“Ah, it is a landmine. Damn it!”
The fear it had felt was no illusion at all. In the end, it was fated to lose to the fellow before its eyes.
Thud thud thud thud thud thud!
Its body was gradually pounded into a bloody mess, slowly becoming a lump of flesh.
“Stop it, I’m dead.”
In the end, with that single sentence, it declared its own death.
But Jehwa did not stop swinging his fists. His fists gradually became drenched in blood, and his face became so covered in blood and bits of flesh that his expression was barely discernible.
From the start, if Jareuken had not been there, it would have been a fight where Hong Yuhwa’s side held a significant numerical advantage.
Having finished the battle, they returned to where Jehwa’s aura could be felt, and froze on the spot.
Jehwa was covered from head to toe in blood and bits of flesh, striking down at something. There was an unrecognizable lump of flesh, and the Demon God’s jewels were scattered about, rolling here and there.
The martial artists nearby could not dare approach Jehwa like that and could only watch with fearful eyes.
“Jehwa…?”
Hong Yuhwa called out to him blankly, but he continued to strike the lump of flesh.
Thud thud thud thud!
Then, I Seolhye appeared.
“Ah— Sawollin!”
I Seolhye discovered the woman Sawollin lying peacefully behind Jehwa and called her name as she approached.
Hong Yuhwa was startled as well and approached Sawollin to help her up, but when she discovered the wound in her chest, she froze.
Then…
“Don’t touch her.”
“…….”
Jehwa, who had been striking the lump of flesh, spoke coldly. At those words, both I Seolhye and Hong Yuhwa froze.
“Don’t… touch her.”
Having warned them once more, Jehwa brought his fists down on the lump of flesh again.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
But perhaps because he caught another glimpse of Sawollin’s corpse?
“Fuck! Fuck! Damn it!”
Unlike before, he cursed as he struck the lump of flesh.
And shortly after…
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
He stopped punching and let out a roar of anguish.
Rumble! Craaaaaackle!
The sky responded with him. The dark clouds that had been gathering finally began to thunder loudly.
Plink… Pitter-patter-patter! Whoaaaaash!
And rain began to fall.
As the battle ended, people gathered around. Seonu Ran, the members of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, everyone who had gathered discovered Sawollin’s corpse and froze.
Jehwa blankly approached her corpse, knelt down, and embraced her body in his arms.
Crash!
Lightning struck once more in a flash. Jehwa, who had been blankly brushing her face, screamed toward the sky.
“Kraaaaaaaaah!”
His face, washed by the rainwater, was contorted beyond recognition.
“Ah… Aaah…”
Jehwa, letting out screams, bowed his head deeply and began to cry.
“Hngh… hngh…”
Holding her body more tightly in his arms… he wept.
“Hngh! Waaaaaaah! Waaaah! Waaah! Aaaaaaaah! Waaaah!”
Watching Jehwa cry and cry toward the sky, those around him lost all words.
Never once had he called out her name. Never had he realized what a precious being she was.
He had assumed she would always be by his side. He had assumed she would always be beside him, nagging, pointing out his mistakes, and remaining with him.
That she would… leave his side… he had never known…
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
And so, the young silver dragon learned what sorrow was.
Final Chapter
The sky was clear.
As if washing away that day’s sorrow, the martial world was peaceful, as though the war with the Blood Cult a month ago had never happened.
Sawollin’s remains were buried in a place she had loved.
Everyone in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult grieved her death. I Seolhye and Seonu Ran also wept in sorrow before her grave.
Jehwa did not attend her funeral.
A month later… he came to see her one last time.
“You should at least pay your respects,” Hong Yuhwa said with a bitter smile.
Jehwa asked blankly, “If I say hello… will she answer?”
“…She’ll hear it, at least. Since souls exist.”
“If that’s the case…”
“Hm?”
“…Then this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Jehwa…”
She knew who he was. For a month, he had been going on about him.
He was none other than the original Silver Dragon Prince, Eun Jehwa.
“I dreamed of him recently. He was infinitely gentle… and strong?”
“You’re stronger than him.”
“No, he was much stronger than me. He was… because he was an adult, he had many things I lacked. He was soft, gentle, and benevolent. He was the hope of many people.”
Jehwa could see that.
“Jehwa…”
Hong Yuhwa called him with a sad face.
Jehwa looked at the tombstone and spoke.
“Sorry.”
“…….”
“I… loved you.”
(I… loved you.)
Sawollin’s voice overlapped with Jehwa’s voice.
“Goodbye…”
(Farewell…)
And so Jehwa and Hong Yuhwa disappeared from the grave.
Perhaps they would never be able to come here again.
He had truly loved her. But… now… she was no more.
“The preparations are thorough, I trust?” Hong Yuhwa looked at Heukhwa and asked.
“Yes.”
At those words, Heukhwa nodded, and Hong Yuhwa nodded as well.
“Good, then!”
Hong Yuhwa took Jehwa’s hand.
“Hm?”
“Don’t be too sad. Humans don’t live that long. If you’re this gloomy… she’ll be even sadder.”
“Yeah….”
Seeing Jehwa answer weakly, Hong Yuhwa embraced him and patted his back.
“You’re just a child….”
After holding and patting him for a moment, Hong Yuhwa separated from him and said, “Your family is there where we’re going. So… cheer up.”
Saying so, Hong Yuhwa opened the dimensional gate.
Then…
“W-Wait!”
Someone’s voice rang out.
Jehwa turned around to see I Seolhye and Seonu Ran there. Besides them, the Four Cardinal Divine Beasts and their successors were also there.
Seonu Ran urgently stood before Jehwa.
“Y-You’re leaving?”
“Yeah, I don’t think this is the place for me.”
Jehwa nodded at her question, and she made a sad expression.
“I… really love you.”
Jehwa smiled faintly and patted her head.
“Be happy….”
“Hngh!”
Tears flowed from Seonu Ran’s eyes at his words.
“You too.”
“Yeah.”
I Seolhye also wore a gloomy expression.
“You’re going?” Seosi sighed and asked; Jehwa nodded.
“Big Brother Jehwa!”
Baek Horan threw herself into Jehwa’s arms and cried.
“You have to live well too.”
“Yeah….”
Baek Horan nodded weakly at his words.
“Everyone… farewell.”
Hong Yuhwa bid farewell to all.
“Goodbye, everyone.”
Jehwa also smiled faintly and began walking toward the dimensional gate.
And the moment they stepped through the dimensional gate, they vanished with a flash of light.
Nineteen years ago, a young silver dragon had fallen to this land… Thus, he returned to his homeland.
The young silver dragon, who had known nothing, spent nineteen years living as a stranger and learned many things.
How to grieve… How to hurt… The screams felt upon losing someone…
***
“Haa…”
The silver-haired little girl blew into her hands.
“Hey, Seiran!”
“Huh? Idiot!”
“Who are you calling an idiot!”
Called by the young man, the little girl named Seiran shouted with a bright smile.
The young man, who had been huffing for a moment, sighed and spoke.
“The mood lately is bad enough; where are you going?”
“Today is the 500th anniversary of Lord Eun Jehwa’s passing. I’m going to visit where he died.”
“Urk! What if you get caught? That place is in the middle of the Empire.”
“Tch! What do I care! I’m going there!”
At the young man’s words, Seiran pouted and grumbled.
“Damn! What is that girl thinking.”
“He is the one who saved us! If it weren’t for him, we would all be dead!”
“I know but… still.”
The Silver Dragon Prince Eun Jehwa, who taught the Blood Children how to fight and let them live, who persuaded the Dragon Realm to acknowledge their existence… The only being who had embraced them.
But he is no longer in this world. Because five hundred years ago… he died protecting them.
“I’m going!”
Seiran puffed her cheeks and walked toward the place.
“Huh? Hey! I’m coming with you!”
***
“Haa…”
A silver-haired woman wore a sorrowful expression. Before her lay a massive silver dragon with its eyes closed, as if asleep.
No, it was dead.
A body smaller than an ordinary adult dragon, the flesh of the Silver Dragon Prince Eun Jehwa, who had been frail.
“Jehwa…”
The woman looked blankly at the body with a sad face.
***
Marzern Year 158,249,555… Eun Jehwa, the weakest Silver Dragon Prince in the history of the Dragon Realm, returns to Marzern.
End of the Martial World Arc