Crunch.
A harsh, ripping sound echoed. What was that noise?
Elder Il frowned for a moment in confusion.
Tilt.
His vision suddenly skewed. Even then, he still hadn’t grasped what was happening.
But it didn’t take long for Elder Il to realize he was watching the sight of his own body collapsing.
Thud.
His body fell weakly to the ground.
“What is…!”
An overwhelming pain surged up from his lower body.
“Gaaah!?”
A scream escaped him as searing pain shot through his entire body. Instinctively, he tried to clutch his leg, where the pain originated.
But his hand passed through empty air.
There was nothing there.
“What… what is… this…?”
Drooling from the pain, Elder Il looked down.
Nothing.
The left leg that should have been there was gone.
Where did it go? Where is my leg? Just as Elder Il flailed and turned his eyes in desperation—
Thud.
Something dropped beside him.
It was a leg.
The very left leg that had been part of his body moments ago. It wasn’t a clean, sword-cut severing; it looked savagely torn, shredded as if ripped away.
“Ah…”
Elder Il’s eyes widened in horror at the sight.
Swish.
He felt something grip his thigh, right at the dangling remains of where his leg had been torn off.
And then—
Whoosh-!
“Aaaaaargh!”
A scorching heat seared through his wound, burning it closed. The smell of charred flesh and blood filled the air.
The acrid, nauseating odor was almost eclipsed by an even greater horror.
“Graaah… aaagh!”
Though he writhed in agony, screaming, the most terrifying thing was that even with such pain, his mind remained clear.
Only a few seconds had passed, but to Elder Il, it felt like an eternity.
Time dragged on. The stench of burning flesh thickened, and he finally lost even the strength to scream.
It was then that he felt the hand gripping his thigh release.
“Hrk… aaah…”
His eyes rolled back. The dark ceiling appeared above him. Beneath it, amidst shadows, a pair of crimson eyes gleamed.
They were watching him.
“I have a question.”
A voice came from the direction of those red eyes.
“Why did you do it?”
The deep, weighted voice stabbed into his ears. Trembling violently, Elder Il tried to process the question.
Who… Who is this?
Why are they doing this?
Why did I do what?
“What… what do you… what… do you… mean…?”
As Elder Il forced out a response—
Crunch.
“Gah…!!”
The ankle on his remaining leg was crushed.
“I’ll ask again.”
“Haa… huh…”
The voice’s tone was the same, yet somehow, Elder Il felt a chilling resonance in it. Through his blurring vision, he saw a figure.
Is this… death?
The thought crossed Elder Il’s mind.
“Why did you do it?”
Even as his mind was overwhelmed with terror and exhaustion, that voice rang clear.
So… this is…
A god?
Elder Il, who had long dismissed the notion of gods, felt an overwhelming terror as he faced this presence.
Crushed by that terror, he could not utter a word. Only the clattering of his teeth echoed in his ears.
“…”
Gu Cheolwoon watched Elder Il in silence, then extended his hand.
Slowly, he reached out, fingers poised to grab Elder Il’s face.
“Stop there.”
Abruptly, a voice from ahead made Gu Cheolwoon pause. He looked up to see the Celestial Master, frowning deeply as he stared back.
“Lord Gu…”
At the Celestial Master’s summons, Gu Cheolwoon straightened his clothes and bowed respectfully.
“I greet the elder.”
“…I never expected to see you here.”
The air grew heavy with the heat that seemed to press down on the entire space. The Celestial Master winced slightly as he felt the intense pressure radiating from Gu Cheolwoon.
“What… is going on here?”
The Celestial Master struggled to grasp the situation, baffled by the sudden chaos.
Not only had Gu Cheolwoon appeared out of nowhere, but he had left Elder Il in this ruined state.
Should I have intervened sooner?
Although he could have stopped it, the Celestial Master had refrained.
The atmosphere radiating from Gu Cheolwoon was anything but ordinary, filled with a palpable rage.
There must have been a reason for it, he thought, and then…
…I was too slow to respond.
The Celestial Master gritted his teeth, recalling that he hadn’t stopped Gu Cheolwoon in time to prevent the violent tearing of a leg.
“Lord Gu, why are you here in this place when you should be in Shanseo?”
Suppressing his emotions, he asked to prioritize understanding the situation.
At the Celestial Master’s question, Gu Cheolwoon responded with a blank expression.
“I heard my child was nearly poisoned, so I came to confirm it.”
“…Poisoned?”
As he listened, the Celestial Master recalled Elder Il’s recent words.
He mentioned an issue with handling a matter.
There was definitely some mention of the Gu family as well. His gaze shifted to Elder Il.
Could it be?
If so, this situation had become far more complicated.
“Tch…”
The Celestial Master turned his attention back to Gu Cheolwoon.
Massive physique, expressionless gaze—Gu Cheolwoon maintained perfect decorum, yet…
Even in this situation…
Despite everything, Gu Cheolwoon maintained his presence and composure.
The Celestial Master felt an inexplicable, faint resentment as he spoke.
“…The head of the Gu Clan does not leave Shanseo.”
“…”
“I heard it was part of an oath.”
As the word “oath” left his mouth, Gu Cheolwoon’s expression subtly changed.
“Is this matter reported to the Alliance?”
“…”
“If not, then please, return. I will handle this matter accordingly—”
“Haa…”
A quiet sigh escaped.
Though barely audible, it conveyed a clear sentiment that silenced the Celestial Master.
Disdain.
Irritation.
And rage.
Despite the mixture, the emotions were unmistakably vivid.
“…You.”
“Elder.”
Gu Cheolwoon’s gaze remained focused on his surroundings rather than the Celestial Master.
Piles of demon corpses, blood pooling across the floor, and poisonous energy hanging heavily in the air—the room was clearly anything but ordinary.
Gu Cheolwoon’s eyes, cold and indifferent, wandered across the room without a trace of emotion. Time had shaped him into this.
No, it wasn’t just time.
“Over a decade ago…”
In that span, he had endured too much.
“Despite countless matters being buried and covered up back then, the Alliance remained unwavering.”
A quiet voice, with something sticky in its tone.
Clank.
Instinctively, the Celestial Master gripped his sword.
“Even before that, when the head of the Peng Clan crossed the line, the Peng Clan didn’t fall. And when your grandson caused trouble, the Namgung family didn’t collapse.”
“What… are you saying?”
“Do you know why?”
No matter the calamity, the Martial Alliance, the core of the righteous sect, would never crumble.
The leadership might shift, but collapse was never the right word.
Moreover, both the Peng Clan and the Namgung family were noble families among the Four Great Families. A mere misstep by a descendant would not bring them down.
Gu Cheolwoon knew this, so why such cryptic words?
As that thought crossed the Celestial Master’s mind…
Thud.
“…!”
Gu Cheolwoon was suddenly standing in front of him.
With a rough, firm grip, Gu Cheolwoon prevented the Celestial Master from drawing his sword. Realizing he hadn’t perceived Gu Cheolwoon’s movement, the Celestial Master was momentarily startled.
Gu Cheolwoon spoke, his gaze unwavering.
“Because I showed mercy.”
“What…”
Cold intensity lit Gu Cheolwoon’s eyes.
His voice, both chilling and intense, struck sharply at the Celestial Master’s chest.
Each word pierced deeply.
“In this decayed land, it’s far too late to speak of righteousness and honor. The Alliance lost its ideals long ago.”
“Lord Gu, are you saying…”
“This so-called oath with the Alliance.”
Cracks formed beneath Gu Cheolwoon’s feet as the ground buckled under the pressure.
“Do you truly believe it still binds us?”
“…!”
“Elder, can you look upon this place and feel nothing?”
The Namgung and Peng Clans of the righteous sects. The Tang Clan, who had supposedly shed its dark past to join the ranks of the orthodox.
People claimed as much, but in truth, the rot was clear. Could he look at this and feel nothing?
The Celestial Master held his silence, realizing the danger in any response.
But he knew that silence was itself an answer.
A brief pause followed.
Gu Cheolwoon’s gaze remained fixed on the Celestial Master.
With his silence, the Celestial Master bore witness to the decay of the Tang Clan and the ugliness hidden in this place—a stark reminder of the flaws even within the righteous factions.
But, even so…
Gu Cheolwoon didn’t care.
“I don’t care what the Alliance does or what it hopes for. So, please, step aside.”
“You…”
“Elder, I am doing my utmost right now.”
Wooooom.
The heat shifted.
His energy twisted, gradually transforming into flames.
“To avoid wiping the Tang Clan from this land, I am restraining myself with all my might.”
“…!”
The Celestial Master’s eyes widened.
The shifting flames gathered behind Gu Cheolwoon, merging into a single, distinct shape.
Is that…?
Could that even be called aura?
Was it possible for a human to create such a thing with their energy?
The Celestial Master felt his sword tremble, resonating with the turbulent air now filling the space.
“So, please… step aside.”
Should he step aside? No. This was a matter of dignity.
Gu Cheolwoon had mentioned the Peng Clan, the Tang Clan, and even the Martial Alliance itself, expressing a brazen arrogance. There was no way he could back down and allow it.
Backing down would imply agreement with Gu Cheolwoon’s words.
It would suggest that one man could annihilate the Martial Alliance and the Four Great Families alone.
Could he accept that?
No. Never.
Yet, even with that knowledge…
Why am I not drawing my sword?
Why wasn’t he drawing his blade?
Was it because Gu Cheolwoon held it down? No.
Though Gu Cheolwoon was pressing down, he’d left a slight gap, ensuring the Celestial Master could draw his sword at any moment and aim it at him.
He had intentionally left that gap.
Ha…
The Celestial Master let out a hollow laugh as he noticed it.
Humiliating.
How long had it been since he felt such an emotion?
The last time, perhaps, had been the day he crossed swords with the Sword Master.
Clank.
The Celestial Master gripped his sword tightly, about to draw it, when—
“If you draw your sword now,”
The voice wrapped coldly around his neck.
“The Namgung family will face extinction.”
“…”
A chilling tone, a moment’s hesitation.
Yet—
Srrng—
The Celestial Master finally drew his sword.
Kwooooosh!
A storm of aura exploded through the space.