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The fact is that the sky he sees now, sitting next to Hyun Jong, is no different from what he saw when he turned away after pouring out harsh words to Cheong Mun.

Chung Myung was often confused.

Even though he came back to life and worked hard sparing no time even for blinking, he kept hiding the feeling of discomfort in a corner of his heart. No matter how much he wanted to escape, this intense discomfort would suddenly catch up to him.

There were times when he would wake up at the usual time, put on his clothes in a habit, and step outside, only to shiver at the sight of faces that seemed too unfamiliar.

Those unfamiliar faces are familiar, so familiar, but there are times when he can’t even do anything about them because they are so unfamiliar.

He lives in the present but still resides in the past; he lives out the past but he’s alone and disconnected from this reality.

Why was he resurrected? Why did it have to be this way?

Chung Myung, who was staring blankly at the sky, slowly opened his mouth.

“…It’s not because I’m from Mount Hua, Sect Leader.”

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If it were Cheong Mun, how would he have answered?

Chung Myung felt like he knew the answer. But he deliberately didn’t think about it.

Because not now. It wasn’t time to relay his answer. It wasn’t time to follow Cheong Mun’s responses but to present Chung Myung’s own.

He is the sword of Mount Hua. He becomes a blade sharper than anyone else and cuts down enemies of Mount Hua.

But… in this place, at this moment, he should not be the sword of Mount Hua.

A disciple of Mount Hua and a virtuous person of Mount Hua. A follower and a leader.

And just a person named Chung Myung.

Chung Myung said calmly.

“What Mount Hua needs to protect… the prestige Mount Hua needs to achieve, the Mount Hua needs to carry on. All of that is…”

“….”

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“At least to me, not worth even a single disciple’s life.”

Instead of following the answer that Cheong Mun would have given, he tried to find the answer himself. The Mount Hua that Chung Myung saw, and all the thoughts he had.

It was ironic.

The answer he arrived at was no different from what Cheong Mun would have said.

“Chivalrousness?”

Chung Myung muttered and chuckled.

– There may have been something like that in the beginning.

“At first… yes, there might be something like that.”

– But now it’s worn out and there’s only one thing left. Do you know what it is?

“But now, it doesn’t really matter. What’s left for me now is just one thing.”

Hyun Jong, who was listening to Chung Myung’s calm remarks, quietly asked.

“…What is it?”

Chung Myung’s mouth opened. Just like Cheong Mun would have back in the day.

– The future.

“The disciples of Mount Hua.”

At that time, he did not understand the ‘future’ that Cheong Mun was discussing. But now Chung Myung also knows. For Cheong Mun, the future was the young disciples left behind in Mount Hua.

For Cheong Mun, that was something he had to protect at all costs.

Chung Myung said, gently closing his eyes.

“Sect Leader once said.”

Hyun Jong’s question was also no different from the doubt he had harbored in the past.

“Is the pride in Chivalrousness we are about to gain more important than the days those children have to live ahead?”

– Can what we have gained fill the void of what we have lost?

– I don’t know what meaning there is in gaining something by losing something that shouldn’t be lost.

Chung Myung had said that. And… he said some harsh words he shouldn’t have said.

– I won’t be able to accept this decision until the moment I die.

Right. It was like that.

He couldn’t accept it. Because he couldn’t understand. Because the world Cheong Mun sees and the world he sees are different.

But now he must answer.

The answer that Cheong Mun couldn’t give him that day. The answer he can now give to the past Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign.

“If it were possible.”

His true feelings that he never told anyone.

“…I also want to run away, Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong looked blankly at Chung Myung for a moment.

He too had spilled his emotions, but he never imagined that such words would come from Chung Myung’s mouth.

He couldn’t imagine it because it was Chung Myung and no one else.

“If this was a problem that could be solved by running away, if it was something that could have been avoided by running away, I would want to go back to Mount Hua right now without looking back. I want to cover my eyes and ears right away.”

“….”

“Because I’m scared.”

Chung Myung’s fingertips trembled.

“I am afraid, Sect Leader. I am terribly frightened. Those mighty ones over there, and him behind them. That he who will come someday… I am dreadfully afraid.”

“…Chung Myung.”

“But what scares me even more…”

Chung Myung bit his lip.

“Was myself, unable to protect anything, and facing everyone’s death with my own eyes.”

He had no idea when he would be able to escape from that nightmare.

The day when everyone he tried to protect died at the hands of Heavenly Demon. The nightmare of that time when only he survived and screamed at Heavenly Demon.

But…

His recent nightmares were even more terrifying.

Everyone dies at the hands of Heavenly Demon who comes to Mount Hua.

Hyun Jong, Hyun Young, Hyun Sang. Baek Cheon, Yoo Iseol, Yoon Jong, Jo-Gol. Hye Yeon and Tang Soso too.

Their lives fall futilely in front of that terrible evil (?(惡)). His blood-stained hands protect nothing.

Right. Again.

When he barely wakes up from screaming, the air touching his face was too cold. He trembled until the sun rose.

How can it not be scary?

He is afraid that the dream might become reality, that he might lose everything again helplessly.

“Sect Leader asked why we must fight.”

“….”

“Because there are things that must be protected.”

When he closed his eyes, it seemed he could see Cheong Mun smiling’s face.

A face that looks worried and a calm smile on the corner of the mouth. It was a face that Chung Myung knew, yet did not know.

“If something can’t be done by someone else, it must be done by oneself. If no one else will protect it, then one must protect it oneself. It’s not because I am of Mount Hua.”

“….”

“I have to go because it’s me, Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong bowed his head. What could he say to that?

“Sometimes…”

Chung Myung hesitates slightly before continuing.

“It may seem stupid not to avoid it. There may be times when we are not as clever and look But… as time passes and you look back, you realize In fact, the path of the seemingly foolish (??(愚者)) was the fastest path.”

Has he changed? Hard to say. He still isn’t certain.

Chung Myung only understands now. He simply found it.

A reason to fight.

Hearing the name “Magyo” makes his blood boil. But now he knows. His anger is not just a desire for revenge for the past.

He becomes angry at the fact that they will once again take away the things he’s trying to protect.

Chung Myung gritted his teeth.

“I am still afraid and terrified. Crossing that river is scarier than jumping into a pit of fire.”

“….”

“But… waiting passively for the inevitable outcome is even scarier. The ending I will face one day because I failed to do what I should have done at this moment, the regret I would feel at that moment… that is a hundred times scarier.”

This time, he will not let it be taken from him. Not again.

That’s why he must go.

Hyun Jong slowly nodded his head.

So many things were omitted from Chung Myung’s story that it sounded like catching a floating cloud. However, he was able to fully understand what Chung Myung was trying to convey.

Because such things are not conveyed only through words and logic.

“It’s difficult.”

“….”

“Indeed… It is really difficult.”

Hyun Jong’s voice carried a deep regret.

He still doesn’t know. What is right, what is wrong.

But he had definitely come to understand that Chung Myung’s resolve could not be broken. Then…

At that very moment, Baek Cheon’s voice was heard from behind.

“You said you must go. Because that’s your will.”

Hyun Jong and Chung Myung looked back at Baek Cheon. Even after receiving those gazes, Baek Cheon remained calm.

“Then.”

He slightly shrugged.

“You can’t stop me from heading across the river by my own will.”

“…Huh?”

Baek Cheon shrugged his shoulders.

“You’re not going to spout some arrogant nonsense that only you have the qualification to protect the disciples of Mount Hua, are you?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s certainly a fair statement.”

“All considered, you’re still a third-class disciple.”

After hearing those words, Chung Myung asked back in a daze.

“…No. You guys are the youngest disciples, what are you talking about…”

“You’re the youngest, you punk.”

When Jo-Gol got upset, Baek Cheon patted his shoulder a couple of times before continuing.

“I understand what you’re saying. If we don’t do something now, going to Gangnam right away, sooner or later they will become an unstoppable force that will overrun even Shaanxi as well.”

“…Yes.”

“Then I’m going too.”

“No…”

“Listen to me, you stupid bastard.”

Baek Cheon cut him off firmly.

“It’s not just you who can’t stand idly by, sucking their thumbs, hoping someone else will protect them.”

Chung Myung was momentarily speechless and kept his mouth shut. Baek Cheon continued.

“I learned the sword because I wanted to be on the side of protecting.”

“Sasuk.”

“If you want to fight according to your own will, then fine. How could I possibly stop that? But!”

Baek Cheon’s voice struck Chung Myung’s heart like an arrow.

“I, too, will choose to fight with my own will.”

Everyone who was watching Baek Cheon’s back nodded.

Yoo Iseol, Yoon Jong and Jo-Gol, and Tang Soso. And even Hye Yeon, who refrained from partaking in the conversation until now, looked at Chung Myung with eyes filled with resolute will.

Chung Myung, looking dumbfounded at them, shook his head unknowingly.

“…A bunch of chicks…”

“If you want to stop us, try it.”

Chung Myung sighed deeply and slowly rose from his seat.

Baek Cheon instinctively placed his hand on his sword. That’s because he thought Chung Myung could just knock them out and head across the river alone.

But Chung Myung just turned his head and looked at the river.

“Let’s talk about the rest later.”

“…Huh?”

“A guest is coming.”

At those words, everyone looked towards the river. In the middle of the river submerged in the dark night, a small boat was seen. It was coming in their direction at a slow pace.

Chung Myung muttered.

“It’s annoying even to call him a guest… but first, we should listen to what they say. Let’s listen and then decide. Should we rip that snout off, or….”

Baek Cheon’s face hardened.

It was now clearly visible to his eyes.

A boat floating on a dark, achromatic river, and clothes as vivid and red as blood fluttering on top of it. It seemed like the only vivid thing in the whole world.

“…Jang Ilso.”

Baek Cheon muttered as if in pain.

Chung Myung stared coldly at the approaching Jang Ilso.