The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 38

Chapter 38
## Chapter 38. A Second-Rate Warrior Facing a Legend (3)

-At fifteen, I first took up the sword, and at thirty, I awakened to the Dao.

-I established the Dao upon the root of all phenomena, and named that study the Taeul True Scripture.

-I stepped into the murim to have my learning confirmed, and received nine confirmations.

-By the time the nine Martial Duels ended, those who wished to learn the Dao stood in an endless line, but there was no one to whom I could pass on the Dao.

-In a mountain of Anhui, I met a child who had lost his parents, and I was able to pass on what I had learned.

-Eminent masters of the murim came to me and asked me to step forward for the sake of the chaotic world.

-I heard that the one from whom I had originally wanted to receive my tenth confirmation was forcing his will upon the murim.

-Learning is something one trains in by oneself and achieves by oneself, so I could not agree with his will and stepped forward with them.

-The depth of learning possessed by the tenth person I faced was also formidable. However, the moment I finally broke his learning and blocked his advance, I was trapped in a boundless maze along with the sound of the heavens collapsing.

-The tenth person I faced said that the eminent masters of the murim had betrayed us.

-I had never intended to harm others with my teachings, so I wondered whether my training had seemed far too threatening to them.

-The boundless maze was a mystery that Clarion strength and that of the tenth person I faced combined could not break. We were left waiting for death here.

-After spending infinite time with him in the boundless maze, there were parts of our wills that came to align. I realized that this was precisely Ten Thousand Streams Return to One.

-Where my intent and his found common ground, we created one martial art.

-Last night, in a dream, I thought of the disciple who was left alone. The fact that I had not left teachings for that child remained painful in my heart.

-If someone sees these words, I will consider that person my fated inheritor. Learn my teachings and accomplish what you intend. However, if Taeul Sect remains in your world, then pass mine on to it. That is my final wish.

Scanning the phrases left by the Taeul Sword Emperor across a vast section of the cave floor, my vision blurred with uncontrollable tears.

Any other man might have harbored deep-seated malice or burned with a thirst for vengeance, but his script was extraordinarily serene, which only intensified the ache in my chest.

Time and again, his words returned to his student. The segments occupying the greatest space reflected his profound grief and anxiety that the young one might be enduring hardships due to the absence of his legacy.

Examining the core tenets laid down by the Grand Patriarch confirmed my suspicions. Apart from the Taeul Heart Method and Minor Heaven Sword Art, these techniques shared no lineage with the modern Taeul Sect.

That solitary student had preserved the sect through half a millennium of degradation and subjugation, solely to keep vigil for a master who never returned.

A wave of self-loathing washed over me as I recalled how intensely I had despised Taeul Sect during my previous life.

What possessed them to desperately cling to a powerless, broken lineage? If survival meant living in such misery, would oblivion not have been kinder?

Those were the thoughts of my reckless youth, yet in this moment, my self-reproach reached an unprecedented peak.

“Five hundred years passed. A full five hundred years.”

Up until his final breath, the Grand Patriarch had consumed himself with worry for the student he would never see again, while that very student kept watch for five centuries.

“I am going to bring you home.”

The cavern floor served as a diary of detailed reflections, while the surrounding walls meticulously preserved his combat arts.

These techniques had waited five centuries for an heir to claim them.

[Taeul Heart Method]

[Minor Heaven Sword Art]

[Great Heaven Sword Art]

[Twin Heaven Sword Formula]

[Taeul True Scripture]

[Ten Thousand Seas Heaven-Earth Sword Formula]

[Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist]

[Taeul Eighty-Thousand Divine Steps]

The Taeul Heart Method and Minor Heaven Sword Art represented the fundamental basics.

In this place, the Great Heaven Sword Art offered the profound esoteric manual that Taeul Sect had lacked for generations, and once the baseline was mastered, a practitioner would embark on the path of a seeker deciphering the origin of the Dao.

That journey commenced with the [Taeul True Scripture].

This text, which sought a higher state of awakening than a standard cultivation technique, pointed toward a realm far more elevated than any combat theory I had ever encountered.

-Should you comprehend the Taeul True Scripture, the cosmic equilibrium of heaven and earth will open to you.

The absolute certainty in the Taeul Sword Emperor’s script carried a weight of profound mastery that brooked no doubt.

The accompanying styles were equally peerless.

The [Ten Thousand Seas Heaven-Earth Sword Formula] was the legendary manual responsible for the myth of Ten Thousand Swords, and the [Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist] matched it in sheer brilliance.

Furthermore, having personally observed the styles of the Nine Sects and One Gang alongside the Five Great Clans, I was certain the [Taeul Eighty-Thousand Divine Steps] stood on equal footing with the finest movement systems of those great organizations.

“It is slightly unfortunate that a pure evasion art is missing.”

That minor disappointment vanished instantly as I contemplated what I, now the sole recipient of the Taeul Sword Emperor’s authentic legacy, was truly capable of achieving.

The possibilities defied imagination.

When one considers that the Taecheong Divine Sword dominated the martial world with a lone blade, and Black Lion Gwak Gung fractured that same society using nothing but his bare hands, the scope of how the future would shift from this moment onward was beyond calculation.

After a protracted study of the text, my gaze shifted to the dark-haired, middle-aged figure resting across the space.

In stark contrast to the Taeul Sword Emperor, this individual possessed deep black hair and a swarthy complexion.

Intrigued by this unusual spectacle, I paced toward him.

Mirroring the Taeul Sword Emperor, he introduced his legacy through a titles of eight characters.

Dark Heaven and Earth.

Hell Demon Emperor.

The figure known as Dark Heaven was none other than the Third Heavenly Demon of the Demonic Cult, an individual who had vanished from the world five centuries ago.

—

“Are these the individuals responsible?”

Azure Emperor Divine Sword Namgung Tae-ha.

He stood as the patriarch of the Namgung Clan and a master recognized among the Ten Greatest Swordsmen under Heaven.

Even though his speech lacked any infused internal energy, Yang Gun-baek and the mendicant prostrating beside him shook violently, as though struck by a sudden tempest.

“I am Yang Gun-baek, representing the Yueyang Branch of Hao Gate.”

“I serve as the Yueyang Branch Chief of the Beggars’ Sect.”

The mendicant who identified himself as the local leader of the Beggars’ Sect was visibly terrified, yet he fought desperately to maintain a shred of composure.

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword ignored their posturing and pressed on.

“Word reaches me that you have been distributing maps to a hidden treasure.”

Hao Gate and the Beggars’ Sect.

As preeminent intelligence networks, both groups typically operated in the shadows, but the gravity of the current situation stripped them of any luxury to remain hidden.

Five thousand.

No fewer than five thousand individuals had ventured inside seeking the Mita Sacred Water, and not a single soul had emerged.

In the lowlands beneath the cliffs of Demon Spirit Plateau, numerous sects had erected encampments, congregating in tense clusters.

Despite the massive influx of people traversing the area, no cheerful banter could be heard. A stifling anxiety weighed on the crowd, creating an atmosphere so volatile it felt ready to ignite at a spark.

Their kin and companions were trapped within.

With no confirmation of whether they drew breath or had perished, the crowd actively suppressed a roaring indignation.

“From the outset, our role was strictly to supply a navigational chart. The decision to cross the threshold belonged solely to them.”

The Yueyang Branch Chief of the Beggars’ Sect spoke with an artificial bravado.

Observing the man’s trembling hands, Yang Gun-baek felt a sudden wave of pity.

“Are you suggesting you bear no culpability?”

“Regardless of the Namgung Clan’s immense authority, you cross a line by treating a representative of the Beggars’ Sect in this manner.”

“What did you say?”

“We merely fulfilled our obligations as information brokers.”

“Yet you omitted any warning regarding the lethal perils within.”

“That was information possessed by no one…….”

“Then your intelligence gathering was fundamentally deficient.”

“What are you implying…… Cough.”

In that fraction of a second, the Beggars’ Sect representative gasped sharply, before spraying a massive torrent of crimson blood onto the ground.

“Gah, ugh.”

An unyielding fist print had manifested directly over the location of the mendicant’s lower dantian.

With a velocity that eluded human sight, his core had been utterly annihilated in a single strike.

Gulp.

Yang Gun-baek swallowed hard. Holding the rank of Yueyang Branch Chief within the Beggars’ Sect guaranteed the man was at minimum a first-rate martial artist. For such a combatant to have his core shattered without offering a shred of resistance proved the martial world had vastly underestimated the lethal prowess of the Azure Emperor Divine Sword.

“Remove him and bring forth the Deputy Yueyang Branch Chief of the Beggars’ Sect.”

“Understood.”

As a Namgung Clan swordsman dragged the broken mendicant away, Yang Gun-baek was left kneeling alone in the dirt.

“I demand an answer. Did you authorize the sale of the chart?”

“P-please, show mercy on my life.”

“Did your annotations indicate the presence of an active array?”

“Yes. I ensured it was clearly indicated.”

“And what was the nature of that array?”

“That…… our networks were unable to uncover its specific identity despite our best efforts.”

“Meaning you recklessly distributed the map regardless.”

Yang Gun-baek felt a surge of frustration so severe he wanted to scream. Who in their right mind considers solving an array when distributing a treasure chart? Logically, if an information broker possessed the capacity to bypass the formation, they would never sell the map in the first place; they would claim the Spiritual Medicine or artifacts for themselves.

“I-I beg your forgiveness. Our localized branch lacks both the capital and the specialists required to decipher complex arrays…….”

“Can you verify with absolute certainty that the Mita Sacred Water resides within?”

“…….”

In truth, that detail remained unverified. If it existed there, wonderful. If it did not, it was simply the nature of the trade.

They had been forced to trust the informant who provided the initial intelligence to generate the map.

“T-the source explicitly affirmed that the Mita Sacred Water was located inside.”

“The youngest maiden of the Namgung Clan’s primary lineage crossed into that threshold.”

“…….”

“A month has transfixed without a single transmission. And now you confess you cannot even validate the existence of the Mita Sacred Water. Give me one solitary reason to permit your continued breathing.”

Gulp.

Yang Gun-baek realized the patriarch’s threat likely extended far beyond just the immediate Yueyang branch.

If pushed to the edge, was this old master not capable of dismantling the entirety of Hao Gate?

Yang Gun-baek’s mind raced frantically for a lifeline. Driven by pure survival instinct, he blurted out a piece of news.

“S-someone spotted Yong So-ah!!”

“……What relevance does that hold?”

“Yong So-ah unequivocally entered the sector to retrieve the Mita Sacred Water. Yet, three weeks subsequent to that, a operative of ours observed him dining at a tavern within Yueyang.”

He claimed an operative, though it was actually a simple tavern attendant.

A disheveled traveler matching his description had entered, consuming dumplings, greens, and bamboo-leaf wine with ravenous hunger before tossing down a gold piece and vanishing. Sensing something unusual, the worker passed the information to Hao Gate.

“Are you absolutely certain it was Yong So-ah?”

A Taiji motif, the hallmark of Wudang, was reportedly carved onto his weapon container, leading to the deduction that it was indeed Yong So-ah.

The Whirlwind Sword, a legendary treasure of Wudang, was a blade only Yong So-ah was permitted to wield.

It lacked definitive proof, but he dared not present it as a mere theory. Yang Gun-baek had no desire to test the limits of Namgung Tae-ha’s fury. Under these circumstances, as a merchant of secrets, he had to wager his life on an unverified lead.

“Yes. It is highly probable he exited the array as an envoy to petition the Murim Alliance for reinforcements.”

After a brief pause to deliberate, the Azure Emperor Divine Sword delivered an ultimatum.

“Effective immediately, you will remain confined to this camp and deliver every scrap of intelligence concerning that sector directly to me.”

“U-understood.”

The moment the Azure Emperor Divine Sword signaled his dismissal, Yang Gun-baek backed away, his thoughts consumed by how he would plead for intervention from his central leadership.

Namgung Jin-myeong stepped forward, his countenance grim.

“The failure rests entirely on my shoulders, Father.”

“You incompetent fool. How deficient must your guidance have been for that young child to choose a suicide mission over your counsel?”

“I offer no excuses.”

The booming anger on Namgung Tae-ha’s face gradually receded into a tense quiet.

How could his grief over a lost grandchild compare to the agony of a father mourning his missing flesh and blood?

“If Yong So-ah indeed sought out the Murim Alliance, then their leadership is already apprised of the situation. Ride to the Yueyang Branch and uncover the reality of the matter.”

“Understood. I shall maintain the watch here. Perhaps it is time for you to journey back to the estate, Father?”

Hearing the unexpected suggestion, Namgung Tae-ha’s brow furrowed deeply.

“What prompts this sudden request?”

“The operations of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild have become highly irregular. Intelligence suggests they are attempting to manipulate the Elder Council.”

“Those treacherous parasites!”

As the Azure Emperor Divine Sword unleashed a wave of his internal pressure, the surrounding martial artists and attendants dropped to the earth simultaneously, their legs buckling under the sudden weight.

“That fool Sang-won has completely lost his perspective.”

What had driven Namgung Seon-hwa to seek out the Mita Sacred Water to begin with?

As constant friction from the secondary branches eroded the authority of the main house, making it clear she would receive scant backing for the Murim Academy Exam, she had taken matters into her own hands, triggering this catastrophe.

The patriarch himself had been developing the Shattering Form to counter the branch family’s primary technique, the Firmament Great Swallow Sword Art, as a mechanism to suppress their ambitions, but he was severely constrained by time.

Furthermore, if executed poorly, it risked being perceived as a betrayal of the clan’s core traditions, preventing him from seeking external collaboration.

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword shifted his gaze toward his grandson, Namgung San.

“What is the status of the youth you spoke of previously?”

Namgung San had previously ventured out with the intention of reclaiming the Entry Token Jegal So-myeong had bestowed upon an outsider. Though he returned unsuccessful, his demeanor had been strangely satisfied.

For a youth possessing such immense stubbornness to return empty-handed yet smiling, Namgung Tae-ha could not suppress his intrigue. Upon inquiring, he learned the stranger utilized a sword methodology remarkably aligned with the principles he was currently analyzing.

“I dispatched trackers to locate him, but report states he departed on personal matters and has yet to resurface.”

“Why rely on subordinates for a matter of this gravity? You should have pursued him personally.”

“Forgive me. With Seon-hwa missing, I could not bring myself to leave the area.”

“Hmph…….”

Trapped in a critical bottleneck with Seon-hwa’s fate unknown, none of the primary lineage could maintain complete emotional stability.

As if capitalizing on this vulnerability, the secondary branches were initiating their power play at the absolute worst moment for the main family.

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword addressed Namgung Jin-myeong with finality.

“I shall handle this personally. You will remain here with the vanguard.”

“Father, riding out unaccompanied is too hazardous.”

“Do you question your father’s capabilities?”

Hardly.

Rather, his anxiety stemmed from the fact that if Namgung Tae-ha traveled without an escort and the branch families offered one final insult, the old master would unhesitatingly paint the estate in blood.

“You will stay put, monitor the cavern, and if Seon-hwa fails to return… ensure not a single instigator remains breathing on this earth.”

“……Father.”

“If those who share our name leverage a child’s misfortune for political gain, they forfeit the right to be called kin. I will excise them myself.”

Listening to Namgung Tae-ha’s dark declaration, Namgung Jin-myeong knew a tempest of slaughter was about to engulf the Namgung Clan.

—

-This monarch reigns as the Third Heavenly Demon of the Great Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. There is no alternative title to define my existence.

-From my earliest recollections, my devotion belonged to the Divine Cult, ultimately ascending to the pinnacle as the Heavenly Demon.

Guided by the tenets of the Demon God, I entered the wider martial world to bring all factions under unified subjugation.

-I found myself ensnared in an anomalous array alongside a thoroughly exasperating, self-righteous purist. Initially, I mocked the fool for being cast aside by the very hypocrites he defended, but the realization that I too was trapped turned my amusement to bitter frustration.

Pausing in my reading, I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. My translation was accurate. The text explicitly utilized the word “exasperating.”

Despite rising to the absolute peak of power within the Demonic Cult, his final written thoughts were riddled with continuous complaints. Furthermore, unlike the fluid script of the Taeul Sword Emperor, his entries frequently fractured mid-sentence, indicating moments where he repeatedly abandoned his writing.

-The accursed array defied any architectural logic I had encountered, and even this physical form, blessed by the power of the Demon God, could not force an exit.

-I attempted to replicate the mental visualization exercises that absolute fool practiced, which led to a singular revelation. Upon reflection, it became apparent that I, too, had been undermined by betrayers within the Divine Cult.

Confound that miserable Daoist for forcing me to realize an unwelcome truth.

-Observing that fool pining for his solitary student felt like poetic justice. That is the penalty for marching into this abyss instead of properly instructing his chosen heir.

This monarch tutored no fewer than nine chosen disciples. Yet every single one of them turned their coats against me. Recalling their treachery still causes my blood to boil.

-With an eternity of isolation and no companion save for that insufferable Daoist, we drifted into varied discussions.

That man possessed a surprising comprehension of the cosmic principles established by the Demon God. I attempted to guide him to our faith. The effort was unsuccessful.

-Following the collaborative creation of a martial style with that fool, the urge gripped me to leave an independent legacy of my own.

The supreme Heavenly Demon Scripture ultimately owed its existence to the foundations of the Divine Cult, meaning it was never truly my own creation.

-I forged a methodology specifically engineered to execute the students who abandoned me. Even by my standards, having achieved the zenith of the Heavenly Demon state, it is an exceptionally masterful work.

I designated this creation the Reverse Demon Scripture. Whosoever uncovers this text, it is my decree that you sever the lineages of my traitorous students.

-Regardless of your origin, should your eyes find these characters, consider yourself chosen by the grace of the Demon God and pledge your existence to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

[Reverse Demon Scripture]

[Unrivaled under Heaven Movement Art]

The Reverse Demon Scripture operated as a counter-system designed to neutralize Demonic Arts.

It was a discipline engineered to exploit the specific structural vulnerabilities inherent in styles derived from the Heavenly Demon Scripture, systematically shutting down those precise internal pathways.

It was a theoretical masterpiece that seemed utterly contradictory coming from the Third Heavenly Demon of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

Yet, what captivated my attention even more completely was the Unrivaled under Heaven Movement Art, a system seemingly forged through the combined genius of the Taeul Sword Emperor and the Hell Demon Emperor.

A footwork technique bearing a prideful title signifying that once in motion, no entity under the heavens could match its pace.

The underlying theory transformed the movement system itself into an offensive force of overwhelming destructive power.

In advance, nothing in creation could impede its momentum; in retreat, no hunter could hope to secure a pursuit.

Having anchored every nuance of these techniques within my memory, I stepped toward the resting form of the Hell Demon Emperor.

It was nothing short of miraculous that his physical vessel remained intact after the passage of five centuries.

TAP.

The instant my fingers brushed his form.

His physical remains quietly dissolved into fine ash, leaving behind a solitary crimson band where he had rested.

The raised symbols carved along the interior of the crimson band, depicting a rising phoenix, revealed its true identity.

[Heavenly Demon Supreme Bracelet]

As I pondered whether this relic once mirrored the structure of the Azure Dragon Bracelet bound to my left wrist, a faint rustling echoed from the space behind me.

CRUMBLE.

The physical form of the Taeul Sword Emperor dissolved into nothingness.

I performed a solemn ninefold prostration toward the space where the Taeul Sword Emperor had rested, gave a respectful nod to the legacy of the Hell Demon Emperor, and then unsheathed the Black Dragon Sword, taking a central stance within the chamber.

“Great Heaven Sword Art.”

The Great Heaven Sword Art focused primarily on principles of fluid transition and optical deception.

Only in this moment did it click why the Minor Heaven Sword Art utilized the patterns of a rapid style without yielding exceptional velocity.

From the very beginning, both the Minor Heaven Sword Art and the Great Heaven Sword Art served merely as foundational steps required to master the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven-Earth Sword Formula.

WHOOSH.

WHOOSH.

Phantoms of steel and shifting vectors erupted across the cavern.

When the fundamentals of the Minor Heaven Sword Art intertwined with the forms, it became impossible to separate the authentic strikes from the deceptive illusions.

Initially, my plan was simply to commit the Great Heaven Sword Art to memory and depart, but I found myself dedicating several days to unlocking the Taeul True Scripture and the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven-Earth Sword Formula.

The thought of escaping back to the outer world completely slipped from my consciousness.

And the moment my comprehension crossed the threshold of the Taeul True Scripture and the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven-Earth Sword Formula.

SHING-SHING-SHING—!

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG—!

Three distinct trajectories commanded the space, grinding an imaginary adversary into nothingness.

As I pushed the perimeter of the techniques outward, the expanding vectors systematically ground away the written legacy left upon the stone floor and walls.

Among these three primary vectors, not a single one was a phantom.

Every blade was substantial, each operating on an independent trajectory.

I introduced deceptive phantoms into the pattern.

The three primary vectors multiplied into six.

The chaotic dance of steel razed the stone surfaces once more, completely obliterating the journal entries and martial manuals of the Hell Demon Emperor.

With the authentic strikes multiplied threefold, the concept of a single true blade ceased to apply.

The Taeul Sword Emperor had designated this singular methodology as “Ten Thousand Swords.”

A blade that existed as a phantom yet retained substance, authentic yet deceptive.

I surveyed the destruction I had unleashed upon the chamber.

Not a single character of the dense text that had blanketed the walls and floor survived. Every trace had been excised by the edge of my steel.

Merely mastering the introductory concepts of the Taeul True Scripture and the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven-Earth Sword Formula yielded this caliber of destruction.

Should an adversary attempt to contest this style, they would be utterly incapable of determining reality from deception.

“It truly earns its reputation as the supreme Ten Thousand Swords under Heaven.”

—

“…… Holy sister.”

Namgung Seon-hwa shifted her gaze slowly toward Seong Mo-ran.

Her companion’s facial features were severely drawn, her eyes sunken deep within their orbits, and her eyelids fluttered with exhaustion.

Gathering the absolute remnant of her vitality, she whispered.

“Forgive me…… Older Sister…….”

Seong Mo-ran’s eyes tracked with agonizing slowness, her parched lips parting repeatedly before managing to shape a reply.

“No……. Do not carry that burden…….”

They were currently burning the very end of their life force merely to exchange parting words as death closed in.

Roughly a month after they became prisoners of the underground chamber, the influx of new arrivals ceased entirely.

And with no further souls entering the space, the remaining provisions vanished completely.

They managed to harvest hydration from the moisture weeping through the subterranean stone fissures, but the sparse vegetation clinging to the cave walls offered nowhere near enough sustenance to keep four thousand individuals alive.

Violent altercations had originally erupted over the remaining rations, but once the final crumbs vanished, the capacity for conflict evaporated.

Those possessing weaker internal reserves were expiring in rapid succession, and the survivors could easily calculate that their own remaining hours were fleeting.

“I am truly…… filled with regret…….”

Far more than her impending demise, Namgung Seon-hwa was consumed by remorse for trapping Seong Mo-ran within this tomb alongside her.

Seong Mo-ran had been the one to extend companionship when Namgung Seon-hwa was entirely isolated, stepping forward without hesitation to assist in her times of trouble.

And in return, Namgung Seon-hwa had guided such a person into this chamber of horrors.

“We must…… preserve our resolve…….”

Seong Mo-ran refused to surrender her optimism even at the absolute brink.

Did she genuinely place her faith in Yong So-ah and the forces of the Murim Alliance who had escaped early?

Or did she maintain that a savior would shatter the boundaries of the array and descend to save them?

Curiously, however, Seong Mo-ran’s eyes remained locked on the region diametrically opposed to the cavern pathway.

Though she left it unsaid, her heart was waiting for the swordsman who had been swept into the lethal Soul-Destroying Formation during the frantic altercation involving Yong So-ah.

The specific individual Seong Mo-ran yearned for.

What salvific power did she anticipate from a man who possessed no discernible traits beyond an uncommonly sharp intellect?

Spurred by the thought, Namgung Seon-hwa found herself dwelling on him as well, turning her gaze toward the abyssal threshold of the Soul-Destroying Formation that had claimed him.

WRIGGLE, WRIGGLE.

‘Has the prolonged starvation finally broken my sanity?’

For some time, vivid delusions had begun to invade her perception.

On occasion, they manifested as roasting meats, and at other times, they took the shape of the grand gates of the Namgung Clan estate.

In this moment, the delusion took the form of the impenetrable Soul-Destroying Formation fracturing down its center.

‘A cruel trick of the mind.’

It occurred to her that delusions perhaps inflicted the ultimate torment by mimicking the exact salvation a dying soul craved most.

Emerging from the center of that visual falsehood, a male figure materialized.

He appeared as travel-worn and haggard as the rest of them, yet an intense vitality burned within his gaze, and though his pace was deliberate, he advanced with an innate authority.

It was the precise man Seong Mo-ran had been waiting for so desperately.

Namgung Seon-hwa began to turn her head, intending to offer a faint jest to Seong Mo-ran about her daydream.

But she froze as she saw Seong Mo-ran’s eyes widen in absolute shock.

‘Is Older Sister perceiving this illusion as well?’

When Namgung Seon-hwa snapped her focus back toward the descending figure, the supposed phantom closed the distance between them.

Then, a voice broke the silence.

“Are you functional?”

Jin So-un had broken through the abyss.