It was a night when the moon barely managed to rise.

Someone sat atop a giant boulder, tilting a cup of alcohol. Strands of their long hair fell into the cup, but they paid no mind.

Reflected in the alcohol’s surface was the moon hanging in the night sky. The figure glanced at it briefly before downing the contents of the cup in one gulp.

Despite the disheveled appearance, there was an aura of nobility about them. This was likely due to the immense power and status they wielded.

Behind the figure drinking, the green forest was soaked in blood.

The ground was littered with bodies, so mangled they were barely recognizable. Each one had once been a renowned expert in the martial world.

The group had included masters of both the Jeoljeong and Hwakyung stages—a force capable of wiping out a prestigious martial clan from the face of the world.

Yet the person now quietly drinking had erased them all with just a few gestures.

After finishing the drink, the figure glanced in this direction, and as our eyes met, their violet pupils seemed to turn the moon itself purple.

[Lord.]

[...Yes.]

At the call, I bowed my head. The figure noticed and calmly poured more alcohol into their cup.

The sound of the liquid filled the quiet forest.

[Do you regret it?]

[What do you mean, my lord?]

[Are you upset that I took the gift meant for you?]

[...]

At the Cheonma's question, I offered no response. He seemed to expect this and simply took another sip from his cup.

The bodies behind me had been members of a squad sent by the Murim Alliance to ambush me. Some were not even part of the alliance, likely mercenaries bought with large sums of money.

[It is not so, my lord. Had you not intervened, I would have been in danger.]

At my hesitant response, the Cheonma let out a slight laugh.

[You? In danger? That’s amusing.]

With a dismissive wave of his hand—

Fwoosh—!

The pile of corpses behind me was suddenly engulfed in black flames, disappearing without a trace.

[It seems the alliance is quite desperate, resorting to such pathetic tricks.]

The three strongest figures of the central martial world had all been slain. The Hwasan Sect had been burned to the ground, and the Namgung Clan had been annihilated.

Even the great powers of the Jeongpa were being absorbed by the Magyo or crushed under their hands.

There were even rumors of factions within the central world now praising Cheonma and the Magyo, laughing as the once-great martial world began to crumble after centuries of dominance.

Some had made their choice. The central martial world was in decline, and the era of the Magyo was upon them. They wanted to serve Cheonma before it was too late.

Was there still hope for the central martial world?

No, there was none. At least, that’s how I saw it. The arrival of Cheonma had extinguished any hope the central world once had.

Cheonma was such a being.

His very existence was a catastrophe, a personification of the apocalypse in human form.

That was Cheonma.

Cheonma drained the last cup of alcohol and looked up at the sky.

A gentle breeze rustled his hair.

[Lord.]

[Yes.]

[I will be heading to Hanam in seven days.]

[...!]

I barely managed to hide my shock at his words. It meant he planned to head directly to Hanam, where the Murim Alliance was based, to wage war.

There had been battles before, but this would be the first time Cheonma was initiating a direct assault.

[You seem surprised.]

[No, my lord. I was merely...]

[Are you worried?]

[...]

Worried.

His words cut into me like a dagger, forcing me to close my mouth.

Perhaps reading my expression, Cheonma continued speaking.

[It doesn’t seem like you’re worried about me.]

He rested his chin on his pale hand, half-closing his violet eyes as he looked at me with interest.

Unable to meet his gaze, I lowered my head further.

[So, who is it that you are worried about?]

[That’s not it... I... I am not worried...]

[You’re a terrible liar, did you know that?]

[...]

[Even after all these years, you still have a childish side, don’t you?]

Cheonma chuckled softly.

[You’re the only one who’s lied to me and lived to tell about it. Did you know that?]

[...]

[And you’re probably the only one who hasn’t answered my questions and is still alive.]

[Master...]

Shhh.

Cheonma quietly stood, seemingly uninterested in hearing any further responses from me.

[The Sword Demon stationed in Euicheon will return soon.]

[The Green King in Sichuan has also completed his preparations. He will face the Blade Emperor.]

As Cheonma began relaying information to me, he gradually rose into the air, floating effortlessly.

The black aura swirling around him resembled wings.

Hearing Cheonma speak, I realized something troubling: I hadn’t known any of the details he was sharing with me.

The Sword Demon was one of my direct subordinates.

The Green King had once served as Jegal Hyeok's bodyguard, but after his death, he had fallen under my command.

That I hadn’t known about their actions or their return meant that Cheonma had kept this information from me on purpose.

Did he intend to cast me aside?

For a brief moment, that thought crossed my mind.

Then, Cheonma spoke again.

[I will personally command the demons.]

[Master...!]

His words weren’t odd.

Cheonma was always the master of all demons, the one who stood above us all. It wasn’t strange that he would take charge.

However, until now, Cheonma had never involved himself directly in such matters.

The command of the demonic forces had always been handled by Jegal Hyeok. After his death, the command was divided among me and the other squad leaders.

That Cheonma was now assuming full control meant that he was preparing to act personally, which spelled certain doom for the central martial world.

The only reason the central world had been able to hold on until now was because Cheonma had not yet fully committed himself to its destruction.

At least, I understood that much.

Had Cheonma truly desired to burn the central world to the ground, it would have already been obliterated long ago.

But now... why?

Why was Cheonma finally preparing to move? It was only natural that this question arose in my mind.

Was it because the three great masters had died and the central forces had lost most of their power? Was he waiting for the perfect moment to ensure victory?

That thought briefly crossed my mind, but based on what I knew of Cheonma’s personality, that didn’t seem likely.

Perhaps that’s why, without even realizing it, I asked Cheonma.

[Master...]

[Yes?]

[May I ask why?]

The Cheonma's will was the will of all demons. To question it was unthinkable.

Yet, I had to ask.

[Why, you say.]

Cheonma, now hovering above the ground, looked down at me with that ever-present air of curiosity.

The way he stood with the moon behind him made it seem as if he was blocking out the light, casting a shadow over everything below. His violet eyes gleamed brightly in the darkness.

[Were you really curious about that?]

[I apologize...]

From his slanted gaze, I could tell Cheonma was smiling.

[It’s simply because the time has come.]

The time has come.

For some reason, those words felt like they resonated deep within me.

[What I’m about to say to you now is an order. It’s something you must carry out without fail.]

[Yes, my lord.]

[When I head to Hanam, you will have a choice to make.]

Listening closely, I waited for his next words.

[You will choose whether to follow me to Hanam, or not.]

[Master, what do you mean by that...?]

I couldn’t understand what he was saying. A choice whether or not to follow him to Hanam?

The idea that I wouldn’t follow him to war was absurd. I was part of the demonic forces—there was no option but to follow him.

[If I gave you the choice, you would likely choose to follow me.]

[Of course, master.]

[But, would that truly be for my sake?]

[...]

Cheonma's cryptic words caused me to swallow nervously.

[That wavering gaze of yours hasn’t changed.]

[Master...]

[It seems there’s still room in your heart for that woman.]

[No, how could I still care about such a wretch...]

[This time, I won’t blame you for lying to me.]

[...]

Cheonma brushed his hair back, almost absentmindedly.

In that moment, as his face came into view, a flood of emotions washed over me—familiar and yet distant, his features held a beauty that stirred a mix of feelings inside me. It was a face I could never look upon for too long.

[You know, I quite like you.]

[...I’m honored, Master.]

[However, there are times when I wish I could take your head off. Do you know when that is?]

[...]

[It’s when you look at me and your eyes are filled with longing. At those moments, I feel the urge to gouge out your eyes.]

[If that’s your wish, I will burn my eyes out here and now.]

I meant every word I said. Upon hearing me, Cheonma smiled, seemingly satisfied with my response.

[That would be a shame. I rather like your eyes.]

The air around us began to shift.

As Cheonma settled further into the sky, the fields and forests below started to rot and wither away, drained of life.

This was the effect of Cheonma’s Magi.

[Once everything is finished,]

[Yes, Master.]

[You will face a choice.]

A choice.

He spoke as if I would have to make some great decision.

I had no idea what he meant by that.

[When the time comes.]

Cheonma continued speaking, his voice distant, as if addressing someone lost and unsure. And yet, when he uttered those words, it felt as though he was telling me something important. But at the time, I didn’t understand what he had said.

I didn’t even remember the choice he had spoken of when the moment came.

In the end, Cheonma was defeated in battle by the Little Sword Saint and met his death. The Little Sword Saint would later be called the Divine Sword.

And all of the demons gathered at Hanam were either killed or captured by the Murim Alliance and tortured.

The defeat of the Magyo.

No one had expected the Jeongpa to emerge victorious.

Not even I had.

And as for the choice that Cheonma had spoken of...

Even now, after returning to the present, I still don’t know what he meant.

   
   ******************
   
   

Fwoosh—!

The body engulfed in flames dashed even faster through the forest. I raised my Qi to its absolute limit.

I had to reach my destination as fast as possible.

‘It can’t be…’

I struggled to suppress the overwhelming feeling of unease building inside me, biting down hard to keep my emotions in check.

Thud, thud.

My dantian continued to throb as if resonating with something. This was the source of my anxiety. Not only was my heightened Hwakyung Qi sensing reacting, but all my five senses were heightened to the extreme.

My dantian pulsed, my ears rang, I could smell, taste, and feel the tension in the air. My hands trembled, and in the distance, I saw something.

There was only one reason for such a reaction.

It was telling me.

That someone was here.

Someone who ruled over the demons.

Cheonma was here.

‘This is impossible.’

It wasn’t time for Cheonma to appear yet.

This was supposed to happen after I passed my twentieth year, not now. We were still years away from that event.

‘Has something gone wrong?’

Perhaps. So many things had changed since I returned, and this could be another unexpected alteration.

But it couldn’t happen.

Not now.

Cheonma’s appearance should not be now, when nothing was prepared.

‘Faster.’

I pushed my legs harder, the flames becoming a blur as I blazed through the forest.

I didn’t dodge the obstacles in my path; I melted and burned everything that stood in my way.

The incident upon my return, the unknown force attacking Sinryong Hall, and whatever else was happening around me—all of it was erased from my mind.

All that remained was the thought of Cheonma.

I ran.

Crunch—!

Burning through trees in my path, I pushed forward relentlessly.

How long had I been running?

Finally, I reached the center of the energy.

The sight before me came into focus.

The first thing I saw was the chaotic scene, as if something catastrophic had happened to the surroundings.

Not far off, Bieui-jin was collapsed, gasping for breath.

Why was he in this state? I quickly scanned the area.

And then I saw Wi Seol-ah standing there.

She was holding her sword, her body radiating a fierce killing intent.

The golden aura enveloping Wi Seol-ah was undoubtedly the martial art of the Sword Lord. The purity of the energy she wielded was remarkable.

Her presence was stronger than I had anticipated. It seemed her level was far higher than I thought.

But my eyes were drawn elsewhere.

The opponent Wi Seol-ah was facing.

The moment I saw that figure—

Time seemed to stop.

For what felt like several seconds, everything froze.

In that brief moment, a flood of thoughts filled my mind.

I couldn’t feel anything. I could see them clearly, standing there, their face coming into focus.

Yet, paradoxically, I felt nothing.

At that moment, the figure standing opposite Wi Seol-ah turned their head toward me.

It felt like a hallucination, but I was sure—they were looking directly at me.

Time, which had seemed frozen, resumed its flow.

I dashed forward, my body moving like lightning.

I wrapped Wi Seol-ah in my arms.

“Huh…?”

Startled by the sudden action, Wi Seol-ah let out a confused sound.

But I held her tightly and pulled her back, increasing the distance between us and the figure.

“Huff… huff…”

Panting heavily, I held Wi Seol-ah protectively, keeping her close to my chest.

I raised my Qi to its peak.

Flames ignited in my eyes, and my hair started to sway slightly from the rising energy.

Though I had suddenly intervened, the figure’s expression remained completely neutral.

“…Why?”

I muttered as I stared at them.

“Why have you appeared now?”

I had already sensed it, but now that I faced them, I was certain.

At my words, the figure, who looked exactly like Wi Seol-ah, tilted their head in confusion.

The moment our eyes met, it felt like I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t feel anything from them, yet I felt overwhelmed.

Suppressing the trembling within me, I barely managed to call out their name.

“…Cheonma.”

At my call, Cheonma’s violet eyes gleamed.

Seeing those eyes, I knew without a doubt.

Cheonma had returned to this world.