Rustle.

A leaf slowly floated down in the wind.

The woman reached out, catching one among the many falling leaves. In this season, the leaves should have been vibrantly colored, but this one was withered and dry.

"…"

She frowned at the sight. As she looked at the brittle, lifeless leaf, her gaze shifted to find the cause.

The answer lay ahead.

Beyond the borderland leading into Sichuan, a desolate hellscape stretched as far as the eye could see.

Once a thriving forest, it had lost its vitality long ago.

The shocking part was that this transformation of Sichuan’s once-lush forest took less than five years.

This was all due to magi (magical energy). The forest served as both a statement and a warning to the orthodox factions.

After the demonic forces expelled the Tang Clan and killed Tang So-yeol (Poison Queen), spreading magi to turn the forest into this barren state was more than symbolic.

It was both a declaration of this land as the Demonic Sect's territory and—

A warning that orthodox members are forbidden from crossing into it.

Knowing this, the woman bit her lip even harder.

Her golden eyes turned toward the dry forest, gazing far into the distance.

She stared ahead, as if trying to see something—or perhaps someone.

Perhaps because of this focus, she failed to notice someone approaching from behind.

Crunch.

The sharp sound of a footstep made her heighten her senses, her hand moving instinctively to her sword hilt.

Tap.

"…!"

She couldn’t draw it. Another hand had halted her from unsheathing her sword.

The person who stopped her sword smiled slightly, addressing her.

“You seem troubled, Wi Seol-ah.”

The speaker was an elderly man with strikingly white hair. Recognizing him, the woman swiftly calmed her aura, hiding her fighting spirit.

She immediately bowed respectfully—he was, after all, someone worthy of such reverence.

“…Greetings, Heavenly Lord.”

The man was none other than Heavenly Lord, one of the Three Lords.

The woman glanced over his clothing.

"…"

It was black.

Once, Heavenly Lord would have worn the blue martial robes symbolizing the Namgung Clan, but ever since his family’s destruction, he had insisted on wearing black.

The Last of the Namgung.

Such was another of Heavenly Lord's titles.

"It seems you didn’t sense my presence. Is something on your mind?"

Hearing his words, the woman gave a faint, rueful smile.

"My apologies."

At Wi Seol-ah’s words, Heavenly Lord stroked his beard, chuckling.

"There’s no need for you to apologize. I merely asked out of concern. If anything, I should apologize."

"No, it’s not necessary… I was lost in thought for a moment."

Wi Seol-ah’s response made Heavenly Lord nod slightly.

After a brief exchange, Wi Seol-ah looked at him with a somber expression and asked,

“Will you be joining us on this mission, Heavenly Lord?”

"Yes."

At his answer, Wi Seol-ah bit her lip slightly.

It seemed that the ally Sword King had mentioned was indeed Heavenly Lord.

"Sword King told me we would depart tomorrow. Is that decision the Strategist of the Martial Alliance's?"

The Strategist of the Martial Alliance was the advisor to the Martial Alliance, known by her title.

"I didn’t hear all the details, but I believe so," Wi Seol-ah replied, and Heavenly Lord cast a displeased glance her way.

However, he didn’t voice any objection.

The Strategist of the Martial Alliance had accomplished much, so despite his misgivings, it was hard to openly criticize her decisions.

“Is this truly wise?”

It was Wi Seol-ah who asked this question. Hearing her concern, Heavenly Lord looked at her with a peculiar expression.

Then he let out a brief chuckle.

He knew what Wi Seol-ah was truly asking.

The fact that Heavenly Lord was joining this mission meant he was disregarding Cheonma’s earlier warning.

Perhaps because of this, Heavenly Lord’s eyes grew colder.

"Are you concerned for my safety, or are you worried about Cheonma’s movements?"

Sensing the deep emotion in his words, Wi Seol-ah quickly replied.

"Of course, I…"

She stopped mid-sentence, biting her lip.

She had intended to say she was concerned for Heavenly Lord’s well-being, but she realized that wasn’t entirely true.

Realizing this, Wi Seol-ah bowed her head deeply before Heavenly Lord.

"I have acted disrespectfully… My apologies."

As she spoke, she felt the powerful aura radiating from Heavenly Lord recede slightly.

Then.

After a moment of silence, Heavenly Lord slowly walked past her.

He headed toward the boundary separating Sichuan from the outside world.

Upon reaching the edge, Heavenly Lord spoke in a somewhat heavy voice.

"Raise your head."

"…"

"I, too, understand what concerns you."

The tone of Heavenly Lord’s voice was more filled with bitterness than anger.

"It’s truly laughable, isn’t it? The Three Lords, once revered, are now paralyzed by a single person’s warning."

"…"

A single person.

Everyone knew how terrifying Cheonma was to be referred to in such a way.

—"I will not allow the Three Lords to set foot in Sichuan again."

That casual statement had effectively restrained the Three Lords, who once ruled the Central Plains.

When Cheonma appeared, the martial prowess he demonstrated, his unyielding stance against the Three Lords, and his ability to summon calamity with a mere gesture were enough to instill terror in many.

Heavenly Lord understood this clearly.

The only reason the Martial Alliance and orthodox factions could hold out in the Central Plains was that Cheonma had chosen not to act.

Even though it hurt his pride and deepened his inner demons, this was the truth.

Reality wouldn’t change.

While no one knew why Cheonma hadn’t acted over the past few years…

Everyone, including the Three Lords and the leaders of the orthodox factions, understood.

If Cheonma truly wished to move, this war would have ended long ago.

Thinking of that overwhelming presence, Heavenly Lord wondered.

What exactly are you waiting for?

A monstrous being whose motives were unknown.

No one knew why it remained inactive, though it could end the war at any time.

It was a bitter situation.

He thought back to Wi Seol-ah’s worry.

The unintentional anger he had felt was because Heavenly Lord knew that, in the end, he could not defeat Cheonma either.

Even as an ally, Heavenly Lord would not cross into Sichuan. The Martial Alliance’s plan had stipulated as much.

'Tsk.'

Recalling this, he scoffed.

"Not cross" into Sichuan, indeed.

How absurd was the thought? It wasn’t that they wouldn’t cross; it was that they couldn’t.

Even now, they were too preoccupied with preserving their pride.

Heavenly Lord closed his eyes.

There was nothing to see.

It was as if he were looking into the future.

Within the darkness, he saw a faint glimmer of light.

A tiny, delicate light, so fragile that it could shatter with the slightest touch.

Seeing it, Heavenly Lord slowly opened his eyes.

He turned around.

There stood a woman with golden hair and golden eyes, much like Sword Saint had in his youth.

The woman gazed at the Sichuan forest as if something troubled her.

She was nearing thirty, with a slender frame.

In Heavenly Lord’s eyes, her body seemed far too frail to carry the hope of the Central Plains.

But she was indeed their hope.

"…"

Heavenly Lord swallowed a sigh.

The world that placed its hope on such a small woman.

He himself waited for her, as did the ever-consuming vengeance that gnawed at him.

Heavenly Lord cleared away his mounting thoughts and resumed his steps.

"Let’s return together."

"Yes."

At Heavenly Lord's words, Wi Seol-ah followed suit.

 
   ******************

The Great Hall stirred at Mugwon’s words.

The forces of the Martial Alliance were beginning to gather in a village outside Sichuan.

The implications of his words were anything but shallow.

Seated on the throne, Maje looked at Mugwon with a glint of curiosity in his eyes.

“Is that true?”

“Yes, Master.”

As Mugwon answered firmly, all eyes turned toward him, filled with questions.

I shared their sentiment.

‘What’s suddenly happening at this time?’

The Martial Alliance was abruptly mobilizing its forces. This wasn’t something I remembered happening.

‘And…’

The words Mugwon had spoken echoed in my mind.

• “We’ve detected the presence of Wi Seol-ah.”

‘…Why?’

The Divine Sword.

No, Wi Seol-ah, who was still known as Small Sword Saint, shouldn’t be here in Sichuan at this time.

If Sichuan had become the demonic territory, her role would have been to hunt down demonic beings outside and defend her designated area.

Sichuan was distinctly within the boundaries that Cheonma had set; there was no reason for her to appear here now.

‘I don’t understand.’

The Martial Alliance would know this better than anyone.

They’d know that she shouldn’t recklessly enter such a battlefield.

In this current situation, Wi Seol-ah was the only hope for the Martial Alliance. Losing her would be tantamount to losing the war.

‘They’re sending Wi Seol-ah into this mess?’

Bringing Divine Sword into a situation without even knowing the full plan… It’s giving me a headache.

At the very least, I had assumed she wouldn’t appear in battles involving Sichuan.

Yet, not only were forces gathering here unexpectedly, but this was happening.

‘From where…?’

Where exactly had things started to go astray in this world?

If I wanted to find the cause…

‘Could it be because of my presence?’

It was the only possibility that made sense, yet I still couldn’t fully accept it.

Could my presence alone cause events to spiral this drastically? Situations can change with the smallest of actions, but…

This was beyond reason.

It was as if…

‘As if someone knows I’m here.’

It felt almost as if someone had realized my existence and forced this situation.

I clenched my fists, furrowing my brows.

Whatever the reason, Wi Seol-ah must not appear here in this situation.

She is the hope of this world.

Sigh…

I thought of the woman who would bear the weight of the world on her small shoulders.

A cursed burden.

A burden that no one could bear for her, one she held alone in this time.

‘Damn it.’

The mere thought made me curse.

The Three Lords, once called the sky of the Central Plains.

The Four Great Clans, once the pillars of the orthodox factions.

The Nine Gates, who once protected and built strength in each region.

Despite all these powerful figures, how did it come to be that a single woman held the hope of the world?

And, why must she avoid appearing here in the current situation?

As I pondered the reason, I bit down hard on my tongue.

It was because…

Wi Seol-ah had become the Central Plains’ hope due to her unique power.

…Anti-Demonic Force.

A force specialized in fighting against demonic beings.