CFZ

Darkness.
Pitch-black nothingness surrounded me.

I stared blankly into the void until—
“…Young Master—!”
“Young Master…!!!”

Voices.
Hearing them, I opened my eyes.
“…Huff….”

The darkness faded as light returned to my vision, and my mind snapped awake.
I immediately turned my head, scanning the surroundings.
The explosion of light earlier—it had been enormous.

I needed to check—
Had anyone died?
I extended my senses, quickly sweeping the area with Qi.

‘…Thank God.’
Relief washed over me.
Not a single presence had disappeared.

None of my allies seemed to be injured, and the martial artists in the back appeared unharmed as well.
The ground was shattered, and the surroundings were in ruins, but—
Given how sudden the situation had been, this was a better outcome than expected.

At least no one had died.
‘…It was lucky that it was just an Authority.’
The monster’s attack had been an Authority.
I’d instinctively recognized it in time and blocked it using Greed (Tam).

If I hadn’t, things could’ve ended much worse.
‘Wait. This isn’t the time to relax.’
I shook off my thoughts and forced myself to focus.

Now wasn’t the time to feel relieved.
I turned to Tang So-yeol and asked,
“…I think I can block its attack again. We need to prepare for—”

“No…! Young Master…!! Don’t move…!”
“…What?”
Her expression was strange.

She looked like she was about to cry.
Not just her—
Namgung Bi-ah stared at me with hard eyes.

Wi Seol-ah had dropped her sword and was covering her mouth, trembling.
What the hell was going on?
“What? Why are you—”

Stagger.
“…Gah?”
Thud—!!

A wave of dizziness hit me.
My knees buckled, and blood gushed from my mouth.
What…?

Clutching my bleeding lips, I checked my condition.
And then I understood.
‘Ah… shit.’

Apparently, I hadn’t blocked all of it.
Now that I looked closer, my body was drenched in blood.
Bones were broken.

My organs were damaged.
“Huff… Huff….”
Maybe I’d used Greed too recklessly.

I’d blocked most of the impact, but what got through had hit me directly.
Pain started flooding in as I turned to the monster.
[Kieek… Kiii….]

It wasn’t doing well, either.
I’d wondered why it hadn’t used that Authority earlier, but it seemed the backlash was severe.
The monster collapsed, looking completely drained.

Seeing that, I forced myself up.
“Young Master…!”
Tang So-yeol cried out in panic.

“Sit down! We need to treat you first…!”
“There’s no time.”
Spit.

I spat out a mouthful of blood and circulated my Qi.
It hurt.
My meridians must’ve been damaged since my Qi wasn’t flowing properly.

Even so, I could move.
I could still walk.
I could still breathe.

That meant I could still fight.
“If we delay any longer, it’s over.”
With my trembling body, I raised my hand.

This was our chance.
The monster was down—I had to finish it now.
I summoned flames, but—

[Ki… Kik….]
The monster let out a sound.
It almost sounded like laughter.

And then—
Boom—!
“…Damn it.”

A gust of wind blew past.
I looked up.
The sky came into view—

The patterns in the Magyeong Gates had completed.
“Fuck.”
I cursed.

Were we too late?
[Grrooooar.]
[Shhhiiik,]

No time for answers.
Crying sounds echoed from within the gates.
‘It’s too late.’

While I’d been distracted by the Authority, the monster had finished the process.
Now dozens of red-ranked monsters would appear.
I turned to the others.

“Run.”
“…Run? What do you mean?”
Their eyes told me everything.

How could we run and leave that behind?
Idiots.
“Are you going to fight that? We can’t win. We need to fall back and protect the others.”

I snapped, my voice sharp.
“But they won’t stop chasing us. It’s better to hold them off so the others can escape….”
They refused to retreat.

I cut them off.
“I’ll do it.”
“…!”

They froze.
I had already made up my mind.
“So Yeomra… What do you—”

“I’ll buy us the time. Go help the evacuation.”
I said I’d face the monsters alone.
The words left everyone looking horrified.

“So Yeomra—!! Everyone here knows you’re strong. But how can you fight them alone in that state? That’s impossible!”
“There’s a way. Don’t worry.”
I understood.

Anyone could see it was madness.
But—
‘I really do have a plan.’

This wasn’t bravado.
I had a last resort, something I’d only use when everything else failed.
But for that, I needed everyone else gone.

I needed them to leave.
“I came here—and when I saw that monster—I already prepared myself to die.”
An unfamiliar martial artist spoke with bloodshot eyes.

“If anyone should sacrifice themselves, it should be me. We can’t let someone like you fall here.”
“…It’s not a sacrifice. I told you—”
“You can’t do this alone. I, Wu Cheon-myeong of the Wu Clan, will stand with you.”

“Are you people deaf?”
“So Yeomra, thank you for saving us earlier. You… you’re the hope of younger martial artists. The one who’ll lead the righteous sects. You don’t have to carry this burden alone.”
“Goddamn it, will you listen to me?!”

What the hell were they thinking?
There was no time for this!
“Just leave! I said I have a plan—argh…!”

I grabbed my ribs mid-shout.
Damn it. That hurt.
“…Young Master.”

I turned my head, gasping.
Tang So-yeol looked like she was about to cry.
“You’re a liar.”

“…What?”
“You said nothing bad would happen… but you lied.”
“...”

I had no retort.
Even I hadn’t expected things to get this bad.
“I’m glad I didn’t listen to you and came here. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to see you again.”

“…That wouldn’t have happened.”
“Rest. We’ll protect you now.”
I almost laughed.

They’d been the ones protecting me earlier—pummeling that monster nonstop.
“Wait… I mean…”
My head throbbed.

No one was listening.
Why wouldn’t they just believe me?
‘What do I do?’

I racked my brain for answers.
Crackle.
Lightning sparked.

Namgung Bi-ah.
“…Huh?”
While the others were steeling their resolve,

Two people—Wi Seol-ah and Namgung Bi-ah—were already walking forward.
What the hell were they doing?
“Hey! Stop them—”

[Grrraaahh!!]
Right then, monsters began pouring out of the Magyeong Gates.
Massive beasts, towering over the blue-ranked monster we’d fought earlier.

Creatures of all shapes and sizes tore through the dimensional rifts.
I tried to pull them back—
Crackle—!!

Whoosh—!!
“Ugh…!”
A sudden gust slammed into me.

The pressure made it hard to keep my eyes open.
I turned toward the source.
Namgung Bi-ah.

Something about her was off.
Lightning coursed through her hair, and killing intent poured out of her.
I couldn’t see her face, but her energy screamed rage.

And—
‘Thunder Fang?’
She was holding Thunder Fang in her right hand.

The blade crackled with lightning, encasing her body in thunderous energy.
‘…Heavenly Descent?’
It was the same technique the Demon Sword Queen had used with Thunder Fang.

That aura, that presence—
Namgung Bi-ah looked ready to tear everything apart.
And Wi Seol-ah—

Despite her injuries, she was burning brighter than when she’d fought the Divine Dragon.
The golden glow surrounding her rivaled the lightning crackling around Namgung Bi-ah.
But then I saw it—

“…Wait.”
A different energy within Wi Seol-ah’s golden aura.
White.

‘…No.’
I stiffened.
She couldn’t use that power.

Not yet.
Not ever.
‘Shit.’

I knew exactly what they were planning.
They were about to throw themselves at the swarm.
I couldn’t let them.

Wi Seol-ah would suffer if she used that power.
But they were already moving—and so were the other martial artists.
‘Damn it.’

This was spiraling out of control.
I had no choice.
I focused my energy.

Not the Nine Flames Firewheel—
The rings inside my heart.
Four now instead of three, spinning with amplified force.

This was my last resort—a forbidden technique.
Clench.
I began forming the shape.

“Young Master? What are you—”
Then—
Silence.

I shut out the noise and focused.
Vrrrrrr—!!
The rings spun faster.

I was just about to unleash it when—
“Young Master.”
A voice cut through my focus.

An aged, weathered voice.
“…I’m sorry.”
I stopped immediately.

I knew who it was.
“I’m sorry I’m late.”
An old man stepped forward, clad in the Gu Clan’s robes.

Tang So-yeol flinched, as if she hadn’t «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» noticed his arrival until now.
No need for introductions.
No need for words.

“I’ll handle this quickly.”
The old man raised his hand—
Rumble—!!!

Lightning roared as divine punishment rained down upon the monsters.
“Rest for now.”