Chapter 100: Chapter 100

“What… does that mean?”

Namgung Cheon’s lips trembled.

The Namgung Family was a place with a thousand years of history. It was a place that had protected the Central Plains and made a name for itself since before the term Eight Great Families, or even the Five Great Families before that, ever existed.

No matter if Namgung Cheon was not there, the hidden forces inside the family were by no means to be underestimated, and those forces were easily comparable to a whole sect.

But it fell?

Hong Won-chang did not look away. As if trying to make him realize that it was by no means a joke, he stared intently at Namgung Cheon and spoke in a solemn voice.

“It is true.”

“How!? How does that make sense? The Namgung Family fell? What was the Murim Alliance doing, and what about the people of the family…?!”

“According to the incoming information, it seems there was a recent clash with people called the Blood Death Squad.”

Hong Won-chang calmly relayed the information he knew.

The Blood Death Squad had devastated the surroundings as if targeting the Namgung Family; in the end, the Namgung Family succeeded in revealing their strength and capturing them, but due to an unexpected ambush, the eldest son Namgung Gang was attacked, and while they went to rescue him, the family suffered a bombardment.

“They say many people died. Even now, the smell of rotting corpses lingers near the Namgung Family…”

“Ha… Haha…”

Namgung Cheon’s legs gave out, and he slumped down.

His entire body trembled uncontrollably.

He blamed himself for spending such a pleasant time in such a nice place with good people while such things were happening at the Namgung Family.

A long sigh leaked from his mouth. He felt indescribably terrible.

Just then, So-mi cautiously approached and grabbed Namgung Cheon’s hand. Although the child did not say anything, feeling her warmth gave him the illusion that his trembling body was gradually calming down.

“Th-Then what happened to Gang? No, what about the family head? And what happened to So-hye!”

“They say their whereabouts are unknown.”

“Ha…”

Namgung Cheon’s heart burned so much that he could not even continue speaking.

It felt as though all of this was his fault.

“I should have gathered information a bit faster!”

“Perhaps it was the work of those who aimed for your head.”

At Dan Woo-hyun’s words, Namgung Cheon snapped his head up.

And the memory of the group that attacked the manor last time flashed through his mind.

There were others besides them, and he should have thought from the beginning that their target might be the Namgung Family itself.

He had simply assumed that since he was here and they appeared, their ultimate target was the Sword Emperor Namgung Cheon.

It was Namgung Cheon’s mistake of thinking too highly of his own reputation.

“I… I must go.”

Namgung Cheon stood up.

This was no time to be sitting around. If the family had fallen and the children went missing, he had to move and find them as soon as possible. He had to restore everything before things became any more serious.

“With that arm?”

Sa Do-hak glared at Namgung Cheon with a somewhat displeased expression.

His internal energy had returned to a certain level, but it was far from enough compared to the past. Furthermore, although he had trained to wield a sword freely with one arm, it was only to the extent of handling a one-on-one situation, and he would not be of much use in a one-versus-many fight.

“Perhaps it might be a trap to lure you out…”

At Sa Do-hak’s words, Namgung Cheon gnashed his teeth.

Yes. Perhaps the whole reason they attacked the Namgung Family was as bait to draw out the Sword Emperor Namgung Cheon, whom they realized was alive.

But what of it?

The children were dying. One by one, the faces of those children appeared in his mind.

He had to save at least one more person.

It was clear that it would take a long time even if he ran right now, but he had to go. Wishing that the children would hold out for as long as possible.

“I will go. Do not stop me.”

“Who is stopping you? If you go and die, it’ll just make me feel relieved.”

Sa Do-hak smirked.

If the Sword Emperor disappeared, the power of the Demonic Cult would rise by that much.

Either way, it was not a bad thing.

However, there seemed to be someone who did not like those words. Someone ran over and tapped Sa Do-hak’s leg.

Looking down, a tearful So-mi brandished her small fists, patting him.

“D-Don’t say such things!”

“A-All right, all right!”

Sa Do-hak stopped So-mi, not knowing what to do.

Having spent a long time together, they seemed to have naturally grown fond of each other.

“Anhui… Anhui…”

At that moment, Dan Woo-hyun, who had not said anything until now, muttered. He seemed to look at the sky for a moment, then cast his gaze toward the cliff behind the manor.

After staring at that place for a long time, Dan Woo-hyun closed his eyes tightly.

“Namgung… is it Namgung?”

“Yes, isn’t it nice?”

“…It’s strange, but it’s fine.”

“Haha!”

He recalled a petite and shabby woman.

If she were a disciple, she would be a disciple, and if she were simply a companion who shared a short journey, she might be a companion.

The moment of parting with her came to mind.

Having only a single sword and a three-character name.

To her, who had now abandoned even that name and chosen seclusion, the only thing he could do was give her another name to live by in the future.

Since the first place Dan Woo-hyun met her was the south city gate, he named her so.

The woman forced a smile, and Dan Woo-hyun turned his back just like that.

Dan Woo-hyun slowly opened his eyes.

All those sights from long ago changed, returning to the present. All the overlapping scenes vanished one by one, and before he knew it, he saw the people who were currently with him.

Dan Woo-hyun stroked So-mi’s head.

“So-mi.”

“Yes?”

“It doesn’t seem bad to go on a trip once in a while.”

“Really?”

So-mi approached with her eyes shining brightly. Before anyone knew it, she grabbed Dan Woo-hyun’s hand and smiled broadly. Surely, So-mi seemed to guess to some extent where the destination was.

“Yes, it is quite far, but it shouldn’t be bad to go for sightseeing.”

“Yay! Let’s go! Let’s go quickly!”

So-mi giggled and ran around Dan Woo-hyun, laughing out loud.

Then she walked over to Namgung Cheon and grabbed his hand.

Namgung Cheon opened his eyes wide and looked at So-mi. Then, So-mi wore a bright and innocent smile all over her face.

“Let’s go quickly! Where is Anhui? What is beautiful there?”

“…Are… Are you really going to go?”

“Didn’t he say it’s sightseeing? You can guide us to Anhui.”

At the smiling Dan Woo-hyun’s words, Namgung Cheon was left speechless.

The anxiety in his heart vanished as if washed away.

He had gained such a dependable ally.

Man Hoo-ryang was walking in a forest of unknown location.

The surroundings were very dark. Although it was clearly broad daylight, that place alone seemed to be shrouded in darkness.

The trees lined up densely on the left and right, the lush bushes, and the thick fog brought a sense of incongruity.

Even the wind was cold there. The wind carrying the chill felt as if it would freeze him to the bone.

Man Hoo-ryang took a breath and walked further.

He seemed to be walking randomly in that unknown place, but soon, bizarre sights unfolded before him.

Whoosh!

Soon, the fog cleared, and the sight came into view.

It was a huge pavilion.

It was so wide, grand, and full of majesty that it was not inferior even compared to the imperial palace. Moreover, each of the people seen in various places was casting their gaze toward him, exuding the momentum of an absolute master.

There was more than just one or two of such people. At a low estimate, there were hundreds, or perhaps even more.

Judging by their presence, they were definitely masters capable of ruling a region if they went out into the Central Plains.

Man Hoo-ryang broke out in a cold sweat.

No matter how many times he came, he could not get used to this place.

“The Lord calls. What are you doing not hurrying?”

When a man spoke, Man Hoo-ryang hurriedly moved his feet. His appearance, proceeding toward the largest pavilion, seemed as if he wanted to escape this gaze even a moment sooner.

Soon, he stepped inside the main pavilion.

The moment he entered, countless presences were felt, and with every step he took in the main hall, Man Hoo-ryang’s entire body shrank without him realizing it.

He saw a red light in front of him.

It was a bizarre light emanating from a person’s eyes.

Sitting on the throne as if bored, he rested his chin on his hand and looked at Man Hoo-ryang.

Man Hoo-ryang swallowed hard and opened his mouth.

“I… I greet the Lord.”

“I believe you didn’t come to make a trifling report.”

“Y-Yes.”

Man Hoo-ryang took another breath.

He was still a terrifying existence. To make a person shrink so much with just a casually spoken word. It was a sensation he had never felt even once in front of the Sword Emperor or the Sword Saint.

“As ordered, I killed the Sword Emperor and raised Murong Hyeok-mun to the position of Murim Alliance Leader. I also attacked the Namgung Family, pushing them to the brink of ruin.”

“You didn’t ruin them, but pushed them to the brink?”

The man let out a scoffing, absurd laugh.

Then he lightly flicked his finger.

Thud!

“Ugh!”

Without even feeling the sign of something flying, Man Hoo-ryang was struck in the abdomen and flew back. He slid along the floor, pushed back more than ten zhang.

“Cough… Cough…! I… I will soon erase that place’s name from the world. Y-You do not have to worry.”

“Namgung, Namgung… I will trample those bastards without leaving a trace. That is why you were there. Do you understand?”

“I… I understand.”

The man gnashed his teeth as he repeated the name Namgung several times.

Although his face did not reveal what he was thinking, his eyes were clearly burning like the fires of hell.

“But even after being given that much time, you couldn’t even ruin a single family? There is no other fool like you.”

“I-I am sorry! I am sorry!”

Thump, thump, thump!

Man Hoo-ryang repeatedly slammed his head against the floor.

His head shook, and blood burst out. His vision shook violently, and he felt as if his eyeballs would burst.

Nevertheless, he had to be forgiven for his sins by self-harming while begging for mercy from the absolute powerhouse before him.

“Fine, I will give you one last chance. Erase those tiresome Namgung bastards immediately.”

“Y-Yes, my Lord!”

Man Hoo-ryang raised his voice loudly and backed away from the spot.

Watching this quietly, the man snorted.

“Foolish fellow.”

Just because they were subordinates did not mean all subordinates were the same. He was a person who made him realize that fact once again.

But as a result, things were progressing step by step.

“Is the Demonic Cult next?”

The man stroked his chin and wore a strange smile.

He recalled the past.

He held everything in his hands and manipulated them.

There was no one in the Central Plains who possessed greater power than him. Even if that person were the emperor. He could not forget the ecstasy of looking down at everyone beneath his feet.

However, one person.

Gnash!

The man ground his teeth and turned his gaze.

A guy he didn’t want to think about came to mind.

“I was always the best, but I never became the strongest. But this time is different.”

Leaning back in his chair, the man wore an even deeper smile.

This time, he intended to become both the best and the strongest.

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