Resonance (3)
When the flames were changing into a threatening shape.
“You know that you deliberately called us. How could we not know.”
“Heu… Heu…”
The voice full of laughter is rather frightening.
How could it not be frightening when the killing intent contained in the words is so thick.
“It’s enjoyable to watch the pathetic struggles… But unfortunately, it’s starting to get a bit tiresome. Meaning it’s too much to watch for long.”
Clink.
The Demon Sword Empress placed her hand on the sword hilt.
She seems to have grasped the intention without words.
Of course, the same for me.
‘That bastard is pissed.’
And very properly pissed at that. Giggling while speaking was exactly that look.
As expected, he’s one of the top in the world for failing to control anger.
Bi Yeon-seom already seemed at his limit.
“Huk… Huk…”
His breathing was extremely rough.
The qi he possessed was clearly scattered all over.
It seems Bi Yeon-seom won’t be able to endure the pressure of the Black Flame Demon Emperor facing him right in front for long.
While the Black Flame Demon Emperor’s demonic qi is encroaching all around, from behind, Mukgwon appears leading the demons.
Probably, since I and the Demon Sword Empress charged out, he hurriedly increased speed to lead them.
Mukgwon is quick-witted.
As soon as he checks the situation, he furrows his brows slightly and gestures behind with his hand.
Accordingly, the demons react by raising their fighting spirit.
On the verge of explosion.
That seems exactly right.
Meaning battle is about to erupt.
Of course, even in the midst, I was busy looking here and there.
To know why this damned situation unfolded.
Of course, the situation is important too.
‘Where is she.’
There was something more important.
According to the information Mukgwon mentioned, she should definitely be here.
‘The Little Sword Venerable…’
Wi Seol-Ah of this era.
I heard she is here, but she hasn’t appeared yet.
Is she far away in the village?
Just as I was sending my gaze here and there.
Drip.
Bi Yeon-seom, who was facing the Black Flame Demon Emperor, soon staggers and his posture disrupts.
Fortunately, he didn’t collapse, but he looks right before collapsing.
The strange thing is.
Not only the Black Flame Demon Emperor, but the Demon Sword Empress, and moreover Mukgwon too, have already lost interest in Bi Yeon-seom.
No…
‘Were they not looking from the beginning.’
I looked somewhere following their gazes.
It’s empty air with nothing visible.
I focused my qi sense toward there. Thinking there must be something since they’re looking.
Then.
‘…!’
Something was really felt.
Very faint, but clearly something was there.
‘This is.’
An unknown chill.
A sensation as if someone is pointing a sword at me.
Recalling that, I activated the qi sense of my body.
Now I understand why everyone is sending their gazes there.
I was only focused on the Little Sword Venerable and forgot the truly important part.
This place doesn’t have only her.
Crackle.
Lightning qi sparks in the air where nothing was.
Seeing that, the Demon Sword Empress reacts slightly. Because that clearly resembles her lightning qi.
Suppressing the pounding heart, looking at the air.
[You are the same as ever.]
A voice is heard along with the gradually growing lightning qi.
Crackle-! The lightning qi gradually increases in size and soon creates a human silhouette.
The silhouette that seemed made of qi gradually takes on a proper human form.
Tap.
As the person who appeared in the air touches the ground.
Whoooosh-!
The pressure that had spread around is pushed back at a fast speed.
The suddenly appeared person was a white-haired old man.
The old man, with hands behind his back, takes light steps and slowly approaches this way.
Confirming that, I swallowed dryly.
White hair with history and blue eyes reminding of someone are visible.
He was a person I was facing after a long time.
More precisely, a person I haven’t met since regression until now.
“Heok… Heok…”
Perhaps because the pressure is released. Bi Yeon-seom was continuously spewing rough breaths.
As the old man who approached him touches Bi Yeon-seom’s back with his hand.
“Cough.”
Bi Yeon-seom coughs up black blood.
He seems to have forcibly straightened the twisted insides.
“Rest a bit.”
“I’m… sorry.”
At Bi Yeon-seom’s words, the old man pats his shoulder instead of answering.
The Black Flame Demon Emperor, who was looking at that expressionlessly, said to the old man.
“I wondered where you were hiding. So you were here.”
“Tsk tsk… Hiding, you say. I have never hidden.”
“You keep irritating my nerves like a rat, so I thought you were flailing in fear.”
‘Wow.’
Just listening makes my head spin with provocation.
I wanted to block that damned bastard’s mouth right away.
Perhaps his brain is really pickled in demonic qi.
‘…Did I really act like that?’
I wanted to deny it.
To be able to act so boldly in front of one of the Three Venerables, the absolute of the Namgung family, no less…
‘I really lived with my neck on the line.’
The old man in front of me was none other than the Heavenly Venerable.
With the old monster who sat in the heaven of the Central Plains in front, the Black Flame Demon Emperor is casually flapping his mouth.
“Anyway, I was about to kill and eliminate since I heard an old monster is around. This is good.”
Tsk tsk.
Even at the Black Flame Demon Emperor’s words, the Heavenly Venerable just smiles.
“…It’s been a while since I met you, and there are things to say and ties to settle, but unfortunately, now there is something to do first.”
Something to do?
At the Heavenly Venerable’s words, I perked up my nerves.
Indeed, meaning there is something to do here.
“Of course, something to do…”
The other ‘me’ who heard the Heavenly Venerable’s words is the same.
The guy furrows his brows and asks the Heavenly Venerable.
“There is something you must do, ignoring the cult leader’s warning and coming out like this. Is that what you mean?”
“Correct.”
The Heavenly Venerable smiles at the Black Flame Demon Emperor.
“We wish to make a deal with you all.”
Deal, trying to concentrate for a moment to interpret that unexpected word.
“Ha.”
I had to roll my eyes at the hollow laugh the Black Flame Demon Emperor suddenly burst.
‘Ah, that’s a bad sign.’
As expected.
“Deal? Just now that trash was asking me for conversation. Now the old monster is asking for a deal.”
“This won’t be bad for you either…”
“Shut up. My ears feel like rotting.”
The pressure that had paused for a moment surges again.
Even the remaining laughter has disappeared from the Black Flame Demon Emperor. Truly only anger is felt.
“The cult leader showed mercy to you bastards… But as always, those unaware of their place tend to lose gratitude.”
Flames wrap around the Black Flame Demon Emperor’s body.
“Therefore, if unaware of place, it’s right to kindly teach.”
“Do you always see it right only when seeing blood like this?”
At the Heavenly Venerable’s words, the Black Flame Demon Emperor waves his hand.
“Don’t spit your pathetic ideals at me.”
Kwaaaaa-!
Following the gesture, the flames floating in the air let out rough sounds and start falling toward the ground.
“You don’t have the right to utter such words either.”
The Flame Flower Sphere starting to fall slowly.
The speed is by no means slow, yet the Heavenly Venerable facing the Black Flame Demon Emperor is only furrowing his brows and doesn’t seem to think of any response.
What?
Seeing that, I swallow a groan.
‘Is he really dropping that?’
No matter how crazy I was at this time, I wouldn’t recklessly burst like this in front of the Heavenly Venerable.
What on earth is he thinking?
I don’t know the guy’s intention.
Meaning even I don’t know what crazy thing that lunatic bastard is doing with what thought.
Was I able to defeat that old man at this time.
‘Impossible…?’
No matter how I look, that’s impossible.
Not about the amount of qi, they are clearly those who reached a higher level than me.
A level where possibility exists only if joining forces with the Demon Sword Empress.
That’s the dignity the Three Venerables possess. Yet the guy is boldly committing the act as if not caring at all.
Whoosh-!
The flames gradually approach the ground.
Accordingly, deeper despair passes on the expressions of the martial artists around.
“Ah, no!”
“Save us!”
They start panicking and the formation begins to collapse.
Even until then, the Heavenly Venerable wasn’t moving at all.
Not drawing his sword, nor raising qi.
Why.
Is it because it’s a power the Heavenly Venerable can’t block?
No way.
No matter how mixed with demonic qi, with that old man’s power, it’s more than enough.
‘But why on earth.’
The flames get closer.
In a bit, it will touch the ground and cause a big explosion.
When wondering if he’s really intending to burn all these people.
Shwik-!
Something flies toward the flames from beyond the sky.
The speed was so fast.
I couldn’t even properly confirm what it is, yet dozens more follow drilling into the flames.
And immediately, an anomaly occurred.
Sssss–!
“…!”
The massive flames that had been boasting overwhelming dignity begin to gradually subside.
As if being sucked somewhere, the black flames floating in the air hide their presence in an instant.
It took only a few seconds for that many flames to disappear.
‘Ah.’
Only after confirming the anomaly, looking at the Black Flame Demon Emperor, I realized the guy’s intention.
The reason he did this stunt using that much energy.
‘It was to call her.’
Though there was preemptive suppression, the true intention was to show to someone and call that person.
In the space where the flames disappeared, something is slowly rotating. It was swords.
Several heterogeneous swords containing golden light.
They were leisurely swimming in the air.
As the flames disappear, the martial artists who had been dyed in despair until just before start cheering upon witnessing it with their eyes.
They seem to have realized whose those swords are.
“She’s here…! The leader has come!”
At their cries, the demons furrow their brows and look at the air.
At that time, the golden swords floating in the air fly quickly somewhere.
The position is right above where the Heavenly Venerable is standing.
In the air where no one was until just before, someone is seen floating.
“…”
Confirming her, I had to bite my lips.
Since it’s an illusion about the previous life, I had a feeling I might meet her someday.
Whether to express it as expectation, or as worry.
Or as anxiety, I don’t know.
But the prediction that I might see her was consistent.
But.
‘…This is.’
Facing her directly, far more various emotions pass by than expected.
Several swords move as if protecting the woman.
The woman was calmly standing on the sword floating in the air.
Hair turned completely golden, not brown.
Unlike the shining pupils, the eye shape full of fatigue is full of a dreamy atmosphere.
It was different from the woman who always smiled and sat by my side chirping words.
“…Little Sword Venerable.”
The Black Flame Demon Emperor mutters softly while looking at the woman.
Did she perhaps hear that small voice?
The Little Sword Venerable sent her gaze this way.
She seems to be looking at the Black Flame Demon Emperor…
‘Huh?’
…I thought…
Something is strange.
‘What?’
The Little Sword Venerable isn’t looking at the Black Flame Demon Emperor.
This could be a misconception, but it doesn’t seem like a misconception.
The Little Sword Venerable wasn’t looking at the Black Flame Demon Emperor. Rather than the Black Flame Demon Emperor…
‘It feels like she’s looking at me…?’
For some reason, it feels like she’s looking at me.
I don’t know the reason, but she was clearly looking at me.
And with eyes full of surprise at that.