CFZ

The forest was in chaos.

In a radius of one ri, everything lay in ruins.
The towering trees that once guarded the area were all toppled or shattered, their remains strewn across the ground. Even the massive boulders that had dotted the forest were now reduced to rubble.
And in the midst of it all—

“Gah…!”
Ilcheon Sword clutched his chest, blood trickling from his mouth.
“Cough…!!”

Blood stained the ground beneath him, soaking into the torn and ravaged earth. His expression contorted in agony, reflecting the sheer severity of his injuries.
His body was in shambles. Already damaged from the start, it had only deteriorated further. His left arm hung limp, useless, while his breathing was uneven and labored.
If he faltered even a little, his energy would collapse entirely. That was how dire his condition had become.

And yet, despite this, Ilcheon Sword could not allow himself to fall.
The fight wasn’t over.
“Heeheehee—hahaha!!!”
“…!!”

The sound of manic laughter pierced the air. As soon as he heard it, Ilcheon Sword forced his battered body to move.
BOOM—!!!
The spot where he had been standing exploded in a violent storm. A spear gouged into the ground, tearing it apart and creating a massive crater as wind pressure roared outward.

The sheer force was staggering.
Gritting his teeth, he leaped away just in time, narrowly avoiding the impact. Dust and debris clouded his vision as he concentrated his energy on his eyes to peer through the haze.
In that instant, a flash of light pierced through the dust.

Screech—!
“Ugh!”
The spear struck his blade, the impact redirecting the light skyward. Suspended mid-air, his body wavered from the blow.

Though he had deflected one attack, it wasn’t the end.
“Hup!”
The spear lashed out like a whip, striking his blade again.

“Gah!”
The force sent Ilcheon Sword hurtling to # Nоvеlight # the ground.
Crash—!!

His body slammed into the earth, unable to maintain his protective energy. The impact caused him to cough up blood as pain surged through him.
There was no time to process the agony.
“Heeheehee!!!”
“Urgh…”

The attacks were relentless. How could she not tire? He couldn’t comprehend it.
But my attacks hit her!
He hadn’t just been on the receiving end. He had landed strikes of his own, cutting into her chest and leaving multiple wounds.

So why… why doesn’t she stop?
Her unyielding assault was monstrous, like that of a beast.
“Hahaha—!!!”

Bang! Bang, bang—!!
Her laughter rang out as her spear continued to rain down, surrounded by an aura of energy. Despite her injuries, her movements showed no sign of slowing.
“Damn it…!”

Clenching his teeth, Ilcheon Sword gripped his blade tightly. As his sword clashed with her relentless spear, shockwaves rippled through the forest.
Boom—!!
“Heeheehee—hahaha!!!”

The sheer force of the impacts would have been enough to stagger anyone, but she pushed forward, undeterred.
The more he blocked and evaded, the darker his expression grew.
The fight was slipping away from him.

At first, he thought he could win.
Even with his weakened state, he couldn’t imagine losing to a mere girl.
And yet—

What the hell is she?!
Dodging her spear, he racked his mind.
Her attacks were wild, chaotic, and without form.

How can she be so unpredictable?
There was no pattern to her moves, no adherence to technique.
She doesn’t even care if she gets hurt.

She threw herself into every attack, disregarding the risk of injury. Though he had landed hits, they seemed to have no effect on her.
…She doesn’t tire.
Despite her wounds, she showed no signs of exhaustion. It was as if pain didn’t exist for her.

No, my attacks did connect.
Watching her charge with a maniacal grin, Ilcheon Sword denied the possibility that his strikes had failed.
Her white martial robes were stained with blood—far more than his own.

Even with that much blood loss, she’s still charging at me?
Her resilience defied comprehension.
“Damn it…!”

His eyes burned with resolve as he swung his blade. Energy surged along its edge, glowing with a deep blue hue, like waves crashing in the night.
It was a slash imbued with his inner strength and intent.
“Hah!”

He swung twice, sending an X-shaped wave of energy flying toward her.
It was a powerful attack, meant to create an opening rather than kill her outright.
But instead of retreating—

“Heehee—hahaha!!!”
She laughed even louder and coated herself in energy.
She’s not…!

The moment he realized her intent, it was too late.
BOOM—!!
“You insane—!!”

She crashed through the attack head-on, the force tearing at her body, but she charged undeterred.
“Hahaha—!!!”
“You crazy bitch…!”

The distance between them vanished in an instant. Ilcheon Sword swung his blade, but his hesitation left an opening.
The spear deflected his weakened attack and drove into his abdomen.
Thunk—!!

“Guh…!”
He collapsed to his knees, the spear having pierced through him. Blood poured from the wound as she wrenched the spear free.
“Cough… huff…”

The pain was unbearable, his vision blurring as his consciousness began to fade.
“Heehee… heeheehee…”
Her laughter echoed around him. Through his faltering sight, he saw her raise the spear once more, aiming for his head.

I’m going to die.
Death loomed over him.
So this is it… the end for someone who abandoned honor and sided with heretics.

A pathetic death, here in the middle of nowhere.
No. This can’t be it.
He didn’t want to die. There was still so much he had to do.

Please… let me live.
At that moment, before the spear could claim his life, a voice interrupted.
“That’s enough.”

Thwack—!
“Gah—!”
A kick slammed into the woman’s stomach, sending her flying. She rolled across the ground, groaning in pain.

“Ugh… ngh…”
She had shrugged off his strongest attacks without flinching, yet a simple kick left her writhing.
As Ilcheon Sword stared in disbelief, a familiar voice called out.

“You lost.”
It was Gu Yangcheon.
“And you lost spectacularly. Pathetically, even.”

“…”
“You were so full of yourself, and now look at you.”
“You… bastard…”

Ilcheon Sword glared at Gu Yangcheon with a mix of shame and fury, but the latter only grinned wider.
“What? Think you could’ve won if you weren’t injured? Maybe. Probably.”
Gu Yangcheon didn’t deny it.

Because it was true.
If Ilcheon Sword had been at his peak, Bong Soon would have lost. No matter how insane she was, there were walls she couldn’t climb.
But—

“Even so, picking up your sword was your choice. And this mess is the result. Am I wrong?”
“…Kuh… grrr…”
His laughter stung more than any wound.

Mockery and disdain carried a bitterness that amplified the misery of the situation.
“Ugh… ow… it hurts! Why’d you hit me?!”
From a distance, Bong Soon, who had been sent flying, scrambled to her feet, glaring at Gu Yangcheon. Her face was twisted in indignation.

“You said I could kill him! Why’d you stop me?!”
Sigh…
Gu Yangcheon let out a heavy sigh and swung his fist.

Thwack—!
“Guh-uek!”
His knuckles struck her square on the crown of her head, and blood dripped from the fresh wound. Bong Soon stumbled, her legs almost giving out beneath her.

Gu Yangcheon grabbed her arm, steadying her.
“If you’d kept going, you’d be dead too. Do you have any idea what condition you’re in right now?”
“Eugh… but it felt good…”

“…Goddamn.”
Hearing her response, Gu Yangcheon grimaced and let her go, his disgust evident on his face.

Shaking off his hands as though he’d touched something filthy, he scolded her.
“I told you not to fight recklessly just because you can’t feel pain. Why can’t you listen?”
Can’t feel pain?

Hearing those words, Ilcheon Sword finally pieced things together.
So that’s why… why she kept charging despite her injuries.
But then, why did she react so strongly to Gu Yangcheon’s hit?

She had shrugged off his strikes without flinching, yet his simple blow had her reeling.
As confusion clouded his thoughts, Gu Yangcheon turned his back on Bong Soon’s gleeful form and approached Ilcheon Sword.
“Cough…”

Ilcheon Sword struggled to stay conscious, clinging to the edges of awareness.
If he collapsed now, his energy would completely drain, and death would follow shortly.
Then—

Hummm—!
Gu Yangcheon suddenly grabbed him and channeled his energy into Ilcheon Sword’s battered body.
The flow of energy stopped the bleeding and steadied his breathing. Slowly, the pain subsided enough for him to draw air into his lungs.

“Hah… haah… ha…”
As his condition improved, Ilcheon Sword looked at Gu Yangcheon with trembling eyes.
“Why… why are you…”

Why was he saving him? Before the question could leave his lips—
“You can’t die like this.”
Gu Yangcheon stared directly into his eyes as he spoke.

“It would be a waste for you to die so easily. After everything you’ve done, you can’t just go out like this.”
“…!”
A shiver ran down Ilcheon Sword’s spine. The weight of those words, drenched in malice, made his breath hitch again.

“You still need to crawl lower before you die. That’s why I spared you.”
The sincerity in Gu Yangcheon’s tone was undeniable.
Ilcheon Sword felt a terror greater than the prospect of his earlier death—one that hinted at a fate far worse.

Fear engulfed him.
“You… you…”
Grab!

“Gah—!”
Gu Yangcheon’s hand closed around his throat, stopping him from biting his tongue.
“Nope. I promised, didn’t I? If you won, you’d live. But you lost, so now I get to do whatever I want.”

“Guh… it’s… a false accusation…”
“Oh? Still clinging to that story?”
“It’s… slander! I tell you!”

“We’ve got the evidence. What nonsense are you spewing now?”
Ilcheon Sword, his voice strained with desperation, shouted back.
“At least… at least I have no ties to the Demonic Cult… that’s…!”

“Oh, that?”
Gu Yangcheon tilted his head, as if considering it.
That much was true. Ilcheon Sword had no connection to the Demonic Cult. If he had, Gu Yangcheon would have known.

But—
“That was true… until now.”
His words cut like a blade.

“Now, though…”
Gu Yangcheon reached into his robes, pulling something out.
Ilcheon Sword’s eyes widened as he recognized it—a mask. A white mask, faintly cracked, yet unforgettable.

The moment Gu Yangcheon placed the mask on his face—
Crack—!!
His body began to transform.

His frame grew larger, his muscles bulging unnaturally. Already tall, his height surged until he stood nearly eight feet tall. His hair grew longer, and his features twisted, becoming something entirely inhuman.
Ilcheon Sword froze in shock, unable to process what he was seeing.
“…You… you’re…”

The figure before him was unmistakable.
It was the being who had laid waste to Hanan and been declared the Martial Alliance’s greatest enemy.
“The… Cheonma…”

Ilcheon Sword stammered, naming the entity.
[From now on, things will be different.]
The voice that answered was no longer Gu Yangcheon’s.

Even his voice had changed.
The grip around Ilcheon Sword’s throat tightened as the transformed Cheonma sneered.
Feeling the suffocating pressure, Ilcheon Sword whispered.

“Heaven… Heaven and Earth, hear me…”
If there was any divine power, he prayed for just one chance to warn the Alliance of this revelation.
But his words were met with laughter.

[There is no such thing as gods.]
Fwoosh—!
Black energy surged from Cheonma’s fingertips, consuming Ilcheon Sword.

[If there were, neither you nor I would have been left alive to begin with.]
Those unsaid words lingered as the demonic aura swallowed Ilcheon Sword whole.