“My daughter.”

Those words made my mind go blank for a moment.

‘Daughter?’

Did /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ the Blood Demon just call Cheonma his daughter?

I turned to look at Cheonma.

Creak—!

Her face was twisted in a scowl, her eyes glaring with intensity.

The hostility and killing intent radiating from her made my skin crawl. Cheonma’s expression was more distorted than I’d ever seen before.

‘What is this?’

What the hell is happening right now?

‘Is she really his daughter?’

While I was still struggling to process the shock—

“Hm.”

A voice came from much closer than expected.

I immediately shifted my gaze.

The Blood Demon was standing right in front of me.

The stench of blood hit me, and nausea welled up in my throat. His entire being exuded an overpowering scent of blood.

“You meet your father, and that’s the expression you show?”

His eyes were still fixed solely on Cheonma. Not even a shred of interest was directed toward me.

“You don’t seem pleased.”

The Blood Demon spoke with a smirk.

Crack.

My fist clenched tightly.

Fwoosh!

Flames erupted around my hand as I hurled their searing heat toward him.

But then—

The Blood Demon’s gaze shifted to me.

[Stop.]

—!!!

“Urgh!?”

In an instant, my body froze.

I tried to exert strength, but not even a tremble came.

That sensation—I knew it all too well.

‘...Dragon Speech!’

How could I not recognize it? It was the same ability I often used. The Blood Demon had used Dragon Speech on me.

Creak—!

‘Damn it.’

Every joint in my body locked up as if I’d turned to stone.

The pressure was so overwhelming that I couldn’t even circulate my energy properly.

“Boy, you’ll wait right there. Unfortunately, I have much to discuss with my daughter.”

The Blood Demon spoke to me, tilting his head slightly.

Swoosh—!!!

Something struck down rapidly on the spot where he had been standing.

Boom—!!

It was Cheonma’s sword strike.

“Hm.”

The Blood Demon let out a faint murmur as he looked at it.

Hiss—!!

The blade, formed entirely of dark energy, pierced the ground, extending its shadows toward the Blood Demon.

The demonic energy that had taken over the area lunged at him like a predator baring its fangs.

Crack—!!

Massive, thorn-like protrusions shot out, aiming to pierce the Blood Demon.

He merely tilted his head slightly and then—

Flick.

Boom!

With a casual wave of his hand, he shattered the thorns completely.

“Such vigor. I’m impressed.”

The Blood Demon smiled, seemingly pleased.

Cheonma stepped in front of me, her sword pointing directly at him.

“Don’t touch him.”

It was as if she intended to shield me.

My body still refused to move.

“A rather aggressive greeting.”

“...”

“Isn’t it a bit too harsh for a father who came all this way to see his daughter?”

“Get lost.”

Her voice was sharp, like a dagger laced with venom.

Even so, the Blood Demon’s expression remained unchanged.

Chuckle.

He let out a dry laugh, casually raising a finger.

The scent of blood around him grew even stronger.

Hoooooo—!!

Crimson energy began to rise, coalescing in his hand to form a sword.

“It’s time, daughter.”

“...”

“Come with me.”

Hearing those words, my mind raced.

‘Come with him?’ Did that mean he’d come to take Cheonma away?

Why now, after all this time?

Was it truly because she was his daughter?

I’d suspected some connection between the Blood Demon and Cheonma before, but if they were truly parent and child, that changed everything.

And then—

‘What about Wi Seol-ah?’

The thought alone sent a jolt through my body.

My muscles screamed, and my bones felt like they might shatter.

“I won’t go.”

Cheonma’s voice rang out, filled with raw emotion.

“Is that so?”

The Blood Demon tilted his head slightly, as if he’d expected her answer.

“What a shame.”

Slowly, he raised his hand.

“I don’t enjoy disciplining, but...”

Cheonma lunged forward, her demonic energy surging.

“Sometimes it’s necessary.”

Boom—! Screeeech—!!

Their blades collided, unleashing a massive shockwave.

The sheer force of the impact made the dark and crimson energies swirl together like a colossal vortex.

Clang! Clang!

Sparks and fragments of energy scattered everywhere.

Amid the deafening sounds of their clashes, only brief flashes of light could be seen.

After what felt like an eternity—

Fwoosh—!!

The vortex abruptly dissipated, revealing the two figures standing where they had been.

But there was a difference.

“Haah...”

Cheonma was staggering, her body covered in wounds. Meanwhile, the Blood Demon stood there, his hands clasped behind his back, looking entirely unscathed.

‘...How?’

How could the Blood Demon be this powerful?

Cheonma, who had once defeated the Three Lords singlehandedly, was being pushed back to this extent?

I knew he was formidable—he had fought all five of the greatest masters in the past—but this...

‘No.’

This wasn’t just a matter of skill.

Even in my immobilized state, I could see it.

Cheonma wasn’t fighting properly.

Her current fighting style was primal, animalistic, like a wild beast trying to tear its opponent apart.

The precise techniques she once wielded were gone, replaced by pure, destructive aggression.

Her speed and strength were still overwhelming, but...

‘It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t land.’

She couldn’t touch the Blood Demon.

And there was another reason she was losing so badly.

It was me.

I’d wondered if I was imagining it, but no—it was clear now.

The Blood Demon had been making deliberate attempts to attack me throughout the fight, forcing Cheonma to protect me.

‘Why doesn’t she just focus on fighting?’

What kind of nonsense was this?

And besides—

‘When is this going to wear off?’

Creak.

I’d been straining my muscles for what felt like an eternity, but my body still refused to move.

‘Is this not ordinary Dragon Speech?’

It felt different from my own Dragon Speech.

The effects seemed similar, but the quality was entirely different.

From what I knew, Dragon Speech wasn’t very effective against someone of equal or greater strength.

It could momentarily halt their movements, but the recoil on the user made it risky to employ.

But this...

‘The fact that bastard can restrain me to this extent...’

It could only mean one of two things:

His Dragon Speech differed fundamentally from mine, or—

‘...Is the gap between us truly this vast?’

It signified that the difference in power between the Blood Demon and me was immense.

I couldn’t believe it.

‘Is that even possible?’

Right now, my strength placed me among the pinnacle of the Ten Great Masters, perhaps even capable of contending with the Three Lords.

To think the gap between us was so enormous...

‘That’s absurd.’

I couldn’t easily accept it.

Hooo...

Cheonma let out a low exhale.

She had once again stepped in front of me.

‘Get out of the way. Just get the hell out.’

I muttered silently, but my words, unspoken, had no chance of reaching her.

“It’s unwise to let your attention wander with an opponent in front of you,” the Blood Demon remarked.

Cheonma didn’t respond, simply tightening her grip on her energy.

The Blood Demon observed her with a curious expression before speaking again.

“You are precious to me, my daughter, so let me warn you in advance.”

He unclasped his hands from behind his back and raised his sword.

“Avoid this attack. If you don’t, you’ll die.”

Rumble—!!!

Crimson energy began to converge at the tip of his blade.

My heart pounded violently at the sight.

‘...What is that?’

I could tell instantly—it was a calamity.

That crimson aura was disaster incarnate.

Screeeech—!!!

It felt as if the energy itself was screaming.

I’d never seen such intense, cruel power before.

And its sheer magnitude—it was incomprehensible.

Just looking at it, I could sense the concentration of its energy.

But if it appeared this intense from the outside—

‘The reality must be several times worse.’

The actual power hidden within it was likely many times greater.

Even if I put all my strength into defending, it might barely hold.

At this level, evasion was the only sensible option.

Sssss—

But Cheonma stood firm, inhaling deeply as she gathered her own energy.

She had no intention of dodging.

The reason was obvious.

‘Because of me.’

She was protecting me.

I clenched my fists, my muscles straining painfully.

Creak—!

The effort felt like it would snap my bones.

Could Cheonma withstand that attack?

The Blood Demon had said he came to take her back, so perhaps he wouldn’t kill her outright.

‘But she wouldn’t escape unscathed.’

If she took the attack head-on, she would suffer severe damage, no question.

‘So.’

I wanted desperately to tell her to dodge.

Of course, deep down, another thought lurked.

If she were to die from this attack, one of my greatest threats would be eliminated.

It was an undeniable fact.

But—

‘Damn it.’

Logic had long since been devoured by emotion.

At that moment—

“This is called Blood Jade Ghost Ascension,” the Blood Demon said casually.

“It was named by an old friend of mine. Now, take it.”

Screeeeeeech—!!!

The calamity moved.

Though it wasn’t massive, it seemed to fill the sky.

A sea of blood slowly descended.

Creak—!!

I twisted my body, forcing my muscles to move.

Thump-thump! My heart pounded louder and louder.

My lips parted.

“...Get... out of... the way...!”

I barely managed to squeeze the words out.

Even that effort sent a massive recoil through my body.

But the problem was—

“No.”

She refused, just as she had before.

Cheonma didn’t even turn around as she answered.

Her stance made it clear: she wouldn’t budge.

I stared at her back.

A small, frail back.

In my past life, the woman who had seemed so towering now appeared so small.

The energy was upon us, practically at the tip of her nose.

She had to know that staying there would mean getting swept up in it.

“I will,” Cheonma said, her voice firm as she gathered her energy.

“Protect you.”

What was driving her to be so steadfast?

The thought of a being I had to kill protecting me felt absurd, almost surreal.

The world turned crimson before my eyes.

In that moment—

Buzz.

I felt a surge of energy from within.

“...!”

Suddenly, my hand moved on its own.

Boom—!!!!

******************

A suffocating stench and ominous energy spread across the area, leaving the ground in utter ruin.

There wasn’t a single intact spot in sight.

Unlike the sky, which was painted beautifully in sunset hues, the land below was grotesquely ravaged.

The Blood Demon, surveying the destruction, suddenly frowned.

There was one spot.

Amid the chaos, one area remained untouched.

The Blood Demon’s gaze fixated on that singular location.

“Huff....”

A young man gasped for breath, his chest heaving in exhaustion, while holding a girl tightly in his arms—his daughter.

Around Gu Yangcheon, the ground was remarkably unscathed, as if his energy had shielded that area alone from the devastating attack.

Ordinarily, the Blood Demon might have laughed at the sight, perhaps even praised the display of resilience.

“Hah.”

But this time, his brow furrowed deeply.

The problem lay in the flames burning in Gu Yangcheon’s hand.

White flames flickered steadily, their glow unnerving to behold.

The power they radiated made the Blood Demon’s skin crawl.

It was because of those flames that he couldn’t smile.

“You never cease to surprise me.”

Not once had Gu Yangcheon failed to defy expectations.

It was precisely why the Blood Demon had once referred to him as a “fracture,” something unpredictable and fascinating.

“But this time, I am truly shocked.”

So much so that he couldn’t even muster a smile.

“This wasn’t what I came to confirm....”

The Blood Demon ran a hand through his hair, his crimson eyes gleaming more intensely.

“But seeing this instead... should I say it’s a blessing in disguise?”

Energy began to coalesce in his hand once more.

He hadn’t come here to kill anyone, merely to evaluate potential. But now, things had changed.

“I must kill him.”

The decision was made.

The Blood Demon acted immediately.

Gu Yangcheon, sensing his intent, tried to move as quickly as he could.

[Stop.]

“Ugh-!”

Hooooong—!!!

The Dragon Speech reverberated once more, locking the air around them.

But this time—

“...Hm?”

Gu Yangcheon was still able to move.

“Well, this is unexpected.”

The Blood Demon narrowed his eyes.

Dragon Speech hadn’t worked. There was only one possible explanation for this.

“So that’s what it is.”

At first, he wondered how such a young dragon could resist Dragon Speech.

Now, he understood.

The Blood Demon’s gaze shifted, no longer on Gu Yangcheon but on the presence behind him.

“It’s been a while.”

Ssss.

The energy in the Blood Demon’s hand dissipated completely.

“If I’d been just a little faster, I would’ve devoured him. I didn’t expect to meet you like this.”

Hearing this, Gu Yangcheon frowned and spoke up.

“What the hell is this lunatic rambling about...?”

Ssshh.

“...!”

Before he could finish, Gu Yangcheon froze.

But not because of Dragon Speech.

He felt something—

A gentle touch wrapping around his neck, warm and soft.

The sensation was comforting, familiar, and nostalgic.

As though it was something he’d yearned for and missed for a long time.

Before he could process it fully, a voice echoed.

[That won’t do.]

The Blood Demon smirked as he heard the voice and muttered a name.

“Mangye (The Myriad Realms).”