Silence stretched on. Neither Yoo Cheongil nor I said a word.

...What the hell was that.

I had to burn every ounce of focus just to process what I’d heard. I couldn’t even open my mouth.

What did this bastard just say to me?

...Demon disciple.

It was the first time I’d ever heard the Strange Demon’s name. I hadn’t been curious about it, so that part didn’t matter.

...Bloodline?

What mattered was what the Strange Demon had just said.

The bloodline of a great one. What the hell was that supposed to mean?

If you’re talking about the “great one” of the Demon Cult...

Only one person came to mind.

From the start, there had only ever been one figure the demon bastards would call “the great one.”

Heavenly Demon.

The sky of the Demon Cult, the god of the demon bastards.

The only one they worshipped.

But—

Bloodline?

The Strange Demon had just told me I was the Heavenly Demon’s bloodline.

What kind of out-of-nowhere bullshit was that?

Why me?

I narrowed my eyes. None of it made sense.

Me, the Heavenly Demon’s bloodline? Was he serious?

It’s not even like he’s joking.

For a split second, I wondered if it was some trick to make me drop my guard. But—

He doesn’t need to.

The Strange Demon had no reason to play games like that. He was strong.

Strong enough to slip past the Small Moon Unit Leader and get in here.

A monster who could pass the Small Moon Unit Leader and enter my quarters while hiding all presence.

I didn’t think he’d fought the Small Moon Unit Leader.

That bastard wasn’t stupid enough to pick a pointless fight.

They said he served ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) as the Demon Cult’s strategist. That fit.

The problem was—

Someone that smart chose to walk into Mount Hua Sect’s main camp?

That choice alone was the problem.

...Does that mean he’s that serious?

Maybe it meant he was on such a tight timetable that he’d barged in like this anyway.

I steadied my breathing.

Then I looked straight at Yoo Cheongil.

[What the hell is that lunatic even saying?]

He didn’t seem to understand either. The panic sat plain as day at the corners of his eyes.

The Strange Demon, after spitting out those words, just kept his forehead pressed to the floor.

I drew my brows together. I couldn’t tell what he was trying to do, so I didn’t loosen my guard.

“...Hey.”

The moment I spoke to him—

“Yes. Little master.”

The Strange Demon snapped his head up and stared at me.

His eyes glittered.

Those violently shining pupils were suffocating to look at.

“...What you just said. What does it mean?”

“What do you mean, exactly?”

“The great being you mentioned... You said I’m his bloodline.”

I pressed for an explanation.

“Oh, I’m truly sorry...”

The Strange Demon suddenly apologized—

BANG—!

BANG—!

What the fuck—?

He started slamming his head into the floor. Hard. Over and over.

“What are you doing?”

“I, in my greed, dared to ruin the great intent that the little heaven was keeping hidden... not knowing my place. I’m sorry...”

BANG—! BANG—!

If he kept doing it like that, the whole house was going to start shaking.

“...Stop. Right now.”

“Yes. Understood.”

I tried to stop him because I needed him to talk—yet the instant I spoke, he froze like a statue.

He listened.

It was the complete opposite of how he’d acted before.

This is wrong.

Does he really believe I’m the Heavenly Demon’s bloodline? Is that all it takes for him to act like this?

Why?

It didn’t add up. They were looking for the Heavenly Demon’s clan.

What Seongheon had told me about Yuyeon.

I’d heard that and used it, scattering it to the Plum Blossom Commander to bait a reaction—

And it got tangled into this?

Were these bastards actually searching for the Heavenly Demon’s clan? Even that was absurd.

And he thinks that’s me, so he shows up like this?

The backlash was even more ridiculous.

“...Strange Demon.”

“Yes, little heaven.”

“Why did you decide I’m his bloodline?”

I asked carefully.

The Strange Demon stared at me for a beat—

SWISH.

He suddenly slid the bandage-wrapped Divine Sword toward me.

And—

His hands.

My gaze landed on his hands. They were torn up, covered in wounds.

His hands had been fine earlier. Why were they battered like that?

Before I could make sense of it—

“I realized it when I saw this sword.”

“...Because of the sword?”

“This sword— I believe it is the sacred sword the Cult Leader used.”

“...”

Would he believe me if I said no?

No.

Probably not. The firmness—no, the certainty—was stamped all over his face.

“...So what’s the problem?”

I gave up on denying it and dug into the logic. Why I had the Divine Sword?

Yoo Cheongil solves that.

I’m Yoo Cheongil’s disciple. That’s why I have it.

If I said that, most people would accept it. From everything I’d seen so far, the “Yoo Cheongil did it” theory was practically invincible.

But—

“The Divine Sword of our cult is a sacred item that proves one is heaven.”

The Strange Demon carefully untied the cloth wrapped around the blade.

Then—

“Forgive me.”

He said it to me and lightly gripped the hilt. The instant he did—

CHRRRRRK—!!

“...!”

Blood burst from his hand and ran down onto the cloth spread on the floor. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

What?

What the hell was that?

What is that?

The Strange Demon didn’t seem bothered at all, even as blood flowed. It had to hurt like hell—yet his eyes only shone brighter.

“...That is why I’m certain.”

“...Why?”

“The sacred item that is the Divine Sword cannot be touched unless one is of the Heavenly Demon’s bloodline. The sacred item does not permit it.”

“...?”

What is he even saying? The stupidity of it made me look at Yoo Cheongil without thinking—is this real?

[...What is he even talking about?]

“...”

The old bastard didn’t know either.

...The Divine Sword has something like that?

There’s no way.

Then why can I—?

Not just me. I’d literally watched other people handle it when the Tang Clan repaired weapons.

So what is this sudden “sacred item” rule?

It didn’t make sense. If that trait was real, it made even less sense.

Then how the hell am I holding it?

It’s bullshit.

The Strange Demon set his bloodied hand down and started wiping the Divine Sword with cloth.

Like his pain and wounds didn’t matter. Like the Divine Sword mattered more than his own flesh.

“I’m sorry for staining something noble with something filthy...”

“...”

After he finished wiping it clean, he offered the sword to me with painstaking care.

I could see his fingertips trembling.

“...”

It was an obvious signal.

Take it. Prove it.

Do I take it?

I hesitated, then slowly wrapped my hand around the hilt.

“...”

It held just fine. The Divine Sword was quiet.

Just like always.

“Ah...!”

The Strange Demon shuddered like he’d been moved to tears.

His reaction was disgusting. Past uncomfortable—straight-up creepy.

“Ah... ah... as I thought...”

“...I think you’re misunderstanding something.”

“...I’m sorry... I’m truly sorry.”

“...No.”

Why are you apologizing again?

At this point, it was starting to be genuinely scary.

While I stared at him, baffled—

“I should have protected you... and I failed... ah...”

“...No...”

He trembled like something horrible had just occurred to him.

“Wh—”

I was about to call it out when—

I froze.

A thought hit me like ice water.

“...”

I’m not the Heavenly Demon’s clan.

I don’t know why I can hold the sword, but I’m not.

Is that why that bastard reacted like that?

Baek Cheonin. I remembered that Demon Cult bastard looking shocked, asking how I could hold the Divine Sword.

And at the same time—

The one who’s actually suspected to be the Heavenly Demon’s clan...

It was Yuyeon, somewhere on Mount Hua.

Seongheon had said she was the Heavenly Demon’s bloodline.

...And if I look at the Strange Demon’s reaction...

There was a good chance he’d been around that clan when he was younger.

So why is he reacting like this?

“...”

My head went cold.

My throat dried out fast.

“...Strange Demon.”

If he’s judging me as the clan and showing me this level of deference—

“Yes, little heaven.”

“I have a lot to think about. Leave.”

Would he even listen?

“Ah... understood... then... um...”

He looked at me with absurd caution. I could read exactly what he wanted.

“...We’ll talk later. Separately.”

“Understood... thank you... truly...”

I didn’t even know what he was thanking me for.

The Strange Demon bowed again and again—

“...I look forward to seeing you again. My heaven.”

THUMP—!

The moment he finished speaking, his body vanished.

Where did he go?

The door didn’t even open.

He disappeared without a trace.

While I stood there staring, stunned—

SSSSSHHH—!!

I felt something in the room—something slipping away.

A barrier? It felt like a barrier dissolving.

The instant I sensed it, I spoke.

“Disciple.”

Just in case.

THUMP—!

KRRRICK.

“Did you call for me?”

The Small Moon Unit Leader appeared like he’d been waiting.

“...”

I narrowed my eyes as I looked at him.

The Strange Demon was far stronger than I’d expected.

“No. Something just happened.”

“Ah. Yes.”

He wore the face of someone thinking, Why are you calling me over this?

CLICK.

Once he left, I finally let out the breath I’d been holding.

[...Ha.]

Yoo Cheongil sounded exactly like me.

[The Divine Sword had a trait like that? Then... why the hell—]

“...Yeah. Tell me about it.”

If the old bastard didn’t know, how would I?

The whole situation was insane.

All right.

First, I needed to confirm it.

I pushed myself upright.

*****

“Uh, Master Bang.”

“Morning. Good morning.”

I arrived at the training grounds and ran into Cheon Eujin. He greeted me with a smile.

“Did you come to train?”

“Ah. Yeah...”

Not really. There was someone I needed to find.

Wait.

A thought hit me when I saw Cheon Eujin, and I drew the sword.

“Mr. Cheon.”

“Yes?”

“Can you hold this for a moment?”

I turned the hilt toward him.

“You mean your sword?”

“Yes. Just hold it lightly.”

“Ah... yes.”

He didn’t know why, but since I asked, he went to do it without hesitation.

No—he tried to.

PRICK—!

“Ugh—!?”

The instant his fingertip touched, Cheon Eujin jerked his hand back.

A bead of blood ran down his fingertip.

“Are you all right...?”

“Ah... I’m fine. It just surprised me. It must be rough somewhere. Be careful.”

He even warned me, then tried to grab it again.

I quickly pulled the sword back.

“No, it’s fine. There’s probably something sharp on the hilt... you don’t need to touch it.”

“But did you need something...?”

“It’s fine. It wasn’t that important.”

I forced an awkward smile.

Shit.

My insides were spinning.

“I think I need to get the sword repaired, so I’ll go.”

“Yes? Ah—yes, understood.”

I left him behind.

It wasn’t the hilt.

So it’s real?

Still baffled, I moved.

There was only one place to go.

The back mountain I’d visited before.

Even if it was a long shot—

“...She’s here.”

Just like I’d expected, the person I was looking for was there.

SHIK—!

SHHHIIIK—!

Yuyeon was swinging her sword, practicing hard.

After confirming it, I approached.

Then—

“Hey.”

I called out, quiet but clear.

STOP.

She heard me. Yuyeon stiffened and turned her head.

Her eyes widened when she saw me.

Then she stopped training and walked over.

Maybe it was my imagination, but on that blank face, there was the faintest trace of... something like gladness.

When she got close, I did the exact same thing as before.

SSRRNG—!

I drew the Divine Sword—

“...?”

—and held it out to her.

“Hold it.”

“...”

Yuyeon took the hilt without hesitation.

Then—

“...”

“...?”

Nothing happened.

Nothing.

Fucking nothing.