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◈ The Heaven-Slaying Sword ◈

Chapter 57: Chapter Six - Escort Journey, Fateful Encounter (7)

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In truth, Gwak Chil had arrived much earlier.

More precisely, he had been there since Mok Ri-won and Pae Ung-chu began speaking, just before Mok Ri-won truly began to execute his forms.

Why had masters of the Peak Realm failed to notice Gwak Chil's presence?

The answer was simple.

The two had been wholly focused on each other.

Mok Ri-won had barely been in his right mind under the Killing Intent prickling against his skin and Pae Ung-chu's demonic qi.

Pae Ung-chu, too, had lost his senses to the demonic qi racing through his veins.

That was why neither had noticed him during their life-and-death duel.

...It was not important.

What mattered now was that Gwak Chil had heard every word they exchanged.

The Heavenly Slaughter Star.

A Demonic practitioner.

And Chivalry.

The conversation left Gwak Chil reeling.

Even an ordinary person who had never set foot in the Martial World knew what kind of star the Heavenly Slaughter Star was.

That was why Gwak Chil had hesitated.

It was also why he had helped Mok Ri-won.

"I was deeply moved by the story of the Demon Hero!"

Only now did Gwak Chil feel that he understood Mok Ri-won, if only a little.

"Truly Great Person Gwak..."

"Are you all right? Can you move?"

Gwak Chil was simply worried about Mok Ri-won.

After checking him over, he realized Mok Ri-won could at least walk and let out a deep sigh of relief.

Mok Ri-won watched Gwak Chil uneasily.

When Gwak Chil showed no sign of treating him differently, he finally relaxed.

"...Let's return. Judging by the signal flare that Demonic practitioner fired, things should be over there as well."

Mok Ri-won nodded.

Thus ended the disaster that had descended upon them without warning.

* * *

Seven escort guards had died.

Thirteen were injured, seven of them seriously.

Naturally, the procession was in no cheerful mood.

"...Still, we did the best we could. The situation was that dire."

Dang Hwa-seo said this to Mok Ri-won.

It was not empty consolation.

Dang Hwa-seo had done everything she could to save the escort guards.

Jegal San had also used every jade stone he possessed to sow confusion, preventing the Demonic practitioners from targeting the guards.

Everyone there knew how much the two had done.

Still, no one could bring themself to offer easy thanks.

It was not something one could grow accustomed to, facing the bodies of people who had been laughing and talking with them only moments before.

"...So this is the Martial World."

Mok Ri-won murmured softly.

His heart ached more than anyone else's.

"They came to capture me."

The man called the Fist Demon had clearly said so.

That meant this entire tragedy had happened because of him.

Crunch.

Mok Ri-won's fist clenched tightly.

Thick despair filled his eyes.

Tears gathered on his horribly twisted face.

"I..."

He, and the star he bore, had caused this tragedy.

Once again, Mok Ri-won understood what kind of star the Heavenly Slaughter Star was.

This time, he had been lucky.

The next disaster might be worse.

And then, one of the bodies lying there might belong to someone close to him.

"Young Hero Mok..."

Dang Hwa-seo placed a hand on Mok Ri-won's shoulder.

He flinched and trembled.

His head whipped around, and their eyes met.

Dang Hwa-seo froze.

Tears had pooled in Mok Ri-won's eyes.

She had never seen him like this.

She could not even imagine him weeping with a face that looked ready to crumble at any moment.

Of course her heart hurt.

Her chest ached as she reached out and pulled him into her arms.

"It's all right."

Pat.

Pat.

She patted his back.

She only wanted him not to cry.

There was something about being comforted by someone.

The emotions one had held down, unable to let them out, came rushing back at those words and gestures.

"Hk..."

Mok Ri-won's body began to tremble.

A raw sob slipped from his mouth.

Before long, he cried like a child.

On his journey from Jiangxi through Anhui toward Wuhan, Mok Ri-won, newly arrived in the Martial World, tasted the first defeat of his life.

* * *

The procession carried more baggage now.

Along with their valuables, they were transporting seven bodies.

Dragging their wounded bodies onward, they reached Hubei five days later.

"You've worked hard. Thank you for traveling with us."

The escort chief leading the mission performed a cupped-fist salute.

Dang Hwa-seo returned it.

"We only did what had to be done. Besides, we failed to carry out the mission properly."

The escort chief smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"When we could have lost everyone, so many survived because of you Great Heroes. You should take pride in that."

"What will you do now?"

"What else can we do? We'll continue our escort work."

The escort chief spoke.

He had lost brothers and was drowning in grief, but he could not collapse here.

As always, he would rise again and continue down the road.

That was the Martial World.

"Are you Great Heroes heading to the Martial Alliance now?"

"We are."

"Please."

The escort chief raised his head.

The sad smile still lingered on his face as he continued.

"A Demonic practitioner has appeared. The Martial World may fall into chaos again. Please, Great Heroes, stop it."

"...We will."

"Thank you."

Only then did some of the sorrow leave the escort chief's face.

Listening to them, Mok Ri-won felt sick to his stomach.

People had died because of him.

Others were grieving for them.

Mok Ri-won could not raise his head before them.

He kept his head lowered until they left the escort agency.

Then they stepped out into the street.

"Great Hero!"

At that moment, Gwak Chil called out to Mok Ri-won.

* * *

Since that day, Gwak Chil had not exchanged a single word with Mok Ri-won.

Naturally, he had much to think about.

He had come to understand Mok Ri-won a little, but the Heavenly Slaughter Star still frightened him.

Even aside from that, Mok Ri-won had spent the past five days sunk in gloom, giving off an air that kept Gwak Chil from approaching.

That was how they had reached today.

Now they had come to the moment when he might never see Mok Ri-won again.

Gwak Chil hesitated to let him leave like this.

It was not because he had made some grand resolution.

He only hoped that, just as he had, Mok Ri-won might find strength through someone's comfort.

Poison Phoenix and Strange Dragon were at Mok Ri-won's side, but Gwak Chil had no way of knowing whether they knew about Mok Ri-won's Heavenly Slaughter Star.

"...I heard you are leaving."

After stopping Mok Ri-won, Gwak Chil led him into a quiet alley and spoke.

Mok Ri-won smiled bitterly.

"Yes. It's time for me to go."

His face was haggard.

His features were so beautiful that even his exhaustion might have been called beautiful, but Gwak Chil could not see that now.

Gwak Chil clenched his fist.

Then he awkwardly opened his mouth.

"...The truth is, I heard it that day. The conversation between you and the Demonic practitioner."

Mok Ri-won's body jolted.

When he lifted his head, shock filled his face.

And faint fear.

Mok Ri-won immediately understood what those words meant.

Step.

He backed away.

At that moment, Gwak Chil stepped forward.

"I won't tell anyone! Not for the rest of my life!"

Gwak Chil shouted louder than he had in nearly twenty years.

He had prepared countless things to say before coming here, but none of them came to mind now.

What he offered Mok Ri-won was his raw, honest heart.

"I swear it! On my Chivalric righteousness. On my life. And..."

His was not a life of much worth.

There was not much he could stake.

There was not much that Gwak Chil himself could stake.

His lips moved uncertainly.

Then he forced the words out.

"...I stake my pen name, Gwak Chil-pyo."

Mok Ri-won's breath caught.

He stared blankly, unable to understand Gwak Chil's words at first. Then his eyes widened as if they might split apart.

"What do you mean...?"

"It's me. I'm Gwak Chil-pyo. I'm that pathetic writer you praised and admired so much."

Gwak Chil smiled bitterly.

Having said it aloud, he felt strangely empty.

The secret he had hidden so tightly for so long was so easy to reveal.

"I stake my name. I won't tell anyone of the fate bestowed upon you. So please, hear me out."

Mok Ri-won was confused.

The man he had thought was simply a kindred companion was the author of Tales of Martial Heroes. He knew about Mok Ri-won's star. And he was saying he would keep it secret.

There were too many questions.

And hesitation.

Yet only one question came from Mok Ri-won's lips.

It was not something he thought through before saying.

"...Why?"

He only voiced the question that came to him.

"Why are you telling me this? Why would you protect my secret, and why would you stake a pen name so precious to you on it? I don't understand. I..."

The Heavenly Slaughter Star was a star people shunned.

No, it was a star deserving of hatred.

Now Mok Ri-won knew that too.

It was not enough for him to suppress his Killing Intent.

As Mok Seon-o had said, this star covered everything in the space where he lived and breathed with Killing Intent.

So he could not understand why Gwak Chil would say such things.

Mok Ri-won's words gradually trailed off.

He was in pain.

Gwak Chil answered when the sorrow rising on Mok Ri-won's face had swallowed every other emotion.

"Even so, you seek Chivalry."

That was what Gwak Chil said.

"Even so, you still wish to become a chivalrous hero. Haven't you saved someone through that?"

"I didn't save anyone. I..."

"No. You did."

Gwak Chil straightened his back.

With an unremarkable smile, he performed a cupped-fist salute.

"You saved me. The words you gave me pulled me out of my suffering."

Confusion crossed Mok Ri-won's face.

Gwak Chil continued.

"I hated the story of the Demon Hero. It brought me too much criticism. It made me unable to hold a brush again. I came to hate my own child."

"..."

"That is why I could not hold a brush for twenty years. But not anymore. You taught me that the chapters of Demon Hero could be loved as well. You taught me that what had tormented me was not others' criticism, but my own fear. So I no longer suffer."

Gwak Chil bowed deeply.

"Thank you for saving me. No matter what star you bear, no matter what sword you wield, I believe you are a chivalrous hero."

Silence settled between them.

Mok Ri-won looked at the bowed Gwak Chil for a long time before carefully speaking.

"...They died because of me."

"They died because of the Demonic practitioners."

"They came because of me."

"There is no law in this world that blames the victim. You are a victim too, Great Hero."

"I may put those around me in danger again."

"But it still won't be your fault."

Mok Ri-won's lashes trembled.

Suddenly, his throat felt blocked.

"I..."

The words would not come easily.

His jaw quivered.

He bit down hard, forcing the trembling to stop.

Then, in a voice that sounded almost pleading, he asked.

"...Can I become a chivalrous hero?"

Mok Ri-won did not know the answer.

He had been born beneath a star that brought killing calamity, entered the Martial World, and in the end, people had lost their lives because of that fate. He was simply afraid.

So he wanted to ask.

One of the people who had taught him Chivalry.

Gwak Chil.

A light appeared in Gwak Chil's eyes.

His eyelids lifted slightly, then softened as his eyes curved.

"You are already a fine chivalrous hero."

He showed his yellow teeth in a bright smile.

Mok Ri-won let out shaking breaths.

"I say again, Great Hero, you saved m..."

"No. No."

Mok Ri-won scrubbed at his tears with his sleeve.

He shook his head, then smiled through his tears.

"Truly Great Person Gwak... Great Hero Gwak saved me."

Mok Ri-won performed a cupped-fist salute.

He was still sad and hurting, but Gwak Chil's words carried a warmth that comforted him.

They were encouragement that helped him rise again.

"You saved me, Great Hero. From long ago until today."

On the day he first realized his intent to kill, what saved Mok Ri-won had been the chapters of Demon Hero.

Whenever training became hard, the heroes of Tales of Martial Heroes had helped him rise again.

And today, the person who saved him from what might have broken him was their author, Gwak Chil.

Mok Ri-won bowed deeply.

"You taught even someone like me that I could dream of becoming a chivalrous hero. You kept me from giving up. You helped me stand again."

His clasped hands trembled.

His voice shook, thick with tears.

"Great Hero Gwak saved me. Thank you so much."

Gwak Chil bit his lip.

"...You flatter me."

Only one sight remained etched in Gwak Chil's mind as he said it.

A man smiling through his tears.

A man walking the Righteous Path with a boy's purity.

A man whose fate would bring hardship, who would surely face a painful road.

Yet he did not seem like a man who would fall.

Inspiration stirred within Gwak Chil.

For some reason, he wanted to hold a brush.

"You flatter me far too much."

The instant he saw that smile, Gwak Chil thought of the story he wanted to write.

A protagonist who wielded an ink-colored sword with a clear smile, carving his way through adversity.

It was a passion rekindled after twenty years.

Footnotes:

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