Chapter 5: Heavenly Horse (2)

[Akashic Records – HOT Posts]
Title: Are you freaking crazy? That newbie just now is the Storyteller?? [Nickname_ChaosLord] [Views 12034] [Comments 999+]

Hey, Admin_Harmony, are you watching?

If the newbie who just posted the greeting is the Storyteller, shouldn’t you mark it separately or at least give a hint, you bastard~

From the very start, comments are trashing the first impression, damn it.

If I’d known the new Storyteller was coming today, I’d have been nice to those rookies who reek of newbie smell.

Aaaah, why didn’t anyone say anything beforehand… damn, I’m so pissed.

Comments (999+)

FateTrickster (Time Rift)
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

ChaosLord (7th Universe Frontier)
@FateTrickster Shut up a bit. Before I roll the dice and scatter your dimensional coordinates randomly.

FateTrickster (Time Rift)
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ what can you do. Serves you right, you hater.

SageTime (Ancient Library Basement)
Tsk tsk… I’ve told you over and over that conduct is important. Karma exists for a reason.

ChaosLord (7th Universe Frontier)
@SageTime Ah, here comes the old geezer again. Makes me want to smash his dentures.

SpiritOfPurity (Heart of the World Tree)
Hehe, I even gave Idam a shard as a gift! If you live kindly, blessings come! ChaosLord, be good from now on! Puhahang!

StarlightFairy (Dream Border)
@SpiritOfPurity ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ PureLord’s foresight is impressive ㅆㅅㅌㅊ ㅋㅋㅋ

ChaosLord (7th Universe Frontier)
@SpiritOfPurity @StarlightFairy Stop the backstabbing and get lost;

FrozenEmpress (Eternal Ice Palace)
…Shut up.

ChaosLord (7th Universe Frontier)
@FrozenEmpress ;; Didn’t you also comment something earlier?

Admin_Harmony (Akashic Records Admin Room)
Oh dear, a riot broke out while I was away for a bit. Calm down first, haha~ Also, I didn’t know they were coming today either lol.

I didn’t expect the new Storyteller to start by posting right away. It’s partly my fault for not anticipating.

And… if you all had been a bit kinder in comments, maybe this wouldn’t have happened? Heh.

ChaosLord (7th Universe Frontier)
@Admin_Harmony Ah, damn… I don’t know… So, where is that Storyteller now? Shouldn’t he at least apologize?

Admin_Harmony (Akashic Records Admin Room)
@ChaosLord Oh, you mean Idam? He’s currently on his first mission in Chunma’s (Heavenly Demon) dimension. Probably busy for a while ^^

FateTrickster (Time Rift)
@Admin_Harmony Eh? Already? He went to Chunma’s place? ㄷㄷㄷ

RoarOfTenThousands (Eternal Snow Mountain Peak)
@Admin_Harmony What? That brat already went to that terrible place?!

SageTime (Ancient Library Basement)
@Admin_Harmony Haha, not an ordinary first opponent. Indeed…

SpiritOfPurity (Heart of the World Tree)
@Admin_Harmony Eek, Chunma is scary… Will Idam be okay? ㅠㅠ ChaosLord, don’t be too upset!

**

At the same moment her gaze reached me.

Gooooo—

Suddenly, an overwhelming aura filled the entire pavilion, making the hair on my body stand on end.

Different from the soft and pleasant harmony before, it was heavy, chilling, and possessed the absolute presence of a supreme being standing above everything.

Breath caught, I froze reflexively.

The mysterious woman looked at me indifferently.

Like she had stepped out of an ink painting drawn with brush strokes.

Her long ink-colored hair tickled my cheek, and her pale skin showed like blank paper between the strands.

At the sharp black-and-white contrast, I almost let out an exclamation without realizing it.

The black martial robe she wore seemed like a shadow cast below, sucking in even the surrounding light.

On top of it, the splattered dark red blood was like a vivid red seal stamped boldly on the monochrome canvas.

Her mere presence seemed to hold back the flow of the surrounding space, an aura that no one could approach.

I gave an awkward laugh and creaked like a robot as I slowly bowed.

“Ah, hello. I’m Idam. Haha.”

Her black eyes still fixed on me.

In her gaze, there was no curiosity or suspicion.

Just… a hollow numbness.

…What’s wrong with this woman’s eyes?

“…Idam. Are you from the Murim world?”

The cold but clear voice echoed again inside the pavilion.

“I’m from Earth.”

“No. That’s not the case.”

I answered with an awkward smile, but she showed no reaction.

“…….”

“…….”

Silence flowed.

An awkward, suffocating silence.

I stood there feeling embarrassed, just watching her expression.

‘…What is she trying to do?’

She treated me as if I were invisible, almost refusing to converse.

I began to get flustered.

At this rate, I might have to stand here until sundown.

I carefully opened my mouth.

“Um… Are you going to stay like this?”

Only then did Chunma move.

Her red lips slowly parted.

And what she said surprised me.

“Stories… I don’t need those now.”

A cold face, emotionless voice.

…I thought at least she’d introduce herself.

Didn’t expect words like that.

“So your presence here is a waste of time.”

She said firmly, then continued.

“Go back.”

Suddenly, she gave me an expulsion order.

Is a nice voice enough?

At that moment, Harmony’s words just before transmission flashed through my mind.

“Oh, right! I almost forgot! Transcendents are so unpredictable you never know where they’ll pop up, so always be mindful~ Especially Chunma!”

…Unpredictable, huh?

Is that what she meant?

This is just straight-up kicking me out.

Unbelievable.

I only greeted her, and she’s telling me to leave.

Isn’t that too harsh?

Just as anger began to rise…

Suddenly, I noticed the pavilion’s interior again.

Dust-covered furniture, empty space, and that shabby bed in the corner.

Then I looked back at Chunma.

Her bloodstained clothes, hollow and deeply sorrowful eyes.

I thought she was like a black cat I once met on the street—wounded and lonely.

…Hissing warily.

It’s definitely not that her face beautified the first impression.

…Maybe.

Yeah.

I’ve come this far.

I can’t just turn back now.

I’m kind of the first guest, after all.

Gathering my resolve, recalling Harmony’s words, I spoke.

“Um… I heard that if the Storyteller wants, you have to meet and talk — that’s the rule of Akashic Records.”

Refusing to talk?

What will you do if I bring up rules?

At that, Chunma’s brows twitched slightly.

…I felt a sting inside, but

I pretended to be calm as much as possible.

Showing weakness now is losing.

Maybe my words hit the mark, Chunma stared at me silently for a moment.

Her gaze was still cold, but unlike before, I sensed she was thinking.

Seems the rule carries more weight than I thought.

She said nothing.

I took advantage of the moment to add a line.

Acting as casual as possible, even more confident than before.

“Besides, I’ve come a long way. Is it normal here to treat guests like this?”

To my words, Chunma’s previously unmoving eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.

If you weren’t looking closely, you wouldn’t notice.

As if startled by an unexpected attack, her black eyes seemed to tremble for an instant.

Of course, it was just a brief moment before her expression returned to its usual blank.

…Something.

That initial coldness seemed to soften a little.

…Is she embarrassed?

And—

silence again.

“…….”

“…….”

The silence felt even longer than before.

Is it starting again?

What am I going to do with this atmosphere?

First, should I try to start talking somehow?

I looked around the pavilion and pointed at the long table and chairs against the wall.

“First… shall we sit down and talk a bit?”

At my words, Cheonma stared at me for a long time.

…As if thinking,

‘A can opener dares to give me orders?’

That was written all over her face, like a cat with a very upset expression.

“…….”

“…….”

After another brief silence, she let out a small sigh.

It was very faint, but definitely a sigh.

“……Alright.”

And the answer from her mouth was surprisingly gentle.

…Did it work?

I silently rejoiced.

She acted like she would throw me out any moment, but

this is why sometimes being firm matters.

Of course, I didn’t just blurt it out without thinking.

Considering the announcements I saw in the community earlier, and the conversation with Uncle Johwa before coming here…

I judged that my position as the messenger was better than I thought.

With a statement like that, there was no way she’d chop off my head or throw me out the window, I figured.

I turned my gaze back to her.

“…….”

“……?”

Why are you just standing there?

If a guest arrives, shouldn’t the host set things up?

She was still rooted to the spot, staring at me.

She only said “Alright” to my words, without moving first or inviting me to sit.

What is she expecting?

Does she want me to set the place myself and sit down?

I stood awkwardly, looking for cues, then carefully approached the table.

As expected, the chair was covered with a light layer of dust.

I lightly brushed the dust off with my hand and carefully sat on the creaking chair.

My butt felt cold.

Is she not sitting?

As I sat and turned my head just in case—

Ah, that startled me.

With a chilly presence, Cheonma silently sat down in the chair opposite me.

Sitting across from an unparalleled beauty dressed in black clothes dripping with blood.

Not funny at all.

Silence again, awkward and suffocating.

How do I break this stifling silence?

Right. If you’re Korean, you have a go-to cheat code.

“Um… have you eaten?”

Have you eaten?

Cheonma looked at me without moving, then very faintly tilted her head.

“…Eat?”

As if hearing the word for the first time in a while.

…She doesn’t eat?

Just as I was wondering, she answered shortly.

“I haven’t done that in a long time. Byeokgokdan is sufficient.”

Byeokgokdan?

Is that some tasteless pill from a martial arts novel?

This person is really bleak.

I thought quietly as I looked at Cheonma.

She had already turned her gaze out the window, silently staring at the outside scenery.

The sky looked as if all colors had faded away, blank and empty.

She showed no intention to continue the conversation with me.

I opened my mouth once more.

“Is it always this quiet here?”

“I am alone here, so it is natural to be quiet.”

As expected, a terse answer.

Clapping hands together is what makes sound, after all.

Heh, this person.

I forced a smile and asked another question.

Still looking at the black disc floating in the sky.

“The outside scenery… is quite unique. You said earlier you went out on some errand, what did you do?”

At this, Cheonma slowly turned her gaze to me.

Her dark, lightless eyes.

“…Exterminating insects.”

“Huh?”

“I simply removed a few bothersome insects.”

…Insects?

What does that mean?

Her answer was surprisingly light, but the meaning behind it didn’t feel light.

Considering the dark red blood on her clothes and the fishy smell near her nose, those “insects” probably weren’t just ordinary flies.

…Could it be?

Did she just kill someone?

She turned her gaze back out the window with that ambiguous answer.

At the end of her gaze was a massive black vortex covering the sky.

And silence again.

As I wondered what to say next…

She slowly raised her hand with elegant grace.

Her thin white fingers seemed about to break, pointing precisely at the ominous black disc in the sky.

“Do you see that?”

A cold voice split the silence.

“Yes. I’ve been seeing it since earlier. What is that?”

To my question, Cheonma stared at the black disc in the sky for a long time without answering.

Maybe it was just my imagination.

The deep shadow cast on her beautiful profile looked darker than that black sky.

For a moment, the air inside the pavilion seemed to grow even heavier.

Silence flowed briefly.

Finally, her dry lips slowly parted.

“…That is the end of this world.”

A low, dry voice.

Within it lay a resignation that seemed to have accumulated over a very long time.

“This world… has already been moving toward its end. For a very long time, never stopping for even a moment.”

Her calm declaration

settled heavily upon the table.