Chapter 670: My name is.

I had to stop, with a somewhat blank expression after hearing Gu Huibi’s words.

‘Grandfather?’

It was because such an unexpected person had popped out.

Grandfather (祖父).

If my understanding is correct, it would refer to the previous head of the Gu family and the father of my father.

‘Who is that…?’

In reality, I was an unknown figure.

To be precise, it would be right to say I’d never even heard of him.

Not just in my past life, but even in this life, I had never met my grandfather, nor had I ever heard of him.

I merely knew that he had died before I was born.

The Gu family, in the first place, unlike other clans, also doesn’t perform rites or rituals to honor ancestors, so naturally thinking he must have died, I never thought deeply about it.

But here, he suddenly pops out?

‘Does that mean he was alive?’

I had heard the story a few times.

Although the Dark King had mentioned it directly, I hadn’t thought deeply about it either.

‘The Heavenly Demon, left with Gu Huibi by my grandfather?’

Even if it’s out of the blue, isn’t it too out of the blue?

“Grandfather, suddenly. What do you mean?”

As I asked with a question, Gu Huibi suddenly flicks a knuckle to my forehead.

Although I could have avoided it, I deliberately didn’t.

Ttak-!

Clutching my throbbing forehead, I looked at Gu Huibi.

“Younger brother, what do you mean ‘grandfather’ to Grandfather?”

“Then what else is grandfather but grandfather?”

“You have no manners.”

“I didn’t expect the word ‘manners’ to come from your mouth, older sister. I really didn’t.”

It was absurd that someone known for their foul temper throughout the Central Plains was discussing manners. I couldn’t believe it.

“It seems unreasonable to expect manners from someone whose face and name I don’t even know. Older sister, is what you’re saying true?”

Whether my grandfather was alive or not doesn’t matter.

Anyway, since he was someone I never saw even in my past life, whether he existed or not, I didn’t care.

However.

“That grandfather left that with you, older sister. Is it true?”

If he entrusted the Heavenly Demon to Gu Huibi, then the story changes.

That’s because it truly becomes a family matter.

“Do I have any reason to lie to my younger brother?”

“If I looked, maybe there would be.”

“That hurts. Is our relationship only that much? When you were young, I cleaned up your poop and played with you, how much….”

“Older sister.”

Seeing that the conversation was getting long, I cut her off.

“I’m not joking.”

“Hmm.”

Time drags on. The longer it went, the shorter my patience became.

“Did grandfather really appear and entrust it?”

As I asked with suspicion, Gu Huibi instead of answering, extended her hand.

“Take it.”

Knowing what she intended, without hesitation, I took her hand.

Woong-! The energy moved.

Gu Huibi’s energy and mine intertwined, and the Gu Yan Hua Lun Gong (Nine Flames Wheel Technique) began to resonate.

“From now on, to my younger brother, I will only speak the truth.”

As Gu Huibi spoke, the energy moved and began to bind them together.

It’s a binding oath. Gu Huibi intertwined with my energy and placed a binding oath upon herself.

“Starting with your previous question.”

Asking why she was going this far was a pointless question, so I didn’t ask. For both of us, this was the most comfortable way, as I had known for a long time.

“Yes. Grandfather entrusted that child to me.”

There was no movement in the energy. Her pulse was normal, and her breathing was steady.

It meant she was telling the truth.

“Then… since when-.”

“Younger brother. That’s not how it works.”

Just as I was about to ask the next question, Gu Huibi smiled and cut me off.

“We’re supposed to ask each other once, aren’t we? Why are you being petty and trying to ask only yourself?”

“…”

Does she have something she wants to ask me?

“Go ahead.”

At Gu Huibi’s words, while frowning, without much interest, I whispered my words.

“From now on. To my older sister’s words, I will only answer truthfully.”

“Good.”

Gu Huibi smiled as if satisfied with the answer, and soon she asked me a question.

“That child. Are you going to kill them?”

To the sudden question, I nodded.

It was truly direct. So I too answered immediately.

“I’ll see.”

It was ambiguous, but my mind was already made up long ago.

Even I thought it might have been a bit too carelessly spoken.

“…Why?”

“Because it’s something that needs to be done.”

My thoughts on this haven’t changed.

“Killing that child is what you have to do?”

“Older sister, stop treating me like a child. That’s not what it is.”

“Younger brother.”

“Because I know you’re trying to protect them out of ignorance, I’m tolerating this up to this point. Don’t keep adding strange remarks.”

Annoyance welled up. I was trying to hold back, but she was making it impossible.

As I suppressed my killing intent and looked at Gu Huibi,

“…Younger brother, you’ve changed somehow?”

Gu Huibi said to me with eyes that seemed somehow sad.

Her gaze pierced my heart and made it ache, but

“I have. I had to.”

Even so, nothing changes.

“You’ve changed too, older sister. Why do you keep protecting that thing?”

“Well…”

To my incomprehensible question, Gu Huibi smiled and continued.

“However, I believe you’ll become the same once you get to know that child. So…”

“I don’t want to know.”

It’s laughable. I didn’t need to hear any more.

‘How much more do I need to know here?’

I had experienced it to the point of being sick of it in my past life.

There was no need to know more, nor any meaning in enduring it.

‘The Heavenly Demon is different from Namgung Bi-ah or Zhuge Hyuk.’

People can change.

Living this life, I’ve experienced this fact, but the Heavenly Demon was on a different level.

Could the Heavenly Demon also be a changing being? Perhaps.

However.

‘How can you believe that?’

What if it doesn’t turn out that way?

The events that would unfold, can I handle?

If I don’t have certainty about this, it’s better to deal with it before it happens. That’s the right thing to do.

“Do you, younger brother, think that’s the right thing to do?”

“The issue of right or wrong passed long ago. I told you earlier. I’m just doing what needs to be done. So tell me.”

I had passed my limit.

Thus, emotions began to mix into my energy.

“That man, my grandfather, why did he entrust that to you, older sister?”

“…”

Deudeuk.

The old table began to tremble with energy.

It wasn’t intentional intimidation. It was purely because my rough energy couldn’t be contained and was leaking out.

“…”

“…”

Their eyes, filled with their respective heat, met.

Time passed. It was only a moment, but that time felt unusually long. As the moment passed, the first to speak was Gu Huibi, who had heard the question.

Just as I thought she was about to give an answer,

“I won’t answer.”

“…What?”

Hearing Gu Huibi’s words, my already furrowed brow furrowed even more.

“…What kind of crazy talk is that?”

“To my younger brother, who has already decided on his answer, it seems I have nothing more to say. Isn’t that right?”

In other words, she was telling me to do whatever I wanted.

I glared at Gu Huibi like that, but Gu Huibi’s attitude remained unchanged.

If that’s the case, there’s only one way.

“Do as you please.”

If she wouldn’t speak, I wouldn’t pry unnecessarily.

The binding oath, after all, only had the condition of not speaking falsehoods.

“I’ll just do as I please too, so…”

A family matter? My grandfather’s request?

Who cares.

I will simply do what needs to be done.

Thinking that, I stood up.

Seureung.

The sound of drawing a sword was heard.

Woooong-!

Following that, a dense sword aura filled the room.

At the chilling aura, my gaze cooled down.

“Older sister.”

I said without turning my head.

The one who drew her sword was Gu Huibi.

She pointed the tip of her sword at my turned back.

Hwareureuk.

Flames originating from her hand completely enveloped Gu Huibi’s sword.

Heat was released.

The flames spun, releasing heat.

There was no hostility, but a sense of resistance could be felt.

Gu Huibi’s sword was saying that.

“What does this mean?”

“It means exactly what you see.”

Gu Huibi said with a bitter smile.

“As long as your intentions are clear, younger brother, I cannot send you to that child.”

“So? Are you going to fight me?”

“A fight? Do you think this older sister lacks the discernment for that?”

Hwareureuk-!

The intensity of the flames deepened.

“You’ll probably lose one-sidedly. Because you’re strong, younger brother.”

“…”

At her words, spoken without hesitation, I was left speechless.

That proud Gu Huibi would utter such trivial words.

Even amidst that, her expression was unwavering.

Normally, she would have gritted her teeth and refused to admit it.

Even after letting go like that, she draws her sword?

‘Did she undergo some mental change upon reaching the Hua Jing (Flower Realm)?’

I don’t know. The changes in Gu Huibi over the past few years were beyond my understanding.

However….

“Knowing that, you still won’t let me go? Are you really crazy, older sister?”

Regardless of the reason, I was getting angry.

“Is that thing so precious?”

Enough for my older sister to draw her sword against me?

I didn’t speak the rest of my thoughts.

Just as I was about to, I remembered.

We clearly shared the same father, but we never formed a relationship that could be called family.

So I couldn’t say it.

It was too presumptuous to call her sister family, because the one who brought about her end was me.

[Be happy.]

Even as she bled and closed her eyes, she insisted on asking for my happiness. The image of Gu Huibi flashed in my mind.

Recalling this, in an instant, my mood turned to shit.

‘Fuck.’

Haa.

Muttering the curse inwardly, I sighed.

Uung.

Circulating my energy, I cooled my insides.

Let’s not be consumed by emotions.

Especially now, it’s a time to be cautious.

Besides.

“Older sister, you keep misunderstanding. It’s not about beating you or not.”

Gu Huibi is amazing.

I don’t know how she reached it, but to finally reach the Hua Jing at that age, she’s certainly qualified to be a candidate for Sword Empress in the future.

Nevertheless.

“Because I can finish it before then.”

Considering my current level, it would take at most three seconds.

Therefore, it means I just need to knock her down and leave.

Udeuk.

Kicking off the ground, I charged at Gu Huibi.

It was to finish quickly and leave.

“…!”

As I got right up close, Gu Huibi’s eyes widened in surprise.

At that moment.

Kwajik–!!!

The roof of the hut collapsed as something broke through.

Kuung-!

Kwadeudeudeudeuk—!!!

As energies clashed, gusts of wind erupted.

Overbearing wave energy (波氣) swept in all directions.

Thus, the old hut vanished without a trace, and standing on the now chaotic ground, I looked straight ahead.

Above the thick dust, someone was blocking my way.

The fluttering energy was a dark color, devoid of any light.

Controlling that energy, they blocked my rough energy and glared at me.

“…You. Who are you?”

“…”

“Why are you bothering older sister?”

Seeing that woman, I felt my heart gradually grow cold.

It was the Heavenly Demon (天魔).

The Heavenly Demon stood before Gu Huibi, with eyes that had turned sharp, and glared at me.

Her purple eyes were more brilliant than the moon.

Her black hair, tinged with purple, was more beautiful than a starry night.

Excluding her unique aura, it was the appearance of the Heavenly Demon I remembered from my past life.

“Don’t bother older sister.”

“…Haha.”

At the words coming from her, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

How could I not laugh?

“No. This isn’t right.”

“Isn’t this going too far?”

“At least, you shouldn’t be standing there like that.”

“…”

She had changed too much.

In all my life, I never thought I’d see such a sight.

The Heavenly Demon standing before a surprised Gu Huibi, blocking my path.

How could this be so contradictory?

Seeing that, the emotions that had built up began to tremble.

The anxiety disappeared, and the underlying fear vanished without a trace.

Thus, the remaining guilt cooled down and turned into anger.

“That position should not have been mine, nor should it have been yours.”

The position of protecting Gu Huibi.

Anyone else could take it, but at least not you and I.

It should have been that way.

“Especially if it’s you, who knows nothing.”

Hearing my words, the Heavenly Demon frowned and tilted her head.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. Anyway, don’t bother older sister.”

“Yeon-ah. Just a moment….”

“If you bother older sister,

the Heavenly Demon tilted her head and said to me.

“‘Even you’ won’t be forgiven.”

“…”

Her words became an echo and shook me inside.

Forgiveness?

Did the Heavenly Demon speak of forgiveness to me?

“How dare you utter those words?”

It’s absurd.

You and I both.

No matter what happens, we are in no position to receive forgiveness, yet how can she utter it so casually?

Seeing that Heavenly Demon like that, for some reason, a phrase came to mind.

-Oblivion is a blessing.

I don’t quite remember when or from whom I heard it, but it seemed particularly fitting for the current situation.

Yes, oblivion is indeed a blessing.

Because she remembers nothing, she can speak like that.

‘No, even if she remembered, you would have been the same.’

That’s why she’s the Heavenly Demon (天魔).

She wouldn’t feel any guilt, and would end up causing a bloodbath just like before, staining the world with blood. It’s obvious.

The being before my eyes was such a being.

It had to be that way.

Geugeuk.

Releasing my energy, I channeled it into my body.

The energy starting from my heart burrowed into my meridians and took over my body.

Seueueu.

My hair darkened further, and blood vessels appeared in my eyes.

Subsequently, the Gu Jeong (Ear Ornament) wrapped around my hand also turned a deeper color.

“That’s right. No matter how I look at it, I was overthinking it. I just needed to end it here.”

“Young…!”

Gu Huibi tried to stop me, saying something, but

Kuung-!

My body had already arrived in front of the Heavenly Demon.

Kkwaak-!

I immediately grabbed the Heavenly Demon by the neck, and unleashed my inner energy to leap.

The moment I decided to prevent the bloodbath, I had thought of this.

Kill the Heavenly Demon somehow.

That is precisely this moment.