As the current of Dokgorin’s sword and Yangbang’s formation collided, a blinding light filled my vision, making me think.
‘Is this how I die?’
It’s not that I wasn’t prepared for death, but honestly, I didn’t expect to die like this.
‘Well, at least I got my revenge, so it might not be all bad.’
I was frightened by the pain that was about to come, but I closed my eyes with a sense of calm.
In a moment, there was a thunderous sound, and a hot heat engulfed my body…
“What are you doing? Breathe.”
Huh?
Startled by the sudden voice of Baek Yujin, I opened my eyes wide.
“…Am I alive?”
As I fumbled around in confusion, Baek Yujin, sitting cross-legged, looked at me incredulously.
“If you die here, what about the promise we made? Do you think I’d just let that slide?”
“Oh.”
Come to think of it, I had made a promise with Baek Yujin.
I had so much on my mind lately that I completely forgot about it.
“I’m sorry.”
Feeling awkward, I scratched the back of my head, then noticed Dokgorin lying next to me, so I asked her.
“But how did you save me and Rin in that split-second moment?”
Baek Yujin replied nonchalantly.
“I used Rapid Speed.”
“Rapid Speed?”
“I’m talking about the sixth stage of the Cheonma Yuseongkwon I showed you before.”
When you use it, you can move at such incredible speeds that it feels as if time has stopped.
“Ooh…”
So, is it some kind of speedster power?
“If you have time to be amazed, think about how to clean this mess up.”
Hearing Baek Yujin’s words, I finally noticed the devastation behind her.
The burning imperial palace and the massive carcass of a mountain goat that had fallen on top.
It was the aftermath of the tremendous explosion created by Dokgorin’s last technique, the Hyeon-gyeom.
I pointed at Yangbang’s corpse lying among the debris of countless buildings and asked.
“But why couldn’t Yangbang’s formation stop the Hyeon-gyeom in the last moment? He blocked the Pacheonsik, didn’t he?”
Baek Yujin shrugged as she explained.
“That’s because the explosion created by the Hyeon-gyeom was pure physical force.”
“Pure physical force?”
“The Pacheonsik made the blade’s size immensely larger and hit hard. But the explosion from the Hyeon-gyeom wasn’t created by qi or energy, so Yangbang’s techniques couldn’t block it.”
“Oh…”
Certainly, the massive explosion created by the Hyeon-gyeom felt more like an atomic bomb than martial arts.
I didn’t know the exact reason, but Dokgorin’s energy had properties similar to uranium, so maybe something akin to nuclear fission occurred within the blade.
“Anyway, with this, the revenge is done. Yangbang, presumed to be the mastermind behind all this, is dead. Mangwibi and Wangjik were obviously just puppets controlled by him.”
“…That’s true.”
Thinking that I had finally accomplished my long-desired revenge felt a bit hollow.
It wasn’t as joyful as I had imagined.
“I don’t really feel it.”
“That’s how revenge is. Once it’s over, you feel good for a moment, and then emptiness remains.”
Baek Yujin said that, stretching her body and looking towards Taihua Hall, the center of the Forbidden City.
“So what now? Since we’re in the imperial city, should we take the emperor’s head while we’re at it?”
After all, I was already a great criminal; adding one more charge wouldn’t hurt.
“…No thanks. I’m tired and would like to rest a bit.”
I half-listened to her joke as I carried the unconscious Rin on my back.
“Let’s head back now.”
“Tch, so boring.”
Baek Yujin clicked her tongue but obediently followed behind me.
Just before leaving the Forbidden City, I glanced back at the direction of Yangbang’s corpse and muttered.
“I hope I never have to come back here again.”
*
When we emerged from the Forbidden City, most of the fighting in front of the Ascension Gate had already settled down.
Two of the three pillars of the Sa-pa had fallen in battle, and Binghyeol Majon Yelena had been defeated by Gwonwang Son Yuseong.
Naturally, the remaining Sa-pa factions either fled or surrendered.
In the case of the Jinwei, controlled by the Demon Sect, it was a complete victory for them; after being betrayed by Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, they probably spent over a hundred years sharpening their blades in the Ten Thousand Mountains, and they trampled over the Jinwei without mercy.
From the Ming court’s perspective, it must have been nothing short of humiliation.
They had deployed all troops in Beijing to suppress the insurgents, and not only did they suffer losses, but the Forbidden City was also partially destroyed.
When I reported back to Tang Hochang, who was receiving treatment in the rear, that I had completed my revenge, he patted my shoulder with a look of admiration.
“Well done! Chilbok! Yes! That’s how my granddaughter’s husband should be!”
“…Haha.”
Feeling a bit embarrassed by such recognition, especially since he had previously acted like he wanted to devour me.
At that moment, Tang Sosu, who had been looking after Tang Hochang, asked.
“But where’s Rin?”
I responded to Tang Sosu’s question.
“I left her with someone I know. After delivering the final blow to my enemy, she fainted and hasn’t woken up yet. She must be quite exhausted.”
After hearing my explanation, Tang Hochang nodded and said to me.
“I can’t go see Rin in this state, so Chilbok, make sure to take good care of her.”
“Yes.”
After conveying my regards to both, I headed to find Namgoong Ruby, where I had left Rin for a while.
Sama Jak was there as well.
“How’s Rin doing?”
“I checked her pulse a bit, and there’s nothing wrong. She just fainted from using too much energy at once, so she’ll wake up when the time comes.”
“Is that so? Thank goodness.”
Letting out a sigh of relief, Sama Jak then asked worriedly.
“More importantly, what happened? What were you fighting inside the Forbidden City that pushed Dokgorin to her limits?”
“It’s a long story…”
I was about to mumble my way out of explaining when I saw Namgoong Ruby and Sama Jak’s determined expressions, making it clear that avoiding the topic wouldn’t be easy.
“Hmm-”
As I pondered what to say, Dokgorin, who had been lying on a makeshift bed, suddenly started moving her lips.
“Ugh…”
“Rin!”
“Are you conscious?!”
The two rushed towards Dokgorin in a flurry.
Thanks to them, I was freed from the awkward situation and made a fist, then knelt in front of Dokgorin’s bed.
“…Where is this?”
Still dazed from just waking up, Dokgorin muttered while staring at the ceiling.
I took her hand in mine and spoke softly.
“You’re in a safe place outside the Forbidden City. We managed to get out safely after the fight.”
“…What about Yangbang?”
“That guy is dead. He took a direct hit from the Hyeon-gyeom you used.”
“…That’s a relief.”
Dokgorin nodded with a look of relief on her face.
She seemed to feel a sense of comfort from having avenged her family properly.
Holding onto her hands with both of mine, I said.
“It’s all over now. So we can return to our everyday lives.”
“…Everyday life?”
“Yes. For the past few years, you’ve only been thinking about revenge, so you haven’t had a proper everyday life. If you want, we can go on a little trip, or you can return to the Cheonmu Academy. Because of this upheaval, the start of the new term has been delayed, so our names probably haven’t been removed yet.”
“…Hmm, that doesn’t sound bad.”
Dokgorin nodded in agreement, gazing blankly at my face as she muttered.
“Chilbok, I’m so sleepy. Can I just take a quick nap and wake up?”
“…Of course.”
As I nodded with an effort to smile, Dokgorin thanked me for always being there and slowly closed her eyes.
“…Rin? Rin! Riiiiiin!!!!”
As I clutched Dokgorin’s hand and screamed, Sama Jak, who had been watching the entire situation from the back, looked at me with a bewildered expression.
“She’s perfectly fine, so why are you making such a scene?”
Did I rent this place or something?
“I’m sorry.”
Saying that with an awkward expression, I was chased out with the words that they would now wipe off the sweat on Dokgorin’s body.
…Have these guys become heartless during the time I wasn’t looking?
*
Dokgorin fully recovered her strength three days later while lying on the bed.
As soon as she woke up, she ate an enormous amount of food, as if it all fit somewhere in her tiny body, and said she met her deceased family in a dream.
“I’m grateful that my father and mother avenged our family, but they told me to live my own life now.”
The expression on Dokgorin’s face, describing the vision she saw in her dream, seemed to carry a sense of relief.
“…I see.”
Listening attentively to everything she said while sitting right next to her, I asked Dokgorin.
“Rin, what do you want to do now?”
“…What do you mean?”
“Well. Now that revenge is all done, you don’t have to worry about being chased anymore, so I thought it wouldn’t be bad to do what you haven’t been able to do during this time.”
In a way, it was an extension of the conversation we had before.
Even after revenge is finished, our lives go on.
That’s just how life is.
Suddenly, Dokgorin, who had been staring at my face, spoke up.
“Marriage ceremony.”
“…What?”
“When I nearly died fighting Yangbang, the thing I regretted most was that I hadn’t held a marriage ceremony with you, Chilbok.”
At this, Namgoong Ruby and Sama Jak, who had quietly listened to our conversation from behind, suddenly chimed in.
“What? I can’t just ignore that.”
“Rin, I’m sorry, but Chilbok is no longer just yours. You could say he’s a public resource, if you will.”
Saying that, the two suddenly crossed their arms around me, and as the expression on Dokgorin’s face turned icy at the sudden turn of events, she glared at me.
“Chil. Bok. What the hell are you talking about?”
“Wait, that’s not right! I didn’t agree to what these guys said!”
Then Namgoong Ruby next to me said.
“Chilbok, you haven’t forgotten our passionate night in the holy city, have you?”
“Don’t say something that could be misunderstood all of a sudden! We just had a martial arts duel at night!”
This time, Sama Jak spoke up.
“Then what about the time we were alone in the dorm room, and you fondled my chest like dough? You won’t say you can’t take responsibility now, will you?”
“…That was just male instinct, I couldn’t help it! Aaah! Get away from me quick! Rin’s gaze is dangerous!”
Green hair started to stand on end from all over Dokgorin’s body, flowing out of her uncontrolled energy.
It had been quite a while since I had last seen Dokgorin in her Medusa mode since childhood.
“You scum, die.”
Boom!!
Hit by her fist surrounded by fierce energy, I flew into the sky, pondering blankly.
‘Women’s hearts are indeed the hardest to understand.’
