The central beacon tower.
It was bitterly cold.
Wrapped tightly in a blanket, I spent the time meditating.
Unlike the Heavenly Path or the Forceful Path, which demanded extreme concentration, the Filling Path—gathering internal energy—could be done with simple meditation.
"But when is the squad leader coming?"
It was already past mealtime.
Since the squad leader usually brought late-night food, I was waiting for that.
"He's late."
Just as I thought that, I saw a red glow rise into the sky.
The beacon had been lit.
I had been prepared to run the moment a beacon rose, so it wasn't surprising.
"He's here…."
I immediately lit the central beacon and leapt down from the tower.
Whoever the intruder was, they would be targeting Arin.
If so, the place I had to go was the head of the family's residence.
I sent yin energy to my heart, converting it into yang energy, and ran.
This would not be an easy enemy.
'Immortal-level. Or higher.'
Yu Hyunseong was here.
He wasn't just some ordinary White-Robed Immortal, but a Black-Robed Immortal.
Any half-baked intruder would be dealt with at Yu Hyunseong's level, so the Silver Moon Group must have sent someone comparable—or stronger.
For example, a being like a Rakshasa.
Kicking off rooftops and vaulting over walls, I arrived at the estate, but the situation was already over.
Arin, shining with a sinister silver light.
The Rakshasa.
And Yu Hyunseong, dying with countless blades embedded in his body.
"Yu Arin!"
At my shout, Arin reacted.
Eyes devoid of reason.
Yet she looked at me calmly.
'At least there's some reason left.'
The fact that she didn't immediately attack meant she still retained a minimum of sanity.
But at any moment, she could become a being that slaughtered everything without distinguishing friend from foe.
I examined the Rakshasa.
Its side had been torn open, and its left arm was gone.
It had taken fairly severe injuries.
'I have to return Arin to normal right now.'
But would that Rakshasa just sit still?
At that moment, patrol units rushed in from all directions.
They had seen the beacon.
"Everyone, protect the head of the family and the young lady!"
Jeong Doyun hadn't fully grasped the situation, so I shouted louder.
"All units, block the Rakshasa! Don't go near Arin! You'll die!"
Everyone flinched at my words.
Shouting with energy had its effect.
Jeong Doyun looked at me.
"Don't go to the young lady? What do you mean—"
"She's gone berserk. I'll calm her down, so stop the Rakshasa from interfering."
Perhaps because he had heard something from Yu Hyunseong, Jeong Doyun made a decision without questioning me.
"All units, block the Rakshasa! Form up!"
Jeong Doyun and the patrol members blocked the Rakshasa, while I met Yu Arin's gaze and approached her.
Slowly.
As if approaching a ferocious beast while locking eyes with it.
Soon, the battle began, and screams were heard immediately.
They would probably all die.
No matter how badly injured that Rakshasa was, it wasn't something a patrol unit could stop.
That was the kind of being a Rakshasa was.
An absolute predator that ordinary humans could never defeat.
That was why I had to go.
I had to calm Arin and then block it myself.
"I'll take care of everything. Arin."
"Ah…."
The moment Arin began to writhe in pain, I took it as a signal and charged forward.
I had to press my body as close as possible.
Only by absorbing the yin energy with my entire body could I calm Arin instantly.
Just as the distance between us closed to a single step—
'Got—!'
Thud!
At the moment I thought I had reached her, Arin's hand plunged halfway into my abdomen.
A crazed smile.
Her reason was now completely gone.
But it wasn't too late.
In that state, I embraced Arin.
"Come back. Arin."
Yin energy poured into my entire body.
It was on a completely different level from merely exchanging energy hand to hand.
Perhaps because Arin's hand was inside my body, the absorption rate was faster than expected.
My body felt like it was about to burst.
Meridians and blood vessels twisted, and my body gradually changed from golden to silver.
'Ghh…!'
My teeth began to shake from how hard I was clenching them.
But I couldn't stop here.
I couldn't fail.
This was not a life where failure was allowed.
"Gyaaaaaah!"
Even as a scream of pain escaped me, I sent the yin energy to my heart.
My heart rate doubled, then tripled, and my entire body began to turn red.
Please endure it.
Wasn't all my training until now for this very moment?
"Gyaaaaah!"
With my scream, Arin stopped glowing.
As the silver aura faded, Arin regained her senses and looked up at me.
Her face looked as though she couldn't believe what she had done.
At times like this, I had to act normal.
"You're back?"
"Seoha…."
Arin looked down at her right hand.
"I… I stabbed you. I… I…."
She was completely out of her mind. I hugged her head and spoke.
"It's okay. You held out well."
I took Arin's hand and pulled it out of my abdomen.
As expected, blood spurted out, but with the extreme yang energy coursing through me, I felt no pain.
"Wait here. I'll finish everything and come back."
Now I just had to kill that Rakshasa.
"What? You're back to your senses?"
Nergal pulled out the sword embedded in his leg and tossed it aside.
The patrol unit had risked their lives to inflict shallow wounds, but total annihilation had been unavoidable.
Nergal looked at Jeong Doyun, who was smashed into the wall like a lump of flesh, and spoke.
"Tsk. To think there was an Immortal-level mixed in."
Aside from Jeong Doyun, all the patrol members were dead, their bodies crushed in parts.
The Rakshasa looked at the calmed Arin and said,
"You calmed that thing down? Thanks. I was wondering how to take her with me. This makes things easier."
He sure had a mouth on him.
I had no intention of trading words.
Seeing a Rakshasa reminded me of the comrades who had died before my regression, to the point my reason nearly snapped.
I hadn't expected to meet one this soon.
My first Rakshasa in this life.
"Let's at least exchange names cleanly before this ends."
"Such confidence, kid. I like it. I'm Nergal."
"I am Seoha of the Azure God."
"Good. Then…."
Without hesitation, Nergal charged at me.
"Let's begin."
As expected, Nergal was faster than I had imagined.
Even before the regression, Rakshasas were never easy opponents, and now, having returned to childhood, he was even more threatening.
So I went all out from the start.
Falling Moon Sword Art.
My sword ignited in golden light, and in contrast, Nergal cooled into a chilling silver glow.
Nergal wrapped his fist in yin energy and swung, while I dodged and slashed with my sword.
I couldn't afford to conserve even a bit of strength.
I had to pour out all the yang energy my body could handle and decide the battle in a short time.
I thrust my sword at Nergal.
Pushing with the maximum speed and power I could produce, Nergal began to retreat step by step.
"Uooooo!"
My body was dying in pain.
I could hear my lifespan burning away, one by one.
But I couldn't stop.
I would pour out everything and die.
Betting my life, I would lose nothing in this life.
I shot up into the sky, and Nergal shouted with excited eyes.
"Good! Let's do this!"
As Nergal swung his hand sideways, his yin energy turned into blades that flew at me.
I couldn't dodge.
No, I wouldn't dodge.
Thud!
The blades pierced my abdomen, legs, shoulders, and arms, flying straight through.
But it was fine.
I was used to the pain.
"Die!"
When I didn't stop, Nergal raised his remaining right arm with a shocked expression.
An arm reinforced with yin energy.
The realm of indestructibility, something ordinary humans could never cut.
'Yeah, you probably haven't fought something like this either.'
But I'm not an ordinary human.
Only my sword, reinforced purely with yang energy, could cut through all forms of yin energy.
Falling Moon Sword Art.
Li Is Fire.
Golden flames wrapped around my sword and flared up.
The one that makes the moon fall is always the sun rising from the opposite side.
The final flame for one who was departing split Nergal's chest.
"…You really do have the right to be arrogant."
As the sword failed to endure the yang energy and evaporated, blood burst from Nergal's chest.
Nergal fell backward.
His massive body collapsed, and looking up at me, he said,
"You are burning your own lifespan."
"…If I can win, isn't that a cheap price?"
"You're right. That's how I should have fought."
Even with his upper body nearly severed diagonally, he clung to consciousness.
I could hear air leaking from his throat.
"Haaah…."
I was at my limit too.
My body was riddled with holes.
Dozens of wounds spewed blood endlessly.
Even circulating yang energy and trying to stop the bleeding with muscle had its limits.
As I fell to my knees, Nergal spoke with difficulty.
"…I failed to protect them."
"..."
"If I had risked my life like you, could I have protected them?"
He lamented, then continued.
"I curse the humans who killed my family. I curse you for ruining my revenge. From the heavens, I will watch you die, watch all those precious to you die. When that time comes, you'll understand how I felt…."
With those words, Nergal closed his eyes.
Idiot.
Did he think I wouldn't know that feeling?
"I've already experienced it plenty."
Far too many times.
That was why I couldn't experience it again.
"But at this rate, I might die."
I fought without holding back against someone I couldn't afford to pace myself with, and the aftermath was no joke.
My vision began to blur.
This wasn't good.
"Seoha!"
From afar, Arin ran over and hugged me, but my five senses were already fading.
She held me as I sat there, sobbing.
"No! Don't die!"
"…I won't die. Don't worry."
I said that, but at this rate, I really might die.
I couldn't die like this….
As I thought that, an old man came running into my final field of vision.
A short old man.
The very face that scolded me every day.
'You said you'd come. And you really did.'
I really am lucky.
It seems I survived again this time.
An unfamiliar ceiling.
Another regression?
No, that couldn't be.
My whole body throbbed with pain. I couldn't move even a finger.
More than anything, my throat felt like it was burning.
"I'm thirsty…."
As I muttered that and looked to the side, I saw a fairy.
Arin, asleep while leaning in a corner.
Her glossy hair covered half her face, like a curtain hiding a beautiful landscape.
And yet, she was beautiful.
No—perhaps that made her even more beautiful, more atmospheric.
How could someone be beautiful even while sleeping?
Unable to look away, I just stared, when a voice came from beside me.
"You and I both have long lives."
Yu Hyunseong was lying right next to me.
Who decided this?
Who assigned such an uncomfortable arrangement?
I turned to look at Yu Hyunseong and said,
"You survived."
"By luck, my vital points were missed."
"It was lucky that Yakseon ran over."
"Yes. We were both lucky."
With a sigh, Yu Hyunseong said,
"Arin only paid attention to you. She didn't even look at me."
"Jealous? You should've treated her better. Like I did."
"…Yes. You're right."
Wait.
Why are you just admitting it?
I was trying to tease you, but if you admit it right away, doesn't that just make me the jerk?
Yu Hyunseong spoke bitterly.
"I lived my life wrong."
"…Well. I wouldn't say you lived it well."
His intentions were good.
I knew he had chosen to play the villain so his daughter could live even a little longer.
But the method was wrong.
"Having lived a life, I realized that one happy year is more valuable than a hundred unhappy ones."
"You talk like you've lived it. You're fifteen."
"Imagination is allowed, isn't it?"
"…Yes. I knew that too. I just forgot because my view was too narrow."
Yu Hyunseong looked at Arin with eyes full of longing.
"The time when Yeonwoo and Arin were together was happier than my entire life."
"Then live well from now on. Travel. Make memories."
"I will. So when should I go meet Ironblood?"
"My grandfather?"
"Shouldn't we have a formal meeting before the engagement? I warned you. If you couldn't take responsibility, I told you to give up. The choice was yours."
"…I have no intention of getting married."
"..."
Yu Hyunseong glared at me as if he wanted to kill me, but my stance didn't change.
I mean, how many things did I have to do? How could I get married?
I would help Arin until she could stand on her own, but I had no intention of marrying her and taking responsibility.
I already had too much to be responsible for.
Yu Hyunseong stared at me in disbelief.
"You dare reject Arin now?"
"No, I'm not rejecting Arin. I genuinely have no intention of marrying in this life. I have too much to do to take responsibility for a family."
"Oh? Is that so? You're really blessed, then! If you have so much to do, I'll make your life comfortable."
"How?"
"By ending that busy life of yours. Don't worry. I'll send you off without pain."
Yu Hyunseong staggered as he got up.
He's serious.
Someone save me. I still can't move.
That was when—
"Lie down, you bastards."
Yakseon came in and smacked Yu Hyunseong on the head.
"Do you know how hard Arin worked taking care of you two? You wake up and immediately start fighting. Fighting, my ass. You people who just barely survived sure have plenty of energy. Tsk, tsk."
Yu Hyunseong turned his head, suddenly mute.
Once again, I was saved by Yakseon.