Past (5)

Early in the morning,

I woke up a bit earlier than usual due to the stiffness in my neck.

My shoulders hurt, and my head felt heavy.

Wondering if I had returned to reality, I looked around only to meet Cheondo's eyes right in front of me.

"What are you doing?"

Her crimson eyes were observing me from up close.

"No, I was just thinking you look a bit like a puppy, albeit a slightly pathetic one."

Like observing a rabbit at the zoo, Cheondo, who had been looking down at me with her head tilted at a 45-degree angle, took a step back and shrugged her shoulders.

"A pathetic puppy… hey."

"You don't get angry and respond so meekly, it makes you seem even more so. It's not an insult. I like puppies, too."

Having changed into a neat set of black martial arts uniform, Cheondo pointed to the belt around her waist and turned her back to me.

"Tie this for me."

She was treating me like some kind of servant.

It wasn't a difficult request, so I secured the belt to prevent it from slipping. Only then did Cheondo tie up her hair and, looking into the mirror, smiled satisfactorily.

"If you plan to go down the mountain, it's best to start early. In 10 minutes, everyone will be noisy with the morning training."

I see.

Nodding, Cheondo bowed her head lightly as a formality and left her room without looking back.

We didn't become friends, even for a night. Naturally.

I yawned lengthily and began to get ready to leave.

'World Tree of Time.'

[You have awakened.]

'Can I really do as I please? If there's anything specific I need to do, tell me now.'

[If I were to give advice, it would be wise to converse with characters you cannot meet in the current timeline.]

There were a few people I could think of.

The residence of Hwangdo. The person who instilled strange sexual knowledge in young Hwangdo and someone who was alive in this timeline.

But if you ask if she was greatly related to me, that would not be the case.

Jin Dallae's father. The mere thought filled me with solemnity, yet whether he played a significant role in the current timeline remains unclear.

For all I know, he might have already passed away.

The World Tree of Resentment… Its location and where it grew were mysteries to me.

Then, there weren't many people left.

No, it must have been predetermined that the person I was meant to meet since my arrival here.

'That person, right?'

[Indeed.]

The World Tree of Time concurred with my thought.

Cheonma.

The successor of the Tree King who turned the world on its head.

Among those I know, even Cheondo, the strongest, would shy away from the title, claiming it doesn't suit her. A battle maniac without equal under the heavens.

Rumors say he drank the blood he had spilled the previous day each morning, and by evening, he would set out to extract the hearts of others. A figure many martial artists feared.

The challenge lay in how to meet such a formidable being.

[If the future remains unchanged, then the method must be predetermined. For someone as proud as Cheonma, a formal challenge might be the best approach.]

The World Tree of Time spoke indirectly, veiling its true intent.

I wasn't so naive as to overlook the implication.

'So, you're suggesting I cause a scene? "I came to seek your teachings!" And keep causing trouble until Cheonma shows up.'

[…Yes? Ah, yes. That might indeed be a good strategy. Truly a troublemaker in the vein of the Tree King.]

It appeared to be the most reliable method.

To turn the entire sect on its head. Whether my power was sufficient or not, it would be the simplest way to draw Cheonma's attention.

Should anything unexpected occur, I can always return to reality.

'But then, it might become awkward to see Cheondo afterwards.'

[Cheonma believes in the principle that the strong shall rule over all. It likely won't pose a significant issue. Even if you were to become his successor.]

If a meeting was inevitable, it was better to confront it sooner rather than later.

"I'll do some investigating first."

Thinking about what to prepare for a future meeting, it seemed like Cheondo would enjoy comics or something similar downloaded onto a device akin to a phone.

Come to think of it, did she also like children's food, like omelet rice?

I memorized various coordinates around the area and descended the mountain.

In the lower part of Dowon.

The daughters and wives of warriors, young women each holding a broom, were sweeping the yard.

With their delicate pink hair, all of them put on an elegant display.

Observing this scene quietly, it felt as if a wide canvas was lined with peach trees.

Hwangdo and Baekdo, still not quite free from their youthful appearances, were also participating in the cleaning.

"What day is it today? Why are there so many people? Uncles have been gathering over there since earlier."

Baekdo, holding a large bucket of water, asked Hwangdo.

Hwangdo stopped her sweeping to complain discontentedly to Baekdo.

"I don't know… But Baekdo, how long do I have to keep sweeping?"

"That's not important. There seems to be a fight. I've been feeling magic energy since earlier… It's unusual!"

"Ah, uncles drinking and fighting from the daytime is not new. I want to stop sweeping."

Faced with Hwangdo's continuous complaints, Baekdo sat down on the porch of the tiled house with a grimace.

"You say it feels weird if you don't want to do mopping?"

"…Mopping sounds too harsh."

What nonsense was she spouting?

"Apologize to the sisters in charge of mopping in Dowon."

"No way."

Baekdo frowned, seeing Hwangdo blush shyly. What a strange thing to say.

Hwangdo often made weird remarks that Baekdo couldn't understand.

'Ever since she locked herself in the room and giggled over scraps of paper, she's been acting weird.'

Recently, her younger sister started seeing strange things in her room and had been saying weird stuff.

Truly strange. Last time, she even squealed, claiming that drinking milk was somewhat erotic.

"And I only said I didn't want to mop. There's no need for me to do everything from sweeping, organizing wooden swords, fetching water, chopping firewood, to cooking!"

"Weren't you the one who said if you sweep, you'd take care of all the outside chores?"

"Hing. I hate you, Baekdo."

"Don't be angry. Okay, I'll help too."

Seeing Hwangdo's sulky face, Baekdo quickly patted her younger sibling's head.

Being the youngest and most delicate, Hwangdo often cried over injustices.

-Clang!

Then, the sound of a roof tile breaking came from outside.

'What really is happening?'

While stroking Hwangdo's head, Baekdo looked outside where the commotion was ongoing.

It was common for drunken warriors to fight during the day.

However, it was rare for such dense magical power to flow out.

In Baekdo's entire life, she had rarely witnessed a fight of this magnitude.

This unique dark magic power intrigued her.

The attractive magic power struck Baekdo's heart with a bang!

"Hwangdo, Hwangdo, shall we skip cleaning today?"

"Eh? But if we run away again, sister will scold us a lot…"

"Just lie! If we both keep our story straight, no one will know."

"Last time we did that, we got spanked. I just want to clean. I don't want to get scolded."

Such an inflexible sibling.

Missing this commotion would be a regret for life.

No choice then. It's time to use the last resort.

Baekdo pulled out her trump card.

"Then, next time I go out, I'll buy you that. What was it? Backsim? Maxim?"

The magazine with bare trees on its cover… That weird magazine!

Hwangdo's eyes sparkled.

"Really?"

"Yeah, which one do you want? I'll get you just one."

"Then, the December issue, 'Will You Untie the Ribbon?' by the roadside Christmas tree in midwinter."

Her sibling's strange taste was merely a negotiation card for Baekdo.

A Christmas tree by the roadside in midwinter.

She didn't know what it was, but having succeeded in making an accomplice, she wouldn't have to bear the blame alone.

Baekdo embraced Hwangdo and leaped onto the roof.

-Bang!

Then, a roof far away collapsed.

Tiles that would usually earn a scolding if even one broke were now shattered on the ground.

Witnessing such a thrilling scene, she couldn't help but feel exhilarated.

"Wow, crazy… Hwangdo, did you see that?"

"Yeah. Whoever did that is going to be in big trouble."

"I want to do that just once. It would be so much fun."

What could have caused such an incident?

No need to wonder.

For Baekdo, the most important thing was that something exciting was happening! Wrapped in a sensation of thrill, Baekdo, grinning like a countryside Samoyed, traversed the roofs to find the source of the commotion.

She quickly reached the entrance of Dowon.

"You fool! Do you know whom you are speaking to?"

A furious warrior was shouting at a young man standing before him.

"Who is that person?"

Hwangdo, nestled in Baekdo's arms, pointed to the man dressed in unfamiliar clothes. An attire not worn by them, typical of people from outside.

A rare sight in Dowon, his hair was black. Not a tree but a human, he narrowed his slender eyes, repeating just one sentence.

"I repeat, I have come to see Cheonma."

"…You won't bend your will. You cannot even approach his feet."

Red magical energy fiercely surged from the grip of the warrior, a gatekeeper of considerable skill. Baekdo, too, recognized his name.

Leader of the Red Sky Team, Jinlang. One of the thirty disciples directly taught by Cheonma in the past. Though he didn't rise to the position of an elder due to lack of talent, his profound experience placed him in charge of managing the lower part of Dowon. No one in Dowon could look down upon or underestimate him.

'I heard he's recognized for his skills even outside.'

Outside, meaning the world beyond Dowon, the era of martial arts divided into factions and brotherhoods had long ended.

Dowon was the last martial world for warriors. It housed over ten thousand experts, with seven thousand talented disciples fiercely rising under their tutelage.

'No matter how vast the outside is, Dowon is… a cradle of strong fighters and a grave where bones are laid bare until death.'

The man regarded Jinlang's surging killing intent lightly, as if he was about to face a significant setback. Baekdo crossed her arms, anticipating such an outcome. Hwangdo, peering closely at the man's face, nudged Baekdo's shoulder.

"Baekdo, that person…"

"Yeah, I know."

It's going to end badly. Hwangdo must have thought so too, given her trembling voice.

"He's handsome! And he's not bald!"

…

"Sigh, that's just like you. What does looks have to do with anything?"

"Gege (older brother) said being handsome is good. Preferably mahogany, according to what the residence said."

"Are you going to marry based on looks alone?"

"Of course not! But, is that person okay?"

Hard to say. Judging by his arrival here alone, he must have immense pride in his skills.

Baekdo, hidden so others couldn't see, watched from the roof. She had often witnessed one-on-one duels, but this fight felt a bit sharper than usual.

"If you wish to see his presence, defeat me first."

"Anytime."

"You're quite bold."

Then, Jinlang threw a punch at the man.

The red magic, sharp as a wolf drenched in blood, aimed directly at his throat. Baekdo sniffed.

The faint scent of his rage. If not avoided, his head would be severed, and that handsome head would fly off.

-Crack!

The sound of flesh being torn and blood spurting. However, it wasn't the man's voice that was heard.

Jinlang, sent flying and crashing into a wall, made Baekdo's eyes go wide.

She saw it.

Jinlang, a skilled fighter, was sent flying in the blink of an eye with a single punch.

-Rumble…

Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and Baekdo's eyes widened in astonishment.

"…Damn it."

"Shall we continue?"

Jinlang, his body folded, gathered his energy internally, eyeing the man. Despite taking a hit, his eyes still sparkled with life. Hidden in his hands was a secret technique, typically referred to as a martial secret.

"Annoying but strong. Did you come here to wipe out the last of us who pushed you here?"

"Not at all. I like this place. As I said before…"

The man muttered lightly, as if this entire ordeal was merely a source of entertainment.

"I have come to see Cheonma."

-Boom!

Then, a black lightning bolt from above the clouds struck towards Jinlang, who was completing his technique.

"Argh!"

The birth of light.

The flashing bolt descended from the sky, engulfing Jinlang like a black dragon.

"Maybe that was too much."

Amidst the thunderous noise, Baekdo frowned, her expression one of intrigue.

Here was someone who could inject excitement into her mundane life.