Chapter 1 : I Envied You
Do Yeoksan gasped for breath, staring at the man before him.
The man, drenched in red, was as still as a corpse.
Looking at him, Do Yeoksan spoke with a weary face.
"Blood Demon… I'm sick of this. Just die already."
Blood Demon, Cheon Gangseon.
That was the identity of the man before him.
He was the leader of the Blood Dragon Cult and the main culprit behind the Great War of Justice and Evil, considered the worst event in history.
An uncountable number of people had died because of the war he started.
"..."
Even now, corpses formed mountains all around them.
The only one left alive was himself.
The most renowned masters of the righteous factions had gathered here to end this war, but the price to kill the Blood Demon alone was far too great.
Cough—
At that moment, blood poured from Do Yeoksan's mouth along with a cough.
Though he was the sole survivor and had succeeded in dealing a fatal blow to the Blood Demon, Do Yeoksan himself was also mortally wounded.
It was now practically impossible for him to even swing his arm.
If the Blood Demon hadn't died from that last strike… he would have no choice but to calmly accept his own death.
"..."
However, the Blood Demon showed no sign of speech or movement.
Watching him, Do Yeoksan once again squeezed out his voice and spoke to the Blood Demon.
"Hey… If you're alive, say something."
"..."
"Or are you finally dead? Then stop confusing me and fall over or something."
Despite Do Yeoksan's words, the Blood Demon remained utterly still.
He just stood there, silently facing him.
With his face hidden by his hair, Do Yeoksan couldn't even tell if his eyes were open or closed.
"...Stubborn bastard. He died standing, without even falling."
In the end, Do Yeoksan concluded that the Blood Demon was dead.
In fact, with such severe injuries, it would be normal for anyone to die.
Besides the wound Do Yeoksan had inflicted, many other injuries that appeared to be critical were visible all over the Blood Demon's body.
The only reason he was doubting his death was simply because he was the Blood Demon.
"Finally… he's dead."
As Do Yeoksan muttered this, his voice was filled not with joy, but with a sense of emptiness and bitterness.
If Cheongseong of the Mount Hua Sect hadn't cut the Blood Demon's leg, his movements wouldn't have been restricted.
If Tang Cheolgo of the Sichuan Tang Clan hadn't hit him with his hidden weapons, the Blood Demon's qi and blood wouldn't have been disrupted.
And if Jinheo of Shaolin hadn't bought them a brief moment, everyone would have been annihilated in an instant.
"Thanks to you all, this war can finally end. So… rest in peace now."
Do Yeoksan said this to his comrades, who had all become cold corpses.
The only reason he was able to inflict a fatal wound on the Blood Demon was because of his comrades' sacrifices.
Do Yeoksan could say without a moment's hesitation that if he had faced the Blood Demon alone, he would have never been able to kill him.
Stagger—
At that moment, Do Yeoksan's body swayed.
Simultaneously, the Dog Beating Staff fell from his hand.
He had held onto it until the very end with the sole determination not to let his comrades' deaths be in vain, but now that he had achieved his goal, the strength naturally drained from his body.
Thud—
As the Dog Beating Staff dropped, Do Yeoksan's body began to fall backward.
But then, he felt a warm presence behind him.
Someone was supporting his back, so instead of falling, Do Yeoksan managed to collapse into a sitting position on the ground.
"Friend, isn't it too early to fall?"
The person leaning against Do Yeoksan's back spoke.
At that moment, his eyes widened in unconcealed surprise.
He didn't turn his head, but from the voice, he realized who was behind him.
"Jeongung! You were alive?"
"Yes… Barely hanging on."
"No, how… I was sure you were dead…"
Tears of joy streamed from Do Yeoksan's eyes.
Namgung Jeongung.
The fact that his closest friend of several decades was alive filled Do Yeoksan with both joy and astonishment.
"Don't tell me… are you crying right now?"
"Wh-who's crying!"
"Haha, to think that the man called the Beggar King would cry for me… I've known you for decades, but this is a first."
"I said I'm not crying!"
Do Yeoksan said, hastily wiping his eyes with his sleeve.
Namgung Jeongung glanced at him and smiled quietly.
After completely wiping the moisture from his eyes, Do Yeoksan spoke again.
"Still… I'm so glad you're alive."
"..."
"This war will be over now. So just a little longer…"
"Yeoksan."
Namgung Jeongung cut him off.
"I'm truly proud of you. To think you'd defeat the Blood Demon and bring peace to the world… I never would have imagined it in the old days."
"...Are you talking about our academy days?"
"Yes. That's when we first met, wasn't it?"
"Well, that makes sense. Back then, you were popular with the girls at the academy and a promising martial artist."
From Do Yeoksan's perspective, Namgung Jeongung was a truly ideal existence.
He had outstanding looks, martial arts skills that earned him the title of a genius, and the status of a direct descendant of the Namgung Clan.
To Do Yeoksan, who was just a mere disciple of the Beggars' Sect at the time, Namgung Jeongung was a perfect being, so much so that he felt both envy and, at times, even jealousy.
"I was so envious of you that I often acted out of spite."
"..."
"You really never know how things will turn out. To think I'd become friends with that annoying guy."
"...Back then, I envied you."
When Namgung Jeongung suddenly said that, Do Yeoksan couldn't help but be puzzled.
The great Namgung Jeongung had envied him?
Looks, martial arts, status.
Objectively speaking, Namgung Jeongung was far superior to him in every way; he lacked nothing.
"What nonsense is this? You envied me?"
"...Yes."
"Then let's hear it. What did you envy me for?"
"You always seemed so free. I was so envious of your personality, how you did whatever you wanted without caring what others thought."
"Damn it. Then you should have become a beggar too."
"...That might not have been so bad."
Namgung Jeongung said with a faint smile.
Splurt—
At that moment, a sound of something gushing out came from behind him.
Startled, Do Yeoksan quickly turned his head. There, he saw Namgung Jeongung spewing a large amount of blood from his mouth.
"Jeongung!"
Do Yeoksan called his name in a panicked voice and struggled to his feet.
And only now did he see Namgung Jeongung's abdomen.
A wound, which at a glance looked even more severe than his own, was there.
"What is this…"
Witnessing the severe injury firsthand, Do Yeoksan was momentarily at a loss for words.
Why hadn't he noticed until now?
He had been so overjoyed that his friend, whom he thought was dead, was alive that he failed to realize Namgung Jeongung's body was already broken beyond repair.
"Wait! I'll treat you right away…"
Do Yeoksan's words trailed off.
Up close, the wound on his abdomen looked even more serious.
It was not something he could do anything about in a place like this.
"...Right."
Do Yeoksan muttered as if he had made a decision.
If he couldn't treat him here, then he just had to carry Namgung Jeongung and find someone who could help.
If they moved just a little, they should be able to find warriors from the Martial Alliance.
"Get on my back! We need to find a healer, quickly…"
Grab—
Just then, Namgung Jeongung grabbed Do Yeoksan's wrist.
He shouldn't have had that much strength… but surprisingly, Do Yeoksan could feel a powerful grip from Namgung Jeongung's hand.
Slide—
With his other hand, Namgung Jeongung pressed something into Do Yeoksan's palm.
It was a necklace with a blue gem embedded in it.
It was something Namgung Jeongung always carried with him, as if it were precious… Do Yeoksan couldn't understand why he was giving it to him.
"Why are you giving this to me…"
"I want you to have it."
"What…?"
"It seems I won't need it anymore… so I'm giving it to you."
What does that… Before he could finish, Do Yeoksan realized the meaning behind those words and shouted.
"I don't need this damn thing!"
"..."
"So just focus on living! I'll take it then, even if you say no!"
"...Yeoksan."
Namgung Jeongung called Do Yeoksan's name, his voice now much weaker.
At that moment, his right hand began to slip down.
Before it could fall completely to the ground, Do Yeoksan managed to grab it.
"Stay with me! You're not the kind of guy to die like this!"
"...To continue what I was saying earlier…"
"Stop talking! If you keep this up, you'll really…"
"...I wanted to live like you. I never showed it, but… I always envied you."
"..."
"Maybe that's why I wanted to become your friend."
Grin—
"Thank you. For being my friend."
The last words were spoken clearly.
Simultaneously, his head drooped.
Although he knew what that movement meant, Do Yeoksan was completely frozen, as if time had stopped.
"...Jeongung."
"..."
"...This isn't real, right? Tell me it's not."
Do Yeoksan asked, but there was no reply.
How long had it been like that?
Do Yeoksan stood up, with Namgung Jeongung on his back.
"I can't lose you like this."
With that murmur, Do Yeoksan started walking.
But his own body was already broken.
Just walking was a struggle, so walking with someone on his back was an act that far surpassed his limits.
Tremble— Tremble—
Still, Do Yeoksan did not fall.
With the sole determination to save his friend, he moved forward, his legs trembling violently.
However.
Halt—
Seeing people suddenly blocking his path, Do Yeoksan had no choice but to stop.
Martial robes the color of blood, and that ominous energy…
He knew immediately that they were not allies.
"...Wait here for a moment."
Do Yeoksan said as he gently laid Namgung Jeongung on the ground.
As he was about to stand up, the necklace in his hand came into view.
"..."
Without a word, Do Yeoksan put it around his own neck.
Hoping that this necklace would protect him and his friend.
Staring at the enemies before him with a sharp gaze, Do Yeoksan spoke.
"...Come on."
Beggar King, Do Yeoksan.
This was his final battle.
(End of Chapter)