Editors: Ytho, LaidblackGuy

Editors: Ytho, LaidBackGuy

“You are… quite something huh… ”

A dying voice sounded out. Wijihoyeon looked down at it expressionlessly. There was something non-human, a monster, looking up at her. Both of its arms were deformed, and its lower body was non-existent.

It was strong. Wijihoyeon admitted with a grave expression. In the past nine years that she had been living in Eria, no opponent had given her as much trouble as this monster did. That nameless monster had a near-disaster power, and even though Wijihoyeon had surpa.s.sed her father, Heavenly Demon, a few years ago, she still had to give it her all.

“Mortals… Among them, I didn't think there would be one like you among them…”

“You were strong.”

Wijihoyeon mumbled. Feeling a little tired, she wiped the sweat off her forehead. Although her opponent was strong, it was not to the point of her having to shed blood. She felt only a little fatigue, no pain.

The monster chuckled, aware of that.

“I can see it.”

The monster said with its eyes half-open. Those eyes were now staring at Wijihoyeon with indescribable depth in them.

“Although you were born with the fate to, albeit being human, become nonhuman; the fate of the Defeated King, I see destiny leading you away from that and letting you rule.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even if you are a genius, there is a limit. It looks like natural talents have twisted your destiny… Huhu! No wonder I couldn't handle one human being like you. That's why I have no choice but to accept it. After all, I'm just a ghost bound here… Go ahead. Harvest me. It would be an honor to be harvested by you.”

While listening to that, Wijihoyeon raised her hand. Following her gesture, a huge force arose. The monster accepted its death with a humble heart. Its death arrived soundlessly. The monster at the end of the dungeon dispersed into mist, which hovered in the air and silently absorbed into Wijihoyeon's body. Wijihoyeon stood, conscious of the power that pervaded her body. It was a directionless ma.s.s of power, so it naturally flowed into Minor Heavenly Demon Wijihoyeon's inner force and a.s.similated with it.

Wijihoyeon moved forward. There was a huge door behind the monster. Wijihoyeon reached out. Her Black Dragon flew forward and opened the door.

On the other side of the door, gold and silver treasures were piled up like mountains. The amount was large enough to buy an entire city. Wijihoyeon opened the interdimensional pocket hanging at her waist. The enormous amount of gold and silver treasures were all sucked into her interdimensional pocked. Before long, she arrived at the end of the treasure trove. There was a black cloth floating in the air. When she reached out, the flickering cloth came to her. Soon after, it turned into robes and wrapped around her figure. She was wearing the robes, but it didn't feel like she was. Wijihoyeon realized that this was the best reward in this dungeon.

“It was really fun.”

Wijihoyeon raised her hand and placed her hand on her chest as she spoke.

“It was my first time coming into a dungeon. Despite facing some difficulties, I had a lot of fun. The last opponent was very strong. It might even have been impossible for me to win against it.”

Was it really?

“I am not a fool. I understood to some extent what this dungeon was like. I… I met you, no, someone who looked like you, who used the Nine Heavenly Spears technique, which was just like yours. You were an interesting opponent. It was the martial arts that I taught you, but sparring with that opponent there were a lot of surprises. It was incredibly well-crafted.”

Lee Sungmin did not answer.

He leaned against the broken spear and looked at Wijihoyeon's back. He was silent, but Wijihoyeon knew that it was Lee Sungmin standing behind her.

“Are you also here to conquer this dungeon? It's a little late, though. I ended up defeating the last monster of this dungeon.”

Wijihoyeon said with a smile. So she had no intention of making concessions. She had already set her sights on this dungeon. Everything in it was taken by her.

“But if you ask, there's nothing I can't give. We are friends, Right?”

“No, it's alright. You don't need to give me anything.”

“You've finally opened your mouth.”

Wijihoyeon laughed out loud. She turned around and looked at Lee Sungmin. Wijihoyeon had not suffered a single wound, but it was not the same for Lee Sungmin. He wiped his forehead that was wet with blood and sweat.

“… I didn't know what to say. I was thinking.”

“Haha! You fool. Nine years have pa.s.sed. It's been 9 years since we've met. Haven't you thought about what you would say to me for nine years?”

“I did… I did think about it.”

Merely, thinking about it didn't mean that the words would come out immediately. Wijihoyeon smiled and stared at Lee Sungmin.

“Who did you get?”

“… You.”

“Me. Yeah. I thought so. I heard a very loud noise from behind. You survived, though. You knocked me down, right?”

“It was hard. I almost died several times.”

“But you didn't die. 9 years… I think it's been a meaningful time for us. How about you?”

“It was very meaningful, yes. I've worked very hard too.”

“You've become strong.”

“It's not enough.”

Lee Sungmin answered. He looked down at the broken spear. He thought of when he fought Wijihoyeon's Doppelganger. He couldn't have won without Heoju's help. Heoju's powers. Because of those powers that he received as support, it was possible for him to recreate the martial arts he had learnt in the world of his subconscious.

“Why?”

“Because you're stronger than me.”

“Haha! It turns out you're unexpectedly ambitious. Are you aiming to be stronger than me?”

“For now.”

“For now… What do you mean for now? Could it change?”

“After all, the world is wide.”

“That's good. Definitely different from 9 years ago. You didn't have any goals at that time. Just aiming to survive, and even though you had defied death, I never thought you would live to do anything great.”

“I didn't like it.”

“So, have you changed??”

“I think I'm changing.”

“Looks like you haven't fully changed yet.”

Wijihoyeon laughed. She turned completely and strode forward, approaching Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin did not say anything as he looked at Wijihoyeon's face, which was getting closer. There was a lot to say. More than this… He had a lot to say. But not now. Not yet. Lee Sungmin could not yet stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Wijihoyeon and was not at a level to be proud of his achievements yet.

Lee Sungmin thought he didn't like it. This was his first time. He wanted to show it to Baek Sogo. How strong 'he' was compared to back when he had just entered Mush's mountain. How excellent. In the end, he was unable to show her anything. But he was satisfied. He had stopped her death.

Then, What about Wijihoyeon?

'Not yet.'

To be honest, the problem was this. He was scared to know how Wijihoyeon would react after he showed her. He didn't want simple praise. He wanted to be recognized. Wijihoyeon said that Lee Sungmin was a friend. Lee Sungmin also considered her as a friend.

So not now. Not yet. Because they were friends, he wanted to be on equal footing with her. To be in that position, he could not remain a disgrace to Wijihoyeon. He had to be recognized by her.

“Is there still 1 year left till the day we promised to meet?”

“Yeah.”

“I remember the promised place. The date too. I kept… thinking about it. When I meet you again – what kind of expression should I have? What should I say to you? What would you look like, and what would you say to me?”

“… You've changed a lot, haven't you?”

“So have you. Oh right. I really wanted to ask this if I had the chance. What do you think of my chest?”

“… What?”

It was the same as it was 9 years ago. Wijihoyeon asked something completely out of left field. At the moment, Lee Sungmin, who couldn't understand what she was saying, c.o.c.ked his head. Wijihoyeon, who came in front of his nose, put her hand on her chest.

“I don't think it's too big compared to the previous life you know. How is your taste? Is it better to be a little bigger?”

“Uh… Is my answer important?”

“If I were to say it, if you like it then I like it too.”

“I don't think it matters…”

“Okay? Then it's a good thing. I thought a lot about whether to take Feng Yu Huan pill or not. Oh, you don't know what it is? They said that if I took Feng Yu Huan pills regularly, my chest would definitely grow. There are no side effects. But I think there would be a lot of uncomfortable things if I grew my chest.”

(E/N: This pill name sounds like Black Chicken which is similar to Wijihoyeon.)

“I don't think you need to do that.”

From the bottom of his heart, Lee Sungmin didn't care whether Wijihoyeon's b.r.e.a.s.t.s were big or not. What was so important about the size of her chest? After hearing his answer, Wijihoyeon laughed.

“Are you going to come with me?”

Wijihoyeon asked. Hearing that question, Lee Sungmin's face stiffened slightly.

“There are a lot of guys following me around. They are annoying. Doing things I didn't even ask them to do. They are treating me with high hopes. However they please. I… I don't like it.”

He thought of the death of Solitary Blade Dokgo and the yelling of Iron Fist Marang, who died without knowing that it was Wijihoyeon's Doppelganger who killed him.

“I hate it when others have expectations of me. They did it even when I was in Maikyo. It's disgusting how they expect things from me, whether consciously or unconsciously.”

(E/N: Maikyo is where she got isekai'd from, i guess.)

“I'm probably not too different from them.”

“I know. What I'm saying is ridiculous. In the end, people would always have some expectations of someone else. However… what you expect from me is fine. Because I also look forward to it.”

Wijihoyeon's eyes sparkled as she said that. It was the same pair of eyes that he had seen in Genavis 9 years ago. It didn't seem like it, but he could sense some mischief from her eyes.

“I think it would be fun if I were with you. I've done a lot of things, but I think I can do more with you. Yes, I have a feeling that it will be so.”

“… Sorry,” Lee Sungmin replied after a brief silence, “I can't do that yet.”

“Do you dislike going with me?”

“No. That's not the case. I just… Am not satisfied with myself.”

“I am greedy for more, though.”

After listening to Lee Sungmin's answer, Wijihoyeon did not pressure him anymore. She chuckled and stretched out her hand, placing it on his shoulder.

“I like who you are right now. You are stronger than I thought.”

“I am not satisfied with myself. I've seen myself go farther, so I can do it.”

“Haha!”

Wijihoyeon laughed heartily at those words. She couldn't understand all of what he said, but she could feel a strong sense of determination in his words. That made her happy. The Lee Sungmin from nine years ago couldn't say that. He had changed. Wijihoyeon laughed as she took a close look at the new Lee Sungmin.

“Then, let's see each other again in a year.”

At the promised place. Wijihoyeon added.

“I will continue to go forward. Just like you can go, I can also go further. I bet you, one year later, I will be much better and stronger than I am now. And I think my perspective has become higher. Now that I have seen you here.”

Wijihoyeon said that and put her hand on Lee Sungmin's shoulder. She slowly pa.s.sed by him. Lee Sungmin turned to her and said.

“See you in a year.”

“Okay.”

Wijihoyeon smiled brightly, hearing Lee Sungmin's words. Her smile was not visible to Lee Sungmin. She didn't want to show it to him. Wijihoyeon happily welcomed the subtle waves in her heart. She thought back to 9 years ago. When she was first summoned in front of the fountain at Genavis, she didn't know what it was, the gaze she felt from someone standing far away. It was a meeting disguised as a coincidence, but for Wijihoyeon, he was the first friend she made. Wijihoyeon had a lot of nostalgia despite spending such a short time in Genavis.

'You are ambitious. But I will bear with it.'

Wijihoyeon thought while clasping her hands and blus.h.i.+ng.

If possible, she wanted to take him by force. But she had to bear with it, or else he might hate her. Wijihoyeon wanted to respect the will of her one and only friend. There were still many things to say. There were too many conversations she wanted to share with him. But it wasn't the right place. The time had not yet come.

Let's talk more in a year. Let's eat and drink together. Let's talk about everything.

'Come to think of it, I couldn't say it.'

As she exited the door, Wijihoyeon thought belatedly.

'I missed you.'

She buried those words inside her heart.

One year will not be such a long time.