Chapter 283: Breath
z03vHBefore anyone could utter a single word, a white silhouette suddenly appeared from a corner of the conference room, right in the shadowy area beyond the reach of the light.7KIlzxm
xbh87VIt was the same ghost that had been beheaded as soon as it manifested earlier.UBfqw
pjp5A“What the hell…?”SdNI
H55YThe room fell into a stunned silence. Even though everyone present were veterans of countless battles, they were still human—and thus susceptible to being startled. Moreover, aside from three people, the average age hovered around 70, so even a minor shock could rattle their hearts. The cruelty of time.nb41v
Tn46Ovi“…Aren’t you supposed to let someone finish speaking?”qnJArC
bBFcfeYHerya stepped out of the darkness in the corner. Her tone was slightly annoyed, as if offended. Once again, it was only an imitation of humanity.vgP
EDRlmyj“……”OAVP
06YsKang Geom-Ma glanced at her without the slightest surprise.sc8REND
iTYEo‘That thing isn’t a demon—it really feels like a ghost.’cqWRJ
UyPCutting her down earlier hadn’t been satisfying. So he hadn’t expected her to be gone for good. Still, he didn’t expect her to return this fast.lu9r3iV
Tm0Of course, it didn’t bother him. He was still a teenager, brimming with energy.zeC
PM6q“Calling yourself a person—what bullshit.”txuc0
XAi6EKang Geom-Ma sheathed his sashimi knife coldly. He realized cutting a clone was useless.nuIXi
aHb86sh“You were never human to begin with. Why do you insist on pretending you are? It’s disgusting.”vteM
Pa9vLHerya stopped about twenty paces away. Her face, like a porcelain doll’s, bore a blank expression, and most notably, her gaze lacked any humanity—translucent and eerie.77LBP
inA“What do you mean I’m disgusting…?”bx76
2jv8“It means you repulse me. Do I need to explain basic vocabulary now? Anyway, it’s things like this that make me hate people without empathy. Tch. Damn psychopath.”nWqmmz
XirAt the word “psychopath,” everyone in the room flinched in sync. Then they turned their wary eyes on Kang Geom-Ma. Lack of empathy—who was the real psychopath here? Best not to dig deeper.8Qt5
FySNu“If you’re just a messenger, do your job and get lost. I don’t want to see that repulsive face again. Damn herbal infusion.”Sxjif8
TCwA barely perceptible expression crossed Herya’s face after receiving such a barrage of insults.nLNWcx
pMdOnly with great attention could one notice a slight twitch in her brow. Above all, the last phrase seemed to hit her particularly hard… “Herbal infusion.” Though she didn’t quite understand it, it must’ve been one of the worst possible insults.XOBoBh
j81kq0Herya often attracted many men during undercover missions in human cities. All because of her striking beauty. And yet—up35
UrB7TG‘Is this guy blind?’peNwd
ZCurLReceiving such blunt insults so naturally—this situation and its emotions were completely foreign to her. She felt bubbles of fury boiling within, and a slight pain throbbed in her head.WXAJTM
038yLUNFor the first time since her creation, Herya vaguely sensed an emotion called “anger.”irI10nU
YWtQAm“Understood.”OcvqDj
EUiZSBut she didn’t show it. She just had to fulfill her role and return. After all, Lord Kuarne would be the one to punish this man.Ke6
m6Vm5vSuppressing her rage, Herya continued.0oNlShH
62EZaSz“It’s not about completely exterminating humanity in this war.”0VdIJ
NidLIt was Kuarne’s message—or rather, his warning.Ed6
TfcC4R“Humans and demons have a symbiotic relationship. Like two sides of a scale, they must coexist in balance. But the human population has grown excessively and is destroying this beautiful blue planet. Meanwhile, what about us, the Demon King’s Army? We’ve endured for hundreds and thousands of years in the Demon Realm, where not even a blade of grass grows. That is why I, Kuarne, speak on behalf of the entire demon race—we will exchange our homes with the humans. Furthermore, we will reduce their numbers from six billion to just fifty million. Don’t worry about the details. I will personally relieve you of the burden.”OPIleh
3SoRCwThe conference room was so large and sparse that Herya’s voice echoed off the walls, leaving a hollow ring behind. As if to etch her words deep into everyone’s minds.Lzmkuw
KAk8Naturally, the reaction from those present wasn’t favorable.aZkVaYv
ftg7“What kind of garbage are you spouting?!”4iRo
nE7eThe Swordmaster shot to his feet, unsheathing his weapon.a8fL3PI
xMr5lChangseong followed, grabbing the spear he had leaned against the wall.BzXz
zLl“Reduce the human population to a tenth and exile us to the Demon Realm? What an utterly absurd joke!”4HWo9A
td0XChangseong pointed his spear at Herya. His teeth were grinding audibly.md9q0vE
VOkXa“Listen closely, damn ghost. Go and tell Kuarne this—from Richard Mura, I swear by my spear that I will cut off his head. Tell him to prepare, for I will not let demon blood defile my noble weapon.”gDR
XlniEHe knew physical attacks wouldn’t work on the ghost. But such reactions had become second nature after seventy years of life.jSl
plOVkc1“You’re not strong enough to do that.”sDpA
br0EJHerya smirked with disdain. It was the same kind of smirk humans wore when mocking others.jn5ZTp
p9hi“Excuse me, but allow me to say this. Of everyone here, only two could face Lord Kuarne—Meian in her awakened state and Heavenly Sword. Aside from them, none of you could even graze his cloak.”xtGmbH6
neVyThe two men, who had been growling fiercely, fell silent.cZZi
4uA1jaHThough their pride was wounded, they knew the words were true. And this wasn’t the time to cling to pride.q7VUJ
VZxF4lzIt was time to replace fury and drive with reason and strategy.zC9
DvHrWhat the Swordmaster and Changseong chose was silence. Not simply withholding words, but glaring at Herya with burning hatred.jvWfy
4dih4But Herya paid no attention to their murderous stares. Her focus remained solely on Kang Geom-Ma.D0Rpvo
1JNZYThat expression he had held for a while now—that indifferent gaze, that blank face devoid of color or scent, as if detached from all things worldly—it sparked deep curiosity in her.1hvKUb
zOQbJ8The atmosphere was thick. A space filled with rage, scorn, and simmering resentment.VuesnwS
ZGM9QAnd then Kang Geom-Ma finally spoke.URgbz99
RQYd5“Your face.”Fl0BRQY
u3hKLOAt that moment, the swirling storm of emotions stopped. Everyone doubted their ears and looked at Kang Geom-Ma in astonishment. Herya was no exception.mDiYPvL
chBShe slightly parted her lips. Your face? How was she supposed to respond to that? Was that something one could say in this situation? She had learned a lot from observing humans, tailoring her behavior to fit the occasion.jxB3
v38LvThat’s how she’d been chosen as emissary—over other demons.mNFrGp
hZs2Herya had confidence in herself. She believed she could handle any response smoothly.Csh
QpswcaBut that confidence turned into shame, painting her cheeks red. It was the moment she truly understood what emotion was.u5M1SYS
zRAGycKang Geom-Ma repeated.gjH93
7BX“Your face.”j9jfwi7
foXkAnd for some reason, Herya felt offended. Before this moment, such words would’ve been a compliment. But now, it was more insulting than anything else. She had planned to leave right after delivering her message, but now she couldn’t depart with that bitter taste.0p7Fgu0
I7qThinking quickly, she replied with what she thought was appropriate.Ltp
zEyi8“Bounce back.”VsO
g63UgA childish, simple comeback. Unfortunately, she didn’t yet grasp the concept of “childish.”9wuj
WzKDWith that, Herya slowly stepped back into the shadows. Her body began disintegrating from the feet up.Z8PPazz
70jReCWhen the decomposition reached her jaw, Kang Geom-Ma let out a short laugh. Then, as if offering praise, he added.5KTe
mifpbX“What a good emissary. Even went out of her way to tell her enemy he’s handsome.”Ulh3jHC
piYHerya’s eyes trembled. In contrast, Kang Geom-Ma’s smile widened.A5sBE
x9LWThat was when Herya understood—Kang Geom-Ma knew physical attacks had no effect on her, so he had decided to humiliate her with words instead.D9Vn
axCboA first encounter. Her first contact with a true lunatic left her with an indescribable impression.dDBze2
DIv8B2Herya tried to respond, but before she could regain her composure, her body vanished completely.0m3QjMu
alGKA9EEven after her disappearance, the resentment she left behind continued to linger in the air.XHmBe
waK0***2CCrmXK
2cosmnJust as the meeting reached a moment of pause, Director Sung appeared with perfect timing. He had come to announce the next item on the schedule.8wP
ha5ZlPqThe moment he entered, his face twisted strangely. He had only been gone briefly, but upon returning, he sensed the thick tension in the air.4cF
wkeFrUHe asked, puzzled.dUEMr
riY“Did something happen? Everyone looks like they’ve seen a ghost…”ynFO
0vv“It wasn’t anything serious.”Tka
MJxIt was Kojima who diffused the situation. His expression was the only one that maintained a sense of calm.PQS0
CiJ“…If necessary, we can postpone the next event until tomorrow.”c4iw
Qjs2jPDirector Sung offered the option with a worried look. But Changseong firmly shook his head in response.TAB4N
1jlvv“Postponing now would only cause more anxiety. Besides, it’s being broadcast live worldwide via drone. It’s better to keep things on schedule.”wlhOW
qknYKEven as he said that, Changseong couldn’t hide his fatigue.GuJaU5
IlHQHe was still shaken.JwuC5zm
t5w‘Your face.’tzaww
uO3A phrase more disturbing than any vulgar insult.cA0lX
EXU6Dw“…I’d just prefer someone else give the speech. If I talk right now, I might blurt out something like ‘your face’ or worse.”osrN
buuaH“Same here.”VUFqri
GFN3s“Can’t do it today.”D3zsm
monN“Me neither…”KOE1C6
Wi0Hands went up everywhere. In the end, I was the only one who hadn’t raised mine. I was about to join in, but they stopped me.tde
gsw“You have to do it.”ikV0
d8sdO“Yeah, Geom-Ma, it’s your turn.”QRzSWSa
qoJa“Heavenly Sword must speak.”riiZN
Jc7At4HWhat was with their expressions? As they stared at me strangely, I could only scratch my neck. Was it just me, or were they blaming me for the mood?AzIXQ
3FRwAeI stood alongside the Seven Heroes the Swordmaster, Changseong, the Sage Media, Kojima, Meain, Mao Lang, and All Mute.Vnb0X
tMz***rRn9J
JPr6The training field was packed to capacity. Not only was it full, but crowds encircled the area like a ring.eOvzv
31E5RfdAnd no wonder—the maximum capacity was only a few thousand, but hundreds of thousands had gathered. The fact that it hadn’t collapsed was a miracle. Even though shoulders bumped and people jostled unintentionally, no fights broke out.UxX
alDNot just on land—the sky was equally busy. Drones buzzed like swarms, capturing the scene from every angle. Since only heroes were allowed inside, media outlets used drones to broadcast the speech live around the world.Dvoy
ceoAt the center of countless gazes, a young man stood before the microphone. Amid all the bright, dyed hair, his black hair and eyes stood out even more.Kly
MjEyAhem.AZMHc
mMylThe young man cleared his throat. The whole world, in every corner of the globe, was listening. Even a flock of migrating birds quietly veered away.ayV
GhELzdrSilence spread like a backdrop curtain. It was hard to believe millions of people were gathered there.fqe0
SPvuMw“‘Kang Geom-Ma, you are the pride of our family.’ That’s what my parents told me when I entered the academy.”VZSQtqk
jTABwThe young man’s voice carried through the cold winter air.iEv
uIHgMB“I imagine I’m not the only one. Everyone here has probably heard something similar. Because for us, Joaquin Academy isn’t just a school.”cf0j
WOOIn that moment, everyone seemed to fall into an illusion. As if the whole world lit up only the young man, everything around him softened, and his figure came into clear focus. The silence of the field allowed his voice to reach even the farthest corners.DGq
ZcRq2VV“Why did the Founding Hero and the Seven establish this academy? If the goal was to prepare for war, it would’ve made more sense to reinforce the gates rather than raise the next generation.”ij8HQ
93L62A legacy left by a master to his disciple.twrF60
DfpkRgQ“They knew that closing off entry wasn’t enough. They realized it wouldn’t solve anything. That’s why they chose to place their trust in the next generation, in the future—in us. At least for me, I don’t want to betray that trust. I want to protect this place, because to me, it’s a home.”DJ02JBF
A37There, the young man spoke with firm resolve.FL9
fpK“Let’s do it together.”tmTqAMZ
AHX7uEveryone raised their weapons high. Not with roaring cheers, but by lifting their sharp blades in solemn support of his words.wXt
NUtgmJust then, heavy snow began to fall. White flakes descended upon the raised spears and swords like thorns. On this occasion, it was as if the sky itself were silently blessing them.YYtX
dqqpThe young man suddenly thought that the words always lingering in his mind might not have been just his teacher’s encouragement…V3Oqu0m
EKMy“Upon us…”C3FjYbR
zu1TKvAnd so, with those same words, he encouraged all who were present.6OHr5P
Tekf7c“…May the gods’ blessing fall.”89D9
FMlIAfter all, children are the reflection of their parents.OHbpOgA
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