Call Of The Spear [EN]: Chapter 557

Swish.

Cheonbeom, who had been sitting on the jade throne silently, opened his eyes.

His sparkling golden eyes had lost their usual clarity. His lips were dry, as if devoid of moisture, and even his once-soft hair had become rough, making him appear to be in worse condition than before.

“…Hwaran, how long has it been?”

“About a hundred days.”

“This is the first time I’ve experienced such a long hundred days.”

A hundred days.

It was merely a hundred days.

To a cultivator who lives for eons, a hundred days is but a fleeting moment.

For a Wonseon [a being who has reached the pinnacle of cultivation] who had reached the end of Sangcheon [a high realm of cultivation], it was even less significant.

‘Is it still far off?’

Perhaps because he was employing several techniques simultaneously, the strain on his body was immense.

“Are you alright?”

“…I’m fine.”

“You don’t seem fine.”

“I said I’m fine.”

“Sangun [Cheonbeom’s former name], you’ve always been like this since the Lower World, haven’t you?”

“….”

“If you were truly alright, you would be whining like a child, saying you were in so much pain you were going to die.”

“When did I ever whine like that….”

“But you’re not doing that now.”

Hwaran said, gently touching Cheonbeom’s face, noting his pallid complexion.

“I’m worried.”

He had caused her unnecessary worry.

Perhaps because he wasn’t joking around, she had become genuinely concerned.

But Hwaran was right.

He didn’t even have the energy to joke.

It was taking longer than expected.

Cheonbeom’s condition was worse than Hwaran realized.

But how could he admit that?

“One worry is enough.”

Right now, the priority was the enemy before him.

It was enough to focus on Geomno Iltaek.

“It’s almost time.”

Twitch, twitch.

Subtle tremors ran through Geomno Iltaek’s body.

If the empty shell of a body was reacting like that, the torment experienced by the main consciousness must be unimaginable.

‘It’s almost time.’

Soon.

The conclusion of this fight would be reached.

Just a little longer until then.

“It only needs to be a little.”

Just a little bit.

Just a little more patience.

If he could just do that….

“A new path will open.”

Twitch.

Clang!

Cheonbeom raised his hand, stopping Hwaran from drawing her sword.

“There’s no need to make a fuss.”

“What are you showing him?”

“From now on, it’s not me showing him. It’s him seeing it himself.”

“What are you talking about….”

“I’ve only opened the path. I don’t know what lies ahead either. Only he knows.”

It was just a new hell.

* * *

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

After looking around, Agum tilted his head and resumed his guard duty next to Shinwi.

“What’s going to happen to us now?”

“Who knows.”

Their teacher, Hwangcheon, had ascended [achieved enlightenment and left the mortal realm].

The mountain [Hwangcheon’s base of power] had also vanished shortly after.

Consequently, those who were left behind were quite bewildered.

“I don’t know where the rest of those guys are, but that doesn’t matter. We just need to go our own way. Even if Teacher has disappeared, nothing has changed.”

“The goal has disappeared.”

“It hasn’t disappeared. He’s just gone higher. We just need to move forward as well.”

“Beyond the sky?”

“That’s right.”

Shinwi chuckled, as if amused by Agum’s earnest answer.

He was quietly pleased to see her smile.

But the comb he still hadn’t given her was pressing against his chest.

It was unnecessarily sharp, occasionally poking him.

But Agum couldn’t bring himself to give it to her.

He wasn’t confident.

Her goal was Hwangcheon.

Since he was their teacher, he would have to rise to that level to be confident enough to stand before her.

‘I will achieve that with this one sword.’

So this comb would remain hidden until then.

Agum resolved.

Like that, a thousand years passed.

Then another thousand years.

More time than that elapsed.

Agum relentlessly continued his training.

It was grueling training that made him question if it was truly hell.

But if he wanted to reach the sky with just one sword, he had no choice.

Even when the comb in his chest occasionally stabbed him, reminding him of her, he barely endured it.

He endured, persevered, and repeated his training.

And he became stronger.

‘At this rate….’

Even if the mountain returned, he wouldn’t be pushed back as easily.

He believed he wouldn’t feel the same hopeless inadequacy as before.

Slash!

Whoong!!

When he swung his sword, a large rock cracked.

When he waved his finger and pieced it back together, it clicked into place.

Even after he released it, the rock didn’t fall. Only then did Agum allow himself a satisfied smile.

“What are you smirking about all by yourself?”

“Shinwi! Have you been waiting for me to come out of seclusion?”

“Were you in seclusion?”

Agum, unable to conceal his disappointment, sheathed his sword.

“…What’s the matter?”

“I need your sword.”

“Sword?”

“You’ll understand if you follow me.”

Soon, following Shinwi…

“A battlefield.”

What he saw was a battlefield.

Waaaaaaaah!!

The roar of the battlefield.

The clash of metal and screams.

The death throes leading to death.

Those sounds and sights mingled together and assaulted Agum’s eyes, ears, and mind.

“What’s going on?”

“To put it simply, it’s because of greed for the Seonsan’s [a sacred mountain] territory and its resources. They need those things to gain more power and break through their current limitations.”

Most of the combatants were ordinary people.

But he could discern outstanding individuals mixed in among them.

“Are they fellow disciples?”

“If their interests conflict, they’re enemies, regardless of their origins.”

“…I see.”

Agum nodded, as if he understood, and immediately drew his sword.

“Should I just cut them all down?”

“It would be nice if you did. It wouldn’t be a bad thing for you either. The wall we have to overcome is as high as the sky and as deep as the sea.”

It worked out well.

He had just achieved a significant breakthrough.

What better place to test his strength?

Agum immediately plunged into the battlefield.

And immediately after he joined the battle…

Continuous reports of victory echoed across the battlefield.

He became intoxicated with power.

When he swung his sword, the enemy’s heads flew into the sky, and when he unleashed numerous sword strikes, no one was left standing.

He was the sword demon of the battlefield.

As Agum rampaged, the war tilted decisively to one side.

He had no rivals.

At least, that’s how he felt.

But even a bird that flies well can crash if it makes a mistake, just like that time when he was on a winning streak.

He made a fatal mistake.

“You were arrogantly strutting around the battlefield. Serves you right, Agum!!”

They were fellow disciples who had trained together under Hwangcheon.

They had set a trap and ambushed Agum, waiting for him to appear.

Consequently, all of his swords were broken, and he suffered grievous wounds.

“You bastards!!”

He barely managed to counterattack and escape, but his injuries refused to heal.

It was an instant.

It happened in an instant.

Agum dragged his wounded body, walking and walking.

He walked through the desolate desert, passed through the dense forest, and crossed the misty mountain.

‘Have I not reached it yet….’

He was devastated.

His whole body was cold and painful, but what was especially agonizing was his heart.

Thud.

He collapsed powerlessly and looked at the sky, which was unusually clear.

He barely reached into his chest and pulled out the comb.

“It doesn’t even stab me anymore, so why does it keep hurting?”

Tears welled up.

He didn’t know why he was crying.

He didn’t even want to know.

But the tears kept flowing.

After flowing and flowing and crying for a long time, rain clouds gathered as if on cue.

A torrential downpour began.

“That’s… good.”

There won’t be any traces of tears left.

Agum, who had closed his eyes and collapsed, was later discovered by his allies and taken to the palace.

After that, the mountain appeared.

He was glad.

He thought that if it was the mountain, he could take revenge on them, that they could do it together by joining forces.

But before long, he realized that it was a delusion.

The mountain didn’t care about someone like him.

Whether he was there or not, the mountain annihilated all the enemies.

With just that guy’s existence, the war that seemed like it would never end came to an end.

“Heo… Heoheo. Hahahaha!!”

He felt empty.

He also felt a sense of deprivation.

He had worked so hard to gain power, but he couldn’t reach the same heights.

But that guy wasn’t like that.

That guy wasn’t like that.

With his always relaxed face and those kind eyes, he observed everything around him and effortlessly obtained what Agum desperately sought.

“No matter how much power I accumulate….”

My power is not needed.

It’s useless.

No matter how much I struggle.

No matter how much I swing my sword and stab with my sword, I can’t even grab the hem of his clothes.

“Did Teacher recognize that? Did he foresee the distant future? Is that why he ascended!!”

So… I killed him.

I killed all of that guy’s bloodline.

“I killed them. Me!! Even an existence with such great power died at my hands, so I have reached the sky!!”

It was an empty cry with no one to hear it.

There was also no sense of fulfillment.

Rather, it was filled with even more futility.

“Shinwi….”

After the mountain died.

Shinwi became strange.

She cut herself off from everyone and wouldn’t meet anyone. Even I could only count on one hand the number of times I met her.

In fact, I knew.

That she had harbored feelings for the mountain.

I used words she couldn’t refuse to tie her down and make her kill the mountain.

I thought it would be okay if I did that.

I thought that if the full heart had nowhere to go, it would naturally empty.

But that only made the heart she had burst even more.

I still remember.

When the mountain met its complete death.

Her complexion.

So I had no choice.

Just like I had been doing.

I trained with my sword.

Many swords passed through my hands.

They were made and made again.

But none of them were satisfactory.

But even so, I made them.

This was the only thing I could do.

After that.

Many years passed.

Then one day, I suddenly realized.

“What am I living for?”

One question led to another.

I asked myself questions and answered them, and the end was death.

There was no reason to live.

So the only conclusion was to die. As if possessed by something, I was walking towards death.

Then that guy appeared.

Everyone was happy to see the reincarnation of the mountain that had appeared on the road to death.

For me, it was the last chance to erase the room for regret.

I was overjoyed.

So I waited.

Until that guy gained power.

I was going to wait slowly.

I could also help.

But that guy, as expected, didn’t need my help.

Faster than anyone else, at an unprecedented speed, that guy gained power.

And.

Shinwi died.

Now, my heart has collapsed.

I thought it was better that way.

Because I wouldn’t have any more lingering feelings.

I said it was better that way.

I threw away the comb that I had held for so long, saying that I should shake it off now.

But….

“I was foolish.”

As soon as I lowered my gaze, a sword was stuck in my chest.

The sword soon turned into a beautiful jade comb and was held in Geomno’s hand.

All the scenery collapsed.

Soon, what I saw was a golden pupil sitting on the jade throne and looking at me.

It was Cheonbeom.

“How was Shinwi’s end?”

Thud.

Cheonbeom, who had closed the thick book, answered Geomno’s question calmly.

“She smiled foolishly.”

Cheonbeom stared at him for a moment and asked.

“Why aren’t you dying?”

“Not dying, huh….”

Geomno smiled foolishly as he looked at the comb in his hand.

Cheonbeom hardened his expression at the sight.

It was similar to the smile Shinwi had when she died.

“You.”

As Cheonbeom was about to get up from the jade throne, Geomno grabbed the comb in his hand and broke it.

“I just died.”

He grabbed the two halves and stabbed himself in the chest.

And soon.

Numerous blades burst out from Geomno’s body and covered all directions.