Chapter Text
The once perfect ground, now murky, and ruined.
People, mangled by swords on their throats, lay lifeless on the ground.
The distinct smell of blood tainted by the Demonic Sect.
Mingling with dark, heavy fog covering the once bright sky.
Chung Myung's breath came in short gasp as he couldn't take his eyes away from his dying friend, despite the countless dead bodies scattered everywhere in the battlefield.
'Is this how it ends?' Tang Bo questioned.
But no one answered. Nobody could answer him.
Only the frantic sound of Chung Myung's breathing filled the air.
With no thoughts, Tang Bo slowly gaze his eyes towards Chung Myung who trembled uncontrollably as he gripped his hand. Desperately infusing his inner energy onto Tang Bo's body, but no matter how hard he tried, the blood flowed with no end.
'Hyung-nim....' That was the only thing that was ever on Tang Bo's mind.
He felt defeated. Death was edging near the doors, many of his relatives died, and now he's leaving Chung Myung left behind. He didn't want this, and he never asked for it. But there's nothing he can do about it, but accept the situation as is.
Tang Bo was barely conscious, however he tried his best to withheld himself from closing his eyes. He doesn't want to give in just yet, He wanted to rest in peace after trying to at least talk to his old, panicked friend that refuses to leave him with minimum time.
"Hyung-nim..." He uttered, a dry voice came out of his mouth.
Hearing Tang Bo's weak voice, Chung Myung quickly looked over him with a distraught face, but soon his eyes contorted as he sees Tang Bo... smiling at him...?
Chung Myung's gritted his teeth, irritation was apparent on his face, 'Is this really the time to smile, you crazy bastard?'
Tang Bo lets out a faint chuckled at Chung Myung's glare.
'Still the same...' His eyes shimmered at his thoughts.
Tang Bo knew he was dying, it was obvious—but he didn't want to see his old friend with such a stupid, helpless face. It doesn't resemble the Chung Myung he knows. So, he was glad to see that annoying face one last time.
And you know—If it weren't for Tang Bo dying, he would have teased Chung Myung to his heart's content for his reaction at Tang Bo's weakened state. Honestly, He did somewhat expected that Chung Myung would react emotionally during these types of circumstances despite rarely showing his saddened emotions, but... to think that actually experiencing it first hand gave him euphoric yet annoyed feeling. ( Euphoria for witnessing his worried reaction, and annoyance for basically dying. He was happy yet unhappy, a bittersweet feeling, however—that was besides the point. )
Disregarding his own thoughts, Tang Bo shifted his focus towards Chung Myung with a gentle grin, "Hyung-nim... I have a favor to ask for you.." He softly uttered his words.
The words lingered in Chung Myung's ears as he slowly stared intently at Tang Bo, clutching his hands even further.
"Please.. look after the clan.. and my people.. " He abruptly stopped mid sentence, and took one final look at Chung Myung's face before letting out a deep breath, "...𝐈 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮" He spoke his last words with a bright smile before the light in his eyes went dim. His body stiffened, and Chung Myung could only stare at him with contemplation. He didn't even say goodbye, that asshole.
With a void filled with darkness.
Emptiness.
Black.
Everything was black.
Lifeless.
He couldn't 𝐬𝐞𝐞 anything.
Or even 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 anything.
It was just a vast emptiness.
'Is this what death feels like?'
'Just nothing?'
.....
'Fuck this really—This seems more painful than dying!'
'Do I have to be stuck here for a long time? For eternity?'
'Such bullshit exist?'
There was a reason why Tang Bo leaves the Sichuan estate every so often, and that was because he didn't want to sit idly, wasting his time as he listens to lectures, but now here he was, stuck in a damn void with nothing to do, but listen to his thoughts running rampant.
This situation was worse than listening to his relatives nagging!
Tang Bo was frustrated. He can't feel anything, and he can't touch anything, so what else can he do other than to complain at the never-ending darkness?
'Why am I even able to think if I'm dead?' He wondered, 'Am I even dead?'
'...'
'Ah.. I'm going crazy..'
Tang Bo's mind was filled with question after question, But there was no one no reply..
And that's pissing him off even more!!
'Ohhh, my fate!!'
With nothing more to do, and no one else to talk to.
All that remained was himself.
In the empty void..
By himself...
Ah, shit...
That doesn't sound good...
Tang Bo being all alone wasn't new—especially because he was born at the strictest family he knows. The Tang Family.
There was a reason why he was outcast in his clan. With their abundance of over-reliance on traditions, and poisons. He couldn't stand the idea of his people's ideals slowly becoming repressing. No—he hated it more than anyone else in his family.
'This is the pride of the Tang Family'? Sure, let those bastards call it whatever they like.
The ancestors of the Tang Family might come back alive, and shout at their blissful ignorance of the pride they once left behind!
Though, despite distancing himself from his relatives, all he experienced was the bittering loneliness.
It felt as if he was a bird trapped inside a cage. Isolated, yet all of it was intentional.
He wouldn't leave the cage, and even if the gate was opened, he would sit still, contented to be within in it. Should he really leave? When the owner of the bird, his people, was standing right at the front, waiting to suppress him?
The bittering loneliness didn't matter. It was better to detach yourself than to suffer from oppression. And to him, The cage was better than the owner.
The distance does hurt him all so slightly, but ever since Chung Myung appeared, he became much more carefree, and satisfied with his life. Chung Myung was the only one who could understand his struggles, and he was his one, and only friend.
'Ah.. I miss him already..'
Who could ever replace Chung Myung? He was the guy that fought thousands of demonic cultist, The one who achieved many victories, The one that miraculously gave hope to humanity, The one that used to beat the shit out of other sects, The madman that causes problem everywhere he goes, the one—
Ah.. I should stop mentioning him. He'll beat the shit out of me if I did.
But..
Why is that I prefer getting myself be beaten by him than being stuck here....?
...
Again, No one could answered him. And although the answer to the question was fairly obvious, he couldn't help himself, but asked anyway.
He was all by himself, alone in this pitch black oblivion. And yeah—He's definitely gonna get his ass beaten by Chung Myung if he ever heard what he said during this 'void bit'.
Tang Bo contemplated for a moment, vaguely remembering Chung Myung's face when he was about to die.
A face filled with despair, and emotion, and.... a face that he never seen before.
He cracked a bitter smile. Well...—His thoughts made it seemed like he was smiling, anyways, he didn't have a body in this place. He was happy that he could die by Chung Myung's side, but somehow Tang Bo felt... sad, remorseful even.
'I'm sorry, Hyung-nim..' Tang Bo mused, 'That I left.'
'That you have to carry my responsibility.' There was nothing Tang Bo could do upon his death, he believed that Chung Myung was the only person that can fulfill his promise, and he... truly felt sorry about it.
'I wish we can meet one more time, laughing, and drinking away our worries.' At least Tang Bo won't be alone anymore if that happens, 'Maybe, we should go on a trip as promise after meeting again in heaven?'
.....
As expected, There was no response. He was left with silence.
No words, no thoughts accompanying the muted space. His mind slowly turned numb as his thought began to fade. It made it seem like his existence started to waver, and he, himself, felt like he was about to vanish at any second.
Being in this.. 'void', There was nothing Tang Bo could ever do.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
SHRNNG-
'Huh....?'
𝙎𝙃𝙍𝙉𝙂𝙂𝙂𝙂𝙂𝙂𝙂𝙂𝙂𝙂-
Suddenly, A light was being shoned at his sight. It blinded his eyes, after all, he was staring at the darkness for who knows how long it had been.
Every passing second, every passing moment, the light was getting brighter, and brighter. It was pure vanilla white, and It hurt his vision.
With no words to say, the light swallowed him whole.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Awakened by a flash of light. Tang Bo sluggishly opened his eyes, and hears drips of water, and overlapping, inaudible voices on the background.
He slowly lifts his upper body from the ground, and although his sight were blurry, he still carefully examined his surroundings.
'Where..?'
The grating sound of footsteps on the concrete, and the shouts of vendors promoting their products, loud enough to be heard from a mile away.
While he was positioned in a narrowed alleyway, he could illustrate a crowd of people walking back, and forth further down the path.
The sounds of water dripping into the bucket resonated next to him. He raise his head towards the spark of the dimly lighted sky with his hand blocking the light from his face.
Staring at the covered sky, his vision was still fuzzy. Everything he sees was like a fog that obscures his sight. The colors were blended together, and the blurry vision didn't help. However when he shifted his focused onto his hands, his eyes flinched, and instantly, the foggy vision moved away as if it was never there.
'!?'
Tang Bo blinks in surprise as he observes his hands more keenly. He move his hand in all directions, then blankly look at it with a hint of confusion.
Dumbfounded, He quickly probe his chest to see any wounds.
'No sword..?'
As he examined his body more intently, he realize that his body got.. smaller? and frail..??
He then, steadily observes his clothes.
He.. He's wearing a beggar's clothes...?
'Me? A beggar?'
Now, this was becoming absurd.
He swiftly looked at the bucket of water besides him, and the face that reflected in the water looked familiar. No, rather—It looked just like him when he was younger, which was strange.
What was weirder was that he looked like a ghost.. Hold on—Forget that! What's happening right now!?!?
With little time to think, Suddenly a person behind him shouts.
"Myeong-suk!"
Tang Bo quickly looked into the direction of the loud voice.
A slightly bulky person who appears to be his early 20s, with tattered, and ragged clothes was walking hastily towards him.
"What are you here slacking for, Myeong-suk!? We're about to leave!!" The beggar yelled.
Tang Bo tilted his head, and looked side to side. Then, he swiftly pointed his fingers at himself.
"Me..?"
"Yes, you! Who else do you think I'm talking to!?"
"Wait-.."
"Don't even think of spouting excuses! You've been sleeping all day long, Just hurry up if you don't want to be left behind!"
In an instant, the beggar grabbed Tang Bo's hand, and briskly scurry their way out of the alleyway.
'This bastard?'
'To think I have been dragged by a damn beggar!?'
It wasn’t that Tang Bo let himself be dragged on purpose, but he couldn’t stop him because—God damn it! Why is he so damn strong?
Struggling to break the beggar's grip, he went to strike the beggars neck. But it was futile..
'Huh?' Tang Bo blinked, and process what had happened, 'Was the way I strike always this weak?'
He stroke the beggar again, but it only seemed like a feeble poke—the beggar didn't even notice that Tang Bo stroke him, and that frustrated him.
'This makes no sense?' He mused, still confuse by what was happening, 'Since when have I ever been delicate?'
With questions on his mind, he tried to open his mouth to ask the beggar, but he was panting heavily that words couldn't be formed.
Eh?
Him? Panting?
Shockingly, he was growing exhausted. But Tang Bo had only been running for a few meters—and it's not even a run, It was more of a hasty walk than anything, and he, the Dark Saint, was getting breathless by this nonsense? Clearly, this wasn't normal.
As they leave the narrowed hallway, the dim light slowly shined brightly above him. The shouts of noises grew louder, and clearer as they walked passed through multiple people that has an appearance of both a merchant, and thugs.
He tried to focused his mind to the environment, but he could feel the fatigue creeping in his body.
'When is this walk going to end!!' Tang Bo screamed silence.
For what felt like an eternity, the two beggars finally arrived at their destination.
"Gu Chil, Myeong-Suk's here" The beggar voiced, gesturing at Tang Bo.
The beggar named Gu Chil took a glance on Tang Bo, well.. Myeong-suk who looks to be on a verge of dying.
"..."
Gu Chil stood silently, observing Tang Bo with a tilted head, and slowly glance at the beggar with a disappointed gaze.
"Ha jun-ah.. Why does Myeong-suk look crippled..?"
"What do you mean? We only ran in a minute, He looks fine-" as the beggar named Ha jun leisurely looked at Myeong-suk, His eyes widen in confusion.
Myeong-suk really looks like he's about to die..
Hm..
...
"Are you constipated?" Ha Jun asked.
Veins popped in Tang Bo's head as Ha jun spoke.
'No, This crazy bastard! Are you looking for a death wish!?'
With Tang Bo's eye shooting fireballs. Ha Jun quickly ignore from his gaze, and picked on his ears as he whistles.
Gu chil narrowed his eyes, frowning at the situation uncovering in front of him. He soon scratched his neck, and spoke to Ha jun.
"Ha jun-ah.. You do know that Myeong-suk has an illness, right? you can't just let him run-" But before Gu chil can finish his sentence a thunderous voice echoed.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTT???????????" Tang Bo screamed, and suddenly lunges at Gu Chil with blood shutted eyes, "ILLNESSSSSSSSSS???? MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE???????"
Eh? Myeong-suk?? why are you surprised?
Shouldn't you be the one who knows it best?
Bewildered by Tang Bo's sudden outraged, the two beggars can only stare at Tang Bo as he huffs. Tang Bo wanted to talk, he NEEDED to talk, but he wasn't able to speak as he was out of breath.
He can only scream internally.
'I have an illness?????'
'Me? MMEEEEEEEEEEE??????? The Dark saint!?!?!?!?'
"Hahaha!" Tang Bo cackled, 'This is insane'
Tang Bo's eyes twitched at the thought of The Dark Saint, who was not only known for his sharp daggers, and deadly poisons, but for his knowledge on medicine that could save lives of a hundreds of soldiers. The Dark Saint? Him? having an ILLNESS?????????
"Hahahaah!" He laughed more maniacally, the two beggars that were with him began to sweat as they continued to watch Myeong-suk (Tang Bo) turning deranged.
But Tang Bo couldn't careless of what their thoughts were, and quickly inspected his body. Other than being frail, there wasn't anything particularly wrong with it.
No major injuries, no more blurry visions, Though he does feel exhausted.
His dantian however—was broken.
He stopped himself from laughing, and widened his eyes in shock as he looked at the broken Dantian circulating inside his body. Silence greeted the air yet again, and he was getting used to it at this point.
It was fortunate that it was not an illness, however—a broken Dantian was not something you can recover from easily, let alone fix it.
Thankfully it wasn't too shattered, but in spite of that, this can still be heavily injured in the near future if he wasn't careful.
But, could he really promise that? Being cautious?
After everything he went through? After witnessing several deaths of his brethren? After seeing the loss of countless families, and children?
Could he surely stay still, and idly?
'I don't even know if hyung is still alive'
Tang Bo suddenly flinches at his thoughts, his mouth slightly trembling.
And as if the world decreased it's speed, everything moved slowly. Every single moment captured in a frame of a second.
Tang Bo didn't noticed the sudden shift of motion. He shouldn't.
Beyond everything that had happened, He's supposed to be dead. He 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 be dead.
It didn't made any sense for him to be here, standing on his own.
Wasn't this his imagination playing with him? Was this truly reality?
Tang Bo slowly looked at the sky as the sun vividly glow from above.
He couldn't deny it. This was neither a fantasy, nor a weird dream. Everything felt too real. His entire body was throbbing with pain, after all.
He closes his eyes shut, and then place his hands on the chest as he breathes the air, "I've returned.." He acknowledge, a slight smile was formed as he speaks.
'This must be the devil's work.. Was is it a resurrection? No.. maybe a Buddhist reincarnation?'
The question didn't matter, he has finally returned from the pits of hell.
The internal qi may be shattered, but panicking about it won't fix anything.
As long as he's alive, there's nothing that can stop him.
'I can fix the qi as I move along' Tang Bo thought.
He quickly looked at Gu Chil with determination, "Is the Heavenly demon still alive?" Tang Bo asked with confidence.
Bonus Sketch of the 3 goons
