Aiden let out a small chuckle, ruffling her hair.
Ti was cruel.
In a few years, she would outgrow this mont.
A ti would co when patting her head would be inappropriate.
"…I see."
"…Yes."
"Then sit with for a bit. The moon is quite bright tonight."
Even though Vera returned late at night, Marcus did not scold her.
He had simply waited—seated on the steps in front of Blooming Peak Pavilion's main gate.
Naturally, Vera saw him the mont she crossed the training grounds.
"…Senior Brother?"
"You're back. I heard everything."
"…Ah. I am sorry for causing you concern."
"It's fine."
Marcus sighed, rubbing his face before patting the empty space beside him.
"If you're not too tired, could we talk for a bit?"
"Yes. Of course."
Straightening her robes, Vera quietly took a seat beside him.
Like master, like disciple—
Marcus was also gazing at the moon.
A fully swollen full moon.
It glowed with a chilling radiance.
Tonight, its light seed colder than ever.
"I enjoy watching the moon, but I can never quite grasp its nature."
Marcus muttered.
Vera listened.
"Sotis, it glows warm and golden… Other tis, it shines cold and blue, like steel."
"Yes, that happens from ti to ti."
"Tonight, it is blue."
"…Yes."
Marcus claid the moonlight was unpredictable.
But to Vera, it was his words that were difficult to understand.
Why was he speaking about the moon?
More importantly—
Why was he keeping her here?
"I heard you fought Dark Emperor and won."
"…Ah. It just turned out that way."
"It didn't just turn out that way."
At Marcus's remark, Vera lowered her gaze.
She could only stare at her feet, unable to offer an excuse.
She had used her Innate True energy.
That ant she had willingly crossed a river she could never return from.
By all rights, she should have died.
Or at the very least, been crippled, her martial arts forever lost.
The problem was…
Vera was already widely known as Suncrest's prodigy.
"You are the pride of all of us, Vera."
"…I know."
"But that is not the issue."
Fa and recognition ant nothing to Marcus.
What had troubled him—and what had made him angry—
Was that Vera had not considered her own life.
"We've always told you, haven't we? I am your Senior Brother, and we are your Martial Siblings."
"Yes…."
"Then tell —
If you had already decided to leave us behind, what were we supposed to do?"
Vera bit her lip.
Should she simply listen?
Or should she explain?
After a brief hesitation, she chose honesty.
"…I had no other choice."
"No other choice?"
"Yes. Lord Everstone and Master of the Void Fist had entered to help . Both fell to Dark Emperor's blade.
Had I done nothing, he would have escaped the secluded training cave and killed my master and Aria."
"…Why didn't you leave it to Master?"
Vera shook her head.
Then, she t Marcus's gaze head-on.
Dark, unwavering eyes.
For a brief mont, Marcus felt as though his very soul was being laid bare.
"…I would have died either way."
"…What are you saying?"
"No matter what I did—
Dark Emperor would have killed ."
And she was right.
He was an assassin.
A rciless killer, one who murdered even when unnecessary.
"So, knowing I would die either way, I chose to struggle to the end."
"…I see. Because Great Master Thorne was coming, you only needed to hold on."
If she could stall Dark Emperor until Great Master Thorne arrived—
Then that monster would never escape into the world again.
And most importantly—
Her death would not have been aningless.
If she was fated to die,
If she was destined to be slain by Dark Emperor, then—
Was it not better to burn through everything she had?
To drag him down with her?
Marcus understood her reasoning.
He read between the lines, piecing together her thought process.
And in the end—
He realized that, had he been in her position,
He would have done the sa.
And with that understanding,
He could no longer scold her.
He could only sigh, his lingering worry refusing to fade.
"…I understand. Had it been , I would have done the sa. I have no right to chastise you."
"…Thank you for understanding."
"Still… I am relieved that you made it back safely. Immortal Pharmacist must have done sothing."
Marcus only knew that Great Master Thorne had taken Vera to Immortal Pharmacist.
Beyond that—
Even Aiden did not know what had happened.
Even now, Vera remained silent.
She had made a promise to Great Master Thorne—
A promise she had kept even from Aiden.
She could not break it now, even in response to Marcus's questioning.
"…It is difficult for to say."
"I see…."
"It is not that I do not trust you, Senior Brother. Nor is it that I refuse to tell you. But Great Master has asked that those who wish to know co to him directly."
"Great Master said that?"
"…Yes."
Most likely, Aiden would go.
He would learn the truth and relay it back to the rest.
At the very least, even if the others remained unaware, Marcus knew that Aiden would tell him.
There was no need to rush.
And if Great Master Thorne had given direct orders for secrecy, then there was surely a reason.
But still…
He couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Most of all—
He had seen Vera supporting Great Master Thorne as they returned.
Sothing had definitely happened.
Sothing beyond imagination.
Great Master Thorne was the undisputed second strongest in all of Martial World.
Unless the Sword Sovereign himself stepped forward, there should not have been a single person capable of forcing him into such a state.
Even if Dark Emperor had fought him, there was no way he could have won in a direct battle.
Their martial compatibility, their levels of cultivation—
The gap between them was too great.
Marcus studied Vera carefully.
Though he could not be certain, her energy felt… stronger.
Even stronger than before she had left for Everstone Clan.
None of this made sense.
She had exhausted her Innate True energy—and yet she had returned even stronger. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire
anwhile, Great Master Thorne, who should have been able to easily handle Dark Emperor, had returned weakened.
And by all accounts, Great Master Thorne had not even fought.
Vera had defeated Dark Emperor on her own.
Logically, Innate True energy could not be transferred.
Even among the strongest of martial artists—
No one could pass on the very essence of their life to another.
Yet—
A single, unthinkable, terrifying possibility took root in Marcus's mind.
If… Innate True energy could be transferred—
His thoughts stalled.
The mont Immortal Pharmacist entered his calculations, his face paled.
"…Vera. Tell … did Great Master Thorne…?"
"Senior Brother."
Vera called his na softly.
Tears welled in her eyes.
Slowly, she shook her head.
"…I see."
Her dark eyes shimred under the moonlight.
And in them, Marcus saw an unshakable sense of debt and sorrow.
This was a burden Vera would carry for life.
So debts were too great.
So kindnesses could never be repaid.
And sotis…
That alone was enough to crush a person's heart.
"…May I go inside now?"
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
She bowed her head, hiding her tears.
Marcus let out a small, bitter chuckle and pulled a handkerchief from his robes.
He placed it in her hands, then stood up first.
"Go ahead. Collect yourself before coming in. Ethan and the others are probably still awake."
"…Understood."
The other disciples would not think deeply.
They would simply celebrate her return.
But in her current state, Vera would struggle to accept their joy.
So Marcus went ahead first—
Giving her the ti she needed to wipe her tears.
"What are they even talking about for so long?"
Ethan mumbled, resting his chin on the window fra.
Behind him, Noah smirked and smacked the back of his head.
"Ahhh!"
"What are you peeking at? You already heard the gist of it. Senior Brother is just comforting her."
"Comforting? But she defeated Dark Emperor. Shouldn't she be celebrating?"
Ethan was simple-minded as always.
As Jace and Dylan sighed beside him, he realized he might have said sothing stupid.
But his pride refused to let him admit it.
"…Hey, am I wrong? I an, isn't it true?"
"She exhausted her Innate True energy, Ethan."
Jace muttered quietly.
Yet, Ethan still wasn't convinced.
"Okay, but she's fine now, isn't she? Maybe she had so fortuitous encounter?"
"Fortuitous encounters don't just appear conveniently. Sothing must have happened…."
At that mont—
The door slid open.
Marcus stepped inside, glancing at the group still gathered by the window.
Letting out a deep sigh, he spoke.
"…Light the candles."
"Eh? You're not going to scold us for being up this late?"
Ethan tilted his head.
Marcus chuckled as he started lighting the room's candles himself.
"Youngest Disciple is back. We should welco her properly."
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