If white qi represents life, then black qi signifies death.

Rohwa, who has inherently known both life and death within her, could instinctively sense something.

Right now, the White Dragon Castle is filled with a mix of life and death energies.

"Could it be that you..."

Rohwa's agitation inadvertently slipped out, prompting a smirk from the Demon King.

Bang!

Rohwa immediately flung open the doors of White Hall.

Kyaaah!

A corpse with gouged-out eyes approached her.

Just as the staggering corpse's outstretched hand nearly reached Rohwa's nose.

Swoosh-

A black wind blew, and the corpse that had lunged at Rohwa hit the ground.

"You should be careful."

The Demon King casually smiled and gently floated the black energy.

However, that wasn't Rohwa's concern. She just gazed at the scene unfolding before her eyes without a hint of shock.

"......"

Countless corpses, having lost their selves, were rampaging through White Dragon Castle.

Rohwa momentarily lost her words at the sight of these soullessly howling figures.

Her head felt as if doused with cold water, chilling her thoughts.

"Did you have to go this far?"

"Isn't this the proper level for a welcome ceremony?"

The Demon King parried Rohwa's question with another question as he approached.

"When a victorious general returns, all the warriors in the fortress would greet him with their swords drawn."

"......"

"I'm merely continuing that tradition. What seems to be the problem?"

The Demon King, seemingly intrigued, raised one corner of his mouth and glanced at Rohwa with a sly look.

"It's not even violating our agreement."

-It seems our promise is being duly honored... Is there a problem?

He mimicked Rohwa's words with a sarcastic tone.

"Ha..."

Rohwa chuckled bitterly and turned away.

"What exactly are you trying to do?"

The rampaging corpses were not ordinary individuals.

They were people who had willingly sacrificed their lives for the glory of the White Flower Kingdom and Gion's comrades who had survived Biryu and were thrown into the Valley of Snow.

Gion would never suppress them.

So, what now?

No matter the conjecture, no conclusion could be drawn.

She could only glare at the Demon King with wide-open eyes.

"......"

The Demon King gazed back at Rohwa, her red eyes flashing amidst the swirling black energy.

Despite abandoning any semblance of refined dignity, her unwavering poise didn't appear vulgar but rather dignified.

"I didn't particularly plan to do anything."

The Demon King crossed his arms, seemingly out of boredom.

"Well... I guess this is enough."

The Demon King disappeared into the shadows.

At that moment.

Kraaak!

A massively bodied soldier charged at Rohwa.

Sssss.

Rohwa firmly gripped the long sword wrapped in black energy.

"I'm sorry."

*Swish!*

Though the sword stroke resembled a smooth dance, the thick neck of the soldier was cleanly severed.

The strike was so swift that the soldier couldn't even scream.

"......"

As the comrade's head fell, the surrounding soldiers' gazes fixated on Rohwa.

*Srrrng.*

Moonlight settled on the long sword stained with rotten blood.

The black sword was so dark that it even harbored deep blue hues.

"I'll make it quick."

Kyaaah!

Numerous demons began to scream violently, as if in fierce protest.

*Thud.*

The heart.

Slice.

The aorta.

*Swish.*

The dantian.

*Swoosh.*

The mangled brain.

Carefully selecting only the areas where life could cease instantly and the pain would be somewhat lesser.

*Crunch!*

The blade was forcefully driven in.

"......"

Rotten blood soaked into her white hair.

The dirty blood flowing over her hand made her fingers sticky.

Perhaps because she stood still, only slicing through the charging soldiers.

Rotten blood pooled and flowed beneath Rohwa's feet.

Rohwa looked at her own reflection in the crimson puddle.

Could it be said that the Demon King insulted these soldiers?

Rohwa didn't think so.

"... Would the Snowy Valley have been a better place for you?"

Ultimately, the fact that they were in White Dragon Castle in such a state was due to Rohwa's choices.

But she couldn't stop the blade.

Even if they seemed alive, frantically lashing out, they were dead.

Quickly swinging the sword to free the soldiers from the boundary between life and death was the best she could do.

Rohwa inhaled deeply and lifted her head.

As Rohwa raised her sword.

A streak of light spread through the darkness.

*Splash.*

Rohwa stepped towards the spreading light.

"......"

Gion stood solemnly amidst the chaos.

Gion's deep, abyss-like black eyes met hers.

You saw it.

You must have seen clearly how I swung the blade and killed our comrades.

And Gion...

Would never avert his gaze.

*Crunch.*

Rohwa exerted all her strength into the hand, gripping the long sword.

*Swoosh!*

Blood spurted from the back of a soldier crawling on the ground, facing away from Rohwa.

A solemn silence flowed amidst the howling corpses.

Rohwa frowned and flicked off the blood sticking to her body with disgust.

Looking at those lost in madness, floating through White Dragon Castle, she sighed and stopped in her tracks.

*Thud.*

Then, Gion approached.

His expression showed neither resentment nor blame, just moving his steps calmly.

But Rohwa's eyes trembled mercilessly at the sight of him.

"What are you doing..."

A young soldier thrust a knife into Gion's side.

A soldier without legs clutched at Gion's ankle, crying out in agony.

A soldier without arms bit his shoulder, and flesh tore off at the touch of a soldier whose nails had come off.

Yet, Gion just walked.

He didn't throw a single punch with the long sword sheathed, not even once.

He didn't fling away a single one of the soldiers rushing at him as if they found prey.

He merely received their cries of agony, approaching Rohwa gracefully.

"Why go to such lengths?"

It was brief, but Rohwa's expression clearly contorted.

*Swish!*

Rohwa cut the throat of a soldier targeting her side.

"......"

Gion didn't turn his head even as the back of his neck was stained with blood from a stone hit.

*Thud.*

Rohwa's long sword pierced the heart of a soldier writhing at her feet.

"Have you forgotten that these people are dead?"

"......"

"They're merely corpses. Not living beings."

Yes, they are dead.

This is something Gion knew far better.

They died in front of Gion a hundred years ago; how could he not know?

Gion silently agreed with Rohwa's words, not stopping his steps.

*Splash.*

Gion stepped into a puddle formed from the pooled blood.

The sensation, devoid of any warmth, seeped in.

"Were we unable to treat them any better than this?"

He wasn't angry.

It wasn't a tone of blame.

If it were, perhaps it could have been understood, but Gion just questioned faintly.

"Didn't we have the capacity to lay them in graves instead of a granary?"

"......"

As Rohwa silently stared at Gion, he continued.

"You must have brought their bodies from the Snowy Valley."

*Slice.*

Gion gently pulled out the blade Rohwa had thrust into a soldier's heart with his bare hands.

Red blood dripped down from the soldier's heart.

"I'll finish this."

*Crunch!*

Rohwa pressed down the sword that Gion was trying to pull out.

The sensation of Gion's skin being cut by the sharp blade was vividly conveyed to Rohwa.

"Finish what?"

As the rotten heart was crushed, Gion's blood flowed down the sword.

However, Gion did not let go of the blade.

"I'm just trying to do what I couldn't finish before."

*Swoosh!*

Rohwa forcefully pulled out the sword.

The warm blood of Gion mixed with the rotten blood, splattering on Rohwa's cheek.

Neither warm nor cold, the tepidness soaked into her skin.

Rohwa wiped the blood from her cheek with her collar.

"Is there anything you can do? They are already dead."

"......"

Gion, without looking at the wound in his hand, quietly walked past Rohwa.

Without uttering a word, he just left crimson footprints as he moved forward.

'That place is...'

Hwayang Palace. (Flower-Blossoming Palace)

The highest palace within White Dragon Castle.

Unlike the White Hall, a place no one could enter without an imperial decree.

It was where the royal family lived.

Creak.

The firmly closed doors of the palace opened at Gion's touch.

A splendid royal hall unfolded before his eyes.

The delicate silk path was densely embroidered with gold threads, shining brilliantly.

"......"

Gion stepped into the royal hall.

The floor was so thickly layered with soft fabric that even the sound of footsteps was barely audible.

The space was so vast that Gion seemed small inside it.

A high ceiling that reminded one of the sky and walls glowing with the color of white jade...

Gion stood solemnly at the center of the royal hall.

'Why in Hwayang Palace-'

Before Rohwa could complete her thought.

"Unyielding Surrender. There's no retreat when life is at stake on the battlefield!"

Amidst the desperate cries, a strong voice resonated clearly.

The aimless, rampaging soldiers turned their heads towards Gion.

So was Rohwa.

[Under General Gion's command, all soldiers regained their morale.]

Why did that phrase come to mind?

The phrase is written in the report she received about the battlefield situation.

"The noble ones carrying the glory of the White Flower Kingdom on their backs."

A night where the moon was hidden behind clouds.

There, Gion stood, emitting a brilliant light amidst the darkness.

"Come to this place immediately."

Kyaaah!

All the soldiers rushed towards Hwayang Palace as if enchanted.

Gion calmly waited for the charging soldiers.

He firmly held his ground amidst countless attacks as if determined not to abandon a single one without haste or anxiety.

He simply waited calmly for all the soldiers to enter Hwayang Palace. He was simply watching them.

The moment the last soldier stepped into Hwayang Palace.

*Sssss.*

Gion drew his sword from the sheath.

The long sword was imbued with white energy, shining brightly.

Gion, gripping the sword firmly, murmured,

"... You've been through a lot."

His gentle voice softly faded away.

-I must have contributed to the glory of White Flower Kingdom, right?

Of course.

-If it's for protecting the country, what wouldn't we do?

Noble.

-Even if it costs our lives if the White Flower Kingdom remains peaceful, we have no regrets.

Sacred.

-It's fortunate if a humble one like me could be of any help.

Heroes.

They are already dead.

No trace of the energy of life can be felt from them.

They can't be brought back to life or engage in conversation anymore.

But their deaths should not end with death.

It can't just end like that.

The death of these heroes must be borne by those who are still alive.

That's the respect owed to heroes.

These noble ones deserve to be laid to rest here.

*Kwaang!*

The walls of Hwayang Palace crumbled instantly under the white energy wielded by Gion.

The sky-high ceiling collapsed, sending up clouds of dust.

For the first time since the foundation of the nation, the royal palace crumbled.

"......"

*Crunch.*

Rohwa thrust her long sword into the ground to support herself.

The royal palace of the White Flower Kingdom, Hwayang Palace, where the royal family lived, had collapsed under the white energy.

*Thud.*

A shadow, embracing light amidst the swirling debris, walked out majestically.

Even amidst the stormy dust, not a hint of trembling, but with a brilliance so intense it could blind.

Rohwa, with her eyes bloodshot, silently watched the approaching shadow.

As the shadow drew nearer, its form became clearer.

Against the backdrop of the collapsed Hwayang Palace, a resolute voice echoed.

"We can do at least this much for them, right?"

Gion, battered and bruised, faced Rohwa.

"I couldn't think of a more fitting tomb than this."