Published at 27th of August 2026 7:15 pm

Chapter CH.1127: The World of Ascension (57)

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Running Away?

The words Namgung Hyung had just spoken lingered in my ears. Running away?

‘No way...’

Had this guy lost his mind?

I could only stare at him blankly, unable to form a response.

It wasn’t just the fact that Namgung Hyung was saying he was going to run away.

‘I already knew this was going to happen.’

Namgung Hyung was destined to become The Strange in the future. I already knew he would escape from the Namgung family to make that happen.

‘But he’s going to do it now?’

What caught me off guard was the fact that he was trying to do this now.

So suddenly. And right at the start of the Namgung family's banquet? This was...

‘Ah.’

A realization struck me. This guy, could he be...

‘Is he deliberately planning this to coincide with the banquet?’

It seemed like he had been waiting for the right moment, and now that the time had come, he was going for it. Since everyone was busy celebrating, there was no better time to act—security would be at its weakest.

So he was using that opportunity to make his escape.

“...And you want me to help with that?”

He wanted me to help him run away?

"That's right. So? Sounds good, right?"

"Does that sound good to you, you idiot?"

First, he asked me to take his side—and now this?

"How the hell am I supposed to help with that?"

"Why? Just help me out a little."

"...Do you not realize that I'm here as a guest?"

And not just any guest—I was here as a representative of the Martial Alliance. And now this guy was asking me to help a blood relative of the Namgung family run away? There was no crazier request than this.

‘If I got caught helping him...’

It would be a huge hassle, that much was obvious. There was no telling how bad things would get if I got involved.

"Hmm... So it's impossible?"

"...Impossible, my ass. The fact that you even thought this would work is the problem."

"I thought it would work if you helped. Ah, but even if you don’t, I was going to do it anyway."

"That means?"

"It doesn’t matter if you help or not. Just stay quiet."

Namgung Hyung smiled brightly.

"I have to get out of this hell tonight, no matter what."

"..."

Hell.

That word made my eyes narrow.

"There's no other day. If it's not today... I don’t know what I’ll end up doing."

He was smiling as he said it, but there was nothing pleasant about the emotions in his voice. The thick, turbulent feelings buried within him scratched at my insides.

"Anyway, you can at least do that much, right?"

"..."

I didn’t answer. I just let out a sigh.

Just staying quiet—that was the easiest thing to do.

Even as I reminded myself of that, I found myself asking Namgung Hyung,

"...If I were to help, what would I need to do?"

"Oh?"

Namgung Hyung's eyes widened at my question.

**********

At this hour, while the banquet continued, the Namgung household was still lively, the festivities refusing to die down despite the deepening night.

Of course, some warriors were still on guard duty, patrolling as per orders. But their numbers were significantly lower than usual.

In terms of proportion, at least thirty percent of the usual guards were absent.

Namgung Hyung and I were slowly making our way around the buildings.

More precisely, we were using a secret passage.

Our destination?

None other than the storage vault.

"...Let’s see here."

As soon as we arrived, Namgung Hyung started looking around. His eyes darted from place to place before he confidently strode forward and picked something up.

‘So this is what he came to get.’

I checked what he had grabbed. Noe-a.

Namgung Hyung had come to retrieve Noe-a.

"...Are you really planning to take that with you?"

I asked as I watched him carefully securing the blade. His lips twisted into a sulky expression.

"I honestly don't want to, but I made a promise."

"With who?"

"Someone. A cranky old man."

"..."

I didn’t even need to ask to know who it was.

‘Noecheon Ilgeom.’

Noecheon Ilgeom.

He must have come to take the guy sealed inside Noe-a.

Had he already made a deal to do this for the Namgung family's sword at this point?

I wasn’t sure, but that was probably the case. After all, before the Demon Sword Queen took the blade, its rightful owner had been The Strange.

But there was something that didn’t sit right with me.

‘...The past has already changed, so shouldn’t Noe-a be left behind?’

The Strange had once said that he had been forced to take Noe-a due to unavoidable circumstances.

I vaguely recalled that when he had caused a huge incident within the Namgung family, Noe-a had helped him.

‘But that’s not the case now.’

If he was planning to run away now, there should be no need to take Noe-a.

Then why?

I couldn’t understand it, but I didn’t ask.

After securing Noe-a, Namgung Hyung turned to me.

"Let’s go."

"..."

I led him outside. We moved carefully, avoiding the patrolling guards. Even though their numbers had decreased, there were still quite a few of them. However, with my help in concealing our presence, it wasn’t too difficult.

"So, what’s the escape plan?"

Back in our quarters, I asked Namgung Hyung. Helping him was one thing, but did he actually have a plan?

Namgung Hyung answered with complete confidence.

"Oh, of course."

He spoke as we walked toward the storage vault. Then, he lifted a cloth beside it.

Underneath—

"What the hell is this?"

There was a hole. A small, dug-out hole.

"This is the escape tunnel I've been digging for three years."

"...You dug this for three years?"

It was deep and long—and he had been digging this for three years straight?

‘A direct blood relative of a prestigious clan...?’

This guy was seriously out of his mind.

But there was one problem.

"If you dug this, then why do you even need my help?"

If he was just planning to crawl through the tunnel, what did he need me for?

"Well, I did dig it, but... I didn’t finish it all the way."

Namgung Hyung gave me an awkward smile.

"Once I get out, I’ll end up near an alleyway close to the entrance. I’ll need a bit of help from there."

An alleyway?

"And even that needs my help?"

Couldn’t he just run once he got out?

"Oh. It’s near the armory."

"..."

Ah.

That explained everything.

Since the exit was near the armory, it was heavily guarded. That meant escaping would be tough, so he needed my help.

"...If you were going to dig a tunnel, why dig there? Why not just go straight for the entrance?"

"Do you think digging a tunnel underground is easy? You can’t even see where you're going! This is already a damn good job!"

Namgung Hyung shouted indignantly.

I had to admit, he had a point.

So...

‘That means I have to go down into that hole with him...?’

This was the reality—I would have to crawl through that tunnel with Namgung Hyung.

"Alright, let’s go!"

Namgung Hyung excitedly jumped into the hole first.

"..."

Watching him disappear into the tunnel, I let out a deep sigh.

Ah. I shouldn't have agreed to this.

Regret hit me like a tidal wave.

**********

A Three-Year Tunnel

The tunnel Namgung Hyung had spent three years digging was, unsurprisingly, quite long.

It wasn’t neatly dug, either—whatever he had used to carve it out clearly wasn’t meant for the job. The uneven walls made crawling through it a grueling task, and I was already exhausted from moving forward at such a slow pace.

“How much farther?”

“Just a little more?”

“You said that a while ago.”

“It’s just your imagination.”

No matter how many times I asked out of sheer frustration, Namgung Hyung’s answer remained the same. Damn it...

He’d said it wouldn’t take long. And yet, here I was, still crawling through this miserable tunnel like an idiot for trusting him.

‘Ugh, this dust...’

How much longer did I have to suffer in this dirty, suffocating space?

Honestly, if I had my way, I’d just blow everything up and walk out of here.

A single burst of flame would do the trick.

I gritted my teeth and forced myself to keep going. I crawled and crawled, until—

“Oh... there it is.”

Namgung Hyung’s voice carried a hint of excitement.

Hearing that, I lifted my head slightly from behind him.

‘Light.’

Moonlight filtered through an opening ahead.

That must be the exit.

Finally. We were finally getting out of here.

I picked up my pace, heading straight for the opening.

“I’ll go first and check the area. Wait for my signal before coming up,” Namgung Hyung instructed before climbing out.

I stayed put, waiting for the signal.

But.

‘...What?’

There was no signal.

I couldn’t hear anything.

Did something happen? Had he been caught? Just as those thoughts crossed my mind—

“Oh, come up.”

Namgung Hyung’s voice came, sounding off—like he was startled.

What the hell?

Following his signal, I climbed out of the tunnel.

“Ptui.”

I spat out the dirt that had gotten into my mouth and dusted myself off. After shaking the dirt from my hair, I opened my eyes—

And froze.

“.......”

“......Hahaha.”

Namgung Hyung was on his knees.

He turned to me with an awkward smile.

The atmosphere was off.

Sensing that, I instinctively turned my head—

A warm gust of air brushed against my skin.

I shifted my gaze toward the source of the breeze.

And saw—

“......You’ve got to be kidding me.”

A chair.

Someone had brought a chair and set it down.

And sitting on that chair was a young man.

His crimson eyes burned like embers, his massive frame impossible to ignore.

Even seated, his presence loomed over us.

His sharp gaze was locked onto us, sending an undeniable sense of pressure through the air.

And his identity was—

‘Father...?’

It was my father.

The Vice Commander of the Azure Dragon Division—Divine Dragon Gu Cheolwoon.

His eyes, piercing and unwavering, bore into me and Namgung Hyung.

‘What the hell? Why is he here?’

Why was Father sitting here of all places?

I widened my eyes in disbelief.

Right then—

“......Ah, shit...”

Namgung Hyung muttered, his voice filled with frustration.

“......Looks like your sister-in-law betrayed us.”

“......What?”

And out of nowhere, Hyun Soyeon’s name came out of his mouth.

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