쥐뿔도 없는 회귀

목마
“We’re here.”

The carriage stopped. The man inside the carriage got off and placed something in the
coachman’s hands.

“Oh my. Why all this?”

The coachman received the money from the man while smiling widely.

His destination was also on the way anyway, and all he did was give him a ride in his
carriage.

Of course, he didn’t do it out of pure goodwill. He had hoped for a certain price in
exchange, but the money that the man handed him had far exceeded his expectations.

“By the way. Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the forest.”

The man replied, raising his gat. His face looked quite young, but the youthful aura
was long gone.

However, the coachman failed to see the dissonance engraved in the young man’s eyes.
He looked at the man and nodded his head.

“It’s a lot. Well, I’ll take it, but……”

The coachman muttered and turned his head.

“The forest. The rumors about that place aren’t too pleasant, though…”

He knew.
He was already aware of it.

Lee Sungmin turned to look at the departing carriage. After leaving Shaolin, there was
still time left to stop Baek Sogo’s death.

He couldn’t waste much time, but he shouldn’t rush either. If Baek Sogo was determined
in her pursuit of Wijihoyeon, then even if Lee Sungmin intervened, he wouldn’t be able
to prevent her from making a move.

It might be possible to stop her using force, but Lee Sungmin didn’t want to do that. It
was because there was no justification for him to make Baek Sogo go against her beliefs.

In order to spend the remaining time efficiently, Lee Sungmin thought of the things he
had to do in the future.

Contact Envirus.

Envirus was the one that Denir mentioned. The one whose flow of time was distorted
in a way that was different from him. He was also the one who spent 1000 years under
Denir’s trial.

It wasn’t just Envirus. While in secluded cultivation at Denir’s place, Lee Sungmin
heard the names of the others who had succeeded in passing the trials before him.

‘There was no familiar name among them.’

Lee Sungmin felt it was strange. Anyone who has succeeded in overcoming the trial in
the subconscious world should be famous to some extent, at least in Eria.

But Lee Sungmin had never heard of Envirus or the other two.

Although it bothered him, Lee Sungmin first sought information on Envirus through
Erebrisa.

His luck was good. This forest was not far from the Dungeon, where Wijihoyeon and
Baek Sogo were supposed to meet, so he could stop by, on the way without too much
issue.

Lee Sungmin’s footsteps stopped in front of the forest.

It was called the Sleeping Forest.

The information on Envirus purchased from Erebrisa was incomplete.

He seemed to be a figure that the information guild could not find easily. The information
he managed to get was that a year ago, in a nearby city, a man with the name Envirus
on his merchant’s plaque had come by.

It was said that he had stayed in the city for a month and told the inspection checkpoint
that he would be going to the sleeping forest when asked while leaving the city gates.

‘It was a year ago. I don’t know if he’s still in that forest.’

The Lee Sungmin of the past would never have entered the sleeping forest. As the
coachman said, that forest was a dangerous place.

Lee Sungmin moved without hesitation toward the forest. He grabbed the spear on his
back, and stretched out his foot into the entrance of the forest.

He had taken a few more steps when suddenly, a noise appeared in his ear.

‘Wailing?’

(T/N: 鬼鸣 gui ming, aka ghost’s cry. Lit. ghost sounds)

He wasn’t so stupid as to enter the forest without knowing anything about it.

When he decided to go there, Lee Sungmin bought information about the forest from
Erebrisa.

Hallucinations were the first threat one encounters in the Sleeping Forest. The ghostly
cry heard at the beginning of the forest would cause light dizziness in adults and
frighten children.

The deeper one goes into the forest, the stronger the effect. By the time one reaches
the end, an adult person would completely lose their mind and collapse.

And that collapsed body would become the food of those who live in the forest.

That was why the sleeping forest was dangerous. One would not go into the sleeping
forest unless they were quite the crazy person.

Even in the memories of Lee Sungmin’s previous life, the Sleeping Forest was an
abandoned area people spoke of in hushed tones.

However, Lee Sungmin moved forward without any hesitation. The cry of ghosts ringing
in his ear was very annoying, but it could not shake his determined spirit.

He didn’t know where he was headed, but he felt more interest and curiosity than fear.

The deeper the forest, the stronger the cry.

Lee Sungmin did not hurry.

If he used a movement technique, he might be able to cross the forest at once, but Lee
Sungmin’s purpose was to investigate Envirus, not to merely pass through the forest.

‘Even if I wanted to chase the traces…’

Lee Sungmin approached a nearby tree. The trees in the sleeping forest were so gnarled
and monstrous-looking that one could not tell what kind of species they were.

He reached out to see if there were any traces left on the tree.

The bark on the wooden surface was cracked and opened wide. What could be seen in
it were many rows of sharp teeth, densely-lined like those of a snail.

(T/N: fun fact! The average snail has more than 1,000 teeth used for scraping or cutting
food. Some species may have more than 20,000 teeth held in rows called radula. And
also I can no longer sleep knowing this *thumbs up*)

Lee Sungmin was not surprised at all. He clenched his fist.

Kwajik!

The fist that Lee Sungmin wielded struck the tree. No matter whether it was a tree or
a monster, the unknown creature didn’t even have time to scream and bend down.

“It’s such a strange place.”

It was his first time seeing such a monster. Lee Sungmin did not show any reaction
even though his hands were all torn up.

Even after seeing such an unexpected sight, his mind was still too far away. Lee Sungmin
passed the tree after tearing it apart.

The same thing repeated several times after that. Suddenly, a tree would appear, and
an unknown branch would soar up and poke him; and each time Lee Sungmin would
absentmindedly knock them down with his fists.

What’s with that bastard?

There were eyes watching Lee Sungmin.

They knew and could tell each other that Lee Sungmin had passed through the entrance
of the forest. However they weren’t speaking out loud. The elixir taken every hour
made them resistant to the confounding formation, but it deprived them of hearing.

Instead, they communicated through sign language.

‘I don’t know who he is. The important thing is that he is going inside.’

‘We can’t stop him.’

‘You should go and find out more about the intruder.’

Lee Sungmin looked at the two little boys who were talking.

The boy shook his hand to protest. He was miffed because of being treated like a child.

“There is something I want to ask.”

A sudden voice came over.

Hayato was surprised and turned around. Suddenly, he saw Lee Sungmin standing on
a branch on the other side of the tree they were hiding in.

“Don’t be surprised. I’m not blaming you for watching me. It’s just…”

Hayato didn’t listen to Lee Sungmin.

He hurriedly pulled out the dagger that he had behind his back and threw it at Lee
Sungmin.

Lee Sungmin had a grim face as he tilted his head to the side.

The dagger, flying with a fierce spirit, pierced the tree and cut it into two.

“Muroi!”

Hayato screamed. He couldn’t hear anything while leaping off the tree, but the sheer
urgency of Hayato’s cry was still obvious to him.

The youngest, Muroi, hurriedly flew under the tree.

“So I was saying… I just want to ask you something.”

Lee Sungmin muttered, not knowing they couldn’t hear him.

Hayato took out the dagger and rushed toward Lee Sungmin while grabbing it. While
Hayato went for a close-range attack, Kuromaru quickly made a sign.

‘This is quite……’

Pointing the dagger toward Lee Sungmin, he rushed forward. Lee Sungmin jumped
back to escape the dagger’s attack.

Lee Sungmin stretched out his foot and stepped onto the air in front of him.

Swiik!

Lee Sungmin’s figure disappeared from before Hayoto’s eyes. Hayato was embarrassed
and looked around.

Lee Sungmin, who had appeared behind Hayato’s back effortlessly, concentrated his
inner force and tapped Hayato lightly.

Hayato’s body trembled as though he was hit by a thunderbolt.

“So…… what I want to hear……”

When Lee Sungmin looked towards Kuromaru, his technique had already been
completed.

The talisman he threw out suddenly burst into flames, taking the form of a blazing red
firebird.

The flapping firebird tried to burn Lee Sungmin’s body along with Hayato, whom he
was currently holding.

“Why aren’t you listening?”

Lee Sungmin’s eyebrows twitched. He swung his right arm widely. The strong winds
caused the firebird to scatter in the air.

The surprised Kuromaru tried to summon the firebird using a talisman again, but Lee
Sungmin’s moves were faster than that.

Eventually, the two fell down in front of Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin sat down in front
of them and loosened his hold on Hayato so that he could speak.

“I have no intention of harming you.”

Lee Sungmin said with an amiable voice, but they couldn’t hear his voice.

Hayato opened his mouth wide and stood with glaring eyes.

“Tsk-tsk”

Right before Hayato tried to clamp down on his molars and break his jaw. Lee
Sungmin’s hand stretched out and grabbed his chin.

“You should listen while someone is talking nicely.”

Lee Sungmin grumbled, pushing his hand into Hayato’s jaw.

Lee Sungmin didn’t know that Hayato was hiding a suicide pill under his molars. He
just blocked it because it seemed like he was going to bite off his tongue and commit
suicide.

“Isn’t life precious? You shouldn’t throw it away so easily.”

Lee Sungmin gave strength to his grip on Hayato’s jaws. Hayato’s face turned white.

“Kkeuleuleuk!”

Hayato’s jaw was unhinged with a cracking sound. Lee Sungmin looked at Kuromaru
while ignoring Hayato, who was screaming because of his broken jaw.

Kuromaru, who still hadn’t recovered from the shock, stiffened when he looked at Lee
Sungmin.

“I just want to talk. Is that so hard?”

Lee Sungmin pressed down on him with a little force as he said that and then released
his hold on Kuromaru.

“W-we can’t hear anything.”

Kuromaru said in a hurry.

At those words, Lee Sungmin looked toward Hayato, blinking his eyes. Hayato had a
continuous stream of blood dripping down his chin.

“I see.”

Lee Sungmin accepted the answer without teasing them anymore. He picked a spot on
a nearby branch and sat down in front of Kuromaru.

“Hey. This reminds me of the old days. It’s been a few thousands of years.”

Lee Sungmin muttered those words and smiled.

Kuromaru watched Lee Sungmin and swallowed a gulp with a chill running down his
spine. He broke a person’s jaw just now and was smiling while reminiscing as if nothing
of that sort happened.

Lee Sungmin, as reflected in Kuromaru’s eyes, seemed to be quite far from a normal
human.

-Who are you?

Lee Sungmin wrote on the floor.

“W-we……”

It was at the moment when Kuromaru tried to speak. Lee Sungmin grabbed him by the
waist and rolled to the side.

Kwaaang!

A giant man fell on the place where Kuromaru had just been.

The ground looked like someone had just dug a pit and the trees around shook like
crazy. If Lee Sungmin had not moved Kuromaru, he would have been crushed by the
giant’s foot.

“Brat!”

Suddenly, the giant man screamed at Kuromaru.

“You dare to reveal the clan to foreigners!”

Kuromaru’s body trembled hearing those words.

Even if he could not hear the words, it was clearly written on the man’s fierce face
what he was saying.

Lee Sungmin stared at the giant and picked up a branch, quickly wrote on the floor.

– Is that big guy deaf too?

“Oh no. He’s- ”

“Shut up!”

Roared the giant man. He glanced at Hayato, who had collapsed nearby.

Unfortunately, Hayato had gotten caught up in the giant’s surprise attack and was lying
on his side with his intestines spilling out.

The man ignored Hayato and turned his head to look at Lee Sungmin.
“I don’t know who you are, but I can’t let you remain alive once you came in and saw us!”

“If you’re not deaf, let’s talk a little.”

Said Lee Sungmin. He was still speaking with no sense of crisis on his face, even in a
situation like this.

2100 years of seclusion. It was enough to make Lee Sungmin a little crazy.

Or perhaps it was a lot.

(T/N: biwon could also mean ‘secret garden’ usually in a palace)

A giant man rushed toward him. He had misunderstood and thought that Lee Sungmin
was still unaware of his presence. He didn’t know that it was a fatal misunderstanding
yet.

Lee Sungmin took the spear from behind his back. By the time he pulled the spear
forward, the man was already in front of him. The man struck his rock-like fist at the
body of Lee Sungmin.

Lee Sungmin stepped back a few steps to avoid getting crushed by the fist hurling
toward him, before moving faster than the fist, grabbing it with one hand and thrusting
his spear outward. The giant man’s arm got caught up in the rotation, and-

Ududuk!

There was a terrible sound. The giant stood still in shock as his sturdily built right arm
could be seen spraying blood and flying away.

“I thought you were supposed to be deaf.”

Lee Sungmin murmured. Even though he ripped off the man’s right arm, Lee Sungmin’s
expression was indifferent. The pupils looking up didn’t hold any emotion in them.

“Or so I heard…”

“Keueueuuu!”

The giant breathed heavily. He clenched his jaws with a face full of pain. Then he twisted
his body and shook his left fist. The torn–up flag in his fists proved that he was an
expert who had crossed the peak.

However, compared to Lee Sungmin, the giant’s level was not very high. Lee Sungmin
lifted his head and raised his spear.

It happened in an instant. A fast-paced, nearly invisible spear pierced through the

giant’s left shoulder. He flew back before he could scream and struck a tree as he fell.
The shocked tree, or more accurately, a monster in the shape of a tree, opened its mouth
and tried to chew the giant’s body.

“Kkeuaaak!”

The giant screamed as the tree bit his back. Lee Sungmin headed forward, and
Kuromaru shouted from behind him.

“P-please! Please save the elder!”

Lee Sungmin looked back and shook his head. Kuromaru hurriedly added.

“If you can save the elder… I will tell you everything I know.”

Lee Sungmin listened quietly and wrote on the floor with the spear he was holding.

– That’s strange. Didn’t that man try to kill you?

“Even so… He is like a teacher to me.”

It wasn’t really necessary for him to listen to Kuromaru. Even if that elder died, he was
confident that he would be able to beat Kuromaru and get the answer he wanted.

Lee Sungmin accepted Kuromaru’s request anyway. He took the elder’s body out from
the tree monster, which had been chewing his body, and healed his wounds. Kuromaru
looked at Lee Sungmin bandaging the ripped away right arm of the elder with frightened
eyes. The elder had already fainted and was not moving.

– Now let’s have a conversation.

Lee Sungmin wrote on the floor.

As Kuromaru had taken an elixir to resist his blindness, his hearing had not yet returned.
So Lee Sungmin demanded that he ‘tell him everything’ rather than annoying him by
writing it all down. Thanks to that, their conversation was very one-sided.
Kuromaru chattered, and Lee Sungmin just listened.

The name of the dead man was Hayato. Hayato was like a brother of Kuromaru since
childhood, but that wasn’t what Lee Sungmin wanted to know. It wasn’t Lee Sungmin
who killed Hayato.

The giant’s name was Nobuhiro. He was a master-like figure who had taught Kuromaru
and Hayato martial arts since they were children. But they didn’t seem like they were
his disciples.

– So you say you are all Japanese.

Eria summons people from all dimensions. Since there weren’t only Koreans on Earth,
people from all countries, including the Chinese, Japanese, Americans, and Russians,
were also summoned to Eria. Most of the people summoned from ‘Earth’ were no-class.

Not all of them, though. As in the case of Kim Jonghyun, there are cases in which people
from Earth turned out to be walking on the road to becoming a mage.

In this world without allies, having a common ‘nation’ made one feel closer. Even on
such a different dimension, it was not uncommon for people from the same country
to gather and build power. Lee Sungmin of the previous life was also remembered as
a member of the Korean Marine corps, or a Korean born in the Year of the Dragon.

Kuromaru said that he belongs to a clan that lives in the Sleeping Forest, and that he
was seeking the clan’s secrets.

– Biwon?

(T/N: Buddhist term. one’s earnest prayer. To save mankind usually)

Lee Sungmin wrote on the floor. Kuromaru hesitated for a moment and looked back at
Nobuhiro, who was on the ground. Looking at those terrified eyes, Lee Sungmin gave
a small smile.

– If you’re that afraid, shall I just kill him?

“Oh, no. No. You don’t have to.”

Kuromaru shook his head in a fit of fright.

“The secret goal of our clan is to see the end of this forest.”

Kuromaru answered. The end of the forest. Lee Sungmin frowned and tilted his head
in contemplation.

– What is at the end of this forest?

“That… I don’t know. The only one who knows about it is our clan’s patriarch.”

– Are you saying you were just following him without ever knowing or thinking
anything about it?

“That’s… We were born and raised in this forest. From childhood, I, along with everyone
else in the village, have only been told that we are members of the clan.”

Kuromaru did not know about ‘Biwon’. Lee Sungmin wanted to try torturing information
out of him but abandoned the thought since it didn’t seem like he knew much. If he
wanted to dig up information through torture, it would be better to do it on Nobuhiro,
who was lying on the ground than Kuromaru.

– Do you know who Envirus is?

“Who is that?”

Kuromaru asked with his eyes wide open. In the end, not much was gained by Lee
Sungmin through this conversation. He left Kuromaru and approached Nobuhiro.

Nobuhiro opened his eyes after being struck on the cheek a few times. He opened his
mouth and yelled as he lifted his head, and when Lee Sungmin pressed down on his
shoulder with the spear, he screamed and laid down on the floor while shielding his
head.

“Do you know Envirus?”

Lee Sungmin asked while looking down at Nobuhiro. Nobuhiro stared at Lee Sungmin,
his face distorted with pain. At that moment, Nobuhiro had a lot of thoughts. In the
entire village and clan, he had been the person with the best skills. He never thought
someone could suppress him like this other than the clan’s patriarch.

“Envi… Envirus … ?”
“Do you know?”

“I do not know… !”

“What is it that your clan is pursuing? What is at the end of this forest.”

“Do you think I will tell you… !”

“Hmm.”

Lee Sungmin looked down at Nobuhiro with a grim face. Lee Sungmin, who had been
watching Nobuhiro for a while, turned over and approached Kuromaru.

– Where is your village?

“That… that’s…”

“Kuromaru! What are you doing!”

Nobuhiro screamed as Kuromaru stuttered. Lee Sungmin looked at Kuromaru while

ignoring his words. Looking at Lee Sungmin’s indifferent eyes, Kuromaru bit his lip.

“The village…”

As Kuromaru opened his mouth, Nobuhiro stood up and yelled out. He flew out to
attack as a protector of the village rather than out of fear of Lee Sungmin. He circulated
his inner force and made a desperate attempt, but…Puk! In the hands of Lee Sungmin,
the spear shot out from behind Nobuhiro to pierce through his head.

Kuromaru opened his mouth as he watched in horror. The village elder who had taught
him martial arts since his childhood had a hole made in his head and died. Both horror
and anger were mixed up in his expression.

– I couldn’t help it.

Lee Sungmin wrote on the floor as an excuse. The content was an excuse, but the
expression was still indifferent. Kuromaru was seriously afraid of Lee Sungmin.

“Ah… I… I will guide you.”

Kuromaru stammered.

It was like meeting the reaper.

Kuromaru thought he felt his steps staggering. It was. His pace toward reaching the
destination was much slower than usual. It was because of Lee Sungmin, who was
walking along behind him. Lee Sungmin did not threaten Kuromaru, nor did he blame
him for walking that slow.

Even so, It was painful to take an expert on such a level to his village voluntarily.
Images of the dead Hayato and Nobuhiro continued to haunt him. Shouldn’t he have
died that way too?

‘No. Even if I died, this man would have gone to the village.’

It would have turned out like that anyways. Kuromaru made such excuses to calm his
trembling mind.

Lee Sungmin spent some time in thought as he followed Kuromaru. Kuromaru’s clan
was few in numbers. It was said to be a village, but there were less than 100 people in
it. Until the previous generation, the village was maintained by inbreeding. As hereditary
diseases began to occur due to repeated intermarriage, the village turned to maintain
their existence by abducting people from outside.

‘I don’t understand why they would do all this.’

Lee Sungmin genuinely thought so. The reason for why people lived in this Sleeping
Forest where no people are coming in and out while maintaining their village by
marrying and kidnapping. Was their purpose great enough to devote so many
generations to achieve their clan’s secret wishes?

‘I had never heard of this clan in my past life. I’d never even heard of a Sleeping Forest.’

When Lee Sungmin did not come to this forest, it was like that. Then, what would
happen now that he came to this forest? Because of his existence, was there going to
be a change from the events in his previous life?

‘I don’t know.’

When Master Sungha died. When he killed Ghost Blade. Lee Sungmin had thought long
and hard on this topic. People who should not die were dead because of his actions in
this timeline. Everyone was getting entangled with him. As Denir also said, Lee
Sungmin’s existence was distorting the original flow of time.

He had been thinking a lot over 2100 years.

Now he had reached a conclusion.

Whatever happened to the world, it wasn’t any of his business.

What mattered to Lee Sungmin was only himself.

“We have… arrived.”

Kuromaru said in a small voice.

The entrance to the village was protected by a crude wooden fence. Something like a
garden for planting crops could be seen over the fence. There was a barrier, but there
were no people standing guard in front of it. Lee Sungmin contemplated for a moment
while looking at the fence.

He didn’t agonize over it for too long. No, to be precise, Lee Sungmin did not feel the
need to do so.

Peoeok!

An arrow that flew from a distance pierced through Kuromaru’s neck. Kuromaru
vomited out blood through his mouth. He stumbled back a few steps and tried to say
something, but he was unable to spit it out and died.

Lee Sungmin felt the killing intent and knew the attack was coming but did not see the
need to warn Kuromaru about it.

This was because Lee Sungmin did not need to protect Kuromaru. He had already
heard everything Kuromaru had to say.

“You really have no mercy – even to members of your own clan.”

Lee Sungmin, spoke with a calm face while pulling out his spear. He was a little curious.
What did this clan, that was so hostile to foreigners, want to achieve? And why did
Envirus come to this forest?

‘I hope I can reap all the efforts I’ve spent here.’

Lee Sungmin thought that and activated his Defense Aura.

(E/N: Previously tl’ed as Self-Protection Force.)

Lee Sungmin did not enjoy murder.

It was like that in the previous life, and it was still the same now. He had never found
pleasure in killing others. It was natural for Lee Sungmin to avoid killing if there was
no reason to.

But if he had to.

He felt sharp gazes fixed on him. Everyone in the village recognized Lee Sungmin as an
enemy and was trying to kill him. Lee Sungmin glanced at the dead body of Kuromaru.
He didn’t protect him since he had no intention of saving him. Should he have saved
him? Lee Sungmin suddenly had such a thought.

It was too late to sit and think. He walked forward while activating his Defense Aura.
He was able to use it freely once he reached transcendence. Lee Sungmin was able to
use spear force even when he was at the peak, but the strength he was able to exert in
the past compared to now was incomparable in every way.

“Can you hear me?”

Lee Sungmin asked with qi infusing to make his voice louder. His loud voice rang out
across the village, but the magnitude of the killing intent didn’t change. Lee Sungmin
thought that they were likely not just ignorant barbarians since there was no subsequent
attack.

“I don’t want to fight you. If possible, I’d just like to talk.”

Lee Sungmin said out loud again. After a while, the atmosphere slightly eased up. Then
a man jumped over the fence and stood in front of Lee Sungmin.

‘An expert.’

He was an expert who had already passed over the wall of the peak. However, he did
not seem to be the transcendence level warrior he was looking for. The middle-aged
man asked while looking into Lee Sungmin’s face.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Lee Sungmin.”

He tried not to feel too disappointed about it. Instead, Lee Sungmin replied with a
slight nod. The man looked into his eyes, trying to get a glimpse of his level.

“Interesting. Your body is on the verge of transcendence, but your mind seems even
further ahead.”

The man muttered in a small voice. Lee Sungmin asked the man without answering to
his words.

“Who are you?”

“I am Kazuya.”

He replied. It was a name he knew. It wasn’t from the memory of his previous life, but
Kazuya was the name of the clan leader, whom Kuromaru had mentioned a while back.

“As I said, I have no desire to fight you.”

“If so, thank you. A lot of people would have died if you had decided to go all out. There
aren’t too many of us left. I don’t want to lose my head either.”

“Why did you kill Kuromaru?”

“Violation of law must be punished.”

Kazuya replied without changing his expression.

“Elder Nobuhiro must have died. It was unavoidable. There would have been a difference
in skill, and it is only natural to try to preserve your own life. But when he saw the
elder dying in front of him, he did not try to avenge him or even resist. The young kid
who brought the enemy directly to the village’s front door must be punished.”

Kazuya said, looking down at Kuromaru’s body. It seemed to be the law of highest
importance in this closed-off village.

“I will accept you as a guest in the village.”

Kazuya reached out. Lee Sungmin took the hand.

“Come in.”

When he went into the village with Kazuya, the clan’s patriarch, no one stopped them.
Lee Sungmin had many things to ask, but he followed Kazuya to his home without
question. In the meantime, he looked around at the houses with interest.

“A master of your level would be treated very well outside.”

“You are younger than me, but still far stronger than me. I do not want to face the wide
world outside and despair. That’s why I live in this narrow forest.”

Kazuya said with a laugh. He guided him into a Japanese-style house. Lee Sungmin
thought for a moment about Kazuya’s words. However, he did not tell Kazuya his
thoughts.

“Do you know of Envirus?”

Lee Sungmin sat down with Kazuya in the room. Kazuya nodded at the big question.

“Yes.”

“Where is he?”

“He already left the forest about two months ago.”

Kazuya replied. Hearing that, Lee Sungmin frowned. He had pursued the traces left by
Envirus through the information bought from Erebris, but he didn’t think he would be
so close to meeting Envirus.

“Do you know where he went?”

“No.”

The problem was this. He had come all this way here, but if Envirus had left no traces,
he would have an extremely hard time tracking him down. From the information
purchased through Erebris, the last place Envirus had been seen was this place, the
Sleeping Forest.

“What did Envirus do here?”

“Why are you looking for Envirus?”

He answered the question with a question. Lee Sungmin narrowed his eyes and stared
at Kazuya. At that look, Kazuya gave a low laugh.

“You don’t have to look at me that way.”

“There is a reason I must meet him.”

“I wonder why.”

“I cannot answer.”

“You don’t answer my questions, but want all of your own questions to be answered.”

Lee Sungmin clenched his fists silently. Kazuya, who was staring at Lee Sungmin,
opened his mouth.

“I don’t know whether the guest Envirus mentioned was you or not.”

“… Yes?”

“Before Envirus left, he told me. Someday in the future, someone will come to this
forest and ask about him. When that time comes… ”

Kazuya rose up from his seat.

“I’d like it to get over with it sooner rather than later. Is it alright if we move right away?”

“Let’s do that.”

Lee Sungmin nodded and rose up from his seat as well.

Kazuya took Lee Sungmin outside the village. After passing the barrier, Kazuya said
toward Lee Sungmin, who was following after him.

“Are you curious about the clan’s secrets?”

“I don’t think you’ll let me know if I ask.”

“To be precise, I can’t even tell you. It is said that we are looking for a secret garden,
but we don’t even know what it is.”

Lee Sungmin could not understand those words. He posed a question to Kazuya’s back.

“Then… Why are you living in this forest?”

“Because we have to. Our souls are bound to the Sleeping Forest. Those born in this
forest can never escape from here.”

“… Is it a curse?”

“It’s like this. Our clan has already lived several generations in this forest. Our bodies
have become weak with repeated inbreeding. The clan’s techniques and martial arts
have weakened and can no longer be transferred to the next generation. Sooner or
later, our clan will die.”

Kazuya’s voice, while talking about this, was rather calm. It was as if he was waiting
for that kind of end.

“I don’t know what the family’s secret is. Perhaps there was no such thing as a secret
garden from the beginning. Maybe the word biwon was used to forcibly give a sense
of purpose to the young ones to be born in the future. What is clear, however, is that
our clan is not able to leave the forest and is defending something at the end of the
forest.”

“You’re guardians then?”

“I don’t know. Can we be called guardians?”

Kazuya shook his head as if he did not know himself.

“The confounding formation targets the weak. It is impossible to live in this forest unless
you’ve crossed the peak. The little ones don’t know that they were taking medicine to
resist the confounding formation. The deeper the forest, the stronger the spell. I don’t
know if you can withstand it.”

“I can probably hold out.”

“Huhu! It’s hard to resist the confounding formation even if you’re transcendent.
That’s because it attacks the mind. I have an agreement with Envirus, So I will guide
you, but I don’t know if you can overcome it.”

Kazuya’s footsteps stopped.

It was a mysterious sight. The trees were intertwined to make a huge wall that divided
the massive forest in half. Lee Sungmin, who was looking at it, turned to Kazuya and
asked.

“What is this?”

“It’s a wall. Do you see it?”

“I know it’s a wall.”

“You can’t go through this wall without the clan’s consent. Would you like to try though?”

Kazuya asked while looking at Lee Sungmin. He had a mischievous look that was
unlike his age plastered on his face.

“If you succeed in breaking through this wall… ”

“What would you give me?”

“Well. When I think about it, there is nothing I can give. How about trying it out as a
test?”

Lee Sungmin snickered at the overt suggestion. He lifted the spear off his back and
passed Kazuya. When Lee Sungmin lifted the spear, a purple cloud surrounded the spear.

Kwaaang! When he stabbed his spear forward, a huge force burst out. However, the
walls of the tree remained intact. It was no different even when he used his inner force
to drive the spear. Lee Sungmin opened his eyes and looked at the wall.
“Right? It cannot be broken through by force. Even Envirus couldn’t do it.”

“But then, how did he get in?”

“I let him in. I was told to let him in.”

It was an unknown mechanism. Kazuya passed Lee Sungmin and walked forward. He
reached out to the wall of the tree and recited something softly. It was a spell in an
unknown language.

The entangled wall of wood disappeared.

“I can’t go any further.”

Kazuya looked back and turned around. Lee Sungmin watched Kazuya heading back
toward the village for a while. Then he turned. There was a winding road at the place
where the walls had disappeared. Lee Sungmin looked at the path for a moment and
stepped forward.

Ah.

Aaah.

Aaaaaaah.

A sound started ringing in his ear. Confounding Formation. The unknown sound that
befuddled the consciousness of those who entered the sleeping forest grew
increasingly louder. It started buzzing in his mind. The greater the number of steps
forward, the greater the effect. Its purpose wasn’t just to make him unconscious, but
to drive him insane. The ominous ghost’s cry rang out in Lee Sungmin’s mind.

“Huuk.”

Lee Sungmin took a deep breath. It was not difficult to endure. It was just annoying to
endure. This was a powerful mental attack. It was difficult to resist such a confounding
formation even if one was transcendent. Lee Sungmin could see what Kazuya meant
now. Even if one were an expert of the highest level, this kind of attack would be hard
to endure.

But that wasn’t the case for Lee Sungmin. In the 2100 years, he had spent in his
subconscious, his spirit had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. In the process,
Lee Sungmin had nearly gone insane forever. But contradictorily, his ability to hold it
together was now tens and hundreds of times stronger than before.

His mind would not collapse. He kept walking. Even though he felt annoyed, he
wouldn’t run away. The winding road was quite lonely. Looking around, strangely,
there were no trees visible. Only a thick, hazy fog could be seen ahead.

“I was confused.”

A loud voice filled the air, and Lee Sungmin stopped walking.

“Fate is usually predetermined and absolute. It’s not common for it to be distorted. So
I was confused. The guy who visited a while ago also had a distorted fate. That’s why
I let him inside.”

The thick fog hung like a veil. Lee Sungmin, who had stopped for a moment, headed
forward again.

“Answer me. The one with the distorted fate. Have you returned?”

The voice asked. Lee Sungmin continued walking as something began to light up in the
mist. Hundreds of fireflies seemed to shine around him.

Lee Sungmin’s steps stopped. The dark flames were swaying on a huge rock.

“What do you mean?”

Asked Lee Sungmin. The cloud of flame shaking on the rock swelled up.

“I asked if you came back.”

“What do you mean by coming back?”

“Have you experienced death?”

The flame asked. The moment Lee Sungmin tried to answer, the dancing flames split
apart and flowed out, breaking apart the illusion. He could hear it chuckle and laugh
while watching him.
“An ill-advised trick. If we weren’t on the rocks, I would never have allowed you to play
such a trick.”

“Then my master would not have escaped this forest.”

The flames joined together to form one mass. A petite robe? It had taken the appearance
of a girl. Lee Sungmin looked at the girl while blinking and asked a question.

“Exactly who are you?”

“I’m Envirus’ familiar.”

This wasn’t reality. Only his consciousness was transferred here through the magic
engraved in this space. The flame flared up towards Envirus’ familiar.

“How annoying. I can’t believe they won’t even let us talk.”

“Because you are evil.”

“Haha! You judge me based on just one look? Even your master wouldn’t be able to
judge me!”

The flames burst into laughter. The voice coming from the flame grew, and the number
of lights flickering in the fog increased.

“Can you please explain the situation to me first?”

Said the clueless Lee Sungmin.

At that end, laughter coming from the flame stopped. The familiar who was looking at
the flame turned her head to look at Lee Sungmin. She sighed and dragged down the
robe she was wearing.

“A beastkin?”

Lee Sungmin muttered with his eyes wide open. It was because of the cat ears that
popped out of her dark hair. Hearing Lee Sungmin’s words, the familiar introduced
herself with her amber eyes narrowed.

“I am Rubia. Under the command of my Master, I was waiting for you here.”

“Oh, is that so? That son of a bitch was waiting for him. If so, then he’s the one who
should come back.”

The flames laughed at Rubia’s words. Every time the voice sounded out, the lights
around it would flicker and glow brightly. Lee Sungmin looked at Rubia with a deep
face and raised his finger to point to the flame.

“What is that?”

“Look at that undignified little bastard pointing his finger at me.”

The flame grumbled. His voice expressed strong discomfort, but he was all bark and
no bite. However, the lights around him wavered greatly as if expressing his feelings.

“He’s the remnant of a Great Yokai who’s currently asleep in this forest.”

“A remnant… I’m not such a trivial being. Although I lost my body and remained
conscious, I am not a remnant.”

The flame spat out. Lee Sungmin laughed at the word ‘Yokai’. It wasn’t his first time
hearing such a thing. He had heard that monsters are sometimes called yokai in some
areas. As far as Lee Sungmin knows, there was no significant difference between a
monster and a yokai. In the end, neither of them was human, and both were monsters
that ate humans.

“He was once the one who led the 100 Great Ghosts, but now he’s lost his body.”

Lee Sungmin blinked as he listened to Rubia. The flames flashed unpleasantly, but did
not protest. Lee Sungmin briefly alternated between Rubia and the flames and asked.

“So what the hell is it that you want to tell me?”

Lee Sungmin first looked at Rubia.

“I ask you this, but I know you can’t give me the right answer. Only Envirus himself can
answer, but you are not Envirus.”

“… that’s… Yes. I’ve been waiting for you, but I can’t answer your questions.”

“Where’s Envirus?”

“I don’t know where Master is. But if you come with me, my Master will come to us
someday.”

Rubia replied like that in a confident tone. However, her answer did not satisfy Lee
Sungmin. After all, Rubia didn’t know Envirus’ whereabouts. Rubia said, reading Lee
Sungmin’s expression.

“Master also promised us. ‘Wherever I am, I will come back someday’.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Rubia nodded strongly. Lee Sungmin looked at the flames after hearing her answer.

“Who are you?”

“Heoju.”

“I am the one who came back from death. Why have you been waiting for me?”
“I do not know.”

Heoju replied in a dignified voice. In any case, his voice was so confident that Lee
Sungmin was left speechless. Heoju added more words with a distant gaze.

“I really don’t know. All I know is that someday you will come back to me, and I will
have to leave this forest with you.”

After hearing Heoju’s words, Lee Sungmin looked at Rubia. Rubia looked a little
unwilling but nodded while watching Lee Sungmin.

“What he said is true.”

“There is nothing else to it.”

Lee Sungmin’s eyes were full of irritation.

“Everyone who has ever met me and told me that there was something special about
me. There is something to it, but I cannot tell you exactly about it. It had something to
do with vague words like the apocalypse and the apostle of the apocalypse.”

“that… My master could answer for sure. But I… ”

“Why did your master Envirus leave by himself without taking you all along?”

“I don’t know. Because Master is busy…”

“Ha!”

Lee Sungmin let out a spirited laugh. He glanced at Rubia, who had her eyes glued to
the ground and then turned to look at Heoju.

“Heoju, Are you the biwon that the clan living in this forest is seeking?”

“A forest clan. Right. Are you referring to those foolish monkeys who have been inbred
for generations and are dying because of it? I am not their origin. Their secret origin
doesn’t exist in the first place. The value of their existence is nothing more than for the
continuation of the bloodline.”

“Bloodline?”
“The chosen one selected from those who have the blood to become the patriarch is
the only one who can open the walls of the forest. I just exist somewhere in the middle
of the road.”

It was as Heoju said. Behind Heoju’s body of flickering flames, the winding road
continued it’s path.

“What is this forest?”

“The place where the souls of old monsters are bound. Those monkeys keep the forest
sealed merely by existing. ”

After hearing that, Lee Sungmin stared at Heoju. After a moment’s thought, he asked
him.

“Come with me. What form are you going to take? Didn’t you not have a body?”

“There is a way.”

Heoju replied in a relaxed voice. Lee Sungmin glanced at Rubia. She said in a small
voice, reluctantly glancing towards Heoju.

“The choice is yours. My master didn’t say anything about him either.”

“I’ll be turning back.”

Lee Sungmin replied as though he had nothing to think about. He didn’t want to have
a yokai of unknown origins inside his body. As Lee Sungmin turned around, Rubia
quickly approached his side.

“Let’s go together.”

“Until when?”

“Until my Master returns.”

Rubia replied, and Lee Sungmin, laughed, finding it ridiculous. He wondered what was
inside the forest, but he didn’t think he could get anything by going to the place where
the soul of the ghost was sealed.
“Hahahaha!”

It was at that moment when Lee Sungmin was about to go back the way he had come
with Rubia. Heoju burst into laughter. Lee Sungmin turned around.

The flames, which were Heoju, flickered on top of the rock and exploded. Hundreds of
embers swayed in the fog and rushed toward Lee Sungmin. Rubia made a sound of
surprise, and Lee Sungmin immediately concentrated his inner force.

However, the hundreds of embers were faster than him. No heat was felt from the fires
that touched his body.

Something was overwhelming his consciousness. Lee Sungmin concentrated his mind
while biting on his lower lip.

[what… What is this?!]

The thing that was trying to enter his subconscious was pushed out. Soon after,
Heoju’s embarrassed voice rang out in Lee Sungmin’s mind.

[You…! What the hell did you do that made your mental barrier so strong ?!]

Whenever Heoju shouted, his body also shook. Lee Sungmin took off the robes he was
wearing. Then Rubia, who was beside Lee Sungmin, jerked and turned around with a
startled sound.

“Get out! What are you doing suddenly?!”

Disregarding Rubia, Lee Sungmin looked down at this body. He didn’t know what was
going to happen in the woods, and the armor that Selgerus had put on him in advance
was humming. Looking closely, the armor had a light red aura visible around it.

[This asshole … You couldn’t take over his human consciousness… ?! Even if he’s the
one who came back from death… !]

“My words exactly. What is it with this fucking lunatic?”

Lee Sungmin frowned and knocked on the armor. There were several reasons for
Heoju’s failure. In the past, Preskan had failed to cast his magic into Lee Sungmin to
control his mind. Kim Jonghyun said that the Aura of Favorability protected Lee
Sungmin and reflected Preskan’s magic back to him.

(T/N: It should actually be Freskan and not prescan, i’ll fling away all previous translators
for making such a mess)

‘Or maybe my mental strength was strengthened because of all the years spent in
secluded cultivation in my subconscious.’

Maybe it was both. As a result, Heoju failed to infiltrate Lee Sungmin’s body. Rather,
Heoju’s consciousness entered the armor, instead of Sungmin’s body.

“Is Heoju inside that?”

Rubia asked with her eyes wide open. Lee Sungmin took off his armor while feeling
annoyed. It was a pretty good armor, but he was removing it.

[Well, wait, wait! Wait!]

Heoju hurriedly called out to Lee Sungmin.

[I apologize for trying to possess you!]

“You have already done it.”

[I was in a hurry! I won’t do anything strange anymore…!]

“How do I believe that?”

[Because I will swear by my name… !]

“Your name means nothing to me.”

[then… I’ll… give you the… treasure. A Treasure that I have collected before!]

It was a little tempting.

“What kind of treasure is it?”

[I can’t tell you that.]

“I don’t think you understand the situation right now. I’ll leave my armor off here if
you’re going to talk bullshit. ”

[I don’t know how many treasures I have collected myself, how can I explain it to you?!]

Heoju shouted as if he was frustrated.

“What did Heoju say?”

Rubia asked with shining eyes. There was nothing to hide, so Lee Sungmin told Rubia
about Heoju’s offer. Then Rubia said with a rather surprised face.

“If it is a treasure that belongs to Heoju, it must be a priceless thing. Heojun was indeed
one of the most powerful and famous ghosts 300 years ago, and the treasures he had
gathered were just as famous as him.”

[See! I told you it was true?!]

Heoju yelled out hearing Rubia’s words. Lee Sungmin donned his armor again.

“Shut up! Unless I speak to you in the future. If you talk bullshit again, I’ll take the
armor off and throw it into a toilet bowl.”

[What has the Great Ghost Heoju come to… I can’t believe it became like this!]

“Why are you grieving when it’s your gain?”

Lee Sungmin grumbled while he went back. He was worried that the wall of the trees
might be blocking his path again, but the wall was no longer there. Rather. In the first
place, the path did not exist behind the entrance that Lee Sungmin came with Kazuya.

“It’s amazing.”

At the end of the road, the fog disappeared. Lee Sungmin was outside the Sleeping
Forest. Rubia, standing next to Lee Sungmin, replied.

“That forest is a powerful yet twisted result of witchcraft. Don’t try to understand it
with common sense.”

“I have no intention of understanding it.”

The armor containing Heoju’s spirit trembled. He did not dare to say anything, but it
was clear that he was thrilled to come out of the forest. Lee Sungmin didn’t like the
fact that Heoju was inside his armor, but he was going to let him tag along until he
acquired his treasure from him.

“Are you really going to follow me?”

Let’s say Heoju was like that, but then what about Rubia. Lee Sungmin asked while
looking at Rubia. To that question, she replied with an expression that implied he had
asked something absurd.

“I said it before didn’t I? I will follow you until my master returns.”

“What if I don’t want to do that?”

“Did you not want to meet my master? If you hurt me or leave me behind, you will
never be able to meet him.”

Rubia said in a confident tone.

“Are you going to come with me without knowing where I am going?”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to meet the Heavenly Demon.”

Lee Sungmin replied. At that end, Rubia was standing with her mouth wide open.

“Heavenly demon… If it’s the Heavenly Demon… That… Wijihoyeon?! Why that
monster…?”

“There is a reason we must meet.”

Lee Sungmin said and started walking. Rubia hesitated for a moment but followed
right after him.

“Can’t we just find a nice and airy place to rest while we wait for my master to come?”

“Just like your master is busy wandering around, So am I.”

Lee Sungmin replied without hesitation. In response, Rubia’s expression was distorted.

“I don’t want to go… ”

“Then I will take you forcibly. Didn’t you say that I can only meet Envirus through you?”

Saying that Lee Sungmin raised his hand. His elongated fingers expressed his killing
intent. He would not hesitate to draw blood depending on her answer. Rubia trembled
as she looked at it.

“… I’ll just follow.”

Rubia said, with her ears drooping down.

“I heard that the dungeon was open.”

Solitary Blade Dokgo walked up to Wijihoyeon carefully and told her. Wijihoyeon
opened her closed eyes and looked at him. The Black Dragon wrapped around her
hand fluttered in the dark.

“Dungeon?”

“Yes. That place is close to here.”

Solitary Blade bowed and said. Wijihoyeon stared at him with a somber expression.
Solitary Blade Dokgo shivered slightly under the chilling gaze, but he did not avoid it.
He bowed his head in awe of her.

“How about taking it on?”

Dokgo asked sincerely. Dungeons would happen suddenly, like natural disasters. A
Dungeon that of this kind was filled with all sorts of mysteries that defied common
sense. Obviously, danger and opportunity coexisted in the dungeon.

“Do I need to?”

Wijihoyeon murmured. It seemed like she was talking to herself, but the question was
also directed toward Dokgo. Solitary Blade was pleased to hear that.

1 year ago. In the north, Wijihoyeon collided with Baek Museon, the Bloody Heavenly
Demon, and won. Baek Museon and his faction, which dominated the northern city of
Travia, were hit hard by the defeat at the hands of Wijihoyeon. Bloody Heavenly Demon’s
left arm was cut, and he was crippled while the power of that Bloody Heavenly Demon
Alliance was cut in half.

As a result, Wijihoyeon’s reputation grew even more. Heavenly Demon sect, which
only had twenty people at that time, also increased in numbers significantly. Of course,
Wijihoyeon wasn’t happy about it, and she was still acting alone, abandoning her
followers.

Nevertheless, several outstanding masters, including the Solitary Blade Dokgo, still
served themselves up at the beck and call of Wijihoyeon.

Solitary Blade considered himself a very necessary and loyal follower to Wijihoyeon.
He was fascinated by her overwhelming strength, and he seriously thought that she
would soon stand at the center of the world, at the zenith of power. It was because of
this belief itself that the Solitary Blade was completely possessed by Wijihoyeon.

“I think this is fate. The dungeon opened not too far from here, and you are here. The
dungeon is yours to claim.”

point of view, those words full of Solitary Blade said. Although his words were difficult
to understand from a normal enthusiasm were Solitary Blade Dokgo’s sincere thoughts.

“Hmm.”

Wijihoyeon thought for a moment. Was she interested in conquering a dungeon?

Wijihoyeon had wandered in Eria for a while now, but she hadn’t encountered a
dungeon yet. Rather than gaining experience from it, what truly convinced her was
thinking about what she could acquire from the dungeon.

“Shall we go?”

The curiosity led Wijihoyeon forward. She nodded and raised her body. Wijihoyeon
moved. Then her followers who were gathered around also began to move together
with her. Solitary Blade Dokgo looked at Wijihoyeon’s back, walking slowly, and looked
at the distance. In his eyes, there was a deep darkness, like a void where nothing was
visible. It contained explicit hostility.

“Uh.”

A man sitting on a tall tree trembled and shook his head.

“Your gaze is too fierce.”

There were countless experts in the conservative faction. If you asked someone to pick
only one of the best of them, people would hesitate to answer. But if you say three
rather than one, they would respond without hesitation.

Shaolin’s Jihak.

Volcano faction’s Qingming.

Wandering Sect’s Chwigeol.

(T/N: volcanic factions were called shamans here. Also the name says changyoung, but
since volcanic factions are a Chinese sect, Qingming would make for a more fitting name
imo. Also idk if this 개방 sect has been mentioned before but before my brain settles on
dog room sect ill name it ‘chwigeol of the rogue cultivators’ or maybe wandering sect’s
chwigeol)

The three of them had all mastered the techniques of their respective clans and were
being groomed by the elders to become future successors as the clan leader. Among
them, Jihak and Qingming did not engage in external activities, instead only practicing
martial arts in the main mountain of Munpa.

But Chwigeol was different.

“What should I do?”

Chwigeol turned his head. Where his gaze was directed, five people were sitting with
strong killing intent in their aura.

“Minor Heavenly Demon. That monster is starting to move. I don’t know what kind of
conversation they had, but… she’s probably headed for the dungeon.”

Chwigeol mumbled. Then the silent woman opened her mouth.

“We must go too.”

It was Silent Flare Baek Sogo.

“I don’t know what will happen in the dungeon. It is dangerous to enter the dungeon
without any proper preparation.”

“If Wijihoyeon conquers the dungeon and raises her level, it would be more dangerous.”
It wasn’t Baek Sogo that said it. It was a middle-aged man with a shaggy beard who
said it with seriousness in his eyes. It wasn’t Chwigeol’s place to answer that question,
so he stood there silently.

‘I don’t have a good feeling about this.’

The thing called gut feeling was unreliable, but Chwigeol was quite confident in his
senses. In fact, it was natural to think that you don’t want to do something that you are
unwilling to do, even if you don’t have any experience of making a big profit or
avoiding misfortune.

“Solitary Blade looked this way. If he saw us, it would mean that Wijihoyeon was also
aware of our existence.”

“So far, Wijihoyeon has not been at odds with us, even though she has noticed our
existence. She seems arrogant and ruthless, but she is not foolish. Actually, Wijihoyeon
has never had any conflicts with the conservative factions.”

“I heard that Shaolin was embarrassed by Wijihoyeon?”

“Shaolin did not think of it as a disgrace. Rather, Grandmaster Bulyoung expressed his
favor when speaking of Wijihoyeon.”

“She went to Shaolin too, huh.”

The five people, including Chwigeol and Baek Sogo, talked.

“It was because we belonged to the Murim factions that we have been ignored despite
her knowing our existence. But in the dungeon… The background of the Murim won’t
protect us. I don’t know what will happen there.”

Chwigeol said with a strong voice. It’s dangerous. That’s what Chwigeol claimed.
However, the rest of the four did not listen to him.

“We can’t leave Wijihoyeon alone.”

“I know the dungeon is dangerous, and I know that the monsters in there have terrible
powers.”

“But there is no time.”

“Calling for backup is one way. But what if Wijihoyeon attacked the dungeon before
they arrived?”

“I don’t know what’s in the dungeon. There could be a spiritual land or a great elixir.
Maybe there are magical techniques or artifacts.”

“One thing is obvious. The dungeon is so powerful that it cannot be compared to the
forces that exist in this world.”

“I cannot let Wijihoyeon get hold of such power.”

As they went back and forth, Baek Sogo was silent. Chwigeol scratched his head and
swallowed a sigh. It was impossible to persuade them. Going on a mission as dangerous
as keeping watch on Wijihoyeon, they had all volunteered to do it. Everyone was an
expert in their own right in the Murim factions but they were also madmen, who
would sacrifice their lives in the name of ‘justice’.

‘I have to make sure it is the opposing party that is dealt with a loss.’

Chwigoel thought while looking back at Baek Sogo. If Baek Sogo had no intention of
retreating, he would also have to go along with it.

“… It’s not like I can help it.”

Saying that Chwigeol also agreed.

Wijihoyeon and the Heavenly Demon Sect. Baek Sogo and the Murim factions. While
they were headed for the dungeon, Lee Sungmin was also heading towards the same
place.

The exact location of the dungeon was unknown. What Lee Sungmin could do was wait
for the dungeon to be opened and information about it to be distributed near the
dungeon.

He purchased the information. The place where the dungeon was opened was not far
from here.

[Are you really going to go?]

Rubia asked in an uneasy voice while looking at him. Instead of taking her beastkin
form, Rubia had turned into a small sphere that floated around Lee Sungmin. It was
because of Envirus’ spell that his familiar Rubia had to take such a form in the first
place.

“I have to go.”

Lee Sungmin reached inside the inter-dimensional pocket. He pulled out the spear
that Selgerus made. He had never used this spear since practicing it in Shaolin. But
now he had to use it. Regardless of his abilities, he had to use everything at his disposal
from now on.

[…Huu. Alright. I see. I can’t help it if you say it like that. By the way, have you ever
gone into a dungeon?]

“I have not.”

Lee Sungmin replied. It was not untrue. Just once in his previous life, he had once
entered a dungeon.

‘And I died.’

He didn’t want to remember that. At that time, he had entered the dungeon while he
was a no class, so he was not properly prepared. But this time he had prepared himself.
Lee Sungmin used up all of his wealth and purchased various potions. He checked his
inventory. Various daggers were attached to his belt as well as a spear strapped behind
his back. Lee Sungmin breathed quietly while wearing a cloak.

He thought of many ways to persuade Wijihoyeon. Or to persuade Baek Sogo. It was

impossible to stop Wijihoyeon by force. If so, was it possible for Baek Sogo? He
couldn’t confirm Baek Sogo’s location properly. The area was too wide. He bought the
information that Baek Sogo and Wijioyeon were in this area, but it was almost
impossible to search through this large of an area and meet them.

[You’re going to go to the dungeon, never having experienced it before…! Where does
all your confidence come from?]

“It’s because I must do it.”

Lee Sungmin ran toward the dungeon’s location. Rubia, who was currently in the form
of a sphere, drifted around Lee Sungmin’s head.
[First of all, it is crucial to understand the layout of the dungeon. Every dungeon has a
definite end, and if you reach that end and achieve the condition, you will be targeted
by others for the treasures you possess. How to reach the end is the core of the
problem! Dungeons can be mazes or forests.

It could even be a sea.]

Lee Sungmin retraced his memory. The dungeon that he entered in the previous life
and died was an underground maze.

[In the dungeon, there are various means such as monsters and traps that threaten
the challengers. If you try to kill monsters outside the dungeon, only the body remains,
but if the same monster dies in a dungeon…]

“I know. Monsters in dungeons leave a clear loot, unlike outside. Things like money,
elixir, magic, martial arts, potions, and weapons.”

So if the dungeon was open, all kinds of people would drop everything and run
headfirst into it. If he thought of it like that, it made sense that Murim factions were
following Wijihoyeon, who was going to enter the dungeon. If Wijihoyeon succeeded
in conquering the dungeon,

Wijihoyeon, who already had such terrifying power, would become a monster that
can’t be touched.

“This is it.”

Lee Sungmin stopped walking. He could see a huge red crystal shining on the rocky
ground. The dungeon Lee Sungmin entered in his previous life was also like that. He
shuddered and approached the crystal.

When he reached out and touched the crystal.

[Would you like to enter the dungeon?]

He heard such a voice in his head. Lee Sungmin nodded slowly. Lee Sungmin’s body
was wrapped in a floating feeling that made him feel like his whole body was rising up
like clouds.

The landscape changed.

He had no time to look at the changed landscape. When Lee Sungmin’s feet touched
the ground, a sharp force exploded toward him. The sudden attack was enough to
surprise Lee Sungmin. He hurriedly moved back and lifted his spear.

jjooong! With a loud noise, Lee Sungmin’s body was pushed back. His hands that were
grabbing the spear shook. This was the first time he had been subjected to such a
heavy attack after becoming an ascendant. Lee Sungmin narrowed his eyes and looked
at the attacker.

“… who are you?”

The giant man with a shaggy beard asked Lee Sungmin while staring. Lee Sungmin
glanced at the giant axe held by him. Although the weapon was heavy, the strength
that pushed him back was not due to the weight of the axe.

“… I’m Lee Sungmin.”

“Lee Sungmin?!”

He opened his eyes wide at those words.

“No way. Are you saying that you are the Ghost Gun?”

Lee Sungmin didn’t like the nickname so much. However, those who were excited by
the rumors gave the title ‘Ghost Gun’ to Lee Sungmin, who had killed Ghost Blade, who
killed Master Sungha. He had been named Ghost Gun for killing Ghost Blade. It was an
unbecoming title. It wasn’t within his ability to kill Ghost Blade at that time. Perhaps
it was thanks to the help of the black heart.

“… That’s right.”

Although it was unpleasant, Lee Sungmin nodded.

“Why are you here?”

He asked him, no longer wielding the axe.

The man’s name was Jang Deuksu. His title was Iron Foot. Through the memories of
his previous life, Lee Sungmin was able to recall that Iron Foot Jang Deuksu was one
of the men who died at the hands of Wijihoyeon in the dungeon.

“Why are you here?”

Jang Deuksu’s gaze directed toward Lee Sungmin still held a hint of mistrust, but there
was no longer any intense hostility like before. Lee Sungmin earned the title ‘Ghost
Gun’ by killing an expert like Ghost Blade. Since then, his movements had been
mysterious, but getting a title like Ghost Gun, it also had a symbolic meaning that
signified the birth of a new hero and the beginnings of a new faction.

Ghost Blade, who killed Master Sungha and escaped, was a character that everyone
knew. It was only natural for Jang Deuksu to be courteous to Lee Sungmin, who had
killed such an expert.

“… I happened to chance upon it coincidentally. There was a red crystal that looked
strange, so I came to check it out.”

[You’re lying with such a straight face.]

Rubia, who was under Lee Sungmin’s cape on his shoulder, grumbled. Lee Sungmin
retorted, ‘Shut up,’ and shot a glance toward Jang Deuksu.

“Well… This must be your first time in a dungeon.”

“Is this a dungeon?”

Lee Sungmin pretended not to know. Jang Deuksu nodded his head as he spoke.

“We are here to stop Wijihoyeon. Do you know who Wijihoyeon is?”

“Of course I do.”

It became clear to him what had happened in this dungeon in his previous life. The
experts who were killed by Wijihoyeon here were the ones who came to stop her.

“Why are you going to stop Wijihoyeon?”

That was the thing he didn’t understand. Lee Sungmin thought that his question might
make Jang Deuksu wary of him again, but he had nothing to worry about.

“She is dangerous!”

Contrary to his worries, Jang Deuksu was not displeased by his question. Rather, he
spat out passionately, saying that nothing could shake his resolve.

“In the Murim factions, no, rather, in the entirety of Genavis. Every day mysterious
people are summoned into this dimension. But in the past 10 years, have you ever
seen someone as powerful and impure as Wijihoyeon?”

“… Impure?”

“She calls herself the Son of a Heavenly Demon! If you’ve also learnt martial arts, you
should not be completely unaware of what the title ‘Heavenly Demon’ symbolizes and
how dangerous it is.”

“I am not from Murim.”

“what…?!”

In response to Lee Sungmin’s words, Jang Deuksu had a surprised expression. However,
he soon nodded his head seemingly convinced.

“Right… That can also happen. Either way, we need to stop the Minor Heavenly Demon.
That Heavenly Demon called Wijihoyeon is a dangerous being. In fact, she even
defeated that Bloody Heavenly Demon of the north and cut off his left arm. The Sama
Order has already dispatched a group with a strong focus on Wijihoyeon. Soon they
will be able to threaten not only the Murim factions but the whole world. That’s why
we must stop her.”

“… Is that so?”

“Of course! You don’t know much about dungeons, but I’ll tell you, attacking dungeons
gives you enormous magical powers. If Wijihoyeon, who is already this dangerous,
gets that power as well, it will make her completely unstoppable. So we’re here to stop
Wijihoyeon.”

After saying that, Jang Deuksu stumbled over and approached Lee Sungmin. Then, he
reached out with hands as big as a pot lid and grabbed Lee Sungmin’s shoulders.

“I hope you can help.”

“… how?”

“In this dungeon, Wijihoyeon has already entered along with the Heavenly Demon sect
who are following her. Solitary Blade Dokgo, Crimson Death, Iron Fist Marang. Each
one of them is an expert that has crossed the heights of transcendence.”

“Huh?”

Lee Sungmin, who was still listening to Jang Deuksu’s story, responded. Solitary Blade
Dokgo, Crimson Death, Iron Fist Marang. Even when he traced the memories of his
previous life, he hadn’t heard of anyone with such titles dying in this dungeon.

“What are you asking? The three of them came into this dungeon following Wijihoyeon.”

It was different from his previous life.

‘Wijihoyeon gained her fame faster than before. In the previous life, Wijihoyeon never
had something called a Heavenly Demon sect following after her. However, in this life,
she became famous not long after her duel with the Bloody Heavenly demon. That’s
why she got so many followers faster.’

“You must not have come to stop Wijihoyeon alone, right?”

“Of course not! Murim factions’ warriors, including the leader, have been monitoring
that monster since she declared she would enter the dungeon.”

“Who is there beside you in this dungeon?”

“There’s Silent Flare Baek Sogo, wandering sects’ Chwigeol, Peerless Warrior, and
Heavenly Skyfall.”
Those names were very familiar to him. Those were the names of those experts who
died at the hands of Wijihoyeon in his previous life. Hearing that, Lee Sungmin was
able to grasp the situation. At Wijihoyeon’s declaration, Solitary Blade, Crimson Death
Elder, and Iron Fist Marang, who are her followers, entered the dungeon. In addition,
warriors from Murim factions, including Baek Sogo, came in to prevent Wijihoyeon.

‘Ghost Blade was dead, so he wouldn’t come. Instead, I came. But the numbers didn’t
match.’

In his previous life, Wijihoyeon left alone after killing over 10 people in this dungeon.
Three people that weren’t there in the dungeon originally were added, so the numbers
didn’t match.

‘I guess there will be more people coming later. Or maybe they won’t.’

He already knew that it wasn’t going according to the past life. While Lee Sungmin
thought that, Jang Deuksu was staring at him in earnest.

“Please lend us your strength.”

“… But… Why are there only you here? Where are the others?”

“that… Uh. Actually, I don’t even know where I am. A dungeon is not a place where
common sense can be applied. Everyone came in, but when I woke up I was here alone.
We probably got scattered…”

Was the situation good? No. If they were scattered and couldn’t locate each other, it
could also be that Wijihoyeon and Baek Sogo were facing each other right at this
moment.

“Okay. I’ll help.”

In response to Lee Sungmin’s answer, Jang Deuksu burst into laughter, feeling reassured.

[Please wait a minute. I am analyzing the layout of the dungeon.]

While Lee Sungmin followed behind Jang Deuksu, Rubia, who was hiding in his arms,
murmured in a low voice.

‘What can you find out after analyzing it?’

[… you… You seem to be looking down on me too much. I am one of the best familiars
created by Envirus, the Archmage. It’s a little too much to say with my own mouth, but
no familiars created to date have been as good as me.]

‘Envirus himself is not famous.’

[that’s! My master hated being caught up in rumors… ]

‘Try it for now.’

He didn’t want to continue the scuffle with Rubia. Rubia murmured quietly when Lee
Sungmin spoke.

“Hmm?”

All of a sudden

Jang Deuksu, who was walking in the lead, stepped on something. Listening to the
small sound, Lee Sungmin felt a tingling chill on his back.

[Oh dear-]

Rubia sighed.

Their surroundings were shaking. Dungeons were not bound by common sense.
Looking at what was happening, Lee Sungmin understood what that man told him.
The ceiling and the walls disappeared. Soon, a foul odor permeated the air.

“This smell… !”

Jang Deuksu exclaimed with a distorted expression on his face. Lee Sungmin looked at
Jang Deuksu, who was sputtering around as if he knew nothing and had to suppress
his blood from boiling. Suddenly, the ground Lee Sungmin and Jang Deuksu were
standing on turned into a winding road. Jang Deuksu looked around and pinched his
nose while grumbling.

“Where are we now?”

“How would I know?”

Lee Sungmin grumbled and looked around. In the meantime, Jang Deuksu held up the
axe that he was carrying behind his back. He went forward to shoot down the red wall
with the axe. Lee Sungmin was frightened and rushed ahead to block him.

“wait, Wait! What the hell are you doing?”

“First of all, we need to break through the wall.”

“Don’t you think we should scout around first?”

“There is no time!”

Jang Deuksu exclaimed. Lee Sungmin sincerely wanted to kill him.

[… Hmm.]

Still, Jang Deuksu wasn’t entirely an idiot. After Lee Sungmin stopped him, he did not
swing his axe anymore, looking uncomfortable.

[It’s a strange place. wall… No, I can’t even call it a wall. It’s more like flesh. Don’t touch
anything. Like I said, common sense does not apply in a dungeon. This is a place where
magical forces are entangled with strange unexplainable phenomena.]

‘… so?’

[You should get ready. Something is about to happen.]

Rubia warned. It was just as she said. The floor made of red flesh wriggled, and
something soared out from it. What appeared was an ugly monster.

“… What is this again?”

Jang Deuksu murmured when he saw the monster soaring. The squirming flesh monster
looked at Jang Deuksu and Lee Sungmin. Soon, it’s appearance changed.

The monster with the new form was wearing shamanic robes. Lee Sungmin opened
his eyes wide when he saw the face of the wriggling monster.

“… Baek Sogo?”
Jang Deuksu said blankly. The mysterious monster was in the shape of Baek Sogo. Baek
Sogo, no, the monster in the shape of Baek Sogo, stood silently without any action.
Then it creaked and turned it’s head and looked toward Jang Deuksu.

Swik!

The monster’s figure disappeared. Lee Sungmin jumped back quickly. Unlike Lee
Sungmin, Jang Deuksu’s reaction was a little late.

“Oh, Ohh…”

Bang! The monster that appeared out of thin air landed a kick on Jang Deuksu’s chest.
Jang Deuksu’s mouth widened, and black blood splurged out. It was a heavy blow, but
Jang Deuksu was also an expert. Shield force, which he pulled up in a moment,
protected his body.

He knew.

Lee Sungmin saw a monster floating in the air and kicking out using a footwork
technique. A moment ago, the move that monster used, That footwork. Lee Sungmin
knew that. Shadowless Movement Technique. The method that Lee Sungmin constantly
practiced in Mush’s mountain, in Shaolin, and in his subconscious world.

Why was the monster displaying such footwork?

Why did it take the form of Baek Sogo?

“A while… a while ago! Baek Sogo! Just…What the hell is this …!”

Jang Deuksu was unable to grasp the situation. He referred to the monster as Baek
Sogo even though he saw that monster twist and turn into such a shape in front of his
own eyes. The call disgusted Lee Sungmin. He grabbed his spear.

[That … It’s a Doppelganger. No, it’s a little different from the usual Doppelganger. Hey,
are you listening?]

He knew.

That was not Baek Sogo. It was just a monster that had taken the form of Baek Sogo.
[How about calming down a bit?]

I won’t. Lee Sungmin answered like that in his mind. Jang Deuksu kept talking to the
monster that was in the shape of Baek Sogo. So Foolish. Lee Sungmin grabbed Jang
Deuksu’s shoulders, which were blocking the front. Jang Deuksu turned around and
looked at Lee Sungmin with a surprised look on his face, but Lee Sungmin did not
explain it to him. He didn’t think any good words would come out even if he opened
his mouth.

“Wait, what are you doing…”

Jang Deuksu asked Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin did not listen and only looked at the
monster standing in front. The monster… The monster in the shape of Baek Sogo. It
looked at Lee Sungmin, blinking its eyes just like Baek Sogo, and stepped forward.

One step. Dozens of images hit Lee Sungmin. He lifted the spear without moving. He
had no intention of using his Shadowless technique on it. Shadowless… He wanted to
show it to Baek Sogo directly, not that monster. At that time, on that mountain. He had
learnt that technique from her, and now this is how far he has come. He used to
struggle to take even one step forward, but now he is like this.

You have grown up a lot.

How good it was to hear that from Baek Sogo the night he killed Ghost Blade.

He wanted to hear it again.

Dozens of afterimages of that Doppelganger flashed past his eyes violently. Lee
Sungmin didn’t know how outstanding the ‘real’ Baek Sogo’s Shadowless technique
was. On the mountain of Mush, the technique she had shown and her current level of
it would be vastly different. However, it seemed to him that the monster’s technique
was better than what Baek Sogo had shown him at the Mountain of Mush.

But he was not deceived by it. The red spear fluttered in his hands. And dozens of
blades shot forward.

The afterimage was pierced through by his spear and scattered away.
(T/N: here’s what Baek Sogo’s shaman priestess robes look like ^^

She could be wearing the colorful one at some point, but she’s been wearing the white
one so far.)
Swik.

The attack came out of the rubble, leaving behind a fluttering afterimage. The
Doppelganger’s attack was intimidating, but at the same time, it did not carry any hint
of life. So it was tricky to deal with. The attack would be difficult for someone to detect
because of the lack of life force.

That wasn’t the case for Lee Sungmin. His senses clearly picked up the attack of the
Doppelganger. The spear collapsed and rotated in Lee Sungmin’s hands. Tatak! A
series of kicks later, they collided. Lee Sungmin gave strength to both his arm muscles
without stepping back.

buung! The spear swung, cutting a large arc and caused the Doppelganger to back off.
The Doppelganger looked at the red spear while rolling it’s grey eyes, just like those
of Baek Sogo. He confirmed the blade was equipped on the spear. And then he held the
spear in front of him.

‘They look the same. It’s uncanny.’

The Doppelganger’s feet moved. The overall gesture that began with the foot created
a near-perfect Shadowless technique. If one were not familiar with it, they would be
entirely caught off guard by the complicated movements. But it is not like that for Lee
Sungmin. He knew the Shadowless technique.

From one step to two steps. That was the Two-step Calamitous End move. Shadowless
was a complementary technique. And it began with the Two-step Calamitous Ending
move. After the Doppelganger took two steps, it’s whole body gave off a strong, dense
aura. The purple aura around the spear gripped in Lee Sungmin’s hands grew stronger.

kkwaaang! The Doppelganger’s Two-step Calamitous End was countered by Lee

Sungmin’s unyielding blow. In Lee Sungmin’s hand, the spear began to turn violently,
and the spear was thrust into the chest of the Doppelganger.
The Doppelganger opened its mouth, but it neither screamed nor moaned. It looked
at Lee Sungmin while blinking blankly, and fell apart. Lee Sungmin pulled out his spear
while looking at the flesh that collapsed to the ground powerlessly.

“how… What is going on?”

“It’s a monster.”

Lee Sungmin murmured, looking down at the collapsed lump of flesh that was in the
shape of Baek Sogo a moment ago. The feeling when he pierced the monster’s flesh
passed through his mind. Finally, Lee Sungmin turned to face Jang Deuksu. He wiped
off the remnants of flesh left on his spear, along with the unpleasantness and annoyance
he felt at that moment.

“It was in the shape of Baek Sogo, but it’s a monster…”

“Did you not see it yourself? It is that kind of a monster.”

“It’s response was slow, but… The Shadowless technique that ‘Monster’ showed was
that of Baek Sogo. I don’t think there was a big difference in their level either if I’m not
wrong.”

Jang Deuksu murmured with disbelief on his face. Lee Sungmin also felt that to some
extent, during the fight against the Doppelganger. It didn’t seem that strong, but
nonetheless, the martial arts of that monster were no different from a high-level expert.

[Originally, monsters like Doppelgangers can only mimic the appearance, but can’t
mimic their skills. But then that’s the common sense that applies ‘outside’.]

Rubia muttered.

[The analysis is in progress. The information I got from the line now is that this
dungeon is a complex maze type. I think I can play the role of a guide well, so trust me
and move forward.]

‘Can I really believe you?’

[Oh gosh. Can’t you just trust me?]

Rubia grumbled. The armor that was listening to their conversation, trembled. Heoju,
who was already accustomed to the armor, seemed to want to talk.

‘What is it?’

[Why do you want me to shut up while letting that crude rag doll make so much noise?]

[A rag doll? You don’t even have a body of your own and need a clunky piece of armor
to travel!]

[I swear, the moment I regain my true form, I will kick your 4-year old ass.]

Heoju and Rubia began to bicker. Lee Sungmin felt his head aching, so he knocked on
the armor with his hand. Then Heoju shut his mouth without a squeak, and Rubia
laughed pompously seeing that.

“… I have a terrible feeling.”

Jang Deuksu was walking in front of him and had a grave look on his face unlike before.
He looked quite comical, walking ahead while holding a large axe in both his hands.

“What do you mean?”

“this… dungeon. We just fought a monster that looked like Baek Sogo.”

Me, not we. Lee Sungmin wanted to say, but he endured.

“If others are also…”

Lee Sungmin also realized what Jang Deuksu wanted to say. That Doppelganger in the
form of Baek Sogo had displayed her Shadowless technique. Even if he wasn’t used to
the fight itself, the Doppelganger’s martial arts were real. Lee Sungmin was able to
knock it out relatively easily because he recognized the movements.

‘Ah.’

He recalled the memories of his past life. In this dungeon, everyone except Wijihoyeon
died. That was what Wijihoyeon had declared after coming out of the dungeon.
Everyone else said she had killed them.

Maybe that time, it was a Doppelganger, and not Wijihoyeon herself, who killed Baek
Sogo and the others.

“I have to go.”

Lee Sungmin, passed by Jang Deuksu and headed forward, conscious of the ominous
feeling rising from his heart.

“Heugh… Heugh… !”

Peerless Warrior stared at the sight in front of him, taking rough breaths. Where he
was looking, there lay a mercilessly crushed body. It was one of the experts of the
Murim factions who came into this dungeon along with them. Heavenly Skyfall was an
expert over all those at the peak, but his defeat was one-sided, and he died without
even knowing why.

“It ’s like a monster… !”

Peerless Warrior soon realized that he would soon face the same ending as Heavenly
Skyfall. He glanced down at his hands that were covered with blood. He could feel a
blinding pain originating from his crushed left hand. His right hand didn’t hurt as
much, but he doubted it was in good shape either.

A monster walked over to where he lay on the ground. The monster was in the shape
of an ice-cold beauty. The dark hair, which seemed to extend into the darkness of the
night, fluttered lightly with every step she took, and the void-like dark eyes did not
show any emotion.

Minor Heavenly Demon Wijihoyeon.

He knew it was a monster. He also knew that she had an outstanding martial art for
her age. There were rumors spreading far and wide of Wijihoyeon’s fame. The
Wijihoyeon, who one-sidedly subdued Bloody Heavenly Demon Baek Museon, cut off
his left arm and escaped without any losses from Travia, Baek Museon’s territory.

Nevertheless, he still joined the chase against Wijihoyeon. It was because of his
inexplicable sense of righteousness. So, he did not try to escape. He gathered his inner
force to self-destruct as a final struggle before meeting his inevitable death. He called
for the power that he had built up throughout a lifetime in his body. Although he was
fairly new, Peerless Warrior was still an expert at the transcendence level. If he
attempted to end them both in mutual destruction, he might be able to take one arm
from her at least. That was all he wanted.

“euaaaah!”

Peerless Warrior ran forward while roaring. He attacked without any regard for his
life. Wijihoyeon raised her arm as she looked at him. The Black Dragon covering her
shoulders became larger.

He already knew. Just a while ago, Heavenly Skyfall could not escape the attack and
was turned into a miserable corpse. In the hands of Wijihoyeon, even a seemingly
powerless piece of cloth had become the hardest and fastest whip-like blunt weapon,
powerful than anything he had ever seen. It completely covered his field of vision and
overcame him with sweeping attacks. He couldn’t avoid it completely. His left leg was
ripped off to the side, but he didn’t care. He could no longer feel the pain. Peerless
Warrior looked up at Wijihoyeon with eyes full of murderous killing intent.

Wijihoyeon’s eyes looking down at the Peerless Warrior did not contain any emotions.
Her hand moved again, and the Black Dragon that was fluttering flew into the air. It
was a simple and direct attack, but its speed and power could not be ignored.

Peerless Warrior clenched his fist and twisted himself in the air.

kwadeudeuk! His left arm was torn. The pain was blinding, but he chose to ignore it.
He had to endure. Peerless Warrior stretched out his right hand while vomiting blood.
He had used up all his power in that attack just now. He thought he could cause her
some losses at least with his desperate attempt. However, in reality, the one who lost
completely unilaterally was still Peerless Warrior.

Wijihoyeon met the rain of pouring blood as she lowered her hand. She looked up
blankly at the sky, then turned around and looked at Heavenly Skyfall’s body.

The monster in the shape of Wijihoyeon left the place, feeling no emotion.

While Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger killed Peerless Warrior and Heavenly Skyfall.

The real Wijihoyeon was looking at the man standing in front of her. The man was
wounded. His sides were torn up, but neither blood nor intestines flowed. The man
had severe injuries, but he did not budge at all. The man’s eyes did not contain any
special attention or determination, looking completely lifeless.
“… Hmm.”

Wijihoyeon touched her chin with her hand while the Black Dragon fluttered on her
back. She looked at the man’s face once again while frowning.

She knew that it was not a ‘real’ person. Right in front of her, she saw an unidentifiable
mass that suddenly took the appearance of such a person.

“I was just wondering, but…”

She didn’t recognize him at first. It had been 9 years already. Wijihoyeon, who was in
Genavis nine years ago, had the look of a young girl, and likewise, ‘he’ was still a young
boy. 9 years had passed. After so many years, Wijihoyeon barely had any traces of that
young girl from many years ago.

“You also came here, huh.”

When did he enter? She was aware of the Murim factions’ pursuit but she had not felt
his presence among them. Wijihoyeon laughed bitterly, feeling a complex longing. She
didn’t think she would meet him at this place, and wondered what kind of expression
she should have when she met the ‘real’ person. If she knew, she would have dressed
up a little more. No, that wouldn’t really suit her. After thinking till there, Wijihoyeon
looked down at her chest.

It hadn’t grown much.

That was the biggest complaint Wijihoyeon had. In nine years, her physique had
changed and her face had also changed. She has become taller, but her breasts haven’t
grown much. It wasn’t that there was nothing, but it wasn’t big enough to the point of
being obvious, and according to Wijihoyeon’s criteria, it was slightly smaller than the
average. She had lived 9 years without pretending to be a man. Being a woman,
wearing women’s clothes and introducing herself as a woman. However, just as
Wijihoyeon’s breasts didn’t grow much in the past life, her breasts did not grow much
now even though she had lived as a woman rather than as a man this time around.

‘I thought I’d put in a lot of effort.’

When they met again, she wanted to show off the curvature of her raised chest and
brag. But it can’t be helped. Her chest did not grow. She even considered trying out a
Feng Yu Huan pill, but when she thought about it, there was no reason to go that far
for him. Besides, if her chest really grew like a watermelon, it would have been very
uncomfortable. Even if it was like this, Wiji Hoyeon was satisfied with the size of her
chest. It wasn’t a burden when it came to practicing martial arts.

‘But it is quite a pity.’

She didn’t do it, but she still wanted to see that surprised look. Wijihoyeon raised her
hand, sincerely thinking about it.

“This world is very mysterious. During the past nine years, I have seen and heard so
much. This is how I am now. I’m going to be different from the ‘me’ you knew in my
previous life.”

She would say that to him. Wijihoyeon chuckled softly.

“What. You said you had never met me in the past. And this conversation is
meaningless. You’re… I mean. You are not the guy I know. Is that right?”

The Doppelganger did not answer. It ignored the wound on its side and attacked. It
stretched out ahead with light steps, narrowing the distance at once and shooting the
spear in its hands in a straight line. No, it just pretended to shoot. The spear qi wavered
and the spear vanished. The movement of the spear changed depending on the hands.

Wijihoyeon felt very smug. Nine Heavenly Spears Sungmin version. The Nine Heavenly
Spears technique she altered to suit Lee Sungmin. Honestly, while transferring the
martial arts, she didn’t expect much from Lee Sungmin. According to her, his talent
was not so great, she thought he wouldn’t reach High Peak even after 10 years.

But see. The spear that shot out looked beautiful with a purple color. His martial arts
had become stronger. Wijihoyeon smiled happily and extended her hand forward.
Black Dragon, which was drooping down, spreads out toward the front following her
arm’s gesture.

The spear form created by the Doppelganger was obstructed by Wijihoyeon’s Black
Dragon.

“It’s excellent.”

Wijihoyeon murmured. Her outstretched hand clenched to form a fist. The spear
wound around the Black Dragon shattered, making a terrible sound. Doppelganger
tried to get the spear out of the way, but Wijihoyeon moved faster. Her slightly rolled
fist collided into the Doppelganger’s chest.

Bang.

The Doppelganger’s upper body exploded. Wijihoyeon laughed bitterly, stepping back
away from the scattered flesh.

“I would be very sad if you died here.”

I think.

Wijihoyeon turned her body while adding that.

Baek Sogo didn’t know where she was.

Her luck was good. She was definitely very lucky compared to the poor Heavenly
Skyfall and the Peerless Warrior who were killed by Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger
before they could even think of retaliating. Baek Sogo encountered the Doppelganger
of the high peak level expert Heavenly Skyfall, one of the members of the Murim
factions who came in with her.

Of the five experts from Murim, he was the weakest, and Baek Sogo was ranked
highest. Thanks to this, it was not difficult for Baek Sogo to defeat the Doppelganger.

What’s more fortunate was that Baek Sogo didn’t come across a very powerful
Doppelganger. She witnessed the process of the creation of such a doppelganger and
was able to understand to some extent what this dungeon was like.

‘A Doppelganger… I never thought I’d run into one in a place like this.’

Most of the Murim’s people, In particular, the foreigners who were not born in Eria
but were suddenly summoned to Eria after living in Murim, were more of a stranger
toward fields other than martial arts. In most cases, they shared the pride of
originating from Murim, renowned for their martial arts skills. In this regard, Baek
Sogo was a fairly reasonable person. In addition to martial arts, she was also
knowledgeable about other techniques.

‘The usual doppelganger only mimics the appearance. However, this dungeon’s
doppelganger can even mimic their martial arts. The battle itself was simple… Heavenly
Skyfall’s Doppelganger martial arts were very lacking as compared to the original.’

Baek Sogo was well aware of Heavenly Skyfall’s martial arts. They both belonged to
the Murim factions and were very familiar with each other because of their shared
mission of monitoring Wijihoyeon. Baek Sogo had a favorable opinion of Heavenly
Skyfall because of his strong passion for martial arts.
‘This dungeon is dangerous.’

The collapsed Doppelganger no longer moved. The monsters appearing in the dungeon
leave a certain loot after they fall. Baek Sogo reached out and traced the flesh of the
Doppelganger. Searching through the collapsed flesh of a monster, which was in the
shape of Heavenly Skyfall until a moment ago, was not a pleasant feeling, but there
was no hesitation in Baek Sogo’s hands as she prodded away.

“… a potion?”

Under the sticky flesh was a palm-sized glass bottle. Baek Sogo lifted the glass bottle
and shook it lightly. It was bright purple. Baek Sogo was very well-informed but still
could not grasp what the contents inside of the bottle were. In this case, the obvious
thing to do would be to drink it herself or test it out on someone else, but it was also
probably the most ignorant way.

Baek Sogo put her hand in the interdimensional pocket that was tied to her waist.
What she brought out was an artifact purchased by saving up the meager salary she
got from the Murim factions. On the surface, it looked like a crude magnifying glass,
but in order to buy it, Baek Sogo had to cut down her living expenses for more than
half a year.

‘It’s an Elixir. Very few impurities… This kind of an elixir, it’s like a Priest’s blessing.’

Of course, Elixirs were not all-encompassing. When someone’s arm was cut off, if the
cut off arm was still intact, they could attach it, but it could not make the arm regenerate
by itself. Even so, the Elixir was considered the best among various potions. Baek Sogo
placed it in her interdimensional pocket.

“… Well then…”

Baek Sogo contemplated as she looked at the winding path of flesh. Which way is the
front and which way is the back? She did not know whether the space she was in had
changed, or she was moved into a different space. She couldn’t tell left from right.

‘Where are the other people?’

For the time being, Baek Sogo decided to pick a direction and walk.

The main character who had turned the dungeon into a path of stinky flesh, Jang
Deuksu, was full of things to say. As he walked alongside Lee Sungmin’s shoulders, he
admired the technique Sungmin displayed when he killed Baek Sogo’s Doppelganger
and expressed all of his own opinions about it.

[So noisy.]

Lee Sungmin sympathized with Rubia’s complaint. Would he rather kill him and go?
It’s not that he never thought that, but Lee Sungmin did not enjoy murder. It was one
of the traces of humanity that Lee Sungmin desperately held onto as his mind fell apart
and rebuilt many times over the 2100 years he lived in the world of his subconscious.

He did not hesitate when it came to killing. But he did not enjoy it. If he had to, he
would kill. Or else he would not. Jang Deuksu was chatty, but that was not enough of a
reason to kill him. And Jang Deuksu was his best shot at an ally right now. He didn’t
know what would happen in the dungeon, so there was nothing wrong with moving
together.

The armor was quivering.

‘What is it again?’

[I’m curious about a little thing.]

Heoju, who had been shivering, felt a bit relieved to see that Lee Sungmin did not say
anything when he tried to speak.

[You. Why don’t you eat it?]

(T/N: ghost armor scared shitless. the ‘You’ he uses here is more like calling him Good Sir)

He was wondering what it was. Lee Sungmin broke into laughter. The loot obtained by
searching the body of a Doppelganger. What Lee Sungmin acquired was a Magic Jewel
Pill found only in dungeons, which cannot be purified artificially. It was the most
efficient Elixir in the world. Originally, no matter how well medicines are made, and
how excellent the pill refiner’s abilities are, there were limits to the martial arts of
magic that could be acquired from a pill.

However, the Magic Jewel Pill was different. On the surface, it was a gem that was
about the size of a fist, but if you put it in your mouth, it would melt and absorb into
your body. There was no need for an inner core method or magic. The moment one
takes it, it would add strength without any side effects. If they were a martial arts
practitioner, the inner qi would be enhanced, and if they were a mage, their magical
abilities would be enhanced.

‘My body is unstable. My martial arts may be ruined if I eat it.’

[I doubt that.]

Heoju replied to Lee Sungmin’s answer.

‘… What do you mean?’

[There’s no way I’m seeing wrong. Since I was able to get close to your body because
of this armor. Certainly, you are unstable. But your body is very tough.]

‘Tough?’

[There is something strange in your body. Are you aware of that? Hahaha! There is a
non-human heart inside your human body. This Great Ghost can bet no one has a heart
as strong and superior as yours, among the 100. Except for my body, of course.]

[Shamelessly bragging about his lack of body like that.]

Rubia grumbled, but Heoju didn’t mind it. Lee Sungmin was briefly lost in his thoughts
at Heoju’s words. Imbalance. It happened because the Black Heart he obtained was
not through practicing proper martial arts. That’s why his Heart was leading. Thanks
to the black heart he could replenish any amount of qi he was lacking. However, this
physique, his body. The mind had still failed to comprehend everything he had seen
and experienced completely. The 2100 years spent in his subconscious had made the
disharmony even more severe.

Lee Sungmin had received a Greater and Lesser Restoration Pill from Grandmaster
Bulyoung. However, he had not yet used it, and it was currently stored inside Lee
Sungmin’s interdimensional pocket. The reason why Lee Sungmin did not take it was
that he was worried that he would inevitably reverse his meridians and ruin his
cultivation due to the lack of balance among his heart, mind, and body.

‘But he said my body is tough. It’s because of the heart. I can’t believe it blindly.’

He didn’t know whether he could get a definitive answer from Prescan. He didn’t
intend to believe what Heoju said anytime soon. After all, Heoju was also someone
who had tried to take over his body.

‘But, Heoju. It’s been quite a while since you stepped out of the sleeping forest and got
into my armor. Why did you want to leave the forest?’

[What do you mean? I must have already answered that back in the forest? I do not
know. All I knew was that I had to leave the forest with you.]

‘Are you going to follow me and then take over my body, you little bastard?’

[It sure feels strange hearing a young man like you call me a bastard.]

But I’ve lived 2100 years, you bastard. Lee Sungmin tried to retort, saying that but
stopped.

[This is a strong hint. I don’t know what kind of great being sent you to me, Great Yokai
Heoju… but It’s probably not one of those measly gods.]

‘measly?’

[haha! He says he’s returned from death, but it doesn’t seem like he knows much. The
existence of God in this world is not so great. If I wanted to, I could be a god. I just
didn’t. Being a god is nothing more than a mortal shedding off their corporeal form.
They seem absolute, but they are weak.]

Heoju smiled. Lee Sungmin recalled Mush and Denir. Given the power they showed, he
could not understand what Heoju was saying.

[Whatever. I had to leave the forest with you, and I already did. Soon you will realize
that it was meant to happen. That’s how fate is.]

‘Fate is bullshit.’

[Do you not believe in fate? There is no coincidence in this world. Things happen
because it was meant to happen. You came back from death, and I left the forest with
you. It was because there was a good reason. That is our predetermined fate.]

Should he look for the God of Fate? Lee Sungmin seriously considered.
“Ahem.”

However, he couldn’t continue his thoughts. He sensed something strange and stopped
walking. Jang Deuksu also stopped walking along with him.

“… Chwigeol?”

Jang Deuksu called out like that.

Chwigeol was sitting with his back against the wall. Bodies of Doppelgangers were
scattered all around.

“Ah… Warrior Jang. Seeing that we can talk… Hu-hu! You’re a real human, right?”

Chwigeol smiled while saying that with a hoarse voice. Lee Sungmin looked at him
sitting on the floor.

“… Ugh! Just what happened to you?”

Jang Deuksu quickly approached Chwigeol and asked. He reached out with a big hand
to help him, but Chwigeol shook his head.

“I’m fine. I was just resting. By the way… I met Solitary Blade Dokgo. No, it was not
Solitary Blade. Using the same martial arts as him… I met a monster.”

He was as talkative as usual, but now he couldn’t laugh through pain and tiredness.
Few people can laugh when their left arm was cut off.

“What about potions… ?”

“My interdimensional pocket was smashed. The things inside disappeared into the
gaps in the space. Even so… I stopped the bleeding.”

“Jang Deuksu. Do you have any potions?”

“… I don’t.”

He said that in an imposing and clear voice. Lee Sungmin was in awe at the ignorance
of Jang Deuksu, who entered the dungeon without any preparations.
He looked around. The body of Solitary Blade’s Doppelganger was still visible, but the
Chwigeol’s lost arm was nowhere to be seen.

“Where did your arm go?”

Lee Sungmin approached him and asked. Chwigeol looked up at Lee Sungmin and
tried to focus his blurry eyes. Jang Deuksu introduced him.

“One year ago, that Ghost Gun, who killed Ghost Blade. Haven’t you heard of him?”

“I heard, but… it’s really him?”

“I was walking around nearby and entered the dungeon by chance.”

Having a famous nickname wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. When he heard the title
‘Ghost Gun’, Chwigeol was convinced and nodded.

“… Solitary Blade has expert swordsmanship. He can replicate the strength of dozens
of swords in a single attack. You might find my arm mixed in with the flesh in that crevice.”

“What dropped from the body of the Doppelganger?”

“A martial arts manual.”

Chwigeol snickered and laughed. He shook the stiff book lying next to him. Although
it was buried in the mass of flesh, the inscriptions on the manual were very clear.

“Kang Long’s ‘Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms’. Isn’t it funny that a person belonging
to the Wandering Sects received such a manual? Of course, Eighteen Dragon Subduing
Palms is an excellent martial art, but I don’t need it.”

(T/N: it’s a legend of the condor heroes reference

https://wuxia.fandom.com/wiki/18_Dragon_Subduing_Palms)

“Potion.”

Lee Sungmin said while reaching into his interdimensional pocket. Chwigeol winced
and looked back at him.

‘There are a lot of potions anyway.’

If the arm remained, he could use an Elixir to attach it back, but if not, there was no
reason to waste such a valuable potion. He could still use it to refresh himself.

He could create ties with the Wandering Sect by giving away just a few potions. It
wasn’t too bad. Jihak was called the future of Shaolin. Likewise, Chwigeol was the
future leader of the Wandering Sects. If he could build a bond with this person right
now, he could maintain a good relationship with the Wandering Sects in the future.

The Wandering sects’ were a famous information portal. There was no city without
beggars, and most beggars belonged to the Wandering sects, taking on the role of
being their eyes and ears. Although Lee Sungmin, a member of Erebrisa, never felt a
lack of information, their information was not the only thing he wanted. Wandering
sect was part of the old conservative factions and was quite influential among them.
There was nothing to lose by maintaining a relationship with such a magnate.

“… Thank you.”

Chwigeol bowed his head as he received the potion from Lee Sungmin. Then, he
handed over the ‘Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms’ that he held in his hand to Lee
Sungmin.

“It’s a martial art that I don’t need. How about you?”

“Thank you.”

Lee Sungmin did not refuse him. Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms was an outstanding
martial art. Getting such a manual was like hitting the jackpot. However, there was no
reason why Lee Sungmin would be greedy for the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palm
manual. He had also learnt the Hundred Step Manual, but had yet to perform it
properly. In the meantime, there was no reason to learn a new martial art, before
perfecting the previous one.

‘Since it’s a famous martial art, it won’t be of much value if I sell it like I did with the
Hundred Step Manual.’

Still, he felt good because he received it for free.

“Huu!”

He downed five bottles of potion in one go. Chwigeol definitely looked better than
before, and he seemed to be in good spirits again. He turned his shoulders awkwardly
and looked at the place where his arm was cut off, but he understood that his arm
would not simply grow back.

“Thank you.”

Chwigeol bowed his head toward Lee Sungmin. As the wound healed, he felt no pain.
He laughed heartily. Lee Sungmin shook his head while looking at Chwigeol’s laugh.

“It’s nothing.”

“Not for me. It would have been very difficult without you.”

Of course, it would. Jang Deuksu didn’t have any potions, and Chwigeol had lost his
pocket. Even if he stopped the bleeding, it was only a temporary measure. Without
proper treatment, his body would eventually break down, and it would not be possible
to live with such a weakened body in an unpredictable dungeon.

Chwigeol died in his previous life. So did Jang Deuksu.

Baek Sogo too. Lee Sungmin thought while biting on his lower lip. While Lee Sungmin
was lost in his thoughts, Jang Deuksu explained the characteristics of this dungeon to
Chwigeol. After hearing what he said, Chwigeol’s face was stiff.

“Then you must hurry. Even if Wijihoyeon doesn’t act, if her Doppelganger starts to
move, it can do a lot of damage. Perhaps her Doppelganger is more dangerous than
her. Simply talking here won’t work.”

Maybe there was already someone who had fallen prey to it. Thinking about it, Lee
Sungmin felt extremely impatient. He had come to this dungeon to prevent Baek
Sogo’s death. If he could stop her death, it wouldn’t matter if someone else died.
Although he helped Chwigeol in order to make a connection with the Wandering Sects,
if it could save Baek Sogo, Lee Sungmin would be willing to kill Chwigeol right now.

“Let’s go.”

Lee Sungmin moved first. Jang Deuksu and Chwigeol followed after him. Also, he didn’t
know what would come out next, so he couldn’t run away, but Lee Sungmin opened
his senses wide and tried to sense the movements around him.

“Are you worried about Baek Sogo?”

Chwigeol, who came close to Lee Sungmin asked. Lee Sungmin looked back at him
with surprise on his face.

“Ah. I heard that you were close to Baek Sogo from the priestess herself. A year ago…
So, around the time you killed Ghost Blade.”

“… How are you acquainted with Baek Sogo?”

“We are colleagues.”

At Lee Sungmin’s question, Chwigeol tilted his head, looking confused. Chwigeol did
not understand the emotions revealed by Lee Sungmin. In fact, it was the same for Lee
Sungmin. He felt a strange sense of hostility toward Chwigeol for a moment. Although
it was his own feeling, Lee Sungmin could not understand the reason.

“Ah… Sorry. I was just surprised because it was an unexpected question.”

“Oh, that’s all right. It can be considered a sensitive issue.”

Chwigeol replied with a nonchalant expression. There was nothing uncommon about
having a connection with a priest from Munpa, Lee Sungmin and Baek Sogo’s connection
was through sharing martial arts and not the Munpa.

“If you’re worried about Baek Sogo, you don’t have to. She is the strongest of us.”

“But she is still weaker than Wijihoyeon.”

Chwigeol could not say anything to that. Lee Sungmin looked ahead without saying
any more. Meanwhile, Rubia’s voice rang out in Lee Sungmin’s head.

[The analysis has been completed.]

It took quite a while. Ruby added. Even so, her voice was filled with pride for what she
had done. Lee Sungmin stopped walking.

“What happened?”

Jang Deuksu asked him when he suddenly stopped walking. Lee Sungmin did not
answer him and instead asked Rubia.

‘How is it?’

[It’s better for you to see for yourself than have me explain.]

As she finished speaking, a translucent window appeared before Lee Sungmin’s eyes.
It was the same as the status window that he checked occasionally. But the contents
were completely different.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this.”

How long has it been? If Denir hadn’t backed-up his memory, he might not have even
felt nostalgic. But thanks to the backed-up memory, Lee Sungmin was able to recall
that he had seen something like this a long time ago. Before being summoned to Eria.
When he lived in Seoul, Korea, yes, When Lee Sungmin was still an elementary school
student. Like other children, he also used to play computer games.

‘It’s a mini map.’

A Blue dot flickered on the flat map. As Lee Sungmin’s gaze turned to it, Rubia explained.

[That blue dot is you. This dungeon has four paths, all of which lead to one place. There
is likely a boss level monster in this dungeon.]

Boss level monsters existed in all dungeons. Conquering the dungeon meant not only
surviving it but also defeating the boss level monster.

[Look.]
Two yellow dots showed up next to the blue one that was still.

[Currently, they are moving inside the dungeon.]

The flickering dots increased. There were a total of eight dots, including Lee Sungmin’s.

[And these are not people. It’s probably a Doppelganger.]

There weren’t many Doppelgangers. There were only three red dots. Lee Sungmin
stared at the yellow and red dots. The fact that the number of Doppelgangers was not
so many reassured him. And also there were many yellow dots.

‘Didn’t anyone else come into the dungeon later?’

[I don’t think so.]

At the time when Lee Sungmin entered the dungeon, there were ten people in the
dungeon. Wijihoyeon and her three followers. Five people from Murim factions,
including Baek Sogo. And Lee Sungmin.

But now there were eight survivors. Two of them were dead. There was no way of
knowing who died. He earnestly prayed Baek Sogo was not among the dead.

‘There are three doppelgangers on the move.’

Baek Sogo’s Doppelganger was dead, and Solitary Blade’s Doppelganger was dead. In
addition, five other Doppelgangers died.

‘Who else’s Doppelganger was dead?’

He didn’t think it could be Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger. Except for Wijihoyeon, there

was no one who could defeat her Doppelganger. Although he didn’t know what the
outcome would be if multiple experts joined forces.

‘No. I don’t have to think about the doppelgangers that are moving right now.’

If he continued to survive, he would eventually meet the other survivors at the square
that was at the end. But if they didn’t survive, it would be pointless to go to the square
and wait.
In fact, that wasn’t what he should be thinking right now.

“There is someone in front.”

Although there was a little distance, the yellow dot was still moving.

‘Are there any magic traps in this dungeon?’

[I do not know… I haven’t confirmed it yet.]

“There seem to be no more magic traps. Let’s speed it up.”

Rubia replied that she didn’t know, but Lee Sungmin paid no heed to it. On the other
side, Rubia clucked her tongue inside Lee Sungmin’s head. Disregarding that, Lee
Sungmin jumped forward without waiting for Chwigeol and Jang Deuksu. As he
started running, Chwigeol and Jang Deuksu also chased after him.

The yellow dot was getting closer. However, there was no need to check closely. Lee
Sungmin could watch his movements through the mini-map that was hovering in front
of him, but the yellow dot was no longer advancing forward as if it had heard the sound
of running from behind.

‘no.’

Although it was a little far away, it was close enough to confirm its appearance. It was
not Baek Sogo who was standing there. It wasn’t Wijihoyeon either. It was an old
woman with a short stature who was wearing messy rag-like clothes. Lee Sungmin
was seeing the old woman for the first time but noticed that she was Crimson Death,
who had entered the dungeon following Wijihoyeon.

He had to choose.

Would he fight Elder Crimson Death with Jang Deuksu and Chwigeol? Or would he
entrust her to them and go get Baek Sogo. In fact, he didn’t need to think too much. He
had already chosen the answer in his mind.

[Sorry.]

Still, He sent out a message to Chwigeol. Chwigeol looked at Lee Sungmin, surprised
at the sudden sound that appeared in his mind.
[Crimson Death is in front. It will take too long to fight her. … I need to find Baek Sogo.]

“There is nothing to be sorry about.”

Although he was taken aback, Chwigeol quickly understood the situation. He smiled
bitterly and looked at Lee Sungmin.

“I also want to save Baek Sogo. It would be better for you to go, rather than me, with
my arm cut off.”

“What are you talking about?”

Jang Deuksu asked about their conversation. Then, he also noticed Crimson Death
Elder’s presence. He circulated his inner force with eyes wide open.

“Crimson Death!”

Jang Deoksu yelled. Lee Sungmin wondered whether it was really necessary to cry out
like that. He looked back. The gap between them and Crimson Death Elder had closed
up considerably. The Old Woman’s shoulders shook as she laughed.

“Kekeke! That kid from Wandering Sect had his arm cut off… It is ignorant that are too
brave. That pig is making too much noise.”

She muttered those words and turned to look at Lee Sungmin. She looked at his face
and shook her head.

“Who are you again?”

It was a low voice, but it was full of power, so it entered right into his ears. Lee Sungmin
ignored her question. Instead, he raised his power and increased the speed of his
attack.

“It’s dangerous alone!”

Jang Deuksu yelled out from behind. Lee Sungmin ignored the warning. Though he felt
sorry for Chwigeol, he did not have any such feelings toward Jang Deuksu. The
Crimson Death Elder was a little taken aback when she saw Lee Sungmin coming
quickly, but she raised her wrinkled hand without hesitation. Her right hand, full of
power, exerted an awful energy.
“You are a brave young man, aren’t you?”

Crimson Death Elder roared out. Her spell shot towards Lee Sungmin. If it hit him
head-on, he would be harmed even if he was using Defense Aura. Of course, he had no
intention of waiting around for that to happen. Lee Sungmin leaped upward and
escaped her attack.

“You little rat bastard!”

Crimson Death Elder must not have thought that Lee Sungmin would respond like
that. She reached out for Lee Sungmin, who was already in the air. At that moment,
Lee Sungmin twisted his back. His body moved in the air without a foothold. When his
feet hit the air, Crimson Death’s spell force smashed into Lee Sungmin’s body.

‘Damn you!’

His afterimage collapsed. Crimson Death Elder jumped and pulled her feet back. Lee
Sungmin’s body was approaching her. Crimson Death Elder realized that unlike his
appearance, Lee Sungmin was an outstanding expert. She covered herself with a thick
Defense Aura. Lee Sungmin stabbed the spear he was holding toward her.

Crimson Death Elder reached out to respond to the stab. It was a waste of time. When
her hand tried to deflect the spear, the trajectory of the spear twisted slightly. He was
about to stab her through an opening, but her left hand was already running to
respond. Crimson Death Elder tried to grab Lee Sungmin’s body with her left hand.
Lee Sungmin released the spear in his right hand and extended his hand toward her.

‘Crimson Death Elder is a master of handwork. You can’t deal with her with bare
hands.’

He extended his hand even though he knew that. Lee Sungmin’s right palm was
emitting a purple aura. jjooong! Crimson Death Elder and Lee Sungmin’s palms
collided with an explosion. Crimson Death Elder opened her eyes wide to the sense of
resistance felt by her hands.

‘The power of this young man… ! ’

He was surprised by the unexpected heaviness. Crimson Elder was not overwhelmed.
His only intention was to catch her off-guard. When she went for a full-fledged attack,
Lee Sungmin, without hesitation, flew to the ground avoiding her attack.
“Come back! You bastard! You damn daoist!”

Crimson Elder roared in anger as she saw Lee Sungmin leaping off onto the ground.
Lee Sungmin paid no mind to it. He rolled on the floor, immediately straightening his
posture to jump forward. Only then did Crimson Elder realize that Lee Sungmin was
simply aiming to move ahead rather than fight her.

“brat!”

Crimson Elder hurled a spell at his back. Before she could succeed, Chwigeol flew
toward Crimson Death. She hurriedly changed direction to suppress Chwigeol.

“wait, What? Where are you going?”

Jang Deuksu shouted, looking panicked. Lee Sungmin continued to head forward
despite the cry. He looked at the mini-map. The path ahead was clear. If he kept moving
forward, he would reach the square.

But that was not right. When he arrived at the end, a boss level monster would appear.

‘This wall. Can I get through it?’

Lee Sungmin stopped walking after he passed a certain distance from Crimson Death
Elder. He looked at the wall and asked Rubia.

[I don’t know… We could find out if you try it?]

Rubia could not know everything. In response, Lee Sungmin grabbed the spear with
both hands. His spear was wrapped in a purple aura.

‘I have to go another way.’

He had to meet Baek Sogo before she crossed paths with Wijihoyeon or her
Doppelganger.
He paused for a moment. He didn’t know how thick the wall was, but it was better than
reaching the end. Lee Sungmin looked at the mini-map floating on a corner of his
vision.

There were four paths leading to the end. At present, Lee Sungmin was on the path
with Jang Deuksu, Chwigeol, and Crimson Death. He stared at four different paths.

Two of the four paths had both yellow and red dots. On the other path, there were two
yellow dots and only one red dot on the last path. Lee Sungmin stared at the road left
with only one red dot.

‘Who could it be?’

Who’s the Doppelganger? If only one Doppelganger was left on that path, it would
mean that all the other people on that path were killed by that Doppelganger.

‘Is it Wijihoyeon?’

Maybe Baek Sogo was already dead. He was taken over by such an ominous feeling.
Lee Sungmin swallowed down his anxiety and bit his lower lip. He looked at the road
with only three dots. One road where there were both people and doppelgangers. One
road with two doppelgangers.

Except for roads that only have Doppelgangers. Which should he choose? He could go
either right or left from where he was currently located. There was a human and a
Doppelganger on the left. On the right there were three humans.

Lee Sungmin watched the mini-map with furrowed brows. The three yellow dots were
approaching each other.

He didn’t know how to go about it.

The worst case scenario was this. The three yellow dots were not Wijihoyeon, but her
followers. If it were Wijihoyeon, there wouldn’t be a problem. She would recognize
Lee Sungmin. But what about the experts following her? It was unlikely that they
would leave Lee Sungmin alone.

‘I don’t think they would believe me even if I use Wijihoyeon’s name.’

The distance of the yellow dots was getting closer. He would encounter them soon. Or
maybe they have already captured each other. Lee Sungmin glanced down the road on
the left. The distance between the Doppelganger and the people was quite far.

“Damn it.”

Lee Sungmin pointed his spear at the wall on his right. If it really was the worst case,
then going beyond the wall. He might come across Solitary Blade Dokgo and Iron Fist
Marang. Or perhaps it might be Wijihoyeon and Baek Sogo, or it could be Heavenly
Skyfall and Peerless Warrior.

Nothing was certain. He had to try. The spear qi that usually distributed through the
whole spear concentrated at the spearhead and condensed to form a small metallic
end with an extremely sharp edge at the top.

[Huu.]

Heoju was surprised to see that. He knew that Lee Sungmin was an expert with
excellent skills, but he didn’t know that he was so good at coordinating his skills.

[It’s not possible using just martial arts. How did you do it?]

“I have done it before.”

Lee Sungmin replied while staring at the edge of the spear. The world of martial arts
that was within his reach. If he used only the martial arts given in the status window,
it would be impossible to tune his strength. In fact, Lee Sungmin’s martial arts was
composed of Amethyst Cloud, Nine Heavenly Spears, and Shadowless technique.

But other than that. Lee Sungmin remembered that he had already reached a much
higher level. It was a strange thing. He remembered it in his mind, but his body could
neither comprehend nor use it. It was the same at this moment. Since he used a
method that he wasn’t at a level to use, he had used up a lot of his inner qi.
But he still did it. Although he had a feeling of emptiness in his Dantian, Lee Sungmin
did not care. He continued to channel energy into the hand holding the spear by
tapping into his inner force. Rubia clucked her tongue out, and Heoju was silent. The
dense qi condensed at the tip of the spear was dark purple.

‘It’s definitely different from my subconscious.’

It was faster and easier than this over there. Lee Sungmin smiled bitterly. That was it.
He drove the spear into the wall made of red flesh.

[What a weirdo.]

Heoju smiled and said when Lee Sungmin’s spear pierced through the wall.

Lee Sungmin took a deep breath and walked into the pierced wall. He felt dizzy from
the sharp internal pain. He had no strength in his legs. Lee Sungmin held his trembling
legs and bit on his lower lip.

‘I can’t help it.’

He took out a potion from his interdimensional pocket. He drank it in one gulp.
Although it did relieve his fatigue a little, the potion did not restore the qi that was
consumed. In order to recover his inner energy, he would have to fix his meridians,
but there was no time for that.

Lee Sungmin took out a Restoration pill from his interdimensional pocket. He split the
pill in half and put it in his mouth. It was absorbed instantly. Usually, when you take a
pill, you would need to circulate it into your meridians for it to work, but Lee Sungmin,
who had a Blackheart, didn’t have to go through that process. The half of the pill that
he took was absorbed into Lee Sungmin’s Dantian.

“Huu!”

He left without taking the rest of the Restoration pill or the Magic Jewel pill. There was
also an urgent need to recover his inner strength, but he also had to reach on time. His
empty Dantian was full. It was worthy of being Shaolin’s finest, as the Restoration Pill
had replenished most of the inner qi consumed by Lee Sungmin with only half of it.

‘There is no wasted energy. Heoju might be right.’

Although he could not completely trust him yet, Lee Sungmin ran to the front
immediately after confirming that his inner force had been replenished. The two
yellow dots were in the same location, and not far from where Lee Sungmin was now.

How long had he been running for?

He could see the two engaged. When he saw their backs. Lee Sungmin’s chest was
thumping. Pure white robes and grey hair. Lee Sungmin knew that appearance.

It was Baek Sogo.

There was a giant man in black robes attacking her. Looking at the size, he was bigger
than Jang Deuksu. He used his bare fist instead of wielding a sword, and the powerful
attack was threatening enough to make his chest feel stuffy even though he wasn’t
facing it head-on.

‘That fist. Is it Iron Fist Marang?’

Baek Sogo and Iron Fist Marang were the same in that they were both fighting without
a weapon. However, their methods of attacking were very different. Baek Sogo
attacked without hesitation, moving with flawless agility and using her perfected
Shadowless technique, while Iron Fist Marang’s moves were slower but heavy and
loaded with power. It seemed too early to judge which one of the two was superior,
but it seemed to Lee Sungmin that Baek Sogo was leading.

But that didn’t mean Baek Sogo’s situation was good. A little distance from him, a
skinny man stood with his arms folded. He saw Lee Sungmin coming up and opened
his narrow eyes.

It was Solitary Blade Dokgo.

He couldn’t think of anyone other than Solitary Blade. He didn’t know Heavenly Skyfall
or Peerless Warrior, but there was no reason for them to attack Baek Sogo. Indeed, a
long sword was hanging at the man’s waist.

Lee Sungmin sped up using the One Thunder technique.

So far, he had been lucky, but not now. He never thought that he would encounter
Solitary Blade Dokgo and Iron Fist Marang on this road. Fortunately, they were not
working together.
This was because Iron Fist Marang was hard-headed. Since neither of them used
weapons, Iron Fist Marang fought her fairly in a one-on-one match.

‘Even if I win here… ’

Baek Sogo bit her lower lip. Iron Fist Marang was an excellent expert, but he was only
half as good as her. Although it is not easy to defeat him, Baek Sogo would be able to
win the fight unless a significant variable occurred.

The problem was Solitary Blade. Solitary Blade Dokgo was considered the best among
Wijihoyeon’s followers. If she was in her best form and fought Solitary Blade Dokgo
after defeating Iron Fist Marang, the chances of her survival were minimal.

‘If I overpower Iron Fist Marang and threaten Solitary Blade with his life … no. That
wouldn’t do. Solitary Blade would never care about Iron Fist Marang’s life.’

However, she could not give up. Baek Sogo could not die yet. She clenched her first and
went head to head against Iron Fist Marang. Seeing himself be pushed back little by
little, Iron Fist Marang’s expression was distorted. He heard Solitary Blade’s subtle
laughter from behind, looking at him be embarrassed like this, and his blood boiled.

“That bitch… !”

He roared out with an angry voice, but Iron Fist Marang could only get hit one-sidedly
by Baek Sogo. Meanwhile…

Kuuuung!

There was a loud noise. Solitary Blade reacted quickly and Baek Sogo’s shoulders
trembled. Although a small gap was created as a result, Iron Fist Marang was also
caught off guard by the sound and couldn’t take advantage of it.

“Someone is coming.”

Solitary Blade murmured. Iron Fist Marang and Baek Sogo also felt it. Someone was
approaching at high speed. Who could it be? Baek Sogo’s pupils constricted. The worst
thing for her right now would be if there was another Doppelganger approaching …
or if it was Wijihoyeon. If so, there would be no chance that she would survive unless
a miracle happened.
“What is that guy?”

Baek Sogo could not afford to look behind. However, that was not the case for Solitary
Blade. Iron Fist Marang could not see who was approaching while focusing on Baek
Sogo.

“Was there anyone who used a spear?”

Solitary Blade drew out his sword while muttering like that. Spear. None. It wasn’t
Chwigeol or Peerless Warrior, Jang Deuksu used an axe, and Heavenly Skyfall used dao.
spear… Spear. A figure emerged from Baek Sogo’s memory. There was one person. She
knew someone who used the spear.

“He looks quite young… I don’t know what he’s doing.”

Solitary Blade muttered and headed forward. He didn’t know who was coming, but he
was curious. Baek Sogo felt the urge to look back. But she could not.

“Should I kill her first?”

“No need!”

Solitary Blade asked Iron Fist Marang, who replied in a harsh voice. He answered that
reply with a grin. Meanwhile…

Kkaaang!

A flash of an attack hit Solitary Blade’s sword. His posture did not waver even an inch.
He stood firmly rooted on the spot and received the attack. Solitary Blade, who was
smiling leisurely just now, narrowed his eyes. Through the current blow, he could tell
that his opponent was an expert with extraordinary skill.

“Who are you?”

Solitary Blade asked. In response to Iron Fist Marang’s attack, Baek Sogo stepped back
a few steps. With the sudden intrusion of a third person, Iron Fist Marang did not
immediately rush to attack Baek Sogo. As he caught up his breaths, he looked at the
man who just attacked Solitary Blade.

Lee Sungmin.
Baek Sogo opened her eyes wide and saw Lee Sungmin’s back. She saw him a year ago.
There wasn’t a big difference in appearance compared to that time. Then, why? Why
did his back look bigger than it did a year ago?

Lee Sungmin did not look back. Actually, he had missed her. He wanted to turn around
to face Baek Sogo. He wanted to greet her. It’s been a long time, how have you been?
He wanted to say that. But he couldn’t do it. Right in front of him was Solitary Blade
Dokgo and Iron Fist Marang. If Lee Sungmin revealed any gaps, Solitary Blade would
attack without missing it.

“Baek Sogo.”

He raised the spear with both hands and attacked. His hands felt numb. It collided
against the sword with speed, but Solitary Blade received Lee Sungmin’s attack calmly.
Even though Solitary Blade’s doppelganger fell to Chwigeol, its ability wasn’t inferior
to him by much. Solitary Blade seemed to be the strongest martial artist he’d clashed
against so far. Even Ghost Blade under the full moon seemed to be far from Solitary
Blade’s level.

“Long time no see.”

Lee Sungmin did not look at Baek Sogo’s face. He stared at Solitary Blade, Then said
slowly. Baek Sogo’s shoulders trembled when she heard those words. 1 year. At least
one year. Compared to a year ago, Baek Sogo was clearly stronger. However, Baek
Sogo’s skills, which had already reached this stage, had not been improved greatly in
that one year.

But what about Lee Sungmin?

Baek Sogo couldn’t believe it. The Lee Sungmin she met a year ago was not this strong.
Even then, Lee Sungmin was close to the peak, but there was a strong feeling of instability
somewhere. But now? Now, Baek Sogo found Lee Sungmin to be surprisingly strong.

“… Lee-… Lee Sungmin?”

Why are you here? Baek Sogo wanted to ask him, but she remained silent because she
knew it was inconvenient to ask such a question in this situation. Solitary Blade
laughed while watching Baek Sogo and Lee Sungmin.

“Was there someone like that following Silent Flare? This is the first time I’m hearing
of it.”

Solitary Blade raised his sword which had a red aura surrounding it. Lee Sungmin’s
breath quickened as he held up the spear with both hands. They wouldn’t believe him
if he told them that he was Wijihoyeon’s acquaintance. Then, should he take Baek Sogo
and escape the fight? He didn’t think they would allow him to do that.

If so, could he do it?

The opponent was Solitary Blade. They had never fought before. He had already
experienced how difficult it was to deal with an expert swordsman. Lee Sungmin
instinctively knew. That the Solitary Blade standing in front of him was stronger than
he was now.

Could he do it?

In response to the question that came up again, Lee Sungmin simply walked forward.

He had to.

(T/N: There’s a little quirk of Lee Sungmin’s that doesn’t quite translate. He refers to
Baek Sogo by name in his head but calls her with the honorific ‘priestess’ when he speaks
to her when other people are around, kinda like calling her fellow Daoist/Taoist, or
rather like ‘fellow Shaman priest’. Same goes for Baek Sogo as well.)
‘What a strange guy.’

The stranger’s eyes were like bottomless wells, and Solitary Blade couldn’t stop
staring. His first attack was nothing to write home about. Of course, that didn’t mean
he was weak. The blow he blocked was heavier than that of Iron Fist Marang.

‘I didn’t know there was another person like that with Silent Flare.’

He couldn’t comprehend the whole situation yet. While he might feel he was ahead of
or at least equal to Solitary Blade, that wasn’t enough right now. He had intruded into
the fight suddenly, but his skills weren’t strong enough to completely reverse the
situation. Solitary Blade looked at him and laughed. His sword made a sound. It
sounded like the mournful cry of a dying child.

Lee Sungmin looked at Solitary Blade’s sword. His martial arts were incomparable to
Solitary Blade. But he couldn’t step back. He held the spear. He closed his eyes once,
opened them, and evened his breath. There was no shortage of qi in his Dantian. There
were no delusions in his mind. There was only a strong resolve.

‘Strange.’

Solitary Blade straightened his posture.

‘It should be easy to beat him… so why does it suddenly not seem easy anymore?’

Those bottomless eyes gave him a strange feeling.

He stopped hesitating. They both leapt forward to strike at each other. Lee Sungmin
didn’t hold back and used Shadowless and One Thunder simultaneously to leave an
afterimage as he ran forward. Solitary Blade slashed his sword sideways as he took
half a step forward. Lee Sungmin gripped his long spear tightly and stabbed forward.

There was no clashing sound. The attacks were in vain. The stabbing spear soared
upward in a straight line. Solitary Blade swung his sword at a shorter height while
turning his upper body at an angle.

Jjooong!

There was definitely a clash of weapons this time. He turned his entire body without
looking back and exerted all the power he could in the attack. His hands felt numb. Lee
Sungmin’s knees buckled slightly. It looked like he had been pushed back by force, but
in reality, he had taken several steps back voluntarily.

Solitary Blade was like a rabid dog that would not miss any prey around it. He
remembered what Chiwgeol said. The way Chiwgeol was wounded. What had happened
to Chiwgeol’s ripped off arm.

He went for a one-shot attack, with dozens of blades in it. It would not cause a simple
flesh wound. Simply grazing by would be enough to draw blood.

The spear pierced through the air, and Solitary Blade’s eyes shifted quickly. He
distinguished between the false and true spearheads that shot at him in rapid succession.

‘What an expert. You seem young and full of energy… Hu-hu! But something is strange.’

A sly look arose on Solitary Blade’s face. He couldn’t rest yet. The sword shot out with
a piercing sound and parried the spear’s attack.

‘Although it seems like an attack, it’s quite restrained. You know when to retreat and
when to advance. Indeed… Right now, you’re at an advantage.’

There was no reason not to attack aggressively. Lee Sungmin didn’t want to allow
Solitary Blade to find any gaps to take advantage of.

Half a step.

It was Solitary Blade who took half a step forward. The Defense Aura wrapped around
him greatly increased. Lee Sungmin’s sixth sense was alerted, and his body responded
immediately by switching to the Nine Heavenly Spears technique. The spear aura
burst forth like red waves, and a sharp spearhead pierced out through it.

He sensed a sharp attack coming. The clear sword collided with the spearhead.
‘No.’

It wasn’t the main attack. There was more to come. Solitary Blade Dokgo was no wolf.
He was more like a snake. The sword of the Solitary Blade slithered up the spear and
aimed for his neck. Lee Sungmin changed his pace. Instead of backing down, he
charged ahead.

Paak!

Solitary Blade’s sword cut through his afterimage. The afterimage divided into many
and then scattered away. He twisted his body in anticipation of an attack on his side.
He couldn’t tell where Lee Sungmin was attacking from. He had to admit it even if he
didn’t want to. Solitary Blade spun and released many swords of qi. Lee Sungmin
pulled his arm back in response.

They kept on going. He shot dozens of spearheads at the swords launched toward him.
Seeing at the successive explosions, Solitary Blade could no longer hold back his
excitement and laughed. He threw out a stroke as he stopped laughing. Lee Sungmin
twirled his spear.

Kkaaang!

Lee Sungmin deflected the sword using the Ran technique and immediately pushed
forward. One step, two steps. That’s how he began. His life and spear force entangled
and exploded toward Solitary Blade. Solitary Blade threw the sword that was in his
right hand to his left. The sword dispelled Lee Sungmin’s move in the air. The remnants
of the attack scattered away.

‘No?’

But Solitary Blade had missed the spear. The spear slashed from bottom to top. Skill
Stealing. It was a move that surprised Solitary Blade, but he was not panicked by it.
Instead of retreating, he wielded his sword. It was said that Solitary Blade’s
swordsmanship was like using many blades with one sword. He was one of the best
swordsmen Lee Sungmin had seen. His Skill Stealing technique was blocked. Lee
Sungmin immediately stepped aside with the One Thunder technique. Lee Sungmin,
who had split his afterimage into dozens, surrounded Solitary Blade with all of the
illusions holding up their spears.

“Hahaha!”
Solitary Blade laughed out loud. He moved forward and cut a huge arc with his sword.
The sword that swept over the surroundings and dispersed all of the afterimages in
one go. Lee Sungmin seemed to be at a higher level than he had assessed previously.
Solitary Blade greatly revised his initial impression of Lee Sungmin. He wielded the
spear with agility and sharpness, and his movements could confuse one’s eyes.

‘I wonder how old you are.’

If he only looked at his martial arts, he was no different from an old man who had
polished his skills for a very long time. Was there a young spear-wielder who had such
excellent skill? If there was, there would have been many rumors about him.

‘I’d like to fight a little more. But there is no time to keep going.’

Iron Fist Marang was the problem. Iron Fist, who had been fighting with Baek Sogo in
the meantime, was unable to back down and was being suppressed by her. The outcome
of their fight would be settled before long. Solitary Blade couldn’t stand him. If Iron
Fist Marang died, Baek Sogo and Lee Sungmin would join hands with no hindrance,
and Solitary Blade would be unable to hold them back.

‘It’s not common to be able to have such an exciting fight. I suppose it can’t be helped…’

Solitary Blade’s line of thought was cut off soon enough.

It happened very quickly. The wall of the flesh that was right next to him was torn, and
black torrents rushed out from it to strike Solitary Blade’s body. He never imagined
there would be such an attack and could not even defend himself.

It wasn’t that he had poor defense. Solitary Blade’s Defense Aura was intact and was
protecting his body. But that wasn’t the problem. His Defense Aura in itself was not
strong enough to protect him against an attack of such a caliber.

Despite tearing down the wall, the power of the attack did not decrease at all. The
upper half of his body was blasted off before he could even scream. However, as he
was flying in the sky, with blood spraying out of his body, Solitary Blade had one final
thought before his consciousness faded away.

‘Black Dragon… ? Minor Heavenly Demon? Why…’

Bang! Solitary Blade’s body crashed onto the floor. Lee Sungmin looked blankly at his
state. The fearsome Solitary Blade had been taken down with a fatal injury in an
instant and was beyond saving.

The fight between Baek Sogo and Iron Fist Marang stopped. Iron Fist glanced down
with a pale, tired face. The dreaded Solitary Blade’s body had completely stilled.

Solitary Blade Dokgo was dead.

“Minor Heavenly Demon…”

Iron Fist Marang stuttered out. Baek Sogo’s mouth was half-open. Lee Sungmin looked
down at Solitary Blade’s body emotionlessly. The Solitary Blade Dokgo, the one with
that ferocious swordsmanship that swung down mercilessly, no longer existed. The
only thing left was a destroyed body with the upper half crushed. He moved his stiff
neck and turned his head.

It was the black cloth that was currently lying on the ground limply that had killed
him. Lee Sungmin knew what it was. He hadn’t seen it directly but had learnt about it
from the information purchased from Erebrisa.

Wijihoyeon walked out through the cracks in the wall. She just glanced at Solitary
Blade’s body and said nothing. Seeing those unfeeling eyes, Lee Sungmin realized that
it was her Doppelganger, and not the real Wijihoyeon.

The Doppelganger was holding someone’s head in its hand. Lee Sungmin knew who it
belonged to. It was Crimson Elder. But seeing that there was no blood flowing from it,
the head likely belonged to Crimson Elder’s Doppelganger and not the real person.
The road where the two Doppelgangers were together. It seems those two were
Wijihoyeon and Crimson Elder’s Doppelgangers.

“Minor Heavenly Demon… Why… !”

Iron Fist Marang shouted out. He still didn’t realize that they were Doppelgangers.
However, Lee Sungmin and Baek Sogo knew. They took a few steps back.

It would have been much better if it was Wijihoyeon. He might have been able to think
of a solution by talking somehow. However, the other person was a Doppelganger that
was incapable of communicating. Even if a Doppelganger’s power was not quite the
same compared to the real person, this was on a completely different level.
Wijihoyeon was overwhelmingly strong, which meant that even her Doppelganger
would at least have the strength of a transcendent. Solitary Blade’s death was proof of
it. Solitary Blade Dokgo… aside from Wijihoyeon, he was probably the strongest in the
dungeon. Yet he couldn’t cope with her Doppelganger’s attack and died.

“… Sungmin.”

Baek Sogo said with a trembling voice. Lee Sungmin bit on his lower lip while staring
at Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger. He thought it was strange. People were divided evenly
on the four roads, but all of them died except for Wijihoyeon. The Doppelganger must
come out through the walls to kill everyone, even in his previous life.

‘And then, Wijihoyeon must have killed her own Doppelganger.’

Then the rumors would spread outside of the dungeon. She killed all of them. It wasn’t
completely wrong. Even if she said she didn’t kill anyone, if her Doppelganger acted
like that, to others, it would be no different from Wijihoyeon killing them herself.

“Minor Heavenly Demon!”

Iron Fist Marang shouted in a harsh voice.

“What the hell are you doing ?! Why did you kill Solitary Blade Dokgo?! And why are
you holding the Crimson Elder’s head!”

Iron Fist Marang did not know about the Doppelgangers. That was because he hadn’t
encountered any of them on his way here. That’s why he was sincerely yelling at
Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger like that.

“Even if you said you wouldn’t take us in, we considered you as our master. When you
reigned the world one day… I wanted to be there to see it. It was just that… !”

Iron Fist Marang spat out such words. He strode forward with eyes full of rage and
disbelief. He exuded far more killing intent while yelling at the Doppelganger than he
did during his fight with Baek Sogo.

“But why… ! Even if you didn’t accept it, Solitary Blade truly followed you!”

Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger didn’t respond to him. It just watched Iron Fist Marang
with unfeeling eyes. Looking at those eyes, Iron Fist Marang couldn’t stand it anymore.
He yelled and lunged at the Doppelganger. He already knew what the end would be
like. There was no way Iron Fist Marang, who had followed her for so many years, was
not aware of Wijihoyeon’s monster-like strength.

But he had no choice. Even if he knew that he would die, he couldn’t live with himself
any further without attacking Wijihoyeon. So then Iron Fist Marang reached the
ending he had imagined himself. The Black Dragon exploded toward him, and Iron Fist
Marang was turned into a meatball.

Lee Sungmin opened his mouth as he watched the rain of blood and guts.

“Baek Sogo.”

“Uh… Huh?”

“Run.”

After all, that’s what he came here for.

“One moment… Lee Sungmin. Just what on earth… !”

“We won’t be able to stop that monster with only the two of us. You know it too.”

Lee Sungmin did not hesitate to call the Doppelganger in the shape of Wijihoyeon a
‘monster’. That wasn’t Wijihoyeon. Even if it had the appearance of Wijihoyeon, it was
only a creature imitating her. It was a simple monster. The strength of the Doppelganger
could still not be compared to the real Wijihoyeon’s monstrous strength.

“Why are you telling me to run away? Our chances of survival are higher if we fight
together… !”

“If you want to discuss our chances.”

Lee Sungmin slowly lifted the spear he was holding. He knew he couldn’t convince
Baek Sogo. No matter what he said, Baek Sogo wouldn’t escape alone because Lee
Sungmin was here. Baek Sogo would never run away, even if it was someone other
than Sungmin who was there. It was her ideals of being a ‘good person’ that would not
allow her to leave.

“I left a way out for us at the back.”

Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger was facing them but had not yet moved. Lee Sungmin
couldn’t imagine the monster having any desire to speak, but he thought it was a good
thing that the monster didn’t attack.

“Beyond that, you will come across Chwigeol and Jang Deuksu. Please bring them
here.”

“But you… !”

“If you can escape, you can come for me later. No matter how fast we are, that monster
will still be faster than us.”
Baek Sogo could not refute that. Shadowless was a martial art based on extremely fast-
paced footwork. However, the level of Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger’s martial arts was
also not something that could be overlooked. He did not think that a monster with
such power would be slow. If he ran away, it would come after him, and they would all
be caught.

“You’re still faster than me.”

Lee Sungmin gathered his inner force.

“I will still be able to last a little longer against that monster than you too.”

“Then what if you die?!”

“Is there really anyone who wants to die? It’s up to you to decide whether I will die or
not.”

He pushed the responsibility onto her by saying that. When Baek Sogo opened her
mouth to refuse, Lee Sungmin was no longer listening. He stepped forward, moving
ahead using Shadowless. Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger, which was standing tall,
responded. The Black Dragon perched on the edge of her shoulders shuddered, and
spread out its wings while swelling up. It swung around its body with such power that
it could break through his Defense Aura and crush his body.

Lee Sungmin clenched his teeth and unleashed his Defense Aura along with the Nine
Heavenly Spears technique to respond to the Black Dragon’s attack. Kkwaaaang!
Simply clashing with the Dragon made him feel like his arms were smashed.

‘I must hold on… I’ve got this!’

Behind him, he heard the sound of Baek Sogo’s footsteps receding farther away. She
had already left. She also understood. Fighting together would only buy them a little
more time. In the end, their defeat was inevitable. Only by bringing more people would
they have a better chance of survival.

‘It won’t take long. It took me 5 minutes to go through the hole and get back here.’

It may have been slow for when they were exploring cautiously, but it should be faster
if you were just retreating. He didn’t think Crimson Elder would be able to get past
Chwigeol and Jang Deuksu easily. Although Chwigeol’s left arm was cut off, he was still
an expert, and Jang Deuksu was also at the High Peak level. It was only because he
didn’t want to waste time that Lee Sungmin avoided Crimson Elder, not because he
didn’t have the confidence to defeat her.

‘Even with all those variables, they can still arrive in less than 10 minutes.’

He knew.

His calculations were full of gaps. It was possible that Crimson Elder was still alive.
Even if she was alive, she wouldn’t be in a good state. He didn’t think Chwigeol and
Jang Deuksu’s efforts were in vain. Baek Sogo could help them finish up by fighting an
already weakened Crimson Elder.

After that?

If Baek Sogo came back alone, nothing would change.

And also. It was possible that Lee Sungmin would not be able to hold out until she
returned. If that happened, how would she react? What would she do when she saw
his dead body?

Just because Chwigeol and Jang Deuksu joined him, could he survive against that
monster?

He did not know. He really did not know. There were too many variables. But this was
the best he could do. He didn’t even think he would encounter Wijihoyeon’s
doppelganger here.

He stumbled and barely managed to support his body that had fallen backwards. He
straightened his spine and propelled himself forward using the recoil. His arms were
throbbing as if being torn away, but he couldn’t stop there. He didn’t want to die.
Wasn’t that much obvious?

He wanted to live. In order to live, he had to endure and fight.

The Black Dragon slammed against him again. The trajectory of its attacks was
unpredictable. It moved freely, creating numerous combinations of straight and
curved lines in the air. The same was true of its form. The large Black Dragon curled
up into the shape of a sharp awl and shot out to stab him.
He recalled.

2100 years. That was how long he had spent toiling inside his subconscious. The
practice there was tedious. It was so tedious that he went crazy many times. There
was no way to know how much time had passed besides the falling grains of sand.

During that long time, he polished his martial arts. What he could and could not use
was clear to him. There was still a big difference between the martial arts he could use
in his subconscious as compared to the ones he could now.

What he needed to think about was not just applying the skills.

It was the gaining of experience.

At first, it was tedious.

Then he started imagining. He was tired of swinging the spear and moving his body
aimlessly. He practiced various moves while imagining an invisible opponent. If he
stabbed the spear like this, would they move like this? Or, would it be more efficient
to move like this? What kind of attack could he use to move like that? What type of
attack? What is walking? How should I respond to the attack? Should he avoid it? What
if it was unavoidable? Should he meet it head-on? What if it was too strong for him to
handle?

Should he die then?

His spear swung sideways and touched the Black Dragon. In terms of power, Lee
Sungmin’s spear was incomparable to the Black Dragon. He knew. He had no
intentions of fighting using strength alone. If it stabbed from the front, it would be
weak on its side. If the counterattack was strong enough to fight it, he should spill or
reverse it.

That was what Wijihoyeon taught him. It was also something he could not apply
perfectly even if he knew about it. Lee Sungmin stabbed the spear forward. He seemed
to be aiming for the Black Dragon, but it was a feint. Lee Sungmin stabbed the spear
and turned his body to the side. It happened in a moment. As the Black Dragon moved
toward Lee Sungmin’s body, his spear aimed at the Doppelganger’s chest.

The Doppelganger had no feelings. It was neither surprised nor panicked. It just
responded accordingly. The Doppelganger saw Lee Sungmin shoot his spear forward,
and mobilized the Black Dragon to defend itself.

His memory was clear. The things he did for 2100 years. The memory of the time spent
in his subconscious never faltered. It was just too much, so he had to carefully sort
through to find what he was looking for. It was the same as struggling to recall
memories left untouched for too long.

He became completely absorbed into the enlightenment he was receiving. Since he

was aware of his lack of practical experience, he practiced while imagining an invisible
opponent to reinforce it.

The imaginary opponent always changed. Sword, spear, axe, bow, wizard, fist, foot, etc.
He had started out poorly. Fortunately, there was plenty of time.

He couldn’t penetrate through the Black Dragon’s strong defense. For firm opponents
like that, exploding a spearhead through the barrier to infiltrate was especially
effective. But could he pierce through the defenses of the Doppelganger at his level?
He had to try. The end of the spear was reinforced with spear force. The revolving
spearhead shot out and hit the Black Dragon.

Kkwaang!

The Black Dragon was pushed back by a strong force. There was still no alarm on the
face of the Doppelganger. The swaying Black Dragon expanded greatly and tried to
slam against Lee Sungmin’s body. Lee Sungmin fixed the spear in his hands and
twisted it strongly. The spear aura burst forth surrounding the air around him. The
Black Dragon was pushed back a little.

[Do you know?]

‘I know.’

Heoju spoke, and Lee Sungmin replied in his heart. Doppelganger’s attack was simple.
Simply wielding the Black Dragon was the only way it attacked, and its defense and
evasion techniques weren’t very good either.

[That thing. It’s not using Martial Arts. Those are only some simple and ignorant
methods.]

Baek Sogo’s doppelganger imitated her Shadowless technique, but Wijihoyeon’s

Doppelganger did not.

[I can’t be sure whether this dungeon’s doppelganger is like that, but most
doppelgangers tend to imitate the original. If the Doppelganger of this dungeon is like
this, the original person must also tend to do so.]

Wijihoyeon usually stuck to simple and ignorant techniques without using martial
arts? He couldn’t think about it too long. The Black Dragon began to move again, and
Lee Sungmin focused on its movements.

Lightning Strike. The spear shook and dozens of spearheads hit the Doppelganger. The
Black Dragon writhed and parried the strikes. Two-step Calamitous End. He moved to
the Doppelganger’s side using Shadowless and stabbed at its flesh. The Black Dragon
turned to stop him. Even with a projectile spearhead, it could not be penetrated.

‘What about Skill Stealing?’

The spear in Lee Sungmin’s hands disappeared. A spear soaring from bottom to top
tried to slash at the Black Dragon. That didn’t work either. The Black Dragon blocked
the spear with his wings outstretched. Even three moves from the Nine Heavenly
Spears technique could not defeat him.

‘I can’t find any gaps.’

The Black Dragon was large enough to envelop his whole body. Even its length and
width could be changed at will. Usually, such an artifact wouldn’t be very powerful. It
would take a tremendous amount of patience and skill to change its shape, maintain
that shape, on top of wielding it freely for attack and defense.

The Nine Heavenly Spears technique consisted of nine movements, of which Lee
Sungmin had so far used only three. Shadowless, Lightning Strike, and Skill Stealing.
He should have already used up a lot of his inner qi, and his level of martial arts was
insufficient to perform more movements.

But that actually wasn’t the case. Lee Sungmin focused his internal energy, and his
spear aura swelled up. The Doppelganger moved its hand while looking at him blankly
but otherwise didn’t move.

The spear shook, and spear force circulated through it.

Spear force exploded. The Spearhead that was shot out divided into nine. They took
the form of ravenous dragons. It was the fourth movement of the Nine Heavenly Spears
techniques – the Nine Dragon Spirits. Nine dragons swallowed the Doppelganger
along with the floor, walls, and ceiling made of flesh.

Eukwakwakwakwa!

Nine dragons swept across the front. Lee Sungmin looked forward, rotating the spear
in his hand.

The Doppelganger took a few steps back. The chunks of flesh that had been pushed
under its feet were barely clinging together. The attack was blocked without any
intention of evasion, only being pushed back a few steps after receiving the full force
of the Nine Dragon Spirits. Lee Sungmin found his efforts to be a little futile, but he
was not discouraged.

Right. Anyone who mimics Wijihoyeon should at least be on that level.

Lee Sungmin laughed while feeling a strange sense of satisfaction. The Doppelganger,
still staring at Lee Sungmin, put down the Black Dragon. The Black Dragon placed on
the floor stretched out a little and fluttered around the Doppelganger’s body as it
walked forward. A dense black Defense Aura surrounded its body.

[Indeed.]

Heoju laughed.

[It seems the Doppelganger has simply been messing with us so far.]

Lee Sungmin also felt it. Even though it lost its weapon and armor, the Doppelganger,
with the Black Dragon taken off, felt even more dangerous than before.

It stepped forward. It happened in an instant. Lee Sungmin completely lost track of

the Doppelganger. Even his sixth sense couldn’t detect its movements.

[Behind.]

If Heoju didn’t warn him, he would have been done for. Lee Sungmin hurriedly
positioned his spear.
‘Run, Baek Sogo. Don’t come back.’

Lee Sungmin thought as he flew through the air, aching all over.

This was a true monster.

T/N: If you weren’t sure what an awl was, you do now.

“… Would that be okay?”

Jang Deuksu looked a little reluctant. It was the same for Chwigeol. It didn’t sit right
with him either. Whatever the reason, it was never right to do such a thing.

“It is impossible for just the three of us to stop Wijihoyeon.”

“I know. But…”

“We failed. Someone has to get out alive to report it.”

Chwigeol’s voice was low. There was a mixture of shame and reproach in it, but he could
not completely hide the hint of a selfish desire to live.

“I can’t let Baek Sogo die. I also cannot die. For… For the Wandering sect.”

He knew that it was only an excuse. In the end, he was just running away because he
was afraid of dying. Chwigeol glanced at Crimson Elder’s corpse lying on the ground.
Even the cruelest of people would beg him before they died, saying that they didn’t
want to die.

He didn’t want to die. They were all the same. After all, they only had one life.

“How about you?”

“I.. don’t want to die. I am ashamed but I still want to live.”

“What’s the point of trying to save face after coming this far?”

Jang muttered with a dejected voice. His remark was met with a dry smile from
Chwigeol. Jang Deuksu reached into his sleeves and took out a scroll that had been
rolled up inside.
“Our luck was good.”

It was the scroll that was on Crimson Elder. Seeing the flesh smeared on it, it seemed
like she had acquired it by killing one of the dungeon’s Doppelgangers. He analyzed
the magic engraved on the scroll using Baek Sogo’s artifacts.

‘Escape from the dungeon.’

If used, the engraved magic would enable them to escape from the dungeon immediately,
and the number of people that could use it together was three. Crimson Elder didn’t
know what magic was inscribed on the scroll before dying.

“I’m sure Baek Sogo will resent you for that…”

“I will take responsibility.”

Replied Chwigeol. He sat with his back against the wall and looked at Baek Sogo lying
down in front. He would have had to go to rescue Lee Sungmin with Baek Sogo, but
Chwigeol took Baek Sogo by surprise and knocked her unconscious.

‘If anyone, please resent me.’

He sincerely thought, recalling Lee Sungmin, whom he met briefly. However, he still
unsealed the scroll.

[Please specify the names of people using it.]

Replying to the voice in his head, Chwigeol said the names of Jang Deuksu and Baek
Sogo.

***

It hurt.

When he felt the pain, Lee Sungmin was already rolling down the floor. He couldn’t
afford to analyze what kind of attack it was. Heoju yelled inside Lee Sungmin’s mind.

[Be alert! The attacks keep coming!]

Lee Sungmin immediately straightened up. The Doppelganger lifted its foot and hit
the floor. The floor of flesh shook like a wave, and a huge force hit Lee Sungmin. Lee
Sungmin clenched his teeth and jumped out of the way.

Kwaaaang!

The attack destroyed the place he had been standing in just a moment ago.

[What do we do? Uh, what should I do?]

Rubia fretted nervously. He did not know. Lee Sungmin hurriedly swung the spear.

Kkwaang!

The force of the Doppelganger’s attack hit Lee Sungmin’s spear. His left wrist that was
holding the spear twisted and throbbed, making his arm go numb.

‘My hand… !’

The energy didn’t circulate. He pressed on against his body’s will. He held the centre
of the spear in his right hand and turned the spear once. Spear intent and Spearhead,
the two hit the Doppelganger one after another.

The Doppelganger’s face was indifferent. It was incomparable to the original, but that
didn’t mean it wasn’t a monster. Not using the Black Dragon meant that Doppelganger,
or rather, Wijihoyeon saw him as an opponent. In other words, it meant the
Doppelganger had been simply playing with him until now, and only now saw him as
an enemy now and planned on sincerely eliminating him.

It was a terrible misfortune for Lee Sungmin. His attacks were easily blocked by the
Doppelganger. The Doppelganger, with a black Defense Aura surrounding its body,
looked like the reincarnation of a demon that would destroy everything in its path
even if it was not Wijihoyeon.

The outstretched hand looked big. It shook its wrist slightly, creating several afterimages.
Side? Front? Huh? Where did it go?

[From the center, ten steps to the right, seven steps to the left… ]

Heoju said quickly, but it was still too slow. The Doppelganger’s attack was too fast to
understand and respond to after listening. Rather than intercepting the attacks one by
one, he turned the spear to block the whole, and as a result it was too late. Lee Sungmin
flew backwards, vomiting blood.

[What a hassle.]

Heoju grumbled.

“What to do… What to do … If you die here, I won’t be able to see my master…”

Rubia muttered inside his consciousness.

“Just… Shut up.”

Lee Sungmin refocused while breathing. His legs were tingling.

[You ungrateful bastard. If I hadn’t blocked that attack for you, you would have been
blown away just then.]

Indeed. He thought it was surprising how he managed to hold on, given the brutality
of that attack.

‘Why did you do it then?’

[If you die here, I’ll be in trouble too. I can’t drag out your bloody remains. And there
is something I want to ask you.]

Heoju replied. Lee Sungmin stood up while staggering. Doppelganger blinked as if

startled by him.

[So much time has passed. But that woman you sent back is not coming back.]

‘I know.’

He was not a fool. He knew that he had sent Baek Sogo to bring Chwigeol and Jang
Deuksu, but she had not yet returned. He knew that a lot of time had passed. He knew
that nobody would come for him even if he waited any longer.

Did Baek Sogo betray him? That thought… he didn’t want to think of that even if it was
true.
[Aren’t you resentful? Don’t you regret it? If you hadn’t come here, you wouldn’t have
to die on behalf of that bitch. I honestly don’t understand. Didn’t you already die once?]

He didn’t even have a moment to gather his thoughts. The Doppelganger attacked
again. He stretched out his right hand. Palm or fist? Or maybe, the edge of his palm?
He fortified it with Spear force. Lee Sungmin rotated the spear in his right hand.

(T/N: ‘edge of his palm’ is like the same movement used in taekwondo or karate to split
bricks or break a board)

Kagagagak!

Their respective forces clashed against each other. It was Lee Sungmin who was
pushed back. He changed his form without supporting his inclined body. At the same
time, he rotated the spear using Skill Stealing from bottom to top.

It did not work. The Doppelganger moved away, perfectly escaping Lee Sungmin’s
range of attack.

[Since you’ve experienced it, you should know it well. How sudden and futile death is.
You don’t think you’ll be able to go back again this time as well?]

‘Of course not.’

He answered and ran immediately, moving into the footwork of the Two-step
Calamitous End. As the Spear force exploded, he performed the Nine Dragon Spirit
move of the Nine Heavenly Spears technique. The edge of the spear force swept across
the front, carrying a clear killing intent.

The Black Dragon, it had been using as a defense, was put down. The Doppelganger
went forward without any defense. It had only used its right hand. The Doppelganger
mimicking Wijihoyeon was at such a level. It acknowledged him and took off the Black
Dragon. However, it did not use a cow-hunting knife to catch a mere chicken. Only the
right hand moved.

[Tell me. Are you regretting it? Do you resent that wench?]

‘I-‘

He spat out. His Nine Dragon Spirit attack was dissolved by the Doppelganger. The
Doppelganger leapt onto the scattered shards of his Spear force.

‘I do not regret it, nor do I resent her. In the first place… If I hadn’t met her, I would have
died eight years ago.’

He had entered Mush’s mountain recklessly. With excessive confidence in himself, that
he could do it all alone. Had Baek Sogo not helped him back then, he would have died
on the mountain.

‘I was saved by Baek Sogo. While staying with her, I thought I wouldn’t let her die. That’s
why I came here and chose to stay back.’

[Have you fallen for the bitch?]

‘That’s bullshit.’

[Hahaha!]

Heoju laughed out loud merrily. Rubia was still fretfully muttering, and the
Doppelganger’s attacks were raining down fiercely.

[How touching. I can’t let you die, so let me help you a little.]

Heoju offered proudly. Lee Sungmin didn’t pay him any attention. The situation was
bad. Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger had begun to use her martial arts in earnest,
Wijihoyeon had turned into a monster far beyond Lee Sungmin’s capabilities. After 9
years of separation. Was this how far she had gone in 9 years? Lee Sungmin smiled.

‘Even if you use up all your life force, you wouldn’t be an opponent for it. It’s probably
too late to run away. Shall we run forward?’

[You can’t run away from that kind of an opponent.]

‘It’s hard to win. I must have told you already. I don’t want to die.’

[You don’t have to die.]

Heoju laughed out loud. Flames rose from the armor that covered Lee Sungmin’s body.
Lee Sungmin was surprised and took a few steps back unconsciously.
[It’s easy to draw strength if you have a medium!]

Heoju said with a smile. The flames from the armor surrounded Lee Sungmin’s body,
but he did not feel any heat from it.

‘You… What are you doing?’

[Hahaha! You’re speaking informally to me even though I didn’t give you my permission.
Well, it doesn’t matter. I’m a little fond of you.]

The Doppelganger ran. Its powerful moves pierced through Lee Sungmin’s Nine
Dragon Spirit and crushed his Two-step Calamitous End. A huge wave of force hit Lee
Sungmin, and the flames blazed upward all around him before he had a chance to
respond.

[Look! This is what a real monster looks like!]

Heoju roared out with a proud voice.

Kkwaaaang!

Their powers collided. The Doppelganger’s force disappeared as if it hadn’t existed in

the first place. The flames charged ahead without being pushed back. The Doppelganger
hurriedly raised both hands. Blood-red spheres took form between its palms placed
in front of its chest and flew forward as if they’d been thrown.

Ahhhhhhh!

Space itself shook as the two different forces collided. Lee Sungmin staggered and
stepped back.

‘What the hell… !’

[You dimwit! It is part of my power. If you fight alone, you’ll die at the hands of that
half-baked goods!]

‘Are you helping me… ?’

[Yes! I can’t let you die! But this is not very efficient. I’ll lend you my strength. So, use
it as you please.]
Just as he said that. The rising flames scattered and penetrated into Lee Sungmin’s
body. At that moment, he understood. That time, what he saw in the sleeping forest
was not a simple flame. It wasn’t the flames that pushed back Wijihoyeon’s attacks just
now. It was the huge power supplied by Heoju.

(T/N: it’s actually still the Doppelganger. Lee Sungmin shifted to thinking of the
Doppelganger as Wijihoyeon’s avatar instead ever since it got real with him)

[Here’s the thing. Usually, a human being would not be able to handle it. But you can
handle it. Your heart looks more like it belongs to a ghost than a human.]

Heoju’s powers invaded his body, and his heart swallowed it up. Lee Sungmin panted
breathlessly. His exhaustion and struggles all disappeared. The throbbing pain went
away. The broken ribs and wrists? They moved perfectly again.

As it entered his heart, Lee Sungmin understood the nature of this power. It was
neither martial arts nor magic. It was a simple and savage force that could only bring
destruction, a foreign and unusual force that normal humans could not handle. The
abilities and inner forces that normally couldn’t coexist, now existed in the body of
Lee Sungmin. The forces entangled but did not mix. It flowed inside his body alongside
those forces, like oil and water. Lee Sungmin felt like his meridians were being torn
apart.

[Endure!]

Heoju shouted out. The Doppelganger ran. He rose from a plaything to an enemy and
now a rival. The Doppelganger began to expand its power. It split itself into 5 identical
clones and attacked him from all sides. Each of them was as powerful as the original.
Lee Sungmin clenched his jaw and moved the spear.

Lightning Strike.

The new lightning attack, which was unleashed with a mixture of inner force and
martial arts, could not be compared to one he previously used. The clones were
destroyed amidst a series of explosions. Among them, the main body escaped through
a gap.

[Behind you!]

Heoju announced the location. But Lee Sungmin was already aware of it. His senses
had sharpened greatly. Lee Sungmin turned his body around while suppressing a
pained sound. He couldn’t swing the spear. The blast he had just unleashed had used
up a tremendous amount of power, and Lee Sungmin’s arms couldn’t handle the power
after performing the move and his bones were shattered.

However, Lee Sungmin knew that it was not a big deal. The shattered arm was already
fixing itself rapidly. But there was another problem. The Doppelganger had moved
behind his back, and was aiming both fists at his chest.

Shadowless. Lee Sungmin’s body disappeared from the spot. He was propelled forward
before he could even blink. Lee Sungmin controlled himself, surprised at the alarming
speed. One step, followed by another. Two-step Calamitous End. He unleashed his
Spear force, now carrying a mixture of inner force and martial arts. The Doppelganger
hurriedly raised its hands in defense against the attack coming at it from the side.
However, it could not resist the attack completely. The Doppelganger’s body was
pushed back.

In the meantime, Lee Sungmin’s bones had fully healed. He swallowed his breath and
started performing the Nine Heavenly Spears technique.

Lightning Annihilation of the Nine Heavenly Spears techniques.

The attack exploded soundlessly with unimaginable speed. It was close to the ideal
attack that killed Ghost Blade, the same attack Lee Sungmin desperately tried to
recreate to the level he had seen in his subconscious. In the world of his subconscious,
he had done it over and over again, but he had been unable to redo it with his body
when he returned to reality.

But not now. His body that was assisted by Heoju’s power made it possible to move
further, and unveil Lightning Annihilation with extreme speed.

What he aimed for was the chest.

Lee Sungmin’s spear pierced through the center of the Doppelganger’s chest.
It crashed through the Doppelganger’s Defense Aura like it was nothing. Lightning
Annihilation required a combination of strength and power. The Lightning
Annihilation of his subconscious was one of the most burdensome techniques to
perform using Lee Sungmin’s real body. He had pierced through his Poisonous Vein,
breaking through to the next level. His body had become incomparably powerful as
compared to before, but it was still burdensome to perform all of the Nine Heavenly
Spear techniques.

But not now. His body, now additionally supported by Heoju’s powers, was enough to
reach the level of martial arts that he had in the world of his subconscious.

The Doppelganger’s body was greatly pushed back. It did not vomit blood or groan in
pain. The monster moved forward to counterattack despite suffering a blow that
would have been fatal had it been a human. It was a desperate attempt of an attack,
with all thoughts of safety abandoned.

‘My arms…!’

He could feel his muscles rupture from the Lightning Attack just now. His weak hand
tried to release the spear, but Lee Sungmin tightened his hold on it while biting his lip.
While recovering the outstretched spear, he attacked and moved back. The
Doppelganger, with a gaping hole on its chest, spread out its arms.

Kwakwakwa!

A black force swirled around the Doppelganger, making it look more calamitous than
the person. The turbulent torrent of power swept through the surroundings. Lee
Sungmin resisted using his inner strength and Heoju’s power.

[Amazing. That bitch… It isn’t even the real person and can still wield that much
power? Is she really human?]

Heoju smiled and said. Lee Sungmin could feel Heoju’s powers coursing through his
veins. His heart beat like crazy, and he gasped for air. He felt his stiff arms healing and
strength returning to his legs.

‘Can I win?’

[It depends on what you do. I’m just lending you my power. or… Are you willing to
hand over your body?]

Asked Heoju.

[If you pass your body over to me, I can even turn a ha’penny into a meatball. I can win
even if the original person herself comes. What will you choose?]

He kept asking. It seemed like he was tempting him, but also it seemed like he was
testing him at the same time. Lee Sungmin couldn’t tell what Heoju was trying to
achieve from his question.

But the answer had been fixed from the beginning.

‘I have to do it.’

[Hahaha! You’re going to do it relying solely on your power? In the end, what use is
there for that pointless pride?]

‘That’s right. It’s because of my pride. My body is too weak. I could give it to you, but
there is something I want to do. I can’t give you my body yet.’

Lee Sungmin thought while gritting his teeth. The Doppelganger’s strength and
Wijihoyeon’s strength would be different. However, he was sure of one thing. The 2100
years he spent practicing in his subconscious were not meaningless. It was vague, but
he could see a way to fight the transcendental strength that Wijihoyeon had reached.

He knew because he had already experienced it. He would not have to struggle in this
way if he could reach the level of martial arts that he had reached in his subconscious.
Lee Sungmin was sure about that. At the same time, he felt a sense of anticipation and
accomplishment.

The 2100 years were not meaningless.

[What a peculiar… fellow.]

Heoju was sympathetic to Lee Sungmin’s feelings. Heoju had no body, but was tied to
a huge mass of power. It was now that those powers entered Lee Sungmin’s body from
the armor. Heoju, who was partially assimilated to Lee Sungmin, had not possessed
Lee Sungmin’s body, but even then, he could tell what Lee Sungmin was feeling with
no need for words.

[Fine. I’ll lend you some more.]

Heoju could not understand the feeling of anticipation that Lee Sungmin felt. However,
he knew that Lee Sungmin saying he had to do it was not without reason.

[Will you be able to hold out?]

The remark sounded quite vague because Heoju couldn’t be sure of it. At the same
time, Lee Sungmin’s body was filled with an unparalleled huge force. He felt like his
Dantian was being smashed. The power surging into his Dantian, flowed out into the
meridians, forcing them to expand. He felt a lot of pain on the left side of his chest. The
Black Heart was beating like crazy as it took in all of the energy.

He wanted to scream. It was his first time feeling such terrible pain. However, he
couldn’t submit to the pain. Torrents of inner force, driven by the Doppelganger, swept
through Lee Sungmin. He looked for his spear amidst the dizzying pain. The spear was
already in his hands.

Nine Dragon Spirits.

A storm of nine dragons and inner force struck the Doppelganger. His Dantian was
already filled to the brim. It was not necessary to replenish his inner force by taking
the pills that he had remaining. The newly received inner force rushed in to restore
his meridians. The nine dragons twisted around ominously, opening their mouths to
swallow the dark storm unleashed by the Doppelganger.

The space where the forces had collided disappeared. The Doppelganger staggered
slightly, using more strength than before. The monster’s martial arts had already
surpassed humans. Heoju exclaimed, and Lee Sungmin walked forward. The spear in
his hand was vibrating greatly. As he glanced down, the spear was dented, and the
spearhead had cracked.

‘It hasn’t been that long since I got it repaired.’

He would have to see Selgerus again. Lee Sungmin smiled bitterly and opened up his
Dantian and repaired his broken meridians. The pain continued to get worse, but Lee
Sungmin continued to move. He had to move.

ㅡ Whooong!

A swirl of purple colors wrapped around the entire spear. The black aura covering the
Doppelganger’s body gathered in her hands. This was the finale. Lee Sungmin could
feel it intuitively. It wasn’t the Doppelganger’s last attack, rather it was Lee Sungmin’s
last chance. Although his Black Heart was pumping with power, it was far from over if
he couldn’t end it with this blow.

No. Lee Sungmin convinced himself that he could finish it. He began to perform with
confidence. It would not be possible to do it using Shadowless, Lightning Strike, or
Skill Stealing. He could not match up to the Doppelganger using Nine Dragon Spirit,
and there was no guarantee that he could pierce through that dense black aura using
Lighting Annihilation. Then he thought of the others. He should choose from the
martial arts he hadn’t used yet.

The sixth move of the Nine Heavenly Spears technique.

Even in his subconscious, he was barely able to reach that level with harsh practices
after a long period of time. It was impossible with his current body. If so, then when?

‘I can do it.’

Nine Heavenly Spears technique’s sixth move. Void Rendering.

(T/N: 空道 literally translates to Path Clearing move, but it sounds like an extreme form
of it)

The purple aura surrounding his spear swelled greatly. Lee Sungmin aimed the spear
forward with both hands and threw. At that moment, Doppelganger’s attack exploded
and hit him. The moment it touched him, a large hole ripped through the wave. The
Void Rendering move shook off the Doppelganger’s attacks and scattered it all over
the place. Lee Sungmin endured the pressure on his hands and flew forward.

ㅡKwaaaaang!
The walls made of flesh exploded. It couldn’t stand the assault of the falling debris. Lee
Sungmin looked for the way through the destruction. He had to go to the place where
he had thrown his spear. He pierced through the debris-covered path with his stiff and
tattered body. At the end, there stood a pale-faced Doppelganger.

That face.

ㅡPoooong!

“Euk-”

That was the last sound it made. The aftermath of the force ricocheted all over the
place and scattered after becoming mist. The purple and black fog spread out and
dissolved. As the fog scattered, Lee Sungmin looked down at the Doppelganger that
had Wijihoyeon’s face.

With half of its body destroyed, the Doppelganger couldn’t move even if it wanted to.
Lee Sungmin opened his mouth to say something while looking at the Doppelganger’s
blinking eyes. However, he ended up closing his mouth without saying anything.
Saying anything would be meaningless. It had Wijihoyeon’s face, but it was not
Wijihoyeon.

Lee Sungmin pursed his lips and looked at his hand. The spear no longer had any hint
of its former shape. It was unable to handle the influx of power. Lee Sungmin sighed
and hung the spear behind his back.

Meanwhile, the Doppelganger closed its eyes.

It was completely dead.

[You win.]

Heoju murmured.

[How do you feel? Logically, it was not an opponent you could win against. You knocked
that opponent down using my strength, not your own. Are you proud?]

“I don’t really have any feelings about it.”

Lee Sungmin muttered while leaning down. He reached out and rummaged through
the carcass of the Doppelganger. He was worried that it might have disappeared
because of the highway attack, but there was still something in its body. It was a fist-
sized ore. It was not a Mana Stone. Lee Sungmin tilted his head and put it in his
interdimensional pocket.

[Be prepared.]

Heoju said.

“What should I prepare for?”

[I am going to take back the power I poured into your body. There might be a severe
backlash. If you don’t keep it together, you will die.]

It hurt so much that he felt like he was dying when receiving the power, and now it
would happen again? Lee Sungmin was dumbfounded for a moment but sat down
while nodding. It was strange that he used so much power without anything in return.
Lee Sungmin replied while clenching his jaw.

‘I’m ready.’

[Hahaha!]

Along with the sound of his laughter, Heoju’s power, which was in his body, was sucked
away. The power emanating from his body hovered in the air and then went into the
armor worn by Lee Sungmin.

He nearly lost his mind.

Although Lee Sungmin was accustomed to various kinds of pains, all of the pain he
had felt so far felt like a joke in comparison. He felt like his Dantian was being cracked
and meridians torn apart, and his muscles felt like they were going to burst. His bones
felt like they were being chilled with ice and burned by fire at the same time, and his
blood seemed to flow in reverse. Lee Sungmin opened his mouth and made a croaking
sound.

[Can you stand up?]

Heoju’s voice sounded like it was far away. Lee Sungmin writhed in pain for a long
time. If he couldn’t hold it together, he would die. What Heoju said was true. The pain
was so terrible that he almost could not stand it and would rather choose to die.

Much time had passed. The pain that felt like it lasted an eternity finally ended. Lee
Sungmin opened his closed eyes. His whole body was soaked with cold sweat, and his
lips were bloody from being bitten. He tried to stand up, but his body refused to
cooperate.

“You, are you okay?”

Rubia was standing nearby. She was stomping down with her feet on the side, and as
she saw Lee Sungmin regain consciousness, she came up to him in a hurry. Lee
Sungmin, who barely managed to prop up half of his body, took a deep breath and
looked at Rubia.

“Why didn’t you do anything?”

“I’ve been working hard – wiping your sweat and your blood away.”

“You don’t know how to perform healing magic?”

“Nope.”

Rubia replied while pouting. Still, it didn’t seem she had not done anything at all.
Rubia’s robes were wet with blood and sweat. There was nothing to wipe him with, so
it seemed like she used her own robes to do it.

“The time… How long has it been?”

“About an hour…”

Was he in pain for an hour? Lee Sungmin laughed and stood up using a cane. There
was no strength in his legs, but he had to move.

“What, what are you doing?”

“I have to go.”

Lee Sungmin replied, taking a deep breath. Although the throbbing was severe, his
bones were not actually damaged. His muscles hurt, but he could tolerate this much.
Lee Sungmin looked at the mini-map at the edge of his field of vision. During the fight
against the Doppelganger, he didn’t care. There was only one other person left in the
dungeon, except Lee Sungmin. So he had to check.

Lee Sungmin went back the way he had come while dragging his feet. The surroundings
were very messy, but finding the way was not difficult, thanks to the mini-map. He had
confirmed that the Doppelgangers were all dead, so even if he was in poor shape, there
was no reluctance in his actions.

He could see Crimson Elder’s corpse. Traces of axe marks and intestines spilling out
could be seen clearly on the horribly mangled body. Lee Sungmin looked around,
breathing hard.

“This… There are traces of magic.”

Rubia said while looking at Lee Sungmin’s eyes.

“… Magic? What magic?”

“I’m not sure… Wait.”

Complex magical formations appeared around her. Rubia, who had closed her eyes for
a moment, hesitated and glanced at Lee Sungmin.

“It’s all right.”

Lee Sungmin nodded at her to go ahead. Rubia sighed at the remark and said.

“… A type of movement magic was used here. It could have been used to escape the
dungeon.”

Baek Sogo, Jang Deuksu, and Chwigeol could not perform such high magic. It was
probably a scroll.

“… Can you tell me in more detail?”

“Ah… Yes. Three people have moved from here using the spell. I don’t know exactly
who went out though.”

“Okay.”
That was enough.

Baek Sogo did not die. She got out of the dungeon along with Chiwgeol and Jang Deuksu.
That would do. He was satisfied. He had entered this dungeon to save Baek Sogo. It
was no exaggeration to say that he had come so far to stop Baek Sogo’s death.

He had achieved it.

“… Then…”

Lee Sungmin began to move again while panting. Seeing him move again, Rubia
became alarmed and clung to him.

“Wh-where are you going?”

“Forward.”

Lee Sungmin responded as he swallowed in response to the pain in his body.

“I have to move forward.”

He looked at the mini-map.

There was a yellow dot at the end of the dungeon.

“You are… quite something huh… ”

A dying voice sounded out. Wijihoyeon looked down at it expressionlessly. There was
something non-human, a monster, looking up at her. Both of its arms were deformed,
and its lower body was non-existent.

It was strong. Wijihoyeon admitted with a grave expression. In the past nine years that
she had been living in Eria, no opponent had given her as much trouble as this monster
did. That nameless monster had a near-disaster power, and even though Wijihoyeon
had surpassed her father, Heavenly Demon, a few years ago, she still had to give it her
all.

“Mortals… Among them, I didn’t think there would be one like you among them…”

“You were strong.”

Wijihoyeon mumbled. Feeling a little tired, she wiped the sweat off her forehead.
Although her opponent was strong, it was not to the point of her having to shed blood.
She felt only a little fatigue, no pain.

The monster chuckled, aware of that.

“I can see it.”

The monster said with its eyes half-open. Those eyes were now staring at Wijihoyeon
with indescribable depth in them.

“Although you were born with the fate to, albeit being human, become nonhuman; the
fate of the Defeated King, I see destiny leading you away from that and letting you
rule.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even if you are a genius, there is a limit. It looks like natural talents have twisted your
destiny… Huhu! No wonder I couldn’t handle one human being like you. That’s why I
have no choice but to accept it. After all, I’m just a ghost bound here… Go ahead.
Harvest me. It would be an honor to be harvested by you.”

While listening to that, Wijihoyeon raised her hand. Following her gesture, a huge
force arose. The monster accepted its death with a humble heart. Its death arrived
soundlessly. The monster at the end of the dungeon dispersed into mist, which
hovered in the air and silently absorbed into Wijihoyeon’s body. Wijihoyeon stood,
conscious of the power that pervaded her body. It was a directionless mass of power,
so it naturally flowed into Minor Heavenly Demon Wijihoyeon’s inner force and
assimilated with it.

Wijihoyeon moved forward. There was a huge door behind the monster. Wijihoyeon
reached out. Her Black Dragon flew forward and opened the door.

On the other side of the door, gold and silver treasures were piled up like mountains.
The amount was large enough to buy an entire city. Wijihoyeon opened the
interdimensional pocket hanging at her waist. The enormous amount of gold and
silver treasures were all sucked into her interdimensional pocked. Before long, she
arrived at the end of the treasure trove. There was a black cloth floating in the air.
When she reached out, the flickering cloth came to her. Soon after, it turned into robes
and wrapped around her figure. She was wearing the robes, but it didn’t feel like she
was. Wijihoyeon realized that this was the best reward in this dungeon.

“It was really fun.”

Wijihoyeon raised her hand and placed her hand on her chest as she spoke.

“It was my first time coming into a dungeon. Despite facing some difficulties, I had a
lot of fun. The last opponent was very strong. It might even have been impossible for
me to win against it.”

Was it really?

“I am not a fool. I understood to some extent what this dungeon was like. I… I met you,
no, someone who looked like you, who used the Nine Heavenly Spears technique,
which was just like yours. You were an interesting opponent. It was the martial arts
that I taught you, but sparring with that opponent there were a lot of surprises. It was
incredibly well-crafted.”

Lee Sungmin did not answer.

He leaned against the broken spear and looked at Wijihoyeon’s back. He was silent,
but Wijihoyeon knew that it was Lee Sungmin standing behind her.

“Are you also here to conquer this dungeon? It’s a little late, though. I ended up defeating
the last monster of this dungeon.”

Wijihoyeon said with a smile. So she had no intention of making concessions. She had
already set her sights on this dungeon. Everything in it was taken by her.

“But if you ask, there’s nothing I can’t give. We are friends, Right?”

“No, it’s alright. You don’t need to give me anything.”

“You’ve finally opened your mouth.”

Wijihoyeon laughed out loud. She turned around and looked at Lee Sungmin. Wijihoyeon
had not suffered a single wound, but it was not the same for Lee Sungmin. He wiped
his forehead that was wet with blood and sweat.

“… I didn’t know what to say. I was thinking.”

“Haha! You fool. Nine years have passed. It’s been 9 years since we’ve met. Haven’t you
thought about what you would say to me for nine years?”

“I did… I did think about it.”

Merely, thinking about it didn’t mean that the words would come out immediately.
Wijihoyeon smiled and stared at Lee Sungmin.

“Who did you get?”

“… You.”

“Me. Yeah. I thought so. I heard a very loud noise from behind. You survived, though.
You knocked me down, right?”
“It was hard. I almost died several times.”

“But you didn’t die. 9 years… I think it’s been a meaningful time for us. How about you?”

“It was very meaningful, yes. I’ve worked very hard too.”

“You’ve become strong.”

“It’s not enough.”

Lee Sungmin answered. He looked down at the broken spear. He thought of when he
fought Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger. He couldn’t have won without Heoju’s help.
Heoju’s powers. Because of those powers that he received as support, it was possible
for him to recreate the martial arts he had learnt in the world of his subconscious.

“Why?”

“Because you’re stronger than me.”

“Haha! It turns out you’re unexpectedly ambitious. Are you aiming to be stronger than
me?”

“For now.”

“For now… What do you mean for now? Could it change?”

“After all, the world is wide.”

“That’s good. Definitely different from 9 years ago. You didn’t have any goals at that
time. Just aiming to survive, and even though you had defied death, I never thought
you would live to do anything great.”

“I didn’t like it.”

“So, have you changed??”

“I think I’m changing.”

“Looks like you haven’t fully changed yet.”

Wijihoyeon laughed. She turned completely and strode forward, approaching Lee
Sungmin. Lee Sungmin did not say anything as he looked at Wijihoyeon’s face, which
was getting closer. There was a lot to say. More than this… He had a lot to say. But not
now. Not yet. Lee Sungmin could not yet stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Wijihoyeon
and was not at a level to be proud of his achievements yet.

Lee Sungmin thought he didn’t like it. This was his first time. He wanted to show it to
Baek Sogo. How strong ‘he’ was compared to back when he had just entered Mush’s
mountain. How excellent. In the end, he was unable to show her anything. But he was
satisfied. He had stopped her death.

Then, What about Wijihoyeon?

‘Not yet.’

To be honest, the problem was this. He was scared to know how Wijihoyeon would
react after he showed her. He didn’t want simple praise. He wanted to be recognized.
Wijihoyeon said that Lee Sungmin was a friend. Lee Sungmin also considered her as a
friend.

So not now. Not yet. Because they were friends, he wanted to be on equal footing with
her. To be in that position, he could not remain a disgrace to Wijihoyeon. He had to be
recognized by her.

“Is there still 1 year left till the day we promised to meet?”

“Yeah.”

“I remember the promised place. The date too. I kept… thinking about it. When I meet
you again – what kind of expression should I have? What should I say to you? What
would you look like, and what would you say to me?”

“… You’ve changed a lot, haven’t you?”

“So have you. Oh right. I really wanted to ask this if I had the chance. What do you think
of my chest?”

“… What?”

It was the same as it was 9 years ago. Wijihoyeon asked something completely out of
left field. At the moment, Lee Sungmin, who couldn’t understand what she was saying,
cocked his head. Wijihoyeon, who came in front of his nose, put her hand on her chest.

“I don’t think it’s too big compared to the previous life you know. How is your taste? Is
it better to be a little bigger?”

“Uh… Is my answer important?”

“If I were to say it, if you like it then I like it too.”

“I don’t think it matters…”

“Okay? Then it’s a good thing. I thought a lot about whether to take Feng Yu Huan pill
or not. Oh, you don’t know what it is? They said that if I took Feng Yu Huan pills
regularly, my chest would definitely grow. There are no side effects. But I think there
would be a lot of uncomfortable things if I grew my chest.”

(E/N: This pill name sounds like Black Chicken which is similar to Wijihoyeon.)

“I don’t think you need to do that.”

From the bottom of his heart, Lee Sungmin didn’t care whether Wijihoyeon’s breasts
were big or not. What was so important about the size of her chest? After hearing his
answer, Wijihoyeon laughed.

“Are you going to come with me?”

Wijihoyeon asked. Hearing that question, Lee Sungmin’s face stiffened slightly.

“There are a lot of guys following me around. They are annoying. Doing things I didn’t
even ask them to do. They are treating me with high hopes. However they please. I… I
don’t like it.”

He thought of the death of Solitary Blade Dokgo and the yelling of Iron Fist Marang,
who died without knowing that it was Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger who killed him.

“I hate it when others have expectations of me. They did it even when I was in Maikyo.
It’s disgusting how they expect things from me, whether consciously or unconsciously.”

(E/N: Maikyo is where she got isekai’d from, i guess.)

“I’m probably not too different from them.”

“I know. What I’m saying is ridiculous. In the end, people would always have some
expectations of someone else. However… what you expect from me is fine. Because I
also look forward to it.”

Wijihoyeon’s eyes sparkled as she said that. It was the same pair of eyes that he had
seen in Genavis 9 years ago. It didn’t seem like it, but he could sense some mischief
from her eyes.

“I think it would be fun if I were with you. I’ve done a lot of things, but I think I can do
more with you. Yes, I have a feeling that it will be so.”

“… Sorry,” Lee Sungmin replied after a brief silence, “I can’t do that yet.”

“Do you dislike going with me?”

“No. That’s not the case. I just… Am not satisfied with myself.”

“I am greedy for more, though.”

After listening to Lee Sungmin’s answer, Wijihoyeon did not pressure him anymore.
She chuckled and stretched out her hand, placing it on his shoulder.

“I like who you are right now. You are stronger than I thought.”

“I am not satisfied with myself. I’ve seen myself go farther, so I can do it.”

“Haha!”

Wijihoyeon laughed heartily at those words. She couldn’t understand all of what he
said, but she could feel a strong sense of determination in his words. That made her
happy. The Lee Sungmin from nine years ago couldn’t say that. He had changed.
Wijihoyeon laughed as she took a close look at the new Lee Sungmin.

“Then, let’s see each other again in a year.”

At the promised place. Wijihoyeon added.

“I will continue to go forward. Just like you can go, I can also go further. I bet you, one
year later, I will be much better and stronger than I am now. And I think my perspective
has become higher. Now that I have seen you here.”

Wijihoyeon said that and put her hand on Lee Sungmin’s shoulder. She slowly passed
by him. Lee Sungmin turned to her and said.

“See you in a year.”

“Okay.”

Wijihoyeon smiled brightly, hearing Lee Sungmin’s words. Her smile was not visible
to Lee Sungmin. She didn’t want to show it to him. Wijihoyeon happily welcomed the
subtle waves in her heart. She thought back to 9 years ago. When she was first
summoned in front of the fountain at Genavis, she didn’t know what it was, the gaze
she felt from someone standing far away. It was a meeting disguised as a coincidence,
but for Wijihoyeon, he was the first friend she made. Wijihoyeon had a lot of nostalgia
despite spending such a short time in Genavis.

‘You are ambitious. But I will bear with it.’

Wijihoyeon thought while clasping her hands and blushing.

If possible, she wanted to take him by force. But she had to bear with it, or else he
might hate her. Wijihoyeon wanted to respect the will of her one and only friend. There
were still many things to say. There were too many conversations she wanted to share
with him. But it wasn’t the right place. The time had not yet come.

Let’s talk more in a year. Let’s eat and drink together. Let’s talk about everything.

‘Come to think of it, I couldn’t say it.’

As she exited the door, Wijihoyeon thought belatedly.

‘I missed you.’

She buried those words inside her heart.

One year will not be such a long time.

“Ahhhhhh!”

Baek Sogo screamed and twisted, trying to get free. She wanted to run away as soon
as possible, but the blood that bound her body also took away her freedom of movement.
Jang Deuksu felt restless just watching her while Chwigeol stared at Baek Sogo with a
gloomy expression.

“Tell me why!”

Baek Sogo shouted with a hoarse voice. She glared at him with eyes full of venom.
Chwigeol sighed a little at her poisonous glare. Before he could say anything, Baek
Sogo spat out impatiently.

“Just why did you bring me out?!”

The frantic screaming and shouting did not bear the slightest resemblance to the usual
Baek Sogo.

“Sungmin, my Sungmin. My only… My one and only Sungmin. I need to go get him. He
took on the monster on my behalf! Sungmin, my Lee Sungmin… He was fighting the
monster to save me. I said that I wo-would go with you to sa-save him, I sh-should be
there right n-now…!”

Baek Sogo stuttered her words in a confusing mess. However, what she meant was
clear, and her raging emotions were evident. Especially her resentment. Even the
tactless Jang Deuksu, knew and kept silent. Instead of making excuses, he closed his
eyes and bowed his head. Still, he knew to be ashamed.

But not Chwigeol. It wasn’t that he was shameless, but he did not avoid Baek Sogo’s
gaze because he could not avoid it. He should not.

It was Chwigeol who chose to run away, and Chwigeol who persuaded Jang Deuksu to
surprise attack Baek Sogo, and escape the dungeon using the scroll taken from
Crimson Elder’s dead body. The scroll was excellent in its use. They managed to traverse
a very long distance and succeeded in reaching the Wandering Sect’s headquarters in
the city of Cron.

Cron was a city far away from the dungeon. It was home: not only to Wandering Sect’s
headquarters but also to various Murim factions. This kind of Long-Distance
Teleportation Magic was impossible for humans to replicate. Even those who are
regarded as expert mages could not teleport through several cities. However, since the
scroll obtained from the dungeon was far from normal, it made teleporting a vast
distance possible.

“First of all, you need to calm down.”

Chwigeol said with a sigh. As he said this, he knew that Baek Sogo would not remain
calm. He was right. Hearing his words, Baek Sogo opened her eyes and glared at
Chwigeol.

“You need to consider the reality of the situation. We are at the Wandering Sect’s
headquarters in Cron. Even if you go all out, it will take a full month for you to reach
the dungeon from here.”

“Magic…”

“It was thanks to the scroll in the dungeon that we were able to move here quickly. No
matter what kind of magic you use, you will not be able to reach the dungeon on time.”

“Why did you run away…?!”

Baek Sogo said through clenched teeth. If her meridians weren’t sealed right then,
Baek Sogo would have run out toward the dungeon or have combed through all of
Cron’s wizard guilds, inquiring about teleportation magic no matter what else happened.

“Didn’t I just tell you? You need to consider the reality of the situation.”

Chwigeol said with a melancholy voice.

“There was no guarantee we could defeat Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger even if the three
of us joined hands with Ghost Gun, your Sungmin.”

“You didn’t even try it… !”

“We are still alive because we haven’t tried it. I…Baek Sogo, I could not bear to die. I
couldn’t die there. It was the same for Jang Deuksu.”

“Then why didn’t you leave me behind?”

Baek Sogo glared at him. Chwigeol could sense the pain in her eyes. All this time, he
had known Baek Sogo and followed her around. During that time, he had never seen
her look like that. But he had to endure. The past was past.

“I couldn’t do that.”

“… Why?”

“I didn’t want you to die.”

Baek Sogo couldn’t say anything to that remark. She looked at Chwigeol for a moment
and chuckled softly. After a while, she smiled bitterly and said with a hoarse voice.

“It’s cowardly.”

She sighed.

“Cowardly, so cowardly… It’s so… cowardly. Is this representative of the Murim? Is this
our righteousness? I kept watch on Wijihoyeon and even followed her into the
dungeon to stop her. It was all to keep her from gaining strength in the dungeon and
becoming a truly uncontrollable monster. But we couldn’t stop it. No, I didn’t stop it.”

“We did what we could. Are you saying that it would be righteous to die while fighting
Wijihoyeon there?”

“At least, it would have been more righteous than running away.”

“That’s just blind bravery. Baek Sogo, I don’t think righteousness means challenging
Wijihoyeon and dying. Only if you are alive can you can seek more righteousness.”

“… Sungmin.”

Baek Sogo muttered in a low voice.

“Standing by and watching as Sungmin dies… Is that righteousness?”

“… I think it was necessary.”

That’s ridiculous. What hypocrisy. Baek Sogo muttered in a small voice. Jang Deuksu
bit on his lower lip and did not answer.

“Ghost Gun was a hero.”

“Don’t say that.”

“… Then what should I say?”

“… Please unseal my meridians.”

Baek Sogo stared at him.

“I can’t stay with you. I don’t want to. You… Don’t you realize how hypocritical your
words are?”

“I’m just talking about the reality of the situation.”

“I joined the Murim to live out my ideals.”

“What more can your ideals do? This world, where people of all ideas, from all sorts
of places, are summoned over every day. Do you want to eradicate all evil here? That’s
impossible.”

Baek Sogo did not answer. She just glared at Chwigeol with tear-stains running down
her face. Despite feeling pained by that gaze, Chwigeol continued to speak. He had to
say it.

“Everyone has their own ideals, but it’s impossible to fully achieve them. We have to
compromise. That’s reality.”

“I will quit.”

She knew. She knew that she could not truly achieve her ideals. The reality was too
harsh to uphold her ideals. So she had no choice but to compromise.

“I know it too, that the ideals I have are absurd. Nevertheless, I joined the Murim
because I felt this was a place that would fit my ideals. However… Not anymore.”
“… My ideals and the Murim factions’ ideals no longer align.”

“Please unseal my meridians.”

Baek Sogo said once again. Chwigeol approached Baek Sogo silently and released her.
Baek Sogo staggered up and looked down at her body, exhaling deeply. Then, without
any hesitation, she clenched her fist and swung it at Chwigeol’s cheeks. Chwigeol’s
head flew back with a loud bang.

“Uh, where are you going?”

“Anywhere but here.”

Baek Sogo spat out.

“Being here is disgusting.”

Chwigeol didn’t catch Baek Sogo leaving the room. He raised his hand and touched his
throbbing cheek. It was too painful to call it a mere slap. Chwigeol asked while laughing.

“Did I get dumped?”

Tension left his body as his voice escaped him like a deflating balloon.

***

The dungeon completely closed up after Wijihoyeon passed through the treasure
room. Lee Sungmin also exited the dungeon in her wake. Although it was a pity that
he couldn’t talk more with her, he couldn’t linger anymore. One year was not a very
long time.

Lee Sungmin sat down on the bed after entering the nearby village inn.

It hurt.

Lee Sungmin pressed down on his arms while taking deep breaths. It seemed like he
would have to lie down like a dead rat for a few days. He looked up at the old ceiling
and reflected on what had happened. Baek Sogo’s death was prevented. However, he
still needed to confirm it. Lee Sungmin looked at the shadows and called out to Neville.
(E/N: Previously tl’ed as Nevel. Sungmin’s Manager for Erebrisa.)

“Yes?”

Neville appeared. He seemed a little concerned, looking at Lee Sungmin’s tired face,
but he did not ask. Lee Sungmin looked at him and said.

“Please get me information about Silent Flare Baek Sogo.”

“What information do you want?”

“Her location.”

“Okay. I’ll inquire through the information guild. Other than that… Any other requests?”

Neville’s gaze turned to the spear next to the bed. It hadn’t been long since he got a
new one, but it had already been damaged beyond repair. Neville sighed and said.

“About this… Selgerus will be very angry. I didn’t know a weapon crafted by a Meister
could be destroyed like that. Did you catch a dragon?”

“Of course not.”

“I was joking. If your opponent were a dragon, you would have died already. I can
connect you with Selgerus now if you’d like.”

“Oh, before that. Do you know what this is?”

Lee Sungmin reached into his interdimensional pocket. What he took out was a fist-
sized ore that he had obtained by defeating Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger. Upon seeing
it, Neville’s eyes flew open.

“One moment… Can I take a look at it?”

He asked carefully. It was not a difficult request, so Lee Sungmin handed the ore to
him. Neville, who was watching the ore with careful eyes, burst out in admiration.

“My God. Just where did you get this?”

“… What is it?”
“This is Orichalcum.”

He said with shining eyes. At this, Lee Sungmin could not hide his surprise and opened
his mouth. Lee Sungmin knew about Orichalcum. It was a rare mineral among the
myriad of minerals to be found in Eria.

“I’m not a blacksmith, so I can’t tell you much, but this Orichalcum seems to be
incredibly clear with barely any impurities, it is of very high quality. If you sell it, you
might be able to purchase some citadels with the money.”

“Is that right?”

He was surprised, but only for a moment. Lee Sungmin calmed himself down. It was a
mineral that he had only heard of in rumors in his previous life, but now it belonged
to him. It was nothing to be too surprised about.

“It worked out for the best then. I can’t use my old spear anymore. I’m going to give
this Orichalcum to Selgerus and ask her to make me a weapon.”

“Can I connect you right away?”

“Yes.”

In response to Lee Sungmin, Neville immediately disappeared. Soon after, the space in
front of Lee Sungmin suddenly shattered and connected to Selgerus’ workshop.

“Orichalcum?!”

As soon as she saw his face, Selgerus screamed. There was none of the usual boredom
left on her face. She was brimming with excitement as she looked at Lee Sungmin.

“Really? Orichalcum, and it’s still unrefined?”

“Oh… Yes. I’m sorry, the spear… ”

“It doesn’t matter!”

Selgerus exclaimed with a loud voice. Lee Sungmin was surprised that such a loud
voice could come out of her.
“Give it to me. I need to see it for myself first.”

“Ah… Yes.”

Lee Sungmin handed the Orichalcum ore to Neville, who appeared next to him. Selgerus
took the ore through Neville and looked at it with her eyes wide open, exclaiming
continuously.

“So… I would like to ask you to make a new spear with it. Although I don’t know if it’s
big enough…”

“What do you mean it’s not big enough?”

Selgerus laughed at Lee Sungmin’s words. She grabbed the Orichalcum Ore with both
hands and infused mana into it. Then the fist-sized Orichalcum swelled greatly.

“With this much pure Orichalcum, one spear is nothing. Rather, there will still be much
of it remaining.”

“Then, I’ll pay for it with the remaining Orichalcum.”

When Lee Sungmin said so without much thought, Selgerus opened her eyes wide and
looked at Lee Sungmin.

“Are you crazy?”

“… Huh?”

“Pay for it with what’s left? What nonsense…! You wouldn’t know, but with this much
Orichalcum, any blacksmith would seek you out to just let them use it for production
without any payment. Orichalcum is just that rare of a metal.”

“But to ask for it for free…”

“No, it’s alright. There’s no payment required. This is my first time dealing with
Orichalcum and unrefined Orichalcum at that. How about making an auxiliary weapon
rather than just a spear? With this much of Orichalcum, I can make a few more
daggers.”

“In that case… I’ll have some of those plea-”

[No. Rather than a dagger, you should get this armor repaired.]

Heoju interrupted just as Lee Sungmin was about to answer.

[I can use this armor as a medium, but it’s not built to handle all of my power. Orichalcum
is an excellent conductor of magic, so I can exert my strength even more efficiently
than before.]

“… Could I get this armor repaired with Orichalcum instead of a dagger?”

“It’s not possible to do the whole thing, though?”

[Say it doesn’t matter.]

“That doesn’t matter.”

He had no use for a dagger made of Orichalcum. Rather than getting some useless
daggers made, as Heoju said, it would be better to repair the armor using Orichalcum.

‘By the way. Is it okay to smelt the armor while you are inside it?’

[I can move temporarily. That broken spear is made of Truesilver. It can hold my soul
for a while.]

Lee Sungmin asked Selgerus for her understanding and grabbed the spear. The armor
shook, and a haze of smoke stretched into the spear.

[Done.]

The spear was vibrating. Lee Sungmin took off his armor and handed it to Neville.

“… You are serving quite the strange existence.”

[Serving?! Bastard. I’m going to kill you.]

Heoju growled, but Neville did not hear it. Suddenly, something came to his mind, and
Lee Sungmin asked Neville to do him a favor.

“I would also like information about Heoju.”

“Heoju…?”

“Yeah. They say there was a ghost like that a few hundred years ago.”

“Okay. I’ll give you the information about Silent Flare as well.”

That concluded the deal with Erebrisa. Lee Sungmin laid down the spear and went
over to lay down on the bed.

“… I’m tired.”

He muttered and closed his eyes.

Feeling drowsy, Lee Sungmin opened his eyes. Since it was a familiar feeling, Lee
Sungmin realized what was going on without any difficulty.

‘A dream?’

It was not his first time having a lucid dream. When undertaking the dream trial on
Mush’s mountain, Lee Sungmin had a lot of nightmares in the form of lucid dreams.
The dreams he had those days were horrible enough to bother him even now. Speaking
of lucid dreams, people can usually change it as they wish according to their choices,
but the lucid dreams that Lee Sungmin experienced were not such convenient ones.

So he didn’t expect it to happen again. Lee Sungmin sat up and looked around.

“Are you up?”

A voice sounded. Lee Sungmin was not surprised by it. He looked in the direction of
the voice. It was different from a nightmare. It was also different from an ordinary
dream. In a sense, it resembled his subconscious realm that he had entered while
doing Denir’s trial.

That voice belonged to Heoju.

He was using a flickering mirage as his body. There were no eyes, nose, or mouth
where the face should have been. The whole body was like that.

“Why do you look like that?”

“Are you sure you want to see my true form?”

Heoju asked. Lee Sungmin wondered why Heoju had appeared in his dream, but he
nodded first. Receiving his permission, Heoju’s body swelled greatly, manifesting bone
and flesh to turn into a giant with a big head and broad shoulders. His one hand was
big enough to crush someone’s head with his hands.
“You look more like a human than I thought.”

Lee Sungmin commented in a calm voice. He had imagined a hideous monster with
horns, teeth, and fingernails. Except for his height and size, Heoju was not much
different from humans.

“Ghosts are a lot like humans. If I had to compare, rather than a monster, ghosts are
more like Ajin.”

(T/N: https://ajin.fandom.com/wiki/Sakurai_Gamon

In case you are as clueless as me when it comes to such things, Ajin is a type of Demi-
human/Immortal from Sakurai Gamon’s ultra-popular mangas. It even has a movie
starring Sato Takeru. hmm, I should watch it)

“Like orcs?”

“Don’t compare us to such inferior creatures.”

Heoju banged his fists on the ground as he grumbled.

“It’s not real, but having a body after a long time feels quite good.”

“Why are you here?”

“I wanted to test it out. I lent my power and connected spiritually to you. So I tried to
see whether I could intervene in your dreams while you were asleep. Although I
couldn’t control your body.”

“It looks like you’ve tried it once.”

“It was worth a try. But I failed. I couldn’t break through your protection with my
power. In the sleeping forest, I couldn’t break into your mind… That time, I was pushed
out by a force other than your own willpower.

“If you were a decent person, you would not be rushing to take control of my mind.”

He pointed out. Preskan’s mind control magic had also failed to breakthrough Lee
Sungmin’s Aura of Favourability.
“Is that all? Then I’d like you to leave. I’m tired and want to sleep.”

“There are a few things I want to ask.”

Heoju gestured to Lee Sungmin to come closer. Lee Sungmin frowned but eventually
moved closer to him.

“What?”

“Did I not tell you? There are a few things that I want to ask you.”

“So, what is it?”

“You. What do you plan to do?”

Heoju asked him directly.

“When I lent my power to you. At that time, I had a strong spiritual connection with
you, so some of your emotions passed over to me as well. The feelings you felt when
that small fry was fighting the monster and how you felt when dealing with that
monster-like chick.”

“So you looked as you please.”

“I just felt it. That’s not something I can control.”

“What exactly do you want to know?”

“What you’ve been doing all this time. The relationship between you and that chick.
What you want to do in the future.”

“You seem to have a lot you want to know. Why should I tell you?”

“You and I will have to stay together for a long time. Is there any harm in getting to
know each other? You also owe me.”

“I owe you?”

“If I hadn’t helped, you and that small fry would have died in the middle of the fight.”
He had to acknowledge that. If Heoju hadn’t helped at that time, Lee Sungmin wouldn’t
be able to handle Wijihoyeon’s doppelganger. The Nine Heavenly Spears technique
that Lee Sungmin could perform with his body now was limited to the Nine Dragon
Spirits, and his Shadowless was restricted to the Two-step Calamitous End. Although
he knew more martial arts and had the experience from his subconscious, he could
not perform them all perfectly with his current body.

It was actually bordering on ridiculous. Lee Sungmin’s body had already made a
breakthrough, reaching transcendence. No matter how outstanding the Nine Heavenly
Spears technique and Shadowless were, it shouldn’t be impossible to perform them
with a body at such a level.

It wasn’t like he had a shortage of inner force. Lee Sungmin’s inner force was far more
abundant than other experts.

The true reason why he could not reach that level was because the level of martial arts
that he gained from his ‘enlightenment’ was higher than the level of martial arts that
his body was capable of. His heart and mind were leading too far ahead, so his body
could not follow. When assisted by Heoju’s power, he was able to unfold Void
Rendering, which was the sixth technique of the Nine Heavenly techniques, but if he
tried to do it using his current body, it would not be possible.

“… Didn’t you say you helped me because you liked me?”

“That’s also true. Don’t you want to tell me while I ask nicely?”

“What’s the point of saying it?”

“Do you feel embarrassed?”

“There’s a little bit of that too.”

“Bastard. You’re too high maintenance. Do you know about it, you son of a bitch? You
have a problem.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“You selfish bastard. You only want your own questions to be answered. If you want to
know, tell this ancestor what he is curious about.”
Heoju coerced. Lee Sungmin looked at him wryly. In fact, he had no problem in
answering his questions. It was just that he was a little unwilling. But he couldn’t
ignore him either since he was troubled by the ‘problem’ that Heoju had mentioned.
Lee Sungmin sighed and opened his mouth.

Either way, Heoju already knew that Lee Sungmin had died and returned to the past,
so there was nothing to hide. Lee Sungmin told Heoju a lot of things. The promises he
made with Wijihoyeon at Genavis and how he got involved with her. Then, he talked
about his meeting with Baek Sogo at Mush’s Mountain and his descent from the
mountain after completing the trials. The incidents from Behenger. Preskan, Aine, and
the Black Heart. Practicing at the Shaolin Temple and the events at the Volcanic Sect,
all the way to Denir.

The story was long. Heoju sat on the floor and listened to it. He sat with his arms
crossed and a grave expression on his face. As soon as Lee Sungmin’s words were over,
he opened his mouth.

“Why don’t you use magic too?”

“… Huh?”

Lee Sungmin opened his eyes wide at the sudden words.

‘Uhhhh…’

He took a peek into the status window as he paused.

“Ah.”

He had forgotten. Lee Sungmin had learned some magic from Scarlett on Mush’s
mountain. Fatigue Recovery, Mind Cleaning, Strength, and Haste. In fact, the reason
Lee Sungmin was able to endure on Mush’s mountain was because of those four spells.

“I can feel some magic from you. Although, I don’t know exactly what kind of magic
you learned.”

“… Some types of auxiliary magic.”

“Are you a support character?”

“There’s that, too… ”

“You stupid son of a bitch. Why don’t you just use them if you’ve learned them? Will
you catch some kind of disease if you use both magic and martial arts or what?”

Heoju swore at him profusely. Lee Sungmin had nothing to say to that. When was the
last time he had used magic? He had only practiced martial arts to the point of
exhaustion in Denir’s trial and completely forgot about magic.

“Using a combination of attack magic and martial arts may make you a cripple who
can’t use either of them properly, but auxiliary magic can be combined with martial
arts efficiently. Have you ever tried it??”

“A long time ago…”

“You stupid bastard.”

Heoju sprang up to his feet, finding it ridiculous.

“Well, whatever. I did like you quite a bit.”

“… Why?”

“I like simpletons like you.”

Heoju laughed while revealing his teeth.

“To be frank, it’s impossible for you to be at the same position as that Minor Heavenly
Demon chick by next year.”

“I know.”

“Divine trials are tricky. 2,100 years in your subconscious? Somehow, you’ve
accomplished more than your natural talent allows for. You’ve made up for your lack
of talent with a tremendous amount of time. Although it’s ridiculous that you can only
do this much after 2,100 damn years.”

“Am I that ridiculously weak?”

“I’ll admit it’s more power than normal humans could achieve. But it’s not enough to
compete with the kind of geniuses who transcend humanity.”

Heoju asserted.

“That girly transcends humanity. If you really want to be equal to her, you need to
transcend humanity too. The martial arts from your subconscious realm are not
enough.”

“… I have no other ways.”

“There are many ways if you give up your humanity.”

Heoju narrowed his eyes and looked at Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin tilted his head and
looked back.

“The easiest way is to become a vampire or a werewolf. They are the most common
choices for humans who want to be non-human. The method is not difficult, either.”

“I don’t want to do that.”

At the word ‘vampire’, Lee Sungmin recalled Ghost Blade. It wasn’t a good memory.

“Are you dead set on living as a human?”

“It’s not like that. I don’t really feel the need.”

“Hehe! I don’t recommend it either. The hierarchy of vampires and lycanthropes is

absolute. If you become a vampire, you will never be able to disobey the one whose
blood made you a vampire. There are also many annoying constraints that come with
it.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“Becoming a ghost is also another way.”

Heoju’s eyes glinted.

“A ghost is both a monster and an Ajin. Some ghosts are humans that were turned,
some are just born into existence, and others are birthed from the union of other
ghosts.”
“… Are you telling me to become a ghost?”

“It’s just one of your options. Haven’t you experienced the power? In the first place,
your heart is a monster’s, not a human’s. If you become a ghost with that at the centre,
along with my powers, it could yield interesting results.”

Heoju said with conviction. However, Lee Sungmin was reluctant to do so. He had lived
as a human until now, so it was only natural that he could not easily accept being a
ghost. Heoju laughed loudly at Lee Sungmin’s expression.

“What? I’m just letting you know there is such a way. I’m telling you because I like you.
I’ll tell you this much now, it’s not a bad opportunity. It is also the favour of this elder.”

Heoju turned into fog and disappeared, leaving those words behind. Lee Sungmin
sighed deeply, feeling the dream coming to an end.

“You enter into someone else’s dream without permission, say what you want to say
and disappear.”

As he grumbled like that, Lee Sungmin’s consciousness drifted away.

He opened his eyes to the sound of birds chirping. Lee Sungmin pushed away the
blanket over his body. He focused on the nearby sound of breathing and noticed that
Rubia was curled up under the bed, fast asleep.

“I guess I forgot.”

Lee Sungmin muttered and picked her up. He lifted Rubia’s body and put it on the bed.
Maybe she had entered into a deep slumber. Rubia only let out a whispering breath
but did not open her eyes. The spear containing Heoju was standing nearby.

[What are you going to do today?]

‘I haven’t fully recovered yet.’

Although he consumed several potions one after another, his body still had many
problems. Lee Sungmin sat on the floor, ignoring Heoju. Then, he took out the Greater
and Lesser Restoration Pills as well as the Magic Jewel Pill from his interdimensional
pocket.
Heoju said that consuming them would not cause any major problems. Lee Sungmin
first put the Greater and Lesser Restoration half-pills in his mouth. All of the qi entered
his dantian without any loss. It was a lot larger than it used to be a few days ago. It was
natural since he took the best restoration elixir of Shaolin. Lee Sungmin focused on his
dantian and absorbed the pill.

‘I can see why people go crazy in search of dungeons.’

Lee Sungmin poked his tongue out after confirming that all the qi from the Magic Jewel
Pill had entered his dantian. He wasn’t particularly concerned by the benefits of the
Magic Jewel Pill. The quantity of inner force provided wasn’t as high as the Greater
Restoration Pill or the Lesser Restoration Pill, but it was great to immediately gain
strength without needing him to refine it at all. In addition to such a pill, it was also
possible to obtain Orichalcum, which was pure enough for a master blacksmith to go
crazy over. Thinking about it this way, it was only natural that many would wander in
search of dungeons.

‘Come to think of it, there’s also the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.’

Lee Sungmin took out the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms manual from his
interdimensional pocket. How should he dispose of it? He wanted to sell it through
Erebrisa as well, but it was unlikely that it would fetch a very good price, considering
what they had said about the Hundred Step Manual last time.

‘Shall I take it to the Wandering Sect?’

Of course not right now. First, he needed to receive information related to Baek Sogo
and Heoju, which he had commissioned through Erebrisa. Next, he had to get answers
from Preskan.

‘I have to go north.’

He was going to follow Grandmaster Bulyoung’s advice and search the North. He had
to reach there by winter, so he had some time to spare, but he didn’t have enough time
to stop by the Wandering Sect.

Lee Sungmin began cultivating by circulating his inner qi and discovered the existence
of a strange force at the bottom of his dantian. It stood alone without mixing with his
inner qi.
‘What the hell is this now?’

Lee Sungmin stopped cultivating and asked Heoju. Heoju replied to him with a grave
expression.

[This is my remnant. It is the trace of your spiritual connection with me.]

‘It’s annoying. Can’t you clean it up?’

[Let it be.]

‘Isn’t this ability adversely affecting me?’

[You’re worried about things adversely affecting you when you’ve got a monster’s
heart in your body? There’s nothing wrong with it, so you can ignore it.]

Lee Sungmin nodded his head, seemingly convinced in response to Heoju’s words. He
entered into a trance as he immersed himself into his cultivation. Each breath that he
took swirled around his body, pushed by a tremendous amount of inner qi –
surrounding him with a purple glow.

It was noon when he opened his eyes.

Rubia was awake. Lee Sungmin took a deep breath and got up. He asked as he turned
around to look at Rubia sitting on the bed.

“Did you sleep well?”

“… I thought I was sleeping on the floor, though.”

“I moved you because it was annoying.”

“You can talk quite well now, huh? I was worried, so I kept watch until you fell asleep
completely.”

“What was there to worry about?”

“Says the person who was just roaring and screaming in pain and on the brink of
death.”

“I didn’t scream.”

“You were screaming on the inside. Anyways, I kept watch because I was worried. You
seemed to have gone to sleep without washing up, so I cleaned you up with magic.”

Rubia snapped at him. No wonder. He was so exhausted that he fell asleep without
washing up, but his body was still clean.

“You have a good service.”

“I did it because it smelled bad.”

Rubia pinched her nose and said teasingly. Lee Sungmin ignored her retort and looked
at the spear on the wall.

“Where are you going?”

“I feel pretty good now. I want to go warm up outside.”

“Why don’t you just take a good rest?”

“Are you worried?”

“Can’t I be? I can’t let you die. If that happens, then I won’t be able to fulfill my master’s
orders.”

“You don’t even know where he is.”

Lee Sungmin grumbled as he recalled Envirus. Rubia’s cat ears drooped down,
perhaps feeling a little discouraged.

“… He will definitely come. If he hadn’t wanted me to meet you, he wouldn’t have left
me alone in the forest.”

“Isn’t it possible that Envirus abandoned you?”

“There’s no… way that’s possible.”

There was no conviction in Rubia’s voice. Before entering the dungeon, Rubia was
confident that Envirus would definitely come. However, several near-death
experiences in the dungeon were enough to dissipate some of Rubia’s blind trust. She
was made by Envirus and lived for Envirus. Her life so far wasn’t without danger, but
the dangers that she had encountered while with Envirus were too weak to threaten
her powerful master.

But Envirus wasn’t there now. She had almost died. If not for Heoju’s help, they would
both have died already.

“I was joking.”

Lee Sungmin muttered as he looked at Rubia’s face that was getting more and more
depressed.

“If Envirus had abandoned you, he wouldn’t have led me this way.”

“… But I almost died.”

“We almost died. But in the end, we did not die. Neither will we die in the future either.”

Rubia’s bottom lip quivered, and she looked at Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin looked at
her eyes, shrugged, and went out.

The inn, which Lee Sungmin arbitrarily chose, was the oldest and only inn in the
village. Although the size of the village was quite large, unlike a city surrounded by
walls, villages were always at risk. The security was also bad since the management
was left in the hands of the city’s lord.

The first floor had a shabby bar and restaurant. A lot of vagrants gathered to eat cheap
food and alcohol in broad daylight, and many looked like mercenaries. Lee Sungmin
ordered breakfast and lunch without sparing them a glance. Rubia followed behind
and sat next to Lee Sungmin.

“What a smell.”

Rubia muttered in a small voice. The hygiene of the inn wasn’t great, and the food that
came out wasn’t much better. When they had nearly finished their food, a stranger
cautiously approached Lee Sungmin.

“I’ve never seen a face like yours in this village before.”

Whenever he opened his mouth, it stank. Rubia’s nose crinkled up, and Lee Sungmin
turned around to look at him. An old beggar with a dark spot on his face was watching
him.

“Do you have any pennies to spare?”

“Are you from the Wandering Sect?”

Lee Sungmin asked out of the blue. It seemed like he didn’t plan on hiding it in the first
place. The beggar chuckled, emanating a terrible odor.

“Then, are you Ghost Gun?”

His voice was low. It was low enough to get buried within the buzz of the inn. Lee
Sungmin looked up at the beggar.

“I have never had any dealings with the Wandering Sect.”

“Tch-tch! This young master misunderstands something. I’m only asking out of
curiosity, seeing such an extraordinary master appearing in this little town.”

“That’s right.”

He answered after a short pause.

“I’m Ghost Gun. Is there a problem?”

“I heard that the dungeon that opened not far from this village was conquered by
Minor Heavenly Demon Wijihoyeon.”

“The rumors travelled fast.”

“Haha! Isn’t magic convenient?”

“What do you want to ask?”

“Our Wandering Sect’s young master barely escaped from the dungeon and left his left
arm behind. The Peak level experts Iron Foot Jang Deuksu and Silent Flare Baek Sogo
also escaped from the dungeon. The problem is that they ran away to save their lives,
so they don’t know exactly what happened in the dungeon at the end.”

Lee Sungmin’s eyes opened wider at those words. He was relieved. The fact that Baek
Sogo came out of the dungeon safely made him relieved.

“What are you curious about?”

“Ghost Gun. How did you survive?”

The beggar asked. Lee Sungmin did not answer and looked into the beggar’s eyes.
After a while, he opened his mouth.

“Of course, I must have survived because I did something to survive.”

“Huhu! Did this old beggar offend you?”

“No. That’s not it. I just don’t want to tell you.”

“For what reason?”

“Don’t beat around the bush and ask properly. You want to know what Wijihoyeon got
from the dungeon, don’t you?”

The beggar shut up at those words. Lee Sungmin felt a little irritable. In the first place,
he was not convinced by the Murim factions’ justification in trying to keep a check on
Wijihoyeon. If you thought about it, Wijihoyeon had not committed any evil deeds. But
they still marked Wijihoyeon as evil arbitrarily and were trying to monitor and control
her. That’s what he gathered from Jang Deuksu chattering away in the dungeon.

“… What did Wijihoyeon get from the dungeon?”

“I haven’t seen it.”

So he lied.

“The dungeon was terrible, and I barely managed to get out alive. I didn’t even meet
Wijihoyeon. While barely surviving, the dungeon closed and forced me out. That is all.”

As if trying to judge the authenticity of Lee Sungmin’s words, the beggar narrowed his
eyes and looked at him silently. After a while, the beggar nodded.

“Thank you for your cooperation.”

“Oh, and-”

Lee Sungmin reached into his sleeves. He took out a few coins and handed them to the
beggar.

“Spare pennies.”

“… Hehe! Bless you.”

The beggar turned around, bursting with laughter. Lee Sungmin sighed as he looked
at the back of the beggar.

‘Looks like we are going to get caught up in trouble again.’

This thing called fate would cause people to be entangled whether they like it or not.
He scanned through the whole restaurant. The vagrants in the corner were looking in
his direction. They all probably belonged to the Wandering Sect. They weren’t
incredible experts, but the Wandering Sect’s specialty was in quantity, not quality.
Beggars were common in crowded places. Other factions tended to be picky with
qualifications, but that wasn’t the case with the Wandering Sect. They accepted
everyone.

Lee Sungmin got up silently. He had been thinking of staying in this town for a few
days to recover, but this incident changed his mind. The presence of so many eyes on
him was annoying. Lee Sungmin left the inn immediately after paying the
accommodation fee. He wasn’t carrying anything in the first place, so there was
nothing to pack.

“Where are we going?”

“First, we’ll be heading north.”

He planned on organizing the information he got on the way there and getting the
right direction. Rubia changed her appearance to a small ball of light and hid in Lee
Sungmin’s dark cape.

He was in no hurry while leaving the town. There was no sign of a pursuer, but there
was a feeling that was nagging him. Heoju hummed inside the spear that was on his
back.

[It’s magic.]

‘Does the Wandering Sect also use magic?’

[I don’t know. But I’m sure they are watching us. What do you plan to do?]

‘Leave them alone. It’s going to be more of a hassle if I get involved with them.’

He didn’t know the reason why Wandering Sect was keeping an eye on him. Was there
any reason for them to care whether he survived the dungeon? Or were they doubting
his relationship with Wijihoyeon? He didn’t like either of the options. But he couldn’t
stop Wandering Sect’s pursuit. Given the rumors, Lee Sungmin was well aware of how
persistent they were.

‘It’s probably not Chwigeol, right? I don’t think he would still be petty about me leaving
Crimson Elder to him to deal with.’
If you thought about it, it was Lee Sungmin who had been abandoned by him. Lee
Sungmin walked forward and grumbled.

There was a ‘Bird’ following Lee Sungmin. There was no great difficulty in pursuing
him since he wasn’t using One Thunder. The bird’s eyes tracked his movements as he
went forward at a rapid pace, and what the bird saw through its eyes was passed on
to the mage using it.

The scene it recorded was being transmitted to the far-off Cron in real-time. Although
there was a little time delay, it was a feat possible only through magic and impossible
to replicate through martial arts.

“I guess you lived.”

Chwigeol put his hand on the crystal ball and muttered. The Wandering Sect, in
cooperation with the Wizard’s Guild, had eyes and ears throughout Eria. That being
said, there weren’t many targets that they constantly monitored in real time. Chwigeol
had used his authority as a master of the Wandering sect to locate and monitor Lee
Sungmin.

‘I thought you had died.’

Of course, he thought so. His opponent was Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger. Although the
Doppelganger was weaker than the original person, considering Minor Heavenly
Demon’s strength, the Doppelganger would also have overwhelming power.

Chwigeol did not think that his judgment was wrong. He had suffered a major injury
with his left arm being severed, and Jang Deuksu was also tired from fighting Crimson
Elder. It would have been the same with Baek Sogo. He wasn’t sure of Ghost Gun’s
abilities, but there was a high possibility that he would be wiped out after a long-
drawn-out battle. So he chose to escape. It was the only right judgment in that
situation.

If Ghost Gun died there, he would have been convinced that his judgment was right
and would be able to stand tall in front of Baek Sogo with the justification that he saved
her life. Although she slapped him on the cheek because she didn’t understand him, in
the end he had saved her.

‘I wish you had died in there.’

Chwigeol thought while smiling bitterly. Baek Sogo had left the city of Cron with the
declaration that she would cut off all ties with the Murim, without waiting for anyone
to accept her words. He still hadn’t confirmed where Baek Sogo was headed after
leaving Cron. That was because he had not placed a tracker on her.

‘I don’t like it.’

Chwigeol looked down at the crystal ball. He could see Lee Sungmin walking ahead
with a broken spear across his back. The image of Baek Sogo crying out and blaming
him for abandoning Lee Sungmin resounded in his head. He hated it even more. The
appearance of Baek Sogo crying out like that.

“Jealousy is ugly.”

Chwigeol mumbled with a sad smile.

***

At a distance away from the village, Lee Sungmin began using One Thunder, although
it wasn’t just One Thunder that he used. When he reached maximum speed using One
Thunder, he added Haste to it. People usually needed to use magical power to practice
magic, but the magic he had learnt consumed his inner force instead in proportion to
the level of Haste that was activated.

‘Heh.’

He couldn’t adapt to the added speed instantly. But he got used to it soon after. Lee
Sungmin avoided or jumped over the obstacles that came up, and his body sped
forward, using the combination of Haste and Shadowless.

‘It’s not efficient to use in longer periods of time.’

Although Lee Sungmin possessed a lot of inner force, the consumption was also very
large. There was still a lot of inner force left, but Lee Sungmin stopped after running
for a bit.

‘I wish I could use it in practice.’

The speed added by Haste was quite surprising. It looked like there would be a lot of
trial and error required for him to get used to it fully, and it would take even longer if
he added Strength to Haste.

‘After all, I don’t have talent.’

Lee Sungmin thought with a smile. There was no sign of the trackers. They were
probably lagging far behind him.

“You can come out.”

Neville stepped out of the shadows and bowed.

“Here is the information you requested.”

He said, pulling out the crystal ball. Lee Sungmin nodded and received the crystal ball
from him.
After listening to the information, Lee Sungmin crushed the grey crystal ball and blew
the powder into the wind.

Baek Sogo was alive. He had already learned that from that old beggar of the
Wandering Sect, but he heard something new from Erebrisa.

‘You say she left the Murim factions?’

He heard that her resignation was quite abrupt. Baek Sogo had declared her withdrawal
from the Murim factions and said she was leaving the city of Cron and heading South.
Eria was too large to pinpoint the exact location where she was headed, but just by
looking at the South of the map, if she was heading south from where Cron was…

‘She must be worried about me.’

The distance from Cron to the Dungeon was very long. They were teleported to Cron
from the Dungeon in an instant using the scroll, but it would generally take months to
get from Cron to the Dungeon in a conventional manner. It would take just over a
month assuming that she ate and slept and drank Recovery Potions like water to keep
using One Thunder.

“Is it possible to send a letter to Baek Sogo?”

“Sure.”

Neville nodded and replied. Looking at Neville, who could appear at any place at a
moment’s notice, the concept of ‘distance’ didn’t seem to matter to Erebrisa’s brokers.

“Is it possible to move me to Baek Sogo’s location?”

“It is impossible.”

It was a question he asked just in case, but Neville shook his head as expected.
“We are not bound by the restrictions of space. However, that’s not the case for you. If
you move through space the same way we do, you will not be able to withstand the
turbulence between spaces, and your body will be destroyed.”

Neville told him with a serious expression.

“I can get you a Long-distance Teleportation Scroll, but it’s not very convenient. You
can usually only use it to move to preset coordinates. Besides, such scrolls are very
expensive. Teleportation scrolls are expensive because it lets people buy ‘time’ to
move around.”

“Then how long would it take for the letter to be delivered?”

“It won’t take long. I can do it myself.”

Neville shrugged and replied. Upon hearing that, Lee Sungmin thought about Erebrisa,
the Information guild, and the brokers who belonged to it. Their informants could
move through space at will.

Even for Lee Sungmin, who was already at transcendence, he could not see through
Neville’s strength.

“Just what the hell is Erebisa?”

“It’s an intermediary guild.”

Neville answered without any change in his expression. It seemed like he wasn’t going
to give him the true answer.

“Can I get a pen and paper?”

“I’ll get it.”

Neville moved his hand up, placing it into a gap in space and taking out a pen, along
with a thin sheet of paper.

“Are you lending these to me?”

“… I’ll just give it to you.”

Lee Sungmin sat down on the floor with a smile. He placed the nib on the paper and
considered his thoughts for a moment. What should he say? Assure her that he’s okay?

I’m sorry to only send a letter as an explanation.

I’m okay. I’m not hurt, and I escaped safely.

It’s a relief that you are also alive. Baek Sogo, I don’t blame you. I went to the dungeon
willingly, in the hope that you would survive.

So please don’t worry about me or feel guilty.

I’m fine. It’s really alright.

After he had written that far, Lee Sungmin stopped moving the pen. Could he tell Baek
Sogo where he was going now? If he told her, Baek Sogo would also go there. Could he
let that happen? Lee Sungmin was heading north. He didn’t know what kind of
unexpected events and dangers he could face there.

In the end, Lee Sungmin didn’t inform Baek Sogo of his destination. He wanted to meet
her. He wanted to travel with her. But not yet. He hadn’t heard the words he wanted to
hear from Baek Sogo yet. You’ve improved a lot. You’re a lot stronger now. Those words.
Lee Sungmin put his pen down.

‘Later.’

First, he had to go north.

‘You were quite the character, huh?’

After sending Neville back, Lee Sungmin began to move again. He tried to get used to
using One Thunder and Haste together. Running could also be considered as practice.

[Now you know?]

Heoju shrugged. Neville’s information also included information about him. Heoju
was active 400 years ago. He had existed since then, as the Leader of Ghosts, reigning
like a nightmare in the Southern parts of Eria.

‘Then you lost your body and got sealed.’

[There were tens of thousands of people who tried to seal me. A group of mages,
martial artists, spirits, and many others. At that time, all of those punks were trying to
subdue me.]

“Why didn’t you run away?”

[I didn’t want to escape.]

Heoju replied promptly.

“… Is that all?”

[That is all.]

“When I heard about it, it seemed really amazing. You weren’t a king, but you reigned
like a true king in that region. The people in the south say that there are tribes that
still believe in you.”

[That’s the way people are. Their faith starts as soon as they see a wonder beyond
their understanding. They take one look at the lightning that separates the sky and
start calling it a God’s doing.]

Heoju’s voice was deep.

[If you have the chance one day, go south. After all, I said I would give my treasure to
you.]

“Where did all your subordinates go?”

[They all died.]

Heoju replied. After that, he didn’t speak anymore. It seemed like the story of his past
wasn’t too pleasant to recollect. Lee Sungmin also did not intend to ask any more
questions.

‘The south.’

He had never been there. In fact, it was the same with the Northern region where he
was currently headed. But he actually didn’t know where in the north he should go.
What came to mind when he thought of ‘the North’ was the large city of Travia, which
had previously been the Bloody Heavenly Demon’s turf.

It was the place where Baek Museon had reigned, but Travia had turned into a
battlefield after Wijihoyeon cut off his arm.

‘I heard that Travia is overflowing with the Murim and Black Mages. They ran out of
patience.’

It would be nice if he could run into Preskan there. If that happened, he could ask him
about the black heart without having to actively search for him.

***

The appearance of the man was strange and sudden. Baek Sogo stopped running and
breathed warily. She stared with caution at Neville, who was standing not too far off
in the distance. Neville raised both hands and addressed her.

“I am not an enemy.”

“… a Dragon?”

Baek Sogo hesitated for a moment and then asked. Neville raised his eyebrows at the
question and burst into laughter soon after.

“You are the first to have such a misunderstanding!”

Neville laughed and laughed, unable to stop. Despite seeing him laugh at her like that,
Baek Sogo didn’t feel embarrassed. In fact, his appearance out of thin air was
astonishing enough for Baek Sogo to mistake him as a ‘Dragon.

Empty space had suddenly cracked open before he walked out of it. It seemed different
from the Teleportation or Blink that mages used. Baek Sogo could neither sense his
presence nor see through his level.

“Ah… Sorry. I laughed too much. Dragon, dragon… Yes. You could misunderstand.”

Neville said as he came up to Baek Sogo. As he approached her, Baek Sogo raised her
Defense Aura just in case. However, Neville did not slow his pace.

“Did I not tell you? I am not your enemy. I’m just a messenger.”
Neville said and reached into his sleeves. What he pulled out from the inside of his suit
was a well-folded envelope.

“This is a letter from Lee Sungmin.”

“… What?”

Baek Sogo’s expression suddenly changed.

“Lee Sungmin sent you a letter.”

She wanted to reach out and grab that letter right away. But she endured it. She took
a deep breath and withdrew her killing intent. Her Defense Aura also dispersed.

‘Even if I tried to take it by force… Could I do it?’

Baek Sogo thought. When she reined in her hostility, Neville grinned and handed her
the letter. After handing it to her, Neville disappeared through the gaps of space the
same way he had appeared. Baek Sogo read the letter in silence for a while.

“I am alive.”

It was a simple letter.

Even if it was unbelievable, Baek Sogo still believed it. Her trust was based on the
existence of the mysterious Neville rather than the handwriting. Baek Sogo held the
letter carefully and muttered in a small voice.

“You’re alive… Sungmin is alive.”

As her heartfelt relief subsided, Baek Sogo thought of a small question.

‘How did he get out of there?’

It was a natural question. She read the letter again. Where was he going, where was
he headed? It would have been nice if he had written something like that. Baek Sogo
stood up feeling sad.

‘If I was stronger… Sungmin wouldn’t have had to come forward to buy time.’
Baek Sogo bit on her lower lip. The Lee Sungmin she met had seen incredible growth
over the years. The last time she saw him before the dungeon, he hadn’t even reached
Peak level; but the Sungmin she saw in the dungeon seemed to have the same or
greater skills than her.

She decided where to go.

Baek Sogo pulled herself together. She folded the letter well and placed it in her
sleeves. She looked in the direction of the mountain that couldn’t be seen from there.
Baek Sogo recalled the conversation she had with Lee Sungmin before parting.

He told her to run away.

“That was my line.”

Baek Sogo muttered as she headed towards Mush’s mountain.

***

His destination was Travia, but there was no reason to rush. That was because there
was still time to spare until winter.

“It’s like I’m homeless.”

Rubia complained. Lee Sungmin listened to Rubia complain and glanced at her while
grilling a rabbit he had hunted on the bonfire.

“You have a lot of complaints.”

“If I am going to sleep, it’s better to do it under a roof on a bed.”

“Haven’t you ever been homeless when traveling with Envirus?”

“My master always lived with elegance and grace, even when he was homeless. He
always built a nice house using magic and slept there.”

“You’re such a hassle.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can sleep well even when I sleep on the floor without a roof.”

Lee Sungmin answered, ripping off the rabbit’s leg before handing it to Rubia. Despite
all of her complaints, Rubia accepted it obediently. She grabbed it carefully, opening
her mouth to bite it.

“How long will I have to be homeless?”

“Until we arrive at Travia.”

“We’ve already been homeless for a month. And there are three more months to go
from here to Travia.”

“Yes.”

“So I have to be homeless for three months?”

“I don’t think it’s going to be too difficult. We can get food by hunting, and there is
plenty of extra food in my interdimensional pocket.

“What about other necessities?”

“There is a way for that too.”

“How could someone like you become a member of Erebrisa?”

Rubia muttered as she clucked her tongue. Lee Sungmin’s shoulders trembled. He
narrowed his eyes and looked at Rubia.

“How did you know?”

“You didn’t hide it in the first place, did you?”

Rubia asked. There was nothing he could say to that. It was Lee Sungmin who called
Neville openly in front of Rubia and Heoju.

[I also know.]

Heoju roared. He thought that would be the case. Heoju didn’t express any surprise
when Neville suddenly appeared.
‘It’s been a long time.’

If Heoju, who was active 400 years ago, knew about them, that meant Erebrisa existed
even at that time.

‘You were a member of Erebrisa?’

[I received an offer but declined it.]

“… Is Envirus a member of Erebrisa?”

“Of course.”

Rubia replied cheerfully. Lee Sungmin asked while staring at Rubia.

“What the hell is this Erebisa?”

He looked at Heoju and Ruby. The question was directed toward both of them.
“It’s a mediation guild.”

You ask such strange things, Rubia added while mumbling.

“Who doesn’t know that?”

Lee Sungmin rebuked as he bit into the juicy meat. Rubia nibbled on the meat while
sulking.

“I also know that Erebrisa is a mediation guild.”

“… Well, They are a mysterious and odd group in many ways. It doesn’t make any sense.
The mercenary guilds have mercenary divisions within the guild, and the Wizard
guilds are divided into a school and tower of magic. That’s what most guilds involve
themselves in. They don’t become information guilds.”

Lee Sungmin also knew about it. There are hundreds of dozens of information guilds,
big and small. In particular, there are five or six guilds that handle information only in
large cities. Moreover, information guilds are not the only ones dealing with
‘information’. The bandit guilds in the city also handle information, and among the
Murim factions, various branches, such as the Wandering sect and Haomun, also
handle information.

(T/N: haomun sect would be xia wu men in Chinese. Murim factions are like this all-
encompassing sect and haomun sect rank lowest among them. It’s a little bit of a
disgraceful sect since they mix with the likes of beggars and bandits usually)

“Erebrisa draws information from ‘all’ information guilds with different purposes and
ideas. That’s not all. They arrange transactions between various merchant guilds and
private dealers as well. This is impossible even for high-ranking aristocrats and kings.”

Lee Sungmin silently listened to Rubia. Erebrisa is not just some intermediary guild.
It is impossible, even for a king, to control such groups of diverse personalities like
that.

[It’s their force.]

Heoju said flatly.

[Erebrisa’s brokers have the ability to break through distance and space. They are
humans, but they are not like humans. Power and status are meaningless in the face
of phenomenal and overwhelming forces. No matter how hard something is guarded,
the brokers of Erebrisa can still break through space and appear there.]

“… Why do people with such abilities run a mediation guild?”

[400 years ago.]

Heoju said.

[This elder at the time was quite notorious. Yokais are such beings. They are notorious
by nature. Not all humans are guilty of eating pigs, but most humans do not feel guilty
about eating them. It is the same for us. Yokais are inherently violent and selfish, and
they cause a lot of accidents. I caused some trouble as well.]

So he was subdued. Lee Sungmin recalled the information he received from Neville.
Heoju, who ruled in the southern region 400 years ago, was a revered monster. He
wasn’t subdued just because he was strong. He was punished because he committed
an evil deed.

[I bet you, in all of Eria at that time, you would not be able to find a presence stronger
than me. Even a dragon couldn’t stand up to this elder!]

That sounded like a little too much, Lee Sungmin thought. But did not express it.

[By the way, The broker from Erebrisa who came to visit me… Even though I was that
strong, I would not have been able to guarantee an easy victory against them. I was
dumbfounded when they came to me saying they were intermediary guilds, and that
they wanted to receive me as a member. So I asked them why they acted as a mere
intermediary guild despite having such power and why they wanted me to be a
member?]

“… and?”
[They said something interesting. He called me a ‘variable’.]

“What is that?”

[My existence itself was a variable that could throw off this whole world. He said that
in order to become a member of Erebrisa, one must have such a quality. He said it was
because of my strength and power that I was offered the membership. In other words,
it means that all members of Erebrisa are people who are likely to be variable in this
world. Although, I don’t know what they’re trying to do by gathering such people.]

When he first learned of Erebrisa at Mush’s mountain. Erebrisa’s broker said that Lee
Sungmin lacked the ‘qualifications’. At the time, he thought that it was simply because
of his lack of skill, but that was not all.

[They were too strange. So I refused to be a member. I didn’t want to be tied up with
people I did not know anything about.]

“It’s quite convenient, though.”

[Perhaps that Heavenly Demon bitch is also a member of Erebrisa.]

Heoju added.

[Her level of strength and growth is enough to pin her down as a Variable. By the way…
This is quite the strange word. Why is it ‘variable’? Why is the word ‘variable’ when
there is no fixed situation? What are they variables for?]

Heoju roared with laughter. Lee Sungmin also had questions about it, but there was
no way to confirm the answers’ authenticity. He didn’t think Neville would answer just
because he asked.

“You’re having quite an interesting conversation.”

A voice sounded all of a sudden.

Lee Sungmin was startled and looked in the direction of the sound. Neville stood
under the shade of the tree with a smile.

“… I don’t think I summoned you?”

“Selgerus’ work was completed, So I came to tell you about it.”

“That’s nice to hear.”

Lee Sungmin looked at Neville as he sucked the oil from the meat off of his fingers.

“What is Erebrisa?”

“It’s a mediation guild. … It’s hard to tell you more than that. Please understand.”

Although he said it as if he couldn’t help it, Lee Sungmin had a strong feeling that he
wouldn’t ‘never’ tell him. But he was not the type to acquire answers by force.

“You are so fussy.”

“I can swear that Erebrisa won’t ever hurt you. Erebrisa is for you.”

Neville said so as he split the space using his hand. Beyond the cracked space, Selgerus
stood. Selgerus, who looked a lot more unkempt than before, had dark circles under
her eyes, and her cheeks looked hollowed out.

“What’s with this atmosphere?”

Selgerus asked with her head tilted. Lee Sungmin did not answer, and Neville shrugged.
Selgerus, who had been silent for a moment, opened her lips and grumbled.

“Well, It’s none of my business. The things you ordered are complete. For the shape, I
followed the spear I made last time.”

Neville moved close to Selgerus and received the spear and armor from her. Until then,
he was confused and upset by the many questions about Erebrisa swirling in his head.
But, the moment he saw the spear that Neville had received, all such misgivings in Lee
Sungmin’s mind were extinguished entirely. The spear created by Selgerus had an
impression so strong that it captured both Lee Sungmin’s gaze and his mind.

“Orichalcum.”

Selgerus opened her mouth.

“It never breaks… is what a bunch of idiots would say. That’s wrong. There is no such
thing as never braking in this world. That doesn’t mean Orichalcum is brittle. When it
comes to robustness, there are few metals like Orichalcum. It has more strength than
a dragon’s scales and bones.”

Neville handed the spear to Lee Sungmin. Its length was longer than the previous
spear. This was because Lee Sungmin’s body was larger than when he first received
the spear.

‘It’s light.’

But, it didn’t feel brittle. Lee Sungmin grabbed the spear and gave it a light boost. It
did not bend. He liked the rigidity.

“If it’s completely destroyed, there is no way to recover it, but for other damages, using
magical force would suffice… So, in your case, it can be restored by infusing inner force
into it. There is no need to bring it for repairs. It’s made from Orichalcum, which was
buried in the ground and didn’t change even after a thousand years.”

“There are not many craftsmen who can handle Orichalcum even among Dwarf
blacksmiths. Other than dwarfs, only Selgerus, who has the title of Meister, can handle
Orichalcum.”

Neville added. Even though she was on cloud nine, Selgerus tried not to show her
pride.

“What are you doing then? You don’t even treat me properly because I’m a dark elf.”

Rather, Selgerus grumbled and added.

“Orichalcum also accepts magical power and inner force so well that even Mythril
cannot be compared to it. You’ll get a sense of what it feels like if you try it on yourself.
And the armor-”

Selgerus reached out and pointed at the armor.

“After creating the spear, there was still a lot of Orichalcum left over, so I inserted
Orichalcum around the core of the armor. It was just overlaid, so for the most part,
anti-magic should still work. But don’t rely on it too much. It hasn’t been engraved
with anti-magic enchantment.”
“Can I ask for an enchantment?”

“There’s a good reason why I didn’t do it. Orichalcum is an excellent metal, so the
difficulty of inserting enchantments is quite high. I can’t even think of doing it unless
I’m an Archmage. And enchanting it degrades the quality of the metal. For a metal like
Orichalcum, it’s rather a loss to enchant it.”

Lee Sungmin listened silently to Selgerus’ expert advice. Selgerus exhaled loudly and
pressed down firmly on her temple.

“… I assure you, this is my life’s greatest masterpiece as a blacksmith. The material was
the best I’ve ever touched. Unless you try to fight a Dragon, it will not break.”

“… Thank you.”

“No need for thanks. I didn’t give it a name, so if you want, you can name it. I’m tired,
so I am going to go sleep.”

Selgerus said and turned away. Neville closed the open space and turned to look at Lee
Sungmin with a smile.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes.”

“Please do not doubt us. Erebrisa is only pursuing your convenience. And… ”

Neville paused.

“… I am your broker. I’m exclusively yours. Although I belong to Erebrisa, in some ways,
I may prioritize you over Erebrisa’s policy.”

His tone was not like the previous inquiry. Neville bowed his head after adding that.

“I will be awaiting your next call.”

Neville disappeared after leaving those words behind. Shortly after Neville disappeared,
Heoju grumbled.

[Is he a homo?]
“What the fuck are you saying… ”

Lee Sungmin cursed at Heoju’s ridiculous words. Heoju laughed when he heard his
reply.

[Tastes can vary. Your face isn’t ugly, so it would be good if you kept that in mind.]

“Stop talking bullshit.”

[Anyways, It is a good thing to have a friendly helper on your side. Although his
attitude is a little ambiguous.]

While listening to Heoju chatter away, Lee Sungmin put on the armor. The upper body
armor was more comfortable to wear than before. Infused with inner force, it expanded
greatly and wrapped around his entire body. Lee Sungmin felt impressed as he tested
it out.

‘It’s very comfortable.’

It wasn’t that his former armor was uncomfortable. But, there was a feeling of
heaviness and resistance when compared to being armorless. But, not now. There was
barely any resistance in moving his body. It wasn’t without its weight, but considering
Lee Sungmin’s strength, it was fair to call it weightless.

He tried raising his Defense Aura. Kwaaa! His Defense Aura swelled in an instant,
covering his entire body. It looked as if a purple flame had swallowed him up. Lee
Sungmin was alarmed and reduced the amount of inner force.

“Your inner force was amplified through the Orichalcum.”

Rubia promptly said.

“That’s why Orichalcum is considered the best material. You can draw out more power
efficiently using a lesser amount of magical or inner force.”

It certainly was. When he used Defense Aura while wearing the previous armor, the
output was not strong enough. Lee Sungmin grabbed the spear while he was at it.
When he grasped the spear and infused his inner force into it, a purple aura
immediately surrounded the entire spear. Unlike the armor that was only overlaid
with Orichalcum, the spear was made entirely of Orichalcum. Therefore, the efficiency
of using Spear force was far more than the output of his Defense Aura.

[If you can’t do it with your body, get help from the equipment.]

‘Are you being sarcastic?’

[You have such a twisted personality. Are you ashamed of using equipment?]

‘That’s not true.’

[Don’t bother lying to me.]

Heoju chuckled as he called him out.

[It is important to use what you have properly. Your heart, armor, and weapons.
Everything is yours, after all. Don’t leave it lying around, and use it well. Ahem.]

Heoju advised. Lee Sungmin nodded silently as he listened to it. He still didn’t like the
black heart in his body, but that didn’t mean he hated it. After all, it was true that this
heart had saved him several times.

‘So I have to meet Freskan.’

(E/N: Preskan -> Freskan going forward.)

Even if he tried to use it, he didn’t know anything about it yet.

The door burst open.

A fierce wind was blowing outside. The snow mixed with the northern wind was sharp
enough to cut even flesh if one did not guard against it properly. The man who opened
the door was wearing thick robes on his body, perhaps as a countermeasure against
the wind.

“Welcome.”

There were no guests at the inn. The innkeeper, who was sitting on a chair in front of
the fireplace, quickly raised his head. He rubbed his eyes with his right hand and
wrapped his left around himself, shivering.

“How about closing the door first?”

The door that he came in through was swaying in the outside wind. Lee Sungmin
raised his hand and closed the door. The innkeeper’s eyebrows shot up when he saw
the door being pushed with one hand only.

“You must not be a hunter.”

The innkeeper murmured. Lee Sungmin took off the hood of the robes. The innkeeper
asked as he looked at Lee Sungmin’s face, which had turned white from the wind.

“Would you like coffee? Or hot water? Milk? There is also soup.”

“Soup, please.”

“I would prefer milk.”

Rubia, who was hiding behind Lee Sungmin, poked her head out and ordered. The
innkeeper opened his eyes wider when he saw the cat ears rising above Rubia’s head.
“A beastkin. Those are rare around here. Are you a Slave Merchant?”

“No.”

Lee Sungmin replied expressionlessly. Rubia seemed a little offended by the innkeeper’s
words but did not make a fuss. Beastkin were no great existence. Elves were very rare,
and they lived for a long time. They were loved by spirits and attracted mana. All elves
were excellent spirits, mages, and archers. Every rich man dreamed of enslaving an
elf, but enslaving elves was not an easy task.

Beastkin were different. They were weaker but more numerous than elves. They were
also relatively easy to enslave and tame them, with ‘relatively easy’ meaning that they
would be forced into obedience through sadistic violence.

“For now, please take a seat.”

The innkeeper placed two chairs in front of the fireplace.

“Hot soup and milk. I’ll bring them to you soon, so please wait for a little while.”

The innkeeper turned around and went into the kitchen. Rubia approached the
fireplace and sat down in the chair. She took off her cloak and exhaled.

“You can tell I’m not a beastkin at one glace.”

Rubia grumbled as she threw the robes behind her. Lee Sungmin took a seat beside
her. Rubia was a familiar created by Envirus. She looked like a beastkin, but that was
only because of Envirus’s taste.

“I wonder whether it was necessary to come to this inn.”

“But you see, the wind got stronger all of a sudden.”

“You don’t feel cold, and neither do I.”

“I don’t want to be homeless in such weather.”

Lee Sungmin did not feel cold because he had already acquired immunity to it. So he
didn’t feel the need to stop by the inn, but he came there anyways because of Rubia’s
persistent complaints.
“We’ll be arriving in Travia soon. Travia used to be under the Sama Order, and Black
Mages control before Bloody Heavenly Demon came to power. Honestly, it’s a place
where I really don’t want to go.”

“I don’t have a choice,” Lee Sungmin said as he took off his robes, “I know the situation
in the north isn’t great. The Bloody Heavenly Sect lost its power, and the powerful
figures there chose to escape rather than control the situation. Thanks to this, Travia’s
situation is a mess.”

On the way there, Neville continued to update him on Travia’s situation. Things were
better when Bloody Heavenly Demon used to reign Travia. At least he knew to exercise
restraint.

However, things changed after Bloody Heavenly Demon was defeated by Wijihoyeon.

The loss of an arm was fatal for a warrior. Bloody Heavenly Demon was a force to be
reckoned with in the prime of his reign in Travia, but after his arm was cut off, the
Bloody Heavenly sect collapsed. What was clear was that the current Travia was a
lawless place. He heard that even the City Lord had given up on ruling over Travia and
left to take refuge in a villa outside the city. Travia was full of crimes with no one to
secure it.

“Since the situation has developed in this way, the Murim are also watching them.”

“… You said it was a Divine Spirit, right? In the north, where ice caps do not melt. If fate
allows it, you will meet a person who is both human and monster. When the freezing
winter is at its coldest.”

Rubia pouted as she grumbled.

“Such vague words. I can’t believe you came all the way to this remote and dangerous
place, following a vague remark which could turn out to be false.”

[It’s not vague.]

Heoju muttered toward Rubia from inside the armor.

[I don’t know what that Divine Spirit is planning to do. But one thing is certain. If they
say that it will happen, it will definitely happen.]
“Even those words are so vague.”

[Those bastards are originally like that. They can… glimpse at fate. If you hadn’t come
to the north at all, I don’t know what would happen, but as long as you have come to
the north, the ‘meeting’ that the Divine Spirit predicted will definitely happen.]

In fact, Lee Sungmin was also a little confused as he came all this way. There were not
just one or two places where the ice caps do not melt in the north, and there’s no way
to say when winter is at the most frozen. A long time before he came here, Rubia had
asked him why he was going to Travia, and Heoju had hurriedly said, ‘You just need to
go.’ So he journeyed all this way based on that remark.

“Where are you headed?”

Asked the innkeeper who came back with two large mugs. Rubia received a mug with
both hands and drank the milk while blowing on it.

“I’m going to Travia.”

“Oh my.”

In response to Lee Sungmin’s answer, the innkeeper exclaimed.

“You are going to a dangerous place. Why? Do you want to make a name there?”

“That’s not it.”

“Well, I’m not in a position to be nosy. But, please do be careful. Especially that
Beastkin lady over there.”

The innkeeper pointed his chin toward Rubia.

“Travia is a lawless place. There are a lot of mages and shamans who offer human
sacrifices. Once you go inside the city, there may be a lot of danger.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

Rubia said with a smile. Lee Sungmin tasted the soup and opened his mouth after a
while.
“Why are you acting so kind when it doesn’t suit you?”

“Huh?”

“I’m talking about your poisoned soup. It’s hypocrisy. Or should I call it deception?”

Lee Sungmin grumbled and threw the mug he was holding into the flames of the
fireplace. The innkeeper’s expression changed as he heard those words.

“… This… I….”

The innkeeper stuttered. He had not achieved 10,000 Poison Immunity yet. Still, this
kind of crude poison could not harm Lee Sungmin’s body. However, he couldn’t help
being disgusted by the dirty taste, so he spat it out.

“Po-poison?”

Rubia was startled and tried to get up from the chair. However, she flopped back into
her seat as if there were no strength in her legs.

“I don’t think it’s a deadly poison. At least not what you drank.”

Beastkin can be sold as products and have value. The innkeeper looked at Lee Sungmin
with an expression that looked like he’d eaten shit. Then he sighed and dragged a chair
to take a seat.

“I have my reasons.”

“What are those reasons… !”

Rubia spat out with a distorted expression. As Lee Sungmin said, what Rubia had
consumed was not a deadly poison. It was simply a poison that paralyzed her body.
That didn’t mean that it did not cause any pain. Lee Sungmin glanced at the gasping
Rubia and reached out to the innkeeper.

“Is there any antidote?”

“If I give it to you, will you spare my life?”

“Don’t try to trade. It’s not that hard to kill you and search your body for the antidote,
and I also have a way to get it right now.”

He could summon Erebrisa’s Neville and purchase an antidote. It was not a deadly
poison, so there was no need to rush.

“… In that case.”

The innkeeper quickly gave up. He had poisoned their drink, and now that it had failed,
he might as well have handed them a butcher’s knife.

“I thought I had seen a lot while doing this work, but it looks like that’s not the case.”

The innkeeper grumbled as he reached into his sleeves. After searching inside, he took
out a small glass bottle and held it out toward Lee Sungmin.

“Don’t worry. Now that things have come to this, I’m not giving you poison with ill
intent again.”

However, Lee Sungmin did not use the antidote. Instead, he sat down on the chair
again. Rubia, who was sitting on the floor, looked at Lee Sungmin and stuttered.

“What-what are you doing? Why the medicine… ”

“I can’t let you consume such a sketchy sort of medicine.”

“It’s the real antidote… ”

“You can’t simply believe it like that. And it was you who brought me to this inn, even
though I didn’t want to come. It’s not a life-threatening poison, so just sit down quietly
for a moment.”

“You bastard… !”

Rubia cussed him out, but Lee Sungmin did not listen. He asked while looking up at
the innkeeper.

“Why did you do this?”

“… Beastkin fetch good money.”

“Is that all?”

“… This area is under the Gui Ran Sect. I have to pay a monthly protection fee, and as
you know, there are no customers coming now that Travia is in such a shape.”

“So, you tried to sell a beastkin to make money?”

“Please understand. Desperate times call for desperate measures…”

“You tried to protect yourself by harming an innocent person. And you want me to
understand that? What a selfish man you are.”

Lee Sungmin shook his head with a laugh. The innkeeper’s face stiffened up, looking
at such a Lee Sungmin.

“How many people did you capture this way?”

“This is the first time… ”

“That’s a lie.”

The innkeeper shut up at that. The moment he tried to make an excuse, death came to
him in an instant. Puk! The innkeeper’s head burst. Lee Sungmin got up while
supporting Rubia without sparing a glance at the fallen body.

“Now you come and pretend to help me…!”

“Didn’t I tell you, you’ve been poisoned?”

“No need! I don’t want your help.”

Rubia spat out such words and tried to push him away. Lee Sungmin laughed as he
watched her struggling in his hold. He dragged a chair closer and sat her down on it.

[I can sense a presence up ahead.]

Heoju said.

[I don’t think it’s a customer. Looks like it’s the family of the man you killed.]
“Since he’s that old, it’s expected that he’s married and has children.”

[You don’t seem to feel any guilt.]

“It’s not something I should feel. If I had been poisoned, I would have died, and Rubia
would have been sold into a brothel or become a sacrifice for some dark arts.”

“Don’t say such wretched things.”

Rubia retorted. Lee Sungmin shrugged and looked up at the ceiling. He could also feel
that presence. But he did not go to check.

[He had unavoidable circumstances. He couldn’t help it and did it to protect his family.]

“You mean I should have shown mercy? Would he change if I forgave him? What if he
and his family continued to poison others in the future?”

[Who knows. He might have changed.]

“The probability of a coin flip isn’t enough reason for me to show mercy.”

[Killing the man here to prevent him from doing such a thing in the future, is that your
kind of justice?]

“What justice? I didn’t even think of such great things. I just didn’t feel the need to
show mercy. you… What the hell do you want to say? Did you get blinded by compassion
all of a sudden?”

[Hahahaha! No way. I was just curious. About the kind of person you are. What about
that guy up there? Isn’t he also conspiring with him?]

“He didn’t hurt me. There is no reason for me to go and kill him.”

Lee Sungmin looked at Rubia and grumbled. Rubia pouted her lips, but she no longer
complained. After a while, her legs were relieved of the paralysis poison, and she got
up.

“I can’t hide my cat’s ears.”

“First, hide your body. I think more annoying things are going to happen.”
“… It isn’t that easy. Do you know how much mana it consumes?”

“It’s not like you don’t have any mana.”

At that remark, Rubia sighed and turned into a sphere of light. Lee Sungmin placed the
robes that Rubia took off into his interdimensional pocket and put on his robes.
Footsteps could be heard from above. He didn’t want to make his face known, so he
left the inn swiftly.

“I shouldn’t have come to this town.”

[Sorry about that. This wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t ask you to come here!]

“Now that you know, be careful in the future.”

Rubia trembled at Lee Sungmin’s answer. The wind had warmed up considerably since
they entered the inn. Lee Sungmin pulled on the hood of his robes and went forward.

“Aaaaargh!”

He heard a bloodcurdling scream beyond the wind.

“Father!”

Lee Sungmin looked behind him. Running out through the door was a young boy who
had yet to take off his old robes. The boy stared at Lee Sungmin with eyes wide open.

The boy was holding a kitchen knife. It looked like he had grabbed it on the way. He
yelled and charged forward at Lee Sungmin. The boy, however, was unable to fight
properly and lost his balance amidst the strong wind. He slipped and fell on the spot.

[Tsk-tsk]

Heoju clucked his tongue. The boy tried to get back on his feet with a roaring cry, but
a middle-aged woman came out through the door behind him and held him back at
the waist. It seemed like she was the wife of the man he killed and the mother of that
boy. She desperately shook her head and did not look at Lee Sungmin properly.

“I’ll kill you!”

Ignoring the boy’s bitter cry, Lee Sungmin turned back. He crossed past the town. He
could feel a gaze on him. There was someone looking at him through a gap in the
curtains of a closed window. Beyond the sound of the wind, he could hear a long wolf’s
cry. Lee Sungmin shook his head with a sigh.

He took a few more steps forward.

The wolf’s cry was getting closer with each step he took.

“This is just-”

Lee Sungmin grumbled in a small voice. The snow blowing with the wind made it
difficult to see far ahead. The stench of the beast had mixed in with the wind.
Immediately, Lee Sungmin reached into his interdimensional pocket. He grabbed the
spear and pushed it forward instantly. jjoong! There was a loud sound, but Lee
Sungmin was not pushed back. Rather, it was the one who launched the surprise attack
that got pushed back.

“You’re an expert, I see!”

The man somersaulted backwards and landed on the ground with both hands. The
eyes of the man crouched on the ground with both hands did not look human. Lee
Sungmin sniffed a little and muttered.

“What is this dog’s smell…”

[Lycanthrope.]

Heoju murmured. As he said ‘dog’s smell’, the man’s eyes turned over.

“I’m a wolf!”

His body began to swell, following the cry. His muscles grew big and hairy throughout
his body. Lee Sungmin looked at him and moved his hand holding the spear. Puk! The
spearhead stretched forward, instantly piercing through the man’s chest.

“Keuheuk!”

“If you wanted to fight, you should have just transformed in the beginning.”
Lee Sungmin muttered as he breathed inner force into the spear. The spear made of
Orichalcum reacted to the inner force and amplified its strength. Before the man could
say anything, his body was pierced through, and he burst.

“He’s not even an idiot and yet.”

Lee Sungmin strapped the spear across his back and continued walking forward.
‘The Gui Lang Sect.’

(T/N: literally translates to Werewolf Sect)

He recalled the name of the sect that the innkeeper mentioned before he died. The
faction that dominated this area. It seemed to be a Heretical faction, but he had never
heard of it in his previous life. According to the raids, their abilities weren’t that great,
but their Lycanthrope bodies helped elevate them regardless of their martial arts
level.

“How much longer will you keep going?”

At the end of the town. Lee Sungmin asked with his spear pointed down. In front of
Lee Sungmin, lay a Lycanthrope with both legs broken. He looked up at Lee Sungmin
through ragged breaths, and Lee Sungmin asked again, guarding against the snowy
breeze casually.

“If you didn’t keep coming at me, I would have no intention of fighting you. So why
don’t we stop here?”

“Bullshit,” The man spat out, “I’ve been humiliated like this, and you want me to quit
now? Nonsense!”

“You were the one who attacked first.”

“You disrupted the town we govern.”

Lee Sungmin laughed, feeling dumbfounded at that remark. Disruption? Did he do

something that could be called disruption? Would it be better if he just got poisoned
and died quietly?

“We never forget our grudges. Even if you leave this place, the Gui Lang Sect will chase
you down and kill you. This is the territory of the Wolves… ”
Lee Sungmin didn’t bother to listen any further. He hit the hilt of his lowered spear
with his hand. Peuk! The piled-up snow turned red. After confirming that the man had
died, Lee Sungmin moved forward again.

“It will be night soon,” Rubia advised. “Vampires and Lycanthropes are the most loved
by the night amongst all non-human beings.”

[Their strength is greatest at night.]

Heoju added in a deep voice.

[People who become monsters, are favored by the night and the moon. They become
stronger and more vicious. Was today a full moon?]

“No.”

[That’s a relief. I think things are going to become quite a hassle.]

“… I don’t think it’s to that extent? Their skills are far behind Lee Sungmin. It’s not a
full moon tonight, and I don’t think they are strong enough to threaten Lee Sungmin.
”

[They weren’t afraid of death.]

Heoju laughed. Lee Sungmin did not respond. As Lee Sungmin stayed silent, Heoju
continued talking.

[Vampires and Lycanthropes act in a strict hierarchy under one Lord. The higher the
Lord’s strength, the stronger their subjects are.]

“… It’s a blood bridge. Also called a clan.”

[The term is not important. Do you remember why I didn’t recommend becoming a
vampire or lycanthrope?]

“I can’t disobey the Lord who turns me. That’s why you didn’t recommend it. I didn’t
intend to be one either.”

[That’s right. The hierarchy of vampires and lycanthropes is absolute. To get out of the
Lord’s control, you have to have enough power to completely overwhelm them. But
it’s not that easy. As long as you belong to the clan, everything you do would be
monitored and exposed to the Lord.]

Listening to his words, Lee Sungmin recalled the Ghost Blade. At that time, the Black
Archmage Kim Jonghyun, who was pursuing Ghost Blade with Lee Sungmin, saw Ghost
Blade and said, “His rank is low.”

Perhaps the Lord who transformed Ghost Blade into a vampire, made it that way to
contain him.

[A lord gets involved in blood clans in various places. In particular, ‘loyalty’ is a symbol
of their strength. None of the wolves who tried to kill you feared death. It’s not a loyalty
borne of fear, but loyalty by virtue of his ‘rank’. I don’t know what he plans to do, but
he’s likely not going to be an easy opponent.]

After Heoju had said that much, Lee Sungmin also wondered what kind of person the
Lord of the Gui Lang Sect was. Lee Sungmin summoned Neville and asked him for
information about the clan. While Neville left to collect information, he left the town.

[Don’t go into the mountains.]

There was a small snowy mountain near the village. He hadn’t intended to go to the
mountain even if Heoju had stayed silent. He didn’t know much about Werewolves,
but they were a mix of humans and beast. A beast was bound to have an advantage
over humans, especially in a place like the mountains.

He went around the mountain. His destination was Travia. Neville re-appeared soon
after with his requested information.

The Gui Lang Sect was the heretical sect that dominated the area, and their power was
not so great. They had control over the large and small towns, but not Travia and the
other northern cities.

The main characteristic of all members of the sect was that they were Werewolves. He
heard that the one in charge was a man named Juwon, who rarely engaged in external
activities.

That did not mean that there was no information about Juwon.

‘Predator.’
As he pieced together the tangled up information, Lee Sungmin frowned.

Predator. It was a type of non-human being. A group of monsters at the apex, especially
vicious and powerful. Lee Sungmin pressed down on his temple firmly. Let alone
rumors, Lee Sungmin was not even aware of their existence in his previous life.

[Your luck is terrible.]

Heoju murmured. Rubia was also of the same opinion. She was restless with a noticeably
pale face.

“… Are they dangerous?”

“Are you really asking that?!”

Rubia shrieked.

“Predators cannot go out in the sun, but they have absolute power in the dark. Surely
you’re not saying that Juwon is a Predator…!”

“There was no information that Gui Lang Sect’s master, Juwon, is a Predator. I just said
they might be connected.”

[Predators are dangerous beings.]

Heoju laughed. Since he looked like he knew something, Lee Sungmin asked him about
them. Heoju answered with a smile.

[They live for a long time. They live as long as the extent of their humanity they’ve
given up. They existed even 400 years ago.]

‘… Are you a predator too?’

[Didn’t I tell you? I am an Ajin. The origins of Yokai are diverse. In the case of this elder,
I am not a predator since my origin itself was non-human. But I know they are
dangerous.]

“… It’s all because of me. I’m sorry.”

Rubia murmured with her ears drooping. If they hadn’t entered the town, this wouldn’t
have happened. That’s what Rubia seemed to think. However, Lee Sungmin shook his
head.

“This area is under Gui Lang’s jurisdiction. Even if we didn’t stop by the town, we
would still be met with trouble if we had only passed through this area.”

“That’s right.”

A voice came from afar. Lee Sungmin hardened his expression and looked in the
direction of the voice. The strong snowstorm blocked his view, and the sound of the
wind swallowed up all sounds. Lee Sungmin looked around with his inner sense. He
spread it out beyond the whirring wind and the snowstorm.

A man was standing there, wearing a thick fur suit suitable for the weather. Lee
Sungmin grabbed his spear silently. The man’s gaze alone conveyed his ferocity.

Juwon. Gui Lang Sect’s Juwon. The man did not introduce himself. However, Lee Sungmin
was convinced that the man was Juwon, Gui Lang Sect’s master. Who else could sit at
the highest seat of the Gui Lang Sect if not such a monster?

“Even if you didn’t stop by the town, I would have caught the scent of someone as good
as you. Although, I have been wondering whether I should touch you or not. So… who
are you?”

He was a long distance away, but Lee Sungmin could still hear his voice clearly.

“Lee Sungmin.”

“It’s a name I’ve heard a lot about… I remember. You’re that Ghost Gun. I am Juwon.”

Juwon murmured as he shook his head. Unlike his wild eyes, his voice was low, and his
speech was quiet. Juwon started walking. In a few steps, he crossed through the
snowstorm and reached Lee Sungmin.

“I heard that you are from the Orthodox faction.”

As strange as it may sound, Juwon looked tired. No, rather, it seemed like he was bored.
The wolves that Lee Sungmin had seen until now had bodies that looked strong, but
Juwon did not have a very big physique. However, the glint in his drooping eyes
contained a ferocity that couldn’t be hidden away.
“Actually, when I think about it, you don’t seem like you belong to the Orthodox faction
either. How should I put it… You’re definitely not of the heretical factions. Rather, you
seem more like one of the Wandering Sect.”

Was it the remnants of the Aura of Favourability? Lee Sungmin looked at Juwon
thoughtfully as he stroked the spear behind him. Juwon scratched his chin and thought
for a moment.

“What do you think I’m thinking now?”

“I don’t know.”

“I’m thinking about whether or not to kill you.”

Juwon replied without any change in his expression. Lee Sungmin knew that remark
was not a simple threat. That Werewolf, who had already lived hundreds of years as a
monster, had powers beyond his comprehension.

[You changed your name.]

Heoju murmured. The armor vibrated, and Heoju’s power was released, even though
Lee Sungmin didn’t ask for it. Juwon frowned as he looked at the soaring ominous
force.

“That feels familiar… ”

[Mad Wolf.]

(T/N: 狂狼 Gwangrang. Same rang as gui lang. lit. mad wolf)

The air was thrumming. Heoju’s call was directed toward Juwon. Juwon shoulders
flinched at the name, ‘Mad Wolf’.

“… Haha!”

He burst into laughter.

“I can’t forget power like that. Heoju. I heard you died 400 years ago… ”

[I was sealed.]
“Why did you throw away your body to possess a piece of armor?”

[I don’t know where my body is. It may have been dissipated already.]

“You pitiful bastard. What did you want to say to me?”

Juwon asked with a glint in his eyes.

[I don’t want to engage in a fight. It’s not like we don’t know each other, and this isn’t
a big deal either.]

“So, you want me to just let him go?”

[That’s right.]

Juwon’s expression turned strange when he heard his reply. He frowned and alternated
between looking at Heoju and Lee Sungmin.

“… I guess 400 years is a long time. I never thought I’d hear such words from Heoju…”

[You may refuse if you want to fight.]

Heoju had set the stage. A long moment passed before Juwon shook his head.

“No. Like you said, it’s not like we’re strangers, so let’s pretend this never happened.
A few werewolves died, but it’s not a big loss.”

Juwon turned away after saying that and disappeared after taking a few steps. Rubia,
who was hiding behind Lee Sungmin’s back, couldn’t say anything and exhaled a sigh
of relief. Lee Sungmin asked while putting his spear down.

“Would I lose if I fought him?”

[I don’t know just what kind of person is pushing the winds. Juwon… or rather, Mad
Wolf is one of the most powerful monsters among lycanthropes. He is a predator.
There is nothing you can gain by fighting him.]

“Haha!”

Lee Sungmin burst into laughter as he listened to Heoju. The Gui Lang Sect. It was a
small, medium-sized heretical sect with barely any rumours to their name, and Juwon,
their leader, belonged to the predators and was one of the most powerful monsters
among the Lycanthropes. It would have been necessary to prepare for death if he
wanted to defeat Juwon.

‘Indeed. The world is wide.’

Lee Sungmin thought. He headed in the direction opposite to Juwon’s path. Despite
already being at the highest level of High Peak, there were still a lot of strong people
going beyond Lee Sungmin in this wide world. He felt more joy than lament, knowing
that. He felt good knowing that he had a long way ahead before he faced a huge wall.

‘North.’

A land occupied by non-humans and the Madu people. Who was the being that is
neither monster nor human that he could meet there? Lee Sungmin wiped his sweaty
hands on his robes. It was the sweat that had collected during the confrontation with
Juwon.

‘Let’s pretend this never happened.’

Juwon kept his word. There were no raids by wolves as they went across the snowy
fields. Although she could see several towns ahead, Rubia didn’t ask to stop by any of
them, perhaps because of the previous experiences.

Thanks to that, he became homeless once again today. Lee Sungmin skillfully dug a
burrow into a snowfield and lay down in it.

The wind blew, and Lee Sungmin curled up and closed his eyes.

[T/N: minor correction to the cultivation levels terminology. I did a little hell lot
research this weekend trying to figure out how Korean martial arts novels work. Lee
Sungmin is currently still in the ‘Peak’ realm, except he’s now at the highest level,
although he had reached early-stage transcendence in his subconscious. Wijihoyeon
is currently at early to mid-stage transcendence. Sorry about the confusion. Turns out
KR cultivation stages are entirely different from Chinese ones despite having their
roots there. Now that the research is done, it will be more smooth-flowing going ahead.
Other than that, there’s really a lot of folklore attached to the Heavenly Demon Sect as
well as relations between the different types of sects. Like with reading CN wuxia/
xuanhuan, you need to know the basics to fully understand it. It’s a lot of info that you
can check out on the namu wiki, but to sum it up: Orthodox/Conservative faction:
Volcanic Sect +Shaolin+Shaman+Wandering Sect VS Heretical faction:
Makyo+Madu+Heavenly Demon Sects is the premise.

Extra info that we only just realised recently:

Volcanic Sect = Mt Hua Sect (i.e., sect from Volcanic Age)

Wandering Sect = Beggar’s Sect (featured heavily in wuxia novels)

Heavenly Demon Sect is likely the same one as in Chronicles of Heavenly Demon
(manhwa).]
Juwon returned to the Gui Lang Sect and went straight to a room. Standing in the
middle of a dark room devoid of any light, he placed his hand on a crystal ball. The
crystal ball infused with inner force shook several times, and after a while, the crystal
ball came to a stop.

“I met Heoju.”

The moment Juwon said so. A bright white light appeared in the room. After a moment
of silence, someone said.

“Heoju? Didn’t he die 400 years ago?”

“He said that he was sealed.”

“Haha! He was sealed, huh. He used to be the nightmare of the South back in the day,
but that crackdown 400 years ago was far too difficult to overcome. It’s amazing how
he still managed to escape alive.”

“It’s surprising that he’s still alive. Why did he show up now?”

“He doesn’t have a body right now.”

Juwon replied. There was silence at the unexpected remark. It would be too much of a
hassle to explain it with words, so Juwon put his hand on his head. After a while, he
pulled out his memory and showed it to everyone there.

“Huuh.”

Someone exclaimed. The monsters belonging to the Predator class were gathered
here, responding to his call. Juwon and the other old beings remembered Heoju, who
reigned like a nightmare in the South.

“He lost his body, and only his soul remains. His power seems to be intact… Strange.
It’s only a human. No, it’s not even a human vessel, he’s only possessing a piece of
armor.”

“I’ve heard of the name Ghost Gun before. That’s the one who killed Geniella’s toy a
few years ago.”

“That’s right,” A female voice replied, “It wasn’t my favourite toy, but I was really
annoyed when it broke.”

“It’s surprising that Heoju still exists… This Ghost Gun guy. The feeling about him is
weird. He’s definitely human, but there’s also something non-human about him.”

That was what Juwon felt. He was unmistakably a human being. However, there was a
subtle and definite feeling of something being quite non-human about him.

“Let’s sit back and watch for now.”

Juwon judged that it would be better to let Lee Sungmin go for now. He could have
tried to kill Lee Sungmin there, but he felt that Lee Sungmin’s weird energy and
Heoju’s presence were enough to be a variable.

The reason why he had called the monsters so suddenly was to show them that Heoju
was alive. He didn’t intend to touch Heoju or Ghost Gun, who was traveling with Heoju,
right now.

“Maybe they are headed for Travia.”

“Travia? What business do they have there?”

The woman who responded was Geniella. She was particularly powerful among
vampires, and she was also the Lord who had turned Ghost Blade a few years ago.

“Don’t make any contact. Although he said he didn’t have a body, Heoju’s power still
remains.”

Juwon warned. But at the other end, Geniella just burst into laughter.

After the meeting, Freskan sat on his chair and pondered. The guy named Ghost Gun,
whom he saw through Juwon’s memories. The face was somehow quite familiar to
him. Memories were only memories, so the ‘weird energy’ that Juwon felt was not
transferred over. Therefore, Freskan did not know about Juwon’s feelings.

“Oh! I finally remembered it!”

Freskan leaped up. He trembled, feeling a mixture of anger and joy.

“That bloody heart thief!”

A few years ago. He had been attacked by mercenaries in the dungeon. Right, it wasn’t
a big deal. Mercenaries were large in number but generally weren’t all that great. Of
course, not all mercenaries were like that. Some of them were truly like monsters. But
the mercenaries who came to the dungeon at that time were only slightly better than
cockroaches in Freskan’s opinion.

There was no problem. Without the presence of that guy with the twisted fate, and
Lloyd, the Lord of the gold tower, Freskan would have been able to continue his
pleasant study in the comfortable dungeon, without any danger or discrepancies.

‘He’s coming here?’

Freskan had made two hearts. One of them was in Aine’s possession, and the other
was lost. At first, he thought Lloyd must have crushed it, so he gave up on finding it,
but when he heard Aine’s story, he found out that a damn child had put his heart into
his body. How long had he toiled to learn the truth? He couldn’t believe that the heart
he barely managed to create, the Biwon, which he so desperately wanted to make a
Lich out of, was stuck in the body of a person who didn’t even know what it was. But
now, he knew. That the one who stole the heart was that mercenary with the twisted
fate that had entered the dungeon.

“I have to catch and kill him.”

Freskan shuddered. Heoju’s existence? It was none of his business. Although he was
said to have been a Great Yokai 400 years ago, Freskan was not yet born then. He knew
that the monsters belonging to Predator were on guard against Heoju.

‘So why should I care?’

In the first place, Freskan did not even want to join the Predators. He only joined
because of something unavoidable. When he fled Lloyd and escaped to the North,
Travia’s borders were chaotic, overflowing with Sama Order’s people and fraught with
witchcraft and devil magic.

(T/N: author uses 人畏魔境 rén wèi mó jìng to describe Travia’s situation)

There’s no way he could even have imagined that someone like the Vampire Queen
would be in Travia. He had been caught by the Vampire Queen and forced to join
Predator, but had also been on the lookout for an opportunity to leave as soon as
possible.

“Just wait till you get here.”

Freskan spat out through gritted teeth.

“I’ll rip your heart out.”

(T/N: not sure if this is a spoiler but Biwon, when used in a Buddhist context, means a
‘strong desire/wish of rebirth’ so just putting that out there)

***

One month after the encounter with Juwon, Lee Sungmin could see Travia in front of
him. Travia’s walls and gates were large and magnificent enough to be seen from a
long distance, but Lee Sungmin realized that it was only an illusion as he got closer.
The huge door was smashed, with debris scattered all around. Bodies of unknown
origin, blood, and flesh were buried in the snow.

“Euurgh… ”

Rubia, who was currently in the form of a sphere of light, hidden in Lee Sungmin’s
sleeves, made a sound of disgust. Lee Sungmin ignored the sound and entered through
the gate.

The city resembled a ruin. It seemed to be functioning normally on the surface, but if
you looked closely, it was far from normal. Dirty vagrants and thugs with ill-intent
stared at Lee Sungmin as he entered the gate, but did not approach him.

“Travia is said to be the largest metropolis in the north…”

“It was before.”

It had only been two years since Wijihoyeon crippled Bloody Heavenly Demon Baek
Museon. During those two years, the large city of Travia had become a city overrun by
monsters and witchcraft.

On the way there, Lee Sungmin found out a lot of information about the city of Travia.

Before arriving at Travia, Lee Sungmin had clashed with the Gui Lang Sect. Juwon, the
sect’s master, was an old monster belonging to Predator, a class of non-humans. There
were many other old monsters that would not lose out to Juwon in Travia.

[Don’t run into the Vampire Queen.]

Heoju repeated the warning he had already said several times.

[Juwon was a very forthright opponent. He tends to go outrageously out of control

when he’s angry, but he’s very rational at other times.]

“Yeah, he does seem like that.”

Lee Sungmin nodded, thinking of Juwon’s expression during their encounter.

[But the Vampire Queen – that’s not the case with Geniella. That bitch is crazy. I mean
it in a very bad way.]

“Hasn’t she already set her sights on me?”

[Maybe so. Even if Geniella is crazy, she’s not crazy to the extent of capturing you here
right away.]

“Because of you?”

[Although this elder lost his body, I showed Juwon that my power was still intact.
Geniella is crazy, but she is a very thorough and calculating person. She might try to
keep an eye on you, but she will not come forward to capture you.]

He knew what Heoju meant. Even if she was trying to interfere, she would not be
overtly hostile to him. But even if that lunatic Vampire Queen planned to sit back and
observe for now, she would not let him go if he ran into her.

[Perhaps she is the one that the Divine Spirit told you about.]
Heoju chortled. He had no intention of clinging to something that was not certain. The
‘fate’ that the Divine Spirit told him about would happen regardless of what he did
since he had already come to the North. The problem was that it was impossible to
properly judge whether or not this was the fate that the Divine Spirit foretold.

“… Where are you going to go first?”

“I plan to go to the center of Travia. According to the information I purchased through

Erebrisa, that part hasn’t fallen apart yet.”

Not all parts of this huge city had fallen. The heart of Travia. The traces of the big city
still remained there. The problem was that it was also overrun with monsters.

No one disrupted their path while they were walking through the ruined city. Although
Lee Sungmin had not yet completed mastery and reached transcendence, he
intentionally threw about his aura after entering the city. This was to block any
unnecessary clashes. What’s more, the only ones living near the gates of the city gates
were shepherds and bums with no great skills.

“Carriage.”

A voice called out.

“You seem to be heading for the city’s central district. It will be troublesome to go on
foot, so take this carriage if you please.”

The voice came from a shabby-looking man. Lee Sungmin opened his mouth while
looking at the man’s face.

“Don’t mess with me unless you want to die.”

“Haha! Rest assured, it’s not like that. I am also headed towards the central district, so
I called out to you.”

The man replied with a smile. Lee Sungmin stared at the man. He wasn’t ordinary. He
could feel something extraordinary in his eyes, so Lee Sungmin nodded slowly.

The man didn’t ask for much. Lee Sungmin paid the price and followed him. It was an
old wagon. The man climbed onto the coachman’s seat and pointed at the luggage
compartment with his chin.
“Please get on.”

“I don’t have any luggage. Why are you going to the central district?”

“I have something to do.”

The man replied so and began to drive the wagon. The horse ran on the dirty road. The
ride wasn’t very comfortable because of the wagon’s rattling. It wasn’t that fast either.
If he had known that this would be the case, he would rather have run using inner
force.

“Why did you come to Travia?”

“Do I have to answer?”

“You’re a tricky one. If you don’t want to answer, don’t answer.”

That ended the conversation. Lee Sungmin crouched down. As the wagon moved
ahead, the snow breeze hit him at full force, but he did not feel cold.

There was also a reason for riding the wagon. Rather than walking to the central
district of the city on foot, it would attract less attention if he used someone else’s
carriage. Besides, winter was approaching. Perhaps this wagon was linked to the fated
meeting.

“Have you decided where to stay?”

“I’ll decide once I get there.”

“If it’s alright, how about staying at my house? I can’t say it’s a great mansion, but it’s
still a place to stay.”

“No, thanks.”

“The inn would be dangerous. There are a lot of bums and troublemakers there.
Monsters too.”

The man laughed. Lee Sungmin did not speak anymore, and the man shut up again.

“He sure is talkative.”

Rubia grumbled from inside Lee Sungmin’s robes. Lee Sungmin also sympathized with
her words.

***

Although there were no strong winds in the central district at the moment, it was still
definitely part of the North. However, despite the bitter cold, the woman wore a
kimono without any outer layers. She lifted her red hair and fixed it with a long
hairpin, exposing the white nape of her neck.

“The smell of alcohol.”

The woman who opened the door mumbled with a smile. She pushed the door
swaying in the draft with her fingertips and closed it. Right when the woman turned.

Kwasak!

A thrown liquor bottle brushed past her face. The bottle that hit the wall shattered
into smithereens, but the woman wasn’t surprised at all.

“Get lost.”

A man sitting on a messy bed stared at the woman and spat out. The woman looked at
the man’s distorted expression and raised the corner of her lips into a smile.

“What do you think?”

The woman asked while lifting up the edge of her kimono.

“I heard it’s a two-way dress. Isn’t it pretty? I wanted to show you…”

“Piss off!”

The man exhaled while gasping. His breath smelled strongly of liquor. It was strong
enough for the woman standing far away to smell it, but she only smiled pleasantly
rather than wrinkle her nose at it.

Once upon a time, that man was called the Bloody Heavenly Demon, Baek Museon.
Two years ago, he took control of Travia and reigned with an iron fist. But since being
defeated by the Minor Heavenly Demon, Wijihoyeon, both he and the Bloody Heavenly
Demon Sect had been ruined. It wasn’t merely because he was defeated. As a proof of
defeat, Baek Museon was turned into a cripple with his left arm cut off.

And the woman.

“You know that I’m not going to back off with that kind of remark, right?”

The woman was the monster called the Vampire Queen.

“… I told you to get lost, Monster.”

Baek Museon said through rough breaths. The Vampire Queen only smiled seductively
without showing signs of having heard him. Instead, she tugged the hem of her long
kimono and approached him.

“How cute.”

As she looked at Baek Museon, who was glaring fiercely at her, she murmured with a
smile. Even with one less arm than others, Baek Museon was still at the Extreme Peak
with far more strength than others at the same realm. Unless that ridiculous monster
called Wijihoyeon was his opponent, there was no master with the ability to ridicule
the Bloody Heavenly Demon: Baek Museon.

But what was now in front of Baek Museon now, was a non-human monster that has
lived in this crazy world for hundreds of years. Of the non-human races, she was at the
zenith of power of the vampire species. She was the vampire queen, the queen of
blood, Geniella.

“Living while having to endure a crushing defeat and the pain of losing an arm? Is that
living? The Bloody Heavenly Demon sect that once encompassed this metropolis
collapsed to dust with nothing left of it, and the loyal ones who followed you disappeared
because they were tired of bearing this kind of a shame.”

Baek Museon did not answer. Geniella approached the silent Baek Museon.

“Personally, I like you now more than the Baek Museon, who reigned when the Bloody
Heavenly sect was at its peak.”

“… Haha!”

Baek Museon burst into laughter at her words. He grasped at his limp left sleeve with
his right hand.
“Bloody Heavenly Demon Sect? Bloody Heavenly Demon? In the end, I was only a
puppet. The memory of that time is by no means a glorious memory for me.”

“What do you mean, a puppet?”

“Am I wrong? You… Monster.”

His voice carried strong regret and a hint of venom. Bloody Heavenly Demon groped
around with his hand and lifted one of the flasks that were rolling on the floor. He
pulled out the stopper with his mouth and downed the toxic liquor like it was water.

“When the Bloody Heavenly Demon sect was still alive, I was called the Bloody
Heavenly Demon. I… I didn’t even have the faintest hint of the existence of a monster
like you.”

“I don’t like to show myself.”

“You left me alone since you could get rid of me whenever you felt like it. Huhu! So I’m
just a puppet. I didn’t even know that there was someone manipulating the strings
behind the scenes, and I thought I was the best. Turns out, I am a loser!”

Baek Museon was intoxicated again. Geniella smiled joyfully as she watched Baek
Museon. A non-human species that was once a human being, and had lived for many
years would inevitably have some sense of madness. The Vampire Queen was a perfect
example of this. She was drunk on Baek Museon’s hostility and destruction.

“You should think of your health too.”

Geniella reached out in front of Baek Museon. She grabbed the bottle that he was
holding. Baek Museon placed the bottle down with both eyes flashing. Immediately,
his outstretched hand pierced through her chest.

Geniella did not evade it. She laughed as she looked down at his hand that was piercing
through her chest.

“Are you satisfied?”

“Monster… ”

Baek Museon’s attack had shot out in an instant and targeted vital points. It should
have been a sure success. Baek Museon applied strength to the hand protruding
through Geniella’s back. Her heart, which was held in his clutches, burst with a puff.

“You always drink. Never eating properly… No matter how good you are, your body
will have no choice but to break down at this rate.”

Geniella placed her hand on his arm. Baek Museon’s hand was slowly pulled out by
her hand, and the hole in her chest immediately filled back up. Geniella smiled and
embraced Baek Museon’s shoulders.

“You want revenge, don’t you?”

The voice whispering in his ear was like that of a devil. Baek Museon’s shoulders
trembled. It was not his first time hearing this temptation. Geniella would visit Baek
Museon every day and say that.

“You are getting weaker. It’s because you’ve given up on strengthening yourself. …
Don’t you know? If you don’t try something else, you won’t be able to get rid of that
bitch.”

Baek Museon did not answer. He knew that best. The Minor Heavenly Demon that
Baek Museon faced two years ago was a monster at the Extreme Peak. In fact, that
alone should not have been enough to make him so desperate. Baek Museon had been
regarded as a genius since childhood.

But this was different. That monster, the Minor Heavenly Demon… She was different.
The moment two years ago, when the blows were exchanged, Baek Museon felt it. The
time they had both spent in their lives was different. She was a real genius. A genius
with an absurd level of talent that would send their opponent to a bottomless pit of
despair by just confronting them.

Baek Museon was desperate. Revenge… He wanted to take revenge. It’s not that he
hadn’t thought about it. It was the same now. But no matter how much he drank, the
nightmare that he had every day wouldn’t change. No matter how bad, he couldn’t win
against that monster. Since it was a dream, there should have been some possibility to
him winning, but the match in the dream always ended with Baek Museon’s terrible
defeat. His subconscious had already given up, knowing he could not defeat
Wijihoyeon.

“Your crippled arm. If you become a vampire, you’d get a new one.”
Geniella’s hand traced up his spine. Two long fingers rose up to Baek Museon’s
shoulders, behind his back.

“Your weakness. It’s because you are human. If you become a vampire… You wouldn’t
have to be concerned with such a thing. Baek Museon, I like you. If you become my
blood bridge, I promise you. I can give you the strength to go beyond Minor Heavenly
Demon.”

“No.”

Baek Museon directly refused, and Geniella laughed. She would come to tempt Baek
Museon each day. Up till now, Baek Museon had been rejecting her, but Geniella knew.
There was a lot of difference between the first rejection and the rejection just now.
Baek Museon was already fed up with despair. He was being destroyed bit by bit, and
would soon give up everything.

‘I like it so much.’

She swallowed down a laugh and felt her body getting hot.

It was fun to see humans who refused to form a blood bridge. It was fun to incite
conflict in their mind and watch them break down. It was fun to see the process of
them giving up their life as a human and choosing to become a blood-sucking monster.

Eventually, when they give up everything and make the final choice, she couldn’t resist
seeing the bitterness and determination of something.

‘But that’s it.’

Geniella thought as she licked Baek Museon’s ear with her tongue.

‘It’s not interesting after that.’

That was the case with the old man she had reaped years ago too. Was it Ghost Blade?
She put a lot of effort into making a blood bridge with him, but…

It wasn’t fun anymore.

So she threw him away. It was always that way. It’s fun until you get your favorite toy.
But then, once you’ve gotten what you wanted, it gets boring because it’s not fun
anymore. That’s why she let it go.

‘But, I felt bad.’

Geniella’s eyes narrowed.

Even if she got tired of it, it was still her toy. It was ruined, and she heard that the one
who broke her toy was coming to Travia.

‘Let’s see what he is up to.’

She was also bothered by Juwon’s concerns.

***

‘Haomun.’

The wagon entered the central district. Lee Sungmin, crouched in the luggage
compartment, recalled information about that sect.

Haomun, along with the Wandering Sect, was another leading information broker in .
If the Wandering sect used beggars as their eyes and ears, Haomun employed a variety
of occupations for the same purpose. Coachman, courtesans, thieves, servants – the
list goes on. Haomun had all its spies in high-ranking places in the central district.
Wandering Sect was part of the Orthodox Sects, but that wasn’t the case with Haomun.
Haomun was thought of as a Heretical Sect at the bottom of the barrel among all the
sects in the Murim.

He wasn’t certain whether the coachman belonged to Haomun. It was just a possibility.
But the man seemed to have learned martial arts and looked like he was hiding his
true ability that was far beyond what he appeared to have. It was suspicious. Lee
Sungmin didn’t think that he came forward to talk to him or to recommend staying at
his place as a simple favour. Travia was a rotten city overrun by witchcraft, and it was
clear that the coachman had a purpose.

“We’ve arrived.”

The wagon stopped. The central district was divided into not only the outer wall but
also the high wall. Originally, Travia’s central district was home to nobles, wealthy
merchants, and commoners higher than the middle class. The barren northern land
used to have a wide gap between the rich and poor, and the treatment of those ‘haves’
and ‘not haves’ had a vast disparity. Those who were ‘not haves’ lived outside the
central wall, where security and well-being were bad, and those who were ‘haves’
lived within the walls.

That was in the past. Two years ago, starting with the defeat of the Bloody Heavenly
Demon, the distinction between the ‘haves’ and ‘not haves’ in Travia had been changed
to ‘power’, rather than money. Previously, it was possible to control violence and
defend against it using money, but that was no longer the case now. Of course, not
everything was determined by power alone, but money alone could not help you.

The current central region of Travia had become a place full of those who had the
power to protect what they have: non-human monsters, hordes of those from the
Sama Order, and Black Mages who practiced the Dark Arts.

“It would be better to stay at my place rather than an inn.”

“There’s no need.”

Lee Sungmin got off the wagon. The gates of the central district were open. No guards
were to be seen there. But unlike the outer city gate, the door was not destroyed.

“Well… In that case, take care not to die.”

After saying so, the coachman laughed out loud. He entered the city gates with his
wagon. Lee Sungmin watched him leave first and then headed inside the gate.

[What brings you here?]

The moment he passed through the gates, such a voice sounded inside his mind. Lee
Sungmin was not surprised and looked around. Someone was hiding in the shadow of
the ceiling. It was quite the stealth technique, but could not get past Lee Sungmin’s
sharp sixth sense.

“Who are you?”

[Eus.]

The body of a man who was hiding from him trembled at the question. He quit hiding
and fell in front of Lee Sungmin.
[It’s a vampire.]

Heoju murmured. The man in front of Lee Sungmin had a pair of bright red eyes and
pale skin. Lee Sungmin asked while looking at him.

“I asked you who you are.”

“… You’re a quick-witted fellow.”

“Do you have any intentions of answering?’

“There’s no need to repeat the question. Don’t be too vigilant. I’m just asking because
I’ve never seen you around before.”

The vampire replied while taking a step back. Lee Sungmin could not be sure of the
authenticity of his words. In Travia, there was an old monster present – the Vampire
Queen, Geniella of the Predators. He had no way of knowing whether the man was a
vampire under her, but he didn’t intend to ask it here.

“… Then can I just go in?”

“As you wish.”

The vampire shrugged and replied. Then he looked at Lee Sungmin strangely.

“You are not a vampire, are you?”

“No.”

“Then, are you a Lycanthrope? You don’t smell much like a beast… ”

“I’m just a human.”

“Hahaha!”

In response to Lee Sungmin’s answer, the vampire burst into laughter.

“You don’t seem to know it yourself. There’s a strange feeling about you. It’s not a
feeling I’d expect to see on someone like you. Something like a non-human sort of
vibe.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”

“What… You should say that you are a human being. Welcome to the city of devils.”

The vampire smiled as he said those words. Then his body disappeared into the
shadows. Lee Sungmin walked through the gates, passing by the place where the
vampire was just standing and then stopped.

‘Ghost Blade was also a vampire, but he didn’t tell me about any strange feeling. That
means… ’

Lee Sungmin sighed. It wasn’t because of the black heart that Juwon or that vampire
had felt a non-human feeling around him.

‘Is it you?’

[Maybe it’s because of the remnants of my powers at the bottom of your Dantian. Then
again… A human with this kind of power would certainly seem strange. Someone who
doesn’t know could mistake you for a Halfling Ghost.]

‘You’re getting nastier.’

Lee Sungmin vented his anger inside his mind. Heoju chuckled.

[Isn’t it something that can’t be helped? It is impossible for human beings to use
magical powers. Think of it as the side effects of deviating from the norm.]

“Bullshit.”

Hearing Heoju’s words, Lee Sungmin spat out in anger. He didn’t fully trust Heoju yet.
Even though his life was saved several times during times of fatal crisis thanks to
Heoju’s help, his mysterious and ambiguous attitude at times like this was enough to
confuse Lee Sungmin.

[Come on, let’s keep going.]

Looking at Lee Sungmin’s annoyance, Heoju said in a pleasant voice.

“Bastard.”
The sound of laughter coming from Heoju was faint.
Geniella quietly stood and looked down at Baek Museon. Normally, Extreme Peak
experts could not get drunk. No matter how much they drink, their body would break
down the alcohol before they even get a whiff of it. But they could slow down its
metabolism, and they could always drive away the odor even if they were drunk,
breaking it down using their inner force.

However, the current Baek Museon was defenseless. Baek Museon, who had been
destroyed by despair, now ignored his body’s comfort and drank like a maniac – letting
go completely.

Geniella didn’t care. Even if the current Baek Museon was defenseless, she did not bite
his neck. Although she was seducing Baek Museon, it did not mean that she had fallen
for him. She liked to enjoy this kind of delicate push and pull relationship. She enjoyed
watching Baek Museon, who still wanted to remain as a human. The Baek Museon who
was once called the Bloody Heavenly Demon, standing at the pinnacle of the Bloody
Heavenly Demon sect.

And in the end, when he would be completely coloured by despair; when he gave up
being a human being, abandoned and in desperate agony, throwing away his unseemly
pride, and got on his knees to beg her. That’s when Geniella would find the greatest
pleasure.

‘And then I will get tired of him.’

Like she had done all these years. Geniella laughed, feeling refreshed. She could bite
him at any time. But in order to form a Blood Bridge to become a vampire, it was not
enough to simply ‘bite’ them.

To make a Blood Bridge, one must swear to become a non-human as they drink the
blood of their Vampire Lord. Humans become vampires only when they swear to
become vampires and drink human blood.

[Lord.]
A voice sounded in Geniella’s head. One of the many vampires she had formed blood
bridges with called her. Anyway, it wasn’t much fun to watch Baek Museon’s sleeping
face, so Geniella left his room.

“What is it?”

[A strange person has just entered Travia.]

Who was this… Geniella closed her eyes. Then, in the black ink-like darkness, various
red lights shone inside her mind. The red lights shining in the dark space belonged to
each of Geniella’s blood bridges. Among them, she was conscious of one buzzing red
light. Only then did she recognize the blood bridge that it belonged to.

“Ah, yes. Mukai. It’s you.”

Geniella laughed and nodded. When she heard only the voice, she couldn’t recognize
the person, but now that she looked at it through her inner sense, she recognized who
it was. It was clearly the guard to whom she had entrusted the Central District gate’s
guarding.

“A strange person came into Travia, you say? How was he strange?”

[This is the person.]

Everything Mukai saw was transferred on to Geniella. This was the advantage of non-
human races like Vampires and Lycanthropes. All members of the clan were spiritually
connected to the Lord of their clan. The Lord held the rights to the life and death of all
their clan members, and they could control their behavior at any time.

“… Ahahaha.”

A bright smile bloomed on Geniella’s face. She had already seen the face Mukai showed
her. A month ago. It was the same face Juwon had shown them. Geniella laughed, her
shoulders shaking.

“I thought it was about time.”

As she muttered those words, Geniella projected Lee Sungmin’s face that was in her
mind to all the people in Travia.
“Find this person for me.”

Geniella said while laughing.

“Find him and let me know. Understand?”

“Yes, Lord.”

Hundreds of voices resonated inside her mind.

***

Lee Sungmin walked down the streets of the city where devils ran rampant. The
streets of the central district of Travia had a distinctively unpleasant feeling in the air.
It would be right to say that it felt wrong instinctively rather than just a feeling of
something being off.

“It feels ominous.”

Rubia hid behind Lee Sungmin’s sleeves. Rubia wasn’t a beastkin, but her cat’s ears
stood out enough for her to attract attention. Although she was hiding in order to avoid
any unnecessary disputes, she could still feel the ominous aura of the street.

[There’s a lot of non-humans around.]

Heoju said.

[Even if it is a city of devils, there are too many non-humans gathered in the central
district of the city. It’s one thing if it were in the South, but in the North, it’s a little… ]

‘Is there a reason for it? According to Erebrisa…’

[Erebrisa’s information is nothing more than information gathered through information

guilds, information merchants, and talks from the street. Don’t trust their information
unconditionally. Information that is not in circulation cannot be purchased through
Erebrisa.]

Heoju advised.

[The extent of Erebrisa’s ability is that of an intermediary. If you don’t know anything
about it, it would be better not to trust their ‘information’ unconditionally.]

The information on Travia that he had purchased through Erebrisa that is.

After the Bloody Heavenly Demon was defeated and the Bloody Heavenly Demon sect
collapsed, the Sama Order that was previously controlled by them, raised their head.
As a result, all sorts of non-human races entered the city, thus turning it into a city of
devils.

[The Bloody Heavenly Sect and Bloody Heavenly Demon were controlling these many
non-human races and keeping Sama Order in check? Hahaha! You should say
something that makes sense. If he really was doing it, he would be the most powerful
person in the world. A man with such competence was defeated by a little bitch named
the Minor Heavenly Demon? It’s not even funny.]

Heoju said as he laughed loudly.

[This town attracted devils. In addition, ghosts would attract other ghosts, and
monsters would attract other monsters. A twisted being would dive right in seeing a
black pit because they can’t resist it – just like a cat running into a box. There is
something in this city. Something that pulls them in.]

Heoju said with a joyful voice.

[This city, I don’t know what it is, but there’s something here. Something that attracts
non-humans.]

Heoju didn’t know exactly what it was. Neither did Lee Sungmin.

He looked around as he walked down the streets, but he didn’t see anything that
bothered him. In the first place, Lee Sungmin did not have any great purpose behind
his arrival in Travia. It was just to visit the largest city in the North, a city with a huge
population, as he waited for the fated meeting.

So he had to stay in Travia for a long time. He had plenty of money in his hands, but he
didn’t intend to stay at a luxurious place since there was no knowing what would
happen during his long-term stay.

“As long as we’re not homeless!”

When he said they were going to an inn, Rubia piped up in a cheery voice. It didn’t
really matter to Lee Sungmin whether or not he had a roof over his head, but Rubia
was very dissatisfied with being homeless for so long.

Lee Sungmin went into an ordinary-looking inn. When he opened the door, he realized
how misleading its outer appearance was.

The first thing that Lee Sungmin saw were the corpses.

The dead bodies left in the corner of the inn existed without looking out of place as if
it was part of the interior decoration. None of the people chattering away on that floor
of the tavern cared about the body. Rubia was silent, being surprised by the bodies,
but Lee Sungmin didn’t care much about it.

“What are you going to order?”

The innkeeper was a muscular man. Lee Sungmin recognized at a glance that he was
an expert who practiced outer martial arts. Lee Sungmin sat in an empty seat at the
bar and opened his mouth to order.

“A light meal and a room.”

“How many days are you going to stay?”

“I hadn’t planned that much in advance.”

“Long-term guests are welcome. The room has to be prepaid on a daily basis. You
never know when you’ll end up dead in this city.”

“Like the dead bodies in that corner?”

“Oh my! Did you see it? Well, don’t worry too much. It’s common in this city now.”

The innkeeper laughed.

“This is Travia, where death can come to you at a moment’s notice. The dead bodies
lying over there… What was it again? They said they were members of the Murim.
Haha! I don’t know if it’s like that in other cities, but the name of sects from the Murim
can’t support your back in this city.”
“But it would turn into a headache if I touched them.”

No matter what anyone said, the Murim were the largest faction in Eria. Most sects,
including the Orthodox Sects, were part of the Murim. Touching a person belonging to
the Murim was the same as declaring the Murim as their enemy.

“I haven’t seen anything.”

The innkeeper laughed, revealing a row of yellow teeth.

“Everyone is like that. We are all blind, deaf, and dumb fools. The Murim’s people were
killed, you say? I don’t know why they are dead.”

The innkeeper chuckled and turned to enter the kitchen. This city was like that. What
on Earth was in this city that turned it into such a state?

The door opened.

Time stopped. In the silence created at that moment, only the sound of footsteps
ringing could be heard. Her presence overwhelmed the space in an instant. Lee
Sungmin’s shoulders flinched at the ominous feeling behind his back. There was the
ominous feeling of a pair of eyes focusing on Lee Sungmin’s back, but the overwhelming
feeling of being singled out disappeared soon as if nothing had happened.

“Wow!”

“How much, sweetie?!”

On the first floor, the crowds jeered and chattered. At that point, Lee Sungmin was
conflicted over whether to look back or not. The footsteps got closer. Even if he didn’t
look back… Eventually, they would come to him. Lee Sungmin looked back, swallowing
a gulp.

“So noisy.”

When Lee Sungmin looked back. Everyone in the inn, except for Lee Sungmin, had lost
their heads. Roundheads fell off, and nobody made any noise anymore.

What the hell were they doing?

Lee Sungmin could not say anything. It was different. He had never met someone with
this kind of ridiculous aura. The woman only walked forward, and no other movement
was seen, but that alone cut the throats of the dozens of people at the inn.

“This is a very shabby place.”

The woman raised the corner of her lips as she approached Lee Sungmin. She was
beautiful. Red hair flowing like blood. The hairpins that lifted and kept it in place and
the gorgeous kimonos she wore were also beautiful. All of that did not overwhelm the
woman’s beauty.

“If you don’t mind… I can take you to a place that’s beautiful and wonderful beyond
comparison.”

She tilted her head to the side and smiled. Lee Sungmin gulped silently seeing her
sharp fangs.

“What do you say? Shall we have a meal together?”

Vampire Queen, Geniella, who lusted after blood. She urged Lee Sungmin with an
alluring gaze. It was as if Lee Sungmin’s hair had gone white with shock and stress.
Such monsters also existed in this world? Lee Sungmin had never faced the ‘real’
Wijihoyeon, but looking at Geniella’s aura alone, she was far stronger than Wijihoyeon.

[Get it together.]

There was a roaring voice in Lee Sungmin’s mind. It was Heoju.

[Geniella is the Vampire Queen. She has lived for over 600 years. No vampire in the
world who is more powerful than her.]

Heoju’s voice quickened. He never imagined that they would cross paths with Geniella
so suddenly.

[The higher species of vampires overwhelms their prey with their presence alone, just
like a frog freezes when it sees a snake. Get a hold of yourself, or else your mind and
subconscious will not be able to overcome the fear and may choose to commit
suicide!]

“It’s alright.”
In response to Heoju’s cry, Lee Sungmin replied, while steadying his breath. He was
just a little surprised. Lee Sungmin’s mind was different from that of a normal human.
A Vampire Queen who had lived 600 years already? Lee Sungmin had spent 2100 years
in his subconscious realm alone.

Lee Sungmin’s spirit, which had been broken and restored several times already,
succeeded in resisting Geniella’s powerful aura.

“Oh my.”

Geniella laughed as she looked at Lee Sungmin.

“You’re definitely not ordinary… It would have been nice if you had a gentler answer.”

“I’ve already ordered a meal.”

“… A meal at a place like this is nothing more than pork thrown into the rice.

“I’ll judge it after eating.”

“You don’t understand what I am saying.”

Geniella’s laughter grew louder. He could see her teeth all the way until the back of her
mouth. Her laughter bared her ferocious-looking fangs. Geniella added with her
mouth open.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“… It’s not like I have a choice.”

Lee Sungmin sighed gloomily and got up.

“Let’s go.”

He had no choice.
“I’ve chosen well.”

(E/N: as in she’s chosen a good next target)

Geniella looked at Lee Sungmin’s expression before glancing at the armour that he was
wearing and the inside of his large robes appraisingly.

“You seem to be carrying interesting things. One is a familiar. Or is it? …No, it feels a
little different from a normal familiar.”

“Wuu… ”

Rubia trembled as Geniella’s eyes reached her. She couldn’t maintain her form and
flew out of Lee Sungmin’s robes. Rubia sat on the floor, gasping for breath, cold sweat
running down her back.

“Cat ears… It’s not an Ajin. But it’s not human either. What a strange being.”

Geniella’s eyes flashed. It was one of the various types of magic possessed by the
vampire queen, Geniella. Truth Perception. It was the ability to look through
someone’s existence at a glance. Rubia trembled, and her whole body seemed to break
out into goosebumps because of Geniella’s inner sense peering into her existence.

“The body was made based on humans, but the soul is not human. There are bones,
organs, and blood, but all of it is just for show. Who are you built this way for? The
creator who made you? Or for yourself? A well-made doll… No, it’s like an artificial
spirit. There seems to be a metabolism, but that doesn’t mean you need it. What kind
of creature should I call you?”

“S-stop… ”

“Is it unpleasant to be seen through? Anyone would say that. This magic inspects
everything.”
Geniella burst into a mischievous laugh. She turned her eyes to look at Lee Sungmin.
To be precise, she looked at the armour that Lee Sungmin was wearing.

“Heoju. The nightmare of the South. You have really hit rock bottom… Or should I
congratulate you on having survived that way?”

[Hahahaha!]

Heoju burst into laughter at Geniella’s words. Lee Sungmin’s armour vibrated as
Heoju’s power soared.

[The little girl’s head became thicker. This is why children should be educated well
from childhood. That’s how they learn proper manners.]

“So? Are you going to educate me starting now?”

Geniella’s laughter grew louder. Using her Truth Perception ability, Geniella peered
into Heoju’s being.

“Your body and soul are completely separated. Did your soul have that strong of a
purpose for you to hold on to your existence? I admit it’s an unusual case. But compared
to when you were in your prime, it’s still quite lacking… ”

What she said was true. Heoju, at his prime, was one thing, but the current Heoju, with
his body and soul separated, couldn’t threaten Geniella. It was only natural. Geniella
was at the pinnacle of vampires in the land called Eria, and one of the strongest
monsters belonging to Predator. Even Gui Lang sect’s master, Juwon, who was once
called Mad Wolf, was a few steps behind Geniella.

“And you… ”

She directed the Truth Perception at Lee Sungmin.

“You are… ”

Geniella pouted. After a bit of silence, she tilted her head. Then she rubbed her eyes
with her hands and looked at Lee Sungmin again.

“You are?”
There was a hint of surprise in Geniella’s voice. It wasn’t that obvious, but it was proof
of the agitation felt by her. Geniella rubbed her eyes and looked at Lee Sungmin once
again. But she still couldn’t see it.

“That’s strange… ”

Geniella raised her finger.

“Why can’t I see it?”

Puuk. Two long fingers pierced through Geniella’s eyes. She rotated her finger to cut
off her optic nerve and pulled out her eyes. Then she opened her mouth and swallowed
the pair of eyes. Immediately after she swallowed them without chewing, Geniella’s
eyes regenerated. She looked at Lee Sungmin using the Truth Perception of her new
pair of eyes.

[This guy is a strange one.]

Heoju smiled.

[You cannot see through him using Truth Perception… Hu-hu! Isn’t it fun?]

“Definitely.”

Geniella spat out a greasy thing. It was the stem of the optic nerve that was dangling
from the eyeball. She glanced down at what she had spit out and looked at Lee Sungmin
again.

“Excuse me. I’ve shown you something unseemly.”

Geniella’s tone had changed.

“I don’t have any intentions of being forceful. But I’d like to sincerely recommend it.
Walking down the creaking corridors in a trashy place like this, sleeping in a moldy
bed in a room with cockroaches and rats… ”

Geniella’s words become faster. She even spoke without breathing.

“Instead of spending the day making food out of leftover ingredients and listening to
the noise of such vermin and parasites, while eating terrible leftover food over and
over again daily that even a pig wouldn’t eat-”

Geniella’s words stopped. She said all the words she wanted to say in one long breath,
then smiled towards Lee Sungmin.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to go with me?”

There was no way of telling what her true intentions were.

Lee Sungmin continued to feel a sense of discomfort from the moment he encountered
Geniella. An encounter that did not happen in his previous life. If that was the case, he
had already felt it countless times. The sense of discomfort he felt from Geniella was
not of that sort. He didn’t know what it was, but he did not feel the need to get away
from it.

“Alright.”

Lee Sungmin paused, then nodded as he supported Rubia up.

Perhaps she was the person he was fated to meet in the north.

[No.]

Heoju’s voice rang out in Lee Sungmin’s mind.

Heoju no longer released his aura and hid his power in the armour silently. When Lee
Sungmin came out along with Geniella, there was a gorgeous carriage that seemed
extremely out of place, standing in front of the shabby inn. The door of the carriage
opened as Geniella approached. She turned to Lee Sungmin, asking him to get on,
without going in first.

“Come on.”

Lee Sungmin got into the carriage with Rubia silently. It wasn’t until they got on that
she climbed onto the carriage and sat opposite to Lee Sungmin.

[The emotion you feel right now is the ‘bewitchment’ of a higher class vampire. Vampires
prey on humans. They don’t hunt prey using force. They approach intimately, quietly,
inserting their fangs in your neck without any fuss. That’s how vampires primarily
hunt. Bewitchment is a convenient hunting tool that they possess.]
He focused his mind and raised his consciousness. A light shone in the midst of his
blurry mind. Then, the strange sense of discomfort he felt from Geniella faded away.
Lee Sungmin stared at Geniella with both eyes clear. Looking at Lee Sungmin’s eyes,
Geniella laughed.

“It’s definitely unique.”

Geniella said as she pulled out the hairpin holding up her hair. Thick blood-red hair
poured down in waves.

“Usually, you can’t escape immediately even if you notice it since a vampire’s
bewitchment works on you unconsciously. However… Your strength of will is special.
Special to a greater extent than I think should belong to an ordinary human.”

The carriage began to move.

“Why did you approach me?”

“I was curious about the human travelling along with Heoju. Apart from that, I had
some personal business with you.”

Geniella tilted her head as she spoke.

“Ghost Blade.”

An unexpected name came out from Geniella’s lips.

“He was a child I really liked until I got my hands on him. So persistent, passionate,
and yet so desperate. Not wanting to give up to the point where he was overflowing
with indignation… Hu-hu! So I liked him. I like those sorts of kids, you see.”

The same way she liked Bloody Heavenly Demon.

“I didn’t take much care of it, but,” She paused before continuing. “Ah. Did you know?
For a ‘Lord’, forming blood bridges is similar to having a child. So Ghost Blade was my
child. My youngest child that I had years ago.”

Geniella’s voice was low. Lee Sungmin listened calmly. The meaning of what she said
was clear. The person who turned Ghost Blade into vampires was Geniella.
“I see.”

Why would it matter to him?

It was Ghost Blade that chose to become a vampire. Even in the previous life, Ghost
Blade would have become a vampire. Although it was Wijihoyeon, not Lee Sungmin,
who killed the Ghost Blade who had become a vampire in his past life, Ghost Blade
being turned to a vampire path had not changed under any circumstances.

Just because Ghost Blade was turned into a vampire by Geniella was not a reason for
him to have any kind of feelings against her.

However, Geniella thought differently.

“I killed Ghost Blade. Do you want to hold me accountable for that?”

“I wanted to for a bit.”

Geniella did not lie. She replied frankly with a bright smile.

“But not now. It was just a toy. Can’t it be ruined? It was unavoidable. I’ll think of it like
that.”

When she said so, she looked into Lee Sungmin’s eyes.

“You. Would you like to become a vampire?”

This was an irresistible case. She had countless blood bridges, but that didn’t mean
she had been recklessly increasing them. For a Lord, who stood at the pinnacle of their
clan, increasing the number of blood bridges they built meant that their strength
would be dispersed. Of course, such scattered forces would also increase a Lord’s
power to a certain extent, but the absence of ‘blood’ handed to them would create a
deadly void as the number of their blood bridges increase.

That’s why pure-blooded vampires, who have the ability to create a clan and build a
clan, would choose their members carefully to create a clan that would gain them
more than they lost. It was the same with Geniella. She looked at ability as well, but
satisfying her dark pleasure was her top priority.

Just like Ghost Blade and Bloody Heavenly Demon did.

“If you want, I can turn you into a vampire right now. It’s not difficult, yes? You can
become a vampire straightaway. You can belong to the blood of Geniella, the Vampire
Queen. What do you think?”

Geniella whispered and urged him. She was deeply interested in Lee Sungmin. This
was an unusual feeling. Geniella made her own conclusion. Ghost Blade’s desperation
rose from his aging body. He tried to overcome it himself, but he eventually chose to
become non-human to gain more time. Bloody Heavenly Demon was not too different
either. He was desperate and devastated by his lost arm and the overwhelming defeat
he had suffered. Soon, even Bloody Heavenly Demon would choose to become a
vampire.

But what about Lee Sungmin?

Lee Sungmin seemed strange in the eyes of Geniella. Age didn’t matter when it came
to martial arts. In this ridiculous world, geniuses with absurd talents, monsters that
surpassed martial arts practitioners, or mages that had practiced for decades, even at
a young age, were not uncommon. It had always been the same for the past 600 years
of her life.

If he wasn’t tempted by gaining power for himself, then what could he be tempted by?
Geniella didn’t know Lee Sungmin. She didn’t know what kind of life Lee Sungmin had
lived. Not being able to see through him? Yes, that was also quite interesting.

But the reason why she wanted to make him a blood bridge.

‘It feels dangerous.’

Geniella looked into Lee Sungmin’s eyes. His eyes were not suitable for someone of his
age. He had eyes that held something that looked like it had accumulated for years
beyond anything Geniella could guess. Geniella was attracted to those eyes. Even with
the danger held within them. The opportunity of getting to shatter the spirit in such
eyes made Geniella’s heart tremble.

“I will refuse.”

Lee Sungmin replied. It was a question not worth thinking about. He had no intention
of becoming non-human, and he did not want to become a vampire under her control.
If he wanted to be non-human, there was another way for Lee Sungmin. To become a
ghost, like Heoju had suggested.
“Is that so?”

Geniella laughed as she heard Lee Sungmin’s answer.

“Then I can’t help it.”

Geniella no longer invited him. If he had accepted her offer right here, she would have
been disappointed. Geniella was deeply satisfied with Lee Sungmin’s refusal.

‘Continue to refuse.’

Geniella hugged her shoulders as she felt her body warming up.

‘I much prefer that.’

The will that they think of as so sturdy. Breaking it down like a sandcastle.

She shivered in anticipation.

The central district of Travia was originally home to many wealthy people. Although
most of them had left the city or were killed when Travia turned lawless, the mansions
where they had lived still remained.

The scenery changed as the carriage ran. Large mansions and spacious estates
surrounded them. The carriage continued to move without stopping. After urging Lee
Sungmin to become a vampire, Geniella no longer spoke to him, but simply watched
him with a mysterious smile. Lee Sungmin felt uncomfortable.

[I would not recommend it.]

Heoju murmured.

[Geniella is a powerful vampire. No matter what you do now, you’re no match for
Geniella. Even if you get my help like you did in the dungeon, you won’t be able to take
her down.]

There was no doubt in Heoju’s words. Lee Sungmin had to agree with him. Vampire
Queen Geniella was a powerful monster. Even if Lee Sungmin was able to bring out all
the potential he had unearthed from the subconscious realm, he still wouldn’t be able
to guarantee his victory in the fight against Geniella.

The reason why Lee Sungmin thought that was because he couldn’t get a glimpse of
how much power she had.

[To make it clear, Geniella is stronger than the ‘real’ Minor Heavenly Demon that you
saw in the dungeon.]

Heoju answered his doubts.

[Right now, at least. The Minor Heavenly Demon has a talent that doesn’t make sense.
It’s crazy and absurd. That bitch will continue to grow stronger. As the days go by, the
power that she has already achieved will become more complete and better than now.
If the potential and talent that I’ve seen in her are true, then she might even be able to
go beyond Geniella’s powers in the years to come.]

There was no assurance in Heoju’s voice as he said that. Lee Sungmin clasped and
unclasped his hands as he listened to those words. The 2,100 years of practice in his
subconscious. The practice that used all of Lee Sungmin’s talents and possibilities and
took him a tremendous amount of time to bring it up to that level.

However, if he were to bring all the achievements obtained there to light in reality, it
was a completely different story. He knew he couldn’t perform them yet, though.

So it was impossible to grow anymore. He couldn’t reach the place he had already
reached. He couldn’t go higher than that unless he reached the achievements of his
subconscious realm first.

On the other hand, what about Wijihoyeon? She kept getting stronger. He didn’t know
what she was doing but at the end of the dungeon. She had spoken in a confident tone.
One year later, she would be stronger than she was now.

‘The gap is widening.’

It continued to get bigger.

‘I am crawling slowly, step by step. But Wijihoyeon is running. No, she’s soaring.’

So it happened. Even when he thought he barely managed to catch up. He couldn’t

keep up with Wijihoyeon’s pace.

[Anyway. I would not suggest going to Geniella’s mansion. I don’t know what that little
bitch is up to. In the event of an emergency, there are no measures to protect your
body.]

‘Maybe.’

It was not without thought that he followed her.

An encounter with an ambiguous entity called a ‘halfling’. For such a being whose
identity he had no way of knowing accurately, Lee Sungmin absolutely could not
ignore this kind of encounter. Perhaps Geniella was really the fated person that the
Divine Spirit was talking about. What was certain was that this was the winter of five
years later that the Divine Spirit had prophesied. It was October now, so it could be
said that it was already winter. If the Divine Spirit’s words about the fated meeting
were true, Lee Sungmin would meet with the person that was both monster and
human within two months.

‘And if I refused… Geniella would have killed me.’

[I suppose so.]

Heoju snorted with laughter.

[Should I call it a checkmate? Well, work hard on saving yourself for now. If it doesn’t
work out, it’s not like there is no other way.]

‘What other way?’

[Become Yokai.]

Heoju chuckled and said.

[If you become a Yokai, you can fight and win against Geniella… I won’t tell you
anything irresponsible like that. But you would be able to survive. It would be possible
to run away.]

“Don’t bullshit me.”

Lee Sungmin spat out, feeling irritated. Sitting next to Lee Sungmin, Rubia was shaking
like an aspen tree. Lee Sungmin placed his hand on her trembling shoulder. Rubia was
shocked and looked up at Lee Sungmin. He felt her eyes on him, but did not offer her
any words of comfort.

(T/N: aspen trees are v cool. English equivalent of the idiom would be ‘shaking like a
leaf’, but I like this better)

“How cute.”

Geniella, who was silent, broke into a chuckle.

“Am I that scary? Don’t worry. I will never harm you. I can’t swear on it, but I tend to
keep my promises usually.”
The carriage stopped.

“We have arrived.”

Geniella looked at the closed carriage door. It opened by itself.

“Welcome.”

Geniella was the last to enter the carriage, but she was the first to get off. Somehow,
Geniella, who walked off the carriage, was no longer wearing a kimono. She wore a
classic black dress and stood in front of a garden full of red roses. Behind her was a
beautiful mansion. It was not yet night, but the mansion has a sense of darkness
emanating from it as if touched by the night’s darkness.

“To the Vampire Queen’s mansion.”

In front of the bewitching red rose garden, Geniella became the Vampire Queen and
the owner of the mansion. Non-human beings writhed in the dark. Those who walked
out of the shadows had pale skin and red eyes. They were Geniella’s people.

“Treat them with courtesy.”

The approaching vampire bowed to Lee Sungmin.

“Robe, Please.”

“… Ahem.”

Lee Sungmin took off the robe he was wearing and handed it to the vampire. Another
vampire took the robe that Rubia was wearing. Geniella crossed the garden one step
ahead. Lee Sungmin and Rubia headed for the mansion, escorted by vampires.

“Make sure you prepare a human meal. Use your best skills.”

Geniella opened the door of the mansion and ordered a vampire who was standing
nearby. The vampire disappeared as he bowed deeply.

“This room is too crowded. You can use whatever room you want. If you don’t like the
room, I can give you the whole annex.”
“No, that’s fine. I came here just to have a meal today.”

“All the rooms in the mansion are great. No matter where you go in Travia, you will not
find anywhere as good as this.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll decline.”

“Hmm… ”

Geniella made a sound of acknowledgement, staring at Lee Sungmin with bright red
eyes, before nodding slowly.

“Alright. If you refuse, then there’s nothing I can do about it. But if you change your
mind, feel free to tell me. The answer to the proposal that I mentioned in the carriage
earlier. Please let me know if you change your mind.”

At the end of the conversation, Lee Sungmin and Rubia were escorted to a restaurant
in the mansion, along with Geniella.

“Is-isn’t this human flesh?”

Rubia trembled and shrieked in a small voice. She said it very softly, but there was no
way Geniella would miss it. Geniella shook her head with a smile.

“That could never happen. What I ordered was a meal for humans. Vampires don’t
enjoy consuming human flesh. What vampires enjoy is their blood. It’s only those
barbaric lycanthropes that like eating flesh.”

Geniella turned her head to look at Rubia.

“Your words are a great insult to vampires. If I hadn’t promised that I wasn’t going to
do you any harm, I would have slit your throat as soon as I heard it.”

“S-s-s-s…Sorry… !”

Rubia cried out with a pale face. She had a metabolism, but it did not have any real
function in her body. Rubia was rarely grateful for it. If her body wasn’t like this, then
Rubia would have peed herself at Geniella’s warning.

“It will take some time for the meal to come out.”
Geniella sat at the end of a large table and looked at Lee Sungmin. She giggled and
offered the seat closest to her.

“Shall we chat until then?”

A long conversation, that he was unwilling to partake in, and one where making a
single mistake, could result in instant death.

“Let’s do that.”

Lee Sungmin pretended to be expressionless, and Geniella sat down in the main seat.

***

He didn’t know how fast he was moving. But considering the distance, no matter how
relaxed he was, he should have arrived in Travia by now.

Freskan was a lich and a mage. Mages did not use the stupid method of moving using
their body. Most mages are lazy and do not like moving. That’s why there were
countless spells that can aid such lazy and unwilling mages.

Among such types of magic, using a familiar was the most common. If you were a low-
level mage, it would be better to use small animals such as rats and sparrows as
familiars, but Freskan was a mage at a position incomparable to such low-level mages.

This did not mean that the Freskan did not use small animals such as sparrows and
mice as familiars. Such animals were common and had many advantages due to their
small size. That’s where the difference between a high-level mage and a low-level
mage became more obvious.

Control over familiars and the number of familiars they could own. How well they
could analyze the information collected through a familiar.

Freskan used numerous critters to monitor the gates of Travia. Not just the gates. The
gates of the central district, the entire central district. It was very hard work, but it
was worth it. To catch the damn heart thief, Freskan was determined to take any
measures necessary. That was because the heart created by the Freskan was the biwon
that he wanted to achieve once he became a Lich.

But now.
“Vampire Queen…!”

Freskan grabbed his non-existent head. The dark mana that made up his body was
greatly shaken by his swaying emotional state.

“Fucking, damned bastard! Four damn years! The damn heart thief!”

Geniella went into the inn where the heart thief had just entered. It didn’t take long
for them to get out of the inn together and board the same carriage. The carriage
stopped in front of a mansion in the middle of the central district. It was the residence
of the Vampire Queen, brimming with red roses.

He didn’t know what kind of conversations they had exchanged. But one thing was for
sure. The guy who had taken the heart that Freskan had spent his entire life making…
had entered the Vampire Queen’s mansion.

‘What do I do?’

Freskan was forced to hesitate. No matter how full of madness he was, Freskan also
knew that life was precious. Even if he was a Lich, who could be revived again and
again as long as his Life Force was still intact, he was still bound to hesitate when
confronting a monster as powerful as the Vampire Queen.

Right.

Freskan resolved to face the vampire queen and regain the precious heart. He didn’t
know why the vampire queen took in that mercenary, but if he became the vampire
queen’s blood bridge, Freskan would never be able to get his heart back.

That’s why he had to struggle. He had to face her and get it back. Absolutely. After all,
it was he who created the heart.

That’s what he thought but-

Freskan was conflicted. He was afraid. The vampire queen was a merciless monster. If
Freskan took her on, she would definitely destroy him without an afterthought.

“Let’s just wait and see.”

In the end, Freskan chose to compromise rather than struggle. He didn’t want to die
so pointlessly. There was a lot of time, so the heart could be made again.

But the regret still remained. Freskan continued to stand in front of the crystal ball
and peek into the vampire queen’s mansion. How much time had passed. After a few
hours, the mansion’s gate opened. He arrived in a carriage, but he was walking out on
foot. Freskan opened his eyes when he saw Lee Sungmin and Rubia coming out of the
mansion. He wanted to expand the field of view of the familiar and take a closer look
at them.

“… He didn’t become a vampire.”

Freskan said with a trembling voice. Oh, God. He prayed with his hands clasped
together and shouted with joy and passion.

If he didn’t become a vampire, Freskan still had a chance.

“I won’t kill you. Yes… Yes, good. I’m going to make sure you don’t die, and then I’ll rip
it out.”

But not right now. The central district was Geniella’s territory. Unless he knew what
Geniella was thinking, he couldn’t attack him in the central district.

So he had to wait.

“Should I just turn him into an undead?”

Freskan grinned happily.

Five years passed since she was born, and Aine had learned a variety of things. The
time since she began to exist could not be said to be very long, but the five years that
Aine spent were incomparable to the five years that ordinary people spent.

It was because of Aine’s ability to learn by eating. She could easily learn the abilities
of a heart’s owner by chewing and consuming it. Freskan brought Aine to the north
because he thought it would be the best place to teach Aine in that lawless land.

‘I never thought it would be like this.’

In the north of Eria. He could never have imagined that the vampire queen, Geniella,
was in the big city of Travia. If he knew, he would rather have gone down south. No,
the situation would not have been much better even then.

If the north of Eria was the City of Devils, then the south was the Night Parade of a
Hundred Ghosts. There were various spirits and yokai roaming there. Although there
were no non-human races there like in the north, yokai and spirits were much worse
compared to vampires, lycanthropes, and lich. They never hesitated to act because
they had no concept of restraint, and they were accustomed to violence.

“Aine.”

Freskan stood at Aine’s door and called her name. His voice was full of fatherly
adoration. In fact, Freskan regarded Aine as his own daughter. It wasn’t exactly wrong.
Even if he hadn’t given birth to her directly, Aine’s heart and body were painstakingly
crafted by Freskan himself.

“Yes.”

The door was open. There was only one bed in the empty room. Aine sat across the
bed, looking at Freskan. She stretched out a long tentacle from her body to open the
door.
Even after 5 years, Aine’s body hadn’t grown, making her look like a little girl. People
were not wary of young children. It might vary depending on the situation, but the
average person would not be on guard against a young child. Just like tigers and
leopards have patterns to hide their bodies, Aine’s young figure was her disguise as a
predator to hunt more efficiently.

“The heart thief is in this city.”

Aine’s eyes flashed open.

***

The conversation with Geniella was unexpectedly bland. She didn’t ask anything great.
There wasn’t much weight in the conversation that he had during the meal, so there
was no need for him to contemplate over it either.

“… Was it delicious?”

Rubia, standing on Lee Sungmin’s side, looked at him with a grim face. Lee Sungmin
nodded, feeling the same emotion. Like Geniella had said in a confident tone, the meal
at her mansion was amazing. The color of the wine served was so red that he initially
thought it might have been blood, but it turned out to be delicious wine.

‘Let’s meet again next time.’

He was troubled by what she said as she saw him off. Even if he wanted to dismiss it
as a simple greeting, it was the vampire queen who said it, so he couldn’t take it lightly.
Geniella could use violence to force Lee Sungmin into acting however she pleased.
Although he refused to stay in the mansion, if she really wanted it, she could have
forced him into staying there.

‘But she let me go. Why… ?’

[You satisfy her tastes.]

Heoju snickered.

[The bitch is crazy, you see. She can get her hands on it, but she won’t. What that bitch
wants is not to get the toy in her hands, but to make the toy beg her to take them in.]
‘I don’t know what you mean.’

[That bitch offered to turn you into a vampire, and you refused. It started there. It’s an
unpleasant hobby of hers.]

‘… Is she waiting for me to ask her to make me a vampire?’

He had no intention of doing that. He might become a Yokai, but he didn’t intend to
become a vampire.

Since he had already come all this way, Lee Sungmin decided to stay at a place in the
central district. It was annoying to go back to the outskirts, and he didn’t feel the need
to.

‘There’s someone watching.’

There was a line of sight directed at him. The gaze was well concealed in the crowd,
but it was still obvious to Lee Sungmin.

I don’t see any beggars.’

There were no beggars in this large city, not even in its most well developed central
district. He could guess why. It was a crazy city where even people of the Murim were
beaten to death. Beggars belonging to the Wandering Sect could not easily move
around here.

“Oh.”

Lee Sungmin stopped walking when he heard such a voice nearby.

“We often meet at the most unexpected moments.”

Lee Sungmin had to agree with those words.

Kim Jonghyun took off the hood of his robes and smiled at Lee Sungmin. This was the
first time he had reunited with Kim Jonghyun since he killed Ghost Blade in Drimoor.

“You abandoned me and disappeared as if possessed by something last time. It would

have been nice if you had said something before leaving so suddenly.”
“There was something I had to do, so I couldn’t help it.”

“Then I’ll just have to understand.”

Kim Jonghyun replied nonchalantly. He didn’t expect to see Kim Jonghyun in Travia.
Lee Sungmin looked at Kim Jonghyun’s face. Although two years had passed since
then, Kim Jonghyun’s face had not changed. If he thought about it, Kim Jonghyun
hadn’t changed at all since they first met five years ago.

“Why are you here?”

“Since the events of two years ago, there have been a lot of monsters with various
circumstances and bad people with circumstances living here. Such a Travia is a good
place for mages to work.”

“… So why are you here? Didn’t you say you became the lord of the Black Tower?”

“There is no law that says mages have to be stuck in their towers all day. All I have to
do is consistently submit the results of my research.”

Kim Jonghyun shrugged as he said so.

“I was attracted to the city of Travia. That’s why I came here after a long vacation. I
never thought I’d meet you here… ”

“… Who is that person?”

Rubia, who was beside Lee Sungmin, asked in a small voice. Kim Jonghyun widened
his eyes slightly as he looked at Rubia.

“A beastkin. Are you a slave?”

“No.”

“Ah… excuse me. I misjudged. You’re not Beastkin… Hmm… ”

Kim Jonghyun started analyzing her carefully with his eyes. He stared blatantly at
Rubia, and Rubia hid behind Lee Sungmin’s back, embarrassed by his gaze.

“… Artificial life… This is… amazing. There are many mages who make artificial life as
a source of biwon, but only a few mages can make one so perfect. Just where did you
get that?”

“… He sure is full of rude remarks.”

She said while staring at Kim Jonghyun. Her shoulders trembled slightly.

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t treat me like an object.”

“Ah… Sorry. I’m not very good at talking.”

Saying that, Kim Jonghyun bowed his head.

“I think this is a fated encounter. How about a light meal?”

“Thanks for asking, but we’ve already eaten.”

“Do you have a place to stay?”

“No. We entered Travia today, so we haven’t settled in yet.”

“Then how about coming to my place?”

Kim Jonghyun offered with a smile. Lee Sungmin hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
He had met Kim Jonghyun several times. Of course, he didn’t think that he had grasped
everything about Kim Jonghyun in a few meetings.

But he had a thought. What if Kim Jonghyun was the person he was supposed to meet
in the north?

They didn’t have to go far. Although it could not be compared with Geniella’s mansion,
the place where Kim Jonghyun brought them to was a two-story house that was much
better than the shabby house on the outskirts.

“It’s a pretty good house.”

Kim Jonghyun said while taking off his robes. The robe that was taken off floated by
itself and hung itself on a hanger attached to the wall.

“I bought it because it was at a reasonable price. I don’t know how long I’ll stay in this
city, but I think it would be more convenient having a house to stay in rather than
needing to rent an inn room.”

“I suppose so.”

“What have you been up to?”

Kim Jonghyun asked, offering him a seat. In the meantime, Kim Jonghyun looked at the
armor that Lee Sungmin was wearing and gave it a once over. Then he looked up at
Lee Sungmin’s eyes.

“A lot has changed since I saw you two years ago. Your strength too. Especially the
armor… I don’t know what it is, but I feel a powerful presence that is hard to
understand from it.”

[Looks like the fellow has sharp eyes.]

Heoju murmured. Lee Sungmin replied, ignoring Heoju.

“I received an opportunity by coincidence.”

“There is no coincidence in this world. There will be fate. Maybe it is fate that you and
I reunite here.”

Kim Jonghyun laughed while saying that. Fate. Lee Sungmin had not yet truly believed
in fate and the existence of such ambiguous concepts.

“You said you came to Travia for sightseeing?”

“Yes.”

“… I am not sure what there is to see in this city.”

“Isn’t it interesting?”

Kim Jonghyun touched his fingers together as he spoke. There was a rattling sound
from the kitchen, and a kettle and cup flew in.

“Non-human races are gathering in Travia.”

Kim Jonghyun opened his mouth.

“Most of the non-humans gathered here are Predators… Ah. Do you know what a
Predator is?”

“I know.”

“Hmm, I see. Well, most of the non-humans gathered in Travia belong to Predator. Not
all of them are monsters with terrifying powers, but some of them are powerful
enough to hold the entire world in their palms.”

A vampire queen who had lived for over 600 years. Someone who was once called Mad
Wolf – a lycanthrope that was the best among the Werewolves. Most of the non-
humans belonging to Predator were led by either of the two.

“The Vampire Queen took control of the central districts of Travia, and the Werewolves
took control of the outskirts of Travia. In fact, it’s been that way for a long time. They
were in Travia even during Bloody Heavenly Demon’s reign. It’s just that they didn’t
stand out as much.”

It was the same now. Kim Jonghyun added.

“The Vampire Queen is rarely active externally. However, her vampires are watching
Travia. The same goes for the Werewolves. However, the Gui Lang Sect is known as a
medium-sized group with little power. In fact, it’s a front they’ve put up on purpose.
Isn’t it strange? Gui Lang sect’s master, Mad Wolf, has the power to wipe out any of the
sects from the Orthodox Factions by himself if he wants to. It’s the same for the
Vampire Queen. So why did they let Bloody Heavenly Demon reign for so long?”

“… They didn’t want to get noticed?”

“You can think of it that way. Truth be told, it would be meaningless whether or not
the Bloody Heavenly Demon sect reigns. They had the power to wipe out Bloody
Heavenly Demon and his sect whenever they felt like it. It’s just that they didn’t –
mostly because they didn’t have to. Travia took their ideal form when the Bloody
Heavenly Demon sect collapsed thanks to Wijihoyeon.”

A city of devils. Once Bloody Heavenly Demon’s reign collapsed, numerous people of
the nonhuman races raised their heads to become the masters of Travia. As security
was ruined and control disappeared, hordes of nonhuman races gathered in Travia.
“I don’t know what Predator is going to do here, but they are obviously trying to do
something. So I’m interested. Monsters at the apex of nonhuman races that haven’t
been in motion for hundreds of years are rising up from the shadows. Perhaps history
will be made here.”

Kim Jonghyun’s face was filled with ecstasy as he said that.

“I want to see it.”

(T/N: in case there was any confusion. Lycanthropes are a non-human race, and the
lycanthropes who belong to the Gui Lang Sect are called Werewolves.)
Lee Sungmin couldn’t understand the joy that Kim Jonghyun felt. So he kept silent.
After a moment of silence, Kim Jonghyun guided Lee Sungmin and Rubia to a room on
the second floor.

“I will not interfere with your life. Likewise, please don’t interfere with my life either.”

Kim Jonghyun said as he put on his robes. Where are you going? Those words came
up to Lee Sungmin’s throat, but he swallowed the question back down. He had already
been told not to interfere with his life.

“I was invited to the party today.”

Lee Sungmin did not ask, but Kim Jonghyun answered first.

“It’s a party for Black Mages. I would offer to take you along with me, but… you are not
a Black Mage.”

Kim Jonghyun laughed while shaking his arms in the sleeves of his robes.

“If you want, I can teach you some basic black magic. Are you interested?”

“It’s alright.”

“Well.”

Kim Jonghyun shrugged at Lee Sungmin’s swift refusal.

“Black magic is a very interesting discipline. Let me know if you change your mind
anytime.”

Kim Jonghyun left the house after saying those words. Lee Sungmin went up to the
second floor with Rubia and looked at the room Kim Jonghyun said he could use.
[I don’t think he’s messing with us.]

“I’ve looked around using magic, but there’s nothing suspicious. The whole house is
like that. Normally, a mage’s house would have at least one or two vigilance spells
protecting it…”

Rubia muttered as if it was strange. Lee Sungmin thought for a moment and nodded.

“It’s a little rude to leave without saying anything, but let’s just move on.”

“Okay.”

Kim Jonghyun had always been a suspicious figure. Until now, he had never harmed
Lee Sungmin directly, but since he came to such a city, he could not believe him
unconditionally. He did not know what Kim Jonghyun was thinking. Perhaps he really
brought Lee Sungmin to his place as an act of simple courtesy.

But just in case those were not his intentions. Lee Sungmin did not want to be swayed
in such a case. It would be better to stay out of it from the beginning. If you get caught
up in his work while staying at his house. If it was like that, he did not want to see such
a side of Kim Jonghyun.

So he left the house.

He was thinking of leaving the central district. From what he had heard, Geniella
seemed to have not only the central district, but the whole of Travia in her palm. In
that case, even if he left the central district, he could not escape Geniella’s eyes as long
as he was in the city of Travia.

‘The Divine Spirit had directed me to the North. It doesn’t have to be Travia. North…’

Lee Sungmin looked North. Travia was the northernmost city of Eria. But it couldn’t
be called the end of the North. Let’s go a little further. Lee Sungmin turned to the North.

“Where are you going?”

“To the North.”

“… You’re not going out of town, are you?”

Rubia asked in an uneasy voice, but Lee Sungmin did not respond. Rubia had spent a
long time following Lee Sungmin. So she knew it well. That silence following her
question meant that the answer was yes.

“The bed… The bath… ”

Rubia lamented with drooping ears. Lee Sungmin said in a loud voice.

“We just had a delicious meal, so please be satisfied with that.”

***

Why am I here?

The man didn’t know the answer. At some point, his memory had started to cut off
intermittently, and when he was awakened, he could not recall what had happened.
But one thing was certain. When he came to his senses and connected his memories,
he was always covered in blood.

‘It’s happened again. Now, where was this again?’

The Crazy Heavenly Demon helped himself up while laughing.

It was unusual. Even though he had just come to his senses, he was not covered in
blood. Ever since he had qi deviated, Crazy Heavenly Demon would periodically lose
his memory and reason. Whenever that happened, he would always awaken in a
bloody state. Thanks to his extraordinary martial arts, he did not feel any pain. It was
only that he found it to be dirty. After all, the blood that soaked his body did not belong
to him.

‘I can’t tell how long it’s been since I lost consciousness. Snow… winter… Where is this?’

Crazy Heavenly Demon felt dazed as he held onto his head and groaned. What he saw
in front of him was a snowfield. The wind was harsh, but there was no snow falling.
He saw a huge mountain at a distance. He turned his head again, and soon he saw the
city walls.

‘North… A city… Perhaps…Is it Travia?’

No way. He came all this way? Crazy Heavenly Demon decided to sit down and circulated
his qi, fixing his meridians just in case.

“This crazy…”

He couldn’t figure out what had happened. There was no way he had rushed to such a
faraway city using his inner force. What for? Crazy Heavenly Demon’s eyebrows
trembled. So far, whenever he had lost his reason due to the side effects of qi deviation,
Crazy Heavenly Demon had indiscriminately slaughtered. That kind of brutal massacre
was familiar to him, but this was the first time.

Although it was impossible to remember, Crazy Heavenly Demon still had his martial
arts intact. He quickly checked his body. He circulated his inner force and looked
through his meridians to find what martial arts he had used. There were no signs of
battle. The only martial arts he had used was qinggong. Just what was the reason for
him to run all this way without any rest while he had lost his reason?

(T/N: qinggong – also translated as lightness or movement techniques)

Kwaang!

Crazy Heavenly Demon stood on alert at the distant sound. He slowly raised himself
up. The sounds didn’t stop. There was a fight going on nearby. He didn’t know what
had happened, but he headed in the direction of the sound without hesitation.

‘First of all, I should ask where this is.’

He guessed it was Travia, but he still needed to get confirmation.

***

Aine was attacking Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin shot his spear toward the five tentacles
approaching him from the front.

Kkwaaang!

Aine’s tentacles bounced back with a bang. However, Lee Sungmin did not suffer any
damage. The spear force covering Lee Sungmin’s spear bore the brunt of the force,
only scattering his hair slightly from the blow.

It hadn’t been that long since he had left the city with the North as his destination. In
the meantime, another attack occurred. What jumped out of the darkness was the kid
that Lee Sungmin had encountered a few years ago. It was Aine, who had now perfected
her use of inner force.

‘I don’t know whether I should say my luck is good or bad.’

Lee Sungmin swung the spear strongly, ignoring his trembling grip. Aine’s tentacles
bounced forward once again with a heavy sound. Aine’s attacks were like that. She was
not actively attacking. Instead, she was wielding her tentacles in that way, watching
Lee Sungmin’s response.

[What the hell is that kid… ?! What did you do for a kid like that to have such a strong
grudge against you?!]

Rubia screamed inside Lee Sungmin’s mind. She transformed into a sphere of light
instead of her beastkin form and hid inside Lee Sungmin’s sleeves. Lee Sungmin
ignored Rubia’s cry and took a few steps back. However, Aine’s tentacles wriggled and
shot forward to attack Lee Sungmin again. Immediately, Lee Sungmin intercepted her
tentacles using a lightning strike.

“Where is Freskan?”

Lee Sungmin asked while looking at the fragments of scattered tentacles. Aine stared
at Lee Sungmin’s face with yellow eyes and opened her mouth.

“In the city.”

Freskan was captured by Vampire Queen Geniella. She hadn’t forced him to do anything
since making him join the Predators, but it was still impossible for Freskan to escape
the city from under Geniella’s nose.

That’s why he sent Aine instead of moving directly himself. That didn’t mean Freskan
wasn’t watching the battle. Several birds floating in the air were watching below.

‘It turned out just fine then.’

He was lucky. Lee Sungmin decided to judge it like that. He was also hoping for a
reunion with Freskan. It saved him the effort to find him. If he subdued Aine here, he
could pull out Freskan. Lee Sungmin could already feel the gaze of the familiars flying
in the sky. He didn’t know why he did not come here directly. Perhaps he was planning
something.

It was not that he wasn’t on guard. Lee Sungmin deployed the armor. The armor, which
only covered his upper body, expanded greatly and covered Lee Sungmin’s entire body.
He positioned himself as he held the spear with both hands.

Without Scarlet’s help, Lee Sungmin would have died on the spot when he was
attacked by Aine five years ago. At that time, Lee Sungmin had already entered Peak
level, but he was lacking in many ways and had many anxieties. The time that had
passed since then was only 5 years at most. However, the time accumulated for Lee
Sungmin was not just that.

Aine stopped probing with her tentacles. As long as Lee Sungmin continued in earnest,
Aine realized that it was meaningless to continue playing around like that. She
retracted the long tentacles into her body.

[That bitch gives a terrible feeling.]

Lee Sungmin also agreed with the words Heoju muttered. The tentacles soaring from
Aine’s body would regenerate endlessly even if they burst or broke. Aine narrowed
her eyes and stared at Lee Sungmin. Her hands were covered with a black crust,
turning her five fingers into sharp black blades.

Uduk!

Dark stalks rose from Aine’s back. It took the form of a deformed wing, and the
remaining part of the stalk became a flapping tentacle.

Aine did not obey her father, Freskan, unconditionally. But it was true that she,
personally, had some feelings toward Lee Sungmin.

‘It was the first time.’

It was the first time she had felt that much pain. Aine stuck her tongue out and licked
her lips. She remembered the feeling of her body being pierced through by a powerful
attack. The strange feeling that she had felt five years ago had not changed. Her father,
Freskan, had ordered her to not kill Lee Sungmin. It was alright if he didn’t have a few
limbs, but he told her to bring him back with his life first.

Aine had no intention of following those orders. Since the moment they met… Aine
could feel an intense urge. Even when she saw him five years ago, she had felt the same
urge. Back then, she didn’t know exactly what this impulse was.

But now she knew. This was her appetite. She was not hungry. Nevertheless, she wanted
to eat. She couldn’t stand it because she wanted to eat him. If possible, she would
continue eating even if she had to vomit out everything she ate. Aine could feel her
mouth watering. The heart wasn’t the only thing that she wanted to eat.

‘Where shall I start?’

Would it be better to start eating him from his feet and go up from there?

Aine swallowed her saliva while imagining that mouth-watering scene. At the same
time, her feet hit the ground. She rushed toward Lee Sungmin at an abnormal pace.

[Her eyes look like she is looking at prey.]

Heoju muttered with a joyful voice. Lee Sungmin could also feel Aine’s predatory gaze
on him.

Baang!

Aine kicked the ground and jumped up. A pile of snow beneath her feet soared as if it
had exploded. Amidst the scattering snow, Aine swished her long blade-like nails
down toward Lee Sungmin.

Lee Sungmin did not hesitate to step aside. He seemed to approach the attack head-
on, but he swiftly dashed to the side, leaving afterimages in his wake. Lee Sungmin
used the Two-step Calamitous End and ran to one side of Aine. Aine, floating in the air,
spread out her wings and quickly changed her stance in midair. She used her tentacle
to pierce through the afterimage left behind while the other tentacle came up on her
side to attack Lee Sungmin.

Lee Sungmin drew a circle with his spear, ripping apart all the tentacles that touched
the vacuum that it formed. But Aine’s hands were still intact. She stretched out her
sharp nails and tried to pierce through Lee Sungmin’s chest. Lee Sungmin sped back
through the snowfield and recovered the spear that he had thrown.

‘Her reaction is fast.’

He activated his Defense Aura. The Orichalcum-coated armor amplified both the
Defense Aura and the spear force of the spear held by Lee Sungmin. An intense aura
covered the entire spear, making it look as if it were surrounded by flames.

Before long, it slowly faded away and condensed.

“I know what that is.”

Aine murmured as she looked at the inner force used by Lee Sungmin as her body also
began to radiate a fierce light.

“I know how to do it too.”

Aine said with a bright smile.

He wasn’t surprised at Aine using Defense Aura. Lee Sungmin did not know what
exactly the black heart was capable of, but he knew that Aine was using the moves
from the Hundred Step Manual. At the same time, he remembered Xeon, whom she
killed and pulled out his heart.

Aine had been difficult to fight at that time, but now it was even harder. Aine was a
strong opponent five years ago but was still immature in many ways. There was a
strong feeling of her being unfamiliar with fighting.

But not now. Aine’s attacks and body movements were seamless and seemed
impossible to do with a human body. The tentacles and blades protruding from her
body could twist at angles that limbs could not replicate. It was truly monstrous.

They clashed again. Their inner forces collided with each other and scattered away.
Aine launched another attack without stepping back. Dozens of tentacles bursting out
from behind her back hit Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin rotated the spear in his hands,
and Nine Dragons Spirit burst forth. The spear made of Orichalcum was far more
powerful and fierce than ever before, and it struck Aine with Nine Dragons.

Aine’s hands wriggled. She increased the size of her hand to inhuman proportions and
attacked with her inner force.

Kkwaaang!

The Nine Dragons exploded in Aine’s hand. Her right arm was torn apart and flung
away, but Aine didn’t even scream. She stabbed forth using her left arm instead of her
right arm. The stabbing hand took the form of a large awl. Lee Sungmin recovered the
spear he had shot at her and immediately threw it at her. Lee Sungmin’s spear attack
and Aine’s fist collided.

Ppadeudeudeuk!

Their respective inner forces collided with one another. Lee Sungmin moved forward,
overcoming the immense pressure with his whole body.

One step, two steps. The Two-step Calamitous End unfolded itself with an explosion
of inner force aura over his entire body, creating a storm. He tried to use his inner force
aura to crush Aine’s whole body.

There, Aine’s simple and efficient movement took shape. She had learned and
perfected his footwork completely.

Pavavak!

Aine’s body left behind dozens of afterimages and escaped Lee Sungmin’s Two-step
Calamitous End before the scattered afterimages united again. She burst out in joyous
laughter.

Aine’s tentacles came forth like dozens of knives and spears. The wide variety of
blades were also as sharp as they looked. Lee Sungmin transferred inner force into his
palms and performed the Nine Dragons Spirit technique once again. His Dantian
overflowed with inner force, and the spear made of Orichalcum made it possible to
amplify that force even more.

The biggest difference between Lee Sungmin and Aine was their bodies. Even though
Aine’s body was destroyed, she could repeatedly regenerate it without any difficulty –
but Lee Sungmin couldn’t do that. Even if Aine’s arm was ripped off, it would
regenerate again, but once his arm was ripped off, that would truly be his end.

That’s why there was a difference in their boldness. Lee Sungmin moved in such a way
that serious injuries could be avoided, but Aine did not have any such considerations.
She did not hold back in anticipation of fatal injuries. Aine jumped into the Nine
Dragons Spirit attack without any hesitation.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!

The Nine Dragons Spirits swept through the snowfield and swallowed up Aine’s body.

All she had to do was protect her heart.

Aine had learned a lot during the five years. She couldn’t use magic, but she had learnt
a lot of martial arts. In fact, her growth was not the kind meant for learning, rather it
was for predation. Besides that growth, Aine had learned other things too.
She had also learned pain. She learned how to use her body effectively.

Aine’s body was maintained by her heart. Even if her limbs were ripped off, or her
head was crushed. All of it could be regenerated as long as her heart was fine.

The Nine Dragons tore off Aine’s limbs. Aine’s limbless body shook in the air and
spread its wings behind it. The limbs that were severed were regenerated in an
instant. The same was true for her head that was blown away by half. Aine smiled,
revealing her teeth, and immediately jumped toward Lee Sungmin.

At that moment,

“Hahahaha!”

A huge storm of power burst forth following the loud sound of laughter. It was enough
power for both Lee Sungmin, who was waiting in anticipation for Aine’s attack, and
Aine, who was rushing to strike, to back down. Both of them retreated at the same
time.

Kwaaang!

The snow around him had evaporated. Crazy Heavenly Demon stood up amidst the
white mist of rising water vapor. He was watching from a distance and jumped in
because he couldn’t stand it anymore. He didn’t care. Crazy Heavenly Demon jumped
in without any hesitation or thought, giving in to his excitement and the rising urge to
draw blood that was heating up the blood in his body.

“Where is this place?”

Crazy Heavenly Demon asked, stretching his arms. Aine stared at him without
answering, and Lee Sungmin felt perplexed by Crazy Heavenly Demon’s sudden
appearance.

“You are… ?”

“I asked first!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon roared. It gave the feeling of a great lion’s spirit rising from
him. As the mist dispersed, it shook the ground. The roar was enough to sway both
Aine and Lee Sungmin’s bodies.
“I asked where this is. If you want to hear the answer to your question, answer the
question I asked first!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon roared again. His attitude was quite audacious, but the aura
rising from his body could not be taken lightly.

“North. Travia.”

“As expected!”

He had guessed that it was Travia when he saw the huge city walls that were visible
so far out in the snowfield. Crazy Heavenly Demon nodded with a warm smile as he
heard the answer.

In fact, even though it was so ridiculous, Crazy Heavenly Demon could not be shaken
by that much. He had come all this way to this snowy northern land while he was on a
senseless rampage. However, Crazy Heavenly Demon did not express it.

That was that, and this was this. Originally, he was just going to ask them where this
place was, but he changed his mind. Seeing a fierce battle like this, there was no way
his heart would not move. Crazy Heavenly Demon moved forward without hesitation,
his aura growing stronger by the moment.

“Now, Let’s have some fun!”

Although he yelled such words, Lee Sungmin and Aine could not say anything to it.
The man suddenly popped out and approached them while radiating such an aura, so
he couldn’t figure out what to do. Lee Sungmin glanced at Aine’s side. Even Aine, who
rushed onto the scene without any thoughts, was hesitant to start acting in this
situation.

In fact, the most perplexed person out of them all was Freskan, who was watching the
situation through a familiar in the sky. He thought it would be possible to bring back
the stolen heart with a little more time. But everything got entangled up because of
some man who suddenly jumped out.

“… First of all, who are you?”

“This highly esteemed individual is the Crazy Heavenly Demon, Byuk Wonpae!”
(T/N: He talks in 3rd person. Referring to himself as ‘highly esteemed’. No English equiv.)

Crazy Heavenly Demon announced. Lee Sungmin’s eyes widened at that roar. Crazy
Heavenly Demon Byuk Wonpae. Along with Minor Heavenly Demon and the Bloody
Heavenly Demon, he was one of the three monsters with the title ‘Heavenly Demon’.
He had heard that he’d lost his mind and would go around here and there slaughtering
senselessly. He never thought he would encounter that lunatic here.

‘When you meet Crazy Heavenly Demon, run away.’

He recalled the advice that Namgoong Heewon gave to him in Shaolin a few years ago.
At that time, Namgoong Heewon had added that Crazy Heavenly Demon was well
suited for the title ‘Heavenly Demon’.

Aine was feeling unpleasant. She thought she could have a good time, but this Crazy
Heavenly Demon suddenly popped up out of nowhere and ruined everything.

No. It was fine, even in spite of the interruption.

Aine brought out her aura at full force with a bloodthirsty look in her eyes. A huge
uncontrolled force swallowed up her body. The Crazy Heavenly Demon laughed,
watching her.

“That’s right!”

In response to Crazy Heavenly Demon’s cry, Aine ran forward. Crazy Heavenly Demon
stretched out his arms as if he had been waiting for it. An unparalleled force struck
Aine’s body. Up to that point, Aine was not too vigilant. She was used to destroying her
body to drive her opponent into a corner.

But this was different.

In front of the force rushing forth – Aine realized it too late. She could die. This was
not an attack she could throw herself into. If she threw herself in thoughtlessly, she
would be smashed or killed. Aine hurriedly pulled out her tentacles and shot them
forward. The tentacles that came in contact with Crazy Heavenly Demon’s attack force
turned to dust and scattered. Not only that, but she also spread her wings and twisted
her waist 180 degrees. It was a maneuver that would normally be impossible for
human joints, but it didn’t matter for Aine. Then, without hesitation, she jumped out
of Crazy Heavenly Demon’s range of attack.
Kwaaang!

The size and magnitude of the explosion were beyond imagination. The Crazy Heavenly
Demon’s attack made a large hole in the ground and made their surroundings shake
as if an earthquake had occurred.

[Escape!]

Freskan also saw that Crazy Heavenly Demon’s attack had more power than expected.
He ordered Aine with an urgent voice. Aine hesitated for a moment. Crazy Heavenly
Demon’s attack power was more than what she had imagined, but it wasn’t so much
that she could not hold out. Aine still had a lot of moves she hadn’t used, and if she
pulled out everything she had, she was confident that she could fight even against
Crazy Heavenly Demon.

[No! Runaway now!]

But Freskan’s orders were unwavering. Just like Aine had more hidden moves, it was
also very likely that Crazy Heavenly Demon did too. Moreover, it was not only the Crazy
Heavenly Demon that she had to be vigilant against. In the first place, Aine’s purpose
was not to fight against Crazy Heavenly Demon, but to take back the black heart from
Lee Sungmin. It was true that she was also greedy for Crazy Heavenly Demon’s heart,
but there wasn’t much chance that she could survive against both Lee Sungmin and
Crazy Heavenly Demon.

[Hurry!]

Freskan screamed. Aine bit her lower lip and stepped back. Although she was
unwilling, she wasn’t an idiot. She could clearly see that the current situation was not
looking good for her. Aine spread her wings wide and looked at Lee Sungmin before
jumping into the air.

After a short glance at Aine who jumped into the sky. Crazy Heavenly Demon stopped
throwing his aura toward her direction. He had disregarded age and played with her,
but seeing her jump back and run away like that cooled down much of his excitement.

“Hmm.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon let out a groan feeling sour and turned to look at Lee Sungmin.
It didn’t matter. It was fun to play with that bitch who ran away, but in fact, it was Lee
Sungmin, not Aine, that Crazy Heavenly Demon was really interested in.

It was a strange feeling. It was definitely the first time he had felt it. A feeling like
something deep in his heart was burning up. It was a strange feeling for the Crazy
Heavenly Demon, who had lived for many years. He did not know what this emotion
that he was feeling was, but he didn’t care. He didn’t know when he would go crazy
again. Before that time came, he wanted to enjoy this moment while he was still in his
right mind.

“Will you run away too?”

“I don’t know why you’re fighting.”

“How ignorant!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon replied by yelling at Lee Sungmin’s calm words. The tumultuous
cry reminded Lee Sungmin of Jang Deuksu, whom he had met in the dungeon, but Jang
Deuksu couldn’t compare to even an inch of the power in the Crazy Heavenly Demon’s
voice. Namgoong Heewon had said that the Crazy Heavenly Demon was an expert at
the zenith of transcendence. Indeed, it was as he had said. The Crazy Heavenly
Demon’s aura was so dense that even breathing was difficult in his vicinity, and the
glint in his eyes made every hair on his body rise up.

“One strong person and another strong person meet. One warrior and another warrior
meet. Do we need a reason to fight?!”

Lee Sungmin found his words to be incomprehensible. He tried to say something once
again, but Crazy Heavenly Demon wasn’t listening anymore. Crazy Heavenly Demon
leapt forward. His movements could not be said to be ‘fast’.

It was just heavy.

Kuuuung!

He could cause an earthquake just by stepping on the ground. Lee Sungmin’s body was
shaken since he wasn’t prepared for it, but Crazy Heavenly Demon jumped into the
place where Lee Sungmin stood. Instead of the strong force that Aine faced, Crazy
Heavenly Demon’s hands covered Lee Sungmin’s vision. Lee Sungmin hurriedly
reached for his spear in an attempt to escape his force.
That was exactly what he wanted him to do.

Kuuuung!

The shock waves passed onto Lee Sungmin’s body. It wasn’t a direct hit, but the
aftermath shook his intestines. Considering the weight of the attack, Crazy Heavenly
Demon’s power was greater than that of Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger.

[This… ]

Heoju said, sounding startled. It was the same for Lee Sungmin. Crazy Heavenly
Demon’s aura had infiltrated into his body and shaken his internal organs but failed
to destroy them. Heoju’s powers that were sitting deep in his dantian shook and
responded to it.

[Don’t run away! Capture him!]

Heoju shouted in haste.

[That bastard! You think you can steal my power?!]

Heoju screamed angrily.

Heoju let out a baffled cry. He wasn’t sure how Crazy Heavenly Demon was able to use
his power, but it was true that he could. Lee Sungmin breathed heavily as all of his
muscles strained to maintain the momentum of the attack.

Tuuung!

He pushed the hand holding the spear harder.

“Hmm!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon’s eyebrows shot up. He admired that Lee Sungmin was quite
profound, unlike his outer appearance. Not just that.

‘What is this?’

He felt something unusual whenever they clashed. He had thought it was his Inner
Force Shield at first, but it wasn’t. Although Crazy Heavenly Demon had encountered
various types of martial arts, none of the warriors who fought with him had such
strange and impressive martial arts.

“Feels so refreshing!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon didn’t hesitate but rather burst into laughter and strengthened
his defense aura. Lee Sungmin was startled and forced to step back at its intensity as
it flared up.

“Come on!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon roared. He ran forward first with a loud battle cry. A strong
Defense Aura permeating his body while moving at a terrifying speed turned the Crazy
Heavenly Demon into a vivid painting of violence. Lee Sungmin unhesitatingly
immediately performed Lightning Annihilation, the Nine Heavenly Spear’s techniques’
fifth move.
The attack pierced through Crazy Heavenly Demon’s chest. No, it only seemed to go
through. Crazy Heavenly Demon burst out into a big smile and extended his right hand
up to his chest.

Kwaaaang!

They clashed with a ringing echo. Lee Sungmin realized somewhat belatedly that the
Crazy Heavenly Demon was a true Transcendent warrior. He had the confidence to
beat Aine by a considerable margin during their fight, but he had no confidence in
coming out victorious over the Crazy Heavenly Demon.

When he encountered Juwon in that snowy field, When he met Geniella in Travia, And
when he met Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger in the dungeon. The tension he felt when
standing in front of the enemy and the foreboding feeling of death sharpened Lee
Sungmin’s senses.

[That bastard!]

Heoju shouted inside Lee Sungmin’s mind.

[Some dog bastard that rolled out of nowhere dares to touch my powers!]

(T/N: the original line is a proverb that’s something along the lines of being a dog that
only knows to play with bones aka unreasonable or nonsense)

Heoju was truly angered. The enormous power he had had before being subdued and
sealed with his body destroyed. Heoju had thought that his powers were extinguished
along with his body, but the power used by Crazy Heavenly Demon was exactly the
same as the powers that he had back then. There was no way that Heoju himself
couldn’t recognize his own powers.

[Don’t kill him! We have to catch him and question him!]

‘Shut up! Don’t say such irresponsible things!’

Lee Sungmin clenched his teeth and shouted in his mind. Don’t kill? It was a difficult
fight to begin with, and the Crazy Heavenly Demon’s dense Defense Aura was
threatening enough to kill Lee Sungmin already. There was no way he could kill him.

Lee Sungmin ignored Heoju’s cries and shot out his spear. Spearheads were delivered
by the dozen, making a dizzying scene and piercing the air toward the Crazy Heavenly
Demon.

“What a good trick!”

(T/N: 雜技 aka jabgi are miscellaneous types of martial arts. Usually used for small-time
trickery)

Crazy Heavenly Demon hollered. He belittled Lee Sungmin’s brilliant Nine Heavenly
Spears technique as a mere simple trick and smashed the spear intent in a blast. Lee
Sungmin stepped back quickly, then jumped out again. He performed a fusion of Two-
step Calamitous and Shadowless. Lee Sungmin charged forward to stab at Crazy
Heavenly Demon’s side, leaving an afterimage behind him as dozens of afterimages
inundated Crazy Heavenly Demon’s field of view.

“What a performance!”

The Crazy Heavenly Demon commented carelessly as he looked at Lee Sungmin’s

martial arts. He was extremely pleased. How long had it been since he had been able
to fight while conscious since qi deviating? How nice it was to fight with his own will
without losing his reason. Crazy Heavenly Demon lifted his arms with a crazed laugh.

‘Danger!’

Lee Sungmin, who was about to stab Crazy Heavenly Demon, sensed danger. His
judgment was correct. An intensely red Defense Aura exploded around Crazy
Heavenly Demon. It was only an aura that was protecting him, but it created a strong
storm that could wipe out anyone nearby.

“You have good insight!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon chuckled and stretched his right hand towards Lee Sungmin.
Lee Sungmin twisted the spear in his hands fiercely.

Ppaaaang!

The spearhead shot out, tearing through the air, and pushed the Crazy Heavenly
Demon’s right hand back.

Lee Sungmin twisted his waist to pull back the spear that he had thrown out. A blunt
spearhead aimed at Crazy Heavenly Demon’s face.

Crazy Heavenly Demon evaded with a backflip and landed on the ground with both
hands, before turning and kicking at Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin stepped back in alarm,
avoiding Crazy Heavenly Demon’s kick. He thought he was only good at playing
around, but he would not have had the title Heavenly Demon if he wasn’t so strong.

‘Are all the Heavenly Demons such monsters?!’

The Minor Heavenly Demon Wijihoyeon, and the Crazy Heavenly Demon Byuk
Wonpae. He hadn’t met the Bloody Heavenly Demon yet, but the other two were so
strong that he couldn’t imagine how strong the Bloody Heavenly Demon would be.

[What are you doing! Use my powers!]

‘Shut up!’

Lee Sungmin snapped in response to Heoju’s cry. His powers were unusual. The recoil
during use was also large, so he didn’t want to use it. Lee Sungmin parried Crazy
Heavenly Demon’s twin heads with the Ran and Na techniques. It wasn’t a direct hit,
but his hands still shook. Lee Sungmin invested more of his inner force into the fight.
Thanks to the Greater and Lesser Restoration pills and the Jewel Mana pill from the
dungeon, the amount of inner force that Lee Sungmin could use was sufficient even
for a fight against the Crazy Heavenly Demon.

‘Wow, just look at this guy!’

Was it a confrontation of inner force? Crazy Heavenly Demon took the lead with a
Seven Star attack and watched Lee Sungmin’s response. He performed Nine Dragon
Spirit. Crazy Heavenly Demon pushed both arms forward, feeling a sense of resistance.
He poured in more inner force without hesitation.

Kkwaaang!

A huge explosion occurred between the two. Lee Sungmin stepped back from the
impact of the explosion, while the Crazy Heavenly Demon raised his arms to guard
against it.

“Are you that Minor Heavenly Demon?”

Crazy Heavenly Demon spat out.

“Are you that famous Minor Heavenly Demon? This is a fun fight, but I don’t understand.
You don’t look very old, but you have this level of strength and martial arts… Or are
you a halfling?”

“I am not the Minor Heavenly Demon. I’m not a Halfling either.”

It was only then that Crazy Heavenly Demon spoke to him. To be honest, Lee Sungmin
no longer wanted to fight Crazy Heavenly Demon. Unlike Lee Sungmin, who was
running out of inner force, Crazy Heavenly Demon seemed to be attacking carefreely.
He would have to take advantage of Heoju’s powers to continue fighting, but Lee
Sungmin didn’t want to.

“I don’t want to fight anymore. I don’t even see a reason to fight. So at this poin-”

“Ridiculous!”

The Crazy Heavenly Demon screamed to interrupt Lee Sungmin as if he didn’t want to
hear anymore. Shouting wasn’t the only thing he did. The Crazy Heavenly Demon
stomped heavily down on the ground, crumbling the space he was standing to dust.
He took a step forward and cracked the ground, causing splinters to shoot up out of it
before using both hands to hit the air. The floating debris gathered into a fierce storm
and shot like a shell towards Lee Sungmin.

You could use strength like this too? Lee Sungmin could not help but admire the
ferocity of the Crazy Heavenly Demon’s technique. But the problem was that it was
also tricky to deal with.

How should he respond?

It was a pleasant and frightening worry. Heoju shouted inside his head, but Lee
Sungmin had stopped listening already. He also stopped trying to convince Crazy
Heavenly Demon. The martial arts he had practiced for 2100 years in his subconscious
realm, that hell-like bullshit. Just like a machine, he would perform, correct, and suffer.

Why did he keep going? He could’ve stopped at any time. Still, the reason he was
holding on remained. He didn’t want to give up. He didn’t want to remain weak.

He liked martial arts.

The tip of the spear accelerated ahead like a bullet and shot down the debris. Lee
Sungmin stepped forward, jumping toward the Crazy Heavenly Demon in a way that
would have dizzied any casual observer. The Crazy Heavenly Demon was delighted to
see Lee Sungmin flying at him and greeted Lee Sungmin with his arms wide open as if
embracing him.

He was out of breath. He would meet certain death if he made the slightest mistake
while attacking. Shooting, defending, pushing, moving away, digging. Crazy Heavenly
Demon was busy moving both hands and getting attacked by Lee Sungmin. Lee
Sungmin’s spear aimed for a gap in Crazy Heavenly Demon’s movements by turning in
straight lines and curves freely, but Crazy Heavenly Demon’s Defense Aura, fast feet,
and large hands blocked Lee Sungmin at every turn.

‘Where are you looking?’

Crazy Heavenly Demon looked into Lee Sungmin’s eyes. They were fighting in reality.
However, Lee Sungmin’s eyes seemed to be looking beyond Crazy Heavenly Demon.
Crazy Heavenly Demon even enjoyed that.

‘Are your eyes watching something far away even in a moment that could decide life and
death? Haha! What a great opponent!’

Lee Sungmin himself wasn’t entirely sure. Was it Wijihoyeon that he was looking
toward? Or was it more than that? Perhaps it was the vampire queen, Geniella, or
Freskan. In fact, it could’ve been any of them. Lee Sungmin wanted to go beyond them
all.

Heoju was silent. In fact, if he ate his heart, Heoju could add power to Lee Sungmin.
Lee Sungmin’s body was running out of inner force, just like the fight against
Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger in the dungeon. Heoju was more than willing to swallow
it up, but Lee Sungmin would never let that happen.

Heoju remained silent. His inner force was diminishing, which was only advantageous
for Crazy Heavenly Demon. Lee Sungmin was doing his best, but Crazy Heavenly
Demon was still relaxed. The Crazy Heavenly Demon Byuk Wonpae had reigned in Eria
for thousands of years. Before the Minor Heavenly Demon came to Eria, and even
before the Bloody Heavenly Demon came to Eria. The Crazy Heavenly Demon had lived
in Eria for thousands of years, and had been the only individual in Eria worthy of the
Heavenly Demon title before the other two appeared.
‘He’s strong. I don’t know by how much, but he’s definitely stronger than that bitch’s
doppelganger.’

Lee Sungmin had had a hard time facing Wijihoyeon’s doppelganger just six months
ago. He would have died in that dungeon if not for Heoju’s help. But what about now?
Lee Sungmin, as of ‘now’, could face the Crazy Heavenly Demon, who was stronger
than Wijihoyeon’s Doppelganger, even if he wasn’t fighting seriously.

‘My growth rate is tremendous. No, this isn’t my growth rate. It’s what I’ve already
experienced. I’m just quickly travelling over a familiar path.’

It was amazing. Heoju had heard all of it from Lee Sungmin. He knew that Lee Sungmin
had undertaken Denir’s trial for 2100 years. Honestly, when he heard the story, Heoju
could not help but laugh. Even after a period of 2100 years, he was only at that level!
If he was a genius with true talent, it would only have taken 100 years for Lee Sungmin
to reach the level that he had reached in 2100 years. No, just 50 years would be
enough.

Even so, those 2100 years weren’t meaningless. Even if it were in his subconscious,
the time of 2100 years was not shallow. His tenacity that came from who knows where
was astounding.

Was it enlightenment back then? Is this enlightenment too? No. Rather, his
consciousness was clear. He was sure. He was aware of what he was doing. But it was
more uncomfortable than usual. To make a comparison… After a single step, he felt
like he could see how he was moving.

(T/N: 無我 Buddhist concept of ‘no-self’. It’s not quite selflessness. Closer to a sort of
divine enlightenment)

‘Not quite like that.’

Lee Sungmin pointed out to himself. The moments between attack and defense split
into fragments that he could observe. He could control all of his movements, including
attack, defense, and evasion, on both conscious and unconscious levels.

His mind seemed to burn. Maybe it was actually happening.

‘Don’t defend there. A little further back… ’

His body was moving while a part of his mind was stepping back and looking at it. His
mind interrupted with more advice. However, it was too late for that. His body was
already defending.

It was frustrating. He could do better. More naturally. No, no, no. Lee Sungmin continued
to rebuke himself. Soon, his lips opened, and he unconsciously started murmuring the
word ‘no’ repeatedly.

‘What does he mean, ‘no’?’

A question rose to the Crazy Heavenly Demon’s lips. But he didn’t ask it. He felt like he
couldn’t, even with an Eight Star move.

‘What an amazing guy. Progressing even in the middle of a fight with me… No. Could this
even be called progress?’

He had seen a lot of people who had achieved sudden enlightenment at the end of their
lives. But a single, sudden enlightenment wouldn’t make him stand out. Enlightenment
was a vague and fleeting thing. Unless you could cut through your opponent using the
momentary enlightenment, it would break through the harmony of your mind, body,
and spirit. If that happened, then what? You would face imminent death. It was a
double-edged sword of an opportunity that came during a life-and-death moment.

But what about him?

‘This… I don’t get it. You’re just getting stronger. How on earth?’

Crazy Heavenly Demon didn’t know of the time that Lee Sungmin had spent in his
subconscious or the level that Lee Sungmin reached there. His body was still too weak
to reach the level he had achieved there. He couldn’t have known of the painstaking
practice Lee Sungmin had gone through in his subconscious with such a distorted
mind, body, and heart.

‘This won’t do. A little more power.’

If he had had more inner force in the beginning, he would not be in this situation. Crazy
Heavenly Demon boosted his attack power. If you were an expert like Crazy Heavenly
Demon, it would not be a problem to burn more inner force to attack or defend. It
would not create a ‘gap’.
However, Lee Sungmin found the Crazy Heavenly Demon’s ‘gap’.

‘There!’

The cry from his mind caused his body to move. Lee Sungmin’s feet stretched forward.
It immediately led him to perform Shadowless’ Two-step Calamitous End. Aura flared
up and threatened the Crazy Heavenly Demon. Though surprised, the Crazy Heavenly
Demon responded appropriately to the strange movements. His hand casually took
over the flow of the attack. He spread it gently, aiming to scatter it.

The spear rotated in Lee Sungmin’s hands and cut out a path. Nine Heavenly Spears
techniques’ sixth move, Void Rendering. The strength that Crazy Heavenly Demon
exerted was swept away by the rotation of the void. Lee Sungmin’s spear shot forward
in a straight line.

“Heuk!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon sounded astonished. He couldn’t play around anymore. Crazy
Heavenly Demon placed his hands in front of his chest at the point where the attack
had pierced through. A huge tornado centered around Crazy Heavenly Demon as he
pulled out his inner force from his Dantian.

It was a super move (奧義) from the Blood Ring of the Heavenly Demon (血環神魔攻
): Blood Gale Nova(血環狂風). They were the techniques that gave the Crazy Heavenly
Demon his title.
Several strong storms fused together with each other to form a ring. The size of the
storm increased to make a huge entity. Dozens of rings rotating violently swept across.
Crazy Heavenly Demon stood in the eye of the bloody storm with both hands raised
and a grave expression.

‘I didn’t intend to kill you… ‘

He just wanted to have some fun fighting. Although the moves that the two of them
exchanged were too intense to be called a mere duel, the reason Crazy Heavenly
Demon had lasted this long without killing him was that it had been a long time since
he had enjoyed a fight in his right mind.

But not now. It was already late. Crazy Heavenly Demon performed the Blood Gale
Nova of the Heavenly Demon Blood Rings, and this fatal storm would tear Lee Sungmin
into thousands of pieces of flesh. So far, that had always been the result of him using
the move.

‘It’s a shame. Such martial arts… it’s a waste to just kill him like this. After 10 more
years, he might even be stronger than me now… ‘

Crazy Heavenly Demon said with a sigh. He felt a keen murderous intent from the
storm. It wasn’t an illusion. Pu-hwak! A straight spear shot at him through the gale.
Void Rendering – The sixth move of the Nine Heavenly Spears technique broke
through the bloody storms.

‘Ridiculous!’

Crazy Heavenly Demon moved his hands with astonishment. The flow of gusts was
incredibly strong and filled the space that was pierced through. However, the straight
path cleared by Lee Sungmin’s Void Rendering move was not immediately filled. Nine
Dragons Spirit swooped in through the cleared path. In the end, the nine dragons
failed to penetrate the blood ring.
Before the gap was filled. Crazy Heavenly Demon saw Lee Sungmin. He stretched out
his spear amidst the crazy winds. Gasping with cold, sunken eyes. His eyes that had
been roaming somewhere beyond were suddenly facing Crazy Heavenly Demon.

“… haha!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon laughed, and the blood ring exploded. The scattered red storm
became fog and spread everywhere. Crazy Heavenly Demon raised his head to look up
at the reddish sky and then looked down.

Not far away, Lee Sungmin fell down. His limbs remained intact despite the fact that
he had suffered from the blood ring explosion. No matter how much armor he wore,
his internal organs must have burst in the midst of such an intense storm. Of course,
Crazy Heavenly Demon thought that would be the case.

“Looks like I killed the poor guy.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon muttered as he approached Lee Sungmin. Although he fought

Lee Sungmin out of self-interest, he felt a little regretful killing him. There was no such
thing as a way to bring the dead back to life. However, he wanted to preserve the body.

Crazy Heavenly Demon was a few steps closer. Lee Sungmin’s body shook greatly. Was
he still alive? Crazy Heavenly Demon’s eyes trembled. Lee Sungmin’s body shook even
more. And suddenly, Lee Sungmin woke up.

“What the… ”

Even though he was hit by the blood ring blast earlier, there was no wound? Crazy
Heavenly Demon’s mouth opened wide. However, it wasn’t long before he realized that
the strange “atmosphere” that he had felt earlier suddenly deepened.

Lee Sungmin opened his mouth. Ah, ah. He made such a noise and turned his body.
Crazy Heavenly Demon met Lee Sungmin’s gaze with wide-open eyes. Different… It
was so different that he couldn’t believe it was the same person he had fought just a
moment ago. Do those eyes burning with red flames belong to such a human?

“… Ugh… ”

His heart was trembling. Crazy Heavenly Demon staggered and stepped back, feeling
dizzy. His heart was thumping, and his hair was standing on end. Crazy Heavenly
Demon was surprised because he did not know what to make of the emotions he was
feeling.

“You impudent son of a bitch… ”

Lee Sungmin spat through gritted teeth. The voice belonged to Lee Sungmin, but the
words did not. On behalf of Lee Sungmin, who had lost consciousness, Heoju had taken
over his body. As evidence of this, the armor that Lee Sungmin was wearing seemed
to give off a strange purple aura.

“There are many things I want to ask you.”

Heoju snapped. Crazy Heavenly Demon stared at Heoju, who had taken over Lee
Sungmin’s body with cold sweat running down his back. Heoju did not explain, but he
instinctively knew. This was a completely different person than before. Heoju stared
back at Crazy Heavenly Demon, who was staring at him. He glanced at the spear in his
right hand and put it down without hesitation. It wasn’t a weapon he used in the first
place.

A powerful aura exploded from Heoju’s body. The aura that burst forth in full force
was much more sinister than Defense Aura that belonged to Lee Sungmin, and it was
incomparably violent. Crazy Heavenly Demon’s expression was distorted. He did not
know what the hell was going on, but he was furious because of the strange feeling
that he felt.

“You!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon screamed and ran forward. Heoju stood up with bare hands
and slowly raised his right hand. Kuoooh! A tremendous amount of power wrapped
around Heoju’s right hand. Lee Sungmin’s body would not have been able to handle
such a force before, but not now. As Heoju took over Lee Sungmin’s body, he could use
his powers as he willed without any problems.

Crazy Heavenly Demon roared and charged ahead. Red blood storms were created
behind him as he moved forward. Heoju laughed seeing the storm of strong wind and
shook his right hand. It seemed to have been a thoughtless action, but the force around
his hand burst out and suppressed all the storms of the Blood Gale Nova.

“Heuk!”
Crazy Heavenly Demon roared at the sight in front of his eyes. Even so, he did not
retreat. He opened his eyes wide and prepared another series of moves in rapid
succession. The martial arts he chose was the Heavenly Demon Blood Ring, which
defeated Lee Sungmin before. The red aura soared higher and higher, creating several
bloody rings. Soon it took the form of a huge whirlpool.

Heoju stepped forward towards the threatening blood ring blast. The aura covering
his body soared upward like smoke and expanded greatly. He clenched his right fist
and struck forward once. The blood rings were smashed. Heoju ran forward toward
Crazy Heavenly Demon, who was standing with his mouth open. In a flash, he jumped
in front of Crazy Heavenly Demon, and grabbed him by the ear and flung him.
ㅡKkwaaang! Soon after, Crazy Heavenly Demon’s body plunged to the ground.

“Where did you get it from?”

“Keo-huh-euk!”

Heoju yelled at Crazy Heavenly Demon, whose body was lying on the ground. Crazy
Heavenly Demon struggled to escape his grasp, but Heoju did not let go of him.

“I said. My powers. Where did you get it?”

“what… are you say-”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know!”

Heoju screamed. At the same time, a force slithered out from Heoju’s hands, which
were grabbing Crazy Heavenly Demon, and was sucked into Crazy Heavenly Demon’s
body. Then Crazy Heavenly Demon’s mouth widened. The power that had entered his
body was something that could never be obtained by ordinary humans. The human
body was very different from that of yokai, and a yokai’s powers were the same as
blood to a human. Just like one couldn’t inject other kinds of blood in their body,
yokai’s powers were also the same.

But that wasn’t the case for Crazy Heavenly Demon. Despite feeling the pain of his
body being torn apart, he did not die. He opened his mouth and screamed silently.
Heoju grabbed his struggling body and pushed his powers in. Then something deep in
Crazy Heavenly Demon’s dantian responded.

“kkeueueu… !”
Crazy Heavenly Demon’s eyes turned over. His eyes were bathed in red light. The
essence of the power deep in Dantian was awakened by Heoju. Crazy Heavenly
Demon’s qi deviation and madness were side effects caused by the power at the
bottom of his Dantian. The reason why Crazy Heavenly Demon ran to this far North of
Travia without rest in a fit of madness was because of Heoju’s presence in that place.

“Was he the ‘neither human nor monster’ you were supposed to meet?”

Heoju said with a puzzled expression. Crazy Heavenly Demon would always start
slaughtering everything in his vicinity when he lost consciousness, but it was not like
that now. He was staring at Heoju, who had taken over Lee Sungmin’s body, even
though he had entered another fit of madness. Heoju laughed as he looked into Crazy
Heavenly Demon’s eyes.

“What the hell just happened… ”

Heoju’s laughter suddenly stopped. His hands rose up and clutched his neck with stiff
hands. Those hands belonged to Lee Sungmin. Heoju frowned at the hands tightening
around his neck.

‘You crazy bastard… !’

It was Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin, who had lost his consciousness, woke up and was
trying to regain control over his body that Heoju had taken over. Heoju was taken
aback. Lee Sungmin’s mental power was much stronger than other human beings.

He already knew it, but even if that was the case, he didn’t expect him to regain control
once he had taken over.

“No, this elder was not trying to take your body. I couldn’t help it since the situation
was like that… ”

Heoju explained himself quickly, but Lee Sungmin did not listen to him. The hand
gripping his neck tightened, applying more strength now. In the end, despite it being
his own body, Lee Sungmin did not hold back his strength, not caring that it might
break.

It almost did.

“alright. Alright!”
Heoju eventually said that and retreated from Lee Sungmin’s body. The power
possessing Lee Sungmin’s body was sucked into the armor, and his burning red eyes
regained its usual color.

“Huuk!”

Lee Sungmin lowered the hand grabbing his neck and took in several rough breaths.
He felt like all of his senses had been cut off, and his whole body was throbbing. His
throat felt like it had something lodged in it, and he was having trouble breathing. Lee
Sungmin flopped down on the spot while breathing hard, feeling a distressing headache
coming.

[Bastard… You can’t even recognize the one who saved your life!]

“I know.”

Lee Sungmin stroked his stuffy neck and snapped. He knew that Heoju had helped him
again. When he was caught up in the blood ring blast, it was by his own ability that he
was able to grab onto the microscopic gap, but Heoju took out his strength and
protected Lee Sungmin’s body when the bloody storm exploded afterwards. That’s
why he barely stopped short of losing his mind. If he had taken the storm head-on, he
would have been ripped to pieces already.

“That’s that… and this is this.”

Lee Sungmin replied as he sat down on the floor. Although he managed to save his life
because of Heoju’s help, it was unforgivable for Heoju to possess his body without
permission. just… Lee Sungmin looked at his hands with a bitter feeling.

Lee Sungmin came to his senses when Heoju smashed the blood ring with one gesture.
It was his own body that did it… Even with the same body, Heoju’s technique was so
high that Lee Sungmin could never imitate it. That intense and sinister demonic aura.
A technique that forcibly broke through their connection by pushing in his force into
him in the instant the blood ring attack occurred. Heoju could sense Lee Sungmin’s
feelings.

[If you become a Yokai, you can do it.]

Lee Sungmin ignored those words. He sighed and glanced at Crazy Heavenly Demon.
Crazy Heavenly Demon, who was caught in the explosive demonic aura attack, was
lying on the ground, without making any fuss.

“… What the hell is it?”

[I don’t know this old man. But those were definitely my powers. Deep in his dantian…
I sensed the essence of my powers. I thought that my powers were lost when I was
sealed 400 years ago, but I guess they aren’t.]

Heoju remained silent for a while after saying that.

[From this elder’s perspective, that son of a bitch seems to be the ‘neither human nor
monster’ you were supposed to meet in the north. He is a human being, yet has such
powers in his possession. As a side effect, he loses his mind frequently… Even so, it’s
great to be able to handle such powers while still being human.]

Lee Sungmin silently listened to Heoju’s words without saying anything. Heoju
continued to talk to him.

[I don’t know how that son of a bitch is still human despite dealing with such powers.
But if you learn his method, I guarantee that you will be able to use it much better than
him. You will be able to use my powers without becoming a Yokai, and unlike that
rascal, who only has part of my powers, this elder is directly connected to you.]

“… Ugh… ”

At the end of Heoju’s words, Crazy Heavenly Demon let out a low moan.

[First, listen to what he has to say.]

Crazy Heavenly Demon opened his eyes.

Crazy Heavenly Demon opened his eyes and said nothing for a moment. He looked up
at the sky, realizing that he had lost his mind and entered another fit of madness. He
did not know how much time had passed since then. It was not until he met Lee
Sungmin’s eyes that Crazy Heavenly Demon fully came to his senses.

“Heoah!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon made a frightening sound and stood up. He staggered as he
retreated, and looked at Lee Sungmin with a vigilant attitude. The memory just before
he had lost his mind was clear. He remembered, of course. Even though he had lost it
for a moment, it wasn’t for long. Crazy Heavenly Demon remembered Lee Sungmin,
who had crushed his Blood Gale Nova with one gesture, and the glint in his eyes as he
strangled him.

“… No, it’s different… ”

Lee Sungmin at that time, and Lee Sungmin now were not the same. Crazy Heavenly
Demon noticed it as he looked at Lee Sungmin’s pupils and flowing aura. However, that
did not make him lower his guard. There was no knowing when that unknown
monster with such fearful energy would overtake him again.

“You… What the hell are you? Just what kind of being… ”

Crazy Heavenly Demon asked while stammering. Lee Sungmin turned away without
answering. He picked up the spear that Heoju put down and walked up to Crazy
Heavenly Demon.

“Have you calmed down?”

“Uhm… ”

Crazy Heavenly Demon was confused, but he did not attack Lee Sungmin like before.
It was a strange feeling. He did not want to be hostile to Lee Sungmin from deep inside.
It was an unconscious impulse, but it certainly affected him.

[He has my powers in his Dantian. That bastard is under my influence. So he won’t be
able to attack you since you are directly connected to me.]

“… What have you done to me?”

Crazy Heavenly Demon asked just as Heoju said that. Lee Sungmin briefly pondered
over how to respond to it.

[Is there a need to explain? Threaten him till he answers whatever you ask. He will
probably listen. If he doesn’t listen, you can beat him up a little.]

‘First of all, I need to have the ability to beat him up.’

[You don’t understand. In simple terms, the relationship between that rascal and you
is similar to that of a blood bridge. Just like how the one at the bottom of the clan can’t
go against their mother, the lord, he also can’t go against you. That doesn’t mean this
is a one-sided relationship’s obedience that comes with that sort of vertical
relationship. But… he won’t kill you just because you beat him up. If he tries to do that,
then the powers in his dantian will go crazy.]

‘Is it really that easy?’

Lee Sungmin asked Heoju in his mind and then looked into the eyes of Crazy Heavenly
Demon as he said.

“It doesn’t matter what I did to you.”

“It doesn’t matter, you say.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon murmured.

“So… Crazy Heavenly Demon elder. There are a few things I want to ask. Can you
answer me?”

“… Yes… ”

Normally he wouldn’t have bothered to listen, but Crazy Heavenly Demon tilted his
head with a yawn. Unknown emotions continued to urge him. Eventually, he sat down
and nodded.

“What are you curious about?”

“I heard that there is an essence of a power in your dantian. Do you know what it is?”

“… Is there something in my Dantian?”

Crazy Heavenly Demon’s forehead crinkled as he frowned. He sat cross-legged and

looked into his inner sense. Although Lee Sungmin was right in front of him, there was
no hesitation in Crazy Heavenly Demon’s actions. Crazy Heavenly Demon, who had his
eyes closed for a while, opened his eyes again.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. There is only inner force in my Dantian.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon answered in a steady voice.

[How interesting.]

Heoju snickered and muttered, hearing Crazy Heavenly Demon’s reply.

[The rascal doesn’t know that he has my powers in his own dantian, or that he is using
those powers. Yet he remains a human being. It’s my first time seeing such a thing…
Hmm.]

‘What is it?’

[There is something to point out.]

Having said that, Heoju remained silent for a while. He seemed to be organizing his
thoughts. While Lee Sungmin was silent, Crazy Heavenly Demon continued to stare at
him. However, Crazy Heavenly Demon himself did not understand why he was looking
at Lee Sungmin.

‘Why do I keep looking at a child like that?’

Crazy Heavenly Demon was a man of unmatched madness. It was rarely the case after
he got the nickname Crazy Heavenly Demon, but before that, he had never come across
anyone stronger. In the days when Crazy Heavenly Demon was weak, there were times
when he encountered a person stronger than himself. Yet he had never lowered his
gaze and noticed them.

But not now. Strangely, he continued to notice him. It did not even feel unpleasant.
Crazy Heavenly Demon couldn’t understand this complicated situation, and Heoju,
who was silent, suddenly opened his mouth.

[Ask him about the South.]

‘What?’

[Ask him if he has ever been to the South. And whether anything happened there.]

Lee Sungmin passed over those words to Crazy Heavenly Demon. Crazy Heavenly
Demon was surprised and nodded his head with wide eyes.

“South… It was an impressive place.”

“What have you experienced in the South?”

“… Euhm.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon made a sound of unwillingness. He honestly didn’t want to

answer, but he strongly felt like he should answer. Eventually, he opened his mouth
hesitantly.

It was 10 years ago. He had encountered a huge wall while practicing martial arts.
There were many times when he had encountered a wall while practicing martial arts,
and Crazy Heavenly Demon had always broken through it with his own efforts. But in
this case, it didn’t work out. After repeated training and frustration, he set out on a
journey to regain his focus.

“As I wandered aimlessly, I reached the southern land. Hot sun, dense jungle, desert…
I saw a lot of things. In the meantime, I got acquainted with a certain tribe in the jungle.
They were strange. None of the tribal warriors seemed easy. The conservative factions’
proud disciples could not hold a candle to their young warriors, and the older ones
were comparable to the conservative factions’ most renowned elders.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon frowned as he said so.

“I became interested in their tribe because their fighters, despite their great skills, had
not mastered the right martial arts. It was such a waste that I ended up teaching some
of my martial arts to those tribal warriors. And in return, they gave me the spirit of
the tribe and a breathing technique.”

[That’s it!]

Heoju roared.

[The south is where my name was most revered. Some of the tribes in the south used
to worship this elder, so they must have had a way to handle my powers.]

Heoju’s voice was full of excitement.

“What was that breathing technique?”

“At first, I thought it was a kind of introspective method, but it wasn’t. I couldn’t build
my inner force. But it helped me to make my mind comfortable, so I found it very
helpful. Through the breathing technique, I absorbed the elixir of their tribe and made
great progress in my martial arts. And I succeeded in breaking through that wall.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon said with a long sigh.

“I thought that if I crossed the wall, I would be able to reach transcendence…

Transcendence was much farther than I thought. Even though I was close, I hadn’t
reached the Transcendence yet. As I drifted away from the south, I continued to
perform martial arts… Too much ambition got me into such a situation.”

[Stupid bastard.]

Heoju cursed as he listened to Crazy Heavenly Demon.

[Breathing Technique or not, a Yokai’s powers are not something that humans can
easily control. The qi deviation he suffered is the result of him using powers that he
should not be able to use normally. It’s amazing that he is only suffering from madness.
Normally, they would explode or turn into a complete Yokai.]

Heoju muttered to Lee Sungmin.

[Learn that breathing technique. If you master it, you can use my powers while
maintaining your humanity.]
‘… Is that really necessary?’

[It was you who wished to get stronger. The choice is always yours. But let me tell you
one thing. With your current body, it will take you decades or even hundreds of years
to be able to reach that Minor Heavenly Demon’s level that you want.]

‘I am progressing.’

He could say that for sure. In the fight against Crazy Heavenly Demon, Lee Sungmin
did not use magic. Haste and strength might have made the fight against Crazy
Heavenly Demon easier, but Lee Sungmin did not use both buffs intentionally. The
purpose was to force himself to reach enlightenment through the life and death
situation. In fact, what Lee Sungmin gained from the fight was not just enlightenment,
but rather a boost on his body that allowed it to catch up with his mind that was
leading, but it was true somehow the situation became what Lee Sungmin wanted.

[It’s too dangerous. There is no guarantee that you will get enlightenment by repeatedly
forcing yourself into life and death situations.]

‘Your powers are also equally dangerous.’

[You fucking bastard. You’re refusing to eat even when I’m handing you something
delicious. Oi, you bastard. Why don’t you understand that this elder is saying it for
your own good?]

Heoju cursed at him in frustration. Lee Sungmin was lost in thought as he received
Heoju’s curses. It was true that he was greedy for more powers. Heoju’s destructive
power would make Lee Sungmin’s body much stronger, and if it does, he would be able
to reach his physical state from his subconscious realm faster.

‘It was shallow this time too.’

Just before the blood ring blast unfolded. Lee Sungmin’s spear went in shallower than
he thought it would. If he had added Strength and Haste at that moment, he could have
penetrated through Crazy Heavenly Demon’s body before he could execute the blood
ring explosion. But even that judgment came late, and Lee Sungmin didn’t like it.

It was frustrating. It was frustrating that his body could not do what he had done
before and was expected to do now. The reality was that there is no guarantee that he
would be able to master the martial arts of his subconscious realm just by stepping
forward bit by bit. It took 2100 years back then, and there was no guarantee that he
would be able to reach the same level just because he had the experience.

“… The breathing technique. Can you let me know?”

“That’s impossible.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon replied as he frowned.

“When I received the breathing technique and the elixir from the tribe. It was an elixir,
so I’ve already taken it. That’s something I can’t help. As for the breathing technique, I
vowed to never teach it to others. I can’t break it since it was not just a verbal promise,
but a binding promise.”

[What a hassle.]

Heoju grumbled.

“What is that?”

“It’s one of the shamanic rituals used by Southern Shamans. It is impossible to break
it as long as you’ve given your word. No matter how powerful I am, I can’t break it
since I’m already bound to the words.”

[It is similar to the mana oath used by mages. If you make a promise using your heart
with the help of a shaman, your heart will burst when you break that promise.]

“Where is that Southern tribe?”

“No matter how good I am, I can’t remember the location of a tribe I had run into while
wandering through the jungle.”

It was a disappointing answer. He wanted to try his best and use his skills, but it was
natural to be disappointed since he couldn’t learn the technique from Crazy Heavenly
Demon.

[Let’s go South.]

But Heoju was rather excited as he said so.

[Didn’t I promise you in the first place? If you take this elder out of the forest, I will
give you the treasures that I have collected. The place where it is located is also South,
so it worked out well.]

‘But I don’t know where it is?’

[You are a fool. Why don’t we just take that rascal as our guide?]

‘What?’

[Tell him that you’ll teach him how to cure his madness.]

Heoju snickered.

[His madness is a side effect of using my powers, and the reason he has come this far
was by following this elder. When this elder was sealed in the sleeping forest, he must
have had fits of insanity very frequently, but once I left the forest with you and came
North, his madness must have lessened.]

It was true. Originally, Crazy Heavenly Demon would slaughter and destroy everything
around him in fits of madness, but that violent insanity disappeared since Heoju left
the sleeping forest. Instead, Heoju’s powers, which were lying deep in Crazy Heavenly
Demon’s dantian, moved from his body in search of its owner, Heoju. The reason Crazy
Heavenly Demon came to the North after losing his mind for several months was that
Heoju and Lee Sungmin stopped at the dungeon and moved north.

“Come to the South with me, and I will tell you how to cure your madness.”

“What?”

Hearing Lee Sungmin’s words, Crazy Heavenly Demon’s eyes widened. He would tell
him how to cure the madness he had been dealing with for so many years! In fact,
aside from that, Crazy Heavenly Demon did not want to disobey Lee Sungmin.

“How do you intend to cure my madness?”

“Well… ”

Lee Sungmin had no words to answer, so he dragged out his voice. Heoju answered in
his mind.
[Make something up. There will be no madness anyway as long as he is with this elder.]

“…first of all… You must recite the spell of ‘Domaksaramura’ a hundred times
everyday… then you must get slapped on the cheek for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

He gave away such orders roughly. The reason for attaching the condition of slapping
himself was because he wanted to get back at Crazy Heavenly Demon for fighting him
all of a sudden for no reason

“Domaksaramura. I don’t know what it is, but it has a very magical sounding ring to
it… But what do you mean slap? Why should I be slapped?”

“If you don’t believe it, don’t do it.”

“Eum!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon groaned at Lee Sungmin’s words. It was a completely

unbelievable condition, so why? Why did Crazy Heavenly Demon believe Lee Sungmin’s
words with his whole heart?

“Okay.”

“Then, let’s try out the first shot.”

As soon as Crazy Heavenly Demon replied, Lee Sungmin struck his cheeks. Crazy
Heavenly Demon’s head flung away with a loud slapping sound.

“Euk!”

Even if Crazy Heavenly Demon was a great master, it was enough to completely
surprise him.

“Please recite the mantra.”

Before Crazy Heavenly Demon could refute, Lee Sungmin ordered quickly. Crazy
Heavenly Demon grabbed the cheeks with open hands and began to chant the mantra
as he rubbed his cheeks.

“Domaksaramura… Domaksaramura… ”
Lee Sungmin swallowed down his laughter as he listened to Crazy Heavenly Demon
chant the mantra so earnestly.
Although he had decided to head South, he couldn’t go there right away. He hadn’t
finished all of his business in the North yet, and he wasn’t certain that it was Crazy
Heavenly Demon that he was fated to meet in the North either.

Neither was winter over yet. He had to stay in the North for the rest of this year. Once
this year was over, the period of time that the Divine Spirit had predicted would also
have passed, so there wouldn’t be any problems even if he left the North.

Just because the next year arrived didn’t mean he would go south either. The 10-year
promise he made with Wijihoyeon would be fulfilled next year at the central square in
the large city of Rubes on the 14th of March. Lee Sungmin had promised to meet with
Wijihoyeon then.

‘What will happen when I meet her?’

He didn’t know. He met Wijihoyeon in the Dungeon a few months ago, but they didn’t
get to catch up at that time. But he remembered what Wijihoyeon had said at that time.
She had offered to travel together with him. Once he reunited with Wijihoyeon, would
they be able to travel South together after that?

He buried the thought into his heart for now.

Lee Sungmin headed back to Travia with Crazy Heavenly Demon. During what remained
of this year, he planned on using Travia as his base to take care of some personal
business in Travia. After Aine’s raid, he discovered that Freskan had fled to Travia. Lee
Sungmin didn’t have much time, and he didn’t want to miss this opportunity. He had
to meet Wijihoyeon at the plaza of Rubes and then go south to find out how to use
Heoju’s treasures and magic. That alone would take nearly a year, so if he missed this
opportunity now, he had no idea when he would get to meet Freskan again.

It wasn’t like his plans were without any danger either. The most uncertain variable
was the vampire queen, Geniella. Lee Sungmin was not aware of the relationship
between Freskan and Geniella, but a fight between the two in Travia, where she ruled,
seemed inevitable.

“Domaksaramura… Domaksaramura… ”

Crazy Heavenly Demon, who was following behind, muttered the mantra given by Lee
Sungmin to him under his breath. Looking at him sincerely recite such meaningless
spells, Crazy Heavenly Demon seemed surprisingly naive and unsuited to his nickname
and rumors. Lee Sungmin suddenly had a thought.

“Sir. According to you, how many people are there who are stronger than you in this
world?”

“Huh?”

Crazy Heavenly Demon, who was reciting the mantra diligently, turned his head to
look at Lee Sungmin. Crazy Heavenly Demon’s aura, skill, and techniques were so strong
that his abilities could never even be compared to that of Wijihoyeon’s doppelganger.
If Lee Sungmin had fought against Crazy Heavenly Demon in the dungeon, he would
have been killed within an instant.

“You’re right.”

Lee Sungmin was expecting an arrogant answer in a haughty tone, but Crazy Heavenly
Demon only laughed as he said.

“The world is wide.”

There was a sense of bitter self-deprecation in the words muttered by Crazy Heavenly
Demon. Since he was expecting an arrogant answer, Crazy Heavenly Demon’s real
answer made Lee Sungmin feel a little embarrassed. Crazy Heavenly Demon laughed
as he looked at Lee Sungmin’s face.

“A martial artist at your level would of course be curious. Who is the best in the world,
and where can I find them? How old are you?”

“… Twenty three.”

“Haha! A twenty-three-year-old that has passed beyond the Peak already and watching
Transcendence from a distance… I wonder how many people would believe that you’d
reached that stage at your age already? Right. Your position is enough to discuss the
best in the world.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon said as he laughed heartily.

“It’s enough to realize how absurd the best can be.”

“What do you mean?”

“Everyone has their own mountain, and you won’t know how high you’ve reached until
you stand at its peak. ‘I’ve come pretty high’. Those kinds of vague thoughts are only
until you reach there. Then you realise something when you stand at the top of the
mountain. The mountain you climbed wasn’t actually that high. It was merely a small
hill amidst hundreds of loftier peaks.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon said in a bitter voice. The words were not only for Lee Sungmin
but also partly meant for himself.

“The world is wide. Maybe you already know. This world… In a world where monstrous
non-humans exist, humans are not so great. Those who live for thousands of years. I
practiced martial arts for 60 years to reach this level. How many humans can spend
60 years this way? But what if those non-human creatures who live for thousands of
years start practicing martial arts? What happens then? What if they also possess
genius talent?”

At that statement, Lee Sungmin recalled the ones at the apex of non-human races he
had met in the north. The vampire queen, Geniella, had lived 600 years. Juwon, who
was called Mad Wolf, must have lived for hundreds of years.

“They are the organisation known as Beyond the Heavens (天外天). These are people
who have lived as humans for hundreds of years, and then non-humans who have
existed since the beginning.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon said as he took off his coat. A wound from a long sword was
deeply engraved on his bare body.

“This is the wound I suffered at the hands of one of the Six Divinities, Zun Zhe (尊者),
10 years ago. Even with my current abilities, I’m still not confident that I can last 100
seconds against him. Perhaps you might meet them in the near future. They often seek
out newly famous strong people to test.”
(T/N: 六尊者 6 divinities are uhh jus imagine 6 monks ripped monks standing side by
side)

Beyond the Heavens and the Six Divinities. Lee Sungmin couldn’t help but sympathize
with the words of Crazy Heavenly Demon. When he was a third-class mercenary, he
knew nothing. At the time, the pinnacle of the world to which Lee Sungmin belonged
was Xeon, the leader of the Corona Mercenaries. But Xeon had died in vain at Freskan’s
hands.

Come to think of it, Lee Sungmin’s world had expanded dramatically since he had gone
to Behenger. Compared to his previous life, he met a lot of great people that he hadn’t
even heard of before, and through these encounters, Lee Sungmin realized how small
his world was and how insignificant his existence was. As Crazy Heavenly Demon said:
Even if it was just a peak, only when you climb to the top do you see how high the other
mountains are.

‘How high can I go?’

***

Wijihoyeon.

She sat cross-legged and looked at the person sitting opposite to her. He was wearing
a large bamboo hat and a traditional style cloak. Wijihoyeon, who was wearing the
Black Robes she got from the dungeon and the Black Dragon perched on her shoulder,
was still overwhelming the space despite her young age. In addition to that, she
exuded aura fiercely to intimidate the man.

However, he was calm even when facing Wijihoyeon’s monstrous aura. The two had
been sitting in silence in the middle of an old guesthouse with no guests for a long
time. It was the man who moved first. He slowly raised his hand and grabbed the cup
on the table.

“The tea is cold.”

The man muttered. Misty vapor rose from the tea as he stroked the cup, applying a
technique. The man stared at Wijihoyeon’s face from under the bamboo hat while
taking a sip of warm tea.
“Can you handle Chang Kao (長考)?”

The man asked. Wijihoyeon sat with her arms folded and did not answer. She burst
into a laugh.

“So suddenly?”

“Most meetings are like that.”

The man said with a low laugh as he put the cup down. He took off his hat and placed
it aside. The silver hair that was rolled up in the hat tumbled and poured out in waves.
Wijihoyeon looked at the man’s elongated ears. Beautiful looks and long, pointed ears
that looked rather feminine. The man was an elf.

“Beyond the Heavens is an organization I’ve never heard of.”

“I suppose so. However, it’s true that we exist.”

“Why do you want me to join?”

“You have potential.”

The man looked at her and laughed. It was a sudden meeting. At the guesthouse.
Wijihoyeon came in by accident. She felt hungry and thirsty while walking around on
the street, so she came into the guesthouse without thinking. The man was already
inside at that time. Then he approached Wijihoyeon and started talking to her.

He said he was from Beyond the Heavens.

Wijihoyeon opened her mouth and spoke.

“I’m not here because of Chang Kao. I was just bored is all. It’s unpleasant too, you
know… You already knew. You were sitting here waiting for me.”

“Right.”

“But I don’t know you. I don’t even know what Beyond the Heavens is. So it’s unpleasant
and off-putting.”

“I apologize for the delay in introducing myself if it offended you.”

The man shrugged.

“I am Qian Zun, one of the prominent leaders among the Six Divinities of Beyond the
Heavens.”

(T/N: he uses 末席 Moxi to describe his position, and if I take a guess at it, he might be
second-in-command. His name 拳尊 Qian zun translates to Fist Master if u take it
literally)

Beyond the Heavens, Six Divinities, Qian Zun. Wijihoyeon muttered the names silently.
Although she seemed composed on the surface, Wijihoyeon was experiencing some
confusion. This was the first time she heard the name of a group called Beyond the
Heavens. It was also the first she had heard of Qian Zun and the Six Divinities.

‘It’s surprising.’

It had been almost ten years since she came to Eria. Wijihoyeon had never experienced
difficulties or danger in this world. All the people whom Wijihoyeon met were weaker
than her. The boss monster of the dungeon was rather strong, but it was still weaker
than Wijihoyeon.

But what about the man in front of her? She had never seen any Elves before, but that
didn’t mean Wijihoyeon did not know anything about them. Elf. A race that lives for
1,000 years, dwelling in forests. Wijihoyeon asked, tilting her head to the side.

“I wasn’t offended because I don’t know who you are. Six Divinities, Qian Zun… That’s
not what I’m curious about. But just what is this Beyond the Heavens?”

“We don’t pursue anything. It’s just… lonely, isn’t it? When you stand at the top for a
while, you will inevitably feel lonely. That solitude often brings madness.”

Qian Zun said with a smile.

“I’ve lived four hundred years already. Most of those four hundred years were devoted
to training martial arts… Hu-hu! I have no choice but to go crazy. The elven race lives
too long. I have lived for four hundred years, and I still have more lifespan left in the
future than I have already lived.”

“Get lost.”
Wijihoyeon nodded at Qian Zun’s words and replied. Qian Zun’s smile disappeared.

“Did I hear wrong?”

“No. You heard me. Get lost.”

Wijihoyeon said so and grabbed the cup in front of her. She gulped down the cold tea
in one go and stood up.

“I don’t want to join some group that doesn’t even get together for fun. And by the way,
people who avoid giving answers directly are always upsetting.”

“There’s no way I tell you everything from the beginning right now.”

Qian Zun said while straightening out his distorted expression. Wijihoyeon burst into
laughter at that remark.

“See. There’s a reason you can’t tell me everything openly. You smell bad, and not just
a little. It’s a very bad smell.”

“Looks like I took the wrong approach.”

Qian Zun muttered as he stood up. The cloak that he was wearing began to shake
wildly. His aura, which was calm just a moment ago, flared up violently like a storm
with Qian Zun at the center.

“I’ve been talking to you calmly, thinking you were someone with potential, but you
have no manners. It would be good to teach you some etiquette before talking.”

“You’re a strange one, huh.”

Wijihoyeon said with a smile.

“I said no and insulted you, and yet you’re not thinking of killing me but still want me
to join Beyond the Heavens. Why would you be going this far?”

Qian Zun did not answer. Wijihoyeon chuckled as she watched him emitting his aura.
She raised her hand and grabbed her nose.

“I told you. It stinks.”

It also smelled of blood. The smell coming from the guesthouse kitchen was full of it.
When Wijihoyeon entered the guesthouse, there was nobody inside except for Qian
Zun. Only two teacups were laid out. It’s not that she was angry because he killed the
innocent owner and server. But, it was annoying to be cornered by him this way.

“As for speech,”

Wijihoyeon raised her hand, and Black Dragon wrapped itself around her arm.

“It is yours that is disrespectful.”

Following the sound of loud laughter, the building behind collapsed.

Lee Sungmin went back to the northern gate, which he had previously escaped from.
Crazy Heavenly Demon followed behind Lee Sungmin, looking around with a laugh.

“Is this Travia?”

Although he had never been there before, Crazy Heavenly Demon was well aware of
the largest city in the North, Travia. Therefore, he was surprised to see that great
Travia was reduced to such rubble.

“I’ve never been to the North, but I have heard of it a lot. Bloody Heavenly Demon…
That foolish Museon.”

As Crazy Heavenly Demon muttered, Lee Sungmin looked at him. It sounded like Crazy
Heavenly Demon knew Bloody Heavenly Demon.

“Have you ever met Bloody Heavenly Demon?”

“A long time ago.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon said.

“It was almost a decade ago. It was before I descended into madness and before Baek
Museon began his reign in Travia.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon had a forlorn look on his face as he recalled the bloodshed
back then. At that time, Bloody Heavenly Demon was a young master who shined with
brilliant talent. Crazy Heavenly Demon thought that he would become a good
opponent after taking one look at the Bloody Heavenly Demon of those days.

“You still have some business in the north, don’t you?”

Crazy Heavenly Demon asked Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin nodded slowly.
“In that case, I would like to go take a look somewhere as well.”

“Are you going to meet Bloody Heavenly Demon?”

“We go way back. I’ve only heard rumors, but I know that he is in despair. I’m still his
elder, so I’d like to meet him once and talk about it.”

It seemed unnecessary to go with Crazy Heavenly Demon. It would be very helpful if

Crazy Heavenly Demon was by his side when he had to fight with Freskan.

[You don’t need to be worried.]

Heoju said.

[This city is Geniella’s territory, and you have currently caught her attention. I don’t
know how strong that lich Freskan is, but he’s definitely not as good as Geniella.]

Lee Sungmin looked up. Freskan’s familiars were still floating overhead. He did not
have to go out of his way to visit him.

Three days later, Crazy Heavenly Demon made an appointment to meet again at an inn
near the northern gate. Crazy Heavenly Demon left immediately after that. He did not
know how Crazy Heavenly Demon planned to find Bloody Heavenly Demon in this
large city, but that was his matter to deal with.

Lee Sungmin started walking slowly. He walked into a deserted alley. Freskan’s
familiars floating high in the sky followed behind him.

“Are you just going to watch?”

Lee Sungmin looked up and asked. Then the familiar flapped its wings. Lee Sungmin
looked at Freskan through the familiar.

“I think that we both want the same thing. What do you think? If you tell me where
you are, I’ll go to you right away.”

At that end, the familiar came down stiffly. A crow that came to Lee Sungmin’s eye level
opened its beak. The crackling beak snapped open several times, and a languid voice
leaked out of it instead of chirps.
“You cheeky little bastard.”

The crow spat out in a ferocious tone.

“Just what is it that makes you so confident? Stealing the heart that someone devoted
their lives to make… !”

“Did you keep it well? It’s not my fault that you couldn’t protect it. I didn’t take it
because I wanted to either.”

“You… !”

“There is a lot I want to ask you.”

Lee Sungmin looked into the crow’s eyes and said. Then the crow’s beak closed.

“The heart in my body. I have no idea what this is. So I want to hear about it directly
from the one who made it.”

“Do you think I will tell you just because you asked?”

“Let’s talk about it when we meet.”

As Lee Sungmin said that, the crow flapped its wings and laughed.

“Just take one step outside the gates. Then see if I let you go… ”

“No. I’m not going out.”

Lee Sungmin replied quickly.

“I’m thinking of staying in this city for a few months. Possibly in the vampire queen’s
mansion.”

“What… ?”

“The Vampire Queen likes me quite a bit. She told me that I could stop by and use her
place at any time. There’s no place to stay, so it would be okay to go back to her
mansion.”
“You rascal… !”

He could feel Freskan shaking from beyond the familiar. Through his reaction, Lee
Sungmin gained confidence. Freskan could not act freely as long as he was in Travia.
If it were outside Travia, it would have been possible to raid him through Aine, but
that could not be done inside the city.

“Lloyd, the Golden Archmage.”

Freskan flinched.

“When I put this heart in my body. I saved Lloyd, who was dying at the bottom of the
dungeon.”

“You did something useless.”

Freskan said through gritted teeth.

“Anyway. Lloyd didn’t know about this heart stuck in my body at the time… What if I
told him about it?”

“Crazy bastard!”

Freskan screamed and shrieked at Lee Sungmin’s threat. For Freskan, it was more
terrifying to let Lloyd know of the presence of the black heart than to confront
Geniella. Lloyd, a long-time mage, would recognize the value of the heart and try to
study it in any way possible. If that happened, then Freskan would be deprived of the
dream he spent his entire life chasing to another magician.

“Don’t want that? If you are honest about the heart, I will never tell Lloyd about its
existence.”

“This crazy man. Are you trying to strike a deal with me?”

“No. It’s a threat.”

Lee Sungmin retorted immediately. The crow twisted itself as if it was having a seizure.
It did not flap its wings anymore, rolling around on the ground instead.

“Bastard.”
The crow opened its beak and spat out.

“Can you swear that you will not tell Lloyd or any other mages about the existence of
the heart?”

“I swear. It’s not like it’s difficult.”

Lee Sungmin answered immediately. Freskan, who was staring at Lee Sungmin
through the crow’s eyes, said with a quivering voice.

“What I wanted to realize through the black heart was ‘predation’ and ‘evolution’.”

“Speak clearly.”

“… By eating the heart of another being, you can acquire its owner’s knowledge. Even
when you consume a chunk of a potion, you can take it directly without needing to
refine it.”

Through these words, Lee Sungmin understood how Aine was able to use the Hundred
Step Manual’s moves, martial arts, and inner force; and also understood why he
immediately replenished the inner force in his dantian without any need for the
purification when he took the Greater and Lesser Restoration Pills.

“As it remains in them, the heart continues to evolve. It becomes stronger, better. My
lovely daughter, Aine, can unfold the possibility of evolution of her heart since her
body was built in such a way. But it is impossible for you. You only have the heart inside
a human body.”

The image of Aine, who changed the shape of her limbs at will and generated tentacles
and wings from her body, popped up in Lee Sungmin’s mind. Thinking of that, Lee
Sungmin also tried to take out his tentacles just in case, he could not. It was because
Lee Sungmin’s body was completely different from Aine’s body.

“What else?”

“… The heart has countless possibilities. It is intended to evolve through repeated

predation, and what I wanted to create through it was the ultimate life superior to all
beings. Even I, the creator of the heart, don’t know what it’s ultimate form will be. The
possibilities are too ambiguous.”
“In the end, you don’t know much either.”

Lee Sungmin did not hide the disappointment in his voice as he replied like that. In
response to his answer, Freskan yelled as he struck the crow’s beak.

“If I could rip the heart out of your chest and study it, I could find out more about it!”

“I don’t intend to do that.”

“Just step one foot out of Travia and see. I will defini-!”

“Whatever you say.”

Lee Sungmin ignored Freskan, who was yelling his heart out. Then he raised his foot
and stepped on the crow’s body. The crow’s body turned into mana and scattered
away.

‘In the end, I didn’t get the right answer.’

Predation, Evolution, and possibilities. He did not focus much on predation. Eating a
human heart was too terrible of a thing for the human, Lee Sungmin. But there was
something to be pointed out in terms of evolution and possibilities.

When he was attacked by Aine for the first time, and when he later fought with Ghost
Blade. In the fight against Aine, Lee Sungmin realized his strength, and in the fight
against Ghost Blade, he reached a path that was impossible for him at the time.

What if he evolved to avoid death? Does the heart evolve the body, given the possibility
of overcoming death?

‘Perhaps it might be that.’

Lee Sungmin smiled bitterly and thought. In the end, he was just swayed. He looked
down at his body. But he could be proud of one thing. Training in his subconscious
realm. For 2100 years there, Lee Sungmin was not aided by the heart. The progress he
had achieved there was because of his own spirit and determination.

“Where are you going now?”

Rubia, who was hiding in Lee Sungmin’s sleeves, asked with a weary voice.
“Let’s go back to the central district.”

He went North and met Crazy Heavenly Demon. After experiencing such a meeting, it
seemed meaningless to go further North. So he planned to go back to the central
district and spend the rest of the year there.

When Lee Sungmin was heading for the central district, he saw Crazy Heavenly Demon
beating up everyone in sight. First, he beat up a vagrant, and after that, he went into
the noisy tavern and beat up more people again.

“Where’s Bloody Heavenly Demon?”

Crazy Heavenly Demon steadily asked. It was a very rough method, but it worked. The
moment he beat up the man, grabbing his collar and raising his fist at him. He spilled
out Bloody Heavenly Demon Baek Museon’s whereabouts.

In fact, it was not a great secret. Crazy Heavenly Demon grabbed the man who spoke
by the collar and dragged him out as his guide. His threat that he would kill him if he
lied was clear.

The place where Bloody Heavenly Demon was staying was an old house outside the
central district.

“Well.”

After opening the door, Crazy Heavenly Demon, who went inside, wrinkled his nose at
the strong smell of alcohol. There was a squeaking sound coming from inside, and a
woman’s screeching moan filled the room. Crazy Heavenly Demon strode into the
room with a distorted expression.

It was a sight to behold.

Liquor bottles clattered on the floor of the room, and the room was filled with a
strange smoke. Crazy Heavenly Demon glanced at the incense burner.

“Drugs, alcohol, and even women. You’ve completely destroyed yourself.”

Baek Museon stopped moving when he heard Crazy Heavenly Demon’s murmur. He
reached out to the woman who was moaning. The woman opened her eyes and looked
at Baek Museon. He crushed her using one hand and she died before she could even
scream.

“… I was wondering who it was… ”

Baek Museon raised his body with a chuckle. He stood naked, not wearing anything,
but he did not feel ashamed. Crazy Heavenly Demon looked at Baek Museon with eyes
distorted by irritation. Crazy Heavenly Demon let out a soft sigh when he looked at
Baek Museon’s left arm, which was cut off from the shoulder.

“What the hell have you been doing?”

“It’s been roughly 10 years, hasn’t it? You still like to come into someone else’s house
and even lecture them?”

“I asked you what you’re doing.”

“Don’t you have eyes?”

Baek Museon said as he plopped down on the bed. He took a deep breath, wiping his
hand-soaked with blood against the linen bed sheets. Crazy Heavenly Demon clucked
his tongue and reached out to the closed window. Then, the closed window opened
wide, and the smoke of the drugs, which filled the room, escaped under Crazy
Heavenly Demon’s watch.

“You are too much.”

Baek Museon said with a smile.

“I’m glad to see you again after 10 years, but… Aren’t you being a bit too rude?”

“You are putting on a worse face in front of this elder.”

“This is my home. Even if this wasn’t my home, it’s still none of your business.”

“Why have you ruined yourself this way?”

“You are the same as 10 years ago. Not listening to others, only asking questions.”

Baek Museon muttered that way and reached for the floor. A bottle of wine floated up
with a rattling sound and flew into his hands.
“I am merely despairing at my abilities and my reality. I started drinking since nothing
else was fun. Tried some drugs as well. I got a woman too.”

“You’ve been reduced to such a state… !”

“I lost my left arm because of my lack of abilities. Isn’t that enough to despair?”

“You can live well with a single arm.”

“I don’t think I can.”

Baek Museon replied with a smile.

“If you meet the Minor Heavenly Demon Wijihoyeon, you will understand what I mean.”

“This crazy bastard!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon shouted and reached out for Baek Museon. Baek Museon did
not escape his attack. Baek Museon’s body rolled off the bed with a bang.

“With just one defeat!”

“Aren’t the hands I suffered the defeat at more important?”

“You seem to have been stuck in this northern city for too long and forgotten that the
world was wide. Do you think that you are truly the best in the world just because you
reign in this small city?”

“Let’s say I know my place.”

Baek Museon replied while wrapping his arm around the severed hand.

“My words exactly. I didn’t intend to stop in the North. Someday, I really wanted to go
South and challenge the best in the world. I was confident. None of the warriors of my
age were better than me. But I was defeated by a bitch who was at most 22 years old.
If it was just a defeat, it could have been overcome. But… that wasn’t all. The Minor
Heavenly Demon… That monster’s absurd talent and strength were enough to throw
me into despair, despite being regarded as a genius.”

“You foolish bastard.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon spat out through clenched teeth.

“Minor Heavenly Demon… did you say that the bitch was 22? You absolute fool. What
does the age matter! I almost got killed by a 23 year old just before!”

“… What the hell does that mean?”

Bloody Heavenly Demon asked with a frown.

Lee Sungmin returned to the inn near the northern gate three days later, where he had
arranged to meet the Crazy Heavenly Demon again. Since he didn’t plan to stay there
or have a meal, he directly entered the restaurant on the first floor and sat down.
Rubia, who was hiding inside his sleeves, slowly came out and transformed from the
sphere of light into her beastkin form.

“Is he not coming?”

“He will come.”

Lee Sungmin was confident. Crazy Heavenly Demon could not disobey him. It was
because of Heoju’s powers which were deeply carved into his body. As long as Crazy
Heavenly Demon had those powers, he had no choice but to come here.

[He has no choice. If he flees, my power in his body will seize him.]

Heoju said in a confident tone. Lee Sungmin also had a vague sense of faith in him.

Lee Sungmin had been staying at an inn in the central district for the past few days. It
might have been possible to go to Geniella’s mansion or Kim Jonghyun’s place, but he
had not. The two of them were not people who would act within reason. They were
too unpredictable. In particular, he was worried about Kim Jonghyun’s inner thoughts,
but he didn’t approach him because he didn’t want to get entangled.

He spent three days like that, thinking about the enlightenment he had acquired in the
fight against Crazy Heavenly Demon.

In fact, it could not be called enlightenment. It was what he already knew. He had
already learnt it but simply could not perform it. Although there was still a long way
to go before he reached the level that he had reached in his subconscious, his slowly
progressing body had exploded with ability during the life-and-death situation with
Crazy Heavenly Demon.
‘Is this evolution?’

Lee Sungmin thought as he pressed down on the left side of his chest firmly. The power
of the heart evolved through predation according to Freskan’s words. He did not want
to practice predation, but the heart would undergo evolution regardless of his will.
The only difference from the past was that there was a definite goal that it was
evolving toward.

What Lee Sungmin was currently aiming for was none other than himself.

Rubia’s ears perked up.

The door on the first floor of the restaurant opened with a rattling sound. Lee Sungmin
turned his head to look at the door, and the Crazy Heavenly Demon strode in.

“What is that?”

Lee Sungmin asked as he saw the man following behind Crazy Heavenly Demon. He
couldn’t figure out the man’s size since he was wearing oversized clothes, but he could
see that he didn’t have an arm since the man’s left sleeve was swaying in the wind.

“… Ehm.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon cleared his throat as he approached Lee Sungmin. It seemed
like he was hesitating about how to explain this sudden meeting to Lee Sungmin. Lee
Sungmin did not look at Crazy Heavenly Demon, and stared at Baek Museon instead,
who was standing behind him. Even with a crippled arm, his aura was still unusual.
Lee Sungmin figured that he must be the infamous Baek Museon.

“… That’s absurd.”

The first one to break the silence was Baek Museon. He looked at Lee Sungmin with a
distorted expression and then turned around to look at Crazy Heavenly Demon.

“Did you lie to me?”

“What lie?”

“I came here to meet the young expert who nearly killed you.”
Baek Museon spewed out with an irritated voice.

“That guy. I know he’s pretty good, but he still doesn’t seem like he has the ability to
kill you. Did you deceive me?”

“I only told you the truth. I nearly died by his spear.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon said in a steady voice. He was vaguely aware that the Lee
Sungmin, who grabbed his neck, was different from the usual Lee Sungmin. Aside from
that, there was no doubt that Lee Sungmin’s spear had threatened Crazy Heavenly
Demon’s life. Surprised by the threat, he performed the Blood Gale Nova. If he had not
done that, Lee Sungmin’s spear move would have killed Crazy Heavenly Demon
already.

“A genius comparable to Minor Heavenly Demon Wijihoyeon.”

Baek Museon said with a loud voice.

“That’s what you told me.”

“You need to stop counting all your chickens before they hatch.”

Lee Sungmin muttered in an outraged voice. Crazy Heavenly Demon cleared his throat
awkwardly, and Baek Museon looked at Lee Sungmin again. Lee Sungmin tilted his
head crookedly and stared back at Baek Museon.

“Are you the famous Bloody Heavenly Demon Baek Museon? You were famous once.
Rather, you are still famous… Or should I say infamous?”

Baek Museon felt unpleasant because he thought he had been deceived by Crazy
Heavenly Demon, but he didn’t leave. Without asking for permission, he sat down
opposite to Lee Sungmin and beckoned a waiter over.

“Drinks.”

The Crazy Heavenly Demon quickly took a seat beside Baek Museon while he was
ordering.

[What the hell are you planning?]

Lee Sungmin voiced out inside Crazy Heavenly Demon’s mind. Crazy Heavenly Demon
took a look at Baek Museon and explained the situation to Lee Sungmin. Baek Museon
was devastated by his loss in the fight against Wijihoyeon. He was wasting away his
days thinking he had been completely ruined as a martial artist.

[What does that have to do with me?]

[He’s in despair at the fact that the world was wide. So could you just… ]

[What can I do for him?]

[In fact, there is nothing you can do for him.]

While Crazy Heavenly Demon replied like that, Baek Museon ordered more liquor.
Crazy Heavenly Demon said as he glanced at Baek Museon, who was drinking without
even pouring it into a cup.

[What about becoming friends?]

“This crazy-”

Lee Sungmin spat out at Crazy Heavenly Demon’s absurd suggestion. Friends? To sit
down like this and become friends without any context wasn’t too much different than
listening to dogs bark.

[Oh, by the way… I haven’t been hit by you for three days. Is that okay?]

Crazy Heavenly Demon asked him anxiously. Lee Sungmin replied coldly.

[You must have recited the mantra every day, right? If so, that’s fine. However, just in
case, be sure to get the slaps from me all at once later.]

[Okay.]

While Lee Sungmin and Crazy Heavenly Demon were talking silently, Baek Museon
had already emptied a whole bottle of liquor. He exhaled a breath full of the smell of
alcohol and looked at Lee Sungmin with cold eyes.

“Come to think of it. I haven’t heard your name yet.”

“I’m Lee Sungmin.”

“It’s the first time I’ve heard that name.”

The nickname ‘Ghost Gun’ should’ve been quite famous, but Baek Museon seemed
unaware. Since his defeat at the hands of Wijihoyeon, Baek Museon had been
completely uninterested in the rumors outside.

“You said you almost killed Elder Crazy Heavenly Demon. Is that true?”

“He must have already told you.”

“What a joke.”

In response to Lee Sungmin’s answer, Baek Museon burst into laughter. Lee Sungmin
was annoyed by his irritating and stiff attitude. He unclenched his hands and asked.

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s not that you’re weak. Your skills are excellent… I admit that. But I can’t think of it
being enough to kill the Crazy Heavenly Demon Byuk Wonpae.”

“So?”

“You were lucky. The elder was just careless.”

Baek Museon replied. Lee Sungmin stared at Baek Museon’s face and opened his
mouth.

“Then, were you also careless when you lost an arm to the Minor Heavenly Demon?”

It was Baek Museon’s sore spot. As soon as he mentioned ‘Minor Heavenly Demon’,
Baek Museon’s gaze turned cold. Crazy Heavenly Demon shook his head as he looked
at Lee Sungmin. However, Lee Sungmin’s expression was calm. What did it matter to
him how Baek Museon felt? Lee Sungmin had felt similarly to Baek Museon as soon as
they had met, and spoke without hiding his irritation.

“… Do you want to die?”

“No. I was just curious and asked. Whether you believe it or not, I met Minor Heavenly
Demon about half a year ago.”

“What?”

Baek Museon’s eyes widened. It was the same with Crazy Heavenly Demon. Lee Sungmin
continued his words as he glanced at Crazy Heavenly Demon, who was staring at him.

“A long time ago, I heard this. There were three Heavenly Demons in the current Eria.
The Minor Heavenly Demon Wijihoyeon, the Bloody Heavenly Demon Baek Museon,
and the Crazy Heavenly Demon Byuk Wonpae. I met all three through some trick of
fate. The Minor Heavenly Demon was undoubtedly a monster, and so was the Crazy
Heavenly Demon. But… you.”

“Shut up.”

Baek Museon muttered in a small voice. He was already aware of what Lee Sungmin
was going to say next. Lee Sungmin continued to speak under his harsh gaze.

“You’re the worst of the three.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon didn’t interfere. He thought that the situation was good. Baek
Museon’s was affected by a mind full of inferiority from meeting an overwhelming
existence. The Crazy Heavenly Demon had never met Wijihoyeon in person but could
get an idea of how strong Wijihoyeon was from seeing Baek Museon’s depression.

The best thing for him would be to fight with Wijihoyeon once again. He couldn’t make
that happen unless he knew where Wijihoyeon was. If so, it would be better for him to
realize that the world is wide. If he fought with a young expert who doesn’t have a big
age difference with Wijihoyeon, he could possibly find motivation again.

Although it was a plan made haphazardly, Baek Museon reacted as well as Crazy
Heavenly Demon had hoped. He stood up and stared at Lee Sungmin. A sizzling red
mist began to rise from around his feet. Blood Mist of the Night (血霧幽夜功), the
technique which gave Baek Museon the title ‘Heavenly Demon’, had appeared once
more.

“I asked if you wanted to die.”

“Will you be okay with just one arm?”

Lee Sungmin asked as he looked up at Baek Museon. The question was meant to
provoke him. There was also a hint of curiosity and ambition. A few years ago,
Wijihoyeon had one-sidedly won the fight against Baek Museon and cut off his left
arm. Wijihoyeon from all those years ago. The Wijihoyeon, who had cut off his left arm,
was rather weak compared to the Wijihoyeon now.

If you compared the Bloody Heavenly Demon of the past and the Bloody Heavenly
Demon of today, Bloody Heavenly Demon with a severed left arm would be weaker
than he was a few years ago. Even so, he wanted to test him out.

‘How far have I come now?’

If he could win the battle against the Bloody Heavenly Demon, who fought against
Wijihoyeon, he could find out how far he had come. Lee Sungmin could feel his heart
pounding. It was something that he could not have even dreamt of in his previous life.
Since returning to the past, he had faced situations that had no possibility of
happening back then. A human named Lee Sungmin, who had survived for 13 years
and was only a C-class mercenary, was now about to fight Baek Museon, who had
reigned over the Northern city of Travia. He had already survived after fighting with
Crazy Heavenly Demon. Lee Sungmin got up slowly, feeling his emotions soaring.

“I really can’t watch this!”

Rubia, who was standing beside Lee Sungmin with drooping ears, said with a deep
sigh. Bloody Heavenly Demon, who was staring at Lee Sungmin with burning eyes,
snatched a bottle of liquor from the table and jerked up.

“Come outside.”

His fervent anger was obvious. But seeing as how he did not attack instantly, Baek
Museon was still quite rational. Lee Sungmin watched Baek Museon leave the
restaurant in a hurry, and turned to glance at Crazy Heavenly Demon.

“Get ready to be slapped.”

“Aheum!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon coughed and pretended to be ignorant.

Lee Sungmin pulled out his spear and held it in his hand loosely. He walked outside
the restaurant. Bloody Heavenly Demon stood in the center of the red fog in the middle
of the street. It was a small northern area with only vagrants and hoodlums, but it
wasn’t deserted.

“Eh? Isn’t that the Bloody Heavenly Demon?”

The people standing around made a buzz. Baek Museon ignored the noise and glared
at Lee Sungmin as he came out of the restaurant.

“You will have to pay for your ignorance.”

Baek Museon spat out as he glared at Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin shook his head while
lifting the spear.

“If you can make me?”

“This bastard… !”

Baek Museon yelled in a harsh voice. When he raised his right arm, the red mist of the
Blood Mist of the Night swelled greatly and turned into a killing move, striking out
toward Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin moved calmly without any sense of panic. He used
Shadowless’ Spirit Stealing Steps to jump over the mist, narrowing the distance
between him and Baek Museon.

Baek Museon snorted and stepped forward loudly. The mist that had been shot out
scattered and disappeared, then the range of red mist around him greatly expanded
out again. Lee Sungmin stopped moving the spear and turned his upper body.

Kkwaang!

Spear force and red mist clashed. He thought there would be no force behind it since
it was just some mist, but that didn’t seem to be the case. The feeling of resistance that
he felt on his palm was quite extraordinary. Lee Sungmin roughly realized what kind
of martial arts Baek Museon’s Blood Mist of the Night was.

‘The mist itself is strong.’

In terms of Inner Force, it was the same as Crazy Heavenly Demon’s Blood Gale Nova.
But the method he used was completely different. Standing in the center of the fog,
Baek Museon stared at Lee Sungmin.
“Did I not tell you? You’re not that good.”

“I’m only getting started.”

Lee Sungmin muttered as he infused qi into the spear in his hands. Lee Sungmin was
feeling quite strange. Wijihoyeon’s doppelganger. Mad Wolf Juwon. Vampire Queen
Geniella. Crazy Heavenly Demon Byuk Wonpae. When he faced those monsters, he felt
a strong sense of fear and a feeling in his gut that told him that he might die. But now-

‘I feel quite comfortable.’

He didn’t think he would lose.

Baek Museon glared at Lee Sungmin from the center of the drifting fog. There was no
gap for Lee Sungmin to penetrate through, so he simply took a stance with his spear
in front of him.

‘You are strong.’

Baek Museon had to admit it again. Three years had passed since his arm had been cut
off by Wijihoyeon. At first, he had sworn revenge and practiced like crazy, but after a
long time, Baek Museon had stopped practicing martial arts entirely. It was useless.
He had already faced that reality.

Since then, he had drowned himself in alcohol. He tried drugs and had women
accompany him all night. He knew that in time that it would happen. One day, when
he strengthened his heart and stood up to practice martial arts again, his body would
be too dull and hardened by laziness – making him resentful and depressed by the
way he was living.

‘But, no. Not today.’

Baek Museon clenched his right fist as he thought to himself. Was it Lee Sungmin? He
admits that his achievements were high for his age, to the point that they were
dazzling. Baek Museon had not even reached that level ten years ago, when he was Lee
Sungmin’s age.

But it wasn’t surprising, or even absurd. Although he had become rusty, Baek Museon
was still the Bloody Heavenly Demon. Even if his left arm was crippled, he was still
Bloody Heavenly Demon Baek Museon.

The floating fog expanded even more. Baek Museon looked down at Lee Sungmin, and
it wasn’t just because of his age.

It was pride.
Before meeting Wijihoyeon, Baek Museon used to think that he was the best. He
thought that there was no one at his age who was better than himself. He did not doubt
that he would enter the Transcendental realm soon. After he suffered defeat at the
hands of Wijihoyeon, his high pride crushed him like a large boulder.

It was because Wijihoyeon was an outstanding figure. She was a genius at an absurd
level.

‘You aren’t Wijihoyeon.’

He made a quick judgment.

Then it happened. It was such a fast attack that there was no sound, moving forth with
a fierceness as if to reproach Baek Museon’s rashness. At that point, Baek Museon,
who believed in his blood ring techniques, was convinced that Lee Sungmin’s strength
was just superficial.

Kuuuuung!

Lightning Annihilation moved faster than sound. The rapid sting, which was difficult
to track with the eyes, shook Bloody Heavenly Demon’s defenses because it was
shallow when he thought it would go a little deeper.

‘It’s difficult to destroy with a single blow.’

Lightning Annihilation’s aim was to only throw off the opponent, so it was bound to
be a little difficult to penetrate a strong defense. Lee Sungmin pulled his spear back
without regret and moved his foot forward. Two-step Calamitous End. It sought to kill
an opponent in just two steps. Lee Sungmin did not learn Qigong, which only dealt
with inner force, but Shadowless was a method of inducing strength naturally by
walking.

The power of Two-step Calamitous End exploded fiercely. Baek Museon was stunned
by its sweeping powers as Two-step Calamitous End and the Blood Ring crashed. Baek
Museon clenched his teeth as he saw the fog disperse. He hurriedly swung his right
hand to try to block Lee Sungmin’s path, but the spear had been fired out before he
could punch at Lee Sungmin’s chest first.

“You-!”
Baek Museon roared out in anger. He brought his right hand in front of his chest and
turned his wide-open hand half a turn. The distracting fog rotated and enveloped the
flow of Lee Sungmin’s spear. Lee Sungmin rotated the hand holding the spear and
swung it. He did not hesitate to change his move. He rotated the spear, and took a step
further, while Baek Museon stepped back a couple more steps.

Kkwaang!

Their inner forces clashed and exploded everywhere.

The level Baek Museon assumed Lee Sungmin was at had to be greatly revised after
the exchanges in those few seconds. He could not gain an advantage on him during the
fight. Baek Museon couldn’t help but be astonished.

‘This is ridiculous… !’

He clenched his teeth and increased his inner force even more. The Blood Rings spread
out dramatically. The color of the red fog being emitted from all directions became
darker. It was now no longer a fog, but more like red paint pouring from the air. Baek
Museon moved forward boldly. His left arm sleeve fluttered as he jumped over to Lee
Sungmin. Every time he stepped on the ground, the surroundings shook and the fog
shook as if there was an earthquake. Baek Museon’s wide-open palm shot at Lee
Sungmin’s body.

It was less severe than Crazy Heavenly Demon’s method, but the strangeness of the
fog that followed was disturbing. Lee Sungmin turned the spear in his hand, and began
using the moves of the Nine Heavenly Spears. They were not as fast as Lightning
Annihilation, but they were moves with good versatility because they could be used
without any other preparation.

Kkwaang!

The spear force and palm collided. The resounding sound overlapped greatly, but
neither the palm nor the spear broke. Baek Museon’s left shoulder flinched. He
intended to add to the move using his left hand, but there was no left hand on his
current body. He was used to daily life without a left arm, but fighting without his left
arm was still awkward for him.

‘I’m not accustomed to it… !’

Such a regret came to him belatedly. Baek Museon raised his foot after realizing that
he had no left arm. He was good at fighting with his whole body instead of using
weapons. Lee Sungmin lowered his posture to avoid the foot. At the same time, both
of his hands holding the spear lowered deeply, aiming at Baek Museon’s lower body. A
spear was not just for stabbing. If there was no way to shoot it out and retrieve it, he
could always simply swing it around to attack.

Although he blamed himself for being unused to it, Baek Museon wasn’t exactly an
easy opponent to fight either. Baek Museon, once called the Bloody Heavenly Demon,
was still an excellent master. He jumped into the air by propelling himself from the
ground using his left foot. As soon as he left the ground, Baek Museon completely
changed his posture by twisting his waist in the air. Then he lifted his right foot up
high and kicked downward toward Lee Sungmin’s head.

Lee Sungmin avoided Baek Museon’s attack by using Shadowless. Baek Museon’s feet
crushed the afterimage’s head and fell to the ground, shaking the whole ground and
making a crack in it. Baek Museon jerked to a stop and turned around. As the red mist
shot forth, it tried to hit Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin immediately shot a lightning bolt
to interfere with Baek Museon’s attack.

Baek Museon tried to narrow the distance between him and Lee Sungmin without any
regret for the wasted move. He wanted to make it impossible to make full use of the
spear’s advantages. Lee Sungmin held his breath as he watched Baek Museon jump in,
channelling inner force into the hand holding the spear as he did so. That was the
beginning. There were numerous changes in the spear in Lee Sungmin’s hands. Baek
Museon put more force into his Blood Rings while staring at the spear covering his
field of vision.

Kkwaang!

The moves collided, and the fog he was using to defend and attack scattered away.
Usually, if the fog was scattered like that, it would disappear shortly after, but Baek
Museon’s Blood Ring moves were different.

The scattered fog spread out, mostly leading back to Baek Museon, while some went
behind Lee Sungmin. Before he knew it, Lee Sungmin was standing at the center of the
fog. That was what Baek Museon wanted. He stretched his right palm and clenched it
into a fist. The fog around Lee Sungmin’s surroundings rushed toward him as-
“Blood Mist Explosion!”

Baek Museon roared. It was a bloodthirsty cry. There were no openings. Should he
break through with Void Rendering? No, rather than that. Lee Sungmin lifted his feet.
It was his first time using the move with this body, but for some reason he had the
unfounded conviction that he could use it. No, there was a basis for his belief. It just
had not been proven yet.

He believed that he could.

Shadowless’ fourth move, Two-step Soft Ripples.

The two steps taken in rapid succession distorted the landscape. The mist that was
rushing over entangled with the flow created by the Two-step Soft Ripples. Lee
Sungmin drew a circle with his footwork. The red fog entangled itself with the flow of
the circle and completely deviated from the form of the attack intended by Baek
Museon.

Paaang!

The fog scattered and disappeared without any connection to Baek Museon as before.
It was completely destroyed. Baek Museon couldn’t help but open his mouth, feeling
alarmed, because he didn’t think that Lee Sungmin would be able to destroy the blood
mist.

However, he came to his senses too late. Lee Sungmin’s spear shot out at him with a
roar. He hurriedly raised his right fist, but Lee Sungmin twisted his wrist slightly,
rather than colliding head-on with Baek Museon’s fists. As the trajectory of the spear
changed upward, Baek Museon’s fist also rose up. In the meantime, Lee Sungmin
stretched his feet forward. The spear force went up to the sky, but the spearhead
became a blunt weapon as Lee Sungmin pushed it with his hands.

Kkwaang!

The fog of the Blood Mist Explosion that surrounded Baek Museon’s body was
scattered. Baek Museon took a few steps back, feeling the shock of his internal organs
shaking. That’s alright. He could handle this much. However, before he could gather
the scattered fog, Lee Sungmin’s spear moved again. Lee Sungmin focused on wielding
rather than stabbing and used the entire spear as a weapon.
“Keueueub!”

Baek Museon could not respond to the attack hitting his left shoulder. If he could use
his left arm, he would have been able to hold it. But there was no left arm. Instead of
the missing left arm, Baek Museon twisted his back. It was so he could respond with
his right hand, but Lee Sungmin pulled the spear back as if waiting.

‘It’s too crude.’

Baek Museon’s Heavenly Demon Blood Ring was an excellent martial art, but Baek
Museon was not used to fighting after being crippled. He did not know how to fill the
gap made by his left arm. The fact that he had never fought properly ever since his arm
was cut was highlighted with each move they exchanged.

Before unfolding the blood rings, Baek Museon staggered with his right arm swaying
as he attacked the spear Lee Sungmin was wielding.

“This brat… !”

It wasn’t a fatal attack, but the shallow, offensive attack angered Baek Museon. Unlike
Baek Museon, who was shaking with anger, Lee Sungmin was calm. Lee Sungmin
pushed the spear through the gap between Baek Museon’s legs, which stretched
greatly. Baek Museon was taken by surprise and tried to pull his legs out, but Lee
Sungmin twisted the spear toward Baek Museon’s back. Then, Baek Museon collapsed
to the ground without any balance.

“I could have pierced your legs.”

Lee Sungmin said as he looked down at fallen Baek Museon. Baek Museon looked up
at Lee Sungmin with trembling lips.

“I could have pierced your left shoulder, your chest, or your side… Or even your head.
I could inflict fatal wounds on you, over and over again, and kill you.”

“This… This…”

“How do I compare to Minor Heavenly Demon?”

In response to Lee Sungmin’s question, Baek Museon remained silent. He stared at Lee
Sungmin, biting down on his lower lip till it bled.
“Earthworms… Do you think dragons are comparable to them?”

“Then, you are worse than earthworms.”

Lee Sungmin replied as he shook his head at Baek Museon’s words. Baek Museon’s
body trembled. He glared at Lee Sungmin with fierce eyes. Lee Sungmin turned away,
ignoring Baek Museon, who was glaring at him.

Crazy Heavenly Demon looked at Lee Sungmin and Baek Museon with a complex look
in his eyes. He had expected Lee Sungmin’s victory. However, he didn’t think it would
be this kind of an easy, one-sided victory.

‘Baek Museon’s left arm was cut off… That must be it.’

The technique was better than when he fought him three days ago. In particular, he
didn’t know what method he used to destroy the blood mist. Footwork… that’s what
he thought it was. He wasn’t certain of it. Of course, even if he saw it with his own eyes,
he couldn’t be sure.

“There must be something else.”

Lee Sungmin did not want to talk about anything else with Baek Museon. Dragons and
earthworms. The words spoken by Baek Museon lingered in his ears, but he didn’t
care much.

‘I’m glad I got an earthworm at least.’

That was what he thought. Rubia didn’t know what to do and simply followed Lee
Sungmin back to the restaurant, Crazy Heavenly Demon sighed and approached Baek
Museon.

“Don’t be too disappointed. It’s just that the world is wide.”

“… Hahaha… ”

Baek Museon stumbled and stood up with a sullen laugh.

“What do you mean because the world is wide? The country has only saved the
existence of being insignificant and small.”
Baek Museon turned around while saying such words. Crazy Heavenly Demon wanted
to grab hold of Baek Museon, but he put his hand down because he knew that he
couldn’t do anything for Baek Museon.

Overcoming defeat was a task for oneself. If he had been ruined for three years and he
couldn’t climb out of the defeat… He must try to overcome it. He had to do it.

‘You will be able to do it.’

That was the kind of martial artist Crazy Heavenly Demon remembered Baek Museon
to be.

Baek Museon staggered and stared around. The people who were standing around to
watch his fight against Lee Sungmin saw his ferocious expression and flinched to avoid
his gaze.

There was a boiling rage in his eyes. He felt like they were laughing at him. Baek
Museon clenched his teeth and hurried his steps. It was the last bit of restraint he had
left.

‘Quickly.’

He wanted to leave this place.

If not, he thought he would kill everyone here.

Baek Museon returned home, dragging his feet behind him. The worn-out house was
far beneath the status of the Bloody Heavenly Demon, who had once stood at the apex
of the Bloody Heavenly Demon clan. Baek Museon opened the door with only one hand
as he clenched his teeth.

Anger, resentment, and shame were swirling inside Baek Museon’s heart. His
footsteps leading up to this place were heavy. He could feel the gazes full of laughter
and mockery on him.

“… Monster… ”

Baek Museon whispered in a low tone. There was a familiar smell inside the house.
The smell of alcohol, and the smell of drugs. But besides those, a different, familiar
smell. Baek Museon clenched his teeth and moved toward the direction of the smell.

Geniella was sitting on the bloody bed. Unlike the last time when she had worn a
kimono, today she was wearing a tight-fitting black dress that clung to her body.
Geniella, who was sitting on the bed with legs crossed, opened her mouth without
sparing a glance for Baek Museon.

“What a sight.”

Geniella chuckled.

“There was no one here in Travia who could look down on you four years ago.”

Baek Museon realized through her words. Geniella had seen everything. It wasn’t too
surprising. Geniella’s eyes and ears were everywhere in Travia. Even if it wasn’t the
central district that was under her jurisdiction, there was no way she wouldn’t notice
a big fuss like this in the northern district.

“How are you feeling?”

Geniella asked, uncrossing and crossing her legs. Baek Museon bit on his lower lip for
a while. The skin on his lips burst under the pressure and blood flowed out, but he
didn’t care about it. He shook his feet, trying to ignore Geniella’s words.

“What would have happened if you hadn’t been defeated four years ago? What if you
weren’t crippled? If you had devoted yourself to practice for four years without
despair, you might not have been defeated today.”

He didn’t want to hear it. Baek Museon reached out with a trembling hand to lift the
bottle. Even though there was not even half of it left, Baek Museon gulped it down all
at once.

“You will keep falling. In the meantime, the Minor Heavenly Demon, who cut your arm
off, will continue to grow stronger. The man who defeated you today will also continue
to grow stronger. How does that feel? Do you feel like you are sitting alone, doing
nothing, and looking from behind at those who are ahead?”

“Shut up… ”

Baek Museon put down the bottle. His trembling body and voice represented the
misery he felt at that moment. Geniella laughed.

“No. Can’t you see their backs? They will continue to move forward, and you will sit
down… Soon they will go to a place you cannot see. Then you will always be the loser.”

He didn’t want to hear it. The feeling of desperation, defeat, and despair that he had
sealed in tightly burst out. Baek Museon sank to the ground powerlessly. He looked at
the empty liquor bottle and the drooping left sleeve.

In the fight against Lee Sungmin, Baek Museon felt the painful absence of his left arm.
Had the left arm been intact, he would not have been so helpless.

Even if he started practicing martial arts again, there was no way for an arm to
regenerate. That was reality. Even if he used any kind of magic or potion, his arm
would never return to him.

“You know the way, don’t you?”

Sitting on the bed, Geniella whispered temptations like a seductive devil. At that end,
Baek Museon’s shoulders trembled. Words he had been hearing since several years
ago. Whenever he heard such words, Baek Museon dismissed it as senseless babble.

It was because of his pride. He would be okay without an arm. He was sitting down
like this now, but one day he will be able to stand up again, and by that time, nothing
would happen. Such vague faith and self-confidence had been supporting Baek
Museon. But not now. Now that he realized the absence of his severed arm. The
unfounded beliefs previously held by Baek Museon completely crumbled to dust.

“… If I become a vampire… ”

Baek Museon’s mouth opened. As soon as she heard it, Geniella thought the end was
near. The end of the joy that she felt while seducing Baek Museon for several years
was approaching. She wouldn’t have to worry about Baek Museon anymore. He was
completely destroyed and had fallen entirely into desperation.

‘Thankfully.’

Geniella revealed a small smile. She felt grateful for Lee Sungmin. If Lee Sungmin
hadn’t defeated Baek Museon, it would have taken a longer time for him to choose to
walk the path of non-humans. At the same time, it was a pity. She wanted to enjoy it a
little more.

‘Fun always has to come to an end.’

Geniella looked at Baek Museon. Baek Museon was staring at Geniella with eager eyes.
As she looked at his eyes that were mixed with need and hesitation, Geniella reached
out and licked her lips.

‘But it’s okay. The next one is already ready.’

In fact, she was more interested in Lee Sungmin than Baek Museon. Now he refuses to
become a vampire… But how long could he refuse for? She thought he would likely
give up on his humanity once he was cornered.

“Make… me a vampire.”

Baek Museon’s mouth opened. When she heard that. Geniella’s shoulders trembled
slightly. He had lost all his pride as a human and fell to such a state. Geniella’s greatest
pleasure was to stand by and slowly watch them drown in conflict, and breaking them
down through repeated temptations. Geniella slowly stood up.
“What would you do if you became a vampire?”

“… I’m going to kill him.”

“Ahahaha!”

Baek Museon would not be able to fulfill his wishes. Geniella wouldn’t let Lee Sungmin
die. However, even if it wasn’t death, it seemed okay to give him despair equivalent to
it through Baek Museon. Perhaps there would be an occasion.

“Come this way.”

Geniella called him with a curled finger. At that end, Baek Museon tried to raise his
body. No, not like that. Geniella shook her head, mumbling in a small voice.

“Crawl.”

Baek Museon’s face distorted at Geniella’s words.

***

Crazy Heavenly Demon was sitting sullenly, holding his plump cheeks with both
hands. Lee Sungmin sat down and looked at Crazy Heavenly Demon. Crazy Heavenly
Demon glanced at Lee Sungmin’s gaze that was directed at him and sighed deeply.

“Well, don’t look at me too much that way. It was all because of how much I cherish
Museon… ”

“What would you have done if I was weaker than the Bloody Heavenly Demon?”

“… If so, I wouldn’t have brought him here.”

“Assuming I was on par with Bloody Heavenly Demon, what would you have done if I
had been killed by him during the fight?”

“That… I’m sure that that wouldn’t have happened. Your strength is by no means lesser
than Museon.”

“What if I almost died, anyway?”

“Oho! If that had happened, I would intervene properly and stop it!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon couldn’t stand it and shouted. Lee Sungmin picked up the
bread while turning away, ignoring Crazy Heavenly Demon’s cry. Next to Lee Sungmin,
Rubia was slicing meat using a fork and knife.

“I’ve already seen everything I had to see. I’ll stay around here until next year.”

“Next year. Are you saying that we have to stay in this city longer?”

Crazy Heavenly Demon grumbled. But that didn’t mean that he didn’t like this. Rather,
he stared at Lee Sungmin with a sparkle in his eyes.

“You. Do you intend to become a disciple of mine?”

Lee Sungmin stopped chewing bread at the sudden suggestion. Crazy Heavenly
Demon looked into Lee Sungmin’s eyes and continued to speak.

“The martial arts I use is called ‘Blood Ring’ martial arts, and it does not lose out
compared to anyone. Although there are a lot of strong martial arts in Eria, I am
confident. Martial arts like Blood Ring are rare.”

“I don’t really want to learn more martial arts.”

“What are you talking about? The more martial arts you practice, the better. Even if
you can’t use it properly, acquiring another martial art can function as a hidden move!”

There were three martial arts that Lee Sungmin had learned. Inner Force, Nine
Heavenly Spears, and Shadowless. Although Shadowless’s role was mainly to perform
footwork and serve as an opening for the next move, it was inevitably going to be
outperformed by the outstanding nature of the Blood Ring technique that could also
temper his body.

Lee Sungmin wanted to learn. But he needed to avoid biting off more than he could
chew.

‘My poor talent is weeping.’

Lee Sungmin bit on his lower lip. He was able to improve his Inner Force, the Nine
Heavenly Spears, and Shadowless to some extent through the trials of Denir. In a way,
the price for improving despite his lack of talent was a bitterly long amount of time.
What if he learnt the Blood Ring technique? How long would it take for him to master
it this time?

[You don’t have to think like that.]

Heoju intervened.

[What do you mean that your talent is not that good? I think that it might only be you
who says so. You can use martial arts and magic, not to mention the powers of a non-
human species. With the help of all of these, you will be able to quickly acquire newly
learned martial arts.]

‘That’s easy to say.’

[Is there anything wrong with that? Body Tempering has a wide variety of applications.
It can be applied to any martial art. With a foundation like yours, you’ll be able to
quickly acquire it to the point where it can be applied in practice. Besides, isn’t there
a person standing in front of you who can teach you the martial arts!]

Lee Sungmin sighed at the temptation. There was a reason why Lee Sungmin could
not think so positively. In the past, Lee Sungmin learned the Hundred Step Manual, but
he had not been able to use it properly. In fact, it was more accurate to say that rather
than not being able to use it, there was no reason to use it. If he compared the Hundred
Step techniques and the Nine Heavenly Spears technique, the latter was an
overwhelmingly superior martial art.

“I don’t want to be a disciple.”

“Then?”

“Can’t you just teach me anyway?”

“This shameless brat… ”

Hearing Lee Sungmin’s words, Crazy Heavenly Demon shook his shoulders and spat
out. Having said that, Crazy Heavenly Demon seriously thought about it, and shortly
afterward, nodded.

“… Well. It doesn’t matter. You can be said to be my benefactor just by virtue of letting
me overcome my fits of madness.”

“Well, that’s in return for going south together.”

“There is nothing to repay. I’ll just think of it as going on a trip.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon muttered like that and put his hand into his sleeves. He took
out a small interdimensional pocket, but Lee Sungmin was surprised. He didn’t think
Crazy Heavenly Demon would carry an interdimensional pocket.

“What is that look for?”

“I didn’t think that you would use such a thing.”

“What kind of person do you think I am?”

Using the title ‘I’ and his ignorant attitude, he could only barely be considered a martial
artist. Crazy Heavenly Demon put his hand into the interdimensional pocket and took
out a clean book.

(T/N: Crazyboi refers to himself using the honorific ‘Bonjwa’, which is similar to when a
Chinese Emperor calls themselves ‘Zhen’ but in a different context. It sounds rather
strange when paired with his childish tone.)

“It’s the Blood Ring Manual.”

“Why do you carry this manual around?”

“Since I began to suffer from madness, I wrote down the techniques every time my
mind was sober. It was because I didn’t know when I would die. I wanted to leave
evidence that there was a warrior called the Crazy Heavenly Demon, Byuk Wonpae, in
this world.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon muttered like that and handed the Blood Ring Manual to Lee
Sungmin.

“I was born in Central Murim and came to this world a few decades ago. At first, I was
alarmed, but I was soon amazed at how much wider the world was compared to
Central Murim. It was great.”
While listening to the words of Crazy Heavenly Demon, Lee Sungmin raised his hand
to receive Crazy Heavenly Demon’s Blood Ring Manual.

“There were a lot of strong people in this wide world. I survived with luck so far, but I
always thought I couldn’t be lucky every time. I might die someday. My worries and
fears grew as I started getting crazier. I wanted to leave an impression of my name in
this world, so I made the Blood Ring Manual.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon muttered as he burst into laughter.

“I thought it would be really cool if some fated person could learn the Blood Ring
techniques and conquer the world with it. I never thought I would hand it over to
someone else like this.”

Lee Sungmin replied slowly.

“… Don’t expect too much.”

“You are an excellent master. I have heard that the Minor Heavenly Demon Wijihoyeon
is great too, but I have never seen her in person. So you are the best young expert that
I’ve ever seen. You will be able to quickly learn how to use the Blood Ring.”

While listening to Crazy Heavenly Demon, Lee Sungmin held back a sigh. He wondered
if he could really do it. Amidst such small worries, Lee Sungmin opened Crazy Heavenly
Demon’s manual.

[Would you like to learn Heavenly Demon Blood Ring?]

After a long pause, Lee Sungmin nodded.

December came without notice.

In this time, Crazy Heavenly Demon passed the blood ring technique down to Lee
Sungmin, but it wasn’t as simple as merely handing the manual over. They sparred
repeatedly every day in order for Lee Sungmin to master the techniques.

“You… ”

Crazy Heavenly Demon sat down and looked at Lee Sungmin, who was resting and
mulled over his words. Crazy Heavenly Demon hesitated for a moment and then said
with a deep sigh.

“You are not very used to practicing new things.”

“You can just say it. I am stupid.”

Lee Sungmin grumbled. The Heavenly Demon Blood Rings technique created through
Crazy Heavenly Demon’s enlightenment was comparable to that of Nine Heavenly
Spears. It wasn’t easy to learn.

Fortunately, thanks to Lee Sungmin’s high level of martial arts, he quickly grew
familiar with the Crazy Heavenly Demon’s Blood Rings. But the problem was elsewhere.
Even if he was familiar with the Blood Rings, it meant nothing if Lee Sungmin could
not apply it during a fight.

“I wish you hadn’t been a Spear-wielder!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon sighed. He only fought with the Blood Rings martial art
without relying on anything else. But Lee Sungmin was different. His inner martial arts
used Inner Force, while his main battle technique was the Nine Heavenly Spears
technique, and Shadowless was his main movement technique. He had mastered the
three martial arts during the time spent in his subconscious. Lee Sungmin had a lot of
experience with those three martial arts. That’s why he knew how to harmoniously
use so many martial arts and could deal with his body being unable to follow by
improvising.

But the Blood Rings were different. Internal martial arts were martial arts that only
worked with Inner Force. The Blood Rings technique would not interfere or clash with
the Nine Heavenly Spears technique or Shadowless either. If he was able to master it,
he could add the strength of the Blood Rings to the moves of Nine Heavenly Spears
technique.

However, Lee Sungmin’s innate talent did not make it easy. It was as difficult as using
two, three, or four martial arts at the same time. If he added his support magic into
the mix, the amount of inner force he would need to expend and the moves he would
have to focus on would increase exponentially. Fights wouldn’t always necessarily turn
out the way you’d expect them to either. No matter whether it was improvisation or
concentration, it would take an extreme amount of effort to coordinate all those
techniques simultaneously.

“You’re not stupid.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon murmured with a sullen face. He sat with his arms folded and
stared at Lee Sungmin.

“You’re just slower than others at getting used to it.”

“Doesn’t that just mean I’m dumb?”

“No, it’s not that. If you hadn’t mastered anything, you wouldn’t be having as much
trouble as you are now. But you’ve already mastered your current techniques. You’re
already on the verge of Transcendence with your other martial arts. So now that you
are adding another technique to it, you will need time to adjust.”

It was nothing new. Lee Sungmin knew his problems well. However, Lee Sungmin was
able to adapt to the blood ring techniques thanks to Crazy Heavenly Demon and Heoju
guiding him intensively. If Crazy Heavenly Demon instructed Lee Sungmin’s technique
from the outside, Heoju gave him advice from within.

[It would be easier if you just used my powers.]

‘Those comfortable powers are too questionable.’

If he used Heoju’s powers, he would very likely turn into a yokai, and if he became a
yokai, he would no longer be a human. In fact, that was what Lee Sungmin feared. How
would he change when he becomes a yokai? To become non-human meant giving up
his humanity and becoming unable to think or act humanely.

Lee Sungmin could not forget the appearance of Ghost Blade after he had become a
vampire. Even though he was human, he drank blood. Although vampires and yokai
were different, Lee Sungmin did not exactly know what yokai were.

When he took up Heoju’s offer and used his powers to turn into a yokai.

What would he look like at that time? How would he think? If he changed, what would
happen to the version of ‘him’ that existed before it? Would there still be a ‘Sungmin’
who remembered Baek Sogo and Wijihoyeon?

Heoju also did not urge Lee Sungmin too strongly. He knew what Lee Sungmin was
feeling. The choice was his to make. What he would decide to pursue, what he would
gain, and what he would lose would only be the results of the choices he makes.

“So boring.”

Rubia grumbled while watching Lee Sungmin and Crazy Heavenly Demon. It was nice
to have a break from their tiring homeless life and restless journey. It was only for a
day or two, but she was already itching to stay at the inn for over a month at least.

‘When will master get here?’

Rubia sipped warm milk as she thought. Even when she first set off from the Sleeping
Forest, she thought that since she met Lee Sungmin, she would soon get to meet her
master, Envirus. However, it had already been a year without any sign of Envirus
coming back.

‘Have I really been abandoned? No, of course not. It’s simply that the time is not right
yet.’

With such anxieties bubbling up within her, Rubia was feeling strange. The journey
with Lee Sungmin was quite enjoyable. Encountering several exciting situations that
she had never experienced while following Envirus was thrilling for Rubia.

‘I feel like something is about to happen again.’

Rubia thought, feeling a little excited.

But as the end of December arrived, things did not happen as Rubia expected.

That didn’t mean that Travia was peaceful. There was something going on both over
and under the surface of the city.

The Black Mages parties continued. It was unknown what they were pursuing, but
there was always a man at the centre of the party. The man with a mask covering half
of his face didn’t say much, but there were always people around him.

“A greedy human.”

Today’s party was special. Among the many mages gathered in Travia, only the select
were taking part in it. However, that wasn’t what made it special. What was special
was the participation of the Vampire Queen.

Geniella sat on the spacious sofa on the second floor of the private room overlooking
the hall. The vampires belonging to her were all sitting around her. At the door, Kim
Jonghyun raised his hand and took off the mask covering half of his face.

“What do you mean greedy? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You are also shameless, huh?”

Geniella laughed. Kim Jonghyun looked at the man sitting next to her. Aside from
Geniella, the man with vivid red eyes was giving off the strongest aura in that room.
He was gulping down the liquor without any rest.

At one point, that man had the title of Bloody Heavenly Demon. That was back when
he was still human. The left arm, which had been cut off in the fight against Minor
Heavenly Demon, was now intact.

“I’ve seen so many mages, but no human was as special as you.”

Geniella murmured.

“You are a black mage, but you are not subordinate to the devil. It is not uncommon
for a Demon King to die out. But in such a case, the black mage that mortgaged their
soul would face the same fate as the Demon King they are attached to.”
“There were several coincidences that came together.”

Kim Jonghyun replied with a smile. Originally, he made a contract with the Demon
King Caladra to become a mage and would have had been extinguished along with the
extinction of Caladra. However, when Kim Jonghyun was summoned to Eria, he was
able to escape the fate of extinction like Caladra.

“You have become a mutant.”

Geniella murmured. He was both a human but a non-human at the same time. That
was enough to call him a mutant.

“So what do you want? You’ve arranged a meeting like this, so there must be
something you want.”

“Let me join Predator.”

Kim Jonghyun said with a smile. It sounded more like an order rather than a request.
Kim Jonghyun’s attitude made Geniella laugh.

“You are not even a Lich, and yet you want to enter a non-human group?”

“There’s no need for me to become a Lich. Do you feel like I’m not good enough?”

“Ahaha!”

Geniella laughed and shook her head.

“I’m not rejecting you. If I wanted to refuse, I wouldn’t have wanted to talk. You want
to join Predator? Sure. I’ll accept you as a member. But what do you want to achieve?”

Geniella’s eyes narrowed as she smiled happily. She looked keenly into Kim Jonghyun’s
eyes as if she could see his innermost thoughts.

“What do you think Predator is?”

“It’s a group of non-human monsters that rejected their humanity.”

“That’s right. We aren’t human. We are monsters that reject humans and eat them. If
you want to join Predator, you need to be a monster by definition.”
“Are you asking me to consume human flesh?”

“That’s not necessarily what I’m saying. What will you do to prove your monster
status?”

The question was like a test. Kim Jonghyun felt that his fate would be determined by
the answer he gave to it. Geniella was an unrivalled monster even in this wide world.
The vampire queen, who had lived for many years, had magical powers and
exceptional vitality. No matter how Kim Jonghyun dealt with the powers of the Demon
King, being a mutant, there was no way he would be able to compete with terrible.

“Are you satisfied with your drink?”

Kim Jonghyun opened his mouth.

“The blood of a pure blood, newborn babies, pregnant women, and so on. I am not a
vampire, but I have prepared various things to suit the taste of one.”

“Ahaha! Do you think this kind of tribute proves that you are a monster?”

“Of course not.”

Kim Jonghyun said and looked down. He saw many warlocks and witches enjoying the
party. The beautiful virgins and youths were standing around, entertaining them. They
were the slaves who were brokered and purchased through Erebrisa.

“I will give them all to you as an offering.”

“That’s rather trivial.”

Geniella smiled and shook her head.

“I can get such a tribute like that whenever I want. But… Hu-hu! I’ll take it. It’s not
enough to prove your status as a monster, but enough to prove your insanity.”

Geniella said and raised her hand. The space split apart, and she pulled out a necklace
with the pattern of a dark black five-point star on it.

“This is a black star that proves you are a member of Predator. Here.”
Kim Jonghyun received the black star with his hands open. The five-point inverted star
was the symbol of the devil’s worship and the five monsters at the peak of Predator.
Alongside the Vampire Queen Geniella, there was the King of Lycanthropes, the King
of Death Knights, the King of Lichs, and the King of Yokai. Warlock Kim Jonghyun
would be the subordinate of the Lich King.

“Then let’s enjoy the offering, shall we?”

Geniella slowly got up. Then the other vampires sitting next to her also got up. The
warlocks, witches, and other attendants of the party were celebrating, completely
ignorant of the massacre and feast about to happen soon.

[Queen.]

A voice rang out in Geniella’s mind as she went down the hall. It was a member of her
clan.

[The human of interest is about to leave Travia.]

“Aha.”

The content of the reports she received was always different. Geniella grinned with
narrowed eyes. She glanced at Baek Museon that was following her.

‘Go to Freskan right now, and tell him to sit down quietly and not pull any kind of
nonsense. Tell him that if he disobeys, he will immediately perish without even going
through Arbeth.’

Arbeth was the king of Lichs. He held one of the thrones of the black star along with
Geniella. Normally, the Vampire Queen, Geniella, could not be involved in the
disappearance of a lich. However, since Arbeth had decided to overlook it, she could
do as she pleased. In fact, Arbeth would not care even if Geniella completely destroyed
Freskan.

“The child who defeated you is about to leave Travia.”

Geniella said to Baek Museon. His shoulders trembled at her words.

“Keep this in mind. You are forbidden to kill him. You may do as you wish to him as
long as he doesn’t die.”
“… Yes, my Queen.”

Baek Museon replied, a hint of a fire burning in his red eyes. If he were still human, he
wouldn’t have listened to Geniella. However, the current Baek Museon was not human.
For the past two months since becoming a vampire, he could not move. It was because
of Geniella’s orders.

Baek Museon didn’t even feel dissatisfied with Geniella’s order not to kill Lee Sungmin.
All the feelings he had for Geniella were washed away once he became a vampire.
Nevertheless, a hint of killing intent and hatred directed toward Lee Sungmin still
remained. Baek Museon turned around while bowing his head.

“Despair has to be shared.”

Geniella muttered in a joyful voice.

“Just like he pushed you into the pit, you must push him into it too.”

Geniella burst into laughter as she recalled Lee Sungmin.

December was coming to an end. After the fight against Bloody Heavenly Demon, there
was nothing of note that happened in the north. For two months, Lee Sungmin
received martial arts guidance from Crazy Heavenly Demon in the northern region of
Travia, and succeeded in achieving some progress.

When this year was over, there would no longer be any reason for him to stay in the
north. He needed to head to the big city of Rubes, where he had promised to meet with
Wijihoyeon before March, and frankly, his itinerary was packed. So, even though the
year had not ended yet, he had to slowly prepare to go to the south.

“Let’s get going!”

Lee Sungmin was puzzled by Rubia’s joyful attitude, but he did not ask. When he first
came to the north, it was with Rubia and Heoju, but when going to the south, Crazy
Heavenly Demon had also joined them to form a group of four. Among them, Heoju
was hidden in Lee Sungmin’s armor, so he was not visible.

“Domaksaramu, Domaksaramu… ”

The sound of Crazy Heavenly Demon chanting the mantra mixed in with the wild north
wind. Although he had a packed schedule, he had started off with plenty of buffer time,
and he didn’t have to rush since the year was not over yet.

A bloody scent floated over, mixed in with the wind.

Lee Sungmin stopped walking. He was not the only one to detect the bloody smell.
Crazy Heavenly Demon, who was chanting mantras just a moment ago, stopped all of
a sudden. Rubia also stopped walking and looked ahead.

Beyond the snowstorm, Baek Museon stood waiting. He threw the bottle he was
drinking from into the snowfield and glared at Lee Sungmin. Baek Museon’s eyes,
which were staring at him from across the strong winds, were dyed red.
“… Is that Baek Museon?”

Crazy Heavenly Demon called out in surprise. Lee Sungmin looked back at Baek
Museon. Baek Museon’s presence was sinister enough to make him feel like vomiting,
and the evil energy in his pupils caused chills to go down his back. Inside Lee
Sungmin’s mind, Heoju clucked his tongue.

[He became a monster.]

Crazy Heavenly Demon didn’t know that Baek Museon had become a vampire. He
stood next to Lee Sungmin and looked blankly at Baek Museon, who remained silent.
Baek Museon becoming a vampire was too different from the result that Crazy
Heavenly Demon had intended. If Geniella hadn’t been by Baek Museon’s side,
seducing him, he might not have become a vampire. As Crazy Heavenly Demon
expected, he might have overcome his despair as a martial artist and overcome it.

However, Baek Museon’s choice was not that of martial arts. He turned to walk on the
path of the non-human races. Crazy Heavenly Demon opened his mouth blankly as he
looked at Baek Museon’s newly regenerated left arm.

“Vampire.”

Lee Sungmin muttered under his breath. Crazy Heavenly Demon was astounded by his
utterance. Crazy Heavenly Demon was not ignorant about vampires. He pursed his lips
as he looked at Baek Museon, standing in front of him with blood dripping from his
body.

“Idiot… !”

Crazy Heavenly Demon said with a distorted expression. Baek Museon wiped the
blood near his lips with the back of his hands and opened his mouth.

“Elder.”

Baek Museon called out to Crazy Heavenly Demon.

“If you have any respect for me, don’t get involved in the fight between that guy and
me.”

Baek Museon’s eyes turned towards Crazy Heavenly Demon.

“I’m asking you sincerely. Do not get involved.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon was silent, his shoulders trembling slightly. Lee Sungmin
glanced at him. He didn’t say anything, but it seemed clear that he would not intervene
in this matter going by his attitude. Lee Sungmin muttered with a sigh.

“You’ve got a new arm.”

Baek Museon did not answer.

“What did you become a vampire for? To kill me?”

“There was that too.”

Baek Museon opened his mouth. Then, he opened his mouth as if to add something,
but then he laughed and shut his mouth without saying any more.

“I don’t think that the reason matters now. I want to kill you and Wijihoyeon. I want to
kill that bitch too.”

“So, is that why you came here?”

“No.”

Baek Museon began to stride ahead. Every time he took a step, a red mist rose up from
behind him. The mist was incomparably dense, giving off an indescribably ominous
aura, compared to the one he saw two months ago.

“It is what my Queen wants.”

Queen.

[So it’s Geniella.]

Heoju murmured.

“The Queen wants you to despair.”

Baek Museon said in an emotionless tone. He had been broken. For Baek Museon, who
had been turned into a vampire by Geniella, her commands were absolute to him. The
approaching Baek Museon made Lee Sungmin think about a lot of things. He thought
about the kind of despair Geniella wanted and decided that he would not become a
vampire no matter what.

“… I- ”

Crazy Heavenly Demon opened his mouth. However, Lee Sungmin did not hear him
out.

“Please protect Rubia.”

His armor unfolded and covered Lee Sungmin’s body. He pulled out the spear that slid
off his back and grabbed it. He never thought he would be fighting Baek Museon again
in this way. Two months ago, Lee Sungmin won an easy victory against him.

Baek Museon was an easy opponent that he could win against without using magic.

But not now. The wickedness emanating from his aura was far too intense.

[It looks like Geniella has given him quite the boost.]

Heoju murmured. Ghost Blade had also gained a large strength boost after he became
a vampire, but he was not comparable to the Baek Museon standing in front of him.
Besides, it was a full moon night at that time. Right now, there was no full moon, but
Baek Museon’s ominous aura was still realms above that of Ghost Blade. It was only
natural. Before becoming a vampire, Baek Museon was a martial artist who had
surpassed Ghost Blade by leaps and bounds, and he had also received more power
from Geniella after becoming a vampire. Now he was a monster with more power than
he had when he was in his prime years ago.

[Be careful.]

Heoju warned.

[Don’t be conceited because you won against him two months ago. Don’t take it lightly.
Unless you want to die.]

At those words, Lee Sungmin laughed. Conceited? It was ridiculous. Was he someone
who deserved to have such kind of pride? Lee Sungmin lowered his posture with a
grave feeling. Strength, Haste. Lee Sungmin murmured a spell.
The power inside his Dantian was replaced by magical powers and unfolded magic.
Lee Sungmin could feel his whole body getting lighter and like he was getting more
power.

Pu-hwak!

The snowfield exploded. Baek Museon sprinted forth, swinging both his arms toward
Lee Sungmin. The red mist of his Blood Mist of the Night scattered everywhere, and
his eyes flashed a bright red. Lee Sungmin swung his spear quickly.

Kkwaaang!

The red force and purple aura collided. Lee Sungmin opened his eyes wide because of
the sheer pressure on his body. He was right to use Strength and Haste in advance.
Had he not been assisted by both, he would have suffered a loss in this blow.

Baek Museon was faster and more fierce than before. The Bloody Heavenly Demon
Blood Ring’s mist painted the surroundings red as if to announce Baek Museon’s
presence. Lee Sungmin used the Nine Dragons Spirit move immediately. It wasn’t just
that. Along with his own martial arts, he also used the Blood Ring martial arts. Purple
and red inner force intertwined. His spear force became like a rotating ring, covering
the entire spear held by Lee Sungmin.

Bloody Heavenly Demon martial art’s, Blood Ring Smithereens (血環破碎).

Nine Heavenly Spears techniques’, Nine Dragons Annihilation ( 九龍殺生).

The two martial arts unfolded simultaneously. Nine dragons were fired out with the
addition of red spikes. Nine Dragons Annihilation, together with Blood Ring
Smithereens, exploded with unparalleled power. However, Baek Museon did not step
back. Subdued under Geniella’s orders, Baek Museon was insensitive to death. No,
apart from Geniella’s orders, Baek Museon cared for nothing as he attacked Lee
Sungmin. Baek Museon raised his outstretched foot forward and slammed it onto the
ground.

Kwaaaa!

The thick snow evaporated, and a red haze rose up from it. The Nine Dragons
Annihilation, shrouded among the blood rings, was unable to penetrate through the
red haze and was blocked. Beyond that, Baek Museon swallowed his breath and placed
his clenched fist near his waist.

Kuguguung! Ominous magical powers wrapped around his fists. When he released the
powers, the nature of the Nine Dragons Annihilation’s force changed and was dyed
red. Kkwaaang! With the sound of lightning, Baek Museon’s powers penetrated the
entire space.

[Dodge!]

Heoju yelled in astonishment. Lee Sungmin hurriedly performed the Two-step Gentle
Ripples.

Quaaaah!

Baek Museon’s power made deep burrows in the snow. If the Two-step Gentle Ripples
was timed badly, he would have received the blow head-on. However, it was too early
to be relieved. He could feel a gruesome gaze directed at him from beyond the red mist
that colored the surroundings. Lee Sungmin moved faithfully, in response to his sixth
sense. He twisted his waist and lifted up the spear, which collided with Baek Museon’s
palm.

“Keuk… !”

A groan escaped Lee Sungmin’s mouth as Baek Museon burst out into loud laughter
that bellowed across the fog. Hahahahaha! After pursuing Baek Museon, who
disappeared into the fog again, Lee Sungmin stepped forward one step. Spirit-stealing
steps created numerous afterimages. Not only that, but Lee Sungmin also unleashed
Two-step Calamitous End as well. After two steps in succession, the strength exploded.

Predatory Blood River (血流追殺) of the Bloody Heavenly Demon martial arts. The
strength of Two-step Gentle Ripples and the Predatory Blood River tangled up and
swept everywhere. However, the red mist was only scattered a little and did not
disappear completely.

[Geniella, that crazy bitch!]

Heoju shouted in frustration. Baek Museon’s power after he had become a vampire
was to such an extent that Heoju was astonished. It was beyond belief. Geniella’s
powers, added to an already outstanding martial artist like Baek Museon gave birth to
a colossal monster. Heoju was not the only one who was astonished. Even Crazy
Heavenly Demon was amazed by his power. The power that he obtained by giving up
his humanity was too powerful.

[Front!]

Heoju yelled. Lee Sungmin raised his spear and drew a circle with it. Kwadudeuk! Lee
Sungmin’s feet buried into the ground. He gritted his teeth at the shock that rattled his
internal organs. Ran technique was aimed to parry an attack, but he was unable to
avoid the force completely. Lee Sungmin panted as he continued to move the spear,
feeling the metallic taste of blood in his mouth.

Pavavavak!

Baek Museon’s palm force and Lee Sungmin’s spear force collided, with snow clouding
the air. Lee Sungmin held his breath and opened his eyes. Heoju continued to talk
inside his mind, but there was no time to listen to him. All he could hear was Baek
Museon’s loud laughter.

“Take a good look!”

Baek Museon shouted with joy. The attack that used both of his arms had no opening
in it. Lee Sungmin’s spear had the advantage of distance, but it had no effect on Baek
Museon. He was leading in every way. Martial arts? It wasn’t that important in the
current situation. After becoming a vampire, Baek Museon was faster and stronger
than Lee Sungmin with heightened senses and reaction speed. Unlike Lee Sungmin,
who had to predict his moves and responded according to it because he could not see
him, Baek Museon was watching and responding.

“Hahaha!”

An opening in Lee Sungmin’s spear appeared, and Baek Museon’s fist swung in rapidly,
hitting Lee Sungmin’s body. Even though he mobilized the armor and defense aura, to
strengthen his outer body, blood spewed out of Lee Sungmin’s mouth upon impact.

“I can’t kill. I can’t… !”

Madness flowed out of Baek Museon’s eyes. His hatred against Lee Sungmin, which
had been suppressed by Geniella, raised its head again. If it weren’t for him, he
wouldn’t have become a vampire. He shouldn’t have been defeated by him. Baek
Museon spat out such words.

“What are you talking about!”

Lee Sungmin, who was pushed back greatly, snapped. He ran towards Baek Museon,
overlapping Strength and Haste again. His heart pounded, and his senses grew
sharper.

[Use my powers.]

Heoju shouted. He didn’t want to. Baek Museon’s existence taught Lee Sungmin how
terrible the power of a non-human could be. He didn’t know if he had the means to
control the powers in the south. He also didn’t know what might happen if he tried to
handle such powers with his human body.

Lee Sungmin kicked the ground, pushing strength into his faltering legs. Baek Museon
spread his hands wide towards Lee Sungmin. The red fog that flowed around began to
exert a strong force. Lee Sungmin knew what it was.

“Blood Mist Explosion.”

Baek Museon muttered through twisted lips. Lee Sungmin hurriedly moved his feet
before the mist came in. He performed Two-step Gentle Ripples, which he used to
destroy the move before.

[It’s not enough.]

Heoju murmured. When the mist exploded, Two-step Gentle Ripples was no longer
able to be maintained.

“Hahaha!”

Baek Museon burst into laughter.

Lee Sungmin collapsed in the middle of the blood fog with bloodstains all over his
body.
Baek Museon looked down joyfully at Lee Sungmin, who had fallen to the ground,
covered in bloodstains. Yet, inside Baek Museon’s mind, Geniella’s orders continued
to circulate. He cannot kill him. As long as he doesn’t kill him. Baek Museon mumbled
such words and slowly approached Lee Sungmin.

“Kkyaaak!”

Rubia screamed. Not only did she scream loudly, but she also raised up her magical
powers without any thoughts about the future. Her magical powers fluctuated, and
blue lightning crackled on top of her palms. But before Rubia could attack, Crazy
Heavenly Demon blocked her path.

“No.”

Rubia opened her eyes wide and glared at Crazy Heavenly Demon’s hardened face. She
shouted with a fierce voice.

“Then, are you just going to stand back and watch?! He might really die! ”

“I will go.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon uttered, sounding pained. He said he would not get involved,
and he wasn’t. But he could not now in good faith, simply stand by and watch. Lee
Sungmin had already suffered a fatal injury, and if Crazy Heavenly Demon did not go
out, Baek Museon would kill him. He can’t kill… Crazy Heavenly Demon had listened
to the words that Baek Museon was muttering, but he couldn’t believe them. Besides,
he didn’t have to kill him. Because it sounded as if he could do anything to him as long
as his life was intact.

Actually, Baek Museon had planned to do just that. First off, he would rip off his left
arm, then… Which part would it be after that? Would he rather pull out the legs that
made such annoying steps? It would be okay as long as he didn’t kill him.
Crazy Heavenly Demon moved forward. He didn’t want to get involved, but he couldn’t
simply watch Lee Sungmin die. He would not have stepped forward for anyone else.
However, Crazy Heavenly Demon had passed the Blood Rings technique down to Lee
Sungmin. Even if they did not have a very close relationship, he could not sit back and
watch him die since he had passed down his martial arts to him. Not only that. Crazy
Heavenly Demon did not want to see Lee Sungmin’s potential wasted here.

Kwaaang!

Crazy Heavenly Demon slammed onto the ground. He cut in between Lee Sungmin and
Baek Museon. Baek Museon approached Lee Sungmin, staring at Crazy Heavenly
Demon, his eyes shaking.

“Didn’t you say that you would not come out?”

“I couldn’t stand by and watch any longer.”

“Keuhuhu! You must have liked that kid a lot. He was using your Blood Ring
techniques… Is he your disciple?”

“No.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon shook his head.

“He is my benefactor.”

“Hahaha!”

In response to Crazy Heavenly Demon, Baek Museon laughed. In the past, he would
not have tried to confront Crazy Heavenly Demon. But not now. Baek Museon had not
yet managed to fulfil Geniella’s orders, and if Crazy Heavenly Demon was blocking his
path, he would have no choice but to kill Crazy Heavenly Demon.

“How can I kill Crazy Heavenly Demon with my own two hands!”

“You are rather proud of such easily earned power.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon murmured in a low voice at Baek Museon’s words. Although
he said that, Crazy Heavenly Demon didn’t take Baek Museon lightly. The Heavenly
Demon Blood Rings soared out of Crazy Heavenly Demon’s body. Lee Sungmin almost
died because of his carelessness.

The reason why Crazy Heavenly Demon had been easily overpowered in the past was
because Heoju’s powers were integral to Crazy Heavenly Demon’s inner force.

But Crazy Heavenly Demon still carried the pride that belonged to the one who had
held the title of ‘Heavenly Demon’ for the longest time in Eria.

“I am Crazy Heavenly Demon Byuk Wonpae!”

He roared out. The Red Mist of Baek Museon and Crazy Heavenly Demon’s Blood Rings
collided. In the midst of such a fierce clash, Rubia jumped out. She approached Lee
Sungmin, who was lying on the ground and stretched out her hand towards him.

“A-are you okay?!”

She shook his body back and forth multiple times. Rubia was surprised when she saw
his eyes, which looked like they had lost their light.

‘He lost consciousness… !’

Even so, Rubia could still feel Lee Sungmin’s pulse. Unlike his blank eyes, his pulse was
clear. Heoju’s voice sounded out inside Rubia’s mind.

[Feed him the potion.]

“Wait, what did you say?”

[His blood has clotted, and his organs are damaged. If you leave it as it is, he will die.]

Heoju said quickly. Rubia grabbed Lee Sungmin’s interdimensional pocket without
wasting any time. She took out the Elixir from among the potions. It could not be used
to treat amputation injuries, but it had an immediate effect on internal wounds. Rubia
opened Lee Sungmin’s mouth and poured in the entire Elixir.

[Why don’t you feed him with your mouth?]

“Why are you talking nonsense at a time like this!”

Rubia exclaimed. Even though he made fun of her, Heoju wasn’t just playing around.
He infiltrated Lee Sungmin’s body and spread the Elixir’s medicinal effects all over his
body. He fixed the twisted meridians and helped in healing his fragmented intestines.

[Huh?]

Heoju was surprised. The Elixir’s effects were quickly taking effect. The fragmented
meridians were already healing. The clotted blood also unclotted little by little, and
the damaged places were taken care of and regenerated.

[You are no longer human already… ]

Heoju murmured. Neither Lee Sungmin nor Rubia heard it. Still, thanks to Heoju’s
help, the Elixir spread throughout his body, and it began to recover.

But he did not regain consciousness.

His lost consciousness floated in a dark void. Lee Sungmin was not aware of what was
happening in reality. The memories of the past passed by him quickly like a lantern,
and suddenly Lee Sungmin found that he was looking down at them all.

He could see two of his lives in front of him. He was 14 years old. He lived in Eria for
13 years and died in a dungeon. And then he came back to the past and lived up to this
point.

Everything had changed since he met Wijihoyeon. His narrow world had widened. All
the situations he lived through passed through his mind. The mountain of Mush,
Shaolin, and his subconscious. The encounters that he had had, the deeply intertwined
ties. From a certain moment, his consciousness became clearer. Standing at the centre
of his consciousness, Lee Sungmin looked down at his body. The hand that wasn’t
holding anything before was now holding a spear.

Then his consciousness expanded again. Lee Sungmin contemplated every move he
had learned, remembered, and acquired in the space. It was a strange and mysterious
experience. He could see all of the understanding and enlightenment that he had
gained so far at a glance.

“Ah.”

Lee Sungmin made a sound. He could see himself lying down. His bloody body was not
moving, but he seemed to be alive. But why was he here? Lee Sungmin tilted his head.
He could see Rubia sitting by his side, rubbing his arms and feet to bring him back to
consciousness. Heoju’s appearance… He could see it. Heoju, who should not have been
visible, looked the same as he had inside his subconsciousness. Hearing a loud voice,
Lee Sungmin turned his head. Soon, the image of Baek Museon fighting against Crazy
Heavenly Demon appeared in front of him.

“What am I doing here?”

Lee Sungmin muttered with a blank expression. He shouldn’t be doing this here. Was
he dead? He couldn’t be. He hadn’t met Wijihoyeon yet. He couldn’t keep his promise
with her. He hadn’t even met Baek Sogo. No, other than that. He just didn’t want to die.
He shouldn’t be dead. He could still go further. He could do more. The death of Ghost
Blade came to his mind. I can do more… Ghost Blade had muttered such words. Those
words that Ghost Blade spoke out like a final regret shook Lee Sungmin’s
consciousness.

Tuk.

Someone pushed his back. Lee Sungmin looked back, surprised. He couldn’t see
anyone. Someone had definitely pushed his back, but he didn’t see who it was.

“Heoah!”

Lee Sungmin opened his eyes and took gasping breaths. Rubia, who was staring at Lee
Sungmin’s face with teary eyes, screamed and ran over to him. Lee Sungmin grabbed
his neck as he took deep breaths.

“Keuheuk!”

“Kkyaaag!”

The dark blood that Lee Sungmin threw up spattered onto Rubia’s face. Rubia shrieked
and covered her face with her hands. Lee Sungmin spit out blood a few more times
and grabbed his chest. Now that he had vomited out the blood, he felt more
comfortable. In the meantime, Rubia scraped off the snow off the ground to wash away
all of the blood splattered on her face.

[Are you okay?]

Heoju hurriedly asked. Lee Sungmin stumbled and raised his body without answering.
What just happened? Lee Sungmin was confused and grabbed his head. His memories
were clear. Memories of the past that passed by in an instant. He had definitely
witnessed it.

[Your performance is much better.]

Heoju muttered in amazement. Standing up staggeringly, Lee Sungmin felt something.

His inner force flowed smoother, and his body was much lighter.

[What the hell happened? You just recovered from fatal injuries, so why are your heart,
mind, and body so stable?]

It was incomprehensible to Heoju. Lee Sungmin looked blankly at his hand. There
were no bloody wounds. There was no pain. The pain in his body that he felt before he
lost consciousness had also disappeared.

“Why is Crazy Heavenly Demon Elder fighting with Baek Museon?”

“It’s because that crazy guy was trying to kill you!”

Rubia, who had washed her face with magic, yelled out. She wanted to pick a fight with
Lee Sungmin for vomiting blood onto her face, but she held back.

“How is your body? Do you feel okay?”

“My body feels… refreshed.”

Lee Sungmin replied with his hand on his chest. He could feel his head beating. Was it
thanks to the black heart? No, he would think of such things later. Lee Sungmin
stepped forward, holding the spear with both hands. Rubia stepped forward with a
frightened expression and blocked Lee Sungmin.

“Wh-what are you doing?! You nearly died just a moment ago!”

“I have to do it.”

“What is it that you have to do! If you sit down and rest here, that elder there will take
care of it for you!”

“I can’t.”
Lee Sungmin replied in a steady voice. Rubia’s expression distorted, and she tried to
convince him, but Lee Sungmin didn’t listen to her and passed by.

“Even if you die, I won’t care!”

“I’m not going to die.”

In response to Rubia’s fierce cry, Lee Sungmin replied in a low voice. Heoju laughed
heartily.

[I don’t know what it is. Getting a boost in your performance in this situation… It feels
more like fate than a coincidence.]

The person who is neither human nor monster that he would meet in the north. Heoju
thought it was Crazy Heavenly Demon. But was it? As long as Heoju went with Lee
Sungmin, he would have met Crazy Heavenly Demon eventually, even if he wasn’t in
the north. Could such a meeting with Crazy Heavenly Demon be the one that the Divine
Spirit had prophesied?

[Looks like your fated meeting was with that vampire.]

Heoju muttered after realizing that. The Bloody Heavenly Demon Baek Museon that
he met in the north. He did not teach Lee Sungmin anything. However, Lee Sungmin
suffered a fatal injury during the fight with him, and in the process, he gained a boost
that fixed his distorted heart, mind, and body. In fact, the meeting with Baek Museon
could not be regarded as the fated encounter. If Crazy Heavenly Demon hadn’t tried to
stop Baek Museon, none of this would have happened. It would have been stopped at
its root if Crazy Heavenly Demon had not arranged for Baek Museon and Lee Sungmin
to meet.

[It is fate.]

Heoju murmured. Many causes had accumulated, leading to the present result as they
came together. The prophecy of the Divine Spirit was always this way. Predicting
destiny and acting in accordance with it, eventually creating fate.

Lee Sungmin slowly moved forward while listening to Heoju. His steps were light. His
body felt light. Yet, he could feel the fullness of the power filling his body. The
untangled body with a balanced heart, mind, and body gave Lee Sungmin a sense of
stability that was unparalleled. But, there was still a long way to go. The level that he
had reached in his subconscious world was still far from here. However, the direction
of the path he had to follow was clearly presented in front of him.

“Eum!”

Crazy Heavenly Demon, who was defending Baek Museon’s attack, suddenly stopped,
feeling Lee Sungmin coming from behind. The same thing happened with Baek
Museon, who stopped attacking. He stared at Lee Sungmin walking that way with his
eyes wide open.

“What would you do if I didn’t come out?”

Lee Sungmin said to Crazy Heavenly Demon. Looking back at Lee Sungmin, Crazy
Heavenly Demon blinked, and then laughed out loud, finding it to be absurd.

“I saved you from the brink of death!”

“Thank you.”

Lee Sungmin sincerely expressed his gratitude towards him.

“Now we’re even.”

Lee Sungmin said as he passed by Crazy Heavenly Demon. The moment that he passed.
Crazy Heavenly Demon trembled. The aura he could feel from Lee Sungmin was
incomparable compared to the previous one.

“This crazy bastard… What kind of a lunatic can come back from the brink of death
like he’s completely fine?”

Crazy Heavenly Demon was dumbfounded. Lee Sungmin muttered, laughing at his
words.

“My words exactly.”

Lee Sungmin lifted the tip of the spear.

“I guess I can’t die easily.”

Baek Museon’s face, on the other end of the pointed spear, was distorted.
This kind of enlightenment was not new to him. Lee Sungmin had gained
enlightenment multiple times until now, and he thought it was likely because of the
black heart. Perhaps this enlightenment was also something like that. The black heart
embedded inside Lee Sungmin may have forcefully evolved his body to resist death.

However, even if he was familiar with the enlightenment, he was unfamiliar with the
feelings that he felt at that moment. His mind, body, and heart that were tangled until
now had stabilized. Lee Sungmin had experienced an overhaul once before, but his
body after that time was incomparable to his body now. After getting a taste of this
kind of agility and freeness, he would never be able to go back to the previous state.

“How did you get back up?”

Baek Museon said as he glared at Lee Sungmin.

“Did you drink an Elixir? Potions are really something… aren’t they?”

Even though Lee Sungmin was back on his feet, Baek Museon was not wary of him. He
had already confirmed the fact that Lee Sungmin was weaker than him through
previous fights. Rather, it was Crazy Heavenly Demon’s presence that irritated Baek
Museon. It might have been possible if it was a night with a full moon, but it was not
possible for Baek Museon to kill Crazy Heavenly Demon at his current level right now.

The spear in Lee Sungmin’s hands felt weightless. It was the same with his body.

‘Who pushed my back?’

It wasn’t just his imagination. Someone had definitely pushed Lee Sungmin’s back.
Was that also the black heart? No… There was no evidence, but he was sure that it
happened. It was a strange feeling for him.

‘I’d like to kill them all if I could, but… ’

He could not do that. Geniela’s orders were absolute. Although he had become a
vampire at the height of power, he still had to pay the price for giving up his humanity.

‘I’ll ignore the Crazy Heavenly Demon. As for that bastard, I will cut off one of his arms,
and if possible, a leg or two as well… Once that’s done, I’ll leave.’

Baek Museon decided. He laughed at Crazy Heavenly Demon’s stupidity. He mocked

Lee Sungmin too. It would be much easier if the two had joined hands to work
together. Why did they insist on fighting him separately?

“You’re not even running away while you can… ”

Baek Museon smiled and raised his hand. Red mist rushed over and accumulated on
top of his palms. Lee Sungmin looked at Baek Museon through narrowed eyes. Bloody
Heavenly Demon Martial Arts, was it? Lee Sungmin did not know the name of the move
he was performing, but the martial art he was performing was completely different
from his usual style.

‘It’s quite strange.’

Lee Sungmin stretched his foot and stepped forward without lowering the spear.

‘I don’t know what that is but… I’m not scared.’

He had barely escaped death mere moments ago. But his mind was quite calm
considering that. He felt like all the martial arts he had learned so far had finally come
to fruition.

The 2100 years of training allowed Lee Sungmin to reach a level that he could not have
possibly reached even if he trained for his entire life. However, that was not much of
an advantage for Lee Sungmin. As a result of those 2100 years of training, Lee
Sungmin’s mind, body, and heart had become more tangled up. As a result, Lee
Sungmin was unable to fully apply the results of his arduous training.

But not anymore. His heart, mind, and body had stabilized, and he was able to bring
together all his experiences and enlightenments together.

And now.

When Baek Museon’s red mist came across to attack him, Lee Sungmin could swing
the spear without any alarm. The strange aura surrounding the entire spear changed
its flow through the Ran technique. The red fog that swooped over Lee Sungmin was
pushed back along with the spear’s rotation.

Before Baek Museon could even feel surprised, a foot stretched out forward, and Lee
Sungmin appeared instantly in front of Baek Museon’s face.

“Argh!”

Baek Museon stepped back in alarm. He tried to shake off Lee Sungmin, swinging his
right and left arms at the same time, but Lee Sungmin’s body simply disappeared like
fog and evaded all of the attacks.

‘One Thunder!’

Where was he? Baek Museon turned back, following his instincts. His judgment was
right. Lee Sungmin was there. Lee Sungmin’s eyes looked like a bottomless abyss. The
moment they made eye contact, Baek Museon felt like his consciousness was being
pulled into Lee Sungmin’s eyes. His body froze. It was not even a whole second, but it
was enough time for Lee Sungmin to reach out.

Thud.

Lee Sungmin’s hand spread out widely in a palm strike, pushing Baek Museon’s chest
back. It was not a spear, it was a hand. There was no doubt about that.

“Euek!”

Baek Museon’s mouth opened wide and dark blood gurgled out of it. His body flew
back and rolled on the ground. Lee Sungmin slowly lowered his palm. Baek Museon
yelled while holding his chest, coughing.

“Wh-why didn’t you use your spear?!”

Baek Museon roared through his bloodstained mouth. Lee Sungmin picked up his
spear again and replied.

“… It would be a waste.”

“What… ?”
“I have many things that I want to try… That wouldn’t be possible if I only used my
spear.”

Lee Sungmin said emotionlessly. Baek Museon’s body trembled. He was being mocked.
A bright blood-red glow spread out from Baek Museon’s eyes. Lee Sungmin’s strike
had shaken Baek Museon’s insides even though he hadn’t perfected the technique yet.
Lee Sungmin himself was amazed at the power in his palm.

“Arghhhhhh!”

Baek Museon ran toward Lee Sungmin with a roar. The red fog overflowing from his
whole body contained a terrifying murderous intent. It swarmed over Lee Sungmin
and rushed in from all sides. Lee Sungmin pushed back against it with a two-handed
grip on his spear.

Swoosh!

The strength from having tempered his body and Blood Ring Martial Arts’ force
covered the entire spear. The spear shot forward in a straight line using the Chase Soul
spear technique. A large hole was drilled into the part of the mist that it struck.

“I-!”

Baek Museon quickly swung his left arm with saliva and blood spewing out of his
mouth, but Lee Sungmin’s spear was still faster. His spear shot forward using Blood
Ring Smithereens. The purple aura swirled and struck Baek Museon. Baek Museon
extended his left arm around the red mist without any intention of avoiding it.

Kwaaang!

With a loud noise, Baek Museon’s left arm broke away from his body and was flung
away through the air.

“My… arm…!”

Baek Museon screamed, looking at his severed arm. However, he still continued
wielding his right arm as usual without stopping. He drank blood. What did he become
a vampire for? He wanted the invincibility to be able to recover from his wounds by
simply drinking some blood. He never wanted to endure the pain and despair of losing
his limbs again. Other than that…
What else did he become a vampire for?

Lightning Strike and Blood River Predation met and combined. The multiple illusions
of the spear made by Lee Sungmin’s spear were strengthened using multiple
techniques in harmony. It resembled dozens of meteors with purple tails flying across
the sky and struck Baek Museon.

Resentment against the Minor Heavenly Demon. His thirst for revenge. His grudge
against Lee Sungmin. The feelings because of which he became a vampire had all faded
away under Geniella’s command. Now, Baek Museon was no better than a puppet at
Geniella’s beck and call. There were many ways a human could give up their humanity,
but the results were all the same.

(T/N: both of the techniques at the beginning have similar names in the raws. They’ve
got the common word ‘chase’ in both. One chases to kill with lightning, and the other
with blood ^^)

There was always something to gain, but also much to lose from becoming non-
human.

Baek Museon swung his right arm with a cry. Bloody Heavenly Demon Martial Arts’
first move unfolded with an explosion. Even so, it was unable to block the attack born
of two high-level techniques. Red mist scattered in all directions and blood spewed
out of Baek Museon’s left side.

“Ahhhhh!”

Baek Museon’s scream lasted long and soared up high. Lee Sungmin continued to walk
forward. He wanted more. He moved forward with the desire to unfold all of the
martial arts organized in his mind. Lee Sungmin’s Nine Dragon Annihilation was
executed smoothly and powerfully. Baek Museon desperately tried to gather the fog to
create a barrier, but the Nine Dragon Annihilation move immediately destroyed the
condensed fog. What next? Baek Museon performed several of his martial arts
techniques in rapid succession while trying to get a hold of his mind, but it was useless.
Lee Sungmin performed Void Clearing, and it destroyed all of Baek Museon’s moves.
There was nothing blocking the path between the two of them. Baek Museon leapt
into the air.

“You!”
Rising up to a high spot, Baek Museon shot a downward blow to the ground with his
only remaining hand. Red fog cascaded down along the hand, following his gesture.
Lee Sungmin put his spear down and performed Skill-stealing. It pierced through the
distance between him and Baek Museon. On the other side of the fog, Baek Museon’s
face was distorted. His right hand that fell down disappeared without a trace.

“My arm, my arm… !”

Baek Museon muttered without rest. Normally, after suffering these many injuries, it
would make sense to flee right away. However, since he had become a vampire, Baek
Museon’s vitality was incomparably great and much more tenacious than that of a
human. Thanks to Geniella’s special powers, he could also revive from critical damage
if he drank blood.

However, Baek Museon did not give up. He could not give up. It was because of
Geniella’s orders. Baek Museon had not pushed Lee Sungmin to the point of despair
yet. Baek Museon, who had lost both of his arms, fell down with trembling legs. Lee
Sungmin stretched out his spear toward the falling Baek Museon. With a small flick of
his wrist, he sent vibrations travelling through the spear. The vibrations separated the
spear into many parts and pierced Baek Museon’s body.

“Keueueu…”

Baek Museon collapsed to the ground in a miserable state. During his fall, one of his
legs was pierced by the spear and flew off his body, and his other leg was also broken.
There were many spear wounds littering his body. With that much damage, any other
person would have already died, but Baek Museon was still alive.

“N…No… ”

Baek Museon tried to drag his blood-soaked body to stand up. But it was impossible.

“Geniella… the Queen’s orders… ”

But death was near. There was neither blood nor a full moon to restore his wounds.
Lee Sungmin pushed away the severed leg on the ground and coldly looked down at
him.

“You’ve reached such a state, and you still want to carry out the Queen’s orders.”
[He is Geniella’s blood bridge after all.]

Heoju muttered, sounding annoyed.

[To vampires, the hierarchy among blood bridges and their leader is absolute.]

“I don’t think it’s just that.”

[It is the power that he gained by giving up his humanity. Did you think there would
be no cost?]

“This is making me want to become a Yokai even less now.”

[Vampires and Yokai are fundamentally different. Well… I admit that it’s reasonable
for you to be unwilling. Abandoning your humanity to become a Yokai means that you
would have to throw away what you have now.]

“What do you mean?”

[Your way of thinking as a human. Your actions as a human. It means that most of the
things you do because you are a human will be replaced. If you become a pig, isn’t it
only natural for you to do what a pig would do?]

Heoju chuckled as he said.

[I can understand why you don’t use my Yokai powers. Since you were born and lived
as a human, it isn’t right to force you to become a yokai. However, if what you pursue
is truly genuine, you wouldn’t necessarily lose them by becoming a yokai. However,
there will surely be differences in your methods. The method you use to reach your
goals as a human, and the methods you will use as a yokai will be completely different.]

Lee Sungmin sighed as he listened to Heoju. His powers were too uncertain and
sinister, and becoming a Yokai would mean that he would have to wield that kind of
sinister power. So, he didn’t want to become one. Baek Museon had lost everything
that had made him a human and only lived to execute Geniella’s commands. Heoju said
that vampires and yokai were different, but it was all the same for Lee Sungmin. In the
end, both ways would require him to give up his humanity.

“That idiot… ”
Crazy Heavenly Demon drew closer. He looked down at Baek Museon, who had
collapsed on the ground with a grave expression. He recalled Baek Museon from back
when he was still human, and he also thought of his ambitious and passionate image
from that time.

“Let him go.”

Crazy Heavenly Demon sighed as he turned away. Lee Sungmin nodded and approached
Baek Museon. Baek Museon opened his mouth as he stared at Lee Sungmin
approaching closer. He revealed his blood-stained fangs. He no longer tried to say
anything anymore, and Lee Sungmin had also made him no longer able to speak.

Baek Museon’s head was smashed, and he could no longer move. Lee Sungmin shook
his spear that was stained with sticky blood to get rid of it.

[Let’s go south.]

Heoju tempted him.

[Wouldn’t it be great if you could find a way to use my powers while maintaining your
humanity? Perhaps my purpose in leaving the woods was to guide you south.]

“… We should get going.”

Lee Sungmin nodded slowly. Why did Geniella attack him through Baek Museon? If
Geniella had come directly, Lee Sungmin would not have been able to resist at all. He
looked back at Travia through doubtful eyes. A city that had been reduced to rubble
overlooking the collapsed city wall. He murmured softly while staring off into the
distance.

“It’s a place that I never want to come back to.”

Leaving behind such words, Lee Sungmin turned away.

The Crazy Heavenly Demon followed Lee Sungmin’s footsteps in silence. It was
because of how unsightly the Baek Museon, who lost his humanity and died, looked.
But that wasn’t the only reason for the utter confusion that the Crazy Heavenly Demon
was feeling right now.

‘Who the hell is this guy?’

His gaze fell on the back of Lee Sungmin, who was walking ahead of him. Baek Museon
was never an easy opponent. The Crazy Heavenly Demon had fought against Baek
Museon once, but could never defeat him as easily as Lee Sungmin had done just then.
He couldn’t help but compare his growth to Lee Sungmin’s. Just a few months ago, Lee
Sungmin was no match for him. Lee Sungmin was still definitely not on his level earlier
this morning either. When he had first fought with Baek Museon, Lee Sungmin was
weaker than both the Crazy Heavenly Demon and Baek Museon.

But what about now? The Crazy Heavenly Demon stared at Lee Sungmin’s back. What
would happen if they fought with all their might? Could he win?

“Ho! ho!”

The Crazy Heavenly Demon burst out laughing. He’d have to try to find out, but… There
was no certainty of victory.

‘He’s not even on the verge of transcendence.’

The Crazy Heavenly Demon could tell when a warrior was on the verge of transcendence.
Among the Six Divinities from Beyond the Heavens, was a swordsman who was
unquestionably a transcendent warrior. That warrior had never fought with Lee
Sungmin in person, but if his sword was compared to Lee Sungmin’s spear, the Crazy
Heavenly Demon thought that the sword would likely prevail easily.

‘But his age is his advantage.’

The Crazy Heavenly Demon had given up on feeling triumphant. Because today was
not the only chance he had. They would be travelling together on the long journey to
the south anyway, so he would one day, eventually, get to fight against Lee Sungmin.

“I’m so excited.”

The Crazy Heavenly Demon mumbled in a joyful voice.

***

Geniella was lost in thought with her chin in her hand. She saw with her own eyes
what Baek Museon had been through. She also saw how the fight between Baek
Museon and Lee Sungmin progressed.

“Did Heoju get involved? No, he didn’t use any power…”

It didn’t make sense. Geniella gave Baek Museon a lot of strength. Among the numerous
Vampires within the realm, none could compare to the turned Baek Museon.

Nevertheless, Baek Museon was defeated. Geniella had ordered Baek Museon to bring
despair to Lee Sung Min, but he failed to fulfill her order. Geniella raised her body up
with a giggle.

“This is fun.”

Geniella didn’t feel regret for the death of Baek Museon in the slightest. Ever since
Baek Museon became a Vampire and came under the power of Geniella, she had lost
interest in him. With the death of Baek Museon, the power that Geniella had given to
him returned to her. There was no need to recover the body. This is because the body
of a weak Vampire cannot withstand the sun rays, and will dissipate into dust.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve met a human like him.”

Geniella snuggled into her cloak as she licked her lips. Her interest in the human
named Lee Sungmin had deepened. Geniella raised herself up further. The banquet
was coming to an end. No more shrieks could be heard in the hall where terrible
screams used to hover. Kim Jonghyun stood with his hands behind him, watching the
commotion leisurely. He wasn’t disturbed at all, even though dozens of humans
became food and beverages of Vampires before his very eyes.
“Baek Museon is dead.”

Kim Jonghyun opened his mouth. Kim Jonghyun, like Geniella, was also watching the
fight between Baek Museon and Lee Sungmin. Geniella nodded her head as she
replied.

“He’s an interesting human. He had power, but he’s not a yokai…… He’s not even a
banyo.”

(TL Note: Banyo: half-human.)

“You seem to be interested in him. Do you plan to turn him into a vampire?”

“If he desires.”

“Vampire Queen. I’m well aware of your bad habit. You seduce desperate men and
make them crawl on their knees. Do you think he would do that?”

“I’m just offering another option. Humans are free to choose whatever they wish.”

“I’m just a little curious though. If you offered that to everyone, there would be plenty
of people for you to choose from. What kind of person do you consider to be interesting?”

“A human who seems not to be desperate.”

Geniella answered without hesitation.

“And yet a man who fears despair. A person who seems unlikely to despair, but who is
likely to despair if he has an opportunity. A man who had dreams and ideals as a
human being, but was broken by despair.”

“There must be a lot of people like that.”

“Not that many. Especially not you.”

Geniella smiled brightly. Kim Jonghyun’s cheeks flinched. He stared at Geniella and
tilted his head as if he didn’t know.

“What do you mean?”

“You are human, but not that kind of human.”

Geniella replied instantly, as if she had nothing to consider.

“And you’re already in despair. I think you’re a pretty funny person too, but I don’t
make people like you into vampires. It’s no fun to do that.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“No, a curse.”

Kim Jonghyun was speechless.

“It’s also a prophecy. Most of the people like you died horrible deaths trying to achieve
their dreams.”

“Haha!”

Kim Jonghyun burst into laughter.

“I hope so.”

Kim Jonghyun spoke no more after saying that, but turned around and left. Geniella
didn’t bother to detain him. She poked at the goblet and laughed, shaking the red wine
mixed with blood.

‘Just saying whatever he wants.’

Kim Jonghyun quickened his pace. He’d achieved his goal for being there. Now that he
was a member of Predator, there was nothing left for him to do. He had to get back to
the black tower before his holiday period ended. Unlike the other towers, the wizard
guild watched the black tower like a hawk. This was because the magic and ideas of
black wizards were often treated as ominous and dangerous.

Kim Jonghyun felt like leaving the guild, but that would be more trouble than it was
worth. Being watched all the time was a bother, but there were many benefits to being
a member of the Wizard Guild. In particular, the location of the tower was something
that was much more beneficial than the annoyance of guild surveillance.

‘The Final… The final apostle. It was he that caused a shift.’

Kim Jonghyun silently thought about Lee Sungmin. He was indeed a mysterious man.
They met each other every few years, but each time they met, Lee Sungmin had grown
stronger than ever before. In this survival world, the people with the most disadvantages
were those that were no-class, and Lee Sungmin had reached the limit as a no-class.

‘You’ve got a powerful fate. As long as the final apostle is protecting you… No matter
whether conscious or unconscious, you’ve eventually come to the destination decreed by
the river of fate. The things you keep encountering like coincidences, and maybe I too am
entangled in this fate.’

Such an idea made Kim Jonghyun happy. What is the significance of my existence?
What would have happened to me in a previous life that no one knew? Am I behaving
differently than I would in the other world?

‘What would I look like when I meet you next time?’

Kim Jong Hyun smiled flatly.

***

Wijihoyeon walked, dragging her feet. The Black Dragon wrapped around her body
was stretched out helplessly towards the ground, her face sallow and pale, with
tiredness and pronounced edge of haggardness that had not been seen before.

‘How much time do we have?’

As she became more tired and walking became difficult, she went to the shade of a
nearby tree and took rest. The journey to Tobes was too long. She had underestimated
its difficulty and didn’t think it would be hard to get this far, and there was little time
left.

Beyond The Heavens and The Six Divinities. Wijihoyeon chewed her lower lip as she
recalled them. They were strong enough to name themselves Beyond The Heavens.
One of The Six Divinities called Qian Zun was strong enough to be called the strongest
person that Wijihoyeon had ever met in her entire life.

“I’ll find you again next time.”

Qian Zun had left his seat with his bloodstained clothes, leaving those words behind.
In the three days of fighting, Wijihoyeon failed to kill Qian Zun. Likewise, Qian Zun also
did not kill Wijihoyeon, but left behind a curse.

“Blergh!”

Wijihoyeon, who had chosen to focus on breathing, couldn’t stand it any longer and
vomited black blood. She chewed her lower lip, looking at the black blood that she
spat out. The curse cast on her by Qian Zun couldn’t be cured by an Elixir. This was a
curse that had been engraved on her entire existence, not solely on the body; and it
was gnawing away at Wijihoyeon little by little. Wijihoyeon pressed down on her
wobbly chest.

‘He didn’t kill me. Why?’

Should she be grateful for that? She didn’t know she’d have to go through this when
the day of her appointment was at hand. Wijihoyeon staggered up again. She had to
break the curse.

“… Seren.”

A woman in a neat suit emerged from under her shadow at her words. She was the
broker for Erebrisa, who was in charge of Wijihoyeon. Seren tilted her head to the side
with a somber look on her face as she looked at the pale face of Wijihoyeon.

“… Yes.”

“How to end this curse… Didn’t you find it?”

“… As I’ve told you before. The curse of gnawing cannot be undone unless you kill the
person who cast the curse.”

She already knew. Through Seren’s services, she had met an excellent sorcerer and
wizard, but they only repeated the same words as Seren. There is no way to break the
curse unless she killed the person who cast the curse.

“Then, where is Qian Zun right now?”

“We’ve been working with the information guild, but we haven’t managed to confirm
the location of Qian Zun because the organization called Beyond The Heavens is
extremely secretive.”
Erebrisa was convenient, but they weren’t omniscient. Erebrisa’s information was
obtained through an information guild that was cooperating with them. However,
even though the organization Beyond The Heavens clearly existed, it was like a ghost
in that there was no information available from the information guild.

“In the end, I have no other choice other than waiting to die.”

Wijihoyeon murmured with a bitter smile. Qian Zun said he would return. Now under
this curse, if she met Qian Zun again, would she be able to win? Or should she beg Qian
Zun to release the curse?

‘He didn’t kill me. It means that he wants to keep me alive for some reason… What’s their
purpose?’

She had also looked into the organization called Beyond The Heavens, but there was
no proper information. What she found out was that Beyond The Heavens was a
mixture of humans and non-humans, and that The Six Divinities were both the face
and the most visible members of the organisation. As Qian Zun himself said, he was a
member of the Six Divinities. Amongst the Six Divinities, there were three of them who
had the title of Qian Zun, and the other three were considered to be at higher positions
than them.

“Haha!”

Wijihoyeon turned around with a low laugh. Seren looked at the back of Wijihoyeon
with a confused look and disappeared. Wijihoyeon never stopped laughing as she
recalled Beyond The Heavens and Qian Zun.

To be honest, until now, she had always thought it was easy. The ten years that
Wijihoyeon lived in Eria had always been easy – until she came to know of the
existence of the Beyond The Heavens organisation. It wasn’t easy anymore. She had
come to know a thousand things. Wijihoyeon realized that her existence wasn’t as
great as she had thought.

‘I don’t want to show any shame.’

Wijihoyeon began to drag her feet and walk with such thoughts. She couldn’t take a
break. It was still a long way to Rubes.

‘I have to go.’
She didn’t want to break the promise she made ten years ago.
Rubes was a big city located in the middle of Eria. It had a Gold Wizard Tower, a Red
Wizard Tower, and the headquarters of the Mercenary Guild as well. Rubes was
crowded with many warriors of the Murim and Wizards due to the Forest of Blindness
on the border – also known as Crohn.

But there were more than just Murim and Wizards who lived in this world. They were
far less noticeable in comparison, but No-Class’ were also summoned to Eria. The
children of the people who originally lived in Eria, and those who were summoned to
Eria in the past. It wasn’t just the Murim and Wizards, everyone living in Eria dreamt
of living in Rubes.

Rubes was the city of dreams. Many people dreamt of setting up a base in Rubes, and
those who actually managed to do so led a rich life comparable to the middle class in
other cities, even if they were classed as the lower class of this city.

The C-grade mercenaries were busy living on a day to day basis. Even A-Grade or
higher mercenaries still weren’t qualified to be commissioned in Rubes. Rubes was
the largest and most famous city, but Lee Sungmin had only ever heard of its name and
had never been there.

“Lee Sungmin? Hmm… S-Grade mercenary.”

He had not accepted any requests since leaving Behenger, but that didn’t mean that
the Mercenary Guild was useless.

Rubes was strict about public security as it was a big city. There was a long queue to
enter the city, and if someone didn’t have the appropriate documentation, then he
wouldn’t be able to access the city.

“What about you?”

He waited patiently in line for a long time, and Lee Sungmin, who showed his
mercenary card, was able to pass through the gate without too much trouble. Rubia
wasn’t held up in the inspection because she was hiding herself in Lee Sungmin’s arms.

“I am The Crazy Heavenly Demon, Byuk Wonpae.”

Then it was The Crazy Heavenly Demon’s turn. He took his identification card from his
sleeves and showed it to the guard. The guard checked his identification card and
nodded his head.

“I’ll tell you this just in case. Don’t even think about causing an incident here. I don’t
care if your cause is justified or not. Just remember, this is a city protected by those of
the Murim, Non-Human Alliance, and Wizard guilds.”

“Do you see me as an idiot?”

The Crazy Heavenly Demon grumbled. As a metropolis, Rubes was woven tightly with
the power of many different organisations. No matter how powerful or skilled The
Crazy Heavenly Demon was, he wouldn’t be able to make any trouble in Rubes.

“Please come in.”

The Crazy Heavenly Demon grumbled to himself as he passed through the entrance
without any problems.

“Murim, Non-Human Alliance. Huh! If I so much as lifted my hand…”

“Please don’t give us trouble.”

Lee Seongmin exhaled as he heard the Crazy Heavenly Demon grumbling. The Crazy
Heavenly Demon shut his mouth in the twinkling of an eye.

The promised day of reunion with Wijihoyeon was the next day. Though they hurried
along to reach Rubes, they only arrived with a narrow margin to spare. During his
journey from Travia to Rubes along the northern tip of the continent, Lee Sungmin
had been sparring with the Crazy Heavenly Demon almost every day. Although they
controlled their power to the extent that it wouldn’t give them trouble travelling, the
Crazy Heavenly Demon finally came to the point where he acknowledged the level of
Lee Sungmin’s martial arts.

“Rest assured, I don’t plan to get into trouble.”

“Pretend we don’t know each other if you do.”

“Don’t go overboard! Did you forget that I taught you the Blood Ring technique?”

“I listened to all the requests you made to me back then and sparred against you plenty
of times. I think I’ve already repaid the favour you did me by teaching me how to use
the Blood Gale Nova.”

“Eugh!”

The Crazy Heavenly Demon answered Lee Sungmin with a moaning sound. As he said,
Lee Sungmin had received a lot of help from The Crazy Heavenly Demon during the
journey. He was able to get familiar with the current level of his martial arts, and make
a lot of progress in mastering the Blood Gale Nova .

What was certain was that he was yet to enter Transcendence. At the same time, Lee
Sungmin was convinced that his Transcendence would end in him entering the spirit
world. Still, he was weaker than the level necessary for the spirit world, and there was
a great difference between himself and the others who entered the spirit world before
him

Lee Sungmin was not the only one who gained something. Consistently sparring with
a warrior walking a similar path had also helped the development of The Crazy
Heavenly Demon. In other words, they had benefited from each other.

“It’s been a long time since I last saw Rubes.”

Rubia got out of his arms. She stretched out like a crouching cat and put her hand on
her waist.

“Have you ever been to Rubes?”

“You know, this is the headquarters of the Wizard Guild, and there are Gold and Red
towers.”

Gold tower. A memory came back to Lee Sungmin unbidden. Lee Sungmin had formed
a relationship with Lloyd, the owner of the gold tower in Preskan’s Dungeon. Lloyd
had told Lee Sungmin, who saved his life, that he would do him a favour if he came
back one day.
‘I don’t really want to call in a favour right now.’

When Lloyd first said that, he put it off until later because he had nothing to request
from Lloyd at that time. Lee Sungmin glanced down at his left wrist. The bracelet that
Scarlett had given him when they parted ways at the Shaolin Temple hung loosely on
his arm.

Scarlett said she would let him know through the bracelet if she needed help one day.

But the bracelet had never reacted, even over the many years that had passed. Lee
Sungmin was reassured by that fact. Lee Sungmin had received a lot of help from
Scarlett, and the fact that the bracelet had not responded was proof that there was
nothing wrong with Scarlett’s personal affairs.

“My cold-hearted master had not contacted me in more than a year, but he may have
left a message in the Gold Tower.”

Although their journey was still continuing, Rubia was very excited. Lee Sungmin
opened his eyes wide after hearing the excited Rubia’s voice.

“What do you mean?”

“Lloyd, the Tower Master of the Gold Tower, is my master’s disciple.”

“What?”

Lee Sungmin looked surprised. Rubia opened her arms wide, feeling proud of Lee
Sungmin’s surprise.

“My master is a great man. Though he isn’t that famous, few of the famous wizards
don’t know my master!”

Rubia’s words decided what they would do today. Lee Sungmin could afford to meet
with Wijihoyeon tomorrow, but he had no plans for today. So he decided to stop by the
Gold and Red Towers.

As a large city, Rubes had many convenient facilities that were not found in other cities.
Trains stations and trains that ran on railways facilitated the rapid movement of urban
residents. Lee Sungmin followed Rubia, who was leading the way, to the train station
near the entrance of the city.
“The train…”

He couldn’t help but admire. Lee Sungmin, who had lived in Seoul, knew about
railways such as trains and subways, but had never encountered it in Eria. He has
heard rumors in the past that there was a railroad in Rubes, but it was the first time
that he’d seen it with his own eyes.

“It’s the pride of Rubes, created by the collaboration of Wizards and Technicians. Not
all No-Class’ do, but some No-Class’ have skills that Wizards and those of the Murim’s
lack. And if the dexterity of the dwarves and magic unite with those skills… Ta-da!”

Rubia explained in an excited voice. She looked elated as she pointed at the train that
was stationary on the tracks.

“It’s faster than a wagon, and you can sit still and enjoy the scenery out of the window!”

“Why are you so proud?”

The Crazy Heavenly Demon looked a little bewildered. Rubia raised her hand at the
remark and grabbed her nose.

“Can you please not talk to me? You smell like a country hick!”

“What?”

“Hurry up and come. I have to buy us a ticket!”

Rubia headed for the turnstile, hopping around without having any intention of
dealing with the confused Crazy Heavenly Demon. Lee Sungmin glanced at the train
with emotion and headed for the turnstile behind Rubia. The world was harsh on No-
Class’, but not on all No-Class’.

There were many No-Class’ that were treated according to the quality and quantity of
knowledge they possessed.

However, there were only a few No-Class’ with such talent. Lee Sungmin knew about
railways, but he didn’t know enough to be able to build them. Most would be similar.
Those with No Class and no knowledge would have no choice but to live in misery in
this world, just like Lee Sungmin in his previous life.
The central square of Rubes, the Gold Tower, and the Red Tower weren’t too far away.
Lee Sungmin bought a ticket to the Gold Tower first.

“Why isn’t this convenient ride available in other cities?”

The Crazy Heavenly Demon murmured on the train. He seemed very uncomfortable
riding on a train made of metal, but he headed to his seat and insisted on sitting by the
window.

“Because it’s hard to manage.”

Rubia, who gave up her seat by the window as if she were being generous, boasted.

“Rubes is the most secure and quiet city in all of Eria’s cities, with many different
forces looking after the city. There are also a lot more rich people, and the amount of
taxes they collect is huge compared to other cities. Railways are convenient, but they
aren’t easy to set up in every city.”

Lee Sungmin felt the same way as her. In Korea, where Lee Sungmin lived, there
weren’t subway trains in every city. It takes time, money, and technology to build a
railway, so not all cities would have them.

“Oh… It’s moving…”

The train began to move. The Crazy Heavenly Demon grasped the armrest of the chair
tightly and looked out the window. Lee Sungmin also stared blankly out the window.
It was a little bumpy at first, but as the train began to pick up speed in earnest, he
could only feel a slight vibration.

“Short-distance teleports still have a lot of dangers. Teleporting other people as a

group has too many variables and is risky, even if the wizard teleports himself too.
Teleport magic is being researched by various wizards, but it will take at least a few
decades to be commercialized.”

Rubia swallowed a smile at the sight of the Crazy Heavenly Demon, who was
overwhelmed by the passing scenery outside the window.

“A village bumpkin!”

“I can’t believe this vehicle is made of metal.”

“Thanks to magic! Isn’t it cool? Even the weak can travel a long distance quickly if they
use the train. What makes this convenience possible is magic and technology, not
martial arts.”

“But… I run faster.”

“Please don’t say anything stupid.”

“If I were to make up my mind, I could beat this hunk of metal into pieces.”

“What are you talking about?”

Rubia and the Crazy Heavenly Demon bickering was a common sight. During the
journey together, the Crazy Heavenly Demon and Rubia became very close, and a
casual observer would likely mistake them to be grandfather and granddaughter.

[The world has changed a lot.]

It wasn’t only the Crazy Heavenly Demon that was surprised. The Armour that was in
the carriage also exclaimed.

[ 400 years before, when I lived, there was no such thing.]

‘Time passes. Of course, it’s different.’

[So far, it hadn’t quite hit me. 400 years. Four hundred years was a long time. How
much would the South have changed?]

Heoju’s mutterings felt a little lonely. Time for Heoju, who was sealed in the Sleeping
Forest, had stopped 400 years ago. Although it is said that the south of Eria was
teeming with monsters, the south that Heoju knew of was the south of 400 years ago.

The train stopped at the Gold Tower station. The Crazy Heavenly Demon seemed to
want to ride the train more, so Lee Sungmin told him not to cause any accidents and
left The Crazy Heavenly Demon on the train alone.

The same was true of the train station near the city entrance, but there were many
beggars at the Gold Tower station. They had the audacity to sit at the corner of the
station. They looked at Lee Sungmin, who ignored their gaze. Crohn had an area for
the Murim to gather. No wonder there were so many beggars in Rubes, near Crohn.
“Hurry up!”

Rubia nagged at Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin ignored the beggar’s gaze and escaped
from the station. The train station and the Gold Tower were close to each other. Unlike
what its name suggested, the Gold Tower did not shine like gold. It looked like a tall
tower.

It wasn’t long till another tower of similar height came into view.

“It’s a Red Tower.”

“Let’s stop by the Red Tower after meeting Lloyd.”

“Why?”

“I have someone to say hello to.”

Lee Sungmin opened the door of the tower and entered after speaking.

He said he had come to visit Lloyd, but the wizard on the first floor of the tower shook
his head. The reason was that he didn’t make an appointment with Lloyd, the owner
of the tower. Lee Sungmin tried to explain, but Rubia stepped in before he could
continue speaking.

“I can’t tell you exactly who we are, but we’re important guests. If you refuse to let us
meet him, you will be disrespectful to Lloyd. Are you alright with that?”

“No matter how much…”

“That means you’ll take responsibility for it, right? Okay, I’ll be back. Too bad you’re
still young…. Tsk tsk!”

Rubia mumbled, looking up and down at the wizard. The wizard’s face whitened. He
hesitated for a moment and nodded his head, sighing deeply.

“Okay… What should I tell him then?”

“Connect the crystal ball to Lloyd. I’ll talk to him.”

The wizard brought the crystal ball and handed it to Rubia. The crystal ball changed
color after a brief moment. Rubia stared at the crystal ball. Lee Sungmin couldn’t see
Lloyd’s figure from this side, but Lloyd was looking at Rubia’s face on the other end of
the crystal ball. The crystal ball was slowly dyed gold.

“We’ve got permission.”

Rubia smiled and returned the crystal ball. The wizard saw Rubia’s smile and nodded
his head.

“Then please, this way.”

Lee Sungmin and Rubia entered the door the wizard led them to. Rubia closed the door
and skillfully manipulated the device by the door. Then the platform slowly began to
rise up.

“It’s an elevator.

“How do you know?”

“Because I’m from another world.”

The floating platform continued to rise. Before long, it stopped, and Rubia opened the
door.

“This way.”

Lee Sungmin followed Rubia into the corridor. At the end of the corridor was a gold
door with splendid ornamentation. The door opened before Rubia was able to raise
her hand and knock.

“What an unexpected guest!”

Lloyd’s voice echoed out from inside the open door.

Lloyd was the same as when they saw him a few years ago. Gold hair, an aura of dignity,
as well as the wrinkles on his aging face. He took the glasses off the bridge of his nose
and closed the book he was reading. Rubia turned her head towards Lloyd in the soft
chair.

“Long time no see, Lloyd.”

“It’s been about seven years. You haven’t aged a bit.”

“And you, as well.”

In Lloyd’s case, it was a magic that kept his old age in check, but for Rubia, a spirit
familiar of Envirus, old age didn’t exist in the first place.

Lloyd laughed at Rubia’s response and turned his eyes towards Lee Sungmin. He had
stared at Lee Sungmin for a while and gave a low exclamation.

“You’ve changed a lot. I can’t think of anyone else with growth like that.”

“You recognized me?”

“Because your face hasn’t changed much. And I have a pretty good memory. I’m not so
brazen as to forget what I promised myself.”

Lloyd raised himself from the seat at his words. Then, he slightly stirred his hands and
the landscape in the room changed completely.

Just a moment ago, the room, which looked like a quiet study, was turned into a neat
drawing room. It was a high-tiered dimensional space magic, but Lloyd did it ever so
casually.

“Do you have anything to ask for?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“Hoo-hoo! I don’t even know what you’re trying to ask for. I’m not the treasure hunting
type, so please don’t ask for something too great.”

“Okay.”, Lee Sungmin replied with a bitter smile.

Lloyd suggested that Rubia and Lee Sungmin sit in front of him and then brought
teacups for them.

“If you haven’t decided what to ask, then why did you come to see me? You aren’t the
type who would come here just to share tea with me.”

“It’s about Master.”, Rubia opened her mouth.

Lloyd stared at Rubia with his golden eyes shining at the artificial spirit. Then, the
golden eyes, who had been watching Rubia for a while, turned to Lee Sungmin.

“…Rubia. Is it my teacher’s will that you are traveling with that young man?”

“Of course.”

“Not that I don’t really trust you but I haven’t seen you in a long time. Do you have any
proof that it really is Master’s will?”

“I swear an oath on my mana that I am acting with Lee Sungmin in accordance with
Master Envirus’ orders.”

Rubia proved the oath without hesitation, as her mana’s flow fluctuated. Lloyd nodded
his head in response to seeing it.

“Our master visited me about two months ago.”

“As expected!”

Rubia nodded with a bright smile. Lee Sungmin looked at Lloyd in silence. Envirus was
a wizard who, like Lee Sungmin, also overcame Denir’s trial.

Lee Sungmin wanted to meet Envirus. While traveling to the sleeping forest, where he
was following Envirus’ trail, he only met the monstrous yokai Heoju, who was sealed
along with Rubia, the servant of Envirus.

“What did our master say?! Why didn’t the Master come see me himself?”

“He said he was sorry.”

Lloyd said with a bitter smile.

“I wanted to visit him myself, but I couldn’t. Instead, he asked me to go to the south.”

“What? South?!”

Lee Sungmin was also surprised by Lloyd’s words. His jaw was slacking off as well.

Lee Sungmin was heading south to learn how to handle Heoju’s powers. If he were to
meet Wijihoyeon in Rubes, Lee Sungmin was hoping to take her along with him to the
south if possible.

“He said we’d meet when I was heading south. And… this is the last message my
teacher imparted.”

Lloyd’s eyes turned towards Lee Sungmin.

“He told me that you shouldn’t deviate from the human path.”

“…yeah?”

“It sounds very ominous to me. When humans deviate their humanity, they inevitably
get stained with demon’s blood. That’s why I despise Dark Wizards.”

‘Hmm.’

Lloyd’s words left a sour taste in Lee Sungmin’s mouth .

‘Envirus. He was an ambiguous character. ‘Don’t stray from the human path’? Why did
he avoid me then? If he and I were to meet, he would have expected me to dwell on his
message.’

Lee Sungmin had no choice but to ponder on Envirus’ message. Rubia drooped her
ears in despair. If he was going to leave such a message, why didn’t he just come and
say it himself? What the hell was he even up to? Those were Rubia’s thoughts

But the question that lingered for Lee Sungmin, ‘Why would he leave a message?’ He
couldn’t do anything about it now anyways so he changed the topic.

“Do you know that Frescan is in the north?”

Lloyd was tracking down Frescan. Lee Sungmin recalled it and asked Lloyd the
question. Lloyd let out a deep sigh and nodded his head.

“I know. I wish I knew a little sooner… Now that Frescan has gone north, I’m sure he
belongs to the organization, Predator. So I can’t go after him.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Northern part of Travia is the territory of the vampire queen, Geniella. That old
monster is good at all kinds of folklore and magic. Not only that, her combat ability is
monstrous. If I follow Frescan to the north, Genniela certainly won’t ignore me and…
The problem isn’t just Genniella. If I kill Frescan, Arbeth will surely kill me too.”

“…Arbeth?”

[He’s one of the five monsters that are leading Predator. The Vampire Queen, Arch
Lich, Death Knight, Lycanthrope, and the King of Monsters. Those are the five that are
standing at the peak of the Predator], Heoju replied.

“Arbeth, the Arch Lich, is a monster with more power than Frescan. In the field of black
magic, Arbeth is at the absolute pinnacle. Some have said that Arbeth has seen through
the darkness of the abyss… Whew! I personally don’t believe that, because it’s the
same as saying he has seen the truth pursued by all wizards. Even so, Arbeth must be
a terrifying monster. Of all the wizards in Eria, Envirus is the only one who can match
Arbeth.”

Through this, Lee Sungmin was able to see just how powerful Envirus was. He had
never seen Arbeth, but Arbeth and Geniella stood on equal footing. If Envirus was able
to compete with Arbeth, it could be said that Envirus was also a monster comparable
to Geniella.

Lee Sungmin and Rubia came out of the Gold tower because they heard everything
they needed to hear from Lloyd.
While leaving the tower, Lee Sungmin felt suspicious and asked Heoju.

“You said you didn’t belong to Predator but, if there’s a leader of sorts among those
guys that would stand at the absolute apex of Predator… Do you know who it might
be?”

[Yes. Unless it’s different from 400 years ago, the King of Monsters I know is an old
enemy. He wasn’t as strong as this old man, but he was pretty strong.], said Heoju with
a swagger.

Lee Sungmin wasn’t sure of Heoju’s words before, but now he couldn’t help but believe
it because he had seen the powers of Geniella and Mad Wolf Joo-won.

“The Master of the Tower is absent.”

He left the Gold Tower and stopped at the Red Tower, but he couldn’t meet Scarlett.
Eventually, Lee Sungmin and Rubia left the Red Tower and returned to the train
station.

It was not until nightfall that Crazy Heavenly Demon returned. He looked incredibly
worn out.

He stared blankly at the train that had just left behind.

“Ironclad, how wonderful…” (T/N : Keep reading you’ll understand)

For a long time, the Crazy Heavenly Demon, which had been looking at the back of the
train that was leaving, muttered in annoyance. Rubia laughed in vain at the sight of
such things as boiled eggs and jerky, which the man was packing.

“A village bumpkin.”

“That’s right… the King was a villager. I guess there are uncultured people in the world.”

The Crazy Heavenly Demon nodded without refuting it. After taking the new train, the
Crazy Heavenly Demon sat by the window again.

Not long after the train left, Lee Sungmin arrived near the central square. They booked
a room in an inn that was close to the square. As it was the center of the main street,
the room was expensive, but they weren’t short on money.

After a light meal, Lee Sungmin came up to his room. He had met Lloyd during the day,
and heard some unsettling news about how he shouldn’t deviate from his path to one
of not being a human. But now, he had to put those thoughts behind for later.

Tomorrow will be the day of his promise 10 years ago, March 14th. Just thinking about
it made Lee Sungmin feel nervous. Heoju also felt Lee Sungmin’s feelings and laughed.

[When I saw him a year ago, he was a little monster. But… he’s become a matured
monster now.]

If you are close to transcendence at the age of 24, it was certainly enough to be called
a monster. There were many geniuses in this world, but a warrior who was as young
as Lee Sungmin was definitely rare. Neither did the high-profiled Bloody Heavenly
Demon get a glimpse of the transcendence, nor did Jihak, the future prodigy of the
Shaolin. Only those who have gone through desperate efforts among geniuses had
entered early phases of Transcendence and had to cross the walls again and again to
get a glimpse of the Transcendental realm.

“I never imagined I would be where I am now 10 years ago.”

When he had promised to meet Wijihoyeon in Genavis in 10 years. At the time, he had
no idea what he would look like 10 years later.

No, that was a lie. He had a vague image of it, but even in his wildest dreams, Lee
Sungmin wasn’t as accomplished as he was now.

Would he be able to open his heart to Wijihoyeon? Could he say that he, the one whom
she promised to meet 10 years ago, had finally come to fulfill his promise? How strong
would the current Wijihoyeon be? How far had she reached and how far had he come?
He wanted to know.

He couldn’t contain the thoughts. He tried to calm himself down through meditation
and other methods, but it didn’t go well either.

Maybe, no, he’s sure, Wijihoyeon should also be in Rubes right now. Lee Sungmin
wanted to find out the location of Wijihoyeon by using Erebrisa. If Wijihoyeon was in
Rubes, he wanted to go see her right now, and not wait until tomorrow.
But, he couldn’t. The day of the promise was tomorrow. He had been waiting for 10
years, and had to wait until tomorrow.

Lee Sungmin stopped meditating and left the room. He went to the back training yard
of the inn where there were various weapons. Naturally, the weapons were nothing
special.

Lee Sungmin took up a bladeless spear. He wanted to go to bed early, but he couldn’t
sleep. So, he decided to move his body.

He didn’t use the Nine Heavenly Spear Techniques. Instead, Lee Sungmin focused on
the basic skills that he learned 10 years ago from Wijihoyeon, including the Rana
Technique.

Even though Lee Sungmin wasn’t using his spear, the rod in his hand made a harsh
sound and cut the air quickly and slowly. Lee Sungmin, who had been swinging the
rod for a long time, stopped practicing.

“That’s some great skill there.”

Someone was watching, Lee Sungmin slowly turned his head. A neatly dressed man
was standing with his hands behind his back and looking at Lee Sungmin.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I came out for a walk and I saw something nice. You don’t look very
old. May I have your name and your nickname, if you don’t mind?”

“…I’m Lee Sungmin.”

“Oh, you’re the one they are talking about.”

The man chuckled at Lee Sungmin’s answer.

“I had heard rumors that a young boy with a good spear appeared. I didn’t expect us
to meet like this.”

“…who are you?”

“I’m Yoo Ho-jeong.”, Yoo Ho-jeong replied.

It was a name Lee Sungmin had heard of somewhere, and after a little consideration,
he shouted with exclamation.

“Ironclad!”

Yoo Ho-jeong was one of the most famous people in Eria. He was especially famous for
wielding a huge spear in a heavy ironclad armor, and Lee Sungmin was even more
surprised because he had never imagined that Yoo Ho-jeong, the Ironclad, looked so…
neat.

“The rumor about Ghost Gun is quite the understatement.”

Yoo Ho-jeong grinned.

“I guess you’re still not in the realm of transcendence. I’ve already crossed the wall
with my spear. Even so, I can’t guarantee a victory unless I fight you with all my
strength.”

“…not really.”

“Hahaha! However, being too modest isn’t good either. I’m not saying this for nothing.
If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a spar with you right now. What do you say?”

“…I’m sorry. I have an important matter tomorrow.”

“Is that so? Then there’s nothing we can do… Oh, just in case. You’re staying at this inn
with the Crazy Heavenly Demon, aren’t you?”

Yoo Ho-jeong said it as if he were indifferent, but his words meant that he had been
watching them since they entered the inn.

Lee Sungmin nodded his head, his expression slightly stiffening.

“Yes.”

“The Crazy Heavenly Demon is a dangerous man. He’s already committed multiple
murders. If the Crazy Heavenly Demon were to make a disturbance in this city, the
Crazy Heavenly Demon could kill the practitioners of the Murim Factions.”

Ironclad was a member of the Orthodox Faction in the Murim. Lee Sungmin nodded at
his warning.
“That won’t happen.”

“I can’t stop you from going with the man, but… Don’t get too close to the Crazy
Heavenly Demon. And also, why don’t you stop by the Orthodox Faction once you’re
done with your business tomorrow?”

“Yes?”

“If you’re skilled enough, you’ll get good treatment even in the entire Murim. I think
you’ll be known as a friend of ours who didn’t forgive the Solitary Blade who gave up
his humanity, given the fact that he killed a lot of people with his sword. But, for some
reason, this friend seems to be acting with the Crazy Heavenly Demon.”

It was a sentence open for interpretation. Lee Sungmin nodded roughly. Yoo Ho-jeong
smiled and tapped Lee Sungmin on the shoulder.

“I hope to see you again soon.”

Leaving him behind, Yoo Ho-jeong left first. Lee Sungmin stood around and pondered
on Yoo Ho-jeong’s words. To be honest, Lee Sungmin had lived without much
distinction between political factions and the religious sects. No matter what the
nature of the exploits may be, he was not a man to think of politics and religion when
regarding martial arts differently. In the first place, it wasn’t even worth thinking
about.

He would continue to maintain his stance on it. Yoo Ho-jeong asked Lee Sungmin to
join as a member of his faction, but Lee Sungmin had no intention of going to them.
The place he had to go was south, not the Orthodox faction.

“Friend of the faction?”

Lee Sungmin smiled. He didn’t know about anything else, but he felt that the term
‘friend’ was simply out of place.

Lee Sungmin put down the wooden spear and returned to his room. He washed
himself and laid down on the bed. It was a sudden encounter with Yoo Ho-jeong, but
he felt like he could fall asleep with a refreshed heart because he moved his body a
little.

“Tomorrow is the day.”

He decided he would wake up early tomorrow. Then, Lee Sungmin slowly closed his
eyes.
The Crazy Heavenly Demon seemed to have fallen in love with his first train
experience. In the morning, Lee Sungmin said he would go to the central square and
Crazy Heavenly Demon said he would go back to ride the train. Rubia decided not to
accompany Lee Sungmin for today.

“Have a good time.”

Rubia, who was giggling, said that teasingly. She didn’t wait for Lee Sungmin’s reply,
and scurried out of the inn along with the Crazy Heavenly Demon.

[Were you shaking just now?]

Rubia wasn’t the only one to tease him. The Crazy Heavenly Demon didn’t know what
was going on, but Rubia and Heoju remembered when Lee Sungmin met Wijihoyeon
in the dungeon. Lee Sungmin ignored Heoju’s teasing. But, it was true that he was
shaking.

He felt at ease when he fell asleep last night, but as the time started winding down
closer and closer to when he was supposed to meet Wijihoyeon, his heart started
pounding and wasn’t paying attention to his body.

[You look like you are experiencing your first love!]

“It’s not like that.”

With Heoju’s words, Lee Sungmin expressed his displeasement and kicked the horse
to start moving. But, the old yokai didn’t stop laughing.

[That girl was the object of your admiration. That’s the way it has always been. The
relationship between men and women easily changes with time. Isn’t that the case
with you?]

“No.”
[Then what is it? Is it really just admiration? Your heart is beating like crazy. Is that
because of your longing?]

“Shut up.”

[That’s a cute reaction. It’s refreshing.]

Eventually, Lee Sungmin, who could not stand it, went to the stable without hesitation.
He was going to throw the armor where Heoju was residing in, on a pile of horse feces
and Heoju exclaimed in astonishment.

[Sorry, sorry! I was wrong. I won’t do it anymore I promise!]

“Anymore bullshit out of you, and I’ll leave you in a pile of horse shit for three days.”

[You crazy bastard, what did I do to receive such treatment? This armor is for you
anyway!]

“I’d rather smell horse shit than to hear you bark.”

[Yes, I got it. I’ll shut up, so don’t!]

Only after hearing Heoju beg for help did Lee Sungmin put the armor back on.

Heoju seemed to hate being stuck in a pile of horse feces from when he said he reigned
as a nightmare in the South.

Lee Sungmin checked the time. The time they agreed on ten years ago was noon at the
fountain. The time had not even reached ten o’clock in the morning, and no matter
how fast he walked from the inn, it would take an hour to reach the fountain. And so,
he left.

He walked rather leisurely. Lee Sungmin slowly began to walk towards the square. It
was springtime in Rubes. The wind wasn’t too cold, and the warm sunshine peeked
through the blossoms of the trees. It was a beautiful day for a walk.

Lee Sungmin noticed some street-side merchants happening to sell bouquets of

flowers along the street.

‘Should I buy some flowers?’

At the thought, Lee Sungmin chuckled.

But, even as he shook his head due to his crazy idea, Lee Sungmin’s eyes were still
locked in trance at the bouquets on display. He decided to avert his gaze from the
bouquets and dismissed the idea.

The feelings he had for Wijihoyeon were nothing more than wanting to meet a friend
that he hadn’t seen in 10 years. He didn’t expect anything more than that. He thought
that he didn’t have a chance in the first place. The last conversation they had felt as if
they were joking before leaving. When they met a year ago, the words they shared
played around in his head, but it was just a conversation between friends. Nothing
more, nothing less.

‘Did you think of it the same way?’

A sneaking question was lurking in the back of his mind. Lee Sungmin laughed and
pressed his hands lightly on his temples. It felt like a fool’s errand thinking of it that
way. The dream of his meeting with Wijihoyeon. But, it wasn’t a dream just to meet.

‘Ahhhh.’

Lee Sungmin slapped his cheeks. Come to think of it, he hugged a lot of women in his
previous life. They weren’t just light hugs, they were tight ones. There were plenty of
prostitutes who were after the small fortune of low-ranked mercenaries. Compared to
his previous life, Lee Sungmin today was incomparable.

He was living a healthy life. He didn’t drink too much, didn’t have any meaningless
skinship with women. He didn’t have any particular desire to do so. If he wanted to
find a woman, he figured he could if he wanted it.

Lee Sungmin walked slowly and the square was getting closer. There were many
people walking around the square. There were a lot of street vendors, young children
and couples. There were also many elderly who sought the sunshine at leisure. They
came out to enjoy the leisurely daily life, and yet, none of them was dressed in any
kind of uniform or armor. Only Lee Sungmin was wearing an armor.

‘I should have worn better clothes.’

No, clothes didn’t matter. He giggled to himself. He was smiling even though he wasn’t
aware of it. His steps were light, or so he thought.
He was actually very nervous. Maybe Wijihoyeon is already here. Lee Sungmin’s pace
started to speed up a little.

‘What will we talk about when we meet? Let’s say hello first. Then I’ll ask how she’s
been doing. It’s been too long. Last year when we met… It was too short.’

“Aim for me.”

That’s what Wijihoyeon said. When he initially heard that remark, Lee Sungmin spat
out his reply like venom.

“I’ll be strong enough to pierce your heart when I see you in 10 years.”

Wijihoyeon bursts into laughter and said that friends shouldn’t do that.

Yeah. We are just friends. For 10 years, Lee Sungmin chased after Wijihoyeon’s back.

The existence of Wijihoyeon was too far and too big, and even though he had been
running nonstop for 10 years, he was still not confident. But, even that would be okay.
The farther away Wijihoyeon was, the farther he could run to get closer.

He couldn’t check it properly a year ago, but he would be able to check it today. Where
he was in comparison to her. Did they become equal? He didn’t want it. It was greed.

‘I wonder if I’ve made a fool of myself.’

But, he wanted to be recognized. He wanted to hear her compliments, wanted to hear

her encouragements. Wijihoyeon always used to be honest.

“You’re not talented, you’re stupid.”

He was hurt by such words, but he wanted even more so to be recognized.

Was that it?

A transparent stream of water gushed from the fountain. The high stream of water
made a faint rainbow. He didn’t know if it was magic or the refraction of the light, but
the streams of water were all different colors. It was beautiful. At the center of the
fountain, many people were resting.
What time was it? Lee Sung-min turned his head to find the clock. There is a clock on
the high post. It’s eleven o’clock now. Only eleven o’clock. There’s still an hour left. Lee
Sungmin decided to sit on a bench close to the fountain.

He closed his eyes, embracing the faint ripples of his heart. One hour. There was no
way that Wijihoyeon would break her promise. Even when they met a year ago, they
promised that it would be today. She would come. There was no doubt about it.

The volume of the conversation around kept changing from high to low. The water in
the fountain continues to flow. Whenever it would gush upwards and spray a bit of
misty water, Lee Sungmin turned his head to check the time. By twelve o’clock, Lee
Sungsmin stood up from the bench. Then he circled the fountain because he thought
Wijihoyeon might be somewhere else as the square was such a large area.

But, she isn’t there. She might be a little late. Even if it was only Lee Sungmin right
now, he arrived yesterday. Lee Sungmin paced around the fountain nonstop and
glanced at his watch.

It was one o’clock, two o’clock.

“…Did you mistake the date?” asked a passerby.

“What’s the date today?”

“It’s March 14.”

He wasn’t mistaken. Was their meeting going to be delayed…? He felt if he kept waiting,
she would definitely come. Nevertheless, an unknown anxiety lingered in his mind.
Lee Sungmin hesitated and eventually called Neville.

Neville appeared quietly. Lee Sungmin asked hurriedly,

“I’d like to know where Wijihoyeon is.”

“Wait one moment.”

Neville turned his head and disappeared. Lee Sungmin nervously waited for Neville to
come back. Less than 10 minutes later, Neville’s voice rang in his head.

[The Minor Heavenly Demon, Wijihoyeon is in Rubes.]

“…Wijihoyeon is in Rubes? Where the hell is she?”

[She’s… She’s in the middle of conflict with Ironclad at the south gate.]

“What?!”

Upon hearing that, Lee Sungmin jumped up from his seat. Ironclad Yoo Ho-jeong. This
was the character he had met at the inn while he was practicing just last night. Why
was he running into Wijihoyeon?

[Something’s wrong with her. She should be able to deal with Ironclad easily if it were
Minor Heavenly Demon’s martial arts. But, the Ironclad is pushing the Minor Heavenly
Demon.]

Ridiculous. Lee Sungmin knew that Yoo Ho-jeong was a famous martial artist, but that
doesn’t mean he would be a match for Wijihoyeon. Why was Wijihoyeon having a hard
time with Yoo Ho-jeong? No, this was not the time to think about it. Without looking
back, Lee Sungmin sprinted out to the south gate.

“No running on the street!”, shouted the guards patrolling the streets.

But, he didn’t listen to them. It was a long way from the central square to the south
gate, and there were many buildings and people, which prevented him from running
freely. As he continued his sprint without stopping, the guards blew their whistle.

[Go by rail.]

Heoju, who was silent at Lee Sungmin’s threat, opened his mouth.

It would be faster to run than to take the train, but if he ran on the railroad, he would
be able to get to the south gate faster.

Heoju’s advice was helpful. Lee Sungmin ran to the nearest train station and hopped
over the fence onto the railway. The stopped train honked its horn loudly, but Lee
Sungmin ignored it. He heard a distant whistle, a warning from the guards. Lee
Sungmin ignored that, too. Even at this point, he was troubled. There was no reason
why he would be frustrated by Yoo Ho-jeong unless there was a problem with
Wijihoyeon.

So he had to go. Lee Sungmin raised his inner energy and sprinted with a burst of
wind. The sound of horns and whistles slowly faded away. Lee Sungmin turned south,
running frantically over the railway.

It didn’t take that for Lee Sungmin to arrive at the south gate station. He did not spare
his internal energy, and it was possible by running along the railway. Lee Sungmin
jumped the fence again breathing unevenly.

There was a gate in the rear where a large crowd was gathered. Lee Sungmin ran there
with a burning ferocity in his eyes.

“You’re not as strong as the rumors!”

Yoo Ho-jeong burst out laughing and shouted. As symbolized by his martial nickname
‘Ironclad’, his whole body is wrapped in heavy, thick, iron armor and a helmet. The
weapon of Yoo Ho-jeong was a large lance, shining with a dark tint.

In front of Yoo Ho-jeong, Wijihoyeon stood with a pale face. She was balancing herself
on her knee with one hand because she couldn’t stand properly. Her legs were shaking
and she was about to collapse. A stream of black blood flowed from her mouth. The
curse inflicted by Qian Zun was visibly harming Wijihoyeon’s body.

She was applying pressure to her stomach to keep it from spreading. Every time she
raised her upper torso, her blood pressure twisted and her collected inner energy
scattered. Under the circumstances, it was impossible to overwhelm Yoo Ho-jeong no
matter how much Wijihoyeon tried in her current state.

“…I don’t know why you’re attacking me. I don’t have any crimes.”

“If the tiger is wounded, we should hunt.”, Yoo Ho-jeong replied.

Yoo Ho-jeong knew that Wijihoyeon was in a weakened state. That’s why he picked a
fight. Although Wijihoyeon didn’t have any history in this city, her name as the Minor
Heavenly Demon was very well known throughout the Murim Alliance.

You should kill her when you can. Although he was not allowed to do so, Yoo Ho-jeong
had already sent a telegram to the Murim Alliance. The meeting between Wijihoyeon
and Yoo Ho-jeong was a complete coincidence in the first place. He came to the south
gate to return to Crohn, but he met Wijihoyeon.

“You are of the unorthodox faction.”

Wijihoyeon smiled palely.

At the words, Yoo Ho-jeong’s eyes glistened underneath the armor.

“Don’t let fools speak justice.”

“Do I look like a fool to you?”

Yoo Ho-jeong raised his feet and hit the ground. Kuu-ung! A loud echo shook the
ground, and Wijihoyeon collapsed, unable to hold out. She glared at Yoo Ho-jeong,
breathing heavily.

“I know my actions are unjustifiable. I know it is, but… If it’s Wijihoyeon’s life as the
Minor Heavenly, then it’s worth being narrow-minded and cowardly.”

“…what time is it now?”, Wijihoyeon suddenly asked.

Yoo Ho-jeong narrowed his eyes wide at the sudden question. He strode along to Wi
Jihoyeon.

“It’s already past noon, right?”

“What stupid thing to say… It’s already long past noon.”

“Really?”

Wi Jihoyeon laughed as she wiped the blood flowing through her lips.

“I broke my promise.”

Yoo Ho-jeong couldn’t understand her words at all.

Without any remorse, Yoo Ho-jeong raised his feet and shot forward again towards
Wijihoyeon.

At the age of twenty-three, her actions as the Minor Heavenly Demon for the past five
years were nothing short of phenomenal. She had broken down and crippled the
North’s Bloody Heavenly Demon and his followers, bringing defeat and death to the
countless people who challenged her.

As a matter of fact, it was true that Wijihoyeon wasn’t enough in many ways to be
called a Heavenly Demon. She didn’t commit any heinous crimes, nor did she commit
any obvious misdeeds.

Nevertheless, Wijihoyeon had come under the eye of Ironclad because she called
herself the Minor Heavenly Demon.

He was defeated in a fierce battle against the Crazy Heavenly Demon, who was active
in the North.

Wijihoyeon was too strong. She was already too strong as the inheritor to the title of
the Heavenly Demon who was already on the verge of transcendence, and everyone
was openly talking about it. Among the gatekeepers and elders who had performed
admirable service for decades, The Heavenly Demon was one of the few who has
crossed the threshold of transcendence.

Many fighters didn’t even come close to the realm of transcendence. Those who did
not even reach peak level were rather average in this wide world of Eria. Even where
people came from different levels every day, reaching transcendence was for the true
masters.

Wijihoyeon may not act like a Demon but, now that she called herself the Minor
Heavenly Demon, it became an issue. If she was already in her transcendental state,
who in the world could stop her?
So he had to kill her here. He didn’t know how she had gotten so weak, but it was a
chance for someone like him who believed himself to have unwavering, raw talent.
There was no justification needed for him.

He was a talent among the ages in the righteous faction of the Murim. In fact, none of
the bystanders that gathered, blamed nor condemned Yoo Ho-jeong and rather took
his side. They were lucky to see this fight.

Their approving gazes gave Yoo Ho-jeong strength. Wijihoyeon no longer had any
strength to resist. She could only see him approaching and had a confused look on her
face. She has been enduring all this time with the numerous black stones and elixirs
she got from the dungeons, but it was the limit.

‘What are you waiting for?’

It had already been a while past noon, so maybe he already left.

Though it doesn’t matter anyway. Wijihoyeon had seen and experienced the death of
her own master.

Ten years… She lived without the fear of death while roaming Eria. However, her
sudden disposition and thought of her own death made her feel strange. She couldn’t
calm down. Wijihoyeon put up a faint smile.

She had never run away in all her life. She didn’t even want to beg for her life. Wijihoyeon
was prepared to die. She readily closed her eyes, and listened to the thumping of
Ironclad’s heavy footsteps moving towards her.

After a short while, the sound stopped. A gust of wind suddenly brushed in front of
her. Wijihoyeon opened her eyes, looked up and saw Lee Sungmin’s back.

Then a thought suddenly struck her. She had never seen his back. In every situation,
the one in front was always Wijihoyeon, and it was Lee Sungmin who followed her
from behind, just like when she saw him at the dungeon a year ago.

Wijihoyeon was always the one to lead, and it was Lee Sungmin who would chase after
her. But now, he had finally come to see her. He had his back to Wijihoyeon and stood
to protect her. She felt that his back was quite wide.

“…Lee Sungmin?”
“Ghost Gun!”

Wijihoyeon called out to Lee Sungmin in a weak voice, and Yoo Ho-jeong shouted Lee
Sungmin’s alias with his angry voice.

Yoo Ho-jeong stopped walking towards them. He glared at the man who stood in the
way.

“What are you doing right now?! Did you not see the situation? Or is there a relationship
between you two?”

Lee Sungmin did not answer. What about it?

He stared at Yoo Ho-jeong and felt the presence of Wijihoyeon collapsing and barely
breathing behind his back. She is extremely weak right now. He didn’t know what was
going on with her. Wijihoyeon was so weak that her strength right now wasn’t even
comparable to when he met her at the dungeon a year ago.

“…what are you trying to do?”

Lee Sungmin did not look to Wijihoyeon. For the moment, he had to do something
about Yoo

Ho-jeong, who was right in front of him. Yoo Hojeong shouted, and it was obvious to
that he was frustrated and completely angry.

“You’re going to get us both killed!”

“…are you saying that Wijihoyeon is a demon?”

“Who else in here besides that bitch?”

Yoo Ho-jeong was livid. He had enough.

Lee Sungmin heard enough of the conversations in the dungeon a year ago. He didn’t
want to get involved in such things as political factions and religion sects, but
Wijiihoyeon was seen by the Murim as a demon. Between the political factions and
religious sects, those who came from the Murim Faction felt disgusting right now, but
Lee Sungmin did not want to blame himself.
“Will you kill Wijihoyeon?”

“You have to kill her while you still can! Ten years, no, maybe five! Five years later, that
monster won’t be able to be stopped by anyone in the world. Merits? Monsters? It is
meaningless in the face of transcendent level practitioners!”, Yoo Ho-jeong shouted.

After hearing that, Lee Sungmin turned his head from Yoo Ho-jeong. Wijihoyeon was
looking at Lee Sungmin with her mouth half open. After a year of not seeing him, his
face hadn’t changed much. However, Wijihoyeon was not sure if Lee Sungmin, who
was staring at her, was really Lee Sungmin.

“…Is it you?”, asked Wijihoyeon

“It’s me.”. He nodded.

She thought that it didn’t hurt to have a meeting like this.

“Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

“You’ve gotten better at lying.”

After hearing Lee Sungmin’s response, Wijihoyeon bursts into laughter. Lee Sungmin
turned around and approached Yoo Ho-Jeong.

Badump! The ground shook with a loud noise. Yoo Ho-jeong struck his lance that he
was holding to the ground .

“Why are you protecting the Minor Heavenly Demon?!”

Yoo Ho-jeong roused up his internal energy.

“I will fight you as a member of the Orthodox Faction, not as an outstanding junior, but
as a demon, who sides with demons.”

“Then do so.”

Lee Sungmin answered in a low voice. Yoo Ho-jeong shook his shoulders at the answer.
“You stupid…”

With Lee Sungmin’s response, Yoo Ho-jeong no longer wanted to talk to Lee Sungmin.
Then with speed Yoo Ho-jeong, wrapped his internal energy around his armor and
body, then ran with unimaginably fast. He thrusted his charge with his huge lance.

They say that even if you don’t ride a horse, you will have more power than a horse if
you work hard and dedicate yourself.

Lee Sungmin turned his body and grabbed the spear he was carrying behind his back.
A loud noise shook the air. The spear wielded by Lee Sungmin and Yoo Ho-jeong’s
lance collided head-on.

Yoo Ho-jeong was shocked that his lance, which spread out in a straight line, had been
pushed aside.

“Urgh!”

With such groans, Yoo Ho-jeong drew up his energy without hesitation. He wasn’t the
type to underestimate his opponents. He had already figured out that Lee Sungmin
was not an easy opponent even from last night, but he didn’t expect that they would
fight like this today.

“Go and get some rest.”

Lee Sungmin told Wijihoyeon and prepared a makeshift bed. A vastly expanded
harness wrapped her whole body.

The clash just before was caused by Yoo Ho-jeong, who rushed and charged at him.
Lee Sungmin redirected Yoo Hojeong’s attack by swinging his spear. However, that did
not mean that Lee Sungmin was better than Yoo Ho-jeong.

“…Haste.”, muttered Yoo Ho-jeong, opening his mouth.

Lee Sungmin’s eyebrows flinched at the words spoken. Yoo Ho-jeong’s armor shone
and he continued to mutter his lips as he examined Lee Sungmin’s behavior. Yoo Ho-
jeong’s words were activating magic, and each second that went by the light on the
armor changed.

Yoo Ho-jeong’s armor isn’t just for any common martial artist. Various techniques as
well as using supplementary, auxiliary magic were needed if he wanted to stop Lee
Sungmin’s movement.

It wasn’t just the armor. The lance Yoo Ho-jeong held shone brightly. Lee Sungmin
rushed towards him without looking at his surroundings. He wasn’t the kind of person
who was calm in every situation he was in. Yoo Ho-jeong was a well-known member
of the Murim Faction, and he was using magic while fighting an expert.

Clash! There were sounds of weapons crashing against each other. The sound of the
explosion was as loud and there were sparks flying from the edge of the weapons
blades. But, Yoo Ho-jeong did not budge a bit.

And with that, Lee Sungmin put more power to both hands as Yoo Ho-jeong swung his
lance. The huge lance came out at an incredibly fast speed for its size. Lee Sungmin
twirled his spear. Clang! The spear made a half circle trajectory and collided with the
lance.

Lee Sungmin’s spear technique was different from any other opponent Yoo Ho-jeong
had experienced. Yoo Ho-jeong made a short stride, reducing the movement of his
shoulders and arms as much as possible, and abruptly changed the lance’s direction
to stab at Sungmin. Lee Sungmin leaned his upper body back and gripped the spear
tightly with his right hand. He wielded the spear widely and swiftly to prevent Yoo Ho-
jeong’s attack.

It was at that moment.

“Explode.”, Yoo Ho-jeong muttered in a low voice.

An explosion occurred at the point of the collision. The explosion wasn’t powerful, but
it was enough to shake up Lee Sungmin. Yoo Ho-jeong boldly extended his foot toward
Lee Sungmin, who stumbled back from the explosion. Yoo Ho-jeong, who had readied
his stance, approached and strengthened his grip to stab towards Lee Sungmin.

Lee Sungmin clicked his tongue and used his footwork technique. ‘One Thunder.’

Swish! The afterimage of Lee Sungmin was pierced by the lance, and the spear of Lee
Sungmin, who moved to the side, unfolded.

Quad-deuk! A quick stab pointed towards Yoo Ho-jeong and almost came in contact
with him, but it didn’t affect him too much. The level of firmness in the strike was
nullified because of the explosive force of the lance and armor, as well as the defense
magic.

He shouldn’t drag on time, Lee Sungmin thought. Yoo Ho-jeong is the only one here
right now, but if he drag this on, other faction members might come. That would only
make things worse.

If his heart, mind and body had been in disarray like before in the battle with Baek
Museon, Lee Sungmin would not be faring as well right now. But, that was a few
months ago.

Without getting agitated, Lee Sungmin pulled back his spear and turned his back in
one smooth movement.

Suddenly, images of dozens of spears that were fired and collided with Yoo Ho-jeong’s
lance one after another. Yoo Hojeong’s overall speed was slower than Lee Sungmin’s,
but his reaction speed was not, as he stabbed his lance with minimal movement and
changed Lee’s trajectory bit by bit to avoid the attacks.

As soon as Lee Sungmin charged forward with his spear, he raised his weapon and
drew it upwards. Yoo Hojeong let go of his hand holding lance and raised his arm to
defend himself. Then as if he had waited, Lee Sungmin suddenly let go of the spear.

Seeing Lee Sungmin Chargin with his bare hands, Yoo Hojeong felt humiliated and
confused.

“What the…”

Lee Sungmin’s hand shot forward and grabbed Yoo Hojeong’s arm. Meanwhile, Yoo
Hojeong tried to swing the lance but the latter was faster. Although Yoo Ho-jeong’s
armor was thick and the defense magic was applied, Lee Sungmin’s hand was wrapped
in a hazy, bloody red mist and the power exuded from his hands exploded violently.
‘Blood Ring Smithereens’

As the armor crumbled, Yoo Hojeong’s arm was twisted. Yoo Ho-jeong gave out a short
scream. Clang! The heavy lance fell to the ground.

But, Yoo Ho-jeong is not over yet. He let out a grunt and moved his other hand, that is
still intact, and tried to strike Lee Sungmin in the face. Lee Sungmin moved his upper
body to the side and avoided the attack and accordingly moved backwards a bit. The
clumsy, close-up infighting worked well, but honestly, Lee Sungmin was not very
confident in hand-to-hand combat. When Lee Sungmin unfolded his hands and
opened his palm outwards, the spear that was behind him flew towards him and he
grabbed it. He had been able to manipulate the spear mid-air a long time ago but he
just didn’t reveal it.

As Lee Sungmin stretched his foot forward, he swung his arm holding the back end of
the spear. A line of blows followed and landed on Yoo Ho-jeong’s chest. Immediately,
he turned the end of the spear half a turn and hit Yoo Hojeong’s foot with the bladed
part. But, Ho-jeong didn’t scream.

He was all about bulk, armor, and defense magic. Lee Sungmin realized, and twisted
the blade to the side. Then, he pulled his hand and tilted the spear toward him.

“Ugh!”

Yoo Ho-jeong sounded surprised. The spear, which came through, hit Yoo Ho-jeong in
the groin area. It hurt an unimaginable amount, but he was more surprised that he
struck out such a place.

As Yoo Ho-jeong staggered and tried to pull out his foot, Lee Sungmin lowered his
posture and withdrew the spear. A long line of blood caught on Yoo Hojeong’s right
leg. As Lee Sungmin pulled the spear hard with force, Yoo Hojeong frowned at his hips,
unable to keep his balance.

Lee Sungmin glanced at Yoo Ho-jeong and turned around.

“…what are you doing?”, Yoo Ho-jeong shouted. “Why didn’t you kill me! Do I look
pathetic to you?!”

“You didn’t try to kill me either.”, Lee Sungmin answered.

Yoo Ho-jeong was speechless at the remark. Yoo Ho-jeong did not attack with killing
intent, even though he said he would kill Wijihoyeon. Yoo Ho-jeong’s attack was all
aimed at suppressing Lee Sungmin, not to kill him.

“I don’t like murder very much.”

It was true. If Yoo Ho-jeong had tried to kill Lee Sungmin, Lee Sungmin would have
killed Yoo Ho-jeong. However, he hadn’t tried to kill Lee Sungmin. It was only because
it was him.

Why did he try to kill Wijiihoyeon? He didn’t want to think about it. Yoo Ho-jeong and
the Minor Heavenly Demon Wijihoyeon, were both members of their respective
political factions in the Murim Alliance. He didn’t even want to argue about that point.

“…just because you didn’t kill me… Your actions are not justified.”

Yoo Ho-jeong spat out words of venom at Lee Sungmin, who turned his back on him.

“If you protect the Minor Heavenly Demon and take her away, that means you chose
to turn the Murim Faction as your enemy! Do you know what that means? The
Kingdom of Crohn is close…! Everyone here has seen your actions. Now that the Minor
Demon is weakened, the Murim will organize a team of absolute monsters to catch
her. If you protect the Minor Heavenly Demon… And you’re the one who’s been…”

“Then let it happen.” Lee Sungmin answered.

“If you don’t kill her yourself, you’ll get killed by a squadron. If I kill you, I’ll just get a
scolding at most. But, if I kill her I will be regarded as a hero.”

“The hypocrisy…”

Lee Sungmin didn’t answer Yoo Hojeong’s distorted pleads. He approached Wijihoyeon’s
side, who is getting looks of the spectators.

“Let’s go.”

Lee Sungmin reached his hand out to Wijihoyeon. Wijihoyeon, who had been sitting
down, looked up at Lee Sungmin in a daze.

“…yes.”

Wijihoyeon reached out and took his hand.

Lee Sungmin helped Wijihoyeon up so she could stand. As she stood up staggeringly,
she almost fell back down because her legs felt so weak. Lee Sungmin quickly reached
out and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“…ahahaha!”

Lee Sungmin, who was fixing his hair, glanced at Wijihoyeon, who burst into laughter.
She smiled then shook her head.

“The world is a place I didn’t really expect it to be.”

Wijihoyeon said that while trying to give strength to her legs. However, her legs were
shaking like a wilting tree on it’s last breath because they could not support her
weight.

“When I promised you about today’s meeting ten years ago… I never imagined I would
meet you like this. I didn’t expect myself to come here in such a shameful state.”

“I think you’re misunderstanding something, there’s nothing to be ashamed about.”,

answered Lee Sungmin.

Wijihoyeon tried once again to stand on, but she gave up because her legs just seem
to not function properly. After a short sigh, she looked at Lee Sungmin’s face.

“Really? I’m glad to hear that. Then I’ll have to ask for another shameful favor. It’s hard
for me to stand on my own, so can you give me a piggyback?”

Lee Sungmin did not answer. Instead, he inserted the spear into an inter-dimensional
pocket and carried Wijihoyeon on his empty back. Wijihoyeon was incredibly light. As
she got comfortable, she leaned her chest against his back and he could feel her
heartbeat.

Yoo Ho-jeong, who collapsed, didn’t get up. He only saw Lee Sungmin carrying
Wijihoyeon with bloodshot eyes and bit his lower lip.

[…Leave Rubes.]

Lee Sungmin’s head heard Yoo Ho-jeong’s voice.

[I’ve already sent a telegram to the Faction saying the Minor Heavenly Demon is weak.
I’m pretty sure they know you are not that far from here to Crohn and they’re already
organizing a squad.]

[Why are you telling me this?]

[Because you didn’t kill me.]

Yoo Ho-jeong’s face was stained with a terrible light when he answered.

[That’s all I owe you. If there’s a whole bunch of martial artists coming… Remember
that I’m going to be acting with them from now on, and now that you’ve defeated me,
your risk of getting chased is going to increase even more. If you don’t give up the
Minor Heavenly Demon, you’ll be spending your future days in fear.]

[I’m fully aware of that.] Lee Sungmin answered curtly.

But, he was also grateful for Yoo Ho-jeong’s advice. He then turned around.

[Wait…]

It was the moment when Heoju was about to say something but Lee Sungmin stopped
walking. Heoju didn’t finish his words as Lee Sungmin kept thinking. He turned his
back to face the opposite side of the gate. Yoo Ho-jeong’s eyes were wide open as Lee
Sungmin sat down.

“…aren’t you leaving?”

“I think here is safer for now.”

Yoo Ho-jeong’s advice to leave the city was also right. But, there were still martial
artists of the Murim factions running around. There were not just one, but two
Heavenly Demons in the city. Without the Crazy Heavenly Demon, even if they took
the southward route, they would come across a tribe that uses a special kind of
gravitational magic.

That wasn’t the only reason Lee Sungmin wanted to stay in Rubes.

“There’s the Samaryunju in Rubes.”

Yoo Ho-jeong’s expression hardened to the point of steel.

If there was the Murim Faction, Conservative faction, and the prestigious tax families
in the Political sect, there was also the Samaryunju, The Non-Human Alliance, The
Wizards Towers and The Three Demons Family. That’s why the city was so well
developed and the public security was stable. This was all because the multiple forces
kept each other in check, creating a sense of stability.

The Samarion were hostile to the Murim Faction as it was an organization of the Sama
Order. Not everyone who practiced Unorthodox techniques were bloodthirsty
murderers, and if one wanted to live in this cruel world of Eria, one needed to know
that not all of the Samaryunju were evil. On the contrary, the Samaryunju’s side also
eradicated monsters and criminals.

(E/N: When referred to as the Murim Faction it’s the Ortodox practitioners that are a
part of this group. I’m assuming the name “Sama Order” or “Samaryunju” are the
Unorthodox/Heretical factions that use techniques like the Heavenly Demons and are
naturally against one another because each side believes their methods are correct. This
is the case in most Korean Martial Artist novels)

In the case of the Minor Heavenly Demon Wijihoyeon, she was practically a celebrity.
It was common knowledge that the Sama Order didn’t like to cooperate with the
Murim Faction. With a celebrity like Wijihoyeon, it would be possible to seek refuge
from the Murim Faction’s practitioners by going to the Order. It was a rather difficult
and maybe even foolish decision, but it was better than going on a wild goose chase
with the Murim Faction.

[It’s not foolish.] Heoju grumbled.

Heoju also tried to Stop Lee Sungmin, who was about to step out of the gate, and told
him to stay in the city.

“You thought I was stupid, didn’t you?”

Lee Sungmin passed by Yoo Ho-jeong after making such a fuss. The crowd of onlookers
staggered back as Lee Sungmin approached them while piggybacking Wijihoyeon on
his back. Wijihoyeon, who had her arms stretched weakly over Lee Sungmin’s
shoulders, poked him and laughed.

“It’s surprising… No, I knew it all along.”

“What?”

“Your back…is wide and… comfortable. I’ve never been on someone’s back like this.
Maybe you carried me on your back in the days of when I first came here. I’m not sure
though, I think this is the first time for me, haha…”

Wijihoyeon put her head forward. She leaned her chin on Lee Sungmin’s shoulder.
Then, she tilted her head slightly and leaned her head on Lee Sungmin’s collarbone.

“…I’m feeling good. I feel safe. Hew hew! It’s kinda weird. Come to think of it, you’ve
made me experience a lot of new things. Having friends, teaching martial arts, making
a promise which was kept…and this…being carried on someone else’s back.”

Wijihoyeon’s voice was meek and her exhaling breath was shallow and warm. Her
breath touched Lee Sungmin’s ears and tickled his eardrums. His heart was pounding,
and he was a little worried that Wijihoyeon might hear.

“Meeting you… was one of the best things that happened to me.”

She moved her weak arms little by little to wrap around Lee Sungmin’s neck and she
hugged it.

“I’m sorry I’m late. I never thought I’d break my promise… Hoo-hoo! The stroll I had
was slower than I initially thought it seems but, that might sound like an excuse. Please
don’t blame me too much, as it was hard to get here…”

“What happened to you? Why have you… become this utterly weak?”

“I’ll tell you…”

Wijihoyeon answered in a weak voice.

“…later.”
At the end of the sentence, Wijihoyeon said no more. Lee Sungmin was frightened and
turned to see Wijihoyeon. Her face was right under Lee Sungmin’s nose.

Through her weak breathing, Lee Sungmin eased up a little. Upon closer look,
Wijihoyeon was simply asleep. Lee Sungmin sighed as he gave strength to his shaky
legs.

“What a surprise…”

After looking at the face of Wijihoyeon, who fell asleep quietly, he hastened his steps.
The onlookers didn’t try to pursue them. He could see Yoo Ho-jeong raising himself in
the distance.

‘Where are the Samaryunju located?’ , he thought to himself.

‘Neville.’

[Yes.]

He could hear Neville’s voice just by mentioning him in his thoughts. Whenever this
happened, Lee Sungmin questioned the identity of Erebrisa. The convenience of
having the agents on call wherever and whenever he needed was certainly great, but
the ambiguity about their personal information as a broker of the guild was unsettling,
to say the least.

‘I need the current location of Crazy Heavenly Demon and Rubia. And also the geographical
information of Rubes.’

Rather than asking for the location of the Samaryunju, Lee Sungmin wanted the
geographical information of the entire city. Acquiring geographic information without
asking for specific locations of things would be engraved into his memory better than
asking for the overall location.

Before long, Neville appeared in Lee Sungmin’s shadow. He handed over the crystal
ball used to convey information to Lee Sungmin.

The Samarion was located in the central area of Rubes. It was quite far from the Murim
branch, and was also coincidentally near the Mercenary Guild. Rubia and Crazy
Heavenly Demon were on the outskirts of the central district riding on one of the
several railway trains.
‘Please tell them to come meet me at the branch of the Samaryunju.’

[Okay.]

After requesting the things he needed from Neville, Lee Sungmin began to move again.
He couldn’t get on the train because he disregarded the guards’ words earlier. But, he
didn’t have the leisure at the time.

Lee Sungmin started running along the railroad as he did before. The whistle and the
cry of the guards were heard once more, but he did not stop. He thought it would be
better to first see what the stance the Samarion were taking on this.

[This bitch…she has a curse inside her.]

Heoju murmured while he was running along the railway. Lee Sungmin’s body flinched
at the remark.

‘A curse?’

[Yes. It’s a very strange form of curse. It’s not magic either it seems. It’s…resembling a
curse used by southern sorcerers. It’s a very cruel one.]

Heoju clicked his tongue.

[It’s twisting the blood vessels and obstructing the blood flow. That’s not the only
thing. It’s also shaking the body from the ground up. No matter how good a master she
is, she can’t move properly now that she has such a curse in her body. The internal
energy can’t properly be collected and the twisted blood vessels continue to cause
pain, so she won’t be able to use her physical strength properly.]

He thought back to when Wijihoyeon was sitting down earlier, she had weak limbs and
a hoarse voice. He bit his lower lip as he realized it now.

‘How do we remove the curse?’

[A curse is different from magic. Certain magic can be overpowered with higher tiered
magic, but sorcery is different. If it’s a curse of this kind, it’s impossible to cure it unless
you kill the one who cursed her.]

Seeing Wijihoyeon cursed and incredibly weak, agitated Lee Sungmin. He had met all
kinds of eccentric people up until this point, and met several strong warriors and
wizards whom he would never have had the chance to be associated with in his
previous life.

With the exception of century-old monsters like Geniella and Juwon, Wijihoyeon was
the strongest ‘human’ Lee Sungmin had ever met. It was reasonable that he was
confused as to who did this and felt agitated.

He slowed down his pace to jump over the railing and quickly picked it back up again.
Before long, he arrived at a place that he had been looking for from the information
given to him by Neville.

The building of the Samaryunju was a huge mansion. In front of the entrance, stood
two ferocious-looking giants as guards. Lee Sungmin approached them, while
listening to the soft breath of Wijihoyeon, who fell asleep on his back.

“Ghost Gun?”

Lee Sungmin’s eyebrows flinched at the remark.

“Is the one on your back the Minor Heavenly demon?”

The guard, who was looking at Lee Sungmin’s face, murmured while glancing at the
sleeping Wijihoyeon. Then he turned away without waiting for a response from Lee
Sungmin.

“Come in, the branch manager is waiting.”

The two guards opened the door for him and Lee Sungmin was surprised to know they
were already waiting for him.

[Maybe it’s a trap.]

Warned Heoju.

“It’s not a trap.”, the guard spoke first as if he had understood his thoughts.

Lee Sungmin hesitated for a moment before entering the door. At the entrance, stood
a graceful middle-aged woman. She bowed deeply to Lee Sungmin.
“My name is Bo-hye, and I’m the head maid of this branch. Please come this way. The
branch manager is in the garden towards the back. On a fine day like this, I hope you’ll
be alright with being outside.”, she said with a smile.

Behind the mansion was a fairly large artificial pond, and above it was an octagonal
pavilion connected with a bridge.

“The branch manager is over there.”

Bo-hye stopped walking and Lee Sungmin slowly approached the pond. He could see
a man sitting in the octagonal pavilion. He smiled at Lee Sungmin, who stopped in
front of the bridge.

“Ah, please come this way.”, said the man.

The man looked about the same age as Bo-hye and Lee Sungmin realized his strength
immediately. He wasn’t quite at the pinnacle of the Transcendence Realm, but he
looked very strong as a master. Lee Sungmin slowly crossed his arms.

“Did you know I was coming here?”

“There was a stir within the political factions of Rubes. I’ve just heard rumors that the
Ghost Gun had rescued the Minor Heavenly Demon from Ironclad and entered the
deep part of the city for some reason instead of leaving the city.”

“Is that considered as an answer to the question of knowing I was coming here?”

“I only expected it to be so. By overpowering the Ironclad and saving the Minor
Heavenly Demon, it implies that Ghost Gun will be fighting the Murim Faction. As for
not leaving the city… Perhaps he would be trying to ask for help from the Samaryunju.
It’s not much of a deduction to be made.”, the man laughed while saying so.

“Sorry for the late introduction. My name is Guan Hu, and I am the head of the Rubes
branch of the Samarion.”

Guan Hu raised himself to take the stage.

Guan Hu must not have been that famous. It wasn’t a name that Lee Sungmin was
familiar with, as he searched through his memories. Lee Sungmin approached the
pavilion as Guan Hu raised his bowed head and offered Lee Sungmin to take a seat.

“Ghost Gun, if I may ask, why did you protect the Minor Heavenly Demon?”

“Do I have to answer?”

“Well, I have a lot of questions. You’re not quite famous in this world yet, are you? After
killing the Solitary Blade Dokgo, you got the nickname ‘Ghost Gun’. But, is that really
all there is? Only half a year ago, you overpowered the Crazy Heavenly Demon in
northern Travia. After that, you killed Baek Museon who became a vampire.”

Those things were being rumored? Lee Sungmin slightly clicked his tongue. It was true
that he clashed with the Crazy Heavenly Demon outside the gates of Travia and
knocked him down. The fight was loud, so there must have been someone who
witnessed it.

When he first went to Travia, Lee Sungmin rode a carriage, and he thought the
horseman was a member of the Haomun Sect.

(T/N The Haomun sect is a sect like the beggars/wanderers sect in regards to dealing
with information. The Beggars Sect is with the Orthodox Factions and the Haomun is
with the Heretical/Unorthodox Factions)

“I don’t know why the Crazy Heavenly Demon is traveling with you, but your track
record is more like a political faction’s consultative branch. The Ghost Blade and the
Crazy Heavenly Demon, they were all huge merits. Perhaps, if you went to the Orthodox
Factions, you could have been treated well in recognition of your contributions.”

“What are you trying to imply?”

“I’m asking because I don’t understand your actions at all. Why did you protect the
Minor Heavenly Demon from Ironclad? Following your track record it doesn’t make
any sense. What is the relationship between you and the Minor Heavenly Demon?”

“Friend.”, Lee Sungmin answered while carefully putting down Wijihoyeon.

Guan Hu opened his eyes wide in shock. He had been taking turns watching Lee
Sungmin and Wijihoyeon for a while and he bursted into laughter.

“I see. Your friend…There are a lot of followers of the Minor Heavenly Demon, but I’ve
never heard of her friend.”

“We met 10 years ago in Genavis. Then the next thing I knew… We became friends.”

“So you stopped Ironclad for her?”

“We originally promised to meet in this city today. I didn’t even think this event was
going to happen with Ironclad.”

“What are your plans for the future?”, Guan Hu asked with a smile, “Whatever the
reason may be, it’s no doubt that you’ve saved the Minor Heavenly Demon by
overpowering the Ironclad. It was witnessed by many, and the rumors will spread
quickly. It is said that the Othodox Factions have departed from Crohn, so they’ll
probably arrive here as early as today or tomorrow at the latest.”

“That’s why I’m here.”

“What do you want from the Samaryunju?”

“It’s a hassle to be chased, I think anybody would agree to that. If it is a group that is
well organized and as powerful as the Orthodox, then it might be dangerous. They’re
outstanding individuals and I could somehow deal with them. But there’s too many of
them.”

“Only poor people want the protection of the Samaryunju. Do you know what that
means?”

“Get to the point.”

“Haha… don’t be too angry. To be protected by Samaryunju means to be trusted by the

Sama Order. In the case of Minor Heavenly Demon Wijihoyeon, who has been wandering
without power, looks like she wants to become a comrade of the Samaryunju.”

“If you want to know, ask Wijihoyeon, not me.”

“Then what about you?”

The eyes of Guan Hu narrowed.

“You’re a great master. Yoo Ho-jeong is one of the most talented people who use spears
and lances. And you didn’t just overpower him. You completely overwhelmed him.”

“The Ironclad didn’t attack me with the intent to kill. What might have happened if we
fought to kill each other?”

“I don’t think everyone understands that. If you want to use Samaryunju as a shield
against the Orthodox, shouldn’t Samaryunju get something for that? The Minor
Heavenly Demon is asleep now and can’t hear the answer, but you’re not.”

“Then I’ll just leave.”

Lee Sungmin reached for the shoulder of still sleeping Wijihoyeon.

Samaryunju was not the only place to ask for protection. It’s not like he would be
stranded in Rubes without the protection of Samaryunju, they likely didn’t know his
relations with the Gold and Red Towers.

Even though Lee Sungmin had a relationship with Lloyd, the owner of the Gold Tower,
he wasn’t sure Lloyd would protect him only for a favor, but if that was the case, he
would just have to ‘please’ Lloyd.

“Just kidding.”, Guan Hu chuckled lightly as he see Lee Sungmin lifting Wijihoyeon.

“Are you going to the Gold Tower? I guess it was because you didn’t want to bother the
Tower Master, given that you were just there.”, he continued.

“What kind of joke is that?”, asked Lee Sungmin, without answering the previous
question.

Guan Hu shrugged at the remark.

“As long as you’re here, I will protect you in the name of Samaryunju. Even if you don’t
want to.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“Do you, the branch manager, have that authority?”

“This is not my will, but the Lords.”, replied Guan Hu, “If it gets serious, Samaryunju
will have to fall into war. But if not, the head ordered for your protection.”

“…why?”

“That’s because of how much reputation the Minor Heavenly Demon has, and you’re
quite formidable yourself. In this world, regardless of age, how many of the ‘humans’
are as good as you?”

Guan Hu stood up from his seat.

“The servants will be back soon with our meals. Let’s have a meal first. I’ll also call in
a maid if necessary.”

“…please do so.”

“And this is my house. It’s not easy for someone to cause disturbances for my guests.”

Guan Hu gestured to Lee Sungmin to sit down.

“I don’t think you’re from Murim. Is that right?”

“No class.”

“No-class, with a high rank at that age…That’s great! If you’re that good, you won’t be
ignored anywhere in the world. Still it might vary in certain places, but you can live
rather leisurely. But that doesn’t mean you’re ‘free’. As long as you’re gray, you’ll be
neither black nor white, but you’ll also be ostracized.”

(T/N He’s speaking in regards to the factions in support of humans and non-humans
when talking about being gray)
“It’s none of your concern.”

“Haha… you are quite stubborn. Or are you simply afraid to make a choice?”

Guan Hu turned around and left the octagonal pavilion, leaving the words behind.

‘Are you afraid to make a choice?’

Lee Sungmin looked down at the Wijihoyeon’s face. He just didn’t feel the need to
choose between the Political factions and Religious sects. He saw them as individuals
fighting for their own merits. In that sense the Political Factions were the same as the
Religious Sects.

[It’s not just the Political and the Religious sects.]

Heoju murmured in a mirthful voice.

[You’re gray. Gray that may turn white or black.]

“I know what you mean.”

He already heard this from Heo-ju. When he almost died in the fight against the Bloody
Heavenly Demon, his body was already starting to regenerate without drinking the
Elixir. No matter how good his body was at learning martial arts, regenerative power
like that wasn’t something easily attainable. He may have the ability because of the
black heart. But, because of that, Lee Sungmin’s regenerative power had already
surpassed a human’s regenerative limits.

It was as Guan Hu said. Not long after, the servants brought their food. Luxurious foods
were placed on the table in the center of the octagonal pavilion. However, Lee Sungmin
didn’t pay any attention to the food. Without saying anything, he lowered Wijihoyeon’s
body to rest.

“…yes…”

Wi Jihoyeon made a small moan.

[It must be painful.]

Heoju murmured. The curse engraved on Wijihoyeon was vicious and placed her in a
poor state. As Wijihoyeon’s breathing became rough, her eyebrows wrinkled. A cold
sweat began to trickle down her forehead. Lee Sungmin sighed and reached out his
hand. He wiped the cold sweat off her forehead lightly with his hands.

“…Don’t you have a handkerchief?”

Wijihoyeon opened her eyes. She stared at Lee Sungmin with blurry eyes. Lee Sungmin
got startled and held up his hands in guilty.

“…none.”

“Dumb guy. Carry a handkerchief or something …”

“Do you have one?”

“It’s in my chest pocket. Will you get it out?”, Wijihoyeon said with a mischievous smile.

A joke with a pale face and a quivering voice didn’t feel like a joke, so Lee Sungmin
reached out his hand, nodding his head silently. Then she chuckled and eventually
burst into laughter.

“I’m kidding. You… Did you seriously try to put your hand on my chest? You pervert.”

“You asked me to do that.”

“I said it was just a joke.”

Wijihoyeon slowly raised her upper body.

‘Not good’ she thought to herself.

Wijihoyeon bit her lower lip slightly.

Even when she first came to Rubes, the curse wasn’t this strong. The curse seemed to
have gotten worse as she fought with Ironclad. She took a deep breath and suppressed
the writhing pain in her body, then took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off.

“…it’s hot…”

Wijihoyeon mumbled and frowned her eyebrows in a small voice.

“And it’s cold. I feel like shit.”

“…Did you drink some water?”

“No. I tried drinking water on my way here, but it didn’t do anything. I’ve tried some
painkillers, but… it’s pretty much non-effective though. I guess because it’s a curse.”

“Who the hell put a curse on you?”

Lee Sungmin took the handkerchief from Wijihoyeon. Then, he wiped her face for her.
While breathing out roughly, Wijihoyeon closed her eyes as she felt the touch of Lee
Sungmin.

“…what will you do if I tell you?”

“I’ll do something about it.”

“You…? Whoo-hoo. That’s impossible. 10 years ago… no, even compared to you a year
ago, he’s really, really strong. Even if it’s you now, you’re not his match.”

“How would we know without trying?”

“Are you stronger than me?”, asked Wijihoyeon.

Lee Sungmin couldn’t answer that.

“The guy who cursed me… he’s part of the group Beyond the Heavens. He is one of
them, Qian Zun.”

Wijihoyeon coughed up a dry cough. Lee Sungmin reached out to her in surprise.
However, she raised her hand and blocked Lee Sungmin’s hand.

“In his own words… He’s one of the Six Divinities. I fought with Qian Zun for three days
and nights, but I couldn’t kill him. He stopped fighting me suddenly and left… As he
was leaving, he placed a curse on me with the words that one day I would come back
to him.”

“…Beyond the Heavens, Six Divinities… hmmmm…”

He had already heard about the group from the Crazy Heavenly Demon in Travia. Ten
years ago, the Crazy Heavenly Demon had suffered a defeat by the same Qian Zun of
the Six Divinites. And now, through Wijihoyeon, he heard about them once more.

“This curse won’t go away unless I kill Qian Zun… Are you saying you can kill Qian
Zun? Even after I told you about how long and difficult our fight was?”

“I have to.”

“Why? Is it because we’re friends?”, Wijihoyeon asked with a playful smile despite her
condition.

Lee Sungmin hesitated and nodded his head. Wijihoyeon chuckled at his answer.

“I would appreciate that, but… It’s okay. It’s my problem, so I’ll figure it out.”, she said
as she shook her head.

“With that kind of body?”

“Whoa… I never thought I’d hear that from you. Let’s stop talking about this. We made
a promise 10 years ago… and it’s been a year since we met, but we couldn’t really talk
to each other in the dungeon at that time.”, Wijihoyeon smiled as she said.

“I’ve really been looking forward to this day. So… let’s share our stories with each other
from the time we’ve been apart. Also, I’m hungry, so you better feed me.”

Wijihoyeon kept laughing playfully. It was a completely different laugh compared to

what he heard 10 years ago.

“Fine, what do you want to eat?”, Lee Sungmin asked with a sigh.

When he reached out to grab the chopsticks, Wijihoyeon replied as if she had been
waiting for it.

“Meat.”

“Meat?”

“Yes.”

Wijihoyeon opened her mouth.

“Put that in here.”

(T/N she said Lee Sungmins a pervert… This woman *facepalm)

“I can’t really stop you.”

Lee Sungmin grumbled and picked up some meat with his chopsticks. Yet, he had a
faint smile on his face.
Wijihoyeon’s expression was still gaunt even when she started to eat the meat Lee
Sungmin was feeding her. At the different types of food she wanted to eat, she raised
her hand to point out the one, then Lee Sungmin would stretch out his chopsticks to
grab the food, and carefully put it in her mouth, taking care not to spill it.

Lee Sungmin tried to cover up the nervousness he felt feeding her. He thought that
time was moving slowly. No, was it going faster? He didn’t know. His concept of time
seemed to break down. His chest kept beating, and his fingertips trembled. He trembled
slightly and chopsticks felt clumsy in his hands. And then the occasional eye contact
with Wijihoyeon.

“What are you looking at?”, Wijihoyeon said with a giggle.

Lee Sungmin was embarrassed and coughed slightly.

Friendship. Adoration. Promise. Words that reminded him of Wijihoyeon were going
through his mind.

“It’s just funny how you take whatever I give you to eat.”

“Really? I’m feeling great.”, Wijihoyeon said as she stuck out her tongue and licked her
lips, “Phew! I’m stuffed, I ate way too much. I don’t want to gain weight eating like a
pig when I can’t even move properly.”

He recalled her lightness when he gave her a piggyback ride. He didn’t think gaining
some weight would make much of a difference. Lee Sungmin also put down his
chopsticks because he was just as full.

“Are you going to drink?”

“What about you?”

“I’d like a drink.”

Wijihoyeon’s eyes smiled. But, Lee Sungmin immediately shook his head profusely.

“No, your body’s already in a terrible state.”

“What I’m going through is not a disease, but a curse. Drinking doesn’t make it worse.”

“But still…”

“Let me at least have a drink.”

Wijihoyeon extended her slender, trembling hand, to grab the bottle on the table, as
she said so.

“I’ve ruined what we’ve been expecting for 10 years. Not only that, but I’ve shown you
this shameful state of mine. All this… Made me feel melancholic.”

It was like a blow to his head. Lee Sungmin belatedly realized that he had not given
any thought to Wijihoyeon’s heart. The Wijihoyeon, that Lee Sungmin knew 10 years
ago, had strong self-esteem but had never shown this side of her. He felt like he was in
a dream, seeing this never-before-seen side of her.

Lee Sungmin was going to say sorry again, but he hesitated. In the end, he kept his
mouth shut without spitting any words. If he did say anything it would probably be
more harmful than helpful.

“You fool.”

When Lee Sungmin brought a bottle of alcohol to the table, Wijihoyeon smiled. She
was holding a glass of wine before long. Lee Sungmin slowly poured alcohol into her
glass.

“It’s my first time drinking with you.”, Wijihoyeon said in a blank voice,” No…It’s the
first time I’ve had a drink with someone else, alone. Yes. I’ve experienced so many first
times whenever it comes to you…”

His mind blanked at the words. The powerless voice and faded eyes seemed to show
how weak and raw Wijihoyeon was at that moment. To be honest, he still couldn’t get
used to the sight. No matter how powerful the curse may be, could it really make
Wijihoyeon, who was in the early phases of the transcendence realm, so weak?
[You are being ignorant of curses.]

Heoju murmured.

[If the conditions are met, spells and curses exert more power than magic. Perhaps
this curse in particular also has a lot of conditions. Maybe the one who casted the curse
is having a hard time, too.]

The words he muttered did not give any comfort to Lee Sungmin even for a bit. He
kept trying to come up with ideas to break the curse but, nothing came to mind and it
just made him more agitated.

[You son of a bitch. I told you. You have to prune the source to solve the curse. The
source itself can solve the curse. I’m not even a sorcerer. Why are you asking me?]

‘Because you pretended to know those kinds of things.’

[I didn’t pretend to know. I told you. You fucking bastard.]

Lee Sungmin ignored Heoju’s swearing and shared another glass with Wijihoyeon.
Although Wijihoyeon looked as if she was going to sleep with her eyes closing every
now and then, she kept her mind firm and kept talking.

It had been quite a long time. He wanted to know what Wijihoyeon had been doing for
the past 10 years. Where did she go? What did she do? What did she see?

Lee Sungmin listened silently to Wijihoyeon’s story. She had traveled all over Eria and
didn’t pay too much attention to any kind of direction and wandered to see as much
as she could. She said she had met a fairy in the deep woods. And in ancient ruins,
there was a secluded master, a wizard wandering in the place. Wijihoyeon went on to
tell him about the decade she had gone through.

“Everyone passed by.”

Wijihoyeon’s eyes turned to Lee Sungmin.

It was that sort of thing. A childhood encounter in a memory. Ten years was a long
time no matter how one thought about it. During those ten years, Wijihoyeon met
many people, but she did not interact with any of them. For Wijihoyeon, the only
partner she considered was Lee Sungmin, whom she met and became friends with 10
years ago.

“Is it because I thought you were interesting?”

Wijihoyeon laughed in a split voice, saying so. As she continued to talk, her voice
became smaller. The glass was just barely emptied of alcohol. Lee Sungmin reached
out and grabbed Wijihoyeon’s shoulder.

“Get some sleep.”

“It’s all right.”

“It’s not okay for you to overexert yourself.”

“Are you worried about me?”

That’s what Wijihoyeon asked. It wasn’t a word that she uttered because she was hurt
by her pride. Wijihoyeon’s eyes on Lee Sungmin seemed genuinely curious about it.
Lee Sungmin nodded slowly.

Then, Wijiihoyeon chuckled and laughed.

“You don’t have to worry.”

Wijihoyeon came to Lee Sungmin taking small steps. She then laid her head on Lee
Sungmin’s thigh without asking for permission.

“…because even if I wake up, I know that you’ll be by my side.”

Wijihoyeon closed her eyes. Not long after, she fell asleep and stabilized her breathing.
Lee Sungmin felt complicated emotions as he looked at her resting softly. Although he
has heard about Beyond the Heavens and the Six Divinities from Byuk Won-Pae, the
Crazy Heavenly Demon, he never thought he would get involved with them in this way.
Lee Sungmin helped her up after lowering his body to make sure she wouldn’t wake
up.

“I’ll show you to your room.”

Bo-hye said as she guided Lee Sungmin to follow her through the octagonal pavilion.

Lee Sungmin followed Bo-hye and they eventually reached a detached house behind
the mansion.

“If you need anything, please call the servant.”

Lee Sungmin laid down Wijihoyeon on the bed. He pulled the quilt and placed it on
top of Wijihoyeon, as he got lost in his thoughts. It was impossible for Wijihoyeon to
solve the curse by herself because she was not even in a state to defend herself. If this
continued the way it was and Lee Sungmin couldn’t find an alternative, he would have
to try and kill the person who initially cast the curse on her.

The problem was that, just from the stories he had heard, Qian Zun of the six divinities
sounded like a difficult challenge that he would have to put his all into fighting him.
He remembered what The Crazy Heavenly Demon said, “The Six Divinities of Beyond
the Heavens are the Great Masters that are on the peak of the Transcendence realm,”
and Lee Sungmin has yet to make it on that kind of level.

[That Qian Zun won’t be having it easy either though.]

Heoju said.

[As I said earlier, to maintain this curse, even the caster has to sacrifice a lot. Maybe
he won’t even be able to talk like that bitch.]

‘Even so, I don’t know where he is. Besides that… touching him means to fight against
the entire Beyond the Heavens Organization.”

The so-called Six Divinities were all warriors of the Transcendence Realm.
Transcendence was considered the best place to reach through Military Merit. The
only known fighters of Transcendence were those of the political factions who were
the leaders of the Wudang Sect among the Orthodox Factions, and the leaders of the
Sama Order who were the leaders of the Heretical factions.

(T/N there was a time of warring between these two factions and or other forces in the
past before Lee Sungmin was summoned to Eria.)

They were practitioners who didn’t deviate from their humanity, but they acted
anything but human. Jang Moon-in of the Wudang faction’s pre-war generation seemed
to be alive, but he was completely at the mercy of the world. Even if you were a long-
time warrior of the previous generation, he was already a person of several
generations ago, and he was so old that he treats his current masters as blood clots.
On the other hand, the Lord of the Samaryunju, had not been heard of as of late and
had no notable activity to be heard of. That’s why Lee Sungmin was so surprised that
the Lord of the Samaryunju said to protect Wijihoyeon.

Even in the huge world of Eria, the world where many people live, the two were heard
to be at the edge of the Transcendent realm reaching towards the Unrestrained realm
and the realm of the Great Demon respectively. The reason why Lee Sungmin was able
to gain so much attention in the North was because he did not care about the Factions
or the barren environment of the North, but it was also because the Bloody Heavenly
Demon was not a common master. The two absolute masters of these factions were
on the brink of transcendence, but because they were the leaders of such groups they
could not move on their own accord.

‘Too far…’

Lee Sungmin was currently at the peak stage literally on the brink of entering
Transcendence. The Ironclad that Lee Sungmin had just overpowered the other day, if
you compared the two of them, was only half as good as the Vampire Queen, Geniella.
The First Rate, Peak Level, and The Transcendence. As they say, the overall fighting
capability between realms wasn’t easily distinguished. There are many gaps in the
same realm, and there are also many differences.

But there was one thing that was clear, a talented one cannot beat a Great Master (T/N
the equivalent of Unrestrained Realm/ Great Demon). The difference in between ‘the
gaps’ was not something that could be overcome no matter how skilled one was.
Unless he was in the Transcendent Realm, Lee Sungmin could not kill the man that
had cursed Wijihoyeon.

Six masters of Transcendence, whose identities were kept well hidden in Eria, had
gathered together. Lee Sungmin chewed his lower lip. When he was a C-class mercenary
in his previous life, He didn’t even know of these existences in the world. He thought
he had come quite far, but when he looked ahead, he felt like he knew how high and
difficult the mountain was to climb.

[When the height of the mountain changes, the view changes.]

Lee Sungmin pondered on Heoju’s words, and closed his eyes.

Less than an hour later the door opened. Lee Sungmin, who was closing his eyes and
organizing his thoughts, looked to the opening door. The Crazy Heavenly Demon and
Rubia stood at the door.

“You arrived?”

Lee Sungmin asked, slowly raising himself up. Crazy Heavenly Demon gave a low groan
his sight went over to where Wijihoyeon was lying on the bed.

“What the hell happened?”

“We had a fight with the Orthodox.”

Starting with that, Lee Sungmin explained what he had been through. While listening
to the story quietly, the Crazy Heavenly Demon’s face contorted in confusion.

“Are the city’s guards on the sidelines trying to kill a man while using the name of
meritorious services?”

“There’s a difference between writing meritorious deeds in the middle of the city and
fighting outside the gates.”

Rubia replied, pouting her lips.

“Rubes is a neutral city, but because of the close proximity of the Crohn, the Orthodox
factions are stronger. Even if the Ironclad kills a man on the outskirts, saying the man
was going to wipe out Sama Order… You’ll only get a slap on the wrist.”

“Then isn’t this place dangerous, too?”

“This is the center of the Rubes. And this is the branch of the Samaryunju. I don’t think
it’ll be a big risk if the Samaryunju says they’ll protect you.”

However, Rubia was unsure and vague in her response. Although they had yet to
decide what to do in the future, they had decided to check up on the status of Wijihoyeon
first. Lee Sungmin left the sleeping Wijihoyeon and came out of the room.

“Please deliver this to the Tower master of the Red Tower.”

He sent a request to the servant along with the letter he just wrote. The servant
nodded his head and left the room. Scarlett, the Tower master of the Red Tower, was
also well versed in sorcery. Soon after, the servant returned with the letter he couldn’t
deliver under the pretext that the Tower Master was absent.

He asked Neville, too. He inquired about the Sorcerer’s Guild, but he heard the same
answer from them. He answered that he had no choice but to kill the caster of the
curse in order to resolve such a strong curse.

Wijihoyeon was asleep with a stable breath, the sun was setting, and Lee Sungmin sat
beside Wijihoyeon to look out the window. The red sunset was beautiful. He was still
unnerved but he was happy he was able to keep the promise from 10 years ago with
Wijihoyeon. He closed his eyes once more to relax.

“What can I do to meet Beyond the Heavens?”

Lee Sungmin murmured in a grave voice. The Crazy Heavenly Demon gave a low sigh.

“…I would have told you if I knew. The Six Divinities are monsters on the brink of
transcendence and are able to hide themselves extremely well.”

“You said you had been defeated by the Sword Zoan that’s among the Six Divinites.
What would you do if you met the Sword Zoan again?”

“I’m not sure I’ll win. But, you’ll be struggling just as much as you were 10 years ago if
you fight.”

“But forget the Sword Zoan, all of them are at the peak of transcendence . And you’re
still going to fight?”

“Well, it’s not that scary.”

“It’s the same for me. I’m not afraid.”

Lee Sungmin smiled and grabbed Wijihoyeon’s wrist.

“Wait for me… I’ll find you… and you better be prepared.”

Lee Sungmin murmured in a grave voice as he looked back out to the view outside the
window sill.