Chapter 246: Unintended Companion. (3)

Kwadeuk.

The monster’s fangs dug into my shoulder.

Blood spurted out, making my head spin, but…

I endured the pain and ignited flames.

Hwareuk-

Truly, it was a weak flame.

It was an indicator of just how pathetic my current level was.

The flame, burning as if about to extinguish, told me what my life had been like.

A life like a bug’s.

A life utterly devoid of ability.

It was the sum total of all those negative meanings.

Keureureung!

The monsters surged endlessly.

Like an endless wave.

Should I call it a lump of despair?

I had abandoned any hope of survival from the start, but…

[This is a bit much.]

Seeing the hellish sight, I found myself letting out a hollow laugh, amusingly enough.

Isn’t it too late to expect any hope from that?

How many miracles would it take to survive?

It didn’t seem like one or two would be enough.

[Haha.]

Should I at least curse Snow Phoenix, that crazy bitch, now?

Or perhaps, should I have told that bastard Jamryong, ‘You crazy bastard, fine, go ahead,’ when he said he’d go in my place?

If not that.

When So Geomseong, that hag, cried and begged me not to go.

Should I have said at least one more word?

All of this is just a futile thought now.

Even if I went back to that time anyway.

It was obvious I would make the same choice.

[Fucking life.]

It seems it’s finally coming to an end.

I lived so futilely, should I at least be moved that I can offer a little help now?

Unfortunately.

Since I’m not that sentimental a person.

I didn’t have any such warm thoughts.

Kuaaaah!

The monsters gathered in one place and roared.

Can I block them?

As if.

It was merely to draw their attention.

And even that didn’t draw all of it.

A mere moment in time.

Even this much would be desperate for them.

I burned my body.

Hwareuk-.

The flames covering my body were weak, but…

Even that was beyond my level.

With the surge of my gamble, my dantian was instantly emptied and being squeezed dry.

[Kkeueuk.]

My body, wounded here and there, and my dantian cried out, causing agony to dominate my entire being.

However, the flames burned even brighter.

Using my body as fuel.

Pouring in primordial qi like oil to burn even more.

It means burning my life.

Since I’m going to die anyway, what’s the point?

It looks like it’ll turn to shit if I save it, so I should use it.

[So this is how it feels.]

As I burned primordial qi to increase the size of the flames.

Amusingly, I felt enlightenment.

How to control the flames.

And how to make the flames burn even larger.

Enlightenment like this when I’m about to die.

[Seriously, I have the worst luck.]

Kuaaa-!

The monsters charged upon seeing the flames.

Like moths drawn to a flame.

If I were to point out the difference.

[Kkeueuk…!]

There were far too many moths.

And the flame wasn’t large enough to handle them.

Kwadeuk.

My arm was bitten.

Since I was surrounded by flames, their mouth should have been scorched.

Mindless monsters don’t care about such things.

They only focus on the prey before them.

[Shit…!]

Hwareuk-!

I increased the flames further and burned the one biting me to death.

Additionally, I created a wall of flames in a circle around me, but…

Keureureu!

Kuaaa!

There’s no way such a wall could work on creatures without reason.

[…Ha.]

Monsters poured out.

Perhaps because it was a flame burning alone.

Monsters, finding the light, gradually gathered and formed groups.

Can I block them?

[No.]

It would be more accurate to ask if I can endure, rather than block them.

But even that was impossible.

The monsters kept coming endlessly.

My body wasn’t strong enough to withstand them.

Fingernails pierced my skin.

I felt thirsty fangs digging into my collarbone.

Dazzling agony followed one after another.

Damn it, my life wasn’t ending easily.

That’s why I burned more flames.

So that I could hold them off, even just a little.

[You damn idiot.]

Trying to do more even now.

If you were going to do this, shouldn’t you have lived diligently earlier?

That would have been a better life than this.

Am I realizing this only upon reaching death?

No, I probably knew this all along.

I just lived while ignoring it.

No matter how much I tried.

Because I thought it was something I couldn’t handle.

I just ignored it and ran away.

And that’s why I regret it now.

Suddenly, a shadow fell before my eyes.

Another monster approached with its mouth wide open.

It probably intended to tear off and swallow my head in one bite.

My body was already broken beyond repair.

I had lost too much blood to have any chance of survival.

Feeling the shadow, I closed my eyes.

I couldn’t do any more than this.

I had endured well just up to this point.

My futile life too.

It has finally ended now.

Can I find some peace upon reaching death?

I thought so as I reached the end.

Just then.

Ttuk-.

I felt something dripping onto the tip of my nose.

[…?]

It was only a moment that I had my eyes closed, but enough time to experience death.

Yet, for some reason, my consciousness remained.

Perhaps I died, but just didn’t realize it?

I slowly opened my eyes.

[…Euk!]

The sight that greeted me the moment I opened my eyes made my body tremble.

The monster was still frozen with its mouth agape.

And it was saliva dripping from its mouth that had touched the tip of my nose.

[What the?]

It was only a moment before confusion set in.

The monster that tried to devour me slowly closed its mouth and retreated.

The fangs and claws embedded in my body also began to pull out.

[Eugeuk…!]

Pain was felt during this process, but something else was more important.

[…My wounds are healing?]

The wounds that seemed like they would kill me instantly began to heal in an instant.

The pool of blood on the ground disappeared.

The sight of my torn flesh regenerating.

It was a situation that couldn’t be described.

[…What in the world… is happening….]

Just as I couldn’t figure out what was happening.

Keureureung….

[…!]

The monsters gathered around me began to distance themselves slightly.

One step, then another.

The monsters slowly backing away.

Soon, one by one, they slowly began to bow their heads.

[Crazy, what is this.]

Creatures that had absolutely no intelligence, only feeling hunger.

Bowing their heads to me?

Is this a dream?

If this wasn’t a dream I was having after death, it was a situation I couldn’t possibly understand.

So flustered was I, I unconsciously backed away.

Tuk.

Something like a wall touched my back, blocking my movement.

Since I knew it was an empty plain.

There couldn’t possibly be anything behind me.

Thinking it might be a monster, I hastily turned around to check its identity.

[…!]

The fact that the wounds inflicted all over my body healed instantly.

And the fact that countless monsters were bowing their heads to me.

None of that was important right now.

Because there was a bigger problem right before my eyes.

[What is this now…. A tree…?]

What touched my back wasn’t a wall.

A giant tree.

Its height was immeasurable.

Its branches spread out seamlessly, wide enough to dare cover the sky.

However, since it was dry without a single leaf.

I could only guess it was a dead, ancient tree.

But the problem was.

How such a tree suddenly appeared.

[…Just… how.]

If it were such a huge tree, it didn’t make sense that I hadn’t seen it until now.

It was at a level where it didn’t make sense that other Post-Disciples hadn’t discovered it either.

Where on earth did such a tree pop out from?

As incomprehensible situations repeated themselves.

-Found you.

A voice reached my ears.

[Who’s there!]

Startled by the sudden voice, I looked around.

But I couldn’t see anyone who could possibly speak to me.

-You’ve finally come.

Regardless of my reaction, the voice continued.

-The ashes to burn this long, long karma.

After observing for a while, I turned my head.

And looked up at the tree.

Even though I thought it couldn’t be.

For some reason, my gaze was drawn there.

[…No way.]

Could it be that the one speaking to me.

Is this tree?

-It’s nice to meet you.

The greeting offered gently was truly soft, but…

The supreme presence felt from it made me feel like I couldn’t bear it and would vomit right away.

My dantian trembled, and I felt vibrations in my body.

-I am the fifth World Tree, rooted in this false land.

As the words continued, I felt my consciousness gradually becoming distant.

My weak vessel couldn’t withstand the tree’s voice and was slowly cracking.

-My name is Mu-ah (無芽).

The moment I heard the tree’s name.

I felt as if my body was melting.

My body, which started trembling uncontrollably.

I felt roots from the tree appearing from somewhere and wrapping around me.

This encounter was the starting point in the hellish Demon Realm.

That led me to have no choice but to kill all the other Post-Disciples.

And it was the reason I later caught the Demon Lord’s eye.

---

‘The Seed of the Great Tree.’

Is it because of the memory from back then?

Hearing the beast mention the Seed of the Great Tree.

I couldn’t help but recall that tree naturally.

The memory of that day is hazy, unclear as if shrouded in fog.

As if it were a dream.

Or perhaps, it spoke to me as if telling me to think so.

But I absolutely couldn’t think that.

Because I knew all too well that it wasn’t a dream, at least.

“…What is that.”

At my question, the creature closed its mouth again, but…

I had no intention of waiting for its silence.

As I tried to reach for the orb with a flick of my hand.

[Wo…rld!]

The creature urgently spoke up.

It seemed difficult for it to even speak, its voice filled with panting breaths, but…

That wasn’t something I could afford to care about.

“World? What world. Explain it properly.”

[…The seed is… the seed…. The tree is… the world.]

“Bullshit, really. You call that an explanation? Wanna die?”

I already knew it couldn’t speak properly in the first place, but…

Hearing an explanation like that made me furious.

I considered just snatching the orb, whether it was important or not, but…

[…If the tree…. grows…. destruction.]

…

Hearing what the creature said, I had to forcibly stop my hand.

What is that terrifying statement?

“This is the seed. And if the tree grows, it means destruction?”

[Kkeureung.]

“This world? Or what else is destroyed.”

[Kkeureung….]

“Stop making those ‘kkeureung’ sounds and speak properly, you bastard.”

I don’t know how the destruction would happen, but…

“…Why is something so terrifying here?”

This was the part I was most curious about.

If what the creature said was true, then this was indeed a terrifying object in the world.

Because it meant such a thing was just left lying around carelessly.

[Kkeureung?]

The creature reacted as if asking how it would know that.

“I’m going crazy.”

I couldn’t know if the creature’s words were true or not.

Furthermore, the orb that my ancestor brought and placed here.

I couldn’t believe it was something so terrifying.

“What do you mean, if I touch this, it’ll explode.”

[…Cannot… handle.]

“So what can’t be handled… Wait. You fucking bastard, did you intend to suck it up again if I touched it?”

[…]

“Then it’s not because of me, it’s because of you!”

If it’s such a dangerous item, you could just not eat it in the first place.

“Are you a crazy bastard or what? Even without this, my life has been ruined because you kept sucking up everything I touched.”

[…Kkeureureung….]

It cried out as if wronged, but…

Isn’t that the truth?

Because it ate everything just because it was hungry, I was the only one suffering.

“I’m going crazy. Really.”

With a throbbing headache, I rubbed my forehead.

What was the ancestor of the Gu family thinking?

Where did they even get such an item to put it here?

“…Does Father know?”

I certainly didn’t know that this orb held such a secret.

I thought the reason for casually checking and looking around was just a routine event, but…

If what I just heard was correct.

I wonder if Father really knows.

‘I don’t think he would know….’

The reason it would explode if I touched it now.

Could be that its energy is too great for me to handle.

Or it could mean the orb might explode and the seed might be planted in the ground.

‘The Great Tree.’

I recall the tree I met once.

-Will you make a contract?

That damn tree that gave me only one option and called it a question.

I never want to see its face again, but…

‘…I have to go see it again.’

Somehow.

I had to head towards that Demon Realm I fell into in my past life.

The Demon Realm I fell into back then had a secret.

How many years did I roll around there?

At least ten years.

I spent a considerably long time in the Demon Realm.

Moreover, although countless people died.

There were also those who survived for a long time.

Jamryong was one of them.

Snow Phoenix was another.

So Geomseong was also alive.

Those who had just passed their late teens.

Had passed their early twenties as time went by.

Such is the flow of time.

‘…Damn world.’

Later, when they returned to the original world.

Surprisingly, less than ten days had passed since falling into the Demon Realm.

Other Post-Disciples who had died there had also returned alive.

It was as if the time spent in the Demon Realm didn’t exist at all.

They returned to their appearance before falling into the Demon Realm.

And most importantly.

No one remembered the events they experienced there.

The ones who died in place of someone else.

The ones who betrayed their comrades to survive.

The ones who died screaming for help.

The ones who confessed their affection to each other.

No one remembered anything from the Demon Realm.

Except for me, that is.

Only then could I understand the words that creature had told me.

‘A false world.’

Time, the world.

Everything twisted and broken, the Demon Realm.

That’s what it was like.

And.

I intended to head there in the near future.

[Kkeureureung… Kkeureung.]

Meanwhile, the creature inside my stomach began to thrash as if in pain.

Something felt strange ever since it started answering my questions, but…

This is the first time I’ve seen it thrash like this, aside from hunger?

What could be the problem?

Can’t I ask more?

“…So, the conclusion is that I shouldn’t touch it.”

I felt like touching it recklessly, wondering if it might be a lie, but…

If it were true, it would be a fucked-up situation, so I couldn’t act rashly.

Honestly, even now.

I still felt the urge to snatch the orb.

‘Is this impulse also a problem?’

It’s as if the orb is tempting me.

Whether it’s a lie or the truth.

It seemed better to get out of this disgusting feeling quickly.

‘The problem is whether I should leave it like this.’

If it’s a dangerous item, after all.

I wonder if I should just leave it as is.

Also, since there’s a barrier set up in the first place, I wondered what I could even do.

‘…Maybe I should casually mention it to Father.’

It’s an ancestor’s possession.

No matter how recklessly I act, if I carelessly touch this too.

I didn’t know what kind of reprimand I might receive from Father.

“It’s still hard to defy Father…”

I wondered if it would even be possible later on.

Gazing down at the orb.

Cheomppeong-!

First, I turned my steps and got out.

“I’m not letting this go just like this.”

[Kkeureung….]

“Explain it properly later.”

[…]

At my words, spoken like nailing down a point.

The creature flinched and avoided answering, but…

I had no intention of letting it slide.

‘They say the land is vast, but…’

The hidden secrets are all disgustingly huge.

Every single incident that unfolds feels like it could make my head explode.

Stroking my throbbing head.

I headed towards Moyong Hi-ah, who must be waiting outside.

After all, I had to get down to the campsite before it got any later.

Coming out onto the path from the central area.

Moyong Hi-ah was still waiting for me in a poised posture.

Sensing my presence coming out of the entrance, she immediately looked this way.

As our eyes met.

She took a step towards me.

“Did you finish the job well?”

“…Uh, um, yeah.”

Did I do well?

It didn’t seem like it, no matter how I looked at it.

Perhaps sensing something from my tone.

Moyong Hi-ah’s expression changed subtly, but…

She didn’t seem inclined to ask further.

She probably knew I wouldn’t answer even if she asked.

‘…She’s certainly perceptive.’

Leaving behind a soft sigh.

As I was about to move my feet.

“Young Master Gu.”

Moyong Hi-ah called out to me briefly.

“Why.”

As I answered, wondering what it was.

Moyong Hi-ah casually extended her hand towards me.

Seeing her pale, delicate hand, I frowned slightly.

“What is this….”

“May I hold your hand?”

“What did you say?”

For a moment, I wondered if I misheard and looked at Moyong Hi-ah.

Moyong Hi-ah was looking at me without any change in her expression.

What is this?

Perhaps flustered by the unexpected words, her eyes were trembling.

Moyong Hi-ah, observing my expression, slowly withdrew her hand.

“It seems it’s not time yet.”

“…What are you doing right now?”

“It’s okay. We have plenty of time.”

As if she had no lingering attachment, Moyong Hi-ah passed me and started down the path first.

“…What…? What was that?”

Due to Moyong Hi-ah’s sudden strange behavior.

The matter concerning the orb I had just experienced completely vanished from my mind.

Looking at Moyong Hi-ah like that.

Suddenly, I noticed her ears were blushing red.

It seemed she herself was feeling embarrassed, but…

Then why just now….

‘No way.’

A thought suddenly flashed through my mind.

She wasn’t trying to comfort me because I looked troubled, was she?

Surely not.

It’s Moyong Hi-ah, not just anyone.

“…It couldn’t be.”

Even as I thought it couldn’t be.

Recalling the conversation I just had with Moyong Hi-ah.

I thought that Moyong Hi-ah now, like Ma Geomhu.

Might have changed a lot compared to her past life.

Was that a good thing?

I couldn’t dare to be sure.

However, it probably wasn’t a bad thing either.

I slowly watched Moyong Hi-ah’s back as she walked ahead.

And followed her steps.

And by the time we arrived at the campsite.

The sun was beginning to rise.

“…Where… did you two… go…?”

Namgung Bi-ah was waiting for me with cold eyes.