Chapter 464: Get lost.

I lifted my heavy eyelids and barely managed to open my eyes.

“…?”

As soon as I regained consciousness and opened my eyes, what I saw was the vast underwater.

‘What the?’

I didn’t make any sudden movements that would disrupt my breathing.

I carefully rolled my eyeballs around, checking my surroundings, but no matter how much I looked, nothing but water was visible.

‘…What is this.’

What kind of shitty situation is this now?

How did I end up in a place like this?

I tried hard to recall the situation just before.

The incident where Shin Noya appeared and the time I broke the egg called the vessel myself.

Then, the vessel broke and I was swept away by the water.

Furthermore, the fact that my heart was pierced by Cheonjun and I died once all came back to me piece by piece.

Recalling that, I looked around again.

It’s water everywhere.

Truly, nothing but water was visible. I tried moving my arm.

Fortunately, moving didn’t seem particularly uncomfortable…

‘Could this all possibly be that water from earlier?’

The water that had enveloped me as I broke the vessel.

Could that possibly be this water?

The space didn’t look narrow at all, yet it poured down enough to fill it completely?

After looking around a few more times, I soon shook my head.

Thinking about it, there was no need to worry about this.

It wasn’t a real space anyway.

There was no need to think about the water or the space.

‘The important thing is what to do now.’

Why am I here?

I had to figure that out first.

According to Noya’s words, breaking this vessel meant I would cease to be human.

‘What has changed?’

For now, I couldn’t tell what had changed.

I was just letting my body drift on the calm waves.

I lifted my head and looked up at the water’s surface.

It seemed like a height I could reach if I tried to go up.

‘What’s up there?’

Maybe if I went up, I could get out?

‘Breathing…’

Judging by the fact that I wasn’t suffocating right now, it seemed breathing itself wasn’t an issue.

I decided I should swim upwards like this for now.

As I moved my body to head upwards.

Skeeeeee….

Thump-

My body stiffened.

I felt a presence.

Where is it? Where did that presence come from?

The fact that there was something in this space I thought was only mine was a problem in itself.

Skeee….

Goosebumps rose from the tips of my toes to the top of my head.

It wasn’t just a light presence.

Something was different.

I could intuitively feel it.

Skeee… ske… skeeee.

A particularly clear sound lingered in my ears.

The presence was gradually getting closer, but for some reason, it wasn’t caught by my sight.

What on earth is it?

What is there?

The chilling sensation felt instinctively.

Should I call this a killing intent?

It was something shallower, but much stickier.

Cold sweat trickled down.

I thought, ‘What sweat flows in water?’, but the sensation felt clearly like it.

Skee.

The presence I felt for a long time suddenly stopped.

Then, the tension I felt until just before melted away from my body as if it had been a lie.

‘…’

Nevertheless, my eyes were still busy looking around.

Because it wasn’t something that would disappear so easily.

‘Where is it.’

I looked all around, rolling my eyeballs like crazy.

I looked at the empty air, but still saw nothing.

Scanning left and right, I looked at the bottom, but only saw darkness with no end in sight…

Skee.

“…!”

Fuck.

The moment I looked down at the bottom, I cursed inwardly.

Darkness is visible.

Darkness cast so deeply that its depth couldn’t be known.

“…”

Yes, it was definitely that place.

Swoosh.

The place where the unknown presence was felt, that is the darkness.

Is something hiding in the darkness?

I thought so when I first saw it, but not anymore.

I had only watched for a few more seconds, but I knew enough.

It wasn’t hiding in the darkness.

Skeeee…!

It was the darkness itself.

Kyarururuk.

Did it notice that I realized?

An anomaly occurred in the darkness.

A white gap slowly formed and began to stretch long.

Its appearance was like…

‘A mouth?’

It resembled a beast’s mouth.

As I widened my eyes in surprise.

Kuuuuung-!

Kraaaaaaa-!

‘Crazy!’

The giant darkness lunged at me.

Kwaaaa-!

Seeing it charge, I hastily twisted my body, but…

Kaduk-!

‘Gkeuk…!!’

My movements were slower underwater, so I couldn’t protect one arm.

It grabbed my arm and started swimming roughly through the water.

Its speed was much faster than expected.

‘What the hell is this guy…!’

Sobbing from the pressure, I squinted and examined the one biting me.

I didn’t know when it was covered in black, but up close, I could see its form to some extent.

‘What is this?’

I saw a long body, swimming smoothly.

At first glance, I thought it might be a snake-like demonic beast, like a water snake, but…

I could quickly realize it wasn’t.

‘It has limbs.’

It had limbs that snakes don’t have.

Its scales looked much thicker and clearer than that.

Though not clearly visible, unknown horns were attached to its head, and fur lined its back, extending to its tail.

‘This is….’

What could it possibly be?

It’s a demonic beast of a form I’ve never seen before. It wasn’t a snake, nor a beast.

Kwadudeuk-!

“Gkeureuk!”

While continuously observing its form, my body hit something.

It seems the creature slammed me directly towards a wall.

Udeuk-!

‘Gkeuk…!!’

I felt the pain of being torn from the arm it was biting.

Something twisted.

As the pain that followed attacked, I bit my lip and suppressed a scream.

Just as I was trying to move, enduring the pain because I had to escape somehow.

[We are dignified.]

An unknown voice was felt through the bitten arm.

[All races except us are lowly and inferior.]

Despite the calm delivery, the words contained terrible arrogance.

The voice not only resonated through my entire body but also began to wrap around my head like madness.

[You must escape quickly. You must shed this disgusting vessel and become a more brilliant body.]

‘…Look at this bastard?’

Listening to the tone that dug into my mind like it was strangling my breath, I looked at the creature.

The owner of the voice was obvious as if seeing fire.

It must be this guy biting me.

[Truly a trivial body. Unable to break the mold and reach the proper level, how can one not feel pathetic?]

[Don’t you want to rise higher than anyone else and look down upon the ground? Don’t you want to live eternally with a noble name, making the lowly kneel?]

[If so, do not hesitate, embrace me. Cast aside the trivial mold and be reborn anew.]

‘Gkeuk….’

The more the voice spoke, the more my head felt like it would explode.

Furthermore, something welled up inside me.

What welled up in my body was a feast of all sorts of emotions.

Including arrogance, an unknown sense of pride, and a strange desire to ascend to higher places.

‘Is this it.’

I recalled, clutching my forehead with my remaining arm.

It was about the warning Shin Noya had given.

Noya had said.

That breaking the vessel would confirm my death as a human.

Also, that upon opening my eyes, I wouldn’t be human, of course.

‘I might not be myself.’

That I might not be able to open my eyes as the being called ‘me’.

I finally seemed to understand that reasonless warning.

‘It’s you.’

I saw its clear blue eyes.

‘It was you.’

The moment I gave up on being human and became something new.

‘Are you trying to covet what’s inside?’

A guy trying to take the position created like that.

It seemed that guy was this creature.

[Don’t you desire it?]

My ears were filled with tinnitus.

[If it were me, I could easily achieve the ideals you wish for.]

[Didn’t you wish for peace?]

[Hand it over to me.]

[All the lingering attachments, anxieties, and regrets you have. Hand them all over to me and find peace.]

“…”

I feel like I’m really going crazy.

The incessantly ringing voice was enough to make me lose my mind.

The fishy and shitty emotions that began to fill my chest were overwhelming to fend off.

Moreover.

‘…Peace?’

For some reason, its words even sounded incredibly sweet.

The words telling me to hand over everything tied to me.

The temptation that if I did, I could reach the place I desired so easily.

An unknown intuition told me those words were true.

How on earth did I end up like this?

Why did I have to stop being human after living as one?

What would I become after ceasing to be human?

I knew nothing, but it was a temptation enough to make me think it would be okay.

[Hand it over to me.]

[Find peace. Gu Yangcheon.]

[Then you will be able to achieve everything you desired.]

What I desired.

To prevent all the bloody calamities that would surge before my death.

To ensure those who died for me and lived for me could live in a peaceful era.

And thus.

To settle my lingering attachments and regrets.

To give myself peace.

Recalling this.

[I will do that for you.]

The creature repeatedly whispered in my ear.

[Didn’t you wish for it? Didn’t you wish so desperately for someone to do it for you?]

I did.

I wished desperately, praying someone would do it for me.

I wanted to let go of this terrible karma.

[This is it now.]

[Hand it over to me.]

Kkeudeudeuk.

The blood flowing from my nose spread through the water.

I also felt the sensation of blood vessels bursting around my eyes.

“…You… you… what are you?”

It was a question I blurted out without realizing.

It was strange that such a clear voice came out underwater, but now wasn’t the time to think about that.

Perhaps because it heard my question.

Kareureu.

The creature’s lips curled up. It looked like it was smiling.

[I am a noble being.]

[Unlike you lowly ones, I am a great species permitted transcendence from the beginning, and…]

[I am a miracle permitted for the inferior you to dare touch.]

Arrogant, and yet so arrogant.

Yet, the words felt like they suited it so well.

Why do such fucking words suit it so well? Even while in pain, I found it amusing.

[Therefore.]

[Hand it over to me.]

It kept repeating the same words.

Every time I heard those words, I found myself wavering.

‘Let’s just hand it over and become comfortable.’

‘It’s been hard anyway, hasn’t it?’

‘What bloody calamities could someone like you possibly stop?’

Such thoughts constantly simmered.

Whenever I tried to do something, everything got tangled up, and somewhere they treated me like a disaster.

Even if it was better than my previous life, I wondered if I could stop the Heavenly Demon like this.

Now, even the Blood Demon was someone else’s problem, so there was too much to think about.

Why should I have to do that?

Even the lingering attachments that kept me centered were shaking.

Why must I walk that arduous path?

As the creature said, wouldn’t it be the best way to hand everything over and become comfortable?

‘Ah…’

Drip.

The threads connecting my mind were breaking one by one.

Seeing that, the creature’s smile deepened.

If I handed something over as the creature wished, what would happen to me?

Would I disappear?

‘Is that the problem?’

If I could escape like this, what would I fear about disappearing?

I’ve never really cared much about death in the first place.

[Yes. That’s it.]

A voice full of laughter could be heard.

[Just hand everything over to me and rest.]

“…”

I am slowly scattering.

The consciousness I was barely holding onto was drifting away.

What had I struggled so hard for?

“…”

Yes.

Let go.

Stop now…

-I wanted to live an ordinary life.

“…”

Just as I was gradually falling into rest, somehow memories flashed by.

Recalling them, my gradually blurring vision became clear again.

They dug into my heavy, sinking mind, making me grasp onto my consciousness just before it slipped away.

They surfaced. Unintended memories surfaced like turning pages in a book.

First, it was the pitiful expression of a woman with blonde hair.

-Thank goodness…

Second was the expression of a white-haired woman smiling sadly.

-Live.

Third was the words firmly spoken by a woman with a cold face drenched in blood.

-I am truly sorry to you.

Fourth was the sight of a woman who had lost her eyes offering an apology.

After that, all sorts of memories surfaced, starting to pull down the emotions that were welling up.

“Ah….”

My darkening vision quickly returned.

Just before my blocked breath burst forth.

Before that, my right arm moved first.

Thwack-!

!!!-!

Putting strength into my fingertips, I thrust my hand towards the creature’s eyes.

Then, the creature let out a monstrous scream and writhed its body back and forth.

Kyaaaaaaa-!!

In that gap, my bitten body was freed, and I managed to escape.

[This guy…!!]

[Why!!!]

The creature looked at me with resentment.

I saw blue blood flowing from the eye I had stabbed.

[This lowly bastard…! It would have been easier if you had just surrendered your body! How dare you wound me–!!]

To the creature continuously screaming as if wronged, I said with a smile.

“You bit my arm too, so let’s call it even.”

I showed my dangling left arm and gave a wry smile.

Of course, it didn’t seem like it would let it go that easily.

[Why did you make such a choice?!]

I frowned at the booming voice.

I shook my head, which was still throbbing.

The reason?

“…No, I just thought about it a bit.”

It’s not like there’s a grand reason…

If I had handed everything over to that creature, it would have been comfortable.

Whether the creature would actually act according to my wishes or not was unknown, but I could intuitively tell.

Whatever it was, it was at least more likely than what I could do.

[Even knowing that–!!]

“…But how should I put it?”

But suddenly, I had a thought.

“If I let someone else take responsibility for this life too… I wouldn’t be able to face the kids.”

If you decide to do something, you must see it through to the end.

You shouldn’t hesitate or waver.

There were things that shouldn’t be entrusted to anyone, things I had to do myself.

I wish I had known these basic facts in my previous life.

That was a bit regrettable.

The creature, hearing my words, let out a low sigh.

[…I’ll give you the chance even now.]

As I examined my mangled arm, the creature spoke to me as if it were its last chance.

The voice resonated through my entire body again, causing a headache.

Fortunately, it felt much better than before.

What on earth is that creature?

Why did it suddenly pop out and try to take my body?

Could it be that guy who kept growling?

I don’t think so…

I don’t know.

If I don’t know, I can find out starting now.

“Yeah, since when has my life ever been easy?”

It was always like that.

If it was a situation that couldn’t be resolved through conversation.

In this fucking land of Zhongyuan, there was only one solution.

I knew well that I was a person better suited for that than words.

[Grrr….]

The creature gnashed its teeth as if trying to threaten me.

I looked at it and managed the biggest smile possible.

And with that, I spoke.

“Get lost.”

Starting from these words.

Kyaaaaaaa-!

The creature lunged at me with its mouth wide open.