Chapter 865: Ilcheonkyo. Pama (Demon Destruction).

Pama (Demon-Breaking).

It is a power that can push away and erase demonic energy, and also deliver a fatal blow to those who possess demonic energy.

This was also the reason the Sword Masters were formed, led by the Divine Sword, and the reason she could become the hope of the era and lead the war against the Demonic Cult.

The sole hope.

The light of the Central Plains.

A miracle that could bring victory against the Heavenly Demon, the absolute being.

That was Pama.

It showed absolute power, but only against demonic energy.

Pama was the power possessed solely by the Divine Sword, Wiseliah.

‘Why did this happen?’

How did a power like this come to be?

I wondered, looking at the white flame wrapped around my hand.

“Ah… no….”

The Sky Opening Gate Master was still trembling in despair.

That sight seemed utterly pathetic.

His massive frame, which had exceeded eight feet. Even his skin, which hadn’t looked human, had returned to normal.

No, not even back to normal.

He had lost his original appearance too. He was still a martial artist, someone who should have had plenty of muscle, but now he wasn’t just gaunt.

Like a withered branch with only bones left, he looked so frail he seemed like he’d break if you just poked him.

Should I say he lost his vitality? The Sky Opening Gate Master’s condition was far from normal. His appearance was like…

‘Like he’d lost his innate vital energy.’

The source of life that every human possesses. His state resembled one where most of his innate vital energy had drained away.

Why did he become like that? It must be the flame inside him.

‘I intended to burn him to death completely.’

I wanted to burn him so thoroughly that not even bones would remain. But it ended up burning something else ambiguously.

Perhaps, it was some unknown energy that had transformed his body. My flame passed through him, burning only that, which is probably why he ended up looking so pathetic.

That’s why. That’s why I’m calling the energy contained within the flame Pama.

‘It resembles the way Pama used to manifest.’

This happened in the past, when the Divine Sword of my previous life faced the demons.

She used the Moon Dance Swordplay to wield countless sword projections, and the Pama energy contained within them dealt with the demons far too easily.

When demonic energy meets Pama, its essence is destroyed. Since demons had demonic energy infused throughout their bodies, the destruction of that energy was tantamount to losing their lives.

Therefore, when the Divine Sword appeared, the Sword Demon Marquis usually came out to face her.

Although the Sword Demon Marquis was called a demon, they had never actually received a blessing from the Heavenly Demon, making them excellent opponents for the Divine Sword.

A power that exists to counter demonic energy.

That was Pama.

‘…Can this even be called Pama?’

While I’m considering my power to be Pama, it’s too flimsy to be certain.

The reason being.

‘This isn’t destruction.’

It differed from the ability Pama (Demon-Breaking) showed. This was closer to erasing than breaking. If it were destruction, the Sky Opening Gate Master should have died.

However, the Sky Opening Gate Master didn’t die. Only the strange energy in his body vanished, and he returned to being human.

Should I call this Pama?

Moreover.

‘His energy wasn’t demonic energy, was it?’

The Sky Opening Gate Master’s transformation wasn’t caused by demonic energy. Yet my flame erased it.

Should I dismiss this as Pama too?

I couldn’t understand. But.

‘One thing I can be sure of is.’

That something strange has occurred with my flame.

‘…That it’s not entirely different from what Father showed me.’

It vaguely matches what Father did to the Heavenly Venerate back then. At that time, Father reached out to the Heavenly Venerate and erased something. Seeing how the Heavenly Venerate’s personality suddenly became normal afterward.

‘This means the Nine Flame Wheel Formation originally possessed this power.’

It’s correct to see this as a change that occurred upon reaching the Great Accomplishment.

‘Does reaching the Great Accomplishment of the Nine Flame Wheel Formation make it possible to burn other strange energies?’

Then what was the power Father showed me in the North Sea?

That power which instantly erased the Rank-100 monster.

What was that power Father called the future I needed to reach?

Furthermore.

Hwaruruuk–!!

‘Why has the color of my flame changed again?’

Along with the suddenly acquired ability, even the changed color of the flame.

There was much I needed to find out.

“…Please… I…”

“Hey.”

I approached the trembling old man and crouched down. When I met his gaze at the same level, the Sky Opening Gate Master flinched.

Then, anger immediately flashed in his eyes.

“You–!”

Slaap–!!

“Gak!”

Before the old man could say anything, I slapped his cheek. His body, which had barely managed to lift itself, collapsed as if fluttering from the impact.

“Now we have some things to talk about, don’t we?”

“…You… You…”

I struck him without channeling internal energy, controlling my strength. It would be troublesome if he died easily.

I grabbed the old man by his hair.

“Gkkeok…”

There’s much I need to find out, but fortunately, I can get a few answers right now.

Just as I raised my hand to slowly touch the Sky Opening Gate Master.

Swoooosh—!!

“Hmm.”

Sensing a presence from the door, I glanced over. It seemed they had arrived. Looking that way, I spoke.

“You’ve arrived.”

“I apologize for being late. It took time to find the way.”

The one who approached the entrance was none other than Amwang.

“I’ve dealt with everything as you instructed.”

I nodded at his nonchalant words. Amwang entered the space, surveyed the surroundings briefly, then looked back and forth between me holding the Sky Opening Gate Master and myself.

“Do you require assistance?”

Assistance for what? Whatever it is, it’s likely quite terrifying, judging by Amwang’s words.

I shook my head.

“No. I’m fine.”

“Understood. Then…”

Amwang paused briefly before continuing.

“There is something you need to check momentarily.”

At his words, I tilted my head.

---

I followed Amwang, moving my steps. The location was on a floor above this one.

“It seems there was a special formation within the space. That’s why it took so long to find you.”

“Oh?”

When I asked Amwang to come straight to me once the job was done. I had thought he was rather late.

‘Something strange must be going on.’

It seemed like some kind of formation had been laid across this entire space. From my perspective, there was a faint sense of strangeness, but it wasn’t too difficult to reach my destination.

“Yes. If I hadn’t sensed your energy from the lower floor, it might have taken longer.”

By energy, he must mean when I fired my flame.

‘Amwang couldn’t detect it, huh.’

What on earth could have blocked it so effectively that the great Amwang couldn’t detect it?

“What about now? Is it still like that?”

“No. It seems the formation has been deactivated now.”

At Amwang’s words, I narrowed my eyes. The fact that it’s gone now but was there before means there must have been a trigger point.

‘Speaking of trigger points.’

One thing came to mind.

That tree.

The sapling full of white leaves.

Could that be it? If that’s the case.

‘It might be a change that occurred as I absorbed the leaves.’

I wondered if the deactivation of the formation was also due to that. Of course, this isn’t certain either.

Following Amwang a bit further, I saw a room at the end of the wall. It was smaller than the steel door I saw below, but it wasn’t small either. And.

‘The smell of blood.’

From the moment I saw the door, I could sense the scent of blood. I immediately walked towards the room. The door was already open.

I entered the room and looked inside. As soon as I entered, I understood the reason for the smell of blood.

The room was filled with brutally mutilated corpses scattered everywhere. Blood flowed, soaking the floor. And also.

“…These things.”

The state of the corpses is peculiar. Dozens of corpses, seemingly, all resembled the monstrous form the Sky Opening Gate Master had transformed into.

I turned my head to look at Amwang. Amwang, as if expecting my gaze, replied.

“They underwent transformation after consuming an unknown inner core. I dealt with some before they transformed, but I was a bit late for the rest.”

Come to think of it, I could see a few who were still in human form. In any case, it meant he had killed them all.

‘They ate an inner core, huh.’

This time, I asked the ones behind me.

“Did that guy do that too?”

By ‘that guy,’ I meant the Sky Opening Gate Master I brought here after acupoint sealing.

“Yes. After eating something…. he changed strangely.”

I nodded at the reply.

I see.

‘Transformation due to consumption. Not a natural shedding.’

If they mean consumption, they’re probably referring to what I swallowed.

Looking at Amwang, I asked.

“Do you know what it was?”

“I don’t know. However.”

He said, looking at the corpses he had killed.

-I can tell they received a curse similar to mine.

It was telepathic communication. His voice carried an unknown killing intent and contempt. I agreed with Amwang’s words.

Although they were strangely different, their forms were clearly.

‘Dragons.’

Dragon forms, like mine, or like Amwang’s. It was hard to call them complete, but confirming fragments, it was certain.

These guys are dragons.

Just like how the Sky Opening Gate Master had transformed, and how these guys who lost their lives now did.

‘They transformed into dragons after eating something.’

An artificial shedding. How was this possible?

“Are there any more individuals besides these?”

“I killed everyone confirmed.”

“What about the possibility of more?”

“I don’t sense any within my aura range.”

Then they must be very far away, or this is all there is. It has to be one of the two. If they can’t even be caught by Amwang’s aura range, my trust is solid, but.

‘I can’t be sure if they didn’t do something strange to the space.’

It was a place where nothing could be certain.

Squish. I took a step into the room. It was muddy due to the blood.

‘What kind of place is this?’

What is this place supposed to be? Judging by its state, it’s not much different from what I saw underground. It seems a bit smaller in size…. but seeing as there’s furniture and such inside. Could it just be a normal resting area?

As I was looking around, pondering this question. There was something in the center.

‘A pond?’

It was a small pond. Why would there be a pond in a place like this? It looked strange just by looking at it.

So, I slowly approached and examined the pond.

“…!”

My eyes widened the moment I saw it.

There was something beneath the pond.

And it was something unimaginably huge.