Chapter 929: So in the end.

Cheol-geok.

I feel something in my hand. It was a cool and heavy sensation.

What is this?

“Kkeu-heu…”

With a shallow groan, Gu-bong opened his eyes.

Had I lost consciousness? Since when? As Gu-bong hastily tried to recall, his eyes grew wide like saucers.

Memory returned.

I had been dragged here by the family members from the entrance, along with Gu Yangcheon. And… what happened then?

Hazy memories turned his entire mind upside down.

Lifting his dizzy head, Gu-bong forced himself to look around.

Where is this?

Cheol-gyeong.

“…!”

As he tried to move his body, a sense of restraint brushed past him.

Only then did he grasp his own condition.

Seeing his condition, Gu-bong widened his eyes.

“What…! “

What is going on? As Gu-bong panicked and tried to move.

“You’re awake.”

At the voice that came from the front, Gu-bong’s body froze.

It wasn’t a voluntary stop.

It would be more accurate to say he was frozen by external force.

Sa-a-a-a-a.

An unknown chill enveloped Gu-bong’s body.

His vision, which had been perfectly clear until just moments ago, gradually darkened.

Soon after, pitch-black darkness arrived.

It hadn’t truly become dark. It was just that Gu-bong felt that way.

This kind of unpleasant and nauseating feeling.

It was a sensation Gu-bong never wanted to recall again.

It wasn’t just that he hated the sensation, but…

The existence that gave him such a sensation was only one person in Gu-bong’s memory.

Gu-bong hated and feared that existence to the bone.

And.

That existence was right before his eyes.

“Have you been well?”

“…”

Something swathed in darkness, whose facial features couldn’t be properly seen.

From its appearance, where only the fact that it seemed to be resting its chin was discernible, Gu-bong swallowed dryly.

Just looking at that, he could already tell who it was.

How could I not know? It was him, the one who still visited him in nightmares.

Gu-bong, looking at him, uttered the words he had been holding back.

“…Black-colored Leader.”

Hearing those words, the darkness moved slightly. Though his expression was invisible, from his subtly shaking shoulders, Gu-bong guessed he was smiling.

“Heuk-ya.”

“…”

“Have you been well?”

At the darkness’s words, Gu-bong scowled.

“…I want to ask what this is all about first.”

“What do you mean, ‘what is this’? Is there anything strange about a father seeing his son?”

“…Father… Father…”

At the unfamiliar and awkward word, Gu-bong let out a snort.

“It’s not even funny.”

“Heuk-ya.”

“Don’t call me that.”

Cheol-gyeong.

Gu-bong strained.

He tried to break free from the handcuffs bound to his hands, but it wasn’t easy.

‘…Is it Yo-seok (Disturbing Stone)?’

It seemed like the handcuffs were made of Yo-seok. The more force he applied, the more his strength seemed to drain away, exactly like that.

“It’s a pointless act. There’s no need to waste your strength unnecessarily, so why don’t you restrain yourself?”

“…”

At the darkness’s words, Gu-bong bit his lip and relaxed his efforts.

As he said, it was a meaningless act.

It wasn’t just anything; it was Yo-seok.

In Man-wol, beings who could break this Yo-seok with strength were few.

Gu-bong was not included among those few beings.

As if resigned, Gu-bong relaxed his strength and spoke.

“…Why on earth did you bring me here?”

For what purpose had he been captured? That was Gu-bong’s question.

“Hadn’t you just abandoned me until now?”

Decades had passed. His life, lived tenaciously after settling down at Hwasan, was like that, yet…

Now, at this point, what was the reason for seeking him?

Gu-bong simply could not understand.

Just as the question began to sprout.

“Perhaps something happened to my elder brother?”

Gu-bong asked, wondering if that might be the case.

“If that’s why you brought me back…”

“Whether it was then or now, your tendency to misunderstand remains the same.”

Gu-bong’s mouth, which had been speaking, closed again. Because the darkness reached out a hand and forced Gu-bong’s actions.

“Kkeu-euk…”

Under the overwhelming pressure, Gu-bong gritted his teeth.

He tried desperately to break free, but it wasn’t easy.

‘Still….’

Even though that much time had passed, is the gap still this large?

Unable to move properly, right in front of me?

“Heuk-ya.”

“…Don’t… call me… by that… name…”

As Gu-bong said through gritted teeth, the darkness nodded.

“If you wish it so, then I won’t. Yes, unfortunately, something like what you hoped for did not happen.”

Deol-deol-deol-deol-deol-!

Along with the words, something inside began to tremble violently.

“Your brother is still healthy, and even if not, I would never call you back for that reason.”

“…”

Those were utterly resolute words.

It was something he had longed for so much, yet hearing it like this, Gu-bong felt like his insides were rotting.

“After all the trouble of escaping from the family, does our family look weak enough to call back a loser like you?”

“…Then. Why did you call me here then?”

Cheol-gyeong-! Gu-bong leaned forward, glaring at the darkness.

“Like you always have, you could have just ignored me. Why did you drag me all the way here?”

Seeing Gu-bong showing hostility, the darkness slowly rose.

Hwa-a-a-a-a.

As the darkness drew closer, Gu-bong’s pupils trembled.

“That’s right. Whatever you did, I didn’t care.”

The smell of burning came from somewhere. No, perhaps it wasn’t the smell of burning. Because now my senses seemed to have strangely changed.

“Since you ran away so desperately, as a final consideration, I ignored your struggles. Did you like it? The life of a loser.”

“…I…”

“You seemed to be enjoying that trivial child’s play, so I was ignoring that too… but apparently, something happened.”

Dry and hoarse.

And yet, a rough and fierce voice constricted Gu-bong’s entire body.

“The idiot of the White-colored family was struck down. Have you heard of it?”

“…”

I had heard. How could I not know? It was the talk of the town just yesterday.

The story was that Baek-wol, the leader of the White-colored family, had been severely injured due to an attack.

“The culprit of the attack, apparently, was a Wol-ya-in possessing black fur.”

“…!”

Hearing this, Gu-bong’s breath hitched and his eyes widened.

Only after hearing those words did Gu-bong realize why he had been dragged here.

“Furthermore, I heard you had some dealings with that idiot’s son.”

The darkness slowly knelt down.

“That’s why I thought, just in case.”

Seu-eu-eu-eu-eu…!

A hand made of energy moved towards Gu-bong’s chin. Changing its shape to resemble a hand, it lifted his chin.

“It was a vain hope.”

“…Did… you hope… I was the culprit…?”

“If I say I hoped, it sounds strange. For you, it was literally just ‘just in case’.”

“…”

“However.”

The hand that had been holding him fell from his chin.

“Now it has become meaningless.”

The slight interest contained in the voice faded.

It was instantaneous. As soon as it knew Gu-bong wasn’t the culprit, it changed like that.

It was ruthless. How could that person remain the same, even after all that time?

“…You… how can you be just the same?”

He spat it out with a trembling voice.

“Ever since you tried to kill me. You haven’t changed at all.”

At the words spoken as if resigned, the darkness tilted its head.

“The one who ran away first was you.”

“That’s right…. It was me. Because I wanted to escape from this damned suffering. That’s why I ran.”

Gu-bong lifted his lowered head and looked at the darkness.

“And now, the only thought I have is that my choice back then was right.”

Seeing that sight, indeed, his choice had been correct.

As Gu-bong spoke those words,

“Hmm.”

The darkness replied nonchalantly, saying only to Gu-bong.

“You speak as if you made the choice yourself.”

“Then, did you perhaps make the choice instead?”

“You continue to misunderstand.”

The darkness chuckled lowly.

“It’s natural. Do you think this happened entirely by your own choice?”

“…What does that…”

“Really, do you think you succeeded in escaping purely out of luck?”

“…”

“Being able to enter that insignificant place called Hwasan, even that. Even the fact that you are breathing right now. All of it happened because I permitted it.”

“That’s ridiculous…!”

“The very fact that you are breathing and alive right now isn’t that proof?”

Ppa-deu-deuk-!

Gu-bong ground his teeth.

The shitty part was that I couldn’t refute his words. Knowing the power here better than anyone, I instinctively realized the darkness’s words weren’t wrong.

“If I wish, I can erase you anytime. If you want, I can easily eliminate the master of that place, the one you believe in and follow.”

At the darkness’s words, Gu-bong’s eyes sharpened.

“What did you just say?”

Cheol-gyeong.

Veins bulged on the arm bound by handcuffs.

“Hmm.”

Seeing that, the darkness’s eyes narrowed.

“Your gaze is irritating.”

“What do you intend to do to the Sect Leader?”

Cheol-gyeong-! Cheol-gyeong-!

He exerted all his strength, as if to break the handcuffs. Even so, they didn’t even seem to get a scratch, but Gu-bong kept applying force. He seemed not to care whether his arms broke or not.

At that sight, the darkness showed brief interest.

“Your father is right before your eyes, yet that so-called master seems more important.”

“I have never once thought of you as my father.”

Gu-bong’s face contorted completely. Pain and anger seemed to surge.

“From the moment I escaped from there and met him in the forest. Not you, but he is my father.”

“Hmm.”

Hearing this, the darkness nodded. Did it acknowledge it? No. Because it had clearly realized what it was thinking inside.

“I kept you alive for nothing, and now you bare your fangs at your father?”

At that moment.

Kwa-a-ak-!

“Keok!”

Energy gripped Gu-bong’s neck and lifted him into the air.

“It doesn’t matter. Since I’ve confirmed it anyway, it’s meaningless.”

“Kkeu-eu… eu-eu-euk.”

“I intended to show mercy and let you go peacefully, but seeing your attitude, it seems I can’t.”

“Heu… kkeuk…”

Unfortunately, the handcuffs remained the same. They seemed to have a small crack, but if this continued, he felt he would break before the handcuffs did.

“Son. You asked earlier.”

The darkness spoke, looking at Gu-bong.

“Whether something happened to your brother.”

“…Kkeuk…”

“Even if something happened, I wouldn’t look for you. You don’t have that much value.”

“…”

Something felt like it pierced through my chest. It was a fact I knew, yet it felt like being reminded again.

And on top of that.

“Your brother must have gone to the guy you brought.”

“…What…?”

At the darkness’s words, Gu-bong’s body trembled.

“…What… is that… what…”

“Ami must be hearing a lot right about now. That’s what I think.”

“Kkeu-eu-eu-!”

At the news that Gu Yangcheon was in trouble, Gu-bong struggled.

I know he’s strong. But this place is that guy’s territory.

If something were to happen to Gu Yangcheon, then.

‘I won’t be able to face the Sect Leader.’

He was the one the Sect Leader had waited for for a very long time. Regardless of whether I liked him or not, I couldn’t let him be sent off like that.

“Kkeu-eu-eu!”

Gu-bong strained desperately. The hair on his entire body stood on end. It was truly an action close to thrashing.

“Didn’t I tell you? It was pointless-“

The moment he gritted his teeth and strained.

Jjeo-jeok-!

“Hmm?”

The handcuffs binding Gu-bong’s hands broke.

Seeing that, the darkness’s eyes widened.

“Broke handcuffs made of Yo-seok?”

“Ho.”

At that sight, the darkness curiously examined its child.

“This is unexpected.”

“…Keu-reu-reu-!”

Gu-bong then, baring his fangs, reached out his hand towards the darkness.

Seeing that, the darkness also moved its hand slightly. Like before, its energy changed into a physical form.

“First, I need to sever its limbs to stop it from rampaging.”

Thinking thus, as it shot its arm towards Gu-bong’s shoulder.

-Is this it? Yes, it is.

“It seems to be here?”

A voice came from somewhere.

Kwa-jik-!

“…Wha-.”

The moment the darkness was surprised by this.

The hand that broke through moved quickly and grabbed the darkness’s face.

And then.

Jaeng-geu-rang-!

Kwa-a-ak—-!!

Still holding the face, it slammed the darkness into the wall.

“…Grrr… Huh?”

Even Gu-bong, who had been growling, froze like stone at the sudden turn of events.

“This is the place. Ah, I really looked for a long time. Why are you hiding so well? It makes people pissed off.”

The one who broke through the territory was Gu Yangcheon.

For some reason, he was covered in blood. Strangely, he didn’t seem injured.

Furthermore, in his remaining hand, he was holding someone’s hair.

“…”

Whether they were alive or not, they hung limply without moving at all.

Even worse, something was dripping.

Just by looking, they looked strange.

What is that?

Gu-bong squinted at the somewhat familiar shape.

And soon after, he realized.

“That…”

Black hair, black ears, and black fur.

That familiar appearance…

Wasn’t that his brother?

Though he couldn’t see the face clearly, it seemed right.

“…”

What is happening all of a sudden…?

Gu-bong truly froze like stone, and could only watch the scene.

Then.

“Yo. Hey.”

Gu Yangcheon, seeing Gu-bong, waved cheerfully.

The problem was that something was held in both his hands.

“…”

Every time Gu Yangcheon waved, the bloodied mess of his brother held in his hands also swayed.

His own father was buried in the wall by Gu Yangcheon.

This, in a word, meant:

“…It’s a mess.”

And a huge one at that.