Chapter 972: Lost Soul.

“Kuaaaak!”

The youth screamed as he fell, the sound echoing through the space.

Blood water flowed from his eyes, soaking his body.

“Young Master!”

As those nearby rushed to approach him, I lightly tapped my toes on the ground.

Tung-!

Whoooooosh-!!!

Pressure spread, blocking their movements.

“Kkeuk!”

“Keok…!”

Those who had been approaching flinched and collapsed. Seeing them slowly kneel, I ignored them and looked at the fallen guy.

“Kkeu…heueueu!!!”

He trembled, covering his left eye which had been ripped out.

At that sight, I bent my knees.

As I slowly met his gaze.

He looked at me, his remaining right eye trembling.

“…Heu…kkeu…. Why…”

At that sight, I paused involuntarily for a moment.

Ah, I made a mistake.

I shouldn’t have pulled it out, but my hand reached out before I knew it.

An eyeball rolled around in my hand.

Perhaps I pulled it out cleanly, but the slimy sensation was distinct.

Hmm. Gross.

Recalling that, I tightened my grip on my hand.

Pajik-!

Crushing the eyeball held within, I casually flicked my hand.

Watching his own eyeball being crushed, the guy’s expression collapsed. Seeing that, I spoke.

[I didn’t like the eye.]

“…Heu…!”

It was a mistake, but. It didn’t matter anyway. I wanted to break it anyway.

I could feel the fear radiating from the guy who heard me. There was also a sense that he wanted to unleash his rage but couldn’t.

It couldn’t be helped. His father, the leader of this place, was lying there behind him, barely clinging to life, so he wouldn’t dare rush at me.

Watching that, I spoke to the guys behind him.

[Are you just going to watch? Your leader is dying right there?]

“…!”

Those who heard me flinched.

Only then did they notice their fallen blue-clad leader behind them. His condition looked bad just by looking, yet they couldn’t approach.

The reason, once again, was probably me.

[Tsk tsk.]

At that sight, I turned my back on them and walked away.

Opposite the entrance. A hole had already been punched through. It was a spot made while beating up the leader. Walking towards that spot.

Looking at the fallen leader, I casually spat out words.

[Your performance was decent. But merely at the level of a performance. Disappointing.]

Kkeugeuk.

The leader’s body, gasping for breath, trembled slightly. It seemed his pride was hurt.

Seeing that, I continued speaking.

[I hope the next person I meet is a bit more competent.]

“…!”

Before the guy could react to my words.

I leaped away and escaped.

—-!!!

As I put some distance between us.

As if they had been waiting, noise made of people’s voices erupted from the mansion.

---

Time passed after the incident last night.

It was when the sun was already rising.

Dawn, with the moon setting and the sun rising beyond the fading backlight.

I walked behind the building and checked for any presence.

I couldn’t feel anything. Even concentrating my senses, it remained the same. Recalling that.

“Cough.”

Only then did I cough up the breath I had been holding.

A little blood flowed.

I roughly wiped it with the back of my hand and clutched my chest.

This fucking hell.

‘It hurts like hell.’

No matter what, the aftermath of the battle seemed significant.

The throbbing pain could be felt throughout my body. The internal injuries weren’t deep, but the other pains were definite.

Using too much internal energy was one thing.

‘To finish it in a short time, I had to use it more excessively.’

I poured all sorts of strength into it. Considering I was already injured internally, I tried to end it as quickly as possible.

‘…He was stronger than I expected.’

The guy’s level was higher than my prediction.

Especially.

‘His body was too tough.’

When I landed blows, they didn’t penetrate as deeply as I thought.

I thought only his lower body’s muscles were enhanced, based on appearances. While it was true his lower body was maximally strengthened in my view, it seemed the rest of his body was similarly enhanced.

‘Since his muscles were stronger, not only his durability but also his grip strength must have increased.’

He was a martial artist type who fought a lot using his legs. In particular, the power behind his kicks was quite formidable.

Blocking with my arm without thinking, my left arm seems to have developed a serious crack.

At this rate, it should heal soon enough,

‘If I had used less force there. It would have broken right there.’

If I hadn’t instantly coated myself in energy, I might have shown a pathetic sight.

Tuk tuk. I shook my left arm. It hurt every time I shook it, but it was bearable.

‘The important thing isn’t this body though….’

I clenched my fist tightly and checked.

‘The amount of Yang energy.’

The amount of energy contained within my heart. It had completely vanished.

It was because I had used it all up in the recent battle, but still, the smile didn’t disappear from my lips.

If you ask why I’m smiling after using it all up.

‘Good.’

It’s because the amount of energy consumed differed from my expectations.

Normally, I should have run out of energy long ago and be panting.

I felt a change during the fight with him.

It’s because even when I used a bit more energy than usual, the amount could withstand it.

‘This doesn’t seem like the amount of energy itself increased.’

Is it a difference in usage?

I don’t know exactly what it is, but a change definitely existed.

I don’t know precisely what it is.

‘The only change I can think of is the difference in magic.’

What I learned after meeting the turtle.

And successfully performing the Heavenly Demon Divine Art properly once. That was all, but.

Did something change because of that?

I couldn’t know, but it wasn’t a bad thing for me.

‘Thanks to that, I could finish the fight faster.’

Even using the same energy, a different intensity of power emerged.

The fact that the power increased like this, without an increase in cultivation level or energy.

‘Is magic aiding my martial arts?’

Could it be that the higher the level of my magic, the stronger my martial arts become?

That was the only reason I could think of right now.

I became stronger.

If my magic gets stronger, my level also rises.

This only gives me more reason to immerse myself in magic.

‘…I should bother that turtle more?’

That guy seems to dislike me for some reason, though. Nevertheless, a reason to stick to that old man has arisen.

No matter how much he dislikes me, I have to leech off him.

As I resolved myself and caught my breath.

“Tsk tsk.”

At the sound of the tongue-click, I opened my eyes wide.

As soon as I turned my head.

Kuk-!

Something pierced my neck.

It wasn’t a sword.

A finger?

A dry finger had pierced into my neck.

I calmly looked up at the owner of the hand.

From within the shaded area, crimson eyes were looking at me.

“What is it…?”

“Foolish fellow.”

It was Shin Noyah.

He was looking at me as if displeased by something.

I didn’t even realize he was approaching. Realizing this, I bit my lip.

“Just because you’ve expanded your senses doesn’t mean you can let your guard down. Now that the fight is over, aren’t you completely losing focus?”

Noyah pinpointed that exact spot, as if he were a ghost.

“…”

“If what I was holding just now was a sword, you would be dead.”

“…It’s because it was you, Noyah. If it were anyone else, it would be fine, wouldn’t it?”

“Hmph.”

At my curt retort, Noyah laughed as if finding it absurd.

“You know that’s an excuse, right?”

“…”

I didn’t answer. My silence was an affirmation.

“Be careful.”

“…Yes.”

It wasn’t a scolding, but a softly spoken warning. That scared me more.

I nodded with an awkward smile, and Noyah withdrew the hand that was piercing my neck.

“Did you resolve the matter well?”

“Yes. Well, I handled it moderately-!”

Before I could finish speaking, Noyah poked my chest. He immediately covered my mouth with his hand.

I almost screamed.

“…Kkeueu…you crazy….”

“It’s quite amazing that you’re speaking so casually in that state.”

Noyah’s expression, calling me amazing, was half disgusted.

“You crazy bastard. If you’re hurting, show it!”

“…Who’s the crazy one…? Couldn’t you just ask instead of poking to confirm?”

“If I asked, would you have answered honestly?”

“…”

Probably not.

So I didn’t have much to say.

“Tsk tsk. How you handle your body is your business…. But still, do it moderately.”

“…In my own way, this is fine.”

Suppressing my groans, I got back up.

As he said, this much is fine. It’s at a level where I can recover, and my limbs aren’t torn off, are they?

Odeudeuk.

Moving my limbs, I roughly set my bones back in place.

Seeing that, Noyah clicked his tongue again.

“…Amazing fellow.”

“Why have you come? Why don’t you leave now?”

“Leave? Won’t I leave only when the sun rises?”

“That’s true as well.”

I nodded in agreement. After all, didn’t he say he couldn’t leave at night?

“Do you still have unfinished business?”

“No. I’ve done everything I needed to do for now….”

I turned my head and looked towards a certain place.

It was where the Azure family resided.

“I do want to see how they’ll handle the situation before I leave.”

When day breaks, things will happen. I need to see that before planning my next schedule…. It felt too early to move right away.

Especially.

“Do you know the location of the Sacred Tree? I don’t think it’s over there.”

Another matter that has become important to me now.

The location of the Sacred Tree somewhere in Yae-wol.

I wanted to know that.

According to Noyah, it definitely existed somewhere in Yae-wol. But I felt nothing from the Azure family’s side.

No, is it even possible to feel it in the first place?

‘I need to know the location to decide what to do.’

Whether to destroy it.

Or attempt something else.

Those actions also require knowing the location.

Therefore, I intend to figure out where the Sacred Tree is.

“Ah, that. I know.”

“Yes?”

Noyah replied nonchalantly.