Chapter 976: Lost Soul.

Amidst the chilling atmosphere.

The man spoke, looking at Heuksaek.

“Hani, choose.”

No answer came.

How was I supposed to choose in this situation?

Doubt surfaced, but Heuksaek quickly figured out the answer.

Woooooooong—!!!

‘This…?’

Something.

From the hand gripping my neck, some kind of energy was crawling into my body.

“If you swear loyalty to this venerable one, don’t refuse, just accept it.”

Woooooong—!!!

“Kkeuk!?”

What kind of energy is this? I couldn’t tell.

It burrowed slowly from the outside of my body to the inside.

Gnawing away like a bug eating flesh.

And all the while, it gave relentless pain, as if trying to fester the wound.

I felt like I was going to throw up.

But I couldn’t even do that.

“If you refuse, speak up. This venerable one shall personally bestow my benevolence upon you.”

“Kkeueueuk–!”

He told me to speak, but words wouldn’t come out of my mouth.

I could barely manage to groan in pain, so how could I possibly refuse right now?

Unable to say anything, I could only writhe in agony.

“No answer means I can take it as affirmation, right?”

The man laughed as if he knew this would happen.

Hearing that, Heuksaek finally realized.

‘Th-this guy… from the start…’

He never intended to give me a choice in the first place.

It was as if my fate was already decided, and he only intended to push me down that path.

With this belated realization, Heuksaek gritted his teeth.

Kwaaaaaaaaah—!!!!

“Kkwaaaaaaaaah–!”

Overwhelmed by the pouring energy, Heuksaek’s consciousness finally slipped away.

---

Kkwa-deudeuk-!!!

With a rough sound, trees fall.

They looked like giant ancient trees, yet they were falling relentlessly.

Kung-! Kung-kung-!

It wasn’t just trees.

From trees, of course, to rocks and even the flat ground.

Everything was constantly breaking and collapsing.

And amidst that chaotic storm.

Kuaaaaaaaaah-!!!

For some reason, a beast’s cry echoed like a roar.

The wind pressure swept up sandstorms and soared into the sky.

Following it, debris lying on the ground was lifted in handfuls.

The debris, having risen high into the air for a while, soon…

Kkwang-! Kkwang-kwang-kwang-!

Adding to their weight, they crashed down onto the ground.

Kung-!

Kung-kung-kung-!

Countless pieces of debris rained down, turning the ground into a mess.

“Heu…… Heu……”

The one who created this chaos was busy panting in the center of it all.

It wasn’t because he was physically tired or exhausted.

The young man was not the type to be worn out by mere trifles like this.

It was merely an expression of his rage.

The tired-sounding breaths. The contorted face. The bulging muscles.

It was all just that.

Merely a means to vent his emotions.

‘Damn it.’

What had I done? The young man had to grit his teeth at the sights he’d witnessed at the banquet.

‘Damn it…!’

The young man, who had been panting as if venting his emotions.

Soon glared behind him, baring his fangs, and spoke.

“Stop staring and if you have something to say, come out and say it-!”

He yelled and grabbed a massive tree from the ground, throwing it. The moment he threw it, the man’s shoulders expanded, increasing his size.

Hoo-woook-!!!!

The tree flew through the air at high speed.

Just then.

Seogeok.

With a sharp sound, the tree split in half and scattered.

Kung-!

The split tree fell behind.

Through the gap, someone walked towards the young man. Yu Sa.

“What temper you have, still as eccentric as ever. Does causing such a ruckus help ease your mind?”

“……Kkeugeugeuk-!”

Yu Sa’s face contorted like a demon’s.

His eyes, filled with anger, began to split.

Seeing that, the old man chuckled and lightly turned his toes.

Before he knew it, the old man had reached Yu Sa.

“Look at this guy’s eyes?”

The old man. Sincheol, approached Yu Sa and stared into his eyes.

“Why? Wanna take a swing?”

“This guy…!”

“Kkulkulkul.”

Yu Sa tried to move his arm immediately at those words.

But Sincheol didn’t move, even while watching him.

He simply gazed at Yu Sa with his clear, light-red eyes.

Yu Sa paused for a moment upon confirming that.

“Why?”

Sincheol asked.

“Why don’t you keep reaching out? Why are you just standing there?”

“……Ppadeuk.”

Yu Sa gritted his teeth at the mocking voice.

Even so, Yu Sa didn’t move the arm he had started to extend.

The reason was simple.

‘If I reach out…’

If I had extended my arm even a little further…

‘I would’ve been cut.’

My arm would have been cleanly severed.

Yu Sa had good instincts.

He prided himself on having the highest instinctive sense in this Myriad Realm.

He had won countless battles and survived numerous times using this sense.

This wasn’t a guess; it was a certainty.

‘This damned bastard…!’

Yu Sa narrowed his eyes and glared at Sincheol.

His hands were clearly clasped behind his back.

And no sword was visible at his waist.

‘From where?’

Just where was this sharp aura emanating from?

Despite having no weapon at all, an immense sharpness could be felt from Sincheol.

A well-sharpened sword. An edge that felt like it could cut just by touching it.

Moreover, it was something imbued with a deadly killing intent, enough to have claimed countless lives.

Sincheol possessed that.

“Hmm.”

Sincheol, who had been watching the still Yu Sa, clicked his tongue briefly.

“How boring. You still seem quite timid.”

“……Shut up.”

Kwaaah-! Yu Sa flicked his hand, which had been reaching out, into the air.

The gathered pressure was released, bursting into the air.

It was immense destructive power, but Sincheol seemed completely unfazed.

He simply continued speaking while looking at Yu Sa.

“So? I think that’s enough time for you to consider.”

“……”

“You’re free to keep thinking, but shouldn’t you give me a definite answer soon?”

“……An answer to what?”

“What do you mean, what?”

Sincheol smiled brightly.

Seeing that, Yu Sa flinched involuntarily.

Certainly, his appearance wasn’t bad, but that smile felt strangely menacing.

“Stop messing around and just politely take my hand.”

“……Ha.”

Hearing that, Yu Sa let out a hollow laugh this time.

“Take your hand…? Me? With you?”

“No, Yu Sa. That’s not it.”

“What?”

“Not you, but us.”

“……”

Yu Sa wore a momentarily dumbfounded expression at the correction that wasn’t really a correction.

‘Not ‘you’, but ‘us’?’

As Yu Sa pondered the meaning of those words, he realized.

“……What? You want me to shake hands with that… ‘Hwasan Sect’ you created?”

It was so absurd that he felt like laughing.

“Even if I shake hands with something like that, what difference would it make-.”

“Don’t you want to become the master?”

“……!”

Yu Sa stopped speaking at Sincheol’s words.

At the same time, his wide eyes split open, pupils tearing wide.

“You’ve lost your mind…! Where do you think you are, speaking so recklessly?!”

Yu Sa shouted roughly, scanning his surroundings.

The reason for Yu Sa’s reaction was simple.

It was because the Master was currently roaming around Ya-wol.

If the Master were to hear those words just now…

“That day would be the day Ya-wol is destroyed.”

If she wanted to make that happen, perhaps a few gestures would be enough.

As if casually enjoying entertainment.

Even with such an attitude, the Master could destroy Ya-wol.

Because she was that kind of being.

‘Damn it all.’

Yu Sa crumpled his face thinking about it, but Sincheol remained nonchalant.

“Anyway, the main body must be unable to move, being blocked underground. Are you afraid of that shell right now?”

After all, the Master’s main body couldn’t move.

Any slight movement would trigger a catastrophe.

That’s likely why she couldn’t move an inch.

In such a situation.

“This should be an opportunity for you, shouldn’t it?”

Strictly speaking, the current situation could be seen as an opportunity for Yu Sa.

“Isn’t that right? Not only can you solidify your position as General… but perhaps you might even achieve what you originally desired.”

“Ha… As if you know what I originally desired-“

“Didn’t you dream of becoming the Master?”

“……!”

Yu Sa fell silent for a moment at Sincheol’s firm words.

“Among the current Generals, you’re the only one who has lived as long as the Master. And you’re the only pure Wolya Clan member too.”

Pasak.

Sincheol took a step forward.

Then, plum blossom petals fluttered down from somewhere.

“I heard you originally dreamed of becoming the Master, but couldn’t. Do you have any lingering regrets?”

“……I am content with the position the Master has given me. Don’t try to play word games.”

“Really? That’s quite strange.”

Ssik.

Sincheol’s lips curled upwards noticeably.

“From my perspective, it doesn’t seem that way. That’s why you’re maintaining your current state, isn’t it?”

“……What did I do?”

“What do you mean, what? You went through the trouble of holding a banquet, only to exchange trivial jokes with the leaders.”

As Sincheol spoke and walked, he finally reached right in front of Yu Sa.

Meeting his gaze fully, he added.

“You didn’t utter a single word about the information you possess, did you?”

“……!”

Yu Sa’s eyes widened at Sincheol’s words.

How did he know? I certainly couldn’t sense his presence at the banquet. Was he watching me?

Yu Sa, flustered, couldn’t react rashly.

“It seems I hit the mark.”

Sincheol stated with certainty.

Only then did Yu Sa realize Sincheol had been testing him.

“This guy…!”

“Why did you do that? You know what’s happening in Ya-wol now is related to me, and furthermore, to Hwasan. Why didn’t you speak up?”

“……”

“The reason you didn’t speak is, contrary to saying you’re satisfied with your current position, because you desire it too, right? Aren’t you pinning your hopes on the possibility of change?”

Pinning hopes on the possibility of change.

Those words struck deep into Yu Sa’s heart.

Yu Sa, who had remained silent for a long time after Sincheol’s words.

“……Just what…”

He asked Sincheol in a voice distorted as if grinding his teeth.

“…do you want from me…”

At Yu Sa’s words, Sincheol finally narrowed his eyes slightly.

Because the words he wanted to hear had come out.

“This is it.”

“Do you truly believe the current Myriad Realm is righteous?”

Sincheol uttered the words he had prepared to Yu Sa.

Upon hearing this, Yu Sa didn’t utter a word.

Did I believe it was righteous? No.

At least, not for me.

“It is not. Therefore, we shall correct this twisted Myriad Realm together with that person.”

“That person…?”

“Yes.”

Sincheol felt like his tongue was sprouting thorns, but he had to endure.

“A truly great being who will replace the current Master of the Myriad Realm, and…”

Palak-!

As Sincheol turned his back, the white martial uniform he wore fluttered.

“Yarang. Not her, but the true bloodline of the Myriad Realm.”

“What?”

Yu Sa’s eyes widened at the subsequent words.