Chapter 1004: The Divine Tree and the Master.

A blazing orb floating in the sky.

The Nine States’ Secret Technique, formed with my energy. I narrowed my eyes, staring at the Fire Wheel Star.

And then, I lowered my head and looked at Yusa, who was rolling far away on the floor.

‘What the-?’

The power is different. Just moments ago, my attacks weren’t landing well, and I was finding it somewhat overwhelming.

The speed of his arm extension and the power contained within it had completely changed.

Swish.

My tail moved. I’d always had sensation there, but this was several times clearer than when I’d made it with magic.

‘……This.’

It was certain.

‘My body suddenly changed.’

The Moonlit Night body.

The race’s blessing, received when the moon rises.

I could feel my body had become extremely strong, and my five senses were heightened.

‘What’s going on?’

What could have happened so suddenly? I thought it should take about half a shichen from now for the Moonlit Night tribe’s traits to properly manifest.

Strangely, my body was in a state where the Moonlit Night tribe’s traits had awakened.

‘Is this for real?’

I looked at the Fire Wheel Star.

If there was a starting point for this change, it was definitely that. It was only a short while after activating the Fire Wheel Star that my body changed like this.

‘……Why?’

How could this be?

Questions filled my mind, but this wasn’t the time to ponder them.

“Kuhh-!”

Crackle-!

Yusa, who had been sent flying, let out a groan as he got up. Pain was evident on his face.

“You bastard… cough!”

He was bleeding, likely hit squarely in the solar plexus.

The blood flowing from his mouth soaked the floor.

“You vile bastard… To make me lower my guard…”

“……”

It wasn’t exactly like that, but based on the situation, it was understandable why he’d think so.

I mean, I was just wondering if he was hiding his power or not.

However.

Watching Yusa struggle to get up so laboriously, a thought about this anomaly crossed my mind.

‘He didn’t get stronger.’

Whereas my body had awakened the Moonlit Night tribe’s traits.

Yusa didn’t seem to be the same.

‘If he had changed, there’s no way he would’ve been taken down this easily.’

Like being hit in the solar plexus and sent flying.

And him staggering like that as he got up.

His body must still be waiting for night to arrive.

So then.

‘…It means only I changed.’

Observing the situation, I looked back at the Fire Wheel Star.

‘……For what reason?’

I had merely pulled out a secret technique.

Although it resembled the moon, the Fire Wheel Star was different from the moon. If anything, since it gathered heat, it would be more accurate to call it the sun.

‘Hmm.’

Observing my condition, I stroked my chin beneath the mask.

Although I didn’t understand the situation, ultimately, it meant one thing.

‘I can use it.’

Yusa cannot.

That was what mattered right now.

Tap.

I moved my body. Taking one step, I appeared right in front of Yusa, who was standing far away.

Yusa widened his eyes as he looked at me. He tried to move quickly, but-

Grab-!

My hand had already clamped down on his wrist.

After restraining him so he couldn’t create distance, I immediately struck his solar plexus with my other hand.

Thump-!!

“Kuhuk!”

The impact sent his body flying up. Unfortunately, he couldn’t fly away.

The arm I held was preventing it.

I continued to strike him repeatedly.

Bang-! Bang bang-!!

A beating began, accompanied by sounds like something breaking.

Unlike before, when he was blocking and dodging just fine, this time he couldn’t keep his wits about him.

“Kuhuk!”

I countered all his movements, preventing any resistance. My increased speed and grip strength allowed me to do things I couldn’t before.

This contributed significantly to my ability to strike Yusa.

After pummeling him like that for quite a while.

Whooosh-!!!

I gathered flames within my palm, forming a Hellfire Orb. I thrust it directly into his solar plexus, and along with the resulting explosion, I released the arm I was holding.

“Kkeuk-!”

Kuaaang—!!!

Engulfed in flames, Yusa flew through the air from the explosion’s impact.

Kogagagagang—!!!

As he flew backward, he smashed through all sorts of terrain.

And he was flying so fast that his screams were cut short.

I sent him flying too fast.

‘Hmm.’

Should I go closer? Just as that thought crossed my mind.

“You bastard…!”

The voice grew closer.

Yusa, who had been sent flying, reappeared moments later.

It was strange that he reappeared so quickly, but Yusa’s appearance was quite terrible.

‘Looks like my attack actually landed.’

The Hellfire Orb I’d embedded in his solar plexus. The part hit by the explosion was deeply caved in, showing it had landed properly.

It hadn’t penetrated, but the impact was certainly not insignificant.

Blood pooled all over his upper body, and I could see bone within it.

A human would have died long ago looking like this.

“……Are you looking down on me?”

Yusa didn’t die; instead, he burned with rage.

What was disgusting was that, as if responding to it, his injured upper body was rapidly regenerating.

“I like your spirit, though.”

Hiding my surprise at the sight, I said.

“You’re still just playing around, General. Is that all?”

“Grrrr.”

Yusa contorted his face at my provocation.

Then. All the wounds on his body recovered.

“You arrogant bastard.”

Long nails grew from his outstretched hand. At the same time, his killing intent surged.

“You think you’re the only one who hasn’t revealed their strength?”

He curled his lips as if to say he hadn’t fought seriously either.

‘Unbelievable.’

He was hiding even more power than this, and the moon hadn’t even risen yet?

That means…

‘What will happen once he receives the blessing?’

I wondered just how much Yusa’s power would swell if he received the blessing in that state.

At this point, it wasn’t just interesting; it was downright terrifying.

‘To think I acted cocky towards someone like him.’

I found it amazing that I had recklessly shown off in the middle of the night, relying on the power called Myung without knowing any better.

As I took a breath, recalling that moment.

“Hehehe…”

Yusa suddenly chuckled. What was that? Why was he laughing all of a sudden?

I tilted my head in puzzlement.

“At first, I was puzzled. But now, I’m certain.”

His eyes seemed to have figured something out.

What is it? No way.

‘Did he figure out who I am?’

I was wearing a mask and even using the Spirit Body Translation Technique. Could he possibly recognize me?

I thought there was no way, but his reaction was so vivid that I tensed up for a moment.

“You.”

Yusa pointed a finger at me and said.

“You can’t use Myung.”

“……Hm?”

The sudden words made my body stiffen.

“It was strange from the start. I wondered why you weren’t using it… but you can’t use it. Right?”

“……”

“If you had used it sooner, it would have ended quickly. There must be some condition? What could it be… Don’t tell me, is it night? Is it because the moon hasn’t risen? Right?”

Yusa continued talking to me excitedly.

His chattering tone showed clear conviction.

What should I do?

‘Seriously, what am I going to do about this bastard.’

I was incredibly fortunate to be wearing a mask. Otherwise, he would have seen me laughing.

I had intentionally not used Myung. It seemed he misunderstood that.

He judged that I couldn’t use it because there was some condition?

“……You’re quite perceptive. I’ll give you that.”

I forced myself to hold back my laughter and answered. His smile deepened.

“Hehehe… So that’s how it is…”

His laughter grated on my ears.

“General. Do you think knowing that changes anything?”

I can only use Myung when night falls. What difference would it make if he knew that?

“Nothing changes.”

Pop-!

I loosened my hands and ignited flames again.

Then, while observing his reaction, I was about to charge at him again.

“Well. Is that really so?”

Yusa spoke, then sharply honed his elongated nails.

Stab-!

“……Huh?”

He suddenly stabbed himself deeply in the chest.

Exactly where his heart was.

Was he trying to commit suicide all of a sudden?

“Puhuk-!”

Blood spurted from the corner of his mouth.

Of course, I could see it trickling down from the hand embedded in his heart as well.

Watching this, I furrowed my brow beneath the mask.

“Grrr…”

Grrrk.

Wriggle-!

Along with a low growl, his body began to change.

His huge, undulating tail was particularly strange.

I hadn’t noticed, but he now had two tails, and fur was growing from his skin.

That’s…

‘It’s like Gu Bong’s transformation.’

It was the same as when Gu Bong transformed into a beast-man under the moonlight.

‘…Rougher than Baek Saek.’

It felt rougher than the night form shown by the Baek Saek Leader.

Seeing his transformed state, cold sweat naturally broke out on my back.

Baek Saek was larger in size. But.

‘His presence is on a different level.’

I couldn’t possibly grasp it based on size alone. The presence I felt from him now was far beyond his visible size.

I naturally lowered my gaze to look at my feet, trying to see his shadow.

Seeing it, my eyes widened.

Yusa’s shadow, which had been huge until just moments ago, had shrunk considerably.

‘He changed.’

His size resembled his human form. It was as if his shadow had been swapped.

“Grrrrrrrrrr—!!!”

The growls that had been echoing from the shadow now came directly from his body.

Crunch-!

He swung his two tails against the ground, and I could see the floor lightly crushing beneath them.

Beast.

Among them, if I had to specify… Hmm…

‘What should I call that…?’

I don’t know. At first glance, it looked like a bear.

It looked like a lion, and like a tiger.

And in another way, it looked like a dog or a wolf.

I could definitively identify Baek Saek as a tiger, but I couldn’t do the same for Yusa.

Just a beast.

Or a monster.

I felt I could only summarize it with those words.

“How long has it been since I revealed this body…?”

Yusa’s thick, roughened voice filled the space.

“You said you were Cheonma, right? You should be grateful. Few have seen this form.”

Kkeugeuk.

He crouched down, pressing the ground beneath him.

“The last time was when that disgusting traitor ran away, I think. Has it been a hundred years? Anyway, it was around then.”

Disgusting traitor. I pricked up my ears at that word.

Because what he was saying reminded me of Shin Noya.

“I’ve grown hungry.”

His tail swished in an instant.

At that moment.

“I’ll satisfy this hunger with you!”

Kwaaa-!!

His massive body revealed its fangs and charged at me.

“Hmph.”

His torn mouth came closer.

Seeing it, I let out a sigh of regret.

Apparently.

‘I can’t win like this.’

Seeing him, I knew I couldn’t win like this.

Judging so, I focused power into my heart.

Hwareureureuk—!!!

A ring made of flames formed behind my back.

Giiiiiiing—!!!

The ring began to spin as if it had been waiting.

Energy burst forth from my Blood Path.

Heat enveloped my body.

I undertook heating through my clenched fist.

Even though I’d never used it before, I knew.

“Gu-yeom-geuk-tae-san-o-hyeong.”

Just as my father showed me in the North Sea.

“Geuk-gu-yeom-tae-a-rang.”

I too.

Through my fingertips, I poured Yama onto the world.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaa—-!!!!!

Blue hell engulfed Yusa.