Chapter 1016: The Divine Tree and the Master.

Few people were around.

It was usually said about places where the presence of life was noticeably scarce, or where people’s footsteps rarely tread.

Due to a specific reason, people don’t frequent the area, or…

…especially in cases where it’s dangerous and entry is forbidden, this phrase is used.

‘This doesn’t feel like that.’

The place I’ve arrived at now was filled with a feeling that the word ‘few people’ couldn’t adequately describe.

‘It’s not that the human presence is scarce…’

There’s just no presence.

Not just human presence, but the presence of living things. It was completely absent.

‘What is this?’

How can this be? An extreme sense of strangeness washes over my entire body.

It’s not just that the presence is scarce.

‘It’s absent.’

It was entirely absent.

To the point where not even the presence of any living thing could be felt.

This is an impossible situation.

As I reached transcendence, the radius of my aura perception had widened extremely, and had also deepened, yet nothing can be felt like this?

Frowning, I surveyed the surroundings.

Even when I first saw it, it was the same; the trees and grass were mostly sparsely grown, and the rest of the region was composed entirely of rocks.

Because of that, it seemed like vitality was felt less, but…

‘It can’t possibly be this absent.’

Sensing a strange feeling, I raised my energy.

Hwa-reureureuk-!

A ring formed behind my back. Quickly rotating it, I poured most of my energy into my aura perception. Then, the range of my aura perception rapidly expanded, and along with it, an enormous amount of information flooded towards me.

It was an amount of information quite enough to cause a headache, but still.

‘There is no presence of living things.’

It was information about the region’s characteristics or appearance; still, nothing related to living beings was present.

While increasing it further and further.

Jjirit-!

“…!”

Upon feeling a sensation at the edge of my aura perception, I immediately withdrew my energy.

‘Oops.’

It was a mistake.

‘I used it too widely.’

Even though I knew what was in Mareongsan, I forgot for a moment.

‘I withdrew it right away, but… did it sense it?’

While widening my aura perception further and further, I caught something. It was the presence of a living thing. However.

‘…It’s too enormous.’

That thing was too crude and enormous to be called a living thing. It was the same sensation as when I saw Usa.

That means…

‘There can only be one entity emitting that kind of presence.’

Because I knew what was in Mareongsan, I could quickly deduce its identity.

Clearly, it must be him.

‘Was it Duryeong? Was that his name?’

The master of the region called Mareongsan, and the one who guards the second Divine Tree I came seeking.

General Duryeong.

That was his presence.

Because I had widened my aura perception so much, I had confirmed where he was in Mareongsan. This was not a bad haul, but…

‘The problem is…’

Just as I had sensed him with my recent action.

‘He might have sensed it too.’

Just as I had confirmed his existence with my aura perception.

He too might have confirmed the ripple effect of my aura perception.

If that happens.

‘He might possibly know my location-‘

Ku-gu-gu-gu-gung—!!!

“Damn it.”

No sooner had I thought it than a vibration was felt. The entire mountain shook violently, as if it were ringing.

Even though I had reduced my aura perception, its presence exploded. Clearly, I knew it was far away, but in an instant, hostile energy surged from all directions.

‘It noticed, didn’t it.’

The corners of my mouth rise. It was certain. He had noticed my presence.

‘Ah.’

What should I do?

Time to worry isn’t long. Even if the distance is far, if it wants to come, it would be instantaneous.

Glancing sideways, I saw Cheonma too, staring intently in the direction the presence was emanating from, as if he had noticed him.

‘Hmm.’

If I use him while fighting, it seems there wouldn’t be much of a problem…

‘Will he listen?’

Indeed, if Cheonma would move according to my intentions-that was uncertain.

‘…I don’t really want to do that.’

I didn’t particularly have the intention to fight together with Cheonma.

If so, what should I do?

‘It’s better this way.’

I raised my head.

Yes, it’s better this way.

‘I had to examine it anyway.’

If he comes, that’s good enough. This is better than deliberately going to find him.

Thinking so, I immediately grabbed Cheonma’s arm.

“Huh?”

“Follow me.”

I moved, as if dragging him along.

* * *

Hu-u-u-u-k—!!!

The wind blew strongly. Since the mountain was high, the wind had been blowing continuously, but unlike before, it seemed exceptionally fierce now.

Is it angry? No. If we were to be precise, this was closer to the wind being scared.

The entity gradually approaching must be trembling, fearing even the wind.

With quite tense eyes, I looked up at the sky.

At that moment.

In the night sky above, something caught my eye. It looked like a dot.

After a moment, the dot gradually grew larger, and before long, its form became discernible.

A giant being with a cow’s head and a human body.

Clad in flames, with fierce eyes, it plummeted from the sky to the ground.

Ku-a-a-a-a-a—–!!!!!

The ground shattered, vibrating greatly.

Rock fragments scattered in all directions as the ground was deeply gouged out.

Its appearance was like that of a fallen meteorite.

Dust soared into the sky, blocking the view, but as the moon rose, my evolved eyes easily perceived the interior.

I can see it.

‘It’s him.’

The General I encountered for the first time after coming to Mangye.

Commonly known as Duryeong.

The one with a cow’s head of dark skin and a human body was getting up, grasping an axe as large as its body.

Seu-eu-eu-eu-.

‘Wow.’

I couldn’t help but laugh.

Not to mention its immense physique, but the hostile energy and presence emanating from within it made my body tingle.

‘I encountered that kind of entity at first, didn’t I?’

Things that weren’t visible back then are now clearly visible.

It was the same as when I met Usa upon reaching transcendence.

The problem is, that entity is even more tenacious than that.

‘It’s not killing intent.’

It’s fighting spirit. A tenacious degree of fighting spirit was being emitted from him.

No, there is killing intent, but the fighting spirit is so strong that the intent is almost faded.

‘What kind of entity is that?’

It’s an entity that seems impatient to fight.

The fighting spirit was to the point of absurdity; looking at it, I couldn’t help but feel admiration.

Moreover.

‘If I get caught, I’ll definitely have to fight.’

Seeing his condition, I made the judgment that it was even more so better not to engage.

As for me now, I had entered a crevice between rocks, hiding myself.

Keeping a good distance, I was busy observing him.

‘Hmmm.’

I narrowed my eyes. Raising my head to the sky, I observed the moon, and through the gaps in the moonlight, a small floating sphere caught my eye.

Hwaryunseong.

I used Hwaryunseong to hide my presence.

So he wouldn’t notice, I hid my presence, and just in case, surrounded myself with flames to lower my presence once more.

Cheonma is beside me, but this guy too seems to have noticed, drastically reducing his own presence.

If it’s this much, it’s a level where even if Amwang came, he wouldn’t notice our presence.

Using that, I was carefully observing him.

‘Sseup…….’

As I looked, my expression furrowed.

‘I can’t see well.’

Strangely, Duryeong’s interior wasn’t clearly visible.

Is he hiding his interior with energy?

‘That’s possible.’

He has noticed that I am here. He might not know exactly that it’s me, but he knows an outsider shot aura perception towards him.

In preparation for any potential situation, he might be covered in energy.

So.

Given the situation, I too had to be careful observing him.

Because he might notice.

“Hmm……”

I exhaled softly.

Internally, circulating energy, I built up heat.

‘Should I fight?’

I pondered.

Fighting him now, what would be the odds of winning? Or would there be any losses? What would be the gains?

I carefully considered those things.

At the same time, I put on the mask and swelled my body.

‘The situation is good.’

The situation itself was good. Since there were no living things, it meant there were no allies to help him.

‘His powers won’t work on me either.’

Even if he possesses the power called immortality, my power, Greed, can nullify it.

This is a significant advantage. Not just because the powers don’t work.

‘As long as he doesn’t know this, his fighting style when we face each other will likely change drastically.’

If he fights believing in the power of immortality, his fighting style is obvious.

‘He charges headfirst, believing he won’t die.’

The style of entities with high regeneration and solid external skills was all like that.

As an example.

‘…there’s me.’

I was like that.

Although it was already like that, upon becoming a dragon, as soon as my regeneration increased, I became even more brutish.

I believed that entity called Duryeong would not be different.

So.

‘I’ll aim for that.’

Using the one who charges, believing in immortality, I’ll exploit that advantage.

If I aim for the moment of panic when it doesn’t work, the fight doesn’t seem like it would be difficult, but…

‘Not yet.’

I took a step back and decided to observe the situation more.

Rushing things right after arriving carries too much risk.

Getting a little more information and dealing with it slowly is the right approach. Making that judgment.

With Cheonma, I took a step forward.

After that, just as I was grabbing my mask to take it off.

“How regrettable.”

Huuk.

Duryeong said, exhaling through his nose.

“Because you fearlessly set foot on this land of mine, I thought you were a valiant one, but…”

“…!”

“It seems that’s not the case.”

At those words, I turned my head and looked at him.

At that moment.

“…Huh.”

I had to let out a dry laugh.

The entity standing alone on the stone floor, surveying the surroundings, was surprisingly looking this way.

That means…

‘…That guy…’

…had already noticed us from the very beginning.