Chapter 1021: The Divine Tree and the Master.

Heroic Spirit (英靈).

The butterfly that suddenly appeared introduced itself as a Heroic Spirit.

It was an out-of-the-blue appearance.

To be discovered the moment I entered inside, my brow furrowed involuntarily at the awkward situation.

What should I do? Should I leave again?

Worries sprout. Or, could I get away with it if I eliminate this butterfly?

‘……No chance.’

I can tell just by looking. This isn’t the main body.

It was right to assume it was sent deliberately to speak to me using something else.

‘Does this mean it also noticed my intrusion the moment I arrived?’

Or did it notice the moment I touched the magic and send this?

There were two possibilities, but that wasn’t important right now.

What’s important is.

‘Is this butterfly an enemy.’

Or not an enemy.

That’s all that matters.

“A Heroic Spirit?”

“Yes. Noble one-nim.”

“……Uh.”

What should I say? I couldn’t think of anything to say for a moment.

Then, I cleared my throat and said to the Heroic Spirit.

“……Sorry for barging in unannounced. We have our own circumstances, you see.”

For now, I just came out honestly. Then, the butterfly fluttered, circling in the air.

“I don’t mind. Rather, a great being has arrived, so curse us for not providing a proper welcome.”

“…….”

With words like ‘noble’ and ‘great’, which were incredibly burdensome, I scratched the back of my neck.

“……I appreciate your understanding. So, what exactly is this place?”

“This place is called Mareong-dong.”

“Mareong-dong.”

“It’s a place created by those who cannot leave the mountain.”

“Hmm.”

Those who couldn’t leave the mountain.

As I pondered those words.

“Perhaps, if it’s alright. Would it be acceptable if I guided you to a place prepared inside, rather than here…?”

“A prepared place inside?”

-My movements are hindered, which is why I appear in this lowly form. However, having met a noble one such as yourself, I cannot simply fail to show my face. I humbly request the chance to meet your esteemed presence and offer my apologies.

“…….”

In all my life, I’d never heard such a polite tone. I was the one who barged in unannounced, so why was this such an earnest request?

‘For now, it doesn’t seem hostile.’

Should I follow it inside like this? While pondering, I glanced at Cheonma. Cheonma was just calmly watching the butterfly, showing no particular reaction.

Absurdly, I checked Cheonma’s reaction without even realizing it.

If something were wrong, wouldn’t it move before I did? It was an act stemming from such a narrow thought.

‘What the hell am I doing.’

Just moments after telling myself to get a grip, I was doing something incredibly stupid.

Damn it. After cursing inwardly, I said to the Heroic Spirit.

“Where do I need to go?”

Having already come this far and been discovered, there was no turning back.

I said it with that mindset.

“I will guide you.”

The Heroic Spirit began to clear a path with gentle wing beats.

* * *

Thus, I followed the Heroic Spirit, moving forward. The pace wasn’t particularly fast, so I could observe my surroundings as we went.

The area I saw wasn’t significantly different from the outside.

Or perhaps, I could say it was composed of cleaner nature?

The crimson sky floating above was a characteristic unique to Mangye, but the trees and grass created inside actually resembled the forms of the Central Plains more.

‘Maybe that’s why, it’s not particularly amazing.’

It’s just ordinary nature. There wasn’t anything outstanding, but.

‘Actually, that’s why it catches my eye more.’

To think I’d see such a familiar landscape again in Mangye.

‘I saw it at Hwasan Sect too, but……’

That was strictly made in imitation of the Central Plains, so if anything was peculiar, this could be considered more peculiar.

‘At least here, it doesn’t feel like something was manufactured.’

It’s merely concealed. The space itself wasn’t created.

As proof, even looking with my Mind’s Eye, I couldn’t feel the ripple of magic.

All I could feel was the ceiling.

‘In other words, they just overlaid a ceiling onto the existing space.’

Something concealed by covering it with a magically created ceiling, invisible to the eye.

Grasping that, I asked the butterfly.

“How much further do we have to go?”

It felt like we’d been walking for a while already. Walking continuously on what wasn’t even a path made me uneasy.

Could it be plotting something? I had been wary of potential situations from the start, but you never know.

So I asked, but the Heroic Spirit’s answer didn’t come.

What is it? Is it really trying to do something?

As suspicion arose, I immediately channeled energy into my heart. I was about to heat up my body, ready to assume a stance at any moment.

“It’s just ahead.”

At that moment, the Heroic Spirit spoke.

“Ahead?”

When I focused my gaze straight ahead at the word ‘ahead’, just as it said, something appeared in the distance.

It was a wall made of wood, and like before, bipedal beasts guarding that wall.

“……You want me to go there?”

“That is correct.”

“Am I allowed to go?”

“If you say you are a guest of the Heroic Spirit, the children will show respect. If possible, I wish to escort you until the very end… uh…”

“Huh? Hello?”

“…….”

Its words stopped mid-sentence, so I called out again, but the butterfly remained silent. What is it?

“Hey, what’s wrong.”

As I asked again, the butterfly suddenly fluttered away without a word and disappeared elsewhere.

“……What the?”

It was talking fine just a moment ago, what is this? It flew away as if it had truly become a butterfly.

……Is it okay to just go?

I nodded slightly and started walking.

‘It told me to go, so I’ll find out when I get there.’

Let’s just go, with that thought, I approached the door.

“……Outsider!?”

“Who goes there–!”

As soon as I approached, the bipedal beasts looked at me and became extremely wary. They bared their fangs, and I could feel a considerable amount of fighting spirit.

“Contact the inside immediately…! It’s an intruder-!”

“No, hey…”

“……Reveal your identity!”

Cheol-geok-!

The guards all aimed the tips of their spears at me. They looked ready to stab me at any moment.

“Um…”

I scratched my head briefly.

“Uh, it’s not that, but. Just now…”

“I told you to reveal your identity-!”

“That’s why. I’m trying to speak now…”

“Don’t move!”

“Damn it. Then don’t interrupt me.”

Kwa-deuk-!

“……Huk!”

I moved my hand and shattered the spear. The guard reacted with surprise to my action, but I moved faster.

Kwa-deuk-! Kwa-ji-jik-!

I destroyed all the weapons they were holding in an instant.

Clatter! The weapons fell, and a dark cloud of shock settled onto the guards’ faces.

“Defend it somehow…! You must never let them enter!”

“……We must protect it!”

Even in that situation, they bolstered each other’s resolve as if bracing themselves. Their courage was commendable. I could feel their strong will to defend it even unto death.

However.

“Calm down.”

“Defend it with your lives!”

“Calm down…… sigh.”

I shook my head slightly. Then, I clicked my tongue and spoke to them again.

“I said, calm down.”

Woo-woong—!!!

“……!”

“……Gasp!”

The beasts, who were about to charge at me even with their bare hands, froze stiff.

It wasn’t a command. This time, I stopped them using Dragon Speech.

Perhaps because their bodies suddenly froze, a greater fear than before began to sprout.

The situation was finally a bit quieter. Confirming that, I continued speaking.

“……Listen when people talk. Why do you rush in without listening?”

Even I think my temper has mellowed considerably. Normally, I would have started by smashing the heads of one or two of them.

Aren’t I leaving them all alive?

“What was it I said? Ah, right. I’ve come as a guest of the Heroic Spirit.”

–!

The beasts reacted noticeably to my words.

I could see their eyeballs rolling around.

“They said you’d show respect if I said this. Is that right? If it is, roll your eyes.”

“…….”

All the beasts’ eyeballs rolled even wider and faster. Only then, seeing that, I clapped my hands briefly.

Jjak-!!

Simultaneously with the clap, the frozen bodies of the beasts were released.

Kung-!! Kung-kung-!!

The beasts knelt down all at once.

“……Huh?”

Why are they suddenly kneeling? I frowned and looked at them.

“We greet the noble one…”

“Please kill us…!!”

“……No.”

Was it because of the name ‘Heroic Spirit’? Their attitude changed instantly, as if they had truly heard something.

“……That’s not necessary. Just guide me.”

Not wanting to waste more time here, I said it with a casual wave of my hand, and the one kneeling at the front among the beasts stood up.

“……I am Mosong, Captain of the Mareong-dong Guard. Thank you for your forgiveness…! I will escort you immediately.”

“Ah, yes.”

Judging by appearances, he seems to be a martial artist at the peak of mastery. I can’t quite gauge his position, but it doesn’t seem low-ranking.

He moved unsteadily, perhaps due to the lingering effects of the Dragon Speech, and I followed, looking at his fluffy, furry back.

Upon entering through the gate, the inside was filled with buildings made of wood.

It looked completely different from Yawal. Compared to that place.

‘It’s quite crude.’

It felt like several centuries behind the times?

The landscape appeared somewhat desolate.

‘What on earth is this place?’

It was called Mareong-dong. As it’s inside Mareongsan, perhaps it’s similar to Yawal.

‘A space ruled by a leader.’

Wouldn’t that be the easiest way to understand it?

Indeed, all the beings visible were bipedal beasts.

‘Just like the leader.’

Since that guy was also a bipedal ox, I wondered if this was also due to that influence.

“……This is it. This is where the Heroic Spirit resides.”

As I was thinking that, we had reached the destination. Being easily several times smaller than the Yawal region, we reached the end quickly.

“It’s here…?”

I tilted my head, looking around.

All this effort led to just a door at the end of a wall.

I wondered what could be inside.

Kki-ik-!

The one who introduced himself as Mosong pulled the door open.

“……!”

As the door slowly opened, the hair on my body stood on end.

Hu-wu-wuk-!!

A familiar sensation pierced through my entire body.

‘This…?’

I immediately poked my head through the gap of the open door.

Inside, just as expected, was a being emitting this familiar aura.

A well-maintained lake and a hill created in the middle.

And something erected on that hill.

That was.

“The Sacred Tree…?”

The reason I went out of my way to find Mareongsan.

The Sacred Tree, which the leader should have been guarding, was inexplicably welcoming me.