Chapter 1043: The Divine Tree and the Master.

The turtle had said something.

‘How many types do you think exist in what you call sorcery?’

Naturally, I replied that I didn’t know. As I listened, I realized something: the information I had gathered in the Central Plains, particularly in the Northern Sea, was remarkably scarce.

The ring of the heart generated as sorcery takes effect.

Another type of energy, different from what are called inner energy, demonic energy, or corrupting energy.

What does it form, and what does it accomplish?

The turtle described it as embodying contradiction and incongruity.

Sorcery is making the impossible happen.

Touching the untouchable.

Seeing the unseen. That, in itself, is sorcery, it stated.

When breaking it down, there are broadly two types of sorcery.

As explained above.

Seeing the unseen.

And.

‘Touching the untouchable.’

Kwak!

I gripped it with my hand. It felt like several ropes bundled together, but in reality, there was nothing to grasp.

It’s just that I’m looking at it and touching it in a way that makes it feel that way.

Sorcery is a power that’s strange and difficult to explain.

Even what those Zhugesei bastards were using was ultimately within the realm of sorcery, but it was closer to formations or barriers.

The threads made of the energy of sorcery that I see. They tangle, form, express, and create.

The source is the wind.

The desire for it to be achieved this way through sorcery. Based on that, they create techniques to produce results, it was said.

When I first heard it, I thought, ‘What kind of bullshit is this?’

And it really was bullshit.

Ultimately, it’s an explanation that doesn’t clarify how it happens. The turtle also said that rather than trying to understand it, accepting it was all there was to it.

Even while thinking, ‘What the hell is this?’

In the end.

‘As long as it works, that’s all that matters.’

Whatever it is, as long as it works, that’s enough. I couldn’t understand the techniques that were explained so complexly.

That’s why the turtle found it shocking.

‘Seriously, how does this even happen?’

What the techniques were, how they were structured. Why the results turned out that way.

I didn’t know.

Yet, the results came out perfectly fine.

It happens just as I wish.

If that’s the root and source of sorcery… isn’t it possible that I’m actually the most suited for its core principle?

‘…This makes no sense.’

I could tell from the turtle’s shocked expression.

It seems so.

‘I have talent.’

It seemed I had a talent for sorcery.

---

Kiiik—!!!

I pull the thread. I saw it thrash. The air distorts. The threads spread around its body shake all at once.

“What the–!!”

The creature seemed flustered by the sudden vibration and raised its voice.

I chuckled seeing its reaction.

‘It’s working.’

Something is happening.

I don’t know what’s happening. But it doesn’t matter.

‘This is how it’s done.’

I moved my hand. I pulled the thread I was holding straight up.

Kkuuuuk-!!! The vibration erupts. The air tore open.

“You’re wearing a lot of clothes, aren’t you?”

I said to it.

“……!”

Its eyes widened. Confirming this, I pulled with all my might.

Jjijijik-!!!

As the thread was pulled, the things binding the creature came undone.

Tuung-!

The air shook violently. The background around the creature changed.

Seeing that, I understood why my attacks hadn’t reached it.

‘So that’s why.’

It was a matter of position.

As the space changed, its position shifted. About five or six paces to the side.

That was where it originally was.

My line of sight must have been distorted, because I was looking at a spot further away.

‘That’s why.’

At that kind of distance, it was natural for attacks to miss.

That was also the reason my senses felt off.

Hwareureuk.

As I figured out the reason, I gathered flames into my hand.

“You bastard…”

The creature, perhaps flustered that the sorcery binding it had been undone, spoke with trembling eyes.

“What did you do?”

“What did I do?”

I brushed my hands off nonchalantly.

“You were wearing something strange, so I kindly took it off for you.”

“……Hmph.”

Peolleok.

Its wings unfurled completely. When fully spread, their size was beyond imagination.

I had thought they were somewhat large. What could possibly be that big?

At that size, they seemed more cumbersome than helpful for speed.

Sarak.

Black feathers fell from those massive wings. Then, it grabbed one of the fallen feathers.

Chwaahak-!

The feather transformed into the trident I had seen it use earlier.

“Seems like you’re quite perceptive.”

“I suppose I am, a bit.”

“This is not a place for uninvited guests to barge into. What is your purpose?”

Chwareureuk.

The trident spun once before pointing its tip at me.

“Why would a dragon that should have already vanished be here? And for what purpose have you come?”

“…….”

Just as I thought.

That creature seemed to know who I am. Which means…

“It’s you. The general the leader mentioned.”

The last general I hadn’t met, the one Cheonma had missed. It seemed that creature was him.

As the name ‘leader’ came from my mouth, the creature’s eye twitched.

“Does that mean… you dealt with the leader?”

“Who knows?”

Hwareureuk.

I wrapped my hand in azure flames, creating the Azure Flame Star Spear.

“You’ll find out when you see.”

Kwaang-! I charged, unleashing fiery power.

The Star Spear flew towards the creature. It was different from before. I aimed directly for its body and charged. At that moment.

Kwadeuk-!

Spear met spear tip. Hwaaaaaa—-!!! The energy clash erupted. Seeing that, my eyes widened.

‘Well, look at this?’

Its strength was greater than I expected. I thought it would shatter upon meeting the Star Spear, but it held up better than I anticipated.

‘Hmm.’

So, I put more power into the Star Spear. Not to push it back, but rather to make it explode.

Chiiik-!

“……!”

The creature’s eyes widened as it saw that.

Then.

Hwaak-!

It spread its wings and immediately created distance. It seemed to have sensed what I was about to do, but…

‘Too late.’

Tung-! Kwaaaaaaaa—-!!!

The Star Spear detonated. Heat composed of flames spread in all directions, obscuring the space.

Still, it wasn’t truly invisible. The flames were mine, and I knew perfectly well what was beyond and within them.

Swiririri-!

The Ghost Nail moved from my forearm. It pierced through the flames and shot off somewhere. I pinpointed where the crow had fled.

“What?!”

The creature, trying to escape the heat, flinched upon seeing the Ghost Nail.

The rapidly approaching Ghost Nail bound all of the creature’s arms.

It secured it firmly in place.

“Kugh!”

The creature struggled, trying to break free.

Using the creature as an anchor, I pulled the Ghost Nail and launched myself forward.

Kwak-!

I swiftly closed in on the creature.

The distance closed in an instant, bringing me right before it.

Within that close range. I clenched my fist.

The martial technique was complete. It was different from before.

Soul Jade Strike.

It was the embodiment of screams gathered into a wail.

I placed it against the creature’s abdomen.

“Kugh!”

I felt its struggles to escape.

-Stop.

So, I used my command to halt its legs.

Then.

“……!”

The creature’s body stiffened rigidly,…

‘……Hm?’

I felt something strange. It had stiffened, but something felt off.

However, I couldn’t stop, so I detonated the Soul Jade right in front of it.

Kuaaaaaaaa—-!!!

Kkiyaaaaaaaaa—-!!!

The power was incomparable to the Star Spear’s explosion. The energy screamed desperately, sweeping through everything.

It was powerful enough to leave a massive crater if detonated on the ground. A small vortex formed in the air.

Swiiiiii.

As the explosion subsided, something fell to the ground.

Kung-!

It fell and rolled across the ground. Seeing it, I flew towards it.

The crow lay sprawling on the ground, its body in ruins.

Actually, it couldn’t even be called that.

It was more like fragments, with only the upper torso barely remaining.

Its state was beyond description as ‘alive’, so I naturally assumed it was dead, but…

“…….”

I scowled as I looked at the creature.

That feeling from earlier. No matter how much I thought about it, it felt strange.

So, after watching it quietly, I spoke with narrowed eyes.

“Get up.”

“…….”

It didn’t stir at my words. Not even a flicker of life could be felt.

It looked like its breath had already been cut off, but…

“Stop messing around and get up.”

Even seeing it like that, I said.

“I know you can hear me.”

“…….”

At that moment.

“Well, well.”

Surprisingly, a voice came from the creature’s body. Life still couldn’t be felt, yet its mouth was moving.

“How did you know? It was a perfect act.”

“Bullshit, I told you. I’m just naturally quick-witted, aren’t I?”

That was a lie. It wasn’t something I could figure out merely by being perceptive.

The reason I found out was none other than…

“You. My command didn’t work on you, did it?”

The command I issued. The problem was that it didn’t reach the creature.

Up until now, it worked on Yusa, the leader. If not them, then everyone I’d met in the Many Worlds.

When I heard about the command… it was said to be a fixed rule within the Many Worlds.

The power to bind beings lower than oneself through mere words.

The reason I could use my command on those generals…

‘Because I am the child of Mother.’

Because I am of the bloodline of Mother, the owner of the Many Worlds, known as Heaven. It was said I could use my command on all beings except her.

‘It didn’t work on this guy.’

I knew instinctively. The command hadn’t worked on it just now.

It pretended to stop after hearing my words.

‘That was a lie.’

It pretended to stop even though it didn’t work. I could feel the incongruity stemming from that.

So, why? Why didn’t it work on this creature?

Command was supposed to be a power effective on all beings lower than oneself.

If my command didn’t work on it, that means…

‘It’s a being higher than me.’

In other words, it was a being higher not only than the generals but also higher than me, Mother’s child.

“What are you? What’s your identity?”

Why would such a being be under Mother, under the name of a general?

Unable to find out, I asked.

“Kekekek.”

The creature suddenly burst into laughter.

Then.

Uuunguuung—-!!!!!

The ground vibrated.

More precisely…

‘The crystals…’

The crystals embedded in the ground, imbued with life energy.

They began to vibrate frantically.

In a most ominous way.