Chapter 1248: Scorched World

Horns growing from the head.

Strange skin, grayish pupils. And slit pupils. It was a form that anyone could see wasn’t human.

“Chu Yeongyeon?”

I knew who that guy was. I mean, I’d seen him before, how could I not? Even though his condition had gotten that bad, his original face hadn’t gone anywhere, so recognizing him wasn’t that difficult.

“You’ve gotten pretty weird since I last saw you?”

“You BASTARD……!!!”

I felt a chilling aura from him. He still lacked energy, but judging by how my skin tingled, he must have been emitting considerable killing intent.

I lightly brushed down my arm and examined my hand.

‘It’s torn.’

Something flew at me, so I grabbed it and looked, but blood had pooled on my hand. I could clearly see that my skin was torn.

Belated pain followed. With a sour expression, I casually wiped it off.

“Tsk.”

Clicking my tongue, I looked behind me.

“Hah… pant…”

Tang Cheongi was looking at me, breathing heavily. Poison Phoenix was looking at me, seemingly protecting him.

I figured I understood what had happened.

“Young Master Baek…?”

“It was noisy, so I came up to see. The situation isn’t looking good.”

I turned my gaze back to Chu Yeongyeon.

“That thing is an Apostle, right?”

Those guys called Apostles. Weren’t they half-human, half-demon? I felt like I understood what that meant.

“For starters, it’s not human.”

Calling it human in that state would be shameless. While I was blankly observing Chu Yeongyeon.

“Hahahaha…!”

The guy suddenly burst out laughing.

“Finally… I finally met you…”

“Hm?”

His tone sounded incredibly happy to see me, so I nodded.

“Were we close enough to miss each other that much?”

At least, that wasn’t how I remembered it, so his welcoming attitude was bewildering. What was this?

“…Of course. How I missed you.”

Goosebumps rose on my skin. Was he crazy?

“I lived through my days worrying constantly… in case you had died.”

“Why are you acting like this, you creep… Surely not… are you actually gay or something?”

“How could I not be…! “

KWA-GA-GANG!

The ground the guy was standing on violently cracked apart.

“I had to kill you with my own hands! I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to! That’s what drove me mad with fear!”

“…Ahh.”

“Ah, so that’s what it was?” Feeling relieved, I swept my hand down my chest.

I wasn’t sure if I should be relieved, but at least it was reassuring for me.

“I will kill you. I’ll chew you up and swallow you whole, leaving no bone behind.”

“Our friend seems quite angry.”

Why was he getting so angry?

“Was wetting yourself during the sparring match that embarrassing? It happens when people fight, you know.”

“…!”

Chu Yeongyeon’s face contorted at my words.

Grrrind.

Showing his sharp fangs, the guy ground his teeth.

“I’ll kill you.”

Ah, did I provoke him too much? Just as I started to regret it a little.

KWA-BANG-!

The guy immediately charged at me.

KWA-GA-GANG-!!

Sharp claws came towards me, scratching repeatedly against the wall.

I turned my head and dodged.

SCRAPE-!!

The cave was sliced open. I could tell the air pressure contained condensed Ki.

‘Hmm.’

I frowned. I could feel it because I’d fought him just before.

‘His physical abilities have increased dramatically.’

WHOOSH-!

WHIZZ-WHIZZ-!!

By a hair’s breadth. I kept dodging the attacks narrowly.

“You rat-like bastard…!”

Chu Yeongyeon’s emotional attacks carried more power.

I rolled my eyes. My left shoulder was visible.

‘Left.’

I tried to dodge again after figuring out the attack’s path, but…

WHOOSH.

‘This one…’

I couldn’t dodge it.

As soon as I realized, I changed my posture.

KWA-BANG-!!

My body was thrown violently with the impact. I crashed into the wall, cutting through the air.

CRUMBLE-CRUMBLE–!!

“Ptooey.”

Brushing aside the debris, I lifted my head.

It was too fast to dodge. I had to defend hastily. I looked at my throbbing arm. I had to take the hit entirely to block the attack, and my arm, which took the punch, looked unnaturally loose.

‘It’s broken.’

It wasn’t just broken; I thought my bones might have been pulverized.

‘Tsk.’

As I was contorting my face like that.

“Are you still doing that?”

Chu Yeongyeon said to me, his eyes burning with anger.

“Do you still believe you can beat me without using your energy?”

“…”

Since I was just taking hits without using my energy, the guy seemed to have misunderstood.

“It was the same back then. Such an arrogant bastard. You only revealed your energy at the very end… you pathetic bastard.”

He must have had a lot of pent-up resentment, as he kept cursing me out.

‘Hmm.’

In the meantime, I checked my injured arm. For now, it seemed unusable.

‘Can I win?’

It felt like a bit of a difficult situation. I surveyed my surroundings. There wasn’t anyone particularly helpful in sight.

The other martial artists were either busy fighting monsters or seemed terrified of the Apostle.

If there was anyone even remotely helpful.

“I will help.”

Maybe Poison Phoenix, who immediately stood beside me.

“Your arm… is it okay?”

“Yes. It’s not bad.”

“…”

She looked unconvinced. Well, how could she believe me when my arm was dangling loosely like that?

As I was thinking that was understandable, Poison Phoenix asked me a question.

“Young Master Baek.”

“Yes.”

“…You aren’t involved with the Apostle, are you?”

Hearing her words, I stared intently at Poison Phoenix.

“For starters, at least, I have no connection with that guy.”

“…”

Poison Phoenix’s expression turned subtle at my words about having no connection with Chu Yeongyeon. It seemed like my answer implied I might have connections with other Apostles. I had said it with intent, waiting for Poison Phoenix’s reaction.

“…I understand.”

It was an answer that seemed like she was going to let it pass for now.

‘Hmm.’

While looking at Poison Phoenix like that, I glanced at Chu Yeongyeon.

He was emitting an even stronger aura than before, his eyes shining.

“I’ll kill you.”

He looked filled with the desire to kill me.

‘Fierce.’

What should I do about this? Worry began to sprout. Meanwhile, something puzzling occurred to me.

‘Why aren’t I anxious?’

I wasn’t feeling anxious at all in this state. Normally, in a situation I couldn’t win, I should be feeling somewhat impatient or something.

I felt none of that.

It was like…

‘I don’t think I’m going to lose.’

Strangely, I felt confident. For what reason, though? I had no energy, you know.

‘Even though my arm is smashed.’

It was an inexplicable instinct.

As I was staring at him like that.

“…Alright, it seems in your eyes, I’m still lacking.”

Chu Yeongyeon spoke, flicking his fingers.

“Then I must show you. Just how great and valuable what I gained by abandoning my humanity is.”

“…No way.”

Seeing this, Poison Phoenix’s eyes widened.

“Young Master Baek…!”

She grabbed me urgently.

“Why are you doing that?”

When I asked Poison Phoenix why she was acting like this, she replied with a deathly pale complexion.

“It’s dangerous…! You must escape this place immediately…!”

“That won’t do.”

I looked at Chu Yeongyeon. He flicked his fingers, lifting the corner of his mouth.

“I shall bestow upon you what I received from a great being. After seeing this, can you possibly resist using your energy?”

KUGUUUUUUU-!!

The space distorted. Cracks appeared only on his fingertips.

“Behold.”

He said with a self-assured voice.

“This is what they call Might.”

“…”

My eyes widened at the word ‘Might’.

“Oh, really?”

A smile formed, as if I were pleased.

“…You’re laughing?”

Chu Yeongyeon’s brow furrowed at my reaction, but it was only for a moment.

“Are you still being prideful? Yeah, since you don’t know your place, it’s possible you’d act like that.”

CHIIIIIIK-!!

A grayish energy emerged from the distorted space and immediately wrapped around the guy’s hand.

“This is a fist that absolutely cannot be broken.”

It was something closer to silver than gray.

Wrapping that around his hand, he clenched his fist.

“…Krrk!”

Poison Phoenix urgently stepped in front of me to block.

“Miss Tang?”

Why was she acting like this again? As I looked at her curiously.

“Young Master Baek… I am his target. While I draw his attention, please take my sibling and the others and escape.”

“…What?”

“Humans cannot defeat Apostles…! Not as long as that ‘Might’ exists…!”

She spoke urgently.

“Oh, really? Does having this ‘Might’ mean it’s like that?”

“…There’s no time to explain. Please, just escape…”

“Now is not the time for such talk…!”

Thump.

Leaving Poison Phoenix behind, I moved forward.

“Your attitude ends here!”

Chu Yeongyeon charged like before.

The silvery energy became a flash, shooting towards me.

Just as the fist was about to reach the tip of my nose.

“Why are you just standing there watching? Just rest and wake up. It’s time to eat.”

I whispered.

“CHOMP.”

At those words.

KWADUDEUDUK.

Energy surged from the shadows, grabbing and swallowing Chu Yeongyeon’s arm.

“…Huh?”

His arm was torn off in an instant.

Looking at his arm that had been swallowed, Chu Yeongyeon’s eyes went wide with disbelief.

“What… huh…?”

His expression of incomprehension was laid bare.

Seeing that, I smirked.

Now it made sense.

‘No wonder.’

Why I had felt so confident that I could win.

Seeing that, I understood.

“I was feeling sorry because I hadn’t been able to feed it lately.”

Chu Yeongyeon was an Apostle, and…

If he possessed that thing called ‘Might’ as an Apostle.

“The food came right to me. Thankfully.”

I was their natural enemy.