Chapter 1261: Scorched World

Kugugugung.

In the dark space, loud noises echoed continuously.

Kwang-! Kungkung-!!

Like someone was hitting the cave walls with all their might, attempts to crush and break them could be heard. One would expect it to react to the repetition. The young man. Gu Cheolun walked through the space nonchalantly.

As if he were familiar with it.

After passing through the passage for a bit and going down a slope, he reached the entrance area.

Kugugugugung.

As Gu Cheolun moved aside the stone door he saw ahead and went inside, someone was waiting for him inside.

“You’ve arrived.”

Polite speech could be heard. He tends to use both informal and formal speech, but either way didn’t matter.

“I’ve returned to report.”

“Yes. How was it?”

Eulyeong Geomhu. Gu Cheolun continued speaking at her words.

“I confirmed the location where the Apostle died. Afterwards, while scouting the surroundings, I found some martial artists and engaged in combat, but I missed them just before finishing them off.”

“Hmm?”

Eulyeong Geomhu’s gaze changed upon hearing this. Missed. That word snagged her attention.

“You missed them?”

“I apologize.”

“No. It’s not that you should apologize… it’s strange.”

Sarak.

Eulyeong Geomhu stood up. She wore clothes that showed off her smooth body, but Gu Cheolun’s gaze was fixed solely on her eyes.

“There’s no way you just missed them… Who were your opponents?”

If it were that person, there’s no way they would have been missed so easily. Eulyeong Geomhu held such a firm belief.

“The Iron Dragon Brigade Leader. And-“

Gu Cheolun paused briefly before speaking.

“It’s Baek Yangcheon.”

“…Baek Yangcheon?”

Hearing the name, Eulyeong Geomhu tilted her head. It sounded familiar? Ah.

She remembered.

“A disciple of Bijoo. Was he alive?”

“Yes.”

“How curious. It seems he wasn’t seen until now… that he was alive all this time.”

Interest sparked in Eulyeong Geomhu’s eyes.

“Then, is Chu Yeongyeon’s death related to him as well?”

“I’m not certain, but it seems so.”

“Oh my… I see. In that case.”

Eulyeong Geomhu moved closer to Gu Cheolun. To the point where their noses were almost touching. From that position, Eulyeong Geomhu spoke.

“Are you saying you missed that child? There’s no way that’s possible.”

“There was someone else.”

“Someone else?”

“The Dark King intervened.”

“…Hmm.”

The Dark King got involved. Only after hearing that did Eulyeong Geomhu nod. Her reaction suggested she finally understood.

“…I see. So… the Dark King. I wondered where he was after Bijoo’s incident, but it seems he’s by that child’s side. Is that why you returned to report?”

“Yes. I wanted to ask what we should do next.”

“The Dark King… that’s a bit troublesome. Let’s wait for the right time. Please wait a moment.”

“Understood.”

Gu Cheolun, having heard her words, turned his back. Just as he was about to leave the space.

“But you know.”

Eulyeong Geomhu spoke to Gu Cheolun. Hearing her, Gu Cheolun stopped walking.

“Did you really miss them because of the Dark King?”

The question came again.

At those words, Gu Cheolun momentarily thought of Baek Yangcheon.

Baek Yangcheon, who used flames that felt incredibly familiar. Although the color was completely different, Gu Cheolun knew the moment he saw those flames.

They were.

Flames that only the Gu family bloodline could use.

Recalling this, Gu Cheolun answered.

“Yes.”

“I see.”

Having confirmed his answer, Geomhu turned her head again. Only then did Gu Cheolun resume his stopped steps and walk out.

“Hmm.”

Eulyeong Geomhu headed towards where she had been sitting, wearing a peculiar expression.

“This is strange…”

Gu Cheolun. He missed his target. Could that really happen? While that thought lingered with doubt.

Recalling the existence of Baek Yangcheon, Geomhu looked down.

“Normally, I wouldn’t have believed it. But… I am having such thoughts.”

Below in the space. A large tree existed. Surprisingly, the tree was enveloping someone who seemed to have lost consciousness.

“If it were anyone else, perhaps.”

The identity of the giant enveloped by the tree was.

“Bijoo. I think it’s possible if it’s your disciple.”

The Despot Bijoo.

It was him.

---

At a time when everyone else had completely fallen asleep.

Only after a deeper night than before had arrived did I slip out of my quarters again. Quietly stepping outside, I could see the Dark King was already waiting.

“Were you waiting? You should be sleeping.”

Empty words. I knew well that the Dark King didn’t sleep.

Udook!

I stretched my body slightly. Loosening my stiff muscles as if stretching. As I did, I asked the Dark King.

“So, since you’ve come, can I take it that you’re leaving?”

To my question of whether I could take that as an answer, the Dark King spoke to me.

“…I have just one question.”

“Yes.”

“Why are you trying to hunt the Apostles?”

He’s asking the reason?

If that’s the reason, it was simple.

“Because I need to.”

“Need to?”

“Yes. To be precise… If I want to escape from here, I think I need to deal with the Apostles.”

“Deal with them? Are you saying that’s possible?”

“Pfft.”

I reacted with a gesture. Because the statement was absurd.

“Why are you acting like this?”

“What?”

“It’s something even you, Senior, could do.”

“…”

The Dark King fell silent. That reaction was enough.

‘The Dark King can’t do it? That’s ridiculous.’

The Apostles I’ve faced are two in total. Only Chu Yeongyeon and Father, but the two share a clear commonality.

‘A barrier that blocks Ki.’

A strange barrier that deflects martial artists’ Ki and prevents harm. I realized the Apostles possessed it.

One.

‘It’s similar to what Red-grade monsters possess.’

It’s practically the same, so what can be known from this is that the energy also has weaknesses.

If it’s the same as the Red-grade monster’s barrier.

‘Find the weakness in the flowing part.’

Or there’s the method of pouring overwhelming Ki to block the barrier itself.

The Dark King was capable of either the former or the latter.

‘There’s no way the Dark King wouldn’t know that.’

It was impossible for the Dark King not to know this. If it were him, he would have figured it out long ago.

“If you wanted to kill the Apostles, you could kill them anytime. But you just don’t. The reason is probably because the Apostles can’t kill you either.”

So you don’t bother trying. Bringing that up as a guess.

“…Ha.”

The Dark King let out a breath of disbelief.

“You’re a strange one.”

“Thank you for the compliment. So, if possible, you could just help me out. I’ll handle the rest myself.”

“…Are you asking for help with the hunt?”

“No. I’ll handle the hunt myself too.”

“Then?”

“There’s only one thing I need you to do, Senior. Find the Apostles.”

“What?”

He looked puzzled. Seeing that, I spoke.

The reason I asked the Dark King for help with the Apostles wasn’t for anything else.

“Because I thought you, Senior, might know where the Apostles are around here.”

“…”

“Am I wrong?”

It doesn’t seem like the Apostles would gather in one place. If they’re like the demonic cultivators of the Demonic Cult in my past life.

‘There would be those living separately.’

There could be Apostles in this area. And if there really are.

“Information about the Apostles in the area. You know it, right Senior?”

I was certain the Dark King would have figured it out beforehand.

“…”

At my words, the way the Dark King looked at me changed.

“What exactly are you?”

A look reserved for someone incomprehensible.

To think a day would come when the Dark King looked at me like that. It felt strange.

“As for me…”

I pondered for a moment what to answer, but the answer quickly came to mind.

“Shall I say I’m your savior, Senior?”

“…”

At my words, the Dark King’s brow furrowed.

---

Kureureureu.

Kureureureureu.

The sounds of monsters crying could be heard faintly. Monsters of various sizes were arrayed all around.

Their numbers were unusually large. The monsters panted with their characteristic hungry eyes.

Amidst them, a man sat atop a monster and spoke.

“…It’s about time to give them their food…”

He was a figure with deer antlers growing from the left side of his crown. He spoke with a troubled expression.

“It’s really tough finding food.”

Catching other monsters to feed them would suffice, but monsters consider something else their greatest delicacy.

Humans.

We need to find humans to feed them.

“Seriously, why do these guys hide so well?”

It became difficult to see humans. This situation had been repeating for months.

“There haven’t been any particular instructions from above.”

Ever since the ‘Despot’ incident last time, we were only told not to move if possible. It’s been months now, just waiting.

Should I just stay like this?

“Hmm…”

The man pondered. Should I just drag the monsters along and look for another place? He did know one such place.

“That place is a bit of a gamble…”

It’s a place guarded by a crazy woman. Even other Apostles shuddered at the thought of it.

‘Maybe…’

Mi Hyoran. It seemed better to find where that bitch was.

It’s a place where the most survivors among the living humans are gathered, so if I could find it, it would be a huge deal.

‘They hide incredibly well.’

I have no idea where they went with that group.

“Hmm.”

The man was deep in thought, swallowing dryly, when.

Kureureureung-! Keureureung!!!

“Huh?”

Suddenly, the monsters lying on the ground lifted their heads. As if sensing something, their bodies trembled.

What is it?

Just then. The man’s body also seemed to sense something, his heart fluttering faintly.

Dugeun.

“What is this…”

Was this out of the blue? My body felt scared. Why is this happening suddenly? Just as the question arose.

Seueueueu-!!

“Huh?”

Far away. A dark, round barrier formed at the entrance of my space.

“What is that…”

What could that be? As the man focused his gaze, soon the circle dissolved, and two figures appeared within it.

“…Humans?”

Suddenly, people, not monsters, came bursting out?

The man’s eyes widened.

“Ah.”

One of the humans inside. A young man with fierce eyes fiercer than a monster’s and blue eyes smiled welcomingly at the man.

But.

‘What the?’

Seeing the young man’s expression, the man froze.

That expression was just like…

“Found you.”

It was as if a famished beast had discovered a delicious meal.