Chapter 1283: Scorched World

Mu-ah.

The Forgotten World Tree.

It was a being I encountered during the Ma-gyeongmun displacement incident in the past, and from what I later learned, I heard it was the original master that had taken root in the Central Plains.

It was also the being who told me that Mother was the Master of the Myriad Realms.

‘The being who designated me as an Apostle.’

It was also the being that granted me the Apostle’s mark.

‘Will it really be here?’

Will such a Mu-ah exist in this world too? This isn’t a certainty. Although I already saw it in the underground of Gu Clan.

‘This isn’t a place that created everything perfectly.’

As it is a false world, it’s not a place entirely designed and created completely. Just as there are places that don’t exist.

‘Mu-ah might not exist.’

Mu-ah might not exist in this world, but I still tried to look for it.

“Dark King.”

I asked the Dark King who was nearby. He looked at me.

“By any chance, have you ever seen a huge tree since coming to this world?”

“……A huge tree?”

“Yes. Not just big, but unbelievably big.”

“How big?”

“Roughly, big enough to cover all the clouds?”

Mu-ah in my memory possessed a considerable size. If you compare, was it slightly smaller than the tree on the volcano in the Myriad Realms?

“I haven’t seen it.”

The Dark King said he hadn’t seen a tree of that size. Darn it.

‘Although the Dark King probably didn’t explore everywhere.’

Still, given his authority, he seems to know information from various places, yet he hasn’t seen the tree.

‘……Does it not exist?’

I had kept that possibility in mind too. Or else.

‘It might be hidden so it can’t be found.’

That could be the case, because Mu-ah wasn’t just any tree.

‘If that’s the case.’

It seems I’ll have to find it myself.

It seems the only method is ultimately to run around myself.

I nodded and walked around the cave.

The first person I found was Mi Hyoran. She was resting with a considerably tired look.

“……You’re here?”

“Yes. What about the Sinryong Unit Leader?”

“The Unit Leader is also in the same situation……”

“Ah, yes.”

I scratched my cheek.

“What’s the matter……”

“It’s nothing much. It seems I’ve finished what I needed to do. I’m going somewhere.”

“……You’re going somewhere? Where?”

At my words, Mi Hyoran pulled away the back she was leaning on.

“Well, I’m not planning on going far. I need about a few days. There’s something I need to find.”

“……A few days?”

“Yes. When I return, I think I’ll head to the hiding place where I met Miss Mi.”

“Wait, why all of a sudden……”

“I told you. I have some business. So don’t worry about me; just do what you need to do.”

“……”

A troubled expression flashed in her eyes. Was there something else she needed to ask of me?

I don’t know if there was.

“I’ll be going now. Please pass the message on to the others.”

“Wait……”

I turned my back resolutely, looking at Mi Hyoran. Now was not the time to worry about Mi Hyoran or Namgung Jin.

‘Quickly.’

Faster.

I had to handle matters concerning this world or anything else quickly.

---

I came out of the cave. The Dark King was waiting outside.

Was he thinking of coming along?

“You don’t have to come with me, Dark King.”

At my words, he gave me a look of surprise.

“Using your power would be convenient, but I think it’ll be fine this time. Please take care of your companions over there.”

No answer came to my words. The Dark King just stared intently at me.

What kind of look was that? Just as I was pondering for a moment.

“Ah.”

I realized what it was.

“I’m not running away or anything.”

“……”

Since we have a contract, I thought perhaps he was worried I might run away.

“That’s not it.”

The Dark King explained that wasn’t it.

“Then what is it? Isn’t there something troubling you?”

“I don’t mind you leaving alone. However.”

The Dark King said, pointing at my chest.

“Be careful of the Iron Blood Sabre. He is targeting you.”

“Ah.”

Was it worry regarding the armor? Hearing that, I nodded.

“Understood.”

The talisman and sorcery I placed on the armor. It means not to undo them. I understood. I have no intention of getting involved with that guy any further now.

“Then, I’ll see you later.”

Leaving the Dark King, I gathered strength in my body in the middle of the night.

Whoosh-!

I rose up with a leap. Since I had to conserve my energy, I wouldn’t deliberately fly through the air.

I wondered if I had to conserve it this much… but if you have nothing, you have to use it sparingly, what else can you do?

‘Well then.’

I looked down while floating slightly.

‘Where should I start?’

I don’t know the location clearly. In the first place, it’s uncertain whether it’s even at the location I know.

For now, it seems there’s no other answer but to search blindly.

‘Wait.’

As I turned my head, I realized a fact I had forgotten. Come to think of it.

‘Isn’t there a mark on my body?’

The Apostle’s mark that Mu-ah placed. It was indeed on my body. Since I had already used it in my previous life, I hadn’t paid much attention to it in this life.

‘Perhaps.’

Can’t this be used?

Thump.

Landing on the ground, I immediately closed my eyes. I had to awaken the sensations within my body.

‘Where is it?’

It’s something I haven’t used in ages. Will it still remain? I had already shed it, and my body had changed long ago due to all sorts of energies. I wondered if anything left behind back then would still remain somewhere.

‘……Let’s see.’

Still, since this seemed like the fastest method, I tried hard to find it. While I was struggling like that for quite a while.

Vroom.

‘Ah.’

I found it. Not in my physical body, but my soul. A faint sensation lingering somewhere within it.

This seems to be it.

‘Although it had become very faint.’

It was undoubtedly the mark Mu-ah had placed on me.

I focused my mind on it. Because it was faint, I concentrated intensely, lest I lose it.

Vrooooom–!!

I felt a reaction gradually. Based on that.

‘Connect.’

I infused my ki into it.

Whoooosh-!!

‘……!’

I turned my head along the extending thread of energy.

‘Found it.’

It existed. Fortunately, Mu-ah existed in this world. As soon as I felt that, I put strength into my legs.

Whoosh-!!

Flames surged within my body. Now that I knew the location, there was no need to conserve my energy.

Feeling that, I immediately unleashed my power.

Bang-!

Becoming a flash of light, I split the sky. I unleashed the maximum speed I could produce.

The environment changed. My vision distorted, and pressure built up on my body from the speed. It felt like I hadn’t experienced this level of speed in a long time.

How long did I fly like that? About an hour or two. Around the time I had flown that far.

‘It’s around here?’

My ki sense indicated this vicinity. Where could it be? Looking around, I couldn’t see any tree like Mu-ah.

‘……Hmph.’

What is it? Just where could it be? I narrowed my eyes. It seems.

‘Has it been hidden?’

It seemed like it was concealed so I couldn’t find it. As soon as I sensed that, I opened my clairvoyant eye.

Whoosh-.

The surroundings looked different. I saw faint threads of sorcery emanating around. Looking at them, I tried to find a strange point. While I was looking around here and there like that.

‘Ah.’

I found a strange place.

Although faint, I could see threads tangled together. I went down to that place.

‘It’s certain.’

Something is tangled. It seems this is it. I reached out my hand.

Ssss.

The threads reacted. They didn’t seem that difficult to undo. I waved my hands a few times.

The tangled threads came undone and wrapped around my hand. As I cut them off.

Snap-!

Along with the sensation, the view in front of me shimmered.

Shhhhh-!

The scene in front changed, as if the scenery was being swept away. The place that had appeared as countless forests transformed into a small field.

“……Found it.”

So this is the place.

I stepped into the field.

Step. Stepping onto the field, I looked for Mu-ah. But.

‘……What is it?’

The mark indicated it was clearly here, and I had even undone the sorcery. Yet, Mu-ah was nowhere to be seen.

‘Its size isn’t something that could be hidden?’

The giant World Tree. Mu-ah’s size was absolutely not something that could be hidden. Yet, it wasn’t visible. What could be the reason for this?

Feeling puzzled, I walked for a while. Anyway, the mark continuously showed the way. As I walked forward, following the sensation.

‘Hmm?’

Something was visible up ahead. A single tree standing strangely tall in the open field.

Could that be Mu-ah? But to say it is.

‘It’s too small?’

It was small. Significantly smaller compared to the Mu-ah I had seen. Compared to other trees, it looked like a slightly larger old tree, but calling it Mu-ah was nonsensical.

However.

‘……Why is my ki pointing in that direction?’

My mark was clearly pointing to that tree. Could that really be Mu-ah?

‘That small thing?’

Mu-ah wasn’t that small? No matter how I looked at it, it was strange.

I slowed down and approached slowly. I needed time to examine it.

I approached the tree with narrowed eyes.

‘……What the…’

I froze right there. The small tree was familiar to my eyes. It was identical to how Mu-ah looked when I saw it. The only difference was that its size was truly small.

‘Really?’

Is this Mu-ah?

“Hey.”

I tried speaking to it. Back then, Mu-ah had answered me.

“……Mu-ah. Are you listening?”

It was silent. No answer was heard. I frowned. Did something go wrong? Could it be that they hadn’t made Mu-ah properly?

‘Tsk.’

That would be problematic. I touched Mu-ah’s trunk with my hand. A cold touch brushed against me.

“Say something.”

It was still quiet. As I moved my feet to check the tree’s condition.

“……If it’s like this…… huh?”

Right then, I turned around and stiffened.

“……What is it?”

I couldn’t help it. Someone was tied to Mu-ah.

It was a familiar face. A woman with white hair, her eyes peacefully closed.

She was.

“……Mother?”

My mother.