episode_0067

Coming down the mountain, the first ones I saw were Baek-ryun and Seol-rin.

“Baek-ryun, Seol-rin.”

“Young master!”

“You! Are you okay?!”

As I spoke to the two of them, Seol-rin ran towards me and said.

“It seemed like something huge happened up there… Is that Crimson Oni guy so strong that he made you draw out that much power?”

“Ah… it’s not because of him, though.”

I was just playing with Crimson Oni like he was a child.

The problem was the Sword Demon who appeared after that.

I only exchanged moves with her properly twice, but those two times left behind deep traces of destruction as if a natural disaster had occurred.

So, their worries are understandable.

Of course, honestly, from my perspective, it’s quite amazing that Baek-ryun managed to carry the White Tiger on her back and safely descend the mountain amidst such disastrous destruction….

“Ah, that’s right!”

“?”

“This isn’t the time for this!”

Seol-rin suddenly grabbed my hand.

Then she led me towards Baek-ryun, who was with the White Tiger.

“The White Tiger’s condition isn’t very good right now.”

“What?”

What is this nonsense again?

The White Tiger’s condition isn’t good? Wasn’t he just drugged?

Or did pushing his power too hard in a critical situation become a fatal blow after all?

“Young master….”

“Baek-ryun, what is all this about? The White Tiger’s condition is not good?”

At my question, Seol-rin looked carefully at the White Tiger, who had been carefully laid down, and said.

“There are traces of a large amount of aphrodisiac being administered to the White Tiger’s body. Such a large amount of aphrodisiac that would be a lethal dose for an ordinary human. But… it seems that it wasn’t just an aphrodisiac that was administered. It seems like they also continuously used a drug to weaken his power so that the White Tiger couldn’t resist easily.”

“A drug that weakens power?… Then….”

As I trailed off, Seol-rin carefully nodded her head.

“Yes. Apparently… his power is continuously weakening in a situation where it’s difficult to even maintain his sanity because of the aphrodisiac, and because he forced out his power in that situation, he’s still weakening. I’ve done some first aid, but a complete cure is beyond my ability.”

“Is there a way? Is there a way to treat him?”

At my question, Seol-rin shook her head without a word, as if she wasn’t confident.

Does that mean there’s no way?

I shifted my gaze to the White Tiger lying down. For now, he just seems to be breathing faintly, but his complexion looks quite pale.

‘Damn it…. What should I do?…’

I’d rather it be an enemy threatening me.

Because I can smash that enemy in an instant.

I’d rather it be an obstacle like Mount Tai.

Because my sword can even split Mount Tai.

If it’s an enemy, I can cut, strike, and pierce them to knock them down. But in the end, this is just the power of destruction that only breaks things.

In this situation where I have to save someone, there’s absolutely no way for me to handle it.

‘Ah….’

“Inventory.”

I urgently took out the inventory.

I took out all the elixirs I had brought from the treasure vault when I went to the Flame Prison Jade with the Flame Emperor last time.

Seol-rin’s eyes widened when she saw the elixirs I had taken out, and she asked me.

“W-What are these?! Where did you get them?!”

“I got them from the treasure vault when I went to the Flame Prison Jade with the Flame Emperor last time. I just grabbed things that looked good for the body and stuffed them in my inventory….”

“Inventory?”

“… I had put them in something like a transparent bag, is there anything helpful among these?”

Seol-rin slowly looked through the elixirs I took out.

Very carefully, she took out a few elixirs and approached the White Tiger.

“Seol-rin….”

“It’s okay. Baek-ryun, it’ll be alright somehow….”

Even in a state where she herself wasn’t sure, Seol-rin gave Baek-ryun a slight smile and began prescribing the elixirs.

After using the elixirs for about 10 minutes and watching his condition, Seol-rin carefully looked at me and Baek-ryun.

“Seol-rin, how did it go? Is the White Tiger okay?”

“For now… he’s gotten past the crisis, but that’s only a temporary measure. It’s still just as dangerous. The fundamental solution couldn’t be done with elixirs either.”

“Those were top-grade elixirs though.”

“That’s not the problem. To give an example of the White Tiger’s current condition… it’s like pouring water into a jar with a broken bottom. If you fill it with a large amount of water, it’ll be full for now. But you can’t stop the water from leaking out continuously.”

Seol-rin said up to that point, then looked at the elixirs that were laid out and said.

“Honestly… he would have recovered if he was an ordinary person. Each of the elixirs you’ve taken out right now are so precious that only the sect leaders or family heads of each clan can barely see them. If I were to take those now and control my inner energy, it would increase several times my current inner energy, but… the White Tiger’s vessel is so large that even these elixirs can’t completely heal him now that that vessel is broken.”

“….”

There’s something I definitely understand about that.

A long time ago.

After I was possessed by Leon’s body, when I achieved All Stats 999 by chance and my health increased overwhelmingly.

Noren, who was in the same party and was my disciple, cast healing on me, but my vessel was too large, and Noren’s ability was too lacking in comparison, so Noren became exhausted without healing much.

If the phenomenon happening to the White Tiger now is the same as that….

“…Let’s go to the capital.”

“?”

“Baek-ryun?”

“Maybe there’s something in the capital that can help. And even if there isn’t… there’s someone there we can trust to ask for advice.”

Baek-ryun said while holding the White Tiger’s hand tightly.

After watching that scene, I asked Baek-ryun.

“How long does it take to get from here to the capital?”

“At young master’s speed, it won’t take several days.”

“I have to match your pace.”

“I’ll follow.”

Baek-ryun’s voice sounded like she was determined.

After watching that scene for a while, I turned my gaze to Seol-rin.

“How is it? How long will he last?”

“Hmm… if we keep prescribing elixirs, about 2 weeks?….”

2 weeks.

The moment I heard that story, the story of the Sword Demon came to mind.

“…The Regular Assembly of Yeom Nation. I sent the Evil Demon King there.”

The Regular Assembly of Yeom Nation.

A national conference where the sect leaders and family heads of all the clans and families of Yeom Nation, including the Flame Emperor, gather.

The intention is clear that I sent the Evil Demon King there.

It means that they will use the Evil Demon King to drastically reduce the overall power of the Yeom Nation.

I’m the only one who can stop the Evil Demon King.

So, I have to return to Yeom Nation right away. If I don’t, I don’t know what kind of havoc the Evil Demon King will wreak.

“Young master….”

“….”

But if I do that, the White Tiger in front of me will die.

Of course, there is a possibility that I can find a way to treat the White Tiger in Yeom Nation, but if I move to stop the Evil Demon King, the White Tiger’s treatment will be pushed down in priority.

The White Tiger’s remaining time as measured by Seol-rin is about 2 weeks. If the schedule gets longer than that, the White Tiger’s life will be in danger.

“…Okay, let’s go.”

In the end, after much deliberation, I decided to head to the capital.

Come to think of it, the Vermilion Bird is by the Flame Emperor’s side for now.

Even if the Vermilion Bird’s current power is partially sealed, the Evil Demon King will have suffered damage from the battle with me, so he will be able to resist somehow.

…Of course, if he has already recovered from that damage…, there’s no helping it, but I’m sure he won’t be at 100% condition.

In this world, when a being with strong power suffers great damage, there is a corresponding risk.

This fact is being proven by me and the White Tiger.

“We’re going to the capital of Jo, Hyeon-gyeong.”

* * *

“Are you going to Hyeon-gyeong?”

“Yes. And for now… the monsters won’t think about attacking this place for the time being, so rest assured and focus on restoring the city.”

“I understand. First, I will send a letter to convey the story to the capital in advance.”

“I would appreciate it if you would.”

After explaining the general situation to Yong-dol, we hurriedly prepared to head to Hyeon-gyeong.

First of all, I decided to carry the White Tiger on my back.

I was the one with the best stamina among the three of us, me, Baek-ryun, and Seol-rin, and I was also the fastest, so that’s what was decided.

“Don’t worry, Baek-ryun. We’ll definitely find a way to heal the Divine Beast.”

“Yes. Thank you for always cheering me on, Seol-rin.”

“I’ve packed the food too. Let’s go.”

I put the food supported by Yong-dol in my inventory and hugged the White Tiger.

She continued to sleep as if she were a sleeping princess, except for her faint breathing.

Seol-rin said it was an instinct to save as much energy as possible….

Is she ultimately a divine beast, even though she’s in human form?

Tap!

“!”

“F-Faster?!…. Even faster than before?!”

I increased the speed than usual.

At the same time, I adjusted it so that the White Tiger I was holding wouldn’t be strained.

Baek-ryun and Seol-rin seemed flustered by the speed that was faster than they had expected, but they understood that the situation was what it was and began to catch up with my speed.

“By the way, what happened to that Crimson Oni guy?”

“I’m curious too. There’s no way young master would have missed him.”

“Ah… about that.”

Because of the situation, I couldn’t tell Baek-ryun and Seol-rin properly.

“To put it simply… I missed him because some crazy bitch showed up.”

“Crazy bitch?”

“Was there someone strong enough to fight young master who was helping Crimson Oni?”

“Yes. And that’s the one who subdued the White Tiger.”

I felt Baek-ryun’s body tremble slightly at my words.

It’s about Crimson Oni, who is the enemy of her family, but also because it’s the one who subdued the White Tiger, her ancestor, so she’s naturally reacting.

“She’s my master’s disciple.”

“…What?!”

“Did you say she’s young master’s master’s disciple?!”

“Yes. It was a meeting I never expected either… but master said it himself, so it must be true.”

This was genuine.

I’m extremely embarrassed by the meeting with the Sword Demon that I really didn’t expect at all.

In the first place, how could she continue to survive for more than 100 years?

Did the Sword King himself know something about her so he knew that she wouldn’t die of old age?

‘He definitely said she was the only survivor of a destroyed country.’

Destroyed country.

This might be a keyword that I should remember later, but I don’t have the capacity to care about it right now.

So, for now, let’s just keep it in mind.

“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely win next time I meet her.”

“Hmm… I believe in you.”

“Still, your master must be unimaginably strong if she’s the master of a monster like you….”