Chapter 1011: The Divine Tree and the Master.

Not the second calamity.

The being destined to give birth to a calamity.

Mother declared that, referring to herself. Furthermore, the calamity mentioned there meant me.

This statement meant.

‘My existence was destined to be born as a calamity from the very beginning.’

Even Mother said she herself wasn’t the calamity.

That giving birth to me was the purpose itself.

‘Giving birth to a calamity as the purpose…’

The world sought to scrutinize every process due to the Blood Demon’s failure.

They lowered the warriors’ limits. And in all those situations, they calculated the variable of absolute failure.

That was.

‘Was it to give birth to a calamity in the Central Plains from the very beginning?’

That the medium was Mother. And that she met Father to give birth to me?

‘……How?’

How did they believe giving birth to me would make me a calamity?

Did Mother meet Father knowing this?

Then, all the lives I’ve lived?

‘Was coming this far the world’s will…?’

Could it be that even experiencing regression… all of that was the world’s will?

‘Do you really think your regression was a coincidence?’

“……”

Yeon Ilcheon’s words come to mind.

‘You are the calamity.’

Yeon Ilcheon’s remnant consciousness whom I met at the Divine Dragon Hall. The words that guy spat were true.

Did he spit those words knowing it?

“……Haha.”

I ran a hand through my hair. A feeling of exhaustion welled up. Master Shin told me that if I didn’t think so myself, then it wasn’t so.

So, believe in myself.

Believing those words, I had endured until now.

“……How am I supposed to believe any further?”

Now that the situation has escalated this far, what am I supposed to believe?

Moreover, even the mother who gave birth to me claims she gave birth to me as a calamity. What am I supposed to believe?

‘……Was it a problem from the beginning?’

Was my very birth the problem? Or was it the struggle to live a better life somehow?

After all the effort of regressing and struggling so much to live a different life.

‘……If it was a predetermined ending from the very beginning.’

For what have I endured until now?

Everything was starting to feel futile.

Biting my lip, just as I was about to feel my insides crumble.

“Son……”

Mother spoke to me.

With a pitiful voice and sad eyes. Seeing that, I asked what I had been holding back.

“If Mother’s role was indeed that.”

Though I didn’t want to ask, it was something I had to ask eventually.

“Does Father know this too?”

“……”

She came to meet Father to give birth to me as a calamity.

They called it the Adversary? That there was a being that must be opposed whenever a calamity fell.

Master Shin said the Blood Demon’s Adversary was Yeon Ilcheon. And if Mother came as a calamity, the Adversary was Father.

Then.

‘Mother said she wasn’t the calamity.’

If my destiny meant existing as a calamity of the Central Plains.

‘Does it mean Father is my Adversary?’

It’s a ridiculous notion. A destiny to oppose one’s own child.

‘Then again……’

In my previous life, I killed Father by my own hands. Does this mean the opposite could happen in this life?

As I recalled that and frowned.

“Your father did not know.”

Mother said.

“……He didn’t know?”

“Yes…… it was something even I didn’t know. What I realized about this matter was when I gave birth to Gu Ling Hwa.”

“……”

She realized when giving birth to Gu Ling Hwa. Mother clearly said so.

“When I first arrived in that world. I knew nothing. I had covered myself with oblivion so that I wouldn’t know anything. Because I shouldn’t know my karma.”

“Why?”

“They probably thought an anomaly would occur if I knew. And it did.”

So, did she live without the awareness of being the Master of Man-gye? All along?

‘Then, after giving birth to Ling Hwa, she became aware?’

Narrowing my eyes, I recalled the past.

Honestly, it’s hard to say. The age difference between Gu Ling Hwa and me wasn’t large. Nothing came to mind to recall any changes in Mother after giving birth to Ling Hwa.

Moreover.

‘Do I have to doubt even this?’

The fact that I had to doubt and think about even Mother’s words was sickening.

What’s important here is this.

So, in the end.

“What is Mother’s purpose…?”

What is Mother’s purpose? Bringing me here. Activating a phantom by touching the Sacred Tree like this to have a conversation with me.

After all, this happened because there is a purpose.

Also.

‘That purpose.’

I believed it wasn’t to make me a calamity.

At least, it shouldn’t be so. No matter how shitty my life was, it couldn’t be that shitty, could it?

It was the minimal safeguard and belief.

In fact, I could feel it even in the conversations I had with Mother.

“You said you wanted to cover the eyes. What does that mean…?”

“I will cover the eyes of the world.”

That is Mother’s purpose now. And covering those eyes.

‘Does it mean hiding my destiny so it can’t be seen?’

If so, why bother feeding me the Divine Fruit?

What on earth is Mother preparing?

Through that arrangement.

‘Can I become not a calamity?’

Everything made me curious.

Can that method resolve my anxiety?

In the first place.

‘How do I become a calamity?’

Even if it was such a destiny, how exactly does one become a calamity?

Just becoming stronger doesn’t make one a calamity.

‘Erase all life in the Central Plains.’

Something far beyond the concept of killing. There needs to be a concept that can be accurately called a calamity.

‘I.’

I never intended to. At least not now. That I would become a calamity? For me, even if the situation led to it, I couldn’t believe it.

That’s why I’m more anxious. Because I didn’t know how I might change someday.

Trying to cope with that, I ask questions.

“I can’t say.”

Mother told me, frowning.

“……You can’t say?”

“At least for now…… according to the current order, this is the limit of what I can say.”

“……The current order means.”

Something came to mind.

“If I meet the next Sacred Tree, does it mean things will be different again?”

At my words, Mother smiled slightly.

“My son is smart.”

“……”

It was the correct answer.

The Sacred Tree in Night Moon. After touching it, Mother appeared, and there were five Sacred Trees existing in the current Man-gye.

It meant Mother’s phantom resided within each Sacred Tree.

“……And. Was the first instance the Sacred Tree of Night Moon?”

“That’s right.”

“Then, did you anticipate that I would touch the Sacred Tree? Or….”

Did you scheme for it to happen?

Before I could even ask, Mother spoke.

“I’ve made requests to many people so that it could happen.”

“……Requests.”

As soon as I heard that, Master Shin came to mind.

Moreover, those people meant it wasn’t just Master Shin.

“Son.”

Mother called me. I looked at her with an unchanged, firm expression.

“I know it’s hard. That’s why I’m more sorry…… But please hang in there a little longer……”

“……”

What should I say?

Should I even spit out resentment? Should I say, “Why did you give birth to me if it’s like this?” Should I say even such childish words?

I wanted to, if it were up to my heart, but my age made it feel too inappropriate.

So.

“Mother.”

“Yes.”

The words I should speak now are not resentment or anything like it.

“You told me to come to the hill on the day of the full moon. Is this also related to the matter?”

“Huh?”

Hearing that, Mother’s eyes widened.

“……When?”

“A few days ago.”

“Was that me?”

Am I correct? That means she knew Mother herself was in a state of having forgotten.

“Well. I’m not sure, but I think so.”

“……I see.”

“I understand the full moon, but I don’t know what the hill means.”

“……A hill.”

Hearing that, Mother nods slightly and says.

“That’s probably the place where the next Sacred Tree is.”

“The next Sacred Tree?”

“Yes.”

“If it’s the next Sacred Tree-.”

“Ma-ryeong Mountain. Go to the hill there. The place I mentioned must surely be that place.”

“Ma-ryeong Mountain……”

Where could it be? It’s a place I don’t know. I knew nothing about how the regions of Man-gye were structured.

‘Ma-ryeong Mountain…?’

All I could know was that seeing she mentioned a hill allowed me to connect it to the story back then.

‘Seeing she spoke with such certainty about Ma-ryeong Mountain.’

Meant the Mother I met back then knew.

And that she knew I would soon touch the Sacred Tree of Night Moon.

Just then.

Crackle.

“Ah.”

With a small sound, Mother let out a cry. Wondering what it was, I looked, and Mother’s hand was crumbling.

“Oh dear……”

Looking at her hand, Mother blinked as if regretful.

“……It seems my time is up.”

Was there a set time? Seeing that, I unconsciously took a step forward.

Then, I reached out, trying to grab Mother’s wrist, but it crumbled away before I could even touch it.

“You must have had many questions…… I’m sorry for not being able to say much.”

“……Mother.”

“I really wanted to see you. Even with you right in front of me, I can’t even touch you. That’s truly a shame.”

The crumbling hand came up and brushed my cheek. I still couldn’t feel the touch.

“Son.”

“……Yes.”

“It’s funny saying this to you, my son, but don’t worry.”

Mother said, smiling.

“Mom will definitely find a way.”

As she said that, Mother’s body crumbled rapidly.

I could only watch without saying anything.

I had much to ask, but couldn’t.

I also wanted to hear many things, but it was the same.

It felt like I had a rock in my mouth.

Unable to say anything, I watched Mother disappear.

“If you return, find the Abyss. That child will finally have words to tell you.”

“……The Abyss?”

“Yes. She’s a truly grateful child. Please be sure to convey my thanks on my behalf too.”

Crackle.

Finally, as Mother, having finished speaking, was almost gone.

“My son. Mom really wanted to see you. Later…… let’s definitely meet again.”

Mother conveyed her words.

And just like that, all of her crumbled away and disappeared.

“……”

The fragments that fell to the floor all disappeared.

A space where nothing remained.

As if I had been alone from the start, I felt nothing.

Feeling that, I looked around.

I turned around and widened my eyes slightly.

“What the…?”

It was gone. The Sacred Tree I had been touching until just now had disappeared.

Where did it go? The moment the question arose.

Thump-!

“……!”

This feeling.

‘The Sacred Tree?’

The energy felt from the Sacred Tree had flowed into my body.

It wasn’t purely the feeling of internal energy or demonic energy.

If anything, it was the subtle energy of the Sacred Tree itself.

It was quite similar to the sensation I felt seeing the giant Sacred Tree at the Mount Hua Sect.

It’s like a crystal clear lake.

Feeling this, I ran a hand over my chest.

Did I absorb the Sacred Tree? What happened? Even while thinking about this.

Right now, in my head, Mother’s words are filling up.

‘I really wanted to see you.’

A simple phrase, remaining in my heart, blooms like a flower.

“……Yes. Me too.”

Amidst the floral scent, it was a phrase I barely managed to utter.