Chapter 1171: Scorched World.

A Crimson Egg.

That thing, showing considerable size for an egg, was something I had seen even in my previous life.

‘So this place and Bigo were connected.’

I never imagined that the passage of that tree and the location of that egg would be connected.

‘Seriously, what the hell is going on?’

Was this intentional? Did the Blood Demon know what that thing was? I couldn’t tell.

‘Then, would it be the same in my original life?’

If it was like this here, I wondered if the same phenomenon would occur in the place I originally belonged.

Of course, this is something I’d only know after going back, so it’s not something I can figure out right now.

Thump.

I approached the egg. This was the original purpose of finding the front line.

‘It’s the same.’

It’s the same as when I first saw it. Back then, I had to come through an unknown door.

‘I came relatively comfortably.’

To think I could reach here using this thing called Bigo. Thanks to it, the hassle was less.

‘…Still, it’s just that.’

I narrowed my eyes.

I approached closer. The closer I got, the more I felt something in my heart.

Thump-!

Thump-!

A unique heartbeat sound. The sensation felt from the egg scanned my very body.

‘It’s different.’

The feeling was different. It was a distinctly different sensation from when I first saw it. Only after feeling this did I understand.

‘It’s different from back then.’

‘Is it a change in my level? Or has my race itself changed?’

If not even that.

‘…Like Gu Seong-yeol said, is it because I’ve attained the necessary qualification?’

The qualification to become a master.

In other words, the role Gu Clan is currently undertaking. Is it because I possess the qualification to serve as the acting master of the current Central Plains?

I couldn’t know.

“What the hell are you?”

In the first place, I didn’t even know the egg’s existence itself. I only knew that Gu Clan was sheltering and protecting it. I didn’t even know why something like this existed on the front line.

That’s why I tried to find out.

I don’t know why.

‘Because I felt like I could understand now.’

Even if I couldn’t back then, I felt like the me of now could figure it out. It was an instinct, and usually, these premonitions came true.

Swish.

I stretched out my arm. I reached out my hand to touch the egg, but.

“……”

I hesitated for a moment. It was because I remembered something from the past.

‘What did they say back then?’

Kkureung-i at the time.

No, Mu-jeo-gaeng had prevented me from touching the egg. Did they say it wasn’t the case now?

So I asked what this was and why they were acting like this.

Back then, Mu-jeo-gaeng had told me.

-Seed.

That this wasn’t an egg, but a seed.

“……”

A seed this big.

I didn’t understand it back then, but hearing it now feels strange.

‘A tree and its master have a close connection.’

My mother’s sacred tree was like that. And the thing containing the Blood Demon’s energy was also a tree.

Moreover, seeing that even the thing that appeared to be Mu-a’s trace was a tree.

‘There’s something in the tree. And this is a seed.’

How could this not be related? Anyone who wasn’t an idiot would know that.

‘…Could this possibly be the tree’s seed?’

If I were to connect the dots, that’s the only way I could see it.

“Hmm.”

I nodded. The thought didn’t take long.

Tap.

I touched the seed with my hand.

“……”

Huh?

“What the?”

Nothing happened.

“What the heck?”

I naturally thought something would happen. But nothing did…? Rather, it was quiet, which was utterly baffling.

“What is it?”

Because Mu-jeo-gaeng told me not to touch it, I thought something terrible might happen if I did.

It seems that wasn’t the case.

Feeling strangely disappointed like that, just as I was about to pull my hand away.

Stuck.

“……What the.”

This time, my hand wouldn’t come off the egg. It felt like it was stuck with something sticky.

“……Hah.”

Yeah, right. I thought something was going too easily.

Crackle.

I applied force, trying to pull it off by force, but it wouldn’t budge. This is fucking annoying.

If I’d put this much force into it, the egg itself should have come off. And how heavy the egg was, it didn’t even budge.

“Are you trying to mess with me?”

Are we going to take this all the way? I immediately roused my energy.

Whoooosh-!!

The moment the energy flowed through my meridians and spread through my body.

Sluuurp-!

“……!”

Only then did the egg react. As I roused my energy, it started absorbing all of it.

“What the hell.”

It absorbs energy?

It was at a considerable speed. The problem here is.

‘I can’t stop the energy.’

Once I started rousing my energy, perhaps because they were sucking it in from the other side, my energy just wouldn’t stop.

‘This is absurd.’

The corners of my mouth rose.

It was the first time in my life.

‘I’ve absorbed energy before.’

But to have my energy drained… This is quite novel, in its own way. How much would be drained if it continued like this?

‘Seeing the speed gradually increasing.’

Maybe half an hour.

Perhaps in less time than that, all my energy will be drained. This egg’s appetite was no joke.

Since I’m losing energy, it’s hard to even apply proper force. My hand won’t even come off the egg.

‘A complete predicament.’

It was a crisis, if you could call it that.

What should I do if it becomes like this? If all my energy is drained like this, my life will be in danger.

‘It looks like it’ll even touch my innate vital energy.’

If there’s no more energy to suck in, it will surely go that far.

‘Hmm.’

I narrowed my eyes and stared at the egg.

It’s definitely a crisis, but.

‘Something.’

I didn’t feel particularly threatened. Rather, I just felt annoyed.

Why did I feel annoyed?

I couldn’t quite grasp the feeling. I was just irritated.

That egg, greedily devouring my energy.

That was why.

Swaaaah-!!

Screeeech-!!

“Hmm.”

I put strength into my heart. The Demonic Heaven Absorption Technique activated.

The energy the egg was sucking in reversed. What the bastard was swallowing started pushing back towards me.

“You’re challenging me, aren’t you?”

You think only you can eat? I’m an expert in this field too.

Whoooosh-!!

Applying strong force, I used the Demonic Heaven Absorption Technique.

The energy being sucked away returned and seeped into my heart. I could feel the egg tremble slightly, as if flustered.

I smirked.

“Try it.”

Saying it as if challenging it further, as if it heard me, the egg’s absorption became more intense.

In response, I increased the momentum of the Demonic Heaven Absorption Technique. Each time I drew it in, I increased my capacity.

Before long, what I was drawing in became overwhelmingly higher than what the egg was absorbing.

Screeeech-!!

In response, the egg’s reaction intensified.

The vibration was intense. It seemed as if it were angry.

“So.”

So what?

“What can you even do?”

It seems like there’s nothing else it can do besides shaking.

“Why did you have to provoke someone?”

I was just going to check it out quietly. Why the hell did you have to keep poking me and making me angry?

I absorb and absorb again. Swallowing it like that, I stored it in my body.

I stack and stack it. The energy the egg possessed was more than I expected.

What kind of energy was it storing? It was astonishing.

Furthermore.

‘What was it stored for?’

What purpose did this energy serve? I was curious about it.

For what purpose was this much energy stored?

With this amount of energy…

‘It would easily surpass even a hundred-rank monster.’

It was more than when I absorbed the White Horse Stone. It couldn’t even compare to that.

The accumulating energy was filling my vast vessel completely.

‘…Hmm.’

Not only filling it, it was reaching the point of overflowing.

Geeeiiing.

‘Oh, really?’

As if not wanting to miss that moment, the egg writhed, wanting to eat my energy again.

Since it couldn’t be put in if it overflowed, it seemed like it thought, ‘Now’s the time!’ and tried to eat it.

“How laughable.”

Geeeeiiiiiing-!!!!

While I absorbed the energy, I moved the ring.

The created gears caused friction and used the energy.

All the used energy transformed into presence and spread in all directions.

Kuga-da-da-dak–!!!

The void distorted. It was a phenomenon caused by the sheer amount of energy.

I drew out the energy to the extreme.

I had to use as much as I absorbed.

I had struggled to hide my presence. But now wasn’t the time to worry about that.

‘Damn it all.’

It was deeper and vaster. The more I absorbed the energy the egg held, the more unfathomable it became.

The fortunate thing is.

‘That I’m good at both absorbing and using it.’

Using as much as I eat.

And eating a lot.

I spit out as much as I eat. The Nine Flames Wheel Technique wasn’t enough, so I caused chaos.

Heavenly Demon Divine Art. Rousing that energy, I maximize my presence.

Kiiigigigig-!!!

The rough energy screamed ferociously, like it was writhing. It tore through space and slowly encroached upon the surroundings.

Although I’m the one using it, it’s insane power.

Normally, I would never have done something so inefficient.

‘I’m even using it like this.’

Since there was an endlessly supplied lump of my energy, I was using it to its maximum potential.

‘…How long will this last?’

The egg’s endurance isn’t the issue. The important thing is.

‘That the repercussions of this energy will reach the other side.’

My presence created here will spread throughout the entire front line.

If that happens, eventually, my location will be revealed.

‘Then it’ll get annoying.’

I wish it would end before then.

‘This bastard is persistent.’

How long will this bastard hold out?

‘Indeed.’

Will it endure any longer here?

As I endlessly released the Heavenly Demon Divine Art and absorbed energy.

Keeeeee…

Sss.

Finally, the egg stopped absorbing my energy.

At the same time.

Swaaaaaah-!!!!

“Huh?”

Suddenly, a very dazzling red light began to burst from the egg.

---

Screeeech.

Screeeech.

Steel bars stretched tenaciously. A man standing before a huge gate was quietly gripping the chains.

His tightly gripped hands, as if they must never be loosened, had veins bulging.

“……”

After gripping the chains for a long time with a frown between his brows.

Ku-gu-gu-gu-g-!!!

The chains, which he gripped as if they might break, suddenly became quiet.

Sensing that, the man let go of the chains he was holding.

“Hmm.”

A low voice echoed in the dark space.

“Something seems to have happened.”

Said the old man with red eyes. Seeing the chains that should not move shaking like this.

“It is the Soot.”

The old man grasped the problem immediately.

And then.

“I need to see it myself.”

The cause of the crack.

To confirm the Soot, he lit up his red eyes.

The Ember’s destination was Shanxi, where the front line was.