Chapter 1273: Scorched World

뇌아.

One of the primordial monstrous beings, and the cherished weapon wielded by the Thunderbolt Heavenly Sword.

As of now, it was an item possessed by Namgung Bi-ah.

Ah, if we’re talking about the present day.

‘The thing Namgung Hyung possesses.’

뇌아 is something Namgung Hyung would possess. Since he left as a shaman with it, it surely must have been the case.

‘Why does this guy have it?’

How come Namgung Jin possesses 뇌아? I couldn’t understand. So, I had to ask.

“Why do you have it?”

“…….”

Namgung Jin’s eyes twitched. This bastard clearly understood.

“Earlier, I saw you seemed capable of speaking.”

“Are you pretending you can’t now?”

Kkwadeudeuk.

“Kkeueuk!”

Moving my hand, I grabbed that guy’s shoulder and crushed it. I could feel the joints breaking.

Additionally, I could feel the bones regenerating instantly at the same time.

‘His regenerative power is high.’

I don’t know if it’s because it’s the body of an Apostle, or because the body itself is a divine power.

‘Is it because I lowered the Greed ratio?’

Should I raise it slightly? No. Now isn’t the time to be checking things like this.

“I ask again. Why do you possess 뇌아?”

“뇌아… How do you know about that?”

Namgung Jin finally spoke. How do I know?

“I know because I know. And I also know you shouldn’t possess it right now.”

Logically, it doesn’t make sense. That appearance. That form. It was an appearance that couldn’t manifest without 뇌아.

‘The Thunder God Descent requires 뇌아.’

뇌아 and Divine Sword Fusion. I know that’s the condition, and the fact that this guy used it means…

‘It means he possesses 뇌아.’

But it’s not visible. I couldn’t even feel the sensation of him possessing 뇌아. Is he hiding it?

‘Considering that.’

I recall the sword-like aura that guy drew out. In my perception, that was definitely 뇌아.

Although it didn’t have a hilt.

“What on earth could it be? How was that possible…?”

“Keueuk….”

Kkeudeudeuk.

I applied pressure using Greed. In pain, Namgung Jin groaned.

“I’d like it if you told me. It seems like potentially useful information. Ah, or perhaps.”

Upon a sudden thought, I asked him.

“Is that your divine power?”

“…….”

Namgung Jin shut his mouth. I couldn’t read his expression. The only emotion he possessed was pain.

‘Hmm.’

Seeing that, I reduced the Greed ratio. It didn’t seem like I could gain anything by stimulating him further.

‘But it feels wrong to just let it go.’

What should I do? After pondering for a moment, I reached a conclusion.

“Then, the next thing.”

First, I ask the next question. 뇌아 wasn’t that important information. The most important thing is this.

“Do you know the whereabouts of Hyeon So-yeon?”

“…….”

When I asked about Hyeon So-yeon, I saw that guy’s expression change subtly. Gotcha.

Kwak-!

“Kkeuk!”

“You know something?”

“Kkeueuk….”

“Right? You know it.”

If that’s the reaction to hearing Hyeon So-yeon’s name, he surely must know something.

“Keok….”

“They said Hyeon So-yeon disappeared when you became an Apostle. I wondered if that was really a coincidence. It doesn’t seem like a coincidence. You know, right? Where is she?”

“Kkeueuk… Let, let go…”

“Tell me-“

Kung-!!

Using Dragon Speech, I applied pressure on him. I intended to make him answer somehow.

“Keokeok!”

“Huh?”

That guy resisted, spitting blood. The Dragon Speech didn’t work.

‘What is it?’

Why isn’t this working? I could stiffen his body, but is making him speak impossible?

“Hmm….”

Then what should I do? It felt wrong to continue torturing him like this.

‘There isn’t much time.’

There’s no time for torture. Others will arrive soon. Stalling for time is also not feasible.

But if even Dragon Speech doesn’t work…

‘What should I do?’

There’s no time to think long. I need to find a way. I need to come up with a way to make him listen somehow-

‘Oh.’

It occurred to me.

‘Will it work?’

I don’t know if it will work, but I did have one thing I could use. Something only I could do.

“I don’t know if this will work right now, but if it does, it’ll probably hurt quite a bit.”

“……What?”

Kugugung-!

“……!!”

Namgung Jin’s eyes snapped wide open. Energy surged from my heart.

Demonic Energy.

What had gathered in a corner of my heart moved and subdued that guy’s body.

‘If words don’t work, you just need to make them listen.’

There was the simplest method. Corrupt him into a demon. Then he’ll listen to me well.

Thinking so, I poured in Demonic Energy. Will it really work on an Apostle too? I don’t know. Since I don’t know, I had to try.

Kwagagagak.

The energy instantly wrapped around Namgung Jin’s body. A blackened, charred form dug straight into his body.

“Kke… Kkeo-eok!!”

Namgung Jin screamed, unable to endure it, perhaps due to the pain. Seeing that, I widened my eyes.

‘…What is this?’

Despite pouring in a considerable amount of Demonic Energy, it wasn’t properly entering his body. Although it seemed to penetrate various parts of his flesh, it strangely couldn’t invade deeper.

‘What’s the problem?’

Is it a problem with the body? I suspect the very power of being an Apostle, permeating his flesh, might be hindering it, but…

‘No. The body isn’t the problem.’

Even with an enhanced body, it couldn’t block the energy. The energy clearly pierced the body and seemed to flow properly, but…

‘It can’t penetrate to the end.’

Ultimately, it couldn’t reach the destination, the vicinity of the Dantian. If I can’t break through this, corruption into a demon is impossible.

“Kkeueueu…!!”

For Namgung Jin, only pain existed. Since corruption was impossible no matter how much Demonic Energy I poured in, only pain remained.

‘Hmm.’

So it doesn’t work? I was trying it because I thought it might work. If it ends up like this, it feels meaningless.

‘…I’m nearing my limit.’

Given the time constraints as well, just as I thought I should give up for now.

Seu-eu-eu-eu-eu.

‘Huh?’

Suddenly, a change occurred within me. I was continuously pouring in Demonic Energy, and a strange sensation was felt near my heart.

‘This is…?’

It’s clearly the same Demonic Energy, but something is different. What’s mixing with my Demonic Energy is definitely…

‘…The energy of the Heavenly Demon?’

In the past, in the Secret Records of the Sanseo Do-ga. I recall absorbing the energy of the Heavenly Demon I encountered there. Did the energy mix in back then? If so.

‘Why now, of all times?’

Is it reacting now, precisely when I’m trying to corrupt the target? The Heavenly Demon’s energy seeped in as if responding to my Demonic Energy, and proceeded to penetrate Namgung Jin’s body.

Kuguguguk!!

“Kkeuaaaaa–!!”

Namgung Jin screamed. I waved my fingers. The sound was too loud, so I had to reinforce my sound barrier. While barely blocking his noise, I kept pouring in the Demonic Energy.

‘It works.’

Surprisingly, only now did the Demonic Energy gradually begin to properly penetrate Namgung Jin.

However.

‘It’s not just seeping into the Dantian.’

The Lower and Middle Dantians. It’s not just seeping into those places.

‘The whole body.’

It felt like I was filling his entire body with Demonic Energy. If it’s like this, the amount of energy being used seems like too much.

‘…Are you crazy?’

I filled up my energy after devouring how many Apostles. And I have to use it like this just to corrupt an Apostle?

‘It’s not cost-effective.’

It felt like a loss. But it was too late to take it back, because Namgung Jin’s body had already consumed almost all of it.

‘Damn it, really-.’

If I retreat like this, Namgung Jin will have problems, and so will I. Recovery was impossible.

Because of that, just as I felt something was wrong.

Kadeudeudeuk-!!

A change finally occurred in Namgung Jin’s body.

The Demonic Energy I poured in started stimulating Namgung Jin’s body, and at a very rapid pace.

Paseuseuseuk.

Something is breaking. Although it looked like his skin was being crushed, it wasn’t like that. This is…

‘…The energy is breaking apart?’

It was the destruction of the energy that was previously filling Namgung Jin’s body. I looked on in surprise. What is it? How can this be? Subsequently, my Demonic Energy started pushing away and eliminating that guy’s energy, and then…

Paseuseuseuseuseuk…….

Eventually, it eliminated everything inside. All of it, as if by magic, that was enveloping his body.

“Keok… Heoeok!”

Namgung Jin let out a cough. At the same time, his appearance changed. His unnaturally pale skin regained color, and his dry hair became normal again.

And.

‘His eyes.’

Even his gray pupils returned to their original blue. The horns and unusual features he had were all gone.

This means…

‘…The Apostle’s power has been nullified.’

It means he’s no longer an Apostle. As if to prove it, his unique presence and aura, constantly felt from him, had all subsided.

“Huk… Heoeok… Keok… What, what is this…?”

Namgung Jin looked at me with a bewildered expression. He didn’t seem to know what was happening either.

“Hmm….”

Me too. So, as I was scratching my cheek.

“Kkeuk…!”

Suddenly, Namgung Jin rolled his eyes back and collapsed.

“……”

Seeing Namgung Jin collapsed alone, I stroked my chin. This, it seems like…

“…I think I found a way?”

A way to turn an Apostle back into a human.

‘Demonic Energy was the method?’

By pushing in my Demonic Energy, break the Apostle’s energy.

That seemed to be the method.