Chapter 1281: Scorched World

I checked Namgung Jin’s reaction. Even while he was choking and sputtering, strangled, I saw him react to the words ‘Noea’ and Hyeon Soyeon.

That was enough.

“You. You knew after all, didn’t you?”

Kkwaaak.

“Kkeuk……!”

I tightened my grip.

“Knowing, why pretend you don’t? Do you really want to die?”

I thought of torture in my head. I suppressed my killing intent and tried to think rationally, but it wasn’t easy.

This wasn’t just anything; it was about Hyeon Soyeon.

More precisely.

‘Namgung Bi-ah, who is inside her.’

It was a matter involving Namgung Bi-ah, who inexplicably existed within Hyeon Soyeon. Knowing that, I couldn’t just stand by.

“Answer me. Did she give you your Noea?”

As I asked, I slightly loosened my grip. It was because I needed him to speak.

“That…… how…….”

“How I know isn’t important.”

At the same time, it wasn’t important how she possessed the Noea. Since Namgung Bi-ah was already inside Hyeon Soyeon’s body, there was nothing particularly surprising about it anymore.

What’s important is.

‘The aura of the Noea I felt from Namgung Jin back then.’

I could feel that the gray Noea was corrupted, but it was definitely a familiar aura.

‘At first, I thought it might be due to Authority.’

It was strange to see it as just Authority.

I dared to judge.

‘That is the real Noea.’

This led me to conclude it was indeed the Noea’s true form. If so.

‘How did Namgung Jin end up with the Noea that Namgung Hyung should currently possess?’

That was what I needed to figure out.

“Young Master Baek…… just a moment……!”

Mi Hyoran tried to stop me, seeing my attitude was more aggressive than she expected.

“If you come any closer, this guy dies.”

“……!”

I spat it out, imbued with killing intent. It was a warning not to interfere.

And I meant it. If they wanted this from me, I had to be sure.

“The Noea. How are you holding it?”

“Kuk…….”

“I asked twice. This is the third time.”

Even as I warned him, I honestly had no intention of killing him. If necessary, I had planned to corrupt him into a demon-kin and use him, but I still had to try all means. Because turning someone into a demon-kin also consumes considerable energy.

“That Noea. What is it?”

So, three questions.

Namgung Jin just struggled, still not answering. Just as I sighed and was about to tighten my grip.

“……Received…… it.”

Namgung Jin seemed to sense something and spoke to me. Hearing that, I stopped tightening my grip.

“Received?”

“……Yes…….”

“The Noea? How?”

Received? I looked at Namgung Jin’s body. I had already searched his body thoroughly. There wasn’t even anything resembling the Noea in sight.

“You mean you received the Noea from Miss Hyeon?”

“……Yes…….”

“How? The Noea needs a hilt to be used, doesn’t it?”

At my words, Namgung Jin’s expression flickered again. It seemed strange to him that I knew that much.

“How…….”

“I’ve heard things too. So don’t think of talking nonsense and answer properly. How did you receive the Noea?”

“……”

The Noea isn’t something that can be exchanged. In the first place, it’s a precious artifact that one cannot even lift without being chosen.

That was determined by the consciousness of the Heavenly Lightning Sword within it.

As far as I knew, Namgung Jin hadn’t been chosen by the Noea.

‘Hyeon Soyeon. No, Namgung Bi-ah handed it over?’

It was puzzling that one could receive it just by being handed it.

Moreover, without even seeing a hilt, how did he receive it?

I looked at him, filled with questions.

“The Noea… it’s because the hilt isn’t the core.”

“What?”

He spat out information I didn’t know.

“The hilt isn’t the core? Then what is?”

“……The Noea… the blade is the core, not the hilt. I borrowed that blade.”

“……The blade?”

Speaking of the Noea’s blade.

‘Wasn’t it just lightning energy?’

Something made of lightning energy. The Noea’s blade is formed through the caster’s lightning energy. I know because I’ve used it myself. Back then, I created the blade using my fire energy.

But.

‘The blade that is formed is actually the core?’

Furthermore.

“And you borrowed it to receive it?”

The fact that he borrowed the blade. I couldn’t understand this at all.

“Your explanation is lacking. How can it be given and received like that?”

“……I don’t know.”

“What?”

Namgung Jin’s answer made my face contort.

“You don’t know?”

“I… I merely borrowed it from her. In the first place… I don’t even know how Miss Hyeon came to possess the Noea.”

“……”

Come to think of it, that makes sense.

‘This guy wouldn’t know.’

That Namgung Bi-ah was inside Hyeon Soyeon. And that the owner of the Noea wasn’t Hyeon Soyeon, but Namgung Bi-ah.

‘…If the blade truly is the core and the main body, just as Namgung Jin said.’

Could it be that it merges with the body and soul, rather than being carried around?

‘If so, I could roughly understand.’

Merging with the blade itself, not the hilt. That reminded me of the Descent of the Lightning God, which Namgung Jin and Sword Marquis also used.

‘I saw it as achieved through the union of divine sword and self. Does it mean the power actually arises from fully understanding the Noea?’

That was my reasoning. Even this wasn’t a certainty. After all, it wasn’t an artifact I used.

Regardless, what was important now… wasn’t the issue of the Noea’s blade.

“So. Where is Miss Hyeon?”

Hyeon Soyeon’s whereabouts. I had to get this information from him.

“……Kuk…….”

“Receiving the blade means there was a situation that allowed it. In that situation, what reason could Miss Hyeon have had to give you the blade?”

“……It was an attack by the Apostles.”

“What?”

“To be precise, the day before the Apostles attacked… Miss Hyeon found me and told me. She said it seemed like I should have it, not her.”

“……”

The day before Namgung Jin was taken away after being attacked by the Apostles. Hyeon Soyeon had come and lent him the Noea.

‘Why?’

Why did she make that choice?

“And after that, Miss Hyeon disappeared?”

“……That’s the last thing I remember.”

“Bullshit.”

This wasn’t an insult directed at Namgung Jin, but just an exclamation. I spat it out in frustration. I immediately released the pressure on Namgung Jin and let him go.

Thump-!

“Gasp… Gasp.”

Namgung Jin gasped for the breath he’d been holding. I stepped back a few paces, leaving him behind.

‘Hyeon Soyeon handed over the Noea. And then she disappeared.’

It was a reaction as if she had known the Apostles would attack. Why did she do that? I didn’t know.

‘Hyeon Soyeon. That is… Namgung Bi-ah’s whereabouts are still unknown.’

My brow furrowed.

What is this person doing? What does she want to achieve by doing this?

Grind.

I unconsciously bit my fingernails.

Feeling the chewing sensation, I spat it out briefly and looked at him.

“So. Is this all the information you have?”

“……What?”

“You. You don’t just know that much.”

“……”

“Saying you don’t remember anything must be a lie. Your eyes say so.”

“……It’s not like that.”

“You saw something inside, didn’t you?”

“……!”

“As expected.”

The place where he was dragged off to become an Apostle. He saw something in the center where the Sword Empress had become the core of the Apostles. Namgung Jin’s reaction indicated as much.

“What did you see… Never mind.”

I stopped asking and sighed.

“You can handle the rest on your own.”

Having gotten this far, there was no need to push further. I planned to leave the rest to Mi Hyoran and Tae Ho-an.

“……Young Master Baek?”

“Seeing your reaction, you must have figured out what needs to be found. So, handle it yourselves. I’m stepping out for a moment.”

I had focused too much. My head was starting to feel hot. If I lost control like this, I felt like I might do something to Namgung Jin.

‘I can’t go that far.’

Normally, it wouldn’t have mattered if I had. But things were different now. Namgung Bi-ah had done something to Namgung Jin. That alone meant I couldn’t touch Namgung Jin for the time being.

‘Because she must have wanted something.’

That’s probably why she gave him the Noea. Though how she could give him the Noea is another matter.

‘Tsk.’

I wanted to grab her and question her immediately. What on earth was she doing? How did she get here, and why was she acting like this? She could have just stayed comfortable.

‘Why did she have to get involved.’

I thought this inwardly, but I didn’t feel good knowing it might be because of me.

Tuk.

I turned away from Namgung Jin and started to leave when.

“Um……”

Someone called out to me. It was Poison Phoenix.

“Yes.”

Trying to hide my exhaustion, I replied, and she asked me something with a very cautious expression.

“Young Master Baek-nim.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“Um… perhaps.”

She kept trailing off. What was it? I wasn’t in a good mood, so I reacted somewhat sensitively. Still, I couldn’t get angry at Poison Phoenix, so I held back for the moment. Then.

“Do you have some kind of deep relationship with Miss Hyeon?”

“……What?”

What kind of bullshit was this? The moment I heard it, the composure I had barely maintained shattered.

“Ah, no… Hearing what you were saying earlier, you sounded quite passionate.”

“……”

Perhaps seeing my expression, Poison Phoenix seemed flustered. Passionate, huh. I suppose so.

‘From others’ perspective, it might seem that way.’

I might have looked like someone obsessed with finding Hyeon Soyeon. But that wasn’t the case.

“It’s not like that, exactly. It’s just……”

“Ah.”

Poison Phoenix’s face brightened for a moment. Sensing the woman’s feelings, I continued immediately.

“Miss Hyeon resembles my fiancée. That’s why I’m concerned.”

“……Ah? Your fiancée?”

“Yes.”

“Hey, you had a fiancée.”

“Yes. I do.”

Her abundant white hair. I remembered the woman who died searching for the moon for me.

“She was a very precious person to me.”

“Ah-.”

Poison Phoenix froze like a stone. Seeing her like that, I bowed my head.

“……Well then, I’ll be going.”

As I walked past, I thought.

Words I could never utter in front of Namgung Bi-ah, no matter what. I felt a bit cowardly for saying them with the most selfish intentions.