Chapter 1289: Scorched World

“Old Man……?”

Paejon, tied to a tree. I averted my eyes as I looked at him. Why is this old geezer tied up here?

“No……”

Paejon, who supposedly went missing after the battle with Cheolhyeolbuseon. Not only is he on this Great Mountain, but he’s tied to a tree?

“……”

What happened? Was it Cheolhyeolbuseon’s doing? It certainly seemed like it.

‘And this armor, too.’

Cheolhyeolbuseon, who had planted the armor in the ground infused with Paejon’s energy.

Judging by his past actions. I suspected this was also Cheolhyeolbuseon’s doing.

“……Hah.”

Seeing the bound Paejon made my fists clench involuntarily. At the same time, a heat began to simmer within me.

“That son of a bitch.”

Paejon, who I couldn’t even imagine losing, was tied up so helplessly.

That fact made my head heat up.

Was it because I saw Paejon defeated? No. I don’t know the reason, but I just felt a surge of anger.

If I had to pinpoint the reason.

‘How dare he.’

The fact that he dared tie him up so pathetically to this tree. That alone was messing with my mood.

Chiiiiiik.

Unconsciously, energy started to surge from my heart.

It felt like the energy wanted to move on its own. Just as I was forcibly restraining it and catching my breath.

“What are you doing over there?”

“……!”

I quickly turned my head, and a woman with a gentle smile came into view.

‘……Geomhu!’

It was Eulryeong Geomhu, the one called the source of the Apostles.

‘How?’

Even though I was suppressing my presence, how did she notice? Did she manage to pierce through it?

I swallowed hard. I had to kill my panic quickly.

“……I apologize.”

I quickly knelt.

“I’m not asking for an apology, I’m asking for a reason.”

Geomhu continued speaking as she looked at me. Hearing that, I immediately conjured up an excuse.

“……I sensed something strange outside, so I thought there might be trouble over here as well.”

I bowed my head deeply. I’d heard too often that I couldn’t lie, so I chose not to reveal my expression.

“Well……”

Geomhu approached, expressing doubt at my excuse.

“You don’t need to worry about this place. This is a place Cheolhyeolbuseon takes care of. If he sees something like this…… something bad will probably happen, won’t it?”

“……”

Cheolhyeolbuseon manages it. I focused on those words. This meant…

‘It really was that guy’s doing.’

Because it meant it was Cheolhyeolbuseon’s scheme.

Kku-uk.

I clenched my fist. I controlled it so killing intent wouldn’t leak out.

“You speak the truth……. I apologize. Please forgive me……”

“I don’t know about your actions, but your intentions were for us, so I’ll let it slide. Get up.”

“Yes……”

I got to my feet.

“Hurry and go.”

“……Thank you.”

It seemed I hadn’t been found out. Just as I was about to feel relieved.

Keureureung.

The monsters around reacted. I narrowed my eyes at their actions, but they didn’t seem to be attacking me. Just then, Geomhu gestured, and the monsters moved again.

The menacing brutes began clearing a path.

Looking at the path created, Geomhu said.

“Let’s go.”

“……Understood.”

I moved along the path. Now that I knew Paejon was here, even though I was furious, I had to shift my focus first.

‘I need to make a better plan.’

More meticulously. I need to prepare and handle this without any issues.

As I was walking, thinking that.

“By the way.”

I froze.

At Geomhu’s words, I stopped walking.

“Can I ask you just one thing?”

“……What is it?”

“You.”

Geomhu lightly pointed a finger at me.

“What’s your name?”

“……”

My heart sank. Why is she asking? And.

‘What was this guy’s name again?’

I hadn’t even heard his name. I killed him before I could, so how would I know? I held back the cold sweat threatening to break out.

“……It’s nothing special. Someone whose name you don’t need to remember, Geomhu.”

“No. That’s not what I meant.”

Geomhu laughed at my words.

“I asked what your name is. I know it… but you seem not to.”

“……”

Geomhu’s words chilled me to the bone. I think I understood what she meant. Seeing my expression change, Geomhu tilted her head.

“You know? Apostles approaching that tree shouldn’t exist here. Cheolhyeolbuseon had put up a warning, but I personally placed a restriction.”

Sararak.

Geomhu walked towards me along the path cleared by the monsters. Lightly and gracefully.

“Yet, you approached. How could you do that? There’s only one reason. You are someone who hasn’t received my restriction. That must be the answer. But……”

Geomhu came right up close. She dropped the smile she was wearing.

“There shouldn’t be anyone like that in this place. Because I wouldn’t have permitted it.”

Seu-eu.

My instincts flared. The air was heating up strangely. The monsters stopped roaring.

I felt gazes upon me. From within the ant-hill-like space, all the Apostles were shooting their stares at me.

“Who are you?”

“Ah.”

Taking Geomhu’s final question as my cue, I relaxed my tension.

I swept my hair back with my hand.

“If you figured it out, you should’ve just said so earlier.”

My voice held annoyance.

“You made me act pointlessly. Annoying people like that.”

Udeudeudeuk.

I released the Gichebyeonyeoksul from my body. My joints clicked back into place, returning me to my original form.

“That’s……”

“What in the…”

Amidst the surprised reactions of the Apostles, I erased my horns and tail. As I returned to my original state, Geomhu showed a look of considerable surprise.

“Oh my… It was you?”

“Hoo.”

My body felt warm. I also released the energy swirling inside instead of just holding it in.

Hoo-u-u-u-k-!!!

The energy radiated outwards.

“Yeah, this feels right.”

It’s so comfortable now that I’ve let loose. What was I thinking, trying to sneak around with my abilities?

“I should have just done things the easy way.”

I decided to give up on pointless actions. There was a way that suited me, so there was no need to dress up like that.

“I have one question for you, too.”

I asked, looking at Geomhu.

“What is it?”

Even though Geomhu had seen me, the surprise was already gone. Indeed, the Geomhu I saw outside and the one I saw in the Demonic Mirror had completely different vibes.

This…

‘It’s a sensation like that of the Heavenly Demon.’

It felt similar to when I saw the Heavenly Demon in my past life. Something alien, something that felt like it shouldn’t exist.

Now, I know what that sensation is.

‘Master.’

It was the supreme and vast presence that the master of a world would possess. Furthermore.

“That power of yours. Who did you get it from?”

I was incredibly familiar with Geomhu’s power. It was the same sensation I felt when I saw my mother in the Myriad Realms.

“……”

At my question, Geomhu’s expression vanished. Not just the smile disappeared, but her face became completely blank.

“…Well now…”

Then, Geomhu’s lips curled upwards. Her eyes weren’t smiling, only her mouth wore a bizarre grin.

“It seems you know more than I thought.”

“Answer me. Where did you get it?”

“Who knows.”

Keureureureung-!! Keureureung!!!

The monsters all around began to howl.

“If you want an answer to that.”

Geomhu raised her hands simultaneously. With that as the starting point.

“Try surviving first.”

Ku-ung-!!!

All the Apostles in the ant-hill charged at me.

The fighting spirit, hostility, and killing intent felt from all directions. Familiar negative energies.

I laughed as I saw an Apostle closing the distance in an instant.

“‘Try surviving?'”

If that’s the condition, it’s not bad.

“It’s my specialty.”

Hwareureureuk—!!!

I unleashed the White Flame.

Guyeomtaeryuna.

Kwa-a-a-a-a-a–!!!!

“Kkeu-a-a-a-!!!!”

“Kkeu-eok!!!!”

The Apostles caught in the White Flame screamed as their bodies ignited. Blocking the surroundings, I reached out.

Kwak-!

“Ack!?”

I cast Madocheonheupgong on the Apostle whose neck I grabbed. Energy was sucked into me.

“I won’t be lacking in energy, it seems.”

I chuckled with satisfaction.

Kugugugugung-!

I released a burst of pressure. There were quite a lot of them. I expanded the flames further, blocking the enemies’ approach.

“Kill them!!!!”

“It’s a warrior!!!!”

The Apostles who spotted me, seemingly unafraid of the flames, kept trying to push through.

Keu-a-a-a-!

Keureureu—!

The monsters, having judged me as prey, bared their fangs.

“……Hmm.”

The surrounding environment and the numerical disadvantage are significant. I didn’t expect it to turn out like this.

‘……Well then.’

There was a way.

Dugeun-!

I poured all my strength into my heart.

U-u-u-u-ung-!!!

“Huh?”

“……What’s that?”

“The Demonic Mirror… A Demonic Mirror Gate?”

Demonic Mirror Gates opened behind me and in the sky. The dark cyan gates ripped open wide. Looking at them, I said.

“Swallow them whole.”

Following the command, two monsters fell from the Demonic Mirror Gates to the ground.

Ku-ung-!!!!

Kwagagagak-!!!!

The large-bodied monster fell, shattering the ground. It was Mang, a Baekgeup monster.

Kya-a-a-a-!!!!

The other one, with butterfly wings, was the same. I summoned the monsters I had consumed.

That wasn’t all.

“If we’re outnumbered, we just fill the gap.”

I said with a smile, looking at Geomhu.

Kya-a-a-a–!!!!

Monsters poured out of the opened Demonic Mirror Gates as if in a frenzy.

“M-Monsters, where did they…!”

“What is going on!”

The Apostles yelled in surprise. This cramped space filled up with monsters.

In the place that was starting to turn into a mess, I met Geomhu’s eyes.

“I’m actually quite the expert at this sort of thing.”

“……”

As I’ve always said, I’m better than anyone at causing a ruckus.