Chapter 405

Chapter 405

Eat The World Tree.

Episode 405: Black Moon

A man fell from the sky, crashing like thunder into the factory complex.

—Boom, creak-creak-creak!

He planted his hands on the rooftop, steadying himself, and the foundation lifted, twisting the rebar. Cracks in the concrete snaked down the building’s exterior wall.

“Haa… haa. Haa.”

Each breath brought up clumps of coagulated blood. The man, described as a disaster, was near death with numerous deep and shallow wounds. His limping foot was twisted outwards, bone protruding, and muscles visibly pulsed on his cut forearm.

Soon, an old man fell from the sky.

—Boom!

As soon as he landed on the roof, he wielded the sword in his hand, striking relentlessly. Though aged and in decline, he was a Sword Master. He had mastered countless sword techniques, making him a unique existence who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

—Clang!

Waves rippled along the sword. No sound was heard, yet an invisible sword strike, spreading clearly, severed the man’s ankle tendons.

A countless barrage of attacks, allowing no time to use secret techniques. Under the magic unleashed from all directions, the man’s body plunged down into the factory.

—Crash!

Dust obscured the vision, but neither of them was so weak as to lose track of their opponent’s position in such a situation.

“Child.”

Mugung, who had entered the factory, strolled in nonchalantly, muttering.

“Are you resentful?”

Lee Shiheon didn’t respond. Pieces of flesh rising from the floor clung to Lee Shiheon’s body.

—Thump, thump.

“I asked if you were resentful.”

Mugung’s stride stopped.

“You couldn’t endure it in the end and committed the act. Do you know how many innocent people you’ve killed already?”

An old wolf. And a young hound that hadn’t fully grown. The two bitter enemies faced each other across a pillar.

Lee Shiheon, who had been leaning against the wall with his head bowed, lifted his chin.

The monstrous eyes, bloodshot and eerie. Could they truly be human? His bloodshot and ruptured eyes trembled with excitement. The chilling bloodlust seemed to freeze the surroundings.

“…Remarkable fellow.”

The musty factory smell, mixed with scabs and dust clinging to his body.

—Drip, drip.

Blood droplets falling from his chin spread on the floor.

A bitter sigh escaped Mugung’s lips.

“You, you have every right to resent the world. I’ll kill you as quickly as possible.”

As Mugung drew his sword, he thought of the eyes he had just seen. That bloodlust.

‘He’s not broken yet.’

It was something seen in excellent hounds that wouldn’t let go of their prey’s neck even on the verge of death.

‘I even thought of trying to win him over by any means.’

Mugung shook his head.

Lee Shiheon was a man he couldn’t handle. No being in this world would dare to embrace such a person. No. He was too exceptional. In this short time, he had grown to the point where he was now baring his fangs, ready to devour even him.

—Drip, drip.

He drooled red saliva, his eyes wide, searching for an opening. Lee Shiheon’s lack of movement meant that Mugung wasn’t revealing any openings.

Mugung calmly scanned Lee Shiheon’s body with his eyes.

The emotion briefly visible within that terrible talent—should it be called human? Mugung could discern the black or white true feelings of others. And seeing Lee Shiheon’s emotions, Mugung could only feel regret.

Even his own competitive spirit bowed in deference this time.

—Thump!

Without missing that brief emotional gap, Lee Shiheon raised his fist.

—Bang!

Mugung’s body tilted. Instantly, he shot through the factory and plummeted far away. Suddenly, two birds burst from Lee Shiheon’s body as he rose from the floor.

[Chirp?! M-Master!? Your body….]

“……..”

[Huh? R-Rescue efforts? But Master….]

A conversation that took place without words. The two startled birds, seeing the dying Lee Shiheon, soon flew out of the factory.

—Chirp!

A limping leg. He didn’t stop moving forward.

In the crimson-stained world, all he saw were his two fists and his opponent. The spiderweb-like drool snapped and trailed across the floor.

He could land effective blows. His brain wasn’t so stiff as to make poor judgments.

Yet, despite all this, the realm he sought was still impossibly distant. He had given up on reaching that level long ago.

“Haa….”

He inhaled deeply, raised his fist, and took his stance. In Lee Shiheon’s pupils, something white rapidly shot towards him.

[White Bloom · Single Flower · Unity]

—Slice!

Guseul sighed, waiting for contact.

“I can’t believe things turned out this way.”

It might have been Lee Shiheon’s limit to endure any longer. When those around him were threatened, with no hope, it wasn’t strange for his will to break.

“The Third Leaf, including Sir Cistus and a small elite force of the Flowers, are gathering in Seoul.”

“To help?”

“No. Probably… they seem to be planning to deal with their political rivals alongside the Association this time. Sir Cistus seems confident that Cheonma will come to save Lee Shiheon.”

With Lee Shiheon being declared a disaster, the world’s attention was drawn to Korea. He vaguely heard that the World Tree of Justice had appeared in person.

Numerous combat priests and even proxies of the World Tree came here to kill Lee Shiheon, forming a massive force.

‘All this movement… because of one academy student?’

Guseul questioned herself. She herself had arrived in Korea. Waiting for orders from her superior, Guseul closed her eyes.

‘I can’t believe the label of Tree Spirit King would be this significant.’

They knew what had happened to the World Trees that had been harmed by the Tree Spirit King. The world had actually been split in half, and until now, they hadn’t been able to check it due to the war with the Flowers. But they had been wary.

But now, with Lee Shiheon’s appearance… most of their forces were gathering in Korea.

Cistus, who led the war, and the World Tree of Justice. As the attention of these two entities turned to Korea, other forces naturally gathered there as well.

‘…Is it intentional?’

Given the timing, it had to be intentional. This was clearly Lee Shiheon’s plan, to attack with suicidal intent. To maximally draw the Flowers’ and World Tree’s forces away from this war, he risked his life and invaded the Hunter Association.

Is this a leap of logic? The butterfly effect was truly shifting the tide of the war.

—Beep.

And Guseul herself… was the one caught in that butterfly effect.

“…Direct order.”

“Huh.”

“Save Lee Shiheon, no matter the cost.”

“Permission to use my true form?”

“……..”

Her subordinate nodded, and Guseul threw down the gun she was holding.

—Thud!

With a cold expression, she emerged from the alley and patted her subordinate’s shoulder.

“Alright. Go.”

The World Tree and the Flowers. If those two forces targeted Lee Shiheon, no collision would save his life.

A bigger, larger bait was needed. It was clear that the Flowers would arrive later than the World Tree. From Cistus’s perspective, arriving late was actually better for their situation.

The fact that they could take advantage of Korea, where most of the Association’s core forces had gathered, and bring it down. There was no need to be the first to enter and target Lee Shiheon. In other words, Lee Shiheon would have to face the World Tree forces alone, without the Flowers’ interference.

‘Of course, before that… surviving against Mugung is the premise.’

In truth, even that probability was slim.

Nevertheless, Lee Shiheon was what they needed. As Guseul exited the alley, she immediately channeled her magic.

“…I told you.”

Guseul smiled bitterly, thinking of Lee Shiheon, wherever he might be.

“No matter what, you have to come to us.”

Tree Transformation. It’s one of the techniques a tree could use, temporarily raising its status to be equal to that of a World Tree by drawing out all its potential.

The Three Disasters. The worst calamities born from an infinitely powerful era. It’s a widely accepted theory that if all three gathered in one place… not even a being who had surpassed their own realm could preserve their life.

A nameless tree could not originally use Tree Transformation. Faint World Tree blood, and lacking a flower meaning or origin, meant it was considered the lowest rung on the family tree.

However, for some reason, Guseul was different. Despite having no name or flower meaning, her body was perfectly normal. Her incredibly strong dantian and body, which even surpassed that of a World Tree, were such that those around her recommended she use an artificial body because she couldn’t control it herself.

But. Since it was still clearly a tree without a given name.

This form didn’t really have any special name either.

[Liberation]

A colossal tree burst through the asphalt, erupting across the entire road. Its immense bark violently enveloped Guseul’s body, and soon, the human form vanished completely, replaced by a beast the size of a building, standing on all fours in the middle of the road.

More akin to a Tree Demon than a transformed tree person.

A vast magical beast. Its appearance resembled a wolf, hence it was called a Wooden Wolf . Who could have ever known that the unstoppable disaster, occasionally reported to appear, was actually a low-ranking employee of Flower?

Countless figures flashed through her mind, sensing the overwhelming presence. The massive magical beast shifted its body.

“Grrr…”

A magical beast that seemed to not understand human language. Sharp branches erupted from its back, then promptly broke off and shot into the distant sky.

—Bang! Bang!

Like missiles crashing down, most of the Hunter Guild branches located in Seoul vanished, buildings and all, turning to dust.

—Boom!

An explosion, followed by immediate silence. People in a panic ran, and the magical beast, making lion-like footprints without even glancing at them, gathered its magic once more.

Countless World Tree forces were rushing towards this place. Only Guseul could handle them.

She trusted the others to take care of themselves.

Guseul suddenly stood up, roaring with a frenzy that seemed to overturn heaven and earth.

“───!!!!”

Within the gaps of her tree-encased body, a strange light gleamed in Guseul’s crimson eyes.

Severed hair fell onto a pool of blood.

[Double Flower · Seorak]

The Mugunghwa swordsmanship. Divided into six Heart Realms according to movements and techniques, it was undoubtedly the pinnacle of existing swordsmanship.

The Mugunghwa’s White Bloom was the most common stance, yet its difficulty was indescribable.

—Clang!

The wounds all over my body were severe. The magic solidified the wounds, forming blood clots, acting like a poison to prevent blood from circulating in my arms and legs.

A fight against one who had reached the pinnacle.

Before the blood on my fist could even fall to the ground, the next sword strike grazed my chin.

—Beeeeep!

Tinnitus rang in my ears. I was landing effective blows by following Mugung’s continuous sword movements in front of my eyes, but at this rate, my life would end first.

It was completely different from the time with San Hyukwon. There was no time to use techniques, and thus, even when I aimed for openings, the wounds were shallow.

On the other hand, every single movement of my opponent was fatal to me. That immense difference.

I crossed my fists towards Mugung, who had closed the distance.

[Single Flower · Arirang]

—Thud!

A sword strike that didn’t move, yet thud. With a dizzying impact, my body fell forward. I was the first to collapse.

—Crash!

I tumbled out of the building and plunged into a muddy puddle, my vision blurring. My eyes, reflected in the water, were indeed gray, as if I had gone blind.

“It’s over.”

Mugung, sensing victory, muttered lowly. On the surface of the murky puddle, where my face was submerged, blood mixed with the water like mosquito coil smoke.

Not yet. I couldn’t die. Even if I died here, I had to at least break one limb of Master’s formidable opponent.

The mud from the puddle flowed into my eyes. Although they were bloodshot and bleeding, my eyelids wouldn’t close.

—Splash.

The puddle trembled with Mugung’s footsteps. I shouldn’t move yet. At the very last moment… there would surely be an opening for a human.

The longer one had been at the pinnacle, the more inevitably carelessness arose from their arrogance. Mugung, who had already reached me, extended his sword, and its tip aimed for my glabella.

“If there had been any interference… I might have been defeated.”

Just as my eyelids slowly began to close, Mugung’s sword moved.

—Thwack!

The blade plunged into my glabella. The finely sharpened, pointed sword tip pierced my glabella as if cutting tofu. Bone and muscle couldn’t stop it.

In that brief moment, a flicker of relief crossed Mugung’s face. I didn’t miss it, and convulsed, rising up.

The suppressed magic energy burst forth instantly, engulfing my body in flames.

—Bang!

Mugung, startled, recoiled. Scattering muddy water, I rose from my spot and charged forward. All my magic transformed into demonic energy. The exits of my dantian, which had been tightly sealed to prevent life-threatening danger, loosened, and demonic energy burst through them.

It couldn’t be over already. I hadn’t closed my eyes yet.

[Form of Eight]

Black spots rapidly spread, consuming my body. My wide-open eyes quickly blurred as if their vitality was being eaten away.

My muscles shrank. Yet, contrary to that, my strength grew progressively, transforming into a form perfectly suited for a single, blazing moment.

Once. A concept that had vanished from this world. A power that was considered illusory as the era of martial arts waned.

Primeval True Energy.

And, Final Radiance.

—Boom!

The surroundings were dyed, and a black moon rose with me at its center. Mugung’s eyes widened. In what seemed like frozen time, I targeted Mugung’s neck.

Mugung, regaining his senses, struck my head with his sword.

—Boom!

I didn’t fall. The sword couldn’t even penetrate the demonic energy enveloping my body. I couldn’t possibly be smiling. A bitter tremor at the corners of my lips, my lips turning pale blue.

I had never for a moment thought I could defeat someone who had reached such a high level with mere thoughts.

But, I could make sure he’d never be able to use one of his legs again. At least, if I burned my life away.

“……!”

White magic surged from Mugung’s hand, his face losing its composure for the first time.

I would go first. I replayed the scene in my mind countless times.

I dodged the flowing sword. Even if I couldn’t dodge, it didn’t matter. Even if my cheek was cut and the tendons of my jaw severed, leaving my mouth dangling, it would be enough if I could get close.

‘Heavenly Demon Divine Art.’

—Boom!

‘When white flowers bloom.’

“…Baekdo.”

A tired voice escaped my lips. So tired and low, it sounded like it could extinguish at any moment.

White flowers entwined, and orange flowers sprang out again.

“The ones that bloomed red are Hwangdo.”

One more hit.

“Ugh… Guk?!”

The magic barrier, which had seemed impenetrable, was pierced, and my fist plunged through his body. A cry of pain, the first from Mugung, burst from his lips.

‘The one that stripped everything away.’

My life force was barely remaining. I poured everything into it, except for just enough to breathe.

The Form of Seven. Cheondo.

Gritting my teeth, I unleashed my fist.

…However.

“…….”

My body wouldn’t move anymore. The black moon flashed. It shattered, and light returned to the world.

—Crack.

Mugung’s dantian was not unharmed. Although it didn’t fully penetrate, Cheondo’s secret technique had left a shallow mark.

“…….”

My own dantian also turned to dust and vanished. As my pulse stopped, I collapsed weakly to the ground. Just when I thought this was the end, I felt some hunters rushing towards me, and Master’s familiar magic.

I landed one hit.