Chapter 602: North Sea.

A black sky, and a blizzard obscure the view.

Within the obscured view.

Countless individuals hurried their steps across the ground.

Among them, the man at the front muttered as if whispering.

“We’ll arrive soon.”

Even as he spoke, his steps didn’t falter.

His gaze was fixed solely on the front.

Though nothing could be seen due to the blizzard.

The man clearly remembered the situation that had just unfolded.

‘I saw a light.’

Between the raging blizzard and the night sky.

I saw something shining noticeably.

What could be happening?

The man scanned the front, raising his vigilance.

Nothing was visible.

As if nothing had been there in the first place.

However, the man did not let his guard down.

‘I can’t reach the ones who were ambushing.’

Contact with the unit waiting in the gorge had been lost.

That alone was enough for the man to remain tense.

Could it be?

‘Did they fail?’

It was said that the Great General, who was chasing the escaped White Fox, had also headed towards the gorge.

He had heard they planned to corner the White Fox in the gorge, join forces with the ambushers, and capture it.

In such a situation.

‘Failed the fox hunt?’

Does this mean the fatally wounded White Fox killed the Great General and the ambushers, and then escaped?

It was unbelievable.

‘Something happened.’

That seemed like the correct judgment.

After all the trouble of cornering the White Fox, if they failed, how would the higher-ups react?

‘Tsk….’

A chilling thought made the man click his tongue briefly.

He could only hope it wasn’t the case.

‘I wish there were some of the Princess’s warriors in the gorge.’

If that were the case, they could capture those guys and offer some excuse.

Composing his thoughts, the man slightly turned his head back and spoke.

“Everyone, stay alert. We don’t know what might happen….”

Just then.

“G-General-!”

One of the warriors following behind spoke with a trembling voice.

“O-Over there–!”

He pointed at something with a surprised expression.

The moment the man looked back after seeing that.

“What are you suddenly saying… Huh?”

The man, looking up at the sky, also had to wear a surprised expression.

Something was rising high in the sky far away.

Could it be, that thing from earlier?

The man narrowed his eyes and stared into the air.

Then he could tell.

‘No. That’s not the same thing as earlier.’

The light that had briefly appeared in the air.

This was different.

It was rougher and shone much brighter.

‘What is it?’

What on earth could that be?

What could make it shine so brilliantly?

And.

‘Why….’

Why do I have to feel such a chilling sensation?

Just watching it, cold sweat trickled down.

As the man felt confusion from this unknown feeling.

“…!”

The man’s eyes, fixed on the light, widened like saucers.

Is it my imagination?

The thought crossed his mind for a moment, but.

‘It’s not my imagination.’

He quickly realized it wasn’t.

The light that had been brilliantly burning in the air.

‘It’s growing.’

It was getting bigger and bigger.

At the same time, the man realized a strange sensation brushing against his cheek.

“…It’s hot…?”

The passing wind was hot.

This was a sensation absolutely impossible to feel in the North Sea weather.

Could it be because of that light?

The man stopped walking and quickly raised his hand.

“Halt.”

Those moving in accordance with his words stopped simultaneously.

This is unsettling.

It was too unsettling.

A blue light.

Just looking at it filled him with fear and maddening anxiety.

What on earth is that?

What could make it so terrifying?

Curiosity stirred for a moment.

The curiosity felt when seeing something unknown.

Such was human instinct, but.

“…Warriors, listen up.”

As if such curiosity meant nothing.

“We retreat from here immediately.”

Fear had swallowed everything within the man.

“Turn back now and return–!”

Just as he was about to declare a retreat out of fear.

Far away, the light changed.

The light, which had been slowly increasing in size, stopped amplifying and began to move slowly.

Seeing that, the man’s body turned rigid like stone.

It felt as if the flame’s movement was searching for something.

Is it looking for something?

‘No way.’

A bad premonition pierced the man.

And. As if that premonition wasn’t wrong, the light floating in the air stopped moving.

This time, it wasn’t imagination or guesswork.

It was certainty.

That light was looking in the man’s direction.

After that.

“…!?”

A roar erupted from the light, and it began flying towards the man.

And very quickly at that.

“Quick…! Run— !”

Grasping this, the man shouted, but.

The light, flying at high speed, fell directly onto the ground where the man stood.

Hwaruru-ruk-!

Kwaaaah-!!!

An immense shockwave struck.

“Kuaaaah!”

The warriors screamed at the sudden impact.

The air pressure surged.

Those caught in the wind couldn’t endure and were blown into the air.

“Kkeu…!”

The man, who barely endured, groaned.

His skin felt like it would burn from the hot energy mixed in the wind.

If I feel this way, what happened to my subordinates?

‘Damn it.’

Such a thought flashed through his mind, but there was no time to dwell on it.

Beyond the heat, the man saw something.

It was the spot where the light had fallen.

Where snow should have been, the space was deeply cratered.

The deeply piled snow had melted, revealing the ground beneath.

And.

Above it.

Something, presumed to be the fallen light, was burning fiercely.

The man, warily glaring at it.

“What…?”

He had to wear a dumbfounded expression as he confirmed the light’s identity.

It wasn’t just simple light or flame.

Surprisingly.

‘A person…?’

It possessed a human form.

Someone was slowly rising from the ground.

Flames were swirling and burning around him.

What kind of situation is this?

As bewilderment dawned in the man’s eyes.

The gaze of the person who had risen turned towards them.

Even wrapped in blue flames, his eyes were clearly visible.

Blue irises with vertically slit pupils.

Ousak-!

The man’s spine tingled as their gazes met.

Just then.

Pat.

The flame the man was watching burst and disappeared without a trace.

“Disappea…?”

Seeing this, the man was about to utter a word, but.

“Kkeok.”

A cry was heard from beside the man.

His gaze followed the sound.

What then appeared in the man’s eyes was slowly bursting blood and.

Udeudeudeuk-!

The face of his subordinate, being torn off at the neck by someone’s hand.

Seeing this, the man tried to quickly twist his body, but.

Huuk-!

What appeared in the man’s eyes was someone’s palm.

Kwaak-!

“Kkeueup!”

The hand roughly covered the man’s mouth.

Hwaruk-!

An unknown heat was felt from the palm.

“Kkeueueup!”

The man, sensing something, tried to say something, but.

He couldn’t utter any words with his blocked mouth.

Immediately after.

Kwaaaaaaaaah—-!!!

A massive flame erupted from the hand, engulfing the man’s body.

---

My ears feel stuffy for some reason.

It felt like a lot of water had gotten in.

Or like cotton had been stuffed in my ears.

It’s stuffy and irritating.

That’s how it felt.

However, it wasn’t completely silent either.

[Agh-agh-agh!]

[Help…!]

Indecipherable sounds reached my ears.

It sounded like shouting.

Or like crying.

It’s noise I don’t want to hear.

It would have been better if it were just silent.

‘What disgusting sounds.’

How can they be so repulsive?

I hate hearing the voices of insignificant creatures so much.

As that thought surfaced, my hands moved on their own.

I grabbed something.

Is it a neck?

I tore it off.

[Kkeureuk-!]

Udeudeuk-!

[P-Please spare me…!!]

Hwaruru-ruk-!

If someone cried noisily, I covered their mouth and burned them.

An odor grazed my nose.

The smell of burning filled the surroundings.

Even the smell of burning is this repulsive for disgusting species.

Thinking this made me angry.

An overwhelming rage surged.

Why? Why was I so angry?

I couldn’t remember.

Now, all I could think was that I needed to release my anger.

[Kkeueo-ah-!]

As I grabbed and disposed of another insignificant creature.

I understood why I was angry.

‘Ah. I see.’

Insignificant and filthy beings.

Inferior and lowly creatures abandoned by the heavens.

The fact that I was breathing the same air as such scum.

That must be why I was so angry. It certainly must be.

I couldn’t stand it.

Hwaruru-ruk-!

My anger spread like flames.

I burned whatever I caught.

[Kkya-ya-ah!!]

I must erase them all.

So they are no longer visible before my eyes.

I had to clear them all away, make it clean.

That is what I must do.

I felt such conviction.

‘Where, where are they?’

I turned my eyes.

The white snowfield was filled only with traces of burning and tearing.

It wasn’t enough yet.

‘Still. More.’

To quell this anger, I must clear away more.

Let’s catch and kill every insignificant creature in the world.

Then, this anger might subside.

Peoseok-!

I turned my eyes toward the sound.

Far away, one of them was running away.

I took a step.

That was enough to reach the creature.

[Kkeuheok.]

I approached and grabbed the creature by the neck.

The eyes of the insignificant creature I held were filled with terror and desperation.

[P-Please… Please spare me!! I’ll do anything, anything at all-!!]

The mumbling sounds were loud.

[Hgeu… Geueu….]

I heard sobbing.

I didn’t want to hear it anymore. Just hearing it felt like my ears would rot.

So, I tried to tear it off again this time, but.

Tak.

I felt a touch on my hand.

Shifting my gaze, I saw someone holding my wrist.

“Stop that.”

It was another insignificant creature.

Unlike the others, its indifferent gaze held a strange energy.

However.

“I don’t know what made you so angry, but shouldn’t you at least spare one?”

“You’re not even in good condition, so why are you expending so much energy like this…”

“Let go.”

“Huh?”

At my words, the creature flinched.

Its face clearly showed disbelief, as if it had misheard something.

As expected, an insignificant being.

It seemed unable to comprehend the words of a superior species like myself.

“…What did you just say….”

“I said, let go. You insignificant pest.”

“…”

After speaking, I had to feel that something was off.

For some reason, it felt like I had said something I absolutely shouldn’t have.

It must be a ridiculous misconception.

What words could I possibly not say to such a lowly creature….

“Hoho. Well, well.”

Udeuk.

At the laughter, I unconsciously let go of the insignificant creature I was holding.

My hands moved on their own.

What is this?

“Yes. When a person gets angry, their vision can blur for a moment.”

Next, my legs moved.

One step back.

What is this? What did I just do?

“I understand, as I used to do the same when I was young. Therefore, as a mentor, I can’t help but assist you.”

Is it trying to run? Is my body trying to run away?

‘That’s impossible.’

How could I be afraid of such an insignificant creature?

“Disciple. Do you know the easiest way to cool your head when you’re like that?”

I moved my hands, emitting killing intent.

I should grab its neck and tear it off right here.

“Generally.”

I had to show this lowly creature the clear difference.

Kung-!

“Kkeuk-!”

My legs lifted.

At the same time, I felt an impact in my chest.

“If you get beaten until you cool down, the problem will be solved.”

I tried to control my floating body belatedly, but.

Something was visible beyond my squinting eyes.

It was a foot.

The foot was right in front of my face.

Kwaang-!

“Kkeok!”

My head snapped around from the impact.

I felt pain.

I had to twist my body somehow.

As I tried to move my body with that instinct.

Huuk-!

“Don’t take this the wrong way.”

I felt energy gathering in front of me.

“This is simply discipline.”

A fist dug into my abdomen.

Kuuung-!

The ground shook with the impact.