Chapter 945: Do you know who my mom is?

The master of the Myriad Realms.

Four beings exist below him, receiving blessings and authority.

Here, they are called Generals.

Each General possessed their own nation.

The Myriad Realms are vast, with countless regions existing within them, but in reality, only four places could be called nations.

Those were the Generals’ nations.

Yawal was the place where most of the Moonlit Night Tribe resided.

The General who ruled this place was named Yusa.

‘Yusa.’

Recalling the name, I pictured someone in my mind.

And there, I overlapped it with the name he’d spat out.

‘What a dissimilar name.’

‘They called him Mongmong, but the name bore absolutely no resemblance.’

‘To take the form of a young man with light green hair and be called Mongmong…’

‘What a peculiar temper.’

‘He was a strange guy.’

And.

‘He was strong.’

‘He was considerably strong.’

‘Though our meeting was but a fleeting moment, the memory remained vivid.’

‘He merely hinted at it, yet his presence filled the surroundings.’

‘Based on that, I questioned the extent of the power he possessed.’

‘If that’s what a General is like…’

‘It certainly won’t be easy.’

‘Is it that this leader guy isn’t exceptionally strong, but rather that most Generals are on that level?’

I absorbed the information piece by piece, filing it away in my mind.

As I continued doing so for a while…

“Are you listening?”

“Ah.”

The person addressing me was right in front.

It was the Black Leader, Gubong’s father and a noble.

Right after my business with Mongmong, I had come straight here to talk.

“Ah, I am listening.”

“…”

He didn’t seem convinced.

Admittedly, I hadn’t heard what he just said.

But I heard the important parts, so maybe it’s fine?

With a slightly embarrassed expression, I spoke to him.

“Anyway. It seems that General named Yusa came looking for me…”

I knew of the Generals’ existence to some extent, but I never expected to meet one so soon.

“Could it be because of the incident that occurred here recently?”

“…”

The Leader looked at me but didn’t say much.

He seemed contemplative, but I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

So, I waited a moment for his response.

After a short while…

“What did the General ask you?”

The Leader brought up his own question, not the one I’d asked.

“What did he ask?”

He asked if I was the one who caused this incident.

“…And?”

Hearing that, the Leader frowned and asked.

“So I said no.”

“…”

His expression turned slightly strange upon hearing my answer. What’s with that face?

“Why?”

“You’re saying you answered no.”

“Yes. I said no.”

“…”

“Why don’t you believe me?”

No matter how I looked at it, he didn’t seem convinced.

Even though I actually hadn’t done it.

So, I chuckled and said to him,

“Do you think I did it too?”

“Hmm. I don’t know.”

“No. It’s not that you don’t know.”

Tuk-tuk. I tapped the table with my finger.

A clear sign I wanted him to focus properly.

“It’s not really important to you, is it? That’s why you’re meeting me now.”

“…”

As I spoke with a smile, the Leader’s eyes sharpened.

At that moment.

Paseuseuseu. Soft shadows spread across the floor.

The slowly expanding darkness began to fill the room, but seeing that, I lightly stomped the floor with my foot.

Tung-! Kadeudeudeuk–!!!

“…!”

The darkness shattered with the impact, and the Leader’s eyes widened like saucers.

“Hey, let’s not do troublesome things like this.”

“…You.”

“I already went through this once before. There’s no need to force it.”

He keeps trying to set up strange formations.

I guess it’s meant to cause mental disruption or hallucinations.

‘I’m not susceptible to that kind of thing.’

‘Only weak-minded fools fall for this.’

‘No matter how broken I might be, my life hasn’t been smooth sailing, so I’m not at a level to fall for this.’

“Wouldn’t it be easier if we just got straight to the point? I didn’t come here for a power struggle either.”

“…Ha.”

Hearing me, the Leader finally withdrew the power he was spreading across the floor.

Was it understanding, or more like disbelief?

“Just what exactly are you?”

“Can’t you see my clothes?”

I pointed proudly at the plum blossom drawn on my chest. Seeing it, the Leader pursed his lips.

“Nonsense. I don’t sense the aura those people emitted from you.”

“That’s a harsh thing to say. What’s the difference?”

“Will.”

“…”

I fell silent at the Leader’s words.

“Will, fighting spirit, and resolve. Those things are perceptible in the Hwasan folks, disproportionate to their station. I don’t see them in you.”

“Then what do you see in me?”

I asked what, exactly, he saw in me.

As I asked, the Leader looked at me and said,

“I see nothing.”

“What?”

I scowled at the dogshit answer, but the Leader continued,

“I feel nothing. Like an empty lot. That’s why you are not Hwasan.”

“…”

I felt fucking awful.

I wondered how it could get any shittier, but what made me even angrier was…

‘I can’t refute that.’

I couldn’t argue against those words.

An empty lot.

Words that churned my insides in a strange way.

Or perhaps…

“-You are not Hwasan.”

Was it that phrase that gnawed at me more? I don’t know.

But I let it slide past me.

I had to.

However.

“So, is that so important to you?”

I couldn’t change my tone.

My tone was full of discomfort. After spitting it out, I had to swallow my surprise.

My emotions had surged more intensely than I expected.

I was angry at my own stupidity for not hiding even this, but ironically, this was the best I could do.

“I know guys like you well.”

Suppressing it, I said what I needed to say.

“Your eyes hide a desire. You’re the type struggling to find a path, yearning to reach greater heights somehow.”

“…”

“Such people are even cautious; they usually observe repeatedly instead of rushing headlong once they find a path. You’re no different.”

Our faces were close.

If we’d intended to, we could have started fighting right then and there.

However, I was certain this man wouldn’t attack me.

“So, do you still need to test the waters further? What do you see in me?”

“How truly amusing.”

Kkiiik. The Leader stood up.

He was taller than I expected.

About a head taller than me.

“Are you confident you can be my bridge?”

“That’s your choice to make, not mine. Isn’t that why you came, clutching that card so tightly?”

“What can someone who can’t even state their own identity properly do?”

The Leader sneered, his lips curling. It felt like the first time his emotions were clearly revealed.

“I told you my identity earlier. I’m from the Hwasan Sect.”

“Are you going to keep playing word games?”

Jjeojeojeok-! Energy suddenly filled the room.

This wasn’t the false phenomenon from before; it was genuine energy.

It’s different from fighting spirit. I keep sensing it, but the energy used here felt somehow different from the internal energy stored in the dantian.

‘Gubong, Seolyeong, or the Hwasan disciples seem to use it, but…’

For those who don’t, it’s too foreign to call it internal energy.

Yet, it tickled my heart in a way that felt…

‘Almost like sorcery.’

Of course, this wasn’t sorcery either. It just meant it was closer to that than internal energy.

“I’m overlooking it out of generosity because you seem somewhat useful, but you lack self-awareness, just like those Hwasan folks.”

“Generosity? Self-awareness?”

I let out a laugh.

“…Why do people say the same things wherever I go?”

As always. Those kinds of words never change.

Kkeugeuk-! Enduring the energy, I looked at the Leader. All traces of mockery had long vanished from his face.

“I don’t know how you escaped the General’s notice, but if he’s taken notice of you, it’s already too late.”

As the Leader continued speaking, his energy intensified. The sensation of something scratching my heart grew stronger with it.

It was quite strange.

“In this situation, wouldn’t it be more profitable for me to eliminate you right now…?”

“So, what are you going to grab and try to do now?”

I felt this during the encounter with the White Leader last time too; the more I sensed this energy, the more my heart, skin, and insides felt itchy.

As if I absolutely had to do something.

That kind of feeling.

‘What is it?’

What should I do?

‘What is this?’

What exactly triggered this argument?

No, it looked like we were about to fight instead of argue.

I definitely didn’t intend to fight here.

Why would I fight when I’d created such a precious opportunity?

My plan was to persuade him skillfully and use him for the task at hand.

Yet, I was deliberately provoking the Leader.

‘Why?’

I thought about the reason.

The reason I kept acting instinctively, contrary to reason.

‘Is it because of that earlier thing?’

The moment I met Yusa.

And right before parting ways with Yusa.

If I had to pinpoint the problem, it seemed to start then.

Ever since then, I’ve been getting heated.

Especially…

‘From the moment I heard the words.’

The moment I heard something akin to Dragon Words in my ear.

That was the turning point.

The fact that this leader guy in front of me was holding his head so high.

Moreover, I didn’t like the way he kept provoking me.

‘…Well now.’

These were emotions I had barely managed to suppress.

Ever since becoming a dragon, I’d been prone to inexplicable euphoria and pointless emotions.

That had worsened slightly after achieving great mastery of the Guhyeomhwaryun Gong, but today, it was particularly intense.

I scratched my neck with my finger.

However, I must have scratched a bit too hard, as my nail dug into my neck, causing pain.

Drip. Blood trickled down, soaking my neck.

Just then, Cheonma, who was behind me, made a sound.

“Don’t misunderstand.”

The Leader’s energy flowed along my shoulder line. It bloomed black, resembling his hair.

“Whatever secrets you possess, I make the law here.”

U-u-ung-! I felt a vibration in my heart.

A floating sensation spread from there, taking over my body.

It felt familiar somehow.

‘This…’

The moment Mongmong spoke to me, imbued with that strange energy.

It was similar to the sensation I felt then.

When the energy within his words enveloped my body as if to restrain it.

But it was the form that couldn’t quite reach, fading softly away.

‘…It certainly was a peculiar feeling.’

So vivid that I remembered it clearly after just one experience.

It was different from simply using Dragon Words.

This was something else.

It wasn’t just about suppressing the body or actions.

‘Hmm….’

Yes.

‘It tramples the soul itself.’

Wouldn’t that be a more fitting description?

For example…

“Don’t you dare lift your head-.”

[Sit.]

Like this.

Kung-!!

“…!!”

“Oh.”

Upon hearing the command, the Leader suddenly slumped into his chair as if pushed.

Forced down as if by an unseen force, the Leader looked at me, his eyes widening.

“…Wh…what…?”

Suddenly seated, the Leader blinked at me. He was clearly astonished, his expression priceless.

Of course, he wasn’t the only one surprised.

‘It works?’

It actually has an effect.

When I was on the receiving end, I felt nothing, making me wonder what it was, but it seemed effective when used on someone else.

‘It certainly resembles Dragon Words.’

The method felt similar, but the effect was different.

‘It’s more potent.’

For a strong opponent like that, suppressing them with Dragon Words should have its limits.

Yet, the Leader was subdued so easily just by hearing the command. How strange.

As I watched this with wonder…

Tuk. A sensation like a knot untying in my heart brushed past…

“…Kkuh.”

The Leader’s body regained its freedom.

I hadn’t released him intentionally.

‘The duration is short.’

Perhaps the duration is short because the effect is so potent?

Or maybe I couldn’t use it properly.

Doubts began to sprout, but now wasn’t the time to figure that out.

“Just what….”

Because the Leader was looking at me with an expression bordering on shock.

“Just who… who are you…?”

His tone had changed.

‘What the?’

Why is he acting like this?

He should be furious and ready to fight, shouldn’t he?

He suddenly seemed intimidated.

‘Was that the problem just now?’

It seemed that mimicking whatever Mongmong or Yusa did had caused some issue.

That must be why he’s reacting this way.

While that was somewhat amusing…

“My identity?”

First, I said to him with a smile,

“What do you think it is?”

This is actually good.

If he’s mistaken about something, nothing could be better.

I decided to take advantage of it.