Chapter 956: Lost Soul.

Kureureureung.

It felt like thunder was striking.

The air twisted, and an unknown energy burrowed in.

Thump-!

My heart pounded wildly, and energy surged forth on its own.

It was a defense mechanism. Not only did my body react on its own, but the energy flowed through my meridians, spreading throughout my entire body.

Not to mention the self-willed protective energy forming around me.

Giiiiiiing—!!!

The rings of the Nine Flame Wheel Technique expanded and began to rotate.

Heat flared up intensely, heating the crown of my head.

‘…What is this….’

What could this sensation be?

It was too foreign to be defined simply as hostility or killing intent.

Yet, it felt familiar, making it difficult to call it purely an external sensation.

‘Is it a spell?’

I decided to think of this sensation as a type of spell.

If so, should I express it as manifesting fighting spirit through a spell?

The manifestation of fighting spirit involves internal energy and emotions, and its intensity depends on the caster’s level of mastery.

Then, the energy required to manifest a spell must be something else entirely.

‘Is this the result?’

Fighting spirit as a spell.

And the anomaly intertwined with the turtle’s level of mastery.

If that is the current situation.

‘Interesting.’

Setting aside why the turtle was reacting that way, I found the current situation intriguing.

Spells are complex powers, and to me, they are an unknown force.

‘So it can be used like this too.’

Being able to utilize spells, even in this manner.

Learning that gave me a completely different perspective.

‘What’s the difference?’

The pressure continued to intensify, gradually affecting me.

I focused all my attention to grasp how it was manifesting.

‘It’s fundamentally different from internal energy.’

Then its method of manifestation must also be different.

Shall I try from the perspective of a spell?

Thump.

I put strength into my heart, initiating the threads of the spell.

It didn’t seem like direct pressure, unlike using internal energy.

If I had to define it.

‘Disruption. Or perhaps, an anomaly.’

And alteration (變質).

Changing truth into falsehood.

Or making falsehood into truth.

That’s how I understood the principles and power of spells.

‘This, too, in the end…’

Isn’t it about making it seem like there’s pressure through a spell, rather than applying pressure as fighting spirit?

It might seem like a common wordplay, but.

Swoooooosh-!

Following my realization, I moved my energy, and at that moment.

Tzereureuk-!

“…!”

Cracks appeared in the phenomenon the turtle was creating.

They were colliding as if generating friction.

“Ah.”

Seeing that, I burst into laughter with joy.

“So this is how it’s done.”

“…Hmph.”

Tzeugeugeuk-!

Amidst the collision of phenomena.

The turtle let out a hollow laugh while looking at me.

“…You truly are an unbelievable fellow.”

As the turtle spoke with a sense of futility, I felt the pressure that had been present begin to subside.

I clicked my tongue in disappointment.

‘I feel like I was just a little bit closer.’

Just a tiny bit more.

If I could have felt the energy just a little longer, I think I would have understood for sure, but.

‘Should I hold back for now?’

Given the circumstances, I had to hold back for the time being.

Just then.

“What are you thinking about right now?”

At the turtle’s words, I gathered my scattered thoughts.

“Ah. Right. What were we talking about?”

“…”

My words caused the turtle to wear an expression of disbelief.

“…We were talking about how your mother is the master of the Ten Thousand Realms.”

“Ah. That’s right.”

Right. We were discussing that. I nodded, recalling it.

I had mentioned that if I wanted to meet my mother, I needed to learn about spells.

Hearing that, the turtle.

“Did you say she was a Nine-Tailed Fox?”

He referred to my mother as a Nine-Tailed Fox (妖狐).

“Is that my mother’s name?”

“…You don’t even know your own mother’s name?”

“She wasn’t really called that. She might be called something different here.”

“…”

The turtle wore an unreadable expression at my nonchalant words.

Perhaps because he was a being with such a stoic expression, it was hard to read him.

After a brief moment.

“…That’s not it. Calling her a Nine-Tailed Fox is merely close to a nickname.”

“Is it a nickname only the Elder-nim uses? Or…”

“There might be others who called her that besides me. However.”

Tuk tuk.

The turtle pressed the ground with the staff he was holding, making ‘tuk tuk’ sounds.

“It’s questionable whether they are still alive now.”

“…”

His voice sounded faintly cold and sorrowful.

It didn’t feel good.

‘If that’s his reaction….’

Doesn’t it seem like my mother did something?

‘Hmm.’

I wonder what kind of trouble my mother got into.

While I was vaguely curious, I wouldn’t pry.

‘It probably won’t be good to ask.’

It’s better not to ask unless she tells me directly.

“…Hoo.”

The turtle repeatedly exhaled as if managing complex emotions.

As he continued breathing, I quietly watched him.

“…This is absurd.”

The turtle finally looked at me and spoke in a voice filled with emptiness.

“You can clearly tell I don’t have good feelings towards your mother, yet you intend to sit here anyway?”

“Well, no…”

It was true that one could easily tell, but.

“It’s not like I did anything wrong. If anything, it was my mother who did it.”

“…”

The turtle wore a dumbfounded expression at my confident words.

“What a shameless fellow you are?”

“Shameless? I’m being confident.”

I said, shrugging my shoulders.

“I was just as surprised when I heard my mother was such a big shot around here. Honestly, I didn’t even particularly want to come.”

This was half a lie.

Because I had made a promise with my father when the Nine Flame Wheel Technique reached Great Accomplishment.

-If you achieve Great Accomplishment with the Nine Flame Wheel Technique, I’ll tell you where your mother is.

That was the contract my father and I made, and the moment I heard it.

‘I intended to go find my mother.’

I was planning to head towards where my mother was.

However.

‘My intention wasn’t solely to see my mother.’

My purpose wasn’t just about wanting to see my mother.

It’s true I missed her dearly, but.

‘There was something more important than that.’

For now, other circumstances took precedence over my longing for my mother.

‘…I needed to know what state I was in.’

I thought my mother would surely know.

Also.

‘I needed to confirm things about the Divine Sword too.’

When I saw her trace at the Divine Dragon Pavilion.

My mother had appeared for the first time and intervened in the matter.

My mother told me to absorb the Divine Dragon into my body.

‘I don’t know what happened after that.’

My mother didn’t appear afterward, so I couldn’t find out the whereabouts of the Divine Sword.

I came to see my mother to find that out.

But.

‘…It’s a bit much that she doesn’t even remember me.’

No matter what, it’s too much to not even know her own son’s face and potentially try to kill him.

My situation was just as unfair.

Therefore.

“Please help me.”

I needed the turtle’s help.

“…How did the conversation flow like that?”

The turtle frowned at my words.

He seemed to think the conclusion was strange.

What’s strange about it?

“I need to meet my mother, and to do that, I need to learn spells. And you’re the only Elder-nim I know.”

“No, I mean… why should I help you just because of that?”

“W-well, you could help me a bit.”

“…So you’re just going to throw a tantrum, is that it?”

You’re quite perceptive.

The more the conversation continued, the more bewildered the turtle looked.

“I have ill feelings towards your mother, yet you want me to help her son?”

“Yes.”

“Even you must think that’s a strange request, don’t you?”

“It is strange, I admit.”

I wouldn’t deny it.

It was definitely an unreasonable request.

However.

“So, instead of just asking, let’s make it a deal.”

“A deal?”

Interest sparked in the turtle’s expression.

“Yes, a deal.”

“What kind of deal are you proposing?”

“You teach me spells, Elder-nim, and in return, I’ll fulfill your requests.”

“…What?”

For a moment, the interest faded from the turtle’s expression.

“I have no requests for you, so how can that be a deal?”

“Something will surely come up.”

“Huh?”

“Whether it’s a request related to my mother, or a request concerning you, Elder-nim, I will fulfill it.”

“…”

One of the turtle’s eyebrows twitched.

I focused on that.

It was an absurd statement.

How could that be a deal? The turtle could have argued that.

However, he was now lost in thought rather than arguing.

This meant.

‘He has something he wants to ask of me.’

Or could potentially have.

I wouldn’t let this opportunity slip.

“…Unless it’s something like ‘kill my mother’ or ‘fight someone’. If it’s not like that, I’ll fulfill it.”

“…Tsk tsk…. Kill? You speak nonsense.”

“Right? Patricide is a bit much…”

“Even if you died and came back countless times, you couldn’t kill your mother.”

“…”

Ah, so that’s the issue.

I scratched my cheek awkwardly.

Is my mother that powerful a being?

Then again, she was called the master of a world…

‘Is she stronger than the Blood Demon?’

I suddenly wondered, but I pushed the thought away.

This wasn’t important.

However.

“…No.”

The turtle seemed to recall something from his own words and fell into thought for a moment.

After pondering deeply, the turtle.

“I see. Perhaps…. it might not be the case.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“…I said I would fulfill your request, didn’t I?”

“Yes. As long as it’s not what we discussed earlier.”

“And if it’s not that, then anything?”

“Saying ‘anything’ makes me a little nervous.”

“Speak clearly.”

“I’ll listen later, and if it feels really wrong, I’ll refuse, but I’ll accept most things.”

“…Really? Alright.”

The turtle responded as if he had accepted.

This time, I voiced my question.

“You’re okay with me saying you’ll refuse if it feels really wrong?”

That statement means I can refuse if I feel it’s wrong.

The turtle reacted as if that was fine.

“It’s fine. After all…. I just need to make sure I don’t refuse.”

“…Wow.”

That’s a truly terrifying thing to say.

Should I just call it quits now?

As I was briefly contemplating this.

“I will deeply regret this.”

The turtle said to me.

“My foolish stubbornness is making me touch something I shouldn’t, but I suppose this is fate too.”

Creak. The turtle stood up from the chair he was sitting on.

Just then.

Hwaahwak-!

Suddenly, the surrounding scenery changed.

It was as if sitting in a teahouse was a distant memory; I was now in a vast field.

A field lush and green, brimming with life.

The turtle and I stood upon it.

“I shall ask.”

The turtle said to me.

Strangely, his voice resonated deeply.

It felt like it was slowly flying in, burrowing deep into my heart.

“What do you seek to gain from me?”

It was chilling.

And yet, sticky.

The vibrant field felt like it could turn into a swamp in an instant.

An encounter with a master swordsman is sharp enough to feel like swords clashing, but.

An encounter with the turtle felt like the clash of the four seasons.

Sometimes cold.

Sometimes hot.

Sometimes cool.

And sometimes humid and dark.

A feast of distorted senses.

The sensation of facing the turtle was one of alteration.

Feeling such sensations, I spoke to the turtle.

What do I seek to gain?

I had already decided on the answer.

“Everything.”

Everything, without leaving a single thing behind.

I intended to gain everything from him.