Chapter 967: Lost Soul.

“Ggggrrr… Ck!!”

“…”

A young man with emerald-green hair, tied up with ropes and thrashing about.

Looking at Yu-sa, one of Man-gye’s Four Great Generals, I couldn’t say anything.

‘…What the.’

How did this suddenly happen?

What should I say over there?

‘Why is that guy acting like that again.’

Still, he’s one of the only four Generals in Man-gye.

Even when I saw him at night, he was the guy who showed a presence almost on the level of the Three Venerables.

“Ggggrrr!!”

What on earth is that state right now?

Not only is he tightly bound by ropes…

‘What’s that in his mouth. Is it a gag, perhaps?’

An unidentifiable stone was lodged in his mouth.

He groans, unable to remove it even when straining.

“Gggk! Gguk guk!”

He makes sounds, veins bulging in his eyes as if he has much to say, but…

Strangely, the ropes binding the guy wouldn’t loosen.

Just then.

“Ah, that guy is really noisy.”

BANG-!

“Cough!”

Shin No-ya swung his arm and smashed Yu-sa’s head.

From the impact, his forehead slammed down hard! onto the floor.

CRACK-!

The floor shattered, and a long crack appeared.

“Ggggrrr…!”

Yu-sa whimpered, seemingly in pain.

From the looks of it, his forehead didn’t seem to be the part that hurt.

‘Looks like the back of his head hurts.’

‘…What is this.’

Why is that guy tied up, and what is this situation?

Gu-bong’s expression, especially, was quite a sight.

It seemed quite shocking to see a General tied up and struggling.

Indeed.

‘It’s shocking even for me to see. How would Gu-bong feel seeing this?’

The status a General held in this world seemed beyond imagination.

Land of this size.

If you were to compare, it was a place almost comparable to Hanam.

The General was the ruler of this place.

When considering their strength, their status could be considered equal to the Three Venerables during the peak era of the Central Plains.

Someone like that…

‘…the sight of him tied up in ropes, struggling and groaning.’

Even I thought it was absurd.

Anyway.

“What happened here…?”

How did the situation become like this?

When I asked that, No-ya said to me with a nonchalant expression.

“What do you mean ‘how did it happen’? He kept whining, so I tied him up and restrained him.”

“The General?”

“Why? Is there a problem?”

Would there not be a problem, you old geezer?

I had a lot to say, but I carefully chose my words. This was the biggest issue when meeting No-ya directly.

It was fine to speak my mind before, but now, if I opened my mouth wrong, I’d get beaten up.

So, I pondered for a moment and said it as nicely as possible.

“No-ya. Have you perhaps lost your mind-“

WHACK-!

“Ack!”

“…After all that pondering, were those the words you spat out?”

“If you consider this, I said it as nicely as I possibly could…!”

“Oof. What am I going to do with this guy’s mouth?”

What do you mean, ‘what should I do’?

If it hasn’t changed at this age, it was safe to assume it never would.

“Ggggrrr.”

Suppressing a scream, I got up.

Even getting that old, his hands were still quick.

‘Just how strong is he?’

From the looks of it, Yu-sa seemed to have been subdued by No-ya, and there wasn’t any trace of a battle having occurred around them.

Which means…

‘He subdued him easily.’

How is that possible?

‘This is… compared even to the Three Venerables, there seems to be no contest?’

Just how strong is No-ya?

Right now, even if my body were intact and I went all out against Yu-sa, my chances would be uncertain.

If he could subdue someone like Yu-sa, it was a stark reminder of Shin No-ya’s strength.

A sense of awe struck me.

Can one become that strong with just a human body?

No-ya did seem amazing anew, but…

“…So, what is it.”

Since I didn’t want to show that feeling, I suppressed it with effort and asked again.

Then.

“Didn’t I just explain? Because he was whining, I restrained him.”

“That’s why. Why did you restrain him? I came here secretly, only for this.”

At my words, No-ya tilted his head quizzically.

“Secretly? Who?”

“…Pardon?”

At those words, it was my turn to be flustered.

“Who do you mean? No-ya. Aren’t I the one who came secretly?”

“Why would I?”

“…Pardon?”

“It’s not like I committed any crime. What reason would there be to come here secretly?”

“…”

At his confident words, I was momentarily speechless. If I hadn’t committed any crimes, that would be true, but…

‘Considering that…’

If you look only at the perception regarding Hwasan, it doesn’t feel that way.

‘…Let’s put this part aside for now.’

Holding back a sigh, I said.

“…Then, what will you do about the crime committed now?”

“Crime? What crime?”

I pointed to the tied-up Yu-sa with my hand.

“If you made the General like this, doesn’t that create a crime even if one didn’t exist before….”

“Ah. This guy?”

At my words, No-ya chuckled and moved his finger.

Then, the air shimmered slightly, and the gag held in Yu-sa’s mouth came out.

The moment that happened.

“You th-“

Just as Yu-sa was about to erupt in anger.

BANG!

No-ya swung his fist and struck the back of his head hard.

Seeing that, I was startled and had to unleash my energy.

Kuaaaaaa—!!!

Air pressure surged in all directions.

Lest this perhaps affect the outside, I quickly deployed my barrier.

How hard did he hit?

“Gack… Ugh!”

No sooner had Yu-sa’s head snapped up than No-ya stomped down and pinned his head with his foot.

Grrrrrr—!!!

“Didn’t I say you were noisy.”

“Ggg… Ggggrrr….”

“I didn’t permit you to bark, yet why can’t you understand what I’m saying?”

No-ya said to Yu-sa, smiling, and seeing his expression sent a chill down my spine.

‘…This old man.’

He can emit even that kind of aura.

It wasn’t just raw killing intent forcefully emitted, but compressed killing intent.

Even though it felt like a thin thread, it contained something unbreakable.

It was chilling.

His casually speaking tone was permeated with an aura that belied it.

“Yu-sa. Do you want to wear a collar after a long time?”

“Ggg….”

“If you don’t want that, stay still. The children are watching, so I can’t just smash your head in.”

As No-ya finished speaking, he slowly lifted his foot. Yu-sa’s face, pressed into the ground, came up.

“You bastard….”

The voice that had been about to yell just moments ago was considerably subdued.

Fighting spirit and hostility were still present in his glistening eyes, but…

I could feel him trying not to release it.

“The Master has shown great benevolence, yet why do you appear and cause trouble!”

“Cause trouble? I undeniably came here on a journey! You were the one who picked the fight.”

“A journey? Don’t make me laugh. Untie this quickly!”

Grrr-! Yu-sa strained, trying to break the ropes binding him, but the ropes showed no sign of snapping.

Seeing that, my eyes widened slightly.

I had felt even a little of Yu-sa’s strength before.

He was someone who could easily snap ropes like those with a flick, yet…

He’s struggling and groaning, unable to break even that?

‘…No way.’

Focusing my gaze, I concentrated on the ropes. Then, I could understand why.

‘He imbued it with Dao energy.’

No-ya’s energy could be felt from the ropes.

I wondered why they wouldn’t break, and it turns out the ropes were thoroughly imbued with his own energy.

The problem is.

‘Even with that, won’t it break?’

No matter how much energy he put in, there’s always a clear limit.

Even though Yu-sa struggled like that, it wasn’t breaking.

‘How did he manage that?’

I watched with interest.

It was fascinating. How does this work? Is that also a form of compression?

As I approached, thinking I might touch it slightly…

“What’s this guy doing now…!”

Yu-sa snapped irritably, seeing me approach.

“Oops.”

My bad. I did it without realizing.

“Sorry.”

Smiling awkwardly as I stepped back slightly, Yu-sa looked at me and Shin No-ya as if it were absurd.

And then…

“…As expected. This guy too… was sent by you?”

“Hm?”

He said, looking at No-ya as if realizing something.

“What do you mean?”

“No wonder. Even among the Hwasan Sect guys, there was someone strange mixed in…! What are you planning now!”

“…Tut tut. This guy is acting up again.”

“Despite the Master’s great benevolence! I’ve held back my desire to rip you to shreds and kill you, and even permitted your entry, yet you dare…!”

Grrrriind-!!

Yu-sa gritted his teeth. The more he did so, the ropes showed slight movement.

“You dare cross the line!?”

“Cross the line? What line? Ever since back then, I told you to fix your habit of constantly fantasizing, but you just don’t listen at all.”

As the conversation continued, a slight sense of wonder crossed my mind.

It seemed they knew each other from before.

Of course, I thought they would know each other, but their relationship felt deeper than I expected.

“Hah…! So, your arrival coinciding with the day the Master came to Ya-wol… is all coincidence? Don’t make me laugh.”

“Who’s laughing? I was more surprised, you punk.”

“It really is you.”

The veins bulging in Yu-sa’s eyes grew increasingly prominent.

“That night too. Your appearance as the ‘Heavenly Demon’… that was your doing too, right?”

“Hm?”

At his words, No-ya paused briefly.

Then, turning his gaze, he looked towards me.

With narrowed eyes, indeed.

“Kuh-hem….”

Feeling his gaze, I forced myself to look away.

“…Heavenly Demon… Heavenly Demon?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. In this Man-gye, the only one capable of doing things like this is you.”

“You see people as walking disasters.”

“So, you’re saying it wasn’t you?”

“Of course not…”

Before I could finish speaking, No-ya paused briefly. He seemed to be contemplating something.

Seeing that, anxiety welled up for some reason.

After a brief moment like that…

“No.”

Just as No-ya had done, I spat out a denial.

Hearing this, just as relief began to rise…

“The Heavenly Demon is someone incomparable, someone like me can’t even compare.”

“…Pardon?”

No-ya suddenly started spouting nonsense.

“No-ya…? What are you…”

“How amazing must they be to even have the name Heavenly Demon? A demon of the heavens! Huh? Just hearing the name alone would make anyone tremble in fear.”

An excited No-ya said with a chuckle.

I had to wear a dumbfounded expression, not knowing what that old man was doing.

Conversely, Yu-sa, hearing that, was smiling as if he knew it all along.

“You… were indeed connected to that guy…”

Killing intent brimmed in his eyes above his torn lip corners.

“Do you think you can survive even like this? Now that this matter has reached my ears, it means you’re finished too.”

“Pfft, finished? Don’t be ridiculous.”

At Yu-sa’s words, No-ya burst into hearty laughter.

No-ya, who was laughing like that as if hearing something absurd, soon instantly wiped the smile off his face and…

“If I kill you right here, wouldn’t there be no problem?”

“…!”

He crushed Yu-sa with a chilling tone.

Yu-sa flinched at No-ya’s words. Seeing that, No-ya smirked.

“Just kidding. A great General can’t just be eliminated here.”

“…You…!”

“However, since I came here with business regarding you, can’t we talk a bit before you get angry?”

Yu-sa, who was about to get angry, frowned at No-ya’s follow-up words.

“…Business? You have business with me?”

“Yes. I came for a stroll, and also because I have something to say to you.”

You had business with Yu-sa?

I was just as surprised at No-ya’s words.

I wondered why he had gone out of his way to come to Ya-wol.

‘Was he here to see Yu-sa?’

I never imagined Shin No-ya’s objective was Yu-sa.

Surprised by that, as I quietly observed the situation…

“Kekeke… Kekeke…!”

Yu-sa suddenly started to chuckle.

“Business? How absurd. Were we the kind of people who would share such things?”

“I thought we were on good enough terms to share things like that, weren’t we?”

“No way.”

And then Yu-sa said to No-ya, his eyes glistening much more than before.

“That kind of thing ended when you betrayed the Master and disappeared, leaving the General position behind. You’re just an outsider now.”

Hearing those words, my eyes widened like saucers.