Chapter 978: Lost Soul.

Demonic energy works. I had just come back after confirming this.

‘Black has fallen.’

The head of the House of Black.

The guy called Gu Bong’s father was captured by demonic energy and corrupted into a demon person.

When I was injecting the demonic energy, I was only half sure. Seeing his condition afterward, it seemed to be working.

However.

‘Not completely.’

I don’t know what the difference is, but I failed to corrupt him into complete subservience.

Looking at the result, shall I say it was half successful?

He did become a demon person due to the demonic energy, but.

His loyalty towards me doesn’t seem very high.

Is it that there isn’t much of a mental difference? Most show loyalty to me when they become demon people.

I don’t know if Black is strange, or if those things called Wolya are strange.

‘If it’s like this, I need to test the other guys a bit more.’

I almost never thought of using demonic energy.

To be precise, it’s more accurate to say I didn’t think there would be a situation to use it.

What reason would there be to go out of my way and use this after coming all the way to another world?

Things I didn’t do while thinking like that, but.

‘Now isn’t the time to consider such things.’

Right now, it wasn’t the time to consider each thing individually. I had to use everything I could and finish the job quickly.

“It works?”

“Yes. However, it’s not complete; it was just enough to put a leash on him.”

Binding the body due to demonic energy.

Mental binding was impossible, but the body was possible.

“Hmm.”

Noya, having heard the words, makes a strange expression. Seeing that, I unconsciously glanced at him cautiously.

No matter how ill-tempered and fierce Noya is, he is, after all, a Taoist master.

Especially since he was called a hero in the Central Plains, he might dislike the act of corrupting others-.

“Halfway… If only it had included the mind too. Tsk, tsk, tsk. How could you not do that one thing properly?”

I thought that would be the case.

It seemed there was no need to worry.

“……”

“What? Why are you looking at me with those eyes?”

“……No.”

I slightly shook my head and let out a small cough.

“Anyway… still, I did manage to bind the body at least. Even if that wasn’t the case, Black will come over willingly soon enough.”

Black was an ambitious guy.

As everyone knows, the easiest guys to handle were always the ambitious ones. Especially the higher their ambition, the more so.

The higher the ambition one possesses. They are bound to crave the method to achieve that.

These guys tend not to care about the method.

If they can do it, they don’t discriminate between means and methods.

As such.

‘Since I showed him my power.’

Now that I’ve shown him the unexpected power of demonic energy. A change will surely occur in his mind too.

I judged so.

“So, since this side is roughly done. How was it on Noya’s side?”

My side is done. He was someone I thought would work out in the first place, and that prediction hasn’t changed much. What’s important here is the guy Noya targeted.

‘Yusa.’

General Yusa. His situation is more important now.

Recognizing that, when I said that to Noya, Noya put on a somewhat displeased expression.

“Hmm.”

“What’s wrong?”

“He said he would talk about it next time.”

“……Oh.”

It was welcome news to hear. It would have been troublesome if he had refused outright and caused a scene.

He’d listen to the talk, huh?

As if focusing on those words, I looked at Noya.

Noya strangely had an expression that something was displeasing him.

Why would he make such a face?

Looking at him with a question, I asked.

“What’s wrong?”

Noya answered my question.

“It’s because there’s something a bit strange.”

“What is it?”

“I’m talking about Yusa.”

“Yes.”

“That guy has good intuition.”

“I know.”

Yusa tends to have good intuition. I vaguely knew he also possessed pride in that.

However.

“No, it’s not just that level.”

“Then?”

“His intuition stems from his power. Just calling it ‘good’ isn’t enough.”

“……If it’s power.”

Was it called Gluttony?

The power to devour anything.

The hungrier he gets, the more he seeks prey. To find that prey, his senses develop extremely.

Furthermore, the hungrier he gets, the stronger his strength and regeneration become, but. It was a power that required constantly feeling extreme hunger.

The information Tam could access after swallowing Gluttony is this.

Also.

‘Tam can also eat their powers.’

The four called General-class were said to all possess powers. Tam could even eat such powers.

I thought it could only be used on dragons, but it means that’s not the case.

From the moment Tam blocked and swallowed Yusa’s power. It informed me of his abilities.

Therefore, I knew to some extent regarding Yusa’s power.

“Are you saying that and the expression you’re making now are related?”

If his good intuition stems from his power, I can understand. So what’s the problem?

To such a question, Noya said to me.

“Kid.”

“Yes.”

“Yusa, as much as his intuition is excellent, is sharp, and furthermore, he’s far from being naive.”

A strange worry permeated Shin Noya’s voice.

“Didn’t you say at the banquet. That the next target would be better to use Red.”

“That’s right.”

It was the part I had Black mention. Hearing that, I went to meet Black. Noya had gone to meet Yusa.

And this is the result, but. Noya seemed bothered by something.

“I aimed it at Red and spoke. It’s true Yusa heard it, but.”

“Yes.”

“Regarding that target, the fact that Black didn’t mention himself. Wouldn’t he have found that strange?”

“……”

Hearing Noya’s words, my expression furrowed.

Certainly.

‘Didn’t I tell him to mention it?’

When I secretly met Black and gave orders. Among the things I told him to say, I hadn’t mentioned this part.

‘If it were me.’

If I were in Black’s position, I would naturally mention myself first and then try to draw attention towards Red, but.

‘What if Black didn’t do that?’

What would happen if he didn’t?

‘…….’

Black doesn’t seem like that foolish a person, but. It was something that might happen.

What if that happens?

‘When he judges it strange, what will happen?’

If Yusa found this strange. Will he go find Black? That could happen.

In that case, there could be some problems.

‘Although I corrupted him with demonic energy, he might be able to break through using the power called authority.’

If that power is truly absolute, it would be dangerous.

Thinking about that, I fall into thought for a moment.

I pondered. About the possibility of problems arising.

I think and think again. The time was short, but countless thoughts passed through my mind.

Although I pondered like that.

‘……Hmm.’

The conclusion didn’t change much.

“It’s spilled water anyway.”

The water has already been spilled. I can’t pick it back up. Nor was the situation conducive to it.

“Well, for now. I guess I have to try.”

“That’s an easy answer.”

“What do you think, Noya? If Yusa noticed something strange. How would he react?”

I think about the person named Yusa. I don’t know much about him, but if he’s someone I’ve confirmed even briefly.

‘Rather than reporting immediately.’

Rather than going straight to report the situation for the sake of his position.

“Wouldn’t he check first?”

“He will check first.”

“……”

“……”

The answer was the same as Noya’s. Since the answer was the same, Noya makes a somewhat awkward expression.

Seeing that, I chuckled.

“He has ambition.”

It’s no different from Black. He was someone with quite significant ambition. I can tell just by looking at his eyes. How else do you think I survived among those kinds of guys in the Central Plains? Not knowing eyes like that makes no sense.

“If you have ambition, you look for hope. They’re the kind of guys who’d scramble like crazy even in the mud seeking opportunities, so they wouldn’t just dismiss it without checking.”

Didn’t they say to test even a stone bridge before crossing? It’s a saying that describes cautious people.

This, in other words.

‘Means they don’t cross without checking.’

It’s a stretch to apply it to Yusa, but. I thought it wasn’t much different.

‘If he’s suspicious, he’ll check. I just need to act so that suspicion becomes certainty. That’s all there is to it.’

“So, when did he say to meet later?”

“An hour from now.”

“Hmm.”

It’s not that far in the future, though.

‘The fact that he needed that much time.’

If Noya’s worry is correct, it’s safe to assume he’s preparing something.

I feel a slight tension.

‘An hour…….’

Thinking about the time, I was briefly gathering my thoughts.

“And, kid.”

“Yes.”

“You must go alone for this task.”

“What?”

Hearing that, I narrowed my eyes slightly.

“Yusa also made it a condition that you, kid, come alone, and it’s a situation where I need to return to Mount Hua soon. Even if you’re disappointed, there’s nothing we can do…”

“No, it’s not disappointment. Why were you trying to come again?”

“……Huh?”

“It’s fine now. I’ll handle it myself, so you can go.”

“……”

Saying it so casually, Noya’s expression becomes strange instead.

“Rather, from now on, if you interfere, Noya, it’ll be a hindrance.”

“……Uh, uh-huh. Sure.”

Since I said he couldn’t interfere anyway, I was about to let him go. Noya’s expression is subtle.

What is it? I told him to go since I said I couldn’t help, so why does he look like that?

“If you’re done talking. I’ll go first. Just tell me the location and head back.”

“……”

At my words, Noya, perhaps embarrassed, clicks his tongue.

He seemed like he had a lot to say, but Shin Noya ultimately didn’t speak.

After that, I received the location from Noya.

The location Yusa wanted to meet at. Was surprisingly not Yawoel.

A forest located a little distance from the castle.

Noya said to meet me. Cheonma there.