Chapter 980: Lost Soul.

‘I found his trace.’

General Yusa said this towards Hong Jeong.

How much time had passed since the banquet ended for him to find the trace already?

Although doubt surfaced. It wasn’t that important to Hong Jeong.

What was important here.

‘You handle it.’

Was the fact that the General ordered her.

Upon hearing that, Hong Jeong, rather than being surprised.

‘Oh my.’

Was that she smiled brightly and was pleased.

How could she not be pleased?

A mysterious assailant who suddenly appeared, taking down more leaders.

Neither their identity nor their strength was known.

They said White had already been dealt with, and Blue was pushed to the brink of death.

That didn’t matter either.

One was ignorant, and the other was pathetically weak.

And the last one was somehow annoyingly unlucky.

Normally, they were insignificant pests she wouldn’t even associate with, let alone get involved with.

Still, they weren’t weak. Hong Jeong had to admit that much, even if nothing else.

‘Two of them were taken down.’

To be defeated by an unknown entity.

Just how strong could that entity be?

Feeling that, Hong Jeong shivered.

‘……I want to fight them.’

Hate the weak, love the strong.

That was the meaning the Crimson family held.

That was why.

She tore apart and killed her weak father.

And ripped out the hearts of her even weaker older brothers.

Because they were far weaker than herself. Yet, she couldn’t comprehend why they were above her.

So she killed them. She couldn’t accept the existence of the weak above her.

Hong Wa is that kind of person.

Enjoying fights with the strong and hating the weak.

There was even a famous anecdote in Yawal where she attacked General Yusa and almost died.

The craving and thirst for the strong.

That was Hong Jeong’s life’s identity and reason for existence.

“Hahahahaha—!”

Therefore, Hong Jeong couldn’t hold back her laughter upon seeing the killing intent erupting before her.

Kugugugung…!

‘What is that?’

Startled by the suddenly erupting killing intent, the Crimson leader, Hong Jeong, flinched.

It was an immense aura. It was so dense and sharp that her tail stood on end.

How could killing intent emanating from a living being be this dense?

Hong Jeong recalled the past while breaking out in a cold sweat.

The day she clashed with Yusa.

The killing intent she felt from Yusa then.

Even then, it was dizzyingly profound enough to make one want to vomit, but… This felt different.

If Yusa unleashed killing intent imbued with anger or various other emotions.

This was…

‘Just killing intent itself.’

Only the intent to kill the opponent existed.

No other emotions could be felt at all.

Not anger, nor any other emotion.

From the source, only the simple intent to kill existed.

‘……Amazing.’

She brushed her arm.

This was the first time she felt such killing intent.

Feeling the aura, Hong Jeong’s lips stretched into a grin.

“Heehee.”

She coveted the strong.

Should she thank the General for giving her this opportunity?

She didn’t know.

Hong Jeong clenched her fist without thinking.

At that moment.

“You insignificant pest.”

The man in front of her.

What was his name again?

Ah, right.

‘Heavenly Demon.’

The Devil sent by heaven.

The one who called himself that spoke to Hong Jeong.

“I despise those who don’t know their place.”

As he spoke, the killing intent intensified. The more she looked, the more she felt it, the more wondrous it became.

How could he be so strong?

Hong Jeong unconsciously lifted her head and looked at the sky.

The sky was clear. Meaning it was daytime.

A blessing bestowed upon the Moonlit Tribe by the Master of Myriad Realms.

The power of blood that allows them to become stronger than anyone else on the night blessed by the moon.

How could a Moonlit tribesperson who didn’t receive it be this strong?

‘Could the General be like this too?’

Yusa was, after all, a Moonlit tribesperson. The strongest among the purebloods, yet Yusa…

Could he also exude such presence during the day?

Hong Jeong suddenly wondered about that, but…

She had a feeling it wasn’t so.

Just then.

“Where are you looking?”

The Heavenly Demon said to Hong Jeong.

“Why look at the sky, when I am the sky?”

Arrogant words.

At his words, confidently proclaiming himself the sky, Hong Jeong couldn’t help but widen her eyes slightly.

The sky of the Myriad Realms belongs only to the Master.

Every living creature in this world knew that without exception.

To think there would be someone who could call himself the sky beneath the land created by Him.

“You. You’re really crazy, aren’t you?”

Hong Jeong, surprised, said with a laugh.

“Perhaps.”

The Heavenly Demon, who had been emitting killing intent, spoke to Hong Jeong in a peculiar tone.

“Perhaps I am.”

Kwadadeuk–!!

“……!”

Hong Jeong glanced sideways at the chilling sound. Her knee was lodged in her arm.

Perhaps due to the impact, her arm was crushed and twisted in an unnatural direction.

Before she could feel the pain from this.

Kwaaaaaa–!!

Hong Jeong’s vision flipped.

Her eyes, which had been looking straight ahead, were now staring at the sky.

Meaning her body had been lifted.

Her perception was slow.

Hong Jeong grit her teeth and exerted force.

She tried to twist her body, emitting her aura, but…

Pajik-!

This time, her waist.

Kwang-! Kaddeuk-!!

And then her legs.

“Kkeuk!”

Even as she choked out a groan, Hong Jeong couldn’t hide her surprise.

Because the part being struck was precisely predicting her movements.

To prevent her from turning.

To prevent her from escaping.

To prevent her from resisting.

To prevent her from moving.

The Heavenly Demon perfectly pummeled Hong Jeong’s body.

Yes, pummeled. That would be the correct expression rather than any other.

Kwang-! Her forehead slammed into the ground and bounced up.

Her body, which had been facing the sky, was now looking at the ground.

“Keok…!”

She vomited blood. Still, she didn’t close her eyes.

She saw it. Her instep dug into Hong Jeong’s face.

She raised her hand to defend. This time, she blocked it properly-.

Ppaak-!

“Kueok…!”

It wasn’t her face. She was hit in the stomach. Even this was a feint.

Her body, hit in the stomach, flew upwards.

It was obvious she would float in mid-air like this, but…

Hwiririck-!!

The Heavenly Demon didn’t even allow that.

From somewhere, a cloth appeared and tightly wrapped around Hong Jeong’s body.

It was perfect restraint.

Hong Jeong tried to tear the cloth quickly by exerting force, but…

‘Why is this……’

The cloth was inexplicably tough and wouldn’t tear.

It was from then on.

“Hoo.”

From the moment the Heavenly Demon’s low sigh reached Hong Jeong’s ears.

Pabababababa-pak—!!!

At an incredible speed, the Heavenly Demon rained punches down on Hong Jeong. Even when flung away, she was hit again; even when reeling, she was hit again.

The impact swept through her entire body.

“—-!!!”

She couldn’t even scream. She was simply hit by punches endlessly.

All she could do was stare at the fists extending beyond her blurring vision.

Only after being hit like that for a long time did the cloth binding Hong Jeong’s body loosen.

“Kkeoeo… Eoeoeo.”

Hong Jeong slowly collapsed, letting out a pained voice.

Is this the end? Just as Hong Jeong was about to lose consciousness amidst her fading vision.

Kkwaak!

The Heavenly Demon grabbed Hong Jeong’s hair and lifted her head.

Furthermore, he poked Hong Jeong’s forehead with a hand imbued with energy.

Jjiriririt–!!

“……!”

The energy spread through her body, and Hong Jeong’s consciousness snapped back.

“Kkeueu… Heueu…”

Something, whether saliva or blood, flowed down the side of her mouth. Hong Jeong looked at the Heavenly Demon with trembling eyes.

“What are you doing?”

It was low.

Her tone and atmosphere were unchanged from when she first saw him.

And her gaze was also unchanged.

Arrogant eyes that seemed to look down on her from a great height.

“You incompetent pest.”

The Heavenly Demon’s deep voice brushed past Hong Jeong’s ears.

“I have not yet permitted you to fall.”

Deolkeong-!

At those words, Hong Jeong felt her body tremble involuntarily.

“At least you should provide some small amusement, shouldn’t you?”

She felt a change in his words for the first time.

A hint of amusement.

Within his blunt and heavy tone.

Laughter was woven in.

Hearing that, Hong Jeong felt something stir within her.

What emotion is this?

She had never felt this before.

What was causing her insides to churn, making her break out in cold sweat and tremble?

‘Ahhh…’

Hong Jeong pondered, but fortunately, she soon realized what her emotion was.

‘This must be fear.’

This is fear.

A profound feeling she hadn’t even felt from the General.

So this is fear.

And this is dread.

“Kkeu… Heuheu… Heehee…”

Hong Jeong laughed, blood smeared all over her.

‘……This is thrilling.’

She realized too late that fear could be this thrilling.

She wanted more.

She wanted to feel more of this novel and thrilling sensation.

Having decided that, Hong Jeong looked at the Heavenly Demon, but…

“Your eyes are disgusting.”

The Heavenly Demon seemed to have lost interest in Hong Jeong. He reached his hand towards Hong Jeong’s eyes.

As his fingertips slowly approached, intending to pluck out both her eyes…

“……Stop.”

The Heavenly Demon stopped his hand at the voice coming from behind.

Then, with a smirk, he spoke to the owner of the voice.

“What a shame. If you had been a little later, I was planning to play with you a bit longer…”

The Heavenly Demon seemed to know who had approached, remaining unfazed.

“Why did you reveal yourself? If you intended to hide like a rat, it would have been better to stay hidden.”

“……”

Yusa frowned at the Heavenly Demon’s words.

“You knew I was hiding?”

“Haha.”

At Yusa’s words, the Heavenly Demon burst into uncontrollable laughter.

And then.

Kwang-!!

He violently threw Hong Jeong, whom he was holding, onto the ground.

Hong Jeong’s body, flung away, lost consciousness and rolled on the floor.

“Did you think I wouldn’t see through your schemes?”

“……”

At the words confirming he knew about his hiding, Yusa narrowed one eye.

“And yet you chose to fight the Crimson?”

He must have known that he could have intervened and turned the situation around anytime.

Unable to understand why he fought the Crimson despite knowing that, Yusa spoke up, but…

“A fight?”

At that, the Heavenly Demon spoke as if it wasn’t even amusing.

“Do you call reacting to your antics a fight?”

“……”

What the Crimson had done was merely child’s play. Moreover, it was at a level where Yusa’s intervention wouldn’t have mattered.

At those words, Yusa’s face contorted from a frown into a deep grimace.