Chapter 982: Lost Soul.

Tap. Tap.

Something is making a sound near my ear. What could that sound be?

It sounded like footsteps.

My hearing reacted first, and what I felt next was my sense of smell.

A strange floral scent brushed against the tip of my nose.

It wasn’t strong, but faint and soft. Yet, the fragrance felt like it lingered.

As the sound and scent brushed past, I felt a touch.

I felt someone’s back. Was the owner of the back giving me the scent and touch?

‘This is comfortable.’

It felt somewhat comfortable.

So, without realizing it, I tried to close my eyes again.

‘……Wait.’

A back? A scent? Someone else?

‘This means…’

Am I being carried by someone?

“……!”

The realization made my eyes snap open. I urgently tried to sit up.

As I moved, the hands holding me loosened their grip. Naturally, I was lowered to the ground.

The moment I tried to see who was carrying me after landing.

Creak–!!!

“Kkeuuh……!!”

An immense, sharp pain made me unable to straighten my knees. Not only did I feel pain throughout the meridians of my entire body, but a terrible ache spread around my heart.

Stumbling, I steadied myself and clutched my chest.

“Whoa…… This is insane……”

How long has it been since I felt pain like this? Even when I first succeeded with the Heavenly Demon Divine Art last time, it wasn’t this bad.

This was incomparable.

“Hooook…… Hook……”

Blood vessels stood out in my eyes. The hand clutching my chest was even trembling.

‘Did I pass out?’

I had a feeling that might be the case. I had fainted.

Fortunately, it seemed I wasn’t dead, so it wasn’t the worst-case scenario.

First, somehow suppressing my groans, I slowly lifted my head.

‘Who could it be?’

Being in this state was a problem, but who was carrying me like this?

As I shifted my gaze to confirm.

“……!”

I widened my eyes upon seeing the figure standing before me.

“You……”

A woman stood before me, watching me.

A woman with brown hair, wearing a black mask.

Here, she was called Yalang. As far as I remembered, she was known by a different name.

“……Why are you.”

Why are you here?

Does you being in front of me mean Yalang carried me this far?

Suppressing my surprise, I scanned my surroundings.

It’s a forest. The location wasn’t clear. It didn’t look much different from the forest I saw before I collapsed.

Does that mean I haven’t come far?

‘I can’t know that.’

Forests look the same everywhere, so I couldn’t judge based on this alone.

Should I try spreading my Ki?

I tried to gather my breath and utilize my Ki, but.

Zzzzt-!

‘Damn it.’

My Ki didn’t move; only pain spread. Although I had recovered somewhat, moving my Ki still seemed impossible.

It was difficult to sense any presence. For now, I suppressed my Ki and looked at Yalang.

“What are you? Why are you here?”

Why is Yalang, who should be with Mother. No, with the Master at Yawal, here?

How could she not only find me collapsed but also…

“Where are you trying to take me?”

Just where are you trying to take me?

I looked at Yalang, filled with questions.

“…….”

Yalang just stared at me without saying anything.

Her expression was hidden. Perhaps because of the mask, her presence was still unnoticeable.

“…….”

She just watched me silently. I wished she would say something, but she didn’t.

What is this?

“Say something. You must have a purpose.”

I frowned.

It was the same last time. Why isn’t she saying anything?

Could it be.

“Can’t you speak?”

“…….”

In response to my question, Yalang nodded.

‘……You can’t speak?’

Does that mean she’s mute?

Is that why she kept not answering?

I only realized it now. No wonder she wasn’t saying anything.

‘Whether it’s true or not…’

Even if what she said was true, nothing changed.

“Why on earth do you keep lingering around me?”

I asked, even though I knew I wouldn’t get an answer.

It was the same when I heard it from the Heavenly Demon, and when I felt something strange. Yalang was circling around me.

They called her the eyes and ears of Man-gye, didn’t they? Shin Noya described Yalang that way.

In other words, whatever Yalang sees and hears, her Master would also know.

‘Does she know about this too?’

Could it be that the Master already knows?

And knowing that, she sent Yalang?

Or perhaps…

“……You. Do you know something?”

Unlike the Master, who lost her memory.

Isn’t it possible Yalang knows something?

I asked Yalang, just in case, but…

“…….”

Yalang showed no reaction.

Her expression was hidden behind the mask, making it even more frustrating.

I believe Yalang is the Divine Sword. All my senses told me so. Yet Yalang reacted like this.

I don’t know how the Divine Sword, which vanished entirely, soul and all, could be walking like this.

But.

‘Shin Noya is like that too.’

Noya also moves with a physical body, so why couldn’t Yalang?

I believed something had happened to her too.

And yet she lingers around me like this; what exactly does she want?

“Even if you can’t speak, at least react somehow.”

Just say something.

I looked at her earnestly, wishing for it, but…

“…….”

“Damn it all.”

Yalang’s reaction didn’t change one bit.

A sigh escaped me. I forced myself to hold it back and pushed myself up. I still felt the sharp pain, but I could endure it.

Creak.

Ah. Never mind.

My joints screamed. It almost made me scream along.

“Gck.”

I barely managed a single groan before straightening my body.

Then, I asked Yalang again.

“Are you not going to answer until the end?”

“…….”

“……Fine, then.”

I frowned and turned my back. She seemed like she was trying to do something, but since she wouldn’t react, there was nothing I could do.

What would happen if I went back to the Master and reported this again?

Was this visit also the Master’s order? Or was it an autonomous action?

As that question arose.

‘……There’s no point digging deeper.’

With her reacting like that, there’s nothing I can do.

Wasn’t it the same last time, even when the Heavenly Demon intervened and a fight broke out?

Besides.

‘She doesn’t seem to have any intention to attack.’

She didn’t seem like she intended to attack me. So I thought she was just watching.

‘This time, she carried me and moved.’

Seeing as she carried me when I collapsed, it seems she isn’t just watching.

What’s her intention?

Is it the Master’s intention? Or her own intention?

The former would be problematic, and personally, I hoped for the latter.

‘If my guess is right, and it’s you, Yalang.’

Not just borrowing a shell. I hoped that even without memories, some small part of you remained, which is why you came looking for me.

As I wished for that, I tried to move my body.

Thump.

“……!”

Yalang grabbed my wrist as I tried to walk away.

“What the-“

Surprised by the sudden grab, I turned around. Yalang was pointing somewhere with her hand.

“What is it?”

“…….”

“……We have to go there?”

She nodded.

Seeing her slight nod, I grimaced.

“……Why should I go there?”

She won’t say anything, yet she’s trying to take me somewhere else.

Slightly annoyed, I tried to shake her hand off, but…

“…….”

Even with force, it didn’t budge. It was because my body was weak.

“Let go.”

“…….”

“I said, let go.”

“…….”

“Just let go-!”

Whoosh-!

Suddenly, Yalang tightened her grip on my arm and pulled. I couldn’t react properly and was pulled along.

At that moment.

Screee.

“……Huh?”

I felt a sharp sensation against my neck. Yalang had somehow drawn a white blade and held it to my neck.

“…….”

“Look at this…?”

I chuckled wryly and said to Yalang.

“Are you going to kill me if I don’t follow?”

“…….”

There was no answer. However, her eyes spoke instead. Those eyes were a ‘yes’.

“……This is absurd.”

She can’t communicate, so she resorts to threats. It’s ridiculous, but.

“Just where are you trying to go that you’re going this far?”

Regardless, I stopped resisting. Was it because there was no way to break through this situation? No.

It was because something from my past life suddenly came to mind. I remembered the Divine Sword often used methods like this when communication failed. And the fact that Yalang was doing this reminded me a bit of that time. So, without realizing it, my emotions softened slightly.

“…….”

Since I wasn’t reacting, Yalang slightly lowered her sword and started moving forward. As she walked slowly, my wrist, which she held, was pulled. Feeling the force pulling me, I reluctantly walked forward.

---

How much further did we walk after that?

With my wrist held by Yalang, I continued wandering through the forest. We sometimes circled around, sometimes went straight, and sometimes turned. As we headed further into places without paths, suddenly. Soon, as the sun began to set.

‘Where are we going?’

Feeling a slight sense of unease, I looked at Yalang. Nightfall would be quite inconvenient.

‘……Isn’t this going to be a big problem?’

Walking for a bit had recovered my body somewhat. But it wasn’t good enough for combat yet. Could I win if I fought Yalang in this state?

‘If Yalang’s power is similar to the Divine Sword from my past life…’

It would be absolutely impossible. Last time, the battle with the Heavenly Demon was so brief that I couldn’t properly assess it. I had to keep that possibility in mind. Even though I thought Yalang was the Divine Sword. Considering Mother doesn’t remember me, anything could have happened. Especially coming to such a remote place, it was a situation that called for even more tension.

Thud.

Yalang, who had been walking, suddenly stopped. As her steps halted, I rolled my eyes and surveyed the surroundings. To my eyes, it was an empty clearing. Is this the destination?

“Why did we come here……”

Why did we come here so suddenly? I tried to ask, but.

Screee.

Yalang created a sword out of Ki, just like before. Then, her Ki began to gather into the sword.

“You……!”

Faced with that intense aura, I instinctively tried to summon my strength, but Yalang swung her sword first.

Swoosh-!!

I heard the sound of something being cut. I frowned as I watched. It wasn’t my body. Yalang cut the empty air, not me.

What was that all of a sudden? Just as I was about to wear a blank expression of incomprehension.

Swaaaaaa–!!!

The air Yalang cut suddenly began to split like paper, sliding open.

Pwaaaa-!!

Something burst forth from within. Upon closer inspection, they were butterflies. Hundreds of butterflies dyed a crimson-purple.

“……What?”

The suddenly appearing butterflies immediately enveloped me and Yalang, obscuring our vision completely.

Pasasasa–!!!

In an instant, they dispersed and scattered. What is going on? Butterflies? What’s that about?

“……Huh?”

Before I could even process the strangeness. Seeing the scene before my eyes, my eyes widened like saucers. Just moments ago, it was an empty clearing with nothing but an open view ahead.

“……What is this?”

Now, something enormous blocked the view before me. Wondering what it was, I looked up.

“……A tree?”

It was a tree. And not just any tree. It was a beautiful tree, its leaves all dyed crimson-purple.