Chapter 1018: The Divine Tree and the Master.

‘What is that?’

I looked at the gradually reddening leader. The spots that began to spread along with the heat gradually covered its entire body, and its fur had long since turned bright red.

Even.

‘The axe turned red too.’

The blade of the axe, which had been spewing flames, was also red like its fur.

The spots that had filled the space completely covered the black hide, changing everything to red.

“Kuhuhu….”

As that happened, flames no longer burst from its nostrils with its breath.

What the…?

As I observed it, I noticed another strange sign.

‘Its presence has faded.’

I could feel its impossibly immense presence actually diminishing.

‘What is it?’

Its massive presence disappearing all of a sudden? That’s impossible.

‘What kind of change occurred?’

What is that body? What kind of power did it use to achieve that form?

‘There’s still more I need to check.’

There were more things to examine regarding it. But.

‘Something feels… chilling.’

Looking at it, an unknown anxiety welled up. It was my instinct. I felt a warning from my instincts, telling me not to do anything reckless against it.

‘So, do I have to finish this here?’

As soon as I formed the intention, my shadow stirred.

As if sensing my thoughts, Tam prepared to pounce.

‘…If I’m going to do it, I should have…’

It would have been better if I’d used it back when I landed the first Heavenly Demon Fist strike.

I missed an opportunity because I hesitated to check, just in case.

I reheated my cooled body.

Heat surged, and energy spread throughout my entire body.

Hwaaaaa–!!

The energy that spread across my shoulders shot up into the sky. I created a domain with my energy.

I cast the demonic energy-mixed Crimson Heaven. Black Heaven, gradually creating my domain.

As a result, strength flowed into my body.

Just as I was about to engage the enemy again, using this as my shield.

Whoosh-!

“Hm?”

My body suddenly moved. Someone had grabbed the back of my neck. Startled, I looked to see it was the Heavenly Demon.

She suddenly charged at me and pulled me.

“What are you doing–!”

I tried to retort, but the Heavenly Demon leaped from the spot and shot upwards at high speed.

In an instant, the leader became a mere dot. Pulled by the Heavenly Demon, I had to get out of the range.

---

Left alone atop the rocky mountain, the leader stared into the empty air.

It was the direction the creature I had been fighting moments ago had disappeared.

Just as I was about to clash again, the fight was interrupted by some intervening woman.

Should I pursue them? The moment they fled, the leader could have chased them if it had only decided to.

But it didn’t.

“….”

The leader’s expression contorted as it gazed into the air.

“Kuhuhuhuhu—!!”

Finally, letting out a rough sound as if expelling discomfort, the leader pulled out the axe stuck in the ground and swung it through the air.

Kuaaaaaaaah—!!

It tore through the air, creating a shockwave. The resulting surge of power struck the seemingly empty air.

Kwaaaaa–!

Surprisingly, it hit something, causing the surroundings to explode.

The leader glared in that direction and spoke fiercely.

“Crow. What is the meaning of this?”

Grrrrd.

Grinding its teeth, the leader gripped its axe again.

Then, someone appeared from the space where the leader had swung.

Flap-!

The figure who appeared had black wings and concealed their face.

“Tsk.”

He uttered regretfully and approached the leader.

“They were quicker-witted than I expected. What a shame.”

“I asked what you were doing–!!”

Hwaaaaa–!!

The surroundings vibrated with the leader’s roar.

The figure heard this, moved their hand, and said to the leader.

“What am I doing? I was trying to catch the prey caught in the trap.”

Tsk, tsk.

Clearly displeased, the figure repeatedly clicked their tongue towards the leader.

“If you had held on just a little longer, I would have caught them. Why didn’t you draw their attention better?”

“….How dare you.”

Thump-! Crackle-!!

The leader charged at the figure and swung its axe.

The sharp axe sliced right through the figure.

It seemed the figure, split in half, would meet its death right there, but.

Flutter–!!!!

The severed body turned into black feathers and vanished.

“Leader. Do you not understand the current situation?”

The feathers gathered behind the leader, and the figure reappeared.

“Didn’t you say it yourself? That they disrupt the order of the myriad realms.”

Flap-!

The figure spread its large wings and soared into the air.

“I was trying to help catch them. Why are you so angry–“

The figure flew high into the sky.

The reason was the surge of fiery power that struck the spot where the figure had been.

“I have told you time and again.”

The leader growled and spoke to the figure.

“Do not interfere recklessly in my battles.”

“….Sigh, Leader. I don’t think now is the time for such stubbornness?”

Hearing that, the figure spoke to the leader, sounding exasperated.

“It’s not just anything; a General has died.”

The death of a General. This was no small anomaly for the myriad realms.

“It is the law and absolute relationship of the myriad realms established by the Master. Generals must uphold discipline, swear loyalty to the Master, and protect all that is created within the myriad realms.”

And yet, such a General died.

Moreover.

“A General met their death at the hands of a being from the myriad realms. Do you not realize how significant this is?”

“It matters not.”

“Leader.”

“This is a battle I intended to fight. How dare you interfere?”

The leader seemed unwilling to listen, merely pouring power into the axe it held.

“….Hoo.”

The figure sighed repeatedly at the leader’s attitude.

“This matter must surely concern the Master as well. Is it alright for you, who is so loyal to the Master, to act like this?”

“I will handle that matter myself. It’s something I could have accomplished without your interference.”

“Ha-!”

The figure let out a hollow laugh.

“Are you truly confident about that?”

“Of course. Who do you think I am?”

“Who? A stubborn, foolish beast.”

“….”

Kugugugung–!!

The killing intent emanating from the leader shot towards the figure, but it was easily dodged again.

“The Heavenly Demon. The one you were fighting calls himself that, I hear.”

“….”

“How was it fighting him? You seemed to be on the defensive?”

“That’s laughable.”

Chiiiiiik—!!

Fierce, heat-formed smoke billowed from the leader’s body.

“If you hadn’t interfered, I would have won.”

“Yes, perhaps you would have.”

The figure didn’t argue the point. However.

“Perhaps if it were just the two of you. But wasn’t there one more person?”

A strange presence watching the fight from the shadows. The figure focused on that.

“That doesn’t matter either. I would have killed them all anyway.”

“….”

A rather foolish statement delivered with such confidence. The figure barely suppressed another sigh.

“….Kill who? If I hadn’t been here, Leader, you would have been the one getting beaten.”

The figure was certain.

“That unknown woman. She was wary of us from the start.”

The woman had sensed my hidden presence in the air. As proof.

“Even while you were fighting, her gaze was fixed this way.”

Even as the leader was engrossed in the fight, she didn’t join in but seemed busy scanning the surroundings, as if searching for me.

I should have been quite surprised by that.

‘She noticed this?’

While the leader would fight regardless of whether I was there or not, that was understandable.

‘She was truly strange.’

She was stranger than strange.

The Heavenly Demon was difficult to identify, no matter what method was used. And the woman with him…

‘Something…’

That’s all I can say – something was really strange. Beyond being unidentifiable.

‘The feeling…’

A vaguely unpleasant sensation emanating from her very existence.

It was like…

‘I was looking at Yarang.’

A being the Master doted on. It was ridiculous that he suddenly became a General. That displeasing fellow, who lost even the Sacred Tree and was only called General by title.

She bore some resemblance to the unique aura he possessed.

“If you had left the situation as it was, do you really think you could have overcome everything?”

“….I will handle it myself. So get lost.”

“….Foolish creature.”

No matter how many times I explain, that creature’s attitude remains the same.

Just in case, I had laid a trap, and the prey had fallen for it. I wished he had used this opening to finish them.

‘That ignorant brute isn’t helping.’

The leader ruined everything.

This was also why I hadn’t told the leader I was deliberately hiding.

Because it was obvious he would fly into a rage and attack if he knew.

“If you won’t leave, I’ll make you leave.”

Just as the axe was about to slice through the air again.

“You damned nuisance.”

The figure finally shook its head and moved its fingertips.

At that moment.

Jiiiiiiing—-!!

The air was cut by his fingertips, creating a fissure.

It looked like a demonic mirror gate.

The figure zipped into the opening, and only after it disappeared did the leader relax its stance.

Pshiiiiik–!!

Steam rising, the leader’s body transformed.

The red-dyed fur and hide returned to their original color.

“Krrrrr….”

Then, the leader looked back into the air.

Losing them was one thing, but being unable to finish the fight properly was even more dissatisfying.

Should I pursue them right away? The leader pondered.

It would be difficult to find them after some time had passed, but that didn’t matter.

After all, if they hadn’t left Mount Mareong, I wouldn’t miss them.

It started to search immediately, but.

“….”

The leader stopped in its tracks.

Far away, beyond the crimson aurora, the rising sun was visible.

Seeing it, it lowered the axe it held.

As soon as it saw the sun, drowsiness washed over it.

The leader slowly sat down right there and closed its eyes.

For now.

I needed to sleep.

Until night came again.

The leader closed its eyes and tried to sleep.