episode_0063

“Is this the White Head’s territory?”

“That’s right. This is where the White Head’s territory begins.”

A huge mountain visible far away.

Thanks to Yongdal’s consideration, who is well-acquainted with Baekryeon, we were able to head to the White Head’s territory. We were standing before the majestic and mysterious mountain, its peaks appearing white due to the perpetual snow.

Of course, we haven’t set foot directly on White Head Mountain yet…, but it was certain that we had stepped into the White Head’s territory.

‘And even if it’s called consideration, it’s more accurate to say that there’s a shortage of manpower to handle the aftermath of the monster attack on the city.’

In any case, the territory we are about to step into is not a territory for humans.

It is a territory of all kinds of monsters, divine beasts, and mysteries.

At the same time, this place is not the White Head’s territory after the Heavenly Demon swept through it, which I know. It is a place overflowing with living vitality.

There may be various gimmicks or monsters that I didn’t encounter in the in-game.

“Let’s all be careful because we don’t know when or where we’ll be attacked by monsters. By the way, it’s one thing for Baekryeon, but Seollin, have you ever fought a monster before?”

In the Central Continent, I’ve hunted quite a few monsters roaming around as a concept, but in the Yeom country, I’ve never encountered monsters of this concept.

When I thought of that and asked, Seollin shook her head.

“I’ve never directly fought monsters before.”

Nodding at my words, Seollin said, as if making excuses.

“In Yeom, there was a large-scale monster extermination in the past…, so it’s hard to see them unless you go to really deep rural areas or the Arctic, which is called the North Sea.”

Indeed, so the reason why it’s easier to find bandits than find monsters was because of that.

“A long time ago, my dad, the current family head, cooperated with other sects to exterminate a monster called White Evil. Of course, I didn’t participate at that time, so I don’t know the details….”

“Ah…, I’ve heard of White Evil too. I heard that it caused serious damage to more than 40% of the Yeom country’s land. Many talented martial artists sacrificed themselves to kill White Evil, and in the end, they succeeded in subjugation, and the three martial artists who survived the subjugation were each given the title of ‘John’,”

“John?…, Could it be that Lone John is that?”

“Yes. It’s the title I received back then.”

So, Lone John was a title received at that time.

Seeing that it caused serious damage to 40% of the huge landmass of the Yeom country, the monster called White Evil must have been quite a monster.

Are they something like the Evil King of Kyo or a divine beast?

‘Come to think of it, when I looked at the explanation about the Sword King in the past, something like that was mentioned.’

【Sword King】

The source and teacher of my skills. He earned the title of Sword King by single-handedly subjugating the Beast of Demonic Devouring Earth, one of the Seven Disasters that appeared in the Pilgre Area continent 300 years ago. If the monster called White Evil is also one of the Seven Disasters, or something similar to that….

“Ugh…, but somehow it’s creepy and makes me feel bad.”

“Is that so? I don’t really feel it.”

“Maybe it’s because you’ve lived in this area for a long time, so you’re used to it. I…, coming all the way here makes me feel chills all over my body because of the creepy feeling I get from all directions.”

While I was worrying, Baekryeon and Seollin looked around while talking to each other.

Seollin is relatively sensitive to sensing energy.

The fact that Seollin felt something clearly means that there’s something nearby. I also glanced around.

Swoosh…

It was silent.

A very quiet silence flowed. I took out the Holy Sword from my inventory. At the same time, Baekryeon and Seollin also took their battle stances.

At that moment, several unidentified monsters rushed in from all directions.

Kyaaaaack!!!

“!!”

“They’re monsters! Be careful!!”

“Wow…, they’re really rushing in.”

First of all, the monsters that rushed in were mostly in the form of beasts.

“Let’s deal with them.”

“Okay.”

“Poison won’t work again, right?”

The battle itself ended very easily.

Except for the fact that they rushed in by surprise, there was nothing particularly outstanding about their abilities, so there were no variables.

“There was nothing special.”

“Yeah.”

“Come to think of it, I have a question. Isn’t White Head Mountain said to be a mountain where divine energy flows? Why are monsters roaming around here?”

“Hmm…, I don’t really know about that, but…, I heard that the shaman grandma said that yin and yang are like one, so if there is light, there must be shadow. I guess it’s something similar to that, but.”

Hmm…, yin and yang are one….

Well, the important thing isn’t that.

“The Chuei Hill is about halfway up the White Head, right?”

“Hmm. That’s right. But how does Young Master know that?”

“I saw it in a dream.”

“Does the hero’s revelation show even that? It’s amazing.”

Fortunately, Baekryeon didn’t think anything of it when I knew things in a strange way and just moved on.

“Then let’s go.”

“Yeah. Let’s hurry up and solve it. The atmosphere here isn’t very good.”

“….That’s right. Let’s hurry up. Young Master, Seollin.”

* * *

We felt the anomaly as we gradually got closer to White Head Mountain and started climbing it. As we moved forward, repeatedly encountering and repelling various monsters, we felt a commotion for the first time in White Head Mountain, which had never broken its quiet silence.

“What is this?”

“An uneasy feeling….”

“The shaking of the mountain…, or is it a roar?”

Broken silence. Commotion.

It was hard to think that all of these were mere coincidences.

When I turned my gaze to Baekryeon and Seollin, the two nodded and looked at me.

A look that said we could increase our speed.

So, I increased my speed in one step. Baekryeon and Seollin also started climbing the mountain without falling behind my speed, somehow sticking to me, proving the worth of their training so far.

“Kieeeeeeeeeeeeek!!”

“You’re suddenly acting up, you son of a…!!”

“Weren’t you high on drugs?!”

How much of the mountain had we climbed?

A slightly turbid and playful voice could be heard in my ear.

And after that,

Krooooooo!!!

A huge beast’s roar echoed, as if the mountain would be torn apart.

I could tell who the owner of the roar was without thinking deeply.

“White Tiger!…, Has it been released?”

I run, using the roar as a signpost.

What I see is a beast with brown skin and a great tiger scattering beautiful white fur, contrasting with that beast.

“Young Master!! Is that perhaps?!…”

“A, a divine beast White Tiger?! Really?!”

“It seems so…, but it doesn’t seem to be in its right mind?”

The light had disappeared from the White Tiger’s eyes, and its breathing was roughly disheveled.

Also, around the White Tiger, there were crushed lumps of blood that seemed to be Chuei.

“Kieeeeeeeek!!”

“Humans!!!”

“It’s already complicated, and now humans!!!”

“Let’s kill them!!”

And our gazes reached the eyes of the Chuei, who were looking at the situation.

They naturally showed hostility towards us as well.

But it wasn’t just the Chuei who were showing hostility. The rampaging White Tiger also started running amok without distinguishing between friend and foe.

“Baekryeon! Seollin!! I’m counting on you to take care of the Chuei around us!!”

“W, what?! Then what about you?!”

“I’ll stop that thing!”

“W, wait! Baekryeon isn’t good against the Chuei!!”

Seollin said urgently, but I didn’t have the luxury to listen to Seollin’s words until the end.

In the first place, if a divine beast is rampaging, I’m the only one here who can stop it.

But at the same time, if that’s the White Tiger, simply suppressing it with force won’t mean anything.

“How did you get so angry? White Tiger…, no, I understand why you’re angry, but…, I didn’t imagine you’d be so full of energy!”

Kroaaaaaaa! Kraaaaaaaat!!!

No matter how you look at it, it’s too lively to be seen as weakened by being soaked in drugs and suffering all kinds of torture.

Did we arrive before the torture?

Or is it a runaway squeezing out the last of its strength?

Either way, it wasn’t good news for me, who had to fully accept that runaway power.

‘Bladed weapons are obviously out of the question. If that’s the case….’

That means I have to bump into it with my body.

The huge tiger, White Tiger, rushes towards me.

I lightly dodge it by playing with my feet, then clench my fist tightly and slam it down on the White Tiger’s head.

Clang!!!

A huge sound echoed loudly, but unfortunately, it didn’t seem to have any effect on the opponent.

Rather, it roared even more fiercely and started rushing at me.

No, it feels like it’s running even more wildly from the moment it recognized my existence?

Bang! Bang! Bang bang!!! Crrrrumble!!! Kuuung!!!

Since such a large tiger started rampaging, the surroundings were instantly turned into ruins.

A rough storm rages when the tiger’s tail is swung once, and dozens of trees are shattered every time its front paw is swung.

When the roar is unleashed, the earth shakes, as expected of one of the four divine beasts with power like the Vermillion Bird.

“Kyaa?!”

“Ugh?!”

In addition, every time the White Tiger rampages, Baekryeon and Seollin, who were dealing with the Chuei, are affected, so I feel anxious for no reason.

“Hey! Calm down!!”

Kroooooaaaaaa! Kraaaaaaaat!!!

“I came to save you!! Damn it!”

Of course, if I could get my message across by shouting like this, we would have already communicated. So, I have no choice at times like this.

[【Strengthened Energy】is activated.]

“It’s shock therapy.”

It’s hard to penetrate that hide and cause damage with just moderate strength, so I wrap strengthened energy around my hands.

“White Tiger, sit!!!”

?!?!??!?

Kwwwaaaaang!!!!