Chapter: 896
KUURAAAAAAAHHH—-!!!
It was an overwhelming roar.
Even though it was clearly quite far away, it struck my ears with a level of intensity that was hard to believe.
Moreover, it wasn’t just a roar; it felt like there was something contained within the sound.
Of course, my skin was tingling. But beyond that…
‘I feel it resonating inside me.’
It was a sensation that vibrated not just through my body, but all the way to my soul.
‘What is this?’
As I frowned at this unfamiliar feeling, I was also sensing a peculiar familiarity as I gazed at the creature.
While my rational side screamed ‘run away, it’s dangerous,’ a primal instinct urged me to approach it.
‘That creature.’
An enormous and distant being that I was seeing for the first time.
But I had seen it before.
Well, to say I’ve seen it might be a bit ambiguous. It’s more accurate to say I’ve felt it.
‘Kkureungi…?’
A strange beast that had lived with me for years.
There was this odd little fellow who would whine every day about being hungry.
He was relatively quiet as long as I kept feeding him magic, but right now, he wasn’t by my side.
And why is that?
‘He said he had to go.’
On a day like many others, while I was practicing, that creature who would usually grumble without a word, announced he had to step out for a bit.
I had wondered where this clingy creature could possibly go. In truth, he vanished after that day.
Then there’s the kicker.
‘…Noya went with him.’
This also explains why Shin Noya is not with me now.
Noya disappeared along with Kkureungi. This was a part I had requested because it was necessary.
But then…
‘I thought they’d take longer to return than expected.’
They had mentioned they would be back within half a year to a year. Yet, even after all that time, Noya hadn’t returned. I found myself growing increasingly anxious.
‘Why is that creature…?’
Why is Kkureungi here? Can it really be Kkureungi?
I knew there was something substantial about the creature, but I had never seen it in person, so I couldn’t be sure.
‘What should I say?’
A massive lump of something.
An entity made of smoke that I couldn’t quite comprehend.
Just looking at it made me feel like I might be drawn in, and my pounding heart was sending me constant warning signals.
AAAAAAAHHHH—-!!!!
The roar echoed all around.
“…”
Whether this was Kkureungi or not, it felt right to run away upon seeing this…
‘…the issue is.’
If he’s saying it’s Kkureungi.
‘Kkureungi is related to my mother, remember?’
I had heard that the creature had a close relationship with my mother, and I was curious to know where exactly I was.
Perhaps I could even ask him other questions.
‘Will that be okay?’
If he’s not Kkureungi, then that’s a major problem. Just looking at him, it was evident he wasn’t a benign creature.
‘Even Kkureungi wasn’t the most trustworthy.’
The chances of that creature being friendly to me seemed slim.
Wouldn’t it be better to just bolt? Just then, reason began to fend off my instinct.
But then…
Someone grabbed my wrist. It was Cheonma, who had been right next to me.
“Let’s go.”
“…What?”
“Over there.”
Cheonma pointed at the roaring creature.
“Are you out of your mind? It clearly looks dangerous! Where are we even going?”
“I want to go.”
“…”
I had no retort. How did she know? Was it that obvious from my expression?
“Let’s go.”
Cheonma nonchalantly continued to point.
“Ugh….”
I tried to think it over for a moment, but my body was already betraying me.
I was already gearing up for a leap.
“…Well, I guess I’ll have to go find out.”
It was better to go than to stay back. With that resolve, I lit a fire and leaped forward.
Closing the distance wasn’t particularly difficult. Even if my body moved, the power itself didn’t vanish.
Going further…
‘I feel so light.’
My body felt incredibly light.
I hadn’t noticed it while climbing the tree earlier, but now that I was leaping and moving, it was definitely apparent.
It felt like I was about half as light as before.
‘My realm hasn’t really expanded, though.’
Why was there such a difference? I thought the cause might be the air in this world.
‘High concentration of energy in the air.’
That seemed like the most logical explanation. The air was rich with energy, allowing my physical capabilities to enhance significantly, thus changing my movements.
‘…What on earth is this place?’
Where exactly was I, for this kind of phenomenon to occur?
On top of that…
‘Who sent me here?’
Who was the one that tossed me into this place? Not to mention…
‘Together with Cheonma.’
The one who bound me and sent us both off.
Who could that be, and what was the motive behind it?
KRUAAAAAAAHHH—!!!!
Just as that thought crossed my mind, another roar erupted in my ears. It was much closer now.
I heard the noise and halted in my tracks.
‘Ugh.’
A laugh escaped involuntarily.
‘…It’s this big?’
It had felt unreal when it was farther away, but as I got closer, it became terrifyingly clear.
‘This is insane.’
It was too enormous.
The colossal size made the nearby Taesan look small.
‘WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH—–!!!!’
I couldn’t help but grimace at the sound of its wailing.
The ground trembled. The creature’s cry echoed to the heavens, shaking the surroundings.
I descended to the ground to get a better look at the creature.
“…Could it be?”
Is that really Kkureungi? Even as it approached, I still had my doubts.
What if it really is?
‘Should I at least act like I recognize it?’
Should I at least greet it? I found myself hesitating. I came to verify things, but what should I do now?
‘Hmm.’
What on earth should I do?
As those thoughts swirled in my mind…
Creepy!
“…!”
Suddenly, goosebumps spread all over my body. I looked up.
‘What the hell.’
My body froze completely.
The creature that had been gazing at the sky had now turned its attention toward me.
Its deep purple gaze was fixed on me, sharp and clear.
Even though its shape was blurry, those eyes were more vivid than anything else. It was obvious. The creature was staring right at me.
In that instant, my heart felt an immense pressure.
Whooooooooooo—!!!
A presence surged toward me. It felt distant yet frightening. My body shuddered as if I had come face to face with something forbidden.
Locking eyes with that creature, I instinctively understood.
‘I’m going to die.’
The moment it harbored malicious intent toward me, this fight was doomed before it even began.
Should I run now? No, this isn’t the moment for hesitation.
Just as I was about to accelerate and escape…
SHIAAAAAAH—!!!
“…What now!”
Suddenly, black smoke billowed up from the ground.
By the time I noticed, it had formed a complete circle around me and Cheonma.
‘Damn it.’
Is this an attack? I didn’t expect it to be so fast.
‘I really shouldn’t have come.’
I should have just quietly kept my distance, but now I had walked right into trouble. I tensed my body.
Hwaaarrrrr—!!! I flared up and swung my arm down to block.
KWAaAAAAAHHH—-!!!!!
As the blue flame exploded, shockwaves rippled outward. I was taken aback.
‘Even the firepower increased.’
Not only did my body feel lighter, but it felt like the power I emitted had also amplified.
But still…
‘It’s impossible.’
Now that I’ve tried, it became clear. This wouldn’t even leave a scratch. Damn!
My mind raced. There was no time for hesitation. I turned to channel the white flame immediately.
Kiieeeeing—!!!
The ring of the Gu Flame Wheel Technique spun quickly. At the same time, the blue flame began to fade.
Hwaaarrrk—! In an instant, it transformed into white flame.
I aimed to strike the barrier again with that.
“Don’t do it.”
Cheonma grabbed my wrist once more.
What the…
CHIIING—!!!
“…Ugh!”
Cheonma, who touched the white flame, winced in pain.
“What’s wrong with you!”
I was startled and extinguished the flame. I pulled Cheonma toward me.
I saw the skin where it had touched the white flame had burned.
“Are you crazy!? Why are you grabbing me while I’m on fire?”
When I shouted in anger, Cheonma’s eyes widened.
Seeing her round eyes, I thought, ‘Uh-oh.’
I quickly released her hand.
“Don’t touch my body without permission.”
“Sure.”
Her response was oddly cheerful. It was bewildering.
Is she really feeling good after being burned?
“But still, no can do.”
Cheonma insisted again. I narrowed my eyes at her.
“What do you mean, no can do? Should we just roll over and die?”
“We won’t die.”
“Yeah, right… Saying that after witnessing this.”
“There’s no intent to kill.”
“…”
I paused at that.
‘Now that you mention it…’
I looked up at the creature again. The barrier was translucent, allowing me to see beyond.
‘There’s no intent to kill.’
It only stared this way. The barrier stood, yet nothing really happened at all.
‘What the hell?’
What does that imply?
It’s true there’s no intent to harm.
‘But… he’s not human.’
Let alone a monster. This was a being from an unfathomably distant realm. Calling it a living thing seemed possible, but I couldn’t let my guard down just because of the lack of hostile intentions.
However…
‘…’
I glanced at Cheonma and extinguished the flames to observe what would happen.
[GUUuuu…]
It let out a soft sound.
What’s going on?
It appeared to be crying while looking at me. Was this some sort of misunderstanding?
I squinted to discern what was happening.
[Go… away…]
“Eh?”
Its cry changed. It seemed like it wanted to say something.
I perked my ears and focused.
[Go… away…]
[Uh… go… away…]
“What are you saying? Speak clearly!”
I added in frustration, and the murmur became a bit more precise.
[…Here…]
The pronunciation was clearer. So, was Kkureungi really the being in front of me? If so, could I consider this a favorable gesture?
Then…
KIEEEEENG—!!!
Suddenly, a tearing sound echoed through the air.
[KWAAAAAHHH—!!!]
Kkureungi lifted its head sharply.
The huge figure shifted, causing the ground to shake once again.
I turned my gaze.
‘What now?’
An unsettling sound filled the space. Cracks began forming there gradually.
‘Magical Gate?’
It looked somewhat like the form of a Magical Gate but was vastly larger.
‘What’s with this ridiculous size?’
The cracks were nearly as big as Mt. Taishan. Additionally, the color was different.
‘That’s not a color I recognize.’
It wasn’t one of those typical four colors; it was just a strange hue.
Deep purple. The crack was a deep purple, almost achingly beautiful. It carried a floral aroma…
‘Wait, a floral scent?’
Thinking about it, this felt somewhat familiar.
This is…
‘I’ve smelled this before?’
It was from just recently, right before I ended up in this chaotic place. When the Blood Demon attacked, I had caught whiffs of that floral scent.
Could it possibly be?
“Oh my…”
KWAaAAAAAHHHH!!!!
Light burst forth from the crack. A tremendous beam of light pierced through Kkureungi.
[KUAAAAAHHH—!!!]
It let out a cry of pain, and I widened my eyes at the sudden turn of events.
What’s happening? What could possibly be going on?
Just as confusion took over, a voice rang out from somewhere.
[Strange indeed.]
I froze at the sound of the voice.
[To hide your presence so effortlessly, yet stand here with such confidence.]
The melodic voice drew my gaze involuntarily.
It sounded just like the voice that used to stroke my head and hold me.
[Is it safe to say you waited for me?]
A figure stepped out of the light-emitting crack.
He was barefoot.
The being, treading softly on the air, gazed lazily at Kkureungi.
The difference in size was stark.
Compared to Kkureungi, whose belly equaled a mountain, this woman appeared no different than an ordinary human.
One.
Thump! Thump!
I felt something distant, akin to the sensation of seeing Kkureungi.
The woman’s dry, detached gaze fell upon the writhing Kkureungi in distress.
[Isn’t that right?]
Surprisingly, she…
[Mother.]
It was my mother.
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