Chapter: 970
The look in his eyes that says he got something right is quite unpleasant. The corners of his lips smiling and the expression on his face when he looks at me are all too much like that.
I really want to punch that unlucky guy in the face. But right now, I couldn’t afford to nitpick at that damn face.
“Was even the bottomless pit part of Mother’s plan…?”
The Volcanic Tree. The bottomless pit that existed underneath. No, that bastard.
Noya said that he was a superb being, a master-level dude, but I was left wondering why such a person was lurking in Noya’s volcano.
‘Even that was your mother’s request?’
Shin Noya claimed all of this was due to his mother.
Including the fact that Noya was active as a general. And that he had betrayed and disappeared while handling the sacred tree.
The problems that arose in the world because of this. If even the disappearance of the bottomless pit and the great change that followed were all because of Mother’s plans…
“…What the hell is it for?”
Why did it have to go this far? What was Mother’s goal, and what did Noya have to gain by helping her?
I asked because I couldn’t understand it. All of this was somehow orchestrated by my mother, and yet I had no clue how she did it.
Upon hearing this, Noya looked at me with a somewhat indifferent gaze.
“Well, I don’t exactly grasp your mother’s intentions either….”
Noya, pausing for a moment, continued after a few seconds of silence.
“If I had to guess, the first was probably an arrangement she had to make for you. The second one…”
Noya pointed into the air with his fingertips again.
“I think you’re expecting something big, like the end of the world.”
“…!”
I grimaced at that statement.
“…The end of the universe, you say?”
What the heck does that mean all of a sudden? The end of the universe out of nowhere?
“There’s something I often say. Plus, the reason I’ve pursued this situation is the conclusion of your mother’s wishes.”
“I don’t get what you’re saying. Can you explain it in a bit more detail?”
“I mentioned earlier that when something went wrong with one sacred tree, odd happenings occurred throughout the entire world, right?”
“Yes.”
It was said that because of this, the concentration of energy in the air surged rapidly.
“If that’s what happens with just one tree, imagine the chaos if multiple sacred trees have issues.”
“…”
“Then we’ll probably face something enormous. Especially.”
Noya lifted his head to stare into the empty sky. He pointed to where something might be.
“If there’s a problem with the master’s sacred tree up there… well, I can’t be sure, but wouldn’t there be a massive problem?”
After hearing that, I immediately told Noya,
“…So that’s what you mean when you say the end of the world. Is that what your mother wanted?”
For this, Noya and the Bottomless Pit took action. Doesn’t the current master know about this?
What could possibly be Mother’s reasoning behind it?
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
Besides.
“I can’t accept that it’s for my own good.”
What kind of arrangement should I be getting?
“…I didn’t receive anything here.”
How could that even exist? I got nothing in return.
What’s worse is that my mother, whom I desperately wished to see, doesn’t even remember me.
So what connection does this situation, crafted by Mother, have with me?
“…”
Noya didn’t say anything in response to my emotionally charged words.
He just stared at me quietly, but the complexity of his gaze bothered me.
“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
Why are you gazing at me in such a way?
“If this were the original situation.”
“Yeah.”
“I wanted to tell you everything I knew, but now I can’t do that.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I can’t possibly know your mother’s innermost thoughts. Besides, isn’t there some event that occurred that I was unaware of?”
“…What if there was something you didn’t know about?”
“You mentioned a divine sword? I mean, concerning Yarang.”
“…!”
Noya brought up the divine sword. Hearing that, I had to shut my mouth for a moment.
“I have never heard of that child.”
Noya’s voice when he spoke was faintly colored with clear confusion.
That may have been the case originally, but things feel different now.
I heard that my mother and Shin Noya share some kind of connection.
Furthermore, it doesn’t seem like it’s just a simple connection.
In this situation, the existence of Yarang seems to be significant trouble for Noya.
“So, I don’t really know what your mother is trying to do.”
The fact that even he can’t be sure raised doubts. I was about to bite my lip for a moment at his words.
“But remember one thing.”
Noya looked at me with serious eyes.
“Whatever it may be, your mother is doing something for you.”
“…How can you be so sure about that?”
“What parent in the world would ever harm their child?”
“…”
Well.
Honestly, I struggle to agree with that statement.
I’ve seen countless examples where that wasn’t the case, and my own family wasn’t exactly a poster-perfect family.
Maybe that’s why I ended up showing a somewhat unconvinced expression.
Noya saw this and forced out an awkward chuckle.
“Of course, since I’m an orphan, I wouldn’t really know. Hahaha.”
“…”
Even in this state, what am I supposed to say to that?
What a truly shameless old man.
Ha.
I let out a deep sigh, then turned my head to look at the setting sun and said,
“…So, for now, there’s no way to see Mother, right?”
Even if I met face to face, it’s clear that this current master isn’t actually my mother.
But Noya mentioned he has met Mother. Surely there must be some way.
That thought prompted me to ask.
“I don’t know.”
Noya gave me the infuriatingly unhelpful answer.
“As I mentioned before, I can’t be sure. I can only say that…”
He trailled off before immediately adding,
“If you do what she intended, you might find out.”
“…”
What did Mother plan to do?
“Destroying the sacred trees, perhaps?”
Wasn’t there a mention that I should break all the sacred trees of the universe to see the end?
If I perform that act, could I perhaps see Mother again?
What a ridiculous stretch of logic.
“…Looks like it’s connected after all.”
Upon hearing this, I decided to rise up straight away.
After all, I had been working on things for the Volcano Faction as well as a plan to see Mother.
Finding and breaking the sacred trees could relate to this after all.
Will doing it really lead me to see Mother?
‘Who knows.’
If even Noya isn’t sure, how could I possibly know?
Still.
‘…In any case, there’s no other suitable method, is there?’
And there was nothing else on hand either.
This was the most plausible option out of everything I’ve done thus far.
I stood up and pulled something from my pocket.
“Noya.”
“…Yeah.”
“I’m asking just to be sure.”
Clack. I slowly placed the mask onto my face.
[Did you come here today just to tell me this?]
The voice that emerged had changed.
Seeing that, Noya looked at me with some curiosity.
The explanations I had just heard.
Did I really come all the way to Yawol just to convey that? I asked out of curiosity.
“No. Like I said before. I originally had an appointment.”
[To meet Yusa?]
“Exactly.”
Yusa was the conversation with Noya….
Although calling it a conversation was more akin to a half-assed interrogation, it ended when I concealed myself at the end.
Noya could have chosen to capture it if he wanted, yet he didn’t.
He reassured me that everything would be fine, even if I was worried about the potential danger.
That guy would undoubtedly follow through with his intentions.
Even if that made me slightly uneasy, I believed him when Noya said it would be alright.
It’s ridiculous. I was the one who always suspected everyone around me, yet I find it absurdly easy to trust that old man’s word.
‘What have I seen so much of anyway?’
If I counted, it hasn’t even been a few years.
Considering the life I’d led, that barely accounts for a fraction of it.
It was certainly strange.
Crack.
My body began to shift.
I grew in size, and my hair lengthened.
Once I entered the state of Celestial Horse, I took a breath and told Noya,
[Just in case you might misunderstand, let me clarify. The talk is not over yet.]
There’s still something left to hear.
Ultimately, the precise reason for the Bottomless Pit being in the volcano is still hanging.
I feel there are things that Noya knows but chooses not to say.
The reason I’m deliberately holding back from hearing everything now is not just because I trust Noya.
The biggest reason is.
[Night is coming.]
Twilight has passed, and night is approaching.
[I’ll listen to the rest when I return.]
There were tasks I needed to complete during the night at Yawol.
As I completely twisted my body while watching the sinking sun…
“Should I help?”
Noya asked that, and I scoffed.
[No thanks. Just…]
Hooosh.
I summoned the magical energy and soared into the sky.
[You can just watch for a bit. I’ll be back soon.]
With those words, I vanished into the veil of night that had come.
Immediately after Gu Yangcheon’s disappearance,
Shincheol quietly stared in the direction where the black flames had died down.
“…That guy.”
His application of energy had significantly improved.
It felt much better than when he was going wild during their last spar.
‘Did he gain some insights during that time?’
It didn’t seem like there was anything in particular that stood out. If he had realized something, what was it?
Shincheol couldn’t bring himself to think that Gu Yangcheon had gleaned something during their fight with Yusa.
He could only hope that if something was realized, it meant good fortune.
Just as he was about to smile a little.
Hack…
Suddenly, Shincheol closed his mouth and dropped onto one knee.
“Master…!”
Seeing that from a distance, Gubong hurried over in shock.
“Are you alright…!”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”
“It’s not okay. Let’s hurry and return to the volcano…!”
“Return? It’s already night; where do you expect me to go?”
Given this situation, he should have stayed until morning.
On top of that.
“What if I neglect this and that guy causes trouble? Hehehe…”
“Master…”
“It’s fine. I’m just a little fatigued.”
Looking as if he was indeed fine, Shincheol brushed Gubong’s hand away and steadied himself.
He was trying hard to make himself appear capable, but in reality, he felt quite off.
Hiding the subtle tremors in his fingertips, Shincheol managed to force a dry smile.
‘This isn’t good.’
This is definitely…
‘It seems time is running short.’
The miracle bestowed upon him
was gradually approaching its end.
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