Chapter: 480
A deep, dug hole.
Nahi, who was looking down, had to hold her breath.
It wasn’t just that the lake had completely drained; it was the presence of the person below that was problematic.
‘Is that really the author?’
Nahi’s brows knitted tightly.
Although everything about their physical state felt different and their appearance had changed, Nahi quickly caught on.
That person was none other than Gu Yangcheon, who had just thrown himself into Dokcheon Lake moments before.
‘How could this happen?’
It was beyond her understanding.
It was already strange for someone to be alive and well in that lake.
‘… Why does he look like that…?’
Gu Yangcheon’s appearance was so drastically different from before.
Not only were the clothes he wore altered, but even from a distance, he seemed significantly taller and more robust.
If his previous form had seemed lean and somewhat gaunt, now he resembled a healthy young man.
‘And… he’s not alone.’
There was something next to him.
What is that? Nahi squinted her eyes, trying to focus.
Then, something beside Gu Yangcheon became clearer.
‘A… monster?’
At the very least, it wasn’t human-shaped – and no matter how she looked at it, it was a monster.
Considering the blue scales, was it a blue-tier monster? Yet, the color seemed a bit too light for that.
Rather than deep blue, it leaned more towards sky blue.
As Nahi cautiously examined the monster’s appearance…
Swish.
The creature’s eyes locked onto Nahi.
“…!”
There was clearly a distance between them, yet the monster seemed to sense Nahi and stared directly at her.
Krrrrrr-!
It snarled, twisting its face into a menacing expression to threaten her.
That growl sent shivers down Nahi’s spine without her even realizing it.
‘… What’s going on?’
At best, it was merely the threat of a blue-tier monster.
A top-tier assassin like her shouldn’t fear such a threat.
Alternately, an inexplicable sense of alarm made her swallow dry saliva.
What was going on with Gu Yangcheon’s transformed appearance and what was that monster next to him?
As questions and bewilderment mingled in her mind, Nahi continued to observe the unfolding events.
“… Huh…!”
She had to stifle a reaction, covering her mouth with her hand.
Something extraordinary happened suddenly, and it felt ominous.
WHACK!
Changes began to emerge in Gu Yangcheon’s body.
His frame seemed to warp slightly, and eventually…
‘Is he getting smaller?’
His height decreased, and his build became more diminutive.
It might be somewhat ambiguous to say he had shrunk.
After all, he just reverted to his form right before he leaped into the lake.
Whether the larger version was the real one or whether the smaller version was the authentic one remained a mystery.
Regardless, such a radical transformation was not a common occurrence.
Upon confirming this, Nahi attempted to turn away.
Something’s off. That man was definitely peculiar.
I have to run away. Nahi’s instincts were screaming.
But…
‘… Where to?’
Where should she even go?
To the Poison King? Or to Dangdeok?
It didn’t matter which way she went, but for now, Nahi made a decision to move.
She deemed that escaping this place was her immediate priority.
Just then…
“Where are you going?”
“–!!!”
As Nahi was preparing to flee, someone appeared in front of her, speaking in a familiar tone.
Perhaps due to her past days as a secret assassin, she barely managed to suppress her scream.
The one blocking Nahi’s path was none other than Gu Yangcheon, who had just been in the hole.
“Where are you going?”
Gu Yangcheon beamed at Nahi, as if some delightful news had come his way.
Nahi found that grin oddly terrifying.
It wasn’t just due to his physical appearance.
‘Something… something feels wrong.’
The aura surrounding Gu Yangcheon was entirely different from before.
It was difficult to articulate.
What could it be?
She felt an overwhelming force of pressure that made her want to kneel.
“I don’t really remember well…”
Sabak.
Gu Yangcheon took a step closer.
Nahi wanted to step back, but she couldn’t even manage that.
Her legs were frozen stiff, refusing to budge.
“Surely, I warned you that thinking of escaping was a bad idea. Didn’t I say something like that?”
“…”
“I’m honestly asking because I don’t remember.”
He had mentioned that she could run if she wanted to.
But the look in his eyes at that moment — along with the aura he projected — told her a different story.
If you try it, I’ll rip your legs off.
Gu Yangcheon’s eyes whispered such threats, and now he still looked the same.
Having deciphered Nahi’s expression, Gu Yangcheon inquired, “But why did you try to run away?”
“… Who… who are you really?”
Crushed by fear, she struggled to articulate her thoughts properly.
Despite her years as a stealth assassin, she had never felt this amount of embarrassment before.
The corners of Gu Yangcheon’s mouth curled up at her question.
“My identity.”
Just as he spoke…
“Ugh.”
Nahi’s gaze wavered.
“Right.”
It was because Gu Yangcheon clutched her neck and hoisted her up.
“Now I can’t even figure it out. I’m trying to take my time to find out.”
“Urgh….”
Are you planning to kill me?
That seemed likely.
This guy didn’t appear to be foolish enough to leave alive someone who had uncovered his secret.
‘Am I going to die like this?’
Death was approaching.
Nahi’s body trembled, overwhelmed by a rising tide of fear.
I wasn’t scared of death.
It wasn’t a fear rooted in the notion of dying.
What truly terrified her was the thought of leaving this life without achieving anything.
Was she really going to say goodbye to the world in such a powerless manner?
Having accomplished nothing, was she really going to die like this?
“Save… save me… please… save me…”
Her voice burst forth as she pushed through the pressure at her throat and the terror constricting her entire being.
Upon hearing that, Gu Yangcheon tilted his head slightly.
“How interesting. I didn’t think you were the kind to beg for your life.”
“I… I shouldn’t die like this…”
“Shut up.”
“…!”
Phew-!
A chill coursed through Nahi’s body.
Is it life force? No, it felt a bit different.
“You’re barking too loud. Keep your mouth shut; I don’t plan to kill you.”
His words betrayed his actions.
The pressure of the hand gripping her neck remained unchanged.
His gaze toward Nahi was also steady.
It was as if he were looking at a mere bug.
Moreover, the dark expression in his eyes suggested he didn’t even acknowledge her as a living being.
“Why would I kill you?”
It seemed like he was smiling, but his voice held a frigid demeanor that pierced Nahi’s ears.
“I was going to test if I can do this or not. You make for a perfect test subject.”
Test subject.
Simply hearing that term made Nahi feel nauseous, burrowing deep into her gut.
She shivered uncontrollably.
What was he planning to do to her?
Nahi’s questions were swiftly erased.
Swish… .
“… Uh… Huh…”
An unidentifiable energy began to seep into Nahi’s body from the fingertips that clutched her neck.
It’s hot.
It’s unbearably hot.
Moreover, the energy threading through her bloodstream felt akin to thorns piercing her flesh.
With each passing moment, she felt herself being wounded internally.
“Ugh… Ugh… Ha… Agh!!”
Having lived as an assassin, well accustomed to various tortures and pains, Nahi let out an unbearable scream.
It was an unmistakable signal of the intense suffering she endured.
At long last, the energy invaded her danjeon.
Kwuk-!
Once there was an inner spiral of energy…
Bam-!
Something seemed to firmly latch onto Nahi’s heart as she felt an electric jolt of sensation.
The ensuing agony struck Nahi’s head.
Boom-!
With a startled yell, Nahi rolled her eyes back and lost consciousness.
Chuuk-… .
With the strength zapped from her, Nahi’s form slumped.
“Hmm.”
Gu Yangcheon, observing, checked Nahi’s condition from different angles.
“She’s not dead.”
He nodded in approval, seeing the magic well mixed within Nahi’s body.
Fortunately, it appeared the magic was functioning properly.
After confirming this…
Whoosh.
Bam-!
He carelessly tossed Nahi away like a rag doll.
Nahi, unconscious and crumbled, rolled uselessly on the ground.
Tap tap.
Afterward, he roughly rubbed his hands together.
He felt so disgusted, like he couldn’t shake off the grime without doing so.
What should I say?
It felt as if he had touched something he simply shouldn’t have.
In that moment, Gu Yangcheon didn’t see the woman sprawled out far away, whose name was lost to memory.
Instead, he was preoccupied with thoughts of the crucial people in his life.
The recipe for Dokcheondan buzzed in his mind.
And the mere question of how to utilize it.
Nahi, who had just become his slave?
He wasn’t remotely interested in that sort of thing.
Not even a little bit.
In a forest somewhere in Sacheon.
It was a lush, vibrant forest, alive with the refreshing colors of nature.
Wheezing-! Wheezing-!
In its center lay a field.
Contrasting sharply with the beautiful woodland surrounding it, this center appeared disturbingly chaotic.
Not a single intact rock lay about, and what should have been a grassy area was dug up and completely ruined.
WHEEK-!
In a place like that…
A man swung his sword repeatedly.
Shhhhh!
The blade sliced through the air.
Elegant and fluid.
If one were to describe the way the man wielded his sword, that would be it.
It was as if the waves had been given form through his swordplay.
The sword’s trail left a mark of energy, creating the illusion of the Milky Way being stretched across the sky.
A sword that flowed with the rhythm of nature.
The man didn’t fixate on the sword’s edge, allowing his hand to move according to that rhythm.
His disheveled hair whipped about with each movement, and the tattered uniform he wore bore clear signs of wear.
He had been slicing away at the air for some time.
—-..–!
A voice echoed in the man’s ear.
Was it due to the voice?
Suddenly, the man halted his movements and straightened up.
Haaam-
Sweat streamed down his body, but the man seemed unfazed, merely letting out a yawn.
—!!
If that grated on someone’s nerves, a shout pierced the air.
Yet the man remained calm.
“Hey, could you please keep it down? You don’t take even a single day off from your griping.”
He dug into his ear and tossed out a careless response.
Even at first glance, he didn’t appear to be a typical person.
This man was known as Mudanggoeseon.
He was one of the three eccentrics in the Central Plains.
—-!
“Where do you think you’re going? I just came back from there! Can’t you stand to be patient? An old man like that should have a bit of patience.”
—
“Ha, how predictable you are!”
Chuckle.
Mudanggoeseon laughed.
“I’ll say it again – I have no intention of returning to that hellhole. You know that, right?”
—
“I will live as a shaman. If you’re upset, just get lost.”
—–.
“That’s right, only I exist. And that’s why you’re being so bothersome. Just stay quiet, or I might toss you out without a second thought.”
With an air of self-talk, the shaman ghost approached a rock and plopped down.
On it lay a roughly prepared rice ball, as if it were some prearranged stash.
He snagged it up, tossing it into his mouth in one go.
Rice fell onto his clothes while dust mingled with his hands, but Mudanggoeseon seemed unfazed.
After a couple more bites, he looked around.
“Oh, I forgot to bring water.”
Oh dear.
That was a blunder. He should have remembered to bring water.
This is rather inconvenient.
The Shaman Ghost, who bore a mildly troubled expression, suddenly gazed at the tree-filled forest.
“Now that it’s like this, could someone bring me some water?”
In the seemingly empty forest, the shaman ghost spoke aloud.
To his surprise, a response emerged from the woods.
Swish.
Someone stepped out from the trees with calm footsteps. Upon realizing this, Mudanggoeseon frowned and spat on the ground.
The figure, cloaked in mystery, offered a slight smile to the shaman.
Mudanggoeseon found that smile utterly detestable.
“Are you really asking your grandfather, whom you haven’t seen in a while, to run errands?”
“That’s not something an old man should say after showing up empty-handed as a guest.”
Hehe.
The one who had stepped from the forest chuckled at Mudanggoeseon’s remarks.
This unexpected visitor was an old man with white hair.
Moreover, he wore a blue uniform, bearing characters on his back indicating his mastery within Anhui.
Namgung.
That was definitively the name written on the back of the elderly gentleman.
“You’ve got it all wrong.”
“Mistaken? Does that have anything to do with food?”
“I am not a guest. I’m simply…”
The old man’s true identity was thus revealed.
One of the three greatest masters in the world, the absolute powerhouse of the Namgung clan.
He was the celestial being known as Tian Zun.
In addition…
“I’m merely a grandfather who has come to fetch my wayward grandson.”
He happened to be the grandfather of the shaman ghost, Namgung Hyeong.
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