Chapter: 990
I walked carefully. Even if I went out, I definitely wouldn’t be able to leave the Volcano Sect anyway. There was no point in going out.
Then, Hani dropped her little pity party and took a step forward.
“Are you here?”
The place I was headed was pretty obvious. A person waiting there greeted me with a stern expression.
“I was somewhat worried, but thankfully it seems you weren’t alone.”
Shin Noya glanced at me, then looked at the figure next to him. It was the Heavenly Horse.
“Have you finished your thoughts?”
“…….”
Thoughts.
At that question, I paused for a moment. When asked if it was done, I couldn’t say it was over at all.
In fact, it was still complicated, stifling, and I was being swept away by all kinds of crazy delusions.
“Noya.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you remember the words you said to me?”
No matter how many times I go around and around, I know that the things I must do remain the same.
That’s what I spent my time recognizing.
Am I destined to become a disaster? A fate that was twisted and out of whack, yet maybe my soul could be straightened and end up like that again?
Those are truly stifling words, yet they don’t change the situation.
It just leaves my mood in a pitiful state. And a very deep one at that.
But.
‘… Just because I feel like hell.’
It doesn’t mean what needs to be done changes.
What if I actually am a disaster?
I clenched my fists and chewed my tongue repeatedly, then spoke to Noya.
“It doesn’t matter how bad my situation is. If I think it’s not me, then it’s not. That’s what you said, right?”
Those were words Noya had spoken to me once.
Just like back then. At a time when Yeonilcheon declared me a disaster, and I was about to collapse.
Noya’s words were meant to pull me back to my senses.
“……Okay.”
Noya settled down, calm as if recalling that moment.
“The meaning of what you said back then… Has that changed at all now?”
“…….”
Your words that lifted me.
Has their meaning changed even now? As I asked that, Noya’s gaze turned toward me.
What expression was he wearing? I couldn’t decipher the meaning on Noya’s face.
But.
“Yangcheon.”
“Yes, Noya.”
“I’ll ask you, who are now asking me.”
“Yes.”
“Truly, does my will matter?”
“…….”
“What’s important right now isn’t my will, is it?”
I kept my mouth shut.
“I don’t think you came to get an answer from me. Nor do I think you came for verification.”
I took a calm breath as the hue of gentle pink in Noya’s gaze became soft.
The fierce eyes held a sharpness, yet they also possessed the power to calm anyone who looked.
“What’s your viewpoint?”
Regardless of how you think.
What do you think of yourself?
I hardened my grip when that question arose.
Crack—!
I could hear the bones in my fingers crackling.
It didn’t break; it just caused a bit of pain.
I spoke, feeling a tingling sensation.
“…… I might be a disaster.”
“…….”
“If you listen to my appearance or my words, it feels like that might genuinely be true.”
I pouted. Forcibly lifting the corners of my lips, which refused to budge.
“…… Wouldn’t it be fine if I just didn’t do it?”
If I had a mask, I would’ve wanted to put it on.
If I wanted to hide my expressions, I wished to wear something, but since I couldn’t, I just let it all out.
“Disaster. If I want to avoid that, then I can, right?”
Even if, depending on Noya’s words or the situation, it’s possible for me to indeed be a disaster.
‘I just might refuse out of spite.’
So if I stand firm on not doing it, that’s the end of it. I won’t do it.
Didn’t you say that if I think it’s not me, then it’s not?
Then so shall I think.
‘By any means necessary.’
Just as it has been thus far.
‘I’ll ensure that happens.’
There’s nothing that can’t be done. It would be the same this time.
Even if it means I have to die, I won’t bring harm to those important to me with my own hands.
“…… Hmph.”
Noya clenched his jaw after hearing what I said. And then.
“Long time.”
He let out a wry smile.
“You’ve given me an answer I find agreeable.”
“…….”
“If you’ve decided that, then go ahead and do it.”
Tap. Noya’s words left his lips as he stood upright.
“As I mentioned earlier, there will be a way regardless.”
“…… Why are you so certain?”
“Surely you know that your mother’s arrangements are peculiar, right?”
“…….”
Can we even call this an arrangement?
Honestly, I couldn’t grasp it.
If it was indeed my mother who tampered with my soul, why would she want to place it back where it belonged?
‘I honestly don’t know what she desires from me.’
I also have no idea what my mother, who suddenly vanished, wishes for me now.
Is she hoping for a disaster? If my mother truly appeared as per the will of the world.
That could be a possibility.
‘But if that were the case, she wouldn’t have touched my soul.’
It certainly seemed there was some intention behind those acts.
That could be what Noya calls an arrangement. Or maybe it’s not.
It’s difficult to trust my mother without question.
Even though I did miss her a great deal.
‘Because I really don’t know.’
Setting aside my longing, the situation is one of unpredictability. So I had to consider all possibilities.
Even if I’m destined to be a disaster, if I wanted to break free from that fate, I needed to be aware and devise a plan.
‘Of course, speaking of a plan…’
It probably wouldn’t change much.
I would find out things I didn’t know before. What I had to do remained consistent.
‘Whether Yarang acts based on my mother’s will or not…’
At this moment, there was but one thing that needed doing.
“Noya.”
“Yeah.”
“…… I’ll go look for the Holy Tree of the Night Moon first.”
I need to find the Holy Tree.
So while searching for this tree, I must also face my mother.
Even if she turns out to be my master and not just my mother.
‘Even if they say I’ll become a disaster.’
I had to return. Somehow, I had to go back and fulfill my obligations.
“…… Are you planning to go right away?”
Noya’s eyes widened, seemingly surprised by my remarks.
Do you really plan to leave immediately after such shocking news? He gazed at me, questioning me with his eyes.
“I won’t be heading out immediately.”
I, too, had no intent to go right away.
That was the case…
“Because I need to wait until nightfall.”
Because I gained something, I had to utilize it.
—
*
The moon rises in the sky.
Not one, but two.
The moon I had first encountered upon arriving in Yawol was like that. The clear aurora shimmered beautifully across the sky, almost as if nothing had changed since back then.
I settled down quietly while looking at it.
My body landed atop the surrounding wall.
There were people standing guard around the wall, yet they had not noticed me.
As soon as I touched down, my body took flight.
The wind whipped around, and in a flash, my surroundings altered.
Even though I was moving at an incredibly rapid speed, I descended as softly as a feather.
There was hardly any recoil. No, it indicated that my body was strong enough to completely absorb any kickback.
‘Haha.’
I felt a sense of admiration for my body.
So that was possible too.
I gradually loosened up while concealed in the darkness.
I had to tread carefully. As soon as the moon rose, my invigorated body kept attempting to break free of its restraints.
Wooosh.
My tail twitched, and the newly sprouted ears felt bothersome.
I kept my legs moving while adjusting to the sensations I was experiencing.
As night fell, my body morphed again.
The flesh of the moon.
Not only did I transform into a form reminiscent of a mixture between a beast and a human, but my strength and energies, along with all five senses, were amplified to the max.
Because of that, I struggled to keep my body steady.
Initially, the force surged out with greater intensity than I anticipated, wreaking havoc around me.
After a few repetitions and efforts to acclimate, I reached this point.
A sudden leap in ability.
It was akin to being in a state of heightened awareness.
‘No, to be precise, heightened plus.’
It was more than just an increase in ability. Overall, things had improved, rendering the situation even more surreal.
Moreover, I felt more and more excitement bubbling up over what further changes had taken place.
Just before, I’d heard the talk of disasters and yet here I was, filled with enthusiasm as night arrived.
‘Is this also a symptom of the bodily transformation?’
Things I should have obtained long ago.
If this is the change that occurred when my soul returned to its original form after consuming the divine fruit…
‘Why do I revert to being a dragon during the day?’
Why do I only take on this form at night and revert during the day?
‘No, if I put it that way, it doesn’t quite fit.’
If my transformation into the Moonlight was dictated by my mother, then it’s accurate to say I only become the Moonlight at night, rather than reverting to a dragon form.
Anyway…
“This…”
“Over there…”
With my heightened senses expanding, information streamed in from every direction.
My sense of smell picked up on previously undetectable scents, and my hearing tuned in to sounds clearer and more broadly than before.
I moved forward, gathering the rushing information.
Am I wearing my mask properly? What does my outfit look like?
Moreover, am I utilizing the gas transformation technique correctly?
I double-checked all of it.
Especially since my body had undergone a change, I had worried there might be issues while using the gas transformation technique, but to my surprise,
‘It turned out to be easier to use.’
The Moonlight’s body had been modified to enhance gas transformation.
Perhaps it was due to my muscles feeling more flexible. Or maybe my body had simply grown stronger in endurance.
Either way, I had become capable of much more precise and refined alterations.
Thanks to this, it felt like fighting while utilizing gas transformation at night would be way simpler.
‘Even if that weren’t the case, things would still be considerably better.’
To this degree…
‘I think I could hold my own even against the Three Lords?’
I had never fought them head-to-head, but I imagined I’d have no trouble engaging them.
What this implies.
‘It implies that I could also go toe-to-toe with generals.’
It meant I could likely withstand a fight against a general deemed comparable to the Three Lords or even slightly weaker.
‘That’s fantastic!’
After all, I might need to fight soon anyway.
As long as I strategically used the night, I could come out on top.
With that in mind, I reached for the door before me and pulled it open.
There weren’t any guards. I knew this from my previous visit; it didn’t seem like they had any patrols stationed nearby.
I wondered why, but for me, it was simply convenient that I could approach without issue.
Creeeak—!
Just as the door began to slowly swing open and I was about to step inside…
“If you wouldn’t mind, may I?”
“…….”
I halted, frozen, with my hand still on the doorknob.
A voice had reached my ears.
It was coming from right behind me.
If someone could speak to me from behind, then what could possibly be the problem?
“Is it alright if I go in first?”
“…….”
The first thing was that I hadn’t felt any presence until they approached.
The second factor was.
“It’s actually a bit urgent.”
The voice that was currently speaking to me with a smile was unmistakably clear.
Because it belonged to my mother.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
