[Rooooaaaarrrrr!!!]
The roar was deafening, so powerful it felt as though it slamd directly into my ears, despite the considerable distance between us.
It wasn’t just a simple roar; there was sothing embedded within it.
Not only did it send tingling sensations across my skin, but it also went deeper…
It resonates within .
The vibrations reached into my very soul, shaking it to its core.
What is this…?
I frowned at the unfamiliar sensation, but at the sa ti, I felt a strange sense of familiarity as I gazed at the creature.
While reason scread for to run, instinct urged to get closer.
That thing…
It was a massive, overwhelming entity I had never seen before.
Yet, I had felt it sowhere.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say I’d experienced its presence.
Kurung…?
That strange beast that had shared my body for years.
The one that constantly whined about being hungry, demanding to be fed.
It had finally quieted down once I began feeding it demonic energy regularly. Now, however, it was no longer with .
The reason?
It said it had to go.
One day, while I was training as usual, the creature that always growled and grumbled suddenly declared it needed to leave for a while.
I didn’t think much of it at the ti. Where could a thing stuck to even go? Yet, it disappeared that day and hadn’t returned since.
What’s more—
Noya left with it.
That’s why Shin Noya wasn’t with anymore.
Noya had gone along with Kurung, at my request, for reasons I deed necessary.
But now—
I thought it was taking too long to return.
They had promised to be back within six months or a year at most, but far more ti had passed.
I had started worrying about them, even if only faintly.
Why is Kurung…?
Why was it here?
Was it really Kurung in the first place?
I knew the beast had a tangible form, but I’d never seen it before, so I couldn’t be certain.
What should I do…?
The massive form was shrouded in darkness, its body like an incomprehensible mass of smoke.
Just looking at it felt like I was being drawn into it. My pounding heart scread danger.
[Rooooaaaaaarrrrr!!!!]
The beast’s roar reverberated through the air, shaking everything around it.
“…”
Whether it was Kurung or not, the logical thing to do was run.
But—
The problem is…
If it was Kurung—
Kurung was tied to my mother.
The beast was deeply connected to her. If I could confirm that this was Kurung, perhaps I could learn more about where I was, and even ask about other things.
Is it worth the risk?
If it wasn’t Kurung, it would spell disaster.
Even if it was Kurung, there was no guarantee it would be on my side.
Kurung had never been entirely trustworthy, after all.
As I wrestled with my instincts and reason, a hand suddenly gripped my wrist.
It was Cheonma.
“Let’s go.”
“…What?”
“There.”
She pointed toward the roaring beast.
“Are you insane? That thing is clearly dangerous. Why would we go toward it?”
“You want to go.”
“…”
How did she know? Was it that obvious on my face?
“Let’s go.”
She continued pointing as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Ugh…”
I hesitated for a mont, but my body was honest.
I was already gathering energy to leap forward.
“…Fine. Let’s see what happens.”
It was better to confirm things than to run away blindly.
Steeling myself, I ignited flas and leaped forward.
******
Closing the distance wasn’t particularly difficult.
Even though my body had moved into an unfamiliar space, my strength hadn’t diminished.
More than that—
It feels light.
My body was significantly lighter. I hadn’t noticed it while climbing the trees earlier, but now, as I moved, it beca clear.
I felt at least half as light as usual.
It’s not like my cultivation level increased…
What could explain this difference? The only reason I could think of was the air in this place.
The air is saturated with qi.
That must be it.
The qi-rich air heightened my body’s functions, making my movents far more fluid.
…What is this place?
Where was I? What kind of place could have an atmosphere like this?
And more importantly—
Who sent here?
Who had thrown into this strange place?
And more curiously—
Who sent here with her?
Whoever it was, what could their intentions possibly be?
[Rooooarrrrr!!!!]
Before I could dwell on it further, another roar shook the air.
It was much closer this ti.
I stopped in my tracks.
Ha.
A dry laugh escaped my lips.
It’s this big?
From afar, the sheer size of the beast hadn’t fully registered. Now, up close, its enormity hit .
This is insane.
The thing was massive.
It dwarfed even the nearby mountains, making them seem small in comparison.
[Grrraaaaaarrrrr!!!]
Its deafening cry made grimace.
The ground trembled with each roar as it howled into the sky, shaking the very terrain.
From the lower ground, I looked up at the creature.
“…Is it really Kurung?”
Was this beast truly Kurung? Even up close, I couldn’t be certain.
If it was—what then?
Should I try talking to it?
Should I greet it, perhaps?
I had co to confirm its identity, but what now?
What do I do?
As I hesitated—
Shiver!
“…!”
A chill ran down my spine. I tilted my head upward.
Damn it.
My body froze.
The beast, which had been staring at the sky monts ago, was now looking directly at .
Its piercing violet gaze locked onto mine.
Though its form was shrouded in smoke, those eyes were vivid, unmistakable.
It was staring at .
A crushing weight bore down on , my heart pounding as if it might burst.
Whoooosh!
Its presence invaded my senses.
It was overwhelming. My body trembled, a primal fear screaming that I was staring at sothing I shouldn’t.
In that mont, I understood instinctively.
I’m going to die.
If this beast bore hostility toward , there would be no battle—just instant annihilation.
Should I run?
No—there wasn’t even ti to consider it.
Whooooosh!!!
“…Damn it!”
Black smoke erupted from the ground, rising rapidly.
Before I realized it, the smoke had encircled both Cheonma and .
Shit.
Was it attacking? I hadn’t expected it to be this fast.
I knew I shouldn’t have co.
I should have kept my distance. Now, I was in serious trouble.
Tensing my body, I ignited flas and lashed out at the encroaching smoke.
Kwooooom—!!!
The azure fla erupted, unleashing a shockwave that rippled outward. I was startled.
“The output has increased.”
Not only did my body feel lighter, but my strength seed to have amplified as well.
However—
“Even so, it’s useless.”
I could tell just by striking the barrier. It didn’t even leave a scratch. Damn it.
My mind raced, knowing there was no ti to hesitate. I imdiately prepared to use the White Fla, focusing my heart's energy.
Wooooooong—!!!
The Nine Flas Firewheel spun rapidly. At the sa ti, the azure fla began to fade.
Whoosh! In an instant, the fla transford into a brilliant white.
I swung it toward the barrier again, ready to strike—
“Stop.”
Cheonma grabbed my wrist once more.
Ssszzzt—!!!
“…Ahhh!”
Her hand touched the White Fla, and she let out a suppressed groan.
“What are you doing!”
Startled, I extinguished the fla and pulled her hand toward .
Her skin where it had touched the White Fla was seared.
“Are you insane? Why the hell would you grab when I’m using fire?”
I yelled angrily, and Cheonma widened her eyes in surprise.
Realizing I had been holding her hand, I quickly let go.
“Don’t touch without permission.”
“Okay.”
Her response sounded oddly cheerful, leaving dumbfounded.
She just got burned, and she’s pleased about it?
“But you still can’t do that.”
Cheonma stopped again, and I narrowed my eyes as I looked at her.
“What do you an, ‘can’t’? What, are we just going to stand here and die?”
“We won’t die.”
“Like hell we won’t—just look at this thing—”
“It has no killing intent.”
“…What?”
Her words made pause.
Now that she ntions it…
I looked up at the creature again.
Through the translucent barrier, I could see it staring at us.
It doesn’t have killing intent.
It was just… watching us. The barrier remained, but it hadn’t done anything else.
What does this an?
Even without killing intent, it didn’t change the fact that this thing wasn’t human.
It wasn’t even a demonic beast. It was sothing far greater, an existence so distant it felt wrong to call it a creature.
Still—
…
I glanced at Cheonma briefly before extinguishing the fla.
I wanted to see what would happen.
[Grrrr….]
The creature let out a low growl.
What was that?
It sounded almost like it was… crying?
I squinted, trying to make sense of it.
[Grrr… ga….]
“…Huh?”
The growling began to shift, like it was attempting to form words.
I perked up my ears, focusing intently.
[…ga… ya….]
[…go… ya….]
“Speak clearly if you’re going to talk!”
Frustrated, I shouted. The sound grew slightly more distinct.
[…Here is….]
The words were audible now.
Was this really Kurung? If so, was this a gesture of goodwill?
Just as I was considering this—
Crreeeeeeek—!!!
The sound of sothing tearing through the air reached my ears.
[Grrrrrr—!!!]
Kurung raised its massive head abruptly, its colossal body shifting. The sheer movent caused another tremor to ripple through the area.
I turned my gaze.
What now?
The unsettling noise ca from the sky. There, a growing rift was forming.
“Magyeong Gate?”
It looked similar to the Magyeong Gate, but its size was entirely different.
“Why is it so ridiculously big?”
The rift was as large as a mountain.
Moreover, the color wasn’t one I recognized.
It wasn’t any of the usual shades like green or blue.
It was a soft, radiant crimson, so beautiful it almost seed to emit the scent of flowers.
“Wait, a floral scent?”
The realization hit .
This scent…
“I’ve slled this before.”
Not long ago, before I ended up in this wretched place. Back when the Blood Demon attacked, I had sensed the sa floral scent.
Could it be—
“Oh no…”
Kwoooom—!!!
“What?”
Light erupted from the rift, piercing straight through Kurung.
[Aaaaaargh—!!!]
Kurung let out a pained howl as I widened my eyes in shock.
What the hell just happened?
As the question ford in my mind, I heard a voice.
[How strange.]
I froze.
[For soone who went through so much trouble to hide, you’re standing here so boldly.]
The soft, elegant voice made instinctively turn my gaze.
It was the sa voice that had once cradled , stroked my hair, and spoken gently to .
[I suppose you’ve been waiting for , haven’t you?]
Soone erged from the rift that had unleashed the blinding light.
Barefoot, they stepped gracefully across the void.
The figure, wearing a calm expression, stared leisurely at Kurung.
The size difference was staggering.
Kurung, towering over mountains, dwarfed the figure who appeared completely human in form.
And yet—
Thump. Thump.
Like when I first saw Kurung, an overwhelming, distant presence radiated from this figure.
The woman’s languid eyes gazed at the writhing Kurung, full of calm yet undeniable authority.
[Isn’t that right?]
To my astonishnt, she spoke to the creature.
[Abyss.]
She was my mother.
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