Chapter 489: Side Story 9 Baek Sang-ah’s Melancholy

Demon Protector Blade Pa Ho-yang.

Being personally selected by the Saber Demon, his skills were undoubtedly recognized even within the Extreme Do Clan, a place filled with masters of the blade.

However, there was only one reason why the Saber Demon chose him in a clan brimming with blade experts.

“I apologize. I cannot be certain.”

“…What?”

I stared blankly at the back of Pa Ho-yang’s head.

“Weren’t you the one who called for me because you were sure?”

Pa Ho-yang lowered his head as if in apology.

“There’s no doubt some measure was taken. However… with this lowly one’s insignificant skills, I couldn’t possibly identify the cause.”

“Hm…”

Pa Ho-yang was one with half of his blood from the Heavenly Illusion Clan.

Because of that, he was capable of using basic sorcery.

‘Pa Ho-yang… born with considerable spiritual affinity. Had he chosen the path of a sorcerer, he would have become a great talent.’

Though suppressed by the tendencies of the Extreme Do Clan, the unique intuition granted by his spiritual sensitivity was certainly not bad.

“Have you perhaps felt any dissonance in the Saber Demon’s recent behavior?”

“…Well, not particularly…?”

Though he tilted his head, he appeared not entirely confident.

From that expression, I became certain that something was indeed amiss.

“Alright, good work.”

There was something in the Imperial Family.

That, at least, was certain.

When I turned to look at the Crown Prince, he flinched and stepped back in shock.

“Y-you… you were from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?!”

“That’s right, Crown Prince.”

“Urgh!”

“N-no matter if you are from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, I can’t give her up… Ugh!”

The light began to fade from the Crown Prince’s pupils.

Even without something like the Soul Repression Sorcery, once I reached a realm like the Extreme Demon Realm, I could suppress one’s spirit and will to a similar extent.

‘The issue is whether he truly was brainwashed or not.’

The human mind is complex and fragile—just a single misstep could irreparably damage it.

I placed my hand on the Crown Prince’s head and meticulously searched for traces of brainwashing.

And after about one gak had passed.

“…There’s nothing.”

“Pardon?”

“There are no traces.”

The Crown Prince’s soul and mind were remarkably clean.

There wasn’t the slightest sign of brainwashing—no evidence of even mild mental suggestion.

Just in case, I examined Pa Ho-yang’s mind as well.

And the results were identical.

“…”

Even though I wasn’t a professional sorcerer, I wasn’t so inept as to not detect even the faintest trace.

In fact, even most high-level sorcerers, unless they were grandmasters like Hwan Pyeong or Hwan Yul, might not surpass me.

Yet the fact that I couldn’t detect even a trace…

“It means the opponent is likely of a considerably high level.”

“C-Cult Leader?”

A sorcery that could deceive even my perception and instill such contradictory unease, all while leaving no traces.

There was only one such thing.

“Divine Sorcery.”

In the present era, no human is capable of using Divine Sorcery.

However, if one were not human—if they were an inhuman being—then it wasn’t entirely impossible.

‘More than anything, those demonic beasts that attacked the Crown Prince…’

If it was those things, then controlling demonic beasts wouldn’t be out of the question.

One thought led to another, reaching a clear conclusion.

‘Yes, they’re targeting the Imperial Family.’

Click.

At the time of the final battle, Yinglong and the Four-Star Qilin never appeared.

Those two were now making moves to seize the Imperial Family, which our Cult had already marked.

With a light sigh, I glanced behind and spoke.

“Stop hiding and come out.”

“D-did you notice?”

At some point, that little brat So Cheon peeked his head out from between the small pillars.

“I think I know who the culprit is…?”

“Only times like this do you show some sense.”

As punishment for stealing my disguise, I smacked the back of So Cheon’s head.

He obediently rubbed the back of his head and listened to my explanation.

As he listened, his eyes narrowed.

“Someone on the same level as Gunggi?”

“In terms of grade, perhaps. But considering the current situation… are they really still equals?”

I had heard from both of them.

About how strong Gunggi had become during the final battle.

If I only considered their explanation, even I wouldn’t be able to resolve it quickly.

“Gunggi was only able to unleash such power because he had the backing of Heavenly Evil. But now, both Heavenly Evil and the environment known as Heavenly Timing have disappeared.”

On the other hand, when I first met Yinglong and the Four-Star Qilin, they were undoubtedly a threatening force…

‘But they weren’t unbeatable.’

Then what about now, after Heavenly Timing has passed?

“It might even be easier now.”

I clenched my fist with a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

“They were a potential threat, but I was willing to leave them alone as long as they didn’t interfere. However…”

If they dared to encroach on our domain in such an unpleasant way, that changed everything.

I would utterly shatter them.

“……”

“Myeong-ah. No, Cult Leader.”

At that moment, So Cheon, who seemed to be deep in thought, spoke up.

“Can you leave this matter to us? No, will you?”

“What?”

“Damn it… I’ll just drop the honorifics.”

Abandoning his awkward politeness, So Cheon suddenly radiated killing intent toward the Crown Prince.

Twitch! Twitch!

As soon as the Crown Prince was struck by So Cheon’s killing intent, he trembled violently.

“This guy, from the looks of it, he really seems to like Lady Baek.”

“That’s the problem.”

If he had been brainwashed, we could’ve just undone it. But the Crown Prince’s feelings for Baek Sang-ah were, absurdly, genuine.

“…I want to give this guy a chance.”

“Are you serious?”

So Cheon slowly nodded.

“Yeah. Honestly, I’ve thought about it a lot until now. But no matter how much I think about it… no matter the cause, once emotions flare, there’s no way to end them without leaving scars.”

Love is often compared to a flame.

It flares up suddenly, and just as suddenly, it can die out.

But no matter how it ends, once that flame has ignited, it leaves something behind in your heart.

“Someone mentioned it during the Alliance meeting earlier. That maybe it would be better to manipulate his memories with Soul Reaping Art.”

“……”

“If we’re talking efficiency, I agree that would be better.”

“…Do you really think that?”

For some reason.

The moment I saw So Cheon’s unexpectedly questioning eyes, I felt as though I was briefly overwhelmed by him.

…Of course, it was only a feeling.

So Cheon’s gaze was more serious than ever.

The moment I saw that look, I let out a small laugh and shook my head.

“No, I don’t think that.”

“Right?”

At my words, So Cheon smiled in satisfaction and returned to his usual light-hearted self.

‘It’s not that I pity the Crown Prince, or that I have any aversion to sorcery.’

It’s just—

If someone genuinely wanted to confront their feelings, even if it’s an enemy, I’d like to give them at least one chance.

So Cheon continued.

“If we can’t avoid someone getting hurt anyway, then I think it’s better to make this guy give up like a man, face to face. That’s the way to minimize future consequences.”

“Oh?”

This guy knows how to say stuff like that?

This time, I was genuinely surprised.

“But what if Baek ends up falling for him? Can you handle the aftermath?”

Normally, So Cheon would’ve panicked and started spouting nonsense at a question like that.

But.

“That’ll never happen. Even if the sky splits in two.”

“……”

“I’ll never let her be taken. The bond between me and Lady Baek isn’t something a guy like this could wedge himself into.”

Wow…

Only one thought popped into my head.

‘The world is truly full of surprises.’

“So? How do you plan to give him a chance?”

So Cheon spoke aloud a plan he had clearly been thinking over for a long time.

“First, we’ll keep him at the Murim Alliance as a guest.”

Since he was giving him a chance, it made sense to at least treat him as a guest for now.

“And?”

“In the meantime, Lady Baek and I will secretly sneak into the location of the Imperial Family.”

…Huh?

“And we’ll eliminate the root cause of this situation first.”

“……”

“Then we’ll show him the new bond that forms between me and Lady Baek through that experience.”

In other words—

He says he’ll give the guy a chance, but won’t actually give him any?

“You underhanded bastard!”

“Kkueeeek!”

I folded So Cheon’s spine right then and there.

I thought he had some grand resolution as a man, but that was it!?

“T-the best strategy… is to not even give your opponent a chance to move…”

“……”

“M-my back! My baaack!”

Crack!

Come to think of it, it was me who said I’d give him a chance. That guy only said he’d make him give up.

The only problem was that his method was in a completely different direction from what I had imagined.

‘Now that I think about it, every word he just said feels different.’

I couldn’t hold back the sigh rising from within.

Well, in any case.

“You’re saying the two of you will go to where the Imperial Family is? Never mind the realism of the strategy, would Lady Baek even allow that?”

“She probably will.”

“And your basis for that?”

So Cheon’s face, as he rubbed his back while lying down, turned serious again.

“If those bastards really are on the level you described, then this could serve as a rehearsal for the battle we’ll face a few years from now.”

‘A rehearsal, huh…’

He didn’t say it outright, but I could roughly guess.

Those two certainly had a chance of winning.

‘With both of them, it’d be a mess. But if they could bait just one of them and force a showdown… there’s a chance.’

Though honestly, in that case, it would be better if I went instead.

If I moved myself, the time required would shorten, but still…

Thud!

Suddenly, So Cheon lightly tapped my chest.

“Don’t move anymore.”

“……”

“I don’t want you to end up like the former Cult Leader.”

“…You noticed?”

“A bit.”

At some point, So Cheon, now fully recovered, raised a single finger.

Atop that finger, a small black flame tinged with death quietly flickered.

“To wield death doesn’t simply mean handling an energy that contains death.”

A qi forged by refining the energy taught by Salma So Jeong—Death King’s True Qi.

That power granted So Cheon various abilities related to death.

“It’s still faint, but lately I’ve been able to slightly perceive the end of a person.”

“The end? You mean their lifespan?”

“Hmm… not exactly, but let’s just say it’s close enough.”

So Cheon showed a conflicted expression for a moment.

“In your case, I don’t see death, but I can sort of sense when your ‘end’ will come. There’s still a lot of time left… but the more you move, the faster that end will approach.”

“……”

“So just stay put. We’ll handle as much as we can on our own.”

“Is that so…”

Well, now.

To think I’d hear such words from this guy.

Lately, he’s been full of surprises.

However.

“There’s one thing that bothers me.”

“Hm?”

“This Divine Sorcery that borders on reality distortion… frankly, not even Yinglong should have such authority.”

No matter how powerful Divine Beasts like the Necrotic Tremors are, they aren’t omnipotent.

Just as the Four-Star Qilin commands the power of lightning, Yinglong has a domain of his own.

And also—

“There’s one guy who does wield power over the mind.”

He didn’t seem awakened during the final battle, but now… who knows?

That power was twisted and corrupted, leading to the creation of the notorious Soul-Corrupting Lust Fiend.

In other words, it was a power dangerous enough to cause such a monstrous manifestation.

A sacred Divine Beast said to interpret fate and influence its flow.

Divine Beast Spirit Turtle.

“Perhaps… those two aren’t the only enemies.”

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