Chapter 636: White. (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 636: White. (3)
Fwoosh!
Wreathed in flames, I soared into the air.
The biting wind brushed against my cheeks as I scanned the darkening sky.
The snow has stopped.
It had turned to rain for a brief moment, but now, all precipitation had ceased.
At least my vision is clear.
The blizzard that had obscured everything was gone, and I felt like I could finally breathe. However...
The cold is getting worse.
It felt as if the chill sweeping through the North Sea had been amplified. The reason was likely...
I glanced down at the spot where I had launched myself.
The destruction of the Ice Crystal.
The Ice Crystal, which had been suppressing the extreme cold, was now shattered. That was undoubtedly the cause.
Though its original purpose was foul to begin with.
It had existed only to force those of the bloodline to expend their life force, sucking them dry until nothing remained. Considering that, perhaps it was better off destroyed.
But for its destruction to have such an immediate effect...
The disappearance of the North Sea’s Ice Crystal was already impacting the entire region. As if to prove it had truly been fulfilling its role, the temperature was plummeting. The speed of the change was alarming.
If I can feel it this much already...
In a short while, the entire North Sea might freeze solid.
Tsk.
Dammit. Nothing ever goes smoothly, does it? Then again...
“That’s just my life for you.”
Though I suppose it’s a dragon’s life now.
Heh.
I tried to distract myself with idle thoughts, forcing a laugh despite the grim situation. But I knew it was just a form of escapism. This was no time for such things.
“What is happening?!”
“It’s an enemy attack!”
“Report to the General immediately!”
The sheer scale of the destruction I’d wrought had finally alerted the forces within the palace. I could hear the commotion rising from below.
No, they’re only noticing now.
It was a realization that came far too late. Not a single reinforcement had arrived while the palace was being torn apart. The fact that they were only reacting now was ultimately...
A consequence of his power vanishing from this area.
The bastard’s influence, which had been saturated throughout the palace, had disappeared.
“...Hmph.”
I frowned, sensing the new seal engraved upon my soul. Two powers had flowed into me from Mang. I currently held one of them; I had given the power of regeneration to Woo Hyuk.
“...”
The thought made me scowl. Was it because it felt like a waste? Of course. How could it not? It was regeneration, of all things—the ability to remain unscathed after being beaten and stabbed. Naturally, it was a loss.
But that wasn’t the only reason for my frustration. The real issue was what I had discovered during the process: the fact that I could transfer a power to him at all.
That was the biggest problem. It was exactly...
...what the Heavenly Demon used to do.
It was strikingly similar to how the Heavenly Demon had treated the Demonic Humans in the past. She would bestow "blessings" upon certain individuals, granting them what she called special abilities. My Demonic Absorption was a prime example, as were the abilities of the early Demonic Humans.
Thinking about it now, it’s strange.
As if turning them into Demonic Humans wasn’t enough, she granted them unknown powers under the guise of a blessing. Until now, I’d glossed over it, attributing it to the bizarre nature of the Heavenly Demon herself.
But it was truly strange. What exactly was the Heavenly Demon, and how was such a thing possible? The things she did, calling them blessings... perhaps...
Was it the same way I transferred my power?
If so, the Heavenly Demon must have possessed a vast number of powers. Putting that aside, the biggest question remained: How did she transfer them?
Powers were something one could only obtain by becoming a half-dragon or a full dragon. Yet, the special abilities were things the Heavenly Demon gave to Demonic Humans.
Does that mean powers and special abilities are different?
They felt similar, but could they be entirely distinct? If so...
Then how was I able to transfer a power?
That led to another realization. When I transferred the power to save Woo Hyuk, I learned two things.
First: I have to use Demonic Qi to transfer a power.
I had to return the power of regeneration to Woo Hyuk to save his life. Recalling how the Heavenly Demon bestowed her blessings, I tried to inject the power back into him. It was a possibility I had kept in the back of my mind ever since I became capable of turning others into Demonic Humans.
Was I slowly becoming able to do everything she could? If so, this was no coincidence. In fact, it was a truth I had suspected for a while. The current flow of events felt as if it were pushing me to take the Heavenly Demon’s place.
Setting aside the relationship between powers and special abilities for now, there was a second piece of information I learned.
Even a dragon can be corrupted into a Demonic Human.
Perhaps because Mang had devoured him and infused him with its energy, Woo Hyuk’s body had clearly become that of a dragon. This state persisted even after Mang was gone. And that body...
I turned it into a Demonic Human.
I injected Demonic Qi and corrupted it. Then, I poured the power into it. Fortunately, it worked, but an unsettling feeling remained.
The fact that I had to use Demonic Qi to transfer a power meant that corruption was inevitable. And the reason I could transfer the power at all was...
...the Demonic Absorption art.
The demonic art within my body—the Heavenly Demon’s special ability. That was the key. Stealing a power was the role of Avarice, but the act of giving it to someone else required the strength of Demonic Absorption.
How the hell does this work?
In my past life, it merely drew energy from Demonic Stones. Now, it could turn others into Demonic Humans and facilitate the transfer of powers.
This is truly...
Wasn't this the exact power the Heavenly Demon displayed? It was incomprehensible. It would be one thing if it had always been possible, but these were things I couldn't do in my past life.
I formed a hypothesis. Leaving aside the use of Demonic Absorption, was I able to transfer the power because the recipient was a dragon? Or was it because he became a Demonic Human before receiving the power?
And then there was the relationship between Demonic Absorption and my power. Avarice and Demonic Absorption were similar; I was certain they were connected.
Could this be related to the Heavenly Demon?
I posed it as a question, but in reality, it was a certainty. How could it not be? With things having come this far, the truth was unavoidable. The Heavenly Demon was the one who made me regress, the Demonic Absorption came from her, and she was clearly involved in this entire series of events. Everything I was experiencing was connected to her.
Grind!
I gnashed my teeth.
...Even though I knew that full well.
I had met the Heavenly Demon in the back alleys of Henan. Thinking of that meeting made my head throb.
Knowing she was in Henan, I still came here.
Why? Now, it felt like a mystery. She was the being I resented most. After regressing, she was the one I was most wary of—the one I sought to stop, second only to Jang Seonyeon. Yet, instead of focusing on her, I had fled to the North Sea.
Was it simply because of Namgung Bi-ah? That was a critical matter, but was it the only reason I dropped everything?
That’s debatable.
I knew the Heavenly Demon was there, and there were other matters in Henan as well. Recalling how I used Namgung Bi-ah’s situation as an excuse to come to the North Sea, my reasoning felt flimsy. No matter what justifications I piled on, the essence didn’t change.
I simply... wanted to escape from the Heavenly Demon.
Or perhaps... I must not meet her.
I shouldn't think of her. I shouldn't try to find her. An inexplicable, instinctive warning had been ringing in my mind. That was why I fled.
Why? I asked myself. Why did I run?
I understood fear. She was certainly a being worthy of it. But I couldn't understand a mindless retreat. It wasn't a strategic withdrawal; it was pure hesitation and flight. And more importantly...
Why am I only now realizing how strange my behavior was?
An unknown sense of unease welled up inside me. To resolve this suffocating feeling, there was only one way.
I have to meet her.
I had to meet the Heavenly Demon. That was the conclusion I reached. Perhaps it was what I should have done from the very beginning.
“Hoo.”
I let out a long sigh. My breath hit the cold air, turning into a white cloud. Now that I had made a decision, my mind felt clearer. I cloaked my body in Qi.
Fwooooosh!
A ring of fire encircled my waist. Using its heat to cut through the chill, I shot forward.
BOOM!
A sonic boom echoed as I accelerated. But as I pushed my speed to the limit, I felt my heart tighten. I frowned, feeling the weight of my fatigue.
I don’t have much Qi left.
The fight had been too intense. Worse, I had repeatedly used a martial art I’d barely perfected without any restraint. My internal reservoir was hitting rock bottom, and my body was battered.
If I’d known, I would’ve used some of that power before giving it away.
A belated sense of regret washed over me. I should have used the regeneration on myself before handing it to Woo Hyuk.
Should I take it back?
I had healed him. Could I take the power back now? The thought crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. If I took the power back...
Woo Hyuk would die.
A dragon whose power is stolen dies. That was one of the absolute conditions of Tam’s theft. Taking back what I gave him was impossible.
Anyway, it’s a strange power. It seems great, but it has its flaws.
It was overwhelmingly effective against dragons because it could nullify their Authority, forcing them into a fair fight of martial arts and close combat. But that was all. If I wasn't strong enough to win that physical struggle, the power was meaningless. I had to win to take their power. I had to win to kill them. It felt a bit like a hollow victory, but...
Still, it’s better than nothing.
Knowing that the beings I must kill are dragons, Tam was the most necessary tool in my arsenal. I wanted to return to the Central Plains immediately, but...
Tsk.
The frustrating part was that I couldn't.
...I’ve done everything I needed to do.
I had found Namgung Bi-ah. I had dealt with Woo Hyuk. I could just leave. Since the Lord of the Ice Palace had refused treatment, my reason for staying had vanished.
However, I scowled at the energy I felt directly ahead. Right now, more urgent than Tam, Demonic Absorption, or the Heavenly Demon, was that thing.
Nothing ever comes easy.
I had first sensed it right after transferring the power to Woo Hyuk.
Swoooosh!
The cold wind brushed past me as I accelerated. That wind was laced with a specific aura—one that felt far away yet swept over me with terrifying weight.
This is insane.
The intensity was staggering. It was far more violent than when I met Yuseon, or even when I faced Mang in Woo Hyuk’s form. What was this dreadful pressure? And why was it appearing now?
The location was the biggest problem.
It’s the hideout.
The aura was coming from the place where Namgung Bi-ah, Tang Soyeol, and the others were waiting.
Damn it.
I knew it instinctively. This was a consequence of Mang’s demise. That bastard had done something as a final spite.
What on earth did you do?
As I flew at top speed, something massive began to register on my Qi sense.
This is...?
At first, I thought I had sensed it wrong. I couldn't help but doubt myself. But no—I was right. Its presence was simply so enormous it defied logic.
...Is this for real?
The scale was on a different level. I wasn't just talking about the amount of Qi; I meant its literal, physical size. It was a vastness I had never encountered—a sense of wrongness that made me question if a living being could even be that large.
Fwoosh!
I arrived at the scene and looked down.
“Ha.”
My eyes widened.
—KRAAAAAAAAR!
—Retreat!
—Protect the Palace Lord!
Where the cave should have been, a giant crater was torn into the earth. And above it...
—KYAAAAAAAAA!
A monster of incredible proportions was violently laying waste to everything.
“...Crazy.”
It was a demon. But it was no ordinary demon. If a Red-Grade Demon was the size of a large manor, this thing was dozens of times larger. Its body was covered in shimmering, glossy scales.
But the most important detail was the color.
“...White?”
The scale-covered beast was a pure, brilliant white.
“Don’t tell me...”
That meant this was the leader of the demons that had vanished centuries ago—the ultimate demon, originally known as a dragon. A disaster-level existence whose mere appearance could reshape the geography of the continent.
It was a White-Grade Demon.
* * *
At that moment, as Gu Yangcheon encountered the beast...
“...Ugh.”
Left alone, Woo Hyuk clutched his throbbing head and pushed himself up.
“...What a complete mess.”
Woo Hyuk gave a faint, weary smile as he surveyed the ruins.
“What on earth happened here?”
He wondered what could have caused such total devastation to this part of the palace. But even as he asked, he already knew the culprit.
Sizzle.
Among the shattered walls, there were traces of melted stone. A faint, lingering heat still hung in the air.
“...Heh.”
It had to be the work of his crazy friend. Woo Hyuk was certain of it.
Is it because of me?
Gu Yangcheon must have torn the place apart because Woo Hyuk had been taken. A wave of guilt washed over him.
I made him do something so dangerous.
Because of his own weakness, he had forced his friend into an unnecessary battle. But one question lingered.
Why did he go this far?
He didn't understand why Gu Yangcheon would risk so much for him. They hadn't been close since they were children. They hadn't shared years of bonding. In reality, Woo Hyuk had been the one unilaterally clinging to him, calling him a friend. Gu Yangcheon had simply accepted it.
For what purpose?
What drove Gu Yangcheon to go to such lengths? It was beyond Woo Hyuk’s understanding. Moreover...
[Come on your own.]
As if he had urgent business, Gu Yangcheon had dumped him there and vanished. It seemed like a major incident had occurred, but Woo Hyuk had no way of knowing the details.
He surveyed the ruined palace and sighed. Gu Yangcheon hadn't explained what happened inside, but Woo Hyuk could feel that his body had changed. His hair had turned white, and he was overflowing with a strange, potent energy.
Whatever it is, I need to move.
Standing around wouldn't provide answers. He also needed to find out what happened to Yuseon. He took a step forward, but then...
[The seal is broken.]
Flinch!
A voice reached him. Woo Hyuk spun around, searching for the source.
Where did that come from?
[How strange. The time should not yet be upon us.]
The unknown voice echoed clearly in his ears.
“...Who are you?” Woo Hyuk asked, his voice tense.
[Hm?]
The entity finally reacted.
[You can hear my voice.]
“...Yes.”
[Is that so? How curious.]
The tone was light, yet bone-chillingly cold. Just hearing it gave Woo Hyuk the sensation of a blade pressed against his throat.
[You are not a child of the main family. For a brat from Wudang to hear my voice...]
Woo Hyuk’s eyes widened. How did it know he was from Wudang?
[No matter. Now is not the time for such things.]
Swoooosh!
“...!”
Suddenly, Ice Qi began to coalesce in front of him. Woo Hyuk instinctively reached for his waist, but his sword was gone.
Crackle!
For some reason, Lightning Qi began to arc through the gathering frost. The energies merged, swirling until they took on a human shape.
“...Huh?”
Woo Hyuk’s expression froze. He couldn't help it. The form created by the energy was a man he knew well. The face was unmistakable.
“Master...?”
It was the Monster of Wudang, Namgung Hyung.