The Dragon's Name
I had thought something was off about Cheonmaryong from the very beginning. How on earth had it managed to hand over its Karma?
Karma was like the footprints of a lifetime. Handing it over was essentially the same as handing over one's own traces. Naturally, it was hard to see the act of passing one's traces to another as harmless.
“Still, isn’t this a bit much? You were quite interested in that vessel. If it dies, all my effort goes down the drain.”
—Then why didn’t you come out sooner?
“I wanted to, but the conditions were only just barely met. Besides, this is only temporary. Once time passes, I’ll have to go back. The restrictions are pretty heavy because I’m too strong.”
As he spoke, the hand—rather, Sun Wukong, who had stolen the hand’s body—pointed at Cheonhwa. More precisely, he pointed at the world’s suppression that bound her body.
“Just like you.”
Clank.
Cheonhwa frowned, feeling the frustration of her arms being restrained. She had somehow managed to wield her power freely until now, but it seemed that too had reached its limit.
—Are you going to fight?
“No. I’d only be the one taking a loss, so why would I bother fighting? I’m asking for your mercy.”
—Mercy…
“Of course, I won’t ask with an empty mouth.”
Sun Wukong pointed at his own dull gray eyes. They were ordinary pupils, completely different from the Fiery Golden Eyes. He was thinking of the eyes that had already passed to their new owner.
“You said the one who took my eyes is your disciple, right? I won’t lay a hand on that kid or on Hoya.”
It meant he wouldn’t pull any dirty tricks like the one he had just done by taking over this body. Cheonhwa’s face hardened.
—Is that a threat?
“If that’s how you took it, then sure, it is!”
Kwa ha ha ha!
Though he burst into a bold laugh, his eyes were endlessly serious. He was certain she would accept the offer. If he had gone so far as to take precautions for his disciple out of uncertainty, he must cherish the boy quite dearly.
I’d cherish him too, if I were in his shoes.
A talent so alien it was hard to call him human. Honestly, even as he said this, he felt it was a waste. If he could obtain that body, he would have recreated his own brilliant past. But letting this body die here would be a greater loss than failing to obtain Zeon’s body. Just how much Karma and power was contained in this insignificant little thing?
—…One more thing. Make sure the original owner of that body doesn’t touch my disciple.
“Sure, I got it. That much is easy.”
The deal was sealed. As Cheonhwa sheathed her sword and relaxed her power, Sun Wukong also released the aura he had been raising and sat down comfortably.
“Man, I just came out and I’m already exhausted to death.”
—Then just go back already.
“Ugh, as expected, you Cheonhwa T-types are still as prickly as ever. You’re practically identical to your disciple.”
Whoosh—!
“Looks like the other side wrapped up too.”
—Yeah.
Feeling the scorching heat, Sun Wukong waved at Hoya, the only one still standing properly on two legs.
“Hey~! Little Hoya! Long time no see, and you’ve grown up so much!”
At the sight of that massive frame and matching loud voice, Hoya quickly flew over to where the two were. Her face had turned deathly pale, making it obvious how desperate she had been.
“Did you miss me that much?! Man, my popularity is something else!”
“H-how are you here?!”
“Looks like you’ve properly made the power I gave you your own. Your talent is truly outstanding!”
Paang. Paang.
The sound of mere hand claps exploding like bursts of wind rang out.
“Y-you’re really Sun Wukong?”
“Kwa ha ha! This little brat is calling my name so casually now! Has that much time really passed?”
“Ugh!”
Without realizing it, Hoya shrank back. She had thought that after growing stronger with time she would be fine, but her body still froze up like this. The reaction was exactly like one would have upon meeting a natural predator. Gritting her teeth, she swung her arm.
Fwoosh!
“Hoo!”
“Kyaa?!”
—Your breath stinks.
With a single exhale, he extinguished the flames Hoya had summoned. Cheonhwa waved her hand to clear the wind blowing toward them.
“How… how did you come out from that place?”
Behind Cheonhwa, Hoya’s eyes widened.
“This guy took a lot of my power, that’s why. I’ve been dying to breathe the outside air.”
—Then go back now.
“I was about to anyway. I need to return before the Golden Headband bastard forcibly drags me back. I can’t handle that guy.”
As Sun Wukong spoke, he mixed Karma into his voice so only Cheonhwa could hear.
“Let’s both keep our promises.”
—Don’t worry. You’d better keep yours too.
Crack.
With those final words, Sun Wukong’s body began to shrink until it returned to its state before the hand had swelled up. Once the hand’s body reverted to normal, the boy’s eyes rolled back and he collapsed on the spot.
—Then we should head back too.
“Huh? You’re not going to kill him?”
—That was the deal.
“It’s better not to be too generous… Should I at least do something then?”
—That much should be fine. The deal was only not to kill him. Anything else is outside the scope, so do whatever you want. As long as he stays alive, that’s enough.
“Then, to prepare for future problems, let’s start with this…”
Hoya poured every ounce of her power into placing countless restrictions on the unconscious hand. Perhaps because she had spent a great deal of emotion during the fight, a very bright smile was now painted across Hoya’s face. Cheonhwa sympathized to some degree and gladly let her actions slide as she recalled how long they had fought here.
—…Staying in spiritual form for so long is inconvenient. Maybe because the sense of time disappears. I have no idea how much time has passed. Still, it probably hasn’t been that long.
—If we’re done, let’s hurry and go.
“You’re right. It’s better to get back quickly.”
The fact that Sun Wukong had appeared meant Zeon’s trial was over. And there was no way to know exactly when that trial had ended. Worried that some accident might have happened while they were gone, Hoya nodded at Cheonhwa’s words and opened a space to the now-familiar room of Zeon.
Crackle. Crackle.
“H-huh?”
—Hmm? What is this? Why is the flow of energy suddenly cut off in the middle?
No matter how many times they tried, the path wouldn’t connect, as if someone was blocking their movement midway. It was clearly intentional interference. And if it was someone who would interfere in this way—
—It must be that Arbaana woman.
“That old hag!”
It had to be the woman living inside Karne. Since it was related to space, it would be easier for her to interfere. “You think I’ll lose to this?”
Still, Hoya didn’t give up. From what she had heard, Renia Arbaana couldn’t even properly wield her power yet. At this point, she could break through the interference. With a confident smile, Hoya unfolded a talisman.
“As expected, the restriction on her power is the reason. The interference isn’t that precise.”
It felt like a child who had only just realized their power. How difficult must it be for both her strength and control to be this lacking? The interference was so crude compared to her memories that it felt like it belonged to a completely different person. Piercing through it, Hoya opened a space connected to Zeon’s room.
“Whew! Then let’s go.”
—Yeah.
And so, after finishing the fight, Cheonhwa and Hoya finally returned to Zeon’s side. What greeted them was Zeon, who for some reason had undergone an enormous power-up in just a few days, and a baby dragon wrapped around his neck, glaring at Cheonhwa and Hoya.
“Master?! Miss Hoya!”
Zeon shot up from his seat at the sudden appearance of Cheonhwa and Hoya, who had been missing until now. He wanted to ask where they had gone, but their appearances weighed on his mind and he couldn’t easily open his mouth. Cheonhwa was relatively fine, but Hoya had disheveled hair, a tired face, wounds all over, and torn clothes. It was enough to roughly guess how much they had suffered.
—An illusion beast?
—Ah, so the one who blocked us was…
The two raised their guard at the unfamiliar creature they were seeing for the first time, then narrowed their eyes when it followed Zeon obediently. It wasn’t an ordinary beast; he was raising an illusion beast. And that power—it was definitely the one that had interfered with them when they tried to come here.
—Zeon. What is that illusion beast?
—What happened while we were gone?
There was a lot to explain. So Zeon quickly told them everything that had happened while Cheonhwa and Hoya were away. When he reached the part about contracting with the illusion beast, even Cheonhwa was impressed.
—An illusion beast in the form of a dragon, you say.
—Well, even among spiritual beasts, the value of the name “dragon” is beyond imagination. And it certainly lives up to the name.
Hoya recalled the moment their movement had been blocked. For a young illusion beast that could barely speak yet, it was far too much. It was no wonder Hoya and Cheonhwa had immediately pointed to Renia Arbaana as the culprit.
—The talent contained in that illusion beast is quite considerable.
—It must take after its owner. Yeah, the illusion beast went crazy just like its true master. The only one here who hasn’t gone crazy is me.
Hoya inwardly complained about how ordinary she was as she pointed a finger at the illusion beast.
“Kaaak!”
—Wow, what a nasty temper.
“He’s just wary because you’re strangers, so don’t take it too personally.”
—So, what is this illusion beast’s name?
Name…
…Name?
Zeon flinched.
—Wait a second. It’s not the name I’m thinking of, right?
Please, I beg you, let it not be the name that’s spinning around in my head right now.
At Hoya’s earnest plea and Cheonhwa’s prayer, Zeon gently stroked the illusion beast’s body and answered.
“I was originally going to call him Baembaem, but…”
“Grrrrr.”
“As you can see, he didn’t like it.”
Gulp.
“So I specially named him Cheonmaryong (Heavenly Demon Dragon) and decided to call him Yongyong when addressing him.”
“Krrruuuung~.”
“Right? You like it too, don’t you?”