Chapter 284: Punishment
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 284: Punishment
It was a success.
No matter how strong the Gaegaek Cult had become, I never thought we could definitively take down two Profound Realm masters. I would have to take one, and my followers the other, but there were far too many variables.
That's why I chose to borrow the power of another being.
My rampage—tearing off Qiongqi's wings without any regard for my own body—was all to attract Bixi's attention.
Just as Bixi arrived, conveniently choosing to deal with me first instead of my followers, I was already at my limit.
So I had no choice but to surrender my body.
To the being inside me—the Heart Demon.
Even if the Heart Demon consumed my body, I couldn't be sure it could defeat a master I couldn't beat, plus another of comparable skill. Its combat power would certainly increase, but it would be difficult for it to reach their level.
But its power didn't just reach their level; it soared far beyond, to a point where it could overwhelm them.
Hiding in my mindscape, I watched it all unfold.
To be more precise, it was as if the Heart Demon had opened something up so I could see clearly.
It felled two Profound Realm masters in a single blow and unleashed a barrage of techniques I had never seen before.
It was a shocking sight.
The body itself was mine, but to think it could change so drastically just because someone else was using it.
The body's hardening was likely due to something like a Strong Protective Aura, and the single blow that took them down must have been some Demonic Art I didn't know, but the shock was immense.
At the same time, a new goal formed within me.
After all, it had demonstrated that level of power using this very body.
If that thing could do it, why couldn't I?
The breath attack that spewed from its mouth was particularly shocking.
To indiscriminately fire destructive rays, similar to my Gaegaek Death Beam, even while shooting a radial breath attack.
It was one thing to see it from my mindscape, but anyone facing that directly would lose their will to fight in an instant.
But the members of the Gaegaek Cult, far from losing their will, burned with even greater fighting spirit.
In the end, thanks to Soyeong's efforts, they succeeded in subduing the Gomodo. And though some, like Taotie, were injured, no one died. It was a perfect victory.
Everyone worked hard, but Soyeong's contribution was undoubtedly the greatest.
To think the one who was like a ping-pong ball had suddenly become like a soccer ball.
…What's wrong with me?
Did I dream for a moment? I feel like I just imagined a scene that shouldn't exist.
It was as if Soyeong had turned into a "Jung-yeong" or a "Dae-yeong."
But Soyeong is just Soyeong. There's no way she would ever change like that.
I had defeated the Heart Demon, but my consciousness hadn't fully awakened yet.
I guessed I was still unconscious due to the injuries from my fight with Qiongqi.
Naturally, I was currently in my mindscape.
— Hmph.
I was on the lake with that thing.
— Don't get complacent. I will seize your body again whenever I please.
My Heart Demon, in the form of a red Spinosaurus.
Now I knew its true identity.
I had suspected it all along, but this thing was the previous generation's Gomodo.
Why was something like this inside my body?
And was my evolution into a Gomodo not a coincidence, but its doing?
I had so many questions.
But there was no time to ask, and it wouldn't have answered easily anyway.
Judging by its reaction, it seemed to hate being with me.
Still, I was able to figure one thing out.
The previous Gomodo wasn't such an evil spirit beast.
Unlike when it fought Qiongqi and Bixi, it held back considerably when facing the followers of the Gaegaek Cult.
It was showing me its techniques, teaching my followers how to react in certain situations.
My followers must have thought it was a life-or-death struggle, but in reality, it was something closer to a sparring session.
— I don't know what delusion you're under, but you're wrong.
The Heart Demon growled.
It could pretend all it wanted, but I knew.
Its desire to steal my body might be true to some extent.
The Gomodo in control of my body was truly powerful. If my followers hadn't stopped it, it might have gone straight to Kunlun to fight a life-and-death battle with Jin-ryong.
But I could tell its attempts to harm my followers were just an act.
Was it planning to take them as subordinates and use them as its army?
No, there was definitely something more it was hiding.
— Besides, you haven't truly woken up yet. You're merely coexisting with me. For all you know, I could be the one who awakens.
Right.
I suppose I have to deal with this first.
I need to drag it down beneath the lake and reawaken myself.
I can worry about the rest after I get my body back.
And, no matter what, the fact remains that it hurt my followers.
— Hmph, you call that getting hurt?
The Heart Demon scoffed.
Laugh while you can.
While you were using my body, I learned how to use this space.
— …W-wait a second.
The Heart Demon's expression changed.
It seemed to realize what I was about to do.
— Don't do it. You mustn't forsake our last shred of decency!
Too late.
You thought you could just play around with my body out there?
And even hurt my followers in the process?
— No! Anything but that outfit, please!
Arrogant and insolent.
The Heart Demon's attitude changed in an instant.
A power that even an ancient spirit beast, feared by all, could not help but dread.
The forbidden knowledge known only to me.
Poof!
In a flash, the Heart Demon's attire changed.
— Kraaaah! How dare you, how dare you do this to me… Huh?
The Heart Demon, about to erupt in anger, tilted its head.
— Hmph, is that all? This is… just a pair of animal ears. There's no cloth, either.
That's right. What the Heart Demon was wearing was a bunny-ear headband.
— It's not even a frilly outfit. Just putting something weird on my head has no…
The Heart Demon's words trailed off.
It looked down at its own red body and fell silent, as if it had seen something it shouldn't have.
Right.
At first, it would seem like I only put a headband on it.
But this was different.
— Kugh, kraaaaaah!
The Heart Demon let out a pained scream.
— W-what in the world is this outfit!
When did you get the illusion that there was no cloth?
A new attack that could be called a Reverse Formula.
A bizarre outfit with no cloth where there should be, and cloth where there shouldn't.
The Reverse Bunny.
— Kraaaaaaaaah!
I felt like screaming 'kraaah' myself.
The pain felt like my eyes were about to pop out.
But it was fine.
Because the Heart Demon was suffering too.
Splash!
It quickly dove deep into the lake to hide its appearance.
It felt strange to think that that was a Gomodo, but to be honest, I was more familiar with that look anyway.
— Y-you shouldn't have done that.
The Heart Demon sank deep into the lake.
— You are… I…
I couldn't hear its last words, but it didn't matter.
It was time to awaken from the mindscape.
I could think about that thing later, after I'd seen my worried followers.
*
I saw something white beaming before my eyes.
Two giant sticky rice cakes were moving back and forth, and they looked somehow familiar.
…It's Tus and Pus, isn't it?
“Kkyong!”
Noticing I had opened my eyes, Tus and Pus wiggled their behinds.
Why have these two gotten so big?
“Kkyaeng!”
They licked me all over with their bright red tongues.
“Geeeek.”
I wondered what kind of spider has a bright red tongue, but since Tus and Pus had changed into spirit beasts called Ananse, I guess it wasn't that strange.
“Kkyaeng-ya-ing.”
“Ing-ing-kkyong.”
Their cries sounded familiar.
Come to think of it, it wasn't that they had gotten bigger, but that I had gotten smaller.
I could tell just by looking at these pathetic little forelegs.
Well, after using so much power, there were bound to be side effects.
“Oh, you're awake.”
Another voice came from beside me.
I turned my head to see Taotie lying down, covered in bandages.
Still, I'm glad she's alive.
“These are wounds of glory. Against that Gomodo…”
Isn't that from when you yelled, "Breath attack! Dodge it!" and then got hit yourself?
When I gave her a look that said I know everything, Taotie started to avoid my gaze.
“Gek gek.”
“…Someone had to take the hit, so I sacrificed myself. Besides, neither I nor Chodo could have defeated the Gomodo, so it was better for Chodo, who's good at stalling for time, to remain.”
I guess she had her reasons.
Still, I'll always remember it as the "Breath attack! Dodge it!" incident.
“Kkyaeng-ya-ing? Could it be…!”
Soyeong's cheerful voice came from outside.
“Everyone, come here! Hero Go has finally woken up!”
The moment she finished speaking, I heard a thundering thud-thud-thud.
To exaggerate a little, you could say it was an earthquake.
No, seeing the bicorns run, maybe it really was an earthquake.
Everyone came running at once, but because of the distance, Soyeong was the first to arrive before me.
Soyeong was the one who made the greatest contribution.
I trusted her, which is why I let her touch my acupoints. And Soyeong, despite her injuries, achieved the great feat of subduing the Gomodo with her hidden weapons.
Soyeong was usually clumsy and foolish, but at that moment, I had to acknowledge her.
As the Divine Physician of the Gaegaek Cult, Tang Soyeong.
I lifted my head and looked at Soyeong.
Her brown hair.
Tied up in dumpling-shaped buns, with one side long and asymmetrical, covering her ear. At a glance, the unusual style made it look like a tail or an antenna.
Perhaps because she was a member of the Tang Clan, her green eyes were more like those of a spirit beast than a typical martial artist.
I hated to admit it, but with her small face and delicate features, she had a face you couldn't help but call beautiful.
Looking at this Soyeong, I opened my mouth to praise her for what she'd done and explain my situation.
And then my gaze fell upon Soyeong's poison pouches.
“Geeeeek…”
I couldn't help but let out such a cry.
“W-what is it? What's with that disappointed look?”
Because the poison pouches I thought I'd glimpsed had completely vanished.
Everything I thought I saw had disappeared like a midsummer mirage.
There was no trace of the pouches that, while not "Gerorong," could at least have been called "Gerong."
As I stared with such disappointed eyes, Soyeong's "antenna" twitched.
Her hands, too, began to flail as she rushed toward me.
“Hey, you lizard! How can you do that the moment you wake up!”
Soyeong, unable to contain her anger.
I lifted my thick tail and brought it down toward Soyeong's forehead.
Tap.
Of course, I wasn't such a bad lizard that I'd actually hit Soyeong after all she'd been through.
It was a pat on the head to say, "Good job…"
“Hmph! Mmph…?”
“Geek!”
You're not a dog, why are you biting my tail!
“Kkyong…”
Tus, I wasn't talking to you…
“Hehe… So this is what Hero Go's tail tastes like…”
Do you have any idea what kind of tail this is to be biting it so carelessly?
I went through so much trouble to avoid using this tail's power.
I was going to let it slide, but not anymore.
Clang!
“Ugyak!”
Tang Soyeong went flying, clutching her forehead.
Yep, Soyeong was still the same old Tang Soyeong.