Chapter 442: Hatred, and Conflict.
Chapter 442: Hatred, and Conflict.
When I opened my eyes again, a dim, gray world came into my blurry vision.
Where was this place?
Why was I here?
What was I doing here?
I still didn't know anything, but I was no longer curious. I only felt a dark despair settling in my heart.
Shhhk! Shhhhk!
It was a scene I had witnessed dozens, no, hundreds of times. From a moment ago until now, this situation had repeated itself endlessly.
No.
I screamed desperately in my mind, but… I already knew. No matter how much I resisted, the one orchestrating this situation would never stop.
Shhhk! Shhhhk!
Just as I thought.
As if to confirm my thoughts, I soon felt a coarse texture wrapping tightly around my neck. Then, against my will, my body slowly began to rise into the air. The feeling of my neck gradually tightening was followed by my breath being cut off.
I would suffer in this state for a while, then I would pass out again. And when I opened my eyes, I would be facing the same gray world.
Clunk!
It was then. Just as I was about to close my eyes, thinking of nothing but the pain that was about to come, the slowly rising scenery suddenly stopped. The jolt shook me, loosening the pressure on my neck, and I inadvertently opened my eyes a sliver.
It shouldn't have stopped already.
When I glanced around, I was startled. Someone was approaching the place where I was hanging. In this unbelievable situation, I squeezed my eyes shut.
I thought it was all over. I thought no one would come. I thought I would just suffer like this until I died. But now, I could feel my heart begin to pound in a chest where I had felt nothing for so long.
Could this be a dream?
After a short while, I cautiously opened my eyes and looked down. And there, standing below me, I saw Hyung-nim.
Hyung-nim!
It was Hyung-nim! I couldn't see his face clearly, but the figure I could make out was definitely him.
No. It wasn't just Hyung-nim; many of my comrades were standing there too. The moment I confirmed this, an indescribable joy welled up inside me.
I could be rescued soon. I could escape this situation that had repeated itself tens, hundreds of times.
I suddenly felt like tears were about to burst forth. In the depths of my being, where only pain and despair remained, the hope I thought had vanished began to stir.
Gack!
Just then, the pressure on my neck, which had momentarily loosened, suddenly tightened with great force. Amidst the suffocating pain, I struggled to look at Hyung-nim again. The moment my gaze finally reached him, a strange sense of unease washed over me.
Hyung-nim…?
For no reason, my heart sank. I wanted him to save me quickly. I wanted to be freed from this repetitive agony as soon as possible. But why had Hyung-nim been standing still this whole time?
No, before that. He wasn't even looking at me. Come to think of it, I hadn't even seen his face. The figure was clearly Hyung-nim's, but instead of facing me, he was silently staring straight ahead.
Don't tell me….
A thought flashed through my mind, but I immediately denied it. Nevertheless, I couldn't deny that the hope that had just begun to stretch its wings had its head snapped back down.
It was then.
Finally, Hyung-nim slowly raised his head and began to look up at me.
A myriad of thoughts crossed my mind, but I had no other choice. Even as my neck was being choked, I struggled with all my might to look down and meet Hyung-nim's gaze.
Then, at a certain moment, I saw it. Hyung-nim's indifferent face.
That's… not Hyung-nim….
In an instant, Hyung-nim's eyes bulged as if they would pop out. His skin twisted grotesquely, then rotted away. His mouth tore open all the way to his earlobes, dripping blackish-red blood.
Yes. The thing looking up at me was not Hyung-nim. It was the specter that had been tormenting me all this time. Which meant this entire situation was also a fabrication of the specter.
…Ha.
How much time passed like that?
After mocking me for a long while, the specter slowly turned and began to walk away. The backs of those who disappeared to one side looked exactly like my comrades.
A hollow laugh escaped me. Even though I knew it wasn't real, that it was a situation fabricated by the specter. Why was it that, despite knowing, I still held onto a sliver of hope as I watched them leave?
Ha… hahaha… hahaha….
When they had completely disappeared, a single tear streamed down my cheek. At the same time, I felt something that had been barely holding on snap. As the hope that had just been revived was thoroughly trampled, I was overcome by a feeling of near-madness.
…….
Now, I couldn't think at all. The only thought that circled my mind was to let go of everything and die.
- Really?
At that moment, just as I had given up on everything, a whisper flowed into my mind. Simultaneously, a figure appeared before my eyes. It was an incredibly horrifying figure, but I no longer found it scary or surprising.
I stared blankly at the shape. I just wanted to give up and be at peace, no matter what it took.
Yes. Just kill me now. Please.
- Hehe! Hehehe! Hehehehe! I've done it, I've done it!
At that moment, the specter's torn mouth gaped open, and it began to approach as if to swallow me whole. It's done? What in the world was done?
I wondered for a moment, but I soon gave up thinking. I quietly closed my eyes. I just had to endure it once. Soon, I would be devoured by the specter, and when I opened my eyes again… I wouldn't have to repeat this situation ever again.
It's… all over now….
With the thought that it was over, I waited. I waited, and waited, and waited.
…….
But the pain I expected never came. I thought it would be agonizing, but I couldn't feel a thing.
Could it be over already? What would happen to me now? What if I open my eyes and it repeats all over again?
A mix of thoughts swirled through my mind. But I just shook my head. If I opened my eyes to the same situation again, I truly didn't have the confidence to endure it…
“Huh?”
The pressure on my neck was gone. My voice came out. I had just shaken my head. My restrained body was free again.
And, at that moment.
- Kyaaak! Kyaaaak!
“Whew, I was almost a step too late. Thank goodness.”
A low, cool tone. A voice I thought I would never hear again clearly flowed into my ears.
- It's not fair! I was so close! I was right there! It's not faaaair!
“Shut up, you bastard.”
Crunch! Crack!
Soon, the sound of something being torn to shreds was accompanied by the specter's scream. At the same time, I felt a gentle touch brushing through my hair. This touch was…
“Ahn Sol! Shin Jaeryong!”
I immediately opened my eyes. And then I saw a world that was no longer gray, but brilliantly shining.
There, another me was standing.
*
“Wow…”
“Oh…”
Ahn Sol and Vivian let out faint gasps. The phenomenon unfolding before their eyes seemed quite fascinating. In truth, there was nothing particularly strange about it. It was simply Hangyul finding his lost half and merging with it. A process of two becoming one, so to speak.
Still… he doesn't look to be in good shape.
“Ugh…”
A faint groan escaped Hangyul's lips. Pushing aside a flicker of worry, I stared at Hangyul, who I had laid on the ground. His vision seemed blurry, his pupils wavering faintly through his squinted eyes.
“Hangyul. Are you with me?”
“Haaahk!”
Just as I was about to get closer, Hangyul's eyes shot open. He let out a terrified scream. Judging by how he twisted his head away, it seemed he was unconsciously trying to get away from me.
Yoojung peered over from the side and lightly slapped Hangyul's cheeks.
“What's with him now? Hey! Baek Hangyul!”
“N-No! Don't come near me! Don't come neeeear!”
“Oh, look at this kid. We came all this way to save him… Answer me. What the hell happened? And where's Ahn Hyun?”
“No… No… No… No… If you're going to keep doing this shit… just kill me! Kill me!”
At his continued, incomprehensible reactions, Yoojung's brow furrowed. The other clan members, also sensing something was wrong, moved a little closer to check on Hangyul's condition.
But Hangyul, with a helpless look on his face, was frozen. In the end, he just squeezed his eyes shut and curled into a ball. It was a defensive posture. Shin Jaeryong, who had been watching quietly, let out a soft breath and shook his head.
“It seems he's not in his right mind. He appears to be in a state of confusion from some great shock… This is difficult. For now, I'll try to treat him.”
“…I don't think this is a situation that can be fixed with divine spells.”
“That would be true if it was caused internally by an external stimulus. I hate to think it, but… there's a high possibility it's a mental illness. For now, all we can do is remove external stimuli, restore his stamina, and ensure absolute mental and physical stability. Considering Hangyul's future activities in the Hall Plain, he might be in a very dangerous state right now. Clan Lord. Remember User Won Hyesoo.”
“Hmm.”
Shin Jaeryong's tone was quite serious. His words certainly had merit, and I too felt that this was no light matter.
So, I quietly mulled over Hangyul's words.
No. Don't come near me. If you're going to keep doing this shit, just kill me.
It's not disjointed. It connects.
Alright, let's retrace this one step at a time.
If you're going to keep doing this shit, just kill me.
This suggests he was subjected to some act by the specter and, unable to bear it, asked to be killed.
And, No, don't come near me.
Connecting this with my previous guess, it's highly likely he was saying this to the specter. If so, for some reason, he's thinking of us as the specter right now.
This is really tricky… We can't rest here either. We still have to find Ahn Hyun.
Honestly, I hadn't expected him to be perfectly healthy, but Hangyul's condition was far more severe than I'd anticipated. The only silver lining, if any, was that this was still the early stage. In any case, as Shin Jaeryong said, how we stabilized Hangyul now would affect his future activities.
My thoughts were settled. I told Ahn Sol and Shin Jaeryong to prepare their healing spells, then calmly approached Hangyul.
“Hic… Huuuk…”
Still trembling, Hangyul was now crying. I looked down at him for a moment before carefully kneeling on one knee. Then, I gently placed a hand on his faintly shaking head.
“Hangyul.”
“Please… Please…”
“Hangyul. It's me, your Hyung. I'm here to save you, so open your eyes.”
“Don't lie to me… You're not… I won't be fooled again…”
I kept trying to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen to anything I said. It was proof that his mind was utterly exhausted. I didn't know what the specter had done, but it was clear Hangyul had suffered an unimaginable amount of pain while he was alone.
In that case, the most important thing right now was to make him face reality as much as possible. I gently supported the back of Hangyul's head. Then, I slowly helped him up and forced his eyes open.
“Look carefully.”
Where Hangyul and I were looking, there lay the specter, its face split in half.
“Haaahk! Haaahk!”
“Hangyul. Look closely. The specter that tormented you is dead, and you've been rescued. This isn't a dream, it's reality.”
“It's a lie… I won't be fooled…”
“Why do you think it's a lie? What are you being fooled by?”
As I continued to soothe him, I gave a signal with a nod. Ahn Sol and Shin Jaeryong, who were already prepared, came over and placed their hands on Hangyul's body.
“Angelus, guide the wandering one to the light…”
“───. ───. ───. Target designated User Baek Hangyul. Abnormal State, Recovery!”
Ahn Sol cast the Angelus spell, while Shin Jaeryong cast a status recovery spell. After confirming that white and yellow lights were flowing into him, I channeled the power of Eternal Flame through the hand on his head. My intention was to smooth his magic flow and mend him from the inside.
“Ugh… Uuugh…”
Was it having an effect? I could hear Hangyul's sobs gradually subsiding.
A moment later, Hangyul looked up at me with tear-soaked eyes. His pupils were still filled with disbelief, but he was no longer denying reality like before. It seemed receiving treatment from three people at once had helped him regain some of his senses.
With a pained expression, Hangyul parted his lips.
“…Hyung-nim?”
“Yes. Are you feeling a bit better now?”
“Hyung-nim… Hyung-nim…! I-I'm sorry… I… I… I'm sorry…!”
“…You have nothing to be sorry for.”
I shook my head with a reassuring expression.
Honestly, I was furious when I first heard the story from Hayeon, but I had no intention of scolding him in a situation like this. Besides, Hangyul had just been swayed by Hayeon and Ahn Hyun; he was practically blameless.
More importantly, arguing about right and wrong here was just a waste of time. The rescue was only half-complete. We had managed to save Hangyul, but Ahn Hyun was nowhere to be seen.
I met Hangyul's teary eyes and spoke quietly.
“Hangyul.”
“H-Hyung-nim. What happened was…”
“No, it's okay. I already know the situation. Like I said before, the specter has been dealt with, and you've been rescued. You can relax now. I won't ask you anything for now… Okay?”
“…Hic.”
“Good. Just tell me one thing. I thought Ahn Hyun would be with you, but I don't see him around. Do you happen to know where he is? Or can you tell me what happened to him?”
Hangyul couldn't answer right away. He just stared blankly, his mouth opening and closing.
“God, this is so frustrating! Hey…”
Seeing Hangyul's continued hesitation, an exasperated Yoojung stepped forward and shouted. But she trailed off when I looked at her.
“User Lee Yoojung.”
“Well, it's just… I don't see Ahn Hyun.”
“Be quiet. That's why we're trying to find him now. Remember what you said in the meeting room.”
“I'm sorry…”
I let out a short breath. Of course, I was just as frustrated, but Hangyul's current state was extremely unstable. If left like this, there was a high chance he would develop psychological trauma. So, the best method for now was to help him calm down as much as possible and let him speak on his own.
I signaled for her to stay quiet and then spoke in a low voice.
“It's okay, just try to remember, slowly.”
After about ten seconds, Hangyul's eyes widened in shock. He tried to bolt upright but ended up falling forward.
“H-Hyun Hyung-nim!”
“You remember?”
“Wh-Where is he? Don't tell me he's not here?”
“He's not. You were the only one we found here.”
I answered quickly. By now, Ahn Sol and Shin Jaeryong's healing spells had finished. But I kept the power of Eternal Flame active, supporting Hangyul. Perhaps because of it, Hangyul no longer seemed to be in a state of confusion. His mind was a mess, but he appeared to be trying to understand the situation and accept my words.
“Hangyul, tell me. What happened to Ahn Hyun?”
“I-I'm sorry… We were running away together… and got lost…”
“It's okay. So you don't know where he is either, right?”
“Yes…”
Hangyul nodded dejectedly.
“Alright. Then can you tell me anything you remember about what happened here? Anything at all is fine.”
Though he flinched slightly, Hangyul soon nodded his head up and down. Then, a moment later, he began to speak in a strained voice.
“So… we entered the Sleeping Dragon Mountains…”
“And?”
“We went in… kept going deeper… Ah! At the, at the fork in the road…!”
“Wait. A fork in the road?”
His words were coming out in fits and starts, but it was a start. I immediately had him stop. Hangyul's brow furrowed slightly, then he shook his head.
“Yes, yes. A fork… It looked like a special path.”
A fork in the road… Tsk.
I glanced at the clan members for a moment, then leaned in close to Hangyul's ear. I whispered softly.
“Are you talking about a place with a tree that's bigger than the others, all dried up and twisted?”
“Uh… Ye-Yes, that's it…!”
“…Damn it. Did you go left, or right?”
“R-Right. Yes. It was definitely the right.”
Going right meant they had entered. For a moment, a curse rose to the tip of my tongue, but I managed to hold it back. Having once researched the Sleeping Dragon Mountains, I knew exactly what kind of place the fork Hangyul was talking about was.
Those crazy bastards… How in the world… No, what were they thinking…
I slowly stood up.
It was a mystery how they had even managed to get that far, but if they had entered the path at the fork, it was an even bigger problem. This confirmed that Ahn Hyun was missing.
Because that fork in the road was…
“We should get moving again. It's not good to stay in one place for too long. …Rear guard, take care of Hangyul.”
It was the path leading into the 'Branching Region,' the area just before the entrance to the ruins.