Chapter 281
Chapter 281
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 281
Chapter Title: Hyomin Awakens
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A vivid red heat haze shimmered around Unhyang.
The atmosphere emanating from Unhyang, who had manifested the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, was utterly different from her usual self. It was hard to believe she was the same person.
Of course, it wasn't just the atmosphere that had changed.
Schwaaak-.
Clang-!
Sword and spear clashed, sending shockwaves sweeping through the surroundings.
Si-woo's spear deflected Unhyang's sword. Feeling the numbness in his hands, Si-woo's eyes sparkled.
'She's definitely different.'
Ever since she drew the Heavenly Demon's Soul, her sword had become far sharper and faster. It felt like her basic physical abilities had multiplied several times over.
No.
It wasn't just her physical abilities that had changed.
She seemed like an entirely different person—her gaze and presence had transformed completely.
'Chilling.'
Si-woo's eyes weren't focused on Unhyang.
They were on something farther back, beyond what the naked eye could fully perceive.
Right now, it wasn't fully Unhyang's own will moving her body. Something dwelling within her—the power known as the 'Heavenly Demon's Soul'—was controlling her flesh.
Kwaduduk-.
The sword tip dug into Si-woo's spear shaft. Cracks formed on the ice-forged spear.
Pa-kang-!
Soon after, Si-woo's spear shattered, unable to withstand Unhyang's blade.
"……!"
Startled, Unhyang instinctively stepped back. If she swung her sword now, Si-woo's body would be cleaved in two.
But.
"Didn't I tell you there's no need to hold back?"
Contrary to Unhyang's concern, Si-woo's voice came from behind her.
Jeojeok-.
The figure of Si-woo she had just been fighting turned into transparent ice. Around her stood several identical clones of Si-woo.
Unhyang reflexively swung her sword. Her blade horizontally sliced through the torsos of the Si-woos surrounding her.
But at that moment.
Kkadudud-.
Ice flowers bloomed on Unhyang's feet and elbows.
"……!"
"You're too focused on offense. It gets even worse after manifesting the Heavenly Demon's Soul."
"Wha-what?"
Bound by ice, Unhyang wore a bewildered expression. She had no idea when this had happened to her.
She was sure she had cut them down, yet more Si-woos had appeared around her before she knew it.
With her body restrained, the feral energy surging from Unhyang with the Heavenly Demon's Soul began to subside. She slowly regulated her breathing, calming the Heavenly Demon's Soul.
After closing her eyes for a moment to catch her breath, the murderous intent faded from Unhyang's body. Confirming she had stabilized, Si-woo released the ice binding her.
"Are you alright?"
"A bit numb, but I'm fine."
Frostbite and burn marks from the ice dotted Unhyang's body. Fortunately, none required immediate treatment.
'She learns fast.'
After Soo-hyuk and Ye-ryeong left, Unhyang had asked Si-woo to oversee her martial arts training.
It was a request she could make because she trusted that even if she lost control to the Heavenly Demon's Soul and went berserk, Si-woo could handle her.
And during that time, Unhyang's skills had improved at a visibly rapid pace.
An achievement so swift it defied belief.
'It doesn't feel like her skills are growing—it feels like she's reclaiming something lost.'
Guessing the reason wasn't hard.
'She's either getting used to the Heavenly Demon's Soul, or she's finally accepting it instead of instinctively rejecting it.'
Was it truly the lineage of the Heavenly Demon? Unhyang's potential was astonishing.
She could undoubtedly become a solid asset. Not right now, perhaps, but soon enough.
Unhyang, warming her frozen body with mana, asked,
"By the way, what was that just now?"
"What do you mean?"
"The clones. You never used anything like that before."
As a longtime fan of Soo-hyuk, Unhyang was also a Blue Eyes fan. She remembered most of the skills and techniques Si-woo had shown in the Great War.
"Ye-ryeong tried imitating it a bit. Turns out it's pretty useful."
"Ye-ryeong did?"
"What she uses isn't real cloning anyway—it's just an illusion. I figured I could do something similar with ice mirrors."
"Talking behind my back again."
Ye-ryeong's voice came right then.
It wasn't far. Just behind her head, close by.
Before they knew it, Ye-ryeong had approached right up to Si-woo and Unhyang's backs.
"I knew you'd do this, you."
She clicked her tongue and glared at Si-woo. He turned, frowning.
"Seriously, drop this stealthy sneaking habit of yours."
"How can I stop when you're always gossiping?"
"Gossiping? I've barely met anyone but you for over twenty years."
Si-woo's grievance was justified.
Over the past twenty years, he couldn't count how many times Ye-ryeong's pranks had startled him.
It would have been nice if he could complain to someone, but sadly, the only things Si-woo had encountered for twenty years were enemies.
"Uh... yeah, that's true."
"Welcome back."
"Yeah. Of course."
In response to Unhyang's greeting, Ye-ryeong pulled a vial from her pocket.
"Ta-da."
"Is that it?"
Si-woo's eyes lit up at the sight of the vial.
Soo-hyuk and Ye-ryeong had gone all the way to the Sacheon Tang Clan to obtain it.
The medicine that could cure Hyomin.
Si-woo shot to his feet.
"Let's go!"
"Hold on."
"Hold on what? Right now, for Hyomin—!"
"We have someone who came with us."
Ye-ryeong stepped aside. Then, the companion who had traveled with her appeared from behind.
The man who had been waiting for an opening in their conversation—Je Unhak.
"You're all really alive."
Confirming Si-woo's face, he marveled anew. He'd thought Si-woo might be alive since Ye-ryeong was, but seeing him in person felt entirely different.
"Are you...?"
"I'm Je Unhak. I came at your friends' request to prescribe the antidote."
Only then did Si-woo understand why Ye-ryeong had brought Je Unhak.
Je Unhak was a master of poisons and medicine rivaling the Poison King Tang Paegun. Having him there was reassuring beyond measure.
"Thank you."
Si-woo stood and bowed deeply to Je Unhak.
Je Unhak waved it off as burdensome but soon nodded.
He had treated many patients in his life. He knew exactly what words would reassure someone in this situation.
"Don't worry. No matter what, I'll make your friend better."
Si-woo's expression brightened instantly.
Soo-hyuk had arrived at Hyomin's location ahead of time. He sat by the head of the bed where she lay, gazing down at her.
Her face was serene, as if she were merely asleep. She didn't look like someone poisoned at all.
Clunk-.
After watching her condition for a while, the cabin door opened not long after.
"Huh? How'd you find this place?"
Si-woo asked in surprise upon seeing Soo-hyuk there. To avoid exposure, he'd built another house far away and hidden here.
"You left the address."
"That shouldn't have been enough to find it easily."
"……It wasn't."
The cabin where Si-woo and Unhyang stayed was deep in the mountains. To evade Kim Il-su's pursuit until Soo-hyuk and Ye-ryeong returned, they'd chosen a secluded spot.
Thanks to that, Soo-hyuk and Ye-ryeong had struggled to find them, even with the detailed text coordinates.
Si-woo entered with Unhyang, Ye-ryeong, and Je Unhak.
Soo-hyuk stood and bowed to Je Unhak.
"Thank you."
"Don't worry."
Je Unhak opened the vial and slowly trickled it into Hyomin's mouth.
Then he took out a few more medicines.
He administered the medicine, checked her pulse, and waited.
Je Unhak repeated this process several times. Watching the agonizingly slow procedure, Si-woo whispered softly.
"Um... were there multiple antidotes?"
Soo-hyuk and Ye-ryeong shook their heads, saying they didn't know.
They were just as puzzled. They were sure the pair had brought only one antidote.
"One slows absorption, another draws out the accumulated poison."
Je Unhak, having overheard the whisper, answered.
"Waking her from the Dream Soul Herb trance is possible with one antidote. But rousing the dormant consciousness too quickly creates a disconnect between mind and body."
The antidote Soo-hyuk and Ye-ryeong had brought was just the one to awaken her.
At Je Unhak's explanation, the two suddenly wondered.
What if they hadn't met Je Unhak and had somehow subdued Tang Paegun on their own to get the antidote?
They might have succeeded in waking Hyomin with that single vial, but her condition wouldn't have been good.
"……A terrifying poison."
"That's why the Dream Soul Herb is the most fearsome. Infecting is easy, antidoting is hard—but doing it properly is far harder."
At that moment, drop-.
The last drop from the vial fell onto Hyomin's lips.
"Done."
Je Unhak lowered his hand, as if his work was complete.
All eyes turned to Hyomin. Instantly, the room fell silent as everyone held their breath.
And soon.
Hyomin's eyelids trembled faintly.
'Again.'
Her sunken consciousness slowly began to rise, but Hyomin wasn't pleased.
No. She hated this moment.
'Why does it keep coming back? Annoying.'
The one who always woke Hyomin was the same person.
Kim Il-su.
Every few years, he periodically visited and roused her, as if checking she wasn't dead.
'What nonsense is he gonna spout this time.'
Kim Il-su always droned on about useless things.
About Blue Zone, how the world had changed lately.
Hyomin stared intently at his throat, wondering if she could stab it while he blabbered on topics she didn't care about.
'The last story... was true. He said those two are alive.'
At least recently, Kim Il-su had brought worthwhile news.
That Ye-ryeong and Si-woo were alive—news that fully captured her interest.
That must have been when it started. The first time she thought she wanted to leave this place. The first time she hoped to wake up soon.
'Yeah. If I keep waking up like this, someday...'
She might meet those two again.
With that thought, Hyomin slowly opened her eyes. For eyes unused to light for so long, her vision cleared surprisingly quickly this time.
Hyomin sat up slowly. Unlike usual, her body felt light and refreshed.
As the pitch darkness lifted, several people came into her hazy view. They were quite close, but not the face she usually saw.
'Long... hair.'
Not Kim Il-su.
Calming her fluttering eyelids and sharpening her vision, Hyomin narrowed her eyes.
And then.
"……Huh?"
Her narrowed eyes widened round.
Her vision blurred again, so Hyomin hurriedly rubbed them with the back of her hand.
At her reaction, the woman right in front of her asked,
"Do... you recognize me?"
It was strange.
Even after losing consciousness to the unidentified poison, she'd never dreamed. This cursed poison hadn't even allowed her dreams.
Was this really reality? With that doubt, Hyomin said,
"Ye... ryeong?"
At that instant, Ye-ryeong threw her arms around Hyomin.
Just like when she first reunited with Soo-hyuk, she burst into loud sobs. They were all close, but these two had been the closest.
That day, I should have stayed behind.
That regret had bound Ye-ryeong's soul all this time.
Hyomin stared blankly at Ye-ryeong crying in her embrace. Then she realized this wasn't a dream.
The two clung to each other, sobbing uncontrollably.
For the first time, a soul filled the empty vessel of Hyomin's spirit.