Chapter 22
The Bakuns of Ibrahmuth, who had wiped out Zephyr's brothers' pack, began to move.
"Split into two groups."
"Split the pack in two?"
"Yes. Five are coming this way. The rest are circling around in the opposite direction."
Arin's eyes had turned gold.
"Which way did the leader go?"
"One of the five is the leader."
"Ohh."
Bakuns certainly knew how to think strategically.
The leader commanding Ibrahmuth's Bakuns had chosen to become bait himself. He planned to draw in Yoon Sang-hyuk's Bakuns by using himself as the lure, then strike from behind with the rest of the pack.
If Yoon Sang-hyuk had not known in advance, and if he had not been able to control the Bakuns with his own energy, he might have been in trouble.
Yoon Sang-hyuk's Bakuns also split into two groups. His energy forcibly divided them in half. The Bakuns began to move, and Yoon Sang-hyuk guided their path by letting his power flow outward.
Then he set an ambush along the route of Ibrahmuth's Bakuns, just as Arin had foreseen.
"This is too easy."
The fight with Ibrahmuth's Bakuns, after they had already gone through a round of battle with Zephyr's brothers' pack, ended far too quickly.
The Ibrahmuth Bakuns fell into the ambush and were wiped out without putting up much resistance.
"This is insane! You're reading every single one of my Bakuns' strategies."
Ibrahmuth thrashed in frustration, but the winner of the game had already been decided.
Yoon Sang-hyuk, having emerged as the final victor, released his Bakuns.
He reached out and patted Arin on the head. After the visit from Zigritria, Arin's abilities had improved in many ways and become highly useful. That did not mean he intended to use her, though. She still needed to develop her own power, and using it in a game like this would be a valuable experience for her as well.
"Losers can go prepare dinner."
At Ibrahmuth's words, Zephyr's brothers drooped and started on the meal.
The brief entertainment was over.
"We'll stay here one more day."
With that, Yoon Sang-hyuk pulled alcohol out of his subspace. The entire group erupted into cheers at the sight of the various bottles. Earth liquor was as addictive as coffee. Demon Realm alcohol mostly burned like poison and had no real depth of flavor.
But Earth liquor was different.
Distilled spirits had a clean taste, while wine and cognac carried a remarkable richness.
After Zephyr's brothers finished preparing dinner, a small party began with the alcohol Yoon Sang-hyuk had brought out.
Yoon Sang-hyuk was drinking soju after a long time.
"Why do you drink so much of something that doesn't even get you drunk?"
At Valender von Graus's question, Yoon Sang-hyuk stuffed a nut into his mouth, chewed it a few times, and answered.
"Well, I can't get drunk, but I can still enjoy the feeling. People who can forget complicated things under the influence of alcohol are truly blessed. Not always, but when I drink, my abilities sometimes feel more like a curse than a blessing."
After knocking back three bottles of soju in a row, Yoon Sang-hyuk took a black orb from his subspace. It was Amon's essence, the prize he had staked in the wager. In that instant, a red light flashed inside Valender von Graus's helmet.
Seeing that, Yoon Sang-hyuk's eyes filled with interest.
"Valend. You want this too?"
"Hmm. I would not call it desire so much as instinct."
"So you do want it."
"My instinct tells me to swallow it at once, but..."
Valender von Graus tapped the side of his head with a finger.
"Here, I refuse."
"Why? If you got this, you'd get stronger."
"Strength..."
He paused. "Do I look so weak to you that I must pursue strength?"
"No way. My friend Valend is the best. Strong and dependable. But still, there are things that those of us who walk the sword path pursue."
"A higher realm?"
"Bingo."
Valender von Graus gave a slight nod.
"It would be good to reach a higher realm. But I know my limits well. I have already climbed the highest mountain I can reach. I believe it is all thanks to you. I have no emotions, yet I am always grateful. That is sincere."
"I believe you."
"If I swallow that, I will become stronger. But that will not make it my own strength. Power gained by shortcut never truly becomes mine."
Yoon Sang-hyuk let out a short laugh.
"That's a damn good line. Sometimes I forget you're a Death Knight. Makes it a shame you can't drink."
He tossed Amon's essence into the air and caught it again.
"So what do I do with this? I don't need it if I keep it. And you say you don't need it either, Valend."
Yoon Sang-hyuk turned and called out, "Zephyr."
"Yes, Lord Sang-hyuk."
Zephyr, who had been drinking around the campfire some distance away, sprang to his feet and hurried over.
"Open your mouth."
"Pardon?"
"Open it. Like this. Say 'ah' and open your mouth."
"Ah-!"
Zephyr opened his mouth wide and made the sound, but it did not last long.
"Ghk-?!"
He tried to spit out whatever had gone into his mouth, but it quickly turned into liquid and slid down his throat.
"Lo, Lord Sang-hyuk...? Khaaaah!"
Zephyr suddenly screamed.
Watching him roll on the ground, clutching his throat and stomach, Yoon Sang-hyuk said, "Medicine that's good for the body is always bitter going down."
* * *
Late at night, after everyone had fallen asleep.
A few people gathered around the campfire that had been lit beside the wagon for the night watch. Four men and one woman. They were Zephyr and his brothers.
Zephyr repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fist. Each time he did, black energy gathered around his hand and then dispersed again.
"Why did he give it to me?"
Zeronia smiled brightly as she looked at Zephyr, who was still dazed by the fact that he had suddenly obtained power approaching his own in an instant.
"I think our background is just too amazing."
"Background... Heh, yes. I suppose so."
Zephyr glanced at the sword leaning against the stone beside where he sat.
It was the Fallen Divinity that Ibrahmuth had staked in the wager. Having lost the bet, Ibrahmuth had been forced by Yoon Sang-hyuk's demand to hand it over, and then he had obtained the Fallen Divinity and given it to Zephyr as a gift.
"Congratulations, brother."
"I'm not sure this is something to congratulate me for. I'm still just dazed. I even wonder whether I can really use this power properly."
"If it's you, brother, you'll use it well."
One of the three younger brothers listening nearby cut in with an excited voice.
"Wow, are two Demon Lords really going to be born from our brothers?"
"Exactly. It's the pride of our clan!"
The younger brothers were all thrilled and loud with excitement.
Unlike his merrily celebrating brothers, Zephyr's expression was grave. He had not scraped by at the very bottom of the Demon Realm, but he had still lived fiercely in his own way. Because of that, he knew very well that there was no such thing as a favor in this world with no price attached.
Even after obtaining something powerful enough to change the rank of every being in the Demon Realm at once, he could not help feeling confused. That was exactly why.
The Amon's essence he had accidentally absorbed was the greatest treasure imaginable, something beyond exchange. The Fallen Divinity resting at his feet was certainly an impressive weapon, but compared to Amon's essence, it could not help but seem plain.
Of course, he also knew that Yoon Sang-hyuk did not particularly expect anything from him. There was such a vast and deep river, so many immense and towering mountains, between Yoon Sang-hyuk and himself that expecting anything in return would be absurd. What mattered most to him would probably be trivial in Yoon Sang-hyuk's eyes.
And Yoon Sang-hyuk was a man who would leave the Demon Realm once everything he intended to do was finished. That made it even more confusing. How was he supposed to repay this kindness?
Lost in thought, Zephyr suddenly shuddered and reached toward the Fallen Divinity. But his hand never managed to grasp it. It was already too late to react to the sudden turn of events.
"So Amon's essence really is something remarkable."
The one who appeared was Valender von Graus.
Zephyr's brothers lowered their heads. The only ones who reacted at all to Valender von Graus's soundless approach were Zephyr and Zeronia. The other three brothers had been so bewildered by what was happening that they only looked startled after noticing Valender von Graus.
"If you want a sparring match, you're welcome anytime. But if that's not what this is, put the sword down."
Zephyr gave an awkward laugh and released his late-grabbed hold on the Fallen Divinity.
"Sang-hyuk asked me to pass along a message."
"......"
Zephyr and his brothers all looked at Valender von Graus at once.
"He said not to think too deeply about it. If the party gets stronger, the journey becomes easier. That was Sang-hyuk's message."
"I-Is that so?"
"He told me to relay it because it sounded like he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if he didn't get that across."
* * *
"Three."
Arin spoke in a clear voice.
Yoon Sang-hyuk brought his hands out from behind his back. In his hand, exactly three fingers were held up.
"Good."
He was training Arin's precognition.
A power, by nature, only becomes familiar and skilled through continued use. Yoon Sang-hyuk looked at Arin's gold-tinted eyes and asked, "Are you tired?"
"I'm still okay."
Her ability to maintain the power was also rising dramatically compared to when she first began. Arin's precognitive ability did not use dark energy like the other beings of the Demon Realm. She relied entirely on mental strength. That was why she tired more easily and tended to collapse from exhaustion.
She was still young, so overusing her mental strength was no easy thing.
"Let's stop here for today."
"Okay."
Yoon Sang-hyuk took out some chocolate crackers and handed them to Arin. He did give snacks and drinks to the other children too, but in terms of frequency, Arin received far more than anyone else. It was favoritism, yes, but since the Arian clan could travel with Yoon Sang-hyuk because of Arin, the Star of Prophecy, everyone accepted that degree of favoritism as natural.
He was patting Arin's head when a strong tremor suddenly came through his hand.
"What's wrong?"
"Something is approaching."
Arin answered in a trembling voice.
At that moment, the wagon slowly began to lose speed.
"Lord Sang-hyuk."
When he got down from the wagon and stepped outside, Zephyr was already standing by the door. Zephyr bowed once to Yoon Sang-hyuk, then turned his head and looked south. Following his gaze, Yoon Sang-hyuk looked south as well, and a massive shape could be seen faintly in the distance.
"That is Marhalta, the territory of Zigritria, the Magic Dragon of Despair."